We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
BI reminds departing aliens to settle fees; arrests high-profile Korean fugitive
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday advised all foreign travelers who are leaving the country during the upcoming Undas holiday break to comply with their immigration departure requirements early to avoid unnecessary queuing at the airport on the date of their departure. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco reminded registered foreigners who are studying, working, or living permanently in the Philippines that they can obtain their special return certificate (SRC) or re-entry permit (RP) prior to departure at any of the various BI's district, field, satellite, or extension offices nationwide. While foreign tourists who have stayed in the country for more than six months may also secure their emigration clearance certificates (ECC) before departure, Tansingco said securing the required permits early will decrease queueing time by half, as they will not have to line up at the BI’s airport cashiers anymore. The BI chief added that with the complete elimination of all COVID-related travel restrictions, the bureau is anticipating a spike in passengers at all international airports in the country, especially at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), this upcoming December, and this time they are also experiencing a big increase in the volume of New Year's Day travelers. During this peak season, the bureau reminded all travelers that other immigration services are also available online via the BI’s e-services portal at e-services.immigration.gov.ph. Tansingco shared that the bureau also has a one-stop shop (OSS) facility located at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City, where departing aliens may also secure the said documents. He also reiterated previous reminders for passengers to arrive at least three hours prior to their flight and go straight to immigration after check-in. The BI is confident that its operations will be smoother this holiday season as it has deployed additional immigration officers and assigned a rapid response team as well as mobile counters for immediate deployment as necessary. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, 24 October, BI agents detained a South Korean wanted person who was allegedly part of a major narcotics ring that smuggled contraband into Korea from the Philippines. Commissioner Tansingco identified the suspect as Choi Sun Hyeok, a 56-year-old male who was arrested at his residence in Bgy. Lahug, Cebu City by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) operatives. The BI-FSU operatives were armed with a warrant of deportation, which Tansingco issued pursuant to a summary deportation order that the BI Board of Commissioners issued against Choi in 2017. Tansingco said that Choi would be immediately deported to Seoul, South Korea after the bureau had secured the necessary clearances for his departure. According to the South Korean government, Choi was tagged as a high-profile fugitive, as he is believed to be a member of the so-called MS Alliance syndicate that facilitates the illicit transport of narcotics to Korea. A red notice for his capture was also issued by Interpol this year after an investigation confirmed that he was in the country. According to Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Manila, Choi is the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the Changwon District Court in Korea, where he is charged with violating his country’s narcotics control act. Investigators have also established that this year alone, Choi’s accomplices in the syndicate managed to smuggle into Korea more than 265 grams of methamphetamine by concealing the drug in their underwear. It was gathered that the passport of Choi, who will be committed to the BI detention facility in Taguig City, was already revoked by the Korean government, thus making him an undocumented alien. Choi's name was also placed on the BI blacklist to prevent him from re-entering the Philippines. The post BI reminds departing aliens to settle fees; arrests high-profile Korean fugitive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Senior High’ and ‘Fractured’: Youth is not wasted on these young stars
The shows Euphoria, Elite and 13 Reasons Why offer depictions of the so-called Generation Z that baffle, shock and titillate their audiences. The young people in these shows succumb to the call of their sexual urges, wantonly take prohibited drugs and drink themselves to catatonia. Raging hormones fuel their pursuit of YOLO (you only live once) moments and defiance of authority figures. That same sense of edgy, confused, tension-filled environment of sex and drugs are also in the local shows Senior High and Fractured, which follow the footsteps and narratives of their international counterparts in highlighting the many versions of truths and lies in the lives of their young characters. Central hook In Senior High, the stories of teenagers of different economic backgrounds in a private high school, their struggles with authority figures, and a big tragedy-mystery that needs to be resolved are the central anchor and hook. The made-for-TV campus that is Northford High looks and screams “mahal ang tuition.” Students are all in crispy Ivy League-inspired uniforms, and the typical school cliques are well- represented. What has been presented so far in the show’s 25 episodes are a tragic death, bullying, mental health, video scandals and online gossip accepted as gospel truth, homoeroticism, drugs, sexual predation and anger issues with parental and other authority figures. In the acting department, top-tier performances come from Andrea Brillantes, who plays the roles of twin sisters; JK Labajo, who brings a true rich-boy sophistication to his role; Elijah Canlas and Miggy Jimenez, both lending juicy and saucy touches to their juvenile delinquent characters; Kyle Echarri, exuding a becoming softness and knight-to-the rescue vibe; and Daniela Stranner, a delicious alpha mean girl. Among the authority figures, Angel Aquino, Mon Confiado, Anna Abad Santos and Baron Geisler -- in a career-defining performance – are superb. Senior High scratches the surface of teen troubles. As more episodes come, one hopes the problems of today’s youth get a more thorough dissection an a broader, more compassionate perspective. [caption id="attachment_191711" align="aligncenter" width="525"] The cast of ‘Fractured’[/caption] Trapped vloggers In Fractured, a group of popular, influential vloggers are invited to an is island resort to make content about it. The vloggers get their biggest plot twist when they are all marooned in what seems like a deserted part of the island resort. Aside from the elements, they have to contend with scarce food and water, the uncertainty of rescue and other looming dangers. Three episodes on, what makes Fractured an interesting watch is the deft manner by which the personal lives, problems, insecurities and dark sides of the vlogger characters are revealed. Since tensions among them are at an all-time high, catfights between femme vloggers erupt. Two of the macho vloggers assert alpha status, while a different and groovy kind of love blossoms between two male vloggers. Aside from the writing and glossy look of the show, the acting by Seth Fedelin, Francine Diaz, Kaori Oinuma, Daniela Stranner, Raven Rigor and Sean Tristan are also compelling come-ons. For all the chaos and darkness in Senior High and Fractured, we also witness real friendships forged by the young characters, love at its most romantic or bittersweet, and realizations and redemptions even. Youth is not wasted on the younger ones, after all. The post ‘Senior High’ and ‘Fractured’: Youth is not wasted on these young stars appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Foreign nationals involved in scams deported
The Bureau of Immigration on Sunday confirmed the deportation of 75 foreign nationals last 22 September at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1. According to BI commissioner Norman Tansingco, a total of 75 Chinese nationals departed on Friday afternoon via a Royal Air flight RW410 bound for Nanning, Guangxi and the deportees were the first group of foreign nationals to be kicked out of the country for engaging in scams while posing as an online gaming customer care provider. He added that the foreign nationals were part of the group arrested in an operation led by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission against SA Rivendell Global Gaming Corporation, located in Pasay City. They were later charged by the BI for undesirability after being tagged as part of a scam syndicate. The National Bureau of Investigation, which made the arrests, kept custody of the foreigners throughout their deportation procedures. The post Foreign nationals involved in scams deported appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
75 foreigners involved in online scams deported
The Bureau of Immigration confirmed the deportation of 75 foreign nationals on 22 September at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco shared that those foreigners departed on Friday afternoon via a Royal Air flight RW410 bound for Nanning, Guangxi. These deportees, according to Tansingco, are the first group of foreign nationals to be kicked out of the country for engaging in scams while posing as an online gaming customer care provider. They are part of the group arrested in an operation led by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and the Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission (PAOCC) against SA Rivendell Global Gaming Corporation located in Pasay City. They were later charged by the BI for undesirability after being tagged as part of a scam syndicate. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which made the arrests, kept custody of the aforementioned foreigners throughout their deportation procedures. The deportees allegedly took part in bitcoin and love schemes that preyed on Westerners. The BI chief said that the initial count of deportees was 76, but the airline offloaded one of them—identified as He Zeng Ming—due to a medical issue after he purportedly complained about chest symptoms. All deportees have been added to the BI's blacklist; thereby, prohibiting them from returning to the country. “The strong partnership of the BI with PAOCC as well as IACAT member agencies led to this massive arrest and deportation of foreign nationals abusing their stay in the country,” said Tansingco. “This is in line with the President’s directive for government agencies to work closely together, in unity, to achieve greater results,” he added. -----anthony ching----- The post 75 foreigners involved in online scams deported appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese national intercepted at NAIA
The Bureau of Immigration arrested a Chinese national last Monday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after being found to be facing charges in China for illegal gambling. The BI-NAIA identified the suspect as Jiang Ning, a 27-year-old male who attempted to depart via a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when the BI officers noted a derogatory record in their system issued against him by the Chinese authorities. Upon verification, the Bureau confirmed that Jiang is the subject of an Interpol Red notice after allegedly being wanted in China for involvement in setting up a gambling group, which was said to control 14 gambling platforms for illegal profits in China and the Philippines. The BI-NAIA added that his group was said to have operated from 2014 to 2021 and to have induced more than 100 thousand Chinese to engage in illegal gambling activities. A warrant of arrest was already issued against him by the Qijiang District Public Security Bureau of Chongqing Municipality. He was charged with opening a casino in violation of the Criminal Law of China and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Jiang was immediately referred to the BI Legal Division to be charged with undesirability. He will be detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending his deportation proceedings. The post Chinese national intercepted at NAIA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese national wanted for illegal gambling nabbed at NAIA
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported that a Chinese national was arrested on 18 September by BI officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after being found to be facing charges in China for illegal gambling. The BI-NAIA identified the suspect as Jiang Ning, a 27-year-old male. Jiang was arrested at the NAIA Terminal 1. He attempted to depart the country via a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia when BI officers noted a derogatory record in their system issued against him by the Chinese authorities. Upon verification, the BI confirmed that Jiang is the subject of an Interpol Red notice after allegedly being wanted in China for involvement in setting up a gambling group, which was said to control 14 gambling platforms for illegal profits in China and the Philippines. The BI-NAIA added that his group was said to have operated from 2014 to 2021 and to have induced more than 100 thousand Chinese to engage in illegal gambling activities. A warrant of arrest was already issued against him by the Qijiang District Public Security Bureau of Chongqing Municipality. He was charged with opening a casino in violation of the Criminal Law of China and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Jiang was immediately referred to the BI Legal Division to be charged with undesirability. He will be detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending his deportation proceedings. The post Chinese national wanted for illegal gambling nabbed at NAIA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
15 druggies nabbed over P623k shabu
Fifteen druggies who yielded P623,400 worth of shabu over the weekend were nabbed by operatives of the Quezon City Police District. QCPD Director P/Brig.Gen. Nicolas Torre III said the Masambong Police Station (PS 2) led by P/Lt.Col. Resty Damaso, arrested Michael Legria and Maricar Bacocanag at 9:10 p.m.of Friday, 18 August, infront of No. 14 Sta. Ana Street, Barangay San Antonio, Quezon City. Based on the report, a concerned citizen tipped off the illegal activities of the suspects which resulted in their immediate arrest. Confiscated from their possessions were 60 grams of shabu valued at P408,000 and the buy-bust money. The Batasan Police Station (PS 6) under P/Lt.Col. Paterno Domondon Jr. arrested Johari Bantayao at 5:35 p.m. on the same day at Isaiah corner F. Salvador Street, Jordan Plains Subdivision Gate 2, Barangay Sta. Monica, Novaliches, Quezon City. A buy-bust operation was conducted by PS 6 operatives in coordination with PDEA-NCR wherein a police officer acted as poseur buyer and bought P1,000 worth of shabu from the suspect and at the given pre-arranged signal, he was arrested. Seized from the suspect were 18 grams of shabu valued at P122,400, a cellular phone and the buy-bust money. Also, the Talipapa Police Station (PS 3) under P/Lt.Col. Morgan Aguilar arrested Ian Jomail and Carol Aquino at 6:30 p.m. along Quirino Highway, Barangay Unang Sigaw, Quezon City. Confiscated from their possessions were one gram of shabu valued at P6,800, a black coin purse, a cellular phone and the buy-bust money. The Novaliches Police Station (PS 4) under P/Lt.Col.Jerry Castillo arrested Juan Luis Macaraeg at 11:45 p.m. at Masterkee Carwash along Quirino Highway, Barangay Sta. Monica, Novaliches, Quezon City. Confiscated from his possession were 1.5 grams of shabu valued at P10,200, a cellular phone and the buy-bust money. The Anonas Police Station (PS 9) under P/Lt.Col. Ferdinand Casiano, arrested Jay-ar Visayana and Ruby Salazar at 9:30 p.m. on the same day at Block 3, Lot 16, Pook Arboretum, Barangay UP Campus, Quezon City. Confiscated from their possessions were two grams of shabu valued at P13,600.00, brown coin purse, a cellular phone, and the buy-bust money. At 6:55 a.m. also Friday, along Cluster 5, Manunggal Street, Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City, the Galas Police Station (PS 11) under P/Lt.Col. Jake Barila arrested Jonjon de Guzman and Mark Benzon Santos. Confiscated from their possessions were two grams of shabu valued at P13,600, a coin purse, cellular phone and the buy-bust money. The Payatas Bagong Silangan Police Station (PS 13) under P/Lt.Col. Leonie Ann dela Cruz arrested Jay Brazil Taneo at 8:30 p.m. at house number J-2, Lot 48, Road 6, Sitio Kumunoy, Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. Confiscated from his possession were three grams of shabu valued at P20,400 and the buy-bust money. While the Holy Spirit Police Station (PS 14) under P/Lt.Col. May Genio arrested John Paul Pangilinan; Larry Panglinan; Regy Rael; and Macbot Paculanang at 1:15 a.m. of Saturday, 19 August at No. 91 Marcel Village, Barangay Pasong Tamo, Quezon City. Confiscated from their possessions were three grams of shabu valued at P24,400, coin purse and the buy-bust money. The suspects were charged for violation of R.A. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office. Torre commended his operatives for their relentless efforts in the campaign against illegal drugs that resulted in the arrest of the suspects and the confiscation of evidence. The post 15 druggies nabbed over P623k shabu appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
QC cops nab 15 druggies; seize P623-K worth of shabu
Quezon City Police District operatives arrested 15 druggies, who yielded P623,400 worth of shabu, over the weekend. According to QCPD Director P/BGen. Nicolas Torre III, the Masambong Police Station (PS 2), led by P/LCol. Resty Damaso, nabbed first Michael Legria and Maricar Bacocanag at 9:10 p.m. on 18 August 2023 in front of a house at Sta. Ana St. in Brgy. San Antonio, Quezon City. Based on the report, a concerned citizen tipped off the illegal activities of the suspects which resulted in their immediate arrest. Confiscated from their possessions were 60 grams of shabu valued at P408,000 and the buy-bust money. Meanwhile, the Batasan Police Station (PS 6), under P/LCol. Paterno Domondon Jr., arrested Johari Bantayao at 5:35 p.m. on 18 August 2023 at Isaiah corner F. Salvador Sts., Jordan Plains Subdivision Gate 2 in Brgy. Sta. Monica, Novaliches, Quezon City in a buy-bust operation. Seized from the suspect were 18 grams of shabu valued at P122,400.00, a cellular phone, and the buy-bust money. Also, the Talipapa Police Station (PS 3) under P/LCol. Morgan Aguilar arrested Ian Jomail and Carol Aquino at 6:30 p.m. on 18 August 2023 along Quirino Highway in Brgy. Unang Sigaw, Quezon City. Confiscated from their possessions were one gram of shabu valued at P6,800, a black coin purse, a cellular phone, and the buy-bust money. The Novaliches Police Station (PS 4), under P/LCol. Jerry Castillo, arrested Juan Luis Macaraeg at 11:45 p.m. on 18 August 2023 at Masterkee Carwash along Quirino Highway in Brgy. Sta. Monica, Novaliches, Quezon City. Confiscated from his possession were 1.5 gram of shabu valued at P10,200, a cellular phone, and the buy-bust money. The Anonas Police Station (PS 9), under P/LCol. Ferdinand Casiano, arrested Jay-ar Visayana and Ruby Salazar at 9:30 p.m. on 18 August 2023 at Pook Arboretum in Brgy. UP Campus, Quezon City. Confiscated from their possessions were two grams of shabu valued at P13,600, a brown coin purse, a cellular phone, and the buy-bust money. At 6:55 a.m. on 18 August 2023 along Cluster 5, Manunggal St., in Brgy. Tatalon, Quezon City, the Galas Police Station (PS 11), under P/LCol. Jake Barila, arrested Jonjon De Guzman and Mark Benzon Santos. Confiscated from their possessions were two grams of shabu valued at P13,600, a coin purse, a cellular phone, and the buy-bust money. The Payatas Bagong Silangan Police Station (PS 13), under P/LCol. Leonie Ann Dela Cruz arrested Jay Brazil Taneo at 8:30 p.m. on 18 August 2023 at a house at Sitio Kumunoy in Brgy. Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. Confiscated from his possession were three grams of shabu valued at P20,400 and the buy-bust money. While the Holy Spirit Police Station (PS 14) under P/LCol. May Genio nabbed John Paul Pangilinan, Larry Panglinan, Regy Rael, and Macbot Paculanang at 1:15 a.m. on 19 August 2023 at Marcel Village in Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Quezon City. Confiscated from their possessions were three grams of shabu valued at P24,400, a coin purse, and the buy-bust money. The suspects were charged with violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office. Torre commended his operatives for their relentless efforts in the campaign against illegal drugs that resulted in the arrest of the suspects and the confiscation of evidence. “Asahan po ninyo na hindi kami magsasawa at mas lalo pa naming paiigtingin ang aming kampanya kontra iligal na droga,” he said. The post QC cops nab 15 druggies; seize P623-K worth of shabu appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Settled doctrines on sexual harassment (3)
Sexual harassment engenders three-fold liability: Criminal, to address the wrong committed against society; civil, to address the private wrong against the offended party; and administrative, to protect the public service. Criminal liability for sexual harassment notwithstanding, the offended party may pursue a separate civil action. Aside from the actual perpetrator, the employer or the head of office or institution may also be impleaded in an independent action for damages. They would be solidarily liable for damages if they did not take immediate action on a sexual harassment complaint. Unlike in a criminal action where the penalty is a fine, imprisonment, or both, the penalty in an administrative action is, at most, dismissal from the service. This is because an administrative action seeks to protect the public service by imposing administrative sanctions on the erring public officer. In prosecuting an offender for sexual harassment, the intent is immaterial. The mere commission is sufficient to warrant a conviction. The threshold is whether an act violates and/or threatens the personal space and physical safety of another person, regardless of the motive for committing the act. Guided by the foregoing, let’s take a quick look at actual cases of sexual harassment decided by the Supreme Court. In the case of Escandor v. People (G.R. No. 211962, 6 July 2020), the complainant testified to several acts of sexual harassment, including the respondent’s acts of grabbing her hand, kissing her, engaging in improper conversations, touching her thigh, giving her gifts, telling her that “she was the kind of girl he really wants,” asking her out on dates, and sending her text messages telling her that he missed her, that she looked beautiful, and that he loved her. The complainant stated that these acts made her feel disrespected, humiliated, cheap, uneasy, and frightened. She also could not concentrate on her work, could not sleep, and found herself “staring into empty space.” Without any doubt, the Supreme Court held that the respondent’s acts resulted in an intimidating, hostile, and offensive environment for the complainant, thereby making him guilty of sexual harassment. In another case (A.C. No. 5900, 10 April 2019), a professor was charged for allegedly unwanted sexual advances or innuendos against his students. One of his students recounted that in one of her class recitations, she sought clarification of a question propounded to her, saying, “Sir, come again?” The professor retorted, “What? You want me to come again? I have not come the first time and don’t you know that it took me five minutes to come, and you want me to come again?” In his defense, the professor said the joke was intended for himself and that in fact, the students had laughed at the joke. In ruling against the professor, the Supreme Court stated that the professor’s remarks could not be categorized as an innocent joke meant only to lighten the mood of the class. It was readily apparent that the remark was tasteless, vulgar, and crude and had no place in an academic setting. It was not clever wordplay or a mere statement with a sexual innuendo as its intended meaning was obviously discernible. The professor’s attempt at humor failed miserably as his words clearly referred to himself needing five minutes to ejaculate again. The professor’s statements made the student uncomfortable and embarrassed her in front of her classmates as it went beyond an innocent joke and was instead a gross graphic and insensitive remark. Thus, the Supreme Court ruled that the professor abused the power and authority he possessed over the students. His sexually laced conduct had created a hostile and offensive environment that deeply prejudiced his students. In what was supposed to be a safe place for them to learn and develop, they were instead subjected to unwarranted sexual advances. In another case, however, the Supreme Court clarified that casual gestures of friendship and camaraderie, done during festive or special occasions, and with other people present do not constitute sexual harassment. In Aquino v. Acosta [429 Phil. 498 (2002)], the Supreme Court ruled that the act of greeting a person with a kiss on the cheek, in “beso-beso” fashion, was not shown to have been carried out with lustful and lascivious desire or was motivated by malice or ill motive. The Court explained that pecks on the cheeks should be understood in the context of having been done on the occasion of some festivities, as busses on cheeks were simply friendly and innocent, bereft of malice and lewd design. Ultimately, therefore, it is a matter of respecting each other’s boundaries and creating safe spaces for everyone. For more of Dean Nilo Divina’s legal tidbits, please visit www.divinalaw.com. For comments and questions, please send an email to cabdo@divinalaw.com. The post Settled doctrines on sexual harassment (3) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Managers: Phl remains on track
Despite the lackluster 4.3 percent in the second quarter, growth this year is expected to reach the target range of 6 percent to 7 percent gross domestic product expansion, according to Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno. “To do this, we will expedite the implementation of government programs and projects, to provide fiscal stimulus to increase the productive capacity of the public and private sectors and address the adverse recent impacts of typhoons.” Diokno added. Economic managers gathered in Fort Ilocandia in Laoag City to hold the Post-State of the Nation Economic Briefing that discussed the country’s economic situation and plans on 14 August. Diokno said in 2022, GDP increased 7.6 percent from 5.7 a year ago and a 9.5 percent contraction in 2020. Diokno said the economic team is determined to pick up government expenditure in the third and fourth quarters. Revenue collections remain robust from January to June as these totaled P1.9 trillion up 7.7 percent or P132.6 billion year-on-year which is also higher than the mid-year program by 2.7 percent. Hence, Diokno said they have already pipelined 194 infrastructure flagship projects worth P8.3 trillion of which 132 are located in Luzon that will address irrigation, water supply, flood management, agriculture, digital connectivity, physical connectivity, health, and power and energy. Diokno also highlighted some of the projects like the Laoag International Airport Development Project, the EDSA Greenways, the TPLEX Expressway Expansion Project, the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project, the Ilocos Norte-Sur-Abra Irrigation Project, and the Naga Airport Development Project. “The Philippines is determined to be a world leader in the race to net zero and the Ilocos Region will be a strategic partner in this mission. Dubbed to be the renewable energy capital of South East Asia, Ilocos Norte is emerging to be a promising player in the clean energy arena. Being home to the first and largest wind farms in the country,” Diokno stressed. In his address, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr., said from a peak of 8.7 percent in January, headline inflation slowed to 4.7 percent in July due to improving domestic food supply conditions and lower global oil prices. However, he also admitted that core inflation remains high at 6.7 percent although it has already started to decline due to the monetary tightening. The BSP has responded to inflation by aggressively raising its policy rate, as of today, the BSP has raised policy rates by 425 basis points. Prices reined in “The good news is that inflation expectations are still well anchored. The markets continue to believe that we will hit our target range by 2024 and stay there in 2025,” Remolona said. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman also gave an update on the use pf the budget for 2023. Pangandaman said at the end of July, the total amount of the national budget that has been released already is around 93 percent. “And we expect all our government agencies including all the cabinet members present here, to spend your budget so we can help grow the economy,” Pangandaman said. While for next year, the government budget will amount to 5.768 trillion and it is 21.7 percent of the GDP it has already been submitted to Congress last August 2 and the budget is expected to be passed earlier than expected. The National Economic Development Authority said it wanted to lower the poverty level to single digit. For Socioeconomic Planning Undersecretary Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos, the government has effective regional development plans. In the Ilocos Regional Development Plan from 2023-2028, the NEDA expects the Ilocos region to have a 7 percent to 7.5 percent growth while lowering the poverty incidence by 7.3 percent. ‘Build, Better, More’ under BBM;s watch Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the “Build, Better, More” program of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is very much aligned with the medium-term development plan for 2023 to 2028 and is consistent with the 8-point economic agenda of the president. Bonoan said that from July 2022 to May 2023, the DPWH has built, maintained, rehabilitated, widened, and upgraded 4,082 kilometer of roads, 497 bridges, built 2,103 flood control projects, 55 evacuation centers, 216 kms farm to market roads, 8 kilometers of farm to mill roads, 138 kilometers tourism roads, 18 kilometers of roads to seaports, railway stations, and airports, 4,038 classrooms, and 6,002 rainwater collector system. “Because of climate change, we have to address and be building and developing resilient and sustainable communities in the 18 major river basins in the country,” Bonoan said. Some of the major projects that the department would like to continue are converting the Daang Maharlika which is actually now Asian Highway 26 which starts in Laoag City and will go around Cagayan Valley and has extended all the way to Zamboanga City. Bonoan says that they want to convert this backbone of the national highway into seamless travel. “In other words, there should be no major stops along the way, along this Maharlika highway,” Bonoan said. Bonoan said they’re going to build 12 major bridges, and the first bridge is the Cavite-Bataan Interlink bridge with a span of more than 32 km. Should it be completed, this will be the second-longest bay bridge in the world. The department also plans to start the Luzon Spine Expressway which will run from Laoag City to Bicol, Bonoan says that this will be 1,073 kms more. As for Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, major Department of Transportation projects like the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, Metro Manila Subway, EDSA Greenway Projects, EDSA Busway, MRT-3 Rehabilitation, LRT-1 Cavite, LRT-2 West Extension, MRT-7, and the modernization and capacity expansion of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport are proceeding. For the Department of Information and Communications Technology Ivan John Uy, there is already a cybersecurity plan for 2023 to 2028 which is a consolidated output of all the stakeholders in designing which includes the best practices all over the world. “We’ve ramped up in our cybercrime detection, we are busting cybercrime syndicates all over the country especially those that are dealing with scammers,” Uy said. Uy said agency is also enhancing cybersecurity status by designing courses to upgrade cybersecurity professionals. He admits that worldwide, there is a 3 million job vacancies on cyber security. DICT said by the end of the year, the department will have Two Terabits of capacity from Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan all the way to Manila and we should expect very good Internet connectivity by the start of next year especially on the Luzon area. These structures also open opportunities to data centers and BPOs along the places mentioned which produces employment. DICT expects that foreign investment opportunities and interest in those areas will boom. The post Managers: Phl remains on track appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cinemalaya acting winners mostly first-timers
The Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, which this year had the theme “IlumiNasyon,” concluded its 10-day run on 13 August with the awarding ceremony held at the grand lobby of the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. Jasmine Curtis-Smith hosted the ceremony and sweetly reminded everyone of the goal to conclude it in less than two hours. Iti Mapupukaw made history in Cinemalaya's 19 years of operations by being the first animated entry and winning Best Film in the full-length category. “Gusto kong ibigay ito sa lahat ng mga Eric na inalisan ng bibig at hindi nakapagsalita,” said the movie’s director, Carl Joseph Papa, in his acceptance speech. He was referring to the lead character named Eric (played by Carlo Aquino) who literally has no mouth and can’t speak but goes on to overcome a traumatic experience. In the short film category, Januar Yap’s Sibuyas ni Perfecto was named Best Film for its “quiet but coruscating take on social iniquity and how the poor’s exploitation by the rich is driven by their own denigration and self-abasement.” The top-grossing Iti Mapupukaw also won the NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific) award for “its finely nuanced, masterfully crafted tale of healing, friendships and young love, effectively utilizing state-of-the-art technology that is integrate to its storytelling.” The NETPAC for short film went to Hinakdal for “its pithy, layered and strong social commentary lace with dollops of humor.” Dolly de Leon, who plays Eric’s mother Rosalinda, won Best Performance of a Supporting Actress. She thanked Papa “for your beautiful script, your beautiful story,” adding“Kung hindi dahil sa ’yo, talagang hindi ito mangyayari.” The internationally acclaimed actress also thanked the movie’s producers Antoinette Jadaone and Dan Villegas of Project 8 Projects film production company, as well as costars Carlo Aquino and Gio Gahol. She then exclaimed, “Grabe, first time kong makatanggap at magsalita ng award dito sa Pilipinas. Ang sarap pala ng feeling.” She later clarified to media outlets covering the event that she meant giving an acceptance award here in the Philippines. She wasn’t able to do that when she won the Famas Best Supporting Actress award in 2020 for the film Verdict. Newcomer Pat Tingjuy, who played the lead role in the coming-of-age volleyball movie Rookie, bagged the award for Best Performance of an Actress in first-ever acting project. She was understandably speechless when she accepted her award. “I don’t know what to say,” she said, but went on to thank the producers, who are also from Project 8 Projects, and then admitted, “Naiyak ako.” Tingjuy’s costar Mikoy Morales won the award for Best Performance of an Actor for his other entry, the sexually charged Tether. “This means so much to me,” said the GMA-7’s homegrown artist in his acceptance speech. Rounding up the acting awards was Bon Andrew Lentejas for Best Supporting Actor, who was singled out for his “engaging portrayal of a young man trying to under his best friend’s difficult ways” in another coming-of-age movie, Huling Palabas. Tingjuy, Morales and Lentejas are all first-time acting award winners. The stellar cast of Ang Duyan ng Magiting — including de Leon, Agot Isidro, Bituin Escalante, Joel Saracho and Paolo O’Hara — was given the special award for Best Ensemble Acting. Dustin Celestino’s full-length feature film got the Special Jury Prize for presenting, among others, a “trenchant portrait of the wages of political violence.” Its counterpart in the short film category went to Sam Villa-Real and Kim Timan’s Hm Hm Mhm for “its boldly experimental verve to depict a woman revisiting the darker aspects of her childhood.” The Best Director awards were bestowed on Ryan Espinosa Machado for Huling Palabas (full-length feature) and Mike Cabarles for Makoko sa Baybay (short film). Machado was commended for effectively harnessing “the resources of art to come up with a deeply personal film that evokes fond memories of pre-digital cinema while paying homage to one’s small-town roots, and how all of this contributes to fashioning self-respect and self-identity.” Cabarles was lauded for employing “the resources of cinema in effectively evoking the loneliness of two brothers missing their mother whom they have lost to the sea.” The awards for Best Screenplay were given to Jopy Arnaldo, who also directed Gitling (full-length feature film), and Arvin Belarmino, the cowriter, along with Kyla Romero, of Hinakdal (short film). Gitling was cited for “its very tender tale of two persons bridging the divide between races and cultures and, through constructed language and through silence and even evasion, coming to a poignant understanding of the heart.” On the other hand, Hinakdal got the jury’s nod for the “very striking narrative that remakes the horror genre while humanizing and endowing them with heart and soul.” Kevin Mayuga’s When This Is All Over won three technical awards: Best Cinematography for Martika Escobar, Best Production Design and Best Original Musical Score for Kindred. Kindred is composed of Justin Punzalan, Vince Dalida, Luis Montales, Jaime San Juan, Moses Webb, Fern Tan, Jorge Juan Wieneke V, Othello Intia. Samatha Lee’s Rookie nabbed the Best Editing award for Ilsa Malsi while Gian Arre’s Tether got the Best Sound for the filmmaker who’s also responsible for this technical aspect. Rookie also received the Audience Choice award for full-length feature film, along with Hinakdal in the short film category. The post Cinemalaya acting winners mostly first-timers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Man nabbed for improvised firearm
A man was arrested in Tondo, Manila on Monday evening by operatives from the Manila Police District Moriones Station for illegal possession of an improvised gun. Police identified the suspect as Ruel Almario, who was arrested along Jose Abad Santos Avenue corner G. Araneta Street by patrolling cops. The arrest stemmed from a report from a concerned citizen about a man who was seen walking around the area while armed with a gun. When the cops arrived at the scene, they saw the suspect walking while holding an improvised firearm. The cops introduced themselves as law enforcement officers and frisked the suspect, where they found a “pengun” or a single shot bullet of 9mm in his possession. The suspect was brought to the MPD Moriones station for proper documentation process and will be charged for violation of RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunitions at the Manila City Prosecutors Office. The post Man nabbed for improvised firearm appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Man yields 10 shabu sachets
A 29-year-old guy was apprehended during a buy-bust operation conducted by anti-drug operatives in Taguig on Saturday. The drug sting was carried out by the Taguig Police’s Drug Enforcement Unit at 1:10 a.m. on Abad Street in Barangay South Signal, according to Southern Police District chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Mariano. Police identified the suspect as Alvin Isagon. Recovered from him were 10 plastic sachets containing suspected shabu totaling 40 grams and valued at P272,000, as well as the P500 bill used as buy-bust money, during the operation. Isagon was taken to the Taguig police station custody facility and will be charged with violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The post Man yields 10 shabu sachets appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Huge difference (2)
Former Commission on Audit chairperson Ma. Gracia Pulido Tan and Commissioner Heidi L. Mendoza worked in tandem but their ill-fated partnership was marred by their mishandling of the audit of lawmakers’ pork barrel, which turned into a global disaster. The dysfunctional CoA turned Noynoy’s straight path into a crooked one, losing total control which led to the holocaust in Philippine fiscal administration under the triumvirate of Florencio Abad, Pulido Tan, and Mendoza. The appointees of then-president Aquino in CoA were the obstacles to the ability of President Rodrigo Duterte to fulfill his promises and meet the high public expectations. In one instance, he ordered the CoA chairman to audit the accounts of the Philippine National Red Cross, given the President’s controversy with Senator Gordon. The CoA chief rebuffed the President, saying the CoA had no jurisdiction over the PNRC. That was indeed a rebuff and a disrespect because it was incredible that a 7th placer in the Bar did not know her constitutional power to audit. But when the President directed the Solicitor General to take action and make CoA audit the Red Cross, the CoA chief blinked and said CoA would conduct an audit “next week.” Such was the naughtiness of President Noynoy’s appointees to constitutional offices. President Digong appointed the former chief accountant of Davao as CoA chief in 2022. Digong’s decision had a lot of logic and common sense. First, it would remove hindrances to the fulfillment of his promises to the people. Then Chairperson Rizalina Justol was greeted warmly by the CoA officials and staff. “I am glad to be back at CoA, an institution that I had served for 10 years as an auditing examiner,” Chairperson Justol said. She chose 1 March as the date of her assumption as chairperson, it being a significant date as it was when she left the Commission in 1996. Justol, however, was not confirmed by the Commission on Appointments, and her term was overtaken by the assumption into office of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. President Marcos then appointed National Telecommunications Commissioner Gamaliel A. Cordoba as CoA. He took his oath of office before Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Alexander Gesmundo. Cordoba obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1992. He entered the Ateneo School of Law and obtained his law degree in 1996. He passed the Bar in 1997. Atty. Cordoba was supposed to enjoy life with his appointment to the exalted post of chairman of the Commission, not far down the line of succession from the Head of State, but his life has been complicated by the backlog of more than 6,000 cases left behind by the former Commission Proper who wasted their official time on too much foreign travel, on the unconstitutional citizen participatory audit, and simply with their lack of direction. Cordoba was conferred the Order of the Rising Sun by Japan as a rising star of the Philippines. (To be continued) The post Huge difference (2) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BBM, Tribune share good gov’t journey
When Daily Tribune was started in 2000, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. or BBM was Ilocos Norte Governor, and both newspaper and the namesake of his father, who was also a President, started on paths that frequently crossed. For instance, it was the Tribune, on 23 September 2013, that broke the story on the use of the Disbursement Acceleration Program or DAP during the Senate impeachment trial of then-Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona. That revelation by BBM — who had thought the money used in the impeachment trial had come from the Priority Development Assistance Fund that the Supreme Court had ruled unconstitutional in 2013 — started the public scrutiny of the presidential pork barrel. Former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad then came out to admit the creation of the fund which he claimed was part of the fiscal stimulus program to counter the effects of a financial crisis that hit the Asian region in 2008. Aquino slush fund The DAP was later proven to be a Palace slush fund for legislators to do its whims and the acts creating it were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2014. BBM, then a senator, told Daily Tribune in an exclusive interview about the use of a supposed stimulus fund of the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III to bribe six senators who sat as judges in the Senate impeachment court for them to vote for the conviction of Corona in May 2012. Marcos said the Department of Budget and Management released P475 million in lump sum allocations to the six senators through the Department of Agrarian Reform that was made to appear as funds for livelihood projects. BBM said the funds were actually used to “induce” the senator-judges to convict Corona. Abad DAP author Abad, in January 2012, said P72.11 billion of those funds juggled from the budget was used for DAP, and the bulk of it was released to agencies and government-owned or -controlled corporations in 2011. Marcos said P100 million was released to him as part of the P475 million the DBM had allocated in six special allotment release orders or SARO, all with the same date of 6 December 2011 and made available through notices of cash allocation a year after. In a privilege speech two days after the Marcos interview, Senator Jinggoy Estrada accused Senate President Franklin Drilon of using discretionary funds to influence the impeachment proceedings against Corona. (To be continued) The post BBM, Tribune share good gov’t journey appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Truth is always right
On 2 April 2012, I wrote an open memorandum to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, which read: “Your Excellency, I am respectfully writing you openly on the basis of national interest, that Heidi Mendoza should no longer be reappointed as Commissioner of the Commission on Audit. “Truth is not always popular, but it is always right. “Heidi Mendoza has almost always been popular, that is why she has almost always been wrong. “Mrs. Mendoza has been bypassed three times…I respectfully request that she no longer be re-appointed. “Official records revealed her questionable integrity, incompetence, and unfitness to hold the position. “Her public testimony that the five million US dollars UN peacekeeping fund was withdrawn by a general was denied by the UN officials in New York. “Her claim that the P50 million of the P200 million transferred to UCPB from Landbank Greenhills was missing was proven untrue by the Sandiganbayan. “Her testimony in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona was stricken off the record. She was discharged as a witness. The court found her lying. “It would take volumes for me to write to you all of her falsehood. “Mr. President, please be kind to Heidi Mendoza. Spare her from the agony of being looked at with contempt by CoA auditors. They feel disrespected. Be kind to the hardworking rank and file, the saving grace of the audit institution.” But President Aquino reappointed Mendoza. Her whims and caprices together with those of her tandem, Grace Pulido Tan, bloomed with impunity of abuse, with Florencio Abad, who completed the “stars” in the “holocaust” in Philippine fiscal administration. THE AUDITOR derived its endless true and fascinating stories from the aftermath of this international tragedy. Mabuhay ang Daily Tribune! The post Truth is always right appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Wanted Chinese woman arrested
The Bureau of Immigration at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport recently arrested a female Chinese national wanted for her involvement in human trafficking in Beijing, China. BI Intelligence Division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. identified the Chinese national as Zheng YuYu, who was intercepted at NAIA Terminal 2 last Saturday. Manahan said members of the BI’s border control and intelligence unit collared Zheng before she could board a Philippine Airlines flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco immediately ordered the woman’s commitment to the BI warden facility at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, where she would remain while undergoing deportation proceedings. The BI Board of Commissioners, meantime, is expected to issue an order for Zheng’s summary deportation and her inclusion in the bureau’s blacklist of undesirable aliens. According to BI-BCIU deputy chief Joseph Cueto, since 9 April this year, Zheng has been on the BI’s wanted list, along with another Chinese national identified as Chen Dongxin, who was charged with deportation by the bureau’s prosecutors for being undesirable aliens. Cueto said that the charges against Zheng and Chen were filed after the Chinese Embassy in Manila informed the Bureau that the two were wanted in their country for large-scale human trafficking. They were both accused of allegedly organizing people to illegally and secretly cross China’s territorial borders. The post Wanted Chinese woman arrested appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Korean fugitive Arrested at NAIA
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) arrested a South Korean fugitive wanted for involvement in telecommunications fraud in South Korea. In a report given to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the BI Border Control and Intelligence Unit (BI-BCIU) identified the arrested fugitive as Jeon Jihoon, 37, who was intercepted on June 2 at the NAIA 1 terminal upon his arrival via China Eastern Airways flight from Shanghai, China. BI-BCIU Deputy Chief for Operation Joseph Cueto said that his men arrested the Korean after the BI officer who processed him noticed that Jeon's name was on the Interpol hit list of wanted foreign fugitives. Cueto added that after conferring with the BI Interpol unit, the immigration supervisors on duty were able to confirm Jeon's identity as the same person whose name registered a hit in the Interpol database. Jeon was later brought to the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig, pending deportation proceedings. Tansingco has reportedly ordered that the Korean immediately undergo deportation for being an undesirable alien, so he could be sent back to Korea to stand trial for his alleged crime. He will then be placed on the immigration blacklist, which will ban him from entering the country in perpetuity. According to Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Manila, Jeon was charged with telecom fraud before the Busan District Court in South Korea and issued a warrant of arrest on Feb. 24 last year against him. Jeon is accused of allegedly being a member of a voice phishing syndicate that impersonates himself as an agent of financial institutions by making random calls to other victims who are promised huge returns on their money. Hundreds of victims were reportedly lured into the scheme and enticed to deposit money, totaling more than 4.5 billion won, or roughly US$3.5 million, into the syndicates’ bank accounts. The post Korean fugitive Arrested at NAIA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2 Chinese nabbed at NAIA
The Bureau of Immigration reported yesterday the arrest of two Chinese nationals on two separate occasions for violating the country’s immigration laws. Cai XiaoMing, 43, was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 after immigration officers found that he was on the bureau’s list of persons with court-issued hold departure orders. Cai, who arrived from Quanzhou, China, was issued an HDO in September 2019 by the Pangasinan regional trial court after he was criminally charged with tax evasion. The second Chinese national, Wang ZiLi, 27, was also arrested at NAIA 1 terminal as he was about to leave the country for Shanghai. Wang is allegedly one of 16 Chinese nationals who were recently placed on the BI’s watchlist after being informed by the Chinese authorities that they were wanted in China for involvement in economic crimes. Both Cai and Wang were detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the bureau will continue to intensify its efforts to crack down on foreigners who are violating the country’s immigration laws. “We will not tolerate any foreigner trying to circumvent our immigration laws,” Tansingco said. “We will continue to work closely with our foreign counterparts to ensure that those who are wanted in their countries are brought to justice.” The post 2 Chinese nabbed at NAIA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Acquittal doesn’t shield accused from karmic debt
No matter how a former government official commits abusive and criminal acts while in office, followed by prosecution and incarceration after stepping out of office, there are rabid partisans who will express their support and sympathy either out of misplaced loyalty, or out of gratitude for past favors or out of ignorance of the past misdeeds. When such government official is acquitted by reason of failure of the prosecution to prove the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt, the partisans, as well as even those who genuinely pity the accused who has been clamped to jail before the acquittal pour out their sympathetic sentiments claiming that the detainee has been imprisoned unjustly for many years before being acquitted, as in the case of former senator and justice secretary Leila de Lima. Charged with three drug cases, she was jailed in 2016. Despite scoring two acquittals, with the last remaining drug case still pending she remains languishing behind bars, although relatively with less restrictive movements and enjoying some privacy being confined solo in her jailhouse, unlike ordinary convicts who suffer more. Given the change in the political environment from the time of her incarceration, where fortunes are altered for various reasons, it will not be surprising if she will be again exonerated in her last court case. Sympathizers lament that her six years of being deprived of freedom is undeserved and unjust since she has been acquitted in two cases and most likely will snatch another judicial victory unless the trying court strictly follows the rules on evidence. Let us grant that indeed she is really innocent in the drug cases filed against her, is it correct to say that her six years of being deprived of her liberty is an injustice? The answer must be negative because the law of karma applies to her. The accused has to pay a karmic debt she owes to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. For those who have forgotten, let us revisit the past, particularly 15 November 2011. On that day, accompanied by her husband, former First Gentleman, and son, Congressman Mikey Arroyo, the former President, in an ambulance arrived at the Manila International Airport. She was wheeled into the departure VIP lounge wearing a face mask and a neck brace. Armed with a Supreme Court restraining order overturning an earlier travel ban issued by the late former President Benigno Aquino III, their lawyers tried to persuade the Immigration officials to allow them to depart for Singapore for medical treatment of a bone ailment The accused, as then-Secretary of Justice, in willful, brazen and blatant defiance of the Supreme Court order, commanded her subordinate officials in the Bureau Immigration, who of course complied, to prevent Arroyo from boarding the plane. On 16 July 2012, a P366 million plunder charge was filed against her. On 12 October 2012, a warrant of arrest was issued against her by the Sandiganbayan, which granted her plea for a hospital arrest owing to her illness. She was a virtual prisoner at the hospital and deprived of her liberty until 19 July 2016 when the Supreme Court freed her after it dismissed the plunder case against her. Undoubtedly, it was the accused who not only inhumanly stopped her from getting urgent medical treatment abroad and as the head of the prosecution arm of the Aquino government, but contributed greatly to her subsequent arrest and detention for more than four years. Accused De Lima may have escaped her criminal culpability by reason of a flawed acquittal in the drug cases but she could not dodge her accountably for the illegal act of stopping FPGMA from seeking medical treatment abroad. Her continued detention despite her acquittal is a deserving substituted punishment for the cruel and criminal offense she committed against the former Chief Executive. Her acquittal is not a shield to the unstoppable and inexorable operation of the law of karma. As an aside, this writer cannot fathom why FPGMA has not filed any criminal or administrative case or both against her tormentor, except to consider that the former has a forgiving heart. It is also a wonderment why the Supreme Court, on its own initiative, has not sanctioned the criminal, contumacious, and outrageous act of the former government official, when her act was in open defiance of its restraining order. The post Acquittal doesn’t shield accused from karmic debt appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»