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Senate concurrence needed to revoke SMNI franchise’
The revocation of the legislative franchise of Sonshine Media Network Inc. by the House of Representatives would have to be approved by the Senate first before it can take effect – in accordance with the usual legislative route, lawmakers said yesterday......»»
Police: Photo of alleged NPA leader killed in Bohol encounter altered
Police: Photo of alleged NPA leader killed in Bohol encounter altered.....»»
Philippine Infradev COO claims Makati Subway Project not very affected , that project will still continue
Philippine Infradev COO Georgina Monsod gave an interview with Hitoshi Iemura of Global Strategy Real Estate that was posted on Youtube on Nov. 28, 2023, where she spoke about the September court decision that altered the land distribution between Taguig and Makati, and about how that might impact INFRA’s crown jewel project, the Makati City Subway......»»
FACT CHECK | FB posts on presence of China’s People’s Liberation Army in BARMM unproven
Two Facebook posts claiming that members of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) manned the Chinese vessel that conducted dredging activities in the Bangsamoro region are unfounded. They altered the content of the source news items apparently to mislead readers. Facebook pages Pilipinas Today and Pilipinas, which claim to be digital news media platforms, reported that […].....»»
China: Mosques Shuttered, Razed, Altered in Muslim Areas
(New York) - The Chinese government is significantly reducing the number of mosques in Ningxia and Gansu provinces under its "mosque consolidation" policy, in violation of the right to freedom of religion, Human Rights Watch said today.Chinese authorities have decommissioned, closed down, demolished, and converted mosques for secular use as part of the gover.....»»
‘Fake wife’ intercepted by BI officers
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned on Friday the traveling public not to fall prey to recruiters providing fake documents. The warning was issued by BI in response to the case of a female traveler who was stopped from departing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on 19 October after a BI officer discovered that her departure had earlier been postponed after she was discovered using fraudulent travel credentials. The passenger stated she was traveling to Oman to visit her husband but the marriage certificate she produced was forged. She eventually admitted that every document she had submitted was a fabrication, including the purported affidavit of support from her partner. The passenger intended to depart for Malaysia in September of last year, but immigration agents stopped her because she was carrying the wrong paperwork, according to a later review of her travel history. According to the BI's immigration protection and border enforcement unit (I-PROBES), the victim even supplied an altered wedding photo to officials to mislead them. The victim also admitted that she paid more than P30,000 for the fake documents, which authorities believe were used to illegally work abroad. Her case was immediately forwarded to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) to file cases against her recruiter. The post ‘Fake wife’ intercepted by BI officers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malaysian court upholds ex-leader Najib’s audit tampering acquittal
A Malaysian court upheld on Tuesday the acquittal of jailed former prime minister Najib Razak on an audit tampering charge in the investigation into corruption at the 1MDB state wealth fund. Najib is serving a 12-year prison term on other graft charges related to the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad financial scandal. The plundering of the fund led to investigations around the world, including in the United States, Switzerland and Singapore, into the use of their financial systems to launder money. But Malaysia's Court of Appeal struck out the appeal by state prosecutors against the acquittal of the audit tampering charge after prosecutors did not submit documents in time, Najib's lawyer Mohamed Shafee Abdullah told AFP. "In this case, the prosecution evidently found no grounds for appeal, resulting in no petition being filed," he said in a statement. Najib, the 70-year-old leader of Malaysia for nine years until 2018, was acquitted in March after a Kuala Lumpur High Court judge ruled prosecutors failed to provide sufficient evidence that he had tampered with an audit report on scandal-racked 1MDB. That charge focused on allegations that Najib ordered a report by the government's official audit body on the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund to be altered in February 2016. Najib's co-accused, former 1MDB chief Arul Kanda Kandasamy, was also acquitted. The former Malaysian premier's acquittal from the tampering charge does not affect his current jail sentence and he faces dozens more charges that could lengthen that term. Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor was found guilty of graft in 2022 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. She remains on bail pending an appeal. The post Malaysian court upholds ex-leader Najib’s audit tampering acquittal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Escudero to gov’t: File petition before SC of Hague ruling over WPS
The Marcos administration can file a "Special Action for Recognition of Foreign Judgment" before the Supreme Court to formally recognize the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) as part of the law of the land, Senator Francis Escudero suggested Thursday. In a media briefing, Escudero noted that the Arbitral Ruling in 2016 reinforced the country’s claims over the West Philippines Sea while it invalidated China's nine-dash line—claiming almost the entirety of the South China Sea. He added filing a petition before the SC—to recognize the 2016 Hague ruling—will prevent future administrations from trying to amend the country’s triumph over China. Escudero said the government, through the Solicitor-General, should initiate the filing of the petition on recognition of foreign judgment before the SC. “The recognition of foreign judgment should be led by the Solicitor General as an official lawyer of the government,” he said. Escudero stressed a High Court’s recognition could be a “better alternative instead of bringing the WPS concerns” before the United Nations General Assembly—which he sees as having disadvantages. The senator said his suggestion could be one of the options in giving flesh to the intentions of Senate Resolution 718, which condemned China’s continued aggression in the WPS and urged the Philippine Government to “take appropriate action in asserting and securing the Philippines' sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone.” While pushing for the “Special Action for Recognition of Foreign Judgment”, Escudero admitted that the Philippines has no case similar to the arbitral ruling. However, he cited a parallel analogy in Article 26 of the Family Code that “allows recognition of a foreign divorce obtained by the foreigner spouse abroad.” Once the SC decides that it recognizes the arbitral ruling, Escudero said it will become part of the country’s law, and even if Congress did not pass any measure related to this, the said portion, could not be altered or revisited. “The Constitution is part of the law of the land. The Constitution says all decisions, final and executory of the Court, whether it be the higher or lower court, shall form part of the law of the land,” he said. While the Senate has adopted Resolution 718 and presented it to Malacañang, Escudero lamented it will ultimately be up to President Marcos which direction to take insofar as the country's foreign policy is concerned. He admitted not supporting the resolution on the WPS should his colleagues in the chamber would insist on bringing the issue to the UNGA. While the government seeks a peaceful route to resolving the conflicting claims in the WPS, Escudero pressed that the Philippines should strongly assert its right over the WPS. “The Philippines should continue what it has been doing," Escudero said, referring to the government's consistent move of filing diplomatic protests every time a Chinese harassment incident occurs in the WPS. "Tatayuan natin at hindi natin bibitiwan ang ating karapatan at pagmamay-ari sa lugar na iyan habang hinahayaan natin magpatuloy ang iba't-ibang uri ng ugnayan at relasyon sa bansang Tsina na pinagkakasunduan naman ng dalawang bansa," Escudero said. "We can agree to disagree on certain points but we can also move forward and cooperate on points that we have agreed upon, such as trade. For me this is the best way to approach the issue," he added. Escudero noted that he already discussed this proposal with Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and Senator Risa Hontiveros prior to the approval and adoption of SR 718 last 1 August. The post Escudero to gov’t: File petition before SC of Hague ruling over WPS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
App members continue to enjoy improved services and special features
Back in 2020, at the height of Covid-19 pandemic, Uniqlo launched its shopping app, Uniqlo.com, to provide a convenient and reliable way to purchase from the LifeWear line of this Japanese global apparel retailer. Today, Uniqlo.com app members continue to enjoy improved services and special features. For starters, they were treated to a celebration from 7 to 9 July at the Mega Fashion Hall of the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. They got to access the different activations that showcase the various app features through the thoughtfully set up booths. They also availed some limited novelty items and freebies from partner brands. Meanwhile, new app members received a Php300 coupon upon registration. At the App Notification booth, members learned how they could be notified about new offers and arrivals, as well as updates on the availability of items from their wishlist and alerts on special prices and limited offers. They were then informed at the Online Exclusive Sizes booth that they could get exclusive sizes from XS to 3XL on preferred tops and bottoms, plus access to a wide array of colors. The Online Alteration Service booth enlightened members that they could have their purchases altered just by clicking the alteration tab and following the instructions to have their perfectly fit item delivered. Next, the Click & Collect + Next Day Delivery booth explained that items purchased on weekdays (except holidays) and before 12 noon would arrive at their doorsteps within 24 hours. Free shipping is available through the Click and Collect service. The pick-up option is now available, with Uniqlo Alabang Westgate and Blue Bay Walk stores as pick-up points. Over at the Capture Corner booth, members got to know they could conveniently check the availability of their desired items’ sizes and colors through either manual input or barcode scan. Finally, they found out at the Customer Review booth that they could not only check out ratings and reviews from other members, but they could actually write their own review of their purchases, whether bought online or in-store. Those members who visited all the booths and accomplished the tasks got a Uniqlo stainless steel bottle as a prize. The celebration has just started, as Uniqlo Philippines chief operating officer Geraldine Sia pointed out, “We aim to continue improving their shopping experience with its better features and benefits that will provide a more seamless purchasing process through their phones up to receiving their orders at their doorsteps and hassle-free.” The post App members continue to enjoy improved services and special features appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Local ambassadors urged to adapt to changing global landscape
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday encouraged Filipino ambassadors to find new and diverse “non-traditional” partners for trade, security, and defense. In a meeting with recently appointed Filipino chiefs of mission and ambassadors in Malacañang, Marcos said the Philippines needs to adapt to the changing global landscape in order to remain competitive. He cited the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of a major change that has disrupted the global economy and altered the dynamics of international relations. However, the President underscored that his administration will not take sides in foreign policy disputes. Instead, he said the government should remain neutral. “We do not subscribe to any notion of a bipolar world. We only side, of course, to the Philippines, not to the US, not to Beijing, not to Moscow. That’s very much being independent in what we do,” Marcos said. Marcos also urged the envoys to explore and discuss with him some opportunities or undertakings that might be substantially beneficial to the country and to Filipinos. He said the government is prioritizing agriculture, energy, infrastructure development, and digitalization. “Now, if there are opportunities that would come up, you should explore them and if they're promising enough, then we’ll take it up. We’ll try to see if something can come up. There’s no harm in trying and kung anuman ang mangyari, at least we tried,” Marcos said. “So let us keep looking at those areas. And also what I found many times, you go there and you talk about agri and something else comes up,” he added. Those who attended the meeting with the President were Chief of Mission Carlos Deymek Sorreta, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland; Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Henry Sicad Bensurto Jr. (Republic of Turkiye), Renato Pedro Oabel Villa (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Raul Salavarria Hernandez (Sultanate of Oman), Paul Raymund Pasion Cortez (Portuguese Republic), Joel Francisco Ignacio (Republic of India), and Maria Angela Abrera Ponce (Malaysia). The post Local ambassadors urged to adapt to changing global landscape appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MNLF to complain DSWD circular before OIC
The Moro National Liberation Front is set to file a complaint against the Philippine government before the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for alleged non-compliance with and distortion of the Tripoli and 1996 final peace agreements. Atty. Emmanuel Fontanilla, MNLF legal counsel and spokesperson, told the Daily Tribune that the DSWD Memorandum 6 series of 2022 defines MNLF members as those who turned over their weapons and received P45,000 for it. The memorandum circular signed by former DSWD secretary Rolando Bautista specifies that the initial cash assistance will be given to the first 3,000 verified MNLF members and their families will also be given P9,000 work for assistance for 30 days. Fontanilla said it practically altered the 1996 final peace agreement of the MNLF and the government which provides that the MNLF combatants not absorbed by the military and police can keep their firearms. “Intead of complying with the terms of the peace agreement, the government is now trying to settle the century secession problem with money. The government cannot buy peace,” he said. “The Tripoli and Final Peace agreement are international agreements and personalities. The secretary of the Philippine government cannot amend such agreements. This is basic in international law which the Philippine Constitution recognizes,” according to Fontanilla. He said the government should act in good faith and adhere to agreed provisions in the agreement and should not circumvent the agreement. The post MNLF to complain DSWD circular before OIC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MNLF: Armory worth P450B
The Moro National Liberation Front on Monday stressed that the government will spend at least P450 billion should it follow the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s circular allocating P45,000 for the reintegration program of verified members of the rebel group. MNLF spokesperson Atty. Emmanuel Fontanilla told Daily Tribune that the Memorandum Circular 6 series of 2022 has allegedly altered the 1996 Final Peace Agreement of the MNLF and the government which provides that MNLF combatants will not be absorbed by law enforcement agencies and they can keep their firearms in their communities. “The memorandum circular signed by former DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista speak of turning over of firearms worth P45,000 each, So I am asking, can a department order supersede the provision of the 1996 peace agreement?” Fontanilla said. He added that the Bautista circular has specified that the initial cash assistance will be given to the first 3,000 verified MNLF members and their families will also be given P9,000 for work assistance for 30 days. Fontanilla said if the memorandum of the DSWD is implemented, it will cost the government at least P450 billion for the assorted assault rifles only not to include heavy weapons which included ground to air missiles, Rifle Propelled Grenades Mortars, Cal, 30 and 50 machine guns, grenade launchers keep in MNLF camps. “Instead of complying with the terms of the peace agreement the government is now trying to settle the century secession problem with money, the governor cannot buy peace,” Fontanilla said. He also stressed that the MNLF members will be keeping their guns for the defense of their communities. To recall, the MNLF has earlier expressed support to the move of the Marcos administration for a shift of form of government from Unitary to Federal system which coincided with the group political objective of the front. The post MNLF: Armory worth P450B 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......»»
Suspected trafficking victim intercepted at NAIA
The Bureau of Immigration reported that an overseas Filipino worker was intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on Tuesday morning for misrepresentation. The female OFW was intercepted before she was able to board a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Jeddah to work as a household service worker. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco shared that the OFW, who was victimized by an unscrupulous agency, presented documents stating that she is 24 years old. Tansingco added that it was apparent in her demeanor that something was off, and she was obviously younger than her presented age. The victim was able to present a passport with a valid working visa stating that she was 24 years old. However, officers were able to discover that the birth certificate she carried was altered. Current policies require HSWs working in the Middle East to be at least 24 years old. The post Suspected trafficking victim intercepted at NAIA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SM Scholar Graduate Defies Challenges to Become a Mechanical Engineer
It’s been years since the pandemic hit and altered people’s lives forever. But for some, the lessons it taught are still vivid, as if everything took place just yesterday. The same is true for SM scholar alumna Engr. Irish Tañada, who recently passed the Mechanical Engineering Board Examination. For her, 2020 and 2021, the years […].....»»
CCTV footage as evidence
In these modern times, closed circuit television cameras have been installed almost everywhere — whether hidden or apparent, whether in a public or private place. CCTV cameras are now fixtures in homes to safeguard families, and in commercial establishments to protect businesses. They have been likewise installed in common areas such as streets, highways, airports, and on public transportation. It cannot be denied that CCTV cameras help greatly in preventing and detecting crime. The cameras reassure the public of their safety and make a criminal think again before committing a crime. Since CCTV footage has been considered to be a great help to authorities in investigating the commission of crimes, it follows that video footage is usually offered as evidence to prove the commission of a crime. A question to be asked, however: Is CCTV footage admissible in evidence? The Rules on Electronic Evidence, amended in 2002, expressly provide for the admissibility of video recordings as evidence in court; provided that: It shall be shown, presented, or displayed to the court; and It shall be identified, explained, or authenticated by the person who made the recording or by some other person competent to testify on the accuracy thereof; To authenticate means to prove or show that the video is true, genuine, and valid. It must be shown that the video was not tampered with, altered, or manipulated. Without the testimony of the person who took the video or the testimony of a competent person who can identify, explain or authenticate it, the video is inadmissible in evidence. In the case of People v. Manansala (GR 233104, 2 September 2020), the Supreme Court elucidated that “persons authorized to authenticate the video or CCTV recording are not limited solely to the person who made the recording but also to another witness who can testify to its accuracy.” In the above-cited case, the testimony of a competent person as to the authenticity of a barangay CCTV footage, corroborated and supported by the testimonies of an eyewitness, was sufficient to hold the accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of murder. However, in People v. Concepcion (GR 249500, 6 December 2021), the Supreme Court clarified that the case of Manansala required the party presenting the recording to account for its origin; how it was transferred to a storage device; and how it reached the trial court for its presentation. In the case of Concepcion, which involved a criminal case of rape, the accused offered in evidence CCTV footage to prove that it was physically impossible for him to have raped the victim since he was at home at the time with his common-law wife, Vanessa Vivar. The defense presented the testimony of Rolando Recto, the administrative manager of the five-floor building where the accused resided. Recto affirmed that accused was a lessee of Unit 401 and that the CCTV camera on that floor was placed near that unit. When initially questioned by the lower court, Recto admitted that he was not the one who downloaded the video footage and that the one who did so was no longer connected with the building. He said the CCTV video footage had a lifespan of three weeks. On cross-examination, Recto said a certain Rafael Santos was in charge of the CCTV, and that Recto was not around when an investigating team asked for a copy of the subject CCTV footage. In resolving the case, the Supreme Court agreed with the lower court that the CCTV footage the accused offered could not be admitted and relied upon because the person who downloaded or copied the CCTV footage from the main server was never identified. The Supreme Court found that aside from general assurances that Recto was familiar with the CCTV footage, his testimony failed to account for the origin of the footage, how it was transferred to a storage device, and how it reached the trial court for presentation. The post CCTV footage as evidence appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
HPG-7 on tieup with private firms: This can help catch carnappers, owners of altered vehicles
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Carnappers and owners, who alter their vehicles, beware because you may likely get caught by the Highway Patrol Group in Central Visayas (HPG-7). Police Colonel Neil Francia, regional chief of HPG-7, gave this warning as the HPG-7 tapped private companies to help them in identifying stolen and altered vehicles. Francia was […] The post HPG-7 on tieup with private firms: This can help catch carnappers, owners of altered vehicles appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Coca-Cola delivery just a click away
Coca-Cola Philippines has extensively scaled up its e-commerce presence to better respond to consumers whose needs and shopping behavior have altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic......»»
Commentary: Digitalization and mitigating digital risks in time of COVID-19
In the last eight months, we have witnessed how the COVID-19 pandemic crippled the Philippine economy and altered our way of life......»»
Dover Business Services Cebu Empowering Growth in The Time of Crisis
The COVID-19 health crisis has altered the shared services industry this year. As companies in Cebu transitioned from on-site to remote work, the Dover Business Services (DBS) office in Cebu responded and rebuilt plans to empower its employees to not just work from home (WFH) but ultimately, win from home. From the time quarantine guidelines […] The post Dover Business Services Cebu Empowering Growth in The Time of Crisis appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»