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PCSO ask lawmakers to toughen laws vs illegal lottery firms
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Mel Robles, called out lawmakers on Monday to toughen the law against Illegal lottery firms. Robles personally led the filing of charges at Mandaluyong Prosecutors Office against individuals behind the four firms engaged in unauthorized online lottery operations. “I am calling out the attention of the lawmakers to toughen the law. Maybe others see that they can handle the penalty but we’ll see. Even if it’s light, we will still pursue the cases against them,” Robles said. Robles added that PCSO is losing billions of pesos in revenue because of illegal operations perpetrated by the suspects. “We are serious about this. We will prosecute and imprison everyone associated with this illegal operation to stop them,” he said. The PCSO stated that PayMaya reportedly remitted billions to a company operating an illegal online lottery. “A payment platform, like PayMaya, reported that they were able to remit about P4.7 billion to a company that was operating the Illegal lotto. It is also included in the complaint affidavit,” he said. The criminal complaints were filed against four companies, Eplayment Corporation, Paymero Technologies Limited, GlobalComRCI International, and Blockchain Smart-Tech Co. I.T. Consultancy. The complaints were prompted by an investigation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation, which revealed that the mentioned companies were responsible for the ownership, operation, and administration of Pakilotto and Surelotto. The companies reportedly misused the PCSO’s name, logo, and various lottery games, soliciting and accepting bets from the public through their unauthorized mobile application and websites. Robles said that based on their investigation, they have found out that the alleged suspects for Illegal online lottery are operating in the cities of Quezon and Cebu. “We found out one in NCR, in Quezon City, the other is in Cebu,” he said. PCSO reported that Eplayment, which operated under the now-defunct website ‘Pakilotto’, was soliciting and accepting bets from the public at an inflated price of P30 per ticket, a 50% markup compared to the standard P20 lotto ticket. Meanwhile, Surelotto, a similar mobile app, sold tickets online for P25, a 25% increase from the regular lotto price. Prizes of smaller denominations are allegedly directly deposited into the winner’s registered bank account, while jackpot prizes require winners to visit the Surelotto office in person. The complaint-affidavit states that the owners, directors, and/or officers of Paymero, Eplayment, GlobalComRMCI, and Blockchain, as owners, operators, and/or administrators of Pakilotto and Sukilotto, have committed Usurpation of Authority under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code, a violation of R.A. No. 1169, as amended, and a violation of Presidential Decree No. 1602, as amended by Republic Act No. 9287, in connection with Executive Order No. 13, Series of 2017. Robles emphasized that PCSO remains fully committed to preserving the integrity and legitimacy of its lottery games, ensuring fair treatment and protection for the public. The post PCSO ask lawmakers to toughen laws vs illegal lottery firms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Millions of children affected by climate disasters – UNICEF
The United Nations Children’s Fund warned on Thursday that weather disasters brought on by climate change caused 43.1 million child displacements between 2016 and 2021 and criticized the lack of attention given to the victims. Co-Author Laura Healy told American for Prosperity, or AFP, that the data only indicated the “tip of the iceberg,” with many more possibly affected, in comprehensive research on the subject that included the heartbreaking stories of some children affected. Khalid Abdul Azim, a child from Sudan, recalls his terrible experience in a flooded village that can only be reached by boat. "We moved our belongings to the highway, where we lived for weeks," he said. In 2017, sisters Mia and Maia Bravo watched flames engulf their trailer in California from the back of the family minivan. "I was afraid, in shock," Maia said. Statistics on internal displacements caused by climate disasters generally do not account for the victim’s age. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, a non-governmental organization, and UNICEF collaborated to analyze the data and uncover the hidden toll for children. Four types of climate disaster (floods, storms, droughts, and wildfire) has led to 43.1 million child displacements in 44 countries in which frequency of the said disasters has increased during global warming, the report says. Ninety-five percent of those displacements were caused by floods and storms. “It’s equivalent of about 20,000 child displacements every day,” Healy lamented on AFP highlighting how the afflicted children are then at risk of suffering other traumas, such as being torn away from their parents or being the prey of child traffickers. As one child may be uprooted more than once, the numbers reflect the number of displacements rather than the number of children affected. The number of displaced people as a result of drought is “radically underreported,” according to Healy because they are less abrupt and hence harder to measure. This is just the tip of the iceberg based on the available data that we have," she said. "The reality is with the impacts of climate change, or better tracking of displacement when it comes to slow onset events, that the number of children who are uprooted from their homes is going to be much greater." Healy added. UNICEF Report Reveals Alarming Predictions for Child Displacements Due to Climate Events In a recently released UNICEF report, startling forecasts have been unveiled for specific climate-related events. According to the report, the next three decades could witness a staggering 96 million child displacements due to flooding caused by overflowing rivers. Additionally, cyclonic winds are projected to force 10.3 million child displacements, while storm surges may result in 7.2 million displacements. It's worth noting that these estimates do not factor in preventive evacuation measures, raising concerns about the potential scale of displacement. UNICEF's Executive Director, Catherine Russell, emphasized the profound impact on those compelled to flee, including the fear of an uncertain return, disruptions to education, and the possibility of further relocations. Russell stressed that while migration may save lives, it also brings significant upheaval and challenges. "As the impacts of climate change escalate, so too will climate-driven movement. We have the tools and knowledge to respond to this escalating challenge for children, but we are acting far too slowly." She added. At the COP28 climate summit in Dubai in November and December, UNICEF urged world leaders to take up the climate issue. According to Healy, children, particularly those who have already been compelled to move must be prepared “to live in a climate change world”. While the effects of climate change are spreading across large portions of the planet, the UNICEF report highlights some of the most susceptible nations. The biggest number of displaced people (almost 23 million in six years) occurred in China, India, and the Philippines because of their massive populations, strategic positions, and precautionary evacuation measures. However, in proportional terms, Africa and small island states are most at risk; in Dominica, 76 percent of all children were uprooted between 2016 and 2021. More than 30 percent of the said amount went to Saint Martin and Cuba. The post Millions of children affected by climate disasters – UNICEF appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tens of millions of children uprooted by climate disasters — UNICEF
Weather disasters fueled by climate change -- from floods to droughts, storms to wildfires -- sparked 43.1 million child displacements from 2016 to 2021, the UN Children's Fund warned Thursday, slamming the lack of attention paid to victims. In a sweeping report on the issue, the United Nations agency detailed the heart-wrenching stories of some of the children affected, and co-author Laura Healy told AFP the data only revealed the "tip of the iceberg," with many more likely affected. "We moved our belongings to the highway, where we lived for weeks," recounts Sudanese child Khalid Abdul Azim, whose flooded village was only accessible by boat. In 2017, sisters Mia and Maia Bravo watched flames engulf their trailer in California from the back of the family minivan. "I was afraid, in shock," Maia says in the report. "I would stay up all night." Statistics on internal displacements caused by climate disasters generally do not account for the age of the victims. However, UNICEF worked with the non-governmental Internal Displacement Monitoring Center to unpick the data and reveal the hidden toll on children. From 2016 to 2021, four types of climate disasters (floods, storms, droughts, and wildfires) -- the frequency of which has increased due to global warming -- led to 43.1 million child displacements in 44 countries, the report says. Ninety-five percent of those displacements were caused by floods and storms. "It's the equivalent of about 20,000 child displacements every day," Healy told AFP, underscoring how the children affected are then at risk of suffering other traumas, such as being separated from their parents or falling victim to child traffickers. The data reflect the number of displacements and not the number of children affected, as the same child could be uprooted more than once. The figures do not allow for a distinction between those evacuated before a weather event, and those forced to leave in the wake of a disaster. And, according to Healy, the number of displacements due to drought is "radically underreported," because they are less sudden and thus more difficult to quantify. "This is just the tip of the iceberg based on the available data that we have," she said. "The reality is with the impacts of climate change, or better tracking of displacement when it comes to slow onset events, that the number of children who are uprooted from their homes is going to be much greater." 'Far too slowly' The UNICEF report offers some partial predictions, for specific events. Floods linked to overflowing rivers could spark 96 million child displacements in the next 30 years, while cyclonic winds could force 10.3 million displacements, it says. Storm surges could lead to 7.2 million displacements. None of those estimates include preventive evacuations. "For those who are forced to flee, the fear and impact can be especially devastating, with worry of whether they will return home, resume school, or be forced to move again," UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement. "Moving may have saved their lives, but it's also very disruptive," Russell said. "As the impacts of climate change escalate, so too will climate-driven movement. We have the tools and knowledge to respond to this escalating challenge for children, but we are acting far too slowly." UNICEF called on world leaders to take up the issue at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai in November and December. Healy says children, including those already forced to move, must be prepared "to live in a climate change world." Even if the intensifying effects of climate change are affecting wide swathes of the planet, the UNICEF report shines the light on particularly vulnerable countries. China, India, and the Philippines are the countries with the largest number of displacements (nearly 23 million in six years) because of their huge populations and geographic locations -- but also because of their preventive evacuation plans. But in proportional terms, Africa and small island nations are most at risk -- in Dominica, 76 percent of all children were displaced from 2016 to 2021. For Cuba and Saint-Martin, that figure was more than 30 percent. The post Tens of millions of children uprooted by climate disasters — UNICEF appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Narcolepsy, cancer tipped as Medicine Prize opens Nobel week
Narcolepsy, cancer, or mRNA vaccine research could win the Nobel Medicine Prize on Monday when a week of announcements kicks off, but experts see no clear frontrunner for the Peace Prize. The awards, first handed out in 1901, were created by Swedish inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel in his 1895 will to celebrate those who have "conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." The Medicine Prize is first out and will be announced in Stockholm on Monday around 11:30 a.m. (0930 GMT), followed by the awards for physics on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday, and literature on Thursday. The Peace Prize, the most highly-anticipated Nobel and the only one announced in Oslo, will follow on Friday, before the Economics Prize rounds things off on October 9. The Medicine Prize has over the years crowned groundbreaking discoveries like the X-ray, penicillin, insulin, and DNA -- as well as now-disgraced awards for lobotomy and the insecticide DDT. Several Nobel watchers have suggested this year's prize could go to research into narcolepsy and the discovery of orexin, a neuropeptide that helps regulate sleep. It could also go to Hungarian-born Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman of the United States for research that led directly to the first mRNA vaccines to fight COVID-19, made by Pfizer and Moderna. Their discovery has already won a slew of major medicine prizes, but the Nobel committee nowadays often waits decades to bestow its laurels to ensure the research stands the test of time. "Maybe the Academy thinks it needs to look into it more, but someday they should win," predicted Annika Ostman, science reporter at Swedish public radio SR. Gene engineering and IceCube telescope But Ostman said her guess for this year was on Kevan Shokat, an American biologist who figured out how to block the KRAS cancer gene behind a third of cancers, including challenging-to-treat lung, colon, and pancreatic tumors. T-cell therapy for cancer treatment and work on the human microbiome could also be contenders, said David Pendlebury, head of the Clarivate Analytics group which identifies Nobel-worthy research. "There are more people deserving of a Nobel Prize than there are Nobels to go around," he told AFP. Lars Brostrom, Ostman's colleague at SR, singled out two American biologists, Stanislas Leibler, and Michael Elowitz, for their work on synthetic gene circuits which established the field of synthetic biology. It enables scientists to redesign organisms by engineering them to have new abilities. But Brostrom noted the field could be seen as controversial, raising "ethical questions about where to draw the line in creating life". For the Physics Prize, twisted graphene or the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica were seen as possible winners, as well as the development of high-density data storage in the field of spintronics. Peace Prize to Iranian women? For Wednesday's Chemistry Prize, Pendlebury suggested next-generation DNA sequencing could get the nod, or research into how to target and deliver drugs to genes. Brostrom said he would love to see it go to US-based chemist Omar Yaghi for his work into porous materials known as MOFs, which can absorb poisonous gases or harvest water from desert air, and is an "important field for the future" with enormous potential for the environment. Criticism over a lack of gender and geographical diversity has plagued the Nobels over the years. US-based men have dominated the science fields, while women account for just six percent of overall laureates -- something the various award committees insist they are addressing. Among the names making the rounds for Thursday's Literature Prize are Russian author and outspoken Putin critic Lyudmila Ulitskaya, Chinese avant-garde writer Can Xue, British author Salman Rushdie, Caribbean-American writer Jamaica Kincaid and Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse. But for the Peace Prize, experts have been scratching their heads over possible winners, as conflicts rage around the globe. Some have pointed to the Iranian women protesting since the death in custody a year ago of Mahsa Amini, arrested for violating Iran's strict dress code imposed on women. Others suggest organizations documenting war crimes in Ukraine, or the International Criminal Court, which could one day be called upon to judge them. "I think that climate change is a really good focus for the Peace Prize this year," Dan Smith, the head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, told AFP after a year of extreme weather around the world. For the Economics Prize, research on income and wealth inequality could be honored. Recent winners of the Nobel Medicine Prize Here is a list of the winners of the Nobel Medicine Prize in the past 10 years: 2022: Swedish paleogeneticist Svante Paabo for his discoveries on the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution. 2021: US duo David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian for discoveries on human receptors responsible for our ability to sense temperature and touch. 2020: Americans Harvey Alter and Charles Rice, together with Briton Michael Houghton, for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus, leading to the development of sensitive blood tests and antiviral drugs. 2019: William Kaelin and Gregg Semenza of the US and Britain's Peter Ratcliffe for establishing the basis of our understanding of how cells react and adapt to different oxygen levels. 2018: Immunologists James Allison of the US and Tasuku Honjo of Japan, for figuring out how to release the immune system's brakes to allow it to attack cancer cells more efficiently. 2017: US geneticists Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael Young for their discoveries on the internal biological clock that governs the wake-sleep cycles of most living things. 2016: Yoshinori Ohsumi of Japan for his work on autophagy -- a process whereby cells "eat themselves" -- which when disrupted can cause Parkinson's and diabetes. 2015: William Campbell, an Irish-US citizen, Satoshi Omura of Japan, and Tu Youyou of China for unlocking treatments for malaria and roundworm. 2014: American-born Briton John O'Keefe, May-Britt Moser, and Edvard I. Moser of Norway for discovering how the brain navigates with an "inner GPS". 2013: Thomas C. Sudhof, a US citizen born in Germany, and James E. Rothman and Randy W. Schekman of the US for work on how the cell organizes its transport system. The post Narcolepsy, cancer tipped as Medicine Prize opens Nobel week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EXO’s D.O. returns as soloist after two years
After the global success of EXO’s group comeback Exist, member Doh Kyungsoo, known by his stage name D.O., again goes solo with his second mini-album Anticipation, which drops on 18 September. On 1 September, his agency, SM Entertainment, announced the K-pop idol’s comeback as a solo singer after two years, with a logo update across all their social media platforms and a teaser image showing the singer sitting in front of a desk inside a barely lit room. D.O. also posted the teaser on his Instagram account, which he opened to the public on 10 July. His IG was a surprise, since the 30-year-old K-pop star has kept a minimal social media presence. Although details of the mini-album are yet to be announced, the seven-track EP is sure to highlight once again the singer’s vocals. His first solo album, Empathy, was critically acclaimed following its release in July 2021, topping iTunes’ album charts in 60 countries despite minimal promotions. D.O. is also busy with his acting career and variety show appearances. The multi-award-winning Korean idol-actor recently led the South Korean sci-fi drama film The Moon (2023), written and directed by Kim Yong-hwa, the esteemed director behind box-office hits Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017) and Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018). After bagging his first Male Actor Excellence award at the KBS Drama Awards last year with his impeccable comic acting in Bad Prosecutor, D.O. has bagged nominations for Best Actor at the 2nd Blue Dragon Series Awards with Bad Prosecutor, and another Best Actor nomination at the 32nd Buil Film Awards for The Moon. D.O. and his bandmates are currently headlining the fourth season of the variety show EXO Ladder. He will also star in a new show by Na Yeong-seok with Kim Woo-bin, Lee Kwang-soo and Kim Ki-bang. Pre-orders for D.O.’s second mini-album have officially started in various online and offline music stores. The post EXO’s D.O. returns as soloist after two years appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Is prior demand necessary?
Time and again, I have emphasized the importance of strict adherence to procedural rules. Again, no matter how meritorious your case is, if you do not follow procedure, it can be dismissed on a mere technicality. That will be a crushing defeat; a knockout punch in the very first round. Your time, resources, and effort, all go down the drain. All for nothing. Specifically, I talk about sending a demand to your obstinate lessee before filing an ejectment suit. Section 2, Rule 70 of the Rules of Court expressly mandates that the ejectment suit “shall be commenced only after demand to pay or comply with the conditions of the lease and to vacate is made upon the lessees, or by serving written notice of such demand upon the person found on the premises, or by posting such notice on the premises of no person be found thereon, and the lessee fails to comply therewith after 15 days in the case of land or five days in the case of buildings.” Failure to comply, even if the lessor has all the right to dispossess the lessee, will result in the dismissal. Such is what happened in Velia J. Cruz v. Spouses Maximo and Susan Christensen (G.R. 205539 promulgated 4 October 2017). Petitioner Velia Cruz inherited property from her mother. Respondent Spouses Maximo and Susan Christensen already leased said property from her mother during her lifetime. Ms. Cruz, upon her mother’s passing, thus became the spouses’ lessor. In time, lessees failed repeatedly to pay rent. Thus, Ms. Cruz was constrained to demand that the lessees vacate the property and pay all unpaid rentals. The parties met at the barangay for conciliation. No settlement was inked. Three years later, Ms. Cruz finally sent a demand letter to vacate the property and pay the rental arrears. There being a refusal still by the lessees, Ms. Cruz was constrained to file an ejectment suit. At the trial court, Ms. Christensen admitted the lease but made an issue out of the demand letter. She denied having received it and claimed she did not know whose signature appeared on the letter, allegedly receiving it on her behalf. The court, on account of this ground, dismissed the case. It opined that since it was not established who received the demand letter, it could not be said that the lessee received it. Thus, a failure to comply with the demand requirement. Upon dismissal, Ms. Cruz wasted no time appealing to the next level of court. The Regional Trial Court on appeal, gave her the nod. It gave due course to her appeal and required the lessee to vacate the premises and pay the unpaid rentals. Respondent spouses’ turn to go up. The Court of Appeals reversed the Regional Trial Court and reinstated the dismissal by the trial court. Thus, Ms. Cruz had no other recourse but to go up to the final bulwark of justice. Among the issues raised was the sufficiency of the demand; or if such is necessary in the first place. In ruling in favor of petitioner Cruz, the Supreme Court declared, “[T]he property in this case is owned by petitioner. Respondents had a month-to-month lease with the petitioner’s predecessor-in-interest. Petitioner contends that no prior demand was necessary in this case since her Complaint was premised on the expiration of respondent’s lease, not on the failure to pay rent due or to comply with the conditions of the lease. “The jurisdictional requirement of prior demand is unnecessary if the action is premised on the termination of the lease due to expiration of the terms of the contract. The complaint must be brought on the allegation that the lease has expired and the lessor demanded the lessee to vacate, not on the allegation that the lessee failed to pay rents. The cause of action which would give rise to an ejectment case would be the expiration of the lease. Thus, the requirement under Rule 70, Section 2 of a prior ‘demand to pay or comply with the conditions of the lease and to vacate’ would be unnecessary. xxx xxx “However, the respondents’ Answer to the Complaint is telling. Respondents admit that they only had a month-to-month lease since 1969. They contend that they had been continuously paying their monthly rent until sometime in 2002 when the petitioner refused to receive it. Thus, as early as 2002, the petitioner, as the lessor, already refused to renew respondents’ month-to-month verbal lease. Therefore, the respondent’s lease had already long expired before the petitioner sent her demand letters. “Respondents cannot feign ignorance of petitioner’s demand to vacate since the matter was brought to barangay conciliation proceedings in 2005. The barangay certification issued on 11 August 2005, shows that no compromise was reached between the parties.” “Therefore, the respondents’ insistence on the non-receipt of the demand letter is misplaced. Their verbal lease over the property had already expired sometime in 2002. xxx xxx The demand letter would have been unnecessary since respondents’ continued refusal to vacate despite the expiration of their verbal lease was sufficient ground to bring the action.” Clear as day. Another good distinction learned. If the ground is the expiration of the lease, no demand is needed. In case you as a landlord, are in a like situation, you know that no demand before the institution will not be a fatal infirmity. Sources: Section 2, Rule 70, Rules of Court Velia J. Cruz v. Spouses Maximo and Susan Christensen as cited above The post Is prior demand necessary? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BSP target: 70% of adult Filipinos to have bank accounts
The country's central bank may achieve its aim of having 70 percent of adult Filipinos with bank accounts later this year as more Filipinos are now part of the official financial system, the new Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) chief recently said. "In our financial inclusion survey in 2021, 56 percent of [adults] in the country had a bank account, a significant increase from just 23 percent in 2017," he said during the BSP 30th Anniversary Reception for the Banking Community. "We're confident we will reach our target of 70 percent by this year," he added. Remolona attributed digitalization to financial equality in the country, allowing people to save money, invest in their futures, and participate in the digital economy more effectively. He added that more Filipinos made more digital payments and formally opened bank accounts. "We're making some progress. At last count, 42 percent of retail payments were in digital form. This is up from just one percent 10 years ago. That proportion should hit our target of 50 percent this year," Remolona said. So far, 258 digital payment companies have been given licenses by the BSP. Remolona expects competition and network effects to result in a system where the "most innovative, efficient, and responsible providers truly respond to customers' needs." Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the banking event, BSP deputy governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that the central bank's recently deployed coin deposit machines (CODM) in various retail locations across Greater Manila Area have already recorded P12 million worth of deposits within just one month of operation. "It's been only one month since we deployed all the machines, but we started with just ten machines. Yet, we have already received 12 million worth of deposits," Puyat told reporters. The machines located in Robinsons Manila, SM Hypermart, SM, and Filinvest Alabang have been experiencing heavy foot traffic, with the Robinsons Manila machine being the most popular. The influx of people depositing coins has been attributed to the artificial coin shortage in circulation, as people tend to keep their coins at home or find it troublesome to deposit them at the banks. The coin deposit machines accept all coins except unfit ones and reject deposits with scotch tape or other items mixed with the coins. Puyat also shared that the highest deposit received was worth P50,000 in coins, which the depositor immediately converted to e-wallet credits. "In fact, 98 percent of depositors use e-wallets for their transactions," Puyat said. The BSP plans to expand the initiative to more locations in Metro Manila. When asked about future plans, she mentioned, "We're planning to relaunch it with Gov. Eli (Remolona) and maybe in Pasig, as Mayor Vico texted me. He also wants it in Pasig." The post BSP target: 70% of adult Filipinos to have bank accounts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China reports record temperature for mid-July at 52.2C
China on Monday said the mercury hit 52.2 degrees Celsius (126 degrees Fahrenheit) in the northwest of the country over the weekend, setting a record for mid-July. A weather station in the Xinjiang region's Sanbao village "recorded a temperature peak of 52.2 degrees Celsius at 19:00 on July 16, breaking the historic heat record for the same period of the year", the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said in a statement. The previous record of 50.6C was set in July 2017, according to the statement. Xin Xin, an analyst working for the CMA, said in post on his verified Weibo account that 52.2C was the "highest measured temperature at a regional station in our country that I have ever seen". Sanbao lies on the outskirts of Turpan city, where authorities have told workers and students to stay home and ordered special vehicles to spray water on major thoroughfares, the meteorological body said. Ground surface temperatures reached 80C in parts of Turpan on Sunday, according to the statement. The Northern Hemisphere has endured record-setting summer heat waves in recent weeks, which scientists say are being exacerbated by climate change. Chinese authorities have warned of extreme weather and "multiple natural disasters" this summer. The post China reports record temperature for mid-July at 52.2C appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Contempt raps vs De Lima, Risa urged
Atty. Ferdinand Topacio filed a petition for indirect contempt against seven persons that include detained former Senator Leila de Lima, Senator Risa Hontiveros and Rep. Edcel Lagman in connection with their statements to the media relating to the last remaining drug case before the Muntinlupa court by the former lawmaker. Topacio, a member of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and national chairman of the Citizens Crime Watch, filed the case yesterday before the Muntinlupa Office of the Clerk of Court against De Lima, Hontiveros, Lagman, Cristina Palabay, Renato Reyes and lawyers Filibon Tacardon, De Lima’s legal counsel, and Dino de Leon. He claimed the media statements and interviews of the said personalities regarding case 17-167 against De Lima, which is pending before the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 256, violated the sub judice rule that “restricts comments and disclosures pertaining to the judicial proceedings in order to avoid prejudging the issue, influencing the court, or obstructing the administration of justice.” Topacio said “The restriction applies to litigants and witnesses, the public in general, and most especially to members of the Bar and the Bench.” Under case 17-167, filed by the Department of Justice in 2017, De Lima and others are accused of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading. Romeo Buenaventura, the judge who was handling the case recently inhibited himself from further hearing it. Before this, he denied the petitions for bail by De Lima and her co-accused. The petition stated that it is assailing specifically the contemptuous conduct of respondents in making public comments regarding the case of Atty. Leila de Lima which tends to impede, obstruct, or degrade the administration of justice. It also said the VACC “has been instrumental in the filing of the above-mentioned criminal case against respondent Leila M. de Lima which is pending before Regional Trial Court of Muntinlupa City.” “During the pendency of the above-mentioned case, respondents uttered several public statements which clearly tend to bring the court into disrepute or disrespect simply because a ruling was made contrary to what they want,” it added. The petition said that De Lima on her Facebook account, made a public comment regarding the denial of her bail which tends to challenge the wisdom of the ruling of the Honorable Court. Under Section 7 of Rule 71 of the Rules of Court, “If the respondent is adjudged guilty of indirect contempt committed against a Regional Trial Court or a court of equivalent or higher rank, he may be punished by a fine not exceeding thirty thousand pesos or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both.” The post Contempt raps vs De Lima, Risa urged appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Charles Manson disciple edges closer to possible release
Leslie Van Houten, a disciple of serial killer Charles Manson who was sentenced to life in prison for her role in an infamous double murder in 1969, is eligible for parole, a California appeals court has ruled. The ruling moves Van Houten, now 73, a step closer to release after more than five decades behind bars, although a potential legal battle remains as the state's governor has previously blocked all efforts to free her. Van Houten was 19 when she joined Manson's "family," an apocalyptic cult who hatched a bizarre plot to commit murders across Los Angeles in hopes of sparking a race war. Manson, who notoriously led his gang to murder heavily pregnant actor Sharon Tate and her friends in a killing spree that shocked the nation, died in prison in 2017. While Van Houten was not involved in those murders, she has admitted to participating in further killings by the group on the following night, during which she stabbed Rosemary La Bianca, a grocer's wife, up to 16 times. Van Houten has been recommended for parole five times since 2016, but California governors Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom have vetoed on each occasion. Newsom's latest veto in 2022 argued that Van Houten could still be a danger to society, and said she had not fully explained how she fell under Manson's sway and came to commit horrific acts of violence. But appeal judges on Tuesday overturned Newsom's veto, with a 2-1 majority finding that "there is no evidence to support the Governor's conclusions" and ruling in favor of her release. They noted Van Houten's exemplary inmate behavior, and found that Newsom's refusal to release her "fails to account for the decades of therapy, self-help programming, and reflection Van Houten has undergone in the past 50 years." The ruling does not guarantee Van Houten's imminent release. Newsom can still ask for the case to be referred to California's supreme court, in a process that could take years to resolve. California prosecutors are expected to file a motion to stay Van Houten's release on parole while those proceedings are ongoing. The post Charles Manson disciple edges closer to possible release appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ex-Solsona SB member in hot water (2)
Mark Dennis del Castillo, one of the accused in the P23-million botched social housing project in Solsona, Ilocos Norte, reached out to Daily Tribune on Wednesday, 10 May, to air his side of the story. Del Castillo, in a recorded interview, says that the project papers were started in 2016 when De Lara was the mayor but initiated during the administration of Mayor Alex Calucag. Del Castillo claimed that De Lara was still the mayor when he started processing the papers on the project while Calucag was still an ABC president. When the administration changed, Calucag gave the go signal to the project with him and Del Castillo going to the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s regional office to ask for their help. Del Castillo says that what the local government unit will do is indicated in the memorandum of agreement between the LGU and DSWD. In December 2016, Del Castillo was in Hawaii when the funds were deposited to the account of the Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance, the group of housing recipients. “It was not on my account that the funds were deposited and, thus, I do not have the authority to withdraw such money. Because the only signatories there are the MSWDO (municipal social welfare and development officer), the representative of the regional office in the person of Ms. Cynthia Ablog, who is the provincial operations officer of DSWD, and the President and the Treasurer of NASA. They are the ones who withdrew the money, not me,” Del Castillo says. Del Castillo clarified the P21 million given to him by them, referring to the above-mentioned individuals. Withdrawal came sometime between January of 2017 and Del Castillo helped them all throughout the process. It was required by the DSWD to open an account for NASA. Del Castillo says he borrowed P10,000 to open the account with LandBank. Yet they haven’t returned the money to him. Del Castillo says he does not see anything wrong there. Cynthia Ablog, Bella Ballesteros, Reynald Campanano and Mr. Raymundo were the people who opened the account. Withdrawal slip clarified In the interview, Del Castillo admitted that he deposited the P21 million to his account. He explained that officers of NASA told him to go to LandBank-Laoag Rizal. When he arrived in the bank, officers of NASA hand-carried and handed the money to him. “It is not true that I clandestinely asked the officers of NASA to sign the withdrawal form. Why would I be the one to hand them over the withdrawal slip? I am not a bank employee,” Del Castillo adds. According to Del Castillo, he deposited the money to his account for safe-keeping and in less than a week, all materials were paid. He was also accompanied by members of NASA and DSWD and all the receipts are now with DSWD. On 25 August 2022, the DSWD wrote a demand letter to Del Castillo, Campanano, Raymundo, Ablog and Ballesteros, informing them that based on the joint validation and inspection conducted on 20 to 29 July 2022 by the LGU of Solsona and the DSWD, P3,835,701.97 of the funds for the said project were not utilized and unliquidated. In the said demand letter signed by DSWD Regional Director Marie Angela S. Gopalan, the agency gave the respondents 10 days to return the money. Del Castillo, however, alleges that the LGU did not fulfill the technical aspect of the project as they did not provide an engineer, foreman and skilled workers. Being the Committee Chairman on Housing, he provided for the wages of a foreman, a skilled worker and two laborers. “I indicated all my expenses to the DSWD and if we base it on computations and all, the DSWD is the one who owes me money worth P5 million,” he says. Del Castillo says he applied for a loan and until now he’s still suffering because of the loans. He says all the materials that were not included in the program of work and the bill of materials were provided by him. (To be continued) The post Ex-Solsona SB member in hot water (2) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Elusive no more
Manila police operatives nabbed Arnold Luna, 50, over the weekend in Tondo, Manila to make him account for a drug case pending before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 55 under Judge Josefina Siscar. Luna has been evading arrest since a warrant was issued against him on 4 December 2017. An informant fingered his location […].....»»
B-day message ni Kris kay Miles: 24 naging nanay ako, utang na loob ‘wag mo akong gayahin…please!
SINORPRESA ng mag-inang Kris Aquino at Bimby ang Kapamilya young actress na si Miles Ocampo para sa kanyang 24th birthday last Saturday, May 1. Mismong ang Queen of All Media ang nagbahagi sa kanyang Instagram account ng naging kaganapan sa bonggang surprise nila kay Miles with matching cake, balloons and bouquet of roses. Mapapanood sa […] The post B-day message ni Kris kay Miles: 24 naging nanay ako, utang na loob ‘wag mo akong gayahin…please! appeared first on Bandera......»»
When Marawi becomes a frontline
This is the first of several columns on the book Marawi Siege: Stories from the Front Lines by Carmela S. Fonbuena. It is a riveting and comprehensive account of the siege of Marawi in May 2017. I encourage my readers to get the book and read it. Indeed, when I got mine, I could not put it down and finished a first reading on the same day......»»
Kris, ano kaya ang pinaghahandaan?
HINDI na-hack ang Instagram account ni Kris Aquino dahil habang sinusulat namin ang balitang ito ay may bagong post siya na dito. Nagpost siya ng larawang kinukunan niya ang magandang magandang flower arrangement na pink roses with pink heart balloons habang hawak-hawak siya ng anak na si Bimby. Ang caption ni Kris, “Alam na nating […] The post Kris, ano kaya ang pinaghahandaan? appeared first on Bandera......»»
Cashless push gains traction as 5-M more Filipinos own accounts
In total, 20.9 million Filipino adults owned an account in either a bank, microfinance institution or cashless systems last year, up from 15.8 million recorded in 2017......»»
Floyd Mayweather Jr. responds to Conor McGregor s retirement
Over the weekend, two-division UFC world champion Conor "The Notorious" McGregor once again announced his retirement. The 31-year old McGregor (22-4 in MMA, 0-1 in Boxing), posted a photo of himself with his mother on Twitter with the caption "Hey guys I’ve decided to retire from fighting. Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it’s been!" Hey guys I’ve decided to retire from fighting. Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it’s been! Here is a picture of myself and my mother in Las Vegas post one of my World title wins! Pick the home of your dreams Mags I love you! Whatever you desire it’s yours ?? pic.twitter.com/Dh4ijsZacZ — Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 7, 2020 This was McGregor's third retirement announcement in the last four years, with his first one coming back in 2016 and the second one in 2019. Obviously, the Irish combat sports star's first two 'retirements' were short-lived. The following day, McGregor posted a photo of a cake, presumably from his daughter, that read "Happy Retirement Daddy" on his Instagram account. While a lot of the comments were well-wishers, there was one comment that stood out, and it was from none other than undefeated boxing legend Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. "If I'm not mistaken, didn't you tell Mike Tyson you could be at me if we fought a second time? Now you're quitting? I thought you wanted to beat the best? Well, if you decide to come back, I will be waiting to punish you again," Mayweather Jr's comment read. Mayweather Jr. came out of retirement in 2017 to face McGregor in a professional boxing bout, the biggest combat sports event of that year. While McGregor did put up a good fight, Mayweather Jr. was able to maintain his undefeated record with a tenth-round TKO victory over the first-time boxer McGregor. Since then, McGregor has returned to mixed martial arts, falling to reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in October of 2018, and then bouncing back with a 40-second TKO of Donald Cerrone back in January. Will McGregor remain retired? Will Mayweather and McGregor share the ring once again? Only time will tell. .....»»
Pokwang tinawag na laos, rumesbak: Jusko! Saan galing mga animal na ‘to?
SINUPALPAL ng Kapuso TV host-comedienne na si Pokwang ang isang laiterang netizen na tumawag sa kanya ng “laos.” Miyerkules Santo, March 27, rumesbak ang komedyana sa isang hater na tumira sa kanya sa X (dating Twitter). Ni-repost ng isang supporter ni Pokwang sa kanyang social media account ang pangnenega ng basher na nagsabing “laos” na.....»»
Councilor Javi’s FB account hacked
DAVAO City Second District Councilor Javi Campos confirmed that his account has been hacked by still unknown individuals......»»
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott expected to play on current contract for 2024 seaso
The Dallas Cowboys made headlines recently by restructuring quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract, converting a $5 million roster bonus into a signing bonus. This move helped.....»»