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DoJ paying for its folly
In attempt to salvage an embarrassing situation where it could not prosecute suspects in a crime it prematurely, recklessly, unlawfully and repeatedly pointed to as the mastermind and accomplice in the killing of a radio commentator, the Department of Justice, particularly its head, is now offering a P3 million reward to anyone who can give information leading to the arrest of former Bureau of Prisons Director Gerald Bantag and his deputy Ricardo Zulueta. It will be recalled that the bossman of the DoJ has been severely criticized by this column for his penchant and nasty habit of calling press conferences and issuing public statements accusing and condemning Bantag for masterminding the killing of the victim, despite the lack of credible evidence, and worse, with no preliminary investigation conducted to determine the existence of probable cause. To keen observers, especially those with a legal education and training, those pre-judgmental statements not only violated the constitutional right of Bantag to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court but are brazenly unconstitutional and an obnoxious trial by publicity that put the latter at an utter disadvantage with his reputation tainted. There appears to be an obsession to call attention to himself, giving birth to the reasonable conclusion that those controversial narratives against Bantag are intentional, designed to place the narrator in constant media limelight, to the detriment of the administration of justice. The Department of Justice is mandated by law not only to prosecute transgressors of the law but, more importantly, to render justice to everyone. Certainly, prejudging the guilt of a person not yet formally charged before the public is a miscarriage of justice. The concluded preliminary investigation of Bantag and Zulueta, as this columnist previously anticipated, was a farce, it being a foregone conclusion. The panel of prosecutors had no option but to find probable cause against respondents Bantag and Zulueta as their immediate superior had already adjudged them guilty beyond reasonable doubt. They would not dare reverse or embarrass their boss by dismissing the case. And even if the investigating prosecutors had the guts and the scruples to go against their head honcho, the latter could have, naturally, on appeal by the complainants overturned the dismissal of the case, and necessarily the filing of the case in court would be ordered. Any citizen placed in the same situation as Bantag and Zulueta would do what they are doing now. Feeling that they can no longer get justice from the legal system, by reason of the outrageous demeanor of the person who is tasked by law to give justice to everyone, but fails in his bounded duty, they have placed themselves beyond the reach of the law, and have become unwilling and forced fugitives from justice. The DoJ prosecutors cannot proceed to prosecute them unless they are arrested or they voluntarily surrender themselves to the authorities. They cannot be tried in absentia as it is mandatory that the court first take jurisdiction over their person. For now and until they are tried in court we will never know whether they indeed committed the crime or have wrongly been accused. Even assuming that the prosecutors have iron-clad evidence against Bantag and Zulueta, the same become useless and the family of the murdered individual as well the Filipino people will be deprived of knowing the truth behind the heinous crime. Ultimately, the culprit obviously would be the one who created the present situation. In the meantime, Bantag and Zulueta will live the lives of hunted fugitives. Perhaps the police authorities should re-open their investigation and look at other angles and suspects. They may be able to unearth hidden facts and circumstances that will either strengthen their case against the accused or affirm the protestations of the accused that they are innocent. The post DoJ paying for its folly appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Unveiling the shabu bust scandal
On 13 June, Secretary Benhur Abalos of the Department of the Interior and Local Government announced that criminal charges have been filed against 50 police officers, including Gen. Benjamin Santos, former PNP-Drug Enforcement Group chief, and Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo. The investigation leading to the charges was conducted jointly by the National Police Commission and the Philippine National Police’s Special Investigation Task Group which uncovered the officers’ alleged involvement in a coverup in the seizure of 990 kilograms of shabu worth around P6.7 billion in October 2022. They were charged with violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Dangerous Drugs Act, the Revised Penal Code (specifically, falsification, perjury, false testimony, and malversation of public property), and Presidential Decree 1829, which deals with obstruction of justice. Much of the evidence was obtained from closed-circuit television camera footage which captured the alleged involvement of police officers in the attempt to pilfer 42 kilograms from the total 990 kilograms of shabu seized at WPD Lending, a finance company owned by Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo. The CCTV footage taken on 8 October 2022 corresponded to the day Mayo was apprehended during a drug operation at WPD Lending which resulted in the seizure of the 990 kilograms of shabu. What appeared to be a momentous victory for the PNP, however, quickly turned into a massive scandal seemingly straight out of the big screen. On 10 April, Secretary Abalos stepped forward to unveil a complex syndicated coverup surrounding the shabu bust. For the first time in public, he presented the CCTV footage that revealed a stark disparity between the reports filed by the PNP regarding the arrest of Mayo. This revelation, coupled with multiple reports, prompted Abalos to issue a statement exposing the “massive attempt to cover up” Mayo’s arrest and implicating certain PNP officials in the process. Subsequently, the House of Representatives Committee on Dangerous Drugs and the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs initiated separate inquiries into the anomalies surrounding the drug bust. Mayo and several PNP officials were summoned to shed light on the matter during these investigations. During the congressional hearings, Congressmen Barbers and Acop were able to spot several conflicting details from the PNP officials ranging from the date, time, and place of the arrests of Mayo and his alleged accomplice, Ney Atadero. Among those questioned about the conflicting details were Brig. Gen. Narcisco Domingo Jr., Lt. Col. Julius Olonan, and Capt. Jonathan Sosongco. The three officers were among the 10 ranking officers who were placed on leave after an alleged attempt to cover up Mayo’s arrest was uncovered by the National Police Commission’s fact-finding board. Olonan claimed that only Atadero was arrested at 1 p.m. at WPD Lending in Tondo, while Mayo was arrested in Bambang. Sosongco said both Mayo and Atadero were captured at around 4 p.m. at the Western Police District. The CCTV footage, however, showed that on or about 1:40 p.m. at WPD Lending, Mayo appeared in handcuffs as he alighted from a grey SUV while being escorted by the team of Sosongco who were followed by a black sedan from which Sosongco alighted. This was in stark contrast to what was reported by the PNP that Mayo was arrested by a Captain Piñon. The CCTV footage further showed several PNP officers entering and exiting WPD Lending, carrying suitcases that were loaded into vehicles and on a motorcycle. These vehicles and the motorcycle were then driven to a nearby establishment suspected to belong to another PNP official named Jimenez, where the suitcases were believed unloaded. This Jimenez was a subordinate of Colonel Ibañez of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group Special Operations Unit 4A, who was also listed in the Drug Watch list along with Mayo and Jimenez, whom Ibañez specifically asked to be part of his team. Domingo denied a coverup and said that the senior officers seen in the CCTV footage were discussing their next moves. He said efforts were being made to identify other cohorts of Mayo, recover the pilfered drugs, and cooperate with the Department of Justice in building a case against the suspects. The ramifications of these revelations led former president Rodrigo Duterte to accuse the PNP of being the “gatekeeper” of the illegal drug trade and challenged its personnel to resign. He expressed concern about the significant volume of drugs allegedly passing through the hands of the police, even reaching the level of the generals. Secretary Abalos assured Duterte and the public that they were taking action on the issue of alleged drug ties among police officers and that they were actively carrying out their responsibilities and conducting investigations into the matter. As we delve further into the shabu bust scandal, it is crucial that we remain focused on our ultimate objectives: purging the PNP of corruption, rebuilding public trust, and upholding the rule of law. He should be applauded for his courage in exposing the complicity of senior PNP officials, despite the potential risk to his personal safety from both internal and external syndicates. His unwavering resolve to root out drug connections in the PNP and restore its damaged reputation is truly commendable and deserving of our admiration. The post Unveiling the shabu bust scandal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ex-legislator, brother shot dead live on TV
A former Indian member of parliament and his brother have been shot dead while holding a press conference live on TV. Atiq Ahmed, 61, who had been jailed since 2019 and was convicted of kidnapping, was answering reporters’ questions late Saturday when he and his brother Ashraf were shot at close range by gunmen seemingly posing as journalists, the television images showed. “According to preliminary information, three persons posing as journalists approached them and opened fire... The attackers have been held and are being questioned,” police official Prashant Kumar said, according to Agence France-Presse. The TV clip in the northern city of Prayagraj shows the assailants shouting Hindu slogans after the brazen attack. The victims were being taken to hospital for medical examinations and were surrounded by police officers at the time of the shooting. The brothers were deeply involved in India’s criminal underworld — the ex-MP was reportedly facing more than 100 different cases — and press reports said the attackers were petty criminals. Several days earlier police in the same state of Uttar Pradesh said they had shot dead Ahmed’s 19-year-old son and his accomplice in a shootout. Both were wanted in a case of murder. The post Ex-legislator, brother shot dead live on TV appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indian ex-politician, brother shot dead live on TV
Gunmen seemingly posing as journalists shot dead a former Indian member of parliament and his brother live on TV as they were being taken in handcuffs to hospital by police, authorities said. Atiq Ahmed, 61, who had been jailed since 2019 and was convicted of kidnapping, was answering reporters' questions late Saturday when he and his brother Ashraf were shot at close range, the television images showed. "According to preliminary information, three persons posing as journalists approached them and opened fire... The attackers have been held and are being questioned," police official Prashant Kumar said. The TV clip in the northern city of Prayagraj shows the assailants shouting Hindu slogans after the brazen attack. The two victims were from India's Muslim minority but police did not say whether they were investigating a possible sectarian motive in the killings. The brothers were deeply involved in India's criminal underworld -- the ex-MP was reportedly facing more than 100 different cases -- and press reports said the attackers were petty criminals. The pair were being taken to hospital for medical examinations and were surrounded by police officers at the time. Local media reports said one of the gunmen was even carrying a television camera and another a microphone with the logo of a television channel. Several days earlier police in the same state of Uttar Pradesh said they had shot dead Ahmed's 19-year-old son and his accomplice in a shootout. Both were wanted in a case of murder. Scores of people facing charges have been killed in the state in recent years in similar so-called "police encounters", which rights groups say are often extra-judicial executions. Ahmed, who had been facing charges of murder and assault, last month had claimed in a petition to India's top court that his life was under threat from the police. Following his shooting, gatherings of more than four people were banned Sunday across the crime-rife northern state of 200 million people that is ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. The shooting sparked outrage among opposition parties accusing the BJP of a ruling out by fear. Hundreds of politicians belonging to all parties across India have criminal cases pending against them, with poor Uttar Pradesh a particular hotspot. These include nearly half of the government ministers in the state including the state premier, according to independent monit The post Indian ex-politician, brother shot dead live on TV appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ombudsman junks case vs suspended Tabuk City, Kalinga mayor
Tabuk City, Kalinga province Mayor Darwin Estranero will be back to work on April 1 after the case filed against him in connection to the alleged overpricing of medical equipment for his town was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman......»»
ED attaches asset worth Rs 70 lakh in bank fraud implicating Hyderabad-based Jasleen Enterprises
New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has attached an immovable property valued at Rs 70 lakh in a bank fraud case involving Jasleen Enterprises headquartered in Hyderabad. The Hyderabad division of the ED attached the fixed asset in accordance with the stipulations outlined in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002. ED initiated investigation on the basis of First Informati.....»»
2 nabbed for possession of shabu, explosives, guns in Zamboanga City
The police arrested two men after authorities discovered explosives, firearms and shabu from their hideout in Barangay Quiniput, Zamboanga City on Wednesday afternoon......»»
Emergency protocols in case of bridge collapse sought
Emergency protocols in case of bridge collapse sought.....»»
Danao City ‘gun maker’ nabbed in raid
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A 39-year-old man, who was accused of the illegal manufacture of guns, was arrested in a raid in his residence in Sitio Sapangdako, Barangay Matija, Danao City in northern Cebu, Tuesday dawn, March 26. In a report, the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) said that the raid was based on a.....»»
DOJ charges 2 alleged NPA financiers with terrorism financing
According to the DOJ, the case stemmed after reports that Dumlao and Tolentino possessed firearms and ammunition without a clear source of income or apparent purpose......»»
Philippine scientists harassed by China helicopter
Another case of harassment at sea by the Chinese has been reported – this time near Pag-Asa Island last Saturday – involving a helicopter, which hovered dangerously close to a group of Filipino scientists doing research work on a sand bar called Sandy Cay, causing minor injuries......»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, March 25
JAKARTA -- One was killed and nine others, including children, went missing after a landslide struck a village in the Indonesian province of West Java on Sunday, a local official said Monday. The disaster took place in Cibenda village in West Bandung regency on Sunday after torrential rain reportedly poured over the area for around two hours. (Indonesia-Landslide) - - - - SYDNEY -- Local media repo.....»»
Marcos admin eyes building 20 new dams by 2028
To meet the country’s growing demand for water and power, the government is eyeing to build 20 medium and three to five large dams by 2028, the end of President Marcos’ term, according to National Irrigation Administration head Eduardo Guillen......»»
Philippine scientists harassed by China helicoper
Another case of harassment at sea by the Chinese has been reported – this time near Pag-Asa Island last Saturday – involving a helicopter, which hovered dangerously close to a group of Filipino scientists doing research work on a sand bar called Sandy Cay, causing minor injuries......»»
299 wanted persons nabbed in January-March manhunt
299 wanted persons nabbed in January-March manhunt.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, March 25
JAKARTA -- One was killed and nine others, including children, went missing after a landslide struck a village in the Indonesian province of West Java on Sunday, a local official said Monday. The disaster took place in Cibenda village in West Bandung regency on Sunday after torrential rain reportedly poured over the area for around two hours. (Indonesia-Landslide) - - - - SYDNEY -- Local media repo.....»»
Second graft case filed vs Magalong
Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong is facing another graft case before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the allegedly anomalous improvement and rehabilitation of a P50-million multipurpose building in Barangay Irisan......»»
SC allows UN expert to act as friend of the court in Maria Ressa s cyber libel plea
Irene Khan, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion, has been allowed by the Supreme Court (SC) to sit as an "amicus curiae" to the court in the appeal for the cyber libel case of Rappler.com chief executive officer Maria Ressa and former researcher Reynaldo Santos......»»
‘Passover or broke’
It was a case of “early to bed – too early to rise” as I found myself waking up at 20 minutes past midnight. Instinctively, I found myself checking my phone for the right time......»»
4 nabbed in Angeles City for marijuana possession
4 nabbed in Angeles City for marijuana possession.....»»