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Janet Napoles found guilty of 8 graft, malversation raps; given 64 yrs in jail
MANILA, Philippines — Janet Napoles, the alleged mastermind behind the pork barrel scam, is found guilty of eight charges of graft and malversation, the Sandiganbayan said on Friday, Oct. 20. Napoles, together with former National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor) officials Rhodora Mendoza, Victor Cacal, and Maria Ninez Guañizo, were also found guilty of graft and malversation charges. Napoles was proven to have violated Republic Act (RA) 3019 or Anti-graft and Practices Act. “The court finds accused Rhodora B. Mendoza, Maria Ninez P. Guanizo, Victor Roman C. Cacal, and Janet L. Napoles guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violation of Section 3(e) of RA 3019, as amended, and are hereby sentenced to suffer the indeterminate penalty of imprisonment of six years and one month, as a minimum, to 10 years, as maximum, and to suffer perpetual disqualification from holding public office,” reads the decision from the Special Second Division of the anti-graft court. Napoles and the Nabcor officials were found guilty of four counts of corruption, and four counts of malversation of public funds. Collectively, the charges translate to 64 years of imprisonment at the minimum and 82 years at most. Sandiganbayan also ordered Napoles to pay government P41 million in damages. Each malversation charge requires Napoles to pay the equivalent amount of money involved in the criminal offense. Meanwhile, former South Cotabato Representative Arthur Pingoy Jr. was acquitted of graft and malversation charges in the same court decision. RELATED STORIES Napoles cleared in one pork barrel case but convicted in another Sandiganbayan acquits Napoles in 16 graft raps over pork barrel scam ‘Janet Lim Napoles’ listed among convicts freed on good conduct.....»»
Napoles, ex-congressman cleared of plunder, convicted of corruption
The Sandiganbayan has cleared Janet Lim-Napoles and former lawmaker Edgar Valdez of plunder, a case that stemmed from the alleged misuse of the priority development assistance fund or PDAF of the latter......»»
Former Iloilo solon hurdles graft charges
The Sandiganbayan announced on Friday that it has cleared former Iloilo lawmaker Niel Tupas Jr. of graft and malversation raps over the alleged anomalous utilization of his P4.8-million pork barrel funds to a non-government organization in 2008. In a 99-page ruling dated 13 September but was released only on Friday, the anti-graft court’s Special Fourth Division found Tupas not guilty of breaching Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) and Malversation through Falsification of Public Documents. His co-accused, Rhodora Mendoza and Romulo Relevo, ex-administrative and finance head, and ex-general services unit head respectively, of the now-defunct National Agri-Business Corporation or NABCOR, were also acquitted of the same charges for failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Filed by the Ombudsman in 2018, the case stemmed from the supposed misuse of Tupas’ Priority Development Assistance Fund worth P4,850,000 in 2008, supposedly intended to fund agricultural livelihood programs for Iloilo farmers. The funds were supposed to buy hand tractors, water pumps and grafted fruit seedlings, according to the Ombudsman. Tupas was accused of funneling his pork barrel to dubious NGO Kabuhayan at Kalusugan Alay Para sa Masa Foundation Inc. by utilizing the NABCOR as an intermediary. According to the Ombudsman, Tupas “unilaterally chose” and “indorsed” KKAMFI as a project partner to implement his livelihood projects for his district, notwithstanding that the foundation was “unaccredited” and “unqualified” to undertake such. Tupas and his co-respondents were accused of acting with manifest partially and evident bad faith by giving unwarranted benefits and advantages to the KKAMFI. The probe revealed that NABCOR and KKMFI entered into a memorandum of agreement on the purported implementation of Tupas’ PDAF-funded projects. NABCOR’s Mendoza and Relevo facilitated the disbursement of P4,850,000 to the foundation. The post Former Iloilo solon hurdles graft charges appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
British nurse jailed for killing seven babies lodges appeal
A British nurse jailed for life for murdering seven newborn babies and attempting to kill six others has lodged a legal bid to appeal her conviction, court officials said Friday. Staff at the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, confirmed an application had been received from Lucy Letby for permission to appeal against all her convictions. Applications for permission to appeal against a lower crown court decision are typically considered by a judge without a hearing. If this is refused, permission can still be sought at a full court hearing before two or three judges. Letby, 33, was convicted last month of killing five baby boys and two baby girls, making her the UK's most prolific child serial killer in modern history. She was arrested following a string of deaths at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between June 2015 and June 2016. She consistently denied all the charges. The jury in Letby's months-long trial cleared her of two counts of attempted murder and were unable to reach decisions on six other counts. Prosecutors are expected to confirm whether or not they will seek a re-trial on those charges next week. The government has announced an independent inquiry into her shocking case to examine how the concerns of clinicians were dealt with by the Chester hospital managers. The post British nurse jailed for killing seven babies lodges appeal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ressa, Rappler acquitted of tax evasion
Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa and Rappler Holdings Corporation were acquitted by a Pasig court in a tax evasion case filed in connection with their supposed failure to declare tax in 2015. Atty. Francis Lim, counsel of Ressa, said his client and RHC were acquitted by the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 157 of violation of Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code (Tax Code) for the failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All five tax evasion charges filed against the respondents have been junked by the Pasig RTC which was filed during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Ressa, 59 years old, shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in 2021. She has been fighting multiple charges filed during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. The journalist and Rappler had faced five government charges of tax evasion stemming from the 2015 sale of Philippine depositary receipts, which is a way for companies to raise money from foreign investors. In January, the Court of Tax Appeals First Division found Ressa and RHC not guilty on three counts of failure to supply the correct information and one count of tax evasion, amounting to P141 million worth of taxes, including surcharge and interest. The fifth charge was heard by a different court, which cleared her and Rappler of wrongdoing yesterday. However, Ressa and Rappler face an uncertain future as they battle another two court cases, despite the acquittals. Ressa and a former colleague Rey Santos Jr. are appealing a cyber libel conviction that carries a nearly seven-year jail sentence. The post Ressa, Rappler acquitted of tax evasion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Philippine Nobel winner Maria Ressa acquitted of tax evasion — court
Philippine Nobel laureate Maria Ressa was acquitted Tuesday of her final tax evasion charge, in the latest legal victory for the veteran journalist as she battles to stay out of prison. Ressa smiled as the judge delivered the verdict in the years-long case, an AFP journalist inside the courtroom said. The 59-year-old, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in 2021, has been fighting multiple charges filed during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Ressa, a vocal critic of Duterte and his deadly drug war, has long maintained that the cases against her and the news website Rappler, which she co-founded in 2012, were politically motivated. Ressa and Rappler had faced five government charges of tax evasion stemming from the 2015 sale of Philippine depositary receipts, which is a way for companies to raise money from foreign investors. A court acquitted them on four of the charges in January. The fifth charge was heard by a different court, which cleared her of wrongdoing on Tuesday. Despite the acquittals, Ressa and Rappler face an uncertain future as they battle another two court cases. The post Philippine Nobel winner Maria Ressa acquitted of tax evasion — court appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hong Kong’s top court to rule on same-sex marriage
Hong Kong's top court will decide Tuesday whether to recognize same-sex marriages, rendering a verdict in one of the most consequential cases on the subject in the city's history. Over the past decade, LGBTQ activists in the former British colony have won piecemeal victories in court, striking down discriminatory government policies on visas, taxes, and housing benefits. But the case brought by jailed pro-democracy activist Jimmy Sham -- set to be decided at 2:30 pm local time (0630 GMT) Tuesday -- will be the first time Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal has directly addressed the issue of same-sex marriage. Since launching his challenge in 2018, Sham, 36, has twice failed to convince the courts that Hong Kong should legally recognize his marriage to a same-sex partner, which was registered in New York nearly a decade ago. In his most recent setback, in August 2022, appeal judges wrote that Hong Kong's constitutional text "only provides access to the institution of marriage to heterosexual couples". Sham has argued the city's ban on same-sex marriage violates his right to equality, while the lack of a policy alternative -- such as civil unions -- does the same, in addition to breaching his right to privacy. British rights lawyer Karon Monaghan, representing Sham, told the court in June the ban disadvantages same-sex couples in areas such as inheritance and housing rentals. A poll this year found that 60 percent of Hong Kongers supported same-sex marriage, compared to just 38 percent a decade ago. Some international businesses in the city have also backed marriage equality campaigns, crediting it as a way to attract talent. But the city's Beijing-approved leadership has shown little appetite for passing laws that advance LGBTQ equality. Rights advocacy has partly gone underground after Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020, following huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in the finance hub. Sham, a prominent democracy campaigner, is one of dozens of activists behind bars awaiting prosecution under the security law on charges unrelated to LGBTQ rights. In July, a radio show promoting gay rights aired by Hong Kong's public broadcaster was canceled after a 17-year run. The post Hong Kong’s top court to rule on same-sex marriage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sandigan clears QC prosecutor of bribery raps
The Sandiganbayan has cleared former Quezon City Assistant Prosecutor Raul Desembrana of a direct bribery charge arising from his alleged demand of P80,000 in exchange for dismissing a complaint in 2014. In a 39-page decision, the anti-graft court’s Special Fourth Division acquitted Desembrana of bribery under Article 210 of the Revised Penal Code for the failure of the prosecution to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The erstwhile prosecutor was accused of direct bribery for allegedly requesting P80,000 from Dr. Alexis Montes and his son Connor, with pending unjust vexation cases before his office filed by a retired military chaplain. According to the prosecution, Desembrana took advantage of his position for the unlawful demand of P80,000 from the Monteses and for receiving P4,000, placed on top of the “boodle money.” The prosecution alleged Desembrana of demanding P80,000 from Monteses’ lawyer, Ephraim Cortez of the National Union of People’s Attorneys, in exchange for withdrawing the case against his clients, which was assigned the Desembrana for preliminary investigation. Further, the prosecution added that Desembrana proposed an arrangement wherein he would issue a favorable draft resolution for the Monteses in return. In 2014, the National Bureau of Investigation set up an entrapment operation at a restaurant inside Quezon Memorial Circle, where they captured Desembrana after he took the P4,000 marked money from Cortez. In exonerating Desembrana, the Sandiganbayan, however, said the prosecution failed to present the P4,000 allegedly used during the entrapment operation as well as the “boodle money” and the white envelope. “The alleged acceptance of the P4,000 by accused Desembrana cannot be reasonably established without the presentation of the original marked money or the object evidence which was allegedly accepted by accused Desembrana,” it said. The Sandiganbayan also took note of Cortez’s testimony that he did not open the white envelope and relied only on the NBI agents’s statement that the mark and the boodle money were inside the envelope. “Hence, contrary to the allegations in the Information, the evidence presented by the prosecution failed to establish that accused Desembrana ‘actually received P4,000 which were placed on top of the “boodle money” from Atty. Ephraim B. Cortez,” it said. The post Sandigan clears QC prosecutor of bribery raps appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Former Bataan gov off the hook
The Sandiganbayan announced on Sunday that it has cleared former Bataan Governor Leonardo Roman of a P3.66-million graft charge stemming from the anomalous construction of a mini-theater at the Bataan State College in 2004. Citing the prosecution’s failure to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the anti-graft court’s Second Division acquitted Roman of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or RA 3019 in a 41-page ruling. “As the prosecution, in this case, failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt all the elements of Section 3(e) of RA 3019 under which the accused was charged, accused Roman should be entitled to an acquittal,” said the Sandiganbayan. To recall, the case against Roman involved the alleged awarding of a P3.66-million mini-theater project of the Bataan State College in 2004 in favor of V.F. Construction despite no allocated budget or appropriation for the project. He was also accused of colluding with his co-accused executive assistant Romeo Mendiola, treasurer Pastor Vichauco, budget officer Aurora Tiambeng, and accountant Numeriano Medina by giving unwarranted benefits to V.F. Construction for the release of the sum. Filed before the Ombudsman, the case stemmed from a complaint-affidavit dated 1 September 2004 accusing Roman and his cohorts of the crime of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents. Roman served as the governor of Bataan from 1986 to 2004. In 2006, the Ombudsman dismissed the complaint for lack of probable cause. The Supreme Court affirmed the Ombudsman’s decision to drop the criminal charge. The Ombudsman, however, filed the case before the Sandiganbayan in 2015 following the SC’s ruling to reverse the criminal charge of graft. Based on the prosecution’s probe, Roman entered a contract with V.F. Construction to construct a mini-theater and rendered his authorizations, approvals, and certifications for the P3.66-million payment. Investigation revealed that Roman certified the project as fully completed and issued the payment to the construction firm in two installments. However, more than five months after the final payment was made to the construction company, the CoA discovered that the mini-theater, contrary to Roman’s declaration, was incomplete. The structure, it said, was only 50.7 percent complete. In clearing Roman, the Sandiganbayan stressed that it was “not convinced” by the prosecution’s theory that the erstwhile governor’s execution of a contract and approval of the payment with the V.F. Construction despite the lapses was tantamount to graft. “The evidence on record is insufficient to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there was bad faith, manifest partially, or gross inexcusable negligence on the part of the accused when he committed the questioned acts,” the Sandiganbayan said. According to the Sandiganbayan, while Roman may have committed mistakes in the performance of his duty, the fact remains that the evidence is insufficient to prove a serious breach of duty that was committed flagrantly, palpably, and with willful indifference or blatant and extremely careless manner. The post Former Bataan gov off the hook appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sandigan absolves Alcala in graft raps
The Sandiganbayan has absolved ex-Department of Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala of a graft charge involving P13.5 million of government funds illegally given to an ineligible farmers’ foundation. In a 40-page decision, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division cleared Alcala of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) purely on reasonable doubt. His co-accused, Laureano Mañalac, however, then-DA head executive assistant, was found guilty of violating the same provision of the law. He was meted up to 10 years behind bars and was permanently barred from holding public office. On top of the conviction, the court ordered him to pay P13.5 million, representing the sum paid to Isa Akong Magsasaka Foundation Inc. or IAMFI. Filed by the Ombudsman in 2018, the case stemmed from the irregular accreditation of IAMFI as a DA development partner for the construction of the Quezon Corn Trading and Processing Center at P13.5 million in 2012. Investigation revealed that IAMFI, which was an ineligible foundation but applied to become a development partner of the DA in May 2011, was controlled by Mañalac. Alcala was accused of conniving with Mañalac to release P13.5 million to IAMFI’s former president, Bautista Ella. State prosecutors said the DA’s erstwhile officials gave the IAMFI unwarranted benefit, advantage, or preference. On 17 July 2019, the Sandiganbayan dismissed the case against Ella owing to his passing. Authenticated document The prosecution’s investigation further revealed that IAMFI submitted together with its application for accreditation an authenticated articles of incorporation, concealing that Mañalac is an incorporator, which was in violation of the Commission on Audit Circular 2007-001, and was “highly irregular.” According to the prosecutors, the DA fell short when it failed to investigate its unlawful grant of P13.5 million in funding to the IAMFI, to which it is not entitled to. “The government suffered undue injury in the amount of P13,500,000, which was illegally given to the IAMFI due to the acts of Manalac. Instead of giving the funds to a qualified foundation, it was given to one ineligible being controlled by Mañalac,” the Sandiganbayan said, brushing off the accused claim that the sum was legally awarded to the foundation. In acquitting Alcala, the anti-graft court ruled that despite the prosecution’s serious efforts, it failed to prove that the ex-DA secretary violated RA 3019. “The court, however, is compelled on reasonable doubts grounds to acquit Alcala of the crime as he claims to have relied on multiple layers of review by his subordinates.” Further, it ruled that “no evident bad faith” could be attributed to Alcala in accrediting and signing the memorandum of agreement with IAMFI; instead, it found that all the offense elements have been proven beyond reasonable doubt in the case of Mañalac. According to the Sandiganbayan, it was “very clear that Mañalac was involved in the processing of the proposal of IAMFI.” Mañalac, who resigned from the DA on 30 September 2012, was “immaterial” and “will not serve to exculpate him,” the court said. “Even with Mañalac’s departure from the DA, the proposal would continue to go through the application process in view of the PMO’s positive preliminary recommendation,” it added. The post Sandigan absolves Alcala in graft raps appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2 QC courts dismiss charges vs Sonza
Branch 100 of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court “provisionally dismissed” the large-scale illegal recruitment case against veteran broadcaster Jay Sonza and ordered his release. Judge Editha Mia-Aguba, in her order dated 17 August, stated that the complainants against Sonza had repeatedly failed to appear in court proceedings. “Considering that the non-appearance of the private complainants, the guilt of the accused would not be proved beyond reasonable doubt, the instant case is hereby dismissed provisionally with the express consent and conformity of the accused,” the order read. Sonza’s illegal recruitment case before Branch 215 of the QC RTC was also provisionally dismissed, which means it could be reinstated within two years if new evidence is uncovered. The broadcaster would, however, remain in detention as he still has a pending case for 11 counts of estafa, and a libel case before the QC RTC Branch 77. His arraignment and pre-trial hearing for the libel case was set for today. The post 2 QC courts dismiss charges vs Sonza appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Court junks raps filed vs ex-broadcaster Sonza
A Quezon City court dismissed yesterday the illegal recruitment case filed against former broadcaster Jay Sonza......»»
Sandigan junks Napoles appeal on ‘pork’ case
The Sandiganbayan has denied another attempt of detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles to be cleared of a plunder case in connection with the alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund pork barrel of former congressman Edgar Valdez......»»
‘I miss the sun’: Journalist detained in China issues rare message
Jailed Chinese-Australian journalist Cheng Lei has described the bleak conditions she faces in detention in a rare public message released on Thursday ahead of the third anniversary of her imprisonment by Beijing. "I miss the sun," reads the message, described as a "love letter" to Australia dictated to officials on a consular visit. "In my cell, the sunlight shines through the window but I can stand in it for only 10 hours a year." The message was shared with Australian news outlets and on the social media platform X by Cheng's partner, Nick Coyle, on Thursday evening. Cheng, a former anchor for Chinese state broadcaster CGTN, is formally charged with "supplying state secrets overseas", though no further details have been supplied. Her detention came as relations between Australia and China cratered, raising speculation it was politically motivated. Last year Coyle said he had serious concerns about a "range of health issues" Cheng faced behind bars. In Thursday's poignant message, the mother of two said she hadn't seen a tree in three years and spoke of her longing for Australia and the outside world. She said her bedding in jail was only taken out to air once a year. "When it came back last time, I wrapped myself in the doona (quilt) and pretended I was being hugged by family under the sun," the message read. "Most of all I miss my children," it ended. Cheng has been detained since August 2020 but was only formally arrested in February 2021. She was tried last March behind closed doors, with even Australia's ambassador to China blocked from entering the court to observe proceedings. The court deferred the verdict and Cheng's sentence, which could extend to life in prison. "She has missed her daughter going to high school. Her parents aren't getting any younger and Lei is their only child. So time is getting more and more precious," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Coyle as saying on Thursday. Last month Australia's foreign minister said she had again raised Cheng's case when she met China's top diplomat Wang Yi on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit in Jakarta. Ties between the two sides have been improving since the election of Australia's center-left Labor government in May last year. Last week, China announced it was removing extra tariffs on Australian barley imposed in 2020 at the height of the dispute. The post ‘I miss the sun’: Journalist detained in China issues rare message appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AI could halve time reading breast cancer scans, study suggests
Artificial intelligence could help almost halve the workload of radiologists when it comes to searching routine scans for signs of breast cancer, a large Swedish study suggested on Wednesday. The interim results of the trial were hailed as promising, but the authors cautioned that more research was needed before AI can be used to screen for breast cancer on a wider scale. While increasingly convincing chatbots such as ChatGPT have driven speculation about the future potential applications of AI, one area in which the technology has already shown proficiency is in reading medical scans. With many countries suffering from a shortage of radiologists, there are hopes that AI could make the time-consuming job of analyzing routine scans quicker and more accurate. This could have a particularly large impact for breast cancer. More than 2.3 million women were diagnosed with the cancer in 2020 alone, according to the World Health Organization, and it caused 685,000 deaths. Regular screening is vital to identifying early signs of cancer. In Europe, women aged 50 to 69 are advised to get a mammogram every two years, with the resulting scan analyzed by two radiologists. The study in Sweden involved the scans of 80,000 women who had mammograms at four sites in southwest Sweden between April 2021 and July last year. 'Considerable importance' Their scans were randomly divided for analysis to either an AI-supported system or two human radiologists, who served as the control group. The AI algorithm read the scans and predicted the risk of cancer out of 10. Its predictions were then checked by a radiologist. The AI-supported system spotted 20 percent more cancers, the study said, which worked out to be an additional case for every thousand women screened. When it came to false positives -- when a mammogram is first thought to look suspicious but is later cleared -- both the AI-supported system and the two humans spotted the same rate: 1.5 percent. And the workload for radiologists was reduced by 44 percent for the AI group, because only one person was required to read the scans rather than the normal two. "The greatest potential of AI right now is that it could allow radiologists to be less burdened by the excessive amount of reading," said Kristina Lang, a radiologist at Sweden's Lund University and lead author of the study. But Lang said the "promising interim safety results" were "not enough on their own to confirm that AI is ready to be implemented in mammography screening," she said in a statement. It will take two more years before the trial can say whether using AI leads to a reduction in what are called interval cancers, which are detected between routine screenings, the researchers cautioned. Stephen Duffy, a professor of cancer screening at Queen Mary University of London who was not involved in the study, pointed out that the AI algorithm may have over-diagnosed certain forms of early breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ. Nonetheless, he praised the "high-quality study", saying that reducing the burden on radiologists' time was "an issue of considerable importance in many breast screening programmes". The post AI could halve time reading breast cancer scans, study suggests appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
6 ex-DA execs cleared in fertilizer scam
The Sandiganbayan has acquitted six former officials of the Department of Agriculture office in Davao region in a graft case involving the purchase of P4.92 million worth of fertilizer and farm implements in 2004......»»
US actor Kevin Spacey cleared of UK sex offenses
Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey was acquitted on Wednesday in Britain of nine alleged sex offenses, in the latest court victory for the Oscar winner who was one of the first huge stars felled by the #MeToo movement. The star of "American Beauty" and drama series "House of Cards", who turned 64 on Wednesday, was acquitted by majority verdicts in London following a trial lasting several weeks. "I'm enormously grateful to the jury for having taken the time to examine all of the evidence and all of the facts carefully before they reached their decision and I am humbled by the outcome today," he told reporters outside court. It comes less than a year after a New York court dismissed a $40 million sexual misconduct civil lawsuit brought against him, and follows charges of indecent and sexual assault being dropped in Massachusetts in 2019. Spacey's once-stellar career has been halted by the various allegations of sexual offences, which first emerged in 2017 and which he has always denied. The actor told Germany's Die Zeit that he expected to mount a comeback following the acquittal. "I know that there are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges in London," he told the German national weekly. "The second that happens, they're ready to move forward." Madness The jury in London, which began considering the charges on Monday, cleared Spacey of all nine counts that he faced, after more than 12 hours of deliberations. The alleged offences included seven counts of sexual assault, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. They were said to have occurred in 2005 and 2008 in London, and in 2013 in Gloucestershire, western England. Jurors heard evidence from the four alleged victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons. British rock star Elton John was also among those to testify, as a witness for Spacey. The prosecution claimed he was a "sexual bully" who revelled in making others feel uncomfortable, including by aggressively grabbing men's crotches. One of victims, a former aspiring actor, said he woke up to find Spacey performing a sex act on him, suggesting the actor "drugged" him. He was accused of grabbing another man's crotch "so hard" while driving to a fundraising event, that the car nearly came off the road. Spacey, whose full name is Kevin Spacey Fowler, called the claims "madness" and a "stab in the back". He had been on unconditional bail since first being charged in Britain last year, and on Wednesday walked out of the south London court a free man. The Crown Prosecution Service said it had charged him following "a thorough investigation" by London's Metropolitan Police. "It is the role of the jury to consider the charges and we respect the decision of the court," a spokesman added. Career success Spacey enjoyed a highly successful decades-spanning career with roles such as a middle-aged father lusting after a teen in "American Beauty," a serial killer in "Se7en" and the villain in "Superman Returns". He worked as artistic director at London's Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. In 2017 he was one of the first stars caught up in the global #MeToo movement as he was accused of sexual assault by multiple young men. He was dropped from the final season of the political drama "House of Cards" and other projects. A New York court dismissed a $40 million civil sexual misconduct lawsuit brought against him in October last year. The complainant, actor Anthony Rapp, alleged the star had assaulted him when he was 14. He brought the civil case after being told it was too late to bring a criminal charge but failed to convince the jury in that case. In 2019, charges of indecent and sexual assault were dropped against Spacey in Massachusetts. The post US actor Kevin Spacey cleared of UK sex offenses appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SC: Efficiency not penalized
The Supreme Court absolved officials of the Social Security System clearing them of administrative liability in the approval of the purchase of 25 million Philippine Commercial International Bank shares worth P7.5 billion in 1999. The high bench explained there was no undue haste in the purchase since they were able to justify the transactions. Edgar Solilapsi, who was then senior vice president for Investment; Horacio Templo, then chief actuary of the SSS Executive Management Committee; and Lilia Marquez, then head of the Institutional Loans Department were the ones cleared of the charges in the multi-billion purchase of PCIB shares. The court said they should be paid salaries and other emoluments that they did not receive during a six-month suspension of the purchase. The SC First Division in its 29 March 2023 decision, said the officials’ expeditious actions in relation to the transaction are not evidence of wrongdoing. Incentivize, instead “On the contrary, efficiency is a virtue that all branches of government should nurture and incentivize. Paralyzing indecision should be suppressed. Once all legal requirements are complied with, government personnel should be confident to act as required by the exigencies of the service,” it said. The case stemmed from a complaint filed by SSS officers and members who alleged that the purchase of PCIB shares was overpriced by P1.165 billion which was based on the supposed P245 market price of PCIB shares, and the purchase price of P290.075 per share. SSS officials named in the complaint said the alleged overprice was a premium which is normal in negotiated purchases of blocks of shares. The SC said the expeditious purchase of the shares was due to a change in how the SSS’ Securities Trading and Management Department worked. The court noted that in an earlier meeting, Solilapsi was directed to fast track share purchase recommendations because the SSS had missed out on an earlier opportunity to buy Metro Pacific Corporation shares at a lower price. Preparations could not keep up with market changes, it said. The post SC: Efficiency not penalized appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SC orders rearrest of ex-Palawan governor Reyes over Ortega murder
The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the rearrest of former Palawan governor Mario Joel Reyes due to the 2011 murder of environmentalist and broadcaster Dr. Gerry Ortega. This came after the high bench denied Reyes’ petition for review and affirmed the amended decision dated 28 November 2019, and resolution dated 24 February 2021, of the Court of Appeals (CA) Special Former Eleventh Division in CA-G.R. SP No. 132847. Also, the temporary restraining order dated 23 March 2022 has been lifted. The SC in its ruling stated, “Accordingly, the Regional Trial Court, Branch 52, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, is hereby ordered to cause the immediate re-arrest and detention of petitioner Mario Joel T. Reyes; and continue with the proceedings in Criminal Case No. 26839 with utmost dispatch.” The SC also addressed Reyes’ claims of reversible error, stating, “Unfortunately for petitioner (Reyes), the record, thus far, shows that the RTC (regional trial court) acted well within its jurisdiction. This, in turn, belies petitioner’s claim that the CA committed reversible error in sustaining the trial court’s decision to proceed with the criminal trial.” On the morning of 24 January 2011, Ortega, a prominent broadcaster and environmentalist, was fatally shot. Known as an “environmental hero,” Ortega’s murder drew significant attention. Marlon Recamata, the gunman, was arrested and pleaded guilty to the murder in February 2011. Reyes was identified as the mastermind behind Ortega’s killing by his former bodyguard, Rodolfo Edrad. The former governor was criticized by Ortega for alleged environmental destruction in the province. Reyes’ brother, former Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, was also implicated in the crime. The SC ruling satisfied the Ortega family, who said, “The Ortega Family welcomes the latest development to rearrest former Governor Joel Reyes. Our family is thankful that the Supreme Court sided with truth and justice. We have long hoped and prayed for the trial to continue. This fair decision restores our faith that, one day, we will find justice.” The post SC orders rearrest of ex-Palawan governor Reyes over Ortega murder appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Musk launches xAI to rival OpenAI, Google
Elon Musk on Wednesday launched his own artificial intelligence company, xAI, as he seeks to compete with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT -- a program he accuses of being politically biased and irresponsible. The xAI website said the Tesla tycoon would run the company separately from his other companies but that the technology developed would benefit those businesses, including Twitter. "The goal of xAI is to understand the true nature of the universe," the website said. Musk on Twitter added that the new company's aim was to "understand reality" and answer life's biggest questions. The startup is staffed by former researchers from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Tesla, and the University of Toronto. The team is to be advised by Dan Hendrycks, who currently leads the Center for AI Safety, a San Francisco-based organization that warns against developing AI too quickly. Hendrycks also initiated the open letter to global leaders in June that warned AI was a risk to human existence on par with pandemics and nuclear war. Musk has repeatedly warned about the dangers of AI, having called it "our biggest existential threat," and saying that moving too fast was like "summoning the demon." He claimed to have cofounded OpenAI in 2015 because he regarded the dash by Google to make advances in artificial intelligence as reckless. He left OpenAI in 2018 to focus on Tesla and later said he was also uncomfortable with the profit-driven direction the company was taking under the stewardship of CEO Sam Altman. Musk also argues that OpenAI's large language models -- on which ChatGPT depends for content, as is the case with other AI programs -- are overly politically correct. Musk in April shared details of his plans for a new AI tool called "TruthGPT" in an interview with Fox News, the conservative broadcaster. In the interview, he said his new AI company would come very late after OpenAI and Google DeepMind, both of which have made great strides in recent years. "I think I will create a third option, although it's starting very late in the game. Can it be done? I don't know, we'll see," he said. The launch of an AI company on the scale of OpenAI or Google DeepMind would come at an enormous expense, especially in regards to the necessary semiconductors, known as GPUs, which are mainly built by California company Nvidia. The post Musk launches xAI to rival OpenAI, Google appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»