We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
CHR alarmed by war vs drugs in Davao City
THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is alarmed by Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s “war against drugs”, as seven drug users were killed from different barangays in the city over the weekend, just a few hours after his declaration......»»
Mandaue drug bust: P476,000 ‘shabu’ seized from HVI
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Authorities seized suspected shabu worth at least P476,000 from a 45-year-old man described as a high-value individual during an anti-illegal drugs operation in Mandaue City early on Wednesday morning, March 27, 2024. The operation took place along Realty Road in the North Reclamation Area in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, Cebu. The.....»»
CHR probes Davao drug war deaths
The Commission on Human Rights yesterday expressed grave concern over Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte’s recent declaration of a war on drugs in the city......»»
Drug killings 95 percent lower than in previous admin
The number of deaths recorded under the Marcos administration’s war on drugs has decreased by over 95 percent, in contrast to the bloody anti-drug campaign of his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte......»»
7 dead after Davao City Mayor Duterte declares war vs. drugs
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 March) – Two more drug suspects died in separate buy-bust operations in Toril District here before dawn Tuesday, after they allegedly resisted arrest, a police official said. This brought the number of fatalities to seven since Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte declared a “war” on illegal drugs last March […].....»»
‘Ormoc LGU owns San Pablo property’
Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez has denied claims that the city government does not own a parcel of land in Barangay San Pablo, where the Ormoc City College will be constructed......»»
FACT CHECK: Doc Liza Ong doesn’t endorse unregistered anti-itch cream
The Philippine Food and Drug Administration has not approved the herbal cream that claims to treat vaginal infections.....»»
Lascañas, ex-cop, claims Sara Duterte ‘invented’ Tokhang
MANILA, Philippines — A confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) gunman claimed that “Oplan Tokhang,” the brutal “knock and plead” anti-drug operation carried out by former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration was a brainchild of then Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. The confessed DDS gunman also claimed that the brother of then Mayor Sara Duterte, then Vice.....»»
Musk tours site of Hamas attack with Israeli PM
Tech tycoon Elon Musk visited the site of a Hamas attack in southern Israel Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the two discussed artificial intelligence with defence chiefs, officials said. Musk and Netanyahu held a brief interview on the billionaire's online platform X, formerly Twitter, following their tour of Kfar Aza, one of the kibbutzim -- communal farms -- in southern Israel attacked by the Palestinian militant group on October 7. "We have to demilitarise Gaza after the destruction of Hamas," Netanyahu said, calling for a campaign to "deradicalise" the Palestinian territory. "Then we also have to rebuild Gaza, and I hope to have our Arab friends help in that context." Netanyahu told Musk he hoped to resume US-mediated normalisation talks with Saudi Arabia after Hamas's defeat and "expand the circle of peace beyond anything imaginable". None of the prime minister's public statements addressed charges of rampant anti-Semitism on Musk's social media outlet. Earlier in the day, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said Israel had reached an understanding in principle on the use of Starlink satellites, operated by Musk's company SpaceX, in Israel and the Gaza Strip "with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications". Musk and Netanyahu also "held an extended meeting on the security aspects of artificial intelligence," a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office said. "Senior security establishment officials in the fields of artificial intelligence and cyber participated in the meeting." The American tycoon was also set to meet with President Isaac Herzog during his visit to Israel. Herzog would address "the need to act to combat rising anti-Semitism online", the office of Israel's figurehead president said Sunday. Musk has come under fire over what critics say is a proliferation of hate speech on X since his takeover of the social media site in October 2022. He has also been accused by the White House of "abhorrent promotion" of anti-Semitism after endorsing a conspiracy theory seen as accusing Jews of trying to weaken white majorities. Herzog's office said the meeting would be joined by "representatives of families of hostages held by Hamas, who will speak about the horrors of the Hamas terror attack on October 7, and of the ongoing pain and uncertainty for those held captive". Israel bombarded the Gaza strip for weeks and launched a ground assault in response to the attacks, before a four-day ceasefire took effect on November 24. In September, Netanyahu urged Musk "to stop not only anti-Semitism, or rolling it back as best you can, but any collective hatred" on X. Musk, the world's richest person, said while his platform could not stop all hate speech before it was posted, he was "generally against attacking any group, no matter who it is". X Corp is currently suing nonprofit Media Matters on the grounds that it has driven away advertisers by portraying the site as rife with anti-Semitic content. Musk has also threatened to file suit against the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, over its claims that problematic and racist speech has soared on the site since he completed his $44-billion takeover......»»
Israeli president tells Musk he has ‘huge role’ in anti-Semitism
Israel's president told Elon Musk on Monday that the tech mogul has "a huge role to play" to combat anti-Semitism, which his social media platform is accused of spreading. The meeting came after the world's richest person visited a kibbutz community devastated in attacks by Hamas militants on October 7, and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence officials. Musk has been criticised over what critics say is a proliferation of hate speech on X, formerly Twitter, since his takeover of the social media site in October 2022. He has been accused by the White House of "abhorrent promotion" of anti-Semitism after endorsing a conspiracy theory seen as accusing Jews of trying to weaken white majorities. Israel's figurehead President Isaac Herzog told him: "Unfortunately, we are inundated by anti-Semitism, which is Jew hatred. "You have a huge role to play," he said. "And I think we need to fight it together because on the platforms which you lead, unfortunately, there's a harbouring of a lot of... anti-Semitism." Musk did not mention anti-Semitism in his video remarks released by Herzog's office, but said Hamas militants "have been fed propaganda since they were children". "It's remarkable what humans are capable of if they're fed falsehoods, from when they are children; they will think that the murder of innocent people is a good thing." On October 7 Hamas militants broke through Gaza's militarised border into southern Israel to kill around 1,200 people and seize about 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials, in the worst-ever attack since the nation's founding. Vowing to destroy Hamas in response, Israel has carried out a relentless bombardment of targets in Gaza, alongside a ground invasion, that the Hamas government says has killed almost 15,000. A temporary truce has been in effect since Friday. Talk of satellites Earlier Monday, Netanyahu and Musk discussed "security aspects of artificial intelligence" with senior defence officials, the Prime Minister's Office said. Musk and Netanyahu held a conversation on X following their tour of Kfar Aza, one of the communities attacked by Hamas. "We have to demilitarise Gaza after the destruction of Hamas," Netanyahu said, calling for a campaign to "deradicalise" the Palestinian territory. "Then we also have to rebuild Gaza, and I hope to have our Arab friends help in that context." Netanyahu told Musk he hoped to resume United States-mediated normalisation talks with Saudi Arabia after Hamas's defeat and "expand the circle of peace beyond anything imaginable". The war stalled progress towards a Saudi-Israel normalisation deal, and in early November Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler denounced the conduct of Israeli forces fighting Hamas in Gaza. Israel's Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said his country had reached an understanding in principle on the use of Starlink satellites, operated by Musk's company SpaceX, in Israel and the Gaza Strip "with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications". Starlink is a network of satellites in low Earth orbit that can provide internet to remote locations, or areas that have had normal communications infrastructure disabled. In September, Netanyahu urged Musk "to stop not only anti-Semitism, or rolling it back as best you can, but any collective hatred" on X. Musk said at the time that while his platform could not stop all hate speech before it was posted, he was "generally against attacking any group, no matter who it is". X Corp is currently suing nonprofit Media Matters on the grounds that it has driven away advertisers by portraying the site as rife with anti-Semitic content. Musk has also threatened to file suit against the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, over its claims that problematic and racist speech has soared on the site since he completed his $44-billion takeover......»»
Phl Army belies abduction of 3 IP advocates; insists “they were NPAs”
The Philippine Army on Thursday belied reports that soldiers abducted three individuals “falsely identified” as Indigenous People’s defenders, insisting that they were members of the New People’s Army. Bgen Randolph Cabangbang, commander of the PA’s 203rd Infantry Battalion-2nd Infantry Division lambasted the Karapatan Group for accusing the military of abducting Alia Encelo, Job Abednego David, and Peter Del Monte. Cabangbang said the Karapatan’s claims on the disappearance of supposed rights advocates are “distorted and full of lies.” Karapatan group condemned the arrest of three personalities who were conducting a probe on “human rights violations in connection to reports of bombings and shelling by the 203rd IB around the area earlier this year.” In response, Cabangbang said the three individuals "were captured and arrested” during a legitimate military operation in Barangay Lisap, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro on 23 September. He then insisted that the three individuals were members of the NPA’s Main Regional Guerrilla Unit as he cited the guerilla’s combatant profile and gallery. “During the capture, they attempted to resist and reach for some objects inside their bags and upon seeing that they have been surrounded, decided to heed the soldiers' call not to move anymore,” he said. “They were in possession of improvised landmines and grenades inside their bags that they probably planned to use in ambushing government troops,” he added. The Army official said the three would be facing charges of violating Republic Act 9516 (An act Further Amending the Provisions of PD No. 1866, As Amended, Entitled to Codifying the Laws on Illegal/Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, Dealing in, Acquisition or Disposition of Firearms, Ammunition or Explosives or Instruments Used in the Manufacture of Firearms, Ammunition or Explosives, and Imposing Stiffer Penalties for Certain Violations Thereof, and For Other Relevant Purposes) and Violation of Section 4(a) and 4(d), Republic Act No. 11479 (Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020). Cabangbang said one of the captured, Alia Encelo, 19, was an active member of Gabriela Youth prior to joining the NPA in January this year. While Job Abednego David and Peter Del Monte, both 29 years old, have been with the NPA for more than 6 years, he added. “Job, from Quezon City, is a Fine Arts student at a prestigious school, and Peter, a high school drop-out from Tondo, Manila. They were later on identified by former rebels, who have surrendered, to be NPA members," Cabangbang said. “The captured rebels claimed that they have been in hiding for months, owing to the continuous military operations, and have not eaten a decent meal for two months,” he added. The post Phl Army belies abduction of 3 IP advocates; insists “they were NPAs” appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indian police raid homes of media people
Indian anti-terror police said Tuesday they had arrested two people linked to a news website and raided the homes of 44 others, in a case reportedly connected to alleged Chinese funding. The dawn raids in the capital New Delhi raised international concerns over the situation for media in a country where press freedom has nosedived. Those raided are reported to be connected to NewsClick, an English-language news website that Indian authorities filed a case against in 2021 alleging it was receiving foreign funding. The New York Times in August reported that NewsClick was financed by United States millionaire Neville Roy Singham, saying it “sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points” — claims Singham rejected. The report accused Singham of working closely with Beijing and of “financing its propaganda worldwide.” The post Indian police raid homes of media people appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PHAPi: Cyber-attack on PhilHealth to further delay unpaid claims reimbursement
The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. on Wednesday said it is expecting further delays in the reimbursement of arrears of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to private hospitals due to the cyber-attack on the agency’s online system. According to PHAPi president Dr. Rene de Grano, the cyber-attack on the state-run health insurer’s online system is expected to cause further delay in its promise to settle its outstanding debts to hospitals amounting to P27 billion. “During the past hearing, PhilHealth president [Emmanuel] Mandy Ledesma promised to pay by December the P27 billion-worth of supposed arrears of PhilHealth to different hospitals,” De Grano told reporters in a chance interview. “Of course, we are hoping that it will be pushed through. But then this problem (cyber-attack) came, which made PhilHealth’s entire system down, then of course, we will be expecting more delays,” he added. Over the weekend, PhilHealth confirmed reports that there was an “information security incident” on its online system. The Department of Information and Communications Technology previously stated that the agency’s system was attacked by Medusa ransomware. As defined by Trend Micro, a multinational cyber security software company, ransomware is a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing their system, either by locking the system’s screen or by locking the users’ files until a ransom is paid. In the state-run health insurer’s case, the Medusa ransomware group was said to be demanding $300,000 in exchange for access to its system. The group threatened to leak the personal information of PhilHealth members if it did not pay the ransom. Worst case scenario Earlier this month, Ledesma made a commitment before lawmakers in the budget deliberation of the House Committee on Appropriations on the proposed P199 billion budget of the Department of Health for next year that the state-run health insurer would settle “a bulk or majority” of its P27 billion unpaid claims to various hospitals in the country. Of the P27 billion worth of unpaid claims by PhilHealth to various hospitals, P10 to P15 billion are estimated to be from private hospitals. Unlike big private hospitals that have “buffer funds,” De Grano said that further delays in payment would cripple the operations of smaller private hospitals. “Most of the small private hospitals rely on or are very dependent on patients who are NBB, charity patients, or no balance billing,” he said. “If there would be further delay in payments, smaller private hospitals will run out of money to the point that it will affect their cash flow. It will affect their operations.” If the non-payment of PhilHealth continues, he warned that smaller private hospitals would require their patients to pay their bills from their pockets. “The worst that will happen, initially, perhaps smaller private hospitals would no longer accept [PhilHealth] beneficiaries. They would ask patients to pay their bills out of their pockets,” he said. “Because, otherwise, we can no longer provide these services. Private hospitals are paying for their nurses, medicines, and supplies. If PhilHealth won’t pay them, it would empty their funds,” he added. Delayed HEA Meanwhile, De Grano also expressed his support for the complaint filed by a group of private healthcare workers against several DOH regional offices before the Anti-Red Tape Authority over the long overdue distribution of their health emergency allowances or HEA. “They prioritized the government facilities. The private [hospitals] were left,” he said. “They should tell the truth. They must tell if there are no longer funds available.” Earlier this week, the United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines, whose members are part of at least 26 private hospitals in the country, filed a complaint against DOH regional offices over its failure to distribute P5.8 billion worth of HEA. Under Republic Act No. 11494, also known as the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, healthcare workers who were at the frontline of the government's fight against COVID-19 are mandated to receive HEA and other benefits. The post PHAPi: Cyber-attack on PhilHealth to further delay unpaid claims reimbursement appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Azerbaijan claims victory after Karabakh separatists surrender
Azerbaijan said Wednesday it had regained control over breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh for the first time in decades after separatist Armenian fighters agreed to lay down their arms in the face of a military operation. The stunning collapse of separatist resistance represents a major victory for Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev in his quest to bring the Armenian-majority Nagorno-Karabakh back under Baku's control. Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars over the mountainous region since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The years of conflict have been marked by abuses on both sides, and there are concerns of a fresh refugee crisis as Karabakh's Armenian population fears being forced out. A day after Azerbaijan launched its military operation in the region, Baku and the ethnic Armenian authorities in Karabakh announced a ceasefire deal had been brokered by Russian peacekeepers to stop the fighting. "Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty as a result of successful anti-terrorist measures in Karabakh," Aliyev said in a televised address. Aliyev claimed that most of the Armenian forces in the region had been destroyed and said the withdrawal of separatist troops had already begun. The attack left "at least 200 killed and more than 400 wounded," Nagorno-Karabakh separatist official Gegham Stepanyan said. Late on Wednesday, Armenia's defence ministry said that Azerbaijan had fired on its positions along the border between the arch-foes. Such skirmishes are frequent along the border. Truce deal Under the truce deal, the separatists said they had agreed to fully dismantle their army and that Armenia would pull out any forces it had in the region. Azerbaijan's defence ministry said that "all weapons and heavy armaments are to be surrendered" under the supervision of Russia's 2,000-strong peacekeeping force on the ground. Both sides said talks on reintegrating the breakaway territory into the rest of Azerbaijan would be held on Thursday in the city of Yevlakh. President Vladimir Putin said Russian peacekeepers would mediate the talks. Moscow has said several of members of its force in Karabakh were killed when the car they were travelling in came under fire. Latest violence Baku's operation marked the latest violence over the rugged territory. After the Soviet Union fell apart, Armenian separatists seized the region -- internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan -- in the early 1990s. The war left 30,000 people dead and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. In a six-week war in 2020, Azerbaijan recaptured swathes of territory in and around the region. President Aliyev on Wednesday praised the "political competence" of his country's historic rival. "The developments that took place yesterday and today will have a positive impact on the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia," he said. Azerbaijani presidential foreign policy advisor Hikmet Hajiyev promised safe passage for the separatists who surrendered and said Baku sought the "peaceful reintegration" of Karabakh Armenians. A separatist official said over 10,000 people have been evacuated from Armenian communities in Nagorno-Karabakh and "forced to find a shelter" elsewhere in the territory. Russia's President Putin said he hoped for a "peaceful" resolution, adding that Moscow has been in contact with all sides in the conflict. Putin held talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan Wednesday evening, but the Kremlin insisted the crisis was "Azerbaijan's internal affair". 'War is over' Jubilant residents in Azerbaijan's capital expressed hope the deal heralded a definitive victory and the end of the decades-long conflict. "I was very happy with this news. Finally, the war is over," 67-year-old pensioner Rana Ahmedova told AFP. In Armenia, there was fury at a second defeat in Karabakh in three years. Clashes broke out in Armenia's capital Yerevan, where thousands of protesters waving the separatist region's flag blocked a main road and riot police guarded official buildings. Demonstrators threw bottles and stones at police as they slammed the government's handling of the crisis, while officers used stun grenades and made arrests. The loss in Karabakh ratchets up domestic pressure on Pashinyan, who has faced stinging criticism at home for making concessions to Azerbaijan since the 2020 defeat. "We are losing our homeland, we are losing our people," said Sargis Hayats, a 20-year-old musician. Pashinyan "must leave, time has shown that he cannot rule. No one gave him a mandate for Karabakh to capitulate," he said. The Armenian leader has insisted that his government had not been involved in drafting the latest ceasefire deal. Again denying his country's army was in the enclave, he said he expected Russia's peacekeepers to ensure Karabakh's ethnic-Armenian residents could stay "in their homes, on their land". International pressure Azerbaijan's assault came as Moscow, the traditional power broker in the region is bogged down and distracted by its war on Ukraine, which has left it isolated in the West. But its peacekeepers there appeared to have played a key role in helping to negotiate the ceasefire and will now oversee its implementation. Turkey, a historic ally of predominantly Muslim Azerbaijan that views mostly Christian Armenia as one of its main regional rivals, had called the operation "justified". The EU and United States have been mediating talks between Baku and Yerevan in recent months aimed at securing a lasting peace deal between the two foes. The White House said Wednesday it was concerned by the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. "We're obviously still watching very, very closely the worsening humanitarian situation inside Nagorno-Karabakh," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. He added the situation "has been exacerbated by the hostilities perpetrated by Azerbaijan" in Karabakh, where there are now fears of a refugee crisis. The post Azerbaijan claims victory after Karabakh separatists surrender appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pre-historic Tell al-Sultan site added to world heritage list
The United Nations' cultural organization inscribed the pre-historic site of Tell al-Sultan, near the Palestinian city of Jericho in the occupied West Bank, on its World Heritage List Sunday. Tell al-Sultan, which predates Egypt's pyramids, is an oval-shaped tell, or mound, located in the Jordan Valley that contains the prehistoric deposits of human activity. The UNESCO decision, which was posted by the organization on X, formerly Twitter, was taken at its 45th World Heritage Committee meeting held in Riyadh. "The property proposed for nomination is the prehistoric archaeological site of Tell al-Sultan, located outside the antique site of Jericho," UNESCO's assistant director general, Ernesto Ottone, said at the session. The site was inscribed following a three-year candidacy "during which no state party raised any objections", said a diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media. "There are no Jewish or Christian remains found at the (Tell al-Sultan) site. It's a place of pre-historic remains," the diplomat told AFP. Israel quit the UN organization in 2019 over accusations it fosters an anti-Israel bias but sent a delegation to this year's meeting in Saudi Arabia. The Palestinian Authority, acknowledged by the United Nations as a non-member observer state, welcomed the listing of the Tell al-Sultan site. Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said he considered the decision to inscribe Tell al-Sultan "a matter of great importance and evidence of the authenticity and history of the Palestinian people". He vowed that the Palestinian authorities would "continue to preserve this unique site for all humanity", according to a statement from his office. Diverse Palestinian heritage UNESCO's listing shows that the Tell al-Sultan site is "an integral part of the diverse Palestinian heritage of exceptional human value", Palestinian tourism minister Rula Maayah, who was attending the meeting in Riyadh, said in a statement. Given Tell al-Sultan's "importance as the oldest fortified city in the world... it deserves to be a World Heritage Site," she said. "A permanent settlement had emerged here by the 9th to 8th millennium BC due to the fertile soil of the oasis and easy access to water," UNESCO said on its website. UNESCO said the "skulls and statues found on the site" testify to cultic practices among the neolithic population there, while the early bronze age archaeological material shows signs of urban planning. "Vestiges from the middle bronze age reveal the presence of a large Canaanite city-state occupied by a socially complex population," UNESCO added. The Tell al-Sultan site has been under excavation for over a century and is billed as the oldest continuously inhabited settlement on the planet, Palestinian official Wafa news agency reported. It is the fourth Palestinian site to be listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list, alongside the Church of the Nativity and the Old City of Hebron. Israel has occupied the West Bank -- now home to some three million Palestinians -- since the 1967 Six-Day War, when it also seized the Gaza Strip, the densely populated coastal enclave it has since withdrawn from. The Palestinians want these territories for their future state, along with annexed east Jerusalem as its capital. Jericho is one of the oldest inhabited cities on the planet and is a major tourist destination in the Palestinian territories. UNESCO urged for the protection of other archaeological sites in Jericho. "The other archaeological sites located in Jericho, covering among other Jewish and Christian heritage, also have important historical interest and deserve to be preserved as well," said Ottone. Archaeology is a highly political subject in Israel and the Palestinian territories, and some discoveries have been used to justify the territorial claims of each people. The post Pre-historic Tell al-Sultan site added to world heritage list appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gag Trump, prosecutor asks court
Former United States president Donald Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric have gotten prosecutors threatened and may influence jurors and witness testimony, a special counsel argued in seeking a gag order on him. Special Counsel Jack Smith made the request on Friday ahead of Trump’s trial for election subversion. Smith enumerated Trump’s menacing comments posted on social media since his 1 August indictment for allegedly upending the results of the 2020 US election in a concerted effort that led to the violent 6 January 2021 attack by his supporters on the Capitol. “IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I’M COMING AFTER YOU!” read one of Trump’s posts. Trump, who is running for president in next year’s election, also labeled trial judge Tanya Chutkan a “fraud” and “Trump-hating,” Smith’s office a “team of thugs” and Washington “filthy and crime-ridden” with a population “over 95 percent anti-Trump,” Smith added. Trump’s statements “could have a material impact on the impartiality of the jury pool while simultaneously influencing witness testimony,” Smith’s filing with the Washington federal court stated. “It is clear that the threats are prompted by the defendant’s repeated and relentless posts,” the filing added. The ex-president is also accused of seeking to disenfranchise American voters with his false claims that he won the November 2020 presidential election. Trump has pleaded not guilty, and has formally asked Chutkan to recuse herself from the case, accusing her of bias against him. WITH AFP The post Gag Trump, prosecutor asks court appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Leftists weave yarns, scams
The desperation of left-wing groups to remain relevant has pushed them to resort to “elaborate hoaxes and fraudulent money-making schemes,” the National Security Council said on Saturday. NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said the attempts to defraud came in the guise of manufactured claims against government security agencies. Earlier, the Philippine National Police reported that two young women involved in an anti-reclamation campaign in Manila Bay were missing, and this was linked to their advocacy. Malaya said Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro had surrendered to the Philippine Army’s 70th Infantry Battalion in Doña Remedios Trinidad town in Bulacan on 12 September, contrary to leftist groups’ allegation that government security forces had abducted the two. “They had actually bolted their organization and sought the help of the authorities for their safe return home,” he said. Fake fundraising Malaya accused the leftist groups of soliciting funds from the public and making it appear that the security forces were irrelevant in protecting the general safety. “They collect money through GCash with the intent of using this to discredit and put the government in a bad light. They want the international community to believe that this country is a failed state,” Malaya said. “The Karapatan-led offensive included a shameless fundraising drive to collect money from the public purportedly to help locate the two young girls. It turned out, however, that the two had bolted their underground organization and went under the care of a friend,” he said. Karapatan is a militant group purportedly advocating for the protection of human rights. Malaya slammed Karapatan’s massive disinformation campaign, “Surface Jonila and Jed Network,” saying, “This was made out of manufactured threads of storylines using the Internet that even the media, the viewing public, and the government became victims of the elaborate deception.” Karapatan was among the first groups to sound the alarm after the two anti-reclamation activists went missing. With help from the Department of Justice, the NSC and PNP’s Cybercrime Group have started to build a case against the scammers from the leftist groups. “We will certainly investigate their possible liabilities in relation to the Revised Penal Code, anti-cybercrime law, and other special laws. We’re working now with the Department of Justice on the possible filing of charges against them,” Malaya said. Not an abduction Meanwhile, Police Capt. Carlito Buco of the Bataan Provincial Police Office said Tamano and Castro were in a safe house with their parents. Citing the police’s final investigation report, Buco said Tamano and Castro were not “abducted” and could not be declared “missing persons.” “The two young girls were staying at a Methodist church in Orion town as far back as 1 September and had been planning to leave their organization,” he said. The post Leftists weave yarns, scams appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malaya warns vs. elaborate hoax, money scams by leftist group
The public should be vigilant against falling prey to “elaborate hoax and fraudulent money-making schemes” by the leftist groups, the National Security Council warned on Saturday. NSC Assistant-Director General, Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, said that these fraud activities are carved out of manufactured claims against security agencies of the government. Malaya’s warning stemmed from the report of the Philippine National Police stating that two young women said to be involved in environmental campaigns around Manila Bay who were reported missing have surfaced in Bulacan. Malaya said Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro reportedly surrendered to the Philippine Army’s 70th Infantry Battalion in Doña Remedios Trinidad town on September 12, contrary to the claims of the leftist groups the two were abducted by government security forces. “They had actually bolted their organization and sought the help of authorities for their safe return home,” he added. Malaya accused the leftist group of pooling financial resources from the people to make it appear that the government security forces are irrelevant. “Kumakalap po sila ng pera gaya nang sa GCash with the intent of using this to discredit and put government in a bad light. They want the international community to believe that this country is a failed state,” Malaya lamented. “The Karapatan-led offensive included a shameless fundraising drive to collect money from the public purportedly to help locate the two young girls. It turned out, however, that the two students bolted their underground organization and went under the care of a friend,” he added. Malaya then slammed the Karapatan’s massive disinformation campaign “Surface Jonila and Jed Network” saying, “These are made out of manufactured threads of storylines using the internet that even the media, the viewing public, and the government became victims of the elaborate deception.” Karapatan, a human rights organization, was one of the first to sound the alarm when the two anti-reclamation activists went missing. The NSC and PNP’s Cybercrime Group, through the help of the Department of Justice, have already started to build up a case against these scammers from the leftist groups. “We will certainly look into their possible legal liabilities in relation to the Revised Penal Code, anti-cybercrime law, and other special laws. We’re working now with the DoJ for the possible filing of charges against them,” Malaya said. Not an abduction Meanwhile, PCapt. Carlito Buco of the Bataan Provincial Police Office Tamano and Castro have already met their parents and currently staying in a safe house Citing the police’s final investigation report, Buco said Tamano and Castro were not “abducted” or cannot be declared “missing persons.” “The two young girls were staying at a Methodist church in Orion town as early as September 1 and had been planning to leave their organization,” he added. The post Malaya warns vs. elaborate hoax, money scams by leftist group appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2015 Vatican decree on Mediatrix not binding!
The claims of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the Vatican that Pope Pius XII had officially decreed that the Mediatrix apparitions were of “no supernatural character or origin” is not exactly true. If it is proven not true, the Papal “decree” is not binding and the faithful are allowed not to follow the decree, based on Canon Law. The CBCP released Circular 23-04 dated 14 July 2023 — quoting the official Dicastery document Protocol 226/1949 — stating that “in 1951, the Dicastery, the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy See, after due examination of the documents made available, declared the alleged apparitions in Lipa (of Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace) to have no supernatural character or origin, a decision directly approved by Pope Pius XII.” There has been no document in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, the official Vatican publication, that said that Pope Pius XII had indeed approved the decree. It was never formalized into an official “promulgation,” which is a requirement of Canon Law, to be binding. In other words, the Dicastery Decree is official, but not the Papal Decree. Protocol 226/1949, authored by the Dicastery, did not clarify that the Pope Pius XII Decree had not yet been official and binding in a formal promulgation. Then apostolic administrator Bishop Rufino Santos said, in his decree of 12 April 1951, that he was still awaiting the Vatican decision regarding Lipa, contradicting Protocol 226/1949 that said a decision had been made. I, therefore, challenge the CBCP and the current Dicastery to produce documentary evidence that there was indeed an existing official Papal Decree of Pope Pius XII in fulfillment of the Canon Law ruling. The decree of Pope Pius XII is important because it was the basis for the recent order of Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera to suppress Mediatrix activities in all churches in Lipa. “Vatican directs CBCP to cease 75th celebration of Lipa apparition” (CNN Philippines 28 July 2023). The CNN article reported that the Vatican reaffirmed its 1951 decree, precisely the questionable Pope Pius XII decree. Only the Pope has the authority to confirm and declare a Marian apparition. If the 1951 Pope Pius decree is now in question, so also are all the recent bans and suppressions of Mediatrix activities in Lipa. The added sentence reads, “The Confraternity of the Mediatrix of All Grace is a movement with dozens of chapters nationwide.” Confraternity members report that a Filipino priest very close to Pope Francis approached him to forward the sentiments of the Mediatrix devotees. He said the Pope simply passed the ball to the Dicastery. And since the Dicastery is vehemently anti-Mediatrix, it was a dead end, a failed attempt. Many Confraternity members were disappointed. The Confraternity has a nationwide presence, although its membership keeps moving dynamically forward and backward. There are chapters whose memberships are strong and keep growing, but there are some whose memberships have decreased. The dynamic chapters include Cebu, Iloilo, Guimaras, Kidapawan, Davao City, General Trias, and Jaro, to name a few. However, the Confraternity is different from the devotees. Confraternity members are essentially professionals, educated and articulate. They are well organized and subject to meetings and activities. The ordinary Mediatrix devotees are peasants, farmers, and fishermen, and are simply humble churchgoers, not so organized. But there are so many who have a strong faith and devotion to Mama Mary in their hearts. They do not even know the issues in the conflict. Their devotion is based on their hearts, not their minds. When the entire Philippine Church was held in submission by the Vatican under threat of excommunication or alienation, it was the laity that took up the cudgels, out of reach of the clutches of the Vatican and the CBCP. The Confraternity distributed hundreds of life-size Mediatrix statues nationwide. They laid the infrastructure for devotion to spread like wildfire to the sea of marginal devotees. It is estimated from Confraternity reports that Mediatrix devotees are broadly around four million nationwide. Herein lies the victory of the Virgin over the Vatican. Despite 70 long years of suppression and repression since the 1951 apparitions to this very day, Mediatrix devotion proliferates. The Vatican and the CBCP have succeeded in silencing Filipino nuns, priests, bishops, and cardinals but they are helpless against the true Marians among the masses. Even the suppressed Church prelates still believe in the silence of their hearts in the Mediatrix. Suppression has ironically strengthened the Filipino Marians. The Confraternity says it has devised a simple strategy. They will suffer and ignore the suppression without opposition, and discern the will of the Lord and Our Lady, and focus on divine messages, teachings, and pray, pray, pray, especially for the Pope, the Vatican and the CBCP. *** eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com The post 2015 Vatican decree on Mediatrix not binding! appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Southeast Asian air force chiefs to snub Myanmar meeting
Several Southeast Asian air force commanders will shun an upcoming meeting chaired by Myanmar's military rulers, officials told AFP, deepening the junta's regional isolation as it struggles to crush resistance. The annual ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference gathers top air force leaders from the 10-nation bloc to discuss cooperation in defense, combating extremism, and disaster relief. Current chair Myanmar is set to host the meeting next week but at least three Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries told AFP they will not send their top officials. The junta has been accused of war crimes over air strikes carried out by its jets -- mostly Chinese and Russian-built -- in support of ground troops battling opponents of its 2021 coup. Its air force chief Htun Aung, who will chair the conference, has been sanctioned by the United States and Britain. The air force chiefs of the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia will not attend the meeting, officials told AFP. Malaysia's air force chief will not attend, a spokesperson said, while the Philippine commander will send a video message to his counterpart rather than go in person. Indonesia's air force chief "will not be attending and won't be sending anyone to represent him either," air force spokesperson Agung Sasongkojati told AFP without giving a reason. At a summit this week, ASEAN accused the junta of targeting civilians in the grinding conflict sparked by its coup, and of ignoring a peace plan agreed with the bloc to end violence. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said there had been "no significant progress" in the five-point plan agreed with the junta more than two years ago. ASEAN has barred junta officials from high-level meetings over their refusal to engage with the plan and their opponents. Cambodian air force commander Soeng Samnang declined to comment on whether he would attend, and the defence ministry could not be reached for comment. The air forces of Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam did not respond to requests for comment. But Thailand's air force chief will make the trip to neighboring Myanmar, a defense ministry official told AFP. While ASEAN has halted high-level meetings with Myanmar's generals, Thailand has held its own bilateral talks with the junta and deposed democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in recent months, further dividing the bloc. War crime claims Amnesty International said last year the junta was likely using air strikes as "collective punishment" against civilians supporting anti-coup fighters, and in March the United Nations said the military had carried out more than 300 air strikes in the past year. Also in March, the junta held a parade to mark Armed Forces Day, with flyovers by Russian-made Yak and Sukoi Su-30 jets. The military bombed a gathering in northern Sagaing region in April that media and locals said killed about 170 people, sparking renewed global condemnation of the isolated junta. Human Rights Watch said it had evidence the military had used a thermobaric "vacuum bomb" in the attack, saying it likely amounted to a war crime. Air strikes on a concert held by a major ethnic rebel group in northern Kachin state killed around 50 people last October. The junta has said reports civilians were among the dead were "rumors". AFP has contacted a Myanmar junta spokesman for comment. The post Southeast Asian air force chiefs to snub Myanmar meeting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»