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Alleged American pedophile, 80, barred at NAIA
An 80-year-old American, said to be a pedophile, was denied entry at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 last week......»»
Suspect in murder of rape victim shot dead
A suspect in the rape and killing of a three-year-old girl in Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat was killed in an alleged shootout with law enforcers on Thursday......»»
Speaker to chief airport screener: Quit ASAP
The head of the Office for Transport Security should have the delicadeza to resign amid the cases of alleged theft involving OTS screeners at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Speaker Martin Romualdez said yesterday......»»
OTS on fire anew as passenger loses $300
As a video of two US-TSA screening officers taking things from bags in trays lined up at the x-ray machine went viral over the weekend, another episode of theft at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 has allegedly included the Office for Transportation Security. A press release from the OTS only came out on Monday afternoon, confirming the incident involving one of their Security Screening Officers at NAIA. But the issue began circulating in social media group chats as early as last week. Notably, the press release was also issued after a member of the Airport Press Club confirmed with the OTS public information office that such information was true. The said release did not contain vital details of the incident, referring to when, where, and how the alleged theft happened. Information revealed that the incident happened as early as 8 a.m., at Terminal 1 of NAIA. After going through the final security check, a departing passenger who is a foreign national, reportedly complained of having lost $300 in cash and was creating a commotion about the incident. The alleged theft was reportedly committed by one of the OTS SSO at that time, a female, while the passenger was passing through the final security check on the said terminal. It can be recalled that six months ago (22 February 2023), five personnel of the OTS assigned at the NAIA Terminal 2 were suspended after two videos of them went viral on social media, taking money from a transiting Thai tourist identified as Kitja Thabthim. The amount involved was 40,000 yen. A few days later, another screening officer was caught on CCTV stealing a watch of a Chinese passenger at the NAIA Terminal 1. Passenger Sun Yuhong complained that his watch was missing in his bag after he was screened by Valeriano Ricaplaza Jr., 31. Ricaplaza was later nabbed by members of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group. Closed-circuit television footage at NAIA Terminal 1 reveals a female personnel from the OTS swallowing the $300 taken from a departing Chinese passenger in what appears to be an effort to get rid of the evidence after the passenger complained about losing his money shortly after his bag had passed through at the final security checkpoint. Records from the airport authorities, which identified the involved OTS personnel as a female SSO and stated that an x-ray operator and her supervisor also had a part to play in the incident, provided evidence to support this. The post OTS on fire anew as passenger loses $300 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OTS on fire anew as another theft incident uncovered at NAIA-1
As a video of two US-TSA screening officers taking things from bags in trays lined up at the x-ray machine went viral over the weekend, another theft incident at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 has been uncovered. A press release from the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) came out on Monday afternoon, confirming the incident involving one of their security screening officers (SSO) at NAIA. But the issue began circulating in social media group chats as early as last week. Notably, the press release was also issued after a member of the Airport Press Club (APC) confirmed with the OTS public information office that such information was true. The said release did not contain vital details of the incident, referring to when, where, and how the alleged theft happened. Information revealed that the incident happened as early as 8 September 2023 at the NAIA Terminal 1. After going through the final security check, a departing passenger who is a foreign national reportedly complained of having lost US$300 in cash and was creating a commotion about the incident. The alleged theft was reportedly committed by one of the OTS security screening officers at that time, a female, while the passenger was passing through the final security check at the said terminal. It can be recalled that six months ago 22 February 2023), five personnel of the OTS assigned at the NAIA Terminal 2 were suspended after two videos of them went viral on social media, as they were shown taking money from a transiting Thai tourist identified as Kitja Thabthim. The amount involved was 40,000 yen. A few days later, another screening officer was caught on CCTV stealing a watch of a Chinese passenger at the NAIA Terminal 1. Passenger Sun Yuhong complained that his watch was missing from his bag after he was screened by Valeriano Ricaplaza Jr., age 31. Ricaplaza was later nabbed by members of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group. The post OTS on fire anew as another theft incident uncovered at NAIA-1 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OTS probes alleged theft by screening officer at NAIA-1
The Office for Transportation Security (OTS) is conducting an investigation into allegations of theft involving a security screening officer (SSO) at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1. The allegations came to light when a sum of US$300 went missing during a security screening procedure. The OTS immediately swung into action to validate the information and launch its fact-finding investigation. The OTS said it has been working closely with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and the Philippine National Police - Aviation Security to ascertain the veracity of the claims and bring any suspects to justice. The reported actions are deemed unacceptable by the OTS, and it emphasized that such behavior is "not reflective" of the code of conduct for civil servants. OTS Administrator Ma.O Aplasca urged informants to report illegal activities committed by OTS personnel. He stressed the agency's commitment to purging itself of unscrupulous individuals. As of this writing, the OTS has already identified the personnel implicated in the allegations, and the collection of evidence is currently underway. The OTS said it shall provide updates on the progress of the investigation as soon as they become available. The post OTS probes alleged theft by screening officer at NAIA-1 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
RSBS revisited
All it required, inherent vulnerabilities notwithstanding, to “screw up” the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Retirement and Separation Benefits System, was a meeting of minds between the Chief of Staff of the AFP and the Secretary of National Defense. In short, it was a classic case of “partners in crime” — what one administered, the other approved. Under Presidential Decree 361, the CSAFP administered the RSBS through a board organized by himself, subject to the SND’s approval. There was a nine-man Board of Trustees that the CSAFP appointed, from its president down. PD 361 stipulated that the retirement benefits of retiring AFP personnel would be paid out of annual congressional appropriations for the AFP. Per the proviso, when the payment of retirees’ pensions exceeded P100 million in any year, the excess would be paid out of the RSBS funds. After the initial seed capital of P200 million had been given to RSBS, no further sums were appropriated/paid into RSBS. No Congress — across the terms of Presidents Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada — initiated appropriations for the RSBS pension system. Since then, the retirement benefits for retiring AFP personnel were included in the regular annual appropriation for the AFP in the General Appropriations Act. Under PD 1656 dated 21 December 1979, 5 percent of the monthly base pay of AFP personnel was to be deducted as their compulsory contribution to their retirement fund. RSBS thus became an investment company mandated to “provide perpetually the cash requirement for the retirement benefits of military personnel on a self-sustaining basis.” However, the yearly cash requirement for the retirement benefits shall come from the annual general appropriation for the AFP until “perpetual self-sufficiency of the funds is attained as determined by actuarial evaluation.” The truth, however, was that the national government continued to fund the annual pension requirement for retired and retiring military members to which the RSBS contributed nothing or ever took up the burden. Apparently, the only “statutory obligation of the RSBS was to return the compulsory contributions of members of the AFP upon retirement.” What was quite strange was that RSBS was allowed to use the contributions of AFP personnel to generate investment revenues that were tax-exempt, without paying compensation for its use. It was a good thing that on 25 February 1992, a standard operating procedure provided for a “grant” of 4 percent interest per annum on members’ contributions compounded yearly effective January 1992 and it was tax-exempt. Again, effective in January 1996, the tax-exemption granted to members’ contributions was increased to 6 percent per annum compounded annually. These compulsory contributions constituted a continuing significant source of investible funds. For example, the aggregate total of members’ contributions returnable upon members’ compulsory retirement at year-end 2002 stood at P3.5 billion. However, the yearly inflow of members’ contributions in the last five years (1998 to 2002 inclusive) was around P2.5 billion. Apparently, RSBS aggressively went into real estate investment and portfolio loans to new companies. It also plunged into heavy short-term borrowing to expand these two-fold pursuits. The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis that precipitated a drop in real estate values in the country affected RSBS, resulting in losses over the years 1998 to 2001, not to mention the interest expense over the same period due to short-term borrowings which may well have run to P1.8 billion (1997 to 1999). The Senate Committees on Accountability of Public Officers and Blue Ribbon did a joint inquiry on alleged anomalies at RSBS where it was found that “very extensive real estate acquisitions by RSBS were attended by massive overpricing.” The initial report came out on 21 December 1998 and the final one on 20 May 1999. Verily, the Senate committee reports, together with the principal findings and recommendations of the fact-finding commission on the RSBS problem, were well documented and instructive to policymakers. Ideally, an AFP Service and Insurance System must be insulated from the reach of both the CSAFP and the SND, lest the vicious cycle recur. (Note. The RSBS was dissolved by Executive Order 590 on 31 December 2006.) The post RSBS revisited appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NAIA bomb threat suspect identified
After being identified as the person who allegedly sent a bomb threat through text message to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport hotline, the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group together with the Airport Police Department, arrested the female passenger as the suspect in the recent bomb threat at the NAIA. According to the airport authority, PNP-AVSEGROUP authorities and the APD successfully apprehended a passenger for her alleged involvement in the threat at NAIA Terminal 3 on the night of the same day, based on the report that a text message was received by the NAIA hotline through SMS on Wednesday morning, 16 August 2023. PNP-AVSEU NCR Chief Police Col. Arnel J. Apud identified the suspect as a 21-year-old female presently residing at #036 Jasmine St., Saint 2, Christopher Subdivision, Barangay. Mayapa, Calamba, Laguna, and an outbound passenger of Cebu Pacific flight 5J803 bound for Singapore, with an estimated time of departure of 8:15 p.m. on 16 August. Police Col. Apud said that the reports revealed that after receiving an alleged bomb threat sent via SMS to the NAIA hotline, the operatives from AVSEGROUP, in coordination with the APD, immediately initiated operational research to identify and locate the suspect responsible for the alleged bomb threat. After a thorough investigation and gathering of evidence, later that day, personnel of AVSEGROUP were able to locate the suspect and arrest her for violation of PD 1727, otherwise known as the malicious dissemination of false information or the willful making of any threat concerning bombs, explosives, or any similar device.” She was promptly informed of the nature of her arrest and was apprised of her rights under the law. The suspect was immediately brought to NAIA Police Station 3 for documentation and proper disposition. PBGEN Jack L. Wanky, Director of the Premier Police Force in all airports nationwide, urged the public to refrain from spreading false information regarding security threats. “Such behaviors not only put the safety of all individuals at risk but also disrupt normal operations and induce unwarranted panic to the air-riding public.” “The AVSEGROUP along with airport authorities will not tolerate such reckless behavior. The post NAIA bomb threat suspect identified appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Airport authority arrests suspect in NAIA bomb threat
After being identified as the person who allegedly sent a bomb threat through text message to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport hotline, the Philippines National Police - Aviation Security Group, together with the Airport Police Department, arrested the female passenger as the suspect in the recent bomb threat at the NAIA. According to the airport authority, operatives from the PNP-AVSEGROUP and the APD successfully apprehended a passenger for her alleged involvement in the threat at NAIA Terminal 3. Based on the report, a text message was received by the NAIA hotline through SMS on Wednesday, 16 August 2023. PNP-AVSEU NCR Chief Police Col. Arnel J. Apud identified the suspect as a 21-year-old female presently residing at #036 Jasmine St., Saint 2, Christopher Subdivision, Brgy. Mayapa, Calamba, Laguna, and an outbound passenger of Cebu Pacific flight 5J803 bound for Singapore, with an estimated time of departure of 8:15 p.m. on 16 August. Apud said the reports revealed that after receiving an alleged bomb threat sent via SMS to the NAIA hotline, the operatives from AVSEGROUP, in coordination with the APD, immediately initiated operational research to identify and locate the suspect responsible for the threat. After a thorough investigation and gathering of evidence, later that day, personnel of AVSEGROUP were able to locate the suspect and arrest her for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1727, otherwise known as "the malicious dissemination of false information or the willful making of any threat concerning bombs, explosives, or any similar device." She was promptly informed of the nature of her arrest and was apprised of her rights under the law. The suspect was immediately brought to NAIA Police Station 3 for documentation and proper disposition. P/BGen. Jack L. Wanky, director of the Premier Police Force in all airports nationwide, urged the public to refrain from spreading false information regarding security threats. "Such behaviors not only put the safety of all individuals at risk but also disrupt normal operations and induce unwarranted panic to the air-riding public." The AVSEGROUP along with airport authorities will not tolerate such reckless behavior. The consequences of making false claims, especially in relation to threats as serious as bombs, will be meted out to the full extent of the law. We are fully committed to identifying and apprehending individuals who engage in such unlawful activities. The post Airport authority arrests suspect in NAIA bomb threat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lolit Solis, ‘naawa’ kay Jay Sonza
Trust the irrepressible showbiz wag Lolit Solis to have her own take on the explosive news that former prominent broadcaster Jay Sonza has ended up in a most humiliating situation: clapped in jail for alleged estafa and syndicated, large-scale illegal recruitment, a non-bailable offense. Solis took to Instagram to express pity at Sonza's fall from grace. "Para naman naawa ako kay Jay Sonza, Salve. Hindi ba nakakaawa na sa dati niyang kinalalagyan, ganyan ang magiging ending niya, sa kulungan," she wrote. The former TV personality had been good to her, she added, so she could only wish that Sonza would get proper help soon. "Wala akong puwede ireklamo kay Jay Sonza dahil naging mabait siya sa akin nuon, sana naman matulungan siya ng mga dati niyang kasama at kaibigan na puwede tumulong para maayos ang anuman gusot na napasukan niya." Sonza has been detained at the Quezon City Jail in Payatas since 3 August after he was arrested nearly one month ago by the Bureau of Immigration and turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation after trying to leave for Hong Kong at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. The post Lolit Solis, ‘naawa’ kay Jay Sonza appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hypocrites humbled
The Ombudsman’s decision to throw out the complaint of New York-based Filipino-Americans who keep stirring controversy in the country led by billionaire Loida Nicolas-Lewis exposes a deeper agenda in the effort. Lewis is known to be the heavy gun behind the Liberal Party who provided the bulk of the funding for the candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo’s lost pink cause in the 2022 polls. The long-distance meddling had been repeatedly disclosed in the past with no less than former President Rodrigo Duterte pointing to a rich Filipino-American, who was obviously Nicolas-Lewis, as leading the effort to destabilize the government. In one of his abrasive speeches, Duterte foretold the international offensive against him emanating from the group of Nicolas-Lewis. “For all I care, I do not have any illusions, do not give me a reason to leave because you might get your wish,” he had said. “A certain financier, a rich woman who married a black (American) and is now a millionaire, she is planning to do protests,” he added. The plot was confirmed by then Communications Secretary Martin Andanar who recalled rumors in the Filipino-American community about plans to oust Duterte because of his alleged human rights violations and continuous attacks against the US. Duterte then mockingly told Nicolas-Lewis he’d follow her advice and even provide staff for her. “If you think that you can help, tell me because I will appoint a group of presidential advisers and (I will give you) a Cabinet position without a portfolio but with Cabinet rank. And I will follow your instructions to a tee,” he said. “I was listening to the tapes of their conversation. It was provided to me by another country but the conversation was somewhere in the Philippines and New York,” Duterte said of the plot. He said the recordings included one in which Lewis told another person, “See you in the headquarters when the case is filed.” Being referred was the International Criminal Court case that was a successful campaign considering the recent decision of the tribunal to proceed with an investigation into the war on drugs of Mr. Duterte. Nicolas-Lewis had led a 25-person delegation from the US-Philippines Society, a private group comprised of executives and diplomats, who met with Duterte a week before his inauguration on 1 June 2016. The top-notch mission included tycoons, retired American diplomats, executives of Coca-Cola, SGV, JP Morgan, and other top corporations. Nicolas-Lewis’s sister was former National Anti-Poverty Commission chairperson Imelda Nicolas who was part of the “Hyatt 10” — members of the Cabinet who turned on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2005. Imelda and most of the Hyatt 10 members were recruited to key posts in the succeeding administration of the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. Imelda was appointed head of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Duterte is being targeted for investigation for the complaint of crimes against humanity as a result of the methods undertaken in the anti-drug campaign. The late plaintiff Jude Sabio admitted using manufactured numbers that at one point reached 20,000 so-called extrajudicial killings, which a Senate investigation found dubious since it came from Philippine National Police figures that tallied all forms of deaths investigated, including those unrelated to police operations since Duterte assumed office. Veteran lawyer Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile said that from the start, he was against the proceedings at the ICC. “We’re an independent sovereign country and they want to unduly interfere in our internal affairs,” Enrile said. He pointed out the drug war was a policy to rid the country of its narcotics problem and involved law enforcement. “Who are they to tell us what is good for our society?” Enrile asked. “In the case of the insurgency, the government conducts operations. Are we going to answer to the ICC on the way that we defend ourselves from an internal threat?” Enrile demanded. The persistence of the ICC was discovered to have a sinister origin, based on information that Duterte had gathered. It all started with the designs of meddling Filipinos living overseas who wanted to impose their brand of hypocrisy on the hapless nation but were effectively foiled. The post Hypocrites humbled appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Graft buster clears Cusi
Citing the presumption of regularity, the Office of the Ombudsman threw out the graft complaint of a New York-based billionaire against former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, other Department of Energy officials, Davao City-based executive Dennis Uy, and several others over the sale of 90 percent of the shares of the Malampaya natural gas consortium. On 18 October 2021, US-based geologist Balgamel Domingo and Filipino-American anti-Duterte leaders Rodel Rodis and Loida Nicolas-Lewis filed charges against Cusi, Uy, and the others involved in the sale of the Malampaya stake to the Udenna group of Uy. In a copy of the ruling obtained by the Daily Tribune, the Ombudsman said it could not delve into the complaint on the legality of the transaction since “the authority to make such a determination belongs to the court.” “Seemingly, this complaint is in actuality a collateral attack on the validity of the Share Sale and Purchase Agreement,” it said. The decision declared that “matters of such tenor are not determinable in a preliminary investigation before the Ombudsman’s Office.” “Without any judicial determination decreeing the illegality of the Share Sale and Purchase Agreement, this Office is left with nothing but to acknowledge its validity,” the ruling said. The Ombudsman cited a precedent in the case of Teresita Buenaventura vs Metrobank, in a ruling that stated: “The burden of showing that a contract is simulated rests on the party impugning the contract.” “This is because of the presumed validity of the contract that has been duly executed,” the Ombudsman ruling read. “Wherefore, the criminal charges for violation of Section 3(e) and of Republic Act 3019 against the respondents are dismissed for lack of probable cause.” The ruling was signed by members of a Special Panel of Investigators composed of Ronald Allan Ramos, Josephine Mae Rosapapan, Francisco Alan Molina and Bonifacio Mandrilla. Prime takes control The operation of the Malampaya project was recently assumed by the Razon group’s Prime Energy which bought a 45-percent stake from Malampaya Energy XP, or MEXP, of the Udenna group. MEXP had bought the shares of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., or SPEX, in the consortium. The Department of Energy had branded the complaint a political move since the two Fil-Am lawyers in the suit were prominent in the “Oust Duterte” movement in the United States. The complaint alleged that Cusi and other energy officials had granted “unwarranted benefits and advantage” to Uy’s UC Malampaya in the buyout of Chevron’s share in the consortium. Udenna, through spokesperson Raymond Zorilla, said there is “no law requiring approval of the transfer of shares of companies that have an interest in Malampaya.” Zorilla said the transfer of Chevron and Shell shares underwent strict bidding processes and due diligence by both multinational oil and gas players. “The share sales were above board and legal and had to pass scrutiny by Philippine regulators, international lenders, and the said private multinationals involved,” Zorilla added. Cusi, in an interview with Daily Tribune, had said the DoE was not involved in choosing the buyer of the shares of Shell and Chevron in the Malampaya project. “The DoE did not get involved in the sale (of shares). We don’t know that they are selling. Our question was what their standards are for choosing Udenna. Why didn’t you choose the big companies, and why Udenna?” he said. Industry experts said the sale of shares was a private transaction that the accusers, who are US lawyers, should have been very familiar with. Cusi said the DoE, during his watch, went beyond its mandate by reviewing the technical, legal, and financial aspects of the transactions, the results of which were provided to the public. Political agenda The complaint, he said, had an underlying political agenda connected to his being the head of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or PDP Laban. “It is not only political propaganda against me, but it also has a destabilization background… because I’m the president of the PDP.” The complaints, in turn, stemmed from the unending Senate inquiries on the Malampaya deals. The DoE said the Senate probes and the controversies that resulted from them had caused costly delays in the review process that would ultimately affect the country’s energy security. To refute a recent remark by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the DoE, in a statement said: “The inquiries of Senator Gatchalian are causing undue delay to the timeline of the consortium corporations, and this may eventually take its toll and put our energy security at risk.” The DoE’s approval of the sale of shares of stock of Chevron Malampaya LLC, one of the three corporations in the Malampaya Gas Field Project Consortium, had been dubbed by Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, as “lutong Macau.” It also backed the Udenna assessment that the deals were above-board. “When the sales were made, both Chevron Philippines, which owned Chevron Malampaya, and Shell Petroleum NV, owner of SPEX, followed rigorous global standards,” the DoE said. Nicolas-Lewis was part of a 25-person delegation from the US-Philippines Society, a private group comprising business executives and diplomats, who met with Duterte a week before his inauguration as president in 2016. Nicolas-Lewis was then accompanied by former Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia, PLDT chair Manuel V. Pangilinan, retired American diplomats, and executives of Coca-Cola, SGV, JP Morgan, and other top corporations. Nicolas-Lewis is the sister of former National Anti-Poverty Commission chairperson Imelda Nicolas, who was one of the “Hyatt 10” Cabinet members who turned against then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2005. Imelda and most of the Hyatt 10 members ended up getting key posts in the administration of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. Imelda was made head of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Nicolas-Lewis plot bared In February 2018, former President Duterte bared intercepted conversations that indicated Nicolas-Lewis was behind efforts to push the International Criminal Court, or ICC, to probe his war on drugs. Duterte revealed a recorded conversation between Lewis and another political opponent whom he did not name. “I was listening to the tapes of their conversation. It was provided to me by another country, but the conversation was somewhere in the Philippines and New York,” Duterte said. He said that among the recordings was one in which Lewis allegedly told another person: “See you in the headquarters when the case is filed.” Duterte then said in a public address that he was aware of developments on the ICC case and that lawyer Jude Sabio, the main complainant in the case, was a paid hack of Magdalo Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Rep. Gary Alejano, both failed putschists. Sabio withdrew his complaint before the ICC and revealed that the case was the handiwork of the dirty tricks factory of Trillanes. In 2016, Duterte pointed to Lewis as the financier of an alleged destabilization plot against his administration. Nicolas-Lewis invested heavily in the failed presidential campaigns of Liberal Party bets Mar Roxas in 2016 and Vice President Leni Robredo in 2022. The post Graft buster clears Cusi appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Heart and glam team in rumored conflict
The cat is out of the (Hermes?) bag. What had been speculation for a couple of days on Tiktok (with a clip of a blind item from DJ Jhai Ho) has gone mainstream: Heart Evangelista and her glam team are feuding. If you follow Heart's vlogs, you will know that her glam team is composed of hairstylist Jeck Aguilar (who Heart calls Jecka) and make-up artist Justin Louise Soriano. Eagle-eyed netizens know something is afoot via who has unfollowed who on Instagram. Needless to say, Justin and Jeck no longer follow Heart, and vice-versa. It's going to rain speculations and "allegeds" here, so buckle up. There is talk that Justin and Jeck no longer follow Heart because of her "attitude", but in Jhai Ho's tiktok "blind item"—which has never named nor confirmed it to be Heart and her glam team, merely alleged—that there is also some to-doing with credit card debts and timely re-payments and authorizations, allegedly, similar to Kris Aquino's alleged issues with Jess Falcis some years, people have observed. There are also screen-capped tiktok convos, where Justin allegedly denies that Jecka "never, ever" used Heart's card. "Why would we use it, we have our own. (followed by three brain emojis). This is all speculation, of course. Last year it had been rumored that Heart also had a feud with stylist Kat Cruz-Villanueva. who also used to be seen with Heart regularly on her vlogs. and designer Mark Bumgarner. The post Heart and glam team in rumored conflict appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
HEART AND GLAM TEAM IN RUMORED CONFLICT
The cat is out of the (Hermes?) bag. What had been speculation for a couple of days on Tiktok (with a clip of a blind item from DJ Jhai Ho) has gone mainstream: Heart Evangelista and her glam team are feuding. If you follow Heart's vlogs, you will know that her glam team is composed of hairstylist Jeck Aguilar (who Heart calls Jecka) and make-up artist Justin Louise Soriano. Eagle-eyed netizens know something is afoot via who has unfollowed who on Instagram. Needless to say, Justin and Jeck no longer follow Heart, and vice-versa. It's going to rain speculations and "allegeds" here, so buckle up. There is talk that Justin and Jeck no longer follow Heart because of her "attitude", but in Jhai Ho's tiktok "blind item"—which has never named nor confirmed it to be Heart and her glam team, merely alleged—that there is also some to-doing with credit card debts and timely re-payments and authorizations, allegedly, similar to Kris Aquino's alleged issues with Jess Falcis some years, people have observed. There are also screen-capped tiktok convos, where Justin allegedly denies that Jecka "never, ever" used Heart's card. "Why would we use it, we have our own. (followed by three brain emojis). This is all speculation, of course. Last year it had been rumored that Heart also had a feud with stylist Kat Cruz-Villanueva. who also used to be seen with Heart regularly on her vlogs. and designer Mark Bumgarner. The post HEART AND GLAM TEAM IN RUMORED CONFLICT appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BI rescues Pinay trafficking victim
The Bureau of Immigration on Sunday reported that its operatives have intercepted a Filipina bound to Thailand — supposedly a victim of human trafficking — along with her alleged recruiter. BI officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, according to the report, intercepted the Filipina identified only as “Lynne” after she tried to board a Philippine Airlines flight to Bangkok on Friday. Authorities said that the Filipina presented herself as a tourist traveling with her friend identified only as “Che” after previously working as a factory worker in Taiwan. However, Immigration officers noted several inconsistencies with her statements and documents and later found that she had been recruited to work for a Thailand-based Chinese company. BI officers also suspected “Che” to have facilitated “Lynne’s” recruitment, providing her with fake documents to make the victim appear like a legitimate tourist and disclosing that the alleged recruiter was allegedly working as a recruitment assistant for a manpower agency in the Philippines and has multiple travels to Thailand. “We are now looking into alias Che’s records to see if she has facilitated the travel of other workers in the past,” BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said. Previously, another suspected human trafficking victim was also intercepted by authorities last Wednesday after trying to leave the Philippines for Vietnam, claiming that she was traveling to Vietnam as a tourist upon the invitation of a Vietnamese friend. But the Department of Migrant Workers revealed that the individual identified as “Issa” was actually bound for Cambodia after being illegally recruited. “We suspect they might have been recruited for a catphishing syndicate, similar to those previously intercepted and repatriated,” Tansingco said. Both cases have been referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further investigation. Authorities were also filing charges against the recruiters. The post BI rescues Pinay trafficking victim appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tribune, Marcos share good gov’t journey (10)
As a legislator, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. fought for laws that do not discriminate as he was totally against selective justice. In his criticism of Republic Act 10368, or “An Act Providing for Reparations and Recognition of Victims of Human Rights Violations during the Marcos Regime,” then Senator Marcos posited in a Daily Tribune interview the Constitution’s guarantee of protection of Filipino citizens from any kind of prejudice. The first act of the late former President Noynoy Aquino as president was to exercise the parochial interest of his yellow followers through an executive order that created the Truth Commission which the Supreme Court ruled was unconstitutional. The SC cited the equal protection clause in the Constitution in striking down Aquino’s order creating the Truth Commission that would have been headed by yellow sentinel, former Chief Justice Hilario Davide. The High Court said, in effect, that the government could not go after a particular administration for an offense without applying the same form of justice evenly to all. The recently passed Marcos compensation act was in form similar in purpose, by confining justice to a particular period in the country’s history. The law, signed by Aquino during the EDSA revolt celebration, would provide financial assistance to victims of alleged state-sponsored human rights violations. Then Senator Marcos posited in a Daily Tribune interview the Constitution’s guarantee of protection of Filipino citizens from any kind of prejudice. While, indeed, violations of human rights were widespread during the period covered by the measure, which was from the declaration of martial law on 21 September 1972 to the People Power revolt on 25 February 1986, such atrocities were not unique to that identified period. Ending selective justice Marcos raised the question of, for instance, other victims of human rights violations that could not be attributed to the regime of his father, such as soldiers tortured and killed by the New People’s Army or Muslim rebels. He cited, for instance, the more than 50 individuals gunned down in the infamous 2009 Maguindanao massacre. He asked if they would have less right to be compensated since they were not covered by the law. The question should also be asked for those who suffered from military atrocities under any regime, including that of Aquino and any other regime. Selective retribution does not have a place in the law or the Constitution. It is only found in vigilante justice, which in many instances is the preferable form of obtaining recompense but is nonetheless illegal. Those who crafted the law hailed it as unique since it was the first time that such recognition by the state of abuses it inflicted on its citizens was enshrined in law. The point of Marcos and others who are against selective justice is that the law was not even necessary. A government with strong justice is capable of protecting rights in whatever period. Every victim of human rights violations expects to be given justice through the usual channels of government. “Why only them?” is the question that should be asked of the proponents of selective justice. (To be continued) The post Tribune, Marcos share good gov’t journey (10) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Judge in Leila case recuses
Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Branch 204 Presiding Judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara has inhibited himself from overseeing the remaining illegal drug charge against former senator Leila de Lima. The decision of the judge came after he granted the prosecution’s eight-page motion, which requested his inhibition from Criminal Case 17-167. “Considering the aforementioned circumstances, I, as the Presiding Judge, will exercise caution and voluntarily refrain from presiding over the case, not because the prosecution’s assertion is true, but to eliminate any doubts regarding my credibility, integrity, and impartiality,” Alcantara said in his decision. The DoJ, in its motion, expressed concerns that Judge Alcantara’s prior acquittal of de Lima in Criminal Case No. 17-165 could potentially impact his handling of the ongoing case. Two of three drug cases filed against De Lima, about her actions as justice secretary under the administration of the late former President Noynoy Aquino, had been dismissed. The DoJ panel maintained it could “not help but be apprehensive” that Alcantara “will carry over his perceptions to the instant case.” It said that Alcantara recusing himself from the case would erase any doubt of impartiality or “any impression that he will similarly decide” as in the previous case. Section 1, Rule 137 of the Rules of Court provides that a judge “in the exercise of his sound discretion, (may) disqualify himself from sitting in a case, for just or valid reasons,” the prosecutors said. They also cited a Supreme Court ruling that a judge may be prohibited from litigating a case “when circumstances appear that will induce doubt on his honest actuation and probity in favor of either party, or incident such state of mind.” Criminal Case No. 17-167, De Lima’s third and last case, was previously assigned to RTC Judge Romeo Buenaventura of Branch 256. It was re-raffled after Buenaventura last 15 June granted the motion of De Lima’s co-accused that sought his inhibition. The case was then assigned to Judge Alcantara. The information against De Lima under Criminal Case 17-167 alleged that she and her co-accused received P70 million in narcotics money, purportedly her share for allowing drug lords detained at the New Bilibid Prison to continue running their drug empires while behind bars. The post Judge in Leila case recuses appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tribune, BBM share good gov’t journey (5)
Daily Tribune has reported that before the 24 January 2015 Oplan Exodus debacle, a meeting was held at the Bahay Pangarap presidential residence among the late former President Noynoy Aquino, then suspended Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima and Special Action Force chief, Supt. Getulio Napeñas. The agenda was the specific steps to put into effect the operation to neutralize Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir, alias Marwan, and his alleged Filipino cohort, Basit Usman. Oplan Exodus succeeded in killing Marwan but there was a costly trade-off, which was the lives of 44 Special Action Force elite troops. Napeñas and PNP intelligence group Senior Supt. Fernando Mendez gave a presentation and briefed Aquino. Then Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. indicated incredulity at the denial of Purisima and Napeñas that Aquino did not issue any orders to execute the police operation. “So this was not the subject of the discussion? This was not cleared with the President?” an astounded Marcos addressed Purisima. Purisima said it was a private meeting in which the start of the mission was not on the agenda, which led keen observers to believe that this was an attempt to cover up the involvement of Aquino. “No, your honor. It was something personal, your honor,” Purisima replied. “This ‘advice’ was not cleared with the President?” Marcos asked, to which he was answered in the negative. Similarly, Purisima denied having a direct hand in the Oplan, saying that he merely gave advice and was not actually on top of the mission despite being quoted by Napeñas as having said that he would assume the responsibility of relaying the mission to former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. Napeñas said Purisima also directed him not to reveal the mission to Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and PNP officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina. Napeñas echoed the line of Purisima to underscore that Aquino, on two occasions, was given a mission update: “I was never given any guidance that the mission was a no-go.” “You interpreted the silence on the matter as consent on the part of your commanders?” Marcos asked, to which Napeñas gave an affirmation. “The coordination with the AFP was supposed to have been done by you, and you only did it when the SAF members were already under fire, am I correct?” Marcos said. Purisima then explained that before he met with the President, he met with AFP officials to discuss the coordination with the PNP officials. “And they were introduced to each other and they were the ones coordinating with each other on what they would do. I did not participate in their coordination, your honor,” Purisima said. The operation, Purisima reiterated, called for “time on target for everybody so I just followed the principle of time on target.” “But this is the acting chief of the PNP. This is not only a usurpation of authority, but this is also breaking the chain of command because it is very clear the chain of command is here and you, as the suspended chief of the PNP, were issuing orders to keep the acting chief of the PNP in the dark on a very critical mission,” Marcos pointed out. Purisima was already under suspension by the Ombudsman when the meeting with the President was arranged, something that should have not happened. “So General Napeñas informed you that he was going to the Palace to give a mission briefing? So you attended on your own initiative, you just popped up after learning that there was a mission briefing because you thought that your presence was needed?” Marcos asked. Contrary to Marcos’s belief, it turned out that Purisima was apparently designated the point man. “No, your honor, I accompanied them to the Palace,” Purisima said. (To be continued) The post Tribune, BBM share good gov’t journey (5) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fake CFO certifications new trafficking trend
The Bureau of Immigration on Monday has disclosed that it is already alarmed with the rising and widespread use of fraudulent Commission on Filipinos Overseas credentials. BI commissioner Norman Tansingco stressed that they have already encountered passengers who presented fraudulent CFO Guidance and Counseling Program during Immigration inspections. Tansingco explained that the GCP is a required pre-departure seminar conducted by the CFO, aiming to equip Filipinos in intermarriages and bi-national relationships with adequate information on the realities of cultural and social realities overseas. These certificates are supposed to prove that the owner attended the seminar, allowing him or her to go overseas. The BI chief shared that last 16 June, officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 intercepted a female victim bound for Pudong in China after she presented a fake CFO GCP certificate. The 29-year-old victim was traveling with her alleged Chinese husband. Verification with the CFO revealed that the certificate presented was indeed fraudulent. To recall, the BI in May 2023 issued a warning against fake CFO certificates after immigration officers intercepted two victims on separate occasions. “We believe that this is an emerging trafficking trend, victimizing Filipinas to possibly work in scam call centers, as mail-order brides, or as illegal surrogates,” Tansingco said. “Hence, we are issuing a warning to Filipinos against this scheme.” Tansingco added that those intercepted would report acquiring their certificate through the facilitation of a fixer they met online. He also warned the public that with the creation of the shared information system between the BI and the CFO, schemes like this will not be able to pass. The post Fake CFO certifications new trafficking trend appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Complaints mar first day of international flights transfer
The Philippine Airlines disclosed on Friday that it has received numerous complaints from passengers going abroad due to the alleged cancellation of their flight schedule without notifying them. This comes on the first day of the transfer of all PAL international flights to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 from Terminal 2, where the cancellations occured simultaneously. According to some affected passengers, the reason given by PAL for the cancellation of their flight was due to aircraft maintenance. PAL, on the other hand, released a statement saying that they recently encountered flight cancellations primarily due to the increase in the number of aircraft on preventive maintenance as a result of high utilization brought about by revenge travel or high travel demand. “In essence, the rise in aircraft maintenance is a direct result of increased aircraft utilization driven by high travel demand in recent months. Consequently, some aircraft require preventive maintenance earlier than scheduled, and unforeseen maintenance issues arise, impacting our flight rotations,” said PAL in its statement. Meantime, during the ocular inspection at NAIA Terminal 1, Manila International Airport Authority officer-in-charge Brian Co said that he will have a meeting with airline companies to resolve the issued regarding on the delayed and canceled flights. Co also mentioned that about 40 international flights or about 6,000 passengers will be added to NAIA Terminal 1 per day during the transfer of all remaining international flights of PAL from NAIA Terminal 2 to Terminal which started on Friday. The post Complaints mar first day of international flights transfer appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»