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Bautista co-accused arraigned in new graft case
Former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista’s co-accused in a new graft case pleaded not guilty during their arraignment before the Sandiganbayan yesterday......»»
Manila court issued arrest warrant against Teves et al in Degamo killing
The Manila Regional Trial Court yesterday approved the release of an arrest warrant for former Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. and several others in relation to the death of provincial governor Roel Degamo. The decision followed the admission of amended criminal information by Presiding Judge Merianthe Pacita Zuraek of Branch 51, based on the Department of Justice’s resolution finding probable cause against the respondents. The court found probable cause for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Arnolfo Teves Jr., also known as “Arnie,” “Big Boss,” “Big Boss Idol,” “Boss Idol,” “Idol,” “Kalbo,” Angelo Palagtiw, alias “Angelou,” “Angelo Valiente,” “Gelo,” “Gelou,” one alias sister of Angelo Palagtiw, and Capt. Lloyd Cruz Garcia II. The court also issued a commitment order for accused Nigel Electona, alias “Najel” and “Naijel,” to be taken to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. The court granted the motions filed by the State Prosecutors, admitting the Amended Information for various criminal cases. The arraignment and pre-trial conference have been rescheduled to 4 October 2023, at 1:30 p. m. Justice Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Atty. Mico Clavano recently confirmed that charges were filed against Teves with the Manila RTC. The Supreme Court had approved the transfer of jurisdiction to the Manila RTC, with the charges officially lodged on 18 August. Teves Jr., who is currently abroad and has not returned, has been implicated as the mastermind behind the high-profile killing of Degamo and other victims. Heavily armed men wearing camouflage uniforms attacked the governor’s residence in Pamplona on 4 March while Governor Degamo was meeting with beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). The post Manila court issued arrest warrant against Teves et al in Degamo killing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
23 POGO workers plead not guilty
The 23 individuals allegedly involved in the illegal operations of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator yesterday pleaded not guilty before a Pasay court during their arraignment. The POGO workers were charged before the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 111 of violating Republic Act 8799 or the Securities Regulation Code in relation to RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Atty. Gloria Quintos, legal counsel of the POGO workers, said her 18 clients were not allowed to be at the court thus the conduct of a video conference was held for them. Other respondents in the said case asked for the deferment of their arraignment while they were securing an accredited interpreter. The lady lawyer said the next hearing is scheduled by the Pasay City RTC on Wednesday, 6 September. The Department of Justice, in recommending the filing of the charges, said the National Bureau of Investigation uncovered compelling evidence that the POGO is involved in “fraudulent activities, particularly in the realms of tasking and recharging scams.” The missing Chinese according to Quintos has yet to be found. Last week, the Justice Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Atty. Mico Clavano said a tracker team had been formed to search for the missing Chinese national. “Quintos on the other hand said her missing client is not around as he cannot be located before the arraignment was held and they could not establish communication after the time that he was missing.” Even the NBI according to Quintos also has no information on the whereabouts of her client. The post 23 POGO workers plead not guilty appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump rants on judge’s early trial date
Former United States president Donald Trump angrily reacted to a judge’s decision to set the date for his election subversion conspiracy trial to 4 March 2024. Trump and his lawyers were hoping for a 2.5-year delay or April 2026 trial but US District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan’s chosen date declared in a Monday hearing in Washington is the eve of “Super Tuesday,” when more than a dozen states will pick between Trump and one of his rivals to be the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. “Today a biased, Trump Hating Judge gave me only a two-month extension, just what our corrupt government wanted, SUPER TUESDAY. I will APPEAL!” he said on his social network Truth Social, although trial dates are usually not appealable. “Setting a trial date does not depend on the defendant’s professional obligations so Mr. Trump will have to make a date work,” Chutkan said. The case before Chutkan accuses Trump of conspiracy to defraud the US and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding — the 6 January 2021 joint session of Congress that was attacked by a mob of Trump supporters. He is also accused of seeking to disenfranchise American voters with his false claims he won the 2020 election. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges in an early August court appearance and was not required to attend Monday’s procedural hearing. The frontrunning Republican nominee for next year’s presidential election is now facing a busy legal calendar. He is to go on trial in New York later in March on charges of paying election-eve hush money to a porn star. His trial for allegedly mishandling top secret government documents is in May in Florida. Trump and 18 co-defendants also face racketeering charges in Georgia over their efforts to overturn the 2020 election result in the southern state and are due to enter pleas at an arraignment next Wednesday. The judge presiding over the Georgia case has not yet set a firm date for that trial to begin. The 61-year-old Chutkan, who was appointed by former Democratic president Barack Obama, has handed down some of the stiffest sentences to participants in the attack on the US Capitol, and Trump has accused her of being “highly partisan” and “very biased.” Chutkan also has a legal history with Trump — she ruled against him in a November 2021 case, notably declaring that “presidents are not kings.” WITH AFP The post Trump rants on judge’s early trial date appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2 QC courts dismiss charges vs Sonza
Branch 100 of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court “provisionally dismissed” the large-scale illegal recruitment case against veteran broadcaster Jay Sonza and ordered his release. Judge Editha Mia-Aguba, in her order dated 17 August, stated that the complainants against Sonza had repeatedly failed to appear in court proceedings. “Considering that the non-appearance of the private complainants, the guilt of the accused would not be proved beyond reasonable doubt, the instant case is hereby dismissed provisionally with the express consent and conformity of the accused,” the order read. Sonza’s illegal recruitment case before Branch 215 of the QC RTC was also provisionally dismissed, which means it could be reinstated within two years if new evidence is uncovered. The broadcaster would, however, remain in detention as he still has a pending case for 11 counts of estafa, and a libel case before the QC RTC Branch 77. His arraignment and pre-trial hearing for the libel case was set for today. The post 2 QC courts dismiss charges vs Sonza appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Vloggers warned: Watch what you’re posting
Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. reminded vloggers and content creators to be responsible in creating videos that they upload on social media and never to make jokes about crimes as they could be held accountable for tumultuous and other disturbances of public order. Acorda made the remark after rapid and resolute response to a highly controversial viral video. The PNP has taken into custody three individuals identified as Mark San Rafael, Mark Lester San Rafael and Eleazar Steven Fuentes all legal ages, have been apprehended on Aug. 1 based on a warrant of arrest on charges of Violation of RPC Art. 513 (Alarm and Scandal) as per Criminal Case No. 83313. “The PNP remains steadfast in upholding the law and ensuring that individuals are held accountable for their deeds. Pranks that induce panic and disrupt public order cannot be taken lightly. We commend our personnel for their swift action in this instance, “ Acorda said in a statement. The controversial case centers around their involvement in a staged kidnapping prank, which triggered widespread public outrage and concern. The incident, which happened 6 April, came under intense scrutiny following the dissemination of a viral video by the vlogger known as “TOKOMI.” The video portrayed a meticulously orchestrated kidnapping scenario. Staff Sergeant Ronnie Conmigo, a dedicated member of the PNP assigned to PNP IMEG, played a pivotal role in unraveling the prank and formally lodging a complaint against the responsible parties. The video, posted by the vlogger under the pseudonym “Tukomi Blog,” depicted a sophisticated fake kidnapping episode that transpired along Saging Street, Phase 2, Barangay CAA. Criminal complaint The ensuing public uproar prompted Conmigo to initiate a criminal complaint for Alarm and Scandal, subsequently filed before the Office of the City Prosecutor on 11 April 2023. The wheels of justice continued to turn, culminating in the issuance of an Arrest Warrant by Judge Lynnette May D. Deloria-Manarang of Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 124, Las Piñas City. Throughout the arrest process, the PNP meticulously adhered to prescribed protocols, capturing crucial incidents through body-worn cameras and alternate recording devices in accordance with the Rules on the Use of Body-Worn Cameras in Warrant Execution. Following the due legal procedures and bail payment, the accused were granted release from custody on 2 August 2023, as directed by Presiding Judge Lynnette May D. Deloria-Manarang of Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 124. As the legal proceedings continue to unfold, the arraignment of the accused is scheduled for 10 August at 2 p.m, before Judge Deloria-Manarang at MTC Branch 124. Acorda said this incident serves as a poignant reminder of the imperative for responsible online conduct and the far-reaching consequences arising from flouting the law. He said the PNP’s decisive and principled action in this case unequivocally underscores its unwavering commitment to preserving public safety and order in the digital age. The post Vloggers warned: Watch what you’re posting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
11 Degamo suspects want charges quashed
The 11 men accused of murdering Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo have renewed their appeals to have their case dismissed before their arraignment in September......»»
Aftermath of Heidi’s falsehood
On 2 April 2011, Commissioner-nominee of the Commission on Audit, Heidi Mendoza, was bypassed for the third time by the Commission on Appointments based on my opposition. With all due respect, I informed the President that official records revealed Mendoza’s questionable integrity, incompetence, and unfitness to hold the position. Against my request, President Noynoy Aquino reappointed Heidi Mendoza. Her whims and caprices and those of her tandem, Grace Pulido Tan, bloomed into their impunity of abuse. This episode today was selected from among the countless distressing stories derived from the aftermath of Heidi Mendoza’s falsehood. The illegal dismissal of Special Prosecutor Wendell Sulit by President Aquino was one of the worst miscarriages of justice in the country. Here are the arguments and lamentations against the injustice. Sulit should not have been held liable in relation to the plea bargaining agreement or PBA with former AFP comptroller, retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia. Here is how injustice happens: The Office of the President did not have jurisdiction over Sulit; Sulit was not a presidential appointee at the time she signed the PBA. Legally, she was only a Deputy Special Prosecutor and was merely designated by former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez as the OIC of the Office of the Special Prosecutor or OSP. She affixed her signature to the PBA because it was the prescribed office protocol vis-à-vis the hierarchy of officials in the office and it just so happened that she was the one designated as the OIC; The PBA was signed on 26 February 2010, while Sulit was appointed Special Prosecutor only on 10 March 2010; Sulit was never a part of the prosecution team that handled the plunder case of Garcia. The original panel of prosecutors that handled the plunder case was headed by then Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo, together with then Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio, Deputy Special Prosecutor Robert Kallos, Deputy Special Prosecutor Humphrey Monteroso, Director Cornelio Somido, and Director Elvira Chua; The Information was filed with the Sandiganbayan (Second Division) on 6 April 2005; Former Ombudsman Marcelo and former SP Villa-Ignacio actively participated in the pre-trial incidents (judicial determination of probable cause, motion to quash, hearing on the issuance of warrants of arrest) but after the arraignment (25 April 2006) of General Garcia they did not appear in the case anymore for unknown reasons; Wendell Sulit may not be faulted for allegedly failing and/or refusing to strengthen the plunder case against General Garcia because, in the first place, she was never part of the fact-finding investigation and evidence gathering; she was never part of the preliminary investigation; she had no participation in the preparation of the resolution indicting Garcia for plunder and was never part of the prosecution panel that handled the case with the Sandiganbayan; and Sulit was with the Office of the Special Prosecutor and once a case is filed with the Sandiganbayan, the special prosecutors are bound by the evidence attached to the case records assigned to them for prosecution with the Sandiganbayan. The special prosecutors may not insert or add additional pieces of evidence which were never part of the fact-finding preliminary investigation. However, notwithstanding this recognized limitation, and while already in the prosecution’s presentation of evidence stage, the prosecutors handling the case went out of their way to look for the suppliers or contractors who could testify before the Sandiganbayan that they gave commissions and kickbacks to General Garcia. Unfortunately, there were no such suppliers or contractors. (To be continued) The post Aftermath of Heidi’s falsehood appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Court defers exorcist priest’s arraignment
A Quezon City court yesterday postponed the arraignment of exorcist priest Fr. Winston Cabading for the charge of offending religious feelings......»»
Priest arraignment postponed
A Quezon City court on Thursday moved the supposed arraignment of exorcist priest Fr. Winston Cabading to 1 August due to a pending appeal at the Department of Justice. Cabading was charged with offending religious feelings, as the case against him stemmed from the 2022 complaint filed by former Commissions Chief Harriet Demetriou after his statements on the authenticity of the 1948 Lipa Apparitions were quoted in a digital Catholic show. Demetriou, in her complaint, accused the priest of being a “rabid critic” of Mary and lambasted his comment that there exists a 1951 Lipa Diocesan Verdict that “negated the authenticity of the 1948 apparition of Our Lady, Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace.” He was supposed to undergo arraignment Thursday morning but the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 81 rescheduled the arraignment of Cabading to 1 August at 8:30 a.m. The Court also allowed Cabading to travel abroad to visit his family but was required to post a travel bond twice the amount of his bail bond. On the other hand, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, also issued a certificate of good standing for the priest last Wednesday. The certificate stated that Cabading “is a Dominican priest of good standing and is not under any censure or investigation by the CBCP.” The CBCP, for its part, has shouldered the blame over Cabading’s case, saying it may be due to the “shortcomings” of Church leaders. The post Priest arraignment postponed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
QC court postpones arraignment of exorcist priest
A Quezon City court on Thursday moved the arraignment of exorcist priest Fr. Winston Cabading to 1 August due to a pending appeal at the Department of Justice. Cabading was charged with offending religious feelings, stemming from a 2022 complaint filed by former Commission on Elections chief Harriet Demetriou following Cabading's statements that discounted the authenticity of the 1948 Lipa apparitions. Demetriou, in her complaint, accused the priest of being a “rabid critic” of the Virgin Mary and lambasted his comment that a 1951 Lipa diocesan verdict “negated the authenticity of the 1948 apparition of Our Lady, Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace.” Cabading was scheduled to undergo arraignment Thursday morning but the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 81 rescheduled the arraignment to 1 August at 8:30 a.m. The Court also allowed Cabading to travel abroad to visit his family, but the priest was required to post a travel bond twice the amount of his bail bond. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines also issued a certificate of good standing for the priest last Wednesday. The certificate stated that Cabading “is a Dominican priest of good standing and is not under any censure or investigation by the CBCP." The CBCP has shouldered the blame for Cabading’s case, saying it may be due to the “shortcomings” of Church leaders. The post QC court postpones arraignment of exorcist priest appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
5 Degamo suspects recant testimonies
Five more suspects in the high-profile killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and several others have retracted their previous statements linking suspended Negros Oriental Third District Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. to the sensational 4 March killings. This brings the total number of suspects who initially cooperated with authorities during the initial stages of the investigation but have now recanted their statements to 10. Atty. Jord Valenton — representing the five suspects who recanted their testimonies — disclosed that they just filed a motion to quash the information before regular courts. The first suspect to withdraw his statement was Osmundo Rivero, who stated in his counter-affidavit that he had been subjected to alleged torture in order to falsely implicate Teves. Three more suspects — Rogelio Antipolo, Rommel Pattaguan, and Dahniel Lora — followed suit and submitted affidavits of recantation after Rivero’s withdrawal. Moreover, Joven Javier’s lawyer, Atty. Danny Villanueva, recently revealed that his client had withdrawn four statements previously provided to investigators during the early stages of the probe. Meantime, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stressed that those who recanted their testimonies may face perjury charges for their sudden reversal in testimony after initially cooperating with authorities. Remulla issued the statement when asked by reporters for his take on additional five suspects recanting their statements. Remulla emphasized the significance of these recantations. “These recantations cannot be taken lightly, as they constitute a form of perjury without a doubt. There is perjury involved one way or another, either during their initial statements or now as they recant,” Remulla said. In other developments, the Manila Regional Trial Court on Wednesday announced that it has postponed the scheduled arraignment of 10 detained suspects in the 4 March 2023 killings. The postponement of arraignment was confirmed by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony D. Fadullon, adding that the arraignment was reset because of pending incidents. Those whose arraignments were postponed were Rogelio C. Antipolo Jr., Jhudiel R. Rivero, Romel A. Pattaguan, Dahniel P. Lora, Joven C. Javier, Winrich B. Isturis, John Louie L. Gonyon, Eulogio L. Gonyon Jr., Joric G. Labrador and Marvin H. Miranda. They have been charged with 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder, and three counts of attempted murder under the Revised Penal Code. Five of the suspects represented by Villanueva have executed affidavits of recantation. The post 5 Degamo suspects recant testimonies appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Arraignment of Degamo suspects deferred
A Manila court has deferred the arraignment of the 11 suspects in the brazen assassination of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo where nine others were killed and more than a dozen were hurt......»»
Priest’s arraignment set for offending religious feelings
A Quezon City court has set the arraignment of exorcist Fr. Winston Cabading on the charge of offending religious feelings......»»
EDITORIAL — Again, Arnie, come home
In this age of live-streaming, even a person who has been charged in court for multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder and gun-related offenses will eventually have to face the court in person for arraignment......»»
‘Bistek’ pleads not guilty to graft case
This was the first words uttered by former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista after pleading not guilty to graft charges he and his former City Administrator Aldrin Cuña are facing before the Sandiganbayan Seventh Division at their arraignment yesterday morning. The graft case was in connection with the alleged anomalous computerization project worth P32 million which the two former city officials awarded to Geodata Solutions for an Online Occupational Permitting and Tracking System despite the absence of a specific appropriation approved by the city council. “Not guilty po tayo. (This is) politically motivated. The case was filed against me by the Quezon City government,” Bautista said after coming out from their arraignment and faced the media. But he refused to drop names as to who is behind the filing of the supposed “politically motivated” case against him. “Kayo na bahala roon, (It’s up to you.),” he said. Bautista along with Cuña personally entered their non-guilty plea during their arraignment for the case filed by the Ombudsman, which accused them of exercising “partiality” in awarding the contract. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said it was the Office of the Ombudsman who elevated the case at the graft court Sandiganbayan. Enrico Mira Jr., counsel for Cuña, tried to defer the arraignment by telling the graft court that they have filed a Motion to Quash a day before, but the Sandiganbayan denied, since Cuña failed to serve the prosecution a copy of the said pleading ahead of the arraignment date in violation of Rules of Court. Associate Justice Theresa Gomez-Estoesta said the Division Chairperson immediately ruled that “Section 13 of the Rules of Court is clear. The motion is denied outright.” Bautista also told reporters that he had served his city well starting from then Kabatang Barangay, (now Sangguinang Kabataan or SK) and became an honorary council member as the youth representative, then became a vice mayor, and mayor until his term ended in 2019. “I devoted myself to Quezon City for 34 years, and then because of politics, we have this (case),” Bautista said. The post ‘Bistek’ pleads not guilty to graft case appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Herbert Bautista on graft case: ‘Not guilty, politically motivated’
Former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista pleaded not guilty to graft charges he and his former city administrator Aldrin Cuña are facing before the Sandiganbayan Seventh Division, at their arraignment yesterday morning. Bautista called the charges "politically motivated." “Not guilty po tayo. (This is) politically motivated. The case was filed against me by the Quezon City government,” Bautista said after the arraignment. But he refused to say who is behind the filing of the case against him. “Kayo na bahala roon (It's up to you.),” he said. The graft case was in connection with the alleged anomalous computerization project worth P32 million that the two former city officials awarded to Geodata Solutions for an Online Occupational Permitting and Tracking System, despite the absence of a specific appropriation approved by the city council. The case was filed by the Ombudsman, which accused them of exercising "partiality" in awarding the contract. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte reiterated this point to the Daily Tribune. “Ombudsman po ang nag-file ng case sa Sandiganbayan, hindi po QC government (It was the Ombudsman that filed the case with the Sandiganbayan, not the QC government),” Belmonte said. Enrico Mira, Jr., counsel for Cuña, tried to defer the arraignment by telling the graft court that they had filed a Motion to Quash a day before, but the Sandiganbayan denied the appeal, since Cuña failed to serve the prosecution a copy of the said pleading ahead of the arraignment date in violation of the Rules of Court. Associate Justice Theresa Gomez-Estoesta, the Division chairperson, immediately ruled that "Section 13 of the Rules of Court is clear. The motion is denied outright." She ordered that the pre-trial conference should commence, with both the prosecution and defense agreeing to the existence, due execution and authenticity of documents related to the Geodata contract such as Bids and Awards Committee Resolution, Notice of Award and delivery receipts, among others. Bautista also told reporters that he had served his city well, starting from the Kabatang Barangay (now Sangguinang Kabataan or SK) and becoming an honorary council member as youth representative, then vice mayor and finally mayor until his term ended in 2019. "I devoted myself to Quezon City for 34 years, and then because of politics, we have this (case),” Bautista said. The post Herbert Bautista on graft case: ‘Not guilty, politically motivated’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rape allegation against Trump heads to civil trial
A civil trial over an allegation that ex-president Donald Trump raped a prominent former American columnist three decades ago got underway Tuesday with jury selection. The writer E. Jean Carroll says Trump sexually assaulted her in a New York department store and then defamed her after she went public with the allegation years later. Trump, who is facing a barrage of legal woes that threaten to derail his 2024 run for a second presidential term, has repeatedly denied the allegations. The start of the trial, which stems from a lawsuit Carroll filed against Trump, comes just weeks after Trump's historic arraignment on criminal charges related to a hush-money payment made to a porn star. Carroll, a former columnist for Elle magazine, says she was raped by Trump in the changing room at the luxury Bergdorf Goodman department store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan in 1995 or 1996. The now-79-year-old said the attack came after Trump asked her for advice on buying a women's lingerie gift. Carroll, who was in court for the start of proceedings Tuesday, first made the allegation in an excerpt from her book published by New York Magazine in 2019. Trump responded then by saying he has never met her, that she was "not my type" and that she was "totally lying." Carroll initially sued Trump for defamation in 2019 but was unable to include the rape claim because the statute of limitations for the alleged offense had expired. But a new law took effect in November last year in New York that gave victims of sexual assault a one-year window to sue their alleged abusers decades after attacks may have occurred. Lawyers for Carroll filed a new suit that accused Trump of battery, "when he forcibly raped and groped" her. It also included defamation for a post that Trump made on his Truth Social platform in October where he denied the alleged rape and referred to Carroll as a "complete con job." Psychological harm The suit seeks unspecified damages for "significant pain and suffering, lasting psychological and pecuniary harms, loss of dignity and self-esteem, and invasion of her privacy." It also asks that Trump retracts his comments. Around a dozen women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct. He has denied all the allegations and has never been prosecuted over any of them. No criminal prosecution can stem from the Carroll case but if Trump loses it will be the first time he has ever been held legally liable for an allegation of sexual assault. Trump has provided sworn testimony in the case and is not expected to take the witness stand during the trial as Carroll's lawyers have said they do not intend to call him. The trial in Manhattan is likely to last between one to two weeks. Trump became the first sitting or former president to have ever been charged with a crime when he was arrested in the hush-money case earlier this month. He pleaded not guilty to 34 counts related to the payment made just before the 2016 election that propelled him to the White House. Trump is also being investigated over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the southern state of Georgia, his alleged mishandling of classified documents taken from the White House, and his involvement in the storming of the US Capitol on 6 January 2021. The post Rape allegation against Trump heads to civil trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Jury trial pits Trump, alleged rape victim
The civil trial of former United States president Donald Trump over his alleged rape of an ex-magazine columnist in the mid-1990s starts Tuesday with the selection of jury members. Plaintiff E. Jean Carroll, 79, is accusing the presumptive Republican nominee for next year’s presidential election of sexually assaulting her in a New York department store and then defamed her after she went public with the allegations years later. The former columnist for Elle magazine, claims Trump raped her in the changing room at the luxury Bergdorf Goodman department store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Carroll is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for psychological harm, pain and suffering, loss of dignity, and damage to her reputation. The rape allegation was first made in an excerpt from Carroll’s book published by New York Magazine in 2019. Trump denies the allegation, saying he never met Carroll and calling it a lie. Carroll first sued Trump for defamation in 2019 but was unable to include the rape claim because the statute of limitations for the alleged offense had expired. But a new law took effect in November last year in New York that gives redress to victims of sexual assault decades after attacks may have occurred. It gave sexual assault victims in the state a one-year window to sue their alleged abusers even when the abuse occurred long ago. The trial comes just weeks after Trump’s historic arraignment on criminal charges related to a hush-money payment made to a porn star just before the 2016 election. The post Jury trial pits Trump, alleged rape victim appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mga suspek sa Salilig slay, naghain ng not guilty plea
Binasahan na nang sakdal sa Biñan Regional Trial Court Branch 155 kaugnay sa paglabag sa Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 ang pitong akusado sa pagkamatay ng estudyanteng si John Matthew Salilig kung saan naghain ang lahat ng not guilty plea. Kung matatandaan, si Salilig ang Chemical Engineering student ng Adamson University na namatay matapos sumailalim sa welcoming rites ng Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity noong Pebrero 18. Natagpuan ang mga labi niya sa isang bakanteng lote sa Cavite noong Pebrero 28 matapos na ibinaon mismo ng mga miyembro ng fraternity. Dumalo via video conference ang mga akusado na sina alyas “Slaughter,” “Nike”, “Allie,” “Loki,” “Alcazar,” “Macoy,” at “Sting.“ Personal na dumalo sa arraignment ang kapatid ni John Matthew na si John Michael. Ayon sa kaniya, nagulat siya sa plea ng mga akusado. “At first, medyo nagulat lang. Although we kind of anticipated it. Iyon nga, they all plead not guilty for both, two cases filed,” saad ni John Michael. “Sabi ko lalaban, iyon iyong unang main thing in mind. Lalaban sila. We’re prepared also for that fight. We’re ready also.” Dagdag pa niya, nagdadalamhati pa rin ang pamilya sa pagkawala ni John Matthew ngunit nakahanda sila sa aniya’y mahaba-habang laban na ito. “Nandun si Matt. I was feeling him na nasa tabi ko, parang he’s telling na ‘Laban lang, andito ako’. He’s telling na sabay-sabay tayo sa laban,” ani John Michael. Sa Hunyo 28 ang itinakdang pagdinig sa kaso. The post Mga suspek sa Salilig slay, naghain ng not guilty plea appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»