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Boying forms Negros slay task force
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has ordered the creation of a special task force that will handle the 23 cases of unsolved killings in Negros Oriental. The cases to be probed will include the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight others on 4 March. The task force’s creation was revealed by Justice Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres shortly after the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs asked the DoJ to create a special panel of prosecutors to look into killings in the province. Andres told the panel during the continuation of the hearing yesterday that Remulla has already directed them to create a task force that will handle all of the 23 political killings. “We will make sure that there will be no miscarriages of justice,” Andres added. Senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, chairman of the panel, thanked Remulla for acceding to the panel’s request. Andres said that for the convenience of the witnesses and the complainants, the task force hearings can be held either in Cebu or in Manila, depending on the request of the witnesses. Senator Ronal de la Rosa, chairman of the panel, thanked Remulla for acceding to the panel’s request to create a special panel of prosecutors. He said they will provide a venue in Cebu, which is still within Region VII, in accordance with the DoJ rules wherein cases that cannot be handled directly by the provincial prosecution office can be transferred to the nearest, original prosecution office within the region for their own convenience. The DoJ official added that several witnesses who appeared before the Senate panel were already assisted by the DoJ through its Witness Protection Program. Andres said the task force might be composed of five prosecutors who will “see the prosecution of the cases up to their logical conclusion, not only with respect to the preliminary investigation, but even to the conduct of the trial proper for all of the cases.” “This is our insight where we cannot allow the cases to be transferred to people who do not have any idea of the case build-up. We want those who are part of the case build-up to actively prosecute and participate in the conduct of the trial,” Andres said. On the other hand, Sen. Francis Tolentino said to ensure the sustainability and the existence of the task force, he will propose a separate budgetary appropriation for it for fiscal year 2024. The post Boying forms Negros slay task force appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
What we know about the Hamas assault on Israel
Gun battles raged Sunday between Hamas militants and Israeli forces a day after the Islamist group launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza, in a dramatic escalation of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Hundreds of people have been killed on both sides since the Iran-backed Hamas launched the multi-pronged assault at dawn on Saturday, with Israeli forces fighting holdout militants and pounding the Gaza Strip with air strikes. This is what we know about the conflict so far: How it unfolded The army said hundreds of Hamas militants attacked Israel from around 6:30 am (0330 GMT) on Saturday, the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, in an assault that also came 50 years after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. The Islamist group fired thousands of rockets into Israel from Gaza as its militants used explosives and bulldozers to break through the fence surrounding the blockaded Palestinian enclave. Using motorbikes, pickup trucks, motorized gliders, and speed boats, the militants streamed into Israeli urban areas including Ashkelon, Sderot, and Ofakim, which is about 22 kilometers (13 miles) from Gaza. The gunmen attacked a rave party attended by hundreds of young Israelis near Kibbutz Reim, close to Gaza, Israeli media reported. Israel said Hamas has taken more than 100 hostages in Israel. They include an unknown number of Americans and Germans. The militants overran several locations inside Israel, including a Sderot police station where they engaged in a shootout with Israeli forces on Sunday. How Israel is responding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to reduce to "rubble" Hamas hideouts in Gaza, an impoverished enclave of 2.3 million people hemmed in by an Israeli blockade for more than 15 years. The army said it has deployed tens of thousands of soldiers to fight the militants who were still "on the ground" Sunday on Israel territory. It has also carried out air strikes on Hamas positions inside Gaza, in an operation it has dubbed "Swords of Iron". Army spokesman Richard Hecht said the air raids had struck 800 targets including Gaza tunnels, buildings, and other infrastructure. The military said it aims to rescue Israeli hostages and then evacuate the entire region within 24 hours. Almost 1000 killed Israel says Hamas gunmen have killed more than 600 people and wounded over 2,000 in Israeli cities, towns, and kibbutz communities. AFP journalists have seen the bullet-riddled bodies of civilians lying on the streets in at least three locations in Israel: the city of Sderot, the nearby kibbutz of Gevim, and Zikim beach north of the Palestinian coastal enclave. An unknown number of people were reportedly killed at the rave. On the Gaza side, at least 370 people have been killed and more than 2,200 wounded, taking the combined toll to almost 1,000 dead. A British man who had been serving in Israel's army was among those killed in the Hamas attack, his family said. Two Ukrainian women who had been living in Israel were also killed, Ukraine said. Thailand has said two of its citizens were killed, while Cambodia reported the death of a Cambodian student. What Hamas said about the offensive Hamas said it fired 5,000 rockets in an offensive it has branded "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood". Its chief Ismail Haniyeh on Saturday vowed to press ahead with "the battle to liberate our land and our prisoners languishing in occupation prisons". Hamas has called on "resistance fighters in the West Bank" as well as in "Arab and Islamic nations" to join the battle. Early on Sunday, Lebanon's Iran-backed Shiite militant group Hezbollah said it launched missiles and artillery shells into northern Israel "in solidarity" with the Hamas offensive. The Israeli army said it retaliated with artillery fire. Elsewhere, media outlets in Egypt said a policeman opened fire on an Israeli tour group in the northern city of Alexandria on Sunday, killing two Israelis and one Egyptian. How the world has reacted United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned "in the strongest terms" Hamas' attack on Israel and called for "diplomatic efforts to avoid a wider conflagration". The West, much of which has designated Hamas a "terrorist" organization, has also condemned the Islamist group's assault on Israel. President Joe Biden said the United States support for its key ally Israel was "rock solid and unwavering". The White House said on Sunday he had ordered "additional support" for Israel. The European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said: "I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel." Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said the Islamic Republic supported the Palestinians' right to self-defense and warned Israel must be held accountable for "endangering the security of nations in the region". Russia has called for an "immediate ceasefire". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who strongly supports the Palestinian cause, on Sunday urged both sides "to support peace". Saudi Arabia appealed for an "immediate halt to the escalation between the two sides, protection of civilians, and self-control". The post What we know about the Hamas assault on Israel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate committee cites Socorro ‘cult’ leader, 3 others in contempt
Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. leader Jey Rence Quilario alias Senior Agila and three others were cited in contempt by the Senate committee during a public hearing on Thursday. Senator Risa Hontiveros made the motion after Quilario and the others repeatedly denied that forced marriages of minors happened and were facilitated by the Socorro Bayanihan Service Inc. despite the testimonies of child witnesses present at the hearing. “I respectfully move to cite in contempt Jey Rence Quilaro, Mamerto Galanida, Janeth Ajoc and Karren Sanico,” Hontiveros said. With no objection from the members of the committee, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, ordered the detention of the four individuals at the Senate premises. Speaking at the hearing, a member of the alleged cult group, alias Jane, narrated how she was forced to marry a fellow member at the age of 14. Jane directly pointed to Quilario as the one who chose her 18-year-old husband. She added they were forced to have sex after being married, or they would be accused of disobeying God. Jane likewise said her mother, despite being married to her father, was forced to marry another member. She said she decided to run away from the village due to the unwanted marriage and forced labor she had experienced throughout her stay in Sitio Kapihan under Quilario's leadership. Another member, Lovely Novie Savandal, also narrated how her 12-year-old sister was forced to marry someone she didn’t know personally. Savandal said Quilario was forcing every married couple to have sexual intercourse under pain of punishment. Quilario denied that forced marriages were happening in their group. “Hindi po, hindi po nangyayari (no, that did not happen),” he said. Ajoc also denied that there were child marriages, although a witness in the hearing earlier said that Ajoc's own child was among those who were married at the age of 12. Galanida, meanwhile, said he was not aware of such happenings. “I do not know anything about mayroong ganyang nangyayari sa Kapihan… Walang child marriages kasi po kung meron man, meron dapat ‘yung parents mismo ‘yung magko-complain,” he said. The panel’s investigation came after Hontiveros filed Proposed Senate Resolution 797 seeking a Senate investigation into the cases of rape, sexual abuse, forced labor and child marriage allegedly perpetrated by the group. Dela Rosa also introduced Senate Resolution 796, which aims to look into the alleged presence and operation of a shabu laboratory and a heavily armed private army at the group's premises in Surigao del Norte. The post Senate committee cites Socorro ‘cult’ leader, 3 others in contempt appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hubby joins wife as Senate detainees
First the wife, now the husband. The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights has cited in contempt Pablo Ruiz, the husband of France Ruiz, who had been cited earlier. Both are now detained in the Senate premises. The couple had been summoned by the Senate for allegedly abusing their household help, Elvie Vergara. During Monday’s fourth marathon hearing by the Senate panel investigating the alleged abuse, Senator Raffy Tulfo cited the family patriarch in contempt. Tulfo made the motion to cite Pablo for allegedly lying to lawmakers when he denied new testimony that further implicated the couple in the physical abuse case. Senator Jinggoy Estrada seconded Tulfo’s motion. Pablo was detained in the Senate premises along with his wife, France, who was cited in contempt last week for the same reason. Meanwhile, three more witnesses, namely, Melinda Magno, Richard Pinto, and one alias Paopao,” said they will corroborate Vergara’s claim that she was abused by the couple. Senator Francis Tolentino, who chairs the Senate panel, ensured the safety of the new witnesses. “Let us make sure that while we are conducting hearings, and even after, no harm will come to them. They came here to reveal the truth,” Tolentino said. To recall, Jay-ar Suarez Dimerez, alias “Dodong,” the star witness in the case, was attacked by unknown gunmen at his residence after he came out to accuse the Ruiz couple of abusing Vergara. The post Hubby joins wife as Senate detainees appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ombudsman vindicates (3)
It was the incendiary Independent Auditor’s Report on the Department of Health’s accounts and financial operations, crafted by a state auditor, a colleague of Heidi Mendoza’s, and released prematurely that roused strife between former CoA chairpersons allied with the senators of the Republic against President Rodrigo Duterte and Health Secretary Francisco Duque. On CoA’s and the senators’ side were Grace Pulido Tan, Heidi Mendoza and Michael Aguinaldo allied with Senators Richard Gordon, Franklin Drilon, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros and Kiko Pangilinan. Words and deeds are enough to establish culpability for conspiracy by the former CoA chiefs and the senators of the Republic to destabilize the Duterte administration, to say the least, and to incite the people to sedition, at most. Immediately, this column issued commentaries informing the people that the report released by CoA on the alleged irregularities in DoH funds for Covid-19 was not an annual audit report but mere Audit Observation Memorandums, or AOMs, that were released prematurely. Almost instantaneously, Mendoza came from nowhere to declare that the release of the CoA findings on the P67.32 billion in DoH funds was not premature. The writings and voices of the former CoA chairpersons were loud, clear and eloquent in defense of an annual audit report that never was. “Today I weep for my colleague, a CoA-UN auditor, who just died of a heart attack. He was the auditor behind the DoH report. Stress can kill. Please let us offer a minute of prayer,” Mendoza said. Mendoza was referring to lawyer Jake Cimafranca who wrote the Independent Auditor’s Report on DoH’s accounts. Both Mendoza and Grace Pulido Tan were quick to say that the CoA annual audit report on DoH’s accounts and financial operations was regular and went through the process of review and approval before its release. The release was not premature, both said. The premature release put CoA under fire from President Duterte and administration officials like DoH Secretary Francisco Duque and allies for the screaming headlines in local newspapers and internet news flashes in capital cities around the world that said P67.32 billion intended to protect the people from Covid-19 was being lost to corruption. During the House hearing on CoA’s audit of the DoH, then CoA Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo announced that CoA would continue making and publishing audit reports on government agencies despite criticism from Duterte and Duque. Citing the huge misstatements and deficiencies contained in the Independent Auditor’s Report, Senator Leila M. De Lima submitted P.S. Res. No. 859 ( Resolution directing the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the findings of the Commission on Audit report on the DoH on the reported unspent funds, misstatements, irregularities and deficiencies, with the end in view of addressing recurrent issues that plagued its services, as well as the persistent faults and lapses that gave rise to wastage even amid times of scarcity and shortages, and holding accountable, identifying and holding accountable those responsible for the same). The Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon) headed by Senator Richard J. Gordon submitted its partial committee report to the Senate, preluded by a poem entitled “Pity the Nation” by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (After Khalil Gibran) 2007. “Pity the nation whose people are sheep And whose shepherds mislead them Pity the nation whose leaders are liars Whose sages are silenced And whose bigots haunt the airwaves Pity the nation that raises not its voice Except to praise conquerors And acclaim the bully as hero.” (To be continued) The post Ombudsman vindicates (3) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate panel cites in contempt husband of alleged abusive employer of Elvie Vergara
First the wife, now the husband. The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights has cited in contempt Pablo Ruiz, the husband of France Ruiz, the couple who allegedly abused their domestic helper, Elvie Vergara. During Monday’s fourth marathon hearing of the Senate panel’s investigation into the alleged abuse of the couple to Vergara, lawmakers once again cited another member of the Ruiz family, this time their patriarch. Senator Raffy Tulfo made the motion to cite Pablo in contempt for allegedly lying to lawmakers. Tulfor made the motion after Pablo denied a new testimony that implicates them in the case. His motion was seconded by Senator Jinggoy Estrada. Pablo is detained inside the Senate premises along with his wife, France, who was cited in contempt last week for the exact reason. ‘New witnesses’ Meanwhile, three more witnesses namely Melinda Magno, ‘Alias Paopao,’ and Richard Pinto, floated to support Vergara’s claims that she was abused by the couple. Senator Francis Tolentino, who chairs the Senate panel, ensured the safety of the new witnesses. “Let us make sure that while we are conducting hearings and even after, no harm will happen to them. They came here to reveal the truth,” Tolentino said. To recall, Jay-ar Suarez Dimerez, or ‘Alias Dodong,’ star witness of the case, was attacked by unknown gunmen in his residence. The post Senate panel cites in contempt husband of alleged abusive employer of Elvie Vergara appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Witness in helper Elvie Vergara’s abuse case survives slay attempt
The primary witness to the alleged maltreatment of helper, Elvie Vergara, in Oriental Mindoro, has survived an alleged killing attempt. According to Senator Francis Tolentino, alias “Dodong” was reportedly attacked by two unidentified gunmen, wearing bonnets. Tolentino said the suspects forcibly entered Dodong’s residence in Paluan around 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Based on the police report, the unidentified suspects fired shots at the victim’s house. He said Dodong was luckily left unharmed after the transpired shooting incident. The senator chairs the senate panel in charge of investigating Vergara's maltreatment case. He then expressed concern over the apparent attempt to murder the witness. Meanwhile, Tolentino also bared that armed men allegedly visited Vergara’s residence in Batangas City on early Wednesday. Hence, Tolentino said he already coordinated with Police regional director Gen. Joel Doria to secure the safety of Vergara and the witness, noting that it is paramount in the quest for justice in the helper’s case. In August, the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights began conducting a probe on the alleged severe maltreatment of Vergara by her former employers in Occidental Mindoro from 2020 to 2023. Vergara reportedly experienced physical, verbal, and emotional abuse that also led to her blindness as a result of heavy injuries. In a press conference, Tolentino said Dodong, who is set to witness in the next committee hearing, is already safe and now under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police in Calapan, Mindoro Oriental. “Elvie herself was allegedly attacked by unarmed men but it is not yet verified,” he said. He added that he would be recommending Vergara to be included in the witness protection program of the Department of Justice as authorities noticed that armed men steadily roamed around the helper's house. Also, the senator disclosed that another witness to Vergara’s case has come out. “We have another witness. We will try to protect this person. I cannot disclose more details but this witness is not just a witness to Elvie’s sufferings from maltreatment with her former employers, he also experienced maltreatment from them,” Tolentino said. The post Witness in helper Elvie Vergara’s abuse case survives slay attempt appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NBI probes slay of ‘witness’ in Navotas teen’s killing
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the murder of a Malabon resident reported to be a “witness” in the killing of teenager Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar in a police operation last month......»»
CHR to cooperate with ICC on drug probe
The Commission on Human Rights maintained a steadfast stance in its commitment to work with the International Criminal Court to probe the country's war on drugs on the watch of then-President Rodrigo Duterte. In the deliberations for the department's budget for 2024 before the House Committee on Appropriations, CHR Chairperson Richard Palpal-latoc assured lawmakers the agency would cooperate with the ICC by furnishing evidence it gathered in its past investigation. "As you may recall, the CHR has investigated extra-judicial killings in relation to the drug war before. And out of that investigation, the CHR has generated a report on EJK in relation to the drug war," Palpal-latoc said. The confirmation came following a question by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman about the extent of cooperation the human rights watchdog intends to grant to the ICC as it previously declared that they are "willing to cooperate" into the drug war probe, which has resulted "in thousands of extra-judicial killings, particularly the impoverished and marginalized drug suspects." About 7,000 people were killed under Duterte's drug war, based on the government's data, the majority of whom were from low-income families. However, local and international human rights organizations estimate it exceeded 30,000. According to Palpal-latoc, they are willing to supply the ICC evidence that the CHR already gathered in the previous investigation. However, he stressed that since the agency has yet to learn the details of the case filed in the ICC, the parameters of their cooperation are unknown. This, however, did not sit well with Lagman, asserting that the CHR should have been aware of this matter, taking into account the accusation made openly and publicly. According to the veteran lawmaker, CHR's pronouncement of cooperation without initiating communication with the ICC was merely a "soundbite" and a "press release" for the media. "Why don't you know? It's an open and public accusation before the ICC against the culprits in this war on drugs. Do you have a copy of the accusation brought before the ICC by some affected victims and advocates?" Lagman said. "You are fully aware that the official position of the national government is not to cooperate with the ICC and that bold statement is, in fact, a challenge to that position," he added. Palpal-latoc, on the other hand, countered that the CHR is "not a party" to the ICC investigation. Nonetheless, the CHR chief said that they are willing to provide legal assistance to the victims of human rights violations as well as witness protection pursuant to their mandate. Calls were made to cease the ICC's probe into Duterte's "war on drugs" that claimed thousands of lives during his six years of power that started in 2016. Justice Secretary Boying Remulla maintained a firm stance that the country would not engage in the ICC, claiming that the Philippine government would not let the court interfere in the country's business. Senator Bato de la Rosa, who led Duterte's anti-drug campaign, locally known as "Oplan Tokhang" previously said that he is ready in case a warrant of arrest has been served, but only by Philippine authorities and not by any foreigner directed by the ICC. The former PNP chief and Vice President Sara Duterte were the Philippine officials mentioned in the ICC prosecutor's report on the killings. The post CHR to cooperate with ICC on drug probe appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gun-toting ex-cop in viral road rage incident apologizes, claims self-defense
Wilfredo “Willie” Gonzales, the dismissed police officer in the viral road rage incident in Quezon City, has apologized for pulling out and cocking his gun at an unarmed cyclist. During Tuesday’s investigation of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs into the viral road rage incident, Gonzales admitted that he assaulted cyclist Allan Bandiola during their altercation near Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City last month. “I apologize for that part – for hitting him in his head and for pulling out and cocking my gun at him. I apologize to everyone, not just [to Bandiola], but to all of you. It was my fault. I was shocked,” Gonzales told lawmakers. The dismissed police officer, who has yet to return his separation pay despite being ordered to do so, claimed that he did such an act to defend himself from Bandiola. “In my mind, I must defend myself because I have yet to recover from my spine operation. He admitted that he attacked me. For me, it was solely to shock him so could not hit me,” he said. “If he catches me, he might kill me because I am still weak. I am yet to cover from my operation,” he added. For his part, Bandiola confirmed that he planned to retaliate after being hit by Gonzales. “It was my normal reaction because he hit me in the head. That is why I got off my bike,” he said. “He could have just talked to me.” ‘Gloves with hard knuckles’ Meanwhile, Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito asked Gonzales about his claim that Bandiola was wearing gloves with hard knuckles during their altercation last month, which the latter allegedly used to cause a dent in his car. “Mr. Gonzales claimed that Mr. Bandiola was wearing gloves for motorcycles that had knuckles. Is that correct?” Ejercito asked. Gonzales replied, “Yes.” Ejercito then asked Bandiola whether he was wearing gloves, which the latter denied. Bandiola’s claim was validated by a screencap from the now-deleted viral incident, shown during the Senate panel’s investigation. This prompted Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who presides the hearing, to interrogate Gonzales. “Mr. Gonzales, this picture won’t lie. He was not wearing any gloves. Now, you are making stories that he was wearing gloves with hard knuckles. Look at it,” Dela Rosa said. Gonzales stood by his claim that Bandiola was wearing gloves, stressing that police who responded to the incident could prove his claim. “The police who were there can prove that he was wearing gloves. I’m telling you the truth, I’m not lying,” he said. The dismissed police officer’s response angered Dela Rosa, who served as Philippine National Police chief during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. “This picture can prove that he was not wearing gloves. Mr. Gonzales, whatever you say, people who watch us will say that you are a former cop,” he said. “It will be a shame that people will always call police liars. You’re a police, I am a police. We don’t want our organization to be branded as liars,” he said. Unfazed, Gonzales insisted that Bandiola was wearing gloves in his right hand, which Bandiola denied. Ejercito supported Bandiola’s claim by showing another screencap which proved that the cyclist was not wearing any gloves. Dela Rosa, who identified himself as a cyclist, echoed Ejercito’s observation. “I am also a biker, wearing gloves with hard knuckles would make you look like a fool.” He then urged Gonzales not to manufacture stories in the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, which he chairs. After the hearing, Bandiola maintained that he would not file cases against Gonzales. “People who know me know what kind of person I am. They know the truth. I will let God take care of him,” he said. The post Gun-toting ex-cop in viral road rage incident apologizes, claims self-defense appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senators grill Navotas cops over teenage boy’s death
Senators on Tuesday grilled Northern Police District personnel involved in the killing of 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar, who was shot while he was boarding his boat in Navotas City. During the resumption of the investigation by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs into the killing of Baltazar, lawmakers quizzed policemen, specifically about the absence of paraffin tests on individuals involved in the operation. Juanito Arabejo, who heads the Navotas City police station investigation and detective management section, said he did not conduct a paraffin test on the six policemen who shot Baltazar in a case of mistaken identity on 2 August based on his "sound judgment." A paraffin test is done to determine whether or not a person has fired a gun. "Is that your discretion not to subject them to paraffin test or [did] they refuse?" Senator Ronald "Bato” dela Rosa, who presided over the hearing, asked Arabejo. Responding to Dela Rosa’s query, Arabejo said, "That was based on our sound judgment and in good faith, considering the direct testimony of the eyewitnesses is sufficient to establish the guilt of these six suspects." This prompted lawmakers to ask former Navotas City police chief Allan Umipig whether or not he told Arabejo to conduct paraffin tests. According to Umipig, he ordered Arabejo to subject policemen involved in the operation to paraffin tests during their emergency meeting on 3 August, which Arabejo refuted. Dela Rosa then ordered Umpig to contact other policemen who were present at their 3 August meeting to validate his claim. Minutes later, Navotas City Police Captain Anthony Mondejar, and Police Major Edwin Fuertes, joined the hearing and validated Umipig’s claim. Due to the alleged inconsistency in his statements, Senator Risa Hontiveros, on behalf of Senator Raffy Tulfo, made the motion to cite Arabejo in contempt. “On behalf of Senator Raffy Tulfo and the guidance of the chairperson, I move to cite [for] contempt Police Captain Juanito Arabejo,” Hontiveros said. Dela Rosa, who was evidently fuming over Arabejo’s “annoying smirks,” approved Hontiveros’s motion. This is not the first time Dela Rosa’s panel ordered a cite in contempt of individuals involved in Baltazar’s killing. Last week, the Senate panel also held Navotas City police officers Captain Mark Joseph Carpio and Staff Sergeant Gerry Maliban in contempt for allegedly lying and evading lawmakers’ questions. Carpio was the leader of the team in Baltazar’s fatal shooting. The post Senators grill Navotas cops over teenage boy’s death appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service
If life were a train, then Michael Ted Macapagal’s has been quite a ride. Raised by a labor leader and human rights lawyer father who served the people of Olongapo, including the workers of the US American Base in Subic, Michael Ted Macapagal had always wanted to become a public servant. It took Ted, though, a long journey to reach his goal, first achieving success in the insurance field in the United States where he lived for 20 years starting in 1991. Today, he is the chairman of the Philippine National Railways, a position “that allows me to make a difference in the lives of my countrymen,” he shared during his recent visit to the Daily Tribune office in Makati. Ted, good-looking and affable, proudly spoke of a father, his namesake, Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal who, early on, exposed his son to a firsthand view of a gentleman who looked beyond himself and his personal interests, and instead dedicated his career to protecting the common man and bettering their lot. The elder Ted served as a city councilor for 10 years. In 1984, he ran for the Batasang Pambansa, and in the late 1980s, for city mayor. “In all these electoral processes, I was involved and saw for myself how my father related to the people. He was a sincere man who helped them in the best way he could. He provided free legal services to those in need,” Ted recounted. Ted grew up in Olongapo, his place of birth. It was in the neighboring province of Pampanga, though, at the Don Bosco Institute in Bacolor town, where he first studied, but he eventually returned home to Olongapo, where he finished high school at the St. Columban. Aiming to become a lawyer, he enrolled at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, where he majored in History, which he intended as his pre-law course. Not unexpectedly, he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi, his father’s fraternity. He also joined rallies where he stood with those who wanted the retention of US bases in the Philippines, in keeping with the sentiments of his townsmen. “It was the one concern where the whole of Olongapo was united,” he recalled, “because the people’s livelihood was connected to the base and the American presence in the community.” As a lawyer who specialized in labor, his father himself handled cases for the base employees. In 1988, his father lost his mayoralty bid in Olongapo. He fought against his fraternity brother, Richard Gordon. Actually, the two had been fighting it out for decades. “Olongapo became too small for them,” shared Ted. “A vivid memory to me to this day was the night I cried after my father lost. I was heartbroken because, for the most part of my life, I saw him give his all to the people. Throughout all those years, I just loved assisting my father. I followed him whenever he visited his constituents. I was a witness to everything that happened to him, his conflict with his political adversary and the loyalty of the people who believed in him and saw in him the man who would change the face of politics in our city.” The elder Macapagal became OIC-Mayor in 1986, but only two months after he received his appointment from the new president because the incumbent mayor did not easily give up his post which he was required to vacate under the new revolutionary government. “The next local election was the most expensive political exercise that our family ever waged,” Ted recounted. “It was then that my father decided that I pursue a new life in the United States, away from politics back home. “All the while, my heart never left the Philippines. Even before I left, I promised myself I would return to continue what my father started.” First non-white president Ted stayed in San Francisco for 20 long years. He had a tough time at the beginning of his new life. “I started off doing odd jobs. I worked as a security guard, janitor and waiter in a pizza parlor. “I also guarded the heavy equipment in a construction site in San Francisco. Thievery was a problem in that kind of situation. We would sleep in a trailer. “I transferred to a construction firm because I found out it offered a bigger salary. But I didn’t know the technical aspects of construction. Once, I made a portable ladder, but it fell apart, for which I was scolded by the owner of the company. I was fired on my third day on the job. Too bad because it paid high.” Ted then decided to pursue another degree, one that would be more useful in the United States. He took up Human Resource Management, a four-year course at the University of California in Berkeley. When he finally entered the corporate world, his first job was as a clerk. It wasn’t long before he became Division President of Stewart Title Company, one of the largest underwriters in the world, with offices across the United States, and in some 80 countries around the globe. He was based in the San Francisco Bay Area. “I may have been the first non-white president,” he said. “And I was a division president for the whole of North America. I was the first Filipino to reach that level.” Of his trailblazing accomplishments, he shared, “I was able to bring cultural diversity to the company, which enhanced its value. I got the top post because I asked for a meeting with the president. I told him we were not diverse enough to appeal to the non-white clients, and there were many of them who were first-time home buyers. Then, I told him to make the rounds. He would see that none of the home buyers was white. They were of different ethnic groups. I told him that if he appointed me as vice president, I would give him multi-cultural buyers because I would appeal to them and they would be our first-time buyers. So, he appointed me, and one month later, he made me president.” As an adjunct, he lectured on the topic of title insurance and escrow procedures in several community colleges in and around the San Franciso Bay Area. Through it all, he chose to keep his Filipino citizenship. The ‘Railway President’ For all the successes he was enjoying, the Philippines beckoned. He felt he still had a mission to accomplish. “My father was surprised. He asked me why I would still want to go home when I was doing well in the States. I insisted, so I came back and I plunged into political life. I worked on difficult campaigns, like the one for Rodrigo Duterte.” Back to his first love and passion, the political arena, he was in his element and served as president of PDP LABAN in Olongapo City from 2016 to 2021. In 2022, he joined LAKAS-CMD as its local chairman. This engagement led to his original target, as his father had achieved in his lifetime — serving the people. This time, he would be appointed to key posts in the government. He became director of the Clark Board and Gulf Oil Philippines. He took his oath of office as chairman of the Philippine National Railways on 28 April 2023. It is a job in a government agency where he is confident “I could make a difference because I can see that President Bongbong Marcos is really intent on improving the railway system of the country. “On my part, I want to make a difference. I want to be able to contribute whatever I can to help the president to achieve that objective. I call him now the ‘Railway President’ because I consider him the father of the railway system in our country.” Of course, he noted that many plans have been formulated during the time of President Rodrigo Duterte. Moreover, he recognized that President Gloria Arroyo “navigated our country through the global crisis. I was in the United States when the global economic crisis happened, and the Philippines was one of the countries spared, and I give credit to her. The economic fundamentals were very strong during her time. Being an economist, she was there at the right time when the country needed her the most.” With President BBM at the helm, he is confident “we will be able to push through with our development plan and finish the projects we have started, like the North-South Commuter Railway, which is a 147-kilometer stretch from Clark to Laguna. We hope to have the dry run in 2026 and it will be fully operational in 2027.” He also looks forward to the completion of the Bicol South Long Haul project. He is equally hopeful for the North Long Haul, the Subic-Clark and the Mindanao railways. He clarified that “we are now talking with the proponents, while some negotiations are being undertaken.” Working boots and a hard hat It would seem that this successful insurance executive was out of place in the railway sector. He pointed out, though, that “coming from the outside, I have the technical advantage of being able to look outside the box. So, I’m looking at it from outside the box, looking in. I am able to see the problems that need to be fixed. Stoppage is one of the problems so we have a bus augmentation program. We will also deploy UV Express units. We are closely coordinating with the LTFRB to provide emergency alternative transportation.” On the other hand, his exposure to people of all backgrounds from his youth, being his father’s son, has given him the advantage of “knowing how it is to be one of the boys. Something that I also experienced in the United States. “When people ask me what my management style is, I tell them straight I like to go down to the ground. I like hands-on supervision. I want my hands to be dirty. If you open the trunk of my car, you will find my working boots and my hard hat. I enjoy going to the construction sites and seeing for myself the progress, the problems, whatever it is that needs to be attended to. “Finally I want those working in the field doing the most difficult tasks to be satisfied and never to be hungry. Gusto ko, busog sila lagi. I am not happy when I get invited by the constructors and I am honored with a feast-like lunch or dinner, and not knowing what the workers are eating. I am on a diet anyway, so I make sure that my hosts bring the food to where the workers are eating. I can only eat so much and I would rather that the workers and the staff are full and happy. I am vocal about my displeasure when the construction workers are not eating the same food that is served to me. I may not be able to invite them to where I am eating but I can have the food brought to them.” Smiling from heaven Without a doubt, the old man Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal is smiling happily from his heavenly perch. He had served his fellowmen well, but he had done right as well by raising a son who took after his heart, to whom service to the people and compassion for the less fortunate matter more than any personal gain. His father, according to Ted, “died a broken man at the young age of 63. But whatever he lacked in longevity and riches, he made up for it with his compassion for others, for the free legal services that he gave to the people of Olongapo. “If you didn’t have money, you went to him because he was generous with his time and expertise. He would even give you some cash to use for your transportation fare to go home. That was my father. “The people whom he helped in turn would come to our home and bring him gifts like eggs, fruits, fish, vegetables and native chickens that they raised in their backyards. My father accepted them all. When I came home and saw all this, I teased him and said that he should probably open a sari-sari store so he could resell them. “Of course, we had a good laugh. But beyond the laughter, we both knew in our hearts that doing good to one’s fellowmen is its own reward and nothing in this world can take the place of personal fulfillment for having put a smile on people’s faces because you somehow made their lives better. “I am grateful that I have been raised by such a great father.” The post Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hollywood’s video game craze takes meta turn with ‘Gran Turismo’
Ever since the huge successes of "The Super Mario Bros Movie," "Uncharted" and "The Last Of Us," films and TV shows adapted from video games have been all the rage in Hollywood. But when Neill Blomkamp received a call from Sony asking if he wanted to direct a movie based around its super-serious, hyper-realistic racing game series "Gran Turismo," he was initially confused. "I almost wanted to read the screenplay just to understand what they were talking about, because it just made no sense to me," he told AFP. "Obviously, it's just a racing simulator." Indeed, the "Gran Turismo" games have no characters like Italian plumbers or fungus-crazed zombies who would lend themselves to a straightforward Hollywood film adaptation. As a result, the movie's script -- penned by the writer of "King Richard" and "Creed III" -- took an entirely different and very meta approach. It is largely based instead on a marketing stunt, back in 2008, when Sony and Nissan launched a competition in which top "Gran Turismo" video gamers could test their skills on actual racetracks. The GT Academy took PlayStation gamers out from their bedrooms, and put them behind real racecar wheels. Each year's champion was then given a chance to race against professional drivers on world-famous tracks including Silverstone and Le Mans. One of those, Jann Mardenborough -- a working-class teen from Darlington, England, who was one of the first GT Academy gamers to successfully compete in real racing -- is the subject of the movie. "I was so struck by this approach of it being a biography, but also being a video game film," said Blomkamp, who previously directed "District 9" and "Elysium." "And that the video game would be an element inside that real world -- the way that 'Gran Turismo' exists in our world." Emotional heft Reviews for the movie have been mixed, with the Guardian dubbing it an "ode to product placement." But others praised the film's surprising emotional heft -- not least its treatment of a fatal accident involving Mardenborough. At Germany's famous Nurburgring circuit in 2015, Mardenborough's car flipped vertically into the air and crashed through a fence, killing one spectator and injuring several more. Mardenborough was cleared of any blame for the freak accident -- although the movie suggests that racing purists who disliked his gamer background continued to whisper otherwise. Particularly with the real Mardenborough acting as stunt double for his own character in the film, the tragic incident had to be tackled with care. "You can't tell his story without having that in it. It's such an integral part of his journey," said Blomkamp. But the crash is also "super sensitive for Jann," admitted Blomkamp. While the real Mardenborough performed other driving stunts throughout the movie, the decision was taken to recreate the fatal crash with "effectively 100 percent digital" technology. In part that was because the crash itself was so infamous and unusual, with the car going vertically airborne as it soared over a steeply undulating hill. "We tried to match what the car did, basically pixel perfect, from the video footage that we could find," said Blomkamp. Of course, using computer-generated visual effects (VFX) for that particular scene meant "there was no requirement for stunts at all." Strikes and hype Another obstacle for the movie has been Hollywood's ongoing strikes. The walkout, over actors' and writers' pay and other conditions, bars its stars such as Orlando Bloom, David Harbour and Archie Madekwe from promoting the film at the usual swanky premieres and junkets. Sony took the unusual decision to delay the film's release in theaters, from this Friday to August 25, and offered early sneak previews to fans until then, in the hope of building word-of-mouth hype. "The stars can't promote the movie, but the audience can," said a Sony spokesperson. The post Hollywood’s video game craze takes meta turn with ‘Gran Turismo’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
JPE: Merger can’t happen
The proposed merger of the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines can’t be done because of legal infirmities — LandBank still holds the private shares it obtained after it absorbed the United Coconut Planters Bank or UCPB. “The problem there is how would they merge the two banks when UCPB, which was taken over by LandBank, had private shareholders, who were mostly coconut farmers,” according to Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile. “Who are they to confiscate the properties of Filipinos? The Constitution says: ‘No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, and property without due process,’” he pointed out. “If President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos will ask my opinion on the merger, I will probably express a negative position,” Enrile said on his weekly program, Bayan ni Juan. Enrile blamed the Presidential Commission on Good Government or PCGG for mismanaging UCPB, which led to its bankruptcy, the reason for its consolidation with LandBank. “Who should be accountable for the millions of pesos lost in UCPB?” he asked. Enrile accused PCGG agents and nominees of squandering the money of the bank. Class suit appropriate “UCPB stockholders should file a class suit against the PCGG. It was not the fault of the share owners what happened to the bank, it was the fault of the government and the PCGG.” “They failed to manage the bank well considering that 72.5 percent of the bank’s shareholders were private individuals,” he said. “PCGG’s first chairman was former senator Jovito Salonga; he was then followed by a lineup of crocodiles who were responsible for the dissipation of the funds in UCPB,” according to Enrile. “UCPB, before it was taken over by the government, was a very lucrative and liquid bank. When the pilferers took over, we do not know what happened to the contributions of the coconut farmers,” he said. “Should we forget what happened, without anybody answering for it?” Enrile asked the Bureau of Internal Revenue, for instance, to run after the PCGG officials and employees who enriched themselves with the stolen money. “There were many who became rich at the expense of UCPB,” he said. “(The administration of the late President Cory Aquino) made it appear that UCPB was funded using ill-gotten money; they just did not understand the objective in creating the bank,” the former Senate President said. After the EDSA Revolt on 25 February 1986, among the first moves of the then “revolutionary government” of Aquino was to create the PCGG to investigate and recover the ill-gotten wealth. On 31 July 1987, the PCGG sequestered shares of stock in UCPB registered in the names of one million coconut farmers under the so-called Coconut Industry Investment Fund companies and those owned by tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. The sequestered UCPB shares were then worth an estimated P10 billion but have grown lately to around P70 billion, including the San Miguel Corp. shares bought with coconut levy funds. On 28 February 2001, the Sandiganbayan First Division ordered the PCGG to allow the CIIF companies and Cojuangco to vote on the sequestered UCPB shares. On 14 December 2001, the Supreme Court reversed Sandiganbayan’s decision, ruling that the PCGG had the right to vote on the sequestered UCPB shares. First universal bank UCPB, founded in 1938, was the first universal bank in the country. The PCGG argued that the sequestered UCPB shares were acquired with coconut levy funds, which were public in character. The CIIF companies and Cojuangco countered that they were the rightful owners of the sequestered UCPB shares. “The government takeover of UCPB was an injustice to the coconut farmers. Nothing has happened since to address the injustice,” Enrile said. After the funds of the bank were depleted, it borrowed money from LandBank. Enrile said the merger of LandBank with DBP will have the effect of removing the PCGG’s responsibility for the injustice done to the small farmers. “They want to erase the wrong done to the poor,” he said. “Those favoring the merger should be aware of the need to repeal the law that created the DBP to allow the transfer of its assets to LandBank. Both are chartered government enterprises,” Enrile noted. He added, “I respect the position of Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno (in advocating the merger) but he is not a lawyer.” On 25 June 2021, former President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 142, approving the merger of LandBank and UCPB. On 14 December 2021, UCPB shareholders approved the merger plan. On 1 March 2022, the merger took effect. LandBank became the surviving entity and UCPB was dissolved. In July 2022, UCPB branches throughout the country started being converted to LandBank branches. On 1 March 2023, the merger was fully completed resulting in a combined asset base of P2.8 trillion, making LandBank the second-largest bank in the Philippines. The post JPE: Merger can’t happen appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Prince Harry lawsuit against The Sun tabloid set for trial
Prince Harry's lawsuit against The Sun tabloid alleging unlawful information gathering can go to trial but will not include phone hacking claims, a High Court judge ruled on Thursday. Harry, 38, whose official title is Duke of Sussex, is suing several UK newspapers over alleged unlawful information-gathering, including News Group Newspapers -- publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World tabloids. NGN is part of Rupert Murdoch's global publishing empire and had asked the High Court in London to throw out the claims -- filed by Harry alongside actor Hugh Grant -- arguing they were out of time. But judge Timothy Fancourt ordered that Harry's case can go to trial, concluding NGN had "succeeded in part on its application" related to time limits around alleged phone hacking but "failed on the remaining part". Hugh Grant learned in May that he had won his court bid to bring to trial his claim against NGN, while other high-profile claimants are also pursuing the newspaper group. "A trial of the claims of the Duke and many other claimants is scheduled to start in January 2024," Fancourt wrote in a 19-point summary of his ruling. The judge decided the prince "has a realistically arguable case at trial" over claims the tabloid unlawfully sourced "confidential information from third parties" in part through private investigators. He noted his judgement does not conclude whether they had been made in time, "only... that it is not sufficiently clear at this stage that it was issued too late". However, on phone hacking accusations dating back to the 2000s, Fancourt sided with NGN that a six-year "limitation period" had expired before Harry filed his claim in 2019. The judge also rejected submissions by Harry that he had delayed initiating such a lawsuit due to a "secret agreement" between the royal family as an institution and the publisher. He said that claim "did not reach the necessary threshold of plausibility and cogency", adding "there was no witness or documentary evidence to support what the Duke claimed". Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, has had a rocky relationship with the media, particularly since he and his American wife Meghan left the royal family in early 2020. Since then, they have both launched litigation against British newspaper publishers, including for privacy and copyright breaches, and libel. The prince last month accused Mirror Group Newspapers of "industrial scale" phone hacking, as he became the first British royal in over a century to take to the witness stand. The judge in that lawsuit is yet to reach a decision. The post Prince Harry lawsuit against The Sun tabloid set for trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BATO DARES ICC ‘I am here, arrest me!’
By: Ann JEnireene Gomez and Alvin Murcia With GLEN JACOB JOSE, Tiziana Celine Piatos AND JOM GARNER, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa warned of “big trouble” if the International Criminal Court comes to the Philippines to arrest him or anyone else. “I already expected that, their insistence on meddling in our domestic affairs. Let them, let them do what they want,” Dela Rosa said in Filipino in an interview with Frontline Tonight. “I’ll be here, I am not hiding. If they have a warrant of arrest, let them serve the warrant,” Dela Rosa said, with one caveat — that he’ll only allow himself to be arrested by Philippine authorities and not by any foreigner ordered to do so by the ICC. Dela Rosa was responding to a statement of Senate President Miguel Zubiri that the government will have no choice but to turn over anyone to the ICC if the arrest warrant will be coursed through local courts and will be served by local authorities. “We are still a sovereign country, and they (accused) are still citizens of this country. They do that with many other countries. However, the danger there is if Senator Bato dela Rosa goes to a country that is friendly to the ICC, then they will arrest him. Here in the Philippines, the process is they must coordinate with the local courts,” Zubiri said. The ICC’s Appeals Chamber voted 3-2 on Tuesday to deny the Philippines’ appeal to stop the ICC Office of the Prosecutor from resuming its investigation. “There’s no problem if the Philippine government would be the one to arrest me, but not the foreigners,” he said. “If it’s the government of the Philippines that would decide to arrest me, what can I do? But if they (ICC) would come here to take me, our government would have none of that.” “There’s going to be big trouble if they would insist on coming here against our government’s expressed will. That would be too blatant an interference and they would be treating us like fools,” he added. Chill Meanwhile, Senator Francis Tolentino, who offered to stand as legal counsel for a fellow lawmaker in the ICC probe, advised Dela Rosa to “Just chill”. “I accept the proposal of Sen. Dela Rosa to a lawyer for him. I am now speaking as the counsel for Senator Dela Rosa,” said Tolentino, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, in an online press conference yesterday. He said nothing has changed in the Philippines’ position on the dismissal of the ICC Pre-Chamber in the country’s appeal regarding the probe of the “war on drugs.” The ICC, he added, has no jurisdiction in the Philippines. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday advised former president Rodrigo Duterte and Dela Rosa to stay away from countries where the ICC has influence. Dela Rosa is accused of implementing the alleged iron-fist policy of Duterte as a Davao regional police official and later as Duterte’s first Philippine National Police chief in 2016. “They are citizens of the republic who also need our protection,” Remulla said, adding that Duterte and Dela Rosa should refrain from going to countries in Europe. Why Sara? But even before Remulla came out with his advice, Dela Rosa had already said he would not deliver himself to the ICC. “I will make sure not to go to those countries that are friendly with the ICC,” he said. He also brushed aside efforts to involve Vice President Sara Duterte in the ICC probe, calling the move politically motivated against one who could become the country’s next president. He reiterated that the Vice President’s name was never mentioned in proceedings that looked into the alleged activities of the so-called Davao Death Squad. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice maintained that the ICC has no jurisdiction to investigate the extrajudicial killings allegedly committed during the Duterte administration’s so-called war on drugs. The DoJ expressed deep disappointment and strong disagreement with the denial by the ICC of the Office of the Solicitor General’s appeal to stop the probe on account of the Philippines having withdrawn from the ICC, and its having a fully functioning justice system. It said the rejection of the appeal was based on the ICC’s flawed interpretation of its jurisdiction as a court of last resort — that it could only assume jurisdiction when a member country showed it was not capable of investigating and prosecuting crimes within its borders. The DoJ pointed out that the principle of complementarity, enshrined in the Rome Statute that created the ICC, recognizes the jurisdiction of local courts to try crimes within their respective countries. “The dissenting opinions of two esteemed justices out of the five-judge panel highlight the grave errors in the majority decision,” the DoJ said in a statement. “These dissenting justices rightly recognized the Philippines’ commitment to upholding the rule of law and maintaining an independent and effective legal system.” “Their dissenting opinions underscore the existence of a legitimate difference of legal interpretation, casting doubt on the majority’s ruling,” it added. Remulla had lambasted the ICC for meddling in Philippine affairs and said the government would not honor any arrest warrant issued by the ICC. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his predecessor, Duterte, had been firm in saying the ICC had no jurisdiction over events that transpired in the Philippines. PNP no ICC lackey Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said it would not be dictated to by the ICC as it recognizes the stance of the government that the international tribunal has no jurisdiction over the conduct of the drug war probe. “The PNP is under the executive department and we will follow the lead of the national government that there is a question with respect to sovereignty and jurisdiction of the ICC,” PNP spokesperson P/Col. Jean Fajardo said. Duterte, as Davao City mayor from 2011 to 2016 and as the country’s president from 2016 to 2022, is seen as the ICC prosecutor’s primary target, along with his former police chief, Dela Rosa. Government data showed that about 6,200 people died in “legitimate” anti-drug operations during the Duterte presidency, including law enforcement officers killed in action. Government critics claim as many as 15,000 to 30,000 were killed. Meanwhile, Vice President Duterte appeared to have been included in the complaints filed with the ICC prosecutor, along with her father’s long-time aide, the now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go. “No comment,” was the terse reply of the Vice President’s camp on her alleged inclusion in the ICC complaints. Go, on the other hand, said the ICC had no “business meddling in our internal affairs, where our courts remain fully functional and free from political interference.” “Probes into the war on drugs are presently being conducted by the competent authorities. Filipinos should be judged by fellow Filipinos before Philippine courts operating under Philippine laws,” Go said. With the ICC ruling, the DoJ vowed to continue to defend the sovereignty and integrity of the nation’s legal system and strongly urged the ICC to reconsider its decision and recognize the Philippines’ unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the pursuit of justice. “Furthermore, we would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to the well-being and support of all victims affected by the drug war,” Remulla’s department said. “The DoJ, in collaboration with other relevant agencies, is willing and able to assist those who had suffered harm or loss during this challenging period. We encourage all individuals with evidence and witnesses to come forward and share their testimonies with us,” it added. Former president Duterte, through his former spokesperson Harry Roque, shrugged off the ICC decision. In a Facebook post, Roque said Duterte has always maintained that as an independent and sovereign state, only Philippine courts can try any crime committed in Philippine territory. “He has time and again said that because of this, he will face all his accusers anytime but before Philippine courts and before Filipino judges only,” Roque said. In a television interview, Zubiri said the upper chamber would “not give up” Dela Rosa should the ICC issue a warrant of arrest against the latter. “Without the local warrant of arrest issued by the courts, then as far as I’m concerned, he is still a working member of the Senate and accorded of course that respect, similar to Senator De Lima and Senator [Antonio] Trillanes,” he said. “Only when the warrant of arrest was issued, then we allowed or we agreed that he may be taken in custody,” he added. The post BATO DARES ICC ‘I am here, arrest me!’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go leads NHA housing turnover to Davao fire victims
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go reiterated his ongoing commitment to improving housing conditions for Filipinos, particularly those displaced by natural and man-made disasters, during the emergency housing assistance turnover conducted by the National Housing Authority (NHA) to fire victims in his hometown Davao City, on Friday, 14 July. Go first underscored the significance of the Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) run by the NHA, which provides support to families who have lost their homes. The program extends financial assistance for building materials to expedite their rebuilding and recovery process. “Nitong July 14, nagbigay tayo ng dagdag na tulong sa mga biktima ng sunog noon mula sa iba’t ibang barangay. Personal nating sinaksihan ang ipinamahaging emergency housing assistance ng National Housing Authority sa mga benepisyaryo, sa pakikipagtulungan kasama ang tanggapan nina Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte at NHA Regional Manager ng Davao Region na si Engr. Clemente Dayot,” Go shared. “Itong programang EHAP, (nasimulan) panahon pa ni dating Presidente Duterte. Isa ako sa nagsulong nito noon. Ngayon, ito ay aking pinapondohan para maipagpatuloy, para may maibili ng housing materials ang mga nasunugan,” he explained further. Aside from the assistance provided by NHA to the beneficiaries during the relief activity at Rizal Park, Go and his team also distributed grocery packs, masks, and snacks to 1,272 recovering fire victims. Shoes, bicycles, and cellular phones were also given to several recipients. “Mula sa iba't ibang barangay ito na inikot ng aming opisina noon at kayo ‘yung napili ngayon na bibigyan ng assistance mula sa EHAP program. ‘Yung matatanggap ninyo ngayon, ibili ninyo ng housing materials o ano pa man na makakatulong sa pagbangon ninyo,” he said. Recounting his experiences with fire and disaster victims across the country, Go expressed his commitment to helping address the housing needs of affected households to promote resilience and rebuild communities in the face of adversity. “Sa pag-iikot ko ng bansa, nakita ko po kung gaano kahirap sa ating mga kababayang nasunugan o tinamaan ng bagyo o kaya naman pagputok ng bulkan ang makakuha ulit ng matitirhan,” said Go “Napakaimportante na magkaroon sila ng maayos at ligtas na tirahan upang tuluyang makabangon muli,” he added. As a legislator, Go is actively advocating for the passage of Senate Bill No. 192, which aims to establish the Rental Housing Subsidy Program as a means of institutionalizing housing and social protection initiatives. This program intends to provide disaster victims with improved and affordable access to the formal housing market by offering rental subsidies. Go also cited that the enactment of Republic Act No. 11589 or the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act, has enabled the agency to enhance its capabilities in addressing fire-related emergencies. RA 11589, which Go principally authored and co-sponsored in the Senate, mandates a ten-year modernization program for the Bureau of Fire Protection, which includes the acquisition of modern fire equipment, recruitment of more firefighters, and provision of specialized training, among others. “Huwag kayong mag-alala, ang importante buhay tayo at walang nasaktan. Iyan ang importante. Ang gamit mabibili natin ‘yan, ang pera kikitain natin ‘yan. Pero ang pera na ating kikitain ay hindi mabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever. Ang importante buhay tayo. Kaya pag-ingatan natin ang buhay na ibinigay sa atin ng Panginoon,” Go said. Meanwhile, the senator, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, urged those who have health issues to seek assistance from the Malasakit Center at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City. The Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go principally authored and sponsored, brings together various government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, under one roof to provide a convenient process for availing medical assistance, particularly for poor and indigent patients in public hospitals. According to the DOH, there are currently 158 Malasakit Centers across the country that have benefited over seven million Filipinos so far. Go also continues to support the construction of more Super Health Centers nationwide. DOH has identified 11 strategic locations in Davao City for the centers, which will offer database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation center; and telemedicine, which makes remote diagnosis and treatment of patients possible. Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, enough funds have been allocated for the DOH to build 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023. The DOH, which is the lead agency in implementing the program, identifies the strategic locations for the construction of these centers. To help improve the quality of public service delivered to his fellow Davaoeños, Go, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, likewise supported the construction of various multipurpose buildings and local roads, rehabilitation of water systems, drainage systems, and flood control structures in different barangays throughout the city, the construction of a 300-bed capacity infectious diseases building for SPMC and the acquisition of ambulances. Go then recognized the leadership and service of fellow Davaoeño officials, particularly Vice President Sara Duterte, Congressman Paolo Duterte, and Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte, as well as city councilors and barangay leaders, present during the activity. He expressed his support for their efforts in bringing government services closer to the people and promoting development in the region. “Huwag po kayong magpasalamat sa amin dahil sa totoo lang, kami po ang dapat magpasalamat sa inyo dahil binigyan niyo po kami ng pagkakataon na makapagserbisyo sa inyo. Mahal na mahal ko po kayong lahat. Salamat po,” he said. On the same day, Go conducted a separate relief activity for 109 fire victims in Barangay 23-C, Davao City. The post Bong Go leads NHA housing turnover to Davao fire victims appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Duterte son bares midyear accomplishments
DAVAO CITY — First Congressional District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte bared his accomplishments in the first half of the year as a second termer in the House of Representatives. In a statement from the lawmaker’s office on Saturday, Duterte highlighted the 169 House Bills he had authored, of which five were enacted into law, while others are still pending in the different committees in the HOR. Some were in the Senate for reading. Duterte also cited achievements in various projects, such as medical and burial assistance, emergency response, educational aid, Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers with the Department of Labor and Employment, and infrastructure. His office assisted 22,253 patients and 575 senior citizens at Southern Philippines Medical Center, 1,204 cancer patients, and 24,040 patients in private hospitals. He also aided 26,673 families in burial, as well. Around 5,357 fire victims and 2.607 flood victims per family, and 78,451 identified beneficiaries under the TUPAD program were also given assistance. His office assisted 1,600 college and 344 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority scholars, 40 postgraduates in medicine, and seven postgraduates in law school. His office has also provided three more transporter ambulance vehicles to barangays that do not have one and turned over nine multi-purpose buildings, one fire station, and two evacuation centers-covered courts to their respective beneficiaries. “The lawmaker has led the construction of several infrastructures, such as drainage systems, roads, revetment, water systems, creeks, bypass roads, and seawalls,” the statement added. His office also accommodated 436 solicitations and gave tents, wheelchairs, nebulizers, and hearing aids to beneficiaries. “For the young lawmaker, helping to improve the lives of the public and make positive changes, in general, is an unwritten qualification one must have upon entry to public service and throughout the journey,” it also added. The post Duterte son bares midyear accomplishments appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go visits new legislative building and aids indigents in Tubod, Lanao del Norte
Sen. Bong Go expressed his unwavering dedication to serving the Filipino people, emphasizing the importance of sacrifice, unity, and inclusivity in society as he personally led a relief activity on Wednesday, 28 June. Prior to the relief activity for various sectoral groups in Tubod, Lanao del Norte in partnership with the Office of Mayor Dionisio Cabahug, Go also conducted a site inspection for the upcoming legislative building project in the town. As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go supported the construction of the project, aiming to provide a dedicated space for the town's legislative affairs. Go hopes that the initiative will bolster good governance, streamline operations, and enhance the overall efficiency of the local government. Other projects he supported in the province are the construction of farm-to-market roads in Bacolod and Lala; road rehabilitation in Munai; purchase of one ambulance unit in Kapatagan; construction of flood control and drainage structure in Lala; rehabilitation of public markets in Magsaysay; and construction of multipurpose buildings in Kauswagan, Nunungan, Pantao Ragat, Pantar, Salvador, Tangcal and Tubod. In commemoration of Eid al-Adha, Go, in his speech, conveyed his love and respect for the Muslim community. Specifically, he emphasized the inclusive and unbiased treatment they experience in his hometown of Davao City. "Mahal na mahal namin ni former mayor, former president (Rodrigo Duterte) ang mga Muslim sa Davao. Fair talaga doon, walang discrimination doon sa amin, " Go said, sharing an anecdote about the thoughtful selection process established by the Davao City government to assist members of the Muslim community in their journey to Mecca. Go reiterated that all Muslim Filipinos hold an essential place within the shared national identity of the Philippines. Regardless of their religious affiliation, the senator emphasized the unity that binds Filipinos as one people. “Mahal na mahal namin ang mga kapatid nating Muslim dahil para sa amin, tayo po ay Pilipino lahat. Ma-Kristiyano, ma-Muslim, Pilipino tayong lahat,” said Go. Held at the Tubod municipal gymnasium, Go and his team provided grocery packs, shirts, masks, vitamins, and snacks to 1,000 beneficiaries. Select beneficiaries also received bicycles, cellphones, shoes, watch, and balls for basketball and volleyball. In a separate distribution, the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided financial assistance to the beneficiaries. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go also offered to assist those with health concerns. He encouraged them to seek medical assistance from any of the 158 Malasakit Centers nationwide. Signed into law in 2019, the Malasakit Centers Act mandates the establishment of the centers in every Department of Health-run hospital nationwide and in the Philippine General Hospital in Manila where particularly poor and indigent patients can conveniently access medical assistance programs by the government. Go is the principal author and sponsor of the measure. “Ang Malasakit Center po ay one-stop shop, nasa loob na ho ng hospital ‘yung apat na ahensya ng gobyerno – PhilHealth, PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office), DOH, DSWD. Tutulungan ho kayo hanggang maging zero balance po ang inyong billing,” Go explained. Go then expressed gratitude to the local and barangay officials, which included Lanao del Norte Gov. Imelda Dimaporo, 1st District Representative Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo, Mayor Dionisio Cabahug, Vice Mayor Clifford Jumalon, among others, acknowledging their dedicated service to the community. In a speech, Cong. Khalid Dimaporo extended his heartfelt appreciation to Go for his unwavering commitment to the people of Lanao del Norte. “Nagtatrabaho si SAP Bong Go, si Senador Bong Go, nagtatrabaho para sa lalawigan ng Lanao del Norte dahil isang tawag lang, automatic magtatrabaho na si Senador Bong Go,” Dimaporo said. While Duterte's term has come to an end, Dimaporo said that Go continues to work diligently for Lanao del Norte and the entire Philippines, making Mindanaoans proud. He emphasized the significance of having a voice in the Senate, mentioning his active participation in addressing the concerns of their constituents. The congressman further commended Go for his hands-on approach to public service, mentioning his visits to provinces and municipalities to personally witness the needs and challenges faced by the people. He likewise highlighted the senator's commitment to serving the people diligently, regardless of political color. The post Bong Go visits new legislative building and aids indigents in Tubod, Lanao del Norte appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Prioritize the poor, bring gov’t services closer to needy
For many of our fellow Filipinos who can barely afford their daily expenses, getting treated in a hospital is oftentimes a burdensome choice that they resort to only if it is a matter of life and death. Usually, our struggling kababayans choose to endure their illness for fear of falling deeper into debt due to huge hospital bills, medicines and other expenses. And by this time, an ordinary disease has already become a serious medical condition. Their plight is what inspired us to initiate the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 which provides one-stop shops where our indigent patients may more conveniently access medical assistance from the government. By bringing together programs of various government agencies under one roof, such as the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the centers streamline the process of availing medical assistance. I have been appealing to officials and workers in the health sector to prioritize the needs of the poor, especially in public health facilities since these patients have nowhere else to turn to but to seek the help of their government. I also appeal to all hospital staff to be patient and compassionate in guiding Filipinos, particularly the poor, so that they can properly have access to the services offered by our public hospitals and from the medical assistance programs available in any of our 158 Malasakit Centers nationwide. That is why as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and as the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, I make time to personally check on the operations of our Malasakit Centers across the country, in addition to attending the groundbreaking of Super Health Centers and leading our usual relief distributions for Filipinos in need. On 16 June, I conducted a monitoring visit to two Malasakit Centers in Leyte, where I was honored to be declared as an adopted son of the province through Resolution 2020-337 passed on 24 April 2020 and formally granted on 16 June by the provincial government. During the visit, I recognized the efforts of Governor Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla, Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos “Boying” Cari and Vice Mayor Ernesto Butawan, Vice Governor Sandy Javier, Cong. Carl Cari, Cong. Karen Javier, Board Member Carlo Loreto, and other officials for their commitment to bringing government services closer to their constituents. I also visited the Malasakit Center at Baybay City Immaculate Conception Hospital where we assisted 30 out-patients, 140 in-patients, and 192 front liners, while the DSWD extended financial aid to qualified in-patients. We likewise inspected the Super Health Center and the new boardwalk in the city which I supported to help the community. I then checked on the operations of the Malasakit Center at Ormoc District Hospital in Ormoc City. We also assisted 283 patients and 211 front liners in the hospital, while 133 qualified inpatients received additional assistance from the DSWD. Following this, I led a relief operation for 1,065 struggling residents in the city and attended the ribbon-cutting of the newly constructed pentathlon facility with a dedicated fencing hall, among others — a project I supported as Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance and as Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports, together with the local government led by Cong. Richard Gomez and Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez. Earlier that week, I was in Davao del Norte to participate in the celebration of the first anniversary of an insurgency-free Davao del Norte led by Gov. Edwin Jubahib, held in Tagum City on 13 June. I also personally spearheaded a relief operation for 1,500 struggling residents in the city. Simultaneously, we provided more support to the community in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment which held an orientation for temporary employment to 721 individuals. Following this, I visited the town of Carmen with Mayor Leony Bahague to witness the groundbreaking of its Super Health Center and provide aid to 1,666 more indigents. On 15 June, I was in Quezon City with my team to witness the inauguration of two multipurpose buildings in Barangays Commonwealth and Payatas which I also supported for funding together with Councilor Mikey Belmonte. We likewise aided a thousand indigents in the city with Mayor Joy Belmonte. We then headed to Marikina City to assist 3,000 more struggling residents from Marikina City and the towns of San Mateo and Rodriguez, Rizal, together with Congresswoman Maan Teodoro and Mayor Marcy Teodoro; as well as the local officials from both towns in Rizal, such as Rodriguez Mayor Ronnie Evangelista and San Mateo Mayor Bartolome “Omie” Rivera Jr., among others. We also visited North Cotabato on 17 June, where we celebrated the 54th Araw ng Alamada led by Mayor Jesus Sacdalan and Cong. Joel Sacdalan and helped 840 farmers and 1,500 struggling residents in the town before going to Matalam to witness aspiring athletes in the Serbisyong Totoo Basketball Sports Clinic and to lead another distribution activity for 1,318 more residents from various sectors together with Gov. Lala Taliño-Mendoza. Across the country, my team aided indigent families and various sectors, including 136 in Samal, 33 in Balanga, and 82 in Limay, Bataan; 990 in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur; 150 in Damulog, Bukidnon; 350 in Iligan City; 100 in Tubod, Lanao del Norte; 550 in Malinao and Sto. Domingo, Albay; and two fire-hit households in Carcar City, Cebu. My team also attended the groundbreaking of the Super Health Center in Tiguma, Pagadian City. It is the fundamental right of every Filipino to receive proper medical care and social assistance from our government. I hope that with compassion for our struggling kababayans and the persistence to help uplift their lives, we can collectively ensure that the poor and most needy are not neglected as we continue our pursuit for progress and development. The post Prioritize the poor, bring gov’t services closer to needy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»