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PNP colonel faces admin raps over sex video
A police colonel accused of documenting his sexual encounters with a woman he had an illicit affair with is facing administrative cases before the Office of the Ombudsman......»»
Journalists in Ivory Coast remember French colleague killed 20 years ago
Ivorian and foreign journalists on Thursday paid homage to the memory of Radio France International correspondent Jean Helene, who was shot at point-blank range by a police officer in Abidjan 20 years ago. On the evening of 21 October 2003, Helene, RFI's 50-year-old correspondent in Abidjan, was shot in the head by a police sergeant with a Kalashnikov. The French reporter had been waiting near the national police headquarters for the release of eleven opponents of the regime of the then Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo. On Thursday, at a commemorative ceremony at the press center in Abidjan, government spokesman Amadou Coulibaly recalled that the killing had taken place in a "particular context of socio-political tension", a rebellion had broken out in 2002 cutting Ivory Coast in two. Helene's death is "a hideous scar, a shameful scar on the history of the press in Ivory Coast," he said, adding that although the policeman who fired the fatal shots, Theodore Dago Seri, had been sentenced in 2004 to 17 years in prison, "those responsible are still with us". Without mentioning any names, he recalled that the political leaders at the time had called on supporters "to be inventive, to take initiatives" against those accused of not being on their side. Representing RFI at the commemoration event, the station's former Africa department head, Yves Rocle, said that Helene, who had crisscrossed the African continent throughout his career, including covering the Rwandan genocide in 1994 -- had been dedicated to reporting the facts. After the ceremony, the assembled journalists made their way to the spot where Helene was gunned down, where bouquets were laid. Next week, RFI will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the murder of another of its journalists, Ghislaine Dupont, who was shot dead in northern Mali in November 2013, along with technician Claude Verlon who was accompanying her. The post Journalists in Ivory Coast remember French colleague killed 20 years ago appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Argentina court acquits nuns of sex abuse
Two nuns and seven other female employees of an Argentine institute for deaf children were acquitted by a court Wednesday of sexual abuse and rape. The ruling, broadcast on public television, concluded a trial of two-and-a-half years in a case that has shocked the home country of Pope Francis. Two priests in charge of children at the Antonio Provolo center — Horacio Corbacho and Nicola Corradi — have been convicted and handed sentences of more than 40 years each for sexual abuse, including rape, of some 20 minors. The victims were aged four to 17 when the crimes were committed from 2004 to the closure of the institute in 2016. The institution’s gardener, Armando Gomez, has also been jailed for 18 years for sexual abuse, and a former altar boy pleaded guilty to the sexual abuse of five children. Several staff were taken into custody after allegations of abuse first surfaced in 2016, and the institute was shut down. The latest case focused on the alleged abuse of 11 of the children. In the dock were Japanese nun Kumiko Kosaka and Paraguayan Asuncion Martinez, as well as a former cook, a psychologist, a legal representative and school director, and three other employees. Kosaka stood accused of aggravated sexual abuse and covering up the crimes, and Martinez of “corruption of minors,” among other alleged offenses. A panel of three judges on Wednesday acquitted Kosaka, Martinez, and all seven others. Ariel Lizarraga, father of one of the accusers, described the outcome as “total injustice.” The post Argentina court acquits nuns of sex abuse appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Road rage
Those with sharp memories and local crime story buffs will never forget three road rage cases that hogged print and broadcast news headlines toward the end of the 20th century and into the millennium. These high-profile cases involving detainees Inocencio Gonzales, Rolito Go, and Jason Ivler ended in their conviction and sentencing to long prison terms, with their names forever etched in the annals of heinous crimes recorded in the country. A brief refresher. On 2 July 1991, a De La Salle University engineering student was driving on a one-way street in San Juan City, Metro Manila, when he ran into construction firm executive Rolito Go, plying the road from the opposite direction. After a brief altercation, Go shot Eldon Maguan in the head, who died in the aftermath. Go served 25 years in prison before he was released. Seven years later, in the middle of a heated argument over a parking slot, real estate developer Inocencio Gonzales Jr. lost his cool, which led to the fatal shooting of a pregnant woman and the wounding of two younger children with her and her husband at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City on 21 October 1998. Gonzalez was meted a 14-year prison term. In 2009, a nephew of music celebrity Freddie Aguilar, Jason Ivler, shot dead a son of former Malacañang official Renato Ebarle Sr. after a tiff on a Quezon City road. An earlier road incident in 2004 that snuffed the life of another Malacañang official, Nestor Ponce, also pointed to Ivler as the accused in Ponce’s death. A Quezon City court found Ivler guilty of the murder of Renato Ebarle Jr. and sentenced him to 40 years in jail. There are no available statistics on road rage incidents in the Philippines, but observers have noted an alarming increase in recent years. But in the United States, statistics show 413 people were hurt in road rage shootings in 2022, or a 135 percent increase from 2018. US traffic experts say confrontational driving is more often the case that could be caused by traffic conditions, inconsiderate motorists, and high stress levels among motorists with ages ranging from 19 to 39. Not too long ago, two road rage incidents that have gained public attention because of social media posts that had gone viral involved men in uniform. In the viral video of an incident in Quezon City, Wilfredo Gonzales, a policeman dismissed from the service for grave misconduct in 2018, was shown brandishing a gun and threatening a cyclist in a traffic row. Even more controversial was a press conference conducted by the QC police days later that suggested they were “lawyering” for Gonzales, a former QC policeman. The PNP has no mandate to host such a press conference, it was later learned. In a separate incident, a Pasay City policeman, SSgt. Marsan Dolipas was also shown in a video post holding down an armed Angelito Velasquez Rencio, who said he was an Intelligence agent, after a traffic dispute in Makati City when the latter allegedly sideswiped the policeman. Both incidents prompted the usual calls for an investigation. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Rafael Tulfo have called for a Senate probe into the escalation of road rage cases in the country. It is interesting to note that even President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. filed Senate 2923 when he was still a senator back in 2011. The bill “hopes to once and for all stomp rood rage as on unnecessary and reprehensible evil, and define such as a circumstance that could aggravate, or even qualify, on offense occasioned by it. The incidents involve public order and safety, particularly “road sharing,” a concept that they said is often ignored or alien to many Filipino motorists, added the senators. For his part, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, whose jurisdiction includes the control of the PNP, said: “For the sake of a peaceful and orderly society, we cannot allow a culture of impunity. We cannot allow bullies to intimidate people with deadly weapons. There must be consequences here.” Still, the incidents persist. Behavioral scientists attribute road rage to several reasons: A need to control other drivers who violate their space, unchecked anger or aggression, huge egos, or a need to be dominant. Others think the rise in incidents lately came about by the advent of Covid-19 when stress levels reached abnormally unreachable heights caused by depression, the loss of jobs or loved ones to the pandemic, and the inability to cope with such. Solutions have been suggested. Push for continuing driver anger management education. Discard the “it’s the other driver’s fault” excuse. Don’t allow anyone to push your “rage buttons” by staying calm and collected when an altercation appears to be headed your way. Yield to others. These may be easier said than done, but why not take the chance? As an anger management expert said: Realize road rage is ridiculous, life-threatening, and not something you have to participate in — ever. And you can arrive at your destination safe and sure. The post Road rage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Former Bataan gov off the hook
The Sandiganbayan announced on Sunday that it has cleared former Bataan Governor Leonardo Roman of a P3.66-million graft charge stemming from the anomalous construction of a mini-theater at the Bataan State College in 2004. Citing the prosecution’s failure to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the anti-graft court’s Second Division acquitted Roman of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or RA 3019 in a 41-page ruling. “As the prosecution, in this case, failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt all the elements of Section 3(e) of RA 3019 under which the accused was charged, accused Roman should be entitled to an acquittal,” said the Sandiganbayan. To recall, the case against Roman involved the alleged awarding of a P3.66-million mini-theater project of the Bataan State College in 2004 in favor of V.F. Construction despite no allocated budget or appropriation for the project. He was also accused of colluding with his co-accused executive assistant Romeo Mendiola, treasurer Pastor Vichauco, budget officer Aurora Tiambeng, and accountant Numeriano Medina by giving unwarranted benefits to V.F. Construction for the release of the sum. Filed before the Ombudsman, the case stemmed from a complaint-affidavit dated 1 September 2004 accusing Roman and his cohorts of the crime of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents. Roman served as the governor of Bataan from 1986 to 2004. In 2006, the Ombudsman dismissed the complaint for lack of probable cause. The Supreme Court affirmed the Ombudsman’s decision to drop the criminal charge. The Ombudsman, however, filed the case before the Sandiganbayan in 2015 following the SC’s ruling to reverse the criminal charge of graft. Based on the prosecution’s probe, Roman entered a contract with V.F. Construction to construct a mini-theater and rendered his authorizations, approvals, and certifications for the P3.66-million payment. Investigation revealed that Roman certified the project as fully completed and issued the payment to the construction firm in two installments. However, more than five months after the final payment was made to the construction company, the CoA discovered that the mini-theater, contrary to Roman’s declaration, was incomplete. The structure, it said, was only 50.7 percent complete. In clearing Roman, the Sandiganbayan stressed that it was “not convinced” by the prosecution’s theory that the erstwhile governor’s execution of a contract and approval of the payment with the V.F. Construction despite the lapses was tantamount to graft. “The evidence on record is insufficient to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there was bad faith, manifest partially, or gross inexcusable negligence on the part of the accused when he committed the questioned acts,” the Sandiganbayan said. According to the Sandiganbayan, while Roman may have committed mistakes in the performance of his duty, the fact remains that the evidence is insufficient to prove a serious breach of duty that was committed flagrantly, palpably, and with willful indifference or blatant and extremely careless manner. The post Former Bataan gov off the hook appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ex-DA officials ordered arrested
The Sandiganbayan Second Division on Monday announced that it has ordered the arrest of two former Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit IV officials for their alleged involvement in the anomalous procurement of farm equipment worth P5 million without public bidding in 2004. In a resolution dated 3 August but released only over the weekend, the Sandigabayan Second Divison issued warrants of arrest against DA-RFU IV officials Gregorio Sangalang and Marie Paz Jasmine Cabucol, who were indicted of graft and illegal use of public funds or technical malversation. The case against the former DA-RFU IV officials had earlier been ordered archived in the 13 January 2023 court ruling. Sangalang and Cabucol were named co-accused of Ofelia Montilla and Abelardo Bragas, members of the Bids and Awards Committee DA-RFU IV, who were earlier convicted and sentenced to up to eight years behind bars, in addition to their perpetual disqualification from holding public office. The post Ex-DA officials ordered arrested appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DA-Davao officials off the hook
The Sandiganbayan on Monday revealed that it has acquitted five former officials of the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region in relation to the alleged anomalous P4.92-million payments to private suppliers in 2004. In its 44-page decision signed 28 July 2023, the anti-graft court junked the graft cases against regional technical director Romulo Palcon, OIC/administrative officer III Godofredo Ramos, budget officer II Gilda Cordero-Panal, regional accountant Mariflor Garcia, and regional cashiers Rita Retino and Corazon Ebero for the prosecution’s failure to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. To recall, the five DA-Davao region officials were accused of allowing private suppliers Everland Agri Corporation, Mintal Fruit Nursery and Asian Hybrid Technology Inc., to take the payments despite the lack of documentation, among others, in violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act or RA 9184. They allegedly conspired with one another and gave unwarranted benefits to the suppliers by signing Bids and Awards Committee resolutions for the disbursement amounting to P4,916,906 in public funds. However, according to the court’s current decision, the prosecution failed to prove that there was indeed a conspiracy. “On the issue of conspiracy, it is the prosecution that carries this burden of proving its existence... This Court finds that the prosecution failed to fulfill this burden,” said the Sandiganbayan. The anti-graft court also ruled that there was “no showing that the winning bidders conspired or connived with any member of the BAC or any of the accused or whether the accused themselves conspired between and among themselves.” “This alone casts doubt on the culpability of the accused for the crime charged,” it added. The Sandiganbayan also emphasized that it has been consistently demanded that the prosecution bear the burden of proving every element of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, such that a verdict of conviction cannot merely rely on the weakness of the defense but instead on the strength of the prosecution’s evidence. The post DA-Davao officials off the hook appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US actor Kevin Spacey cleared of UK sex offenses
Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey was acquitted on Wednesday in Britain of nine alleged sex offenses, in the latest court victory for the Oscar winner who was one of the first huge stars felled by the #MeToo movement. The star of "American Beauty" and drama series "House of Cards", who turned 64 on Wednesday, was acquitted by majority verdicts in London following a trial lasting several weeks. "I'm enormously grateful to the jury for having taken the time to examine all of the evidence and all of the facts carefully before they reached their decision and I am humbled by the outcome today," he told reporters outside court. It comes less than a year after a New York court dismissed a $40 million sexual misconduct civil lawsuit brought against him, and follows charges of indecent and sexual assault being dropped in Massachusetts in 2019. Spacey's once-stellar career has been halted by the various allegations of sexual offences, which first emerged in 2017 and which he has always denied. The actor told Germany's Die Zeit that he expected to mount a comeback following the acquittal. "I know that there are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges in London," he told the German national weekly. "The second that happens, they're ready to move forward." Madness The jury in London, which began considering the charges on Monday, cleared Spacey of all nine counts that he faced, after more than 12 hours of deliberations. The alleged offences included seven counts of sexual assault, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. They were said to have occurred in 2005 and 2008 in London, and in 2013 in Gloucestershire, western England. Jurors heard evidence from the four alleged victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons. British rock star Elton John was also among those to testify, as a witness for Spacey. The prosecution claimed he was a "sexual bully" who revelled in making others feel uncomfortable, including by aggressively grabbing men's crotches. One of victims, a former aspiring actor, said he woke up to find Spacey performing a sex act on him, suggesting the actor "drugged" him. He was accused of grabbing another man's crotch "so hard" while driving to a fundraising event, that the car nearly came off the road. Spacey, whose full name is Kevin Spacey Fowler, called the claims "madness" and a "stab in the back". He had been on unconditional bail since first being charged in Britain last year, and on Wednesday walked out of the south London court a free man. The Crown Prosecution Service said it had charged him following "a thorough investigation" by London's Metropolitan Police. "It is the role of the jury to consider the charges and we respect the decision of the court," a spokesman added. Career success Spacey enjoyed a highly successful decades-spanning career with roles such as a middle-aged father lusting after a teen in "American Beauty," a serial killer in "Se7en" and the villain in "Superman Returns". He worked as artistic director at London's Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. In 2017 he was one of the first stars caught up in the global #MeToo movement as he was accused of sexual assault by multiple young men. He was dropped from the final season of the political drama "House of Cards" and other projects. A New York court dismissed a $40 million civil sexual misconduct lawsuit brought against him in October last year. The complainant, actor Anthony Rapp, alleged the star had assaulted him when he was 14. He brought the civil case after being told it was too late to bring a criminal charge but failed to convince the jury in that case. In 2019, charges of indecent and sexual assault were dropped against Spacey in Massachusetts. The post US actor Kevin Spacey cleared of UK sex offenses appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Elton John testifies for defense at Spacey sex assault trial
British rock star Elton John on Monday gave evidence as a witness for the defense at the sexual assault trial of Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey. The two-time Oscar winner denies 12 charges concerning four men, including indecent assault, which are alleged to have occurred between 2001 and 2013. Giving evidence via video link from Monaco, the musician, and his husband David Furnish were questioned about Spacey attending an annual ball at their home in Windsor, west of London. One of the alleged victims has accused Spacey of sexually assaulting him while he was driving the actor to the fundraising event, claiming he grabbed "so hard" they nearly came off the road. Spacey, 63, had earlier told the Southwark Crown Court in London that the incident "never happened", adding that he was "not on a suicide mission". He said there had been a mutual flirtation between them and admitted to having touched the man but not in a "violent, aggressive, painful way". Responding to questions from the prosecution, John said he recalled Spacey, dressed in "white tie", attending the fundraising event in the early 2000s. "He was on a flight, he came on a private jet and he came straight to the ball," John told the court, adding that Spacey stayed overnight at their home after the event. "I can't remember him coming after that," John said. Asked if he came straight from the private jet, the singer said, "I assume so, yes". Furnish, who was first to give evidence, also said he remembered Spacey's presence at the social event. "He was an Oscar-winning actor, there was a lot of excitement he was at the ball," the filmmaker told the jury. "Other than attending the ball I have no memory of Kevin coming to the house ever again," he added. 'Like another son' John was among the several celebrities that Spacey mentioned in court when he entered the witness box earlier in the trial. He spoke of giving a ping pong table to actress Judi Dench after they worked on the 2001 film "The Shipping News" together, saying they developed a "lovely friendship". Spacey grew emotional on Monday, dabbing his eyes as the court heard character statements from friends and family. "House" and "Dead Poets Society" star Robert Sean Leonard described Spacey as "positive, supportive, and respectful", while Chris Lemmon, son of "Some Like It Hot" actor Jack Lemmon, said Spacey was "like another son" to his father. Spacey is an Academy Award winner for "The Usual Suspects" and "American Beauty", and was artistic director of London's Old Vic theatre between 2004 and 2015. At the opening of the trial late last month, the prosecution claimed Spacey was a "sexual bully" who reveled in making others feel uncomfortable, including by aggressively grabbing men's crotches. The court has heard from the four alleged victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, one of whom, a former aspiring actor, said he woke up to Spacey performing a sex act on him, suggesting the actor "drugged" him. Last week Spacey in his testimony denied the sexual assault charges and described the prosecution's case against him as "weak". He has previously told the court his world "exploded" when he was first accused of sexual assault several years ago by US actor Anthony Rapp in the United States, adding that he "lost everything in a matter of days". Rapp's allegations were found not proven last year. The trial continues. The post Elton John testifies for defense at Spacey sex assault trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Spacey denies ‘aggressive’ behavior in UK sex assault trial
Kevin Spacey said Thursday he was a "big flirt" but denied any "aggressive" behavior as the Hollywood actor entered the witness box of his sexual assault trial in south London. The Southwark Crown Court has earlier heard the testimony of four men, who cannot be named for legal reasons, accusing Spacey of sexual offenses between 2001 and 2013. One complainant alleged the actor assaulted him multiple times and, in particular, grabbed him while he was driving Spacey to a party, nearly causing him to "come off the road". Spacey in his testimony admitted to having touched the man but said "it didn't happen in a violent, aggressive, painful way". "It was gentle... and it was, in my mind, romantic," Spacey, wearing a dark suit and glasses, told the jury. Spacey claimed there was a mutually flirtatious relationship between them and described himself as a "big flirt". But the alleged victim "made it clear that he did not want to go any further," the 63-year-old actor added. Spacey said he felt "crushed" after the allegations were made against him, saying it was like a "stab in the back". Asked about the testimony of another alleged victim, who accused Spacey of making crude remarks at a celebrity event before grabbing his crotch, Spacey described them as "madness". "I never said any of the things that he claims I said to him and wouldn't and never have to anyone in my life," Spacey said. He also claimed he didn't recognize the complainant when shown a photo of him. Spacey, an Academy Award winner for "The Usual Suspects" and "American Beauty", was the artistic director of London's Old Vic theatre from 2004 to 2015. He has denied three counts of indecent assault, seven counts of sexual assault, and one of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. He has also pleaded not guilty to one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The trial continues. The post Spacey denies ‘aggressive’ behavior in UK sex assault trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US actor Kevin Spacey due in UK court for sex offenses trial
Oscar-winning Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey was due in a London court on Wednesday to stand trial for a dozen sexual offenses which allegedly occurred more than a decade ago. The 63-year-old star of "American Beauty" and drama series "House of Cards" is facing a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in south London. Dozens of photographers and journalists gathered outside the court from 6:30 am (0530 GMT) on Wednesday hoping to catch a glimpse of Spacey, who arrived by taxi with his legal team not long after 8.00am. Walking past the cameras Spacey looked relaxed and gave a small wave, according to an AFP journalist. Spacey has been on unconditional bail since first appearing in court in Britain last year. The actor's stellar career has been halted by large numbers of allegations of sexual offences, although he has not been convicted of any crime. Last year he appeared at London's Old Bailey court to plead not guilty to five offences against three men, including four counts of sexual assault and one of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. They allegedly took place in 2005 and 2008 in London, and in 2013 in Gloucestershire, western England. In November, prosecutors then announced seven additional charges involving another man, taking the total number of counts Spacey faces in the UK to 12. Denial The fresh counts, allegedly committed between 2001 and 2004, comprise three offences of indecent assault, three of sexual assault and one of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. Spacey, whose full name is Kevin Spacey Fowler, appeared at Southwark Crown Court in January to deny all the new charges. He spoke only to confirm his identity and to enter the not guilty pleas. None of the alleged victims can be identified under English law and reporting restrictions prevent further details being disclosed before trial. Spacey enjoyed a highly successful acting career with roles such as a middle-aged father lusting after a teen in "American Beauty," a serial killer in "Se7en" and the villain in "Superman Returns". He worked as artistic director at London's Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. In 2017 he was one of the first stars caught up in the global #MeToo movement and was accused of sexual assault by multiple young men. He was dropped from the final season of the political drama "House of Cards" and other projects. Last year a New York court dismissed a $40 million sexual misconduct lawsuit brought against Spacey. The complainant, actor Anthony Rapp, alleged the star had assaulted him when he was 14. He brought the civil case after being told it was too late to bring a criminal charge. In 2019, charges of indecent and sexual assault were dropped against Spacey in Massachusetts. In court appearances, Spacey has denied all allegations of sexual assault. The post US actor Kevin Spacey due in UK court for sex offenses trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Jordan crown prince weds Saudi architect in lavish ceremony
Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah married Saudi architect Rajwa Al Seif on Thursday in a ceremony attended by royals from across the globe. The ceremony was held in the mid-century Zahran Palace in the capital Amman -- the site of other key royal weddings including that of King Abdullah II to Queen Rania as well as that of his father, the late King Hussein bin Talal. The king's eldest son and Al Seif, both aged 28, tied the knot at a ceremony attended by their families and 140 guests, including US First Lady Jill Biden and the Prince and Princess of Wales. Other notables included the Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, as well as Belgium's King Philippe and Crown Princess Elisabeth and Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary. The highly anticipated nuptials were met by celebrations across Jordan, with thousands gathering to witness the procession in Amman in streets decorated with pictures of the couple and banners. A royal red motorcade, reserved for special occasions, crossed the capital to celebrate the bride and groom. King Abdullah II, aged 61 and on the throne since 1999, has long groomed his eldest son to succeed him, bringing him along to important visits and meetings, former information minister Samih Maaytah previously told AFP. Prince Hussein became heir to the throne in 2009 after his father removed the title from his half-brother Hamzah in 2004. Hamzah would later be placed under house arrest after being accused of attempting a royal coup in 2021 that sent shockwaves through the royal establishment. In April 2022, Hamzah renounced his royal title, saying his own values no longer aligned with those of "our institutions". Jordan enjoys relative stability compared to its Middle East neighbors but has seen protests in recent years as it struggles with economic woes. The World Bank says Jordan is heavily in debt and faces around 23 percent unemployment. The Hashemite kingdom relies extensively on foreign aid. The Jordanian king has wide-ranging political powers in the country of 11 million people, a parliamentary monarchy, and also acts as the supreme leader of the armed forces. Hussein followed in his father's footsteps by attending Britain's Sandhurst Military College and then studying history at Washington's Georgetown University. His bride was born and raised in conservative Saudi Arabia but is also Western-educated, having studied architecture at Syracuse University in New York. See more photos here: The post Jordan crown prince weds Saudi architect in lavish ceremony appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Graft court junks Plaza’s reversal petition
The Sandiganbayan has rejected former Agusan del Sur representative Rodolfo Plaza’s petition to overturn its denial of his earlier motion to dismiss prosecutors’ evidence in connection with his pork barrel fund misuse case. The court ruled that Plaza’s current plea echoes his previously denied motion for leave to file a demurrer to evidence anchored on the same, albeit scantier grounds. “There being no new grounds for which the Court may anchor the reversal of its previous decree, the Court finds no cogent reason to deviate from its prior ruling,” the 13-page resolution promulgated on Friday read. “The Court stands behind its original pronouncement that the evidence presented by the prosecution, if unrebutted, constitutes prima face evidence of guilt sufficient to warrant the conviction of the accused,” it added. The former lawmaker was charged with five counts of graft, five counts of malversation and two counts of direct bribery by the Ombudsman for allegedly funneling his Priority Development Assistance Funds or pork barrel to bogus non-government organizations of businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the scheme. From 2004 to 2010, Plaza allegedly received P42.1 million in commissions, rebates and kickbacks from his PDAF allocations while serving in the House of Representatives. The payoff allegedly occurred at either Napoles’ workplace in Ortigas or his home in Alabang Hills. Plaza was part of the second wave of lawmakers implicated in the PDAF scam and are now facing charges of stealing public funds for “ghost projects” by funneling the money through Napoles’ fake foundations. The post Graft court junks Plaza’s reversal petition appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
13 more women accuse France’s Depardieu of sexual violence
Another 13 women have accused French actor Gerard Depardieu of sexual violence over two decades, investigative website Mediapart has reported, in the latest such allegations against him. The 74-year-old actor, long a star in France before the 1990 film "Green Card" made him a Hollywood celebrity, has through his lawyers categorically denied any wrongdoing. Contacted by AFP, the prosecutor's office on Wednesday said it had not received any new complaints, but that their investigation into 2018 accusations he had raped young French actress Charlotte Arnould was ongoing. Mediapart said Tuesday that 13 other women had also come forward to accuse Depardieu of molesting them on the set of 11 films or series that came out between 2004 and 2022 or in other locations offset. The accusations ranged from "a hand in underwear, on the crotch, on the buttocks or on the breasts" to "obscene sexual remarks" and "insistent grunts", Mediapart said. Even when this alleged abuse happened on set in front of witnesses, when the women complained, crews often laughed it off, saying it was just the actor's way, the investigative website reported. Rape allegation Actress Arnould filed her complaint in the summer of 2018 when she was 22, saying she had been raped twice by Depardieu in his Paris mansion a few days earlier. The actor -- a friend of Arnould's family -- was charged in December 2020 but not jailed. None of the 13 women have filed official complaints, Mediapart said, but three have given testimony to the judiciary. One of them said she did so "to help Charlotte Arnould" and break the silence on such incidents in the filmmaking sector. She told Mediapart she was an extra on the 2015 film "Big House" when Depardieu suddenly slipped his hand into her dress and she "felt his fingers trying to... reach my knickers". After she pushed it back, "he became aggressive. He tried to get past my underwear and finger me. I understood he was no longer acting. If I hadn't stopped him, he would have succeeded," she said. In 1991, Time magazine asked Depardieu about a 1978 interview in Film Comment magazine in which he described his rough childhood and was quoted as saying "I had plenty of rapes, too many to count". Asked if he had participated in the rapes, he told Time that he had. "But it was absolutely normal in those circumstances," the actor said. Depardieu later denied making the remarks and threatened to sue the magazine, but Time refused to retract the passage, saying the interview had been recorded on tape. The post 13 more women accuse France’s Depardieu of sexual violence appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Climate change spurs doubling of disasters since 2000: UN
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Philippines accuses Chinese coastguard of firing water cannons at supply boats
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