150 PDLs granted parole, executive clemency
MANILA - Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officials have cleared the release of 150 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) after they were found to be qualified for either parole or executive clemency."Last Monday, 150 (PDLs of the 1,624) were returned and approved for release. The.....»»
Davao Metro Shuttle declines offer to manage bus system
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) — The Davao Metro Shuttle Corporation has declined the offer of the City Government of Davao to operate the Davao City Public Transport Modernization Project (DCPTMP), a public mass transportation project that will replace the jeepneys with buses, an executive of the bus company said. In an interview at […].....»»
SC allows UN expert to act as friend of the court in Maria Ressa s cyber libel plea
Irene Khan, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion, has been allowed by the Supreme Court (SC) to sit as an "amicus curiae" to the court in the appeal for the cyber libel case of Rappler.com chief executive officer Maria Ressa and former researcher Reynaldo Santos......»»
Former Starbucks exec named Smashburger CEO
The Jollibee Group has appointed a former Starbucks executive to lead its fast-casual better burger brands Smashburger......»»
Marcos grants clemency to 22 PDLs
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has granted executive clemency to 22 persons deprived of liberty (PDL), the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said on Saturday. BuCor said while 20 PDLs were granted commutations of sentences, two were given conditional pardon. They are brothers Alfredo and Leopold Bongcawel. BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said they would.....»»
Marcos grants clemency to 22 inmates
President Marcos has granted executive clemency to 22 inmates, the Bureau of Corrections announced yesterday......»»
Government says no executive clemency for oldest political prisoner
“We ask Secretary Boying Remulla to take a direct hand to ensure the fair implementation of the BPP resolution. Time is not on the side of an 84-year-old in the terribly congested conditions of the NBP." The post Government says no executive clemency for oldest political prisoner appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
DOJ urged: Endorse clemency for oldest political prisoner
Rights group Kapatid has appealed to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to endorse clemency for 84-year-old Gerardo dela Peña, the country’s oldest political prisoner......»»
Remulla asked: Approve clemency of 84-year-old PDL
Political prisoner group Kapatid urged Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to approve the clemency of Gerardo Dela Peña which the group said is the oldest political prisoner in the Philippines. .....»»
DOJ to recommend pardon, executive clemency to 1,000 inmates
The Department of Justice plans to continue its annual program recommending persons deprived of liberty to Malacañang as potential recipients for presidential pardon and executive clemency......»»
‘Palestinian children should be killed’
No, that heartless advice did not come from a mentally deranged man or an ordinary man on the street. It came from a top Filipino diplomat who has worn many hats in government. He is in fact a lawyer, journalist, former Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador to the United Nations, Press Secretary, Congressman, and presently Philippine Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s (United Kingdom) and concurrently Special Envoy to China for special concerns. In my book, those bona fides could easily qualify him as a revered Filipino statesman — but for his indiscretion, uncouth words, and disrespect for the feelings of others. I refer, dear readers, to Teodoro Lopez Locsin Jr. I have to emphasize the descriptive word “Jr.” because, from accounts I have read, he is far different from his namesake, Teodoro Locsin Sr., who fought the Japanese and the dictatorial regime of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., a fearless publisher of the news magazine Philippines Free Press for which he was imprisoned during the Marcos martial law regime. Did the “apple fall far from the tree?” In his Twitter account, Locsin Jr. said: “That’s why Palestinian children should be killed: they might grow up to become as gullible as innocent Palestinians letting Hamas launch rockets at Israel ...They are Muslims...” In the diplomatic community, we call that a faux pas. Perhaps realizing the callousness of his gaffe, he immediately deleted the tweet with the following lame expression of mea culpa: “I immediately deleted my sarcastic response to a tweet as I realized it could be misconstrued ...My apologies to those who did misconstrue my sentiments and did, in fact, get triggered...” That statement did not wash away the disastrous effect of his slip. If one reads between the lines, they were subtle words to camouflage the booboo, not a real entreaty for clemency. His admission of his mistake, though, may work to mitigate the imprudence. Remarkably, the Department of Foreign Affairs, anticipating its far-reaching negative effect, disassociated itself from the statement, saying it was made in Locsin’s “personal capacity.” I wanted to distance this column from the ensuing uproar. But being the de facto medium for Filipino Muslims’ concerns and sentiments on political and social issues, it cannot default from its moral responsibility. I was afraid that repeating the obnoxious remark might gain traction — and psychologists warn about the “repetition-induced truth effect.” I did not want to dignify it. After all, he had shown remorse and apologized for the impropriety of his words, and, as a sage says, “There is no need to beat a dead horse.” But the storm of controversy has spread like wildfire in Morolandia that I have to add my voice of indignation. Silence amid the din of protest is a sin. I have not seen in a long time such a display of revulsion and rage from the Moros, reminiscent of the time foreign invaders came to their shores and, for 300 years, the Moros dug in, resisted, and repelled the hegemonistic colonization campaign. Muslim netizens promptly denounced the statement as xenophobic, insensitive, and unbecoming of a diplomat. Their protest and outcry reverberated from the halls of the Houses of Congress, the Regional Parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to the cramped temporary shanties of the Marawi war evacuees and the shores of the Sulu seas. For a single moment in their lives, the tribes of Morolandia set aside their tribal identities. They spoke in one thunderous voice, calling for a sanction for what they perceived was the misconduct of a diplomat who, to preserve his honor, must perform a Japanese seppuku or self-sacrifice by resigning from his post. Articulating the collective position of the Deputies of the BARMM interim Regional Parliament, Speaker Pangalian Balindong issued a public statement rich in a poignant message condemning the “insensitive and irresponsible social media post ...for its Islamophobic, racist, and anti-Semitic undertones.” (To be continued) amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post ‘Palestinian children should be killed’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US, Iran release prisoners in $6 billion swap deal
The United States and Iran on Monday swapped five prisoners each in one of the arch-foes' first deals in years as Tehran gained access to $6 billion in frozen funds. The five Americans freed by Iran, including one held for eight years, flew out of Tehran in a Qatari jet, hours after the unblocked funds were deposited in accounts also managed by Qatar. The White House said it was "pleased to confirm" the plane carrying the freed Americans had left Doha, Qatar for the United States, and that President Joe Biden had spoken with the families of the Americans in an "emotional call". The five had walked in the setting sun on the tarmac in Doha, three of them with arms around one another's shoulders. One of them praised Biden for ignoring the political backlash and taking the "incredibly difficult decisions" that freed them. "Thank you, President Biden, for ultimately putting the lives of American citizens above politics," Siamak Namazi, a businessman held since 2015, said in a statement. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who spoke to the released Americans by telephone after they landed in Doha, insisted the Biden administration had "no higher priority" than freeing US citizens. "It's very good to be able to say that our fellow citizens are free," Blinken told reporters in New York, where he and Biden are taking part in UN meetings. Two of the Iranian detainees arrived in Qatar, Iranian media said. The other three released by the United States have opted to remain there or in a third country. After quiet discussions led in part by Qatar, the two countries completed the exchange after the transfer of $6 billion in funds, frozen by US ally South Korea. The Biden administration has rejected criticism at home that it is paying "ransom," insisting the money will be used only humanitarian purposes, with a threat to re-freeze the funds if not. But Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani, speaking earlier in Tehran, said the clerical state will have "total access" to the assets. Political risks for Biden Biden's Republican rivals have roundly denounced the deal. Republican Senator Mitt Romney said it would lead to "kidnappings". "The idea of basically paying to release, in this effect, a hostage is a terrible idea," he said. Mindful of political risks, Biden in a statement said he would "continue to impose costs" on Iran and announced sanctions against former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the country's intelligence ministry. The sanctions were imposed over alleged deceit in the disappearance of Bob Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran in mysterious circumstance and is presumed dead. Biden in his statement did not mention that he granted clemency to five Iranians. A US official said that all were convicted or changed with non-violent crimes, with one already set to be released soon. Iran had generated the revenue through oil sales. South Korea froze the funds after Biden's Republican predecessor Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear accord and imposed unilateral US sanctions on buying oil from Iran. Iran's central bank governor said Iran would seek damages from South Korea. "We're making a complaint on behalf of Iran against South Korea for not giving access to these funds and the reduction in value of these funds in order to receive damages," Mohammadreza Farzin said on state television. The five Americans of Iranian descent -- all considered Iranian nationals by Tehran, which rejects dual nationality -- were released to house arrest when the deal was agreed last month. Besides Namazi, they include wildlife conservationist Morad Tahbaz, venture capitalist Emad Sharqi and two others who wished to remain anonymous. All were accused of spying or other crimes that they strongly reject. Tahbaz also holds UK nationality. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Britain was not involved in the deal but that he was "extremely pleased" he was free. A US official said that two more US citizens flew out of Tehran -- Namazi's mother and Sharqi's wife, who were not in prison but had ont been allowed to leave. According to Tehran, the freed Iranians include Reza Sarhangpour and Kambiz Attar Kashani, both accused of violating US sanctions against Tehran. A third prisoner, Kaveh Lotfolah Afrasiabi, was detained at his home near Boston in 2021 and charged with being an Iranian government agent, according to US officials. The two others, Mehrdad Moein Ansari and Amin Hasanzadeh, were said to have links to Iranian security forces. Nudge on nuclear? The swap was the first deal sealed by Biden with Iran's clerical rulers, who toppled the pro-Western shah in 1979 and are deeply hostile to the United States. Biden took office with hopes of restoring the 2015 nuclear agreement, under which Iran promised to constrain its contested nuclear work in return for sanctions relief. But months of talks failed to produce a breakthrough. Prospects to restore the deal sank further after protests broke out almost exactly a year ago in Iran following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for allegedly violating the country's Islamic dress code for women. Blinken said that the release of the prisoners "doesn't speak to anything else in the relationship," with the nuclear issue "a different track." Biden is not expected to meet in New York with Iran's president, Ebrahim Raisi, who arrived Monday. The post US, Iran release prisoners in $6 billion swap deal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore hangs 14th drug convict since last year
Singapore on Wednesday hanged a local man convicted of drug trafficking, officials said, two days before the scheduled execution of the first woman prisoner in the city-state in nearly 20 years. Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, convicted and sentenced to death in 2017 for trafficking "not less than 49.98 grams" (1.76 ounces) of heroin, was executed at Changi Prison, the Central Narcotics Bureau said in a statement. The 57-year-old was the 14th convict sent to the gallows since the government resumed executions in March 2022 after a two-year pause during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hussain's previous appeals against his conviction and sentence had been dismissed, and a petition for presidential clemency was also denied. A woman drug convict, 45-year-old Saridewi Djamani, is scheduled to be hanged on Friday, according to the local rights group Transformative Justice Collective (TJC). She was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 30 grams of heroin. If carried out, Djamani would be the first woman executed in Singapore since 2004, when 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen was hanged for drug trafficking, according to TJC activist Kokila Annamalai. Singapore has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws -- trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis or over 15 grams of heroin can result in the death penalty. Rights watchdog Amnesty International on Tuesday urged Singapore to halt the executions, saying there was no evidence the death penalty acted as a deterrent to crime. "It is unconscionable that authorities in Singapore continue to cruelly pursue more executions in the name of drug control," Amnesty death penalty expert Chiara Sangiorgio said in a statement. Singapore, however, insists that the death penalty has helped make it one of Asia's safest countries. Among those hanged since last year was Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, whose execution sparked a global outcry, including from the United Nations and British tycoon Richard Branson, because he was deemed to have a mental disability. The post Singapore hangs 14th drug convict since last year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Heed our call for Mama’s clemency’ – Mary Jane’s sons to Marcos Jr
Mark Danielle pleaded to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to seek clemency for Mary Jane as she is a victim of human trafficking. “We hope that President Bongbong Marcos will heed our call. We miss her terribly. She is a victim,” Mark Danielle said. The post ‘Heed our call for Mama’s clemency’ – Mary Jane’s sons to Marcos Jr appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
UAE pardon fuels detainees’ hopes
The United Arab Emirates’ decision to pardon three Filipino prisoners, including two on death row, has sparked hope for the Philippines in seeking clemency for other detained overseas Filipino workers. Follow-ups were sent to the Department of Migrant Workers and the Department of Foreign Affairs, and OFW Partylist said on Saturday, regarding measures taken on OFWs on death row in Malaysia, China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Japan. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan granted President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s request made two months ago for a humanitarian pardon to the three convicted Pinoys. Death sentences for drug trafficking were meted out to the two detained, while the other was slapped with a 15-year jail sentence for slander. Filipinos interests protected The OFW Partylist, which has been working with the DMW and DFA to seek compassion from other countries, praised Mr. Marcos’ gesture, saying it highlighted the government’s efforts to look after the welfare of OFWs. “While there is still time, we will take all possible actions to save the lives of our OFWs,” OFW Partylist Rep. Marissa Magsino said in Filipino. “A life-threatening challenge our OFWs have to deal with while working in foreign countries is the risk of being criminally charged, whether with factual basis or merely fabricated, and face the possibility of incarceration or meted the death penalty as the penal laws of the host countries may impose if found guilty,” she said. “Hence, an assessment of the various assistance currently being provided by the government in their legal battles and to alleviate their conditions while in incarceration must be conducted, with the end in view of determining and implementing short- and long-term policies and effective programs of relevant assistance to save their lives and to serve justice,” she added. Last March, the DFA revealed that 83 overseas Filipinos are on death row, most of whose cases were final and executory. A total of 56 cases are in Malaysia, while six are in the United Arab Emirates, five in Saudi Arabia, and 15 in Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, the United States, Japan and Brunei. Mary Jane Veloso, who was supposed to be executed in April 2015 but was spared at the last minute to testify against the recruiters who had tricked her into smuggling heroin, is the most high-profile of the Filipinos awaiting execution. The post UAE pardon fuels detainees’ hopes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
After five years, Veloso family spends two days with Mary Jane
“I hope she will be given clemency at the soonest possible time so we can be together. Our life in the Philippines may be simple, but what’s important is that we are together.” The post After five years, Veloso family spends two days with Mary Jane appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
PBBM takes up Mary Jane Veloso case with Widodo
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revealed on Thursday that he asked the Indonesian government to review the case of Mary Jane Veloso, who was convicted as a drug courier. While on his way to Manila from Labuan Bajo, the Chief Executive told the reporters onboard PR001 that he talked briefly about Veloso's case with Indonesian President Joko Widodo during the 42nd ASEAN Summit. However, Marcos said he was not able to discuss the matter thoroughly with his Indonesian counterpart. “I mentioned it but we were not able to discuss it because, as you can imagine, the President was very busy,” Marcos said. “However, at some point when we were near each other, I was able to say that we are still working hard on that case. That was also his response," Marcos added. Widodo told Marcos on the sidelines that Indonesia must adhere to its laws. “The best that we can do I suppose is for the Indonesian authorities to reexamine the case as a favor to the Philippines,” Marcos said. “That was the only thing we talked about, not more than that,” Marcos added. Earlier, the Chief Executive said the Philippine government would continue to work for commutation of sentence or pardon for Veloso. In 2015, Veloso was found guilty of drug trafficking and received a death sentence when 2.6 kilograms of heroin were discovered sewn into her luggage in 2010. Veloso claimed innocence and said the luggage was provided to her by her recruiters, Maria Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao. During Marcos Jr.'s three-day state visit to Indonesia last year, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo made a formal request to his Indonesian counterpart for executive clemency to be granted to Veloso. The post PBBM takes up Mary Jane Veloso case with Widodo appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bongbong to appeal Veloso case
INDONESIA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday the Philippine government will persist in its efforts to appeal to Indonesia to reduce or even forgive the sentence of Mary Jane Veloso, a drug courier who has been imprisoned in the country. In a media interview, Marcos said he would raise Veloso’s case to Indonesian President Joko Widodo when they meet here. “We haven’t really stopped. The impasse is that we continue to ask for a commutation or even a pardon or extradition back to the Philippines. That is constantly there,” Marcos said. “But the Indonesians answer us that this is the law.” To recall, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo requested Indonesia in September 2022 to grant Veloso executive clemency when he met with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on the sidelines of President Marcos’s state visit to Indonesia. “They’ve already given us a postponement. But that doesn’t mean it’s done. I will always, I’ll always at least bring it up. Maybe, just maybe, there might be changes,” Marcos said. In 2010, Veloso was found guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced to death after being caught in possession of 2.6 kilograms of heroin in Yogyakarta. She denied that the drugs were hers, saying a man she had met asked her to carry the bag to Indonesia. Cesar and Celia Veloso, Veloso’s parents, had asked Marcos to plead for clemency from Widodo, the authority who imposed the sentence. The post Bongbong to appeal Veloso case appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM to ask for Veloso commutation of sentence
INDONESIA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday that the Philippine government would persist in its efforts to appeal to Indonesia to reduce the sentence of – or even forgive – Mary Jane Veloso, a drug courier who has been *imprisoned* here. The Chief Executive made this statement in a media interview after he was asked if he would raise Veloso's case when he meets Indonesian President Joko Widodo here for the 42nd ASEAN Summit. "We haven't really stopped. The impasse is that we continue to ask for a commutation or even a pardon or extradition back to the Philippines. That is constantly there," Marcos said. "But the Indonesians answer us that this is the law," Marcos added. To recall, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo asked Indonesia in September 2022 to grant Veloso executive clemency – or the power of a president to reduce or forgive the punishment of someone convicted of a crime – when he met Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on the sidelines of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s state visit to Indonesia. "They've already given us postponement. But that doesn't mean it's done. I will always, I'll always at least bring it up. Maybe, just maybe, there might be changes," Marcos said. In 2010, Veloso was found guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced to death after being caught in possession of 2.6 kilograms of heroin in Yogyakarta. Cesar and Celia, Veloso's parents, had requested Marcos to plead for clemency from Widodo, the authority who imposed the sentence. The post PBBM to ask for Veloso commutation of sentence appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore hangs prisoner over 1 kg of cannabis
Singapore on Wednesday hanged a prisoner convicted of conspiracy to smuggle one kilogram of cannabis, authorities said, ignoring international calls for the city-state to abolish capital punishment. The execution took place despite a plea by the United Nations Human Rights Office for Singapore to "urgently reconsider" the hanging and calls by British tycoon Richard Branson to halt it. "Singaporean Tangaraju Suppiah, 46, had his capital sentence carried out today at Changi Prison Complex," a spokesman for the Singapore Prisons Service told AFP. Tangaraju was convicted in 2017 of "abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic" 1,017.9 grams (35.9 ounces) of cannabis, twice the minimum volume required for a death sentence in Singapore. He was sentenced to death in 2018 and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision. Branson, a member of the Geneva-based Global Commission on Drug Policy, wrote Monday on his blog that Tangaraju was "not anywhere near" the drugs at the time of his arrest and that Singapore may be about to put an innocent man to death. Singapore's Home Affairs Ministry responded Tuesday that Tangaraju's guilt had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The ministry said two mobile phone numbers that prosecutors said belonged to him had been used to coordinate the delivery of the drugs. In many parts of the world -- including neighboring Thailand -- cannabis has been decriminalized, with authorities abandoning prison sentences, and rights groups have been heaping pressure on Singapore to abolish capital punishment. The Asian financial hub has some of the world's toughest anti-narcotics laws and insists the death penalty remains an effective deterrent against trafficking. But the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights disagrees. "The death penalty is still being used in a small number of countries, largely because of the myth that it deters crime," the OHCHR said in a statement Tuesday. Tangaraju's family pleaded for clemency while also pushing for a retrial. Wednesday's execution was the first in six months and 12th since last year in the city-state. Singapore resumed executions in March 2022 after a hiatus of more than two years. Among those hanged was Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, whose execution sparked a global outcry, including from the United Nations and Branson, because he was deemed to have a mental disability. The United Nations says the death penalty has not proven to be an effective deterrent globally and is incompatible with international human rights law, which only permits capital punishment for the most serious crimes. The post Singapore hangs prisoner over 1 kg of cannabis appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
580 PDLs released by BuCor
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla yesterday expressed elation over the release of 580 persons deprived of liberty which is equivalent to or about one percent of the total population of the bureau’s prison facilities nationwide. Remulla said he was happy when he learned that 580 inmates will be released and the number is almost one percent of the total PDLs population of the BuCor. Records of the BuCor show that those released included 353 who were granted parole; 65 who got acquitted; eight who were granted probation; one who got released through the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus; and 146 whose maximum jail sentences have expired including those with good conduct and time allowance. There were 213 PDLs released from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City; 31 from the Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog, Leyte; 69 from the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City; 23 from the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro; 39 from the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan; 159 from the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte; and 46 from the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City. Department of Justice Undersecretary Sergio Calizo Jr., chairperson of the Board of Pardons and Parole, said that last March there were 616 PDLs who were granted parole. He said in the history of the BPP, the release of PDLs yesterday was the biggest number of inmates who were granted parole in a single month. Calizo assured that the BPP will always be supportive of Secretary Remulla’s efforts to decongest the BuCor’s prison facilities nationwide. He said the BPP will continue its prison and jail visits at the national penitentiary, colonies and provincial jails to personally interview PDLS seeking parole and executive clemency. He added that the BPP is the only government agency that offers parole to PDLs and the government agency that recommends executive clemency, commutation of sentence, and condition and absolute pardon to the President. The post 580 PDLs released by BuCor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»