Carpio: Pagpapatupad ng Hague ruling sa WPS, ‘di kailangan ipaalam ng Pinas sa Tsina
MANILA, Philippines – HINDI kailangan ng Pilipinas na magpaalam pa sa China para igiit nito ang karapatan sa West Philippine Sea (WPS). “To exert or enforce the arbitral award, the Philippines does not need the consent of China. The arbitral award by itself affirms the PH can exclusively exploit the national resource in the EEZ […] The post Carpio: Pagpapatupad ng Hague ruling sa WPS, ‘di kailangan ipaalam ng Pinas sa Tsina appeared first on REMATE ONLINE......»»
From the Newsrooms: March 10 to 16, 2024
THE STATE of the ruling alliance has taken back the news spotlight as the President and his predecessor engaged in yet another sharp exchange, suggesting that all is not well in Team Unity. The depth of hostility between the two remains the subject of public speculation.The media this week reported yet another back-and-forth between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the former president, Rodrigo Duterte. The ex.....»»
ICC can t probe Philippines drug war, Marcos tells Germany s Scholz
MANILA, The Philippines: This week, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no authority to probe the bloody war against drugs conducted by his predecessor. Marcos discussed the Hague-based ICC's probe during a bilateral meeting with Scholz while visiting Germany. Former President Rodrigo Duterte officially withdrew from the i.....»»
Retired SC Justice Carpio on ChaCha: “it’s a fraud … we have to oppose this”
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 February) – The aim of those who want to change the 1987 Constitution is political rather than economic and this “fraud” must be exposed in various fora and in campuses, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said on Sunday. “It’s a fraud. That’s why we have to oppose […].....»»
[WATCH] Carpio on People’s Initiative: ‘Nothing to do with economic provisions’
'There is no law to implement the people’s initiative clause of the Constitution,' Carpio tells Rappler.....»»
Philippines still has an obligation to cooperate with the ICC — Carpio
Carpio referenced the 2021 case of Pangilinan et al. vs. Cayetano et. al. where the Supreme Court dismissed the petitions to make the withdrawal of the Philippines from the ICC invalid. .....»»
SC asked: Declare secret funds unconstitutional
Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio led other legal professionals yesterday in filing a petition asking the SC to declare the allocation, release and disbursement of confidential funds as unconstitutional......»»
‘Reed Bank issue first before environment case vs China’
The Philippine government should first resolve the situation on Reed Bank before it files its environmental case against China on the damage to marine resources, including coral reefs, former Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio has suggested......»»
High expectations from winners (4)
Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio took very seriously the job given to her by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to prepare a curriculum relevant to producing competent, job-ready, active, and responsible citizens. In her report on basic education in the Philippines, she revealed in detail the problems confronting it, the teachers, and learners; and crafted means to overcome them, guided by the Constitution and the convention on the rights of the child, reaffirming our country’s commitment to improving the quality of basic education in the Philippines. “The four learners at home — one in kindergarten, one in Grade 4, one in Grade 7, and one in Grade 9 — enable me to see different kinds of problems being experienced by learners every day.” “In my work as Secretary of Education, I am in the company of 28 million Filipino learners throughout the country. I can see numerous problems faced by them every day.” “Four learners at home, plus 28 million more throughout the land, these, my countrymen, make my interest in the future of Philippine education a very personal matter.” “Filipino learners are not academically proficient. In time, Filipino learners experience emotional abuse and exhaustion. Some of them suffer from psychological fatigue. And being academically insecure, many of them may fail to meet the standards of a demanding and competitive world. These are caused and triggered by conditions present at home, in our communities, and even in our schools as a result of problems ingrained in our system. This is the truth. This is our future. But this is a future that we can change. That is why we are here.” “We have to take good care of our teachers. They are the lifeblood of the Department of Education. Without our teachers, our mission to carve a better future for our children will fail.” “And to empower our learners with the relevant skills and knowledge, we shall focus on upscaling their knowledge and capacities as public servants. The assessment of the K-12 curriculum revealed the weak teaching methods of our teachers in addressing 21st-century skills. Studies done by the Research Center of Teacher Quality, the World Bank, and UNICEF showed that our teachers need further support, particularly in explicitly and strategically teaching critical thinking and problem-solving skills.” “While critical thinking was the most evident in the curriculum, it was also the least taught to students by the teachers. Instead, lessons leaned towards conceptual or content-based teaching. And lessons lacked in-depth processing to cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving. Finally, there appears to be insufficient knowledge on developing 21st-century skills, including higher-order thinking skills among learners. This is not the fault of our teachers—whose dedication, integrity, and commitment to serving Filipino children and the country strengthen our collective effort to achieve our shared dreams for our learners. The sad reality is that the system has failed them.” “This is the system that burdens them with backbreaking and time-consuming administrative tasks, a system that provides no adequate support and robs them of the opportunity to professionally grow and professionally teach, assist and guide our learners.” “Our teachers must return to our classrooms and they must teach.” Studies and tests were conducted to measure the literacy of the learners. It was discovered that the issue of literacy is alarming in our basic education. We must address it appropriately and effectively. The 2018 study results showed that 81 percent of Filipino learners could not deal with basic math problems, 81 percent had trouble understanding texts of moderate length, and 78 percent could not recognize correct explanations for scientific phenomena or draw valid conclusions from given data. “We can do better than this,” Sara said. “We are better than this. Studies like these are opportunities for us to thoroughly examine our system and defects that hurt our children’s abilities.” (To be continued) The post High expectations from winners (4) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Carpio debunks China lie about owning Spratlys
If you have facts on your side, pound the facts; if you have law on your side, pound the law; if you have neither facts nor law, pound the table......»»
PSID exhibit showcases cross-cultural designs
The Philippine School of Interior Design-Ahlen Institute Inc. resumes its tradition of showcasing the works of its graduating students through a public exhibition three years after being interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Batch 2023’s Phusion exhibit opened last 2 October at the Greenfield Tower in Mandaluyong City and will run every day until the end of the month. “The residential spaces you enter feature cross-cultural design,” the institute’s dean, Dr. Carol Peña, said in her message to exhibition-goers. “Through this theme, PSID-Ahlen aims to showcase how culture influences interior design — and conversely, how interior design exemplifies culture — through the creative adaptation of various design elements and the reimagination of layout.” At the press launch held last Thursday, DAILY TRIBUNE had a walk-through with exhibit guide Jade Vinco, a fourth-year student on the publicity and promotions committee. The exhibit, which serves as the final requirement for graduation, has 12 booths divided among 44 students with a maximum of five members per grouping. For inspiration, each group was given a client, either solo or a couple, representing the mixed cultures they would be fusing to create a unique design for a pre-assigned house area. The students shouldered their expenses with some help from sponsors. [caption id="attachment_193559" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘Per Ankh’ Antoinette Nicole Mercado, Joana Mannel Lipana, Katrin Miriel Araja, Janiz Karen Adlawan and Katrina Marie Balkin. | PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOCELYN VALLE FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE[/caption] Filipino x Egyptian: ‘Per Ankh’ Antoinette Nicole Mercado, Joana Mannel Lipana, Katrin Miriel Araja, Janiz Karen Adlawan and Katrina Marie Balkin chose to name their booth from the ancient Egyptian symbol per ankh, meaning “key of life.” But they came up with a very contemporary and homey take on the melding of cultures between a newlywed couple, one Filipino and the other Egyptian, as their clients. Thus, the choices and placements of cultural references — (from the Philippines) Malakas at Maganda, the Bulul and (from Egypt) pyramid pharaoh — look like personal belongings rather than museum pieces. The writings in hieroglyphics (meaning “ikaw at ako, habangbuhay”) and Baybayin (meaning “ikaw ang tahanan”) also make complementary effect. Another well-thought-out cultural fusion is exemplified by the pair of Egyptian interlocking chairs with cushions made of Maranao malong and a backrest in solihiya. [caption id="attachment_193561" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘Buhay Ubuntu’ by Sofia Pascual, Cheska Mendoza, Sophia Chelsea Yling and Chloe Carpio.[/caption] Filipino x South African: ‘Buhay Ubuntu’ Sofia Pascual, Cheska Mendoza, Sophia Chelsea Yling and Chloe Carpio discovered the Philippines has many things in common with South Africa. The acacia tree, for instance, is where animals hide in safaris. That’s why they chose a dining set made in solid acacia wood and had it shaped round so their clients, a retired couple, could have a “personal dining experience with their guests.” They also took note of the similarities of Bahay Kubo to the traditional Tswana and Sotho huts in South Africa. Thus, the thatched roofs are made from synthetic materials. The other materials, though, are natural as both cultures utilize what they can find from their surroundings. [caption id="attachment_193562" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘FILLENIUM’ by Michelle Bagro, Rovina Manuel, Rosana Bandola and Romeo Gabriel Conge.[/caption] Filipino x American: ‘Fillenium’ Michelle Bagro, Rovina Manuel, Rosana Bandola and Romeo Gabriel Conge felt challenged designing a kitchen for their client, a Filipino-American in his 20s with a partner who’s a chef. The American influence is so prevalent that they had difficulties zeroing in on just one aspect. They finally decided to focus on the Hollywood Regency style born during the golden era of the world’s movie capital from the 1920s to the 1950s. Thus, the bold colors, specifically blue, with metallic accents and, of course, the iconic black-and-white tiles. A giant pair of kutsara’s tinidor serves as a centerpiece for some Pinoy reference and perhaps humor. [caption id="attachment_193550" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘Relajarse’ by Maui Severino.[/caption] Filipino-Nicaraguan: ‘Relajarse’ Maui Severino opted to singlehandedly conceptualize the booth she’s named after the Spanish word for “relax.” She has an actual client — her aunt, a nurse married to a Nicaraguan and currently based in Hawaii. The bathroom she designed comes with a walk-in closet. It also has gold accents because “gold is Nicaragua’s main export.” Then there are Filipino elements, such as solihiya cabinets and closets, as well as ceilings made of abaca. Plus, the potted Monstera Deliciosa plants. It feels like being transported into Central or Latin America. Filipino x Brazilian: ‘A Diversao’ Irish Monique Cube, Reichel Alessandra Baytan and Chey De Guzman confessed to breaking away from their usual muted colors to vibrant hues in designing the den for their client. They then chose Brazilian elements with an organic connection with nature and colors inspired by the Amazon. From the Filipino side, they decided to use natural elements and materials. Thus, the padded walls and banig ceilings also serve as sound absorbers as their clients love music and to party. Filipino-French: ‘L’Amour du Monde Entier’ Alma Marie Lacman, Glovelle Palileo, Kristin Dominique Ramos and Sophia Ejercito designed a decidedly fused Filipino and French design for their client, a supermodel now married to a French national. They mixed the airiness and spaciousness of the French design with the Filipino references. Check out the Luna painting and the Banaue Rice Terraces. Filipino x Scandinavian: ‘Lagom’ Stephen Michael Chan, Maria Beatriz Guiterrez, Nicolette Lee and Carl Lois Mico cleverly and beautifully melded Filipino and Scandinavian elements to create an inviting and exciting dining area. There are mixed dining chairs, including a bench inspired by the bangko. For drama, there’s an accent wall, where, at first glance, “medyo nakatago pa ang accessories,” and then the Filipino elements are revealed. Then there’s a daybed at the back because Filipinos love to have a siesta after a meal. Filipino-English: ‘A Bachelor’s Tavern’ Regine Calupitan, Marielle Marzan, Izabela Galanto and Ailene Carino designed a British kitchen for their client, a Filipino-English rugby player. Thus, the choice of the Chesterfield furniture, which the aristocrats prefer because their clothes don’t get creased. The ambiance also resembles a pub but is elevated. Filipino-Italian: ‘Semantika’ Jana Loise Cruz, Sophia Denise Ignacio and Jeyna Francesa Meria were inspired by their clients’ love story that started in the heart of Milan in designing a romantic and opulent bathroom. They chose accent pieces highlighting both cultures’ craftsmanship and went for an open layout. There’s a bathtub because Italians supposedly love long baths and a garden outside to invite nature in. [caption id="attachment_193555" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘YAKKA’ by Kharen Urbano, Franchesca Eunice Co, Kristine Sempio and Kat Calloy.[/caption] Filipino-Australian: ‘Yakka’ Kharen Urbano, Franchesca Eunice Co, Kristine Sempio and Kat Calloy designed an office-cum-den that can be used for a studio condo unit. There’s a working station for the client who runs his own business. Then there’s a spot for relaxation with a hammock to boot! They also used wildlife and Outback inspirations and an original artwork echoing the Great Barrier Reef. [caption id="attachment_193557" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘PearL of the Orient Meet Prosperity’ by Victor Flores, Kaila Laido, Sophia Serrano and Jade Vinco[/caption] Filipino-Japanese: ‘Peart of the Orient Meet Prosperity’ Victor Flores, Kaila Laido, Sophia Serrano and Jade Vinco decided on a round concept for the bedroom they designed for their client. They explained that there’s a round shape in both the Philippine and Japanese flags. The number eight is also considered in Japanese culture. [caption id="attachment_193564" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘KANLUNGAN’ by Karen Cabalquinto, Isobel Merici Dator, Erica Leona Chua and Sheina Rose Gina[/caption] Filipino-Persian: ‘Kanlungan’ Karen Cabalquinto, Isobel Merici Dator, Erica Leona Chua and Sheina Rose Gina opted for a Filipino name to call their booth as it perfectly describes the coziness of the bedroom they designed for their client, who has two kids. They said having a bedroom with two sections in Iran is customary, so they did exactly that. They also used Persian floral patterns and other elements, Filipino elements, such as mahogany wood and Bulacan pattern furniture. The post PSID exhibit showcases cross-cultural designs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Topacio: ‘President Arroyo has done no wrongdoing during her term’
The camp of Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo deemed "baseless" the graft and malversation raps filed against the former president before the Ombudsman last week, accusing her of abuse of discretion over the disbursement of P38.807 billion in Malamapya funds during her presidency. Arroyo's legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, said that while they have yet to receive the copy of the complaint-- and learned about it through the news-- they have no doubt that the accusations will be disproven. "Suffice it to state that based on newspaper reports, the complainant admits that the funds concerned were used for public purposes," the lawyer said. "In accordance with settled legal principles, Pres. Arroyo has done no wrongdoing during her term, and we are confident that these charges will be proven false, in the same manner, that other accusations made before them have been shown to be baseless," he said. Topacio was referring to a 34-page complaint filed by National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms or NASECORE president Petronilo "Pete" Ilagan and Boses ng Konsyumer Alliance Inc. president Rogelio Reyes, suing Arroyo of 96 counts each of graft and malversation. The complainants cited irregularities in the utilization of Malampaya funds during Arroyo's incumbency, specifically the realigning of the revenues to finance government projects for which the funds were not intended. Arroyo was the Philippine president from 2001 to 2010. Ilagan and Reyes accused Arroyo of taking advantage of her post in allowing the use of P38.807 billion of Malampaya funds for purposes other than the avowed intention of Presidential Decree 910 and as highlighted by a 2017 special audit on the fund by the Commission on Audit. PD 910, signed in 1976, mandates that the profits from Malampaya remitted to the government should be used to finance energy resource development and exploration activities. However, it also stipulates that Malampaya earnings can also be used for "other purposes as directed by the President," which the complainants argued was abused by Arroyo. "Respondent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo whimsically took the opportunity of the said law's inadequacy and deliberately twisted the interpretation of the said provision to mean that she, as President, had the discretion to use the Malampaya Fund for whatever purpose she deemed fit," the complainants said. Ilagan and Reyes heavily emphasized Arroyo's command to direct the Malampaya funds to agricultural and irrigation programs, disaster rehabilitation, transport projects, national security activities, and cash assistance to the transport sector under the Pantawid Pasada Program, which they claimed was entirely unrelated to energy development. "In short, the Malampaya fund became a discretionary fund of the Office of the President, and disbursements therefrom became subject of whims and caprice of the respondent without regard to the purpose and policy of Presidential Decree No. 910," the complainants said of Arroyo. In the meantime, Topacio expressed their intention to defer it to the justice system and thereafter present a counterargument against the charges in due time. Arroyo and three of her Cabinet secretaries were previously sued for plunder by the National Bureau of Investigation before the Ombudsman for purportedly stealing a P900-million Malampaya fund intended for the impoverished back-to-back typhoon victims in 2009. She was cleared of the charges in 2016 following then-Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales' verdict that the NBI "failed to prove" that they colluded in the illegal diversion of Malampaya fund. The post Topacio: ‘President Arroyo has done no wrongdoing during her term’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
VP Duterte and partners release turtle hatchlings at Cleanergy Park
Aboitiz Power Corporation subsidiary Davao Light and Power Co. Inc., with the participation of Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio, oversaw the release of 152 hawksbill sea turtle hatchlings at Aboitiz Cleanergy Park in Punta Dumalag, Matina Aplaya, Davao City. The released turtle hatchlings came from the third of five nests found this year at the park. In total, over 7,993 hatchlings have been released from the area since 2014. Besides the Office of the Vice President, the distribution utility was joined by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine Coast Guard, non-governmental organizations or NGOs and schools and universities, who had their students do the releasing. [caption id="attachment_185477" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Davao Light president and COO Rodger S. Velasco and Davao Light community relations manager Fermin Edillon show VP Sara Duterte-Carpio one of the rescued sea turtles at Cleanergy Park.[/caption] “Karamihan ng mga adult turtles na nakukuha natin sa dagat ay meron silang mga problema dahil nakakakain sila ng mga plastic. Kaya importante na maintindihan ng mga bata ang life cycle ng turtles at gaano kahirap sila mabuhay,” Duterte-Carpio said. (Most adult turtles that we get from the seas have problems because they inadvertently consume plastic [waste]. That is why it is important to have children understand the life cycle of turtles and the difficult lives they have.) While only a few turtles will survive into adulthood, conservation efforts and proper waste management remain important to ensure that these endangered creatures can thrive in the oceans. According to the World Wildlife Fund, sea turtles help maintain the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs. In particular, hawksbill sea turtles live on coral reefs and eat the overgrown sponges that suffocate slow-growing corals, resulting in a healthy reef. They also help prevent the overpopulation of jellyfishes in the ocean. "We’re honored that VP Sara joined the event and showed her support for pawikan (turtle) conservation efforts,” said Davao Light reputation enhancement department head Fermin Edillon. Edillon added that it was Duterte-Carpio, when she was still mayor of Davao City, who signed a joint memorandum of agreement with DENR-Region XI and Davao Light establishing Aboitiz Cleanergy Park as a pawikan rescue center in the Davao region. Currently, there are seven rescued adult pawikan of varying species under the care of Aboitiz Cleanergy Park. These include five hawksbill sea turtles, as well as a green sea and an olive ridley turtle. They are provided veterinary care and are being observed at the facility until they are fully recovered and can be released back into the wild. The eight-hectare ecological preserve and biodiversity conservation site is managed by Davao Light and Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Since its launch in 2014, it serves as a protected nesting ground of the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle and a home to more than 100 species of endemic and migratory birds and other marine life. Aboitiz Cleanergy Park also actively promotes decarbonization in an urban area, showcasing a mangrove reforestation site, nursery and botanical garden for the propagation of multiple native tree species. The post VP Duterte and partners release turtle hatchlings at Cleanergy Park appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PNP-IAS recommends dismissal of 8 Navotas cops over Jemboy’s slay
The Philippine National Police on Friday said its Internal Affairs Service has recommended the dismissal of eight police officers in connection with the “unjust killing” of 17-year-old Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar Navotas City last month. In a television interview, PNP-IAS Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo said they have submitted to the National Capital Region Police Office the recommendation for dismissal from the service of Executive Master Sgt. Roberto Balais Jr.; Staff Sergeants Antonio Bugayong Jr., Gerry Maliban and Nikko Pines Esquillon; Cpl. Edmard Jake Blanco; and Pat. Benedict Mangada. Triambulo said team leaders Captains Mark Joseph Carpio and Luisito Dela Cruz were also included in the recommendation for dismissal for serious grave neglect of duty. Carpio and Luisito “did not personally supervise” their team during the police operation which led to the case of mistaken identity. “The IAS recommendation for those involved in the death of the minor Jemboy is dismissal from the service. These six admitted that they really fired their guns and according to the witness, were directly aimed at Jemboy so this is the reason why the minor died because he was hit by a bullet),” Triambulo said in Filipino. These police officers will have benefits forfeited upon dismissal. Also, their eligibility would be revoked, and would be perpetually disqualified from holding any other government posts. ### The post PNP-IAS recommends dismissal of 8 Navotas cops over Jemboy’s slay appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Walang (Mag)saysay
During one of the many well-publicized Senate hearings in the aftermath of the infamous Mamasapano Massacre in 2015 that led to the murder of 44 Special Action Force troopers, one Miriam Coronel-Ferrer was grilled by an irate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. Coronel-Ferrer was then chairman of the Aquino Government’s peace panel that had signed an accord with the Muslim rebels on the establishment of a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, an agreement widely regarded as having signed away a lot of our Republic’s prerogatives in favor of armed Islamic insurgents. Senator Cayetano demanded to know from Coronel-Ferrer why the government dragged its feet in providing artillery support and reinforcements to the trapped policmen, to which she notoriously replied, “The policy of the government is to first negotiate with the armed groups fighting with state forces.” To this, Cayetano replied, “No government in the world negotiates with terrorists.” Coronel-Ferrer’s response left most in the Senate gallery dumbfounded when she said, “I know of no such policy.” Yet here she is, one of this year’s Magsaysay Awardees. Ironic it is that an award founded in honor of one of the best-loved Presidents this country has ever had, would be given to an underling of someone who would become one of the most hated in Philippine history (after a string of scandals such as the Luneta hostage fiasco, “Yolanda” and Dengvaxia, among many others). Even more ironic is that she is being given the award for her supposed “transformative power of non-violent strategies,” when all that she succeeded in transforming was forty-four elite police personnel into corpses due to the appalling display of violence of a rebel movement she greatly enabled. She also almost transformed our Republic into a dismembered state; thank heavens the backlash from the massacre caused the agreement she brokered to be shelved in favor of one much less onerous to the Philippines. But what is to expected of an award-giving body co-opted by Yellowtards, as a quick look at the roster of its chairman and trustees will readily reveal. Composed of men and women with strong ties either to Mrs. Cory Aquino and/or her anointed successor, Fidel Ramos, these people either served in the Cabinet or important agencies of one or the other President; or had enjoyed — or are still enjoying — high positions in big corporations supportive of the Aquino Yellow narrative. So it should be of no wonder that these denizens of the same echo chamber would exhibit the proclivity, remarkably endemic to the Aquino clique, of giving awards and accolades to each other. As if that would somehow compensate for the fact that the narrative that has kept them in power for more than 30 years had been totally demolished. Just note the decorations given to Leni after she lost, from fellowships to doctor’s degrees honoris causa to trophies for this and that dubious achievement. Such a pity that the Magsaysay Awards should so decline in prestige. It used to be an important recognition for Asian leaders, counting among its Filipino awardees the likes of Francisca Aquino, Rosa Rosal, F. Sionil Jose, Lino Brocka, Dr. Fe del Mundo, Nick Joaquin, James Reuter, Bienvenido Lumbera and Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Yet, like many others touched by the Yellow reverse-Midas touch, what used to be gold is turning to crap, with Yellow stalwarts Jesse Robredo, Sheila Coronel, Conchita-Carpio Morales, Haydee Yorac and Hilario Davide among the list. Cringy, especially since among those who have previously received the honor were the Dalai Lama, Thai Premier Anand Panyarachun, Mochtar Lubis, Akira Kurosawa, Ravi Shankar and Mother Teresa. To use an overworn cliché, President Magsaysay would be turning in his grave to know that his eponymous award has become another way for those in the same political group to pat themselves on the back. Its value has depreciated and, if the trend is not arrested, it will soon be irrelevant, a case of walang saysay. The post Walang (Mag)saysay appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Contempt order vs 3 Navotas cops involved in Jemboy Baltazar slay lifted
The Senate committee on public order on Wednesday has lifted the contempt order against Navotas police officers who were detained in the Senate for allegedly evading the senators’ questions in the killing of 17-year-old Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar. Senator Ronald “Bato ruled the lifting of contempt order on Police Capt. Juanito Arabejo, Staff Sgt. Gerry Maliban, and Police Capt. Mark Joseph Carpio. This was after Senator Risa Hontiveros made the motion, allowing the transfer of these police officers to the custody of the PNP National Headquarters. Maliban was earlier cited in contempt along with Carpio on 22 August after the senators found the two to be evasive during the questioning on the truth behind Baltazar’s “mistaken identity” case. Arabejo, meanwhile, was cited in contempt after the Senate panel found out that he skipped the paraffin tests for the six suspects involved in Baltazar's death. During the same hearing, teenager Sonny Boy Augustilo, Baltazar’s friend, said a Navotas cop punched him three times and threatened him when he was brought to the police station. “Pinagsusuntok po nila ako sa tagiliran ko po… Tatlong beses lang pero malalakas (I was punched on the side…Three times only, but strong),” he recalled. Senator Risa Hontiveros asked if he knew who the police officer was, Augustilo did not get the name but he will be able to recognize the cop if he sees the officer’s face. Augustilo was further asked to describe the assailant. He said cop as was a small man with a mustache and worn civilian clothes. “Nakita ko po kaso po hindi ko po siya masyadong kilala sa pangalan pero sa mukha po kilala po. Naka-sibilyan po siya non eh. Naka tokong, tapos naka jacket (I saw the face but I don’t know the name but I can recognize him. He was in civilian clothes. He was wearing shorts and a jacket),” the teenager responded, noting that Police Captain Mark Joseph Carpio knows the cop who assaulted him. However, Carpio said they do not have a police officer who fits the description described by the boy. Augustilo also testified that Police Staff Sergeant Gerry Maliban threatened him and forced him to confess about the robber in their area. “Si Maliban. Sabi nya kapag hindi ako umamin, hindi na raw po ako aabutan ng magulang ko. Pinapaamin po niya ako, kung kakilala ko po ‘yung mga nanghoholdap sa lugar namin,” he said. Maliban, meanwhile, did not comment on Augustilo’s account. Hontiveros criticized contradicting testimonies and statements of one police officer to another, lamenting that these could not be trusted when asked to narrate the details of their operation. "It's saddening that the Senate has to be the one to investigate a matter which in normal circumstances, should be investigated by the police, and more than that, law enforcers should not be the ones being investigated or involved in this tragedy," she said. Further, Dela Rosa adjourned the hearings on the killing of Baltazar and reminded the PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia of the issuance of batons and whistles to the police force. The senator told Sermonia not to wait for the order from the Napolcom or even no longer needed to wait for the legislation. "Palkita niyo sa publiko na nagrereact kayo sa mga pangyayari (Show the public that you are reacting to what is happening),” he said. The post Contempt order vs 3 Navotas cops involved in Jemboy Baltazar slay lifted appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pork’s different strokes
Efforts have begun in the House of Representatives to raise the Motor Vehicle Road Users Charge or the Road Users Tax after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. identified the levy as a main source of precious funds. The eagerness of the members of the House to comply with the proposal to hike the tax makes people wary. Proceeds from the tax are the favorite source of legislative pork. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda’s bill indicates the MVUC which ranges from P120 to P4,000 will be raised to between P2,080 and P10,400 for cars, depending on their gross weight. Under the proposal, the MVUC will be increased by a fixed rate yearly until 2025, and by 5 percent from 2026 onwards. Salceda is looking at collecting P151 billion more in revenue from 2024 to 2027 through the higher MVUC. The higher collections should be earmarked for road improvements which is under the Department of Public Works and Highways after President Rodrigo Duterte signed a law abolishing the graft-tainted Road Board. The disposition of the MVUC sparked the feud between House members and the Department of Budget and Management during the initial years of the Duterte term after then Budget Secretary Ben Diokno refused to release the MUVC proceeds until the Road Board was dissolved. Moreover, the late former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III exploited the RUT funds using them as leverage to get House members to impeach former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and to obtain the legislators’ approval for his political agenda, such as a measure seeking to postpone the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao election to allow Noynoy to place his appointees in the Muslim region. The Road Board had an unusual collection setup that practically freed its state audit, making it a perfect “cash cow” as termed by some senators. Gutierrez was impeached overwhelmingly in the House after Noynoy first dangled the pork barrel, saying through his House allies that those who would vote against the impeachment would not receive their pork barrel while those who signed the measure would get a P20-million bonus taken from the Road Board.Later, Gutierrez, knowing that she was in a losing situation, resigned from her post despite her having a guaranteed term. She was replaced by Noynoy’s favorite associate justice, Conchita Carpio-Morales, who carried out the yellow brand of selective justice. Gutierrez had displeased Noynoy when she dismissed the case against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in connection with the P729-million fertilizer fund scam. Former Chief Justice Renato Corona Jr. was also ousted through impeachment and the leverage used, in turn, were the DAP funds. It was ironic that Noynoy’s allies vowed to abolish the Road Board, which under the law that created it, had full discretion on its use. Its disposition was beyond the scope of the Commission on Audit since the RUT was not part of the budget. Former Sen. Franklin Drilon, for instance, said the body would be abolished by the Senate despite the House allies of former President Arroyo’s withdrawal and eventual rescinding of the bill that sought to terminate the anomalous 2001 creation. Congressmen turned the RUT proceeds into a source of fast money through collusion with Road Board officials. Since the DPWH is now the custodian of the funds, attention must also be directed at the agency in the proper disposition of the MUVC proceeds. Increasing the audit-free funds plus the recently discovered P215 billion in insertions in the budget through the generic flood mitigation projects exposed maneuvers to pilfer public funds. The post Pork’s different strokes 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......»»
OSG special team formed to study legal options on WPS
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra yesterday said a special team was formed that will study and propose legal and diplomatic options over the disputed West Philippine Sea. He said the team is composed of solicitors with expertise in public international law, the law of the sea and other maritime laws, and international arbitration. The SolGen said they formed a special team of solicitors to study and propose legal and diplomatic options for handling WPS issues with China. Guevarra said that raising the matter to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly is also “one of the options.” However, when asked if the government is leaning towards this option, Guevarra said it would be premature to comment. In May, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said it is time for the government to submit a resolution to the UN General Assembly to have China comply with the 2016 arbitration ruling that rejected its claims in the West Philippine Sea. The retired SC associate justice is of the belief that the Philippines will “win there.” The Philippines in 2013, challenged China’s legal basis for its vast claim in the South China Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. The Philippines won the case in a landmark decision in 2016 after the tribunal invalidated Beijing’s assertions. China has stated that they do not recognize the ruling. As for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. the Philippines will not give up an inch of its territory, including the West Philippine Sea, amid the aggression of China in the area. The post OSG special team formed to study legal options on WPS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S. must step up too
American analysts have been exploring the possible ways the West Philippine Sea conflict will play out primarily with the so-called “gray zone” maneuvers by China in the disputed waters in which non-military activities are employed for coercion. The United States Institute of Peace, or USIP, a federal body tasked with promoting conflict resolution and prevention worldwide, is reviewing ways that Washington can play a role in de-escalating the tension in the region. The review was sparked by an act of aggression last week when a Chinese Coast Guard vessel deployed a water cannon to redirect an unarmed Philippine Navy supply boat. China blamed the incident on the Philippine government’s continued defiance of an earlier understanding to ban the delivery of construction materials to the beached BRP Sierra Madre navy vessel at Ayungin Shoal. Tensions have been on the rise since last year on China’s perception that Manila was moving closer to Washington, prompting a more aggressive assertion of its claim over most of the West Philippine Sea. “Given that Washington and Manila have a mutual defense treaty, there is credible concern that an incident like this could trigger a wider US-China conflict,” according to the USIP. Under a new Philippine administration, the formerly conciliatory approach the country had taken in its dispute with China has shifted. Instead, Brian Harding, USIP senior expert for Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has highlighted China’s efforts to swarm and intimidate fishing and coast guard vessels to take the bold move of deepening defense ties with the United States, bringing China-Philippines ties to a new low. Ayungin Shoal, the USIP expert said, has long been a likely candidate for the first showdown between the Philippines and China since Beijing took control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012. Former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio also identified the shoal, in a speech the other day, as one of five possible flashpoints that may lead to a deeper maritime conflict. In 1999, the Philippines intentionally beached a World War II naval vessel on a submerged reef, located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, and has since maintained a small contingent of Marines on board in extremely austere conditions. As a practical matter, in recent years China has turned a blind eye to the Philippines replenishing supplies for the Marines but has blocked the delivery of materials that could be used to repair the ship. USIP’s Andrew Scobell, a China expert, said the recent aggressive actions of a large China Coast Guard vessel on a tiny Filipino Navy supply boat was merely the latest episode in a decades-long campaign of intimidation and coercion by Beijing. Based on its insisted-on nine-dash line boundaries, Beijing claims the right to restrict access to ships from other countries to the South China Sea. “Many of (China’s) white-hulled ships are far larger, much better equipped, and more intimidating than the gray hull naval vessels possessed by most Southeast Asian states,” USIP said. China has persisted in its well-orchestrated campaign of low-intensity conflict, what is widely called “gray zone” actions, to forcefully advance its claims and aggressively push back against rivals. Carla Freeman, a senior USIP expert on China, said that beyond the effort to persuade and deter China, the US should engage in diplomacy to encourage allies and partners in the region to make clear to Beijing their own concerns about the risks to peace posed by confrontation. Regional allies have already issued statements criticizing China’s behavior, with Tokyo using unusually strong language to condemn China’s conduct, the USIP said. Like the Philippines’ position, the USIP said that Washington’s efforts in support of a binding code of conduct, or CoC, would be key to preventing conflict. The USIP, nonetheless, sees as a major obstacle toward progress in the United States itself since it is limited in its diplomatic capabilities after it failed to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Taking the high road in the simmering conflict, thus, would need both the US and China to review their positions of leadership to keep the stability in the region. The post U.S. must step up too appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bilibid detainee shanked dead
A man was stabbed dead yesterday by a fellow detainee during an altercation inside the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. Dead on arrival at the NBP hospital with multiple stab wounds was Romelito Dural, 50, a convict for two counts of attempted homicide. Corrections Officer 2 Reggie Carpio reported to Bureau of Corrections C/Insp. Roger Boncales that the victim had a heated argument with one Mark Mengullo which led to the stabbing. Mengullo surrendered to BuCor personnel. The improvised knife used in the attack was recovered in a canal. The 34-year-old Mengullo is serving a life sentence since April last year for murder. He claimed he got fed up with Dural’s bullying, thus he fought back. The post Bilibid detainee shanked dead appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»