DILG chief’s aide named new Calabarzon cop chief
A former director of the Bohol police and the special police assistant to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año is the new chief of the Calabarzon police......»»
Mendoza cannot suspend Calabarzon LTO chief accused of extortion
Land Transportation Office chief Vigor Mendoza has no authority to suspend the head of the LTO in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), even as complaints of alleged corruption have been filed at Malacañang against the official......»»
Calabarzon LTO chief accused of extortion
A group of bus drivers and operators has accused the chief of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) of extortion......»»
Man posing as Abalos aide caught
A man who reportedly posed as the chief of staff of Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos was arrested by authorities during an entrapment operation last week......»»
Fiscals grill Enrile ex-aide on ‘pork papers’
State prosecutors yesterday questioned lawyer Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, former chief of staff of former senator and now Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, on her claim that her signatures on the “pork papers” were forged......»»
Enrile’s ex-aide fails anew to have plunder case dismissed
The Sandiganbayan has denied the appeal of Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, the former chief of staff of presidential legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, to file a demurrer to evidence that would allow her to seek the dismissal of the plunder case against her without presenting her defense......»»
Operation Listo in place for typhoon Goring – DILG
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Sunday urged local chief executives in the Cagayan Valley Region and in other affected regions to be on their toes and carry out the necessary critical preparedness actions in accordance with the Department’s Operation Listo disaster preparedness manual, as Tropical Cyclone “Goring” is projected to become a super typhoon. Abalos at the same time, have already directed their office in Region 2 to activate the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Disaster Online Reporting and Monitoring System (DORMS) starting August 25 to ensure the adherence of local government units (LGUs) within their jurisdiction to Operation L!STO Disaster protocols. In a memorandum to concerned LGUs, the DILG urged them to convene their local disaster risk reduction and management councils (DRRMCs), conduct pre-disaster risk assessment for floods and other hazards, activate their barangay DRRMCs for early warning and monitoring of landslide zones, and assess the structural integrity of evacuation areas. “The safety of our people is primordial. Hence, affected LGUs must implement preemptive evacuation when necessary, prioritize the health and safety of all response personnel and evacuees, and preposition supplies and equipment,” Abalos said. LGUs were also reminded to continuously inform and advise affected communities of situation updates and intensify the use of social media platforms for public information, among others. Based on the latest weather advisory, “Goring”, which was estimated at 195 kilometers east of Calayan, Cagayan, will further enhance the Southwest Monsoon affecting Central and Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Heavy to intense rains are expected in Cagayan, Isabela, and Aurora. Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are also expected in Batanes, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, Quirino, and Apayao. Meanwhile, the DILG urged concerned LGUs to monitor and undertake necessary critical preparedness actions in 1,481 barangays from Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula which were identified by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to have high to very high susceptibility to floods and rain-induced landslides. The post Operation Listo in place for typhoon Goring – DILG appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Barangay chair, 6 others slapped with graft raps
A Barangay Kaligayahan kagawad (village councilor) slapped his six colleagues and their chairman with graft and falsification charges before the Office of the Ombudsman Thursday, 24 August. Barangay Kaligayahan Kagawad Allan Butch Francisco Jr. in his complaint obtained by DAILY TRIBUNE, said barangay chairman Alfredo ‘Freddy’ Roxas, kagawad Jim Mahusay, kagawad Alexander Rivera, kagawad Perla Adea Mallari, kagawad Arnel Gabito, kagawad Dionisio Gascon, kagawad Sofronio Grimaldo, and barangay secretary Josephine Penarada violated Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Falsification of Public Documents, and Grave Misconduct for faking an approved resolution. Francisco claimed the said barangay officials made it appear that the Barangay Resolution No. 087 Series of 2023, “Interposing no objection to the application of M.M. Ledesma Laboratories Corp., located at Zabarte Ext.,” was approved on 15 April 2023. It was also certified by Penarada. However, Francisco explained that while they agreed to establish that regular session of their council shall be held every 1st and 2nd Saturdays of each month, 15 April fell on the 3rd Saturday, Roxas postponed it to give way for the Barangay Assembly Day held also on that day. “No session was actually conducted on that day,” Francisco said in his complaint referring to the date the said resolution was passed. He added that neither the supposed notice for the regular session was nor a notice for special session was issued by Roxas for the resolution to be passed. Roxas earlier was also charged of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act by Hernando Compendioa, barangay watchman, who suffered a stroke, and was told by the chieftain to stop working, but later learned that his name was still on the payroll list but not receiving a single centavo. Meanwhile, Graft and Falsification charges were also hurled against Barangay Pasong Tamo chairwoman Mae Tagle before the Office of the Ombudsman by three of her own village staff over a dozen “ghost employees.” Tagle had just been served with another six months suspension for leasing the space barangay pharmacy to private fish and meat vendor by the Special Investigation Committee of the City Council. Florence Andre Fabre, Ruvelinda dela Isla and Mary Lyne Casinos showed that Tagle hired them upon assuming her post on 1 July 2022. Tagle became the village chief because of rule of succession for being the number one kagawad (barangay councilor) when then barangay chairman Banjo Pilar won as a councilor in May 2022 polls. Fabre in their joint affidavit of complaint averred that he was a book keeper and assistant of barangay assistant treasurer Gloria Sareño who was in-charged of preparing payroll for the entire staff of their village. He said that from July to September 2022 nothing unusual happened in their payroll, until came October 2022, when there were 10 other names added to the list of their payroll, and was instructed by Tagle’s daughter Mary Jean, who acted as their admin aide IV, to also sign on behalf of the additional names on the list and be quiet about it. Fabre also found out that one of the names added was Tagle’s maid Melina Barcelo with a work item as “contact tracer” receiving a monthly salary of P6,500. To his estimate, about a million pesos has been pocketed by Tagle since that month until April 2023, as the names added in their payroll list were not really receiving their salary. Dela Isla, on the other hand, worked as an assistant trainer along with her daughter Florbhy who worked as a traffic enforcer from 1 July 2022 to 30 November, 2022. But the younger Dela Isla had resigned the following month. To her surprise, Dela Isla learned that the name of her daughter was still listed in their payroll when Tagle got her first suspension on June 2023, pocketing her daughter’s salary for six months. Casinos, on another end, who was also hired by Tagle as an Auxiliary member of the village watchmen team, also learned that even her husband’s name who was working at the nearby Himlayang Filipino was also listed as “ghost employee.” The three complainants also attached the affidavit of Daniel Tecson whose name was also listed as “ghost employees” who did not even received a single centavo from Tagle, when they filed the charges on 13 June 2023 for fear of being implicated in Tagle’s scheme. The post Barangay chair, 6 others slapped with graft raps appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DOH probes reported spike in diseases linked to LNG power plant exposure in Batangas City
There are no links found between the reported health cases and the power plant operations so far but the Calabarzon health chief says the validation process will take some time.....»»
DOH expects increase in leptospirosis cases in coming weeks
Cases of leptospirosis in the country are expected to increase in the coming weeks as some areas in the country are still submerged in flood waters brought by Typhoon "Egay", the Department of Health said Sunday. At the Kapihan sa QC, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said the agency is prepared for the expected influx of leptospirosis cases, particularly in the Central Region, where most provinces are still submerged in floods. “I am expecting that the cases of leptospirosis will increase. Surely, many people will contract leptospirosis in the coming weeks,” Herbosa said. He noted that prior to the onslaught of Typhoon last month, the DoH had sent thousands of doses of antibiotics to the Ilocos region due to the expected influx of leptospirosis cases in the area. “Region 3 has many stockpiles. In fact, it is already prepared,” he stressed, after pointing out the floods in Bulacan and Pampanga. The Health chief reminded the public to avoid contacting flood waters, especially those who have open wounds. “Maybe we should tell the public that flood waters are dirty. If you stayed in flood waters even if you don’t have to, you are at risk,” he said. “If you have wounds on your feet, you should not submerge yourself in the flood,” he added. Herbosa urged those who have open wounds on their feet yet submerged themselves in flood waters to consult their doctors to get a prescription against leptospirosis. From 18 June to 1 July alone, the Health department recorded a total of 182 new cases of leptospirosis, a 42 percent increase from 128 cases reported two weeks prior. Central Luzon exhibited a continuous increase in cases in the recent six weeks reporting nine cases from 2 to 15 July. Meanwhile, nine regions, namely National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, and Caraga, showed an increase in cases in the last three to four weeks with seven to 53 new cases. Ilocos Norte and Bicol, however, had an increase in cases in the recent two weeks with nine and three cases reported, respectively. “Cases may still increase with late reports,” the agency said. In terms of fatality, a total of 225 died from 2,079 leptospirosis cases from 1 January to 15 July. The post DOH expects increase in leptospirosis cases in coming weeks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM assures public enough rice supply
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured the public over the weekend that the country had enough rice supply and that the government was closely monitoring the National Food Authority (NFA) buffer stock ahead of El Niño and other expected calamities. In his latest vlog, the Chief Executive underscored that the country's rice supply is still enough after typhoons "Egay" and "Falcon", including the Southwest Monsoon (habagat) ravaged several parts of the country and damaged the agriculture sector. For context, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Sunday that the agriculture sector damage and losses due to inclement weather reached an estimated P2.9 billion. The latest situational data from the NDRRMC showed that the Department of Agriculture recorded billions worth of damages in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Bangsamoro Region, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). "We have an ample supply of rice, and there is nothing to worry about," Marcos said. "Our farmers should expect that we won't be importing if the supply here in the Philippines is sufficient. Hopefully, you won't be worried. We have rice," he added. Marcos, who also heads the Department of Agriculture (DA), said the government is ensuring that the NFA increases its buffer stock for several reasons. The Chief Executive pointed out the increasing number of disasters in the Philippines and that other Southeast Asian countries needed to increase their rice supplies ahead of El Niño, expected to occur either late this year or early 2024. He added that other countries that export rice, such as India, have begun to restrict or halt their rice exports. "All of us are preparing for the El Niño. That's why the challenge is that everyone buys things all at once," Marcos said. "We are looking for our friends. Fortunately, I have met many of them during my travels, and we are now in communication. Perhaps, we might be allowed to import from them. However, we will only do so if the supply is not sufficient," he added. The post PBBM assures public enough rice supply appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ex-ally sues Monaco’s ruler in ‘Rock Files’ scandal
A former confidant of Monaco's ruler Prince Albert II is suing the monarch in an unprecedented and potentially damaging court case triggered by the release of leaks that have rocked the usually placid Mediterranean playground for the rich and famous. Claude Palmero was for over two decades in charge of managing the palace's assets, first for Albert's father Rainier III, the husband of the US actress Grace Kelly, and then their son Prince Albert when he became ruler in 2005. But now Palmero is asking for around one million euros ($1.1 million) in damages from the palace, according to a complaint seen by AFP, over losing his job after becoming embroiled along with other former senior palace officials in unverified allegations posted in the "Dossiers du Rocher" ("Rock Files", referring to Monaco by its nickname) website from 2021. The website hosted videos, confidential email conversations and hostile articles dealing with property development in the principality. The controversy has roughed up the usually calm waters around Monaco, a tiny principality surrounded by French territory which attracts ultra-rich residents –- like tennis star Novak Djokovic and formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton -- due to its favourable tax regime. With a population of barely 40,000, Monaco neither imposes income nor wealth taxes. Among the material published by Dossiers du Rocher were email exchanges between four people close to Albert, including Palmero, accusing them of collusion in an alleged financial scam. As well as Palmero, Albert's chief of staff Laurent Anselmi also lost his job in June. 'From another age' In charge of the crown assets, Palmero was known as a Monegasque eminence grise, who was tasked with strategic issues including taking a stake in Nice's airport and buying property, as well as being a keeper of palace secrets. He lodged an appeal against his dismissal in the case before Monaco's constitutional court, known as the Supreme Tribunal, that his lawyer filed on 13 July. "No reason has ever been given to justify these decisions that come from another age and manifestly violate the principle of legality," said the complaint filed by one of his lawyers Pierre-Olivier Sur and seen by AFP. "Prince Albert II during his reign has congratulated himself in front of his subjects and the whole world that Monaco is a state of law. "Alas, there are circumstances where this principle is sadly forgotten by him and favour the violence of arbitrariness," it added. Palmero is seeking the condemnation of the prince to repair "the immense moral damage, injury and disruption to living conditions", claiming the one million euros and his reinstatement. Albert's lawyer Jean-Michel Darrois said in response: "This is a discretionary decision by the royal house as is the case with several other monarchies." But the controversy is deeply unwelcome for Albert, who has already been under intense scrutiny over his marriage to Princess Charlene, the former South African Olympic swimmer in 2011, in French and international media in recent months. Charlene only returned to Monaco in March 2022 after a months-long absence for medical treatment. Raids and infighting The case, which is set to be heard in the coming weeks, comes as judicial authorities launched a series of searches in mid-July at the four former confidants of the prince accused in the Dossiers du Rocher. All those involved deny the allegations put forward by the Dossiers du Rocher, which published their private correspondence and whose origins remain a mystery despite investigations by the French and Monaco authorities. Patrice Pastor, a Monegasque construction entrepreneur, has filed a complaint over alleged influence peddling against them. But while they suspect him of being behind the website the businessman strongly denies this. The purported motive of Pastor, whose group is worth up to 30 billion euros, is alleged by his enemies to have wanted to maintain control over lucrative real estate transactions in the principality, which Palmero and his allies sought to limit. According to official figures, 88 new apartments were sold in 2022 in Monaco, for a stratospheric total amount of 1.2 billion euros. The Pastor group is particularly involved in the Mareterra project, six hectares of luxurious buildings looking out to the Mediterranean. First reported by France's Le Monde daily, the searches targeted, in France and Monaco, the homes and offices of Claude Palmero, the law firm of Thierry Lacoste, childhood friend of the prince, Laurent Anselmi, and Didier Linotte, president of the Supreme Tribunal, who is about to leave office. Monaco's prosecutor general refused any comment. The four men do not deny being in touch with each other but insist it was to deal with regular business of Monaco. Two other men are also reported to be part of the group: former Monaco government chief Michel Roger, who is said to have formed it, was left a paraplegic after an accident in 2015. The sixth man was Jean-Francois Renucci, former head of the court of cassation in Monaco, who died in a car accident between Monaco and Nice in 2021 just as the Dossiers du Rocher scandal was erupting. The four allege that Pastor has now won the favor of the prince but this was denied by a palace aide. "This prince does not take sides," the aide, who was not named, told Le Figaro daily. The post Ex-ally sues Monaco’s ruler in ‘Rock Files’ scandal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Acorda: BBM’s second SoNA ‘peaceful’
About 5,000 protesters were allowed by the police to express their grievances along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City Monday as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his second State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa before a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Philippine National Police chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. said he had ordered maximum tolerance to be employed by the cops in dealing with the protesters, who also held activities near Mendiola Bridge in Manila, within sight of Malacañang Palace, the seat of government power. Acorda said as he inspected police lines near the SoNA venue that, “we are professionals and we exercise [restraint] in all our dealings [with the people] while providing the proper security for the President.” “We talked with our personnel and we emphasized the observance of human rights and maximum tolerance,” he added, explaining that the police made sure that pro-administration and anti-Marcos groups did not get close to one another. He said they were allowed to hold their respective programs far from each other so as to prevent untowards incidents arising from misunderstanding and the taunting that attended encounters of rival groups in the past. The Quezon City government designated places where the groups could hold their respective programs. “Regardless of affiliation, whether pro or anti and whatever, our guidelines included maximum tolerance, and we appealed to them to stay in their designated areas,” the PNP chief said. The PNP deployed more than 20,000 policemen, who were augmented by personnel from various government agencies that included the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the military, the Bureau of Fire Protection and local government units. The anti-SoNA rally was staged along Commonwealth Avenue while pro-Marcos supporters held their own program near the Commission on Audit compound. Acorda said the SoNA was delivered by the President in relative peace, with no untoward incident reported. Earlier, Metro Manila chief P/Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. warned protesters that as much as the police do not want to use unnecessary force, they would arrest anyone who would cause trouble. “When you are struck, you’ll be in pain so don’t strike anyone. The police are ready and we have the necessary protective gear. Our cops know what to do and they will affect arrests as needed,” Nartatez said. He had vowed to enforce the Clean Air Act should protesters burn effigies. No arrests were reported, however, when a “two-faced” effigy of the President was burned. Still, Nartatez said they were documenting everything and violators “will face penalties.” Progressive groups started their protest march near the Philippine Coconut Authority and ended it along Tandang Sora near the Commission on Human Rights, where they held a program. The NCRPO earlier deployed two Skydio drones, along with a mobile command center bus, for a wide aerial view coverage. These drones, the NCRPO said, were used to effectively monitor the movement of people and vehicles and prevent untoward incidents. A gun ban was also imposed over Metro Manila, Calabarzon and Central Luzon, starting 12:01 a.m. on 24 July until midnight the next day. Small groups of militants staged their rally at Claro. M. Recto Avenue in Manila. The post Acorda: BBM’s second SoNA ‘peaceful’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BATO DARES ICC ‘I am here, arrest me!’
By: Ann JEnireene Gomez and Alvin Murcia With GLEN JACOB JOSE, Tiziana Celine Piatos AND JOM GARNER, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa warned of “big trouble” if the International Criminal Court comes to the Philippines to arrest him or anyone else. “I already expected that, their insistence on meddling in our domestic affairs. Let them, let them do what they want,” Dela Rosa said in Filipino in an interview with Frontline Tonight. “I’ll be here, I am not hiding. If they have a warrant of arrest, let them serve the warrant,” Dela Rosa said, with one caveat — that he’ll only allow himself to be arrested by Philippine authorities and not by any foreigner ordered to do so by the ICC. Dela Rosa was responding to a statement of Senate President Miguel Zubiri that the government will have no choice but to turn over anyone to the ICC if the arrest warrant will be coursed through local courts and will be served by local authorities. “We are still a sovereign country, and they (accused) are still citizens of this country. They do that with many other countries. However, the danger there is if Senator Bato dela Rosa goes to a country that is friendly to the ICC, then they will arrest him. Here in the Philippines, the process is they must coordinate with the local courts,” Zubiri said. The ICC’s Appeals Chamber voted 3-2 on Tuesday to deny the Philippines’ appeal to stop the ICC Office of the Prosecutor from resuming its investigation. “There’s no problem if the Philippine government would be the one to arrest me, but not the foreigners,” he said. “If it’s the government of the Philippines that would decide to arrest me, what can I do? But if they (ICC) would come here to take me, our government would have none of that.” “There’s going to be big trouble if they would insist on coming here against our government’s expressed will. That would be too blatant an interference and they would be treating us like fools,” he added. Chill Meanwhile, Senator Francis Tolentino, who offered to stand as legal counsel for a fellow lawmaker in the ICC probe, advised Dela Rosa to “Just chill”. “I accept the proposal of Sen. Dela Rosa to a lawyer for him. I am now speaking as the counsel for Senator Dela Rosa,” said Tolentino, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, in an online press conference yesterday. He said nothing has changed in the Philippines’ position on the dismissal of the ICC Pre-Chamber in the country’s appeal regarding the probe of the “war on drugs.” The ICC, he added, has no jurisdiction in the Philippines. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday advised former president Rodrigo Duterte and Dela Rosa to stay away from countries where the ICC has influence. Dela Rosa is accused of implementing the alleged iron-fist policy of Duterte as a Davao regional police official and later as Duterte’s first Philippine National Police chief in 2016. “They are citizens of the republic who also need our protection,” Remulla said, adding that Duterte and Dela Rosa should refrain from going to countries in Europe. Why Sara? But even before Remulla came out with his advice, Dela Rosa had already said he would not deliver himself to the ICC. “I will make sure not to go to those countries that are friendly with the ICC,” he said. He also brushed aside efforts to involve Vice President Sara Duterte in the ICC probe, calling the move politically motivated against one who could become the country’s next president. He reiterated that the Vice President’s name was never mentioned in proceedings that looked into the alleged activities of the so-called Davao Death Squad. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice maintained that the ICC has no jurisdiction to investigate the extrajudicial killings allegedly committed during the Duterte administration’s so-called war on drugs. The DoJ expressed deep disappointment and strong disagreement with the denial by the ICC of the Office of the Solicitor General’s appeal to stop the probe on account of the Philippines having withdrawn from the ICC, and its having a fully functioning justice system. It said the rejection of the appeal was based on the ICC’s flawed interpretation of its jurisdiction as a court of last resort — that it could only assume jurisdiction when a member country showed it was not capable of investigating and prosecuting crimes within its borders. The DoJ pointed out that the principle of complementarity, enshrined in the Rome Statute that created the ICC, recognizes the jurisdiction of local courts to try crimes within their respective countries. “The dissenting opinions of two esteemed justices out of the five-judge panel highlight the grave errors in the majority decision,” the DoJ said in a statement. “These dissenting justices rightly recognized the Philippines’ commitment to upholding the rule of law and maintaining an independent and effective legal system.” “Their dissenting opinions underscore the existence of a legitimate difference of legal interpretation, casting doubt on the majority’s ruling,” it added. Remulla had lambasted the ICC for meddling in Philippine affairs and said the government would not honor any arrest warrant issued by the ICC. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his predecessor, Duterte, had been firm in saying the ICC had no jurisdiction over events that transpired in the Philippines. PNP no ICC lackey Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said it would not be dictated to by the ICC as it recognizes the stance of the government that the international tribunal has no jurisdiction over the conduct of the drug war probe. “The PNP is under the executive department and we will follow the lead of the national government that there is a question with respect to sovereignty and jurisdiction of the ICC,” PNP spokesperson P/Col. Jean Fajardo said. Duterte, as Davao City mayor from 2011 to 2016 and as the country’s president from 2016 to 2022, is seen as the ICC prosecutor’s primary target, along with his former police chief, Dela Rosa. Government data showed that about 6,200 people died in “legitimate” anti-drug operations during the Duterte presidency, including law enforcement officers killed in action. Government critics claim as many as 15,000 to 30,000 were killed. Meanwhile, Vice President Duterte appeared to have been included in the complaints filed with the ICC prosecutor, along with her father’s long-time aide, the now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go. “No comment,” was the terse reply of the Vice President’s camp on her alleged inclusion in the ICC complaints. Go, on the other hand, said the ICC had no “business meddling in our internal affairs, where our courts remain fully functional and free from political interference.” “Probes into the war on drugs are presently being conducted by the competent authorities. Filipinos should be judged by fellow Filipinos before Philippine courts operating under Philippine laws,” Go said. With the ICC ruling, the DoJ vowed to continue to defend the sovereignty and integrity of the nation’s legal system and strongly urged the ICC to reconsider its decision and recognize the Philippines’ unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the pursuit of justice. “Furthermore, we would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to the well-being and support of all victims affected by the drug war,” Remulla’s department said. “The DoJ, in collaboration with other relevant agencies, is willing and able to assist those who had suffered harm or loss during this challenging period. We encourage all individuals with evidence and witnesses to come forward and share their testimonies with us,” it added. Former president Duterte, through his former spokesperson Harry Roque, shrugged off the ICC decision. In a Facebook post, Roque said Duterte has always maintained that as an independent and sovereign state, only Philippine courts can try any crime committed in Philippine territory. “He has time and again said that because of this, he will face all his accusers anytime but before Philippine courts and before Filipino judges only,” Roque said. In a television interview, Zubiri said the upper chamber would “not give up” Dela Rosa should the ICC issue a warrant of arrest against the latter. “Without the local warrant of arrest issued by the courts, then as far as I’m concerned, he is still a working member of the Senate and accorded of course that respect, similar to Senator De Lima and Senator [Antonio] Trillanes,” he said. “Only when the warrant of arrest was issued, then we allowed or we agreed that he may be taken in custody,” he added. The post BATO DARES ICC ‘I am here, arrest me!’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
India announces new French fighter jet deal as Modi visits Paris
India announced a new multi-billion-dollar deal for French fighter jets on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Paris for a two-day trip that will see him feted as the guest of honor during France's national day celebrations. India's defense ministry said that the country intended to order 26 more Rafale jets as well as another three Scorpene-class submarines, with the price and other terms still being worked out. India is one of the biggest buyers of French arms, and Modi announced a landmark deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets during a 2015 trip to Paris that was worth around 4.0 billion euros at the time. Some of those Indian-piloted Rafales will take part in a flypast on Friday during France's Bastille Day military parade where Modi will sit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron as guest of honour. "This closeness is not limited to just the leaders of two countries, it is in fact a reflection of the unwavering friendship between India and France," Modi told an enthusiastic crowd of Indians living in France on Thursday evening. Despite differences over the war in Ukraine and tensions over human rights in India, Western democracies are courting Modi and India as a counterweight to China in Asia. Macron's red carpet welcome comes weeks after Modi was given the rare honor of a White House state dinner in Washington -- a city he was once banned from visiting. "India is one of the pillars of our Indo-Pacific strategy," an aide to Macron told reporters this week on condition of anonymity. Human rights But amid the pomp and diplomatic courting in France, a resolution from the European Parliament on Thursday served as a reminder of Modi's controversial leadership style and Hindu nationalist agenda that has critics at home and abroad. Sitting in Strasbourg in eastern France, EU parliamentarians approved a motion that urged India to end violence in the country's restive northeastern Manipur state and to protect minorities there. Clashes between the majority Meitei, who are mostly Hindus, and the mainly Christian Kuki tribe have left at least 120 people dead, 50,000 displaced and over 1,700 houses destroyed, the parliament said. It criticized the "nationalistic rhetoric" of the local state government, run by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. Modi's role during Bastille Day in France was "an affront not only to India's minority communities, journalists and human rights defenders but also to India as a democracy," the text's chief negotiator, Pierre Larrouturou, said. A protest called against Modi drew only a few dozen people in central Paris on Thursday. Strategic partnership Modi has visited France four times since Macron came to power in 2017, while Macron was honored with a state visit to New Delhi in 2018. Aides on both sides have talked up the personal chemistry between the two leaders and pointed to cooperation on climate change, space technology, and nuclear power as part of a 25-year-old "strategic partnership" between France and India. Modi told the French newspaper Les Echos that bilateral trade had doubled in the last nine years and Macron's "thinking really matches ours". India and France "are naturally compatible" and "we see France as one of our foremost global partners," Modi added. Few observers expect Macron to raise rights concerns with Modi publicly. "The fact that explains France's relative success in this relationship is that unlike the US, the UK, Canada, Germany and a few other European countries, you've hardly seen France commenting on the internal affairs of India," Constantino Xavier from the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, a New Delhi-based think tank, said this week. "That has been appreciated on the Indian side." Modi has been dogged by allegations he was complicit in religious violence during his tenure as chief minister of the western state of Gujarat in 2002 when around 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in sectarian riots. The Indian government and judicial probes have cleared him of culpability. Since his first crushing electoral victory in 2014, he has also been denounced by rights groups for increased discrimination and violence towards the country's Muslims, as well as stifling independent media. "Diversity is the biggest strength of our democracy," he told the meeting on Thursday evening that also lauded the country's economic growth. Many European and American businesses, including US tech giant Apple, are ramping up production there to mitigate the threat of supply chain disruptions from China. The war in Ukraine has heightened concerns in the West about the risk of conflicts disrupting the flow of key raw materials and technology from China, but it has also exposed a rift with India. New Delhi, which has long sought to balance its ties with Moscow and the West, has declined to condemn Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine and has emerged as a top buyer of discounted Russian oil during the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II. The post India announces new French fighter jet deal as Modi visits Paris appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump aide pleads not guilty in secret docs case
A personal aide to former US president Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to federal charges of mishandling classified government documents. Waltine "Walt" Nauta, 40, a US Navy veteran from Guam, entered the plea at a brief hearing in a US District Court in Miami. "He enters a plea of not guilty on all counts," said Nauta's lawyer, Stanley Woodward. Nauta, who was wearing a dark blue suit and a light blue shirt, replied "Yes, your honor" when asked by Chief Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres if he understood why he was in court. Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, pleaded not guilty last month to dozens of criminal counts for mishandling some of the US government's most sensitive secrets and scheming to prevent their return. Nauta, named as a co-conspirator, is charged with six counts for helping Trump hide documents at the former president's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. According to the indictment, Trump took hundreds of classified government documents in cardboard boxes to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House in January 2021. Trump kept the files -- which included records from the Pentagon, CIA, and National Security Agency -- unsecured at Mar-a-Lago, which regularly hosted large social events, the indictment said. The documents were stashed at various locations in Mar-a-Lago including a ballroom, a bathroom, Trump's bedroom, and a storage room, it said. Nauta is accused of conspiring with the former president to hide the documents and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Trump faces 31 counts of "willful retention of national defense information" relating to specific documents. A conviction on each count carries up to 10 years in prison. Other charges facing the 77-year-old Trump include conspiracy to obstruct justice, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, withholding a document or record, which also carries a potential 20-year sentence, and making false statements. Trump, who was impeached twice over allegations of misconduct while in office and was recently found liable for sexual abuse, has vowed to stay in the 2024 White House race regardless of the outcome of the documents case. He faces indictment or ongoing legal scrutiny in four criminal probes -- in Washington, Florida, Georgia and New York -- and could find himself on trial in multiple cases as he campaigns for the presidency. The post Trump aide pleads not guilty in secret docs case appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Wagner chief to leave Russia in deal to ease crisis
The chief of the rebel Wagner mercenary force will leave Russia and won't face charges after calling off his troops' advance on Saturday, Moscow said, easing Russia's most serious security crisis in decades. The feud between Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia's military brass came to a violent head in the past day, with his forces capturing a key army headquarters in southern Russia and then heading north to threaten the capital. Within hours of Prigozhin's about-face, the Kremlin announced he would leave for Belarus and Russia would not prosecute either him or the group's members. It had been a dramatic day of developments, with President Vladimir Putin warning against civil war, Moscow telling locals to stay off the streets and Kyiv revelling in the chaos engulfing its enemy. The tide shifted suddenly when Prigozhin made the stunning announcement that his troops were "turning our columns around and going back to field camps" to avoid bloodshed in the Russian capital. Prigozhin, who has feuded bitterly with Moscow's military leadership even as his outfit led parts of Russia's Ukraine offensive, said he understood the importance of the moment and did not want to "spill Russian blood". - Wagner troops cheered - By early Sunday Wagner had pulled fighters and equipment from Rostov-on-Don, where they had seized the military headquarters, said the regional governor. But before they left, dozens of residents were cheering and chanting "Wagner! Wagner!" outside the military headquarters they had captured. Authorities in the southern Lipetsk region announced the lifting of restrictions after earlier reporting Wagner fighters in their territory, where the local capital is just 420 kilometres (260 miles) south of Moscow. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said he had negotiated a truce with Prigozhin, drawing thanks from Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later told reporters that the "criminal case against him (Prigozhin) will be dropped. He himself will go to Belarus." Peskov also said that members of Wagner who had taken part in what authorities termed an "armed rebellion" will not be prosecuted. "Avoiding bloodshed, internal confrontation, and clashes with unpredictable results was the highest goal," Peskov added. Kyiv revelled in the chaos that engulfed its enemy. "Prigozhin humiliated Putin/the state and showed that there is no longer a monopoly on violence," presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter. While Russia claimed the rebellion had no impact on its Ukraine campaign, Kyiv said the unrest offered a "window of opportunity" as the nation pressed its long-awaited counter-offensive. - Moscow's warning - The United States and its allies publicly stayed on the sidelines as officials waited to see how the revolt would play out. US President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of France, Germany and Britain amid concerns that Putin's control over the nuclear-armed country could be slipping. Moscow issued a stiff warning to the United States and allies to stay back. "The rebellion plays into the hands of Russia's external enemies," the foreign ministry said. Before Prigozhin's climbdown, Russian regular forces had launched what one regional governor called a "counter-terrorist operation" to halt the Wagner advance northwards up a main highway towards Moscow. In the capital, the mayor urged Muscovites to stay indoors and declared Monday a day off work. Security was tightened in the city centre, with armed men in flak jackets guarding the parliament building and Red Square closed off to the public. "I don't know how to react. In any case it's very sad this is happening," 35-year-old Yelena told AFP, declining to give her last name. The measures came after Prigozhin announced his troops had taken control of the military command centre and airbase in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, the nerve centre of Russia's offensive in Ukraine. - 'A blow to Russia' - Responding to the challenge in a televised address, Putin accused Prigozhin of a "stab in the back" that posed a threat to Russia's very survival. "Any internal turmoil is a deadly threat to our statehood and to us as a nation. This is a blow to Russia and to our people," Putin said, demanding national unity. "Extravagant ambitions and personal interests led to treason," Putin said, referring to Prigozhin, who began building his power base as a catering contractor. Another Putin ally, Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, declared that he had dispatched his own units to help quash the Wagner rebellion. Armed Wagner fighters deployed around administrative buildings in Rostov and tanks were seen in the city centre. As the insurrection force headed north through Voronezh and Lipetsk towards Moscow, the capital's mayor announced that "anti-terrorist" measures were being taken. Critical facilities were "under reinforced protection", TASS reported, citing a law enforcement source. While Prigozhin's outfit fought at the forefront of Russia's offensive in Ukraine, he repeatedly blamed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff, for his fighters' deaths. bur-jmm/jj © Agence France-Presse The post Wagner chief to leave Russia in deal to ease crisis appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Preempting ‘nurseless’ Phl
For thousands of Filipino nurses, working abroad can offer exciting opportunities to further their careers, gain new experiences, earn higher salaries, and work under better conditions than they would otherwise have in the Philippines. My late mother, a former head nurse at the Philippine General Hospital, was almost among them. One of the first batches of nurses who were offered an attractive employment package in the United States back in the 1970s, she processed the documentary requirements with eagerness only to defer at the last minute. Deciding not to be away from two children was easy at a time when the peso-dollar exchange rate was around P6.40. Rina’s case is different. As one of the 3,246 who failed the last two nursing licensure exams, Rina would rather keep her job as a BPO agent where she earns more or less P28,000 monthly, excluding benefits, rather than work as a nursing aide in a government hospital that gives lower pay. A nursing graduate in 2020, she plans to work abroad as a caregiver, which pays almost P100,000 a month. Just like all the other nursing graduates, they want to help their families, send children and siblings to school, and have a better future. Who wouldn’t be enticed by the direct hiring of foreign employers, where you don’t need an employment agency, which means no additional fees or charges? The brain drain of Philippine nurses, licensed or not, to the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, or any country, is a several decades-old phenomenon driven by a combination of economic, social, and political factors. Locally, our nurses are forced to work long hours for low pay in both public and private facilities. This sorry state drives them to jobs not at all related to nursing. According to the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc., at least 40 percent of nurses in various private hospitals resigned in the last two and a half years. Neither private nor public hospitals can match the salaries being offered to nurses abroad. The unabated brain drain of Philippine nurses will inevitably lead to a shortage of nurses in the country that will, in turn, affect the quality of healthcare services and create challenges for the government in providing adequate healthcare to its citizens. Health Secretary Ted Herbosa’s proposal to hire unlicensed nursing graduates to work in public hospitals earned the private sector’s support. These graduates would be given scholarships to study and pass the board exams. Should the plan push through, they will have to repay the government with four years of service. It looks doable but we will lose the trained nurses again after four years. It will be a vicious cycle of providing nursing board scholarships for a return of service, only to later lose the nurses. Professional Regulation Commission’s chief Jose Cueto Jr. has a different point of view — that there may be no need to hire flunkers of the nursing boards to fill the vacancies in government-run hospitals. PRC data, he said, has shown a higher passing rate in the Nursing Licensure Examination since last year. The passing rate in the NLE for the past six years was only 60 percent with only 70,000 passing the exams out of 130,000 examinees. He said there can be no shortage because approximately 80,000 nursing students graduate each year (Dahl et al., 2021) from 470 universities in the Philippines that offer nursing programs. How about the shortage attributed to the continuous migration of licensed nurses abroad for higher pay? While we take pride in the country’s focus on education, our high level of English proficiency, and the strong work ethic ingrained in Filipino culture, we should confront with practical and pragmatic solutions the imminent threat of a “nurseless” Philippines by 2026 or 2028. Unless the national government addresses the depressing pay and benefits for nurses in the private and public sectors, and even if they double or triple the existing 4,500 vacant plantilla positions for nurses in government hospitals across the country, the Philippines will continue to be the largest supplier of nurses to the world. The post Preempting ‘nurseless’ Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EDITORIAL- Another broadcaster murdered
Even as the nation awaits the arrest of former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag and his aide Ricardo Zulueta for the murder of broadcaster Percival Mabasa, another radio commentator was gunned down, this time in Oriental Mindoro......»»
Reverse Leila acquittal, court told
Government prosecutors have asked the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court to reverse its acquittal of former senator Leila de Lima on drug-related charges. The Department of Justice panel of prosecutors headed by Ramoncito Ocampo Jr. submitted to the court a 91-page motion for reconsideration anchored on questioning the motives of those who recanted their statements against De Lima. In dismissing the second of three drug cases against De Lima, the court afforded the former senator “reasonable doubt” on account of former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos taking back his statement that he gave De Lima P10 million. The case stemmed from the alleged actions of De Lima as DoJ secretary overseeing the New Bilibid Prison. She purportedly received money from drug lords detained at NBP in exchange for allowing them to remotely control their drug empires behind bars. The prosecution noted that Ragos’ recantation came eight days before the 2022 presidential election, at the time that De Lima was seeking reelection as a senator. “This clearly raises doubt as to the motive behind the sudden retraction,” part of the motion read. Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 Presiding Judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara, in his 13 May 2013 ruling, said the case against De Lima had lost its legs with the recantation. Without Ragos’s statement, the trial court said: “The crucial link to establish conspiracy is shrouded with reasonable doubt.” On 5 September 2016, Ragos executed an affidavit claiming that in November 2012, as BuCor OIC and together with aide Jovencio Ablen, he delivered a black bag containing P5 million to De Lima and her bodyguard, Ronnie Dayan, at the former’s residence in Parañaque City. Ragos claimed they made another delivery of P5 million in a plastic bag in December 2012 to De Lima and Dayan. The money, according to Ragos, came from the proceeds of the drug operations of several high-profile inmates inside the NBP. But Ragos retracted his statements against De Lima in May 2022. The panel of prosecutors insisted that Ragos’ recantation did not debunk his original testimony given in open court and that there were other pieces of evidence on record to prove De Lima’s guilt. The panel also cited numerous rulings of the Supreme Court which held that recantations of testimonies are viewed with suspicion and hardly given much weight. “While recantation may give rise to suspicion, such suspicion, however strong, cannot solely serve as a gauge for determining the probative value of the recantation,” the DoJ panel said. The prosecution pointed out that Ragos “extensively” testified before the court, the Senate, and the House of Representatives on his original testimony linking De Lima to the illegal drug trade inside the NBP. It also questioned the court’s failure to consider the weight of the “corroborative and uncontroverted” testimony of Ablen, who testified that he accompanied Ragos in delivering the alleged drug money to De Lima’s residence. The panel also noted that Ragos failed to show evidence to back his claim that he was coerced into executing his initial affidavits and testifying before the court against the former senator. “With his stature and if Ragos indeed lived by his office creed, no amount of coercion could have swayed him. His empty claim of coercion could not have sacrificed his honor and the honor of his office by asserting untruthful statements which are not expected of a high officer of the premier investigatory arm of the government,” the DoJ panel said. The post Reverse Leila acquittal, court told appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
QC cracks down on bribe-takers, givers
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Sunday warned Quezon City Hall employees predisposed to asking or accepting bribes that they would be removed from office and charged criminally. The mayor issued the admonition following the arrest of two city hall employees in an entrapment operation by the Quezon City Police District on Thursday. A revenue examiner and an administrative aide at the city treasurer’s office were nabbed after a complaint was filed against them by a person who sought a certificate attesting that taxes had been paid for a business being retired. The two assessed the complainant P77,632 in back taxes but later asked for a discounted payment of P50,000 to expedite the release of the document without an accompanying official receipt. Belmonte vowed to go after corrupt city hall officials and employees who circumvent the processes and regulations in exchange for grease money. “Here in QC, we will never condone the palakasan system. No one should dangle money or gifts in exchange for special favors or a shortcut to our processes,” she said. “We have embraced digitalization so that everything is done expeditiously, eliminating red tape,” she added. The suspects were charged with violating Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on Friday. QCPD chief P/Brig. Gen. Nicholas Torre III urged the public to immediately report via hotline 122 any government official or employee who would demand money or ask favors in exchange for processing documents. Based on the Citizen’s Charter of the City Treasurer’s Office, the cost for Business Retirement Application depends on the line of business, gross sales, and area of business delinquency or deficiency taxes. Discounts are not available unless mandated by applicable laws such as an ordinance granting tax relief. Quezon City Human Resource and Management Department head Atty. Noel del Prado said the suspects may also be held administratively liable. An internal investigation will also be conducted on them, he added. “Corruption has no place in the city government. We have a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. We will not take this issue lightly,” Belmonte said. “We will take appropriate measures to ensure that our public servants have integrity and are transparent because the constituents deserve the best services from us,” the mayor said. She warned that private persons involved in questionable transactions will also be prosecuted side by side with government employees they are in cahoots with. The post QC cracks down on bribe-takers, givers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»