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Improving health outcomes for people at risk of substance-related harms and overdose March 25, 2024 | London, Ontario | Health Canada Canada is facing an unrelenting and tragic toxic illegal drug and overdose crisis. No community has been left untouched. The impacts are seen and felt among our friends, family and neighbours. That's why the Government of Canada is leveraging all the tools a.....»»
‘Asia’s best hacker’ caught
A man previously dubbed “Asia’s best hacker” was arrested in Las Piñas for allegedly targeting foreigners in his illegal online activities, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said yesterday......»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Dec. 14
JAKARTA -- The Indonesian police have arrested nine people on suspicion of terrorist activities in the province of Central Java, the police said on Thursday. Ahmad Ramadhan, spokesman of the National Police, told reporters that all suspects, who are allegedly members of Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), a homegrown extremist group linked to the Islamic State (IS) terror group, were arrested separately in regencies of Sukoh.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Dec. 14
JAKARTA -- The Indonesian police have arrested nine people on suspicion of terrorist activities in the province of Central Java, the police said on Thursday. Ahmad Ramadhan, spokesman of the National Police, told reporters that all suspects, who are allegedly members of Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), a homegrown extremist group linked to the Islamic State (IS) terror group, were arrested separately in regencies of Sukoh.....»»
England, Wales grapple with growing teen knife violence
Elianne Andam was headed to school like any other teenager in London last month when she was stabbed to death, becoming the latest victim of rising knife crime in England and Wales. The 15-year-old suffered a "brutal attack" in Croydon, south London, shortly after she and her friends had stepped off a public bus on a Wednesday morning, prosecutors have said. A 17-year-old boy arrested nearby just over an hour later will stand trial for her murder next April. One of the latest tragic cases of teen-on-teen violence in the British capital, it has become an increasingly common problem nationwide over recent decades. A few days after Andam's death, 16-year-old Taye Faik died in Edmonton, north London, following another knife attack. He was the 14th teenager to be killed with a blade in the city this year. The UK government, and mayors in some of its biggest cities and regions, have repeatedly vowed to tackle the persistent scourge of youth violence, but appear to be failing. Between 2012 and 2022, the number of knife and offensive weapon offences amongst children aged 10-17 increased by 19 percent across England and Wales, according to the Ministry of Justice. That compared with an eight percent increase among adults. 'Social issue' With the sale of guns strictly controlled in Britain, teenagers intent on violence typically turn to blades, including machetes and so-called "zombie" knives. Inspired by horror films, they often have one smooth blade and one serrated edge, and feature graphics or text on the blade or handle glorifying violence. Possessing them has been illegal since 2016, but some manufacturers have managed to evade this quasi-ban by altering their design. The government unveiled plans in August to outlaw them entirely and give police more powers to seize the weapons, which it said "seem to be designed to look menacing with no practical purpose". The new legislation will also increase the maximum penalty for their "importation, manufacturing, possession and sale" from six months to two years. However, machetes and zombie-style knives can be bought with relative ease for less than £50 ($60) on social media platforms like TikTok or Snapchat, circumventing online age restrictions, according to anti-knife crime campaigners. They urge more focus on the roots of the problem. "Knife crime isn't just a law-and-order issue, it's a social issue," Patrick Green, president of the Ben Kinsella Trust, told AFP. The anti-knife crime charity is named after a London teenager murdered in 2008. "When you start to unpick knife crime, you start to look at social deprivation, poverty, the lack of social mobility, mental health probation for young people," Green said. 'Awful weapons' Youth knife violence is more prevalent in Britain than many other European countries, he noted. "It's difficult to determine why exactly," Green added. London mayor Sadiq Khan's office blamed the austerity policies of successive Tory governments in power since 2010, which it argued have "decimated youth services" in the capital and beyond. As many as 130 centers offering sports and arts activities in the city have closed over that period, its statement noted. The pandemic and the country's worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation, driven by decades-high inflation, are also seen as contributing to the problem. Following the recent knife crime deaths in the capital, the Labour mayor urged the Conservative government in a letter "to speed up the legislation so we can ban these awful weapons as soon as possible". "The proposals also need to be toughened up to close the loopholes that could still allow the sale of these weapons," Khan added. He also wrote this month to London's 500 secondary schools reiterating that wand metal detectors to screen pupils for weapons were available, as well as police officers to deliver knife crime prevention talks. His opposition Labour party -- well ahead in polls for over a year -- has pledged to spend up to £100 million if it wins power in an election expected next year on a "Young Futures" program. It would fund new youth mentors and mental health hubs in every community, youth workers in schools set up for troubled students and hospitals, alongside wide-ranging public sector reforms. The post England, Wales grapple with growing teen knife violence appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
6 minors in online sex rescued
The National Bureau of Investigation yesterday said they nabbed two persons while six minors were rescued from alleged online sexual exploitation activities in Manila. Those arrested were identified as Lynette S. Cruz and Paulo R. dela Cruz who were caught last 8 September during an entrapment operation conducted by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and the NBI. The operatives were armed with a Warrant to Search, Seize and Examine Computer Data. The NBI said that aside from the rescuing six minors, the operation “also resulted in the seizure of various inventory indicated in the WSSECD.” The two subsequently were charged before the Department of Justice with violations of Republic Act 11930, the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act; RA 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, as amended; and RA 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. The operation was conducted after the NBI Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Division received “information from Homeland Security Investigation Manila regarding an alleged facilitator in the Philippines who transmits sexually exploitative images and videos of minors to United States.” “NBI-AVAWCD reviewed the pieces of evidence which include child sexual abuse or exploitation materials, Skype and WhatsApp chat logs, Paypal Subpoena results, and screen record of video call through Skype between Subject Lynette and the poseur-customer,” it said. It added that operatives also went to HSI Manila Headquarters and it was found that Lynette was still offering live streaming and sexual shows. The post 6 minors in online sex rescued appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US condemns latest attack on Cuban embassy
The United States on Monday condemned the latest attack on Cuba's embassy in Washington, in which a man allegedly threw two Molotov cocktails at the mission. The communist nation described the incident Sunday night as a "terrorist attack." No one was injured. "All attacks and threats against diplomatic facilities are unacceptable," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. "We are in contact with Cuban embassy officials and, consistent with our obligations under the Vienna Convention, the department is committed to the safety and security of diplomatic facilities and the diplomats who work in them," he said. He said the State Department was coordinating with Washington police in the investigation. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez earlier wrote on social media that an individual threw two Molotov cocktails in the "terrorist attack." Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera said the embassy had "immediately communicated with United States authorities, who were given access to the mission to take samples of the Molotov cocktails." The attack took place hours after Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel returned to Havana after attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York and other activities with Cubans in the US. In New York, Cubans had demonstrated against Diaz-Canel's presence at the UN, according to posts and videos shared on social media. "The anti-Cuban groups resort to terrorism when feeling they enjoy impunity, something that Cuba has repeatedly warned the US authorities about," said Rodriguez after Sunday's attack. It was the second attack against the Cuban mission in Washington in recent years, after a man opened fire on the building in April 2020. There were no injuries from that attack either. At the time, the Cuban foreign minister summoned the then-US charge d'affaires in Havana, Mara Tekach, to express his "energetic protest" over what he called a "terrorist aggression" against his embassy. That shooting left bullet holes in exterior walls and columns, broke a street lamp and damaged several panes of glass and moldings on the front of the building. US authorities arrested Alexander Alazo over the shooting, charging him with multiple offenses including "a violent attack on a foreign official or official premises using a deadly weapon," according to the US Justice Department. The Cuban embassy reopened as a full mission after a reconciliation bid by former US president Barack Obama. His successor, Donald Trump, backed by staunchly anti-communist Cuban Americans, reversed many of Obama's overtures. The post US condemns latest attack on Cuban embassy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Molotov cocktails hit Cuban embassy
A man threw two Molotov cocktails at Cuba’s embassy in Washington on Sunday, according to the country’s foreign minister. Minister Bruno Rodriguez said in a post on X that no embassy staff was harmed in what he described as a terrorist attack. “The anti-Cuban groups resort to terrorism when feeling they enjoy impunity, something that Cuba has repeatedly warned the US authorities about,” Rodriguez said after the attack. The Sunday night attack took place hours after Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel returned to Havana after attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York and other activities with Cubans in the US. This was the second attack against the Cuban mission in Washington in recent years. A man opened fire on the embassy in April 2020 but no one was injured. That shooting left bullet holes in exterior walls and columns, broke a street lamp and damaged several panes of glass and moldings on the front of the building. US authorities arrested Alexander Alazo, then 42, for the attack. Alazo was indicted in July 2020 and charged with multiple offenses, including “violent attack on a foreign official or official premises using a deadly weapon,” according to the US Justice Department WITH AFP The post Molotov cocktails hit Cuban embassy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Venezuela offers a peek at prison run by gang
Venezuela's Tocoron prison was like a town all unto itself, boasting restaurants, a pool, a zoo, a playground for inmates' kids, and so much more as a powerful gang ruled the roost, using the facility as a criminal operations center. "Steak House. Enjoy," reads a sign on the wall of one of the restaurants in the prison, which thousands of soldiers and police stormed this week. Tocoron is now empty of the 1,600 prisoners who lived here and have been moved elsewhere. Gone is the gang that controlled it, called Tren de Aragua, which has tentacles in various countries of Latin America. "Life was nicer and safer in prison than out on the street," said the wife of a prisoner transferred elsewhere, declining to give her name. Venezuelan authorities took some 30-odd journalists on a controlled and limited tour of the prison on Saturday. The reporters did not get to see the concrete tunnels that the prisoners dug -- pictures of them are circulating on social media -- or what is left of the zoo with its pink flamingos. On one door is written "GNB: the train has stopped." That is the acronym of the Venezuelan national guard, and train refers to the gang. That was a message aimed at the visiting journalists but which the government is also presumably trying to spread nationwide amid the embarrassment of having a gang running a prison and living in relative luxury. Interior Minister Admiral Remigio Ceballos has said four prison officials had been arrested and charged with complicity with the criminals. The Tren de Aragua, which reportedly numbers some 5,000 criminals, emerged in 2014, specializing in classic mafia activities: kidnapping, robberies, drugs, prostitution, and extortion. It has extended its influence to other activities, some legal, but also to illegal gold mining. The head of the gang, Hector Guerrero, and other leaders were tipped off before the big raid on Wednesday and managed to flee the prison and the country a week beforehand, according to the Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVV), a group that follows developments in the country's notoriously dangerous detention centers. As reporters toured the prison, bulldozers tore down a small settlement of houses made of brick, wood, and metal. The authorities gave no explanation as the machines rolled noisily over walls, bed linens, curtains, and other housewares. 'Look in the morgue' Rubeles Mejias, aged 25 and the fiancee of an inmate serving a 13-year term for manslaughter, said she lived in the jail for seven months and left only when her four-year-old daughter had to start school. Her man, whom she planned to marry in a few weeks, was one of the so-called "baptized" people in the prison -- devout Christians who wore white and were treated as a separate caste within the prison hierarchy. Gang members would leave them alone. "It was peaceful. There was a swimming pool, a zoo," Mejias, a hairdresser, said Wednesday after the raid as she stood outside the prison. She said her partner worked in a prison shop and sent her money so she could survive Venezuela's hyperinflation and shortages of food, medicine, and other essentials. "It was he who helped me," she said. The few streets that reporters touring the prison were allowed to see were littered with beer bottles, clothing, TVs, appliances, and stuffed animals. Near the pool and a basketball court were abandoned food stands. On the day of the raid, AFP reporters saw police taking away valuables such as air conditioning units, TVs, and motorcycles as women waiting at the gates of the prison for news of their loved ones screamed "Thieves!" On Saturday, three prisoners in yellow jail uniforms walked around the grounds, which include a building labeled as being for "the training of new men." Outside the prison, many people were still waiting, hoping to find out where their loved ones were sent. Claribel Rojas cried as she looked for her brother. Nesbelis Mavares was trying to find her partner, who was in for homicide. "The last message I got from him was a voicemail Wednesday in which he said, 'I love you. God bless you,'" Mavares said. She added: "They are prisoners, not animals. A guard told us to go look in the morgue." The post Venezuela offers a peek at prison run by gang appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Suspected pushers yield P102K shabu, firearms
Quezon City Police have arrested two drug pushers who yielded P102,000 worth of shabu and firearms in a buy-bust operations early morning yesterday. Quezon City Police District Director P/Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said the suspects were collared by operatives of Novaliches Police Station 4 led by P/Lt. Col. Jerry Castillo, who identified the suspects as Reymarc Calceta, 27 years old and Maria Nicole Repollo, 24 years old, both residents of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. According to Castillo, PS 4 operatives, in coordination with PDEA-QC, conducted a buy-bust operation at 5 a.m. and arrested the duo in front of Novavets Animal Clinic and Grooming Center along Susano Road, Barangay San Agustin, Novaliches, Quezon City. The police officer said the arrest came after a concerned citizen reported the illegal drug activities of the suspects. A police officer acted as a poseur buyer and bought P7,500 worth of shabu from the suspects, and at the given pre-arranged signal, they were arrested. Seized from the suspects’ possessions were 15 grams of shabu worth P102,000; a black pouch; one identification card; a unit of motorcycle; a cellular phone; and the buy-bust money. Likewise, one caliber.38 revolver and four pieces of .38 full metal ammunition were confiscated from suspect Calceta. The suspects will be charged with violation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Additional charge for violation of RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and violation of Omnibus Election Code in relation to Comelec gun ban will be filed against suspect Calceta before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office. Maranan commended the operatives for their prompt action which resulted in the arrest of the suspects and the confiscation of the pieces of evidence. The post Suspected pushers yield P102K shabu, firearms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2 arrested drug pushers yield P102K worth of shabu, firearms
Quezon City police have arrested two drug pushers who yielded P102,000 worth of shabu and firearms in a buy-bust operation early morning yesterday. Quezon City Police District director, P/Brig.Gen. Redrico Maranan, said the suspects were collared by operatives of Novaliches Police Station (PS 4), led by P/Lt. Col. Jerry Castillo, who identified the suspects as Reymarc Calceta, 27 years old, and Maria Nicole Repollo, 24 years old, both residents of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. According to Castillo, the PS 4 operatives, in coordination with PDEA-QC, conducted a buy-bust operation at 5:00 a.m. and arrested the duo in front of Novavets Animal Clinic and Grooming Center along Susano Road in Brgy. San Agustin, Novaliches. The police officer said the arrest came after a concerned citizen reported the illegal drug activities of the suspects. A police officer acted as a poseur buyer and bought P7,500 worth of shabu from the suspects, and at the given pre-arranged signal, they were arrested. Seized from the suspects’ possessions were 15 grams of shabu worth P102,000; a black pouch; an identification card; a motorcycle; a cellular phone; and the buy-bust money. Likewise, one caliber .38 revolver and four pieces of .38 full metal ammunition were confiscated from suspect Calceta. The suspects will be charged with violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Additional charges for violation of RA 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and violation of the Omnibus Election Code in relation to the COMELEC Gun Ban will be filed against suspect Calceta before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office. Maranan commended the operatives for their prompt action which resulted in the arrest of the suspects and the confiscation of the pieces of evidence. "I commend the PS-4 personnel, headed by P/Lt. Col.Jerry Castillo, for their dedication and commitment to rid the streets from these illegal drugs menace. Gusto ko ding pasalamatan ang mga kababayan natin sa patuloy na pagbibigay ng impormasyon at pakikipagtulungan sa kapulisan, malaking tulong po ito para sa tagumpay ng bawat operasyon at sa pagpapanatili ng kaayusan sa ating mga nasasakupan," Maranan said. The post 2 arrested drug pushers yield P102K worth of shabu, firearms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bacoor police chief sacked
Philippine National Police chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. on Wednesday ordered the relief of Bacoor City Police Office in Cavite after two of his police sergeants were arrested in an entrapment operation conducted by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for allegedly collecting P1.5 million every month from transport operators in Bacoor. The PNP chief stressed that he ordered the sacking of the Bacoor City Police Office chief for command responsibility. “In line with our one-strike policy, the chief of police, he will be affected. He will be relieved. I will be giving the order as soon as we are done with our press conference,” Acorda said. CIDG director Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat said the two cops were identified as Senior Master Sgt. Joselito Bugay, assigned as intelligence officer of the Bacoor City Police Station; and Staff Sgt. Gregor Bautista, also assigned to the Bacoor City Police Station. “These policemen gained notoriety for allegedly extorting money from transport groups in Bacoor City. These individuals stand accused of collecting monthly payments or payola from tricycle operators, driver’s associations, and other transport groups,” Caramat said. Also arrested was a civilian identified as John Louie de Leon while another, Edralin Gawaran, the head of the Bacoor Traffic Management Department of Bacoor City fled. Acorda said the arrest of the suspects came during the conduct of entrapment operation in Barangay Molino in the morning of Tuesday and recovered from the suspects were three firearms and various ammunitions. The PNP chief disclosed that the operation stemmed from a complaint from local transport leaders as well as the local government of Bacoor City on the said illegal activities involving cops. The post Bacoor police chief sacked appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Dawlah Islamiyah members fall
ZAMBOANGA CITY — Police and military personnel raided a suspected hideout of Dawlah Islamiyah Maguid Group in Sitio Bunawan, Tupi town in South Cotabato and arrested four people believed supporters of the front. Joint Task Force Central commander Major General Alex Rillera on Tuesday said that authorities — armed with a warrant of arrest against a certain Rex Soliman — raided his hideout at dawn on Sunday. However, Soliman, also known as Latif, the leader of the armed lawless group and supporter of the DI-Maguid Group, was able to elude arrest. Meantime, four of the insurgent leader’s followers were arrested during the raid. They were identified as Angelo Abul, Melvin Ditan, John Ditan, and Gabriel Palucan, all residents of Barangay Polonuling, Tupi, South Cotabato. Authorities also seized from the possession of his four followers one unit of improvised cal .45 home-made Thompson rifle, a magazine for .45 cal., one unit of cal. 38 revolver pistol with ammunition, one piece of grenade and some sachet of suspected shabu. Rillera thanked the quick response of the military, police, and the local government of South Cotabato during the conduct of the raid. “This operation shows the continued efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat lawless group and drug-related activities to maintain peace and order in the province,” Rillera said. The post Dawlah Islamiyah members fall appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese national intercepted at NAIA
The Bureau of Immigration arrested a Chinese national last Monday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after being found to be facing charges in China for illegal gambling. The BI-NAIA identified the suspect as Jiang Ning, a 27-year-old male who attempted to depart via a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when the BI officers noted a derogatory record in their system issued against him by the Chinese authorities. Upon verification, the Bureau confirmed that Jiang is the subject of an Interpol Red notice after allegedly being wanted in China for involvement in setting up a gambling group, which was said to control 14 gambling platforms for illegal profits in China and the Philippines. The BI-NAIA added that his group was said to have operated from 2014 to 2021 and to have induced more than 100 thousand Chinese to engage in illegal gambling activities. A warrant of arrest was already issued against him by the Qijiang District Public Security Bureau of Chongqing Municipality. He was charged with opening a casino in violation of the Criminal Law of China and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Jiang was immediately referred to the BI Legal Division to be charged with undesirability. He will be detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending his deportation proceedings. The post Chinese national intercepted at NAIA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Red-tagged individuals have only themselves to blame
These human rights groups and activists have been haranguing the government for every perceived action that threatens their democratic space or their existence as an organization. They are always at the forefront, slamming the government and its officials who do not conform to their progressive and radical views. They rev up people into a frenzy and rally them against certain policies and programs that will neutralize the revolutionary activities of the armed left and its front organizations. They organize protest marches and rallies and call on the people to reject government initiatives to eradicate the more than 50-year-old communist urgency, like the establishment of the NTF-ELCAC, which has successfully stopped the resurrection of the communist rebels. The NTF-ELCAC is an ingenious program commenced in the previous Duterte administration, institutionalizing the government’s “whole of nation” approach in confronting the ongoing communist rebellion and against groups that are front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines or CPP. The socio-economic program of the NTF-ELCAC at the barangay level succeeded in dismantling the communist hold on the depressed and neglected barangays. It led to hundreds of NPAs surrendering and returning to the law’s fold. These left-leaning individuals and aggregations exhibit their nationalist pretensions by embroiling themselves with national issues related to the people’s needs and sufferings, picturing themselves as victims of human rights violations committed allegedly by the government against them. They use social media to whip up support for them and use compelling political propaganda subjects like alleged summary killings, unlawful arrests, tortures, and harassment of political activists and progressive groups. Their comrades in Congress who managed to be elected have become effective political mouthpieces against the government. They are good at using the mass media, which is just too happy to accommodate them to boost their sales. Some have infiltrated the government bureaucracy and used their positions and offices to advance their political ideologies in the guise of good government. They have been successful, too, in recruiting young students of impressionable minds to embrace their causes, who end up either young NPA rebels, leading student activists, or dead resulting from government clashes with government troops. These self-proclaimed nationalists have peppered the air with accusations of extrajudicial killings against the government and have defended suspected terrorists and subversives when arrested and prosecuted. They readily proclaim their innocence. They have taken the cudgels of citizens murdered by common criminals or political warlords — but they are deathly silent when the communist armed rebels waylay, ambush, and murderously assault military men and women as well as civilians engaged in humanitarian missions during the occurrence of natural disasters. Even when they are confronted with this telling inconsistency and dared to condemn these terrorist atrocities, these leftists remain tight-lipped. They have never condemned the New People’s Army for its terroristic and undemocratic activities. Given this implied but glaring support to the enemies of the state by their deafening silence, can we reasonably accuse the government officials of classifying or describing them as supporters of the NPA or closeted members of the armed rebellion? Certainly not. They have only themselves to blame for being tagged as red supporters. Why should they be afraid, ashamed, or embarrassed to be called communists or communist supporters? The Anti-Subversion Law, where being a member of the CPP is a crime, has long been repealed. So why the fear or shame of being called a communist advocate or supporter? These democratic pretenders must unclothe themselves of their camouflage and join the parliamentary struggle. They should publicly articulate the virtues of communism against democracy and seek elective posts based on their true ideological selves. They should not use the Bill of Rights to undermine the authority of the constituted authorities, remaining as secret enemies of democracy while masquerading as its champions. It is about time they unmask themselves and be proud of their ideological beliefs. They should put an end to their pretense. They should be principled enough to present themselves as ideologues of communism — own to their loyalty to such ideology — and profess it publicly. Let the people judge who — and what they are — and not what they pretend to be. The post Red-tagged individuals have only themselves to blame appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese national wanted for illegal gambling nabbed at NAIA
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported that a Chinese national was arrested on 18 September by BI officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after being found to be facing charges in China for illegal gambling. The BI-NAIA identified the suspect as Jiang Ning, a 27-year-old male. Jiang was arrested at the NAIA Terminal 1. He attempted to depart the country via a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia when BI officers noted a derogatory record in their system issued against him by the Chinese authorities. Upon verification, the BI confirmed that Jiang is the subject of an Interpol Red notice after allegedly being wanted in China for involvement in setting up a gambling group, which was said to control 14 gambling platforms for illegal profits in China and the Philippines. The BI-NAIA added that his group was said to have operated from 2014 to 2021 and to have induced more than 100 thousand Chinese to engage in illegal gambling activities. A warrant of arrest was already issued against him by the Qijiang District Public Security Bureau of Chongqing Municipality. He was charged with opening a casino in violation of the Criminal Law of China and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Jiang was immediately referred to the BI Legal Division to be charged with undesirability. He will be detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending his deportation proceedings. The post Chinese national wanted for illegal gambling nabbed at NAIA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Red-tagged individuals create their own classification (1)
It is amusing to read about individuals or groups protesting about being tagged as New People’s Army or NPA supporters, or even communists themselves. At least one of them filed a civil suit for damages against two anchors of a program in SMNI for allegedly tagging him as a communist sympathizer and his mother as a closeted communist. Red-tagging has become a whipping boy of leftist organizations and their sympathizers. The dwindling number of left-leaning party-list representatives who survived the electoral debacle of their comrades have become the mouthpiece. They have been regularly and constantly attacking the government officials who described them as supporters of the communist rebels. This protesting sector of our society has described red-tagging as “the act of labeling individuals or groups as “communist fronts,” “communist terrorists,” or communist sympathizers.” They have likened such acts to “McCarthyism” in the 1950s in the United States. The American Heritage Dictionary defines McCarthyism as “1. The political practice of publicizing accusations of disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence; and 2. The use of methods of investigation and accusation regarded as unfair, to suppress opposition.” McCarthyism is known as the “second Ref Scare” in the United States. It was an era of “political repression and persecution of left-wing individuals and a campaign spreading fear of alleged communist and Soviet influence on American institutions and Soviet espionage in the United States during the late 1940s through the 1950s.” Joseph McCarthy, a Wisconsin Senator, started what appeared to become a national witch-hunt in the United States in the late forties and early fifties. He rose to national prominence in the US after an alleged three-year undistinguishable stay in the US Senate, after delivering a speech in Congress where he claimed to have a list of “members of the communist party and members of a spy ring employed in the US State Department.” As a result of McCarty’s speech, congressional hearings were conducted by the U.S. House Committee on Un-American Activities that led to the imprisonment of 10 Hollywood screenwriters and directors. Likewise, hundreds of their colleagues in the movie industry were placed on the “blacklist.” The so-called human rights groups in the Philippines claim that red-tagging is often done without evidence. A human rights alliance group, Karapatan, slammed the NTF-ELCAC for gaining “notoriety in the red-tagging, harassing and intimidating political activists and other government critics and for instigating mass surrenders of civilians alleged to be supporters of the revolutionary movement.” Karapatan alleged, “Many of the victims of NTF-ELCAC’s red-tagging campaigns had ended up arrested and detained on trump-up charges, while others have been killed by vigilante groups or in armed encounters staged by the military.” There is a whale of a difference between the red-baiting in the United States during the McCarthyism period and the so called red-tagging in the Philippines. For one, those who have been red-tagged, if they feel they have been unjustly classified as communist supporters or secret members of the NPA, can always resort to civil suits for damages, just like one of them did. Unlike the late Senator McCarty, the perceived violators of their human rights are not immune from lawsuits. McCarty was immune from being sued when he red-tagged suspected members of the communist party because he enjoyed parliamentary immunity when he delivered the red-tagging speech. The claim that those red-tagged by government officials led to their deaths is just a claim. The human rights groups have not produced any proof of that. As to those arrested and jailed, it only means there was probable cause for the crimes they have been charged with — hence, the courts issued warrants for their arrest. As to the claim of trump-up charges, there have been instances where the courts have dismissed those criminal cases filed against them because the prosecution failed to produce the quantum of proof required by law in court. They can seek judicial redress by filing malicious criminal prosecution against those who made up the false charges plus damages. (To be continued) The post Red-tagged individuals create their own classification (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
P1 million worth of weeds seized
Operatives of the Quezon City Police District on Saturday reported the arrest of three drug peddlers and the confiscation of P1,080,000 worth of Marijuana in a buy-bust operation conducted by the operatives of Novaliches Police Station 4. P/Lt. Col. Jerry Castillo, Station Commander of PS 4 identified the three suspected drug pushers as Elton John Pangilinan, 24 years old; Christian Paul San Jose, 27 years old; and Rhay Van Lumanog, 22 years old, all residents of Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches, Quezon City. The report shows that PS 4 received information from a confidential informant regarding the illegal drug activities of the suspects in the area of Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches, Quezon City. Acting on the report, a buy-bust operation was conducted in coordination with PDEA-NCR at 3:30 a.m. on 16 September at Masterkee Carwash along Quirino Highway, Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches, Quezon City. A police officer acted as a poseur buyer and bought P35,000 worth of marijuana, and at the given pre-arranged signal, they were arrested. Seized from the suspects were nine kilos of marijuana valued at P1,080,000, a piece of cling wrap plastic bag, a big eco bag, a cellular phone, one white weighing scale, and the buy-bust money. The suspects will be charged with violation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. “I commend the PS 4 personnel under P/Lt. Col. P Jerry Castillo for their relentless efforts on the campaign against illegal drugs, which resulted in the arrest of the suspects and the confiscation of pieces of evidence,” QCPD director, P/Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said. The post P1 million worth of weeds seized appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Addressing vote-buying
It seems that the present Commission on Elections is not running out of ideas on how to effect reforms. It is not “sleeping on their post” as sentinels used to say. It continues to pursue changes in the electoral landscape unmindful of negative social and political headwinds. I just wrote about its speedy action of placing Malabang, Lanao del Sur under Comelec control because of the indiscriminate firing of guns on the first day of filing of certificates of candidacy. Now, it’s tackling the mother of election irregularities — vote buying and vote selling. This illegal practice is anti-democratic. It continues to be the bane of elections. It restricts one’s freedom to choose one’s leaders. That it thrives as endemic in a political milieu like the Philippines is a testament to how difficult life is for the common people. Financial need, especially for those on the margins of society, is so chronic that people are willing to sacrifice their basic freedoms to make ends meet. This is a problem almost beyond solution because of the difficulty of punishing the wrongdoers, both the buyer and seller. We have laws punishing it but prosecutors can only build a case against a suspect with the participation of at least one of the accomplices to the crime. And who would want to testify against oneself unless immunity is assured? And so, we see a mockery of the law. No one gets jailed for violating it. The proactive Comelec comes now with a bagful of measures to combat the anomaly. It has created a special group, the Committee on Kontra Bigay, to address the problem and it is helmed by a no-nonsense reformist, Commissioner Ernesto Maceda Jr., the namesake of a great and astute statesman who served the country in various capacities for decades. I say he is the right choice, not only because of the reputation he has built, but more so because of the weight of the name he carries which he would not want to taint with a whiff of wrongdoing. The Commission has listed a litany of prohibitive acts associated with vote-buying. It’s too long to list in this limited space. But on top of these are acts and activities “presumed” to be illegal because they lead to the commission of the crime. These include “possessing or delivery of... monies or anything of value together with sample ballots or other campaign materials... queues of registered voters for the distribution of money... and such other goods... employing the hakot system or the gathering of two or more registered voters in a specific place before election day and on election day ...prohibiting the possession... carrying of cash exceeding P500,000 along with campaign paraphernalia two days before an election and on election day... an ‘ayuda’ ban except that which is normally given to qualified individuals...” It also created the Kontra Bigay Complaint Center which will receive complaints of vote-buying. For human rights guardians, consider this: the Comelec allows “warrantless arrest wherein any law enforcement officer may, without a warrant, arrest a person when in his or her presence, the person to be arrested has committed, is committing, or is attempting to commit the election offense of vote-buying.” Wow! A case arising out of these acts is fertile ground for legal hermeneutics. Any two-bit lawyer can find a “palusot” in this scenario. It may be extremely difficult to prove all these by evidence but it’s surely a theoretical force to deter the commission of the crime. And let it not be said that the present Commission did not lift a finger to combat this perennial problem which everyone talks about but was never addressed by past commissions. For this reason, the present Commission deserves our appreciation for a bold ambitious move. amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Addressing vote-buying appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
QCPD chief leads distribution of BSKE equipment
Quezon City Police District Director P/Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan led the distribution of equipment Thursday, to be used for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections 2023. The program highlighted the distribution of 179 body-worn cameras from the Quezon City local government unit to QCPD police officers who will be deployed to 107 different polling centers during the BSKE 2023. The use of these tools will guarantee that every action taken during the election is precisely recorded. The Task Force District Anti-Crime Reaction Team was also launched during the activity. The TF-DART was created to deter criminal activities, provide immediate response to incidents, and support the electoral process to maintain peace and order for the upcoming Barangay and SK Elections 2023 in Quezon City. The team is composed of skilled and well-trained motorcycle officers, wherein the Acting Deputy District Director for Operations P/Col. Josefino Ligan was designated as the overall supervisor. The team is also equipped with 22 motorcycles, body vest, body cameras, tactical helmet, and hand-held radios. Meanwhile, the QCPD conducted operations against wanted persons from September 10-12, 2023 wherein 50 wanted persons were arrested by QCPD. “I would like to take the opportunity to thank our beloved Mayor Josefina ‘Joy’ Belmonte for providing this logistics, the body worn cameras, the motorcycles, and other enforcement equipment,” Maranan added. Maranan said that one week before election day, they will deploy 100 percent total strength of the QCPD including 900 personnel at the voting centers, treasurer’s offices, national printing offices, and other vital installations in connection with elections. The post QCPD chief leads distribution of BSKE equipment appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»