Duterte urged to hold ‘Philhealth mafia’ accountable for alleged 15B corruption
The alleged corruption issues came on the heels of an apparent lack of concrete plans of the government to curb the local transmission of the COVID-19, inadequate testing and contact tracing capacity, an overwhelmed health system, and the scant social protection for the poor and displaced workers. The post Duterte urged to hold ‘Philhealth mafia’ accountable for alleged 15B corruption appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Marcos admin urged to allow ICC probe Duterte s drug war anew
The Magdalo group on Monday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration to allow the International Criminal Court investigators into the country to hold former President Rodrigo Duterte accountable for alleged "crimes against humanity.".....»»
CHR welcomes murder charges vs. cops linked to Jemboy Baltazar’s death
The Commission on Human Rights on Saturday welcomed the filing of murder charges against six police officers in connection with the “unjust killing” of 17-year-old Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar Navotas City in August. In a statement, the CHR likewise commended the Department of Justice for “conducting a comprehensive review” of Baltazar’s slay case, which has led to the decision to file murder charges against police officers allegedly involved in the killing. “This swift development on the case is an important step towards ensuring justice and accountability, especially as it involves law enforcement agents,” it said. The human rights body said the “senseless death” of Baltazar “underscored the importance of holding law enforcement agents” accountable for their actions to curb violations and abuses that breach fundamental rights. CHR firmly stressed that positions of authority, including law enforcers, “are not above the law. “Those who committed alleged violations must be held responsible considering that they made an oath to serve in accordance with the rules and standards required of police officers," it added. CHR hopes that the filing of murder charges against the suspects "will serve as a strong message that any alleged human rights violations by law enforcement officers will not be tolerated in our society.” “Aside from its crucial importance in delivering justice to Jemboy and his family, it can also help restore public trust in our law enforcement agencies,” it further stated. "The Commission also expects that the case amplifies the importance of abiding with established rules of operations that adhere to human rights-based policing to prevent violations that denigrate human rights, especially the utmost right to life.” CHR likewise urged the Philippine National Police to continue strengthening its programs and training “that will imbue its personnel with a renewed commitment to human rights practice” and values in the conduct of their duty. The commission said it will continue monitoring the case and provide support “in aid of ascertaining justice.” “As we mark this positive development, it is equally important to ensure continued commitment to due process, transparency, and accountability throughout the legal proceedings," it said. After the issuance of the warrant of arrest, the six police officers turned themselves into the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Lucena City in Quezon last Wednesday. They will be facing murder charges and are not entitled to bail. Eight policemen, including the six who were ordered arrested by the court, were dismissed due to serious grave neglect of duty. Since then, their benefits have been forfeited and their eligibility was revoked. While they were perpetually disqualified from holding any other government posts. The post CHR welcomes murder charges vs. cops linked to Jemboy Baltazar’s death appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ombudsman vindicates (3)
It was the incendiary Independent Auditor’s Report on the Department of Health’s accounts and financial operations, crafted by a state auditor, a colleague of Heidi Mendoza’s, and released prematurely that roused strife between former CoA chairpersons allied with the senators of the Republic against President Rodrigo Duterte and Health Secretary Francisco Duque. On CoA’s and the senators’ side were Grace Pulido Tan, Heidi Mendoza and Michael Aguinaldo allied with Senators Richard Gordon, Franklin Drilon, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros and Kiko Pangilinan. Words and deeds are enough to establish culpability for conspiracy by the former CoA chiefs and the senators of the Republic to destabilize the Duterte administration, to say the least, and to incite the people to sedition, at most. Immediately, this column issued commentaries informing the people that the report released by CoA on the alleged irregularities in DoH funds for Covid-19 was not an annual audit report but mere Audit Observation Memorandums, or AOMs, that were released prematurely. Almost instantaneously, Mendoza came from nowhere to declare that the release of the CoA findings on the P67.32 billion in DoH funds was not premature. The writings and voices of the former CoA chairpersons were loud, clear and eloquent in defense of an annual audit report that never was. “Today I weep for my colleague, a CoA-UN auditor, who just died of a heart attack. He was the auditor behind the DoH report. Stress can kill. Please let us offer a minute of prayer,” Mendoza said. Mendoza was referring to lawyer Jake Cimafranca who wrote the Independent Auditor’s Report on DoH’s accounts. Both Mendoza and Grace Pulido Tan were quick to say that the CoA annual audit report on DoH’s accounts and financial operations was regular and went through the process of review and approval before its release. The release was not premature, both said. The premature release put CoA under fire from President Duterte and administration officials like DoH Secretary Francisco Duque and allies for the screaming headlines in local newspapers and internet news flashes in capital cities around the world that said P67.32 billion intended to protect the people from Covid-19 was being lost to corruption. During the House hearing on CoA’s audit of the DoH, then CoA Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo announced that CoA would continue making and publishing audit reports on government agencies despite criticism from Duterte and Duque. Citing the huge misstatements and deficiencies contained in the Independent Auditor’s Report, Senator Leila M. De Lima submitted P.S. Res. No. 859 ( Resolution directing the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the findings of the Commission on Audit report on the DoH on the reported unspent funds, misstatements, irregularities and deficiencies, with the end in view of addressing recurrent issues that plagued its services, as well as the persistent faults and lapses that gave rise to wastage even amid times of scarcity and shortages, and holding accountable, identifying and holding accountable those responsible for the same). The Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon) headed by Senator Richard J. Gordon submitted its partial committee report to the Senate, preluded by a poem entitled “Pity the Nation” by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (After Khalil Gibran) 2007. “Pity the nation whose people are sheep And whose shepherds mislead them Pity the nation whose leaders are liars Whose sages are silenced And whose bigots haunt the airwaves Pity the nation that raises not its voice Except to praise conquerors And acclaim the bully as hero.” (To be continued) The post Ombudsman vindicates (3) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
California sues oil giants, alleging climate risks deception
The US state of California sued five of the world's largest oil companies on Friday, alleging the firms caused billions of dollars in damages and misled the public by minimizing the risks from fossil fuels, according to a court filing. It follows numerous other cases brought by US cities, counties, and states against fossil fuel interests over the impact of climate change as well as alleged disinformation campaigns spanning decades. The civil case was filed in a superior court in San Francisco against ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron, which is headquartered in California. The American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, is also a defendant in the case. "Oil and gas company executives have known for decades that reliance on fossil fuels would cause these catastrophic results, but they suppressed that information from the public and policymakers by actively pushing out disinformation on the topic," the 135-page complaint read. "Their deception caused a delayed societal response to global warming. And their misconduct has resulted in tremendous costs to people, property, and natural resources, which continue to unfold each day." The suit seeks the creation of an abatement fund to pay for future damages caused by climate disasters in California, which is on the front lines of climate change-fueled wildfires, flooding and other extreme weather phenomena. "By downplaying the scientific consensus on climate change and emphasizing uncertainty, Defendants hoped to delay any regulatory action that might seek to reduce or control (greenhouse gas) emissions, thereby threatening the industry's profits," the complaint added. Representatives of the defendants did not immediately reply to requests for comment from AFP. "For more than 50 years, Big Oil has been lying to us -- covering up the fact that they've long known how dangerous the fossil fuels they produce are for our planet," California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement on Friday. "California is taking action to hold big polluters accountable," he added. Since the current wave of environmental litigation against fossil fuel firms began around 2017, the industry has sought to avoid state trials on procedural grounds. That effort received a major blow in May when the US Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal in two cases, meaning they could proceed. The lawsuits are modeled on successful cases against Big Tobacco as well as against the pharmaceutical industry over the proliferation of opioids. The post California sues oil giants, alleging climate risks deception appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NSC denies NTF-ELCAC’s links to 2 missing youth activists
The National Security Council on Thursday challenged Human Rights watchdog Karapatan to provide proof that the government's anti-insurgency task force is behind the reported abduction of two youth activists involved in an anti-reclamation campaign in Bataan province. NSC Assistant Director-General, Jonathan Malaya, insisted there was no way that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict would do such an act. “As if on cue, the alleged abduction of the two individuals has once again been blamed on the NTF-ELCAC, without any shred of evidence whatsoever,” Malaya said in a statement. According to Karapatan, Jhed Tamano, 22, and Jonila Castro, 21, have gone missing as of Monday. Amador Cadano, Karapatan-Central Luzon spokesperson, cited accounts of witnesses that suspected armed men were seen forcing Tamano and Castro inside a gray Toyota Innova in front of the Orion Water District in Barangay Lati around 8 p.m. on 2 September. “Before they went missing, the two reported being tailed by men wearing civilian clothes. The two stayed in Sitio Ormoc in Barangay Balut (also in Orion) for at least three days, consulting the community for a possible relief operation,” Cadano said. The group held state forces, the NTF-ELCAC, and the Marcos administration should be held “accountable for the enforced disappearance of Jhed and Jonila and all others who disappeared in the region and in the nation.” Malaya described this as a 'usual playbook' of the group saying, “The NTF-ELCAC is the convenient scapegoat by this front organization for any alleged deficiency of government.” “We challenge Karapatan to come up with any evidence or proof of wrong-doing by the NTF ELCAC and submit the same to the Department of Justice for preliminary investigation,” Malaya said. Should there be no evidence be presented, Malaya said the group must let the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group do their job. “If they have none, then they should let the PNP CIDG conduct its investigation rather than pointing fingers at the NTF ELCAC with complete disregard for the truth,” he added. The NSC serves as the vice chair of the anti-communist insurgency body. The post NSC denies NTF-ELCAC’s links to 2 missing youth activists appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Correct me if I’m wrong: SALN and second chances
SALN which stands for Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth has become a familiar term in Philippine society. From the campaign of public officials to the confirmation of presidential appointees and impeachment of Justices, SALN has found its way creeping into various political controversies. Under Section 8 of Republic Act 6713, otherwise known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, public officials and employees are mandated to file sworn SALNs. In the recent case of Jessie Carlos v. Department of Finance — Revenue Integrity Protection Service et al. (G.R. 225774, 18 April 2023), the Supreme Court revisited the procedure before any public official or employee can be held accountable for errors or omissions in, or non-submission of, their SALNs. In this case, a public employee was dismissed for dishonesty after failing to disclose real properties, motor vehicles, business interests, and liabilities in his SALN. He pleaded for reversal from the Supreme Court claiming good faith and deprivation of due process since he was never granted the opportunity to rectify his alleged omission or mistakes. Ruling in favor of the public employee, the Supreme Court reiterated the review and compliance procedure under Section 10 of RA 6713 which institutes a mechanism for review and rectification of errors with respect to: (1) failure to submit SALNs on time; and (2) incomplete SALNs, and formally defective SALNs. According to the High Court, the foregoing procedure is mandatory hence any concerned public official or employee cannot be subjected to disciplinary action without having been granted a non-extendible period of 30 days to perform corrective action. Only in case of failure can such an official or employee be held accountable. Accordingly, without compliance with the foregoing procedure, no violation shall arise. Consequently, no liability for failure to file, or for omissions or errors in SALNs will be attached. In fact, it is the head of an office who omitted to comply with the foregoing mechanism who can be held accountable for simple neglect of duty. By so ruling, the Supreme Court expressly abandoned its previous pronouncements maintaining the jurisdiction of the Office of the Ombudsman in prosecuting officials for non-submission or omissions/errors in their SALNs independently of the head of concerned agencies. While it recognized that the duty to conduct the review and compliance procedure is vested to the heads of agencies, the Supreme Court nevertheless points out that the Office of the Ombudsman cannot prosecute the concerned official if the latter was not afforded by the head of concerned office/agency the opportunity to rectify the alleged errors or omissions. It must be stressed that the recent pronouncement of the Supreme Court does not aim to tolerate the concealment of ill-gotten wealth. On the contrary, it puts focus on the real evil — the accumulation of ill-gotten wealth. Strict compliance with the review and compliance procedure allows the government to weed out simple, correctible errors from actually deliberate, sinister attempts to conceal ill-gotten wealth. After all, what the law seeks to curtail is the “acquisition of unexplained wealth.” Where the source of the undisclosed wealth can be properly accounted for, then it is “explained wealth” which the law does not penalize. Taken together, the law and rules establish a robust mechanism for the review of SALNs. The objective behind identifying non-submissions of, or omissions and errors in SALNs is to address them. After all, the intention is for a more complete disclosure. In sum, public officials and employees are likewise entitled to second chances at SALNs. It is only when they still fail to comply after being granted the opportunity to correct, complete, and submit their SALNs that can they be held accountable for any errors or omissions therein, or non-submission thereof. For more of Dean Nilo Divina’s legal tidbits, please visit www.divinalaw.com. For comments and questions, please send an email to cabdo@divinalaw.com. The post Correct me if I’m wrong: SALN and second chances appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US Justice Dept sues SpaceX over hiring practices
The US Justice Department filed a lawsuit against SpaceX on Thursday over its hiring practices, accusing Elon Musk's rocket company of discriminating against asylum seekers and refugees. "Our investigation found that SpaceX failed to fairly consider or hire asylees and refugees because of their citizenship status and imposed what amounted to a ban on their hire regardless of their qualification, in violation of federal law," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said. "Our investigation also found that SpaceX recruiters and high-level officials took actions that actively discouraged asylees and refugees from seeking work opportunities at the company," Clarke added in a statement. The Justice Department said SpaceX, from September 2018 to May 2022, discouraged asylum seekers and refugees from applying for jobs at the company because of their citizenship status. "SpaceX wrongly claimed that under federal regulations known as 'export control laws,' SpaceX could hire only US citizens and lawful permanent residents, sometimes referred to as 'green card holders,'" the department said. "Export control laws impose no such hiring restrictions," it said. The Justice Department said it would seek back pay for asylum seekers and refugees who were deterred or denied employment at SpaceX due to alleged discrimination and for the court to impose civil penalties on the company. "Asylees and refugees have overcome many obstacles in their lives, and unlawful employment discrimination based on their citizenship status should not be one of them," Clarke said. "Through this lawsuit, we will hold SpaceX accountable for its illegal employment practices and seek relief that allows asylees and refugees to fairly compete for job opportunities and contribute their talents to SpaceX's workforce." The post US Justice Dept sues SpaceX over hiring practices appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UBS to pay $1.4-B to settle US fraud charges on subprime loans
UBS will pay $1.4 billion to settle US charges that it defrauded investors in the sale of mortgage-backed securities central to the 2008 financial crisis, the Justice Department announced Monday. The agreement resolves the last outstanding case brought by federal prosecutors against major banks in the wake of the financial calamity, an initiative which has garnered $36 billion in settlements from nearly 20 financial institutions, a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release said. In its civil case launched in 2018, the DOJ argued that UBS "knowingly made false and misleading statements" in connection with the sale of 40 residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) issued in 2006 and 2007. The DOJ had alleged that contrary to UBS representations, the giant Swiss bank "knew that significant numbers of the loans backing the RMBS did not comply with loan underwriting guidelines that were designed to assess borrowers' ability to repay." Ultimately the 40 RMBS "sustained substantial losses," the DOJ said. "With this resolution, UBS will pay for its conduct related to its underwriting and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities," said Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. "The substantial civil penalty, in this case, serves as a warning to other players in the financial markets who seek to unlawfully profit through fraud that we will hold them accountable no matter how long it takes," he added. UBS characterized the case as a "legacy matter," adding in a statement that the funds have been provisioned for in earlier periods. The post UBS to pay $1.4-B to settle US fraud charges on subprime loans appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MTRCB s Lala Sotto answers to challenge to hold parents accountable for EAT alleged misconduct
Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Chairperson Lala Sotto has responded to Internet users’ plea to also summon her parents, former senator Tito Sotto and actress Helen Gamboa, for their affectionate kiss on TV5 noontime show “E.A.T.”.....»»
Belgica, 4 others ordered dismissed
Despite separate rulings by the Justice Secretary and the Office of the President on the Anti-Red Tape Authority’s, or ARTA, directives pertaining to the assignment of frequency to NOW Telecom, an Omnibus Order and Minute Resolution was issued by the officers of the agency affirming its earlier resolution and Order of Automatic Approval which is illegal. With this, former Anti-Red Tape Authority director general Jeremiah Belgica and four other officials of the agency were ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman after finding them guilty of grave misconduct. The termination order was contained in a 14-page decision prepared by a four-member special panel and approved by Ombudsman Samuel Martires. It declared Belgica, his former deputy Eduardo Bringas, division chief Sheryl Pura-Sumangil, and directors Jedrek Ng and Melamy Salvadora-Asperin accountable. The ruling carries the accessory penalties of cancellation of civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification to hold public office. If the accused were already separated from the service and the penalty could no longer be, the same shall be converted into a fine in the amount equivalent to the respondents’ salary for one year, payable to the Office of the Ombudsman, and may be deductible from their retirement benefits, accrued leave credits or any receivables by respondents from their office. The case against Belgica and company stemmed from a complaint filed by DITO Telecommunity Inc., which accused the respondents of giving preferential treatment to NOW Telecom. Sweetheart deal The alleged preferential treatment was evidenced by ARTA’s 1 March 2021 OAA assigning contingent frequencies to NOW Telecom, which came after the government awarded the same frequencies to DITO as the country’s new telco major player. The order cited the respondents’ “clear intent to violate the law” when they issued the assailed ARTA Resolution and OAA despite being aware beforehand of the status of NOW Telecom with the National Telecommunications Commission. As early as December 2005, NTC records showed Now Telecom was already found to be non-compliant and was disqualified from the assignment of 3G frequency bands due to unpaid supervision and regulation fees and spectrum user fees amounting to P2.6 billion. The telecom company in January 2006 was issued a provisional authority that was not specific to 3G and was premised on the condition on the payment of its outstanding SRF and SUF obligations. At that time, the issue on the outstanding SRF and SUF was already pending with the Supreme Court. In December 2017, NOW Telecom was assigned the 20MHz contiguous bandwidth, 3520 to 3540 MHz, under the 3.5 GHz on the same condition that it settle its outstanding SUF and SRF. NOW Telecom’s PA was extended for 36 months until September 2020 subject again to the condition regarding the SUF and SRF, but was never fulfilled by the company. The post Belgica, 4 others ordered dismissed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Teves files motion to dismiss Degamo murder raps
The camp of suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. on Monday filed a motion to dismiss the multiple murder complaints filed against him in relation to the murder of provincial governor Roel Degamo and several others. Teves' counsel Atty. Ferdie Topacio said the motion to dismiss is based on the absence of probable cause and even a lack of “reasonable certainty of conviction,” both of which he said they would demonstrate to the court. In particular, Topacio cited the recantation of a suspect in the case, and that the statements made by the suspects linking Teves to Degamo’s murder are hearsay and were given without the presence of the suspects' chosen legal counsel. Topacio said that even assuming the recantation has no effect, there remains no direct evidence to pin Teves as the alleged mastermind, only hearsay, conjecture and guesswork. Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Boying Remulla announced on Monday that investigators have gathered enough independent evidence to hold accountable the individuals responsible for the assassination of Degamo and several others, in reaction to some of the suspects in the case retracting their previous statements. “We possess various independent pieces of evidence. These details will be disclosed at a later stage," he said. The post Teves files motion to dismiss Degamo murder raps appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Remulla backs SC rejection of PAO petition
Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has expressed his support for the Supreme Court’s decision rejecting the request made by Public Attorney’s Office chief Atty. Persida Acosta to remove Section 22, Canon III of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability. The said section imposes limitations on the PAO’s ability to invoke the rule on conflict of interest. Remulla on Wednesday emphasized that the PAO should be considered a “legal service” rather than a “law office” and stressed that the Constitution guarantees every individual the right to counsel, and the existence of the PAO ensures that this right is upheld for every Filipino. “I believe in the court’s intentions to hold everyone accountable and to defend every person’s right to have legal representation,” said Remulla, adding that the PAO’s interpretation of conflict of interest has led to problems and delays in certain cases. The SC en banc resolution emphasized the primary duty of the PAO, which is to provide free legal assistance to indigent individuals in various legal cases, including criminal, civil, labor, administrative and quasi-judicial matters. The high court stated that refusing indigent litigants access to the services of PAO lawyers nationwide based on alleged conflict of interest would contradict the primary responsibility of the PAO and leave numerous financially disadvantaged litigants without legal representation they cannot afford otherwise. The SC also took note of Acosta’s ongoing public criticism of Canon III, Section 22 of the CPRA through social and mainstream media. To recall, Acosta has labeled the adoption of the CPRA as unconstitutional, considering it an unjustified intervention by the SC in the operations of the PAO. The SC instructed Acosta to justify her actions and explain why she should not be held in indirect contempt for her social media posts and newspaper publications. “The Court thus directed Atty. Acosta to show cause why she should not be cited in indirect contempt for her social media posts and newspaper publications which tended, directly or indirectly, to impede, obstruct, or degrade the administration of justice,” said the SC. The post Remulla backs SC rejection of PAO petition appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2,700 trafficking victims rescued
The joint operatives of the National Capital Region Police Office and Philippine National Police — Anti Cybercrime Group rescued more than 2,700 workers of alleged illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming operation in Las Piñas City on Monday evening. Based on the report of NCRPO, a total of 2,714 individuals including Filipinos (1,528), Chinese-600 Vietnamese-183 Indonesian-137, Malaysian-134, Thailand-81, Taiwan-21, Nigerian-7, Singaporean-5, Myanmar-5, Yemen-4, Pakistan-2, African-2, India-1, Somalia-1, Sudanese-1, Cameroon-1, Iranian-1 were rescued during a raid conducted at the Alabang-Zapote Road, Barangay Almanza Uno, Las Piñas. The operation was conducted through the implementation of the search warrants and warrants to search, seize and examine Computer Data issued by the local court of Las Pinas against to the owners and maintainers of the said POGO hub aliases Quiha Lu, Liangfei Chen, Jimmy Lin, Abbey Ng and others for violating the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012. The implementation was recorded through the use of body-worn cameras and alternative recording devices while an investigation to track the perpetrators of this activity is underway. The rescued foreign nationals were documented for booking and possible deportation. Earlier, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said they will continue to work closely with other agencies to ensure that those who engage in such heinous crimes are held accountable. “We must all unite in this fight against human trafficking and help put an end to this inhumane practice,” he said in a previous statement. The post 2,700 trafficking victims rescued appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Resign en masse, Rody tells cops
Former president Rodrigo Duterte demanded yesterday the resignation of the entire Philippine National Police force, saying that many of its members had become the “gatekeepers” for the nation’s illicit drug trade. “We have a fractured police force in this country,” Duterte said on his weekly program over the SMNI channel. Duterte expressed dismay over the Senate’s recent investigation into the alleged cover-up by police officials of the P6.7-billion shabu bust where the drugs were allegedly seized from a police sergeant. He lamented that some police officers were not just protecting drug dealers, “but are into drug dealing themselves.” “The volume is one too many. How many police personnel are involved? There are many; it goes up to the generals,” he said. If he were still president, Duterte said he would order all members of the PNP, from the lowest-ranked patrolman to its chief (General Benjamin Acorda Jr.) to surrender all the firearms issued to them. He said he would then order the Armed Forces of the Philippines to take over police duties following the dismantling of the PNP. “The army would be happy to take over. And I suppose that is what should happen,” Duterte said, adding that he trusted the military more than the police. “The AFP knows what is right and wrong, and what is right for the country,” he said, slamming the “built-in arrogance” of rogue cops, especially those involved in the drug trade. Generals accused of coverup In October 2022, PNP officers seized 990 kilograms of shabu, worth P6.7 billion, from an office in Tondo, Manila. Several PNP generals were accused of trying to cover up the arrest of an alleged drug dealer, dismissed police sergeant Rodolfo Mayo, even as kilos of the drugs were found to have been pilfered. Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, who oversees the PNP, assured Duterte and the public that the PNP was not hopeless as an organization. Abalos said criminal complaints had been filed against about 50 PNP members, including two generals. Abalos said a plan is afoot to place the PNP Internal Affairs Service under the supervision of the Office of the President or the DILG to make it totally independent of the PNP. Go welcomes raps Meanwhile, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go backed the filing of charges against the police generals and policemen tagged in the coverup in the P6.7-billion drug bust. “I welcome that. That’s the right thing to do. The truth must always come out, and those found guilty should be held accountable and prosecuted,” Go told reporters Thursday. “We, along with [former] President Duterte, fully supported the PNP. That’s why we worked to double their salaries to work against the illegal drug trade so they would not engage in those activities,” he said. ‘PNP functioning well’ For his part, PNP public information chief P/Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said the PNP continues to function well, citing a 10-percent decline in so-called index crimes, from 18,270 from 1 January to 9 June last year to 16,492 crimes for the same period this year. In the campaign against illegal drugs, Maranan said the PNP conducted 19,464 operations, arrested 25,641 persons, and confiscated P6.2 billion worth of illegal drugs for the period cited this year. A total of 836 PNP personnel were dismissed and 1,703 were suspended as of 7 June, Maranan added. “This is a manifestation of the PNP’s well-functioning disciplinary mechanism to weed out those who are unfit to be in the organization,” Maranan said. He said the PNP recently achieved an 80-percent trust and performance rating. The post Resign en masse, Rody tells cops appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘That ’70s Show’ actor Masterson found guilty of rape
US actor and Scientologist Danny Masterson on Wednesday was found guilty of raping two women at his home in the Hollywood Hills. The star of television's "That '70s Show" and "The Ranch" was convicted of two counts of forcible rape between 2001 and 2003, while jurors at a Los Angeles courthouse said they were deadlocked on a third rape charge. It was the second rape trial for Masterson, after previous proceedings were declared a mistrial last November when a different jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision. Masterson was taken into custody following the verdict, and is awaiting sentencing. He could face 30 years to life in prison. The actor, now 47, rose to fame with the 1998 launch of retro sitcom "That '70s Show," where he played the character of Steven Hyde alongside fellow stars Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. He co-starred again with Kutcher on Netflix's "The Ranch," but was fired in 2017 and written off the show after Los Angeles police confirmed they were investigating multiple rape allegations against the actor. Prosecutors at the time dropped two further sexual assault cases against Masterson over lack of evidence and the statute of limitations passing. During closing arguments earlier this month, prosecutors said Masterson "drugged and raped each one of these victims" and called on the jury to hold him "accountable for what he has done." The three alleged victims were also members of the Church of Scientology at the time, and Masterson met them through the secretive group. Two of them said church officials had discouraged them from contacting law enforcement. Masterson's lawyers in his closing argument questioned why the court had heard "so much about Scientology," and the defense has suggested that bias against the Church could have been a motivating factor. The Church of Scientology did not immediately respond to AFP request for comment. The jury deliberated around seven days. The third rape charge, on which no verdict was reached, involved a former longtime girlfriend of Masterson. The post ‘That ’70s Show’ actor Masterson found guilty of rape appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Solon seeks probe vs alleged NIA’s ‘institutional corruption’
Senator Raffy Tulfo lambasted several incomplete projects of the National Irrigation Administration due to alleged “institutional corruption” by its contractors, causing trouble to the country’s irrigation program. Amid corruption issues, Tulfo is urging his colleagues to conduct an inquiry on NIA’s “wastage of billions of pesos” for irrigation development and restoration. “I won’t hesitate anymore and I will expose that the government is wasting billions of pesos with NIA,” said the senator on Wednesday. He also stressed that the government-owned and controlled irrigation corporation has been given a total budget of P121 billion for the past six years. Tulfo lamented NIA has started several projects with its contractors in the last five years and yet, despite having the Notice to Proceed, none was ever completed until now. While NIA said it did not release the full amount to contractors, Tulfo said there was no reason for the department to hold the budget intended for addressing the needs of the farmers such as farm machinery, fertilizer subsidies, and livelihood capital. “Aside from this, NIA did not publicize some contracts,” said Tulfo, stressing the importance of public bidding as he criticized the underperformance of the NIA’s contractors despite continuously awarding them with projects for irrigation projects. “This is an undeniable red flag of institutional corruption. We give these contractors the people’s tax money and they just give us falsified reports of their accomplishment to help them in corruption,” Tulfo said. The lawmaker identified the four contractors allegedly being favored by NIA which include Oscar Sarmiento Construction Inc. (Sta. Mesa, Manila), R.D. Interior Junior Construction (Quezon City), J.D. Construction and Supply (Makati City), and Brostan Construction (Caloocan City). “These are just among contractors that have been continuously awarded with projects by NIA despite not finishing their contracts,” said the senator. Tulfo said some of these contractors were even put on the blacklist by NIA. He said his office obtained documents, revealing that these contractors are just changing their company names which allow them again to join in the government’s bidding process after being blacklisted. He added there are also “ghost projects” worth P890 million, mostly in Mindanao, that were funded by the government, yet even a groundbreaking never happened. “There appears to be a wide-scale corruption scheme that has persisted for far too long,” said Tulfo, adding that there is a need to investigate the matter and make responsible individuals accountable for the corruption. “Our government is fighting for every peso of revenue, and we keep on increasing taxes for everyone, while we waste so many funds feeding corruption and ‘padrino systems’ in government infrastructure programs,” Tulfo said. The post Solon seeks probe vs alleged NIA’s ‘institutional corruption’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tulfo calls for Senate inquiry on NIA, names `favored’ contractors
Senator Raffy Tulfo lambasted several incomplete projects of the National Irrigation Administration due to alleged “institutional corruption” by its contractors, causing trouble to the country’s irrigation program. Amid corruption issues, Tulfo is urging his colleagues to conduct an inquiry on NIA’s “wastage of billions of pesos” for irrigation development and restoration. “Hindi na po ako magpapaligoy-ligoy at isisiwalat ko na ang gobyerno ay nagwawaldas ng bilyun-bilyong piso sa National Irrigation Administration (I won’t hesitate anymore and I will expose that the government is wasting billions of pesos with NIA),” he said in a press statement on Wednesday. He also noted that the government-owned and controlled irrigation corporation has been given a total budget of P121 billion for the past six years. Tulfo lamented NIA has started several projects with its contractors in the last five years. Despite having the “Notice to Proceed,” none was ever completed until now. While NIA said it did not release the full amount to contractors, Tulfo said there was no reason for the department to hold the budget intended for addressing the needs of the farmers such as farm machinery, fertilizer subsidies, and livelihood capital. “Bukod dito, meron pang mga kontrata kung saan sinadya nilang hindi ipakita sa publiko kung sino ang nanalo (Aside from this, NIA did not publicize some contracts),” he added, stressing the importance of public bidding. Tulfo also criticized the underperformance of the NIA’s contractors despite continuously awarding them with projects for irrigation projects. “This is an undeniable red flag of institutional corruption. We give these contractors the people’s tax money and they just give us falsified reports of their accomplishment para matulungan silang may makurakot (to help them in corruption),” he said. Tulfo also named four contractors allegedly being favored by NIA including Oscar Sarmiento Construction Inc. (Sta. Mesa Manila), R.D. Interior Junior Construction (Quezon City), J.D. Construction and Supply (Makati City), and Brostan Construction (Caloocan City). “Iilan lamang to sa mga contractor na inyong makikita ngayon na nakatanggap ng ibat-ibang proyekto mula sa NIA sa kabila ng kanilang paulit-ulit na hindi pagtapos ng kanilang kontrata (These are just among contractors that have been continuously awarded with projects by NIA despite not finishing their contracts),” he said. Tulfo said some of these contractors were even put on the blacklist by NIA. He said his office obtained documents, revealing that these contractors are just changing their company names, allowing them again to join in the government’s bidding process after being blacklisted. He added there are also "ghost projects” worth P890 million, mostly in Mindanao, that were funded by the government, yet even a groundbreaking event never happened. “There appears to be a wide-scale corruption scheme that has persisted for far too long,” he said, stressing the need to investigate the matter and make responsible individuals accountable for the corruption. “Our government is fighting for every peso of revenue, and we keep on increasing taxes for everyone, while we waste so many funds feeding corruption and ‘padrino systems’ in government infrastructure programs,” he maintained. Tulfo said the NIA also found 28 projects with substandard construction and other anomalies. The post Tulfo calls for Senate inquiry on NIA, names `favored’ contractors appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Alleged traffickers no links with CDC
CLARK FREEPORT — The Clark Development Corporation’s Business Development and Business Enhancement Group on Sunday clarified that the Colorful and Leap Group Company is not a registered business enterprise of the agency. In a statement, the CDC said that the CLGP involved in the alleged human trafficking inside the Clark Freeport Zone is not a registered locater here. It added that the enforcement of the search warrant against CLGP, led by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, was made in the 2.5-hectare sub-leased premises of Sun Valley Clark Hub Corporation. SVCHC is a sub-lessee of Donggwang Clark Corporation II, a CDC registered business enterprise of a 300-hectare mixed-use development. “The sublease agreement between Donggwang and SVCHC was approved by CDC on 16 January 2019,” the statement said. The SVCHC has an approved business activity of “renting out office and business spaces as well as providing residential spaces to residents in the Clark area which includes improving and/or managing the properties and spaces by providing administrative, maintenance and security services to the tenants” as reflected in its CDC Certificate of Registration and Tax Exemption issued last 21 December 2021. “CDC shall wait for the official report of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and the Bureau of Immigration which shall bring to light additional information such as the names of the rescued victims of the alleged human trafficking and the perpetrators,” the agency said. To recall, a total of 1,163 foreign nationals and Filipinos were rescued by the authorities on Thursday night at the CLGP office inside the Clark Freeport Zone. The operation was carried out on 4 May 2023 at the Clark Sun Valley Hub, Jose Abad Santos Ave., Mabalacat City, Pampanga by the elements of the Anti-Cybercrime Group, Special Action Force and Intelligence Group together with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, Department of Justice, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Bureau of Immigration and Interagency Council on Anti-Trafficking. The rescue operation resulted in the rescue of 1,090 individuals consisting of foreign nationals from Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar and Filipinos. According to the Philippine National Police, the rescued victims were forced into working for a fraudulent cyber-enabled industry, victimizing their fellow citizens. “We will continue to work closely with other agencies to ensure that those who engage in such heinous crimes are held accountable. We must all unite in this fight against human trafficking and help put an end to this inhumane practice,” said PNP chief Police General Benjamin Acorda. The rescued foreign nationals were documented for booking and possible deportation. Judge Hermenegildo Dumlao of the Regional Trial Court Branch 81 in Malolos City, Bulacan issued a warrant against the CLGP for violation of RA 10364. Meanwhile, CDC shall generate from its Electronic Visa Implementation System for Aliens database, the list of foreign nationals issued with special visas in favor of SVCHC to aid the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and the Bureau of Immigration in their respective investigation and eventual prosecution. With Mar Supnad. The post Alleged traffickers no links with CDC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kuya Bong pushes immigration modernization
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has reiterated the need for the passage of Senate Bill 1185, or the proposed “Bureau of Immigration Modernization Act”, which aims to improve the immigration services of the country by upgrading the BI’s systems, facilities, and personnel. This comes after issues of alleged corruption and inefficiency which have led to various incidents of offloading of particularly overseas Filipino workers. “We need to modernize our BI to address the long-standing issues of corruption, inefficiency, and offloading that have plagued the agency,” Go said. “We must provide a more efficient and effective service to the public, especially to our OFWs and foreign tourists who contribute significantly to the country’s economy.” Previously, the lawmaker strongly condemned an incident where a BI officer was alleged to have extorted money from OFW JC Manganti who was prevented from boarding a flight to France despite having complete documents on 7 August last year. Manganti reported the incident to Immigration commissioner Norman Tansingco and presented text messages from the BI officer asking for P150,000 in exchange for an escort service. “While we recognize the hard work and dedication of many of our government employees, we cannot tolerate those who abuse their power and betray the trust of our kababayans,” said Go. “Swift action must be taken to hold the erring officer accountable and to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future,” he added. The senator said that his proposed measure can help address the long-standing issues faced by the BI as it aims to streamline the agency’s processes, reduce bureaucratic red tape and provide a more efficient and effective service to the public. Under the proposed bill, existing positions of the officials and employees of the BI will be upgraded to meet the country’s rapidly increasing immigration services. The creation of new positions under the bill, would also boost the productivity and efficiency of the bureau. If passed into law, an upgrade of their salary grades is also indicated in the bill to provide proper compensation commensurate to their profession, considering the changing times and the measure will also authorize the BI Board of Commissioners to retain and use every year 30 percent of its collections from immigration fees, fines and penalties, and other income that may be collected by the bureau to implement the measure and support its modernization efforts. An Immigration Trust Fund may also be created and sourced from the collections. The post Kuya Bong pushes immigration modernization appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Some Russians flee Ukraine conscription as Moscow remains defiant at U.N
KYIV/NEW YORK – Some draft-age Russians rushed to leave the country on Thursday to escape their country’s biggest conscription drive since World War Two, as world powers at the United Nations demanded Moscow be held accountable for alleged atrocities in Ukraine. Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, responded with defiance, defending Moscow’s record and accusing Kyiv and […] The post Some Russians flee Ukraine conscription as Moscow remains defiant at U.N appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»