EDITORIAL - Come out, face the charges
Neither Gerald Bantag nor his long-time trusted aide, Ricardo Zulueta could be found yesterday by law enforcers who tried to serve arrest warrants for the two top former corrections officials at their listed home addresses......»»
NTF-ELCAC: Activists’ recantation ‘a mockery of state policy’
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict or the NTF-ELCAC Legal Cooperation Cluster on Thursday said the recantations made by environmental activists Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro "is a mockery of state policy," as their sworn statements before a Public Attorney's Office lawyer is a "regularity" under the 1987 Constitution. In a virtual press briefing Atty. James Clifford Santos, Associate Solicitor of the Office of the Solicitor General and Spokesperson for NTF-ELCAC' Legal Cooperation Cluster, said the two women had admitted in their affidavits that they became members of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed group, the New People's Army. Santos said the two may face perjury charges for their recantation. "(Their) Immediate assertions of falsehood clearly has malice to humiliate the NTF-ELCAC," Santos said. Santos cited the paragraphs in Tamano and Castro's affidavit where they admitted to being members of NPA. He also enumerated paragraphs in their affidavits where they said they wanted to surrender and contacted a certain "Ate Bea" to bring them to authorities. Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., Executive Director of the NTF-ELCAC Secretariat, said these statements, were also handwritten by the two women, and they swore to them as true before PAO Region 3 (Bulacan) and Commission on Human Rights (Region 3) representatives. "The mother and stepdad of Tamano were also there and a witness, Reynante Bautista, who if I am not mistaken is the Mayor of Angat Bulacan," Torres said. Torres also presented video footage of interviews of Tamano and Castro before they wrote their sworn statements and one where they attested to the truth of their statements after being asked by the PAO lawyer about it. "What happened during the press conference on September 19 is unusual. With tremendous amount of good faith (on the part of government) to help these two young ladies, we were betrayed. Even our legal system and the truth," Torres said. The post NTF-ELCAC: Activists’ recantation ‘a mockery of state policy’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden’s son Hunter to plead not guilty to gun charges
US President Joe Biden's son Hunter will plead not guilty to charges of illegally buying a gun when he was using drugs, his lawyer said Tuesday. Hunter Biden, 53, was charged last week with two counts of making false statements when claiming on forms required for a 2018 gun purchase that he was not using drugs illegally at the time. On Tuesday, Hunter Biden's lawyer, Abbe David Lowell, asked the judge presiding over the case in the eastern state of Delaware to hold the first court appearance by video conference instead of requiring his client to attend in person. Hunter Biden currently lives in California. "Mr. Biden understands both the charges against him and his rights... and we believe the Court can be assured of that fact by conducting this initial appearance by video," Lowell said in the letter to US Magistrate Judge Christopher Burke. "Mr. Biden also will enter a plea of not guilty, and there is no reason why he cannot utter those two words by video conference," Lowell said. "Mr. Biden is not seeking any special treatment in making this request," he added. "He has attended and will attend any proceedings in which his physical appearance is required." Hunter Biden is also facing a third charge, based on the same statements, that he illegally possessed the gun during an 11-day period in October 2018. If convicted on all three felony charges, he could face 25 years in prison, though in practice the offenses are seldom punished by any jail time. The indictment came two days after Republicans in Congress opened an impeachment probe against Joe Biden, a Democrat, alleging that when the elder Biden was vice president he benefited financially from his son's foreign business dealings. They alleged, without offering hard evidence, that while vice president in 2015-2016, Biden intervened to protect an allegedly corrupt Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, where Hunter Biden sat on the board. The gun charges against Hunter Biden were filed by Justice Department special counsel David Weiss, who has been investigating him since 2018 over various allegations, mostly related to his overseas business deals. A plea deal between Hunter Biden and Weiss, covering the gun charge as well as alleged tax violations, collapsed two months ago. Hunter Biden is a Yale-trained lawyer and lobbyist-turned-artist, but his life has been marred by alcoholism and crack cocaine addiction and his indictment has cast a shadow over his father's campaign for reelection next year. The post Biden’s son Hunter to plead not guilty to gun charges appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
GCash backs bills running after scams
GCash is expressing its full support for the urgent passage of a proposed law that will boost the fight against scammers and fraudsters. “As we place utmost priority on trust and security, we believe that House Bill 7393, or the ‘Anti-Financial Scamming Act’ and Senate Bill 2039, or the ‘Anti-Mule and Financial Fraud Act of 2023’ will greatly help deter financial cybercrimes in the country,” Ren-Ren Reyes, president and CEO of G-Xchange Inc., the mobile wallet operator of GCash, said. The proposed legislations will primarily punish cybercriminals and their accomplices such as the so-called money mules who are used by scammers to receive stolen or illicit money and obscure the source of funds while keeping the criminals’ identity secret. While some money mules are aware that what they’re doing is illegal, others are more unwitting. “If urgently passed and implemented, the measures penalizing money mules and scammers can further accelerate the country’s digitalization and financial inclusion agenda,” Reyes indicated. GCash has been proactively blocking suspicious accounts to keep these bad actors from victimizing customers. Rounding up mules From January 2022 to June 2023, GCash had barred 4 million accounts from accessing the platform for fraud. The leading e-wallet is also in close coordination with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and the National Bureau of Investigation to ensure scammers and fraudsters are stopped in their tracks. House Bill 7393, once passed, will penalize any person who acts as a money mule or performs social engineering schemes. When done by a group of three or more persons, perpetrators will also face charges of economic sabotage. As for Senate Bill 2039, it expressly prohibits phishing and account takeovers — two of the most common schemes that criminals use to steal money from unsuspecting users. The post GCash backs bills running after scams appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go honors police at PNP Service PSBRC Class 1998-Alpha’s 25th Anniversary
Senator Bong Go reiterated his support for the brave men and women who dedicated their lives to maintaining peace and order in the country during the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Philippine National Police Service Public Safety Basic Recruit Course Class 1998-Alpha at the Acacia Hotel in Davao City. “Alam n’yo ang suporta ko sa inyo noon pa. Full support talaga kami sa mga pulis. Hindi magiging successful ang administrasyon ni former president (Rodrigo Duterte) kung hindi dahil sa inyong lahat,” Go said. Go affirmed his commitment to continuing these efforts, pledging to create more programs and measures that will uplift the lives of police officers and their families. It can be recalled that prior to his election in the Senate, Go served as a Special Assistant to the President during the Duterte administration, during which, he helped Duterte fulfill the salary hike of the government's military and uniformed personnel. The senator has also introduced Senate Bill No. 422, aiming to provide free legal assistance to members of the armed forces and police who face charges related to their official duties. Recognizing the heavy responsibilities placed on these uniformed personnel, the senator emphasized the importance of ensuring they receive proper legal support. Go also agreed with Defense Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro, Jr.'s position opposing the introduction of mandatory contributions and elimination of automatic indexation for military pensioners. “Masaya ako na nakausap ko si Sec. Gibo, speaking of the Armed Forces, hindi talaga siya pumayag sa mandatory contribution sa mga active at retirees dahil sabi niya mayroong exemption. Buhay ninyo ang inyong isinakripisyo sa panahon ng pandemya, sa panahon (ng giyera sa) Marawi. Gumawa na lang ng ibang pamamaraan. Mayroong government assets diyan para gawin nilang pension, maraming assets ang gobyerno at stop corruption para magamit ang pera ng gobyerno,” Go cited. Meanwhile, Go urged all those who serve in the various branches of the nation's defense and security forces to maintain their focus on serving the Filipino people. The senator assured them that he will continue to stand by their side and provide support to the best of his capacity. “Happy 25th Anniversary sa PNP service PSBRC Class 1998 – Alpha. Congratulations sa inyong lahat at salamat sa inyong sakripisyo sa ating mga kababayan. Magtulungan lang tayo, nandito lang ang inyong senador as vice chairman rin sa Peace and Order sa Senado. Bukas ang aking opisina para sa inyo lalong-lalo na po in line of duty. In my own small capacity lapitan n’yo lang ang aking opisina, bukas talaga ‘yan para sa mga kababayan kong Pilipino,” Go highlighted. “At ating tatandaan, minsan lang tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung ano pong kabutihan o tulong na pwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa ay gawin na natin ngayon dahil hindi na tayo babalik sa mundong ito. Ako ang inyong Senador kuya Bong Go, patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat. Dahil ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo ‘yan sa Diyos. Salamat at magandang hapon sa inyong lahat,” he concluded. The post Bong Go honors police at PNP Service PSBRC Class 1998-Alpha’s 25th Anniversary appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
GCash backs urgent passage of legislation against scammers
In line with its thrust of building the safest platform for its users, GCash is expressing its full support for the urgent passage of a proposed law that will give a big boost to the fight against scammers and fraudsters. “As we place utmost priority on trust and security, we believe that House Bill 7393, or the ‘Anti-Financial Scamming Act’ and Senate Bill 2039, or the ‘Anti-Mule and Financial Fraud Act of 2023’, will greatly help deter financial cybercrimes in the country,” said Ren-Ren Reyes, president and CEO of G-Xchange, Inc., the mobile wallet operator of GCash. The proposed legislation will primarily punish cybercriminals and their accomplices such as the so-called money mules who are used by scammers to receive stolen or illicit money and obscure the source of funds while keeping the criminals’ identity secret. While some money mules are aware that what they’re doing is illegal, others are more unwitting. “If urgently passed and implemented, the measures penalizing money mules and scammers can further accelerate the country’s digitalization and financial inclusion agenda,” noted Reyes. GCash has been proactively blocking suspicious accounts to keep these bad actors from victimizing customers. In fact, from January 2022 to June 2023, GCash has already barred four million accounts from accessing the platform for fraud. The leading e-wallet is also in close coordination with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to ensure scammers and fraudsters are stopped in their tracks. House Bill No. 7393, once passed, will penalize any person who acts as a money mule or performs social engineering schemes. When done by a group of three or more persons, perpetrators will also face charges of economic sabotage. As for Senate Bill No. 2039, it expressly prohibits phishing and account takeovers — two of the most common schemes that criminals use to steal money from unsuspecting users. Both proposed measures define money mules as persons who sell, buy, or lend e-wallets or other financial accounts, including those who register for such accounts using fake names or stolen identities to commit a crime. Other bills in the Senate aimed at beefing up the fight against fraudsters and scammers are SB 336, SB 2171, SB 2306, and SB 2407. “We look forward to collaborating with our legislators and other stakeholders for the protection of the Filipino people against evolving threats in this increasingly more digital world,” emphasized Reyes. The post GCash backs urgent passage of legislation against scammers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US, China call for stable ties in latest top-level talks
America's top diplomat and China's vice president voiced hope Monday for more stability in the often tense relationship as the rival powers held their second high-level talks in days. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meeting Vice President Han Zheng in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, said he believed in "face-to-face diplomacy" to deal with disagreements. "I think it's a good thing that we have this opportunity to build on the recent high-level engagements that our countries have had," Blinken told Han as they opened their meeting at China's mission to the United Nations. The talks aim to "make sure that we're maintaining open communications and demonstrate that we are responsibly managing the relationship between our two countries." Han said that the world's two largest economies face "a lot of difficulties and challenges." "The world needs healthy and stable US-China relations, which benefit not only China and the US, but the whole world," he said. The meeting comes as the United States watches personnel changes in Beijing with growing intrigue. Qin Gang, handpicked by President Xi Jinping as foreign minister, was abruptly replaced in July by the veteran policymaker Wang Yi. US officials initially expected Wang to travel to the annual UN meeting, where he may have met briefly with President Joe Biden; but instead, China sent Han, better known for his tenure as mayor of Shanghai than for diplomacy. But Wang, who also is the Communist Party foreign policy director, held talks over the weekend with Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, in Malta. The United States and China remain at loggerheads on a host of issues including Taiwan, the self-ruling democracy that Beijing claims and has not ruled out seizing by force. China charges that the United States is stirring up Taiwanese independence supporters, and has repeatedly staged shows of force. The United States says it is seeking the preservation of the status quo and has stepped up support, including last month for the first time approving direct military aid to Taiwan, which traditionally buys its own weapons. Blinken in the talks "underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. Touching on nations with close ties with China, Blinken also discussed the "provocative actions" by North Korea and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Miller said. China has also been outraged by US restrictions on high-end investment and exports of semiconductors from the United States, which says it is doing that to safeguard its own security. But the tone has become comparatively civil. Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen both traveled this year to Beijing, resuming contact that had all but ceased during the pandemic. The approach to China stands in contrast with the US refusal of most dialogue with Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, with Blinken and other senior US officials doubting the utility of talking to Moscow. The post US, China call for stable ties in latest top-level talks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Belmonte calls for reforms in BFP-QCFD
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday called on the Bureau of Fire Protection to undertake reforms in the BFP - Quezon City Fire District (QCFD). Belmonte made the call as results of the probe conducted by the city government and the Quezon City Council revealed lax inspection, backlog in the examination of businesses, and other lapses in the performance of the BFP-QCFD. "The BFP should look into how the BFP-QCFD fulfilled its mandate in the light of tragic loss of lives and properties due to recent fires in the city. Were the BFP-QCFD leadership remiss in their duties? They should hold their personnel accountable if proven guilty of inefficiency," she said. Belmonte earlier sought the relief of two officials from the BFP-QCFD following a review of the performance of the agency prompted by the tragic loss of lives caused by the fire last 31 August in Tandang Sora. An evaluation conducted by the city government of each fire incident that occurred this year showed on average, more damage, injury, and death compared to the previous year. “The capability and effectiveness of the BFP-QCFD in responding to these fires have lessened significantly. The city government recognizes that each fire has its own distinct volatile circumstances. Nonetheless, the severity of this year's incidents necessitates a call for a change in the leadership of the agency. A change is needed for the welfare of our citizens. We look forward to a better performance from the BFP," Belmonte said. The two officials were identified as BFP-QCFD fire marshall, Fire Senior Superintendent Aristotle Bañaga, and the chief of the QCFD Fire Prevention Branch, Fire Chief Inspector Dominic Salvacion. Data from the BFP revealed that from January to August 2023, there were 153 fires recorded in the city, while there were only 219 fires from January to December 2022. With a third of the year left, there have already been eight firefighters and 63 civilians injured compared to only two firefighters and 60 civilians for the entirety of last year. Moreover, there were already 24 deaths in the first eight months of this year while there were 30 from January to December 2022. There were 8,362 individuals or 2,380 families affected by the fires up to August this year, higher than the whole of last year’s record of 7,295 individuals or 2,005 families. “For this reason and to protect the people of Quezon City, I am calling upon the national leadership of the Bureau of Fire Protection to assign to us a new fire marshall for the QCFD and a new inspection head,” Belmonte added. Belmonte also called on the BFP to be more transparent in their own investigation of the Tandang Sora fire. “The BFP has failed to reciprocate the city government’s efforts to exercise transparency. They resisted our calls to be apprised of the progress of their own probe, or to our requests for coordination. We therefore ask the BFP to cooperate fully with the city government as mandated by law, to ensure full transparency and clarity in these investigations. Our people demand more, and the victims and their families deserve nothing less,” Belmonte said. Belmonte earlier ordered the City Legal Department to form a Special Panel of Investigators to probe the incident and if warranted by evidence, to file the appropriate case(s) against pertinent and surviving officers of the business establishment involved in the deadly fire in Tandang Sora. Local government personnel found to be liable after the conduct of the investigation will likewise face administrative and criminal charges. “The city government continues to thoroughly investigate the devastating fire of August 31. It has coordinated with and interviewed its departments, the barangay, the homeowners association, the relatives of the victims, and the survivors, to ascertain the circumstances that brought about this tragedy. We will leave no stone unturned, and we will not spare even our own officials and personnel,” the mayor added. The mayor assured the residents that the city government will continue to beef up the city’s fire prevention measures and efforts. On 14 September, Mayor Belmonte extended financial assistance to the families of the fire victims. Earlier, the city government helped arrange for the cremation of the remains of the victims, among others. The post Belmonte calls for reforms in BFP-QCFD appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Knife-wielding man arrested
A patrolling cop from the Manila Police District Police Station 1 prevented a brawl that could have possibly led to a stabbing after he arrested one of the two men involved in the fight, who was holding a bladed weapon, on Saturday evening in Tondo, Manila. MPD Chief P/Brig. Gen Andrei Dizon identified the suspect as Alvin Flores, a resident of Barangay 112 in Tondo, Manila. Initial reports disclosed that while cops were making a night patrol aboard their motorcycle, they chanced upon a commotion wherein two individuals were brawling. One of the men ran and the other, who was armed with a bladed weapon, chased his opponent. This caught the attention of the police, who also gave chase to the suspect in possession of a knife. After cornering him, they ordered him to drop his weapon and lie down on the ground. The suspect, after seeing uniformed police, yielded to the command and peacefully followed their instructions until he was arrested and handcuffed. Seized from the suspect was one sharpened screwdriver with a length of more or less 12 inches, including the handle. The suspect is currently detained at the MPD-PS1 station and will face charges for violation Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code or Grave Threat, Alarm and Scandal, Illegal Possession of Deadly Weapon and violation of the Omnibus Election Code at the Manila City Prosecutors Office. The post Knife-wielding man arrested appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EDITORIAL - Premature, unfair campaigning
As of Sept. 14, the Commission on Elections had ordered 626 candidates in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls to explain activities that constitute premature campaigning. The campaign period for the BSKE starts only on Oct. 19. The 626 candidates have three days to explain their activities before they face disqualification proceedings, according to the Comelec......»»
Mexico extradites son of cartel kingpin ‘El Chapo’ to US
Mexico on Friday extradited the son of Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman to the United States to face narcotics charges, US Attorney General Merrick Garland said. Ovidio Guzman Lopez, also known as "El Raton" or "The Mouse," was indicted earlier this year on drug trafficking charges linked to the fentanyl crisis plaguing the United States. His father was convicted in 2019 of running what was believed to be the world's biggest narcotics syndicate and is serving life in a supermax prison in the state of Colorado. Garland hailed the extradition as "the most recent step in the Justice Department's effort to attack every aspect of the cartel's operations." "The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic that has devastated too many communities across the country." After Guzman's conviction, several of his sons, collectively known as "the Little Chapos," inherited control of the Sinaloa Cartel, US authorities said. Security agents captured the younger Guzman in the Sinaloa city of Culiacan on 5 January. Following his arrest, cartel members set vehicles on fire and created mayhem, an echo of the massive shootouts in 2019 when the younger Guzman was briefly detained but then freed to avoid bloodshed. At the time, US authorities had a $5 million bounty for his arrest, accusing him and his brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, of overseeing methamphetamine labs in Sinaloa state producing an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 pounds of meth per month. "Other information indicates that Ovidio Guzman Lopez has ordered the murders of informants, a drug trafficker, and a popular Mexican singer who had refused to sing at his wedding," according to a website of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ovidio Guzman, 33, will spend his first nights in a US prison just as his father's wife, Emma Coronel, walks free. Coronel, who is not Guzman's mother, was released from a California halfway house this week after completing a sentence for collaborating with Chapo Guzman in his narcotics activities. Coronel is a dual US-Mexican citizen. tjj/qan © Agence France-Presse The post Mexico extradites son of cartel kingpin ‘El Chapo’ to US appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden’s son Hunter indicted on gun charges
US President Joe Biden's son Hunter was indicted Thursday for illegally buying a gun when he was using drugs, casting a new shadow over his father's campaign for reelection next year. Hunter Biden, 53, was charged with two counts of making false statements when claiming on forms required for the 2018 gun purchase that he was not using drugs illegally at the time. A third charge said that, based on the false statements, he illegally possessed the gun during an 11-day period in October that year. If convicted on all three felony charges, Biden could in theory face 25 years in prison, though in practice they are seldom punished by any jail time. In attesting that he was not an unlawful user of drugs when he bought the Colt Cobra revolver, Biden "knew that statement was false," the Justice Department said. The indictment came two days after Republicans in Congress opened an impeachment probe against Democrat Joe Biden, alleging that when he was vice president he benefitted financially from his son's foreign business dealings. The legal troubles of Hunter Biden present a target for political rivals of his father, who is bidding for a second term in the White House. Hunter is a Yale-trained lawyer and lobbyist-turned-artist, but his life has been marred by alcoholism and crack cocaine addiction. Without offering any evidence, Republicans have accused Biden's Justice Department of protecting his son and have accused Weiss, a Republican appointee, of going easy on Hunter. Representative James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky who will be leading the impeachment inquiry, welcomed the filing of the gun charges, calling it a "very small start." "Mountains of evidence reveals that Hunter Biden likely committed several felonies and Americans expect the Justice Department to apply the law equally," Comer said. Twice-impeached former president Donald Trump reacted on his Truth Social platform. "This, the gun charge, is the only crime that Hunter Biden committed that does not implicate Crooked Joe Biden," he said. - Plea deal collapsed - But a leading Democrat, Keisha Lance Bottoms, ex-mayor of Atlanta and a former senior adviser to Joe Biden, questioned why Hunter had been charged. "Can anyone tell me how many people have been federally indicted for purchasing a gun while dealing with substance abuse issues?" Bottoms said on X, formerly known as Twitter. "I don't know the answer, but in my over 29 years as an attorney, I have never heard of it." The gun charges were filed by Justice Department special counsel David Weiss, who has been investigating Hunter Biden since 2018 over various allegations, mostly related to his overseas business deals. Two months ago a plea deal between Biden and Weiss, covering the gun charge as well as alleged tax violations, went sour. Biden agreed to plead guilty in federal court in Delaware to two minor tax charges. In exchange he was offered probation, as he had already paid what he owed the government along with penalties. Weiss agreed to suspend the felony gun charge if Biden completed "pretrial diversion," which often involves counseling or rehabilitation. But in a dramatic July 26 hearing, the deal collapsed over whether Biden would have been immune from any other charges also investigated by Weiss, including possible crimes related to his business dealings in Ukraine, China and elsewhere. The judge mentioned the possibility that Biden could be charged as having acted as a lobbyist for foreign governments without registering with the Justice Department. Three weeks later, after the deal collapsed, Weiss dropped the tax charges and said an indictment on the gun charge would come by the end of September. As the 2024 election race swings into gear, Republicans in the House of Representatives on Tuesday formally opened an impeachment inquiry against President Biden. They alleged, without offering hard evidence, that while vice president in 2015-2016, Biden intervened to protect an allegedly corrupt Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, where Hunter Biden sat on the board. Republicans allege Joe Biden and his family reaped large sums for helping Burisma. The post Biden’s son Hunter indicted on gun charges appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Onion price manipulators face raps
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday said charges are set to be filed on Monday against perpetrators behind the smuggling and price manipulation of onions. He said they have charges to be filed but they opted to move it on Monday, 18 September. Remulla said some investigators requested to file the other raps on Monday for price manipulation, profiteering, and other crimes related to the onion price manipulation and smuggling crisis the country had for the past two months. He said the National Bureau of Investigation and an undersecretary of the DoJ will handle the matter. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in July ordered the DOJ and NBI to investigate the smuggling of onions and other agricultural products. In his State of the Nation Address, Marcos even warned agri-smugglers that their “days are numbered” as he blamed hoarders for the rising prices of agricultural products. “One of the reasons of rising prices is the presence of smugglers, hoarders and manipulators of agricultural products. We will look for them and file complaints against them,” Marcos said. According to the Presidential Communications Office, Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said in a Memorandum to the President that there was substantial evidence pointing to the existence of an onion cartel which could be behind the surge in onion prices in 2022. “I have just given instructions to the DOJ and the NBI to initiate an investigation into the hoarding, smuggling, [and] price fixing of agricultural commodities,” Marcos said in a video message. “And this is stemming from the hearing that we've conducted in the House, specifically by Congresswoman Stella Quimbo and the findings that they came up with,” Quimbo added. The President, who is also the secretary of agriculture, stressed the importance of these findings as sufficient grounds to initiate a probe, citing the need to address what amounts to economic sabotage. He said this is the reason they are going to be very, very strict about finding the people and making sure that they are brought to justice. The DoJ was prompted to create the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Task Force, which includes the Bureau of Customs and the Department of Agriculture. The post Onion price manipulators face raps appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Federal charges for five police over beating death of African American
Five police officers already charged in the murder of Tyre Nichols, a young African American who died after being beaten, now face federal indictment, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. Videos showed the officers, who are all Black, repeatedly kicking and punching Nichols during a traffic stop close to his home in the US city of Memphis on January 7, three days before he died in hospital. "The country watched in horror as Tyre Nichols was kicked, punched, tased, and pepper sprayed," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a brief video statement posted online. The department said the five officers, who have been fired, "willfully deprived Nichols of his constitutional rights," resulting in "bodily injury and the death of Nichols." A federal grand jury in Memphis, located in the US South, on Tuesday charged the five former officers with federal civil rights, conspiracy, and obstruction offenses, the Department of Justice said. The officers -- Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin III, and Desmond Mills Jr. -- have already been charged by state prosecutors in Tennessee with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, official misconduct, and "official oppression." They have pleaded not guilty. Nichols, 29, was stopped by the five, who were members of a special police anti-crime squad called the Scorpion Unit, for an alleged traffic violation, according to police. He was beaten viciously by the officers, in scenes recorded in body camera and security camera footage that triggered outrage when made public later that month. Vice President Kamala Harris attended Nichols' funeral in February and Nichols' family members were invited to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address in Washington several days later. The post Federal charges for five police over beating death of African American appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
QC councilor slapped anew with graft raps
The Quezon City Barangay Kaligayahan chairman who is an honorary councilor for being the League of Barangay Chairmen President is in for more trouble. One of his former employees slapped him along with the barangay (village) treasurer and a kagawad (councilor) with charges of violations of Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Falsification of Public Documents before the Office of the Ombudsman, late afternoon Monday. Arjean Abe, of Tawid Sapa 2, Greenfield’s, Barangay Kaligayahan charged Barangay Kaligayahan Chairman and Quezon City Councilor Alfredo “Freddie” Roxas, his treasurer Hesiree Santiago, and Kagawad Arnel Gabito chairman of Appropriation Committee with charges of violations R.A. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Revised Penal Code for faking her signature to appear that she is still a barangay employee. Abe, in her complaint, obtained by DAILY TRIBUNE, said she was hired as a teacher aide on 1 March, 2022, receiving a monthly salary of P6,000 and was detailed at the barangay day care center. She was later transferred as a clerk taking care of issuance of barangay clearance because of the pandemic and classes on face to face were suspended. Abe said on 31 January 2023 she resigned from her work with her letter of resignation received by Santiago. However, she found out that her name still appeared in the barangay payroll list, one of which was submitted by her as an evidence against the three officials. The payroll was for 1 to 31 May 2023 where her name and signature still appeared and projected that she is still an employee receiving P6,000. The payroll list, Abe presented as “Annex A”, also has the signature of Roxas, Santiago and Gabito. These documents, Abe said, are submitted to the Quezon City goverment for funding. She also submitted a copy of her Identification Card as “Annex B” bearing her true signature for the Ombudsman for vetting against the signature on the payroll list. Abe said the acts of the three officials also constitute falsification of documents which is a violation of Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code as she prays that the Ombudsman would act on her complaint and compelled Roxas and the two other Barangay Kaligayahan officials to answer to her charges and be jailed and eventually barred from holding public offices. The graft charges was the second to be slapped against Roxas as a barangay tanod (village watchman) earlier filed the same charges last month, accusing Roxas, Barangay Kaligayahan Secretary Maripha de Jesus and Santiago for also making him their “ghost employee.” Roxas also faced Graft and Corrupt Practices Act violations filed by one of their kagawad (village councilor) Allan Francisco Jr. who sued Roxas and other barangay kagawads Jim Mahusay; Alexander Rivera; former singer-actress Perla Adea; Arnel Gabito; Dionisio Gascon and Sofronio Grimaldo, and barangay secretary Josephine Penaranda for the approval of a barangay council resolution “interposing no objection to the application of M.M. Ledesma Laboratories Corp.” along Zabarte Road Extension on 15 April, the barangay assembly day, which is not a regular barangay council session day. The post QC councilor slapped anew with graft raps appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ressa, Rappler acquitted of tax evasion
Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa and Rappler Holdings Corporation were acquitted by a Pasig court in a tax evasion case filed in connection with their supposed failure to declare tax in 2015. Atty. Francis Lim, counsel of Ressa, said his client and RHC were acquitted by the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 157 of violation of Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code (Tax Code) for the failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All five tax evasion charges filed against the respondents have been junked by the Pasig RTC which was filed during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Ressa, 59 years old, shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in 2021. She has been fighting multiple charges filed during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. The journalist and Rappler had faced five government charges of tax evasion stemming from the 2015 sale of Philippine depositary receipts, which is a way for companies to raise money from foreign investors. In January, the Court of Tax Appeals First Division found Ressa and RHC not guilty on three counts of failure to supply the correct information and one count of tax evasion, amounting to P141 million worth of taxes, including surcharge and interest. The fifth charge was heard by a different court, which cleared her and Rappler of wrongdoing yesterday. However, Ressa and Rappler face an uncertain future as they battle another two court cases, despite the acquittals. Ressa and a former colleague Rey Santos Jr. are appealing a cyber libel conviction that carries a nearly seven-year jail sentence. The post Ressa, Rappler acquitted of tax evasion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Another graft case slaps against QC honorary councilor
The Quezon City Barangay Kaligayahan chairman, who is an honorary councilor for being the League of Barangay Chairmen President, is in for more trouble. One of his former employees slapped him, along with the barangay (village) treasurer and a kagawad (councilor), with charges of violations of the Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and falsification of public documents before the Office of the Ombudsman, late afternoon Monday. Arjean Abe, of Tawid Sapa 2, Greenfields, Barangay Kaligayahan, charged Brgy. Kaligayahan Chairman and Quezon City Councilor Alfredo "Freddie" Roxas, his treasurer Hesiree Santiago, and Kagawad Arnel Gabito, chairman of the appropriation committee, with charges for violations of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Revised Penal Code for faking her signature to appear that she is still a barangay employee. Abe in her complaint, obtained by Daily Tribune, said she was hired as a teacher aide on 1 March 2022, receiving a monthly salary of P6,000, and was detailed at the barangay daycare center. She was later transferred as a clerk taking care of the issuance of barangay clearance because of the pandemic and classes on face-to-face were suspended. Abe said on 31 January 2023, she resigned from work with her letter of resignation received by Santiago. However, she found out that her name still appeared in the barangay payroll list, one of which was submitted by her as evidence against the three officials. The payroll was for 1 to 31 May 2023 where her name and signature still appeared and projected that she is still an employee receiving P6,000. The payroll list, Abe presented as "Annex A", also has the signatures of Roxas, Santiago, and Gabito. These documents, Abe said, are submitted to the Quezon City government for funding. She also submitted a copy of her identification card as "Annex B", bearing her true signature for the Ombudsman for vetting against the signature on the payroll list. Abe said the acts of the three officials also constituted falsification of documents which is a violation of Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code as she prayed that the Ombudsman would act on her complaint and compel Roxas and the two other Barangay Kaligayahan officials to answer to her charges and be jailed and eventually barred from holding public offices. The graft charges were the second to be slapped against Roxas as a barangay tanod (village watchman). She filed the same charges last month, accusing Roxas, Barangay Kaligayahan Secretary Maripha de Jesus, and Santiago of also making her their "ghost employee." Roxas also faced Graft and Corrupt Practices Act violations filed by one of their kagawads (village councilors), Allan Francisco Jr., who sued Roxas and other barangay kagawads Jim Mahusay, Alexander Rivera, former singer-actress Perla Adea, Arnel Gabito, Dionisio Gascon, Sofronio Grimaldo, and barangay secretary Josephine Penaranda for the approval of a barangay council resolution “interposing no objection to the application of M.M. Ledesma Laboratories Corp.” along Zabarte Road extension on 15 April, the barangay assembly day, which is not a regular barangay council session day. The post Another graft case slaps against QC honorary councilor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Philippine Nobel winner Maria Ressa acquitted of tax evasion — court
Philippine Nobel laureate Maria Ressa was acquitted Tuesday of her final tax evasion charge, in the latest legal victory for the veteran journalist as she battles to stay out of prison. Ressa smiled as the judge delivered the verdict in the years-long case, an AFP journalist inside the courtroom said. The 59-year-old, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in 2021, has been fighting multiple charges filed during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Ressa, a vocal critic of Duterte and his deadly drug war, has long maintained that the cases against her and the news website Rappler, which she co-founded in 2012, were politically motivated. Ressa and Rappler had faced five government charges of tax evasion stemming from the 2015 sale of Philippine depositary receipts, which is a way for companies to raise money from foreign investors. A court acquitted them on four of the charges in January. The fifth charge was heard by a different court, which cleared her of wrongdoing on Tuesday. Despite the acquittals, Ressa and Rappler face an uncertain future as they battle another two court cases. The post Philippine Nobel winner Maria Ressa acquitted of tax evasion — court appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BI operatives arrest S. Korean pretending to be Filipino
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Sunday the arrest of a South Korean who pretended to be Filipino. BI Intelligence Deputy Chief for Mindanao Melody Penelope Gonzales said that on 5 September, the Bureau conducted an operation at Sitio Mojon in Barangay Langub, Davao City, in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Region 11, the Police Station, and other government intelligence units, which resulted in the arrest of a Korean national who was identified as Kim Jinkoon, a 58-year-old male. Gonzales added that Kim was the subject of a mission order issued by BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco after being found to be a fugitive from justice in South Korea, facing a total of seven cases filed against him. The Bureau also learned that Kim’s passport had already been canceled by the South Korean government which makes him an undocumented alien. Kim was arrested following a report from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Region 11, when he presented himself as a Filipino and insisted on applying for a Philippine passport, presenting identification cards, and claiming that his name was Allan Sun Duran. Upon verification with the South Korean government, his cases in his country revealed that he is an undesirable alien. He initially resisted arrest, insisting that he was a Filipino, but records from the Korean government had shown him a fugitive. Later, Kim admitted that he obtained his Philippine birth certificate in 2008 through an unidentified Filipina fixer. Kim is now temporarily detained at the BI Davao District Office prior to his transfer to the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, where he will face immigration charges for overstaying and undesirability. The post BI operatives arrest S. Korean pretending to be Filipino appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cop, brother face kidnapping raps
Southern Police District Director Brig. Gen. Roderick Mariano ordered the filing of charges against a policeman and his brother who allegedly kidnapped and illegally detained a female Chinese national. The suspects who will be charged were identified as SSgt. Lordgrin Figueroa, 39, assigned at the Pasay Criminal Investigation and Detection Group; and his brother “Nelson,” 20, now detained at the police custodial facility. Charges for Illegal Detention, Robbery Extortion, violations of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Law on Firearm and Ammunition) in relation to RA 7166 (Omnibus Election Code), Falsification of Public Documents, and Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code (Illegal Use of PNP Uniform). Reports showed the brothers were arrested on Sunday, 3 September at around 10:48 p.m. inside Qing Qing hotel located along Figueroa Street, Barangay 74, Pasay City. Mariano said the Pasay police, under the supervision of city police chief, Col. Froilan Uy, conducted a rescue operation for a 26-year-old female Chinese national who was allegedly detained by the suspects inside the hotel room. The suspects reportedly attempted to extort money amounting to P500,000 for her release. A friend of the victim, a 34-year-old Malaysian national, sought police assistance and reported the incident on September 4. He provided the Pasay police with a photo of the victim in handcuffs, a PNP ID belonging to a certain PMSG John Reggie Reyes, and text messages from the suspects demanding for the P500,000 ransom money. The rescue operation, Mariano said was immediately conducted, leading to the arrest of the suspects. Police recovered one 9mm Taurus with serial number TBW77621 a property of PNP, one magazine loaded with 14 live ammunition, a PNP ID, a wallet, 14 pieces of P1,000 bills, five assorted identification cards and three cellphones. Mariano said, as members of the PNP, they are committed to upholding the law and ensuring the safety and security of all citizens and visitors. The post Cop, brother face kidnapping raps appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Drunkard scuffles with cops
Laoag City cops assigned to the police assistance center "Cabeza" and personnel from the Provincial Mobile Force Company 1 assigned to the PROTECT Box "Rotonda" responded to a reported commotion that occurred at a grocery in Brgy. Bengcag, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte at around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 September. In an exclusive video secured by Daily Tribune from a civilian who helped pacify the situation, the suspect identified as Albert Miguel, 30, ran at a local radio station from Myrna Grocery, where the commotion initially started. When Patrolman Laforga, identified as the victim, was about to arrest Miguel, the suspect started becoming unruly and violent. He allegedly resisted arrest and uttered, “Ikkatem ta uniformem ta agkabil ta ne! Agkabil ta nga duwa, mano-mano, ikkatem uniformem kada paltog mo (Remove your uniform and let’s fight! Let’s fight, one on one, remove your uniform and your gun)," while pushing and punching Laforga. Daily Tribune tried to interview Miguel but instead, he gave rude answers by name-calling the writer and even spitting on the writer. Miguel will face direct assault, and resistance and disobedience charges. The post Drunkard scuffles with cops appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»