In search of missing activists, groups seek high court’s help
“We will continue fighting until the armed forces of Marcos Jr. surface our fellow human rights defenders. We will seek all legal actions and remedies to secure Loi and Ador’s rights and freedom, and to hold their criminal violators accountable." The post In search of missing activists, groups seek high court’s help appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
PNP denies detaining 2 activists
The Philippine National Police on Sunday denied that it had taken custody of two Cordillera activists who are now missing. In a statement, the PNP cited certifications by various units of the PNP stating that Dexter Capuyan, 57, and Gene Roz Jamil de Jesus, 27, are not in their custody. “They are neither among the list of Persons Under Police Custody nor can they be found within any PNP facilities,” the PNP added. The PNP also said that when the two were first reported missing, it immediately exerted efforts to locate them and the search is ongoing. The statements were in reaction to the Court of Appeals 13th Division’s 10 July resolution ordering the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP to present the missing activists. The resolution was prompted by a petition for habeas corpus filed by the relatives of Capuyan and De Jesus. Human rights groups said Capuyan and De Jesus were snatched at Golden City Subdivision in Taytay, Rizal on 28 April by men who introduced themselves as agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. The post PNP denies detaining 2 activists appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Libya death toll at 11,300 — UN
A United Nations report released on Sunday put the death toll from the dams burst in the eastern Libyan city of Derna at 11,300, more than three times the figure from the government’s health ministry. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs cited the Libyan Red Crescent for its figures, which includes 10,100 people still missing from the tsunami-like devastation that occured one week ago. “These figures are expected to rise in the coming days and weeks as search-and-rescue crews work tirelessly to find survivors,” the OCHA report said. The health minister of divided Libya’s eastern-based administration, Othman Abdeljalil, counted 3,166 fatalities. At least 40,000 people have been displaced across northeastern Libya, according to the International Organization for Migration, which cautioned the actual number is likely higher given the difficulty accessing the worst-affected areas. Two dams upstream from Derna burst a week ago under the pressure of torrential rains from the hurricane-strength Storm Daniel. The torrent swept everything before it as it rushed towards the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, foreign emergency workers from the United Nations, Europe and the Middle East are arriving to help survivors and search for the missing. A rescue crew from Malta’s Civil Protection Department discovered a beach strewn with dead bodies on Friday, the Times of Malta newspaper reported. Libya is currently ruled by two rival administrations that have battled for power since Kadhafi’s ousting. With tens of thousands of people displaced, aid organizations have warned of the risks posed by leftover landmines and other unexploded ordnance, some of which the UN said has been shifted by floodwaters into areas previously declared clear. The risks of water-borne diseases such as cholera are also high, according to aid groups. The National Center for Disease Control reported that at least 55 children were poisoned as a result of drinking polluted water in Derna. WITH AFP The post Libya death toll at 11,300 — UN appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Red-tagged individuals create their own classification (1)
It is amusing to read about individuals or groups protesting about being tagged as New People’s Army or NPA supporters, or even communists themselves. At least one of them filed a civil suit for damages against two anchors of a program in SMNI for allegedly tagging him as a communist sympathizer and his mother as a closeted communist. Red-tagging has become a whipping boy of leftist organizations and their sympathizers. The dwindling number of left-leaning party-list representatives who survived the electoral debacle of their comrades have become the mouthpiece. They have been regularly and constantly attacking the government officials who described them as supporters of the communist rebels. This protesting sector of our society has described red-tagging as “the act of labeling individuals or groups as “communist fronts,” “communist terrorists,” or communist sympathizers.” They have likened such acts to “McCarthyism” in the 1950s in the United States. The American Heritage Dictionary defines McCarthyism as “1. The political practice of publicizing accusations of disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence; and 2. The use of methods of investigation and accusation regarded as unfair, to suppress opposition.” McCarthyism is known as the “second Ref Scare” in the United States. It was an era of “political repression and persecution of left-wing individuals and a campaign spreading fear of alleged communist and Soviet influence on American institutions and Soviet espionage in the United States during the late 1940s through the 1950s.” Joseph McCarthy, a Wisconsin Senator, started what appeared to become a national witch-hunt in the United States in the late forties and early fifties. He rose to national prominence in the US after an alleged three-year undistinguishable stay in the US Senate, after delivering a speech in Congress where he claimed to have a list of “members of the communist party and members of a spy ring employed in the US State Department.” As a result of McCarty’s speech, congressional hearings were conducted by the U.S. House Committee on Un-American Activities that led to the imprisonment of 10 Hollywood screenwriters and directors. Likewise, hundreds of their colleagues in the movie industry were placed on the “blacklist.” The so-called human rights groups in the Philippines claim that red-tagging is often done without evidence. A human rights alliance group, Karapatan, slammed the NTF-ELCAC for gaining “notoriety in the red-tagging, harassing and intimidating political activists and other government critics and for instigating mass surrenders of civilians alleged to be supporters of the revolutionary movement.” Karapatan alleged, “Many of the victims of NTF-ELCAC’s red-tagging campaigns had ended up arrested and detained on trump-up charges, while others have been killed by vigilante groups or in armed encounters staged by the military.” There is a whale of a difference between the red-baiting in the United States during the McCarthyism period and the so called red-tagging in the Philippines. For one, those who have been red-tagged, if they feel they have been unjustly classified as communist supporters or secret members of the NPA, can always resort to civil suits for damages, just like one of them did. Unlike the late Senator McCarty, the perceived violators of their human rights are not immune from lawsuits. McCarty was immune from being sued when he red-tagged suspected members of the communist party because he enjoyed parliamentary immunity when he delivered the red-tagging speech. The claim that those red-tagged by government officials led to their deaths is just a claim. The human rights groups have not produced any proof of that. As to those arrested and jailed, it only means there was probable cause for the crimes they have been charged with — hence, the courts issued warrants for their arrest. As to the claim of trump-up charges, there have been instances where the courts have dismissed those criminal cases filed against them because the prosecution failed to produce the quantum of proof required by law in court. They can seek judicial redress by filing malicious criminal prosecution against those who made up the false charges plus damages. (To be continued) The post Red-tagged individuals create their own classification (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brazil high court rules homophobia punishable by prison
Brazil's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that homophobic slurs are now punishable by prison, in a decision applauded by rights activists in a country with rampant violence against the LGBTQ+ community. The 9-1 ruling puts homophobic hate speech on the same legal level as racist hate speech, which was already punishable by prison in Brazil. Justice Edson Fachin, the lead judge on the case, said in his ruling it was a "constitutional imperative" to give LGBTQ+ citizens equal protection under the law. The court ruled in 2019 that homophobia was a crime, just like racism. But the earlier decision applied to slurs against the LGBTQ+ community as a whole, not attacks on specific individuals. Rights group ABGLT brought the case to extend the legal protections further. Hate speech is punishable by prison terms of two to five years in Brazil. "Victory against LGBT-phobia," transgender lawmaker Erika Hilton posted on social media, celebrating the ruling. Rights groups registered 228 murders of LGBTQ+ people in Brazil last year. The country of 203 million people is the deadliest in the world for trans people, according to the rights group Transgender Europe, with 1,741 murdered from 2008 to 2022. The post Brazil high court rules homophobia punishable by prison appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden to sign executive orders on Day 1, amid high alert for inauguration
Joe Biden’s top aide said Saturday the incoming president would sign about a dozen executive orders on his first day in office, as police fearing violence from Trump supporters staged a nationwide security operation ahead of the inauguration. Authorities in Washington, where Wednesday’s inauguration will take place, said they arrested a man with a loaded handgun and more than 500 rounds of ammunition at a security checkpoint, underscoring the tension in the US capital which is resembling a war zone. However, the man’s family told US media he was a security guard, rejecting the idea he was intent on causing harm. Incoming Biden chief of staff Ron Klain said in a memo to new White House senior staff that the executive orders would address the pandemic, the ailing US economy, climate change and racial injustice in America. “All of these crises demand urgent action,” Klain said in the memo. “In his first ten days in office, President-elect Biden will take decisive action to address these four crises, prevent other urgent and irreversible harms, and restore America’s place in the world,” Klain added. As he inherits the White House from Donald Trump, Biden’s plate is overflowing with acute challenges. The US is fast approaching 400,000 dead from the Covid-19 crisis and logging well over a million new cases a week as the coronavirus spreads out of control. The economy is ailing, with 10 million fewer jobs available compared to the start of the pandemic. Biden this week unveiled plans to seek $1.9 trillion to revive the economy through new stimulus payments and other aid, and plans a blitz to accelerate America’s stumbling Covid vaccine rollout effort. On Inauguration Day Biden, as previously promised, will sign orders including ones for the US to rejoin the Paris climate accord and reverse Trump’s ban on entry of people from certain Muslim majority countries, Klain said. “President-elect Biden will take action — not just to reverse the gravest damages of the Trump administration — but also to start moving our country forward,” Klain said. – 500 rounds of ammunition – Meanwhile, Washington was under a state of high alert after a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6. The assault left five people dead, including a police officer. Security officials have warned that armed pro-Trump extremists, possibly carrying explosives, pose a threat to Washington as well as state capitals over the coming week. Thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed in Washington and streets have been blocked off downtown with concrete barriers. On Friday night, police arrested a Virginia man at a security checkpoint where he tried to use an “unauthorized” credential to access the restricted area where Biden will be inaugurated. As officers checked the credential against the authorized access list, one noticed decals on the back of Wesley Beeler’s pick-up truck that said “Assault Life,” with an image of a rifle, and another with the message: “If they come for your guns, give ’em your bullets first,” according to a document filed in Washington, DC Superior Court. Under questioning, Beeler told officers he had a Glock handgun in the vehicle. A search uncovered a loaded handgun, more than 500 rounds of ammunition, shotgun shells and a magazine for the gun, the court document said. Beeler was arrested on charges including possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. But Beeler’s father Paul told The New York Times his son had been working as a security guard on the Capitol grounds. Asked if the younger Beeler supported a peaceful transition of power, Paul Beeler told the newspaper, “That’s the reason he’s there.” In addition to the heavy security presence in Washington, law enforcement was out in force in state capitals around the country to ward off potential political violence. Mass protests that had been planned for the weekend did not materialize on Saturday, with security far outnumbering Trump supporters at several fortified statehouses, US media reported. In St Paul, Minnesota, for example, hundreds of law enforcement officers, some armed with long guns, ringed the Capitol with National Guard troops providing backup. The number of protesters totaled about 50......»»
Babies have rights
#ASKGOYO Atty. Gregorio Larrazabal Quoted below is the statement of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines: “The tragic death of 3-month-old Baby River highlights the need to do MORE, BETTER, FASTER in the justice sector quoted below is the statement of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines: “Baby River was born at the Fabella Medical Center on July 1, 2020. Her mother, urban poor organizer Reina Mae Nasino, 23 years old, is a detainee at the Manila City Jail Female Dormitory who was arrested on November 5, 2019 at the Tondo office of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan. The police raids that resulted in the arrests of over 60 activists in Metro Manila and Bacolod were by virtue of various warrants issued by the RTC Branch 89 in Quezon City. Reina Mae and two others were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives, a non-bailable offense. “Despite questions raised against the validity of the raids and arrests as well as petitions for the release of Reina Mae on health and humanitarian grounds or for continued breast-feeding, the frail and underweight Baby River was separated from her mother barely a month after birth. “The case went through RTC Manila Branch 20, the Supreme Court, back to RTC Branch 20, then RTC branch 42 and RTC Branch 37, and the Court of Appeals, until Baby River died on Oct. 12, 2020. “Manila RTC Branch 47 finally allowed Reina Mae furlough – this time to visit her dead daughter. Despite many fully armed BJMP escorts, police and military personnel monitoring and accompanying Reina Mae, she remained hand-cuffed while at the wake. “The heartbreaking and brief life-story of Baby River compel us to raise these questions: “1. Why can’t our justice system safeguard the needs and rights of an innocent child to breastfeeding and a better chance to survive? “2. Why don’t our jails have adequate facilities to address the needs and rights of children and women detainees duly recognized by domestic and international law? “3. Why does it take so long to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights? “4. Isn’t there double standard when “bigger” detainees are allowed similar or even greater privileges? “5. Can we not have justice with compassion? “Let our concern, dismay, or rage and the tears that we may shed for Baby River Nasino fuel our collective determination and action to improve our justice system. Let not our innocent children fall under the cracks. Babies have rights and we have duties to nurture them. Let our humanity rise above our personal comforts or the privileges of power.” DOMINGO EGON CAYOSA National President & Chairman of the Board of Governors *** We can talk about the law legal processes, and I’m sure many will. But at the crux of all this should be:“What is it to be human?” Have we sunk so low that we’ve lost our humanity? Have we forgotten what it is that separates us from animals? Have we been numb to peoples’ suffering and death? Have we been stripped of our sense of morality and compassion that we have lost our appreciation of what is right and wrong? People have discussed the trampled rights of the mother of the infant. But what about the rights of the baby? Stripping the legalese of the tragedy, we have to ask: What about the basic needs of the baby, as emphasized by the statement of the IBP? There is no justification to being deprived of the love and care his mother, and the warmth of her embrace. The soothing voice to say she’s going to get better, and she’s loved… Have we regressed to a point that we’ve been stripped of our empathy? More than the legality of this. After the furor will have died down, and it surely will, I think we have to ask ourselves, “Where are we now?” How low have we sunk and how to we get back up and regain some sense of decency? My heart broke when I saw pictures of Reina Mae Nasino covered in PPE, in handcuffs, unable to even hug her dead baby one last time. I still cannot understand the inhumanity towards not only the mother, but the baby, who had done no one wrong, yet was treated with so much hate, disrespect, contempt, and derision for her to be born in this world, yet stripped and deprived of human love and affection. I can never hate anyone that much to treat him or her so badly. I think we need to dig deep within ourselves and search our soul. To find the humanity which has clearly been missing. We need to find our moral compass, before we all lose our soul and drown in the abyss. Stay Safe. Pray for Baby River. Pray for OUR country......»»
Rights groups slam MMDA spox for ‘drama serye’ remark on detained activist
Human rights groups slammed Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Spokesperson Celine Pialago following her “drama serye” remarks at detained activist Reina Mae Nasino who recently buried her three-month-old daughter River. Kapatid, a support group for families and friends of political prisoners, said those who downgrade what happened to the political prisoner are only trying to “cover the government’s gross violation of human rights.” “The story of Reina Mae Nasino and her 3-month-old child who died last week is not ‘drama-serye.’ It is a real story that exposed the countless injustices committed by the government,” it said in a statement released on Sunday. “MMDA Chair Danny Lim, a former political prisoner himself, should have long shown the door to his spokesperson. It should be obvious by now that sensitivity cannot be taught nor proper manners and right conduct if one is empty-headed,” it added. Meanwhile, National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) President Edre Olalia was more restrained, saying they would “do the same thing if she was in Ina’s position and circumstance. “To start with, we will never ever wish this horrible tragedy and injustice to visit the Asec, her mother, her daughters, her sisters and her aunts,” he said in a Facebook post. Despite having nothing to do with traffic, Pialago felt the need to “use her voice as a Filipino” to share her two cents on Nasino’s case. “Hindi lahat ng inang nakakulong ay nakapunta sa libing ng kanyang anak. Kaya yung mga sumisimpatya kay Reina Mae Nasino, pag aralan niyo mabuti ang dahilan bakit siya nakulong at kilalanin niyong mabuti kung sino siya sa lipunan (Not all jailed mothers get to visit their children’s funeral. So all of those who sympathize with Reina Mae Nasino, study well why she was imprisoned and know who she is and what her role is in society),” she said in a Facebook post on Sunday morning. “Masyado ninyong ginagawang pang drama serye sa hapon ang paghihinagpis niya. Tigilan niyo (You are trying to make her grief like an afternoon drama serye. Stop it)!” she added. Nasino was five months pregnant with River when she was arrested in November 2019 for allegedly being found with firearms and explosives at the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Manila Office in Tondo, Manila. Her lawyers have insisted that the pieces of evidence were planted and that the charges filed against her are trumped-up. She gave birth to River on July 1 at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Medical Hospital on July 1. She and her baby were returned to the Manila City Jail 48 hours later. Before this, she filed a motion before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) to allow her to breastfeed her daughter for a year at the hospital or a prison nursery. But Manila RTC Branch 20 Judge Marivic Balisi-Umali denied this, saying that the jail has “very limited resources” for the care of her child. Nasino was also among 22 elderly and medically-compromised detainees who filed a motion for their compassionate release amid the pandemic on April 8 before the Supreme Court. But months later, the High Court ruled that the trial courts will be the ones to decide on their temporary release. On August 13, the activist-mother was ordered to turn her child over to her relatives. River was admitted at the Philippine General Hospital for fever and diarrhea on September 24. She was placed in the intensive care unit on October 9 where she died a few hours later. A few hours before her daughter died, Nasino filed a very urgent motion for furlough so she can be with her child in her dying moments. On October 13, Manila RTC Branch 47 Judge Paulino Gallegos granted her three full days from October 14 to 16 to be by her daughter’s side during the wake and burial. But the next day, he cut Nasino’ furlough down to only six hours from 1 to 4 p.m. on October 14 and 16 after receiving opposition from the Manila City Jail. The Manila City Jail cited lack of personnel, health concerns, and a guideline stating that detainees can only be at their loved ones’ burial and wake for a maximum of three hours. For both the wake and the funeral, Nasino was clad in a full set of personal protective equipment, handcuffed, and flanked by numerous uniformed personnel. Tensions rose during the wake after her escorts tried to pull her away twice before her time was up, eventually escorting her out with 20 minutes to spare before 4 p.m. On October 16, Marites Asis, Nasino’s mother, had to kneel and beg in front of the police to allow them to hold funeral at 11:30 a.m. The cops wanted to delay it until 1 p.m. Police also sped off with River’s hearse to the Manila North Cemetery, leaving her family behind and thwarting activists’ plan to conduct a caravan around the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals before burying her at the cemetery. Nasino’s counsels at NUPL earlier said that they will file charges against those involved in the activist’s treatment during her daughter’s wake and burial. .....»»
Presumptive death
Dear Atty. Angela, I am married to wife Cassandra way back in 2005. After we lived together for three years, I had to work in London as a caregiver and my wife worked in Hong Kong as a domestic helper. After a year apart, I have not heard from her at all and I do not know anymore about her whereabouts. I even tried contacting her parents and relatives to no avail. Until today, there is no news about her and if she is still alive. I have a live-in partner whom I would want to marry. I plan to file a declaration of presumptive death of my wife in the court. Will this be recognized? Tony *** Dear Tony, Article 41 of the Family Code of the Philippines provides that if a spouse has been absent for four consecutive years and the present spouse has a well-founded belief that the absent spouse was already dead, he or she can file a summary proceeding to have the absent spouse declared presumptively dead in order to remarry. The period of four years is shortened to two years if the absent spouse was on board a vessel lost during a sea voyage or an airplane which is missing, or a member of the armed forces taking part in a war or in danger of death under similar circumstances. This must be filed in Court and the spouse should obtain an official declaration of the presumed death of the spouse. However, in the case of Republic v Sareñogon Jr., G.R. 199194 (10 February 2016), the Supreme Court stressed that the degree of diligence and reasonable search required by law is not met (1) when there is failure to present the persons from whom the present spouse allegedly made inquiries especially the absent spouse’s relatives, neighbors, and friends, (2) when there is failure to report the missing spouse’s purported disappearance or death to the police or mass media, and (3) when the present spouse’s evidence might or would only show that the absent spouse chose not to communicate, but not necessarily that the latter was indeed dead. Given the Court’s imposition of “strict standard” in a petition for a declaration of presumptive death under Article 41 of the Family Code, it must follow that there is a required degree of stringent diligence in the search of a spouse. Therefore, you must first prove that your belief of her death is a result of diligent and reasonable efforts and inquiries. The law states that exertion of active effort (not a mere passive one) is strictly required. Atty. Angela Antonio The post Presumptive death appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Filipino activists accuse Marcos of ‘witch-hunt’
Filipino activists accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's government Thursday of carrying out a "witch-hunt" against rights defenders as they held rallies for the 51st anniversary of the imposition of martial law. Hundreds of people marched in Manila calling for the release of victims of forced disappearances and the abolishment of an anti-communist task force, set up by former president Rodrigo Duterte, that has been accused of targeting government critics. Rights group Karapatan said the Marcos Jr administration was using the task force to "witch-hunt activists, human rights defenders and other dissenters", while enabling the military and police to "perpetuate repression reminiscent of the martial law era". Marcos Jr's dictator father, Ferdinand Marcos, imposed martial law in 1972, unleashing his security forces on rivals, critics and dissidents. Amnesty International estimates thousands of people were killed and tens of thousands tortured and imprisoned in the brutal crackdown. Activists said rampant human rights abuses have continued under Marcos Jr, who has kept up Duterte's deadly war on drugs, as well as his National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. Rights groups say eight activists have been "disappeared" since Marcos Jr became president in June 2022. There have been more than 400 drug-related killings during the same period, according to a monitoring group. "It's like we're still living in the shadows of 1972. This regime doesn't care about human rights," Renato Reyes, secretary general of the leftist alliance Bayan, told protesters. [caption id="attachment_186945" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] People hold placards as they join a protest commemorating the 51st anniversary of the imposition of Martial Law, at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on 21 September 2023. (Photo by JAM STA ROSA / AFP)[/caption] - 'Like martial law' - The rallies come after the release on Tuesday of two environmental activists who had accused the military of abducting them. Jonila Castro, 21, and Jhed Tamano, 22, had been working with coastal communities opposed to reclamation activities in Manila Bay when they disappeared on September 2 in Bataan province, near Manila. Authorities rejected the allegation, saying the women were part of a communist insurgency seeking to overthrow the government and had sought their help after voluntarily leaving the movement. Human Rights Watch senior researcher Carlos Conde told AFP some aspects of the country's human rights situation had worsened under Marcos Jr. "What we're seeing is somebody... who likes to shove human rights as an issue aside," Conde said, adding one of the reasons could be "his family have a... nasty history as far as human rights is concerned." Veteran human rights campaigner Cristina Palabay of Karapatan said she felt "more scared now" as the number of missing activists increased. Palabay said she and other members of Karapatan faced "some sort of mortal danger far greater than before", citing increased threats, profiling and surveillance. "This is actually like martial law... when people are just being picked up in the streets and justified as being held by authorities because they are suspected of being somebody," Palabay said. pam/amj/dhw © Agence France-Presse The post Filipino activists accuse Marcos of ‘witch-hunt’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Red-tagged individuals have only themselves to blame
These human rights groups and activists have been haranguing the government for every perceived action that threatens their democratic space or their existence as an organization. They are always at the forefront, slamming the government and its officials who do not conform to their progressive and radical views. They rev up people into a frenzy and rally them against certain policies and programs that will neutralize the revolutionary activities of the armed left and its front organizations. They organize protest marches and rallies and call on the people to reject government initiatives to eradicate the more than 50-year-old communist urgency, like the establishment of the NTF-ELCAC, which has successfully stopped the resurrection of the communist rebels. The NTF-ELCAC is an ingenious program commenced in the previous Duterte administration, institutionalizing the government’s “whole of nation” approach in confronting the ongoing communist rebellion and against groups that are front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines or CPP. The socio-economic program of the NTF-ELCAC at the barangay level succeeded in dismantling the communist hold on the depressed and neglected barangays. It led to hundreds of NPAs surrendering and returning to the law’s fold. These left-leaning individuals and aggregations exhibit their nationalist pretensions by embroiling themselves with national issues related to the people’s needs and sufferings, picturing themselves as victims of human rights violations committed allegedly by the government against them. They use social media to whip up support for them and use compelling political propaganda subjects like alleged summary killings, unlawful arrests, tortures, and harassment of political activists and progressive groups. Their comrades in Congress who managed to be elected have become effective political mouthpieces against the government. They are good at using the mass media, which is just too happy to accommodate them to boost their sales. Some have infiltrated the government bureaucracy and used their positions and offices to advance their political ideologies in the guise of good government. They have been successful, too, in recruiting young students of impressionable minds to embrace their causes, who end up either young NPA rebels, leading student activists, or dead resulting from government clashes with government troops. These self-proclaimed nationalists have peppered the air with accusations of extrajudicial killings against the government and have defended suspected terrorists and subversives when arrested and prosecuted. They readily proclaim their innocence. They have taken the cudgels of citizens murdered by common criminals or political warlords — but they are deathly silent when the communist armed rebels waylay, ambush, and murderously assault military men and women as well as civilians engaged in humanitarian missions during the occurrence of natural disasters. Even when they are confronted with this telling inconsistency and dared to condemn these terrorist atrocities, these leftists remain tight-lipped. They have never condemned the New People’s Army for its terroristic and undemocratic activities. Given this implied but glaring support to the enemies of the state by their deafening silence, can we reasonably accuse the government officials of classifying or describing them as supporters of the NPA or closeted members of the armed rebellion? Certainly not. They have only themselves to blame for being tagged as red supporters. Why should they be afraid, ashamed, or embarrassed to be called communists or communist supporters? The Anti-Subversion Law, where being a member of the CPP is a crime, has long been repealed. So why the fear or shame of being called a communist advocate or supporter? These democratic pretenders must unclothe themselves of their camouflage and join the parliamentary struggle. They should publicly articulate the virtues of communism against democracy and seek elective posts based on their true ideological selves. They should not use the Bill of Rights to undermine the authority of the constituted authorities, remaining as secret enemies of democracy while masquerading as its champions. It is about time they unmask themselves and be proud of their ideological beliefs. They should put an end to their pretense. They should be principled enough to present themselves as ideologues of communism — own to their loyalty to such ideology — and profess it publicly. Let the people judge who — and what they are — and not what they pretend to be. The post Red-tagged individuals have only themselves to blame appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Escudero to BOC: File charges vs. rice smugglers, hoarders
Senator Francis Escudero challenged the Bureau of Customs to immediately file charges against traders susceptibly involved in smuggling and hoarding rice. Escudero said such illegal activities have caused an artificial shortage of food staples and rice price spikes in recent months. The senator then slammed the BOC for its failure to disclose to the public the “names of traders and operators whose warehouses were raided by government authorities for tons of suspected smuggled rice.” “Ang dami nang raids na ginawa nitong mga nakaraang linggo, bakit hanggang ngayon, wala pang kasong isinasampa sa mga taong sangkot? (You have done so many raid activities this past weeks, why is it until now you haven’t filed cases to anyone involved?),” he said. Escudero stressed the need to file charges and ‘bring these economic saboteurs to court” so it could “serve as a warning” that the Marcos administration is indeed serious in its campaign against smugglers and hoarders. He said the authorities should not stop by just conducting a series of raids, instead, the efforts should showcase strong results. The Republic Act 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 considers large-scale smuggling of agricultural products as economic sabotage, with "at least P1 million worth of sugar, corn, pork, poultry, garlic, onion, carrots, fish, and cruciferous vegetables, in their raw state, or which have undergone the simple processes of preparation and preservation for the market, or a minimum of P10 million worth of rice, as valued by Bureau of Customs." “Why haven't I heard anyone sued for economic sabotage or something? Who owns these warehouses? Who are the people involved?" Escudero asked, citing that the BoC-Port of Zamboanga seized some 42,180 sacks of rice worth P42 million in Barangay San Jose Gusu on 15 September. The local bureau inspected the warehouse on 19 May after receiving information that smuggled rice was being stored in the area. Two weeks prior, the BOC inspected three warehouses in Bulacan and found these stocked with suspected smuggled imported rice worth P505 million. It temporarily sealed and guarded these warehouses located inside the Intercity Industrial Complex in Balagtas, Bulacan. Aside from filing charges, Escudero said the government should also update the public on the development of these cases “in the spirit of transparency.” "Ito ang mga dapat nilang masagot ngayon (this what they should answer now): who oversees the disposition and how will it be disposed? Ano ang gagawin nila sa mga bigas na nakumpiska? (What will happen to confiscated rice?),“ Escudero said. In a news forum last Saturday, BOC Port of Zamboanga chief, Benito Lontok, said the agency is planning to donate the smuggled rice for the implementation of the Department of Agriculture’s Kadiwa Program and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s assistance programs. However, Lontok said the plan is still “subject to approval” of BoC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio and Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno. 'DA should step up' Meanwhile, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano urged DA to take more proactive measures to address the price hike in rice. Cayetano lamented the prices of rice remain high despite the government’s implementation of a price cap on the product. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier blamed smugglers and hoarders for causing the increasing prices of rice in the country. Hence, issuing the executive Order No. 39 on 31 August, mandated price ceilings for regular-milled rice at P41 per kilogram and well-milled rice at P45 per kilogram. The EO 39 will be implemented nationwide beginning 5 September. Marcos vowed the government would continue going after the rice smugglers and hoarders, including the imposition of penalties for those found guilty of violating the mandated price cap for rice. Cayetano lauded Marcos for this effort and for being a “sincere Agriculture Secretary” with a primary intent on the country’s food situation. However, he stressed that other DA officials should not rely on the Chief Executive for solutions. “The DA to seek long-term solutions to stabilize food prices, emphasizing that temporary measures may not address the root causes of the problem,” he said. The post Escudero to BOC: File charges vs. rice smugglers, hoarders appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Leftists weave yarns, scams
The desperation of left-wing groups to remain relevant has pushed them to resort to “elaborate hoaxes and fraudulent money-making schemes,” the National Security Council said on Saturday. NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said the attempts to defraud came in the guise of manufactured claims against government security agencies. Earlier, the Philippine National Police reported that two young women involved in an anti-reclamation campaign in Manila Bay were missing, and this was linked to their advocacy. Malaya said Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro had surrendered to the Philippine Army’s 70th Infantry Battalion in Doña Remedios Trinidad town in Bulacan on 12 September, contrary to leftist groups’ allegation that government security forces had abducted the two. “They had actually bolted their organization and sought the help of the authorities for their safe return home,” he said. Fake fundraising Malaya accused the leftist groups of soliciting funds from the public and making it appear that the security forces were irrelevant in protecting the general safety. “They collect money through GCash with the intent of using this to discredit and put the government in a bad light. They want the international community to believe that this country is a failed state,” Malaya said. “The Karapatan-led offensive included a shameless fundraising drive to collect money from the public purportedly to help locate the two young girls. It turned out, however, that the two had bolted their underground organization and went under the care of a friend,” he said. Karapatan is a militant group purportedly advocating for the protection of human rights. Malaya slammed Karapatan’s massive disinformation campaign, “Surface Jonila and Jed Network,” saying, “This was made out of manufactured threads of storylines using the Internet that even the media, the viewing public, and the government became victims of the elaborate deception.” Karapatan was among the first groups to sound the alarm after the two anti-reclamation activists went missing. With help from the Department of Justice, the NSC and PNP’s Cybercrime Group have started to build a case against the scammers from the leftist groups. “We will certainly investigate their possible liabilities in relation to the Revised Penal Code, anti-cybercrime law, and other special laws. We’re working now with the Department of Justice on the possible filing of charges against them,” Malaya said. Not an abduction Meanwhile, Police Capt. Carlito Buco of the Bataan Provincial Police Office said Tamano and Castro were in a safe house with their parents. Citing the police’s final investigation report, Buco said Tamano and Castro were not “abducted” and could not be declared “missing persons.” “The two young girls were staying at a Methodist church in Orion town as far back as 1 September and had been planning to leave their organization,” he said. The post Leftists weave yarns, scams appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malaya warns vs. elaborate hoax, money scams by leftist group
The public should be vigilant against falling prey to “elaborate hoax and fraudulent money-making schemes” by the leftist groups, the National Security Council warned on Saturday. NSC Assistant-Director General, Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, said that these fraud activities are carved out of manufactured claims against security agencies of the government. Malaya’s warning stemmed from the report of the Philippine National Police stating that two young women said to be involved in environmental campaigns around Manila Bay who were reported missing have surfaced in Bulacan. Malaya said Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro reportedly surrendered to the Philippine Army’s 70th Infantry Battalion in Doña Remedios Trinidad town on September 12, contrary to the claims of the leftist groups the two were abducted by government security forces. “They had actually bolted their organization and sought the help of authorities for their safe return home,” he added. Malaya accused the leftist group of pooling financial resources from the people to make it appear that the government security forces are irrelevant. “Kumakalap po sila ng pera gaya nang sa GCash with the intent of using this to discredit and put government in a bad light. They want the international community to believe that this country is a failed state,” Malaya lamented. “The Karapatan-led offensive included a shameless fundraising drive to collect money from the public purportedly to help locate the two young girls. It turned out, however, that the two students bolted their underground organization and went under the care of a friend,” he added. Malaya then slammed the Karapatan’s massive disinformation campaign “Surface Jonila and Jed Network” saying, “These are made out of manufactured threads of storylines using the internet that even the media, the viewing public, and the government became victims of the elaborate deception.” Karapatan, a human rights organization, was one of the first to sound the alarm when the two anti-reclamation activists went missing. The NSC and PNP’s Cybercrime Group, through the help of the Department of Justice, have already started to build up a case against these scammers from the leftist groups. “We will certainly look into their possible legal liabilities in relation to the Revised Penal Code, anti-cybercrime law, and other special laws. We’re working now with the DoJ for the possible filing of charges against them,” Malaya said. Not an abduction Meanwhile, PCapt. Carlito Buco of the Bataan Provincial Police Office Tamano and Castro have already met their parents and currently staying in a safe house Citing the police’s final investigation report, Buco said Tamano and Castro were not “abducted” or cannot be declared “missing persons.” “The two young girls were staying at a Methodist church in Orion town as early as September 1 and had been planning to leave their organization,” he added. The post Malaya warns vs. elaborate hoax, money scams by leftist group appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Libya faces mass burials, searches for thousands missing
Hundreds of body bags now line the mud-caked streets of eastern Libya’s Derna city, awaiting mass burials, as traumatized and grieving residents search flood-destroyed buildings for missing loved ones and bulldozers clear streets of debris and mountains of sand on Friday. Emergency teams are also taking part in the search for the thousands still posted as missing after water from two broken dams swept the port city on Sunday, killing at least 4,000 people. The dams burst after torrential rains from Storm Daniel swelled Derna’s rivers. The enormous, tsunami-like surge of water destroyed entire city blocks and washed untold numbers of people into the Mediterranean Sea. In one shattered home, a rescue team pumped out the water to reveal a woman’s lifeless arms still clutching her dead child, an Agence France-Presse correspondent reported. “A wave seven meters (23 feet) high wiped out buildings and washed infrastructure into the sea. Now family members are missing, dead bodies are washing back up on shore and homes are destroyed,” Yann Fridez, the head of the Libya delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said. Abdelaziz Bousmya, who lives in the Chiha neighborhood which was spared by the wall of water that devastated lower-lying districts, estimates that at least a tenth of the city’s population of 100,000 were killed. “I lost my friends, my loved ones — they are all either buried under the mud or got swept out to sea by the floodwaters,” the 29-year-old said. Access to Derna remains severely hampered as roads and bridges have been destroyed and power and phone lines cut to wide areas, where at least 30,000 people are now homeless. WITH AFP The post Libya faces mass burials, searches for thousands missing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Libya, Morocco get aid, rescuers
Foreign military planes and ships flew emergency supplies to eastern Libya’s disaster zone as rescuers in quake-hit Morocco struggle to deliver food and tents to survivors and find missing ones under the rubble of a destroyed mountain village on Thursday. The two North African countries are reeling from contrasting disasters with the death toll from Libya’s dam breaks at nearly 4,000 people and almost 3,000 fatalities in Morocco. The United Nations has pledged $10 million to support Libya’s survivors, including at least 30,000 people it said had been left homeless in Derna. Britain is sending aid worth a million pounds, including shelter, health care and sanitation. Egyptians will help set up shelter camps. France was sending around 40 rescuers and tons of health supplies along with a field hospital. Ships from Turkey and Italy are bringing medical supplies and field hospitals. The United Arab Emirates sent two planes carrying 150 tons of aid. Another 40 tons of supplies took off Wednesday on a Kuwaiti flight. Palestinian media reported a rescue mission had left from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, and Jordan sent a military plane loaded with food parcels, tents, blankets and mattresses. Tens of thousands of people in Derna have also been displaced after the huge flash flood slammed on Sunday. Two upstream dams burst when torrential rains brought by storm “Daniel” battered the region. The wall of water ripped away buildings, vehicles and the people inside them. Many were swept out into the sea, with bodies later washing up on beaches littered with debris and car wrecks. Foreign rescuers In Morocco, Qatari firefighters are working to find survivors in many destroyed villages in the High Atlas mountains, where homes made from adobe crumbled easily during the 6.8-magnitude quake that struck late Friday. Helicopters are being used to evacuate the injured from remote places or those that cannot be reached by road, with media reports saying at least three people were airlifted to Marrakesh on Wednesday. Many Moroccan citizens have rushed to help quake victims with food, water, blankets and other aid or by donating blood to help treat the injured, an effort joined by the national football team. Morocco has allowed rescue teams to come to its aid from Spain, Britain, Qatar and the UAE but so far declined offers from several other nations, including the United States, France and some Middle Eastern countries. The US on Wednesday offered $1 million in support of groups on the ground and said it had deployed a small team to Morocco to help assess the situation. As of late Wednesday, there were at least 2,946 dead and 5,674 injured. The toll is unlikely to be the final one. The post Libya, Morocco get aid, rescuers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Small islands take ocean protection case to UN court
Leaders of small island states turned to the UN maritime court on Monday to seek protection of the world's oceans from catastrophic climate change which threaten the very existence of entire countries. The nine island states are asking the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to determine if carbon dioxide emissions absorbed by the oceans can be considered pollution, and if so, what obligations countries have to prevent it. "This is the opening chapter in the struggle to change the conduct of the international community by clarifying the obligation of states to protect the marine environment," said the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne. "The time has come to speak in terms of legally binding obligations rather than empty promises that go unfulfilled," he said, addressing the court in Hamburg, Germany. Ocean ecosystems create half the oxygen humans breathe and limit global warming by absorbing much of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities. But increasing emissions can warm and acidify seawaters, harming marine life. At the heart of the case is the international treaty UNCLOS that binds countries to preventing pollution of the oceans. The UN treaty defines pollution as the introduction by humans of "substances or energy into the marine environment" that leads to harm to marine life. But it does not spell out carbon emissions as a specific pollutant, and the plaintiffs argue that these emissions qualify. Marine heatwave The push for climate justice won a big boost when the UN General Assembly in March adopted a resolution calling on the International Court of Justice to lay out nations' obligations on protecting Earth's climate and the legal consequences they face if they fail to do so. The ICJ's advice is still pending but the action has opened up a new front to bind countries to pledges on reducing emissions. The move at the UN had been led by Vanuatu, which also counts among the islands that had brought Monday's case before the ITLOS. Small islands like Vanuatu are particularly exposed to the impact of global warming, with seawater rises threatening to submerge entire countries. "Just a few years -- this is all we have before the ocean consumes everything my people built across centuries," Tuvalu's Prime Minister Kausea Natano told the court. "If international law has nothing to say about an entire country going underwater... then what purpose does it serve?" he asked, pleading for a clear direction from the court. Across the two-thirds of the planet covered by seas, nearly 60 percent of ocean surface waters experienced at least one marine heatwave in 2022, according to the annual State of the Climate report led by scientists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This is 50 percent more than pre-industrial levels and "the highest in the modern atmospheric record and in paleoclimate records dating back as far as 800,000 years", the report published this month noted. The world's oceans also set a new temperature record in August. Average sea surface temperatures reached an unprecedented 21 degrees Celsius (69.8 degrees Fahrenheit) for over a week, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, after months of unusually high temperatures. Other island states joining the ITLOS case include The Bahamas, Niue, Palau, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia as well as St Vincent and the Grenadines. Thirty-four other state parties will also participate in the court hearing, with sessions scheduled through to 25 September. The post Small islands take ocean protection case to UN court appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cartel manipulating rice price hikes — Abalos
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos on Tuesday, made the rounds at Mega-Q-Mart along with Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte to inspect rice stalls and retailers if they are adhering to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order 39. Abalos said arrests will not take effect yet, for retailers selling rice beyond what is prescribed under EO 39, which is P41 per kilo for regular-milled rice and P45 per for well-milled rice. “Our target really here are the rice cartels. They are the ones causing the high cost of rice,’’ Abalos said. He added that the government will run after cartels that are manipulating the prices of prime commodities like rice. The DILG chief also appealed to rice retailers and dealers to adhere to the government’s rice price ceiling to ease the financial burden of the public. Rice stall owners, on the other hand, complained that they will surely have financial losses if they follow the rice price cap imposed by the government. “We bought rice at high costs, if we make the computation based on the government’s price cap, we will surely incur heavy losses,’’ one of the rice stall owners said. Others said they are contemplating on closing their stalls until the price of regular and well-milled rice stabilizes. Not feasible “We loaned our capital with interest and it is not economically feasible if we sell them (rice at P41 to P45 per kilo),’’ one of them said. When this was relayed to Abalos, the DILG chief told the retailers that the government would provide compensation to help them reduce the prices of their rice. Abalos told rice retailers to bear with the inconvenience, stating that the rice price cap is only “temporary” and not permanent. With the rice price cap in effect, Abalos noted that the government is in the midst of making the necessary computation on how much aid should be provided to the rice dealers and retailers, adding that there is no time table yet on how long the lower cost of rice will last. In the meantime, Abalos noted that the DILG will continue to conduct a massive information drive to make the rice dealers and retailers aware of the rice price cap that they should follow starting 5 September. However, Abalos warned that the government will have no choice but to impose penalties and fines should rogue traders remain stubborn and fail to follow the rice price ceiling stated in EO 39. Earlier, the DILG warned that violators of the rice price ceiling stand to face one year imprisonment but not more than 10 years jail term and pay penalties ranging from P5,000 to as much as P1 million upon the court’s discretion. Individuals or groups involved in the illegal price manipulation of prime commodities face jail terms not lower than five years and not more than 15 years and pay penalties of at least P5,000 up to P2 million. The post Cartel manipulating rice price hikes — Abalos appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Inspections conducted at QC market rice stalls for ceiling compliance
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ Abalos on Tuesday, made a rounds at Mega-Q-Mart along with Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte to inspect rice stalls and retailers if they are adhering to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s Executive Order No. 39. Abalos said arrests will not take effect yet, for retailers selling rice beyond what is prescribed under EO 39, which sets the rice price cap to P41 per kilo for regular-milled rice and P45 per for well-milled rice. “Ang target natin dito yung mga (rice) cartel. Sila talaga ang nagpapataas ng presyo ng bigas (Our target really here are the rice cartels. They are the ones causing the high cost of rice),’’ Abalos said. He added that the government will run after cartels that are manipulating the prices of prime commodities like rice. The DILG chief also appealed to rice retailers and dealers to adhere to the government’s rice price ceiling to ease the financial burden of the public. Rice stall owners on the other hand complained that they will surely have financial losses if they follow the rice price cap imposed by the government. “Nabili namin ito (rice) sa mataas na presyo, pag kinuwenta namin base sa presyong gusto ng pamahalaan siguradong lugi kami (We bought rice at high costs, if we make the computation based on the government’s price cap, we will surely incur heavy losses),’’ one of the rice stall owners said. Others said they are contemplating on closing their stalls until the price of regular and well-milled rice stabilizes. “Inutang namin puhunan na may interest at hindi kami tutubo kung bebental namin ito ng P41 to P45 kada kilo (We loaned our capital with interest and it is not economically feasible if we sell them (rice) at P41 to P45 per kilo),’’ one of them said. When relayed these to Abalos, the DILG chief told the retailers that the government would provide compensation to help them reduce the prices of their rice. Abalos told rice retailers to bear with the inconvenience, stating that the rice price cap is only ‘temporary’ and not permanent. With the rice price cap in effect, Abalos noted that the government is in the midst of making the necessary computation on how much aid should be provided to the rice dealers and retailers, adding that there is no timetable yet on how long the lower cost of rice will last. In the meantime, Abalos noted that the DILG will continue to conduct a massive information drive to make the rice dealers and retailers aware of the rice price cap that they should follow starting 5 Sept. However, Abalos warned that the government will have no choice but to impose penalties and fines should rogue traders remain stubborn and fail to follow the rice price ceiling stated in EO 39. Earlier, the DILG warned that violators of the rice price ceiling stand to face one-year imprisonment and not more than 10 years jail term and pay penalties ranging from P5,000 to as much as P1 million upon the court’s discretion. Individuals or groups involved in the illegal price manipulation of prime commodities face jail terms not lower than five years and not more than 15 years and pay penalties of at least P5,000 up to P2 million. The post Inspections conducted at QC market rice stalls for ceiling compliance appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Crackdown set on grains cartels
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is taking a two-pronged approach to resolving the high prices of rice — which are building up the country’s grains stock and dismantling the rice cartels that dictate market prices. “The primary agenda of the government is to keep food prices low to help the less-capable members of society,” Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile said yesterday. He indicated that President Marcos will have a program to ensure that the country has a three-year rice stock. “This is now being studied. It was taken up during a Cabinet meeting.” Enrile said. Malacañang said the implementation of Executive Order 39, which mandates price ceilings for rice, will start on 5 September. EO 39 mandates the price per kilo of regular milled rice at P41 and well-milled rice at P45. Marcos signed the EO on Thursday based on the 31 August recommendation of the Department of Agriculture and Department of Trade and Industry to impose price ceilings on rice amid the surge in the retail prices of the staple. Composite teams comprised of different government agencies, in coordination with local government units, will visit markets to monitor the prices of the two rice varieties. Focus on Metro Marcos said while EO 39 would be implemented nationwide, the government would focus its monitoring in Metro Manila, noting that the situation “is not so bad outside” the metropolis. Enrile said the recent Palace moves were meant to seek a scientific approach to the rice price dilemma. “Many think the rice problem is simple but it is a very complex issue since the prices are being dictated by syndicates and the mafia in the industry.” The rice supply, he said, is affected by hoarding, smuggling, overpricing and other factors that are manipulated by certain groups. The rice cartels and syndicates have strong connections, but the Marcos administration will confront them. The goal, according to Enrile, is “to dismantle them.” “They have allies in the Bureau of Customs and the bureaucracy, and it involves huge money,” he said. “Imagine, the population is now 120 million and every day you have to provide the rice to feed them so the volume of money that goes into grains trading is huge.” He reiterated that the lucrative industry is now “controlled by cartels, mafias and syndicates, all of them are there.” Elusive prey Enrile cited the case of Davidson Bangayan, alias David Tan, who was investigated in the Senate for rice smuggling, but no case was ever filed against him. Even former President Rodrigo Duterte, then Davao City mayor, testified against the suspected grains smuggler. To Senator Risa Hontiveros’ criticism that the price cap constitutes lazy work, Enrile said she should become president first before making disparaging comments against President Marcos. “For ordinary Filipinos, the price of rice is of utmost concern. Rice is a very important component of every economy,” he explained. “It portrays your ignorance if you’re talking about that without any qualification,” Enrile said, addressing Hontiveros’ allegation. Finite resources Farmlands, Enrile said, are finite resources and it would be hard to increase these, and “even if you reclaim land from the seas it would be near impossible to use it for agriculture.” “I don’t know if the senator has experienced planting and harvesting palay. If she can prove that she has, I would believe what she said,” he added. He said the government is also looking into options to cover the period when rice prices will be high. “While we look for a solution to the price problem, the government is also taking steps to identify substitutes or supplements for rice to cover the deficiencies between local production and demand,” he added. Enrile emphasized that high rice prices are “a supply and demand problem.” In the recently raided warehouses that held P590 million worth of mostly rice stocks, the raiding teams found empty sacks that showed the grains were from local sources, indicating an effort to deceive. “What happened there, obviously is not in the media anymore, nobody talks about it anymore,” he said. The post Crackdown set on grains cartels appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese carmakers confront European industry at Munich show
Chinese manufacturers will be out in force at next week's IAA auto show, one of the industry's biggest, revving their new electric models on the turf of German carmakers, which have been lagging in the e-mobility race. Elon Musk's Tesla, usually a hold-out from such events, will also make an appearance at the show in Munich, joining the jostle to steal the spotlight from Europe's biggest brands. The industry fair, which opens Tuesday with a speech from Chancellor Olaf Scholz, comes with clouds gathering for the automotive sector in Europe and in particular, Germany. While suffocating supply chain problems have eased from the pandemic years, European auto giants are struggling to cope with increased energy costs in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year. Although sales in the European Union have steadily improved over the last 12 months, they remain around 20 percent below their pre-coronavirus levels as inflation and higher interest rates dampen appetite for new vehicles. At the same time, European manufacturers are facing increasingly stiff competition from Chinese carmakers which are touting their vehicles at far lower prices. Local upstarts have captured an increasingly large part of the prized Chinese market and are threatening to dominate the growing trade in electric vehicles. Chinese groups were starting "their assault on Europe with the IAA", said industry analyst Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer from the Center Automotive Research in Germany. "The IAA 2023 maps out a new automobile world in Europe. Competition will be tougher. After the Chinese battery factories, their automobile makers are coming," he said, calling it a "turning point" for the industry. In all, 41 percent of exhibitors at the industry fair have their headquarters in China, including brands such as BYD and Leapmotor which will hope to steal the spotlight from German giants Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Contrary to the Asian onslaught, participation from other European makers is muted. Opel will be US-European conglomerate Stellantis's lone ambassador in Munich, while Renault is showcasing only its eponymous marque at the show. In contrast, Musk's Tesla was slowly falling in line with traditional manufacturers as "the brand that doesn't do marketing begins to do exactly that" with its first appearance at the IAA, said independent analyst Matthias Schmidt. - Petrol protest - Over the week, around 700,000 visitors are expected to attend the show, split between exhibition halls and the city center. The move away from combustion engines to electric vehicles -- and the bigger climate question -- will take center stage inside and outside the exhibition halls. As carmakers roll out their latest offerings, climate groups have vowed protests at the fair, including "civil disobedience" aimed at disrupting the IAA. The last edition of the show in 2021 was already troubled by small-scale protests. This time around, some 1,500 people are expected at a camp in a suburban Munich park promoting a "revolution in mobility". Car manufacturers were "destroying the lives of countless people worldwide with their growth imperative", one of the climate groups said ahead of the fair. Automotive groups have not helped their case recently by recording massive profits on the back of strong inflation. Manufacturers -- particularly those at the high end of the market -- have been able to benefit from rising prices to boost their margins. A growing climate consciousness movement is increasingly pitting environmental activists against carmakers. Mindful of society's changing views on automobiles, the IAA upped sticks from Frankfurt to Munich in 2021 and restyled itself as a festival for all forms of "mobility" -- bringing bikes and scooters into the fold. As well as cleaning up its image, the move was an attempt to reinvigorate traditional motor shows. The marquee events have struggled to attract manufacturers, who are doubtful that they create enough publicity to be worth the bother. In 2022, the Paris Motor Show saw visitor numbers dwindle, as it was cut in length from two weeks to one. Many big European names, such as Volkswagen, BMW, and Ferrari were absent from the French fair, to which Chinese carmakers like BYD by contrast turned up. The post Chinese carmakers confront European industry at Munich show appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»