News Roundup 10 June 2022
Jun 10, 2022 • 5 min Read
Robredo visits De Lima; people’s campaign, senator’s case among discussed | INQUIRER.NET – The opposition people’s campaign and the developments on the drug-related cases against her were discussed when Vice President Leni Robredo visited her, Senator Leila de Lima said on Friday. In a hand written statement sent by her office, De Lima — currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame — said that she was extremely delighted with Robredo’s visit. “Extremely delighted by VP Leni’s visit today here in the PNP Custodial Center. We had a marvelous time sharing stories and insights,” the outgoing senator said. “We talked about the very inspiring people’s campaign of Team #LeniKiko, Jillian’s graduation and her recent US trip with her daughters, and the upcoming launching of the Angat Buhay NGO. We also touched on the recent positive developments in my cases,” she added. According to De Lima, there was no hint of ill feelings within Robredo even as both of them failed to land elective posts in the 2022 national elections. De Lima sought a second term in the Senate, running under the banner of Robredo and fellow Senator Francis Pangilinan, who ran for president and vice president, respectively, in the recent polls. “Talagang nakatataba at nakagagalak ng puso na makasama at makausap si VP Leni. Walang mababakas na sama ng loob, kundi katatagan at kapanatagan. Isang kaibigan at kapwa lingkod bayan na kailanman ay hindi nakalimot, kasamang nanindigan, at sa kabila ng lahat, sa kahit anumang pagkakataon, walang dalawang-isip na inaalay ang sarili para sa Pilipino at sa Pilipinas,” De Lima said. (It is really heartening to talk to VP Leni. There was no trace of any ill feelings, but only strength, resolve, and courage. A friend and a fellow public servant who did not forget me, stood by me, and without thinking twice or hesitation, offered herself for Filipinos and the Philippines.) “I wish her all the very best. Muli, maraming salamat (Again, thank you so much), VP Leni!” she added.
Security guard discharged but RAV 4 in hit-and-run case missing | INQUIRER.NET – The security guard who was hospitalized after being intentionally ran over by a motorist in Mandaluyong City has been discharged from the hospital, the city police chief confirmed on Friday (June 10). Mandaluyong City police chief Col. Gauvin Mel Unos told reporters after the hearing of the case at the Land Transportation Office (LTO), however, that police do not know where the security guard is now. “The security guard is currently in a better condition, he was already discharged by the hospital, but we do not know his whereabouts,” said Unos, speaking in Filipino. The owner of the Toyota RAV4 that went viral on social media after a dashboard camera caught the vehicle ramming the security guard and running over him has not appeared at the LTO or police. It was not clear if the owner was the one driving the SUV during the hit-and-run case. Unos said that an alarm has been raised for both the vehicle and the license of the car owner, which would allow authorities to flag down the SUV. Police, however, still won’t make public the car owner’s identity. “Maybe I cannot speak on that as of now as they did not talk also. Although of course, we have mentioned details about those things before,” said Unos when asked to identify who was charged with the hit-and-run case. “We can hold the vehicle, and we can impound it, hold the vehicle. Actually we tried to visit the suspect’s residence but the car was not really at their home,” Unos said. It could be recalled that the RAV4, with license plate NCO 3781, hit a security guard managing traffic flow at the intersection of Doña Julia Vargas Avenue and St. Francis Street. But instead of helping the victim who fell to the ground, the driver instead ran him over and sped away. The security guard suffered several broken bones and bruises, and had to be monitored at the intensive care unit of a hospital. The RAV 4 driver is facing charges of frustrated murder and victim abandonment. Last Wednesday, Unos said police also filed obstruction of justice complaints against the security guard of the subdivision, where the suspect is believed to be residing, after they refused to cooperate with the investigation.
Farmers, activists arrested in Tarlac ‘bungkalan’ set to undergo inquest proceedings | PHILSTAR.COM – Farmers and peasant advocates arrested in Concepcion, Tarlac on Thursday are expected to go through inquest proceedings on Friday, the 34th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. The activists, cultural workers, and agrarian reform beneficiaries were doing ‘bungkalan’ — cultivation work — on a piece of disputed land in Hacienda Tinang in Concepcion, Tarlac when they were visited by police officers. The cops were even accompanied by Rep. Noel Villanueva, mayor-elect of Concepcion, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas said. Videos posted by peasant advocate groups show PNP personnel pulling members of the group away. At least 87 farmers and peasant advocates — some of them students from the University of the Philippines — were eventually arrested without warrant and charged with malicious mischief and obstruction of justice. The 87 have been held at Concepcion Police Station in Tarlac for the past 18 hours, KMP said, and slept on cold floors lined with cardboard and plastic bags. Farmers with local group Makisama-Tinang which represents agrarian reform beneficiaries said that a Certificate of Land Ownership Award title for the 200-hectare disputed land has already been awarded to 236 CARP beneficiaries since 1995 but claimed that the latter was hidden from them. “We are the legitimate beneficiary of the land. All we want is to clear the sugarcane field so that we can grow vegetables for our families to eat. If we don’t plant, we will starve to death because of the very high price of goods in the country,” exclaimed Felino Cunanan Jr., one of the leaders of Makasama-Tinang who was also arrested. In a statement, peasant advocacy group National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates-Youth condemned what they said was the ‘biggest mass arrest’ of farmers and peasant advocates under the Duterte administration.
