News Roundup 02 November 2022
Nov 02, 2022 • 4 min Read
Vico Sotto resigns from Aksyon Demokratiko | PHILSTAR.COM – Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has resigned from Aksyon Demokratiko as member and external vice president, party chairperson Ernest Ramel confirmed to Philstar.com on Wednesday. Ramel said Sotto, who first clinched the Pasig mayoralty and subsequently ran a successful reelection bid under Aksyon, resigned effective June 30. Ramel said, however, that they only got hold of Sotto’s resignation letter “sometime late July,” adding that the local chief executive’s departure from the party was “not expected.” ABS-CBN News first reported on Sotto’s departure after having secured a copy of his resignation letter in which he said he and Aksyon are “no longer a group of individuals with similar political goals and ideals.” “I joined Aksyon Demokratiko in 2018, in search of a reform-oriented political party that stood for principled politics and inclusive governance. I became [m]ayor in 2019, proudly under the banner of Aksyon Demokratiko,” Sotto said in his resignation letter, which he posted late Wednesday afternoon. He continued: “Unfortunately, recent events have made it apparent that the party is now headed towards a different direction.” Sotto also said that his leaving the party “is not about any particular person or candidate.” Ramel said in a statement that they are “saddened” by Sotto’s resignation. “He is one the inspirations of the party to be better and we were hoping that he will be the future of Aksyon Demokratiko,” Ramel said. “However, the party is not lacking in talent and strong young future leaders of this country that were elected last 2022 and those who also did not make it but had shown exceptional leadership abilities.” Ramel added that Aksyon is not closing its doors on Sotto if he decides to return to the party. During the campaign for the 2022 elections, Sotto distanced himself from national politics and refrained from endorsing a presidential candidate, even as Aksyon backed the candidacy of its party president, then-Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso.
PH still among world’s worst countries in prosecuting killers of journalists | INQUIRER.NET – For the third straight year, the Philippines maintained its spot as the seventh worst country in convicting killers of journalists, according to a report released by a global media watchdog on Wednesday. The annual Global Impunity Index of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based organization tracing attacks against media, saw no movement in the ranking of the Philippines, with 14 murders still unsolved. Only countries with five or more unsolved cases are included on the CPJ index. For this report, CPJ monitored unsolved journalist killings that occurred across the globe between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2022 – from the administration of late and former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to that of current President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. “The election of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. brought hope of a shift away from outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign of intimidation and harassment of the press,” the CPJ said in its report. It noted, however, that the brazen murders of two tough-talking radio broadcasters – Percival Mabasa and Renato Blanco – since Marcos took the country’s helm in late June “raised fears that the culture of violence and impunity will endure.” Somalia topped the list as the worst country for prosecuting journalist murderers for the eighth straight year with 19 unsolved killings, according to the CPJ. The next countries in descending order with the highest tally of unsettled media-related murders are Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Mexico. After the Philippines, Myanmar debuted on the list at the eighth place followed by Brazil, Pakistan, and India.
BuCor, BJMP personnel behind sneaking contrabands into Bilibid — Catapang | INQUIRER.NET – More than 7,000 beer in cans and other contraband were allegedly sneaked into the Maximum Security Compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) because of the corruption of personnel from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). Current BuCor officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang Jr. exposed the shady practices affecting NBP during a press conference on Wednesday, saying that several inmates have already identified BuCor and BJMP personnel as behind the inflow of contrabands. “May mga kumanta na kung sino nagpapasok, but we cannot divulge to you kasi under investigation pa,” said Catapang. (There are already inmates who have named several personnel allowing the contrabands to enter, but we cannot divulge who they are yet because it is still under investigation.) “‘Wag kayo mag alala ia-announce po namin mga pangalan na ‘yan (don’t worry, we will name those personnel in time) with the clearance of [Justice Sec. Jesus Crispin Remulla],” he added. When asked whether they were from BuCor, Catapang said “Of course, paano pa makakapasok ‘yan (how else would the contrabands be able to enter).” However, he clarified that this happened when the BJMP was still in charge of the Maximum Security Compound. “Not all involved are BJMP personnel, safe to say a mix of BuCor and BJMP,” he explained. According to Catapang, the involved personnel will be given due process, but if they were already transferred back to their respective unit, the case will be handed over to their bureau instead (referring to the BJMP). Meanwhile, the personnel still inside the NBP will be relieved from their duties. Catapang did not give an estimated date when the involved personnel would be exposed.
