News Roundup 15 December 2022
Dec 15, 2022 • 3 min Read
CA bypasses Tulfo, Pascual for 2nd time | INQUIRER.NET – The future of Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo and Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual in the Marcos administration appears to be hanging by a thread after the Commission on Appointments (CA) again bypassed their designation as members of the Cabinet. Tulfo and Pascual failed to secure the confirmation of their appointments for the second time from the powerful congressional body, which adjourned its regular session on Wednesday as Congress went on a monthlong holiday break. “They are both considered bypassed and have to be reappointed by President (Marcos) again next year,” Sen. JV Ejercito, a CA member, told the Inquirer. Tulfo and Pascual were among the 14 members of the President’s official family who were bypassed when the Senate and the House of Representatives went on recess in September. On the other hand, three other Cabinet members—Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Urban Development Secretary Jerry Acuzar and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan—hurdled the CA’s vetting process. The legislative body also confirmed the appointments of Commissioners Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda Jr. and Nelson Celis of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), along with the promotion of 54 senior officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Maceda is the son and namesake of the late Senate President Ernesto Maceda. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier said the CA members had reservations about Tulfo’s qualifications due to his earlier conviction for libel. He said Tulfo, a former broadcaster, also had to address lingering questions over his citizenship.
Suspected Chinese mafia involved in human trafficking now under BI custody | INQUIRER.NET – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has taken under custody a suspected Chinese mafia member who was allegedly involved in human trafficking, the BI chief announced on Thursday. The suspect, a 38-year-old man named Andy Cheng, was arrested on Tuesday by agents of the BI’s fugitive search unit. He was initially arrested by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on December 7, after he was tagged as a suspect in torture videos of illegal online gaming companies. Cheng posted bail after six days but the BI intervened. “Our operatives immediately arrested him after learning that he was about to post bail, as he is also wanted by the BI for violating immigration laws,” said Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco. Cheng allegedly underwent plastic surgery to avoid recognition and detection from authorities, after he was found with firearms and fake IDs. “He was also wanted by the BI for misrepresenting himself as a Filipino and for being an undesirable alien,” the bureau said. Tansingco said that the BI will work closely with local law enforcement agencies to continue locating, arresting and deporting aliens who are found guilty of violating the law.
Bill making NCSTP mandatory certified as urgent by Marcos | PHILSTAR.COM – Along with the bill creating the Maharlika Investment Fund, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has certified as urgent House Bill 6687 or the National Citizens Service Training Program (NCSTP) bill. The House of Representatives has approved it on second reading, with a third reading likely within the day. Once both houses of Congress pass the bill, tertiary students in both public and private tertiary institutions taking up their undergraduate degree programs will undergo the mandatory NCSTP. “In order to address the need to enhance the capacity of our citizens to mobilize and perform their constitutional duty to render personal military or civil service to the state in times of calamities and disasters, national or local emergencies, rebellion, invasion, or war,” Marcos said in his letter to cousin House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. “This shall be made possible by the establishment of a unified, comprehensive, and holistic national citizens service training and mobilization system.” NCSTP will be replacing the current National Service Training Program (NSTP), while the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) will remain optional.
