News Roundup 29 January 2023
Jan 29, 2023 • 4 min Read
Fisherfolk group urges Marcos to cooperate in ICC probe vs Duterte | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — A militant fisherfolk group on Sunday urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to “accommodate” the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its probe against former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.
This came after the pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal Court on Friday (Manila time) granted its prosecutor’s request to resume the investigation of the war on drugs.
In a statement, Pamalakaya said Marcos could prove that impunity won’t persist under his administration by holding Duterte accountable over crimes against humanity.
“Sinusuportahan namin ang positibong hakbang ng ICC na ipagpatuloy ang imbestigasyon kaugnay sa mga kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao ni Duterte. Krusyal ang hakbang na ito para mapanagot si Duterte sa malaking krimen nito sa sangkatauhan na nag-ugat sa huwad na giyera kontra iligal na droga at iba pang polisiyang nagbunga ng malalang pag-abuso sa karapatang pantao,” said Pamalakaya National spokesperson Ronnel Arambulo.
(We support the ICC’s positive move to continue the investigation related to Duterte’s human rights violations. This step is crucial to hold Duterte accountable for his great crime against humanity that has its roots in the fake war against illegal drugs and other policies that have resulted in severe human rights abuses.)
Full Story at: Fisherfolk group urges Marcos to cooperate in ICC probe vs Duterte | Inquirer News
41 passengers, 5 crew members saved from distressed boat in Palawan | INQUIRER.NET –MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday said that it rescued 41 passengers and five crew members aboard a half-submerged motor banca in the vicinity waters of Palawan on Sunday.
According to the PCG in a statement, the motor banca MB Jatropha was in the waters of Caboang Bay on its way to Barangay Buliluyan, Bataraza town from Barangay Salang when it was hit by strong waves.
The said waves damaged the boat’s hull which caused it to become partially submerged at around 7:21 a.m.
The PCG then conducted search and rescue (SAR) operations to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew before providing them with medical care and further assistance upon arrival at Barangay Salang.
Full Story at: 41 passengers, 5 crew members saved from distressed boat in Palawan | Inquirer News
Remulla on ICC ‘drug war’ probe: Show us the evidence, we will prosecute | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the government is not protecting former President Rodrigo Duterte from the International Criminal Court’s investigation into the ex-chief executive’s brutal anti-drugs campaign.
In an interview with veteran journalist Malou Mangahas that premiered late Saturday night, Remulla denied shielding anyone from the ICC’s probe as he urged the Hague-based tribunal to share evidence with the Philippine government.
“We are not shielding anyone here, Malou,” Remulla said in Filipino. “If they have evidence that they want to share with us that will help us with our investigation, why not?”
“Why do they have to prosecute in their own court? We have our own courts here,” he continued. “We have our own judicial system. If they want to prosecute someone, let them show the evidence, provide this to us and we will prosecute because we have the responsibility over our country.”
Much like the family of his principal, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Remulla’s clan is a close ally of Duterte, having supported his successful presidential bid in 2016.
Remulla previously said that the justice department does not welcome the ICC’s move to allow its prosecutor Karim Khan to reopen the probe into the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs” as he claimed that the tribunal does not have jurisdiction over the country.
Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the ICC in 2019 after its former prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, opened a preliminary examination into the “drug war.”
While the Philippines has since not recognized the ICC, the court still has jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was a state party as provided under the Rome Statute that created the tribunal.
Full Story at: Remulla on ICC ‘drug war’ probe: Show us the evidence, we will prosecute | Philstar.com
‘POGO workers taken, sold to other gaming firms’ | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Chinese workers from Philippine offshore gaming operator firms are reportedly being snatched from their workplaces and sold to illegal POGO companies in an elaborate scheme by criminal syndicates in connivance with scalawags in government.
The alleged modus operandi was revealed by Ruth Pomposelli, a former operator of a licensed POGO firm based in Las Piñas, who appealed to President Marcos to look into the matter.
“Appeal ko sa gobyerno, sa lahat ng public at sa ating mahal na Pangulo, sana mabigyan ng pagkakataon na malaman niyo ang katotohanan sa POGO (I am appealing to the government, to the public and to the President for the truth about POGOs to be made known),” she said during the Kamuning Bakery Cafe’s Pandesal Forum yesterday.Full Story at: ‘POGO workers taken, sold to other gaming firms’ | Philstar.com
