News Roundup 15 May 2023
May 15, 2023 • 5 min Read
Degamo’s murder suspects now refuse to talk – Remulla | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines —Six or seven suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo have now “lawyered up” and are refusing to talk, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Monday.
In explaining the meaning of ‘lawyered up,’ Remulla said, “they were provided with lawyers by some people who are paying for their lawyers who were not there before.”
“And obviously, some people are interested in the statements they want to give and now they don’t want to cooperate anymore with authorities,” Remulla told reporters.
Asked who provided the lawyers, Remulla replied, “There is a conspiracy, and there’s probably people with a lot of money operating within the conspiracy to be able to afford the lawyers they are now getting.”
Some of these suspects have surrendered to the military, he noted.
Both the suspects who surrendered and those who were immediately arrested immediately after the attack were turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation for debriefing and questioning.
The justice secretary said the suspects “were provided with lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office, and they gave their statements to the prosecutors, the NBI.”
“Together with that, we also gave them witness protection for their families so that they can be with their families and they will not feel threatened,” he said.
The suspects’ refusal to cooperate, Remulla said, is the reason for the delay in the filing of a case against suspended Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr.
Full Story at: Degamo’s murder suspects now refuse to talk – Remulla | Inquirer News
Baguio City reimposing mandatory face mask rule | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Face masks will again be mandatory in Baguio City, especially in indoor settings due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases, Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced on Monday.
“Kaya dito ipapatupad na uli natin (We will now enforce again) … especially indoors, we are now requiring our constituents and visitors to be wearing their face masks,” Magalong said in an interview posted in the Baguio City Public Information Office’s Facebook page.
Magalong said the executive order requiring the mandatory use of face masks is expected to be released on Monday.
Full Story at: Baguio City reimposing mandatory face mask rule | Inquirer News
Galvez: Marcos ‘very concerned’ at how pension reform will affect troops, cops | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr. said Monday that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is “very much concerned” over the potential impact of reforms to the pension program for uniformed personnel that his own administration is proposing to avert a “major fiscal collapse.”
“The president also gave an instruction that he is very much concerned on the impact of this [Military and Uniformed Personnel pension] on the morale and welfare of our personnel and policemen. And he wanted that there should be a continuous discussion to have a common ground,” Galvez told Senate panels at the start of hearings on the proposed MUP pension reform.
Economic managers are pushing to overhaul the pension program for the security sector, which covers retired military, police and coast guard personnel, firefighters, jail and prison guards, and retirees of the Philippine Public Safety College.
Data presented by the Department of Finance during the Senate hearing showed that the share of unfunded MUP pension liabilities in the gross domestic product of the country in 2020 stands at more than half, at 53.4%.
“It’s not sustainable. If this goes on, there will be a fiscal collapse,” Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said in a release in March.
“We are already spending significantly on pension liabilities than in keeping our military and uniformed services safe, competent and in fighting shape,” National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said on Monday.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Senate defense panel chairperson, acknowledged that the requirements to fund the MUP pension have “ballooned immensely” and “require our immediate action.”
“While we recognize the important role and peculiar nature of work of our soldiers, policemen and women, and uniformed officers being exposed to constant risk and danger, we are also mindful of the enormous burden of the existing MUP pension system to the nation’s coffers, especially to the taxpayers, as it is fully funded by the government,” Estrada said.
Estrada sent the pension reform bills to a technical working group after just one hearing.
He said, however, that the proposal cannot be rushed as he called on the uniformed services and economic managers to coordinate with each other to thresh out their issues.
Full Story at: Galvez: Marcos ‘very concerned’ at how pension reform will affect troops, cops | Philstar.com
Police rescue 17 Malaysians from poor working conditions at Kawit, Cavite firm | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Authorities over the weekend rescued 17 Malaysian nationals who had reportedly complained of poor working conditions at their job site in Kawit, Cavite, the Philippine National Police said.
In a release, the PNP said the Malaysians were rescued in a joint operation with the Royal Malaysian Police on Klaire One Corp., which classifies itself as a property company on its Facebook page.
“The Philippine National Police remains steadfast in our duty to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of every individual within our jurisdiction, including foreign nationals,” Police Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., PNP chief, said in the release.
“We will continue to work closely with our foreign counterparts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone within our borders,” he also said.
The 17 Malaysians were turned over to Superintendent Norazman Hassan Basari of the Malaysian police on Saturday morning.
Full Story at: Police rescue 17 Malaysians from poor working conditions at Kawit, Cavite firm | Philstar.com
