News Roundup 28 August 2023
Aug 28, 2023 • 5 min Read
CHR ‘seriously concerned’ over another police shooting of teen | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights said on Monday that it is “seriously concerned” about the killing of a teenager who was shot by a police officer in Rizal.
The CHR has initiated its own investigation into the death of 15-year-old John Francis Ompad, who was shot by Cpl. Arnuflo Sabillo in Rodriguez town on August 20.
“CHR is seriously concerned over this incident, especially that this is the second instance this month when the perpetrator of the alleged arbitrary deprivation of life involves a police officer and the victim is a minor,” the commission said.
Earlier this month, 17-year-old Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar was killed by Navotas police who mistook him for a murder suspect they were pursuing.
Investigators reported that the incident occurred after Sabillo, who was in civilian clothing, and his companion Jeffrey Baguio tried to pull over Ompad’s brother John Ace, who was riding his motorcycle.
The two chased John Ace until he reached home. He then threw his helmet at the Sabillo and Baguio to drive them away.
An enraged Sabillo allegedly pulled out his gun and shot John Ace, but missed. The bullet instead hit John Francis, who had stepped out of their house when he heard the commotion. He died while receiving treatment in a hospital.
Full Story at: CHR ‘seriously concerned’ over another police shooting of teen | Philstar.com
DFA chief to meet with British Foreign Secretary in Manila over PH-UK ties | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Spencer Cleverly will undertake an official visit to the Philippines on Tuesday.
Cleverly will meet with his Philippine counterpart, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manila, to discuss the bilateral relations between the Philippines and the UK.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said that during the one-day visit of Cleverly to Manila, the two are expected to exchange views on pressing regional issue and reaffirm the ties between the two governments. This is in line with the Philippines and UK’s Enhanced Partnership launched in November 2021.
The British foreign minister will also be calling on other high-level officials of the Philippine government.
The Manila meeting comes after their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Ministerial meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia last month.
Full Story at: DFA chief to meet with British Foreign Secretary in Manila over PH-UK ties | Philstar.com
QCPD chief: No attempts to block cyclist’s bid to file case vs retired cop in road rage | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — “That’s a very stupid and very irresponsible insinuation. That’s not true.”
Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, District Director of Quezon City Police District (QCPD) issued the statement denying the claims that they tried to block attempts of cyclist AB (name withheld) to file a case against a car owner who pulled out a handgun over a road rage incident near Mabuhay Rotonda in Quezon City.
The incident was caught on video that went viral on social media over the weekend.
Torre confirmed that the car owner, a retired policeman identified as Willy Gonzales, harassed the cyclist.
“Kung ganyan akong klaseng pulis hindi ako maghe-heneral,” Torre said when asked over Radyo 630 on Monday whether there is truth in their supposed attempts to block the filing of case against Gonzales.
(If I were that kind of police officer, I wouldn’t be a general.)
“Napaka bobo naman [kung] gagawin ng isang pulis ‘yan at naka record pa. That’s very unbecoming for a police officer to insinuate that a complainant will not file a case against a person,” he went on.
(It would be very stupid [if] a police officer would do that and it’s still on record. That’s very unbecoming for a police officer to insinuate that a complainant will not file a case against a person.)
Torre also stressed that 63-year-old retired cop Gonzales “does not have anything to offer” him to the point that he will neglect his sworn duty.
“We are going to reach out today with Attorney Raymond Fortun, [legal counsel of the cyclist] para makuha ang statement ng kanyang kliyente para ma-file namin ang kaso against Gonzales,” Torre said.
Full Story at: QCPD chief: No attempts to block cyclist’s bid to file case vs retired cop in road rage | Inquirer News
Recto questions BI’s P4.2-billion budget request | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto on Sunday raised doubts over the claim of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) that it would be able to process the travel of passengers within 45 seconds if Congress would grant its budget request of P4.24 billion for 2024.
Meanwhile, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco, defending the revised guidelines of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (Iacat) for Filipinos leaving the country, said these would ensure that immigration officers look at specific requirements and not require “frivolous” documents.
In a statement on Sunday, Recto described BI’s budget proposal as “their promissory note to taxpayers: Increase our budget to P4.24 billion and almost all passengers will be gone in 45 seconds.”
The Batangas lawmaker wondered how the BI would be able to make good on its word after the stricter guidelines imposed on Filipinos leaving the country.
“Will this create a logjam that will hassle not just travelers, but immigration officers as well?” he asked.
“If the processing is as lengthy as a job interview or a cross-examination (in court),…will the stricter rules cut speed?” Recto also said.
Full Story at: Recto questions BI’s P4.2-billion budget request | Inquirer News
