News Roundup 15 September 2023
Sep 15, 2023 • 5 min Read
Anti-martial law group questions ‘secrecy’ in alleged Romualdez donation to Harvard | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines (Updated 09/15/2023, 3:09 p.m.) — Martial law victims and rights advocates have criticized House Speaker Martin Romualdez for remaining silent on reports of his alleged million-peso donation to Harvard University for a new Filipino language course.
In a statement Thursday, the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacañang questioned the secrecy surrounding the reports of two US-based news organizations on the alleged $2 million donation by the president’s cousin to Harvard University.
“Why the need to keep the donation a secret? Is it because Speaker Martin Romualdez is a philanthropist who quietly helps? Or because the Marcoses and the Romualdezes don’t want the public to know where the funds come from?” CARMMA said.
FilAm, a US-based magazine for Filipino Americans, first reported in August that Romualdez had donated $1 million or around P56 million to support the creation of the new Tagalog language course.
The magazine quoted an unidentified Harvard alumnus who attended a dinner in honor of Romualdez as saying: “Yes, the Speaker was the donor… And we were told not to share this information. I found that very suspicious. If you are doing something without any nefarious intent, then why make it so secretive?”
The Harvard Crimson, the student paper of the university, reported on Thursday that Romualdez’s donation was actually $2 million and was used to endow the Filipino preceptor position at Harvard.
This was based on “a source familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity,” the Harvard Crimson wrote.
The Harvard Crimson also reported that Harvard University’s Asia Center had announced back in March that it would allocate $1 million to fund three preceptors in Filipino (Tagalog), Bahasa Indonesian, and Thai, “but funding for the preceptor position wasn’t guaranteed to last longer than three years — until Romualdez’s pledge.”
Full Story at: Anti-martial law group questions ‘secrecy’ in alleged Romualdez donation to Harvard | Philstar.com
8 cops in Jemboy killing dismissed | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Eight police personnel involved in the killing of 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar have been dismissed due to evidence showing they attempted to escape accountability over the incident.
In a resolution dated September 13 and released Friday, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez approved the dismissal of eight police officers due to “substantial evidence” that they were “administratively liable” for Baltazar’s killing in August.
These are Captains Mark Joseph Carpio and Luisito dela Cruz; Executive Master Sgt. Roberto Balais Jr.; Staff Sergeants Antonio Bugayong Jr., Gerry Maliban and Nikko Pines Esquillon; Cpl. Edmard Jake Blanco and Pat. Benedict Mangada.
“The inconsistencies in the affidavits they submitted in the summary hearing proceedings and the one executed on the same day of the incident.. are clear attempts to evade responsibility and accountability for their action,” Nartatez said.
Carpio and dela Cruz were dismissed for serious grave neglect of duty because they did not personally supervise their team during the operation, the resolution read.
Previously, Carpio and another police officer were held in contempt during the Senate’s hearings on the killing of Baltazar after they gave contradictory and evasive statements on whether they saw Baltazar jump into the water.
Baltazar’s companion who was with him at the time of his death, “Sonny Boy,” also told the Senate panel that Carpio ordered him to frame Baltazar as a drug user.
Full Story at: 8 cops in Jemboy killing dismissed | Philstar.com
Abra gov slams killing of Abra lawyer | INQUIRER.NET – BAGUIO CITY — Abra Gov. Dominic Valera on Friday condemned the killing of lawyer Ma. Saniata Liwliwa Gonzales Alzate, who was shot by still-unidentified assailants on Thursday afternoon,
In a statement, Valera described the slay as “merciless,” as he urged law enforcers to conduct a “speedy and swift investigation” of the killing and the immediate resolution of the case.
“Let us bring these perpetrators to justice,” Valera said.
He added: “Let us make a strong stand against this violence that threatens our goal of a peace-loving Abra.”
Valera described Alzate as a “strong-willed lawyer, a defender of those in need, and a friend to many.”
An initial investigation by the police showed that two gunmen shot Alzate in front of her house in the capital town of Bangued at 4:55 p.m.
The police said Alzate was parking her vehicle when she was attacked.
A manhunt operation was underway to capture the culprits.
Manila imposes ban against liquor, vendors and noise for Bar exams 2023 | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Manila has imposed a liquor ban for the 2023 Bar examinations on September 17, 20, and 24, 2023.
In an executive order released on Friday, Manila Mayor Maria Sheilah “Honey” Lacuña said a liquor ban within a 500-meter radius of University of Santo Tomas and San Beda University will be put in place.
These two universities are testing sites for the Bar exams.
Here are the following dates and hours of prohibition:
12:00 am, September 16 (Saturday) to 10:00 pm, September 17 (Sunday)
12:00 am, September 19 (Tuesday) up to 10:00 pm, September 20 (Wednesday)
12:00 am, September 23 (Saturday), up to 10:00 pm on September 24 (Sunday)
Ambulant vendors are also prohibited from the testing areas within the following times and dates:
12:00 am, September 16 (Saturday) to 12:00 am, September 18 (Monday)
12:00 am, September 19 (Tuesday) up to 12:00 am, September 21 (Thursday)
12:00 am, September 23 (Saturday) up to 12:00 am, September 25 (Monday)
Full Story at: Manila imposes ban against liquor, vendors and noise for Bar exams 2023 | Inquirer News
