News Roundup 16 October 2023
Oct 16, 2023 • 5 min Read
2 witnesses in last drug rap vs De Lima withdraw testimonies | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Two witnesses recanted their testimonies in the third drug case against former senator Leila De Lima, according to a document seen by Philstar.com.
Former policeman Rodolfo Magleo, the witness who accused De Lima of being involved in illegal drug trade with late high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian, withdrew his testimony together with fellow witness Nonilo Arile because they were “bothered by good conscience.”
“We are bothered by our conscience. We do not want you to be victim of mistrial. We will reveal in due time. We are assuring you all that the last case will be dismissed,” the witnesses wrote in a letter dated Oct. 12, 2023, addressed to De Lima.
The witnesses also said that they wanted to recant their testimonies since 2018 but were restricted “due to impossibility of communication.” They did not elaborate the communication mentioned.
According to Magleo and Arile, five other witnesses will also withdraw their testimonies.
Full Story at: 2 witnesses in last drug rap vs De Lima withdraw testimonies | Philstar.com
New bill makes EDSA anniversary permanent holiday | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to make the historic overthrow of the Marcos dictatorship a permanent annual holiday after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. dropped the EDSA People Power anniversary from next year’s holiday schedule.
Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay, 1st District) on Monday filed House Bill 9405 declaring February 25 of every year as a regular, national public non-working holiday to commemorate the mass demonstrations that ousted the president’s father.
The annual declaration of the 1986 EDSA People Power as a national holiday has largely been left up to the discretion of presidents as there is no law that designates it as such, unlike Ninoy Aquino Day, which became a holiday through Republic Act 9256.
Instead, February 25 was declared a “special national holiday” through a presidential proclamation in 2000 by then-president Joseph Estrada.
This year, Marcos moved the EDSA People Power anniversary commemoration on February 24 — a Friday. Malacañang made the announcement just a day before, saying that it would create a long weekend and promote holiday economics.
For 2024, Malacañang has defended the event’s exclusion from the list of holidays, saying that the event has “minimum socioeconomic impact” as it falls on a Sunday and “coincides with the rest day for most workers/laborers.”
In filing HB 9405, Lagman said that the exclusion of the democratic milestone from the country’s holiday celebrations is a “continuing distortion of the verities about the evils and repression of the Marcos martial era.”
Full Story at: New bill makes EDSA anniversary permanent holiday | Philstar.com
OVP budget sponsor standing by Romualdez amid attacks vs House | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Davao de Oro 1st District Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora, who sponsored and defended the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) budget before the House plenary has assured Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of her support amid former president Rodrigo Duterte’s criticism of the lower chamber.
In a statement on Monday, Zamora clarified that she stands with the House under Romaludez’s leadership.
It was Zamora who defended the proposed 2024 budget of OVP and the Department of Education (DepEd) — two agencies headed by Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
“I stand with the House of Representatives. With all the issues hurled at the House, I just want to extend my full support and continuous belief in my colleagues in Congress, under the leadership of Speaker Martin Romualdez, and to all employees working, whether session is ongoing or not, to deliver the services needed by Filipinos,” Zamora said in Filipino.
Full Story at: OVP budget sponsor standing by Romualdez amid attacks vs House | Inquirer News
House reps find Duterte’s tirades offensive, a serious attack – secretary general | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — A lot of members of the House of Representatives find the tirades made against by former President Rodrigo Duterte offensive and consider them a serious attack, Secretary General Reginald Velasco told reporters in an interview on Monday.
Lawmakers are puzzled why Duterte would call the House the most rotten government institution when it’s constantly subjected to checks and balances, even by the Commission on Audit.
Last Tuesday, Oct. 10, in his program “Gikas sa para sa Masa,” a nationally-televised program of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), Duterte accused House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of having a pork barrel supposedly being distributed to lawmakers.
The former president also reportedly threatened ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro for advocating the realignment of confidential funds.
‘Threatened’
On Monday, reporters asked Velasco if the lawmakers were offended.
“Well, it’s not just offended — threatened because he threatened a member [of the House],” Velasco said.
“And then it seems — if you watched the entire video — it seems that he said if the House and other agencies are not audited, he will call on businessmen, military — so this appears to be a people power.”
Reporters also asked if lawmakers considered Duterte’s statements a serious attack.
“Oh, yes, oh, yes,” he said. “Because why would you talk like that when such agencies like the Senate, House, Office of the President are being audited? There is no exemption — [not] even the judiciary. So why threaten people that you will call for a people power when there’s auditing?”
Full Story at: House reps find Duterte’s tirades offensive, a serious attack – secretary general | Inquirer News
