News Roundup 18 October 2023
Oct 18, 2023 • 4 min Read
Lawmakers renew call for ICC probe after Duterte’s admission of funding Davao killings | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Makabayan bloc lawmakers have called on the Marcos administration to support the International Criminal Court’s probe into the so-called war on drugs after former President Rodrigo Duterte publicly admitted to bankrolling the killing sprees in Davao City.
House Resolution 1393, a joint resolution filed by the three-member bloc, urges the lower chamber to collectively urge the president to clear the way for the ICC to investigate Duterte in connection to the alleged extrajudicial killings carried out when he was president and, earlier, Davao City mayor.
“With former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s televised admission of ordering extrajudicial killings and financing them with his confidential and intelligence funds, it is imperative that we allow the ICC to investigate his crimes,” said Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers).
“We urge the House leadership to support and co-author this resolution to show that we do not tolerate EJKs (extra-judicial killings) and that we are working for justice to be served to his victims, and their families,” Castro added.
Duterte last week said in his show on SMNI Network that he used the intelligence funds allocated to Davao City to “have (them) killed,” referring to extrajudicial killings carried out by the infamous Davao Death Squad.
Full Story at: Lawmakers renew call for ICC probe after Duterte’s admission of funding Davao killings | Philstar.com
Marcos orders suspension of Maharlika Investment Fund IRR | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. temporarily halted the implementation of the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund pending further study of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
According to an October 12 memorandum addressed to the Bureau of Treasury, Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Marcos’ directive is to suspend the direct implementation of the MIF, to ensure the fund’s objectives are realized for the country’s development, with safeguards in place for transparency and accountability.
“With reference to the IRR of RA No. 11934, and upon the directive of the President, the Treasurer of the Philippines, in coordination with the LBP and DBP, is hereby DIRECTED to suspend the implementation of the IRR of RA No. 11954 pending further study thereof, and to notify all concerned heads of departments, bureaus, offices and other agencies of the executive department, including GOCCS, of such action,” the memorandum read.
The suspension order came a day after Marcos reduced LBPs government deposits to the government from 50% to 0% for 2022 earnings weeks after the state-run bank gave P50 billion as a part of the capital of the fund. The fund was provided to ensure LBP’s compliance with the capital adequacy requirements set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
LBP and DBP are contributing a sum of P75 billion pesos to bolster the capital of the Maharlika Investment Corporation in accordance with the fund’s IRR.
Full Story at: Marcos orders suspension of Maharlika Investment Fund IRR | Philstar.com
PH on list of nations that must step up drive vs money laundering, terror financing | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is still on the ‘grey list’ of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said.
FATF is a global money-laundering watchdog based in Paris.
Being on its grey list means the country is working to improve measures against money laundering and terrorist financing.
“As of September 2023, out of 18 ICRG (International Country Risk Guide) Actions Plans, the Philippines must still address eight plans for it to exit the FATF Grey List by January 2024,” the PCO said on Wednesday.
It did not specify the plans must still be addressed.
“This statement identifies countries that are actively working with the FATF to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing,” FATF had said.
Full Story at: PH on list of nations that must step up drive vs money laundering, terror financing | Inquirer News
Israel military says no evidence of air strike on Gaza hospital | INQUIRER.NET – JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said on Wednesday it had seen no evidence of a direct hit by aerial munitions on a hospital in the Gaza Strip the day before, where hundreds of Palestinians were killed in an explosion.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, has blamed the blast on Israel. Israel says it was a result of a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group in the enclave.
In an English-language briefing, chief Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said an investigation had “confirmed that there was no IDF (Israel Defence Forces) fire from the land, sea or air that hit the hospital”.
He said there was no structural damage to buildings around the Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital and no craters consistent with an air strike.
Asked to explain the size of the explosion at the site, Hagari said it was consistent with unspent rocket fuel catching fire. “Most of this damage would have been done due to the propellant, not just the warhead,” he said.
Hagari also accused Hamas of inflating the number of casualties from the explosion and said it could not know as quickly as it claimed what had caused the blast.
Full Story at: Israel military says no evidence of air strike on Gaza hospital | Inquirer News
