News Roundup 22 November 2023
Nov 22, 2023 • 4 min Read
Rights groups urge lawmakers to support resolutions on ICC probe | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Human rights organizations called on the House of Representatives to support resolutions urging the government to cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed in the anti-illegal drugs campaign of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Rights watchdogs welcomed House Resolution 1477 authored by human rights panel chair Rep. Benny Abante (Manila) and Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez (1-Rider Party-list), which urges President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to cooperate with the probe of The Hague-based tribunal.
A similar resolution was earlier filed by the Makabayan bloc.
Groups including Karapatan, Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court, and Human Rights Watch called on other members of the lower chamber to support the resolutions.
“These resolutions are expressions of widespread public sentiment against the rampant killings and other human rights violations related to the war on drugs and the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators and their highly placed enablers like Duterte and his subalterns led by former PNP chief Bato dela Rosa,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said.
Full Story at: Rights groups urge lawmakers to support resolutions on ICC probe | Philstar.com
Additional witnesses seek to withdraw testimonies vs De Lima | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — A group of seven witnesses have expressed their intent to retract their testimonies in the final pending drug case against former senator Leila de Lima.
The incarcerated witnesses—Germa Agojo, Tomas Doniña, Jaime Patcho, Wu Tuan Yuan (known as Peter Co), Engelberto Durano, Jerry Pepino, and Hans Anton Tan—jointly penned a letter to the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206, citing they had “faced unimaginable threats”, and indicating their desire to retract their testimonies.
“At this point, we would like to state that our participation as witnesses in the drug cases against former DOJ (Department of Justice) Secretary De Lima was vitiated by undue compulsion and influence, and thus, any judicial statement made by us, is void of lack of consent,” the witnesses said in a signed letter dated Nov. 17, 2023.
“We no longer desire to live our lives with the knowledge that we allowed ourselves to become pawns or instruments of injustice. We wish to live a life of dignity, integrity, and responsibility moving forward,” they added.
Full Story at: Additional witnesses seek to withdraw testimonies vs De Lima | Philstar.com
Israel, Hamas agree 4-day truce for hostage release and aid into Gaza | INQUIRER.NET – GAZA/TEL AVIV — Israel’s government and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to a ceasefire in Gaza for at least four days, to allow in aid and release at least 50 hostages captured by militants in exchange for at least 150 Palestinians jailed in Israel.
The first truce in a brutal near seven-week-old war, reached after negotiation mediated by Qatar, was hailed around the world as a sign of progress that could ease the suffering of Gaza’s civilians and bring more Israeli hostages home. Israel said the ceasefire could be extended further, as long as more hostages were freed.
Hamas and allied groups captured around 240 hostages when gunmen rampaged through southern Israeli towns on Oct. 7. Previously, Hamas had released just four.
The official start time for the truce is expected to be announced within 24 hours, with the first hostages to go free on Thursday.
A statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said 50 women and children would be released over four days at a rate of at least 10 per day. Beyond that, the truce could be extended as long as an additional ten hostages were freed per day.
Full Story at: Israel, Hamas agree 4-day truce for hostage release and aid into Gaza | Inquirer News
MMDA to implement stop-and-go traffic scheme during PH hosting of APPF | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Wednesday it will implement a stop-and-go traffic scheme on parts of major roads in Metro Manila from November 23 to 26.
This is due to the 31st Annual Meeting of Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum, which will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center.
According to the MMDA, the stop-and-go scheme will be enforced in the following roads:
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA); Diokno Boulevard; Macapagal Boulevard; Roxas Boulevard; and Atang Dela Rama.
It also said that 361 personnel will be deployed to assist in traffic management.The 31st Annual Meeting of Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum will convene around 275 foreign delegates from 28 member countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
