News Roundup 28 December 2023
Dec 28, 2023 • 5 min Read
Yearender: COA exposes Dutertes’ predilection for confidential funds | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — In the middle part of 2023, Filipinos were shocked and furious upon hearing reports that Vice President Sara Duterte spent P125 million in confidential funds (CF) in just 11 days.
The amount translates to around P11 million spent per day, as confirmed by the Commission on Audit (COA) during a plenary debate at the House of Representatives.
Duterte corrected the information, saying the money was spent in 19 days or from Dec. 13 to 31, 2022.
Whether 11 or 19 days, the news was just as controversial as Congress did not allocate any CF to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in 2022, as well as in prior years during the term of former vice president Leni Robredo.
The OVP’s P125 million in CF expenses was first revealed in the COA’s 2022 annual audit report (AAR) on the agency, which media outfits, including The STAR, reported in July.
The COA report did not mention where the OVP’s confidential funds were sourced. It was only revealed during a House hearing that the P125-million fund came from the Office of the President (OP).
In a letter on Aug. 22, 2022, Sara asked the Department of Budget and Management for a P403.46-million budget augmentation, supposedly to “ensure continuous operations of the OVP under the current year.”
At least three petitions are pending before the Supreme Court questioning the legality of the fund transfer from the OP to the OVP.
Full Story at: Yearender: COA exposes Dutertes’ predilection for confidential funds | Philstar.com
Yearender: ICC rejects Philippines appeal to stop drug probe | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have given the go-signal for the resumption of investigation into possible crimes against humanity committed in connection with the Duterte administration’s deadly campaign against illegal drugs and the so-called Davao death squad.
In the Philippines, months after President Marcos declared that the government will not cooperate with ICC investigators, some of his allies in Congress are now calling for the country to rejoin the international body.
Last July, in a split decision, the ICC Appeals Chamber rejected the Philippine government’s appeal on an earlier ruling that allowed prosecutor Karim Khan to proceed with the preliminary investigation into the situation in the Philippines.
It paved the way for the continuation of the investigation, which will cover killings committed in the context of the war on drugs from July 1, 2016 to March 16, 2019, when the Philippines officially withdrew from the Rome Statute that established the ICC.
Also included were Davao death squad killings between Nov. 1, 2011 to June 30, 2016, when former president Rodrigo Duterte was either mayor or vice mayor of the city.
The decision, which was welcomed by drug war victims and their families, prompted Marcos to announce that the country will fully disengage from the international body.
But in a surprising turn of events, the House committees on human rights and justice on Nov. 29 approved the resolutions urging Marcos to cooperate with the ICC investigation and rejoin the body.
A similar resolution was also filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros in the Senate.
Full Story at: Yearender: ICC rejects Philippines appeal to stop drug probe | Philstar.com
SC orders DOTr, LTFRB to respond to petition vs PUV modernization | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines–The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to respond to the petition against the government’s Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program.
The DOTr and LTFRB were given 10 days to respond to the petition filed by the transport group Piston.
“Considering the allegations contained, the issues raised, and the arguments adduced in the Petition, but without necessarily giving due course thereto, respondents DOTr and LTFRB should comment on the petition and on the urgent application for a TRO (temporary restraining order) and/or writ of preliminary injunction within a non-extendible period of 10 days from notice thereof,” read the SC’s resolution released Thursday.
In its petition, Piston wants SC to issue a restraining order on the enforcement of the modernization plan that will begin on Dec. 31, 2023.
The petitioners cited several issuances by the DOTr and LTFRB regarding jeepney modernization as well as the Dec. 31 deadline for the mandatory consolidation of PUV franchise that should be put on hold pending action from the Supreme Court.
Full Story at: SC orders DOTr, LTFRB to respond to petition vs PUV modernization | Inquirer News
North Korea’s Kim orders military to accelerate war preparations | INQUIRER.NET – SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered its military, the munitions industry and the nuclear weapons sector to accelerate war preparations to counter what he called unprecedented confrontational moves by the U.S., state media said on Thursday.
Speaking on the policy directions for the new year at a key meeting of the country’s ruling party on Wednesday, Kim also said Pyongyang would expand strategic cooperation with “anti-imperialist independent” countries, news agency KCNA reported.
“He (Kim) set forth the militant tasks for the People’s Army and the munitions industry, nuclear weapons and civil defense sectors to further accelerate the war preparations,” KCNA said.
North Korea has been expanding ties with Russia, among others, as Washington accuses Pyongyang of supplying military equipment to Moscow for use in its war with Ukraine, while Russia provides technical support to help the North advance its military capabilities.
Kim also laid out economic goals for the new year during the meeting, calling it a “decisive year” to accomplish the country’s five-year development plan, the report said.
Full Story at: North Korea’s Kim orders military to accelerate war preparations (inquirer.net)
