News Roundup 28 February 2024
Feb 28, 2024 • 4 min Read
Marcos presses Quiboloy to face House, Senate over allegations | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday urged controversial pastor Apollo Quiboloy to address the various allegations against him in Congress and Senate.
In an ambush interview before his flight to Australia, Marcos urged Quiboloy that he should attend the hearings and present his side of the story.
“He has an opportunity in the hearings both in the House and in the Senate to say his side of the story. Kaya po sinasabi niya, ‘hindi totoo lahat ‘yan, hindi totoo’, walang nangyaring ganiyan, ‘di sabihin niya,” said Marcos in an ambush interview.
(He has an opportunity in the hearings both in the House and in the Senate to say his side of the story. If he says, ‘all of that is not true, it is not true,’ nothing will happen there, then he should say it.)
Quiboloy faces summons from both chambers of Congress. In the Senate, Senator Risa Hontiveros subpoenaed Quiboloy after he failed to show up to multiple hearings on his alleged sexual crimes.
In the House of Representatives, lawmakers are tackling a bill revoking the franchise of Quiboloy’s Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).
Full Story at: Marcos urges Quiboloy to address rape, abuse allegations (inquirer.net)
Ex-Pres. Duterte to Marcos: Heed legal counsel’s advice on ICC probe | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte told President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to heed the guidance of his legal counsel concerning the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into drug-related killings during his term.
“I would like the President to seek the advice of his legal counsel,” said Duterte in a press conference late Tuesday night.
“Kung ano ang sabihin ng mga abogado niya sa Malacañan, sundin niya. Ako, I can take care of my own,” he added.
(Whatever his lawyers in Malacañan advise him, he should follow it. As for me, I can handle my own.)
Duterte had this to say even after Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV previously asserted that ICC investigators are already on the verge of issuing an arrest warrant against the former president as the main accused, along with Senator Bato dela Rosa and Vice President Sara Duterte as the secondary and tertiary accused.
Duterte then went on another tirade against the ICC, questioning where they were when the country was suffering from illegal drugs.
Full Story at: Duterte to Marcos: Heed legal counsel’s advice on ICC probe (inquirer.net)
Assistant solicitor general terminated over sexual harassment | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has ordered the dismissal of an assistant solicitor general (ASG) who has been held responsible for sexually harassing two individuals.
In a 22-page decision from the Palace, it was determined that ASG Derek Puertollano is “administratively liable” for sexually harassing two legal interns, involving unwanted touching and intrusive looks into the victims’ bodies and private parts.
“The evidence presented by the prosecution satisfactorily proved that the above-discussed conduct of Puertollano caused insecurity, discomfort, offense, and humiliation to AAA and BBB,” the decision read.
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra confirmed the incident and Malacañang’s decision in an online message with Philstar.com.
The government’s top lawyaer said that the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) conducted a “full-blown” investigation into the incident.
It could be recalled that in 2016, Puertollano was arrested in the United States over allegations of assaulting a 13-year-old boy during his attendance at a seminar on international arbitration in Washington.
His passport has been seized, and he has been instructed not to depart from or attempt to depart the United States.
Guevarra said that the dismissed ASG has the option to appeal the Palace’s decision.
Story at: Assistant solicitor general terminated over sexual harassment | Philstar.com
Teves now on Interpol red list — DOJ | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr., who was the alleged mastermind of the killing of Gov. Rodel Degamo (Negros Oriental) has been issued a red notice by the Interpol.
This has been confirmed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla with reporters in a press briefing on Tuesday.
According to Interpol, a red notice is not an international arrest warrant but rather a request to law enforcement worldwide “to locate and arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action.”
The Interpol issued the notice for the expelled lawmaker on February 27.
On Feb. 19, 2024, Teves was issued an Interpol blue notice, which requires member countries to gather further information regarding a person’s identity, whereabouts, or involvement in a criminal inquiry, as explained by Interpol.
Full Story at: Teves now on Interpol red list — DOJ | Philstar.com
