News Roundup 07 March 2024
Mar 07, 2024 • 5 min Read
US judge orders ‘unsealing’ of arrest warrant vs Quiboloy | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — A judge from the California Central District ordered the arrest warrant of doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused to be “unsealed”.
According to a report of GMA News, the unsealing was ordered by Judge Terry Hatter Jr. following a request from the United States Attorney Criminal Division which handles the case of the sect leader.
The cases involve charges of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, coercion, sex trafficking of children, conspiracy and cash smuggling.
In US law, federal judges issue warrants under seal to keep their details from being made public.
With Quiboloy’s warrant unsealed, it could be the first step in initiating an extradition process and the Interpol may include the preacher in the Red Notice, according to GMA’s report.
An Interpol Red Notice, similar to the list that includes expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves, is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action. It is not a warrant of arrest.
In the matter of extradition, however, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that the US government has yet to request an extradition of the preacher.
Remulla explained that such requests must navigate various channels within the US government, involving the Department of Foreign Affairs before reaching the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Full Story at: US judge orders ‘unsealing’ of arrest warrant vs Quiboloy | Philstar.com
The cases vs ‘Appointed Son of God’: A list of Quiboloy’s ongoing legal challenges | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:27 p.m.)— For the past weeks, doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy has dominated headlines amid his involvement in various issues.
Quiboloy, who claims the title the “Appointed Son of God” with purported millions of followers in the Philippines, is currently facing legal challenges implicating his church and himself.
He is known as a close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who backed the 2016 candidacy of the former top leader.
Facing many legal problems, the “Appointed Son of God” is dealing with them from his prayer mountain, as the challenges keep growing.
“How does he plan to resolve his cases?” Quiboloy’s legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, responded by citing Bible verses and saying, “With a lot of prayers.”
“This is what is happening to Pastor Quiboloy at the hands of this government,” Topacio shared in an online message with Philstar.com, drawing parallels between the challenges faced by Quiboloy and the persecution of the apostles of Jesus Christ.
Here’s a summary of the ongoing legal cases against Quiboloy, which will be updated as the cases proceed.
US court
The offenses:
- Conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking
- Sex trafficking of children
- Sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion
- Conspiracy
- Bulk cash smuggling
Full Story at: The cases vs ‘Appointed Son of God’: A list of Quiboloy’s ongoing legal challenges | Philstar.com
Carpio hits ex-president Duterte’s handling of WPS issue | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines – Among the former presidents of the country, Rodrigo Duterte has undermined the country’s position against China, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said.
During the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel, Carpio was asked who among recent chief executives did the most in promoting the country’s position in the South China Sea and who did the most to undermine the country’s stand.
Carpio was chief presidential legal counsel under President Fidel Ramos, when the Philippines grounded LS-57 BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal.
He said then president Benigno Aquino III would be remembered for initiating the legal step against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, resulting in the rejection of China’s nine-dash line claim.
Carpio, however, criticized Duterte for doing “the most to ignore the award.”
“The President who did the most was the President who filed that case—that’s PNoy. We thank him for that. And the guy who did the most to ignore the award is, of course, Duterte. He said it was just a piece of paper,” Carpio said.
“He parroted the Chinese Communist line that it is just a piece of paper to be thrown to the waste basket. He actually parroted it,” Carpio said.
Full Story at: | Inquirer News
Damaged PH vessel was on ‘test mission,’ not loaded | INQUIRER.NET – PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—The Philippine supply boat that bore the brunt of a water cannon attack and dangerous blocking maneuvers by China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels on Tuesday was just on an experimental voyage to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, a top military official said.
The Unaizah May (UM) 4 did not even carry supplies for the rotation and resupply (Rore) mission as its sole objective was to check whether it can enter the low-elevation shoal, said the chief of military’s Western Command (Wescom), Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos, who was onboard the vessel during the eventful trip.
Bigger than the regularly used UM 1 and 2 supply boats, the UM 4 arrived at the Naval Forces West detachment in Puerto Princesa City on Wednesday after the aborted mission, which Carlos said he had joined “to see for myself whether we can use this in future Rores.”
The test, however, was unsuccessful, as two CCG vessels blocked the boat through dangerous maneuvers and blasted it with water cannon.
The water attack shattered UM 4’s windshield, destroyed closed-circuit television cameras and monitors, and injured four crew members.
In a statement on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said China’s actions were “patently illegal and downright uncivilized.”
Full Story at: Damaged PH vessel was on ‘test mission,’ not loaded (inquirer.net)
