News Roundup 16 May 2024
May 16, 2024 • 4 min Read
Taguig court convicts Maute matriarch for helping finance terrorism | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA CITY, Philippines – A Taguig City court has convicted the matriarch of the Maute family in Marawi City for providing financial and logistics support to the ISIS-inspired Maute Terrorist Group.
In a decision by the Taguig Regional Trial Court dated May 15, 2024, Ominta Romato Maute, who is also known as Farhana, meted the penalty of up to 40 years imprisonment and a fine of P500,000.
The court said Romato Maute was “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” of violating Section 4 of Republic Act 10168, the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
Court records showed that on July 29, 2016, Ominta allowed her Toyota Innova vehicle to be used by five terrorists, namely, Mohammad Khayam Romato Maute, Omarkhayam Romato Maute, Abdullah Romano Maute, Mahater Romato Maute, and Najib Pundug.
The vehicle was used in abducting and beheading civilians in Lanao del Sur from April 4 to 10, 2016.
The said vehicle was later intercepted by security forces on the same day and several improvised explosive devices were seized though its occupants managed to flee.
Ominta was arrested by security forces in 2017 in the municipality of Masiu, Lanao del Sur, while Omarkhayam and Abdullah were arrested at the height of the Marawi siege in 2017. The other Maute brothers were killed by security forces in 2017.
Full Story at: Taguig court convicts Maute matriarch for helping finance terrorism (inquirer.net)
Tagum mayor wants Alvarez expelled from House of Representatives | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Tagum Mayor Rey Uy believes Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez should be expelled from the House of Representatives over his anti-government remarks.
In an ambush interview on Thursday, on the sidelines of the House committee on ethics and privileges hearing, Uy said Alvarez’s call for the police and military to withdraw their support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration was “too much” and should not be disguised as part of freedom of expression or free speech.
The House panel discussed several complaints against Alvarez when Uy was interviewed at the south wing of the Batasang Pambansa complex. One of the complaints being heard came from the Tagum mayor.
“Alam ninyo ‘yong nangyaring rally ng Maisug? Si Congressman Alvarez, during the rally, pinag-withdraw ng support ‘yong PNP (Philippine National Police), military, Army, kay Presidente Marcos. To us, that’s unacceptable,” the local chief executive told reporters.
(You know the Maisug rally? Congressman Alvarez, during the rally, called on the PNP, military, and Army to withdraw their support to President Marcos. To us, that’s unacceptable.)
Full Story at: Tagum mayor wants Alvarez expelled from House (inquirer.net)
Taguig court convicts child rights defender Sally Ujano for rebellion | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Anti-child trafficking activist Sally Ujano was found guilty by a Taguig Regional Trial Court (RTC) for the crime of rebellion which was said to be committed in 2006.
Ujano, 66, has been sentenced to 10 years of prision mayor minimum to 17 years and four months of reclusion temporal maximum.
The activist was arrested on Nov. 14, 2021 by police in plain clothes who reportedly did not show any identification, on a rebellion charge due to alleged involvement in an ambush of two military personnel in Quezon province back in 2005.
The rebellion charge against her was filed in 2006
Ujano was also accused of being a high-ranking member of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army.
On Dec. 7, 2021, her camp filed a motion to quash the information.
She was then released on bail on Dec. 29, 2022 after a year of imprisonment.
Ujano was executive director of the Women’s Crisis Center from 2000 to 2007 and national coordinator of the Philippines Against Child Trafficking from 2008 up to the present.
She was also one of the individuals who lobbied and worked for the drafting and implementation of certain laws such as the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004.
Full Story at: Taguig court convicts child rights defender Sally Ujano for rebellion | Philstar.com
Marcos: All Tarlac politicians don’t know Alice Guo | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday that no single politician from Tarlac knows Bamban Mayor Alice Guo and that the government has been investigating her for some time over her alleged dubious records.
“Kilala ko lahat ng mga taga-Tarlac na politico, walang may kakilala sa kanya. Kaya nagtataka kami, kung saan nanggaling ito?” the president said in an ambush interview on Thursday.
(“I know all the politicians from Tarlac, and no one knows her. That’s why we’re wondering where she came from.”)
Marcos said the government earlier “caught” Guo after an official raid at Bamban surfaced her questionable documents.
The president did not clarify whether this raid is the same as the raid conducted on a POGO compound in Bamban.
“Dahil ni-raid natin yung sa Bamban at nakita natin… ‘yung mga dokumento, kinukwestyon natin ngayon ‘yan, kung talagang totoo itong mga ‘to, at saka paano siya tumakbo ng mayor?” Marcos said.
(Because we raided the place in Bamban and found the documents, we’re now questioning if they are genuine, and how she was able to run for mayor.)
Marcos added that Guo’s citizenship should be further investigated, citing the probe currently being conducted by the Senate.
Full Story at: Marcos: All Tarlac politicians don’t know Alice Guo | Philstar.com
