News Roundup 15 July 2024
Jul 15, 2024 • 5 min Read
Links drawn between Pharmally, POGOs and Michael Yang’s kin | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday drew more connections between Philippine Offshore and Gaming Operations (POGOs) and Pharmally Biological Inc., with the brother of former presidential adviser Michael Yang tagged as one of the incorporators of the raided gaming hub.
At an online press briefing on Monday, Hontiveros cited documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, connecting the incorporators of various POGO hubs and Pharmally—the government’s controversial COVID-19 medical supplier.
Baofu, the company of suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo (suspected to be Chinese National Guo Hua Ping), has direct transactions with the accounts of two people: Yu Zhengcan and Hongjiang Yang, Hontiveros said.
Yu Zhengcan is an incorporator for Hongsheng Gaming Inc., which was the POGO raided by authorities in Bamban, Tarlac in March.
Meanwhile, Hongjiang Yang is the brother of Michael Yang, the economic adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“Who is Hongjiang Yang, you may ask? Kapatid po siya ni Michael Yang, yes the same Michael Yang na dating economic presidential adviser kuno ni Duterte. In short, the money of Michael Yang’s brother was used to fund the Hong Sheng, the raided Bamban POGO,” Hontiveros said. (Who is Hongjiang Yang, you may ask? That is the brother of Michael Yang, yes the same Michael Yang who was the economic presidential adviser of Duterte. In short, the money of Michael Yang’s brother was used to fund the Hong Sheng, the raided Bamban POGO.)
Hontiveros explained that Hongjiang Yang had a role in Pharmally.
Full Story at: Links drawn between Pharmally, POGOs and Michael Yang’s kin | Philstar.com
More firms open to hiring K-12 grads, but most still prefer college degree-holders | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — More businesses in the Philippines are now willing to hire senior high school graduates than before, but preference for college diploma-holders remains overwhelming, according to a new study by a private sector-led education advocacy group.
The Philippine Business for Education (PBed) also found based on their survey of nearly 300 companies nationwide that most job opportunities available to K to 12 graduates remain limited to service, sales and clerical support roles.
Published on July 10, the PBEd study captures the employment and labor situation awaiting the first cohort of full-fledged K to 12 students who graduated this year.
The study also comes six years after PBEd’s 2018 pilot study on the first batch of senior high graduates, the findings of which have been cited as evidence of high school graduates’ poor employability in the House of Representatives’ ongoing deliberations on amendments to the K to 12 law.
PBEd’s latest study shows that four out of five firms are willing to hire senior high school graduates, up from the results of the 2018 study where only three out of five expressed openness to the idea.
Meanwhile, two out of five firms surveyed said they had established policies for the equitable hiring of senior high school graduates, higher than the one out of five in 2018.
Full Story at: More firms open to hiring K-12 grads, but most still prefer college degree-holders | Philstar.com
Satur Ocampo, France Castro guilty of child abuse – Tagum City court | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Former Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo and incumbent ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro have been found guilty of child abuse by a court in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
Their conviction stemmed from accusations that they held minors during a solidarity mission in Talaingod, Davao del Norte in November 2018.
In a 25-page decision dated July 3, the Tagum Regional Trial Court Branch 2 convicted Ocampo, Castro, and 11 others guilty of violating Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
The court sentenced all 13 respondents to imprisonment of four years to six years and ordered them to pay a total of P20,000 – P10,000 for civil indemnity and P10,000 for moral damages – to each of the 14 victims.
“Records reveal that the prosecution has established proof beyond reasonable doubt that the accused…committed acts detrimental to the safety and well-being of the minor Lumad learners,” the court decision states.
Tagum Regional Trial Court Branch 2, however, acquitted four other respondents to the case after the “prosecution has failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”
In a joint statement, Ocampo and Castro maintained the innocence of all the accused. According to them, the lower court “wrongfully convicted” them.
Full Story at: Satur Ocampo, France Castro guilty of child abuse – court (inquirer.net)
Dutertes should address alleged drug link — lawmaker | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte and his family should address their alleged involvement in illegal drug trade and extrajudicial killings, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua said on Monday.
Chua said the Dutertes should explain because former President Duterte’s ex-economic adviser Michael Yang has been dragged into the inquiry of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs.
The lawmaker also noted that former police officer Eduardo Acierto claimed that former President Duterte wanted the military and the police to kill him due to his move to have Yang investigated because of his alleged link to the illegal drug trade.
“As past and present government officials, it is the duty of the Dutertes to accord the Filipino people the respect that they deserve and answer these serious allegations of connections to illegal drugs and the extrajudicial killings,” Chua said.
Full Story at: Dutertes should address alleged drug link — lawmaker (inquirer.net)
