News Roundup 01 July 2024
Jul 01, 2024 • 5 min Read
Sara Duterte’s move to nix confidential funds an ’empty gesture’ — lawmaker | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — A House lawmaker on Monday described Vice President Sara Duterte’s decision to leave out confidential funds from her proposed budget in 2025 as an “empty gesture,” saying that the vice president has yet to address “lingering issues of accountability” with her previous use of the secret fund.
House deputy minority leader Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers) also renewed calls to investigate the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and other civilian agencies’ use of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) in previous years.
This comes after Duterte told reporters in an ambush interview on Saturday that “there was no proposal” for the OVP to have confidential funds in 2025. Government agencies were asked to submit their proposed budgets to the Department of Budget and Management before April 22.
“Why should she request for confidential funds when her office is not mandated to have such funds?” Castro said.
The lawmaker added that Duterte may be “afraid” of another rejection from Congress, which last year realigned the OVP and the DepEd’s combined request of P650 million in CIFs to agencies focused on manning the West Philippine Sea.
Castro said Duterte has not yet “satisfactorily explained” the P125 million-worth of confidential funds that the OVP spent in 11 days in 2022.
On top of this, Castro added that Duterte still has to account how she spent her confidential funds in 2023.
“She is not off the hook yet,” the lawmaker said.
Full Story at: Sara Duterte’s move to nix confidential funds an ’empty gesture’ — lawmaker | Philstar.com
Philippines’ oldest political prisoner released | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The country’s oldest political prisoner has been released from detention on Sunday, prisoner rights group Kapatid said.
In a press release on Monday, the group said that Gerardo Dela Peña, 85, was released from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City on the evening of June 30.
“We are very happy that Tatay Gerry can finally return home to his family and reunite with his wife Pilar in their twilight years. His release is a milestone for human rights campaigns, but also serves as a stark reminder of the obstacles that impede the release of political prisoners,” Fides Lim, Kapatid spokesperson said in a statement.
“Tatay Gerry’s journey to freedom was very difficult because of systemic challenges and bureaucratic delays. It’s concerning why the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) could not immediately implement its own Board Resolution No. OT-08-02-2023 allowing executive clemency for prisoners who have reached 70 years old and served ten years of their sentence,” he added.
Dela Peña was arrested on March 21, 2013 at the age of 75 in Vinzons, Camarines Norte. He was convicted of murder after he allegedly killed his nephew which he denied.
The New People’s Army admitted to the killing. However, Dela Peña was still convicted and was sentenced to face 12-year imprisonment
Full Story at: Philippines’ oldest political prisoner released | Philstar.com
Escudero told: Senate ‘Solid 7’ to stay independent, non-obstructive | INQUIRER.NET – AURORA, Philippines — Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero has no reason to worry as the upper chamber’s Solid 7 plans to remain independent and non-obstructive, according to Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Zubiri, who was unseated by Escudero as Senate chief on May 20, is part of the bloc, whose members also include Senators Joel Villanueva, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, JV Ejercito, Loren Legarda, and Sherwin Gatchalian.
“Aang plano namin will still remain independent. Wala pa pong usapan ng magma-minority. We’re waiting lang for Senator Joel. Syempre majority leader namin siya. Of course, sya rin isa sa mga spoken members namin. But we will wait for him before we can make any decisions,” Zubiri told reporters in an ambush interview here Monday.
(We plan to remain independent. We have not talked about being a minority yet. We’re just waiting for Senator Joel. Of course, he is our majority leader and one of our spoken members. But we will wait for him before we can make any decisions.)
“But before July 22, of course, we’ll already know how we will be positioning ourselves. But definitely, Sen. Chiz has nothing to worry about as far as I’m concerned basta gawin niya lang ng trabaho niya nang matapat para sa taumbayan,” he added.
(But before July 22, of course, we’ll already know how we will be positioning ourselves. But definitely, Sen. Chiz has nothing to worry about as far as I’m concerned, as long as he does his job honestly for the people.)
Full Story at: Escudero told: ‘Solid 7’ to stay independent, non-obstructive (inquirer.net)
Senators to Pagcor: Name Pogo lobbyist | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Senators on Sunday challenged the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to name the former “high-ranking” Cabinet official who had been lobbying for granting licenses to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) in the country.
“Pagcor should name the ‘official.’ If not, [the] committee chaired and headed by Senators [Risa] Hontiveros and [Sherwin] Gatchalian should unmask this official so that not all ‘former high-ranking Cabinet officials’ will be looked upon with suspicion and find out if he/she violated any laws,” Senate President Francis Escudero said in a message to reporters.
“To be fair to all former Cabinet members, Pagcor should reveal the identity of this person, also so [that] he or she can defend self,” Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III said in his message.
Pagcor chair and CEO Alejandro Tengco said in a statement on Saturday that he would disclose the identity of the former Cabinet official as well as the circumstances that led to the proliferation of criminal offshore gaming operations in the “proper forum.”
Pagcor chair and CEO Alejandro Tengco said in a statement on Saturday that he would disclose the identity of the former Cabinet official as well as the circumstances that led to the proliferation of criminal offshore gaming operations in the “proper forum.”
Full Story at: Senators to Pagcor: Name Pogo lobbyist (inquirer.net)
