News Roundup 02 June 2023
Jun 02, 2023 • 5 min Read
Degamo slay suspects offered money to recant statements? Purely hearsay, says lawyer | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — A lawyer and former official of the Department of Justice (DOJ) cautioned Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla from making statements that are “devoid of evidentiary weight or probative value.”
Citing intelligence reports, Remulla alleged that each suspect in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Dagamo received an offer of P8 million each to withdraw their testimony accusing Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. and Marvin Miranda as the masterminds behind the killing.
Remulla said the offer was facilitated by the co-mastermind Marvin Miranda and his lawyer, former Justice Undersecretary Reynante Orceo.
“The imputation that I offered Php8M to the accused in Degamo murder cases to recant their affidavit is based on the secretary’s ‘information he received.’ This is purely hearsay. As lawyers, which Sec. Remulla is supposedly aware of, such a statement is devoid of evidentiary weight or probative value. In fact, Sections 13 and 38 of the new lawyers’ Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability prohibits the imputation of misconduct and the non-posting of false or unverified statements,” Orceo said.
Quoting the code, Orceo said, “A lawyer shall not, directly or indirectly, impute to or accuse another lawyer of misconduct, impropriety, or a crime in the absence of factual or legal basis. A lawyer shall not knowingly or maliciously post, share, upload, or otherwise disseminate false or unverified statements, claims, or commit any other act of disinformation.”
Full Story at: Degamo slay suspects offered money to recant statements? Purely hearsay, says lawyer | Inquirer News
Remulla: Suspects in Degamo slay were offered P8 million each to recant statements | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Dagamo and nine others received P8-million offers each to recant their statements, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Friday, citing an intelligence report.
Remulla said the offer started when the alleged co-mastermind Marvin Miranda was able to talk to a lawyer he previously denied knowing.
“Nung nahuli si Marvin Miranda March 31, mga 6 days after that, nagsimula na yung kaluskos. Nung finally nakausap niya ‘yung lawyer na ayaw niyang papasukin noong una, ayaw niyang kausapin, nung finally kinuha niya ‘yung abogado na pumunta roon, nagsimula na yung mga offer,” Remulla said.
(When Marvin Miranda was captured on March 31, after about six days, the commotion began. When he finally spoke to the lawyer he initially refused to entertain, the money offer to the other accused began.)
Miranda and the other suspects have been detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Remulla said that was when the opportunity to talk to the accused came.
“Inofferan sila ng malalaking amount ng pera, according to intel report, P8 million each,” Remulla said.
(According to an intelligence report, they were offering P8 million for each of the suspects.)
Full Story at: Remulla: Suspects in Degamo slay were offered P8 million each to recant statements | Inquirer News
Maranaws support Lanao Sur Army, police anti-terror ops | PHILSTAR.COM – MARAWI CITY, Philippines — Local executives lauded the military for having prevented Dawlah Islamiya terrorists from getting close to the town proper of Marogong in Lanao del Sur, killing four and wounding five others in a brief clash Thursday.
“The military is efficiently carrying out its peacekeeping mission there. We in the provincial government are also doing our best to address the security issues besetting Marogong municipality” Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. said Friday.
Members of the multi-sector Lanao del Sur Provincial Peace and Order Council, led by Adiong as presiding chairperson, have also assured of their support for the joint police and military anti-terror operations in Marogong.
“I’m grateful to the Maranaws and non-Maranaws helping us solve this issue. This is resolvable,” Adiong said.
Army Scout Rangers shot dead four members of the Dawlah Islamiya and wounded five others in an encounter on Thursday morning in Barangay Piangologan in Marogong.
The incident was preceded by the group’s circulation last week of threats, via text messages and Facebook, to attack the town proper of Marogong if the police will not set free its members arrested and detained for various criminal offenses in a series of law-enforcement operations in Lanao del Sur in recent weeks.
Sources from Lanao del Sur’s Islamic religious community confirmed to reporters Friday that besides the Dawlah Islamiya’s four fatalities, five other terrorists were wounded in Thursday’s incident in Barangay Piangologan whom they said were carried by companions as they hastily escaped when they sensed that more Army reinforcements were closing in.
The encounter left a Scout Ranger, Pfc. Jemric Pol Contingo, dead and three others, Corporals Cronel Ducrao and Regi Macahilig and Pfc. Noel Notario, wounded.
Full Story at: Maranaws support Lanao Sur Army, police anti-terror ops | Philstar.com
Lagman: No relief at Supreme Court if Maharlika becomes law | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Petitions at the Supreme Court against the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund bill will not likely prosper, Rep. Edcel Lagman said Friday as the proposal awaited President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s signature.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has called on the president to veto the bill and said Friday that the high court would be the next battleground for Marcos’ pet bill if it is signed into law.
“Although I am against the Maharlika Investment Fund for not being seasonable as major negative economic indicators currently pummel the economy, congressional wisdom and expediency are not justiciable issues before the Supreme Court,” Lagman—a lawyer and president of the minority Liberal Party—said.
Citing jurisprudence, Lagman said that the courts “do not involve themselves with or delve into the policy or wisdom of a statute.”
He added: “The remedy against an unwise or improvident law is to seek its amendment or repeal by the legislature itself.”
Full Story at: Lagman: No relief at Supreme Court if Maharlika becomes law | Philstar.com
