News Roundup 05 February 2023
Feb 05, 2023 • 4 min Read
Sibuyan, Romblon groups to DENR: Issue cease and desist order vs mining firm | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Pro-environment residents and Sibuyan Island in Romblon on Sunday appealed to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to issue a cease and desist order against Altai Philippines Mining Company (APMC).
“Hinihingi natin ang agarang aksyon ng DENR Secretary through MGB Regional Director to issue a cease and desist order. Ang mabagal na aksyon ng DENR ay magdudulot ng malawak na pinsala sa Isla ng Sibuyan at kapahamakan sa mga mamamayan,” said Sibuyanons Against Mining (SAM) coordinator Elizabeth Ibañez in a statement on Sunday.
(We are requesting the immediate action of the DENR Secretary through the MGB Regional Director to issue a cease and desist order. DENR’s slow action will cause widespread damage to Sibuyan Island and will be disastrous to its residents.)
Full Story at: Sibuyan, Romblon groups to DENR: Issue cease and desist order vs mining firm | Inquirer News
Benguet vlogger fined for online harassment | INQUIRER.NET – BAGUIO CITY, Benguet, Philippines — The Municipal Trial Court (MTC) of La Trinidad town in Benguet fined a vlogger a total of P150,000 after he pleaded guilty of violating the Safe Spaces Act (Republic Act No. 11313).
In a ruling dated Feb. 2, MTC Judge Mylene May Adobe-Cabuag meted the fine after vlogger Renan Padawi changed his original plea of “not guilty” and admitted that he committed “gender-based online sexual harassment” against Mia Magdalena Fokno, 45.
Padawi, 39, a resident of Itogon town, pleaded not guilty during the arraignment on Oct. 26, 2022, but changed his plea to guilty when he was rearraigned on Feb. 1.
“When queried, the accused informed the court that he fully understands the nature and consequences of his entering a plea of ‘guilty’ to the crime charged in the information,” the MTC ruling stated.
Full Story at: Benguet vlogger fined for online harassment | Inquirer News
Joint patrols to benefit fishermen – senators | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Joint maritime patrols by the Philippines and the US in the South China Sea will greatly help in reducing encroachments by Chinese vessels as well as incidents of harassment against Filipino fishermen and other local vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), senators said yesterday.
Senators Francis Escudero and Sherwin Gatchalian, in separate interviews with radio dwIZ, welcomed the announcement from Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin III on the “restart” of joint patrols in response to growing regional security challenges.
Escudero said the planned joint patrols as well as the move to allow US access to more military bases in the Philippines under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) should not be cause for worry that they might trigger hostile reaction from Beijing.
“For me it’s clear that our ally, when it comes to security and military, is the US, and not China. While we have relations with China in terms of trade and other relations, we don’t have any military or security agreement with China,” Escudero said.
Full Story at: Joint patrols to benefit fishermen – senators | Philstar.com
Forensic expert to help raise government capacity to investigate killings | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial summary or arbitrary will be visiting the country this week to help increase the capacity of local authorities to investigate extrajudicial killings.
Dr. Morris Tidball-Binz will arrive in the Philippines on Monday, February 6, and will be in the country until Thursday, February 9. He will be coming in his own capacity to help the country’s law enforcement agencies.
“He has provided closure for families of victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearance. We are hoping for the same when he visits the Philippines,” Remulla said in a statement Sunday.
Remulla invited the expert following his participation the Universal Peer Review of the United National Human Rights Council last November. The justice secretary previously said Tidball-Binz’ visit is a follow-up to the capacity-building initiative of the United Nations Joint Programme.
Tidball-Binz is known for applying forensic science in investigating human rights violations and disappearances in Argentina. He has since travelled to over 70 countries in the past 35 years to participate in capacity-building programs, fact-finding initiatives, and technical evaluations. Full Story at: Forensic expert to help raise government capacity to investigate killings | Philstar.com
