News Roundup 06 July 2023
Jul 06, 2023 • 4 min Read
Another judge inhibits from De Lima’s last drug case | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Another trial court judge has inhibited from handling the third —and last pending — drug case against former Sen. Leila De Lima, which may cause a delay in the proceedings in her remaining drug charge.
Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 Judge Abraham Alcantara has granted the Motion for Voluntary Inhibition filed by Department of Justice prosecutors.
With this development, the entire case records of De Lima will be transmitted to the Office of the Clerk of Court of Muntinlupa RTC for re-raffle to yet a different judge. The hearing set on Friday has also been canceled.
De Lima’s appeal on her rejected bail petition is pending before the court.
State prosecutors earlier sought the inhibition of Alcantara citing a “near identical case” the same judge handled where De Lima and her former aide and co-accused Ronnie Dayan were acquitted.
“Having adversely decided against the People in the previous Criminal Case No. 17-165, the undersigned Panel of Prosecutors cannot help but be apprehensive that the Honorable Presiding Judge will carry over his perceptions to the instant case,” they said in their motion filed July 6.
They added that they are moving for the judge’s inhibition to “maintain and preserve the trust and faith of the party-litigants.”
Judge Alcantara, in his one-page order,asserted that by acquitting De Lima in a separate drug case, “based on the evidence presented,” he “cannot be said to have traversed the line that divides neutrality and partiality.”
However, the judge acknowledged that: “At the very first sign of lack of faith and trust in his or her actions, whether well-grounded or not, the Judge has no other alternative but to inhibit himself or herself from the case.”
Full Story at: Another judge inhibits from De Lima’s last drug case | Philstar.com
Philippines, US troops begin bilateral marine-aviation exercise | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Soldiers from the Philippines and the United States Marine Corps kicked off on Thursday their bilateral training on aviation-related capabilities to strengthen Philippine-US mutual defense.
The Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) 2023 will train soldiers from the Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force and the United States Armed Forces in conducting aviation-supported operations. The training will last until July 21 and will be held in various areas in Luzon and Visayas.
MASA 2023 will involve the conduct of live fire drills, bilateral air assaults, airfield seizures, joint operations for arming and refueling, and other forms of aviation support activities.
The exercise “reflects the mutual trust, respect, and cooperation between our forces as we unite with the purpose to safeguard our nations and promote regional security,” said Philippine Navy Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr., whose message was delivered by Naval Inspector General Jonas Lumawag during the opening ceremony.
Full Story at: Philippines, US troops begin bilateral marine-aviation exercise | Philstar.com
Filipinos split on Maharlika Investment Fund; awareness low – SWS survey | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos are divided on the Maharlika Investment Fund bill, but only a few have extensive knowledge about the proposal, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey result released on Thursday.
Based on the SWS poll conducted from March 26 to 29, only 20 percent of adult Filipinos have “at least partial but sufficient knowledge” about the Maharlika fund.
Despite the highly publicized legislative journey of the Maharlika fund bill, 33 percent said they have little knowledge, while 47 percent admitted to having “almost no knowledge or no knowledge at all” about the proposed measure.
When asked “how much will the Philippines benefit from the [Maharlika fund] in case it is developed,” 51 percent of Filipinos said they expect little to no benefit from the Maharlika fund – 37 percent see “little” benefit, while 14 percent think it will have “almost no benefit at all.”
Full Story at: Filipinos split on Maharlika Investment Fund; awareness low – SWS survey | Inquirer News
Gov’t told: Ban importation of waste in PH, protect Filipinos’ health, environment | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — An environmental group on Thursday appealed to the government to ban the importation of wastes into the country, warning of the hazards it poses to people’s health.
EcoWaste Coalition reminded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ratify the Basel Convention Ban Amendment, noting they had sent letters to the Chief Executive and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga regarding the matter in January.
“To protect human health and the environment, upstream and downstream, and prevent environmental injustice, in particular in developing and transition countries, all Basel Parties should ratify (the amendment) at the earliest possible date,” the group said, citing a primer published by the Basel Action Network and the International Pollutants Elimination Network.
EcoWaste said the Philippines had ratified the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal in 1993, but it has yet to ratify the Ban Amendment.
Full Story at: Gov’t told: Ban importation of waste in PH, protect Filipinos’ health, environment | Inquirer News
