News Roundup 06 May 2024
May 06, 2024 • 5 min Read
Failure to track down Quiboloy a bigger concern, says solon | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The failure of authorities to track down and arrest Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy is a more pressing concern than the pending proposal to transfer the venue of sexual abuse case hearing, Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. David Suarez said on Monday.
In a press briefing, Suarez said that he understands why the Department of Justice (DOJ) decided to ask that the case be transferred from a court in Davao City to Pasig City — as state prosecutors may want to distance alleged victims from Quiboloy’s hometown.
What he cannot understand, Suarez said, is how Quiboloy still manages to evade authorities from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“I fully respect the position of the Department of Justice in requesting for change of venue. I’m sure they have a basis why they transferred it from Davao City to Pasig. My bigger concern is why we have not found Quiboloy? We’ve been on a manhunt for how many months already,” Suarez said.
“I know the Senate had already issued a warrant against him. The PNP has been looking for him, the NBI has been looking for him. So, I think the bigger question is where is Pastor Apollo Quiboloy? I think that’s the bigger question we need to ask,” he added.
According to Suarez, Quiboloy’s refusal to surrender is proof that the pastor does not respect the government and the laws of the land.
Full Story at: Failure to track down Quiboloy a bigger concern, says solon | Inquirer News
Farmers’ group decries rice tariffication law, claims P44B lost | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — A farmers’ group has called for the complete repeal of the rice tariffication law, or Republic Act No. 11203, despite the efforts by the House of Representatives to amend it, asserting it won’t resolve the persistently high prices of rice in the country and instead demanding the enactment of a “new pro-farmer, pro-people rice development program.”
“Congress created the problem, that is, the rice tariffication law. Lawmakers cannot simply undo the problem by tweaking parts and provisions of the despicable law,” Danilo Ramos, chair of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), said in a statement on Sunday.
According to KMP, the law has led to more than P344 billion in economic losses for rice farmers by clipping the powers of the National Food Authority (NFA) and allowing the private sector to dominate rice production, supply and distribution. The group said this resulted in record-high price inflation of 22.6 percent for rice.
“To address the Marcos government’s epic failure in lowering rice prices, Congress is now turning to RA 11203 amendments, even if they knew that it would do nothing in resolving the rice crisis,” Ramos said.
Full Story at: Farmers’ group decries rice tariffication law, claims P44B lost (inquirer.net)
Percy Lapid slay self-confessed gunman gets up to 16 years jail time | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Las Piñas Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 254 has sentenced self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial up to 16 years imprisonment over the killing of the late broadcaster Percy Lapid, his brother Roy Mabasa said.
Escorial, who claimed that the order to kill Lapid came inside the New Billibid Prison, will face eight to 16 years of imprisonment, according to Mabasa.
“Joel Escorial, who admitted to being the gunman in the case involving Percival Mabasa, also known as “Percy Lapid,” received a sentence of eight years and eight months to 16 years imprisonment from Judge Cesar Huliganga in Las Piñas,” Mabasa wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
This has also been confirmed by Danny Pelagio, the lawyer of Mabasa.
In August last year, Escorial asked the court to allow him to enter into plea bargaining for the lesser offense of homicide from murder.
It can be recalled that the gunman surrendered himself to the authorities, days after the shooting of Lapid where he also implicated former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag.
Full Story at: Percy Lapid slay self-confessed gunman gets up to 16 years jail time | Philstar.com
Marcos: No water cannons for Philippine ships in WPS | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rejected a proposal to equip Philippine ships patrolling the West Philippine Sea with water cannons in response to China’s aggressive actions against the country’s vessels.
Marcos on Monday ruled out the use of water cannons and other “offensive” equipment to assert the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.
“The last thing we would like is to raise tensions in the West Philippine Sea,” the president said.
“We will not follow the China Coast Guard (CCG) and the Chinese vessels down that road because it’s not the mission of the Navy, our Coast Guard to start or to increase tensions. Their mission is precisely the opposite: it’s to lower tensions,” he added.
Last week, the Philippines said the CCG water cannonned and rammed vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) headed to Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, to assist Filipino fishers in the area.
Marcos said his government will continue to address incidents in the West Philippine Sea through diplomatic channels.
Full Story at: Marcos: No water cannons for Philippine ships in WPS | Philstar.com
