News Roundup 06 October 2024
Oct 06, 2024 • 5 min Read
Sandigan chief: Napoles, Reyes should have been convicted | INQUIRER.NET – Janet Lim-Napoles, who remains in prison for past convictions in connection with the 2013 pork barrel scam, should not have been acquitted in the latest case decided by the court.
Same with Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, onetime chief of staff of former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
This was the contention of Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, who said that while the evidence presented against Enrile, Napoles and Reyes was not strong enough for a plunder conviction, the two women should have been found guilty of corruption of public officials and direct bribery, respectively.
The antigraft court’s Special Third Division on Friday cleared the three accused of charges that they connived in diverting P172.8 million from Enrile’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) into Napoles’ bogus nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from 2004 to 2010.
In a 255-page separate opinion, Cabotaje-Tang agreed to their exoneration in the plunder case, but said the prosecution was still able to establish “by a preponderance of evidence” that Napoles received at least P365,437,500 from Enrile’s PDAF.
10 more years
For this, she said, Napoles should have been found guilty of corruption of public officials, ordered to return the amount, and given 10 more years behind bars.
“I … agree that accused Reyes and Napoles should be acquitted of the crime of plunder on the ground that the prosecution failed to establish that accused Reyes received from accused Napoles amounts which reached threshold P50 million set under (Republic Act) No. 7080 or the Plunder Law,” Cabotaje-Tang said.
“However, I humbly submit that the ponencia (author) erred in ruling that accused Reyes and Napoles may not be convicted of other crimes on the basis that the variance doctrine finds no application in this case,” she said.
Full Story at: Sandigan chief: Napoles, Reyes should have been convicted (inquirer.net)
De Lima dares Harry Roque to surrender: Ako nga hinarap ko eh | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Former Sen. Leila De Lima on Saturday urged former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to surrender to authorities amid the House arrest order against him.
De Lima made the remark as she filed at Manila Hotel Tent City the certificate of nomination and acceptance (Cona) of Mamamayang Liberal party-list, of which she is the first nominee of.
“Of course, he must. He is a lawyer. He is a man of law. He is supposed to be a lawyer,” De Lima said of Roque in an interview after her filing of Cona.
“Ako nga hinarap ko eh, kahit gawa-gawang mga kaso eh. Hinarap ko ang batas,” she also said.
(Well, I faced it, despite them being fabricated charges. I faced the law.)
De Lima even said she went through the entire process despite it being “so painful and tedious” for her part.
“So dapat ganoon. Kung wala yang kasalanan, wala kang itinatago, harapin mo nang buong tapang. Hindi yung nagtatapang-tapangan lang sya … nagla-livefeed na lang siya, ini-insulto niya pa ang ating mga law enforcers,” she also said, referring to Roque’s regular Facebook live streams.
(So it should be that way. If you are innocent and you are not hiding anything, face it bravely, and not just feign bravery. He is only doing live feeds to insult the law enforcers.)
Full Story at: De Lima dares Harry Roque to surrender: Ako nga hinarap ko eh (inquirer.net)
Cops, soldiers arrest long-wanted ranking NPA official | PHILSTAR.COM – COTABATO CITY — Combined policemen and soldiers arrested a leader of the New People’s Army, wanted for high-profile crimes, in an anti-terror operation in Tagum City, Davao del Norte on Wednesday, October 2.
Radio reports in Central Mindanao cities on Saturday quoted Major Gen. Allan Hambala, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, as saying that Porferio Dianco Tuna Jr., second deputy secretary of the NPA’s Southern Mindanao Regional Committee, is now locked in a police detention facility, awaiting prosecution for multiple murder, frustrated murder, kidnapping and armed robbery.
Hambala stated that Tuna and several NPA guerrillas were responsible for an attack a few years ago on members of the 60th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte, which resulted in the death of an Army officer.
Hambala said Tuna and his followers had killed two enlisted Army personnel in an ambush on July 10, 2014 in Barangay Anitapan in Mabini, Davao de Oro.
Hambala said Tuna was cornered in Purok Magkidong in Barangay Mankilam in Tagum City by combined personnel of different units of the Police Regional Office-11, operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-11 and 10th ID’s intelligence agents.
Full Story at: Cops, soldiers arrest long-wanted ranking NPA official | Philstar.com
U.S. deploys transport planes to assist in ‘Julian’ relief ops | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The United States has deployed personnel and aircraft to the Philippines to support relief efforts in Batanes following the devastation caused by Typhoon Julian (Krathon).
The Philippine Air Force announced that two KC-130J Hercules transport planes from the U.S. III Marine Expeditionary Force arrived at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Saturday afternoon, October 5, delivering personnel and equipment.
“These aircraft, which departed from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, will assist in the ongoing relief efforts in the province of Batanes, which was severely affected by Typhoon Julian,” the Philippine Airforce said.
According to a report by the Philippine News Agency, the following supplies have been distributed to assist affected communities, with the help of U.S. transport planes:
- 1,000 family food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
- 1,000 shelter repair kits from the Office of Civil Defense.
- 2,500 graded tarpaulin sheets from the International Organization for Migration.
- 1,000 kitchen sets from the IOM kitchen sets
In a separate statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said relief operations in Batanes will continue with the assistance of the Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG).
Full Story at: U.S. deploys transport planes to assist in ‘Julian’ relief ops | Philstar.com
