News Roundup 14 March 2023
Mar 14, 2023 • 4 min Read
Lagman questions NTF-Elcac opposition to HRD bill: Defense sector was consulted | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The opposition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) to a bill seeking to protect human rights defenders is misplaced according to Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman, as the country’s defense institutions were consulted.
Lagman in a statement on Tuesday called out NTF-Elcac for claiming that House Bill (HB) No. 77 or the proposed Human Rights Defenders Protection Act (HRDPA) would make the Anti-Terrorism Act a mere “toothless paper tiger,” saying that it is “hallucinating”.
“The NTF-Elcac’s hyperbolic assault of red-tagging the authors and supporters of HB No. 77, as well as authentic Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), is the best argument for the immediate enactment of the law protecting HRDs from the intimidation, harassment, and liquidation by agents of the State,” Lagman said.
“The reported position paper of NTF-Elcac virulently opposing the bill on HRDs is baseless and without merit for the following reasons […] Representatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), of which the NTF-Elcac is a component; the Department of National Defense (DND); Department of Justice (DOJ); Philippine National Police (PNP); and Presidential Human Rights Committee were invited and consulted during the meetings of the Committee on Human Rights and the subsequent Technical Working Group session,” he added.
Lagman further said that identical bills were passed in both the 17th and 18th Congress, but NTF-ELCAC, which had been instituted already during that time, did not oppose it.
Full Story at: Lagman questions NTF-Elcac opposition to HRD bill: Defense sector was consulted | Inquirer News
Bantag, others indicted for murder of Percy Lapid, Bilibid inmate | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — A panel of prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Gerald Bantag and several others over the killing of broadcaster Percival Mabasa, who was popularly known as Percy Lapid, and Bilibid inmate Jun Villamor.
In a resolution, the DOJ panel, also named Sr. Supt. Ricardo Zulueta and inmates Alvin Labra and Aldrin Galicia as respondents for two counts of murder alongside Bantag.
Likewise named respondents for Lapid’s killing are Joel Escorial, a certain Edmon Dimaculangan, a certain alias Orlando, inmates Denver Mayores and Alfie Peñaedonda, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) detainee Christopher Bacoto. Escorial is the confessed hitman in the veteran broadcaster’s ambush slay case.
For Villamor’s murder, the panel has also named as respondents Mario Alvarez, Joseph Georfo, Christian Ramac, Ricky Salgado, Ronnie dela Cruz, and Joel Reyes.
Full Story at: Bantag, others indicted for murder of Percy Lapid, Bilibid inmate | Inquirer News
Marina: Tanker in Oriental Mindoro oil spill had no permit | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The sunken tanker that leaked oil that threatens to damage the environment and harm people should have never been allowed to sail in the first place as it did not have a permit to operate, the Maritime Industry Authority said in a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
Marina administrator Hernani Fabia confirmed a report from the agency that Sens. Cynthia Villar and Risa Hontiveros read during the hearing, which stated that MT Princess Empress “has no permit to operate in the form of an amendment to its certificate of public convenience (CPC).”
Fabia explained that RDC Reield Marine Services, which owns MT Princess Empress, was still lacking documents in its application to amend its CPC to include the tanker that has leaked oil which affected over 108,000 people in 118 barangays in Oriental Mindoro and Palawan, according to the Office of Civil Defense.
Full Story at: Marina: Tanker in Oriental Mindoro oil spill had no permit | Philstar.com
Australia donates training facilities to Air Force, thanks PHL support for submarine acquisition | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Air Force (PAF) received training facilities from Australia through the Philippines-Australia Enhanced Defense Cooperation Program (EDCP) on Monday.
According to a statement from the Department of National Defense on Tuesday, the air force received a close air support part task trainer, a classroom, and a debriefing facility from Australia. Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu officially turned over the facilities, along with their corresponding documents, on Monday.
Full Story at: Australia donates training facilities to Air Force, thanks PHL support for submarine acquisition | Philstar.com
