News Roundup 15 August 2024
Aug 15, 2024 • 4 min Read
Marcos OKs law creating more courts for Islamic law | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed a law on August 12 that creates additional courts for Shari’a or Islamic religious law.
The new law mandates the creation of three additional Shari’a judicial districts and 12 circuit courts across the country.
This raises the number of Shari’a circuit courts from 51 to 63, with five courts in the sixth district, three in the seventh district, and four in the eighth district.
The following are the newly formed Shari’a judicial districts and their coverage areas:
- Sixth District: Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin, Cagayan de Oro City, and the provinces in Regions XI and XIII.
- Seventh District: Provinces within Regions VI, VII, and VIII.
- Eighth District: Metro Manila, the provinces within the Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions I, II, III, IV-A, V, and the MIMAROPA (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) region.
Before this law was signed, there were only five Shari’a judicial districts:
- First District: Province of Sulu
- Second District: Tawi-Tawi
- Third District: Basilan, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and the cities of Dipolog, Pagadian, and Zamboanga
- Fourth District: Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and the cities of Iligan and Marawi
- Fifth District: Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato City
Shari’a courts are under the administrative supervision of the Supreme Court and cover the customary and personal laws of Muslims.
However, they do not cover the country’s criminal laws, which are still defined and punished under the Revised Penal Code and special penal laws.
Story at: Marcos OKs law creating more courts for Islamic law | Philstar.com
Alice Guo still in the Philippines, preparing motion — lawyer | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The lawyer of Alice Guo said on Wednesday he has been assured by the dismissed mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, that she remains in the Philippines.
Guo’s legal counsel Stephen David surmises she is in the “central Philippines.”
“She told me that she is still in the Philippines, she assured me of that. And of course, I believe in the capacity of our [Bureau of] Immigration to safeguard our ports. As of now, no Alice Guo has been apprehended in any of our ports,” David said, noting that they were able to talk to each other via video call.
Though communicating only via Zoom and phone calls, David said he continues to convince Guo to surface and face the Senate investigation and other legal proceedings in connection with the allegations against her over Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO).
David said that as he observed during their video call, Guo lost weight, looked stressed and was in a somber mood.
The lawyer said he is now preparing Guo’s motion for reconsideration on her dismissal by the Office of the Ombudsman.
“The MR is a prerequisite so that we can elevate the case before the Court of Appeals through a petition for review,” David said over One PH’s “One Balita Pilipinas.”
Full Story at: Alice Guo still in the Philippines, preparing motion — lawyer | Philstar.com
SC orders respondents to comment on PhilHealth fund transfer case | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has required the respondents of a petition challenging the transfer of unused Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) funds to provide their comments.
In a press conference on Thursday, SC spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting said the High Court’s en banc made the decision during a session on August 13.
“The Court required the respondents to file their Comment to the petition and prayer for TRO [temporary restraining order] within a non-extendible period of 10 days from notice,” she said.
“The Court further required the Office of the Clerk of Court En Banc to personally serve the Court’s resolution on the respondents, which shall likewise personally file and serve its Comment,” Ting added.
On August 2, several groups and individuals led by Senator Koko Pimentel filed a petition at the SC against the diversion of P89.9 billion excess PhilHealth funds to the unprogrammed appropriations in the national budget.
Full Story at: SC orders respondents’ comment on PhilHealth fund transfer case (inquirer.net)
Cops, soldiers exempted from drug, mental test rules to get gun licenses | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The police and military personnel are now exempted from getting drug tests and psychiatric examinations when getting a license to own firearms, a Philippine National Police (PNP) official said on Thursday.
This move was ordered by PNP chief Rommel Marbil, according to PNP civil security group spokesperson Lt. Col. Eudisan Gultiano.
“Yes, there is a memorandum released, signed by our chief PNP,” Gultiano said in a press conference when asked to confirm if the police and military are exempted from such tests when getting a license to own and possess firearms (LTOPF).
“For the part of PNP, we have regular neuro examination and drug tests. In fact, there are still random drug tests in PNP, so it will suffice,” she explained.
However, Gultiano clarified that civilians are still required to get drug tests and psychiatric exams for their LTOPF.
Story at: Cops, soldiers exempted from drug, psych tests for gun license (inquirer.net)
