News Roundup 16 July 2023
Jul 16, 2023 • 4 min Read
Bongbong Marcos’ rebranding won’t put food on table — farmers’ group | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s new governance theme or slogan, “Bagong Pilipinas,” did not earn the nod of farmers who said it “will not resolve the worsening hunger and discontent felt by Filipinos.”
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) issued the statement after the current administration unveiled its new leadership campaign on July 15, which will be seen on letterheads, websites, official social media accounts, and other documents of all state agencies and entities, as mandated by Memorandum Circular No. 24 issued last July 3.
“Nothing will come out as ‘new or revolutionary’ from this rebranded governance theme or slogan, as long as the government persists with its long-standing neoliberal policies that have plunged the local economy into its worst state,” KMP chairperson Danilo Ramos said on Sunday.
“Rebranding and sloganeering will not put food on the tables of Filipinos. We need pro-people reforms and a total overhaul of long-standing policies and programs that have failed to usher in real economic development,” he added.
Full Story at: Bongbong Marcos’ rebranding won’t put food on table — farmers’ group | Inquirer News
PNP denies arresting, keeping 2 missing Cordillera activists | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday vehemently rejected the allegations that it arrested and is keeping custody of two missing Cordillera-based activists who were former students of the University of the Philippines – Baguio.
“The PNP strongly and categorically denies the allegation that the subject of the writs of habeas corpus, Capuyan, and de Jesus, was arrested by the PNP,” the national police force said in a statement.
“In fact, when the two were first reported missing, the PNP immediately exerted diligent effort to locate the whereabouts of these missing individuals in faithful compliance with our duty to serve and protect the people. Until today, they remain listed as missing persons and subject to follow-up searches thru backtracking from the time they were last seen,” it added.
The PNP made the denial after the Court of Appeals (CA) ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines and PNP to present missing activists Dexter Capuyan, 56, and Jamil de Jesus, 27.
Full Story at: PNP denies arresting, keeping 2 missing Cordillera activists | Inquirer News
SC: Re-arrest former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes, resume trial for Gerry Ortega slay | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has ordered the re-arrest of former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and the continuation of his trial for the 2011 murder of broadcaster Dr. Gerry Ortega, a development that the family said helps restore their faith in the justice system.
In a resolution in late March that was made public over the weekend, the Supreme Court said Reyes failed to show proof that the Puerto Princesa City Regional Trial Court abused its jurisdiction in ordering that his trial continue.
“Petitioner’s disagreement with the conclusions reached by the trial court, without more, is not sufficient to warrant the issuance of the extraordinary writ of certiorari,” the Supreme Court said.
“Such writ will issue only to correct errors of jurisdiction, not errors in the findings or conclusions of the lower court,” it also said.
The Court of Appeals dismissed the charges against Reyes in 2018 but reversed its decision in 2019 and issued another warrant for his arrest. Convicted of graft in 2017, Reyes was supposed to remain in government custody despite the CA’s initial 2018 decision to drop the charges.
Matters best settled at trial
The Supreme Court said the CA and the RTC found that there was enough evidence, including statements identifiying Reyes as the alleged mastermind in the shooting of Ortega, to find probable cause.
It said that “this particular stage of the criminal proceeding against petitioner requires neither absolute nor moral certainty; opinion and reasonable belief is already sufficient” and that questions on the evidence would be best threshed out in trial.
Full Story at: SC: Re-arrest former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes, resume trial for Gerry Ortega slay | Philstar.com
Leyte police couple relieved for alleged harassment of reporters | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police ordered the relief of two cops in Leyte following the harassment of local journalists covering a land dispute the officers were involved in.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Ricky Reli, officer-in-charge of the Leyte police, relieved Police Staff Sergeant Rhea May Baleos and her husband Police Staff Sergeant Ver Baleos of their duties.
They were also ordered to turn in their issued firearms.
The two cops from the Pastrana Municipal Police Station and Sta Fe Municipal Police Station allegedly harassed San Juanico TV reporters Lito Bagunas, Noel Sianos and Ted Tomas while interviewing farmers in Barangay Jones on Friday.
According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, PSSg Rhea Baleos grabbed Sianosa’s cellphone while he was taking videos and pushed him away.
A few minutes later, the three journalists heard gunshots. Tomas said he saw cops in uniform firing the shots.
Full Story at: Leyte police couple relieved for alleged harassment of reporters | Philstar.com
