News Roundup 16 June 2023
Jun 16, 2023 • 3 min Read
Judge inhibits from De Lima’s last drug case | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The judge handling the last illegal drugs charge against Leila de Lima has inhibited himself from the case after the former senator’s co-accused cited a conflict of interest.
In a seven-page order dated June 15, Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256 Judge Romeo Buenaventura granted the motions for inhibition filed by De Lima’s former aides Ronnie Dayan and Joenel Sanchez, and former Bureau of Corrections director Franklin Jesus Bucayu.
De Lima’s co-accused had asked Buenaventura to stop handling the case after learning the judge is the brother of lawyer Emmanuel Buenaventura, supposedly the former counsel of the late Rep. Reynaldo Umali.
Umali was the chairperson of the House of Representatives’ justice panel when it was conducting hearings into the alleged drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison that supposedly involved De Lima.
“Simply put, the suspicion of the accused-movants, while unfounded if not contrived, cannot be ignored since it already tarnished the integrity and impartiality of the Court as well as the needed trust and confidence in all subsequent proceedings in the instant case,” Buenaventura said.
“The undersigned presiding judge will exercise his discretion and will recuse himself from further hearing this case not because the allegations are true, but because it is his avowed duty as a member of the Bench to promote confidence in the judicial system,” he added.
Due to Buenaventura’s inhibition, the records of the illegal drugs case will be transmitted to the executive judge for re-raffle to the other branches of the court for the continuation of the proceedings.
Full Story at: Judge inhibits from De Lima’s last drug case | Philstar.com
NDRRMC: 20K people flee homes as Mayon unrest continues | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — More than 20,000 people living near Mayon Volcano in Albay have moved to safer areas as the volcano continued to spew lava, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported Friday.
The NDRRMC said in its latest report that most of the 20,267 evacuees were taken to 27 emergency shelters in the province. Families living within Mayon’s six-kilometer-radius danger zone were ordered to flee their homes after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology placed the volcano under Alert Level 3.
Around 38,391 people have been so far affected by Mayon’s unrest, which officials warned could drag on for months.
Full Story at: NDRRMC: 20K people flee homes as Mayon unrest continues | Philstar.com
CHR on Duterte’s call to kill drug cops: Uphold due process and right to life | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Friday stressed that due process and rule of law must remain paramount in ensuring accountability from the national police, after former president Rodrigo Duterte said he wants all cops involved in illegal drugs shot dead.
“The State has the duty to uphold the supreme right to life without exception,” said the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in a statement.
“Resorting to killing only serves to perpetuate the culture of vigilantism and violence, which can further result in the breakdown of the rule of law,” it added.
Full Story at: CHR on Duterte’s call to kill drug cops: Uphold due process and right to life | Inquirer News
Palace says US request to host Afghans under evaluation | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang Palace on Friday said that the United States’ request for the Philippines to host Afghans is being evaluated.
Press Secretary Cheloy Garafil released a short statement in response to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) chief saying that the request came from US President Joe Biden.
“It’s a request from the United States government. The request is currently under evaluation,” said Cheloy in a short statement.
The need to resettle Afghans stemmed from the US pulling out of the Middle Eastern country after the Taliban took control of the government. However, the plans faced scrutiny regarding transparency from various officials, among them being Sen. Imee Marcos, the President’s sister.
