News Roundup 17 May 2023
May 17, 2023 • 4 min Read
Mayo’s boss is also subject of drug probe – Ex-PDEA head tells Azurin | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines —Former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Wilkins Villanueva on Wednesday admitted informing former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. that the superior of Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo was also being investigated for possible drug trade involvement.
During the hearing of the House committee on dangerous drugs, Villanueva corroborated Azurin’s statement — that he was informed by that Mayo and his superior, Lt. Col. Arnulfo Ibañez, were cohorts.
Mayo and Ibañez were both part of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) in Metro Manila.
Mayo was arrested with almost a ton of shabu in October 2022.
Villanueva said that he was monitoring the operations on the afternoon of October 8, 2022 which led to Mayo’s arrest in Tondo, Manila.
Lack of developments hours after the buy-bust operation prompted Villanueva to give Azurin the heads up.
Villanueva recalled, “I did not plan to text General Azurin, Sir. But it was almost 9:00 p.m. (but) Nothing has happened in the case of Sergeant Mayo, particularly in the inventory. Because we knew as early as 1:00 p.m. that it was a buy-bust operation. So what does that mean? There is a buy-bust item, and you should do inventory on the place of your buy-bust. That was lost in the story, Sir.”
Villanueva told panel member and Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop in English and Filipino.
Full Story at: Mayo’s boss is also subject of drug probe – Ex-PDEA head tells Azurin | Inquirer News
Teves debunks return to PH murmurs: ‘It’s fake news’ | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. on Wednesday denied reports that he will return to the Philippines.
This came after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday, citing information coming from a reliable source, said that Teves is set to return to the country on Wednesday.
“Fake news. Dapat tinanong muna nila ako bago sila nag salita sa mga desisyon ko ‘di ba (They should have asked me first before they spoke about my decisions, right)?” said Teves in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas.
According to Remulla, Teves would likely be coming from Timor Leste, where his request for asylum was denied.
When asked whether or not he did seek asylum, Teves merely deferred back to Remulla in jest.
“Tanungin mo si Boying, alam niya siguro ‘yon, mas marami siyang alam sa’kin,” said Teves.
(Ask Boying, he probably knows that, he knows more than me.)
Full Story at: Teves debunks return to PH murmurs: ‘It’s fake news’ | Inquirer News
Giving president emergency powers to address energy crisis a ‘cop out’ – group | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — After a series of blackouts in parts of Luzon this month, a group has criticized amendments proposed by the Department of Energy to the Electric Power Crisis Act of 1993 that would give the president the power to declare an energy crisis when electricity supply is dangerously low.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Power for People Coalition described the DOE’s proposal to grant the president “emergency powers” as a “cop-out” that fails to strike at the heart of the high electricity prices bugging consumers.
“Emergency powers are a cop-out. Even if used properly, it does not address the root causes of our annual power crisis. And so far, our history shows that the use of emergency powers just forces consumers to swallow higher electricity prices or lose electricity, as seen in the guarantees to independent power producers during the Ramos administration,” said Gerry Arances, P4P Convenor.
Arances was referring to the widespread criticism that it was the supply contracts that the Ramos administration entered with private power corporations that led to the high electricity rates still experienced by Filipino consumers today.
Full Story at: Giving president emergency powers to address energy crisis a ‘cop out’ – group | Philstar.com
Toll of Kuwait’s visa suspension: At least 130 OFWs offloaded, sent back daily | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Kuwaiti government’s suspension on issuing new visas to Filipinos has meant that at least 130 overseas Filipinos a day have had their deployment plans derailed, according to a migrant workers’ group.
Migrante International noted that this is one of the consequences of the country’s unofficial labor export policy that it said “makes [the country] dependent on the changing demands of other countries, some of whom resent efforts to protect OFWs’ rights.”
The Kuwaiti government did not provide a specific reason for the visa suspension announced last week, saying only that the Philippines had violated a labor agreement signed in 2018. However, the Department of Foreign Affairs has said that one of the reasons may be Manila putting up shelters for runaway and distressed OFWs in the Gulf state.
Full Story at: Toll of Kuwait’s visa suspension: At least 130 OFWs offloaded, sent back daily | Philstar.com
