News Roundup 17 November 2023
Nov 17, 2023 • 4 min Read
De Lima tells former President Duterte – ‘It’s reckoning time’ | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines – “It’s reckoning time.”
These are the words uttered by former Senator Leila de Lima to her “persecutors.”
De Lima, who was released on bail on Monday, told former president Rodrigo Duterte on Friday to “just face the music.”
Her remarks come as she gears for the filing of charges against him and other persons behind her detention.
“We all know about you being behind those killings (war on drugs). We all know about you being behind my persecution,” she said.
De Lima gave these responses when asked for a message to Duterte during a live interview with INQside Look.
She is almost certain that she will sue the former Chief Executive.
She is just studying the details of the cases against him.
“It’s only a matter of determining what would be the proper timeline for that, and what would be the proper courses of action, or the exact cases to be filed against him and others who are responsible for my persecution,” De Lima said.
Full Story at: De Lima tells former President Duterte – ‘It’s reckoning time’ | Inquirer News
From justice chief to detention to freedom: How De Lima sees PH justice system | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — It was in 2010, during the time of late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, when then human rights commission chairwoman Leila de Lima accepted the challenge to head the Department of Justice.
De Lima, a lawyer, once said that being at the helm of the justice department was “both a blessing and a curse.”
“It is a curse, so to speak, because, by the very nature of this job, performing it means that there will always be a ‘losing’ party and, hence, someone will always feel aggrieved,” De Lima said in 2014 during her confirmation hearing before the Commission on Appointments for her post as justice chief.
Three years after delivering the aforementioned line, De Lima, who had transitioned from being justice secretary to being a senator, found herself being the ‘losing’ party in the country’s justice system.
She was arrested in 2017 over drug-related charges — accusations that De Lima believed to have stemmed from her being one of the staunchest critics of then President Rodrigo Duterte.
It took nearly seven years of detention, two acquittals, and one granted bail petition for De Lima to be free again.
Full Story at: From justice chief to detention to freedom: How De Lima sees PH justice system | Inquirer News
‘Magpakulong na lang ako’: Duterte says on subpoena over Castro’s complaint | PJILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte said he would choose to be incarcerated rather than address the charges filed against him by Rep. France Castro (ACT-Teachers).
Duterte, who is facing grave threats under the Revised Penal Code and Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 due to his remarks threatening Castro regarding her daughter’s confidential funds, made this statement when questioned about his intention to respond to the charges.
“Magpakulong na lang ako. Kasi wala naman akong… Ino-opress ako ni France,” he said during a program alongside Apollo Quiboloy, wanted by the FBI, on Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) on Wednesday.
This is contrary to the statement made on Thursday by Duterte’s legal counsel, Harry Roque, stating that the former president will face the charges after they were handed over by a Quezon City prosecutor.
“Now that there is a pending case before a Philippine fiscal’s office, of course, he will face his accusers and he will prove that he did not breach any of our existing laws,” Roque said in an interview with ANC’s “Hotcopy.”
However, Roque did not specify if Duterte would appear personally before the prosecutors or if a lawyer would appear on his behalf.
Full Story at: ‘Magpakulong na lang ako’: Duterte says on subpoena over Castro’s complaint | Philstar.com
Philippines, US ink civil nuclear cooperation pact | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and the United States signed Friday a landmark agreement that would facilitate civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries, lauded by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a “milestone toward a more energy secure and green” future.
The deal, known as 123 Agreement, will allow the transfer of information, nuclear material, and equipment from the US to the Philippines for peaceful purposes.
“With access to US material and equipment, the US and the Philippines will be able to work together to deploy advanced new technologies, including small modular reactors, to support climate goals as well as critical energy security and baseload power needs within the Philippines,” the US State Department said in a media note.
In a release, the Philippine energy department said the agreement streamlines licensing requirements for the private sector.
It also ensures compliance with nonproliferation criteria and the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Full Story at: Philippines, US ink civil nuclear cooperation pact | Philstar.com
