News Roundup 17 October 2023
Oct 17, 2023 • 4 min Read
DND approves acquisition of new transport aircraft | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Department of National Defense (DND) approved the acquisition of three C-130J-30 aircraft for the Philippine Airforce, the government agency announced on Tuesday.
According to the DND, the transport aircraft will be delivered to the country in July 2026, October 2026 and January 2027.
“The acquisition started in 2021, as part of the Second Horizon of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program. The project was awarded to Lockheed Martin, an American aerospace, arms defense, information security and technology corporation,” DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said in a statement.
“The addition of the C-130J-30 to the inventory is a significant leap forward in terms of achieving a credible defense posture,” he added.
“The Philippine Air Force expressed gratitude for the new acquisition, recognizing its support to the branch.
“These C130s will surely boost our airlift capability to support military operations and other national development efforts to include relief operations during times of disasters and calamities,” Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, PAF spokesperson told Philstar.com.
Full Story at: DND approves acquisition of new transport aircraft | Philstar.com
Marcos admin urged to allow ICC probe Duterte’s drug war anew | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Magdalo group on Monday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration to allow the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators into the country to hold former President Rodrigo Duterte accountable for alleged “crimes against humanity.”
Magdalo National Chairperson Antonio Trillanes IV said that the group issued the statement in response to Duterte’s recent admission that he used the confidential or intelligence funds for extrajudicial killings during his tenure as Davao City mayor.
“Being the original filers of the ICC case in 2017, we have witnessed and documented the barbaric actions of the past administration, as well as the trauma and hardships that the thousands of victims and their families have suffered,” Trillanes, also a former senator, said in a statement.
“Truly, justice is long overdue,” he added.
In an interview with Sonshine Media Network International on October 12, Duterte said that he used the intelligence funds to conduct the killings in Davao City.
Full Story at: Marcos admin urged to allow ICC probe Duterte’s drug war anew | Philstar.com
Rodrigo Duterte remark he funded Davao slays sent to ICC | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s admission that he had bankrolled extrajudicial killings while mayor of Davao City should convince President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to let the International Criminal Court (ICC) pursue its investigation against his predecessor, the Magdalo group said on Monday.
The group led by former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV pointed out that Duterte himself disclosed in a television interview last week that he had spent his intelligence funds to carry out killings in Davao City while he was mayor.
The vigilante-style executions were said to be the handiwork of the dreaded Davao Death Squad or DDS.
“My intelligence funds, I used it to buy. I had all of them killed. That’s why Davao is like that. Your companions, I really had them killed. That’s the truth,” Duterte said in his TV show on SMNI Network on Oct. 10.
At that time, he was talking to his spiritual adviser, Apollo Quiboloy, about the request of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, for confidential funds.
The video of his full interview was taken down from SMNI’s YouTube channel on Oct. 12.
“We, the Magdalo group, are urging the Marcos administration to allow the ICC investigators into the country in order to make… Duterte accountable for his crimes against humanity,” Magdalo said. “Truly, justice [for the victims and their families] is long overdue.”
According to Trillanes, they have already sent a copy of the TV footage to the ICC as additional evidence against the former president.
Full Story at: Rodrigo Duterte remark he funded Davao slays sent to ICC | Inquirer News
Mayor Belmonte: Cop who stopped traffic for ‘VIP’ in QC gets job back | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The cop who was relieved after being blamed for a traffic jam on a major road due to a convoy of a certain VIP has been reinstated, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said on Tuesday.
The controversy stemmed from a viral video posted by former Bayan Muna solon Teddy Casiño showing Executive Master Sergeant Verdo Pantollano stopping traffic for a VIP in Commonwealth Ave. corner Tandang Sora Ave.
In the video, it was alleged that the VIP referred to Vice President Sara Duterte, which her camp vehemently denied, saying that the official had been in Mindanao since October 4.
Full Story at: Mayor Belmonte: Cop who stopped traffic for ‘VIP’ in QC gets job back | Inquirer News
