News Roundup 19 January 2023
Jan 19, 2023 • 3 min Read
DOJ suspends Bantag further for allowing Palparan interview in Bilibid | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice has put suspended Corrections chief Gerald Bantag on preventive suspension for 90 days more without pay for allowing convicted kidnapper Jovito Palparan to appear in a televised interview without clearance.
Palparan, also a former congressman and a retired general, was interviewed at the New Bilibid Prison on March 30, 2022 for a program on the SMNI media network.
The interview also prompted calls to revoke SMNI’s license to broadcast on free TV for allowing Palparan — who was convicted of kidnapping in 2018 and is serving his sentence for the kidnapping and disappearance of two University of the Philippines students — to go on air to supposedly spread false information and to defame people, and for failing to be fair in its reporting.
In documents signed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla dated January 17, the DOJ noted that the interview was conducted without getting approval for PDL interview and did not comply with the rules on the conduct of interviews.
Bantag was given 10 days to file his response to the formal charges.
Full Story at: DOJ suspends Bantag further for allowing Palparan interview in Bilibid | Philstar.com
Senate panel wants DepEd, PS-DBM execs charged over ‘overpriced’ laptops | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Blue Ribbon committee has recommended administrative and criminal charges against former senior officials of the Department of Education and the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management over the purchase of laptops that the panel found to be overpriced by at least P979 million.
Among the former officials who the panel recommended to be slapped with charges are former Education Undersecretary Alain del Pascua and former PS-DBM officer-in-charge Executive Director Lloyd Christopher Lao.
The committee said Del Pascua and Lao should be charged for violating Sections 3(e) and 3(g) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Other officials that the panel wants to be charged for violations of the anti-graft law are:
- Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla
- Former Education Assistant Secretary Salvador Malana III
- DepEd Director Abran Abanil
- DepEd former Executive Assistant Alec Ladanga
- Former PS-DBM officer-in-charge Executive Director Jasonmer Uayan
- PS-DBM Bids and Awards Committee chairperson Ulysses Mora
- Engr. Marwan Amil of the PS-DBM
- Other members of the Special Bids and Awards Committee I and SBAC technical working group and secretariat, whether from DepEd or DBM
Full Story at: Senate panel wants DepEd, PS-DBM execs charged over ‘overpriced’ laptops | Philstar.com
SC affirms ruling: SLEX to get P20.5-M tax refund from Makati LGU | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines–The South Luzon Tollway Corporation, now SMC SLEX, Inc., is entitled to a refund of more than P20.5-million from the Makati City government after the Supreme Court (SC) affirmed the Tax Court’s ruling regarding erroneously collected business tax in 2011.
In a resolution by the Supreme Court’s Third Division made public last Jan. 16, it dismissed the petition filed by the Makati City government and its treasurer, saying the court could not see any reason to disturb the findings of the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).
Full Story: SC affirms ruling: SLEX to get P20.5-M tax refund from Makati LGU | Inquirer News
Enrile’s ex-chief of staff Gigi Reyes temporarily released from jail | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Gigi Reyes, the former chief-of-staff of former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, was released from custody on Thursday evening, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said.
This development came after the Supreme Court granted Reyes’ petition for habeas corpus last January 17.
Full Story at: Enrile’s ex-chief of staff Gigi Reyes temporarily released from jail | Inquirer News
