News Roundup 23 April 2024
Apr 23, 2024 • 4 min Read
PNP Firearms and Explosives Office seeks to revoke Quiboloy’s gun license | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has recommended the revocation of the license to own and possess firearms (LTOPF) of fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.
PNP FEO Public Information Office (PIO) chief Major Lady Lou Gondales told INQUIRER.net that the FEO endorsed the revocation of the LTOPF of six individuals, including Quiboloy and “Ms. Canada.”
Quiboloy has existing arrest warrants on charges of child abuse, sexual assault, trafficking, exploitation and discrimination.
“Based on the recommendation of our Firearms License Restoration and Revocation Board (FLRRB), they recommended the cancellation or revocation of Quiboloy, Ms. Canada, and others’ LTOPF,” the FEO official said in a phone interview on Tuesday.
“This is in the premise of their violation of section 26.1 of [Implementing Rules and Regulations of the] Republic Act 10591 (the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act),” she noted.
Full Story at: PNP FEO seeks to revoke Quiboloy’s gun license (inquirer.net)
BIFF leader, 11 gunmen slain in Maguindanao Army assaults | INQUIRER.NET – CAMP SIONGCO, BARMM, Philippines — Military authorities on Monday announced that a dozen outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were killed, including its leader, during daylong skirmishes in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur.
Among the fatalities was Kagi Karialan, leader of a Karialan of the Islamic State-linked BIFF, according to Major General Alex Rillera, commander of the 6th Infantry Division.
“The mayor of Datu Saudi Ampatuan also confirmed that Kagi Karialan was among the fatalities,” Rillera said.
The elusive Kagi Karialan is Mohiden Animbamg, according to the Army’s First Combat Brigade.
Rillera said the bodies of the 12 slain terrorists were retrieved in a swampy area of Barnagay Kitango along with 12 assorted high-powered firearms.
“We cornered them in an open field, in a swampy area. Finally we got them, we have been running after them,” Rillera told reporters.
“We hope this will bring about peace in these communities so that development will come to Datu Saudi Ampatuan,” Rillera added.
He recalled that last week, elements of the First Combat Brigade, under Brigadier General Jose Vladimir Cagara, were tailing three BIFF members who entered a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) area.
“We did not pursue them because with respect to the peace process, we do not want to be peace spoilers, until early today they were monitored to have moved out of the village and an encounter ensued,” Rillera explained.
A spokesman for the BIFF, Abu Supyan, confirmed in a radio interview that, indeed, they lost 11 freedom fighters, and their leader, Kagi Karialan.
Full Story at: BIFF leader, 11 other gunmen slain in Maguindanao Army assaults (inquirer.net)
SC overturns Comelec’s dismissal of DQ petition vs Cagayan governor | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) said that the Commission on Elections gravely abused its discretion by dismissing a petition for election disqualification against the former gubernatorial candidate and the current Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba.
In a press release on Monday, the SC said that its en banc granted the petition for review filed by Ma. Zarah Rose De Guzman-Lara, challenging the poll body’s dismissal of her petition to disqualify Mamba from the May 2022 local elections.
The high court also sent the disqualification case back to the Comelec for “proper disposition”.
De Guzman-Lara, who is one of the candidates for the gubernatorial position in Cagayan, filed a petition for disqualification against Mamba on the grounds of massive vote-buying and unlawful disbursement of public funds through an email petition on May 10, 2022, at 6:21 p.m.
However, on May 11, 2022, Mamba was proclaimed the duly elected governor of Cagayan by the Provincial Board of Canvassers, having received the highest number of votes.
On Dec. 14, 2022, the Comelec’s Second Division issued a resolution disqualifying Mamba after finding substantial evidence indicating the unauthorized release, disbursement, or expenditure of public funds during the campaign period, a violation prohibited under the Omnibus Election Code.
The poll body, sitting as en banc, however, dismissed De Guzman-Lara’s petition to disqualify Mamba for being “filed out of time”.
This prompted De Guzman-Lara to file the petition for certiorari before the high court.
Full Story at: SC overturns Comelec’s dismissal of DQ petition vs Cagayan governor | Philstar.com
Philippines, US launch most far-reaching joint military drills | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The most expansive Balikatan exercise ever began yesterday, covering almost the entire length of the country and reaching the edges of its exclusive economic zone and beyond its 12-nautical-mile territorial sea.
The 39th iteration of the joint exercise, originally conducted only by the armed forces of the Philippines and the US, now involves the militaries and naval forces of Australia and France.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., US embassy Chargé d’Affaires Robert Ewing and US Marine Corps Forces-Pacific Commander Lt. Gen. William Jurney attended the opening ceremony.
Ewing said Balikatan represents “more than just a showcase of military readiness.”
“It embodies the deep-rooted spirit of collaboration and partnership that has defined the enduring alliance between the United States and the Philippines for decades,” Ewing said.
“This exercise, and the many other smaller military engagements, are central to achieving our shared commitment to greater interoperability between our respective armed forces,” he added.
Full Story at: Philippines, US launch most far-reaching joint military drills | Philstar.com
