News Roundup 24 November 2023
Nov 24, 2023 • 4 min Read
Bongbong Marcos: Gov’t studying possible return to ICC | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday that the government is considering resuming its membership to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In an ambush interview in Taguig City, Marcos was asked for a reaction in the House of Representatives discussing the possibility of allowing ICC investigators to investigate the war on drugs under the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Marcos said that such measures are not unusual.
“It’s really a sense of the House resolution and the sense, they are just expressing or manifesting the sense of the House that perhaps it’s time to allow or to cooperate with the ICC investigations,” said Marcos.
“There is also a question, should we return under the fold of the ICC, so that’s again under study. So we’ll just keep looking at it and see what our options are,” he further added.
Full Story at: Bongbong Marcos: Gov’t studying possible return to ICC | Global News (inquirer.net)
Teodoro blasts China’s ‘reversal of truth’ over claims on PH-US joint patrol | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Branding China’s claims as lies, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday blasted Beijing for stating that Manila is “stirring up trouble” following its joint patrol with the United States.
“Sino ba ang nananakop? (Who is the invader?) It is China. The Philippines is not stirring up trouble, this is the reversal of the truth. It’s an absolute falsity for China to say that,” Teodoro said in a press briefing during the Department of National Defense anniversary in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Teodoro also said that China’s “reversal of truth” is consistent with its narrative, stressing that Beijing has a “very, very low credibility.”
“It is, again, reversing the truth, consistent with its narrative. The Philippines is not stirring up trouble, as we always reiterate.
“Our interests are to protect our rights, in accordance with Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the international law which China purports to respect in words, but unfortunately not in deeds.
“So I think whatever China says about this, I think their credibility is very, very low,” Teodoro continued.
Teodoro reacted to China’s southern theatre command, which said the Philippines was “stirring up trouble” by conducting joint patrols with the United States in the West Philippine Sea.
Marcos grants amnesty to insurgent, rebel group members | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Former and current members of insurgent and rebel groups who committed crimes in “pursuit of political beliefs” were granted amnesty by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. through an executive order and several proclamations, Malacañang said on Friday.
On November 22, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin signed Executive Order (EO) No. 47 which made revisions to Executive Order No. 125 from 2021, establishing the National Amnesty Commission (NAC).
Marcos said that there is a necessity to revise and modernize the NAC’s functions to encompass the processing of amnesty applications in accordance with the newly-issued proclamations.
“There is hereby created the National Amnesty Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission, which shall be primarily tasked with receiving and processing applications for amnesty and determining whether the applicants are entitled to amnesty under Proclamation Nos. 403, 404, 405 and 406,” the president’s EO read.
Under Proclamation 403, 404, 405, and 406 issued on November 22, Marcos granted amnesty to those who “committed crimes in pursuit of political beliefs,” whether it’s punishable under special penal laws of the Revised Penal Code.
The proclamations grants amnesty to former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front, Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.
Full Sory at: Marcos grants amnesty to insurgent, rebel group members | Philstar.com
Filipino seafarers among hostages in Red Sea reported unharmed — DFA | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that Yemen’s rebel group Houthi consistently expressed their commitment to ensure the well-being of their hostages, including 17 Filipino seafarers.
“The good news is that we do know that our seafarers are fine and that the Houthi rebels have been indicating consistently that they do not intend to harm them,” De Vega said in an interview with ANC.
The DFA official said that a few of the hostages were able to reach out to their families.
Despite the assurance, De Vega could not provide a definite timeline for release of the Filipino hostages.
He, however, mentioned earlier cases where Filipino seafarers were in similar situations in Yemen and later set free.
Full Story at: Filipino seafarers among hostages in Red Sea reported unharmed — DFA | Philstar.com
