Maniolas

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday warned the camp of slain transgender woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude against calling the prosecutor handling the case unfair and biased without basis. De Lima reminded the Laude family and their legal counsel Harry Roque Jr that the murder complaint being handled by Olongapo City prosecutor Emily de los Santos has already been submitted for resolution. “Attorney Harry should be careful in insinuating unfairness on DOJ’s part and imputing bias or partiality on the part of CP (city prosecutor) Millet (de los Santos)… without clear and sufficient basis to back up such claims,” she said. “[De los Santos] should be left alone in resolving the merits of said case,” De Lima added. Prosecutor General Claro Arellano had earlier said there was “no ground for [the] inhibition” of state prosecutor Emily de los Santos as requested by the Laude camp. “No ground for inhibition. Bias [is a] mere allegation,” said Arellano. Roque was earlier quoted in reports as saying that they would ask the DOJ to take De los Santos off the case for allegedly taking orders from the United States government. Roque claimed De los Santos has been hostile to the Laude family since the start of the preliminary investigation in Olongapo City. On Friday, De Lima said Arellano was merely reacting to media reports quoting Roque’s plan to move for De Los Santos’ inhibition from the case. “Apparently, PG  (prosecutor general) did by making a general statement that there is no basis or Read More …

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has sought an inquiry on the alleged increasing number of torture and ill-treatment in the country particularly during police investigation, as reported by Amnesty International. In Senate Resolution 1049 filed on December 4, Pimentel asked the Senate Committee on Justice to conduct an inquiry and help enact laws which would further prevent torturous activities, provide mechanisms for the effective investigation and restitution of legitimate claims of torture and end impunity. “Sadly, we are faced with a situation where those who are primarily entrusted to enforce the law, serve the people, and protect their welfare may have been the ones who may have violated the laws that they are bound to execute,” the senator said.  Based on the AI report, the Commission on Human Rights in 2013 recorded 75 cases of alleged torture, the highest number of incidents reported in any year so far. In 60 of the cases, police officers were implicated as perpetrators. Of the 28 cases recorded from January to July in 2014, 22 involved police officers. Most victims were from disadvantaged and marginalized backgrounds and those most at risk to be tortured are women, children, repeat offenders, and suspects whose alleged crimes have personally affected police officers. Also at risk are those so-called police assets who have fallen out of favor with local police officers, political activitists and suspected members or sympathizers of armed groups. Pimentel said what was more saddening was that the present number of victims of torture and ill-treatment Read More …

Australian and British nationals staying in the Philippines were advised Thursday to take precautions amid the threat from Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit). The Australian and British governments issued separate updates to their travel advice for the Philippines. “(Ruby) is expected to bring strong winds, heavy rain and storm surges to coastal areas. Australians in the Philippines should monitor the media for information on the storm and follow the instructions of local authorities,” the Australian government said on its updated travel advice. It said Ruby “is expected to bring strong winds, heavy rain and storm surges to coastal areas.” Also, it advised Australians in the Philippines to “monitor the media for information on the storm and follow the instructions of local authorities.” Ruby entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 3 a.m. Thursday. State weather agency PAGASA said there is a chance it may make landfall on Eastern Visayas on Saturday. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office similarly advised its nationals in the Philippines to take precautions as well. It said Ruby is likely to remain in the Philippines until Tuesday, Dec. 9. PAGASA has also warned of possible storm surges with waves as high as three to four meters this weekend along the coastlines of Eastern Visayas. “There is also a risk of flash floods in low lying areas, and landslides in mountain regions,” it added. “British nationals in the Visayas and Mindanao should continue to monitor weather forecasts and advisories and follow the instructions of government officials, police Read More …

PHL braces for Typhoon Hagupit . A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) image taken by MTSAT-2 at 0530Z on Tuesday, December 2, shows Typhoon Hagupit moving west at 20 mph southwest of the eastern Caroline Islands in the western Pacific Ocean while strengthening to Super Typhoon status forecast later this week. Survivors of super typhoon Yolanda that killed thousands in the central Philippines last year are preparing for the powerful new storm, as authorities scrambled to find safe evacuation centers. Hagupit is building strength in the Pacific Ocean as it moves toward PHL where farming and fishing communities have yet to recover from the previous devastation. AFP/NOAA Schools and government offices were shut in parts of the central Philippines on Thursday and residents stocked up on supplies and food, as provinces yet to recover from last year’s devastating super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) braced for another category 5 storm. Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) was churning across the Pacific around 860 km (585 miles) east of the island nation on Thursday, the local weather bureau said, packing winds of up to 195 kph (120 mph) with gusts of up to 230 kph. It was expected to strengthen to a category 5 storm before slamming into Eastern Samar on Saturday, the weather bureau said. Eastern Samar and the island of Leyte were worst-hit in November last year by Yolanda, one of the strongest storms ever to make landfall. Yolanda left more than 7,000 dead or missing and more than 4 million homeless or Read More …