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PHL to review export policy on firearms following US state senator's smuggling case

 News
Apr 142014
 
PHL to review export policy on firearms following US state senator's smuggling case

No firearms had been shipped out of the Philippines around the time US State Senator Leland Yee was said to be smuggling firearms from the country to the US, according to the Bureau of Customs. Just the same, reports of the supposed smuggling of firearms have prompted the BOC to review existing procedures in the exportation and importation of such weapons in the Philippines. “Wala kaming findings of declared (firearms shipment) nung time na iyon, supposedly out of Mindanao lumabas yung guns. Nag-check kami doon sa aming port collectors sa Cagayan de Oro as well as other ports, walang ni-report, walang dineclare na exports of firearms at the time,” BOC Commissioner John Philip Sevilla said on Monday. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Yee was part of a conspiracy to deal firearms without a license. The firearms were supposed to be sourced from a separatist group in the Philippines. Yee was arrested in March on charges of corruption and alleged conspiracy to illegally trade in firearms. The FBI also claims that Yee has associates in the Philippines “trying to overthrow the current government.” “Ngayon, ang pinapa-check namin is ano ba yung mga existing procedures ngayon regardless of what port para masiguro natin na… hindi rin nakakalabas ng Pilipinas yung contraband,” Sevilla said. Sevilla admitted that the government is “focused” more on monitoring the importation rather than exportation of products in the Philippines. “This is a good reminder na ito pwede ring magkaroon ng illegal activity pagpalabas ng products,” Read More …

PHL aims for US defense deal before Obama visit

 News
Apr 122014
 
PHL aims for US defense deal before Obama visit

The Philippines said Friday it hopes to complete a new defense accord with the United States ahead of a visit by President Barack Obama this month, as a territorial dispute with China simmers. The chief Philippine negotiator, defense undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino, said in a statement the latest round of discussions about an increased US military presence in the country was “very productive”. “This round brought us much closer to finding full consensus and the draft provisions on key points of an enhanced defense cooperation will be submitted to the president for his review,” Batino said. Philippine negotiators on Friday said the eighth round of talks on a proposed military agreement had seen both sides “finding consensus on key points of a draft”. The agreement proposes allowing more US troops, aircraft, and ships to pass through the Philippines, as well as storing equipment in this country that could help mobilize American forces faster – particularly in the case of natural disasters. The accord would provide “critical and timely support to the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (and the) achievement of the country’s minimum credible defense posture,” Batino’s statement said. The deal would not allow the US military to “establish a permanent military presence or base” or bring nuclear weapons into the country, in line with the Philippine Constitution. The proposed agreement could be signed before President Obama visits the Philippines this month, a foreign department spokesman said. “We aim to conclude the negotiations before the Obama visit,” Read More …

Palace dares solon: Prove reward for Tiamzon couple's arrest was skimmed

 News
Apr 112014
 
Palace dares solon: Prove reward for Tiamzon couple's arrest was skimmed

Malacañang on Saturday challenged a lawmaker to substantiate his claims that some government officials may have pocketed part of the reward money for the capture of top officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte questioned the basis of Bayan Muna Rep. Isagani Zarate in claiming secretaries Voltaire Gazmin (defense) and Manuel Roxas II (interior) may have kept part of the money. “We don’t know what the basis is for that and I have not seen the good congressman make any statement (kung) ano ang basehan at ano ba yan,” Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. “We’re certain that is not true,” she added. A report on Manila Standard Today had quoted Zarate as saying the two secretaries may have kept almost half of the reward money for the arrest of Wilma and Benito Tiamzon. Zarate claimed documents from the Defense and Interior Departments showed the bounty for the Tiamzon couple was pegged at P10 million each, or P20 million total. But he claimed the Armed Forces of the Philippines “understated” the amount and said the reward collected was P11.52 million, or P5.6 million per head. Zarate said Gazmin and Roxas have been quiet about the AFP’s understated funds for reward money. “This involves a total of P41.45 million, of which amount, the AFP claimed to have collected only some P22.4 million. So where is the rest of the reward money?” he said. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News 

FDA warns public vs. unregistered bottled water

 News
Apr 092014
 
FDA warns public vs. unregistered bottled water

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public against cheap and unregistered bottled water being sold mostly to commuters stuck in traffic. A report on “24 Oras” on Wednesday said some bottled water that didn’t pass the FDA are being sold on the streets and on sidewalks at relatively cheaper prices. “Dito natin malaman sa likod [ng plastic container] kung ang isang produkto ay rehistrado,” said FDA spokesperson Joyce Cirunay in the report. “Mayroon siyang registration number.” The report said a registration number means the product — both the water and plastic container — passed FDA standards. Cirunay asked the consumers to inspect the packaging of the product to determine if they are “fake.” “Sa isang mapanuring mamimili, tignan yung cover. Kung ni-refill lang, tignan nila kung talagang unbroken yung seal. Inspekin nila kung yung integridad ng packaging material ay nandoon pa. Tignan din kung merong mga lumulutang,” she said. The report said refilling stations, although regulated by local government units, are not allowed to sell bottled mineral water. “They are just there to refill,” Cirunay said. “May certain specifications na sinusunod sila according to the requirements of the refilling station.” — KBK, GMA News

Victim's brother also accuses arrested Italian diplomat of abuse

 News
Apr 092014
 
Victim's brother also accuses arrested Italian diplomat of abuse

The elder brother of one of the minors allegedly  molested by Italian Ambassador to Turkmenistan Daniele Bosio claimed he was also abused by the diplomat, a report on “24 Oras” said Wednesday. The 13-year-old boy said Bosio invited him and other children to the place where he was staying with the promise of giving them food, clothes and P1,000 cash. But upon arriving at the place, Bosio allegedly locked them in the shower and bathed them while taking pictures, the report said. The victim’s father said one of the friends of his children was acting as their pimp. “Mayroon pong isang taong bugaw. Bata rin na kalaro din nila. Galit na galit din ‘yung isang magulang bakit daw sila silang magkakabarkada nagkakabugawan pa,” he said. His younger son, who was reportedly victimized by Bosio in a resort in Biñan, Laguna, is currently under the care of the city welfare office, the report said. “Parang binaboy niya yung pagkatao ng anak ko. Dapat talaga sa kanya makulong,” he said. Bosio, who was in the Philippines for a vacation, was arrested last Saturday while in the resort together with three minors. Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs suspended him from his diplomat duties following his arrest. — Andrei Medina/KBK, GMA News

NBI doing own probe on US state senator’s alleged firearms smuggling

 News
Apr 092014
 
NBI doing own probe on US state senator’s alleged firearms smuggling

The National Bureau of Investigation has started working on its own investigation into the alleged involvement of a US state senator in the illegal trade of firearms with rebels in Mindanao. Justice Secretary Leila De Lima confirmed that the NBI has finished an “initial” probe on the matter. “But limited lang muna doon iyong pag-verify ng the presence nung US [state] senator na iyan na nabanggit sa [FBI] report,” said De Lima, adding that the lawmaker in question, California state senator Leland Yee, had visited the Philippines only once. According to a Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit, Yee was part of a conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and to illegally import firearms from a Muslim separatist group in the Philippines. Yee was arrested in March on charges of corruption and alleged conspiracy to illegally trade in firearms. The FBI affidavit also claims that Yee has associates in the Philippines “trying to overthrow the current government.” “We felt that it is important to us also to try to verify lalo na iyong mga supposed travel of that US [state] senator here in the Philippines,” De Lima said. “We know exactly the month, year and the dates,” she added, but refused to elaborate. The Justice Secretary clarified that even though the NBI has not yet been “formally” tapped by US authorities to look into the matter, the bureau just the same has started “working on it” and “verifying” certain information on the supposed firearms smuggling. “I am not sure if Read More …

ISAFP chief denies military pocketed cash seized from Tiamzon couple

 News
Apr 092014
 
ISAFP chief denies military pocketed cash seized from Tiamzon couple

QC court enters not guilty plea for Tiamzons . Alleged ranking communist rebel leaders Benito Tiamzon (right) and his wife Wilma Austria attend their arraignment at the Quezon City RTC branch 81 on Tuesday, April 8. The couple refused to enter any plea on two counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges filed against them before the court. Asti Flores The head of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) on Wednesday dismissed as “propaganda” a leftist group’s claim that the military pocketed the cash seized from arrested communist leaders Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria. “That’s propaganda. They are trying to divert the issue, from the crimes committed by the couple,” said Maj. Gen. Eduardo Año, referring to the group Bayan, which is asking the military and the police to return the money supposedly seized from the couple. “Kahit sinkong duling hindi kukuha yung PNP (Philippine National Police) at AFP dun,” Año said. “Hindi kukunin ng AFP saka PNP yung pera para masira yung pagkakuha ng mag-asawa na yan.” Police and ISAFP agents arrested the couple in Cebu last March 22 based on standing warrants of arrest for multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder. Bayan said the money was intended for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas. Año dared Bayan to file a case against the arresting team in court. “Kung meron silang complaint dun sa arresting officers, dapat sa korte nila idulog,” he said. An earlier military statement did not mention any Read More …

LTFRB to let other bus lines ply routes of suspended firm for Holy Week

 News
Apr 052014
 
LTFRB to let other bus lines ply routes of suspended firm for Holy Week

For the coming Holy Week exodus, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board will allow some bus companies to ply the routes of a bus firm suspended due to a deadly accident in Northern Luzon last February. The LTFRB will let these firms take the place of GV Florida Transport during this time, radio dzBB’s Rodil Vega reported Sunday. A separate report on Journal Online said the LTFRB may give special permits to bus firms with franchises in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Cordillera regions. The report said the special permit will be valid until September 11, 2014, or when the six-month suspension on G.V. Florida Transport is lifted. Filipinos are expected to flock to the provinces in the coming weeks so they can spend Holy Week with their families. GV Florida’s franchise was suspended for six months by the LTFRB last March 14, following a Feb. 7 accident where one of its units fell into a ravine in Mountain Province. Popular comedian Arvin “Tado” Jimenez, 39, was among the 14 who perished in a horrific bus crash. He was an active advocate of many causes, including pork barrel scandal, reproductive health issue, and relief for disaster victims. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

DOJ supports AMLC bid to freeze assets of senators in 'pork' scam

 News
Apr 052014
 
DOJ supports AMLC bid to freeze assets of senators in 'pork' scam

The Department of Justice fully supports the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s (AMLC’s) bid to have a freeze order issued on the bank accounts and properties of the three senators implicated in the alleged pork barrel scam. According to a Friday report on GMA 7’s Saksi, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the council had started working on freezing the assets of the implicated lawmakers — Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Bong Revilla, and Jinggoy Estrada. “It is public funds, kaban ng bayan iyan, coffers ‘yan, national treasury ‘yan. So in the end, dapat i-recover ‘yan. That is part of the integral process of exacting justice in anti-corruption cases such as this — lalo na’t plunder,” De Lima added. Meanwhile, a source told GMA News that the AMLC has requested documents from the DOJ and the National Bureau of Investigation to support the asset preservation order to be filed against the three senators. Last year, the DOJ filed plunder charges against Enrile, Estrada, and Revilla, as well as other former lawmakers for allegedly receiving kickbacks from so-called pork barrel scam operator Janet Lim Napoles, in an elaborate scheme to funnel their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) into ghost projects and NGOs. On Tuesday, the Office of the Ombudsman announced the indictment of Enrile, Estrada and Revilla for plunder, along with Napoles, over the P10-billion pork barrel scam. The Ombudsman has yet to resolve two other batches of government fund-related complaints filed last year by the DOJ and the NBI. One batch is connected Read More …

Arroyo spends third birthday under hospital arrest

 News
Apr 052014
 
Arroyo spends third birthday under hospital arrest

Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo celebrated her 67th birthday with more than 50 guests at the Veteran’s Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City on Saturday. The former president’s guests–who were approved by the Philippine National Police–consisted of family, friends and political allies, including her former Cabinet members. This marks her third birthday celebration in the medical institution since she was placed under hospital arrest in 2012. Although Arroyo’s petition for a furlough to celebrate her birthday in her hometown in Lubao, Pampanga was junked by the Sandiganbayan, the court allowed extended visiting hours on April 4 and 6. Members of her extended family were also allowed to sleep over during the weekend. Meanwhile, her former office, the Malacañan, wished her the best through Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr.  “We want to greet her a happy birthday, and we hope that she will be happy celebrating it, along with her loved ones,” Coloma said during a press briefing. Arroyo, who is suffering from recurrent dysphagia or problems in swallowing, is under hospital arrest over plunder charges. She was first placed under hospital arrest in late 2011 over a separate electoral sabotage case. — Andrei Medina/JDS, GMA News

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