Maniolas

Witness Edgar Motabato appears before the Senate Committee on Justice’s probe on the alleged rampant extrajudicial killings and summary executions of suspected criminals. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – Senators recommended Thursday placing self-confessed killer and witness Edgar Matobato under the protection and custody of the Senate. Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said the Senate should provide sanctuary to Matobato within the Senate grounds so that he will be adequately protected. “My motion is to place the witness under the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms and provide sanctuary within the Senate grounds until formal arrangements can be made,” he said. Trillanes also wanted Matobato to be placed under the Department of Justice’s Witness Protection Program. Senator Leila de Lima, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, agreed with the motion. “The Senate is the best to provide protection to the witness at this time,” she said. Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III and Senator Franklin Drilon also agreed with the motion. Trillanes also recommended that the witness be given legislative immunity. Both motions should be approved by Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III before it can be implemented. Matobato said during the hearing that he knows his testimony could cost him his life. “Alam ko ‘yung testimony ko ‘yung buhay ko naman ang kapalit. Matagal na nila akong hinahabol,” he said. The witness has earlier been admitted to the WPP but he left after President Rodrigo Duterte won, saying he knows he will be killed. “Alam ko na ipapabunot ako sa WPP. Read More …

President Rodrigo R. Duterte welcomes the US Congressional delegation accompanied by US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg at the President’s Hall in Malacañan Palace on July 19. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – President Rodrigo Duterte telling American troops to leave Mindanao is not yet a policy statement, presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Tuesday. “It is not policy yet. It is not policy. In other words, nobody acted on it yet,” he said in a press briefing in Malacañang. “There is no specific directive as to how this pronouncement will be effected,” Abella added. Duterte’s words, however, may be a basis for future actions. “Definitely, the President has already painted a picture, let’s see how it unfolds,” he said. Duterte on Monday said that the US special forces based in Mindanao “have to go.” “Kaya iyong mga special forces, they have to go. They have to go.  In Mindanao, maraming mga puti roon, they have to go. I-review ko iyang foreign policy. Hindi ko lang masalita noon out of respect or I do not want a rift with America. But they have to go,” Duterte said in a speech delivered before his new appointees at the Heroes Hall in Malacañang. The US State Department, meanwhile, said that the Philippines has not made an official demand on the American troops’ pullout from Mindanao

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary and Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) Chair Vitaliano Aquirre II shakes hands with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary and IACAT Co-Chair Judy Taguiwalo after the signing of the Statement of Collective Commitment Against Human Trafficking during the observance of the 2016 World Day Against Human on Friday (July 29, 2016) at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. Looking on is Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morente (left). The World Day Against Human Trafficking was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003 and adopted by the member states through a resolution declaring that it is necessary to raise awareness on the issue of trafficking and promote the rights of victims. (MNS photo) MANILA  (PNA) – Department of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II lauded the efforts of prosecutors led by Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro “JP” Navera in securing the conviction of the members of the so-called Chin Drug Syndicate. “I congratulate all our prosecutors who are involved in the successful prosecution of this case. Their valiant efforts validated the acts of our apprehending officers from the Philippine National Police (PNP) who apprehended the accused. But beyond that, our prosecutors, together with the judge, are very instrumental in restoring the people’s trust and confidence in our judicial system,” Aguirre noted. The case is one of the biggest drug busts in the history of the Philippines. “This is a major victory in the President’s (Rodrigo Duterte) war Read More …

Kathryn Bernardo (MNS photo) Kathryn Bernardo says the loyal fans of her KathNiel loveteam with Daniel Padilla will see a different Kathryn and Daniel in their new movie, “Barcelona: A Love Untold” that opens on September 14, as directed by Olivia Lamasan. “We’re playing more mature roles here, hindi na pa-cute, hindi na teenybopper roles like we did before in ‘Must Be Love’ and ‘She’s Dating the Gangster’,” she says. “This is just to be expected kasi nga hindi na rin kami teenagers ni Daniel, so kailangang lumevel up na kami because even our fans, mas mature na rin. I’m sure mapapansin nila ang pagkakaiba when they watch the movie.” Someone says Kathryn’s competence as a drama actress is very evident in many scenes in the film. Even Daniel is said to have been amazed by her transformation and her acting prowess as a young woman who goes to Spain to rise from her failures and meets Daniel as Ely, a guy who’s heartbroken after his sweetheart, Celine, a lookalike of Kathryn, dumped him. So what’s the real score between them at this stage? “Exclusive na kami. Wala nang puwedeng dumagdag na isa pa doon. We enjoy  each other’s company every day,” Daniel declares. Daniel says their love team was formed five years ago. “Noong first year, getting to know each other pa lang kami,” he adds. “Then sa second year, we get to know our differences and it’s up to each of us to accept it or magka-clash kami. Since Read More …

By Jelly F. Musico President Rodrigo R. Duterte salutes government troopers and army veterans during the celebration of the National Heroes’ Day at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on August 29. Also in the photo is Vice-President Maria Leonor Robredo. (MNS photo) MANILA  (PNA) – President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday that United States military forces have to leave Mindanao to prevent being targeted by kidnap-for-ransom groups, particularly the Abu Sayyaf. ”I do not want a rift with America, but they have to go. The Americans, they (bandits) will really kill them. They will get ransom and they will kill (hostages),” President Duterte said in his speech during the oath-taking of his 43 new appointees in Malacañang. ”So those (US) special forces, they have to go. There are many white there. They have to go,” he added. President Duterte said he was supposed to raise the issue when he attended the recently concluded ASEAN Summit in Laos. ”But I did not speak about it out of respect,” Duterte, the country’s first president from Mindanao, said. Recently, the Philippine government increased its military presence to almost 10,000 troops in Sulu to crush the Abu Sayyaf. Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella released a media statement to clarify President Duterte’s call for the US forces to leave Mindanao. ”The statement reflects PRRD’s (President Duterte’s) new direction towards coursing an independent foreign policy. He has made reference to the unrecognized, unrepented and un-atoned for massacre at Bud Dajo in Sulu by the Read More …