Canadian-led group to present recommendations on Bangsamoro police

 News
Mar 192014
 
Canadian-led group to present recommendations on Bangsamoro police

Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Neil Reeder FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Canadian-led Independent Commission on Policing (ICP) established to draw up a police system for the Bangsamoro juridical entity will present its recommendations after the expected signing of a comprehensive peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), according to the Canadian ambassador in Manila. Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Neil Reeder said on Wednesday that the ICP, chaired by an expert from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, has been wrapping up its report following public consultations in Mindanao in 2013. “We had an expert from the Royal Canadian Mountain police who came, and spent several months here. I think their report will be issued very soon, I think in the next couple of weeks, on the proposed policing structure of the Bangsamoro,” Reeder said. “That would include reference to all the consultations that they’ve done, as well as drawing upon experiences of other countries including Canada,” said the diplomat in an interview on Wednesday. The ICP, a panel composed of international and local experts and representatives from both the Philippine government and MILF panels, was convened in September 2013 as mandated by the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro. The commission was tasked to “recommend appropriate policing within the Bangsamoro, which is civilian in character and responsible both to the Central Government and the Bangsamoro Government, and to the communities it serves.” Randall Beck, an assistant commissioner at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, chairs the Read More …

PNoy orders monitoring of radio stations not playing OPM songs 

 News
Mar 192014
 
PNoy orders monitoring of radio stations not playing OPM songs 

In a bid to help the local music industry, President Benigno Aquino III has ordered a stricter monitoring of radio stations not playing enough original Pilipino music songs. At the Pinoy Music Summit, Aquino said his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, signed Executive Order 255 in 1987 to give due recognition to Filipino music and artists. Under EO 255, “all radio stations shall broadcast a minimum of four original [F]ilipino musical compositions in every clockhour of a program with a musical format.” “Pinaigting naman po natin ito sa pag-aatas sa National Telecommunications Commission na bantayan ang pagsunod ng mga istasyon ng radyo sa batas na ito,” the President said on Wednesday. EO 255 states that any franchise holder or operator of a radio station who fails to broadcast the minimum number of compositions shall pay P100 per violation. It added that the NTC, after due hearing, may likewise suspend or cancel the certificate of registration and authority to operate of any radio station in the event of repeated violations. Filipino music today On Wednesday, Aquino underscored the importance of music in Filipino culture and everyday life. He also cited various Filipino achievements in the field of music. “Alam naman po natin, at ng buong mundo: hindi lang mahilig kumanta ang Pilipino – sa larangan ng musika, pinatunayan, at patuloy nating pinatutunayan na mayroon tayong binubuga,” he said. Because of this, he said the government is willing to help the industry in any way it can.  “Nandiyan po yong kagustuhan Read More …

PNoy: Plunder complaint against me baseless, extreme 

 News
Mar 192014
 
PNoy: Plunder complaint against me baseless, extreme 

President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday shrugged off the plunder complaints filed against him and other government officials, saying they are baseless and extreme.   “Curious ako: Ano ho ba supposedly ang na-gain ko dito? Yung element kasi ng plunder you have to have personal gain. So what did I, Secretary Abad, or Secretary Alcala gain?” Aquino said at the sidelines of the Pinoy Music Summit in Malate, Manila. In October last year, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas filed plunder charges against Aquino, Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala, and Budget Sec. Florencio Abad, among others for their alleged involvement in the so-called pork barrel scam. Last January, the same group filed another plunder case against Aquino, Abad, and Agrarian Reform Sec. Virgilio Delos Reyes, among others over the alleged misuse of Malampaya funds. Aquino, however, said the claims are a little “extreme.” “Besides yung teknikal na aspect dito, siguro part of the democratic process, ay ipakita yung talagang napaka-extreme ng kanilang pananaw,” he said. But the President assured the public that no one is above the law. “Pangako ko sa sambayanan, ginagawa namin yung ebidensya ang magdadala sa atin kung saan tayo dapat pumunta,” he said. “Siguro tingnan na lang natin sinu-sino ba ang mga nakulong na rin tulad ni Mrs. Napoles,” he added. As for Alcala, he said the secretary is presumed guilty until proven otherwise. “May nagawa siyang positibo, merong akusasyon ngayon, tulad ng sinuman, palagay ko ho may karapatan siya [doon sa] presumption of innocence until proven guilty,” Read More …

Senate panel to summon Delfin Lee to housing scam probe

 News
Mar 192014
 
Senate panel to summon Delfin Lee to housing scam probe

The Senate housing committee will summon detained businessman Delfin Lee to its probe on the alleged Globe Asiatique housing scam, Senator JV Ejercito said Wednesday. Ejercito, chairman of the Senate panel, said Lee needs to face the investigation because he is the alleged mastermind of the anomaly, which reportedly defrauded thousands of Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) members. “We would like to inquire and investigate on the policies of Pag-IBIG then, how this double sale of housing units occurred, how a company like Globe Asiatique acquired a loan from Pag-IBIG using ghost housing loan applicants, and how we could protect people from this manipulative and anomalous housing loan scheme,” he said in a text message. The investigation will be set in two to three weeks, and will include victims of the supposed anomaly, he added. Lee is currently detained at the Pampanga Provincial Jail following his arrest early this month over a P6.6-billion syndicated estafa case. In 2008, Globe Asiatique entered into a Funding Commitment Agreement with Pag-IBIG for the housing project. It allegedly got at least P6.6 billion in housing loan proceeds for home buyers. (Click here to see infographic on the Globe Asiatique housing anomaly) However, an investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) supposedly showed Lee made false representations and submitted fake documents to secure the loans. From the 9,951 alleged Pag-IBIG borrowers in the Globe Asiatique deals, 1,000 could not be located, 400 denied applying for housing loans, and 200 had incomplete documents for the Read More …

AFP forms panel to probe into dismissed PMA cadet's case 

 General
Mar 182014
 
AFP forms panel to probe into dismissed PMA cadet's case 

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has formed a special investigation board that will look into the the case of dismissed Philippine Military Academy cadet Aldrin Jeff Cudia. “Upon the instruction of the President, the [AFP] Chief of Staff has created a special investigation board headed by Major General Crisologo Nayve,” AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala told GMA News Online in a phone interview on Wednesday. The five-member board has been formally formed on Tuesday. Nayve, who is also a PMA alumnus, is currently at the military school in Baguio City to conduct the investigation, Zagala said. The AFP public affairs chief added that Chief of Staff General Emmanuel Bautista has yet to receive Cudia’s written appeal. On Saturday, the day before the graduation of the PMA “Siklab Diwa” Class of 2014, the camp of Cudia met with President Benigno Aquino III to talk about the case. The President asked Cudia to put into writing their appeal so that the military could carry out a separate investigation into the issue. Cudia had been found guilty by the Honor Committee for lying in his explanation why he was two minutes late for a class. The former cadet said in his explanation their professor dismissed him late so he was late for his next class. However, the Honor Committee tagged this as a lie since he was technically made to wait by his professor and not dismissed late. For violatin the PMA Honor Code, Cudia was dismissed from Read More …

Raps filed in Taiwan fisher’s death

 News
Mar 182014
 
Raps filed in Taiwan fisher’s death

By Christine O. AvendañoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 9:23 am | Wednesday, March 19th, 2014 Taiwanese investigators look at a portion of a ship involved in the shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman as they ride a rubber boat with the Philippine Coast Guard while they continue their probe in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday May 28, 2013. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Eight officers and personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will be charged with homicide for the May 2013 fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman in the Balintang Channel, an incident that strained ties between Manila and Taipei. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday said a panel of Department of Justice prosecutors had found probable cause to charge the eight PCG in the death of Taiwanese fisherman Hong Shi Cheng. To be charged are PCG commanding officer Arnold Enriquez de la Cruz; Seamen 1st Class Edrando Quiapo Aguila, Mhelvin Aguilar Bendo II, Andy Gibb Ronario Golfo, Sunny Galanf Masangcay and Henry Baco Solomon; Seaman 2nd Class Nicky Renold Aurelio and Petty Officer 2 Richard Fernandez Corpuz. De la Cruz and Bendo will also be charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly falsifying the monthly gunner report dated May 11, 2013. The DOJ panel dismissed the other charge of obstruction of justice against De la Cruz, Lt. Junior Grade Martin Bernabe, Ramirez and Bendo this time for the deletion of video clips from the SD cards and compact discs submitted to the NBI as this was accidentally done. The homicide charges will Read More …

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