Enrile: Gigi Reyes not authorized to discuss ‘pork’ with Ruby Tuason

 News
Feb 102014
 
Enrile: Gigi Reyes not authorized to discuss ‘pork’ with Ruby Tuason

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile on Monday denied authorizing his former chief-of-staff, Jessica “Gigi” Gonzales Reyes, to discuss pork barrel transactions with potential state witness Ruby Tuason on his behalf. In an interview, Enrile maintained that he never received government funds from Tuason through Reyes. “Pork barrel funds? Walang ibinibigay sa akin na pork barrel funds. Kickback? I don’t know. I do not live with Mrs Reyes. I do not live in her house,” the senator told reporters. He added that he is confident Reyes will not further implicate him in the alleged anomaly. He said as far as he knows, his former chief-of-staff never received kickbacks from pork barrel transactions. “What will she [Reyes] say? I have faith in her honesty and integrity… There has never been any occasion when she violated that degree of rectitude expected of a public servant,” Enrile said. Ruby Tuason Last Friday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said that Tuason, through an affidavit, admitted to personally delivering pork barrel kickbacks to Enrile, through Reyes, and to Senator Jinggoy Estrada. De Lima also said that Tuason even recalled an incident when Enrile dropped by at a coffee meeting between her and Reyes. Reyes resigned last January as Enrile’s chief-of-staff at the height of accusations that she had power over Senate matters and authority to sign on behalf of her boss. She left the country last August at the height of the pork barrel scandal. Last September, Reyes posted a statement on her Facebook page Read More …

De Lima: Revilla Sr. may be included in pork barrel probe

 Entertainment
Jan 252014
 
De Lima: Revilla Sr. may be included in pork barrel probe

President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima during the 8th East Asia Conference (EAC) on Competition Law and Policy at the Mindanao Ballroom, Sofitel Philippine Plaza in CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City on Wednesday (August 28, 2013). EAC is an open event for key high-level officials of competition agencies in East Asia. EAC participants exchange ideas, views and experiences on emerging regional competition issues; and undertake to strengthen understanding and cooperation with regard to the implementation of competition policy and law across the region. In photo is Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) chairman Kazuyuki Sugimoto. (MNS photo) MANILA, Jan 23 (Mabuhay) – First, his son. Now, former Senator Ramon Revilla, Sr. may just find himself in the center of the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) probe into the alleged siphoning of lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to so-called “Napoles non-government organizations (NGOs).” His namesake, incumbent Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., was part of the first batch of respondents charged by the NBI and “pork barrel” scam whistleblowers before the office of the Ombudsman. The complaint alleged that Revilla Jr. pocketed P224.51 M as kickbacks from Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged scam architect. Justice Secretary Leila De Lima is set to meet with primary whistleblower Benhur Luy, Napoles’ former aide, and his lawyer, Levito Baligod, to find out if they are in possession of evidence against Revilla Sr. So far, De Lima said she is not aware of any sworn statement by Luy or Read More …

Revilla's ‘toy truck’ gimmick an insult to NBI, DOJ – Justice chief

 News
Jan 202014
 
Revilla's ‘toy truck’ gimmick an insult to NBI, DOJ – Justice chief

Senator Revilla lashes back at Aquino govt . In what could be taken as a mockery of the complaint against him in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. presented the ‘truckload’ of evidence supposedly being used against him during a privilege speech on Monday, January 20. Revilla accused the Aquino administration of using the pork barrel issue to cover up its alleged failures. Benjie Castro Justice Secretary Leila de Lima was not amused by Senator Bong Revilla Jr’s privilege speech, where he denied involvement in the pork barrel scam and even trotted out a toy truck to make light of the government’s evidence against him. “Nangi-insulto na lang iyon. I don’t know for what reason ginagawa niya iyan na minamaliit niya ang trabaho ng NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) at DOJ (Department of Justice),” said De Lima, stressing the plunder complaint that the NBI filed against the lawmaker was already being evaluated by the Office of the Ombudsman. “So, siguro iyon ang alam niyang strategy…na maliitin at insultuhin ang naging outlook ng NBI,” she added. In his speech, Revilla claimed President Benigno Aquino III personally asked him to vote to convict former chief justice Renato Corona in 2012. Revilla was one of 20 senators who voted for conviction on May 29, 2012. Revilla’s toy truck was an apparent reference to the sets of documentary evidence prepared by the DOJ and NBI, which were so voluminous they had to be transported from the NBI headquarters Read More …

Mendez named new NBI director

 Entertainment
Jan 202014
 
Mendez named new NBI director

Atty. Virgilio Mendez (photo courtesy of www.nbi.gov.ph) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Atty. Virgilio Mendez is the new Director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Mendez, NBI Deputy Director for Regional Operations Services before assuming the bureau’s top post, took his oath before Justice Secretary Leila De Lima Thursday morning, exactly 36 years since he joined the bureau as an agent on Jan. 16, 1978. Mendez assumed the post four months after Atty. Nonnatus Rojas tendered his irrevocable resignation. Mendez, 61, is an NBI insider who rose from the ranks of the country’s top investigation arm. He is the first NBI insider to be appointed Director since the passing of NBI Director Federico Opinion in 2000 due to kidney failure and diabetes. A native of Bohol, Mendez also served as NBI Regional Director for Region X in 2004, Deputy Director for Comptroller Services from 2007 to 2009, and Deputy Director for Administrative Services from 2009 to 2011. He became NBI Deputy Director for ROS from 2011. De Lima, who personally endorsed Mendez to President Aquino as Rojas’ replacement, said the former’s appointment will be a boost to the morale of the men and women of the NBI. “It is, perhaps, time to, once again, hail somebody from the NBI ranks. Besides the obvious experience that an insider will bring to the NBI leadership, it will also serve as a considerable morale booster for those serving in the NBI,” De Lima said. When Rojas, a member of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Read More …

Davidson Bangayan will be placed under Look-out Bulletin – De Lima

 Entertainment
Jan 202014
 
Davidson Bangayan will be placed under Look-out Bulletin – De Lima

(DOJ building) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima said on Wednesday that controversial businessman Davidson Bangayan will be placed under the Look-out Bulletin. De Lima said that such action will be taken amid the gathering of more information about the possible involvement of Bangayan in rice smuggling because of suspicion that he is also the big-time rice smuggler David Tan. Likewise, De Lima said that she has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to continue with the gathering of additional information and evidence that David Tan and Davidson Bangayan are one and the same person. De Lima added that based on the testimonies of the witnesses of the NBI who are from one of the rice cooperatives, Bangayan and Tan are only one person. At the same time, De Lima said that the NBI has already coordinated with the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) to clarify the warrant of arrest it earlier issued against a certain David Tan who was accused of electricity pilferage. De Lima noted that the phrase “who is not” is not usual in a warrant of arrest because the aliases are oftentimes included in the name of the persons ordered to be arrested. The DOJ chief said that this should be clarified, especially so that if the record of the case at the Caloocan City RTC will be made as basis, the addresses of David Tan and Davidson Bangayan are only one and the same. (MNS)

De Lima: NBI has tracked down alleged rice smuggler ‘David Tan’

 News
Jan 122014
 
De Lima: NBI has tracked down alleged rice smuggler ‘David Tan’

Government investigators have tracked down an individual who they believe could be the “David Tan” being linked to rice smuggling operations in the country. In an interview with reporters Monday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents have found out that Tan’s real name is Davidson Bangayan. “The initial results of the verification and investigation of the NBI is that this David Tan actually exists,” De Lima said, adding the NBI believes that Tan and Bangayan are “one and the same person.” She said the NBI already knows the home and business addresses of Bangayan, who is believed to be a “one-man cartel.” The Department of Justice and the NBI have re-opened their investigation on rice smuggling after Sen. Ralph Recto expressed disappointment over their alleged failure to act on his Senate panel’s recommendation months ago. The panel has recommended to prosecute one David Tan in connection with rice smuggling activities in the country. The DOJ and the NBI “temporarily closed” their probe earlier because the NBI was unable to find out the identity and whereabouts of Tan and fellow suspect, Danny Ngo, despite “diligent efforts.” Some 48 million kilos of smuggled rice worth about P725M are in 1,937 container vans intercepted at various ports nationwide from October to December last year, according to the Bureau of Customs. The Federation of Philippine Industries had earlier said a Davao City-based trader is suspected to be involved in large-scale rice smuggling. Last week, activist lawyer Argee Guevarra Read More …

PNoy can ‘withdraw’ Leviste parole – De Lima

 News
Dec 082013
 
PNoy can ‘withdraw’ Leviste parole – De Lima

President Benigno Aquino III can withdraw the parole granted to convicted killer Jose Antonio Leviste, according to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, even as she maintained that there seems to be nothing irregular with the granting of the parole. “So far, there’s no basis for me to conclude that the board did not act above board in passing such application,” De Lima said Monday following a meeting with the country’s top jail officials. She, however, noted that she would “defer” to the decision of the President, who she said has the power to “review” paroles granted to prisoners. De Lima also said the Board of Parole and Pardon is standing by its decision to end Leviste’s almost five-year imprisonment by granting him parole. She also noted that Leviste, a former Batangas governor who was jailed in January 2009 for killing a long-time aide in Makati, was able to comply with the requirement for parole. Leviste, 73, was convicted of homicide and was sentenced to at least six years in prison but his good conduct time allowance allowed him to cut short his sentence by a little more than a year. — Mark Merueñas/KBK, GMA News

De Lima says Region 2 solon linked to fake SAROs, 3 other regions probed

 Entertainment
Dec 042013
 
De Lima says Region 2 solon linked to fake SAROs, 3 other regions probed

Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, poses questions to Janet Lim-Napoles, alleged pork barrel scam mastermind during the hearing on Thursday (Nov. 7, 2013) at the Senate building in Pasay City. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday said the National Bureau of Invetigation is already investigating the possible involvement of a lawmaker from the Cagayan Valley Region in the Department of Budget and Management’s supposed release of “fake” Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) worth P879 million for farm-to-market-road projects in four regions. In an interview with reporters, De Lima said the anomaly involved “12 to 13 fake SAROs” that were presented to the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Offices not only in Cagayan Valley (Region 2) but also in Calabarzon (Region 4A), Western Visayas (Region 6), and Soccsksargen (Region 12). “Staff ng isang congressman from Region 2 ang unang nagpakita ng fake SARO na iyan, doon sa regional field unit of Region 2… So we do not know what is the extent of the participation of that particular congressman. Is he an innocent recipient of the SARO or not?” said De Lima, adding that the lawmaker’s staff had already been issued a subpoena. De Lima refused to identify the lawmaker while investigation is ongoing. According to the Commission on Audit, a SARO is a “specific authority issued to one or more identified agencies to incur obligations not exceeding a given amount during a specified period for the purpose indicated.” Read More …

5 more complaints on govt fund misuse set to be filed – lawyer

 News
Nov 292013
 
5 more complaints on govt fund misuse set to be filed – lawyer

De Lima: 34 others to face raps in connection with ‘pork’ scam. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday, November 29, revealed a new set of respondents in a new complaint to be filed with the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam. The list of respondents includes Customs Commissioner and former Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon, an ally of President Aquino. Also in photo is lawyer Levito Baligod. Danny Pata After filing three batches of criminal complaints in the last two months, the government is now preparing at least five more in connection with the alleged misuse of government funds, including the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). Lawyer Levito Baligod on Friday told reporters that their camp already has witnesses who come from the government and have already executed affidavits for these five new batches of complaints. “Mayroon pa. Mga hanggang 5 batches, halu-halo na, non-PDAF, non-(Janet Lim-) Napoles,” said Baligod at a press briefing held shortly before before the second batch of PDAF-related complaints was filed with the Office of the Ombudsman. Napoles, a businesswoman, is facing plunder charges in connection with the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam. Baligod kept mum on the details of the five other batches but said these involved irregularities between 2004 and 2006. He also said Napoles and her non-government organizations were still involved in these irregularities. However, Baligod said other non-Napoles NGOs would now be implicated in the new batches. He suspected that these other NGOs got even Read More …

Interpol forensic experts scheduled to fly to Tacloban

 News
Nov 212013
 
Interpol forensic experts scheduled to fly to Tacloban

By Tetch Torres-TupasINQUIRER.net 6:47 pm | Thursday, November 21st, 2013 AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Forensic experts from the International Police (Interpol) are scheduled to fly to Tacloban City to help in identifying the victims of monster typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan). Justice Secretary Leila De Lima told reporters that she has already met with the Interpol’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team which will assist the NBI in the huge task of identifying thousands of cadavers. “This weekend, they will go to Tacloban to make an initial assessment to be able to make a proposal on how to go about the DVI given the magnitude of the casualties,” De Lima said. “Of course, Interpol has a lot of experience already not only competence, not only expertise in that area but experience in dealing with this situation on all types of disasters,” she added. The Interpol team is composed of experts from Canada, United Kingdom, Cameron, Jordan, Bosnia and South Africa. “That’s the initial team and depending on the exact process, I think more experts from the Interpol will fly to the country,” she said. De Lima believed that Interpol’s assistance in the DVI operations would be very helpful, citing the same help extended by the international body during the “Princess of the Star” tragedy off Romblon in June 2008. She also said that the integrity of the whole process of identifying the casualties will be ensured with the help of the foreign forensics experts. The first batch of NBI experts flew Read More …

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