PUBLIC WARNED VS BOGUS FUND- RAISING
THE Department of Justice (DoJ) on Thursday warned the public anew against a scam wherein unscrupulous individuals use the name of Cabinet officials. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre 2nd himself made the warning as he disclosed that even the name of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea was used for unauthorized solicitations oy money. In Memorandum Circular 65 dated November 24, the DoJ chief mandated the heads of the agency’s attached offices and bureaus to disseminate the warning. “There are unscrupulous individuals posing as members of the Cabinet, including the Executive Secretary, or name-dropping the latter in fraudulent schemes to solicit funds from the public,” Aguirre said. Any form of solicitation involving public officials and employees is strictly prohibited under Presidential Decree 46 and other laws. Sanctions may range from one to five years in prison, perpetual disqualification from public office, and accessory penalties. “The public is also warned that the OP (Office of the President) and the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) have not authorized any person to solicit money or other things of value from the public for the alleged benefit of Marawi soldiers, senior citizens, illegal drug campaign, or any other cause for that matter,” Aguirre said.
CHINESE BUSINESSMAN IN SHABU SMUGGLING BARRED FROM FLIGHT
CHEN Ju Long, also known as Richard Tan, was intercepted by immigration officers at 3 a. m. on Thursday at Clark International Airport, as he was trying to board Eastern Air Flight 5046 to Shanghai Pudong. Tan was stopped as he was the subject of the Bureau of Immigration’s Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order ( ILBO) for his involvement in the smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of shabu in May. Tan is the general manager of Hong Fei Logistics where the smuggled shabu ended up. Immigration spokesman Ma. Antonette Mangrobang said Tan’s departure was deferred and he was advised by the Department of Justice to secure a departure order.
DOJ FORMS TASK FORCE VS ROGUE POLICE
THE Department of Justice (DoJ) has formed a task force to handle charges lodged by the Philippine National PoliceCounter Intelligence Task Force (PNP- CITF) against erring policemen. In Department Order 697 dated October 25, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre 2nd tapped 14 prosecutors to conduct preliminary investigations on the cases filed by PNP- CITF. The head of the task force is Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Severino Gana. Also included in the 14-man team are Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Juan Pedro Navera, Susan Azarcon, Edwin Dayog, Susan Villanueva, Ma. Emilia Victorio, and Hazel Decena- Valdez; Assistant State Prosecutors Aristotle Reyes, Consuelo Corazon Pazzuiagan, Chulo Palencia Jr.,; and Assistant Prosecution Attorneys Borgy Calugay, Jonathan Paul Dimaano, Joan Carla Garcia and Loverhette Jeffrey Villordon.
DEPED URGED TO STRENGTHEN PHILIPPINE HISTORY EDUCATION IN HIGH SCHOOL
A teachers’s group on Thursday appealed to the Department of Education (DepEd) to include the teaching of Philippine history in high school curriculum starting next school year. The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition ( TDC) made the appeal at the sidelines of this year’s commemoration of the birth of Andres Bonifacio, the country’s’ foremost revolutionary hero. Spokesman Benjo Basas recalled that in 2014, the second year of implementation of the K-12 program, the education department removed the teaching of Philippine history in secondary schools. Under DepEd Order No. 20, S. 2014,
which was previously taught in first year high school or grade seven, was removed in favor of The group said conformity with standards should not mean that “Philippine education will just cater to the policies under the global economic system where the cost of labor becomes cheaper and the national identity becomes unnecessary.” The group said critical thinking would be best taught at the secondary level. Thus, teaching Philippine history, literature, arts and culture should be strengthened in the senior and junior high school curriculum. The TDC said it had discussed its appeal personally to Education Secretary Leonor Briones, who was said to have agreed to the proposal. “We will remind the secretary on her commitment and we hope that by school year 2018-2019, Philippine history will regain its rightful place in high school curriculum,” said.
PALPARAN RELEASE WILL FOLLOW DUE PROCESS – AFP
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) maintained on Thursday that freedom for retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. would make soldiers “happy” and would signify that due process of law was followed. Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr., AFP spokesman, reiterated that Palparan had his day in court to defend himself and face those who accused him of committing human rights violations. On Saturday, Padilla said the release of Palparan would delight soldiers. He made the statement amid calls from military forums on Facebook to free the ex-military officer from imprisonment, which stemmed from charges of kidnapping of two University of the Philippines (UP) students in 2006. Human rights group Karapatan and the mothers of the two UP students earlier this week expressed alarm over the statement of Padilla, calling Palparan a “butcher.”