Palace to 4 ex-solons: Surrender, prove your innocence
MALACAÑANG
on Tuesday, July 31, urged National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Secretary Liza Maza and three other leftleaning former lawmakers to surrender and prove their innocence.
Speaking to Palace reporters, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. called on Maza and other former lawmakers Rafael Mariano, Satur Ocampo, and Teodoro Casiño to heed the arrest orders against them.
"Well, syempre po, 'yung mga warrants of arrest naman pong iyan, iyan ay lawfully issued by a trial court -- if I'm not mistaken -- in Nueva Ecija," Roque said.
(Well, of course, those warrants of arrest are lawfully-issued by a trial court -- if I'm not mistaken -- in Nueva Ecija.)
"So if they're innocent, then they should in fact surrender, recognize the jurisdiction of the court, and prove their innocence in court. That's what we expect from everyone," he added.
Judge Evelyn Turla of Nueva Ecija, Palayan City Regional Trial Court Branch 40 issued arrest warrants against Maza, Mariano, Ocampo, and Casiño over their alleged involvement in the abduction-killing of Danilo Felipe, Jimmy Peralta, and Carlito Bayudang in 2001, 2003, and 2004, respectively.
Felipe, Peralta, and Bayudang were alleged supporters of rival party-list Akbayan.
Maza, the incumbent NAPC head, is a former Gabriela party-list representative, while Mariano served as former Anakpawis party-list representative and former Agrarian Reform Secretary.
Ocampo and Casiño, on the other hand, are former Bayan Muna party-list representatives.
Makabayan lawmakers have claimed that the warrants of arrest against the four former lawmakers were the Duterte government's apparent "attacks against the opposition."
Roque, however, denied that the Palace had a hand in the order to arrest Maza, Mariano, Ocampo, and Casiño.
"Absolutely, [Palace had no hand in it]. It's in court. It's been in court. And it's a warrant of arrest issued by the court, not by the executive branch. We don't have powers to issue warrants of arrest," he said.
"The task of the executive is in fact to implement the laws. If there are warrants of arrest, it is the task of the executive, through our law enforcement agencies, to make sure that these warrants of arrest, are properly served," he added.
Following the Nueva Ecija court's ruling, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the National Bureau of Investigation would help enforce the arrest orders.
Roque said Maza, as an incumbent member of the Cabinet, should adhere to the rule of law.
"She has to report, surrender physically to the Regional Trial Court because there's a warrant of arrest. Well, she has to heed the warrant of arrest. Not even the President can interfere in our judicial process," he said.
"Cabinet members must live by way of example that they adhere to the rule of law. Siguro naman po hindi siya madedehado because she's a member of the Cabinet," he added.
(Cabinet members must live by way of example that they adhere to the rule of law. Perhaps, she will not be at a disadvantage because she's a member of the Cabinet.)
For now, Roque said Duterte still trusts Maza "unless the President fires her."
Asked if Palace is willing to give her legal assistance, Roque said: "Well, she has not asked for assistance. And of course, this is a legal problem so this is something that she has to decide for herself." (Ruth Abbey Gita/ SunStar Philippines)
Southern Police District director Chief Superintendent Tomas Apolinario Jr. said the Swat team’s operation, which transpired around 3:30 a.m., Tuesday on Tandem Street Arca, Southwestern Bicutan, was supposed to be against a kidnap-for-ransom group.
Apolinario said the suspects turned out to the policemen, who are allegedly members of the Maru kidnap-for-ransom group.
“Police encounter with suspected kidnap for ransom group resulted to death of one suspect and arrest of five others. Suspects turned out to be all policemen in active service,” said Apolinario.
The slain cop was identified as Police Officer (PO) 1 Gerardo Ancheta. Arrested were PO1 Bryan Amir Bajo, PO1 Paolo Ocampo and PO2 Joey Maru, all members of the Taguig City police station, police community precinct (PCP) 1 in Western Bicutan.
Apolinario said they had received a complaint
MANILA (Updated) -Malacañang condemned on Tuesday, July 31, the latest terror attack in Basilan province that killed 11 people, including a 10year-old child.
"We condemn in the strongest possible terms the latest terrorist attack in Basilan perpetrated in violation of our laws," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. told Palace reporters.
An improvised explosive device installed in a white van exploded around 5:50 a.m. Tuesday, July 31, while members of the 9th Scout Ranger Company were conducting a checkpoint near a Magkawit detachment in Colonia village, Lamitan, Basilan.
Roque said the Basilan attack was considered a "war crime," since it violated Section 4(c)(1) of Republic Act (RA) 9851.
"We note that even in times of war, the attack constitutes a war crime because it constitutes an indiscriminate attack, which is prohibited by [Section] 4(c)(1), Attacks on Civilian, by RA 9851," he said.
RA 9851's Section 4(c)(1) states that "intentionally directing attacks from Ronielyn Caraecle, who said four armed men forcibly entered her house on Viscara Street, New Lower Bicutan, Taguig at about 12:30 a.m., July 31, and took her and her boyfriend Samuel aside from carting away cash amounting to P7,000, two gold watches and signature wallets.
Caraecle said the armed men demanded P50,000 for her and her boyfriend’s release. Caraecle’s family was able to immediately produce P20,000 and made an initial payment.
The suspects released Caraecle so she could produce the balance of P30,000. They allegedly kept her boyfriend hostage.
Caraecle then sought the assistance of the police which resulted in the entrapment operation.
Recovered from the suspects were four firearms with magazines, two extra magazines, cash worth P10,600, one gold watch, three cellphones, illegal drug paraphernalia and two sachets of suspected the civilian population as such or against individual civilians not taking direct part in hostilities" constitutes a war crime.
Authorities are considering the incident as a suicide bombing by a foreign-looking driver of the van, who was suspected to be a member of the Abu Sayyaf group (ASG), according to news reports.
The explosion in Basilan, a stronghold of ASG, came more than a year since Islamic Stateaffiliated Maute terrorists laid siege to Marawi City, Lanao del Sur province that prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial rule in the whole of Mindanao.
The promulgation of martial law in Mindanao is effective until December 31, 2018.
Asked why the incident occurred despite the martial law declaration in the south, Roque said: "I do not know how it happened. What I'm saying is illegal acts will happen whether or not we have intelligence communities. Perhaps, one thing that the military and security establishments must look into is their intelligence capability."
Roque said the government would hold accountable the perpetrators behind the bombing.
"We do not know who's behind it yet. They're still investigating," he said. "Authorities are now investigating the incident even as we vow to bring the perpetrators of this brazen attack to justice."
Despite the incident, Roque reiterated Duterte's appeal to ASG members to surrender, assuring them that they would receive assistance from the government.
"Ini-enganyo niyang magsurrender nga 'yung mga Abu Sayyaf kasi meron ng mga ilang Abu Sayyaf na nag-surrender na. Binigyan din natin ng tulong (He's encouraging the Abu Sayyaf members to surrender, because there are some Abu Sayyaf bandits who already surrendered. They were given assistance)," he said.
"Wala pang binibigyan ng amnesty. At I don't think the President is contemplating amnesty for them (No one was granted amnesty. And I don't think the President is contemplating amnesty for them). [But] that's the only way to erase their criminal liability," he added. (Ruth Abbey Gita/ SunStar Philippines)