Bato eyes probe on ‘reward drugs’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Vince Lopez and Joel Zurbano

SENATOR Ronald Dela Rosa has filed a resolution seeking to investigate reports that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has been giving 30 percent of confiscated drugs to assets or informants as reward for successful seizures.

In filing Senate Resolution No. 508, Dela Rosa said he wants his public order committee to conduct a hearing on the issue.

Dela Rosa recalled that during the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs public hearing, the new modus was revealed by PDEA Director Gen. Moro Virgilio Lazo.

Lazo said instead of paying cash re-

Seafarers oppose escrow provision in Magna Carta

A GROUP of Filipino seafarers yesterday expressed strong opposition to an escrow provision in the proposed Magna Carta for seafarers, saying the provision is “anti-seaman.”

Jacinto Rivera, spokesperson for the Association of Marine Officers and Ratings Inc. (AMOR Seaman) said the provision states that any monetary award for a sick or deceased seaman from the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) or National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) will not be immediately available to the seaman winning the case.

“The AMOR Seaman strongly opposes the proposal to put the monetary award that has already been won in the NLRC or the NCMB into the ESCROW account,” Rivera said.

“It will be placed in an escrow bank account while the case is in the Court of Appeals and up to the Supreme Court. Disability or death benefits can only be obtained if there has been a final decision in the Supreme Court which usually takes five to ten years,” he said.

Rivera also said the group strongly believes the provision regarding escrow is “pro-employers,” “pro-manning agencies,” “pro-ship employers,” and “pro-ship owners.” ward, PDEA gave informants or assets 30 percent of the total seized illegal drugs.

The group said the escrow provision will put seafarers at a disadvantage and discourage them from filing claims for disability or death benefits because of the number of years they’ll have to wait before they can win the case.

“Where will they get the money to spend on the case, their medical treatment, and the food for their family while waiting for the outcome of the case?” Rivera said.

Dela Rosa branded as “disturbing” the alleged new policy of PDEA.

“This alleged new policy of PDEA is disturbing as this perpetuates the circulation of illegal drugs in the streets by the government agency that is tasked to fight against illegal drugs,” Dela Rosa said in his resolution.

“To continue our relentless fight against illegal drugs, there is a need to

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2022 — was “purely political.”

“The usual thing to do there is to look for illegal firearms,” Mr. Marcos said.

“As long as there are… illegal firearms, there will be few such crimes. Those private armies -- [we] really [need to] dismantle all that.”

Meanwhile, Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. said Degamo’s killers were probably known to the people in the area, pointing to a video circulating on the internet that showed a dog not barking when the killers entered the area.

Teves, a political rival of Degamo, expects to be implicated in the assassination.

“How were the killers able to enter that easily, or rather, how were they let inside? Based on my personal analysis, it’s as if the people at the gate knew them, that’s why they were able to enter with no resistance,” said the congressman and brother of Henry Teves, the one declared winner in the previous election but was later unseated as governor in favor of Degamo.

“Even the dog knew the intruders. How could I say that the dog knew them? Look at the actions of the dog in the video. It didn’t even bark and instead wagged its tail,” he added.

“You know, this is what I’ve long ensure that such fight must be imbued with integrity and honor, without compromising the values that our institutions and agencies stand for,” he added. feared. Why? I expected to be implicated in this,” Teves said in a video message posted Monday morning, March 6, referring to Degamo’s death.

Meanwhile, PDEA agents have seized at least P592 million worth of illegal drugs in the first month of the year.

In its operational assessment report submitted to Malacanang and released on Monday, the agency also reported the arrest of 4,499 drug personalities and the filing of 7,720 drug cases.

Among narcotics seized during PDEA operations were shabu worth P403.4 million; cocaine powder, P15.9 million; ecstasy tablets, P19.9 million; kush, PHP19.8 million; and millions worth of marijuana in the form of dried leaves, bricks, plants, and stalks.

Citing his “many sources of intel,” Teves, who is out of the country for medical reasons, said someone was trying to pin him with the governor’s killing.

“Now I’ve just learned that some people out there want to pin me down. Maybe some of these just want to seek attention or want to be famous for their own benefit. I’m not pointing to anybody in particular, but you know who you are,” he said.

Former presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo said the government must declare war on criminality in the wake of the recent attacks on local officials, saying “there appears to be a breakdown of law and order in places where the political feud is at its bloodiest.”

“The prime duty of the government is to serve and to protect the people. Let the people feel that service and protection,” he added.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier said it is getting closer to identifying those behind the bloodbath in Degamo’s house.

PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said four suspects have expressed willingness to cooperate with investigators.

The Department of Justice on Monday said complaints for multi- pects before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, Samsodin Bedar, in Marawi City,” he said in a press briefing.

Adiong’s staff, Ali Macapado Tabao, was also hurt in the attack.

Azurin said Adiong was “already out of danger.” ergy (DOE) for a three-year pilot program where Shell could deploy more Shell Recharge electric vehicle charging stations powered with renewable energy from SEPH.

Four of Adiong’s companions were killed when their convoy was ambushed on February 17 in Bukidnon.

Local oil firms raised the price of diesel by P1.50 per liter, kerosene by P1.25 per liter, and gasoline by P0.40 per liter.

Seaoil Philippines, Chevron Philippines, Jetti Petroleum, PetroGazz, and Cleanfuel issued separate advisories for their latest price hike. Other oil firms are expected to follow suit.

DOE director Rodela Romero last week predicted the oil price hike “due to a sign of a strong economic rebound of top crude importer, China; and easing worries of aggressive US interest rate increases.” in Negros Oriental,” Romualdez said. the possible site where the vessel is actually located. That site is about 1,200 feet or approximately 400 meters below sea level,” the DENR said in its latest advisory.

“Add also Russia’s plan to deepen oil production cut,” Romero said.

On Feb. 28, the country’s oil firms cut the price of kerosene by P1.80 per liter, diesel by P1.30 per liter, and gasoline by P0.70 per liter.

“The local government is fully functional and in control of the situation with the swearing-in of the new governor and vice-governor. The PNP, AFP, NBI and all law enforcement agencies are tasked to provide all assistance necessary for the new officials to carry out their functions,” Romualdez said.

He added that investigators were working round the clock to build up the case against the attackers and said it would not be long before all the gunmen are arrested.

“There will be no sacred cows in our fight against criminality,” he said.

It said the sunken tanker is located

Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) reported that by midmorning, no jeepneys and UV Express services were plying routes from Malabon and Caloocan in the north to Las Pinas in the south, with passengers in Manila, Pasig, Pasay, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna affected.

“The success of the strike is not measured on the extent of the mobilization,

Azurin reassured the public that the PNP is on top of the peace and safety situation as he downplayed the string of attacks on local executives as “isolated cases.”

He said the incidents that happened in the past weeks have no connection with each other and no pieces of evidence have been found to link them all.

The PNP chief also noted a decline of almost 20 percent in recorded crimes in

Meanwhile, Senator Francis Escudero said the government should distribute the P5.22-billion intelligence fund among several agencies to bring down gun-for-hire syndicates.

Degamo’s assassination, he said, was among the many signs that killing-forhire has become a cottage industry. He said an all-out war against the syndicates using the full might of intelligence funds can deter similar crimes.

“Only with the identification and dismantling of groups of hired killers can assassinations be stopped,” Escudero said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros filed a resolution calling for an investigation into the series of political killings in recent weeks.

Senate Resolution No. 518 stated that it was not the first time in the province, about northeast of Pola, Oriental Mindoro but it is believed to have moved southeast from its last known position where it completely submerged. “This will, however, require verification which will be in the form of deployment of a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) which will allow us to complete visualization should the currents and weather permit it. We but the legitimate issue that the drivers and operators are presenting,” PISTON president Mody Floranda told reporters as their members joined drivers and operators from the group Manibela, counting around 100,000 nationwide.

On its Facebook page, Manibela said in Filipino: “We will push through with the second day of our strike today (Tuesday)! We feel that will be our last day (to protest) as they will be forced to talk to us, and we will win our fight (against PUV modernization). No to phaseout!” ple murders and illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives have been filed against three of the suspects arrested in connection with Degamo’s assassination. the first two months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. citing a week-long killing spree in Negros Oriental in 2019.

PDEA data also showed shabu and marijuana are the two most frequently abused drugs in the country, with 4,258, or 94.6 percent of arrests shaburelated and 240 or 5.3 percent marijuana-related.

As this developed, government agents assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport have intercepted smuggled shipments of ecstasy, shabu and kush worth more than P25 million from France and the United States.

A composite team from the Port of NAIA, PDEA and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group foiled the smuggling attempts at the DHL warehouse, Central Mail Exchange Center, and Peoples Air Cargo Warehouse in Pasay City.

In a joint press conference, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty and Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said charges were filed against Joven Javier, Joric Labrador, and Benjie Rodriguez, who were arrested by police and Army troopers hours after the attack on Degamo.

They were found to be in possession of several high-powered rifles, a rocket launcher, ammunition, and explosives.

Complaints for violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act and illegal possession of firearms and explosives were filed before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Bayawan City while the multiple murder complaints, for inquest, were lodged before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Negros Oriental.

Charges were also filed for the injuries sustained by 16 people in the attack.

More charges are expected to be filed, Ty said, as DOJ will take over the cases from the local prosecutor.

He said the DOJ is working with the Philippine National Police and the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the transfer of the respondents to Metro Manila for protective custody.

“Despite these recent shooting incidents involving elective government officials, in separate locations, there is no evidence that these incidents are connected with each other,” he said.

“From all indications, all these incidents stemmed from peculiar motivations of the assailants and does not reflect the whole peace and order situation in the country,” Azurin added.

“The violence happened in broad daylight. They have no shame nor fear. Even more disturbing, uniformed personnel are complicit or actively involved. This culture of impunity is a grave danger to the public,” she said.

Hontiveros also mentioned the attempted assassinations on Cagayan are now preparing to access an ROV in order to fully determine where the vessel actually is and to completely model the way the oil will be spilling from the vessel,” the DENR said.

Vice Mayor Rommel Almeda, Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., and Mayor Ohto Caumbo Montawal of Datu Montawal, Maguindanao del Sur; and the killings of former Quezon vice mayor Danilo Amat, former Lobo, Batangas vice mayor Romeo Sulit, and former Lamitan City, Basilan mayor Rosita Furigay.

Meanwhile, some of the residents in Oriental Mindoro are experiencing symptoms that can be associated with the recent oil spill, the Department of Health said Monday.

Marcos: KALAP to help produce profit for farmers

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday lauded the Kapatid Angat Lahat for Agriculture Program (KALAP), saying this will help farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) become “productive, profitable, sustainable and globally-competitive.”

He made this remark after witnessing the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the government and private sector on the implementation of KALAP at the Ceremonial Hall at Malacañan Palace.

The MOA was signed by officials of the Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural resources, Department of Trade and Industry with heads of Go Negosyo, the National Tobacco Authority, Philippine Coconut Authority, National Irrigation Administration and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

In his speech, Marcos underscored the importance of public-private partnerships to address problems in the country’s agriculture and MSMEs sector.

“I have always said that in the difficulties that we are facing ahead, there is no sector of society that can manage the recovery by itself, and it cannot be done unless the different sectors of the society are working together and trying to implement a plan with a common understanding of what is needed to be done, with a common understanding of what people need, without forgetting every part of that sector or that area of the economy,” he said.

Vince Lopez

House...

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About 301 congressmen voted “yes” to the measure, against six “no” votes and one abstention.

According to Speaker Martin Romualdez, a principal author of the Resolution of Both Houses 6, lawmakers aim to limit the Charter rewriting initiative to the “restrictive” economic provisions of the basic law “in the hope that the changes would pave the way for the country to attract more foreign investments.”

“We need additional investments that would create more job and income opportunities for our people. We need increased capital to sustain our economic growth momentum,” he said.

The Speaker said reforms by way of tweaking the Constitution’s economic provisions could be the “final piece in the puzzle” of improving the country’s economic and investment environment.

The committee on constitutional amendments endorsed RBH No. 6 after conducting extensive public hearings and consultations in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Through the resolution, the House and the Senate resolve to call a con-con “for the purpose of proposing amendments to the economic provisions, or revision of, the 1987 Constitution.”

The resolution noted that among the three modes of proposing amendments to the Charter, the calling of a convention “would be the most transparent, exhaustive, democratic, and least divisive means of implementing constitutional reforms.”

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that while only a couple of residents have shown symptoms, the health hazards posed by the oil spill are undeniable.

“We’ve noted these kinds of symptoms already. Stomachache, vomiting, heightened heart rate, difficulty in breathing, nausea, coughing, and aggravated asthma,” she said.

But the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said the drivers and operators failed to paralyze the transport system in the National Capital Region during the first day of their week-long protest against the phaseout of traditional jeepneys. MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said the protest had a minimal effect on the commuters on Monday. He attributed this to the government’s contingency measures in place to counter the effects of the strike.

The Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) also said the transport strike affected only 10 percent of the routes in Metro Manila.

In a press briefing at the LTFRB office in East Avenue, Quezon City, LTFRB Technical Division chief Joel Bolano said rescue buses and Libreng Sakay vehicles provided by different government agencies have been deployed in areas affected by the transport strike.

Another region with a similar situation to NCR is Region 4A, which was moder- ately affected by the transport strike. In total, he said about 5 percent of transport routes nationwide have been affected by the strike.

“The President, through the Office of the Executive Secretary, organized this Inter-Agency Monitoring Team in response to the transport strike. Because of the unified efforts of concerned agencies, we were able to prepare and address the needs of the riding public,” said Artes, during a press briefing held in MMDA headquarters on Monday afternoon.

PCG: Chinese vessels ‘lingering’ in Pag-asa

THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that about 42 Chinese maritime militia vessels lingered near Pag-asa Island on Monday after first being spotted in the area this weekend.

The vessels, first seen in the area on Saturday morning, were estimated at a distance of 4.5 to 8 nautical miles from the islands, the PCG, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, quoted by the report, said the vessels “are still there in the vicinity of Pag-asa, they haven’t left. In the videos, you can seen the Chinese maritime militia vessels anchored there despite the strong current and big waves. That’s all they’re doing these past days.”

Based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, the observed location of the Chinese vessels is within Pag-asa Island’s 12-nautical mile territorial sea.

The PCG said that the vessels’presence in the area was a form of harassment.

“For PCG, we have sovereignty over the territorial sea around Pag-asa Island. The presence of these Chinese vessels... is a form of harassment of our sovereignty. They are doing nothing there,” the official further said.

BI: No-leave policy during Holy Week

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) will be enforcing a no-leave policy for its employees this coming Holy Week break to ensure that adequate officers are available to serve the traveling public.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the ban on leaves, which starts on March 24 and ends on April 15, applies to BI employees assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and all the other international ports nationwide.

Tansingco said that during the said period all applications for vacation leaves and applications for authority to travel abroad by any BI employee assigned at the ports will not be entertained nor approved.

“We are constrained to implement this leave ban to make sure that our service to the traveling public are not interrupted or compromised during the Lenten break when there will surely be a sharp upsurge in the number of passengers who will enter and exit the country,” the BI chief stressed.

He added that the influx of international passengers is not only expected at the NAIA but in the other major ports such as Mactan, Clark and Kalibo. “We have to see to it that our immigration booths at the airports are fully manned in order to cope with the long queues of passengers who will be arriving from or leaving for abroad to spend time with their families and relatives,” Tansingco said. Vito Barcelo