BARMM Speaker eyes presidential pardon for Candao

By Nash B. Maulana

COTABATO City—The Speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament has issued a statement saying a former governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) who has been convicted by the Supreme Court (SC) was eligible for presidential clemency.

The lawyers of former ARMM Governor Zacaria Candao had earlier petitioned the (SC) to reopen the case considering that one of the respondents was already dead when the promulgation took place.

Bangsamoro Parliament Speaker Pangalian Balindong argued that the amount involved in the original complaint, was withdrawn from the ARMM finance office under compelling circumstances made Candao eligible for a presidential pardon.

The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) covers presidential pardon on members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who had committed crimes in pursuit of legitimate cause of rebellion. The presidential power of clemency restores the inherent rights and privileges of the pardoned person.

after a pickup truck veered sharply to the opposite lanes, ramming through the barrier and slamming into three other vehicles.

Ignacio said the wayward pickup collided with another truck, a Toyota sedan, and a passenger bus. Ignacio said the three passengers of the Toyota died, while the driver was injured. He added that NLEX traffic personnel were immediately on site to assist the motorists and restore normal the traffic flow.

Nine OFWs home after rescue from Thai, Myanmar crime rings

By Vito Barcelo

AT LEAST nine overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were victims of a human trafficking syndicate were repatriated after being rescued from their employers in Thailand and Myanmar. Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said one group—four men and two women—arrived on board a Philippine Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand.

“The new face of victims now are really professionals with good jobs here in the country but seek adventure abroad. Some of them are even traveling with their partners or claiming they will be visiting family, and have previous travels,” Tansingco said.

The other group of three OFWs arrived from Myanmar on board a Philippine airlines flight. The victims were composed of two males and one female, all in their 20s. Two of them left as registered OFWs, while one left as a tourist.

All nine victims left the country late last year or earlier this year, the BI said.

The BI chief said that apart from recruiting professionals in the country, the syndicates were also targeting Filipinos in the Middle East with expiring job contracts.

“These latest batch of victims show that traffickers are using the same modus to recruit young professionals to seemingly-good call center jobs abroad. Only to find out that it is a scam,” he added.

The victims were assisted by elements of the Inter-Agency Task Force Against Trafficking upon arrival.