‘Anti-drug campaign will spare no one’

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE government will spare no one in its revitalized antidrug campaign, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said.

Abalos made this assurance, saying the government and law enforcement agencies need to become “role models” in the campaign against illegal drugs. “We have to make a statement. We are going to show our people that the government is serious about this war on drugs. There will be house cleansing, and no one will be spared,” he said in observance of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT).

So far, at least 50 police officers have been slapped with criminal and administrative cases for allegedly committing irregularities in the seizure of P6.7 billion worth of “shabu” in October last year. “We do not believe in shortcuts. We believe in the rule of law. Trust in government must be sustained,” Abalos said.

Abalos said the DILG is also pushing the conduct of random drug testing in the agency, its attached offices, and local governments in line with the department’s Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Program.

The DILG launched the anti-illegal drugs advocacy program BIDA, describing it as an intensified and more holistic campaign from the grassroots up.

Abalos meanwhile said the theme of this year’s observance “People First: stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention” is in line with the principle of the government’s Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) of putting primacy on prevention and rehabilitation. With Vince Lopez

Air Force exec says Armed Forces ‘cyber operations’ key to defense

By Vince Lopez

ARMED Forces of the Philippines (AFP) vice chief of staff Air Force

Lieutenant General. Arthur Cordura said, “cyber operation is part of our national and collective defense means.”

Speaking during the fifth anniversary celebration of the AFP Cyber Group (AFPCyG), he also echoed Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro’s guidance of recognizing the significance of cyber capabilities as a command and leadership tool.

“Those [are] capabilities that provide situational awareness and actionable intelligence for military and decisionmakers to guide and execute their command and control directives,” he added.

Cordura also said cyber operations are the heart of the military’s C4ISTAR systems.

C4ISTAR refers to the “Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting Acquisition and Reconnaissance”.

“It is a game changer. The application of cyber fundamental changes the nature of war thereby inevitably shifting the paradigm on how we operate in a continuum of peace, conflict, crisis, and war,” he added.

Cordura also commended the AFPCyG, headed by Army Col. Walter Icaro, for their unwavering service in cyberspace operations.

FREEDOM.

Justice

Undersecretary Deo Marco (third from right) distributes certificates of discharge from prison, grooming kits, and gratuity and transportation allowances to 423 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in a ceremony at the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City yesterday. Marco was assisted by BuCoc Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., (4th from right) and Atty. Persida Acosta Chief of the Public Attorney’s Office. Joseph Muego

Minority bloc hands off on Senate leadership ‘talks’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATE Minority Leader Aquilino

“Koko” Pimentel stressed that the minority bloc in the Senate is “hands off” from majority matters.

Aside from Pimentel, the other opposition lawmaker in the Senate is Sen. Risa Hontiveros. He also said there will only be a change in the Senate leadership if someone is interested in the top position.

“As far as I know, there’s no one inter- ested,” stressed Pimentel on the alleged actions to oust Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri when the 2nd Regular Session of the 19th Congress opens on July 24.

Senators Win Gatchalian and Grace Poe stressed that there are no talks to unseat Zubiri. “There’s no such thing. The members are very satisfied with the leadership of SP Zubiri,” said Gatchalian. He noted that they have accomplished a lot under his guidance. Poe described Zubiri an effective and consensus-build- ing leader.

She said many priority and crucial measures of this administration were passed by the Senate in a timely manner, without sacrificing the quality of every measure.

“There are no talks to replace Senator Zubiri and we strongly support him,” she said.

She quoted Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda who said, “Why fix something that’s not broken?”

Villanueva: OFWs need continued legal service

SENATE Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said legal services to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) must be uninterrupted in the formal turnover of the OFW component of the assistance-tonationals (ATN) functions to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) from the Department of Foreign Affairs

(DFA) starting July 1, 2023.

“The transition should be smooth and seamless so that services to our OFWs, especially those in distress will be continuous,” Villanueva said.

The principal author and sponsor of the DMW Act, Villanueva said the transfer of ATN functions for OFWs is to ensure that help for OFWs is immediate and does not need to compete with the ATN of the DFA for nationals other than OFWs. The DMW will utilize the Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan (AKSYON) fund for the purpose while the DFA ATN will be funded separately. Macon Ramos-Araneta