Anti-graft court junks former military man’s plea in forfeiture suit

July 17, 2019 | 8:40 pm

THE SANDIGANBAYAN has denied a plea by a former military finance officer and his family to dismiss a case where the government is seeking to recover P55 million in alleged ill-gotten wealth.

In a resolution, the anti-graft court’s Second Division rejected claims by retired Lieutenant General Jacinto C. Ligot that the law was violated when two charges for a single case were filed, as well as his right to the deposit secrecy.

These arguments have been discussed and answered in previous proceedings, it said.

“The court reiterates its findings that there is no violation of the rule against instituting more than one suit for a single cause of action,” it said. The Bank Secrecy Act was also not violated, it said.

Mr. Ligot was accused of participating in a scheme at the Armed Forces in 2011, in which retiring military officers were illegally given a hefty sum. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Bill to increase age of consent in rape cases

July 17, 2019 | 8:38 pm

SENATE MAJORITY Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri has filed a bill that seeks to raise the age of consent in statutory rape to 15 years.

Senate Bill 305 will change the 89-year-old Revised Penal Code as amended by the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, raising the age of consent from 12 years.

Under the law, statutory rape involves children below 12 years and does not require proof that force was used. This has encouraged sexual abuse of children, Mr. Zubiri said, adding that the country has the lowest age of consent in Asia.

One of five children below 18 years experience sexual violence, the lawmaker said, citing a 2016 study. “By raising the age to 15 years, I hope that we could put a dent on the number of children victimized.”

Senator Leila M. de Lima had filed a similar bill in the previous Congress that failed to make it out of the committee. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

CA denies protection plea from lawyers

July 17, 2019 | 8:37 pm

THE COURT of Appeals (CA) has rejected a plea by a lawyer’s group to stop government threats against its members.

In an order, the appellate court’s Special 15^th Division dismissed the petition by the National Union of People’ Lawyers on a technicality after the group failed to provide a list of its members.

The union had sought a temporary protection order, but the appellate court noted that the Supreme Court had already issued a separate writ to safeguard the rights of its members, who are mostly human rights lawyers.

The government of President Rodrigo R. Duterte had tagged the lawyer’s group as part of a bigger movement that’s allegedly plotting to oust him.

The NUPL has dismissed the ouster plot as absurd, adding that it would continue to speak out against the government’s policies including on illegal drugs.— Vann Marlo Villegas

Customs streamlines baggage declaration

July 17, 2019 | 8:36 pm

THE GOVERNMENT wants to make travel easier by doing away with Customs baggage declaration forms for those with nothing to declare, the agency said in a statement yesterday.

The forms will be made readily available by airline operators during flights, and passengers will be informed about how to fill them out.

Duties and taxes will not be collected if the value of imported goods does not exceed P10,000. — Reicelene Joy Ignacio

Storm Falcon, monsoon rains trigger flooding, landslides around the country

July 17, 2019 | 8:35 pm

AS TROPICAL STORM Falcon crossed on a north-northwest track over the tip of Luzon, the southwest monsoon also brought rain, triggering landslides and flooding in different areas across the country, including in the southern island of Mindanao. Several road sections in the mountainous region of the Cordillera were temporarily closed. Weather bureau PAGASA, in its 5 p.m. bulletin on Wednesday, said Falcon is expected to exit the country by Friday morning. For Thursday, moderate to heavy rains are still expected in Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, northern Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands, and Romblon. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced over Metro Manila, and the rest of Luzon and Visayas. Meanwhile, PAGASA is monitoring another low pressure area, which was spotted 180 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Cauayan moves towards becoming a Smart city with MultiSys app

July 17, 2019 | 8:34 pm

PAYMENT FOR taxes and permit applications can now be done cashless in Cauayan City, Isabela — the first step towards its transformation into a Smart city in partnership with Multisys Technologies Corp. In a statement, software engineering solutions firm Multisys said Cauayan is the first to use their Smart City application, which will also be tapped for other cashless transactions in city hall, for small enterprises, and RFID (radio frequency identification) cards for residents. “The Smart City project is an ambitious yet feasible plan that we would like to pursue and materialize. Not only will it make people’s lives easier but will also help promote user-friendly government payment transactions. At the same time, it empowers micro-business owners by taking an easier yet efficient way of running their businesses,” said MultiSys Chief Executive Officer David Almirol Jr. Kiosk machines will be installed at the city hall, other government officers, cooperatives, and private establishments with high foot traffic. Micro and small businesses, meanwhile, can have their own Mobile Point of Sale Devices or the MPOS machines. “We start turning cities into ‘Smart Cities’ one city at a time… We want to make life easier, empower the people and promote hassle free payment transactions to save time while being cost efficient. We are positive that Cauayan City won’t be the only ‘Smart City’ in the country as we aim to provide the same services nationwide,” Mr. Almirol said.

MMDA suspends anti-jaywalking unit after officers caught in fraud; traffic enforcers to take over implementation

July 17, 2019 | 8:34 pm

THE METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has suspended the operations of its anti-jaywalking unit following the arrest of an administration officer for falsification of documents. The unit’s deputy chief for administration, identified as Joanna S. Eclarinal, was arrested on Monday after the treasury office noticed that a jaywalking violator presented a supposed official receipt (OR) from the anti-jaywalking office for a P500 fine. MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo S. Garcia Jr. said jaywalking enforcers issue a ticket for violation, and the fine should be paid directly to the treasury office. “Ang ginawa kasi nila, pinaaakyat sa opisina nila…bibigyan sila ng OR (What they do is they let violators go to their office upstairs, give them an official receipt). Walang (There is no) check and balance,” said Mr. Garcia in a press conference on Wednesday. Two other officers of the unit, who are allegedly accomplices of Ms. Eclarinal, remain still at-large. The anti-jaywalking unit’s head, Salvador F. Galang, said he was not aware of the scheme by his staffers. “Wala talaga akong alam,” Mr. Galang said, noting that he “exits” the office by 2 p.m. and the fraudulent activities were likely being committed after that time. While the anti-jaywalking unit operations is suspended, Mr. Garcia said traffic enforcers will apprehend jaywalkers. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

GenSan court junks KAPA petition vs SEC

July 17, 2019 | 8:33 pm

A GENERAL Santos (GenSan) City court has junked Kapa-Community Ministry International, Inc.’s (KAPA) petition for injunction against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), citing lack of jurisdiction over the matter.

In a statement Wednesday, the SEC said the GenSan Regional Trial Court Branch 35 dismissed the petition filed on April 4 regarding the commission’s issuance of a cease and desist order (CDO) against KAPA for its unauthorized selling and offering of securities.

“Accordingly, the motion is hereby denied and this case is hereby ordered dismissed,” Presiding Judge Oscar P. Noel, Jr. wrote in his ruling last June 17.

The GenSan court earlier issued a writ of preliminary injunction against the SEC, dated April 10, allowing KAPA to operate without the commission’s authority.

The SEC contested this, citing Section 179 of the Revised Corporation Code.

“No court below the Court of Appeals shall have jurisdiction to issue restraining order, preliminary injunction, or preliminary mandatory injunction in any case, dispute, or controversy that directly or indirectly interferes with the exercise of powers, duties and responsibilities of the Commission that falls exclusively within its jurisdiction,” states the relevant provision in the code.

The petition for injunction was dismissed alongside the resolution of the motion for issuance of a show cause order KAPA filed against the SEC, after the latter revoked its incorporation papers on April 3.

The SEC has since ramped up efforts to stop KAPA from further soliciting investments from the public.

It obtained on June 4 a freeze order from the Court of Appeals, through the Anti-Money Laundering Council, to preserve all assets linked to KAPA.

The commission then filed a criminal complaint against the supposed religious group, as well as its operators and promoters, before the Department of Justice (DoJ) for violations of Republic Act No. 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code (SRC).

The DoJ is now conducting a preliminary investigation on KAPA.

At the same time, a Regional Trial Court of Davao has also issued a hold departure order against the operators and promoters of the ministry.

As of July 8, three aggrieved investors, alongside the National Bureau of Investigation, have already filed a complaint against KAPA before the DoJ for syndicated estafa.

KAPA, led by its president, Joel A. Apolinario, has been enticing the public to invest amounts of P10,000 to P2 million supposedly as “donations,” in exchange for a 30% monthly return dubbed as “blessings” or “love gifts” for life.

With claims of having five million members, the SEC said the group may have collected at least P50 billion from the public.

These fraudulent practices are prohibited under the SRC, and violators could face up to P5 million in penalties or imprisonment of seven to 21 years. — Arra B. Francia

Rehabilitation of mining-battered Naboc River officially starts

July 17, 2019 | 8:32 pm

THE REHABILITATION of Naboc River in the mining-rich area of Mt. Diwata was officially launched Tuesday with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, other national government agencies, and the provincial government of Compostela Valley. “The rehabilitation of Naboc River is among my priority programs,” DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said during the signing ceremony held at the DENR-Davao Region office in Davao City. Other agencies involved in the rehabilitation program are the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). The MoA signing jump-starts the desilting, quarrying and overall restoration program for the river. “The signing of the MoA will continue our efforts to nourish the Naboc River and the Diwalwal Mineral Reservation Area. We hope that our actions will bring hope to the people of Diwalwal and throughout the province. For better mining in the province,” Compostela Valley Gov. Jayvee Tyron L. Uy said in a statement in Visayan.

TASK FORCE
In 2018, Mr. Cimatu ordered the creation of the multi-sector Provincial Task Force Naboc River (PTFNR), the local counterpart of the National Task Force Diwalwal. One of the PTFNR’s immediate tasks was the transfer of processing plants from Mt. Diwata to Sitio Mabatas while the provincial government has been in charge of road network construction and land preparation for the relocation site of the mining community. The Philippine Mining Development Corp. has also allocated funds for the infrastructure development projects. DILG Undersecretary Epimaco V. Densing III said during the MoA signing: “The only way for us to clean our environment is for us to realize that tayo ang kalikasan (we are nature).”

>> See related story on https://bit.ly/2LXzhUq

BI warns foreigners vs joining rallies, political activities

July 17, 2019 | 8:31 pm

THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) warned foreigners in the country against engaging in political activities such as rallies, less than a week before President Rodrigo R. Duterte delivers his State of the Nation Address (SONA). In a statement on Wednesday, BI Commissioner Jaime H. Morente said a foreigner visiting the country does not enjoy the political rights and privileges of a Filipino. “Joining political demonstrations is an utter display of disrespect to the country’s authorities, and is equivalent to meddling in our internal affairs as a sovereign nation,” he said. Foreigners are prohibited from engaging in political activities in the country under BI Operations Order No. SBM-2015-025. Violators could be deported and even blacklisted if proven to be committing other crimes such as destruction of property. Last year, Australian nun Patricia Fox was denied renewal of her visa for participating in partisan political activities while Zimbabwean Tawanda Chandiwana, American Adam Thomas Shaw, and Malawian Miracle Osman were ordered to leave for engaging in leftist activities. Dutch citizen Thomas van Beersum was deported after being photographed joining a protest and Canadian student Kim Chatillon-Miller was told to leave for participating in an anti-SONA demonstration. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Nation at a Glance — (07/18/19)

July 17, 2019 | 8:23 pm

News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.

OceanaGold reports around P40 billion contribution to local economy

July 17, 2019 | 5:58 pm

Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya–OceanaGold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI) recently released data on its local economy contributions from its years of commercial production.

The company has given a total of P39.5-billion in the form of taxes, employment, agricultural and social development support to the region. For Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino, it has remitted close to 780-million pesos from a combination of 580-million in local business and 210-million in real property taxes.

“The various programs that we have implemented in the region are geared towards building the capability of our people and empowering them so that even after we operate in the area, the host and neighboring communities will continue to thrive economically. Our main focus is sustainable and inclusive development, aiming to leave a long-lasting positive legacy for our communities,” David Way, OGPI’s General Manager, says.

In human development alone, OGPI has trained and hired a number of community members, employing 1,500 staff and contractors, and spending PhP 2.5 billion for employee wages.

Apart from the employment spend, OGPI has invested approximately P170 million on employees, community and pre-employment training; provided 2,000 additional livelihood opportunities through partnerships with cooperatives and social development organizations; and allowed for On-the-Job-Training (OJT) placements at the Didipio Mine. OGPI also has partnerships with the Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU), Quirino State University (QSU), Isabela State University (ISU), Saint Mary’s University (SMU), Saint Louis University (SLU), Ifugao State University (IFSU) and University of the Philippines (UP) to provide 246 scholarships in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino.

In the agriculture sector, OGPI’s collaboration with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and local government units, helped fund 13 cooperatives and micro and small enterprises to support vegetable production and coffee production in Kasibu; taught 92 local farmers about how coffee production increases their market opportunities; and engaged 34 local farmers to promote organic farming.

For social and community development, OGPI invested PhP 1.2 billion in the community, the amount being allocated to: Social Development Management Program (SDMP) projects; Development of Mining Technology and Geosciences (DMTG), and CSR projects focused on training, livelihood programs and community empowerment programs.

In a consultation session with the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau on July 3, 2019, Didipio residents and community leaders, attest that beyond the job opportunities, scholarships, and infrastructures, OGPI brought in overall growth and self-reliance to the area. A testament to this is OGPI-initiated DiCorp, the community-owned corporation which has generated P1.5 billion gross revenue for the local community from long term contracts with the Didipio Mine Project.

“Today, DiCorp is plugged into our value-chain–providing three meals a day, seven days a week to more than a thousand workers. What DiCorp achieved is a great case study on how OGPI helped members of the Didipio community achieve economic empowerment and self-reliance, ” concludes Way.

Latest publicly available data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau reveal that mining industry contributed roughly 26 billion in a quarter alone. The mining industry’s production value is computed at PhP 109.5 billion with a growth of about 5.3 percent, proving there is more that can be gained in the industry, for operators and host communities alike.

OGPI commits to the highest principles in mining as it grows with its partner community.