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Filipinos trafficked as crypto scammers in Cambodia

SENATE.GOV.PH

FILIPINOS have been victimized into becoming online scammers by an alleged Chinese group operating in Cambodia, a senator reported on Wednesday.  

“Filipinos are becoming the main target of human trafficking syndicates,” Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said in a statement.

“After we helped some Filipinos in Myanmar who were abused and forced to work as crypto scammers, we find out that this method also exists in Cambodia,” she added. “These fraud factories are part of a disturbing industry that has to be dismantled.” 

Ms. Hontiveros earlier reported that Chinese syndicates have been trafficking Filipinos to Myanmar to scam foreigners into putting money into fake crypto accounts. 

Some of the victims sought help from the senator’s office. 

The senator’s office was able to speak with one of the victims from Cambodia who said that they were promised customer service or call center jobs but ended up being forced to dupe citizens from the United States and Cambodia. 

“When we are not able to get a client, we are made to work for more than 16 hours, without sleep, seven days a week… I saw and heard that an employee was even electrocuted,” the victim said in Filipino through a video shared with the media.

A group of Filipinos to which the victim belonged was rescued Monday evening by Cambodian police authorities and the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh. However, they are currently being held at a police station without beds and basic necessities. 

“I trust that our Department of Foreign Affairs can bring our kababayans home as soon as possible,” Ms. Hontiveros said. 

“I also expect that we keep closely working with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member-states to strategize how to effectively put a lid on these criminal activities,” she added. 

The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines did not respond to a Viber message seeking comment on the alleged Chinese operators before the print deadline. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

DoJ rejects Bantag’s motion to inhibit prosecutors from murder complaint  

BW FILE PHOTO

THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) has rejected the motion of suspended Bureau of Corrections director Gerald Q. Bantag that sought the inhibition of the Justice secretary and DoJ prosecutors from his murder complaint over the death of a local broadcaster. 

In a resolution on Wednesday, a panel of DoJ prosecutors said it had jurisdiction over the murder case since the complaints were filed with the department.  

“It was clarified that the authority of the Ombudsman to prosecute cases involving public officers and employees before the regular courts does not conflict with the power of the regular prosecutors under the DoJ,” according to the resolution, citing a prior Supreme Court decision.   

The Justice department noted that the Ombudsman was not an exclusive authority but a “shared authority” in prosecuting murder complaints involving public officials.  

The DoJ cited an agreement it signed with the Ombudsman, which allowed the latter to endorse a complaint to any of the former’s prosecution offices.   

Mr. Bantag’s allegation of bias against the DoJ and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla was just speculation, it added.  

Philippine police filed a murder complaint against the suspended prison chief in November for allegedly ordering the murder of radio journalist Percival C. Mabasa and a supposed middleman in the incident.  

The DoJ is currently conducting a preliminary investigation of the killing. A panel of government prosecutors and investigators is set to convene to resume the probe on Jan. 24.  

Mr. Bantag had denied his involvement in the murder, saying he had nothing to gain from it.  

The broadcaster’s YouTube channel, which had more than 200,000 subscribers, showed that he had been critical of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte and some sitting officials. — John Victor D. Ordoñez 

Bill mandates setting up an evacuation center in each town, city

DSWD REGION-II

A SENATOR has filed a bill that seeks to establish an evacuation center in every city and municipality in the Philippines.  

Senator Rafael “Raffy” T. Tulfo filed Senate Bill 1652 to mandate local governments to set up a facility that is adequately equipped to accommodate displaced residents during disaster and emergency situations.  

“When disaster and calamities strike, covered courts, gymnasiums, schools, and even churches serve as evacuation areas to shelter affected residents and families,” the senator said under the bill’s explanatory note.  

“These areas are jam-packed when the situation worsens,” he said. “Diseases, existing and unforeseen, may also spread because these areas do not meet standard measures for a proper and well-ventilated evacuation center.”  

The Philippines is vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tropical cyclones, and floods, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, according to the World Bank.   

Under the bill, the location for every evacuation center will be identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in coordination with the local government unit (LGU).   

The LGU will be responsible for the operation, supervision, and management of evacuation centers. Local councils are mandated to establish the guidelines on the use of these facilities. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Starpay partners with Cavite town for business permit e-payment option

STARPAY Corp. has partnered with the town of General Mariano Alvarez in Cavite to provide an electronic payment option for the local government’s electronic business one-stop-shop.    

In a statement on Wednesday, Starpay said its partnership with the local government, along with Uplink Integrated Solution, Inc., allows business owners in General Mariano Alvarez, also referred to as GMA, to pay their license and other fees online.   

“We have been targeting users at the community level, to grow our client base. So far, the public has been very receptive because the platform is user-friendly and very convenient,” Starpay President Lamberto Scarella said.    

According to Starpay, business owners in GMA will receive their assessment via email, together with payment instructions, after the completion of online forms and submission of required documents.   

Starpay is also QRPH-compliant, which means it is part of the government’s Paleng-QR Ph initiative that aims to expand the country’s digital payment system through the inclusion of public market vendors and tricycle operators.   

The Paleng-QR program, led by the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government, has so far been rolled out in the cities of Baguio, Davao, and Tagbilaran. 

Starpay is a licensed electronic money issuer, which is regulated by the BSP. The Starpay application can be downloaded from Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and Huawei App Gallery. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave 

600 former MILF combatants to avail of EU-funded tech-voc program  

OPAPRU

A EUROPEAN Union-funded program on technical-vocational skills development will cover 600 ex-armed members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as part of the transition of former rebel camps into productive communities.  

The two-year training project, with a P252-million grant from the European Union (EU), is under the Programme on Assistance for Camp Transformation through Inclusion, Violence Prevention and Economic Empowerment (PROACTIVE), according to the Bangsamoro regional government.  

PROACTIVE is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Bangsamoro region’s Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE).  

UNDP and the ministry signed the project agreement on Monday in Cotabato City.  

“The UNDP and MBHTE’s partnership primarily involve vocational skill development training and accreditation to pursue itself and richer environment for income source for the 600 decommissioned combatants,” UNDP Resident Representative Selva Ramachandran said during the signing ceremony.   

The training program, he said, will help in “creating enabling environment for sustainable employment and enterprise development.”  

“The participation and role of the EU are very crucial and one of the highlights of this engagement is the decommissioning of combatants of the MILF. We are very happy one of the interventions of the EU is the skills training for the decommissioned MILF combatants,” he added.  

MBHTE Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal said the Bangsamoro government’s engagement with the EU has been “very productive.” 

“We hope this partnership will continue until the exit agreement is signed between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). In terms of governance and peace, we journey together between the EU and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao” said Mr. Iqbal, who also chairs the MILF Peace Implementing Panel.  

The decommissioning of MILF combatants is one of the key components of the peace process in the transitioning Bangsamoro region.  

In September last year, the third phase of the decommissioning was resumed, with a target of 14,000 MILF members. At that time, at least 7,200 have already been decommissioned, according to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU).   

More than 19,345 MILF combatants have completed the process and 2,175 weapons have been permanently deactivated, based on OPAPRU data. — MSJ 

De Lima accuser backtracks, calls on courts to conduct fair trial

A FORMER official of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has called for a fair trial on the remaining illegal drug cases against detained former Senator Leila M. De Lima, who has been imprisoned since 2017. 

Former PCSO board member Sandra M. Cam had accused Ms. De Lima of being involved in the illegal drug trade during her term as Justice secretary.  

“I had the realization that I was used as a tool for the imprisonment of Senator Leila De Lima,” the ex-PCSO official told a press conference in mixed Filipino and English, based on a video posted by DZRH radio on Twitter.  

“I have asked for her forgiveness and I have expressed my regret for my mistake.”  

The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 42 on Monday cleared Ms. Cam and her son Marco Martin Cam of murder charges over the 2019 killing of Batuan, Masbate town Vice Mayor Charlie Yuson III, who was shot dead by unidentified individuals outside a house in Manila.  

Four witnesses have earlier taken back their allegations against Ms. De Lima’s involvement in the illegal drug trade.  

The former lawmaker, one of ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s fiercest critics, has asserted her innocence saying she was being tried for criticizing the government’s deadly drug war.  

Last week, Human Rights Watch cited Ms. De Lima’s imprisonment as a sign of the prevalent human rights abuses in the country. It urged the Marcos government to drop what it called trumped-up charges against her. — John Victor D. Ordoñez 

Opposition solons call for House probe on kidnapping of development workers 

OPPOSITION lawmakers filed a resolution on Tuesday calling for a House probe on the abduction of two labor rights activists in Cebu last week, citing a potential “cover-up” in the ongoing investigation by law enforcement authorities 

The three-member Makabayan Bloc filed House Resolution 695 condemning the incident and urging the Committee on Human Rights to hold a separate inquiry on the kidnapping and alleged torture of Alliance of Concerned Teachers Region VII Union Coordinator Dyan Gumanao and Alliance of Health Workers-Cebu Coordinator Armand Dayoha. 

Deputy Minority Leader France L. Castro led the filing of the resolution, which was also signed by Assistant Minority Leader Arlene D. Brosas and Kabataan Party-list Raoul Danniel A. Manuel. 

Ms. Gumanao and Mr. Dayoha were found in Carmen, Cebu on Jan. 16, five days after their kidnapping. “They were blindfolded, handcuffed, driven in circles, detained, and interrogated in separate rooms,” the lawmakers said in the resolution. 

The lawmakers also called on the International Labor Organization High-Level Triparte Mission (ILO-HLM) “to investigate the worsening condition and treatment of trade unions in the Philippines.”  

The ILO-HIM team will be in the Philippines next week to look into the Philippines’ labor practices.   

“We also call on the House leadership and the chairperson of the House Committee on Human Rights to call for a hearing of this resolution,” Ms. Castro said.  

“We fear that the case might be whitewashed by those in power, like what they did with the murder of Manny Asuncion by police operatives,” Ms. Castro said.  

The Justice department recently cleared 17 policemen of murder charges on the death of labor leader Emmanuel “Manny’ Asuncion in 2021. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz 

US donates evidence containers to Palawan council fighting environmental crime 

THE UNITED States has donated evidence containers worth P1.6 million to the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) in support of activities against wildlife trafficking and environmental crime in one of the most biodiverse provinces in the Philippines.   

In a statement on Wednesday, the US Embassy said three evidence containers intended to properly retain confiscated contraband and evidence presented in the prosecution of perpetrators were handed over to the PCSD, an agency created in 1992 under Republic Act 7611 or the Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan Act.  

“INL (Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs) is strongly committed to doing everything it can to disrupt the criminal networks behind wildlife trafficking,” INL Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Lisa Johnson said in the statement. “Building our partners’ capacity to investigate and prosecute environmental crimes is a priority for the US government.”  

PCSD Executive Director Niño Rey C. Estoya said the containers would ensure that cases will not be dismissed for technical reasons, as the storage units will improve the agency’s adherence to chain of custody requirements.  

INL has provided support for environmental justice in Palawan since 2019. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

WNCAA returns after two years of virtual events amid pandemic

THE WOMEN’S National Collegiate Athletic Association of the Philippines (WNCAA) opens shop this Saturday at the St. Scholastica’s College (SSC) in Manila, ending a long hiatus of face-to-face tournaments due to the pandemic.

Stuck to stage virtual events in the past two years due to COVID-19 restrictions, the country’s foremost athletics association for women since 1970 finally returns to full-swing action for its 53rd Season with a bevy of sporting events both in the juniors and seniors division among 15 member schools.

Centro Escolar University (CEU), the basketball champion before WNCAA’s long layoff, banners the cast along with Assumption Antipolo, Assumption College San Lorenzo, Chiang Kai Shek College, De La Salle-Santiago Zobel School, La Salle College Antipolo and Miriam College.

Also in the fray are Philippine Women’s University, San Beda College Alabang, St. Paul College Pasig, Saint Jude Catholic School, St. Stephen’s High School, University of Asia and the Pacific, University of Makati and host SSC.

The formidable squads will slug it out in basketball, volleyball, futsal, table tennis, badminton, poomsae, taekwondo, swimming and lawn tennis with online chess, cheerdance and streetdance as additional spectacles for this year’s edition with a theme of “Rise, Fly, Soar High”.

“This is the third time we’re hosting the WNCAA and we know that WNCAA has been very significant in providing opportunities for young women and students to develop themselves holistically, which is in line with St. Scholastica’s values,” said Sr. Christine Pinto, OSB, president of SSC.

“So, after two years of having no face-to-face events, it’s now time to rise, fly and soar high WNCAA,” added Ms. Pinto, who was joined by WNCAA’s council led by president Juanita Alamilo of CEU and executive director Maria Vivian Manila.

The WNCAA opening ceremony will be held at the St. Cecilia’s Hall in SSC followed by the juniors’ volleyball action featuring the home school against St. Jude at 1 p.m. and Assumption Antipolo against Miriam College at 2:30 p.m.

Basketball will start the next day pitting Chiang Kai Shek College versus La Salle College Antipolo, La Salle Zobel against Miriam College and San Beda Alabang vs St. Paul Pasig.

The seniors’ play will follow suit in February. — John Bryan Ulanday

Hidilyn Diaz to train in US, Japan for 2024 Paris Games

WORLD champion weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

WORLD champion weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo will train in the United States and Japan this year to go after that second Olympic gold medal in the 2024 Paris Games that should seal her place as one the greatest, if not the greatest, athletes the country has produced.

“I will do my best for the country,” she said.

Ms. Diaz-Naranjo, who snared a golden treble in the World Championships in Bogota, Colombia a month ago, has already embraced the fact that she had to move up the weight class at 59 kilograms after her original division, the 55kg, was scrapped from the Paris Games calendar.

It was in the lighter class that the Zambaonga City-born icon struck the country’s historic gold in the quadrennial event in Tokyo two years ago.

She will have a chance to test the waters as she has lined up the Phnom Penh Southeast Asian Games set May 5 to 17 and the Hangzhou Asian Games slated Sept. 23 to Oct. 8 as among the competitions she will compete at in her busy 2023 schedule.

Meanwhile, Ms. Diaz-Naranjo lauded PSC chief Richard Bachmann for his full support to athletes. — Joey Villar

FEU Tamaraws has new mentor in ‘Denok’ Miranda

DENNIS ‘DENOK’ MIRANDA — MPBL

FORMER Tamaraw and long-time assistant coach Dennis “Denok” Miranda has been named as the new Far Eastern University (FEU) head coach, succeeding Olsen Racela following his resignation last month.

The Tamaraws yesterday announced the appointment, finally giving the keys to one of its proud products starting in the UAAP Season 86 later this year.

Johnny Abarrientos, who has been part of FEU’s coaching staff with Mr. Miranda for years, was also named team consultant in a quick development over at the Morayta camp following a rare playoff miss in UAAP Season 85.

“Known as an elite defender and leader during his time, Coach Denok is expected to instill a defensive and winning mentality with the team,” said FEU in a statement.

Mr. Miranda, 40, was a two-time champion as a player for FEU in the 2000s before embarking on a long and productive professional journey since being selected as the third overall pick in the 2005 PBA draft.

The crafty guard went on to win two titles including an All-Rookie Team selection in the PBA, where he played until 2017 before transitioning to the MPBL and coaching in FEU.

He served as one of Mr. Racela’s assistant coaches in a stacked staff that also featured former Tamaraws like Mark Isip, Marc Pingris, Mr. Abarrientos, Vic Pablo and Jojo Lastimosa.

Now, Mr. Miranda is up for the role as the newest captain of the ship when FEU shoots for redemption next season.

The Tamaraws are coming off a 5-9 finish at seventh place in UAAP Season 85 to snap its Final Four consistency for eight straight years, the longest active playoff appearance streak then in the UAAP. — John Bryan Ulanday

Novak Djokovic back in old routine; Murray in epic win as weather disrupts Australian Open

NOVAK DJOKOVIC — SI.ROBI

MELBOURNE — Novak Djokovic returned to the Australian Open nearly 700 days since winning the title for a ninth time and continued exactly where he left off at the Grand Slam he has dominated with a commanding first-round win on Tuesday.

After regular Melbourne adversary Andy Murray conjured some old magic to stop last year’s semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini in a five-set classic, Mr. Djokovic was cheered on to Rod Laver Arena to complete a manic day with scorching heat and drenching rain.

Deprived of a tilt at a record-extending 10th title last year after being deported on the eve of the tournament for not having a COVID-19 vaccination, the Serbian showed his class as he glided past Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3 6-4 6-0.

Welcomed like a returning hero by the evening crowd, many sporting Serbian flags, the 35-year-old Mr. Djokovic was imperious throughout and rattled off the third set for the loss of four points to seal an 83rd win at the tournament.

“It was an unbelievable atmosphere,” fourth seed Djokovic, who has now won 22 matches in a row in Melbourne since his last loss in 2018, said on court. “Thanks for the welcome and the reception that I could only dream of. Very happy to be back.”

After the bitter memory of last year when Mr. Djokovic was confined to a hotel housing asylum seekers while awaiting his fate, his return was incident-free as he showed no sign of the hamstring niggle that had cast a cloud in the build-up.

It was far from routine earlier, however, as five-time runner-up Mr. Murray rolled back the years and saved a match point to beat Mr. Berrettini 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-7(7) 7-6 (10-6) in a near five-hour slog and former world number two Alexander Zverev edged Peruvian lucky loser Juan Pablo Varillas in another five-setter.

THREE-HOUR STOPPAGE
Organizers had their work cut out as extreme heat forced a three-hour stoppage on the outside courts. As night fell, a storm brought heavy rain, leaving 11 matches unfinished, including nine which did not even start.

Under the Rod Laver roof, second seed Ons Jabeur was given a scare by Tamara Zidansek before winning 7-6(8) 4-6 6-1.

Coming off a big pre-season, Mr. Murray channelled his halcyon days of 2016 as he raced to a two-set lead against the 13th-seeded Mr. Berrettini, who beat him at the US Open last year. Mr. Berrettini stormed back though and missed an easy backhand on a match point before Mr. Murray sealed victory in the deciding tiebreak with a cruel net cord.

“I just got a bit lucky there at the end with the net cord,” said 35-year-old Mr. Murray. “Right now I’m just unbelievably happy, just proud of myself.”

Twelfth seed Mr. Zverev had a huge scare against world number 103 Mr. Varillas but the German steadied himself to win a four-hour dogfight 4-6 6-1 5-7 7-6(3) 6-4 at the Margaret Court Arena. It was Mr. Zverev’s first win since tearing ankle ligaments in last year’s French Open semi-final against Rafa Nadal.

Top 10 seeds Andrey Rublev and Taylor Fritz eased into the second round earlier on Tuesday with Russian Mr. Rublev beating former finalist Dominic Thiem of Austria 6-3 6-4 6-2 as temperatures nudged 36 degrees Celsius.

EXTREME HEAT
Women’s seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Caroline Garcia earlier enjoyed the relative cool on Rod Laver Arena before the rising mercury sent fans scurrying for shade as organizers invoked the Extreme Heat Policy and halted play on outside courts without roofs.

Fifth seed Ms. Sabalenka, who opened the year by winning the Adelaide title without losing a set, kept up her fine form with an emphatic 6-1 6-4 victory over Tereza Martincova.

Fourth seed Ms. Garcia, who won the WTA Finals last season, was equally convincing with a 6-3 6-0 win over Canadian qualifier Katherine Sebov.

Ms. Garcia will face another Canadian in 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, who beat Alize Cornet 7-5 6-2, her first win in the main draw at Melbourne Park.

Mr. Rublev and Ms. Sabalenka, like all Russian and Belarusian players, are competing at the tournament without national affiliation as a result of last year’s invasion of Ukraine.

Tennis Australia on Tuesday morning banned fans from bringing flags of either nation into the Melbourne Park precinct after a Russian tricolor was hung on a bush next to a court where Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl was playing on Monday. “I really thought that sport is nothing to do with politics but if everyone feels better this way, then it’s okay,” said Ms. Sabalenka. — Reuters

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