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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1140885/probinsyano-rep-faces-crime-raps-party-ax-for-punching-waiter |
A party list lawmaker may be facing criminal and administrative charges for hitting a waiter in the face at a local restaurant here.
Ang Probinsyano Rep. Alfred delos Santos, who is set to assume his seat in the 18th Congress on July 22, may also face sanctions from his group, which won a seat in the House of Representatives by banking on the title of a hugely popular television series.
A security camera caught the lawmaker hitting Alejo in the head at Biggs Diner on Rizal Street in this city’s central business district five days ago.
The footage shows Delos Santos standing up from his seat and hitting Alejo with his left hand. The congressman was with three male companions.
It was not clear what provoked the congressman to hit the waiter.I would imagine a political party named after a TV show would not attract the creme de la creme of society to its ranks.
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| http://davaotoday.com/main/human-rights/lumad-leader-farmer-activist-killed-in-their-homes/ |
On July 8, Datu Mario Agsab, was shot dead in his home at Sitio Mainaga, Brgy. Iba, Cabanglasan, Bukidnon at around 7am by suspected members of paramilitary group Alamara with CAFGU members under the 8th Infantry Batallion.
According to Karapatan-Bukidnon, Agsab was an active leader of PIGYAYUNGA-AN, a local chapter of Kalumbay Regional Lumad Organization in Cabanglasan, Bukidnon.
Two days earlier, the group also reported similar shooting incident which targeted a member of KASAMA-Bukidnon, an affiliate of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP).
Karapatan said that farmer Joel Anino was shot in his home in San Fernando town, Bukidnon by unidentified gunmen around 6:30am last July 6. He later died at the Malaybalay General Hospital.
The group has already documented nine incidents of extrajudicial killings in Bukidnon in the middle of 2019.
Anglao attributed these killings to the implementation of Martial Law in Mindanao, which is expected to last until the end of this year.
“The [State] wants to silence anyone – especially the farmers here in Bukidnon – who is strongly calling for genuine agrarian reform in the country,” Anglao said.Is the State killing farmers and activists who advocate for agrarian reform? Somebody sure is. The bodies keep piling up. These two are only the latest.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1074666 |
Ako Bicol (AKB) Party-List president Elizaldy Co proposed the PHP500-million undertaking during an administration political rally at the Albay Astrodome here last April. He said spotlights set up around Mayon will accentuate its magnificent slopes.
The plan, according to AKB, is a milestone project that will further boost tourism in Bicol.
The party-list group further claimed that lighting up the volcano will “spark” economic activities in the region as it will attract more private investors to do business in Albay.
But netizens, scientists and environmentalists have criticized the plan for being impractical and damaging to the environment.
Merlita Tariman, a freelance journalist, said lighting up Mt. Mayon "is one of the craziest, pettiest, ill-conceived proposals" she has ever come across. "Pailawan mo ang mga pobreng kabahayan, hindi iyang bulkan at kagubatan (Light up the homes of the poor, not the volcano and the forests),” she said.
"Imagine our province which suffers from the most outrageous power outages today would like to light up hectares of forest, while it cannot even sufficiently electrify its towns and cities; cannot even complete construction of its international airport for years now; cannot even push faster the operation of its dream modern seaport in Pantao for decades now; cannot even build good farm-to-market roads," Tariman added.Any old scheme to bring in a few tourist bucks while the rest of the province goes to pot.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1074648 |
An updated report of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Maguindanao identified the fatalities as Datu Norodin Mangandian Guiaman, 34, chairperson of Barangay Tuka, Mamasapano, Maguindanao;
Tuka barangay treasurer Sindatu Agao, Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) member Basser Guiaman, 42; and Alwaida Guiaman, 28, wife of chairman Guiaman.
Major Esmael Madin, chief of CIDG-Maguindanao, said all the victims were onboard a gray Toyota Vios sedan with temporary license plate when six gunmen onboard three separate motorbikes opened fire on them along Notre Dame Avenue at 1:40 p.m. Wednesday.
Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) found two pistols inside the victims’ car believed to have been used by the victims in an attempt to fire back. Some 40 empty shells of .45-caliber pistol and 9-mm pistol were recovered at the ambush site.
Investigators believed the ambush was triggered by a “rido” (family feud) involving the village official and another clan in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.Rido or not it's another LGU official shot dead by motorcycle assassins.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1141225/malacanang-staffer-files-charges-vs-3-pcoo-execs-at-ombudsman |
A staffer at the Presidential Communications Operations Office’s (PCOO) News and Information Bureau (NIB) has filed cases of grave abuse of authority, oppression and neglect of duty against three PCOO executives with the Office of the Ombudsman, over the alleged arbitrary transfer of some Media Accreditation and Relations Office (Maro) employees.
In a complaint-affidavit submitted July 3, Lucrecia Luz Roque asked the Ombudsman to perpetually ban from government service PCOO Undersecretary for Maro Feducia Mia Reyes-Lucas, PCOO Assistant Secretary for Content and Messaging Rachel Queenie Rodolfo and NIB Acting Chief Virginia Arcilla-Agtay.
Luz Roque said the three respondents repeatedly blocked her attempts to return to Maro and instead hired job orders.
“We were experts but the presidential media coverages were left to be handled by amateurs, [a] waste of taxpayers money,” the complaint said.
In her six-page complaint, Luz Roque said that in December 2010, during the term of then President Benigno Aquino III, she and six other Maro employees were removed “without any valid reason at all.”Nine years ago this lady and others were removed from their office and replaced by other people who were not fit to handle the duties in the office. Is there a statue of limitations? Why file a case now?
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1141217/court-suspends-cotabato-gov-for-90-days |
The Sandiganbayan has ordered the suspension of Cotabato Gov. Nancy Catamco for 90 days for her involvement in an allegedly overpriced fertilizer procurement in 2005.Another politician involved in a fertiliser scam.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/07/14/1934500/duterte-vows-defend-jail-personnel-facing-job-related-cases |
“Stay on the right track. As I have been telling this to everyone time and again, maybe for the nth time before (that) you just do your duty according to the books. And you do not have to worry about (criminal) cases,” Duterte said during the 28th anniversary of the BJMP at Camp Aguinaldo last Friday.
If there are some problems that might later arise, Duterte said the concerned officials should just be truthful in giving him details of what really transpired.
“Just do your duty… I’m sure General Año and me will look at it in a very positive way. As long as there are no abuses,” Duterte said, referring to retired general, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año.
Duterte insinuated he would not mind if hardened criminals get killed during operations while under detention.
“If they are killed while in detention …well that’s better … We have cases like that. But I assure you, I will not abandon them (BJMP personnel),” Duterte said.
“If there’s anything that I can do and I said especially cases that are duty connected or in the fulfillment of your duty, (but) do not (lie),” he said.
“Do not invent a story… I will provide the (cover story) not you, so when I talk to you, tell me the truth.”And the Duterte administration wonders why the UNHRC passed a resolution to investigate the human rights situation in the Philippines.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/07/14/1934519/malacaang-transfer-eyed-boc-64 |
The 64 high-ranking officials and employees of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) who are being investigated for corruption might be transferred to Malacañang.
BOC Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla, acting spokesman of the bureau, said the personnel might be put under the Office of the President.
“(They might be re-assigned) pending final resolution of the charges against them, administrative or otherwise,” Maronilla added.
He maintained that President Duterte would not dismiss the employees without due process.
“The President has already stated that he will respect the rights of these employees, including of course their right to due process,” Maronilla said.Duterte has dismissed plenty of government workers without due process and based on unproved allegations. The fact that this is even being discussed is more proof Duterte is not serious about fighting corruption.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1141643/mayoral-candidate-in-may-polls-shot-dead-in-sultan-kudarat |
A mayoral candidate in Lambayong town in Sultan Kudarat in the elections last May was shot dead on Saturday, July 13, in his hometown, police said Sunday.
Lt. Col. Aldrin Gonzales, speaking for the police in the Soccsksargen region, said Edgar Lucero, 53, was on a motorcycle with his two children when repeatedly shot as they were traveling along the national highway in Barangay Didtaras in Lambayong at around 9:30 a.m.
Gonzales said Lucero and his children just came from nearby Tacurong City and were heading home when shot from behind by assailants, who were also on a motorcycle.
He had five gunshot wounds in the head and body and died instantly. His children were spared by the gunmen, Gonzales said.
His family said Lucero had been receiving death threats in the past months, but he ignored them, saying he had no enemies.Obviously he was wrong about not having enemies. He should have taken those threats seriously.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1141645/ncmf-execs-plead-guilty-to-lesser-offense |
Three officials of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) have entered into a plea bargain with the Office of the Ombudsman, and were slapped with P10,000 in fines.
Sadain, Mabang, Makalinggan and Rodriguez were earlier slapped with graft charges for the alleged anomalous use of the priority development assistance fund of former Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Ampatuan Datumanong, who has since passed away.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1141410/coa-asks-ptv-for-documents-on-p90m-paid-to-employees |
The Commission on Audit (COA) has cautioned state-run television network PTV4 over some P89.68 million that it paid to contract of service (COS) and contractual employees without proper documentation.
In its annual audit report, the COA said that if the Philippine Television Network Inc. failed to submit the required supporting documents for the salaries paid to COS and contractual workers, the audit body would issue a notice of suspension that could lead to a notice of disallowance.
“The legality, validity and accuracy of the payments in the total amount of P89.680 million for the salaries of contractual and contract of service personnel of [PTV4] for the period January 2018 to December 2018 could not be ascertained due to nonsubmission of the documentary requirements such as daily time records (DTRs), contracts of service and accomplishment reports,” the COA said.Bad paperwork keeping is a problem in many government agencies that always comes to light with the annual COA report.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1141653/bill-seeks-regular-pay-for-village-officials |
Angara’s bill seeks to treat barangay officials as regular government employees who will receive fixed salaries, allowances, insurance, medical and dental coverage, retirement and other fringe benefits.
At present, barangay officials do not receive fixed salaries and are only entitled to honoraria and other allowances.
Also under the bill, the national treasury should automatically remit to the barangays their just share from the national taxes to ensure that the barangays enjoy local autonomy, Angara said.If barangay officials do not receive a fixed salary then why are so many officials kill and why are positions within barangay sought? One word: power. Undoubtedly many of these officials get kickbacks.
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| https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/245202/coa-tells-cebu-province-to-return-p40-7-m-unspent-pdaf |
In its 2018 Audit Report, the Commission on Audit (COA) pointed out that the province “still did not return to the National Treasury the remaining unutilized Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) balance of P40, 769,414.12, which had been idle in its treasury for 5 to 12 years, despite the lack of basis or authority to use them for future projects.”How does this kind of thing keep happening? In city after city there are millions in idle funds. What are the treasurers of these cities even doing?
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/701181/2-cops-one-police-asset-nabbed-for-alleged-robbery-holdup-in-pasig/story/ |
Three men, including two police officers, who were allegedly involved in a robbery hold-up incident were nabbed in San Miguel, Pasig City, on Monday night.
Authorities on Tuesday identified the suspects as Police Corporal Duman-ag Lipawen and Pat Arsenio Velardo, who were both assigned at Pasig City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit, and police asset Janus Francisco.
Police investigation bared that victim Robert Tamondog Ignacio was approached by the suspects for alleged violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The suspects allegedly took Ignacio's money worth P850 and his silver ring. After taking his belongings, Ignacio was released by the suspects.Two more "bad eggs" who do not represent the PNP as a whole. Isolated incident.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/701191/ex-vp-binay-files-electoral-protest-vs-kid-pena-demands-manual-recount/story/ |
He also urged the body to set aside Peña's proclamation as the winning representative of the district and instead declare him as the duly elected and rightful winner in the elections "for having obtained the plurality of the votes cast."
According to Binay, the election results used to proclaim Peña as winner in the elections in the district were not reflective of the actual votes he garnered.
He cited "high incidence of null or misread votes" in the certificates of canvass for Penã, which he said resulted in the omission of votes; and cases of fraud, anomalies, irregularities and statistical improbabilities in several clustered precincts.
Binay alleged that there were cases where the ballots were rejected by the vote counting machines (VCMs) and the voters' receipts did not reflect the actual votes, as well as incidents of vote-buying.
He even accused Peña's followers and watchers of manipulating the precinct proceedings so that voters who were listed disabled or physically unable to prepare their ballots were not allowed to vote with help from personnel in the voting precincts.
He also claimed that the assigned VCMs in most of the clustered precincts malfunctioned, which raises questions as to the "accuracy and quality of the machines to correctly count the votes."
"Definitely, if there were no electoral frauds, anomalies or irregularities in the protested clustered precincts, the Protestant (Binay) would have garnered the most number of votes for the position of Member of the House of Representatives for the First District of Makati City," Binay's petition read.
Binay, however, clarified that he was not filing the petition "out of spite."
"It is a challenge to uncover the true will of the people, the voters of Makati City," he said.Binay, whose voting card was rejected several times by the VCM at his precinct, is filing a protest which the declared winner says is "out of spite." One could sympathise with Binay seeing as there were certainly a lot of anomalies that day with machines malfunctioning and vote counts not transmitted. But will the courts find the case with merit to go ahead with a recount?
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| https://globalnation.inquirer.net/178032/im-calling-now-america-duterte-invokes-defense-pact-with-us |
“I’m calling now America. I’m invoking the RP-US pact. I would like America to gather all their Seventh Fleet in front of China. I’m asking them now. And I will join them,” Duterte said in an interview over Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s television program.
The President added that he will drag the critics of his stance in the West Philippine Sea dispute, namely, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and former Foreign Affairs chief Albert del Rosario, to go to war with him.
“I will ride on the boat where admiral of the US. But I will drag along this Carpio and the rest of Albert. When the Americans say, ‘we’re here now’, ready, I will press the (button),” he said.
“Maybe that would be the end of Palawan. Palawan may be devastated, maybe occupied or if there will be nuclear bombs it will dry up. So nothing will grow here, we can just wait, just like a big hole coming our way, to suck us to eternity,’ he added.Obviously Duterte is exaggerating and making joke in an attempt to paint his critics as fools for saying that the Philippines must enforce the Hague ruling and the Philippines EEZ. But it is Duterte who comes off looking like a fool who can only think in terms of war. No one is calling for war except Duterte.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1142586/coa-to-philhealth-return-p33m |
The Commission on Audit (COA) has ordered Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to return about P33 million in allowances and bonuses it gave to its employees and officials illegally in 2009 and 2011.The COA keeps repeating itself telling various agencies to return money it should not have spent.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2009/11/06/520377/lto-exec-brod-killed-iligan-ambush |
The assistant district officer of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) here and a brother were killed in an ambush a few hundred meters from their residence yesterday.
Police said LTO executive Ali Datumanong was on his way to work when his vehicle driven by his brother was fired upon at around 9 a.m. in Barangay Tubod here.
Bystanders rushed the Datumanongs to the Dr. Uy’s Hospital but they were declared dead on arrival.
Investigators said they were trying to determine if the attack was related to Datumanong’s work at LTO or motivated by a clan feud or rido.What if it's all three!?
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/701360/duterte-i-am-a-deeply-religious-person/story/ |
“You might think that just because I quarrel with the cardinals and the bishops that I’m irreverent. ‘Yung I could be a sacrilegious guy. Hindi baya. Kilala ako ni Pastor,” the President said in an interview over Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s television program.
“I am a deeply religious person, sa totoo lang. And my guiding life, alam ni Pastor ‘yan, is the Bible. And if you can memorize by heart and understand Ecclesiastes 3. You can face any problem. You might not be able to solve it but you can understand why.”
Duterte added: “I was prepared to deal with it every time because I was using the Bible. As there is a time for victory, there has to be a time for defeat. Kaya ganun ako.”These bad jokes are never ending. He already said in 2016 that he is a Muslim. Since then he has repeatedly cursed the Church. I bet he can recite Ecclesiastes 3 thanks to The Turtles.
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| https://globalnation.inquirer.net/178052/duterte-on-west-philippine-sea-im-the-owner-im-just-giving-china-fishing-rights |
President Rodrigo Duterte insisted Wednesday Manila’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea despite his decision to allow China to fish in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m the owner, and I’m just giving the fishing rights,” Duterte told Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in his show “Give Us This Day.”
“We filed a case for arbitration actually, and we won. But the problem is the property is in their possession. It is with China who claims it also to be his property, their property,” Duterte said.
“to get clarity around the contested facts, figures and circumstances” of reports alleging crimes against humanity in Duterte’s bloody campaign against the drug trade and crimes.
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/177862/in-war-of-words-over-unhrc-probe-clarity-is-lost
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/700793/bato-i-will-have-my-head-cut-off-if-alleged-ejks-are-state-sponsored/story/ |
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1140960/pnp-cpp-possibly-behind-un-human-rights-council-resolution |
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/700759/palace-un-rights-council-resolution-maliciously-partisan-designed-to-embarrass-phl/story/ |
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1141119/sotto-show-number-of-abortion-cases-before-probing-ph-for-killings |
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| https://globalnation.inquirer.net/177886/duterte-mocks-ice-eating-iceland-over-un-council-vote |
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| https://www.rappler.com/nation/235326-imee-marcos-cut-diplomatic-ties-iceland-asap |
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| https://globalnation.inquirer.net/177973/duterte-eyes-cutting-ties-with-iceland-panelo |
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| https://globalnation.inquirer.net/177957/sotto-ph-may-pull-out-of-un-due-to-iceland-resolution |
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| https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/13/19/anti-corruption-body-robredo-can-be-impeached-for-supporting-un-resolution |
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| https://globalnation.inquirer.net/178077/duterte-i-wont-answer-any-caucasian-asking-about-drug-war |
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| https://philippineslifestyle.com/raped-online-british-sentence/ |
A British man who paid to watch abducted Filipino children be drugged and raped online has been sentenced to 21 years in prison.
According to police, Alan Porter – who has visited the Philippines for 30 years – had also arranged to rape street children during future trips to the country.
According to police, he was even found with a suitcase full of chocolate bars, ready to entice children on his next visit.
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| https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/17770276.immensely-dangerous-paedophile-behind-bars/ |
The court heard Porter had travelled to The Philippines – where he has a Filipino wife and step-daughter – on numerous occasion over the past 30 years.
He also had a previous conviction for inciting the distribution of indecent images of children, which dated back to 1999, the court heard.
Between 2015 and 2017, Porter contacted various sources in the Philippines to take children from the streets and engage in “sex shows” for him to watch online.
In his messages he also asked to engage in sexual acts with several children during future trips.
These included a 15-year-old girl whose virginity he was offered for £280.
When asked if he wanted to try sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl, Porter replied “yeah, why not?”
When asked whether he preferred young boys or girls, he replied “both hehe”.
Porter, who used the email address porterbigboy@btinternet.com, requested children with particular physical features to suit his desires.
Prosecutor Rachel Beckett said: “When told that some of the children were 17 or 18, he asked if there were children younger than that available.”
He also requested “rape and drug films”.
He transferred money online to his sources, on some occasions as little as £20, who then sexually abused the children and filmed it for him to watch.
The case came to the attention of the police on February 17, 2017, when an anonymous letter and a memory card were sent to Durrington Police Station in Worthing.
The letter said Porter had been going to the Philippines for the past 30 years and there had been “talk of rape and drugging street children on his next visit”, and grooming of various children “as young as seven”.
Police started to investigate and, less than a month later, a relative of Porter’s paid him a visit after his father died.
During the visit Porter logged into his Facebook on his relative’s phone.
It became clear later on he had failed to sign out of the website and his relative was able to see his discussions about abusing children.
She sought advice from police and Porter was arrested on April 5 at his home address in Onslow Drive, Ferring.
Officers found half-packed suitcases of chocolate, a heavy-duty nylon rope, plus two alarm clocks and a coat hanger that he used to disguise hidden cameras to film his abuse.
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| https://philippineslifestyle.com/online-abuse-arrests-philippines/ |
About 170 people have been arrested in the Philippines for the online abuse of children since the beginning of September.
These arrests have led to the filing of human trafficking charges against the suspects and the conviction of at least 46 traffickers, the International Justice Mission (IJM) said in a statement today (Friday, October 12).
The IJM, an organisation that campaigns against the online sexual exploitation of children, commended the efforts of Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
As we reported earlier this month, both Magpale and the DOJ were instrumental in bringing a couple from Cordova town, Cebu, to justice for exploiting their own children.
The court was told how the couple forced their six children to undress and pose naked in front of a web camera. Overseas ‘clients’ would pay from 1,000 to 5,000 pesos for each ‘show’.
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| https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/31/live-streaming-child-sex-abuse-family-business-philippines |
Now, the United Nations says, there are tens of thousands of children believed to be involved in a rapidly expanding local child abuse industry already worth US$1bn.
In some areas, entire communities live off the business, abetted by increasing internet speeds, advancing cameraphone technology, and growing ease of money transfers across borders.
And while perpetrators used to download photos and videos to their hard drives – providing authorities with a virtual paper trail and usable evidence – criminals have found anonymity in encrypted live-streaming programs.
Stephanie McCourt, the south-east Asia liaison officer for the UK’s National Crime Agency, said the Philippines provided a perfect storm to allow the crime to develop, with its entrenched poverty and high level of internet access for a developing country. But there is one thing that she said was absolutely key: a widespread knowledge of the English language.
“They can communicate with offenders. After we’d been scratching our heads, the penny dropped,” she said. “That’s not to say that it won’t move to other countries … There is probably a huge amount we don’t know.”
It is hard to estimate the size of an industry involving small anonymous payments, roughly $5-$200 a show, conducted in people’s homes and mostly operated by families rather than large crime syndicates.
“We think that what we are seeing, what we are dealing with, is a small part of what is out there,” she said. “It is big money. Big business.”
The number of ongoing live-streaming criminal cases in the Philippines is rising, from 57 in 2013, growing to 89 in 2014, and up to 167 in 2015.
But those numbers belie the true scale, according to Det Supt Paul Hopkins, the head of the Australian Federal Police team in Manila who has spent the past two years investigating the crime. Wearing a short-sleeved, Filipino-style shirt, he described the size of the trade as “monstrous”.
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| https://www.rappler.com/nation/191219-philippines-top-global-source-child-pornography-unicef |
“Child pornography is a billion-dollar industry, and Filipino children are the ones being traded and exploited online. Children who are made to perform sex acts in front of a web camera will never get their childhood back. We must all work together to protect our children,” Unicef Country Representative Lotta Sylwander said.
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| https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/drug-gangs-behind-sri-lanka-easter-bombings-president-claims-11722322 |
International drug syndicates orchestrated Sri Lanka's deadly Easter Sunday bombings, the country's leader claimed Monday (Jul 15), despite earlier blaming the attacks on Islamists.
Sirisena's office said the day after the bombings that local terrorists and international terror groups were responsible for the attacks.
But in a statement issued by his office Monday, Sirisena said the attacks "were the work of international drug dealers".
"Drug barons carried out this attack to discredit me and discourage my anti-narcotics drive. I will not be deterred," he said.
Sirisena is waging a battle against efforts by his governing coalition in parliament to abolish capital punishment, which has been subject to a moratorium since 1976.
Sirisena has marshalled public support for an end to the moratorium on the death penalty, saying that hangings would deter the illegal drugs trade.
"If the government brings legislation to abolish capital punishment, I will declare a day of national mourning," Sirisena said in the statement, adding that public opinion favoured hanging condemned criminals.
The day a Bill to abolish the death penalty is brought to Parliament will be declared a national day of mourning as the it will mark the occasion of handing over this country to drug dealers, criminals and rapists, President Maithripala Sirisena said.
President made these comments during a ceremony in Walawa zone to present land deeds to 5000 Mahaweli settlers today (14).
Expressing his views, President further said attempts by a certain section of the government to bring a Parliament act to abolish the capital punishment is an achievement of drug dealers and criminals.
President vouched that he will not leave room for these criminals to destroy the future of this country’s children while adding that he will leave no stone unturned to bring the drug dealers to the law and will not revoke the decision of death penalty.
Foreign forces play a role in the opposition to the decision, President added.
http://www.president.gov.lk/abolition-of-death-penalty-is-a-victory-of-drug-kingpins-and-criminals-president-2/
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| http://www.pmdnews.lk/unheeded-to-life-threats-i-lead-the-fight-against-drug-menace-for-the-future-generation-president/ |
Those who did not give their slightest support for the battle against eradicating drug menace during last four and half years are now trying to vilify me in the face of tough action now taken against drug kingpins, President Maithripala Sirisena said.
He said he will demand answers from them on what they have done to safeguard 300,000 youth who are addicted to drugs while they are in power or in opposition.
The President made these comments addressing the Western Province ceremony of the National Drug Prevention Week held at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium today (1).
President further said that he is leading the fight against the drug menace unheeded to life threats for the sake of the future generations.
Drug is the easiest method to destroy a nation, President pointed out while adding every citizen should perform his or her duty to free this country from illegal drug trafficking.
Certain international organizations attempt to intimidate Sri Lanka after the decision to re-enforce capital punishment against drug dealers. Though the assistance of global entities is required for the development of a country, nobody has the right to interfere in the domestic affairs or the sovereignty of a nation, President said.
The connection between illegal drug business and politicians is no secret and how many politicians do their duty to protect the nation against this threat is questionable, he said.
Explaining the interdependence between illegal drug trafficking and terrorism, President said there is a hand of international drug dealers behind Easter Sunday attack.
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| https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/2154851/sri-lanka-will-hang-drug-dealers-promises-replicate-philippines |
Sri Lanka announced Wednesday it would start hanging drug dealers, ending a near-half century moratorium on capital punishment as officials promised to “replicate the success” of the Philippines drug war.
President Maithripala Sirisena had told the cabinet he “was ready to sign the death warrants” of repeat drug offenders, government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said Wednesday.
“From now on, we will hang drug offenders without commuting their death sentences,” he said.
The government has drawn inspiration from the Philippines, where a no-holds barred war on drugs has been a centrepiece of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
“We were told that the Philippines has been successful in deploying the army and dealing with this problem. We will try to replicate their success,” Senaratne said of the decision to deploy the military to tackle drugs.
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| https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/01/18/sri-lanka-to-adopt-ph-drug-war-model/ |
“Drug menace is rampant in my country and I feel that we should follow your footsteps to control this hazard.”
“The war against crime and drugs carried out by you is an example to the whole world and personally to me,” he said during the state dinner.
Opposition to the death penalty started to become increasingly widespread and the United National Party government modified the use of it in its 1978 rewrite of the constitution. Under the new arrangement, death sentences could only be carried out if authorized by the trial judge, the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice. If there was no agreement, the sentence was to be commuted to life imprisonment. The sentence was also to be ratified by the President. This clause effectively ended executions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_Sri_Lanka
“The death penalty is a cruel practice that has no place in modern society for combating drug crimes or any other offense,” Adams said. “Sri Lanka should work toward upholding its human rights pledges and immediately rescind the execution orders.”
https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/06/30/sri-lanka-resuming-death-penalty-major-setback
Amnesty International has repeatedly called on President Sirisena to halt his plans to resume executions, making clear that the death penalty does not have a unique deterrent effect on crime. The human rights organization absolutely opposes the death penalty in all circumstances, regardless of the crime committed or method of execution.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/06/sri-lanka-halt-plans-for-executions-once-and-for-all
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| https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/2159546/us-gives-sri-lankan-military-us39-million-combat-chinas |
The United States announced Monday it would grant Sri Lanka US$39 million to boost maritime security as China develops its strategic hold on the Indian Ocean island.
The State Department will provide the funds as “foreign military financing”, pending congressional approval, the US embassy in Colombo said.
“We look forward to discussing with the government of Sri Lanka how this contribution can support our Bay of Bengal initiative and Sri Lanka’s humanitarian assistance and disaster response priorities,” it said.
It comes as China, the world’s second-largest economy, increases investment in ports and other building projects in Sri Lanka – a key link in its ambitious “Belt and Road” infrastructure initiative.
...assistance in terms of military training, military technology, intelligence, special training in counter-terrorism, and direct monetary assistance for military development.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka–United_States_relations#Defence_relations
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/09/27/1743196/duterte-now-claims-arrest-warrant-vs-drug-lord-triggered-marawi-siege |
“The Marawi war was ignited by the service of a summon and a warrant of arrest of one of the drug lords there,” Duterte said in his speech during the 56th anniversary of the Philippine Constitution Association.
“There was a firefight and that started the rebellion. And I was really aghast to know that until now, they have so many bullets, ordnance and everything that the fight is still going on,” he added.
The president's claim runs counter to what security forces have been saying since hostilities in the city began months ago.
According to the military, a failed attempt by government troops to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon in Marawi on May 23 triggered the battle against the Maute group, homegrown jihadist militants who claim allegiance with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and backed by some foreign fighters.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe discounted the president's claims.
"Police completed the investigations within about two weeks," Sudarshana Gunawardana told AFP.
"There is no mention of drug dealers being involved. We have no reason to doubt our investigators."
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/drug-gangs-behind-sri-lanka-easter-bombings-president-claims-11722322
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| https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sri-lankas-suspended-police-chief-ex-defence-secretary-arrested/article28265112.ece |
Sri Lanka’s suspended police chief and former Defence Secretary were on Tuesday arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department for their alleged failure to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings that claimed nearly 260 lives.
The arrest of Inspector-General Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando comes a day after the Attorney-General termed their alleged failure to act on security warnings a “crime against humanity”. “The two officials should be brought before a magistrate for their criminal negligence to prevent the April 21 attacks,” Attorney-General Dappula de Livera told the acting police chief in a letter.
In June, Mr. Jayasundara and Mr. Fernando testified before a parliamentary panel probing the blasts and pointed to the serious gaps in acting on intelligence.
Confirming that intelligence on a possible attack was available since April 9, they said it was shared among top police and defence officials, on the eve and morning of the bombings.
