DEPUTY Speaker David “Jayjay” Suarez today said the Senate investigation into the alleged bribery in the People’s Initiative is turning into a witch hunt after the committee failed to secure any testimony supporting bribery claims.
“After two hearings, no witnesses have come forward to say that they received money or were bribed to sign the petition calling for Charter Amendments. Nakakahiya na tuluy-tuloy pa rin ang imbestigasyon kahit lahat ng testigong iniharap nila sa pagdinig ay nagsasabing hindi sila nabayaran,” Suarez said.
The congressman from Quezon appealed to the Senate to refocus their attention on the discussion and expedited approval of the Resolution of Both Houses aimed at amending economic provisions in the Constitution.
“The continuation of this investigation in Davao City, which paralleled the outcome of the Manila hearings with no witnesses confirming the bribery allegations, raises serious questions about the substance and direction of this inquiry,” Suarez said.
Suarez expressed his concerns regarding the resources and time devoted to an investigation that has yet to yield substantial evidence.
“While it is crucial to investigate any allegations of misconduct, especially those that could affect constitutional processes, the consistent lack of corroborative testimonies suggests that this investigation may not be the best use of our legislative body’s time and resources,” he said.
“Sa Maynila man o sa Davao, ang parati nating naririnig mula sa mga testigo ay ang salitang ‘wala’. Mahirap talagang ipilit kung wala talagang natanggap,” he said.
He highlighted the importance of focusing on more pressing issues facing the nation, saying The absence of evidence across multiple sessions suggests we may be pursuing a path that diverts us from more pressing national issues. “It’s time to prioritize and address the critical needs of our country.”
Suarez emphasized the importance of the Senate to start next week on their proposed constitutional amendments which aim to relax economic restrictions and attract more foreign investments.
“The Resolution of Both Houses filed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri presents a significant opportunity to boost our economy by opening up to foreign investors. This is a crucial step towards economic growth and national development. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to expedite the discussion and approval of these amendments.”
He highlighted the potential benefits of these amendments, including job creation, technological advancement, and increased global competitiveness.
“Focusing on these economic reforms will have a direct and positive impact on our people’s lives, offering them better employment opportunities and improving the overall economic health of our nation.”
Suarez reiterated his call for the Senate to bring the investigation to a close and redirect its efforts towards economic reforms.
“I respectfully request that we shift our collective focus to enhancing our economic framework. Let’s channel our energies into actions that will strengthen our economy and secure a better future for the Filipino people,” he said.
| Approval of Vital Bill Enhancing Benefits to Public Health Workers Hailed by Health Sector Stakeholders |
| KEY stakeholders in the health sector lauded veteran legislator Rep. Ron P. Salo as his authored bill, House Bill No. 9127 which seeks to enhance the benefits and incentives for public health workers, was unanimously approved by the House Committee on Health. “We in KABAYAN Partylist acknowledge the pivotal importance of the role that our public health workers fulfill in our nation, especially during the pandemic. These are our doctors, nurses, midwives, medical technologists, and ‘aides’ who work at public hospitals, health centers, and rural health units (RHU). By enhancing the statutory framework established more than three decades ago under RA No. 7305 or the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting our health workforce and fortifying the foundations of our public health system”, Cong. Salo asserted. Among the proposed enhancements as provided in the bill are the following: Public health workers shall be given 25% hazard allowance across the board, regardless of salary grade. As it currently stands, only public health workers below salary grade 20 are receiving the 25% hazard pay. Those with salary grade 20 or higher only receive 5% hazard allowance. The subsistence allowance of public health workers are also pegged at P 300.00 with gradual increases up to P 500.00. Currently, the subsistence allowance is provided as three (3) meals a day based on prevailing circumstances. Further, their laundry allowance is proposed to be increased to P 1000.00 a month, currently pegged at a measly P 125.00. “Increasing the statutory benefits and incentives of our public health workers is vital to recognize and compensate for their tireless dedication, address burnout, and attract and retain skilled professionals, ultimately enhancing the quality and sustainability of the healthcare services in the country”, Cong. Salo emphasized. The bill garnered widespread support from both private and public sectors which include the Department of Health (DOH), National DOH Employees Association (NADEA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), Philippine Medical Association (PMA), Philippine Hospital Association (PHA), Philippine Association of Medical Technologists, Inc. (PAMET), Philippine Dental Association (PDA), Medical Action Group (MAG), and Alliance of Health Workers (AHW). “I want to express gratitude to our partner stakeholders, especially the National DOH Employees Association (NADEA) for their efforts in advocating for this bill. KABAYAN Partylist aligns with your proposals, and we pledge our support in championing this initiative,” stated Salo. As the Chairperson of the Committee on Overseas Filipinos Workers, Cong. Salo opined that enhancing the benefits for our public health workers is also a viable solution to address brain drain, or more specifically, the migration of Filipino public health workers which diminishes the capacity to provide essential medical services to the population due to a shortage of skilled professionals in the local healthcare system. “Moreover, investing in the welfare of our public health workers is an investment in the resilience and sustainability of our healthcare infrastructure. Let us stand in solidarity with our public health workers, whose tireless efforts epitomize the spirit of selflessness and service,” Cong. Salo concluded. |
PAGDINIG NG RBH 6 TUTUTOK SA ECON PROVISIONS, WALANG PULITIKA – ANGARA
TINIYAK ni Senador Edgardo “Sonny” Angara na tututukan lamang sa pagdinig ng Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6 ang tatlong panukalang amendments sa economic provisions ng 1987 Constitution.
Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Angara, chairman ng sub-committee on on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes matapos tuluyan nang “pinatay” ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) ang lahat ng pagkilos sa pekeng peoples’ initiative ni House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“No discussion of political amendments,” Angara sa kanyang Viber message sa reporters.
Aniya, limitado ang diskusyon sa nilalaman ng RBH 6 na inihain nito kasama sina Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri at Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda.
“Maganda yung gagawin ng Senado dahil limitado lamang sa economic amendments ito. Di katulad ng PI na walang limitasyon sa amyenda kung sakaling maamyendahan ang paraan ng botohan sa pagamyenda ng saligang batas. Hindi tatalakayin ng ating sub committee ang amyendang pampulitika,” ani Angara.
Tiniyak din ni Angara na kakatawan ang lahat ng sektor kabilang ang ilang constitutional experts bilang resource persons.
“We will invite a wide sector of society and the political spectrum to ensure healthy discussion and debate,” aniya.
Naglalaman ang RBH 6 ng panukalang amyendahan ang Section 11 of Article XII o ang National Patrimony and Economy; Paragraph 2, Section 4 of Article XIV o ang Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture, and Sports; at Paragraph 2, Section 11 of Article XVI o ang General Provisions.
Naunang inihayag ni Zubiri na kailangan maging “constitutionalize” ang Public Services Act na kasalukuyang dinidinig ngayon sa Supreme Court at mapapagaan ang regulasyon upang payagan ang mas maraming dayuhang investments sa bansa.
Ebidensiya, ipinalalatag ni Bato kay Lascañas vs Sara bilang ‘Reyna ng Tokhang’
Ni Ernie Reyes
Hinamon ni Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa si self-confessed former Davao Death Squad (DDS) hitman Arturo Lascañas na maglatag ng ebidensiya sa paratang nito laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte bilang “Reyna ng Tokhang” ang anti-drug operation noong nakaraang administrasyon.
Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Dela Rosa na kung talagang may matitibay na ebidensiya si Lascañas, dapat magsampa siya ng kaso sa korte.
Nitong Miyerkoles, isinabit ni Lascañas si Vice President Sara Duterte sa Oplan Tokhang na hinihinalang pumatay ng mahigit 20,000 indibiduwal tulad ng petty pusher at menor de edad sa inilunsad ng drug war ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.
Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Lascañas na si Dela Rosa ang nagsabisa kanya na lumikha siya ng bagong extra-judicial killing (EJK) campaign laban sa illegal drugs na naging Oplan Tokhang.
Ayon kay Dela Rosa, hindi ibinulgar dati ni Lascanas ang naturang istorya.
“Anyway, wala naman siyang katakutan at hindi na presidente si PRRD,” ayon kay Dela Rosa.
Kasalukuyang dinidinig ng International Criminal Court (ICC) ang kaso laban sa mag-amang Duterte at Dela Rosa hinggil sa crimes against humanity sa inilunsad na war on drugs.
Ever Bilena faces P9.32M in tax deficiency charges filed by BIR
POPULAR cosmetic brand Ever Bilena is facing a total of P9.32 million in alleged tax deficiencies and a criminal complaint filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
In a statement, the BIR said it filed charges of tax evasion, perjury and making false records or reports against Ever Bilena before the Department of Justice.
The company is being sued for total tax deficiencies of P9.32 million for taxable years 2018 and 2021.
According to the BIR, Ever Bilena made it appear that it had millions of purchases during these years.
However, the revenue agency said there were no such transactions and its purchases were based on non-existent goods and services from a ghost company.
“Fictitious purchases from the ghost companies are intended to over-claim deductions both in the annual income tax return and quarterly value added tax returns which eventually leads to a lesser or almost minimal income and VAT payments,” it said.
DENR inupakan ng mga magsasaka sa panggigipit sa distribusyon ng lupa
MANANATILING mailap ang pinapangarap na lupain kung patuloy na ipagkakait ng mga nakaupo sa gobyerno ang pamamahagi sa mga lupa — para sa agrikultura o lupaing hindi na ukol para rito — sa Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
Sa kalatas, hinimok ng Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) na ipatupad ang alituntunin sa reporma sa agraryo sa papublikong lupain at ipamahagi ang patas na distribusyon ng sa lupang sinasaka.
Partikular na pinasaringan ni FFF Chairman Leonardo Montemayor ang ilang ahensiya ng gobyerno na para sa kanya ay patuloy na tinataliwas ang Executive Order No. 75 na inisyu ng nakaraang administrasyon.
Partkular na tinukoy ni Montemayor ang Departments of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Defense (DND), at Justice (DOJ) na umano’y nagpaplanong iparenta ang malaking bahagi ng kanilang naasakupan sa malalaking korporasyon. Ibinunyag din ni Montemayor ang pahayag kamakailan ng DENR sa alok sa ‘competitive bidding basis’ sa milyong ektarya ng nakakakalbong gubat sa pribadong sektor.
Nakikita umano ng sektor na ito ang negosyo sa ‘carbon credit’.
Ang pagbubunyag ay ginawa ilang linggo matapos iutos ni Pangulong Marcos kay Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III na bilisan ang distribusyon ng lupa sa mga magsasaka upang matustusan ang produksiyon sa pagkain.
Ayon sa mga nailathalang artikulo (kung saan isinangkot ang hindi kinilalang DENR career official), ang halos 40,000 ektaryang Yulo King Ranch (YKR) na umaabot mula sa bayan ng Coron at Busuanga sa Palawan ay hindi inilipat sa DAR para ipamahagi sa halos 1,000 magsasaka.
Sinabi ng DENR official na hindi umano pinapansin ang kautusan ng paglilipat ng titulo ng farmland na bahagi ng YKR.
Pinamumunuan ang DENR ni
Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, na court-designated executor ng Yulo estate (including YKR) na naiwan ng kanyang ama, kilalang crony ni dating pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Sa paggiit ng Republic Act 6657 (kilala bilang Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law), matagal nang ipinaglalaban ng mga magsasaka ang kanilang karapatan para magkaroon ng sariling lupa bago pa man tumuntong ang mga Yulo sa Palawan.
Ang bahagi ng YRK na sinasabi ng DENR official ay matagal na umanong nai-award noong 2009 sa New San Jose Builders Inc, ang kompanyang itinatag at pag-aari ni Jerry Acuzar.
Siya rin ang itinalaga ni Pangulong Marcos bilang kalihim ng Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
