Sandiganbayan affirms suspension orders vs. Revilla, Cambe

The Sandiganbayan First Division has upheld its decision to suspend Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and his former staff Richard Cambe for 90 days over the plunder and graft charges theya re facing in connection with the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam.

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Charges Maybe Filed Against Napoles On Friday

President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Tuesday that appropriate charges in relation to the alleged misuse of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) may be filed against Janet Lim Napoles by Friday.

President Aquino told reporters in a press conference after keynoting the 7th ASEAN Navy Chiefs Meeting in Makati City that government prosecutors were studying the evidences, analyses and "possible defenses that can be brought to court" in order to have a rock-solid case against Napoles.

"The first charges with regards to this issue, I understand, will be filed not later than Monday. There is a possibility it can be filed by Friday. I will be given a briefing on what the lawyers called the theory of the case, the evidence that supports the theory of the case," the President said.

"So a complete briefing sometime this week; and the commitment is not later than Monday next week, and possibly by Friday this week," he noted. (PCOO)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=1751378814786

President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Tuesday that appropriate charges in relation to the alleged misuse of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) may be filed against Janet Lim Napoles by Friday.

President Aquino told reporters in a press conference after keynoting the 7th ASEAN Navy Chiefs Meeting in Makati City that government prosecutors were studying the evidences, analyses and "possible defenses that can be brought to court" in order to have a rock-solid case against Napoles.

"The first charges with regards to this issue, I understand, will be filed not later than Monday. There is a possibility it can be filed by Friday. I will be given a briefing on what the lawyers called the theory of the case, the evidence that supports the theory of the case," the President said.

"So a complete briefing sometime this week; and the commitment is not later than Monday next week, and possibly by Friday this week," he noted. (PCOO)
- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=1751378814786#sthash.VpFsz7HA.dpuf

Makati judge stops awarding of $2.26 B in damages to martial law victims

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Sunday lauded the decision of a Makati Regional Trial Court trashing the petition to enforce the 18-year-old judgment of the United States District Court in Hawaii that awarded compensatory and exemplary damages to human rights victims during martial law.

In a statement issue on Sunday, the son and namesake of the former dictator said that their family felt vindicated by the decision.

“We feel vindicated because the judge (Pascua) recognized the arguments that we have been making for many years now,” Marcos said, referring to the 11-page decision dated June 25, 2013 penned by Judge Bonifacio S. Pascua of National Capital Judicial Region, Branch 56 of Makati City, dismissing the petition thus: “The final judgment in the case MDL No. 840 against the estate of the late Ferdinand R. Marcos et. al. is not conclusive yet, but presumptive evidence of a right of the petitioners against the Marcos estate.”

Marcos said the petition stemmed from a verdict on February 3, 1995 by the US District Court awarding plaintiffs Priscila C Mijares et. al. $2,260,000,000 as compensatory and exemplary damages after they won in the Class Action MDL 840. On May 21, 1997, the plaintiffs filed a petition for enforcement of the foreign judgment here in the Philippines.

“In his decision, Pascua said the plaintiffs have not presented any new evidence and that they anchored their cause of action in Hawaii upon the Torture of Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which was signed by President George H. W. Bush on March 12, 1992,” Marcos said in the statement.

Read the rest of the story at Interaksyon


Short Video: Marcos legacy still haunts Philippine human rights victims

Sandigan Bayan Allows Arroyo in Hospital Arrest

For humanitarian considerations, the Sandiganbayan First Division granted the hospital arrest of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who was charged with plunder in connection with the alleged misuse of P366-million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) funds.

In its eight-page resolution, the anti-graft court said it granted the hospital arrest in view of the physical condition of Mrs. Arroyo and her need to undergo continuing intensive physical therapy three times a week at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) and on account of the withdrawal of the prosecution of its opposition to the urgent motion.

Earlier, Prosecutor Disodado V Calonge manifested that the prosecution was already withdrawing its opposition to the urgent motion of the accused for hospital arrest.

The resolution was signed by Justice Efren dela Cruz, First Division chairperson, and Justices Rodoldo A. Ponferrada and Rafael R Lagos.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Arroyo thanked her supporters, well-wishers and even the Sandiganbayan in a message posted on the social network “Tweeter” before the anti-graft court ordered her barred from using computers and other telecommunications devices while under hospital arrest.

Through her staff, Mrs. Arroyo “tweeted” “thank you’s” to those who greeted her and offered prayers for her swift recuperation. Her staff also extended thanks for the Sandiganbayan’s order granting her motion for hospital arrest.

The anti-graft court allowed Mrs. Arroyo to be detained at the same hospital suite at the VMMC where she was previously held following her arrest on an election offense last year.

Read the rest of the story at Manila Bulletin website

Former First Gentleman Charged of Corruption

Graft charges were filed Thursday against former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno, and former Philippine National Police Chief Director General Jesus Versoza before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the purchase by the PNP of two used choppers in 2009.

Also charged were 16 PNP officers.

In the complaint filed by three senators, Arroyo and his co-respondents were accused of conspiring with each other in defrauding the government of P62.67 million through the purchase of two used helicopters passed off as brand-new.

“Jose Miguel Arroyo conspired with the private individuals and officers of the PNP and this conspiracy violates the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Government Procurement Act,’’ the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee stated in its findings, the basis of the complaint.

“It is quite clear that these helicopters were used extensively by the Arroyos during the 2004 elections. From the time these were imported into the Philippines until the time that these were sold to the PNP, the Arroyos used them repeatedly, extensively, and fully. Walang kaduda-duda (No doubt),” Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Teofisto L. Guingona III said.

“It is clear that Mike Arroyo, as the true owner of the helicopters, took advantage of the PNP and robbed the Filipino people of 62 million pesos for used helicopters,” Guingona added.

Read the rest of the story at MB.com.ph

Supreme Court Orders Return Of Mansion To Marcoses

The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed a lower court's ruling that voided a government order sequestering a Marcos rest-house in Olot, Tolosa in Leyte province.


The 17-room mansion was among the properties seized by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) in 1987. The commission, formed by the late President Corazon Aquino, was tasked to recover the ill-gotten wealth of the family of late President Ferdinand Marcos.

Voting unanimously, the high court upheld the Sandiganbayan's 2002 decision that ordered the PCGG to return the property to the dictator's wife, former First Lady and incumbent Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos.

The SC lent credence to the Sandiganbayan's findings that the PCGG failed to provide prima facie evidence that would establish, just as a preliminary determination, the mansion was indeed ill-gotten.

The SC noted that the PCGG keeps a two-commissioner rule to assure the existence of a prima facie case that the money or properties confiscated by PCGG from the Marcoses are indeed ill-gotten.

In 2002, the anti-graft court held as invalid the PCGG's seizure order which was issued by PCGG lawyers and not by any PCGG commissioner.

“Here, it is clear that the PCGG did not make a prior determination of the existence of a prima facie case that would warrant the sequestration of the Olot Resthouse," the high court pointed out.

“Nor did the Republic demonstrate that the two PCGG representatives were given the quasi-judicial authority to receive and consider evidence that would warrant such a prima facie finding," it added.

source: Yahoo News