Day: June 29, 2024

MANILA: The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to sign a historical document allowing the agency to make its own rules on preliminary investigation, an official said on Saturday.

In a news forum in Quezon City, DOJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said the signing of the document is set on July 4 during the agency’s town hall forum at Dasmariñas Arena in Cavite.

The current rules on preliminary investigation are contained in Rule 112 of the Rules of Court, which was crafted by the Supreme Court.

‘We will be signing a very historical document. Under the rules of court, Rule 112 pertains to preliminary investigation. That is under the Supreme Court Rules of Court,’ he said.

Clavano explained judges have no roles in Rule 112.

Preliminary investigation, which determines whether there are sufficient grounds to charge a person with a crime, is part of the prosecution’s duty and, thus, a function of the executive, not the judiciary.

With the signing of the document, Clavano said the DOJ is assuming that functi
on by making its own rules on preliminary investigation.

‘Mapupunta na po sa (it will go to the) DOJ under its own rules for preliminary investigation,” he said.

‘So, malaking bagay po iyon dahil mawawala na po iyong rule na iyon sa Supreme Court (So this is a big deal because that rule will be removed from the Supreme Court). From one branch of government, mapupunta na po sa (it will be transferred to the) executive branch.’

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) on Saturday inked a formal alliance with the National Unity Party (NUP) with the goal of transforming the Philippines through unity.

During the signing of the alliance at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City, President Marcos said the unification of the two parties is not motivated by “political expediency” or a “marriage of convenience,” but rather by a shared ideology of transforming the nation into the “modern, safe, sustainable, growing country that we dream of.”

“What is the ideology that we are espousing? We speak now of unity. We speak now of Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines), bringing the country, transforming the country to another place, to a better place than we had found it,” he said.

“We will only achieve the transformation that we dream about for the Philippines if we are united, if we agree there is consensus among us, and what needs to be done, how we are going to do it, and we all work together,” he add
ed.

He noted that although there might be political forces that could impede the achievement of that goal, the “Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas” alliance serves as a mechanism to settle contradictions and differences, and present a united front.

“Of course, there are political forces that get in the way but that is the whole point of these alliances that we are making. That is the whole point because we now formalize and put together a mechanism,” he said.

The President said if there are contradictions or differences, there is a method for resolutions “without going to extreme, undertaking extreme measures, like moving away from the party, running as independent, both allies fighting against each other politically.”

The President said that more than just supporting each other in the next election, the newly-formed alliance builds a common purpose and consensus of making the Philippines a “better place.’

“We are uniting behind the dream of transforming the Philippines and that dream will be achieved by u
nity. So, congratulations for joining that ideology, for believing in that ideology. It is the only way that we will make our country the country that the Filipinos deserve,” Marcos said.

The event was attended by PFP president and South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., PFP executive vice president and Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr., NUP president and Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. and NUP chairperson Ronaldo Puno, among others.

Last month, the PFP signed an alliance accord with Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, the biggest party in the House of Representatives with 100 members, and the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

Marcos previously emphasized the importance of collective action between the executive and legislative branches of government, especially in crafting and implementing transformative programs and policies.

Formed in 2018, the PFP is a national political party chaired by President Marcos.

Source: Philippines News Agency

CEBU CITY: The Office of the Vice President (OVP) has disbursed more than PHP1 billion of medical assistance to about 22,970 Filipino families or 119,234 individuals nationwide from May 2023 to April 2024, Vice President Sara Duterte said on Saturday.

Duterte led the ‘Pasidungog’ (acclaim) at Radisson Blu Hotel here in recognition of different government and non-government organizations helping the OVP in public service.

Stakeholders received a plaque of appreciation from the OVP, recognizing the partnership “in delivering efficient, accessible, and responsive public service for the good of all Filipinos,” and signed by the Vice President.

‘We thank our partner hospitals and other social service providers for the success of our (medical assistance) program,’ Duterte said in her speech.

The Vice President reported that the OVP was able to provide PHP150.5 million in burial assistance to 30,120 families nationwide from May 2023 to 2024, much higher than the PHP30.8 million given to 6,175 families in the sam
e period last year.

The OVP, she said, tapped 12 civil society organizations accounting to 26,000 members in its “Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day” entrepreneurship program.

‘We received thousands of letters from groups all over the country expressing their desire to become recipients of the OVP flagship program, the Negosyo Ta ‘Day,’ she said, citing her office’s commitment to give every Filipino the opportunity to participate in nation-building through livelihood activities.

‘Ang pag-unlad ay nagsisimula sa desisyon ng isang indibidwal na maging kapakipakinabang. Para sa mga individual na may nais na maging produktibo para tulungan ang kanyang sarili, pamilya at ang kanyang komunidad (Development begins with an individual’s decision to become a useful citizen. For those who want to become productive and to help themselves, their families and their communities),’ the Vice President added.

Free bus ride

The Vice President also said that the free ride program of her office, in partnership with three bus companies, hav
e already served 735,202 Filipinos from May 2023 to May 2024.

Duterte said students and workers thanked her office for the free ride which allowed them to save.

Her office deployed three buses for Metro Manila passengers and one each in Bacolod, Cebu, and Davao.

The OVP also provided 92 relief operations nationwide, helping a total of 205,692 families from May 2023 to April 2024, distributing a total of 39,138 relief bags and 15,000 food bags to calamity victims, with a total relief aid of PHP6.1 million.

According to her, the OVP was able to distribute a total of 22,311 food bags under its Rice Program.

On the other hand, the “Pagbabago” (Change) C

campaign gave out a total of 186,159 bags to Filipino learners nationwide and planted 266,072 trees across the country.

The OVP likewise helped a total of 14,462 malnourished and severely malnourished learners under its “Pansarap Buns” program for schoolchildren, distributing a total of 1.1 million fortified buns nationwide.

In her accomplishment report, a
round PHP2.260 billion or 92.3 percent of the allotted PHP2.448 billion for financial year 2023 was utilized for various socio-economic services and programs, as well as other operations and activities of the OVP.

Source: Philippines News Agency