Arroyo Acquittal: Sad Day for Justice

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros today expressed her sadness and disappointment with the Supreme Court's decision acquitting former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from a P 366 million plunder case the senator filed in 2011 together with two other co-petitioners.

"It's a sad day for justice," Hontiveros said.

In an 11-4 ruling, the high court voted to acquit Arroyo, thereby freeing her from 4 years of hospital arrest due to the case.

Hontiveros, along with former Brigadier General Danilo Lim and social activist Jimmy Regalario, filed the PCSO plunder cases before the Ombudsman in 2011.


Strong case

“The case we filed is strong. In fact, it was one of the two PCSO plunder cases admitted by the Office of the Ombudsman under Conchita Carpio Morales, and subsequently filed before the Sandiganbayan”, she recalled.


Ombudsman confirmed misuse of funds

Hontiveros said that the Ombudsman confirmed the diversion of funds from PCSO’s operating budget to the confidential or intelligence fund, which can be withdrawn or accessed any time and with few restrictions.

It was reported that the diversion of funds did not meet any legal requirements aside from the approval of the President.

“The Ombudsman also confirmed that the said funds were converted, misused and illegally-transferred the funds for their own use in the guise of fictitious expenditures”, added the Senator.



"Tuloy ang laban"

Hontiveros said that she would confer with her co-petitioners on the best course of action to take to pursue justice and accountability from the corrupt Arroyo government.
“I am shocked with the high court’s ruling”, remarked Hontiveros. “But we will not lose hope”.

“Tuloy ang laban para sa katarungan," Hontiveros concluded. #

DOE: We Will Follow What’s Good for Us

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In the wake of President Rodrigo Duterte's pronouncement that the administration will not honor the December 2015 Paris agreement on climate change which the Philippines adopted along with 200 countries, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said today the country will implement an energy policy that meets our specific economic requirements.

"We will chart our own course in so far as energy is concerned to ensure energy supply security considering that developing countries like the Philippines have low carbon emissions. President Duterte is correct in saying that the country is still in the process of industrialization. We must therefore use whatever energy resources are available and affordable for power generation," Cusi said.

"While we signed the Paris agreement last year committing ourselves to limit our carbon emissions, we cannot ignore the fact that our level of economic development at this point does not allow us to rely completely on renewable energy sources or clean energy," Cusi added.

"We need diversified energy sources to support our growing economy. The Department of Energy is formulating a strategic fuel policy mix to propel the country's growing economy," Cusi emphasized.

"We need to build more baseload power plants while also aggressively pushing for clean energy," he added.

“The DOE,” Cusi stressed, "stands firm in promoting energy efficiency and conservation to complement its thrust for clean energy development following the country's Intended Nationally Determined Contributions on climate change mitigation efforts."

Cusi added, “We will continue to adhere to internationally accepted environmental standards in our energy use." The DOE is working with the National Economic Development Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Climate Change Commission to develop a balanced and sustainable energy policy framework.

President Duterte said the Paris agreement on climate change is "blocking the progress of developing countries like the Philippines" and that the industrialized countries are “dictating the destiny” of developing ones by requiring them to cut carbon emissions.

During the election campaign, Duterte said that industrialized nations should help developing ones comply with the Paris agreement by providing financial assistance to cope with climate change.

DICT Should Enable the Sector by Getting Rid of Bureaucratic Red Tape

Wazzup Pilipinas!

DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima’s has called for “good public service” from telco operators in the country. Globe said that it remains committed to its purpose of strengthening the nation through ICT by continuing investments in the sector. “Globe invests millions of dollars annually for network expansion and service improvements,” said Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo. In terms of capital expenditures, the Philippines ranks second to China with almost 30% of telco revenues spent on CAPEX, the second highest in Asia.

“Further, Secretary Salalima’s proposed executive order to help rationalize the permitting process for telco infrastrusture, once in place, would be a respite from the difficulties we encounter in putting up cell sites and right-of-way issues for fiber optic cables,” added Castelo. The reduction of bureaucratic red tape was also presented by the company as a key measure that local government units can implement to help the sector, during the recently concluded Regional Competitiveness Summit, chaired by Guillermo Luz of the National Competitiveness Council of the Philippines. It is important for the government to play its role not only as a regulator but also as an enabler of the sector. If put into action, “this bodes well with what the public really wants, a better internet experience,” said Castelo.

Castelo also said that Globe will continue to roll out new network capacities using the spectrum assets it gained as a result of the joint buyout of SMC's telco assets. Reacting to the recent statement of the PCCI, Castelo clarified that the company is not hindering the PCC from doing its job. “We are not in any way blocking the PCC from performing its mandate. In fact, we repeatedly invited the PCC to exercise its plenary powers under Section 12 of the Competition Act to investigate the conduct and behavior of the companies on this transaction for possible violations of the Act. Globe has consistently relayed to the PCC its willingness to submit to this investigation, and Globe is confident that all its actions pertaining to this transaction are all legal and above-board as certified by its legal counsels,” he said.

All parties should abide by the provision of Memorandum Circular 16-002 and this includes the PCC who is expected to uphold its own rules and the Philippine Competition Act. "Globe followed to the letter the rules of the PCC, and the same should be appreciated by the PCC,“ Castelo added.