Page 29 - SEPTEMBER 2017 A ISSUE

September 2017 – No. 17 • UK & Europe Edition
SPEAKER ON CJ SERENO IMPEACHMENT
We’ll get there, getting endorsers not a problem
MANILA – A number of
congressmen are willing to back the
impeachment complaint to be filed
against Supreme Court Chief Justice
Maria Lourdes Sereno, Speaker
Pantaleon Alvarez said Wednesday.
“Sa totoo, marami na [In truth, there
are many willing parties],” he said when
asked if congressmen have sounded off
support for the complaint. “Kaya lang,
sabi ko, time (out) muna, tingnan natin
iyong ebidensya kasi ayaw ko naman
iyong magmumukha tayong katawa-
tawa doon sa impeachment [But I
cautioned them, let’s go slow on this
first, let’s check out the evidence well. I
won’t want us to look ridiculous in this
impeachment].”
“Ang inaantay lang namin ay iyong
ICRC looks to reunite families
split up by Marawi crisis
MANILA – Families that have
broken up or have relatives missing due
to the crisis in Marawi City may soon
reunite through a page on the website
of the International Committee of the
Red Cross that helps trace missing
persons and provides information on
what happened to them.
(See the website here: https://
familylinks.icrc.org/Philippines)
People looking for loved ones may
register and fill up the necessary personal this.”
information to identify their relatives,
including the circumstances that led to
loss of contact, distinguishing physical
characteristics and other details.
Camille Matteuci, head of the ICRC
team working to reunite families, said
while those missing in Marawi could
be trapped, detained, or even killed
in the fighting, others could also be in
evacuation centers with no means of
contacting their kin.
“At the end of the day, it’s important
to remember that families have a right
to know what has happened to their
loved ones, and wherever possible,
be reunited with them,” she said in a
statement.
mga [We are just waiting for the]
certified true copies [of the cited]
allegations. Sa tingin ko, walang
problema sa mag-e-endorso [In my
view, there’s no problem with looking
for endorsers],” he added
Since two weeks ago, an
impeachment complaint was being
poised by lawyer Larry Gadon against
Sereno, for culpable violation of the
Constitution. The complaint, however,
has yet to get an endorser from a
member of the House in order to be
considered filed.
When filed, the complaint against
Sereno will go through hearings at
the committee on justice, Alvarez
said. Another route is going directly
to the Senate if the complaint gathers
A Philippine Red Cross welfare transfer Jovie Espenido to Iloilo because there’s an unfinished business there.]
desk in Marawi. (ICRC photo)
Among those the ICRC is striving to
help is Aisha (not her real name) who
still hopes her missing husband is still
alive.
“With each day that the fighting
continues, our hope diminishes. We
praise Allah if my husband is still
alive,” she was quoted by the ICRC
as saying. “But if he is dead, then we
need to recover his remains so that we
can bury him according to our religion
and traditions. Every Maranao family
looking for a loved one wishes for
According to the ICRC, the website
supplements their existing tracing
services, such as the 12 welfare desks of
the Philippine Red Cross at evacuation
centers in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur
and Iligan City, Lanao del Norte.
The organization assured that the
information shared by families would
remain confidential.
Since the fighting ensued between
government forces and the terrorist
Maute group last May, the Red Cross has
accommodated 402 tracing requests,
179 of which are still being looked into.
n News5-InterAksyon August 30, 2017, 2:14 PM
NEWS www.hello-philippines.com 29
signatures equivalent to one-thirds of
the House membership, or 98 of the File photo of Chief Justice Maria six had sought remedy with the CA. An
293 members. Lourdes Sereno from Philstar angry Alvarez had said the court has no
business meddling with how Congress
“Dadaan yan sa committee on Supreme Court, which even prolongs does its work, especially in compelling
justice para handa kami na humarap the process. witnesses to behave properly.
sa impeachment court. Kasi mahirap
naman pagka halimbawa pinasa kaagad The House leader said the number Sereno was appointed on August
natin yan dun sa Senado—doon sa of RTCs and MTCs should be increased 16, 2010 as the 169th Justice and on
impeachment court—at kulang-kulang and more specialized courts should be August 24, 2012 as the 24th Chief
naman yung dokumento namin di created. He also wants the Court of Justice of the Supreme Court. Born on
syempre magmumukha naman kaming Appeals abolished; appeals for certain July 2, 1960, she is the youngest to be
kengkoy doon [That has to go through cases could be directed to the Supreme so appointed to the SC in this century.
the committee on justice before being Court, he said. She may also be one of the longest-
brought to the impeachment court. If, serving ever, as she is to mandatorily
for example, we hurried in bringing it Alvarez had floated he abolish-the- retire in 2030 after serving a 20-year
to the Senate – the impeachment court– CA option after a division of the appellate term. n News5-InterAksyon | August 30, 2017,
and the documents are not complete, court issued the House leaders an order
we will look silly there],” he said. for them to explain why they refused 2:40 PM
to release six Ilocos Norte provincial
Gadon was at the House last week, government employees detained by the
but failed to file the complaint because House for contempt. Lawyers for the
it has no endorser yet. He was expected
to return on Wednesday, August 30.
Alvarez surmised that many
lawmakers would support Sereno’s
impeachment because they see the
problems in the judiciary have remained
unsolved.
He said cases have piled up at the
regional trial courts and municipal trial
courts, with an average resolution time
of at least five years. Decisions of the
lower courts can still be appealed before
the Court of Appeals and then the
Bato explains why he’s reluctant to
make Espenido police chief of Iloilo
MANILA – If Philippine National their protest against that order. Ozamiz “shabulized” (drug-infested) area in the
Police (PNP) chief Gen. Ronald dela Rosa residents will mount people power, they Philippines.
would have his way, he would not yet don’t want Espenido to be removed, READ RELATED STORY: ‘WILL MAYOR
SURVIVE?’ | Duterte OKs Espenido’s
of two reasons — Ozamiz still needs Espenido was the police chief of reassignment to ‘most shabulized’ Iloilo
the chief police inspector and his rank Albuera town in Leyte when suspected City
is twice lower than that of a city police drug lord Mayor Rolando Espinosa was Besides Espenido’s need to still work
chief. killed by authorities on November 5, 2016 on ensuring the safety of Ozamiz residents,
“Right now, nagkakaroon kami (ng) inside his detention cell. Dela Rosa said the police officer’s current
alinlangan dahil the people of Ozamiz In December 2016, Espenido was rank of chief inspector is two steps
(are) airing their protest against that transferred to Ozamiz and seven months lower than the required rank of a senior
order. Tao sa Ozamiz mag-people later, on July 30 this year, Mayor Reynaldo superintendent to become Iloilo City’s
power, ayaw tanggalin si Espenido, Parojinog, and 15 others were killed by police chief.
may unfinished business doon,” Dela police in a predawn drug raid. Nevertheless, the PNP chief said that
Rosa said during a press conference Last Monday, President Rodrigo “in every rule, there is an exception.”
Wednesday morning. Duterte approved Espenido’s request to “P’wede nating i-exempt for that
[Right now we’re having doubts be transferred to Iloilo, which the chief purpose only…may pamamaraan
because the people of Ozamiz are airing executive described last year as the most diyan. ‘Di siya full-time seating city
director kundi OIC [We can exempt him
for that purpose only…there’s a way
for that. He will not be a full-time sitting
director but an officer-in-charge],” said
Dela Rosa.
Though Dela Rosa said that he had
already issued the order assigning
Espenido to Iloilo, following Duterte’s
announcement of his transfer, the PNP
chief said he would still try to convince the
Palace to make Espenido stay in Ozamiz.
“I’m going to Malacañang right after
this conference and i will shoot this
File photos of Chief Police issue…Ipaparating ko (ang) concern. We
Inspector Jovie Espenido (from
Senate) and PNP chief Gen. will let you know,” he told reporters. n Jeff
Ronald dela Rosa (from Philstar)
Caparas, News5 | August 30, 2017, 5:32 PM