Latest news with #Anti-GraftandCorruptPracticesAct
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Ruffy Biazon to appeal Sandiganbayan ruling on graft case
The team of reelected Mayor Ruffy Biazon said they will be filing a motion for reconsideration, seeking the anti-graft court to re-examine the ruling and citing his right to due process. Muntinlupa Mayor Rozzano Rufino 'Ruffy' Biazon over the weekend said he will appeal Sandiganbayan's ruling that found him, along with five other respondents including businesswoman Janet Napoles, guilty of graft in connection to the alleged misuse of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) in 2007. In a statement issued by his spokesperson Atty. Mitchell-David Espiritu, the reelected mayor's team said they will be filing a motion for reconsideration, seeking the anti-graft court to re-examine the ruling and citing his right to due process. 'We respect the Sandiganbayan's decision as part of our justice system. However, we are surprised by the outcome, especially since Mayor Ruffy was previously acquitted of similar charges involving public funds,' Espiritu said in Filipino in a post on Biazon's official Facebook page. 'We remain hopeful that, like the earlier cases, Mayor Ruffy will ultimately be acquitted once due process has been completed. We intend to explore all legal remedies, beginning with a motion for reconsideration,' he added. Biazon, along with businesswoman Janet Napoles and former government agency Technology Resource Center (TRC) officials Dennis Cunanan, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, and Evelyn De Leon were sentenced to six to eight years in jail and perpetual disqualification from public office after being found guilty of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Court records showed that whistleblower Benhur Luy said Biazon received some P1.950 million through an authorized representative, and the public funds from Biazon's PDAF went to Napoles-run Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. (PSDFI), a corporate entity that could not have been physically located at its declared address. Biazon, for his part, argued that he merely endorsed the non-government organization (MGO) to the TRC, and that his signature was forged by the whistleblower. The court meanwhile found that Biazon's endorsement functioned more as an instruction than a recommendation, and that there was no substantial evidence that he took steps to dispute or report the alleged forgery. 'Mayor Ruffy will continue to uphold the law — the same law that grants him the right to defend himself and to clear his name of these accusations,' Espiritu said. 'According to the law, Mayor Ruffy will stay in his post and fulfill the mandate entrusted to him by the people of Muntinlupa,' he added. —RF, GMA Integrated News
Gulf News
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Gulf News
Marcos siblings at loggerheads over Duterte arrest: What the media is not saying
Manila: Senator Imee Marcos is urging the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate and potentially prosecute Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and several other top officials allegedly involved in the surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The eldest sister of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., Imee (full name Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios Romualdez Marcos), currently chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. President Marcos has signed off the arrest of Duterte in Manila and gave his nod to transfer the former president to The Hague. On Friday (May 2) she announced that she had officially submitted her committee's report to the Ombudsman, citing evidence that points to possible criminal and administrative violations committed by key government figures. 'During the course of the Senate inquiry, the Committee on Foreign Relations uncovered acts by high-ranking government officials which very likely constitute criminal and administrative offenses,' said Marcos. 'Thus, I am requesting that these officials, all of whom are named in the report, be investigated, and where appropriate, prosecuted and/or sanctioned in accordance with the applicable laws, rules, and regulations,' she added. President rejects sister's findings President Marcos has previosly rejected the findings of the Senate report led by Imee which claimed that the arrest of Duterte was "politically motivated" and intended to undermine him and Vice President Sara Duterte. 'Everyone's entitled to their opinion. I disagree,' the President told reporters on April 30. He said Duterte's arrest was neither a political attack nor a breach of Philippine sovereignty. 'We followed every single necessary procedure – the very good basis on which to serve that warrant and to read him his rights… So I'm confident that in further examination, you will find that it is proper and correct,' he told reporters during a late-night press conference at Malacañang. Marcos cited that the complaints against Duterte were filed in 2017, long before he assumed office in 2022. 'I don't see how that can be political persecution on my part because... it was initiated before I even came into the picture... I was still a civilian then,' he said. The president said the Philippines did not grant any request from the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding Duterte's drug war, but Marcos said the country could not ignore the request of the International Criminal Police Organsation (Interpol) to surrender the former president. For her part, Senator Imee Marcos' report detailed the following officials and their alleged liabilities: Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla Marcos stated that Remulla may be liable for usurpation of judicial functions under Article 241 of the Revised Penal Code and may have violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. She also noted there is 'reason to believe' that Remulla committed Grave Misconduct and acts Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service. Police General Nicolas Torre III According to the report, there is basis to hold the police general accountable for Arbitrary Detention, Grave Threats under Article 282, and the administrative charges of Grave Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service. PNP Chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil Marcos said that based on the hearings, there are "reasonable grounds" to charge the Philippine National Police chief with Arbitrary Detention as well as administrative offenses including Grave Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service. Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla The DILG secretary, and brother of Justice Secretary Remulla, was also cited by Marcos for possible criminal liability under the Anti-Graft Law and for Arbitrary Detention. She further asserted that he should be held administratively liable for Grave Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service. Special Envoy on Transnational Crime Markus Lacanilao Imee alleged that Lacanilao committed Usurpation of Official Functions, gave False Testimony, and committed Perjury in Solemn Affirmation. She also cited him for Grave Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service. What the media isn't saying Much of the mainstream coverage has painted the rift as a simple disagreement between siblings. But behind the scenes, it signals a fracturing of the Marcos-Duterte alliance that helped deliver a landslide victory in 2022. The arrest was not just a legal move — but part of a calculated strategy seen as a way to weaken Duterte's influence, especially in Mindanao. Political equation The Marcoses dominate the vote-rich Ilocos region, while the Dutertes have both Visayas and Mindanao as their political bailiwicks. Analysts say this internal conflict may also affect candidate alignments for the 2025 Senate and congressional races. Imee is currently running as an independent, apart from the Marcos administration canditates. In the runup to May 12 mid-term polls, there are 12 lots open for Senator. A PulseAsia Research survey taken from April 202-24, 2025 shows Imee does not form part of the "Magic 12". She ranks between 14 to 18, just below boxer and former Senator Manny Pacquiao, and directly competing with actor Phillip Salvador, Rep. Rodante Marcoleta and former local government secretary Benhur Abalos. Imee, who orchestrated the Marcos-Duterte alliance that staged a landslide victory in 2022, is also trying to win the Mindanao votes. Vice President Sara Duterte, who has endorsed Imee's senatorial campaign, remains a strong potential 2028 presidential contender. The road ahead As the May 12 vote approaches, the nuances surrounding the rift within the Marcos family and its implications for the any possibility of a coalition between the top political clans from Mindanao will become more critical. Whether this division deepens or is patched over may determine not just the fate of the Marcos presidency, but the entire shape of Philippine politics in the post-Duterte era. In the meantime, the short-term geopolitical and strategic underpinnings of this feud remains. The current Marcos administration's increasing cooperation with the United States — a major shift from Duterte's China-friendly foreign policy — has not sat well with Duterte loyalists. The arrest, critics argue, is symbolic of the broader 'de-Dutertization' of government institutions. The media has largely downplayed this narrative.
Filipino Times
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Imee Marcos calls for charges against officials over Duterte's arrest
Senator Imee Marcos has urged for criminal and administrative charges to be filed against several government officials, accusing them of politically motivating the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte under the Marcos administration. Marcos, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, held a press conference on April 29 to present the results of three hearings investigating the arrest, detention, and subsequent transfer of Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in March. Among her recommendations, Marcos called on the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate the following officials for possible criminal and administrative violations: Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Chief Maj. Gen. Nicholas Torre Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes Markus Lacanilao Marcos claimed that DOJ Secretary Remulla violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act by sanctioning an 'invalid arrest' and overstepping judicial authority by failing to bring Duterte before a local court. She described this as grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the public interest. When asked whether her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., authorized the actions, Sen. Marcos declined to confirm, stating, 'I don't know, because on one hand, every Cabinet member can be considered the President's alter ego. On the other hand, the Secretary of Justice could have acted on his own.' Marcos's findings included a timeline she claimed shows that Duterte's arrest and handover to the ICC were politically driven, with a 'whole of government' effort to conceal information related to the incident. Marcos also called for charges against DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla, alleging he induced Marbil and Torre to illegally detain Duterte, accusing him of arbitrary detention and graft, constituting grave misconduct. She further recommended charges against PNP Chief Marbil for arbitrary detention and graft, stating that he persuaded Torre to violate regulations. She claimed these actions amounted to grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to public service. Marcos stated that Torre should be held liable not only for Duterte's arbitrary detention but also for the detention of former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, who was handcuffed by Torre for obstructing Duterte's transfer to the ICC Detention Center in The Hague. Torre also allegedly denied visitation rights to Duterte during his temporary detention at Villamor Air Base. Finally, Marcos accused Lacanilao of usurping official functions by signing documents on behalf of the Philippine government during Duterte's transfer to the ICC and committing perjury by allegedly lying under oath during a Senate hearing on April 10. Lacanilao had been previously cited for contempt by the Senate for his contradictory statements. Marcos clarified that her findings do not yet constitute an official committee report, as the hearings were conducted during Congress' recess, and it remains unclear how many committee members support her conclusions. The investigation is ongoing, with many questions still unresolved.
