Latest news with #Escudero
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Escudero on online gambling: It cannot go on this way
Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero on Monday committed that the proposed Senate measures seeking either a total ban or strict regulation of online gambling in the Philippines will be discussed in plenary. 'Kung ipinagbawal nga natin ang POGO kaugnay ng pagsusugal ng dayuhan, hindi ba dapat lalo 'yung pagsusugal na Pilipino mismo? Definitely, it cannot go on this way,' Escudero said in an ambush interview. (If we banned POGO that is connected with foreign gambling, shouldn't we prohibit gambling among Filipinos themselves all the more? Definitely, it cannot go on this way.) 'Three bills or four bills have been filed to either ban or regulate Philippine inland gaming. We will pursue those bills and make sure that they lead to a floor debate and plenary vote on the matter,' he added. In March, Escudero called for a review of Philippine Inland Gaming Operators (PIGOs), expressing concerns over their impact on Filipinos following the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). He warned that while POGOs have been shut down, some may have simply rebranded as PIGOs to continue operations. He thus urged the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to conduct a thorough and transparent review of PIGOs to assess their true costs and benefits. Several lawmakers have included in their priority bills for the 20th Congress the legislation for the total ban of online gambling in the country, while some are only pushing for restricting access to it. As for the Executive, Malacañang said that President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will study the calls to ban online gambling. ''Ang mga pagpapasyang ganito po ay talagang pinag-aaralan kung ito ba'y makakaapekto sa ekonomiya, makaapekto sa mamamayan at hindi po tayo maaring magpadalos-dalos po dito,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said. (Decisions like this are being studied to see if they will affect the economy, affect the people, and we cannot rush this.) ''Dahil minsan po, kapag po mismo ang legal at license ng mga online gaming sites ang iyong iba-ban, mas dumadami ang mga illegal na online gaming sites at iyan po ay mas nakakaapekto sa ekonomiya, so pinag-aaralan po iyan ng Pangulo,'' she added. (Because sometimes, when you ban legal and licensed online gaming sites, the number of illegal online gaming sites increases and that has a greater impact on the economy, so the President is studying that.) —LDF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Chiz to push for reconvening of impeachment court on August 4
Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero on Monday said that he will propose to his fellow senators that the impeachment court for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte begin on August 4, 2025. Escudero, who sits as presiding officer of the impeachment court, explained that notices have to be given both to the House prosecution and the camp of Duterte regarding the trial. He also said that the House of Representatives still has to comply with the court's order when it voted to return the articles of impeachment on June 10. ''Yun 'yung imumungkahi ko. Bakit 'yung petsang 'yun? Dahil kailangang bigyan ng notice 'yung mga partido. Hindi naman pwedeng naisipan lang ng majority ng Senado pag-open ng Senado eh bukas na bukas din. Kailangang may sapat na panahon para mabigyan ng notice 'yung mga partido,' Escudero said in an ambush interview. (That's what I'm going to propose. Why that date? Because the parties have to be given notice. The Senate majority can't simply decide that the trial begins the next day. There needs to be enough time to give notice to the parties involved.) 'Pangalawa, wala pa namang order 'yung Senado dun na hindi pa kino-comply ng Kamara. Hopefully, that one week period, 'yung Kamara will be given time to comply with the orders of the Senate impeachment court dahil 'yung pangalawang order hindi ba, dapat ang gumawa nun 20th House of Representatives, hindi 'yung nagdaang House of Representatives. Kung hindi man nila ma-comply yun pagdating ng August 4, edi dun na lang namin pag-uusapan,' he added. (Second, the House has not yet complied with the order issued by the Senate. Hopefully with that one-week period, they will be able to do so because the second order states that it is the 20th House of Representatives that should comply. If they won't be able to comply by August 4, then we have yet to talk about that.) The Senate impeachment court first convened on June 10, with the senator-judges under the 19th Congress voting to return the articles of impeachment without dismissing or terminating the case until such time that: The House of Representatives certify to the non violation of Article XI, Section 3, paragraph 5 of the Constitution, which provides that 'No impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within one year; include the circumstances on the filing of the first three impeachment complaints"; and The House of Representatives of the 20th Congress communicates to the Senate that it is willing and ready to pursue the impeachment complaint against the Vice President. It was Senator Joel Villanueva who first revealed that the day one of Duterte's impeachment trial may be on August 4—a week after the Senate and the House of Representatives open their first regular session for the 20th Congress. Escudero, meanwhile, shrugged off claims that the Senate is delaying the trial, stressing that it is not their job to rush it. 'Hindi porket nagmamadali sila ay kailangan na rin namin magmadali. Gagawin namin ito sang ayon sa proseso. Ulitin ko, madaliin, delay na naman—edi bukas na bukas rin mag-hearing tayo kahit na walang notice sa mga partido—paano naman 'yun?' He asked. (Just because they're in a hurry, we have to hurry as well. We'll do it according to the process. We can't conduct the hearing without giving notice to the parties involved.) Escudero said that the final date regarding the impeachment proceedings will be announced in the plenary. Inhibit? On Monday, youth group Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) trooped to the Senate, urging Escudero to inhibit as senator-judge and presiding officer in Duterte's impeachment trial. In their open letter, the student leaders asserted that there is an 'immediate need not only to get on with the impeachment proceedings forthwith, but to demonstrate to the public that the proceedings will be insulated as much as possible from political maneuvering and will be focused only on weighing the merits of evidence.' 'As Senate President, recusing from the proceedings of the impeachment court assures the public that the leading figure of the Senate will stand above the partisan politics that define the legislative process,' the youth group said. 'We believe that the delays in the start of the impeachment proceedings—whatever their reason—have damaged the legitimacy of the Senate enough to merit drastic measures on your part as Senate President to reassure the public that the impeachment court can carry out its constitutional duty without fear or favor,' it added. Escudero, in response, said that he does not consider the call of the students a necessity nor fair. 'Kung ang depinisyon nila ng pagiging patas as kakampi sa kanila sa gusto nila, pwes hindi patas 'yun. Klaro ang gusto nilang mangyari, at porke hindi sumasangayon o sumusunod sa kanila, eh hindi na patas. Being fair means applying the rule evenly to everyone regardless who it is,' the Senate President said. (If their definition of fairness is to side with them in everything they want, then it's not fair. What they want to happen is clear, and it doesn't mean that just because we don't agree or follow them, it's not fair already. Being fair means applying the rule equally to everyone regardless of who it is.) Escudero also reiterated that the impeachment court will not listen to anyone who is in favor of or against the impeachment trial and will only do what is right in accordance with the law. The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The Vice President was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. Duterte had entered a 'not guilty' plea in the verified impeachment complaint filed against her, which she called merely a 'scrap of paper.' —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
LOOK: Senate unveils 20th Congress ‘Legacy Wall'
The Senate on Monday unveiled the new 'Legacy Wall' featuring senators of the 20th Congress. Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero led the unveiling ceremony, noting that the portraits of the senators were arranged in alphabetical order. 'Ito ang kumakatawan sa ika-20 Kongreso, kasama 'yung mga bagong papasok na kongresista sa parte ng Senado,' Escudero said. (This represents the 20th Congress, including the new, incoming senators.) 'Kagaya ng sinabi ko, alphabetical naming in-arrange, so walang partikular na ayos 'to pagdating sa seniority or posisyon sa Senado. Alphabetical ang sinunod namin, hindi katulad ng nagdaan na sinunod ang mga opisyal ng Senado,' he added. (We arranged this alphabetically, so there is no particular order when it comes to seniority or position in the Senate. We put it in alphabetical order, unlike in the past, where the order was based on the senators' positions.) LOOK: The Senate unveils the new 'Legacy Wall' featuring senators of the 20th Congress. @gmanews — Giselle Ombay (@giselleombay_) July 21, 2025 The mural is currently installed at the second floor of the Senate Building in Pasay City. Escudero said that the Senate allocated a budget of around P800,000 for the legacy wall, which includes the photography of each senator. 'Almost the same as the one last year,' he said when asked if the amount was reasonable. The 20th Congress is set to begin its first regular session on July 28, before President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA). —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
08-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Up to 16 senators back Chiz, says JV; Sotto leaves fate to colleagues
As many as 16 senators have already signed a resolution expressing support for Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero to remain as Senate president in the 20th Congress, Senator JV Ejercito said Tuesday. At a press conference, Ejercito said he was among the 15 to 16 senators who signed the resolution, which he said was circulated last month when the Congress was on break. "Yes, because first of all, I'm part of the leadership being the deputy majority leader at present. So siguro (Maybe) as a courtesy and respect to Senate President Escudero, I have to stick it up with him," he said. Ejercito, however, said that he was "torn" in choosing between Escudero and returning Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III because the latter is "very close" to him and is his partymate at the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC). He said that by backing Escudero's stay as head of the upper chamber, he may also be retained as the Senate deputy majority leader. The senator also said that if their number reaches 18, Escudero will likely take the supermajority. So far, among who signed include the Cayetano, Villar, and Tulfo siblings, as well as his brother, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada. Estrada first confirmed Monday that there was a resolution circulating among senators to signify their support for Escudero as Senate president. The 20th Congress will begin its first regular session on July 28, shortly ahead of the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. Asked about the possibility of the Duterte bloc and Senators Bam Aquino and Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan joining together to support Escudero, Ejercito said that "more often than not, we cross party lines at the Senate." "You know in the Senate, it has been proven time and again na sa umpisa lang ang political party, it doesn't mean a lot. Especially with issues of national significance, we often than not, we cross party lines," he said. "If we look at the issues, we look at the measures that will really be beneficial, nakakalimutan na natin ang kulay eh, dapat maging color blind tayo (we forget our political colors and we become color blind). And you just have to support if it will benefit the Filipino people," he added. Ejercito, however, pointed out that anything can still happen once the 20th Congress begins session. 'Guilty as charged' Meanwhile, Sotto clapped back at senators who are supposedly against his possible return as Senate president. "Masyadong strikto?' Guilty as charged. I was brought up by the true statesmen of the 8th and 9th Congress where decency and following rules and procedures abound. If that disqualifies me from the Senate leadership, then so be it," Sotto said. Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, a member of the so-called veterans bloc at the upper chamber, revealed Monday that he talked with some people who expressed apprehension with Sotto or Lacson becoming the next Senate president. "There's a lot of…I have a lot of privilege information. 'Yung mga kumakausap sa akin na mga ganito. Hindi magandang pakinggan kaya hindi ko na lang babanggitin what are the reasons why they don't want Tito Sen, why they don't want Ping Lacson, masyadong strikto, masyadong ano. Kaya mahirap nang magsalita kasi ayaw ko naman maipit ang nagkukwento sa akin ng ganito," Zubiri earlier said. (There's a lot of... I have a lot of privilege information. Some people talk to me and tell me things that are unpleasant to hear. I won't share the reasons why they don't want Tito Sen, why they don't want Ping Lacson. Too strict. Too whatever. It's hard to speak about it because I don't want these people to be put in a sensitive situation.) Asked if he will continue pursuing Senate leadership despite the criticisms, Sotto said that he will just leave his fate to his colleagues. "I leave it up to my colleagues. A senator is a senator even if you are not an officer and more importantly, you are well-versed in rules and procedures," Sotto told GMA News Online. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
07-07-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Marcos pushing for accountability, transparency in gov't — Palace
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. is pushing for accountability and transparency in the government, Malacañang ensured Monday. At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked about the call of Senate President Francis Escudero, compelling public officials to waive their bank secrecy rights. She was asked if the President would support Escudero's call. ''Ang Pangulo po ay sang-ayon po at dapat lamang po nating ipatupad itong accountability and transparency sa gobyerno. So, hindi po tayo magkakaroon ng negatibong sagot mula sa Pangulo,'' Castro said. (The President is in favor and we should enforce accountability and transparency in the government. So, we will not have a negative response from the President.) Escudero has renewed his call for transparency and accountability in government as he proposed a measure, mandating all public officials and employees to waive their rights under Republic Act No. 1405, or the Law on the Secrecy of Bank Deposits, and Republic Act No. 6426, or the Foreign Currency Deposit Act. The bill states that all government personnel—except those serving in an honorary capacity—will be required to submit a written waiver authorizing the Office of the Ombudsman to examine all their deposits and investments, including foreign currency accounts, in a fresh bid to reinforce anti-corruption efforts and bolster public trust in government institutions. 'This bill has languished for too long,' Escudero said in a separate statement. 'I'm hopeful that this time, we can turn the rhetoric of transparency into actionable policy.' — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
