Latest news with #TaskForceSAFE
Filipino Times
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Comelec orders Pasay mayoral bet to explain alleged discriminatory remarks
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued a show-cause order against Pasay City councilor and mayoral candidate Editha 'Wowee' Manguera over an alleged discriminatory statement made during a recent campaign activity. According to the Comelec's Task Force SAFE, Councilor Manguera was heard saying, 'Tanggalin na natin ang bumbay para wala nang amoy sibuyas na naiwan sa Pasay Gen.' 'From the context, we believe that you were referring to foreign studnets studying and interning at the Pasay City General Hospital,' the Comelec said. The remark was caught on video and has since circulated on social media, drawing public criticism and triggering a review by the Comelec. In the show-cause order dated April 15, 2025, Councilor Manguera was given three (3) days to explain in writing why she should not be charged with an election offense or disqualified from running in the May 2025 elections. The poll body considers the utterance a potential violation of Comelec Resolution No. 11116, or the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines, as amended by Resolution No. 11127. These resolutions prohibit, among others, racial discrimination, incitement, and public ridicule, especially during the election period. Comelec reminded candidates that any form of exclusion or vilification based on national or ethnic origin may constitute an election offense under the Omnibus Election Code and related laws. Comelec emphasized that failure to respond will be interpreted as a waiver of her right to be heard and may result in the filing of appropriate charges.
Filipino Times
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Comelec summons Davao lawmaker over lewd campaign remarks in growing crackdown
Davao de Oro Rep. Ruwel Peter Gonzaga has become the fourth candidate in a week to receive a show cause order from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for making multiple lewd and sexist remarks at campaign events. In a letter dated April 8 and released to the public on Wednesday, April 9, the Comelec's Task Force SAFE gave Gonzaga three days to explain why he should not be held liable for possible election offenses or disqualification. Among the evidence presented were video clips, including one filmed on International Women's Day, where Gonzaga made sexually explicit comments directed at women in the audience. The Comelec also provided Tagalog translations of his statements, one of which involved asking if women were better in bed than men. In other campaign appearances, Gonzaga was caught on video making inappropriate comments about a widow's sex life, urging her to kiss a local official, and even making a lewd remark about his wife, Davao de Oro Governor Dorothy Gonzaga. The Comelec said these remarks may be in violation of its anti-discrimination and fair campaigning guidelines, specifically constituting gender-based harassment and discrimination against women. The poll body has recently ramped up its scrutiny of inappropriate behavior on the campaign trail. Just days earlier, it issued show cause orders to Pasig congressional candidate Ian Sia for a controversial joke about single mothers, Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia for his sexist and allegedly racist comments, and Mataasnakahoy Vice Mayor Jay Ilagan for derogatory remarks about actress and gubernatorial candidate Vilma Santos. On Wednesday, the Comelec also issued a letter to Manila councilor candidate Mocha Uson, flagging sexually suggestive campaign content, including a jingle that she has since agreed to pull from circulation.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Katie Hobbs wants to shore up the border - and her reelection prospects
Gov. Katie Hobbs on Tuesday caught an atta boy from the Trump administration with her announcement of a new state border task force to combat the Mexican cartels. 'Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs just signed an executive order to partner local & state law enforcement with the federal government to secure our border and stop transnational gangs,' Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a social media post. 'Under President @realDonaldTrump's leadership, leaders of every political stripe are stepping up to secure the border and make America safe!' I picture Andy Biggs and Karrin Taylor Robson grinding their molars right down to the gums. Hobbs is considered one of the nation's most vulnerable governors up for reelection in 2026. If she's going to have a prayer of defeating either Biggs or Taylor Robson, she's got to bolster her border credentials. She, after all, is the governor who in 2023 disbanded Republican Gov. Doug Ducey's Arizona Border Strike Task Force. True, it wasn't really much of a strike force, and it wasn't actually concentrated on the border. But ending it in 2023 will be a bad look on the campaign trail in 2026. She's also the governor who in 2024 vetoed a Republican bill authorizing state and local police to enforce immigration law, only to watch as nearly 63% of the state's voters approved the plan in November. Yeah, that one's going to leave a mark, too. So, what's a Democratic border governor to do? Hobbs isn't about to jump on the MAGA bandwagon and chase down undocumented landscapers or helpICE agents storm the state's churches in search of worshipers to deport. And she certainly isn't going to slap a bounty on the heads of undocumented immigrants, as state Sen. Jake Hoffman has proposed. I believe her response was, 'No way in hell.' Her only real hope of looking tough on the border is to double down on the cartels. Since taking office, she has sent $100 million in border security funding to local law enforcement agencies along the border, and she created a border coordination office 'to ensure local, state and federal governments work together to secure the border.' In July, she created Task Force SAFE (Stopping Arizona's Fentanyl Epidemic), sending the Arizona National Guard to work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at ports of entry. She also signed into law a bill boosting prison time for major fentanyl traffickers. This year, she's expressed support for Trump's plan to deport violent criminals, and she even supported the Laken Riley Act, requiring the detention of any undocumented immigrant accused of burglary, theft and shoplifting. Hobbs called it 'an important step forward that will help keep our communities safe and secure our border.' And on Tuesday, she signed an executive order creating Operation Desert Guardian, a joint task force charged with combating transnational criminal organizations along the state's 370-mile border. Hobbs directed the state departments of Emergency and Military Affairs, Public Safety and Homeland Security to expand border security operations in Arizona's four border counties and to partner with local, county and federal authorities. Opinion: Hobbs kills GOP election bill, to Republicans' delight The goal: to shore up the border and dismantle the cartels' supply chains and operating networks. 'I'm proud to launch Operation Desert Guardian to combat the cartels, stop drug smuggling and human trafficking, and secure Arizona's border,' Hobbs announced. It was a far cry from her comments just two years ago, when she disbanded Ducey's Border Strike Force. 'The border is a federal priority, a federal issue and I know there's been frustration that the feds haven't stepped up,' she said at the time. 'But I think we have other priorities in our state that we should be directing our resources to.' Now Hobbs is all about shoring up the border — and her reelection prospects. Will it be enough to grab those middle-of-the-road voters — the ones who were frustrated by Joe Biden's border bungle but who don't see all immigrants as 'parasites' and criminals? The ones who don't share MAGA's hunger to clap all undocumented immigrants in irons and ship them off to somewhere, anywhere? It's way too soon to tell, but Hobbs got a start on Tuesday when no less than Trump's Homeland Security chief cited Hobbs as an example of leaders who are 'stepping up to secure the border and make America safe!' I picture Biggs and Taylor Robson, their now-toothless gums on full display as their jaws hit the floor. Reach Roberts at Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz, on Threads at @LaurieRobertsaz and on BlueSky at @ Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Hobbs polishes her image with new cartel task force | Opinion
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Southern border state governor takes on cartels and security with signing of executive order
Arizona's Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs plans to expand border security operations along the state's four border counties, placing added focus on disrupting transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). Hobbs signed an executive order Tuesday to establish Operation Desert Guardian, a joint task force in which the state partners with local law enforcement, sheriffs and the federal government to disrupt TCO operations in the counties of Yuma, Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise. "I'm proud to launch Operation Desert Guardian to combat the cartels, stop drug smuggling and human trafficking and secure Arizona's border," Hobbs said. "My administration has been in contact with the federal government and local sheriffs about the Operation, its critical objectives and our shared commitment to keeping criminals and drugs out of Arizona's communities." Hobbs added that the operation's objectives will include identifying and mitigating security vulnerabilities along Arizona's southern border, which stretches about 370 miles, while also combating border-related crimes committed by TCOs. To do so, Hobbs said, the joint task force plans to dismantle TCO supply chains and operating networks. Border State Governor Vows To Defy Trump's 'Misguided' Mass Deportation Plan Operation Desert Guardian's funding will come from a portion of the state's Border Security Fund, which has a balance of $28 million. Read On The Fox News App The operation will also build on the efforts of Task Force SAFE (Stopping Arizona's Fentanyl Epidemic), a joint operation between U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Arizona National Guard to stop drugs from entering Arizona at ports of entry. Since its launch in July 2024, Task Force SAFE has intercepted 19 million fentanyl pills, 6,598 pounds of illicit drugs and 237 weapons at the border. 'Loud And Clear': Border State's Legislature Moves To Back Trump's Ice On Deportation "I have worked productively with the federal government on Task Force SAFE and partnered with local law enforcement to deliver critical border security support, and I look forward to continued partnership on our shared border security priorities," Hobbs said. "With Operation Desert Guardian, I'm confident we can take an important next step in our ongoing work to secure the border." After President Donald Trump was re-elected to a second term in November, Hobbs said Arizona would not be aiding the incoming administration with its "misguided" plan to launch a mass deportation operation. She was asked by ABC News whether the Trump administration would bring a reset on the border, and she responded by focusing on current partnerships with the federal government to secure the border. 'National Emergency': Trump Declares Ambitious Illegal Immigration Crackdown In Inaugural Address "I am very hopeful that that partnership can continue, and that the incoming administration will listen to, not only my administration, but the experts here on the ground, the people that are doing the work, about what is most needed, and what we can continue to do that will be most helpful in securing our border," she said. "What I will unequivocally say is that, as governor, I will not tolerate efforts that are part of misguided policies that harm our communities, that threaten our communities, that terrorize our communities, and Arizona will not take part in those." State Republicans have a different plan, and, in January, state Senate President Warren Petersen, a Republican, introduced the "AZ ICE Act," which would require sheriff's departments and the Arizona Department of Corrections to enter into cooperative agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Click Here For More Immigration Coverage The agreements are based on 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows ICE to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers certain immigration functions, including identifying and detaining suspected illegal immigrants. Petersen's bill would also require law enforcement to comply with ICE detainers, which are requests that ICE be notified when an illegal immigrant is being released from state or local custody. "Sanctuary" jurisdictions do not comply with detainers. After Trump was sworn into office Jan. 20, he immediately signed a number of executive orders to tackle border security and illegal immigration. Some local jurisdictions have pledged their support for the measures, but other officials have promised to either resist or not comply with any planned deportation operations. Fox News Digital's Adam Shaw contributed to this article source: Southern border state governor takes on cartels and security with signing of executive order
Fox News
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Southern border state governor takes on cartels and security with signing of executive order
Arizona's Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs plans to expand border security operations along the state's four border counties, placing added focus on disrupting transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). Hobbs signed an executive order Tuesday to establish Operation Desert Guardian, a joint task force in which the state partners with local law enforcement, sheriffs and the federal government to disrupt TCO operations in the counties of Yuma, Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise. "I'm proud to launch Operation Desert Guardian to combat the cartels, stop drug smuggling and human trafficking and secure Arizona's border," Hobbs said. "My administration has been in contact with the federal government and local sheriffs about the Operation, its critical objectives and our shared commitment to keeping criminals and drugs out of Arizona's communities." Hobbs added that the operation's objectives will include identifying and mitigating security vulnerabilities along Arizona's southern border, which stretches about 370 miles, while also combating border-related crimes committed by TCOs. To do so, Hobbs said, the joint task force plans to dismantle TCO supply chains and operating networks. Operation Desert Guardian's funding will come from a portion of the state's Border Security Fund, which has a balance of $28 million. The operation will also build on the efforts of Task Force SAFE (Stopping Arizona's Fentanyl Epidemic), a joint operation between U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Arizona National Guard to stop drugs from entering Arizona at ports of entry. Since its launch in July 2024, Task Force SAFE has intercepted 19 million fentanyl pills, 6,598 pounds of illicit drugs and 237 weapons at the border. "I have worked productively with the federal government on Task Force SAFE and partnered with local law enforcement to deliver critical border security support, and I look forward to continued partnership on our shared border security priorities," Hobbs said. "With Operation Desert Guardian, I'm confident we can take an important next step in our ongoing work to secure the border." After President Donald Trump was re-elected to a second term in November, Hobbs said Arizona would not be aiding the incoming administration with its "misguided" plan to launch a mass deportation operation. She was asked by ABC News whether the Trump administration would bring a reset on the border, and she responded by focusing on current partnerships with the federal government to secure the border. "I am very hopeful that that partnership can continue, and that the incoming administration will listen to, not only my administration, but the experts here on the ground, the people that are doing the work, about what is most needed, and what we can continue to do that will be most helpful in securing our border," she said. "What I will unequivocally say is that, as governor, I will not tolerate efforts that are part of misguided policies that harm our communities, that threaten our communities, that terrorize our communities, and Arizona will not take part in those." State Republicans have a different plan, and, in January, state Senate President Warren Petersen, a Republican, introduced the "AZ ICE Act," which would require sheriff's departments and the Arizona Department of Corrections to enter into cooperative agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The agreements are based on 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows ICE to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers certain immigration functions, including identifying and detaining suspected illegal immigrants. Petersen's bill would also require law enforcement to comply with ICE detainers, which are requests that ICE be notified when an illegal immigrant is being released from state or local custody. "Sanctuary" jurisdictions do not comply with detainers. After Trump was sworn into office Jan. 20, he immediately signed a number of executive orders to tackle border security and illegal immigration. Some local jurisdictions have pledged their support for the measures, but other officials have promised to either resist or not comply with any planned deportation operations.
