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GMA Network
22-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Lawmakers react to Cabinet shakeup: ‘Necessary reset if done right'
President Bongbong Marcos speaks during Presentation of Newly Enacted Laws to Stakeholders in Malacañang on Thursday, May 22, 2025, during which he joked about his Cabinet being "in flux." President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. must show that he is sincere and decisive in his bid to "realign" his administration, ML party-list Representative-elect Leila de Lima said Thursday, in the aftermath of Marcos' asking his Cabinet members to tender courtesy resignations after the midterm elections. 'I take note of the President's decision to reorganize his Cabinet following the administration's performance in the midterm elections. It reflects an awareness that the public expects more—more coherence, more competence, and more decisive leadership from this government,' de Lima said in a statement, one of several congresspeople who reacted to the news of the shakeup on Thursday. 'A Cabinet revamp, if done right, can serve as a necessary reset in the remaining half of his term. Pero, kailangan munang ipakita ni PBBM [But Marcos must show]: first, his sincerity, and second, his decisiveness and firmness in his governance. Otherwise, magpapatuloy ang nagiging perception ng marami na isa na siyang lame duck na pangulo [the perception that he is a lame duck will linger],' de Lima added. House Quad Committee chairperson and Surigao del Norte Representative Ace Barbers, for his part, said the President's move will enable him to replace underperforming top government officials, including those who do not defend him during times when he and his government are under attack from critics or from the opposition. 'I believe he should appoint to the Cabinet people who have unquestionable integrity and loyalty to him and his administration…people who as his alter ego can deliver their respective mandates to the people that we serve and will not think twice in condemning Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea and defend him on other national issues thrown against him and his administration,' Barbers said in a separate statement. 'The President is on the right track. And he must act promptly and decisively in order to preserve the gains of his administration,' he added. House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan of 4Ps party-list, on the other hand, said the Cabinet reshuffle shows the President's commitment to responsive and effective governance. 'The reorganization presents an opportunity to reinforce institutional coherence, improve policy implementation, and deepen public engagement,' he said. 'Change, when led by a clear vision and strong leadership, can infuse new energy and sharpen focus in tackling the pressing challenges of our time. We fully support the President's efforts to advance a dynamic and inclusive national agenda,' he added. Policy change, not personnel change But for Kabataan party-list representative elect Renee Co, a Cabinet reshuffle should always be done in the name of performance, not loyalty, to effect policy changes. 'Pagbabantayan ito ng kabataan. Ayaw na nating ma-scam ulit. Sa totoo lang, trying hard masyado na magmukhang in charge si Marcos Jr., pero hindi tayo convinced. This is part of their political war preparations for 2028 against the Dutertes,' Co said. (The youth will remain vigilant about this. We do not want to get scammed again. In truth, they're trying hard to make it look like Marcos Jr. is in charge, but we are not convinced.) Co said as it is, several big issues—including the jeepney modernization program; the K to 12 program that added two more years to high school; contractualization; red-tagging; and low wages—are still burdening the public. 'The people have been presenting him solutions, but the President is not even agreeable to a wage hike. Ang bara ay nasa mga mismong polisiya at programa, hindi sa mga tao lang na nagpapatupad,' Co said. (The bottleneck in government programs is with the policies, not with the people who implement them.) 'Kung legitimate effort ito, hindi lang tao-tao dapat ang magbago, pero ang pamumuno at programa ng gobyerno na bola ni Marcos Jr. mismo,' Co added. (If this is a genuine push for reform, changes should go beyond top officials.) — BM, GMA Integrated News
The Star
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Philippine court voids acquittal of Duterte critic on drug case
Former Senator Leila de Lima. MANILA (Bloomberg): A Philippine court has nullified an earlier decision of a lower court to acquit former Senator Leila de Lima on a drug case, a fresh setback for one of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte's critics who just won a seat in Congress. The judge from a branch of the Muntinlupa regional tribunal in Manila "failed to discuss the specific proven facts as well as the laws upon which his pronouncement of acquittal was based,' the Court of Appeals said in a copy of its April 30 decision made available on Thursday. In May 2023, the regional trial court said there's reasonable doubt on de Lima's alleged involvement in a conspiracy for illegal drug trade at a national penitentiary after a key witness recanted his testimony. But the appeals court said the Muntinlupa court judge failed to state the specific statements that the witness retracted and which particular element of the crime charged was not proven. It has remanded the case back to the Muntinlupa tribunal. De Lima's lawyer Dino de Leon said they will file a motion for reconsideration with the appellate court. "We believe that the Court of Appeals committed a reversible error in this particular instance and we will of course exercise remedies available to us,' he said in an interview with local television ABS-CBN News Channel, adding the ex-senator was "disappointed' with the decision. De Lima was cleared of her remaining drug case in June. She was released on bail in 2023 after more than six years in detention. The decision comes as de Lima is set to return to Congress, being the first nominee to the House of Representatives of a winning party-list group at Monday's midterm election. -- ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
The Star
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Leila de Lima maintains Court of Appeals decision not reversal of her acquittal
De Lima also noted that the Court of Appeals decision will not deter her from returning to public service. - PDI MANILA: Former Sen Leila de Lima has maintained that the Court of Appeals (CA) decision has not reversed her acquittal from drug-related charges, noting that the appellate court just wanted the Regional Trial Court (RTC) decision to be fixed. In a statement on Thursday (May 15), De Lima said the CA would just want to clarify some issues — which she and her lawyers believe might no longer be needed since the Muntinlupa RTC's decision was clear. 'I just want to clarify that the CA did not say that my acquittal was reversed, as it only wanted the writing of the decision to be fixed — which to our belief is that there is no need to do so because the RTC's decision is clear,' de Lima said. 'We think this is just an issue of the CA asking for an explanation and clarification in the decision, regarding the questions pointed out by the appellate court,' she added. According to the CA decision released earlier, the Muntinlupa court committed grave abuse of discretion as it supposedly failed to explain the specific facts as well as the laws on which de Lima's acquittal was based — as it appeared that the acquittal was based solely on the recantation of witness Rafael Ragos. ALSO READ: Court of Appeals in Philippines overturns former senator Leila de Lima's acquittal in a drug case Ragos was the former Bureau of Corrections chief who testified that de Lima was involved in the drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison. Ragos in 2022 recanted his allegations against the former senator. According to de Lima, this decision from the CA is strange because it just seems like the RTC is being made to rewrite its decision. 'This decision is strange because the CA seems to want the RTC decision to be rewritten because it was not that clear. But we also believe that the answer to the questions in CA's decision can be seen in the records of the case. "Maybe we just have to point specific portions of the case records in our Motion for Reconsideration where they can see the answers to their questions,' she said in Filipino. 'Still, we will appeal this CA decision up to the Supreme Court if needed. Meanwhile, this does not mean that my acquittal cannot be enforced. My acquittal is final and unappealable because of the principle of double jeopardy, while it is appealable up to the Supreme Court. As of now, the RTC decision to acquit me still has more weight,' she added. De Lima also noted that the CA decision will not deter her from returning to public service. As the ML party-list first nominee, she is poised to get at least a seat in the coming congress. 'This will not block my return to public service, and I will continue my preparations to push for justice and reform within Congress,' she added. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Philippine court voids acquittal of Duterte critic on drug case
A Philippine court has nullified an earlier decision of a lower court to acquit former Senator Leila de Lima on a drug case. PHOTO: AFP MANILA - A Philippine court has nullified an earlier decision of a lower court to acquit former Senator Leila de Lima on a drug case, a fresh setback for one of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte's critics who just won a seat in Congress. The judge from a branch of the Muntinlupa regional tribunal in Manila 'failed to discuss the specific proven facts as well as the laws upon which his pronouncement of acquittal was based', the Court of Appeals said in a copy of its April 30 decision made available on May 15. In May 2023, the regional trial court said there's reasonable doubt on de Lima's alleged involvement in a conspiracy for illegal drug trade at a national penitentiary after a key witness recanted his testimony. But the appeals court said the Muntinlupa court judge failed to state the specific statements that the witness retracted and which particular element of the crime charged was not proven. It has remanded the case back to the Muntinlupa tribunal. De Lima's lawyer Dino de Leon said they will file a motion for reconsideration with the appellate court. 'We believe that the Court of Appeals committed a reversible error in this particular instance and we will of course exercise remedies available to us,' he said in an interview with local television ABS-CBN News Channel, adding the ex-senator was 'disappointed' with the decision. De Lima was cleared of her remaining drug case in June. She was released on bail in 2023 after more than six years in detention. The decision comes as de Lima is set to return to Congress, being the first nominee to the House of Representatives of a winning party-list group at the May 12 midterm election. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
