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Philippines bids for non-permanent seat in UNSC

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has lifted the six-month preventive suspension it imposed on 72 of 139 officials of the National Food Authority (NFA) in connection with the allegedly anomalous sale of the government’s rice buffer stock to favored private traders.

In a 23-page order dated May 10, the ombudsman said the primary purpose of a preventive suspension is to preserve documents and pieces of evidence, which may be under the control or custody of the respondents.

Since it has obtained these documents or pieces of evidence from concerned NFA officials, the ombudsman said the continued preventive suspension of respondents “is no longer necessary.”

“They are ordered reinstated effective April 15,” the ombudsman’s order read.

Although it was not stated in the order, the reinstatement date als o pertained to the date of restitution of the salaries and allowances of suspended NFA officials.

The order was approved on May 13 by Special Prosecutor Edilberto Sandoval on behalf of Ombudsman Samuel Martires.

The office of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. was directed to implement the reinstatement order.

Ordered reinstated were warehouse supervisors in Central Luzon with 16; Soccsksargen, 14; Northern Mindanao, nine; Central Visayas, eight; Bicol, six; Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Zamboanga peninsula with four each; Calabarzon, Caraga and Western Visayas with three each and Mimaropa, two.

On March 1, the ombudsman imposed a six-month preventive s uspension on NFA administrator Roderico Bioco, assistant administrator for operations John Robert Hermano and 137 other officials and employees who are facing administrative charges of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

A week after, a similar order was imposed on newly appointed NFA officer-in-charge Piolito Santos and acting department manager for operation and coordination Jonathan Yazon, who were added as respondents in the administrative charges.

The ombudsman earlier lifted the suspension order against 23 wareh ouse supervisors after obtaining documents from them.

It clarified that all warehouse supervisors, whose preventive suspension has been lifted, are still included as respondents in the administrative case.

The charges stemmed from the allegedly anomalous sale of 75,000 bags of NFA rice, which was part of the government’s buffer stocks, to private traders.

Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law mandates the government to purchase from local farmers around 300,000 tons of rice as yearly buffer stock and for distribution in times of calamities and emergency s ituations.

In a letter of complaint submitted to the Office of the President in February, NFA assistant administrator for operations Lemuel Pagayunan said Bioco an d the other NFA officials sold 75,000 bags of rice amounting to P93.75 million to G4 Rice Mill San Miguel Corp. and NBK San Pedro Rice Mill without the approval of the NFA Council.

During a recent hearing of the House committee on agriculture, it was revealed that the buffer stock was sold for only P25 per kilo even as the prevailing market price at the time was P70 per kilo.

MANILA, Philippines — After 13 years, two bus drivers involved in the accident that killed journalist and professor Lourdes “Chit” Estella-Simbulan were convicted by a Quezon City court.

Drivers Daniel Espinosa and Victor Ancheta were convicted of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property with homicide over the deadly accident along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on May 13, 2011.

Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 83 Judge Ralph Lee, in a nine-page decision dated April 22 and released this week, sentenced the accused to two years, four months and one day in prison.

He also ordered the registered owners of the Universal Guiding Star Bus Line Corp. and Nova Auto Transport Bus Corp., the operators of the buses driven by the accused, to pay the amount of P145,165 for actual damages, P3.5 million as earning capacity, P2 million as moral damages and P2 million as exemplary damages to the family of the late journalist.

Lee said the prosecution was able to establish the elements of the crime during the trial that lasted for more than a decade.

The right of the defense to present evidence was waived after the respondents failed to appear during trial.

“Evidently, all the elements of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property with homicide are present in the case at bar,” the ruling read.

Simbulan, then a journalism professor, was on her way to the UP Ayala Land Technohub when the bus driven by Ancheta hit the taxi carrying her. The collision caused the taxi to veer into the path of the bus driven by Espinosa.

“The proximate cause of the incident in the instant case is the concurrent recklessness of the two bus drivers,” Lee said in his ruling.

MANILA, Philippines — Cancer screening services for women will now be available in workplaces, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

The DOH said the move aims to promote cancer awareness, prevention and control among women while at the same time improving their health and overall well-being.

In partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the services being offered for cervical cancer screening cover advanced molecular approaches such as the human papillomavirus-DNA (HPV-DNA) test for women aged 30 to 49 years.

The HP-DNA test is complemented by cytologic tests such as pap smear or visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) for women aged 50 and above.

“Cervical cancer, while highly treatable when detected early, ranks third among the most prevalent cancers in women, following breast and colorectal cancers. Often asymptomatic in its initial stages, cervical cancer is primarily caused by HPV, a prevalent sexually transmitted infection,” the DOH said.

It said preventive measures such as HPV vaccine and early detection through screening can mitigate the impact of this disease.

The DOH’s center for health development will lead screening services regionwide and will focus on the detection and prevention of cervical and breast cancers.

The services will be available in various health care facilities such as the Quezon City health department.

“When we take care of women, we take care of the nation. With this initiative, we not only address the pressing need for organized cancer screening services, but also recognize the pivotal role of women in our society,” Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said.

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has affirmed the Philippines’ commitment to a just and equitable international order as it bids for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for 2027 to 2028.

Abalos said the Philippines is ready to perform its duty once elected to the non-permanent seat during the opening of the 33rd Session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ33) in Vienna, Austria.

“Once elected (to the UNSC), we will serve our duty with a deep dedication to a peaceful, just and equitable international order that is key to the flourishing of each of our nation’s aspirations for our peoples,” Abalos said.

The country was previously elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC in 1957, 1963, 1980-1981 and 2004-2005.

Abalos said the Philippines is fully committed to battling terrorism, extremism, trafficking in persons and other security issues.

Abalos, who heads the Philippine delegation, said that a united global front is essential in ensuring the international community’s success against major transnational crimes.

“We believe that a united global front is essential to effectively combat transnational crimes, corruption and terrorism in all forms and manifestations,” he added.

He noted that the country is continuously enhancing its criminal justice systems and crime prevention strategies to uphold a rules-based order through international cooperation.

The Marcos administration, he said, has also taken significant steps in combatting crimes, particularly in supply reduction efforts in the campaign against drugs.

He noted that over $587 million worth of illegal drugs had been seized in the administration’s first two years, with “minimal loss of life.”

Abalos also cited reforms in the country’s criminal justice processes, including the empowerment of prosecutors and other law enforcement agencies in building up cases.

The CCPCJ is the principal policymaking body of the UN in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice.

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