Gloria Arroyo Released on P1-Million Bail Former President and Now Pampanga Rep
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
POLITICAL 9 Gloria Arroyo released on P1-million bail Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo was released on July 25 after posting P1-million bail for her temporary liberty in an electoral sabotage case involving alleged cheating in Maguindanao during the May 2007 mid-term elections. asay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Jesus Mupas granted the bail petition of Ms. Arroyo. Lawyers of the Pformer President immediately posted the P1-million cash bond and secured an order for Rep. Arroyo’s release. She was freed after 8 months of detention at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City where she is undergoing treatment for her ailments. The RTC said Ms. Arroyo could not leave the country without getting permission from the court. Ms. Arroyo’s convoy left the hospital, where she has been detained since December, at around 2:30 p.m. and went directly to her home in La Vista, Quezon City.In a 7-page resolution read by RTC branch 112 spokesperson Felda Domingo, the judge ruled that the prosecution failed to present a strong case in its opposition to the bail petition of Ms. Arroyo. The court, however, denied the bail petitions of Ms. Arroyo’s co-accused, Ms. Arroyo and some of her former offi cials are also facing former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and former a P365.9-million plunder case before the Sandiganbayan for Maguindanao election offi cer Lintang Bedol. Mr. Mupas said the allegedly pocketing more than P365 million of Philippine Charity bail petitions were denied after state witness Norie Unas, former Sweepstakes Offi ce (PCSO) funds. Also charged were former Maguindanao provincial administrator and close adviser of the PCSO general manager and vice-chairman Rosario Uriarte; governor, testifi ed that Mr. Ampatuan gave him money to provide former chairman of the board of directors Sergio Valencia; former logistical support to local election offi cers to ensure the victory of budget and accounts manager Benigno Aguas; and former board Team Unity senatorial candidates of the Arroyo administration. members Manuel Morato, Jose Taruc, Raymundo Roquero, and A vital witness in the electoral sabotage case against Ms. Ma. Fatima Valdez. Also implicated were former Commission Arroyo earlier resurfaced and apologized after government on Audit (COA) chairman Reynaldo Villar and Nilda Palaras prosecutors asked the court to issue a warrant for his arrest for of the agency’s Intelligence Confi dential Funds Fraud Audit contempt. Formerly declared missing, Mr. Rasam Mabang wrote Unit. Ms. Arroyo and the rest of the respondents are accused prosecutors that he boarded a plane before his scheduled testimony of “raiding the public treasury by withdrawing and receiving in after he saw armed men waiting outside his hotel in Manila during several instances the amount from the confi dential/intelligence Ms. Arroyo’s May 21 bail hearing. Prosecution lawyer Esmeralda funds of the PCSO and unlawfully transferring or conveying Ladra submitted the letter to Mr. Mupas, telling the court that the same into their possession and control through irregularly they are satisfi ed with Mr. Mabang’s explanation and they are no issued disbursement vouchers and fi ctitious expenditures.” longer interested in pursuing the contempt charge against him. Philippine Alert July 2012 10 POLITICAL Pres. Aquino’s poor human rights record practices. As in the killings and disappearances of activists scored and journalists, such short cuts to law enforcement will stop only if the perpetrators are caught, prosecuted and punished. After 2 years in offi ce, President Aquino has shown little progress in addressing the poor record of the country when it comes to protecting people’s human rights. Promises of ASEAN reaches consensus on 6-point what President Aquino intends to achieve in his 4 remaining principles on South China Sea years in offi ce are being questioned with both human rights groups and the Church pressuring him to show results in The foreign ministers of the 10-nation Association of the protection of civil rights. Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reached a consensus on the group’s 6-point principles on the South China Sea. In a letter to media to follow up on a statement that Mr. Aquino had done little to arrest perpetrators of human rights violations These principles include the full implementation of the during the 2 years he has been in offi ce, the New York-based Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea Human Rights Watch (HRW) said not much is being done to arrest (DOC) in 2002, the support for the guidelines of the DOC in 2011, alleged human rights abusers such as retired Army Maj. Gen. the need for an early conclusion of a regional code of conduct on Jovito Palparan and that the administration’s failure to prosecute the South China Sea, the full respect for the universally-recognized offenders “highlights broader problems that do rest with the principles of international law including the 1982 United Nations administration.” HRW deputy director for Asia division Elaine Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the continued Pearson said most cases involving human rights violations failed exercise of self restraint and non-use of force by all parties, and to reach trial stage while the police fail to follow up and arrest the peaceful resolution of confl icts in accordance with universally- suspects and the military continued to “obstruct” investigations recognized principles of international law including the 1982 into human rights cases involving members of the Armed Forces. UNCLOS. The statement came after Indonesian Foreign Minister The HRW said Mr. Aquino failed to prosecute a single case of extra- Marty Natalegawa carried out “intensive shuttle diplomacy” judicial killing and enforced disappearance in his 2 years in offi ce. to restore ASEAN unity by consulting with his counterparts in HRW cited statements made by Mr. Aquino at his inaugural, Manila, Hanoi and Phnom Penh as well as with other ASEAN at a human rights event months later, and during his State foreign ministers by phone. Indonesia’s bid to seek the consensus of the Nation Address last year, in which he promised to put on the South China Sea issue was made after the 45th ASEAN an end to the culture of impunity. He also acknowledged Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which wrapped up in Phnom Penh in his statements that justice does not end with the fi ling of on July 13, failed to issue a Joint Communique for the fi rst time cases against suspected criminals but with their conviction. since the bloc was founded in 1967. The Philippines requested to Since 2010 the country has also ranked as the third include the dispute on a shoal in the document, which would be worst in the world in the Impunity Index drawn up by the accepted by Cambodia, the chair of the 10-nation group in 2012. Committee to Protect Journalists. The index calculates the In related developments, China continued to beef up its number of unsolved murders of journalists as a percentage presence in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal as about 30 Chinese of the national population. Last year the Philippines ranked boats were spotted in the Philippine-owned area on July 19. behind only Iraq and Somalia in the index. Seeing crooks get Sources said there were indications that the Chinese vessels were away with murder, enforced disappearances and other human fi shing well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone rights violations guarantees that the crimes will continue. (EEZ). The number of Chinese vessels was 10 times more than Earlier, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines the 3 ships spotted in the shoal during a previous monitoring by (AFP) staged a “fun run” against torture. The gesture is welcome, the government early in July. The information about the presence but the commitment to uphold human rights should be inculcated of Chinese boats was based on a report by offi cials monitoring down the ranks. It will also help if retired AFP Maj. Gen. the situation in the area. The ships were spotted 2 days after the Jovito Palparan, dubbed “the butcher” by activist groups, can Russian Coast Guard apprehended 36 Chinese fi shermen and be arrested. Mr. Palparan, wanted for the 2006 kidnapping and seized 2 Chinese vessels that entered its territory. The Philippines torture of University of the Philippines students Karen Cadapan no longer has vessels in the area after President Aquino ordered and Sherlyn Empeno, is believed to be enjoying the protection of the pullout of 2 local ships last June 15 allegedly due to bad certain AFP elements and business interests, according to HRW. weather. These ships – one from the Coast Guard and one from the The commitment against torture should also be expressed Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – used to symbolize by members of the Philippine National Police. Many cops the Philippines’ ownership of the area. It remains unclear whether continue to resort to torture as a tool of criminal investigation. Philippine vessels would be redeployed to the shoal. In contrast, It will take more than presidential promises to end such China has maintained its presence in the shoal even though the Philippines’ ownership of the area is backed by international law. Since 2010 the country has ranked as the 3rd worst in the world. Philippine Alert July 2012 POLITICAL 111 Chinese vessels were fi shing well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Last April, Palau police in spotter planes opened fi re on China has prospered over the past 3 decades by building Chinese vessels in Palau waters, killing a fi sherman. Palau said friendships and playing by international rules, even as it pursues warning shots were fi red at the fi shermen and the killing was its own political system and ways of governance.