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Hello Rappler readers,
Crowded out by reports of new appointments to the Duterte Cabinet was the recommendation by the Commission on Human Rights to the Ombudsman that charges against policemen of the Manila Police District be filed “with utmost urgency”. This was in connection with the secret jail cell in Tondo, Manila, remember?
And yes, before he left for Cambodia to attend the World Economic Forum on ASEAN 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte quickly announced on May 10 he wanted Senator Alan Peter Cayetano for the foreign office and Armed Forces chief General Eduaro Año for the local government portfolio.
On social media, Facebook appears bent on cleaning up its turf as it deleted thousands of fake accounts in the United Kingdom a month before elections there. Good news for those sick and tired of fake news.
Be up to speed with the news. Here’s what you shouldn’t miss.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) recommended “with utmost urgency” the filing of administrative and criminal charges against police in relation to the secret jail cell discovered in Tondo, Manila. CHR told the Ombudsman it found probable cause for the filing of charges against Manila Police District policemen led by former station commander Superintendent Robert Domingo who kept about 12 men and women detained inside a secret cell.
Pursuing a probe into links between the campaign of US President Donald Trump and Russia, the US Senate intelligence committee subpoenaed documents from former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn on May 10. Flynn had previously lied about phone conversations he had with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December. He is being investigated by Congress, the FBI, and the Pentagon for his dealings with the Russians dating back to as early as 2005.
President Rodrigo Duterte announced that Senator Alan Peter Cayetano will be his new foreign affairs secretary. Cayetano was Duterte’s running mate in the 2016 elections and had long been eyed as either foreign affairs or justice secretary. He had to sit out the one-year ban on appointments of losing candidates. Cayetano is expected to breeze past the Commission on Appointments with the blessings of his colleagues in the Senate.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Eduardo Año will be interior and local government secretary after his retirement in October, President Rodrigo Duterte announced. Duterte said Año has to see through some military programs. The announcement caught the AFP chief by surprise.
Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said it’s common sense to dismiss proposals for a Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and China. Holding joint military exercises with a country that is “claiming your territory and maritime zones” does not make sense. At the same time, the Philippine Navy said it will deliver materials for the repair of facilities on Pag-asa Island before the rainy season. How will China react?
After the United States issued an advisory against travels to popular tourist destination Palawan, local police were ordered to step up security measures. Southwestern Tagalog police said this translates to “more stringent” mobile checkpoints, choke point operations, and police visibility in the entire region. The US embassy had warned that “terrorist groups may be planning to conduct kidnapping operations targeting foreign nationals” in the area.
President Rodrigo Duterte defended his appointment of celebrity dancer and blogger Mocha Uson as Communications assistant secretary, saying she “deserved the honor.” The President said during a pre-departure news briefing on May 10, the appointment was in payment of his debt of gratitude for her support of his presidential bid. Uson will be receiving a monthly gross salary of at least P106,454, excluding allowances and bonuses.
Facebook deleted from its universe “tens of thousands” of fake accounts in the United Kingdom as part of its continuing efforts against propaganda and fake news. The move comes a month before UK elections. Facebook said it has introduced new technologies to help detect accounts that spread spam or fake news and accounts that repeatedly post the same messages.
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