SUMMARY
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Today on Rappler.
- The anti-graft court raffles the plunder and graft cases of Senators Enrile, Estrada and Revilla.
- President Benigno Aquino’s student heckler faces two criminal charges.
- Actress Angelina Jolie says war zone rape should top the international agenda.
SANDIGANBAYAN ASSIGNS PLUNDER, GRAFT CASES
Revilla’s cases were assigned to the 1st division, Enrile’s to the 3rd division, and Estrada’s to the 5th division.
The 1st division is chaired by Justice Efren dela Cruz, the 3rd division by Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, and the 5th division by Justice Roland Jurado.
The justices will determine probable cause to proceed with the case.
If they find basis, they can issue arrest warrants.
The Sandiganbayan’s sheriff will implement the order.
Arrest warrants may not come immediately.
Justice Gregory Ong of the 4th division inhibited himself from hearing the plunder and graft cases.
Ong is under investigation for allegedly visiting the office of pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Napoles during the time she was reportedly handing out bribes.
Napoles was also charged before the Sandiganbayan last Friday.
She is co-defendant in cases against the 3 senators.
The filing of charges came almost a year after news on the corruption scandal broke in July 2013.
AHEAD OF ARREST, JPE PLEADS FOR TEMPORARY LIBERTY
In a motion filed Friday, Enrile asks the court to set the amount of bail for his plunder case ahead of its determination of probable cause.
He adds, his request to post bail is in “the remote event” the Sandiganbayan affirms the Ombudsman’s findings and issues a warrant.
The 90-year-old Enrile says he is not a flight risk, citing his “poor and frail condition requiring constant medical attention.”
Attached to Enrile’s motion were medical certificates attesting to his poor health.
A May 8 certification says Enrile is under the care of Doctor Claver Ramos of the Makati Medical Center.
Enrile was diagnosed with chronic hypertension, elevated fasting blood sugar, and mild anemia, among others.
In a separate medical certificate, Doctor Ramos said Enrile is on at least 22 different medications for various health complications.
Another medical certificate signed by Doctor Amadeo Veloso Junior of the Asian Eye Institute attests that Enrile has “age-related macular degeneration” on both eyes.
Enrile faces 15 counts of graft, which is bailable.
Senators Revilla and Estrada already filed their motions for judicial determination of probable cause.
The anti-graft court is expected to require the Ombudsman to comment on the issues they raised.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas says the Philippine National Police is ready to follow the anti-graft court’s orders, as it is the rule of law.
MAR ROXAS, INTERIOR SECRETARY: Makakaasa ang mga kababayan at sinuman na gagamapanan ng PNP in a professional manner kung ano man ang utos ng korte with continuity and respect for the law. Walang sisinuhin at walang papanigan kung hindi ang utos lang ng korte.
(Filipinos can be assured that the PNP will follow the court’s instructions in a professional manner, with respect for the law. The PNP will not side with anyone, and will instead simply follow the court.)
REVILLA: THOUGHT OF ARREST GIVES ME GOOSEBUMPS
Senator Revilla says he’s getting the chills, with the raffle of pork barrel scam cases at the Sandiganbayan making his arrest just a matter of time.
While he is ready to be arrested anytime, Revilla dreads the thought of being behind bars.
He and his bosom buddy Senator Estrada say their only wish is for the justices to handle their cases with fairness.
In a radio interview Friday, Revilla says if he had his way, the warrant should be out soon.
He says he wants to get to the bottom of the country’s biggest corruption scandal in recent history, reiterating his support for the creation of special court divisions to fast-track the trial.
Revilla also takes a swipe at President Aquino’s Independence Day speech where the chief executive urged Filipinos not to vote for those who are merely “good in reading scripts, great dancers or excellent singers.”
The senator says he felt alluded to, with his privilege speech featuring a much-derided music video.
He said the President should just name him outright instead of belittling celebrities, as Aquino himself has a sister in show business- TV host Kris Aquino.
The Ombudsman says Revilla got the biggest kickback worth P242 million, followed by Estrada with P183 million, and Enrile with P172 million.
STUDENT WHO HECKLED AQUINO RELEASED FROM JAIL
An Ateneo de Naga student who heckled President Benigno Aquino on Independence day is released from jail Friday.
The 19-year-old Pio Mijares spent Thursday detained at the Naga City Police Office after disrupting President Aquino’s speech.
Mijares reportedly called Aquino the “pork barrel king” and demanded for his ouster.
Student activist groups hail Mijares’ fearlessness and condemn his arrest, saying he only exercised his right to free speech.
A Bicol Standard report says Mijares is affiliated with groups Kabataan Partylist, Youth Act Now, and Anakbayan.
8 CHED OFFICIALS FACE RAPS FOR TUITION HIKE APPROVAL
The education officials, led by chair Patricia Licuanan, face charges for approving tuition hikes in higher education institutions.
The petitioners say the officials failed to decide on complaints against the tuition hike proposals prior to approval.
The petitioners add, CHED failed to enforce its 2012 resolution against the collection of “development fees” in schools.
They also accuse CHED of “incompetence, inefficiency, and negligence in handling complaints.”
COLLEGE PROFESSORS FEAR MASSIVE RETRENCHMENT DUE TO K TO 12
The law promising to produce employable Filipino high school graduates is causing panic among educators in higher institutions.
With the signing of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, two years are added to the basic education system of the Philippines.
The tertiary level expects a drop in enrollment during these two years all the way to school year 2021-2022.
The enrollment is expected to normalize 7 years from now.
Rene Tadle of the University of Santo Tomas’ faculty estimates around 30,000 professors and 15,000 non-teaching staff will be affected by retrenchments.
He says teachers given the option to retire early may be too old to find another job.
Losing a teaching job also means loss of benefits.
INTERIM THAI GOVERNMENT BY SEPTEMBER: JUNTA CHIEF
He adds, the interim government will oversee political reforms, and elections will be held in about a year.
Prayut, who led a May 22 coup that deposed an elected government, did not say whether the cabinet will be made up of civilians or military officers.
He says, “Don’t ask me who they are and where they come from.”
The junta chief does not rule out becoming prime minister.
Since declaring martial law on May 19th, the junta curtailed civil liberties by banning public protests, arresting demonstrators, censoring media and temporarily detaining hundreds of critics.
Prayut says the measures are necessary to end almost a decade of political turmoil and street violence.
Critics accuse the junta of using political unrest as an excuse to grab power from the Shinawatras.
Thaksin and sister Yingluck both became prime ministers but were ousted 8 years apart by military-backed royalists.
JOLIE ON WAR RAPE: DO NOT GO SILENT
The four-day Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict comes to a close Friday.
Co-chaired by United Nations Special Envoy Angelina Jolie and British Foreign Secretary William Hague,
the event brings together representatives from various sectors around the world to discuss how to end warzone rape.
During the closing plenary, United Nations’ Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon says sexual violence in conflict is called the world’s oldest but least condemned crime.
BAN KI-MOON, UN SECRETARY-GENERAL: Rape is a cruel weapon of war that is devastating as any bullet, and as destructive as any bomb. It ravages victims and their families. It destroys communities.
It can be stopped. The United Nations is working to stamp out sexual violence in conflict, while supporting victims. Political will is growing.
Jolie reaffirms her commitment to ending warzone violence.
ANGELINA JOLIE, UN SPECIAL ENVOY: We need to entrench the international protocol so that we begin to deter these crimes, end impunity.
The test we now face is whether we can make a difference on the ground, and we need to act urgently.
We can never again plead ignorance – we know what is at stake – and we must work to end impunity in those conflicts now.
For this to happen, warzone rape must remain at the top of the international agenda.
My message to you, is please do not go silent. Raise your voices, and use your influence to inspire the next generation of men to value and honor women.
Meeting at the sidelines of the summit are representatives from Nigeria and neighboring countries to discuss the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria.
The group formulated a plan in Paris to “declare war” on Islamic insurgents who kidnapped hundreds of schoolgirls to be sold into slavery.
They say, “The abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls was a heinous example of the scourge of sexual violence,
which we are determined to eliminate around the world.”
THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
wRap #6: STUDENT’S MOTHER FILES FIRST DAMAGES SUIT OVER S. KOREAN SEA ACCIDENT
A mother whose child died in the Korean ferry tragedy last April asks for damages worth 30 million won – or $30,000.
The complainant demands compensation from the government and the ferry operator.
She says she could raise the damages to as much as 600 million won, as more information emerges from the ongoing trials of the ferry’s crew.
wRap #8: US SATELLITE TO MEASURE MAN-MADE, NATURAL CARBON EMISSIONS
US space agency NASA prepares a satellite that will help provide a more complete picture of carbon dioxide emissions.
Scientists say CO2 emissions from activities like fossil fuel mining and deforestation upset the planet’s natural carbon cycle.
This caused a rise in temperatures and planet-wide climate change.
NASA says CO2 levels reached the highest point for the past 800,000 years.
For the full top 10 visit Rappler.com’s ‘the wRap.’
Hot temperature image from Shutterstock
NEYMAR’S BRACE LEADS BRAZIL OVER CROATIA IN WORLD CUP OPENER
Protests could not dampen the mood as Brazil opens the World Cup with a win.
Violent protests in Sao Paulo are pushed aside as attention shifts to the football pitch.
In the opening match, young star Neymar hit two goals to guide Brazil to a 3-1 victory over Croatia.
SPURS TAKE COMMANDING 3-1 LEAD IN NBA FINALS
In the NBA, The San Antonio Spurs are one win away from the NBA title after dominating Miami, 107-86 in Game 4 of the Finals.
– Rappler.com
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