German human rights advocate supports Aquino
A human rights advocate from the Federal Republic of Germany signified his support to the stringent efforts of the Aquino administration in pushing tangible developments for the country and the common goal of improving programs in the field of human rights.
During his courtesy call to President Benigno S. Aquino III at the Yellow Room of the Premier Guest House in Malacañang Palace on Monday, Commissioner Mark Loning of the Federal Government’s Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid said part of the discussions with the President were the improvement of good relations between the two countries and the development of more cooperation in the field of human rights.
“We have discussed the good relations between Germany and the Philippines, we would like to improve this more and have more cooperation”, Loning said.
“The Philippines and Germany have introduced a resolution against human trafficking at the human rights council where the two countries are the main sponsors. We also talked about it and how to improve our common work in the field of human rights”, he added.
Loning also acknowledged the abolition of death penalty in the country saying that the move was something very “special” in the Asian region.
“My feeling is that this government really wants to move forward in a very good and very fast way and we acknowledge that, we support that and we are very happy with that”, Loning noted.
Commissioner Loning was accompanied by Ambassador Christian-Ludwig Weber-Lortsch of the German Embassy in Manila, Ralph Timmerman, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Manila and his chief of staff Peter Kettner. Also in attendance were Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima and Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose De Jesus.
Other issues discussed during the call include the international criminal court and the optional protocol of the anti-torture convention.
The Commission was anchored on protecting human rights and promoting universal respect, the cornerstone of the German foreign policy.
In the international arena, the German Government’s efforts are aimed not only at creating an international institutional and political framework for the protection of human rights but also – and most importantly – at protecting victims and potential victims of human rights abuses.
The Commissioner is the contact point for all issues relating to human rights policy and humanitarian aid. His brief includes following political developments in these areas and submitting proposals to the Federal Foreign Minister on German policy in this connection.
The Commissioner also liaises closely with many other institutions active in the area of human rights and humanitarian aid. (PCOO)
DILG steps up anti-crime drive
Filipinos can expect the general peace and order situation in the country to improve in two to three weeks after the Department of Interior and Local Government said authorities were exhausting all means to curb the rash of “violent and sensational crimes in the country.”
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said during a press conference in Malacañang on Monday that the DILG was coordinating its anti-crime efforts with the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and local government units “to address these problems,” referring to the seemingly increasing carnapping incidents, particularly in Metro Manila.
“We’ve increased police visibility in many parts of Metro Manila. This is also happening outside Metro Manila. We deployed both the RMG (Regional Mobile Group) and SAF (Special Action Force) to augment inadequacies in police elements,” Robredo said.
Robredo stressed that his office is conducting meetings with local government units particularly their local peace and order and barangay councils to solicit their support in the government’s drive against criminality.
“This will be a joint responsibility. We will be utilizing the equipment and manpower of the local government unit as well and there will be a complementary deployment of both elements and the force multipliers,” Robredo said.
“We are rather confident that in the next two or three weeks we will be reversing this crime wave as many people put it,” he added.
He, however, pointed out that calling this seemingly increasing spate of carjackings involving the deaths of car dealers Emerson Lozano and Venson Evangelista a “crime wave” was inappropriate because “crime statistics will tell you that we’re better in 2010 than in 2009.”
“I think even in so far as carnapping cases, we’re better in 2010 than in 2009. But having said that, we still assume responsibility and accountability in so far as making sure that this – what they call crime will be arrested,” Robredo said.
“And we would like to assure the public that the police authorities are doing the best that they can just to make sure that we will not only arrest the perpetrators, but at the same time prevent this from happening again,” he said.
“I think there are two dimensions with the kind of problem that we are facing right now. It’s not simply arresting, putting to jail, filing cases against the perpetrators, but also making sure that we will minimize it and eliminate cases such as this,” Robredo concluded. (PCOO)
DILG opens bidding for fire trucks
In keeping with President Benigno S. Aquino III’s directive to keep government transactions transparent and above board, the Department of Interior and Local Government has allowed qualified bidders to participate in the procurement process to supply the necessary equipment, particularly the fire truck needs of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
In a press briefing in Malacañang on Monday, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo said opening the bidding process to new players is just one of the many reforms being introduced in the BFP.
He stressed that this move stemmed from a study of the Bureau’s purchase pattern in the last five years by the DILG which showed that government funds were not used properly.
“Nirerebisa po namin iyong procurement sa Bureau of Fire (Protection) kasi nga napansin po namin, maraming pera ng bayan na dapat sana ay napakinabangan nang maayos (We reviewed the procurement process of the Bureau of Fire Protection and we noticed that government funds were not utilized fully well,” Robredo said.
Robredo cited an instance where the lowest bid for a breathing apparatus cost P78-million but the winning bid went to a bid worth P198-million or more than twice the lowest bid.
According to Robredo, once this procurement reform is fully implemented in the agency, the DILG will be able to meet the fire truck needs of the 689 local government units that do not have fire trucks.
“If you study the past procurement processes of the Bureau of Fire Protection, it will take more than six years to be able to fully complete the short fall (if fire trucks for all LGUs),” he said.
“We can shorten it (the process) to three years. At mangyayari po iyan dahil binabago na po namin iyong paraan nang pagbili po sa Bureau of Fire Protection,” Robredo added. (PCOO)
Ensure sufficient rice import, Palace asks NFA
Malacanang has ordered the National Food Authority (NFA) to import only sufficient amount of rice at a price that is most reasonable.
“Right now, the more immediate tasks are to make sure that we do not engage anymore in dramatic importation of rice as we did in previous years,” Presidential Communications Development and Strategic planning Secretary Ramon Carandang said in a press briefing on Monday in Malacanang.
NFA Administrator Angelito Banayo revealed that the agency has incurred P177 billion in debt due to excessive importation of rice last year.
Banayo’s report to President Benigno S. Aquino III further said that only one group or person benefited from the excessive importation of rice.
Furthermore, rice importation over the last three years were three times more than what the country needed and was also over priced at $125 per metric ton. (PCOO)
Palace, church officials hold second dialogue on family planning
Palace officials and representatives of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) met anew Monday morning and discussed the responsible parenthood bill that President Benigno S. Aquino III is pushing to strengthen the administration’s poverty reduction measures.
In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Edwin Lacierda said the second dialogue was very cordial, with the government successfully explaining to the prelates the administration plan to prioritize the responsible parenthood bill in lieu of the reproductive health bill still pending at Congress.
Lacierda said the responsible parenthood bill is primarily a poverty reduction measure and not intended to set a parameter or target on population growth rate.
Lacierda was joined by Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Health Secretary Enrique Ona and Presidential Management Staff head Julia Abad in the dialogue with catholic clergy leaders.
From the CBCP, present were Archbishop Paciano Aniceto of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Fernando City, Pampanga, Bishop Chito Tagle of Imus, Cavite, and Bishop Gabriel Reyes of Antipolo.
He said Secretary Soliman discussed the conditional cash transfer program while Secretary Ona explained the legal aspect of the proposed responsible parenthood bill which they plan to submit to Congress.
Lacierda said the responsible parenthood bill would be among the topics that President Aquino wants to discuss in the forthcoming Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting.
The meeting was the second official talks between the CBCP and the government after President Aquino met with some Catholic bishops at the Bahay Pangarap on Oct. 11, 2010. The first official dialogue was held on Nov. 19 at the Presidential Management Staff office. (PCOO)
Ochoa: Capture and convict lawbreakers to deter crimes
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Monday that any discussion to reimpose the death penalty should take a back seat to the law enforcement agencies’ drive to strengthen the capability to catch, convict and lock up criminals.
At the 58th anniversary of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) with the theme “Masusing Pagsisiyasat para sa Katotohanan, Tungo sa Daang Matuwid at Landas ng Pagbabago,” Ochoa said that crimes will persist if lawbreakers continued to believe that they could remain scot-free.
“Before we debate about how we should punish criminals in our society, let’s make sure we find and imprison them first,” Ochoa said.
“Our priority should be to deter criminals from committing crimes of every nature, and every study on the subject will tell you that certainty of capture and conviction is a far better deterrent than harsh penalties that are moot if the criminal is never caught,” he added.
According to the Executive Secretary, putting criminals behind bars require team effort among law enforcement agencies and the reinforcement of the five pillars of the criminal justice system: law, enforcement, prosecution, the judiciary, penology and the community.“The President is committed to helping you fulfill your responsibilities,” Ochoa said. “As long as you have a President who has zero tolerance for injustice and lawlessness and criminality, trust your government to stand by your side as you work to protect our citizens and those who prey on them.”
At the same time, Ochoa lauded the men and women of the PNP for putting their lives on the line every single day so that Filipinos can live orderly and peaceful lives.
“Real progress, however, cannot be attained without peace and order. National development can only be achieved if we have a criminal justice system that can guarantee the safety of every man, woman, and child within our borders. Citizens and foreigners alike have to be assured that the rule of law will be enforced in our country, and that those who break our laws will be caught, convicted and punished,” Ochoa said. (PCOO)
