Despite clash with breakaway group, Palace
hopeful there will be no serious disruption of peace process
Despite recent reported clash between government
troops and breakaway secessionist rebels, Malacañang on Tuesday voiced hopes
there will be no serious disruption of the peace process.
Presidential Communications Operations Office
head Herminio Coloma Jr. said last weekend's clash as part of efforts to secure
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front communities from the Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters.
"Government is hopeful that with the
support of the citizenry there will be no serious disruption of the peace
process as it moves towards full fruition," Coloma said at a media
briefing.
Last Saturday, the Philippine government and the
MILF signed the last of four annexes that would pave the way for a
comprehensive peace agreement.
Coloma also cited online news reports last
weekend quoting a BIFF spokesperson as saying the splinter group will not
sabotage the peace process.
Meanwhile, Coloma reiterated the government
remains open to inputs from other groups such as the Moro National Liberation
Front for a draft bill on the Bangsamoro basic law.
"Ang pananaw ng pamahalaan, gusto pa rin
maging kasali lahat na may taya sa prosesong ito (Our government wants the
peace process to be inclusive)," he said. PND (jl)
Palace open to proposals that FOI Bill to
include full disclosure of official’s earnings
Malacanang said on Tuesday that it is open to
proposals that the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill that is currently
undergoing deliberations in Congress will include an amendment that will
require government officials to disclose all their earnings in order to know
how much an official earns.
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has proposed an
amendment to the FOI Bill that will require all government officials to
disclose all sources of income.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, Presidential
Communications and Operation Office Secretary Herminio Coloma,Jr. said that the
government will wait for the decision of lawmakers on this proposal and will
abide by it.
“Hihintayin naming ang pagpapasya ng Senate
Committee on Public Information at ng counter-part committee sa House.
Hihintayin namin yung bubuuin na batas dahil ang pagpapanukala ng batas ay
pangunahing tungkulin ng mga mambabatas,” Coloma said.
Nananatili ang ating pananaw ng pagbibigay ng
sapat na oras sa ating mambabatas para itaguyod yung mga aspeto ng batas,” he
added. PND (rck)
Palace: Status quo in Mindanao not acceptable
The failure to establish a new Bangsamoro
political entity that will change the status quo in Mindanao will not be an
acceptable scenario for Malacañang.
Presidential Communications Operations Office
head Herminio Coloma Jr. stressed this as he said the government is focused on
winning the peace in Mindanao by effecting needed changes.
"Government efforts are focused on winning
the peace in Mindanao. The alternative to change is the status quo and the
status quo is not acceptable," he said at a media briefing.
At the very least, he said the government will
continue to perform its task of ensuring peace and statbility and protecting
the citizens.
Coloma also assured the public the government
has enough forces to maintain peace and order in Mindanao from various armed
groups.
"It is still the primordial duty of the
state to mtaintain law and order," he said.
The government is hoping to bring much-needed
peace to Mindanao with the signing of an annex that would pave the way for a
comprehensive peace agreement. PND (jl)
Aquino to lead the awarding to 3 outstanding
Filipino for their significant contributions to national development
President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead on
Wednesday "The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) 2013 Awarding
Ceremonies," honoring Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson,
a forester and a scientist for their significant contributions to national development.
The Chief Executive will grace the TOFIL 2013
Awarding Ceremonies which has for its theme "Building Legacies" at
the Insular Life Auditorium, Insular Life Corporate Center, Filinvest Corporate
City, Alabang, Muntinlupa at 10 a.m.
President Aquino will witness the awarding to
Arsenio B. Ella, Forester of the Department of Science and Technology for
Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development; Dr. Alfredo Mahar
Francisco A. Lagmay for Geology and Earth Science and Sec. Singson for Governance
and Public Service.
The TOFIL Award is a project of Junior Chamber
International (JCI) Senate Philippines and the Insular Life Assurance Co.,
Limited. Conceived in 1988, the institution honors the country’s men and women
who have made significant contributions to the advancement in his/her field of
expertise, public welfare and national development.
Vicente Ayllon, Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer of the Insular Life and John Enerio, Junior Chamber
International Inc. (JCI) Senator and National Chairman 2013 TOFIL Executive
Committee will also attend the event. PND (js)
Palace: Bangsamoro basic law may be certified
urgent
A prospective basic law on the Bangsamoro
political entity may be certified urgent as it is a priority program of the
administration, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Presidential Communications Operations Office
head Herminio Coloma Jr. said they are hoping to have the political entity in
place and its officials elected by 2016.
"Lahat ng indikasyon patungo diyan, dahil
nga ito ay isang priority program ng ating administrasyon (The indications
point to the bill being certified as urgent, because it is a priority program
of our administration)," he said when asked if the Palace will certify the
bill as urgent.
Following the signing last weekend of the annex
on normalization, peace negotiators of the government and Moro Islamic
Liberation Front are now working on a comprehensive peace agreement that would
end the MILF's rebellion.
Under Article VI, Section 26 of the 1987
Constitution, no bill passed by either house of Congress shall become a law
unless it has passed three readings on separate days, "except when the
President certifies to the necessity of its immediate enactment to meet a
public calamity or emergency."
In the meantime, Coloma said the Palace is
hoping lawmakers will be one with it in working to bring peace to Mindanao
soonest.
"Umaasa tayo na pag-aaralan nila ang merito
ng Bangsamoro Basic Law, at tutuparin nila ang tungkulin na kanilang sinumpaan
na gagawin nila ang kanilang responsibilidad sa abot ng kanilang makakaya, at
naaayon sa kapakanan ng pinakamalawak na sektor ng mga mamamayang Pilipino (We
hope lawmakers study the merits of the proposed Bangsamoro basic law, and
fulfill their sworn duty to serve the people)," he said.
He also expressed hopes the lawmakers will see
the merits of the bill and use it as basis to decide on it.
"Umaasa tayo na pagkatapos ng talakayan,
pagkatapos ng mga debate, lilitaw naman ‘yung katwiran at ‘yung pagiging tama
ng mga probisyon sa ipapanukalang Bangsamoro Basic Law, at ito ang magiging
batayan ng ating mga mambabatas sa kanilang pagpapasya (We hope that after the
discussions, they will decide on the merits of the proposed measure)," he
said. PND (jl)
Effective crime prevention needs public
cooperation, says Palace
Fighting crime remains the government’s top
priority, the Palace said on Tuesday adding however that effectively combating
it needs public assistance.
“Lahat ng paglabag sa batas ay siniseryoso ng
ating pamahalaan dahil ito ay hindi katanggap-tanggap. Kaya’t pinag-iibayo ang
efforts ng ating law enforcement agencies to prevent crime,” Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a press
briefing in Malacanang.
Coloma added that crime prevention is best
achieved through community efforts and doesn’t solely rely on the deterrent or
punitive aspects through the police and the justice system.
“Kaya’t matitiyak tayo na sineseryoso ng
pamahalaan ang lahat ng uri ng krimen at ang ating layunin ay bawasan at
supilin ito sa lahat ng anyo at sa lahat ng larangan.”
With regards to the re-imposition of the death
penalty to deter would-be criminals, Coloma said the administration has some
reservations implementing capital punishment because the country’s justice
system has some flaws.
If the justice system is flawed, it might
convict or punish innocent people and that is dangerous, the Palace official
said.
And on judicial reforms, Coloma said it’s been a
general observation that there’s a lot of things to be done to improve the
country’s judicial process especially in terms of speeding up the pace of litigations.
“Kaya siguro nabanggit ng Pangulo yan noong
nakaraan na kinakailangan talagang bigyan ng priority attention hindi lamang
iyong proposal na magre-impose ng mas mataas na penalty kung hindi iyong
pagsasagawa ng mga karampatang reporma sa ating criminal justice system in
order to eliminate the flaws that have been noted,” he added. PND (as)
