Palace confirms retired General Bautista’s
appointment as Executive Director of security cluster
The Palace has confirmed the appointment of
retired General Emmanuel Bautista as Executive Director of the Cabinet Cluster
on Security, Justice and Peace.
Bautista will have the rank of Undersecretary
and will be reporting directly to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., who
leads the security cluster, Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said during Tuesday’s press briefing.
The security cluster is composed of the
respective secretaries of the Department of Interior and Local Government,
Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of National Defense, and Department
of Justice, as well as the National Security Adviser and Presidential Adviser
on the Peace Process.
Based on Executive Order No. 43, Series of 2011,
the security cluster is tasked to ensure the preservation of national
sovereignty and the rule of law, and focus on the protection and promotion of
human rights, and the pursuit of a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace.
Bautista was the 54th Commanding General of the
Philippine Army before he assumed the post of Chief of Staff of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines on January 20, 2013.
He is a graduate of the Philippine Military
Academy, Dimalupig Class of 1981 and earned his master’s degree in Business
Administration from the University of the Philippines in 1985. PND (ag)
Police, communities work together to fight
criminality, says Palace
Malacañang made an assurance on Wednesday that
the government continues to work to protect the public against crimes.
A recent spate of crimes, such as robberies,
assault and the killing and rape of a 23-year old woman in Bulacan, have raised
concerns about the people's security.
In a press briefing at the Palace, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said one of the
strategies of the police is to work with communities.
"Patuloy ang pagkilos ng ating pamahalaan
para tiyakin ang kaligtasan at kapanatagan ng ating mga mamamayan. Isa sa mga
mahahalagang elemento dito ay ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng kapulisan sa mga
komunidad," Coloma told reporters.
He said it is a proven strategy that when the
police and the people work together, they can prevent crimes.
When the citizens and the police work together,
authorities can easily monitor the movement of people, he explained, adding
that the people must always be vigilant to catch criminals.
Another government strategy is the systematic
registration of firearms to address the proliferation of loose guns that often
end up in the hands of criminals, the Communications Secretary said.
"Bahagi din diyan ang pagbibigay ng sapat
na kagamitan at modernong equipment sa ating kapulisan na magagamit nila sa
investigation, crime detection, at crime prevention," he said.
Fixing the country's criminal justice system is
also a major thrust in fighting criminality, Coloma said, adding that a lengthy
trial that leads to the acquittal of suspects gives criminals more confidence
in violating the law.
"At isa rin ‘yang dahilan kung bakit
mayroon tayong security, peace and justice cluster, dahil nga magkakaugnay ang
mga suliraning kinakaharap ng iba’t ibang kagawaran," he added.
The national and local governments are also
working together to fight crime in the country, Coloma noted. PND (as)
Additional trade routes to decongest traffic in
Manila Port Area, Palace says
The opening of additional “trade routes” for
cargo trucks aims to decongest traffic in Manila’s seaport, a Palace official
said on Tuesday.
“Meron na silang tinatawag ngayon na ‘trade
routes’ na dinadaanan ng mga cargo trucks para mapabilis ang paglipat ng mga
cargo mula sa pantalan patungo sa iba’t ibang mga sentro ng kalakal,”
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr.
said during the daily press briefing.
Secretary Coloma said the Philippine Ports
Authority is anticipating the increase in cargo shipments in view of the “-ber
months” leading up to the Christmas season.
“Iyong pong patungong Timog, ‘yung para sa mga
establisyimento sa CALABARZON (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon); ‘yung
patungo naman sa Hilaga, ‘yung sa Central Luzon. At nagtutulungan lahat ng mga
adjoining ports katulad din ‘nung sa Batangas at sa Subic para ma-address itong
sitwasyon na ito sa Port of Manila,” he said.
Meanwhile, Coloma said that PPA General Manager
Juan Sta. Ana has confirmed that his assistant general manager David Simon had
been replaced by Arman de Guzman.
Simon has reached the mandatory retirement age,
he said. PND (ag)
