‘HIDING BEHIND IMMUNITY’ Faeldon to Lacson: Gusto mo na naman bang tumakbong presidente?

Former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon on Thursday questioned the motive of Senator Panfilo Lacson after the latter linked him and other officials in the alleged corruption at the Bureau of Customs. "Now Senator Lacson, I texted you several times, why did you not come? Anu 'yan gusto mo? Tumakbo ulit na presidente at the expense of our family names? Gusto mong magpasikat?" Faeldon said in a press conference.
"You know na matitino sila eh. I pity the families of the people that you're destroying. Nagtatago ka sa immunity mo, you have the ambition of becoming a President. You prove that already tumakbo ka eh," he added.
The outgoing Customs commissioner said that he can "vouch" that his team was not involved in the bribery at the Customs Bureau of which Lacson was accusing them.
"So gusto niyo na magpasikat. Okay lang na magpasikat tayo but not on our expense. Don't lie to the people, may pamilya ako at may pamilya ang sinisiraan niyo," he said.
In an interview on News To Go, Faeldon said Lacson may be trying to imitate Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
"I don't know his motives. Gusto niyo bang sumikat? Ginagaya mo na ba si Senator Trillanes? Maninira ng mga matinong tao para sumikat ka? Gusto mo ba uling tumakbong Presidente? What's your motive? O gusto mong pagtakpan ito?" he asked, referring to the alleged smuggling activities of his son, Panfilo Lacson Jr.
"Until yesterday, I believed in him, that he is a reasonable man, that he has justice in him. But what he did yesterday by naming me, by naming General Icarma, by naming Gambala, by naming Maestrecampo, by naming Ebreo, c'mon we both know, Senator Lacson and I both know that those people are very honest," he said.
On Wednesday, Faeldon turned the tables on Lacson and accused the latter's son of smuggling cement into the country. The lawmaker, in response, has already denied Faeldon's accusations against him and his son.
Lacson, during a recent Senate privilege speech, had accused Faeldon of being among the Customs officials who accept bribes or "tara" to facilitate the entry and exit of undervalued and/or undeclared shipments into the country.
A lawmaker cannot be disbarred or disciplined by the Supreme Court for statements made during a privilege speech.
His or her privilege speech is also not actionable criminally, civilly or in a disciplinary proceeding under the Rules of Court

LOOK Mga bilyunaryong Pinoy na pasok sa 2017 Forbes Rich List

Hawak pa rin ng property, retail at banking tycoon na si Henry Sy ang titulo bilang pinakamayamang Pinoy sa bansa, batay sa 2017 Rich List ng Forbes Philippines. "His net worth has surged to $18 billion, up from $13.7 billion previously, making him the biggest gainer in dollar terms," ayon sa Forbes.
Pumangalawa naman kay Sy ang founder ng JG Summit na si John Gokongwei Jr., na may yamang $5.5 bilyon.
"Enrique Razon Jr. (No. 3, $4.3 billion), chairman of International Container Terminal Services, saw his wealth rise by $800 million from $3.5 billion last year," ayon sa Forbes.
"Seven of the ten biggest dollar gainers have sizable interests in construction and property development," sabi pa nito.
"These include construction tycoon David Consunji (No. 6, $3.68 billion), chairman of DMCI Holdings, and Ramon Ang (No. 10, $2.3 billion) of San Miguel, who nearly doubled his wealth due largely to a favorable IPO by his cement company, Eagle Cement," dagda ng Forbes.
Pasok din sa listahan ang 50 Filipino magnates kabilang ang GMA Network CEO at Chairman na si Felipe Gozon (41th). Bukod sa paglampas sa year-end target nito, pumatok din sa ratings ang broadcasting company sa unang anim na buwan ng 2017.
Sa pagsasara ng stock prices at exchange rates noong August 14, inihayag ng Forbes na pito sa sampung may pinakamalaking kinikita sa bansa ay may "sizable interests" sa construction, na inaasahang makikinabang sa plano ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa pahusayin ang mga impraestruktura sa bansa.
Ayon sa Forbes, ang mabilis na paglago ng ekonomiya ng Pilipinas - halos 7% nitong taon - ay inaasahang magpapatuloy sa 2018, na papabor sa mga tycoon

3 witnesses to Kian slay placed under Senate’s protective custody

The custody of the three witnesses to the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd Delos Santos was turned over to the Senate public order committee on Thursday. The Senate panel chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson was supposed to hold an executive session to hear the statements of the witnesses, two of whom are minors, 13 and 16. The other is 31 years old. The executive session did not push through, Senator Risa Hontiveros told reporters, as Lacson requested that an authorization letter be secured first from the 13-year-old’s mother working in Oman. “Minabuti ni Senator Lacson na bago sila idinig sa executive session ay makuha yung sulat na authorization ng nanay ng pinakabatang saksi dahil yung mama niya ay overseas Filipino worker na nagta-trabaho sa Oman,” Hontiveros said. “Yung tatlong saksi ay nandito sila sa premises ng Senado hanggang madinig sila in executive session,” she said. The Senate panel is set to conduct its next hearing Tuesday next week, said Hontiveros. Hontiveros added that the 13-year-old's mother is also the guardian of the 16-year-old. Hontiveros said the two minors are cousins. The senator belied reports that the mother claimed she was not consulted when her office took custody of the two minors. Hontiveros showed reporters the exchange of text messages between the mother and her staff as of Wednesday night. “Those children sought refuge voluntarily from Senator Hontiveros...We gave them refuge because of their voluntarily request,” lawyer Christia Girao of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) said. “We believe that we should give them an environment where they can freely express themselves without being subjected to scrutiny,” she said.

LOOK Duterte visits Marawi for 3rd time as Mindanao martial law enters 4th month

Like his first two visits and even the previous attempts, the media were not informed about the trip beforehand. Malacañang has yet to provide details of Duterte’s Marawi visit as of posting time.
The President tried to visit Marawi City twice before he finally landed on the besieged Islamic city on July 20. He made his second trip on August 4.
Duterte had been keen about visiting the troops in the frontlines, saying he didn't want to go to Marawi only when the war has been won.
The pro-ISIS Maute group attacked Marawi City on May 23, prompting Duterte to declare martial law in Mindanao and cancel his official visit in Russia to return home.
As of 7 p.m. on August 23, 595 terrorists have been killed in Marawi. However, the government also lost 129 security personnel. The terrorists have also killed 45 civilians.

HINDI BA MASAKIT? AMA KA RIN Kian’s pa confronts cops in son’s slay

The father of 17-year-old Kian Loyd Delos Santos on Thursday confronted Caloocan cops involved in the anti-drug operation that led to his son’s death.
“Si Kian, masipag mag-aral ito eh. Sa isang saglit lang, kinuha ninyo yung buhay? Hindi ba masakit? Ama ka rin,” Saldy Delos Santos said during the Senate public order committee hearing on the death of his son.
Delos Santos was facing the three Caloocan cops when he spoke about his late son. The cops, who were already placed under restrictive custody, are Police Officer (PO) 3 Arnel Oares, and PO1 Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz. Of the three, only Pereda and Cruz agreed to be asked questions during the hearing.
Saldy remembered his son as a diligent person, always helping out with house chores. He said it was impossible for Kian to have been involved in drug trade.
“Simple lang po kami. Nagtitinda, naghahanap-buhay para maging mabuting mamayan. Paano niyo masasabi na ang anak ko ay isang drug courier?” he said.
He said his son always dreamt of being a cop.
Kian’s mother, Lorenza, meanwhile said he raised his soon to be a good person.
“Alam ko paano ko pinalaki ang anak ko, pinalaki ko na may respeto sa nakatatanda sa kanya at taong may katungkulan dahil kahit mahirap kami, sinasabi ko [sa kanya] na lumaki na maayos, may takot sa Diyos, at respeto sa matatanda,” she told the committee.
Caloocan cops claimed Delos Santos fired at authorities as he was trying to escape during an Oplan Galugad operation in Barangay 160.
Reportedly recovered from Delos Santos were a .45 pistol and two sachets of suspected shabu with a street value of about P20,000.
His relatives, however, said the items did not belong to the teenager and witnesses claimed the police's version of the events was not true.
A CCTV camera footage also showed the policemen dragging Delos Santos to the place where he was killed. Caloocan cops, however, claimed that it was not Kian in the video, but rather, a police asset.
Dr. Michael Figueroa, principal of Kian’s school, said the teenager was never involved in any drug-related case.
He said Kian was reprimanded by the school only for “simple naughtiness.”
“He cut classes one time with his classmates and the other, he just broke the project of his classmate. As simple as that, no more, no less,” Figueroa told the committee.

Chiz inclined to stop Senate probe on Comelec chief after filing of impeach rap

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Thursday said he is inclined to stop his Senate committee’s probe on the bank accounts of Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Andres Bautista following the filing of an impeachment complaint against him.

“Personally, I believe the hearings should already be suspended. I will, however, consult the authors of the resolution and members of the committee on this matter,” Escudero said in a text message.

The Senate committee on banks, financial institutions, and currencies on Wednesday started its probe into Bautista’s possible violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) after his estranged wife, Patricia Paz Bautista, accused him of having nearly P1 billion in ill-gotten wealth.

The Senate panel was set to invite Bautista to its second hearing next week.

Escudero, however, said the committee should stop its investigation once an impeachment complaint against Bautista is endorsed at the House of Representatives.

Under the Constitution, the Senate has the sole power to try and decide on all impeachment cases. The impeachment tribunal is convened once the House of Representatives approves a verified complaint of resolution recommending impeachment.

An impeachment complaint was filed against Bautista by former Negros Oriental Representative Jacinto Paras and lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, and was endorsed by Kabayan party-list Representative Harry Roque, Cebu Representative Gwen Garcia and Cavite Representative Abraham Tolentino.

Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, for his part, said the Senate investigation should only be stopped in relation to Bautista’s bank accounts.

“The banks committee may continue to hear resource persons to determine amendments to his SALN and the bank secrecy law,” Drilon said.

READ Impeachment raps filed vs. Comelec's Bautista

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio (left) and former Representative Jacinto Paras (2nd left) stand next to endorsers Cebu Rep. Gwen Garcia, Rep. Harry Roque Jr., and Rep. Abraham Tolentino as they show copies of an impeachment complaint filed against Comelec chief Andres Bautista at the House of Representatives on Thursday, August 24, 2017.