MANILA: Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David is not off the hook yet in the flight of a South Korean fugitive last March 19. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the Department of Justice (DOJ) would look into the possible command responsibility of Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials, including David, in the case of Park Sung-jung when it starts its fact-finding investigation next week. “Whether or not command responsibility attaches to this latest incident of irregularity involving a number of BI personnel will be determined after we get all the facts and relevant circumstances from the probe that we ordered,” De Lima said yesterday. De Lima issued Department Order 204 yesterday forming a three-man panel to conduct the probe.
Poll campaign from tomorrow
MANILA: With three days left before the start of the campaign period for local candidates in the May 13 mid-term polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is bracing itself for aspirants who will try to evade stricter campaign rules. Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said they are expecting local candidates to be more stubborn when it comes to adherence to the rules on campaign posters and common poster areas. “Let us be vigilant once the local campaign period starts. There, we will see more troublesome candidates,” he noted. The 45-day campaign period for the local polls was to start on March 29, but since this falls on Good Friday when campaigning is prohibited, the Comelec moved the date to tomorrow. The campaign period for senatorial bets and party-list groups started last February 12. The campaign period for all candidates ends on May 11.
Army blamed for missing activist
MANILA: The Court of Appeals (CA) has declared the Armed Forces of the Philippines, particularly the Philippine Army, accountable for the enforced disappearance of political activist Jonas Burgos. The CA yesterday furnished the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) a copy of its decision, which pointed to Major Harry Baliaga Jr as the one responsible for Burgos’ disappearance. The CA ruling stemmed from Jonas’ mother Edita’s consolidated petitions for habeas corpus and recognised Burgos’ abduction as a case of enforced disappearance covered by the rule of the writ of amparo, contrary to the military’s claim that Burgos was a victim of “internal communist purging.” CHR chair Loretta Ann Rosales welcomed recent developments, saying, “These are concrete positive steps on the part of the judiciary in addressing the climate of impunity in the previous administration.”
Cager held for hitting cop
MANILA: After a night of “having fun” with friends, an American who played for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) reached for his billfold and allegedly found $1,400 missing. Police said former Rain or Shine import Jamelle Cornley trashed computers and other equipment in a fit at the Sir William’s Hotel on Timog Avenue in Quezon City yesterday. When police arrived at about 5am, he reportedly punched Police Officer 2 Anselmo Lazatin. Cornley ended up behind bars and could be barred for life from the PBA if the charges against him prove true.
Agencies
