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Metro Manila, Philippines – A court sheriff once punched by Vice President Sara Duterte, journalists, and a psychiatrist will take the witness stand for the looming impeachment trial, to address allegations of grave threats committed by the second highest official. In a press briefing on Friday, June 26, Jay Tolosa, legal spokesperson for the prosecution panel, said the inclusion of Abe Andres, the court sheriff punched by Duterte in 2011, would gauge the behavior of the vice president.  Duterte, who was Davao City mayor at the time, punched the court sheriff after he proceeded with a court-ordered demolition of an informal settlement despite her request for a delay. Andres is among the eight witnesses listed by the prosecution for Article 4, which is focused on the supposed assassination plot of Duterte against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., grave threats, and allegations of inciting to sedition to the government. “Under the rules,…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Authorities in Tacloban City are ramping up security at San Jose National High School and other public schools ahead of the resumption of face-to-face classes following last week’s shooting that killed three students and injured more than a dozen others. Mayor Alfred Romualdez announced the move after he met Thursday, June 25,  with school officials, teachers, police and representatives of the Department of Education to discuss the response to the June 22 campus attack by two students. The new measures include installation of more security cameras, sturdier perimeter fencing, panic buttons linked directly to the nearest police station, and the deployment of city-funded security guards. The Philippine National Police will also assign a male and female officer to assist with security inspections at school entrances, while more local government-funded guards will be deployed to other public schools across the city school division. Local officials said classrooms…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), in coordination with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), has recommended the filing of hazing charges against former Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin and 10 others in connection with the deaths of student athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.  Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said in a press conference on Friday, June 26, that violations were committed to the Anti-Hazing Act in a team building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora on June 8.  Others in the recommended charge list are conditioning coaches Grant Dearns and Caesar Vincent Elumba, assistant coaches Dean Castaño, Sandro Soriano, and Jon Jacinto, student managers Paolo Adevoso and Drew Salud, physical therapist John Eric Rueca, and utility/ball boys Aris Pronce and Boy Rapa. Remulla cited a portion of the law which penalizes: “those who actually planned or participated in the…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Malacañang said the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte would not be sidelined by the flood control scam probe, as agencies continue to pursue corruption cases independent of the looming litigation. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano previously warned against allowing the impeachment proceedings to overshadow corruption investigations and result in “selective justice.” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said there was no basis for suggesting that the administration wanted the impeachment trial to take precedence over corruption investigations. “Who told him that the government is only focused on the impeachment trial? We have seen how the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), the Ombudsman and the DOJ (Department of Justice) are working,” she said. She added that there is no mention about the impeachment case in high-level meetings. “To be honest, whenever the president meets with the Cabinet secretaries, impeachment is not discussed,” she said. Castro also took aim…

Metro Manila, Philippines – After the pre-trial concluded without opening the controversial box containing Vice President Sara Duterte’s tax records, the clerk of the Impeachment Court said it may still be unsealed and its contents marked as evidence before the July 6 trial, if the court so decides. “Kung iyan lang naman ang magiging pakay, yung pagmamarka at kung ang magiging pasya is i-mark siya before the start of the trial, then I suppose we can do it,” Senate Secretary Rey Bantug, clerk of court, said in a phone interview with reporters on Friday, June 26.  “But again I don’t want to preempt kung ano ang magiging posisyon ng prosecution at defense tungkol sa bagay na iyan,” he added.  [Translation: If the only purpose is to mark it as evidence, and the court decides that it should be marked before the start of the trial, then I suppose we can…