THE Department of Education (DepEd) reported on Monday that at least 312 public schools were damaged by Super Typhoon Uwan. In a statement, the department said the Nov. 10 noon situation report from the DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service showed that 1,182 classrooms suffered minor damage, 366 classrooms suffered major damage, and 261 were destroyed. “These figures are still being verified as additional reports continue to arrive from regional and division offices,” the DepEd said. Bicol, Calabarzon, and the Cordillera Administrative Region logged the highest numbers of damaged classrooms due to Uwan, the DepEd said. It reported that 5,572 classrooms were being used as evacuation centers that were temporarily housing displaced families. These classrooms were in 1,072 schools across 11 regions, it said. “The department continues to work closely with local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils for rapid assessment and relief coordination,” it said. The DepEd said it has identified P20.2 million in funding requirements for cleanup and clearing operations and P57.9 million for minor repairs. The department said it has prioritized the implementation of alternative delivery modes in schools that remain closed due to recent typhoons and other calamities, and that funds would be made available for these efforts.

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 14 dakika

(UPDATE) LAWYERS for Sen. Ronald dela Rosa warned that the government has no legal basis to invoke Section 17 of Republic Act (RA) 9851 — the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity — to justify surrendering the senator to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The statement, issued through the law firm of Torreon and Partners, headed by Israelito Torreon, came amid reports that the ICC has already issued a warrant of arrest against dela Rosa, with a diffusion order allegedly circulated to international law enforcement agencies for possible surveillance and enforcement. According to the senator’s legal team, there are indications that the government may again rely on Section 17 of RA 9851 to justify the “immediate surrender” of dela Rosa to the ICC — an action they described as unconstitutional, baseless, and a grave distortion of Philippine law. “The government cannot rely on Section 17 of RA 9851 to surrender Senator Dela Rosa to the ICC without a valid extradition process or judicial authorization,” the statement read. “Such invocation constitutes a misreading of the statute, a distortion of its intent, and a direct violation of the 1987 Constitution.” The legal team said Section 17 is not self-executing and must be read in conjunction with applicable extradition laws and treaties. It cannot override the requirements of Presidential Decree 1069, the Philippine Extradition Law, or the Rules on Extradition Proceedings, which both require judicial oversight, probable cause determination, and a final court judgment before any person can be surrendered to a foreign or international tribunal. “There is no extradition treaty between the Philippines and the ICC, nor any implementing instrument that allows the direct execution of ICC warrants,” the firm said. “Without such a framework, the government has no legal basis to turn over any Filipino citizen to the ICC.” Torreon and his partners further argued that the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019 extinguished all treaty-based obligations of cooperation with the ICC. The firm also said that even assuming Section 17 remains operative, the ICC is no longer a “court or international tribunal” contemplated under Philippine law following the country’s withdrawal. “You cannot deny ICC jurisdiction in one breath and surrender citizens to it in another,” the statement said. “Surrendering a Filipino citizen to a foreign body without court approval offends the doctrine of separation of powers,” it said. “Under the Constitution, only the judiciary has the authority to determine whether the conditions for extradition or surrender have been satisfied.” The statement also invoked Article III, Section 6 of the 1987 Constitution, which protects the liberty of abode, stating that “the forcible transfer of a Filipino citizen to The Hague constitutes the ultimate impairment of abode.” “The Constitution’s protection of abode is absolute,” it added. “Such impairment cannot lawfully occur without a judicial order.”

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 15 dakika

(UPDATE) LAWYERS for Sen. Ronald dela Rosa warned that the government has no legal basis to invoke Section 17 of Republic Act (RA) 9851 — the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity — to justify surrendering the senator to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The statement, issued through the law firm of Torreon and Partners, headed by Israelito Torreon, came amid reports that the ICC has already issued a warrant of arrest against dela Rosa, with a diffusion order allegedly circulated to international law enforcement agencies for possible surveillance and enforcement. According to the senator’s legal team, there are indications that the government may again rely on Section 17 of RA 9851 to justify the “immediate surrender” of dela Rosa to the ICC — an action they described as unconstitutional, baseless, and a grave distortion of Philippine law. “The government cannot rely on Section 17 of RA 9851 to surrender Senator Dela Rosa to the ICC without a valid extradition process or judicial authorization,” the statement read. “Such invocation constitutes a misreading of the statute, a distortion of its intent, and a direct violation of the 1987 Constitution.” The legal team said Section 17 is not self-executing and must be read in conjunction with applicable extradition laws and treaties. It cannot override the requirements of Presidential Decree 1069, the Philippine Extradition Law, or the Rules on Extradition Proceedings, which both require judicial oversight, probable cause determination, and a final court judgment before any person can be surrendered to a foreign or international tribunal. “There is no extradition treaty between the Philippines and the ICC, nor any implementing instrument that allows the direct execution of ICC warrants,” the firm said. “Without such a framework, the government has no legal basis to turn over any Filipino citizen to the ICC.” Torreon and his partners further argued that the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019 extinguished all treaty-based obligations of cooperation with the ICC. The firm also said that even assuming Section 17 remains operative, the ICC is no longer a “court or international tribunal” contemplated under Philippine law following the country’s withdrawal. “You cannot deny ICC jurisdiction in one breath and surrender citizens to it in another,” the statement said. “Surrendering a Filipino citizen to a foreign body without court approval offends the doctrine of separation of powers,” it said. “Under the Constitution, only the judiciary has the authority to determine whether the conditions for extradition or surrender have been satisfied.” The statement also invoked Article III, Section 6 of the 1987 Constitution, which protects the liberty of abode, stating that “the forcible transfer of a Filipino citizen to The Hague constitutes the ultimate impairment of abode.” “The Constitution’s protection of abode is absolute,” it added. “Such impairment cannot lawfully occur without a judicial order.”

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 15 dakika

... Keep on reading: Tuldok, November 11, 2025

• Inquirer
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 15 dakika

THE initial hearing for the preliminary investigation into five cases involving ghost flood control projects in Bulacan has been rescheduled to Nov. 14, following the suspension of government work due to Super Typhoon Uwan, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Monday. DOJ spokesman Polo Martinez said the postponement aims to ensure that all concerned parties are properly notified and can participate in the proceedings amid the widespread disruptions caused by the typhoon. Martinez noted that the department is working to complete the serving of subpoenas before the rescheduled hearing. Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon confirmed the hearing will proceed on Nov. 14, provided that all subpoenas are served by then. During the opening hearing, the respondents will be issued copies of the complaints against them, the first step in the preliminary investigation. The investigation covers allegations of malversation through falsification of public documents under Article 217 in relation to Article 171, Paragraph 4 of the Revised Penal Code; perjury under Article 183; and violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The respondents include former and current officials and personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH): former district engineer Henry Alcantara, former assistant district engineers Brice Ericson Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, project engineers Arjay Domasig and Nino Lawrence Morales, finance section chief Juanito Mendoza, administrative section chief Floralyn Simbulan, and cashier Christina Mae Pineda. Sally Santos, representative of Syms Construction, was also among the respondents. Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said the Bulacan cases are part of a nationwide investigation into anomalous flood control projects, many of which were allegedly “ghost” works — paid for despite no actual structures being built. “Many payments were made based on certificates of completed projects when there were no actual structures erected,” Andres said. “We are confident the evidence we have gathered is sufficient to build strong cases that should be filed in court.” “The present legal framework and existing laws, together with functioning institutions, are very much capable of ensuring accountability,” he said, emphasizing that the DOJ and the Office of the Ombudsman are working closely so that no one is charged without credible and admissible evidence. The DOJ and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) have so far secured eight freeze orders from the Court of Appeals, covering an estimated P6.3 billion in assets — including bank accounts, luxury vehicles, insurance contracts, and even aircraft — believed to have been purchased using proceeds from the anomalous projects. “These freeze orders are powerful tools of government to ensure that stolen funds can be returned to the national treasury,” Andres said. A second batch of six cases is undergoing case build-up and will likely be filed soon. Andres confirmed that the batch will include “higher-ranking officials,” including senators and congressmen who allegedly received kickbacks from the flood control contracts. “You can expect a congressman, past or present, to be involved in the next batch of cases. There will also be senators and other proponents who benefited,” he said. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier deputized the DOJ to assist in the case build-up and preliminary investigation of flood control projects, citing the limited manpower of the Office of the Ombudsman. The investigations, according to DOJ officials, are part of the Marcos administration’s intensified campaign against large-scale corruption in public infrastructure spending — beginning with the alleged irregularities in Bulacan flood control projects, where ghost projects, falsified completion reports, and illicit kickbacks have cost taxpayers billions.

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 17 dakika

THE initial hearing for the preliminary investigation into five cases involving ghost flood control projects in Bulacan has been rescheduled to Nov. 14, following the suspension of government work due to Super Typhoon Uwan, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Monday. DOJ spokesman Polo Martinez said the postponement aims to ensure that all concerned parties are properly notified and can participate in the proceedings amid the widespread disruptions caused by the typhoon. Martinez noted that the department is working to complete the serving of subpoenas before the rescheduled hearing. Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon confirmed the hearing will proceed on Nov. 14, provided that all subpoenas are served by then. During the opening hearing, the respondents will be issued copies of the complaints against them, the first step in the preliminary investigation. The investigation covers allegations of malversation through falsification of public documents under Article 217 in relation to Article 171, Paragraph 4 of the Revised Penal Code; perjury under Article 183; and violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The respondents include former and current officials and personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH): former district engineer Henry Alcantara, former assistant district engineers Brice Ericson Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, project engineers Arjay Domasig and Nino Lawrence Morales, finance section chief Juanito Mendoza, administrative section chief Floralyn Simbulan, and cashier Christina Mae Pineda. Sally Santos, representative of Syms Construction, was also among the respondents. Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said the Bulacan cases are part of a nationwide investigation into anomalous flood control projects, many of which were allegedly “ghost” works — paid for despite no actual structures being built. “Many payments were made based on certificates of completed projects when there were no actual structures erected,” Andres said. “We are confident the evidence we have gathered is sufficient to build strong cases that should be filed in court.” “The present legal framework and existing laws, together with functioning institutions, are very much capable of ensuring accountability,” he said, emphasizing that the DOJ and the Office of the Ombudsman are working closely so that no one is charged without credible and admissible evidence. The DOJ and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) have so far secured eight freeze orders from the Court of Appeals, covering an estimated P6.3 billion in assets — including bank accounts, luxury vehicles, insurance contracts, and even aircraft — believed to have been purchased using proceeds from the anomalous projects. “These freeze orders are powerful tools of government to ensure that stolen funds can be returned to the national treasury,” Andres said. A second batch of six cases is undergoing case build-up and will likely be filed soon. Andres confirmed that the batch will include “higher-ranking officials,” including senators and congressmen who allegedly received kickbacks from the flood control contracts. “You can expect a congressman, past or present, to be involved in the next batch of cases. There will also be senators and other proponents who benefited,” he said. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier deputized the DOJ to assist in the case build-up and preliminary investigation of flood control projects, citing the limited manpower of the Office of the Ombudsman. The investigations, according to DOJ officials, are part of the Marcos administration’s intensified campaign against large-scale corruption in public infrastructure spending — beginning with the alleged irregularities in Bulacan flood control projects, where ghost projects, falsified completion reports, and illicit kickbacks have cost taxpayers billions.

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 17 dakika

A MAJOR labor organization called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to conduct inspections of workplaces affected by Typhoon Uwan to ensure occupational safety, health and labor standards compliance. The Federation of Free Workers (FFW) on Monday reminded DOLE it has the power and the duty to act “motu proprio” or on its own to conduct the inspection in accordance with International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 81 and Article 128 of the Labor Code of the Philippines. “When floods destroy homes and shut down a number of factories, inspection becomes a matter of life and dignity. Workers need protection, not just relief. ILO Convention 81 and Article 128 give DOLE both the power and the duty to act motu proprio. Relief goods help families; inspections save lives — give both,” said FFW President Sonny Matula. Article 128 provides the DOLE chief with visitorial and enforcement power. ILO Convention 81 — ratified by the Philippine Senate in September 2024 — establishes international standards for a comprehensive labor inspection system. Flooding in workplaces, Matula pointed out, puts workers at risk from electrocution, exposure to hazardous materials, and disease in factories, plants and warehouses. He pointed out that inspection is not a burden on employers or only about enforcement, but an opportunity to provide technical assistance to medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) for compliance. MSMEs make up 99.6 percent of companies in the country, contributing 30 percent to the gross domestic product and 60 percent to job generation. Matula said inspections should regularly be conducted by DOLE to prevent disasters and loss of lives. He cited the May 13, 2015, incident at the Kentex manufacturing factory in Valenzuela City, where 72 workers died during a fire, the second-worst fire disaster in Philippine history, alongside the Manor Hotel fire in 2000. Only the Ozone Disco Club fire in 1996 had claimed more lives.

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 18 dakika

A MAJOR labor organization called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to conduct inspections of workplaces affected by Typhoon Uwan to ensure occupational safety, health and labor standards compliance. The Federation of Free Workers (FFW) on Monday reminded DOLE it has the power and the duty to act “motu proprio” or on its own to conduct the inspection in accordance with International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 81 and Article 128 of the Labor Code of the Philippines. “When floods destroy homes and shut down a number of factories, inspection becomes a matter of life and dignity. Workers need protection, not just relief. ILO Convention 81 and Article 128 give DOLE both the power and the duty to act motu proprio. Relief goods help families; inspections save lives — give both,” said FFW President Sonny Matula. Article 128 provides the DOLE chief with visitorial and enforcement power. ILO Convention 81 — ratified by the Philippine Senate in September 2024 — establishes international standards for a comprehensive labor inspection system. Flooding in workplaces, Matula pointed out, puts workers at risk from electrocution, exposure to hazardous materials, and disease in factories, plants and warehouses. He pointed out that inspection is not a burden on employers or only about enforcement, but an opportunity to provide technical assistance to medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) for compliance. MSMEs make up 99.6 percent of companies in the country, contributing 30 percent to the gross domestic product and 60 percent to job generation. Matula said inspections should regularly be conducted by DOLE to prevent disasters and loss of lives. He cited the May 13, 2015, incident at the Kentex manufacturing factory in Valenzuela City, where 72 workers died during a fire, the second-worst fire disaster in Philippine history, alongside the Manor Hotel fire in 2000. Only the Ozone Disco Club fire in 1996 had claimed more lives.

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 18 dakika

FUEL prices increased on Tuesday, Nov. 11, for the third straight week. Diesel went up P1 per liter, kerosene by 90 centavos per liter, and gasoline by 50 centavos per liter. Local oil industry sources attributed the price hike mainly to Ukraine’s drone attack on Russia’s Black Sea port, and continued sanctions against two Russian oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. There was a hefty increase in fuel prices last week, with diesel going up by P2.70, kerosene by P2.10, and gasoline by P1.70 So far this year, gasoline has had a net increase of P18.70 per liter, diesel P22.75, and kerosene P9.55.

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 19 dakika

FUEL prices increased on Tuesday, Nov. 11, for the third straight week. Diesel went up P1 per liter, kerosene by 90 centavos per liter, and gasoline by 50 centavos per liter. Local oil industry sources attributed the price hike mainly to Ukraine’s drone attack on Russia’s Black Sea port, and continued sanctions against two Russian oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. There was a hefty increase in fuel prices last week, with diesel going up by P2.70, kerosene by P2.10, and gasoline by P1.70 So far this year, gasoline has had a net increase of P18.70 per liter, diesel P22.75, and kerosene P9.55.

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 19 dakika

CGDSEM issued Sea Travel Advisory 003-2025, temporarily suspending voyages from Southeastern Mindanao to Luzon and Visayas after Typhoon Uwan triggered TCWS No. 5. The Coast Guard activated its Deployable Response Groups (DRGs) for search and rescue operations.

• SunStar Philippines
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 20 dakika

BELEM, Brazil — An odor of oil hung over last year’s UN climate conference in Baku, capital of fossil fuel-rich Azerbaijan. Starting Monday, the 50,000 participants of COP30 will instead feel the heavy, humid air of the Amazon rainforest in Belem, Brazil, where they face the daunting task of keeping global climate cooperation from collapsing. Unfazed, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva insisted on holding the event here despite a dire shortage of hotel rooms. His aim: to make the Amazon itself open the eyes of negotiators, observers, businesses and journalists — in a city where locals carry umbrellas both to shield themselves from the blazing morning sun and from the tropical downpours that follow in the afternoon. “It would be easier to hold the COP in a rich country,” Lula declared in August. “We want people to see the real situation of the forests, of our rivers, of our people who live there.” The Amazon rainforest, which plays a vital role in the fight against global warming through its absorption of greenhouse gases, is itself plagued by a host of ills: deforestation, illegal mining, pollution, drug trafficking, and all manner of rights abuses against locals, especially Indigenous peoples. While the Brazilians have been active on the diplomatic front for the past year, they’re lagging behind on logistics. Many pavilions were still under construction as of Sunday. “There is great concern about whether everything will be ready on time from a logistical standpoint,” a source close to the UN told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “Connections, microphones, we’re even worried about having enough food,” the source added. The real uncertainty lies in what will actually be negotiated over the next two weeks: Can the world come together to respond to the latest, catastrophic projections for global warming? How can a clash between rich nations and the developing world be avoided? And where will the money come from to help countries hit by cyclones and droughts — like Jamaica, devastated in October by one of the world’s most powerful hurricane in nearly a century, or the Philippines, battered by two deadly typhoons in just two weeks? And what to make of the “roadmap” on fossil fuels that Lula put on the table Thursday at the leaders’ summit? The oil industry — and the petrostates that depend on it — have rallied since the world agreed in Dubai in 2023 to begin the gradual transition away from fossil fuels. “How are we going to do it?” Andre Aranha Correa do Lago, the Brazilian president of COP30 said Sunday. “Is there going to be a consensus about how we are going to do it? This is one of the great mysteries in COP30.” Sans Trump For 30 years, the countries that are party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — adopted here in Brazil at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro — have met annually to strengthen the global climate regime. Those efforts culminated in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which commits the world to limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing efforts to keep it below 1.5 C. The process continued even during US President Donald Trump’s first term. But UN chief Antonio Guterres has acknowledged in recent weeks that it is now “inevitable” the 1.5C threshold will soon be breached, urging that the overshoot be kept as brief as possible. That means finally bringing down global greenhouse gas emissions, which come mainly from burning oil, gas and coal. A group of small island nations is fighting to have the need for a response to this failure placed on the official agenda. “1.5 degrees is not just a number, not just a target, but that’s a lifeline,” Manjeet Dhakal, an advisor to the least developed countries block of countries at COP, told AFP. “We cannot be a part of any decision where there is a discussion about (how) we can’t achieve 1.5 degrees.” The United States, the world’s largest economy and second-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, is absent for the first time in the history of these meetings. Trump, however, hasn’t entirely ignored COP30. On Sunday, he took to his social network to denounce what he called the “scandal” of trees being cut down near Belem to build a new road, after seeing a segment that aired on Fox News.

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 20 dakika

BELEM, Brazil — An odor of oil hung over last year’s UN climate conference in Baku, capital of fossil fuel-rich Azerbaijan. Starting Monday, the 50,000 participants of COP30 will instead feel the heavy, humid air of the Amazon rainforest in Belem, Brazil, where they face the daunting task of keeping global climate cooperation from collapsing. Unfazed, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva insisted on holding the event here despite a dire shortage of hotel rooms. His aim: to make the Amazon itself open the eyes of negotiators, observers, businesses and journalists — in a city where locals carry umbrellas both to shield themselves from the blazing morning sun and from the tropical downpours that follow in the afternoon. “It would be easier to hold the COP in a rich country,” Lula declared in August. “We want people to see the real situation of the forests, of our rivers, of our people who live there.” The Amazon rainforest, which plays a vital role in the fight against global warming through its absorption of greenhouse gases, is itself plagued by a host of ills: deforestation, illegal mining, pollution, drug trafficking, and all manner of rights abuses against locals, especially Indigenous peoples. While the Brazilians have been active on the diplomatic front for the past year, they’re lagging behind on logistics. Many pavilions were still under construction as of Sunday. “There is great concern about whether everything will be ready on time from a logistical standpoint,” a source close to the UN told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “Connections, microphones, we’re even worried about having enough food,” the source added. The real uncertainty lies in what will actually be negotiated over the next two weeks: Can the world come together to respond to the latest, catastrophic projections for global warming? How can a clash between rich nations and the developing world be avoided? And where will the money come from to help countries hit by cyclones and droughts — like Jamaica, devastated in October by one of the world’s most powerful hurricane in nearly a century, or the Philippines, battered by two deadly typhoons in just two weeks? And what to make of the “roadmap” on fossil fuels that Lula put on the table Thursday at the leaders’ summit? The oil industry — and the petrostates that depend on it — have rallied since the world agreed in Dubai in 2023 to begin the gradual transition away from fossil fuels. “How are we going to do it?” Andre Aranha Correa do Lago, the Brazilian president of COP30 said Sunday. “Is there going to be a consensus about how we are going to do it? This is one of the great mysteries in COP30.” Sans Trump For 30 years, the countries that are party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — adopted here in Brazil at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro — have met annually to strengthen the global climate regime. Those efforts culminated in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which commits the world to limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing efforts to keep it below 1.5 C. The process continued even during US President Donald Trump’s first term. But UN chief Antonio Guterres has acknowledged in recent weeks that it is now “inevitable” the 1.5C threshold will soon be breached, urging that the overshoot be kept as brief as possible. That means finally bringing down global greenhouse gas emissions, which come mainly from burning oil, gas and coal. A group of small island nations is fighting to have the need for a response to this failure placed on the official agenda. “1.5 degrees is not just a number, not just a target, but that’s a lifeline,” Manjeet Dhakal, an advisor to the least developed countries block of countries at COP, told AFP. “We cannot be a part of any decision where there is a discussion about (how) we can’t achieve 1.5 degrees.” The United States, the world’s largest economy and second-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, is absent for the first time in the history of these meetings. Trump, however, hasn’t entirely ignored COP30. On Sunday, he took to his social network to denounce what he called the “scandal” of trees being cut down near Belem to build a new road, after seeing a segment that aired on Fox News.

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 20 dakika

... Keep on reading: Love Knots, November 11, 2025

• Inquirer
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 20 dakika

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has denied entry to four foreigners convicted of sex crimes in their home countries as part of the government’s continuing campaign against pedophiles and traffickers. Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado disclosed Monday that the foreign sex offenders were issued exclusion orders after they were intercepted in separate occasions at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Clark International Airport (CIA), and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA). “They were denied entry in line with the government’s intensified efforts to protect Filipino children from exploitation and abuse under #Shield Kids campaign,” added Viado. In 2024, the BI launched Project #ShieldKids Campaign, in coordination with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Project #Shieldkids endeavors to harmonize government efforts against sex offenders in the country by institutionalizing a network of communication amongst government agencies involved in investigating and arresting pedophiles and traffickers. Among those denied entry was Julian Johnson, 56, an American, who arrived at CIA on Oct. 26 aboard a Starlux Airlines flight from Taipei City. Records show that Johnson was convicted in 1996 in the United States for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old and was sentenced to one year of confinement and five years of probation. Also excluded was Stefan Andrew Alletson, 34, a New Zealander who arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 from Hong Kong. Information from the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) revealed that he was previously convicted of a sex crime in New Zealand. Online news reports state that he is a former football coach who was convicted in New Zealand for sending sexually explicit photographs to 14-year-old boys. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the possession and distribution of objectionable material. Canadian Leo Paul Houle, 77, was also denied entry at MCIA after records showed that he was convicted in 2018 of child pornography-related offenses and conspiracy to commit a sexual offense against a person under 18 years of age. The most recent interception was recorded on Nov. 4 at NAIA Terminal 1, where BI officers excluded Charles White, 69, a US citizen convicted in 2007 for committing a criminal sexual act in the third degree involving a 15-year-old victim. Viado commended the alertness of immigration officers and emphasized that the bureau remains firm in its zero-tolerance stance against foreign sex offenders attempting to enter the country. “The Philippines will never be a safe haven for convicted predators,” Viado said. “Our airports serve as the first line of defense in protecting our children, and we will continue to strengthen border security through the #ShieldKids campaign,” he said. Citing BI records, Viado said the bureau barred 137 foreign nationals from entering the country in 2024 for being registered sex offenders, and 169 in 2023. The same data showed that 109 Americans topped the list of those barred, followed by 12 Britons, five Australians, three Germans, and two Canadians. Also excluded were citizens from American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Japan, Ireland, and the British Indian Ocean Territory. The BI has likewise apprehended multiple pedophiles in Philippine soil. Notable among these arrests are the apprehension of French pedophile Theddy Douglas Tissier in Makati in December 2024, and the successful capture of octogenarian pedophile David John Buckley in Cebu last November 2024. Viado encouraged citizens to report sexual predators that might be in their communities to the BI. “By protecting our children, we defend our future,” he said. “Let us all do our share in protecting the most vulnerable from these undesirable aliens.”

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 21 dakika

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has denied entry to four foreigners convicted of sex crimes in their home countries as part of the government’s continuing campaign against pedophiles and traffickers. Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado disclosed Monday that the foreign sex offenders were issued exclusion orders after they were intercepted in separate occasions at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Clark International Airport (CIA), and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA). “They were denied entry in line with the government’s intensified efforts to protect Filipino children from exploitation and abuse under #Shield Kids campaign,” added Viado. In 2024, the BI launched Project #ShieldKids Campaign, in coordination with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Project #Shieldkids endeavors to harmonize government efforts against sex offenders in the country by institutionalizing a network of communication amongst government agencies involved in investigating and arresting pedophiles and traffickers. Among those denied entry was Julian Johnson, 56, an American, who arrived at CIA on Oct. 26 aboard a Starlux Airlines flight from Taipei City. Records show that Johnson was convicted in 1996 in the United States for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old and was sentenced to one year of confinement and five years of probation. Also excluded was Stefan Andrew Alletson, 34, a New Zealander who arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 from Hong Kong. Information from the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) revealed that he was previously convicted of a sex crime in New Zealand. Online news reports state that he is a former football coach who was convicted in New Zealand for sending sexually explicit photographs to 14-year-old boys. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the possession and distribution of objectionable material. Canadian Leo Paul Houle, 77, was also denied entry at MCIA after records showed that he was convicted in 2018 of child pornography-related offenses and conspiracy to commit a sexual offense against a person under 18 years of age. The most recent interception was recorded on Nov. 4 at NAIA Terminal 1, where BI officers excluded Charles White, 69, a US citizen convicted in 2007 for committing a criminal sexual act in the third degree involving a 15-year-old victim. Viado commended the alertness of immigration officers and emphasized that the bureau remains firm in its zero-tolerance stance against foreign sex offenders attempting to enter the country. “The Philippines will never be a safe haven for convicted predators,” Viado said. “Our airports serve as the first line of defense in protecting our children, and we will continue to strengthen border security through the #ShieldKids campaign,” he said. Citing BI records, Viado said the bureau barred 137 foreign nationals from entering the country in 2024 for being registered sex offenders, and 169 in 2023. The same data showed that 109 Americans topped the list of those barred, followed by 12 Britons, five Australians, three Germans, and two Canadians. Also excluded were citizens from American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Japan, Ireland, and the British Indian Ocean Territory. The BI has likewise apprehended multiple pedophiles in Philippine soil. Notable among these arrests are the apprehension of French pedophile Theddy Douglas Tissier in Makati in December 2024, and the successful capture of octogenarian pedophile David John Buckley in Cebu last November 2024. Viado encouraged citizens to report sexual predators that might be in their communities to the BI. “By protecting our children, we defend our future,” he said. “Let us all do our share in protecting the most vulnerable from these undesirable aliens.”

• The Manila Times
• 2 gün, 13 saat, 21 dakika