By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Amid rumors of his health condition, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has strongly chided the International Criminal Court (ICC) following allegations by former human rights lawyer Harry Roque that ICC investigators are already in the country to probe the “bloody drug war” under the previous Duterte administration that thousands of suspected drug pushers were reportedly slain in extra-judicial killings (EJKs).

Remulla reminded the ICC that the Philippines is no longer a member of the international body following the order of then-President Duterte to withdraw the country’s membership.

“It is their responsibility and duty to make contact with the DOJ by the principles of international law,” he said.

Surprisingly, the DOJ chief was seemingly oblivious that on November 24, President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. declared that the return of the Philippines to the ICC is “under study.”

On November 29, the House Committees on Human Rights and Justice after two joint meetings adopted the proposed House resolutions urging the government to cooperate with the ICC in its investigation into the Duterte administration’s drug war.

Remulla made his statement after learning from Roque, once a noted human rights lawyer who later served as presidential spokesman under the Duterte administration, claiming that ICC investigators have already been in the Philippines.

“They have to respect us. They have to establish a protocol. They have to deal with the duly constituted authorities of the country for this to happen,” Remulla quipped.

(IAmigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio & Liza Soriano

Picture this: a Filipina passionately kisses her foreign boyfriend, the same man she had taken legal action against for allegedly violating the country’s Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Act.

No harm right?

Wrong.

It’s a legal racket that has allegedly gone too far, mastered by dishonest lawyers and their foreign clients to circumvent the law on deportation.

Stressing that the “demanda me” racket among lawyers must be stopped, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday proposed that the Senate should craft a law that will impose stiffer penalties against lawyers who assist foreigners in filing cases against themselves to avoid deportation.

“Mas mahalaga siguro ay malaki ang penalties sa mga lawyers na maga-assist ng ‘demanda me’ raket na ginagawa po ng mga foreigners… Pangkabuhayan po talaga,” Remulla lamented. “May ‘demanda me’ package po na ginagawa ang mga lawyers minsan para hindi ho mapa-deport ‘yung mga tao.”

Remulla disclosed this during the Senate finance committee hearing on the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its attached agencies’ proposed P34.486-billion budget for 2024.

The DOJ chief pointed out the necessity of a law that will “immediately” waive these alleged trumped-up charges filed by the foreigners against themselves.

“‘Yung batas ho kasi hindi natin puwede i-deport habang may kaso sila dito… kung meron ho tayong batas na hindi ho na lalo na immediately puwede ho natin i-waive yung cases, makabubuti po sana ‘yan,” Remulla said.

He cited the case of a woman who filed a case against his Japanese boyfriend for alleged violation of the Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Act.

“Nakita namin isang kaso sa Japanese noon, ‘yung girlfriend po na nag-file ng VAWC, lagi hong bisita at lagi nagbebeso-beso at bumibisita pero may VAWC case siya laban sa boyfriend niya,” Remulla revealed.

Image Courtesy of Benjie Cuaresma

By Junex Doronio

AMID THE BROUHAHA of controversial confidential and intelligence funds of government agencies, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla has expressed favor if only that those funds were put to proper use for the confiscation of a drug shipment in the wake of P3.6 billion worth of suspected shabu that entered on Wednesday night through Subic port.

Remulla said Subic is now under tight watch after the shabu shipment reportedly ended up in a warehouse in Pampanga and was tracked down by authorities.

“Sa akin, ang confidential funds, for this operation to succeed we had to use confidential funds because that’s the only way we can make things move… It’s something that is reserved for agencies that really have to work in manners, in methods that are not always standard because some things cannot be revealed,” Remulla said.

He added that the authorities, however, confiscated the suspected drug weighing 530 kilograms also on Wednesday night, September 27.

Remulla bared that the suspected drug shipment, which had Thai markings, came with “chicharon” and dog food.

“Subic ang mainit ngayon, actually Subic din ang na-pinpoint namin na source ng maraming smuggling sa bansa. That’s why we have to watch over Subic,” Remulla further disclosed.

Maharlika Nu Media tried to get the side of the Bureau of Customs-Port of Subic but its head District Collector Ciriaco “Dhucky” Ugay could not be reached for comment as of this posting. (ai/mnm)

Ni Liezelle Soriano

MAHIGPIT na binabantayan ngayon ang Subic dahil sa umano’y mga isyu ng smuggling, ayon kay Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

Ito ay matapos ang P3.6 bilyong halaga ng hinihinalang shabu na pumasok umano sa daungan nito at napunta sa isang bodega sa Pampanga.

Sinabi ni Remulla na nakumpiska ng mga awtoridad ang 530 kilos ng hinihinalang droga noong Miyerkoles ng gabi.

“Subic ang mainit ngayon, actually Subic din ang na-pinpoint namin na source ng maraming smuggling sa bansa. That’s why we have to watch over Subic,” sabi ni Remulla.

Aniya, may Thai markings ito na ang nakalagay ay “chicharon” at dog food.

“Definitely may foreign involvement kasi international syndicate that we are talking about, ano talaga very sophisticated ito… It’s [a] world menace,” ani Remulla. (ai/mnm)

Ni Liezelle Soriano

SINABI ni Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla na maaaring alisin ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas ang floating barrier na nasa timog-silangang bahagi ng Scarborough Shoal kung ito ay nasa loob ng Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

“Well, if it is within our economic zone, exclusive economic zone, then we will just declare it to be such and that it’s a violation of our right to exclusive economic zone, and we can remove the same,” ani Remulla.

Naglagay ang Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ng floating barrier sa timog-silangang bahagi ng Scarborough Shoal.

Sinabi ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) na ang floating barrier, na tinatayang may haba na halos isang kilometro, ay nakita ng mga tauhan nito at ng Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) noong Biyernes, Setyembre 22, 2023.

Binigyang-diin ni Remulla ang barrier ay nakasagabal sa mga aktibidad ng bansa.

“That’s interfering with something that has been granted to us in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. If it is within our exclusive economic zone, then that is an interference in our activities,” ayon kay Remulla. (ai/mnm)

Image Courtesy of GMA News Official Facebook Page

By Liezelle Soriano

THE Commission on Elections and Department of Justice stressed the importance of evidence in complaints regarding vote-buying.

The barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) will be held on October 30.

Comelec Commissioner George Garcia and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla inked a partnership on the “Kontra-Bigay” program, which was initiated by the Comelec.

“Presumptions can work if the evidence is treated properly,” Remulla said.

“Yung presumptions naman yung nakalagay sa guidelines natin plus other evidence, hindi lang pwedeng mag-rely ang prosecution sa presumption, plus other evidence,” Garcia said.

Garcia then said that Comelec is expecting help from the DOJ to prosecute those who will be caught vote-buying.

“Yun po kasing investigation part pagsasama-samahin natin iyon pero iyong prosecution part medyo mas mahirap po iyan, talagang aasa kami sa tulong ng DOJ,” he said.

On the other hand, Remulla admitted that vote-buying through e-wallets would be challenging. (ai/mnm)