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GMA Network
01-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Ruffy Biazon to appeal Sandiganbayan ruling on graft case
The team of reelected Mayor Ruffy Biazon said they will be filing a motion for reconsideration, seeking the anti-graft court to re-examine the ruling and citing his right to due process. Muntinlupa Mayor Rozzano Rufino 'Ruffy' Biazon over the weekend said he will appeal Sandiganbayan's ruling that found him, along with five other respondents including businesswoman Janet Napoles, guilty of graft in connection to the alleged misuse of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) in 2007. In a statement issued by his spokesperson Atty. Mitchell-David Espiritu, the reelected mayor's team said they will be filing a motion for reconsideration, seeking the anti-graft court to re-examine the ruling and citing his right to due process. 'We respect the Sandiganbayan's decision as part of our justice system. However, we are surprised by the outcome, especially since Mayor Ruffy was previously acquitted of similar charges involving public funds,' Espiritu said in Filipino in a post on Biazon's official Facebook page. 'We remain hopeful that, like the earlier cases, Mayor Ruffy will ultimately be acquitted once due process has been completed. We intend to explore all legal remedies, beginning with a motion for reconsideration,' he added. Biazon, along with businesswoman Janet Napoles and former government agency Technology Resource Center (TRC) officials Dennis Cunanan, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, and Evelyn De Leon were sentenced to six to eight years in jail and perpetual disqualification from public office after being found guilty of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Court records showed that whistleblower Benhur Luy said Biazon received some P1.950 million through an authorized representative, and the public funds from Biazon's PDAF went to Napoles-run Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. (PSDFI), a corporate entity that could not have been physically located at its declared address. Biazon, for his part, argued that he merely endorsed the non-government organization (MGO) to the TRC, and that his signature was forged by the whistleblower. The court meanwhile found that Biazon's endorsement functioned more as an instruction than a recommendation, and that there was no substantial evidence that he took steps to dispute or report the alleged forgery. 'Mayor Ruffy will continue to uphold the law — the same law that grants him the right to defend himself and to clear his name of these accusations,' Espiritu said. 'According to the law, Mayor Ruffy will stay in his post and fulfill the mandate entrusted to him by the people of Muntinlupa,' he added. —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
26-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Bong Revilla eyeing raps vs. fake news peddlers after Eleksyon 2025 loss —lawyer
Senator Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr. is eyeing to file cyberlibel charges against individuals who purportedly spread fake news against him, which his camp believed was the reason for his loss in his 2025 reelection bid. Lawyer Raymond Fortun, Revilla's counsel, made the announcement in a press conference in the Senate Monday, exactly two weeks after the May 12 midterm elections. 'It is regrettable that his aspiration to continue to be of service to the country had been derailed due to the insidious work done by certain groups and individuals who had spread fake news on social media which, unfortunately, were accepted as gospel truth by the unsuspecting public,' Fortun said. 'After consulting with his family, Senator Revilla has decided to defend his and the family's reputation by exercising the legal remedies for people whose reputations are harmed through online platforms like social media, blogs, websites. It is his hope that doing so would discourage the use of anonymity or digital platforms to malign others without consequence,' he added. Fortun, who noted that the senator usually ranks high every senatorial elections, specifically mentioned false information about the Sandiganbayan ruling on the PDAF plunder case against Revilla. 'Notwithstanding such acquittals, certain individuals and groups during the run-up to the 2025 elections continued to vilify him by spreading fake posts that he had been convicted and ordered by the Sandiganbayan to return P124,500,000. This is a vicious lie, with the clear and malevolent intent to damage Senator Revilla's good name and reputation,' he said. Fortun argued that Revilla has no obligation to return the P124 million because he was acquitted in the plunder case against him. 'Kung acquitted siya, hindi po maaari na siya ay mapatawan ng civil damages dahil sinabi nga na abswelto siya eh. This is the decision itself made by the Sandiganbayan,' he said. (If he was acquitted, it cannot be that he will be meted civil damages precisely because he was acquitted.) The Sandiganbayan found businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles and Revilla's former chief of staff Richard Cambe guilty of plunder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua. The anti-graft court's decision read: "For failure of the prosecution to establish beyond reasonable doubt that accused Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. received, directly or indirectly the rebates, commission, and kickbacks from his PDAF, the Court cannot hold him liable for the crime of Plunder. Accordingly, he is ACQUITTED." "Moreover, in view of the discussion above, and pursuant to Article 100 of the Revised Penal Code, accused are held solidarily and jointly liable to return to the National Treasury the amount of One Hundred Twenty-Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 124.500,000.00)," it added. Coordinate with NBI According to Fortun, Revilla's camp will coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation to identify the five to 10 individuals who spread 'malicious' posts against him, most of which were published two weeks before the May 12 polls. Fortun did not disclose the names or usernames of those who allegedly peddled fake news against Revilla. He, however, showed a screenshot of one post which supposedly altered one of Revilla's campaign speeches. Asked if they believe the misinformation and disinformation campaign against Revilla was organized, Fortun said 'it does not appear' to be organized. He then mentioned that they already discounted the possibility that the misinformation campaign was from the Duterte camp. 'Lumalabas na kung mayroon mang grupo, ngayon sasabihin ko na, walang kinalaman po yung kampo ng mga Duterte. Didiretsuhin ko na po…The camp of the former President [Rodrigo Duterte] has nothing to do with this' Fortun said. (I have to disclose now that if there is a group behind this, it is not identified with the Dutertes. The camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte has nothing to do with this.) For his reelection bid, Revilla ran under the banner of Lakas-CMD which is one of the political parties that composed the Marcos administration's Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas. 'Usually, akala natin 'yung laban ng grupo ng mga Marcos at 'yung grupo ng mga Duterte, hindi po. Lumalabas po na, it appears to be somebody else's move,' Fortun said, but refused to disclose to identify the group that he was referring to. (Usually, we thought that it would be a fight between the Marcos and Duterte camps. It appears to be somebody else's move.) In a phone interview, Revilla admitted that he was sad because he became a 'victim of fake news' and he is still adjusting with the results of the elections. Asked if he thinks that the campaign against him was orchestrated, Revilla said, 'Sa aking palagay, yes, orchestrated ito. Kung anong kulay ayoko nang alamin. Siguro, that's part of politics.' (I think yes, it was orchestrated. I don't want to know what color anymore. Maybe, that's part of politics.) 'Ang 'di maganda dito, 'yung fake news. Di naman tayo onion-skinned dahil marami na akong pinagdaanan sa public service… pero 'yung mapaniwala natin ang taumbayan sa kasinungalingan 'yun talaga ang di talaga tama,' he said. (What is not good is the fake news. I am not onion-skinned since I've gone through a lot in public service. But to influence the public via fake news is not right.) ''Di dapat palagpasin kung nangyari na ito noon, this time siguro, I will not allow it again. Kailangan mapanagot sila,' he added. (We should not let this pass. If it had happened in the past, this time, I will not allow it. They should be held responsible.) Revilla failed to continue his second term in the Senate after he landed on the 14th spot in the 2025 senatorial race. — with a report from Llanesca T. Panti/AOL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
Hindustan Times
23-04-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Implement stringent fire safety measures: CS tells SGPGIMS
In a significant move to enhance safety and infrastructure at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh on Tuesday directed the institute to implement stringent fire safety measures and recruit specialised fire officers in the institute. The directive was issued during the 102nd Governing Body meeting held under his chairmanship on Tuesday. Singh emphasised the need for 'concrete fire safety protocols' to ensure high levels of preparedness against fire-related incidents within the hospital premises. The step comes as part of the government's broader push to upgrade safety infrastructure across major medical institutions. The Governing Body also approved the construction of a multi-level parking facility within the SGPGIMS campus. This new infrastructure aims to resolve long-standing issues of on-road parking, ensuring safe and organised parking spaces for both patients and staff. In another key development, the Governing Body approved the distribution of 368 new faculty positions across various Broad Specialty and Super Specialty departments. This is expected to strengthen medical education, enhance patient care, and boost research output at the institute. Additionally, the body sanctioned the Higher Administrative Grade Scale (Level-15) for 40% of professors, aligning SGPGIMS with AIIMS New Delhi and following guidelines laid down by the Uttar Pradesh Government. This move is aimed at retaining and rewarding senior faculty for their contributions. The meeting, chaired by chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, was attended by SGPGIMS director Prof Radha Krishna Dhiman, registrar Col. Varun Bajpai, finance officer Biswajeet Rai, and other members of the Governing Body, including nominated faculty members. Principal secretary (medical education) Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma and officials from the finance department were also present. The Governing Body also approved the minutes and recommendations of the 68th Academic Board and gave a green light to the introduction of six new courses under PDCC and PDAF in various departments. Moreover, approval was granted for Certificate Courses in Emergency Care for Provincial Health Medical Services (PHMS) doctors deputed to SGPGIMS, further strengthening emergency healthcare training in the state.
