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MANILA, Philippines – Facebook parent firm Meta on Thursday, August 31, confirmed to Rappler that the takedown of Kingdom of Jesus Christ and SMNI founder Apollo Quiboloy was due to violations of its policies on “Dangerous Organizations and Individuals.”

Meta also said KOJC had violated the same policy. Users online found the Facebook URL facebook.com/KingdomNation was inaccessible as early as Monday, August 28.

The company reviewed and determined that Quiboloy and KOJC’s accounts had violated the said policy, and as a result had both been banned from the platform. Praise, support, or representation of the group or its activities will be removed as well.

The policy on Facebook’s page states: “In an effort to prevent and disrupt real-world harm, we do not allow organizations or individuals that proclaim a violent mission or are engaged in violence to have a presence on Meta. We assess these entities based on their behavior both online and offline, most significantly, their ties to violence. Under this policy, we designate individuals, organizations, and networks of people.”

Quiboloy is currently facing US Executive Order (EO) 13818 sanctions, having been indicted for charges including sex trafficking. He is also on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list.

The deletion of Quiboloy’s Facebook account was discovered on August 17, with at least one user who reported the page, receiving confirmation about the removal. Rappler would later find that Quiboloy’s Instagram account had been removed as well.

The Facebook takedown comes after the preacher’s YouTube channel was terminated earlier this June and after his TikTok account was banned in July. The two video-based platforms later confirmed that the takedowns were due to his current sanctions in the US, as well as violations of community standards. – Rappler.com

https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/human-trafficking/apollo-carreon-quiboloy

FBI-wanted pastor Apollo Quiboloy's account as well as the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) Facebook page have been terminated. SMNI News is their last remaining holdout online.

Press Release September 4, 2023

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday said that she agrees with Vice President Sara Duterte when the latter said that her office could "live without" the P500 million confidential funds they are requesting for 2024, after Duterte admitted to using confidential funds this year for free bus rides, tree plantings and other programs unrelated to security matters.

"Masaya ako na mismong si Vice President Duterte na ang nagsabi na kaya nilang mabuhay ng walang malaking confidential funds sa 2024. There is no good reason why the Office of the Vice President (OVP) should have confidential fund allocations that are larger than the combined confidential budgets of our top security agencies," Hontiveros said.

During a Senate Finance subcommittee hearing, Hontiveros showed that the OVP's proposed P500 million confidential funds - which have less auditing and reporting requirements than regular public funds - "tower over" the combined P438.2 million confidential and intelligence funds allocated for both the Department of National Defense (DND) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).

"There is something fundamentally wrong when the OVP alone has a confidential fund of half a billion pesos while the NICA itself, which is the government's primary intelligence arm, has confidential and intelligence funds of only P341.2 million. Alam naman natin kung kanino talaga dapat napupunta ang confidential at intelligence funds - sa DND, NICA at iba pang responsable para sa national security, law enforcement at border protection," Hontiveros said.

Duterte, during the same hearing, admitted that the OVP has been using its confidential funds for 2023 for the "safe, secure and successful" implementation of initiatives with no direct relation to national security, like the construction of a vice presidents' museum and an OVP permanent office as well as free bus rides, tree plantings and feeding programs.

Hontiveros pointed out that the initiatives do not fall under the exclusive list of programs in which confidential funds may be used, as laid out in COA-DBM Joint Circular No. 2015-01. The circular, she said, requires that confidential funds be used only for the purchase of information and or expenses "necessary for the formulation and implementation of programs, activities and projects relevant to national security and peace and order."

"As important as free bus rides and tree buildings are, these are not projects involving national security for which confidential funds should be used. Hindi iyan pwedeng maging justification para sa napakalaking confidential funds. Pwede namang pondohan ang mga proyekto na yan gamit ang regular funds ng ahensya," the senator said.

Hontiveros then urged her colleagues in the Senate to take up the Vice President on her word that she and the OVP can fulfill their functions without the hundreds of millions in confidential funds.

"Kayang kaya ng OVP na pagsilbihan ang Bayan ng hindi gumagamit ng confidential funds na halos hindi naau-audit at narereport sa publiko. As I have said before, let's leave the security and intelligence work to the experts," Hontiveros concluded.

Press Release September 4, 2023

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday said that she agrees with Vice President Sara Duterte when the latter said that her office could "live without" the P500 million confidential funds they are requesting for 2024, after Duterte admitted to using confidential funds this year for free bus rides, tree plantings and other programs unrelated to security matters.

"Masaya ako na mismong si Vice President Duterte na ang nagsabi na kaya nilang mabuhay ng walang malaking confidential funds sa 2024. There is no good reason why the Office of the Vice President (OVP) should have confidential fund allocations that are larger than the combined confidential budgets of our top security agencies," Hontiveros said.

During a Senate Finance subcommittee hearing, Hontiveros showed that the OVP's proposed P500 million confidential funds - which have less auditing and reporting requirements than regular public funds - "tower over" the combined P438.2 million confidential and intelligence funds allocated for both the Department of National Defense (DND) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).

"There is something fundamentally wrong when the OVP alone has a confidential fund of half a billion pesos while the NICA itself, which is the government's primary intelligence arm, has confidential and intelligence funds of only P341.2 million. Alam naman natin kung kanino talaga dapat napupunta ang confidential at intelligence funds - sa DND, NICA at iba pang responsable para sa national security, law enforcement at border protection," Hontiveros said.

Duterte, during the same hearing, admitted that the OVP has been using its confidential funds for 2023 for the "safe, secure and successful" implementation of initiatives with no direct relation to national security, like the construction of a vice presidents' museum and an OVP permanent office as well as free bus rides, tree plantings and feeding programs.

Hontiveros pointed out that the initiatives do not fall under the exclusive list of programs in which confidential funds may be used, as laid out in COA-DBM Joint Circular No. 2015-01. The circular, she said, requires that confidential funds be used only for the purchase of information and or expenses "necessary for the formulation and implementation of programs, activities and projects relevant to national security and peace and order."

"As important as free bus rides and tree buildings are, these are not projects involving national security for which confidential funds should be used. Hindi iyan pwedeng maging justification para sa napakalaking confidential funds. Pwede namang pondohan ang mga proyekto na yan gamit ang regular funds ng ahensya," the senator said.

Hontiveros then urged her colleagues in the Senate to take up the Vice President on her word that she and the OVP can fulfill their functions without the hundreds of millions in confidential funds.

"Kayang kaya ng OVP na pagsilbihan ang Bayan ng hindi gumagamit ng confidential funds na halos hindi naau-audit at narereport sa publiko. As I have said before, let's leave the security and intelligence work to the experts," Hontiveros concluded.

Foxconn subsidiary FIH, the owner of about 15% of HMD bonds, has published its financial report for 2022.

HMD’s revenues have dropped, prompting FIH to cancel investments in more Nokia-branded smartphones and phones. FIH also asked HMD to divest some products such as headphones.

HMD’s fundraising in 2022 was unsuccessful. HMD’s Board has extended the Series A2 financing round and hopes to close the round in 2023.

"Marcos: In line with the long-standing tradition of giving the Office of the Vice President parliamentary courtesy, I move to terminate the briefing for the Office of the Vice President.

Manuel: I object.

Castro: We object.

Zamora calls for a show of hands on whether to approve the motion.

Zamora: We have 21 members of the Committee on Appropriations manifesting for the approval of the motion. The Chair declares for the motion to terminate the presentation of the budget approved.

Castro: Madam Chair, may we have a manifestation?

Zamora tells Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, senior committee vice chairperson: Madam Chair, we already have terminated the presentation and the—

Castro: Point of order, Madam Chair, may I explain my vote why I do not like the hearing of the Office of the Vice President to be terminated? I know we have the right as a Minority bloc, Madam Chair. So may we explain why we vote no?

Zamora: With all due respect, this representation would like to request the honorable Castro to just please submit the manifestation to the Committee on Appropriations.

Castro: I object…Hindi natin inaasahan ang ganitong proceedings. Meron tayong issue na dapat pakinggan at dapat masagot ng Office of the Vice President. Kailangang maipaliwanag ang ₱125 million. At sinabi naman sa statement ni Vice President Duterte na mag-e-explain. So I have the right to explain why I voted no. Kailangang malaman itong ₱125 million na not-confidential fund pero ginastos ng Office of the Vice President na kung saan [mic turned off]."

MANILA, Philippines — The House appropriations committee cut short an attempt by opposition lawmakers to question the Office of the Vice President (OVP) on how it spent P125 million of its confidential funds in 2022 as the panel swiftly closed Wednesday’s budget briefing in deference to Vice President Sara Duterte.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and nephew of Speaker Martin Romualdez, invoked the “long-standing tradition of giving the OVP parliamentary courtesy” in calling for the conclusion of the hearing, preventing the Makabayan bloc from confronting Duterte on the OVP’s secret expenses.

Duterte was present to lead the agency’s presentation of its P2.4-billion budget proposal for 2024, including P500 million in confidential funds, or lump sum items earmarked for an agency’s surveillance activities and not subject to regular state audit.

The concurrent education secretary later attended the budget hearing for the Department of Education (DepEd), which is seeking another P150 million in confidential funds for next year.

The budget hearing for the OVP lasted only 22 minutes, of which 10 minutes were used up for a video presentation on the agency’s accomplishments and plans for 2024.

After the presentation, Marcos, the House senior deputy majority leader, moved to terminate the budget deliberation despite objections from ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Danniel Manuel.

Davao de Oro Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora, the panel’s vice chairperson, called for a vote via raising of hands and declared the conclusion of the hearing after 21 members voted to close it.

Mic switched off Castro tried to convince the body to resume the hearing as she wanted to ask Duterte to explain the OVP’s use of confidential funds.

“This P125 million should be explained and the Vice President, in a previous statement, said she will explain. So I have the right to explain why I voted no and the people must know how the OVP spent this confidential fund,” she said.

At that point, Castro could not continue as her microphone was switched off.

Earlier, the Makabayan bloc criticized the OVP for its secret expenses, citing a provision in the 1987 Constitution stating that “no money shall be paid out of the treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation made by law.”

The bloc cited a special allotment release order (Saro) of the Department of Budget and Management issued on Dec. 13, 2022, covering P125 million for confidential funds with the approval of the Office of the President (OP).

A Saro is an authority issued to an agency to incur obligations within a limited amount and specified period and also includes which laws authorize the release of the funds for a specific purpose.

After the hearing, the Makabayan lawmakers criticized the abrupt termination of the proceedings.

Castro said: “I am angry at this development because we were ready with our questions, but we think the OVP was not ready to explain this to the people how it spent the funds. This should not be kept secret.”

She said the members of the House committee were too “lenient” on Duterte.

Manuel added: “I thought the Vice President was brave enough to answer questions on the confidential funds for 2022? She was there physically, but she didn’t even answer our questions.”

Former OVP spokesperson and lawyer Barry Gutierrez, who worked under Duterte’s predecessor Leni Robredo, said the hearing was a “missed opportunity” for lawmakers to question both the enormity of the entire budget and the purpose for the secret funds.

“This was perhaps the only time they could ask the agency directly about these questions and they missed it,” Gutierrez said. “If Congress itself is not allowed to exercise its function, then who else can do that?”

He acknowledged that Congress usually terminated budget hearings for the OP and the OVP as a courtesy, but “that was only possible before because previous offices were not mired in the same controversies.”

“This is really disappointing,” Gutierrez said.

‘Purpose, need’ During DepEd’s budget hearing, however, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman was given the opportunity to ask Duterte about the education department’s request for P150 million in confidential expenses.

“Considering the universe of shortages in the DepEd which would need adequate funding, would you voluntarily withdraw your request for confidential funds with the DepEd?” Lagman asked her.

Duterte replied: “There is a purpose and a need for confidential funds in the DepEd, because basic education is intertwined with national security.”

She also confirmed that DepEd “secured the assistance” of experienced military and police officers in its confidential and surveillance activities.

“Yes, our field operations are constantly in discussion with the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and Armed Forces of the Philippines with regard to security issues among our learners and teaching and non-teaching personnel, and in our schools as well,” she said.

Duterte added, however, that she was leaving it to the wisdom of Congress whether to grant DepEd’s request.

The local digital banking space is a battleground but in the middle of the rivalry to be No. 1, the six digital banks decided to establish their own association first, the Digital Banking Association of the Philippines (DBAP).

The digital banks want DBAP to be their launching pad to help them to go global.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas apparently agrees, and has endorsed the establishment of the group, according to bank officials.

For now, there are only six banks with digital banking license in the Philippines. Most of the digital banks started operations within the first six months of 2022.

The country's digital banks are: government-owned Overseas Filipino Bank Inc. of Land Bank of the Philippines; Tonik Digital Bank of Tonik Financial Pte Ltd. of Singapore; UNObank Inc. of Singapore; GoTyme Bank Corp. of the Gokongwei Group’s Robinsons Bank; Maya Bank of the PLDT Group; and UnionDigital Bank of Aboitiz-led Union Bank of the Philippines.

There’s also a new Bing widget that lets you access the chat from the homepage.

Here’s the official changelog:

• New – Start a Bing Chat conversation from anywhere in the Launcher you find search.
• Bing is your A1-powered copilot and can provide helpful answers to your questions.
• Bing Chat functionality is available in regions supported by Bing Chat.
• Bing Chat functionality requires Android 8.0 and up
• Bug fixes.

The Ukrainian government is ready to share the experiences of its soldiers to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and discuss the establishment of a military technical exchange program.

Denys Mykhailiuk, Ukraine's Chargé d'affaires in Malaysia, who also has jurisdiction over the Philippines, believes that the Philippine government may be interested in learning how Ukraine defended their rights against the occupation of a bigger and more powerful country like Russia.

"We can also discuss some military technical preparation and exchange in experience because our forte is the biggest war conflict since the time of the Second World War and for the Filipino army, they might be interested to study and learn experience from our veterans on how to counter a bigger enemy," Mykhailiuk said.

However, the Ukrainian official clarified his government is not encouraging the Philippines to go to war.

Instead, he said the Philippines should be prepared for any scenario, especially since there are parts of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone being claimed by a bigger and more powerful country.

The Ukrainian official did not mention any specific country, but China is claiming almost the entire West Philippine Sea, which according to the 2016 arbitral ruling is within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone. Freedom of navigation, maritime issues, and free trade are among the topics that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants to discuss with Philippine President Bongbong Marcos via a phone meeting.

According to Mykhailiuk, "We also cooperate greatly in the areas of granting of free navigation and free trade, you know the Filipinos is the number one country with the quantity of seafarers and Ukraine is the second one, and so we can cooperate greatly in protection of maritime trade."

The AFP has not yet responded to Ukraine's offer of a military technical exchange program. However, it said earlier that despite China's actions in the West Philippine Sea, it still supports the peaceful resolution of disputes.

The Ukrainian official announced the offer of a military technical exchange program to the AFP in commemoration of Ukraine's 32nd Independence Day.

This is a significant event for Ukraine, even amid the ongoing war between Ukrainian and Russian forces.

However, the Ukrainian official reveals that despite the ongoing war, they are already planning and developing a recovery plan for rebuilding their infrastructure.

He said his country recognizes the skills of Filipino workers, such as engineers and construction workers, and hopes to have Filipino labor to help them rebuild their country.

"We will definitely be in bad need for labor, qualified labor to the country. We already launched the so-called fast recovery plan to transform and rebuild our economy not after the war but already in the time of the war because nobody knows how long it will be, and we lost approximately 30% of our economy," Mykhailiuk said.

He said Ukraine will be needing engineers, construction and development laborers for what is foreseen in the next 50 years as the biggest construction site in Europe.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, only a few Filipinos remain in Ukraine, most of whom are spouses of Ukrainian nationals who chose to stay to help defend their country. —LDF/KG, GMA Integrated News

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 25) — ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said she will study the possibility of holding Vice President Sara Duterte to account, including filing an impeachment complaint, over the alleged unauthorized use of confidential funds for Duterte's office in 2022.

House deputy minority leader Castro said the Office of the Vice President (OVP) spent ₱125 million as confidential funds in 2022 even without Congressional authorization, as there was no appropriation for confidential expenses for the OVP under the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Congress enacted the 2022 GAA in 2021, before Duterte was elected into office. She only started her term on June 30 last year.

Castro said former Vice President Leni Robredo "did not ask for and consequently was not given any confidential funds for her office for fiscal year 2022."

Asked if Castro would file an impeachment complaint against Duterte, the lawmaker said, "Tungkol sa impeachment, siyempre pag-aaralan natin 'yung mga possibility para mapanagot kung makikita natin talaga itong mga binanggit nating violation na ito, lalong lalo na ‘to misuse of public funds, technical malversation, at saka paglabag sa Constitution."

[Translation: About impeachment, we would study the possibilities on how to hold officials accountable if we prove there were violations, especially the misuse of public funds, technical malversation, and violating the Constitution.]

Castro said she is still waiting for the findings of the Commission on Audit’s (COA) investigation into the matter.

"Darating tayo diyan sa bagay na ‘yan sa impeachment pag buo na ‘yong ating data, information, facts, at documents," she added.

[Translation: We will come to the discussion of impeachment once our data, information, facts, and documents are complete.]

The lawmaker pointed out the presence of confidential funds in the OVP’s report for 2022 during the hearing of the House committee on appropriations in the proposed 2024 budget of COA on Thursday. She believed this was realigned.

COA chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba said they will look into it.

"The Vice President needs to explain how she could incur obligations amounting to ₱125 million in confidential expenses in the last six months of 2022 despite the fact that her office has no Congressional authorization to do so for that year," Castro said.

"Without such authorization, the strict rule prohibiting public disclosure of the use of confidential funds does not apply in this case," she said. "Therefore, we ask that the OVP provide a detailed public accounting of how the ₱125 million was spent."

"There may also be violations of the Supreme Court ruling on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) if savings were used to fund this ₱125 million confidential fund," she added.

For her part, Duterte said she welcomes the probe recommended by Castro to COA on the 2022 confidential funds of the OVP but stressed the lawmaker "doesn't deserve an explanation."

"All she did was wildly and masterfully arrange some allegations against me and the OVP, which will all be answered once the probe is done and during the budget hearing," the vice president added.

"Meanwhile, I hope she finds gratification and great joy over the thought of my impeachment from office. Enjoy," she said.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 17) — The Supreme Court En Banc has penalized five lawyers for posting homophobic remarks on social media, saying the right to privacy of lawyers is limited especially when it comes to their online activities.

Lawyers Noel V. Antay, Jr., Morgan Rosales Nicanor, Joseph Marion Peña Navarrete, and Israel P. Calderon were reprimanded with stern warning, while lawyer Atty. Ernesto Tabujara III was dealt with a heavier punishment of ₱25,000 fine and stern warning. They were found in violation of Rule 7.03 of the Code of Professional Responsibility.

The decision stemmed from a Facebook post initiated by Antay who posted that he prosecuted a case for estafa against a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. He alleged the convicted individual cursed at him and accused him of being a bigot. He then narrated that the judge, whom he described as "somewhat effeminate," chastised the convict.

The high court said Antay opened the conversation with homophobic undertones.

"These descriptions are uncalled for and have no context in the narrative, thus showing his gender bias," read the decision signed by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and 14 justices and released on Wednesday.

Nicanor, Navarrete, and Calderon chimed in on Antay's post. The justices noted that their comments reeked of misleading stereotypes and wrong, perverse undertones often pinned against members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Tabujara was meted with the heaviest penalty among the five lawyers.

He commented under Antay's post: "(s)ino 'yung bakla na judge…(n)aka eye liner and eye shadow pag naghe-hearing. Ang taray pa!" He later on commented that the joke among lawyers is that in a certain courthouse, "sa 2nd floor puro may sira ulo mga judge, sa baba bakla at mga corrupt."

[Translation: Who is the gay judge who wears eyeliner and eyeshadows during hearings? And so prickly! In the second floor, the judges are crazy, but in the first floor, you can find the homosexuals and the corrupt ones.]

It said Tabujara lumped the alleged homosexual judges with the allegedly corrupt ones, thereby implying that homosexual judges have the same degree of immorality as those of corrupt judges. It added that unlike the other lawyers, Tabujara did not sincerely apologize and showed no hint of remorse, which the court found disturbing.

It also slammed Tabujara's comments that he is an ally of the LGBTQIA+ sector to explain his side.

"It smacks of hypocrisy," the decision read. "If hurt was unintentionally inflicted, a sincere apology can lessen the sting."

The magistrates ruled that lawyers' right to privacy vis-a-vis online activities is not absolute.

"It is not a defense that the discriminatory language was uttered in what was seemingly intended to be private exchanges among the macho men. The fact that their exchanges became public trumps whatever intention they may have had to keep their communications private... Unfortunately or fortunately, respondents' true character came to light," the court said.

All five lawyers were told that a repetition of the same or similar offense will be dealt with more severely.