Tag: law

Palace: Duterte to sign rice tariffication bill into law soon

(Eagle News)–The Palace on Wednesday, Dec. 19, said President Rodrigo Duterte would sign the rice tariffication bill into law soon. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the measure has been submitted to the Office of the President. If signed into law, the quantitative restrictions on imported rice will no longer apply. Private traders will also be able to choose from where to import the rice. President Duterte had certified the bill as urgent.

Four questions on Iran’s legal challenge to US sanctions

  by Jan Hennop Agence France-Presse THE HAUGE, Netherlands (AFP) — Iran’s legal challenge against renewed sanctions by the United States goes before the UN’s International Court of Justice on Monday. Here are four key questions regarding the case: What is the case about? Iran’s attempt to block the reinstatement of sanctions, announced by US President Donald Trump earlier this year, is the latest in a series of court battles that Tehran and Washington are fighting […]

Duterte urges Congress anew to pass law ending contractualization “once and for all”

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, July 23, renewed his call for Congress to pass a measure that would end contractualization “once and for all.” He said this as he reiterated the power to end the same was not vested in him. “Much as I would like to do the impossible, that power is not vested upon me by the Constitution and neither will I make both ends meet if I violate the […]

PSA: Inflation accelerates further; reaches 5.2% in June

(Eagle News) — Inflation accelerated further, marking a record in at least five years, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Thursday, July 5. The PSA said June’s inflation was “primarily brought about by higher annual rate posted in the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages index at 6.1 percent.” In May, inflation was at 4.6 percent. According to the PSA, the acceleration was due to faster increases in the  prices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other […]

House ratifies bicameral conference panel report on national ID system

(Eagle News) — The House of Representatives on Wednesday, May 30, ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the Philippine Identification System. The ratification of the measure that aims to establish a national ID system came a day after the Senate ratified the same. The reconciled version will now be sent to President Rodrigo Duterte for his signature. The Palace has said the President would sign the measure as soon as it reaches his desk. […]

Global Facebook users to get ‘good’ EU-style safeguards: Zuckerberg

PARIS, France (AFP) — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday that he was rolling out the privacy controls demanded by European regulators to Facebook users worldwide because “everyone cares about privacy”. Speaking at the VivaTech trade fair in Paris a day before new European data protection rules come into force Zuckerberg said Europe’s history had made its citizens particularly wary when it comes to data collection. “There are specific points about history in Europe. If […]

Malaysian news site mounts legal challenge to ‘fake news’ law

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — A leading Malaysian news portal mounted a legal challenge Friday against a law aimed at combating “fake news,” which critics fear will be used to stifle dissent before elections next month. Parliament earlier in April passed the legislation, which makes the dissemination of deliberately misleading information punishable by up to six years in jail and a hefty fine. The government has argued it will safeguard the public, but the opposition […]

Facebook, Google warn Singapore against ‘fake news’ law

SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — Internet giants Facebook and Google on Thursday warned Singapore against introducing new laws to combat “fake news,” saying that existing legislation is adequate to address the problem. Their warnings were made to a parliamentary committee which is examining possible measures, including legislation, to tackle false online information which the government says could threaten national security. Executives from Facebook, Google and Twitter appeared before the committee Thursday, and are among scores of […]

Manila court junks Castillo hazing suspects’ bids to stop arrests

(Eagle News)–The Manila Regional Trial Court has junked the bids of several individuals charged over Horacio Castillo III’s death to stop the issuance of warrants of arrest against them. Branch 40 Presiding Judge Alfredo Ampuan denied the bids of Jose Miguel Salamat, Robin Ramos, Marcelino Bagtang and Ralph Trangia, all affiliated with the Aegis Juris fraternity, citing as  basis  a continuous trial. He said he would therefore proceed to determine whether there was probable cause for […]

Pimentel files bill seeking to repeal Health chief’s power to choose vaccines

(Eagle News) — Senate President Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III has proposed a repeal of the Secretary of Health’s power to “include vaccines in the mandatory basic immunization program” of the government. Pimentel’s proposal was contained in Senate Bill No. 1743, which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10152 or the “Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunization Act of 2011.” RA 10152, Pimentel said, was aimed at “protect(ing) infants and children against common and vaccine-preventable diseases” […]

Polish PM defends Holocaust bill that upset Israel, Ukraine

by Anna Maria Jakubek Agence France-Presse WARSAW, Poland (AFP) — Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Thursday defended a controversial Holocaust bill intended to safeguard his country’s image abroad but which has instead drawn dismay from Israel, the US, the EU and Ukraine. The head of the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party government spoke after the senate approved the legislation, which sets fines or a maximum three-year jail term for anyone who refers to Nazi German […]