News Briefs

De Lima: Inmates are coaccused

Detained Sen. Leila de Lima asked another Muntinlupa court to drop 13 inmates of the New Bilibid Prison as witnesses of the Department of Justice and include them as her coaccused in the drug cases against her.

In a 12-page motion submitted to Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz, of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256 on March 1, the senator’s camp alleged that the inmates, who were convicted of drug trading and murder, were “not mere eyewitnesses” but “major players and perpetrators” of drug trading.

State prosecutors dropped the 13 convicts from a case of conspiracy to commit drug trading and used them as witnesses against De Lima and others.

They were Engelberto Durano, Nonilo Arile, Jojo Baligad, Herbert Colangco, Rodolfo Magleo, Vicente Sy, Hans Tan, Froilan Trestiza, Peter Co, Noel Martinez, Joel Capones, German Agojo and Jerome Patcho. —Dexter Cabalza

DENR: No conflict in P1-B deal with SMC

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) clarified that its P1-billion partnership with San Miguel Corporation (SMC) was solely for Manila Bay rehabilitation and not a “soft payment” to fast-track SMC’s development projects in Bulacan and Manila Bay, contrary to criticisms.

On March 4, SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang signed a five-year agreement with the DENR for a dredging and clean-up program for the 59.25-kilometer Tullahan River.

Environment group Kalikasan People’s Network said the deal raises conflict of interest issues as SMC was building the 2,500-hectare Aerotropolis in Bulacan province, which needed an environment compliance certificate from the DENR. —Mariejo S. Ramos

Dole: Maternity leave IRR out soon

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has assured the speedy crafting of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the expanded maternity leave law, which provided additional maternity leave benefits to female workers in the private and public sectors.

“We have 90 days to craft the IRR but we don’t intend to maximize it,” Bello said in a statement.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Expanded Maternity Leave Act on Feb. 20, granting 105 days, or three months, of paid maternity leave for all female workers in the government and private sector. —Tina G. Santos