NEWS BRIEFS: March 24, 2019
Deal rejected in Paolo Duterte libel raps vs Trillanes
The camp of former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and lawyer Manases Carpio rejected a court-mediated deal with Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to settle a libel case that Paolo, the President’s son, and Carpio, husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, filed against Trillanes.
Lawyer Rainier Madrid, legal counsel of the two, told the court that his clients wanted the case to go to trial.
Last Jan. 15, Trillanes pleaded innocent on four counts of libel filed by Duterte and Carpio.
The senator had accused Paolo and Carpio of involvement in “shabu” (crystal meth) smuggling and extortion activities. —Orlando B. Dinoy
Junjun Binay says his aide has died after gun attack
Former Makati mayor Junjun Binay on Saturday confirmed the death of his longtime aide, Monalisa Bernardo, who was shot by still unidentified assailants in front of her home on Thursday night.
In a statement, Binay said Bernardo died of the gunshot wound in the abdomen that she suffered when she was attacked by a lone gunman in the village of Olympia, where she lived.
The Binay patriarch, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, said he was offering a P1-million reward for the arrest of Bernardo’s killer or killers. —Mariejo Ramos
Church donation plea: P40 for 40 days of Lent
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle pleaded for donations of at least P40 for the 40 days of Lent to help fund Church programs to aid victims of manmade and natural disasters.
Tagle said donations made to Alay Kapwa, the Church and Caritas Manila’s fundraising program, would go to people displaced by calamities and those displaced by the war in Marawi City.
In 2018, Alay Kapwa received more than P25 million in donations in cash and in kind.
The money was used to provide relief to victims of storms, help rebuild homes lost in fires and help in rehab efforts in Marawi.
Donations may be sent through Caritas Manila’s peso accounts—BPI (3063 5357 01), BDO (5600 45905), Metrobank (175-3-17506954-3), Unionbank (00-030-00122705) and PNB (10-856-660001-7).
Donations may also be sent to these dollar accounts—BPI (3064-0033-55 SWIFT code BOPIPHMM) and PNB (10-856-660002-5 SWIFT code PNBMPHMM).
Donors may also drop by at 2002 Jesus Street in Pandacan, Manila or at any Cebuana Lhuillier branch. —Jovic Yee
