Day: April 16, 2023

House Deputy Speaker and Batangas 6th District Rep. Ralph Recto on Sunday called on authorities to stop relying on ‘lamppost CCTVs’ in piecing post operation evidence and instead source the footage from the equipment they carry before, during and after drug operations. Recto said police officers should wear body cameras (bodycams) during drug busts so that a video recording of the operation can aid in prosecuting suspects, commend deserving officers and deter those caught and their coddlers from bribing their way to freedom. ‘A widely available and affordable device, which is the camera, can preserve a hard to refute documentation of drug arrests. Whether the narcotics seized weigh one kilo or one ton, a video recording is the best receipt there is,’ Recto pointed out in a statement. ‘Mainam kung may resibo na mahirap ipagkaila. ‘Ika nga, may bodycam sa katawan at may dashcam sa sasakyan (It’s good to have a receipt that is hard to deny. As saying goes, bodycam in the body, dashcam in the car),’ he added. The presence of bodycams, he said, would also serve as a deterrent against any attempt by suspects and their backers to buy the freedom of the one arrested. He said the use of body cameras can also be an ‘anti-arbor’ device, referring to the street slang of suspects going scot-free after somebody influential intervened for their immediate release, without going through legal process. The Philippine National Police (PNP) launched the use of body-worn cameras in June 2021 under Gen. Guillermo Eleazar (ret.). At the time, he said they needed to purchase up to 34,000 units to cover the entire force. As of last year, there were 2,696 body cameras in the inventory, according to PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. during the Congressional budget hearings. As for the Supreme Court order requiring police officers to wear the gear while serving warrants, the PNP still lacks around 5,000 units as of September 2022. According to PNP guidelines, the bodycams may be worn during checkpoints/chokepoints/traffic stops, hot pursuits, arrests, suspicious vehicle/person stops, crimes in progress, assistance, transport of victims/suspects/detainees/evidence, any significant law enforcement activities that need audio or video evidence, and when taking statements or gathering information. ‘Dapat kasama ‘yan sa OOTD [outfit of the day] ng mga pulis na sasabak sa mga operasyon laban sa droga (It should be included in the OOTD of the policemen who would participate in the drug operations),’ Recto said. He said if it is now ‘SOP (standard operating procedure) for police officers and police units to blanket their activities with social media reportage, then why is such an important operation be spared of such coverage?’

Source: Philippines News Agency

After Hannover Messe 2023 is inaugurated on April 16, 2023, more investment cooperation from various companies will continue to enter Indonesia. Hannover, Germany (ANTARA) – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto ensured that the preparations of Indonesia as the official partner country at the world’s largest industrial technology exhibition, Hannover Messe 2023, had been completed.s quoted from a press release on Sunday, he visited the Indonesian National Pavilion at Hall 2 of the exhibition venue, along with Industry Minister Gumiwang Kartasasmita. They also visited several other halls of the exhibition and the venue of the opening ceremony of the event at the Hannover Congress Center. The opening ceremony will be held on Sunday in Hannover, Germany, at 6:00 p.m. local time. Meanwhile, the exhibition will run from April 17 to 21, 2023. The Indonesian government involves 157 co-exhibitors to promote their products at the pavilion, including business entities, associations, industrial areas, special economic zones, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), lending agencies, ministries, and public institutions. The government chose the theme “Infinite Journey” for the exhibition this year to describe Indonesia’s journey towards a limitless future with a spirit of optimism and broad future potential. With this tagline, Indonesia targets that participation in the Hannover Messe 2023 can increase inclusive sustainability, develop technology, and support a circular economy. Kartasasmita, who arrived in Germany on Friday (April 14, 2023), said that he believed that Indonesia could secure a lot of investment cooperation during the implementation of the Hannover Messe 2023. He made the statement after attending the signing of a business-to-business (B2B) cooperation contract worth US$2 billion (Rp30.58 trillion), ahead of the opening of the Hannover Messe 2023. “After Hannover Messe 2023 is inaugurated on April 16, 2023, more investment cooperation from various companies will continue to enter Indonesia,” he remarked. The Industry Ministry has highlighted four main targets that Indonesia is keen to achieve at the exhibition. They include presenting the roadmap for Making Indonesia 4.0, fostering industrial cooperation, promoting foreign investment and exports, and improving bilateral relations with the host country of the exhibition, Germany. baca-jugaRelated news: Ministry explores vocational HR cooperation at Hannover Messe 2023Related news: Indonesia to put focus on green energy at Hannover Messe;o:p;/o:p

Source: Antara News Agency

A South Korean Navy vessel fired warning shots to drive out a North Korean patrol boat that crossed the western de facto maritime border last week, the South’s military said Sunday. The North Korean boat crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in waters northeast of South Korea’s Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea on Saturday at 11 a.m., prompting the South Korean Navy to dispatch its Chamsuri-class patrol boat, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). After the North’s boat remained unresponsive to South Korea’s warning broadcasts and communication attempts, the South Korean vessel fired 10 warning shots with its autocannon and made the North Korean boat retreat. The North Korean boat made the incursion as it was chasing a Chinese fishing boat, according to an informed source. The JCS said there was contact between the South Korean vessel and the Chinese boat during the operation, and some of the South Korean sailors suffered minor injuries and are currently receiving treatment. Tension remains high along the poorly defined border, the scene of a series of bloody naval clashes between the two Koreas. North Korea has never recognized the NLL, demanding that it be re-drawn further south. The incident came as North Korea remains unresponsive to routine inter-Korean calls through the joint liaison office and the military hotline since April 7.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday, together with a private group championing road safety, urged all Filipino motorists to share the road and stop for children. In a news release, ImagineLaw urged drivers to observe traffic rules, drive under the speed limit, and abide by road safety policies to avoid road crashes that oftentimes lead to casualties involving children. ‘Hindi pwedeng hari-harian sa kalsada,’ said Daphne Marcelo, the group’s project manager for road safety. ‘We need to learn how to build a community and a road system that protect vulnerable road users, especially children.’ The groups made the call during DOH’s ‘Pista ng Kalusugan’ (Festival of Health), an outdoor festival promoting Filipinos’ health and well-being at Quezon Memorial Circle during the weekend. DepEd Assistant Secretary Dr. Dex Galban and DOH Health Promotion Bureau chief Rodley Carza joined the call. Records from the Philippine Statistics Authority said at least 1,670 Filipino children are killed by road crashes every year. Last month, a 5-year-old was killed by a passing truck in Taguig City. ‘We need to work together in building a set of solutions to end this epidemic: safer driving behavior, better infrastructure for pedestrians, commuters, and drivers, and strict and sensible enforcement of traffic rules,’ she also said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Naval Forces West (NFW) has announced that joint Philippines and US forces on April 14 have successfully conducted the amphibious raid exercise of this year’s “Balikatan” in Palawan. In a statement Saturday, NFW chief Commodore Alan M. Javier said the exercise was done at the beachhead of Barangay Samariñana in Brooke’s Point, Palawan. “Following the arrival of the surface assets in Palawan (on April 14) an amphibious raid exercise was performed at the beachhead of Barangay Samariñana, Brooke’s Point, Palawan,” he added. This Fleet-Marine capability was showcased by different units, namely: BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), BRP Tarlac (LD-601), amphibious assault vehicles, marine amphibious ready unit and marine Reservists. The US forces, meanwhile, employed their force reconnaissance platoon. “Amphibious raids are usually performed against the enemy. It is accomplished by employing a special force into an area that is controlled by enemy forces. Amphibious raids are commonly quick and swift leaving minimal footprints on the ground,” Javier said. The successful conduct of the amphibious raid in the “Balikatan” 38-23 reinforces the Philippine Navy’s commitment in ensuring national sovereignty, security and stability. This year’s “Balikatan” started April 11 and is set to end on April 28. Anti-tank live-fire with US forces Meanwhile, the Philippine Army (PA) said it successfully executed the Javelin anti-tank weapon system live-fire exercise with the US Army and US Marines forces as part of the introductory activities of the Balikatan 38-23 at Range 2, Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija last April 13. “The US Army, US Marines, and PA troops fired five missiles which are facilitated by the anti-tank trainers during the simulation of the combat scenario, a part of the 38th iteration of ‘Balikatan’,’ Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement Saturday. ‘The PA soldiers applied the skills they learned through lectures and simulation exercises, especially during the Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE) of the recently-concluded ‘Salaknib’ 2023 Phase 1. The Army troops showed their tactical skills, accuracy, and confidence in using the Javelin weapon which could be one of the integral armaments of the PA’s future arsenal,” he added. Meanwhile, PA chief Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., who witnessed the exercise with United States Army Pacific commander Gen. Charles A. Flynn, applauded the smooth execution of the exercise. ‘By sustaining the build-up and expansion of our areas of collaboration, we can achieve our shared goal of maintaining peace and security in the region,’ he added. Brawner also stressed that the exercise allowed the PA troops to deal with the real-time experience and to observe how the weapon works and reacts in the environment, particularly in an actual warfare setting. ‘What you see here with ‘Balikatan’ and ‘Salaknib’ is an expression of us trying to commit to enabling and assisting the Philippine military (in) being able to protect their national sovereignty and protect the territorial integrity of the Philippines,’ Flynn noted.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Kenya on Saturday launched its first operational earth observation satellite Taifa-1 into space after three failed attempts. The initial launch, which was scheduled on April 10, was delayed several times due to bad weather with subsequent failed launch attempts throughout the week. Finally, on Saturday, the satellite was launched aboard a Falcon-9 rocket from Vandenberg Base, California, US, through collaboration with Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX). Hope Deche, the lead ground communications engineer at the Kenya Space Agency, told Anadolu that it is an ‘incredible moment for all of us’ at the agency. ‘The launch of this satellite is a huge milestone for Kenya’s space industry, and we are excited about the possibilities it presents for our country’s future. We look forward to utilizing the data collected by Taifa-1 to benefit various sectors in Kenya,” Deche said. Taifa-1 is programmed to orbit the earth and fly over Kenya once every four days. Its cameras are designed to switch off once it leaves Kenyan borders for recharging. This will allow Taifa-1 to provide data for disaster management, environmental monitoring, and national security, according to the Kenya Space Agency. It said one of the primary objectives of the mission is to provide ‘precise and timely’ earth observation satellite data to stakeholders in various fields, including agriculture and food security.

Source: Philippines News Agency