• Palace congratulates Leni Robredo for winning the vice presidential race
• Palace condemns attack on police reporter in Manila
• Palace warns against continuous misinformation regarding DAP
• Government remains serious in fighting cybercrimes, says Palace official

“Ang tagumpay ni Leni Robredo ay tagumpay ng sambayanang nananalig at naninindigan sa mga prinsipyo ng Daang Matuwid,” he said in a statement in a radio interview Saturday.

“Siya ay simbolo ng katatagan ng kababaihang Pilipino sa aspeto ng pamumuno sa bansa, bunsod ng kanyang matibay na adbokasiya para sa kapakanan ng mga maralita.

“Sa pamamagitan ng mga programa, tulad ng kalayaan mula sa kagutuman o zero hunger; paglahok ng lahat sa kaunlaran, shared prosperity or inclusive growth; at pagkapantay-pantay ng kasarian o gender equality,” he said over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

Robredo got support in the last election from the people who truly believe in the spirit of the EDSA revolt and from those who value democracy, Coloma said.

As Vice President, he said they expect her to guard against those who will go against rule of law and will trample democracy in the country.

The palace official also commended lawmakers for doing their job well by proclaiming the new president and Vice President in three days, ending speculations and doubt about the May 9 election.

The immediate proclamation of the new leaders of the country is a proof that the Philippines was able to fine tune the conduct of automated election, Coloma said.

“At doon naman sa mga naging resulta, ito ay sumasalamin sa saloobin ng sambayanang Pilipino at ginamit ng mahigit sa 80 porsyento ng kabuuan ng registered voters ang kanilang karapatan at kalayaang pumili ng mga lider ng bansa at mahubog yung pagpapabuti sa kabuhayan ng mga Pilipino,” he said.” PND (as)

“Unang-una ay nakikiramay po tayo sa pamilya ni Alex Balcoba, reporter ng pahayagang People’s Brigada, na napaslang kahapon sa Quiapo, Lungsod ng Maynila,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a radio interview Saturday.

“Kinokondena po natin ang krimeng ito at kasalukuyang sinisayasat ito ng Philippine National Police upang alamin at tugisin kung sino man ang maaaring naging responsable.”

Alex Balcoba, 56, was shot dead in Quiapo, Manila late Friday outside a watch repair shop owned by his family. The two gunmen fled on a motorcycle after shooting the victim.

The attack on Balcoba brought to more than 30 the number of journalists killed in the Philippines since 2010.

According to Balcoba’s colleagues, he worked as a news reporter and columnist at the People’s Brigada and has written about the Manila police since the 1990s. PND (as)

It was reported that the Integrated Bar of the Philippines or IBP has expressed support for the plan of incoming Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to look into the liabilities of officials of the outgoing administration for the alleged unconstitutional acts under the DAP.

In a radio interview Saturday, Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said it is the right of the next government to look into DAP, noting however that it’s not a new issue and the Supreme Court has ruled on it.

“At ang masasabi lang po natin ay ito: As Chief Executive, President Aquino faithfully followed the Constitution and the laws of the land. Pag sinabi nating President Aquino, siyempre po kasama na niya yung buong executive department,” he said over dzRB Radyo Ng Bayan.

Coloma also recalled that the Supreme Court upheld the government’s motion for reconsideration filed through the Office of the Solicitor General, particularly on the operative fact doctrine in implementing DAP.

“In that decision, the Supreme Court categorically ruled on and upheld the presumption of regularity in the implementation of DAP,” he said.

The Supreme Court clearly stated that the doctrine of operative fact governed the implementation of the Disbursement Acceleration Program, according to Coloma.

“Sa ibang salita, in other words, the program’s authors, sponsors and implementers must be presumed to have acted in good faith and with regularity in the performance of their official duties,” he added.

The Palace official also said that the Supreme Court also recognized the positive impacts of DAP after it boost public spending that in turn prop up the economy.

“Dapat siguro ulitin natin yang mga bagay na yan, dahil kapansin-pansin din pag pinag-uusapan ito, iisang bahagi lang yung naririnig natin, yung mga laban sa DAP, yung mga patuloy na naninira sa pamahalaan sa kabila na ng naging pasya na ng Supreme Court,” he said. PND (as)

Malacanang made an assurance on Saturday that the government continues to fortify the country’s banking system against hackers who have been trying to penetrate the banking system.

There were reports saying that foreign hackers tried to breached the country’s banking system.

Just recently, a breach in the banking industry resulted to millions of dollars being stolen from the central bank in Bangladesh, with the money ending up in Philippine banks and casinos.

In a radio interview, Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said that government fight against financial hacking has two aspects: creating institutions against cyber crimes and strengthening the anti-money laundering system.

The government has been strengthening the training of the personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to boost their capability against cybercrimes.

“Kailan din lang ay naipasa ang batas na bubuuin na yung isang bagong Department of Information and Communications Technology,” he told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

“Sa pamamagitan nito, mapapag-ugnay o mai-integrate lahat nang iba’t ibang ahensya na may partisipasyon diyan sa daloy ng digital information na siya nang kalakaran sa ating modernong daigdig.”

The other aspect is the Anti-Money Laundering system, and the government already put up the Anti-Money Laundering Council. Its main task is to fight corruption particularly those who are doing illegal money transfers, he said.

There is also a package of reforms being carried out by the government to strengthen the country’s banking rules especially the bank secrecy law, he said.

“At tinitingnan na kung paano ito mapapalakas, at yung mga tinatawag na loopholes sa batas ng Anti-Money Laundering, kung paano mapa-plug yung loopholes sa batas.”

“Kaya yan din naman ang resulta nang pagkamulat at yung tumaas na antas ng kamalayan ng mga mamamayan hinggil sa perwisyo at kasamaan na dulot nitong cybercrimes.”

“At patuloy sanang pagtulungan ng lahat ng mga stakeholders, hindi lamang ng pamahalaan, yung pagsabat sa cybercrime para maiwasan ang mga katiwalian katulad nito,” Coloma added. PND (as)