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Norway no way EDITORIAL 08/25/2011

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Norway no way

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
08/25/2011
Noynoy’s denial of any semblance of apology to the Hong Kong people on the bungled rescue of the tourists who are residents of the Chinese territory, apparently believes he is upholding national dignity in doing so, but all the actions he has made thus far comes off as chickening out from confronting an obvious responsibility in the incident.

He clutched at straws in defending his stance of not meeting with the relatives of the victims and the survivors of the bloody mayhem that happened more than a year ago on Aug. 23 when the whole world saw a comedy rivaling the Police Academy series. It would have been hilarious, had it not resulted in the death of eight of the hostaged tourists.

He mentioned the recent massacre in Norway where a lone gunman shot and killed 91 people as a parallel to the tragic incident, saying that there is nothing much anybody can do when faced with a deranged individual..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110825com1.html

No more decency and fairness FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 08/25/2011

No more decency and fairness

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
08/25/2011
Even when the watch list order (WLO) against Mike Arroyo was ordered by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, along with pronouncements that a WLO would also be issued against the former President, Gloria Arroyo, it had already been seen as an abuse of power and a sign of clear vindictiveness by the Palace through the DoJ.

De Lima says she issued the WLO against Mike because that is what the Senate wanted. Unless memory fails, there was never a resolution from the Senate asking the DoJ to issue a WLO against Mike Arroyo.

It will also be recalled that the WLO was issued by De Lima at the time Mike was abroad for a medical check-up with his heart specialists, and immediately, there came talk that Mike had flown the coop, did not pass through immigration, which showed his sign of guilt. But all this talk suddenly stopped because Mike returned on the day his lawyers said he would..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110825com2.html

‘Guilty beyond doubt’ INSIDE CONGRESS Charlie Manalo 08/25/2011

‘Guilty beyond doubt’

INSIDE CONGRESS
Charlie Manalo
08/25/2011
In citing for contempt and eventually detaining former LTA former bookkeeper Rowena del Rosario, the Senate has now rendered its investigation into the alleged anomalous sale of used two helicopters passed off as brand new to the Philippine National Police, virtually useless.

As it was, senators cited Del Rosario in contempt and had her detained after they failed to get from her the answers they want to hear which was for the former LTA staff to admit the choppers were owned by former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo.

By refusing to accept Del Rosario’s statement the choppers were only leased by the LTA from Lionair, insisting the former LTA employee was lying, and forcing her to admit FFG indeed owned the aircraft in question, the senators hearing the case only validated what the people already knew, that the senators had already made up their mind on the issue of chopper sale and that Big Mike is already guilty as they believe so..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110825com5.html

Strauss-Kahn scents freedom but political comeback unlikely FEATURE 08/25/2011

Strauss-Kahn scents freedom but political comeback unlikely

FEATURE

08/25/2011
PARIS — With the sexual assault case against him on the point of collapse, former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn could in theory return to frontline French politics, but no-one expects a return in force.

New York prosecutors have asked the judge to dismiss all charges against Strauss-Kahn at a hearing on Tuesday, and he is expected to do so.

Even among the 62-year-old Socialist’s most ardent admirers, few expect him to resurrect his campaign to unseat Nicolas Sarkozy in presidential elections next year, but some still want him to play a role in the national debate.

Experts and pollsters warn, however, that despite apparently prevailing in the case against him in New York he has seen his image indelibly tarnished and cannot but be a burden to the party he once yearned to lead..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110825com6.html

‘Intelligence fund’ VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 08/25/2011

‘Intelligence fund’

VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
08/25/2011
There are a good number of intriguing and perplexing, if not suspicious, financial issues in the government from the local to the national levels. There are many serious questions asked about public funds perceived as benefiting private pockets of government officials. More specifically, there are real and ardent inquiries raised in conjunction with the standard, sizeable and impressive appropriations under the fascinating title of “intelligence fund.”

Said funds are in the hands of a good number of government entities. The Office of the President has it as some kind of a prerogative. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has it as it should. The Law and Order agencies have them as a matter of course. The truth is that even gambling corporations have them. But this is not all. There is the added truth that all so-called “intelligence funds” while glaring in amounts, are nevertheless beyond honest to goodness accounting..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110825com7.html

Peace talks doomed from start — JPE By Angie M. Rosales, Mario J. Mallari and Gerry Baldo 08/25/2011

Peace talks doomed from start — JPE

By Angie M. Rosales, Mario J. Mallari and Gerry Baldo 08/25/2011

Peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have been doomed from the start, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said yesterday, pointing out the constitutional issues hampering the demands made by the separatist group.

“I expected that it (peace talks) will bog down, and I expect that it will always bog down. I never had any doubt that it will bog down. How can you negotiate something when in effect it will violate your Constitution? All of us, we do not want our Constitution to be violated,” he said.

The Senate chief pointed out that nowhere in the provisons of the Constitution does it call for the creation of a sub-state in the southern region of the country.

Enrile noted that reports on the demands made by the MILF, to establish a sub-state in Muslim Mindanao,
separate from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), is similar to dismembering the country..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110825hed1.html

Aquino unaware of Alvarez resignation; Biazon likely to replace Customs chief 08/25/2011

Aquino unaware of Alvarez resignation; Biazon likely to replace Customs chief

08/25/2011
Malacañang yesterday downplayed speculations that Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez has resigned and that former Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon, a colleague of President Aquino in the Liberal Party (LP), will be taking over the Bureau of Customs.

“The President is not aware of the resignation of Commissioner Alvarez,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda clarified, reiterating that as far as Aquino is concerned, Alvarez remains at the Customs helm.

Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte made the same remarks when asked by Palace reporters.

“We can’t say at the moment because we have not been advised of any other appointments other than the one of (Neric) Acosta,” she said, referring to the Liberal Party stalwart’s designation as presidential adviser for environmental protection, a Cabinet rank that is under the Office of the President..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110825hed3.html

MILF body expels Kato, supporters from group’s ranks By Mario J. Mallari 08/25/2011

MILF body expels Kato, supporters from group’s ranks

By Mario J. Mallari 08/25/2011

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Central Committee has officially declared recalcitrant commander Ameril Umbra Kato and his supporters under his newly-formed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as renegades and were expelled from the MILF ranks.

In a resolution, the MILF-Central Committee announced the adoption of the decision of the Assembly of Ulama last June 27 declaring Kato, his companions and followers as “bughaat,” an Arabic term for anyone or group who rebels against the ruler or those who do not obey a lawful order or duty organized authority.

MILF chieftain Al Haj Murad signed Resolution No. 03-06 Series of 2011 last Aug. 18.

Under the Ulama resolution, Kato, his companions and followers were “no longer members of the MILF unless they cease and desist without delay their anti-MILF campaigns and other activities that are intended to discredit and destruct the entire legitimate leadership of the MILF and henceforth return at once to the fold of the MILF.”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110825nat1.html

Solons seek probe into questionable policies of airline firms By Charlie V. Manalo 08/25/2011

Solons seek probe into questionable policies of airline firms

By Charlie V. Manalo 08/25/2011

Mounting complaints from their constituents have driven eight congressmen to seek an inquiry into the allegedly questionable and lopsided policies of local airline companies on matters of flight delays and cancellations; and exorbitant fees and charges to the detriment of millions of Filipinos who have now taken air travel as the preferred mode of transportation between the country’s 7,107 islands.

Reps. Carol Jayne Lopez (Yacap); Seth Frederick Jalosjos (Zamboanga del Norte); Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (Cebu); Lord Allan Jay Velasco (Marinduque), Mark Aaron Sambar (PBA); Romeo Jalosjos Jr. (Zamboanga Sibugay); Sherwin Tugna (Cibac); and Jonathan Yambao (Zamboanga Sibugay) want these policies investigated “in aide of legislation.”

In filing House Resolution 1634, the eight solons asked the House committee on transportation to look into the “policies and practices of airline companies on flight delays/cancellations, fees, charges and refunds to prevent undue and unnecessary inconvenience to airline passengers and travellers.”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110825nat2.html

House minority solons lambast Noy for not taking action on missing 2K container vans By Charlie V. Manalo 08/25/2011

House minority solons lambast Noy for not taking action on missing 2K container vans

By Charlie V. Manalo 08/25/2011
While quick on the draw when it comes to its perceived political opponents, the Aquino administration has yet to lift a hand on the anomaly at the Bureau of Customs (BoC), the latest of which was the disappearance at the Port of Manila (PoM) of some 2,000 container vans of highly dutiable goods.

At a press briefing, members of the House minority bloc yesterday lambasted the Aquino administration for maintaining its silence on the case of the missing 2,000 container vans while en route from the PoM and the Manila International Container Port (MICP) to the Port of Batangas (PoB) which cost the government at least P3 billion in revenue.

“Even as the mystery of the almost 2,000 missing container vans ferrying P3 billion worth of dutiable goods has been unraveled with the identification of the suspected beneficiary and the reported complicity of ranking officials of the BoC the Aquino administration has been ominously silent on the caper compared to the reckless cacophony it generates in cases linking political foes,” Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros Magsaysay said.

The solon also dared President Aquino to prove his sincerity in implementing his “tuwid na daan” by directing Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to act on the matter..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110825met1.html

Tesda chief exposes grant of scholarships to ‘ghost’ students and vocational schools By Angie M. Rosales 08/25/2011

Tesda chief exposes grant of scholarships to ‘ghost’ students and vocational schools

By Angie M. Rosales 08/25/2011

After unearthing recently the distribution of P2.4 billion worth of scholarships by former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) officials sans any appropriations in the budget, another discovery was made showing more than half of them were allegedly granted to “ghost” students and vocational schools.

The Senate finance committee was told only P880 million out of the P2.4 billion of Tesda’s scholarship program was “implemented.”

“And from the audit report conducted by our team, about 70 technical vocational institutions were nowhere to be found, although 35 of them were claiming and asking us to pay them,” Tesda Secretary Emmanuel Joel Villanueva told committee chairman Sen. Franklin Drilon during the agency’s budget hearing.

“So are you saying that beyond the P800 million, these are fake claims?” the senator asked..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110825met4.html

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