Malicious intent FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 01/15/2012

Malicious intent

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

01/15/2012
House prosecutors and their spokesmen are obviously using this impeachment trial of the Chief Justice, Renato Corona, as their stepping stone to the Senate, no different from some prosecutors and other anti-Erap congressmen during the impeachment of the then sitting president, Joseph Estrada.

But the way they have been engaging in really very low dirty tactics but being slowly found out by the public of their malicious play and their paucity of evidence along with their manufactured documents against the CJ, they may just be booed off by the voters in 2013, which is not too far away — campaign wise.

Just how dirty the prosecutors, and no doubt, Noynoy, have been playing the game, can be evidenced by the leak to the media of the so-called 45 properties they had charged were owned by the CJ, when it is now being bared that many of those alleged properties owned by Corona were not even in his name. Moreover, if the rules are to be adhered to, that list of properties cannot even be introduced in court, unless the House amends the impeachment complaint, which means that the Articles of Impeachment will have to be returned to the House for amendments, and the 188 congressmen will have to again vote on these amendments, after which, this would again be elevated to the Senate..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120115com2.html

What’s missing (wrong) with the media coverage on the San Juan demolition

What’s missing (wrong) with the media coverage on the San Juan demolition

By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com

We are in the age of information technology. But really, what kind of information is available to most Filipinos? With the corporate media , it’s hard to know if you are getting the whole truth or just a side of the story.

During the violent demolition of homes in Barangay Corazon de Jesus in San Juan City, my Facebook newsfeed and Twitter timeline have been filled with criticisms on how the media covered the said event. Among those who have been heavily criticized was Mike Enriquez, a GMA executive, primetime news anchor and radio commentator for one of the country’s biggest media conglomerate, GMA 7.

“They thought that it is the government’s responsibility to feed them, give them shelter while they do nothing,” Enriquez said in Filipino over his radio program at DZBB.

Other reporters dwelled on the fact that the residents, to begin with, were “illegal settlers.” Thus, their report implied that it’s okay to treat the residents of Corazon de Jesus like animals, destroy their homes and send them to remote relocation sites where life is more difficult. They are illegal settlers anyway. They are poor and don’t have the right to be choosy.

But Friday night was different. The news report was about the 3:00 p.m. deadline imposed by the local government for residents to leave the immediate vicinity. Some of the residents have accepted the relocation packages while majority have opted to rent rooms in nearby communities. Local government officials, in their television interviews, could not hide their satisfaction that the residents have left P. Narciso st., a narrow alley where they were forced to spend the night, “peacefully.”.... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/01/15/whats-missing-wrong-with-the-media-coverage-on-the-san-juan-demolition/

Any conflict on Iran is a direct threat to Russia’s security – Rogozin

Any conflict on Iran is a direct threat to Russia’s security – Rogozin

The escalating conflict around Iran should be contained by common effort, otherwise the promising Arab Spring will grow into a “scorching Arab Summer,” says Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s former envoy to NATO.

­“Iran is our close neighbor, just south of the Caucasus. Should anything happen to Iran, should Iran get drawn into any political or military hardships, this will be a direct threat to our national security,” stressed Rogozin..... MORE
Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/politics/syria-iran-nato-rogozin-749/

Syria's Assad grants general amnesty 'for uprising crimes'

Syria's Assad grants general amnesty 'for uprising crimes'

President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree granting general amnesty for crimes committed during the Syrian uprising which started in March 2011, the official government news agency SANA reported on Sunday.

­The amnesty reportedly covers those who took part in peaceful demonstrations, carried unlicensed weapons and those who have handed their weapons over to authorities before the end of January, as well as army deserters who fled their military service, but turn themselves in before January 31..... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/general-amnesty-uprising-crimes-821/

‘Qatar is aligned with US in destabilizing Syria’ (w/ Video)

‘Qatar is aligned with US in destabilizing Syria’

The emir of Qatar has become the first Arab leader to voice support for military intervention in Syria should the bloodshed continue there. Does that mean Doha is aligned with the West’s agenda in the region?
Sheikh Hamd bin Khalifa Al Thani made the statement during his interview with US news channel CBS.

Speaking about the conflict in Syria, Sheik Hamad said "For such a situation to stop the killing, some troops should go to stop the killing.".... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/qatar-us-syria-intervention-807/

Ugly Americans BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 01/15/2012

Ugly Americans

BLURBAL THRUSTS

Louie Logarta

01/15/2012
President Obama’s allies in the Democratic Party are pushing the approval of a law which would make life really tough for American firms that insist on “outsourcing” their call center operations.

Many may not be aware of it, but if the legislative measure — House Bill No. 3596 or the “Call Center and Consumers Protection Bill” filed last Dec. 7, 2011 by Representatives Tim Bishop (Democrat, New York), Mike Michaud (Democrat, Texas) and David Mckinley (Republican, West Virginia) — is passed by the US Congress, it would necessarily impact negatively on the Philippines’ burgeoning call center industry which in 2011 provided jobs for some 600, 000 workers and generated revenues amounting to some $8 billion. And what’s electric is that it is expected to grow at a 20-percent rate for the next five years.

Said industry is ranked second only to the overseas Filipino worker sector which accounted for about $14 billion in foreign exchange remittances for the same period..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120115com4.html

Lie VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 01/15/2012

Lie

VIEWPOINTS

Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz

01/15/2012
Since man learned how to talk, since he started to speak, and since he ventured in communicating with others, he slowly but surely came to know the following realities through personal experience: The difference between an utter truth and a downright lie.

The force of a lie, the more it approaches the truth. The futility of a lie, the farther it is from the truth. These rather simple thoughts and plain realities have more relevance and acquire greater interest when signal issues, basic questions and/or fundamental disputes, come to fore in the ethico-social arena.

Needless to say, the now on-going disturbing bout between the Chief Executive vs the Chief Justice (CJ) is a big issue, a key question, a core dispute with both intensive effect and extensive repercussion in this Republic that constitutionally subscribes to the separation and equality of the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branches of government..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120115com7.html

Choosing to be poor TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 01/15/2012

Choosing to be poor

TABLETS OF STONE

Larry Faraon, OP

01/15/2012
I really don’t know if upgrading the terminology from “squatters” to “informal settlers” really changed the culture of squatting in most of our urban areas. Or it would seem that the shift from the negative to the positive nomenclature only encouraged further potential squatters to “rise and fight” for their “constitutional right of shelter” and habitation. However, since the inception of the social problem of squatting has already skipped my memory, being a protracted social ugly horn protruding from an otherwise bullish urban development, squatting has become a culture. Indeed, it has become a choice.

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista forwarded a rustic solution of “balik-probinsiya” to the informal settlers in his turf only to find out that the urban squatters are of the third and even fourth generation whose rural roots and living are just simple stories to tell from their old folks. These third generation squatters have already been “rooted” in the shanties their forefathers have illegally built in unoccupied or idle spaces, atop esteros, along river banks or even on easements of formal residences and street pavements. With a pejorative encouragement from the politics of patronage and an aggressive tap from the leftists and pro-poor advocates and a doting government’s regular dole-outs and inefficient handling of the social nuisance, protracted squatting or sheltering informally has become almost a choice..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120115com6.html

Noy buddy behind LRA expos bared By Benjamin B. Pulta 01/15/2012

CLASSMATE, NOW HEAD OF AGENCY, EXPEDITED RELEASE OF CJ DOCUMENTS

Noy buddy behind LRA expos bared

By Benjamin B. Pulta 01/15/2012

It seems the revelations over Chief Justice Renato Coronas alleged excessive wealth, including the list of supposed 45 titles to his properties, were the handiwork of the so-called Kaibigan, Kaklase and Kabarilan (KKK) (friends, classmates and shooting buddies) network of President Aquino.

The use of the Executive Departments resources, particularly by the presidents classmates and friends to backstop Malacaangs agenda in ousting Corona, was revealed by a source in the SC who declined to be identified, saying the recent supposed lists of documents on properties owned by Coronas family and released by the Land Registration Authority (LRA), an agency under the Department of Justice (DoJ), were done with a lot of help from a close friend of Aquino who now heads the agency..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120115hed1.html

Mandanas slams Noynoy for reneging on LGU vow By Charlie Manalo 01/15/2012

Mandanas slams Noynoy for reneging on LGU vow

By Charlie Manalo 01/15/2012

An erstwhile ally of President Aquino scored the administration yesterday for reneging on its words to strengthen the local government units (LGUs) by refusing to release entire amount of the internal revenue allotment (IRA) as provided for by law.

At the weekly Kapihan sa Annabel’s, Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas said it was rather unfortunate for the administration which had been espousing its program of strengthening of LGUs but still continues to deprive them of their entitlement as provided for in the Local Government Code of 1992.

“This administration promised a lot of things and one of those was to strengthen the LGUs,” said Mandanas who was stripped of his chairmanship of the House committee on ways and means after refusing to sign the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120115hed3.html

Nene proposes 5 days a week impeachment hearing sked 01/15/2012

Nene proposes 5 days a week impeachment hearing sked

01/15/2012
The Senate impeachment court can conclude within the year its trial of Chief Justice if hearings of the case are held five days a week, a former leader of the upper chamber yesterday said.

“If the tough schedule as proposed is followed, the impeachment trial should be over in three months,” former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. told a news forum.

He proposed that the impeachment trial be held during the afternoon of Mondays, Tuesdays and Wed-nesdays and hold legislative sessions in the morning..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120115hed4.html

Hundreds evacuated as rains continue 01/15/2012

Hundreds evacuated as rains continue

01/15/2012
Hundreds of residents in Compostela Valley and Surigao del Sur were evacuated from their homes as parts of Mindanao continued to experience torrential rains brought by the tail-end of a cold front.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDDRMC), 80 families from Barangay Cumawan in Bislig, Surigao del Sur were transferred to safer grounds due to knee-deep flood brought about by the non-stop rains since Friday morning but they were allowed to go back to their homes at 7 p.m., Friday after the floodwaters subsided.

In Compostela Valley, 125 families in Poblacion and Ngan villages in Compostela town were evacuated due to flooding..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120115hed6.html

DoLE imposes OFW deployment ban to Sudan 01/15/2012

DoLE imposes OFW deployment ban to Sudan

01/15/2012
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Friday announced the imposition of a total ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers to the African country of South Sudan.

Baldoz’s announcement came after the Governing Board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, which she chairs, yesterday approved a resolution imposing the ban.

Aside from Secretary Baldoz, POEA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac, Governing Board vice chairperson and Leonardo de Ocampo and Guillermina Gabor, members, signed the resolution..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120115nat2.html

Owner of killer truck faces multiple criminal charges 01/15/2012

Owner of killer truck faces multiple criminal charges

01/15/2012
TAYTAY, Rizal — The owner of a wayward truck that killed five people and injured several others in this town on Thursday will face charges of multiple homicide, multiple frustrated homicide and serious physical injuries.

The truck destroyed everything on its path before crashing into a police outpost at around noon on Thursday, resulting in the death of five people, including the truck’s driver and his wife, according to the Taytay police chief, Supt. Arthur Masungsong.

Case officer PO2 Jimmy Fonang said that the truck is registered in the name of Rosemarie Ballesteros of San Miguel, Bulacan..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120115nat5.html

DENR to issue 6,637 residential free patents in Davao 01/15/2012

DENR to issue 6,637 residential free patents in Davao

01/15/2012
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is set to issue a total of 6,637 residential free patents within Davao region this year, an increase of 33 percent from last year’s total of 4,964 titles.

“We are going full blast in the implementation of Republic Act 10023, and I have already instructed our land officials to closely coordinate with the local government units so that they can inform their constituents about the program,” said DENR Region XI executive director Jim Sampulna.

Last year, Sampulna said the regional office was able to process and distribute 1,332 residential land titles in Davao Oriental, 1,001 in Davao del Norte, 1,429 in Compostela Valley, and 1,202 in Davao del Sur, or a total of 4,964 titles covering some 81 hectares regionwide..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120115nat6.html