• 6 AUGUST - *1907 - Gen. Macario Sakay, one of the Filipino military leaders who had continued fighting the imperialist United States invaders eight years into the Ph...
    11 years ago

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The Daily Tribune

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Civilians decry abuses as military steps up operations in Quezon villages

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Eight combat battalions of the Philippine Army, the Philippine National Police and Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) are concentrated in the first and second districts of Quezon, harassing civilians, and wreaking havoc on the lives of the rural folk.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – At around 1 a.m. of May 9, while farmer Christopher Prieto and his family were sleeping soundly, about nine soldiers came to their house in sitio Pilsen, barangay Cambuga, Mulanay, Quezon.
Armed with high-powered rifles, the soldiers, most of them in civilian clothes and wearing combat boots, accused Prieto of being a New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla. “I told them I am not. I am just a farmer,” Prieto told Bulatlat.com in an interview.

The soldiers searched his house and the vicinity, looking for guns. “I told them if they find even just one, they could kill me.” His wife, carrying their four-month-old child, and their four other children gathered around him, crying aloud. Finding no firearms, the soldiers left.

Prieto is only one of the many farmers and civilians who had been victims of abuses as the military has intensified its counterinsurgency operations in 22 villages of Quezon province, south of Manila.
On the same day, Prieto left their place. “If I would not be missing, I would get killed,” he said. He said that elements of the 74th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA) have been terrorizing the civilians in their village.

Meanwhile, Genelyn Dichoso, a resident of barangay 10, Poblacion, Catanauan, said her 17-year-old niece was killed in a crossfire in Lopez, Quezon on April 29. “She was there to visit another aunt when soldiers and NPA fighters exchanged fire. She had six bullet wounds, one in the chest, shot at close range,” Dichoso said..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/05/14/civilians-decry-abuses-as-military-steps-up-operations-in-quezon-villages/

Corona weighs in EDITORIAL 05/15/2012

Corona weighs in

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
05/15/2012
It comes to this, Chief Justice Renato Corona will finally face the impeachment court and the Filipino people to state his case and to attempt to disprove the allegations made against him and his family, an event that Noynoy and his allies have been salivating for since the start of the impeachment hearings.

Noynoy has been clear about his obsession to oust Corona and even in his campaign for the presidency, he had indicated at the start of his term that he would not recognize Corona as Chief Justice and even advised him to vacate the position when he becomes president.

Corona, however, decided to hang tough since the Constitution guarantees a fixed term for the chief magistrate and the same basic law provides a check and balance mechanism that does not allow the three branches of government — the executive, the legislature and the judiciary — from encroaching on the functions of each other..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120515com1.html

A moment in the sun AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Ken Fuller 05/15/2012

A moment in the sun

AN OUTSIDERS VIEW
Ken Fuller
05/15/2012
Having located a hardback copy of John Sayles’ A Moment in the Sun (McSweeney’s 2011) in Manila last month, I have been astonished at just how good this guy is. Sayles, writer and director of last year’s Amigo, has obviously been spurred by the USA’s current bout of aggression to look back at the period when this imperialism was born, and his gaze is unflinching
In 1898, the white political bigwigs in Wilmington, North Carolina mounted a coup against the majority black population, imposing their own junta in place of those officials, black and white, elected by virtue of black citizens’ right to vote enforced in the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. There is no accurate record of how many people were murdered, but it is known that they were all black. Buildings were torched, blacks forced to leave the town and the property of the more wealthy seized. Neither the state governor nor President McKinley lifted a finger..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120515com5.html

Greece fails to form new government, going to elections

Greece fails to form new government, going to elections


Talks between Greek parties aimed at forming a coalition government have failed. Party leaders will meet President Papoulias to decide on a caretaker Prime Minister and cabinet to govern until the new parliamentary elections.

­A new round of political crisis unraveled on Saturday when Socialist party leader and former finance minister Evangelos Venizelos played back from forming a coalition with other parties. .... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/greece-new-government-fails-300/

Anonymous: 'We have access to every classified database in the US'

Anonymous: 'We have access to every classified database in the US'

Businesses have suggested it. The government has all but confirmed it. And according to one alleged member, they both might very well be right. A hacker tied to Anonymous says the loose-knit collective may be the most powerful organization on Earth.

"The entire world right now is run by information,” Chris Doyon tells Postmedia News from an undisclosed location in Canada. “Our entire world is being controlled and operated by tiny invisible 1s and 0s that are flashing through the air and flashing through the wires around us. So if that’s what controls our world, ask yourself who controls the 1s and the 0s”

“It’s the geeks and computer hackers of the world,” says Doyon..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/anonymous-us-doyon-world-219/

‘Big brother’ lamp posts can hear, see and bark ‘Obey!’ at you

‘Big brother’ lamp posts can hear, see and bark ‘Obey!’ at you


America welcomes a new brand of smart street lightning systems: energy-efficient, long-lasting, complete with LED screens to show ads. They can also spy on citizens in a way George Orwell would not have imagined in his worst nightmare.

­With a price tag of $3,000+ apiece, according to an ABC report, the street lights are now being rolled out in Detroit, Chicago and Pittsburgh, and may soon mushroom all across the country..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/big-brother-street-lamps-286/

Cojuangcos deserve not a cent from Luisita INSIDE CONGRESS Charlie Manalo 05/15/2012

Cojuangcos deserve not a cent from Luisita

INSIDE CONGRESS
Charlie Manalo
05/15/2012
Last April 24, the Supreme Court (SC) sitting en banc, ruled with finality on the distribution of the 6,000-hectare Hacienda Luisita, the most glaring manifestation of feudal exploitation in the country.

Unfortunately, along with its decision to finally distribute the vast sugar estate to its tenant-farmers, as was contained in the condition when the Cojuangcos secured a loan from the Central Bank and the GSIS in the late 1950s for the acquisition of the sugarland, the high court also ordered that the Cojuangcos be compensated for the hacienda, together with its corresponding interests and that they be also paid for the home lots which they distributed to their tenant-farmers for free in 1989 in exchange for their support for the now invalidated stock distribution option (SDO).

These issues, according to Luisita’s tenant-farmers themselves, have become a catalyst for obstruction and not for actual distribution as it runs counter on the interest of the farm workers that besmirch the essence of social justice and judicial integrity..... http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120515com7.htmlMORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120515com7.html

Noy to follow China’s 75-day fishing ban By Fernan J. Angeles and Mario J. Mallari 05/15/2012

Noy to follow China’s 75-day fishing ban

By Fernan J. Angeles and Mario J. Mallari 05/15/2012

Moments after China was reported to have ordered Chinese fishermen a 75-day suspension on fishing at the South China Sea, Malacañang appears headed to come up with a similar ban for Filipino fishermen.

Interestingly though, Malacañang issued a statement to Palace reporters which said that the President intends to impose a fishing ban at the Panatag Shoal, not as a gesture of recognizing China’s position but because of the accelerated depletion of the marine resources at the tension-gripped shoal.

In a text message sent by the Presidential Communications and Operations Office (PCOO), Malacañang said that there is every reason for China to keep its fishermen off the Panatag Shoal and the West Philippine Sea as a whole because it falls well within the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120515hea2.html

Aquino: No worries, RP can sell bananas elsewhere By Fernan J. Angeles 05/15/2012

Aquino: No worries, RP can sell bananas elsewhere

By Fernan J. Angeles 05/15/2012

Yes we have no bananas to China, but not to worry, the Philippines can export its bannans to other countries.

This was the gist of President Aquino’s statement in dismissing reports that China, as a result due to the Scarborough Shoal dispute between the two countries, has imposed an “unofficial” sanction on the Philippines with regard to the Philippine banana shipments to China that have been left rotting in the piers, due to claims from China that it had found pests in the fruits.

While the Aquino government repeated claims of taking diplomatic avenues to resolve the country’s rift with China, Malacanang continues to issue hard line statements which have translated to it recognizing that China had indeed imposed indirect economic sanctions against the Philippines..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120515hea3.html

Defense hits Morales’ confusing testimony By Angie M. Rosales and Benjamin B. Pulta 05/15/2012

CORONA CAMP CHALLENGES OMBUDSMAN TO RESIGN OVER BLOATED CLAIMS

Defense hits Morales’ confusing testimony

By Angie M. Rosales and Benjamin B. Pulta 05/15/2012

Bad accounting method.
Lawyers of Chief Justice Renato Corona questioned the manner the supposed contents of an alleged 82 dollar accounts of the impeached Supreme Court head was presented by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, who testified yesterday before the impeachment court as a hostile witness of the defense, saying that it was intended to confuse the public into forming an adverse opinion against Corona.

The Corona camp said the initial testimony of Morales was quite unfortunate if not very malicious and questioned how she came up with her own mathematical equation on the supposed dollar accounts of the chief magistrate.

“She made a hodgepodge out of the accounts, making her numbers chaotic. The number of accounts alone is as best ridiculous,” a statement from Corona’s camp said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120515hea1.html

Party-list solon warns vs FMD-infected meat from Middle East, Africa By Charlie V. Manalo 05/15/2012

Party-list solon warns vs FMD-infected meat from Middle East, Africa

By Charlie V. Manalo 05/15/2012

In the wake of a new deadly strain of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus hitting the Middle East and South Africa, Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy yesterday called for the immediate passage of tougher laws against FMD-contaminated meat, amid fears that meat from the infected countries may be smuggled into the country.

Herrera-Dy has filed House Bill 5323 that amends Republic Act 9296 by prohibiting importation, sale and distribution of FMD-contaminated meat or any ill-quarantined meat or meat products. Approval of the bill has been endorsed by the House committee on agriculture.

Citing reports released by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, (UN-FAO) she said Egypt, parts of Gaza strip, Libya and other North African territories have already been struck by the newly discovered SAT2 FMD strain..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120515nat5.html

Manhunt on for killer of Cebu mayor’s son 05/15/2012

Manhunt on for killer of Cebu mayor’s son

05/15/2012
Police operatives have launched a manhunt against the suspects who gunned down a Cebu mayor’s son at a disco concert in Carcar City early Sunday.

The fatality was identified as Carl Vinson Apura, 25, son of Carcar Mayor Nicepuro Apura. Vinson was reportedly attending a disco in Barangay Upper Tubod, Carcar City with his friends until the early hours of Sunday.

Investigation disclosed that the victim was last seen dancing with one Joy Lañas before he was shot in the head..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120515nat3.html

DoLE releases P2-M aid to NCR indigents By Mina Diaz 05/15/2012

DoLE releases P2-M aid to NCR indigents

By Mina Diaz 05/15/2012

More than P2 million in livelihood and financial assistance to 523 workers was released by Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) in the National Capital Region as part of the government’s continuing financial program for poor Filipino families, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.

“The assistance is a component of the DoLE Integrated Livelihood Program intended to finance various projects that will generate community employment and sources of income for the beneficiaries,” Baldoz explained.

The full amount of P2,819,909 was coursed through 15 formal and non-formal workers groups..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120515met3.html

DFA declares Panamanian rapist persona non-grata By Angie M. Rosales 05/15/2012

DFA declares Panamanian rapist persona non-grata

By Angie M. Rosales 05/15/2012

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III yesterday slammed what he claimed as the apparent inaction of the Department of Justice (DoJ) on the rape case against a Panamanian national, that led the latter to leave freely the country late last week, even amid the impending inquiry in the Senate on the matter.

What has been viewed by Sotto as an apparent negligence on the part of DoJ Secretary Leila de Lima could cost her confirmation before the Commission on Appointments (CA) as the upper chamber leader himself hinted that he will not let this come to pass when she submits herself before the said bicameral confirmations body.

Despite the departure of the suspect, identified as Erik Schcks Bairnals, the scheduled probe in the Senate will push through, foreign relations committee chairman Sen. Loren Legarda confirmed..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120515met1.html

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