Another suspect in Maguindanao massacre surrenders 11/08/2010

Another suspect in Maguindanao massacre surrenders

11/08/2010
A former politician who is among 196 persons charged in last year’s Maguindanao massacre surrendered to authorities yesterday, a day after another fugitive’s arrest, authorities said.

Former Sultan Barongis town Vice Mayor Sukarno “Uka” Badal, a political ally of the powerful Ampatuan clan blamed for orchestrating the murders, gave himself up to Army 33rdInfantry Battalion (IB) commander Lt. Col. Manolo Samarita and National Bureau on Investigation agent-lawyer Jun Basco in Barangay Sigayan, Lambayong town around 8 a.m., Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz said.

Badal also turned over several assault rifles, he added.

Badal was the subject of arrest warrant issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes for his alleged involvement in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre of 57 civilians, including more than 30 media practitioners, in the outskirts of Ampatuan town..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101108hed5.html

Somali pirates release S. Korean tanker with 19 Pinoy sailors 11/08/2010

Somali pirates release S. Korean tanker with 19 Pinoy sailors

11/08/2010
Nineteen Filipino crewmen of a South Korean tanker were freed by Somali pirates last Saturday after seven months in captivity.

Their release brings down to 91 the total number of Filipino sailors held hostage by ransom-seeking brigands in Somalia’s Gulf of Aden.

Also freed were five other Korean crewmembers of the MT Samho Dream which, according to reports, are already sailing toward a safe third country.

Samho Dream was taken by Somali pirates northeast of the Somali Basin on April 4.

A huge ransom was reportedly paid for the release of the seafarers and the hijacked vessel.

As a policy, the Philippine government does not negotiate nor pay ransom to kidnappers, but gives ship owners the free hand in negotiating for the release of abducted Filipino sailors..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101108hed6.html

Romualdez for party president, GMA for chairman By Gerry Baldo 11/08/2010

REORGANIZATION OF LAKAS SEEN

Romualdez for party president, GMA for chairman

By Gerry Baldo 11/08/2010
The political opposition, comprised of Lakas-Kampi-CMD (Christian-Muslim-Democrats) members, is going to elect Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez for party president and former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo for party chairman.

Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, who is being groomed for the post of vice chairman with Sen. Bong Revilla, said that the party will also be courting members who have defected to the ruling Liberal Party (LP). He said that most of these former party members are being treated as second-class citizens in the ruling party.

“We will try to recruit some more and win back those we’ve lost and this is more of party effort,” Suarez said.

He said that the party’s would-be president, Romualdez, is capable of handling the recruitment of more party members.

“Martin is pretty qualified to handle those activities,” he said, referring to the Lakas members who are currently in coalition with the LP..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101108nat1.html

Noy’s crucible named Robredo EDITORIAL 11/07/2010

Noy’s crucible named Robredo

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

11/07/2010
A feeling of unease radiates whenever Noynoy is confronted with his plans regarding acting Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo. It seems that whenever the question is put forward on the future of Robredo in the Aquino Cabinet, Noynoy gives an equivocal answer, if not a confused reply.

What comes out clearly to many is that Noynoy, as much as possible, wants Robredo out of the Cabinet and officially as far away as possible from him, which cannot be taken against him since appointing one and transferring one to different departments and agencies is one of the many prerogatives that a president enjoys.

Noynoy again appeared to have been caught with his pants down the other day when he was asked at an event held at his favorite broadcasting station on whether he will retain Robredo in an acting position.

The clear reply as seen on television and heard on radio was that he will be transferred to head a still to be formed agency for informal settlers where Noynoy said Robredo will be able to make use of his expertise..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101107com1.html

‘Laying the predicate?’ FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 11/07/2010

‘Laying the predicate?’

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

11/07/2010
It certainly is starting to look like the Noynoy administration is going to give fugitive Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who probably has given by now feelers to surface, if his case is to be reviewed.

It will be recalled that the only reason Lacson does not want to surface is that he fears being cuffed and detained.

He may just get what he wants, what with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima now being quoted as saying that Lacson can still be cleared of involvement in the double murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito by the Department of Justice (DoJ).

As she explained it, the DoJ has the option to review the case against Lacson even if the case is already being tried in court, adding that she has “plenary power” as Justice chief to reinvestigate the case.

She even stated that Lacson could avail himself of the legal remedy of seeking a review of the case (which he and his lawyers have been seeking). De Lima also pointed out that the affidavits of the two witnesses, Glenn Dumlao and Cesar Mancao, were contradictory and inconsistent..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101107com2.html

Obama kicks off Asia tour with Mumbai attacks tribute focus 11/07/2010

Obama kicks off Asia tour with Mumbai attacks tribute

focus

11/07/2010
MUMBAI — US President Barack Obama arrived in India Saturday on the first leg of a trade-focused Asia tour that will kick off with a sombre tribute to the victims of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Obama’s regional trip, which also takes him to Indonesia, South Korea and Japan, is weighted toward prying open new markets for US exports and creating new jobs to ease 9.6 percent unemployment at home.

It comes just days after his Democratic Party’s drubbing in mid-term elections in which the state of the US economy was a primary source of voter dissatisfaction.

After touching down in Mumbai, Obama and his wife Michelle were helicoptered to the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, where they will be the most high-profile guests since the attacks two years ago by 10 Islamist militants that claimed 166 lives.

Obama was to meet survivors and pay tribute to those who died at a memorial erected at the luxury seafront hotel, which was the focus of the militant assault and where 31 persons, including 12 staff members, were killed..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101107com3.html

Consuelo de bobo BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 11/07/2010

Consuelo de bobo

BLURBAL THRUSTS

Louie Logarta

11/07/2010
Newsman James de Jesus, who is a member of the National Press Club, claims that he is having a hard time getting Quezon City policemen to arrest the principal suspect in the shotgun-shooting last month of his two teenage sons in Novaliches because the suspect os a “well-connected man.” De Jesus says the suspect is a known henchman of another cop, a member of the QCPD mobile patrol unit whom we shall only identify as “Eggo.”

More importantly, the suspect allegedly acts as the weekly tong collector of this Eggo coming from jueteng operators, drug dealers, massage parlors, prostitution joints, honky-tonk bars, etc. that endlessly abound in Quezon City (an excellent example is this Happy Sauna massage parlor which in actuality is a prostitution front located some 100 meters away from the residence of the former mayor and currently House Speaker Sonny Belmonte along E. Rodriguez Ave., Cubao), which is why there is a pronounced resistance on the part of fellow policemen in effecting the suspect’s arrest and clapping him in jail.

Many operatives of the QCPD are reluctant in crossing paths with Eggo due to his alleged closeness to the incumbent QC police chief, C/Supt. Benjardi Mantele, who is supposedly a longtime friend and acquaintance.

Eggo’s father, a retired police officer, is also supposed to have been a “close business associate” of the top QC cop. Aside from this, Mantele used to be the chief of police of Caloocan City where Eggo’s uncle, three-term Mayor Recom Echiverri, wields tremendous power and influence. In case you missed the connection, this means Mayor Echiverri is the first cousin of Eggo’s father..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101107com4.html

Chilling videos on the rise in Mexican drug war FEATURE 11/07/2010

Chilling videos on the rise in Mexican drug war

FEATURE

11/07/2010
MEXICO CITY — Amateur videos from Mexican drug gangs were this week linked to the discovery of a mass grave and the killing of a man who had been made to confess ties to a rival gang as he was filmed at gunpoint.

The video sharing Web site is just one fear-inducing tool in the growing communications war between Mexico’s powerful gangs, alongside Facebook, Twitter, e-mailing and scores of Web sites.

As drug-related violence worsens, the use of recorded forced confessions, resembling techniques seen by terror groups in Iraq or Afghanistan, is on the rise.

An eruption of suspected drug violence has left more than 28,000 persons dead nationwide since the government launched a military clampdown on organized crime in 2006, according to official figures.

Mexican investigators on Thursday sought to identify 18 bodies found in a mass grave near Acapulco, which a video posted on YouTube suggested could be linked to 20 men from Michoacan state missing for over a month..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101107com5.html

Concepts vs realities VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 11/07/2010

Concepts vs realities

VIEWPOINTS

Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz

11/07/2010
This is in the realm of intentions vs realizations, in the sphere of fantasy vs actuality. Thus it is that there are concepts which are noble and inspiring — with the realities, however, emerging therefrom that prove as not only undesirable but also shameful, it not abominable.

This is definitely not to say that all good concepts come out as bad realities. This is only meant to point out some three signal and lamentable realities in the country today that readily show their marked dissonance with the concepts they started from.

First is the blatant distinction between the lofty concepts of the so called “Party Representative” intended to attend to the legitimate interests and concerns of marginalized sectors of Philippines society.

It is but fair and even just that they should have congressional representations both to protect their rights and promote their welfare through needed and relevant legislations. The reality, however, that in general, it can be readily noted that the congressional figures elected are individuals who represent anything but the interests and concerns of the forgotten sectors in the country. It is enough to think of most of the personalities thus elected vis-a-vis their actual status is far divorced from the depressed and/or oppressed sectors in the Philippines they are precisely meant to represent and stand for..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101107com6.html

Global diversions TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 11/07/2010

Global diversions

TABLETS OF STONE

Larry Faraon, OP

11/07/2010
That’s the trouble with third level countries, they become dumping grounds of global diversions. For instance, the recent raising of alert levels of terrorism around the world which started off with thwarting a three continent multiple terrorist attacks with the usual target, the United States from Yemen last Oct. 29. Two explosive packages addressed to Chicago synagogues were seized from cargo jets. The plot triggered speculations of a worldwide threat of another major al-Qaeda terror campaign.

US President Barack Obama immediately confirmed the incident as a “credible terrorist threat,” but for malicious minds like myself, the timing of this series of “unfortunate events” happened on the eve of an election that downsized President Obama’s charismatic spell on the American voters. He was hoping that foiling such a global terrorist attempt against the American people would win the utterly disappointed electorate back to the Democrat side. Well, obviously, the strategy did not succeed, as the Republicans lorded it over the mid-term elections.

But President Obama cannot afford a lameduck presidency as the lower house denizens may not submit to his spell, hence he has to resurrect and maintain the story line of terror, perhaps even inventing or creating such in order to retain his global influence, especially in churning his domestic economy which of course has rippling effects anywhere else in the world, including our country, as we are now grappling with the negative effects of a dollar economy hitting an all time low.

And then after the exposure of these global terrorist plots, come travel advisories one after the other from US satellite countries or the “coalition of the willing,” such as Australia and Britain. France also issued a terror threat advisory..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101107com7.html

Noynoy gov’t ill-prepared for disasters, says report 11/07/2010

AQUINO HIT FOR UNWARRANTED BACKSLAPPING

Noynoy gov’t ill-prepared for disasters, says report

11/07/2010
President Aquino’s backslapping on government officials for doing their job in preparation for super typhoon “Juan” received criticism from an Asian security risk intelligence firm, saying that it was unwarranted since there is no significant headway in government efforts to soften the impact on the country of frequent natural calamities.

Pacific Strategies and Assessments (PSA) noted in its latest report a “gaping disconnect between what is being proclaimed by politicians and bureaucrats as progress and ground truth realism.”

“The reality remains that, despite the government pretentiousness, the country remains ill-prepared and ill-equipped to deal with the majority of disaster or crisis situations,” the report added.

It noted that recently, a visiting official of the World Health Organization (WHO) applauded the Philippines for its progress in disaster preparedness. The official was quoted as saying that the country has learned its lesson (presumably from last year’s typhoon season) and that “if you compare it to countries in the same level, the Philippines is actually the leader in term of preparedness.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101107hed1.html

6.0 quake shakes Bicol; Mt. Bulusan spews ash 11/07/2010

6.0 quake shakes Bicol; Mt. Bulusan spews ash

11/07/2010
A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake and a burst of volcanic ash struck the Bicol region yesterday in quick sucession, but government experts said the events were unrelated.

An earthquake hit the Bicol region early Saturday, shaking people from their sleep but causing no serious damage,the govern-ment said.

The quake, with an epicenter off the coast of Burias island occurred at 12:41 a.m., the government seismology office said.

Just hours later, Bulusan Volcano ejected a column of ash about 600 meters into the air, which showered down onto several towns in Bicol, the government said.

Seismic instruments recorded a 57-second ash explosion at around 8:11 a.m. Saturday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) noted.

It added it has recorded four volcanic earthquakes during the past 24 hours..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101107hed3.html

Links between advisories, VFA review bid dismissed By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/07/2010

Links between advisories, VFA review bid dismissed

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/07/2010

Malacañang rejected speculations the recent series of travel alerts on the country issued by western governments have something to do with President Aquino’s intention to conduct an internal review of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States.

The lingering contentions on the provisions stated under the VFA was connected by some quarters into these travel advisories issued by six countries, including the US who was the first recipient of terror threats owing to the discovery of parcel bombs bound for Chicago last week.

Guessworks developed that the US along with equally-developed nations such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Great Britain and France took advantage of the global terror alert by quickly pointing to the Philippines as among the possible targets of terror attacks given the linkages formed by its local extremist groups with international terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda.

The speculation was that the move is intended to apply indirect pressure on the Philippine government that would somehow influence plans to review the VFA..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101107hed4.html

Palace pooh-poohs criticisms on flip-flopping Noy By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/07/2010

Palace pooh-poohs criticisms on flip-flopping Noy

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/07/2010
Malacañang yesterday defended President Aquino after drawing flak from his critics following the apparent flip-flopping statements he recently made in a television interview with reference to his plans of giving his Cabinet a facelift anytime soon.

Aquino’s sudden change of tune spawned speculations that there must be someone else who is making the decisions on his behalf which deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte rejected as she explained that the President did not disclose such plans with finality in the first place.

In an exclusive interview with the ABS-CBN network last Thursday, Aquino clearly said he is considering the idea of transferring acting Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo to another agency where his expertise in addressing the plight of the country’s informal settlers can be applied.

.Aquino’s statement was crystal clear to the media that covered the occasion to the extent that reporters even quoted him as saying in Filipino that: “In the case of the DILG (secretary), I guess we would transfer him to another agency. I just haven’t explained to Secretary Robredo yet because he’s doing a great job right now.

But we have a program for the informal settlers which we would like to fast-track which is (in line with) his expertise. So we might establish a new group that would really focus more on assisting the Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor and shelter agencies.”... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101107hed5.html

HK labor exec probed for ‘maltreating’ OFW 11/07/2010

HK labor exec probed for ‘maltreating’ OFW

11/07/2010
The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has formed a fact-finding committee to conduct an investigation into the case of a Filipina household service worker who was allegedly subjected to verbal abuse by Romulo Salud, the labor attaché currently posted in Hong Kong.

According to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, the fact-finding committee will submit to her a report three days after concluding its investigation.

Reports claimed that Salud verbally abused and was arrogant to OFW Agnes Tenorio when she approached the labor attache to seek assistance regarding her problem with her employer.

Tenorio, a first-time domestic worker in Hong Kong, sought the help of the Philippine Consulate General last Sept. 29 after her contract was illegally terminated by her employer barely two hours after she arrived at her employer’s house..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101107hed6.html

Cops accost 4 hauler trucks loaded with toxic wastes By Jason Faustino 11/07/2010

Cops accost 4 hauler trucks loaded with toxic wastes

By Jason Faustino 11/07/2010
MONTALBAN, Rizal — Four hauler trucks containing waste materials at the vicinity of Barangay Macabud here were accosted by Montalban policemen.

Montalban Police Chief P/Supt Rommel C. Estolano said the suspects failed to present any document to justify their presence in the area despite the existing municipal and provincial ordinances prohibiting the passage or entry of all tankers or garbage trucks containing toxic or hazardous wastes to Montalban, Rizal.
Arrested by police authorities are the four truck drivers and their eight helpers, respectively.

The suspects are from Bataan, Laguna, cities of Makati, Manila, Taguig and Caloocan.

A certain Jimmy Baltazar, a resident of Barangay Maly, San Mateo, Rizal, who is at large and considered an accessory to the crime, is being pursued by authorities.

Initial investigation showed that the truck haulers were carrying hazardous or toxic waste materials that originated from Tanduay Distillers, Ltd. plant based in Cabuyao, Laguna. The trucks’ destination was the sanitary landfill in Sitio Tiakod, San Mateo, Norzagaray, Bulacan..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101107nat4.html

Incest incidents in RP rise to 33% 11/07/2010

Incest incidents in RP rise to 33%

11/07/2010
The Child Protection Unit (CPU) Philippines said feminization of overseas labor, alcohol and use of illegal drugs pushed up incest incidents in the Philippines to 33 percent of total child abuse cases recorded in 2009.
“This disturbing phenomenon of the girl-child being turned into substitute spouse has been happening in our country along with the feminization of labor migration,” CPU legal consultant, Atty. Katrina Legarda said, who noted that women now comprise70 percent of Filipino workers deployed abroad.

Legarda described the phenomenon as one of the most damaging social impacts of labor migration, one that can never be measured by any of the government’s socio-economic indicators or captured by statistics on labor export.

The problem remains largely unreported, however, due to its sensitive nature and the child’s fear to file a formal complaint against her own father which would bring severe stress and shame to the family..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101107nat2.html

Shadow president EDITORIAL 11/06/2010

Shadow president

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

11/06/2010
Apparently, there is someone else who makes the decisions in Malacañang and whatever Noynoy Aquino decides on may even be overturned.

In an ABS-CBN exclusive interview with Noynoy Thursday, he bared plans of removing DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo from his post, with him stating clearly that Robredo will be transferred to another agency having something to do with informal settlers, the more polite term for squatters, that will be created especially for Robredo.

As Noynoy put it: among his three acting secretaries, his Labor aide, Rosalinda Baldoz will be made permanent; his Environment secretary, Ramon Paje, will still be on an acting status and will stay in his post for a year, or until June 30, 2011. As for his DILG secretary, Noynoy said he may be out of that post soon and that he may move him to another agency.

As Noynoy stated, Robredo is doing a good job but that he wants a specific program fast-tracked, something similar to the problem of informal settlers, which he said is really Robredo’s expertise..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101106com1.html

Of threats and assassinations FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 11/06/2010

Of threats and assassinations

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

11/06/2010
Irked by at least six foreign government’s travel advisory against the Philippines, Noynoy slammed these warnings, saying that these foreign governments had not bothered to inform the Philippine government about such threats and that the intelligence reports he gets from his security officials say there are no serious threats, and that all reports are raw and unverified.

In almost the same breath, however, Noynoy bared that there are assassination plots against two foreign ambassadors, along with several security officers, all of whom, however, remained unnamed. He said this is based on reports he had received.

The reason he gave for refusing to identify the two ambassadors and the security officials was that he was not sure whether he could reveal this, saying: I’m not sure if I can reveal all of these,” adding that the information was not relayed to the Philippines officially.

So why get irked when foreign governments do not inform the Philippine government when they issue travel advisories against this country, but at the same time, he bares an alleged assassination plot on two foreign ambassadors, along with several security officers, evidently, without giving these foreign nationals the information, as this he said, was not transmitted officially.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101106com2.html

Of threats and assassinations FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 11/06/2010

Of threats and assassinations

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

11/06/2010
Irked by at least six foreign government’s travel advisory against the Philippines, Noynoy slammed these warnings, saying that these foreign governments had not bothered to inform the Philippine government about such threats and that the intelligence reports he gets from his security officials say there are no serious threats, and that all reports are raw and unverified.

In almost the same breath, however, Noynoy bared that there are assassination plots against two foreign ambassadors, along with several security officers, all of whom, however, remained unnamed. He said this is based on reports he had received.

The reason he gave for refusing to identify the two ambassadors and the security officials was that he was not sure whether he could reveal this, saying: I’m not sure if I can reveal all of these,” adding that the information was not relayed to the Philippines officially.

So why get irked when foreign governments do not inform the Philippine government when they issue travel advisories against this country, but at the same time, he bares an alleged assassination plot on two foreign ambassadors, along with several security officers, evidently, without giving these foreign nationals the information, as this he said, was not transmitted officially..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101106com2.html

Yemen tries to mobilize radical cleric’s tribe against al-Qaeda focus 11/06/2010 ADEN — Yemen, which charged radical US-Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaqi this week with incitement to kill foreigners and with links to al-Qaeda, is trying to mobilize his Awaliq tribe in Shabwa province. Tribal dignitaries who are close to the government met Awaliq leaders in October to convince them to combat the local arm of Osama bin Laden’s extremist network, a tribal source told AFP. “We concluded an agreement with the leaders of the tribe by which they would support the government against al-Qaeda,” said Mahdi Abdessalam al-Awlaqi, a member of parliament with the ruling General People’s Congress, who was part of the delegation from Sanaa. The central government supplied ammunition to a 1,000-man force from the tribe and in October gave them their first mission — to sweep an arid mountain region in the tribe’s home area of Shabwa for al-Qaeda elements. In reaction, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the local al-Qaeda franchise, called in a communique on Islamist Web sites for the tribe’s members to refuse to “cooperate with the Yemeni government.”

Yemen tries to mobilize radical cleric’s tribe against al-Qaeda

focus

11/06/2010
ADEN — Yemen, which charged radical US-Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaqi this week with incitement to kill foreigners and with links to al-Qaeda, is trying to mobilize his Awaliq tribe in Shabwa province.

Tribal dignitaries who are close to the government met Awaliq leaders in October to convince them to combat the local arm of Osama bin Laden’s extremist network, a tribal source told AFP.

“We concluded an agreement with the leaders of the tribe by which they would support the government against al-Qaeda,” said Mahdi Abdessalam al-Awlaqi, a member of parliament with the ruling General People’s Congress, who was part of the delegation from Sanaa.

The central government supplied ammunition to a 1,000-man force from the tribe and in October gave them their first mission — to sweep an arid mountain region in the tribe’s home area of Shabwa for al-Qaeda elements.

In reaction, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the local al-Qaeda franchise, called in a communique on Islamist Web sites for the tribe’s members to refuse to “cooperate with the Yemeni government.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101106com3.html

US Troops Sighted in Hacienda Luisita, Possible Venue of 2011 US-RP Balikatan Exercises Published on November 6, 2010

US Troops Sighted in Hacienda Luisita, Possible Venue of 2011 US-RP Balikatan Exercises

Published on November 6, 2010 After experiencing heavy deployment of AFP troops, the peasants of Hacienda Luisita are bracing for the entry of US troops who would be conducting ‘trainings’ inside the hacienda.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO

Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Residents of Hacienda Luisita first noticed the presence of US troops in the hacienda sometime in September 2010. Since then, news have been circulating that a three-story building would be constructed within the hacienda purportedly to serve as evacuation and health center. Peasant leaders find this suspicious.

“This is definitely a plan of the U.S.-Cojuanco-Aquino regime to crush the so-called insurgency in our province,” United Luisita Workers’ Union acting president Lito Bais told Bulatlat. He added that the issues affecting the hacienda are but an agrarian dispute, which has been going on for more than half a century already.

Hacienda Luisita is a 6,453 real property, co-owned by President Benigno S. Aquino III and the Cojuangco clan that has been going through an agrarian dispute for more than half a century already. The Presidential Agrarian Reform Committee ruled in 2005 to distribute the land to the peasants. The Cojuanco-Aquino family, however, filed a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the distribution of the land before the Supreme Court, which was granted in 2006. The high court has yet to decide on the issue even as a TRO is supposedly effective for only 20 days.

U.S. soldiers arrived sometime in September 2010 in Barangay (village) Bantog and asked Greg Gardanoso, a village official, who the barangay captain was. Since then, residents have been hearing of a plan by US troops to construct an evacuation center in the hacienda. Bais, however, sees these seemingly humanitarian services as a “front act” to their real agenda: the conduct of Balikatan military exercises.

Balikatan Exercises in the Hacienda 

Balikatan, which literally means “shoulder-to-shoulder,” is an annual joint military exercise being conducted by Philippine and U.S. Armed Forces. These exercises are being held by virtue of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Despite the strong clamor from progressive groups for the junking of the VFA, as well as the MDT, President Aquino has not acted on it..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/11/06/us-troops-sighted-in-hacienda-luisita-possible-venue-of-2011-us-rp-balikatan-exercises/

Malacañang Rejects Courtesy Call of Jalandoni, NDFP Hits Government’s ‘Hostility’ Published on November 6, 2010

Malacañang Rejects Courtesy Call of Jalandoni, NDFP Hits Government’s ‘Hostility’

Published on November 6, 2010
Fidel Agcaoili said the National Democratic Front of the Philippines is now contemplating on inviting new GRP peace panel chair AlexPadilla to a one-on-one meeting in Hongkong to clarify whether the current Aquino government accepts the validity of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and can ensure the safe and trouble-free visit of the Jalandoni couple in Manila.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Hopes for the resumption of the peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) brightened after the Aquino government reconstituted its five-member panel for the peace negotiations with the NDFP to include two human rights lawyers. But a few days after, the talks hit a snag again.

?In an interview through email, Luis Jalandoni, chairman of the NDFP peace panel, said he and Coni Ledesma, member of the negotiating panel are planning to visit the Philippines on December 1. “The plan is to have informal talks then in order to pave the way for the resumption of formal peace talks in Oslo in January or February of next year.”

But Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said early this week that “it will be better for the NDF to visit the Palace with a signed peace agreement.” Peace Adviser Teresita Quintos-Deles also said “the President could not be expected to comment” on the proposed visit.

In reaction, NDFP panel member Fidel Agcaoili said in a statement the NDFP is reconsidering the visit of Jalandoni to Manila in December “in view of the negative attitude of GRP President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, Jr. to the proposed courtesy call..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/11/06/malacanang-rejects-courtesy-call-of-jalandoni-ndfp-hits-government-%E2%80%98s-%E2%80%98hostility%E2%80%99/

Strong Mass Actions, Not Just Legal Redress, Urged vs Labor Rights Violations in PAL Published on November 6, 2010

Strong Mass Actions, Not Just Legal Redress, Urged vs Labor Rights Violations in PAL

Published on November 6, 2010
Many labor and partylist groups in the country view the labor department’s approval of PAL management’s outsourcing and retrenchment plan as a go-signal as well for an even more intensified contractualization of employment arrangements all over the country.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
Related Story: PAL A Flag-Carrier of Unprecedented Anti-Labor Rulings?
MANILA— “A con and a ruse”— that is how the progressive labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) called the Aquino regime’s proffered ‘legal redress’ to workers of Philippine Airlines (PAL). Mass lay-offs and lower-paying, insecure contractual work now await some 3,000 longtime workers as the labor department has given PAL management the go-signal to implement the airline’s outsourcing plans.

Many labor and partylist groups in the country view the labor department’s approval of PAL management’s outsourcing and retrenchment plan as a go-signal as well for an even more intensified contractualization of employment arrangements all over the country.

“To oppose this (mass lay-off) we hope our fellow unionists in PALEA would not allow themselves to be fooled into mainly relying on legal redress. This can take years and years and can easily be manipulated by the wealthy and influential PAL owner Lucio Tan,” Joselito Ustarez, vice-president of KMU, said in Filipino in a press conference Wednesday. He reiterated the labor center’s hope that PALEA would see that the way to resist this “flagrant attack on their rights to job security and living wage is through stronger mass actions.”


Interminable, Fruitless Legal Redress
PAL employees are not new to seeking legal redress. Flight attendants, for example, have bitterly learned that legal redress can take more than ten years, as theirs did before they won it in the Supreme Court. And yet, until now, 12 years later, the fruits of this legal battle are still out of their reach.

Implementation of the two Supreme Court decisions, one issued in 2008 and another in 2009, in favor of 1,400 illegally dismissed flight attendants, are still being snagged by yet another appeal from PAL management, said Andy Ortega, vice-president of PAL Flight Attendants and Stewards’ Union (FASAP)..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/11/06/strong-mass-actions-not-just-legal-redress-urged-vs-labor-rights-violations-in-pal/

PAL A Flag-Carrier of Unprecedented Anti-Labor Rulings? Published on November 6, 2010

PAL A Flag-Carrier of Unprecedented Anti-Labor Rulings?

Published on November 6, 2010
Under the plan approved by the Department of Labor and Employment, PAL would outsource the in-flight catering, call center reservations and airport services (passenger, cargo and ramp handling) departments to “third-party providers” , eVentus PLDT and Skylogistics, two of which, employees revealed are Lucio Tan dummies if not directly under his group’s Macro Asia.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
Related Story: Strong Mass Actions, Not Just Legal Redress, Urged vs Labor Rights Violations in PAL
In 1998, PAL retrenched some 5,000 employees. Among those retrenched were 1,400 flight attendants who believed they were dismissed for having availed of maternity leaves. The PAL management, for its part, had cited other reasons for sacking them.

Amid an ambitious re-fleeting program, PAL in 1998 was complaining of losses and threatening the country that it would close the flag carrier. These complaints of “losses” had prompted the Philippine government to intervene and help PAL with a rehabilitation plan, in the process committing many anti-labor acts.

This rehab caused the wholesale dismissal of PAL pilots and union-busting of the pilot’s union. It gave rise also to the unprecedented 10-year CBA moratorium for those that remained in PAL’s employ after the massive retrenchment.

Now that these are over – both the rehab and the CBA moratorium – and PAL has been able to fully pay all its loan-purchased aircraft, both FASAP and PALEA, the remaining unions of cabin and ground crew, are decrying the mass lay-off and contractualization awaiting some 3,000 long-time ground crew.

“Is this the thank you we would get for sacrificing our CBA to help in PAL’s rehab?” employees now asked..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/11/06/pal-a-flag-carrier-of-unprecedented-anti-labor-rulings/

Relatives Remember the Disappeared, Urge Government to Enact Law, Ratify Covenant Against Enforced Disappearances

Relatives Remember the Disappeared, Urge Government to Enact Law, Ratify Covenant Against Enforced Disappearances

Published on November 3, 2010
“Today, as the whole nation remembers the lives of the departed, we commemorate the missing. We light a candle not for their souls to rest in peace but to shed light on their way home. We offer flowers not because we believe they are no longer with us but because they are deeply missed,” Mary Guy “Ghay” Portajada, daughter of a missing labor leader, said.

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Lydia de Castro, 62, still sheds tears whenever she narrates how her husband Saulo disappeared 22 years ago.

Saulo, then organizer of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) in Pandacan, was abducted on Oct. 6, 1988 at a public market in Lucena City. He remains missing to this day.

“It has been four years since he went missing. People are asking me if I am still hoping that he is still alive. If you were in my shoes, would you not hope?”Romy Ancheta, brother of Leopoldo Ancheta, says. (Photo by Ronalyn V. Olea/ bulatlat.com)

Life has never been easy after Saulo disappeared. Lydia did all kinds of odd jobs just to feed her four children. At 16, her eldest daughter Lorena went to Japan and worked as the lead singer of a band to support her siblings.

Every November 2, Lydia joins other families of the disappeared in a gathering at the Redemptorist Church in Baclaran. Together, they light candles, offer flowers and say prayers for their missing loved ones. The Catholic congregation also lost Fr. Rudy Romano who was abducted 25 years ago and remains missing to this day.


“Where do we light candles and offer flowers? We do not even know if they are still alive,” Romy Ancheta, brother of missing consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Leopoldo Ancheta, said.

Ancheta was reportedly abducted by unidentified men believed to be military intelligence agents on June 24, 2006 in Barangay (village) Tuktukan, Guiguinto town in the province of Bulacan.
“It has been four years since he went missing. People are asking me if I am still hoping that he is still alive. If you were in my shoes, would you not hope?” Romy said in a trembling voice..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/11/03/relatives-remember-the-disappeared-urge-government-to-enact-law-ratify-covenant-against-enforced-disappearances/

France raises terror alarm; Noy wants warnings lifted 11/06/2010

SAYS FOREIGN INTEL REPORTS WRONG, NO THREAT EXISTS

France raises terror alarm; Noy wants warnings lifted

11/06/2010
Western governments were wrong in warning of an imminent terrorist attack in Manila, said President Aquino, with the Philippine government downplaying the arrests of five men and the seizure of explosives, and even after Aquino himself bared to reporters plots to assassinate two foreign ambassadors and several security officials.

Aquino and his government sought to have the foreign governments lift their warnings of a terror threat in the country, including Metro Manila, but the foreign governments stood pat on their travel advisories to their citizens, while France became the sixth country to warn its citizens of the supposed threat.

Aquino said his government would again convey its belief that there was not sufficient evidence to back up the warnings.

“We will communicate the same with France... in the most diplomatic way possible that there is an urgent request from our country not to be inflicted this harm if the basis isn’t that concrete,” Aquino told reporters.

The United States, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand issued travel advisories this week warning an attack may occur at any time in the Philippine capital, and that areas frequented by foreigners were potential targets..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101106hed1.html

Aquino flip-flops on Robredo’s transfer By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/06/2010

Aquino flip-flops on Robredo’s transfer

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/06/2010

First he announces on television that there are plans to get current Department of Local Government and Interior Secretary out of his post soon and transfer him to another agency that would concentrate on the problems of the urban poor and informal settlers.

Now he says there won’t be Cabinet changes anytime soon and that his statement made to the TV new program aired live Thursday was “misunderstood.”

Aquino yesterday clarified that he is not mulling a Cabinet revamp anytime soon, claiming that the disclosures he made in a television interview Thursday on plans he has for Secretaries Ramon Paje (Environment and Natural Resources) and Jesse Robredo (Interior and Local Government) were just “misunderstood.”

Aquino, in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN, said that Paje stays in his post for a year while there are plans to have Robredo transferred to another agency where his expertise in resolving the problem of the country’s informal settlers can be put to use..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101106hed2.html

9 dead in N. Luzon floods, landslides By Mario J. Mallari 11/06/2010

9 dead in N. Luzon floods, landslides

By Mario J. Mallari 11/06/2010

Heavy rains in Northern Luzon areas have left nine persons dead and forced thousands of others to flee their homes, authorities yesterday said.

Flooding and landslides over the past three days sent close to 70,000 people from their homes in Isabela and Cagayan provinces, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

There has been no focus on the damage the rains are wreaking in those provinces, however.

At press time yesterday, NDRRMC executive director and Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator retired Maj. Gen. Benito Ramos said a total of 13,661 families, composed of 68,641 people from 23
municipalities and one city in Northern Luzon, were affected by landslides and massive flooding in the region..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101106hed3.html

Noy: With immunity, SC can’t order reply to EO7 By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/06/2010

Noy: With immunity, SC can’t order reply to EO7

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/06/2010
President Aquino yesterday told reporters that he does not have to reply to the suit filed by a petitioner questioning the constitutionality of Executive Order 7 which seeks a suspension of big salaries, bonuses and perks enjoyed by the executives of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) and Government Financial Institutions (GFI), pointing out that he enjoys immunity from suit as President of the Republic.

He invoked his immunity when he was asked to comment on the order issued by the Supreme Court (SC), which has ordered Malacañang to defend its side on a petition challenging EO7, which calls for the suspension of all allowances, bonuses and incentives of officials of GOCC and GFIs.

The SC’s two-page resolution dated Nov. 3, gave Aquino and other respondents Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad 10 days to submit their comments on the suit filed by lawyer Jelbert Galicto last month..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101106hed4.html

AFP chief, 11 others invited to Glorietta blast probe By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/06/2010

AFP chief, 11 others invited to Glorietta blast probe

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/06/2010
The Department of Justice (DoJ) has summoned Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo David Jr. to its reinvestigation of the Glorietta 2 blast in Makati City that killed 11 persons and wounded over 100 others in 2007.

Notices were also issued to other law enforcement officials and officials of Ayala Corp. and its real estate arm Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) to a hearing set on Nov. 18.

The memorandum dated Nov. 5 was signed by the three-man panel composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong, Assistant State Prosecutor Gino Paolo Santiago and Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Miguel Gudio Jr.

On Jan. 22, 2008, former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez cleared ALI of liability in the 2007 Glorietta explosion, but stated that Ayala Property Management Inc. (APMC) is still under investigation into what the investigators then said was an accidental explosion coming from gas leaks..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101106hed5.html

Former Pinay teacher in China nabbed for drug smuggling By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/06/2010

Former Pinay teacher in China nabbed for drug smuggling

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/06/2010
Another Filipina was arrested early this week by Chinese authorities for attempting to smuggle pro-hibited drugs into China’s Guangzhou province, a consulate report yesterday said.

“The said Filipina was found to be carrying 1,996 grams of heroin concealed in a foil packet hidden under her checked-in suitcase,” the Philippine Consulate in Guanzhou said.

This unfortunate incident still happened despite the successive warnings issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and various Philippine diplomatic posts on the plight of Filipinos who have been meted the death penalty for drug-smuggling.

According to the consulate, the arrested Filipina used to work as a school teacher in Guangdong province and was even granted an alien employment permit by the Chinese government..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101106hed6.html

Church joins protests vs DoLE, PAL By Gerry Baldo 11/06/2010

Church joins protests vs DoLE, PAL

By Gerry Baldo 11/06/2010
The Catholic Church yesterday joined lawmakers and other militant groups in criticizing the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) for allowing the mass lay off of some 2,600 employees of the Philippine Airlines (PAL).

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said he is “disappointed” by the government’s decision.
Pabillo said the recent decision of DoLE will deprive the workers the just share of the fruits of their labor.

“This clearly shows that the policy of the present administration is to favor the capitalists than the ordinary workers,” he said. Pabillo chairman of the National Secretariat for Social Action- Justice and Peace (Nassa), the social action arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño called on the House to immediately investigate the first major labor dispute under the Aquino administration and avert the impending lose of 3,000 jobs. Casiño said that the DoLE decision is setting a precedent for other labor intensive companies to undermine workers unions and promote contractualization..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101106nat1.html

The real face of terror EDITORIAL 11/05/2010

The real face of terror

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

11/05/2010
The tack the Department of National Defense and law enforcers are taking on the threat of attack on the country borders on insanity.

The agency for instance shocked the nation a few weeks back by revealing a supposed assassination plot on President Aquino that came and went without explanation from Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin whether the plot was nipped in the bud or if it was actually a hoax.

Later, the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) debunked Gazmin’s claim, saying it has found no specific plot to assassinate Aquino.

Just what kind of intelligence gathering do these Noynoy officials have that they simply come out stating that there are plots to assassinate Noynoy Aquino especially when there is no such plot?

A whole bunch of them appears to be as paranoid as their boss who sees any opposition to him as an enemy out to destroy his claimed reform government, even when clearly, not a single step has been taken by this administration to bring about reforms and change..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101105com1.html

Fates of presidents FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 11/05/2010

Fates of presidents

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

11/05/2010
Malacañang and Noynoy’s Liberal Party (LP) allies, knowing of the public’s perception of the political fate of Noynoy following Barack Obama’s and that of his Democrats, quickly tried to dispel talk of comparing Aquino with Obama, even when it is fairly clear that all throughout the campaign season and even during his four-month presidency, all Aquino and his LP allies did was to ape the Obama of 2008, who mesmerized the American voters with his pledge for change and hope.

As one of three communications chiefs claimed, the two can’t be compared — as far as political losses go — since the issue in the recent American electoral exercise was all about the failing economy that led to voters’ disenchantment of Obama.

The Palace aide added that this is not the issue pertaining to Aquino, since the call of Noynoy was to rid government of corruption.

But that is really skirting the issue, because Noynoy’s campaign line was hope, change and reforms in government. Corruption was a side issue and one Aquino and LPs used to fan the flames of hatred against the previous Malacañang tenant, and make themselves out as saints, which incidentally, was what Obama and his Democrats were also doing during the mid-term campaign. They all blamed the Bush administration for the ills being suffered today by the American people..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101105com2.html

Tempers cool in Kashmir after summer of violence FEATURE 11/05/2010

Tempers cool in Kashmir after summer of violence

FEATURE

11/05/2010
SRINAGAR — As the first snows fall in the mountains of Indian Kashmir, tempers are also cooling after a summer of violence that saw more than 100 persons die in street protests.
For more than three months, thousands of protesters, many of them teenagers, fought pitched battles with security forces in the highly militarized disputed territory, with scores killed during police shooting.

The deaths, which reached 18 in a 24-hour period in September on the worst day of violence, caused the biggest Kashmir crisis for the Indian government since the start of an insurgency against Indian rule in 1989.
But for two weeks, the region has been mostly calm, attributed partly to a series of measures by the government designed to strangle the protests and defuse anger in the Himalayan region.

For the time being, the cycle of violence has been broken — good news for Delhi ahead of the visit to India this week of US President Barack Obama, who has spoken before about the importance of resolving the conflict.

“Each death sparked fresh violence, but as there have been no more deaths the situation has calmed to a large extent,” Tahir Mohiudin, editor of the widely read Urdu weekly Chattan, told AFP..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101105com3.html

80 NO HOLDS BARRED Armida Siguion-Reyna 11/05/2010

80

NO HOLDS BARRED

Armida Siguion-Reyna

11/05/2010
By the time you read this, I will have officially turned 80. I write this well in advance of the birthday dinner yet to take place, but I’m able to project what it will be like: A gathering of family and friends, an assembly of people who love me as I am, all eight decades of me.

I’ve had dancing parties for real dancers and wannabe dancers, and kantahan marathons for singers and wannabe singers. I’ve had one that turned gruesome, with the heinous murder of one of my guests, Nida Blanca, three days later. It’s been years since she’s been slain, and justice is yet to come. I didn’t believe then that Rod Strunk masterminded the killing of his wife, I don’t believe it still. And this we continue to discuss in my ensuing birthday parties.

As my natal day drew nearer, I’m told some went into a mini-panic over what to give me, the woman reputed to have everything. It’s always like this, no matter how I reassure associates I want nothing but the pleasure of their company. They fret. They bother. They call each other up: “Ano’ng ibibigay natin kay Tita Midz?”

As chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), I disallowed producers from giving us presents outside of our birthdays and Christmas. Even then, such presents were not to exceed P3,000 for birthdays and not to exceed P5,000, for Christmas..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101105com4.html

Comedic tragedy DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 11/05/2010

Comedic tragedy

DIE HARD III

Herman Tiu Laurel

11/05/2010
Taking some time off writing about the widespread power plunder, I reviewed the other burning issues of the week. From the reactions of our Finance officials to the growing cries of exporters, OFW families, and the BPO (business process outsourcing) community for government intervention for the appreciating peso (and the depreciating dollar); to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) chief’s “not in our lifetime” comment on eradicating corruption; to the UP Law department versus the Supreme Court (SC) on judicial plagiarism, I only found comedies galore.

We received texts from our volunteer news monitor, Zaida, on an interview Wednesday afternoon by dzRH with National Economic Development Authority (Neda) Chief Cayetano Paderanga, which I translate to English: “Paderanga doesn’t even know a currency war is going on. He doesn’t even see the weakening of the peso! How did this guy get to be Neda chief? He doesn’t even discuss measures to defend the peso like ‘currency controls’ — so dumb.”

A week earlier, at a taping of my cable show with forensic financial auditor Hiro Vaswani, a colleague in the Kilusang Makabansang Ekonomiya (KME) narrated how after a seminar discussion, Paderanga admitted envy of the honest economic talk from nationalists like Hiro — to which Hiro responded with an admonition for Paderanga to simply shut up as he is well rewarded for prevaricating anyway.

Another comedic character is Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas deputy gov. Diwa Guinigundo who, in response to clamor from excruciatingly suffering exporters, said that the BSP would continue to abide by the “free float” of the peso based on the principle that “the exchange rate reflects market fundamentals.” This, even as the most “free market” fundamentalist of fundamentalists there is, Prof. Victor Abola, already says this about the entry of the peso into the P42 to the dollar territory: “This level of the peso is destructive.”

Simply put, Paderanga and Guinigundo’s reactions are what can be labeled in colloquial Filipino as dedma or patay malisya, i.e. playing dumb. These clowns look like Stan Laurel being bonked on the head with a chamber pot by Oliver Hardy; except that they’re not funny at all since their antics cause so much damage to the nation.

The same is true for the Joan d’ Arc of taxation, BIR Chief Kim Jacinto Henares, who charged to skewer little sidewalk bananaque vendors and jeepney drivers into the tax barbeque. Imagine her stepping up a notch or two on the antics of Aquino III’s financial clowns with a headline-grabbing statement, “Not in our lifetime,” when she referred to the eradication of corruption in her agency.

One needs to ask: Didn’t her boss campaign on that great cause of eradicating corruption, and didn’t she armor up to proclaim her crusade it? Well, it shows that their pontifications are simply laughable.

Moving on to another comedy, this time in the legal circle, we are being made witness to the bitching match between UP Law and the SC over a magistrate’s alleged plagiarism. I just wonder how this is such a big issue when both parties have already figured in greater anomalies that have shaken the nation at its core, without them atoning for their sins of commission or omission.

Remember the blatantly unconstitutional “constructive resignation” of an elected President and the suspension of the brilliant lawyer Alan Paguia for raising the incontrovertible sin of the SC’s partisan political involvement in Edsa II? One can only recall how UP Law and the others sat idly by while these injustices transpired. Can they now expect us to take them seriously, given their past intransigence and the belief of many that the alleged academic theft was committed under the nose of one who is much like his peers?

If only UP Law as well as most other law schools had shown some inclination to help in the people’s struggle, such as upholding public welfare against the privatization of public utilities and resources, and against foreign usurpation of national patrimony, then maybe we can be supportive of them. Frankly, in light of RP’s gargantuan problems, this plagiarism issue is really just a molehill blocking everyone’s view of the crucial issues.

If things continue as they are, only tragedy can befall the nation from such inanities. The failure of our respective government institutions to stabilize the peso at some balanced rate, or stem the speculative dollar inflows via fiscal and financial measures, or reject the level of institutional corruption will result in the collapse of two of the biggest earners for the country, the export and call center industry.

Our domestic economy will also be dealt with a devastating blow as OFW families that are sustaining a great part of domestic consumption will spend much less amid decreasing pesos for their remitted dollars. Corruption in the revenue agencies, meanwhile, will continue to eat into the meager earnings of hardworking entrepreneurs that are keeping the rest of the economy alive. Let’s all put a stop to this comedic tragedy before it’s too late.

(Tune in to Sulo ng Pilipino, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 6 to 7 p.m. on 1098AM; watch “Fighting Power Plunderers in the House” with Rep. Toby Tiangco, former Mayor Jun Simon, and EmPower’s Maris de la Cruz on Politics Today with HTL, Tuesday, 8 to 9 p.m., with replay at 11 p.m., on Global News Network, Destiny Cable Channel 21; visit our blogs, http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com and http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com)

(Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu-Laurel)
Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101105com5.html

Pakistan to walk tightrope on Afghan peace FEATURE 11/05/2010

Pakistan to walk tightrope on Afghan peace

FEATURE

11/05/2010
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan will need to walk a tightrope to secure its interests in US-backed reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan, at risk of being sidelined by the Taliban and the Kabul government, analysts say.

British and US newspapers have been awash with reports on the nature of peace efforts needed to end the nine-year Taliban insurgency and allow the 150,000 US-led Nato contingent in Afghanistan to withdraw.
The Taliban have denied any talks are taking place, and Afghan and Pakistani experts on insurgent groups dismiss such reports as as Western propaganda.

But Pakistan is determined to ensure that an allied government is in power in Kabul once the United States and its allies have withdrawn their troops from from Afghanistan.

Washington and Kabul agree there can be no peace in Afghanistan without cooperation from Pakistan, which has repeatedly offered to facilitate reconciliation efforts.

For 10 years, Islamabad has been America’s ally in the war, despite widespread public opposition and militant bomb attacks across the nuclear-armed country that have killed more than 3,740 persons in three years..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101105com6.html

Greece parcel bomb plot underlines youth anger focus 11/05/2010

Greece parcel bomb plot underlines youth anger

focus

11/05/2010
ATHENS — A parcel bomb plot targeting foreign governments underlines the emergence of extremism in Greece, fuelled by young people bearing the brunt its deep economic malaise, observers say.

The prime suspect for the packages, 13 of which were found Monday and Tuesday although none caused serious injury, is a group called Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei.

One of its suspected members, a 22-year-old chemistry student, was arrested on Monday.

“It is an ‘anti’ movement, anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist. It could be classified as an anarchist movement which is currently using terrorist tactics,” said Theodore Papatheodorou, a criminology expert from the University of Peloponnese.

The group first appeared on the radar in 2008 and since then has claimed responsibility or been blamed for a string of attacks involving firebombs and explosives.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101105com7.html

Ampatuans charged with money laundering 11/05/2010

DUREZA FACES RAPS FOR ROLE IN AIDING CLAN

Ampatuans charged with money laundering

11/05/2010
The woes of the Ampatuan clan members are piling up.
Once the most powerful family in the Muslim region, the Amapatuans are now facing new charges.
The Ampatuans, together with the lawyers and their spiritual adviser, have been charged with money laundering.

Also charged was former Presidential Adviser and Chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority Jesus Dureza for his alleged role in helping the Ampatuan political clan clear themselves of charges of rebellion.
The charges were filed by the relatives of the journalists who were the victims of the Maguindano massacre that occurred last year.

A witness had reportedly earlier testified that Ampatuan patriarch Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr., former governor of Maguindanao province, “ordered that P10 million be given to Jesus Dureza, the former Presidential Adviser on Mindanao Affairs, to ensure that the separate rebellion charges against the powerful family will be dismissed.”

The same witness had testified that Ampatuan Sr., while detained at Camp Panacan, gave away P386 million to his supporters “to bribe government witnesses, tamper with evidence and commit perjury.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101105hed1.html

BIR files tax evasion raps vs Neri, et al. for undeclared perks By Benjamin B. Pulta 11/05/2010

BIR files tax evasion raps vs Neri, et al. for undeclared perks

By Benjamin B. Pulta 11/05/2010

Tax evasion charges were filed by officials against two former officials of the Social Security System (SSS), Romulo Neri and Thelmo Cunanan, both of whom were known allies of then President Arroyo.

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares said that Neri was liable for under-declaration of his income for the years 2008 and 2009 when he was still president of the state pension fund and for failing to pay tax liabilities of P18.3 million.

“A comparison made by BIR investigators of the gross income or revenues declared by Neri in his income tax returns (ITRs) for taxable years 2008 and 2009 as against the income payments he received from various corporations for the same years revealed that he deliberately failed to declare his correct tax base by substantially under-declaring his income for two consecutive taxable years,” said Henares at a
press conference held at the Department of Justice.

In 2008, Henares said Neri earned a total taxable income of P11,352,006.97 while in 2009, he earned P34,212,471.87 in his capacity as president and as nominee to the Board of Directors of several companies where SSS invested some of its members’ money, among them, Philex Mining Corp. (PMC) and Union Bank of the Philippines..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101105hed2.html

RP seeks downgrading of terror warnings By Michaela P. del Callar and Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/05/2010

RP seeks downgrading of terror warnings

By Michaela P. del Callar and Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/05/2010

Malacañang is seriously considering the idea of asking the United States and other allies to withdraw the travel advisories they have imposed on the Philippines, citing inconsistencies in the reports that reached them with respect to concerns on possible terror attacks.

Also, Manila will ask foreign governments to consult with Filipino officials first before issuing such damaging advisories, especially if they don’t seem to have a solid basis.

A Foreign Affairs official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, stressed that guidelines for the issuance of travel advisories are currently being drafted and will soon be circulated to foreign embassies.

Manila cannot compel embassies to adhere to such protocol nor are they bound to implement it because they are not part of the Philippine government.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101105hed3.html

Justify order cutting GOCC, GFI execs’ bonuses, SC tells Palace 11/05/2010

Justify order cutting GOCC, GFI execs’ bonuses, SC tells Palace

11/05/2010
The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered Malacañang to defend its side on a petition challenging the constitutionality of Executive Order (EO) 7 that suspended all allowances, bonuses and incentives of officials of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs).

In a two-page resolution dated Nov. 3, the Court en banc gave President Aquino and other respondents — Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad — 10 days to submit their comments on the suit filed by lawyer Jelbert Galicto last month.

“Whereas, the petition appears to be sufficient in form and substance; whereas, considering the allegations contained, the issues raised and the arguments adduced in the petition, the court finds it necessary and proper to require the respondents to comment on the petition within 10 days from notice hereof,” the high tribunal said.

Galicto, a lawyer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth), has claimed that EO 7 should be declared null and void for having been issued without any legal basis, adding that it infringes on the legislative powers of the Senate and the House of Representatives since the order “is by substance a law.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101105hed5.html

DoJ: No reason to reopen probe of Dacer-Corbito slay case 11/05/2010

DoJ: No reason to reopen probe of Dacer-Corbito slay case

11/05/2010
Department of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Leila de Lima said yesterday she saw no reason to order the reopening of the investigation into the Dacer-Corbito double murder case despite the surfacing of a new sworn statement executed by former police Senior Supt. Michael Ray Aquino which is contradicting the affidavit executed by former police Senior Supt. Cesar Mancao.

Both Aquino and Mancao were former officers of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), which was headed by then Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief and now Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, during which time noted publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito were abducted and killed in Cavite in November 2000.

Lacson faces a doublemurder case in connection with the slayings of Dacer and Corbito.

De Lima said she will first order the evaluation of the new affidavit because they would like to determine who is telling the truth between Mancao and Aquino..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101105hed6.html

Pinoy seamen outsmart armed hijackers By Michaela P. del Callar 11/05/2010

Pinoy seamen outsmart armed hijackers

By Michaela P. del Callar 11/05/2010

Eight Filipino seafarers were able to escape a piracy attack when it outsmarted armed brigands who attempted to hijack their vessel late last month.

German vessel MV Beluga Fortune was boarded by Somali pirates on Oct. 24 while the vessel was sailing in the Indian Ocean en route to Richards Bay, South Africa. The vessel had 16 crewmembers, eight of them Filipinos.

They sent out a distress call, cut off the ship’s fuel supply, shut down all the power on the bridge and hid in a safe room before they could be overwhelmed by the pirates. The crew hid below deck for two days.

Unable to take charge of the ship or hold any crew member hostage, the pirates were forced to abandon the vessel after stealing some personal belongings of the crew which were left inside the cabins.

A seafarer also called the local manning agency and reported what happened, which also helped in alerting American and British naval ships in the area. The vessels escorted the MV Beluga Fortune to safety as it proceeded toward Richards Bay..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101105nat2.html

Koko seeks dismissal of Zubiri counter-protest 11/05/2010

Koko seeks dismissal of Zubiri counter-protest

11/05/2010
Lawyer Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, president of PDP-Laban, who ran but lost in the 2007 senatorial race to Juan Miguel Zubiri, is asking the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) to dismiss Zubiri’s counter-protest for failure to comply with the strict terms of SET Resolution No. 07-108, in addition to the grounds stated in Pimentel’s Motion for Reconsideration pending since July 1, 2010.

In an Urgent Motion to Dismiss the Zubiri Counter-Protest filed on Oct. 26, 2010, Pimentel said that on Sept. 29, 2010, the SET issued Resolution No. 07-108, which required Zubiri to deposit to the tribunal the total amount of P8,250,757.50 strictly in accordance with the following schedule: on or before Oct. 7, 2010, P1,756,050.00; on or before Oct. 10, 2010, P1,968,940.00; on or before Nov. 22, 2010, P839,960.00; on or befor Jan. 3, 2011, P887,512.50; on or before Feb. 1, 2011, P848,815.00; on or before Feb. 21, 2011, P1,291,105.00; and on or before March 38, 2011, P658,375.00.

In a Manifestation with Motion (To Apply Portion of Remaining Cash Deposit in Payment for Second Installment Required in this Counter-Protest) dated Oct.19, 2010, Zubiri said, through counsel, that “this honorable tribunal apply a portion of his remaining cash deposit in payment for and as full compliance of the second installment of the cash deposit required by this honorable tribunal in the amount of P1,968,940, payable not later than Oct. 20, 2010, as directed in the schedule of payments devised by this honorable tribunal as per SET Resolution No. 07-108 dated Sept. 29, 2010.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101105nat6.html