Civil disobedience an option — CBCP By Gerry Baldo 10/04/2010

Civil disobedience an option — CBCP

By Gerry Baldo 10/04/2010

After an implied threat from the head of the Catholic bishops’ group of excom-municating President Aquino over his support to the use of artificial contraceptives, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said yesterday that civil disobedience is an option that the Church can consider should Aquino make good his promise to hand out artificial birth control devices.

Church leaders, in separate interviews, said bishops and priests have the moral authority to teach and lead the faithful based on Church teachings. Aquino had said during a small town meeting in the United States that he might consider contraceptive methods to curb population even though it runs counter to the natural methods that is the only option allowed by the Catholic Church.

“The Catholic Church in the Philippines can do that if it decides to do that because for one thing civil disobedience is a moral option, one of the moral options,” CBCP secretary general Msgr. Juanito Figura said on the CBCP Web site.

Figura added Church leaders have notreceived any call or letter from the Office of the President for a dialogue on the controversial issue although it was published in the papers that an audience with the Catholic bishops is being prepared..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed1.html

‘Exasperated’ PAL divulges crew pays By Charlie V. Manalo 10/04/2010

‘Exasperated’ PAL divulges crew pays

By Charlie V. Manalo 10/04/2010

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) divulged yesterday the average payscale of its cabin crew to show that they are not underpaid amid a looming strike threat by the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (Fasap) claiming unfair labor practice.

PAL said in a statement that it was exasperated by its cabin crew union’s propaganda, adding its flight attendants are well paid and receive some of the best benefits that are the envy of other Filipino workers.
PAL spokesman Cielo Villaluna said officers of the (Fasap) have not been forthright in informing the public of the real salaries and benefits that the PAL cabin crew receives.

“Fasap claims their basic pay is below the government set minimum wage, but this is just a portion of their salary. The truth is they receive much, much more,” she said.

The actual gross monthly pay of a PAL cabin crew, Villaluna said, ranges from P33,000 to P75,000, inclusive of productivity pay and other allowances..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed2.html

Comelec official slain in Basilan By Mario J. Mallari 10/04/2010

Comelec official slain in Basilan

By Mario J. Mallari 10/04/2010

Barely 21 days before the synchronized barangay and Sangguiniang Kabataan (SK) polls, an election officer in Basilan province was shot dead by unidentified armed men last Saturday night, a ranking police official yesterday said.

Chief Supt. Bienvenido Latag, director of the Police Regional Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-ARMM), identified the victim as Entong Musa, election officer of Tuburan town.
Latag said Musa was in Calle Posporo in Barangay San Rafael in Isabela City, Basilan around 7:30 p.m. when unidentified armed men, aboard a motorcycle, killed him.

A special investigation task group (SITG) was immediately created by Latag to address the shooting incident.
Also, dragnet operations and checkpoints were immediately established to track down the perpetrators..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed3.html

Senate resumption of hostage probe still uncertain — Honasan 10/04/2010

Senate resumption of hostage probe still uncertain — Honasan

10/04/2010
The resumption of the Senate’s inquiry into the Aug. 23 hostage crisis is being hampered by the Palace’s non-submission of a copy of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) report to the upper chamber, Sen. Gregorio Honasan yesterday said.

The senator and overall lead in the probe of the hostage incident could not answer queries as to the date of the continuation of the proceedings of his committee on public order together with the justice panel chaired by Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

“What we want is to wait first for the submission of the report so we can see which areas will be needing legislative intervention, if coordinating relation among agencies involved is lacking,” Honasan said in an interview over dzBB.

Up to now, Malacañang or the IIRC has yet to furnish them with a copy despite formal requests made by the Senate..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed4.html

Gov’t can now demand help in recovering money abroad 10/04/2010

Gov’t can now demand help in recovering money abroad

10/04/2010
The government can now compel foreign countries to assist in the recovery of money acquired from illegal and corrupt practices and stashed away abroad under an international convention signed last Friday, Sen. Edgardo Angara said yesterday.

The Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) and South East Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC) meeting concluded with member countries agreeing to implement new policies in the fight against corruption, Angara said.

Angara, founding member of SEAPAC and host of the conference, said the country now has an objective scorecard to judge whether a country has achieved progress in the reduction or elimination of corruption.
Under the agreement signed during the two-day convention, member countries were mandated to assist country victimized by corrupt or illegal activities, particularly in the area of asset-recovery, where money-laundering activities are concerned..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed5.html

China closes door on Pinoy domestic helpers — envoy 10/04/2010

China closes door on Pinoy domestic helpers — envoy

10/04/2010
The Chinese government has reiterated that there is no current demand for Filipino household service workers in China, saying opening this market to foreigners would endanger employment opportunities for locals.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao cited the skills and competence of Filipino domestic helpers, but said there is no immediate plan for Beijing to allow their entry into mainland China.

“I haven’t heard of any confirmation that such an optionis feasible at this stage,” Liu said in a weekend press briefing. “(Filipino domestic helpers) are very diligent workers. They are professionals but… China is under tremendous pressure to provide jobs for the Chinese.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed6.html

AFP captures 11 NPA camps in Visayas By Mario J. Mallari 10/04/2010

AFP captures 11 NPA camps in Visayas

By Mario J. Mallari 10/04/2010

The Army leadership yesterday announced the capture of 11 camps of the communist New People’s Army in the Visayas region, one of which was maintained by Wilma Tiamzon, wife of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA top leader Alberto Silva.

Army 8th Infantry Division (ID) Chief Maj. Gen. Mario Chan said one of the significant accomplishments of this command was the capture of Tiamzon’s National Organization Department of the CPP-NPA Central Committee headed by Silva, alias Ka Perry.

“The camp was seized by troops of the Task Group Panther of the Scout Ranger,” Chan said.
Chan said that another major NPA camp which served as the headquarters of the communist’s Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee was also captured.

Last Saturday, another NPA camp felled into the hands of the operating troops of Army’s 63rd Infantry Battalion (IB) at the hinterland of Barangay Cagmanaba, Jipapad, Eastern Samar at about 11:30 a.m.
.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101004nat5.html

Not a priority EDITORIAL 10/03/2010

Not a priority

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

10/03/2010
Malacañang says a lot whenever it states that a certain issue is not a priority of Noynoy.

It used the line the other day on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill as the Church stepped up the pressure against it, even raising a possible ecumenical action against the President.

The RH bill, which will actively engage the government in the promotion of contraceptives to control the exploding population, has been languishing in Congress for the past few years mainly because of the Church’s vehement opposition against it and the reluctance of legislators to rile prelates who remain influential on the pulpit, despite the fast receding number of Church goers on Sunday.

The last time the Palace used the not a priority line was on jueteng when then newly-appointed Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo indicated that he is ready to wage an all-out war against the illegal numbers game, as directed by Noynoy, so he said then..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com1.html

Above average performance? FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 10/03/2010

Above average performance?

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

10/03/2010
Malacañang, as well as Noynoy, gave themselves a pat on the back for having “achieved” much by way of reforms in his government in the first 100 days, which achievements Noynoy said he will be unveiling to the public four days from today.

His mouthpiece claimed that they have given themselves a mark of “above average,” pointing out that the Aquino administration is on the right track as its first 100 days winds down, with Edwin Lacierda saying that they are on track on two levels — the eradication of corruption and poverty alleviation, but also insisted that “the fruits of these things that we are doing will go beyond 100 days (and) you will see what the Aquino administration has been doing for the poor, toward promotion of services for the public at large.”

But it looks like Noynoy, despite his and his mouthpieces crowing about the “reforms” he has started in his administration, is aware that whatever he unveils on Oct. 8, his 100th day in office, will be either ridiculed or criticized, as much of whatever he will unveil certainly can’t be categorized as “achievements” in the reform area..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com2.html

Raissa C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 10/03/2010

Raissa

C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S

Jonathan De la Cruz

10/03/2010
Raissa Laurel, the second year San Sebastian College of Law student who lost both legs below the knee in that dastardly bomb blast near the De La Salle University campus as bar examinees and their supporters jammed the streets just after the last examination ended last Sunday, deserves our prayers and commendation. She is such a courageous and gritty lady. Despite her loss of limbs she has remained as hopeful as can be and even advised one and all she will fight on and hope to be a lawyer someday. She will be a very good addition to the profession.

But best of all the tragedy that befall her and 50 others, many of whom are aspiring lawyers, has only reinforced her faith in the Good Lord. While many of her age and circumstance would have been overtaken with grief and self-pity, she has remained steadfast and, as evidenced by her demeanor, even grown closer to the Creator. She has, in the words of her friends, taken her fate with such equanimity and grace she has become a kind of guiding light to the many going through similar, maybe even less, challenging circumstances in their lives. She has become a heroine in more ways than one..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com4.html

Secretary Carandang up for a roast BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 10/03/2010

Secretary Carandang up for a roast

BLURBAL THRUSTS

Louie Logarta

10/03/2010
Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno as well as several members of the city council are now being severely criticized for choosing to do battle in court with the giant International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) for alleged illegal reclamation activities in Manila Bay covering some 12 hectares immediately beside their sprawling compound in Isla Puting Bato, Tondo.

This is to be expected, Moreno said, because a favorable ruling could really jeopardize the reclamation project, designed to expand the ICTSI complex by over 60 percent, for which approximately P3 billion had already been spent during the past two years. “Malaking pera ang mawawala sa kanila kapag nakuha natin ito.”

Shooting the breeze with some city hall reporters, the youthful vice mayor said the reclaimed land, located in the murky waters sandwiched by ICTSI and the Manila North Harbor, could be put to better use as an ideal relocation site for hundreds of thousands of squatters living throughout Manila.

The multi-billion ICTSI reclamation project was accidentally discovered by Moreno while campaigning during the last elections during a house-to-house sortie in Isla Puting Bato which is home to several thousand informal settlers. It was the drone of the payloaders, bulldozers, backhoes, graders and other huge earthmoving equipment that betrayed the existence of the frenzied construction work inside the fenced-off area and got him intrigued..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com5.html

‘Excommunicated’ TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 10/03/2010

‘Excommunicated’

TABLETS OF STONE

Larry Faraon, OP

10/03/2010
“You don’t know what you are up against” — the Catholic Church is a monolithic and mono-synchronistic organization that prides a global membership of 1.6 billion under the most powerful and influential head, the prime resident in Vatican City, the Pope.

Its hierarchical organization is not a corporate set up of managers and subalterns, with less complex system for hiring and firing its workers and members. Its policies are not hewed from board rooms but from biblical principles of times past with a founding “chairman” all drenched in divinity and impeccability, not to mention eternity. With two thousand year existence of thesis-antithesis syndrome, it thrives on an eschatological conclusion with finality, not only for itself but for the entire global and human existence, toward which it feels commissioned and obligated to drag along to that celestial end. Armed with a divine guarantee that the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” the dominant culture of the Church is its bias for its own authority to insist on what is right and righteous to the point of paying the cost of humiliation and even shedding its own blood.

The “remote possibility of excommunication” should not be seen by President Aquino and by his choral rah-rahs as a threat. CBCP president Bishop Nereo Odchimar clarified that he never threatened President Noynoy with excommunication. True enough, the Church is in no position to threaten anybody. But an “indication” of incurring the highest disciplinary measure for some moral turpitude, especially coming from a bishop, betrays more than just a deliberate threat or official disciplinary action of an erring member..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com6.html

The right man for the right place VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 10/03/2010

The right man for the right place

VIEWPOINTS

Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz

10/03/2010
To have the right man at the wrong place or to have the right place for the wrong man — this is a certain and certified disaster in the sphere of management. This is empirical calamity in the world of organization. In other words, it is an elementary dictate of prudence, a basic mandate of logic that the right person should be elected to the right office, appointed to the right position or given the right task. In the event of any dissonant move or errant option patently contrary to the fundamental administrative or executive principle that the right person should have the right job — everybody concerned therein eventually becomes a loser.

Loser is the man unworthily elected to an office he is in reality unfit to have and to hold — a factual unfitness for whatever objective reason and/or personality liability.

In the same way: Loser is the person for having been given an assignment the same is incapacitated from bringing to expected completion on account of any adverse causal factor.

Loser is the individual assigned to a task for which the same does not have the required competence and/or lacks the demanded stability and/or wanting in character — normally exacted by given agenda..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com7.html

Noynoy not budging 10/03/2010

AQUINO: STAND NOT CHANGED; CHURCH: EMULATE YOUR MOTHER

Noynoy not budging

10/03/2010
As the debates heat up on the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill that is threatening to split President Aquino and the Catholic Church, Aquino said yesterday he is standing firm on his position to provide Filipino couples “informed choices” in family planning.

“The State has an obligation to educate all of its citizens as to their choices. The State is not empowered by any law to dictate upon any couple as to how they should plan their family,” Aquino said at the sidelines of the nationwide distribution of Philhealth cards to indigent families held yesterday morning at the President Corazon C. Aquino High School in Baseco Compound, Port Area.

Aquino, nevertheless, said he had not seen the RH bill pending in the House of Representatives but added that “my stand has not changed.”

After a pro-RH bill rally last Friday in which condoms were distributed to pedestrians and to protest the detention of famed tourist guide Carlos Celdran and the Catholic Church’s stand against artificial contraception, hundreds of Church-backed pro-life rallyists trooped to Quiapo Church yesterday. The rally included a Catholic archbishop who urged the government to rethink its position on contraception. The rally included students and parents. Many waved graphic signs with pictures of aborted fetuses..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101003hed1.html

Palace gave false grade, Noy failed in 100 days — groups By Charlie V. Manalo 10/03/2010

 Palace gave false grade, Noy failed in 100 days — groups

By Charlie V. Manalo 10/03/2010

Groups raised their voices yesterday disputing a self-assessment of Malacañang giving President Aquino’s administration an above-passing grade on its first 100 days, with the fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) describing the administration’s performance thus far as “as a long running nightmare and comprehensive failure.”

Leaders of the left-wing group cited among Aquino’s failures during his initial days in office was the lack of progress in the prosecution of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo and her allies who were widely being held liable for plunder and corruption, political killings, election fraud and agrarian injustice during Arroyo’s nine-year term.

Pamalakaya national chairman Fernando Hicap said three of the biggest mistakes of Aquino were his outright rejection to have the 6,435 hectare Hacienda Luisita immediately distributed for free to 10,000 farm worker beneficiaries, the failure

to prosecute Arroyo and company for their crimes against the people and his first-rate puppetry to the Washington DC and US President Barack Obama administration..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101003hed2.html

Solon offers to mediate Aquino, CBCP head talks 10/03/2010

Solon offers to mediate Aquino, CBCP head talks

10/03/2010
Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez offered yesterday to mediate in a proposed dialog between President Aquino and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Bishop Nereo Odchimar, who gave an implied threat of excommunication on Aquino if he pushes through with his support to the Reproductive Health bill.

The mediation offer was meant to cool down the raging debate on the bill which seeks to widely promote through government the use of contraceptives to control the runaway population growth in the country.
“I am very willing to serve as the bridge in the dialog between Malacañang and the CBCP in my capacity as friend of both the President and Bishop Odchimar,” he said.

Short of saying Odchimar has crossed the line by threatening Noy with excommunication, Rodriguez said “excommunicating the President is too harsh” a punishment.

“I think excommunication is just too harsh. Both parties should sit down and thresh out their differences to settle the issue,” he said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101003hed3.html

Noy to go over plans against jueteng 10/03/2010

Noy to go over plans against jueteng

10/03/2010
President Aquino yesterday said he has yet to go over the comprehensive plan submitted to him by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo on how to combat jueteng, a popular illegal numbers game.

“I told Robredo I want a comprehensive plan, not piecemeal plans, on how to get rid of jueteng,” the President said in a chance interview at the sidelines of the nationwide distribution of the Philhealth cards to indigent members held at the President Corazon C. Aquino High School in Baseco Compound, Port Area in Manila.

Before Aquino arrived at the event, Robredo told reporters that he had submitted to the President the comprehensive plan against jueteng and expanding the legalized small town lottery (STL) to
ensure that jobs will not be lost for those in the jueteng game.

“The comprehensive plan contains improved enforcement and improving the STL, a legal alternative to jueteng,” which reports said has been greasing the hands of a few politicians and administration officials at the expense of small bettors..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101003hed4.html

Aquino to adopt ‘most’ of IIRC recommendations 10/03/2010

Aquino to adopt ‘most’ of IIRC recommendations

10/03/2010
President Aquino yesterday said he is likely to adopt recommendations by the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) to charge top officials over a hostage fiasco that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead.

The government’s official response to the recommendations by a panel of investigators into the bungled hostage rescue will be announced next week, amid mounting public pressure for his fledgling administration to act on the report.

“We’re going to release the action plan, the implementation plan, sometime mid of next week,” Aquino told reporters.

“Most of them (recommendations) will be adopted,” he said, when asked if any of the panel’s recommendations would be acted upon.

The report, completed two weeks ago and partially released, recommended either administrative or criminal charges be filed against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez; Undersecretary Rico Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government; former Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa; former Manila Police District (MPD) chief Supt. Rodolfo Magtibay; National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Leocadio Santiago; Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim, and Vice Mayor Isko.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101003hed5.html

Ban on religious profiling in media pushed 10/03/2010

Ban on religious profiling in media pushed

10/03/2010
Mediamen may land in jail by using the words “Muslim terrorist or Muslim bandits” in their writing and broadcasting jobs once a measure criminalizing such act is enacted into law.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara and Lanao del Sur Rep. Pangalian Balindong, authors of House Bills 431 and 1103, said the measures will stop media practitioners from using the words Muslim in describing a suspected person who has committed an unlawful act.

Balindong noted that there were occasions where criminal suspects and persons convicted of criminal acts are being described as “Muslim criminals, Muslim terrorists, Muslim drug pushers, Muslim bandits and Muslim holdup men.”

“These kinds of words and other hosts of offenses connote a negative message of the term Muslim,” the lawmaker stressed..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101003hed6.html

Pagasa: Flash floods, landslides in Luzon, Visayas 10/03/2010

Pagasa: Flash floods, landslides in Luzon, Visayas

10/03/2010
State forecasters warned over the weekend of possible flash floods and landslides in Luzon and Visayas as rains have continued to pummel owing to a low-pressure area (LPA) spotted in Zambales.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) also said that cloudy skies and rains loom over the rest of the country.

“The country will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms with widespread rains in Central and Southern Luzon, including Visayas which may trigger flash floods and landslides,” it stated in Pagasa bulletin at 5 a.m. yesterday.

The bulletin stated that as of 2 a.m. yesterday, the LPA was estimated at 130 km west-southwest of Subic, Zambales invading along the Intertropical Convergence Zone across Southern Luzon and Visayas.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101003nat8.html