Hindi ka nag-iisip INSIDE CONGRESS Charlie Manalo 09/22/2011

Hindi ka nag-iisip

INSIDE CONGRESS

Charlie Manalo

09/22/2011
Last week, the Aquino administration rammed down the throats of the lawmakers the proposed P1.816 trillion 2012 national budget which includes among many others, a provision that would effectively allow the Executive branch to impound the hiring budget of constitutional bodies, including the Supreme Court.

Knowing fully well that the provision for the P23 billion miscellaneous personnel benefits fund in the 2012 General Appropriations Act runs contrary to the fiscal autonomy of these constitutional commissions which is enshrined in the constitution, congressmen allied with the administration were quick enough to dangle the sword of Damocles over the heads of the SC justices on whose shoulders lie the task of determining the constitutionality of such provision, threatening them with impeachment should they declare the MPBF unconstitutional.

So, who now would decide the constitutionality of this issue?

All that hullabaloo regarding this MPBF would not have passed Congress’ approval without the full knowledge of President Aquino as it had emanated from the office of the secretary of the Department of Budget and Management, headed by one of his most trusted minions, Butch Abad. And Noynoy had obviously given his consent even if he had been forewarned that he would be treading on thin ice as the very idea of the MPBF would run contrary to the Constitution..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110922com5.html

Sins against life VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 09/22/2011

Sins against life

VIEWPOINTS

Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz

09/22/2011
It is hard to know and to be convinced that human life is the summit of all precious realities here and now, as well as the peak of all invaluable gifts hereafter and beyond.

Without human life: What are diamonds worth, what is jewelry for? What for are socio-economic progress and development? What is the benefit of peace and order? Take away human life, and what for are integrity and honesty? In the cemetery, would it really make any difference at all if one’s tomb is miserable or grandiose, if it is made a dumping place or the site of a lavish and expensive museum? It is but to the living that all such things matter, viz., that gold and silver are valuable, that power and wealth mean much, that money has its value and use. Without life, all of them are stripped of significance and worth.

This brings to fore the hideous nature and gross implications of any and all “Sins Against Life” — something that has acquired significance and continues to acquire relevance in this once “Land of the Morning” — the then “Lupang Hinirang!” Yes, there appears to be much preoccupation about human rights. In the same way, some talks are also heard about human dignity. But then, what are human rights for and what is human dignity all about — without human life?!.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110922com7.html

Noynoy junks Senate plea to defer MRT, LRT fare hikes By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan and Angie M. Rosales 09/22/2011

Noynoy junks Senate plea to defer MRT, LRT fare hikes

By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan and Angie M. Rosales 09/22/2011

Malacañang rejected yesterday persistent appeals made by members of the Senate for the administration to defer until next year the implementation of its plan to cut its subsidy on the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Railway Transit (LRT) Systems and increase fare cost.

“I think this is a matter of explaining to the public and also to the senators why, number one, the subsidy will continue. The subsidy will only be diminished—let me be clear on that. But I think it’s also important to know that a continuous subsidy would not really, in the long run, be beneficial to the government coffers and also to the taxpayers,” said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda as he noted that the current level of subsidy is just way too much.

“We could use that subsidy elsewhere for other programs of the government. What we are trying to do is only to approximate the MRT fares to the bus fares, for now,” he said.

Lacierda stressed that while the fare increase is inevitable, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) Secretary Mar Roxas, is also committed to make sure that the facilities and services of the MRT and LRT systems are in good running condition..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110922hed1.html

Jinggoy slams NTC for illegal franchise grant to Altimax-Innove By Angie M. Rosales 09/22/2011

Jinggoy slams NTC for illegal franchise grant to Altimax-Innove

By Angie M. Rosales 09/22/2011

National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) officials may soon find themselves in the Senate hot seat, after an upper chamber leader yesterday moved to have the agency’s alleged questionable grant of an extended provisional franchise to a company that earned a windfall profit of P160 million in the last two years, even without any known existing facility.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada brought up what he said is a continuing violation of the legislative fran-chise allegedly being committed by NTC and a telecommunications firm Altimax Broadcasting Inc. (Altimax).

Altimax, some two years ago, leased its broadcast frequencies to Innove Communi-cations Inc., a sub-sidiary company of Globe Telecoms, earning between P70 million and P90 million in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

“By leasing its bandwidth to Innove, Altimax has arrogated unto itself the very authority vested upon the Congress of the Philippines. Altimax trampled upon the process, a display of utter lack of respect to our laws and to every Filipino,” Estrada said in his privilege speech..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110922hed3.html

Military releases secret martial law records By Mario J. Mallari 09/22/2011

Military releases secret martial law records

By Mario J. Mallari 09/22/2011

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday said it had made public the records of its actions during the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos’s martial rule from 1972-1981 when he used the Armed Forces to crush opposition.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said he hopes the declassification of the secret documents would bring closure to a troubled period where tens of thousands allegedly suffered human rights abuses. Many victims are still missing to this day.

“Your defense and military establishments fully commit to turn over all declassified martial law documents in our possession to our Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for preservation and for the sake of posterity,” he added.

Gazmin, who was a junior officer of the AFP when Marcos declared martial law on Sept. 21, 1972, said the military has admitted to committing abuses during the period “but for it to be documented, we need to see the documents.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110922hed4.html

NGO seeks funding from UNFPA for RH bill approval — Sotto 09/22/2011

NGO seeks funding from UNFPA for RH bill approval — Sotto

09/22/2011
If one staunch lobby group was unmasked to be affiliated with an international entity strongly advocating abortion, another local non-government organization (NGO) pushing the passage of Reproductive Health (RH) bill is seeking funding from no less than the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for purposes of “enticing” Filipino lawmakers into approving the measure.

The UNFPA happened to have been found by the United States government as behind China’s brutal “one child” policy implemented several years ago, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said yesterday.
Sotto bared that Linangan ng Kababaihan Inc. (Likhaan) has recently sent a budgetary proposal to the UNFPA aimed at cultivating support to the legislators.

“They have a proposal to the UNFPA for the reproductive health advocacy network (RHAN) asking for a monetary support in order to expedite the passage of the RH bill. In their budget statements and budget items, No. 1 is ‘nurturing of legislators.’ I’m not sure what this means. But I’m concerned about the participation of the UNFPA through RHAN and Likhaan. It appears that the UNFPA has participation through RHAN and Likhaan,” Sotto said in his interpellation during last Tuesday’s plenary session..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110922nat2.html

House to pursue probe on ballot switching By Gerry Baldo 09/22/2011

House to pursue probe on ballot switching

By Gerry Baldo 09/22/2011

The House panel tasked to investigate the alleged ballot switching in the House of Representatives after the canvassing of votes in the 2004 elections is set to resume its hearings on Oct. 3.

According to House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III, they have 30 session days left to finish the probe that would focus on the issue of breach in security at the House and how to prevent such occurrences in the future. Tañada said that they are not going to tackle the issue of who won the elections and who lost.

“The committee will continue the hearing on Oct. 3 so that the fact-finding panel will be able to finish with the investigation,” Tañada said yesterday.

He said that while the probe was stalled by the marathon budget hearings during the past several weeks, they have “all the time to resolve the issue.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110922nat1.html

Wide-body Airbus aircraft, Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet in near mishap at NAIA 09/22/2011

Wide-body Airbus aircraft, Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet in near mishap at NAIA

09/22/2011
A wide-body A33 Airbus aircraft hit a Boeing 747 jumbo jet while pushing back out of the terminal at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport a little past midnight yesterday, causing delays to both flights.

Officials from the airport’s Media Affairs Division revealed that the tug operator pushing back the Qatar Air Airbus Industries A330 wide-body jet miscalculated the distance between the Delta Airlines Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet parked to its side, resulting in the wingtips to touch one another.

The Qatar Airways aircraft, which was parked at Bay 14 of the NAIA, was pushing back for departure at 12:40 a.m. when the plane’s left winglet scraped the six-foot high right winglet of the B747-400 jet.

The contact resulted in minor scratches to both wingtips that forced the pilot of the Qatar flight to return to the terminal. For safety reasons, the pilot had the passengers disembark from the aircraft while maintenance crew checked on the involved part and make sure its airworthiness..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110922met2.html

House body approves bill on anti-bullying By Charlie V. Manalo 09/22/2011

House body approves bill on anti-bullying

By Charlie V. Manalo 09/22/2011

The House committee on basic education and culture has unanimously approved the so-called anti-bullying act to address the rising incidence of severe intimidation inflicted by school bullies against their schoolmates.

The panel also called on the House leadership to calendar House Bill 5248 for plenary debates to ensure immediate passage of such an important piece of legislation.

HB 5248 consolidates various bills that will make it mandatory for all elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to address the acts of bullying in their institutions.

Authors of the measure include Ako Bicol party-list Reps. Rodel Batocabe, Alfredo Garbin Jr. and Christopher Co..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110922met1.html

Witnesses on parade EDITORIAL 09/21/2011

Witnesses on parade

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

09/21/2011
So-called witnesses having a “tale” to tell against the previous administration have been surfacing in droves, while Justice Secretary Leila de Lima immediately gets all of them into the Witness Protection Program (WPP) and just as quickly presents them before the media.
But just how credible are they, considering the fact that they all face electoral sabotage cases and have been in hiding for the past five years or so?
De Lima the other day presented two witnesses, former election supervisors from Mindanao who surfaced to disclose their knowledge on how the results of the 2007 mid-term elections were said to have been rigged in favor of the senatorial bets of the Arroyo administration.
She presented lawyers Lilian Radam and Yogie Martirizar, both of whom face charges of electoral sabotage but who now claim that they were pressured into signing extra copies of certificates of canvass (CoCs) and statements of votes (SoVs) to manipulate the results of the 2007 elections.
.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/

Mirror image of Marcos FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 09/21/2011

Mirror image of Marcos

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

09/21/2011
Impeachment is once again in the mind of the Noynoy congressmen, this time their target is the Supreme Court (SC), through its justices.

The latest report on this issue is that Rep. Rudy Fariñas is moving to have the impeachment proceedings going against the high court justice who stood accused by Noynoy allies of plagiarism but was cleared by the high court itself.

But there is some kind of hidden agenda in that move to revive the impeachment complaint against the SC justice, given the fact that the SC and the executive have been at odds over the unprecedented budget control of Noynoy over the Judiciary hiring funds, which the high court justices, including the Office of the Ombudsman, the Commission on Elections and the Civil Service Commission are against, as their fiscal autonomy is constitutionally guaranteed.

Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin Remulla was quoted as saying that there are also now moves to get SC Chief Justice Renato Corona impeached..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110921com2.html

New era for US military as gay ban expires focus 09/21/2011

New era for US military as gay ban expires

focus

09/21/2011
WASHINGTON — As a staff sergeant training to be an Air Force officer, David Hall had a promising career ahead of him until a fellow airman outed him as gay.

Nearly 10 years later, Hall said he hopes to rejoin the military that discharged him when a ban on openly gay and lesbian troops officially expires on Tuesday.

Hall, 37, has already put in phone calls to recruiters and said he will be celebrating on Tuesday that “the country as a whole realized that this was something that needed to go away.”

Years of legal battles and political activism — along with changing social attitudes and open policies among most Nato allies — paved the way for the change, which Congress approved in December..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110921com3.html

Myanmar army allies’ clout on show at new parliament FEATURE 09/21/2011

Myanmar army allies’ clout on show at new parliament

FEATURE

09/21/2011
NAYPYIDAW — Imposing bronze lions, the symbol of the ruling party, guard the entrance to Myanmar’s fledgling parliament in a sign of its domination by the military and its political allies.

The palatial building in the heart of Naypyidaw, a purpose-built capital constructed just five years ago, is the showpiece of a “roadmap to democracy” promised by the general who ruled for decades.

Inside the vast maze of marble-floored corridors, chandeliers and air-conditioned chambers, a sign proclaims: “People’s expectations, parliament’s implementation.”

Yet a quarter of the seats were reserved for the military even before landmark elections last year, and the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) holds about 80 percent of the remainder.

“Here we have no opposition party. All are colleagues. For us there is no opposition,” USDP Secretary General Htay Oo told a rare news conference at the parliament, which opened in January..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110921com5.html

Looming constitutional crisis C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 09/21/2011

Looming constitutional crisis

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

Jonathan De la Cruz

09/21/2011
Even as we laud Speaker Sonny Belmonte and the members of the House of Representatives for passing the proposed P1.8 trillion 2012 budget earlier than expected, we cannot help but be saddened by their inability to overcome the executive department’s insistence in impounding parts of that budget. The power of the purse belongs exclusively to Congress. That power includes the sole discretion to firmly and properly indicate how public funds must and should be used. The same cannot be compromised in any manner or form much less outsourced, in its disposition to the executive. To do so is to render Congress inutile and is a throwback to what senior members of this administration have all been railing against during the Arroyo years – the complete domination of the handling of precious public funds by the executive via the much reviled re-enacted budget system. That was called then the total impoundment of public funds. Under P-Noy, the impounding is selective but equally as deadly and belies the administration’s claims of responsive and accountable governance. This practice is far from such good intentioned hype. It is out and out undemocratic and counter productive..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110921com4.html

House threatens impeach moves against SC justices By Charlie V. Manalo By Charlie V. Manalo 09/21/2011

MAGISTRATES REJECTING AQUINO CONTROL OF MPBF FACE OUSTER

House threatens impeach moves against SC justices

By Charlie V. Manalo By Charlie V. Manalo 09/21/2011
Unprecedented and controversial moves by President Aquino to take control of the allocated budget hiring funds of some P101 billion from constitutional offices with guaranteed fiscal autonomy were followed by Aquino’s allies in the House of Representatives yesterday, as they too made another unprecedented move by threatening to file impeachment proceedings against high court justices who will vote against the House-passed Malacañang proposed budget that calls for Aquino’s impounding of the Judiciary’s hiring funds.

Apparently aware they have inserted an unconstitutional provision in the proposed 2012 national budget which would effectively allow the Executive Branch to impound the hiring budget of other government agencies including constitutional bodies which would expectedly merit an adverse ruling from the Supreme Court (SC), a senior member of the House of Representatives yesterday threatened members of the high court with impeachment should they rule against the provision for the P23 billion miscellaneous personnel benefits fund (MPBF) in the 2012 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

In a text message, Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, vice chairman of the House justice committee, warned the SC that members of the House may go for impeaching the members of the SC should it declare the MPBF unconstitutional..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110921hed1.html

Palace at a loss on Garcia being at NBP not stockade By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 09/21/2011

Palace at a loss on Garcia being at NBP not stockade

By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 09/21/2011

The Palace yesterday cannot cite a law that would justify locking up former AFP Comptroller (ret.) Brig. Gen. Carlos Garcia in a civilian penal facility at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) despite his being convicted by a military court, and instead resorted to citing a vague explanation about an alleged “exception” to the rule concerning the military justice system.

President Aquino’s deputy spokesman Abigail Valte could not cite any specific provision of the law or even the rules on military conduct that would allow the incarceration of Garcia at the NBP instead of being sent to the military stockade.

Despite being a lawyer, Valte told reporters yesterday that Garcia was sent to the NBP upon the advice of the lawyers of the Department of National Defense (DND) but could not say if those who issued the recommendation cited any provision of law that allows soldiers convicted in court martial proceeding to be jailed in a civilian jail.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who is a former Philippine National Police chief, raised the question on the basis of Garcia being incarcerated in a civilian jail while his conviction was on his court martial case..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110921hed2.html

Solon seeks probe of construction of coal-fired power plants 09/21/2011

Solon seeks probe of construction of coal-fired power plants

09/21/2011
Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano is seeking a probe into numerous planned and ongoing construction of privately owned and operated coal-fired power plants in the country.

In House Resolution 1612, Mariano said the Aquino government is permitting the profileration of coal-fired plants as part of its long-term national energy plan and policy on Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
Under the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) 2009 to 2030 crafted by the Department of Energy (DoE), the government has adopted the policy of accelerated exploration and development of coal resources to ensure energy security.

Under the Philippine Energy Contracting Round, the government continues to offer our national coal reserves to big local and foreign companies for explorations and production. It is targeting to increase the local production of coal by 250 percent by 2015 in order to meet the demands of increasing numbers of coal-fired power plants to be installed in Isabela, Zambales, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Sarangani province, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, General Santos City and Sultan Kudarat..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110921nat6.html

RH bill not likely to get House nod, says lawmaker By Gerry Baldo and Charlie V. Manalo 09/21/2011

RH bill not likely to get House nod, says lawmaker

By Gerry Baldo and Charlie V. Manalo 09/21/2011
The controversial Reproductive Health bill, now pending before the House in plenary, is not likely to get the nod of Congress when it resumes next week.

According to Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II of Mandaluyong City, Congress has to do some balancing acts during its deliberations where 25 lawmakers have signified their intention to argue for or against the bill. Others he said refuse to participate in the deliberations leaving a few warm bodies in the plenary hall.

“There is a lot of balancing acts here. You can’t just impose the rules. Pakisamahan talaga rito,” Gonzales said yesterday during the weekly Ugnayan sa Batasan media forum.

Gonzales explained that expediting the passage of the bill could be done by limiting the time of the interpellators who could also try to get even by questioning the quorum..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110921nat3.html

Palace asked: Hold hikes in LRT-MRT fares, toll rates By Angie M. Rosales 09/21/2011

Palace asked: Hold hikes in LRT-MRT fares, toll rates

By Angie M. Rosales 09/21/2011

Senators, crossing party lines, have formally appealed to Malacañang to put off even in the meantime the planned simultaneous increase in fees of the Light Rail and Metro Rail Transit (LRT-MRT) and toll in the country’s expressways.

The initiative of Senators Manuel Villar Jr., Joker Arroyo and Ralph Recto was immediately given assurance of full support by no less than Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile while seven other colleagues moved to have themselves made co-authors of Resolution No. 602.

In filing the resolution, the original authors pointed out that public hearings conducted by the Senate economic affairs, public services and other appropriate committees on the provisional fare hike showed that “there is no need to increase this year the fares of MRT and LRT.”

“I will support it. The situation in the country is such as that there is too much burden on the public and I think that government must be ready to subsidize public services for the benefit of the poor and that is the same philosophy of the conditional cash transfer (CCT) — to subsidize the people who are not in the position to pay for themselves considering the cost of transportation in the country and the uncontrolled increase in the price of fuel for transportation. I think the government must sacrifice and be ready to subsidize the transportation needs of the people,” Enrile said in an interview with reporters..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110921met1.html

Intensified campaign on smoking ban in Caloocan City nets 1,455 violators 09/21/2011

Intensified campaign on smoking ban in Caloocan City nets 1,455 violators

09/21/2011
The Caloocan City government has stepped up its campaign against smoking as it ordered the local law enforcement agencies to closely monitor public places that are covered by the law on tobacco regulation and spare no one who continues to defy the ban.

“The city government has committed itself to strictly carry out the law against smoking in all public places and I have ordered the concerned implementing authorities to make sure that it is being followed to the letter,” Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri said.

The city government, according to the mayor, has been holding a series of seminars aimed at making the people aware of the harmful effects of cigarette smoking to one’s health.

This as the city’s health office, in a report to the city chief executive, said some 1,455 individuals were apprehended for smoking in public places between July 1 and 30 this year alone..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110921met3.html