Cheating Inc. FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 04/19/2012

Cheating Inc.

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

04/19/2012
Malacaang is easing out Augusto Gus Lagman as Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner as Noynoy is not likely to appoint him in the interim, with Congress still in recess.

But I dont buy Lagmans line that he is being canned by Noynoy to please Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and help secure a guilty verdict for Chief Justice Renato Corona. Thats probably the Palace excuse to Lagman.

At this point in Enriles life, all he is thinking of is to do right by the law and the country, just as he thought right and did right by resigning from the Marcos government in 1986 even before the Edsa revolt started. He did it for country and was willing to die for it..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120419com2.html

Environmental groups slam midnight approval of coal power plants in Mindanao

Environmental groups slam midnight approval of coal power plants in Mindanao

“It’s obvious that Aquino is coddling private energy corporations, particularly those using dirty fuels.” – Kalikasan-PNE
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com

The newly-established environmental party Kalikasan Party-list criticized the Benigno Aquino III administration for allegedly railroading the approval of coal power plant deals in Mindanao. The group said the administration continues to pursue dirty coal power and dangerous nuclear power plant projects despite strong opposition from the public and the popular call to pursue clean alternatives.

“It’s obvious that Aquino is coddling private energy corporations, particularly those using dirty fuels. His midnight approval of the contracts to operate of three coal-fired power plants proves this. The Philippines already has 11 coal-fired power plants operating, two of which were inaugurated under Aquino’s watch. This is not the first time that one of Aquino’s pet projects presents serious environmental problems,” said Kalikasan Party-list spokesman Leon Dulce.

Dulce explained that scientific estimates put the average annual pollutive output of these three power projects at 11,100,000 tons of carbon dioxide, 30,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, 2,160 tons of carbon monoxide, and countless other toxic chemical compounds and heavy metals..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/04/11/environmental-groups-slam-midnight-approval-of-coal-power-plants-in-mindanao/

Falkvinge exclusive: Battle for internet on, Big Brother at the gate (w/ Video)

Falkvinge exclusive: Battle for internet on, Big Brother at the gate

The battle over control of the internet is not just about the freedom of speech, but our global future. It is the choice between a Big Brother and democracy unseen before, insists Rick Falkvinge, the founder of the Swedish Pirate Party.

­RT:In the future, do you see an internet that is free, open and equal or do you see dark clouds ahead?

Rickard Falkvinge: We’re at a crossroads right now. This technology can be used to create such a dystopic Big Brother society that if you’d had written a book about it in 1950s-80s, it would have been discarded as being unrealistic. We’re at this dystopic stage seen in the 1950s where there were cameras in people’s homes. The only thing missing from the scenario [is] we bought them ourselves [personal computers] – that is the only thing that was not foreseen..... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/internet-freedom-future-falkvinge-342/

Slice of Swedish scandal: ‘Racist, sexist’ art takes the cake (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

Slice of Swedish scandal: ‘Racist, sexist’ art takes the cake (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

 A provocative installation in Sweden about female genital circumcision has been labeled sexist and racist after the country’s culture minister actively participated in the provocative mock-mutilation show.
­Artist Makode Linde presented his mind-blowing “Painful Cake” installation for World Art Day at Stockholm’s Moderna Muséet on April 15.

The cake was made in the caricatured form of a naked torso of an African tribal woman with the live, make-up-covered head of the Afro-European artist attached to it. Makode Linde was hiding his body within the serving table..... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/screaming-cake-scandal-sweden-352/

Promotion of Morong 43 jailer enrages victims, rights groups

Promotion of Morong 43 jailer enrages victims, rights groups

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – The recent promotion of Major General Jorge Segovia, former commander of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army that carried out the illegal arrest of 43 health workers in February 2010, has outraged human rights groups.

The 43 health workers, popularly known as Morong 43, were arrested in Morong, Rizal and slapped with charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives two years ago. They were tortured especially during the first months of their imprisonment at Camp Capinpin. They were jailed for nearly a year.

Segovia, commander of the 10th ID, is set to replace Lieutenant General Arthur Tabaquero as Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) chief. The new post promotes him into the next higher rank of lieutenant general.

“His promotion is an insult to the victims of human rights violations,” Gary Liberal, a nurse and one of the so-called Morong 43, told Bulatlat.com in phone interview.

Liberal is one of the six of the Morong 43 who filed damage suit against Segovia, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and several other officers of the military and police for violation of human rights..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/04/14/promotion-of-morong-43-jailer-enrages-victims-rights-groups/

Workers, peasants converge in rally, demand relief for poor majority

Workers, peasants converge in rally, demand relief for poor majority

 As peasants and workers are being battered by incessant price hikes, peasants are demanding for an increase in the government’s procurement of rice and workers for a substantial wage increase.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – “While the toil of workers brings wealth to the country especially to the few rich, the workers who are supposed to receive living wages are being forced to go hungry because of meager wages. It is the Filipino farmers who produce the country’s food, but they themselves are getting more and more deprived.”
These are the messages repeatedly aired by leaders of peasants and workers who marched separately on Tuesday April 17 yet later held a joint program at the foot of Mendiola Bridge (now Chino Roces) near Malacañang.

The peasants led by Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) marched and started their program at Mendiola when the workers led by the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) arrived marching, too. The KMU members pushed aside the steel barriers and barbed wire that flanked the monument of Chino Roces, so they could march nearer the gates of the Mendiola Peace Arch. The police, meanwhile, formed a barricade behind the gate, with some policemen taunting the protesters and banging their shields with their truncheons.

Workers push aside the steel barrier barring entrance to Mendiola peace arch. (Photo by Marya Salamat / bulatlat.com)

The workers asserted that they want to hold their program as near as possible to the Malacañang Palace— the better, they say, to make President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III listen to their demand for social justice.
The peasants also pushed aside the steel barrier and barbed wire on their side of Mendiola to join the workers near the Mendiola Peace Arch gates.

Workers, peasants becoming poorer 

“The Aquino government, acting on the dictates of IMF-World Bank, has been removing subsidies to agriculture,” said Willy Marbella, peasant leader from Bicol. The peasants group marched to Mendiola to demand subsidies from the government, beginning with raising the government’s buying price for palay (unhusked rice) to P20 ($0.47) per kilo so peasants will not go bankrupt..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/04/18/workers-peasants-converge-in-rally-demand-relief-for-poor-majority/

‘Lord, heal our land’ VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 04/19/2012

‘Lord, heal our land’

VIEWPOINTS

Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz

04/19/2012
Thus says the title of a famous and much appreciated song that was repeatedly sang and delightfully heard some years back.

The truth is that the song remains relevant and meaningful, particularly in these times, in the Philippines. The song is religious in nature but also practical in application. It looks up to heaven, having earth well in mind. It elevates to the divine what humans sadly experience and suffer from. It asks for healing because something is unwell, something hurts and begs for healing.

What are the pains that need healing? What is wrong that needs to be made right? Who caused the pain and did the wrong?

Sad to say, the answer to all the questions is the same. Said pitiful and detestable reality in the land is authored by the one and the same being: Man..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120419com7.html

Whistle-blower CA justice in Meralco bribe dead 04/19/2012

Whistle-blower CA justice in Meralco bribe dead

04/19/2012
BAGUIO City — Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Jose Sabio, the whistle-blower in a case in the alleged bribery in a case involving the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has died of natural causes, the Supreme Court (SC) announced yesterday.

He was 71.

Court Administrator Midas Marquez said Sabio, a brother of former Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) Chairman Camilo Sabio, died after a lingering illness in the latter’s home province of Cagayan de Oro.

Following Sabio’s exposé of alleged attempts to bribe him in 2009, a Department of Justice panel found probable cause to indict businessman-cum-lobbyist Francis de Borja for corrupting public officials and violating provision of the country’s gift-giving edict against government employees and officials..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120419nat10.html

Beijing summons Manila diplomat; RP junks China historical claim By Michaela P. del Callar and Rocky G. Nazareno 04/19/2012

Beijing summons Manila diplomat; RP junks China historical claim

By Michaela P. del Callar and Rocky G. Nazareno 04/19/2012

China yesterday summoned a top Philippine diplomat and expressed concern over the “harassment” of Chinese fishing boats in disputed waters in the South China Sea, as a maritime standoff rumbled on.

The two countries have traded barbs for more than a week over a territorial dispute that centers on the disputed Scarborough Shoal called Huangyan island in Chinese, and has increased tensions in the region.

On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying had summoned the charge d’affaires of the Philippine Embassy on Sunday and Wednesday to lodge representations over the row..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120419hea3.html

SC’s Marquez blasts Noynoy for dismantling Rule of Law By Benjamin B. Pulta 04/19/2012

SC’s Marquez blasts Noynoy for dismantling Rule of Law

By Benjamin B. Pulta 04/19/2012

BAGUIO City — Malacañang’s unrelenting and ill-advised attacks to undermine the Supreme Court (SC) are creating a dangerous culture which promotes defiance of court orders and legal processes, warned Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez yesterday.

Speaking during the annual forum for newsmen covering the judiciary beat, Marquez cautioned that the Executive Department’s moves will undermine not only the judiciary but the entire system of government grounded on law.

“Unfortunately, today, the administration’s deliberate dismantling of the public confidence that the court has so meticulously built over the decades has emboldened private individuals to defy court rulings and render meaningless the rule of law,” Marquez said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120419hea1.html

Solon accuses Noy of conspiring with allies to jack up power rates in Mindanao By Charlie V. Manalo 04/19/2012

Solon accuses Noy of conspiring with allies to jack up power rates in Mindanao

By Charlie V. Manalo 04/19/2012

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino yesterday hinted that President Aquino and Department of Energy (DoE) Secretary Jose Almendras are conspiring with favored friends in the private power sector to jack up prices in Mindanao.

I have been wondering why Noynoy and Almendras are forcing coal and diesel plants to be used in Mindanao when the electricity costs are high when there are many alternatives and different solutions to the crisis. Is it because this would benefit the Aboitizes who for a long time have been close to Aquino and that they were the former boss of Almendras? It looks like a Triple A conspiracy to me, said Casino.

The Aboitizes own Therma Marine Inc. whose two power barges are largely blamed for the power outages in Mindanao in 2010, when they entered into a contract with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, making prices unaffordable to Mindanaos power distributors..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120419nat11.html

RP leads world in belief in God — poll 04/19/2012

RP leads world in belief in God — poll

04/19/2012
WASHINGTON — The Philippines leads the world in the number of people who believe in God, while the elderly across all countries tend to be the most religious, according to a US study out Wednesday.

Belief in God tends to be strongest in the United States and Catholic countries and lowest in Scandinavia and former Soviet states, according to the survey carried out by the NORC research group at the University of Chicago.

The study was based on data from 30 countries — nearly all with Christian majorities — in which surveys about belief in God have been taken since 1991..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120419nat2.html

Formal installation of PPUR as one of World’s New 7 Wonders of Nature on Saturday By Arlie O. Calalo 04/19/2012

Formal installation of PPUR as one of World’s New 7 Wonders of Nature on Saturday

By Arlie O. Calalo 04/19/2012

The famous Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) in Palawan will be officially installed as one of the world’s New 7 Wonders of Nature in a ceremony to be held in Pasay City on Saturday.

Mayor Edward Hagedorn, at a press briefing held at a Quezon City restaurant yesterday, said the formal installation by the Swiss-based organization called the New 7 Wonders of Nature Foundation headed by Dr. Bernard Weber will further result in vibrant tourism in Palawan and in the entire Philippines as well.

He said President Aquino will be the guest of honor and speaker of the historic event that is expected to be graced by members of the diplomatic community, key officials from the six countries that made it to the New 7 Wonders of Nature, national government and local government officials in the National Capital Region..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120419met4.html

Lawmaker asks LGUs to shut down cheating gas stations By Charlie V. Manalo 04/19/2012

Lawmaker asks LGUs to shut down cheating gas stations

By Charlie V. Manalo 04/19/2012

Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy yesterday asked local government units (LGUs) to padlock gasoline stations found shortchanging motorists with tampered or defective pumps.

Herrera-Dy said city and municipal governments in the country have the right to recall or withdraw business permits and licenses they have issued gasoline outlets if found to have resorted to dishonest methods in conducting their business.

At the same time, Herrera-Dy said LGUs also have the responsibility to conduct regular inspections of gasoline stations operating in their respective localities..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120419met1.html

What’s the point in the standoff with China?

What’s the point in the standoff with China?

By BENJIE OLIVEROS
Bulatlat.com
There is so much government and media hype over the country’s disputes with China. First it was about the territorial dispute over the Spratly Islands. Now it is about the standoff at Scarborough shoal. It seems as if somebody is trying to stoke the tensions or create a crisis.

At the center of it all is Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III who swings from declaring that he is all for a diplomatic resolution to the Spratly islands dispute to begging for assurances of support and weapons from the US; from sending a coast guard cutter to the Scarborough shoal purportedly to “defuse the tension” to declaring that his government is not inclined to go to war with China. But now the US-RP joint military exercises are being held near the disputed waters.

What is the point in all this?

Is it about asserting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity? Perhaps, but why is the Aquino government trying to assert it by surrendering the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity to the US by begging it for support and weapons, and by “inviting” it to station more troops in the country?.... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/04/18/whats-the-point-in-the-standoff-with-china/

Fishy deals in the ‘daang matuwid’ EDITORIAL 04/18/2012

Fishy deals in the ‘daang matuwid’

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

04/18/2012
Fossil fuel is the most expensive fuel in the world today, while privatization in this country has proven not to be beneficial to the Filipinos, as higher prices and the same sloppy and bum service follow after a government sells the country’s assets.

And yet there went Noynoy, announcing to one and all that he plans to sell all government power plants in the country, including hydroelectric plants as this is one way to attract investors.

In the time of Noynoy’s mother, her solution to the eight-hour daily blackouts problem which she and her administrators created in the first place, was to come up with overpriced contracts for fuel barges, which initially solved the problem, but ended with the consumers paying more for the cost of power..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120418com1.html

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Amid the impasse in the peace talks between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), another consultant of the NDFP was arrested April 3.
Renante Gamara and a companion Santiago Balleta were arrested by armed men in plainclothes in Las Pinas, Metro Manila. The NDFP said the two were not shown any warrant of arrest and were handcuffed and brought to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

“Gamara’s illegal arrest and continued detention is a gross violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig),” the NDFP said in a statement sent through email.

Jasig guarantees the safety and immunity of consultants and staff of both parties. Under the agreement, consultants and staff may use assumed names for their security.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit of the National Capital Region confiscated Gamara’s belongings including his NDFP Document of Identification No. ND 978236 with assumed name of Siling Perez. Gamara protested his arrest as he is supposed to be protected under Jasig, and showed the arresting forces his JASIG Document of Information card. The arresting forces only took it and said that they will turn it over to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/04/16/ndfp-condemns-arrest-of-another-consultant/

Ron Paul says he'd protect Bradley Manning and other whistleblowers (w/ Video)

Ron Paul says he'd protect Bradley Manning and other whistleblowers

As Bradley Manning awaits his next appearance in court, the pool of presidential candidates have been slow to comment on the prosecution against the US Army private accused of providing government secrets to WikiLeaks. Except for Ron Paul, that is.

President Barack Obama called Manning “guilty” even before he was brought to trial for his alleged role with WikiLeaks, but GOP presidential hopeful Texas Congressman Ron Paul told supporters last week that he thinks it isn’t quite as simple as that.

Addressing supporters in San Antonio, Texas last week, Congressman Paul weighed in on the whistleblower’s role in bringing light to governmental scandal..... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/ron-paul-manning-wikileaks-308/

Leaked CIA memo exposes US terror suspect torture as 'war crimes'

Leaked CIA memo exposes US terror suspect torture as 'war crimes'

The US is refraining from defining waterboarding and other questionable interrogation methods it used to apply to terrorist suspects as torture, possibly with a view to using them once again someday.

Years after the Bush administration left office, many feel President Obama is not doing enough to make up for America's past mistakes. This includes torture treatment of terrorist suspects by the US investigators.

Such torture techniques include waterboarding, stress positions and other methods of interrogation welcomed into American secret service after 9/11 paved the way for the War on Terror..... MORE

Source:  Rt.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/us-torture-techniques-waterboarding-232/

Fomenting anti-Korean, anti-Chinese sentiments meant to justify increased US presence?

Fomenting anti-Korean, anti-Chinese sentiments meant to justify increased US presence?

Why is the Aquino government suddenly being combative against China, over the disputed Spratly Islands, and North Korea over its satellite launch?
See also: US, Aquino govts accused of hypocrisy over nuke issue
Philippine govt compromises own Scarborough claim

By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Sudden “tension” at the Scarborough shoal, seemingly contradictory government statements over North Korea’s satellite launch (such as the “highly unlikely but probable” danger being raised by Defense Undersecretary Benito Ramos), government officials’ intermittent discussions of the Chinese threat at the Spratlys – these are just some of the security worries occupying the Aquino government as reported by the mainstream media. But do these really constitute threats or, as some critics asked, are these just preparations for justifying the arrival of more than 4,700 US troops this month?

Until the Philippine government started arresting Chinese fisherfolk at Scarborough shoal, Filipino fisherfolk living near and fishing at the rich shoal told a TV interview that they and the Taiwanese and Chinese fisherfolk have all been fishing together in that shoal. There was no enmity and tension, based on their accounts. Some fisherfolk even said that at times, when they have no catch yet, those Chinese or Taiwanese fisherfolk would even share with them their catch. All the Filipino fisherfolk pray is that they will not be barred from fishing in the shoal.

As to the impending North Korean launch of a satellite, geopolitics expert Prof. Roland Simbulan told Bulatlat.com that the government warnings against the potential risks due to the launch, such as falling debris, for example, are “exaggerated.” There is no truth to that, said Simbulan, explaining that the debris from the rockets to be used for the launch would shatter into small pieces as it falls into the earth..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/04/13/fomenting-anti-korean-anti-chinese-sentiments-meant-to-justify-increased-us-presence/