Gloria reins in Lakas solons, stems boltings By Aytch S. de la Cruz, Charlie V. Manalo and Angie M. Rosales 04/20/2010

As Palace funds flow to congressmen Gloria reins in Lakas solons, stems boltings By Aytch S. de la Cruz, Charlie V. Manalo and Angie M. Rosales 04/20/2010 One hundred sixty one Lakas-Kampi congressmen swore allegiance to President Arroyo and the administration, after being reined in by her in an outward support of the adminstration candidate, former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro. Sources, however, told the Tribune yesterday that some of the congressmen’s hands were greased with between P100 million to P200 million each, for them to openly declare their loyalty to Arroyo and to follow her orders -— whatever they may be come election day. The same sources identified with the administration party, also said that local officials belonging to the ruling party expressed discontent, if not disgust, as the funds flowed only for the congressmen, and not to the local executives, saying what it looks... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100420hed1.html

HEADLINES Gloria reins in Lakas solons, stems boltings Gov’t prosecutors score Agra over Ampatuan ruling Comelec brags: Transport fees trimmed down by 50% Erap in the pink of mental health RP Church leaders to move US priest over sex scandal ‘Architects of poverty’ now with Noynoy — NP

Erap in the pink of mental health 04/20/2010

Erap in the pink of mental health

04/20/2010 Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) standard-bearer former President Joseph Estrada is in the pink of health both physically and psychologically. “I was fit for the presidency in 1998, I am still fit to be the next President,” Estrada said in a radio interview yesterday — his 73rd birthday. Estrada disclosed that he went through psychiatric tests and other medical examinations even before other presidential candidates had come up with a challenge for them to undergo psychiatric tests. He, however, said the medical examination was for his own consumption and he does not plan to challenge his presidential rivals to go through the same process.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100420hed4.html

HEADLINES Gloria reins in Lakas solons, stems boltings Gov’t prosecutors score Agra over Ampatuan ruling Comelec brags: Transport fees trimmed down by 50% Erap in the pink of mental health RP Church leaders to move US priest over sex scandal ‘Architects of poverty’ now with Noynoy — NP

Gov’t prosecutors score Agra over Ampatuan ruling By Benjamin B. Pulta and Angie M. Rosales 04/20/2010

Gov’t prosecutors score Agra over Ampatuan ruling

By Benjamin B. Pulta and Angie M. Rosales 04/20/2010 Government prosecutors yesterday publicly criticized the controversial decision of Justice Secretary Alberto Agra to clear two members of the Ampatuan clan of multiple murder charges in last November’s Maguindanao massacre which saw 57 individuals killed. “The Department of Justice (DoJ) is supposed to be the sword and shield of law and order. We are deeply concerned that the resolution will all the more convince a long skeptical public that our criminal justice system is impotent when the accused are politically influential,” the panel of prosecutors who built the case said in a manifesto. “We pray and hope that despite difficulties and setbacks, justice will ultimately be served to the victims of this tragedy. It is along this line that we earnestly and respectfully request Acting Secretary Agra to revisit his resolution. Otherwise, we dishonor the primary reasons for which our institution existsand its very name: the DoJ,” the manifesto added.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100420hed2.html

HEADLINES Gloria reins in Lakas solons, stems boltings Gov’t prosecutors score Agra over Ampatuan ruling Comelec brags: Transport fees trimmed down by 50% Erap in the pink of mental health RP Church leaders to move US priest over sex scandal ‘Architects of poverty’ now with Noynoy — NP

‘Architects of poverty’ now with Noynoy — NP By Angie M. Rosales 04/20/2010

‘Architects of poverty’ now with Noynoy — NP

By Angie M. Rosales 04/20/2010 The Liberal Party (LP) is indeed growing in number, but its core is now made up of the “architects of poverty” under President Arroyo’s leadership, according to the Nacionalista Party (NP). “I think the Filipino people should always remember that when you vote for a president, you’re not voting for one person, you’re voting for his team, also his family. So we should be very careful when choosing a president,” lawyer Adel Tamano, NP senatorial bet and party spokesman said, as he cited names of personalities formerly highly-identified with Arroyo who now supposedly comprise the panel of advisers of the LP standard bearer. “That assumption is not based on nothing. In the past, it has been a historical precedent that the closest advisers to a presidential candidate, would become his Cabinet members as well because the membership in Cabinet, is a matter of highest trust and confidentiality. He will choose his advisers and he will not pick someone whom he does not personally know or not a known supporter..... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100420hed6.html

HEADLINES Gloria reins in Lakas solons, stems boltings Gov’t prosecutors score Agra over Ampatuan ruling Comelec brags: Transport fees trimmed down by 50% Erap in the pink of mental health RP Church leaders to move US priest over sex scandal ‘Architects of poverty’ now with Noynoy —NP

Unusual EDITORIAL04/20/2010

Unusual

EDITORIAL Click to enlarge 04/20/2010 The Judicial and Bar Council is today being praised — almost to high heavens — by the usual civil society types, for asserting its “independence,” and on the basis of its position on the issue of both the grant of the high court to the incumbent Malacañang tenant the authority to name the next Chief Justice and the court’s order for the JBC to submit the list of nominees to Malacañang for the CJ’s post. To recall, it was the Supreme Court (SC) that called on the JBC to give its comment. Stated differently, it was not a voluntary act on the part of the JBC in coming up with its position, as the body was merely following that which the SC had ordered it to do. The JBC has taken the position of two SC justices who took the view that the issue is “premature.” But the JBC also made it clear that whatever is the final decision of the high court, it will comply with it.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100420com1.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Unusual FRONTLINE Return to the wild, wild west NO HOLDS BARRED When good men do nothing AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Skin whiteners and MacArthur SILVER LINING Susano for Erap FEATURE Dream vacation spot in Lebanon at enemy’s gate

Return to the wild, wild west FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 04/20/2010

Return to the wild, wild west

FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 04/20/2010 Government appears to be in complete chaos — and this, even before the chaos that is expected to occur during and shortly after election day, with massive disenfranchisement and counting machines breaking down, not to mention massive fraud that all point to a no presidential and senatorial proclamation scenario. Something is terribly wrong in a bureaucracy where subalterns openly object to what their chief says and does, as in the case of the announced dropping of the murder charges against two Ampatuans: ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and his cousin, former Maguindanao Vice Gov. Akmad Ampatuan. The chief prosecutor along with his team of prosecutors, read out a statement before the media and some of the relatives of the massacre victims, saying that the murder case against the Ampatuans should not have been dropped, adding that they were not even consulted by the Justice chief before he came up with this resolution of the review of the case, and then virtually demanded that Alberto Agra, Justice chief, reverse his review ruling.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100420com2.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Unusual FRONTLINE Return to the wild, wild west NO HOLDS BARRED When good men do nothing AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Skin whiteners and MacArthur SILVER LINING Susano for Erap FEATURE Dream vacation spot in Lebanon at enemy’s gate

When good men do nothing NO HOLDS BARRED Armida Siguion-Reyna 04/20/2010

When good men do nothing

NO HOLDS BARRED Armida Siguion-Reyna 04/20/2010 Last week, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. announced his resignation as Philippine ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations to “campaign for change,” effective April 1. He talked like he had only recently found out what this government’s been doing all along, so I thought it was an April Fools’ joke. Speaking as if he had nothing to do with installing Gloria Arroyo in the first place, he said the country “can never forget” this dispensation’s corruption. Since when, his recognition of unforgettable sleaze? How long, after swearing in Glora Arroyo as president on Edsa in 2001? Why is he complaining only now, when he did not as much as comment on “Hello Garci?” Joc-joc Bolante and the fertilizer scam? The NBN-ZTE deal? The Le Cirque dinner for Gloria and company that cost the Filipino taxpayer close to $20,000, or P954,000? Etcetera, etcetera? His tenure is supposed to end June 30, but as he told various media, “I just had to come (home) to be able to enlighten our people on the need to choose the best. So, here I am, campaigning hard, knowing that a victory will be sure for Noynoy and Mar and the entire LP... this is the best time for our country to have real change.” What an opportunist. What a disappointment.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100420com3.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Unusual FRONTLINE Return to the wild, wild west NO HOLDS BARRED When good men do nothing AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Skin whiteners and MacArthur SILVER LINING Susano for Erap FEATURE Dream vacation spot in Lebanon at enemy’s gate

Skin whiteners and MacArthur AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Ken Fuller 04/20/2010

Skin whiteners and MacArthur

AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Ken Fuller 04/20/2010 Last week, this column discussed MacArthur of the Philippines, a hymn of praise to “the General” (as his wife called him) by Fernando Ruiz. As we saw, Mr. Ruiz clearly regarded Douglas MacArthur as little less than a god. But why? Could it be because, as Mr. Ruiz writes, in “the history of Filipinos’ long struggle for freedom... Gen. Douglas MacArthur was the only white man who appeared like a rainbow to reinvigorate their quest for freedom and democracy.” But MacArthur did no such thing, of course. He arrived as a junior officer in the army of occupation in 1903, toward the tail-end of the US war of conquest that left hundreds of thousands of Filipinos dead. His father, Gen. Arthur MacArthur, appointed military governor in 1900, took the view that Filipinos required “ten years of bayonet treatment.” Bataan? MacArthur only visited his men there once, despite his claim to “love them.” It was MacArthur who started the myth that the Japanese outnumbered his forces and, despite the fact that it was debunked years ago, Mr. Ruiz dutifully repeats it. Liberation in 1944-45?.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100420com4.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Unusual FRONTLINE Return to the wild, wild west NO HOLDS BARRED When good men do nothing AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Skin whiteners and MacArthur SILVER LINING Susano for Erap FEATURE Dream vacation spot in Lebanon at enemy’s gate

Susano for Erap SILVER LINING Dean Ernest Maceda 04/20/2010

Susano for Erap

SILVER LINING Dean Ernest Maceda 04/20/2010 The defection of Rep. Annie Susano, Lakas chairman and candidate for mayor of Quezon City together with Vice Mayor Janet Babes Malaya and her entire slate to the Erap camp has assured the victory of the Erap-Binay Team in the biggest City in Metro Manila. Quezon City has 1.6 million votes, half of which are in the district of Susano. Annie Susano recalled that she is just coming back to PMP since she won as a councilor under the PMP in 1988. The Erap-Binay team has stepped up its campaign, visiting 14 provinces in 10 days namely Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga City, Northern Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Cebu, Rizal, Laguna, Cagayan, Nueva Viscaya, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and Cavite.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100420com5.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Unusual FRONTLINE Return to the wild, wild west NO HOLDS BARRED When good men do nothing AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Skin whiteners and MacArthur SILVER LINING Susano for Erap FEATURE Dream vacation spot in Lebanon at enemy’s gate

Dream vacation spot in Lebanon at enemy’s gate FEATURE 04/20/2010

Dream vacation spot in Lebanon at enemy’s gate

FEATURE 04/20/2010 AL-WAZZANI — On a lush green hillside that dips into a river, dozens of laborers are busy building a dream vacation getaway deep in Lebanon’s south. The construction site in the tiny village of Al-Wazzani may look like any other except that in this case it sits right at the enemy’s gate — literally a stone’s throw from Israel. “Many told us we were crazy to build so close to the border with Israel,” said Khalil Abdallah, the man behind the three-million-dollar project located three meters (10 feet) from the UN-drawn border that separates Lebanon from Israel, two countries still technically at war.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100420com6.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Unusual FRONTLINE Return to the wild, wild west NO HOLDS BARRED When good men do nothing AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Skin whiteners and MacArthur SILVER LINING Susano for Erap FEATURE Dream vacation spot in Lebanon at enemy’s gate