All signs point to massive electronic fraud EDITORIAL 06/10/2010

All signs point to massive electronic fraud

EDITORIAL Click to enlarge 06/10/2010 Probably the best testimony given before the House committee panel probing allegations of electronic fraud as well as the sins of the poll body and its partner, Smartmatic, was that of Jonathan Manalang of LRA Pacific, a call center whose services were subcontracted by Smartmatic as a support group. Reports said he testified that the call center received calls from technicians needing help or updates on the progress of the polls, as well as reports from them on results transmission.  Manalang was quoted as saying that it was strange that the Commission on Elections (Comelec), close to midnight, was already announcing that half of the results were already in, even when the call center received reports of electronic vote transmission only at 9 p.m. and that these were only a handful. Twenty percent of the results, the testimony went, came in by 3 a.m. From where then did the Comelec get its 50 percent figures of the precinct vote when there were as yet no reports of such transmissions? Smartmatic, which is hardly consistent in its answers as it keeps on changing its stories everytime it is caught lying, claimed that not all of the technicians reported the transmission of election results on time and that there were times when transmissions were done directly from the precint count optical scan (PCOS) but that these were not reported to the call center. That’s a pretty lame answer. Even more telling is the fact that it was admitted by Cesar Flores of Smartmatic that the compact flash (CF) cards could be used again to scan and read ballots already scanned, which translates opening the doors to a manipulation of votes. This begs the question: What then was the purpose of replacing all those 72,000 CF cards, which were said to have been programmed some four days before the polls, and even progammed by DoST technicians who have no mandate to do such?... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100610com1.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL All signs point to massive electronic fraud FRONTLINE Pushing electoral protests focus Bhopal: 25 years for justice — even more for a clean-up BLURBAL THRUSTS Clerical post for a lackey VIEWPOINTS Truth can wait — but not forever COMMENT Critique of the May 2010 automated polls FEATURE Phoenician or Arab? A never-ending debate in Lebanon

Pushing electoral protests FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 06/10/2010

Pushing electoral protests

FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 06/10/2010 Sen. Mar Roxas should go ahead and file an electoral protest, in the national interest, rather than just his challenging Vice President-elect Jojo Binay’s victory. He should do it for the sake of the millions who had voted for him, and even those who did not vote for him. For that matter, all other presidential candidates who have found the automated election system much too prone to electronic fraud, as it has been found during the congressional probe that ended recently, should join in the electoral protest, even if they know they did not win the race. More importantly, the Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, shouldn’t sit on these electoral protests and wait it out until Roxas, for instance, runs for a Senate seat again in 2013 which has characterized the PET too many times in the past. The reason is simple: The Filipino people must know, not so much who really won the vice presidential race, or the presidential race, for that matter, but more to have the Filipinos know just how much their soveriegn will has been trampled upon — through the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and its partner, Smartmatic-TIM. It has always been said that the people’s voice through the ballot is the supreme authority and law — even higher than the Constitution. It is time that the people’s voice is respected and not nullified by the automated machines, Smartmatic technicians, Comelec IT cheats, as well as the Comelec commissioners and executives’ incompetence and even deliberately opening the automated system to widescale electronic fraud.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100610com2.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL All signs point to massive electronic fraud FRONTLINE Pushing electoral protests focus Bhopal: 25 years for justice — even more for a clean-up BLURBAL THRUSTS Clerical post for a lackey VIEWPOINTS Truth can wait — but not forever COMMENT Critique of the May 2010 automated polls FEATURE Phoenician or Arab? A never-ending debate in Lebanon

Bhopal: 25 years for justice — even more for a clean-up focus 06/10/2010

Bhopal: 25 years for justice — even more for a clean-up

focus 06/10/2010 BHOPAL — India’s justice system took 25 years to deliver a verdict on the company executives blamed for the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster, but the pollution clean-up operation is taking even longer. On Monday, seven managers from the local subsidiary of US chemical group Union Carbide were sentenced to two years in prison for criminal negligence in the first convictions in the case. They will appeal and were released on bail. The sentences, perceived as too lenient by rights groups and survivors, have shone a spotlight on simmering grievances at the way the disaster was handled by the company and authorities. Union Carbide settled all liabilities related to the accident, including the clean-up costs, with a $470-million out-of-court deal with India’s government in 1989, after years of wrangling about the amount. Ever since, campaign groups, environmental groups and scientists have warned that local authorities have never adequately sanitized the site, meaning toxins continue to cause illnesses and birth defects among residents. “Nobody wants to clear the poison that is lying in the yard and all our protests demanding safe disposal have failed,” said Satinath Sarangi, a member of a voluntary medical organization, Sambhavna, in Bhopal. The disaster began on Dec. 3, 1984, when the Union Carbide pesticide plant in the central Indian city accidentally released about 40 tons of toxic gas into surrounding residential areas. According to the government, 3,500 lives were lost in the immediate aftermath but activists and rights group calculate that 25,000 people died in the years that followed.... MORE   Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100610com3.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL All signs point to massive electronic fraud FRONTLINE Pushing electoral protests focus Bhopal: 25 years for justice — even more for a clean-up BLURBAL THRUSTS Clerical post for a lackey VIEWPOINTS Truth can wait — but not forever COMMENT Critique of the May 2010 automated polls FEATURE Phoenician or Arab? A never-ending debate in Lebanon

Clerical post for a lackey BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 06/10/2010

Clerical post for a lackey

BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 06/10/2010 There is one thing which Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo has an abundance of — gall. Romulo, who has been holding the Foreign Affairs portfolio in Mrs. Arroyo’s Cabinet since 2004, proved it when he was quoted by reporters as saying he would be amenable to working for the administration of President-elect Benigno Aquino III, “even as a clerk.” While it cannot be denied that sometime late last year he did publicly express his personal preference for Noynoy — whose mother the late President Cory Aquino he had served as Budget minister over two decades ago — in the 2010 polls over former Defense Chief Gibo Teodoro who was the handpicked choice of Malacañang, the fact remains that Romulo still was one of the most canine supporters of the much-despised Mrs. Arroyo, much to the chagrin of dyed-in-the-wool Coryistas who had come to regard him as a traitor to their common cause.  Romulo’s off-the-cuff remark, which he claimed was uttered during a private conversation and therefore shouldn’t have seen print, spawned a lot of vitriol from other functionaries in the Arroyo government, and it reached the point where they began demanding his resignation from his lofty position out of delicadeza since he had explicitly stated he wouldn’t be actively supporting the administration’s presidential candidate who was at the same time a Cabinet colleague. Lorelei Fajardo, the deputy presidential spokesman at the time, didn’t care to mince words over her disillusionment and also called for Romulo’s head over his blatant hypocrisy in favoring the opposition’s poster boy Aquino who had vowed he would make life really difficult for certain Arroyo stalwarts if he should win in the elections. Ever the thick-skinned politician (please be reminded that he was a multi-term senator), Romulo brushed off the flak he had unwittingly caused by asserting to the DFA media that he would not be joining the ranks of the opposition, who had embraced Noynoy as their only chance for change, and would continue serving Mrs. Arroyo as her Foreign secretary until June 30, 2010 when she would be stepping down as President. “I have to make it very clear that … I am standing by the President until the end of her term and beyond,” Romulo was quoted in a statement issued by the DFA. Undoubtedly, Romulo’s relationship with Mrs. Arroyo had already gone far beyond the beso-beso stage, contrary to what he would like to make it appear to the public. What else can be inferred, when you have three Romulos working for the incumbent. His son Roman sought reelection (and won handily) as Pasig City congressman under the Lakas party. Also, he had his daughter Bernadette appointed as undersecretary in the Department of Agriculture. And he has the gall to assume the newly-empowered “yellow crowd” will be making a beeline for his doorstep stumbling all over themselves just to invite him to be a part of the bureaucracy they will be forming merely because he happened to be an original Coryista, and in spite of the fact that he licked the boots of his master in Malacañang due to his closet desire for power and pelf..... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100610com4.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL All signs point to massive electronic fraud FRONTLINE Pushing electoral protests focus Bhopal: 25 years for justice — even more for a clean-up BLURBAL THRUSTS Clerical post for a lackey VIEWPOINTS Truth can wait — but not forever COMMENT Critique of the May 2010 automated polls FEATURE Phoenician or Arab? A never-ending debate in Lebanon

Truth can wait — but not forever VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 06/10/2010

Truth can wait — but not forever

VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 06/10/2010 Objective truth has some features that liars and thieves, frauds grafters and similarly other vicious and odious characters, will do well to remember — knowing fully well that their corrupt and corrupting legacy adversely affects not only themselves but their descendants as well. In fact, even if they are six feet below the ground, their gross and scandalous misdeeds, continue to haunt them still. This is no movie but reality, not mere moral gymnastics but historical certainty. In other words, truth can wait — but not forever. The rather well-known big crooks and villains in the present Philippines society, especially those supposedly occupying high and sensitive offices in government but instead prove to be callous and obnoxious, so-called “public officials” can be, and are being exonerated one by one from their heinous sins against the good and welfare of the Filipinos in general. The more powerful and influential they have been in the past decade or so, the more covetous and greedy they became, and more above the law they remain to this writing. The overall result of the above compound and complex decadent governance is already nauseous to listen to and disgusting to think about: Poverty and misery. Discrimination and criminality. Ignorance and despair. And the sorrowful litany goes on and on.  But over and above all these social ills are the lamentable phenomenon of the much eroded dignity of the human person — together with the consequent depreciation of basic human rights, which is one big bad piece of news! But again, it would be a huge folly for those concerned in the socio-political and pursuant economic degradation of the country to even but think that they could get away with it all — now and ever. Whether they subscribe to it or not, sooner or later, their distorted value system and consequent sick behavior pattern will eventually face and succumb to the fearsome force of truth, and thereby bow down to the imperative of justice. No! This is not necessarily about the hereafter and beyond — but even in the here and now.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100610com5.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL All signs point to massive electronic fraud FRONTLINE Pushing electoral protests focus Bhopal: 25 years for justice — even more for a clean-up BLURBAL THRUSTS Clerical post for a lackey VIEWPOINTS Truth can wait — but not forever COMMENT Critique of the May 2010 automated polls FEATURE Phoenician or Arab? A never-ending debate in Lebanon

Critique of the May 2010 automated polls By Kaakbay Party-List COMMENT 06/10/2010

Critique of the May 2010 automated polls

By Kaakbay Party-List COMMENT 06/10/2010 Republic Act (RA) 9369 was enacted authorizing Commission on Elections (Comelec) to use an Automated Election System (AES). To ensure the accuracy, veracity and authenticity in the recording and reading of votes in the precincts; electronic transmission of the election returns (ERs) to the municipal, city, provincial and national canvassing; as well as the tabulation, RA 9369 required the AES to have minimum capabilities standards, such as the use of digital signatures, voter verifiability, and UV scanning to detect unauthorized ballots, among others. Digital Signatures: The importance of digital signatures in the election is clearly specified in RA 9369. The chairman of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) shall electronically transmit the precinct results to the respective levels of board of canvassers (BoC). The ERs transmitted electronically and digitally signed shall be considered as official election results and shall be used as the basis for the canvassing of votes and the proclamation of a candidate. RA 9369 also referred to RA 8792 Electronic Commerce Act as to the requirements for provision, use and interpretation of various aspects of electronic or digital signatures. On June 15, 2009, Executive Order 810 was issued institutionalizing the use of digital signatures and directing the application of digital signatures in E-Government services. 1. Voter verifiability: An audit trail so the voter can verify whether his votes were the same as those read and counted by the PCOS machine.... MORE   Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100610com6.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL All signs point to massive electronic fraud FRONTLINE Pushing electoral protests focus Bhopal: 25 years for justice — even more for a clean-up BLURBAL THRUSTS Clerical post for a lackey VIEWPOINTS Truth can wait — but not forever COMMENT Critique of the May 2010 automated polls FEATURE Phoenician or Arab? A never-ending debate in Lebanon

Phoenician or Arab? A never-ending debate in Lebanon FEATURE 06/10/2010

Phoenician or Arab? A never-ending debate in Lebanon

FEATURE 06/10/2010 BEIRUT — “I am a Phoenician, not an Arab,” asserts 20-year-old Lebanese student Rebecca Yazbeck when asked to define her identity, with nothing more than conviction to back her claim. But fellow Lebanese Shehade Seqlawi feels differently. “There is no question that we are Arabs,” says the 50-year-old chauffeur. “We live in an Arab environment.” A debate over national identity has raged in Lebanon since the start of the 20th century with many Maronites, the dominant Christian sect in the multi-confessional country, claiming direct ancestry from the Phoenicians in a bid to stand apart in the largely Muslim Middle East. The Phoenicians were an intrepid seafaring people and tradesmen largely credited with creating the first widely used alphabet. With the onset of the civil war in 1975, the debate over identity became more acute as the term Phoenician started being bandied about as an ideological weapon and a means to differentiate Christians from Muslims. But various scientific studies in recent years have served to debunk the idea that Phoenician ancestry is related in any way to religion or a specific nationality. “You can be Muslim or Christian and carry a Phoenician signature,” said Pierre Zalloua, a Lebanese scientist who has carried out research to trace the genetic origin of Middle Eastern peoples. He notes that populations across the eastern Mediterranean coastline — Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories — share much of the same genetic makeup.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100610com7.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL All signs point to massive electronic fraud FRONTLINE Pushing electoral protests focus Bhopal: 25 years for justice — even more for a clean-up BLURBAL THRUSTS Clerical post for a lackey VIEWPOINTS Truth can wait — but not forever COMMENT Critique of the May 2010 automated polls FEATURE Phoenician or Arab? A never-ending debate in Lebanon

Binay credits win to being Erap’s partner Pat C. Santos 06/10/2010

Binay credits win to being Erap’s partner

Pat C. Santos 06/10/2010 Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay gave major credit yesterday to being the runningmate of former President Joseph Estrada in the Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP)-United Opposition (UNO) ticket for his hard-earned victory for the second highest position in the land. Binay recalled during the PMP-UNO sorties that the presidential tandem was met by thousands of people in different parts of the country that helped a lot in registering recall of his name associated with the pro-poor platform of government he and Estrada have espoused. Aside from being the president of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines for a long period, Binay said he had also been touring the whole nation, including far-flung areas that were mostly not reached by other candidates. He added his visits to most parts of the country where he extended help among poor municipalities, including the promotion of sisterhood programs between Makati and poor communities, had helped his campaign. Binay also acknowledged the support of members of the Cojuangco side of the family of Presidential-elect Benigno Aquino III as a result of his long friendly ties that can be traced way back the Marcos era particularly with the wife of former Congressman Jose Peping Cojuangco, Tingting, while expressing doubts that the sisters of Aquino provided support for him during the campaign as what was reported on some newspapers.. Binay also expressed his desire to get the top post at the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) where he said he will be most effective due to his experience in local government administration in being Makati City mayor for many years. Binay admitted that he has no expertise in other branches of government and said if he is given a post other than that in the DILG he is willing to to undergo studies but he stressed his qualification in running the DILG.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100610hed2.html

HEADLINES Noynoy, Binay proclaimed by Congress Binay credits win to being Erap’s partner Bangit must go, says Noynoy Estrada congratulates Noynoy, Binay amid yellow army applause Gonzales woos ‘Gibo’ to form new opposition

Bangit must go, says Noynoy By Angie M. Rosales 06/10/2010

Bangit must go, says Noynoy

By Angie M. Rosales 06/10/2010 Just like his appointing authority, President Arroyo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Delfin Bangit could consider himself already an “outgoing” official. No less than President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III himself declared that Bangit will not be keeping his post once he formally assumes the presidency. “He will not be the chief of staff,” Aquino told a press con-ference after his procla-mation as 15th President of the Republic. He stressed that Bangit’s recent pronouncements prompted him to arrive at such a decision, even if there were those who tried to act as intermediaries to them, in hope of reaching a consensus. “For the present time, with his comments and insinuations, that does not indicate a harmonious relationship with us. He knows where I’m coming from, I understand what he means, we will work for the betterment of the institution and the stability of the country,” he said. Aquino was obviously referring to the statements made by Bangit, telling the camp of the incoming administration to “treat the military organization with honor and dignity.” A number of Aquino supporters have called on Bangit to resign from his post as his ad interim appointment had lapsed after failing to receive confirmation from the Commission on Appointments (CA) just before Congress adjourned last June 4. Aquino was candid in saying that he will immediately order a review of the promotion in rank or ad interim appointment given by Arroyo to other military officers, estimated at 300 who also failed to secure the confirmation of the CA, but not Bangit’s papers. “With the exception of the AFP chief of staff, those other military officers who have no issues pending before them, after a cursory review, a review immediately as possible, we will rescind their appointments so that those who are deserving will be considered and fulfill the requirements of the Constitution and thereby get their appropriate rank,” he said.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100610hed3.html

HEADLINES Noynoy, Binay proclaimed by Congress Binay credits win to being Erap’s partner Bangit must go, says Noynoy Estrada congratulates Noynoy, Binay amid yellow army applause Gonzales woos ‘Gibo’ to form new opposition

Estrada congratulates Noynoy, Binay amid yellow army applause 06/10/2010

Estrada congratulates Noynoy, Binay amid yellow army applause

06/10/2010 Taking a statesman’s stand, former President Joseph Estrada yesterday congratulated President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino and Vice President-elect Jejomar “Jojo” Binay on their victories in the presidential race and extended his “whole-hearted support to the 15th President of the Philippine Republic while stating that he a“humbly accept(s) the final verdict borne out by the official results, and in accordance with the process ordained by our Constitution.” His congra-tulatory speech, read by his son, Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, was loudly applauded by the horde of yellow supporters of Aquino. “I join the Filipino people in extending my whole-hearted support to the 15th President of the Republic under whose leadership the country now looks to the future with highest hopes that he will serve our country faithfully and honorably. “I believe that President-elect Noynoy Aquino has the mandate of the electorate.  he rightfully carrfied with pride the illustrious name and legacy of his martyred father, the late Sen. Benigno Aquino, Jr., and that of our much- revered former president, the late Corazon Aquino. “I have always believed that the presidency is a matter of destiny. having been once blessed with the opportunity to serve as President of the Philippines. I am eternally grateful to God and our people for that singular honor to serve as a leader of this nation. He went on to explain his reason for running for the presidency last May 10 despite all odds—”the threat of disqualification; the determination of those who conspired to oust me to exhaust all means to prevent me from regaining the presidency; and without the enormous financial means and resources that the frontrunners in the presidential contest had at their disposal.But I felt morally obliged to seek the presidency if only to show the millions of our poor countrymen who felt robbed of the mandate they gave me in 1998 that i have not forgotten nor abandoned them.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100610hed4.html

HEADLINES Noynoy, Binay proclaimed by Congress Binay credits win to being Erap’s partner Bangit must go, says Noynoy Estrada congratulates Noynoy, Binay amid yellow army applause Gonzales woos ‘Gibo’ to form new opposition

Gonzales woos ‘Gibo’ to form new opposition By Mario J. Mallari 06/10/2010

Gonzales woos ‘Gibo’ to form new opposition

By Mario J. Mallari 06/10/2010 Acting Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, who had earlier expressed belief that cheating happened in the last May 10 presidential elections, yesterday called his predecessor Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., who lost as standard-bearer of the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD, his president. During his speech at the testimonial parade for the retirement of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Gonzales even invited Teodoro to join him in the ranks of opposition during the administration of President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, a cousin of Teodoro. “Gilbert, I want to express to you that by unanimous decision of all my children, you are our president,” said Gonzales, whose daughter Maria Aurora Gonzales ran but lost a congressional seat in Bataan province in last month’s elections. Last week, Gonzales said he believed that cheating occurred during the last presidential election as he cited deficiencies on the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, proliferation of fake ballots, among others. He, however, urged the people to respect the results of the polls. Weeks prior to the actual vote, Gonzales also disclosed the bribery attempts on officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) allegedly by groups out to manipulate the elections. He said at least two presidential candidates would benefit from the fraud.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100610hed5.html

HEADLINES Noynoy, Binay proclaimed by Congress Binay credits win to being Erap’s partner Bangit must go, says Noynoy Estrada congratulates Noynoy, Binay amid yellow army applause Gonzales woos ‘Gibo’ to form new opposition

Noynoy, Binay proclaimed by Congress By Gerry Baldo and Charlie V. Manalo 06/10/2010

Noynoy, Binay proclaimed by Congress

By Gerry Baldo and Charlie V. Manalo 06/10/2010 Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino and Makati Mayor Jejomar “Jojo” Binay yesterday were proclaimed by the joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives as President-elect and vice president-elect, respectively, amid loud chants of “Noy-Bi, Noy-Bi, Noy-Bi,” by a noisy gallery, composed mostly of the yellow-clad supporters of both Aquino and Binay. But there were doubts expressed over the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and its partner, Smartmatic’s conduct of the May 10 elections, voiced by the Senate Minority Leader and the House Majority Leader, with both calling for corrections for future elections. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Prospero Nograles called the joint session to order at around 2:30 p.m. and suspended it a few minutes after to allow House and Senate officials to escort the two winners. They were proclaimed at 3:40 p.m. Among the early newcomers in the VIP section were Aquino’s sisters, Kris Aquino-Yap, Pinky Aquino-Abellada, Balsy Aquino-Cruz, Viel Aquino-Dee, and the President-elect’s girlfriend, Valenzuela Councilor Shalani Soledad. Television personalities Dingdong Dantes, Ogie Alcasid, Jim Paredes and Boy Abunda were also in the gallery. Among the politicians who showed up were Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim and former Sen. Francisco “Kit” Tatad. Vice president-elect Jejomar Binay was proclaimed ahead of Aquino. Earlier, lawmakers were allowed to speak about the proclamation and were asked whether they approve of the committee resolution. Not one objected to the committee report and not one objected to the motion to proclaim them as president and vice president. There was a quorum which included Camarines Norte Rep. Dato Arroyo. Among those who spoke were Sen. Jose Jinggoy Estrada, (who read the statement of former President Estrada) and Senators Aquilino Pimentel, Miguel Zubiri, and representatives Neptali Gonzales II and Majority Floor Leader Art Defensor. Sen. Francisco Tatad was present at the gallery and distributed a statement. Pimentel in explaining his affirmative vote for the proclamation dared Aquino to focus the resources of the national government on two things: speeding up the national development with the indispensable assistance of the local government units and dissipating the causes of the Moro unrest in Mindanao and other armed groups in the country through the adoption of the federal system. Pimentel also dared Aquino to implement without fear or favor other laws such as those against corruption, forced disappearances, extra-judiciual killings, warlords and private armies. Pimentel, however, expressed his regrets that the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines used in the elections were not relieable and “were tainted with anomalies.” He, however, said that the irregularities would not suffice for the nullification of the entire electoral process. “For one, our voters were denied the right to know how and if the votes they had cast for their chosen candidates were duly recorded by the so called Precinct Count Optical Scan machines,” he said in a jam-packed session hall. Pimentel also pointed out that several certificates of canvass electronically sent to the national canvassing center contained errors. He also noted the incorrect dates that were printed on the election returns. While yesterday’s affair was a mere formality, as both candidates have topped the canvassing conducted in a joint session of Congress sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBoC), the proclamation came with a shadow of doubt on the credibility of the election results. In its probe, the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms uncovered instances far too numerous to be ignored, of pre-shaded ballots, discrepancies in dates, time and results in election returns (ERs), re-scanned ballots and unconfirmed reports of pre-programmed compact flash (CF) cards. But while the allegations of fraud are far too reaching to be simply relegated to the dustbin, the cheating according to the allegations have happened, is described to be so systematic, prompting former Sen. Francisco “Kit” Tatad to remark, “This is the first time in Philippine election history that there are allegations of cheating but which you cannot prove and disprove at the same time.” Even the solons from both chambers of Congress could not help but cite in passing the reports of election cheating as they delivered their sponsorship speeches for the resolution intended to proclaim Aquino and Binay. In his first press briefing after being proclaimed, Aquino said that during his first 100 days in office, he said his priority is to convene his Cabinet and identify or inventory the country’ problems. Tatad, doubtful on the capacity of Aquino, dared the president-elect to deal with the unpunished crimes committed by the outgoing administration.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100610hed1.html

HEADLINES Noynoy, Binay proclaimed by Congress Binay credits win to being Erap’s partner Bangit must go, says Noynoy Estrada congratulates Noynoy, Binay amid yellow army applause Gonzales woos ‘Gibo’ to form new opposition

Akmad Ampatuan urges CA: Rule on DoJ exclusion order By Benjamin B. Pulta 06/10/2010

Akmad Ampatuan urges CA: Rule on DoJ exclusion order

By Benjamin B. Pulta 06/10/2010 Former Maguindanao Vice Gov. Datu Akmad Ampatuan Sr. has petitioned the Court of Appeals (CA) to challenge Justice Secretary Alberto Agra’s order which revoked the latter’s resolution ordering his and suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan’s exclusion as co-accused in the murder complaint in connection with the Nov. 23 Maguindanao massacre. In a 30-page petition, Ampatuan Sr. through his lawyer Felipe Egargo Jr. asked the appellate court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the Department of Justice (DoJ) from proceeding with his prosecution on the basis of the affidavit of new witness Abdul Talusan that was submitted by private prosecution lawyer Nena Santos in her motion for reconsideration of the April 26 resolution issued by Agra. Agra, in his April 16 resolution, granted the petition for review filed by Akmad and Zaldy seeking the reversal of the resolution of the panel of prosecutors which found probable cause to indict them for their alleged involvement in the massacre of 57 civilians, including at least 30 journalists. The DoJ chief held that the defense of alibi of the two accused is stronger than the positive identification of witness Kenny Dalandag. Agra’s dismissal of the criminal complaint against Akmad and Zaldy drew public outrage, particularly from the members of the prosecution panel who called for his revocation of the said resolution. Acting on the motion for reconsideration filed by Santos, Agra reversed his April 16 order in light of the affidavit submitted of Talusan and new arguments raised by the lawyer.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20100610nat1.html

NATION Akmad Ampatuan urges CA: Rule on DoJ exclusion order First batch of Pinoy OFWs in Kuwait repatriated Barangay poll postponement opposed Justice Dept. consolidates witnesses, affidavits in Abra murder case Palace assures NDCC on top of Taal Volcano activity

Palace assures NDCC on top of Taal Volcano activity 06/10/2010

Palace assures NDCC on top of Taal Volcano activity

06/10/2010 Malacañang yesterday assured that the National Disaster Coordination Council (NDCC) remains on top of the situation following the reported increasing frequency of volcanic earthquakes surrounding the Taal Volcano in the province of Batangas. Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said that, as a matter of fact, they had been briefed already on the ongoing preparations being done by the NDCC as well as the contingency plans and operations of the different agencies involved just in case a disaster strikes at any given moment. Mendoza added that this piece of information bodes as well to the necessary preparatory activities being undertaken by the government for the upcoming rainy season in anticipation of the La Niña phenomenon. “We were of the impression and we believe (based on) the report that the government is ready (for any situation). Even if we have only about 21 days to go, we have put in place all the contingencies necessary to address the issues of disaster, including that of the Taal Volcano,” Mendoza said.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20100610nat5.html

NATION Akmad Ampatuan urges CA: Rule on DoJ exclusion order First batch of Pinoy OFWs in Kuwait repatriated Barangay poll postponement opposed Justice Dept. consolidates witnesses, affidavits in Abra murder case Palace assures NDCC on top of Taal Volcano activiyy