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Ridiculous FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 10/26/2010

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Ridiculous

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
10/26/2010
Ridiculous is what has been developing in the Supreme Court plagiarism issue where the University of the Philippines College of Law went up in arms over the SC’s show cause order, on the accusation of the same issue raised by the law college against one associate justice of the SC.

It is ridiculous for the law college to make such a fuss about the high court’s show cause order because they are all lawyers, and therefore know that all they have to do is to respond to the order.

Yet they go public and utilize the media to get public sympathy — which would really be difficult, considering that the issue is hardly enough to get the public all riled up and sympathizing with these lawyers on this particular issue that does not have any impact on their lives, no matter what the propagandists--includin the media -- say.

It has come to a point where one UP law professor came out to state that the high court justices can be impeached over the plagiarism issue.

That’s a lot of bluster and won’t stand up in an impeachment case, and these lawyers know it.
What may prove more interesting is perhaps the motive or motives behind this fierce opposition to the move of the high court’s show cause order..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101026com2.html

Bulgarian fraudsters’ ingenious ways to cheat the state FEATURE 10/26/2010

Bulgarian fraudsters’ ingenious ways to cheat the state

FEATURE

10/26/2010
SOFIA — Siphoning off pipeline fuel, placing illiterate people at the top of heavily-indebted firms: Bulgaria’s fraudsters have dozens of ingenious ways to swindle money from the state.

Only last week, electricity was cut for an hour across one-third of the capital when it was discovered copper casings had been stolen from a surprising nine kilometers (5.6 miles) of cables.

Czech power producer CEZ, which manages Sofia’s electricity supplies, said the missing copper would bring 12,000 euros ($17,000) but the theft would cost CEZ six times that to repair damage.

One of the latest schemes involves hiring fake staff for dummy companies to defraud health insurance firms, economic police chief Darina Obretenova told AFP.

Poor, illiterate people are taken on and given a nominal salary, sometimes for a top-level position with supposed high pay..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101026com3.html

Aquino’s anti-contraceptive smorgasbord VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 10/26/2010

Aquino’s anti-contraceptive smorgasbord

VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
10/26/2010
It is becoming more and more noticeable that the present administration seems to be lost in its self-proclaimed patrician vision and self-assumed noble mission.

Briefly, it says one thing without thinking what it really means and what it actually implies. It proclaims something, not realistically aware of its innate nature and consequences. Clearly, this is in no way meant either to downgrade the person of the principal concerned or to demean the capacity of the latter’s good chosen friends and preferred close associates. It simply means that there seems to be something basically queer and illusory between the words said and the deeds that thereafter follow in the course of time. There appears to be something strange between the thought pronouncements and the actual engagements of the present administration — all of which, sincerely and hopefully, would prove “hogwash” in street, straight and strong language.

Then: “Ang matuwid na daan.”
Now: “Nasaan kaya yan?”
Then: “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap!”
Now: “Dami ninyo, kaya maghirap kayo!”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101026com4.html

A mess that needs sorting out AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Ken Fuller 10/26/2010

A mess that needs sorting out

AN OUTSIDERS VIEW
Ken Fuller
10/26/2010
Last week, prompted by the press release of Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., this column discussed the question of bus drivers’ hours of work.

Barzaga also points out that the private policy institute Forensic Law and Strategies Inc. has recommended the codification of traffic laws, blaming “the surge in accidents on the lack of a road safety master plan and squabbling among agencies.”

Rather than being the responsibility of one agency, says Barzaga, the road safety pie has a number of fingers in it — those of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC), the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the National Police Traffic Management Group and, finally, local governments.

Sometimes, this tangled web can lead to potentially fatal confusion regarding the traffic regulations. (As I pay my road tax every year, by the way, on this particular subject I do not consider myself to be an outsider.)

When I first began driving in the Philippines, I was from time to time mystified when, as I signaled to turn left, an oncoming vehicle would give way to me, almost as if I had the right of way. You’ll probably believe me when I say I knew it couldn’t have been good manners or consideration for other road users, because it hadn’t taken me long to discover that those commodities are in short supply on Philippine roads..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101026com5.html

Australia tries to halt loss of Aboriginal languages FEATURE 10/26/2010

Australia tries to halt loss of Aboriginal languages

FEATURE

10/26/2010
SYDNEY — Lorraine Injie smiles as she remembers the rich patchwork of Aboriginal languages used during her childhood in Australia’s remote Pilbara region.
“In my community, it was common to speak 10 languages. Speaking three wasn’t that impressive,” she says.

However, use of native tongues has declined at an alarming rate, from hundreds just 200 years ago, the time of European settlement, to about 20 now.

“There would be less than 50 speakers of Banyjima, less than 10 still speaking Yinhawangka. As it was forbidden to use our own languages, they have disappeared. It is very upsetting,” Injie says.

Injie, 48, is part of a program which is trying to stop languages dying out by training teachers, who can pass them on to schoolchildren..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101026com6.html

Same time next election year EDITORIAL 10/26/2010

Same time next election year

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
10/26/2010
The Commission on Elections (Comelec), time and time again, has proven its sheer incompetence in conducting elections.

Even as it had all that time to prepare for elections, which is what the poll body is mandated to do under the Charter, it is always caught unprepared, with too many delays and even make that stupid mistake everytime of either making a wrong delivery of the election documents, or not have any election documents delivered at all to certain precincts. But it is quick to lay the blame of its officials’ incompetence elsewhere.

One would think that after so many elections, coming every three years, plus barangay and an SK polls in between, the Comelec would at least have earned the experience needed in the conduct of elections, whether presidential, senatorial and local and barangay elections. But no, every single election period, there are always snafus that moreover could have been avoided if those officials running the poll body had a bit of competence in them.

To this day, the Comelec can hardly claim it has conducted clean and honest elections, no matter what propaganda it churns out after every election..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101026com1.html

House set to probe DILG, poll chiefs 10/26/2010

VILLAGE POLLS MARKED BY VIOLENCE, FAILURE IN DELIVERY OF ELECTION MATERIALS, CHAOS AND CONFUSION

House set to probe DILG, poll chiefs

10/26/2010
Violence. Failure to deliver the election materials on time. Voters unable to cast their vote. Chaos and confusion. And even the failure of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to purge from the list candidates who are no longer eligible to run for village offices, having completed a third term, marked the village elections held yesterday.

Early in the day, gunmen assassinated two persons as violence, delays and irregularities marred elections to choose thousands of village and district officials, police and authorities said.

A hand grenade was also thrown in front of a polling precinct in the restive province of Maguindanao hours before voting began, forcing poll officials to cancel elections there.

Village councilor Valentin Campos died in hospital after he was shot outside Butuan City hours before polling was to start, police said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101026hed1.html

Dinky, Deles not off the hook in scam By Aytch S. dela Cruz 10/26/2010

Dinky, Deles not off the hook in scam

By Aytch S. dela Cruz 10/26/2010

With calls for a probe of President Aquino’s social services secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman mounting, Aquino yesterday said that the Truth body should revisit the PEACe bonds controvery, to give it closure.

This was stated by Aquino after he and his Malacañang spokesmen absolved his two most trusted secretaries, Soliman and Peace adviser Teresita Deles, who is also on the carpet, being accused by congressmen of her having shown disrespect for, and insulting members of the House of Representatives.

Aquino yesterday said he is open to the idea of having his Philippine Truth Commission (PTC) revisit the controversial P10 billion Poverty Eradication and Alleviation Certificate (PEACe) bonds scam.

Aquino’s Social Welfare Secretary and Deles were said to be among those who benefited largely from the scam owing to the pivotal roles they played, having been the alleged prime movers of the group called Caucus of Development NGO Networks (Code-NGO) that pushed the anomalous program under the administration of then President Arroyo..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101026hed2.html

Noynoy reappoints Gaa as RP envoy to US By Michaela P. del Callar 10/26/2010

Noynoy reappoints Gaa as RP envoy to US

By Michaela P. del Callar 10/26/2010

Four months after issuing his executive order that directed all politically-appointed ambassadors who were co-terminus with President Gloria Arroyo to resign, President Aquino appears to have failed in filling up these ambassadorial positions and has even resorted to reappointing Arroyo’s political ambassadors.

Aquino has temporarily retained Ambassador Willy Gaa as the country’s envoy to the United States after his earlier appointee declined the position due to “policy differences,” Department of Foreign Affairs insiders said yesterday.

Gaa, a career diplomat who is already due for recall, was asked by Aquino to remain in his post for at least six months “until a suitable replacement is found,” sources said.

Gaa has been assigned abroad for already eight years, which is two years in excess of the required six-year tour of duty for Philippine diplomats..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101026hed5.html

14 Pinoy sailors abducted by Somali pirates By Michaela P. del Callar 10/26/2010

14 Pinoy sailors abducted by Somali pirates

By Michaela P. del Callar 10/26/2010

Another batch of 14 Filipino seamen was among the 17 sailors on board a Singapore oil tanker that was seized by ransom-seeking Somali pirates Saturday, a European Union Naval Force report said.
The MV YORK had recently left Mombasa, Kenya, en route to the Seychelles when it was attacked last Oct. 23 by two skiffs, approximately 50 nautical miles east off the Kenyan port.

The vessel has a crew of 17, of which one is a German captain, two are Ukrainians and 14 Filipinos.
Turkish warship Gaziantep, operating under the Combined Maritime Forces of Task Force 151, launched its helicopter to investigate.

The helicopter was able to observe pirates with weapons on board the vessel, the EU report said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101026hed6.html

Angara defends UP professors over SC plagiarism By Angie M. Rosales 10/26/2010

Angara defends UP professors over SC plagiarism

By Angie M. Rosales 10/26/2010

Another senator has come forward in defense of the University of the Philippines (UP) Faculty of Law members who are being threatened of being cited for contempt by the Supreme Court (SC) for criticizing a high court magistrate over reported plagiarism.

“Even this is a sensitive issue, because it touches the sensibilities of justices, I think they (SC) should let it pass.

“There are more serious constitutional issues pending before the SC that they have to attend to. This is also a serious matter but it’s an unnecessary tension at this point,” Sen. Edgardo Angara said.

“What we need to confront are those big constitutional issues which the judiciary should concentrate on, as well as the public. We should pay attention to sideshows like this,” the senator, who was once UP president during the Marcos administration, said.

Earlier, Sen. Francis Pangilinan sided with the UP professors on their row with the SC magistrates, the issue stemmed from high court’s decision to clear Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo over charges of plagiarism..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101026nat1.html

Piatco retakes T3, evicts airport concessionaires By Conrado Ching 10/26/2010

Piatco retakes T3, evicts airport concessionaires

By Conrado Ching 10/26/2010

The Philippine International Airport Terminals Co. (Piatco), which was claimed to have lost arbitration cases in international courts against the government expropriation of its contract for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, but won its case against the government on the compensation issue, has retaken ownership of the terminal right under the government’s nose as it issued yesterday eviction notices on concessionaires of the terminal citing a past Supreme Court order.

Piatco’s lawyers have questioned the concessionaires contract saying the writ of possession issued in 2006 did not transfer ownership of the facilities to the government. “The right to exercise acts of ownership remains with Piatco until ownership is transferred to the government upon payment of just compensation,” Piatco counsels Delfin Manuel Jr. and Cirilo Doronila of the Quasha Ancheta Peña and Nolasco law firm told the concessionaires.

Piatco said it remains the rightful owner of the terminal and that the concessionaires have been illegally occupying spaces at Terminal 3.

Piatco, the builder of NAIA 3, sent out eviction notices on Friday to businesses operating inside the controversial terminal,citing a Supreme Court decision prohibiting the government from exercising ownership of the terminal and leasing it out for operations..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune
  
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101026hed3.html

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