Popularity gambit EDITORIAL 11/21/2010

Popularity gambit

EDITORIAL

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11/21/2010
Now, we’ve seen it all.
Noynoy’s request, nay, demand, on the Supreme Court (SC) to allow a public trial of the Ampatuans through nationwide television feels more of a play up on public sentiment rather than a rational order coming from a president.

The demand came amid a plummeting public rating on Noynoy based on the latest Pulse Asia survey and it is premised on the fact that whether or not the SC accedes to it, Noynoy would come out looking good with the media. Or so he hopes.

This was the same strategy taken by the past administration whenever a survey is released which almost always results in a negative trust or approval rating on Gloria or when a lid is removed from a new scandal involving her or somebody in her political circle.

The favorite whipping dog then was the Senate and picking a fight with it or creating a distraction such as a new government drive against a non-existent problem such as a severe drought from El Niño or a sudden rice shortage was a predictable consequence of a brewing crisis..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101121com1.html

Noynoy’s multi-follies FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 11/21/2010

Noynoy’s multi-follies

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

11/21/2010
He is obviously out to score media points, but he forgets that, as he is president of the country, there are just certain issues he cannot interfere with and should learn how to keep his trap shut.

Noynoy Aquino has done it again. In a speech during the UP alumni homecoming, Noynoy gave his all-out support for the 37 law faculty on the issue of plagiarism regarding the ponencia of a Supreme Court (SC) associate justice.

He was quoted as saying that he is one with the law faculty and its 37 members in their advocacy to straighten a “crooked path,” adding that one should not lie, nor copy someone’s else’s work and other people’s research without permission or proper credit.

“People in higher positions should not terrorize or frighten people who would only like to air their opinion,” Nonoy said, in a statement clearly aimed against the high court, whom he considers as his enemy, as he is paranoid enough to believe that the SC members, having been appointed by his predecessor, Gloria Arroyo, will be contradicting him in issues challenged before the SC..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101121com2.html

Countries seek legal weapons against Somalia pirates focus 11/21/2010

Countries seek legal weapons against Somalia pirates

focus

11/21/2010
PARIS — With pirates terrorizing the shipping industry by hijackings in the busy waterway off Somalia’s coast, legal experts are chasing their tails trying to find a way to put them in the dock.

Some suspected pirates have been taken to face justice in Germany, where 10 Somalis are due to go on trial in Hamburg on Monday accused of attacking a German cargo ship.

But Kenya, which last year signed a deal with western states to try suspected pirates in its courts, was forced to acquit 26 suspected Somali pirates this month and said handling the cases was too big a burden.

Pirates based in lawless Somali territory have been bagging millions of dollars in ransoms for boats seized around the Gulf of Aden, though warships from various countries patrolling the passage have overpowered some.

But even if the pirates are caught, the lack of central rule in Somalia since a 1991 civil war makes it impossible to put them on trial there, experts say.

A lawyer specializing in maritime law, Isabelle Corbier, said Somali suspects arrested in international waters fall into a “legal void.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101121com3.html

It’s not all tempo NO HOLDS BARRED Armida Siguion-Reyna 11/21/2010

It’s not all tempo

NO HOLDS BARRED

Armida Siguion-Reyna

11/21/2010
His Wikipedia page was updated almost within the hour he’d beaten Mexican Antonio Margarito, quite close to a pulp. Notice that a pronunciation guide to his name is included:

“Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao (Tagalog pronunciation: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Tagalog], English: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_English]; born December 17, 1978), also known as Manny Pacquiao, is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is an eight-division world champion, the first boxer in history to win ten world titles in eight different weight divisions. He is also the first boxer in history to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named “Fighter of the Decade” for the 2000’s by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). He is also a three-time BWAA and The Ring “Fighter of the Year” in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

“Currently, Pacquiao is the WBC Super Welterweight World Champion and WBO Welterweight World Champion (Super Champion). He is also currently rated as the “number one” pound-for-pound best boxer in the world by several sporting news and boxing Web sites, including The Ring, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBC Sports, Yahoo! Sports and About.com.

“Aside from boxing, Pacquiao has participated in acting, music recording, and politics. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, representing the province of Sarangani. He is the only active boxer to become a congressman in the Philippines.”

Imagine that. A pronunciation guide is built-in, so clearly saying that it matters to fans and admirers how his name should really be said: With reverence, and correctly, too. The last great fighter who captured international imagination did not need a guide to a name so short that a baby just starting to talk could cheer “Ali, Ali!” But the present-day boxing icon bears a moniker that has got to be properly enunciated lest it sounds like a pejorative cuss phrase, so there..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101121com4.html

Classic Pinoy engineering BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 11/21/2010

Classic Pinoy engineering

BLURBAL THRUSTS

Louie Logarta

11/21/2010
In opposing the confirmation as Education secretary of Bro. Armin Luistro, one of the leading lights of the local Catholic Church, Sen. Miriam Santiago cites conflict of interest considerations.

The most important thing going against Bro. Armin, who used to be the president of the De La Salle University until he accepted his appointment to the Cabinet, is that he cannot be expected to go along with the passage of the Reproductive Health bill currently pending in the legislature.

While President Aquino openly embraces the RH bill because he sees it as a way of alleviating widespread poverty in the country, Mrs. Santiago points out that Bro. Luistro who is staunchly Catholic won’t ever support this controversial measure as it is anathema to the Church.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, under the nominal leadership of Cardinal Rosales, is rabidly opposing the RH bill which espouses artificial birth control for this is supposedly tantamount to abortion and violates the Constitution. On the other hand, pro-choice advocates claim that natural birth control, which is the only method acceptable to the Church, has kept Filipinos in the chains of poverty all these years..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101121com5.html

Secretary of the Department of Justice VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 11/21/2010

Secretary of the Department of Justice

VIEWPOINTS

Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz

11/21/2010
It can readily be said that one of the many serious social illnesses of this country is the cover-up of truth, the consequent absence of justice and the ultimate evasive reality of peace. This is the misfortune of many sectors of Philippines society — notwithstanding no less than two Edsas that were staged by Filipinos precisely to overthrow the personifications of injustice and mediocrity.

For a change, it is both consoling and inspiring to know that the Department of Justice (DoJ) is presently headed by a lady with unquestionable integrity, acknowledged legal expertise plus proven courage. Time and again, this caveat is heard: “Don’t fool around with her!” And rightly so. Certainly, she is the right person in the right place..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101121com6.html

The Willing-Willie genre TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 11/21/2010

The Willing-Willie genre

TABLETS OF STONE

Larry Faraon, OP

11/21/2010
We can’t help it but it would seem that the genre of TV reality game shows with mammoth cash gifts and prizes is striking the strings of the ever hollow guitar-like empty tummies and pockets of the poor people. Channel 5’s Willing-Willie, now wreaking havoc among the leading networks’ ratings has seemingly become the upbeat standard of addressing the plight of the poor — spontaneous, spirited, entertaining and blasting type of dole out to the lucky patrons who braved the elements in a long the queue for hours and hours.

In short, the day’s choices of recipients of the much coveted “Congratulations” are just simply the “lucky ones,” where the only investment was their patience in the queue, some crocodile or feline tears shed as mother and daughter, father and son, husband and wife, wash their dirty linens in public in tears and laughter as they wiggle and giggle their “talents” of mostly dances and songs — the poor person’s only chance instant stardom on nationwide television and with the possibility of bringing home more than just the bacon!.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101121com7.html

Temperature range: jumps into plagiarism row By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/21/2010

BACKS 37 UP PROFESSORS ASKING JUSTICE TO QUIT

Temperature range: jumps into plagiarism row

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/21/2010
President Aquino added more fuel to the heated friction between him and the Supreme Court yesterday as he categorically announced that he is supporting the stance taken by 37 professors in the University of the Philippines College of Law (UPCL) who filed a petition seeking the resignation of one of the high court magistrates based on allegations of plagiarism.

The SC leadership earlier had cleared Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo of alleged plagiarism in his ruling on the reparation demands of World War II “comfort women” that was handed down last April which was alleged to have lifted statements from other authors without attribution.

In a speech he delivered at the UP Law Grand Alumni Homecoming held Friday evening at the Shangri La Hotel in Makati City, Aquino conveyed that this conduct by someone who belongs to the legal arena should not be tolerated so

so that the country can be led successfully toward his much-vaunted “straight path.”

“The straight path is never going to be easy always. We share the same view on this. One should not lie, copy and steal or use analyses without proper citation from its rightful author,” Aquino said, drawing wild cheers and claps from the audience inside the hall who sport the UP Law principles..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101121hed1.html

Aquino takes hands-off tack on Morong 43 case By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/21/2010

Aquino takes hands-off tack on Morong 43 case

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/21/2010
The Palace said yesterday that President Aquino is taking a hands-off position on the fate of the 43 detained health workers that the military is accusing of being insurgents and instead is leaving it to the judiciary to decide on their case.

The position may mean a longer wait for the detainees, collectively called the Morong 43, to regain their freedom despite an international outcry for their release.

Aquino indicated Friday that there is nothing Malacanang can do to restore their freedom despite the two rounds of reviews committed by the Executive branch on their arrest.

Aquino, in a chance interview after a speaking engagement in Makati the other night, said the case of the health workers really had some issues with the application of the warrant served to them by the military when they were arrested in Morong, Rizal province last February.

Based on the review conducted by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Aquino disclosed that the warrant was not intended for the person or group of persons that were taken into custody by the arresting officials of the military that day..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101121hed2.html

Palace rushing to fill up 1,300 job vacancies 11/21/2010

Palace rushing to fill up 1,300 job vacancies

11/21/2010
Malacañang yesterday said it has filled up more than half of the 1,300 vacancies in government positions as it announced more new appointments to the different departments of the Executive branch.

According to deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte, there are only a few vacancies to fill up and they expect to complete them by next month.

“Every weekend we have been announcing new appointments. It is a matter of time before the vacancies are filled up,” she told a radio interview.

Among the latest appointees are Liberto Casco as executive director of the Maritime Training Council of the Department of Labor and Employment.

Also named to government positions are Josefino Torres as deputy administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration; Carolyn Esposo Espiritu as member of the board of trustees of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. She replaced Ruperto Nicdao..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101121hed4.html

Bill to protect call center agents filed in Senate 11/21/2010

Bill to protect call center agents filed in Senate

11/21/2010
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has filed Senate Bill 2604, also known as the “Magna Carta for Call Center Workers Act of 2010,” to protect thousands of call center employees in the country.

The veteran lawmaker’s bill seeks to guarantee call center employees the following rights: the right to organize
and join labor organizations; the right to a safe and healthy working environment; the right to at least a one hour continuous meal break in the middle of every eight hour shift; the right to privacy; safety for nightshift employees; and the right to be informed of the terms and conditions of their contract.

Santiago, in a statement, yesterday said she was concerned about reports that the local business process outsourcing (BPO) industry discourages unions. She cited research conducted in various countries showing the importance of unions in the call center industry.

“The Constitution guarantees all workers to self-organization, collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, including the right to strike in accordance with law. BPO companies in the country are not exempt from this constitutional provision and should honor their employees’ rights,” she stressed..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101121hed6.html

Pre-colonial boats make Puerto Princesa their port of entry 11/21/2010

Pre-colonial boats make Puerto Princesa their port of entry

11/21/2010
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — The three pre-colonial replicas of the 320 A.D. “Butuan boat” and their crew are back last Friday in the Philippines, making Puerto Princesa City their port of entry after a four-month long voyage to several countries in Southeast Asia, the last of which was the shores of Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

Former Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) Undersecretary Arturo Valdez, balangay voyage leader, and the other core crew of Diwata ng Lahi, Sama Tawi-Tawi and Masawa Hong Butuan, arrived safely to Puerto Princesa shortly before 1 p.m. and dropped anchors at the Puerto Princesa City Bay.
Unshaved in the face, except for the female crew, and their skins darkened by long days of exposure to the sun, Valdez and the core crew of the plank boat flotilla, Leo Oracion, Erwin “Pastour” Emata, Janet Belarmino-Sardenia, Carina Dayondon, Noelle Wenceslao, Dr. Ted Esquerra, Fred Jamili, Voltaire Velasco, Lito Esperar, Mark Lim, and 28 others were welcomed by Puerto Princesa Vice Mayor Lucilo Bayron, City Information Officer Alroben Goh, City Tourism Officer and Assistant City Administrator Rebecca Labit, the media and other employees of the city government at the curved inlet of sea that bestrides the baywalk.
The balangay flotilla sailed from the Philippines August of this year to travel to Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia with the vision to stir Filipino pride, rekindle maritime consciousness, feel proud of the Philippines’ pre-colonial boat building culture and traditions, and retrace the trade route of the forefathers of the Filipinos..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101121nat5.html

Environmentalist bats for green transport franchising system 11/21/2010

Environmentalist bats for green transport franchising system

11/21/2010
An environmentalist is proposing that public transport franchise holders be required to deploy green units only in the future to help lower air pollution while rationalizing transportation nationwide.

“We should put this in the franchise,” environmentalist Rene Pineda said Saturday at Kapihan sa Sulo forum in Quezon City.

The government must include environmental protection as a criteria for granting franchise to public transportation operators to be sure that units deployed are not belching smoke that contributes to air pollution, he noted.

He raised this point as studies show that the transport sector is among major contributors of air pollution in the country.

By denying franchise to operators of smoke belching units, Pineda said the environment can be protected.
This will also help declog streets since only green units will be allowed to run, he said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101121nat6.html