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A deja vu in Lacson EDITORIAL 12/05/2010

Sunday, December 5, 2010

A deja vu in Lacson

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
12/05/2010
The government’s inability to reel in fugitive Sen. Panfilo Lacson, as the days go by, is turning out to be more of a reprise of the hostage taking incident of Hong Kong tourists by disgruntled ex-policeman Rolando Mendoza, with the country’s justice system as the hostage this time.

And with the bungling way it is being handled by Noynoy, which could be the repeat of the crisis committee of Aug. 23, there is that promise of an ugly end to the Lacson situation.

Noynoy’s uncertain moves in dealing with double-murder case suspect Lacson, who has an international police arrest order, show that either he is coddling the fugitive who is a political ally, or it exposes his total lack of conviction as a leader. Either way, the nation is being shortchanged by Noynoy.

In the case of Mendoza, the crisis committee monitoring the hostage crisis gave the gingerly treatment on Mendoza for too long, resulting in the negotiators losing their leverage and incredulously, the officials on the ground were already expecting a long-drawn affair hoping to tire out the hostage taker..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101205com1.html

That’s proof? FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 12/05/2010

That’s proof?

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
12/05/2010
Australia issued a new advisory, dropping the word “imminent” in the threat of terror attacks but warned its citizens nevertheless that terrorism can occur anytime — including in Metro Manila.

Truth is, the new travel advisory against the Philippines is just as negative as the first one, yet Malacañang communicators — along with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) — put a spin to this, with the Palace saying it considers Australia’s reissuance of its travel advisory as a “significant development” since Australia had omitted the word “imminent” in the terror attacks statement.

Noynoy’s deputy spokesman, Abigail Valte, said this revision is proof that the foreign governments concerned have heeded the demands of Noynoy for them to withdraw their travel advisories as they have no basis.

Yet how can that be seen as proof when there is hardly any change in the new advisory as against the old one by way of warning citizens against terrorist attacks in the country, including Metro Manila, “anytime” and asked its citizens to exercise a “high degree of caution.”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101205com2.html

Thai tech pioneer converts waste into wealth FEATURE 12/05/2010

Thai tech pioneer converts waste into wealth

FEATURE

12/05/2010
BANGKOK — Paijit Sangchai drops a small piece of laminated paper into a jar of cloudy liquid which he hopes will transform his start-up into a multimillion-dollar company and help revolutionize recycling.

“Now this is the fun part,” he says a few minutes later, holding it under the tap to wash away soggy paper pulp and reveal a clear plastic film.

His Thai firm, Flexoresearch, has developed a series of blended enzymes that can recover pulp or fiber from laminated paper such as cigarette packets, stickers or milk cartons that were previously hard or impossible to recycle.

First one enzyme attacks the water resistant chemical coating the surface, then others take over and tackle the paper and adhesive layers.

The resulting pulp, he says, can be used to produce new paper products — thus saving trees — or turned into building materials that can be used as an alternative to asbestos, which is potentially hazardous to human health..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101205com3.html

LTO sets crackdown on PETCs BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 12/05/2010

LTO sets crackdown on PETCs

BLURBAL THRUSTS
Louie Logarta
12/05/2010
Amid howls of protests from scores of mid-level businessmen who had invested money in the business, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is launching an honest-to-goodness crackdown on these so-called private emission testing centers (PETCs) who are viewed as the real culprits behind worsening air pollution levels in Metro Manila.

During a recent dialog, LTO chief Virginia Torres said her office was obliged to resort to drastic remedial measures vis-a-vis these PETCs after recent studies by the World Bank and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources showed that air pollution in the metropolis was nearing critical or saturation point, after which it would really be hazardous to the health of the public.

What complicates matters is that even President Aquino is reportedly personally monitoring air quality in the metropolis, which is composed of some 11 millions souls, due to persistent public clamor regarding the continued non-enforcement of the 10-year old Clean Air Act.

Over coffee and sandwiches, Torres disclosed that one of the major sources of air pollution hereabouts are the thousands of smoke-belchers, mainly the passenger buses and omnipresent cargo trucks that roam the highways and byways because they had been given spurious environment compliance certificates by these PETCs through the “non-appearance” tests that they are notorious for..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101205com4.html

Tyranny of numbers vs force of truth VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 12/05/2010

Tyranny of numbers vs force of truth

VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
12/05/2010
Popularity vs reality, opinion vs fact, perception vs authenticity — these are some expressions that can encapsulate the now reigning debate on the so called “Reproductive Health Bill.”

Those leading the drive for the public official distribution of man-made contraceptives — together with their avid followers — are joyfully and publicly rejoicing for their foreseen victory in the eventual passage of the bill.

By and large, the primary arguments so far invoked by the patrons of the bill to proclaim and promote their anti-population stand, may be synthesized into three arguments: First is the poverty of the Filipinos for being far too many in number and consequent needs. Second is the expressed mention of the use of condoms by no less than the Vatican, deliberately cited out of context. Third is the acclaim that majority of the Filipinos favor the passage if the said bill.

Let it said that Church doctrine premised on faith and reason is not in any way rendered true or false merely by the opinion of the majority or minority of the people concerned. The empirical reality and ground certainly of Church doctrine is that it is firmly anchored on objective truth — never, never on its acceptability or popularity among those concerned..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101205com5.html

Accountability is a habit TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 12/05/2010

Accountability is a habit

TABLETS OF STONE
Larry Faraon, OP
12/05/2010
There are four seasons in the Catholic liturgy, namely Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. But among these four, Advent comes as the most important and relevant for Christians.

Two thousand years ago in Palestine (Israel today), the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem, his passion, death and resurrection in Jerusalem are now historical landmarks for a Christian’s journey, where history becomes an active commemoration; where commemoration becomes a reenactment; where reenactment becomes a dynamic reliving of the meaning and effect of such divine actions for the salvation of mankind.

However, the core event of Advent is still in the anticipatory and expectant stage, because the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is yet to happen.

Christians are exhorted to “gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival” (Luke 12:35-37).

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is as definitive and purposive as expressed in the Apostle’s Creed, “He will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Judgment at that time is final and executory — it’s either heaven or hell..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101205com6.html

WikiLeaks arrest looms as site fights to stay online focus 12/05/2010

WikiLeaks arrest looms as site fights to stay online

focus

12/05/2010
LONDON — WikiLeaks faced growing pressure Friday as its founder Julian Assange dealt with a new arrest warrant and death threats, while the Web site hopped around the globe trying to evade efforts to shut it down.

As the fallout grew from its release of secret US diplomatic cables, the whistle-blower site found new domain names in a string of European countries after its original wikileaks.org address was shut down by an American provider.

The elusive Assange, who is believed to be in hiding in Britain, faced fresh trouble as Swedish prosecutors sent out a new international arrest warrant for the 39-year-old Australian over sex assault allegations.

He briefly broke cover Friday in an online forum with readers on The Guardian newspaper to say that if anything happened to him or WikiLeaks then 100,000 encrypted copies of the cables would automatically be released.

“The threats against our lives are a matter of public record. However, we are taking the appropriate precautions to the degree that we are able when dealing with a superpower,” Assange wrote..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101205com7.html

NBI leaves empty handed after raid on Ping’s lair By Benjamin B. Pulta 12/05/2010

PAPER MILL OWNED BY LACSON FRIEND SEARCHED

NBI leaves empty handed after raid on Ping’s lair

By Benjamin B. Pulta 12/05/2010

Fugitive Sen. Panfilo Lacson proved too slippery even for a crack team of operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) yesterday after he eluded arrest in a raid NBI agents made on a paper mill suspected of being used as Lacson’s temporary lair.

The paper manufacturing firm is said to be owned by a close friend of the senator in Quezon City.

NBI operatives raided the Star Paper Corp. located at 46 Joy St., Grace Village in Quezon City at 5 p.m. yesterday.

Deputy Director for Intelligence Services lawyer Ruel Lasala said the establishment is reportedly owned by the senator’s close friend Sebastian Chua.

He added Chua consented to allow the NBI operatives to search the premises. Deputy Director for Technical Services lawyer Reynaldo Esmeralda led bureau officials in conducting the search..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101205hed1.html

NDF chief arrives to pave way for talks 12/05/2010

NDF chief arrives to pave way for talks

12/05/2010
The head of the National Democratic Front (NDF), Luis Jalandoni, is now in the country to lay the groundwork for peace negotiations between the government and the umbrella organization of the local communist movement after both camps agreed to resume talks sometime in February after it being stalled for over five years.
The breakthrough, achieved following preliminary negotiations in Hong Kong this week, will see the two sides sitting down for formal talks in Norway in February next year.

“The government...shall aggressively pursue the path to peace toward a just and honorable settlement of conflicts,” the head of the government negotiating panel Alexander Padilla said as he announced the planned restart.

Luis Jalandoni, chief negotiator of the Communist Party of the Philippines, separately said the talks had been tentatively set for Oslo, Norway from Feb. 19 to 25. Jalandoni described the preliminary talks in Hong Kong as “fruitful, meaningful and cordial.”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101205hed2.html

Aussie’s revised travel advisory ‘a significant development’ — Malacañang 12/05/2010

Aussie’s revised travel advisory ‘a significant development’ — Malacañang

12/05/2010
Malacañang has taken the revised travel advisory issued by the Australian government against the Philippines that is still grounded on the issues of terrorism on a positive note, even calling it a “significant development,” just because of the mere fact that the “imminent threat” assertion has finally been omitted.

Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte yesterday said these revisions serve as reason enough to claim that President Aquino’s previous demands extended to foreign governments during the height of the travel alerts issue have not been taken for granted.

According to Valte, Australia is already the second country, next to France, that has revised its travel warning by removing that “imminent” terror attacks principle and this certainly is a pleasing development insofar as the Philippine government is concerned.

“We’ve already said that we are very happy with what has happened because it shows us that our efforts to have the advisories revised are bearing fruit. The revision of the Australian travel advisory is a significant development because they have taken out that part which really served as the bone of contention,” Valte told reporters in a press briefing aired over radio dzRB..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101205hed3.html

US leads allies in waging cyber wars vs WikiLeaks 12/05/2010

US leads allies in waging cyber wars vs WikiLeaks

12/05/2010
GENEVA — The Swiss address of whistleblowing Web site WikiLeaks was up and running again after migrating to new servers to buck closure by its US host, the group which owns the name yesterday said.
“About two hours after the deactivation of wikileaks.ch by EveryDNS.net we acquired a heap of redundant DNS Servers,” the Swiss Pirates Party said.

It earlier listed another 21 alternative Web sites where WikiLeaks could also be found, many of them European domain names and including its German counterpart.

The Swiss Pirates Party, which campaigns for Internet freedoms and transparency, was founded in 2009.
Denis Simonet, who heads the group, told Agence France Presse it had registered the domain name wikileaks.ch six months ago..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101205hed4.html

Noynoy gives Cabinet men tenure assurance 12/05/2010

Noynoy gives Cabinet men tenure assurance

12/05/2010
President Aquino issued a blanket assurance to Cabinet members against a shake-up yesterday, saying he does not plan to remove any of his officials from their respective positions.

Deputy presidential spokesn Abigail Valte said she has spoken with Aquino to know from him the truth about rumors of a Cabinet revamp.

“No less President Aquino said that his Cabinet officials got a very high approval rating so there is no reason for him to replace them because even the public itself sees that they are performing. The President stressed that there will be no Cabinet revamp this year,” Valte told reporters.

Valte issued the statement in response to rumors circulating at the House of Representatives that Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman will be replaced soon by defeated Liberal Party
senatorial candidate Risa Hontiveros..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101205hed5.html

Ship with 24 Chinese crew sinks off Batanes; 10 missing 12/05/2010

Ship with 24 Chinese crew sinks off Batanes; 10 missing

12/05/2010
Ten Chinese crew members were missing after their vessel sank in the waters off the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard and police yesterday said.

The Panamanian cargo vessel m/v Hong Wei, with 24 Chinese crewmen, sank off the Batanes islands around 3:20 p.m. Friday.

Fourteen crewmen were rescued by a passing ship and a Taiwan Coast Guard vessel, they added..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101205hed6.html

DoLE to accredit Hong Kong insurance companies 12/05/2010

DoLE to accredit Hong Kong insurance companies

12/05/2010
Vice President Jejomar Binay, presidential adviser on OFW concerns, yesterday directed the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) to sit down with the Insurance Commission and the other members of an Inter-Agency Committee to discuss the possibility of accrediting Hong Kong based insurance companies that can provide insurance coverage mandated under RA 10022 as well as other operational concerns over the insurance requirements.

The vice president issued the directive in the light of complaints from Hong Kong employers over the compulsory insurance requirement of RA 10022 despite the fact that they already provide insurance coverage for their foreign domestic helpers.

Binay’s move was also prompted by a report from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Hong Kong that the General Chamber of Hong Kong Manpower Agencies are open to extending the insurance coverage already being provided to foreign domestic helpers to comply with the insurance benefits set out in RA10022..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101205nat3.html

Bishop laments snail’s paced litigations vs Marcopper 12/05/2010

Bishop laments snail’s paced litigations vs Marcopper

12/05/2010
“Justice delayed is justice denied.”

Thus said Boac Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista referring to a decade of the mining incident in Marinduque and nothing has happened yet.

“The most important thing here is environmental justice that the Diocese of Boac and the Marinduque province are hoping for,” he said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101205nat5.html

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