• 6 AUGUST - *1907 - Gen. Macario Sakay, one of the Filipino military leaders who had continued fighting the imperialist United States invaders eight years into the Ph...
    11 years ago

......................................................................................

The Daily Tribune

(Without Fear or Favor)

Specials:

Bulatlat.com

World Wildlife Fund for Nature-Philippines

The Philippines Matrix Project

China tests the waters EDITORIAL 03/06/2011

Sunday, March 6, 2011

China tests the waters

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
03/06/2011
Is China trying to have a feel of the political resolve of Noynoy with its stepped up activity in the disputed Spratlys, including the trailing of Chinese patrol boats of a government oil exploration team clearly within the Philippine boundary off Palawan?

The recent incident happened after a report said new structures have been built by China on islands that are part of the disputed areas.

China has been vigorous in asserting its claim over the areas covering Spratly islands which is believed to be potentially rich in oil.

It appears that the incident was not a chance encounter between Chinese ships and the government exploration vessel, as this episode happened just after the government obtained a reprieve for the execution of three Filipino death convicts..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110306com1.html

Same standards, please FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 03/06/2011

Same standards, please

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
03/06/2011
Just what charges constitute betrayal of public trust that is enough to convict an impeachable officer?

If the House justice committee chairman and his members say that the charges enumerated in the two complaints are sufficient in form and substance, and that there is no longer any need for any reason to come up with probable cause, since impeachment is a political proceedings where members of the justice committee merely vote for the complaint to send this to the Senate, through the required number in plenary voting, what are they to do, should someone lodge an impeachment complaint against Noynoy Aquino on the same grounds, following the same charges raised by the two leftist party-listers, Akbayan and Bayan Muna? Change the rules again, and simply reject the complaint as not substantial in form and substance? And since it is their ally that will be the subject of an impeachment complaint, will the same justice committee panel say that this is a political proceeding and not a judicial proceeding where the rules of evidence are followed?.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110306com2.html

US military struggles in campus battle FEATURE 03/06/2011

US military struggles in campus battle

FEATURE

03/06/2011
NEW YORK — US soldiers today face combat in some far-flung places, but it’s the battle for Columbia University, right in Manhattan, that could say most about the country they represent.

At issue is whether the prestigious college will end a ban on a military cadet program known as the ROTC that was exiled from most Ivy League campuses four decades ago during the Vietnam era.

The college Senate meets this Friday ahead of a vote next month that will provide a stark look at how US academia — long a foe of the Pentagon — feels nearly a decade into the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

For Zoe Willmott, in her junior year of urban studies, the idea of a great university partnering the military is anathema. “In the military you are taught to obey commands, to follow commands, not to think critically and to question what you’re doing,” Willmott, 20, said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110306com3.html

Ballsy and the BoC BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 03/06/2011

Ballsy and the BoC

BLURBAL THRUSTS
Louie Logarta
03/06/2011
Washington DC is procrastinating on frantic calls from concerned quarters to impose a “no-fly zone” for all types of aircraft in Libya as an option to topple strongman Moammar Gadhafi from power, and more importantly prevent further unnecessary bloodshed. The estimated unconfirmed death toll has been placed at around 2,000, but this is expected to rise further as the fighting goes on unabated.

The White House is said to be hesitant in resorting to such a drastic measure in the North African powder keg as it says it is quite risky for both sides and would surely complicate matters with regard to the world’s other superpowers who are interested in the speedy resolution of the Libyan problem due to the billions of barrels of oil still stored under its desert sands..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110306com4.html

Merci in ‘weder-weder land’ TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 03/06/2011

Merci in ‘weder-weder land’

TABLETS OF STONE
Larry Faraon, OP
03/06/2011
Nothing has changed in this country or ever will because we have either the same old dogs with new collars or new dogs with the same old collars or new politicians with old dirty political trapo-isms or same old politicians or their younger photocopies trying on the “neo-politic” of this administration (Or is there any? Except the rib tickler, “kayo ang boss ko”).

Of course, much of the socio-anthropological content of corruption in this country is its systemic or structural perpetration due to its downtrend cyclical pattern of “weather-weather lang yan,” or whoever sits and wields the fairy’s wand from the tower. President Noynoy Aquino’s bold campaign tagline, “kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap” definitely applies not only to the pabaons, pasalubongs, tong-pats, lagays, SOPs, padulas, for the boys, insertions, etc., but also inevitably extends to the root of all evil, namely corrupt politics! He should know that.

This administration cannot be selective or utilitarian in addressing the problem of eliminating corruption especially barking at the GMA corrupt generals and wards while applying corrupt politics in the halls of its congressional allies to get rid of a GMA cohort, namely Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez..... MORE
SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110306com5.html

Amnesia VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 03/06/2011

Amnesia

VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
03/06/2011
In plain language, amnesia is a well noticeable disturbance of memory usually due to a direct physiological effect of a particular medical condition — if not on account of the persisting effects of drug abuse.

Professional psychiatry commonly holds that there are at least three criteria to conclude the presence of amnesia or now called “Amnesia Disorder” — it is: One, impairment in the ability to recall of previously known facts and/or informational data. Two, impairment in occupational functioning among other acta and gesta. Three, impairment in memory ability that goes beyond the usual duration of substance abuse or medication.

While little knowledge is dangerous for non-expert in psychiatry, it is enough to look into a diagnostic manual of mental disorders to know the above information..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110306com6.html

Sex business is booming in Singapore focus 03/06/2011

Sex business is booming in Singapore

focus

03/06/2011
SINGAPORE — Standing outside a harmless-looking two-story terrace house, a middle-aged man with a balding pate and wispy white goatee greets people walking by with a constant refrain.

“You want to see my girl? Come in, come in!” he exhorts every man in sight, pointing to skimpily-clad Asian prostitutes waiting in a softly-lit sitting room along a back street in Geylang, Singapore’s red-light district.

The tout says more than 50 customers patronize his business daily.

“Our customers are international, anybody can come as long as they can pay,” he says, brushing aside a reporter’s suggestion that the police might not approve of his operation..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110306com7.html

Palace sides with DoJ chief on deportation row By Aytch S. de la Cruz 03/06/2011

MORE FRICTION SEEN AS TAIWAN WELCOMES GAERLAN RESO

Palace sides with DoJ chief on deportation row

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 03/06/2011

The Palace yesterday sided with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima in disregarding a court resolution stating that there was no probable cause to indict the 10 Chinese and 14 Taiwanese fraudsters who were all deported to China that sparked a diplomatic row between Taipei and Manila, a move that is expected to further inflame Taiwan.

Malacañang said it was standing by the explanation of De Lima that in effect was a reiteration of its hard line position against an apology that is being sought by the Taiwanese government over the incident.

Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said there are still cases pending with the appellate court on the deportation issue on top of the Senate’s plans to investigate the incident which will determine if a blunder has indeed been committed by the Department of Justice when it approved the request of the Chinese government to assume jurisdiction over all the suspects concerned.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said it welcomed a preliminary investigation by the Philippine government that questioned the legality of deporting 14 Taiwanese suspects to China last month..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110306hed1.html

Malacañang silent over China snub on Spratlys incident protest 03/06/2011

Malacañang silent over China snub on Spratlys incident protest

03/06/2011
Malacañang opted to remain silent yesterday over the apparent China snub of a diplomatic protest sent by the government over the recent encounter between Chinese Navy ships and a Philippine oil exploration vessel off the disputed Spratly islands.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) filed the diplomatic protest last Friday before the Chinese Embassy to express the government’s deep concerns following the incident.

Asked whether the government already received an official response from China regarding its protest, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte claimed there was none yet as far as Malacañang is concerned.

Ethan Sun Yi, deputy chief of the political section and spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Manila, merely reaffirmed China’s sovereignty over the Spratly Islands when asked on China’s response to the Philippine protest..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110306hed2.html

Palace: New AFP chief on frontline of reforms to military, ‘pabaon’ out 03/06/2011

Palace: New AFP chief on frontline of reforms to military, ‘pabaon’ out

03/06/2011
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) may expect a kind of leader that will genuinely implement reforms in the institution amid the string of controversies that hounded the military lately, Malacañang yesterday said.

Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte issued this statement on government-radio as President Aquino declined to drop hints when asked by reporters in Tarlac City about the identity of the next AFP chief.

Aquino is poised to reveal the successor of outgoing AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo David in a keynote speech he will deliver before the future state warriors at the graduation rites of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio City today.

“Our countrymen can expect a leader like our outgoing Chief of Staff, General David, who will be effective in leading our Armed Forces. He will push campaign for reforms that means corruption won’t be allowed under the Aquino administration,” Valte said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110306hed4.html

Merci concedes impeachment, prepares for Senate court battle By Charlie V. Manalo 03/06/2011

Merci concedes impeachment, prepares for Senate court battle

By Charlie V. Manalo 03/06/2011

Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas “Merci” Gutierrez yesterday conceded on her imminent impeachment at the House of Representatives in which she said the House panel handling the impeachment case had prejudged her and said that she is now preparing to face the Senate court.

Speaking before media men at the weekly Kapihan sa Sulo, Gutierrez said the House committee on justice, chaired by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupaz, even at the very onset of the impeachment proceedings, had already prejudged her case as manifested by the committee’s denial of her request for access to testimonies of witnesses and the evidence submitted against her.

“The House committee on justice has disregarded due process of law and has ignored its own rules. They (panel members) have already made a conclusion on this case. And if they have denied me due process of law, if they are violating due process, what would I expect from them?” Gutierrez lamented..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110306hed5.html

280 Pinoys in Mideast granted amnesty — Binay 03/06/2011

280 Pinoys in Mideast granted amnesty — Binay

03/06/2011
The Philippine government was able to secure amnesty for Filipino workers charged with minor offenses in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Vice President Jejomar Binay yesterday said upon arrival from his trip to the two Middle East countries.

“As a result of the (Kuwaiti) emir’s amnesty, 79 wards at the Filipino Workers Resource Center (FWRC) with plane tickets will now be repatriated to the Philippines,” he added.

The rest of the more than 200 wards at FWRC in Kuwait will follow as soon as their plane tickets are arranged, the Vice President added.

From Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Binay said some 80 OFWs are similarly being repatriated..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110306hed6.html

Palace defends Almendras from criticisms of transport groups By Aytch S. de la Cruz 03/06/2011

Palace defends Almendras from criticisms of transport groups

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 03/06/2011

Malacañang yesterday defended Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras who received harsh criticisms from transport groups that reportedly complained about his apparent justification on the increasing prices of oil in the country which is hurting their sector the most. Almendras was remembered saying in his recent interview with Palace reporters that the government has no other choice but to go with the flow of oil prices in the world market to keep the steady fuel supply in the country.

Activist transport group Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston) reportedly cried foul over this statement by Almendras, prompting them to demand for his resignation but this was immediately turned down by Malacañang..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110306nat4.html

Governor opposes British mining project in N. Vizcaya 03/06/2011

Governor opposes British mining project in N. Vizcaya

03/06/2011
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — In a surprise move, the province’s governor sought the cancellation of a British-funded mining company’s Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) issued by the previous administration in 2009.

This came just as the provincial board here endorsed the multibillion-peso FCF Minerals project during their regular session last Feb. 28.

In a letter to President Aquino dated March 2, Gov. Luisa Lloren-Cuaresma sought the cancellation of the FTAA issued by the previous Arroyo administration to British-owned project, citing sweeping environmental reasons.

She also cited the provincial government’s negative experience with Australian-owned OceanaGold Philippines Inc. which had previously received the provincial government’s endorsement in 2006 before it got bogged down in a controversy with the firm over quarry taxes..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110306nat7.html

Blog Archive