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Big dip EDITORIAL 05/05/2011

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Big dip

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
05/05/2011
It’s getting worse for Noynoy Aquino, by way of public dissatisfaction rating over his administration’s performance.

The latest survey — actually two months old, as the survey was conducted between March 4 and 7 — showed that the Aquino administration’s net satisfaction rating suffered another dramatic fall, dropping by 18 points from last November’s survey, now getting a net rating of +46, so said Social Weather Stations (SWS) that still rated this, according to its terminology, as “good.”

Reacting to the survey dip, his mouthpieces did a Gloria mouthpiece, dismissing the falling numbers, saying that they are not alarmed at all, stressing that the numbers remain relatively high compared to Noynoy’s predecessors during similar periods of their respective administrations..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110505com1.html

A thoroughly opaque FoI FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 05/05/2011

A thoroughly opaque FoI

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
05/05/2011
So who says Noynoy Aquino and his administration are into transparency?

Well, he and his Palace boys, for one. But that’s just for show, because they certainly are making sure that the Freedom of Information (FoI) bill, which is supposedly being discussed at the Palace with its ally-sponsor, Rep. Erin Tañada, will give Malacañang and its toadies “absolute” exemptions, whihc means barring the public — obviously through the media — from getting hold of documents that would not protect them from public scrutiny.

Among these exemptions that will be deemed “absolute” (which means no appeal to any other government body for the release of such documents) are those pertaining to “communications,” documents or other materials that reflect presidential decision-making and deliberations, as well as documents reflecting the decision-making of the President..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110505com2.html

Conspiracy theories on bin Laden take root in Pakistan focus 05/05/2011

Conspiracy theories on bin Laden take root in Pakistan

focus

05/05/2011
ABBOTTABAD — Revelations that Osama bin Laden was killed on the doorstep seemed so outlandish that conspiracy theories of nefarious US activities raced like wildfire through the quiet Pakistani town.

Nestled in pine-dotted hills, the Bilal suburb of the relatively well-off garrison town of Abbottabad was the last place in Pakistan where people would ever imagine that the world’s “most wanted” man was lying low.

Unlike other parts of the northwest, many people wear Western dress. Unlike in bin Laden’s native Saudi Arabia, women are seen driving cars and no one who spoke to AFP said they had ever seen an Arab.

The first time they realized anything was wrong, the neighbors say, was when helicopters suddenly roared overhead in the dead of night, before loud explosions and then gunfire deafened the area. Frightened, they woke up..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110505com3.html

Japan mulls new robot help with nuclear disaster focus 05/05/2011

Japan mulls new robot help with nuclear disaster

focus

05/05/2011
TOKYO — Japan may be at the forefront of robotics and its children raised on cartoons of robot heroes and villains, but the country has so far had to rely on US-made machines for help tackling its nuclear crisis.

The massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami knocked out reactor cooling systems at the Fukushima nuclear power plant northeast of Tokyo, where workers are battling to prevent radiation leaks and a total meltdown.

Although Japan is reliant on atomic power and leads the world in developing humanoid machines and industrial robots it has not developed any robots to tackle nuclear accidents.

Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (Tepco) has sent in a pair of US-made crawler PackBot robots to examine areas where radiation from the rubble left by explosions is too high for humans to enter..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110505com6.html

Onanism VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 05/05/2011

Onanism

VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
05/05/2011
There was once a man named “Onan.” His older brother died. And in accord with the custom of that age, Onan married the woman widowed by his brother precisely in order to have children by her in memory of his deceased brother.

However, whenever Onan engaged in marital sex with his wife, he repeatedly “spilled his seed (semen) on the ground.” Onan was accordingly sentenced to death by God for his “wickedness” (Genesis 38: 3-10). This is certainly not a fairy tale — but a historico-biblical phenomenon.

In these times, the errant deed is called “Onanism.” In these days, the obscene act is known as “Withdrawal.” In the text and context of the foul and shameful “Reproductive Health bill,” the same detestable conduct is propagated as “Contraception.” Who then dare say with due knowledge and right conscience that the bill is good and proper, right and just?.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110505com5.html

Joy and pain as transgender Indians ‘wed’ Hindu god FEATURE 05/05/2011

Joy and pain as transgender Indians ‘wed’ Hindu god

FEATURE

05/05/2011
KOOVAGAM — Jyoti, a 62-year-old transgender Indian who was born a man, saves up money every year to buy a beautiful new wedding dress for a festival at which she gets married to a Hindu god.

This year, she played her role as a “bride” wearing a blue silk brocade sari that cost 15,000 rupees ($338) — nearly two months’ earnings.

The “groom” at the annual festival in Koovagam, Tamil Nadu, was Aravan, a Hindu god celebrated as a young warrior who was killed in the ancient epic, the Mahabharata.

Heavily made-up and dripping with gold jewellery, hundreds of transgender brides excitedly discussed their wedding plans as they queued to marry Aravan in his temple..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110505com8.html

Loyola Grand Villas subdivision sits atop ‘Marikina fault’ BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 05/05/2011

Loyola Grand Villas subdivision sits atop ‘Marikina fault’

BLURBAL THRUSTS
Louie Logarta
05/05/2011
The Quezon City government is said to be having an extremely difficult time in implementing disaster-preparedness procedures in certain areas straddling the West Valley fault line (known formerly as the “Marikina fault”) allegedly due to the uncooperativeness shown by the owners of affected properties.

Earlier, Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government had strongly advised Metro Manila mayors, during a recent inter-agency conference on earthquake aftermath which was hastily conducted in the wake of the Sendai tragedy last March 11, to make public those areas sitting on the identified fault line passing through their respective jurisdictions and to warn residents of the dangers they face in the event of a strong earthquake, instead of treating this as if it were as matter of national security and keeping the location of the properties a secret so as not to offend anger respective owners.

According to the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study undertaken by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), a 7.2-magnitude temblor would destroy some 16,000 buildings and kill or injure about 150,000 people, mostly along the so-called West Valley fault that is located along the eastern fringes of Metro Manila and stretches from Montalban, Quezon City, Marikina, Makati, Pasig and Taguig..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110505com4.html

Palace factions in power struggle for ‘control’ of Ombudsman post By Angie M. Rosales 05/05/2011

PRESIDENTIAL, SENATORIAL POSTS EYED BY NOY ALLIES

Palace factions in power struggle for ‘control’ of Ombudsman post

By Angie M. Rosales 05/05/2011

There President Aquino’s factions go again, warring, but this time to wield control over the next Ombudsman.

It may not be obvious to some but to the Palace’s keen observers, another power struggle appears to be taking place between the warring factions in the Aquino administration in taking “control” of the position vacated by resigned Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago took note of this yesterday, saying the apparent tug-of-war on this issue can only be related to the preparations of some concerned individuals in the next round of presidential elections.

“I perceive that there is an ongoing power struggle among the various squabbling groups within the Aquino administration. Some of these political groupings think that if they control the Ombudsman, they will control the presidential elections in 2016,” she said in a phone-patched interview with reporters..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110505hed1.html

Palace crossed line in issuing EO 2, says QC prosecutor By Benjamin B. Pulta 05/05/2011

Palace crossed line in issuing EO 2, says QC prosecutor

By Benjamin B. Pulta 05/05/2011

A former chief of the Quezon City Prosecutors Office yesterday said Malacañang crossed the line in expanding the definition of “midnight appointments” which ousted officials during the last days of the Arroyo administration under Executive Order (EO) 2.

In a reply filed before the Supreme Court, Dindo Venturanza, through his counsel, said “expanding the definition of midnight appointment is in effect an act of construing the Constitution which power lies not on the President, but vested only on the Court.”

“EO 2, insofar as it redefines the definition of midnight appointment is an invalid act of the President for it encroaches on the fundamental powers of the judiciary precisely defined in the Constitution,” he added.

Venturanza has joined other officials in seeking the high court’s help in their bid to get reinstated after being removed through EO 2..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune


URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110505hed3.html

Abducted co-eds’ mothers charge Palparan, et al. By Benjamin B. Pulta 05/05/2011

Abducted co-eds’ mothers charge Palparan, et al.

By Benjamin B. Pulta 05/05/2011

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, along with several other military officers were named in criminal charges filed yesterday against them before the Department of Justice (DoJ) in connection with the disappearance of two students of the University of the Philippines (UP) five years ago in Hagonoy, Bulacan.

Aside from Palparan, named in the complaint were Lt. Col. Rogelio Boac, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, 2nd Lt. Francis Mirabelle Samson, Arnel Enriquez, M/Sgt. Donald Caigas, M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario, and several other unidentified persons.

Complainants in the case were Erlinda Cadapan and Concepcion Empeño, and said the general and his men were the ones responsible for the abduction and disappearance of their daughters, Sherlyn and Karen.

The charges were filed based on the affidavits of eight witnesses, including Raymong Manalo, whose testimonies prompted the Court of Appeals (CA) to reverse its ruling denying the habeas corpus and writ of amparo petitions filed by the victims’ families..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110505nat1.html

Eastmincom declares red alert in Abu areas 05/05/2011

Eastmincom declares red alert in Abu areas

05/05/2011
The military’s Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), which has jurisdiction over known operational areas of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group (ASG), has declared red alert status as part of the proactive measures to thwart possible sympathy attacks following the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Lt. Gen. Arthur Tabaquero, Eastmincom chief, said red alert status was declared Tuesday, as part of the military’s “anticipatory move” apparently to prevent any possible retaliatory attacks from sympathizers of the slain leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

“We cannot discount the fact that there might be possible retaliatory moves from bin Laden’s fanatics. That is why all military forces under Eastmincom are on alert to preempt such evil moves,” Tabaquero said.

Tabaquero said the Eastmincom is in close coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP), especially in urban areas..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110505nat6.html

AFP team reconstructing debris of widowmaker S-211 trainer jet By Mario J. Mallari 05/05/2011

AFP team reconstructing debris of widowmaker S-211 trainer jet

By Mario J. Mallari 05/05/2011

The Air Force investigating team is continuously trying to reconstruct the debris of the ill-fated S-211 trainer jet which crashed off the waters of Bagac town in Bataan to establish what caused the incident that killed two pilots.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol said that members of the Air Accident Investigating Board (AAIB) are thoroughly conducting their probe of the background of the crashed S-211 and its pilots.

“The AAIB at this point is painstakingly reconstructing the remains and debris of the aircraft. A group is looking into the service records of the aircraft as well as the flight brief and last flight of the pilots,” Okol said.

“After which data collected will be analyzed and if need be sent for material analysis outside as well as interview the manufacturer. Owing to the tedious process being undertaken it will take a considerable period before the board comes up with something substantial,” Okol added..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110505nat2.html

‘jv’ to Dato: Prosecution of Arroyos long overdue By Gerry Baldo 05/05/2011

‘jv’ to Dato: Prosecution of Arroyos long overdue

By Gerry Baldo 05/05/2011

A lawmaker from San Juan City yesterday underscored public relations spin of the Arroyos that they are being singled out by the Aquino administration.

According to Rep. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, the prosecution of the Arroyos has long been overdue and that the current moves should even be expedited.

“The probe and prosecution of the Arroyos have long been overdue. This is not selective prosecution,” Ejercito said, adding Camarines Sur Rep. Dato Arroyo’s statement that the Aquino administration is out to hunt their family and close allies is simply not true.

“One of the known campaign promises of Noy is to bring the culpable officials to justice. Since the President won with an overwhelming vote, it is safe to assume that his votes equate to the number of Filipinos who long for the cleaning of the government of corruption, along with the prosecution of the Arroyos who have blatantly plundered the nation for nine years,” he explained..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110505met1.html

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