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Dirty play EDITORIAL 07/14/2011

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Dirty play

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
07/14/2011
Clearly, the move of Noynoy Aquino and his allies, specifically through the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to damage the Catholic bishops’ credibility, reputation and the moral clout they are said to hold over their flock, was purely political. And no doubt Noynoy’s vengeance wreaked on them not only for the call of Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos for him to resign as he is unfit for the presidency, but for their not supporting him and his administration along with their criticisms against him.

This could gleaned from yesterday’s Senate hearing where it was proved by the bishops that all they really got by way of vehicles from PCSO during Gloria Arroyo’s watch, were pick-ups, with some of them even being second hand, which is really a far cry from what PCSO Chairman Margie Juico was portraying and leaked out to the media.

The Yellow media broke the story and quoted Juico as the source of the story..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110714com1.html

The destroyer destroyed FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 07/14/2011

The destroyer destroyed

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
07/14/2011
Looks like the dirty play of Noynoy and his allies has backfired on them, and especially on Noynoy, after Sen. Miriam Santiago dug up the issue of the presidential “black budget” which is the presidential social fund (PSF) that gets its billions from both the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and without any audit.

Miriam calls this PSF fund the President’s “black budget” because it really is a presidential budget that is under the radar, or, as Miriam describes it, a budget insulated from public scrutiny, confined to the dark and insulated from sunshine, sneaked through the back door instead of undergoing the open process of congressional budgetary authorization.

It was found that the PSF, based on the 2009 Commission on Audit report, that the total deposits to the bank’s current account for the three funds were in the aggregate amount of over P7.5 billion..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110714com2.html

Blood feud cripples lives in Kosovo focus 07/14/2011

Blood feud cripples lives in Kosovo

focus

07/14/2011
GRACKE — Outside the Neziri family compound in this Kosovo hamlet there is no sign of life, not even a sound indicating that 45 relatives with seven children are holed up inside afraid of a vendetta attack.

His eyes darting from side to side, the head of the clan, Haki Neziri, 77, emerged cautiously from the house to receive AFP journalists.

“My family has not been able to go out for 17 months. Men and women cannot go to work on the field. Children cannot go to school,” he complained bitterly.

The Neziris fear any one of them could be shot by members of the rival Veseli family in an “honor killing” to avenge a murder, in this ethnic Albanian area that broke away from Serbia in 2008..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110714com3.html

‘Inappropriately castigating Globe’ LETTER 07/14/2011

‘Inappropriately castigating Globe’

LETTER

07/14/2011
Dear Editor:
We refer to the column of Mr. Jesse Bacon II “Man at the Market” published in The Daily Tribune on July 12, 2011. Referring to the pending PLDT-Digitel consolidation, Mr. Bacon inappropriately castigates Globe to be in opposition to the deal, “not on moral grounds but because Globe lost to Smart in its own bid to buy Sun Cellular.”

We wish to point out that Mr. Bacon’s comments sound like a tired refrain, devoid of objectivity and basis, and without any regard to the numerous news write-ups covering all parties’ positions on the issue. Here are the points to set the record straight:

1. Globe is gravely concerned about the resulting implications of this deal for the industry and the consumers. Notwithstanding the recent hearings being conducted by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on the joint application of PLDT and Digitel, Globe has requested the regulatory bodies and the government to review the implications of the deal which would give the PLDT Group monopoly of the industry with 70 percent market share..... MORE
SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110714com6.html

‘Pagcor sets aside P1B for classroons’ VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 07/14/2011

‘Pagcor sets aside P1B for classroons’

VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
07/14/2011
To begin with, it is only right and proper to say clearly and emphatically that the Philippine government is the biggest gambler in the country. It operates Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) that sucks in the money of the gullible rich. It runs Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) that in turn bags in the money of those who have some cash to lose. It does not even simply tolerate but in effect pampers the well-known jueteng lords in the Philippines — together with their respective structures of operations and rankings of operators — who in turn pocket the money of the desperate and gullible poor..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110714com7.html

Miriam wants bishops’ accusers probed, too By Angie M. Rosales 07/14/2011

PCSO MEDIA CAMPAIGN A COVER-UP FOR BIGGER ANOMALIES — SANTIAGO

Miriam wants bishops’ accusers probed, too

By Angie M. Rosales 07/14/2011

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago turned the table yesterday on the accusers of the seven so-called Pajero bishops led by newly appointed Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Chairman Margie Juico after she sought an inquiry into what she insinuated was an orchestrated media campaign against the Church officials which in turn Santiago suggested was a smokescreen to cover up bigger anomalies such as the depositing without authorization of P1.548 billion of PCSO funds in a private bank .

Santiago in a speech prior to the start of the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on alleged PCSO anomalies, said the public will not spontaneously coin the term Pajero bishops if “someone had not put that thought in their heads.”

“And if someone can make this basic unintelligible mistake as calling the SUVs Pajeros when none is a Pajero at all, then that can only mean that perhaps a PR (public relations) practitioner.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110714hed1.html

Court workers ask SC to take action vs Duterte 07/14/2011

Court workers ask SC to take action vs Duterte

07/14/2011
Two court employees’ groups have asked the Supreme Court (SC) to take action against embattled Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for assaulting a court sheriff serving an eviction order on her constituents early this month.

In a separate letter to Chief Justice Renato Corona, the Philippine Association of Court Employees (PACE) and the Sheriffs Confederation of the Philippines Inc. (Scophil) asked the high court to impose disciplinary action on
Duterte for attacking sheriff Abe Andres during a recent demolition of shanties in Barangay Soliman in Agdao district.

Last July 1, television cameras caught Duterte punching Andres four times in the face after the latter allegedly refused to grant the mayor’s request for a two-hour stay in the demolition in the city..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110714hed6.html

Palace: Zaldy Ampatuan can’t be state witness By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 07/14/2011

Palace: Zaldy Ampatuan can’t be state witness

By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 07/14/2011

Former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan can squeal all he wants but this won’t make him a State witness and enjoy the legal protection of the government.

This was stressed yesterday by presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda as he dismissed claims that Zaldy will be turned into a State witness. Lacierda said Zaldy only offered his inside knowledge on both the Maguindanao massacre case and the alleged poll fraud in Mindanao in exchange for his security and protection.

Lacierda said Zaldy’s offer to testify against his own father and brother in relation with the infamous Maguindanao massacre case and to his former political patron, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for alleged election fraud in Mindanao does not guarantee him any legal protection provided for as a State witnesses..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110714nat1.html

DPWH strictly implements smoke-free policy on premises N E W S B R I E F S 07/14/2011

DPWH strictly implements smoke-free policy on premises

N E W S B R I E F S

07/14/2011
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) implements’ strict compliance on smoke-free policy to promote and protect the welfare of officials and employees, in accordance with the provisions of the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 (RA 9211) and the Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 17, s. 2009.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said that smoking is now prohibited inside DPWH premises, offices/work-places and ground, except for identified and designated smoking areas that are located in outdoor open spaces with no permanent or temporary roof or wall..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110714nat6.html

Koko: Revelation validates my protest vs Zubiri 07/14/2011

Koko: Revelation validates my protest vs Zubiri

07/14/2011
Lawyer Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III yesterday said the recent disclosure of former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan that Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri benefited from cheating in Maguindanao province in the 2007 senatorial election validates his pending election protest.

Pimentel landed in 13th place after leading Zubiri throughout the initial stages of the counting of the votes, with the Maguindanao votes believed to have turned the tide in Zubiri’s favor in the final tally..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110714nat3.html

‘Bistek’ looms as head of World Mayors Council on Climate Change 07/14/2011

‘Bistek’ looms as head of World Mayors Council on Climate Change

07/14/2011
Quezon City Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista is being eyed by his colleagues from various countries to be the next chairman of the World Mayors Council on Climate Change, a ranking local government official revealed yesterday.

According to Greg Bañacia, Public Affairs and Information Services Office chief, the mayor was offered the top position when he attended last month the 2nd World Congress of Cities and Adaptation to Climate Change in Bonn, Germany.

A member of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives-Local Government for Sustainability (ICLEI-LGS), Bautista confirmed to Tribune the great opportunity to lead the international advocacy group whose members are incumbent and former mayors from over 70 countries, including the Philippines..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110714met5.html

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