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Double whammy FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 02/15/2012

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Double whammy

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
02/15/2012
That was a double whammy for the prosecution team when the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) Katipunan branch manager testifed that the documents which the prosecution had attached in its request for a subpoena from the Senate impeachment court were “fake.”
That’s the first whammy slapped on the prosecution.

The second was the Senate court saying that its CCTV tapes showed that there was no such “small lady” handing prosecutor-congressman Rey Umali any envelope.

Despite these proofs of the prosecution having lied to the court, and deliberately submitting fake “evidence” of the bank records allegedly belonging to Chief Justice Renato Corona, the prosecution panel spokesman, Rep. Miro Quimbo, stated yesterday that the prosecution and its spokesmen are standing by the claim of Umali that the envelope containing the alleged dollar bank accounts of the CJ was handed to him anonymously by a “small lady.”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120215com2.html

(Un)friendly dictatorship puzzle: Democracy lessons in Bahrain



(Un)friendly dictatorship puzzle: Democracy lessons in Bahrain

Washington has been arming Bahrain’s ruling dynasty against protesters, and now demanding that the “dictator must go” in Syria. Why such a difference? Right – Bahrain hosts the US' Fifth Fleet, the “free world” defender crucial in containing Iran.

­Lessons in democracy require extra homework when taught by the West.

They insist that the Syrian "dictator" step down from his post, while experts say the violent opposition receives not-so-humanitarian aid from the West to achieve its goals..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/bahrain-iran-double-standards-us-319/

Bulgaria refuses to ratify ACTA

Bulgaria refuses to ratify ACTA

Bulgaria has become the sixth country that has refused to support the international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).

­The agreement is sponsored by the US and Japan, and meant to toughen intellectual property rights enforcement, but critics say limits freedom of speech on the Internet.

Bulgaria’s Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov says Sofia will not ratify the agreement until the EU member states elaborate a joint position on the document..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/acta-bulgaria-protesters-ratification-353/

'Lay down your arms!' Anonymous attacks US tear-gas maker

'Lay down your arms!' Anonymous attacks US tear-gas maker

Hackers have sent a sweet Valentine to an American weapons manufacturer, knocking out its website. The group says it was an act of retaliation for the company’s arming of security forces against pro-democracy protests in Egypt, Bahrain, and the US.

The one-year anniversary of the Arab Spring uprising in Bahrain seems to have ignited pro-protest feelings in the hackers’ hearts. The Anonymous-aligned activists have accused Combined Systems, a tear-gas maker located in the US, of selling "mad chemical weapons to military and cop shops around the world.".... MORE
SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/hackers-anonymous-war-egypt-259/

Hackers tear down NASDAQ

Hackers tear down NASDAQ

The website of stock exchange operator NASDAQ is offline after being attacked by an onslaught of distributed denial of service, or DDoS attacks.

A NASDAQ OMX Group spokesman confirmed to Reuters Tuesday evening that NASDAQ.com was the victim of a series of DDoS attacks starting late Monday, and, by Tuesday, the site was alternating between being available and being offline..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/nasdaq-ddos-service-group-343/

Being jailed for supporting the urban poor struggle only made him stronger

Being jailed for supporting the urban poor struggle only made him stronger


By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — During the first year commemoration of the violent demolition of homes in Corazon de Jesus, San Juan last January 23, Mark Louie Aquino, 26, spokesperson and second nominee of Kabataan Parylist, received the loudest cheers from the residents who graced the event. When he mentioned that he is facing 14 court cases for helping the residents during the recent demolition, the cheers got even louder.

Aquino is among the 24 residents and “non-resident activists” who were arrested for protecting their homes from the demolition team last January 11, 2012, a few days before the first year commemoration of the demolition last year. The recent demolition, according to progressive groups, is among the most violent in the history of the urban poor struggle in the country.

Residents, with only their stones, bottles and molotov bombs at hand, confronted armed members of the police and Special Weapons and Tactics unit (SWAT), a bulldozer and a water cannon. The homes of 123 affected families would supposedly give way to the proposed San Juan government center, where its new city hall, patterned after the United States’ White House, is to be built.

“I was there as a mass leader,” Aquino said. He added that he did not join the residents in throwing stones or bottles or even molotov bombs.

Aquino said he was near the village hall, cautioning the other unorganized residents from doing anything “spontaneous” that might provoke unnecessary violence. These residents were not facing demolition then but went to the streets to help their neighbors protect their homes.

The demolition team, after firing a canister of teargas on the residents, managed to get through the people’s barricade. Residents scampered to salvage their belongings. Aquino then went to the narrow street of Corazon de Jesus in front of the community to console the residents, mostly mothers and children, who were crying while the demolition team ravaged their homes.

“I told them not to cry because the struggle is not yet over,” Aquino said. He added that he was also telling some youth not to be too “emotional” when approaching the police. “Some of them were already cursing the police and we do not want to provoke them. But they could not contain their emotions.”

A few minutes later, Aquino noticed that the police were hitting two activists while they were being arrested. “I told the police that they can just turn them over to the precinct instead of hitting them,” he said, “But Arcallana,” referring to San Juan Police Supt. Tomas Arcallana, “turned to me and said that I, too, should be arrested.”

As seen in a video taken by Tudla Productions, Aquino tried to run from the police. But the police still got hold of him. “I was kicked, beaten and hit,” he said.

Along with Aquino, the following were also arrested: Manuel Villoria, 25, Rogelio Rosales, 30, Louie Pedroso, 15, Salvador Gargarin, 55, Edwin Crisologo, 22, Jesus Buallo, Mark Dave Avestus, 20, Jaime Gregorio, 24, Senen Buban. 23, Louiche Nepeito, 17, Jay-ar Brillante, 16, Narciso Alberto, 62, Luke Bagangan, 17, Rodel Tejolan, 17, Roger Gabino and Abel Bantulo...... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/02/10/being-jailed-for-supporting-the-urban-poor-struggle-only-made-him-stronger/

PCSO bleeds to bankroll Noy, LP political agenda EXCLUSIVE By Fernan J. Angeles 02/15/2012

PCSO bleeds to bankroll Noy, LP political agenda

EXCLUSIVE

By Fernan J. Angeles 02/15/2012

Raising millions in funds for President Aquino and his Liberal Party bets ahead of the May 2013 senatorial elections wouldn’t be as difficult, even without the Aquino government releasing funds for such political activity, as the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) appears to be playing a major role in raising funds to bankroll the administration’s political agenda.

A reliable Tribune source said that a former alleged bagman of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo now deals with two groups — the PCSO and administration emissaries, who have been helping a small town lottery operator based in Bacolod City, in shortchanging the daily gross income.

The source alleged that the numbers game earnings in Negros Occidental alone reach P142 million every month but only P11 million is being declared..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120215hed4.html

Filipino workers ignore gov’t plea to leave Syria 02/15/2012

Filipino workers ignore gov’t plea to leave Syria

02/15/2012


Most Filipino workers prefer to take their chances in strife-torn Syria than go home jobless as they continue to ignore the Philippine government’s plea for them to leave amid the escalating violence in the Middle East state.

Every week, a small group of Filipino evacuees come home in trickles, but many of them are either workers who ran away from their employers or whose visas have already expired.

According to Philippine government officials, the Filipino workers in Syria, working mostly as housemaids, would rather stay behind despite the raging conflict than go home without any employment opportunity..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120215hed5.html

Prosecutors blasted on fake documents By Angie M. Rosales 02/15/2012

Prosecutors blasted on fake documents

By Angie M. Rosales 02/15/2012

Prosecutors have presented bank records as their evidence against Chief Justice Renato Corona before the Senate impeachment court and even have them marked, yet in the same breath, they also admit that they cannot vouch for the authenticity of documents pertaining supposedly to the chief magistrate’s dollar deposits in Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank), after their own witness testified last Monday as a “fake.”

Despite this, the prosecution panel insists that it is its duty to submit the said documents, used as attachments in requesting, some two weeks ago, for the issuance of a subpoena to PSBank and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) executives as these documents may have a bearing on the court’s resolution of the impeachment complaint against Corona..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120215hed1.html

Infra worth P400M in Cebu, Negros destroyed by earthquake 02/15/2012

Infra worth P400M in Cebu, Negros destroyed by earthquake

02/15/2012
Infrastructures worth about P400 million, mostly road networks and bridges in Cebu and Negros Oriental provinces, were destroyed by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Visayas region on Monday last week.

Latest reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed that Negros Oriental suffered the most destruction in infrastructure amounting to P348,459,000 with P97,175,000 worth of roads and P152,284,000 worth of bridges destroyed.

Public buildings worth about P97 million in Negros Oriental were also either damaged or destroyed by the tremor which resulted in the death of 42 people while 66 others remained missing..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120215nat5.html

37 OFWs arrive from Syria 02/15/2012

37 OFWs arrive from Syria

02/15/2012
Another batch of 37 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from war-torn Syria came home yesterday afternoon aboard Etihad Airways flight EY424, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said.

OWWA said the plane arrived at the NAIA at 4:15 p.m. The repatriated workers had availed themselves of the mandatory repatriation program offered by the government as it raised alert level number 4 in December last year.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, some 913 OFWs had been brought home safely since the trouble erupted in Syria in March last year..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120215nat7.html

Solon: Goverment lost P1 billion in taxes from rice importation By Charlie V. Manalo 02/15/2012

Solon: Goverment lost P1 billion in taxes from rice importation

By Charlie V. Manalo 02/15/2012

Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay lashed out anew at the “daang matuwid” concept of governance of the Aquino administration, saying unchecked corruption going on at the Bureau of Customs (BoC) is the complete antithesis of President Aquino’s anti-graft drive.

At a hearing of the House ways and means committee, Magsaysay bared the government lost P1 billion in taxes from riace importation from Pakistan and Vietnam to the tune of 186,000 metric tons or 3,600,000 sacks of rice due to undervaluation..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120215met2.html

‘I can’t live without Nanette,’ Orate’s parting words to friends By Mario F. Fetalino 02/15/2012

‘I can’t live without Nanette,’ Orate’s parting words to friends

By Mario F. Fetalino 02/15/2012

“I can’t live without Nanette in my life.”
This was one of the last statements of Noel Orate Sr. to his friends before he was killed in a hostage-taking incident at the residence of former Quezon City Rep. Nanette Castelo-Daza recently.

According to his close friends at the Amoranto Tennis Court where he stayed before proceeding to Daza’s residence on the night of Feb. 10, Orate was depressed when he joined the group owing to his break-up with Daza.

“We noticed that he was really depressed when we he arrived at the tennis court that day,” Jun Bilbao said. Bilbao is one of the friends of the couple who was actually with Orate before he left the tennis court..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120215met3.html

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