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Mother of missing activist decries continuing cover-up

Monday, March 5, 2012

Mother of missing activist decries continuing cover-up


“I’m about to cry. It’s been five years and we are not even closer to finding Jonas.” – Mrs. Edita Burgos
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – For almost five years now, Mrs. Edita Burgos has been groping in the dark. Searching for her missing son Jonas,Mrs. Burgos faced one cover-up after another.

Mrs. Burgos went to the courts and availed of every legal remedy there is, with the hope of finding her third child who was abducted by suspected state agents on April 28, 2007.

Like any other hearing she religiously attended, Mrs. Burgos sat silently as the Court of Appeals (CA) Special 7th Division began its proceedings, February 28. It is the same court that heard and denied her writ of amparo petition four years ago.

“I’m about to cry,” Mrs. Burgos told Bulatlat.com shortly after the hearing. “It’s been five years and we are not even closer to finding Jonas.”

After the CA first dismissed the petition filed by Mrs. Burgos in July 2008, Mrs. Burgos went to the Supreme Court. After almost two years, the high court issued a resolution in July 2010 directing the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to investigate the disappearance of Jonas after noting significant lapses in the police investigation. Before that, Mrs. Burgos said they sought the help of the CHR but the investigation was closed when she was “unjustly accused of being uncooperative.”

In its investigation, the CHR led by Commissioner Jose Mamauag found that the abduction of Jonas is “not a simple case of kidnapping done by some individuals within the military, but is, in fact, a part of the entire counter-insurgency program of the past administration wherein both military and police forces played a crucial role in its enforcement.”

The CHR has asked the high court to direct Army Lt. Harry Baliaga Jr. to produce Jonas. Baliaga, formerly assigned to the 56th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA), was identified by witnesses as one of those who abducted Jonas. The CHR recommended the filing of kidnapping charges against Baliaga. The commission also urged the high court to grant the petition for writ of amparo filed by Mrs. Burgos.....MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/03/01/mother-of-missing-activist-decries-continuing-cover-up/

Putin declared president-elect (w/ Video)



Putin declared president-elect

Vladimir Putin secured some 63.7 per cent of vote in Russia's presidential election. The head of Central Election Commission declared him the next president of the country.

The commission has counted more than 99 per cent of the ballots. “As you can see, the election finished in one round,” Vladimir Churov said, as he announced Putin’s landslide victory.

Gennady Zyuganov scored 17.19 percent of the votes. In third place was political newcomer Mikhail Prokhorov, who won 7.87 percent. Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Sergey Mironov won 6.23 and 3.85 per cent of the vote respectively..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/putin-win-presidential-election-813/

Foreign observers laud Russian monitoring system as ‘best in the world’

Foreign observers laud Russian monitoring system as ‘best in the world’

International monitors have said that the video monitoring system tested at Russian presidential polling stations exceeds everything they saw in their home countries – or anywhere else in the world.

At a Moscow press conference soon after the last polling station closed in Western Russia, monitors agreed that the elections were held in a normal mode and without serious violations, but the web camera system that allowed anyone to personally check the situation at polling stations got the foreign specialists especially excited..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/politics/russian-poll-monitoring-monitors-815/

Soviet star's stones sold

Soviet star's stones sold


A selection of jewelry pieces belonging to the legendary Russian singer Ludmila Zykina, famed for her lifelong passion for precious stones, has fetched over $1 million at an auction in Moscow.

­Zykina knew that “diamonds are forever” long before she heard the song from the Bond movie of the same name. Her collection of jewelry featuring one-off pieces, including diamonds and emeralds of high caliber and size, was the talk of the town for decades. Some sought-after items were given to the Soviet legend as presents by heads of states..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/art-and-culture/news/diamonds-zykina-jewelry-gelos-801/

Political bravery the rescue for the EU

Political bravery the rescue for the EU


As most European countries sign the pact for tougher fiscal discipline and provide new lifelines to troubled Greece, the outstanding question is whether the recipe will really help?

And why there hasn’t so far been that much progress in addressing the underlying problems?

The latest European data is disappointing. The unemployment rate in Europe has hit a 14-year high of 10.7% in January, with inflation also up to 2.7% in February. The latest PMI Index for the Eurozone countries – an indicator of business activity in the area – grew just 0.2 points last month, but still remained pointing towards economic contraction..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://rt.com/business/news/eu-fiscal-pact-deregulation-703/

‘We are being strangled’ – Ifugao drivers on oil price hikes

‘We are being strangled’ – Ifugao drivers on oil price hikes


By BRANDON LEE
Northern Dispatch

LAGAWE, Ifugao — On the 22nd General Assembly of the Ifugao Bus and Jeep Operators and Drivers Association (IBJODA), they invited as speaker Mr George San Mateo, chairman of PISTON, a nationwide confederation of drivers and operators. IBJODA claims a membership of 250 drivers and operators.

San Mateo discussed the government’s “solution” to the oil price hikes, the Pantawid Pasada, which has inconsistencies. He slammed the oil deregulation law that allowed the oil industry practice of increasing oil prices and thus the profits of the oil cartel.

Drivers in Ifugao have repeatedly complained about not receiving the Pantawid Pasada due to technicalities that worked against them, for example because of vehicle transfers that were not always registered with the Land Transportation Office..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/03/01/mother-of-missing-activist-decries-continuing-cover-up/

Pinoys’ anxiety on economy intensifies, survey shows 03/05/2012

Pinoys’ anxiety on economy intensifies, survey shows

03/05/2012
Filipinos are getting more anxious about the economy and how it affects them, according to a Laylo Research Strategies survey.

The Jan. 28-Feb. 6 poll, which covered 1,500 respondents, showed 65 percent of Filipinos are anxious about where the country is headed. They consist of the 25 percent who feel the nation is headed in the wrong direction and 40 percent who belong to the undecided.

Asked, “In your opinion, is the country in general headed in the right or the wrong direction?” only 35 percent say the country is on the right track..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120305hed3.html

Guilty or not, abstention, judges choices on CJ — JPE By Angie M. Rosales 03/05/2012

NO REPRIMAND, ONLY REMOVAL FROM OFFICE IF CONVICTED

Guilty or not, abstention, judges choices on CJ — JPE

By Angie M. Rosales 03/05/2012

Senator-judges have the option to abstain from giving a verdict in the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona but the vote would only be two, either guilty or not guilty, according to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Enrile, the presiding judge in the impeachment proceedings, bared this recently as he added there’s no need (for the senators to) explain (their vote).

“There are only two (choices), guilty and not guilty. There would be no vote ‘with reservation’ but they can (vote to) abstain,” he said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120305hed1.html

‘News blackout’ over Mindanao brownouts 03/05/2012

‘News blackout’ over Mindanao brownouts

03/05/2012
A top Palace official known for being evasive to media queries appeared to have “levelled up” by keeping mum on issues concerning the daily four-hour brownouts that has been crippling significant investments in the entire Mindanao.

At the weekend press briefing aired over the state-owned Radyo ng Bayan, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said Energy Secretary Rene Almendras has already been discussing the issue with the region-based power cooperatives and distribution companies.

When asked as to what they have been discussing or at least to give an update about the matter, Valte said they would rather defer from answering the query, even as she hinted that the Department of Energy, which has been directly to solve over Mindanao’s power shortage concerns, would be the best agency to explain on its details..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120305nat4.html

Lawmaker seeks to amend the Revised Penal Code By Charlie V. Manalo 03/05/2012

Lawmaker seeks to amend the Revised Penal Code

By Charlie V. Manalo 03/05/2012

A lawmaker is seeking to amend the 82-year-old Republic Act 3815 or the Revised Penal Code saying the fine component and other values incorporated in the law are still based on the 1930 price index.

Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco filed House Bill 5768 to adjust the outdated monetary values with a formula utilizing the available data from the National Statistics Coordination Board relating to Consumer Price Indexes.

“The fine component and other values incorporated in the law, the amounts are still based on 1930 prices, the year it was enacted. The massive inflation and devaluation the currency has gone through renders some of the RA 3815 provisions outmoded,” Velasco said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120305nat6.html

Solon: Pressure Customs bureau to raise revenues for government By Charlie V. Manalo 03/05/2012

Solon: Pressure Customs bureau to raise revenues for government

By Charlie V. Manalo 03/05/2012
A senior member of the House of Representatives yesterday chastised state finance advisers for running after poor tobacco farmers and ordinary distillery workers in their bid to raise more revenues for government, saying they should instead apply pressure on the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to raise the needed revenue for the government.

In an interview, Valenzuela Rep. Rex Gatchalian, a member of the House committees on good government and accountability and on rural development, said the Department of Finance (DoF) should stop taking the “shorter and more convenient route” to increase government finances by asking Congress to raise taxes anew, in reference to House Bill 5727 which proposes to amend the so-called “sin taxes” law by introducing a unitary tax system for tobacco and alcohol products..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120305met1.html

More BI officers deployed in Puerto Princesa due to influx of tourists By Conrado Ching 03/05/2012

More BI officers deployed in Puerto Princesa due to influx of tourists

By Conrado Ching 03/05/2012
The Bureau of Immigration has deployed additonal immigration officers in the Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPIA) as it expected an influx of foreign tourists to visit Palawan after the underground river in Puerto Princesa was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said 10 immigration officers were recently deployed in the PPIA to process arriving foreigners destined for the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) and other renowned tourist spots in Palawan.

David said foreigners have been going to Palawan since last month when the PPUR’s inclusion in the New Seven Wonders of Nature was announced..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120305met2.html

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