Llamas-organized Edsa I mob may turn into oust-CJ ‘Plan B’ 02/20/2012

Llamas-organized Edsa I mob may turn into oust-CJ ‘Plan B’

02/20/2012
The preparations for the Edsa I celebration is turning out more than what meets the eye with the huge mobilization that is being required from presidential political adviser Ronald Llamas by President Aquino.

It would not take much to turn the massive crowd expected at the Feb. 25 into what is being bruited about as Malacañang’s Plan B designed to compel the removal of Chief Justice Renato Corona from the Supreme Court.

Last Feb. 16, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. issued a directive to all government officials and employees to participate in the 26th Anniversary of the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120220hed3.html

Quake death toll rises to 52; 61 missing 02/20/2012

Quake death toll rises to 52; 61 missing

02/20/2012
The death toll and number of missing from a powerful earthquake that struck Visayas region have risen to 113 as the civil defence chief said yesterday he had given up all hope of finding any more survivors.

Benito Ramos, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chief, told AFP the latest toll from the 6.7 magnitude quake which struck the central island of Negros on Feb. six was 52 dead and 61 missing.

He added that army engineers were continuing to dig on the heavily-populated island because of the clamor of people insisting that the bodies of their relatives be found..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120220nat3.html

ASK releases P7.7-M financial aid to kin of soldiers killed or injured during combat 02/20/2012

ASK releases P7.7-M financial aid to kin of soldiers killed or injured during combat

02/20/2012
The Alay sa Kawal Foundation (ASK) released last year P7.7 million financial assistance to families of soldiers killed or injured during combat, Vice President Jejomar Binay said.

Binay, foundation chairman and is a reserve Marines colonel, said that ASK gave P30,000 each to 258 families, including those who lost their loved ones in a bloodshed in Al-Barka, Basilan..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120220nat6.html

21 Malabon barangays receive medical tools 02/20/2012

21 Malabon barangays receive medical tools

02/20/2012
The 21 barangays in Malabon City have received several medical equipment and devices, courtesy of Rep. Jaye Lacson-Noel who assured the villages of more support to the health centers.

Lacson-Noel, wife of An Waray party-list Rep. Bhem Noel, distributed the medical tools to the health centers in the city’s entire barangays to their respective chairmen and council members.

“This may not completely support the medical needs of the various health centers in Malabon but I am pretty sure those medical equipment will largely help in extending medical needs of barangay constituents,” Lacson-Noel said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120220met3.html

NBI confirms homicide case of Daza’s ex-BF By Mario F. Fetalino 02/20/2012

NBI confirms homicide case of Daza’s ex-BF

By Mario F. Fetalino 02/20/2012

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has confirmed the homicide case of slain hostage-taker Noel Orate Sr. in connection with the killing of his neighbor in Zamboanga City 19 years ago.

According to a criminal history report from the NBI, a certain Belinda Belisario filed a homicide complaint against Orate years before he was killed in a recent hostage-taking incident in Quezon City last Feb. 10.
 
The report also said Belinda charged Orate before the NBI with illegal possession of firearms..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120220met2.html

MMDA bent on arming its traffic enforcers By Pat C. Santos 02/20/2012

MMDA bent on arming its traffic enforcers

By Pat C. Santos 02/20/2012

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is seriously mulling arming its traffic enforcers following a new attack on a traffic enforcer by a group of drag racers before dawn last Friday along Macapagal Boulevard in Paraaque City.

This after MMDA assistant manager for planning Emerson Carlos admitted there is a need to protect enforcers but said that such a move must be carefully studied and should not be done in haste.

Pag-aaralan namin yang posibilidad na bigyan ng konting armas ang ating mga tao para makapagtanggol naman sila sa sarili lalo na yung mga nakatalaga sa ganitong klaseng operasyon (We still need to study the possibility arming our enforcers to defend themselves, especially in this kind of operation), Carlos said, referring to the enforcers deployed to crack down on the illegal scooter race along Macapagal Boulevard where the attack took place..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120220met1.html

Groups slam ‘special treatment’ for Arroyo

Groups slam ‘special treatment’ for Arroyo

“It is getting clearer and clearer by the day that the government’s drive to impeach Corona is mainly about Hacienda Luisita…” – Kilusang Mayo Uno
BY RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Hundreds of protesters trooped to the Veteran’s Memorial Medical Center (VMCC) this morning to condemn the Aquino government’s approval of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s continued hospital detention.

“Arroyo deserves to be detained in a jail facility, not a hospital. We are angry that the Aquino government, for all its pretensions of going after Arroyo, is giving her special treatment,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairman, said.

Last week, a Pasay regional trial court judge has allowed the former president’s stay at the VMMC for health reasons. Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Malacañang respects the decision of the court, “having relied on the medical opinion of her attending physician and with due accord to her position as former president.”

Arroyo is detained for charges of electoral sabotage.

“How can the Aquino government move heaven and earth to impeach Corona, Arroyo’s accomplice, and let Arroyo herself, the bigger criminal, as well as Palparan, have a comfortable stay in a government hospital? That is only possible if the Aquino government’s goal in impeaching Corona is not to punish Arroyo and the likes of Palparan but to advance other interests,” Labog said.

It is publicly known that Malacañang had a hand in the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona by the House of Representatives in December.

Retired Maj. General Jovito Palparan Jr., meanwhile, is Arroyo’s favorite general who is still at large despite a pending warrant of arrest for charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention. Palparan is implicated in the disappearance of University of the Philippines (UP) students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/02/17/groups-slam-special-treatment-for-arroyo/

‘US thinks it can use Al-Qaeda temporarily in Syria’

‘US thinks it can use Al-Qaeda temporarily in Syria’

The US and Al-Qaeda are using each other to topple President Assad, believes Camille Otrakji, editor of online magazine Syria Comment.

­US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has said Al-Qaeda is working alongside Syria’s armed opposition, while Washington considers extending support to the rebels.

Otrakji told RT that both sides think they are using the other, hoping to control them later.... MORE
Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/us-al-qaeda-syria-otrakji-635/

Humanitarian corridors in Syria: Way out of crisis or way in for invaders? (s/ Video)

Humanitarian corridors in Syria: Way out of crisis or way in for invaders?

Europe seeks to bring relief to the Syrian people by creating humanitarian corridors, a seemingly noble idea aimed at winning Russian and Chinese support in the UN Security Council. But some are calling the plan a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

­The call for supply routes bringing humanitarian aid to Syrian cities first surfaced last November, and is back on the table as of this week.

“The idea of humanitarian corridors that I previously proposed, which would allow NGOs to reach the zones where scandalous massacres are taking place, should be discussed at the Security Council,” French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Wednesday..... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/syria-humanitarian-corridors-intervention-669/

Tiongson, Umali and Banal: Famas Best Actors NO NONSENSE Jacinto ‘Jing’ Paras 02/19/2012

Tiongson, Umali and Banal: Famas Best Actors

NO NONSENSE

Jacinto ‘Jing’ Paras

02/19/2012
It seems these three characters were trying to pull a fast one on the Senate impeachment court.
It was pretty obvious that Ms. Annabelle Tiongson was lying when she said no when Sen. Jinggoy Estrada asked her if she knew Niel Tupas as well as his brother, Raul Buboy Tupas.

Jinggoy Estrada said it would be absurd that Tiongson could have not met either Niel or Raul, as her first cousin, Roberto Buenaflor Armada was the running mate of Raul Buboy Tupas and she even contributed to the camapign of his cousin as candidate for vice-governor. Iloilo City is just a small place and it is just unbelievable that one way or the other, members of prominent family such as the Tupases and the Buenaflors would not bump into each other in church, wedding celebration of relatives, social activities such as birthday events and other similar activities. Certainly, Tiongson was not truthful..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120219com4.html

Motorcycles in the Philippines BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 02/19/2012

Motorcycles in the Philippines

BLURBAL THRUSTS

Louie Logarta

02/19/2012
From humble beginnings in the post World War II years, sales of these two-wheeled creatures called motorcycles (or motorbikes) from Japan have ballooned far, far beyond the expectations of the astute businessmen who had foreseen a demand among Filipinos and invested heavily to bring them to the country.

The influx of Japanese motorcycles began in earnest in 1959 when Rufino Antonio (a former congressman representing the province of Rizal) entered into partnership with Suzuki Motor Corp. for the nationwide distribution and sales of Suzuki-brand bikes. Three years later, in 1962, the Quisumbing family of Cebu signed a similar distributorship tie-up with the Yamaha Corp. of Japan, but went one step further when they agreed to become its sole assembler in the Philippines, whereupon they built a sprawling factory in Mandaue City. In 1973, Honda Motor Co. of Japan, the world’s biggest motorcycle maker, started production in the Philippines with Mariwasa Honda Philippines. Inc..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120219com5.html

Abortion — 2 VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 02/19/2012

Abortion — 2

VIEWPOINTS

Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz

02/19/2012
What is abortion? In its direct and plain understanding, abortion is the killing of a yet unborn human being in the womb of the mother. The intentional or deliberate murder, slaughter or extermination of a yet unborn human person — this is abortion in simple words. There is someone yet unborn, the latter is still in the womb of his/her mother, yet he or she is purposely killed for one reason or another, for whatever purpose or intent — these are the basic elements of abortion, none of which is right or just.

Again, while yet unborn and thereby helplessly though comfortably confined in the womb of the mother, his or her human life is knowingly exterminated — again, these are the core features of abortion.

It is a heinous crime. It is a gross villainy. It is a hideous iniquity. All these say one and the same thing, viz., abortion is not only unethical but also immoral. Between the virtuous and vicious, the praiseworthy and the condemnable, the glorious and atrocious — abortion is all the latter. To claim that abortion is all the former constitutes the height of irrationality and hypocrisy..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120219com6.html

‘Contempt of court’ TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 02/19/2012

‘Contempt of court’

TABLETS OF STONE

Larry Faraon, OP

02/19/2012
The impeachment court, despite its being a sui generis or a court of its kind is still a court by which the senator-judges, the prosecution and the defense have adopted for its procedural modality, the Rules of Evidence. And therefore semblances of “contempt” against the impeachment court’s proceedings may not stand on strictly legal grounds but definitely would on moral ground. A layman’s definition of “contempt of court” is any behavior that opposes or defies the authority, justice and dignity of the court. Obviously, contempt of court metes out legal and moral punishment to the offending party.

But what about when it is the President of the Republic of the Philippines who holds the impeachment court in contempt with his jagged pronouncements, not only in passing or “BTW,” but even to the extent of leafing through the particular pieces of evidence for instance, the bank accounts already being offered as evidence, debated, interpolated in court.

Impeachment is a political process indeed and politicking by the President himself, including a public lambast or black propaganda may not strictly be an impropriety..... MORE
Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120219com7.html

Bishop to Noynoy: Be afraid ‘land hoarders’ By Pat C. Santos 02/19/2012

Bishop to Noynoy: Be afraid ‘land hoarders’

By Pat C. Santos 02/19/2012

An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines is asking what is keeping the Aquino administration from implementing a Supreme Court order upholding land distribution at the vast Hacienda Luisita estate of the Cojuangco-Aquino clan of President Aquino.

CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (CBCP-NASSA) chairman and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo also expressed his disappointment over President Aquino’s silence on the land reform issue.

Citing the Scriptures, Pabillo said “land hoarders should be afraid of their fate when they leave this world as they continue to deny justice to the farmers and farmworkers of Hacienda Luisita.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120219hed2.html

Ball for FoI bill passage now with Congress — group 02/19/2012

Ball for FoI bill passage now with Congress — group

02/19/2012
Advocates of the Freedom of Information (FoI) bill had placed squarely on Congress the responsibility for the passage of the law during the current administration after the Palace submitted its version of the bill that will be reconciled with that pending in the legislature.

The proposed measure has been languishing in the archives of Congress for the past 25 years

Proponents of the bill are led by the Right to Know, Right Now Coalition, a network of 150 civil society and media groups..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120219hed3.html

Complaint defective, won’t stand up in House process—prosecutor By Charlie V. Manalo 02/19/2012

UMALI’S SLIP OF TONGUE

Complaint defective, won’t stand up in House process—prosecutor

By Charlie V. Manalo 02/19/2012

One by one the members of the House prosecution team realizing the ordeal that they have to go through to defend all the eight articles of impeachment against Chief Justice Renato Corona are owing up to the defects in the complaint document used to rush the impeachment of the Supreme Court (SC) head.

No less than Deputy Speaker, Ilocos Rep. Rudy Fariñas, a member of the House prosecution team admitted, had earlier the complaint was badly written and yesterday it was the turn of House prosecutor Oriental Mindoro Rep. Rey Umali to admit that the articles of impeachment were defective.

At the weekly news forum at Annabel’s in Quezon City, Umali, the man behind the small lady tale, in a slip of tongue, admitted the complaint was defective and that it won’t stand a chance of being approved by the House had it undergone the normal process of being heard before the Committee on Justice..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120219hed1.html

Two gunmen shoot dead Sino nurse in Davao City 02/19/2012

Two gunmen shoot dead Sino nurse in Davao City

02/19/2012
A Filipino-Chinese registered nurse was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding gunmen on Saturday at 12 noon in Paciano Bangoy Street, Davao City, police report said.

The victim was identified as Marjorie Kwan, 23, nurse and a resident of RGA Village, Paciano Bangoy.

The report said the victim was on her way home when the suspects, aboard a motorcycle, attempted to steal her bag..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120219nat4.html

No relocation site for ‘Sendong’ victims 02/19/2012

No relocation site for ‘Sendong’ victims

02/19/2012
Thousands of families displaced by tropical storm “Sendong” are dismayed that the government still has no clear relocation plans two months after the disaster struck.

As of Feb. 1, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) estimated that the total number of affected persons from Sendong in Region X is 384,431 or 69,666 households in the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon.

Sendong, which hit the region on Dec. 16, 2011, was considered one of the deadliest disasters in the country’s history, with a death toll of more than 1,200, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120219nat1.html

Top Malabon officials make rounds of city to educate folk on proper garbage disposal 02/19/2012

Top Malabon officials make rounds of city to educate folk on proper garbage disposal

02/19/2012
Top Malabon officials have toured around the city in a determined bid to get the support of the residents as part of their renewed and intensified anti-littering campaign in compliance with an ordinance recently passed by the Sangguniang Panlunsod for the purpose.

Through a caravan, local officials led by Vice Mayor LenLen Oreta, the council’s presiding officer, went around the city’s 21 barangays where they drew the help of local leaders and their immediate constituents for the program.

“We have decided to do it this way so that we can quickly convince the residents on the need to really do their share by not wantonly dumping their garbage so as not to contribute to the already worsening problem in the city,” Oreta said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120219met2.html

Taguig City holds water and sanitation symposium M E T R O F I L E 02/19/2012

Taguig City holds water and sanitation symposium

M E T R O F I L E

02/19/2012
Participants in the recently concluded water and wastewater symposium in Taguig City joined speaker Dr. Elisea “Bebet” Gozun (middle) as they expressed their commitment to join the city in its call to save the dying rivers in the metropolis and create an environment-friendly “Luntiang Taguig.”

Rapidly-growing Taguig City led local governments in hosting a city-wide water and sanitation summit participated in by over 400 representatives from the academe, private sector, barangays and civil society groups aimed at engaging the city’s commitment to help save our dying environment. Aptly themed “Isang Luntiang Taguig: Tubig at Kalikasan, Aking Pangangalagaan,” the event tackled urgent topics on environmental degradation and the source of pollution. The initiative to conduct a symposium was a partnership between the local government of Taguig and its barangays, the Manila Bay Commission, Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), World Bank, MWSS and East Zone concessionaire Manila Water Company Inc..... MORE
Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120219met6.html