Leaked CIA memo exposes US terror suspect torture as 'war crimes'

Leaked CIA memo exposes US terror suspect torture as 'war crimes'

The US is refraining from defining waterboarding and other questionable interrogation methods it used to apply to terrorist suspects as torture, possibly with a view to using them once again someday.

Years after the Bush administration left office, many feel President Obama is not doing enough to make up for America's past mistakes. This includes torture treatment of terrorist suspects by the US investigators.

Such torture techniques include waterboarding, stress positions and other methods of interrogation welcomed into American secret service after 9/11 paved the way for the War on Terror..... MORE

Source:  Rt.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/us-torture-techniques-waterboarding-232/

Fomenting anti-Korean, anti-Chinese sentiments meant to justify increased US presence?

Fomenting anti-Korean, anti-Chinese sentiments meant to justify increased US presence?

Why is the Aquino government suddenly being combative against China, over the disputed Spratly Islands, and North Korea over its satellite launch?
See also: US, Aquino govts accused of hypocrisy over nuke issue
Philippine govt compromises own Scarborough claim

By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Sudden “tension” at the Scarborough shoal, seemingly contradictory government statements over North Korea’s satellite launch (such as the “highly unlikely but probable” danger being raised by Defense Undersecretary Benito Ramos), government officials’ intermittent discussions of the Chinese threat at the Spratlys – these are just some of the security worries occupying the Aquino government as reported by the mainstream media. But do these really constitute threats or, as some critics asked, are these just preparations for justifying the arrival of more than 4,700 US troops this month?

Until the Philippine government started arresting Chinese fisherfolk at Scarborough shoal, Filipino fisherfolk living near and fishing at the rich shoal told a TV interview that they and the Taiwanese and Chinese fisherfolk have all been fishing together in that shoal. There was no enmity and tension, based on their accounts. Some fisherfolk even said that at times, when they have no catch yet, those Chinese or Taiwanese fisherfolk would even share with them their catch. All the Filipino fisherfolk pray is that they will not be barred from fishing in the shoal.

As to the impending North Korean launch of a satellite, geopolitics expert Prof. Roland Simbulan told Bulatlat.com that the government warnings against the potential risks due to the launch, such as falling debris, for example, are “exaggerated.” There is no truth to that, said Simbulan, explaining that the debris from the rockets to be used for the launch would shatter into small pieces as it falls into the earth..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/04/13/fomenting-anti-korean-anti-chinese-sentiments-meant-to-justify-increased-us-presence/

VP, Noy, Erap top endorsers for 2013 Senate race — survey By Gerry Baldo 04/18/2012

VP, Noy, Erap top endorsers for 2013 Senate race — survey

By Gerry Baldo 04/18/2012

Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay has come out as the top endorser of senatorial candidates, followed by President Aquino and former President Joseph Estrada, so says a March survey conducted by Pulse Asia.
It is, however, much too early in the day for a validation of the survey results, as the 2013 polls are still a year away and changes in the political situations will likely occur.

Also seen as a “positive” factor in the vote equation is the respondent’s church and religious group as their members are likely to vote along church lines.

It is, however, only the Iglesia ni Cristo that has a solid vote power that is delivered at the polls by Iglesia members, as the INC votes solidly as a bloc.

The El Shaddai group is also said to have influence over its flock, but the El Shaddai vote is hardly solid..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120418hea1.html

China snubs RP proposal for UN to mediate rift By Michaela P. del Callar 04/18/2012

China snubs RP proposal for UN to mediate rift

By Michaela P. del Callar 04/18/2012

China yesterday ignored a Philippine government proposal to bring a dangerous maritime standoff over a disputed shoal to the United Nations (UN) for resolution and instead ordered a Philippine Coast Guard ship and a research vessel to leave the area, further prolonging the dangerous impasse.

Last Monday, the government proposed to bring the disputes to the UN-affiliated International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to determine which among the two nations can actually claim ownership to the Scarborough Shoal northwest of the Philippines near the South China Sea.

But on Tuesday, Chinese officials ignored the offer and instead demanded the Philippine side “to withdraw all of their vessels” from the area and “restore peace and stability there.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120418hea5.html

P300,000 bounty up for heads of Reyes brothers By Gina Peralta-Elorde 04/18/2012

P300,000 bounty up for heads of Reyes brothers

By Gina Peralta-Elorde 04/18/2012
A P300,000 bounty has been offered by private-sector supporters of slain broadcaster and environmentalist Dr. Gerardo Ortega to any informant who can provide leads for the arrest of the alleged murder masterminds, former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and his brother, Coron town Mayor Mario Reyes Jr.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo disclosed that the funds were pooled from those offered by his friends from the private sector and the fund-raising efforts of the camp of Ortega’s widow, Patria Ortega.

“The camp of Mrs. Ortega has put up P100,000 and my friends from the private sector also were able to raise P200,000. That’s a total of P300,000 as reward money to any informant who could provide us leads for the arrest of the Reyes brothers,” the DILG chief said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120418nat2.html

Luistro defends direct contracting for textbooks By Jason Faustino 04/18/2012

Luistro defends direct contracting for textbooks

By Jason Faustino 04/18/2012

Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Armin Luistro defended his office against accusations that it broke the law when it when it procured textbooks for public schools through a direct contract instead of bidding it out, saying the department cannot only consider the cheapest price but also quality and other factors.

Nationalist People’s Coalition Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile Jr. of Cagayan earlier said various civil society groups have claimed that the DepEd violated the law on government procurements.

Enrile also said the department’s questionable procurement of textbooks amounting to P1.3 billion defeats the Aquino administration’s “straight-path” policy..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120418nat1.html

Two holdup men preying on jeepney passengers slain in Quiapo shootout By Pat C. Santos 04/18/2012

Two holdup men preying on jeepney passengers slain in Quiapo shootout

By Pat C. Santos 04/18/2012
Two unidentified robbers who were victimizing passengers of public utility jeepneys were killed by members of the Manila Police District (MPD)-Station 3 when they broke into a checkpoint and and were chased by policemen early dawn Monday in Quiapo, Manila.

Police described one of the suspects as between 20 and 25 years old and about 5’6” to 5’7” in height, brown complexioned, of medium build and wearing a green and maroon T-shirt and a pair of white striped jersey shorts.

The second suspect was described as between 22 and 27 years old, 5’2” in height, brown complexioned, of medium build and wearing sports black T-shirt and a pair of gray jersey shorts and had a tattoo on the chest. Both the suspects sustained bullet wounds in various parts of their bodies..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120418met2.html

Notorious carjack ring leader meted 30 years 04/18/2012

Notorious carjack ring leader meted 30 years

04/18/2012
Raymond Dominguez, leader of the notorious Dominguez carjacking group, was sentenced to 30 years in jail after he was found guilty of carjacking that happened two years ago.

Malolos Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 84 Judge Wilfredo Nieves meted the punishment to Dominguez to a minimum of 17 years and four months to a maximum of 30 years in jail for the crime he committed.

The judge at the time ordered the immediate transfer of Dominguez from Bulacan detention to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, City..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120418met1.html

Wag the dog ploys EDITORIAL 04/17/2012 Recent moves of

Wag the dog ploys

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

04/17/2012
Recent moves of the administration have been noticed to be either overreactions or a complete disconnect to what is the actual situation on the ground, which makes many wonder if Noynoy is really in touch with reality or if his administration is playing a gambit similar to the tail wagging the dog.

Noted UP professor Roland Simbulan, for instance, raised questions about Noynoy’s preoccupation with the botched North Korean satellite saying the government warnings on the supposed risks due to the launch, such as falling debris, were “exaggerated.”

Debris from the rockets to be used for the launch would shatter into small pieces as it falls into the earth, he said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120417com1.html

N. Korea: We are no longer bound by nuclear test moratorium

N. Korea: We are no longer bound by nuclear test moratorium

Pyongyang says it is “no longer bound to” its deal with the US, which provided a nuclear and missile test moratorium in return for food aid. The move comes in retaliation to the UN’s criticism of North Korea's failed satellite launch.

The UN Security Council (UNSC) condemned North Korea for last Friday’s rocket launch, which was widely regarded as a cover up to test a long range nuclear missile. On Tuesday, Pyongyang shot back at the UNSC for violating the country’s right to put satellites into orbit.

"We resolutely and totally reject the unreasonable behavior of the UNSC to violate (our) legitimate right to launch satellites,"  Pyongyang said in a statement delivered by the official KCNA news agency..... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/north-korea-halts-nuclear-moraturium-325/

Russia hints at AMD placement in Transdniester

Russia hints at AMD placement in Transdniester

A Russian missile defense radar could be placed in Transdniester in reply to US plans for a European AMD system, a newspaper reported as Russia's special envoy Dmitry Rogozin began his first trip to the region.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta quoted an unnamed source as saying that “Russia intends to maintain its military presence in Transdniester and, moreover, it plans to build the Voronezh-class radar station there.” 

Other Russian media picked up and spread the news even though Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported in the same article that the Defense Ministry officially denied such plans..... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/politics/russia-amd-base-transdniestr-236/

Cuba decries US theft of govt funds

Cuba decries US theft of govt funds

Large chunks of Cuban funds held by the US as part of the blockade against the island nation have been stolen, reports Cuban newspaper Granma. Castro’s government accuses the US of siphoning millions to indemnify anti-Cuban activists.

The newspaper says it has evidence of repeated expropriations over the years that have been eating away at the “frozen” funds.

The Cuban National Treasury says that the US has a total of $245 million of the nation’s funds that could now be under threat..... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/cuba-government-funding-stealing-238/

Sig NO HOLDS BARRED Armida Siguion-Reyna 04/17/2012

Sig

NO HOLDS BARRED

Armida Siguion-Reyna

04/17/2012
He would have been 91, tomorrow. Here are bits and pieces about the man, some culled from past writing. Oh, how I still miss him so.

Two weeks before our wedding, I had sung at the FEU Auditorium, then a popular venue for musicals. On the way back home, I was seated in front of the car between my husband-to-be and the driver, while Papa, Mama and my sister Irma were at the passengers’ seat in the back. Mama said “O papa’no iyan, hijo, ‘di hindi mo na papayagan si Mida na lumabas ulit sa opera pag mag-asawa na kayo?”

Seggy, or Sig to friends, and Nardy to family, answered: “A, hindi naman ho… sa opera at concerts puwede, pero huwag naman sa mga Manila Opera house na kasama ng mga Pugo at Chichay.” I kept quiet, but as soon as we reached the house and got off the car, I took off my engagement ring and gave it back: “Wala nang wedding. You just told me that from hereon, you will dictate what I am to do — I cannot accept that.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120417com4.html

Serious history or psy-op? AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Ken Fuller 04/17/2012

Serious history or psy-op?

AN OUTSIDERS VIEW

Ken Fuller

04/17/2012
American troops are greeted on foreign soil as saviors and then quickly despised as occupiers. The United States triumphantly declares a victorious end to the war, even as bitter fighting continues. Allegations of torture fill the newspapers, horrifying and transfixing the country.”

Iraq, right? Wrong. The quotation comes from a review by Candice Millard in the New York Times on Feb. 17, and the country in question is the Philippines, the book under review being Gregg Jones’ Honor in the Dust: Theodore Roosevelt, War in Philippines, and the Rise and Fall of America’s Imperial Dream.

“On nearly every page,” says Millard, “there is a scene that feels as if it could have taken place during the Bush and Obama administrations rather than those of McKinley and Roosevelt.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120417com6.html

Noynoy to sell all gov’t power plants By Rocky G. Nazareno 04/17/2012

INCLUDING HIGHLY-PRIZED POLANGGI, AGOS HYDROPLANTS

Noynoy to sell all gov’t power plants

By Rocky G. Nazareno 04/17/2012

President Aquino confirmed yesterday that the goal of his administration is to sell off all the remaining power plants in the country, including hydroelectric plants, the sale of which were waived under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) but are highly-prized by investors due to the cheap cost to operate these.

Aboitiz Power Corp. of the Aboitizes, whose family members are said to be close business associates of Aquino, is currently engaged in a massive build-up of hydroelectric power plants in Mindanao.

Aquino said the government is considering the possible privatization of the existing power plants in the country to address the energy situation in Mindanao as he encouraged more private investments in the energy sector to provide electricity for the people at a lesser cost..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120417hea1.html

China ‘harassment’ sparks RP diplomatic protest By Michaela P. del Callar and Mario J. Mallari 04/17/2012

China ‘harassment’ sparks RP diplomatic protest

By Michaela P. del Callar and Mario J. Mallari 04/17/2012

The week-long naval standoff between the Philippines and China in the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea heats up anew after Manila yesterday filed a diplomatic protest against Beijing when its ships and an aircraft allegedly harassed a local boat conducting marine research in the area claimed by the Philippines as part of its territory.

Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing received the protest from Foreign Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio, the assigned Philippine negotiator while Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario is on a week-long US trip.

“Such actions are in violation of the sovereign right and jurisdiction of the Philippines to conduct marine research in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone,” said Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez, referring to an international law stipulating that countries have the right to exercise jurisdiction over waters within its 200-nautical mile zone..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120417hea2.html

EcoWaste Coalition bares kuryentipid tips on saving fuel By Jason Faustino 04/17/2012

EcoWaste Coalition bares kuryentipid tips on saving fuel

By Jason Faustino 04/17/2012

As leaders from the public and private sectors scuttle for solutions to prevent the power shortage in Mindanao from worsening, environmentalists have come up with practical steps that will moderate consumer demand for electricity.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a waste and pollution watchdog, has prepared 22 “hot” electricity conservation tips or kuryentipid tips to guide the public on how to bring down the usage and wastage of electricity, a basic consumer need.

Making the most of the natural air and light available, using a ceiling fan instead of an air-conditioner, unplugging lights, appliances and gadgets when not in use and organizing chores for more energy efficiency like washing with a full load are among these “hot” tips..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120417nat12.html

Enrile urges probe of ‘anomalous’ P1.3-B textbook procurement By Charlie V. Manalo 04/17/2012

Enrile urges probe of ‘anomalous’ P1.3-B textbook procurement

By Charlie V. Manalo 04/17/2012

Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile yesterday called on the administration to come clean on its procurement of books worth P1.31 billion through direct contracting, which various civil society groups claim to have violated the law on government procurements.

Enrile said President Aquino should ask Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Armin Luistro to explain why he authorized the direct contract for the procurement of the books, as opposed to subjecting the contract to competitive bidding — a rule of thumb for government procurements as prescribed in Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

The lawmaker said resorting to direct contracting — especially for contracts amounting to billions of pesos — defeats the government’s daang matuwid (straight path) mantra, and exposes to attack the administration’s sincerity and resolve in its promise of closing down avenues of corruption in government..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120417nat1.html

KBP eyed in DoJ crackdown on int’l human trafficking By Benjamin B. Pulta 04/17/2012

KBP eyed in DoJ crackdown on int’l human trafficking

By Benjamin B. Pulta 04/17/2012

Justice officials will be tapping the broadcast media in its crackdown on white slavery and human trafficking.

In a statement, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) said it will be working closely with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) to raise awareness of media professionals on relevant human trafficking issues, pertinent laws and issuances, confidentiality requirements, as well as gender-sensitive and child-appropriate approaches to reporting.

Officials of the KBP for their part said they shall observe the highest ethical and professional standards in reporting and covering cases of trafficking in persons. KBP also pledged to raise awareness of the public by having public affairs programs and commentaries on human trafficking..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120417met2.html

Rallyists deface US Embassy seal 04/17/2012

Rallyists deface US Embassy seal

04/17/2012
Some 100 youth activists defaced the US embassy seal as they held an early morning protest in front of the US embassy in Manila, Monday.

The flash rally kicked off the nationwide protests set today as a new round of US-RP Balikatan exercises begin. The activists were clad in “raunchy” jogging attire. Only three policemen and a couple of guards were there to try to stop the flash protest.

The youth protest led by League of Filipino Students and Anakbayan called for an end to US military intervention and condemned the “continuing history of US oppression and colonialism.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120417met5.html