Maniolas

President Benigno Aquino III declared the National day of Mourning for the PNP Special Action Forces that was killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao during his message held at the President hall in Malacanang.(MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Malacañang on Thursday vowed sustained efforts to further buoy the domestic economy following its recovery in the fourth quarter of 2014. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) reported that growth in the last quarter of last year grew by 6.9 percent, better than the previous quarter’s 5.3 percent and year-ago’s 6.3 percent. This brought the full-year output, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), to 6.1 percent, which on the other hand is lower than the government’s full-year target of 6.5-7.5 percent. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, in a statement, cited the NEDA report saying expansion of the domestic economy in the last quarter of last year is the third in Asia after China and Vietnam while the full-year output is second after China, the world’s second largest economy. Contributing to this growth are the robust performance of the services, industry and agriculture sectors. ”The welcome news about our economic expansion once more reaffirms the resounding truth that good governance is good economics,” Lacierda said. The Palace official explained that amidst the challenges in most of last year “our economy has shown remarkable resilience and continues to accelerate at a pace that demonstrates that reform works.” ”It is with this drive toward equitable, meaningful growth that we will work hand in hand with our Read More …

Mendoza: Purisima ran the show A policeman walks past flowers offered in memory of the slain members of the Special Action Force (SAF) at the Philippine National Police Headquarters gate in Quezon City Wednesday. Forty-four elite police officers were killed during the bloody encounter with Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels Sunday, reportedly a “misencounter” with Muslim rebels after a lack of coordination by the PNP led by its chief, Gen. Alan Purisima (inset with President Benigno Aquino III, right). (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – A top intelligence officer wants heads to roll for the bloody Maguindanao operation that left 44 police commandos dead. Former police chief superintendent Rodolfo “Boogie” Mendoza said President Aquino himself should be held accountable. “From the project sponsor to the coordinator, case officer and others who planned and designed that and most importantly even the President has the accountability,” he said. Mendoza is questioning why Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima continued to call the shots even after being suspended by the Ombudsman. “Gustong bumawi ni chief PNP against all those alleged backlash against him,” he said. “He is not only running the show, he is controlling the implementation of the project with the permission of the Executive Secretary and the President himself.” Mendoza also called the President’s defense of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa questionable. He refused to believe that Ochoa was not aware of the operation to capture Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Basit Usman. Ochoa is the anti-terrorism czar and the head of Read More …

Members of the Philippine National Police carry the body of one of the members of the Special Action Force slain in fighting Mamasapano town, Maguindanao on Monday. More than 30 have been reported killed from the government side following a clash with Muslim rebels. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) –The remains of the 42 elite policemen who were killed in what authorities called a “misencounter” in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao, last Sunday arrived at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City Thursday morning. Present to honor the slain policemen were former President Fidel V. Ramos, Vice President Jejomar Binay, and top officials of the military and the police. However, there was one man who was conspicuously absent in the event: President Benigno Aquino III. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte clarified that Aquino did not “skip” the arrival honors. “The President did not skip the arrival honors today, it presupposes he was originally scheduled to attend it, which was not the case,” she said. Valte added that Aquino will lead the necrological services on Friday morning at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. Aquino, whose official schedule for Thursday states that he was in Laguna for the inauguration of a Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Plant, addressed the nation Wednesday evening regarding the clash. He is due to visit the wake of the slain policemen – all members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) – on Friday. Two other slain SAF members had already been laid to rest in Mindanao in accordance with Read More …

Former President Fidel V. Ramos delivers his message before foreign dignitaries who attended the wreath laying ceremony on Monday (February 24, 2014) at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on the commemoration of the 28th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Two former presidents have varying opinions on how the Aquino administration should proceed with the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) following Sunday’s encounter in Maguindanao that resulted in the deaths of 44 elite policemen. While former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada is in favor of an all-out war, former President Fidel V. Ramos is appealing for sobriety and cooperation following what authorities described as a “misencounter” between MILF members and operatives from the police’s Special Action Force. “Wala nang dahilan para ipagpatuloy pa ang peace talks diyan. Ilan pang buhay any ibubuwis natin diyan? Ano pang gagawin natin? Pababayaan na lang ba natin? Ano ‘yun, maghihintay tayo ng 40 taon ulit? Wala nang ibang magagawa kung hindi giyerahin na para magkaroon ng tunay na kapayapaan,” Estrada, who was president from 1998 to 2001, said. During Estrada’s all-out war campaign against the MILF in 2000, most of the rebel group’s camps, including the sprawling Camp Abubakar, fell into government’s hands. Hundreds of soldiers and rebels, however, were killed while thousands of civilians were displaced. For his part, Ramos, a former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, said that while the peace Read More …