Maniolas

Muslim women from several organizations in Metro Manila rally outside the Senate on Monday, January 26, to call for the immediate passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said he is calling for the suspension of hearings on the BBL following the deaths of at least 37 policemen in an ambush on January 25 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao by MILF fighters. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — The number of police officers killed in a clash against suspected members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Maguindanao has risen to 50, a regional police official said Monday. Senior Superintendent Noel Armilla, director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), revealed that the number went up from Sunday, when at least 30 elite police officers were reportedly killed. The fatalities were members of the PNP’s elite Special Action Force. Authorities are now focused on recovering the bodies of these police officers. Meanwhile, Mamasapano Mayor Benzar Ampatuan confirmed that two civilians were injured in the gun battle, which happened in Barangay Tukanalipao, it added. Sources said the police operation was to serve an arrest warrant on Malaysian bombmaker Zulkifli Bin Hir, also known as “Marwan,” whose presence had been confirmed in the area. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has offered a $5-million reward for information on “Marwan.” Leaders of the MILF has said the government did not coordinate with them for the said operation. The deadly Read More …

Senator TG Guingona , chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee together with Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Koko Pimentel present to the media the list of the persons to be detained in connection to the investigation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee on the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building 2 and other anomalies. Included in the list are Makati Mayor Junjun Binay and six other Makati city officials. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Senate on Monday ordered the body’s sergeant-at-arms to arrest Makati Mayor Erwin “Junjun” Binay and five others for their continued refusal to attend the Senate hearings on alleged corruption in the country’s premier financial district. The order came after Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Senator Teofisto Guingona Jr. approved the recommendation to cite in contempt Binay, Eduviges “Ebeng” Baloloy, Marjorie De Veyra, lawyer Eleno M. Mendoza, Engineer Line Dela Pena, and Bernadette C. Portollano. Makati City Science High School President Professor Tomas B. Lopez was spared after he indicated in letter received by the Senate Monday morning that he would attend future hearings. “For the rest of the Makati official, the Senate Rules apply,” Guingona said in an interview. Guingona on Friday issued a “final call” for Binay and other city officials to heed the summons of the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee chaired by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III to avoid being cited in contempt and arrested. “I make this final call as an effort on my part to avert a situation Read More …

Vice President Jejomar Binay (left) is given a tour of the Toledo copper mine in Toledo City, Cebu on Thursday, November 6. Binay did not attend the day’s Senate probe on the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall Building II. He is in Cebu to attend the Philippine Scouting Centennial Jamboree and meet with local officials to check their housing programs. Also in photo is Adrian Ramos (right), COO of Carmen Mining Corp. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Police have not found any connection linking the murder of former Makati engineer Nelson Morales, alleged bagman of Vice President Jejomar Binay, to his alleged involvement in some anomalies in Makati City. At the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee hearing on the corruption allegations against Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday, Chief Superintendent Jose Erwin Villacorte said there are six suspects in the killing of Morales in 2012, one of whom – a certain Roderick Saraan – is already behind bars and facing trial. Villacorte said one suspect, Ramson Concepcion, was killed in a police encounter. Two others, Gilbert Concepcion and Winifredo Rabaca, are still at large. Two more suspects remain unidentified. The police said politics is the only the motive police have identified so far with respect to Morales’ killing. Morales, provincial chair of United Nationalist Alliance, was shot dead in Albay on September 7, 2012 after a wedding. “Ang lumalabas sa investigation is political. At that time, 2012, he is planning to run for mayor,” Villacorte said. Villacorte also Read More …

Members of ProGay and women’s rights group in a rally to denounce the alleged government inaction on violence against women. After days of a thorough investigation, the suspect in her death, as US Marine, has been charged with murder. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP) has filed a bill that will make legal separation simpler to untie some of the legal hurdles under the Family Code. Legal separation, one of the existing remedies provided by the Family Code to women suffering from abusive spouses, has unfortunately many arcane governing provisions making it inaccessible and impractical for the poor womenfolk. The women’s Party-list hopes to untie some of the legal hurdles when it filed House Bill 5238, An Act Expanding the Grounds for Legal Separation, Amending for the Purpose Article 55 of the Family Code on the occasion of the 2014 global commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women. Rep. Emmi De Jesus said the amendments will not only give women and their children additional State protection consistent with Republic Act No. 9262, also known as the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, but also benefits women’s spouses. De Jesus pointed out that one of the grounds for separation, the frequency of violent acts, will be replaced with the severity or gravity of the acts, which is also broadened to more clearly define violence to include financial, economic and serious attempts to inflict violence against the woman and her children. Read More …

PAG-IBIG Chair Atty. Darlene Berberabe attends the Blue Ribbon Subcommittee hearing for the first time. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) president Darlene Marie Berberabe was unaware that the agency providing her security was allegedly connected with Vice President Jejomar Binay, who recommended it to her, and Pag-IBIG director Tomas Lopez. Berberabe admitted that it was only now that she heard the connection between Omni Security Investigation Inc., Binay, and Lopez. “Ngayon ko lang din tinignan yung GIS (general information sheet ng Omni) andun nga yung Hirene Lopez, hindi ko sya kilala nang personal. Hindi naging apparent yung connection dahil it (security contract) did not reach the board,” she said during the resumption of the hearing of the blue ribbon subcommittee on the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall Building II and other corruption allegations against Binay. Hirene Lopez, treasurer of Omni, is the wife of Tomas Lopez who is a member of the Pag-IBIG board of directors and president of University of Makati. Berberabe’s close-in security personnel are employees of Omni. Former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado earlier claimed the Lopezes are dummies of Binay. During the hearing, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said Berberabe should scold her office’s legal department for not pointing out the conflict of interest in getting the contract. He also asked Berberabe if Lopez is attending their board meetings, to which the latter replied in the affirmative. “Bakit sa inyo naga-attend tapos dito nawawala siya? Kelan ang susunod ninyong meeting, Read More …