Maniolas

A staff member of the Natural Art Flower and Decors shop in Tayuman, Manila, arranges items at the shop’s Christmas decors and toys store on Saturday November 8, 2014.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – An anti-pork barrel group has asked the Supreme Court to decide on its petition, which sought the return of P6 billion worth of pork barrel funds allegedly used for ghost projects, even without the side of Commission on Audit chair Grace Pulido Tan. In a manifestation filed on Monday, the group of petitioners composed of Greco Belgica of the Yeshua Change Agents, Bishop Reuben Abante of Bible Mode, Rev. Jose Gonzales of the Capitol Christian Leaders, and Quintin Paredes San Diego noted that Tan has yet to file a comment on their petition. “Respondents’ time to file their respective comments to the petition has long expired,” said the group in its petition filed through lawyer Manuelito Luna. “In consequence the court may consider them to have waived the filing of the same,” the petitioner added. The petitioning group filed its original petition for mandamus in June. In July, the SC ordered Tan and fellow respondent Susana Garcia, director of COA’s Special Audit Office, to submit a comment “within 10 days from notice.” Belgica’s group cited Section 8, Rule 65 of the Rules of Court which states that “the court, if it finds the allegations of the petition are true, shall render judgment for such relief to which the petitioner or petitioners is entitled to.” “Wherefore foregoing premises Read More …

On Tuesday, November 11, we will again fly our flag high to honor and remember all our veterans and those who sacrificed their lives for us. In retrospect however, those of us who in one way or another have loved ones who either perished or survived due to war, have always wondered what it was really like to go to war. In one of a series of panel discussions I have attended in our local library recently, we discussed the book of Karl Marlantes entitled “What It is Like to Go to War.” The library’s goal of featuring the program is to “spark a public conversation about how our community can best support the process of reincorporating veterans into the fabric of civilian life.” Beterano Poster The panel discussion presented visual images and quotations on the “Changing Nature of Warfare Technology and its Effect on the Soldiers.” Shown for example were World War I images of: General Patton’s Saber, the British Mark V Tank, B-29 Superfortress Bomber, Tomahawk Subsonic Cruise Missile, MQ-1 Predator (which looked like the current Drones), the Renault FT Tank, Messerschmidt BF 109 Fighter Jet, Bell UH-1 Iroquois and of course, the significance of Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” painting. In his book, Karl Marlantes describes war as: “this is just a platoon Commander, the  lowest-ranking officer in an infantry unit, which itself has the lowest level of sophistication in weaponry. In today’s combat environment, this lowly lieutenant can call in bombs from B-52’s flying so high, they are unseen and Tomahawk missiles fired from some 500 miles at sea, Read More …

Jennylyn Mercado (MNS Photo) Actress and singer Jennylyn Mercado said that she will be at the wedding of former boyfriend, Patrick Garcia on March 21, 2015. In an interview during the launch of her latest album, “Never Alone,” Mercado said that she will attend the celebration because their son, Alex Jazz, will be the ring bearer. “Excited ako sa kasal ni Patrick dahil ring-bearer si Jazz. Lagi kaming nagkakausap nina Pat at lalung-lalo na si Niks. Kasama ako sa wedding. Happy ako doon,” she was quoted in saying. Garcia and Mercado confirmed the split back in 2008. The actor has a daughter with his current girlfriend, Nikka Martinez. “Dapat makita ko yung celebration na ‘yon. Siyempre, tatay ni Jazz yon. Part siya ng buhay ko, so, kailangan kong ma-witness yon,” Mercado added. The actress was also quizzed about the status of her own relationship, amid rumors linking her with former boyfriend, Dennis Trillio. “Sorry ha, boring ang lovelife ko ngayon, pasensiya na,” she said. She then clarified: “May duet lang kami ni Dennis sa album ko, pero walang balikang naganap. Friends lang talaga kami nu’ng tao. Sa ngayon po kasi ay sa iba naka-focus ang atensyon ko… Sa trabaho ko, sa pamilya ko.” (MNS)

Senator Teofisto Guingona, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, shows his letter addressed to Sen. Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III informing him to decide on the jurisdictional challenge of Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay regarding the investigation on the alleged overpricing in the Makati City Hall Building II project.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The two executives of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) booted out in the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee’s hearing on October 30 called Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano “a coward” on Thursday and dared him to be “man enough” to file criminal charges against them if he thinks their interruption of the probe was a criminal offense. UNA interim president and Navotas Rep. Tobias “Toby” Tiangco said he and interim secretary general Atty. JV Bautista will not apologize to the subpanel for appearing unexpected during the October 30 hearing because they have been authorized by Vice President Jejomar Binay to speak on his behalf. “My challenge to Sen. Cayetano is for him to be man enough (magpakalalaki siya)! File a criminal offense against Atty. JV and me. We won’t apologize for our actions because we believe we didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t forgive us; we’re not asking for an apology,” Tiangco said. Addressing the tabloid reporters in the Senate conference room, Bautista said: “This would make a good headline for tomorrow: ‘Cayetano, a coward! ‘Be man enough!’ (Cayetano, duwag. Magpakalalaki  ka!)” Tiangco and Bautista held a press briefing in a Senate conference room after they were barred by the Read More …

By Pia Cabanela Let’s face it.  Young Filipino female talents back home are pin balled to doing two or more of a certain type of movie roles such as an aggravated mistress, the scorned wife, a damsel in distress or the adorable leading lady of an equally charming leading man. That is why I find Anne Curtis’  role in Francis De La Torre’s Blood Ransom just the whiff of fresh air I’ve been waiting for. Finally she is shedding tears for her own survival. Beyonce will be proud. In 2011, De La Torre made noise at the Newport Beach Film Festival with the movie, Subject: I Love You. It was an acclaimed film based on the virus of the same name which impacted millions of computers worldwide back in 2000. This time, he directs yet another film which can easily be construed as a love story to most but is only secondary to its dark plot. The story opens with Anne as a lost soul who is days away from becoming a vampire. Her character seemed meek up front as she struggles between morality and the inevitable. A damsel, nay in distress, she is kidnapped in exchange for ransom and is protected by a man she loves. European born actor Alexander Dreymon is her mortal lover and guardian, whom comes off as a modern day Romeo, but is blindly fighting a chance for a reciprocated love. “It was very risky to showcase Anne apart from the usual roles Filipinos are Read More …