Maniolas

President Benigno S. Aquino III holds a private talk with relatives of slain SAF troopers at the Mamasapano Massacre immediately after the program at Camp Crame for the commemoration of Mamasapano Massacre Monday (January 25). The President earlier presented the PNP Medalya ng Kabayanihan to relatives of the 44 SAF troopers who were slain in the massacre. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III on Monday personally vowed justice for the deaths of the 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) who died exactly a year ago during the bloody Mamasapano encounter. “Ako man po ay naiinip sa pag-usad (ng kaso). Justice delayed is justice denied… Makakaasa kayo, puspusan ang ating pagsisikap para makamit ang hustisya,” Aquino said. Aquino made the commitment during the awarding of the Medal of Valor to two SAF members. President Benigno S. Aquino III confers the Medal of Valor to SAF Inspector Gednat Tabdi, one of the slain soldier in the Mamasapano Massacre, received by his wife Leah at the Camp Crame Monday (January 25). Tabdi was the team leader of Team 1 of the Main Effort 1 and 84th Special Action Company that carried out Oplan Exodus. He also served as the navigator and point man of the troops. (MNS photo) The Medal of Valor was given to the families of Senior Inspector Gednat Tabdi and Police Officer 2 Romeo Cempron, two of the so-called SAF 44, who died in the Mamasapano clash. The Medal of Valor is considered as the Read More …

Vice President Jejomar Binay walks among his supporters at the Makati City hall on Monday. People gathered at the city hall grounds to show their support for the older Binay and his son, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, who was earlier served another suspension by the Ombudsman. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – Vice President Jejomar Binay isn’t keen on reviving the death penalty to resolve the crime problem in the country. In a radio interview, Binay said bringing back the capital punishment is not the way to ensure crimes will no longer be committed. “Hindi kalutasan ‘yun eh. ‘Wag nating ilagay ang ating kaisipan na kapag may death sentence ay mawawala na ang mga krimen o mababawasan. Sa buong mundo hindi ‘yan (pagbaba ng krimen) naipakita ng data. Marami pang ibang paraan para malutas [ang krimen] na hindi tayo napupunta sa death sentence,” he said. Binay, a human rights lawyer, said he used to be in favor of restoring the death penalty due to the anger he felt over cases of murder and rape. However, he said he eventually came to believe in the Catholic Church’s position that life is sacred. In 2011, the vice president said he favored the revival of the death penalty in the  following the discovery of the charred remains of Emerson Lozano, son of lawyer Oliver Lozano, and two other victims in Central Luzon. A car theft syndicate operation was believed to be responsible for the killing of Lozano and the two other victims. Binay said Read More …

— Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen. Gringo Honasan show their certificates of candidacy at the Commission on Election in Manila on Monday, the first day of filing of COCs. Binay and Honasan will run under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) for the 2016 election. (MNS photo) MANILA, Jan 26 (Mabuhay) – The Freedom of Information (FOI) bill may finally be passed into law after years of languishing in Congress if Vice President Jejomar Binay becomes the next president of the Philippines. In an interview on Tuesday with Mike Enriquez over dzBB radio for the “Ikaw Na Ba? The Presidential Interview” program, Binay said he will ask Congress to expedite the passage of the proposed FOI law if he ends up in Malacañang after the May 2016 national elections. “Ipapakiusap ko sa Kongreso na kung pwede ho ilabas niyo at tapusin niyo na ho ‘yan para magkaroon tayo ng batas tungkol sa freedom of information,” he said, adding that he will certify the measure as urgent so lawmakers will approve it with dispatch. Although Binay wants to give journalists and the public wider access to information on the government and its officials, he said the FOI bill should contain provisions on ensuring accountability from those who request data. “Bago ho sana mangyari na magkaroon [ng FOI law] ay magkaroon ng accountability. ‘Yun ang nagiging balakid at ang rason kung bakit sa tingin ko ang Presidente ay hindi gumagawa ng paraan para maging batas [ang FOI bill],” he said. President Benigno Read More …

The camp of Senator Grace Poe asked the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday (Dec. 28, 2015) to stop the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that disqualified her to run in the 2016 presidential polls. Poe, through her legal counsel, Atty. George Garcia (in left photo), filed the petition for certiorari and urgent motion for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the Comelec decision. One of the two petitions filed by Poe’s camp challenged the Comelec First Division ruling while the second petition assailed the Comelec Second Division ruling. Poe’s camp also asked the SC to issue a status quo ante order (SQAO) against the Comelec ruling in order that the name of Poe would still be included in the ballot for the 2016 elections. Photo at right shows Poe’s supporters urging the Comelec to allow the lady senator to run for president in the May 2016 polls. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) –Senator Grace Poe promised Monday that she would not impose new taxes, and would even lower existing ones, should she win in the May 2016 presidential election. “Nais kong itulak ang pagbaba ng buwis dahil hindi na makatarungan. Gusto kong babaan at gagawin ko ang lahat para babaan ang buwis,” Poe said. She said the Philippines imposes the highest income and corporate taxes among the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). “Thirty-two percent ang binabayaran ng mga empleyado natin. Ang corporate tax naman ay 30 percent. Papasok tayo sa ASEAN Read More …

Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano (MNS photo) It looks like it’s going to be another hectic year for Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil as they renewed their contracts with Star Cinema. Aside from their upcoming series “Dolce Amore” which will air next month, the two signed a two-year multi-picture deal with the ABS-CBN film outfit. “I’m excited for the projects to come. We are always looking forward to something different. I’m excited for ‘Dolce Amore’ especially because it’s something where I get to play the princess. I’m also excited about the movie although I don’t know any details about it yet,” Soberano said. Gil is also set to do his first independent movie this year. “I’m going to be doing a movie with direk Paul Soriano, it’s called Dukot so isisingit. It has a nice story. It’s a first for me. It’s an action-suspense thriller. Ako yung maki-kidnap. It’s based on a true story so it is a nice story,” he said. As for Soberano, is the Darna role included in the contract she signed? “No. I don’t know. No one’s telling me anything. Maybe it’s a surprise,” she said letting out a laugh. But if she gets an offer to do the Darna role, Sobrano said: “I’ll take it, I’ll accept it and I’ll work hard for it. But my body is not flattering yet.” (MNS)