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Butuan Airport, ordered closed after an airplane accident, may reopen Sunday

 News
Feb 152014
 
Butuan Airport, ordered closed after an airplane accident, may reopen Sunday

Operations at the Butuan Airport may resume by 4 p.m. Sunday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said Saturday after a Cebu Pacific airplane went off the runway earlier that day. According to the CAAP, the Butuan Area Manager has issued a runway closure order which will be in effect until Sunday afternoon. CAAP said the closure order “may be revised or cancelled earlier if status thereat changes.” Cebu Pacific flight 5J 220 from Butuan to Cebu was grounded “after the aircraft nose wheel went off the runway 30 of Butuan Airport as it was turning  in preparation for takeoff.” The accident prompted Cebu Pacific to cancel the Butuan-Cebu flight as well as “two turn around flights of Cebu Pacific from Manila to Butuan and back on flights 5J 785/786 and 5J791/792 and Cebu Butuan Cebu 5J 223/5J22.” The plane, an Airbus A319, has been grounded and the CAAP has sent a team of aircraft accident investigators to determine what caused the accident. — JDS, GMA News

Miriam: Enrile's presence in Tuason-Gigi Reyes meeting enough to prove conspiracy

 News
Feb 152014
 
Miriam: Enrile's presence in Tuason-Gigi Reyes meeting enough to prove conspiracy

Miriam grills Ruby Tuason on ‘pork’. Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago questions potential state witness Ruby Tuason during the continuation of the Senate blue ribbon committee’s inquiry on the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam on Thursday, February 13. Benjie Castro The mere presence of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile during the meetings between his former chief of staff Atty. Gigi Reyes and Ruby Tuason over alleged pork barrel scam deal was enough proof of conspiracy. Santiago was referring to Tuason’s affidavit that was one of the subjects in Thursday’s Senate probe on the supposed P10-billion pork barrel fund anomaly. In a news release on Saturday, Santiago’s camp quoted the affidavit as saying Tuason had coffee with Gigi in the presence of a “silent” Enrile. “Enrile would join us [Tuason and Reyes], when we are almost done, for a cup of coffee..,” the news release quoted from Tuason’s affidavit. “He did not stay long. After coffee, he would leave and sometimes he would come to pick up Atty. Gigi Reyes,” the statement quoted the affidavit further. In the news release, Santiago also said Tuason’s statement was “sufficient to pin down Enrile, under the principle of conspiracy in criminal law.” “…his mere presence is sufficient to convince the court to a moral certainty that he was the mastermind pulling the strings of Reyes, so that they could profit from the illicit scam,” Santiago added. She also said Tuason’s statement proves Enrile’s guilt “to a moral certainty.” “Human experience teaches that there was no reason for Read More …

Butuan aircraft runway closed after freak accident; 7 CebuPac flights canceled

 News
Feb 152014
 
Butuan aircraft runway closed after freak accident; 7 CebuPac flights canceled

Butuan’s Bancasi airport halted their operations Saturday after a Cebu Pacific aircraft’s nose wheel went off the runway.   “CEB flight 5J 220 Butuan – Cebu today has been cancelled after the aircraft nose wheel went off the runway as it was turning in preparation for takeoff,” said Cebu Pacific in a public message posted on Facebook at 2:27pm.  “All passengers have deplaned and are currently being re-accommodated in the next available flights. The Butuan runway has been temporarily closed,” the statement added.  Several other flights were cancelled because of the incident: 5J220 Butuan-Cebu 5J785/786 Manila-Butuan-Manila 5J791/792 Manila-Butuan-Manila 5J223/224 Cebu-Butuan-Cebu Passengers affected were offered options including free rebooking of flight within 30 days, rerouting to the nearest alternate airport in Cagayan De Oro or Davao, or a full refund. – GMA News

CCTV footage of Tuason at Senate basement deleted — security chief

 News
Feb 152014
 
CCTV footage of Tuason at Senate basement deleted — security chief

Senate sergeant-at-arms Jose Balajadia Jr. on Saturday said all closed circuit television footage showing potential state witness Ruby Tuason’s visits to the Senate building have already been deleted. In a phone interview with GMA News Online, Balajadia said from 2002 to December 2010, the Senate used VHS tapes to record CCTV footage, and were only stored for 30 days. “They (VHS tapes) tend to stick, nagdidikit-dikit kaya hindi kami nagsto-store,” he said. However, it was only in January 2011 when the Senate security shifted to digital video recorders (DVRs), Balajadia said. “From January 2011 to to now, kumpleto kami,” he added. Earlier at a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing, Tuason said she visited the office of Senator Jinggoy Estrada at the Senate at least twice in 2008, usually in the afternoon. She added that she used the side entrance of the Senate building, which is reserved only for senators, to evade inspection. She also belied Estrada’s earlier statement that she delivered snacks to his office, and not money. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Thursday called for an investigation on the agency handling Senate security that allowed  Tuason to proceed to the office of Estrada without inspection. Saying he has nothing to hide, Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday asked for the release of all CCTV footage of Ruby Tuason’s supposed visits at the Senate. Estrada made a manifestation during Monday’s Senate plenary session, where he asked the Senate sergeant-at-arms to trace all videos showing Tuason in the Senate building in Pasay City. Read More …

Philippines slides further down the World Press Freedom Index rankings

 News
Feb 122014
 
Philippines slides further down the World Press Freedom Index rankings

The Philippines sank further down a global ranking of press freedom by the international media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) or Reporters Without Borders.  In its “2014 World Press Freedom Index” released Wednesday, the RSF placed the Philippines at the 149th place among the 180 countries included in the list. The Philippines slid two rungs lower on the ladder from 2013 when it landed on the 147th spot. The country was at the 140th rank in 2011-2012 and at 156th in 2010 after the Maguindanao Massacre on Nov. 23, 2009 where 32 of the 58 people killed were journalists. The Philippines was at 122nd place in 2009. Started in 2002, the annual RSF report scored countries based on a questionnaire sent to RSF partner organizations around the world. “It reflects the degree of freedom that journalists, news organizations and netizens enjoy in each country, and the efforts made by the authorities to respect and ensure respect for this freedom,” the RSF said in its report’s methodology. For its 2014 report, the RSF said the questionnaires were sent to “18 freedom of expression NGOs located in all five continents, to our network of 150 correspondents, and to journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists.” Questions were divided into six general criteria namely: the extent of pluralism, media independence, environment and self-censorship, legislative framework, transparency of the institutions and procedures that affect production of news and information, and the quality of infrastructure that supports the production of news and information. Remaining in Read More …

De Lima rejects Rep. Haresco plea for reinvestigation of fake SARO case

 News
Feb 122014
 
De Lima rejects Rep. Haresco plea for reinvestigation of fake SARO case

Rep. Haresco denies role in fake SARO scam. At a press conference on Tuesday, February 11, Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco compares an original Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) with a fake one to deny the National Bureau of Investigation’s accusation that he had a hand in the alleged fake SARO scam. GMA News The National Bureau of Investigation will not reinvestigate the fake Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) case against Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr despite the solon’s plea, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Wednesday.  De Lima, in an interview, said she was turning down Haresco’s request, adding that it was no longer the call of the NBI to go over the matter anew. As Justice chief, de Lima has supervision over the NBI, an agency attached to the Department of Justice. “I dont think we are inclined to do that kase ifa-file na sa proper forum iyan whether sa Department of Justice or the Ombudsman. That is the proper forum,” De Lima said. De Lima also said she saw no reason for the NBI to re-investigate Haresco because due process has been observed by the investigators and attempted to get the lawmaker’s side of the story early on. “They have exerted efforts short of issuing subpoena to access him but it was unsuccessful. They wanted to access him but hindi daw sila hinarap at pinagbigyan,” De Lima said. In its findings, the NBI said Haresco should be charged for falsification of public documents under Article 171 Par. Read More …

Ruby Tuason: Jinggoy's 'pork cut' delivered to house of Loi Estrada's ex-aide

 News
Feb 112014
 
Ruby Tuason: Jinggoy's 'pork cut' delivered to house of Loi Estrada's ex-aide

The house of former First Lady Loi Estrada’s former aide in Makati was once used as a drop-off point for Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s kickbacks in the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam, potential state witness Ruby Tuason said in her affidavit. In her sworn statement submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Tuason identified a certain Justa Tantoco as the owner of the house in Dasmariñas Village where a total of P11.97 million for Senator Estrada, son of the former First Lady, was supposedly brought. Tuason, a resident of Dasmariñas Village, added that based on the accounting record of Benhur Luy, principal whistleblower of pork barrel scam, the transaction in Tantoco’s house was “consummated through a certain Matt Ranillo.” A report on news magazine Asiaweek published in 2000 identified Tantoco as the former First Lady’s chief aide. The magazine report even portrayed Tuason as someone familiar with the former First Lady’s relationship with her husband, former President Joseph Estrada. Previous reports published on lifestyle pages of local broadsheets meanwhile portrayed Tantoco as a “civic-oriented” and “charity-oriented” socialite. A report on “News To Go” also identified Tantoco as a friend and former aide of the former First Lady. Last December, GMA News Online published a report on how the former First Lady, who also served as senator from 2001 to 2007, also supposedly benefited from transactions with JLN Corporation, Janet Lim-Napoles’s company. The information was based on payment vouchers submitted during a 2005 legal dispute between actor Matt Ranillo III and Read More …

Govt recovers P1.3-B Marcos Swiss accounts

 News
Feb 112014
 
Govt recovers P1.3-B Marcos Swiss accounts

The government has recovered the last tranche of Marcos Swiss accounts worth a total of P1.3 billion ($29 million) after a Singapore court ruled that the Philippine National Bank (PNB) had the legal title to the deposits.  At a press briefing Wednesday, Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairperson Andres Bautista said the amount has been remitted to the National Treasury on February 5. The accounts were worth $23 million in 2003 and have since gained interests.  “The recovered amount form part of the Swiss bank accounts of former President Ferdinand Marcos and his family that were ordered forfeited by the Philippine Supreme Court in 2003 but which were held up in litigation in Singapore since then,” said Bautista.  In 2003, the Supreme Court granted the forfeiture of the bank deposits, allowing PNB to give most of the money back to the Philippine Treasury under an escrow agreement.  But the funds were held up in Singapore after complaints were filed against it by human rights lawyers. Singapore’s high court ruled in favor of PNB in 2012.  Singapore’s appeals court affirmed the high court decision on December 30.  Marcos signed on Sept. 21, 1972 Proclamation No. 108 that imposed Martial Law in the Philippines, following increasing civil strife and threats of communist takeover.  The abuse of authority of the Marcoses and their cronies led to the 1986 People Power Revolution which toppled the regime. — Siegfrid O. Alegado/RSJ/KBK, GMA News

Red Cross to build 'better' homes in Yolanda-affected areas

 News
Feb 112014
 
Red Cross to build 'better' homes in Yolanda-affected areas

Now that the recovery phase has started in areas devastated by super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), the Philippine Red Cross is setting its eyes on building “better” houses for the survivors. At a press conference in Manila on Wednesday, PRC chairman Richard Gordon said that after the initial emergency response, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Red Crescent Movement (RCM) would prioritize building permanent homes for the survivors of the killer typhoon. He said the houses they are planning to build will be “better” as each will be erected away from danger zones and can withstand winds of up to 250kph. The PRC, which Gordon leads, is ICRC’s chapter in the Philippines. Officials of the ICRC and the RCM met Wednesday to discuss future support for typhoon victims. Also at the meeting in Manila, PRC’s secretary-general Gwendolyn Pang told reporters the two international aid organizations are set to rebuild some 50,000 houses; repair 70,000 more damaged homes; and relocate 5,000 families away from areas now considered as danger zones. She said the funds for rebuilding and repairs will be sourced from the 300 million Swiss francs raised for the Yolanda survivors. On the other hand, Gordon said 45 percent of the total funds raised will be for the housing project in Yolanda-affected areas. — Amanda Fernandez /LBG, GMA News

PNoy woos ARMM residents, asks them to give Bangsamoro law a chance

 News
Feb 112014
 
PNoy woos ARMM residents, asks them to give Bangsamoro law a chance

President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday appealed to the people of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to give chance to the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which is expected to result in a Bangsamoro Political Entity. “Nananawagan [po ako] nawa’y bigyang daan ninyo ang hakbang [na] ito… hinihimok ko po kayo ay tumaya rin sa pag-asa na makakamit natin ang ganap na pagbabago sa ARMM,” Aquino said during his speech at the 2nd ARMM LGU Summit on Good Governance and Development in Davao City. He issued the statement after the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed the last and most contentious of the four annexes to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) last January. The annexes will be used as guides in the drafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which is expected to result in a Bangsamoro Political Entity that will replace ARMM. Government peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said they hope to present the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which is being crafted by a Bangsamoro Transition Commission, to Congress early this year.   Aquino, however, had expressed worry that they may have difficulty passing it in Congress. After Congress enacts the law, a plebiscite will be held for it to be approved. According to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, the plebiscite will be held in the “envisioned core territory of the Bangsamoro.” It said this includes the current ARMM provinces and Marawi City; the cities of Cotabato and Isabela; the six Read More …

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