Maniolas

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) – Sen. Grace Poe’s camp rushed to the Supreme Court on the first working day after Christmas to contest the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) rulings disqualifying her from the 2016 presidential election. The SC en banc is currently on a holiday break and will not convene until next month, but Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno had said that the high court may rule on “urgent matters” filed during the break. Poe’s lawyer George Garcia filed on Monday morning two separate petitions for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) and a status quo Read More …

Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday presents a copy of the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry (BOI) report and discusses the findings of the Senate committee on public order that she heads. Poe affirmed most of the BOI’s findings and stressed President Aquino’s responsibility on the incident. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Former Senator Francisco “Kit” Tatad has filed a motion before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to drop the name of Senator Grace Poe from the certified list of presidential candidates. Tatad’s counsel Manuel Luna said their motion presupposes that Poe will not be able to secure a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court on Monday. “This motion is anchored on the Comelec’s rules of procedure particularly Section 13, Paragraph B which says that in special cases such as this one, a disqualification case or a cancellation case, the judgement order or the resolution of the commission en banc becomes final and executory after five days unless restrained by the Supreme Court,” Luna said. “We are asking the commission en banc to direct the first division of this commission to enforce its judgment against Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares cancelling her certificate of candidacy, and in the process dropping her name from the certified list of candidates,” the lawyer added. The Supreme Court is on recess until January 10. But under Rule 7, Section 7 of the SC Internal Rules, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is empowered to act on urgent cases and issue temporary restraining orders (TROs) or status Read More …

Claudine Barretto and Raymart Santiago with children Santino and Sabina (MNS photo) Former couple Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto, whose legal feud hogged headlines in 2014, set their differences aside to celebrate Christmas with their children. On her Instagram account, the 36-year-old Barretto posted a photo of her with Santiago and kids, Santino and Sabina. It had the caption: “Merry Christmas po sa inyong lahat.” For his part, Santiago uploaded a short clip of Santino and Sabina opening their Christmas presents on his own Instagram page. He also posted a photo of him with his kids. Last June, Santiago and Barretto also set aside their differences to show support for the 11th birthday celebration of Sabina. First reports of their separation surfaced in July 2013. Barretto earlier accused Santiago of “physical, sexual, psychological and economic” abuse, supposedly dating back to 2002. These are detailed in her complaint against the actor for his alleged violation of the Anti-Violence against Women and Their Children Act of 2004. Santiago, meanwhile, alleged that he was a victim of domestic violence. The actor accused his wife of being mentally ill and having a history of drug abuse—claims backed by the actress’ estranged siblings Gretchen, Marjorie, and JJ. Both Barretto and Santiago repeatedly mentioned the welfare of their children in explaining why they took the spat to court, and why they were seeking sole custody of their kids. Meanwhile, Barretto’s niece, Julia Barretto, took a break from her busy schedule to spend the holidays with her Read More …

Tracking physical efforts could make them less enjoyable, and actually decrease the amount of exercise we do, according to a new US study. ©klohka/shutterstock.com (Relaxnews) – Wearable tech and fitness apps tracks are not only supposed to help us track progress, but also motivate us to get moving, run faster, and walk further. But according to a new US study, tracking our activities could be having the opposite effect, and decreasing not only the amount of exercise we do, but also how much we enjoy it. A study from Duke’s University’s Fuqua School of Business found that although measuring our activities can initially motivate us to do more, they can take the enjoyment out of the activity, and actually cause us to do less, even once we have stopped tracking them. In the study Professor Jordan Etkin carried out six experiments where participants had to color, read, or walk, to measure the effects that tracking had on various activities. Etkin look at not only how much of each activity was completed, but also how much participants enjoyed it. In the walking test, a group of 95 participants were asked to record their thoughts for a day while walking. One group of the participants were offered a pedometer for the day to track their own steps, which all but four accepted. They were also asked to check regularly how many steps they had taken. Participants in the other group were also given a pedometer, but were unable to see how many steps they Read More …

Members of Bayan Muna hold a picket in front of Chinese consulate in Makati on Friday April 17 to protest against China’s reclamation activities in Panganiban Reef, part of the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea. Recent satellite pictures showed the Chinese constructing facilities in the area. (MNS Photo) Manila, Philippines | AFP |  – Almost 50 young Filipinos are camping on a remote Philippine-held island in the South China Sea in a symbolic stand against China’s claim to most of the waterway, officials said Sunday. Organisers of the group, calling itself Kalayaan Atin Ito (Kalayaan This Is Ours), said 47 of them arrived Saturday on the island of Pag-asa, also known as Thitu, in the Spratlys chain. “Kalayaan”, the Filipino word for freedom, is also the name of the township established by the Philippines in the Spratlys to assert its claim to part of the island chain. The government had opposed the landing, initiated by a former navy officer. But President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman Herminio Coloma said Sunday it understood the group’s intentions. “We recognise the patriotism of these youths that made them venture out,” he told reporters. But he also reiterated that they should seek “alternative ways” to show their support, expressing concern for their safety in travelling the 500 kilometres (310 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan to the tiny island of Pag-asa. Photographs and messages from the group posted on their website showed them posing on a beach. A message on a Facebook page also urged Aquino Read More …