Maniolas

Various organizations lead by Nationalist Advocates for Filipino Ideology and Jesus Is Lord Fellowship hold a prayer rally at Luneta on Sunday against the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The group said the BBL subverts the country’s sovereignty and will create a wedge among Moros, Lumads and Christians in Mindanao. (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – At least 12 senators have already signed the committee report drafted by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago stating that the Bangsamoro Basic Law should be substantially revised if it is to withstand legal scrutiny before the Supreme Court. With the signatures of the majority of the 14-member Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes, Santiago transmitted the report to the committee on local government, the primary committee contemplating the BBL and chaired by Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Those who signed the report were Santiago herself, Marcos, committee vice chairman Aquilino Pimentel III, acting minority leader Vicente Sotto III, and committee members Juan Edgardo Angara, Jinggoy Estrada, Teofisto Guingona III, Gringo Honasan, Lito Lapid, and Cynthia Villar. Senate Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto and Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, ex-officio members, also expressed their support for the report. Santiago said Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, another vice chair of the committee, is out of the country and had no chance to review the report. On the other hand, detained Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, also an ex-officio member, did not sign because he has not studied the matter fully, according to his staff. “By affixing their Read More …

A batch of 37 female overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) repatriated from Syria, arrive at 4 p.m. Friday (March 7) via EK 332. OWWA personnel and from Office of the Vice President (center photo) assist the returning OFWs upon their arrival at the Gate 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – A representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said there are 1,288 Filipinos in jail abroad for drug-related cases. At a House hearing, Francisco Noel Fernandez III, special assistant to the DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Overseas Workers Affairs, said these include 41 who are on death row. Aside from Mary Jane Veloso, who was granted temporary reprieve from death via firing squad, there are 18 Filipinos facing death sentence in Malaysia, 21 in China, and one in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Fernandez added. The 21 Filipinos on death row in China were all granted a two-year reprieve, which will likely turn into a commutation to life sentence if they exhibit good behavior in prison, he also said. (MNS)

Miguel Tanfelix and Bianca Umali go beyond their TV personas and keep their team up real off-screen.    

Marian Rivera (MNS photo) It’s been done before, notably by Hollywood actress Demi Moore, who agreed to pose in the nude even while she was pregnant. But Marian Rivera is not likely to follow suit. The expectant mom said she has already decided not to join year’s FHM party even if she tops the men’s magazine poll of sexiest women. Aside from her condition, Rivera said she is also thinking of her husband, actor Dingdong Dantes. “Actually napag-usapan namin ‘yan ng FHM at saka ng management ko. Naka-receive ako ng letter sa management. Sabi ko huwag na, tama na. Kahit lumalabas sa FHM – kung palarin ulit ako, may bumoto ulit sa akin at maging number one ako, for example – hindi ko kayang rumampa. Mahiya naman ako sa asawa ko, buntis pa ako. So huwag na muna,” Rivera said at a press conference for this year’s PEP List. Rivera and Dantes were hailed the Pepsters’ Choice for Newsmaker of the Year. Rivera admitted that a lot of things have changed after she got married last December. “Iba ang buhay ng may asawa, iba ang buhay ng buntis,” she said. “Nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat ng biyayang ipinagkaloob sa akin ng Panginoon pero ito talaga ang buhay na pinapangarap ko at inaasam-asam ko – ang ikasal at magkaroon ng isang anak at magkaroon ng pamilya. ‘Yun talaga.” “Sabi ko nga, ‘yung showbiz parte ng buhay ko, minahal ko ‘yan. Madami akong nakilala madami akong natutunan. Diyan ko nakilala ang asawa ko. Read More …

The Senate Committee on Local Government, chaired by Senator Bongbong Marcos, together with the Committees on Peace Unification and Reconcillation; and Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, will contiunue its inquiry on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. Also present during the BBL hearing is Senator Chiz Escudero. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Teofisto Guingona III on Wednesday called for revisions in the preamble of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law to ensure the protection of minority communities living in areas covered by the planned autonomous region. Guingona said there is a need to ensure the consistency of BBL provisions with the Constitution amend part of the preamble which currently refers to the aspiration of “the Bangsamoro People.” He said this should instead read as “the inhabitants of the Bangsamoro,” a phrase which ensures “inclusiveness” and the “clear and unequivocal protection of the rights of non-muslim Filipinos” in that region. “There are communities of indigenous and non-Muslim peoples in the areas proposed under the Bangsamoro,” he pointed out. “The BBL in its final form must ensure that they are treated equally and that their right to life, liberty and property are respected even if they are a minority,” he said in a press statement. He said this is also the reason why he is proposing the deletion of the third paragraph of the Preamble of the draft BBL which proclaimed the concept of “self-determination.” He believes such word has been “misused” since what is guaranteed by the Constitution is territorial autonomy Read More …