Maniolas

The controversial resthouse owned by PNP chief Dir. Gen. Alan Purisima in Barangay Magpapalayok, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija was opened to the media on Monday, October 6. Purisima is facing plunder complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman over alleged ill-gotten wealth. He has denied the charges. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima has denied owning or purchasing a 10-hectare property in Talisay, Batangas attributed to him by a news outfit, spokesmen said Tuesday. The Batangas property, which was reported on Monday night by ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol, is the latest in a series of stories by the news outfit on allegations of ill-gotten wealth against Purisima, who was appointed PNP chief in December 2012. Earlier reports were on his “mansion” in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija and a bulletproof SUV. The PNP chief has also been charged before the Office of the Ombudsman. But PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor belied the report the agricultural land in Batangas is owned by Purisima. “The Chief PNP denies these allegations and has no knowledge whatsoever about the acquisition or disposition of the said property,” Mayor told reporters in Camp Crame. Mayor added that Purisima has ordered an investigation into how his name had linked to the property and identify the persons responsible. Purisima’s own spokesman, Senior Superintendent Robert Po, said the PNP chief would answer the issues raised against him before the Ombudsman. (MNS)

A couple of days before the show ended its season performance at the historic Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, this writer and a media colleague, were priveleged to receive our complimentary tickets, courtesy of generous, thoughtful friends who couldn’t make it to the show. Though on the way to the theatre, while colleague Evelyn Portugal  was driving her car, around six blocks west of the Pantages, the car she was d riving was sideswiped on the driver’s side fender by an older lady’s SUV who were  from Tehachapi, but  was apparently  not used to LA’s traffic. Nevertheless, that incident didn’t deter us from proceeding to make it to the show’s call time. In this American Repertory Theatre production superbly directed by Diane Paulus, choreography by Chet Walker and costume designed by Dominique Lemieux, ‘the revival presentation of “Pippin” once again showcased why the original 1972 production won the Tony awards for the music and lyrics written by Stephen Schwartz, based on the book by Roger O. Hinsonand originally directed by Bob Fosse. Kyle Dean Massey stars as Pippin “Pippin” brought to light the lives of people in a circus or performance troupe environment. The story unfolds, lead by a storyteller whose role (played wonderfully by Sasha Allen) as the Leading Player, narrated the story about the fictitious life of “Pippin,” a young prince (son of King Charemagne during the Middle Ages) who’s in search for the “meaning and significance” of life.  It was in the original Broadway production where Ben Vereen, who played the Leading Player, won him the Read More …

Piolo Pascual (MNS Photo) If ever he decides to tie the knot, actor Piolo Pascual wants to get married abroad. But that won’t be happening in the near future since Pascual vowed to remain unattached until his son Inigo turns 18 next year. Pascual admitted that he is also excited to enter into a new relationship. “I just don’t want it public. Parang for me, my life has been so public all my life, more than half of my life if. and when that happens parang magiging selfish muna ako at sasarilinin ko muna yon. Pero lalabas at lalabas makikita at makikita muna,” Pascual explained. “Siguro parang even when I get married mas gusto kong ikasal sa ibang bansa. I think I owe it to myself,” the “Hawak Kamay” star added. For now, Pascual said he is keeping his words to his son. Asked to comment on Inigo’s statement that he won’t meddle in his father’s personal life, Pascual said: “Aba dapat. Siyempre at the end of the day I’m still his my father. It’s still my choice. Ang agreement naman namin when he’s 18 pwede na. I kinda broke his heart before because I promised him something and I didn’t do it. So after that, I said I’m keeping my word up until your 18. That’s the only time I’ll get into a relationship so I’m keeping my word. So, whoever I choose when the time comes nasa akin na ‘yon. Hindi naman siya ang makikisama.” (MNS)

Members of environmental group Greenpeace protest human trials for genetically modified rice in front of the Bureau of Plant Industry in Manila on Tuesday. The group is urging government to cease human trials until the rice variety is scientifically proven to be fit for human consumption. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Another rice importing firm linked to alleged big-time rice smuggler Davidson Bangayan aka “David Tan” was charged before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for allegedly smuggling in over P626 million worth of rice from Singapore and Thailand. Charged by the Bureau of Customs on Thursday in four separate complaints are Medaglia De Oro, its owner, Emmanuel Santos, as well as the firm’s customs brokers Denise Kathryn Rosaroso, Raquel Sildora Cabasag, Emilio Chio, Myrene Noynay Sollano, Gemma Garcia, Melvin Isagan, John Kevin Cisneros, Eduardo Borje III, and Kenneth Quial. Customs Commissioner John Sevilla bared that De Oro imported the subject rice shipment between July and August of 2013 in the Port of Manila, Port of Cebu, Mindanao Container Terminal, and Port of Davao. The first shipment, which arrived at the Port of Manila, had a volume of 912,500 kg. The next shipment, which arrived at the Port of Cebu, totalled 11.1 million kg; while the next totaled 700,000 kg, and arrived at the Mindanao Container Terminal. The last shipment, which arrived at the Port of Davao, totaled 2.9 million kg. De Oro, which was linked to Bangayan during the hearings and first report of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Read More …

Senator Bong Revilla, shown in photo on his way to be detained on plunder and graft charges, said his lawyer, Sal Panelo, only talked about the rats and roaches in his cell in jest. Revilla’s lawyer has said the senator’s family saw rats “as big as cats” inside the senator’s cell. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The First Division of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan on Thursday admitted almost all of the evidence presented by the prosecution panel against Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. for plunder charges in connection with his alleged involvement in the multi-billion pork barrel fund scam. During the formal offering of evidence, the prosecution panel presented all the evidence that it used in the course of more than four months of hearing Revilla’s petition to post bail for the plunder charges. Among the evidence admitted by the court were the special audit report done by the Commission on Audit (COA) on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel of several lawmakers including Revilla. The COA special audit report became one of the basis of the Office of the Ombudsman in filing charges against Senators Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile, as well as their staff, for their alleged involvement in the scam. Also admitted as evidence by the court was the hard drive of primary whistleblower Benhur Luy. The hard drive allegedly contained Luy’s daily disbursement reports pertaining to the transactions of trader Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains of the pork scam, with several Read More …