Maniolas

Only 17 out of the 66 national candidates attended the signing of the Truthful, Responsible, Upright, Transparent, & Honest (TRUTH) covenant spearheaded by the Archdiocese of Manila and its radio network, Radio Veritas, on Monday (May 2, 2016). According to Fr. Anton Pascual, Radio Veritas president, they have sent invitations to each of the candidates running for the presidential, vice presidential and senatorial seats but many of them were not available as they were in their respective campaign sorties. Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II signing the peace covenant for the May 9 elections at the Manila Cathedral. (PNA photos by Avito C. Dalan) MANILA, June 22 (Mabuhay) – Defeated presidential candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas II finally submitted his statement of contributions and expenditures (Soce) on Wednesday–exactly on the last day of the extended deadline after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) granted his request. The Liberal Party standard-bearer’s spokesperson and Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez and the party’s counsel Romulo Macalintal filed the campaign expenses report on his behalf at the Comelec office in Manila. In his expenditure report, it showed that Roxas spent P487 million in poll expenditures and received P469 million in contributions. Explaining the reason behind the delay, Gutierrez earlier said they had to go through “voluminous number of receipts” that have to be scanned and attached to the documents. Gutierrez said Roxas wanted to give an accurate and truthful report “in compliance with the rules and in the interest of complete transparency.” After failing to submit Read More …

A congressional staff arranges ballot boxes containing the Certificates of Canvass and Election Returns during the Joint Session of Congress Presidential and Vice Presidential Canvass at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Friday. The canvassing of votes was completed Friday evening.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) senior Commissioner Christian Robert Lim has formally stepped down as head of the poll body’s campaign finance office. In a letter filed Monday afternoon, Lim tendered his “irrevocable” resignation following the “policy shift” that allows candidates and political parties that failed to meet the June 8 deadline to still file their statements of contributions and expenditures (SOCEs). Lim, in his capacity as CFO head, recommended that the en banc deny giving such extension, in particular the request filed by the Liberal Party and its standard-bearer Mar Roxas. The poll body, however, ruled to grant the parties an extension until June 30 via split vote, 4-3. This allows filing without penalties. “Given the Commission’s policy shift resulting from granting the request for extension without any sanctions on the erring candidates and parties—which I had expressly dissented from and is now incongruent with my own views on the matter—I believe that I am unsuitable to continue with my duties both as the concurrent head and Commissioner-in-Charge of the Campaign Finance Office,” Lim wrote in a memorandum to the en banc. The commissioner thanked his staff at the CFO, as well as field officers, “for their tremendous efforts to enforce campaign finance Read More …

Viji Sundaram OAKLAND, Calif. – California’s Prop. 47 allows many individuals to change certain felonies into misdemeanors on their criminal records – but less than a quarter of those eligible have submitted their requests, and the window of opportunity could expire next year. Eighteen months into Prop. 47’s enactment, the state has received some 211,000 petitions seeking resentencing or a record change. The ballot measure, which passed in November 2014 despite heavy opposition from law enforcement associations, gives a three-year window for the estimated 1 million eligible individuals to file for relief. Prop. 47 converted certain nonviolent felonies into misdemeanors, which translates into little or no jail time for crimes like low-value theft and simple drug possession. The savings generated by the measure are meant to guide people into programs such as drug treatment. Advocates worry that because the “application process is so complex” – even though the application itself is only a page long – and counties don’t have enough attorneys who can spend adequate time dealing with petitions, the sun may set on the window before all those eligible can apply. However, in early June, California State Assembly approved AB 2765, a bill that would extend the deadline by five years, from November 2017 to November 2022. It is scheduled to go before the Senate Public Safety Committee on June 28. If it is signed into law, “it will give the courts and the judicial system more time to process the applications,” says Marisa Arrona, Prop. 47 implementation Read More …

SENATE SHAKE DRILL: Senate officials and employees led by Sec. Oscar G. Yabes participate in the nationwide Metro Manila Development Authority Shake Drill in anticipation of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Personnel from the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Prevention also took part in the drill. Also in photo are Senate Sergeant-at-Arms M/Gen. Jose Balajadia and Security Enforcement Service Director Manny Parlade. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Malacañang on Tuesday extended its condolences to the family of the late former Senate President Ernesto Maceda, who succumbed to multiple organ failure Monday night. In a statement, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said: “The late former Senate President Ernesto Maceda distinguished himself as a legislator, Cabinet member and ambassador through more than five decades of dedicated public service.” “We extend our condolences to his bereaved family and join his bereaved family in fervent prayers for his eternal repose,” Coloma added. The remains of Maceda, 81, will lie in state at the Mount Carmel Church in New Manila starting 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Maceda was in critical condition due to post-surgery complication, his son said Monday afternoon. Lawyer Ernesto Maceda Jr. said the former senator underwent surgery and was still conscious after the procedure but his condition went downhill since then.(MNS)

Ms. Susan Barocas (left) and Mr. John Hanshaw (right) are the two panelists during the Closing Night of the 2016 Euro Asia Shorts Film Festival at the Italian Embassy on 10 June 2016. Mr. Adam Wojciechowicz (center) moderated the panel discussion. WASHINGTON, D.C. – “The Dreamweaver,” the Philippines’ entry to the closing night of the 2016 Euro Asia Short Film Festival, garnered admiration and generated discussion from the panelists and audience on 10 June 2016. Film and movie enthusiasts gathered at the Embassy of Italy for the 5th and closing night of the film festival which featured nine short films from the participating countries – Germany, China, Spain, the Philippines, Japan, France, Italy, South Korea, and the United States —under one theme, “What is Home?”. “The Dreamweaver,” a film by Jedd Rommel, is about a young T’boliboy’s journey that started when he was visited in his dreams by Fudalu, the spirit of the abaca hemp, who appears only to the females of the tribe and bestowed upon him the exclusive talent and creativity in weaving the tribe’s sacred cloth. “He took his home with him through designing contemporary clothes. What a beautiful way to pay tribute to your home, to be able to take it and incorporate pieces of your tradition into the contemporary society,” writer and producer Ms. Susan Barocas said during the panel discussion. . 2016 Euro Asia Shorts Film Festival’s partners from participating Embassies and Cultural Centers after the closing night screening. “Clearly, he was bridging this ancient old tradition to the contemporary world Read More …