Maniolas

Actress Nora Aunor (3rd left) joins members of Migrante International and Gabriela at a protest march to Mendiola in Manila to mark the 20th death anniversary of Flor Contemplacion on Tuesday. Contemplacion, an overseas Filipino worker, was executed in Singapore in 1995 for murder. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – After being spared from the death sentence and serving eight years in prison, overseas Filipino worker Jonard Langamin is now reunited with his family in Manila. Langamin, 32-years old, arrived Wednesday morning on board a Philippine Airlines flight PR 683 from Damman, Saudi Arabia. Langamin was met at the airport by his parents Edith and Clemente Langamin who were accompanied by Susan Ople, head of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center. His parents had not seen him for 10 years. The Ople Center said the OFW was meted the death penalty by the Saudi Government in 2008 after being found guilty of killing fellow Pinoy Robertson Mendoza. He was spared from beheadings in 2012 after the family of Mendoza signed a “tanazul” or affidavit of forgiveness. Langamin extended his gratitude to all who personally assisted him in his case until he was pardoned. Ople said Vice President Jejomar Binay helped process the financial assistance in raising the blood money, as required under the Sharia law. (MNS)  

Mariel Rodriguez and Robin Padilla (MNS Photo) “Kasalanan ko iyon kasi ayaw ko,” actor-host Robin Padilla said as he admitted that he felt responsible for the first miscarriage of his wife, “It’s Showtime” mainstay Mariel Rodriguez. According to Padilla, he rejected suggestions from experts to have Rodriguez undergo the “painful” heparim regimen in an attempt to prevent a pregnancy loss. His wife later suffered two miscarriages, one in March last year and another six months later. “Ang pinaka-support ko na [ngayon] sa kanya ay hindi ko kinokontra ‘yung mga injection, iyon na ang pinaka-support ko,” Padilla explained when asked about his thoughts on Rodriguez’s third pregnancy. He continued: “Kasi noong una niyang pagbubuntis ay hindi ko talaga sinuportahan. Sa akin kasi, hindi organic iyon. Ngayon, dahil gusto na niya talaga ay umayag na lang ako. Kasi mahirap makita iyon. Tuwing umaga at gabi, hindi madaling makita ang asawa mo na nahihirapan.” The heparim regimen, as described by a popular American science magazine, is prescribed to pregnant women who have a high risk of developing serious complications from blood clots. The 2014 article noted, however, that the regimen “does not appear to lower the risk of blood clots or miscarriage during pregnancy.” It may also cause bruising and result in minor bleeding involving the nose, gums, or vagina. Rodriguez first announced her third pregnancy on an episode of “It’s Showtime” last Saturday. (MNS)

Presidential aspirant-Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said in a press conference at the Golden Bay Restaurant in Pasay City on Thursday (April 29, 2016) that he has instructed his lawyer, Atty. Sal Panelo, to have his bank account in the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Julia Vargas branch opened in front of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday, May 2. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)SCS/acd DAVAO CITY (Mabuhay) – He’s the man who will be in charge of presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte’s security. Col. Rolando Bautista, commander of the Joint Task Force Basilan, said it is an honor and privilege to be considered for the position of Presidential Security Group commander by the presumptive president. Speaking to reporters, Bautista said there are existing protocols and procedures on securing the president. “Of course, there will be additions, improvements and innovations depending on the desire of the president,” he said. Bautista said he has already conducted meetings regarding the transition of the security procedures for the incoming president. Asked about potential security risks after Duterte said he will be spending a lot of time in Davao, Bautista said the PSG has plans for such contingencies. “Yung sinasabi natin na security nightmare, we have prepared counter actions. Definitely, all of these security arrangements will [depend] on the desire of the presumptive president,” he said. Bautista said heading the PSG is a major challenge as well an opportunity. “When I was assigned in Basilan, super challenge yun. Pero sabi ko nga mas Read More …

Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon speaks before media on Friday calling for an investigation of a protocol breach by poll technology provider Smartmatic. The transparency server script was tweaked by Smartmatic to correct a character in the names of candidates with “ñ in them.(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – A party-list representative on Tuesday sued officials of technology provider Smartmatic-Total Information Management and employees of the Commission on Elections over the alleged tampering of the automated election system (AES) used in the May 9 national elections. In a complaint filed with the Manila Prosecutor’s Office, Abakada-Guro party-list Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz accused the respondents of committing a security breach in the AES, particularly in the script of the transparency server, “compromising the integrity and credibility of the 2016 elections, in addition to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of computer data and system.” Dela Cruz said the Smartmatic officers’ actions were in violation of Sections 4(a)(1), (3), and (4) of Republic Act No. 10175, which required the Smartmatic to inform and secure an authorization from Comelec en banc for any modification in the script to be used in the server. Named respondents were Smartmatic technical support team head Marlon Garcia, Smartmatic project director Elie Moreno, technical support team member Neil Banigued, Mauricio Herrera, Comelec information technology officer Rouie Penalba, and Comelec employees Nelson Herrera and Frances Mae Gonzalez. The supposed “security breach” that the complainant was referring to was when Smartmatic made an adjustment to the script to fix an issue Read More …

Zanjoe Marudo (MNS photo) Zanjoe Marudo insists that he was not affected when rumors came out romantically linking his former girlfriend, Bea Alonzo, to John Lloyd Cruz. Marudo said he thinks he is not in the position to speak about the matter. “Actually kilala ko naman sila. Wala naman akong issue about doon. Wala naman akong puwedeng sabihin, totoo man or hindi. Sila naman ang dapat na sumasagot sa mga ganung bagay,” he said. Alonzo and Cruz have already denied that they are in a relationship, adding that they are just good friends. Meanwhile, Marudo admitted he is still in touch with Alonzo months after they parted ways. “Masasabi kong okay naman kami. Kapag nagte-text kami, normal naman. Siguro masasabi ko na kami ‘yung kapag magkikita sa isang lugar, hindi kami mag-iiwasan. Hindi kami matatakot na, ‘Baka nandoon siya.’ Okay kami. Kumbaga, anytime magkita kami, magkasalubong kami, wala kaming problema,” he said. Marudo, however, cannot say if there is still a second chance for the two of them. “Sa ngayon, ewan ko. Hindi natin masasabi. Ang importante naman hindi kami magkaaway. Maraming puwedeng mangyari,” he said. Asked if he has already moved on from their failed relationship, the actor said: “Hindi ko alam. Paano ba malalaman kung naka-move on? Pero happy ako ngayon kung anong nangyayari sa akin. Happy ako ngayon sa buhay ko. Iyon ang importante doon.” Marudo also insisted that he is not dating anyone right now. (MNS)