Maniolas

Batangas Gov. Vilma-Santos Recto raises the hand of Liberal Party (LP) vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo as expression of her support during their meeting on Wednesday before the party’s grand rally at Batangas City Sports Coliseum. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – A ranking official during the Arroyo administration has voiced his support to the tandem of former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo for the May 9 elections. Eduardo Ermita, who served as executive secretary of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, expressed his support to the tandem during the Daang Matuwid coalition’s sortie in Batangas province. “Mabuhay ang susunod na Presidente ng Pilipinas, ang anak ng dating senador Gerry Roxas at apo ng kauna-unahang Presidente [ng Ikatlong Republika], Mar Roxas!” said Ermita, a former Batangas congressman. Aside from being appointed executive secretary, Ermita, a former military official, also served as secretary of the Department of National Defense during Arroyo’s term. In a chance interview, Robredo said he doesn’t see any conflict with Ermita’s support. “Yung lahat naman ng suporta welcome pero ‘yung importante siguro kahit anong klaseng suporta, hindi nagbabago ‘yung tinatayuan namin,” Robredo told reporters. “At saka paniniwala kasi marami namang sumusuporta na wala namang hinihinging kapalit,” she added. President Benigno Aquino III has repeatedly said that his administration would pursue the plunder cases against Arroyo, currently on hospital arrest at the Veterans Medical Memorial Center. Roxas, Robredo and the rest of the Daang Matuwid coalition took its campaign to the province of Batangas on Wednesday, Read More …

Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s gesture during press conference on Mamasapano incidence that killed 44 SAF troopers on Tuesday at the DOJ Office. The DOJ filed criminal cases against MILF and BIFF members involved in the killings. (MNS Photo) BATANGAS CITY  (Mabuhay) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) should do its best to make sure that the elections will be held on May 9 by hook or by crook, Liberal Party senatorial candidate Leila de Lima said on Wednesday. De Lima said the Comelec should find ways to comply with the Supreme Court order directing the poll body to issue ballot receipts because “resorting to manual counting compromises the sanctity of the vote and, ultimately, our democracy.” “The Comelec should stop saying that the Supreme Court ruling would result in the postponement of the elections and just focus on how to comply with the high court’s order,” De Lima said in a statement. The high court recently ordered the Comelec to activate the voter receipt printing feature of the vote counting machines (VCMs) for the 2016 national elections. The en banc decision, however, disappointed the poll body, saying enabling the feature would force the Comelec officials to push back their timetables ahead of the election day two months from now. De Lima, a former election lawyer and justice secretary, said that Comelec should initiate measures that will ensure full compliance with the Automated Elections Law. “Rather than paint a dire picture of the elections being postponed, Comelec should Read More …

MONEY LAUNDERING: Senators in a huddle during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, on the alleged $100 million that was laundered in the Philippines. Photo shows (from left to right) Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Sergio Osmeña III (seated), Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Alan Peter Cayetano, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. In his opening statement Guingona said that he “cannot agree to an executive session because subject funds belong to the Bangladesh government which did not invoke confidentiality.”(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) — The Legal counsel for Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito has accused the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) of being negligent or even part of “cover-up” when it singled out the RCBC Jupiter branch manager in money laundering charges. It’s because of this money laundering case filed by the AMLC before the Department of Justice that has prevented Deguito from spilling the beans, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said in a press statement on Thursday. The case was filed on Friday, the day Deguito was barred from leaving the Philippines to go to an alleged vacation trip to Japan. “There is a conspiracy here that boggles the mind involving extremely wealthy, powerful and well-connected individuals, but we are confident that the Senate will not spare anyone, no matter his or her status and stature in the banking community and in Philippine society, so that the incident under investigation will not be Read More …

(photo courtesy of Lakambini Facebook page) Los Angeles – The Lakambini Ng Kalayaan 2016 is back in its full glory. And organizers of The Lakambini Ng Kalayaan 2016 are calling for participants to join the cultural pageant of community organizations that will take place on June 3 in Los Angeles. The winner of The Lakambini Ng Kalayaan will be the muse of the parade on the 4th Historic Filipinotown Philippine Independence Day Parade on June 4. Philippine Independence Day is celebrated every June 12. Ms. Bernie Ganon, the Lakambini 2016 director general is calling leaders of the various community organizations to enlist their participants to represent their respective clubs. Ganon said this year’s sponsor organizations for The Lakambini Ng Kalayaan 2016 pageant include the Fil-Am International USA, The Filipino American Service Group Inc (FASGI) and  the Philippine Institute for Language, Arts and Culture (Pilac). There will also be a Lakambini Ng Kalayaan Meet & Greet day for candidates on April 16. A talent night will be on May 21 while the coronation night will be on  June 3. Ganon said criteria and requirements for the candidates will be announced later, She said that right now The Lakambini is accepting organizations’ participation for their candidates and the participation fee of $300 for each candidate. Rosemarie Mejia, who represented FASGI, was crowned as Ms. Lakambini Ng Kalayaan 2015 at the Castaway Restaurant in Burbank last June. For more information please call Ganon at (213) 487-9804 or Sid Balatan at (213) 399-5042, or visit the Lakambini Facebook page Read More …

MONEY LAUNDERING: Senators in a huddle during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, on the alleged $100 million that was laundered in the Philippines. Photo shows (from left to right) Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Sergio Osmeña III (seated), Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Alan Peter Cayetano, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. In his opening statement Guingona said that he “cannot agree to an executive session because subject funds belong to the Bangladesh government which did not invoke confidentiality.”(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – A car dealer pushed for the appointment of Maia Deguito as manager of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation’s branch on Jupiter Street in Makati, a bank executive told the Senate inquiry on Thursday. RCBC treasurer Raul Victor Tan said Deguito was supposed to be assigned at the Beacon branch in the Bonifacio Global City but was eventually appointed to the Jupiter post upon the recommendation of a certain Jason Go. “Who is this Mr Jason Go that he can cause the designation of the branch manager? He is not part of the RCBC but he seems to be very powerful?” asked Senator Teofisto Guingona III, the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. “I believe he has large businesses which would help in bringing up the business of the branch,” Tan answered. Deguito is at the center of the controversy after she allegedly opened the dubious bank accounts at the Read More …