Maniolas

Employees from various government offices launch “Kawani Kontra Daya,” a campaign against election-related fraud and violence, in Quezon City on Wednesday. The group vowed to expose practices that directly use public funds, resources, machineries and personnel in support of a particular candidate.(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – The Commission on Elections will really have to print voting receipts for the May national elections. This was after the high court affirmed on Thursday an earlier decision compelling the poll body to activate the voter verification paper audit trail feature of the vote counting machines. In a media briefing, SC Public Information Office chief and spokesman said the tribunal voted unanimously to deny the Comelec motion seeking to reverse the SC’s March 8 decision. Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Lucas Bersamin were on leave, while Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, who did not attend the oral arguments, did not leave his vote. Responding immediately after the announcement, former Sen. Richard Gordon, who filed the petition, said the Comelec does not need additional time to just to activate the voter verification paper audit trail (VVPAT) and make changes in the machines’ source code. “Hindi mahirap ayusin ang source code. Nagawa nila nung February 8 and 9. Pinalitan nila [ang source code] dahil may hindi nagtugma [sa machines]… Ginawa rin nila iyon noong automated elections noong 2010. Nadiskubre nilang may diperensiya. Nabilang at napalitan nila ang makina, 76,000. Napalitan lahat ng CF cards. Nakakagulat iyon. Kaya malakas ang loob ko na kaya iyan,” he said. Gordon Read More …

Presidential candidate Grace Poe, her running mate Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, and veteran lawyer Lorna Kapunan (extreme left), acknowledge crowd after the tandem endorse Kapunan’s senatorial bid on Friday (Oct. 23) at the Balay Kalinaw in UP-Diliman, Quezon City. (MNS photo) Vice-presidential race frontrunner Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said it is high time the government seriously address the problem of land-grabbing and stop individuals or groups from illegally and forcibly taking the land of others, including those owned by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). “Land-grabbing involving both public and private lands should be stopped and land grabbers should be dealt with accordingly,” said Escudero, who is running as independent under the banner “Gobyernong may Puso” alongside leading presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe. Escudero said he received numerous complaints regarding land grabbing, particularly in Antipolo City, where property owners, mostly OFWs, lost their lands by force, intimidation or misinformation. “Land grabbing seems to be rampant in Antipolo City and yet authorities are not doing anything,” Escudero said, as he lamented that most of the victims are OFWs. “It is unacceptable that the properties bought by OFWs with their hard-earned money accumulated over the years of working abroad, go away just like that,” he said. Escudero, meanwhile, vowed to take back all government-owned lands illegally encroached by land-grabbing syndicates and use them for future socialized housing projects, if he and Poe are elected. “We will retrieve all state lands in adverse possession of land mafias across the country and turn them into housing projects Read More …

Jolina Magdangal (MNS photo) Jolina Magdangal is officially back in the recording scene and the singer-actress could not help but rave about her experience collaborating with other artists. In her brand new album “Back to Love,” Magdangal had duets with singers like Yeng Constantino and Kyla, rapper Gloc 9, and comedian Vice Ganda. Magdangal said: “Parang feeling ko ‘yung sa akin, very easy listening lang ako na straight singing. Tapos sasamahan mo ng Kyla with R&B, ng Gloc, so nag-iiba ‘yung tunog.” Magdangal said she had fun collaborating with them because they were able to put a twist to her previous hits, like “Chuvachoochoo 2.0,” which features Vice Ganda. “Yung kay Vice, bago siya nag-record, nag-usap kami kung puwede daw ba siyang mag-adlib sa kanta. Sobrang okay kasi ‘yung recording, masaya siya,” she said. “Yung with Gloc, nag-iba talaga yung tunog ng ‘Kapag Ako’y Nagmahal.’ Favorite ko talaga ‘yung kanta na ‘yun so okay na ni-remake ko na rin siya,” she added. Since her album contains mostly breakup songs, Magdangal said it felt weird while she was recording because she doesn’t feel any tinge of sadness at all. “Ano na kaya ang feeling ng malungkot? Kasi ngayon ang feeling ko lang, I’m just very grateful, thankful. Minsan, ‘yung pagkanta na lang ng malulungkot na kanta, doon ko na lang nafi-feel na ganito pala maging malungkot,” she said. Asked how the new album is different from her older ones, she said: “I can say na dito sa album na ito, naging Read More …

President Benigno Aquino III graces the turnover of Shared Facilities (SSF) in the province of Pangasinan, held at CSi stadia Judge Jose de Venecia extension Dagupan City,Pangasinan, The President distributed certificates of 23 Shared Service Facilities (SSF) projects to the leaders of the association. In photo is Milagros Buenafe President, Binmaley Rural Improvement Club Seafood Products.(MNS photo) MANILA, (Mabuhay) — President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday appealed to governors across the Philippines to continue supporting the “Daang Matuwid” or straight path and the candidacy of his anointed successor, former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II. Unlike other presidential candidates, there are no uncertainties when it comes to Roxas, Aquino, chairman of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) said. “Kung gumanda at dumali ang buhay niyo, gumanda lalo na ‘yung buhay ng mga kababayan niyo na pinangakuan nating pagagandahin na napapaglingkuran, palagay ko, tayo – lalo na yung mga gobernador sa bawat probinsya – ang pangunahing dapat magdala at panatiliin natin yung pagtahak dito sa Daang Matuwid,” he said. “At ulitin ko nga sa inyo, sa aking pananaw, in-endorso ko si Mar Roxas, in-endorso ko si Leni Robredo dahil wala akong kaduda-duda, kaya kong i-garantya ang gagawin nila. Sa iba, ‘yung pinakamaganda na, baka ituloy. Meron ho iba doon, sigurado ako na hindi itutuloy,” Aquino added. The LP vice-presidential candidate is Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo. “May kasabihan nga’ yung mga Amerikano diba, ‘If it ain’t broke, why fix it?’” Aquino said at the at the 7th League of Provinces of the Read More …

Senator Jinggoy Estrada arrives at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on Monday, June 30, for his arraignment over the plunder charges filed against him and businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles in connection with the alleged P10-B pork barrel scam. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – The trial of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s cases in connection with the pork barrel scam is not set to commence anytime soon. At the scheduled pre-trial of his graft case before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division Monday morning, the prosecution and the defense admitted that they were not yet done with the marking of voluminous documentary evidence that they intend to present during the trial proper of the case. Under the rules of criminal procedure, only the pre-marked evidence and list of witnesses can be presented during the trial proper of the case. This prompted Fifth Division chairman Associate Justice Roland Jurado to order the setting of a weekly preliminary conference to enable both camps to finish marking their exhibits. The whole day preliminary conference was set every Tuesday starting March 22 until June 7. The pre-trial was set tentatively on June 13. Both camps committed to be present in all the preliminary conference dates. During a pre-trial proceeding, the prosecution and the defense are expected to submit the final list of their witnesses and evidence to be presented during the trial proper. Some issues and procedures for the conduct of an orderly trial are also expected to be discussed. Lanee David, lawyer of the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Read More …