Maniolas

Senator Francis Escudero urged his colleague Monday to refrain from pitting the Philippine National Police against Armed Forces of the Philippines. “Hindi na sana siguro dapat palakihin yung issue. Gaya ng sinabi ko wala namang isyu kaugnay sa paninisi sa AFP. At saka wag na natin palakihin yung hidwaan sa pagitan ng AFP at PNP sa pamamagitan ng sisihan. Magkakampi ang AFP at PNP, wag natin bigyan ng hidwaan yugn dalawa,” the senator said in a news forum in Manila. Escudero made the statement when asked about Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s request for the release of other information tackled during the executive session on the Mamasapano clash. Information discussed in an executive session are confidential unless the Senate agrees to make it public. Trillanes earlier said the release of information is necessary so that the public would know who were liable for the deaths of 44 Special Action Force troops during the operation to neutralize Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25. The senator earlier said more than 120 SAF troopers involved in Oplan Exodus failed to aid their comrades and stayed idle in their respective positions. Relieved SAF chief Director Getulio Napeñas Jr had blamed the AFP for failing to provide assistance to the police officers who were then engaged in a firefight with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and other armed groups. Escudero: No need to release information on AFP Escudero said the Senate report on Read More …

popular Aquino browbeats BOI head IN PHOTOS: One Direction plays first show in Manila Aquino jokes about hair following rumors of collapse New tarantula species found in Polillo caves Manila eyes renewed ties Cebu Pacific flight returns to airport to unload actress due to unruly behavior E-Painters, Texters grab top playoff slots Gorgeous ex-GF’s pals slam user-friendly hunk videos PBA: Ginebra’s LA Tenorio comfortable on the floor with Emman Monfort PBA: Agustin credits good defense, big men performance for win over Purefoods PBA: Warner’s maturity big thing for Globalport, says coach Gonzales Crime watchdog wants advisory body composed of bishops, inter-religious leaders Former Tarlac Governor calls Aquino to resign Department of Foreign Affairs building. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) mourns the passing of “visionary statesman” Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore, Monday. “The Philippines joins the Singaporean people in mourning the passing of their first Prime Minister and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew,” DFA said in a statement. BACKSTORY: Singapore founding father Lee Kuan Yew dies at 91  “Mr. Lee was a visionary statesman who built Singapore into an economic powerhouse and modern society that has been a positive force not only in the region but also in the world,” it said. Lee, 91, was hospitalized last February 5, 2015, for severe pneumonia. His condition slightly improved in the first weeks before it eventually worsened due to an infection. BACKSTORY: Singapore’s founding PM Lee Kuan Yew in hospital President Aquino has Read More …

OLONGAPO CITY, Philippines—US Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton goes on trial here Monday more than three months after he was charged with the murder of transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude in a local hotel in October last year. According to Virgie Suarez, one of the Laude family’s lawyers, the family will come prepared for the trial despite apparent tension between the public and private prosecutors of the case. Suarez said the government prosecution panel on Wednesday barred the Laudes’ private lawyers from attending the trial preparation. She said the panel, headed by Chief City Prosecutor Emilie Fe de los Santos, refused to involve the private lawyers in the conference because only the criminal aspect of the case was to be tackled. “Prosecutor [De los Santos] said the private lawyers of the Laude family have nothing to do with the case’s criminal aspect,” Suarez said in a text message on Sunday. De los Santos had told reporters the lawyers of the Laude family could be involved only in the civil aspect of the case. Suarez said, “We need to prepare [the Laudes]. We need to do something.” Judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde of Regional Trial Court Branch 74 in this city has directed court employees to collect the telephones, cameras and other recording gadgets of the lawyers and other people who would be allowed in the courtroom. Reporters, however, have been barred from the courtroom. Jabalde has scheduled two hearings weekly to be held Mondays and Tuesdays, the preliminary conference minutes showed. The Read More …

The first of three new C-295 medium lift aircraft bought under the Philippine Air Force Modernization Program arrived at Clark Air Base in Pampanga on Sunday afternoon, the Air Force said. According to the press release, the aircraft will still have to be inspected and tested by the Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee before being turned over to the PAF. Two more C-295s, which can carry 71 passengers, 50 paratroopers, or up to 20,000 lbs. of cargo, are to be delivered in 2016. The AFP said the C-295 can perform the same missions that the C-130 — the PAF’s current workhorse — does but with smaller payloads. “The additional C-295s will enhance the overall capability of the PAF in providing airlift requirements of the AFP and during Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) operations,” the Air Force said. The three planes cost P2.59 billion. — JDS, GMA News

The Department of Education defended the impending implementation of the K to 12 program that has been the subject of criticism from the public. According to a report on GMA’s “Balitanghali” aired Saturday, the DepEd said preparations for the implementation of the program are almost done. It said the program will improve the quality of education in the country. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte has said the program is a major reform that will solve the country’s problem in quality education. “The record will bear this out: We have built more classrooms (over 66,000 since 2010), hired more teachers, acquired more textbooks and chairs, and more importantly introduced more reforms than any administration in recent history.” Valte said. “The K+12 like any major reform program will have obstacles in transition but we firmly believe that we can continue to hurdle thes eobstacles,” she continued. But for Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, the Philippine education system is not yet ready for sucha  drastic change. Trillanes also said the program is impractical for the public’s financial capacity. “Paano tayo magiging globally competitive kung hindi na tayo makakapagpadala ng mga professional sa ibang bansa dahil wala nang nagtatapos sa kolehiyo?” Trillanes said. “Worse, we would have a generation of high school dropouts who will never be competitive in their lifetimes and would probably end up as criminals in order to survive,” he added. The K to 12 program will be implemented next school year. Students will be required to undergo kindergarten, six years of Read More …