Maniolas

President Benigno Aquino III. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III returned to the country Friday night from Bali, Indonesia where he co-chaired a two-day forum with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Aquino arrived past 9 p.m. aboard Philippine Airlines Flight PR 001 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and was met by some members of his Cabinet. Aquino and Yudhoyono, who is to step down from office in a few days, led the annual Bali Democracy Forum at the Bali International Convention Center to foster dialogue-based cooperation through experiences and best democratic practices in the Asia-Pacific region. It is now in its seventh year. Speaking before international leaders, Aquino praised Yudhoyono for his leadership in the settlement of maritime disputes of the two neighbors against a backdrop of the Philippines’ territorial dispute with China over parts of the South China Sea. “With his assuring leadership, our two nations were able to resolve in an amicable manner the issue concerning our maritime boundaries in the Mindanao Sea and the Celebes Sea, thus moving our nations forward with an even deeper trust in each other,” Aquino said. Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and Brunei Darussalam’s Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah also delivered speeches at the forum. RELATED STORY Aquino hails close ties with Indonesia at Bali meet Tags: Bali Democracy Forum Benigno Aquino III Diplomacy Foreign Affairs and International relations Indonesia Politics Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Related Stories: Australia investigates ‘paedophile’ father in Thai baby scandal Bangladesh ferry owner Read More …

The anti-crime group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) has filed a supplemental complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman against Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima. In a phone interview with GMA News Online, VACC head Dante Jimenez accused Purisima of submitting “incomplete and untruthful” Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN). Last September 29, the group filed a plunder complaint against Purisima in connection with his sprawling property in Nueva Ecija and the alleged questionable renovation of the PNP chief’s official quarters inside Camp Crame. Purisima, who faced a Senate investigation last week, denied that he has amassed hidden wealth, linking the accusations against him to unnamed groups and individuals affected by his anti-crime drive. President Benigno Aquino III had repeatedly vouched for Purisima’s honesty as a public official. Supplemental complaint In their three-page supplemental complaint, VACC said Purisima failed to declare in his SALN a 200-hectare land in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija. It added that Purisima has undervalued the fair market value of his properties, including his Toyota Land Cruiser, a condominium unit in Cubao, and lot and houses in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija. VACC urged the Ombudsman to investigate Purisima’s 21-year-old son, Rainier Von, on “how he acquired six ventilated/ mechanized poultry farms worth more than 90 million pesos located in Nueva Ecija.” “With due respect, the 21-year-old son of the respondent has no means to acquire these properties,” VACC said in its supplemental complaint, a copy of which was obtained by Read More …

All is not lost for the families of the 300 passengers who died in the 2008 sinking of MV Princess of the Stars off Romblon. This, after the Supreme Court reversed its earlier decision upholding two rulings by the Court of Appeals absolving Edgar Go, Sulpicio Lines Inc’s owner and vice president for administration, from any criminal liability arising from the sea tragedy. The high court granted the appeal filed by the government through the Office of the Solicitor General, reviving the case against Go. In its resolution dated August 18 but released to the media only on Wednesday, the SC Second Division ordered the reinstatement of the petition against Go, who was likewise ordered to submit his comment on the petition within 10 days from notice. Aside from the OSG, which represents the Department of Justice (DOJ), the families of the victims, through the Public Attorney’s Office, also filed a separate motion for reconsideration. “Acting on the Office of the Solicitor General’s motion for reconsideration of the Resolution dated 2 July 2014 which denied the petition for review on certiorari, the Court Resolved to… grant the motion for reconsideration,” read the resolution that was signed and promulgated by lawyer Lourdes Perfecto. The five-man SC division is chaired by Associate Justice Antonio Carpio. Meanwhile, the SC also allowed the withdrawal of appearance of Go’s legal counsel, lawyer Arthur Lim, in view of his appointment as commissioner of the Commission on Elections. Original ruling In August this year, the SC ruled Read More …

The padded construction costs of Hilmarc’s Construction Corporation’s projects in Makati City were caused by the unpaid multimillion-peso improvements in the 350-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas, allegedly belonging to Vice President Jejomar Binay, a former close ally told the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee on Wednesday. Former Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado said Elenita Binay, the Vice President’s wife and a former Mayor of Makati, ordered Hilmarc’s to build developments in the Batangas property but failed to pay the company for its services.                                                                         “Ang aking nababasa kaya nagkaroon ng sobrang overprice sa bawat building na ginagawa ng Hilmarc’s (Construction Corporation) sa Makati, nao-obliga ho na yakapin ni Engineer (Nelson) Morales at Engineer (Efren) Canlas na i-add on ang walang tigil na pagpapagawa ni Dra. (Elenita) Binay dyan sa lugar na yan maski ayaw ni Engineer Canlas sana,” Mercado said during inquiry. Canlas is the chairman of the board of Hilmarc’s. Morales, now deceased, was the city engineer of Makati. Sought for comment, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla, Binay’s spokesperson for political affairs, denied Mercado’s allegations.  “He’s conjuring things again. The Batangas property is clearly a leased property which was disclosed in the VP’s SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth(. All taxes and income from the business were reported. The extent of the VP’s concern is contained Read More …

A group of concerned parents on Tuesday called on lawmakers to revisit some provisions as well as the implementation of Republic Act 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, commonly referred as the K to 12 Law. In a seven-page position paper, the group Parents for Children’s Education (PACE) said it found some provisions of the RA 10533 inconsistent with how K to 12 was being implemented by some schools. “Given all the current circumstances such as offsetting, hurrying in infrastructure and facilities, teacher and personnel retraining, re-labeling of programs, calls for deferment or suspension, and confusion among parents and schools in the K to 12 curriculum, the provision pushes urgency and priority to revisit the law, this time involving more sectors including the parents and those who have had an actual and hands on experience,” the group’s position paper said. No consultation? The group said that contrary to what was required under the law, no proper consultation with parents was conducted prior to the implementation of the K to 12 program. The group further claimed that until now, majority of the parents remain clueless about the K to 12 program and its implementation. “The manner on how consultation was conducted appeared to be doubtful. All encounters are closed to consultation, particularly if the intentions of the parties are already expressed,” the group said. The PACE also argued that while some Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) may have been consulted, they did not represent the “real pulse” of the parents.  Read More …