Maniolas

A security guard was gunned down in Makati City Friday afternoon, and police are turning to Twitter to help track down the perpetrator. The Makati City police posted descriptions about the suspect on Twitter. “(The perpetrator is) 5’4″ (tall), military look, wearing red bulcap, (has a) mole on left cheek,” the Makati Deputy Chief of Police for Administration said. It also asked netizens Twitter to retweet the description. Police identified the victim as Valentin Gabasa Balasa, a security guard who died from two gunshot wounds to the head. “He was said to be buying a cigarette when fired upon,” it said. The suspect was last seen walking on foot toward a fast-food outlet at Buendia. “Suspect armed and dangerous. Kindly tweet us as soon as possible. Makati SWAT team and other personnel at location,” police said. Citing initial information, the police said the shooting occurred along Pasong Tamo corner dela Rosa Street in Barangay Pio del Pilar. A separate report by GMA News’ Ruth Cabal on “24 Oras” said the Makati police initiated dragnet operations against the gunman. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. admitted Friday that he had requested the mayor of General Nakar in Quezon province to have a non-government organization controlled by Janet Lim Napoles implement a livelihood project funded by his pork barrel allocation in 2012. Marcos, however, said that “at no time did I direct, authorize or cause the approval of the disbursement of P10 million to the SDPFFI (Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation, Inc.),” one of Napoles’ alleged bogus NGOs. SDPFFI was then headed by whistleblower Benhur Luy, at that time a close aide of Napoles. In a press statement, Marcos said that he received sometime in 2012 a request from the municipality of General Nakar to finance a livelihood project. He granted the request for financial assistance as the project was included in the menu of projects allowed to be funded under the Priority Development Assistance Fund pursuant to the 2012 General Appropriations Act or GAA.   “This request, together with other projects proposed for funding under the Senator’s PDAF was submitted for review to the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office and the Committee on Finance for the endorsement of the Senate President,” Marcos said. Marcos added that the Senate President transmitted these requests to the DBM and it was the DBM that determined the validity of the requests and projects prior to the issuance of Special Allotment Release Orders (SARO).   He said the DBM bases its evaluation on whether the requests for financial assistance were in accordance Read More …

Lawyer Stephen David, counsel of businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles on Friday said he was satisfied with how the testimony of the prosecution’s witness, Commission on Audit (COA) assistant prosecutor Susan Garcia, worked in favor of his client.   During her testimony before the Sandiganbayan Third Division, Garcia said the COA found irregularities with how the PDAF of Senate Minority Floor Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, amounting to P345 million was released to the non-government organizations (NGOs) associated with Napoles.   “No projects implemented at all considering our review of the documents and the reply of the supposed beneficiaries,” Garcia told the court, referring to the COA’s special audit report on the PDAF allocations of several lawmakers, including Enrile, from 2007 to 2009.   She said that after the findings of their audit report, the COA issued Notices of Disallowance (NDs) to Enrile, his chief of staff Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, his deputy chief of staff Antonio Evangelista, as well as the presidents of the NGOs the PDAF money was allocated to.   “The Notice of Disallowance is to inform them of their civil liabilities as well as to order them to return the money,” Garcia said. ‘Notices of Disallowance still under appeal’ Garcia said the NDs are still under the period of appeal. Under COA rules, disallowed sums must be returned to the government once appeals are denied with finality by the Commission when the period for filing an appeal has expired without the subject officials seeking a reconsideration of the ND. David, however, said Read More …

Sereno swears in Jardeleza as new SC associate justice. Newly appointed Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardaleza (left) takes his oath of office before Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday, August 20. Jardeleza’s appointment by President Benigno Aquino III was announced on August 20. Roy Lozano At least for now, new Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza and his oppositors in the high court appear to be keeping the peace. Led by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Supreme Court justices all welcomed Jardeleza as their colleague, according to a report on “24 Oras” Thursday. Sereno, who was one of those who opposed Jardeleza’s bid to be an associate justice, administered the oath of office to Jardeleza. Jardeleza was greeted by the other justices and given a tour of the Supreme Court building in Manila. He was initially excluded from the shortlist of nominees prepared by the Judicial and Bar Council. He questioned this before the Supreme Court and was eventually included in the list. The former solicitor general becomes the 173rd Supreme Court justice, replacing the retired Roberto Abad. When asked if he was happy about his appointment, he said, “yes, of course.” Even Commission on Audit chairperson Grace Pulido-Tan, who was on the JBC shortlist, was happy for Jardeleza. Meanwhile, former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban said he sees no problem between Jardeleza and his colleagues in the high court. He said that while they may disagree “vehemently” on some issue, they would still be friends in the end. Read More …

Senator Francis Escudero urged the government to run after those responsible for the botched NorthRail project, which has already cost the government a total of $180 million, on top of the $50 million or P9 billion in outstanding loans. During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance on the proposed 2015 national budget, panel chair Escudero questioned Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima as regards the botched project. “We are paying so much for something we did not continue, that the Filipino people did not benefit from. Someone should pay for it, someone should go to jail and land in jail for this particular fiasco. The taxpayers are the ones paying this now,” the senator told Purisima. For his part, Purisima admitted he has no information on the investigation on the NorthRail project. “I fully agree, Mr. Chair. I will have to get back to you on that; I am not familiar on the latest on the investigation of the NorthRail. All I’m familiar with is the financial aspect of NorthRail,” he added. Escudero asked Purisima to submit at the next budget hearing updates on the legal efforts to hold accountable those responsible for the Northrail project. The 80-kilometer railroad system links Caloocan City in Metro Manila and Clark in Pampanga. The project was contracted under the administration of former President Gloria Arroyo in 2003 to the China National Machinery and Equipment Corporation (CNMEC) for $421 million. However, in 2009, the CNMEC increased the contract price to $593 million, with the Read More …