Maniolas

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called for the linkage of the peace pacts with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), saying the Philippine government “overlooked” the previous agreements. “The support of the rapprochement of both fronts and legal follow up of the implementation of the new agreement and the compliance of the Philippine government to its text and soul is unavoidable if we want Bangsamoro Muslim people in the Philippines to obtain their most basic rights,” OIC secretary-general Iyad Ameen Madani said at the 41st Session of The Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers Session of Exploring Areas of Islamic Cooperation held in Saudi Arabia last June 18. He said that there is a need to do this because “all factions” of the MNLF opposed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and the declared texts of the new pact “do not mention or build explicitly” on the Tripoli and Jakarta Agreements of 1976 and 1997 with the MNLF. “Being the two conventions which establish the position of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation towards that conflict – the General Secretariat has spared no effort to bring the two fronts together,” he said. “They actually met a few days ago and reached a memorandum of understanding which we hope will be the basis for bridging the gap between them and establishing a united national front that follows up the implementation of the new agreement and links it to the previous agreements overlooked by Read More …

Sandigan issues warrant of arrest vs. Bong Revilla, 32 others. Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. (right) gestures to his supporters during a press conference at his residence in Bacoor, Cavite on Thursday, June 19. The Sandiganbayan First Division on Friday, June 20, issued a warrant of arrest against Revilla Jr. and 32 others in connection with the plunder and graft charges filed against them for their alleged involvement in the multibillion- peso pork barrel scam. Roy Lozano Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. on Friday urged his co-accused in the alleged pork barrel scam case to follow his example and also surrender to the Sandiganbayan. “Ang payo [ko] sa iba, dumiretso na rin sila sa Sandiganbayan. Harapin natin ang mga problemang ganito para mapatunayan na wala tayong sala,” Revilla said in a phone interview aired over GMA News TV’s News To Go. He likewise thanked his supporters. “Sa mga taong pumunta sa bahay ko at nagbigay ng suporta, maraming maraming salamat po,” he said. He issued the statement after the Sandiganbayan issued arrest warrants against him and 32 others in relation to the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam. While en route to the Sandiganbayan on Friday, he admitted that while he is uneasy about surrendering, it is still better than being arrested. “Haharap na tayo sa Sandiganbayan. Hindi na nila [kailangan] i-serve ang warrant. Ako na lang ang pupunta sa kanila… para wala na silang masabi pa,” he said. “Natural lamang na paminsan-minsan na maluha ka pero sabi ko nga, umpisa Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure institutionalizing the pre-hospital emergency medical care system in the country. Passed was House Bill 4577 authored by Reps. Lani Mercado-Revilla (Cavite) and Susan Yap (Tarlac) that seeks to create “a responsive and organized pre-hospital and emergency care system to address emergency cases brought by natural and man-made calamities.” La Union Rep. Eufranio Eriguel, chairman of the House committee on health, sponsored and defended the measure in plenary. Co-authors of the measure are Ako Bicol party-list Reps. Christopher Co and Rodel Batocabe. “The policy of the State is to protect and promote the right to health of the people and shall endeavor to cultivate and maintain an environment conducive to the practice of pre-hospital emergency care, maximizing the capability and potential of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and other pre-hospital care professionals in the country, and institute a standard system of pre-hospital emergency medical services in the country,” Eriguel said. Aside from the development and institutionalization of a pre-hospital emergency medical service system at the national and local levels, the measure creates a National Pre-hospital Care Council (NPCC) under the Department of Health. The measure mandates the NPCC to develop internationally accepted standards for the practice of pre-hospital care professions. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Pre-hospital emergency care is an independent delivery of pre-hospital emergency medical services by appropriately trained and certified EMTs, usually in a mobile or community setting, in full Read More …

By Nestor CorralesINQUIRER.net 1:50 pm | Saturday, June 14th, 2014 Iraqi police deploy in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, June 13, 2014. Iraqi officials say al-Qaida-inspired militants who this week seized much of the country’s Sunni heartland have pushed into an ethnically mixed province northeast of Baghdad, capturing two towns there. The writing on the metal shutters at left advertises a shop for sale. (AP Photo/ Emad Matti) MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs  on Saturday urged Filipinos in Iraq to return home, citing the “deteriorating security situation” amid a fast-moving Islamic insurgency. “Filipinos in Iraq are enjoined to volunteer to return to the Philippines at government expense,” the DFA said as it raised the alert level in  most parts of the country to 3. However, it said that the Iraqi Kurdistan region which is still level 1 remains to be “calm and stable.” The DFA said it is sending a rapid response team to assist in the voluntary repatriation of Filipino workers there. It added that it is closely monitoring the political and security development in Iraq. Jihadists belonging to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have recently took over parts of Iraq to push for the establishment of an Islamic state. RELATED STORIES DFA issues alert level 2 for Thailand over martial law declaration OFWs warned as DFA raises alert level Follow Us Other Stories: PAL hosts Beverly Hills reception for new fleet, 777 Manila-LA flight, PH aviation Read More …

FLAG FLIES HIGH on Philippine territory as troops proudly salute at flag-raising rites on Pagasa Island during the country’s 116th Independence Day celebration on Thursday.  PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PHILIPPINE NAVY The Philippines has filed a new diplomatic protest against China over its land reclamation on McKennan (Hughes) Reef in the Spratly group of islands, which is indisputably within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Assistant Secretary Charles Jose, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson, said the foreign office lodged the protest sometime last week. But he could not say how China responded to the latest note verbale. The Chinese Embassy in Manila had immediately rejected all previous Philippine protests in relation to the South China Sea dispute. Filed last week “We filed the protest last week. The reclamation there was confirmed first,” said Jose. He said the Philippines continues monitoring to confirm what appeared to be similar Chinese activities on  Gavin (Gaven) Reefs and Calderon (Cuarteron) Reef, also in the Spratlys, which President Aquino and Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario bared on Thursday last week, expressing concern over Beijing’s “aggressive expansion agenda” in the disputed waters. China is also known to be undertaking similar activities on Malvar (Eldad) Reef. Jose said the Philippines would “definitely lodge a similar protest” against China once it is confirmed that it was reclaiming land in these territories. Jose could not say whether last week’s diplomatic protest was filed before or after the top officials made public the surveillance information on Chinese activities Read More …