Maniolas

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 7:14 pm | Friday, June 13th, 2014 Department of Foreign Affairs building INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) processed a record number of absentee voters in the first month of the overseas voting registration (OVR) for the 2016 presidential elections. “Philippine Embassies and consulates processed a total of 18,631 new overseas registered voters,” DFA spokesman Charles Jose said in a press conference Friday. “The figure is 111 percent higher than the OVR for the 2013 senatorial elections and 64 percent higher than the 2010 presidential elections,” he said. The registration for overseas voting is being done by all 84 foreign service posts of the DFA all over the world. Registration will last until Oct. 31, 2015. The Overseas Absentee Voting Act was passed in 2013 and was first implemented during the 2007 senatorial elections. RELATED STORIES 2016 national elections: Overseas absentee voter registration begins Consulate sends out notice for registration of overseas absentee voters All about overseas absentee voting Follow Us Other Stories: PH files new protest vs China’s reclamation project in McKennan reef Parangal to showcase Ta’u Sug artistry in San Francisco ethnic dance fest San Francisco mayor hoists PH flag at City Hall to mark Independence Day Sea rise will bring floods to parts of Silicon Valley Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Read More …

Groups that figured in last year’s massive demonstrations against the pork barrel system on Thursday marked Independence Day with separate rallies but still with a common cry: the prosecution of all politicians involved in the multibillion-peso scam, including allies of President Benigno Aquino III. GMA News’ “24 Oras” reported that members of the Scrap Pork Network gathered at the Bonifacio Shrine in Manila for their protest action in the afternoon. Left-leaning organizations held a rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio before marching to the Mendiola area near Malacanang around 6 p.m. Anti-pork barrel advocates earlier criticized Aquino for choosing to observe the country’s 116th Independence Day in Naga City instead of in Manila, where the demonstrations were held.  Malacañang has denied Aquino was avoiding the rallies, saying it has always been the President’s policy to commemorate the holiday outside Manila to mark the historical significance of other cities.  “Itong araw ito ay para naman sa taong bayan. Turn naman natin na mag-privilege speech. One of our calls today is for the President to stop coddling the corrupt. Bakit walang investigation man lang ng allies? Dapat walang kinikilingan,” Scrap Pork Network spokesperson Betty Romero said.  Two of the senators charged with plunder and graft in connection with the pork barrel scam—Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.—earlier this week delivered privilege speeches stressing their innocence but bidding the Senate goodbye in anticipation of their arrest. Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile is the other senator facing plunder and graft raps before Read More …

House members on Wednesday scolded a ranking PNP official for his ill-timed announcement that 19 officers, including five police generals, were to face criminal and administrative raps in connection with the missing cache of AK-47 rifles that reportedly ended up with the New People’s Army. Members of the House committee on public order and safety said Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Director Benjamin Magalong premature identification of senior police officials in the disappearance of more than a thousand high-powered AK-47 and Armalite rifles could have been an attempt to mislead the ongoing congressional investigation on the matter. “There seems to be a deliberate attempt either to lead this committee towards the conclusions which Director Magalong’s own investigation wishes to impose upon us or to hide other facets of an incomplete truth,” Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia said. Garcia said the purpose of the committee hearing appears to have been diminished by Magalong’s statements to the media because it appeared that the CIDG chief has conclusively found the senior police officials guilty of licensing the firearms. “I find the situation rather mysterious, if not suspicious. I find it even unacceptable that this committee that is trying its best to get to the bottom of things to find the truth in a manner that is most objective, apolitical and totally without agenda, should be preempted by an investigation which up to now I cannot fathom whether it is ongoing, terminated or suddenly, inexplicably concluded,” she said. Magalong told lawmakers during the first Read More …

By Bong LozadaINQUIRER.net 1:00 pm | Wednesday, June 11th, 2014 MANILA, Philippines – An Australian sailor was dropped off here by his submarine on a medical emergency after he was found to be suffering from appendicitis, a Philippine Navy official said Wednesday. “They were in international waters on Sunday, when the emergency happened, they asked assistance from the Navy Central Command in Cebu,” said Commander Gerald Gregory Fabic, public affairs office chief. Fabic said the Australian submarine was forced to dock at the nearest pier, which happened to be in Tacloban after which the sailor was brought to Manila where he was treated. Fabic said that there were no international protocols breached as it was a medical emergency and the diplomatic clearances were provided for the sailor, whom Fabic did not identify. The Australian sub, which Fabic also did not name for security purposes, met with the BF339 of the Philippine Navy to bring the sailor, first, to a Tacloban hospital. “Tests were conducted and it was found out that the sailor had appendicitis,” Fabic said. He added that a flight to Manila was booked for the sailor and an officer escort. The Australian submarine will be leaving the Philippines on Sunday. Officials from the Australian Embassy here would take care of the soldier and plan his return to Australia. RELATED STORIES PH Navy sends team to Australia for first time for training exercises with counterparts Australian navy ship arrives in Cebu for relief operations Follow Us Other Stories: DFA: Read More …

TACLOBAN CITY – United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Assistant Administrator (AA) for Asia, Denise Rollins led the launch of the US-funded reconstruction and recovery activities in Typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan)-affected areas. Accompanied by USAID/Philippines Mission Director Gloria D. Steele, AA Rollins has been visiting program sites and engaging with local leaders and families that represent the wide scope of USAID’s work, from government officials, to business and community pioneers, to survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. Her visit reinforces the US’ commitment to the Partnership for Growth – a bilateral agreement with the Government of the Philippines (GPH) to achieve broad-based, inclusive and resilient growth in the country. In Leyte, the US Embassy Manila’s USAID Rebuild program, which will be implemented in close partnership with the Government of the Philippines (GPH), focuses on restoring access to education, health services and livelihood activities, and providing technical assistance to the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery. AA Rollins said: “The US Government is committed to help restore normalcy in the lives of the affected families. We will continue our work with our GPH partners to help the province build back better, to be more resilient to future disasters, and ultimately work towards a more stable, prosperous nation that can achieve broad-based and inclusive growth.” Leyte officials attended the launch ceremonies led by Governor Dominic L. Petilla, Congressman Martin Romualdez. An event was held at the San Fernando Central School, where the US government will construct a P21 million (US$480,000) school building Read More …