Leonen: Declaring PDAF unconstitutional won't solve corruption immediately

 News
Oct 082013
 
Leonen: Declaring PDAF unconstitutional won't solve corruption immediately

Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said Monday that declaring the controversial Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) unconstitutional will not immediately solve the corruption problem in the country. During the oral arguments, Leonen said it is the people who can make the changes they want in the system. He said that even without the PDAF, the lawmakers can still utilize congressional insertions to get funding for their pet projects. “There is nothing that the court can do because that is the political department, it will depend upon the people’s will and how the people react on how their representatives act in the House and Senate,” he said. “It is unfair that the only burden in correcting the system rests with the court. Shouldn’t we actually say thay it is within the executive and legislative and we will do our part in terms of correcting it,” he added. Leonen said that even if the court declares PDAF as unconstitutional “still there are a lot of work to be done” as it is public vigilance that will spell the difference. “It is not us who are the saviors but the Filipino people working through the department, making them accountable that will be saviors in this problem,” he said. Leonen also asked petitioners’ counsel, lawyer Alfredo Molo III, if they are not creating a dangerous precedent in asking the court to declare PDAF as unconstitutional. The latter replied in negative. “No. We have identified the clear violation on the Constitution and that is Read More …

Joker Arroyo says PNoy's troubles caused by 'staff indolence'

 News
Oct 082013
 
Joker Arroyo says PNoy's troubles caused by 'staff indolence'

A “word war” is brewing between former Senator Joker Arroyo and President Benigno Aquino III’s spokespersons after the former accused the latter of causing problems in Malacañang due to “indolence.” In a statement Tuesday, Arroyo countered presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda’s statement that he did not react to irregularities during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “Part of the problem in Malacañang is the indolence of spokespersons. They play things by the ear and pass it off as facts,” he said. Arroyo pointed out how he co-chaired a Senate probe on the alleged fertilizer fund scam during the Arroyo presidency. He said he also criticized the supposedly anomalous NBN-ZTE deal. The ex-lawmaker also told Aquino’s spokespersons to check records first before making statements. “Staff indolence, that’s why the President gets into trouble for missteps that are not his,” Arroyo said. “Graftbuster kuno” In response, Lacierda said indolent is “a good adjective to describe” Arroyo’s stint as a “graftbuster kuno.” “What is an undeniable fact is that for all his years as a senator during GMA’s term, where was he in the fight against corruption? The dragon was asleep all those years,” he said in a text message to GMA News Online. “Noong panahon ni GMA, kung bad ka, ok lang.  That’s what he should be explaining instead of attacking Sec. Butch Abad or the spokespersons,” he added. On Monday, Lacierda said that he finds it “weird” that Arroyo is “talking only now” about supposed irregularities in government, particularly against the Read More …

SC Justice to Pulido Tan: 'Where has COA been all along?'

 News
Oct 082013
 
SC Justice to Pulido Tan: 'Where has COA been all along?'

Where has the Commission on Audit been all along? This was the question Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro put to COA chairperson Ma. Gracia Pulido Tan during the oral arguments regarding the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) at the Supreme Court on Tuesday. “Considering that the alleged misused of PDAF has been on going for some time, where has COA been all along?” she asked. To which Pulido Tan replied: “Your honor, I wish I could answer your question but I have not been with COA then.” But De Castro was not satisfied with the answer, noting that the agency was “not bound by the regulations” of the Department of Budget and Management. “You have your own constitutional mandate to do your work… You cannot just put the blame on past COA officials. There should be institutional continuity in the agency,” De Castro said. Pulido Tan agreed that the COA was not bound by DBM rules but explained that she was not blaming her predecessors. “I did not mean to put blame to my predecessor. I am sorry I cannot explain.” Meanwhile, Pulido Tan noted that the COA will not produce a special report on PDAF because the audit reports on lawmakers’ discretionary funds were already integrated in the regular audit of agencies. Earlier, the state auditor released a special report on PDAF disbursement from 2007 to 2009 which revealed that about P6.156 billion in lawmakers’ pork barrel funds went to 82 mostly questionable NGOs, some of which have been linked Read More …

No Filipino hurt or killed in fresh clashes in Egypt

 News
Oct 072013
 
No Filipino hurt or killed in fresh clashes in Egypt

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 7:02 pm | Monday, October 7th, 2013 DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — There were no reported Filipino casualties in fresh clashes that left more than 50 dead across Egypt, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday. “No report of Filipino casualties in the latest incident in Egypt. We continue to advise Filipinos there to take extra precaution and avail [themselves] of the mandatory repatriation program of the Philippine government,” said Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, spokesman of the Department of Foreign Affairs in a text message on Monday. The resurgence of violence marked the anniversary of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, as Egypt’s military-backed government commemorated the event on Sunday, breaking the relative calm since bloody clashes erupted in August, reports from the ground said. Ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s supporters clashed with police in Cairo and other parts of Egypt, leaving more than 50 dead and nearly 300 injured. Clashes in August prompted the Philippines to order a mandatory evacuation of some 6,000 Filipinos there amid the “marked deterioration of peace and order, exacerbated by the complex political challenges,” as Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario had said. Filipinos in Egypt are mostly employed as skilled and household service workers in Cairo and Alexandria. Since the mandatory repatriation call, some 145 Filipinos have so far volunteered to return to the Philippines, Hernandez said. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks Read More …

Kerry assures CEOs on US role in Asia-Pacific

 News
Oct 072013
 
Kerry assures CEOs on US role in Asia-Pacific

5:41 pm | Monday, October 7th, 2013 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry AP PHOTO BALI, Indonesia — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is seeking to assure Asia-Pacific business leaders that nothing will shake America’s commitment to the region and that the current government shutdown in Washington will soon be over and forgotten. Kerry told executives at an Asian economic summit in Indonesia on Monday that the shutdown is simply a “moment in politics.” He guarantees that America will move beyond it and will come back more resilient than ever. Kerry is filling in for President Barack Obama, who was forced to cancel his participation to deal with shutdown. Kerry joked that he had tried to replace a president when he ran for the White House in 2004 but that standing in for Obama was not what he had in mind. Follow Us 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 Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: ASEAN , Global Nation , John Kerry , US Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer’s Reader’s Advocate. Or write The Readers’ Advocate: c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Or fax nos. +63 2 8974793 to 94

With Obama out, other leaders take APEC main stage

 News
Oct 072013
 
With Obama out, other leaders take APEC main stage

BALI — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other Asia-Pacific leaders took center stage Monday at a regional summit after President Barack Obama was a no-show due to the U.S. government shutdown. Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, meeting amid tight security on this tropical island in eastern Indonesia, urged faster work on reforms meant to break down trade barriers and improve competitiveness. But their summit meetings aren’t all work and there are some light moments. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono took the chance to pick up a guitar and sing his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, a happy 61st birthday. Abe, struggling to extricate Japan from two decades of stagnation, pledged to move ahead with reforms he has promised as part of his “Abenomics” economic strategy. “It’s not easy for a country stuck in deflation for 15 years to get out,” Abe said. He promised measures to ensure that an increase in Japan’s sales tax, which has driven consumer confidence to record lows, does not derail the economic recovery he has nurtured since taking office last December. “Now we can wipe out the doom and gloom atmosphere in the Japanese economy,” Abe said. Speaking to a gathering of business and political leaders, he also sought to reassure other Asian countries, especially those that suffered colonization and invasion before and during World War II, over Japan’s efforts to upgrade its military. “We are aspiring to become a pro-active contributor to stability and security in the world as a country that Read More …

Philippines now preparing for Kerry visit — DFA

 News
Oct 072013
 
Philippines now preparing for Kerry visit — DFA

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 5:02 pm | Monday, October 7th, 2013 US Secretary of State John Kerry AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — Preparations are underway for the Manila visit of United States Secretary of State John Kerry, expected to arrive Friday in Manila as he replaces US President Barack Obama for the latter’s supposed Southeast Asian swing. Details are still scant, however, about Kerry’s upcoming visit, happening amid uncertainty in Washington D.C. over the already week-long partial shutdown of the US government due to a funding lapse. Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, spokesman of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), said that as of Monday, officials were “still working out the schedule” of Kerry’s visit, but he would be in Manila on Oct. 11 and 12, the same dates that Obama was supposed to be in the country. There have yet to be details on meetings that Kerry is set to hold while in Manila, but the US Department of State said the official would undertake bilateral meetings here. “…[T]he Secretary will visit the Philippines October 11-12 for bilateral meetings with our ally to reaffirm the strong economic, people-to-people, and security links between our two countries,” the State Department said on Kerry’s itinerary this month. The Philippines is Kerry’s last stop following visits in Japan for bilateral security consultations and his four-nation swing through Southeast Asia, taking Obama’s place in a tour through Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. In a phone call last week, Obama had Read More …

China evacuates 417,000 people ahead of typhoon

 News
Oct 062013
 
China evacuates 417,000 people ahead of typhoon

Associated Press 6:28 pm | Sunday, October 6th, 2013 Huge wave hits the dike as Typhoon Fitow moves to make its landfall in Wenling, east China’s Zhejiang province on October 6, 2013. AFP Photo BEIJING — Hundreds of thousands of people in southeast China were evacuated and fishing vessels called back to shore on Sunday because of an approaching typhoon, authorities said. Typhoon Fitow is expected to make landfall early Monday between Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, according to the National Meteorological Center. Provincial authorities said that by noon Sunday more than 65,000 boats had returned to port or moved to safer areas. Zhejiang’s provincial government said 289,000 people had been evacuated from fishing boats and coastal areas. Fujian’s government said 128,000 boat workers and dwellers had been evacuated, including 7,000 elderly people and children who were on fishing rafts. The typhoon will bring heavy or torrential rain to five provinces, Shanghai and Taiwan over the next three days, the meteorological center said. Some coastal areas may see rainfall of 250 millimeters (9.84 inches), it said. Another typhoon was blowing east of the northernmost Philippine province of Batanes on Sunday with sustained winds of 130 kilometers (81 miles) per hour and gusts of 160 kph (100 mph), but was too far out in the ocean to affect any part of the country. Typhoon Danas may blow toward southern Japan later this week if it does not change direction, according to the Philippine weather agency. RELATED STORY: Typhoon ‘Ramil’ enters PH Follow Read More …

Palace budget for Aquino’s trip to APEC, ASEAN meets: a modest P14.3M

 News
Oct 062013
 
Palace budget for Aquino’s trip to APEC, ASEAN meets: a modest P14.3M

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III smiles upon his arrival at Bali airport, Indonesia, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013 to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. AP Photo MANILA, Philippines — Amid the furor over the allocation of additional pork barrel to lawmakers in May 2012, President Aquino is attending two regional summits in Southeast Asia with a budget of P14.3 million. The President left on a chartered flight Sunday morning for Bali, Indonesia to attend the 21st Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting and CEO Summit from Oct. 6 to 8. Joining him was an 84-member delegation, including Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Cabinet Secretary to the President Jose Rene Almendras, Presidential Management Staff head Julia Andrea Abad, and Presidential Protocol chief Celia Anna Feria. Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Strategic Communications Secretary Ramon Carandang flew to the island resort ahead of the delegation. The President and the same delegation would later fly to Brunei Darussalam to attend the 23rd ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings from Oct. 9 to 10. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said the government earmarked P14.3 million for the President’s attendance at the two summits. This would cover expenses for transportation, accommodation, food and equipment, among others, for Mr. Aquino and the delegation, he said. “I think we’ve had lower [budget] but it’s safe to say that this is a lesser amount… considering this is essentially two trips,’’ deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in Read More …

US shutdown fears perturb APEC summit

 News
Oct 062013
 
US shutdown fears perturb APEC summit

President Barack Obama AP File Photo NUSA DUA, Bali – The US government warned Sunday that business in America was suffering from the federal shutdown as concern about Washington’s policy paralysis was voiced at an Asia-Pacific summit where President Barack Obama was a notable absentee. The first government closure in 17 years has directly affected hundreds of thousands of federal employees, but Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said companies were also starting to hurt, not least from her department’s inability to collate vital economic data. “The shutdown is not good for business. It’s not good for the economy,” Pritzker told reporters at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum on the Indonesian island of Bali, which Obama has been forced to skip to deal with the political crisis gripping Washington. “And we need to move on with the business of doing business in the United States. So, I am hopeful this gets resolved soon. It’s obviously having an impact,” Pritzker said. Her remarks on the economic impact came after Secretary of State John Kerry warned at the APEC meetings on Saturday that the standoff was “reckless,” and would weaken America’s diplomatic standing abroad if it did not end soon. Apart from APEC, Obama is also missing a separate East Asian summit this week and scheduled trips to Malaysia and the Philippines. His failure to come coincides with a diplomatic push by China in Southeast Asia featuring high-profile visits by President Xi Jinping, who is at APEC. Speaking at a Bali meeting of Read More …

 Older Entries  Newer Entries