Outgoing CBCP head backs EDSA anti-pork vigil

 News
Sep 052013
 
Outgoing CBCP head backs EDSA anti-pork vigil

The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on Thursday expressed solidarity with participants to an upcoming prayer vigil against the pork barrel system at the EDSA Shrine on September 11. CBCP president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma also called on the Catholics to make Saturday, Sept. 7, a “Day of Atonement” for letting corruption the pork system offend God. “It’s about time that people manifest their own conviction. The people have already organized. Ours is an expression of solidarity,” he said. Next week’s vigil is a follow-up of sorts to the anti-pork gathering at the Luneta in Manila last Aug. 26. Participants in the Aug. 26 gathering had called for the abolition of the pork barrel system in the wake of a P10-billion scam involving ghost non-government organizations that siphoned funds from the Priority Development Assistance Fund. Contrition In a pastoral statement Palma signed, the CBCP said “God is offended” because His commandments against stealing, coveting others’ goods and bearing false witness against neighbors are violated. It added the faithful’s first response to the pork barrel issue must be not protest but contrition. “We are not just victims of a corrupt system. We have all, in one way or another, contributed to this worsening social cancer—through our indifferent silence or through our cooperation when we were benefiting from the sweet cake of graft and corruption,” it said. While Palma urged the Catholic faithful to join Pope Francis in offering prayers and sacrifices on September 7 for peace Read More …

Govt probing Napoles assets abroad — BIR chief Henares

 News
Sep 052013
 
Govt probing Napoles assets abroad — BIR chief Henares

Commissioner Kim Henares of the Bureau of Internal Revenue said Thursday the government is already taking steps to probe businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles properties abroad. “We are coordinating with foreign governments kasi sa foreign governments pati bank accounts puwede namin makuha dito hindi,” Henares told reporters in Manila, adding that the government’s purpose was merely to “get information” from these foreign governments. The BIR is in the middle of investigating if Napoles, embroiled in a P10-billion pork barrel fund scam, has been paying the right taxes. Napoles had insisted her wealth came from legitimate sources, saying she owns shares in a mining company in Indonesia. It has likewise been reported thatvshe owns properties in the US. “If she has business abroad, mas malaki ang problema niya because the US tax you in a global manner… if you have a US connection,” Henares said. The BIR chief refused to elaborate further on her agency’s ongoing probe, saying: “Puwede kapag handa na kami, sasabihin ko.” Henares also revealed that some of the almost 30 properties earlier reported to be owned by Napoles could have been placed under other people’s names. Similar to doing a “google search,” Henares said her agency earlier asked around different agencies and searched their databases for any properties owned by Napoles. “So iyong nage-generate (so far i connection with Napoles) hindi nagmamatch sa 30 na real properties, 28 dati, ngayon 30… hindi sya nagma-match,” Henares said, adding the BIR is now in the process of tracing who the owners Read More …

NBI chief Rojas' mind 'made up'; De Lima might take over for now

 News
Sep 052013
 
NBI chief Rojas' mind 'made up'; De Lima might take over for now

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima on Thursday revealed that she and President Benigno Aquino III had tried several times to convince National Bureau of Investigation Director Nonnatus Rojas not to give up his post, to no avail. In an interview with reporters in Manila, De Lima said Rojas seems to have “made up his mind” to resign from the highest post at the NBI not only after two of his men were accused of tipping off pork barrel scam suspect Janet Lim Napoles about her arrest, but also due to health reasons. “I talked to Dir. Nonni three times and I was unsuccessful in convincing him so sinabi ko na rin kay Presidente iyon na hindi ko na-kumbinse,” De Lima said. She added: “Kinausap niya [the President] rin once the other day ata [si Rojas]… at hindi na magbabago iyon, irrevocable ang kanyang resignation.” De Lima said she would await President Aquino’s announcement whether he was accepting or rejecting Rojas’ resignation before looking for his replacement. She said the one who would be replacing Rojas would come from within the Department of Justice, including the NBI and any of the DOJ’s other attached agencies. “One thing is clear, it’s not going to be an undersecretary kasi may jurisprudence na yan na hindj puwede mag act concurrently [ang isang undersecretary],” De Lima said. De Lima also revealed that she might head the NBI while she is looking for an officer in charge to replace Rojas. “If I am unable to designate Read More …

10 protests that rocked the Philippines

 News
Sep 052013
 
10 protests that rocked the Philippines

Kuwento By Boying Pimentel 8:27 pm | Thursday, September 5th, 2013 Protesting has long been part of our history. And the successful anti-pork barrel rally on Monday underscored this. There have been other big, important protests in the past. Some were high-profile events that attracted worldwide action. Others were little-known acts of defiance that nevertheless had a huge impact in our history. As promised, here are 10 Filipino protests that rocked the country in the past half century. It must be stressed that this is, no doubt, an incomplete list. I’m sure there are other historic demonstrations that we could add to the list, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao. Still, just so we can put what happened on Monday in broader context, let’s start with these: Follow Us More from this Blog: 10 protests that rocked the Philippines The anti-pork protest and Martin Luther King One Filipina’s social media activism (and how it shaped the Aug. 26 protest) Pork, Freedom of Information and Aquino’s silence Why Ninoy still matters 30 years after he was murdered by the Marcos dictatorship 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: Features , Global Nation , Pork Barrel , Protest Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Read More …

PH envoy to China back home for consultation

 News
Sep 052013
 
PH envoy to China back home for consultation

Agence France-Presse 6:16 pm | Thursday, September 5th, 2013 Erlinda Basilio INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has asked its ambassador to China to return home for consultations, the foreign department said Thursday amid fresh tensions in a seething maritime territorial row. Ambassador Erlinda Basilio flew back to Manila as the defense department this week accused China of laying 75 concrete blocks on disputed territory in the South China Sea. “She was asked to come home for consultations, and she will (be in Manila) for the next few days,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told reporters. Defense officials have expressed concern the Chinese block-laying could be a prelude to building structures at the shoal. The outcrop is about 650 kilometers from Hainan island, the nearest major Chinese land mass. Asked if Manila would lodge a diplomatic protest or undertake other options, Hernandez said: “We are still studying the matter.” The Philippine foreign ministry earlier said President Benigno Aquino had also called off a planned trip to China on Tuesday for a trade fair after Chinese authorities imposed conditions on the trip. The concrete blocks have raised concerns in Manila that China could be planning construction in the waters, as it did in Philippine-claimed Mischief Reef in another area of the sea, in 1995. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei rejected the Philippine allegations of block-laying on Wednesday, while asserting China’s sovereignty over the shoal. China claims most of the South China Sea, including waters close to the coasts Read More …

Aquino urged to use own 'pork' to fund AFP modernization

 News
Sep 052013
 
Aquino urged to use own 'pork' to fund AFP modernization

A former government official who served under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III’s mother has an advice for the President: use pork barrel funds to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). In a Facebook post, Rafael Alunan III asked Aquino to “please cut the bureacratic red tape so that you can, as Commander-in-Chief, buy ASAP the necessary capital assets and support systems for the Navy and Air Force needed to defend our country, protect our EEZ (exclusive economic zone) and uphold our nation’s dignity and honor.” Alunan served as Tourism secretary during the term of the late President Corazon Aquino, and secretary of Department of Interior and Local Government under President Fidel Ramos. Alunan said Aquino and the lawmakers could use part of their Special Purpose Fund (SPF) and Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), respectively, in bankrolling the military’s long-delayed modernization He gave the advice amid the growing tension between the Philippines and China regarding the supposed Chinese structures being raised at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, a disputed area in the West Philippine Sea, as well as the issue on the alleged misuse of pork barrel funds by some lawmakers. Alunan said the government fully knows what the military needs in its modernization. “They (military) have submitted their requirements and all it needs now is decisiveness to negotiate and buy what is needed from the most reliable suppliers,” he said, adding that  Aquino must prioritize the purchase and construction of necessary infrastructure to support those assets in the Read More …

DOLE to redeploy Filipino workers in strife-torn Egypt to other countries

 News
Sep 052013
 
DOLE to redeploy Filipino workers in strife-torn Egypt to other countries

By Tina G. SantosPhilippine Daily Inquirer 5:20 pm | Thursday, September 5th, 2013 Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is eyeing the redeployment of displaced overseas Filipino workers to other countries from war-torn Egypt. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz expressed hope this would help boost the Philippine government’s ongoing repatriation efforts to ensure the safety of OFWs from the worsening political violence in Egypt. Baldoz said they have been coordinating with local recruitment agencies of the affected OFWs. “In the case of Egypt-based OFWs, there is an ongoing coordination with licensed recruitment agencies for their possible redeployment to other countries,” Baldoz said in a statement. She said the initial offer of repatriation was being met with indifference by the majority of the Filipinos in Egypt who did not want to leave and lose their jobs. Most Filipinos in Egypt are employed as skilled and household service workers in Cairo and Alexandria. But aside from the possibility of being redeployed abroad, Baldoz also assured the OFWs of jobs at home. “We have a package of livelihood assistance which they can avail of from the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO),” she said. Meanwhile, nine OFWs were expected to arrive from Egypt before midnight Thursday. It would be the second batch of OFWs repatriated from Egypt following the arrival of the first batch last August 30, according to Baldoz, citing information from the DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs. Read More …

Fil-Am kid singer shines at the US Open

 News
Sep 042013
 
Fil-Am kid singer shines at the US Open

By Momar VisayaAJPress/INQUIRER.net News Partner 5:32 am | Thursday, September 5th, 2013 Eleven-year-old Frenie Acoba belted the US national anthem at US Open. NEW YORK—Frenie Acoba, an 11-year-old Fil-Am, kicked off the U.S. Open, one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment events, by singing the “Star-Spangled Banner” in front of thousands of fans at opening night on Monday, Aug. 26. “This is my fourth time performing the national anthem here, but my first time to do it on opening night, so I was very nervous,” a visibly excited Acoba told the Asian Journal minutes after her performance at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Born and raised in New York to Filipino parents Willy and Nieva, Frenie has been singing for as long as she remembers. None of her parents are musically inclined, but they encouraged her to just sing and pursue her dreams. At the age of eight, Frenie sang at the U.S. Open for the first time. This was in 2010. “We heard that they were conducting auditions and my mom asked me if I wanted to try it out. I did and I have been doing it every year since then,” Frenie said. The US Open has a tradition where boys and girls sing the national anthem and other patriotic-themed songs. The talented vocalists ages 12 and under go trough an audition process. This year, among those chosen to perform are youngsters from Arkansas, California and North Carolina. Frenie also realized one of her dreams – to be Read More …

SF District Attorney helps domestic violence victims get child support

 News
Sep 042013
 
SF District Attorney helps domestic violence victims get child support

INQUIRER.net U.S. Bureau 5:30 am | Thursday, September 5th, 2013 SAN FRANCISO—The city District Attorney’s Victim Services Division together with the Department of Child Support Services will educate victims of domestic violence about their child-support options. “Studies show that 90 percent of domestic violence victims would like child support if it can be done safely,” said District Attorney George Gascón. “By removing barriers and providing access to child support services, we hope to help victims obtain the financial stability necessary to rebuild their lives,” Gascon said his office is collaborating with the Department of Child Support Services to reduce incidents of domestic violence and recidivism. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of cases over the past three years with incidents of violence between parties, according to the Department of Child Support Services. More and more, victims of domestic violence, who are also parents, are requesting child support services to help them stabilize and increase their ability to provide for their children. “We look forward to a successful collaboration (with the DA),” said Karen Roye, Department of Child Support Services Director. The District Attorney’s Office and the Department of Child Support Services will hold office hours on the 1st and 3rd Monday, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. of each month, at 850 Bryant Street, 3rd Floor. Victims of domestic violence will be able to make appointments or drop in and meet with Child Support Services representatives that can provide guidance and information about their child support options. Read More …

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