July 24 – A Dark Day in Philippine History

 News
Jul 212013
 
July 24 – A Dark Day in Philippine History

Global Networking By Rodel Rodis 3:34 pm | Sunday, July 21st, 2013 Authors Walden Bello and Rodel Rodis As dark days go, July 24, 2012 is akin historically to what occurred in China on February 18, 1932 when Japan proclaimed the state of Manchukuo as the governing body for the region of Manchuria which it had invaded and detached from China.  The people of China were driven to erase that infamous day from their history just as the Filipino people today are determined to do the same with their own dark day. This July 24 marks the first anniversary of China’s creation of the “Sansha City” garrison to “oversee and administer” the whole West Philippine Sea and all the islands and terrestrial features within it.  Effective January 1, 2013, Beijing announced last October, its Sansha-based naval fleet would be authorized “to board, seize and expel foreign ships” found within the 3.5 million square kilometers of water that China claims it owns. Beijing’s creation of Sansha City was preceded by a series of provocative Chinese moves, including the June 2012 occupation of the Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) by up to 90 Chinese ships which barred Filipino fishers from their ancestral fishing grounds, an increased Chinese military presence at Ayungin Reef, and a Chinese general’s boastful exposition of China’s “cabbage strategy.” The thrust of the cabbage strategy, PLA Major General Zhang Zhaozhong explained, is to surround the Philippine territories with a massive Chinese naval presence to starve Filipino detachments and prevent Read More …

PHL dioceses urged to hold simultaneous WYD celebrations

 News
Jul 202013
 
PHL dioceses urged to hold simultaneous WYD celebrations

With only a few Filipino youths able to take part in the World Youth Day in Brazil this month, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines urged dioceses to hold simultaneous local celebration. The CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth said this will allow young Filipinos who could not make it to Brazil to to experience the international event in Rio de Janeiro on July 23 to 28. “(O)ur office asks youth ministries within our network to organize local celebrations of the WYD in Rio which was also discussed in the recent National Youth Coordinating Council 2013. We commend those youth ministry offices which have already commenced efforts on this regard,” ECY said. It released guidelines for diocesan youth directors, coordinators, leaders, and youth ministers on the matter. The ECY’s move was in response to call by Stanislaw Cardinal Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Rylko, in a message at the preparatory meeting for WYD 2013 last November, noted many youths will not be able to go to Rio due to various limitations. “(H)e encouraged youth ministries to help them participate at least spiritually or even through a simultaneous local celebration,” the CBCP said. The ECY said at least three local simultaneous celebrations have been organized in Luzon. One is organized by the Diocese of Cubao with Ateneo de Manila Gym in Quezon City as the venue. The second is jointly organized by FNYO/Military Ordinariate/National Capital Region diocese with Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati City as the Read More …

Lawmaker urges gov't to unload P1.4-B smuggled rice to soften prices

 News
Jul 202013
 
Lawmaker urges gov't to unload P1.4-B smuggled rice to soften prices

A lawmaker is urging government to unload its large inventory of impounded smuggled rice, worth some P1.4 billion, to soften the staple’s price, which has temporarily gone up by P2 per kilo due to seasonal factors. “Government should draw on some 600,000 sacks of confiscated rice to thwart any upward pressure on prices,” said LPG-MA Rep. Arnel Ty, House trade and industry committee member. “Right now, these highly perishable sacks of seized rice from Vietnam are just wasting away,” he said in a press release on Sunday. His remarks came shortly after the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported the theft of at least 100 sacks of smuggled rice stashed in a container yard at the Cebu International Port. Ty is counting on the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to resolve the impasse over the disposition of smuggled rice shipments. The sacks of smuggled rice are in the custody of the BOC, which is under the supervision of the DOF. The Customs claimed, however, it has no choice but to sell the contraband at a competitive public auction. But the National Food Authority (NFA), which is under the DA, has offered to buy the sequestered rice at a negotiated price. “The NFA should be allowed to purchase the rice from the BOC under an agency-to-agency contract. Then the NFA should turn around and release the rice into the open market. This will boost supply and ease prices,” Ty said. An agency-to-agency agreement would be an acceptable Read More …

Bishops want to hear PNoy tackle graft, pork, economic growth in SONA

 News
Jul 202013
 
Bishops want to hear PNoy tackle graft, pork, economic growth in SONA

As they join Filipinos in listening to President Benigno Aquino’s State of the Nation Address on Monday, Catholic bishops particularly want to hear Aquino tackle his administration’s actions on economic growth and graft. The bishops also said they want to learn what Aquino will do to curb corruption stemming from lawmakers’ pork barrel funds. President Aquino has so far kept mum on what he will discuss in his SONA. “I hope to hear from you on this, on your next SONA,” Digos Bishop Guillermo Afable said in a July 18 letter to Aquino, excerpts of which were posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines news site. He was referring to an alleged P10-billion scam involving the pork of lawmakers supposedly going to dummy non-government organizations. Afable urged Aquino to use his political influence to end the “despicable” practice, saying the Filipino people “deserve better than this.” “It’s about time you come out clean with this and put an end to this shameful practice,” he said in his letter to Aquino. “I know you and your Cabinet will find a more creative, but just and ethical way of bringing the government closer to the people,” he added. For his part, Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco said poor Filipinos have yet to feel the economic growth the government claimed to have accomplished. “The benefits of a good economy should trickle down to the poor and unemployed. As of now the poor and many people do not feel the good economy,” a Read More …

As Congress opens, group pushes tougher flag law

 News
Jul 202013
 
As Congress opens, group pushes tougher flag law

With Congress set to open in July 22, an environmental group pushing for amendments to the Flag Law that would outlaw the use of paint with lead and other toxic chemicals in making flags and other national symbols. The EcoWaste Coalition called for such amendments after finding several flag-based souvenir items sold in Quiapo (Manila) and Cubao (Quezon City) contained lead, arsenic, cadmium, antimony and chromium last June. “(W)e find it apt that R.A. 8491, or the ‘Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines,’ be amended to prohibit the use of leaded paint and other hazardous materials in the making of our flag and other national symbols and in products featuring such symbols.  These revered symbols of our nationhood should be toxin-free, posing no risks to human health and the environment,” said group coordinator Aileen Lucero. She chided the government for being slow in phasing out the use of leaded decorative paint, which she said is highly regulated in many countries. RA 8491 promotes “reverence and respect” for “the flag, the anthem, and other national symbols which embody the national ideals and traditions and which express the principles of sovereignty and national solidarity.” Independence day findings The group’s call stemmed from an incident last June where it noted some souvenir items bearing images of the Philippine flag and Coat of Arms in time for Independence Day – such as metallic keyholders and pins – were found to contain toxic substances. “The lead levels found on the paints used for the Read More …

PAGASA: Rain over Ilocos, Mimaropa, Vis-Min on SONA eve

 News
Jul 202013
 
PAGASA: Rain over Ilocos, Mimaropa, Vis-Min on SONA eve

Rain is expected over parts of Ilocos and Mimaropa and over Visayas and Mindanao on Sunday, the eve of President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address, state weather forecasters said. In its 5 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the rain is partly due to the inter-tropical convergence zone across Mindanao. “Visayas and Mindanao and the regions of Ilocos and Mimaropa will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,” it said. PAGASA said Metro Manila and the rest of the Luzon will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.” Earlier, PAGASA had said the weather may improve during the weekend following the exit of Tropical Storm Isang (Cimaron). Sunday outlook Meanwhile, PAGASA said moderate to strong winds from the southwest to southeast will prevail over the western section of Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest to southeast with slight to moderate seas. Rain over NCR Monday However, PAGASA’s extended outlook indicated there may be rain showers and thunderstorms over Metro Manila on Monday. Aquino is to deliver his SONA at the Batasan Complex before a joint session of Congress Monday afternoon. Several groups are expected to hold mass actions near the venue.  — ELR, GMA News

Sabah probes ‘revenge’ letter

 News
Jul 202013
 
Sabah probes ‘revenge’ letter

Philippine Daily Inquirer 6:30 am | Sunday, July 21st, 2013 The heirs of the Sultan of Sulu: (seated from left) Rajah Mudah Agbimuddin Kiram, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, Sultan Bantilan Esmail Kiram II and (standing from left) Datu Alianapia Kiram, Datu Phugdal Kiram and Datu Baduruddin Kiram. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO KOTA KINABALU—Sabah state police have initiated investigations over a letter purportedly written by followers of the sultan of Sulu stating that they would come to the Tambunan district, in Sabah’s interior, on a revenge attack. Sabah Police Commissioner Hamza Taib said Saturday the police were tracing the source of the letter even though it was believed it had nothing to do with the Sulu intrusion into Lahad Datu district earlier this year. “We have started our own investigations even though there have been no official police reports,” said Hamza when contacted by telephone. He said the police did not believe the author of the letter had any links to the Sulu intruders, and had acted of his own accord. The authenticity of the letter is doubted, he added. A July 3 letter signed by “Militant Commandos” on behalf of the Sulu sultanate and Kiram family was sent to the Tambunan district officer, police officials and the residents of Tambunan warning that they aimed to start a war in the district in retaliation for the skirmishes in Lahad Datu district’s  Tanduo village by August. Hamza said police and security forces took all threats seriously and investigated them. More than 70 people were Read More …

DOJ probe indicates possible rubout in Ozamiz gang killings – De Lima

 News
Jul 192013
 
DOJ probe indicates possible rubout in Ozamiz gang killings – De Lima

Forensic investigation has found evidence that the two gang members who were killed while under police custody in Laguna may have been murdered instead of accidentally shot, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Ricky Cadavero, head of the notorious Ozamiz group that has been linked to mall and bank robberies in Metro Manila, and gang member Wilfredo Panogalinga Jr. were earlier reported to have allegedly attempted to grab the guns of their escorts during an ambush four days ago in Cavite. Asked by reporters Friday if the killing was a rubout, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said: “There are indications of that but I am not prepared to say it categorically.” In a report aired on GMA’s “24 Oras” news program, a forensics expert from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said a re-autopsy of the victims’ bodies show they did not sustain any external injuries during the incident. “No injuries were seen on the extremities that would indicate a struggle took place,” said Dr. Antonio Vertido, head of the NBI Medico-Legal team from Region 4A. According to the forensic report, the gunmen were less than two feet away when they shot Cadavero and Panogalinga. The trajectory of the bullet was also downward. The two gang members were killed while they were being transported to Camp Vicente Lim in Laguna from Cavite, where they underwent inquest proceedings. The incident occurred hours after Interior Secretary Mar Roxas announced that the two gang members, who escaped from separate jails last year Read More …

Amid debate on Mali's transfer, city govt eyes adding two more elephants in Manila Zoo

 News
Jul 192013
 
Amid debate on Mali's transfer, city govt eyes adding two more elephants in Manila Zoo

Amid local and international calls for the transfer of Manila Zoo’s lone elephant Mali to a sanctuary in Thailand, the city government of Manila said two more elephants are likely to be added to the zoo’s attractions. In an interview aired on GMA News TV’s “News To Go” on Friday, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said the two elephants will be coming from Sri Lanka. “Merong mag-iinvest dito nang… made-develop ‘yung ating Manila Zoo to world-class,” said Estrada. “Tamang-tama ito, public participation. Sila ang gagastos lahat, pero sa kita, may kikitain pa rin ang gobyerno.” Dr. Donald Manalastas, Manila Zoo’s resident zoologist, said they are open to the city government’s plan. “Of course that will be a good addition, pero gusto po namin na kung magdadagdag po kami ay sigurado na po lahat,” he said in the same report The city government’s move is just part of a series of small improvements that aim to modernize Manila Zoo, the report said. It also said that other than improving Mali’s quarter-of-an-acre-sized living space, an international veterinarian will also be sent to examine her. If the plan to add two more elephants pushes through, the next step would be to determine whether or not Mali, which has never seen other elephants in 33 years, will get along with them. If not, the report said, the two additional elephants will be temporarily placed inside a vacant horsepen. PETA The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which first called for Mali’s release into the Read More …

UK funnels P3.7M to improve writing skills of Ombudsman lawyers

 News
Jul 192013
 
UK funnels P3.7M to improve writing skills of Ombudsman lawyers

In a bid to make the decisions of the Office of the Ombudsman more reader-friendly, the British Embassy on Friday launched a project that will improve the writing skills of the agency’s lawyers. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said the Rapid Assessment and Seminar on Case Analysis and Legal Draftsmanship (RASCALD) project aims to make the lawyers’ writing style “lucid, concise and logical.” “While it is difficult to change the writing style of everyone. But perhaps what we have in mind when we say writing style is that we should be lucid, concise and logical while accenting early on what the case is about,” she said. The RASCALD initiative will run from August 2013 to February 2014 and will concentrate on how the agency’s lawyers write decisions. Some 280 Ombudsman prosecutors and field lawyers will undergo the seven-month RASCALD enhancement classes for skills development on deciding cases and drafting action papers. Zero case backlog According to a press release by the Office of the Ombudsman, the RASCALD initiative projects an increase in case disposition rate by 25 percent by end-2015 and eventually, a zero case backlog by 2018. “We are happy to support the RASCALD project, helping to deliver the top priorities of achieving a full disposition of high profile cases and zero backlog by 2018,” British Embassy Charge d’ Affaires Trevor Lewis said in his message of support. Morales thanked the British Embassy for the grant, noting that the benefits of the seminars will not only be short term, but rather would Read More …

 Older Entries  Newer Entries