Court won’t honor US ruling vs Marcoses

 News
Jul 142013
 
Court won’t honor US ruling vs Marcoses

By Norman BordadoraPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:55 am | Monday, July 15th, 2013 The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) has dismissed Priscilla Mijares et al.’s petition to enforce in the Philippines an 18-year-old United States District Court decision awarding some $2 billion from the Marcos estate to victims of human rights violations during the late dictator’s administration. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) has dismissed Priscilla Mijares et al.’s petition to enforce in the Philippines an 18-year-old United States District Court decision awarding some $2 billion from the Marcos estate to victims of human rights violations during the late dictator’s administration. A PDF copy of the 11-page decision rendered by Judge Bonifacio Pascua of Makati RTC Branch 56 was furnished the Inquirer by the staff of Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who expressed the family’s feeling of vindication on the heels of the June 25 ruling. “Even if we were to espouse fear or threat as reasons for plaintiffs not to file the same in the Philippines, MDL No. 840 was filed in 1991, or five years after Ferdinand E. Marcos was deposed,” the Makati court said in dismissing the plaintiffs’ petition for enforcing the Hawaii court’s award of billions of dollars in damages. “Moreover, the case was filed on foreign soil nearly two years after the death of Ferdinand E. Marcos. A thought along the line of fear or threat on the plaintiffs that could have precluded their filing of a case in the Philippines is obviously imaginary,” Read More …

6 Chinese nabbed for illegal mining in Agusan del Sur

 News
Jul 142013
 
6 Chinese nabbed for illegal mining in Agusan del Sur

By Chris V. PanganibanInquirer Mindanao 10:16 pm | Sunday, July 14th, 2013 SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Six Chinese nationals were arrested on Saturday night for their alleged involvement in illegal mining operation near Mt. Magdiwata watershed that destroyed the waterways of a river in a remote village of this town. Police could not yet ascertain the identities of the suspects since only two of them presented identification cards from the Bureau of Immigration that already expired last May. Another Chinese national known as Jason Lu, believed to be the “big boss” and co-financier, managed to escape. Two local residents who worked with them positively identified the suspects, now detained at the town jail, after they accompanied operatives to raid their residence at the town center. Senior Inspector Ephraim Detuya, local police chief, said they would file on Monday formal charges against the Chinese nationals for violation of the mining act while awaiting information from the immigration bureau about their status in staying in the country. The arrest came after a two-day raid by a joint team of police and staff of Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office at the illegal mine site in Mati village that contaminated and depleted the source of potable water and irrigation for rice fields in nearby Maligaya village. The team confiscated a backhoe used to excavate and destroy the riverbed and banks, a power-generating set, steel pipes used to suction water, sand and gravel towards the mine tailings pond and other mining equipment. Read More …

20 hurt as portion of wooden arena in Zamboanga City collapses

 News
Jul 142013
 
20 hurt as portion of wooden arena in Zamboanga City collapses

By Julie S. AlipalaInquirer Mindanao 5:12 pm | Sunday, July 14th, 2013 ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – At least 20 persons were hurt when a portion of the Gallera de Ayala here gave way during a derby on Saturday night. Senior Superintendent Jose Chiquito Malayo, the city police chief, said 19 were slightly hurt while another suffered a fractured bone in the left leg. Malayo said a portion of the left wing of the wooden arena collapsed. Lawyer Cesar Jimenez, owner of the Gallera de Ayala, said the 10-year old arena was renovated in April before it was leased out to a new management. “It’s an accident and we allow the police to do the investigation,” Jimenez said. 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: accidents , collapse , Features , Gallera de Ayala , Regions 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:

Wealth sharing deal between PH gov’t, future Bangsamoro entity finished

 News
Jul 142013
 
Wealth sharing deal between PH gov’t, future Bangsamoro entity finished

By Ryan D. RosauroInquirer Mindanao 3:42 pm | Sunday, July 14th, 2013 A handout photo taken on July 13, 2013 and released by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) shows (Front, L-R) GPH peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato Ab Ghafar Tengku Mohamed and MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal signing the wealth-sharing annex and joint statement at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. AFP PHOTO / OPAPP OZAMIZ CITY, Philippines — After toiling some 12 hours on their sixth day of talks, negotiators of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) finally hammered a wealth-sharing arrangement between the central government and the future Bangsamoro political entity. The Office of the Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process said the wealth-sharing deal between the central government and the future Bangsamoro Entity was completed at 10:30 p.m. Saturday. This happened more than 12 hours after the negotiators convened at  9:40 a.m. The deal covers taxation powers for the Bangsamoro government; assured fund transfers from the central government to the Bangsamoro government through block grants; and sharing of revenues from the use of natural wealth, like energy sources and metallic minerals. The breakthrough comes after a four-month lull in the peace process, and could move the parties closer to crafting a comprehensive agreement that contains the totality of measures that address the four-decade Moro rebellion in Mindanao. Wealth-sharing is one of the four annexes to the preliminary Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) Read More …

MILF exec: Signing of wealth-sharing annex may not stop fighting

 News
Jul 132013
 
MILF exec: Signing of wealth-sharing annex may not stop fighting

GPH, MILF peace panels sign wealth-sharing annex of peace agreement. Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Negotiators reached agreement over the weekend in Kuala Lumpur on wealth-sharing issues of their Framework Agreement for peace in Mindanao. www.opapp.gov.ph The signing of a wealth-sharing peace agreement annex by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front may not necessarily stop clashes in Mindanao, a senior MILF official admitted Sunday. MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar said that if the wealth-sharing agreement is not popular among the Bangsamoro, some groups could use it as an excuse to launch attacks. “Kung hindi ito very popular sa mga Bangsamoro masses, lalo sa mga leader…, nangangamba ako na baka gawin nilang justification sa pagsagawa katulad ng sinagawa ng BIFF na pagsalakay kahapon hanggang kagabi,” Jaafar said in an interview on dzBB radio. He was referring to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) led by Ameril Umbra Kato, who the MILF had described as a rogue commander. Kato had led attacks in Mindanao as early as 2008, when the Supreme Court thumbed down a Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the government and the MILF. The BIFF launced attacks Saturday, ambushing a military truck in Guindulungan town in Maguindanao. On Saturday night, the government and the MILF closed the 38th round of exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur with the signing of the annex on wealth sharing. “In a show of true commitment, the Parties extended the meeting, originally scheduled for four days Read More …

Palace downplays ES Ochoa’s involvement in P10-B NGO row

 News
Jul 132013
 
Palace downplays ES Ochoa’s involvement in P10-B NGO row

Malacañang on Saturday downplayed reports linking Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to a P10-billion ghost project scam involving legislators’ the pork barrel funds. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that at least for now, Ochoa appeared to be a victim of “guilt by association” because his former law firm was linked to the mess. “Apparently from the reports, dinadawit ang ES dahil supposedly sa dating law firm niya. Hindi ko alam ang … involvement other than just mentioning the name. Walang allegation of wrongdoing on part of the Executive Secretary,” she said on government-run dzRB radio. “Parang naging guilt (by) association, which does not stand up in any investigation or any court,” she added. She said she does not know why Ochoa would be dragged into the row. “Hindi natin alam kung ano ang intention ng taong nagdadawit,” she said. Ochoa’s law firm had been linked by some reports to the P10-billion scam involving mostly funds from the priority assistance development fund (PDAF) of some lawmakers. A report on the Philippine Daily Inquirer said the MOST law firm’s founders had included Ochoa, Liza Marcos – wife of Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Edward Serapio and Joseph Tan. The Inquirer report said Ochoa had divested his interests in the law firm after he joined the Aquino administration in 2010. — LBG, GMA News

PAGASA: Rain over parts of Luzon, Mindanao amid weak southwest monsoon

 News
Jul 132013
 
PAGASA: Rain over parts of Luzon, Mindanao amid weak southwest monsoon

A weak southwest monsoon may bring rain to parts of Luzon including Metro Manila Sunday, even as state weather forecasters said parts of Mindanao may also expect rain. PAGASA also said strong to gale-force winds may still affect the seaboards of Northern Luzon, even though Typhoon Huaning (Soulik) has left. “Metro Manila, Ilocos region, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Caraga and Davao region will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,” PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. It added the rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.” Also, it said moderate to strong winds from the southwest to south will prevail over the western section of Luzon and coming from the southeast to south over the rest of Northern Luzon. The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough, it added. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southeast with slight to moderate seas. Gale warning PAGASA also said strong to gale-force winds associated with the southwest monsoon may affect the seaboards of Northern Luzon. These included Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Sur and La Union. “Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are alerted against moderate to rough seas,” it said.  — ELR, GMA News

Palace says it is 'not imputing any motive' in Congress scrutiny of 2014 budget

 News
Jul 132013
 
Palace says it is 'not imputing any motive' in Congress scrutiny of 2014 budget

Malacañang on Saturday welcomed lawmakers’ plan to scrutinize parts of the proposed P2.268-trillion national budget for 2014, saying it is within their mandate to do so. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte downplayed speculations that some lawmakers may have political motives in taking a closer look at the proposed budgets of some agencies. “We welcome scrutiny when it comes to the budget. That is the province of any legislator who may want to look at the budget of any program or any agency,” Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. She added the Palace is not in any position to “impute any motive” when legislators say they want to take a closer look at the budget.  Some reports quoted Sen. Ma. Lourdes “Nancy” Binay as saying she plans to scrutinize the proposed 2014 budgets of the Departments of Interior and Local Government and Social Welfare and Development. Sen. Binay’s father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, defeated now-DILG Secretary Manuel Roxas II in the 2010 vice presidential race. The elder Binay and Roxas have been projected to possibly run for the presidency in 2016. But Sen. Binay maintained there was no political color in her interest to scrutinize the DILG’s proposed budget.  — ELR, GMA News

GPH, MILF panels sign wealth-sharing annex of Mindanao peace agreement

 News
Jul 132013
 
GPH, MILF panels sign wealth-sharing annex of Mindanao peace agreement

(Updated 5:00 a.m.) Negotiators of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have reached agreement on the wealth-sharing annex of their peace compact in their latest round of talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “In a show of true commitment, the Parties extended the meeting, originally scheduled for four days to six days to be able to overcome their concerns and reach an agreement on the Annex,” the chief negotiators in a joint statement released before dawn of Sunday. The statement, however, did not provide any details on the issues agreed upon in the approved annex on wealth sharing. But it said the annex “will provide sufficient guidance for the crafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law’s provisions on wealth sharing and revenue generation for the Bangsamoro as envisioned by the Framework Agreement onthe Bangsamoro.” GPH panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and MILF peace panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal said the  Technical Working Group on Normalization and the special team on power sharing made some progress but did not go into details in their joint statement. The annex paves the way for the two sides to decide how to divide up income from taxes and natural resources in the self-rule area. The negotiations aim to create a new autonomous region for the Muslim minority in Mindanao, the southern third of the mainly Catholic nation of about 100 million people. The 12,000-member MILF has waged a guerrilla war for a separate Islamic state in Mindanao since the 1970s that has claimed an estimated Read More …

One dead, 31 injured as Typhoon Soulik hits Taiwan

 News
Jul 132013
 
One dead, 31 injured as Typhoon Soulik hits Taiwan

Agence France-Presse 3:13 pm | Saturday, July 13th, 2013 TAIPEI—Typhoon Soulik battered Taiwan with torrential rain and powerful winds on Saturday that left one person dead and at least 30 people injured. This as the typhoon, codenamed “Huaning” in the Philippines, left the country’s area of responsibility Saturday morning, prompting the lifting of all public storm alerts in extreme Northern Luzon. As daylight dawned, some areas in Taiwan were submerged by flood waters, roofs were ripped from homes, and debris and fallen trees littered the streets. More heavy rain and strong winds are predicted throughout Saturday with the authorities warning of landslides and further flooding. More than 8,000 people were evacuated from their homes before the typhoon hit, many from southern areas prone to landslides. Soldiers have been deployed to high risk areas and the whole island declared an “alert zone” by the authorities. In the capital Taipei, a 50-year-old police officer died after being hit by bricks that came loose during the typhoon, the Central Emergency Operation Centre said. Three people were left seriously injured with 31 reported hurt in four cities in northeast Taiwan, most of them hit by trees or flying debris. Soulik made landfall on the northeast coast around 03 a.m. Saturday (2000 GMT Friday), packing winds of up to 190 kilometers an hour (118 miles), the Central Weather Bureau said. “We expect Soulik to continue to affect Taiwan with heavy rains and strong winds throughout Saturday across Taiwan even though it is moving away and Read More …

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