Comelec exec: Non-filers of expenditures report may be face perjury raps

 News
Jun 102013
 
Comelec exec: Non-filers of expenditures report may be face perjury raps

A Commission on Elections official has warned candidates who ran in the May 13 elections that they face perjury charges if they will fail to submit their statements of contributions and expenditures (SOCEs).   At a press conference on Monday, Comelec Commissioner Christian Robert Lim said such candidates may have committed perjury since they declared in their certificates of candidacy an oath to submit their SOCEs. “Yung balak namin, ie-endorse namin ‘yung mga hindi nagfile sa DOJ [Department of Justice],” said Lim, head of the poll body’s campaign finance unit.  Perjury is a criminal act under the Revised Penal Code. However, “(A)ng target namin is really not to put people in jail but to encourage them to file,” said Lim. Republic Act 7166, which was enacted on Nov. 26, 1991, states that every candidate and treasurer of a political party shall be required to file an itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures within 30 days after the day of the election. Failure to submit SOCEs is penalized with an administrative fine from P2,000 to P30,000 for the first offense, and from P2,000 to P60,000 for second offense, depending on the position, according to Comelec Resolution No. 9476.  While it is not a criminal act, failure to file SOCEs can be penalized with disqualification from holding public office, the law said. The Comelec had earlier wanted failure to submit SOCEs a criminal offense. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/RSJ, GMA News

PAGASA: Rainy season officially here

 News
Jun 102013
 
PAGASA: Rainy season officially here

Now it’s official: the rainy season for this year has finally started, state weather forecasters said Monday afternoon. PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season at 2 p.m. after noting the criteria have been met, radio dzBB’s Divine Caraecle reported. According to PAGASA forecaster Ricky Fabregas, Tropical Storm Dante (international name: Yagi) played a major role in ushering in the rainy season by enhancing the southwest monsoon. Fabregas also cited the almost daily thunderstorms that brought rain to Metro Manila and other parts of the country in past weeks. On the other hand, Fabregas said that while the rainy season may be here, there may still be “breaks” where there may be no rain for two days to a week. Earlier, PAGASA said the rainy season usually starts in the last week of May or the first part of June. — TJD, GMA News

No politics in banning of Taiwan food products, says Palace exec

 News
Jun 102013
 
No politics in banning of Taiwan food products, says Palace exec

No politics involved. This was how a Malacañang official described a decision by a government agency banning 15 food products from Taiwan that were found to contain maleic acid, an unapproved food additive that could potentially harm the kidney. “Alam mo ang kagandahan dito sa FDA (Food and Drug Administration) there is empirical evidence e.  [They were banned] because of the presence of a certain ingredient. It’s not subject to politics,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing Monday. Lacierda added that the banning of the food products, which include tapioca pearls and rice noodles, have been subjected to tests. “It’s subject to a scientific evaluation whether that banned substance exists in those products, and if it is, under our laws, it is banned. It is as simple as that,” Lacierda said. “It has nothing to do with politics. It has nothing to do with the present situation that we’re in with Taiwan. FDA ‘yung nagdesisyon ‘nun e,” he added. Lacierda said the government continues to look out for the health of all Filipinos. “Siyempre ang concern po ng gobyerno, ‘yung safety po at ‘yung kaligtasan, ang kalusugan po ng ating mga mamamayan. It has everything to do with the health of the Filipino citizens,” he said. However, Lacierda also expressed hope that the tensions in Taiwan, which has resulted in cases of discrimination agaisnt OFW’s there, will end soon. “Siyempre gusto nating ma-lift ‘yung sanctions pero alam ninyo, meron tayong investigation na nangyayari ngayon, NBI and their Taiwanese Read More …

Comelec finally gets favorable SC ruling, allowed to participate in May 13 poll protests

 News
Jun 102013
 
Comelec finally gets favorable SC ruling, allowed to participate in May 13 poll protests

The Commission on Elections has finally gotten a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court. In an en banc resolution on Monday, the high court junked a petition seeking the inhibition of the Comelec from deciding on electoral protests. In its resolution, the high court junked the petition filed by an election watchdog seeking to enjoin the Comelec from participating in electoral protests stemming from the May 13 automated midterm elections. In its 26-page petition filed last May 10, Kontra Daya accused the Comelec of engaging in a “grand scale mass deception that can be used as basis for the impeachment (of Comelec officials).” The petitioner said the Comelec should inhibit from deciding on poll-related cases “until the lapse of a grace period of three months within which political parties, candidates and citizens’ arms shall finally be able for the first time to exercise their right to review the source code.” But in its ruling, the high court dismissed Kontra Daya’s petition because such failed to show “any judicial controversy,” according to Public Information Office chief Theodore Te. The SC said the petition was “clearly premature, highly speculative and does not warrant the relief prayed for.” A source code is the set of instructions to be followed by the computerized voting machine, and is written by computer programmers in a readable symbolic language. A few weeks before the polls, Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the poll body already had the source code to be used for the May 13 polls, Read More …

DOLE deploys Kasambahay desk officers in regions

 News
Jun 092013
 
DOLE deploys Kasambahay desk officers in regions

Now that the Kasambahay Bill is now a law, the Department of Labor and Employment has deployed Kasambahay desk officers in the provinces. The DOLE said Friday it has designated a “Single-Entry Approach Desk Officer” (SEADO) who shall act as the Kasambahay Desk Officer in their respective areas. “Questions on the implementation of the (implementing rules and regulations) of the Batas Kasambahay are unavoidable, especially during the first few weeks of its implementation. That is why having a DOLE personnel specifically assigned to handle queries and concerns in relation to the rules and regulations of the Batas Kasambahay is a good means to ensure that understanding can be fostered,” DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said. “This could lead to acceptance of the law, and hence, compliance,” she added. Under Administrative Order No. 207, the DOLE is to designate Kasambahay Desk Officers in its regional offices. These officers are to “conciliate complaints filed by kasambahays in the respective regional office,” the DOLE said. It added these officers are also responsible for coordinating with other focal persons in the local government units on the implementation of the law. Training for Kasambahay desk officers will also be provided and facilitated by the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), and the DOLE’s Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR) and Human Resource Development Service (HRDS), as specified in the administrative order. Batas Kasambahay forms DOLE regional offices will provide hard copies of Batas Kasambahay Forms and attachments to barangays. “With the Batas Kasambahay already taking effect, we Read More …

Fatalities in Serendra blast laid to rest

 News
Jun 092013
 
Fatalities in Serendra blast laid to rest

The three fatalities in the blast at the Two Serendra condominium in Taguig City last May 31 were laid to rest in their home provinces over the weekend. Relatives of the three are not keen on filing charges against the condo’s management as they cited potential high legal costs, radio dzBB reported early Monday. Sallymar Natividad was buried at a memorial park in San Jose del Monte in Bulacan province, the report said. Natividad, the driver of the delivery van crushed by debris from the explosion, left behind a pregnant widow and two children. Another fatality, Marlon Bandiola, was buried in Carmona in Cavite province. The third fatality, Jeffrey Umali, was buried in Nueva Ecija province, the report added. Last May 31, a blast hit the Two Serendra condominium, causing tension in the area, including shoppers at a nearby commercial area. An investigation showed the blast stemmed from a gas explosion and not a bomb. —KG, GMA News

PAGASA: TS Dante may exit PAR by Tuesday; rainy season may start this week

 News
Jun 092013
 
PAGASA: TS Dante may exit PAR by Tuesday; rainy season may start this week

Tropical Storm Dante (international code name Yagi) continued to move fruther away from the country Monday and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility as early as Tuesday morning, state weather forecasters said. Citing PAGASA’s models, PAGASA forecaster Elvie Enriquez said Tropical Storm Dante is now heading for Okinawa in Japan. She also said the conditions were “ripe” for them to declare the start of the rainy season within this week. The southwest winds were now affecting the country, but they are waiting for “sustained” rain to formally declare the start of the rainy season. As of 4 a.m. Monday, Tropical Storm Dante was estimated at 1,030 km northeast of Basco, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph. It is forecast to move north-northeast at 15 kph, PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. Monday outlook For Monday, PAGASA said Mimaropa, Bicol and western Visayas will experience “cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms.” Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening,” it added. PAGASA also said moderate to strong winds from the southwest to west will prevail over extreme northern Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be moderate to occasionally strong coming from the southwest with moderate to occasionally rough seas. — DVM, GMA News

COA allows senators to liquidate P500k in expenses via certification

 News
Jun 092013
 
COA allows senators to liquidate P500k in expenses via certification

Senators were given some leeway by the Commission on Audit in the liquidation of their offices’ expenses, as the COA allowed them to liquidate up to P500,000 via certification. Outgoing Senate accounts committee chairman Panfilo Lacson said Sunday that the COA wanted the new guideline to take effect in the second quarter of the year. But he, instead, asked that it take effect January. “Nakiusap na lang ako sabi ko baka pwede retroact to January 2013 para medyo lumuwag kaunti, para may flexibility ang senador,” he said in an interview on dzBB radio. The new COA rules stemmed from accusations by senators, including Miriam Santiago, of uneven distribution of maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) funds in the Senate. Previously, lawmakers could account for their expenses even without receipts, through certification. But the COA refused recognize such liquidations. Last January, the Senate and House of Representatives agreed to change their practice of liquidating by mere certification. Lacson said that while he had no problem with liquidation since he already accounted for his office’s expenses, many senators were finding it difficult with the use of certifications. — DVM, GMA News

Lacson’s parting advice for Enrile: Avoid ‘rosy cheeks’

 News
Jun 092013
 
Lacson’s parting advice for Enrile: Avoid ‘rosy cheeks’

Watch your temper and avoid getting “rosy cheeks.” This was outgoing Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s parting advice to former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who still has three years left on his term as a senator. In a radio interview, Lacson explained that the “rosy cheeks” remark referred to high blood pressure. “Pinuntahan ko siya sa office niya noong after mag-resign [bilang Senate President si Sen. Enrile]. Umakyat ako sa opisina niya, pinasyalan ko muna. Isa lang ang advice ko sa kanya, ‘May tatlong taon ka pa sa Senado, huwag ka masyadong mainit ang ulo kasi nagro-rosy cheeks.’ Pag rosy cheeks tumataas ang blood pressure,” Lacson said on dzBB radio. Lacson is leaving the Senate after serving two consecutive six-year terms, the maximum allowed by the 1987 Constitution. Enrile’s second consecutive six-year term ends in 2016. Lacson said Enrile’s “rosy cheeks” had shown itself last year, during the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, and when he had a heated exchange with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. “Nakakaalala rin, mahirap yan, traydor ang blood pressure,” he said. Lacson also belied claims by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV that Enrile’s irrevocable resignation last Wednesday was just “drama.” He said that when he went to Enrile’s office, he saw the staff was already packing and preparing to leave. Inkling Lacson said he had an inkling Enrile was going to resign when he saw Enrile’s privilege speech on the day’s agenda. Had he found out earlier, Lacson said he would have tried to dissuade Enrile Read More …

Hurry Maguindanao massacre trial, int’l reporters urge

 News
Jun 092013
 
Hurry Maguindanao massacre trial, int’l reporters urge

By Ryan D. Rosauro Inquirer Mindanao 3:50 am | Monday, June 10th, 2013 OZAMIZ CITY, Philippines—More than 300 delegates to the 28th World Congress of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in Dublin, Ireland, have called on President Aquino to “take steps to expedite the trial” of those accused in the Maguindanao massacre. The call was contained in an urgent resolution adopted by the congress, according to National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) chairperson Rowena Paraan, who attended the Dublin meeting, which ended on Thursday. “Everybody is disappointed that… the justice system in the Philippines has not moved forward. Journalists here from 120 countries are absolutely united in making sure that they will help [promote] the widest campaigns until justice is found,” IFJ president Jim Boumelha was quoted as saying in an NUJP news release. The IFJ is the world’s largest organization of journalists with some 600,000 members in 120 countries. The NUJP is its affiliate in the Philippines. Fifty-eight people died in the Maguindanao massacre, 32 of them media workers. The massacre has been dubbed the world’s single worst attack on the press and the trial has earned the attention of press freedom advocates. Nov. 23, the date of the massacre, has been declared by freedom of expression advocates worldwide as the International Day to End Impunity. It has been three and a half years since the killings and “there has not been a single conviction for the murders,” the IFJ noted. Among the steps the government Read More …

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