PH, Taiwan probers finish fact-finding on death of Taiwanese fisherman

 News
May 302013
 
PH, Taiwan probers finish fact-finding on death of Taiwanese fisherman

By Nancy C. CarvajalPhilippine Daily Inquirer 12:56 am | Friday, May 31st, 2013 Taiwanese investigators rides a rubber boat as they inspect a ship involved in the alleged shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman while they continue their probe in Manila on Tuesday, May 28, 2013. They have completed their investigation into the death of the fisherman off Balintang Island in northern Philippines, with the evidence collected by the National Bureau of Investigation, Yang Wan-Li, head of the delegation, said on Thursday night. AP PHOTO/AARON FAVILA MANILA, Philippines—Taiwanese investigators have completed their investigation into the death of a Taiwanese fisherman off Balintang Island in northern Philippines, with the evidence collected by the National Bureau of Investigation, Yang Wan-Li, head of the delegation, said on Thursday night. In a late night joint press conference with the NBI, the Taiwanese team also expressed satisfaction with the assistance given to them during the entire investigation. The Taiwanese team is returning to Taiwan on Friday and an NBI team that has also done its cooperative investigation in Taiwan is expected to arrive in Manila in the afternoon. NBI director Nonnatus Rojas said they made all evidence they gathered available to the Taiwanese investigators. 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: death of a Taiwanese fisherman , Read More …

Think tank finds May 13 polls ‘questionable’

 News
May 302013
 
Think tank finds May 13 polls ‘questionable’

Prof. Bobby Tuazon, Director for Policy Studies at think tank Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) on Wednesday said the May 13 midterm polls were unreliable, citing several aspects of non-compliance with election laws. “Kwestyunable [dahil] ung proseso na dinaanan ng midterm elections—ranging from patuloy na non-compliance sa mahigpit na election provisions—digital signature, verifiability feature [hanggang] itong nangyaring premature proclamation,” Tuazon said in an interview aired over GMA News TV’s “News to Go”. Tuazon added that the observation was not just CenPEG’s alone, as other election watchdogs also saw the poll results as unreliable. “Kabilang na diyan ang AES (Automated Election System) watch at ilan pang kapatid dito sa election monitoring, ay nagkakaisa sila na kwestyunable ang naging conduct at naging resulta ng midterm election,” he said. Tuason pointed out that to date, around 10 million votes have yet to be counted and these “missing” votes gave the elections a sense of confusion. “‘Yung the fact na halos 13 thousand ER’s (election returns) ay hindi pa talagang nata-transmit, equivalent iyon to 8 million to 10 million votes that remained to be unaccounted for; pinaka latest ang discrepancies na nakita roon sa kalahati ng mga RMA (Random Manual Audit) areas,” he said. “Lahat ng ito, tingin namin, nagdudulot ng pangamba at agam agam sa question na was the vote really counted? Sino ba talaga actual na nanalo at natalo lalo na sa senatorial race?” he added. Accuracy rating Tuazon also brought up the much debated accuracy rating of the PCOS Read More …

US, Canada, UK warn vs travel to Mindanao

 News
May 302013
 
US, Canada, UK warn vs travel to Mindanao

By Tarra Quismundo and Michael Lim UbacPhilippine Daily Inquirer 9:51 pm | Thursday, May 30th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—Three more countries have issued travel advisories against Mindanao amid the United States’ warning of a “credible kidnap threat” in the Zamboanga Peninsula. This developed as the Philippines said there was “no specific threat” in the area based on monitoring of law enforcement and security officials. In a Palace briefing Thursday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government “respects the prerogative of any country to issue any precautionary measures that they feel their citizens must take while here in our country.” “In fact, when it comes to our citizens abroad, [other countries] also respect our prerogative to issue this kind of advisory to our countrymen [stationed overseas],” said Valte. She cited the recent terrorist attack in Boston—which killed three people and injured 264 others—where the Philippine government issued a similar message to Filipino citizens who may be in the area. In its travel advisory on Wednesday, the US state department cited a report about the resurgence of kidnapping groups, particularly in Zamboanga, that were targeting foreigners. On Thursday, Australia advised its nationals against traveling to parts of Mindanao, particularly Zamboanga and Sulu, citing a similar warning that the United States had issued its citizens. “We continue to strongly advise you not to travel to central and western Mindanao, including the Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu Archipelago, due to the very high threat of terrorist attack, kidnapping, violent crime and violent clashes between armed Read More …

Lagman's son to continue father's fight for centenarians' benefits

 News
May 302013
 
Lagman's son to continue father's fight for centenarians' benefits

In what appears to be a case of the son continuing his father’s fight, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman’s son, Edcel Jr., is set to refile the bill seeking to give additional benefits to Filipino centenarians when the 16th Congress opens in July. This was according to the elder Lagman, days after President Benigno Aquino III vetoed the proposed measure that seeks to give, among others, a 75-percent discount on goods and services to Filipino centenarians for supposedly being “too heavy” for businesses. “Ang aking anak, si Congressman-elect Edcel Lagman Jr., ay ipa-file ang original House version na walang objectionable portion na nilagay ni Senator Kiko Pangilinan,” Lagman said in an interview on GMA News TV’s “News To Go” on Thursday. The younger Lagman will replace his father as Albay first district representative after winning in the recently concluded midterm elections. The bill entitles Filipino citizens who reached and will reach the age of 100 to a P100,000 cash gift as well as a letter of felicitation from the president congratulating the centenarian for his or her longevity. Pangilinan’s fault? The elder Lagman, the bill’s author at the House of Representatives, blamed Sen. Francis Pangilinan for the measure’s fate, saying it was the senator who raised the proposed discount rate to 75 percent from the original 50 percent. “Ang rason kung bakit binitin ng pangulo dahil sa Senate version sapagkat tinaasan ni Senator Kiko Pangilinan ‘yung 50 percent discount to 75 percent,” he said, adding Pangilinan essentially copied his bill and Read More …

PH tells China: Don’t tell us what to do within our territory

 News
May 302013
 
PH tells China: Don’t tell us what to do within our territory

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:33 pm | Thursday, May 30th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines — No other country could tell the Philippines what it can and cannot do within its territory. Its message getting sharper, the Philippines told China, on Thursday, to keep its hands off the country’s sovereign affairs in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) after Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing expressed concerns that the country might be building more structures in the Ayungin Shoal. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also reiterated the country’s ownership of the territory and called on China anew to pull out its government and fishing vessels from around the shoal, where they were deployed nearly a month ago. The Philippines protested the Chinese deployment before its embassy in Manila but the DFA still has yet to receive an official response. “Ayungin shoal is an integral part of the Philippine national territory. China is not in a position to dictate on what the Philippines can do within its maritime domain,” said Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson, said. “In the first place, China has no right to be there and because they have no right to be there, they are also not in a position to dictate on whatever we want to do within our maritime domain,” he added. In a brief pull-aside meeting at the national military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday, Ma had told Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin that her government was concerned that the Philippines could be building Read More …

Defense chief says China, not PHL, violating code of conduct in Spratlys

 News
May 302013
 
Defense chief says China, not PHL, violating code of conduct in Spratlys

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Thursday claimed that China and not the Philippines was allegedly violating the Declaration on the Code of Conduct (DOC) in disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea. Gazmin made the statement in a chance interview with reporters at Camp Aquinaldo a day after his meeting with Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing over questions about whether or not China will remove its ships from the Ayungin Shoal. On Wednesday, Gazmin said China intends to keep monitoring Manila over concerns that the Philippines intends to put up new structures on Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas) in the disputed Spratly Islands. Gazmin explained that China was concerned about a Philippine ship that was on its way to the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. Gazmin explained that the ship is not there to build structures in the disputed territories but is on a supply mission. On Thursday, Gazmin said, “Well we’ve been adhering to the conduct, we’ve been following the DOC, wala naman tayong viniolate.” Gazmin alleged that it is China that is not adhering to the DOC. “Sila ang hindi [sumusunod], kaya nga ito pwedeng [isama] sa ating mga protesta, kaya nga lumalabas yang sunud-sunod na protest natin,” Gazmin said. “Tayo ay nagpupunta dun because of routine provisional missions, at saka yung regular rotation of forces. Ang tao dun stays there for three months, alangan naman three months ka dun sa barko, ang area mo napakaliit, tapos puro dagat lang so kailangan constant ang rotation,” he added. ‘Deescalation’ Read More …

Rainy Friday forecast for most of the PHL

 News
May 302013
 
Rainy Friday forecast for most of the PHL

Rainy Thursday expected over most of southern Luzon. PAGASA weatherman Aldzar Aurelio on Thursday, May 30, shows a satellite image of clouds over the Philippines that could bring thunderstorms and rains to parts of Luzon, particularly the Bicol and Quezon provinces, as well as the NCR. GMA News Metro Manila and most parts of the country may expect rain on Friday, even as state weather forecasters said Thursday they expect to announce the start of the rainy season next week. PAGASA forecaster Jun Galang also noted a relatively cool maximum temperature in Metro Manila on Thursday, at 29.2 degrees Celsius. “Iiral pa rin ang inter-tropical convergence zone,” Galang said in an interview on dzBB radio. But Galang said they still cannot declare the start of the rainy season this week yet because the southwest monsoon has not set in. Temperature On Friday, PAGASA said Metro Manila may expect temperatures of 25 to 31 degrees Celsius, while Tuguegarao City may expect temperatures of 24 to 36 degrees Celsius. Angeles and Olongapo Cities may expect temperatures of 23 to 32 degrees Celsius on Friday. Friday outlook PAGASA’s 5 p.m. Thursday bulletin indicated the ITCZ is across Mindanao and may bring rain to most parts of the country. “Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,” it said. It added the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or Read More …

Timor-Leste PM due for official visit

 News
May 292013
 
Timor-Leste PM due for official visit

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 5:08 am | Thursday, May 30th, 2013 Timorese Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão: Coming next week for official visit PHOTO FROM TIMOR-LESTE.GOV.TL MANILA, Philippines—Timorese Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão is set to fly to Manila next week on his first official visit to the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday. Gusmão, Timor-Leste’s first president after independence from Indonesia in 2002, will be in the Philippines from June 5 to 9 to firm up cooperation on education, trade and investment, infrastructure and defense, DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said Wednesday. During his five-day stay, Gusmão will deliver a lecture at the University of the Philippines College of Law and visit industrial areas in Subic Bay in Olongapo City and Clark Field in Pampanga to link up with potential investors. Gusmão is currently serving his second five-year term as prime minister and is concurrently Timor-Leste’s minister for defense and security. He was a leader of the resistance movement that campaigned for Timor-Leste’s independence from Indonesia, which occupied the territory after centuries of Portuguese occupation. Timor-Leste is currently campaigning to become a member of the Association of Southest Asian Nations, of which the Philippines is a founding member. 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 Read More …

No Filipinos hurt in Beyonce butt slap incident

 News
May 292013
 
No Filipinos hurt in Beyonce butt slap incident

Outtakes By Rene Ciria-CruzINQUIRER.net 7:27 am | Thursday, May 30th, 2013 But there could have been. Considering we’re now everywhere, why not near the stage in Denmark where an out-of-control fan slapped Beyonce’s behind? And considering further that our news media often run reports like “No Pinoys Hurt in Massive Haiti Quake,” or “No Filipinos Hurt in Devastating Tsunami,” or “No Pinoys Injured in Boston Marathon Bombing,” why not report that none our compatriots was elbowed in the face or whatnot when guards threw out Beyonce’s offending Dane? If Filipinos could be found in Burundi, it’s within the realm of possibility that they’d be found in Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson’s kitchen staff, where they theoretically ran the risk of being beaned by a flying dish had a down-and- dirty fight occurred during the couple’s recent breakup. Just like Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni’s Filipina nanny stands to be an innocent bystander in any serious domestic quarrel. (Disclosure: I follow TMZ, People, and the Kardashians very closely for purposes of anthropological research.) The curious point is, we do like knowing if Filipinos figured in some tragic event elsewhere, blithely ignoring the fact that thousands of non-compatriots may have sadly perished in one of God’s mysterious ways. We like reading and reporting that no Pinoy died in the Oklahoma twister that flattened an entire town and killed dozens of other residents. Let’s give this behavior a serious thought, shall we? Okay, that’s enough. Some will say the predilection shows our love Read More …

Yanks told: Don’t you go to far Zamboanga

 News
May 292013
 
Yanks told: Don’t you go to far Zamboanga

By Inquirer Mindanao, Julie S. Alipala, Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 4:48 am | Thursday, May 30th, 2013 ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—The United States Embassy on Wednesday warned US citizens against traveling to the Zamboanga Peninsula, saying it had moved its personnel already in the area to a secure location amid a “credible” kidnap-for-ransom threat against foreigners. The emergency message was posted on the embassy website Wednesday, the same day that US Ambassador Harry Thomas was in Zamboanga City to launch three major five-year programs of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). “The embassy advises all American citizens residing in or planning to travel to the Zamboanga area to reevaluate their personal safety situation and consider postponing travel to this area at this time,” it said. But there was no mention of any threat during the US envoy’s visit here on Wednesday. Mayor Celso Lobregat, who had breakfast with Thomas, said the ambassador did not say anything about the US Embassy warning. “Nothing was mentioned about the advisory,” Lobregat said. Senior Supt. Edwin de Ocampo, city police chief, was also surprised by the advisory. “Their ambassador was just here,” De Ocampo said. Thomas, however, canceled his scheduled trips to the military’s Western Mindanao Command headquarters here and to Jolo, Sulu. The ambassador, who alternated between limping and sitting on a wheelchair, said he suffered a “slip while dancing.” He left for Manila at noon. In Zamboanga City, he visited the Ateneo de Zamboanga and the Garden Orchid Hotel. The embassy Read More …

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