Lapid’s wife gets 3 years probation in US

 News
Feb 062013
 
Lapid’s wife gets 3 years probation in US

By Nimfa U. Rueda Inquirer Correspondent 6:14 pm | Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 Sen. Lito Lapid and his wife Marissa LOS ANGELES—The wife of  Sen. Lito Lapid felt “very relieved” that her cash smuggling case is over following her sentencing by the US district court to three years of probation, said her lawyer Eliot Krieger. The probation period includes five months of home confinement. Krieger said that Marissa Lapid, who remains confined in her residence in Las Vegas, Nevada, may be able to return to the Philippines “after five months of home confinement with the permission of the Probation Department.” Marissa Lapid “is very relieved to have the whole thing over,” Krieger told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Krieger said that in a plea agreement that he negotiated, Lapid pleaded guilty to cash smuggling and conspiracy to structure transactions “with intent to evade reporting requirements.” Lapid was charged before US Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen in Las Vegas and sentenced on Monday (Tuesday in Manila). The reporting violations stemmed from a series of cash deposits made by Lapid in different banks in Las Vegas from January 2009 to June 2010 totaling more than $150,000. Banks are required to submit to the federal government currency transaction reports on cash deposits that exceed $10,000. Lapid’s cash deposits ranged from $5,000 to $9,000. All the deposits, plus the $40,000 confiscated from Lapid when she arrived at McCarran International Airport on Nov. 27, 2010, were forfeited by the US government, Krieger said. The lien placed on Read More …

US navy contractor dumped millions of liters of wastes in Subic

 News
Feb 062013
 
US navy contractor dumped millions of liters of wastes in Subic

SAYS LEGARDABy Matikas Santos INQUIRER.net 5:48 pm | Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 Sen. Loren Legarda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Millions of liters of sewage wastes were dumped in the Philippine waters by US Navy contractor Glenn Defense Marine Asia without proper permits from the government, Senator Loren Legarda, who headed an investigation into the waste dumping incident in Subic Bay in October, said Wednesday. “We are talking here of millions of liters of sewage wastes disposed at sea by Glenn Defense over a period of time, without the requisite permits from the government,” Legarda said in a statement. “They do not even have the necessary accreditation as waste collectors from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA),” Legarda said after the joint investigation of the Senate committees on foreign relations and environment and natural resources into the incident. Legarda said that Glenn Defense was guilty of violating Philippine laws when its tanker, MT Glenn Guardian, dumped sewage wastes collected from US Navy ships 37 kilometers off Subic, last October 15. She said that Glenn Defense, the Philippine arm of a Singapore-based company that operates in 27 countries providing marine husbanding services, had been doing the practice over the past several years. The estimated 200,000 liters of sewage that the MT Glenn Guardian collected from the US Navy ship Emory Land had previously been found to be in excess of the toxicity standards set by the DENR. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had also Read More …

Filipino killed in hijacking of tanker off Nigeria—DFA

 News
Feb 062013
 
Filipino killed in hijacking of tanker off Nigeria—DFA

By Tarra Quismundo Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:18 pm | Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—A Filipino seafarer was killed when an unidentified group of pirates hijacked a chemical tanker off the coast of Nigeria on Feb. 4, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday. Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson, said pirates shot and killed the Filipino seaman when they boarded the Pyxis Delta, a tanker registered in the Marshall Islands, on Monday. He was rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead upon arrival at the facility, Hernandez said. Eight other Filipino crewmen who were also aboard the ship at the time of the hijacking are safe and are expected to be repatriated soon, Hernandez said. “They are safe and in good health but we don’t have a full report and details about the incident,” he said. The hostage-taking was apparently resolved immediately but Hernandez said the DFA has received only a sketchy preliminary report from the seamen’s local manning agent in Manila. Details remain unclear as to how long the pirates held the ship and how and why they finally let go of the vessel and its crew. The Pyxis Delta is now anchored off the Nigerian coast with its crew still on board, Hernandez said. At least 23 Filipino seamen are still in the hands of pirates on three hijacked ships in Somalia, some already for months, the DFA said.

Globe's net income falls in 2012

 Economy
Feb 062013
 
Globe's net income falls in 2012

Ernest L. Cu, President and CEO of Globe Telecom Inc. briefs the media of the company’s 4th quarter and full year performance in 2012. TAM NODA MANILA, Philippines — Globe Telecom announced Wednesday the company’s consolidated net income after tax was down 30 percent from P9.8 billion in 2011 to P6.9 billion in 2012.  Globe cited accelerated depreciation charges related to its $700 million network modernization program as the reason for the profit decline. The company’s full year consolidated EBITDA was at P35.0 billion, or down by about P93 million from P35.1 billion in 2011. Globe said incremental revenues were re-invested in additional marketing and subsidy expenses to acquire new postpaid subscribers as well as defend market position through various brand-building initiatives.  Operating expenses also included charges for continued investments in network infrastructure, costs to maintain an expanded 2G, 3G, and broadband networks, and charges incurred as the Company undergoes its network and IT modernization programs.  Ernest L. Cu, President and CEO of Globe Telecom Inc., said  that given the increasingly competitive environment, Globe is hopeful that the gains it has made in terms of brand building and differentiation through customer experience will tide the company through what it describes as “most critical period” completing the network and IT modernization program and undertaking related transition efforts. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “These initiatives will enable us to reinforce our industry position as a formidable challenger and allow us to continue delivering superior value to our stakeholders Read More …

Australian firm to put up thermal paper plant in Phl

 Economy
Feb 052013
 
Australian firm to put up thermal paper plant in Phl

MANILA, Philippines – Australian thermal paper manufacturer TMA is putting up a multi-billion peso plant in the Philippines, a first in the country, to supply the growing needs of various industries.  “TMA Australia Pty. Ltd. is definitely consolidating its manufacturing operations in the Philippines. It has entered into a lease agreement to put up its manufacturing facilities in one the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) zones,” Anthony Karam, TMA chief executive officer said. The multi-billion peso thermal paper plant in Laguna will be the first in the country and will start operations using state-of-the-art equipment and machinery before the second quarter of this year, Karam said. Initial reports have indicated that TMA is pulling out of China and will relocate to the Philippines as its regional hub for Asia and the Pacific. TMA, a leading manufacturer of thermal and other paper products in the Asia Pacific and Australia, is now in the process of making the Philippines as its regional hub in the Asia-Pacific region. It is the only thermal paper plant being set up in the country using high-tech machinery while other local suppliers have to import thermal papers being utilized by government agencies, airlines and other private firms. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 TMA products’ pricing is also competitive since TMA will not have to deal with tariffs and other duties. Full operations are expected early in 2013, the Australia-based company said, with 500 workers to be hired initially. This will grow to about Read More …

House panel closes Pagcor probe

 Economy
Feb 052013
 
House panel closes Pagcor probe

MANILA, Philippines – The good government committee of the House of Representatives closed its investigation yesterday into fund irregularities that the previous administration of Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. (Pagcor) committed. “We have gathered enough material to conclude this inquiry and prepare a report,” Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas, committee chairman, told his panel. He said his committee’s evidence includes several complaints filed by incumbent Pagcor officers against their predecessors led by former chairman Efraim Genuino with the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the DOJ resolutions on such complaints. Before Treñas adjourned yesterday’s hearing, Negros Oriental Rep. George Arnaiz called attention to a Pagcor report listing the names of Genuino’s consultants.  “There are scores of consultants listed here. They were receiving from P100,000 to P145,000 a month. But I am curious about one name – that of Consuelo Ynares-Santiago. Is she the same person as Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago of the Supreme Court?” he asked. Lawyer Michael Gaspar of Pagcor’s legal department gave an affirmative answer. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Responding to a question from Arnaiz, Gaspar said he did not know why Ynares-Santiago became a Pagcor consultant from February 2010 up to the time the new Pagcor officers assumed office. “We terminated all consultancy contracts entered into by the previous administration,” he said. Ynares-Santiago was appointed to the Supreme Court on April 6, 1999 by then President Estrada. In answer to another question, Gaspar said he did not know how many consultants incumbent Pagcor chairman Cristino Read More …

MPTC mulls expansion in Cebu, Asean countries

 Economy
Feb 052013
 
MPTC mulls expansion in Cebu, Asean countries

SINGAPORE – Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), the largest toll road management firm in the Philippines, is settings its sights on Cebu and countries like Vietnam and Indonesia for expansion. The tollway management unit of Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) will pursue almost 120 kilometers of toll roads in the two Southeast Asian countries as it conducts a study for a P26-billion toll bridge in Cebu, company officials said. In a briefing, MPTC executives outlined the company’s expansion plans specifically in emerging Vietnam and Indonesia that, like the Philippines, need more infrastructures to help sustain robust economic growth. MPTC president Ramoncito S. Fernandez said the company has identified the Becakayu toll road project in Indonesia as an investment opportunity. “The project is envisioned to connect Jakarta to the eastern part of Bbekasi City,” he said. It will be divided into two sections: the 10.167-kilometer Casablanca to Jaka Sampura and the 10.875-km Jaka Sampura to Marga segment. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 PT. Kresna Kusuma Dyandra Marga, which holds the 45-year concession of the expressway, earlier discussed the project with Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada (CMNP) but the latter found the entry at the high side. There are plans to discuss with industrial firm Bouygues Group “for a potential partnership to include CMNP,” MPTC said. In Vietnam, MPTC is looking at the six-lane, 98.7-km Dau Giay Phan Thiet Expressway project. Key bid parameter is the viability gap financing amount requested by the bidder,” MPTC said. The first Read More …

Visa sets Phl rollout of EMV chip cards

 Economy
Feb 052013
 
Visa sets Phl rollout of EMV chip cards

MANILA, Philippines – Visa Inc., a global payments technology company,  is preparing to roll out in the Philippines the Europay MasterCard Visa (EMV) chip cards, a new tool that would further protect customers against fraud, a top company official said. Iain Jamieson, Visa country manager for the Philippines and Guam, said they have a timeline to encourage acquirers to upgrade their automated teller machines (ATMs) in Asia Pacific and the US to accept EMV chip cards. “If an EMV chip card is used at an ATM that cannot accept EMV chip-enabled cards, the ATM acquirer will bear the cost for counterfeit fraud. Currently card issuers bear the liability for fraudulent ATM transactions,” he said. “As electronic payments and ATMs become more widely used across the Philippines and abroad, Visa is committed in ensuring the security of cardholders’ transactions,” he added. EMV chip technology, Jamieson said, adds additional security layers, giving cardholders greater peace of mind. “The security benefits of dynamic authentication to the ATM channel will significantly reduce card present fraud,” he said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Since EMV chip payment devices generate dynamic values unique to each transaction and that change with every use, chip technology adds an additional layer of security that helps significantly reduce card fraud. By encouraging investments in EMV chip technology, Visa is encouraging improved international interoperability and security with dynamic authentication as well as helping to build a foundation for mobile payments. At present, Visa connects consumers, businesses, financial Read More …

Fisherfolk groups urge DOJ to slap raps vs. USS Guardian execs, crewmen

 News
Feb 042013
 
Fisherfolk groups urge DOJ to slap raps vs. USS Guardian execs, crewmen

A federation of fisherfolk groups on Tuesday formally asked Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to file charges against Navy officials and crew members of the USS Guardian for what they called a “grand massacre” of the Tubbataha Reef Park after an accident earlier this month. In a letter to De Lima, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said Rear Admiral Jeffrey Harley and Lt. Commander Mark Rice of the US Asia Pacific military command and the 79 crew members of USS Guardian should all be held liable for the destruction of the reef. “The evidence is so damning enough to enforce the arrest of US Navy officials and 79 crew members of USS Guardian for extremely violating the country’s sovereignty and laws. But nothing has been done to pursue their arrest and demand accountability from them,” said the Pamalakaya, a national federation of small fisherfolk organizations in the Philippines. The USS Guardian ran aground on Tubbataha Reef last January 17 and could not immediately be extracted. Much of its potentially harmful content – including 15,000 gallons of fuel – have already been removed from the ship. An initial assessment of the incident had shown that about 1,000 square meters of corals in Tubbataha Reef park have been severely damaged. It is believed that it takes a year for a millimeter of mostly hard corals in Tubbataha’s South Section to go back to its sound condition and it will take 250 years for a meter of coral to Read More …

Senate approves bill regulating use of firearms, ammunition

 News
Feb 042013
 
Senate approves bill regulating use of firearms, ammunition

The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to regulate the use of firearms and ammunition in the country. Senate Bill 3397 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammuition Regulation Act seeks to appeal sections of Presidential Decree 1866, a section of Republic Act 8294, and other laws, executive orders, letters of instruction, issuances, circulars, administrative orders, rules or regulations concerning firearms and ammunition. Under the measure, a person must be a Filipino citizen, at least 21 years old, has “gainful” work or business, and has filed an income tax return to qualify and acquire a license to own and possess firearms and ammunition. The applicant likewise must not be convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude and must have passed a drug test, psychiatric test, and a gun safety seminar. The bill says that permits to carry firearms outside of the residence shall be issued by the chief of the Philippine National Police or any duly authorized representative to “any qualified person whose life is under actual threat or their lives are in imminent danger due to the nature of their profession, occupation or business.” “It shall be the burden of the applicant to prove that his life is under actual threat by submitting a threat assessment certificate from the PNP,” it said. It said that the following professionals are considered to be in imminent danger due to the nature of their profession, occupation or business. members of the Philippine bar certified public accountants accredited media Read More …

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