Mar 122014
 
AMLC investigating Ruby Tuason’s 89 bank accounts

Senate CCTV footage shows Ruby Tuason without duffle bag. A CCTV footage purportedly showing potential state witness Ruby Tuason (left) passing the Senate hallway on November 17, 2008 is shown during the privilege speech of Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Wednesday, March 12. Pia Arcangel-Halili The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) is investigating 89 bank accounts belonging to Ruby Tuason, a potential state witness in the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam, a radio report said Wednesday. According to the report on dzRH, the AMLC found that Tuason has a total of 89 bank accounts under her name plus other joint financial records with her children. Tuason reportedly has accounts with the Bank of Commerce, Banco De Oro, Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp., Metropolitan Bank & Co., Philippine Bank of Communications, Security Bank Corp. and Union Bank. Witness protection Malacañang meanwhile said it is up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to decide whether Tuason is still qualified to be under the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP). “Tungkulin ng DOJ ang patuloy na alamin ang kanyang pagiging karapat-dapat na mapasama sa WPP sa harap ng kongkretong katibayan,” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., said in a text message sent to reporters. Tuason, a former Malacañang social secretary, is among the 38 individuals facing plunder case before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the pork barrel scam. On February 13, she appeared before the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the scam and testified that she used to deliver Read More …

Mar 112014
 
Philippine typhoon mother rises from ruins

In the savage aftermath of the Philippines’ deadliest storm, an exhausted young woman gave birth to a girl on a filthy floor with little more than determination to sustain them. Emily Sagalis survived the tsunami-like ocean surges of Super Typhoon Haiyan by gripping a fence with one hand, while using the other to protect her swollen belly from chunks of metal and other fast-floating debris. Three days later the 21-year-old was lying on a concrete floor in labour amid broken glass, splintered wood and other wreckage of a destroyed airport building that had been turned into a makeshift medical centre. A military doctor told an AFP journalist who witnessed the birth — the first at the centre since the typhoon — that Emily’s life was in danger as there were no antibiotics to treat seemingly inevitable infections. But with the medics overwhelmed by a torrent of critically injured survivors, Emily was forced to leave with Bea Joy just seven hours after giving birth. Haiyan, one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded, claimed about 8,000 lives in November last year, with many people dying in the terrifying days that followed when medicines, food and water were scarce. Emily and Bea Joy, however, defeated death, and today the first-time mother is striving with powerful maternal instincts to create lives of security and happiness on top of the weakest foundations. “I am happy that Bea Joy is happy and healthy. That’s the most important thing,” Emily told AFP on a recent visit Read More …

Mar 112014
 
PMPC stands firm on Vice Ganda’s best actor win amid vote-buying claims

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) denies allegations of vote-buying in Vice Ganda’s win as Movie Actor of the Year for “Girl Boy Bakla Tomboy” at the recently-concluded Star Awards for Movies. RELATED: Jobert Sucaldito airs sentiment over Vice Ganda’s Star Awards victory This is after movie columnist and radio personality Jobert Sucaldito claimed that a voting member of the PMPC, which holds the yearly Star Awards for Movies, lobbied and paid for Vice’s win. Vice won against “On The Job” star Joel Torre, who Sucaldito claimed was the “rightful winner” of the award. He also bested “Boy Golden: Shoot to Kill” actor E.R. Ejercito, who Sucaldito admittedly lobbied for to win the best actor nod. Sucaldito said Ejercito did not know he lobbied for him to win the acting award and that it’s not wrong for him to lobby for the win since he is not a PMPC voting member. The PMPC, which is composed of movie and entertainment reporters, gives out the yearly Star Awards for Movies, as well as the Star Awards for Television and Star Awards for Music. RELATED: Vice, KC lead winners of 2014 Star Awards for Movies In a statement sent to Philstar.com and other media outfits, the PMPC said they are standing firm in their decision of naming Vice as the 2014 Star Awards for Movies best actor as they refute the voting-buying allegations. Their complete statement reads: “The Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) is saddened by the unfortunate turn of Read More …