Senator Jinggoy Estrada arrested in graft scandal

 Entertainment
Jun 232014
 
Senator Jinggoy Estrada arrested in graft scandal

First it was fellow Sen. Bong Revilla who surrendered; Enrile next? Senator Jinggoy Estrada leaves the residence of his father, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, in Greenhills, San Juan on Monday, June 23, to proceed to Camp Crame to surrender following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him and several others in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam. (MNS photo) MANILA, June 23, 2014 (AFP) − Philippine police detained Monday the senator son of former president Joseph Estrada, the second high-profile official arrested within days over a massive corruption scandal. Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, 51, gave himself up to police after the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court said it found probable cause to proceed with the charges and issued an arrest warrant. “I never stole a single centavo from government coffers,” a defiant Estrada told reporters, as he accused President Benigno Aquino of playing politics and cracking down on his opponents. “At the end of the day, I will prove my innocence,” he said. “I will face all charges against me in court.” Flanked by his father Joseph Estrada, the senator then boarded a white van trailed by a long line of media vehicles for a short drive to the police headquarters, where he turned himself in. Estrada is among 54 people indicted for an alleged scam in which lawmakers, their staff, and other officials are accused of embezzling millions of dollars alloted for development projects. In particular, Estrada is accused of pocketing 183 million pesos (about $3.4 million) in “pork Read More …

Lani wants air cooler inside Bong’s detention cell

 Entertainment
Jun 232014
 
Lani wants air cooler inside Bong’s detention cell

Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. undergoes booking procedures in Camp Crame on Friday, June 20, after he surrendered to the Sandiganbayan. The anti-graft court manifested that it has taken Revilla into custody because he surrendered, and that there is no need to serve an arrest warrant issued against him. The booking process included a medical examination, and taking his fingerprints and mugshot. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) − Cavite Representative Lani Mercado-Revilla has expressed concern over the health of her husband, Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., who is detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame. On Friday afternoon, Revilla complained of migraine due to the extreme heat inside his detention cell. “Tumataas ang BP (blood pressure) niya kapag mina-migraine siya. Yun ang problema, so we have to control that,” Mercado saod. Mercado said she has requested the PNP to allow them to bring an air cooler inside her husband’s cell. “Sana mapayagan po yun kahit yung air cooler, para at least lumamig-lamig lalo na pag hapon kasi very humid talaga,” she said. She noted that it would be more costly for the PNP if Revilla’s condition worsens since he would have to be rushed to the hospital. “Mas mapapamahal talaga sila kapag may nangyari na emergency [at kailanganing] dalhin pa sa ER (emergency room).” According to Mercado, she is also hoping that the court will transfer her husband to another cell or at least allow his doctors to visit him to check his condition. Mercado also Read More …

Cherie Gil denies tiff with ‘Ikaw Lamang’ production

 Entertainment
Jun 232014
 
Cherie Gil denies tiff with ‘Ikaw Lamang’ production

Cherie Gil (MNS photo) MANILA, June 23 (Mabuhay) − Cherie Gil denied that her character was killed off in the top-rating series “Ikaw Lamang” because of a rift between her and the show’s production team. The veteran actress explained that it is just normal for the cast and crew of a TV show to have some “ups and downs” but it wasn’t the reason why her character died on the soap. “Tampuhan? Wala. It’s just ups and downs, rollercoaster, just the way a soap should be. The way the process is always ganyan, ‘di ba? Hindi naman smooth sailing. Alam natin iyan,” she said. “Mahirap ang ating trabaho, hanggang umaga. So nagkakaroon ng mga konting glitches pero naaayos,” she added. In the June 12 episode of “Ikaw Lamang,” Gil’s character, Miranda, died after she was accidentally shot by her father, Maximo (Ronaldo Valdez). Miranda’s death came after she tried to save Maximo from being ambushed by Gonzalo (John Estrada) and Paquito (Ronnie Lazaro). Last March, Dreamscape publicity head Eric John Salut confirmed that Gil “walked out” of the set of the ABS-CBN soap at around 10 p.m. to attend a send-off party even though she was supposed to shoot her scenes until 2 a.m. Gil, for her part, complained about the alleged lack of work ethic in TV soaps. (MNS)

Jinggoy Estrada, wife renew wedding vows before his arrest

 Entertainment
Jun 232014
 
Jinggoy Estrada, wife renew wedding vows before his arrest

President Benigno Aquino III says Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (shown above while speaking on the podium) may know more about the alleged harassment and extortion attempts on Janet Lim Napoles in 2013, a few months before the pork barrel fund scam controversy hit the headlines. (MNS Photo) MANILA, June 23 (Mabuhay) – Amid his impending arrest, Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and his wife renewed their wedding vows in time for their 25th anniversary. Estrada confirmed that he and his wife Precy took their vows on Sunday at the house of his father, former president and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada. “Our children surprised us with a simple, very very simple wedding ceremony in the house of my dad yesterday, in anticipation of our simple wedding anniversary this coming Saturday,” he said. Estrada, who is accused of committing plunder in connection with the pork barrel scam, is expected to join Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in jail soon if the Sandiganbayan finds probably cause for the charges filed against him. A court official earlier said the arrest warrants for Estrada and his co-accused will be released on Monday. Last month, Estrada, while insisting on his innocence, lamented that he won’t be able to celebrate the milestone of his marriage with his wife. “We plan to attend Mass and invite close friends for a simple gathering, if I would not yet be in jail by then,” he said during a privilege speech. The Senator said he was pleasantly surprised with what his children had Read More …

Ramon Ang acquires GMA Network shares

 Economy
Jun 232014
 
Ramon Ang acquires GMA Network shares

Composite photos show GMA Network chairman Felipe Gozon and San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang. Gozon blog, AP file MANILA, Philippines — Broadcasting firm GMA Network has agreed to sell a minority stake to San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang after several months of negotiations. In a Philippine Stock Exchange disclosure on Tuesday, GMA said its major shareholders have agreed to sell minority equity interest to  Ang.  The listed broadcasting company said that final terms and conditions of the share purchase documents, however, have yet to be firmed up. “An appropriate disclosure shall be made upon execution of the relevant definitive agreements by the parties for the transaction,” the disclosure noted. Confirming that there were ongoing talks on the purchase, GMA Network chief executive Felipe Gozon said he does not know why Ang is “very, very interested in buying into GMA.” “We are talking. I cannot disclose any details because as I said our discussions are covered by a confidentiality agreement,” Gozon said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Ang’s move came after GMA Network’s failed negotiations with telecommunications mogul Manuel V. Pangilinan. Pangilinan, also the chairman of TV5, had said he has lost interest in acquiring a stake in the country’s second largest broadcasting network. Gozon confirmed that Pangilinan “got tired” and backed out from the talks. Business analyst and STAR columnist Boo Chanco, meanwhile, said Ang’s interest in having an influence over the network is similar to Pangilinan’s “play.” Ang has reportedly bought a stake in Read More …

POEA Governing Board lifts deployment ban on OFWs returning to Libya

 Entertainment
Jun 232014
 
POEA Governing Board lifts deployment ban on OFWs returning to Libya

A batch of 37 female overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) repatriated from Syria, arrive at 4 p.m. Friday (March 7) via EK 332. OWWA personnel and from Office of the Vice President (center photo) assist the returning OFWs upon their arrival at the Gate 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, on Thursday announced the lifting of the deployment ban on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returning to Libya under certain skills categories. “The POEA Governing Board, in a meeting, approved Governing Board Resolution No. 9, Series of 2014 allowing the processing and redeployment of OFWs under certain skills categories,” Baldoz said. The resolution was signed by Acting Secretary Ciriaco Lagunzad III, together with Governing Board members Milagros Isabel Cristobal, Alexander Asuncion, Estrelita Hizon, Felix Rofolfo Oca, and POEA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac, the Governing Board’s Vice Chairman. The resolution takes effect immediately and allows the gradual re-deployment of returning workers under the following categories: (a) OFWs employed by diplomats, foreign embassies, missions, and international organizations in Libya; (b) OFWs working off-shore in oil rig platforms, provided they will not pass through, or spend their vacation in, mainland Libya; (c) OFWs working for multinational companies, government hospitals, and schools, as well as those working for the Libyan National Oil Company; and (d) Filipinos who are married to Libyan nationals. To further ensure the safety of OFWs under Read More …

Immigration chief: ‘Less than 10’ in ‘pork’ scam may have fled PHL

 Entertainment
Jun 232014
 
Immigration chief: ‘Less than 10’ in ‘pork’ scam may have fled PHL

Senators Jinggoy Estrada (leftmost) and Juan Ponce Enrile (rightmost) may land in jail if plunder charges, a non-bailable offense, are filed against them. The two, along with Sen. Bong Revilla, have been named by whistleblowers and alleged pork scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles as the lawmakers who accepted bribes for ghost projects. In photo with the senators are ousted president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada (second from right) and Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is also the presumptive presidential opposition candidate in 2016. MANILA (Mabuhay) – “Less than 10” of the more than 50 individuals criminally charged before the Sandiganbayan over the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam might have already left the country, Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison said Thursday. Mison made the revelation after emerging from a meeting with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima in Manila. The Immigration chief, however, said his office is still verifying the names of those who might have already left, especially those with common names. He said the Bureau of Immigration would be asking the Sandiganbayan for more details on the accused individuals, including their full names – middle names included – and dates of birth to determine if the people on their records to have left where the same ones who had been indicted. On Wednesday, De Lima said she had already directed the Bureau of Immigration to be on the lookout for pork barrel fund scam suspects who would be attempting to flee. De Lima said that even if arrest warrants have not Read More …

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