TRANS-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. has surrendered its rights over a hydropower resource area in Benguet, less than a year after it secured the contract from the government.
Feb 132015
Feb 132015
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Friday corroborated talk of a destabilization plot, pointing at members of the “political opposition” as organizers of rallies that are expected to start next week. Trillanes, who himself participated in failed mutinies against the Arroyo administration, said, though, that no members of the military have attended planning meetings. “Ang profile ay political oppositon, some civil society groups, Catholic church, some leftist groups,” he said but did not specify which groups. He also declined from naming the supposedly rich financier behind the plot. “Yung mayaman? Di natin puwedeng sabihin pero magkaka-konekonekta yan. Yung mga players na yan, magkakadikit sila,” he said. Asked whether the supposed plotters are associated with the Arroyo administration, Trillanes replied: “Lahat lahat na, sama sama na lahat ng against kay PNoy.” He stressed, though that nobody from the military is involved in the plans, which supposedly involve massive rallies to “ride on” public sentiment over the Mamasapano incident. “Pilit nilang ikino-konekta kay Pangulong Aquino ang insidente para ma-direct sa kanya ang galit . That is their formula,” he said. He said, though, that blame for the clash that killed 44 members of the elite police Special Action Force after a mission to get terrorists Zulkilfi Bin Hir (alias Marwan) and Abdul Basit Usman in a Maguindanao town rests with Director Getulio Napeñas Jr., who was relieved as SAF chief after the Jan. 25 clash. “Sa amin (military) kasi, simple mag-isip. Sa mata ng isang opisyal, kapag binigyan ka ng misyon, bibigyan kang Read More …
Feb 132015
Petitioner Dionarto Q. Noblejas was appointed by respondent Italian Maritime Acadamy Philippines, Inc. (IMAPI) as training instructor/assessor on a contractual basis for three months effective May 20, 2009. After the expiration of the three-month period, IMAPI hired Noblejas anew as training instructor/assessor with the same salary rate but no written contract was executed for his rehiring. In a case for illegal dismissal filed by Noblejas against IMAPI, the former claims that he already attained the status of a regular employee because he was allowed to work beyond the stipulated period of his employment and he performed functions which were necessary or desirable in the usual business or trade of IMAPI. Does his contention find merit? Ruling: Yes. Pursuant to Article 280 of the Labor Code, there are two kinds of regular employees, namely: (1) those who are engaged to perform activities that are usually necessary or desirable in the usual business or trade of the employer; and (2) those who have rendered at least one year of service, whether continuous or broken, with respect to the activities in which they are employed. Regular employees are further classified into (1) regular employees by nature of work and (2) regular employees by years of service. The former refers to those employees who perform a particular function that is necessary or desirable in the usual business or trade of the employer, regardless of their length of service; while the latter refers to those employees who have been performing the job, regardless of its Read More …
Feb 132015
Former Agusan Del Sur Representative Rodolfo Plaza has asked the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan to dismiss the multiple cases filed against him in connection with his alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso pork barrel fund scam. Plaza said the cases were based on mere “hearsay”. In his 18-page “urgent motion for judicial determination of probable cause” filed with the Sandiganbayan Second Division, Plaza through his legal counsel, said the Office of the Ombudsman erred in its resolution finding probable cause to file against cases of malversation, graft and direct bribery against him. He said the charges lacked evidence apart from the testimony of pork barrel scam primary whistleblower Benhur Luy. “Movant Plaza respectfully submits that his inclusion in these cases is erroneous and that movant is implicated only in these instant cases on inadmissible evidence,” Plaza said in his motion filed on February 9 but only made available to the media on Friday. Plaza was among the second batch of lawmakers charged by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan earlier this month for their alleged involvement in the pork scam. Filed against Plaza were five counts of graft, five counts of malversation and two counts of direct bribery for allegedly funnelling, from 2004 to 2010, his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel to fake non-government organizations (NGOs) allegedly owned by Janet Lim-Napoles in exchange for commissions or kickbacks amounting P42.1 million. Plaza, in his motion, however, said that all the cases filed against him were just anchored on Read More …
Feb 132015
Regine Velasquez (MNS Photo) Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez said she tends to be “choosy” when it comes to movie projects, noting that it is not her forte. Velasquez admitted that she usually feels uncomfortable when doing films. “I get uncomfortable… Bago ko gawin ‘yung project, talagang kailangan kong i-psyche ‘yung sarili ko. Mahirap ha, kasi I have to wake up in the morning being a different person,” she said. Velasquez was quick to add, however, that she also enjoys being a movie actress. “Siyempre, I end up enjoying it. Pero before that, lagi akong hesitant because I am not an actor. I am a singer,” she said. “I want to accept projects na I am sure I can do, like rom-com,” she added. “Depende siguro din kung may role pa na babagay sa akin.” When asked about her preferred leading man should she star in a movie again, Velasquez said: “Hindi ko alam. Kasi nga, parang hindi ko masyadong iniisip eh. So hindi ko alam unlike before na parang once a year kailangan kong mag-movie so naghahanap na agad ako [ng actor].” Velasquez starred in hit films like “Wanted: Perfect Mother,” “Dahil May Isang Ikaw,” “Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw,” “Till I Met You” and “Pangako Ikaw Lang.” (MNS)
Feb 132015
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chief Negotiator Mohagher Iqbal during the continuation of the hearing for SAF 44.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal on Thursday admitted that the MILF leadership does not have complete control of the areas in Mindanao identified as MILF territories. “Hindi po namin sinasabi that the MILF is in total control of Moro areas. We have control in certain areas but total control po ay hindi,” Iqbal said at the continuation of the Senate probe on the January 25 Mamasapano incident. “Kahit na ‘yung government of the Republic of the Philippines ay wala din naman pong total control of its area. May mga lawless groups pa rin na gumagala. So ganun din po yung sa MILF territories, hindi total control,” he added. Iqbal was responding to the query of Sen. Teofisto Guingona about the presence of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and private armed groups in the area of Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano, where the firefight between the PNP-Special Action Force and the MILF occurred on January 25. The site of the incident was identified as an MILF-controlled area. Earlier at the hearing, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Mujiv Hataman admitted that there was confirmed presence of private armed groups in the encounter site during the January 25 incident. Guingona then questioned Iqbal on the matters of security if the MILF will be given authority to establish and run its own police force. Bangsamoro Read More …
Feb 132015
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago asks questions to Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chief Negotiator Mohagher Iqbal during the third public hearing on the Mamasapano incident. Santiago asks committee to reconsider showing Mamasapano video, says it can be admissible as evidence in court. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Thursday said criminal charges may be filed against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) before the international court if proven that their members were involved in the brutal killing of elite policemen in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on January 25. At the continuation of the Senate investigation on the Mamasapano incident, Santiago said a video showing the brutal killing of one of the SAF troopers by still unidentified men can be used as evidence in the filing of charges. In the said video, which was first posted on YouTube, it can be seen that one of the Special Action Force (SAF) commandos was still alive when he was shot twice on the head by a still unidentified man, believed to be a Moro guerilla. “Sa paa lang ang tama pero nilapitan niya at binaril sa ulo twice. Walang pakundanggan! At bukod diyan ay may dala pa silang video para mai-post. Parang trophy pa nila. Ganung klase ang kalaban na meron tayo,” Santiago said. Santiago pointed out that the situation on the ground during the encounter can also be used as basis in the filing of charges against the MILF before the international court. She stressed that based on the United Nation’s Read More …
Feb 132015
Senator thinks Aquino not forthcoming on Mamapasano bloodbath was not completely forthcoming on his role in Mamasapano clash Philippine National Police Special Action Force Chief Supt. Getulio Napenas, Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, chairperson of the Government Peace Negotiating Panel for talks with the MILF, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Sec. Teresita Quintos Deles and Former Agriculture Secretary and member of the Peace panel Senen Bacani take their oath during the hearing on the Mamasapano incident where 44 members of the PNP SAF were killed.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago does not think President Benigno Aquino III has been completely forthcoming regarding his role in the January 25 Mamasapano operation that led to the deaths of 44 elite policemen. At a press briefing Thursday after her appearance at the Senate hearing on the Mamasapano incident, Santiago went as far as saying that relieved Special Action Force (SAF) chief Director Getulio Napeñas Jr. was just a “scapegoat.” Asked if she thinks Aquino was forthcoming about his role in the incident, Santiago said, “No, not completely.” The SAF members were killed when the operation, designed to arrest two high-profile terrorists, resulted in an encounter with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has an existing peace agreement with the government. On Aquino’s statement that the operation to arrest Malaysian Julkifli bin Hir and Filipino bomb-maker Basit Usman does not need his go-signal, Santiago said, “I don’t believe that for a minute, I’m sorry.” “He had a direct hand from the very Read More …
Feb 132015
Senator Bong Revilla, shown in photo on his way to be detained on plunder and graft charges, said his lawyer, Sal Panelo, only talked about the rats and roaches in his cell in jest. Revilla’s lawyer has said the senator’s family saw rats “as big as cats” inside the senator’s cell. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Detained Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla and his lawyer Joel Bodegon have formally cut ties, according to a manifestation sent to the Sandiganbayan First Division Wednesday, but made public Thursday. In a two-page document, Bodegon, who said last week that he will stop handling Revilla’s pork barrel scam cases, informed the court that he is no longer lawyering for the senator. “Undersigned law firm respectfully withdraws as Counsel for Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. in the instant case. Sen. Revilla’s conformity is indicated herein below,” the document said. Revilla is accused of funneling millions of pesos in his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel fund to fictitious non-government organizations for kickbacks. The said NGOs were allegedly put up by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles. Revilla and his co-accused allegedly received P224.5 million in kickbacks from 2006 to 2010. In December 2014, The Sandiganbayan denied Revilla’s bid for temporary freedom. He has filed a motion for reconsideration that is currently pending before the anti-graft court. Prior to serving as counsel for Revilla, Bodegon was one of the lawyers of former Chief Justice Renato Corona during his 2012 impeachment trial. Meanwhile, in the same document, Bodegon asked Read More …
Feb 132015
Go hearty with these easy-to-prepare recipes made more flavorful with the tomato goodness of Hunt’s Sauces.