Maniolas

CONTINUING REFORMS FOR 16th CONGRESS: Senate President Franklin Drilon tells businessmen during the annual meeting of the Makati Business Club (MBC) held at the Peninsula Manila in Makati City Thursday, August 6, 2015, that the Senate will continue to work on bills that will improve the economy, create a stable political environment and expand the distribution of social services. “We shall continue in the last regular session of this Congress, and even beyond, the pursuit of good governance and the audacity to implement meaningful reforms, no matter how unpopular they may be,” Drilon said. (MNS photo) MANILA   (Mabuhay) – While backing the possible tandem of administration’s presumptive presidential bet Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Senator Grace Poe, Senate President Franklin Drilon expressed confidence that Roxas could still win in 2016 without the neophyte senator. “Mar will build up his strength as a presidential candidate,” Drilon said in an interview Thursday at the Makati Business Club Annual Meeting. He also reiterated the Liberal Party’s preference to have Poe as Roxas’ running mate, describing her “an ally of the administration.” “Grace Poe has been an ally of the administration. She has been supportive of the administration in the Senate, and yes, we would like Grace Poe to be nominated as running mate of Mar,” Drilon said. Drilon also said they see in Poe, daughter of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., somebody who can support the reforms of the administration. “This administration wish to continue [those reforms] in the next administration,” Read More …

Senator Gringo Honasan pays his final respect to Senator Flavier. (MNS photo) MANILA, Aug 7 (Mabuhay) – After several delays, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday formally filed the graft complaints against the third batch of incumbent and former government officials allegedly involved in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam. In separate complaints filed with the Office of the Ombudsman, the NBI said Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan III, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Director General Joel Villanueva, Cagayan De Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing, La Union Rep. Victor Ortega and Abono party-list Rep. Conrado Estrella III, have all violated Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The kickbacks the nine lawmakers allegedly received were as follows: Honasan – P1.75 million Bagatsing – P600,000 Conrado Estrella – P45.03 million Robert Raymund Estrella – P22.675 million Manuel Ortega – P14.35 million Victor Francisco Ortega – P9,587,500 Real – P3.25 million Rodriguez – P2.099 million Villanueva – P2.33 million They were charged with the following crimes: malversation of public fund under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code direct bribery under Art. 210 of the RPC manifest partiality and bad faith in grantinf unwarranted benefits and advantage to the injury of the government (Section 3 [e] of Republic Act 3019) requesting a share or percentage from a government contract (Section 3 [b] of Republic Act 3019) entering into a transaction grossly disadvantageous to the government (Section 3 [g] of Republic Read More …

Dennis Trillo (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — “LOVE is lovelier the second time around.” This was the short response of actor Dennis Trillo when asked about his renewed closeness with his former girlfriend, Jennylyn Mercado The two, who dated in 2011, are set to work opposite each other in new primetime series “My Faithful Husband” on GMA-7. They are also rumored to have gotten back together after the two posted pictures of them together on Instagram. Trillo said things are going smoothly and everything between them just fall into place. He gave a score of perfect 10 when asked to rate how happy he was. “Marami kasing magandang nangyari bukod doon sa magandang relasyon namin. Bukod sa bagong show, sa takbo ng career, sa mga nangyayari sa buhay ko, sa pamilya ko, love life, halat na, masaya at wala ng mahihiling pa,” he said. Dennis Trillo and Jennylyn Mercado (MNS Photo) Trillo added that he and Mercado get along well and they are starting to appreciate each other. “Maganda yung samahan namin, working relationship okay din, magkaibigan din. Pero merong mga ibang bagay na hindi kailangan sabihin. Kung ano yung mga nakikita ng mga tao, hindi mo na kailangang pang sabihin.” “Hindi naman ako yung tao na nagpo-focus lang sa love life, pero masaya lang ako sa mga nangyayayri. Magkakatrabaho kami ulit and maayos kami,” he added. The actor said that they want to keep and treasure what they share now, but if there is something that they need to Read More …

John Spainhour on handling fame: “I’m still getting used to the attention.”