Maniolas

MONEY LAUNDERING: Senators in a huddle during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, on the alleged $100 million that was laundered in the Philippines. Photo shows (from left to right) Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Sergio Osmeña III (seated), Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Alan Peter Cayetano, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. In his opening statement Guingona said that he “cannot agree to an executive session because subject funds belong to the Bangladesh government which did not invoke confidentiality.”(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) — The Legal counsel for Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito has accused the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) of being negligent or even part of “cover-up” when it singled out the RCBC Jupiter branch manager in money laundering charges. It’s because of this money laundering case filed by the AMLC before the Department of Justice that has prevented Deguito from spilling the beans, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said in a press statement on Thursday. The case was filed on Friday, the day Deguito was barred from leaving the Philippines to go to an alleged vacation trip to Japan. “There is a conspiracy here that boggles the mind involving extremely wealthy, powerful and well-connected individuals, but we are confident that the Senate will not spare anyone, no matter his or her status and stature in the banking community and in Philippine society, so that the incident under investigation will not be Read More …

(photo courtesy of Lakambini Facebook page) Los Angeles – The Lakambini Ng Kalayaan 2016 is back in its full glory. And organizers of The Lakambini Ng Kalayaan 2016 are calling for participants to join the cultural pageant of community organizations that will take place on June 3 in Los Angeles. The winner of The Lakambini Ng Kalayaan will be the muse of the parade on the 4th Historic Filipinotown Philippine Independence Day Parade on June 4. Philippine Independence Day is celebrated every June 12. Ms. Bernie Ganon, the Lakambini 2016 director general is calling leaders of the various community organizations to enlist their participants to represent their respective clubs. Ganon said this year’s sponsor organizations for The Lakambini Ng Kalayaan 2016 pageant include the Fil-Am International USA, The Filipino American Service Group Inc (FASGI) and  the Philippine Institute for Language, Arts and Culture (Pilac). There will also be a Lakambini Ng Kalayaan Meet & Greet day for candidates on April 16. A talent night will be on May 21 while the coronation night will be on  June 3. Ganon said criteria and requirements for the candidates will be announced later, She said that right now The Lakambini is accepting organizations’ participation for their candidates and the participation fee of $300 for each candidate. Rosemarie Mejia, who represented FASGI, was crowned as Ms. Lakambini Ng Kalayaan 2015 at the Castaway Restaurant in Burbank last June. For more information please call Ganon at (213) 487-9804 or Sid Balatan at (213) 399-5042, or visit the Lakambini Facebook page Read More …

MONEY LAUNDERING: Senators in a huddle during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, on the alleged $100 million that was laundered in the Philippines. Photo shows (from left to right) Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Sergio Osmeña III (seated), Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Alan Peter Cayetano, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. In his opening statement Guingona said that he “cannot agree to an executive session because subject funds belong to the Bangladesh government which did not invoke confidentiality.”(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – A car dealer pushed for the appointment of Maia Deguito as manager of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation’s branch on Jupiter Street in Makati, a bank executive told the Senate inquiry on Thursday. RCBC treasurer Raul Victor Tan said Deguito was supposed to be assigned at the Beacon branch in the Bonifacio Global City but was eventually appointed to the Jupiter post upon the recommendation of a certain Jason Go. “Who is this Mr Jason Go that he can cause the designation of the branch manager? He is not part of the RCBC but he seems to be very powerful?” asked Senator Teofisto Guingona III, the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. “I believe he has large businesses which would help in bringing up the business of the branch,” Tan answered. Deguito is at the center of the controversy after she allegedly opened the dubious bank accounts at the Read More …

Employees from various government offices launch “Kawani Kontra Daya,” a campaign against election-related fraud and violence, in Quezon City on Wednesday. The group vowed to expose practices that directly use public funds, resources, machineries and personnel in support of a particular candidate.(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – The Commission on Elections will really have to print voting receipts for the May national elections. This was after the high court affirmed on Thursday an earlier decision compelling the poll body to activate the voter verification paper audit trail feature of the vote counting machines. In a media briefing, SC Public Information Office chief and spokesman said the tribunal voted unanimously to deny the Comelec motion seeking to reverse the SC’s March 8 decision. Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Lucas Bersamin were on leave, while Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, who did not attend the oral arguments, did not leave his vote. Responding immediately after the announcement, former Sen. Richard Gordon, who filed the petition, said the Comelec does not need additional time to just to activate the voter verification paper audit trail (VVPAT) and make changes in the machines’ source code. “Hindi mahirap ayusin ang source code. Nagawa nila nung February 8 and 9. Pinalitan nila [ang source code] dahil may hindi nagtugma [sa machines]… Ginawa rin nila iyon noong automated elections noong 2010. Nadiskubre nilang may diperensiya. Nabilang at napalitan nila ang makina, 76,000. Napalitan lahat ng CF cards. Nakakagulat iyon. Kaya malakas ang loob ko na kaya iyan,” he said. Gordon Read More …

Presidential candidate Grace Poe, her running mate Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, and veteran lawyer Lorna Kapunan (extreme left), acknowledge crowd after the tandem endorse Kapunan’s senatorial bid on Friday (Oct. 23) at the Balay Kalinaw in UP-Diliman, Quezon City. (MNS photo) Vice-presidential race frontrunner Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said it is high time the government seriously address the problem of land-grabbing and stop individuals or groups from illegally and forcibly taking the land of others, including those owned by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). “Land-grabbing involving both public and private lands should be stopped and land grabbers should be dealt with accordingly,” said Escudero, who is running as independent under the banner “Gobyernong may Puso” alongside leading presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe. Escudero said he received numerous complaints regarding land grabbing, particularly in Antipolo City, where property owners, mostly OFWs, lost their lands by force, intimidation or misinformation. “Land grabbing seems to be rampant in Antipolo City and yet authorities are not doing anything,” Escudero said, as he lamented that most of the victims are OFWs. “It is unacceptable that the properties bought by OFWs with their hard-earned money accumulated over the years of working abroad, go away just like that,” he said. Escudero, meanwhile, vowed to take back all government-owned lands illegally encroached by land-grabbing syndicates and use them for future socialized housing projects, if he and Poe are elected. “We will retrieve all state lands in adverse possession of land mafias across the country and turn them into housing projects Read More …