PNoy wants sanctions for officials who approved Leviste parole

 News
Dec 082013
 
PNoy wants sanctions for officials who approved Leviste parole

President Benigno Aquino III on Monday said he is looking into the possibility of imposing sanctions against officials of the Board of Pardons and Parole who approved the parole application of former Batangas Governor Jose Antonio Leviste. “Pinahanap ko na rin, meron bang sanctions puwede doon sa Board of Pardons and Parole; ni-review ko na rin paano ba naa-appoint diyan sa Board of Pardons and Parole. Ni-review iyong buong system para hindi mangyari uli itong ganito,” Aquino told reporters in a chance interview during the anniversary celebration of the Department of Labor and Employment in Quezon City. In questioning the approval of the parole application, Aquino noted that Leviste’s “escape” two years ago is not indicative of good conduct. “Paano magiging good conduct iyong nasa labas ng piitan habang nagse-serve ng sentence? So hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit maco-consider man lang,” he said.  Leviste was charged with murder for the 2007 shooting of his long-time aide Rafael de las Alas. He was convicted in January 2009 for the lesser offense of homicide, with the court saying the killing of De las Alas did not appear to be premeditated. He was punished to serve a minimum sentence of six years and a maximum sentence of 12 years, but it was slashed to just a little under five years after he earned “good conduct time allowance.” He re-emerged in the headlines in May 2011 when he was reported to have “escaped” from prison. He was re-arrested, transferred to the maximum security facility, Read More …

Nuvoland Philippines, Inc: Creating lifespaces that shape lifestyles

 Economy
Nov 202013
 
Nuvoland Philippines, Inc: Creating lifespaces that shape lifestyles

Nuvoland President & CEO Rally Martinez leads the company forward with the philosophy of innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction. MANILA, Philippines – Recognizing the changing trends and preferences that shape the lifestyle of Filipinos, upscale property developer Nuvoland Philippines Inc. has undertaken a brand update to reflect its commitment to create value for clients through real estate. Rally Martinez, Nuvoland president and chief executive officer, sat down with PhilSTAR.com to share the company’s vision and strategies to keep their clients happy. He said the new Nuvoland logo reflects the company’s passion for innovation and adherence to the gold standard in delivering high quality products and first-class customer service. “We have always been committed to observing and applying the gold standard, which represents the highest quality possible, to each and every Nuvoland product that we bring to the market,” Martinez said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1  Creating Lifespaces that Shape Lifestyles Fulfilling its tagline and brand promise of “Creating Lifespaces. Shaping Lifestyles. Fulfilling Lives,” Nuvoland is firming up even grander plans and projects both to grow its corporate profile and expand its product line. “We coined ‘lifespaces’ because, clearly, whether it’s residential, office, or retail, it’s a space where people spend a lot of time in, and thus, where they create and live their lives,” Martinez added. Aside from Infinity Tower in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Aspire Tower in Quezon City, Nuvoland is also constructing Dream Tower, the second residential building in its flagship mixed-use Read More …

DOJ prosecutor accused of extorting P2.5M from PALEA members suspended

 News
Oct 302013
 
DOJ prosecutor accused of extorting P2.5M from PALEA members suspended

The Office of the Ombudsman has suspended the senior prosecutor of the Department of Justice accused of extorting P2.5 million from members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) National Prosecution Service chief Prosecutor General Claro Arellano confirmed that Assistant State Prosecutor III Diosdado Bernales Solidum Jr. has been suspended pending the resolution of his case pending with the Ombudsman. “Pros. Solidum is placed under preventive suspension without pay for a period which shall continue until the case is terminated but shall not however exceed six months,” Arellano told GMA News Online on Wednesday. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, in August, ordered the filing of criminal charges against Solidum for direct bribery and for violation of Section 7(d) in relation to Section 11 of Republic Act  6713 (Code  of  Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. According to the Ombudsman, Solidum demanded P10,000 each from the more than 200 PALEA members or equal to almost P2.5 million in exchange for the dropping of the pending charges against them. A complaint for violation of Section 81(b)(5) of Republic Act 9497 the Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2008 has earlier been filed with the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office against 241 PALEA members. Morales said the money being demanded later went down to P1.2 million payable in installment. PALEA president and complainant Gerardo Rivera said Solidum had request a meeting last July 29 in Quezon City, in which the prosecutor said having the union members’ case reversed would entail costs. “Rivera replied that Read More …

Napoles paid BIR staff to escape audit – whistleblower

 News
Oct 102013
 
Napoles paid BIR staff to escape audit – whistleblower

Pork barrel scam whistleblower Marina Sula said her former employer and alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles had connections in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). It went to the point that, Sula claimed in her affidavit, Napoles paid BIR employees to sweep under the rug the audit on the questionable assets of one of Napoles’ dubious corporations, according to a report that aired on “24 Oras” on Thursday. “I was present when our lawyer, Atty. Rocky Delson, negotiated with BIR officials and paid them to cease auditing JCLN Global Properties Development Corp.’s properties because the corporation had many assets but no sales,” Sula said in her August 2013 affidavit. Asked to name these BIR officials, Sula said in a separate affidavit that they are three male revenue officers in the BIR’s main office in Quezon City. “Hindi ko na po matandaan ang mga pangalan nung tatlong lalaking BIR Revenue Officers… Ang natatandaan ko lang ay taga-Investigation Department sila ng BIR National Office [Head Office] sa BIR Road sa Quezon City,” Sula said in her September 2013 affidavit. BIR chief Kim Henares said they would check on the officers who audited Napoles’ corporations. “We would check whether there was an audit conducted between those periods and who were the people auditing. And we will question them,” Henares said in the report. Sula said the JCLN Global Corp. was questioned by the BIR in 2009 and 2010 due to the number of its properties and assets despite having a low paid-up Read More …

SSS fetes pioneer AlkanSSSya partners

 Entertainment
Sep 262013
 
SSS fetes pioneer AlkanSSSya partners

Photo shows SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio de Quiros, Jr. (left), Social Security Commission Chairman Juan Santos (2nd from right) and SSS Executive Vice President Edgar Solilapsi (right) with (from left) TS Cruz Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association President Oliver Sabaulan; United Vendors of New Las Piñas Public Market President Meneses Pareja; Bureau of Jail Management and Penology – Quezon City Female Dormitory Working Detainees Wardress, Jail Chief Inspector Elena Rocamora; Quezon City Integrated Solid Waste Disposal Facility – Payatas Operations Group Head Jameel Jaymalin; and Payatas Alliance Recycling Exchange Multi-Purpose Cooperative Chairman Imelda Arilas. Also awarded was the Samahan ng mga Caddies sa Calatagan Golf Club, Inc. The Social Security System (SSS) bestowed the “Bilib Kami Sa’Yo” Special Award to five informal sector groups or “ISGs” that were the first in their respective industries to participate in the AlkanSSSya Program during ceremonies held at the SSS Corporate Headquarters in Quezon City on September 9. Their role as pioneer ISGs helped pave the way for social protection of tricycle operators and drivers, market vendors, jail inmates, golf club workers and garbage recyclers in other parts of the country. Also awarded was the Samahan ng mga Caddies sa Calatagan Golf Club, Inc.

SSS Medical Mission

 Entertainment
Sep 172013
 
SSS Medical Mission

The attendees benefited from various services such as medical consultations and blood pressure check ups (top photo) as well as dental consultations and tooth extractions (bottom photo). Social Security System (SSS) doctors, dentists and nurses offered free health services to members and pensioners during the SSS Medical Mission at the Members Assistance Center of the SSS Diliman Branch in Quezon City on September 4. The attendees benefited from various services such as medical consultations and blood pressure check ups as well as dental consultations and tooth extractions. Other services offered include anemia screenings, cholesterol readings, glucose tests, electrocardiograms, bone scans and eye exams. The SSS also distributed free medicines and five hundred reading glasses on a first come, first served basis. Apart from SSS Diliman, other SSS branches simultaneously hosted their own SSS Medical Missions at ten other locations across the country for members and pensioners in their respective areas. The Medical Mission is part of SSS’ line up of activities to commemorate its 56th anniversary on September 1, 2013

LIVE UPDATES: Floods persist as enhanced habagat dumps more rains

 News
Aug 202013
 
LIVE UPDATES: Floods persist as enhanced habagat dumps more rains

Many parts of Metro Manila and nearby areas remained flooded Tuesday amid southwest monsoon rains enhanced by tropical storm “Maring.” Classes were still suspended in most of the areas affected by floods, while Malacanang has also ordered the suspension of work in government offices. Yahoo! Philippines brings you live updates on the floods and the weather situation. Please refresh the page for the latest news. 11:30 p.m. Tropical storm “Maring” gains strength and continues to enhance the southwest monsoon that is dumping rains over Luzon. “Maring” had maximum winds of 105 kilometers per hour (kph) when it was last seen at 520 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, Pagasa said. It is forecast to move northwest at 19 kph and is expected to move out of the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday evening. 10:55 p.m.: The weather bureau has lowered the rainfall warning over Metro Manila and surrounding provinces to “yellow” from “orange,” even as it warned of flooding in low-lying areas. “Moderate to heavy rains is expected over Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro for the next three hours,” Pagasa said. 8:07 p.m.: The La Mesa Dam continues to overflow, while water is being released from the Ipo, Ambuklao, Binga and Magat dams, Pagasa said. 7:59 p.m.: Flooding is threatening, Pagasa said, as it kept an orange rainfall warning over Metro Manila and surrounding provinces. Heavy to intense rains are affecting Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales and Bataan, it Read More …

Suspected Abu Sayyaf sub-leader-turned-OFW nabbed in Quezon City

 News
Jul 292013
 
Suspected Abu Sayyaf sub-leader-turned-OFW nabbed in Quezon City

By Marlon RamosPhilippine Daily Inquirer 5:53 pm | Monday, July 29th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines — Intelligence operatives of the police and the military have arrested a suspected sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf who had allegedly found a new life as an overseas Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia. Sali Basal Taib, alias Gong-gong Sali and Abu Husni, was among the Abu Sayyaf bandits involved in the Lamitan, Basilan, siege in 2001, Director Francisco Uyami, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, said Monday. Uyami said Taib was arrested by CIDG and Army personnel in Payatas, Quezon City, on July 25 after he brought his son to school. Taib was facing a string of kidnapping cases in Basilan and carried a P5.3-million reward for his arrest, he added. “He was able to leave the country using (fake documents) and worked as electrician in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” Uyami said in a news briefing at Camp Crame. “Like other Abu Sayyaf bandits, (Taib) left Basilan and lived a normal life. He had just returned to the country for a vacation and to observe Ramadan. Fortunately, we were able to get information about his whereabouts,” he said. Taib’s arrest was covered by arrest warrants separately issued by Isabela City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 1 Judge Leo Jay Principe and Isabela RTC Branch 2 Judge Danilo Bucoy. According to Uyami, Taib was one of the heavily-armed bandits who ran over the town of Lamitan and occupied the Don Jose Torres Memorial Hospital in 2001. Read More …

Biz groups urge gov’t to honor contracts with water firms

 Economy
Jul 202013
 
Biz groups urge gov’t to honor contracts with water firms

MANILA, Philippines – The government must adhere to contracts entered into with water concessionaires as doing otherwise may discourage the private sector from participating in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program, business groups said. In a joint statement, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Foundation for Economic Freedom, Management Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed concern over calls for changes as well as cancellation of contracts with water concessionaires that have been aired, including by government agents. “Such statements, if accepted, could reinforce perceptions that there are risks to investing under the Philippine PPP program,” the groups said. The groups said they are of the view such scenario is not something the government intends to happen. “We, therefore, urge Philippine authorities to faithfully adhere to the terms of the concession agreements, including following the provisions on dispute settlement that call for international arbitration in the event of differences,” the groups said. They added that demands for tariff adjustments need to be framed strictly within the agreements, and be mindful of the public’s need not just for reliable clean water, sewage and sanitation services but also for other necessary infrastructure. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Water concessionaires Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Services Inc. are both seeking adjustments in water rates. Manila Water is seeking a P5.83 per cubic meter increase in its basic charge while Maynilad wants an P8.58 per cubic meter rate hike for 2013-2018. Earlier, advocacy group Read More …

DILG to probe ‘squatting’ syndicate on Agham Road

 Entertainment
Jul 082013
 

MANILA  (Mabuhay) – The government will investigate the “squatting syndicate” that allegedly funded the resistance plans of informal settlers along Agham Road in Quezon City whose houses were set to be demolished Monday. In a statement, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Francisco Fernandez said Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has informed them of a syndicate […]

 Older Entries  Newer Entries