Forum Energy losses widen

 Economy
Jul 302013
 
Forum Energy losses widen

MANILA, Philippines – Forum Energy Plc., a British oil and gas exploration company with focus on the Philippines, said its net loss widened to $2.75 million in the first half of the year, from $1.67 million recorded in the same period in 2012. Forum Energy, which is 60.49-percent owned by corporate taipan Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Philex Petroleum Corp., reported higher revenues during the period at $2.24 million, up from $1.35 million a year ago. “This increased revenue reflected the fact that the Galoc field operated normally throughout the period whereas it did not operate for the first four months of 2012 whilst the facilities were being refurbished,” Forum Energy said. The temporary closure of the Galoc oil field in Palawan in the early part of 2012 resulted in a decrease in production to 5,410 barrels of oil per day from 6,637 bopd in 2011, data from the company showed. Forum Energy said it is still unable to commence drilling in its main project, Service Contract 72 in the Sampaguita oil field in the disputed Recto Bank in the West  Philippine Sea. Forum Energy noted that it has been granted an extension to August 2015 to complete the second sub-phase obligations of drilling wells on SC 72. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The Department of Energy has extended the company’s work program by two years to August 2015 from the original deadline of August 2013 to allow it to complete its obligations under the service contract. Forum Read More …

Supreme Court extends order stopping RH law

 News
Jul 152013
 
Supreme Court extends order stopping RH law

(UPDATED 1:00 p.m.) – In a close vote, Supreme Court justices on Tuesday extended indefinitely the status quo ante order (SQAO) stopping the implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law. The SC imposed a status quo ante order on the law last March, delaying its implementation. The order was supposed to expire on July 17 but the high court extend it on Tuesday. The SC Public Information Office said the justices voted 8-7 to extend the status quo ante (Latin for “the way things were before”) order against the health measure. “SC, voting 8-7, ordered SQAO in RH Law extended until further orders effective immediately,” the SC PIO said. The status quo ante order directs the parties to observe the status or situation before the implementation of the RH law. The controversial law mandates the government to use public to distribute contraceptives, deploy midwives, and teach sex education in elementary among others. The extension came a day before the original 120-day SQA order, issued on March 19, was to expire on Wednesday. In the original SQA order, the justices voted 10-5. The five who dissented in the earlier voting were Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, and Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Mariano del Castillo, Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Marvic Leonen. The second round of oral arguments on the controversial law is scheduled for July 23, when petitioners are expected to continue presenting their arguments against the law, enacted by President Benigno Aquino III in December 2012. During the first day of Read More …

SC Justice brands unseated Marinduque solon's claims as 'baseless, malicious'

 News
Jul 122013
 
SC Justice brands unseated Marinduque solon's claims as 'baseless, malicious'

The camp of Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco on Friday described as “baseless and malicious” an accusation made by unseated Marinduque Rep. Regina Ongsiako Reyes that the magistrate “wielded his influence” in her disqualification case. At a press conference on Thursday, Reyes accused Justice Velasco of using his “unelected post” to promote the interest of his family. Reyes recently lost a case at the SC, which upheld her disqualification on the grounds that she is an American citizen. Reyes’ rival in the last elections was Velasco’s son, losing congressional bet Lord Allan Jay Velasco. This prompted the SC magistrate to inhibit from the case filed with the SC. “Justice Presbitero J. Velasco Jr did not participate in [the case] as he actually inhibited from the case, although his son, Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco, is not a party to said case,” said Theresa Genevieve Co from the magistrate’s office. In a 19-page resolution, the Comelec en banc ordered the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) of Marinduque to proclaim Lord Allan as the winning representative in the province’s lone district. Voting 5-2, the Comelec en banc said Reyes lacked the one-year residency required for an elected official. In March, the Comelec First Division has canceled her certificate of candidacy on the grounds that she is an American citizen. “The allegation that he wielded his influence in said case is baselss and malicious,” Co said in a statement. “Being a lawyer and an officer of the court, Atty. Reyes should have Read More …

Unseated Marinduque solon accuses SC justice of wielding influence

 News
Jul 112013
 
Unseated Marinduque solon accuses SC justice of wielding influence

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has annulled the proclamation of Regina Ongsiako Reyes as the winning representative of Marinduque province in the May 13 elections. In a 19-page resolution, the Comelec en banc ordered the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) of Marinduque to proclaim Lord Allan Jay Velasco as the winning representative in the province’s lone district. “The May 18 proclamation of the respondent, Regina Ongsiako Reyes, is declared null and void and without any legal force and effect,” the Comelec said. Voting 5-2, the Comelec en banc said Reyes lacked the one-year residency required for an elected official. In March, the Comelec First Division has cancelled her certificate of candidacy on the grounds that she is an American citizen. Reyes, at a press conference, denied that she’s an American citizen. She also accused her rival’s father, Supreme Court Justice Presbitero Velasco, of wielding his influence following a high court ruling favoring Reyes’ earlier disqualification by the Comelec. “I have a copy of my Philippine passport,” she said. “I also have a certificate from the Bureau of Immigration that I used only a Philippine passport in all travels after I renounced my American citizenship.” Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr., Commissioners Lucenito Tagle, Elias Yusoph, Grace Padaca, and Luie Guia voted to unseat Reyes, while Commissioners Christian Lim and Al Parreño dissented on the grounds that the poll body no longer has jurisdiction over the case since Reyes has been proclaimed by the PBOC. Reyes vs. Velasco Meanwhile, Reyes, during her press Read More …

Justices say Supreme Court cannot settle medical issues in RH Law

 News
Jul 092013
 
Justices say Supreme Court cannot settle medical issues in RH Law

CJ Sereno, 13 justices start oral arguments on RH law. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (far center) and other Supreme Court justices hear the oral arguments on the Reproductive Health law on Tuesday, July 9. The SC in March suspended the implementation of the RH law, pending a resolution of the 15 petitions against it. Six ‘intervenors’ supporting the law have been allowed by the SC to take part in the debates. Of the 15 magistrates, only Associate Justice Arturo Brion was not present during the oral arguments. Danny Pata Several Supreme Court justices, including Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, agreed that the high court does not seem to be the right forum – at least for now – to contest the controversial Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law. In interpellating lawyer Maria Concepcion Noche, one of the legal counsel for the petitioners, Sereno went as far as saying that if she were to be asked, the high court might have no choice but to exercise “judicial restraint” on the 15 petitions assailing the law. “Are we in a position to supplant moves of Congress on a policy decision?” Sereno asked on the first day of oral arguments on the RH Law’s constitutionality. “Can we say this is a better way? We are limited. First because we are unelected and because we have already defined nets and bounds.” The Supreme Court imposed a status quo ante order on the law last March, delaying its implementation. The order expires on July 17, Read More …

CBCP readies for RH battle before SC, Villegas vows fight for church beliefs

 News
Jul 082013
 
CBCP readies for RH battle before SC, Villegas vows fight for church beliefs

The new leader of the Catholic bishops in the Philippines said Monday they will continue to fight for their church beliefs, including their reasons for opposing the Reproductive Health law.  Incoming Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas stressed this as several lawyers of the 14 anti-RH law petitions attended a Mass in Manila Monday, the eve of the arguments before the Supreme Court. He said it is the Church’s duty to fight for its stand on various issues. “We are NOT social troublemakers.  We are CONSCIENCE troublemakers,” he said with his Twitter account. “We are not a lobby group.  We are not rally organizers.  We are not another NGO.  We are Christ’s followers,” he said in another tweet. Anti-RH activities In a separate article posted on the CBCP news site early Tuesday, Catholic bishops invoked God’s blessings and guidance for lawyers who will argue against the RH law before the Supreme Court. On Tuesday, the anti-RH law lawyers and petitioners are to attend a Mass at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia in Ermita, Manila at 9 a.m. “Our first support for the SC process will be a Mass and a prayer vigil because that is our first priority. Our first contribution is to show to the world that prayer has power to change the world,” said Villegas. He added there will be a prayer vigil and a Mass “because we believe in the Church that the Mass can change and Read More …

SC urged to issue opinion on bid to let US, allies to use PH bases

 News
Jul 082013
 
SC urged to issue opinion on bid to let US, allies to use PH bases

By Tetch Torres-TupasINQUIRER.net 3:35 pm | Monday, July 8th, 2013 Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Fisherfolk group on Monday urged Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to issue a legal opinion that puts question on the constitutionality of the proposal to allow the US government and other military allies of the Philippines to use military bases across the country. In a three-page letter to De Lima dated July 8, members of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) through its Vice Chairperson Salvador France and Peter Gonzalez, Chairperson-Southern Tagalog said they believe the Justice Department is “constitutionally, politically and morally obliged to issue a legal opinion that questions the legality of such proposal. “We ask the honourable chief of the justice department to break her silence and tell the people in Malacañang that the proposal to give greater access to US, Japan and other junior partners of Washington DC for rated-A military intervention and aggression all over the country is a flagrant violation of the 1987 Constitution and grand affront to the sovereign rights of more than 100-million Filipinos,” they said in their letter. President Benigno Aquino III defended the plan to give the US and Japan access to the former US bases in the Philippines. The government has dismissed report that the Philippines is planning to build new air and naval bases that US forces could use to counter China’s creeping presence in the West Philippine Sea. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on Read More …

Militant groups ask SC to stop US war games

 News
Jul 022013
 
Militant groups ask SC to stop US war games

By Christine O. AvendañoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 3:18 am | Wednesday, July 3rd, 2013 lipino students burn a mock US flag during a rally in Manila on Tuesday, July 2, 2013. Militant groups on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to stop the United States from holding war games in the country, as well as from making port calls, following the damage wrought in the Tubbataha protected area by one of its Navy warships, the USS Guardian, when it ran aground in January. AP PHOTO/AARON FAVILA MANILA, Philippines—Militant groups on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to stop the United States from holding war games in the country, as well as from making port calls, following the damage wrought in the Tubbataha protected area by one of its Navy warships, the USS Guardian, when it ran aground in January. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Kalikasan and other groups filed an urgent motion for a temporary environmental protection order (Tepo) in the high court. In April, they asked for a writ of “kalikasan” on the same case against the US government for the damage in Tubbataha. In an 87-page petition, the groups sought for an ex-parte Tepo or a writ of kalikasan aimed at ordering the respondents led by Scott Swift, commander of the US 7th Fleet, and Mark Rice, commanding officer of the Guardian, “to stop port calls and military exercises in the absence of clear environmental guidelines, duties and liability schemes for breaches of those duties.” The Guardian ran aground in Tubbataha on Read More …

Militants challenge US gov't to heed SC order on Tubbataha Reef grounding

 News
Jun 242013
 
Militants challenge US gov't to heed SC order on Tubbataha Reef grounding

Militant groups on Monday challenged the US government to heed a Philippine Supreme Court order for it to comment on a writ of kalikasan petition earlier filed in connection with the grounding of the US navy ship USS Guardian at the Tubbataha Reef last January. Salvador France, vice chair of the fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), said the US government should no longer invoke international treaties to skirt the SC ruling. “The US government must respond to and account for their crimes against the people and the environment. That is simple as ABC, nothing more, nothing less. The incident merits the filing of criminal and other appropriate charges against officials and the 79 other crew of USS Guardian and the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Mutual Defense Treaty between Manila and Washington,” said France. Earlier reports claimed that the high court had issued a resolution directing the US government and Malacañang, as well as Cabinet and military officials to file a comment on the petition filed last April 17 by a group of two Catholic bishops, environmentalists, activists, and lawyers. Supreme Court Public Information Office chief and spokesman Theodore Te could not immediately confirm if such a resolution had been issued. The US servicemen named as respondents in the petition were Navy officials Scott Swift, Commander of the US 7th Fleet; and Mark Rice, commanding officer of the USS Guardian. For his part, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes welcomed Read More …

US urged to comply with SC order to comment on Tubbataha case

 News
Jun 242013
 
US urged to comply with SC order to comment on Tubbataha case

By Tetch Torres-TupasINQUIRER.net 2:42 pm | Monday, June 24th, 2013 In this photo taken on March 30, 2013, and released by the Philippine Coast Guard on Monday, April 1, 2013, the stern of the USS Guardian, a U.S. Navy minesweeper, is transferred to another ship after being lifted out of the water at the Tubbataha Reef, a World Heritage site, in the Tubbataha National Marine Park, southwest of the Philippines. Tubbataha park superintendent Angelique Songco said the fine for damaging the protected coral reef would be about 24,000 pesos ($600) per square meter, so the U.S. could be facing a fine of more than $2 million. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Left leaning fisherfolk group called on the US government to comply with the Philippine Supreme Court’s order to comment on a petition calling for a filing of criminal, administrative and civil cases against those responsible for the grounding of the USS Guardian last January 17 in Tubbataha Reef. “The US government through its embassy in Manila should respond to the Supreme Court and refrain from invoking several concerns that would make it very difficult for concerned groups which filed the petition,” Salvador France, vice chair of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said in a statement Monday. “The US government must respond to and account for their crimes against the people and the environment. That is simple as ABC, nothing more, nothing less. The incident merits the filing of criminal and other appropriate charges against officials and Read More …

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