MANILA, Philippines – It may not be too obvious to viewers, but Melisa “Melai” Cantiveros, Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Double Up Big Winner, is also bothered by her poor grasp of the English language.
The 21-year-old undergrad student from General Santos City took up Bachelor of Education major in English at the Mindanao State University to perfect her skill. But a lot still needs to be done for her to speak the language fluently, she said.
She said she is nervous that her professors might get infuriated every time they see her on television bungling her English.
"Magaling talagang magturo ang mga teacher doon kaya nga ako nag-aral ng major in English para matuto ako. Kaya lang ngayon hindi pa ako natututo kaya kailangan ko ng matuto," Cantiveros said.
Cantiveros, the "Inday Kengkay of GenSan," has often been ridiculed by her inability to speak straight English.
"Alam niyo sa written okay lang pero pag-iisipan ko pa talaga. Pero kapag tanungan na talaga doon ako nara-rattle sa English," Cantiveros added.
Cantiveros was named PBB’s Big Winner during the show's finale at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on February 13.
Garnering the highest text votes of 32.08%, Melai took home P1 million cash prize, P2.5 million worth of house and lot, a water refilling station franchise, and a 40-inch LCD TV screen among other prizes. Her chosen charity group also received P1 million.
Pokwang loves to work with Melai
Meanwhile, host-comedienne Pokwang said she is willing to work with Cantiveros, who is perceived by many as her rival in the comedy department.
"Sa tingin ko mukhang masarap siyang kasama at mukhang masayahing bata naman siya. Looking forward to work with her kung anuman ang trabahong yon," Pokwang told “SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon.”
Pokwang, one of “Wowowee’s” female hosts, said Cantiveros reminds her of herself when she was still starting in show business. "’Yong napaka-hyper na magsalita. Dati ganyan ako na sobrang bilis kong magsalita.”
On Monday Cantiveros downplayed persistent talk that she will eventually outshine comedianne Pokwang.
Cantiveros, whose loud and bubbly personality earned her the moniker “Inday Kengkay ng GenSan,” pointed out that Pokwang is already an established comedienne in the industry. Thus, she said, it is impossible for her to become a threat to Pokwang’s career.
"Ano parang bomb threat? Hindi naman ako bomb threat? Siyempre ibang level naman si Pokwang. Nahihiya naman ako. Bakit naman ako ang threat? I can't believe it,” Cantiveros told abs-cbnNEWS.com.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Charge cops in death of 16 in Parañaque shootout—CHR
Filed Under: Paranaque shootout, Police, Crime
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 3) The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Monday recommended the filing of administrative and criminal charges against 18 policemen including two police generals, who were involved in the fatal shootout with robbers inside a Paranaque subdivision that killed 16 persons over a year ago.
In a CHR resolution, Chairperson Leila De Lima said that those to be charged both criminally and administratively include 18 members of the elite police unit Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and three police officials.
The CHR said the policemen committed “multiple human rights violations” during the 40-minute shootout last December 5, 2008, which led to the death of six civilians, including seven-year old Lea Alyanna De Vera, at the United Parañaque Subdivision 4 in Barangay (Village) Marcelo Green.
The three police officials recommended for criminal and administrative charges for “obstruction of justice” are: Superintendent James Cristobal; Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, the former chief of the HPG and Chief Superintendent Orlando Mabutas, current chief of the HPG.
De Lima said the three officials failed to institute sanctions against the policemen involved, particularly in the killing of De Vera and her father Alfonso.
The policemen recommended for criminal and administrative charges for the deaths of De Vera and Ronaldo Eusebio were: Chief Insp. Joel L. Mendoza; Chief Insp. Lawrence B. Cajipe; Insp. Gerardo B. Balatucan; Insp. Doroteo R. Tolentino; Police Officer 3 Jolito P. Mamanao Jr.; PO3 Fernando Rey S. Gapuz; PO2 Eduardo G. Blanco; PO1 Josil Rey I. Luceña; PO2 Edwin C. Santos; and PO1 Elybeer Cayaban.
Others included are Senior Police Officer 1 Jayson A Galimba; PO3 Arvin S. Ramos; PO3 Edwin C. Cuadra; PO3 Jesus S. Pascual; PO2 Fidel Quirejero; PO2 John I. Idio; and PO1 Wilfredo B. Reyes.
De Lima said the CHR was “greatly alarmed at the ease with which PNP personnel under investigation can conceal weapons subject of firearms identification and examination by the PNP Crime Laboratory.”
In its investigation, the CHR revealed that members of the HPG failed to surrender their firearms to the Crime Laboratory for testing.
De Lima denounced the statement from the policemen who said they failed to surrender their firearms because the weapons they were carrying at the time of the shootout were not used.
“This position cannot explain the discovery of at least seven 5.56mm shells for M16 rifles recovered near the body of Alfonso De Vera, or the high-velocity bullet that killed Lia Alyanna,” De Lima said.
“We find the members of Team II of the HPG most probably liable not only for murder, but for obstruction of justice as well, for knowingly and deliberately concealing and failing to surrender the long firearms they used in the killing of Lia Allana and Alfonso De Vera consisting of, as testified by Hilario Indiana, M16s, baby armalites and M14s,” she added.
The CHR added several police operational procedures (POP) were violated in the encounter such as the rule on moving vehicles.
Under Rule 8 of the POP, “Moving vehicles may not be fired upon solely to disable them. The driver or other occupant of a moving motor vehicle may be fired upon if the police have probable cause to believe that the suspects pose an imminent danger of death to the police or other persons.”
However, De Lima said policemen still fired upon the vehicle of the De Vera family “although they do not present any threat to the HPG men.”
Also violated by the operatives during the shootout were Rules 6 and 7, on the use of deadly force and on reasonable force, said De Lima, who stressed the De Veras pose no threat to authorities.
“The police operation became out-of-hand, there was no respect for the human rights of the victims,” De Lima said in a radio interview following a news conference where she released the findings of the body.
The commission, however, withheld any recommendation on police operatives involved in the deaths of the three other civilians in the same shootout pending further investigation.
Lilia De Vera, the wife of Alfonso, said she was satisfied with the recommendations of the CHR and hoped the prosecution would start immediately.
“We are happy that the CHR saw that the police were the ones involved in the death of my husband and my daughter,” she said in a separate radio interview.
The widow earlier filed a complaint against the 18 policemen before the Department of Justice.
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 3) The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Monday recommended the filing of administrative and criminal charges against 18 policemen including two police generals, who were involved in the fatal shootout with robbers inside a Paranaque subdivision that killed 16 persons over a year ago.
In a CHR resolution, Chairperson Leila De Lima said that those to be charged both criminally and administratively include 18 members of the elite police unit Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and three police officials.
The CHR said the policemen committed “multiple human rights violations” during the 40-minute shootout last December 5, 2008, which led to the death of six civilians, including seven-year old Lea Alyanna De Vera, at the United Parañaque Subdivision 4 in Barangay (Village) Marcelo Green.
The three police officials recommended for criminal and administrative charges for “obstruction of justice” are: Superintendent James Cristobal; Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, the former chief of the HPG and Chief Superintendent Orlando Mabutas, current chief of the HPG.
De Lima said the three officials failed to institute sanctions against the policemen involved, particularly in the killing of De Vera and her father Alfonso.
The policemen recommended for criminal and administrative charges for the deaths of De Vera and Ronaldo Eusebio were: Chief Insp. Joel L. Mendoza; Chief Insp. Lawrence B. Cajipe; Insp. Gerardo B. Balatucan; Insp. Doroteo R. Tolentino; Police Officer 3 Jolito P. Mamanao Jr.; PO3 Fernando Rey S. Gapuz; PO2 Eduardo G. Blanco; PO1 Josil Rey I. Luceña; PO2 Edwin C. Santos; and PO1 Elybeer Cayaban.
Others included are Senior Police Officer 1 Jayson A Galimba; PO3 Arvin S. Ramos; PO3 Edwin C. Cuadra; PO3 Jesus S. Pascual; PO2 Fidel Quirejero; PO2 John I. Idio; and PO1 Wilfredo B. Reyes.
De Lima said the CHR was “greatly alarmed at the ease with which PNP personnel under investigation can conceal weapons subject of firearms identification and examination by the PNP Crime Laboratory.”
In its investigation, the CHR revealed that members of the HPG failed to surrender their firearms to the Crime Laboratory for testing.
De Lima denounced the statement from the policemen who said they failed to surrender their firearms because the weapons they were carrying at the time of the shootout were not used.
“This position cannot explain the discovery of at least seven 5.56mm shells for M16 rifles recovered near the body of Alfonso De Vera, or the high-velocity bullet that killed Lia Alyanna,” De Lima said.
“We find the members of Team II of the HPG most probably liable not only for murder, but for obstruction of justice as well, for knowingly and deliberately concealing and failing to surrender the long firearms they used in the killing of Lia Allana and Alfonso De Vera consisting of, as testified by Hilario Indiana, M16s, baby armalites and M14s,” she added.
The CHR added several police operational procedures (POP) were violated in the encounter such as the rule on moving vehicles.
Under Rule 8 of the POP, “Moving vehicles may not be fired upon solely to disable them. The driver or other occupant of a moving motor vehicle may be fired upon if the police have probable cause to believe that the suspects pose an imminent danger of death to the police or other persons.”
However, De Lima said policemen still fired upon the vehicle of the De Vera family “although they do not present any threat to the HPG men.”
Also violated by the operatives during the shootout were Rules 6 and 7, on the use of deadly force and on reasonable force, said De Lima, who stressed the De Veras pose no threat to authorities.
“The police operation became out-of-hand, there was no respect for the human rights of the victims,” De Lima said in a radio interview following a news conference where she released the findings of the body.
The commission, however, withheld any recommendation on police operatives involved in the deaths of the three other civilians in the same shootout pending further investigation.
Lilia De Vera, the wife of Alfonso, said she was satisfied with the recommendations of the CHR and hoped the prosecution would start immediately.
“We are happy that the CHR saw that the police were the ones involved in the death of my husband and my daughter,” she said in a separate radio interview.
The widow earlier filed a complaint against the 18 policemen before the Department of Justice.
PNP recalls all 1,600 security escorts
Filed Under: Eleksyon 2010, Elections, Police
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) The Philippine National Police has recalled all its 1,600 police escorts assigned to over 700 VIPs, government officials, and other private individuals for accounting and redeployment for the upcoming elections in May.
Chief Superintendent Lina Sarmiento, chief of the PNP Police Security and Protection Group, said that in line with Commission on Elections Resolution 8714, all deployed security escorts were immediately recalled on Sunday and were brought back to their main units at their respective police headquarters.
Sarmiento said this was the first time all security escorts were ordered recalled for accounting. However, she assured all individuals, especially witnesses and kidnap victims, that the PNP would not abandon them.
“We cannot abandon them. Those that are securing, we will not abandon them. [The recall] is just one way of forcing them to immediately apply [to the Comelec],” she added.
Under Comelec Resolution 8714, the letter orders issued to security escorts were cancelled leaving them unauthorized to serve as security detail to officials or VIPs.
“There is a need to account or inventory all PSPG personnel considering that without the necessary letter order, the [security escorts] are not anymore authorized to serve as security detail to their respective VIPs and that officially they are now assigned back to their respective PSPG units,” Sarmiento said.
Sarmiento said that applicants, regardless if they are candidates or private individuals, should first seek the approval of the Joint Security Control Center of the Comelec before they could again acquire police escorts.
The application for police escorts and other security personnel began on January 10. Each applicant must pay a filing fee of P5,000 addressed to the Comelec when applying for a security escort.
At the same time, Sarmiento said she has met with representatives from the House of Representatives, Senate, and other diplomatic and consular services to discuss the existing Comelec resolution as well as the process in applying for security escorts.
Subject to Comelec approval, candidates for the presidential and vice presidential positions are allowed a maximum of 20 security escorts. Meanwhile, senatorial candidates are allowed a maximum of 12 security escorts. Candidates for the congressional level down as well as other private individuals are allowed a maximum of four.
Application for security escorts will also be subjected to the approval of the Comelec.
Under the same Comelec resolution, only legitimate security escorts in proper uniform are allowed to carry firearms.
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) The Philippine National Police has recalled all its 1,600 police escorts assigned to over 700 VIPs, government officials, and other private individuals for accounting and redeployment for the upcoming elections in May.
Chief Superintendent Lina Sarmiento, chief of the PNP Police Security and Protection Group, said that in line with Commission on Elections Resolution 8714, all deployed security escorts were immediately recalled on Sunday and were brought back to their main units at their respective police headquarters.
Sarmiento said this was the first time all security escorts were ordered recalled for accounting. However, she assured all individuals, especially witnesses and kidnap victims, that the PNP would not abandon them.
“We cannot abandon them. Those that are securing, we will not abandon them. [The recall] is just one way of forcing them to immediately apply [to the Comelec],” she added.
Under Comelec Resolution 8714, the letter orders issued to security escorts were cancelled leaving them unauthorized to serve as security detail to officials or VIPs.
“There is a need to account or inventory all PSPG personnel considering that without the necessary letter order, the [security escorts] are not anymore authorized to serve as security detail to their respective VIPs and that officially they are now assigned back to their respective PSPG units,” Sarmiento said.
Sarmiento said that applicants, regardless if they are candidates or private individuals, should first seek the approval of the Joint Security Control Center of the Comelec before they could again acquire police escorts.
The application for police escorts and other security personnel began on January 10. Each applicant must pay a filing fee of P5,000 addressed to the Comelec when applying for a security escort.
At the same time, Sarmiento said she has met with representatives from the House of Representatives, Senate, and other diplomatic and consular services to discuss the existing Comelec resolution as well as the process in applying for security escorts.
Subject to Comelec approval, candidates for the presidential and vice presidential positions are allowed a maximum of 20 security escorts. Meanwhile, senatorial candidates are allowed a maximum of 12 security escorts. Candidates for the congressional level down as well as other private individuals are allowed a maximum of four.
Application for security escorts will also be subjected to the approval of the Comelec.
Under the same Comelec resolution, only legitimate security escorts in proper uniform are allowed to carry firearms.
‘Time for Arroyo to speak up on Morong 43
Filed Under: Military, Human Rights, Justice & Rights, insurgency, Healthcare Providers, Torture
MANILA, Philippines—The Commander in Chief should speak up.
President Gloria Macapagal-arroyo was assailed on Tuesday for her continuing silence on the two doctors and 41 other health workers detained at a military camp who were taken at gunpoint by state forces from a training seminar in Morong, Rizal.
Sen. Loren Legarda, vice presidential candidate of the Nacionalista Party (NP), said the President should use her powers as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces to get to the bottom of the charges of sexual molestation and torture of the so-called “Morong 43” leveled at members of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division.
The soldiers are headquartered at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, where the 43 health workers have been held since Feb. 6 on suspicion of membership in the communist New People’s Army (NPA).
Political harassment
“As Commander in Chief and proclaimed champion of women’s rights, the President should look into [these charges],” Legarda, a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve Corps, told the Inquirer in a phone interview.
She said the issue was close to her heart as she had been pushing for the protection of barangay and community health workers.
“We cannot tolerate the fact that they are being harassed politically when they reach out [to people] in the hinterlands. We don’t have adequate and quality health care in the rural areas, and we owe it to the community health workers who provide these services,” Legarda said.
But she stressed that “due process must be [observed].”
“And that’s for both the volunteer workers, whom the military suspects of being members of the NPA, and the soldiers, whom one of the female detainees has accused of touching her private parts, as well as those of her companions,” she said.
Pressure to deny
One of the detained health workers is Jane Ballante, a granddaughter of the late congressman and labor leader Crispin Beltran.
According to Jane’s mother, Ofelia Beltran-Ballante, her daughter whispered that the jailers had touched her and the other female detainees’ private parts while they were in the toilet.
Jane Ballante subsequently denied the Philippine Daily Inquirer report, but the mother said at a press conference Tuesday that she was standing by her statement that the female detainees were sexually abused by their jailers.
“I understand her retraction. Her captor was right beside her, and there was pressure to deny it,” the mother said in a mix of Filipino and English.
Legarda said “it’s time” Ms Arroyo stepped in “because human rights violations were reportedly committed, and a mother has said that her daughter was abused.”
“If there’s a human rights violation, it must be proven and the culprits brought to justice,” she said.
She also rejected Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita’s statement that an investigation was not necessary because the allegations were mere propaganda by leftist groups.
The senator, a former broadcaster, said her political rivals would probably accuse her of speaking out on the issue “because I’m running for the vice presidency.”
“But remember that I was also a full-time journalist before I entered politics. We just want to get to the truth in this issue without anyone violating anyone else’s rights,” she said.
‘Not lying’
At the press conference in Quezon City, Ofelia Ballante said she was “not lying or misquoted” regarding the sexual abuse of her daughter.
“I stand by the statement I made to a newspaper that my daughter has been a victim of sexual abuse in detention,” she declared, adding that Jane had also told her two sisters about her ordeal.
Ballante said her daughter told her about the abuse during her first visit on Feb. 9, when the detainees’ kin were allowed to stay for five minutes, and repeated it on Feb. 10, when they were allowed to stay a little longer.
She said her daughter was not an NPA member, and that she understood why the latter denied the purported sexual molestation.
The mother added that Jane’s military escort, to whom she was handcuffed, took her to reporters covering the habeas corpus hearing to issue a denial.
“I understand her. I could feel that she was afraid of retaliation because she is still under military custody. But I stand by my statement that she and the other detainees were sexually tortured,” Ballante said.
The Supreme Court had earlier issued a writ of habeas corpus for the Morong 43 in response to a petition filed by their kin. It ordered the military to present the detainees to the Court of Appeals on Feb. 12. But it was only on Feb. 15 that the military did so.
Repeated ordeal
Holding back tears, Ballante said her daughter explained the ordeal she had to go through every time she used the toilet in handcuffs.
“Someone pulls her underwear down, washes her private parts, and pulls the underwear up again. My daughter found it very degrading and humiliating,” she said.
The Army has denied the charge of sexual molestation, and said only female soldiers or personnel were assigned to guard and assist female detainees, especially in using the toilet.
But Ballante said the gender of the soldier-escort did not matter.
She said that “since [my children] were three years old, they have been trained to do their [ablutions] in private.”
“It was torture for Jane to have someone present in her private moments,” she said. “I maintain that it’s not normal to have someone else with you in the toilet, particularly if it’s against your will.”
Ballante said Jane had apologized to her for the denial.
She said her daughter was suffering from the prolonged and repeated interrogations.
She also announced that a case against the military would be filed with the Commission on Human Rights in behalf of her daughter and the other female detainees.
“Those responsible should be held accountable,” she said.
Counseling needed
Gabriela party-list Representatives Liza Maza and Luz Ilagan, who were present at the press conference, also denounced the purported sexual abuse and called for the immediate release of the 43 health workers.
Ilagan said the health workers, especially the women, now needed psychological counseling.
“We can only imagine the mental and emotional torment the detained female health workers go through every minute they are held captive, knowing the historical and institutionalized notoriety of the military in abusing political captives,” Ilagan said.
Maza, a senatorial candidate of the NP, said: “Sexual abuse as form of torture is a serious allegation that warrants an immediate and impartial investigation. It is extremely disturbing to think of what the victims, most especially the women, have to go through day by day in the presence of their tormentors.”
“It is wrong for the military to issue a statement that the sexual abuse did not take place. It should be investigated based on the statement of the victim, not the suspect.”
‘Bounty-hunting’
Another senatorial candidate, Martin “Dr. Balikbayan” Bautista of the Liberal Party, condemned the arrest of the 43 health workers and said doctors were required to help anyone in need.
“Should a doctor be arrested and detained for treating ‘communists?’ When we took our oaths as physicians, we swore to care for all humanity,” Bautista said.
“I cannot accept the idea of 43 civilians being forced into a corner by a hundred-strong army of trained soldiers. They may be accused of being dissidents, but where proper protocol ended and blatant disregard of human rights began is what alarms me,” he said.
Bautista said the arrests resembled “the ruthlessness of bounty-hunting.”
“As a doctor, I cannot imagine being accused of such a grave offense when the nature of my profession revolves around providing medical attention and saving people’s lives, regardless of their political leanings,” he said.
MANILA, Philippines—The Commander in Chief should speak up.
President Gloria Macapagal-arroyo was assailed on Tuesday for her continuing silence on the two doctors and 41 other health workers detained at a military camp who were taken at gunpoint by state forces from a training seminar in Morong, Rizal.
Sen. Loren Legarda, vice presidential candidate of the Nacionalista Party (NP), said the President should use her powers as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces to get to the bottom of the charges of sexual molestation and torture of the so-called “Morong 43” leveled at members of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division.
The soldiers are headquartered at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, where the 43 health workers have been held since Feb. 6 on suspicion of membership in the communist New People’s Army (NPA).
Political harassment
“As Commander in Chief and proclaimed champion of women’s rights, the President should look into [these charges],” Legarda, a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve Corps, told the Inquirer in a phone interview.
She said the issue was close to her heart as she had been pushing for the protection of barangay and community health workers.
“We cannot tolerate the fact that they are being harassed politically when they reach out [to people] in the hinterlands. We don’t have adequate and quality health care in the rural areas, and we owe it to the community health workers who provide these services,” Legarda said.
But she stressed that “due process must be [observed].”
“And that’s for both the volunteer workers, whom the military suspects of being members of the NPA, and the soldiers, whom one of the female detainees has accused of touching her private parts, as well as those of her companions,” she said.
Pressure to deny
One of the detained health workers is Jane Ballante, a granddaughter of the late congressman and labor leader Crispin Beltran.
According to Jane’s mother, Ofelia Beltran-Ballante, her daughter whispered that the jailers had touched her and the other female detainees’ private parts while they were in the toilet.
Jane Ballante subsequently denied the Philippine Daily Inquirer report, but the mother said at a press conference Tuesday that she was standing by her statement that the female detainees were sexually abused by their jailers.
“I understand her retraction. Her captor was right beside her, and there was pressure to deny it,” the mother said in a mix of Filipino and English.
Legarda said “it’s time” Ms Arroyo stepped in “because human rights violations were reportedly committed, and a mother has said that her daughter was abused.”
“If there’s a human rights violation, it must be proven and the culprits brought to justice,” she said.
She also rejected Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita’s statement that an investigation was not necessary because the allegations were mere propaganda by leftist groups.
The senator, a former broadcaster, said her political rivals would probably accuse her of speaking out on the issue “because I’m running for the vice presidency.”
“But remember that I was also a full-time journalist before I entered politics. We just want to get to the truth in this issue without anyone violating anyone else’s rights,” she said.
‘Not lying’
At the press conference in Quezon City, Ofelia Ballante said she was “not lying or misquoted” regarding the sexual abuse of her daughter.
“I stand by the statement I made to a newspaper that my daughter has been a victim of sexual abuse in detention,” she declared, adding that Jane had also told her two sisters about her ordeal.
Ballante said her daughter told her about the abuse during her first visit on Feb. 9, when the detainees’ kin were allowed to stay for five minutes, and repeated it on Feb. 10, when they were allowed to stay a little longer.
She said her daughter was not an NPA member, and that she understood why the latter denied the purported sexual molestation.
The mother added that Jane’s military escort, to whom she was handcuffed, took her to reporters covering the habeas corpus hearing to issue a denial.
“I understand her. I could feel that she was afraid of retaliation because she is still under military custody. But I stand by my statement that she and the other detainees were sexually tortured,” Ballante said.
The Supreme Court had earlier issued a writ of habeas corpus for the Morong 43 in response to a petition filed by their kin. It ordered the military to present the detainees to the Court of Appeals on Feb. 12. But it was only on Feb. 15 that the military did so.
Repeated ordeal
Holding back tears, Ballante said her daughter explained the ordeal she had to go through every time she used the toilet in handcuffs.
“Someone pulls her underwear down, washes her private parts, and pulls the underwear up again. My daughter found it very degrading and humiliating,” she said.
The Army has denied the charge of sexual molestation, and said only female soldiers or personnel were assigned to guard and assist female detainees, especially in using the toilet.
But Ballante said the gender of the soldier-escort did not matter.
She said that “since [my children] were three years old, they have been trained to do their [ablutions] in private.”
“It was torture for Jane to have someone present in her private moments,” she said. “I maintain that it’s not normal to have someone else with you in the toilet, particularly if it’s against your will.”
Ballante said Jane had apologized to her for the denial.
She said her daughter was suffering from the prolonged and repeated interrogations.
She also announced that a case against the military would be filed with the Commission on Human Rights in behalf of her daughter and the other female detainees.
“Those responsible should be held accountable,” she said.
Counseling needed
Gabriela party-list Representatives Liza Maza and Luz Ilagan, who were present at the press conference, also denounced the purported sexual abuse and called for the immediate release of the 43 health workers.
Ilagan said the health workers, especially the women, now needed psychological counseling.
“We can only imagine the mental and emotional torment the detained female health workers go through every minute they are held captive, knowing the historical and institutionalized notoriety of the military in abusing political captives,” Ilagan said.
Maza, a senatorial candidate of the NP, said: “Sexual abuse as form of torture is a serious allegation that warrants an immediate and impartial investigation. It is extremely disturbing to think of what the victims, most especially the women, have to go through day by day in the presence of their tormentors.”
“It is wrong for the military to issue a statement that the sexual abuse did not take place. It should be investigated based on the statement of the victim, not the suspect.”
‘Bounty-hunting’
Another senatorial candidate, Martin “Dr. Balikbayan” Bautista of the Liberal Party, condemned the arrest of the 43 health workers and said doctors were required to help anyone in need.
“Should a doctor be arrested and detained for treating ‘communists?’ When we took our oaths as physicians, we swore to care for all humanity,” Bautista said.
“I cannot accept the idea of 43 civilians being forced into a corner by a hundred-strong army of trained soldiers. They may be accused of being dissidents, but where proper protocol ended and blatant disregard of human rights began is what alarms me,” he said.
Bautista said the arrests resembled “the ruthlessness of bounty-hunting.”
“As a doctor, I cannot imagine being accused of such a grave offense when the nature of my profession revolves around providing medical attention and saving people’s lives, regardless of their political leanings,” he said.
Trillanes, Lim get bail but stay in jail
Filed Under: Military, rebellion, Coup d etat, Crime and Law and Justice, Litigation & Regulations, Judiciary (system of justice)
MANILA, Philippines—It’s a case of so near and yet so far for Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and 16 other Magdalo rebel soldiers.
Despite Makati Judge Elmo Alameda’s grant of their bail request in connection with rebellion charges involving the siege of Peninsula Manila hotel in 2007, the Armed Forces said they still had to be detained pending the resolution of their court-martial cases for the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.
“According to the Trial Judge Advocate General [Col. Gilbert Roa], they will only be freed until after the military has agreed, because they are still facing general court-martial cases,” Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., the AFP spokesperson, told reporters Wednesday.
In a 16-page order promulgated on Tuesday, Alameda of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 said that despite the testimonies of witnesses and evidence presented, the prosecution failed to establish that the accused had mounted an armed uprising against the government.
“The walkout from the court, the marching to Peninsula Manila hotel and the press conference held in the same hotel denouncing the administration of President Gloria Arroyo are not sufficient to prove the nonbailable crime of rebellion,” he said.
He added that at the very least, the incident could be considered “contumacious conduct constitutive of direct contempt, and not rebellion.”
P200,000 bail
Apart from Trillanes and Lim, those covered by the order are Navy Captains Gary Alejano and Segundino Orfiano; Lieutenants Eugene Gonzalez, Andy Torrato, Arturo Pascua Jr., James Layug and Manuel Cabochan; 2nd Lt. Jonnell Sangalang; 1st Lt. Billy Pascua; Ensign Armand Pontejos; Cpl. Clecarte Dahan; and Privates First Class Juanito Jilbury Jr., Emmanuel Tirador, German Linde, Julius Mesa and Cesari Yasser Gonzales.
The court set bail for the accused at P200,000 each, an amount that their lawyer, Ernesto Francisco, hopes to reduce to P40,000 when he files a request as soon as possible.
Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, a former AFP chief of staff, said Trillanes “is not about to go free because there is still the Oakwood case.”
Still, Biazon said, the grant of bail was “one step hurdled in [Trillanes’] legal battle.”
Brawner said Trillanes was still facing court-martial proceedings in relation to the short-lived mutiny in 2003, when the Magdalo group of soldiers took over the Oakwood Premier apartments in Makati City and called on President Macapagal-Arroyo and other officials to step down.
A general court-martial is also trying a number of cases against Lim, a senatorial candidate of the Liberal Party, who is implicated in the Peninsula siege in November 2007 and the Marine standoff at Fort Bonifacio in February 2006.
The cases include conduct unbecoming an officer, conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline, and disrespect to the President, according to Lim’s lawyer, Vicente Verdadero.
The 16 other Magdalo soldiers are also facing court-martial proceedings for the Peninsula case.
‘Bright spot in judiciary’
In a handwritten statement to the media, Trillanes said: “I am very happy for my companions as their long awaited freedom is finally at hand.
“I thank Judge Elmo Alameda for displaying fairness and impartiality in his decision to grant bail. This proves that there are still bright spots in the judiciary.”
Francisco said he visited Trillanes at his detention cell in Camp Crame, the general headquarters of the Philippine National Police.
“He is confident that there will come a time when he would be able to get out,” the lawyer said by phone.
In his own statement, Lim said that after four years of incarceration, freedom was “just around the corner.”
“The door that has closed us from the outside world and unjustly incarcerated us in our pursuit of truth and meaningful change is slowly opening,” he said.
He added that the grant of bail was “a triumph of hope” within the justice system and “a step in the right direction” in confirming his and his comrades’ innocence of the rebellion charges.
Mini celebration
Alan Tanjusay, Lim’s spokesperson, said the jailed Magdalo soldiers held a “mini celebration” upon hearing of Alameda’s decision.
He said the detainees were “very optimistic and upbeat.”
“I’ve never seen them like that before,” he said.
According to Tanjusay, the group had a lunch of menudo, pork sisig and soft drinks together.
But Brawner said the soldiers would remain detained at Camp Crame as Colonel Roa had yet to study Alameda’s order and make a recommendation to AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Victor Ibrado.
Brawner said an assessment of whether the rebel soldiers could be allowed temporary freedom might take a week.
He also pointed out that under the military justice system, “there is no such thing as bail.”
Verdadero confirmed that Lim could not leave detention yet. He said a pleading would be submitted to the military court for Lim’s release.
“We welcome the ruling because with all due respect to the prosecution, it shows that their evidence could not sustain the charges they filed against [the soldiers],” he said.
Prove uprising
Judge Alameda said the standoff at Peninsula between Trillanes’ group and government forces composed of strike teams from the military and police tasked to secure the area did not necessarily mean the accused were “liable for the crime of rebellion.”
He said it was “necessary for the prosecution to at least prove that the accused have risen publicly and taken up arms against the government.”
Alameda also cited the prosecution’s purported failure to establish the ownership of the firearms—four rifles and a pistol—found by the authorities at the hotel after the standoff.
“With limited fire power, it is difficult to discern that the crime of rebellion could be committed since the crime involves a public uprising and the taking up of arms of a multitude or a vast movement of men,” he said.
Like protest rally
The judge also said that the group’s march to the hotel from the court was “no different from the numerous protest [rallies] along the streets of Makati, which is not an unusual occurrence.”
“What made the march peculiar was the presence of known personalities like Senator Trillanes and other detained prisoners … who have just been found guilty of direct contempt for walking out during the hearing of their case,” he said.
Alameda said Lim’s press conference seeking support “does not fall squarely within the ambit of rebellion.”
“The reading of [Lim’s] statement over radio and television did not allow the accused to deprive President Arroyo of her powers and prerogatives to enforce the law,” he said.
Excited and nervous
Speaking with reporters at Camp Crame, Lim’s wife Aloy said that as was her routine in the past four years, she rose at 5 a.m. Wednesday to pray for the court’s favorable decision on her husband’s petition for bail.
“I’m both very excited and nervous. I have mixed emotions about the court’s decision,” she said.
Aloy Lim said she visited her husband at Camp Crame unaware of Alameda’s ruling.
“I’m very surprised. I’m here just for a regular visit,” she said. “I cannot contain my excitement. Even my knees are trembling.” With a report from Marlon Ramos
MANILA, Philippines—It’s a case of so near and yet so far for Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and 16 other Magdalo rebel soldiers.
Despite Makati Judge Elmo Alameda’s grant of their bail request in connection with rebellion charges involving the siege of Peninsula Manila hotel in 2007, the Armed Forces said they still had to be detained pending the resolution of their court-martial cases for the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.
“According to the Trial Judge Advocate General [Col. Gilbert Roa], they will only be freed until after the military has agreed, because they are still facing general court-martial cases,” Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., the AFP spokesperson, told reporters Wednesday.
In a 16-page order promulgated on Tuesday, Alameda of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 said that despite the testimonies of witnesses and evidence presented, the prosecution failed to establish that the accused had mounted an armed uprising against the government.
“The walkout from the court, the marching to Peninsula Manila hotel and the press conference held in the same hotel denouncing the administration of President Gloria Arroyo are not sufficient to prove the nonbailable crime of rebellion,” he said.
He added that at the very least, the incident could be considered “contumacious conduct constitutive of direct contempt, and not rebellion.”
P200,000 bail
Apart from Trillanes and Lim, those covered by the order are Navy Captains Gary Alejano and Segundino Orfiano; Lieutenants Eugene Gonzalez, Andy Torrato, Arturo Pascua Jr., James Layug and Manuel Cabochan; 2nd Lt. Jonnell Sangalang; 1st Lt. Billy Pascua; Ensign Armand Pontejos; Cpl. Clecarte Dahan; and Privates First Class Juanito Jilbury Jr., Emmanuel Tirador, German Linde, Julius Mesa and Cesari Yasser Gonzales.
The court set bail for the accused at P200,000 each, an amount that their lawyer, Ernesto Francisco, hopes to reduce to P40,000 when he files a request as soon as possible.
Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, a former AFP chief of staff, said Trillanes “is not about to go free because there is still the Oakwood case.”
Still, Biazon said, the grant of bail was “one step hurdled in [Trillanes’] legal battle.”
Brawner said Trillanes was still facing court-martial proceedings in relation to the short-lived mutiny in 2003, when the Magdalo group of soldiers took over the Oakwood Premier apartments in Makati City and called on President Macapagal-Arroyo and other officials to step down.
A general court-martial is also trying a number of cases against Lim, a senatorial candidate of the Liberal Party, who is implicated in the Peninsula siege in November 2007 and the Marine standoff at Fort Bonifacio in February 2006.
The cases include conduct unbecoming an officer, conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline, and disrespect to the President, according to Lim’s lawyer, Vicente Verdadero.
The 16 other Magdalo soldiers are also facing court-martial proceedings for the Peninsula case.
‘Bright spot in judiciary’
In a handwritten statement to the media, Trillanes said: “I am very happy for my companions as their long awaited freedom is finally at hand.
“I thank Judge Elmo Alameda for displaying fairness and impartiality in his decision to grant bail. This proves that there are still bright spots in the judiciary.”
Francisco said he visited Trillanes at his detention cell in Camp Crame, the general headquarters of the Philippine National Police.
“He is confident that there will come a time when he would be able to get out,” the lawyer said by phone.
In his own statement, Lim said that after four years of incarceration, freedom was “just around the corner.”
“The door that has closed us from the outside world and unjustly incarcerated us in our pursuit of truth and meaningful change is slowly opening,” he said.
He added that the grant of bail was “a triumph of hope” within the justice system and “a step in the right direction” in confirming his and his comrades’ innocence of the rebellion charges.
Mini celebration
Alan Tanjusay, Lim’s spokesperson, said the jailed Magdalo soldiers held a “mini celebration” upon hearing of Alameda’s decision.
He said the detainees were “very optimistic and upbeat.”
“I’ve never seen them like that before,” he said.
According to Tanjusay, the group had a lunch of menudo, pork sisig and soft drinks together.
But Brawner said the soldiers would remain detained at Camp Crame as Colonel Roa had yet to study Alameda’s order and make a recommendation to AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Victor Ibrado.
Brawner said an assessment of whether the rebel soldiers could be allowed temporary freedom might take a week.
He also pointed out that under the military justice system, “there is no such thing as bail.”
Verdadero confirmed that Lim could not leave detention yet. He said a pleading would be submitted to the military court for Lim’s release.
“We welcome the ruling because with all due respect to the prosecution, it shows that their evidence could not sustain the charges they filed against [the soldiers],” he said.
Prove uprising
Judge Alameda said the standoff at Peninsula between Trillanes’ group and government forces composed of strike teams from the military and police tasked to secure the area did not necessarily mean the accused were “liable for the crime of rebellion.”
He said it was “necessary for the prosecution to at least prove that the accused have risen publicly and taken up arms against the government.”
Alameda also cited the prosecution’s purported failure to establish the ownership of the firearms—four rifles and a pistol—found by the authorities at the hotel after the standoff.
“With limited fire power, it is difficult to discern that the crime of rebellion could be committed since the crime involves a public uprising and the taking up of arms of a multitude or a vast movement of men,” he said.
Like protest rally
The judge also said that the group’s march to the hotel from the court was “no different from the numerous protest [rallies] along the streets of Makati, which is not an unusual occurrence.”
“What made the march peculiar was the presence of known personalities like Senator Trillanes and other detained prisoners … who have just been found guilty of direct contempt for walking out during the hearing of their case,” he said.
Alameda said Lim’s press conference seeking support “does not fall squarely within the ambit of rebellion.”
“The reading of [Lim’s] statement over radio and television did not allow the accused to deprive President Arroyo of her powers and prerogatives to enforce the law,” he said.
Excited and nervous
Speaking with reporters at Camp Crame, Lim’s wife Aloy said that as was her routine in the past four years, she rose at 5 a.m. Wednesday to pray for the court’s favorable decision on her husband’s petition for bail.
“I’m both very excited and nervous. I have mixed emotions about the court’s decision,” she said.
Aloy Lim said she visited her husband at Camp Crame unaware of Alameda’s ruling.
“I’m very surprised. I’m here just for a regular visit,” she said. “I cannot contain my excitement. Even my knees are trembling.” With a report from Marlon Ramos
Globe, PLDT OK to host ‘secret’ poll data centers
Filed Under: Eleksyon 2010, Computing & Information Technology, Telecommunications Services, Satellite technology
MANILA, Philippines—Secret.
That’s the operative word when Globe Telecoms and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) Wednesday agreed to host the main data centers for the transmission of results in the May 10 automated elections, officials said.
The decision was reached a day after the telco giants announced they were considering withdrawing their offers to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to set up the data centers in their main offices, fearing physical and technical attacks.
Where the centers would be located was not disclosed by Renato Garcia, a Comelec adviser, at a news briefing following talks with poll officials and Smartmatic-TIM, which will carry out the country’s first national electronic vote.
“We’ve already agreed on the area on the facilities that will be used and we are just working out the details on how to be able to have a Tier 3 data facility. These are their own facilities,” Garcia said.
He said that the data banks would not be set up in the main offices of Globe and PLDT as first proposed by the Comelec. But because of security issues, he declined where these would be located.
The two companies’ facilities at Clark that they had proposed as alternatives, however, were rejected.
Election tallies
The location of the data banks, which will have the copies of the election tallies, was the main issue on Tuesday at the joint congressional oversight committee on the automated elections.
Globe and PLDT had backed down on their offer of their facilities in Metro Manila to be used as data centers, saying they fear technical and security attacks on their systems. This delayed the signing of a contract between the carriers and the Comelec and Smartmatic-TIM on transmission of election returns.
Garcia said this and other issues were still under discussion.
If no agreement is forged between Smartmatic-TIM and the telecommunications companies in time for the elections, Comelec Chair Jose Melo said he could still force the carriers to agree.
Under the law and during the election period, the Comelec can deputize public utilities to do election activities in the interest of implementing fair and credible elections.
But Melo said the poll body preferred to come to an agreement.
Another thorny issue
Ramon Casiple, a member of the Comelec advisory council, said the other thorny issue between the phone firms and the poll body was the use of bandwidth, which Smartmatic-TIM had proposed. This will be open for two hours on May 10 to transmit results, he said.
The companies, he said, balked at this proposal because it would be a blow to their business.
The rates are still under negotiation, Casiple said, adding that it will be based on National Telecommunications Commission regulations.
With only 80 days to go before the elections, there are other transmission issues to be overcome.
Officials said that additional mobile telecommunications equipment would be ordered, aside from the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN), to ensure that the transmission of votes from municipalities to the other servers and canvassing centers go smoothly.
The BGAN will be deployed in the polling places to transmit the results if the data are not sent using the first method, which is via cell phone connectivity.
Satellite transmitters
Juan Villa, Smartmatic-TIM chair, said the company had proposed that the Comelec buy very small aperture terminals (VSATs) for use in the municipal canvassing centers, citing unstable signal in the provinces.
VSATs, like the BGAN, use satellite connection to send data from one point to another. The equipment is used in sending credit card and broadband data.
Villa said that the additional equipment was necessary because only 75 percent of the country was covered by cell phone signal.
“We, like other bidders, were all working on the assumption that there was 90-percent coverage,” he said in an interview with the Inquirer, citing the requirements in the bid documents.
Villa noted that satellite transmission was the most reliable mode of transmitting the results from the counting centers to the other servers, as seen in the mock elections last month.
He said 1,000-1,500 VSATs were needed for all municipalities. Since the equipment is portable, it can be transported from one municipality to another.
GSM unreliable
In the tests conducted in several areas nationwide last month, it was revealed that sending the election results through GSM, which is used by the mobile phone companies, was unreliable even in urban centers.
In Taguig City and Pateros, for instance, the election data were not transmitted in the first try and the technicians had to replace the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) of the election machine before the results could be sent from the precincts to the canvassing centers using Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication system.
In Pateros, the GSM did not work and the technicians had to use the BGAN.
Also on Wednesday, Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Verzosa said that he had not received intelligence reports on possible attacks against Globe and PLDT but said that the companies should confer with the Comelec on their security concerns. With a report from Marlon Ramos
MANILA, Philippines—Secret.
That’s the operative word when Globe Telecoms and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) Wednesday agreed to host the main data centers for the transmission of results in the May 10 automated elections, officials said.
The decision was reached a day after the telco giants announced they were considering withdrawing their offers to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to set up the data centers in their main offices, fearing physical and technical attacks.
Where the centers would be located was not disclosed by Renato Garcia, a Comelec adviser, at a news briefing following talks with poll officials and Smartmatic-TIM, which will carry out the country’s first national electronic vote.
“We’ve already agreed on the area on the facilities that will be used and we are just working out the details on how to be able to have a Tier 3 data facility. These are their own facilities,” Garcia said.
He said that the data banks would not be set up in the main offices of Globe and PLDT as first proposed by the Comelec. But because of security issues, he declined where these would be located.
The two companies’ facilities at Clark that they had proposed as alternatives, however, were rejected.
Election tallies
The location of the data banks, which will have the copies of the election tallies, was the main issue on Tuesday at the joint congressional oversight committee on the automated elections.
Globe and PLDT had backed down on their offer of their facilities in Metro Manila to be used as data centers, saying they fear technical and security attacks on their systems. This delayed the signing of a contract between the carriers and the Comelec and Smartmatic-TIM on transmission of election returns.
Garcia said this and other issues were still under discussion.
If no agreement is forged between Smartmatic-TIM and the telecommunications companies in time for the elections, Comelec Chair Jose Melo said he could still force the carriers to agree.
Under the law and during the election period, the Comelec can deputize public utilities to do election activities in the interest of implementing fair and credible elections.
But Melo said the poll body preferred to come to an agreement.
Another thorny issue
Ramon Casiple, a member of the Comelec advisory council, said the other thorny issue between the phone firms and the poll body was the use of bandwidth, which Smartmatic-TIM had proposed. This will be open for two hours on May 10 to transmit results, he said.
The companies, he said, balked at this proposal because it would be a blow to their business.
The rates are still under negotiation, Casiple said, adding that it will be based on National Telecommunications Commission regulations.
With only 80 days to go before the elections, there are other transmission issues to be overcome.
Officials said that additional mobile telecommunications equipment would be ordered, aside from the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN), to ensure that the transmission of votes from municipalities to the other servers and canvassing centers go smoothly.
The BGAN will be deployed in the polling places to transmit the results if the data are not sent using the first method, which is via cell phone connectivity.
Satellite transmitters
Juan Villa, Smartmatic-TIM chair, said the company had proposed that the Comelec buy very small aperture terminals (VSATs) for use in the municipal canvassing centers, citing unstable signal in the provinces.
VSATs, like the BGAN, use satellite connection to send data from one point to another. The equipment is used in sending credit card and broadband data.
Villa said that the additional equipment was necessary because only 75 percent of the country was covered by cell phone signal.
“We, like other bidders, were all working on the assumption that there was 90-percent coverage,” he said in an interview with the Inquirer, citing the requirements in the bid documents.
Villa noted that satellite transmission was the most reliable mode of transmitting the results from the counting centers to the other servers, as seen in the mock elections last month.
He said 1,000-1,500 VSATs were needed for all municipalities. Since the equipment is portable, it can be transported from one municipality to another.
GSM unreliable
In the tests conducted in several areas nationwide last month, it was revealed that sending the election results through GSM, which is used by the mobile phone companies, was unreliable even in urban centers.
In Taguig City and Pateros, for instance, the election data were not transmitted in the first try and the technicians had to replace the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) of the election machine before the results could be sent from the precincts to the canvassing centers using Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication system.
In Pateros, the GSM did not work and the technicians had to use the BGAN.
Also on Wednesday, Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Verzosa said that he had not received intelligence reports on possible attacks against Globe and PLDT but said that the companies should confer with the Comelec on their security concerns. With a report from Marlon Ramos
El Niño drying up farms
From north to south, farmers try to survive
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:53:00 02/18/2010
Filed Under: Weather, Agriculture, Water Supply
MANILA, Philippines—Intense heat is drying up farmlands, reservoirs and waterways all over the country, and farmers are scrambling to find ways to cope and survive.
The abnormal signs of El Niño, a weather phenomenon referring to the warmer-than-normal sea-surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean that results in drought in Asia and Australia, and wet winters in the United States, are exacting their toll in the Philippines, according to agriculture officials.
With the lack of rainfall and irrigation water, Filipino farmers are keeping a closer watch over their fields so that whatever available water is used wisely.
Huge clumps of light-brown soil have appeared in the corn fields of Cagayan Valley and Pangasinan, while rice paddies have turned barren in Isabela, Bulacan, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Camarines Sur, Negros, Davao del Sur and other provinces.
The desert-like images have prompted some farmers to stop planting to cut losses.
Isabela, Cagayan and other provinces, as well as in the corn-producing town of Sto. Tomas in Pangasinan and Cauayan City and Ilagan town in Isabela, have been placed under states of calamity to allow local governments to use public funds to help the distressed farmers.
Pangasinan
In Pangasinan, the scene in the agricultural village of Carmen in Rosales town has changed fast in just three months.
Croplands were under several feet of water in October last year. Now, under the scorching sun, the land is parched and cracked.
“If you don’t wear slippers, your feet could get injured as the dried-up soil is so sharp,” said Dhalia Gabor, 23, who is helping her sisters till the land.
The area is covered by an irrigation system, but nothing flows downstream.
When the farmers upstream are done with irrigating their rice lands, water will then be released to the rice fields downstream, according to the “water master,” who is in charge of schedule.
“We are supposed to transplant the palay seedlings already. But there is no water yet. My sisters had to keep the seedlings alive by pumping water from a shallow well, but fuel to run the pump is expensive,” Gabor said.
By the time water reaches the farms, it may be too late to transplant the seedlings.
Gabor’s father, Dominador, 62, decided not to plant in Barangay San Gabriel. He did not want to follow others who were able to do so in December and January, but produced crops that looked unhealthy due to lack of water and expected to harvest only half their yield.
In Pozorrubio town, Board Member Danilo Uy said he had to irrigate his corn fields twice as much than usual.
“Corn needs watering twice or thrice from planting to harvest, but now we have to water them seven or eight times because the land easily dries up. The water evaporates fast,” he said.
Uy said he was lending motor pumps to other farmers to meet their irrigation needs. “But you know, it is really expensive to pump water and there is hardly water coming out of the wells,” he said.
Ilocos Norte
Since rainfall has become scarce beginning late last year, farmers in Pagudpud town in Ilocos Norte are making sure that their rice lands are wet.
During the dry season, more than 500 hectares of rice fields in six villages usually tap the nearby Cabacanan River for irrigation, but now, the river may dry up due to the prolonged drought.
Errol Calivoso, a rice farmer from Barangay Badduang, said crop owners had been spending more time in the fields beginning January to ensure that these were fed sufficiently with water from the river.
“We are drawing more water for our fields. We hope the river does not dry up until we are able to harvest our crops,” he said.
Should the dry spell persist, farmers may resort to planting alternative crops next month, Calivoso said.
Norma Lagmay, provincial agriculturist, said 1,750 hectares of farmlands around Ilocos Norte could no longer be planted with rice.
Instead of the usual cropping period from March to July, farmers now observe it from July to September, she said.
Moreover, they have been told to irrigate their farms only from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and to avoid going to the fields between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“The proper hours spent in the fields would lead to proper crop water absorption and protect farmers from the cruel sun,” Lagmay said.
Magat Dam
In Isabela, Narciso Ramones and other rice farmers of Tumauini town have accepted their fate this year.
“We do not have anything for our daily needs. Our palay farms have been drying up, no one would want to loan us money and we do not have collateral because we are very poor,” Ramones said.
Records from the provincial agriculture office showed that at least P1.6 billion worth of rice and corn had been destroyed by the drought.
Administrators of the Magat Dam said they would be forced to shut down the 350-megawatt hydroelectric plant if the reservoir’s water level would drop to 160 meters above sea level (masl) and below.
Michael Hosillos, external affairs manager of SN-Aboitiz Power, said the water level had been continuously decreasing due to the lack of rainfall in the watershed areas.
The drop averages 0.6 meter a day, according to Saturnino Tenedor, dam and reservoir division chief. On Tuesday, the water level read 165 masl, or 28 meters below maximum.
If this reaches 160 masl, Hosillos said the plant would temporarily stop generating electricity.
The Magat facility is just one of the power generators in northern Luzon “so the lack of water here is no cause for alarm in the country,” he said.
“We have coal-fired power plants and other power generators in Luzon to fill up the reserves,” he said.
Tenedor said cloud-seeding operations over the watershed areas did not induce heavy rains.
Pampanga, Nueva Ecija
In Pampanga, Mayor Jerry Pelayo of Candaba town asked farmers to avoid planting rice and resort to growing vegetables, like eggplant, squash and watermelon, which use less water.
In Nueva Ecija, rice farmers in the western part of Guimba town and nearby towns of Cuyapo, Nampicuan and Talugtog will not be using underground irrigation water because they could not afford the high expense for fuel to run the pumps.
In Bulacan, Gloria Carillo, provincial agriculture officer, said palay planted in more than 1,200 hectares of farms in the towns of Bocaue, Balagtas, San Ildefonso and Calumpit have been destroyed due to shortage of irrigation water.
Rice fields in Bulakan, Pulilan, Guiguinto and Plaridel towns have also been drying up.
The Department of Agriculture, Carillo said, would distribute seeds of alternative crops to the farmers to help them recover their losses.
Camarines Sur
In Camarines Sur, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and the municipal government of Buhi are wrangling over the priority use of water resources of Lake Buhi as 1,061 rice farms are drying up for lack of irrigation water.
The lake, home of sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis), the smallest commercial fish in the world, has an area of 18 square kilometers and an average depth of 8 meters.
William Ragodon, NIA regional director, said he would raise the issue to the National Water Resources Board and to the court as a last resort to resolve the problem on the utilization of water from Lake Buhi.
The NIA wants the municipality to further lower the sluice in the lake’s control structure to 82 meters so that water supply can be increased for irrigation in Iriga City and Bula town. But Buhi Mayor Rey Lacoste maintains that this could affect tilapia production in fish cages.
Western Visayas
The dry spell had already destroyed 13,000 hectares of rice lands in Western Visayas and could affect 42,000 has more, according to Larry Nacionales, agriculture regional director.
Nacionales said damage to agriculture could reach some P500 million.
Cloud seeding will be done in Negros Occidental because wide tracts of its sugarcane fields have been affected, he said, but not over mango and watermelon plantations, and other croplands which could be damaged by the operation.
The agriculture department’s regional office has requested P190 million to rehabilitate irrigation systems and develop other water sources.
It has also encouraged farmers to plant other crops and raise livestock as alternative sources of income. Reports from Yolanda Sotelo, Cristina Arzadon, Estanislao Caldez and Villamor Visaya Jr., Inquirer Northern Luzon; Anselmo Roque, Charlene Cayabyab and Carmela Reyes, Inquirer Central Luzon; Juan Escandor Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon; and Nestor Burgos Jr., Inquirer Visayas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:53:00 02/18/2010
Filed Under: Weather, Agriculture, Water Supply
MANILA, Philippines—Intense heat is drying up farmlands, reservoirs and waterways all over the country, and farmers are scrambling to find ways to cope and survive.
The abnormal signs of El Niño, a weather phenomenon referring to the warmer-than-normal sea-surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean that results in drought in Asia and Australia, and wet winters in the United States, are exacting their toll in the Philippines, according to agriculture officials.
With the lack of rainfall and irrigation water, Filipino farmers are keeping a closer watch over their fields so that whatever available water is used wisely.
Huge clumps of light-brown soil have appeared in the corn fields of Cagayan Valley and Pangasinan, while rice paddies have turned barren in Isabela, Bulacan, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Camarines Sur, Negros, Davao del Sur and other provinces.
The desert-like images have prompted some farmers to stop planting to cut losses.
Isabela, Cagayan and other provinces, as well as in the corn-producing town of Sto. Tomas in Pangasinan and Cauayan City and Ilagan town in Isabela, have been placed under states of calamity to allow local governments to use public funds to help the distressed farmers.
Pangasinan
In Pangasinan, the scene in the agricultural village of Carmen in Rosales town has changed fast in just three months.
Croplands were under several feet of water in October last year. Now, under the scorching sun, the land is parched and cracked.
“If you don’t wear slippers, your feet could get injured as the dried-up soil is so sharp,” said Dhalia Gabor, 23, who is helping her sisters till the land.
The area is covered by an irrigation system, but nothing flows downstream.
When the farmers upstream are done with irrigating their rice lands, water will then be released to the rice fields downstream, according to the “water master,” who is in charge of schedule.
“We are supposed to transplant the palay seedlings already. But there is no water yet. My sisters had to keep the seedlings alive by pumping water from a shallow well, but fuel to run the pump is expensive,” Gabor said.
By the time water reaches the farms, it may be too late to transplant the seedlings.
Gabor’s father, Dominador, 62, decided not to plant in Barangay San Gabriel. He did not want to follow others who were able to do so in December and January, but produced crops that looked unhealthy due to lack of water and expected to harvest only half their yield.
In Pozorrubio town, Board Member Danilo Uy said he had to irrigate his corn fields twice as much than usual.
“Corn needs watering twice or thrice from planting to harvest, but now we have to water them seven or eight times because the land easily dries up. The water evaporates fast,” he said.
Uy said he was lending motor pumps to other farmers to meet their irrigation needs. “But you know, it is really expensive to pump water and there is hardly water coming out of the wells,” he said.
Ilocos Norte
Since rainfall has become scarce beginning late last year, farmers in Pagudpud town in Ilocos Norte are making sure that their rice lands are wet.
During the dry season, more than 500 hectares of rice fields in six villages usually tap the nearby Cabacanan River for irrigation, but now, the river may dry up due to the prolonged drought.
Errol Calivoso, a rice farmer from Barangay Badduang, said crop owners had been spending more time in the fields beginning January to ensure that these were fed sufficiently with water from the river.
“We are drawing more water for our fields. We hope the river does not dry up until we are able to harvest our crops,” he said.
Should the dry spell persist, farmers may resort to planting alternative crops next month, Calivoso said.
Norma Lagmay, provincial agriculturist, said 1,750 hectares of farmlands around Ilocos Norte could no longer be planted with rice.
Instead of the usual cropping period from March to July, farmers now observe it from July to September, she said.
Moreover, they have been told to irrigate their farms only from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and to avoid going to the fields between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“The proper hours spent in the fields would lead to proper crop water absorption and protect farmers from the cruel sun,” Lagmay said.
Magat Dam
In Isabela, Narciso Ramones and other rice farmers of Tumauini town have accepted their fate this year.
“We do not have anything for our daily needs. Our palay farms have been drying up, no one would want to loan us money and we do not have collateral because we are very poor,” Ramones said.
Records from the provincial agriculture office showed that at least P1.6 billion worth of rice and corn had been destroyed by the drought.
Administrators of the Magat Dam said they would be forced to shut down the 350-megawatt hydroelectric plant if the reservoir’s water level would drop to 160 meters above sea level (masl) and below.
Michael Hosillos, external affairs manager of SN-Aboitiz Power, said the water level had been continuously decreasing due to the lack of rainfall in the watershed areas.
The drop averages 0.6 meter a day, according to Saturnino Tenedor, dam and reservoir division chief. On Tuesday, the water level read 165 masl, or 28 meters below maximum.
If this reaches 160 masl, Hosillos said the plant would temporarily stop generating electricity.
The Magat facility is just one of the power generators in northern Luzon “so the lack of water here is no cause for alarm in the country,” he said.
“We have coal-fired power plants and other power generators in Luzon to fill up the reserves,” he said.
Tenedor said cloud-seeding operations over the watershed areas did not induce heavy rains.
Pampanga, Nueva Ecija
In Pampanga, Mayor Jerry Pelayo of Candaba town asked farmers to avoid planting rice and resort to growing vegetables, like eggplant, squash and watermelon, which use less water.
In Nueva Ecija, rice farmers in the western part of Guimba town and nearby towns of Cuyapo, Nampicuan and Talugtog will not be using underground irrigation water because they could not afford the high expense for fuel to run the pumps.
In Bulacan, Gloria Carillo, provincial agriculture officer, said palay planted in more than 1,200 hectares of farms in the towns of Bocaue, Balagtas, San Ildefonso and Calumpit have been destroyed due to shortage of irrigation water.
Rice fields in Bulakan, Pulilan, Guiguinto and Plaridel towns have also been drying up.
The Department of Agriculture, Carillo said, would distribute seeds of alternative crops to the farmers to help them recover their losses.
Camarines Sur
In Camarines Sur, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and the municipal government of Buhi are wrangling over the priority use of water resources of Lake Buhi as 1,061 rice farms are drying up for lack of irrigation water.
The lake, home of sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis), the smallest commercial fish in the world, has an area of 18 square kilometers and an average depth of 8 meters.
William Ragodon, NIA regional director, said he would raise the issue to the National Water Resources Board and to the court as a last resort to resolve the problem on the utilization of water from Lake Buhi.
The NIA wants the municipality to further lower the sluice in the lake’s control structure to 82 meters so that water supply can be increased for irrigation in Iriga City and Bula town. But Buhi Mayor Rey Lacoste maintains that this could affect tilapia production in fish cages.
Western Visayas
The dry spell had already destroyed 13,000 hectares of rice lands in Western Visayas and could affect 42,000 has more, according to Larry Nacionales, agriculture regional director.
Nacionales said damage to agriculture could reach some P500 million.
Cloud seeding will be done in Negros Occidental because wide tracts of its sugarcane fields have been affected, he said, but not over mango and watermelon plantations, and other croplands which could be damaged by the operation.
The agriculture department’s regional office has requested P190 million to rehabilitate irrigation systems and develop other water sources.
It has also encouraged farmers to plant other crops and raise livestock as alternative sources of income. Reports from Yolanda Sotelo, Cristina Arzadon, Estanislao Caldez and Villamor Visaya Jr., Inquirer Northern Luzon; Anselmo Roque, Charlene Cayabyab and Carmela Reyes, Inquirer Central Luzon; Juan Escandor Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon; and Nestor Burgos Jr., Inquirer Visayas
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
No-holds-barred forum Madrigal steals show at PDI debate
Filed Under: Inquirer Politics, Eleksyon 2010, Elections
MANILA, Philippines—Like the Filipino delicacy balut, the first Philippine Daily Inquirer presidential debate was not for the faint-hearted.
Pointed and witty queries ranging from the price of “galunggong” and salted eggs to Charter change and the budget deficit, sharp brickbats and a lively audience marked the event at the jampacked University of the Philippines Theater in Diliman, Quezon City Monday.
Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Richard “Dick” Gordon, Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal and Manny Villar, Councilor JC de los Reyes, environmentalist Nicanor “Nicky” Perlas, ex-Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro and evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva faced a tough grilling by nine panelists, who also read questions from Inquirer readers, and several members of the audience.
The forum lasted more than two hours and was aired live by dzBB, the AM radio station of GMA 7, which is the Inquirer’s election coverage partner.
Madrigal stole the show by sniping at Villar at every opportunity, blasting him for his extensive advertisements to his group’s boycott of the Senate’s last session day when senators were supposed to vote on the recommendation to censure him for the C-5 controversy.
Madrigal was on a roll when she seemingly flunked the test on how much a kilo of galunggong and salted eggs cost.
Villar, at the receiving end of brickbats from Madrigal and Gordon, lashed back when he emphatically declared he was spending his own money. He suggested that people might be voting for the anonymous backers of his rivals who depended on campaign contributions.
No to Charter change
Villar, who has caught up on survey front-runner Aquino, also offered the day’s most defining issue—that he won’t call a constitutional convention or constituent assembly to amend the Charter.
“Charter change will not be my priority; I believe it is not that important,” he said in response to the question by foreign business and political analyst Peter Wallace. He said he’ll leave it up to the people to decide in a referendum.
De los Reyes, the youngest among the aspirants, said that while he might be open to reviewing the constitutional ban on foreign ownership of land, he was still for a nationalist policy. He also stuck to his stand against the reproductive health bill which he described as “really dangerous.”
Villanueva had to defend his dual role as a religious figure and a politician, but he also earned points for advocating real development for Mindanao.
Perlas, who shrugged off his low survey ratings, declared that one of his first acts as president would be to create a Department of Civil Society Affairs.
A confident Teodoro came out strong on doing away with corruption in the bureaucracy, by reducing temptation and increasing incentives for performance.
No new taxes
Teodoro’s cousin Aquino, the consistent survey topnotcher, stood by his position that he would not raise taxes if elected.
This drew a strong rebuke from Gordon who said those promising no tax increases were lying because there simply was no way to address the budget deficit with no additional revenue.
Also on the warpath like Madrigal, Gordon hit the filing of rebellion cases against the Ampatuans for the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 civilians and journalists in Maguindanao, saying the rebellion was meant to weaken the crime of murder.
Deposed President Joseph Estrada paid for his absence by being slammed in absentia.
When debate organizer and Inquirer columnist John Nery announced that he would not make it, the audience laughed and some even applauded.
Gordon drew the absent Estrada in by hitting his pro-poor stance and lamenting the Filipinos’ kind of “political maturity” and values by accepting and forgiving a candidate who had been convicted for plunder.
All about character
Nery laid down the Inquirer debate’s purpose, saying this would show the candidates’ “character or lack of it” and expose his or her “confidence or lack of it.”
The debate was rendered lively also by naughty and witty questions, which made some candidates flinch and others shine.
Teodoro made sure there would be no domestic quarrels by putting his mother-in-law No. 1 on his list. Aquino had to assure that while he was an “indulgent” brother, he would not be under the dictates of his popular and “ostentatious” sister Kris.
Could Madrigal say something good about Villar? His dyed hair looked good.
Madrigal was unflinching in her anti-Villar crusade when a reader dropped in a surprise quiz for her: Do you know how much a kilo of galunggong and red eggs cost? She was way off-mark but got off by saying she’s a vegetarian. (We checked; she is.–Ed)
Madrigal and Gordon apparently enjoyed being the debate’s hecklers, and the crowd applauded when they sniped at Villar, who tried to keep his cool on the far end of the stage. (They were positioned in alphabetical order.)
But Villar had his own share of supporters in the crowd, who applauded when he offered no apologies for his rags-to-riches story and for unabashedly spending his own money on ads.
Crowd favorites
From the applause, the crowd favorites were Aquino, Gordon, Teodoro, Villar and Madrigal.
The candidates were allowed to have 20 supporters in the theater to applaud them.
The candidates fielded questions from nine panelists: Inquirer columnists Raul Pangalangan, Fr. Joaquin Bernas SJ and senior reporter Fe Zamora on law and politics; columnists Rina Jimenez-David and Michael Tan and Inquirer youth section editor Pam Pastor on social issues; and columnist Cielito Habito, Inquirer opinion editor Jorge Aruta and Inquirer business editor Raul Marcelo on economic issues.
In addition, there were questions from the floor by Katribu party-list’s Beverly Longid, dean Roland Tolentino of the UP College of Mass Communications, Peter Perfecto of Philippine Business for Education, UP student Franz de la Fuente, Gil Salazar of Philippine Business for Social Progress, Sylvia Claudio of Watch Out When Women Vote, Makati Business Club’s Alberto Lim, Reuters reporter Manny Mogato and Wallace.
Pangalangan opened the debate by asking Aquino about his statement that he would not recognize a Chief Justice appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The other questions included how to address the restiveness in the military, corruption in the Bureau of Customs, political dynasty, private armies, arming the media, the separation of Church and state, the Asean charter, mining, how to solve the peace and poverty problem in Mindanao, the division of congressional districts, the environment, the elderly, education, urban housing, divorce and sex education, the Internal Revenue Allotment of local governments, the pork barrel, the Arroyo administration’s stimulus package, debt payments, even the Sangguniang Kabataan and of course poverty.
Shaping public discourse
Inquirer president Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, in her welcome remarks, said the Inquirer debate was the paper’s contribution to the “country’s most important election in a generation” and marked the first in a series of activities for the Inquirer’s 25th anniversary this year.
She said that despite widespread pessimism, the candidates have at least made themselves available for such debates where the public can learn about their platforms. Noting that the official campaign period begins on Tuesday, she said that “we in the Inquirer hope that this event will help shape public discourse today and the next 90 days and beyond.”
Romualdez thanked the Inquirer’s co-presentor of the debate—Globe Telecoms represented by Jaime and Fernando Zobel de Ayala—and the UP College of Mass Communications and 14 partner organizations.
Inquirer chair Marixi Prieto, editor in chief Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc, Inquirer founder Eugenia Apostol and publisher Isagani Yambot led the Inquirer family in the event, which was also graced by some diplomats and members of political parties and supporters of candidates.
Madrigal’s husband Eric Valade, Villar’s three children and Teodoro’s wife Rep. Nikki Prieto-Teodoro were among those who came to watch.
Tickets ran out for the debate as around 2,500 people filled the UP Theater.
MANILA, Philippines—Like the Filipino delicacy balut, the first Philippine Daily Inquirer presidential debate was not for the faint-hearted.
Pointed and witty queries ranging from the price of “galunggong” and salted eggs to Charter change and the budget deficit, sharp brickbats and a lively audience marked the event at the jampacked University of the Philippines Theater in Diliman, Quezon City Monday.
Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Richard “Dick” Gordon, Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal and Manny Villar, Councilor JC de los Reyes, environmentalist Nicanor “Nicky” Perlas, ex-Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro and evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva faced a tough grilling by nine panelists, who also read questions from Inquirer readers, and several members of the audience.
The forum lasted more than two hours and was aired live by dzBB, the AM radio station of GMA 7, which is the Inquirer’s election coverage partner.
Madrigal stole the show by sniping at Villar at every opportunity, blasting him for his extensive advertisements to his group’s boycott of the Senate’s last session day when senators were supposed to vote on the recommendation to censure him for the C-5 controversy.
Madrigal was on a roll when she seemingly flunked the test on how much a kilo of galunggong and salted eggs cost.
Villar, at the receiving end of brickbats from Madrigal and Gordon, lashed back when he emphatically declared he was spending his own money. He suggested that people might be voting for the anonymous backers of his rivals who depended on campaign contributions.
No to Charter change
Villar, who has caught up on survey front-runner Aquino, also offered the day’s most defining issue—that he won’t call a constitutional convention or constituent assembly to amend the Charter.
“Charter change will not be my priority; I believe it is not that important,” he said in response to the question by foreign business and political analyst Peter Wallace. He said he’ll leave it up to the people to decide in a referendum.
De los Reyes, the youngest among the aspirants, said that while he might be open to reviewing the constitutional ban on foreign ownership of land, he was still for a nationalist policy. He also stuck to his stand against the reproductive health bill which he described as “really dangerous.”
Villanueva had to defend his dual role as a religious figure and a politician, but he also earned points for advocating real development for Mindanao.
Perlas, who shrugged off his low survey ratings, declared that one of his first acts as president would be to create a Department of Civil Society Affairs.
A confident Teodoro came out strong on doing away with corruption in the bureaucracy, by reducing temptation and increasing incentives for performance.
No new taxes
Teodoro’s cousin Aquino, the consistent survey topnotcher, stood by his position that he would not raise taxes if elected.
This drew a strong rebuke from Gordon who said those promising no tax increases were lying because there simply was no way to address the budget deficit with no additional revenue.
Also on the warpath like Madrigal, Gordon hit the filing of rebellion cases against the Ampatuans for the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 civilians and journalists in Maguindanao, saying the rebellion was meant to weaken the crime of murder.
Deposed President Joseph Estrada paid for his absence by being slammed in absentia.
When debate organizer and Inquirer columnist John Nery announced that he would not make it, the audience laughed and some even applauded.
Gordon drew the absent Estrada in by hitting his pro-poor stance and lamenting the Filipinos’ kind of “political maturity” and values by accepting and forgiving a candidate who had been convicted for plunder.
All about character
Nery laid down the Inquirer debate’s purpose, saying this would show the candidates’ “character or lack of it” and expose his or her “confidence or lack of it.”
The debate was rendered lively also by naughty and witty questions, which made some candidates flinch and others shine.
Teodoro made sure there would be no domestic quarrels by putting his mother-in-law No. 1 on his list. Aquino had to assure that while he was an “indulgent” brother, he would not be under the dictates of his popular and “ostentatious” sister Kris.
Could Madrigal say something good about Villar? His dyed hair looked good.
Madrigal was unflinching in her anti-Villar crusade when a reader dropped in a surprise quiz for her: Do you know how much a kilo of galunggong and red eggs cost? She was way off-mark but got off by saying she’s a vegetarian. (We checked; she is.–Ed)
Madrigal and Gordon apparently enjoyed being the debate’s hecklers, and the crowd applauded when they sniped at Villar, who tried to keep his cool on the far end of the stage. (They were positioned in alphabetical order.)
But Villar had his own share of supporters in the crowd, who applauded when he offered no apologies for his rags-to-riches story and for unabashedly spending his own money on ads.
Crowd favorites
From the applause, the crowd favorites were Aquino, Gordon, Teodoro, Villar and Madrigal.
The candidates were allowed to have 20 supporters in the theater to applaud them.
The candidates fielded questions from nine panelists: Inquirer columnists Raul Pangalangan, Fr. Joaquin Bernas SJ and senior reporter Fe Zamora on law and politics; columnists Rina Jimenez-David and Michael Tan and Inquirer youth section editor Pam Pastor on social issues; and columnist Cielito Habito, Inquirer opinion editor Jorge Aruta and Inquirer business editor Raul Marcelo on economic issues.
In addition, there were questions from the floor by Katribu party-list’s Beverly Longid, dean Roland Tolentino of the UP College of Mass Communications, Peter Perfecto of Philippine Business for Education, UP student Franz de la Fuente, Gil Salazar of Philippine Business for Social Progress, Sylvia Claudio of Watch Out When Women Vote, Makati Business Club’s Alberto Lim, Reuters reporter Manny Mogato and Wallace.
Pangalangan opened the debate by asking Aquino about his statement that he would not recognize a Chief Justice appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The other questions included how to address the restiveness in the military, corruption in the Bureau of Customs, political dynasty, private armies, arming the media, the separation of Church and state, the Asean charter, mining, how to solve the peace and poverty problem in Mindanao, the division of congressional districts, the environment, the elderly, education, urban housing, divorce and sex education, the Internal Revenue Allotment of local governments, the pork barrel, the Arroyo administration’s stimulus package, debt payments, even the Sangguniang Kabataan and of course poverty.
Shaping public discourse
Inquirer president Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, in her welcome remarks, said the Inquirer debate was the paper’s contribution to the “country’s most important election in a generation” and marked the first in a series of activities for the Inquirer’s 25th anniversary this year.
She said that despite widespread pessimism, the candidates have at least made themselves available for such debates where the public can learn about their platforms. Noting that the official campaign period begins on Tuesday, she said that “we in the Inquirer hope that this event will help shape public discourse today and the next 90 days and beyond.”
Romualdez thanked the Inquirer’s co-presentor of the debate—Globe Telecoms represented by Jaime and Fernando Zobel de Ayala—and the UP College of Mass Communications and 14 partner organizations.
Inquirer chair Marixi Prieto, editor in chief Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc, Inquirer founder Eugenia Apostol and publisher Isagani Yambot led the Inquirer family in the event, which was also graced by some diplomats and members of political parties and supporters of candidates.
Madrigal’s husband Eric Valade, Villar’s three children and Teodoro’s wife Rep. Nikki Prieto-Teodoro were among those who came to watch.
Tickets ran out for the debate as around 2,500 people filled the UP Theater.
6/49 jackpot to hit P165 million
Filed Under: Gaming & Lotteries
MANILA, Philippines – Don’t put it off until the last minute— not if you want to avoid those long lines.
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) yesterday reminded the public to place their bets early for tonight’s 6/49 Super Lotto draw in which the jackpot is expected to reach P165 million.
PCSO spokesperson Dr. Larry Cedro said no one guessed the winning number combination of 3-27-38-35-14-25 in Sunday night’s draw which had a jackpot prize of over P153 million.
However, 120,717 players won more than P23 million in consolation prizes after they got three to five of the numbers right.
Draws for the 6/49 Super Lotto are now held thrice a week—on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays—because of the game’s immense popularity, Cedro added.
More bets
“We expect more bettors to queue at lotto outlets so we advice our betting public to line up early so that their bets would make it before outlets close at 8 p.m.,” he said.
The jackpot for the 6/49 Super Lotto breached the P100 million mark for the first time this year on Jan. 31 with Cedro saying that the number of bettors tend to swell as the prize gets bigger.
“Our sales go up as the prize exceeds P100 million because the bettors are interested [in winning] the jackpot so this is good for our charity projects,” he said.
Early this month, a delivery boy from Parañaque City claimed the P111 million he won after he betted P80 on the winning number combination in the last 6/49 Super Lotto draw held for 2009.
Lotto winners have a year to claim their prize although they should ensure that their tickets remain in good condition.
Last year, the prize for the 6/49 Super Lotto draw breached the P100 million mark four times.
Record high
In February 2009, two bettors from the cities of Pasig and Caloocan shared the PCSO’s biggest ever lotto prize—a whopping P347 million.
Just a few months later, two winners from Sta. Maria, Bulacan and Pateros guessed the winning combination to split a jackpot of P188 million.
Then in September, a 44-year-old taxi driver with three children bagged a P150.9 million jackpot with a bet of only P60.
The second biggest Super Lotto jackpot was won by a 61-year-old construction worker from Novaliches, Quezon City in April 2008.
He went home P249 million richer.
MANILA, Philippines – Don’t put it off until the last minute— not if you want to avoid those long lines.
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) yesterday reminded the public to place their bets early for tonight’s 6/49 Super Lotto draw in which the jackpot is expected to reach P165 million.
PCSO spokesperson Dr. Larry Cedro said no one guessed the winning number combination of 3-27-38-35-14-25 in Sunday night’s draw which had a jackpot prize of over P153 million.
However, 120,717 players won more than P23 million in consolation prizes after they got three to five of the numbers right.
Draws for the 6/49 Super Lotto are now held thrice a week—on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays—because of the game’s immense popularity, Cedro added.
More bets
“We expect more bettors to queue at lotto outlets so we advice our betting public to line up early so that their bets would make it before outlets close at 8 p.m.,” he said.
The jackpot for the 6/49 Super Lotto breached the P100 million mark for the first time this year on Jan. 31 with Cedro saying that the number of bettors tend to swell as the prize gets bigger.
“Our sales go up as the prize exceeds P100 million because the bettors are interested [in winning] the jackpot so this is good for our charity projects,” he said.
Early this month, a delivery boy from Parañaque City claimed the P111 million he won after he betted P80 on the winning number combination in the last 6/49 Super Lotto draw held for 2009.
Lotto winners have a year to claim their prize although they should ensure that their tickets remain in good condition.
Last year, the prize for the 6/49 Super Lotto draw breached the P100 million mark four times.
Record high
In February 2009, two bettors from the cities of Pasig and Caloocan shared the PCSO’s biggest ever lotto prize—a whopping P347 million.
Just a few months later, two winners from Sta. Maria, Bulacan and Pateros guessed the winning combination to split a jackpot of P188 million.
Then in September, a 44-year-old taxi driver with three children bagged a P150.9 million jackpot with a bet of only P60.
The second biggest Super Lotto jackpot was won by a 61-year-old construction worker from Novaliches, Quezon City in April 2008.
He went home P249 million richer.
Aquino: I will redistribute Hacienda Luisita in 5 years
Filed Under: Inquirer Politics, Eleksyon 2010, Benigno Aquino III, Agrarian Reform
Most Read
Other Most Read Stories x
News
o Villar ends rally singing Revillame's ‘ikaw na nga’
o Stars entertain crowd at NP's kick-off campaign rally
o Santiago calls Villar's critics ugly, lizards
o Arroyo skips Lakas proclamation; in Laguna with Villar
o 197 charged with murder over Maguindanao massacre
o Aquino goes back to where he had first speech with dad
o Teodoro: Loyalty to Arroyo ends where loyalty to mother-in-law begins
o It’s carnival time again
o Still no winner in 6/49 SuperLotto
o Aquino: I will redistribute Hacienda Luisita in 5 years
News Most Read RSS
Close this
MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III Tuesday promised to redistribute the 6,453-hectare Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) within five years as prescribed by the new agrarian reform law.
In a press conference at his father’s ancestral home in Concepcion, Tarlac, where the Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer formally launched his candidacy, Aquino said that the hacienda controlled by the Cojuangco family of his late mother President Corazon Aquino was virtually bankrupt.
The presidential candidate did not give details of the debts but said that this was the reason the Cojuangcos had been hesitant to dump the sprawling sugar plantation on the farmers with its obligations still unpaid.
“I have said several times before that I have already talked with my family and that what we are after is the welfare of our ‘kasamahan’ and our main problem is how to transfer the land without the debt.
“We could have made a voluntary offer to sell from day one if we were only after our own interest. We get paid, and we will be left with a huge sum in the bank, but our kasamahan are left in a not so perfect situation—10,000 (farmers) to divide 4,500 hectares of land that do not have equal productivity,” said Aquino.
His running mate, Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, himself a rich landowner, took the cudgels for him by stressing that that the farmers’ enemy was not Aquino but the banks.
“The land is mortgaged to the banks and they cannot just turn their bank and give up the land because it would all go to the banks,” Roxas said.
Aquino said that his cousins “who are running the hacienda” had already made the rounds to get the consent of 10,000 farmers on what scheme they wanted to effect the land transfer. He said this should also be approved by the corporation.
Aquino issued a press statement at the start of his national campaign promising to complete the distribution of over a million hectares of private lands during the five-year extension period of the new agrarian reform law.
He said that this would allow the government to pour more funds into agricultural extension services, irrigation, farm-to-market roads, to help farmer-beneficiaries.
P150-billion fund
Aquino noted that P150 billion allocated under CARPER (CARP Extension with Reforms) was approved last year (Aquino abstained during the voting) for the purchase of lands and he intended to use the funds to implement the land transfer in his own family’s Hacienda.
Agrarian reform was the centerpiece of a poverty alleviation program that Corazon Aquino had vowed to undertake when she campaigned for president in the snap election of 1986 against the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. A subsequent People Power revolution that year ousted Marcos.
In 1988, President Aquino promulgated a comprehensive agrarian reform program, but her hacienda was exempted when it opted to distribute shares of stocks instead to farmers.
However, the Department of Agrarian Reform said that after 17 years, the arrangement had not improved the lives of the farmers and ordered the distribution of the lands to them. At the Cojuangcos’ behest, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order. The case remains pending.
Those lands that remain undistributed are the huge estates, like Hacienda Luisita, whose owners have resisted the program the past two decades. The Hacienda issue has become an albatross in the Aquino campaign and a big question mark on his ability to address poverty and the unequal distribution of wealth.
Aquino as rapper
In Capas later, Aquino shocked and entertained his audience by giving an impromptu performance of his political rap jingle on a makeshift stage at the public market.
He told the crowd that he wanted to disprove the Villar camp’s claims that he merely put on fast mode his song to make it sound like he was rapping.
In the evening, the group proceeded to Tarlac City for the unveiling of the 9-foot monument of Corazon Aquino.
During the press conference, Aquino and Roxas blasted Nacionalista Party presidential candidate Sen. Manny Villar for his purported secret ties to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“I have been taught as a child that if I pushed for something that is wrong, I will be part of that evil,” Aquino said.
“Their alliance will eventually come out in the coming days. You can see from their actions and words that they do have a collaboration.”
Roxas mocked Villar’s “fake” image as seen from his constant dying of his white hair and alleged botox treatment for his wrinkles.
“This campaign will stand on character versus cash,” he said.
While Aquino and Roxas zeroed in on Villar in the kick-off rally at the Concepcion public market, Aquino claimed that Ms Arroyo remained as his main target in the elections and that Villar and anyone who would seek to continue her “crooked system” should not be allowed to be in power. “
Noynoy blasts Gibo
Aquino said this included his cousin, Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, Ms Arroyo’s former defense secretary.
“I am older than him and in fairness, I don’t think we have ever hit each other below the belt. He claimed in his slogan that it was possible for the country to grow fast but he has to explain why start only now when they have been in power for 10 years?” Aquino said.
With Villar cutting down Aquino’s once formidable lead, the LP candidate said his campaign team would aim at delivering a more clear and focused message primarily through 300,000 card-carrying volunteers ready to defend and promote him.
Aquino said that Villar, whom he described as his “closest competitor,” would be his best ally in the campaign.
“My closest opponent mouthed what I said (about not raising taxes and managing the deficit) and he agreed that my position is correct. As he follows my platform more and more, my opponent will constantly change his message because he has not been studying what he is supposed to study,” Aquino said.
Ad spending
What Aquino will not do is match Villar’s spending which LP guest senatorial bet, Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros, estimated at between P6 billion and P15 billion, which was bigger than the entire state budget for state housing of P4.2 billion.
Villar is currently spending 10 times what Aquino was shelling out for his campaign ads. Even if his ad spending gets bigger with the start of the campaign, Aquino said Villar would still outspend him 2 to 1.
Aquino’s main fear was that the uninformed public would accept the image conveyed by the ads as reality.
He said his team’s goal was to make sure that the public would be apprised of the truth about his actions that conflict with his image, such as the C-5 double insertion issue where he caused the construction of a redundant and more expensive road project that primarily benefited his subdivisions.
Fans look for Kris
Aquino’s girlfriend, Valenzuela Councilor Shalani Soledad, was nowhere in sight. She was out campaigning for a congressional seat in Valenzuela. But she was hardly missed.
Aquino’s shrieking fans in Concepcion were looking for his popular sister Kris Aquino and her son Baby James.
“She is part of team creating materials (for the campaign) and she has plenty of obligations,” Aquino told reporters. “When she is here, they say I am using Kris. When she is not here, they ask where is Kris?” Aquino said, complaining about his dilemma.
Kris has been seen as a double-edged sword for Aquino—her popularity as attested to by the numerous companies that get her to endorse their products, has made the Aquino name even more popular; but her string of love affairs and tactless remarks have also made her a liability to Aquino.
Aquino said that Kris and her other sisters—Pinky Aquino-Abellada and Ballsy Aquino-Cruz—were his “surrogates” who would help cover all of the 80 provinces in less than 90 days.
“We will take turns because my schedule is also tight,” he said.
Another surprise was the presence of broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez who sat behind Roxas at Immaculate Conception Church. The couple ate fishballs at the church gates before the Mass.
Sanchez has been scarcely seen in political events of Roxas since her husband decided to give way to Aquino and settle for the vice presidency. With a report from Jo Martinez-Clemente, Inquirer Central Luzon
Most Read
Other Most Read Stories x
News
o Villar ends rally singing Revillame's ‘ikaw na nga’
o Stars entertain crowd at NP's kick-off campaign rally
o Santiago calls Villar's critics ugly, lizards
o Arroyo skips Lakas proclamation; in Laguna with Villar
o 197 charged with murder over Maguindanao massacre
o Aquino goes back to where he had first speech with dad
o Teodoro: Loyalty to Arroyo ends where loyalty to mother-in-law begins
o It’s carnival time again
o Still no winner in 6/49 SuperLotto
o Aquino: I will redistribute Hacienda Luisita in 5 years
News Most Read RSS
Close this
MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III Tuesday promised to redistribute the 6,453-hectare Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) within five years as prescribed by the new agrarian reform law.
In a press conference at his father’s ancestral home in Concepcion, Tarlac, where the Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer formally launched his candidacy, Aquino said that the hacienda controlled by the Cojuangco family of his late mother President Corazon Aquino was virtually bankrupt.
The presidential candidate did not give details of the debts but said that this was the reason the Cojuangcos had been hesitant to dump the sprawling sugar plantation on the farmers with its obligations still unpaid.
“I have said several times before that I have already talked with my family and that what we are after is the welfare of our ‘kasamahan’ and our main problem is how to transfer the land without the debt.
“We could have made a voluntary offer to sell from day one if we were only after our own interest. We get paid, and we will be left with a huge sum in the bank, but our kasamahan are left in a not so perfect situation—10,000 (farmers) to divide 4,500 hectares of land that do not have equal productivity,” said Aquino.
His running mate, Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, himself a rich landowner, took the cudgels for him by stressing that that the farmers’ enemy was not Aquino but the banks.
“The land is mortgaged to the banks and they cannot just turn their bank and give up the land because it would all go to the banks,” Roxas said.
Aquino said that his cousins “who are running the hacienda” had already made the rounds to get the consent of 10,000 farmers on what scheme they wanted to effect the land transfer. He said this should also be approved by the corporation.
Aquino issued a press statement at the start of his national campaign promising to complete the distribution of over a million hectares of private lands during the five-year extension period of the new agrarian reform law.
He said that this would allow the government to pour more funds into agricultural extension services, irrigation, farm-to-market roads, to help farmer-beneficiaries.
P150-billion fund
Aquino noted that P150 billion allocated under CARPER (CARP Extension with Reforms) was approved last year (Aquino abstained during the voting) for the purchase of lands and he intended to use the funds to implement the land transfer in his own family’s Hacienda.
Agrarian reform was the centerpiece of a poverty alleviation program that Corazon Aquino had vowed to undertake when she campaigned for president in the snap election of 1986 against the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. A subsequent People Power revolution that year ousted Marcos.
In 1988, President Aquino promulgated a comprehensive agrarian reform program, but her hacienda was exempted when it opted to distribute shares of stocks instead to farmers.
However, the Department of Agrarian Reform said that after 17 years, the arrangement had not improved the lives of the farmers and ordered the distribution of the lands to them. At the Cojuangcos’ behest, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order. The case remains pending.
Those lands that remain undistributed are the huge estates, like Hacienda Luisita, whose owners have resisted the program the past two decades. The Hacienda issue has become an albatross in the Aquino campaign and a big question mark on his ability to address poverty and the unequal distribution of wealth.
Aquino as rapper
In Capas later, Aquino shocked and entertained his audience by giving an impromptu performance of his political rap jingle on a makeshift stage at the public market.
He told the crowd that he wanted to disprove the Villar camp’s claims that he merely put on fast mode his song to make it sound like he was rapping.
In the evening, the group proceeded to Tarlac City for the unveiling of the 9-foot monument of Corazon Aquino.
During the press conference, Aquino and Roxas blasted Nacionalista Party presidential candidate Sen. Manny Villar for his purported secret ties to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“I have been taught as a child that if I pushed for something that is wrong, I will be part of that evil,” Aquino said.
“Their alliance will eventually come out in the coming days. You can see from their actions and words that they do have a collaboration.”
Roxas mocked Villar’s “fake” image as seen from his constant dying of his white hair and alleged botox treatment for his wrinkles.
“This campaign will stand on character versus cash,” he said.
While Aquino and Roxas zeroed in on Villar in the kick-off rally at the Concepcion public market, Aquino claimed that Ms Arroyo remained as his main target in the elections and that Villar and anyone who would seek to continue her “crooked system” should not be allowed to be in power. “
Noynoy blasts Gibo
Aquino said this included his cousin, Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, Ms Arroyo’s former defense secretary.
“I am older than him and in fairness, I don’t think we have ever hit each other below the belt. He claimed in his slogan that it was possible for the country to grow fast but he has to explain why start only now when they have been in power for 10 years?” Aquino said.
With Villar cutting down Aquino’s once formidable lead, the LP candidate said his campaign team would aim at delivering a more clear and focused message primarily through 300,000 card-carrying volunteers ready to defend and promote him.
Aquino said that Villar, whom he described as his “closest competitor,” would be his best ally in the campaign.
“My closest opponent mouthed what I said (about not raising taxes and managing the deficit) and he agreed that my position is correct. As he follows my platform more and more, my opponent will constantly change his message because he has not been studying what he is supposed to study,” Aquino said.
Ad spending
What Aquino will not do is match Villar’s spending which LP guest senatorial bet, Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros, estimated at between P6 billion and P15 billion, which was bigger than the entire state budget for state housing of P4.2 billion.
Villar is currently spending 10 times what Aquino was shelling out for his campaign ads. Even if his ad spending gets bigger with the start of the campaign, Aquino said Villar would still outspend him 2 to 1.
Aquino’s main fear was that the uninformed public would accept the image conveyed by the ads as reality.
He said his team’s goal was to make sure that the public would be apprised of the truth about his actions that conflict with his image, such as the C-5 double insertion issue where he caused the construction of a redundant and more expensive road project that primarily benefited his subdivisions.
Fans look for Kris
Aquino’s girlfriend, Valenzuela Councilor Shalani Soledad, was nowhere in sight. She was out campaigning for a congressional seat in Valenzuela. But she was hardly missed.
Aquino’s shrieking fans in Concepcion were looking for his popular sister Kris Aquino and her son Baby James.
“She is part of team creating materials (for the campaign) and she has plenty of obligations,” Aquino told reporters. “When she is here, they say I am using Kris. When she is not here, they ask where is Kris?” Aquino said, complaining about his dilemma.
Kris has been seen as a double-edged sword for Aquino—her popularity as attested to by the numerous companies that get her to endorse their products, has made the Aquino name even more popular; but her string of love affairs and tactless remarks have also made her a liability to Aquino.
Aquino said that Kris and her other sisters—Pinky Aquino-Abellada and Ballsy Aquino-Cruz—were his “surrogates” who would help cover all of the 80 provinces in less than 90 days.
“We will take turns because my schedule is also tight,” he said.
Another surprise was the presence of broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez who sat behind Roxas at Immaculate Conception Church. The couple ate fishballs at the church gates before the Mass.
Sanchez has been scarcely seen in political events of Roxas since her husband decided to give way to Aquino and settle for the vice presidency. With a report from Jo Martinez-Clemente, Inquirer Central Luzon
8 kidnap suspects killed in Quezon Province
Filed Under: Crime, Kidnapping, Police
CANDELARIA, Quezon — Eight suspected kidnappers were killed in a reported shoot-out with policemen at a mobile checkpoint in front of the police’s 415th Mobile Group headquarters along the Maharlika Highway in Sitio (sub-village) Taguan, Barangay (village) Bukal Sur, here early Monday.
Chief Superintendent Elmo Francis Sarona, provincial police chief, said the armed men were on board a Toyota Hi-Ace van that rammed a wooden barricade of the Commission on Elections at around 5:10 a.m. and fired at the lawmen manning the checkpoint.
The policemen returned fire, killing seven of the men on the spot. Two of the fatalities lay on the pavement with guns on their sides, while the rest were found inside the bullet-ridden vehicle, Sarona said.
One of the gunmen was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival, he added.
Four of those killed were identified from the contents of their wallets as Jojo Salazar, payroll guard from UMA security agency and resident of Quezon City and Bulacan; Roger Dasnes Bailon of Rizal; Wilbert Mauricio of Las Piñas City; and Samuel Reonico of Quezon City.
Superintendent Hanzel Marantan, head of the Quezon Police Safety Management, said he was supervising eight police officers and Army soldiers at the checkpoint when the Toyota van suddenly hit the barricade and its passengers started firing.
“We ducked for cover and returned fire to defend ourselves,” he told the Inquirer.
Police recovered a .45 cal. pistol with five bullets, a .357 cal. revolver with 17 bullets, a grenade, a Carbine rifle with two long magazines loaded with 43 bullets, two magazines for .45 cal. gun loaded with bullets and a jungle bolo.
Residents said the gunfire lasted about 10 minutes.
Police also found 16 uncashed bank checks in one of the armed men’s bags, a pair of fake vehicle license plates and several mobile phones inside the vehicle. One of the checks, worth P228,000, was payable to YHJ Philippines Corp.
“We believe that the group was an organized KFR (kidnap for ransom) and robbery group and was about to stake out and eventually hit their targets, probably pawnshops
CANDELARIA, Quezon — Eight suspected kidnappers were killed in a reported shoot-out with policemen at a mobile checkpoint in front of the police’s 415th Mobile Group headquarters along the Maharlika Highway in Sitio (sub-village) Taguan, Barangay (village) Bukal Sur, here early Monday.
Chief Superintendent Elmo Francis Sarona, provincial police chief, said the armed men were on board a Toyota Hi-Ace van that rammed a wooden barricade of the Commission on Elections at around 5:10 a.m. and fired at the lawmen manning the checkpoint.
The policemen returned fire, killing seven of the men on the spot. Two of the fatalities lay on the pavement with guns on their sides, while the rest were found inside the bullet-ridden vehicle, Sarona said.
One of the gunmen was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival, he added.
Four of those killed were identified from the contents of their wallets as Jojo Salazar, payroll guard from UMA security agency and resident of Quezon City and Bulacan; Roger Dasnes Bailon of Rizal; Wilbert Mauricio of Las Piñas City; and Samuel Reonico of Quezon City.
Superintendent Hanzel Marantan, head of the Quezon Police Safety Management, said he was supervising eight police officers and Army soldiers at the checkpoint when the Toyota van suddenly hit the barricade and its passengers started firing.
“We ducked for cover and returned fire to defend ourselves,” he told the Inquirer.
Police recovered a .45 cal. pistol with five bullets, a .357 cal. revolver with 17 bullets, a grenade, a Carbine rifle with two long magazines loaded with 43 bullets, two magazines for .45 cal. gun loaded with bullets and a jungle bolo.
Residents said the gunfire lasted about 10 minutes.
Police also found 16 uncashed bank checks in one of the armed men’s bags, a pair of fake vehicle license plates and several mobile phones inside the vehicle. One of the checks, worth P228,000, was payable to YHJ Philippines Corp.
“We believe that the group was an organized KFR (kidnap for ransom) and robbery group and was about to stake out and eventually hit their targets, probably pawnshops
Charge cops in death of 16 in Parañaque shootout—CHR
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 3) The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Monday recommended the filing of administrative and criminal charges against 18 policemen including two police generals, who were involved in the fatal shootout with robbers inside a Paranaque subdivision that killed 16 persons over a year ago.
In a CHR resolution, Chairperson Leila De Lima said that those to be charged both criminally and administratively include 18 members of the elite police unit Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and three police officials.
The CHR said the policemen committed “multiple human rights violations” during the 40-minute shootout last December 5, 2008, which led to the death of six civilians, including seven-year old Lea Alyanna De Vera, at the United Parañaque Subdivision 4 in Barangay (Village) Marcelo Green.
The three police officials recommended for criminal and administrative charges for “obstruction of justice” are: Superintendent James Cristobal; Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, the former chief of the HPG and Chief Superintendent Orlando Mabutas, current chief of the HPG.
De Lima said the three officials failed to institute sanctions against the policemen involved, particularly in the killing of De Vera and her father Alfonso.
The policemen recommended for criminal and administrative charges for the deaths of De Vera and Ronaldo Eusebio were: Chief Insp. Joel L. Mendoza; Chief Insp. Lawrence B. Cajipe; Insp. Gerardo B. Balatucan; Insp. Doroteo R. Tolentino; Police Officer 3 Jolito P. Mamanao Jr.; PO3 Fernando Rey S. Gapuz; PO2 Eduardo G. Blanco; PO1 Josil Rey I. Luceña; PO2 Edwin C. Santos; and PO1 Elybeer Cayaban.
Others included are Senior Police Officer 1 Jayson A Galimba; PO3 Arvin S. Ramos; PO3 Edwin C. Cuadra; PO3 Jesus S. Pascual; PO2 Fidel Quirejero; PO2 John I. Idio; and PO1 Wilfredo B. Reyes.
De Lima said the CHR was “greatly alarmed at the ease with which PNP personnel under investigation can conceal weapons subject of firearms identification and examination by the PNP Crime Laboratory.”
In its investigation, the CHR revealed that members of the HPG failed to surrender their firearms to the Crime Laboratory for testing.
De Lima denounced the statement from the policemen who said they failed to surrender their firearms because the weapons they were carrying at the time of the shootout were not used.
“This position cannot explain the discovery of at least seven 5.56mm shells for M16 rifles recovered near the body of Alfonso De Vera, or the high-velocity bullet that killed Lia Alyanna,” De Lima said.
“We find the members of Team II of the HPG most probably liable not only for murder, but for obstruction of justice as well, for knowingly and deliberately concealing and failing to surrender the long firearms they used in the killing of Lia Allana and Alfonso De Vera consisting of, as testified by Hilario Indiana, M16s, baby armalites and M14s,” she added.
The CHR added several police operational procedures (POP) were violated in the encounter such as the rule on moving vehicles.
Under Rule 8 of the POP, “Moving vehicles may not be fired upon solely to disable them. The driver or other occupant of a moving motor vehicle may be fired upon if the police have probable cause to believe that the suspects pose an imminent danger of death to the police or other persons.”
However, De Lima said policemen still fired upon the vehicle of the De Vera family “although they do not present any threat to the HPG men.”
Also violated by the operatives during the shootout were Rules 6 and 7, on the use of deadly force and on reasonable force, said De Lima, who stressed the De Veras pose no threat to authorities.
“The police operation became out-of-hand, there was no respect for the human rights of the victims,” De Lima said in a radio interview following a news conference where she released the findings of the body.
The commission, however, withheld any recommendation on police operatives involved in the deaths of the three other civilians in the same shootout pending further investigation.
Lilia De Vera, the wife of Alfonso, said she was satisfied with the recommendations of the CHR and hoped the prosecution would start immediately.
“We are happy that the CHR saw that the police were the ones involved in the death of my husband and my daughter,” she said in a separate radio interview.
The widow earlier filed a complaint against the 18 policemen before the Department of Justice.
In a CHR resolution, Chairperson Leila De Lima said that those to be charged both criminally and administratively include 18 members of the elite police unit Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and three police officials.
The CHR said the policemen committed “multiple human rights violations” during the 40-minute shootout last December 5, 2008, which led to the death of six civilians, including seven-year old Lea Alyanna De Vera, at the United Parañaque Subdivision 4 in Barangay (Village) Marcelo Green.
The three police officials recommended for criminal and administrative charges for “obstruction of justice” are: Superintendent James Cristobal; Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, the former chief of the HPG and Chief Superintendent Orlando Mabutas, current chief of the HPG.
De Lima said the three officials failed to institute sanctions against the policemen involved, particularly in the killing of De Vera and her father Alfonso.
The policemen recommended for criminal and administrative charges for the deaths of De Vera and Ronaldo Eusebio were: Chief Insp. Joel L. Mendoza; Chief Insp. Lawrence B. Cajipe; Insp. Gerardo B. Balatucan; Insp. Doroteo R. Tolentino; Police Officer 3 Jolito P. Mamanao Jr.; PO3 Fernando Rey S. Gapuz; PO2 Eduardo G. Blanco; PO1 Josil Rey I. Luceña; PO2 Edwin C. Santos; and PO1 Elybeer Cayaban.
Others included are Senior Police Officer 1 Jayson A Galimba; PO3 Arvin S. Ramos; PO3 Edwin C. Cuadra; PO3 Jesus S. Pascual; PO2 Fidel Quirejero; PO2 John I. Idio; and PO1 Wilfredo B. Reyes.
De Lima said the CHR was “greatly alarmed at the ease with which PNP personnel under investigation can conceal weapons subject of firearms identification and examination by the PNP Crime Laboratory.”
In its investigation, the CHR revealed that members of the HPG failed to surrender their firearms to the Crime Laboratory for testing.
De Lima denounced the statement from the policemen who said they failed to surrender their firearms because the weapons they were carrying at the time of the shootout were not used.
“This position cannot explain the discovery of at least seven 5.56mm shells for M16 rifles recovered near the body of Alfonso De Vera, or the high-velocity bullet that killed Lia Alyanna,” De Lima said.
“We find the members of Team II of the HPG most probably liable not only for murder, but for obstruction of justice as well, for knowingly and deliberately concealing and failing to surrender the long firearms they used in the killing of Lia Allana and Alfonso De Vera consisting of, as testified by Hilario Indiana, M16s, baby armalites and M14s,” she added.
The CHR added several police operational procedures (POP) were violated in the encounter such as the rule on moving vehicles.
Under Rule 8 of the POP, “Moving vehicles may not be fired upon solely to disable them. The driver or other occupant of a moving motor vehicle may be fired upon if the police have probable cause to believe that the suspects pose an imminent danger of death to the police or other persons.”
However, De Lima said policemen still fired upon the vehicle of the De Vera family “although they do not present any threat to the HPG men.”
Also violated by the operatives during the shootout were Rules 6 and 7, on the use of deadly force and on reasonable force, said De Lima, who stressed the De Veras pose no threat to authorities.
“The police operation became out-of-hand, there was no respect for the human rights of the victims,” De Lima said in a radio interview following a news conference where she released the findings of the body.
The commission, however, withheld any recommendation on police operatives involved in the deaths of the three other civilians in the same shootout pending further investigation.
Lilia De Vera, the wife of Alfonso, said she was satisfied with the recommendations of the CHR and hoped the prosecution would start immediately.
“We are happy that the CHR saw that the police were the ones involved in the death of my husband and my daughter,” she said in a separate radio interview.
The widow earlier filed a complaint against the 18 policemen before the Department of Justice.
Arroyo’s unfulfilled promises in Congress speech
MANILA, Philippines – With just eight months in office and with huge budget cuts in the 2010 appropriations, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may step down next year without completing all the infrastructure projects that she promised to deliver to the country in her State of the Nation Address (Sona), according to the think-tank group of the House of Representatives.
In its budget briefer, the Congressional Planning and Budget Department (CPBD) said that out of the 149 projects, only 39 were officially completed, 21 of which were ports.
It says that 67 are on-going projects and 43 are still in pre-civil works. Of the on-going projects, 23 are roads and bridges and 21 are airports. Much of the projects on power and electrification are still undergoing pre-civil works.
“Given the status of the Sona infrastructure projects, it may be unlikely that these projects will be completed before the Arroyo term ends,” CPBD said.
“Subsequently, it is hard to attribute the decline in infrastructure spending for 2010 to the completion of Sona infrastructure projects. A huge cut could mean that some infrastructure projects may be left unfinished or that no new projects were introduced to give way to previous commitments,” it added.
Malacañang has proposed a P1.54-trillion budget for 2010, or eight percent higher than this year’s budget. But the proposed appropriation “was generally intended only to finance increases in interest payments and salary adjustments due to the implementation of the Salary Standardization Law III.”
According to CPBD, interest payments will increase by P88.2 billion to P340.8 billion, while Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund will grow by about P49 billion to P76.5 billion.
Capital Outlay, however, will decline by 23.9 percent or some P52.8 billion. Capital outlay includes infrastructure and allocations for new buildings and other long term assets including equipment.
“A huge cut in public infrastructure outlay may be a cause for concern especially as the country’s infrastructure competitiveness rating is low and the status of the 149 SONA infrastructure projects shows there are still many uncompleted projects,” CBPD said.
In its budget briefer, the Congressional Planning and Budget Department (CPBD) said that out of the 149 projects, only 39 were officially completed, 21 of which were ports.
It says that 67 are on-going projects and 43 are still in pre-civil works. Of the on-going projects, 23 are roads and bridges and 21 are airports. Much of the projects on power and electrification are still undergoing pre-civil works.
“Given the status of the Sona infrastructure projects, it may be unlikely that these projects will be completed before the Arroyo term ends,” CPBD said.
“Subsequently, it is hard to attribute the decline in infrastructure spending for 2010 to the completion of Sona infrastructure projects. A huge cut could mean that some infrastructure projects may be left unfinished or that no new projects were introduced to give way to previous commitments,” it added.
Malacañang has proposed a P1.54-trillion budget for 2010, or eight percent higher than this year’s budget. But the proposed appropriation “was generally intended only to finance increases in interest payments and salary adjustments due to the implementation of the Salary Standardization Law III.”
According to CPBD, interest payments will increase by P88.2 billion to P340.8 billion, while Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund will grow by about P49 billion to P76.5 billion.
Capital Outlay, however, will decline by 23.9 percent or some P52.8 billion. Capital outlay includes infrastructure and allocations for new buildings and other long term assets including equipment.
“A huge cut in public infrastructure outlay may be a cause for concern especially as the country’s infrastructure competitiveness rating is low and the status of the 149 SONA infrastructure projects shows there are still many uncompleted projects,” CBPD said.
It’s carnival time again
MANILA, Philippines—Candidates waved from motorcades, pressed hands with housewives and teenagers, and pleaded at Masses for God’s blessings as the most extravagant political carnival in Philippine history rolled off Tuesday.
The country’s richest politician and the son of its democracy icon are locked in a tight battle to win the hearts of some 50 million voters, who will go to the polls on May 10 in the Philippines’ first automated national elections.
At stake in the elections are the posts of president, vice president, 12 Senate seats, more than 200 seats in the House of Representatives and over 17,600 local government positions.
The world’s best boxer, Manny Pacquiao, and a dictator’s flamboyant widow, former first lady Imelda Marcos, are among the dizzying array of characters hoping to grab a share of power in one of Asia’s most unruly democracies.
Some analysts warned that candidates’ promises of change were likely to prove hollow.
“I don’t think there will be any change in the idiosyncracies that define the Philippines,” said Robert Broadfoot, managing director of the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy group.
Poverty, corruption and unemployment are the top issues in the campaign.
The two front-runners in opinion surveys, Senators Manuel Villar and Benigno Aquino III, are promising a clean government and fresh start for the Philippines after nine years of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s tumultuous rule dotted with coup plots and corruption allegations.
With dozens of people already dead in the run-up to the polls—including 57 civilians (at least 30 of them media workers) gunned down in a massacre in Maguindanao province last November—political violence has again emerged as a main concern. About 130 people were killed during the last elections in 2007.
Aquino, who rode into contention on a wave of sympathy following the death of his mother, democracy heroine Corazon Aquino, leads Villar by a hair in the latest surveys.
Aquino’s earlier huge lead in surveys vanished almost as quickly as it was gained as Villar, a mega-rich property developer, caught up him with a 35-percent support in the latest Pulse Asia survey following an advertising spending spree.
Spice from Estrada
Adding spice to the race is former President Joseph Estrada’s attempt at political resurrection, after he was deposed halfway through his first term in 2001 and later convicted of corruption. Ms Arroyo pardoned him weeks later.
Estrada is running third in the surveys and, although an outside chance, some analysts said the former movie star could yet achieve his wish of redemption.
“It’s going to be difficult for him, but he has 100-percent name recognition across the country—it depends on how diligently he runs his campaign,” said Ronald Holmes, a political lecturer at De La Salle University in Manila.
The ruling coalition’s choice to succeed Ms Arroyo, former Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., is running a distant fourth with just a 5-percent support in the latest survey.
However Holmes, also president of polling firm Pulse Asia, said picking a winner three months from the election was impossible, and even Teodoro had a chance if the coalition’s formidable machinery could kick into action.
Come-backing Imelda
For an international audience, interest will focus on Pacquiao, the seven-time world champion boxer who is running for a congressional seat in Sarangani province in Mindanao.
Pacquiao is counting on his hero status to get him elected. He failed in a similar bid in the 2007 congressional elections and Holmes said could again be struck a knockout political blow.
“It’s going to be difficult for him. He is up against someone who has been in local politics for a long time,” Holmes said.
Also seeking a seat in the House of Representatives is Imelda Marcos, the 80-year-old wife of Ferdinand Marcos, who is running in the second congressional district of Ilocos Norte for the seat being vacated by her son, Ferdinand Jr.
Lenten tradition
Police have set up checkpoints in a nationwide crackdown on unlicensed guns. They said operations were continuing to disarm nearly 100 private armies on the payroll of political warlords.
On Tuesday, candidates shook hands with vendors, housewives, laborers and teenagers as they hopped from town to town just a few hours away from Manila, visiting markets, parks and churches on the first of 90 days of campaigning.
Some candidates heard Mass at churches, with one transforming his rally into a prayer gathering, reenacting the Lenten tradition of Jesus Christ washing the feet of his disciples to illustrate his desire to be a public servant.
Personalities vs platforms
Financial markets are hoping for a smooth transition, outweighing fears of possible technical and administrative problems from the country’s first automated polls.
Analysts are looking for more details on the candidates’ platforms, particularly economic policies, which are absent from a barrage of political ads on TV and radio since the start of the year.
Historically, popular personalities from political clans, the media, sports and show business dominate the elections, but some analysts are seeing some positive changes.
“In this election, I see a 50-50 ratio on personalities and platforms or issues as the political race heats up among the leading presidential candidates,” said Ramon Casiple, executive director of Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms.
Reports from AFP, AP and Reuters
The country’s richest politician and the son of its democracy icon are locked in a tight battle to win the hearts of some 50 million voters, who will go to the polls on May 10 in the Philippines’ first automated national elections.
At stake in the elections are the posts of president, vice president, 12 Senate seats, more than 200 seats in the House of Representatives and over 17,600 local government positions.
The world’s best boxer, Manny Pacquiao, and a dictator’s flamboyant widow, former first lady Imelda Marcos, are among the dizzying array of characters hoping to grab a share of power in one of Asia’s most unruly democracies.
Some analysts warned that candidates’ promises of change were likely to prove hollow.
“I don’t think there will be any change in the idiosyncracies that define the Philippines,” said Robert Broadfoot, managing director of the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy group.
Poverty, corruption and unemployment are the top issues in the campaign.
The two front-runners in opinion surveys, Senators Manuel Villar and Benigno Aquino III, are promising a clean government and fresh start for the Philippines after nine years of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s tumultuous rule dotted with coup plots and corruption allegations.
With dozens of people already dead in the run-up to the polls—including 57 civilians (at least 30 of them media workers) gunned down in a massacre in Maguindanao province last November—political violence has again emerged as a main concern. About 130 people were killed during the last elections in 2007.
Aquino, who rode into contention on a wave of sympathy following the death of his mother, democracy heroine Corazon Aquino, leads Villar by a hair in the latest surveys.
Aquino’s earlier huge lead in surveys vanished almost as quickly as it was gained as Villar, a mega-rich property developer, caught up him with a 35-percent support in the latest Pulse Asia survey following an advertising spending spree.
Spice from Estrada
Adding spice to the race is former President Joseph Estrada’s attempt at political resurrection, after he was deposed halfway through his first term in 2001 and later convicted of corruption. Ms Arroyo pardoned him weeks later.
Estrada is running third in the surveys and, although an outside chance, some analysts said the former movie star could yet achieve his wish of redemption.
“It’s going to be difficult for him, but he has 100-percent name recognition across the country—it depends on how diligently he runs his campaign,” said Ronald Holmes, a political lecturer at De La Salle University in Manila.
The ruling coalition’s choice to succeed Ms Arroyo, former Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., is running a distant fourth with just a 5-percent support in the latest survey.
However Holmes, also president of polling firm Pulse Asia, said picking a winner three months from the election was impossible, and even Teodoro had a chance if the coalition’s formidable machinery could kick into action.
Come-backing Imelda
For an international audience, interest will focus on Pacquiao, the seven-time world champion boxer who is running for a congressional seat in Sarangani province in Mindanao.
Pacquiao is counting on his hero status to get him elected. He failed in a similar bid in the 2007 congressional elections and Holmes said could again be struck a knockout political blow.
“It’s going to be difficult for him. He is up against someone who has been in local politics for a long time,” Holmes said.
Also seeking a seat in the House of Representatives is Imelda Marcos, the 80-year-old wife of Ferdinand Marcos, who is running in the second congressional district of Ilocos Norte for the seat being vacated by her son, Ferdinand Jr.
Lenten tradition
Police have set up checkpoints in a nationwide crackdown on unlicensed guns. They said operations were continuing to disarm nearly 100 private armies on the payroll of political warlords.
On Tuesday, candidates shook hands with vendors, housewives, laborers and teenagers as they hopped from town to town just a few hours away from Manila, visiting markets, parks and churches on the first of 90 days of campaigning.
Some candidates heard Mass at churches, with one transforming his rally into a prayer gathering, reenacting the Lenten tradition of Jesus Christ washing the feet of his disciples to illustrate his desire to be a public servant.
Personalities vs platforms
Financial markets are hoping for a smooth transition, outweighing fears of possible technical and administrative problems from the country’s first automated polls.
Analysts are looking for more details on the candidates’ platforms, particularly economic policies, which are absent from a barrage of political ads on TV and radio since the start of the year.
Historically, popular personalities from political clans, the media, sports and show business dominate the elections, but some analysts are seeing some positive changes.
“In this election, I see a 50-50 ratio on personalities and platforms or issues as the political race heats up among the leading presidential candidates,” said Ramon Casiple, executive director of Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms.
Reports from AFP, AP and Reuters
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino-Yap
(born February 14, 1971) is a Filipino television and movie personality who gained prominence from her talk shows, game shows, and numerous endorsements. In the April 2009 issue of Yes! Magazine she was cited as the second most powerful celebrity in the Philippines.[1][2]
Aquino is the youngest daughter of former Philippine senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. and Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, who served as the 11th President of the Philippines.
She was crowned as the 1990 Box Office Queen for her first movie,[citation needed] Pido Dida, Sabay Tayo, 2004 Box Office Queen for her hit movies such as Feng Shui and So... Happy Together.[citation needed] In 2006, she regained the same Box Office title for her movie Sukob, which is the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time.[citation needed] [3][not in citation given]She is also the Executive Editor of her own monthly magazine called K! The Kris Aquino Magazine. In December 2009, Aquino showcased her own Home Collection called "K Everyday". In partnership with ABS-CBN Licensing, K Everyday features Cooking Collection, Kitchen Collection, Plastic Collection, and Stationery Collection. All products were carefully chosen by Kris herself and carries her trademark letter "K" and a heart image.
She is currently part of ABS-CBN contract actresses. She is prominently considered as the Queen of Talk, as well as Queen of All Media due to her success in different media like television, film, recording, publishing, as well as product endorsements.
Career
In 1986, Kris Aquino, at 14, wanted to be an actress and would throw tantrums to get her way. The media was intimidated as she was the daughter of the President and she made her first TV appearance on Inday Badiday's See-Tru on GMA7. Her interview by Ate Luds on that show remains the highest rated show in the history of Philippine television, garnering 80+ ratings.[citation needed] Being young then, she was the star of the short-lived comedy show ABS-CBN Luv Ko Si Kris.
It was not until 1994, that she did Nandito Ako with action star Philip Salvador that started one of Aquino's highly controversial love affairs.[citation needed] Aquino became pregnant and had a child, Joshua.
With her movie career slowing, Aquino shifted her sights on a television career as a talk show host launched through Kris produced by Viva Television on Channel 4 (at that time named PTV, this was transferred to GMA Network which has partnership with Viva and after Viva's contract with PTV ended). It was in GMA Network showbiz oriented talk show Startalk where she co-hosted with Boy Abunda and Lolit Solis that her hosting capabilities were noticed.
After her GMA and Viva contracts expired, she went back to media conglomerate and GMA Network's rival ABS-CBN which noticed her undeniable hosting wit, offered her a contract and launched Today with Kris Aquino. She started hosting the showbiz news and talk show The Buzz in 1999 together with close friend Boy Abunda. In 2001, when game shows became popular in the Philippines, ABS-CBN tapped her to host Game KNB? to compete against IBC-13's local franchises of The Weakest Link and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
In January 2003 to May 2004, she hosted the talk show Morning Girls with Kris and Korina, alongside popular broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez. It was intended for only two weeks but went on for 16 months.
Not all of Aquino's television endeavors were hits; notable failures include Balitang Kris, which lasted for one season in 2001.
In 2007, she officially left The Buzz and Pilipinas, Game KNB? after giving birth to her second son, James. She was replaced by Edu Manzano in Pilipinas, Game KNB?. According to her, she had to give up her hosting stint on the said shows to give more time to her baby. It was also assumed that she does not want to go back to The Buzz because she no longer wants to work with former co-host Cristy Fermin[4][not in citation given] because of the hatchet job Fermin, Lolit Solis and cohorts did to her marriage with James Yap.
At present, she is an endorser for Purefoods corned beef as well as for Union Home Appliances, San Miguel Corporation and Nestle Philippines, Inc. Her commercial for San Miguel became the most remembered television commercial and was said to have a 99 percent audience recall.[5][not in citation given] She was paid a total of P20,000,000.00 for the endorsement. In 2007, she signed an endorsement contract with Facial Care Centre, a direct competitor of Belo Medical Group, which she has previously endorsed. Kris decided not to renew her contract with Belo Medical Group. It was uncertain as to whether her decision to transfer to Facial Care had something to do with the issue regarding James' alleged sexual encounter with a receptionist from Belo Medical Group.[6]
Aquino was bestowed the title of "Commercial Princess of the Philippines".[citation needed] The title was given to her for having numerous of TV and print appearances in Philippine media and for being one of the highest paid commercial endorsers in the Philippines, being at par with Sharon Cuneta.[7][dead link] In the October 2008 issue of YES! Magazine, Kris Aquino was considered top or the leading celebrity endorser, ranking number one among the twenty popular celebrity endorsers.[citation needed] In 2007, she was also the top celebrity endorser.[8][not in citation given] She closed several multi-million-peso endorsement deals this year 2008, and some people might be asking why? People in the business as well as advertisers will tell you that the “public” wants someone who tells the truth and is real. And that is what Kris Aquino is all about.[citation needed] “She is a fave of advertisers because she is very professional, and easy to work with.[citation needed] She arrives on the shoot prepared, with her lines memorized.[citation needed] Kris is the daughter of a past president and a national martyr ... Kris is seen as honest, and honesty is a very big advantage in advertising.”[citation needed] Her Kris Aquino Songs of Love and Healing and Songs of Love and Inspiration albums had gone platinum[citation needed] and her Current CD album under Universal Records, Greatest Love, a tribute to her mother is topping the charts nationwide and had gone gold in its first week of release.[citation needed] As of this writing, Kris and Baby James come together in one special project sure to give the moms a nice treat as Kris shares a musical 'edu-taining' album titled "We are 1". Released by Star Records, this album will allow young ones to learn and have fun at the same time. Kris is the executive editor of the very successful K Magazine of ABS -CBN publishing. "Carrying Kris celebrity equity, "K" is about getting her style, her personality, her lifestyle and her appeal. The magazine reflects the key concerns of the target marget presented by Kris herself: beauty, fashion, body, relationships, career, money and self."[citation needed] As Citizen Kris, she was recognized by the Bureau of Internal Revenue as the top individual taxpayer of 2007,[citation needed] 2006 as in previous years. She hosted the Philippine franchise of Deal or No Deal, which is part of ABS-CBN's primetime lineup. It ended its first season on February 23, 2007. The second season of the said game show started on June 11, 2007. She also hosts Boy & Kris, a morning talk show that replaced Homeboy, together with Boy Abunda,[9] and Be Bench, a model search show together with Piolo Pascual.[10][11]. Nestor Torre, a known critic of the Philippine Entertainment industry, pointed out that Kris took a lot of risks when she chose to give up her two former shows. The critic pointed out that giving up The Buzz and Pilipinas, Game KNB? deprived her of the major exposure that those two popular shows afforded her. Torre also noted that it is much more difficult to successfully launch new shows than to resume hosting programs that are already popular.[12]
She also hosted another TV franchise Wheel of Fortune, which incidentally replaced Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal. She said in an interview[citation needed] that she was a huge fan of the U.S. version and was thrilled to bring the show back to her country. However, not even Aquino was aware that Wheel of Fortune had already had one 2001-02 run in the Philippines, which was hosted by Rustom Padilla and Victoria Wonderheim. Currently, she is hosting Showbiz News Ngayon on its newest season. In October 2008 after former The Buzz co-host Cristy Fermin was suspended by ABS-CBN in working for their network, the Kapamilya network asked Kris to once again host the top-rated showbiz oriented talk show together with Boy Abunda and Ruffa Gutierrez. After much controversy, Kris is finally hosting The Buzz again starting on October 26, 2008.
[edit] Movie
Aquino got her start in movies with the help of Regal Films, one of the oldest film outfits in the Philippines. Her early film includes the Pido Dida series, where she was paired with comedian Rene Requiestas and earned her first box-office queen award. She later shifted into other roles, notably with massacre films such as The Vizconde Massacre, Myrna Diones Story, Elsa Castillo-Ang Katotohanan, and Humanda Ka Mayor. Despite her being a big draw in the box office, her acting skills were considered stiff and mechanical. She was dubbed then as "massacre queen" because of her portrayals in massacre movies which was the vogue during the time.
She first drew praise for her acting when she earned a nomination from the Gawad Urian award-giving body, composed of film critics, for the film The Fatima Buen Story. She eventually won a supporting actress award for the film Mano Po (2002 Regal Films), where she portrayed a weak-willed and submissive scion of a wealthy Filipino-Chinese clan. This was her comeback movie after her long layoff from movie acting.
But Aquino's most commercially-successful movies in her career are: Feng Shui, a Star Cinema production that featured Chinese influences and omen. Feng Shui, which was made during the wave of "Asian-style horror" flicks that spread throughout the continent since 2002's The Ring, made P180,218,395.[citation needed] It was the highest grossing Filipino movie of 2004,[citation needed] and the second most successful movie overall next to Spider-Man 2 which made over P225 million and earned Kris her second box office queen title.[citation needed] "Sukob," another horror thriller which she starred with Claudine Barretto in 2006, is the highest grossing Filipino film of all time[citation needed] surpassing Ang Tanging Ina, Anak & her own starrer, Feng Shui.
Like anyone else, Aquino had her share of box-office bombs. Her 2003 movie with actor Robin Padilla, You and Me Against the World, flopped at the box-office right from the start. Made for P25,000,000 and released immediately after Aquino won acting awards (for her performance in 2002's Mano Po), You and Me Against the World made only P4,389,005. The film's producers lost an estimated P23,000,000, even with home videos accounted. Because You and Me Against the World failed to attract an audience, several movie theaters pulled the film out and replaced it with another film. Some theaters were reported to have done this on the movie's second day of play.
Personal life
Aquino is known for her troubled relationships. In the mid-1990s, she was involved with a Purefoods basketball player, Alvin Patrimonio, who was then married. She was involved with then-Parañaque mayor (ex PBA basketball player and actor/tv host Joey Marquez) who was, at that time, married, and whom she later split with in a tumultuous ending. Kris made her admission about her relationship with the married Mayor Marquez in an interview by former co-host Korina Sanchez on the ABS-CBN newscast TV Patrol wherein she revealed, among others, that the Mayor infected her with the sexually transmitted disease Chlamydia.[13] Such admission became the highest-rating news segment in the history of Philippine newscast[14][dead link] that even those in the workplaces paused from their work to hear Aquino's' story.[15][dead link] Aquino filed charges of grave threat, illegal possession of firearms, grave coercion and less serious physical injuries against Marquez,[16] but the former eventually dropped charges against the latter when he made a public apology.[17]
She also had a live-in relationship with married actor Phillip Salvador with whom she has a son named Joshua.[18]
She is now married to Philippine Basketball Association professional player James Yap of the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants. James Yap is almost 10 years younger than her. They had their civil marriage on July 10, 2005. The following year, she announced on The Buzz that she was pregnant.[19] On April 19, 2007, Aquino gave birth to her first son by Yap on 5:52pm at Makati Medical Center in Makati City.[20]. Her son was named after his father and affectionately known as "Baby James". However, in early 2007, their marriage was rocked by the revelation of a former medical clinic receptionist that James Yap had an extra-marital affair with her [21]. James vehemently denied such affair in on interview with ABS-CBN's Korina Sanchez.
Aquino suffered a miscarriage with collapsed gestational sac and blighted ovum on March 25, 2008, a day after she announced that her mother was diagnosed with colon cancer
Aquino is the youngest daughter of former Philippine senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. and Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, who served as the 11th President of the Philippines.
She was crowned as the 1990 Box Office Queen for her first movie,[citation needed] Pido Dida, Sabay Tayo, 2004 Box Office Queen for her hit movies such as Feng Shui and So... Happy Together.[citation needed] In 2006, she regained the same Box Office title for her movie Sukob, which is the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time.[citation needed] [3][not in citation given]She is also the Executive Editor of her own monthly magazine called K! The Kris Aquino Magazine. In December 2009, Aquino showcased her own Home Collection called "K Everyday". In partnership with ABS-CBN Licensing, K Everyday features Cooking Collection, Kitchen Collection, Plastic Collection, and Stationery Collection. All products were carefully chosen by Kris herself and carries her trademark letter "K" and a heart image.
She is currently part of ABS-CBN contract actresses. She is prominently considered as the Queen of Talk, as well as Queen of All Media due to her success in different media like television, film, recording, publishing, as well as product endorsements.
Career
In 1986, Kris Aquino, at 14, wanted to be an actress and would throw tantrums to get her way. The media was intimidated as she was the daughter of the President and she made her first TV appearance on Inday Badiday's See-Tru on GMA7. Her interview by Ate Luds on that show remains the highest rated show in the history of Philippine television, garnering 80+ ratings.[citation needed] Being young then, she was the star of the short-lived comedy show ABS-CBN Luv Ko Si Kris.
It was not until 1994, that she did Nandito Ako with action star Philip Salvador that started one of Aquino's highly controversial love affairs.[citation needed] Aquino became pregnant and had a child, Joshua.
With her movie career slowing, Aquino shifted her sights on a television career as a talk show host launched through Kris produced by Viva Television on Channel 4 (at that time named PTV, this was transferred to GMA Network which has partnership with Viva and after Viva's contract with PTV ended). It was in GMA Network showbiz oriented talk show Startalk where she co-hosted with Boy Abunda and Lolit Solis that her hosting capabilities were noticed.
After her GMA and Viva contracts expired, she went back to media conglomerate and GMA Network's rival ABS-CBN which noticed her undeniable hosting wit, offered her a contract and launched Today with Kris Aquino. She started hosting the showbiz news and talk show The Buzz in 1999 together with close friend Boy Abunda. In 2001, when game shows became popular in the Philippines, ABS-CBN tapped her to host Game KNB? to compete against IBC-13's local franchises of The Weakest Link and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
In January 2003 to May 2004, she hosted the talk show Morning Girls with Kris and Korina, alongside popular broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez. It was intended for only two weeks but went on for 16 months.
Not all of Aquino's television endeavors were hits; notable failures include Balitang Kris, which lasted for one season in 2001.
In 2007, she officially left The Buzz and Pilipinas, Game KNB? after giving birth to her second son, James. She was replaced by Edu Manzano in Pilipinas, Game KNB?. According to her, she had to give up her hosting stint on the said shows to give more time to her baby. It was also assumed that she does not want to go back to The Buzz because she no longer wants to work with former co-host Cristy Fermin[4][not in citation given] because of the hatchet job Fermin, Lolit Solis and cohorts did to her marriage with James Yap.
At present, she is an endorser for Purefoods corned beef as well as for Union Home Appliances, San Miguel Corporation and Nestle Philippines, Inc. Her commercial for San Miguel became the most remembered television commercial and was said to have a 99 percent audience recall.[5][not in citation given] She was paid a total of P20,000,000.00 for the endorsement. In 2007, she signed an endorsement contract with Facial Care Centre, a direct competitor of Belo Medical Group, which she has previously endorsed. Kris decided not to renew her contract with Belo Medical Group. It was uncertain as to whether her decision to transfer to Facial Care had something to do with the issue regarding James' alleged sexual encounter with a receptionist from Belo Medical Group.[6]
Aquino was bestowed the title of "Commercial Princess of the Philippines".[citation needed] The title was given to her for having numerous of TV and print appearances in Philippine media and for being one of the highest paid commercial endorsers in the Philippines, being at par with Sharon Cuneta.[7][dead link] In the October 2008 issue of YES! Magazine, Kris Aquino was considered top or the leading celebrity endorser, ranking number one among the twenty popular celebrity endorsers.[citation needed] In 2007, she was also the top celebrity endorser.[8][not in citation given] She closed several multi-million-peso endorsement deals this year 2008, and some people might be asking why? People in the business as well as advertisers will tell you that the “public” wants someone who tells the truth and is real. And that is what Kris Aquino is all about.[citation needed] “She is a fave of advertisers because she is very professional, and easy to work with.[citation needed] She arrives on the shoot prepared, with her lines memorized.[citation needed] Kris is the daughter of a past president and a national martyr ... Kris is seen as honest, and honesty is a very big advantage in advertising.”[citation needed] Her Kris Aquino Songs of Love and Healing and Songs of Love and Inspiration albums had gone platinum[citation needed] and her Current CD album under Universal Records, Greatest Love, a tribute to her mother is topping the charts nationwide and had gone gold in its first week of release.[citation needed] As of this writing, Kris and Baby James come together in one special project sure to give the moms a nice treat as Kris shares a musical 'edu-taining' album titled "We are 1". Released by Star Records, this album will allow young ones to learn and have fun at the same time. Kris is the executive editor of the very successful K Magazine of ABS -CBN publishing. "Carrying Kris celebrity equity, "K" is about getting her style, her personality, her lifestyle and her appeal. The magazine reflects the key concerns of the target marget presented by Kris herself: beauty, fashion, body, relationships, career, money and self."[citation needed] As Citizen Kris, she was recognized by the Bureau of Internal Revenue as the top individual taxpayer of 2007,[citation needed] 2006 as in previous years. She hosted the Philippine franchise of Deal or No Deal, which is part of ABS-CBN's primetime lineup. It ended its first season on February 23, 2007. The second season of the said game show started on June 11, 2007. She also hosts Boy & Kris, a morning talk show that replaced Homeboy, together with Boy Abunda,[9] and Be Bench, a model search show together with Piolo Pascual.[10][11]. Nestor Torre, a known critic of the Philippine Entertainment industry, pointed out that Kris took a lot of risks when she chose to give up her two former shows. The critic pointed out that giving up The Buzz and Pilipinas, Game KNB? deprived her of the major exposure that those two popular shows afforded her. Torre also noted that it is much more difficult to successfully launch new shows than to resume hosting programs that are already popular.[12]
She also hosted another TV franchise Wheel of Fortune, which incidentally replaced Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal. She said in an interview[citation needed] that she was a huge fan of the U.S. version and was thrilled to bring the show back to her country. However, not even Aquino was aware that Wheel of Fortune had already had one 2001-02 run in the Philippines, which was hosted by Rustom Padilla and Victoria Wonderheim. Currently, she is hosting Showbiz News Ngayon on its newest season. In October 2008 after former The Buzz co-host Cristy Fermin was suspended by ABS-CBN in working for their network, the Kapamilya network asked Kris to once again host the top-rated showbiz oriented talk show together with Boy Abunda and Ruffa Gutierrez. After much controversy, Kris is finally hosting The Buzz again starting on October 26, 2008.
[edit] Movie
Aquino got her start in movies with the help of Regal Films, one of the oldest film outfits in the Philippines. Her early film includes the Pido Dida series, where she was paired with comedian Rene Requiestas and earned her first box-office queen award. She later shifted into other roles, notably with massacre films such as The Vizconde Massacre, Myrna Diones Story, Elsa Castillo-Ang Katotohanan, and Humanda Ka Mayor. Despite her being a big draw in the box office, her acting skills were considered stiff and mechanical. She was dubbed then as "massacre queen" because of her portrayals in massacre movies which was the vogue during the time.
She first drew praise for her acting when she earned a nomination from the Gawad Urian award-giving body, composed of film critics, for the film The Fatima Buen Story. She eventually won a supporting actress award for the film Mano Po (2002 Regal Films), where she portrayed a weak-willed and submissive scion of a wealthy Filipino-Chinese clan. This was her comeback movie after her long layoff from movie acting.
But Aquino's most commercially-successful movies in her career are: Feng Shui, a Star Cinema production that featured Chinese influences and omen. Feng Shui, which was made during the wave of "Asian-style horror" flicks that spread throughout the continent since 2002's The Ring, made P180,218,395.[citation needed] It was the highest grossing Filipino movie of 2004,[citation needed] and the second most successful movie overall next to Spider-Man 2 which made over P225 million and earned Kris her second box office queen title.[citation needed] "Sukob," another horror thriller which she starred with Claudine Barretto in 2006, is the highest grossing Filipino film of all time[citation needed] surpassing Ang Tanging Ina, Anak & her own starrer, Feng Shui.
Like anyone else, Aquino had her share of box-office bombs. Her 2003 movie with actor Robin Padilla, You and Me Against the World, flopped at the box-office right from the start. Made for P25,000,000 and released immediately after Aquino won acting awards (for her performance in 2002's Mano Po), You and Me Against the World made only P4,389,005. The film's producers lost an estimated P23,000,000, even with home videos accounted. Because You and Me Against the World failed to attract an audience, several movie theaters pulled the film out and replaced it with another film. Some theaters were reported to have done this on the movie's second day of play.
Personal life
Aquino is known for her troubled relationships. In the mid-1990s, she was involved with a Purefoods basketball player, Alvin Patrimonio, who was then married. She was involved with then-Parañaque mayor (ex PBA basketball player and actor/tv host Joey Marquez) who was, at that time, married, and whom she later split with in a tumultuous ending. Kris made her admission about her relationship with the married Mayor Marquez in an interview by former co-host Korina Sanchez on the ABS-CBN newscast TV Patrol wherein she revealed, among others, that the Mayor infected her with the sexually transmitted disease Chlamydia.[13] Such admission became the highest-rating news segment in the history of Philippine newscast[14][dead link] that even those in the workplaces paused from their work to hear Aquino's' story.[15][dead link] Aquino filed charges of grave threat, illegal possession of firearms, grave coercion and less serious physical injuries against Marquez,[16] but the former eventually dropped charges against the latter when he made a public apology.[17]
She also had a live-in relationship with married actor Phillip Salvador with whom she has a son named Joshua.[18]
She is now married to Philippine Basketball Association professional player James Yap of the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants. James Yap is almost 10 years younger than her. They had their civil marriage on July 10, 2005. The following year, she announced on The Buzz that she was pregnant.[19] On April 19, 2007, Aquino gave birth to her first son by Yap on 5:52pm at Makati Medical Center in Makati City.[20]. Her son was named after his father and affectionately known as "Baby James". However, in early 2007, their marriage was rocked by the revelation of a former medical clinic receptionist that James Yap had an extra-marital affair with her [21]. James vehemently denied such affair in on interview with ABS-CBN's Korina Sanchez.
Aquino suffered a miscarriage with collapsed gestational sac and blighted ovum on March 25, 2008, a day after she announced that her mother was diagnosed with colon cancer
Senator Kiko Pangilinan
Senator Kiko Pangilinan proved his mettle by championing the cause of the judiciary. He belongs to a breed of new legislators who possess vibrancy in spirit, dedication to work, and passion for the voiceless segments of Philippine society.
He is acknowledged as one of the most hardworking and most productive senators in the country today. He filed the most number of committee reports during the 12th Congress. In fact, one-third of the total number of committee reports was chalked by Kiko. Such feat and exemplary performance earned the respect and trust of his colleagues in the Senate that they elected him majority leader of the 12th Congress and is the youngest to become Senate majority leader since 1937.
After being re-elected in last 2007 elections as an independent candidate, Kiko continued to enjoy the support and trust of his colleagues that they re-elected him as Senate Majority Leader of the 14th Congress.
Prior to this, Kiko served as Chairman of the Senate Committees on Justice and Human Rights, Housing and Urban Planning, Education, and the Ethics and Public Accountability.
EARLY BEGINNINGS
Kiko was a student-activist during his college years. He was president of the UP Student Council and the first UP Board of Regent student-member with voting power. He earned his Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of the Philippines. He also taught Law at the Ateneo de Manila University for 7 years. In 1997, Kiko pursued his Masters in Public Administration at the Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
He is also a staunch human rights advocate. His crusade started during the early years of his law profession when he worked as a collaborating lawyer with the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and handled pro-bono cases, up to the time he joined the pool of top-notch broadcast journalists of the country in ABS-CBN. For almost a decade, Kiko was also a well-respected broadcast journalist.
GOOD GOVERNANCE
Presently, Sen. Kiko is the Chairman of the Liberal Party-Philippines – the longest running political party in the country with 60 years of history and tradition. He believes that strengthening the country’s “partyness” in government will usher the country along with all its political institutions towards a more competitive economy and further promote responsible and responsive lawmaking.
ADVOCATING JUSTICE
He is also the principal author and sponsor of the Judiciary Compensation and Modernization Act, which doubled the pay and other benefits of judges and justices thereby addressing the issue of huge vacancy rate in many courts. Today, there has been an unprecedented rise of as much as 1000 to 1500 per cent increase in applications to judgeship positions in many areas nationwide.
He is also author of the law which doubled the pay of the National Prosecution Office and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Law. He also authored the law which amended the Balik-Turo Program thereby addressing the problem of shortage of teachers.
He is also credited for the passage of laws which created new local courts in San Pablo City, (RA 9252), Tagbilaran City (RA 9309), Eastern Samar Province (RA 9307) and Roxas City (RA 9274).
Kiko was also actively involved in the passage of The Citizenship Retention Act of 2003, The Filipino Overseas Absentee-Voting Act and the Anti-Piracy Law.
Kiko’s most recent contribution to Philippine legislation is the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, which addresses the plight of thousands of children incarcerated along with adult criminals. The said law institutes a comprehensive juvenile justice system that places children in conflict with the law under diversion programs instead of placing them behind bars.
TAKING CARE OF OUR COUNTRY’S FUTURE
In May 2007, Sen. Kiko was reelected with a new mandate and ranked among the top 5. He is the first incumbent senator to run and win as independent candidate. He is indeed a public servant that proved that principles can win over popularity and patronage.
KUMILOS KASAMA NI KIKO
Despite the hectic schedule, Sen. Kiko still manages to take part in civic-oriented organizations, and continues to visit various project sites and touch base with his constituents. Kiko is passionate about strengthening the Filipino family, empowering the youth, revitalizing the judicial system, promoting respect for human rights and working for an accountable and responsive government. From student leader to senator, his vision of a new leadership has not wavered and he continues to encourage Filipinos to be active, to take a stand and participate, and to inspire them, so that they too can lead and work towards a better Philippines.
He is acknowledged as one of the most hardworking and most productive senators in the country today. He filed the most number of committee reports during the 12th Congress. In fact, one-third of the total number of committee reports was chalked by Kiko. Such feat and exemplary performance earned the respect and trust of his colleagues in the Senate that they elected him majority leader of the 12th Congress and is the youngest to become Senate majority leader since 1937.
After being re-elected in last 2007 elections as an independent candidate, Kiko continued to enjoy the support and trust of his colleagues that they re-elected him as Senate Majority Leader of the 14th Congress.
Prior to this, Kiko served as Chairman of the Senate Committees on Justice and Human Rights, Housing and Urban Planning, Education, and the Ethics and Public Accountability.
EARLY BEGINNINGS
Kiko was a student-activist during his college years. He was president of the UP Student Council and the first UP Board of Regent student-member with voting power. He earned his Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of the Philippines. He also taught Law at the Ateneo de Manila University for 7 years. In 1997, Kiko pursued his Masters in Public Administration at the Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
He is also a staunch human rights advocate. His crusade started during the early years of his law profession when he worked as a collaborating lawyer with the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and handled pro-bono cases, up to the time he joined the pool of top-notch broadcast journalists of the country in ABS-CBN. For almost a decade, Kiko was also a well-respected broadcast journalist.
GOOD GOVERNANCE
Presently, Sen. Kiko is the Chairman of the Liberal Party-Philippines – the longest running political party in the country with 60 years of history and tradition. He believes that strengthening the country’s “partyness” in government will usher the country along with all its political institutions towards a more competitive economy and further promote responsible and responsive lawmaking.
ADVOCATING JUSTICE
He is also the principal author and sponsor of the Judiciary Compensation and Modernization Act, which doubled the pay and other benefits of judges and justices thereby addressing the issue of huge vacancy rate in many courts. Today, there has been an unprecedented rise of as much as 1000 to 1500 per cent increase in applications to judgeship positions in many areas nationwide.
He is also author of the law which doubled the pay of the National Prosecution Office and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Law. He also authored the law which amended the Balik-Turo Program thereby addressing the problem of shortage of teachers.
He is also credited for the passage of laws which created new local courts in San Pablo City, (RA 9252), Tagbilaran City (RA 9309), Eastern Samar Province (RA 9307) and Roxas City (RA 9274).
Kiko was also actively involved in the passage of The Citizenship Retention Act of 2003, The Filipino Overseas Absentee-Voting Act and the Anti-Piracy Law.
Kiko’s most recent contribution to Philippine legislation is the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, which addresses the plight of thousands of children incarcerated along with adult criminals. The said law institutes a comprehensive juvenile justice system that places children in conflict with the law under diversion programs instead of placing them behind bars.
TAKING CARE OF OUR COUNTRY’S FUTURE
In May 2007, Sen. Kiko was reelected with a new mandate and ranked among the top 5. He is the first incumbent senator to run and win as independent candidate. He is indeed a public servant that proved that principles can win over popularity and patronage.
KUMILOS KASAMA NI KIKO
Despite the hectic schedule, Sen. Kiko still manages to take part in civic-oriented organizations, and continues to visit various project sites and touch base with his constituents. Kiko is passionate about strengthening the Filipino family, empowering the youth, revitalizing the judicial system, promoting respect for human rights and working for an accountable and responsive government. From student leader to senator, his vision of a new leadership has not wavered and he continues to encourage Filipinos to be active, to take a stand and participate, and to inspire them, so that they too can lead and work towards a better Philippines.
Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon
Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon was born on April 14, 1935 in Batac, Ilocos Norte. His father Rufino Biazon, was a doughmaker then while his mother Juliana Gaspar, was a clotheswasher. His father died and left him along with his mother and three younger sisters when he was seven years old. At a young age of eight, he and his sisters had already experienced great hardship, especially during the Japanese regime. Like any other poor family during those times, Senator Biazon and family had to work very hard to make ends meet. Living in a makeshift shanty in Cavite, they had to peddle food, collected bottles and newspapers, which were later sold in order to earn a living for the family. In spite of this poverty, it did not stop him from obtaining his education.
He enrolled as a Grade One student at the age of eleven, in 1946. In order to support his education, and at the same time look for ways to earn money to feed the family, he went to school in the morning and worked in the afternoon. He would collect seashells in Manila Bay which were in turn sold at the market. He studied in Jose Rizal Elementary School, Pasay City, for his primary education where he graduated salutatorian. He continued working, washing clothes for other people in order to sustain his high school education at the Jose Abad Santos High School located at the Arellano University, Pasay City in 1955. He also graduated from this school with honors. He stopped doing laundry and instead worked as a laborer in then Highway 54 now known as EDSA, this time to sustain his college education in FEATI where he took mechanical engineering.
Early in life, ‘Pong’, as he is fondly called, has already shown his patriotism when he chose to enter the Philippine Military Academy in 1957 despite having passed the examinations in the West Point and the US Naval Academy. He then met Ms. Monserrat Narag Bunoan whom he met through a classmate. Eight months after his graduation in the Philippine Military Academy, he eventually married Monchie. They had three children, Rita Rosanna, Rino Rudiyardo and Rozzano Rufino, who are all successful in their own fields. He was the class goat of PMA Class 1961 yet this did not prevent him from achieving his goal. As a soldier, he attained the following posts: Superintendent of PMA in 1986-87, Commandant of the Philippine Marines in 1987-89, Commanding General of the NCR Defense Command in 1988-90, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff in 1990-91 and AFP Chief of Staff in 1991. The most remarkable event of his life as a soldier was when he was assigned in Davao in 1983. It was there when he won back the trust and confidence of the civilians in the military who were then perceived by the people to be oppressive and abusive.
Senator Biazon attended other trainings or schooling which include the TOP Management Program at the Asian Institute of Management; Command and General Staff Course in Quantico, Virginia, USA; Crisis Program in California, USA; Allied Combat Intelligence Course in Okinawa, Japan; Senior Officer Maintenance Course in Kentucky, USA; Amphibious Warfare Course in Quantico Virginia USA and, Military Instructors in Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
He became Senator in the Ninth Congress from 1992 up to 1995. Paul Aquino, the brother of the late Senator Ninoy Aquino was the one who convinced him to run for office. He was again elected as Senator in 1998 and continues to serve his term up to this day. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security and Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement. Aside from this, he holds the following positions in the Senate: Vice-Chair of the Committees on Agriculture and Food and Foreign Relations, and a Member of 15 other Senate Committees. He is also the President of the Asian Regional Council Global Parliamentarians on Habitat, the Vice-President for Asia Global Parliamentarians on Habitat, the Co-chairperson of PLCPD and a member of the Commission on Appointments.
As a Senator, he authored bills which were enacted into law, some of which are: RA No. 9208 – Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, RA No. 9161 – Rental Reform Act of 2002, RA 7835-Comprehensive and Integrated Shelter Finance Act, RA 7898-An Act providing for the Modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, RA 7742-An Act Amending PD1752 (Mandatory Pag-ibig Membership), RA 7901-An Act Creating the CARAGA Region, RA 7889-An Act Establishing the University of the Philippines Mindanao, RA 7863-The Home Guaranty Corporation Law, RA 7691-Expanding the Jurisdiction of MTC’s, MCTC and METC, Joint Resolution NO. 7-Increasing the Subsistence Allowance of Soldiers and Policemen, RA 8763-Home Guarantee Corporation Act of 2000, RA 9040-An Act Exempting from the Tax Certain Allowances and Benefits granted to the members of the AFP, and RA 9049-An Act Granting Monthly Gratuity and Privileges to an Awardee of the Medal of Valor.
Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon continues to draft bills which center on providing low cost housing and advocating bills for the benefit of our soldiers. His value for hard work and perseverance make him a man to be revered and a legislator deserving of the mandate given to him by the people.
He enrolled as a Grade One student at the age of eleven, in 1946. In order to support his education, and at the same time look for ways to earn money to feed the family, he went to school in the morning and worked in the afternoon. He would collect seashells in Manila Bay which were in turn sold at the market. He studied in Jose Rizal Elementary School, Pasay City, for his primary education where he graduated salutatorian. He continued working, washing clothes for other people in order to sustain his high school education at the Jose Abad Santos High School located at the Arellano University, Pasay City in 1955. He also graduated from this school with honors. He stopped doing laundry and instead worked as a laborer in then Highway 54 now known as EDSA, this time to sustain his college education in FEATI where he took mechanical engineering.
Early in life, ‘Pong’, as he is fondly called, has already shown his patriotism when he chose to enter the Philippine Military Academy in 1957 despite having passed the examinations in the West Point and the US Naval Academy. He then met Ms. Monserrat Narag Bunoan whom he met through a classmate. Eight months after his graduation in the Philippine Military Academy, he eventually married Monchie. They had three children, Rita Rosanna, Rino Rudiyardo and Rozzano Rufino, who are all successful in their own fields. He was the class goat of PMA Class 1961 yet this did not prevent him from achieving his goal. As a soldier, he attained the following posts: Superintendent of PMA in 1986-87, Commandant of the Philippine Marines in 1987-89, Commanding General of the NCR Defense Command in 1988-90, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff in 1990-91 and AFP Chief of Staff in 1991. The most remarkable event of his life as a soldier was when he was assigned in Davao in 1983. It was there when he won back the trust and confidence of the civilians in the military who were then perceived by the people to be oppressive and abusive.
Senator Biazon attended other trainings or schooling which include the TOP Management Program at the Asian Institute of Management; Command and General Staff Course in Quantico, Virginia, USA; Crisis Program in California, USA; Allied Combat Intelligence Course in Okinawa, Japan; Senior Officer Maintenance Course in Kentucky, USA; Amphibious Warfare Course in Quantico Virginia USA and, Military Instructors in Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
He became Senator in the Ninth Congress from 1992 up to 1995. Paul Aquino, the brother of the late Senator Ninoy Aquino was the one who convinced him to run for office. He was again elected as Senator in 1998 and continues to serve his term up to this day. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security and Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement. Aside from this, he holds the following positions in the Senate: Vice-Chair of the Committees on Agriculture and Food and Foreign Relations, and a Member of 15 other Senate Committees. He is also the President of the Asian Regional Council Global Parliamentarians on Habitat, the Vice-President for Asia Global Parliamentarians on Habitat, the Co-chairperson of PLCPD and a member of the Commission on Appointments.
As a Senator, he authored bills which were enacted into law, some of which are: RA No. 9208 – Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, RA No. 9161 – Rental Reform Act of 2002, RA 7835-Comprehensive and Integrated Shelter Finance Act, RA 7898-An Act providing for the Modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, RA 7742-An Act Amending PD1752 (Mandatory Pag-ibig Membership), RA 7901-An Act Creating the CARAGA Region, RA 7889-An Act Establishing the University of the Philippines Mindanao, RA 7863-The Home Guaranty Corporation Law, RA 7691-Expanding the Jurisdiction of MTC’s, MCTC and METC, Joint Resolution NO. 7-Increasing the Subsistence Allowance of Soldiers and Policemen, RA 8763-Home Guarantee Corporation Act of 2000, RA 9040-An Act Exempting from the Tax Certain Allowances and Benefits granted to the members of the AFP, and RA 9049-An Act Granting Monthly Gratuity and Privileges to an Awardee of the Medal of Valor.
Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon continues to draft bills which center on providing low cost housing and advocating bills for the benefit of our soldiers. His value for hard work and perseverance make him a man to be revered and a legislator deserving of the mandate given to him by the people.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
