ESTRADA
TO DAVIDE: QUIT
(Inquirer, Banner)
Erap demands Davide’s resignation
(Tribune, Page 1)
Resign, Erap tells Davide, 2 justices
(Malaya, Banner)
Former President Joseph Estrada is
now amenable to stand trial before the Sandiganbayan for plunder and other
criminal charges after he declared that he had lost faith in the country’s
judicial system. But he is laying down several conditions: the resignation of
Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide, and Justices Artemio Panganiban and
Antonio Carpio, the abolition of the special court created especially for his
four criminal cases, and the assignment of the cases to one of the five regular
Sandiganbayan divisions. SC Justices
decline to comment (Inquirer,
Page 1) FORMER
President Joseph Estrada's call for Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. and
Associate Justices Artemio Panganiban and Antonio Carpio to resign fell on deaf
ears. As usual, Davide and the associate justices refused to be embroiled in a
word war with the deposed leader by making themselves unavailable for comment.
Davide flew to Japan Wednesday to attend a legal convention, while the other
high court justices refused to take interviews. Palace
to Estrada: File impeach raps vs Davide
(Philippine Star, Page1 ) Malacañang challenged
deposed President Joseph Estrada yesterday to initiate impeachment proceedings
against Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. instead of demanding his resignation as
precondition for the disgraced leader’s return to the judicial process.
Estrada earlier accused Davide of moral turpitude for allegedly having lobbied
for his appointment as Supreme Court (SC) chief using his estranged businessman
crony, Filipino-Chinese taipan, Lucio Tan.
(Inquirer, Page 1)
IF necessary, former President
Joseph Estrada will be taken by helicopter to the Sandiganbayan for Friday’s
resumption of his plunder trial, which was suspended for two weeks following his
dismissal of his defense team. A Malacañang official, who asked not to be
named, said transporting Estrada by chopper from the Veterans Memorial Medical
Center (VMMC) was one of the scenarios for which the government had prepared in
the face of the reported plan of his supporters to stage ‘theatrics’ on
March 15. Police brace for riots at
trial (Manila
Times, Banner) POLICE
will be out in force tomorrow at the Batasan, where the Sandiganbayan begins
hearing charges against deposed president Joseph Estrada and his son Jinggoy.
The National Capital Regional Police Office is ready to deploy as many as 3,000
officers around the Batasan complex and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center,
where the Estradas are detained, in case trouble erupts. AFP, PNP ready for Erap backers
(Malaya, Page 1) President Arroyo yesterday said the
military and the police are ready to take on anything former President Joseph
Estrada's supporters can deliver."Our law enforcement agencies are quite
prepared for anything," Arroyo said in her weekly luncheon with a select
group of Palace reporters.But she downplayed the capability of Estrada's camp to
mobilize by tomorrow, Estrada's arraignment for the second perjury case, as big
a crowd as that of EDSA 3.
2 French
hostages sue Estrada
(Inquirer, Page 1 )
TWO French nationals--former Abu
Sayyaf hostages during the infamous Sipadan incident--sued deposed President
Joseph Estrada before the Court of Nantes in France the other day for allegedly
endangering their lives after they were kidnapped on April 23, 2000. Stephane
Loisy and girlfriend Sonia Wendling claimed Estrada used the Philippine military
"to violently intervene on numerous occasions (during the crisis), thereby
endangering the lives of the hostages despite his country's international
commitments from the Convention Against Hostage-Taking in New York on Dec. 17,
1979, and the existence of the risks of reprisals run by the hostages."
PNP intelligence
report proves media wiretap; LINKS EBDANE, RAZON TO ARROYO DESTABILIZATION MOVES
(Tribune, Banner)
A four-page intelligence document
marked secret, which was obtained by the Tribune yesterday, confirmed earlier
reports on the illegal wiretapping activities of the Philippine National Police
(PNP) on journalists. The secret document named as well personalities identified
with former President Fidel Ramos as being engaged in talks with deposed
President Joseph Estrada's camp which the same intelligence report claimed is
into training "several teams of insurrectionary forces to serve as spark
plugs in planned widespread demonstrations in support" of the ousted leader
as well as confirming the illegal wiretapping and monitoring of political
opposition leaders and media personalities who are deemed critical of President
Arroyo, among whom are the writer, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Tribune,
Angelito "Lito" Banayo, Herman Tiu Laurel, both columnists of the
Tribune; Jake Macasaet, publisher of Malaya and its columnist, Ducky Paredes, as
well as Totoy Talastas, broadcast journalist from Net-25.
(Tribune, Page 1 )
A former Estrada appointee, who was
also once a presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan, and another seasoned lawyer
have been appointed as the ninth and 10th lawyers to represent the ousted leader
in all his cases now pending before the Special Division.In a two-page
compliance report, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) appointed retired
Sandigan-bayan Presiding Justice Manuel Pamaran and lawyer Prospero Crescini to
be Estrada's additional counsels de officio.
(Malaya, Page 1)
President Arroyo yesterday said she
"feels sorry" for Sen. Luisa Ejercito Estrada who has accused Malacañang,
the judiciary, and the Catholic Church of conspiring to persecute her
husband."I don't know if you'll advise me to make it off the record or on
the record. Ako naaawa," Arroyo told a select group of Palace reporters
during an informal lunch.But she did not comment on the contents of the
lady-senator's maiden privilege speech.
‘Hanging’
judge is new Erap lawyer
(Manila Times, Page 1)
This time it’s a former judge
known for his penchant for handing out death sentences who is being put forward
as a lawyer for Joseph Estrada. Retired Justice Manuel R. Pamaran earned himself
the reputation as a “hanging judge” when he was presiding a court in Manila.
(Manila Times, Page
1)
Joseph Estrada could have left of
the country right after he decided to leave Malacañang last year, President
Gloria Arroyo said yesterday. But that option was lost after the ousted
president was charged and arrested. The President yesterday revealed she
initially wanted foreign exile for her predecessor, to prevent the country from
slipping into political chaos.
(Philippine Star, Banner)
No retreat, no surrender for Abu
Sabaya. Abu Sayyaf leader Aldam Tilao, better known as Abu Sabaya, said
yesterday he will not surrender despite a continuing all-out offensive being
waged by government forces against his group. "We strongly deny the report
of surrender. I will not surrender," Sabaya stated in an undated letter
delivered to a local radio station in Zamboanga City.
(Philippine Star, Page
1 )
ZAMBOANGA CITY — A furious
military ordered yesterday a formal inquiry into how the press got hold of a
top-secret photo of an alleged hideout of Abu Sayyaf bandits. "It might
compromise our operations, "Armed Forces Southern Command chief Lt. Gen.
Roy Cimatu told reporters. The grainy, infrared photograph, taken from the air
which appeared on the front page of The STAR Tuesday and on GMA television on
Monday, showed what appeared to be a horizontal building and a patch of cleared
ground surrounded by foliage. TV tape
puts military in panic mode (Manila
Times, Page 1 ) ZAMBOANGA
CITY — A video footage taken by a US reconnaissance plane of a supposed Abu
Sayyaf camp in Basilan which was shown in a television news show Tuesday has
military officials here frantically looking for the source of the leak. Lt. Gen.
Roy Cimatu, chief of the Armed Forces Southern Command, is said to have vowed
that heads will roll once he finds out how the confidential tape reached the
media.
(Tribune, Page 1)
Two alleged associates of
presidential spokesman Rigoberto "Bobi" Tiglao supposedly milked the
Abu Sayyaf's Dos Palmas victims of over P25-million in ransom payment through
backchannel negotiations at the height of the hostage crisis last year.One of
them, Jorge Baviera, alleged to be a former comrade of Tiglao in the communist
movement during the Marcos era, even identified himself as someone from the
Office of the President.
US asks RP to give
landing rights to Japan, SK planes for CL war games
(Tribune, Page 1)
The United States has requested the
Philippine government to grant landing rights to Japanese and South Korean
aircraft for transporting American troops who will join their Filipino
counterparts in the annual military exercises dubbed Balikatan 02 in Central
Luzon in April and May.The war games, approved by the Mutual Defense Board, are
different from Balikatan 02-1, also a military exercise among US and Philippine
soldiers and ongoing in Mindanao, supposedly aimed only at training the local
military forces on anti-terrorism tactics against the Moslem kidnap-for-ransom
group Abu Sayyaf.
(Manila Times, PAge 1)
ZAMBOANGA CITY — US advisers have
started training Philippine military pilots in the use of three new Huey
choppers with night-flying capability. But while the aircraft were initially
earmarked for the Balikatan theater here and on the island-province of Basilan,
the first training flights indicate another target — Jolo island, bastion of
the Moro separatist struggle.
3 al-Qaida
suspects walk in Zambo blast case
(Manila Times, Page 1)
ZAMBOANGA CITY — Three arrested
suspected al-Qaida terrorists charged for the October bombing of a fast food
area here were acquitted yesterday, in the latest blow suffered by the
government’s war against terrorism. The Armed Forces, however, also announced
a minor victory, claiming it had arrested Tuesday two suspects in the Dos Palmas
kidnapping on May 27, 2001.
(Philippine Star, Page 4)
US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone
hinted yesterday of more US military assistance to the country in its fight
against terrorism. In a chance interview before a closed-door meeting with
Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Ricciardone
said that following what he described as the successful meeting between
President Arroyo and President George Bush in November last year, both Manila
and Washington have been closely working together to determine the needs of the
country’s armed forces in fighting terrorism.
(Malaya, Page 1)
Benipayo slams Comelec colleagues for smear job
(Manila TImes, Page 1 )
Elections Chairman Alfredo Benipayo
yesterday pointed to four commissioners as the source of the smear campaign
against him, adding that this was connected to the P6.5 billion Voter
Registration and Identification System (VRIS) project with Photokina."All
those who want to stop my confirmation. I do not see anybody else," said
Benipayo when asked on the possible source of an investigation report
questioning his moral fitness.
PALACE STEPS INTO COMELEC DISPUTE
(Inquirer, Page 4)
Malacañang has decided to
intervene in the infighting that has been hampering Commission on Elections
operations for so long. President Macapagal-Arroyo wants to sit down with the
four Comelec commissioners who were appointed by her predecessor to ask them to
reconcile with her three appointees, including Chair Alfredo Benipayo Jr.
(Inquirer, Page 2)
The House leadership threw
out last night from the session floor Iloilo Rep. Augusto “Buboy”
Syjuco after declaring him “out of order.” Syjuco was escorted out by
sergeant-at-arms Bayani Fabic, armed with the mace, at around 7:20 pm upon the
orders of Deputy Speaker Raul Gonzales. He was declared out of order because he
was causing delay, Majority Floor
Leader Neptali Gonzales said.
(Inquirer, Page
2)
FOUR congressmen Wednesday came up
with a counter-resolution in response to a Senate resolution calling for the
abolition of the death penalty. The resolution, filed by the members of the
so-called "Spice Boys" group, sought the full implementation of
capital punishment. Repeal of death
penalty may benefit Estrada (Philippine
Star, Page 5 ) Ousted
President Joseph Estrada will benefit from the repeal of the death penalty law
even if the bill seeking to abolish capital punishment was not tailor-made for
him. Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said yesterday any law
beneficial to the accused would be retroactive, and so a law setting aside the
death penalty would apply to Estrada once convicted, although he was charged
before the law took effect. Activists
decry death penalty repeal plan, but GMA for it (Manila Times,
Page ) Anti-crime activists have raised the alarm over the possible
repeal of the country’s death penalty law but President Gloria Arroyo and
Catholic clergy yesterday backed the Senate move to review the controversial
legislation. But at the same time, the Chief Executive mulled over the
possibility of allowing at least one execution to push through before the law is
repealed.
BSP
freezes six bank accounts suspected to contain laundered money
(Philippine Star, Page 2)
Six bank accounts belonging to
allegedly fraudulent telemarketing companies have been frozen by the newly
created Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), according to Bangko Sentral Gov.
Rafael Buenaventura. Buenaventura, also AMLC chairman, did not identify the
firms or the amounts involved but said they are now being investigated for
supposedly laundering the proceeds of "boiler room" operations where
individuals are enticed to invest money.
(Philippine Star, Page 1)
Billionaire Tan Yu dies in US; 75
(Inquirer, Page 1)
The famous poor boy from Bicol, who
overcame incredible odds to reach the zenith of international business success
and gave thousands of college scholarships, has passed away. Philanthropist and
real estate entrepreneur Tan Yu died last Tuesday in Houston, Texas due to heart
failure. He was 75.
(Philippine Star, Page 1 )
The scent of onions is a good cover
for illegal drugs. That’s according to Senate President Pro Tempore Manuel
Villar, who said large shipments of onions from abroad are being used to conceal
the entry of illegal drugs into the country. "We have received reports that
onions are used to camouflage drug shipments such as shabu from Hong Kong,"
said Villar, who is also chairman of the Senate committee on agriculture.
(Inquirer, Page )
"I'M speechless." This
was the reaction of European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines president
Claus Sudhoff to Trade Secretary Manuel Roxas' plan to review the Philippines'
membership in the World Trade Organization over tariff disputes involving the
country's top exports.Sudhoff described Roxas' position as "a very big
surprise because we have been talking of Philippine strategies to lure investors
here."...But Federation of Philippine Industries president Raul Concepcion
said Roxas merely echoed what domestic producers had long complained of as a
double standard in the implementation of free trade rules by the WTO.
(Philippine Star, Page
2)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – A grenade exploded Tuesday night in front
of the house of a former adviser of ousted President Joseph Estrada, some four
kilometers from Edwin Andrews Air Base. No one was reported hurt. Chief
Inspector Jose Bayani Gucela, intelligence chief of the Zamboanga City police,
said the explosion shattered window panes and damaged the gates of the residence
of Lepeng Wee.
(Philippine Star, Page
2)
Outgoing Customs Commissioner Titus
Villanueva expressed his gratitude to the Port Users Confederation (PUC), the
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries (PCCI) and the Federation of
Philippine Industries (FPI) for their initiatives and support during his 14
months in office. He stressed the need for closer coordination between the
Customs bureau as well as the members of the three organizations in preparing
for the challenges brought about by globalization and use of new technologies.
Villanueva, who retired yesterday, was honored by the three organizations with a
testimonial dinner at the Century Park hotel in Manila.
(Philippine STar, Page 3 )
The House of Representatives
approved on Tuesday night the proposed Special Purpose Asset Vehicle (SPAV) Act
of 2002 that lawmakers hope could bring in billions in foreign investments.
Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., principal author of the measure, said the bill
would help local banks and government financial institutions to dispose of their
non-performing loans (NPLs) and other idle assets and jumpstart the economy. He
said many foreign investors, including big US-based investment banks Lehman
Brothers and Cerberus, are interested in acquiring these idle assets.
(Philippine Star, Page 3 )
President Arroyo justified
yesterday her decision to remove two agencies from the Department of Agriculture
and place them under the Office of the President (OP), and four months later
revert them to the DA. During times of crisis, Mrs. Arroyo said she needed to
"directly handle" the National Food Authority (NFA) and the Philippine
Coconut Authority (PCA) as they are primarily involved in the government’s
food and agriculture programs.
(Inquirer, Page 1 )
IF YOU are quite confused about
which day in the Holy Week has been declared a non-working day, and for whom,
blame the eager beavers in Malacañang. Copies of Proclamation No. 164
designating Holy Wednesday and Black Saturday (March 27 and 30) as non-working
days throughout the country were prematurely released to the media Tuesday
morning, according to Rigoberto Tiglao, spokesperson for President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo. While the President signed the proclamation on March 11, it
was supposed to have been put on hold pending a review by the Cabinet during its
regular Tuesday meeting.
Only SC
can stop government infra projects — solons
(Philippine Star, Page 7 )
Two congressmen warned local officials and state agencies
yesterday that only the Supreme Court can stop infrastructure projects funded by
the national government. Representatives Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig-Pateros
and Salacnib Baterina of Ilocos Sur made the warning at the start of the inquiry
by the House good government committee into Cayetano’s allegations that Taguig
Mayor Sigfredo Tinga had ordered his P25-million sports complex project stopped.
(Philippine Star, Page 1)
The Commission on Appointments
unanimously confirmed yesterday the promotion of the first brigadier general in
the Armed Forces who started his military service as a buck private. Brig. Gen.
Santiago Prejido, 54, was all smiles as he stood at attention while the
bicameral body announced his confirmation, along with 19 other military officers
led by controversial Maj. Gen. Romeo Dominguez.
(Tribune, Page 1)
President Arroyo yesterday conveyed
to reporters she has succeeded in realizing her New Year's resolution not to
lose her cool specially whenever she is the object of intrigues and
criticisms.Reporters who attended the casual interview with the President
yesterday could not help but take note of the Chief Executive's "cooler
personality" these days, which she immediately attributed to the lessening
pressure she now feels as head of the republic.One of her secrets: She has
canceled the subscription of The Daily Tribune and Malaya, which is another
paper perceived to be critical to her administration, and has stopped reading
these broadsheets.