COPY FOR REP. NOGRALES
Gringo
to Davide: RESIGN!;‘Judicial ethics dictates his resignation’
(Tribune, Banner)
Judicial ethics demands that a
Supreme Court justice, who is moreover the head of the judiciary, should resign
his post and there is no more reason for Hilario Davide Jr. to stay on as chief
justice due to his acts of impropriety. This was the call made by opposition
Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan, who led the coup d’etat in 1989 which
almost succeeded in toppling the Aquino administration. Honasan pointed out that
it was clearly unethical for Davide to have sought the backing of business
taipan Lucio Tan in securing the top post in the tribunal, at a time the high
court was faced with the pending case of Philippine Airline pilots and employees
who had filed a case against Tan.
(Tribune, Page 1)
COURT RAPS PNP ON VISIT
RESTRICTIONS
(Malaya, Banner)
What the Philippine National Police
(PNP) decrees, the court merely obeys. This was the gist of the explanation
given by PNP Director General Leandro Mendoza on his unilateral decision to bar
deposed President Joseph Estrada’s legal consultants who are not
court-appointed lawyers from entering the detention at the Veterans Memorial
Medical Center (VMMC).
(Tribune, Page 3 )
Justify opposition to
airing of trial tapes, Erap told
(Malaya, Page 1)
Lawyers of deposed President Joseph
Estrada have been asked by the Supreme Court (SC) to answer in 10 days the suit
filed by the state counsels asking for the airing of the proceedings of
Estrada’s trials before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan. Also ordered by
the SC to file a comment within 10 days were members of Sandiganbayan’s
Special Division trying Estrada namely Justices Minita Chico-Nazario, Teresita
De Castro and Edilberto Sandoval. A ruling by the high tribunal had prescribed
the airing of any part of the Estrada trials before the same is resolved by the
anti-graft court.
(Manila Times, Page 1)
It’s time the government cut off
detained former president Joseph Estrada from the media, which he uses to
deceive the people, Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said yesterday. Estrada is
awaiting trial for plunder, perjury, graft and the illegal use of an alias.
SINISTER FORCES BEHIND SC
IMPEACHMENT BID, SAYS SOLON
(Inquirer, Page 2)
" Well-funded and sinister
forces" are behind the impeachment complaint against the Supreme Court,
Deputy Speaker Raul Gonzalez said yesterday. Gonzalez said
this became obvious when the complaint of lawyer Crispin T. Reyes, head
of the Anti-Graft League of the Philippines, was published in full as a paid
adevrtisement in the Inquirer.
1,700 more
troops coming
(Inquirer, Page
Banner)
1,700 more
US troops due next month for war games in CL
(Philippine Star, Page 1)
EVEN as controversy continues to
hound the RP-US Balikatan 02-1, the ground is being set for another joint
military exercise in Central Luzon involving as many as 1,700 US troops and
2,900 Filipino soldiers. The United States has sought permission to deploy an
additional 300 US troops, ostensibly for civic work. But critics say the
additional deployment will be in violation of the Terms of Reference governing
the joint military exercise. And 300
Are going to Basilan (Inquirer, Page 1) THE GOVERNMENT will
undertake public consultations on whether the Terms of Reference for the RP-US
Balikatan 02-1 should be amended to allow the proposed deployment of 300 more
American troops.However, the US Embassy said the US government did not make a
formal request for the additional deployment of American troops. HONASAN
QUESTIONS DEPLOYMENT OF MORE US TROOPS (Malaya,PAge 1) Sen.
Gregorio Honasan yesterday said the
United States is practically putting up a "forward base" in Mindanao
in violation pf the Constitution by deploying more and more soldiers in the
program to train their local
counhterparts in fighting the terrorist Abu Sayyaf. DFA: GI Joes will be ‘armed’ tourists
(Tribune, Page 1) The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
yesterday said the entry of more American troops can not be covered by the
existing Balikatan 02-1 terms of reference (TOR) and that another agreement
should be made to explain their arrival to the country. And if no existing
agreement is signed, the 400 US military personnel would then have to be
classified as only “tourists” when they arrive in the Philippines.
(Philippine Star, Page 1 )
4 ABU bandits killed, 6
arrested
(Malaya, Page 1)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Four Abu Sayyaf
gunmen were killed and six captured yesterday as Army Scout Rangers chased the
fleeing bandits to Upper Matikang near Kumalarang in Basilan. A soldier was also
wounded in the ensuing firefight. Army Capt. Noel Detoyato, deputy spokesman for
the military’s Southern Command, said the six terrorists were captured around
11 a.m. by troops from the 10th Scout Ranger Battalion under Capt. Harold
Cabunoc. "They were trying to cross the river to slip back to Sampinit
Complex," Detoyato said. "They were fleeing while the rest of their
companions engaged the pursuing troops."
(Manila Times, Page )
ZAMBOANGA CITY — The military has
ordered soldiers to hunt down an MILF commander responsible in giving sanctuary
to Abu Sayyaf rebels in Basilan province. Officials confirmed the report
yesterday, as new clashes erupted in Basilan, where extremist guerrillas are
holding hostage an American missionary couple and a Filipino nurse.
(Philippine Star, Page 2)
A police official assured the
Indonesian government yesterday of fair treatment for three jailed Indonesians
who were arrested last week after explosive components were seized from them.
Senior Superintendent Jaime Caringal, chief of Task Force Sanlahi, said
Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda has nothing to fear because the
Philippine National Police (PNP) is "extending its hospitality" to
Agus Dwikarno, Tamsil Linrung, and Abdul Jamal Balfas.
(Manila Times, Page 1)
The Chinese embassy yesterday
assured that Beijing is not funding leftwing groups in Mindanao. In a statement,
the embassy maintained that the secessionist struggle in the southern
Philippines is an “internal affair” and does not concern China.
3. COMELEC
Poll execs
off to US, Europe
(Philippine Star, Page 6)
Three officials of the Commission
on Elections (Comelec) left the country yesterday for an almost month-long tour
of the United States and Europe to discuss a proposed absentee voting measure
with Filipinos abroad. The three officials, Comelec Chairman Alfredo Benipayo,
Commissioner Florentino Tuason Jr. and Comelec executive assistant James
Jimenez, left for the US, Britain and other countries in Europe. They will be
returning on April 12.
‘1.7M
votes incorrectly added to voters’ list’
(Tribune, Page 3 )
At least 1.7 million names were
incorrectly added to the certified voters’ list (CVL) of the Commission on
Elections (Comelec). This was the revelation made by Commissioner Luzviminda
Tancangco after the reports submitted to her office by Comelec executive
director Mamasapunod Aguam failed to tally with the field reports. According to
Tancangco, the bulk of the multiple registrants was traced to the list of
registered numbers which Aguam allegedly extracted and added them up to the
computerized voters list as new registrants.
STAY OUT OF COMELEC ROW, POLS TOLD
(Inquirer, Page 4)
Saying politicians only make things
more difficult, the private elections watchdog National Movement for Free
Elections wants the members of
Congress to stop intervening in the Commission on Elections mess. NAMFREL
Secretary-General Guillermo Luz instead urged civil society to take an active
role in resolving the infighting in the election body so "people with
vested interests" would not have to intervene.
ANALYSIS/RECOMMENDATION:
This statement of Luz should
be considered a direct assault to our political institutions particularly
Congress. In the full version of the story, Luz blasted Congress and other
politicians for allegedly intervening in the affairs of the COMELEC. But really,
Luz has no moral authority to make these remarks because Luz himself
and NAMFREL are part of the problem. Instead of
mediating among the warring factions in the COMELEC ( which Joe de V
tried but failed to do), Luz and his ilk have announced that they would file
impeachment complaint against Commissioner Luz Tantangco. This only proves that
NAMFREL, which is supposed to be a neutral election watchdog, has jumped into
the fray instead of appeasing the protagonists. With this, it is necessary to
question to propriety of NAMFREL as legitimate election watchdog because under
closer scrutiny, it has turned into a political battering ram by some
personalities. For example in the
2001 polls, NAMFREL was critical against the opposition while avowing
neutrality. However, when a politician who is obviously on their side was
accused of cheating, Luz and NAMFREL as a whole opted to be silent on the issue.
With these developments, we recommend that we issue a press release censuring
Luz for casting aspersion on the integrity of Congress.
(Inquirer, Page 1)
A CONSTITUTIONAL crisis will erupt
if the courts allow Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez to be extradited, a ranking
congressman, who requested anonymity, warned Tuesday. The official said if it
came to a House vote, congressmen would be likely to vote against extradition
because "this amounts to his expulsion." But another House official,
Deputy Speaker for the Visayas Raul Gonzalez, said Congress could not block the
extradition, if the courts upheld the US request to extradite Jimenez. Palace,
House wash hands off MJ’s extradition (Tribune, Page 1)
Malacañang and the House of Representatives, citing the issue of the
extradition to the United States of fugitive and now Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez
(6th District) said it is purely the concern of the judiciary, separately
staying clear of the case. President Arroyo’s “position is that we cannot
interfere with the rule of law,” presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said.
The Chief Executive, however, could effect the extradition of Jimenez or any
other fugitive, thereby avoiding accusations that she is obstructing justice.
ERAP CRONY NOW GLORIFIES GLORIA
(Inquirer,Page 1)
After having shrugged off the
demand "to extradite him expeditiously," coveyed by the FBI, Manila
Rep. B. Mark Jimenez yesterday clammed up. "I have no comment. I'd rather
go to the barangays to feed the children, "Jimenez, whose real name is
Mario Crespo, told the Inquirer.
(Inquirer, Page 1)
UP graduate is Bar
topnotcher
(Philippine
Star, Page 1 )
FOR THE third straight year, the
University of the Philippines (UP) has kept its edge over other Philippine law
schools by securing the top spot in the 2001 bar examinations. Scoring an
average of 93.80 percent, UP College of Law graduate Rodolfo Ponferrada ranked
first in the exams, followed by Ateneo de Manila University's Jesus Paolo U.
Protacio at second place with an average score of 90.05 percent.
(Philippine Star, Banner )
Police foiled a bombing attempt in
Makati City, defusing two improvised bombs in separate areas in the city’s
central business district before midnight Monday, according to Metro Manila
police chief Director Edgar Aglipay. A previously unheard-of group calling
itself the "Indigenous People’s Federal State Army" claimed
responsibility for the two bombs that were placed inside identical brown
envelopes addressed to the government. But Aglipay doubted the claim and tagged
Muslim extremists as the possible perpetrators of the bombing attempt.
Terror timed for Lent?
(Manila Times, Banner)
Two
bombs found in Makati City’s commercial hub Monday night raised concerns about
a wave of terror attacks in Metro
Manila timed for Holy Week. Police
yesterday said one of the explosives, a mortar round wired to a detonator, left
on a street island just outside Triangle Tower on Ayala Ave.
(Tribune, Page 1)
AFP LOOLING FOR 4 TONS OF
EXPLOSIVES
(Inquirer, Page 1)
A company based in Cebu, which is
licensed to supply contractors, mining companies and other commercial users with
explosives, reportedly cannot account for nearly 3,600 kg of its products.
Government authorities have launched a search for the explosives which were
discovered missing when commercial suppliers were ordered to carry out inventory
checks prompted by the arrest of Indonesian Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi.
(Philippine Star,Page 1)
The entire Metro Manila police
force was placed on alert yesterday against any criminal or terrorist attempts
during the observance of Holy Week. Director Edgar Aglipay, chief of the
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said the red alert will start on
Maundy Thursday and end on Black Saturday. The alert order also canceled all
leaves of absence of NCRPO personnel. REDS
ANNOUNCE HOLY WEEK TRUCE
(Inquirer, Page 1)
Even
without a ceasefire declaration by government, communist rebels will observe a
truce next week in deference to the country's observance of the Holy Week.
(Philippine Star, Page 2 )
The Philippine Airlines has
postponed the increase in its domestic fares in response to the clamor from the
tourism sector for relief from the airlines during the Lenten season, one of the
busiest travel periods of the year. In a press statement, PAL expressed the hope
that the rollback will go a long way in stimulating domestic travel.
(Philippine Star, Page 6 )
Sen. Robert Barbers expressed his
belief yesterday that former Gov. Nur Misuari of the Autonomous Region for
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) really desires peace in Mindanao. Barbers issued this
statement after a two-hour emotion-filled meeting with Misuari at the latter’s
detention place in Camp San Pedro, the training base of the Philippine National
Police-Special Action Force in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
(Philippine Star, Page 8)
Ombudsman Aniano Desierto cleared
yesterday Transportation and Communications Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez of the
capital charge of plunder for allegedly giving unwarranted benefits to a
contractor of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal III. Graft
investigators said complainant MIA-NAIA Association of Service Operators Inc. (MASO)
failed to produce evidence that the government was compromised when Alvarez
awarded a P76 million contract to Wintrack. "To be able to prosecute
Alvarez et al for the offenses charged against them, this office must have
evidence that can stand on its own merits and not on mere speculations and
conjectures," wrote Ombudsman legal counsel Andrew Ammuyutan in a 25-page
resolution.
(Philippine Star, Page 8)
KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia (AFP) —
Eighteen-year-old Celby prowls a busy street in Kota Kinabalu, hawking
contraband cigarettes to the drivers of passing vehicles and cars parked at the
sidewalk. For several years now, the Filipino has made a living as an itinerant
street vendor, selling smuggled goods which he says are brought in from the
nearby international offshore financial island of Labuan.
(Philippine Star, PAge 9)
People may soon be able to text
their complaints, commendations and comments on government officials and
employees to the Civil Service Commission (CSC). CSC chairperson Karina David
said the text messaging program to be launched shortly is meant to improve
government service to the people.
One-upmanship
the name of the game between GMA boys Tiglao and Golez
(Tribune, Page 1)
The Arroyo administration, before
thinking of holding a ceasefire with any rebel group, could consider making sure
that its own officials are observing their own truce and are working in harmony.
Talks about a perceived rift between National Security Adviser Roilo Golez and
presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao resurfaced yesterday when the latter,
during a news briefing took a jab at the former’s pronouncements on the
government’s proposed ceasefire with the Communist Party of the
Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
(Philippine Star, Page 1)
Neophyte Senators Noli de Castro
and Luisa Ejercito posted perfect attendance records in the first regular
session of the 12th Congress, being present in all 68 session days from July 23,
2001 to March 13 this year. Senate records also showed the two were neither late
for any of the sessions nor did they leave the country for any official mission.
DFA
admits: No more available passports from June to August
(Manila Times, Page 1)
No more passports by May?
(Manila Standard, Page 1)
PASSPORT shortage at the Department
of Foreign Affairs has turned from bad to worse that the DFA might not be able
to issue booklets between June to August. DFA Spokesman Victoriano Lecaros said
the Home Office’s supply of passport booklets is expected to last only until
May.
(Tribune, Page 2)
As the numbers of passport
applicants continue to swell by the thousands, the Department of Foreign Affairs
(DFA) may not be able to meet the demand for more passports and could possibly
stop its issuance coming this May. The DFA expects the remaining 350,001
passports booklets to be delivered by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
could only last for seven weeks.