Deputy ombudsman Gonzales should be ousted from office-Kiko

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 4, 2011-In relation to the hostage-taking at Quirino Grandstand on August 23, 2010, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, a lawyer and formerly a chairman of the Senate Justice Committee yesterday urged for the enforcement of Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III’s removal from his post who was fired by Malacañang last March 31 in a 15 page decision released by the Office of the President declaring Gonzalez guilty of gross neglect of duty and misconduct in the performance of duty, following the Palace review of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC).

“The inordinate and unjustified delay in resolving the case of hostage-taker, former police Chief Inspector Rolando Mendoza, whose removal from service was one of the reasons for the hostage-taking that claimed the lives of eight hostages, plus Mendoza himself. On top these, the Deputy Ombudsman has been suspected of extorting money from Mendoza at the height of the hostage-taking incident,” Pangilinan said, however, Gonzalez and his superior, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, have remained defiant, saying that the President “has no judicial or quasi-judicial jurisdiction” over Gonzalez.

“The presumption of regularity must prevail on the issue of Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III. In this instance, unless constrained by the courts, the decision must be respected and the dismissal enforced,” Pangilinan pointed out, asserting that if there are no legal impediments to executing the President’s order, then Gonzalez should be removed from office. If he needs to be bodily removed from the office premises, then that should already be acted on by the appropriate police agency.

Pangilinan also made reference to the Ombudsman’s ties to the Arroyo administration, saying that unless they have forgotten that we are now under a new administration, it is time to put an end to the wanton disregard for the rule of law so characteristic of the Arroyo administration.

He furthered that there is a need to exorcise the nation from the ghosts of the past regime wherein the Constitution and the rule of law were upheld only when it served the purpose of the incumbent.

The lawmaker asserted: We should not wait for another hostage taking incident. We should follow the rule of the law. (Jason de Asis)

350,000 deaths yearly and expected to rise due to climate change

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 4, 2011-It was estimated that 350,000 people died yearly due to climate change due to various illnesses in the country, Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change urged the Department of Health (DOH) to improve its public health services and ensure early prevention and control of diseases.

“There is a need for the DOH to strengthen their initiatives on disease and health surveillance and enhance its awareness campaigns on climate-sensitive diseases not limited to dengue but including pulmonary infections, malaria, cholera, heatstroke, and skin infections,” Legarda said.

The Senator said that climate vulnerability monitor 2010 study showed that not disasters but diseases cause the most number of deaths by climate change, noting that from January to February of 2011 there had been at least 13,821 patients afflicted with dengue already admitted in hospitals across the country.

“According to the DOH, there were 3,640 dengue cases, a 106-percent increase from the figures recorded last year in Metro Manila alone,” she said, adding that the rise in dengue cases is alarming because the country is one of the most vulnerable to vector-borne diseases.

The Development Assistance Research Associates (DARA) which is an international organization monitors aid to victims of conflict, disasters and climate change reported that the Philippines climate and location naturally assist in the proliferation of dengue where higher temperatures and more humid climates caused by climate change favor the growth in the populations of insects and vectors that spread diseases.

Despite serious projected impacts over a range of health concerns, Legarda furthered that the study revealed that there are large gaps in adaptation policies, including health, making up just 3% of priority adaptation projects, reiterating that an estimated 350,000 people die each year due to major diseases and health disorders related to climate change.

“Unless measures are taken, by 2030, climate change will increase its toll to more than 800,000 deaths yearly,” Legarda explained, stressing that there is a need to prioritize prevention and control of climate-related diseases, and enhance the DOH’s capacity for early warning for any outbreak. (Jason de Asis)

Legarda squeezes protection for indigenous people

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SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 3, 2011-Senator Loren Legarda who chairs the Senate Committee on Climate Change and Cultural Communities committee said that there is a need to squeeze out concern over the consequences of climate change that affects the lives of indigenous people (IP) who are threatened by extreme weather events brought by climate change as the IP are more vulnerable to their livelihood, health, food security, cultural integrity and lands.

Legarda explained that the IP contribute the least with respect to carbon emissions due to their simple, sustainable lifestyles and practices where they are most affected by the consequences of climate change.

The report from Indigenous Peoples’ International Center for Policy Research and Education (Tebtebba) declared that the issue of climate change is not just an environmental issue but also has economic and cultural dimensions explaining that as they struggle with each flood, landslide, drought or typhoon, they are displaced from their lands or are left to battle food and water scarcity as well as widespread outbreaks of vector-borne diseases.

Legarda said that the occurrence radically changes IPs way of life, threatening their sources of livelihood, traditional knowledge and practices, especially their sustainable practices in the management of their land, water and forest resources; thus, she authored Senate Resolution No. 158 last September 2010 directing the Committee on Cultural Communities to conduct an inquiry on the implications of the implementation of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) program to the indigenous peoples of the Philippines.

She said that in order to contribute to the global fight against climate change, REDD is a mechanism to create an incentive for developing countries to protect, better manage and wisely use their forest resources by reducing deforestation and forest degradation.

Legarda furthered that IPs are the primary guardians and beneficiaries of the said program as stewards of the country’s forests, which are home to many indigenous cultural communities.

“There is a need to ensure that REDD program is implemented properly in the Philippines to identify the pros and cons for the indigenous peoples’ reforestation program,” Legarda ended. (Jason de Asis)

COMSTE to present “ice cream program”

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 3, 2011-The Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE), Manila Observatory (MO) and University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) will present the Integrated Evaluation of Coastal Research Enhancement and Adaptive Management otherwise known as “ICE CREAM” program which was initially funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on April 5, 2011 at the Klima Conference Center of the Manila Observatory from 1:30 to 5:00 in the afternoon.

It aims to investigate climate change impacts on the coasts and adapting wisely to a changing Philippine coastal environment where the program consists of eight projects examining the changing coastal erosion, sea level rise, and water quality; changes in oceanographic processes at different scales; changes in ecosystem patterns and processes; and changes in fisheries harvest.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara, Chair of COMSTE said that the program intends to produce vulnerability maps and coastal profiles; coastal and ecosystem scenarios; decision options:  cost-benefit analyses, science-based governance processes, and system guidelines; and monitoring, evaluation, and response feedback systems (MERFS).

He added that the results of the different studies will address the different responses such as modeling decision support for Coastal Resource Management strategic action plans, fisheries ecosystem adaptive management strategies for enhancements and conservation (FEAMS-EC), and Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Support Network Integrated Coastal Management (MSN-ICM) resilience seas network. (Jason de Asis)

Aurora top cop relieved over rash of crimes

CAMP RAVINA, BALER, Aurora April 2, 2011-A turned over ceremony of the Aurora’s top cop of the Philippine National Police will be held on Monday at Camp Victor Ravina in the midst of the rash in crimes and alleged lapses in law enforcement of the police.

Chief Supt. Alan La Madrid Purisima, regional director of the Camp Olivas-based PNP Regional Office 3, told newsmen that he has relieved Senior Supt. Rosvi Manulid and replaced Senior Supt. Jojo Gumban as the choice of Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo among the list of three recommendees of the National Police Commission.

Purisima said that Gumban who is the chief of the regional headquarters support service will be designated as the officer-in-charge who will take over the police force in the province.

Manulid served as provincial director for only seven months. Last September, he replaced Senior Supt. Romulo Esteban, his “mistah” in the 1984 batch of the PNP Academy, who also served for only a year.

Earlier, it was reported that Angara-Castillo has expressed preference for the designation of Senior Supt. Benjamin Hulipas but Purisima said Hulipas was not included in the list of recommendees.

Manulid’s relief was considered a foregone conclusion since a month ago after Angara-Castillo expressed dismay over the recent rash in crimes in the province and the failure of police to stop illegal logging.

Angara-Castillo said she was particularly disappointed that when Manulid took over as provincial director, there was a surge in crimes, including a P1-million broad daylight heist. “Even during day-time, there were crime incidents,” she said, adding that before the latter came in, the province had the lowest crime rate among the seven provinces in Central Luzon.

“When he came, we were the most peaceful. I wanted to maintain that distinction so he had to go,” she said, adding the surge in crimes would adversely affect Aurora’s aggressive tourism campaign.

Angara-Castillo said that she herself was not spared from the outbreak in crimes. She cited that recently, she lost her generator to thieves who broke into her house.

She recalled confronting Manulid about the incident, even warning him that if her generator would not be produced in 24 hours, Manulid would suffer the consequences. The generator was recovered by police within the 24-hour period.

Angara-Castillo said the fact that the stolen generator was recovered by police indicated that if they wanted to, they can do their job efficiently. She said she has long been complaining to Manulid and his men the lack of police visibility in the province.

Commenting on his relief, Manulid said insofar as he is concerned, he has done his best although this has failed to satisfy the governor. “I have no regrets,” he said.

Before a new set of recommendees was laid down, Manulid has been scolded a number of times by Angara-Castillo over alleged lapses of the police. Once, she chided him in front of local officials and newsmen during a meeting of the provincial government-led task force against illegal logging for the inability of lawmen to prevent the passage of trucks in police-manned checkpoints.

But what broke the camel’s back, sources said, was the occurrence of five consecutive robbery-holdup and theft incidents in the province.         

At least twice, Manulid was adjudged police officer of the year in Central Luzon in the late 80s. To his credit were 28 medals and 31 letters of commendations. (Jason de Asis) 

Trillanes on 15th Magayon Festival

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 2, 2011-Since his released from detention last December, Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV visited his hometown in Albay, Bicol last Friday to grace the start of the month-long 15th Magayon Festival and hold consultations with local officials and his constituents.

Trillanes spoke at the annual cultural celebration and led the convention of the Samahang Magdalo in Legazpi City, saying that it is important to celebrate and to commemorate this kind of tradition because it strengthens and unites us as Bicolanos and as Filipinos.

At least 15 chapters of the Samahang Magdalo from theBicol region consulted by Trillanes in Legazpi City, explaining that holding public office is not a one-man show.

“It has been my personal policy to pursue participative and consultative leadership by maintaining open communication channels to our constituents,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes also met with Albay Governor Joey Salceda, local officials, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and Church leaders and discussed local concerns and identified solutions for the benefit of Bicolandia. (Jason de Asis)

There is enough rice by 2013-PhilRice

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, April 1, 2011-A former executive director of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said that the country could hit its goal of producing enough rice with the innovations and initiatives on research, development, and extension (RD&E), which contribute 40 percent to rice self-sufficiency.

Ronilo A. Beronio said at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station that technology components and other social aspects are well-covered by the RD&E concerned and he is optimistic that the accomplishments in rice R&D during the past 25 years are now fruitful.

Beronio challenged the RD&E sector highlighting varieties, machines, and farming practices such as Palayamanan and PalayCheck that were developed, tested, and improved to suit farmers’ needs, the three-day event also produced outstanding studies in best paper and poster presentations.

Under the theme Strategies to mitigate impacts of and adapt to climate change, and other emerging problems besetting the rice industry PhilRice, Engineer Arnold S. Juliano’s paper, Development of a mobile ricehull gasifier engine-pump system, won the best paper award. 

To help farmers reduce production cost and minimize the environmental hazards of rice hull, the local gasifier system, which is compact, mobile, and affordable, was developed, where under the theme Socio-economics, impact assessment, policy, and market, Enhancing rice productivity and self-sufficiency in Romblon (Phase 1) of Leonardo A. Gonzales from STRIVE foundation, was adjudged best paper.

After project implementation, the farmer beneficiaries across the Location Specific Technology Development (LSTD) project sites in four municipalities illustrated marked improvements in terms of yield, efficiency in farm and wholesale level costs, net farm and wholesale incomes, food subsistence and poverty level carrying capacities, rice self-sufficiency, and global competitiveness.

A study using cellphone-based survey forms for PhilRice field data collection presented by Arturo C. Arocena Jr. from PhilRice, won the best paper award under the theme Technology promotion and delivery for narrowing the yield gap.

Arocena said that cellular phone-based survey forms can deliver structured datasets that can either replace or integrate with the existing paper-based process. 

DA-PhilRice is a government owned and controlled corporation that aims at developing high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos. (Jason de Asis)

Agricultural sector to build capacity to address food crisis

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 1, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara, who is a former Agriculture secretary urged the government to build the agricultural sector the capacity to address the increasing needs of the country saying with all of these catastrophes and global problems, food prices in the Philippines will go up very soon.

Angara explained the interconnected factors contributing to the increase of food prices worldwide saying that normally steady agriculture sector in Russia, China, India and Australia have been negatively affected by flood, drought and fire as a result of climate change. 

“Last year the harvests in Europe, North and South America and in Asia saw record lows,” he said, adding that the conflict in the Middle East is boosting the price of gasoline, adding to the cost of food transportation.

Angara furthered that in the past few months, the price of vegetables and grains here in the country significantly rise up.

“The key to soften the local impact of the impending global food crisis is through innovations in the agriculture industry,” Angara pointed out, saying that it is important how we shape the industry to better suit our changing needs where knowledge and skills in agriculture are always needed.

Angara reiterated his call for the immediate actions from all the institution involve to reduce the full effect of global food crisis, saying that a better preparation and action should be conducted as early as possible to lessen the impact of it in the country. (Jason de Asis)

Revilla tasked PLDT's acquisition of Digitel

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 1, 2011-Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., chair of the senate committee on public service tasked the national telecommunications commission (NTC) to submit a report in the next two weeks on PLDT’s acquisition of third-ranked telecommunication digitel and prepare a study on the possible effects of PLDT's acquisition of Digitel on the local Telecommunications Market.

Revilla said that the NTC, which is the country's Telecoms regulator, is in the best position to assess the impact of this transaction on consumers and the public in general.

“While, a change of ownership of corporations is usually ordinary business, this is not the case here as Telecommunications is imbued with public interest, and we must ensure that public interest is upheld in this transaction,” he said.

Revilla added that another consideration must be given to the fact that if the acquisition pushes through, PLDT will undoubtedly be owning a great chunk of the Mobile Phone industry, being the owner of Piltel, Smart, Cure, and eventually Digitel, saying that in 1992 the PLDT held a monopoly on the country’s telecommunication where President Fidel Valdez Ramos deregulated the company.

To give the agency broader powers in overseeing the Telecoms Industry, the Senator said that the committee is now conducting Technical Working Group meetings on the reorganization of the NTC, saying that there are already proposals to empower the NTC to monitor pricing and competition, and another proposal to consider is to give NTC the mandate to overseer the acquisition of Telecom companies by other Telecom companies. (Jason de Asis)

Angara bats for Phl 2nd millennium development goal of universal education

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 31, 2011-In a recent interview with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chair of the Senate committee on Education, Arts and Culture said that the only way to get closer to the second Millennium Development Goal of universal education is through increased of state funding after researchers from the USAID consulted Angara in accordance with the bilateral assistance agreement between the two countries about the state of education in the Philippines which will be used to guide the next USAID-Philippines education strategy.

“Insufficient state subsidy as one of the main reasons behind the slow progress of the Philippine’s education sector,” Angara said, adding that underinvestment in education will prevent Filipinos from being globally competitive although the numbers reflect a steady increase in the government’s allocation to the DepEd, per-student spending is actually of less real-world value now than in previous decades.

The Senator said that this lack of a workable budget undermines the ability of a university to fulfill its functions as a research and development facility.

He added that state universities and colleges (SUCs) are primarily research-oriented where the Senator said that in order to have effective applications in daily lives a field of study requires steady funding.

“The best-case scenario has the majority of students enrolled in good public schools,” he said, explaining that the goal is to have 70% of students attending quality, state-funded schools.

He furthered that SUC system is quite good and there are public schools nationwide but still there is a need to be regulated to ensure the quality of education.

Angara concluded that educational development and national progress should be correlated revealing that these are the weaknesses of the current educational system; thus, the need for the advancement of the Philippines education. (Jason de Asis)

NOLCOM AFP and PNP on alert on NPA 42nd founding Anniversary

CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac, March 30, 2011-The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) raised alarm on the possible atrocities by the New People’s Army (NPA) as the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) armed wing approached its 42^ND  founding anniversary.

Northern Luzon Command Spokesman Ltc Rosendo Armas, Police Chief Supt. Alan la Madrid Purisima, PRO 3 chief and Cagayan Provincial Director S/Supt. Mao Ranada Aplasca reminded their field units in their respective area of responsibilities to be alert and take extra precaution for the possible atrocities that the CPP-NPA may carry out ahead of the NPA’s founding anniversary Yesterday (March 29) adding that all field unit commanders are directed to strengthen and to implement utmost security measures to preempt harassments of the AFP and PNP personnel, ambuscades, raids, sabotage of cell sites and various vital installations.

They furthered that series of field command conferences held in the different provinces within their AOR are being conducted in order to beef up security measures during said NPA anniversary.

Central Luzon PNP Purisima said that a random field inspections by the Regional Headquarters particularly on “soft targets" such as isolated and less fortified police and military outposts, government installations and infrastructure, and vital facilities are carried out.

Purisima added that the PNP is now in an aggressive stance to address criminality in region 3 by way of implementing the Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS), which is a tool adopted by the PNP in the conduct of Anti-Criminality and Police Operations to reduce street crimes, to neutralize motorcycle riding criminals, to arrest wanted persons and to address other crimes committed with the use of firearms.

Cagayan S/Supt. Aplasca said that the police and the army have strengthened their security measures in their respective areas of concern versus the CPP-NPA due to the recent firefights between the army and rebels at Sinundungan, Rixal, Cagayan last Sunday that resulted to casualty of four (4) soldiers and undetermined wounded on the part of the NPA.

Hot pursuit operation is still going-on by the military and police force at the place of encountered. (Jason de Asis)

Guigona conducted forum on public revenues for budget reform

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 30, 2011-In his crusade for a transparent, accountable and participatory budget process, Senator Teofisto G. Guingona yesterday convened a forum for the Open Budget Partnership (OBP) Forum on Public Revenues together with the Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Cesar Purisima, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Angelito Alvarez, leaders and members of the academe and the civil society organizations (CSOs).

Guingona said that the Forum on Pubic Revenues was convened because the revenue performance of the government is found to considerably affect the likelihood of achieving the objectives of the national budget in delivering quality services to the poor, where it’s objective was to inform the public about the structure of revenues of the national government, fiscal plans and targets of the Aquino Administration, and factors that may affect revenue performance and expenditure performance of the national government.

Finance Sec. Purisima explained the fiscal policies of the national government and discussed plans and policies that enable the achievement of a pro-poor budget while BIR Commissioner Jacinto-Henares presented information on the strategies of the BIR for meeting its revenue targets, and the reform plans for the agencies. BOC Commissioner Alvarez presented the strategies of the BOC for meeting its revenue targets and reforms in the agency. The members of the academe and the CSOs suggested strategies that the government needs to prioritize in raising key issues.

“The participation of the top revenue agencies in the country and the members of the CSOs and the academe highlighted the desire of the public to bring good governance in the revenue process as well,” Guingona said.

Last November 2010, the OBP was created to enhance transparency and accountability of the national budget process for the purpose of creating dialogue opportunities between the executive and legislative agencies of the government with civil society organizations.

The key budget issues were discussed and opened the way towards possible CSO participation in the budget process in the first forum which was on the National Expenditure Plan. (Jason de Asis)

National Museum got 178 million pesos from PAGCOR

SENATE OFFICE, MANILA, March 30, 2011-A historical agreement between the National Museum of the Philippines and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)  was executed last March 25, 2011 to provide endowment by PGCOR of 178 million pesos for the Museum which was scheduled to be paid between April and December of 2011, saying that this finally implements the provisions of the National Museum Act of 1998 (Republic Act No. 8492) which appropriated 250 million pesos from the earnings of PAGCOR for the Museum's Endowment Fund this year.

Partial remittances had been made in the past, payment of the balance of 178 million pesos had not been made for many years until it was brought to the attention of the present management of PAGCOR.

At the signing ceremony were PAGCOR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Cristino L. Naguiat Jr., National Museum Director and Assistant Director Jeremy Barns, Cecilio Salcedo, and Senator Edgardo J. Angara, representing the Board of Trustees of the National Museum, of which he is an ex-officio member as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture.

PAGCOR Chairman Naguiat said that there is a need to help preserve the Philippines' greatest collection of important treasures where PAGCOR is continually raising funds for the governments' socio-civic and national developmental efforts, including boosting the country's tourism industry.

Senator Angara said that the occasion was a huge milestone for the country where it will foster cultural and artistic literacy.

“The National Museum has not acquired any large collection in the last few years, and now it finally can where this is the largest amount that any government agency has given so far, and the National Museum can use every penny of it,” Angara said.

National Museum Director Barns said that in its charter, the National Museum may use interest generated from its Endowment Fund for special projects, of which the most important currently is the restoration and refurbishment of its main building, the Old Legislative Building, and the improvement of public galleries and facilities.

“This boost to the endowment fund could not have come at a better time,” Barns said, stressing that they are in the process of creating a new and improved National Museum that every Filipino can be proud of.

He furthered that they have been working hard to modernize, expand and upgrade their facilities for the general public as well as enhance the general appeal of the Museum.

Through this landmark agreement, Barns furthered that they have not had the resources that they need to make any big moves, but that has changed significantly now and expressed that they are happy to forge a strong relationship with PAGCOR. (Jason de Asis)

Zubiri distributes projects in Davao and consults leaders for ARMM postponement

SENATE OFFICE, MANILA, March 29, 2011-Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri yesterday formally turned-over the infrastructure projects for schools, public markets and multi-purpose buildings in Davao City and Davao del Norte through his One Town, One Project or OTOP.

Zubiri led the ceremonial turn over along with Representatives Anton Lagdameo (2nd District, Davao del Norte) and Mylene Albano (2nd District, Davao City), with local chief executives Mayor Lolita Moral (Braulio E. Dujali), Mayor Marcelino Perandos (Carmen), Mayor Maximo Estela (Sto. Tomas), and Mayor Sara Duterte (Davao City).

Governor Rodolfo Del Rosario joined Zubiri in the ceremonial distribution of nine million peso projects at the Davao City Provincial Capitol where it was witnessed by the Mayors Joseph Parenas, Edgardo Timbol, Rosabella Abelita-Nana, Basilio Libayao and LMP President Mayor Nestor Alcoran.

The Bukidnon solon also conducted consultation on the proposed plan to postpone the ARMM elections on August which started since last week where he stood on the Senate floor on March 21 and strongly criticized House Bill 4246 or the measure that seeks to postpone ARMM elections and Malacanang plan to appoint caretaker officials in the region instead, saying that such move is a threat to democracy and viewed as an impending death of the people of Mindanao's right to suffrage.

He said that he stood as a senator from Mindanao and tackled Mindanao issues and concerns where he flew to Cotabato City and some areas in the former province of Shariff Kabunsuan last Thursday to consult with the Muslim leaders and for the record most of them were not politicians at all.

The result of the recent dialogue with the teachers, students, doctors, nurses, government employees of ARMM, soldiers, policemen, Imams and leaders of their religious faith exposed that they were very wary of the idea of postponing the elections of ARMM in different degrees of convictions, they were, however, all unanimous in opposing the plan of appointing the leaders of the region and literally taking away the right to choose who should lead them.

The Senator urged the COMELEC to push through with the preparations for the ARMM elections in August despite the perceived pressures from powerful parties in favor of postponing it, saying that the Muslim lawmakers opposed the move for postponement and appointment on ARMM for the reason that it is undemocratic and unconstitutional.

“Why are we not listening to them in this issue? Aren’t the Muslim lawmakers the representatives of their people?” he asked, explaining that it would be tantamount for example to forcing changes in the democratic process of Bicol without the support of our Bicolano congressmen and senators and only using the power of the majority to subvert their will.

“Wouldn't that be going overboard with a presidential prerogative and even bordering on the dictatorial?” Zubiri asked, stressing that reform should indeed be made in the Mindanao region or in the entire country but not at the expense of democracy and freedom.

Relative to this, Senator Bongbong Marcos advised the government to establish first the true sentiments of the villagers living at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on the proposed postponement of the scheduled elections in 2011 where he said that a consultation should be conducted first in the areas of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Marawi City.

Marcos reminded the Palace officials that the deferment of the August 8, 2011 elections in the ARMM should first clearly establish the true sentiments of the people of ARMM regarding the Palace's bill seeking to postpone elections to 2013 and appointing Officers-in-charge (OIC's) in the interim. (Jason de Asis)

PDEA renews call to public against drug syndicates

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga, March 28, 2011-The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Central Luzon renewed its call to the public versus drug syndicates, particularly those belonging to the Western African drug syndicates where they recorded that out of 689 Filipinos arrested in other countries for drug trafficking, 79 of them are sentenced with death penalty according to Ronald Allan Ricardo, regional director of PDEA operating here in region 3.

Ricardo said that six of these were no reprieve to include Sally Villanueva, Ramon Credo, and Elizabeth Batain. They have to face death for having been victims of drug syndicates who recruited them as drug couriers wherein they are scheduled for execution on March 30.

“There are still a number of Filipino overseas who were used as drug couriers who are also facing the fate of Villanueva, Credo and Batain, saying that some of them are also facing death row.

However, Ricardo cleared that the government provided the three OFWs all possible consular and legal assistance and has exhausted all possible representations to appeal their cases, saying that the Philippines was not singled out in the cases of Villanueva, Credo and Batain, revealing that there were also other foreign nationals in the past who suffered execution in China for drug trafficking.

He cited Akmal Shaikh of Britain who was executed by lethal injection on December 29, 2009 despite Britain’s top officials doing everything within its power to secure fair trial and clemency for him where Shaikh was found guilty of drug smuggling in 2007 while four Japanese nationals were convicted of drug trafficking (Mitsunobu Akno, Teruo Takeda, Hironori Ukal and Katsuo Mori).

“They were executed in China even if Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada expressed concern over possible backlash from Japan in his reported meeting with Chinese Ambassador Cheng Yonghua last April 2010, adding that the Japanese government just appealed to the Japanese people to understand that execution is legal punishment for drug smuggling in China and there was not much that Japan could do to interfere in this,” he furthered.

He said that the Philippine government will continue to monitor and review their cases for the purpose of protecting their legal rights and ensuring that they receive humane treatment as for the other Filipinos arrested or convicted in China or in other countries of drug-related and other crimes.

“I am appealing to the citizenry not to support illegal drugs syndicates and informed the PDEA in case that they have monitored the activities of the group for proper action,” he ended. 


Earlier, PDEA in the region deployed some of its agents at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark Freeport Zone to conduct surveillance to its campaign on anti-drug courier program and to ensure that no drug courrier or drug mule will enter or exit the country. (Jason de Asis)

Angara renewed reforms to fight corruption

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 27, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara who is the principal author of republic act 9184 otherwise known as the landmark government reform act of 2003 stressed the importance of procurement reform in the government’s continuing battle against corruption where he renewed his call to fight it.

Angara shared his experience in drafting, lobbying for and ultimately passing one of the biggest anti-corruption laws in the Philippines, saying that it's a subject that probably doesn't interest a lot of people although it affects everyone in our everyday lives.

“How the government procures goods and services?,” he asked saying that we were able to build a critical mass behind the reform and sought to modernize, standardize, and regulate the procurement activities of the government.

“Each government agency or branch must conduct competitive and transparent purchases by means of public bidding,” he said, explaining that the said law focused on the principle of transparency.

The veteran senator said that the budget of every agency is known publicly through websites and bulletins. The bill was created to address the ever-present problem of corrupt purchasing and acquisition practices in the government.

Angara furthered that we must get rid of lawless frontier where anything goes. This was a time marked by confusion and chaos when it comes to state processes.

The Senator who was then the president of the Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption, the Procurement Reform Act introduced an innovation to this movement: the creation of a watchdog formed by members of the civil society.

“The group serves as the eye and ear of the masses to guard the process and a very important check-and-balance to the transactions that the state undergoes.

“With a very simple but striking insight on the nature of reform in a democracy such as ours reform doesn’t have to begin with a battalion. It can just start with one person,” Angara concluded. (Jason de Asis)