Nueva Ecija, the next Vatican of ‘Jueteng’ after Pampanga

Jueteng bet collector at Cabanatuan City, Public Market.
(Photo Courtesy: Ronald Leander, GMA 7) 

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, August 30, 2011-A reliable source of the Catholic Media Network revealed that this province could be the next “Vatican” of jueteng after Pampanga.

The illegal numbers “Jueteng” is now operating in Nueva Ecija most particularly in this city where betting is being done right in the heart of the central business district and in front of the provincial headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The man preparing his "papelitos" for jueteng operation.
(Ronald Leander, GMA 7)

In this city, jueteng bet-takers ply their trade at the public market with “papelitos” on full display of the public. When asked what this paraphernalia was for, whether jueteng or STL (small town lottery), the elderly woman replied without batting an eyelash “siyempre po jueteng (jueteng of course).”

Sources furthered that among the bettors in the illegal numbers game are policemen themselves who could not resist the temptation of placing their bets for a chance at hitting the winning numbers.

The man in white shirt checking the numbers who won in
the illegal number game. (Ronald Leander, GMA7)

One source said at the rate jueteng operations have spread rapidly in the province, Nueva Ecija could follow the footsteps of Pampanga province which was once described by former Senator Aquilino Pimentel as the “Vatican” of jueteng.

Senior Superintendent Roberto Aliggayu, PNP provincial director, could not be contacted for comment.

STL, which is being run by the CTG Prime Ventures, Inc. of one Henry Lim, is no match to the unabated jueteng operations in many parts of the province. CTGPVI, however, is also suspected of being used by its operator as a cover for jueteng as some of its managers have links to known jueteng lords, including suspected jueteng king Rodolfo “Bong” Pineda.

The jueteng operation at Cabanatuan Public Market.
(Ronald Leander, GMA7)

Reliable sources said jueteng thrives because money streams to the pockets of corrupt police and local officials and even the media. A certain “Argee” is reported to be providing “hush money” or payola to unscrupulous media practitioners not to report the illegal activities.

Armand Galang, president of the Nueva Ecija Press Club, has so far not issued a statement condemning or opposing the illegal number game in the province.

The cubrador of jueteng in Nueva Ecija.
(Ronald Leander, GMA7)

Earlier, retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said STL and jueteng are “close partners” because most of those who have STL franchises are also jueteng financiers.

“STL, therefore, uses also the structure of jueteng operations – from cobrador (collector), cabo (manager), rebisador (bet reviewer), pagador (paymaster) and operator,” said Cruz, chairman of the Krusada ng Bayan laban sa Sugal.

Cruz said a check made by his group showed that when there is STL in an area, the STL bet collectors have two sheets – one for STL and one for jueteng.      

A  PNP officer admitted that STL operators are also into illegal gambling.

The actual jueteng game in Cabanatuan City.
(Ronald Leander, GMA 7)

Chief Superintendent Ford Tuazon, deputy director of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), acknowledged during a hearing of the House committee on games and amusements that they have a hard time implementing STL because jueteng is being conducted under the cover of the STL.

Nueva Ecija Representative Rodolfo Antonino, who was named as one of the beneficiaries of proceeds from CTGPVI, said that jueteng continue operating in the province and in other places because it has a mass base.

“Jueteng can never be stopped by the PNP or any other law enforcement authority because in reality, the betting is something that is entertained by the mass base. In other words, they want it,” he said.

He said the PCSO should instead improve the STL instead of replacing it with the “Loterya ng Bayan.” (Jason de Asis)

Reds claim 7 slain, 6 wounded in the army troopers in Aurora clash; military denied the claim-only 1 wounded

The view of sitio Balagbag, Dikapinisan,
San Luis, Aurora.
(Arnel Turzar, DZJO FM,
CMN, Baler, Aurora)

DIKAPINISAN, San Luis, Aurora, August 30, 2011-The communist New People’s Army has claimed that seven soldiers were killed and six wounded in a recent clashes here, a claim which the military vehemently denied saying that only one (1) was slightly wounded even as the latter has gone on heightened alert amid increased sightings of armed rebels some 17 months since this province was declared insurgency-free by local officials, police and the Army.

Ka Rowena Servante, spokesperson of the Domingo Erlano Command (DEC), New People’s Army (NPA) in Aurora said in a press statement that the soldiers were waylaid in an encounter last August 23, 2011 at around 6:30 in the morning at the hinterland of Sitio Balagabag, Barangay Dimanayat where the rescue of choppers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) came in a broad day light.

The rebel group said that the encounter resulted to wide damages to the 48^th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army, saying that soldiers who were killed in action and other casualties were airlifted by the AFP chopper and brought to police headquarters at Camp Victor Ravina, Barangay, Sabang, Baler, Aurora around 4:30 in the afternoon. Soldiers wounded were also brought by boat at the Baler Fishport in Barangay Zabali, Baler town. “3 of the soldiers were hit at the body, 2 were hit at their back and 1 hit at the feet at around 9pm,” Servante said in her statement.

The DEC said that the latest incident was the fifth encounter with the government troops within six weeks, it said, belie the latter’s claims it has crushed the backbone of insurgency in the province. “It only showed that the rebels are very much alive and going strong in Aurora,” the rebel statement said.

The encounter site at Sitio Balagbag,
Dikapinisan, San Luis, Aurora.
(Arnel Turzar, DZJO FM, CMN,
Baler, Aurora)

Servante recalled the first gun battle in the army were at Brgy. Diarabasin, Dipaculao town last July 10, the next night (July 11) was the harassment at Sitio Dimutol, Barangay Dianawan, Maria Aurora town, the two consecutive encounters last August 12 and 13 in Barangay Diteki, San Luis town where the rebel group said that the first encounter took place at around 11:15 pm when the NPA band, also figured in a firefight with 20 soldiers who occupied the Diteki barangay hall then (August 13) at around 9:10 am, the rebel command said it has ambushed a truckload of soldiers who were trying to reinforce their fellow troops in Diteki when a bomb was hurled by the rebels and another one last August 23 at Dimanayat, San Luis, Aurora.

Servante said that LTC Kurt A. Decapia, Battalion Commander of the 48^th IB threatened the villagers of Diteki that once proven that they are supporters of rebels will be lost. A certain Balong Genes was also pinpointed by a gun by the soldiers while on his way to "ulingan" (charcoal hole-a place where charcoal is being made) at Sitio Sablang, barangay Diteki, San Luis town last August 14, 2011.

“Ang ipinalabas na pahayag ng mga taga-Diteki na tumutuligsa sa naganap na ambush ay kinopya lamang sa mga anti-NPA rally na inorganisa ng mga military noong panahon ni General Jovito Palparan,” Servante said, condemning the Barangay Security System and Youth Leadership Seminar being organized by the army.

“Muli, nais naming ipahayag: binigo ng NPA ang mga pinakamalaking operasyon ng Oplan Bantay Laya mula 2005-2010 dahil sa suporta ng mamamayan. Higit na determinado ang NPA-Aurora na biguin ang Oplan Bayanihan ng AFP at lalong palakasin ang paglaban ng mamamayan hanggang sa tagumpay ng rebolusyon!”

The DEC also vowed to launch more armed offensives against the military in the province at the soonest time possible.

Northern Luzon Command spokesperson Captain Jovily Carmel Cabading said in a telephone interview that the rebel groups’ claims of army fatalities was a brazen lie. “Obviously, it was a purely propaganda to make it appear that they are recovering lost ground,” she said, adding that only one was hurt during the clash and there was no fatality among the soldiers.

“We don’t have any reason to hide anything among the army troopers,” she said. “Sa lahat ng bulaan ay pinakang-sinungaling iyang mga rebeldeng iyan. Alam ng lahat kung ano ang totoo. Walang ginawa ang mga iyan kundi mangotong at manakot ng tao.”

LTC Kurt A. Decapia said that the statement of Servante is not true and only an act of desperation to show that they have the support of the people of Aurora. “In fact, the recent battle with the guerillas was an effort of the civilians; thus, the army troopers overran their camp. The different groups of NPA who sowed terrorism in Aurora disbanded and left Aurora,” Decapia said. “Wala na sila, sumabog na. Nagwatak-watak na,” he ended in a telephone interview. (Jason de Asis) 

Laoag youth celebrate WYD with the National Youth Cross

LAOAG City, August 29, 2011—The Diocese of Laoag celebrated the World Youth Day on August 16 with the presence of the National Youth Cross in the diocese.

In pilgrimage across the country since January 31, the NYC had already traversed around Visayas and Mindanao. It arrived in the Northern Luzon Region last August 2 with the Diocese of Urdaneta as the first stop.

From the Diocese of Bangued, the pilgrim Cross was brought to the Diocese of Laoag on August 16. It was warmly welcomed by the faithful in parishes, diocesan schools, and national high schools.

An estimated 10,000 young people were able to see the NYC during its six days of stay in the diocese.

Touched by the presence of the Cross

As the Pilgrim Cross travelled around the diocese, many young people expressed appreciation on how their lives were touched by the presence of the Cross.

The prayers of petitions offered during the visit of the Cross mostly touched on the strengthening of family bond, stronger faith in God and healing from illness, especially dengue.

Delegates from parishes and Catholic schools prayed the Taize prayer during the evening vigil of the Cross.

The vigil started with a Eucharistic Celebration by Msgr. Noel Ian Rabago, the newly-elected Diocesan Administrator of St. William Cathedral Parish.

During his homily, Msgr. Rabago stressed the challenge for the elders of the community to support the young people and their spiritual initiatives.

The WYD celebrations followed after the Mass. The program included animation, Taize prayer, presentation for the NYC and a showcase of accomplishments of the Parish Youth Councils.

The participants had a youth walk the following morning carrying the NYC around the vicinity of the Church compound. The festivities ended with a Mass celebrated by Fr. Lester Menor, Laoag’s Diocesan Youth Director.

On August 21, the NYC was lifted to the Apostolic Prelature of Batanes where the youth also were awaiting its visit.

The Pilgrim Cross is due to arrive in the Diocese of Baguio on September 13, and from there it will be brought to the Military Ordinariate in Quezon City. (Mark Vertido)

Anti-crime watchdog in Aurora founded by concerned citizens

BALER, Aurora, August 29, 2011-Villagers here have organized an anti-crime watchdog to stem the tide of robberies, holdups and break-ins by lawless elements after the alarming rise in crimes in this capital town which led its own mayor to admit a “reign of terror” among the citizenry.

The group named their organization as the Bantay Bahay at Tahanan or BANTAHAYAN (loosely translated as house and home watch) where their intention is to mobilize people’s participation against street crimes utilizing the social networking site Facebook and other means of communication.

Noli Guerrero, a resident of Guerrero garden compound phase 2 purok 1 of Barangay Buhangin and lead convenor of their group initially has 20 members whose president is noted lawyer Sharon Teh Ylanan.

A day after unidentified men broke inside the service center of the Aurora Electric Cooperative along Gloria St., Barangay Suklayin members of Guerrero’s group gathered during a meeting Wednesday night.

The incident is the fifth known case of break-ins since last month, prompting Mayor Arthur Angara to comment that a “reign of terror” is now gripping the populace over the recent rush of high-profile crimes, particularly robbery-holdup and theft involving large sums of money believed to be orchestrated by a crime syndicate.

Angara admitted that residents of the town no longer feel safe and secure in their homes with the upsurge of these incidents as he expressed disappointment over the failure of the Philippine National Police to solve these crimes.

Guerrero said that the anti-crime watchdog was formulated through Facebook by members of the Aurora Family Community (AFC) which he founded with more than 900 family members province wide.

Guerrero said that one of the activities of their group is to monitor the movements of transients and outsiders. He said that last year, he himself was victimized by robbers who invaded his house and took his laptop and digital  camera in spite of the presence of his pet dogs serving as his “bodyguards.”

Reuel Bitong of Barangay 4 poblacion said that their group is a collective neighborhood crime watch. He said that in previous months, crime incidents used to be isolated but lately, commission of such crimes appears to have become the rule rather than the exception.

Guerrero said that those behind the string of crimes appeared to have mastered their craft in this town. “It appears they have a profile of their would-be victims. They seemed to know the flow of money, where it will be withdrawn and where it will be delivered,” he observed.

Vice Mayor Nelianto “Pilot” Bihasa, who was present during the meeting, expressed suspicion that a big-time syndicate is behind the series of crime incidents in this town.

Bihasa said it was unfortunate that the rush in crimes took place when tourism is booming to unprecedented heights in the town and in the entire province.

“I am just wondering why the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have intelligence networks yet nothing has come out of their investigations into these incidents,” he said.    

In a related development, Mayor Arthur Angara said that he will call a dialogue with the PNP for its failure to arrest the deteriorating peace and order situation.

Earlier, he said he was “totally disgusted” with the performance of the PNP in containing these crimes, which, he said, has frightened Balerianos.

Tuesday’s incident is the latest in a series of heists in this capital town here in Aurora as the smallest municipality as the center of education, trade and commerce.

Last month alone, four robbery-holdup incidents were perpetrated one after another, even victimizing a reporter who lost thousand worth of cash to robbers who barged inside his house. The same reporter lost his laptop to unknown intruders last December 24 in a broad day light last year.

Other victims included a prominent contractor, a former provincial board member and a government employee.

Last year, unidentified men held-up the teller of Western Union and took away P1 million in cash and another P900,000 from Aurora Telecoms personnel and a hardware store owner.

The robbers did not spare Angara’s sister, Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo whose generator was stashed away by unknown suspects.

Angara’s own daughter, Councilor Karen Angara-Ularan, tightened security in her own house when a neighbor got nearly victimized by burglars. Ularan said her move was only a precautionary measure to prevent her family from being victimized.

“My father said that it is a reign of terror but for me is not however it is better to be sure than sorry,” she said.

Back to BANTAHAYAN group, Guerrero said that their board of directors and officers are initially set to have an oath taking this 1^st week of September. “After this oath taking, we will open new members subject to the screening of the organization,” Guerrero ended in a phone interview. (Jason de Asis)

Anti-Apeco signature drive launched

ANTIPOLO City, August 28, 2011—Anti-Apeco groups have launched a signature drive calling for the scrapping of the Aurora-Pacific Economic Zone and Free Ports Authority project which has started in 2008.

Gerry Albert Corpuz, the media information officer of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), one of the key movers of the Resist Apeco! Defend Aurora Movement, said they are targeting to gather as much signature that they can in order to convince Congress not to approve the P332.5 million (US$7,860,520.24) funding for the free port zone.

The group, said Corpuz, had already submitted the first 1,000 signatures to the Congress' Appropriations Committee and the Office of the House Speaker.

Corpuz explained that the project will harm the environment and the livelihood of the people of Aurora and the nearby provinces and towns if ever implemented as it will involve massive land reclamation and dredging on the province's shores. As the waters will be virtually privatized, the fisherfolks would be disallowed to fish for their food and living, Corpuz said.

Resist Apeco! Defend Aurora is composed of various groups such as Pamalakaya, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Anakpawis party list, Alyansa ng Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon (AMGL), Panlalawigang Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid ng Aurora (Pamana), Government Employees 4 Genuine Land Reform (GE4GLR), Katribu Party list, Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (Kamp) and the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR). (Noel Sales Barcelona/CBCPNews)

4 arrested in Nueva Ecija for possession of fake P1,000 bills

CABIAO, Nueva Ecija, August 28, 2011-Senior Superintendent  Roberto Aliggayu, Police provincial director revealed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested four persons for possessing fake P1,000 bills as it warned the public against falling prey to syndicates circulating counterfeit money.

Aliggayu identified the four suspect as Bernard Rodriguez, 22; Cherry Carreon, 22,; Michael Castillo, 24; and Ricardo Rodriguez, 41, all of Lower Bicutan, Taguig City, saying that the four were arrested after a brief chase by the local police.

“Before their arrest, police received a complaint  from a gasoline boy, Jayson Victorio who told police that the younger Rodriguez - Bernard – who was aboard a truck with license plate TRL-950, stopped to gas up at the MS Galang gas station Thursday,” Aliggayu said.

Rodriguez alighted and asked Victorio to change to smaller denominations a P1,000 bill which he did.

But after handing over the money to Rodriguez, Victorio learned that the P1, 000 bill was fake. The latter reported the incident to the local police which chased the truck and caught up with it at the Gapan-Olongapo Road in Barangay San Roque, Cabiao. 

Lawmen seized from Ricardo Rodriguez a black magnum revolver with three live ammunitions, nine counterfeit P1,000 bills and one plastic sachet of shabu.

Police seized from Castillo seven pieces of P1,000 bills and two P 200 bills and one sachet of shabu while Carreon yielded 12 two hundred peso bills.

Criminal complaints for violations of Article 168 of the Revised Penal Code, Republic Ac 8294 and Article 2 of RA 9165 have been filed against the suspects who were detained at Cabiao detention cell. (Jason de Asis)

Former Nueva Ecija town councilor and his aide nabbed in drug bust

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, August 28, 2011-In the recent buy-bust operation in Rizal, Nueva Ecija, the police anti-narcotics operatives arrested a former three-term municipal councilor and his teenage companion Thursday afternoon.

Senior Superintendent Roberto Aliggayu, provincial police director, identified the two as Cresencio Factor of Barangay Estrella, Rizal and Darwin Esguerra, 17, of Grand Victoria Estate Subdivision in this city.

Factor was arrested by joint elements of the provincial intelligence bureau (PIB) and the Rizal police in Barangay Cabucbucan, Rizal at around 4:15 in the afternoon Thursday. He was locked up at the detention cell of the provincial special reaction team of the police here.

Factor yielded 10 plastic sachets of metamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as shabu worth P25,000 and P2,000 in marked bills.

From 2001 to 2010, Factor, 42 years old, served for three consecutive terms as municipal councilor of Rizal. 

Police Superintendent Ricardo Villanueva, PIB chief, said Factor is listed as number one (1) in the drug watch list of the Rizal PNP.

Esguerra was caught by Villanueva’s men in Barangay Del Pilar here while transporting illegal drugs to Factor. Seized from him was a cigarette pack containing P15,000 worth of shabu.

The two were charged with violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Acts of 2002. (Jason de Asis)

Angara disgusted over crime waves in Baler

Mayor Arthur Angara in green polo and
Senator Bong Revilla in a souvenir photo.

BALER, Aurora, August 27, 2011-In the recent rush of high-profile crimes, outgoing three-term Mayor Arthur J. Angara, president of the provincial chapter of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines said that a “reign of terror” is now gripping the populace particularly the robbery-holdup and theft involving large sums of money believed to be orchestrated by a crime syndicate.

Angara, brother of Senator Edgardo J. Angara told newsmen that the residents of this town no longer feel safe and secure in their homes with the upsurge in robberies, hold-ups and break-ins by lawless elements as he expressed disappointment over the failure of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to solve these crimes.

Angara called to task the PNP leadership in the province, led by provincial director Senior Superintendent Ervin “Jojo” Gumban and Baler police chief, Superintendent Benjamin Villasis Jr. for the towns deteriorating  peace and order situation.

“I am totally disgusted with the performance of the PNP in solving these crimes which have gone unabated. As a result of which many have now grown scared that they will also fall prey to robbers, holduppers and thieves,” Angara said.

After the thieves broke inside the service center of the Aurora Electric Cooperative along Gloria St., Barangay Suklayin Tuesday night, Angara expressed his disappointment and displeasure over the crime waves here.

Police probers said that the still unidentified suspects gained entry inside the service center by cutting the window grill at the backdoor with the use of bolt cutters. They then hauled the two safety vaults from the teller’s office to the stockroom where they cracked them open and carted away P193,798 worth of cash, a hand-held radio transceiver and biometric equipment.

The suspects also pried loose a CCTV camera contained in a black box.

The incident was only discovered Wednesday morning by a lady employee when she reported for work.

Angara said he was aghast with the daring manner the suspects carried out their crime as the service center is situated only a stone’s throw  from the police station. “Imagine the police station is just a few meters away yet the suspects carried out their crime with surprising ease?” Angara wonders.

Tuesday’s incident is the latest in a series of heists in this capital town. Aurora’ smallest municipality which is the center of education, trade and commerce in the province.

Last month alone, four robbery-holdup incidents were perpetrated one after another, even victimizing a reporter who lost his thousand of cash to robbers who barged inside his house. The same reporter lost his laptop to unknown intruders last December 24 last year.

Other victims included a prominent contractor, a former provincial board member and a government employee.

Last year, unidentified men held-up the teller of Western Union and took away P1 million in cash and another P900,000 from Aurora Telecoms personnel and a hardware store owner.

The robbers did not spare Angara’s sister, Governor Bellaflor J. Angara-Castillo whose generator was stashed away by unknown suspects.

Angara said even his own daughter, Provincial Councilor Karen Angara-Ularan, tightened security in her own house when a neighbor got nearly victimized by burglars.

Angara-Ularan said that her move was only a precautionary measure to prevent her family from being victimized and for security purposes.

A nephew of the mayor also adopted security measures in his residential compound following the outbreak of thefts, robberies and break-ins. Before the crime surge, the steel gates of his vast compound were wide open for visitors. His gates were closed and visitors undergo a thorough screening before they could gain entry when the incidents happened.

Relative to this, a group of Bantay Bahay at Tahanan (BANTAHAYAN) was organized in this capital town and if possible to follow through every barangay and province wide to help each other in protecting their homes. The coregroup will serve as the anti-crime watch dog in the province to assist the authorities. (Jason de Asis)

Debate over conception settled decades ago, lawmakers told

MANILA, August 27, 2011–Now the cat is out of the bag.

Pro-RH senators Pia Cayetano and Miriam Defensor Santiago have finally admitted their position on the crucial issue of conception or “when life begins,” a stance that a pro-life group said has “no constitutional and scientific basis.”

The group Filipinos For Life (F4L), in a press release, noted Cayetano and Santiago’s refusal to acknowledge that life begins at fertilization in the Senate debates over the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

“The matter of when life begins is important as oral contraceptive pills, aside from being carcinogenic, have a mechanism that prevents a fertilized ovum from implanting onto the uterine wall. Medical experts have long concluded that ‘breakthrough ovulation’ can occur while a woman is on the pill, which leaves room for fertilization,” F4L said.

F4L pointed out that the debate had been settled way back in 1986 – when the Constitutional Commission voted 32-8 on the definition of conception, which is at fertilization, or the point at which sperm and egg meet.

During the ConCom deliberations, it was asked: “When is the moment of conception?” Commissioner Bernardo Villegas replied: “…it is when the ovum is fertilized by the sperm that there is human life.”

It should be recalled, F4L said, that the definition of conception was changed by American obstetricians and gynecologists in the 1960s to justify the use of the contraceptive pill. This erroneous definition is also suited to justify unethical practices such as in-vitro fertilization and stem cell research, F4L noted.

Abraham Daniel Campo Cruz, M.D., Pharmacology instructor at Far Eastern University, said the confusion over the term “conception” and whether it refers to fertilization or implantation is “not a result of lack of scientific data but of verbal engineering.”

“The implications of redefining conception are seen in the mechanisms of action of contraceptive pills and IUDs (intrauterine devices) and whether they act as abortifacients,” he added.

The physician said that “From the pharmacologic standpoint, hormonal contraceptives (pills and injectables) have multiple mechanisms of action.”

Cruz said it must be emphasized that pregnancy is the state of the mother, not of the unborn.

“Therefore, non-implantation does not negate the status of the fertilized ovum/zygote/embryo as a living human being.”

“The key feature of a human pattern is its organization towards the production of a mature human body. Basic embryology teaches us that the instant of fertilization (the union of the ovum and sperm) is time zero of human development,” he explained further.
“Fertilization results in the formation of a new cell that is distinct from the cells that give rise to it, because the fertilized ovum/zygote/embryo, as a stage in human development, possesses the material composition (genetic and molecular) and behavior (developmental pathway) necessary for its maturity.”

“It is therefore only logical that, if we subscribe to the scientific fact that human development begins at fertilization, the prevention of implantation terminates life. While it may be argued that the prevention of implantation is not the primary mechanism of action of these drugs and devices, fertilization can occur, as evidenced by breakthrough ovulations and contraceptive failures. A contraceptive failure is a human being. Thus, the secondary mechanism of preventing implantation constitutes the abortifacient effect of hormonal contraceptives and IUDs,” Cruz said.

“When science finds a plausible risk, social responsibility must compel us to protect the public from exposure to harm,” he asserted.

F4L said it was unfortunate that RH sponsors are relying on information from foreign and local lobbyists, some of whom are open advocates of abortion.

“Cayetano and Santiago should do their own research and not swallow the RH lobby’s talking points hook, line, and sinker,” the group said.

“For RH proponents to hold that a fertilized egg can be dispensable to convince Filipino women to take taxpayer-funded chemical pills is contrary to the Philippine Constitution. Anything that frustrates life from fertilization until birth is abortive,” F4L stated.

“If RH backers want informed consent, conscientious Filipinos should be informed of the abortive effects of contraceptives such as the pill and even the IUD,” it added. (CBCP for Life)

Santiago resorts to ‘cheap shots’ in attack vs. Church

MANILA, August 27, 2011―As the Senate began tackling the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill, top RH proponent Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago herself was not above making what she had described as “cheap shots.”

In an apparent attempt to undermine Church authority on the moral aspects of family and life, Santiago – a self-proclaimed theologian who studied at an ultra-liberal theology school in Quezon City – resurrected old charges long refuted by Catholic apologetics.

Taking the road already traveled by vicious anti-Catholic groups, Santiago lectured the Church hierarchy to learn the “lesson from the Catholic past” in her sponsorship speech on the RH bill, and proceeded to dig up old hats like those involving the astronomers Copernicus and Galileo.

Ignoring history herself, however, Santiago merely said Copernicus was “denounced” for proposing a “new cosmology,” without noting that Pope Clement VII himself and other ecclesiastics encouraged Copernicus on his heliocentric theory. In fact, Copernicus’ book On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres was dedicated to Pope Paul III.

Moreover, Copernicus’ associates were fearful of backlash from Protestant theologians, who had adopted Martin Luther’s vehement objection to heliocentrism.

Galileo, meanwhile, was never tortured, as writers and historians have long argued. He was tried not because of his belief on heliocentricism but because he had encroached on biblical interpretation and theology.

Galileo, who was buried at a Franciscan basilica in Florence, Italy, was also wrong as he believed the sun was the center of the whole universe.

Pro-life advocates were quick to point out Santiago’s flawed theology and RH stance, now ironically supported by Protestant pastors.

“Miriam classifies theology as either traditional or progressive. That labeling is political. In theology as elsewhere, the errors are many, the truth is but one. Theology is either good or bad; sound or unsound,” said former senator Francisco Tatad.

Addressing Santiago’s criticism of the 1968 landmark encyclical Humanae Vitae of Pope Paul VI which prohibited artificial contraception, Tatad said “Humanae Vitae did not initiate a new teaching.”

“It merely reiterated an old one with greater clarity and depth. In his 1930 encyclical Casti Connubii, Pope Pius XI already condemned contraception as a violation of natural law. Long before that, some Fathers and Doctors of the Church had taught that certain acts preventing procreation are gravely sinful. Among them, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Albert the Great, St. Thomas, St. Charles Borromeo, St. Alphonsus Liguori,” he said.

Tatad also corrected his former colleague on conscience, saying true conscience should not run in conflict with the Church.

“Miriam is right: conscience. But with some qualification. First of all, conscience must be properly formed in the truth; it must be a certain conscience, not an erroneous one. Conscience cannot have its own individual truth, otherwise there will be a riot of consciences, and no one will know what the real truth is,” he said. (Dominic Francisco)

Bill co-sponsor admits RH is a population control measure

MANILA, August 26, 2011―The plenary debates at the House of Representatives on August 24 was an unexpected demonstration in unparliamentary behavior by a neophyte solon, but outshining the condescension exemplified was the equally unexpected admission that House Bill 4244, or the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill, targets population control.

Pangasinan Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, co-sponsor of the bill, at times responded with arrogance to Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros Magsaysay’ interpellation, over points in which she apparently was not well-versed but swiftly making an admission that surprised even her co-RH proponents.

“Is [the RH bill] a population measure?” Magsaysay asked.

“Of course,” Cojuangco asserted.

“Of course? It’s a population measure? To curb poverty, do you need to curb population? In your eyes?” Magsaysay further asked.

“Definitely,” came the sure reply.

“In other words, you are contradicting the position of all your other co-sponsors there who said that this is not a population measure, that this is not a poverty alleviation measure.”

The Pangasinan congresswoman paused for a few seconds before saying, “Well, it’s not a population… ay, it is a population measure but it’s not population control.”

After a few more moments of silence in the hall, Cojuangco insisted, “It’s a population measure but it’s not population control.”

Misunderstanding the IRR

Prior to the population control measure admission was a lengthy discussion on the Magna Carta of Women (MCW), which Magsaysay repeatedly pointed out was an existing law that already addresses the concerns Cojuangco mentioned as reasons why an RH law in her opinion was necessary, such as the need for more birthing facilities, maternal health services, to name a few.

To the Pangasinan solon’s insistence that the MCW’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) did not carry the weight of the law and were mere guidelines, Magsaysay explained, “When we have a law in the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and there is the IRR on how to implement the law, the IRR is the one being used by the BIR to implement the law that we passed through Congress. So you cannot say that an IRR cannot be implemented, because it is in fact a law.”

Magsaysay then mentioned other departments such as the Bureau of Customs and the Department of Health (DOH) tasked with law implementation and how the IRR for each law determines how this is to be done.

“So I beg to disagree with the Madame Sponsor when she said that the IRR is not a law and that the IRR does not carry the weight of the law.”

Magsaysay continued to enumerate the agencies tasked with implementing the MCW, which is specified in the law’s IRR. According to her, the National Commission on Women (NCW) takes charge of overseeing the proper implementation of the Magna Carta’s provisions by the different agencies–the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Education (DepEd), Commisision on Higher Education (CHEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

“Now if there are no funds being allocated by the national government through the budget of the Department of Health, then you can question the national government for not providing these things in the budget, “she added.

Apparently, Magsaysay’s pointing out the government’s failure to implement the law signed in 2009 upset Cojuangco, resulting in a manner uncharacteristic of legislators in plenary discussions.

“You’re saying that the national government failed. And as a member of the 14th and 12th Congress, where were you? Where were you when the budget allocation was being talked about with regard to the Magna Carta? What happened? Why was nothing asked? Why did you not raise your hand and say we need an allocation for this?” Cojuangco asserted.

After repeating the necessity of a reproductive health law and insisting that the Magna Carta IRR was useless, she got a quiet response from the Zambales lawmaker.

“Madame Sponsor, I would just like to inform you, in case you don’t know, that the lady behind you seated at the table was a member of the group that crafted the IRR of the Magna Carta of Women. How can you say now that nobody… why don’t you ask her?”

Magsaysay was referring to Elizabeth Angsioco of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), a prominent RH supporter.

The need to implement the Magna Carta of Women

After several more exchanges that tackled the MCW’s provisions on maternal and child health, and the redundancy of the RH bill due to the MCW, the Pangasinan solon again allowed the obvious difference in perspectives and her probable dissatisfaction over the law’s non-implementation to get the better of her.

“Maybe we can agree, do you agree with me? Something is wrong because nothing has happened. Am I not right? Nothing has happened. Tell me, has anything happened?” she said in clipped tones.

“All the beautiful things you talked about, just answer me ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Has anything happened?”

“That’s precisely my point…”

“Exactly! Has anything happened?”

A new law is what is needed, Cojuangco stressed, to which Magsaysay replied, “We can make laws here, we can even pass that RH bill if you want to. But that does not ensure that the national government will provide you with what is necessary to implement it. Why don’t you compel the government to provide what is necessary to ensure maternal health care as mandated by the Magna Carta of Women?”

“There is an existing law, so compel the national government to provide the funds to ensure that there are birthing facilities in all rural [clinics], that these are equipped with medicines and vitamins as far as pregnant women are concerned, that they also have doctors, nurses and midwives in rural clinics, and that they can also provide free medical services in case the mother has no money to deliver her baby safely,” Magsaysay added.

“You do not need to pass your RH bill to ensure that there are doctors, nurses and midwives because [these are] already provided by law,” she continued.

“All we have to do is to compel the present government to provide proper maternal health care to all the mothers, to provide the proper neonatal care to all the mothers and babies, to provide the proper gynecological care to all women… just to make sure that the mothers do not die, that children do not die. But we don’t need to pass the RH bill; we need to compel the national government to implement the provisions of the MCW,” Magsaysay said.

Plenary sessions at the House of Representatives continue on September 5. (Diana Uichanco)

NOLCOM chief condemns rebels’ arson in Isabela

SAN MARIANO, Isabela, August 26, 2011-Northern Luzon Command Chief Major General Jessie Dellosa lambasted the recent criminal acts perpetrated by more or less thiry (30) members of the New People’s Army (NPA) led by a certain Joey Ramos alias Ka Jerome and Michael Erania alyas Ka Buktong who burned a P1.2 million tractor owned by ECO-Fuel Land Development, Inc., early morning last Wednesday in a place called “Sagpat” here.

The rebels seized the tractor from driver Rogelio “Elyo” Bulan, resident of Barangay Gangalan here while on its way to Sitio Amisan.

NOLCOM Spokesperson Captain Jovily Carmel Cabading said that the NPA’s intention is to ‘ride’ on the issue being raised by farmer group who is opposing the bio-ethanol plant project, adding that this is what the rebels usually does when their targets do not also yield to their extortion demands.  “This is actually an economic sabotage,” she said.

Areal view of San Mariano, Isabela.

Delosa said that this kind of societal issue is definitely being addressed by the local government units and line agencies at present. Dialogues and consultations are being conducted by the latter with the concerned citizens in the area. Whatever the misconceptions about the project, he said, should be threshed out.  

“This is precisely what “Internal Peace and Security Program Bayanihan” is for.  The enemies of state should not be given the opportunity to gain propaganda mileage at the people’s expense,” Dellosa ended.

Earlier, the Isabela Philippine National Police (PNP) also denounced the rebels as a communist terrorist atrocity after they burned the tractor of the multi-billion pesos bio-ethanol project. (Jason de Asis)