3 dead bodies found in an empty lot in Bulacan

SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, Bulacan, July 7, 2011-Police Superintendent Rodolfo Hernandez reported that three bodies believed to be victims of summary killings were discovered here Wednesday in an empty lot at Citta Subdivision, Barangay Gaya-gaya.

The cadavers bounded and staffed in carton boxes were found in an empty lot, saying that the two corpses also had tattoos of the “Sputnik” street gang.

The residents in the place thought that the three boxes lying in the grassy lot contained abandoned appliances.

“Whoever dumped the still unidentified bodies deliberately made the boxes look like they held nothing but trash,” Hernandez said, noting that the victims bore no knife or gunshot wounds, and appeared to have been strangled.

Earlier, witnesses revealed that on Tuesday evening a white car was parked by the area where the bodies were discovered the next morning while the authorities also found an abandoned motorcycle nearby with plate number UIZ-6643.

Police investigators said that the victims may not have been residents of the area, saying that the motorcycle recovered was registered outside of Bulacan, and a bank book found on one of the bodies had an address in Marikina. (Jason de Asis)

Legarda bats for the urgent upgrading of Phl drainage systems

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, July 6, 2011-Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the senate committee on climate change lamented the recent flash floods that resulted to the lost of at least 30 lives in Davao City, saying that the lack of drainage system upgrades and other long-term remedies to waterway congestion exacerbates destructive floods in metropolitan areas.

To prevent floods in congested urban zones, primarily in Metro Manila where heavy rainfall immediately flooded main thoroughfares yesterday, Legarda urged the government for the long-term investments for the upgrading of the Philippine drainage system.

Legarda explained that the upgrading of drainage systems entails increasing the capacity of drainage systems to hold and flush out more water, in response to increasing rain landfall and rising sea levels, saying that the present capacity of the Metro Manila drainage and flood control systems is said to be less than 50%.

“Streets undergo major clean-ups after a flood, but the underground pipes clogged with garbage and other debris from the floods was typically neglected; thus, there is a need to ensure that we direct resources in cleaning up creeks and waterways that are central to our flood prevention strategy,” Legarda said.

“The recent warning from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) that the country has to expect 12 to 15 more typhoons before the year ends should be pre-empted,” Legarda furthered, explaining that the different levels of government are better equipped to prepare for these typhoons with improved early warning systems and evacuation protocols.

“There is a need to finally turn the public eye for a comprehensive long-term solutions in the upgrading of the country’s drainage system and flood control plans as the next steps in climate change adaptation since typhoons are expected to hit the country in higher intensity,” Legarda said.

The Senator pointed out that the flood prevention outlays are small amounts to shell out seeing that they save the government and people huge amount of money when natural hazards strike, explaining that climate change adaptation tools are investments, not costs.

“I note Department of Public Works and Highway’s efforts to review an effective flood control infrastructure that would significantly diminish floods in parts of Metro Manila and neighboring provinces that destroy public infrastructures, housing, and livelihoods, costing us millions of pesos each time, let alone causing tragic loss of human life,” Legarda said; thus, the benefits from flood control projects tremendously exceed the costs in building them, adding that the strategies for climate change adaptation exist.

“Once again, I urge Local Government Units and agencies under the executive department to responsibly allot funds for long-term measures that would ultimately save pesos as well as precious lives,” Legarda ended. (Jason de Asis)

Only the guilty would consider search for the truth about corruption-Lacson

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, July 6, 2011-Senator Panfilo M. Lacson said Wednesday that only the guilty would consider searching for the truth about corruption a waste of time where he brushed off Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio Arroyo Jr.'s claim that reopening the Jose Pidal account will be a shameless and monumental waste of time.

Lacson said that the search for truth about corruption and misuse and abuse of public funds will never be a waste of time and resources. Only those who support such shenanigans are themselves guilty of committing those acts will say so, adding that if going after crooks in government, especially those who take advantage of public funds, is a waste of time, I'd still spend a lifetime pursuing it.

Earlier, Lacson said he may have evidence disproving the claim of Representative Arroyo - a brother of former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo - that he owns the “Jose Pidal” accounts.

Rep. Arroyo is now a colleague of his sister-in-law, former President Gloria Arroyo, in the House of Representatives.

In 2003, Lacson delivered a privilege speech where he linked the then First Gentleman to the “Jose Pidal” bank accounts, which documents showed were used for laundering money.

While the then First Gentleman denied the allegations, now Rep. Arroyo came forward and claimed that he was the owner of the bank accounts.

On Tuesday, Rep. Arroyo said in a statement that a Senate probe had been conducted but no wrongdoing on our part was proven. “Why should Senator Lacson waste time on another replay? For media mileage,” he was quoted as saying.

“What is truly shameless and monumental is the Arroyos’ reign of manipulation, fraud and deceit,” Lacson said, adding that contrary to Iggy's claim, there was no closure in the Jose Pidal probe because it was swept under the rug by his persistent invoking of his right to privacy. (Jason de Asis)