International container port eyed in northern Aurora

CASIGURAN, Aurora, February 9, 2011-The Philippine government and the South Korean government eyed an international container port inside the Freeport zone of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone (APECO) here to accommodate the export products of five (5) provinces in the boundaries of Central Luzon and Northern Luzon.

APECO deputy administrator Ramon Fernando told newsmen here that the Korean Export-Import Bank has already commissioned a consortium composed of the Dasan Engineering and DY Engineering companies to do the feasibility study for three (3) months for the international container port through the extension of a $300,000 or roughly P15-million grant.

Last month, Fernando said that a high-level team from the consortium led by project coordinator Shan Sheonghan Kim conducted an ocular inspection of the site of the container port project in Pagas Point in Barangay Dibacong along the Casiguran Bay.

Kim was accompanied in the trip by Korean engineering coordinators Se Wook Yeo, Ji Hoon Lee and Hyuk-Yoon Kwon where the delegation was very much impressed with the potentials of an international container port in Casiguran.

“Bidding of the project was already conducted last December in South Korea,” said Fernando, adding that with the presence of an international container port, products for export will no longer have to pass through the container port in Manila and the container port project will accommodate produce in the provinces of Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino. (Jason de Asis)

Environmentalists lauded PNoy’s EO to fight illegal logging

BALER, Aurora, February 9, 2011-The environmentalist group Noble Blue Falcons International lauded President Benigno S. Aquino’s order declaring an indefinite log ban all over the country, saying that amidst a series of landslides and flooding in many areas of the country due to the La Niña phenomenon the issued Executive Order 23 last week implementing the indefinite log ban and creating an Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force where the group claim incessant logging further aggravated the situation.

The Blue Falcons, represented by National Chairman Prof. Joseph Beatriz Usita, declared their support to the issuance of the executive order calling it PNoy’s fulfilled promise and a “triumph of environmentalists who sacrificed so much to save our remaining forest cover”.

In his statement, it stated that as defenders of Aurora's Forests, the Noble Blue Falcons International, Environmentalists, Peace Crusaders supports E.O.No.23 of President P-Noy declaring a logging Moratorium nationwide.

The group also called for a stop in the “conspiracy of power and greed” and personal enrichment at the expense of the environment.

“Let us end the corruption among inept government personnel,” Usita furthered.

The Blue Falcons started in 1996 and has around 8,000 “green armies” in its personnel that continue to press for reforms and fight for a stop in illegal logging especially in Aurora province.

“Nagsimula tayong makibaka noong 1996, wala kahit anuman maliban sa bitbit na malinis na simulaing ipagtanggol ang kalikasan,” the Blue Falcons exclaimed-we started the fight in 1996, carrying nothing but a pure resolve of fighting for the environment. (Jason de Asis)

Green skills program needs government and private sector support

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 8, 2011-Senator Loren Legarda urged the government and the private sector to increase their support to green skills programs that would not only create more livelihood opportunities for many Filipinos but also to promote environment protection, stressing that to provide livelihood opportunities to poor communities using recycled materials while promoting a cleaner environment, her office has already been conducting green skills training in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Legarda said that the effort is multi-beneficial where they are creating jobs for the citizenry, making good use of recyclable waste materials, helping solve the garbage problems, and protecting the country’s environment, pointing out that there is a need to give more support to the said program particularly in the poor communities.

Last February 3, 2011, Legarda gave certificates of appreciation for the contribution to their communities of the 16 trainers from Camanava, Manila, Pasig, Marikina, and Quezon City who graduated from the Trainers Methodology/Assessors Methodology Program conducted by TESDA during the Lingkod Loren Advocacy Fair, in celebration of the Senator’s birthday.

Dr. Nenuca Tangonan, Regional Director of TESDA-NCR, worked closely with the Bessie B. Legarda Livelihood Program of Senator Legarda to train them in teaching various skills such as: newspaper bag weaving, making slippers and bags from water lilies, and accessories such as bracelets and rosaries from old magazine strips, and knitting plastic sando bags. 

The Senator encouraged the local government units and the private sector to support this green skills program with the help of national government agencies such as TESDA and the Department of Trade and Industry to work closely together in promoting and marketing of the end products in bringing additional income to the poor communities, while using only minimal resources. (Jason de Asis)

Former AFP chief Angelo Reyes suicide nixes reactions

SENATE OFFICE, MANILA, February 8, 2011-The controversial former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief and Defense Secretary Angelo Tomas Reyes, 65 years old committed suicide by shooting himself early this morning in front of the grave of his mother at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City, Tuesday.

Reyes was immediately rushed to the Quirino Hospital at about 7:45 a.m. to revive him but the victims has no vital signs and already dead according to Colonel Boogie de leon who was a former administrative officer of Reyes while the members of the latter’s family remain silent for comment about the incident.

Earlier, Reyes said that he could not take anymore the smear campaign against his name and his family on the congressional investigations on the alleged AFP financial irregularities, saying-don’t do it to my family.

Reyes allegedly received Php50 million in “send-off” money when he retired as part of the military tradition going back decades, a former budget officer told a Senate panel last Thursday.

Initial investigation disclosed that Reyes asked his sons, his aide and bodyguard to leave him for a while and after a few seconds a gun shot was then heard with Reyes falling to the ground with blood over him.

Relative to this, Department of Health Secretary Enrique Ona confirmed Reyes has died from gunshot wound to the heart and was proclaimed dead on arrival at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, adding that the doctors tried to resuscitate Reyes who was brought to the hospital at 7:30 a.m. from Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City where he visited the grave of his mother.

The doctors reported that Reyes has already no pulse and no breath. The doctors on duty resuscitated Reyes, however after 45 minutes at 8:32 a.m. he was dead.

As of this report, Police Senior Supt. Francisco Soria Manalo of the Eastern Police District said that Reyes allegedly used a caliber .45 hand gun that caused him to sustain a gunshot wound to the heart and an external wound to the back.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives recovered one empty shell of cal. 45. and one book on Donald Trump titled “Trump: The Art of the Deal” while the authorities are still conducting meticulous investigation and waiting for the autopsy report to be provided by the PNP-Crime Laboratory regarding Reyes before they can make statement about the case. He assured that the PNP will provide the full details regarding Reyes death.

Senator Gringo Honasan who is a Mistah of Reyes in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), appealed to the media to make sure the veracity of their report and not by trial by publicity. Honasan also extend his deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of Reyes.

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan was deeply saddened by the turn of events to the late Secretary Reyes saying that it is tragic that what started out as an investigation in aid of legislation has led to his apparent suicide.

Kiko lamented that death is not a graceful exit to such a distinguished officer as Reyes, a more honorable way would have been to come out with the truth and win back the admiration of his fellow soldiers. This is now the challenge other generals are facing.

He gave also his condolences to the bereaved family where he stressed that in the light of this very sad incident, he urged his colleagues to expedite the investigation on the irregularities within the AFP. To bring the system of corruption to light is to give justice and meaning to Reyes’ death.

“Reyes is a victim of a corrupt system,” he said, adding that if his death should have any meaning, it should lead to real reforms in the armed forces in particular, the entire government bureaucracy in general and we should not let this incident deter our efforts in curbing pervasive corruption.

Kiko lamented that this brings a degree of urgency to PNoy’s advocacy against corruption. For how many sad stories must our countrymen be subjected to before we see true justice being served? Justice cannot be served this way; not through trial by publicity, but by a strong justice system.

Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. requested the Senate Blue Ribbon Chairman Teofisto Guingona III to temporary stop the investigation regarding the “payola and pabaon system” issue at the AFP in respect to Reyes and re-scheduled it after Reyes burial. During the formal consensus in the Senate, Majority floor leader Senator Vicente Tito Sotto, Senator Chiz Escudero and Gringo Honasan supported the request of Revilla to defer the hearing in the senate blue ribbon committee for temporary suspension.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said that he did not feel responsible for Reyes untimely demise and was not sorry about his feud with Reyes, adding that he did not also agree to Sen. Honasan’s statement that Reyes was subjected to at trial by publicity that could have been one of the reasons why the former committed suicide.

The senator reacted when asked by newsmen about the phone call of Arroyo to Reyes at the height of the Senate investigation into the alleged military corruption, saying that maybe that’s an angle that we could pursue after we have mourned the passing of General Reyes.

Reyes was a graduate of the PMA Class ’66 and became as the AFP chief during the time of former President Joseph Estrada, and secretary of defense, interior and local government, and energy during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from 2001 to 2003.

Patriciao Adaza, spokeswoman of Reyes calls the public to respect the family of Reyes and give their family time to air their side and be fair in giving information about Reyes.

The remains of Reyes is scheduled to be brought to Camp Aguinaldo to give him full military honor according to AFP spokesman Gen. Jose Mabanta, saying that the whole AFP is shocked and saddened by the passing of Gen. Reyes and condoled with the immediate family as to this incident. This is a deep blow to the ongoing investigation and all the members of the AFP and the citizenry quest for the truth.

“In the light of this incident, we hope Congress and Senate can expedite this proceeding to ensure immediate enactment of laws in furtherance of good governance measure for the whole Armed Forces,” Mabanta said.

Meanwhile, the human rights group KARAPATAN-Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights commiserates and condoles with the family and expressed regrets, saying that one uncovered corruption within the AFP has been smeared by blood.

KARAPATAN spokesperson Jigs Clamor said that Reyes death should bear on the conscience of the AFP particularly its officers corps, adding that the AFP leadership should rethink its role in society if his death would have relevance.

He added that he regret one unsolved mystery in the corrupt practices within the AFP, the on-going investigations into the AFP slush funds should be pursued in the interest of truth, justice, government accountability, and genuine civilian supremacy over the military.

  

“With the serious charges hurled against him, he took his life upon his own hand rather than be devoured by shame for life.  We leave it to the AFP to ponder whether it was honorable or not.  But we hope the AFP honor their own by truly serving the people,” Clamor furthered. (Jason de Asis)

Petrochemical Plant in Bataan seen economic boom

BALANGA CITY, Bataan, February 7, 2011-Governor Enrique “Tet” Garcia said that  the Petrochemical Plant (Petrochem) here played a major role for the economic development of Bataan with the hundreds of millions of pesos it has contributed to government coffers in the form of taxes.

Garcia added that aside from the taxes it is paying, Petrochem is also giving thousands of employment to Bataenos, and furthered that the multi-national firm is expected to hire more workers and personnel in the coming years with the expected establishment of another big-time investor.

“A total of P200 million in the form of taxes are being paid yearly to the province coming from the Petrochem alone,” said Garcia, where he expressed optimism that an additional P85 million will be paid by the plant this year.

Petrochem provides 3,000 employments to the province and this will be increased once the other new company starts operation by next year which means additional income for the province and additional employment to the Bataenos,” Garcia explained.

Earlier, Garcia, then Representative of Bataan’s 2nd District, fought a landmark case all the way to Supreme Court (SC) just for the retention of the Petrochemical plant in Bataan after the President at that time asked him to let the plant be transferred to Batangas.

Garcia stood his ground to keep the plant even local leaders here led by then Gov. Ding Roman, the provincial board, Rep. Tong Payumo of 1st district, have agreed to move the establishment of the plant to Batangas. (Jason de Asis)

New NAPOLCOM head Region 3 director inducted

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga February 7, 2011-Outgoing Central Luzon chief Raquel Q. Ramos has formally turned-over the directorship to Atty. Manuel L. Pontanal as the new director of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) Region 3.

After Pontana was installed last Friday Ramos has been designated as the new chief of the Finance Service Division of NAPOLCOM, saying that Ramos was also Pontanal’s predecessor when he assumed the top post of the regional office in MIMAROPA.

Apart from having served as the director of region 4-B, Pontanal also had his stint in managing the commission’s Legal Affairs Service; Inspection, Monitoring and Investigation Service; and Installation and Logistics Service divisions. (Jason de Asis)

Government should find ways to stop the Phl continuous rising prices

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 6, 2011-To immediately find ways on how to cushion the impact of rising prices of basic commodities and services on consumers, Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri who is the principal author of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 has urged the Aquino government to find ways how to find solution to the continuous price hike in the country, adding that he called for an immediate review of the Oil Deregulation Law following the unabated oil increase in January of this year.

Zubiri lamented that last January 2011, oil prices had gone up three (3) times and is expected to climb up again by 75 centavos to one peso for diesel and 50 to 75 centavos for gasoline following the increasing demands of oil in China where for the last few months the country experienced the steepest climb of oil prices in the world market.

“The oil prices have been progressively increasing and stabilizing or settling down at higher and higher levels. The giant appetites of China, India and the US, and instability in the Middle East all exert upward pressures on prices," Zubiri lamented further noting that the increasing oil prices and the additional impact of VAT translates to higher consumer prices.

"The RVAT has made crude and petroleum products and electricity highly taxed commodities. Every peso profit in by the government is an additional burden shouldered by the consumer especially in times of rising oil prices and transportation costs," Zubiri explained in Senate Bill 2672 seeking the exemption of VAT on oil and electricity.

After the Aquino administration, the oil price hikes hit consumers and led to other transportation-related increases, such as the one-peso jeepney fare hike, 40-peso taxi flagdown rate, toll rates and the impending mass transport system fare hikes in March. (Jason de Asis)

87 percent internet users in the country fall to cybercrimes

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 5, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara bares that leading security software firm Symantec has reported that 87 percent of Filipino Internet users have fallen victim to cybercrimes which include hacking, identity theft, spamming, phishing, malicious software and even sexual predation.

During his keynote address at the 2nd International Conference on Cybercrime yesterday, Angara reported that there are nearly 30 million Internet users in the country and it is expected to continue growing due to the increasing availability of infrastructure, especially mobile internet, and deepening of social media penetration.

Angara has introduced the Cybercrime Prevention Bill (CPB) to empower authorities versus offenses and violators online, saying that access today in the modern world become the most indispensable technology and is crucial because it also gives rise to a diverse host of evolving threats that require radical solutions.

The Senator urged the government and the people to work together in the 2^nd International Conference on Cybercrime, held at the Mandarin Hotel in Makati to solve cybercrime in the country the Senator authored Senate bill No. 52 in order to deter cybercrime by imposing prison time and heavy fines of at least P200,000, adding that the CBP also seeks wide international cooperation to investigate and prosecute cybercrimes.

He said that to address the rapidly changing cybercrime industry and ensure that ICT is maximized for the benefit of society more than anything else, there is a need for more dynamic solutions, stressing that jurisdiction is one of the most critical aspects of cybercrimes, requiring collaboration within a government and among governments.

Angara warned that cybercrime is a silent epidemic that we cannot sufficiently address through existing law enforcement tools. (Jason de Asis) 

Php128 million military funds missing-Drilon

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 4, 2011-Senator Franklin Drilon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, revealed yesterday that a total of P128 million military funds were missing and that the amount could still be in the hands of a former military comptroller accused of plundering funds from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

That’s the Senator disclosure when the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) admitted that the money were withdrawn by retired General Carlos Garcia in 2004 for four (4) days even before the Court of Appeals (CA) issued a freeze order on the bank accounts of Garcia and his family.

Drilon told a Senate hearing on the controversial plea bargaining agreement entered into by Garcia and state prosecutors that it is clear that the amount being restituted of P135 or so million, clearly, is grossly insufficient if you consider the fact that prior to the freezing of the accounts, P128 million were withdrawn from these accounts and at this point could no longer be traced.

From October 5 to 8 prior to the issuance of the freeze order by the court, Vicente Aquino, executive director of AMLC, said the funds were in fact withdrawn by Garcia, his wife Clarita and their children.

Drilon added that certainly, we presume and conclude that it is in the possession of General Garcia.

Garcia refused to answer and invoked his right against self-incrimination when pressed by Drilon regarding the missing funds and Drilon exposed an apparent irregularity with the way the plea bargaining agreement was arrived at, with state prosecutors admitting that the condition of returning the missing P128 million was not complied with by Garcia before agreeing into the plea bargain deal.

Aquino’s AMLC said that they have forwarded to the Ombudsman bank records indicating that hundreds of millions of military funds were withdrawn by Garcia, but state prosecutors cannot say why the amount was not included in the plea bargain even though the evidence was presented to them.

Drilon stated that based on the bank records, a total of P128 million was withdrawn and was never returned to the national coffers and that the plea bargain was entered into even without this P128 million. (Jason de Asis)

Php1.7 billion new UP national science complex marker unveiled led by Angara

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 3, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara, former University of the Philippines (UP) president, led the unveiling of the project marker for the Php1.7 billion construction of the new National Science Complex (NSC) at the College of Science in UP Diliman yesterday to provide facilities and equipment for the UP College of Science which includes both pure and applied Science and Mathematics courses, saying that the NSC had been a long-standing plan which had come into fruition because of the leadership of the University.

“We had earmarked 21 hectares of the UP Diliman Campus in the hopes that it will one day give rise to a world-class facility for our scientists early on in my term as UP president,” the senator said, adding that even then the Arts and Humanities programs of the university was already internationally recognized to the point that they realized that the university needed to make Science and Technology one of the priorities for the UP system.

It was during Angara's term as UP President when a three-way split was made among the College of Science, College of Arts and Letters, and College of Social Sciences and Philosophy from an unwieldy College of Arts and Sciences.

Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology said that the reason was to give due recognition to the identity of Science as a profession and to its prime importance as an instrument of national development stressing that the separation allowed for a more effective academic leadership, administration, and coordination of the undergraduate, graduate, and research programs in the Natural and Mathematical Sciences

“The mass of scientists produced by UP hold the key to the future of our country and therefore there is a need to groom our scientists to spearhead the development of the S&T sector, so that they become globally competitive like our Asian contemporaries,” he added.

Angara concluded that these scientists will provide the change and innovation that the country needs right now. The most important now is what we do next, saying that to translate what they learn from the lab and transform it into something meaningful for the Filipino people, it is up to the academe, both the faculty and the students of the College of Science. (Jason de Asis)

Ombudsman should scrap the plea bargain deal to Garcia says Drilon

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 3, 2011- In a recent testimonies of two (2) witnesses who appeared in the congressional hearings yesterday, Senator Franklin Drilon, a former Justice secretary, said that the Office of the Ombudsman should immediately scuttle the plea bargain deal struck between state prosecutors and former military comptroller and ex-General Carlos Garcia who was accused of plunder, adding that state prosecutors should present former Armed Forces budget officer George Rabusa and former state auditor Heidi Mendoza as witnesses for the prosecution.

“When they entered into that plea bargaining agreement these testimonies obviously were not present,” Drilon said, explaining that with these testimonies now there is reason to rescind the agreement and simply submit the new evidence in court and proceed with the trial for plunder.

“There is no reason for Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to say that the evidence is weak in arriving at a plea bargain deal with Garcia that in effect reduced the former military general’s plunder case of at least P300 million to a lesser offense of direct bribery and violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Law,” the Senator added.

He furthered that the evidence is strengthened a hundred times by the testimonies of these people and therefore, they should withdraw from that plea bargaining, rescind it, proceed with the trial and present other witnesses.

Earlier, Ombudsman Gutierrez and former military comptroller Garcia finally showed up at the House of Representatives Justice Committee probe into the latter’s controversial plea bargain agreement while former military chief of staff Angelo Reyes, Diomedio Villanueva and Roy Cimatu snubbed the hearing, which had already branched off into an investigation on the alleged payola among top military brass.

Former state auditor Heidi Mendoza dominated the proceedings where she narrated how she labored on building up the case against Garcia.

Ombudsman Guttierez advised DOJ secretary Laila de Lima to mind her own business and just do her job in the DOJ and do not interfere in the affairs of the Ombudsman particularly in the case on plea bargaining agreement filed by Garcia for the DOJ secretary doesn’t have the facts of the case.

Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile joined Drilon in his view that said plea bargaining agreement should be scrapped off and proceed to the investigation of the case. (Jason de Asis)

AFP should continue receiving a lion share in the yearly budget-Estrada

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 3, 2011-Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada expressed his belief that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should continue receiving a huge share in the yearly budget although hundreds of millions of pesos of military funds were already lost due to some corrupt military generals.

Estrada said that these revelations on the ‘generosity’ of some high rank military officers in rewarding not only their peers but even themselves of additional benefits should not put us off in addressing the concerns of thousands of our lowly soldiers.

In the light of the expose on the misuse of funds, the senator enjoined colleagues to review the salary structure of the rank and file and junior officers vis-à-vis the senior officials in the AFP.

Estrada lamented that this is an eye-opener for all of us in connection with the overindulgence of some generals at the expense of the taxpayers. Our soldiers, who are in the line of fire, who have chosen to embrace the noble profession of arms, should be spared from this scandal. 

It is a reality that ordinary soldiers remain ill-equip and under paid despite the scandal which rocked the military cradle. He still believe that there are only few rotten eggs in the military and non of them belong to the rank and file. (Jason de Asis)

AFP should continue receiving a lion share in the yearly budget-Estrada

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 3, 2011-Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada expressed his belief that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should continue receiving a huge share in the yearly budget although hundreds of millions of pesos of military funds were already lost due to some corrupt military generals.

Estrada said that these revelations on the ‘generosity’ of some high rank military officers in rewarding not only their peers but even themselves of additional benefits should not put us off in addressing the concerns of thousands of our lowly soldiers.

In the light of the expose on the misuse of funds, the senator enjoined colleagues to review the salary structure of the rank and file and junior officers vis-à-vis the senior officials in the AFP.

Estrada lamented that this is an eye-opener for all of us in connection with the overindulgence of some generals at the expense of the taxpayers. Our soldiers, who are in the line of fire, who have chosen to embrace the noble profession of arms, should be spared from this scandal. 

It is a reality that ordinary soldiers remain ill-equip and under paid despite the scandal which rocked the military cradle. He still believe that there are only few rotten eggs in the military and non of them belong to the rank and file. (Jason de Asis)

Laguna’s most wanted man arrested in Nueva Ecija after 13 year manhunt

SCIENCE CITY OF MUNOZ, Nueva Ecija, February 2, 2011-The long arm of the law has finally caught up with the most wanted man of Laguna province who was arrested in nearby Guimba town yesterday by local police, ending a 13-year manhunt for the murder of his own sister-in-law.

Police Supt. Jonathan Cabal, Munoz police chief, identified the suspect as Darwin Anoyo, 59, listed as Laguna’s most wanted man.

Anoyo was nabbed by the Munoz police at around 11 am yesterday by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by San Pablo City Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Zorayda Salcedo.

Cabal said Anoyo was unarmed and did not resist arrest. He was detained at the police stockade here.

The suspect was long wanted for the killing of his sister-in-law Denia Anoyo on December 28, 1998 in San Pablo City. The Laguna Provincial Police Office has tagged him as no. 1 on its most wanted list with a reward of P75,000.   

Cabal said after the killing, Anoyo went into hiding in Guimba where he posed as a certain Rey Deveza to unsuspecting residents. “Because he has been using an alias, he was able to elude arrest in Guimba,” Cabral said, adding an intelligence build-up made possible his arrest.  

He said they are checking with other law enforcement agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation if Anoyo has other pending cases. (Jason de Asis)