BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Danding Upheld On SMC

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Dep Ombudsman To SC: Stop My Ouster

MANILA STANDARD -- Prepare For P2-A-Kilo Spike In Rice Prices, Advises NFA

MANILA TIMES -- Gutierrez Deputy Fights Back

MALAYA -- Ampatuan-Led ARMM Officials Eyed In P5B Rap

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Palace Execs Told To Answer Fired Gonzalez’s Plea

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- No Rice Crisis

ABANTE -- Highest Nuclear Alarm

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Pulis-Chairman Nag-Duwelo

BALITA -- Tiisin N’yo

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Man Kidnap Ex-Wife!

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

The 11-strong team of public prosecutors for the impeachment trial of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez has been named by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Monday night—a list that includes those who had previous ties with former President and now Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Pampanga. The Committee of 11, which will undertake the first impeachment trial in 11 years, is composed of Committee on Justice Chairman Niel Tupas Jr. of Iloilo, Committee on Justice Vice Chairman Rodolfo Fariñas of Ilocos Norte, Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada 3rd of Quezon, House Committee on Justice Vice Chairman Reynaldo Umali of Mindoro Oriental, Deputy Majority Leader Miro Quimbo of Marikina City (Metro Manila), Deputy Speaker Raul Daza of Northern Samar, House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms Chairman Elipidio Barzaga of Cavite, and Representatives Joseph Emilio Abaya of Cavite, Magtanggol Gunigundo of Valenzuela, Arlene Bag-ao of Akbayan party-list and Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna party-list. (Mla Times-p1) 

On Presidency

One of President Aquino’s allies in the Senate finds credibility on a possible public unrest caused by falling rice production and rising prices which was reportedly contained in a National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) report submitted to President Aquino. “We are not surprised with the results of the NICA report. The trend in higher food process did not begin February — not even this year. The United Nations’ Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) started reporting about the trend in 2010 and so the increase is not going to be sudden,” Sen. Francis Pangilinan said yesterday. (Tribune-p1) 

Vera Files, a media group that comes out with investigative articles for syndication, has nothing to do with the government, Malacañang said yesterday in reaction to Ang Galing Pinoy (AGP) party-list Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo’s statement that its recent story on the sale of a beachfront home in California, said to be owned by a firm, where he is a minority shareholder, was part of a “well-organized vilification campaign” against him. (Tribune-p1) 

On The Ombudsman

Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III and Special Prosecutor Wendell Barras-Sulit have separately asked the Supreme Court (SC) to help them fight Malacañang’s legal and administrative actions against them. In a 64-page petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO), Gonzalez said Malacañang abused its discretion and violated his constitutional right to due process when it ordered his dismissal last March 31 for reportedly mishandling the case of police officer Rolando Mendoza, who held hostage a busload of Hong Kong tourists and killed eight of them last year. Mendoza himself was killed in a bungled rescue operation. (Philstar-Bannner) 

On The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed its February ruling upholding the constitutionality of laws passed by the 11th Congress on the conversion into cities of 16 municipalities. In their last summer session in Baguio City yesterday, the SC justices kept their 7-6 vote dismissing the appeal of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) that various cityhood laws be declared unconstitutional. The cityhood laws are contained in Republic Acts 9389, 9390, 9391, 9392, 9393, 9394, 9398, 9404, 9405, 9407, 9408, 9409, 9434, 9435, 9436, and 9491. (Philstar-p1) 

On Danding Cojuangco

Businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., an uncle of President Benigno Aquino III and crony of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is the legitimate owner of a fifth of shares in San Miguel Corp., which government claims he acquired using the controversial coconut levy funds. SMC is the country’s biggest food and beverage conglomerate, which has diversified into power generation, telecommunications and other businesses. (PDI-Banner) 

On Presidential Appointment

President Aquino has appointed former Bataan congressman and former chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Felicito Payumo as head of the state-run Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), Palace officials confirmed yesterday. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda and his deputy Abigail Valte confirmed that Payumo, a partymate of President Aquino in the Liberal Party, was appointed to the government agency tasked with converting former American military bases into economic zones. (Philstar-p1) 

On Rice Production

The government disclosed yesterday the country’s agricultural production was better in the first quarter and that there might be no need to import rice to augment supply. Both Malacañang and the Department of Agriculture also allayed fears of any rice or food crisis, belying a report that President Aquino was warned that such a crisis could allegedly become a national security concern. (Philstar-p8) 

On Fuel Subsidy

Following persistent requests for a similar government subsidy, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala yesterday disclosed that farmers and fisherfolk have been included in the fuel subsidy program. This developed as major oil firms yesterday implemented a new round of increase of fuel prices. “This is to reflect movements in the international oil market,” was their common response regarding the newest price adjustment. (Philstar-p6) 

On Gov’t Funds

Plunder charges are being readied by the Department of Interior and Local Government against former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan for alleged misuse of government funds amounting to about P5 billion from 2008 to 2009.  About 15 other local regional executives may be held liable for plunder, including local audit officials who allowed irregularities. (Malaya-Banner) 

On Mikey Arroyo

Malacañang maintained yesterday that it was not vilifying Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, saying his own conflicting statements about his property in the United States gave him away. “When that (story) came out, he said he did not know anything about that house. Now that it was sold, Representative Arroyo confessed that he has shares in the company that owns the house,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing in Malacañang. Valte added the Palace had nothing to do with VERA Files, which came out with the story about the house. (Philstar-p1) 

On Wage Hike

Filipino household service workers (HSWs) employed overseas may soon enjoy higher pay. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday reported that the government is looking at the possibility of raising the minimum salary rate of HSWs deployed abroad. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is expected to come out with new requirements in two weeks, including minimum salary rates on hiring of HSWs. (Philstar-p2)  

On Pinoys In Japan

After Japan raised the nuclear crisis alarm over a tsunami-devastated nuclear plant in its northeast, the Philippine government yesterday ordered the mandatory repatriation of at least 1,144 Filipinos from the region which could be exposed to radiation leaks. The first emergency flight out of the stricken Fukushima Prefecture, where the devastated Fukushima Dai-chi Nuclear Power Plant has been dangerously leaking radiation since being smothered by a massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami, has been scheduled on Sunday, according to acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario. (Tribune-p1 

On Child Abuse

Secretary Leila de Lima of the Department of Justice (DOJ) has weighed in on the growing outrage over Willie Revillame’s TV-5 game show that showed a six-year-old boy simulating a striptease for cash. “I’m a human rights advocate and that (incident) really falls under the child protection act,” De Lima told a press conference yesterday. But the justice secretary, former chair of the Commission on Human Rights, refused to elaborate as she expects some groups to file a complaint before the DOJ in connection with the incident. (Philstar-p3) 

On Jueteng

The government is looking into the reported resurgence of jueteng in Metro Manila and in at least four provinces controlled by a gambling franchise purportedly owned by businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said yesterday. De Lima revealed at a news conference of a “semblance of validity” of a report that confirmed Meridien Vista Gaming Inc. was given franchise to operate jai alai games by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) after securing an injunction from a Tuguegarao regional trial court. (Philstar-p9) 

On Carnapping

Car thieves have come up with a new scheme that makes any “hot” car “invisible” when investigators check the Philippine National Police’s list of stolen vehicles, an official of the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) said yesterday. HPG director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said the scheme was uncovered over the weekend by operatives of the Regional Highway Patrol Unit (RHPU)-11 based in Davao City when they apprehended Albert Daquiado in Maa, Davao City for violating the seatbelt law while he was driving a new Mitsubishi Lancer GTA (KFV-767). (Philstar-p17) 

On Summer Season

Put on your shades, sunblock and other sun protection as summer has officially started, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) announced yesterday. Pagasa acting administrator Nathaniel Servando said the weather bureau noted a rise in daytime temperatures over the past days due to the prevalence of the easterly wind. (Philstar-p1)