BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- ‘Biggest Joke Of Century’

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Pay Hike After Labor Day

MANILA STANDARD -- Govt Approves Pay Hike Talks For Metro Manila

MANILA TIMES -- Corona Warns RobedHood

MALAYA -- Too Little Too Late?

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Noise Barrage, Rallies Set As Public Outrage Builds

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Gov, 2 Others Charged

ABANTE -- Pacquiao ‘Di Susugal Sa K.O.

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Wage Hike

BALITA -- Dobleng Penitensiya

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Sen. Francis Escudero believes an impeachment trial would become unnecessary once Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez resigns. “Gutierrez’s resignation will render the Senate impeachment trial  moot and academic,” he said during his speech at the commencement exercises of the Isabela State University. (Philstar-p8) 

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez urged the Aquino administration yesterday to fully operate and even expand the controversial Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. He made the appeal after an interactive website ranked NAIA Terminal 1 as among the world’s 10 worst airports and the worst in Asia. (Philstar-p20) 

On Presidency

President Aquino declined to comment yesterday on the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) affirming the Sandiganbayan’s 2007 decision that saved from government sequestration the 20 percent share of his uncle, businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. in San Miguel Corp. (SMC). The SC ruled that the shares of Cojuangco, chairman and chief executive officer of SMC, were not part of the coconut levy funds seized by the government from cronies of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Aquino said the problem was that he only read about the decision in the newspapers and did not have all the needed information on the issue. (Philstar-Banner)  On Danding

President Aquino stood firm yesterday on his decision that the Office of the President (OP) is empowered under the law to dismiss Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III. “We believe that the Ombudsman Act empowers us to carry out the same and the decision was well thought of, we went through the entire process and I subscribe to the findings of that whole process which necessitates his dismissal from service,” he said. (Philstar-p7) Ombudsman 

On Labor Day Celebration

Noise barrage and massive protest actions, which used to be the pursuit of President Aquino and his allies to gain attention, will now be trained on Aquino himself and the mass actions are expected to build up until Labor Day on May 1 when a massive rally is planned to protest the series of oil price increases and the band-aid solutions his administration had applied on them. (Tribune-Banner) 

On Rice Report

President Aquino belied yesterday reports of a looming rice crisis and insisted that concerned government agencies claimed that the unrest in North Africa, the Middle East and the disaster in Japan could only affect the prices of food. Aquino told reporters at the start of the Phl-US Balikatan military exercises here that the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) did not send any report about the rice crisis. (Philstar-p16) 

On The Supreme Court

Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Renato Corona warned “hoodlums in robes” not to push their luck, at least during his watch as the country’s top magistrate. Corona made the warning in a speech before graduates of De La Salle University in Lipa City, Batangas, on Wednesday. In the speech, he declared that the Supreme Court is not a Corona Court. (Mla Times-Banner) 

On The Ombudsman

The first batch of cases related to the P728-million fertilizer fund scam has finally reached the Sandiganbayan. Two graft indictments were filed last April 7 by the Office of the Ombudsman against Sorsogon Gov. Raul R. Lee (Lakas), accountant Raul G. Hernandez and provincial treasurer Ofelia D. Velasco. (Malaya-Banner) 

On The Marcoses

Vice President Jejomar Binay said yesterday there is no hurry to come up with a recommendation on the burial of former president Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani."Vice President Binay wants to get the opinions of as many groups as as possible," said spokesman Joey Salgado. (Malaya-p6) 

Senior Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales of the Supreme Court believes that businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. and the late President Ferdinand Marcos had ties so close that to claim otherwise would be a joke. “The argument that Cojuangco was not a subordinate or close associate of the Marcoses is the biggest joke to hit the century,” Morales wrote in her dissenting opinion on the Supreme Court ruling that Cojuangco was the legitimate owner of 20 percent of conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC). (PDI-Banner) 

On Coco Levy

If the coconut farmers’ money isn’t missing, where is it? This was how two lawyers interpreted the Supreme Court decision that said businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. was the legitimate owner of 20 percent of conglomerate San Miguel Corp  (PDI-p1) 

On Wage Hike

Workers in Metro Manila may receive a much-awaited increase in their take-home pay, but this can happen only after Labor Day. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said yesterday the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NPWC) has confirmed the declaration of a “supervening condition” in Metro Manila, which serves as a go-signal for the wage board to immediately start hearings and deliberations on pending wage petitions despite a one-year prohibition. “What is very clear is that the process has started,” Baldoz said. (Philstar-Banner) 

The regional wage board in Metro Manila has ruled that the recent spike in oil prices constitutes a “supervening event” that merits an increase in wages or nonwage benefits of workers in the National Capital Region (NCR), Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said yesterday.  Wage boards are by law not allowed to raise salaries for one year after the last increase unless they declare that there is a supervening event in their area within that period. (PDI-p1) 

On Boy Dancer

The parents of a 6-year-old contestant in the TV game show “Willing Willie” Wednesday sued a child psychologist and two bloggers for libel in connection with allegations of child abuse that the couple said had caused them “dishonor, discredit and contempt.”  Joe and Diana Suan, the parents of Jan-Jan whose tearful performance of a “macho dance” in the March 12 episode of the TV5 game show drew dismay and outrage from viewers and groups promoting women and children’s rights, filed the libel complaint in the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office against Dr. Ma. Lourdes “Honey” Carandang, a child psychologist; Froilan Grate, a blogger, educator and environmentalist; John Silva, a blogger and senior consultant of the National Museum; and others yet to be named. (PDI-p1) 

On Nuke Radiation

The country remains safe from harmful radiation despite the raising of the nuclear emergency in Japan to the highest level, the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) said yesterday. In a press conference, PNRI deputy director Corazon Bernido clarified that the raising of the emergency status to level 7 at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant does not mean that the damaged nuclear facility is emitting more radioactive particles. (Philstar-p4) 

On Fuel Price

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to look into possible legal violations committed by local oil firms in their successive increases in pump prices this year, Secretary Leila de Lima said yesterday. In an interview at the DOJ, De Lima said the department is eyeing the creation of a new office that would specifically look into the supposed irregularity of the 12 oil price hikes this year. De Lima said she had already sent to President Aquino an urgent memorandum for the creation of the DOJ Office for Competition. The new office will investigate if local oil firms violated anti-trust laws. (Philstar-p9) 

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang clarified here yesterday that the fuel subsidy for farmers and fisherfolk is still under study. Carandang, who was here with President Aquino for the US-Philippines Balikatan military exercises, said Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala had only submitted to Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras a list of sectors for possible inclusion in the subsidy. The government is set to provide fuel subsidy to tricycle and jeepney operators. (Philstar-p1) 

On Abducted Fil-Am

Kidnappers freed unharmed yesterday a Filipino-American after holding him captive for three months in a village in Lanao del Sur.  Police Director Felicisimo Khu, chief of Directorate for Integrated Police Operation (DIPO) Western Mindanao, identified the freed victim as Milton Taylor, also known as Sam Taylor, temporary resident of Cagayan de Oro City. Khu said Taylor was released by unidentified captors at around 2 p.m. yesterday in a village between the border of Piagapo town and Marawi City in Lanao del Sur following negotiation and pressure from military and police forces. (Philstar-p1) 

On Telecommunications

President Aquino yesterday expressed concern over the possible impact of the merger of Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) and Digital Telecommunications Philippines Inc. (Digitel) on consumers. Aquino said the government would have to study the effect of the merger of the two telecommunication giants on the consumers. “That is currently being studied. There are allegations, among them from Globe (Telecoms) and of course, we want to ensure that there is a level playing field,” Aquino told reporters after witnessing the annual Balikatan military exercises between the Philippines and the United States troops here. Aquino said there is a need to study the merger, particularly the technical aspects. (Philstar-p9) 

On Tourist Arrivals

The Philippines has conveyed to China that it is hoping to double the number of tourist arrivals in the country from 3 million to 6 million by 2016 despite the Aug. 23 hostage taking incident at the Luneta Grandstand that claimed the lives of eight Hong Kong tourists. The Philippine embassy in Beijing reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim was in Beijing from April 10 to 13 to promote the Philippines in China’s outbound travel market. He arrived with a delegation of more than a dozen Filipino travel and tour operators. (Philstar-p11) 

On AFP Modernization

President Aquino said more than P11 billion would be allotted for the purchase of modern equipment for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Speaking at a dialogue with soldiers here yesterday, Aquino said the P11 billion would be used to acquire ships and other watercraft, helicopters for the Air Force, and rifles for the Army. A Hamilton Class Cutter for the Navy would be coming from the US Coast Guard and that three more were coming soon, he added. (Philstar-p17) 

On Campaign Against Terror

Government security forces yesterday captured a wanted Abu Sayyaf terrorist, who has P500,000 reward for his neutralization, during an operation in Zamboanga City.  Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. identified the arrested terrorist as Mohammad Gaddung.  Gaddung, who escaped from the Isabela City Jail in Basilan last Dec. 13, was captured by military troops while conducting a maritime interdiction operation along the waters of Coco and Great Sta. Cruz islands in Zamboanga City. (Tribune-p3) 

On OFW

A total of 34 aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who allegedly posed as business travelers, were recently barred from traveling to Bangkok, Thailand by officers of the Bureau of Immigration. In a statement, BI Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said that based on the report submitted by their Airport Operations Division acting chief Lina Andaman Pelia, it appeared that the OFWs were offloaded April 7. (Philstar-p20) 

On South China Sea

The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest against China’s "9-dash line" territorial claim over the whole of the South China Sea, a month before President Aquino’s planned state visit to Beijing.  The Philippine protest, dated April 5, was posted by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) as document No. 000228 on April 8.  (Malaya-p1) 

On ARMM Elections

Former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. yesterday said the expected conclusion in May of an audit in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is yet another "compelling reason" for the elections to push through as scheduled in August. He said that with the release next month of the Commission on Audit report on ARMM, the government would have more than ample time in June and July to file charges in relation to the misuse of ARMM funds. (Malaya-p6)