BROADSHEETS 

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Whistle-blower cries foul

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Merci won't hit back at Noy 

MANILA BULLETIN -- Saudi pardons 'drug mule'

DAILY TRIBUNE -- GMA tells Noy: Start acting like a real president

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Noy defies Church

ABANTE -- Ama ko, sinunog ko!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Anak sinapian: Ama inutas, sinunog 

PEOPLE'S TONIGHT -- Pinoy saved from death

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. has filed a bill banning the broadcast of programs that contain scenes considered extremely violent for children during daytime. Senate Bill 2441 mandates the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to establish rules for blocking violent programs during daytime. The agencies shall create a Television Violence Rating Code (TVRC) after consulting with television broadcasters, television operators, and non-government organizations for children.  (Philstar)                                                 

On Ombudsman

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez does not intend to engage President Aquino in a public word war. In a statement, Gutierrez said she is not going to pick a fight with Aquino, who has been going around delivering speeches about how he wants her removed from office. “I have been attacked numerous times, though unjustly and without basis,” she said. (Philstar)

On fertilizer fund scam

A dead man will be charged with plunder and other offenses before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly taking part in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam in 2004. Last week, Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro signed on behalf of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez a resolution finding probable cause to charge in court Gumersindo Lasam, who died two years ago after two men on a motorcycle ambushed him while he was on his way to his farm in Barangay Basi West, Solana, Cagayan province. At the time of his death, Lasam was Department of Agriculture (DA) regional director for Cagayan Valley. (Philstar)

On Holy Week

Black Saturday is a special non-working day throughout the country. In issuing Proclamation 150 yesterday, President Aquino said, “The observance of Holy Week is one of our people’s most cherished traditions. Our people must be given full and uninterrupted opportunity to ponder on the significance of the Holy Week and to properly observe its traditions with religious fervor, without prejudice to public interest.” Black Saturday has been traditionally declared a special non-working day throughout the country.(Philstar)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will beef up security in all airports, seaports and bus terminals in anticipation of the influx of people who will troop to provinces for the long weekend. Spokespersons of the PNP and PCG said yesterday they will deploy additional personnel to ensure stricter implementation of security measures during the Holy Week. “We have augmented our patrol enforcers by about 500. The PNP also deployed bomb squads and K9 units,” PNP spokesman Agrimero Cruz told the weekly Kapihan sa Diamond Hotel media forum. (Philstar)

On AFP scam

Former Armed Forces comptroller Jacinto Ligot and his wife Erlinda yesterday denied before the Department of Justice (DOJ) charges of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) that they evaded payment of P428 million in taxes. In a 27-page joint counter affidavit submitted during a preliminary investigation hearing, the controversial couple asked the DOJ to dismiss the complaint filed by the BIR, which they claimed was “based on imaginary bank deposits and properties in the names of other people.” Through lawyer Rafael Zialcita, the Ligots denied charges of non-payment of tax and five counts of non-filing of income tax returns (ITRs) for taxable years 2001 to 2004 filed against them by the bureau last March 10.(Philstar)

On Pilar Pilapil

Police investigators are still not sure if actress Pilar Pilapil was a victim of carjackers or plain robbers after she sustained several stab wounds in an incident late Thursday in Marikina City. Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao said that the task force investigating the case has not yet found Pilapil’s missing companion and sister-in-law Rosel Jakosalem Peñas.Peñas was driving a gold Kia wagon when the suspects accosted her and Pilapil while they were on their way to a shopping mall in Marikina. (Philstar)

On GMA

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda yesterday said former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is just “sour-graping,” after the latter commented that there seemed to be a “vacuum of leadership” in the incumbent government. “I think the statement of former President Arroyo is sour-graping. She believes that she is politically being harassed because of the recent turn of events with respect to her son,” Lacierda said, emphasizing that there is no leadership vacuum in the current administration. “We are on top of the situation. We are confronting the trials that come our way. We are exploring options which are not pa-pogi lamang (just to earn brownie points),” he told Palace reporters in a briefing. (Philstar)

On RP bill

Malacañang said yesterday it still wants to continue dialogues with the Catholic Church on the Responsible Parenthood bill even after President Aquino made a strong pitch for its passage despite opposition from the bishops. However, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda could not say yet whether the bill would be included in the next Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting. “This is the strongest statement on responsible parenthood (by the President). He just wants to emphasize that his position on the responsible parenthood bill has not changed. (Philstar)