BROADSHEETS 

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Palace may free more detainees

PHILIPPINE STAR -- AFP on Morong: Our conscience is clear 

MANILA BULLETIN -- Security up at terminals

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Noynoy dared to defend AFP in Morong 43 row

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Expired drugs

ABANTE -- Sugal ni PNoy: Kano hihilutin!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- 5 Pinoy sasagipin sa bitay  

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Solon willing to join Lacson in prison

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

A Senate committee has cleared developer Globe Asiatique (GA) of any irregularity in the housing development project with the Home Mutual Development Fund (Pag-IBIG). Sen. Sergio Osmeña, chairman of the Senate committee on banks, financial institutions and currencies, said no criminal charges were committed in connection with the alleged preferential treatment given by Pag-IBIG to Globe Asiatique. Osmeña, however, cited the need to plug the loopholes in Pag-IBIG’s dealings with developers. (Philstar)

On Morong 43

Military officers yesterday maintained that “our conscience is clear” on the arrest of the so-called “Morong 43” and that they followed all the rules of engagement and upheld the rights of the detainees. “The military’s conscience is clear when it conducted the intelligence operation... we feel we did not violate anything so there is nothing to apologize (for),” said Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali, who oversees the troops that arrested the suspects. (Philstar)

On EO 1

Even if Malacañang would revise Executive Order No. 1 creating the Truth Commission, it is doubtful the Supreme Court (SC) would reverse its ruling because of “fatal constitutional infirmities” in the document, House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said yesterday. Lagman issued the statement after Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Eduardo de Mesa said President Aquino could amend or issue another executive order that would expand the scope of the Truth Commission – even to include the anomalies during the time of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the country’s first president, in the late 1890s. (Philstar)

On firecrackers

Despite the Department of Health (DOH)’s all-out campaign against firecrackers, the industry continues to flourish in the country as evidenced by the increasing number of firecracker manufacturers, dealers and retailers seeking license from the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) of the Philippine National Police (PNP). Data from the PNP-FEO showed a total of 243 firecracker dealers as of Dec. 9, up dramatically from the 11 posted last Nov. 30. (Philstar)

On OFWs

Vice President Jejomar Binay yesterday advised Filipino migrant workers in China to abide by the laws there to avoid complications. “I’m asking you to follow all the regulations of China. I am seeking your support and cooperation to remind all our countrymen in China to do the same to avoid any problems,” Binay said in a speech before the Filipino community in Guangzhou, China. Binay, presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers’ concerns, noted OFWs in China usually face issues of overstaying, illegal recruitment and drug trafficking. (Philstar)

Filipino workers are continuously leaving the country and sneaking even into cholera-stricken Haiti in the hope of getting high paying jobs. The Blas Ople Policy Center yesterday sought an investigation into the trafficking of Filipinos to Haiti and to pinpoint certain patterns in recruitment and illegal deployment. Susan Ople, head of the Blas Ople Policy Center, expressed concern over the trafficking of Filipinos to impoverished countries such as Haiti where the victims are left to the care of the small Filipino community there. (Philstar)

On holidays

Filipinos will have two long weekends this Christmas season. Malacañang announced yesterday that Dec. 27 would be a regular holiday, as part of the government’s so-called holiday economics, where a holiday is moved to the nearest Monday. Dec. 27 is the nearest Monday to the country’s celebration of Rizal Day on Dec. 30, which will instead be a regular working Thursday. (Philstar)

On CHED

Sen. Edgardo Angara bared yesterday a P10-million insertion into the 2011 budget of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to improve the country’s legal education. Angara said the Philippines’ legal education would get its much needed boost. The additional P10-million was inserted into the budget of the CHED under the other executive offices of the administration, to aid in the implementation of R.A. No. 7662 or the Legal Education Reform Act of 1993. (Philstar)

On BPO

The Philippines would strengthen its position as the world’s top business process outsourcing (BPO) destination once Congress passes a special law securing personal data privacy, House Deputy Majority Leader and Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo said yesterday. “We are absolutely confident that more companies around the world will subcontract their business support jobs to Philippine providers once the proposed Act Protecting Individual Personal Data in Information and Communications Systems is decreed,” said Romulo, author of House Bill 1554, which seeks to regulate and establish fair practices in the gathering and use of an individual’s personal details in information-technology (IT) systems. (Philstar)