BROADSHEETS 

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- House leader urges talks w/o conditions

MANILA BULLETIN -- Donaire wins by TKO

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Holiday mess at NAIA 

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Robredo coddling Ping, Mancao’s lawyer claims

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Next Pacquiao?

ABANTE -- Hangin sa EDSA nakalalason!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Imported fire trucks kinondena   

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- De Lima: Arm judges, lawyers

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

A lawmaker wants the House of Representatives to adopt a resolution making boxing champion Manny Pacquiao the Philippine tourism ambassador. Agbiag Rep. Patrick Antonio said the Sarangani lawmaker is the best person to represent the country because of his worldwide popularity because of his excellence in the ring and his humility and magnanimity in victory. “There’s no doubt that Manny Pacquiao has earned the respect of people all over the world especially after his last fight with Mexican boxer Antonio Margarito,” he said. (Philstar)

On NAIA

Passengers’ waiting lines are unusually long and the situation could get worse during the holidays, spilling over into the start of the new year at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as foreign carriers feud with NAIA Customs personnel. The latest installment in the yearlong dispute is the decision of the Airline Operators Council (AOC) to stop providing arrival cards to passengers on international flights. (Philstar)

On RH Bill

 A group of religious organizations has urged lawmakers to speed up the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill into law. Rev. Rex Reyes Jr., secretary-general of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), said the bill is not just about the use of contraceptives but also the promotion of responsible parenthood. “We should also look at the other (contents) or what is not being said in the RH bill. It’s not just about contraceptives. It’s basically about responsible parenthood and the responsibility of the State to see to it that all its citizens are given the benefit and the opportunity to lead decent lives as Filipinos,” Reyes said. (Philstar)

On Ping Lacson

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has rejected a proposal of Sen. Gregorio Honasan for the Senate to pass a resolution expressing its sense on the case of Sen. Panfilo Lacson. “I don’t think I will go along with that (resolution)... that would already be a pressure on the court,” Enrile said.  He said the Senate resolution on Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is different.

On guns

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday supported a proposal to allow judges and lawyers to carry firearms to defend themselves amid rising cases of attacks targeting them. This developed as the Supreme Court (SC) continues with its program to prepare and train judges nationwide to defend themselves from possible attacks that could be related to their work. In an interview with Agence France Presse, De Lima also called on judges and lawyers to undergo training on practical shooting and driving as precautionary measure against possible ambush attacks. (Philstar)

On peace talks

President Aquino will only meet National Democratic Front (NDF) chairman Luis Jalandoni at the right moment when the peace talks with the communist rebels have been finalized, Malacañang said yesterday. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Jalandoni should be content with the two-week safe conduct pass and enjoy the holidays with his family in the country. “The President had said that it would be more appropriate if they would meet when the peace agreement would be signed,” Valte said. (Philstar)

On Morong 43

 Sen. Joker Arroyo yesterday called on President Aquino and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review the case against the 43 health workers who are accused of being communist guerrillas. Arroyo is seeking compassion from the government to allow the so-called Morong 43 to spend the holidays with their families. Arroyo said the 43 are not asking that the charges against them - which are illegal possession of firearms - be dropped, but only to be allowed to post bail. (Philstar)

On party list

The last batch of winning party-list groups may be proclaimed today, seven months after the May 10 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday. Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) is set to convene today to resume canvassing and possibly proclaim the last three winning party-list groups. “There are just a few more votes in Lanao del Sur that have to be canvassed by the NBOC so we may proclaim the remaining party-lists,” he said. (Philstar)

On AIDS

Amid the reported surge in new HIV cases, lawmakers want to review implementation of the 12-year-old Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act. LPGMA party-list Rep. Arnel Ty filed House Resolution 724 seeking an inquiry into the alarming increase of HIV cases in the country. “We have to ascertain whether existing policies and measures under the 1998 law are adequate to suppress the HIV/AIDS epidemic and improve the conditions of Filipinos living with the destructive disease,” Ty said.