BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- SC: Impeach Gutierrez

MANILA BULLETIN -- Talks With NDF Reopen

PHILIPPINE STAR -- SC Won’t Stop Impeach Proceeding Vs Merci

MANILA STANDARD -- Palace Ignores Cojuangco, Says ARMM A Failed State

MANILA TIMES -- SC Rules Against Merci

MALAYA -- SC Gives Go-Signal To Mercy Impeachment

DAILY TRIBUNE -- AFP Brass’ Tacit OK Of ‘04 Poll Fraud In Amnesty Plea

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- SC Okays Impeach Merci Bid

ABANTE -- Mercy Lilitsunin Na!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Firing Squad Sa 3 Pinoy Sa China

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- ‘Unfaithful Hubby, 70, Stabbed In Church!

BULGAR -- Lolo Todas Kay Lola

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Members of the majority bloc of the House of Representatives yesterday censured Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello for the disparaging remarks he made against Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last year. Arroyo’s allies in the minority bloc had filed a complaint seeking punishment for Bello’s unparliamentary conduct.  Valenzuela City Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo, on the other hand, filed a motion to dismiss the complaint filed by the minority bloc. (Philstar-p4) 

The Senate has passed two bills amending the Family Code, one of which would allow a divorced Filipino to automatically remarry. With a vote of 13-0, the Senate passed Senate bills No. 1052 and 480, amending Articles 26 and 111 of Executive Order No. 209 or the Family Code of the Philippines respectively. Under the original law, Article 26 of the Family Code states that “where a marriage between a Filipino citizen and a foreigner is validly celebrated and a divorce is thereafter validly obtained abroad by the alien spouse capacitating him or her to remarry, the Filipino spouse shall have capacity to remarry under Philippine law.” (Philstar-p6) 

SEN. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos yesterday renewed his family’s appeal for the government to allow former President Ferdinand Marcos to be given military honors and buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio. The issue on whether the former president deserves to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani was resurrected when former AFP chief Angelo Reyes, who was accused of corruption in the military during his tour of duty, was interred at the military memorial park last Sunday. (Malaya-p2) 

On Presidency

President Aquino wants the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) postponed, then kick out the incumbent elected officials and appoint his allies in their stead, to serve until 2013, through synchronized elections. Speaking through his spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, Aquino said this has to be done since the ARMM is a  “failed experiment,” insinuating that if there are challenges to this “personal” presidential wish, Aquino can go through with his plan to replace the incumbent officials of ARMM and replace them with his appointees, since he has “residual powers.” (Tribune-p1) On ARMM

The government on Tuesday clarified that going after alleged protectors of former Armed Forces of the Philippines comptroller Carlos Garcia is “a priority” of the Aquino administration. “It is a priority for us to [investigate] these corruption allegations [involving high military officials]. All those who have put the system, who have enriched themselves with impunity while being public officials, [are a target]. This [alleged involvement] is something that we will not let go [of],” spokesman Edwin Lacierda said. (Mla Times-p1) 

On The Ombudsman

The impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is now a distinct possibility. Voting 7-5, with two justices partially concurring with the majority and one abstaining, the Supreme Court  yesterday threw out Gutierrez’s petition seeking to declare unconstitutional the impeachment proceedings against her in the House of Representatives. (PDI-Banner) 

The Supreme Court (SC) rejected yesterday Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez’s bid to stop Congress from hearing the impeachment cases filed against her by two militant groups for her alleged inaction on corruption and human rights cases involving former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her officials.  But SC spokesman Midas Marquez advised the House committee on justice to let the High Court rule first with finality on Gutierrez’s plea before hearing the impeachment cases. Gutierrez was an Arroyo appointee. (Philstar-Banner) 

The chairman of the House committee on justice disclosed yesterday that Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez could face another impeachment complaint in August if rules on impeachment proceedings would be amended. Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., chairman of the committee, said the panel members reached a consensus to urge President Aquino to sack Chief Special Prosecutor Wendell Sulit, the main architect of the controversial plea bargain agreement between the Office of the Ombudsman and former military comptroller Carlos Garcia. (Philstar-p1) 

On AFP Corruption

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is ready to build a strong case against those involved in corruption in the military to ensure their successful prosecution, Secretary Leila de Lima said yesterday. De Lima made the declaration following a meeting with DOJ officials to map out a legal strategy in pursuing the prosecution of corrupt military officials. She said a special team would be created to dig deeper into the controversy and gather more evidence apart from the ongoing congressional investigations into the plea bargaining agreement of former military comptroller Carlos Garcia. (Philstar-p6) 

Officially, there is now a document detailing the Armed Forces of the Philippines top brass’ tacit approval of the massive poll fraud committed during the 2004 presidential elections, where the military actively participated in ensuring the election cheating, without a single senior AFP official, including then AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Generoso Senga, wanting to “rock the poll fraud” boat. (Tribune-Banner) 

On The Peace Process

The Philippine government and the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), are upbeat but cautious as they reopen peace talks Tuesday aimed at ending a four-decade-long insurgency that has killed at least 120,000 combatants and civilians. A truce has been declared during the weeklong talks outside Oslo, the first formal peace negotiations between the two sides since 2004. (Mla Bulletin-Banner) 

Troops and police captured a top communist rebel in Baliuag, Bulacan on Valentine’s Day. Alan Jazmines, a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) central committee, is now detained in Camp Crame in Quezon City. Jazmines was arrested on the strength of 13 warrants of arrest for murder and rebellion issued by the Quezon Regional Trial Court Branch 63 and the Lucena City Regional Trial Court Branch 59, according to Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan. (Philstar-p1) 

On Amnesty Program

Retired Marine Col. Ariel Querubin applied for amnesty at the Ad Hoc Amnesty Secretariat at the Armed Forces yesterday.  “As I’ve said, the only reason why I am holding back in applying for amnesty is because there are still junior officers who are facing charges along with us,” he said. However, former Scout Ranger commander retired Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim is not availing of the amnesty. (Philstar-p6) 

On The Philippine Military Academy

The Philippine Military Academy is producing fewer officers than what is needed by the Armed Forces. This only shows that fewer Filipinos are getting disinterested in joining the military, said Brig. Gen. (ret.) Sermin de Leon, president of the National Defense College of the Philippines and former PMA dean. (Malaya-p1) 

On Reproductive Health

An official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines yesterday said they believe in the sincerity of President Aquino that reproductive health (RH) bill is the least of the government’s priorities but they can’t say the same thing with the congressmen. Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (ECFL), said they are still cautious that lawmakers may still put premium on the passage of the controversial measure. "Congress acts independently from the Executive Department," he stressed. (Malaya-p1) 

On Overseas Pinoys

The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) in Beijing has sustained the lower courts’ decisions on three Filipinos for drug trafficking and the death sentences will be carried out, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday. The DFA received information on Feb. 11 that the SPC had reviewed and rendered its decision on five cases of Filipinos sentenced to death by courts in the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong for drug trafficking. Two of the five Filipinos earlier meted the death penalty without reprieves were given two-year reprieves. (Philstar-p1) 

On Deported Taiwanese

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima defended anew yesterday the deportation to China of 14 Taiwanese suspects wanted for large-scale fraud. As if answering the controversy one issue per day, she denied this time allegations by recalled Taiwan Representative Donald Lee that the deportation of the Taiwanese violated section 38 of Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, which requires deportation of undesirable aliens either to the country of their nationality or to the country of origin. (Philstar-p1) 

On Dacer-Corbito Murder 

Former police senior superintendent Cesar Mancao II asked the Court of Appeals (CA) yesterday to reconsider its ruling clearing fugitive Sen. Panfilo Lacson of the murders of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000. Through lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, Mancao said the CA went beyond its mandate in adjudging his credibility as a witness. (Philstar-p2) 

On February 25

There would be no classes in all levels nationwide on Feb. 25 when the nation observes a special holiday to mark the 25th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power revolution. Malacañang though clarified it would be a regular working day in the government and the private sector. Officials said the declaration of a special holiday on Feb. 25 is still in line with Proclamation 84 signed by President Aquino last year that specified all regular and special holidays for the year 2011. (Philstar-p1)