BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- P-Noy Seeks China Mercy

MANILA BULLETIN -- SC Upholds 16 New Cities

PHILIPPINE STAR -- SC Tells House: Wait For Final Merci Ruling

MANILA STANDARD -- Supreme Court Flip-Flops 3rd Time, OK s 16 New Cities

MANILA TIMES -- Deportation DoJ’s Sole Call

MALAYA -- AFP Moral High, Aquino Told

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Pabaon,  P40M For Police Top Gun Exist

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- PNP Slush Fund Bared

ABANTE -- 3 Bibitaying Pinoy Pinasasalba Kay Binay

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- P-Noy UmaapelaSa China!

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Gradeschooler, 10, Raped, Brutalized!

BULGAR -- ‘Pabaon’ Kina Mamang Pulis Ibinulgar

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

The House committee on national defense will inquire into the alleged “conversion” into slush funds of a total of P179.4 billion in salaries appropriated for the Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines (DND-AFP) during the Arroyo administration. The inquiry was prompted by Resolution 967 filed by Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, defense committee chairman and former AFP chief of staff. (Philstar-p1) 

The House Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday approved initial funding for the consolidated reproductive health (RH) bill, with principal author Rep. Edcel Lagman of the First District of Albay proposing that P3 billion should be allotted to it annually starting next year. The panel voted 20 to 3 in favor of allocating for the measure—officially, the comprehensive policy on responsible parenthood, reproductive health and population development bill—despite some lawmakers’ concerns about the lack of money for it. (Mla Times-p2) 

On Presidency

In the face of congressional inquiries into alleged corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), President Aquino held a command conference at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday. The Commander-in-Chief said he had to relay to the chain of command the sentiments of his former colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives in light of the magnitude of anomalies uncovered. (Philstar-p2)

Ahead of his official announcement this week, President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Wednesday hinted that Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto “Bert” Romulo will be affected by a Cabinet revamp. President Aquino did not confirm if Romulo will be replaced by former Ambassador Alberto del Rosario, saying that he would make an official announcement this week. The President said that they are still ironing out details of the announcement.  (Mla Times-p1) 

China appears to have returned the courtesy, or the lack of it, of not returning phone calls which its territory Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Donald Tsang suffered at the hands of President Aquino at the height of the hostage crisis in August last year as Aquino said all his calls yesterday to Chinese President Hu Jintao to appeal the case of three Filipino drug couriers who face execution next week went unanswered. Malacañang admitted the chances of saving the lives of the three Filipinos are between slim and nil with Aquino saying that appealing their cases before his Chinese counterpart being remote as all his phone calls were not returned regarding the matter.  (Tribune-p1) 

The more things change, the more they remain the same seems to characterize the Aquino administration. President Aquino, who promised change, yesterday took the same path taken by former President Gloria Arroyo in rewarding her retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff (CoS) with a high ranking civilian post. It was during her term that she virtually militarized her Cabinet and other executive offices, the same path Aquino appears to be taking, as many of his sub-appointments are being filled with retired military officials. (Tribune-p1) 

On Pinoy Drug Mule

As time ticks, President Benigno Aquino III is calling Chinese President Hu Jintao in a last-ditch effort to save three Filipino “drug mules” from execution in China and possibly commute their death sentence. “But as of now, they have not yet signified willingness to accept the phone calls,” the President said. “It is time for them to demonstrate their pronounced statements of improved or closer bilateral ties. This will be a test,” Mr. 

Aquino told reporters. (PDI-Banner) 

Hoping to secure leniency from the Chinese government and spare the lives of at least five Filipinos on death row because of drug-related cases, President Benigno Aquino III decided to boycott the Nobel Peace Prize awarding ceremony for detained Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo in Oslo in December last year. About 70 others were convicted and sentenced to death with two-year reprieve and may have a chance to have their sentence commuted to life imprisonment on the basis of good behavior. (PDI-p10) 

The Chinese embassy in a statement yesterday said the death sentence on three Filipinos convicted of drug trafficking is final and that “no one is privileged to transcend law.” “The Chinese law prescribes that any person, no matter that he or she is a Chinese citizen or a foreigner, who commits crime shall be brought to justice in strict accordance with law. No one is privileged to transcend law,” the embassy said. It added that drug-related crimes inflict “appalling harm” on societies and is a recognized “scourge” around the world. (Philstar-p1) 

On The Ombudsman

The Supreme Court (SC) asked lawmakers yesterday to wait for its final ruling on Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez’s plea to stop her impeachment before setting into motion any procedure to oust her. The SC made the call in response to a declaration by House justice committee chairman Rep. Neil Tupas Jr. that they would immediately start the impeachment process against Gutierrez after the High Court’s rejection of her bid to stop the procedure. (Philstar-Banner)

As calls for her to resign mount and with big businessmen and the Church calling on Congress to get on the proceedings to impeach her, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is not giving up and will appeal the Supreme Court ruling allowing the impeachment case against her. Thus, Assistant Ombudsman Jose de Jesus said the House of Representatives’ committee on justice should desist from resuming the impeachment hearings while the case was on appeal. (PDI-p1) 

On The Armed Forces

President Aquino yesterday presided over a command conference with officials of the Armed Forces and the defense establishment in Camp Aguinaldo to check on the morale of the soldiers amid allegations of corruption. Interviewed after the command conference that lasted for at least three hours, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the commander in chief discussed with them the ongoing investigations on alleged fund irregularities in the military. (Malaya-Banner) 

On “Pabaon System”

Fugitive Sen. Panfilo Lacson said yesterday that the Philippine National Police, just like the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), had its own version of welcome and sendoff gifts for the highest ranking PNP officer, at the very least, and called for an expansion of the probes to include the police. In a statement sent to media, which carried the title, “No welcome, no sendoff,” Lacson recalled that when he assumed the post of PNP chief in 1999, he was told that there was P40 million in “commander’s reserve” available every year for his exclusive disposal. (Philstar-p1) 

Fugitive Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday refuted claims made by officials of President Aquino, who denied the tradition and practice of “send-off” and “welcome” cash gifts, along with a P40 million yearly allotment given to the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief. (Tribune-Banner) 

On Ret Gen Garcia

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) maintained its position yesterday that the plea bargaining agreement entered into by prosecutors of the Office of the Ombudsman and former military comptroller Carlos Garcia is very disadvantageous to the government and should be junked by the Sandiganbayan. In a 78-page consolidated reply to the comments and oppositions filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the accused to a motion for intervention which ultimately seeks to nullify the deal, Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz insisted on the illegality of the controversial agreement. (Philstar-p4 )

On Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao stopped traffic outside the White House on Tuesday, during a whirlwind tour of the nation’s capital that included meetings with President Barack Obama and Sen. Harry Reid. The Filipino boxing sensation was crossing the street near the White House when several drivers, trying to snap photos of Pacquiao with cell phones, caused a multicar pileup, Pacquiao publicist Fred Sternburg told The Associated Press. Nobody was hurt in the accident. (Philstar-p1) 

On The President’s Men

The Commission on Appointments (CA) has confirmed the appointments of Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago earlier threatened to invoke section 20 of the CA rules – which allows one CA member to reject the approval of all other members – to veto Ona’s confirmation if he could not address her concern about the government’s policy on kidney transplants. She directed Ona to clarify the status of two administrative orders issued by his predecessor, one prohibiting the donation of kidneys to non-related recipients and another establishing a national program for sharing of organs from deceased donors. (Philstar-p1) 

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo is on his way out but will be given a new position in government, most likely, according to the grapevine, as chairman of the Commission on Audit. A long hot would be former auditor and whistle blower Heidi Mendoza, who had been offered a government job by the President. (Malaya-p1) 

Gen. Ricardo David on Wednesday confirmed that he has accepted an offer of President Benigno Aquino 3rd to serve again in the administration after his mandatory retirement on March 8 this year. “He [President Aquino] asked me if I want to serve under him. Yes, I said. I told him I’m still young, Mr. President. If I have still use in your government, then I am very willing to serve,” the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said. (Mla Times-p1) 

On Marcos Burial

President Aquino disclosed yesterday that he would assign a government official to assess whether the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, archenemy of his late father Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., could be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. “I’m thinking of inhibiting myself from deciding on the matter. I will have a government official whom I will task to study this, since that has many implications,” he told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo after he presided over a command conference. (Philstar-p2) 

On The Chief State Auditor

Sen. Franklin Drilon said yesterday that Commission on Audit (COA) chairman Reynaldo Villar has no legal basis to hang on to his post because he had already served an aggregate of seven years. Drilon scored Villar for claiming that he would serve until 2015 when the Commission on Appointments had confirmed him for a term until Feb. 2, 2011. (Philstar-p6)

Overpriced Water Project

Local manufacturers of large steel pipes yesterday claimed that the P1.855-billion Angat Aqueduct Improvement Project (Package 2) of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) was “grossly overpriced.” The Philippine Large Diameter Pressure Pipe Manufacturers Association (PLDPPMA) alleged that the P1.855-billion contract for the project that the MWSS awarded to China International Water and Electric Corp. (CWE) was overvalued by at least 30 percent and must be rescinded by the government. (Philstar-p10) 

On Deported Taiwanese Nationals

The Department of Justice and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) can defy the Court of Appeals in deporting 14 Taiwanese upon request of China. This assertion was contained in a 10-page manifestation submitted to the appellate court by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Immigration Officer in Charge Rolando Ledesma. (Mla Times-Banner) .

On Foreign Policy

Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. yesterday questioned President Aquino’s foreign policy regarding China and Taiwan, noting what he claimed as “change” in the diplomatic relations with the Taiwanese government under the current administration. Marcos moved for a conduct of an inquiry into this issue in the Senate, stemming from the recent deportation of 14 Taiwanese to mainland China, especially on the matter of remedial measures being undertaken by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to the estimated 96,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan now alleged to be under threat of possible retaliatory actions  (Tribune-p1) 

On The Peace Process

Norway’s State Secretary Espen Bath Eide said a military solution will not end the more than four decades of communist insurgency in the Philippines, saying a political and negotiated settlement is required to achieve peace. At the opening of the Norwegian-brokered formal peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front, the negotiating arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), this week in Oslo, Eide hopes that both sides could finally address substantial issues and “get down to the business of addressing the root causes of the armed conflict, and talk about basic social, economic and political reforms.” (Tribune-p3) 

On Cityhood

The Supreme Court (SC), in a 7-6 vote with two abstentions, has reversed itself anew as it declared constitutional the laws that converted 16 municipalities into cities. With the ruling, the SC granted the motion for reconsideration filed by the 16 municipalities whose laws had earlier been declared unconstitutional. (Mla Bulletin-Banner)