BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Heidi Support Snowballs

PHILIPPINE STAR -- ‘270-M AFP Fund Missing’

MANILA STANDARD -- Palace Orders Centralized Purchase Of AFP Supplies

MANILA TIMES -- UN Fund Gone, Garcia Eyed

MALAYA -- Corruption On AFP: Pieces Fall Into Place

DAILY TRIBUNE -- House Panel Goes ‘Soft’ On Ex-AFP CoS

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- More AFP Scams Bared

ABANTE -- Sindikatong

 Takipan!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Gen. Garcia Dinepensa Ni Mercy

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Congressmen yesterday failed to even seriously dig deeper and question the former chiefs of staff (CoS) on the corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines during their terms, as they merely asked each general whether they had received welcome and send-offs gifts during their stint as the top military chief, giving them all the opportunity to merely deny that they had ever received any funds for their personal use and that their wives never travelled abroad, save for two to four official trips, paid for by the host government. (Tribune-Banner) 

The Wan Chai District Court here yesterday deferred the verdict on Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson, who pleaded guilty to trafficking 6.67 grams of cocaine. District Court Judge Joseph Yau ordered the adjournment and reset the hearing to Feb. 17.   (Philstar-p1) 

A lawmaker is seeking to put a cap on the interest rates charged on deferred payments made on credit card purchases. In his privilege speech last Monday night, Cagayan district Rep. Jack Enrile pushed for a one percent cap per month on the interest rates charged on deferred payments made on credit card purchases. (Tribune-p3) 

On Presidency

The Palace went to great lengths yesterday in denying a fracture within the ranks of President Aquino’s Liberal Party (LP) but showed signs it was ruffled by reports of destabilization plots supposedly coming from within disgruntled groups that once supported Aquino.  Malacañang rejected the need for Aquino to conduct a loyalty check among his party mates at the LP, saying that as the chairman of the said coalition, he has been assured that they will remain supportive of his administration.  (Tribune-p1) 

On RH Bill

Malacañang yesterday expressed surprise following reports that Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president Nereo Odchimar would pull out from their dialogue with administration officials regarding the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) Bill. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda even recalled that Odchimar had not attended the three meetings that he and other Palace officials conducted with two other bishops and a monsignor. (Philstar-p3) 

On The Armed Forces

Some P270 million of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) funds representing reimbursements from the United Nations are missing, a former government auditor told the House justice committee yesterday. Heidi Mendoza, who headed a team that conducted a financial audit of the AFP in 2004, said she was informed that in February 2001, a military officer “personally picked up” a $5-million check (P220 million based on the current exchange rate) from the UN headquarters in New York City. (Philstar-Banner) 

Pieces of the puzzle on alleged military corruption appeared yesterday to be finally falling into place. Aside from P50 million in AFP funds that disappeared in a single day in 2002 during a series of transactions, $5 million from the United Nations remains unaccounted for, according to former government auditor Heidi Mendoza who testified yesterday before the House committee on justice. (Malaya-Banner) 

Anger and frustration grip low-level officers and soldiers in Mindanao, where a Moro secessionist war and communist insurgency fester, in the wake of reports that top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines pocketed huge sums from the military budget at  their expense.  Active and retired generals themselves are alarmed at how an exposé about a huge slush fund for chiefs of staff and other top military officials has damaged not only the reputation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines but also that of its officers and soldiers. (PDI-p1) 

It’s Angelo Reyes. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV yesterday took up the challenge of Reyes, a former defense secretary and Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, to name the “powerful” man allegedly behind ex-comptroller Carlos Garcia. “I am naming him,” the senator told reporters on the same day Reyes issued the challenge in a letter published in newspapers. (PDI-p1) 

Five former Armed Forces chiefs yesterday denied having received “sendoff” cash gifts after their retirement. The retired generals also insisted that they have implemented reform programs in the effort to reduce corruption in the military. (Philstar-p1) 

Classmates of Lt. Col. George Rabusa at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Dimalupig” class of ’81 yesterday expressed full support for their “mistah” who spilled the beans on corruption in the military. Not to be outdone, 20 Catholic bishops and a group of government employees also came out with a separate manifesto of support for the beleaguered former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) budget officer and former state auditor-turned-witness Heidi Mendoza. (Philstar-p8) 

On The State Auditor

Like a bright lamp, former state auditor Heidi Mendoza  yesterday shone light on a trail of corruption in the military her superiors and the military brass would rather leave in the dark, drawing praise from a public hungry for honest people in government. Support for Mendoza came pouring in from netizens, the clergy, legislators, the President and the justice secretary, among other people. (PDI-Banner) 

The leader of the 11-member audit team called in to examine the coffers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the term of comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia yesterday revealed an intricate web of irregularities and cover-ups in financial transactions involving the military brass. Heidi Mendoza told the House committee on justice chaired by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas that she had uncovered irregularities that included missing funds in millions of pesos and dollars despite the difficulty of sorting through the improperly maintained records of the AFP. (PDI-p1)

When then Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo decided in 2004 to look into irregularities in military transactions following the filing of plunder charges against comptroller Carlos Garcia, he had only one person in mind to head the team: auditor Heidi Mendoza. Marcelo did not know her personally, but her body of work spoke for herself, and her reputation as a no-nonsense auditor preceded her. (PDI-p1) 

On Military Procurement

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will tighten rules on disbursement of funds and procurement in the military. Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the administration would look deeper into the disbursement and procurement practices of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). “Even as we have already established reforms and safeguards, we cannot afford to be complacent,” Abad said. (Philstar-p1) 

On Pinoys In Egypt

The government is readying to evacuate an initial batch of 100 Filipino workers from Egypt, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported yesterday. This developed as Malacañang said it would await recommendations from the Philippine embassy in Cairo as to when the Filipinos would be evacuated from Egypt as protests continued against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. (Philstar-p1) 

On Palawan Media Slaying

Former Palawan governor Joel Reyes yesterday denied allegations linking him to the assassination of broadcaster Gerardo Ortega last Jan. 24. “Even as we strive to get justice for the victim, there also must be justice for those whose names are irresponsibly and unfairly drawn into the case,” Reyes said in a statement. Reyes said he decided to cut short his three-week vacation abroad after learning “some news reports mentioned my name in connection with those who have been linked to the incident.” (Philstar-p2) 

On The Comelec

Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes underscored yesterday the need to immediately fill the posts to be vacated today with the retirement of commissioners Nicodemo Ferrer and Gregorio Larrazabal. He assured the public, however, that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will not be crippled even if the posts will be vacant for some time. (Philstar-p2)       

On The Noodle Scam

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez yesterday issued a six-month preventive suspension order against six Education officials accused of involvement in the anomalous purchase of fortified noodles for public school students in 2007 and 2008. Placed under suspension without pay are: Undersecretary and then Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairman Teodosio Sangil Jr.; then BAC vice-chairperson Demetria Manuel; then BAC-members Nanette Mamoransing, Macur Marohombsar and Artemio Capellan Jr.; and then officer-in-charge Ramon Bacani. (Philstar-p3) 

On Carjacking

A new witness yesterday alleged that Raymond Dominguez visited the auto shop of Venson Evangelista the day before the car dealer was snatched and killed. The witness issued the statement before the fiscal during the ongoing preliminary investigation on the cases of kidnapping with homicide and car theft filed against Dominguez, according to lawyer Virgilio Pablico, counsel for the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. (Philstar-p5) 

On The MILF

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) wants to see beleaguered former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Angelo Reyes, who was tagged as a “blood-thirsty” for leading an all-out war against the secessionists in 2000, behind bars for alleged crimes against the Muslim people. In an editorial posted over the MILF’s official Web site, the MILF enumerated Reyes’ alleged crimes against the Filipino people, particularly the Muslims, ranging from the all-out war against the MILF in 2000 up to the alleged massive corruption activities during his stint as AFP chief. (Tribune-p3)