BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Obama To Gadhafi: Leave

MANILA BULLETIN -- GMA News TV Launches Today

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Pinoy Quake Victims In NZ: No Sign Of Life

MANILA STANDARD -- Aquino Needs Emergency Powers, Claims House Allies

MANILA TIMES -- Lim Wins Case Vs. Atienza

MALAYA -- P-P ARMM Polls Top LEDAC Meet

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Aquino Parties At EDSA While OFWs Suffer -Angara

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- GMA Linked To AFP Fund Scam

ABANTE -- ‘Iuwi N’yo Na Lang Ang Bangkay N’ya!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- 3 Medical Workers Utas Sa Ambus

BALITA -- Galit Ng UN

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Comelec Junks Atienza Petition Vs Lim

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

It would be up to the leadership of the House of Representatives to decide how to deal with the case of Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson who was recently convicted of drug trafficking in Hong Kong, Malacañang said yesterday. Speaking over government-run radio station dzRB, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said Singson’s ouster would be up to the House leadership under Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. (Philstar-p1) 

On Presidency

President Aquino convenes the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) meeting where Malacañang would propose 23 priority legislative measures. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said the priority bills initially identified were 17 but six more were added. "All the 23 proposals went through benchmarking, goal-setting, and prioritization process during various Cabinet workshops and the succeeding meetings of the Cabinet clusters," Ochoa said. (Malaya-Banner) 

Eight months since he assumed office in June 2010, President Aquino will finally be holding today his first Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting at 10 a.m. in Malacañang. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. will be at the Aguinaldo State Hall, along with several leaders of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. (Philstar-p15) 

Without necessarily turning down Congress’s offer for emergency powers to address the worsening tensions in the Middle East, Malacañang would rather adopt a wait-and-see attitude before making any statements on the issue. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte assured the public of a steady oil supply amid tensions in the Middle East. “Mas mabuti pa siguro na hintayin natin iyung actual na panukala,” she said. (Let’s wait for the actual proposal. Things are still hypothetical). (Philstar-p6) 

The international donor community has raised its level of commitment in support of the Aquino administration’s programs on fiscal sustainability and social protection. Bert Hofman, World Bank’s country director for the Philippines, said that the donor community was very encouraged by the Aquino administration’s efforts to improve its financial management given its limited fiscal resources and in addressing problems in social protection and poverty. (Mla Times-p1) 

A legislator sees President Aquino slackening and demanded that he buckle down to work before the government is caught up in a crisis situation amid the crisis situations transpiring in many parts of the globe that would impact on the country. Sen. Edgardo Angara said yesterday the Aquino administration appeared to be giving in to a relaxed attitude amid the various political turmoils and disasters taking place in other countries that are expected to highly affect Filipino immigrants and migrant workers. (Tribune-Banner) 

On Libyan Turmoil

President Barack Obama dropped the careful condemnation, threats of consequences and the reminders to Moammar Gadhafi’s regime about its responsibility to avoid violence. In their place, he delivered a more forceful message to the Libyan leader: Leave. Obama called on Gadhafi to step down for the first time on Saturday, saying that the Libyan government must be held accountable for its brutal crackdown on dissenters. (PDI-Banner) 

On Pinoys In Libya

The government may have acted “too little, too late” in evacuating thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) out of troubled Libya, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said yesterday. Zubiri observed that while its Asian neighbors had pulled out their nationals in the past two weeks, the Philippines had yet to organize a concrete, singular plan of action for the evacuation of thousands of Filipinos. (PDI-p1) 

More overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been evacuated from Benghazi, Libya and are expected to arrive home in the next few days, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said yesterday. Last Saturday night, 120 OFWs arrived in Manila from Libya while yesterday, another 153, including those who worked as waitresses, chefs, front desk officers and customer service personnel, came home. (Philstar-p1) 

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz yesterday said most of the Filipino workers repatriated from the crisis-torn Libya were evacuated through the contingency and safety plans of companies employing them. As of yesterday, 1,491 OFWs have been evacuated, she said. Already being booked for flights in transit countries are 1,228 OFWs -- 14 in Tunisia, 60 in Turkey, 1,154 in Egypt, and two in Madrid. (Malaya-p1) 

Iran is open to hosting Filipinos who will be evacuated from tension-gripped Libya as the Philippine government continues to ask for the assistance of Libya’s neighboring states, the Iranian ambassador to Manila said over the weekend. Meanwhile, 144 Filipinos who left Libya arrived in Manila on Sunday.  “The Iranian side is ready to help, if needed. If they [Filipinos] need emergency assistance, if they want to come to Iran, for example, then fly to Manila . . . we can help them. We can shelter them,” Iranian Ambassador to Manila Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani said. (Mla Times-p1) 

On News Zealand Earthquake

There is no sign of life at the Canterbury Television (CTV) building in Christchurch, New Zealand where 11 Filipinos were reportedly trapped when it collapsed on Wednesday last week. Citing a report of the Philippine embassy team in Christchurch, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said 11, not 12, Filipinos are among about 200 people still missing in the aftermath of a 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch a week ago and left 146 people dead. The DFA said a certain Elisa Torres, earlier thought to be Filipino, was determined to be of another nationality. (Philstar-Banner) 

On The Ombudsman

The impeachment proceedings against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez will continue even without her participation, Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. said yesterday. Tupas, chairman of the House committee on justice, said the Ombudsman has until today to answer the two impeachment complaints against her that are pending with his committee. “If the Ombudsman does not submit an answer, a general denial (of the accusations in the complaints) will be entered in her behalf,” he said. (Philstar-p1) 

The impeachment process against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez kicks off tomorrow as the House committee on justice resumes hearings on the two complaints filed by militant and civil society groups.  "All our hearings will be open to the public," said committee vice chair Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas. The committee, chaired by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas, has scheduled the hearings on March 1 and 2 and 8 and 9. (Malaya-p1) 

On Foreign Service

Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario has declared his policy direction and advocacy of having only a “few” political appointees while recruiting the “best and the brightest” under his leadership. “I have thought about what policy directions in some areas I may like to take. I think I’d like to make a declaration that I’m an advocate of recruiting the best and brightest especially since this is a reform-oriented government,” Del Rosario said at his first press conference on Friday at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). (Philstar-p1) 

On Local Governance

Mayor Michelle Rabat of Mati City in Davao Oriental denied insinuations made by the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) that the counsel of the 16 newly created cities had sent “secret letters” to the Supreme Court justices. Rabat insisted that there was nothing secret to the letters sent by lawyer Estelito Mendoza, legal counsel of the 16 new cities, to the SC that recently issued a ruling in favor of the conversion into cities of the 16 municipalities. (Philstar-p4) 

On The Armed Forces

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Ricardo David Jr. appealed to lawmakers yesterday to continue the release of funds for the military modernization program to improve the morale of soldiers despite allegations of corruption in the AFP.  David said efforts are underway to investigate the officers allegedly involved in previous malpractices and to ensure that resources are used properly. (Philstar-p7) 

Armed Forces chief Gen. Ricardo David Jr. urged yesterday Congress to find funds to finance the unpaid pension benefits of retired soldiers. Speaking over radio dzBB, David said the military’s requirements for retirement benefits are ballooning. “That is why our government is looking for money to fund them,” he said. (Philstar-p10) 

Military investigators have uncovered an irregularity surrounding the AFP’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) and video tele-conferencing (VTC) system project worth almost P50 million. The probers recommended further investigation for violation of the procurement law, saying the project was found to be overpriced and the items substandard. (Malaya-p4) 

Armed Forces of the Phi-lippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo David Jr. worries over the backlash of the ongoing congres-sional inquiries into the massive corruption in the AFP pleading yes-terday that it should not stop the long-delayed modernization of the 120,000-strong organization. While David reiterated the AFP’s full support to the congressional investigation into the military anomalies during the term of the late AFP Chief of Staff and Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, he stressed that such probes should not result in further delaying the AFP modernization program. (Tribune-p1) 

On The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court (SC) turned down Malacañang’s bid for an oral argument on its appeal over the decision nullifying the executive order creating the Truth Commission. In a two-page resolution released last Friday, the SC said there is no need for oral argument since the motion for reconsideration filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and the corresponding comment of petitioners – House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and businessman Louis Biraogo - would suffice. (Philstar-p8) 

On Manila Politics

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has junked the petition for disqualification filed by former Mayor Lito Atienza of Manila against incumbent Mayor Alfredo Lim for lack of merit. In a five-page resolution, the poll body’s First Division dismissed the petition after Atienza failed to substantiate his allegation that Lim cheated during the May 2010 automated national and local elections. (ManilaTimes-Banner)