BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Murder Raps Vs Ping Junked

MANILA BULLETIN -- Withdrawal Of Plea Bargain

PHILIPPINE STAR -- CA Clears Ping In Dacer Murder

MANILA STANDARD -- House Plans To Exempt Luisita From Distribution 

MANILA TIMES -- Court Junks Case V. Lacson

MALAYA -- Garcia Plea Bargain Freeze Set

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Ex-AFP CoS Got P164-M ‘Pabaon’

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Lacson Absolved

ABANTE -- Mafia Sa AFP Tibag Na!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Double Murder Vs Ping Ibinasura Ng CA

 

BALITA -- Pro Vs

 Anti

BULGAR -- Lacson, Hindi Na Wanted

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s life as a man on the run may be coming to an end. The controversial senator yesterday scored a major legal victory when the Court of Appeals threw out the murder charges against him over the twin killings in 2000 of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver, and voided a judge’s order for his arrest. (PDI-Banner) 

Senators threatened to place former military comptroller Carlos Garcia under arrest yesterday but failed to do so because there was no quorum of at least 12. Garcia was unfazed during intense grilling by senators over his role in the alleged misuse of military funds during his stint as comptroller. Garcia repeatedly invoked his right against self-incrimination, repeatedly saying only, “with due respect…” when he refused to answer during the hearing that lasted for seven hours. (Philstar-p1) Pabaon system

Obviously fed up with the system, an emotional Heidi Mendoza yesterday asked for indulgence from the Senate to spare her from further testifying on how other government auditors may have failed to do their job in stamping out corruption in the country. “My family and I have been so tired of this. I’m tired. I don’t want to hear what other people have to say to destroy me. I beg you, just let the investigation take its course. Please spare me from further agony,” Mendoza said at the latter part of the almost seven-hour Senate hearing on alleged corruption in the military. (Philstar-p6) 

Whitsleblower

The House committee on basic education has approved a bill that would prevent the sale of Camp Crame, the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters, and Camp Aguinaldo, headquarters of the Armed Forces. The panel, chaired by Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero, approved on Monday House Bill 3938 declaring the two sites as “national and cultural treasures” and banned the sale of the prime lots along EDSA in Quezon City. The bill is authored by Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas. (Philstar-p4) 

On Presidency

President Benigno Aquino III is open to offering former state auditor Heidi Mendoza a job related to his administration’s fight against corruption, but he will seek her consent first. “I would ask her. I would rather not force somebody,” the President said on yesterday when asked if he would give Mendoza a job dealing with the government’s fight against corruption. (PDI-p1) 

President Aquino yesterday declared an indefinite log ban all over the country. Aquino issued Executive Order 23 implementing the indefinite log ban and creating an Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force to be headed by Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje. Aquino authorized the release of P10 million as seed fund for the task force. The initial budget would be sourced from the Department of Budget and Management with additional funds to be cleared by the President. (Philstar-p9) 

On ‘Pabaon System’

The corruption in the military at high levels is bigger than originally thought, with yet another bombshell dropped yesterday, bringing forth the information that even bigger send-off money is given to departing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chiefs of Staff (CoS), apart from at least two military chiefs engaging in juggling AFP funds and diverted to their private accounts while using these juggled funds as their own personal “pork barrel.” Former military budget officer Col. George Rabusa, in his latest revelations before the Senate blue ribbon committee yesterday, testified that he had given retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, former military comptroller, P164 million which Garcia said was the amount needed as a “send-off” gift to former AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Diomedio Villanueva when the latter retired from the service and the more than $2 million “tax refund” on a botched $5-million contract. (Tribune-Banner) 

If former Armed Forces Chief of Staff Angelo Reyes received P50 million in an alleged sendoff gift (“pabaon”), his two successors were purportedly more resourceful. Whistle-blower George Rabusa yesterday claimed that Diomedio Villanueva was allocated around P160 million and Roy Cimatu, P80 million as part of the AFP’s pabaon system. (PDI-p1) 

Massive corruption in the military, James Bond, Agent 007 style. This was how former military budget officer George Rabusa described the way three offices including the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) were used as clearinghouses for multimillion-peso funds that went into the pockets of some top military officials. Testifying at the second hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on the massive corruption in the military, Rabusa revealed what he called the “Return to Sender (RTS)” practice in the AFP. (Philstar-p1) 

On United Nations Funds

The United Nations wants disbursement of funds extended to member countries done in accordance with “national norms and standards.” The UN was reacting to allegations of misuse of funds for Filipino troops in peacekeeping missions by top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).The Department of Foreign Affairs, for its part, clarified that UN reimbursements for Filipino peacekeepers go directly to the AFP and not to the DFA. (Philstar-p4)

On The Ombudsman 

Under pressure from senators, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez yesterday said her office would file a manifestation with the Sandiganbayan seeking to defer action on its plea bargain agreement with former military comptroller Carlos Garcia in light of testimonies of new witnesses that could bolster the plunder case originally filed against Garcia. (Malaya-Banner) 

After defending the controversial plea bargaining agreement with retired military comptroller Carlos Garcia, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez said yesterday he might have to answer for plunder charges after all in the light of new testimonies from witnesses, including a former state auditor. “I believe so,” Gutierrez said when asked at a Senate hearing whether new evidence could justify charging Garcia with plunder. (Philstar-p2) 

On The Bureau Of Customs

The Bureau of Customs, a notorious “flagship of corruption,” has suggested that former state auditor Heidi Mendoza join the agency should she decide to return to government service. Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez yesterday said the mettle and honesty that Mendoza showed when she disclosed irregularities in the military would greatly help him in weeding out erring customs officials. (PDI-p1) 

On Carjacking

The Dominguez carjacking group could have stolen 20 to 30 vehicles in a month, Central Luzon police director Chief Superintendent Alan Purisima revealed yesterday. Purisima presented 16 vehicles and motorcycles, which, he said, were recovered by lawmen from four suspected safe houses of the carjacking syndicate. (Philstar-p7) 

On Civil Disobedience

Catholic bishops would back civil disobedience if the Responsible Parenthood (RP) Bill is passed into law. Speaking over Catholic Church-run Radio Veritas, Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said they would tell the people to disobey immoral laws. “We bishops are willing to be imprisoned together with our priests and protest the immoral things,” he said. (Philstar-p8) 

On Political Party

The 32 former members of Lakas-Kampi who have formed the new political party National Unity Party (NUP) would continue supporting the administration of President Aquino. “Nothing changed as far as political support is concerned. We remain supportive of P-Noy (President Aquino) and Speaker Sonny (Feliciano) Belmonte Jr.,” Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Dasmariñas, Cavite told The STAR yesterday. He said their political group would be part of the Liberal Party-led pro-administration coalition in the House of Representatives. (Philstar-p1) 

On Human Trafficking

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay expressed his determination to "stop human trafficking in its tracks." "I will make sure to reduce (the incidence of human trafficking crimes) – or that it at least doesn’t go above its current level," he said in Filipino at a press conference in the Philippine embassy here Wednesday night. "I tell you, we (Aquino government) will deliver on this commitment," he said. "Bantayan ninyo kami magtrabaho." (Malaya-p1) 

On US Soldiers

The Supreme Court has upheld an agreement between the Philippine and the United States governments signed eight years ago prohibiting the filing of criminal charges against American soldiers before the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a 44-page decision signed by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., the court en banc with two magistrates dissenting dismissed the petition filed by militant group Bayan Muna seeking to declare the agreement unconstitutional. (Tribune-p1)