BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- General Has Houses In US

MANILA BULLETIN -- Meralco Hikes Power Rate

PHILIPPINE STAR -- 8 Houses In US Traced To Ligot’s Wife

MANILA STANDARD -- Responsible Parenthood No Longer Aquino Priority

MANILA TIMES -- AFP Funds Flowed To Pichay

MALAYA -- Pichay Linked To AFP ‘Payola’

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Jinggoy Links Angie, Ligot To Ownership Of US Homes

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Pichay, Ligot Got Loot, Too?

ABANTE -- OFW’s Binugbog Ng Berdugong Pulis

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Pichay, Ex- CoA Offc’l Kinaladkad

BALITA -- Nakapaglalaway

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Dad Eats Baby Alive!

BULGAR -- Tubig, Kuryente Sabay Tataas

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Discharged Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, who has been threatened by the Senate with contempt charges and a detained stay at the Senate for refusing to respond to the questions posed by the senators forming the blue ribbon committee probe on the massive military corruption, won’t be cited for contempt by the Senate—at least not this time around. Throughout the Senate blue ribbon inquiry, Garcia has been invoking his right against self-incrimination and last week, senators threatened to cite him for contempt and a possible detention at the Senate until he opens up. But as there was an absence of quorum on the day the senators wanted him cited for contempt, an announced caucus was instead resorted to by the 

senators, (Tribune-p1) 

Eight militant House members proposed yesterday a detailed audit of billions in intelligence and confidential funds of the Office of the President, the military, the police, and other government agencies. In Bill 4127, the eight lawmakers led by Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna said these funds are presently not subject to detailed scrutiny even by the Commission on Audit (COA). (Philstar-p2) 

On Presidency

President Aquino is asking Congress to postpone the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) set for August as he wants to hold the political exercise simultaneously with the midterm polls in May 2013. His spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said yesterday the Palace would ask congressional leaders to consider this proposal to be laid out in a bill, one of 17 measures that the Executive has identified as legislative priorities this year. (PDI-p11) ARMM elections

Presidential assistant for special concerns Magdangal Elma may resign as President Aquino’s legal counsel because of health concerns. “He might have mentioned an illness. We will discuss it,” said Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. in an interview with radio dzMM. The former Court of Appeals justice was also legal counsel to Aquino’s mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino. The younger Aquino convinced him to join his government, an offer that Elma found difficult to turn down. (Philstar-p4)                         

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. Monday said President Benigno S. Aquino III is considering younger military officials to fill up the post to be vacated by Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo David, who will retire on March 8, 2011. He said President Aquino has his hands full in choosing the next AFP chief of staff, adding that the Chief Executive himself interviews the candidates. (Mla Bulletin-p1) 

On AFP Mess

Can a general’s wife purchase houses in the United States and travel 42 times abroad without the husband knowing it? Sen. Jinggoy Estrada Monday confronted a former military comptroller, retired Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot, over the questionable activities of his wife—Erlinda Yambao Ligot—as part of the Senate investigation of corruption in the military. (PDI-Banner)

 

They weren’t featured in glossy US magazines such as House Beautiful, Home and Gardens, Town and Country and Architectural Digest, but photos of the the obviously illegally-acquired homes registered in the name of the spouse of former military comptroller during the term of then Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, Gen. Angelo Reyes, Ret. B/Gen. Jacinto Ligot, certainly made a big splash in the Senate blue ribbon hearing yesterday, with Senate president pro-tempore Jinggoy Estrada showing the pictures of the twin homes located in California, USA, complete with documentation of ownership. (Tribune-Banner) 

The Armed Forces chief of staff as well as other officials had ready cash for their personal and operational use—a P20-million “sinking fund,” a former military budget officer said yesterday. The slush fund was on top of the initial cash gift, monthly allocation and send-off money for the chief of staff. (PDI-p1) 

The windfall from a military slush fund benefited some lawmakers, including former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay who allegedly received P500,000 on at least three occasions, whistle-blower George Rabusa said at a Senate hearing yesterday. (PDI-p1) 

On The Ombudsman

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez might face a new impeachment case in the House of Representatives. Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, House committee on justice vice chairman, threatened yesterday to file the case if Gutierrez does not withdraw the plea bargain agreement with former military comptroller Carlos Garcia pending in the Sandiganbayan. (Philstar-p2) 

On RH Bill

An expanded list of priority bills to be discussed in the first Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) meeting scheduled on Feb. 28 was finally presented by Malacañang to the media yesterday but it did not include the controversial Responsible Parent-hood (RP) bill, Freedom of Information (FoI) bill as well the Whistleblowers Act which President Aquino previously said he would vouch for. (Tribune-p1)

On Dacer-Corbito Murder

The family of slain publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer will ask the Court of Appeals (CA) this week to reconsider its dismissal of double murder charges against fugitive Sen. Panfilo Lacson. “We’re going to submit a motion for reconsideration before the Court of Appeals within the week… if it doesn’t go well at the CA we still have the remedy of going to the Supreme Court,” Demetrio Custodio Jr., lawyer of the Dacer family, told reporters. (Philstar-p1) 

On Pambansang Kamao

Manny Pacquiao is going to the White House. In what could be another first, the Filipino boxing champion who also happens to be a congressman will get to meet US President Barack Obama next week in Washington. Pacquiao has confirmed his visit to the White House although everyone around him wouldn’t talk, as if there was a gag order. “Yes, we already have the invitation to the White House,” Pacquiao told the Philippine Entertainment Portal in a rare interview, saying that his wife Jinkee will be with him during the visit. (Philstar-p1) 

On Palawan Broadcaster’s Killing

A discharged Marine soldier has implicated former Palawan Gov. Joel T. Reyes and several local government officials in the Jan. 24 murder of broadcaster Gerry Ortega. Rodolfo Edrad Jr., also known as Junjun Bomar, told investigators of the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila on Sunday night that at Reyes’ behest, he hatched the plot to kill Ortega.  Edrad also named former Marinduque Gov. Jose Antonio “Bong” Carreon, whom he had worked for as a security officer, and Reyes’ younger brother Marjo, the incumbent mayor of Coron town in northern Palawan, as accessories to the crime. (PDI-p1) 

On The MILF

Leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have acknowledged that the rebel group is facing internal problems but stressed that it is “in total and effective control of its military and political arms.” MILF Chair Murad Ebrahim said the problem involving Ameril Umbra Kato, who commands the 105th Base, was “manageable and can be resolved anytime.” He met with journalists at the MILF’s Camp Darapanan here. (PDI-p12) 

The government said yesterday talks aimed at ending a decades-old Muslim insurgency would go ahead as planned this week despite worries over a break-away rebel faction. Chief peace negotiator Marvic Leonen said his panel was set to depart for the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, which will be hosting the two-day talks beginning Wednesday. (Tribune-p3) 

On Civil Service Examination

A dismal 12.66 percent or only 12,290 examinees passed the nationwide civil service examination given last October, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) announced yesterday. Out of the 97,099 who took the examination, a total of 84,809 flunked. Data show that 9,868 passed the professional level examination, equivalent to Career Service Professional Eligibility (CSPE) for possible appointment to both first and second level positions. (Philstar-p1) 

On Carjacking

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo bared yesterday that at least 13 personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) are under investigation for allegedly conniving with carjackers. Robredo said the carjacking gangs operate in various areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. “We are investigating 11 names (in) the PNP. If you include LTO, more than 13 (persons). This traces up to Visayas and Mindanao,” Robredo said. (Philstar-p8) 

On Utility Hike

The generation charge of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) will go up by P0.1184 per kilowatt hour (kWh), to P4.8623 per kWh from last month’s P4.7439 per kWh starting this February billing, while the price of cooking gas has been slashed by P1 per kilogram. (Mla Bulletin-Banner)