BROADSHEETS 

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Brillantes faces storm

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Lozano son murdered  

MANILA BULLETIN -- Miriam: 'Pork' for pay hike

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Cha-cha pushed in Senate; hearings next month

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- 'Menopausal bitch' files raps vs solon

ABANTE -- P579B gov't fund di mahagilap!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON --  Sa pumatay sa anak ni Atty. Lozano: Manhunt utos ni P-Noy

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Lozano shot, burned

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

The Senate resumed regular session yesterday with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile still at the helm despite persistent coup rumors against him. Yesterday was also Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s first time to attend session. The former Magdalo leader was accompanied by Enrile as he stepped inside the session hall past 3 p.m. In the morning, Sen. Franklin Drilon met with Enrile purportedly to explain reports that he (Drilon) initiated the coup attempt against the Senate president, who happens to be his wedding godfather. (Philstar)

On Atty. Lozano's son

A charred body found by a scavenger in a grassy lot in Barangay Mancatian here last Friday afternoon was confirmed to be that of the missing son of Marcos loyalist lawyer Oliver Lozano, according to local police. Police investigators said the body of 44-year-old Emerson Lozano, a car trader, was found at about 1 p.m. last Friday near the anti-lahar megadike in the barangay. Police said dentures from the body matched dental records of the younger Lozano, as provided by the Quezon City police. Probers could not immediately confirm whether the victim was shot first then burned, pending full results of the autopsy. (Philstar)

On Charter change

Whether President Aquino likes it or not, the Senate will start hearing proposals to amend the Constitution next week. Senate committee on constitutional amendments, revisions of codes and laws chair Miriam Defensor-Santiago said now is the time to discuss Charter change (Cha-cha), especially after the President has vowed not to run for any elective post after his term ends in 2016. “It is the prerogative of Congress to initiate Charter change hearings. It might not be a priority for the executive branch, but it will be among the priorities of the legislative branch,” she said. (Philstar)

On Comelec

New Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes vowed yesterday to resign if the public finds him unfit for the job. “This I promise in front of all of you, in front of the people, if you find that I’m doing something wrong, tell me,” he said. “I may leave. Anyway, it seems that this job is really difficult.” Brillantes said he was not really keen on accepting the post of Comelec chairman. (Philstar)

On Gen. Garcia

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and the special prosecutors’ office would determine if charges could be filed against the alleged cohorts of former military comptroller Carlos Garcia, Malacañang said yesterday. “We don’t know the situation. That’s why the Office of the Solicitor General came in. Again, that would depend on the evidence... We don’t know, that is why the Solicitor General is presently studying the evidence in the case,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing. (Philstar)

On flight attendant

The Philippine Airlines (PAL) ground attendant who cried foul over the disparaging remarks made against her by Alliance of Volunteer Educators (AVE) party-list Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay yesterday filed a complaint against the lawmaker before the Office of the Secretary-General of the House of Representatives. In a six page complaint, PAL customer service agent Sarah Bonnin Ocampo accused Magsaysay of “serious misconduct, grave abuse of authority, solicitation of favor for personal gain using his public office, conduct unbecoming of a high-ranking public official, and other violations of the Code of Conduct for Public officials.” (Philstar)

On annulment of marriage

A militant party-list lawmaker filed yesterday a bill that would make the country’s annulment laws “accessible to the poor.” Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares filed House Bill 3952 titled “An Act Recognizing Spousal Violence, Infidelity and Abandonment as Presumptive Psychological Incapacity Constituting a Ground for the Annulment of Marriage.” (Philstar)

On Mar Roxas

What is a “chief troubleshooter” anyway?” Because the government position to be given to former senator Mar Roxas has no clear parameters, two Catholic bishops expressed disagreement with the creation of the position.  Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said Roxas should just be given a Cabinet position. “I will be in favor of giving him a Cabinet position, which is something that is clear and everybody knows the parameters of his powers,” he said.   (Philstar)

The Liberal Party (LP) denied yesterday that former senator Manuel Roxas II had met with new Commission on Elections Chairman (Comelec) Sixto Brillantes to discuss the 2016 elections. In a statement, the LP said Roxas, the party president, was only voicing the party’s concerns regarding fairness and other questions on Brillantes’ background as an election lawyer. “As we all know his term will end in February 2015, one year before the next presidential elections,” the LP said. (Philstar)

On human rights

A militant group composed of detainees during the martial law period yesterday urged President Aquino to certify as urgent the Marcos Victims Compensation bill to give justice and compensation to victims of human rights abuse during the martial law era. Former Rep. Satur Ocampo, national board member of the Samahan ng mga Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA), said the proposed legislation will officially recognize the occurrence of human rights violations by the Marcos government. The bill has been pending in the past congresses. (Philstar)