BROADSHEETS 

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- DoJ: NPA, not AFP, killed UP botanist

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Ochoa on Mar: No problem 

MANILA BULLETIN -- It's nobody but Binay

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Ex-DA chief dares Noy: Name names on scam

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- 8 hurt in another MRT mishap

ABANTE -- Bigas mafia i-plunder na

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON --  Bacalzo gigisahin sa carjacking 

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- No to death

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

The Senate moved a step closer to passing the proposed government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) governance act with almost all of the senators signing the committee report on the bill the other day. President Aquino has indicated that the bill would be among the 12 measures he would certify as urgent during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting at the end of the month. Sen. Franklin Drilon, principal author of the bill, said that he would sponsor the bill on the floor next week and, barring any obstacles, this could be approved on second reading. (Philstar)

On Mar Roxas

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. sees no problem with former senator Manuel Roxas II joining the Cabinet as chief troubleshooter. According to Ochoa, the present setup in the Cabinet would not change with the entry of the former senator by June. As of now, Roxas is serving as a personal senior adviser of President Aquino. The executive secretary is traditionally seen as the “little president” and troubleshooter of the Chief Executive.(Philstar)

On carnapping

Car thieves appeared undeterred by the authorities’ heightened alert as one more vehicle was stolen in Metro Manila yesterday. Malacañang, meanwhile, said the spate of carjackings has reached an alarming level and vowed no letup in the campaign against the perpetrators. Carl Balita, a dzMM radio program host, lost his white 2010 Toyota Grandia van with license plate ZSA 299 to unidentified men while parked outside Torre Venezia condominium at the corner of Timog Ave. and Mother Ignacia street in Quezon City. (Philstar)

On rice scam

The government is investigating and gathering evidence on the alleged anomalies in rice importation by the National Food Authority (NFA) with the end result of pressing charges against those found responsible. “If the evidence warrants (charges will be filed),” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said. She said President Aquino’s exposé of the supposed irregularities in rice importation during the Liberal Party’s 65th founding anniversary last Wednesday was not done prematurely because even if the full audit is not yet finished, an informal audit was already conducted. (Philstar)

On Charter change

House leaders have proposed the creation of a joint congressional consultative commission on Charter change to bring the issue of amending the 1987 Constitution to the grassroots and allow the people to have a voice in the entire reform process. Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, chairman of the House committee on public information, wrote a letter to Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Jan. 18 pushing for the creation of the body, which he said would help increase the people’s participation in Charter change. Copies of the letter were furnished to reporters yesterday. (Philstar)

On Atty. Lozano's son

Emerson Lozano, the car dealer who was kidnapped, murdered and found burned, was laid to rest yesterday in Marikina City. “We feel a painful burden in our hearts,” his grieving father, former Marcos lawyer Oliver Lozano, said after the burial at the Loyola Memorial Park. According to the elder Lozano, what keeps the family together after the tragedy is their faith in God and the belief that his son is now in a blissful reunion with his departed grandparents and other relatives.(Philstar)

On new appointments

President Aquino has appointed Akbayan president Ronald Llamas as presidential adviser on political affairs instead of a member of the Liberal Party (LP). Aquino justified his choice of Llamas, saying he had been a long-time ally and “could serve as bridge to both the formal political parties and marginalized sectors.” The President earlier named Llamas as member of the board of directors of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). (Philstar)

On peace talks

The military yesterday urged communist rebels to prove their sincerity in the peace talks by stopping the use of landmines in their combat operations. As this developed, a multinational risk consultancy firm said that the Armed Forces cannot defeat the New People’s Army (NPA) in its strongholds and cannot contain the rebels’ extortion activities that target investors. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said the continuous use of explosives banned by international conventions constitutes an act of “bad faith.”(Philstar)

On LGUs

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo warned governors and mayors yesterday to disclose the finances of their respective localities or face sanctions. Robredo said the full disclosure of the budget and finances of local governments would allow the public to scrutinize how local government officials spend the people’s money. “This is a big step towards ensuring that government resources are used responsibly and for the right purpose,” said Robredo.(Philstar)

On judiciary

Chief Justice Renato Corona broke his silence yesterday and assailed what he calls the “propaganda war” against the Supreme Court (SC) for its recent rulings on prominent cases. Corona lamented how certain people consistently criticized decisions of the Court “in unison” even if some of them don’t really understand the rulings. “A propaganda war was unleashed on recent judgments. There are people who went out of their way to disparage the decisions of the SC,” he told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines during the forum “Prospects for the Philippines” held in Makati City. (Philstar)