BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Edsa Bus Bombing: 4 Dead

MANILA BULLETIN -- Bus Bombed;  4 Die, 14 Hurt

PHILIPPINE STAR -- 4 Dead, 14 Hurt In Edsa Bus Blast

MANILA STANDARD -- Cory Birthday Blast Kills Four

MANILA TIMES -- Aquino Sees  ‘Terror’ In Blast

MALAYA -- PNP Placed Under Full Alert

DAILY TRIBUNE -- RP Ranks High In Terroism, Now 8th Most Dangerous

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Terror Attack

ABANTE -- Mga Buto, Laman Nagkalat!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Bus Sumabog Sa Makati, 4 Patay

 

BALITA -- Panibagong Hirit

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Former military comptroller Carlos Garcia, who was reported by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to be missing on Monday, appeared at the House of Representatives yesterday to face the House committee on justice investigating the controversial plea bargain agreement that he entered into with the Office of the Special Prosecutor. (Philstar-p3) 

Officials of the Catholic Church on Tuesday asked President Benigno Aquino 3rd not to be swayed by a “rehash” of the reproductive health (RH) bill, saying that he should be clear on what principle he is adopting for his proposed version of the measure.  According to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) News, Archbishop Paciano Aniceto of San Fernando City (Pampanga) said that President Aquino should clarify his definition of responsible parenthood. “He [President Aquino] should really explain what he means by responsible parenthood,” said Aniceto, who heads the CBCP’s Commission on Family and Life. (Mla Times-p1) 

Charter change advocates in the House of Representatives aren’t giving up the fight. The House committee on constitutional amendments is set to launch an information drive on the issue of Charter change. At a congressional hearing yesterday, the panel, headed by Loreto Leo Ocampos of Misamis Oriental, discussed the possibility of conducting yet another survey within their respective districts  (Tribune-p1) 

On Presidency

President Aquino yesterday said the experiences of his mother, former president Corazon Aquino, serve as his template of governance especially during trying times. "When I am faced with problems left and right, I go back to my mom’s experience. Napakaraming paano ang hinarap niya pero ginawa niya…I am following as an example her governance, when charting unknown territories," Aquino said during a tribute to his late mother. (Malaya-p1) 

A prominent human rights watchdog yesterday blasted President Aquino for failing to live up to his commitment in providing justice for human rights abuses, eradicate private armies and address impunity by the Philippine police and military. New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said seven months into his presidency, Aquino’s government “has taken insufficient steps to hold perpetrators of killings and other abuses accountable. (Tribune-p1) 

On The PNP

Four people were killed yesterday while 14 others were wounded in an explosion in a passenger bus at Edsa and Buendia avenue in Makati City. Initial investigation showed the blast which occurred at 1:55 p.m. inside the Newman Gold Liner bus (TXJ-710) was caused by an improvised explosive device but the exact make was still being determined. (Malaya-Banner) 

On Bus Bombing In Edsa

President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Tuesday said that the government is looking into the terrorist aspect of a bus explosion along EDSA in Makati City that killed at least four persons and injured at least 14 others. During a press conference in Malacañang, President Aquino, however, did not rule out the possibility that the blast was connected to a destabilization plot against his administration. “Wala ho tayong nakikitang threat groups sa kasalukuyan na naghahabol na mang-agaw ng kapangyarihan. Terrorist aspect ang ating sinusuri dito [We do not see threat groups at present that are poised to grab power. We are looking at the terrorist aspect here],” the President said. (Mla Times-Banner) 

Four people were killed and 14 wounded in a powerful explosion inside a bus on EDSA in Makati yesterday afternoon. Police have yet to determine the cause of the blast but have not ruled out terrorism. At Malacañang, President Aquino said the terrorism angle would be closely looked into. (Philstar-Banner)

Foreign countries all issued travel warnings to their citizens against imminent terrorist attacks in the country, which irked President Aquino, who claimed then that these foreign travel advisories were baseless, and demanded at least seven countries to withdraw their advisories.(Tribune-Banner) 

On Global Peace Index

The Philippines ranked 130th in the 2010 Global Peace Index (GPI), an international survey that measured the state of peace in 149 countries. The Philippines slid 10 places from its ranking last year because of internal conflict and crime. It is one of five countries with a steep decline in ranking, along with Cyprus (76th), Syria (115th), Georgia (142nd), and Russia (143rd). (Philstar-p1) 

On Puerto Princesa Killing

The gun used in the killing of Gerardo Ortega has been traced to an aide of former Palawan Gov. Joel T. Reyes, whose administration the murdered broadcaster had slammed for corruption, authorities said yesterday. Senior Supt. Rolando Amurao, the city police chief, said he would call Reyes for questioning in connection with Monday’s shooting of Ortega inside a used clothing store in the city that had sparked condemnation by environmentalists and media groups. (PDI-p1) 

On Carjacking

Investigators are checking reports that a dismissed senior police officer is the protector of the notorious Dominguez carjack group. Sources refused to identify the dismissed police officer pending further investigation into his alleged involvement in the carjacking cases, but they said that he was terminated from the Philippine National Police (PNP) for his alleged involvement in carjacking and fraudulent entry to the police force. “The missing link of the car theft gang with police protectors is a dismissed police officer,” said the source. (Philstar-p11) 

AT most, four influential personalities are believed to be either behind or protectors of car-theft syndicates, Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government revealed on Tuesday. Robrero did not elaborate if these individuals are from the Philippine National Police or if they are local government officials or members of the Cabinet of President Benigno Aquino 3rd. The Local Government secretary assured that he would identify these individuals once they managed to gather concrete evidence on their connection with the syndicates. (Mla Times-p1) 

On Anti-Corruption Campaign

Members of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) will form an informal advisory body on corruption, peace and security, and climate change.  MAP president Felino Palafox Jr. said they decided to form a so-called “shadow cabinet” to counsel the government on policy-making. “If I have to rate the corruption level here in the Philippines, it’s eight out of a possible ten,” said Palafox in an interview at the sidelines of the 62nd MAP inaugural meeting yesterday at the Peninsula Manila Hotel n Makati City. (Philstar-p1) 

On The Ombudsman

Citing a Supreme Court (SC) ruling, Chief Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez yesterday snubbed the hearing set by the House committee on justice aimed at determining the validity of the plea bargain agreement entered into by the Office of the Ombudsman and retired Army Maj.Gen. Carlos Garcia in connection with the former military officer’s P303-million plunder case, lecturing panel chairman, Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas on the principle of the separation of powers. (Tribune-p1) 

The House of Representatives will subpoena Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez after she snubbed the inquiry yesterday of the committee on justice on the Garcia plea bargaining agreement and mocked congressmen when she questioned the panel’s jurisdiction. The plea bargain forged by the Ombudsman with Maj. Gen. (ret.) Carlos Garcia, who was originally charged with plunder for allegedly amassing some P303 million while he was AFP comptroller, allowed the general to plead to lesser offenses. (Malaya-p1) 

On Luneta Blast Probe

The Chinese embassy in Manila yesterday declined to comment on the decision of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso not to attend the inquiry by the Hong Kong Coroner’s Court on the Aug. 23, 2010 hostage crisis at the Quirino grandstand where eight Hong Kong tourists were killed. "We do not have a comment on it as of the moment. It is a matter that should be discussed between the Hong Kong and Philippine governments," said embassy spokesman Ethan Sun in a phone interview. "I look forward to seeing the issue appropriately addressed." (Malaya-p4) 

On Gov’t Trust Rating

The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on Tuesday revealed that majority of Filipinos are still satisfied with the country’s top officials, including Vice President Jejomar Binay and Chief Justice Renato Corona, and its institutions.  Results of the poll, which were first published in BusinessWorld, said that 69 percent of respondents are satisfied with the Vice President, while 13 percent said otherwise. This percentage enabled the former mayor of Makati City to maintain his +57 satisfaction rating—just one point less than the one recorded in a similar survey in September. (Mla Times-p1) 

On The Peace Process

The informal meeting between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels in Malaysia has elicited both negative and positive response from the secessionist ranks. In his Jan. 22 letter to his counterpart in the government, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal told Dean Marvic Leonen that the GRP-MILF informal meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Jan. 13 drew mixed reactions from the MILF ranks. (Tribune-p3)