BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Blast Ends Lovers’ Dreams

MANILA BULLETIN -- Bus Bombers Convicted

PHILIPPINE STAR -- ‘Cell Phone Set Off Bomb’

MANILA STANDARD -- Govt Suspects Mindanao Militants Behind Bus Blast

MANILA TIMES -- Blast Preemptive Attack

MALAYA -- Bus Bomb ‘Signature’ Traced

DAILY TRIBUNE -- DND Chief Caught Flatfooted But Admits Govt Was Tipped Off

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Bus Blast Toll Climbs To 5

ABANTE -- “Nang Makita Ko Ang Anak Ko Butas Na Ang Tiyan”

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Terror Alert Sa Buong Bansa

 

BALITA -- Seguridad Hinigpitan

BULGAR -- Cellphone Ginamit Sa Bus Bombing

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

The Commission on Appointments (CA) finally confirmed yesterday Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras and Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo. The CA also started deliberations on the appointment of Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, but the hearing was deferred after Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said that he would like to ask the defense official more questions at the next hearing. (Philstar-p1) 

There is no need to come up with a responsible parenthood (RP) bill to compliment the pending reproductive health (RH) bill measure proposed in the House of Representatives, an RH bill author in the House said Wednesday. House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman noted that the responsible parenthood bill parallels Lagman’s House Bill 96 along with five other pending allied bills as shown by its title “An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population and Development, and For Other Purposes.” (Mla Times-p3) 

On Presidency

President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Wednesday said his administration would consult the oil companies on the suggestion to allow the oil players to do their price increases every 30 days instead of every week. Sen. Ralph Recto, Senate Ways and Means chairman and Energy panel senior member, earlier urged the government to intervene to help mitigate the impact of the weekly price hikes in petroleum products. Recto said the government should just allow the oil companies to do their price increases every 30 days, adding that the waiting period would give consumers “some breathing space.” (Mla Times-p3) 

On The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has upheld the life sentence handed down by a Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) to three men who carried out the bombing of a passenger bus in Makati City on Valentine’s Day five years ago. The blast, which left four people dead and over 60 others wounded, was part of a series of terrorist attacks in different parts of the country on Feb. 14, 2005, which were later referred to as the “Valentine’s Day bombings.” (PDI-p1) 

On Amnesty Program

The Department of National Defense (DND) has granted amnesty to former Navy officer Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who was tagged in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the 2007 Manila Peninsula hotel siege. Data from the ad hoc amnesty committee showed that Trillanes’ application was approved by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin last Jan. 21. (Philstar-p1) 

On Makati Bus Bombing

President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Wednesday said that a bus explosion on Tuesday that killed five persons and injured more than a dozen others could be the handiwork of attackers who may be planning another strike at his administration. According to President Aquino, the government, however, for now would not point to any particular group as being behind the blast. “We’re not even sure that the label ‘terrorists’ is the most appropriate [for those who carried out the attack],” said the President, who also on Tuesday saw “terror” and “destabilization” in the explosion. No individuals or groups have claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack. (Mla Times-Banner) 

Even as the Aquino government authorities were tipped off on the bus bombing before the bomb went off, they were still caught with their pants down. This was admitted by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin yesterday as he said the government was caught flatfooted on Tuesday’s bus explosion despite the fact that the authorities had been tipped off about a possible terror attack.  (Tribune-Banner) 

The explosion that ripped apart a bus in Makati the other day, killing five passengers, was caused by a mortar bomb triggered by a mobile phone, police said yesterday. The rigged explosive is typically used by Islamic extremists, raising the likelihood that the bombing was a terrorist attack. (Philstar-Banner) 

Sweethearts Shirley Kristel Ausena, 25, and Jhohansson Reyes, 24, left home on Tuesday morning with high hopes for their families and each other. Their dreams of finding a better life were shattered by the explosion that ripped through a passenger bus in Makati City just before 2 p.m. Kristel and Jhohansson were among the five people killed in the explosion, which authorities claimed was caused by an improvised explosive device. Like the sweethearts, the fifth fatality, Irish Teniola, 22, also supported her family. (PDI-Banner) 

The explosive device that ripped through a passenger bus in Makati City Tuesday was made from an 81-mm mortar round with a cellular phone as triggering device, the Metro Manila police said yesterday. This improvised explosive device (IED) is said to be the signature of the Abu Sayyaf group, rogue members of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front members, and extortion groups like the Alkobar which has been targeting buses in Mindanao. (Malaya-Banner) 

A mortar shell triggered by a mobile phone—the same method used by the Abu Sayyaf in the bombing of a bus in 2005 on EDSA in Makati—exploded on a bus on the same highway in the city that killed five passengers on Tuesday, President Benigno Aquino III’s national security adviser said yesterday. Security adviser Cesar Garcia said it was too early to say exactly who was behind the blast, but pointed out that the attack was very similar to a bus bombing on EDSA (Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue) that killed four people and injured 60 others on Feb. 14, 2005. (PDI-p1) 

On Media Killing

Police yesterday filed murder charges against a former government official and four other men in the shooting death of hard-hitting radio commentator Gerry Ortega.  Charged were former Palawan provincial administrator Romeo Seratubias, the confessed gunman Marlon Dichaves, his alleged lookout Dennis Aranas, Jun-Jun Bumar and Armando Noel Loria. (PDI-p1) 

On Police Operations

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday led lawmakers in grilling top police officials over the integrity of the pieces of evidence seized by the police against suspected car theft ringleader Raymond Dominguez. Enrile questioned the police operations where lawmen recovered the partially burned driver’s license of victim Venson Evangelista and several vehicle license plates from various safehouses of the suspects. Enrile did not discount the possibility that the police could have planted evidence in an earnest effort to solve the crime. (Philstar-p1) 

On OFW Deployment

Here’s good news for aspiring overseas Filipino workers. The Philippine government is not halting the processing and deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) even to countries still “uncertified” by the government as safe destinations for workers. Labor Undersecretary Danilo Cruz said the government is not imposing any ban or stopping the deployment of workers while the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is still evaluating the certification issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). (Philstar-p4) 

On The Armed Forces

The military needs at least P42.13 billion in the next five years to upgrade its capability and implement security programs. Military data showed P11.66 billion of the program has been allotted to the Army; P14.36 billion for the Air Force and P14.49 billion has been earmarked for the Navy. The remaining P1.62 billion has been allocated to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) General Headquarters and various support units. (Philstar-p8) 

On NAIA Terminal-3

The impasse over the Terminal 3 project of the Ninoy Aquino International Aiport (NAIA) remained on the table even during a meeting between President Aquino and German liberal democrats supposedly to discuss human rights and politics that underlined the deep concern of Germany over the long-drawn dispute involving one of its major companies, the state-owned airport developer Fraport AG. President Aquino told reporters that human rights issue was on top of the agenda when he met German officials who went to Malacañang last Monday to accompany Commissioner Mark Loning of the Federal Government’s Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid who made a courtesy call to Aquino but the discussions veered off to the Fraport issue.  (Tribune-p1) 

On US-RP Relations

The Philippines and the United States will hold their first strategic dialogue in Manila today until tomorrow to discuss the two countries’ various concerns on foreign policies, trade and economy and defense and security.  Philippine-US relations have been nurtured by a shared history and adherence to common values, especially a commitment to freedom, democracy and free enterprise, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. “The dialogue will affirm the strength of the Philippine-US alliance and the dynamic partnership for peace, security, stability and prosperity,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said in a statement, adding that the dialogue is a “clear manifestation” of both countries’ resolve to enhance their relations. (Mla Times-p1) 

The Philippines and the United States will hold a two-day meeting in Manila beginning today to chart the future direction of the two countries’ bilateral relations and at the same time discuss pressing concerns such as the South China Sea disputes, the Mindanao peace process, the possible review of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the continuing battle against terrorism. (Tribune-p1) 

On Political Violence

A study on election-related violence (ERV) revealed that most candidates who won in the 2010 elections are leaders of partisan armed groups or operate their own private armies. According to the findings gathered by the Political Democracy and Reforms Program of the Ateneo School of Government, 76 percent of the personalities identified as leaders of about 107 private army groups in the county are local politicians from traditional political dynasties. The study also indicated that most cases of election-related violence involved shooting and harassment—with both seeing the use of illegitimate or loose firearms. (Mla Times-p1) 

On La Nina

The weather pattern behind floods and extreme conditions in Australia, Asia, Africa and South America is one of the strongest ever and could last for four more months, the United Nations (UN) weather agency said on Tuesday. “In atmospheric terms, it has to be termed one of the strongest ever La Niña episodes,” said Rupa Kumar Kolli, the head of world climate services at the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO). “The most important impacts we have witnessed in recent months have been the devastating floods in Australia,” he told journalists. The Geneva-based WMO said in its latest update that “a significant La Niña episode” was continuing in the tropical Pacific Ocean “with effects extending onto adjacent ocean basins.” (Mla Times-p2) 

On Cash Transfer Program

Funds from controversial Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Subsidy Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under its chief, Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, as predicted, have been going to families who can hardly be considered the poorest of the poor. CCT stipends have been found to make their way to families that cannot be considered as indigents. (Tribune-p1)