BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Nuclear Crisis Deepens

MANILA BULLETIN -- Out Of Control

PHILIPPINE STAR -- ‘No Immediate Fallout Threat’

MANILA STANDARD -- Court Clears Takeover Of Harbour Center Stake

MANILA TIMES -- Japan’s Nuke Crisis Deepens

MALAYA -- Japan Scrambles To Save Nuclear Plant From Disaster

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Noy Won’t Evacuate Pinoys In Japan

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Another Chernobyl?

ABANTE -- Marikina Fault Line ‘Hinog’ Na Para Umuga! - Philvocs

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Lola, 3 Apo Naabo

BALITA -- Bayanihan

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- UFOs Appeared Before Quake

BULGAR -- OFWs Mula Bahrain KKB Muna

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman sees a close vote on the articles of impeachment against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez on Monday even if administration supporters dominate the House. Opposition lawmakers, in a joint statement yesterday, also expressed confidence in the impartiality of senators who would act as judges in the event Gutierrez stands trial in the Senate for betrayal of public trust. (Philstar-p1) 

The House minority bloc filed a resolution yesterday calling for an inquiry into the preparedness of the government to address natural and man-made disasters. Opposition lawmakers filed House Resolution 1100 directing the House committee on national defense and security to look into the preparedness of the national government, including the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), in responding to emergencies and natural calamities. (Philstar-p6) 

The Senate has approved on third reading the bills decriminalizing vagrancy, the strengthening of the career executive service and the agreement on technical cooperation between the Philippines and Japan. Senate Bill 2726 amends Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code to decriminalize vagrancy and prostitution. (Philstar-p5) 

Former President Gloria Arroyo finally stamped her mark as a legislator after her proposal to penalize drunk driving was unanimously approved Tuesday night by the House of Representatives. House Bill 4251 was the first approved bill that Arroyo principally authored as representative of the second district of Pampanga. (Malaya-p1) 

Members of the minority in the House of Representatives are hoping that their colleagues will oppose the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez during plenary debate on the six Articles of Impeachment contained in House Resolution 1089. “The vote will not be very distant. If we will be given more time in the plenary debate, many would see the light that the Articles of Impeachment would not be strong [enough] to warrant the impeachment of the Ombudsman,” House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman told a press conference on Wednesday. (Mla Times-p1) 

On Presidency

President Aquino is supporting bills in the House of Representatives that seek to limit his power to appoint key Cabinet members and officers in the military and diplomatic service. Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Ronaldo Geron told the House committee on revision of laws yesterday that the President, as a member of the Senate in the last Congress, had introduced a similar proposed law. (Philstar-p8) 

Malacañang yesterday said stricter implementation of laws against human trafficking is among the top priorities of the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Immigration. The Philippines faces a possible downgrade under US’ trafficking prevention standards unless it improves its anti-human trafficking campaign by improving its conviction rate, among others. (Malaya-p2) 

President Aquino bragged to reporters that his government was among the first that immediately offfered humanitarian aid of some $14 million to Japan, but he now refuses to order the evacuation of some 300,000 Filipinos in Japan, and unconscionably tells its citizens in Japan not to expect his government to pay for their airfare to the Philippines. (Tribune-Banner) 

On Japan’s Quake

Japan’s nuclear crisis intensified dramatically yesterday after authorities announced that a second reactor unit at the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station in northeastern Japan may have ruptured and appeared to be releasing radioactive steam. The spike in radiation level above the nuclear plant prompted the defense ministry to put off a highly unusual plan to dump water from military helicopters to lower temperatures in an overheating pool containing spent fuel rods. (PDI-Banner) 

On Nuclear Fallout

Japan’s nuclear crisis appeared to be spinning out of control on Wednesday after workers withdrew briefly from a stricken power plant because of surging radiation levels and a helicopter failed to drop water on the most troubled reactor.  Early in the day another fire broke out at the earthquake-crippled facility, which has sent low levels of radiation wafting into Tokyo in the past 24 hours, triggering fear in the capital and international alarm.  (Malaya-Banner)

It’s a big ocean between northeastern Japan and the Philippines or the United States and thousands of kilometers from the crippled nuclear power plant to much of Asia. That means there’s little chance—at least for now—that radiation from the shattered reactors in Japan could pose a serious threat to the wider world, according to scientists. (PDI-p1) 

Malacañang yesterday denied reports that Ambassador Manuel Lopez had sought approval from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to evacuate some of the Philippines’ diplomatic staff in Japan amid the threat of nuclear fallout. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario had informed Malacañang that Lopez did not ask for the mission’s staff to leave Japan. (Philstar-p1) 

The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) yesterday assured the public that food products from Japan are safe for consumption, as they would not have been exposed to any radioactive contamination. Leonardo Leopando, head of the PNRI’s Reactor Operations Section, said there is no evidence that food products from Japan are contaminated with radioactive particles from the earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. (Philstar-p2) 

On Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

Amid the developing nuclear crisis in Japan, Science Secretary Mario Montejo expressed support for the opening of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) but stressed safety precautions should be implemented. Unlike the power plants in the quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plants in Japan, Montejo said the BNPP was constructed to withstand earthquakes and tsunamis. (Philstar-p10) 

On Manila Trench

The Philippines faces “no immediate threat” of nuclear fallout from Japan, scientists and officials said yesterday, but the country could be ripe for a major earthquake. In a radio interview, Science Secretary Mario Montejo downplayed the need to scan incoming Filipinos from Japan for radiation, at least at this time. “We discussed various scenarios Tuesday with our nuclear scientists. Even in a worst-case scenario, there is virtually no chance the radiation will reach us, especially with the Japan wind pattern, which is moving away from the Philippines. (Philstar-Banner) 

Manila Trench, a geologic fault just 50 kilometers away from Corregidor in Bataan province across Manila Bay, could generate an earthquake of 8.5 in magnitude and tsunami of up to 4 meters high, an official of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) told the Senate on Wednesday. Deputy Director Bartolome Bautista of the Phivolcs told a joint hearing on disaster preparedness that the fault is so close that any tsunami generated by its movement could reach inland in 10 to 15 minutes, giving virtually no lead time for an early warning of a looming disaster. (Mla Times-p1) 

On Middle East Pinoys

Malacañang said yesterday it would repatriate overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Bahrain who may want to go home, but will not yet resort to forced evacuation and repatriation despite the declaration of martial law in that country. Violence in Bahrain escalated anew after the Kingdom’s besieged monarch declared martial law and ordered troops –including Saudi forces – to take all measures to quell a festering rebellion. (Philstar-p2) 

The last batch of Filipino workers who escaped hostilities in Libya is arriving in the country within the week, according to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). OWWA chief Carmelita Dimzon said the repatriation of Filipino workers from Libya is expected to end this week with the arrival of the last group of 2,000 workers. (Philstar-p4) 

On The Armed Forces

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban vowed to ensure the timely release of military funds and to discourage the practice of “conversion,” which is said to be a source of corruption. In an interview with GMA News, Oban stressed that he will not tolerate the conversion of funds and other forms of irregularities in the Armed Forces. (Philstar-p5) 

On The PNP

Malacañang sees nothing wrong with the appointment of Director Leocadio Santiago Jr., former Metro Manila police commander, as director for operations after he had completed his 11-day suspension. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Santiago was not “promoted” and only assumed a position for his rank. Santiago had completed his suspension and could already go back to work, he added. (Philstar-p1) 

On The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court (SC) has been asked to stop the government from implementing its P21-billion conditional cash transfer (CCT) program. Former senator Aquino Pimentel Jr. and two barangay officials questioned the legality of the program, saying it violates the Constitution and the Local Government Code. Petitioners said Malacañang had recentralized functions of the national government like delivery of social welfare and health services already assigned by law to local governments. (Philstar-p4) 

City hall employees here on Tuesday appealed to the Supreme Court (SC) to reconsider its decision upholding the constitutionality of laws converting 16 municipalities into cities. Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, along with members of the city council, various multi-sectoral organizations and local government workers wore shirts printed with “Stop the illegal conversion of municipalities – League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP)” and raised their clenched fists in the air to protest against the SC’s recent decision. (Philstar-p9) 

On ARMM

Commission on Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes yesterday said President Aquino wants to de-politicize the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao by appointing a public administrator instead of a politician to run the ARMM in a caretaker capacity should the scheduled Aug. 8 election be postponed. Aquino has been vocal in backing the legislative proposal (House Bill 4146) to postpone this year’s ARMM polls and synchronize it with the 2013 elections, and to appoint a caretaker government to run the region until then.  (Malaya-p1) 

On The Peace Process

The next round of formal negotiations between the government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been set for April 27-28, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace process (OPAPP) said on Wednesday. (Malaya-p2)