BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Allies Bomb Ghadafi Forces

MANILA BULLETIN -- Missiles Hit Libya

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Allied Forces Hammer Libya

MANILA STANDARD -- Iglesia Rejects Party Voting On Move To Oust Gutierrez

MANILA TIMES -- West Rains Missiles On Libya

MALAYA -- Is Today The Day For Merci?

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Impeach Dead In Water After Noy Ally Miscues

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Libya Pounded

ABANTE -- Giyera Na

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Libya Inulan Ng Missiles

 

BALITA -- Target Libya

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- The Roaming ‘Rapist’

BULGAR -- Libya Binomba Na!

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will resume today its inquiry into alleged corruption in the Armed Forces. Panel chair Sen. Teofisto Guingona III said the inquiry would determine what reforms the AFP has implemented "since reports of this alleged corruption in the military broke out."  (Malaya-p3) 

Congressmen are scheduled to vote today on whether to oust beleaguered Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez or keep her in office until her retirement in November next year. Gutierrez’s backers, including an influential religious group, are reportedly moving heaven and earth to derail her imminent impeachment. Despite what some of them describe as “external pressure,” the 81 members of the Liberal Party, whose titular head is President Aquino, are expected to vote as one in ousting the Ombudsman. (Philstar-p1) 

On Presidency

President Benigno Aquino3rd will not use the “pork barrel” to influence lawmakers into supporting the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, Malacañang assured on Sunday. Deputy spokesman Abigail Valte, however, refused to comment on a text message purportedly threatening lawmakers that they would not get their priority development assistance fund (PDAF), or pork barrel, if they would not vote for the impeachment of Gutierrez. (Mla Times-p1) Impeachment

President Aquino yesterday graced the graduation ceremonies of his nephew Joshua, and was very thankful to the Multiple Intelligence International School in Quezon City for significantly improving the status of the eldest son of his youngest sister Kris. (Philstar-p12) 

The Aquino administration has rebuffed a US request for open support of UN military action against Moammar Gadhafi, saying Manila could not speak publicly against the Libyan strongman because of the presence of Filipino workers in the North African country. US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. has sought the Aquino administration’s public support for the UN Security Council resolution authorizing military action to protect civilians and a no-fly zone in Libya. (PDI-p1) Libyan crisis

On The Ombudsman

The impeachment bid against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is all but dead after the unnecessary disclosure by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., chairman of the House committee on justice, of the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s (INC) alleged lobbying in favor of Gutierrez and the supposed “no impeachment, no pork barrel” threat through a text message on lawmakers, several legislators indicated yesterday. (Tribune-Banner) 

On Libyan Turmoil

US and European forces unleashed warplanes and missiles against Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi on Saturday, and followed up their broad campaign of air strikes on Sunday in a military intervention on a scale not seen in the Arab world since the Iraq war. American warships and a British submarine fired at least 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles into Libya on Saturday, according to Vice Adm. William Gortney who also told reporters at the Pentagon that the cruise missiles “struck more than 20 integrated air defense systems and other air defense facilities ashore.” (PDI-Banner) 

Before his forces came under attack on Saturday, Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi issued letters warning US President Barack Obama and other Western leaders not to use military might against him. The tone of the letters—one addressed to Obama and a second to President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations—suggested that Gadhafi was leaving himself little room to back down. “Libya is not yours. Libya is for all Libyans,” Gadhafi wrote in a letter that was read to the news media by a spokesperson. (PDI-p23) 

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday that the Philippines will abide by the “no-fly zone” edict issued by the United Nations Security council over Libyan airspace in the face of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s defiant response to world leaders’ plan to take military action against him. Lawyer Ed Malaya, DFA spokesman, said they saw no adverse effect this course of action will have on Filipinos still in Libya, whose number has been drastically reduced as a result of the mass evacuation in the past weeks. (Philstar-p4) 

On Japan’s Crisis

An 80-year-old woman and her teenage grandson were rescued yesterday in northeastern Japan when the youth was able to pull himself out of their flattened two-story house nine days after the devastating earthquake and tsunami. Jin Abe, 16, was seen calling out for help from the roof of the collapsed home in the hard-hit city of Ishinomaki, according to the Miyagi Prefectural Police. (Philstar-p1) 

On Tourist Arrivals

Over a thousand Japanese nationals have been coming to the country every day through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals in various flights from Japan. The increase in arrivals came after the powerful earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last March 11 and after it raised its radioactivity alert to level 5 at its nuclear plant in Fukushima which has been badly damaged due to the disaster. Immigration Airport Operations Division (AOD) chief Ynn Pelia said they have noticed that the arrivals of Japanese increased after the incident, as compared to the number of arrivals in previous months. (Philstar-p4) 

On The Armed Forces

The Philippine military on Sunday said that it would not tolerate hazing as part of its training after a video posted on the Internet shows Army soldiers torturing draftees in a simulation of enemy prison scenarios. “Hazing is not tolerated in the Philippine Army, including the previous escape and evasion training that used simulated physical pains,” said a statement released by the Department of Defense. The two-part video, which runs for over 14 minutes, were uploaded on YouTube by a revolutionary media group in the Bicol region called ISNAYP.  (Mla Times-p1) 

The Armed Forces of the Philippines top brass likes to say that it does not tolerate human-rights violators in its ranks, but in Central Luzon, the Armed Forces continues to have in its payroll an intelligence asset wanted for at least nine murders in Pampanga during then-President Gloria Arroyo’s term. Armed Forces sources confirmed that Wilfredo T. Layug Jr. still draws a salary as an intelligence operative of the Army’s Seventh Infantry Division at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, despite being the principal respondent in four cases of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in 2006. He was wanted for five other murders at the time. (Mla Times-p1) 

On ARMM Elections

Lawmakers of the upper chamber over the weekend expressed irritation over apparent Malacañang pressure to pass a bill seeking to postpone the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Sen. Joker Arroyo, for one, maintained that the Senate was not a rubber stamp of Malacañang that would do whatever the executive branch wants. (Mla Times-p3) 

On Earth Hour

In an effort to further relieve the planet of carbon stress for at least 60 minutes, this year’s observance of Earth Hour should be more than just turning off lights but also other non-essential appliances. Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje said he is encouraging the public to take the second step towards taking care of the planet by doing more than what is being done every year. Earth Hour 2011 will be observed on Saturday, March 26, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Philstar-p9) 

On Iodized  Salt Intake

The World Health Organization yesterday warned people, who insist on "protecting" themselves against nuclear radiation from Japan, that an overdose of iodized salt could result in poisoning. It also said iodized salt and other forms of iodine cannot be taken as alternatives to potassium iodide pills as a way to counter radiation effects. (Malaya-p1) 

On Cool Summer

This year’s summer season is expected to be cooler than last year due to the prevailing La Niña phenomenon. Robert Sawi, weather section chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said the La Niña event is likely to bring rains in the country during the summer months of April and May. (Philstar-p1)