BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Female Broadcaster Slain

MANILA BULLETIN -- Contamination Scare

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Ligot Under Senate Custody For Contempt

MANILA STANDARD -- Go Slow On The Justices Speaker Advises House

MANILA TIMES -- China Pleads ‘Understanding’

MALAYA -- Senate Orders Ligot Arrested

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Ligots Ordered Arrested; Isafp Graft Bared

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Arrest Ligot

ABANTE -- Adik Na Kongresista Ire-Rehab

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Huling Hirit Sa 3 Pinoy

BALITA -- Lethal Injection

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- The Sexual Seduction Of A Sixteener

BULGAR -- Bading Naglaslas

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot was arrested last night and detained at the Senate following the issuance of an order citing him for contempt. The Senate cited Ligot and his wife Erlinda for contempt for feigning sickness when they failed to attend yesterday’s hearings of the Blue Ribbon committee investigating alleged corruption in the military. (Philstar-Banner) 

Senators will not be swayed by opinions and calls from different sectors, including Malacañang, for the conviction of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez when they convene as an impeachment court on May 9. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who will serve as presiding officer during the impeachment trial, said the opinions of various sectors about the issue would have no bearing on the decision-making process, as far as he is concerned. (Philstar-p1) 

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has ordered the reactivation of the office of Sen. Panfilo Lacson in anticipation of his return to the Senate. Enrile issued the order a few days after the Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling quashing the warrant of arrest against Lacson. The Senate committee on ethics and privileges, on the other hand, said it would start hearing the complaint against Lacson when Congress resumes session on May 9. (Philstar-p1) 

Accountability and transparency are keys to good governance, according to Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Belmonte said corruption continues to gnaw at institutions and hamper reform efforts. The Speaker spoke at the launching yesterday of the “Temasek Foundation: Policy, Governance and Capacity Building Program for Philippine Leaders and Educators (PGCB Program)” at the Ateneo de Manila University. (Philstar-p2) 

On Presidency

President Aquino is no believer of the rule of law. Instead indications point to his embracing the rule of force, or mob rule. This was the gist of the comment made by a former congressman. The former member of the House of Representatives yesterday warned President Aquino that he could be courting trouble for calling on the people to support the impeachment case against Chief Ombudsman Merceditas “Merci” Gutierrez. (Tribune-p1)  Impeachment

The six Cabinet members whose confirmations were deemed bypassed after the Commission on Appointments (CA) went on Lenten break will most likely be re-appointed, Malacañang said yesterday. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said President Aquino has confidence in Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, and National Economic and Development Authority Director General Cayetano Paderanga. (Philstar-p5) 

On Media Killing

A lone gunman shot and killed a radio news anchor with a single bullet fired to the back of the head. He then picked up the spent shell and walked away calmly, police said. Marlina “Len” Flores-Sumera, 45, of radio station dzME’s “Arangkada 1530,” was killed a few meters away from her home on Silonian Street at Barangay Maysilo in Malabon City as she was about to board a jeepney on her way to work yesterday morning. (PDI-Banner) 

On Japan’s Tragedy

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director Efren Nuestro yesterday said he had issued “verbal orders” banning Japanese chocolate milk products shipped to the Philippines after the March 11 earthquake, as more countries shunned food imports from quake-hit Japan. Russia, Australia, Canada and Singapore were the latest to join the list of countries which had banned Japanese food imports as radioactive steam wafted anew from the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station, stoking global anxiety. (PDI-p1) 

The Philippine government has cancelled the deployment of its search and rescue team to Japan and will instead donate relief goods to the quake-hit country. National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Benito Ramos said P1.3-million worth of relief goods from the social welfare department will be flown to Japan today via a commercial flight. “The relief items they requested will be brought to Japan via Philippine Airlines for free. These consist of food and non-food items,” Ramos said in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City yesterday. (Philstar-p8) 

On Pinoy Drug Mule

The execution of three Filipinos sentenced to death for drug trafficking in China will not be done in public, a senior official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday. All three sentences will be carried out on March 30. The official, who asked not to be named, said China’s criminal procedure provides that executions shall be announced but not held in public. (Philstar-p1) 

On Trust Survey

The latest survey of Pulse Asia released yesterday showed that more Filipinos trust Vice President Jejomar Binay than President Aquino. Binay emerged as the most appreciated (83 percent) and most trusted (81 percent) national government official in Pulse Asia’s March 2011 “Ulat ng Bayan” national survey. Aquino, on the other hand, received a 74 percent approval rating and 75 percent trust rating. The non-commissioned poll conducted from Feb. 24 to March 6 used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults aged 18 years old and above. (Philstar-p1) 

On Marcos Burial

A Malacañang official insisted yesterday that it would be up to Vice President Jejomar Binay to decide whether to heed the call of 193 members of the House of Representatives to give the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos a hero’s burial. “We will leave that to the Vice President to study the matter, and with respect to the resolution authored by Congressman (Salvador) Escudero,” said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda. Escudero served as agriculture minister of Marcos until his ouster. Escudero’s son, Sen. Francis Escudero, is a close ally of President Aquino. (Philstar-p6) 

On RH Bill

Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales is set to lead today a prayer rally against the controversial reproductive health bill. Rosales, archbishop of Manila, asked "pro-life" sectors, organizations and communities to join the "Filipinos! Unite under God for Life" event at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park which starts at 4 p.m. and which coincides with the observance of the feast of the Annunciation which has also been declared as the Day of Unborn Children.  (Malaya-p1) 

On South China Sea

China warned yesterday against any oil exploration without its consent in waters it claims in the South China Sea after the Philippines announced plans for possible drilling. Manila’s Department of Energy said Wednesday that UK-based Forum Energy had completed a seismic survey for the Reed Bank, near the disputed Spratly Islands. The Spratlys are called the Nansha Islands in Chinese and claimed by Beijing. (Tribune-p3)