BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- P-Noy Attacks Sandigan Ruling

MANILA BULLETIN -- Aquino: Plea Bargain Flawed

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Noy Slams Approval Of Garcia Plea Deal

MANILA STANDARD -- Palace Makes Senate Push To Postpone ARMM Polls

MANILA TIMES -- Court Seizes Ligot Assets

MALAYA -- Mission: Scrub Plea Bargain

DAILY TRIBUNE -- De Lima Bares Palace Bid To Stop Sandigan Plea Rule

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Noy To Appeal Garcia Ruling

ABANTE -- Mga Sundalo Kumukulo

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Militar Mag-Aaklas

 

BALITA -- State Of Calamity

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Phone-Order Prostitutes

BULGAR -- Simbahan Suko Na Sa RH Bill

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

The leadership of the House of Representatives is studying the possibility of holding sessions on Thursdays to fast-track the passage of pending bills. Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the chamber has 15 session days to go before Congress adjourns its first regular session. Currently, both the Senate and the House hold sessions in the afternoon from Monday to Wednesday, though both chambers often hold public hearings throughout the week. (Philstar-p16) 

A party-list lawmaker took the initiative of adding another feather in the cap of boxing legend Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao for his latest victory over American Shane Mosley. Ang Kasangga sa Kaunlaran Rep. Teodorico Haresco filed a resolution citing Pacquiao for bringing “yet another proud achievement for the whole nation as he carries the hopes of 90 million Filipinos every time he climbs the ring.” (Philstar-p9) 

On Presidency

President Aquino yesterday admitted he is over P4-million richer since he became the country’s chief executive, but only because he of his inheritance from his parents. “The net worth has increased by the mere fact that my mother died, my dad died and they gave me an inheritance. So, that’s the only reason that it has increased,” he told reporters in an informal interview at the Commission on Audit. (Philstar-p10) 

Amid reports of intense lobbying from various sectors as the ban on the appointment of losing candidates ends today, Sen. Edgardo Angara urged President Aquino to choose the right people for the right jobs. “I hope he really picks good people and recruits talented and competent people, not just simply on the basis of political affiliation,” Angara said. While the present batch of appointees is a good combination of “several recycled” and “entirely new ones,” Angara said there is no substitute to more experienced people helping the President. (Philstar-p12) 

President Aquino will get a free hand in dishing out choice posts in government-sequestered companies after issuing Executive Order 42 which directed the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) to replace all holdover nominees in sequestered or surrendered corporations. The Palace said Aquino issued the order to protect the interest of the government.  (Tribune-p1) 

On Gen Plea Bargain

President Benigno Aquino III yesterday greeted with incredulity the Sandiganbayan’s approval of the plea bargain between former military comptroller Carlos Garcia and special prosecutors of the Office of the Ombudsman over Garcia’s P303-million plunder case. “I’m wondering how the Sandiganbayan arrived at this kind of decision. It’s like as if (the anti-graft court) was in a vacuum,” the President told reporters after attending the 112th anniversary of the Commission on Audit in Quezon City. (PDI-Banner) 

On Sandiganbayan

Former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez yesterday said the Sandiganbayan decision approving the plea bargain agreement between government prosecutors and former military comptroller Carlos Garcia has vindicated the Office of the Ombudsman. She described the ruling as “an acknowledgment that we have not been remiss in our duty to protect the interest of the government and the Filipino people.” (Philstar-p1) 

On State Auditors

President Benigno Aquino III yesterday told state auditors—“the eyes of the bureaucracy,” in his words—that they could now do their job of safeguarding the public coffers without fear that they would be stopped. Speaking at the 112th anniversary celebration of the Commission on Audit (COA) at its office in Quezon City, the President urged state auditors to join his administration’s fight against corruption, saying that things were now different under his watch. (PDI-p1) 

On Wage Hike

Workers in Metro Manila are unlikely to get additional pay. Ciriaco Lagunzad III, National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) executive director, yesterday said they usually dismiss a petition to reverse a wage board’s ruling. “On several occasions, the commission received appeals on wage orders, but the boards render the best decision on this matter and any appeal is usually dismissed,” he said. (Philstar-p1) 

On Reproductive Health

For the second time, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) pulled out of the dialogue with Malacañang on the Reproductive Health (RH) or Responsible Parenthood (RP) bill because of President Aquino’s strong support of the family planning measure. CBCP secretary-general Monsignor Juanito Figura said yesterday they were put off by Aquino’s recent declaration that he would implement his five-point agenda in the bill. (Philstar-p1) 

On Liquified Petroleum

Independent refillers and dealers grouped under the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers’ Association (LPGMA) party-list yesterday declared a rollback of 50 centavos per kilogram in the price of cooking fuel. “LPGMA members are pleased to announce to consumers that effective tomorrow, May 11, LPG prices will be slashed by 50 centavos per kilo,” LPGMA party-list Rep. Arnel Ty said in a statement. (Philstar-p1) 

On The Papal Nuncio

The Vatican announced yesterday the appointment of Italian Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto as the new Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines. CBCPNews, the official news service provider of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), reported that Archbishop Pinto would replace Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, who has been transferred to Greece. Pinto’s appointment was officially announced in Rome on May 10 at noon. Pinto was born on May 26, 1952 and was ordained as a priest on April 1, 1978. He is a native of Bari, Italy. (Philstar-p2) 

On Visiting Forces Agreement

Former President Joseph Estrada favors a review of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). In a radio interview with former ambassador Ernesto Maceda, Estrada said it would be timely to review the VFA in light of the US military action in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden. Estrada said he objects to the manner by which the US raided a mansion housing bin Laden in Pakistan. “We have the United Nations,” he said. “The UN was created for all countries to follow the UN’s rules and regulations. I think the Americans are not exempted from the rule.” (Philstar-p7) 

On Universal Health

President Aquino is completing a universal health care program that would cover all Filipinos in three years, Health Secretary Enrique Ona revealed here yesterday. Even as Congress is yet to legislate a measure ensuring mandatory universal health care coverage for all Filipinos, Ona said Aquino is already working on a timetable to complete the health program. Ona said the Department of Health (DOH) aims to implement such a program in two years. (Philstar-p11) 

Sen. Vicente Sotto 3rd on Tuesday urged the Senate to probe the Department of Health (DOH) on the supposedly missing P423 million in funds for purchase of contraceptives for use in local government units (LGUs). Sotto said that the P423 million covered three years, 2008 to 2010, which means that the funds were handled by former Health Secretaries Francisco Duque (2004-2009) and Esperanza Cabral (January 2009 -June 2010). (Mla Times-p1) 

On South China Sea

Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Oban, Jr. is optimistic that China would abide by an agreement that all claimants to the Spratlys avoid the use of force in settling conflicts. Responding to a question on China’s naval build-up, Oban said: “I think...they will be true to their word in abiding by the code of parties in the South China Sea.” China has announced that it will deploy an additional 36 ships in the South China Sea area within a five-year period. (Philstar-p11) 

On Gen Ligot

The Sandiganbayan has garnished about P40 million in various assets owned by former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot. According to the two-page Sheriff’s Report dated May 6, the anti-graft court has frozen four bank accounts of Ligot in the Armed Forces and Police Savings and Loans Association Inc. (AFPSLAI) worth P7.4 million, five parcels of lots and condominium units. The report, prepared by Sheriff Romulo Barrozo, showed that the AFPSLAI accounts of Ligot had been seized. (Mla Times-Banner) 

On ARMM Elections

President Aquino yesterday met with six senators to drum up support for a bill that seeks to postpone the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) from August 8 this year to May 13, 2013. Aquino first met over lunch with Senators Franklin Drilon, Ralph Recto, Francis Pangilinan, and Teofisto Guingona III who all belong to his political party – the Liberal Party – in Malacañang. In the afternoon, he met with Senators Panfilo Lacson and Antonio Trillanes IV. He is set to meet with the other senators in the coming days. (Malaya-p1)