BROADSHEETS 

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- World hails death of Osama bin Laden

MANILA BULLETIN -- Bin Laden is dead

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Phl security forces ready for retaliatory attacks 

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Ombudsman to make or break Noy — JPE

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Bin Laden is dead

ABANTE -- Osama Bin Laden killed!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Osama bin Laden patay na!  

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Full 7-year term

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. vowed yesterday the immediate passage of a bill seeking to increase the participation of non-government organizations, the private sector, and the public in eradicating poverty and promoting economic growth. Belmonte said House Bill 4374, the Filipino Volunteerism in Nation Building Bill, of which he is co-author, is a blueprint for a poverty-free Philippines by 2024. “It will not be an easy journey, but we can do it by making every Filipino a nation builder,” he said. (Philstar)

On Bin Laden

President Aquino ordered yesterday the military and police to be on full alert following the killing of top international terrorist leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. “The death of Osama bin Laden marks a signal defeat for the forces of extremism and terrorism,” Aquino said in a statement. “It represents the death of the efforts of one man to stoke the fires of sectarian hatred and to promote terrorism on a scale unprecedented in the history of mass murder.” US Special Forces killed the al-Qaeda leader at his safehouse in Abbotabad, Pakistan during a firefight.(Philstar)

On Ombudsman

The new Ombudsman will serve a full term of seven years and will not only complete the unexpired tenure of Merceditas Gutierrez, members of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) agreed in a meeting yesterday. "That’s the sentiment of majority of the members – that the new Ombudsman will serve the full term of seven years,” JBC ex-officio member and House justice committee chairman Niel Tupas Jr. told reporters, citing provisions in Republic Act 6770 or the Ombudsman Act of 1989. Tupas said six members of the eight-man council – Supreme Court Chief Justice and ex-officio chair of JBC Renato Corona; Senate justice committee chairman Francis Escudero; Justice Secretary Leila de Lima; retired Justices Regino Hermosisima Jr. and Aurora Lagman, attended the meeting.(Philstar)

On LPG price hike

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. has raised the price of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) products by P3 per kilo, citing the increase in international contract prices. Shell implemented the price adjustment at 6 a.m. yesterday. LPG Marketers Association (LPGMA) president Arnel Ty said small retailers are expected to implement a similar price hike.(Philstar)

On wage hike

Workers in Metro Manila may have to wait a few more weeks before enjoying a salary increase despite President Aquino’s order for wage boards to fast track the granting of salary adjustments. Raymundo Agravante, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-National Capital Region (NCR) director and Metro Manila wage board chair, said they hope to finish deliberations and come out with a decision next week.(Philstar)

On Comelec

The group identified with newly appointed election commissioner Augusto Lagman has lost its bid seeking to stop the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from regulating its review of the source code used in the automated election system (AES) in last year’s election. In a resolution promulgated last April 12 but released only yesterday, the Supreme Court (SC) upheld Comelec’s power to regulate the independent review of the poll system through imposition of security measures.(Philstar)

On election protest

Vice President Jejomar Binay and his defeated rival Manuel Roxas II were ordered to comment within two days on a motion of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to use 5,000 protested ballot boxes in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) election set in August. Chief Justice Renato Corona issued the resolution last week as chairman of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET). The Supreme Court (SC) is in decision writing recess until last week of this month. (Philstar)

On press freedom

ress freedom improved marginally in the Philippines in 2010 though the country was still troubled by the murder and intimidation of journalists, a Freedom House report said. The report, Freedom of the Press 2011: A Global Survey of Media Independence, said of 196 countries examined, the Philippines ranked in 93rd place with a score of 46 points, two points better than the previous year when the country was ranked in 97th place. “The score for the Philippines recovered somewhat, having dropped in 2009 due to that year’s Ampatuan massacre, which claimed the lives of 32 journalists and media workers,” said the report issued on Monday to mark Press Freedom Day.(Philstar)