BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- No Polls In 1,732 Villages

PHILIPPINE STAR -- No Polls In 1,732 B’gays

MANILA STANDARD -- Aquino Stops House From Cutting P3B In Palace Pork

MANILA TIMES -- Poll Snags  Anger President

MALAYA -- Grand Snafu: Delay Snarl Polls In 2,000 Barangays

DAILY TRIBUNE -- House Set To Probe DILG, Poll Chiefs

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Chaos

ABANTE -- Palpak

PILIPINO STAR NGAYO -- CAFGU Nag-Amok Utas

 

BALITA -- Aberya Sa Halalan

PEOPLES  TONIGHT -- OFW Starved, Locked In Rooftop!

BULGAR -- Barangay Election Palpak

REMATE -- Libong Brgy Walang Halalan

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile wants the law that created the Road User’s Tax amended in a bid to stop its unauthorized use and allow its utilization for other vital projects.  Enrile said the estimated P10 billion earned annually from the road user’s tax should be used not only for road construction or repair but also for the acquisition of communications equipment, funding irrigation or fisheries projects, or as loans to families affected by typhoons. The funds may also be tapped for construction of buildings. (Philstar-p9) 

The Senate has passed on second reading the bill making mandatory the vaccination of newborns against hepatitis-B 24 hours from delivery.  Sen. Pia Cayetano, chair of the committee on health and demography and author of the bill, noted that hepatitis-B now affects more than eight million Filipinos and is the recognized cause of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.  (Philstar-p4) 

With the Philippines being tagged as sixth among 170 nations in a climate change vulnerability index, Sen. Loren Legarda reiterated her call for the national government and local government units (LGUs) to swiftly double their efforts to make the country resilient to disasters. “The whole world is telling us, matter-of-factly, that we are in great danger every time a natural hazard hits us. It is telling us that we must exert greater efforts and we must act double time because we are among the countries that are most vulnerable to disasters,” Legarda said in a statement.  (Philstar-p11) 

Violence. Failure to deliver the election materials on time. Voters unable to cast their vote. Chaos and confusion. And even the failure of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to purge from the list candidates who are no longer eligible to run for village offices, having completed a third term, marked the village elections held yesterday. Early in the day, gunmen assassinated two persons as violence, delays and irregularities marred elections to choose thousands of village and district officials, police and authorities said. (Tribune-Banner) 

On Presidency

President Aquino leaves today for Vietnam with a promise to talk tough on the issue on Myanmar and other pressing global concerns such as climate change. He is also expected to push for a pro-active engagement among countries with territorial claims in the South China Sea to avoid an outbreak of hostilities in the region. (Philstar-p1) 

President Benigno Aquino 3rd is expected to leave for a state visit to Vietnam on Tuesday morning to meet with President Nguyen Minh Triet of Vietnam and witness the signing of memorandum of agreements on academic and defense cooperation, oil-spill preparedness and response and search-and-rescue at sea.  He is also expected to address Vietnamese and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) business leaders in an investment conference in Hanoi on October 27.After the state visit, President Aquino will attend the 17th Asean Summit and Related Meetings set for October 28 to 30. (Mla Times-p1) 

President Aquino yesterday expressed dissatisfaction with the Commission on Elections (Comelec)’s preparations for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections and would like an inquiry into the delay in the delivery of ballots that caused the postponement of polls in some areas. He also said his government was addressing election-related violence and would like perpetrators pursued and jailed. The President added he would not renege on his promise to dismantle private armies. (Philstar-p1) 

On Barangay Election

Delayed deliveries of voting materials and other glitches yesterday forced the postponement of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in 1,732 villages around the country, but poll officials appeared largely satisfied, saying balloting pushed through in more than 90 percent of precincts in at least 12 regions. Election Commissioner Rene Sarmiento described the elections as “generally successful,” but President Benigno Aquino III expressed displeasure at what he said was lack of preparations by poll officials and demanded to know why. (PDI-Banner) 

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday cancelled the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in 1,732 out of 42,025 barangays due to violence, late delivery of election paraphernalia and the aftermath of typhoon “Juan.” (Philstar-Banner) 

At least five people were killed yesterday during the barangay elections which police and military officials said went relatively smoothly compared to the 2007 exercise. Since the start of the election period on Sept. 25 until precincts closed at 3 p.m. Monday, 33 people had been killed, while 14 had been wounded in 47 election-related incidents, according to Philippine National Police Director General Raul Bacalzo. (PDI-p1) 

Despite minor incidents of election-related violence, the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections yesterday were “generally peaceful,” the military and police reported. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs chief Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said many of the problems experienced in the election were not security-related. (Philstar-p1) 

On Poll Budget

The Philippine National Police (PNP) received only P90 million or 10 percent of the P900 million they requested as budget for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections yesterday. Director Benjamin Belarmino, chief of the National Task Force Hope Bravo 2010, said the Commission on Elections released P150 million for the barangay and SK polls but the budget was divided on a 60-40 ratio between the PNP and the Armed Forces. (Philstar-p4) 

On The Visiting Forces Agreement

The review of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States will likely include the custody of American soldiers who committed crimes in the country and other controversial provisions, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said. But President Aquino gave assurance in Tarlac yesterday that the government would consider the inputs of the Senate and other sectors in doing the review. (Philstar-p6)

Malacañang yesterday said it is reviewing the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) to determine specific amendments that would ensure that the Philippines obtain the maximum benefits of the agreement. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., who also chairs the Presidential Commission on the VFA, said President Aquino believes that a review is "necessary because we must evaluate whether we are getting the most out of the VFA." (Malaya-p1) 

On Distress OFWs

One hundred twelve overseas Filipino workers have been meted the death penalty, most of them drug mules in China, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). As of Oct. 21, 2010, the DFA said there are 76 Filipinos in China who have been convicted and sentenced to death for drug trafficking. Of the active death penalty cases, 16 are OFWs in the Middle East charged with murder/homicide (including rape/robbery with murder). (Philstar-p2)    

On OWWA Funds

The Commission on Audit (COA) has called the attention of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) over a P27.3 million increase in its unliquidated cash advances in 2009 compared to the previous year. In a report, state auditors said the agency’s unliquidated cash advances went up from P143,631,281 in 2008 to P170,982,691 as of Dec. 31, 2009 despite the change in the method of releasing funds to overseas posts from cash advance to revolving fund. (Philstar-p9) 

On Deep Sea Diving

A scuba diver was injured when a tuna dragged him 300 feet underwater in Kiamba, Sarangani, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). The diver, Ramir Te, was on a fishing expedition at around 5:45 p.m. last Saturday when a tuna pulled him underwater. PCG spokesman Lieutenant Commander Arman Balilo said they were still figuring out how it happened. (Philstar-p1)                           

On Typhoon Katring

Tropical storm “Katring” (international name Chaba) intensified further yesterday but the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration  (Pagasa) said it was still far to affect any part of the country, As of 2 p.m. yesterday, Katring was spotted some 770 kilometers east of northern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph. Katring was forecast to move north northwest at 11 kph. (Philstar-p4) 

On The Peace Bonds Probe

President Aquino vowed yesterday not to get in the way of any investigation in the alleged involvement of his two Cabinet members in the P10-billion Poverty Eradication and Alleviation Certificate (PEACE) bonds controversy in 2001. “Yes... please,” he said when asked if he would encourage a closure on the issue once and for all. (Philstar-p5) 

With calls for a probe of President Aquino’s social services secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman mounting, Aquino yesterday said that the Truth body should revisit the PEACe bonds controvery, to give it closure. This was stated by Aquino after he and his Malacañang spokesmen absolved his two most trusted secretaries, Soliman and Peace adviser Teresita Deles, who is also on the carpet, being accused by congressmen of her having shown disrespect for, and insulting members of the House of Representatives. (Tribune-p1) 

On Sen Lacson

Sen. Panfilo Lacson might still be abroad despite reports that he is already in the country, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said yesterday. Lawyer Claro de Castro Jr., NBI Foreign Liaison Division chief, said the Interpol continues to search for the fugitive lawmaker worldwide. (Philstar-p5) 

On Doppler Radar Contract

Rep. Teodoro Haresco of the party-list group Ang Kasangga wants House members who allegedly meddled in the P500-million Doppler radar contract investigated. “The allegation that some congressmen interfered with Pagasa’s (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) acquisition of Doppler radar systems is a very serious accusation. We should get to the bottom of this so that we can find the truth,” Haresco said. (Philstar-p10) 

On GOCC’s Perk

President Aquino expressed hope yesterday the Supreme Court would rule on the side of the people on Executive Order 7 suspending the perks and privileges of officials of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) and government financial institutions (GFI). “I’m hoping and I always maintain that, at the end of the day, as the final bastions of democracy, they should really be (with) us in the service of the people,” he said. (Philstar-p11) 

On River Cleaning Projects

The government spent more than P1 billion for the river clearing projects of Arroyo administration allies before the May 10 national elections. The amount is part of more than P16 billion then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo released to her congressional supporters apparently to boost their candidacy. Mrs. Arroyo is now a congresswoman representing the second district of Pampanga. (Philstar-p12) 

On Toll Hike

MalacaÑang is exploring options to lessen the negative impact of the toll rate hike at South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), President Benigno Aquino 3rd said on Monday. President Aquino added that his economic managers have met to discuss ways on how to ease such impact of the toll hike on the public, after the Supreme Court allowed the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to raise fees at SLEX by as much as 250 percent. He said that the government is considering the gradual increase of fees on tollways, and that subsidies are being considered. (Mla Times-p1) 

On Abducted Pinoy Sailors

Another batch of 14 Filipino seamen was among the 17 sailors on board a Singapore oil tanker that was seized by ransom-seeking Somali pirates Saturday, a European Union Naval Force report said. The MV YORK had recently left Mombasa, Kenya, en route to the Seychelles when it was attacked last Oct. 23 by two skiffs, approximately 50 nautical miles east off the Kenyan port.  (Tribune-p1)