HEADLINES 

BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER Probers Eye Police Fire In Death

MLA BULLETIN Aquino Regrets Stance

PHILSTAR (PS) ‘Friendly Fire May Have Killed Some Hostages’

MANILA STANDARD Bourse Ignores Hostage Fiasco; Shares Rally To An All-Time High

MANILA TIMES Chiz Clashes  With President

MALAYA Friendly Fire Might Have Killed Some HK Hostages, Says De Lima

DAILY TRIBUNE Noy: China Wrote Me ‘Insulting’ Letter

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL Cops May Have Shot Some Hostages

ABANTE I Am Not Perfect – P-Noy!

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON P-Noy Napikon

BALITA ‘Napikon Ako’

PEOPLES TONIGHT Fake Cops Cum Hijackers

BULGAR P-Noy Ininsulto Ng HK Offc’l

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has asked the Senate’s accounting and finance division to explain the “unaccounted” P74.36-million in bank deposits and other alleged accounting discrepancies brought to his attention by the Commission on Audit. Andrew Arrieta, officer in charge of the Senate administrative and financial services, said the issues raised by COA were discussed in a meeting with Financial Management Bureau director Fara Villanueva, Property and Procurement Service chief Cynthia Bajamonde, Legislative Accounting Service head Adela Fernandez, and Land Bank of the Philippines senate extension office branch manager Robert Nathaniel Leneola. (Philstar-p11) 

The ill-fated Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill may have found a new lease on life amid criticisms on how broadcast media covered the Aug. 23 hostage crisis that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead. The Senate committee on public information and mass media is looking to jumpstart efforts to finally have the bill passed by examining media’s behavior during the incident and seeking concrete actions to rectify errors. (PDI-p5) 

The House of Representatives will not allow huge congressional initiatives or insertions in President Aquino’s proposed P1.645-trillion 2011 national budget, Speaker Feliciano  Belmonte Jr. said yesterday. He told radio station dzRH that the days of “massive” and hidden budgetary insertions are over. In previous years, he said huge amounts of funds were embedded in the annual budget and those who made the insertions were not usually known. “We will no longer allow that,” he said. (Philstar-p5) 

On Presidency

Even as President Aquino claimed he was trying his best to repair relations with China after the botched hostage rescue operations last Aug. 23, which ties have been seriously strained, he bared at a press conference yesterday with three handpicked TV anchors from the three major TV networks, a confidential letter written by the Chinese high official to him which he branded as “insulting.” Aquino revealed that he had received a letter from the Hong Kong government which he found “insulting.”  (Tribune-Banner) 

President Aquino said yesterday he had put too much trust on his men’s competence in dealing with a hostage taker last Aug. 23. The President was referring to relieved Manila Police District director Rodolfo Magtibay, the chief negotiator in the Aug. 23 tragic hostage drama; and National Capital Region Police Office Director Leocadio Santiago. Magtibay, he said, had offered to retire while Santiago had offered to resign right after the bungled rescue operation that led to the death of eight Hong Kong tourists and the hostage taker – a dismissed police officer. (Philstar-p1) 

With an extremely hectic schedule attending to problems of state, President Aquino – a 50-year-old bachelor – said yesterday that he now hardly had any time to date, and he has already lost his privacy. He didn’t mention though if he was still going steady with his girlfriend of two years Shalani Soledad, a councilor of Valenzuela City, when GMA-7 anchor Mel Tiangco asked the question during the panel interview with fellow TV networks ABS-CBN 2 and TV 5. (Philstar-p9) 

A perceived major ally of the new administration on Thursday accused President Benigno Aquino 3rd of taking the fall for five members of the Cabinet at present over a recent hostage fiasco that left eight Hong Kong tourists and the gunman himself dead. “But where were his three [spokesmen]? Or Justice Secretary Leila de Lima? Or Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo?” Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero asked. The three spokesmen to whom Escudero was referring are Edwin Lacierda, Herminio Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office and  Ricky Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office. Lacierda is the designated official spokesman for President Aquino. (Mla Times-Banner) 

On Presidential Trip

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. vowed yesterday to limit the size of the delegation of the House of Representatives on the foreign trips of President Aquino. Belmonte issued the statement as Mr. Aquino prepares for his first foreign trip on Sept. 20. The President will be visiting the United States to deliver an address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, among others. (Philstar-p8) 

On The President’s Men

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo will not resign despite calls for his relief because of the hostage crisis fiasco last month. Neither will he insist on holding on to the post if President Aquino decides he should go, interior department spokesman Philip Francisco Dy said yesterday. President Aquino, in a media forum, continued to defend Robredo and Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno. (Malaya-p1) 

On Luneta Carnage Probe

Police experts have given testimony that appeared to contradict the account of the driver of the hijacked bus that the Hong Kong tourists were shot at close range but stressed that the possibility that friendly fire may have caused deaths remained inconclusive. At the close of the five-day hearings on the hostage fiasco last month, Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory (Crimelab) experts on Wednesday night stressed that ballistics tests were still being conducted on where the bullets came that killed eight tourists. (PDI-Banner) 

Investigators of the Aug. 23 hostage-taking incident are not ruling out the possibility that friendly fire might have killed some of the hostages, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima disclosed yesterday. De Lima, who chairs the five-member incident investigation and review committee (IIRC) probing the hostage incident, said this possibility cropped up due to the discrepancies in the testimonies and evidence gathered during the five-day clarificatory questioning. (Phklstar-Banner) 

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday said there is a possibility that "friendly fire" hit or even killed some of the hostages in the August 23 standoff at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. Eight of the 15 Hong Kong tourists left in the Hong Thai bus seized by dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza died. (Malaya-Banner) 

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim defended yesterday his order to the police to handcuff Senior Police Officer 2 Gregorio Mendoza, brother of hostage taker Rolando Mendoza, and “take him to Tondo.” In a statement, Lim said there is nothing wrong with his order to Manila Police District director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay to bring Gregorio to the Tondo police precinct. “Ano’ng masama dun? Sana kung walang presinto sa Tondo, eh ang daming presinto dun. Ang problema, hindi na binanggit ni Magtibay ‘yung word na ‘presinto.’ Dalawa ang presinto sa Tondo. Isa sa Tondo 1 at isa sa Tondo II (What’s wrong with that? There are two precincts in Tondo. The problem is that Magtibay did not mention the word ‘precinct’),” Lim said. (Philstar-p1) 

Metro Manila police commander Director Leocadio Santiago had offered to resign two days after the hostage crisis last Aug. 23. Santiago said he told President Aquino that he was willing to leave his post if it could save the government from embarrassment. Mr. Aquino said he would wait for the outcome of the joint investigation before deciding on his fate, Santiago added. However, Mr. Aquino told television network executives yesterday that Santiago and Manila police director on leave Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay had offered to avail themselves of early retirement. (Philstar-p1) 

On Special Commando

President Benigno Aquino III yesterday said that in the wake of the hostage fiasco last month, he was forming a security force similar to Britain’s Special Air Service, or SAS, to respond to crisis situations in the country. In a nationally televised news conference with major network anchors called to deflect criticisms of ineptitude, Mr. Aquino said he would integrate some 200 to 400 police and military troops that would be fielded to combat “any threat, be it air, sea or land.” (PDI-p1) 

On Euro Generals

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered six Philippine National Police officials involved in a controversial trip to Russia in 2008 to be placed on preventive suspension for six months without pay pending its investigation of the case tagged in media as the “euro generals” scandal.  Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez, head of the anti-graft body, identified the PNP officials as Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. of the Directorate for Operations; Director German Doria of the Directorate for Human Resources and Doctrine Development; Chief Supt. Orlando Pestaño, finance service director; Chief Supt. Tomas Rentoy III, budget division director; Supt. Samuel Rodriguez, special disbursing officer and Supt. Elmer Pelobello. (PDI-p1) 

On Maguindanao Massacre

The family of Lakmudin Saliao, a key witness in the Maguindanao massacre trial, has fled their village in Ampatuan, Maguindanao. The family’s neighbors in Kakar village said the family members decided to leave town after Saliao turned up as a witness in the trial of the main accused in the massacre that left 57 people dead, 32 of them journalists. (PDI-p2) 

Outgoing Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza denied yesterday that he had arranged for the turnover of Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. to the custody of then President Gloria Arroyo to secure his surrender after being named principal suspect in the massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao in November 2009. “As the official handling the crisis situation during the incident, I categorically deny that I made arrangements for Datu Unsay Ampatuan to be turned over to the custody of then President Arroyo,” Dureza said in a statement. (Philstar-p6) 

On The Armed Forces

The military yesterday said it is resuming its operations against the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist groups with the end of the month-long Ramadan. Muslims worldwide celebrate today Eid’l Fitr, the end of Ramadan that required fasting from dawn to dusk aside from prayer and reflection. During Ramadan, Muslims pray five times a day facing the direction of Mecca, and give alms to the poor. The military ceases operations in deference to the religious holiday.Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, commander of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said they are still pursuing 200 members of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu and 100 in Basilan. (Philstar-p1) 

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin yesterday said he is not manipulating the promotion system of the Armed Forces, breaking his silence on allegations that he has favored certain officials who recently rose in the military ladder of leadership. Interviewed in Camp Aguinaldo after a workshop of the National Disaster Coordinating Council which he chairs, Gazmin said the recent designations and promotions were endorsed by the military establishment. (Malaya-p6)

On The End Of Ramadan

“Peace be upon the whole Muslim community as you celebrate Eid’l Fitr today marking the end of Ramadan and welcoming the first day of Shawwal,” said the opening statement of the message of President Benigno Aquino 3rd to all the Muslim Filipinos who are celebrating the Eid’l Fitr. Eid’l Fitr is also known in the provinces and cities in Muslim Mindanao as Hariraya Puasa, a culmination of the 30-day fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, and which the government declared today also as a nonworking national holiday. (Mla Times-p1) 

On The Supreme Court

Hundreds of thousands of landowners could be dispossessed of their lands with the Supreme Court ruling that nullified the land title of the family that claimed the Manotok Compound in Quezon City on Monday, according to four dissenting justices of the high court. “The Court will be disquieting the titles held by generations of landowners since the passage in 1904 of Act. No. 1120 [Friar Lands Act]. Thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of landowners could be dispossessed of their lands in these areas,” Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said in his dissenting opinion after the high court voted 9-4 to annul the land title held by the heirs of Severino Manotok IV. (PDI-p3) 

On The Ombudsman

President Aquino has not given marching orders to lawmakers to impeach Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday.  “I have been repeatedly saying this: We want due process and fairness for everybody and that’s what we’re getting here (in the impeachment hearings),” he said. “There is no longer due process when we will kill it (impeachment complaints) before it (hearings) starts,” he said. (Philstar-p2) 

On British Pinoy

Both as British ambassador and as a British Catholic I’m looking forward to the visit to England and Scotland by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI beginning on 16th September. This is a historic event: the first state visit to Britain by a Pope, and it will begin with a meeting with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. But there’ll be an important pastoral element too, which will involve many of the Filipinos who call Britain home.  (Philstar-p1)  

On Political Party

The party that led the late President Corazon Aquino to Malacañang in 1986 and installed former Makati mayor Jejomar Binay as vice president earlier this year is on expansion mode. PDP-Laban president Koko Pimentel swore in businessman Joey de Venecia as secretary-general recently. He previously held the post of economic adviser to the party, whose founders include the late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., Binay, and former Senate president Aquilino Pimentel Jr., father of the incumbent party president. (Philstar-p3) 

On Climate Change Funds

The Department of Foreign Affairs has been taken to task for not having information on climate change, as the Philippines failed to capitalize on international climate change funds available to developing countries. In a presentation to the Senate yesterday, G77 countries and China led by climate change negotiator Bernarditas Muller described the increasing effects of climate change on the country as “very grave.” (Philstar-p12) 

On Competitiveness

The Philippines’ ranking as a competitive economy climbed two notches over the last year mostly because of improved scores on macroeconomic environment, labor market efficiency and financial market development, according to the latest World Economic Forum (WEF) report. In its Global Competitiveness Index 2010-2011, the WEF reported that the Philippines ranked 85th with an index of 3.96 among 139 countries surveyed. The country placed 87th among 133 countries in the 2009-2010 report. (Mla Times-p1) 

On The National Budget

On the recommendation of the Department of Budget and Management, the Presidential Communications Operations Office reduced its proposed budget for 2011 by P184.021 million or 15.86 percent. The reduction stems from the removal of capital outlay as additional belt tightening measures. Only the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and the Bureau of Broadcast Services (BBS), which are joint proponents of the Philippine Administrative Network Project (PANP) Phase 2, a foreign-funded project involving the operation and maintenance of a satellite-based ICT (information and communication Technology) network, were each allocated P16.221 million for capital outlay. (Tribune-p3)