March 13, 2009 Major News Stories

Arroyo: Keep graduation rites simple

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the Department of Education (DepEd) to require public schools to keep graduation rites simple.

RP has enough rice - NFA 

The National Food Authority (NFA) said yesterday it has sufficient rice inventory to meet the present market demand and prevent unwarranted increase in the price of the basic staple.

Keppel workers hold off strike

Union members of Keppel Shipyard in barangay Looc, Lapu-Lapu City, did not push through with their planned protest yesterday after the management deferred its move to retrench the workers.

City hopes drop in Keppel taxes temporary

LAPU-LAPU City expects a drop in the taxes it collects each quarter from the Keppel Cebu Shipyard once the company shuts down its ship repair business and focuses on shipbuilding only.

Recruiters pushing technical training

THE RECRUITMENT sector said the government should provide more technical training and vocational programs, whose graduates are likely to land jobs over graduates of liberal arts courses.

MECO rapped for asking OFWs' pay cuts

Migrant groups on Thursday slammed the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan for advising overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there to accept lower wages to avoid being retrenched by companies suffering from the global economic downturn.

POEA asked: Revoke agency license 

The government was asked to revoke the license of Sea Cap Shipping Inc., the agency that deployed 23 Filipino seafarers still being held hostage by Somali pirates.

Militant head files petition for habeas data

The regional chairman of the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan yesterday filed the first petition for habeas data in the Visayas against the military and police officials who were allegedly responsible in listing his name under the order of battle against suspected rebels.  THE head of a "militant multisectoral group" has asked the court to compel the military and police to show what proof they have in naming him an "enemy of the state" and putting him in their "order of battle."

Rebel couple surrenders

Thoughts of their children's future and aspirations to live a normal life led a couple leave the New People's Army and return to the fold of law.  TWO former members of a rebel group yesterday surrendered to authorities after 19 years in hiding.  Boluntaryong mitahan ang magtiayong gidudahang sakop sa New Peoples Army (NPA) kagahapon sa opisina sa mayor sa lungsod sa Catmon nga si Mayor Estrella Aribal.

Fooda heist suspects named 

LOCAL police named some of those who participated in the Fooda Saver's Mart heist last Monday.

President Arroyo in Cebu to meet Tomas

President Arroyo will be in Cebu for about five hours today and she has very little time to spare as she is set to attend 12 events including her private visit to Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.  PRESIDENT Arroyo will spend at least five hours in Cebu today for seven events, including an international convention and separate private meetings with Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Bimbo defends Mike's no-show at Mactan

Cebu City Administrator Francisco Fernandez defended Vice Mayor Michael Rama regarding his no-show at the airport last Tuesday to meet Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Girl accuses dad of lasciviousness

A 13-year-old girl from Consolacion town has filed charges against her father for violation of Republic Act 7610 before the Provincial Prosecutor's Office yesterday after he allegedly molested her several times inside their house.  The girl said that the sexual molestation happened sometime in February 2008 and was repeated several times and she was afraid to tell anyone out of fear.

She said that she first told her story to her siblings when last May 3 and 7, their father physically abused them and locked them inside a dog cage and even threatened to burn them with kerosene and a match.

The girl also said that their father also threatened to kill them with a broken beer bottle.

She finally told her story to her school principal who advised her to report to the police.

Her father was arrested after charges were filed against him.

PDIC: P6-B of Legacy deposits doubtful

Over P6 billion worth of deposit accounts from the 12 closed Legacy banks may not be eligible for insurance payment, the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) said.  As of March 10, the deposit insurer has paid P138.5 million in insurance claims for regular savings accounts with balances of P100,000 and below.

PDIC nails Celso with private island 

A white sand island with tree fringed shore of waving palms and lush beach foliage in Leyte helped the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) nail Legacy Group owner Celso de los Angeles in their syndicated estafa case filed at the justice department and perjury case at the Ombudsman's office.

Celso has yet to present waiver 

Senator Manuel Roxas II on Thursday said Albay town mayor Celso de los Angeles Jr, owner of Legacy Consolidated Plans, Inc., has yet to issue the waiver on the confidentiality of his private bank accounts as he promised at the Senate hearing last Monday.

SEC still waiting for Martinez's explanation 

Commissioner Jesus Enrique Martinez of the SEC has yet to submit his explanation to the regulator about allegations that his son received a house and lot from the Legacy Group.

4.8 quake hits Samar

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Samar island at around 5 p.m. Thursday, the USGS said.

Comelec approves specs on 2010 polls 

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has approved the terms of reference (TOR) and the request for proposal (RFP) for the automation of the May 2010 polls.

51% see 'trouble' if 2010 polls thwarted

Slightly more than half of Filipinos expect "much trouble" in the country if the May 2010 polls are postponed or canceled, according to a survey by pollster Pulse Asia.

Monsod warns of high-tech cheating 

With a single self-destructing code, Filipinos would not know whether the 2010 automated national elections were massively manipulated, former Commission on Elections (COMELEC) chairman Christian Monsod warned Thursday.

Teodoro wife hopes for Arroyo nod 

Tarlac Representative Monica Prieto-Teodoro is hoping her husband, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., gets President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's endorsement to run for president in 2010 so she can pursue her children's welfare advocacy as first lady.

Bayani Fernando nilaglag na ng Lakas

Sa kabila nang pagha handa ni Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando para sa kanyang ambisyong maging presi dente sa 2010, mistulang inilaglag naman kaagad ito ng kanyang sariling parti dong Lakas-CMD.

Elections next year will be close, expensive

THE PRESIDENTIAL elections next year will be one of the closest fought in history and will be won by the candidate who has the biggest campaign budget and ground-level network, analysts said.

Palace favors additional House members

Malacañang is in favor of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile's proposal to increase the number of congressmen from 250 to 350.

3 kidnapped workers together, says ICRC

The International Committee of the Red Cross said its three kidnapped workers were being held together in Sulu, contrary to reports by that they had been separated by their captors.

AFP: Free 1 ICRC worker to show sincerity

The kidnappers of three workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) should free one of the hostages to prove they are sincere in wanting to negotiate.

Abu Sayyaf denies P50-M ransom demand 

The Abu Sayyaf on Thursday belied a published report that it was demanding a P50-million ransom in exchange for the freedom of the three International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) workers abducted in Sulu.

Alleged bomb prank causes panic in Zambo 

Zamboanga City's commercial district was briefly enveloped with tension after a package turned over at a department store's baggage counter was suspected to contain explosives.

Erap not worried about Mancao affidavit 

Former President Joseph Estrada is not worried with the possible revelations of former police Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II with regards to the Dacer-Corbito case, his son said.

Ping: Palace hand in Berroya testimony

Opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson sees Malacañang's hand in the looming testimony of former Land Transportation Office head Reynaldo Berroya on the Dacer-Corbito slay case.

Gonzalez reconvenes Dacer-Corbito body

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has reconvened the panel investigating the 2000 murders of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito after former police general Reynado Berroya expressed his intention to testify on what he knew of the crime.

RP debt swells to P4.221 trillion in 2008

The National Government's debt swelled to P4.221 trillion in 2008 from the P3.712 trillion incurred in 2007, the Bureau of the Treasury reported yesterday.

RVAT collections hit P99.3 billion in 2008 

Revenues from the controversial reformed valued added tax (RVAT) amounted to P99.276 billion from January to October 2008, almost reaching the P100 billion mark for the first time, latest data from the Department of Finance showed.

Pagcor remits P11-billion dividend 

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) remitted to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) roughly P11 billion last year despite the still unresolved debate with the Department of Finance (DOF) on the amount of taxes it should be paying to the government.

Thailand moves ASEAN summit venue

A summit of Asian leaders scheduled for April 10-12 will be held in the Thai coastal town of Pattaya, a last-minute switch of venue due to lack of available hotel rooms on the popular resort island of Phuket, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Ousted Thai leader is short on money

Exiled former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra says he's short on money after the government froze most of his vast fortune.

Madoff pleads guilty and goes to jail 

Saying he was "deeply sorry and ashamed," Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty yesterday to pulling off perhaps the biggest swindle in Wall Street history and was immediately led off to jail in handcuffs after his seething victims applauded in the courtroom.

Bush shoe-thrower jailed for 3 years

An Iraqi court on Thursday jailed for three years the journalist who shot to fame in the Arab world for throwing his shoes at former US president George W. Bush.

World population 9 billion by 2050: UN 

World population is projected to reach 7 billion early in 2012, up from the current 6.8 billion, and surpass 9 billion people by 2050, an official UN population report said here yesterday.

Arum likens Pacquiao's popularity to Ali's

Hall of fame boxing promoter Bob Arum described Manny Pacquiao as the most unique fighter he has ever promoted, even comparing the Filipino superstar to boxing great Muhammad Ali.

Gorres, Leyva promise war

Cebuano ring star Z "The Dream" Gorres and former IBF minimumweight champion Roberto Carlos "Mako" Leyva were both cordial and civil to each other during their first face-to-face encounter but fans should brace for an explosive war when they slug it out in the main event of the keenly-awaited "Judgment at the Waterfront" card tomorrow night at the Pacific grand ballroom of Waterfront-Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Ruiz in Gorres' gunsight

IBF and WBO No. 10 superflyweight Z (The Dream) Gorres faces Mexico's Roberto Carlos Leyva in a 12-round bout at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City tomorrow night but even as he's not taking the visitor lightly, he can't keep his mind off a duel with Heriberto Ruiz to avenge ALA stablemate Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista's loss.

Bone analysis shows 20% lied about age

X-ray bone analysis of 15,000 young Chinese athletes shows about 20 percent have lied about their ages, provincial sports authorities said.

Bimbo feels sorry for Burden family

Cebu City administrator Francisco "Bimbo" Fernandez yesterday said Mayor Tomas Osmeña has already issued a statement over the recent Miss Cebu controversy and the concerned parties have no other way but accept it.

Mayor 'condones' cheating if he fails to act

AFTER feeling insulted by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, the Burden family hit back at him for conduct "unbecoming of a mayor" and for seemingly condoning cheating in the Miss Cebu pageant.

Maui Taylor reason for Pops-Jomari split?

Just a few days after Jomari Yllana and Pops Fernandez announced their break-up, Maui Taylor was seen with Jomari in Bataan, fueling rumors that she could have been the cause of the split.

PNP wants say in how movies portray cops

The Philippine National Police (PNP) wants to be consulted in the writing of scripts and production of shows that include policemen in a bid to enhance the image of the service from the usual depiction of "bad eggs" in movies and television.

2 Pinoy pasok sa World's Billionaire

Sa kabila ng paghihirap ng napakaraming bansa bunsod ng epekto ng krisis sa pananalapi sa mundo, dalawang Pinoy ang nakapasok sa listahan ng Forbes magazine bilang World's Billionaire ngayong taon.  Nakapasok sa listahan ng World's Billionaire sina Henry Sy kung saan tabla sila ng tanyag na American talk show host na si Oprah Winfrey sa ika-234 pwesto habang si Lucio Tan ay nasa pwestong ika-522 na bilyunaryo.

Ang 84-anyos na si Henry Sy ay halos umaabot sa $2.7 bilyon ang angking kayamanan. Si Sy ang founder at kasalu kuyang may-ari ng SM department stores, Banco de Oro, China Bank at ilang shares sa San Miguel Corporation.

Ang 74-anyos namang si Lucio Tan, ay tinatayang may kayamanang umaabot sa $1.4 bilyon. Si Tan ang nagmamay-ari ng Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines, Allied Bank, Phiilippine National Bank at nakilala rin ito bilang tobacco magnate sa bansa.

Filipino girls outdo boys in int'l math test

Filipino female second-year high school students consistently outperformed their male counterparts in mathematics, according to two surveys conducted by a US government agency.

Mandy M. weds Ryan Adams in Georgia

Mandy Moore is a married woman, her publicist confirms.