March 26, 2009 Major News Stories

Explain 'surpise' price hikes, oil firms told

Malacañang and Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes on Wednesday demanded an explanation from the oil firms that implemented "surprise" oil price hikes on Tuesday.

7 more peanut butter products recalled

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has ordered the immediate ban and recall of seven other food products of Samuya Food Manufacturing Inc. for Salmonella contamination.  These seven products are: Mama Peanut Spread Sweet and Creamy; Ludy's Coco Jam Special; Ludy's Coco Jam with Langka; Mama Coco Jam; Ludy's Coco Jam Regular; Ludy's Coco Jam with Peanut and Sunny Cheers Peanut Butter.

Staff sa Samuya Salmonella carrier?

Sumailalim sa rectal swabbing ang mga mang gagawa ng Sa muya Food Manufacturing Inc. na nasa hanay ng production o may direktang pag hawak sa mga pag kaing produkto upang ma kati yak na ligtas ito sa Salmonella bacteria contamination.

BFAR: EV waters free of red tide toxins

All the major bodies of water in Eastern Visayas are free from toxic red tide, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said.

Decreased hunger proof of success, DA

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said Wednesday that the results of an independent survey showing a significant drop in hunger incidence among Filipino families in the last three months is proof that the Arroyo administration"s efforts to attain food security and make basic staples available at affordable prices to low-income consumers are yielding tangible results.

RP bans Japanese, Czech poultry imports

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap announced a ban on imports of birds and poultry products from Japan and the Czech Republic following official reports from the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) or Animal Health Organization confirming outbreaks of the dreaded bird flu in these countries.

Kenney: Filipino vets to get US lump sum 

Filipino World War II veterans qualified to receive a payout from the United States will start getting their checks in late April or early May, US ambassador Kristie Kenney said Wednesday.

Arroyo: Subsidies for the poor to continue

President Arroyo said her government would continue providing subsidies to the poor, while cutting on unnecessary spending, as part of efforts to weather the global economic downturn.

Arroyo: Study tax on text

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants revenues from a proposed fee or tax on short messaging service or text message to be allocated for critical sectors such as education.  In an informal round table with reporters, she said the public could face more taxes before she steps down from office in July 2010, including possible tax on text messaging, but this should be thoroughly studied.

Legacy plan holders want owner jailed

Six plan holders of Legacy Group filed on Wednesday a syndicated estafa case against owner Celso de los Angeles, his family, and business partners for the alleged misuse of company funds.

2 Legacy execs to help probe vs Celso

Two Legacy Group officials on Wednesday asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to consider them as possible state witnesses against company owner Celso delos Angeles Jr., who they accused of siphoning the company"s funds to his personal accounts.

Legacy owner: No conspiracy to defraud

The owner of the bankrupt Legacy Group of companies denied any conspiracy to defraud investors and clients and said two former executives, who had testified before the Senate, were the ones who handled the day-to-day financial operations.

OFWs in Saudi need lawyers not police 

A partylist lawmaker has sought an investigation into the sending of a police attaché to Saudi Arabia when distressed overseas Filipino workers need lawyers.

RP hand in int'l anti-piracy campaign urged 

Vice President Noli de Castro wants a Philippine presence in the Anti-Piracy Task Force headquarters at the US Navy"s Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain to speed up information-gathering on hijacking and abduction incidents involving Filipino seamen off Somalia.

Filipina raped by employer in Kuwait 

A 25-year-old Filipina household service worker ended up in the hospital after her employer physically and sexually abused her last February, an online report said.

OFWs still welcome in Spain

Despite the global economic crisis and the rising unemployment in many parts of the world, Spain is still open to overseas Filipino workers, visiting Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said in a press conference at the start of his three-day official visit in Manila.

DOLE has yet to lift ban to Lebanon

Despite a green light from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) stressed that it will not yet lift the three-year overseas Filipino workers (OFW) deployment ban to Lebanon.

COA didn't name Ouano, Ebdane probed?

Any reinvestigation of the controversial lamppost issue should include higher national government officials such as DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane who appear to have been conveniently excluded from the issue even if the Asean Summit during which the lampposts were used was a national project.

Ombuds confirms anomalous bidding in WB 

Seventeen officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are now faced with graft charges as the Office of the Ombudsman confirmed on Wednesday that there were anomalies surrounding the bidding process of a $330-million World Bank funded project.

Lawmaker to Ombuds: What about Mike?

The first lawmaker to endorse the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez posed the question on Wednesday after the Office of the Ombudsman recommended the filing of charges against former Department of Public Works and Highways officials involved in the alleged collusion between seven construction firms.

Soriquez urged to spill beans on WB mess

Senator Francis Pangilinan wants former Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Florante Soriquez to divulge his knowledge on the alleged anomalies surrounding the bidding of some World Bank-funded road projects in the country.

Enrile laughs off 'gun toting' raps vs Erap 

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday laughed off reports that former president Joseph Estrada and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay violated the law when they rode a vehicle with a replica machine gun mounted on it during a recent parade in Cebu.

Cebu mayor: Fuss over toy gun 'political'

Mayor Sonia Pua of Carmen, Cebu said that the fuss over as replica machinegun mounted on a vehicle used by former president Joseph Estrada during a visit to the town was "political."

Erap, Binay told: Explain gun replica 

A Malacanang official said Wednesday that former president Joseph Estrada and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay should stop whining political harassment and instead explain why they went around Carmen town in Cebu on a World War II military jeep with a replica machine gun.

Valmoria denies politics in confiscation

CEBU Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Carmelo Valmoria dispelled insinuations that political persecution was behind the confiscation of the machine gun replica owned by Carmen Mayor Sonia Pua.

Valmoria had long acted on Erap gun-toting 

Sr. Supt. Carmelo Valmoria, Cebu Provincial Police Office director, had already looked into the alleged gun-toting incident involving former President Joseph Estrada and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay in the town of Carmen early this month.  Carmen Mayor Sonia Pua said that about two years ago, the jeep was brought to the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City for a car show and nobody called their attention.

The vehicle won first prize in that competition and several government officials including Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia even had their pictures taken with it.

Arroyo son denies propositioning JDV 

Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo flatly denied offering former Speaker Jose de Venecia his old post back in exchange for helping move efforts to convene Congress into a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution.

64% of Filipinos nix Cha-cha at this time

Nearly two of three Filipinos do not believe now is the time to amend the 1987 Constitution, according to a survey by pollster Pulse Asia.

Comelec mulls voting for inmates in 2010

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is coordinating with several groups to study the mechanics on how qualified inmates can vote during 2010 polls, an election official said.

Mike bans Capitol from developing city lots

Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama yesterday placed on record that he is supporting the controversial proposed ordinance, which would bar the province from developing its properties in some barangays in the city's north district.

Council seeks further review

CEBU City councilors did not approve yesterday the ordinance that prohibits the development of Capitol-owned and other government properties for commercial purposes.  Instead, the council decided to return the proposed ordinance to the committee on laws because the amendments introduced are "significant and substantial."

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, one of the proponents, said the review will delay the approval by one week. But it should not be taken to mean that the councilors are backing off after Capitol officials threatened the lawyer-councilors with disbarment cases if they pass the measure.

Castro files additional charges vs BI 

Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro yesterday filed two more criminal complaints against her nemesis at the Bureau of Immigration where she was detailed as acting chief of the Board of Special Inquiry.

ICRC abductors' 'ultimatum' slammed

Sulu Governor Sakur Tan slammed the "ultimatum" by the abductors of the three members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for military troops to pull out by the end of the month or one of the hostages would be beheaded.

Military to maintain position

THE MILITARY in Sulu province is maintaining its position despite the threats of bandits to behead one of three kidnapped members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Vessels collide in CDO pier

A foreign vessel slammed into a docked cargo vessel in Macabalan pier in Cagayan de Oro City, Wednesday morning, raising fears of possible oil spill.

Thai soldiers enter Cambodia near temple 

Cambodian officials say about 100 armed Thai soldiers have entered Cambodia near a disputed border temple where clashes erupted last year.

Bomb kills 7 civilians in Afghanistan

A roadside bomb ripped through a van carrying civilians in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing seven people and wounding nine others, while three Australian soldiers were wounded in another blast in the south, officials said.

NK puts long-range missile on launch pad

North Korea has placed a long-range missile on a launch pad, a US official confirmed, raising prospects that it may soon go ahead with a launch that has alarmed the United States and its allies.

Shelling kills 54 civilians in Sri Lanka 

Shelling killed 54 civilians in a supposed "no-fire" zone in Sri Lanka's war between the government and separatist Tamil rebels, and the exodus of people fleeing the fighting picked up pace.

Hezbollah: US is the top terrorist state 

The Lebanese Shiite armed group Hezbollah said yesterday that the United States is the "top terrorist state" which supports terrorism in the world, local Elnashra website reported.

Pacman chosen 'Fighter of the Year' anew

Filipino star Manny Pacquiao has been voted fighter of the year by the Boxing Writers Association of America after a sweep of his three fights last year, highlighted by a dominating win over Oscar De La Hoya.

Roach: Hatton out in three

Ricky Hatton, be warned.  Freddie Roach has confidently predicted that the Hitman's fight with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao won't last three rounds.

"We're going to knock him out in three rounds," Roach said in an interview with maxboxing.com. "I told Manny that if it goes past three rounds, I'd be mad at him."

Hatton credits Sr. for getting him in shape

Ricky Hatton"s weight problems are a thing of the past, no thanks to the training he endured under Floyd Mayweather Sr.

Mayweather may return, eyeing Pacquiao 

Manny Pacquiao"s name is being floated as one of the top contenders of Floyd Mayweather Jr. if ever the former pound-for-pound king decides to come out of retirement.

Lewis sparks Rain or Shine comeback 

Import Jae Lewis played big with his burly body helping spark a Rain or Shine"s late scoring run in a 118-112 beating of Burger King in the PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

SMB 6th win at Ginebra"s expense

Dondon Hontiveros nailed a pair of dagger treys to help San Miguel Beer stretch its winning streak in the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup with a 95-80 dumping of struggling Ginebra. Hontiveros and Jay Washington fired 19 points each for the Beermen, who are off to their best start in the last five years with a perfect 6-0 card.

Court upholds verdict against Iverson

NBA star Allen Iverson must pay $260,000 for standing idly by and watching his bodyguard beat up another man in a 2005 bar fight, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

Deal or No Deal finale

ABS-CBN's Kapamilya Deal or No Deal (KDOND) caps its successful third season with a big bang by bringing its triumvirate of game show hosts in one exciting finale.  How will the trivia game host Edu Manzano and the musical lyrics game host Cesar Montano fare when they play the hit numbers game show hosted by Kris Aquino tomorrow, March 27? 

Edu and Cesar will unknowingly play for beneficiaries personally chosen by the show's production staff as a way of giving back and showing gratitude to the public for the support and overwhelming success of the program.

KDOND has also lined up some of the biggest names in showbiz and politics as they take their last shot at the elusive P4-M jackpot in its final week.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos guest today.

Melissa to Jake: Woo my parents first

Young star Melissa Ricks said Jake Cuenca should first pursue her parents if ever the actor intends to court her.

HBO working on movie about Clinton, Blair

Dennis Quaid is lined up to play former President Clinton with Julianne Moore as Hillary Clinton for a movie, "The Special Relationship," that HBO is working on.