August 25, 2009 Major News Stories

Was purchase done in haste?

The Cebu Provincial Government appeared to have been in a hurry when it purchased the controversial Balili property to the point of making the partial payment even before getting hold of the certified true copies of land titles.

Records also show that Governor Gwendolyn Garcia signed the memorandum of agreement for the purchase of the 25-hectare property located in barangay Tinaan, Naga on May 21, 2008 the same date that the members of the Provincial Board passed resolution no. 1781 authorizing her to enter into such agreement.

What is more questionable is that on the date that Garcia supposedly signed the MOA she was out of the country.

In fact, it was Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez who approved the resolution on April 24 as acting governor because Garcia was in Guam together with some of the board members to forge a sisterhood agreement.

Atty. Romeo Balili reassured the members of the board that the money paid by the Capitol is still intact in the Banco De Oro accounts of the Balili Estate in which he is the court-appointed executor.

According to Balili, he will convince the heirs of Engineer Luis Balili to return the payment equivalent to that of the 9.4-hectares that is found by Capitol survey to be submerged in seawater and mangrove area.

The executor of the estate said that the widow, Amparo, has already expressed willingness to return the money, but he will still have to get the decision of the other heirs.

The MOA was also notarized on that same date before Atty. Donato Sevilla, Jr. of the Provincial Legal Office.

Ombuds asks Capitol to yield documents

THE Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas will visit the Balili property next month for a site survey to confirm that the lots the Capitol bought from the Balilis is indeed underwater and shouldn't have been titled to begin with.

Bolo not in list of brokers in DTI

NEITHER Provincial Board Member Juan Bolo or his wife is in the list of real estate brokers accredited by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), said Silvia Cañete, of the DTI's regulatory division.

Check records for 'owners' of yacht

The Bureau of Customs in Cebu is working on identifying the alleged owner of the yacht used by suspected gun smugglers in moving high-powered rifles from a cargo vessel in Bataan Province.

The guns were seized by authorities and it was learned that the yacht was registered under the name of a certain Dave Smith of Cebu Tranquila Realty.

Aside from Smith, it is also reportedly owned by a certain Bryan Gilt of Aqua Venture White Tip reportedly based in Cebu City.

The 50 Galil rifles, which are said to cost P300,000 each reportedly came from Turkey.

Osmeña dares Capitol to sue over zoo

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña once again challenged the Cebu Provincial Government to file a case against the city for its plan to continue the development of the city zoo in Barangay Kalunasan.

Seniors question discount in hospitals

Senior citizens in the city are questioning the policy of the Department of the Health that only those confined in "small rooms" of private hospitals can be granted the 20 percent discount afforded to the elderly.

Priest's "killers" plead not guilty

The four suspects in the killing of Naga assistant parish priest Fr. Jovencio Rabusa in Talisay City last July has entered a not guilty plea in court despite their earlier admission to the crime before the police and the media.

Group asks court to summon Recto

A group advocating the protection of petroleum product consumers asked a Manila court to summon resigned Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto to testify and bolster their petition before the court for a temporary restraint on the so-called "Big 3" oil companies' price hikes.

Bill on labor tenure will hurt foreigners

The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) is dissuading lawmakers from passing the bill strengthening the security of tenure of workers, fearing this "restrictive" legislation will further erode the competitiveness of the Philippines as an investment destination.

POEA: 'No placement fee' jobs fair in Leyte

The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) held it's 7th Caravan at Abuyog town in Leyte province where they offered a "no placement fee" jobs fair.  

48 abused maids in Saudi return to RP

Another batch of runaway Filipino household workers who suffered various abuses at the hands of their employers returned home from the Middle East on Monday, the Overseas Workers' Welfare Administration (OWWA) said.

No raps vs 18 in Saudi gathering

The Saudi Arabia Prosecutor's Office has dropped the case against the 18 Filipinos arrested for a prohibited mixed male-female gathering last August 14.

Hostage Filipinos condition unknown

The United States military has assured the family of the 22 Filipino seamen being held by Somali pirates for the past five months are still alive but the exact health condition of the crew could not be ascertained.

Allow DepEd deals to build more schools

Senator Edgardo Angara has proposed a bill seeking to allow the Department of Education to go into deals with private contractors to put up school buildings in an attempt to stave off the decrease in public school classrooms.

PRC: New metallurgical, mining engineers

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced Monday the reults of the Metallurgical Engineer and Mining Engineer Licensure Examinations given this August 2009.

Day off proposed for employees to register

Employees should be given one day off with pay to allow them to register for the May 2010 election, a party list lawmaker proposed on Monday.

Arroyo in Pampanga for 24th visit

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made her 24th visit in Pampanga on Monday, this time to interact with about 50 scholars of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Marcos urges abolition of Namfrel

Ilocos Norte Representative Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday called for the abolition of the National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), saying it should instead be replaced by an election watchdog group composed of Church representatives.

Villar again tops new SWS survey

Senator Manny Villar has again emerged as the top choice for president next year in a survey by the Social Weather Station which he himself commissioned.

In the survey, Villar posted a 22-percent approval, followed by former president Joseph Estrada with 19 percent and Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero with 18 percent.

Vice President Noli De Castro ranked fourth in the survey with 14 percent, fifth was Senator Manuel "Mar" Roxas with 10 percent, Senator Loren Legarda came at sixth place with 6 percent, while Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay shared the seventh place with 3 percent.

At the bottom were Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando with 1 percent and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro with only 0.3 percent.

Noynoy will not dissociate from parents

Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Monday said he would never dissociate himself from his parents despite calls from Malacañang.

Erap faces arrest if he runs in 2010 polls

The possible candidacy of former President Joseph Estrada in the 2010 presidential polls took another twist: his former lawyer says Estrada, ousted by a military-backed uprising in January 2001, will be arrested for violation of the conditional pardon granted him following his conviction of plunder in 2007.  His former lawyer, Allan Paguia, said on Monday that Estrada would be violating the conditional pardon granted to him by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo shortly after the former Philippine leader was convicted of plunder in 2007. 

Reject stay of US troops in RP

Leftwing organizations on Monday dared the 2010 presidential aspirants to make a categorical stand for Philippine sovereignty and reject the continued stay of troops in the country.

AFP snubs Senate probe on Basilan clash

Government security officials snubbed a Senate hearing on the proposal to suspend the resumption of peace talks with Moro rebels following the recent clash in Basilan that killed 23 soldiers.

Tax exec fails lifestyle check, can't travel

An official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue who failed the government lifestyle check cannot travel after the Bureau of Immigration placed him on its hold departure list.  Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan issued a hold departure order against BIR Deputy Commissioner Danilo Duncano.

Cabinet face enquiry on Manila Bay fiasco

Malacañang on Monday said President Macapagal-Arroyo wanted to know why six of her Cabinet officials purportedly failed to comply with the Supreme Court order to clean up the Manila Bay.

No winner of P103-M SuperLotto pot

No one was able to win the P103-million jackpot in Sunday night's draw of the 6/49 SuperLotto game, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office said on Monday.

GSIS sacks IT head over 'irregular' deals

State pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) on Monday said it has fired the senior vice president of the agency's Information Technology Services Group (ITSG) for allegedly entering into illegal and questionable deals with Questronix Corp. and IBM Philippines.

Bankers say RP on upside of recovery

A Hong Kong-based Filipino banker said the pace of the Philippines' economic recovery is on track, since it is one of three countries not directly affected by the collapse of the global financial system.

Govt spending helps RP avoid recession - survey

Private consumption and increased government spending may have led to better economic growth in the second quarter, analysts said, allowing the Philippines to avoid a recession. 

Taiwan confirms 292 deaths, 385 missing

Taiwan's government on Monday confirmed that 292 people were killed and 385 missing after Typhoon Morakot struck the island and caused its worst flooding in half a century.

Venezuela wins Miss Universe 2009

Miss Venezuela, Stefania Fernandez, won the Miss Universe 2009 beauty pageant held in Nassau, Bahamas.

Bianca won't close doors to showbiz

Gumawa ng kasaysayan sa Miss Universe pageant ang Venezuela. Sa kandidata nilang si Stefania Fernandez isinalin ni Miss Venezuela 2008 ang korona ng Miss Universe. Ito ang unang pagkakaton na nanalo sa magkasunod na taon ang isang bansa sa pageant. Kahit di naman nakasama sa top 15, may bagong plano naman ni Ms. Philippines Bianca Manalo.

NHI not keen on proposed Cory Day

The National Historical Institute (NHI) is not keen on declaring a Cory Aquino Day, saying there are other ways to memorialize the late former President than giving Filipinos another holiday.

Vilma, Piolo get Aquino siblings' nod

Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos and actor Piolo Pascual have the approval of the Aquino siblings to portray their parents – slain former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. and the late former president Corazon "Cory" Aquino – in the planned Cory biopic.

2 RP films screened at Montreal filmfest

Two Filipino films - Dukot and Last Viewing - will be screened at the 2009 Montreal World Film Festival scheduled for August 27 to September 7.

Pinoy flavor in all White House food—chef

White House chef Filipino American Cristeta Pasia Comerford can whip them all when it comes to cooking. But she believes she injects the Pinoy flavor in whatever cuisine she prepares for the United States First Family and their guests.

Optimism among Filipinos still high: study

More Filipinos believe that their personal quality of life will improve in the next 12 months compared to those who think it will worsen, a Social Weather Stations survey said Monday. The same survey also showed that 43 percent of Filipinos admitted their personal quality of life had deteriorated in the past year.

Boy raises €1,000 for RP orphans

Kyle Baleva, 12, was able to raise 1,000 euros for orphaned children in his mother country the Philippines by completing the 30-kilometer-per-day hike of the world's biggest hiking event the Nijmegen International Four-Day Marches last July 24.

Ramadan ban on rock band urged

The country's conservative Islamic party on Monday called for Danish band Michael Learns to Rock to be banned from performing next month, saying it was an insult to Muslims during Ramadan.

Global cost of new cancers $305B in 2009

DUBLIN – The total economic burden of new cancer cases worldwide in 2009 will be $305 billion, according to a study presented to an international cancer conference here Monday.

Joan Crawford  - "I, Joan Crawford, I believe in the dollar. Everything I earn, I spend."