August 27, 2009 Major News Stories

Was law violated in MOA signing?

Did Governor Gwendolyn Garcia commit a violation of law for making it appear that she signed the memorandum of agreement with the representatives of the Balili estate for the purchase of the controversial property when on the date that she supposedly signed and swore in the document before a notary public she was out of the country?

Council seeks House probe

THE Cebu City Council yesterday asked the House of Representatives to hold an inquiry and find out why the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) gave free patents for parts of the public domain, including a portion of the Balili property in Naga, Cebu.

Environmentalists' notice to sue to officials

Environment lawyers have given Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and other local and national government agencies 30 days to take necessary measures on the dumping of coal ash in Naga or face law suits for tolerating violations of environmental laws.

City glad Capitol is suing over deal

Cebu City is glad that Capitol is bringing to court the issue of the Joint Venture Agreement between the city government and Filinvest Land Inc., irregardless of whether or not the move is a diversionary tactic to steer the spotlight away from the controversial purchase of the Balili property.

Capitol to answer petition v parking

THE Court of Appeals (CA) ordered Capitol officials to answer the petition for certiorari filed by a group of lawyers on the fees imposed on parking inside the Capitol compound.

Parties in towing case to file arguments

The Regional Trial Court has given the parties in the petition to suspend towing operations in the city until September 1 to submit their memoranda, as Judge Silvestre Maamo of RTC Branch 17 intends to resolve the petition as soon as possible.

Council approves towing contracts

The Cebu City Council committee on laws yesterday approved the contracts that would continue the operations of towing companies in the city.

Tabunan sitio a "calamity area"

A landslide again hit the mountain barangay of Tabunan and destroyed a farmer's house and partly damaged another. City Hall officials are planning to have the particular place declared a "calamity area".

Gwen to visit Israel, Korea next month

Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez, Jr. will be calling the shots at the Cebu Provincial Capitol beginning next month, as Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is scheduled to leave for an official state visit in Israel from September 3 to 7 of this year.

DepEd owes P4.5-B, says Philhealth exec

The Department of Education (DepEd) has the biggest unpaid obligations to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp (Philhealth) at around P4.5 billion, a top official of the healthcare provider said.

Of the total P6.1 billion unpaid obligations of the national agencies, P4.5 billion was incurred by DepEd, P690 million by the Philippine National Police; P414 million by the Philippine Army; P233 million by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and P222 million by the Department of Health. 

Unpaid obligations for "uniformed personnel" at P1.5 billion, state universities and colleges at P458 million, the judiciary at P239 million, the executive offices at P524 million, and the legislative offices at P50 million.

SSS suffers 50% drop in H1 profits

The Social Security System (SSS) suffered a huge drop in profits for the first 6 months of the year due to the lack of one-time gains from the sale of shares in the equities market.

11-year-old dies of dengue

An 11-year-old boy from barangay Tisa died of dengue last August 22 but his death was recorded with the city health department only yesterday because his parents registered a different address when the boy was brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Typhoid hits Southern Leyte village

A rash of typhoid cases was reported in a village in Macrohon town, Southern Leyte, as six persons, including a four-year-old child, tested positive while 29 others have shown symptoms starting Monday.

DTI checks sudden hike in pork prices

Admitting they did not expect it so soon, trade officials have started checking reports of a sudden increase in the prices of pork by as much as P10 per kilo, a radio report said Wednesday.

Consumers brace for LPG, power hikes

Consumers should soon brace for a double whammy after cooking gas retailers announced a price hike and the government warned of higher electricity costs.

House probe on higher prices in Cebu

CONCERNED over the reported high prices of oil products in Cebu, a House committee will look into the pricing of the three oil companies and ask why Cebuanos are paying P5 to P8 more for oil products.

Management assures stable power supply

Majority of the members of the SPC Independent Union are in favor of the plan to stage a strike, as revealed by the results of the union's strike voting yesterday.

ERC to augment Visayas power supply

Long power outages in Visayas will ease soon following the Energy Regulatory Commission's (ERC) approval of a scheme aimed at augmenting supply in the region.

ERC oks automatic rate adjustment

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved new rules allowing state-run National Power Corp. (Napocor) to automatically adjust rates to recover fuel and foreign exchange costs.

80 OFWs from Middle East arrive home

Eighty overseas Filipino workers who suffered various forms of abuses from their employers in the Middle East arrived in the Philippines Wednesday.

Italy to allow direct hiring of Pinoys

Hindi na kailangan dumaan sa ahensya ng mga Pinoy na gustong magtrabaho sa Italy. Pwede ring mabigyan ng amnestiya ang mga caregiver at domestic helper na nagtatrabaho na roon. 

Comelec gets P1.59-B biometrics bid

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) bids and awards committee (BAC) recommended on Wednesday a P1.59 billion bid for a biometrics project aimed at cleansing the poll body's computerized voters list (CVL).

Smartmatic, NCC deny ties

Officials of the National Computer Center (NCC) and automation bid winner Smartmatic flatly denied on Wednesday the allegation by a UP law professor that a Smartmatic executive is a consultant of the NCC.

12 senators to choose acting President

The House of Representatives may pass a bill that will empower 12 senators—whose terms will end in 2013—to elect among themselves the acting President in the event the 2010 automated polls result in total failure.

House committee OKs Con-con reso

Hindi pa rin tinatantanan ng mga kongresista ang Cha-cha! Matapos ang Con-ass, consititutional convention naman ang isinusulong ng mga mambabatas para mabago ang Saligang Batas. 

DOJ to probe govt execs' "infomercials"

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is open to the idea of investigating the infomercials of several government officials to determine if public funds were used in them.

Glo sends P1.54-Tr final budget to House

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo transmitted to the House of Representatives the proposed P1.54 trillion budget for 2010, which she described as her administration's "final budget" and one that would complete projects that she could leave as "legacy" to her successor.

Arroyo to return to NY; no more Le Cirque?

Malacañang has learned its lesson, or so says Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who doubts President Arroyo will again dine at the fine dining restaurant when she visits New York anew in September for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly.

Palace says yes to Cory Aquino Day

Malacañang has no objection to the declaration of a "Cory Aquino Day'' to commemorate the late icon of democracy, but President Macapagal-Arroyo's allies suggested that it be made a "working holiday."

Lacson got orders from Palace

The former Philippine National Police chief allegedly sought the liquidation of the publicist who was said to have threatened to expose former president Joseph Estrada's involvement in insider trading and that he was "directly getting orders from Malacañang," Ex-Police Superintendent Cesar Mancao told a local court Wednesday.

Office of Ombudsman 'inutile', 'prostituted'

Party-list lawmakers on Wednesday described the Office of the Ombudsman as "inutile" and "prostituted" with Merceditas Gutierrez at its helm, insisting she should be impeached.

Rule wisely on Ombudsman impeach rap

Former Senator Jovito Salonga reminded the House committee on justice to judiciously decide on the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Subpoena execs who snub hearings

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday warned that the Senate might use its coercive powers against executive officials who refuse to attend congressional inquiries.

US troops join combat—ex-RP Navy exec

The US military forces stationed in Mindanao had joined the Philippine military in combat operations, the whistleblower on the Balikatan fund mess said on Wednesday.

Police hunt Abu Sayyaf, MILF bandits

The Philippine National Police will continue its pursuit of Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan and Sulu, according to Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno.

Gov't open to releasing only 4 NDF men

The government urged communist rebels to abandon their demand for the unconditional release of political prisoners if only to put the peace process back on track.

Remove 6 Magdalos from wanted list

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) wants six Navy personnel implicated in the July 2003 Oakwood Mutiny to be removed from the Philippine National Police"s wanted list due to the absence of formal charges against them.

Ex-Palace exec named NTC chief

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has appointed former Malacañang official, lawyer Gamaliel Cordoba, to the top post of the National Telecommunications Commission, replacing resigned Commissioner Ruel Canobas.

RP digital marketing council created

A newly formed digital marketing council aims to establish rules on advertising campaigns in non-traditional platforms such as mobile phones.

US Senator Kennedy dies at 77—family

US Senator Ted Kennedy, a lion of the American left and the last of the brothers who dominated US politics for years, has died of brain cancer, his family said Wednesday. He was 77.

Thaksin protesters vow to defy protest ban

Supporters of fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra vowed to defy a government order banning them from an area of Bangkok where they plan to hold a mass rally this weekend.

Viloria vows not to lose his title again

Brian "the Hawaiian Punch" Viloria said he would like to hold on his International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior flyweight title a little longer as he defends for the first time on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in Hawaii.  

No winner of P114-M SuperLotto jackpot

No one won the P114-million jackpot in the 6/49 SuperLotto draw Tuesday night, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office said Wednesday.

Prank call halts university exams

Classes were suspended and midterm examinations halted at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos in Bacolod after an unidentified caller phoned twice saying a bomb was set to explode Tuesday afternoon.

Amalia blames husband for son's case

Nagpalipas ng magdamag sa kulungan ang anak ng beteranang aktres na si Amalia Fuentes. Mismong ang ama raw ng akusado ang umano'y may pakana ng kasong libelo.

Arroyo firm on National Artist choices

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is sticking with her choices for this year's National Artists, a Malacañang official said Wednesday.

Bayani got money from MMFF earnings

Umamin si MMDA chair Bayani Fernando na niregaluhan siya ng mahigit P1.5 milyon mula sa kinita ng Metro Manila Film Festival. Kaya tingi ni Senadora Miriam Santiago, puwedeng makasuhan ang chairman ng MMDA.

Looking for perfect partner? Do the Math

Looking for "the one?" An Australian mathematician says singles face much better odds if they date, and then reject, 12 potential partners, and then start searching for love.

Magnitude 4.9 tremor in Visayas

A tremor which was reportedly tectonic in origin was felt 5:17 p.m. Wedensday in Tacloban City. 

Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach  - "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day."