September 21, 2009 Major News Stories

No fare hike hearings this month — Suansing

Fluctuating oil prices has prompted the government to delay hearing pending petitions for fare increase.

Muslims, Christians exchange peace messages

Muslims and Christians prayed a block apart here on Sunday as their religious leaders exchanged peace messages.

Vidal: Ex-monks can tell the pope

by By Edwin Ian Melecio and Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal would have preferred for the former "monks" at Simala to have gone to him first before making public their complaints but that if they do not trust him, they could have gone directly to the pope.

Cardinal reminds media: Be arbiter of good taste

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal encouraged the Cebu media to be the arbiter of good taste by developing a sense of goodness and nobility in his message during the opening of the 15th Press Freedom Week celebration yesterday.

City dad backs call banning "sexually suggestive" songs

City Councilor Arsenio Pacaña is supporting the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to ban sexually suggestive songs, saying these "promote wrong values and immorality among listeners" from the airwaves.

Vidal: Rivalries among Catholic schools degrading education

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal called on Catholic educators to look into the current deficiencies like the trend towards competition among schools bordering on unhealthy contest.

Vice guv says sale contract needs to be rescinded

THERE is a need to rescind the contract so that legal matters can be settled in court, then development in the Balili property in Tinaan, Naga, can be pursued, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez said yesterday.

Probe on Miguel starts

DESPITE the absence of a formal request from the victim's family, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is investigating the alleged threat made by Miguel Osmeña, son of Mayor Tomas Osmeña.  Miguel was accused by Samantha Elise Diores Benitez, 20, of shooting her digital camera with a gun and leaving it outside her home's gate.

PRC suspends 11 local engineers

ELEVEN mechanical engineers were suspended by the Board of Mechanical Engineering of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for unprofessional and dishonorable conduct after their colleague filed a complaint against them.  Suspended for three months are mechanical engineers Edwin R. Torillo, Jermine B. Jayag, Ludwig P. Amandoron, Benjamin C. Sanchez, Randy K. Salazar, Mariano Francis Xavier A. Hamoy, Rosalito Judah V. Eboa, Ferminiano E. Dapitan, Richard R. Banzuela, Reynaldo S. Pelayo and Ronald M. Galindo.

PRC: 26 new sanitary engineers

by abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA - The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced Friday that 26 out of 76 passed the Sanitary Engineer Licensure Examination given by the Board of Sanitary Engineering in Manila this September 2009.

Earthquake hits Eastern Samar

by abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA – An earthquake with a 4.3 magnitude hit Samar province Saturday evening, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) noted.

Cotabato quakes hurt 2, cause P4-million damage

Two people were reported injured while around P4.188 million in damage to property was recorded as quakes hit parts of Mindanao Friday and Saturday.

5 dead after struck by lightning

by By Barbara Mijares, ABS-CBN News Negros

NEGROS ORIENTAL – Five farmers from Barangay. Inapoy, Mabinay, Negros Oriental died after the hut where they sought shelter was struck by lightning on Friday.

No solid clues yet on SuperFerry tragedy - PCG

Two weeks after the tragedy, government investigators have yet to find concrete leads on what caused SuperFerry 9 to sink off Zamboanga Peninsula last September 6.

Marina wants new snap-on lifejackets as standard equipment on ships

To make lifejackets easy to use during disasters, maritime authorities have required seagoing vessels to replace the old ones with snap-on type starting January 1, 2010.

SPC says 7 Naga power plants in full operation

Seven power plants at the Naga power complex of SPC Power Corp. are in full operation while maintenance personnel are working overtime to repair a tube leak in one of the thermal plants to help ease the critical power situation in Cebu.

Mikey promises no blackouts in 2010 polls

Pampanga Representative Juan Miguel Arroyo assured the public that the Arroyo government would not allow a blackout to disrupt the 2010 elections and that his mother, President Macapagal-Arroyo, would not need emergency powers to avert a power crisis.

'No martial law under GMA'

by By Paolo Romero, The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang dispelled yesterday fears that martial law would be declared before President Arroyo ends her term next year, even as it called on the people to remain vigilant against oppression and attacks on democracy as the nation remembers the declaration of martial law 37 years ago today. 

Noynoy-Mar to formally announce tandem on Monday

by abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA – The formal announcement for the tandem of Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas II for president and vice president in the 2010 national elections is set to be made Monday. 

Pangilinan backs Aquino-Roxas tandem

Senator Francis Pangilinan said on Sunday he has decided to drop his plans of running for vice president now that the Liberal Party has backed the tandem of Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and Senator Mar Roxas for next year's presidential race.

Villar still shopping for running mate

Who's afraid of a Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III-Manuel "Mar" Roxas tandem?  Villar is now choosing among Senators Francis Escudero and Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay as possible vice presidential candidate to match against Aquino and Roxas.

Miriam aims to convince Gibo on VFA review

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Sunday she would try to convince Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., to adopt her position of calling for the renegotiation of the Philippine-US Visiting Forces Agreement.

Sulu strikes against Abu Sayyaf, not MNLF

(UPDATE 2) Explosions greeted Tausugs in Indanan town in Sulu on Sunday morning in what the military clarified were strikes against Abu Sayyaf insurgents, and not at the members of the Moro National Liberation Front.

Dacers not eyeing Lacson as witness

The family of slain publicist Salvador Dacer said over the weekend that they never considered Senator Panfilo Lacson as a possible witness who could point to the mastermind of the double murder that killed the PR man and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in late 2000.

Lacson to bare Erap child"s jueteng links in 2nd privilege speech

One week after exposing the alleged abuses of former President Joseph Estrada during his presidency, Senator Panfilo Lacson will bare this coming Tuesday the involvement of one of the former leader's children in jueteng , an illegal numbers game.

UN to reopen probe on RP peacekeeper's death in 2007

The United Nations has agreed to reopen its investigation on the death of a Philippine Army colonel who died of malaria after a UN doctor failed to extend prompt and proper medical attention to him.

RP's consul seeks probe of death of detained OFW in Jeddah

by abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA - The Philippine's Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Sunday said that Philippine officials in Saudi Arabia have asked the officials of the Middle East kingdom to investigate the death of a Filipino migrant worker inside a deportation center in Jeddah.

Arroyo pays tribute to Pinoys in UK

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Saturday feted the Filipino community in the United Kingdom for making the nation proud with their hard work and dedication.

Obama to chair landmark UN nuclear summit

UNITED NATIONS—US President Barack Obama chairs an unprecedented summit at the UN Security Council Thursday to rally world support for nuclear non-proliferation and advance nuclear disarmament.

Obama to hold trilateral meeting with Netanyahu, Abbas

by Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama will hold a three-way meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Tuesday, the White House said.

Taliban leader tells 'invaders' to study history

The Taliban's reclusive leader said in a Muslim holiday message Saturday that the US and NATO should study Afghanistan's long history of war, in a pointed reminder that foreign forces have had limited military success in the country.

Captured Pakistan Taliban commander dies in jail

ISLAMABAD - A feared Taliban commander known for beheading opponents died in custody Sunday from wounds sustained during a fierce firefight with Pakistani security forces last week, the military said.

Mayweather dominates Marquez

LAS VEGAS – (UPDATE) Floyd Mayweather Jr. returned from a near two-year ring absence with a punishing 12-round decision over Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez here on Saturday.

Pacman threatens Floyd Sr. with defamation suit

by abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA -- Manny Pacquiao said he will press charges against controversial boxing trainer Floyd Mayweather, Sr. for claiming that the Filipino champ used steroids to enhance his performance inside the ring.

Ateneo beats UST, enters finals

Defending champion Ateneo clinched the first finals berth with an emphatic 81-64 victory over University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP men's basketball tournament Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Re-match 25 years on for chess legends Kasparov, Karpov

by Agence France-Presse

MADRID - Chess legends Garry Kasparov and Anatoli Karpov will face off Monday in the Spanish city of Valencia for a five-day re-match, 25 years after their epic world championship duel. 

Rama: Ms. Cebu 2010 will go back to online voting

More safeguards will be adopted in next year's Miss Cebu pageant following a controversy that rocked the credibility of the pageant's organizers this year, Acting Mayor Michael Rama said as the Cebu City Tourism Commission seeks for a P1.2 million budget for the pageant in January.

Richard Gutierrez charged over aide's death

(UPDATE) The Cavite provincial prosecutor has filed a charge of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide against actor Richard Gutierrez before the Municipal Trial Court in Silang, Cavite in connection with the death of his aide in May 2009.

Martin Nievera hospitalized after concert

by abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA – "Concert King" Martin Nievera was rushed to the Makati Medical Center shortly after his sold-out "As One" concert with Gary Valenciano Saturday night.

Ruffa defends friendship with John Lloyd

by abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA – Ruffa Gutierrez sees nothing wrong with holding a private screening of John Lloyd Cruz's latest film project, "In My Life."

Malaysian princes in public brawl

KUALA LUMPUR—A feud between two Malaysian princes has erupted in public with one of the royals saying he was held at gunpoint and badly beaten after a row at a nightclub.

Beyonce to perform in Malaysia despite dress code

Beyonce Knowles says she will perform in Malaysia in October, two years after canceling a show in this Muslim-majority country after protesters threatened to disrupt the concert because of her sexy image and clothing.

Porn links hit Comelec blog site

The Commission on Elections" blog site was turned into a malware threat over the weekend after a user on its comments page inserted several links supposedly leading to porn sites.

Pagasa tracks new weather disturbance

State weather forecasters are keeping tabs on a shallow low-pressure area (SLPA) that may bring rains to parts of the country.

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