MANILA, Philippines (ABS-CBN) - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima is giving South Upi, Maguindanao Vice-Mayor Jordan Ibrahim up to today to voluntarily submit himself to buccal (oral) swabbing and taking of blood samples for DNA profiling in order to rule him out as suspect in the rape of 21-year-old volunteer nurse, "Florence" last September 25.
De Lima told reporters in a news conference that she has received reports linking the vice-mayor to the crime, but refused to give details.
"Initially, the Vice-Mayor volunteered to give samples but when he said that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) chemists already came back to Manila. So I directed the NBI investigator-in-charge to find out within the day if the offer of the vice-mayor still stands. I have the details na may indication na baka may kinalaman ang vice-mayor. I have the details right now, but I cannot disclose at this point. In due time, I will disclose," de Lima said.
The justice chief said blood samples and buccal swabs taken from six suspects first rounded up by local police turned negative when compared to samples (vaginal smear, vaginal swab, anal swab) obtained from the victim.
Prosecutors have dropped the charges against Michael Calendario, Jeffrey Fernandez, Glen Saldua, Roscon Sanglap, Darwin Escalona, and Eugene Biscarra for lack of evidence.
Another suspect, Melchor Fulgencio, remains in jail and is facing rape with frustrated homicide charges.
De Lima however said Fulgencio also tested negative in the DNA profiling.
"Negative yung 7. But investigators are saying na si Fulgencio seems to be telling the truth partially. Kasi nag-polygraph test sila. Meaning, yung mga sinasabi niyang iba, totoo. Ang kwestyunable na lang, ang identity nung sinasabi niyang Edwin. It's possible Fulgencio knows kung sino exactly ang Edwin na yan only that he (Fulgencio) is not willing to say it," de Lima said.
Two other males were subjected to DNA profile, including the owner of the videoke joint where Candelario's group was drinking. They, too, tested negative in the DNA profiling.
"The results of the test (on Florence) point only to a single DNA profile. So isang male lang daw," de Lima said.
The Justice chief said she will immediately send NBI chemists to South Upi should Vice-Mayor Ibrahim say he is willing to subject himself to the test.
"There are reports that he is hesitant. I was told his lawyers said they will accede to that only if he is officially considered a suspect," de Lima said.
Asked what the repercussions were should Ibrahim respond by refusing the test, de Lima said she will confer with the NBI and the Philippine National Police for the possibility of declaring him a suspect.
The DOJ is also awaiting word from Florence's doctors as to when she can be accessed by investigators so she can shed light on the incident.
The DOJ is also mulling transferring Florence to a hospital in Metro Manila to ensure her security.
Florence is currently being secured by the Davao police at the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City where she is recuperating from blows to the head and body. (Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News)
Link: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/10/19/10/vice-mayor-given-ultimatum-maguindanao-gang-rape-case
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Vice-mayor given ultimatum in Maguindanao gang rape case: ABS-CBN
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
'Ampatuan gave bribe money to officials’: ABS-CBN
MANILA, Philippines - Prosecution witness Lakmudin Saliao continued on Wednesday his explosive testimony against his former boss, this time tagging the Ampatuan patriarch in a bribery spree to have criminal charges against the members of the family dropped.
During the 2nd day of trial of the Maguindanao massacre case, Saliao said former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr. ordered his spiritual adviser to transmit millions of money to several government and police officials to make life easier for his family.
On top of his list is former Presidential Adviser on Mindanao Affairs Jesus Dureza who was allegedly bribed P10 million to have a separate rebellion charge dropped.
The Ampatuans were also slapped with a rebellion case for allegedly disrupting government offices at the height of investigations. The government had implemented martial rule in some parts of Maguindanao to rein in the Ampatuans.
The rebellion case came after the massacre of 57 civilians on November 23. The Ampatuans allegedly masterminded the killings.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 77 quashed the rebellion charges early this year. A motion for reconsideration has yet to be resolved.
Saliao, who directly linked Andal’s son and namesake to the execution of the killings, said Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay and police officer Rainier Ebus were given P10 million each for them to retract earlier testimonies.
Another P20 million was also given to Maguindanao board member Mike Midtimbang to ensure the family’s welfare while under incarceration.
The Ampatuan patriarch supposedly gave the directives on March 11.
Prior to that, on February 28, Ampatuan Sr. supposedly instructed his spiritual adviser to give P200 million to Umbra Sinsuat, the Ampatuan’s then candidate for the position of Maguindanao governor.
The adviser, known only as Ustaj Sarid Agas, was also ordered to give P36 million to Omar Sayadi, the husband of a Maguindanao administrative officer.
Saliao also revealed that Ampatuan Sr., then under hospital arrest inside a military camp in Panakan, Davao City also ordered a son-in-law working with the Land Transportation Office to tweak the records of cars registered under their names.
Private prosecutors said they will ask the Anti-Money Laundering Council to track the bank records of the Ampatuans.
They will also start the filing of administrative charges against those who supposedly took part in bribing witnesses and families of the victims. – (Reports from Ces Drilon, ABS-CBN News)
Link:
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/15/10/%E2%80%98ampatuan-gave-bribe-money-officials%E2%80%99
Monday, August 30, 2010
(Manila Hostage-Drama) Transcript of hostage-taker's last radio interview: ABS-CBN
MANILA, Philippines - A transcript of hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza's last conversation with a radio broadcaster showed that he was willing to die during the August 23 hostage incident in Manila.
Mendoza talked with Radio Mo Nationwide (RMN) anchor Michael Rogas during the 11-hour hostage incident at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park.
In one part of the interview, Rogas asked the hostage-taker if he wanted food brought to the tourist bus for himself and his 25 hostages.
Mendoza answered: "Ako po ay nakalaan na akong magutom. Kanina pa 'ko hindi kumakain dahil alam ko na magiging sitwasyon sa buhay ko. Handa na kong mamatay ngayong araw na 'to."
(It's OK for me to go hungry. I haven't eaten because I know what my situation in life will be. I am prepared to die this day.)
He also revealed that he had spoken to Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and told her that she would be at fault if anything bad happened to the hostages. Mendoza had asked the Ombudsman to dismiss all the cases against him.
"I talked to Gonzales and Gutierrez and told them: You are at fault if this gets worse," the hostage-taker told Rogas.
Below is a transcript of Mendoza's RMN interview as aired on a GNN report.
MICHAEL ROGAS: Captain, sa papaaanong paraan po ninyo gustong matapos itong isyung ito, itong sitwasyong ito? (Captain, how do you want this issue, this situation to end?)
MENDOZA: Ayun nga, yung Ombudsman, ang sabi, re-review-hin, rerepasuhin. Ang gusto ko, dalhin nila rito ngayon ang order kung ako’y talagang dismissed. Yung final order nila na ako’y dismissed o na-issue-han ng dismissal order. Yun ang gusto kong mangyari: final order. Yung ginawa kanina, sulat lang ‘yun. Para ako’y ma-satisfy sa harap ng aking in-laws. Hindi tama ‘yun, mali ‘yun.
(They said the Ombudsman will review my case. What I want is for them to deliver the order if I’m really dismissed from service. The final order, saying I’m dismissed or was issued a dismissal order. That’s what I want: final order. What they delivered earlier was just a letter. For me to be satisfied in front of my in-laws. That was wrong.)
MICHAEL ROGAS: Kapitan, meron po kayong pakiusap sa pamamagitan po ng RMN, nakikinig po ang mga pulis ngayon. May pakiusap kayo sa pulis, lalung-lalo na dun sa mga sniper?
(Captain, is there anything you want to tell the police? They are listening to the RMN radio station right now. Do you have anything to say, especially to the snipers?)
MENDOZA: ‘Yang mga sniper, pag hindi sila nagsialis sa kanilang mga pwesto ay sasampolan ko sila. Ii-snipe-in ko ‘kako itong nasa pintuan.
(These snipers, if they won’t go away, I’ll give them a sample. I’ll shoot this one at the door.) Note: Masa Tse, the tour guide, was handcuffed by Mendoza at the door of the bus. He was eventually killed.
MICHAEL ROGAS: Ok, sa oras na ito, na quarter to seven na po ang oras dito po sa aming himpilan. Quarter to seven na ng gabi. Ano na po ang huling desisyon ninyo? (Ok, it’s now quarter to 7 p.m. What is your final decision?)
MENDOZA: Eh wala na po. Kasi nakikita ko ang dami nang SWAT na dumarating. Ang daming SWAT na dumarating, nakikita ko sa palibot. Ako naman, alam ko papatayin din nila ako. Kaya magsialis na sila dahil anytime, gagawin ko din ‘yun dito.
(I see a lot of SWAT coming. Many SWAT members are here, I see them all around. I know they are going to kill me. They should go away because anytime, I’ll do the same here on the bus.)
MICHAEL ROGAS: Sino na po talaga ang gusto ninyong makausap maliban po sa media?
(Who else do you want to talk to besides the media.)
MENDOZA: Eh yung pinaka reliable. Yung totoo ang sasabihin sa 'kin kasi ayaw ko yung sinisinungalingan lang ako.
(Someone who is really reliable, who will tell me the truth. I don't want someone who will just tell me lies.)
MICHAEL ROGAS: Sino yun? (Who is that?)
MENDOZA: Media. Media lang din. (Media. I just want the media.)
At this point of the interview, Mendoza is watching on TV the arrest of his brother, SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza.
MENDOZA: Oh, yung kapatid ko nakikita ko, bakit nila ginaganyan? Akong may kasalanan dito, walang kasalanan ‘yan! Walang kasalanan ‘yan. Ipakita niyo na pinakawalan ninyo kapatid ko! Ipakita nila, pagka hindi titirahin ko ang mga nandirito sa loob!
(I can see my brother, why are they doing that? I’m the one at fault here, not him! He’s not at fault. Show me that he’s being freed! Show me or else I’ll start shooting the people here!)
MICHAEL ROGAS: Kalma lang po… (Please remain calm…)
MENDOZA: Sabihin mo sa kanila, sabihin mo sa kanila ‘yan! (Tell them that, tell them that!)
MICHAEL ROGAS: Opo, tinatawagan na po. (Yes, we’re already calling.)
MENDOZA: Ipakita nila, ipakita nila dito sa kaliwa, sa kaliwa! Makita ko sa kaliwa ng bus. Palakarin nila ang kapatid ko diyan! Pagka hindi… ito, talagang ano. Aanuhin ko dito lahat-lahat.
(Show it, show it at the left! Make sure I see it at the left side of the bus. Make my brother walk away! Or else, I’ll… I’ll…)
MICHAEL ROGAS: Opo, tinatawagan na po namin ang PNP. Easy lamang po. (Yes, we’re already calling the Philippine National Police. Please take it easy)
MENDOZA: Wala naman kasalanan yang kapatid ko. Hindi nila alam ang pangyayari dito. (My brother is not fault. They didn't know what's happening here.)
MICHAEL ROGAS: Kalma lang po tayo dahil kami na po ay nakikipag-ugnayan na po sa PNP. Humuhupa na rin naman po ang mga pulis, ano po. (Please stay calm because we are now contacting the PNP. The police are also starting to calm down...)
MENDOZA: Ayan o, binibitbit ‘yung kapatid kong pulis. Walang kasalanan ‘yan, bakit nila bibitbitin yan? Sasabihin nila, accessory, hindi accessory ‘yan! Ako lang mag-isa ang gumawa nito. Ayan nakikita ko. Nakikita ko ‘yung ginagawa nila sa kapatid ko, ayun o! Pulis yan eh, walang kasalanan ‘yan! Walang kasalanan ‘yan!
(There! They’re arresting my brother who's a cop. He’s not at fault, why are they taking him? They’d say, accessory, he’s not an accessory! I’m the only one who did this. I can see it. I see what they’re doing to my brother. He’s a cop, he's not part of this. He’s not part of this!)
MENDOZA: Pakawalan nila ‘yan, pagka hindi, eto, babarilin ko ‘yung nasa unahan! Sabihin mo sa kanila. Sabihin mo sa kanila. Ayan o, nakikita ko rito, ayun o, nasa TV. Ginagawa nilang baboy ang kapatid ko na pulis! Walang kasalanan ‘yan! Hindi niya alam ang pangyayaring ito. Ngayon niya lang nalaman sa TV. Bakit nila gaganyanin? Wala ‘yan. Walang kasalanan ‘yan!
(Let him go, or I’ll shoot this one at the door! Tell them that. Tell them that! I’m seeing it here, it’s on TV! They’re treating my policeman brother like a pig! He’s not at fault. He doesn’t know anything. He knew this just now on TV. Why are they doing that to him? He’s not a part of this!)
MENDOZA: Ayun o. Ito, lalala lamang ito sa ginagawa ng mga pulis na ‘yan! Sabihin mo sa kanila. P*tangina! O, hindi nila pakakawalan ‘yan? P*tangina! Oh, babarilin ko na ito! Pakawalan ninyo ‘yan! Babarilin ko na ito!
(This will only get worse because of what the police are doing! Tell them that! [expletive] They won't set him free? [expletive] I’ll shoot this person! Set him free! I’m going to start shooting!)
MICHAEL ROGAS: Sandali po. Huwag po kayong magpapaputok. Captain Mendoza… (To Erwin Tulfo) Pakibilisan lang yung ground commander…
(Hold on. Do not fire your gun. Captain Mendoza… (To Erwin Tulfo) Erwin, please hurry to the ground commander…)
MENDOZA: Ayan pinosas na! ‘Pag hindi nila pinakawalan ‘yan, babarilin ko na ‘to! (They already handcuffed him! If they won’t set him free, I’ll shoot this person!)
MICHAEL ROGAS: Captain Mendoza, tinutulungan na po namin kayo… (Captain Mendoza, we’re already helping you…)
MENDOZA: Wala dinederetso-diretso nila. Pag umalis at hinuli nila kasama ang kapatid ko, babarilin ko yung nasa unahan, Babarilin ko na 'tong lahat-lahat. (They just went through with it. If they go away and bring my brother, I am going to shoot the one in the front. I am going to shoot everybody.)
MICHAEL ROGAS: Captain Mendoza! Captain Mendoza!
At this point, Mendoza is no longer speaking to the interviewer as a commotion ensues inside the bus.
He later told the interviewer that he had shot 2 of the Chinese tourists and that he would kill everyone on the bus if the SWAT team does not go away.
MENDOZA: Binaril ko na yung 2 Chinese. Pagka hindi nila binago yung ganitong sitwasyon, ako mamamaril dito sa loob. Uubusin ko 'to! Uubusin ko pagka hindi sila tumigil ng kakatakbo diyan sa gilid. Uubusin ko to!
(I shot 2 of the Chinese. If they don't change the situation, I'm going to start shooting in here. I'll finish off everyone! I'll kill everybody if they don't stop running beside the bus. I'll finish off everyone!)(abs-cbnNEWS.com)
Link: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/08/30/10/transcript-hostage-takers-last-radio-interview
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Media walk out on CHR Commissioner's press conference: ABS-CBN
Coco Quisumbing (Video grab from ABS-CBN Television)MANILA,
The press conference was called by CHR to address the issue of the torture scandal involving
"If you're not in my line of sight, I'm not going to talk to you. If you're not going to listen to me and position yourselves as I ask you to, I'm just gonna walk out the door," Quisumbing said.
She wanted the press people to sit in the order she wanted them to in one place so she will only look at them in one direction.
"Do you hear me?" she asked. The press mumbled, "Yes ma'm."
"Ano?" she asked. The press answered again, "Yes, ma'm."
"I don't hear all of you," she said.
Quisumbing then singled out some media people. "Hindi ka nga puwede diyan. Bawal diyan. Everyone should be on the same side para hindi ako paganun-ganun! I'm sorry. Mainit ang ulo ko ngayon!" she said.
Spotting someone, she said, "Ikaw naka-green shirt. Hindi kita kilala. I'm not going to answer any of your questions. Sinabi ko na sa inyo, diyan kayo. Gaano kahirap ba 'yan? Lady with the white undershirt, you should be nicer to the people you interview. Be polite and answer her, OK?"
Quisumbing, who used to be a journalist, said she just wants the media to get good video footage.
"I'm not doing this for me. These are not kaartehan! If I'm facing that way, maganda ba ang shot niyo? I could have sat up there. Pangit ang inyong shot! Pinag-isipan ko ang trabaho niyo," she explained.
As some reporters left, Quisumbing asked, "Sino'ng umalis?"
In spite of what happened, the rest of the media stayed to finish their duty to cover the CHR's stand on the torture scandal.
Last month, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III said Cabinet members will undergo a media seminar so they can deal with the media well. This was announced after two Cabinet members, Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro and Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, figured in some misunderstandings with the media.
Secretary Luistro accused the media of muddling the issue of sex education when he was asked for his comment about the topic, while Lacierda made the Malacañang press corps wait for hours for a scheduled press conference.(Report from ABS-CBN News)
Link: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/08/21/10/media-walk-out-chr-commissioners-presscon
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Karahasan sa Zambo, patuloy pa rin!
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 11, 2010) – Patuloy ang karahasan sa Zamboanga sa kabila ng dami ng pulis at sundalong nagpapatrulya sa lungsod na binansagang Asia’s Latin City.
Ito’y matapos na iulat ng ABS-CBN na dalawang granada ang sumabog sa Barangay Talon-Talon at Barangay Mampang na kung saan ay isang katao ang nasugatan sa atakeng naganap nitong Sabado lamang.
Hindi naman makapagbigay ng ulat ang pulisya at sinasabing patuloy ang imbestigasyon sa naturang atake. At kung maitatago sa media ang mga patayan at krimen ay pilit itong itatago ng mga opisyal upang palabasin na tahimik ang Zamboanga sa kabila ng maraming insidente ng pamamaril.
At mula nitong Enero ay mahigit na sa 100 ang naging biktima ng pamamaril at Zamboanga City na ang siyang may pinakamataas na istatistiko sa buong Western Mindanao.
Karamihan sa mga patayan ay kagagawan ng mga gun-for-hire, subali’t madalas na idahilan ng mga awtoridad ay family feud o atraso ang dahilan nito.
Mistulang may template naman ang pulisya sa kanilang imbestigasyon – kung magandang lalaki o babae ang napatay ay agad sasabihing “love triangle” ang posibleng dahilan, at kung mayaman naman ang biktima ay tiyak na “business rivalry” naman ang motibo nito; o kung Muslim ang napatay ay tiyak na “rido” o away-pamilya ang sanhi naman nito.
Karamihan sa mga napatay sa Zamboanga ay hindi pa rin nareresolba. Binansagang Asia’s Latin City ang Zamboanga dahil sa diyalekto nitong Chabacano na may halong Espanyol dahil sa impluwensya ng Espanya halos mahigit sa 100 taon na ang nakaraan. (Mindanao Examiner)
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Police eyeing politician's role in radio journalist's killing: ABS-CBN
LAOAG City, Philippines - Police investigators are eyeing the possible role of a local politician in the murder of radio journalist Joselito Agustin in Ilocos Norte on Tuesday night.
Chief Superintendent Constante Azures, Ilocos regional police director, said intelligence operatives have been deployed around Manila to monitor the movements of the politician.
"The individual I'm referring to is in Manila. There are many intelligence [agents] spread all over Manila," Azures said.
He, however, clarified that he could not yet name the politician or have him arrested because police investigators were still gathering strong evidence to pin the politician to Agustin's killing.
"Apparently right now I cannot just mention the name of that [politician] because we have to firm up all the evidence," he said.
Shooter named
Azures said that the politician's possible role in the killing cropped up after Agustin's surviving nephew, Joseph, positively identified one of their shooters.
Agustin and his nephew were on board a motorcycle when they were ambushed by 2 motorcycle-riding gunmen along the national highway in Barangay Barit, Laoag City on Tuesday night.
The radio journalist died in hospital at 1:15 a.m. Wednesday.
The regional police director said the nephew identified one of the 2 motorcycle-riding gunmen as Mark Leonardo Banaag Jr.
"He is being tracked right now. He went here in Vigan. He cannot move anymore. He better surrender, all police agents are on his track," Azures told reporters.
He said charges are also being prepared against Banaag, who is a close aide of the local politician.
Azures said they are also checking if Banaag is a member of a private army or of a gun-for-hire syndicate operating in the region.
'Partially' closed case
The regional police chief said they are now considering the Agustin case as "partially closed" with the pending filing of charges against Banaag.
He said police are working round-the-clock to determine if the local politician has the motive to order Agustin's killing.
"Nobody has slept yet," he said, adding that police investigators are reviewing records of Agustin's commentaries in the last 3 weeks.
Philippine National Police chief Director-General Jesus Verzosa has ordered Task Force Usig, a police group formed to focus on media and extra-judicial killings, to relentlessly pursue the case "until solved."
Verzosa also wants police units to continue pursuing cases of media killings until the gunmen and masterminds are charged and convicted in court.
Agustin's killing happened less than 24 hours after the murder of 52-year-old radio commentator Desiderio "Jessie" Camangyan of Sunrise FM radio station in Manay town, Davao Oriental.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said Agustin is the 139th journalist killed since the late President Corazon Aquino came into power in 1986, and the 102nd under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
International media groups have labeled the Philippines as the "deadliest country" for journalists in 2009, accounting for 37 of 132 journalists and support staff killed or died while working around the world.
The deaths include at least 30 local journalists in a politically motivated massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao province last November 23, 2009. (With a report from Randy Menor, ABS-CBN Laoag)
Link:http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/06/19/10/police-eyeing-politicians-role-radio-journalists-killing
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Local bets get zero votes as PCOS machines malfunction: ABS-CBN
Several vote counting machines in at least four localities on Monday failed to correctly read the ballots and tally the votes during mock polls, affecting local positions and raising concerns that a scenario is being created by some quarters to revert the conduct of the polls to the manual system.
Some candidates for local positions in Pasay City; Makati City; Sto. Tomas, Batangas; and Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro got zero votes despite the fact that their poll watchers accomplished the ballots, and should assure them of as many votes in the results.
The malfunctioning of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines spared no political parties and didn't appear to target particular positions.
Smartmatic, the supplier of the PCOS machines, dismissed the reports as "absolutely false" and branded them as "misinformation."
Abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak got the reports from the affected political camps, and got confirmation from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that similar reports from those areas also reached the poll body.
The Comelec is not alarmed by the reports, saying that a 1-week window was really alloted for the testing of the machines, so the defective ones can be replaced by new units. Some 6,000 extra PCOS machines are on stand-by, said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez.
Machines or ballots?
In Sto. Tomas, Batangas, around 80% of all PCOS machines reportedly failed to tally votes properly for the Liberal Party. Noel Ascano, poll watcher from LP, said that votes for LP candidates in the ballots were read by the machine as votes for opposing candidates in the Nationalista Party (NP).
Highly affected by the machine misreading, he claimed, were votes for the positions of vice mayor and councilors.
In Pasay City, over 20 PCOS machines generated zero votes for mayoralty candidate Consuelo Dy of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).
According to Dy's watcher and daughter Judy, their camp--as did other political parties--sent 5 watchers per PCOS machine in the mock polls.
For instance, in Juan Sumulong Elementary School, the biggest polling center in the city in terms of voters population, at least 3 PCOS machines gave zero votes for Dy. "Purposely for the testing, we should have at least 15 votes there," she said.
She added that even votes for the senatorial race are also seen with some discrepancies.
"We're not sure if the PCOS machines are not reading properly, or if the ballots are marked," Dy said.
The case is almost similar in Makati City. Reports have it that mayoralty candidates Ernesto Mercado and Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. got zero, with the mock votes cast for them by the teachers being credited to another mayoralty candidate, Erwin Genuino.
No IT help
In all cases that were reported, the technical people assigned by Smartmatic for each PCOS machine failed to fix the glitches.
Abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak sources who are involved in local campaigns said they do not believe that rival local candidates are behind the zero votes of some aspirants. They cited intelligence reports that the glitches could be a way to cast doubts on the reliability of the PCOS machines, so that the idea of reverting to the manual system will be easier to sell.
Manual polls, veterans believe, is easier to manipulate.
But Smartmatic dismissed the reports. In a text message, the company said: “Absolutely false. Double check, please. There will be many, if not hundreds, of these misinformation spread in the next days.”
Comelec's Jimenez told abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak that the poll body has sent representatives to the affected areas to validate the reports.
Jimenez said that the reported problem is not a major problem for the poll body. “We still have the situation well at hand,” he confidently said.
If the reports are proven true, he explained that the machines will immediately be recalled and replaced. There are more than 6,000 units of machines available as back-up. “Kaya winindow na 7 days ang testing ng machines bago mag-election. Here we have a chance to replace the machines if needed,” he said.(abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak)
Link: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/05/03/10/local-bets-get-zero-votes-pcos-machines-malfunction
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Japanese treasure hunters, Filipino guides escape kidnapping attempt in Zamboanga province
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 24, 2009) – Three Japanese treasure hunters and their Filipino guides escaped from a group of gunmen on the southern Philippine province of Zamboanga Sibugay in what police said could be a kidnapping attempt.
Gunmen on Wednesday opened fire on a van carrying the foreigners Hiro Nakano, Koichirou Yoshioka and Yoshitel Miyake and their local guides Fedelito dela Penia, Rolito Berberio Jr., Rolando Doronila and Romeo Santos Jr., in the village of Timbang-Timbang in the town of Alicia.
The group escaped unhurt from the attack and reported the incident to the police. Local television news said a Filipino guide of the Japanese men, Hassanal Alsree, was arrested by the police on suspicion of being involved in the botched kidnapping.
Alsree was with the foreigners, but took off to speak to his contacts to guide them to a cave in the town where Japanese treasure had been allegedly found. But armed men later appeared and the van’s driver, sensing danger, sped off leaving Alsree behind.
Gunmen fired on the van hitting the vehicle; however, no one was hurt in the attack, the local ABS-CBN television reported.
It said the attackers escaped and that policemen recovered four empty shells of M16 rifle from the area. It was unknown whether the attackers were members of a rebel group, but the Abu Sayyaf and Moro guerrillas are actively operating in the province.
Police said the foreigners left Thursday for Manila. It gave no further details about the Japanese men or their Filipino companions. (Mindanao Examiner)
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Iglesia Ni Cristo Leader Dies
MANILA, Philippines - Eraño "Ka Erdy" Manalo, the executive minister of the largest religious sect in the country, Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), died Monday. He was 84.
Bienvenido Santiago, INC spokesman, said Manalo passed away at 3:53 p.m. in his home in San Juan. His body lies in state at the INC's central temple in Tandang Sora, Quezon City.
Santiago said that according to Manalo’s doctor, Rey Melchor Santos, the INC head died of cardio-pulmonary arrest.
Manalo has also reportedly been suffering from prostate cancer.
Manalo took the over adminstration of the religious organization after the death of his father, Felix Manalo, in April 12, 1963.
He was instrumental in the expansion of the church, which has millions of members nationwide and across the globe. (ABS-CBN)
Link: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/01/09/inc-leader-dies
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Arroyo entourage also had $15,000 meal in D.C. - Report
MANILA - Three days before allegedly spending $20,000 for a dinner in a Manhattan restaurant, President Arroyo and her entourage also reportedly spent another $15,000 for dinner at Bobby Van's Steakhouse on 15th Street, Washington DC, a major US daily reported Wednesday.
A report titled "Heartburn Over Two Big Meals" in the Washington Post's Reliable Source column said Mrs. Arroyo and an entourage of about 65 people, including security and food tasters, had dinner at Bobby Van's Steakhouse on 15th Street NW hours after her July 30 meeting with US President Barack Obama.
"The group took over one of the restaurant's private rooms and dined on lobster, steak and fine wines; at the conclusion of the meal, an unidentified woman opened a handbag stuffed with cash, counted out bills and paid the $15,000 tab -- which included a generous tip," the column read.
"The Philippine Embassy did not return calls for comment Tuesday," it added.
The bill of $15,000 roughly translates to about P720,899,000 based on latest foreign exchange rates.
Steaks at the popular restaurant are priced anywhere from $38 (P1,830) to $42 (P2,023), according to the Bobby Van's Steakhouse website. Half bottles of red and white wine at the restaurant are priced between $18 (P867) to $60 (P2,890) while the most expensive bottle on the winelist, a Louis Roederer Cristal Reims, is priced at $575 (P27,697).
Arroyo's expensive dinner in Washington is the second to be reported by the US media recently. Last week, the New York Post reported that Arroyo and her entourage dined at Manhattan's Le Cirque on August 2, with the dinner bill amounting to $20,000 or almost P1 million.
Malacañang spokesmen have denied that public funds were used to pay for the dinner. They said it was Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez who paid the bill. Romualdez is the nephew of former First Lady Imelda Marcos.
Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello on Wednesday urged the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate President Arroyo for violating Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Bello cited Section 4(h) of the law which states that “public officials shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income,” and that “they shall not engage in extravagant or ostentatious displays of wealth."
He added that if Romualdez paid for the dinner, then both Arroyo and Romualdez could be charged with bribery.(Link: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/08/12/09/report-arroyo-entourage-also-had-15000-meal-dc)
Heartburn Over Two Big Meals: The Washington Post
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's visit to the White House on July 30 didn't draw much attention, and her dinner in Washington that night got nary a mention. And that's how it might have stayed -- if not for a controversial meal in New York City.
Arroyo is under fire in her native country for a $20,000 meal at Manhattan's Le Cirque on Aug. 2, which included caviar and several bottles of champagne. The dinner, first reported in the New York Post, has Arroyo's critics comparing her to the extravagant Imelda Marcos.
The Reliable Source has learned that three days earlier, Arroyo and an entourage of about 65 people (including security and food tasters) had dinner at Bobby Van's Steakhouse on 15th Street NW hours after she met with President Obama. The group took over one of the restaurant's private rooms and dined on lobster, steak and fine wines; at the conclusion of the meal, an unidentified woman opened a handbag stuffed with cash, counted out bills and paid the $15,000 tab -- which included a generous tip.
The Philippine Embassy did not return calls for comment Tuesday.
Link: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/reliable-source/2009/08/rs-dinner12.html
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Palace looking for new Ombudsman?
Unimpeachable sources told abs-cbnnews.com/Newsbreak that First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo has been scouting for a replacement for his Ateneo law school batch mate, who was appointed to the post in December 2005.
Gutierrez is reportedly being considered for a seat in the Supreme Court before Arroyo exits Malacañang on June 30, 2010.
One source said Mr. Arroyo has dangled the post to Land Registration Authority Administrator Benedicto Ulep at least four times already. But the former Pasig City and Quezon City judge declined the offer.
The source said Ulep rejected the offer for health reasons. Ulep has undergone angioplasty operation and is a diabetic. “I cannot take the pressure there,” Ulep reportedly told the First Gentleman.
The source said Ulep became close to the Arroyos through a former law partner of Mr. Arroyo. “He is the one taking care of all the Arroyos’ properties. He helped [Diosdado] 'Dato' [Macapagal Arroyo] acquire a property in Camarines Sur to establish his residence in preparation for the congressional race in 2007.”
Dato, the youngest of the Arroyo brood, won as representative of the first district of Camarines Sur.
We contacted Ulep’s office for his reaction, but we were told that he was in a meeting. We requested for a return call, but as of this posting, his office had yet to reply.
Gutierrez, we found out, is still out of the country. She was among those who accompanied President Arroyo in her meeting with US President Obama last July 30 in Washington D.C.
Gutierrez’s stint in the Ombudsman will end on 2012, or only two years after President Arroyo steps down. This could explain the rush to appoint a new Ombudsman.
Like other members of a constitutional body, the Ombudsman has a 7-year tenure. The Ombudsman’s post is considered one of the most powerful posts, and some even say the most powerful, with the exception of the President. As “protector of the people,” the Ombudsman can investigate any public official for any alleged irregularity based on a complaint, even anonymous, or on its own.
A new appointment this year--or just before the appointment ban during the election period next year--of a subservient Ombudsman to the Arroyos, would serve as “protection” for the President when she steps down in 2010.
This is because unlike other constitutional members, the new Ombudsman would serve a fresh 7-year term regardless of whether the previous one served out his or her term. Opposition leaders have said they expect that dozens of cases will be filed against the President for graft and corruption after she leaves office in June 2010.
Gutierrez has been under fire since she set foot in the Office of the Ombudsman. She has been accused of sitting on cases and scandals that involve members and those close to the First Family.
For instance, we gathered that the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Office has wrapped up its probe on the botched US$329 million NBN-ZTE deal, one of the major scandals that have rocked the Arroyo government. The report supposedly indicts some public officials in the scandal. The report has remained pending in Gutierrez’s office for more than a month now.
Supreme Court justice?
Another reason behind the move to replace Gutierrez is that she is believed to be eyeing one of the available SC posts this year. Three more vacancies will be created in the last quarter of the year with the scheduled retirement of Justices Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Leonardo Quisumbing, and Minita Chico-Nazario.
On August 6, the President appointed former Court of Appeals justice Mariano del Castillo to the post vacated by retired justice Alicia Austria-Martinez. On August 7, she appointed University of Santo Tomas College of Civil Law Dean Roberto Abad for the post vacated by retired justice Dante Tinga. (Aries Rufo, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak)
Link: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/08/07/09/palace-looking-new-ombudsman
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Gunmen kill Zamboanga town mayor
Reports said Abdul Ayon, the mayor of Malangas town, was shot by motorcycle gunmen who escaped after the shooting. The motive of the attack was unknown and police suspect the killing could be connected to politics.
ABS-CBN television reported that Ayon was shot outside a mall. It was not immediately known if Ayon was alone or not.
In 2001, two gunmen also killed the mayor of Malangas, Denia Tapodoc, and injured 7 other town officials. The gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons on the officials during a festivity.
Filipinos are to elect their new leaders in May 2010 and politicians are expected to file their candidacy on November.
Elections in the Philippines are traditionally bloody. Many politicians maintain private armed goons to harass their opponents and intimidate voters. (Mindanao Examiner)
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Philippines holds 7 terror suspects
Soldiers escort a suspected Abu Sayyaf militant Hakim Jajirim who was captured in a raid in Jolo town in the southern Philippine island of Sulu on Thursday, July 9, 2009. Police and soldiers seized assorted gun parts, including an M60 machine gun in his hideout late Wednesday. Security forces also captured two wives of militant leader Albader Parad and four other suspected Abu Sayyaf members in Sulu on Tuesday. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Nickee Butlangan). Officials said among the seven were two wives of a militant leader Albader Parad and a man suspected of supplying weapons to the Abu Sayyaf.
The man was captured on Wednesday by soldiers and policemen at a hideout in Jolo town, said Army First Lieutenant Steffani Cacho, a spokeswoman for the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City.
“He is undergoing tactical interrogation,” she told the Mindanao Examiner.
Parad’s wives and four other militants, who were arrested in Indanan on Tuesday, are also being investigated for their roles in a deadly bombing that killed 2 people in Jolo.
The six were also implicated in the kidnappings of three Red Cross workers Swiss national Andreas Notter, Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba and Italian Eugenio Vagni in January in Patikul town. Both Notter and Lacaba were freed by the Abu Sayyaf on suspicion that ransom was paid for their liberty.
Television reports identified the wives of Parad as Rowena Aksan and Nursima Annudden while their companions were Rabia Asiri, Marwina Salasain, Madrimar Bagadi and Midsfar Aksan.
ABS-CBN reported that soldiers also seized more than P300,000 from the group intercepted at a military checkpoint in the village of Tagbak.
Military and police intelligence reports said several Jemaah Islamiya terrorists are among the Abu Sayyaf that kidnapped the aid workers - Mauiya, Dulmatin, Zulkifli bin Hir and Umar Patek - who are all wanted by Indonesia for the spate of deadly attacks, including the Bali bombing in 2002. The US has offered at least $16 million rewards for their capture.
The Abu Sayyaf, whose name means “bearer of the sword” in Arabic, split from the larger Moro National Liberation Front, which signed a peace deal with Manila in 1996.
The United States listed the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization that also boasts of ties to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
Philippine authorities said the Jemaah Islamiya terrorists fled to Mindanao where they sought refuge under the protection of the Abu Sayyaf and rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group. (Mindanao Examiner)
Monday, July 06, 2009
ABS-CBN's top journalists to train citizens in patrolling for 2010 elections
Charie Villa, Maria Ressa, and Glenda Gloria.
MANILA, Philippines - Television giant ABS-CBN steps up its election advocacy campaign with a series of workshops on citizen journalism that will arm Filipinos with the knowledge and skills to report on events and incidents concerning the 2010 elections.
Hosted by ABS-CBN reporter Atom Araullo, the workshop is part of the network’s global election advocacy "Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo: Ako ang Simula," which was launched last May 11 to encourage Filipinos here and abroad to take a more active role in monitoring the scheduled elections.
More than 13,000 Filipinos have already signed up to become "Boto Patrollers." Through "Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo: Akong ang Simula," ABS-CBN is asking Filipinos to register as voters and report as early as now election-related incidents using their mobile phones and the Internet.
ABS-CBN senior vice president for News and Current Affairs Maria Ressa will lead the speakers at the first leg of "Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo: Patrollers Workshop on Citizen Journalism" on July 9 at the KCC Mall Convention Center, General Santos City and on July 10, in Davao City.
Registered "patrollers" from both cities will be attending the workshops.
Interested individuals may register through text by keying in REG
They may also register manually in ABS-CBN stations in the Philippines and in the network’s global bureaus in San Francisco, Dubai, London, and Sydney.
Joining Ressa in the workshop are ABS-CBN news gathering head Charie Villa and ANC (ABS-CBN News Channel) chief operating officer Glenda M. Gloria. The three news executives have been journalists for more than two decades now, working for local and international news media companies before joining ABS-CBN. For nearly 20 years, Ressa was the bureau chief of CNN.
They will orient the "patrollers" on the fundamentals of citizen journalism—from shooting pictures or videos using cell phones or cameras, to writing captions and telling a story, to uploading their reports to the Internet. They will also be briefed on the electoral process and the ethics of journalism.
For updates on the "Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo: Ako ang Simula" campaign, stay tuned to ABS-CBN, ANC, Studio 23, and DZMM, or o visit www.abs-cbnnews.com/botomo or subscribe to http://twitter.com/abscbn_halalan and http://botomoipatrolmo.multiply.com/ for the latest election updates.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Officials 'in denial' over Davao executions: CHR
CHR Chairwoman Leila de Lima said the vigilante-style murders of alleged criminals, drug dealers and even street children in Davao City is a rights issue that should be examined by the country's highest governing bodies.
A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report earlier recorded 124 vigilante-style killings in Davao last year with an additional 33 killings reported in January 2009.
“Apparently, concerned officials are still in the state of denial on what’s really happening in Davao. It is of course understandable at this point. For one, the ‘goings on’ there is already a `public knowledge’ especially to the residents. But who is brave enough to expose himself knowing that his and his family’s life is on the line?" she said during a briefing of an inter-agency group formed to investigate the killings.
De Lima said the idea of forming DDS Task Force came from Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa when he appeared in the first of the CHR public hearings in Davao City last March.
Presided by De Lima herself, the DDS Task Force includes representatives from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Department of National Defense (DND), Human Rights Affairs Office of both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
De Lima said the CHR has achieved several breakthroughs after interviewing witnesses and informants in the last three public inquiries it conducted in Davao City. She said the commission will conduct two more public hearings in Davao City and a final one at the CHR Central Office before it issues a resolution on the murders.
“DDS is no laughing matter and we maintain that it exits. Our priority now is witness protection for those who have cooperated and still to cooperate,” she said.
A 103-page report, "You Can Die Anytime," by the New York-based international group Human Rights Watch (HRW) earlier said the killings are not due to gang wars and that the death squad members are targeting even non-petty criminals.
The report belies the claim of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and other local government officials that the killings may be due to gang wars. Davao Death Squad exists and it is a structured organization of about 500 members, the report said.
“Death squads exist in spite of the denials. This report should lay to rest the myth that somehow the killings are committed by gang wars. Nobody can credibly deny the existence of a death squad,” HRW executive director Kenneth Roth said in a press conference in Manila. (ABS-CBN)
Link: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/06/26/09/officials-denial-over-davao-executions-chr
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Sibilyan, patay sa pagsabog ng mortar sa Maguindanao
Nakilala ang biktima na si Guiarria Enoc ng Barangay Binangga sa bayan ng Guindulungan. Naganap umano ang pagsabog nuong Miyerkoles ng gabi ng tamaan ng mortar mula sa army ang bahay nito, ayon sa kapatid na si Vanesaa Enoc.
Isa pang mortar ang sumabog halos apat na metro lamang ang layo sa naturang bahay.
"Sinasabi nila na calculated nila ang pagapaputok ng mortar. Hindi na kami naniniwala," ani Vanessa sa panayam ng ABS-CBN news team. "Kaya kami tumira dito kasi alam naming ligtas kami dito. Walang rebels dito sa aming barangay."
Isinumbong rin ni Vanessa ang pagumit ng militar sa mga inosenteng sibilyan sa Operasyon nito laban sa MILF.
Inulat naman ng ABS-CBN na hindi pinayagan ng mga sundalo ang kanilang team na magtungo sa ibang mga barangay sa nasabing bayan matapos na makarining ng malalakas ng pagsabog mula sa air strikes ng mga eroplano ng Philippine Air Force.
Pinigil umano ng 46th Infantry Battalion ang news team dahil diumano sa siguridad sa lugar.
Ilang beses na rin inakusahan ng MILF ang militar ng pambobomba sa mga lugar ng sibilyan at sa pagsunog ng maraming kabahay ng mga Muslim sa Maguindanao. Itinanggi naman ito ng 6th Infantry Division. (Mindanao Examiner)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Congressman charged for bomb attack on Sulu gov
In a report, the PNP said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed charges of attempted murder and frustrated murder against Sulu 2nd District Rep. Munir Arbison "in connection with the attempt on the life" of Tan.
The CIDG filed the same charges before the Regional State Prosecutor in Zamboanga City against four other suspects identified as Cocoy Tulawie, Moamil Askali, Sulaiman Mohammad Muin and Juhan Albani Alihuddin.
Director Raul Castañeda, CIDG chief, said the Arbison, Tulawi and Askali were charged based on the "extra-judicial confession" of Muin and Albani, who were arrested in Patikul town, Sulu province last May 26.
"The two suspects have volunteered to give extra-judicial confession to help investigators piece together details of the May 13 bombing," the PNP said in a statement.
Tan was on his way home from the provincial capitol in Patikul town when a bomb-rigged motorcycle exploded near his official vehicle.
The governor survived the attack. Pandami town Mayor Hatta Berta, who was accompanying the governor, and nine others were hurt in the bomb blast. (ABS-CBN)
Link: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/06/11/09/congressman-charged-bomb-attack-sulu-gov
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Former Mindoro politician killed
Mindoro Occidental province. (Wikipedia)Reports said that lawyer Crispin Perez was attacked shortly after he stepped out around 9 a.m. from the radio station where he had a program, according to the television network GMA 7.
It said the 66-year old former politician died on his way to hospital.But another network, ABS-CBN reported that Perez was attacked in his house at around 10 a.m.
It was unknown whether the attack was connected to his job as a lawyer or an old feud.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Zambo cell phone trader killed in broad daylight attack
The victim, Asbi Hamsi, was killed at around noontime along Petit Barracks in downtown Zamboanga City, according to a report by the local ABS-CBN television.
Hamsi, a former policeman, was on his way home with his wife when he was gunned down. His wife was unhurt from the attack.
No individual or group claimed responsibility for the killing. Police said it is still investigating the motive of the murder. But killings, mostly perpetrated by gun-for-hire, are not uncommon in Zamboanga City. Many of the previous killings remain unresolved. (Mindanao Examiner)
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Troops clash with Sayyaf terrorists in South RP
Police said there were no reports of casualties on both sides in the fighting that erupted Friday in the village called Timpook. “The militants also burned a school in the village,” said Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim, the Sulu police chief.
Kasim said police forces were sent to the area to secure the civilians. He said the fighting broke out after patrolling troops spotted the band of Abu Sayyaf under Commander Juhurin Hussein. “It was a chance encounter,” he said.
Another faction of the Abu Sayyaf is still holding Swiss national Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba, who works for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
They were kidnapped January 15 after inspecting a humanitarian project at a prison facility in Patikul town. Police tagged a dismissed jail guard Raden Abu as one of five gunmen who seized the three aid workers and who were later handed to the Abu Sayyaf headed by Albader Parad and Abu Pula.
The two militants are among the most wanted terrorists in the Philippines and were behind the spate of bombings and kidnappings-for-ransom in the province. (Mindanao Examiner)