March 28, 2008 Mind Bullet Inc.
http://www.brainbang-mindbullet.blogspot.com/ http://mindbullet.org./
I. BANNER STORIES
Big business hits SC ruling
‘Executive privilege given greater value’
By Dona Pazzibugan, Michael Lim Ubac, Jeannette Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:45:00 03/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines—The influential Makati Business Club (MBC) on Thursday said the Supreme Court decision on executive privilege did not conform to the “progressive standards of transparency” and restricted the ability of the legislature to check presidential abuse.
Is Yap’s father-in-law in rice trade? – Nene
By Aurea Calica
Friday, March 28, 2008
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. yesterday asked Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap to clarify reports that his father-in-law Jimmy Gaw is a rice trader.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080327137
3. Manila Times
Idle P300-M call center hounds Neri
‘Headache’ may turn into white elephant
By Francis Earl A. Cueto Reporter
After recently winning a petition on executive privilege at the Supreme Court, Romulo Neri may have to brace for another battle, this time at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/mar/28/yehey/top_stories/20080328top1.html
4. Malaya
NFA to import rice at P31 a kilo
Low-quality grains of up to 4% ‘binlid’
BY JP LOPEZ
THE National Food Authority yesterday informed foreign rice sellers it was buying 500,000 tons of rice for delivery between April and June for P15.47 billion or almost P31 a kilo to shore up stocks amid rising prices and supply shortfall.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/mar28/news1.htm
PNPA graduates told to be role models
President urges them to stay out of political matters
Be role models, GMA tells new graduates of PNPA
By ELENA L. ABEN
CAMP CASTANEDA, Silang, Cavite -- President Arroyo told members of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Oman Silang Class 2008 yesterday to serve as role models to the new breed of policemen and public safety officers, even as she warned the new junior officers to stay out of political matters.
http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN20080328120413.html
9 justices under siege for SC decision
By Angie M. Rosales
03/28/2008
Nine Supreme Court (SC) justices who voted to uphold executive privilege even in cases that may involve a crime while castrating the Senate and stripping its powers to investigate Cabinet members, a ruling seen by the general public as a decision made by the majority of the high court justices to protect President Arroyo and her aides from being held accountable, along with giving them the carte blanche to commit more crimes with impunity and using Executive Privilege to cover up their alleged crimes, have found themselves scorned by the public, with text messages branding them as the “Negotiable Nine.”
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20080328hed1.html
7. Abante
PRICE CONTROL SA BIGAS!
Nina JULIET DE LOZA, NONNIE FERRIOL, ERALYN PRADO at BOYET JADULCO
Panahon na upang ipatupad ng pamahalaan ang ‘price control’ sa bigas upang maprotektahan ang interes ng sambayanan.
Ito ang iginiit kahapon ng militanteng grupong Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) bilang solusyon sa pinangangambahang pagsasamantala ng mga tiwaling negosyante sa dinaranas na krisis sa bigas.
http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/mar2808/default.htm
NERI NANAIG NA ANG TAKOT
Bernard Taguinod With Nonnie Ferriol
Takot ang nangingibabaw kay Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman Romulo Neri kaya nagpipilit itong magtago sa executive privilege at pinagtatakpan ang katotohanan sa maanomalyang ZTE-National Broadband Network (NBN) deal.
http://www.abante-tonite.com/issue/mar2808/news1.htm
Bishop Cruz umatras!
Ni Doris Franche
Friday, March 28, 2008
Tila nabahag ang buntot ni Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz matapos nitong bawiin kahapon ang ginawa niyang pahayag na hindi dapat bigyan ng komunyon ang mga makasalanan gaya ni Pangulong Arroyo at ang pamilya nito.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Bansa&p=50&type=2&sec=54&aid=2008032798
10. Journal
NEW SCAM?
By: Paul M. Gutierrez & Jester P. Manalastas
‘Ghost’ firm bagged P320M Napocor contract -- solons
MEMBERS of Congress are up in arms and want an investigation into allegations that the National Power Corporation has awarded a P320 million coal supply contract to a “non-existent” company.
http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2008-03-28&sec=1&aid=54043
11. Business World
BY ANNA BARBARA L. LORENZO, Reporter
Revenue backstop needed
Fiscal stimulus to address possible economic ‘storm’, says WB exec
CLARK, Pampanga — The World Bank wants the government to firm up measures to improve revenue collection, saying last year’s tax take was not as good as expected.
http://bworldonline.com/BW032808/content.php?id=001
12. Business Mirror
BIR loses P1-B tax-credit case
SUPREME COURT DENIES GOVT 'M.R.' IN COLLECTION CLAIM AGAINST PILIPINAS SHELL
By Joel R. San Juan
Reporter
THE Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) intensive tax-collection campaign suffered a major setback after the Supreme Court finally ruled that it has no legal basis to collect supposed deficiency excise taxes from major oil firm Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. in the amount of more than P1 billion. The BIR had sued Shell for buying—and using for tax payments—several tax-credit certificates (TCCs) that were later found to have been fraudulently obtained.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0328&292008/headlines01.html
II. POLITICAL
Pimentel targets father-in-law of agri chief
By Dona Pazzibugan, Amy R. Remo, Franklin A. Caliguid
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:47:00 03/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. Thursday asked Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap to disclose if his father-in-law Jimmy Gaw was involved in the rice trade.
‘Peculiar’ SC decision perils amparo cases, says lawyer
By Jerome Aning
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:32:00 03/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Free Legal Assistance Group chairman Jose Manuel Diokno Thursday said he found the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri “odd and peculiar” and it could have an impact on victims of human rights abuses seeking judicial relief.
Arroyo to new police officers: Be apolitical
By Michael Lim Ubac, Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
Philippine Daily Inquirer, INQUIRER.net
First Posted 04:55:00 03/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Saying the police should be apolitical at all times, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo directed 154 new police inspectors who graduated Thursday to stay away from politics and focus instead on winning the war against insurgency, rebellion and lawlessness.
Puno probes PNPA alumni ad
By Julie M. Aurelio
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:57:00 03/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno on Thursday branded a print advertisement which came out early this week as a misrepresentation of the sentiments of alumni of the Philippine National Police Academy and that those responsible for having it placed could face administrative sanctions, including dismissal.
Palace eyes ‘diesel coupons’ for poor beneficiaries
By Michael Lim Ubac
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:58:00 03/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Instead of giving way to the oil companies’ proposal to reduce the expanded value-added tax (VAT) on diesel products by six percent, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would rather give the discount directly in the form of cash subsidies to target beneficiaries.
IRRI: RP rice harvests double that of Thailand
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:58:00 03/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Rice yields in the Philippines are nearly double those of Thailand, the world’s top exporter, yet as in Indonesia “there is just not enough land,” said Robert Zeigler, president of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
WB, RP government drafting uniform rules on procurement
By Iris Gonzales
Friday, March 28, 2008
CLARK FIELD, Pampanga – The government and the World Bank are jointly drafting a uniform set of rules on procurement as part of efforts to minimize or eradicate corruption.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080327146
Neri jeered at UP
By Rainier Allan Ronda
Friday, March 28, 2008
Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Chairman Romulo Neri was greeted by protesting students and professors at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City yesterday when he attended a meeting of the university’s Board of Regents.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080327147
Nene lifts House baselines bill
By Aurea Calica
Friday, March 28, 2008
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. has lifted the bill filed in the House of Representatives defining the country’s new archipelagic baselines to speed up its passage in time for the May 2009 deadline set by the United Nations for the country to submit its territorial boundaries.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080327148
Nograles urges harsh penalties for hoarding and profiteering
Ben R. Rosario
Speaker Prospero C. Nograles yesterday batted for harsher penalties for hoarding and profiteering as the country continues to battle surging prices of rice and petroleum products.
http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN20080328120419.html
Senado umaasa pa ng himala sa SC
Rey Marfil
Tanging himala ang nakikitang pag-asa ng Senado para mabago ng Korte Suprema ang 9-6 decision na pumabor sa executive privilege na iginiit ni Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman Romulo Neri sa broadband scandal probe.
http://www.abante-tonite.com/issue/mar2808/news2.htm
III. BLUE RIBBON
Protesters hound Neri at UP meeting
By Norman Bordadora
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:22:00 03/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Romulo Neri Thursday sat with one of his interrogators at the Senate as he presided over a meeting of the University of the Philippines’ Board of Regents on the UP campus in Diliman, Quezon City.
Ombudsman suspends Calamba registrar for alleged graft
By Jocelyn Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:35:00 03/27/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday ordered the suspension of a registrar of deeds in Laguna for allegedly facilitating transactions that involved fake documents.
Senate split on Neri case
By Christina Mendez
Friday, March 28, 2008
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Alan Peter Cayetano and Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. want to suspend the hearings on the national broadband network (NBN) contract until the Supreme Court has ruled with finality on the petition of Commission on Higher Education chairman Romulo Neri to uphold his claim of executive privilege.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080327145
Opinion
More overpricing by ZTE in WiMAX
GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Senate is hiring independent experts to analyze the rates in the DOTC-ZTE contract for a national broadband network. The work would be surprisingly easy. The WiMAX portion of Equipment alone will show huge overpricing — by tens of millions of dollars.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Opinion&p=49&type=2&sec=25&aid=2008032775
Broadband scam may bagong testigo
Rey Marfil
Bagama’t napipintong maudlot ang pagpapatuloy ng broadband hearing sa Senado, kinumpirma ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson ang pagkakaroon ng panibagong testigo para ibunyag ang nalalaman sa suhulan at over pricing sa kontrata.
http://www.abante-tonite.com/issue/mar2808/news5.htm
ZTE probe fate divides 2 senators
By: Bernadette E. Tamayo
AT least two Senate leaders differ in their opinions whether to temporarily suspend the investigation inton the alleged overpriced $329-million national broadband network deal with China’s ZTE Corp. amid the Supreme Court ruling allowing a Cabinet member to invoke executive privilege on some issues hounding the probe.
http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2008-03-28&sec=1&aid=54052
No comments:
Post a Comment