I. BANNER STORIES
No stopping oil price rise
By Ronnel Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters
First Posted 02:04:00 05/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines--Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes called on the public Thursday to brace themselves for still higher fuel prices as world oil leapfrogged to record highs above $135 on runaway fears about tight energy supplies, rising global demand and a slumping US dollar.
Gov’t scraps oil import duties
By Donnabelle Gatdula
Friday, May 23, 2008
The government announced yesterday the scrapping of import duties on crude oil effective June 1 in an effort to cut pump prices, which have hit record highs in step with the steady increase in petroleum prices in the international market.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522134
3. Manila Times
Meralco owes P10-B refund
Napocor: Utility faces possible forgery case
By Jomar Canlas, James Konstantin Galvez and Angelo S. Samonte, Reporters
The Energy Regulatory Commission admitted that P10-billion worth of refund has not been returned by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to consumers, and this includes the money the company held in trust from consumers who have not made their refund claims.
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/may/23/yehey/top_stories/20080523top1.html
4. Malaya
‘NPAs’ burn 3 buses in Cubao raid
Attack triggered by company’s refusal to pay ‘revolutionary taxes’?
BY RAYMOND AFRICA
TEN armed men raided the Victory Liner bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City before midnight Thursday and burned three buses.
Reports reaching the Quezon City police said the men, in ball caps and jackets, entered the bus terminal compound at Denver and Chicago streets in Barangay Pinagkaisahan at around 11:15 p.m.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/may23/news1.htm
Thai PM assures RP rice supply
Meets with GMA at start of 2-day official visit
2 leaders take up food security, tourism
By DAVID CAGAHASTIAN
Visiting Thailand Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej assured President Arroyo last night that Thailand will export enough rice to the Philippines to ensure food security for the rest of the year.
http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN20080523125368.html
7. Abante
CUBAO NI-RAID NG NPA!
Nina JETHRO SINOCRUZ, NONNIE FERRIOL, NILO MARASIGAN at LILY REYES
Isang grupo ng armadong kalalakihan ang umatake kamakalawa ng gabi sa Victory Liner sa Cubao, Quezon City at sinunog ang mga bus nito. Ang pakilala ng mga suspek, mga “taong labas”, isa sa mga katawagan sa rebeldeng New People’s Army (NPA).
http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/may2308/default.htm
UTAK PINALUWA SA TIPAK NG BATO!
Irwin Corpuz
Isang lalaki ang sumabog ang ulo at lumabas ang utak makaraang bagsakan ng malaking tipak ng bato sa kalsada sa Taytay, Rizal kahapon ng umaga.
http://www.abante-tonite.com/issue/may2308/news_story1.htm
4 RCBC suspect todas sa shootout!
Nina Joy Cantos, Arnel Ozaeta At Ed Amoroso
Friday, May 23, 2008
Apat na pinaghihinalaang holdaper na nanloob sa Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) at pumatay sa 10 katao noong May 16 ang napatay sa magkahiwalay na encounter sa pulis noong Miyerkules at Huwebes sa lalawigan ng Batangas.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Bansa&p=50&type=2&sec=54&aid=2008052284
10. Journal
OIL SOARS TO $135
SINGAPORE -- Oil smashed past $135 a barrel for the first time Thursday, continuing its astonishing rise following unexpected drops in US crude and gasoline stocks in a tight market, dealers said.
http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2008-05-23&sec=1&aid=60538
11. Business World
Nowhere to go but up
Significant fuel price hikes ahead
CONSUMERS SHOULD PREPARE for significant fuel price hikes in the coming months as world oil prices hit a new high of $135 per barrel, analysts and oil industry sources yesterday said.
http://bworldonline.com/BW052308/content.php?id=001
12. Business Mirror
Bleak business mood spreading
By Jun Vallecera
Reporter
THE ranks of the optimistic businessmen in the Philippines are thinning some more, their number reduced in terms of the confidence index to only 12.6 percent in the second quarter this year versus 29.9 percent in the first quarter and 46.4 percent a year ago.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0523&242008/headlines01.html
II. POLITICAL
Ex-SC justice quits Meralco post over row with Garcia
By Elizabeth Sanchez-Lacson, Doris Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:06:00 05/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Former Supreme Court justice Jose Vitug has resigned from a temporary post as designated corporate secretary during the annual stockholders' meeting of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) on May 27.
IPPs seek open access to power retail market
By Ronnel Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:14:00 05/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines—A group of independent power producers (IPPs) and distributors has asked the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to allow interim open access or competition in the power retail sector amid the slow progress in the privatization of government power plants.
Electric co-ops will shut down, ERC chief warns
By TJ Burgonio
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:22:00 05/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Debt-ridden electric cooperatives will likely shut down if the Energy Regulatory Commission decides to lower the cap on how much of their systems losses can be passed on to consumers, ERC Chair Rodolfo Albano said Thursday.
Tax-exemption bill rushed
Senate expected to pass its version next week
By Dona Pazzibugan, Michelle Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:24:00 05/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- With three weeks left before Congress goes into recess, the Senate is rushing the approval of a long-awaited measure that seeks to exempt minimum wage earners from paying the income tax.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080523-138266/Tax-exemption-bill-rushed
DoJ clears Ayala firm in mall blast
By Leila Salaverria
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:25:00 05/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines—No officer of the Ayala firm that runs the Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City will be held criminally liable for the explosion on Oct. 19, 2007, that killed 11 people. But the Department of Justice threw out the Ayala theory that a bomb attack had caused the blast.
Senate report on ZTE waiting for new witnesses--Cayetano
Will former Speaker De Venecia testify?
By Dona Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:26:00 05/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- A Senate report on the lengthy investigation it conducted into the allegedly corrupt $329 million national broadband network project with Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE Corp. will have to wait.
Reyes testifies in Magdalo trial, claims vindication
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:27:00 05/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- The so-called “Oplan Greenbase,” a military offensive plan against the Buliok stronghold of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front, was a fake document obtained by rebel soldiers involved in July 2003 failed coup, said Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes Jr. in testimony before a Makati court Thursday.
DOTC wants SMS to be free
By Paolo Romero
Friday, May 23, 2008
The government will be prodding telecommunications companies to no longer charge users for text messaging service since this is supposed to be free under their public franchises, officials said yesterday.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522135
DOJ clears Ayala in Glorietta blast; 8 face charges
By Mike Frialde
Friday, May 23, 2008
The country’s top property developer, Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), has been cleared of any responsibility in the Glorietta 2 shopping mall explosion in Makati City that left 11 people dead and 105 injured in October last year.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522139
Police release sketch of gunman in murder of lamppost scam lawyer
By Cecille Suerte Felipe
Friday, May 23, 2008
Police released yesterday an artist’s sketch of one of the gunmen in the murder of the lawyer who represented a Cebu mayor allegedly involved in a multimillion-peso lampposts scandal.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522141
CHR opposes revival of death penalty
By Katherine Adraneda
Friday, May 23, 2008
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) rejected yesterday the re-imposition of the death penalty.
CHR chairwoman Leila de Lima said Republic Act 7659 or the Death Penalty Law has not deterred the commission of crimes.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522142
Nene says First Family must still explain growing wealth
By Aurea Calica
Friday, May 23, 2008
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. insisted yesterday President Arroyo and the members of her family should explain in detail how their net worth increased significantly in 2007 despite lack of business ventures.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522146
ERC seeks to limit systems loss charges
By Jess Diaz
Friday, May 23, 2008
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is in the process of reviewing billions in so-called systems loss charges that the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and other distributors of electricity had been authorized to collect from customers.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522147
Thailand commits to sell more rice to RP
By Paolo Romero
Friday, May 23, 2008
Thailand committed last night to supply the rice needs of the Philippines as the government intensified efforts to boost its buffer stocks amid fears of a prolonged global food crisis.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522150
DAR: CARP implementation generally successful
Friday, May 23, 2008
Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman pressed yesterday for the extension of the 20-year-old Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522151
Palace shrugs off JDV plan to testify on ZTE
By Marvin Sy
Friday, May 23, 2008
Malacañang reiterated yesterday it wasn’t worried about the reported plan of Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. to testify before the Senate on the cancelled national broadband network (NBN) deal with Chinese firm ZTE Corp. because the former House speaker had nothing on the administration.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522153
Gonzalez vows to prosecute Meralco officials on P25-B trust funds
By Perseus Echeminada
Friday, May 23, 2008
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez vowed yesterday to prosecute officials of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) if they are found to have illegally used a P25-billion trust fund raised from charges for the installation of electricity meters.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522154
Villar, Cayetano urge GMA to sign cheap medicine bill
By Aurea Calica
Friday, May 23, 2008
Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. and Sen. Pia Cayetano called on President Arroyo yesterday to immediately sign the “Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008” and start its implementation.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080522156
Senate witnesses all out war vs Enrile
(Rey Marfil)
Nagdeklara ng “all out war” ang Whistle Blower Association (WBA) laban kay administration Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile matapos pag-initan ng senador ang gastusin at benepisyong ipinagkakaloob ng Senado sa mga testigo.
http://www.abante-tonite.com/issue/may2308/news_story6.htm
‘Heed ONE, bare NBN deal papers’
By Butch Fernandez
Reporter
MALACAÑANG should restore the people’s trust in the country’s institutions by releasing the documents on the National Economic Development Authority-Investment Coordinating Committee’s approval of the controversial national broadband network (NBN)-ZTE deal.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0523&242008/headlines08.html
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