Aquino’s 100-day report gets mixed reactions

MANILA -- President Benigno Aquino III reported Thursday that his government's close scrutiny of state spending has saved hundreds of millions of dollars for the country, but critics said he hasn't addressed long-running problems, including human rights violations.

In a speech marking his first 100 days in office, Aquino said the savings will be used to combat poverty by increasing allocations for social welfare, education and health services.

Palace resets release of hostage report

MALACANANG rescheduled anew the announcement of the decision of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III on the recommendations of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) in relation to the August 23 hostage crisis.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Eduardo de Mesa said Aquino’s final judgment will be revealed this Monday.

Speaker limits budget insertions

HOUSE Speaker Feliciano Belmonte clarified that amendments in the 2011 budget are allowed provided that these are not "fantastic insertions".

He issued the statement after the Visayas and Mindanao lawmakers were allowed to have a say on the lump sum funds in the 2011 Government Appropriation Act.

Collusion seen in 'irregular' home loans

SENATORS on Thursday suspected collusion between developer Globe Asiatique (GA) and the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-Ibig) on the granting of the multi-billion-peso loan amid insufficient documents.

Andal Jr. threatens to kill guv

THE prime suspect of the gruesome Maguindanao massacre, Andal Ampatuan Jr., threatens to kill Governor Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu last Wednesday, a prosecution lawyer said Thursday.

BIR spares Arroyo on tax liability

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will not conduct a separate review on the P72 million plunder cases filed against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

At a press conference, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said the justice department can independently decide on the complaint filed by Danilo Lihaylihay against Arroyo.

Ex-VP laments irregularities in housing loan

THE lending policy of the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-Ibig) in sponsoring housing projects was a good idea but went wrong in its implementation, said former Vice President Noli de Castro.

"The policy was not wrong. The implementation of the policy is wrong," said the former housing czar.

Garbage collector faces tax evasion charges

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue filed criminal charges against a garbage collection contractor for its failure to remit tax obligations amounting to nearly P300 million from 2006 to 2009.

The BIR filed cases against Ren Transport Corporation, a garbage disposal company tapped by four cities in Metro Manila -- San Juan, Muntinlupa, Malabon and Caloocan.

Puno told to stay put

PRESIDENT Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III rejected the resignation of Undersecretary Rico Puno in the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Puno expressed his willingness to resign following his alleged involvement in jueteng controversy, and his highly-criticized role in the bloody August 23 hostage crisis.

Aquino cites good governance gains

MANILA (Updated 11:34 a.m.) -- President Benigno Aquino III enumerated his achievements in a report on his first 100 days in office, including how he corrected the mistakes of past administrations.

Aquino, in his 20-minute speech dubbed as “Isang Daang Araw Sa Isang Daang Matuwid: Report Kay Boss” delivered at La Consolacion College in Manila, detailed his administration's accomplishment in his first few months in Malacañang.

'Budget insertions' okayed

MANILA -- Members of the House of Representatives tasked the budget secretary on Wednesday to identify where the budget allocations per region will be poured into, following opposition from Visayan lawmakers on the measly amount allocated for their regions.

Visayas lawmakers, represented by Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia, questioned the inequitable budget allocations per region during the deliberation of the 2011 General Appropriations Act at the House of Representatives, Wednesday.

Crew strike vs PAL 'illegal'

MANILA -- Holding a strike against the country's flag carrier is now illegal with the Labor department assuming jurisdiction over the dispute between the Philippine Airlines (PAL) and its employees, an official said.

Aquino to deliver first 100-day report today

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III will deliver his first 100-day report at La Consolacion College in Mendiola in Manila today, Thursday.

Dubbed as “Isang Daang Araw Sa Isang Daang Matuwid: Report Kay Boss,” Aquino will account the accomplishments of his administration during its first few months of governance.

Witness cries in massacre hearing

AN EYEWITNESS to the Maguindanao massacre broke down in tears Wednesday as he recalled the torture perpetrated by the suspects before the victims were mercilessly executed in the hinterlands of Ampatuan town.

Arroyo answers plunder charge

FORMER President, now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo personally submitted her counter-affidavit before the Department of Justice (DOJ) Wednesday in connection to the P72-million plunder case against her.

Case conference on gang-rape set

JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima scheduled a case conference with law enforcement officials in Davao City to discuss the gang-raped incident involving a volunteer nurse in South Upi in Maguindanao.

De Lima said she is taking a keen interest on the case and planned to visit the victim, “Florence”, to assure her of the government’s action on her case.

Senators question police structure

THE executive branch must coordinate its act together if it wants to eliminate the illegal numbers game jueteng, a lawmaker said Wednesday.

During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing Wednesday, Senator Teofisto Guingona III criticized the current arrangement at the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) where Undersecretary Rico Puno handles police matters and reports directly to the President.

Galleon Andalucia docks in Manila

A REPLICA of the 17th century Manila-Acapulco galleon docked at the Port of Manila Wednesday in celebration of the first International Dia del Galleon (International Day of the Galleon) Festival 2010.

The 50-meter-long "Galleon Andalucia," crewed by 28 men and two women, is the exact copy of the vessel that brought Ferdinand Magallanes in the Philippines in 1521.

Aquino defers judgment on hostage report

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III deferred the announcement of his judgment on the recommendations of Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC), which was tasked at probing the August 23 hostage crisis.

“They are finalizing the recommendations. They are making sure that everything is in place before it is released. We just want to make sure that the basis and the groundwork is sufficient,” said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte.

No Ledac meeting disappoints opposition

DESPITE the statement of President Benigno Aquino III that he will convene the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac), not one meeting has been held so far.

This disappointed the House minority bloc as the law mandated the President to convene the Ledac every quarter.

Evangelicals welcome RH talks

THE Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) welcomed the proposed dialogue with President Benigno Aquino III on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

Bishop Efraim Tendero, PCEC National Director, said they are supporting the President’s position on responsible parenthood.

Political group warned of partisanship

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) ordered all political parties to refrain from supporting any candidate in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls on October 25.

The Comelec en banc said no individual who filed certificate of candidacy (COC) would be allowed to represent a certain political party or coalition.

Ex-police chief denies receiving jueteng money

MANILA (Updated 2 p.m.) -- Former national police director-general Jesus Verzosa on Wednesday categorically denied accusations that he is an "ultimate recipient" of jueteng payola, but admitted knowing some of those linked to the illegal numbers game.

Appearing before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Senator Teofisto Guingona III for the first time, Verzosa said he is not involved in jueteng and all the accusations against him are not true.

PAL workers’ strike looms after talks fail

MANILA -- A group of flight attendants and stewards vowed to proceed with its labor strike late October as its final conciliation talks with the Philippine Airlines (PAL) management failed on Tuesday.

Both the workers union and the PAL management failed to reach agreement in the last five meetings, including on Tuesday, before the National Mediation and Conciliation Board (NCMB).

Filipino flight safety demo is YouTube hit

MANILA – Flight attendants for a low-cost Philippine airline who danced to Lady Gaga in an in-flight safety demonstration are the latest YouTube sensation but their video also drew criticisms from some labor groups.

A video of stewardesses performing a choreographed routine aboard a Cebu Pacific flight last week to demonstrate safety procedures has received more than 6.5 million hits after being posted on the popular video sharing website.

Ombuds dubs impeach raps as harassment

OMBUDSMAN Merceditas Gutierrez told magistrates of the Supreme Court that she was a victim of harassment when the House Justice Committee “railroaded” the two impeachment complaints filed against her.

Gutierrez said the committee gravely abused its discretion when it admitted two complaints for her failure to act on anomalies and human rights cases against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Palace readies first 100 days report

MALACANANG is compiling all the accomplishments of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in his first 100 days in office.

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang said the President has asked every government agency to submit their accomplishments report for public presentation on October 8.

Pro-RH advocates hit Catholic Church

SUPPORTERS of the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill urged President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to certify the measure as urgent while scoring the Catholic hierarchy for meddling too much on the issue.

Massacre witness to resume court testimony

THE second prosecution witness of the Maguindanao massacre case will take the witness stand today, Wednesday, to continue his testimony on the gruesome killings.

Police sack for 'hulidap' cops

THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) ordered the dismissal of four Manila cops who were caught in the act of receiving marked money in an entrapment operations last October 1.

NCRPO Director Leocadio Santiago Jr. ordered the dismissal proceedings against Ricardo Magtajas, Roderick Lacangan, Romeo Batalla and Gerry Genalope, all from the Manila Police District Station 7.