MMDA to strictly impose tagging system Monday

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it will strictly impose starting Monday the manual tagging system for public utility vehicles plying the streets of the capital.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said, however, that there will be minor modification in the tagging scheme, adding that for Asian Utility Vehicles (AUVs), their plate numbers would only be painted on the roof and not on the front, back and sides of the vehicle.

Ex-MMDA workers to get compensation package

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced Sunday the release of funds for the compensation package of some 3,100 retired employees of the agency.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the retired employees will finally get their gratuity pay next week after the Department of Budget and Management has approved for its release.

Bus firms apply for special permits ahead of Christmas exodus

THE government is now studying the application of bus operators for special permits that would allow them to ply areas outside of their regular routes to cope with the Christmas exodus.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Jaime Jacob said the agency expects the influx of Metro Manila residents to their home provinces and vice versa as Christmas draws near.

14 die in plane crash

MANILA (Updated) -- Fourteen people, including three children, died when a light airplane crashed Saturday into a school building in Parañaque City after its pilot requested an emergency landing shortly after takeoff.

Mayor Florencio Bernabe said the incident occurred in Better Living Subdivision, Taiwan St. in Don Bosco village.

Comelec still to discuss Arroyo’s prison facility

PUTTING former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in an ordinary detention center has yet to be discussed by the lawyers of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the agency that filed an electoral sabotage case against her last month.

It will be premature to comment on proposals of militant groups for the government to immediately place Arroyo behind bars once she fully recuperates from her bone disease, according to Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez.

Budget chief told to explain Justices retirement funds

THE Supreme Court ordered Budget Secretary Florencio Abad to explain allegations that he barred the release of retirement benefits of Court of Appeals (CA) justices.

"Acting on the special civil action for mandamus, the Court resolved, without giving due course to the petition, to require the respondent to comment on the petition within ten days from notice hereof," the two-page resolution read.

Siblings drown in Samar

TWO children crossing a stream while on the way home drowned after they were swept away by strong currents in Allen town in Northern Samar, a police official said.

Eight-year-old Felipe Jason Olitan and his younger sister, Sherlyn May, 7, were crossing a river at Sta Rita village at around 4:30 pm last Monday when they were swept away by a strong current and were later drowned.

New one-peso coins commemorate Rizal's 150th birthday

THE government will produce ten million pieces of a newly-minted coin featuring Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero, as part of efforts to commemorate his 150th birthday.

The new coin will have the same size (24 millimeters in diameter) and weight (5.35 grams) of the current one-peso coins in circulation, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said in a statement posted at its website.

Plane crash in Parañaque kills 13, including 8 kids

MANILA (3rd update 6:31 p.m.) -- At least 13 people, eight of whom were children, perished after a light aircraft crashed into a residential area in Parañaque City on Saturday.

Mayor Florencio Bernabe was quoted in a radio report as saying that the incident occurred in Better Living Subdivision, Taiwan St. in Don Bosco village. The crash ignited a fire at the back of F. Serrano Elem School on Annex 35 Lower Taiwan, Dona Soledad Ext., Don Bosco village.

Arroyo undergoes medical check-up

MANILA (Updated 12:40 p.m.) -- Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is now detained in a government hospital for electoral fraud charges, underwent general medical check-up Saturday morning.

The doctors, however, of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City, where Arroyo was transferred from the posh St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City Friday, will not issue medical bulletin on Arroyo's condition unless there is an order.

De Lima: Arroyo no right to demand

MANILA (Updated) -- Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is now in a military hospital detained on electoral fraud charges, cannot impose demands on authorities, a Cabinet official said.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima made the statement in reaction to the process the former President was transferred to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City from the posh St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City.

Justice: Aquino government 'exceeded boundaries of propriety'

WITHOUT mentioning names, Supreme Court Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin turned the tables on President Benigno Aquino III, saying his administration disobeyed its recent rulings.

Speaking at the Grand Alumni Homecoming of the University of the East Law School last November 24, Bersamin said that the Justices are just doing their job under the Constitution to interpret the country's laws.

Palace, Aquino ally respond to Arroyo’s tirades

MALACANANG on Friday denied that President Benigno Aquino III has been engaging in demagoguery to destroy the image of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In an exclusive interview with GMA News aired Thursday, Arroyo, for the first time, expressed her sentiments regarding the situation that she is in under the Aquino administration.

Government prepared for La Nina phenomenon

MALACANANG on Friday assured that concerned government agencies and local government units (LGUs) are already prepared to implement contingency measures in the wake of the La Niña phenomenon.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government has been bracing for the unpredictable weather caused by climate change.

Ex-newspaper boy is Visayas' new chief magistrate

A FORMER trial court judge in Cebu, who once worked as a newspaper boy and an ice cream vendor, is the new chief magistrate who will lead the handling of cases in the entire Visayas.

The Supreme Court announced the installation of Associate Justice Pampio Abarintos as the Executive Justice and Chairman of the 18th Division in the Court of Appeals-Visayas.

Mindanao workers to receive P15 wage increase by May 2012

WORKERS in Mindanao will receive a wage hike after its regional wage board approved the increase.

This was announced on Friday by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, adding that the P15.00 wage hike already integrates a previous increase as provided by an earlier order.

Palace, Aquino ally respond to Arroyo’s tirades

MALACAÑANG on Friday denied that President Benigno Aquino III has been engaging in demagoguery to destroy the image of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In an exclusive interview with GMA News aired Thursday, Arroyo, for the first time, expressed her sentiments regarding the situation that she is in under the Aquino administration.

Arroyo can be sent to ordinary jail, progressive group says

A PROGRESSIVE group on Friday said former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should not be comfortable with her looming hospital arrest at Veteran's Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) since she can still be held in an ordinary prison cell.

"This hospital arrest is temporary. Justice will still be served to her and she will be definitely sent to jail," Akbayan party-list spokesperson Risa Hontiveros said.

Government prepared for La Niña phenomenon

MALACANANG on Friday assured that concerned government agencies and local government units (LGUs) are already prepared to implement contingency measures in the wake of the La Niña phenomenon.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government has been bracing for the unpredictable weather caused by climate change.

Government forces prevent abduction in Zamboanga City

MILITIAMEN and police volunteers on Thursday were able to prevent the abduction of three teachers in Zamboanga City, a military spokesman reported on Friday.

At around 3:45 p.m., five suspects armed with caliber .45 pistols seized Riza Dela Cruz, Lee Mariano, and Lerna Cabilis within the vicinity of Limaong Elementary School in Sitio Tige in Limaong village, Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command, said.

Aquino government 'exceeded boundaries of propriety'

WITHOUT mentioning names, Supreme Court Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin turned the tables on President Benigno Aquino III, saying his administration disobeyed its recent rulings.

Speaking at the Grand Alumni Homecoming of the University of the East Law School last November 24, Bersamin said that the justices are just doing their job under the Constitution to interpret the country's laws.

Arroyo arrives at VMMC

MANILA (4th update, 5:01 p.m.) -- After a nine-hour delay, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has finally arrived at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) by land.

Arroyo's seven-vehicle convoy left St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City at past 3 p.m. Friday, minutes after a court sheriff arrived and broke the impasse on the mode of the transfer.

Arroyo refuses chopper ride

MANILA (2nd update, 3:23 p.m.) -- The transfer of former President Gloria Arroyo on Friday was delayed due to disagreements between her camp and the police securing her safety on the mode of the transfer.

Elena Bautista Horn, the former President's spokesman, said Arroyo was prepared to leave St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City at 6 a.m. but she changed her mind following government’s insistence that she be airlifted to Quezon City.

Security up for Arroyo’s transfer to state-run hospital

MANILA -- Government authorities have set up all security measures for the scheduled transfer of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) today, Friday.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, however, refused to divulge details whether now Pampanga Representative Arroyo will be brought to the government facility on a special van accompanied by a security convoy or flown by a helicopter.

Lawmaker: No same-sex unions under anti-discrimination bill

MANILA (Updated) -- A bill that will penalize ethnic and religious discrimination will not lead to same-sex marriages, a senator elected to the bicameral conference committee working on the bill said Thursday.

"Definitely, this does not encourage same-sex marriages," Senator Gregorio Honasan II told Sun.Star.

Massacre victims seek reparation, eye Ampatuan frozen assets

FAMILIES of media workers killed in the worst incident of election-related violence in the country has asked a Manila court to set aside a billion pesos from the frozen assets of the clan that reportedly planned the massacre.

Once set aside, the money will be used for their reparations after their loved ones were killed in the gruesome Maguindanao massacre, the group's lawyer said in a seven-page suit submitted to the court.

Mining industry review sought to avert food supply threats

THE Philippine mining industry must undergo a review to prevent threats to the country's food security, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Thursday after a joint hearing by the Senate committees on the environment, and on agriculture and food.

"Clearly, there is a need to address the loopholes in the regulation and practices of mining companies that operate in the country. We cannot sacrifice our food security for the sake of tapping the potential of an industry that obviously needs further evaluation based on data that we have received today," he said.

Pasay court orders arrest of 3 accused of poll sabotage

A PASAY City court has issued arrest warrants against three persons accused of poll sabotage in North and South Cotabato in 2007, just a day after the complaint was filed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

However, the same court failed to place former Comelec chief Benjamin Abalos under arrest after he filed an urgent motion to determine probable cause.

Palace: Aquino's anti-SC tirade has nothing to do with Luisita

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino's recent tirades against the Supreme Court has nothing to do with the latter's decision that ordered the distribution of landholdings owned by the family of his mother, a Malacanang official said Thursday.

Palace condoles with Pinoy drug mule’s family

MANILA (5th Update, 5:42 p.m.) -- Malacanang extended Thursday its condolences to the family of the 35-year-old Filipino executed by the Chinese government after being sentenced to death for a 2008 drug trafficking charge.

"We extend our sincerest condolences to the family of the Filipino who is currently being named as Pinoy One," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.