8/20/2019 Manila Bulletin-2

1/48

8/20/2019 Manila Bulletin-2

2/48

Tuesday, October 13, 20152   News

By ELLALYN B. DE VERA

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geo-physical and Astronomical Services Administratio n (PAGASA) is monitor-ing a new low pressure area (LPA) offthe Pacific Ocean that could possiblydevelop into a tropical cyclone.

 As of yest erday, the LPA was lo-cated 2,900 kilometers east of Luzonor still outside the Philippine area ofresponsibility (PAR), according toPAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio.

Should it sustain a westward track, Aurelio said the LPA will be inside thePAR by Wednesday or Thursday.

He pointed out that the LPA has apossibility of intensifying into a tropi-cal depression as it continues to drawenergy from the sea.

The US Joint Typhoon Warning Cen-ter on Monday upgraded to medium thepotential for the development of a sig-

nificant tropical cyclone east of Guam within the next 24 hours.

PAGASA earlier said the cyclone willmove toward the eastern section of Lu-zon and will bring rains and occasionalgusty winds by weekend.

Once it intensifies into a tropicaldepression inside the PAR, it will begiven a local name of ‘Lando’, the 12thtropical cyclone this year and secondthis month.

Today, the tail-end of cold front willbe the prevailing weather system overthe country.

 Aurelio said the tail-end of cold front will continue to affect extreme North-ern Luzon that will bring cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and iso -lated thunderstorms over Ilocos Norte,Cagayan, Isabela, Batanes, Calayan andBabuyan group of islands.

Tuesday’s weather forecastMeanwhile, partly cloudy to cloudy

skies with isolated thunderstorms willprevail over Metro Manila and the restof the country.

 A gale war ning rema ins hois tedover Northern Luzon, particularly inBatanes, Calayan, Babuyan, northerncoast of Cagayan, and northern coast ofIlocos Norte due to big waves generatedby the northeasterly winds or ‘hangingamihan’.

REMEMBERING JENNIFER – An imposing rainbow-colored ag is unfurled in Baran -

gay Carmona, Makati City last weekend by members of lesbian, gay, bisexual and

 transgender groups to mark the rst year since the murder of transgender Jeffrey

‘Jennifer’ Laude in Olongapo City. The group demanded a speedy resolution of the

case against an American serviceman who is currently on trial. (Camille Ante)

By MADEL SABATER – NAMIT

The Philippines has joined thecall of the international com-munity to increase efforts inaddressing the plight of refu-

gees worldwide.Philippine permanent representa-

tive to the United Nations (UN) CeciliaRebong said the Philippines is one with the internatio nal community incalling for increased efforts to addressthe plight of refugees and to “reach po-litical solutions through strengthenedcoordination and closer and strongerpartnerships.”

“My delegation recognizes the needfor the international community topursue innovative, durable solutions tomake adequate conditions for refugees

and for them to return home and restarttheir lives in safety and dignity,” Rebongsaid during the General Debate of theUnited Nations High Commissioner forRefugees’ (UNHCR’s) 66th Session ofthe Executive Committee in Geneva,Switzerland.

Solutions to growing problemRebong also expressed the Philip-

pines’ concern over the increasingnumber of displaced persons aroundthe world, the refugee and migrationcrisis in various regions and the dimin-ishing availability of durable solutionsto both new and on-going emergenciesand protracted refugee situations.

The Philippines is a member of theUNHCR’s Executive Committee. Thecountry is a party to the 1951 RefugeeConvention and its 1967 Protocol and

the 1954 Convention on the Status ofStateless Persons, which are corner-stones of the UNHCR.

The Philippines also extends protec-tion to refugees through the EmergencyTransit Mechanism (ETM) and throughfunding contributions to UNHCR andto the International Organization forMigration (IOM).

PH-Australia talksJust last week, the Department of

Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed talksbetween the Philippines and Australiaon the transfer of refugees.

The DFA said Foreign Affairs Secre-tary Albert del Rosario and Australian

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop were ableto discuss about the issue on refugeesat the sidelines of the United NationsGeneral Assembly (UNGA) in New

 York recently.Reports revealed that Australia is

negotiating a deal with the Philippinesto transfer asylum seekers who are indetention centers in Nauru or PapuaNew Guinea.

 Australia had an earlier deal withCambodia, with Australia promising ad-ditional aid to Cambodia for acceptingasylum seekers but Cambodia took onlyfour refugees out of hundreds.

It will be recalled that the Philippinegovernment has committed to the 1951UN Convention Relating to the Statusof Refugees (CRSR) in providing hu-manitarian assistance to involuntarily

displaced persons.The UN has condemned harsh

conditions at refugee camps, includingreports of systemic child abuse.

PH joins global call to address refugees’ plight

By REY G. PANALIGAN

The Supreme Court (SC) has ruledthat the trust fund set up by a pre-needfirm is solely for the benefit of its planholders.

With the ruling, the SC reversed atrial court order that included the trustfund set up by the bankrupt LegacyConsolidated Plans, Inc. (Legacy) inthe court-managed liquidation pro-

ceedings.Written by Justice Jose Catral

Mendoza, the SC decision granted thepetition filed by the Securities and Ex-change Commission (SEC) against theorder issued by Makati City regionaltrial court (RTC) Judge ReynaldoLaigo on June 26, 2009.

“The overarching consideration inthe legislative mandate to establishtrust funds is the protection of the

By ARIEL FERNANDEZ

There was something ter-

ribly wrong with the “lechon”that arrived at the Manilaairport cargo terminal re-cently.

It was missing a tail! And it was for thi s rea -

son that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippine s(CAAP) said it was planningto implement a policy that wo ul d pr ohi bi t al l air por temployees from wearingpants or skirts with pocketsor from taking with themgadgets, like cellular phones,

PAGASA:Storm mayenter PAR this week 

SC rules in favor of bankrupt pre-need rm plan holdersinterest of the plan holders in theinvestment plans. The SecuritiesRegulations Code (SRC) provides inno uncertain terms the intent to makesuch interests paramount above allelse,” the SC ruling said.

Thus, the Securities and ExchangeCommission (SEC) came out with thenew rules “which Congress later ontoughened through the enactment ofthe Pre-Need Code, carrying similar

protection but far more de-

tailed in scope,” it said.“It is in this context that

this Court rules to grant thepetition filed by the SEC. TheCourt finds that Judge Laigogravely abused his discre-tion in treating the trust fundas assets that form part ofLegacy’s insolvency estateand in enjoining the SEC’s valida tion of the plan hold-ers’ claims against the trust

properties,” the SC ruled.Legacy suffered financial difficul-

ties and collapsed in the mid-2000. Itfailed to pay its obligations to the planholders.

In 2009, several plan holders filed apetition for Legacy’s involuntary insol- vency which the fir m did not oppose.

The Makati City RTC declaredLegacy insolvent and directed the firmto submit an inventory of its assets andliabilities, pursuant to the provisions of

the Insolvency Law.The trial court, however, also or-

dered the insolvency assignee to takepossession of the trust fund of Legacydespite opposition from SEC which in-sisted that trust funds was specificallyestablished for the purpose of guaran-teeing the delivery of benefits due tothe planholders.

With the unfavorable ruling fromthe trial court, the SEC elevated theissue before the SC.

Missing ‘lechon’ tail sparks CAAP policy change while on -duty.

 According to CAAP spokesp ersonEric Apolonio, the policy will be a

precautionary measure to ensurethat items taken from luggages of pas-sengers cannot be easily concealed byemployees.

In fact, the CAAP has reportedlystarted to impose the prohibition atthe Laguindingan Airport in Cagayande Oro City. It was from this airport wh er e th e il l- fa te d “l ec ho n” wa ssent.

 A review of the closed circuit televi-sion footage (CCTV) showed that anairline cargo loader had taken interestin the pork delicacy, pinched the tailoff of it then pocketed the delectable

pork body part.Upon arrival in Manila, the con-

signee of the “lechon” complained that

the roasted pork had been mutilated with the entire t ail and some portio nsof the skin missing.

But CAAP explained that it was notonly because of the “lechon” incidentthat it was implementing the newprohibition.

It said that the policy of “pocket-less” airport personnel were alsobeing implemented in other countries“for security purposes.”

CAAP also said that drastic de-crease in the incidents of pilferage incargo that went through the airport was reco rded in these ai rports.

By CHARISSA M. LUCI

Speaker Feliciano Belmon-te Jr. reassured yesterdaythat the Lower Chamber willflex its muscles to pass theproposed Bangsamoro BasicLaw (BBL) before the 16thCongress ends.

The House chief made theassurance anew after Presi-dent Aquino batted for thepassage of the peace measureduring the Liberal Party’s an-nouncement of its senatorialbets for 2016 elections at theruling party’s headquartersin Cubao, Quezon City yes-terday.

“We will do our best topass the BBL. It is virtually

our most important bill left,”he said.In an earlier interview, Bel-

monte said since the cham-ber passed on third and finalreading the proposed  P3.002-trillion national budget for2016, they would prioritizethe approval of the BBL nextmonth.

 Aside from BBL, he saidthe House will roll up itssleeves to pass the proposalseeking to amend the eco-nomic provisions of the 1987Constitution or the economic

House vows action on key pending measurescharter change and the proposed Free-

dom of Information Act when Congressresumes session next month.

He expressed confidence that hiscolleagues will remain united in passingthe Basic Law for Bangsamoro Autono-mous Region (BLBAR) or House Bill(HB) 5811, Resolution of Both HousesNo. 1 or the Economic Cha-cha and thePublic-Private Partnership bill.

Last week, Congress adjourned ses-sions for a three-week Halloween breakto pave way for the filing of certificatesof candidacy.

The House adjourned on Friday

night without passing HB 5811, whichsubstitutes HB 4994 or An Act ProvidingBasic Law for Bangsamoro Autono-mous Region .

The bill, which seeks to replacethe Autonomous Region in MuslimMindanao with a Bangsamoro juridicalentity is still under the period of inter-pellations.

Belmonte earlier said he is certainthat President Aquino will be disap-pointed if Congress fails to pass theBBL this 16th Congress.

8/20/2019 Manila Bulletin-2

3/48

1

1

News 3Tuesday, October 13, 2015

reason for the Philippines ignore the UNWorking Group on Arbitrary Detention.

International human rights lawyer Amal Alamudin Clooney reported the other daythat the UN body had found that the Philip-pine government had violated internationallaws for the continued “arbitrary and illegal”dentention of former President Arroyo.

 At least five of Arroyo’s alleged co-con-spirators in the plunder case have alreadybeen released on bail with two of them,former COA Chairman Reynaldo Villar andformer PCSO Director Jose Taruc V, freeddespite a long period of eluding arrest. TheSandiganbayan, however, has repeatedlydenied Arroyo’s petition for bail.

Sandiganbayan officials as well asMalacañang have disputed the UN body’sfindings and maintained that its ruling wasnot legally binding on the Philippines.

“President Aquino, the Sandiganbayan,and Secretary De Lima should listen andheed the findings of the UN body,” Congress-man Atienza said.

He pointed out that refusal of the gov-ernment to act on the UN Working Group’srecommendation will give China a strongreason not to listen to the UN arbitrationbody which is currently hearing the Philip-pines complaint over China’s claims in theSouth China or West Philippine sea. “If wecannot respect the UN findings, we shouldalso stop running to the UN for our com-plaints against China,” Atienza said.

Batocabe said the UNWGAD opinionhas “seriously put the credibility of our

 judi cial syst em inquestion” addingthat it does not“speak well of ourdemocratic institu-tions.” He added:“As member of theUN and an activeparticipant of itsagencies, the Phil-ippines should atleast consider thefindings of the UNbody with strong ef-fect on our judicialauthorities.”

C o l m e n a r e ssaid, “P resident Aqui no canno t ig-nore it as the Phil-

ippine governmenthas commitmentsunder internationalhuman rights law,regardless who thecomplainant is.”However, Colme-nares also lament-ed that Arroyo hadpreviously also “ig-nored and shovedunder the rug” UNfindings about hu-man rights viola-tions committed byher administration.

Solons lament PH...

“This campaign also aims to encouragethe people... the Comelec wants to ask thepeople what are you choosing for the P hilip-pines? What is the election to you? This is what we want the public to all know that’s why we want to share it,” he said.

 A successor to President Aquino will bechosen in the forthcoming elections.

BinGo for UNA  Among the first to file their COCs were

 Vice President Jejomar C. Binay and Sen.Gegorio “Gringo” Honasan, who are r unningfor president and vice president under themain opposition party United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

They went to the Comelec main office indifferent shades of blue, but Binay and Hona-san insist they are on the same page.

Binay and Honasan – “BinGo,” not “Bi-Hon,” mind you – made their 2016 team-upofficial on Monday morning as they jointlyfiled their COCs.

“Andito na sa tabi ko, wala na kayong ita-tanong (He’s beside me now, there’s nothingmore to ask). UNA na, BIN-GO pa,” Binaytold reporters at San Agustin Church wherethe two heard mass before walking their way to Comelec. He alluded to the lengthyprocess by which his vice presidential bet was chosen.

Honasan said he decided to run for vicepresident because for him it’s a “matter ofduty.”

“I cleared with my family. I have theirunderstanding. This is a matter of duty,” hesaid in an interview.

With his decision, Honasan said hisdaughter even ribbed her for “leaving thembehind again.”

“My daughter told me, ‘Papa you weren’tthere when I was born. You weren’t there when I was baptized. I graduated from highschool without you. When I turned 18, you weren’t there. Now that I’m close to forgiving you and becoming friends with you despite your shortcomings, you tell u s that you’releaving again,” Honasan said.

No ego, ‘stariray’ complex While it’s no secret that Honasan wasn’t

Binay’s first choice as his 2016 wingman,

the former Reform the Armed Forces Move-ment (RAM) leader insisted that it was nobig deal.

“I do not have the luxury of an ego, Ihave no stariray (star) complex. As long asI went through a selection process,” Hona-san said.

“I am a good soldier. I am the result ofthe process that the party went through.So, I will follow the party that I am helpingorganize, UNA.”

Others who filed their COCs for president were former Iloilo congressman AugustoSyjuco, perennial presidential aspirant ElyPamatong, and at least 19 lesser knowncandidates.

 Angry FilipinosSyjuco, former Technical Education and

Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chief,

 was the first to file his COC for president.He said he is running for president asan independent candidate next year torepresent Filipinos who are angry with thegovernment.

“I am running because I am very, veryangry. I am one of many angry Filipinos to-day. It’s about time we kick out these people who steal, and who don’t give a damn aboutthe rest of the population,” said Syjuco inaddressing the media.

‘Daang Matuwid’ Aquino, who has won international plau-

dits for tackling systemic corruption and hissolid economic stewardship, is imploring

 voters to choose longtime ally Mar Roxasto continue his “Straight Path (Daang Matu- wid)” style of governance.

“This is a campaign to continue thestraight path, a campaign to make ourhopes possible, a campaign that will con-tinue the heroic story of the Filipino people,” Aquino said at a rally to announce the Lib-eral Party’s Senate ticket.

But Roxas has struggled in the polls andis facing strong challenges from Binay, whois being investigated for graft, and GracePoe, a political novice riding on her latefather’s legendary status in the cinema. Poeis facing citizenship and residency issues.

Binay did not grant an interview despitecontinued prodding from the media.

But in a statement, the vice presidentpromised to focus on the poor should hebecome president.

“For the longest time, under the leader-ship of different administrations, one issuehas always been neglected: Addressing theconcerns of the poor. Progress is uselessif it will not include everyone. This is whatthe government should focus on. This is what I’m going to focus on if I becom epresident.

“With the help of God, the support of thepeople, and the unity of all, we will begin the journey toward real change that will uplift

the lives of each and every Filipino,” Binaysaid in a press statement.

The Philippines has long struggledto establish an efficient democracy, withthe ghosts of former President FerdinandMarcos’s rule from 1965-1986 still hauntingthe country.

Revolution of the heartHis son and namesake is running for the

 vice presidency as an independent, insistinghis father’s rule was benign and that voters will largely be preoccupied with the nation’spresent problems rather than the past.

“There are corrupt Filipinos... withinand outside the government who are killingour economy and keeping us poor,” Mar-cos, 58, said at a weekend rally alongside

 with politicians often resorting to violence toeliminate rivals or cheating to rig polls.

The most infamous case of violence oc-curred in 2009, when the warlord family ofa southern province allegedly massacred58 people in an effort to stop a rival fromregistering his candidacy for provincialgovernor.

 Already ahead of next year ’s elections,a roadside bomb injured a local mayor andkilled three of his bodyguards in the vio-lence-wracked southern island of Basilan.

 And despite the raucous campaigning,political analysts say that little has changedto dilute the power of elite clans who domi-nate national, provincial and local posts in what is known locally as “dynastic rule”.

“Philippine politics has always been gov-erned by the elite... I don’t think the dynas-ties will change,” Ateneo University politicalscience professor Benito Lim told AFP.

Roxas, for instance, is the grandson of aformer president.

 And while Binay does not come from apolitical family, since rising to influence hehas set up his own dynasty, with his wife andchildren becoming powerful politicians.

Teachers’ pleaMeanwhile, a group of teachers reiter-

ated their call to make election duties forpublic school teachers non-compulsory.

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), a30,000-strong group, expressed hope that

the pending petitions to make electionduties for public school teachers optional would be passed in time for the 2016 nationalelections.

  “The passage of the proposed non-compulsory poll duty for public schoolteachers in the House is a good news forour teachers,” said TDC National ChairmanBenjo Basas in Filipino. Last September,the House of Representatives approved onsecond reading a bill making election dutiesfor teachers optional.

The bill also seeks to “open up pollservice to other government employees,members of citizens’ arms accredited bythe Comelec and private citizens of knownprobity and competence.” (With a reportfrom Merlina Hernando Malipot)

his controversialmother and formerfirst lady Imelda.

“With your help,I will lead a revolu-tion of the heart,of ideas and of ac-tion toward realand meaningfulchange.”

 A n o t h e r b i gname contestingnext year’s elec-tions is boxing heroManny Pacquiao, who is expected tobe able to capitalizeon his fame to win aseat in the Senate.

Pacquiao, 36, iscurrently a mem-ber of the House ofRepresentatives,

and is widely seenas going for thehigher-profile Sen-ate post as a poten-tial platform for aneventual presiden-tial run.

DemocracychallengesSince emerging

from the Marcosdictatorship, thePhil ippines hasstruggled to builda stable democracy,

Election fever begins

8/20/2019 Manila Bulletin-2

4/48

By ELENA L. ABEN

The Philippine Navy (PN) has de-ployed one of its gunboats to verifyreports that the wreckage of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-370 has been foundin Tawi-Tawi, but has found no trace of

the crashed plane.Earlier reports claimed that an

aircraft wreckage bearing the flag ofMalaysia and with human skeletalremains inside was discovered in aforest at Pulau Sugbay, Ubian Island,Tawi-Tawi.

Capt. Giovanni Bacordo, command-er, Naval Task Force 61, said that afterthe news came out, they immediatelysent a gunboat to the island to conduct verification.

“The navy has a patrol gunboat inthe area now and we are conductinginterviews with the local (populace), with the fishe rmen , and they (res i-dents) are saying that they do not haveany knowledge of this,” according toBacordo.

“They are not aware of any planecrashing in that area,” he added.

“They were surprised by this reportand were asking us on where it camefrom,” he further stated.

Because of these reports, he saidPN personnel scoured the area butfound no trace of the ill-fated Malaysianaircraft.

“Nag-ikot-ikot na dun, nag-searchsa sea area then nagtanong tanongdin sila sa mga populace . . . wala,

they have no knowledge (of the wreck-age),” said Bacordo, adding that thePN gunboat crew are still in the areaand conducting interviews with theresidents.

When asked if they have checked theentire island, Bacordo replied, “No... if

 we are to check, it has to be a deliberateeffort, malaking isla yun, 3.5 miles anghaba nun. But our initial investigation with the popu lace showe d nega tiveresult.”

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 leftKuala Lumpur at 12:41 a.m. for Beijing,China. It lost contact with the air trafficcontrol in Kuala Lumpur 2:40 a.m.

The flight, piloted by Malaysian Capt.Zaharie Ahmad Shah, was carrying 239people on board.

Tuesday, October 13, 20154 National News

O.L. of Fatima feast 

Special commemorative masses

will be celebrated at 6 a.m.

and at 6:30 p.m. today at the

National Shrine of Our Lady of

Fatima in Valenzuela, Metro

Manila in observance of Our

Lady of Fatima’s sixth and nal

apparition to three shepherd

children in 1917 at the Cova

de Ira in Fatima, Portugal. The

evening mass will be followed by

a solemn procession. The shrine

is considered as the center of

Fatima devotion and apostolate

in the country. It is also the

custodian of the national pilgrim

image of Our Lady of Fatima in

the Philippines. In observance

of the feast, the Catholic Church

encourages the faithful to hear

mass, receive the sacraments

of penance and the Eucharist,

and to pray the Holy Rosary and

the Act of Reparation to the Holy

Trinity. The Blessed Mother’s

series of apparitions to three

shepherd children, Lucia dos

Santos and her cousins, Jacinta

and Francisco Marto in Fatima

occurred for six consecutive

months in 1917, beginning on

May 13. Witnessed by a crowd

of more than 100,000 pilgrims

and said to be visible from up

to 40 kilometers away, Our Lady

of Fatima also known as Our

Lady of the Holy Rosary, held

out the scapular and asked the

children to pray the rosary and

do penance for the conversion of

sinners. (Christina I. Hermoso)

 Solons to outlawpassport

conscations

Brother-lawmakers Cagayan de

Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and

ABANTE Mindanao party-list

Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. are

seeking the imposition of six to

12-year imprisonment and a ne

ranging from  P1 million to  P2

million against any person who

conscates, retains or withholds,

without any legal authority, any

valid Philippine passport issued

to an Overseas Filipino Worker

(OFW). They said the government

should protect the OFWs from

all threats and coercion done

through the conscation,

retention or withholding of the

OFWs’ Philippine passport,

which is considered the property

of the State. Under House Bill

6201, the Rodriguezes want to

declare the illegal withholding of

passport as a crime. (Charissa

M. Luci)

Gigi lawyers use

 SC ruling on JPE

 to argue case

If the pre-trial of Senate

Minority Leader Juan Ponce

Enrile has been suspended after

the Supreme Court granted his

request for the bill of particulars

or details of his plunder ca se,

his plunder co-accused, lawyer

Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, should

be allowed the same. “It is

equally plain that accused

Reyes and Senator Enrile are

similarly situated. Both of them

are charged under a s ingle,

indivisible information which the

Supreme Court has conclusively

found to be vague, ambigous,

and insufficient. They have

likewise availed themselves of

substantially similar remedies

for the suspension of pre-trial

and trial,” read the motion of

Reyes that was filed by her

lawyers. With this, her counsels

asked that the Sandiganbayan

Third Division cancel her

scheduled pre-trial on October

27 until the prosecution

complied with the Supreme

Court ruling that required them

to submit a bill of particulars.

“In essence, accused Reyes

based her Motion to Cancel

Pre-Trial on the ground that

without the bill of particulars

which the Supreme Court has

directed the Prosecution to

submit in G.R. No. 213455, she

will be unable to sufficiently and

intelligently prepare for trial and

for her defense,” the counsels

explained. (Jeffrey G. Damicog)

Newsbits

HIS AUNT ANGEL – Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares (middle) les his Certicate of Candidacy (COC) before the

Commission on Elections, yesterday. Endorsing his bid for senator are his aunt, actress Angel Locsin (Angelica Colmenaresin real life), and militant leader Satur Ocampo. (Ali Vicoy)

By HANNAH L. TORREGOZA

Even though the family of the lateSenator Joker Arroyo disapprovednecrological services for the lawmaker,the Senate yesterday paid tribute tothe “Senate scrooge” at the openingactivities of its centennial anniversarycelebration yesterday.

It was Senate President FranklinDrilon who lauded Arroyo’s legislativeperformance and monumental worksas a member of the Senate, whichhas long been considered one of thecountry’s institutions that is a bastionof democracy.

“In his lifetime, he dazzled the na-tion not only with his brilliance but also with his high sense of duty and strongcommitment to defend the underprivi-leged. It was a great honor to work withhim; first in the Executive Department

under the administration of PresidentCory Aquino, and later in the Senate,”Drilon said in his keynote address dur-ing the flag-raising ceremonies at theSenate grounds.

“I attest to Joker’s exceptional

humility and simplicity as a public of-ficial. Despite his superb intellect andenormous achievements, he never sawhimself as superior to anyone,” the Sen-ate leader added.

“He kept a small office and hatedluxury and extravagance. With his fru-gal and prudent ways, he will alwaysbe fondly remembered for being the‘Scrooge of the Senate,’” he recalled.

 Arroy o died in the United Stateslast week after undergoing a heartoperation. Former Senator Renato“Rene” Saguisag confirmed he died onOctober 5.

“Joker led a life of integrity, good

character, diligence and with profoundlove for the masses that are dearest tohis heart. His passing is the nation’scollective loss. But his life will alwaysbe an inspiration to every Filipino,”Drilon said.

“With deep sorrow, we rememberhim in our prayers and condole withhis family. We join the whole nation inmourning the loss of a gem of a publicservant whose achievements as a law- yer, human rights defender, lawmakerand public servant are unparalleled.Farewell Joker, and thank you for every-thing,” added the Senate chief.

 Apart from Arroyo, the Senate leaderalso cited other senators who held thenation in awe because of their “intel-lectual brilliance and boundless lovefor the motherland.”

Drilon noted until now the Filipinopeople have not forgotten the wit, elo-

quence, intellect and nationalism of thelikes of Claro M. Recto, Jovito Salonga,and Lorenzo Tañada.

“The Senate has always been acradle of national leaders, having nur-tured in its bosom 10 out of fifteen 15

Philippine Presidents - a record whichcannot be equaled by any other institu-tion,” he said.

The men and women who passedthrough the Senate’s portals, he saidkept the institution’s long tradition offierce independence and remarkablecourage to defend the national inter-est and uphold the countrymen’s civil,political and human rights.

The Senate will turn 100 years old onOct. 16, 2016. Monday’s ceremonies inthe Senate compound at Pasay City alsoincluded a service excellence awardingceremony for distinguished Senate em-ployees, mass and sports event.

By JEFFREY G. DAMICOG

Placing former President and nowPampanga Representative G loriaMacapagal-Arroyo under house arrest will pose immense security risk.

Philippine National Police (PNP)chief Director General Ricardo Mar-quez raised this concern before theSandiganbayan First Division whichis handling the plunder case of Arroyo who is currently under hospital arrestat the Veterans Memorial Medical Cen-ter (VMMC).

In a letter addressed to First Divi-sion Chairperson Efren dela Cruz datedOctober 1, Marquez said that the housearrest will “pose immense security riskthat will demand larger complement ofpolice personnel, and which will further

entail additional expenses on the partof the government...”

“The human resources will bestretched to meet the number ofpersonnel to secure and protect Hon.Macapagal-Arroyo,” lamented Marquez who indicated that “other personneltasked to perform investigation, patrol,and traffic duties will be made to per-

form security and protection works.”Marquez sent the letter after being

asked by the anti-graft court to com-ment on house arrest sought by theformer President.

 At the moment, the PNP’ s PoliceSecurity and Protection Group (PSPG)is tasked to secure and protect Arroyoat the VMMC and is augmented bypersonnel from the Quezon City PoliceDistrict (QCPD).

 Arroyo has sought that she placedunder house arrest at either her Que-zon City home in La Vista in QuezonCity or in San Nicolas 1st, Lubao,Pampanga.

If she is placed in La Vista, the PNPchief said that “the PNP will not onlybe securing the perimeter of Hon.Macapagal-Arroyo’s residence in La

 Vista but the outskirts and borders ofLa Vista Subdivision as well.”

“The vastness of the subdivision (La Vista) requires substantial number ofpolice personnel to protect the safety ofHon. Macapagal-Arroyo not to mentionthe complement of police personnelto be assigned inside her residence,”he said.

NO MORE

INTERVIEWS –

Philippine Char-

ity Sweepstakes

Ofce (PCSO)

General Manager

Jose Ferdinand

M. Rojas, an-

nounces the new

streamlined pro-

cedure for its In-

dividual Medical

Assistance Pro-

gram (IMAP) that

eliminates the

interview portion

of requests for

assistance at a

press conference

 yesterday in Que-

zon City. (Mark

Balmores)

Navy finds no wreckageof MH-370 in Tawi-Tawi

Senators fondly remember Joker at necrological services

GMA on house arrest,a security risk – PNP

By REYNALDO PANALIGAN

The Court of Appeals (CA) has af-firmed a Department of Justice (DOJ)resolution that ordered the filing ofcriminal charges against those involved with the death of 11 persons and inju-ries to 108 others in the Glorietta blastin Ayala Center in Makati City on Oct.19, 2007.

In a decision written by AssociateJustice Mariflor Punzalan Castillo, theCA said the DOJ did not commit anyabuse of discretion in ordering the filingof criminal charges against EngineerRicardo Cruz and Miguel Velasco Jr.,operations manager and foreman,respectively, of Metaline Enterprises,contractor of Makati SupermarketCorporation (MSC) for its ventilationsystem.

In filing the criminal case for reck-less imprudence resulting in multiplehomicide, multiple physical injuries

and damage to properties, the DOJrelied on the investigation conductedby “Task Force Glorietta” compose ofa panel of prosecutors led by the lateLeo Dacera.

The investigation ruled out a bombexplosion at the MSC. It was found thatthe accumulated amount of methanegas that was produced from the waste water and the diesel vapor in the base-ment of the MSC building from Aug. 4to Oct. 18, 2007 was enough to causethe explosion.

In affirming the filing of the crimi-nal complaint, the CA said that “thedetermination of probable cause forpurposes of filing information in courtis essentially an executive function thatis lodged at the first instance, with thepublic prosecutor and, u ltimately, withthe Secretary of Justice.”

It pointed out that “the prosecutorand the Secretary of Justice have widelatitude of discretion in the conductof preliminary investigation and theirfindings with respect to the existenceor non-existence of probable cause aregenerally not subject to review by theCourt.”

 At the same time, the CA said Cruzand Velasco committed an error indirectly filing an appeal with the appel-late court.

CA afrms

chargesover blastat Glorietta

8/20/2019 Manila Bulletin-2

5/48

Tuesday, October 13, 2015 5News

By CZARINA NICOLE O. ONG

The Department of the Interior and LocalGovernment (DILG) has issued an advisoryto all local government units (LGUs) on howto best deal with effects of the El Niño phe-nomenon which is set to affect the countrylate this year and early next year.

 According to DILG Secretary Mel SenenSarmiento, it is very important for LGUs totake precautionary measures within their

respective areas to mitigate the impact ofthe weather phenomenon and protect the welfare of residents.

LGUs have been directed to urgently en-act ordinances aimed at curbing illegal waterconnections and encouraging the prudentuse of water.

 As an exa mpl e, Sar mien to sai d tha t

people can always use a broom instead ofa water hose when cleaning sidewalks anddriveways.

When cleaning cars, people can also opt touse a pail or bucket instead of a water hose.Recycled water can likewise be used to waterplants, Sarmiento said.

LGUs were also told to allow water con-cessionaires and water utilities to conductemergency repair of leaks prior to securingthe necessary excavation permit, provided

that said permit shall be secured within areasonable period from the commencementof the repair works.

They can also lift the application of num-ber-coding schemes with regard to watertankers that will be used by water conces-sionaires and utilities to address the waterneeds of affected communities.

By ELLALYN B. DE VERA

T

he Department of Agriculture(DA) has intensified its cloud seed-ing operations in strategic areasnationwide to save crops and other

agricultural products from the harsh effectsof El Niño.

“We will seed all (of the) seedable clouds; we will waste no opportunity,” DA SecretaryProceso Alcala said.

Cloud seeding is a weather modifica-tion method where silver iodide or calciumchloride are introduced in the atmosphereto induce condensation, and eventually,precipitation.

 As early as April, 2014, the DA alreadystarted preparing for the impact of El Niñoon the country’s agriculture sector.

 According to Bureau of Soils and WaterManagement (BSWM) Director SilvinoTejada, the Department has conducted cloudseeding operations in strategic locationsnationwide.

From April to August 2015, DA has con-

ducted 147 cloud-seeding trips in Negros Oc-cidental, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Pampanga,Lanao del Sur, Isabela, Cagayan, and LaUnion.

In addition, it has set up water manage-

ment and conservation measures throughits BSWM and regional field offices to ensurethat scarce irrigation water supply will be ef-ficiently used and maximized, Tejada said.

The DA has also released drought-tolerant rice varieties in threatened rice-producing areas.

For long-term adaptation measures, theDA has improved the country’s small-scaleirrigation systems to make these moreresilient to the effects of extreme weatherand climatic conditions, as well as othercalamities, not only El Niño.

It has also promoted climate- and disas-ter-smart farming and fishery technologiesto cushion the agro-fishery sector againstthe effects of calamities.

While the DA and other governmentagencies have put in place programs toaddress the challenges of El Niño, Alcalastressed that adapting to the effects of thisextreme climatic condition, considered to bethe worst in 65 years, is a shared responsi-bility among Filipinos.

The Secretary likewise dispelled fears

that crops cannot be grown during the ElNiño, citing Mung bean (Vigna radiate) asan alternative crop, among others, whichactually requires warm climate during itsgrowing period.

Cloud seeding steppedup amid El Niño threat

DILG to LGUs: Help save water 

8/20/2019 Manila Bulletin-2

6/48

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

6   News

By NONOY E. LACSON

Z AMBOANG A CITY– Gunmen am-bushed the town mayor of Tungawanin Zamboanga Sibugay province inBarangay Kayamkam yesterday

afternoon, killing him on the spot.The killing of Mayor Randy Climaco

happened on the first day of the filingof Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) forcandidates running in the May, 2016,elections.

Climaco’s nephew, Carnan, an aspi-rant for mayor, survived the ambush butin serious condition at an undisclosedhospital.

There were no immediate reports onthe condition of his police and military

escorts. But television reports said Cli-maco’s driver and two security escorts

 were wounded.Climaco, now serving his last term as

mayor, is r unning for vice mayor of Tun-gawan in the coming elections.

Police said Climaco and company werereturning to the town proper of Tungawanafter a visit to Kayamkam when they wereambushed in a remote area.

Hot pursuit operations have beenlaunched against the attackers.

Reports said that police and militaryauthorities have already arrested oneof the attackers. His identity and othercircumstances of the arrest were not im-mediately available.

ZamboangaSibugay mayorslain in ambush;nephew, driver,

2 escorts hurt

By MARIO B. CASAYURAN

 Vice-pres idential candidate Sen. Ferdi-nand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. said yes-terday he opposes any government move tofile criminal cases against President Aquinoand his Cabinet after they step down fromoffice on July 1, 2016.

Marcos is the son of the late PresidentFerdinand E. Marcos, while Aquino is theson of the late President Corazon “Cory”C. Aquino and the late President BenignoS. Aquino Jr.

Interviewed on TV yesterday, Marcossaid he would try to convince the next ad-ministration not to slap criminal chargesagainst President Aquino and his men if heis successful in his bid for the vice-presiden-cy in the May, 2016, national elections.

The young Marcos said this kind ofpolicy is “extremely counter-productive anddivisive (and) I would speak out stronglyagainst it.”

“That kind of policy, look where it’s takenus: where the lives of ordinary Filipinoshave not improved because we have con-ducted that policy. The unity of the countryhas been torn apart, and without that unity, we canno t move forward ,” he e xplained.

 After f ormally d eclaring h is intenti on torun as Vice President at the Puerta RealGardens at historic Intramuros last Satur-day, Marcos vowed to work toward unity ofall Filipinos.

“It cannot be the policy of government todo nothing but run after whoever their polit-ical enemies were before and to wreak somekind of vengeance on them,” he said.

Marcos, a member of the NacionalistaParty (NP), emphasized that the ExecutiveDepartment should not pursue a policy ofgoing after its political enemies.

Such a policy, if forged, would result indisunity and polarization of the country, hestressed.

 A visionar y like his late father, M arcossaid the job of the Executive is to build thenation and to fix the problems confrontingit.

He, however, clarified that if any citizenor group feels any former public officialmust be held answerable for any wrongdo-ing, they can go to court for appropriateaction.

Marcos had earlier rued that the reasonthe Philippines lags behind its prosper-ous Southeast Asian neighbors is that the Aquino administra tion is vindictive .

The Aquino administration has refusedto allow the burial at the Libingan ng mgaBayani of young Marcos’ father. The Aquinofamily nurses suspicions that the late Presi-dent Marcos was behind the assassinationof the late Senator Aquino.

Only the future will tell whether or notthe Marcos proposal not to go hammer andtongs against an outgoing administration would mean t hat a curren t admini strationis being given a carte blanche to violatelaws.

Bongbong opposes

ling of suits vsPNoy, his Cabinetafter their term

8/20/2019 Manila Bulletin-2

7/48

BEIJING (Xinhua) -- China

and Thailand agreed to

speed up cooperation on a

 joint railway project, in an

effort to ensure an early start within

the year.The railway project is a “priority

and highlight” of China-Thailand coop-

eration. China hopes the two countries

can ensure an early start for the proj-

ect, said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang

during a meeting with visiting Thai

Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai

in Beijing.

During Li’s Thai visit last De-

cember, he signed a memorandum

of understanding (MoU) with Prime

Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to jointly

develop a medium-speed railway con-

necting northeast Thailand’s Nong

Khai province, the capital of Bangkok

and eastern Rayong province. The rail-

 way will also be a section of the planned

railway running through southern

China, Laos and Thailand.“The railway will promote the two

countries’ economic development

and facilitate trade cooperation and

people-to-people exchanges between

CHINA, THAILAND AGREETO SPEED UP RAILWAY COOPERATION

 Wisdom of the Ancients for Today 

CHINESE TRADITIONAL CULTURE

If the whole world knows

the beauty as beauty, thus the

ugliness exists; if the whole

world knows the kindness

as kindness, thus the evil

exists.

—By Zhuang Zi (370-

287B.C., a philosopher in

 Warring States Period)

7

 AIIB TO INVEST IN PAKISTAN’SINFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

ISLAMABAD (Xinhua) -- The visit-

ing president-designate of the Asian

Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

Jin Liqun on October 7 showed interest

in financing infrastructure projects in

energy, transport, sea port and urban

development areas in Pakistan.

Jin, who was on his first visit to a

middle-income emerging prospective

founding member of the AIIB since he

 was named the official candidate for the

bank’s president in August, met with

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif

and held talks with Pakistani cabinet

ministers on cooperation and the AIIB’s

investment in Pakistan.

Sharif told Jin that his government

has invested a lot of resources in energy

and infrastructure projects with the

help of China.

 Addressing a news conference along

 with Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq

Dar in Islamabad, Jin said Pakistan has

a great potential in the infrastructure

sector, which will pave the way for sus-tainable economic development.

“The bank is looking forward for

closer cooperation with the country’s

public and private sector,” he said,

adding that the bank’s officials will be

 visiting Pakistan very soon to discuss

collaboration in different projects.

“We talked about cooperation be-

tween AIIB and Pakistan, particularly

 with regard to infrastructure projects.

We believe that your country has a great

potential. We believe infrastructure

investment in energy sector, transport,

electric power, sea ports, urban devel-

opment and water supply will all pave

the way for sustainable development of

 your country in the decades to come,”said the president-designate.

He went on to say that the AIIB is

looking forward to very close coopera-

tion with its partners in Pakistan – the

government and particularly the pri-

 vate sector.

“We believe we have a great future

as long as we work together. I’m sure

 we would be having a great institution

 which can serve the interest of all the

57 prospective founding members and

more countries are waiting to join this

bank,” Jin said.

He said the bank will be working

closely with existing multilateral devel-

opment banks such as the World Bank,

the Asian Development Bank and other

development banks.

He also lauded Pakistani govern-

ment’s economic achievements “ under

the very very tough global economic

situation” and pointed out that Pakistan

has played a very crucial role in the es-

tablishment of the Asian Infrastructure

Investment Bank.

Dar said that Pakistan will welcome

the AIIB funding for the country’s infra-structure development. He also vowed

full support of the AIIB.

project, striving for an early start within

the year.

Pramudwinai said Thailand attach-

es high importance to rail cooperation

 with China and was ready to make joint

efforts to promote an early start of theconstruction.

He also voiced support for China’s

Belt and Road initiative and agreed to

promote bilateral cooperation within

the framework in the spirit of open and

transparent.

 According to Wang, the two coun-

tries also agreed to start a Lantsang-

Mekong cooperation mechanism aimed

to help countries along the river realize

common development through comple-

mentary cooperation.

Pramudwinai said Thailand was

 willing to strengthen cooperation on

 water resources, drought control and

disaster relief under the framework

of the Lantsang-Mekong cooperation

mechanism.

They also discussed relations be-

tween China and the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Li spoke highly of the “fruitful ef-

forts” made by Thailand as country

coordinator for China-ASEAN dialogue

relations in the past three years. He said

China was ready to make concerted ef-

forts with all sides to continue to push

forward relations with the ASEAN, and

maintain the region’s peace, stability

and prosperity.

Pramudwinai was on an official visit

to China from Oct. 8 to 10 at the invita-

tion of Wang. This is his first China visit

since taking office in August.

Calligraphy is the art of writing

Chinese characters and especially

refers to the rules of writing with a

brush. The emergence of calligra-

phy is closely associated with the

special style of Chinese characters.

When writing Chinese characters,

emphasis is placed on the change

in the stipples and lines as well as

spacing between the characters

and the lines. A beautiful composi-

tion and strong artistic sense is also

important.

Calligraphy has a history of

more than 3,000 years. In China cal-

ligraphy occupies a distinguishedposition in the field of traditional

art. It is not only a means of com-

munication, but also a means of

expressing a person's inner world

in an aesthetic sense.

 Ancient people paid great at-

tention to calligraphy. It was the

essential whereby a candidate could

manifest his literary talent in the

Imperial Examination, for it gave

a first impression to the examin-

ers. Children of high officials had to

learn and try to write a good hand;

even emperors themselves were

good at calligraphy, for example, the

 versatile Emperor Qianlong in the

Qing Dynasty has left us many ex-

amples of his handwriting on steles

in temples and palaces.

To practise calligraphy requires

the basic tools of 'four treasures

of study' (writing brush, ink stick,

paper, and ink slab) as well as much

concentration on guiding the soft

 writing brus h charged with fluid

ink, and writing on the paper where

the ink will diffuse quickly. Once

the brush movement hesitates, a

black mark is created, so speed,

strength and agility is the essence

of fine artwork. When writing, many

calligraphers will forget all worriesand even themselves, combining

all thoughts in the beauty of their

art. Thus it can be compared with

Qigong, which also can mould and

improve a person's temper and pro-

mote well being.

Today, although various modern

 ways have bee n sub stit ute d for

the original calligraphy, especially

 which created with a writing brush,

people still love the ancient form

and practise it untiringly. During

the traditional festivals, propitious

couplets are always indispensable

decorations each written in a beauti-

ful style.

CROSS-BORDER INTERBANK PAYMENTSYSTEM LAUNCHED IN SHANGHAI

China’s Cross-Border Interbank

Payment System, designed as an “ex-

pressway” to facilitate the yuan’s use

in international trade and investment,

began operations in Shanghai on Oc-

tober 8. The system, or the “CIPS”,

provides the services of cross-border

clearing and payment for domestic

and foreign financial institutions. As an impo rta nt infr astr uct ure

construction of the country’s financial

system, the CIPS is expected to ef-

fectively increase global usage of the

currency by cutting transaction costs

and processing times, which replaced

the former system composed of num-

bers of agent banks.

Fan Yifei, deputy governor of the

People’s Bank of China, or the coun-

try’s central bank, said at the system’s

opening ceremony that the establish-

ment of CIPS is a milestone as the

country is accelerating infrastructure

construction of the financial system.

It is a sign that indicates major

progress in building the modern pay-

ment system covering both domestic

and foreign markets, Fan said.

Experts also called the system one

of the “biggest hurdles” to the inter-

nationalization of the yuan.

The CIPS started to work after the

global transaction service provider

Swift reported that in August the yuan

surpassed the Japanese Yen to be

the world’s fourth largest payment

currency.

 Yuan-de nomi nate d paym ent ac-

counted for 2.79 percent of the global

market by August, expanded from 1.39

percent in January of 2014, according

to the Swift.

The CIPS’ opening fulfilled the

promise made by Premier Li Keq-

iang at the “Summer Davos” openingspeech last month that “By the end

of the year, the CIPS will be launched

to support the further development

of the offshore yuan market and the

going global’ strategy of Chinese

enterprises”.

For the first phase of the CIPS,

11 domestic banks and eight foreign

banks have been approved by the cen-

tral bank to directly participate in the

transactions under the new system.

 A li mi te d co mp an y th at is in

charge of the system’s operation was

established in Shanghai on Sept 8.

China, Thailand and the Indo-China

Peninsula,” Li noted.Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in

his talks with Pramudwinai that con-

struction will be a breakthrough for the

trans-Asian railway network brewed for

 years. The railway will be conducive to

Thailand’s long-term development andhelp it make full use of its location as a

regional inter-connection hub.

 According to Wang, the two sides

have agreed to advance the railway

Calligraphy 

8/20/2019 Manila Bulletin-2

8/48

By TARA YAP

 

ILOILO – Iloilo politics has takenits toll on former Iloilo GovernorNiel Tupas Sr.,

Tupas was rushed to the hos-pital over the weekend after he wasunable to settle the rift between hissons – graduating Congressman NielTupas Jr. and Vice Governor Raul Tu-pas - over who should representation

the 5th district of Iloilo.This was confirmed by Mayor Niel

Tupas III of Barotac Viejo.Niel and Raul have reportedly been

trading barbs for a year now.Congressman Tupas ends his

three- year term as representative ofIloilo’s 5th District and has chosen his wife, Atty. Yvonne Angeli Lee-Tupasto succeed him under the administra-tion’s Liberal Party (LP).

The Vice Governor, on the otherhand is challenging his sister-in-lawin the same post under banner of theNationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

Mayor Tupas said the current po-litical tension in the family is taking itstoll on his health.

 Asid e fro m the fami ly feu d, the83-year-old Tupas patriarch is alsogreatly affected with the reportedalliance of former Iloilo 4th District

congressman Ferjenel Biron with LP, which is chaire d by Iloil o Gove rnor Arthur Defensor Sr.

Earlier, the former governor ex-pressed his intention to run as con-gressman in Iloilo’s 4th District whichhe lost to the Birons in 2010 and 2013elections respectively.

LP-Iloilo is said to have agreed notto field any candidate against Biron, who vowed to support the presidential

campaign of Mar Roxas II despitehaving his own political party AbyanIlonggo.

 A long-time ally of Senate PresidentFranklin Drilon and an LP loyalist,former governor Tupas served asLP-Iloilo provincial chairperson until2012. That was when the LP nationalleadership anointed incumbent Gov-ernor Defensor as the new LP-Iloiloprovincial chairman.

ILOILO POLITICS

Tupas patriarch hospitalized over sons’ political rift

By GENALYN D. KABILING

The Filipino electorate will havea “very easy” choice in the 2016 elec-

tions — the complete “Daang Matu- wid” coalition against the enemies ofthe straight path, President Aquinodeclared on Monday.

The President said the completeadministration lineup led by standardbearer Mar Roxas holds a “true recordand platform,” compared to their rivals who offer empty promises, lie to thepublic, and resort to demolition jobagainst others.

 Aquino, chair of the ruling LiberalParty (LP) made the campaign pitch ashe endorsed the 12-man senatorial slateof the administration coalition during agathering of allies in Quezon City.

“It is true: the upcoming campaign will be noisy. But for those who keeptheir eyes and ears open, it will be veryeasy to choose — and these choicesare standing before you today,” the

President said in his remarks.“It is clear that, while the groups of

others are being pieced together, wehave a true tandem. We have a truerecord and a true platform. We are onthe side of principle and reform. We arethe Straight Path,” he added.

 Aquino said the 12 senatorial can-didates, including Senate P residentFranklin Drilon, former Senator Fran-cis Pangilinan, and Justice SecretaryLeila de Lima, embody “integrity, a willingness to sacrifice, and principle.”These candidates, alongside Roxasand his running mate Camarines SurRep. Leni Robredo, would continue topush for even more widespread reformin our society.

Spot the enemy 

To help public recognize the “truepartners” of Daang Matuwid, Aquinolaid down three characteristics of the“enemies of the straight path.”

First, Aquino said these candidatesoffer empty promises “where they saythat they will give us everything, whilealways forgetting to mention how they will fulfil l these promis es.” “In my

opinion, when the time comes thatthese promises do not come to pass, we already know why. Let me also em-phasize that, back when they were still

pretending to be on our side, they hadplenty of opportunities to contribute tothe solution,” he said.

Second, the President cautionedthe public about the candidates who“lie to our faces.” Aquino said he justshakes his head whenever he hearsstatements “as if they were not amongthose who oppressed us before.”

“While I respect our Bosses whoentrusted us with a mandate, therethey are, hoping that the Filipinopeople have become forgetful. It’stime to move on, they say,” Aquinosaid, apparently alluding to SenatorFerdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. whorecently announced plans to run for vice president.

“To that, my mother has alwayssaid: ‘reconciliation with justice’ is whatis needed. In the Church I belong to,forgiveness is asked of God and of thecommunity. I have to ask: How can wetrust those who do not ask our forgive-ness, and more than that, do not evensee a reason to apologize?” he added.

The senator, son of the late dicta-tor Ferdinand Marcos, earlier claimedthat Filipinos were no longer con-cerned about the human rights abusescommitted during his father’s term. Hesaid the people are more concernedabout jobs, crime resolution, and otherdaily problems. He also offered no apol-ogy to the victims of abuses during themartial law period.

The third and last characteristicof the enemies of the straight path, Aquino said, is the attempt to portrayothers as having as dismal or down-right bad a record as they have.

“They are actually following the ad- vice of a senior politician: If you cannotimprove your image, just tarnish thatof others,” he added.

The President explained that themain criterion for the selection of theadministration’s senatorial candidates was their readiness to continue the journey towards good governance.

Choose ‘Daang Matuwid’ overempty promises – Aquino

Erap wins back support of Asenso Manilenyo

LLWATCH P  Tuesday, October 13, 2015 8

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ,

 CAMCER ORDONEZ IMAM

and ANNA LIZA VILLAS-ALVAREN

DAVAO CITY – Political families,out to further ensconce themselvesin power or make stirring comebacks,dominated yesterday’s filing of certifi-cates of candidacy (COCs) in variousparts of Mindanao.

 As of pr es s ti me , on ly in cu m-bent Rep. Karlo Nograles of the 1stDistrict has filed his COC with thelocal Comelec office from among the

notables who are expected to run inthe May 2016 elections. These includethe re-electionist siblings MayorSaraDuterte-Carpio and Vice MayorPaolo Duterte.

While the big names in Davao poli-tics have yet to file their COCs, newpersonalities have emerged.

Jenelle Nagayo of Sasa districtis running for mayor while Christo-pher Balodado from Fatima districtis challenging incumbent SecondDistrict Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano.Balodado wants to transform the city

into the country’s own version of WallStreet or the New York-based financialcenter of the United States.

From LP to UNAMeanwhile, some candidates in

Lanao del Norte calling themselves“LP originals” have taken their oathbefore United Nationalist Alliance(UNA) standard bearer Vice Presi-dent Jejomar Binay and filed theirCOCs under the opposition partybanner.

Pantao Ragat Mayor Eleanor

Dimaporo-Lantud will be running forgovernor, Munai Mayor MuammarMaquiling as representative of theFirst District, Balo-i Mayor Hanifa Alias representative of the Second Dis-trict and 24 other former LP members who will run in 24 v arious pos itions inthe province.

“We are the original membersof Liberal Party (LP) in Lanao delNorte. We are in the party of the VicePresident because this is where wecan see the good and straight path,”said Dimaporo-Lantud.

Dimaporo-Lantud is the daughterof the late Caromatan Mayor SultanNaga Dimaporo, brother of the latecongressman Mohammad Ali Di-maporo.

She told Binay that she and otherLiberal members in Lanao went toLP’s headquarters but were given thecold shoulder.

Dimaporo-Lantud would likelybe running against Rep. ImeldaDimaporo, wife of her cousin Rep. Abdulla h Dimapo ro of the pr ovince’sSecond District.

Old names, sprinkle of new faces emerge in Mindanao

MAN OF THE HOUR – ComelecChairman Andres Bautista launchesthe ‘PiliPinas 2016 Tamang Pagboto,Tamang Pagbilang” campaign on thefirst day of the filing of the certificatesof candidacy (COC) yesterday at theComelec main office in Intramuros.“The responsibility of every voter isto vote right while the responsibilityof the Comelec is to count right,”Bautista said. At right is the officialsocial media hashtag of the campaign.(Federico Ruiz)

CAMSUR CANDIDATES. CamSur Gov. Miguel Villafuerte (center) is seeking a second term. His father, former CamSur Gov. LRay Villafuerte (left) will run in the 2nd District while Vice Gov Ato Pena (right) is also seeking reelection. (Ruel Saldico)

By SARAH C. IMPERIAL

and RUEL SALDICO

Naga City – In a show of political

force, Camarines Sur political stalwartsbelonging to different parties coalescedand presented a full slate for the prov-ince’s 35 towns and two cities for thecoming 2016 elections.

Comebacking former congressmanand governor Luis R. Villafuerte, for-mer Budget Secretary and 1st Districtcongressman Rolando "Nonoy" Andaya,former House Speaker Arnulfo "Noli"Fuentebella, and former 5th districtcongressman Felix "Nancing" Alfelorare now allied locally in Camarines Surand bared their candidates for gover-nor, vice governor, board members,mayors, vice mayors, and councilorsover the weekend.

The coalition's candidates for gov-ernor is incumbent Tigaon town Mayor Arnie Fuentebella. His running-mateis Atty Peachy Alfelor Moraleda, from

Iriga City, a turf of the Alfelors.The duo will face incumbent Gov.

Miguel Villafuerte who is seeing reelec-tion while his father, LRay Villafuerteis seeking a congressional seat in the2nd district which will be vacated bygraduating Rep. Dato Arroyo.

Luis, the 80-year-old Villafuerte pa-triarch who is estranged from his son,LRay and grandson, Miguel is seeking acongressional seat in the 3rd district previ-ously represented by Rep. Leni Robredo.

LRay and son Migz are reportedlysupporting the Grace–Chiz tandem.

 Andaya is likewise rooting for Poe andEscudero. But he is fielding Arnie Fuent-ebella for the highest capitol seat.

Bicol political stalwartscoalesce to field local bets

By NATE C. BARRETTO

Mayor Joseph Estrada has wonback the support of local politicalparty, Asenso Manilenyo, with 40candidates for councilor and six con-gressional seats who pledged to carryhim to a second term in Manila in ne xt year’s polls.

 A reliable source from the politicalparty that launched Estrada’s 2013run for the mayorship with Vice Mayo rIsko Moreno said Estrada called Asenso Mani lenyo to a mee ting at hishouse in Wack-Wack, Mandaluyong

City Saturday night to thresh out somedifferences.It will be recalled that in the morn-

ing of the same day, the entire slate of Asenso Manilenyo met with Moreno

at the Manila Hotel to urge the vicemayor to run for mayor.

The source said the rift betweenthe local party and Estrada stemmedfrom the mayor’s alleged plan to ditchcertain candidates of Asenso Manile-nyo from his ticket, many of whom areincumbent officials.

“All has been settled with the par-ty,” said an Asenso Manilenyo stalwart who ref used to be iden tified.

“Erap came to terms with AsensoManilenyo and has accepted to adoptthe whole slate,” the source said.

Moreno told the Manila Bulletin

 yester day aft ernoon that he is happyEstrada now has the full backing of Ase nso Manil enyo . “The impor tantthing is, there is now unity in the CityCouncil and the party is supporting

Mayor Erap,” he said.Moreno emphasized that there is

no bad blood between him and Es-trada and that the mayor was happyto see him at his Wack-Wack residenceSaturday night.

“I am supporting him (Erap),” saidMoreno. “And the mayor has also beenin full support of the City Council andits programs.”

 As for his political plans for 2016after his third term as vice mayor,Moreno said he will make an an-nouncement on Friday morning at theTondo High School, his alma mater.

 Asked if he was st ill eyei ng a Sen-ate seat, Moreno replied: “I’m makingconsultations. I’m asking the peopleof Manila, because I will need theirsupport.”

8/20/2019 Manila Bulletin-2

9/48

World News Tuesday, October 13, 2015 9

B AGHDAD (Reute rs) – Eightsenior figures from IslamicState were killed in an airstrike while meeting in a town

in western Iraq, but the group’s reclu-sive leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi didnot appear to be among them, residentsof the town and hospital sources said.

Iraq said on Sunday its air force hadhit the meeting and had also struck aconvoy that was carrying Baghdadi toattend it. It said Baghdadi had beendriven away from the convoy in an un-known condition. The Iraqi military’sannouncement was the latest uncon-firmed report of the possible death orinjury of Baghdadi, who has surviveda year of US-led air strikes and multi-sided wars in two countries since pro-claiming himself caliph of all Muslimsafter his forces swept through most ofnorthern Iraq last year.

 A Twitter site which publishes state-ments from Islamic State said “rumors”that an air strike had targeted Baghdadi were false.

 A US military official in Baghdad,speaking on condition of anonymity,said the United States has not seen

any indications Baghdadi was killed orinjured during the operation.

“Iraqi air forces have bombed the con- voy of the terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi while he was heading to Karabla to attenda meeting with Daesh commanders,” theIraqi military said in a statement.

Daesh is the Arabic acronym for Islam-ic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. Karablais a town in Iraq’s Anbar province near theSyrian border, an Islamic State stronghold,not to be confused with Kerbala, a Shi’iteholy city in the south.

“The location of the meeting wasalso bombed and many of the group’sleaders were killed and wounded.The fate of murderer al-Baghdadi isunknown and he was carried away bya vehicle. His health condition is stillunclear,” the military said.

Hospital sources and residents saidairstrikes hit two houses and killedeight senior local leaders of an IslamicState police force in the town.

Islamic State supporters said onTwitter that even if Baghdadi had been

killed, his self-proclaimed caliphatestraddling large areas of Iraq and Syria would survive.

“Do you think we would leave theState of the caliphate and abandon it, oh vile world?,” asked one of his followers.“This is the religion of God, it rose on theskulls of heroes and martyrs and everytime one of them is martyred we rise.”

Baghdadi has galvanized militants

from around the world, encouragedby his military successes and plans toredraw the map of the Middle East tocreate a self-sustaining caliphate.

His successes prompted the UnitedStates to re-engage in Iraq with airstrikes against his fighters three yearsafter pulling out following a long, costlyoccupation.

Russia, which has launched a bomb-ing campaign to aid its Syrian allyBashar al-Assad, says its main enemyis Islamic State as well.

 An Islamic State fighter reached bytelephone could not confirm whetherBaghdadi had been in a convoy that wasstruck, but said the group would fighton whatever his fate: “Even if he wasmartyred then it will not affect IslamicState. We will lose a leader but there area thousand Baghdadis.”

SANA’A (PNA/Xinhua) – At least 20prisoners were killed when warplanes of theSaudi-led coalition bombed a prison in Yemen’

s southern province of al-Bayda on Sunday,medical sources and witnesses said.The prison which held more than 100

prisoners was controlled by the ShiiteHouthi group, the sources said, addingthat up to 30 others were wounded in theairs raids.

Meanwhile, the coalition warplanestargeted several military posts on Sundayrun by the Houthis and their allied forces

loyal to former President Ali AbdullahSaleh in the capital Sana’a.

The Saudi-led coalition has carried out

military operations, including air strikes ona daily basis, against the Houthis since lateMarch in Yemen in an effort to restore theauthority of Yemeni President Abd-RabbuMansour Hadi who fled to the Saudi capitalof Riyadh to take refuge.

Pro-government forces have retakenseveral southern provinces in recent months,however the Houthis still controls the north-ern part of the country, including Sana’a.

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – A Malaysian whistle-blower and his lawyer detained fortheir efforts to expose allegations of corrup-tion against the prime minister were charged

Monday with attempting to “sabotage’’ thebanking sector, according to reports.

Prime Minister Najib Razak facesmounting calls to explain massive sumsof money allegedly missing from a state-owned development company he launched,as well as the revelation in July that nearly$700 million in mysterious transfers hadbeen made to his personal bank accounts.

Khairuddin Abu Hassan, a former mem-ber of the ruling United Malays NationalOrganization (UMNO), was arrested inSeptember after launching an internationalcampaign to expose the allegations.

His lawyer, Matthias Chang, was ar-rested last week over his suspected involve-ment in the campaign.

They were charged with attempting to

“sabotage Malaysia’s banking and financialservices sector,” The Star and the NewStraits Times reported.

Khairuddin vowed in court Monday to

press on with his campaign.“We will fight Najib until the end. I will

make sure Najib’s hands are in handcuffs,’’he was quoted as saying by the Malaysiakininews portal.

Transparency International Malaysia,in a statement released Monday beforethe charges, said it viewed the arrests with“grave concern.”

Khairuddin and Chang are expected toappear in court on October 26 and could be jailed up to 15 years if found guilty, accord-ing to media reports.

In a rare joint statement, Malaysia’snine state sultans said last week the failureto investigate the allegations swiftly hadcreated a “crisis of confidence’’ and calledfor a probe to be revived.

RIYADH (AFP) – Saudi Arabia is plan-ning to triple the number of visas it issuesfor umrah, the lesser pilgrimage, reportssaid on Monday, less than three weeks aftera deadly hajj stampede.

The Saudi Gazette and Okaz newspa-pers quoted Hajj Minister Bandar al-Hajjaras saying that as many as 1.25 million pil-grims are expected to arrive each monthstarting next year.

That compares with 400,000 a monthnow, the reports said.

Hajjar was quoted as saying the new

system would allow full use of massiveexpansion projects at the kingdom’s holysites.

Umrah is a lesser pilgrimage carriedout any time during the year.

The major hajj pilgrimage, which allMuslims with the means are expected tocomplete at least once, this year drew abouttwo million faithful.

The number had declined, particularlybecause of a multi-billion-dollar expansion which began four years ago at the GrandMosque in Mecca.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – A he-licopter carrying five people has gonemissing in western Indonesia, the latestair mishap for the country.

The National Search and Rescue Agency says the Eurocopt er EC-130 was on a chartered flight from Samosirisland in Toba Lake to North Sumatra’scapital, Medan, when it was reportedmissing Sunday about 17 minutes afterit took off. It was carrying two crewmenand three passengers.

 A search Monday involving about 200rescuers was centered on Toba Lake.

Indonesia, a sprawling archipelagonation of about 250 million people, hasbeen plagued by transportation acci-dents in recent years, including planeand train crashes and ferry sinkings.

Earlier this month, a DHC-6 TwinOtter plane crashed in South Su-lawesi province, killing all 10 peopleon board.

Coalition air strikes in Yemen, 20 dead 

Saudi plans tripling of umrah visas

Obama does not think Trumpwill ‘end up being president’

Malaysian whistle-blower,lawyer charged with sabotage

Islamic State figures killed in air strike;Baghdadi believed not among them

NewsbitsFour arrested over

Air France violence

PARIS (AFP) – Four Air Franceemployees were arrested Monday aspart of the investigation into the violentscenes which saw one of the strugglingairline’s executives have his shirtripped-off and scale a fence to escapean angry mob, police sources said. Thefour men arrested work for the CargoAir France division but are not electedunion ofcials, one of the sources said.

They were arrested ‘’without incident’’early Monday at their homes outsideParis. Several hundred employeesdisrupted a meeting on October 5at Air France’s headquarters nearParis’ Charles de Gaulle airport whileexecutives were detailing plans to layoff 2,900 workers as part of cost-cutting measures. Human resourcesdirector Xavier Broseta had his shirtripped-off and was helped over a fenceby security guards, in a picture that wassplashed across front pages around

the world. An internal investigationat the airline, which is 17.6 percent-owned by the state, has also identied

around 10 employees believed to havebeen involved in the violence, anothersource said.

Protesters demand

gov’t resignation

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) – Hundredsof pro-Russian protesters blockedthe main street in the Moldovancapital during the morning rush hour,demanding the resignation of thegovernment. Some 400 protestersled by the leader of the pro-MoscowOur Party, Renato Usatii, parkeddozens of cars on the Stephenthe Great Boulevard before dawnMonday, bringing trafc to a halt.

The protest ended after more thantwo hours following discussionswith police and city authorities.Protests began in Moldova on Sept.6 when tens of thousands stageddemonstrations, demanding a probeinto up to $1.5 billion that wentmissing from three Moldovan banksbefore 2014 November parliamentaryelections. Since then, protestershave erected tents in a pedestriansquare and staged weekend protests.The government has promised toinvestigate the missing money.

Bakr al-Baghdadi at a mosque in thecentre of Iraq’s second city, Mosul,according to a video recording postedon the Internet on July 5, 2014, in thisstill image taken from video. (Reuters)

Helicopter

missing with 5 people aboardin westernIndonesia

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Presi-dent Barack Obama said Donald Trump was “the classic reality TV character” who had tapped into something real inthe Republican Party but was unlikelyto end up as president.

“He is a great publicity-seeker - andat a time when the Republican Partyhasn’t really figured out what it’s for as

opposed to what it’s against,” Obamasaid of Trump during an interview onCBS’ “60 Minutes” program airing onSunday night.

Opinion polls put Trump at the frontof a crowded Republican field seekingthe party’s nomination for the Novem-ber 2016 presidential election.

The billionaire real estate moguland television personality has arousedcontroversy with his provocative re-marks on illegal immigration. He haspromised to build a wall on the US-Mex-

ico border and to deport the estimated11 million illegal immigrants already inthe United States.

Obama said Trump had tapped intosomething that “exists in the RepublicanParty that’s real. I think there is genuine an-ti-immigrant sentiment in the large portionof at least Republican primary voters.”

“He is, you know, the classic reality

TV character,” the Democratic presi-dent said, adding it was not surprisingTrump had received a lot of attention inthe campaign’s early stages.

 Asked if he t hought Trump wouldeventually disappear from the race,Obama replied: “I’ll leave it up to thepundits to make that determination. Idon’t think he’ll end up being presidentof the United States.”

Obama also said in the interviewthat he did not know about Democraticpresidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s

use of a private email server while she was his secretary of state but that it didnot pose a national security problem.

“She made a mistake. She has ac-knowledged it,” he said.

“I do think that the way it’s beenginned up is in part because of politics. And I think she’d be the first to ac-knowledge that maybe she could have

handled the original decision better andthe disclosures more quickly.”

Discussing Joe Biden’s possibleentry into the Democratic race, Obamacalled him one of the finest vice presi-dents ever and said: “If you’re sittingright next to the president in everymeeting and ... wrestling with these is-sues, I’m sure that for him he’s saying tohimself: ‘I could do a really good job.’”

 Asked if he thought he himself couldbe re-elected if not constitutionally barredfrom a third term, Obama replied: “Yes.”

8/20/2019 Manila Bulletin-2

10/48

Tuesday, October 13, 201510   Editorial

THE   Department of Justice (DOJ) re-

leased last Thursday the second and fi-

nal part of its report on the Mamasapano

incident in which 44 Special Action Force

(SAF) commandos of the Philippine National

Police (PNP) died, along with 17 Moro guerrillas

and three civilians.

While most of the 44 police commandos ap-

peared to have been killed in gunbattle in the

SAF operation to get Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli

li bin Hir alias Marwan, it was established by the

Department of Justice (DOJ) investigators that

nine of the commandos were deliberately killed –

murdered – by armed men while they lay wounded

and helpless after the clash. But, the report said,

there were no witnesses who could identify thekillers. Hence, no charges could be recommended

for filing by the DOJ.

This report should put an end to any hopes

that the Mamasapano killings could be resolved

like the usual crime, such as the Maguindanao

massacre many years earlier, in which 34 media

men were killed along with relatives of a political

leader who was to file his certificate of candidacy

(COC) for governor. Mamasapano was not a crime

 which could be resolved through the usual civilian

processes of justice.

Shortly after he returned to the Senate after

being granted bail by a decision of the Supreme

Court (SC), Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile called in a

privileged speech for a plenary debate on the

Grace Poe committee report on the Mamasapano

incident. The Senate must take up this issue,

Enrile said, not only for the courage, valor, and

sacrifice of the SAF men but also to let the people

know how the Senate acted on the issue.

 A plenary debat e, as proposed by Senator En-

rile, might put a fitting end to the Mamasapano

issue. But it is not expected to shed any new light

on the incident. The election season has alreadybegun, the politicians in Congress are looking

forward to the campaign, and the electorate’s

interests have moved on to other concerns.

It has been nine months since the Mamasa-

pano happened on January 25. Any meaningful

development on the case can no longer be ex-

pected at this time. Perhaps after the end of the

current administration.

CHAFF FROM THE GRAIN

By HECTOR R. R. VILLANUEVA

“Politicians are entitledto change their minds. But when

they adjust their principles,some explanation is necessary” 

— Roy Hattersley 

 A  LOOMING  Rodrigo Duterte-Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcospartnership will be a formidable value -adde d to the three front -

running candidacies of Vice PresidentJejomar Binay, Sen. Grace Poe, and Sec.Mar Roxas.

The electorate, which will be domi-nated by the youth and molded by socialmedia and poll surveys, will have a widerarray of candidates to choose from, ac-cording to their individual preferences andpriority concerns.

Philippine politics is essentially localand parochial.

With the alarming increase in crimi-nality, kidnapping, political killings, andstreet crimes, public sentiment is likelyto gravitate towards the Duterte-Marcostandem.

On the other hand, poll surveys haveindicated that unemployment, consumer

prices, and higher wages are the mainconcerns.

Nonetheless, the phenomenal popular-ity of Sen. Grace Poe will be difficult toundermine, and ignore.

In a manner of speaking, a possiblefour-corner race with six vice-presidentialcandidates has made the 2016 election a watershe d that can only enhance democ-racy.

The fact that there is a proliferation ofcandidates for higher office, and people’sconcerns are back to the basics of jobs,prices, and high wages, only means that

the promised reforms have not material-ized.The so-called reforms of Pres. Noynoy

 Aquin o have remaine d embed ded in hisspeeches. Hence, the main challenge ofthe next president is how to straighten andcorrect the badly warped “daang matuwid”policy of Pres. Aquino.

First, multilateral financial organiza-tions such as the World Bank and theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) haveadjusted downward the growth forecastsof the economic managers despite cheapercrude oil and fuel prices and low inflationrate.

Nevertheless, with the election of a new

Four-way race

With DOJ report,expect no further

action on Mamasapano

 115 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE NATION

DR. CRIS J. ICBAN, JR.Editor-in-Chief 

JULLIE Y. DAZA Associate Editor 

DEEDEE M. SIYTANGCO Associate Editor 

LORETO D. CABAÑESBusiness Editor 

ARNEL A. PATAWARANLifestyle Editor 

DING T. MARCELOSports Editor 

VICENTE EDGARDO C. BARTILAD Asst. Editor-in-Chief 

CECILIA C. COLMENARESExecutive Editor 

DR. BETH DAY ROMULOExecutive Editor 

FIL C. SIONILManaging Editor 

JOJO P. PANALIGANEntertainment Editor 

ISABEL C. DE LEONNews Editor 

http://www.mb.com.phE-MAIL ADDRESS: bulletin@mb.com.ph

MANILA BULLETIN PUBLISHING CORPORATIONP. O. B O X 7 6 9

MANILA BULLETIN BUILDINGMURALLA CORNER RECOLETOS, INTRAMUROS MANILA 1002CABLE “Bulletin” Telefax 40240 Fax 5277510 Tel. No. 527-8121

ATTY. HERMOGENES P. POBREPresident & Publisher 

DR. EMILIO C. YAP IIIVice Chairman of the Board

 Executive Vice President-Advertising Dept.

PACIENCIA M. PINEDAExecutive Vice President-Finance Dept.

DR. ENRIQUE Y. YAP, JR.Vice President-Business Development Dept.

LYNE A. ABANILLAVice President-Classified Advertising Dept.

MELITO S. SALAZAR, JR.Vice President and Compliance Officer

CARMEN S. SUVAVice President-Public Relations Dept.

AURORA CAPELLAN TANVice President-Executive Department

DANTE M. SIMANGANVP-Circulation Department

RAMON C. TING AVP-Metro Manila Branches Departmen t

MARTIN V. ISIDRO, JR. AVP-Product Distribution Department

BASILIO C. YAPChairman of the Board

CHIEF JUSTICE HILARIO G. DAVIDE, JR., RET.Vice Chairman of the Board

 SECRETARY ALBERTO G. ROMULO, RET.Vice Chairman of the Board

ATTY. FRANCIS Y. GAWDirector 

 SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION, RET.ATTY. FE B. BARIN

Executive Vice President

AFP GEN. HERMOGENES C. ESPERON, JR., RET.Executive Vice President-Security Department

DR. ESPERANZA I. CABRALIndependent Director 

JOHNNY L. LUGAY  AVP-Information & Communication Technology Dept.

ELIZABETH T. MORALES AVP-Accounting Department

ALVIN P. MENDIGORIA AVP-Engineering Department

ARSENIO EMMANUEL O. CABRERA AVP- Advertising Department

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

DISPLAY ADS SECTION  Tel. 527-7515; 527-7517; 527-7520; 527-7524  Fax 338-4564; 527-7533

  Tel. 527-7522 • Fax 527-7526

 

MANILA BULLETIN HEAD OFFICE

CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT

 

PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION

OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC. UNITED PRINT MEDIA GROUP SHARING IDEAS, INSPIRING CHANGE.

•CLASSIFIED ADS SECTION  Tel. 527-7523; 527-7530

Fax 527-1627; 527-7534

CEBU BRANCHManila Bulletin Building 

D. Jakosalem corner Zamora Streets,Pari-an, Cebu City 6000

Tel. (032) 256-0125; 256-0127; 256-0128

DAVAO BRANCHManila Bulletin Building 

C. Bangoy corner J.P. Rizal Streets, Davao City 8000Tel. (082) 225-0660; 225-0661; 225-0662

ILOILO BRANCHManila Bulletin Building 

Quezon corner Delgado Streets, Iloilo City 5000Tel. (033) 336-9450; 336-9658

CAGAYAN DE ORO BRANCHManila Bulletin Building 

S. Osmeña corner J. Ramonal Streets,Cogon, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Tel. (088) 857-1764

GRACE PARK BRANCHManila Bulletin Building 

Rizal Avenue Extension corner10th Avenue Grace Park, Kalookan City 1400

Tel. 363-2 216; 363-1333 Fax 363-1333

NAGA BRANCHManila Bulletin Building 

Peñafrancia Avenuecorner Dimasalang Street, Naga City 4400

Tel. (054) 473-7522; 473-7526

 SANTIAGO CITY BRANCHManila Bulletin Building