No SC TRO on Aquino power to appoint justice

The Supreme Court (SC) did not issue yesterday a temporary restraining order (TRO) that would stop President Aquino from appointing a justice to fill up the lone vacancy in the 15-member High Court from the four nominees submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

Instead, the SC required the Office of the President, the JBC, and Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno, who was also named a respondent, to comment in 10 days on the petition filed by Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza.

Sereno is expected to inhibit herself in the deliberation of Jardeleza’s petition.

The lone vacancy in the SC was a result of the retirement on May 22, 2014 of Justice Roberto A. Abad.

Under the Constitution, the President has 90 days from the date of the vacancy in the SC to appoint a replacement from the nominees submitted by the JBC – a constitutionally mandated office that accepts, screens and nominates appointments in the judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman up to the rank of Deputy Ombudsman.

Nominated with six votes each were Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justices Apolinario D. Bruselas Jr. and Jose C. Reyes Jr., Commission on Audit (COA) Chair Maria Gracia M. Pulido-Tan with five votes, and Quezon City regional trial court (RTC) Judge Reynaldo B. Daway with four votes.

Aquino has until August 20, 2014 to name one of the four nominees as replacement of Abad.

In his petition, Jardeleza claimed that the JBC committed grave abuse of discretion in excluding him from the list of nominees despite garnering enough votes due to an integrity question raised by Sereno, the council chairperson, during the final deliberations by the council.

“The unlawful exclusion of petitioner from the JBC shortlist impairs the President’s constitutional power to appoint,” he told the SC.

He pleaded the SC to issue a TRO that would enjoin the President “from appointing the associate justice pending determination of merits of this case.”

According to Jardeleza, he was qualified to be nominated by the JBC because he also got four votes like those garnered by Judge Daway.

scr: https://ph.news.yahoo.com/no-sc-tro-aquino-power-appoint-justice-170331924.html

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Philippine mayor among four dead in Manila airport ambush

Gunmen opened fire outside Manila international airport Friday, officials said, killing four people including the mayor of a town in the southern Philippines, where political violence is endemic.

Terrified men and women screamed and cried while a man, apparently fatally wounded, lay face down on the pavement outside the passenger terminal in a video clip uploaded to the local GMA television network's website.

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Pacquiao’s accounts frozen over P2.2 B tax evasion case

Just after winning in his match against boxer Brandon Rios, Manny Pacquiao is now bracing for his latest fight. This time, it's a bout outside the boxing ring.

In an interview with ANC's Topstory, Pacquiao said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has issued a warrant of garnishment to the banks, freezing all his bank deposits over his P2.2 billion tax evasion case.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is going after the Sarangani Representative for back taxes from 2008 and 2009.

During the period, Pacquiao reportedly earned tens of millions of dollars in five fights against the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez, David Diaz, Oscar dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto. All of the fights were held in Las Vegas, Nevada in US.

Pacquiao’s lawyers argue that remittances to the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) were not included in his tax returns in the Philippines because a tax treaty between the two countries stipulates that income tax paid by Filipinos in the US is creditable against income tax liabilities here.

"Ayaw tanggapin BIR yung binibigay kong copy ng tax na binayaran ko sa US. Gusto nila original IRS copy, hindi naman nagbibigay ang IRS ng nun,” he said. 

Pacquiao’s lawyers have already filed an appeal on the warrant of garnishment issued by the BIR on his assets. The boxing champ remains confident his case can still be resolved. “Wala naman akong tinatago,” he said in a press conference.

He, however, was not able to hide his disappointment over the decision especially now that he intends to help those affected by super typhoon and the magnitude 7.2 quake in the Visayas region.

“Matagal ko nang gustong tumulong sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo at lindol. Pero ako po ay hinabla ng BIR ng P2.2 billion tax case na walang kabase-base at ang aking mga pera sa bangko ay ginarnish ng BIR. Hindi ako makapag-withdraw ni isang singkong sentimo sa sarili ko pong pera, hindi ko magamit para man lang makatulong. Ang pera kong ginarnish ng BIR ay hindi po nakaw at hindi po [Priority Development Assistance Fund] o [Disbursement Acceleration Program], ito po ay galing sa lahat ng suntok, bugbog, pawis at dugo na tiniis ko sa boxing,” Pacquiao said.

Despite his tax case, the congressman said he will still fulfill his promise to personally deliver aid to areas devastated by Yolanda, even if he has to borrow money to pay for relief goods.

"Mangungutang uli ako kasi siyempre nagpa-promise ako na pupunta ako sa Tacloban para tumulong sa kanila, e ano gagawin ko? Hindi matutuloy? Masisira ako sa tao," he said.

Pacquiao said he earlier borrowed money to help at least 10,000 families in Yolanda-hit areas. His accounts had already been garnished when the super typhoon ravaged parts of the Visayas, he said.

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Miriam Santiago steals the show in Napoles Senate hearing

after a relatively long absence in the Senate, feisty Senator Miriam Defensor is back and with a bang.

On the eve of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing for Janet Napoles' first public appearance, Santiago herself announced that she will be confronting Napoles. 

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What places should Obama visit in PH?

Filipinos now have the chance to show US President Barack Obama the beauty of the Philippines.

US ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. said Filipinos can "post on the US Embassy website and Facebook" account their recommendations on which places they think President Obama should see during his visit here on October.

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Napoles's testimony should be preserved now due to threats to her life

The testimony of Janet Lim-Napoles, alleged mastermind of the P10-billion pork barrel scam, should be "preserved" as soon as possible due to various threats to her life, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said Monday.

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NBI chief resigns amid reports of moles in the bureau

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) chief Nonnatus Rojas has submitted his irrevocable resignation after reports surfaced of two moles in the bureau who tipped off businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles on her impending arrest.

According to Department of Justice (DOJ) Sec. Leila de Lima, she came to work Monday morning with Rojas’s letter of resignation on her desk.

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Napoles can't turn state witness

Businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles should not be allowed to escape prosecution by turning state witness, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said.

The biggest hurdle in any move to bring Napoles to the witness stand, Santiago said, would be proving that she is not the most guilty in the pork barrel scam.

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Stay alert, Pinoys told after Napoles' surrender

The central figure in the so-called “pork barrel scandal” may already be in government custody, but Filipinos have been urged to heave no sigh of relief.
 
The surrender of businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles should not pacify anger over the alleged misuse of public funds, a lawmaker said.
 

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Fearing for her life, Janet Napoles surrenders to President Aquino

ust hours after Malacanang set a P10-million bounty for any information leading to her arrest, Janet Napoles surrendered to President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

Napoles, who is wanted for alleged serious illegal detention of Benhur Luy, a whistle-blower in the P10-billion "pork barrel" scam, surrendered around 9:37 pm, Wednesday.

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Websites hacked ahead of anti-pork rally

At least 32 local websites have been defaced early Monday, hours ahead of the massive protest against pork barrel in Luneta.

Visitors of the websites, most of which are hosted under gov.ph, instead saw an alternative screen and a message from hackers protesting the alleged misuse of public funds.

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Pork barrel whistleblowers overwhelmed by public support

vWhistleblowers in the controversial pork barrel scam got emotional when they saw the response of the public to calls for the abolition of the pork barrel system

In a report by ABS-CBN’s Jay Ruiz, the whistleblowers wept while watching live reports of the “Million People March” in Luneta on Monday.

“Happy dahil maraming sumuporta sa panawagan namin. At the same time medyo napapa-iyak ako dahil hindi ko akalain na ganun pala karami ang taong sumuporta not only in Metro Manila but also in other provinces,” an emotional Merlin Asunas said in a phone interview with ANC.

Gertrudes Luy, the mother of key whistleblower Benhur Luy, said they were overwhelmed by the outpouring support for them. 

“Nagpapasalamat kami na marami palang sumuporta sa amin dito. Buong buo kaming nagpapasalamt sa kanila,” Luy said. 

The Luys and Asunas are currently in a safehouse while the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) probes their revelations that businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, their former employer, managed to channel P10 billion in pork barrel to fake non-government organizations (NGOs) involved in ghost projects.

The whistleblowers said the massive rally at Luneta has given them more courage to continue their fight.

Their lawyer attorney Levito Baligod was likewise touched by what he saw in Luneta on Monday. 

“In moments when we have to extract accountability from our elected leaders, our people are united in sentiment, in thought, and even purpose so we can acquire the courage and the strength to carry on the fight,” Baligod told ANC.

article from http://anc.yahoo.com/news/pork-barrel-whistleblowers-overwhelmed-by-public-support-061144626.html

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Corona booed as he shows up at Luneta Million March rally

Former Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was impeached for unexplained wealth, was one with the people in the Million People March in Luneta.

Welcomed with boos, thumbs down gestures and "epal" chants, Corona raised his fist and sang "Bayan Ko" with the crowd. His wife, Cristina Roco, was teary-eyed while singing.

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Pinoys sing and unite against corruption

Hundreds of people from all walks of life converged in Luneta Park Monday to protest the "pork barrel" system as the issue on the P10-billion PDAF scam heats up.

For some, the "Million People March" was a picnic, a reunion of sorts, but most importantly a statement against widespread corruption in the country.  From students to nuns, the middle-class to the impoverished, the participants had this common cry: Scrap pork. 

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Aquino to visit China

By Tessa Jamandre, VERA Files

President Aquino is going on a one-day trip to China on Sept. 3 in what is seen as an effort to end strained relations with China triggered by the standoff in Bajo de Masinloc in April last year.

The President has accepted China’s invitation to attend the 10^th ASEAN-China Expo (CAEXPO) to be held in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, from Sept. 3 to 6, Malacañang and Department of Foreign Affairs sources said.

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What made Cardinal Tagle cry

“Heartbreaking” was how Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle described the controversy accusing lawmakers of illicit use of their pork barrel funds.
 
The head of the Catholic Church in the Philippines broke into tears as he urged a probe on the alleged P10-billion scam, which implicated five senators and 23 lawmakers.
 

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Court rules Fort Boni belongs to Makati

Makati and the Binays score, in a now 20-year battle with Taguig over Fort Bonifacio, with the Court of Appeals ruling, Fort Bonifacio belongs to Makati.

Ownership is in dispute because of transactions and laws dating back to the early 1900s. Makati and Taguig have been battling over Fort Bonifacio since 1993, when Taguig asked a regional trial court to declare the 729-hectare fort as part of its territory.

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After Customs chief, deputy quits too

Another official from the embattled Bureau of Customs (BoC) has resigned from his post.

Retired Brig. Gen. Danilo "Danny" Lim, Customs deputy commissioner for intelligence, confirmed tendering his resignation "immediately" after hearing the State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday.

In a statement Wednesday, Lim agreed with the speech of President Benigno Aquino, who hit BoC and its officials failing to meet targets and for allegations of corruption.

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Isko asks commuters to walk a little

Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno appealed to commuters heading to Manila to bear with a little discomfort and cooperate with the local government in its new traffic scheme along España

With the new traffic scheme in Manila, buses are banned along España. Commuters getting off buses in Mabuhay Rotonda will need to walk 20 to 30 meters to get to the nearest jeepneys, which Moreno said requires just a little effort.

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Aquino: SONA po ninyo ito

It was not the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) after all.

This, as President Benigno Aquino III on Monday claimed the accomplishments he highlighted in his fourth SONA have been made possible by the Filipino people. Echoing his pronouncement during his inaugural speech more than three years ago that Filipinos are his “boss,” Aquino said in his 2013 SONA: “SONA po ninyo ito.”

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