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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'Henry' now out of PAR

(LAST UPDATE—11:11 a.m., Wednesday, July 23) 'Henry', with international name 'Matmo', has weakened into a tropical storm after crossing the landmass of Taiwan and is now outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

All storm warning signals have been lowered in the country.

'Henry' continues to enhance the southwest monsoon bringing moderate to heavy rains to Luzon and Western Visayas.

Residents in these areas are still advised to be alert against possible flash floods and landslides.

Meantime, weather bureau PAGASA is now monitoring two low pressure areas (LPA) 1,140 km east of Southern Luzon (14.0°N, 135.8°E).

The first one is expected to merge with the stronger one behind it.

The first LPA, or the merged system, may enter PAR this weekend.

If it intensifies further, it will be named 'Inday.'

scr:https://anc.yahoo.com/news/-henry--now-on-its-way-to-taiwan--all-storm-warning-signals-lowered-000835620.html

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4 cops fired guns on New Year's Eve

Four cops have been arrested for firing their guns on New Year’s Eve. 

In an interview on ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda, Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac said one of the four is also being considered a suspect for injuring a civilian in one of the recorded stray bullet cases. 

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Most Don Mariano buses fail roadworthiness test

Manila, Philippines - Only a small percentage of Don Mariano Transit Corp.’s fleet of buses inspected so far passed the roadworthiness check being conducted by the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

“We have inspected 47 buses so far and only 10 of these passed the roadworthiness checks,” said Joel Donato, chief of the LTO Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) center.

All of Don Mariano’s 78 authorized bus units will be inspected, he said.

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MMDA opens 'zipper lane' but can it ease Metro Manila traffic?

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has opened up a “zipper lane” to help ease the morning rush traffic for Christmas.

Now on its second day of implementation, the zipper lane aims to decongest traffic from Ortigas Avenue to Makati every morning in Metro Manila. 

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Magnitude 4.3 quake hits Antique

A magnitude 4.3 quake hit Antique, Friday noon. 

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the quake struck around 12:48 p.m., some 34 kilometers northeast of San Jose De Buenavista, Antique.

Intensity III was felt in Tibiao; Culasi; San Jose, Antique; and Caticlan.

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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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Top Rank boss Bob Arum reacts to Pacquiao's tax evasion case

Top Rank Promotions boss Bob Arum came to the rescue of his most prized boxer by issuing a statement tosupport Manny Pacquiao’s claims that he already paid his taxes in the United States and is not obligated to pay any more in the Philippines. This comes at the heels of a warrant of garnishment issued by the BIR on his assets prompting the boxer to borrow money to fulfill his promise of helping out the victims of typhoon Yolanda.

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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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The Siberian wildcard in Manny Pacquiao’s future

Immediately after Manny Pacquiao defeated Brandon Rios in Macau, three names popped up as the Pacman’s possible next opponent. Freddie Roach, speaking in front of the media in the post-fight press conference, said he wanted his star student to face Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley, or Floyd Mayweather. Top Rank Promotions boss Bob Arum refused to drop names but said, “the names on your list are on my list too.”
 

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Brandon Rios: Manny Pacquiao

Before anything else, I send my congratulations to Manny Pacquiao for having bounced back from two successive defeats and totally outclassing Brandon Rios in Macau.

While Manny’s first sortie atop the ring in nearly a year showed to the whole world that he still is among the elite, his opposite number was not, and that was a surprising disappointment. After all the words hurled by Rios and his camp, I really thought it would be an epic struggle that may trigger a new saga in both fighters’ careers. Instead, a rematch would be both a box office bust and a waste of a future Hall-of-Famer's time.

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Ariella Arida back in PH; vows to help Yolanda victims

Instead of having a victory parade, Miss Universe 2013 3rd runner-up Ariella Arida is opting to help the victims of super typhoon Yolanda as soon as possible.

Ariella who arrived in Manila on Tuesday, November 12, recognizes the importance of sending much needed help to the Visayas region.

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COA to trace and monitor all foreign aid for Yolanda victims

Worried about what will happen to all the aid coming to the Philippines? 

The government has just assured the public that aid pouring in from the international community will be properly used to assist victims of typhoon Yolanda.
 

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Typhoon: after battle to survive, the struggle to live

People who clung to power cables or cowered in concrete buildings as an apocalyptic storm blew through the Philippines may have thought they were lucky to live, but for many, the struggle to survive has only just begun.

Those who made it through the terrifying winds, which hurled cars and parts of buildings around as they brought a surge of seawater ashore, each have a story to tell about the day Super Typhoon Haiyan struck.

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Donaire rallies to stop Darchinyan in ninth round

Nonito Donaire, Jr. gave the Philippines a little something to cheer about in the midst of the death and devastation left by super typhoon Yolanda, stopping old foe Vic Darchinyan in the ninth round of their 10-round non-title bout in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Trailing in the scorecards of two of the three judges after eight rounds, Donaire (32-2) stepped it up in the ninth and caught Darchinyan (39-5-1) with a left hook followed by a solid right that sent the Armenian-Australian crashing to the canvass at the 1:10 mark. The 37-year-old Darchinyan got up at the count of four, but Donaire immediately went for the kill, tagging Darchinyan with another right that sent him reeling into the ropes. 

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New storm threatens PH

As the country deals with the magnitude of the devastation wrought by Super Typhoon "Yolanda" on the country, a new storm is threatening the country.

A tropical depression east of Southern Mindanao has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and was named “Zoraida”.

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International aid pours for typhoon-ravaged PH

 As the number of affected families rises in typhoon-hit areas, international aid steadily pours for the Philippines.

The British Embassy on Sunday said United Kingdom will be sending up to £6 million or about P414 million in additional aid for humanitarian efforts. This tops an earlier aid of £4 million or P276 million set for emergency responses on the Zamboanga violence and Bohol earthquake.

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Survivors "walk like zombies" after Philippine typhoon kills estimated 10,000

TACLOBAN, Philippines (Reuters) - One of the most powerful storms ever recorded killed at least 10,000 people in the central Philippines, a senior police official said on Sunday, with huge waves sweeping away coastal villages and devastating one of the main cities in the region.

Super typhoon Haiyan destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of structures in its path as it tore through Leyte province on Friday, said police chief superintendent Elmer Soria, before weakening and heading west for Vietnam.

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Philippines struggles to help desperate typhoon victims

Philippines rescue workers struggled to bring aid to famished and destitute survivors Monday after a super typhoon that may have killed more than 10,000 people, in what is feared to be the country's worst natural disaster.

Relief teams appeared overwhelmed in their efforts to help those whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed by Haiyan, which sent tsunami-like waves and merciless winds rampaging across large swathes of the archipelago Friday.

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VP Binay: Stop finger-pointing on Yolanda tragedy

This is not the right time to blame each other, says Vice President Jejomar Binay as the country reels from the devastation brought by monster typhoon "Yolanda."

“There will be time to determine what went wrong, but at this moment our urgent task is to extend much needed help to the survivors and restore vital public services,” Binay said in a statement Sunday.

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