Senator Enrile will remain a free man a bit longer ...

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile will remain a free man a bit longer, as the Sandiganbayan is taking more time to determine whether there is probable cause to prosecute him for plunder and graft over the P10-billion pork barrel scam. 

The antigraft court’s Third Division that is handling the consolidated plunder and graft cases against Enrile and his 48 coaccused reached no decision on Monday.

On the other hand, the Fifth Division, which is handling the consolidated plunder and graft cases against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, ordered him and his 25 coaccused arrested Monday morning. 

The First Division, which is handling the consolidated cases against Sen. Bong Revilla and his 31 coaccused, was the first to decide, ordering the arrests on Thursday afternoon just hours after a hearing. 

The arrest warrants were issued the following day, prompting Revilla and his coaccused, including his legislative staff officer Richard Cambe, to turn themselves in and 20 of those accused of graft to post bail last Friday. 

Voluminous documents

 

During the hearing on Friday, members of the Third Division—Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang (chair) and Associate Justices Samuel Martires and Alex Quiroz—listened to Enrile’s lawyer Estelito Mendoza challenge the more than 9,000 pages of documents submitted by the Ombudsman as any proof that Enrile received kickbacks from the pork barrel scam. 

Martires assured Mendoza that the division read all the documents. 

“I will read the 9,000 sheets (of paper). I don’t care what the lawyers, the media think. This court will base its decision on the evidence,” Martires said. 

The three divisions heard defense motions to either suspend the proceedings, defer the issuance of arrest warrants or to dismiss the cases altogether. 

The First Division, composed of Associate Justices Efren de la Cruz (chair), Rafael Lagos and Napoleon Inoturan (temporary member), issued a four-page resolution on Thursday saying the Ombudsman charges showed “sufficient grounds exist for the finding of probable cause” for issuing the arrest warrants. 

The Fifth Division, composed of Associate Justices Rolando Jurado (chair) Alexander Gesmundo and Quiroz (temporary member), reached a similar decision. 

“The arguments raised are matters of defense [that can] be best threshed out during the trial on the merits of these cases,” it said in its four-page decision. 

3 more post bail

 

On Monday, three more accused posted bail, bringing the total to 23 out of the 54 people accused of graft accounted for. 

Bail was set at P30,000 per count of graft. 

Those who have posted bail are Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover, Francisco Figura, Consuelo Espiritu and Rosalinda Lacsamana of the Technology Resource Center;

Gondelina Amata, Chita Jalandoni and Gregoria Buenaventura of the National Livelihood Development Corp.;

Encarnita Munsod of the National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor);

Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos and Rosario Nuñez, Lalaine Paule and Marilou Bare of the Department of Budget and Management; the children of principal accused Janet Lim-Napoles, Jo Christine and James Christopher; and employees of Napoles’ bogus foundations Evelyn de Leon, Jocelyn Piorato, Eulogio Rodriguez, Nitz Cabilao, Fernando Ramirez, Jesus Castillo, Dorilyn Fabian and Renato Ornopia. 

Revilla’s arraignment is set for June 26 while Estrada’s arraignment is set for June 30.

(With Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Mount Apo Threatened by Garbage Left by Climbers

The country's highest peak is being threatened by irresponsible mountain climbers, who have left tons of garbage as found out during a recent clean up drive by tourism and environment officials there, as one could learn from a PNA-report.

Joey Recimilla, chair of the Protected Area Management Board committee on eco-tourism, said the bad habit of Mt. Apo climbers that destroys the natural beauty of the country's highest peak must be stopped.

"We collected 2.6 tons of garbage during our three-days clean-up drive!" Recimilla said. "This is total disregard of our desire to maintain the flora and fauna of the national park healthy," he added. Recimilla, also Kidapawan City tourism chief, said he was saddened to find out non biodegradbale materials littered along various trails and even at the ppeak of Mount Apo.

Common among the garbage collected were candy wrappers, cellophane, empty plastic water bottles, sanitary napkins an cigarette butts. All things who will destroy the forest and the complete surroundings of Mt. Apo.

For me, living in Mindanao for good: it's distressing indeed!

15-year-old is New Miss Teen Philippines

by Robert R. Requintina

A 15-year-old student from East Manila who pushes for women empowerment was crowned 2014 Miss Teen Philippines in a glittery pageant at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Reissha Nicole Magadia, who studies at St. John’s Wort Montessori International School in Antipolo City and stands 5’9”, wowed the audience not only with her stunning beauty and poise, but also with her winsome charm and clever response to the question: “What’s the best advice you’ve learned from your mother?”

Magadia also received P2.6 million worth of prizes, including a college scholarship package and Sun Cellular products.

Other winners were Chiara Marie Ocampo, from Las Piñas City, first runner-up; Miss Teen Philippines-Luzon Abby Gael Angel, Olongapo City; Miss Teen Philippines-Visayas Jeri-Anna Henares, Bacolod City; and Miss Teen Philippines-Mindanao Victoria Leslie Ingram, Talisay City.

“The best advice I’ve learned from my mom is woman empowerment,” Magadia said, before she was proclaimed the first Miss Teen Philippines in seven years.

She was also the recipient of the Sun Cellular People’s Choice Award after getting the most number of text votes in the competition.

With her victory, Magadia becomes the Department of Education youth ambassador tasked to promote the value of education among the youth nationwide.

Magadia will also represent the Philippines in several global youth conferences, including the Southeast Asian Youth Program and the National Youth Parliament.

As a role model for the youth, Magadia said: “I plan to inspire the youth by embodying those values in all my actions, my deeds, and my thoughts and I guess the best way to inspire them is being the change they want to see.

“So if you want to see them that they are doing their best in their studies, you should also do it yourself.”

Sun Cellular, the pageant’s telco partner, also welcomes Magadia as the newest member of the Sun Cellular Family.

“Sun Cellular’s support for Miss Teen Philippines underscores our commitment to the youth and the advocacy they represent,” said Joan Marie Dueñas, VP and Head for Sun Cellular Postpaid.

Full Force of the Law

Re-published Editorial from MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR dated June 4, 2014 with friendly permission of the publisher Marietta F. Siongco.

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte expressed anew his iron-fist stance against police scalawags in Davao City, most especially those involved in illegal drugs and "akyat bahay" burglaries that have hit a number of residences. His warning is as grim as his previous ones: policemen who are found to be involved in such crimes will be killed, a concrete display of an extraordinary mayor being so vocal about putting the law into his own hands. Davaoenos have already gotten used to Duterte's hard-hitting pronouncements against unlawful elements and even welcomes them with recognition and adulation. There are those, however, who disagree.

Duterte's confirmattion that some Davao City cops are involved in illegal drugs and are in cahoots with notorius robbers is certainly frustrating, and it is understandable that many accept the need to warn such cops that they could face liquidation if they do not stop. Policemen, after all, are supposed to protect people, not harm them. These erring policemen, regardless of their rank, are a bane to society.

But we do live in a democracy. Our system does not allow for the extrajudicial settlement of debts to society. Government itself is bound by law, and officials must show themselves as the prime practitioners and followers of the legal process. Besides, what sweeter way to punish a rogue cop than to throw the book at him and have him face the full force of the law?