2:51 PM
By MALINDANG HERALD ONLINE
The alliance between the Nacionalista Party (NP) and the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) has been set aside due to issues internal to the KBL.
“In as much as the Nacionalista Party-KBL alliance has been questioned, it is now replaced by the adoption of Rep. Bongbong Marcos as a Nacionalista Party official senatorial candidate,” NP spokesman and senatorial bet former Rep. Gilbert Remulla said.
Representative Marcos, who remains a member of the KBL, underscored his full commitment to NP’s crusade against poverty in empowering the majority of Filipinos who are in dire straits.
On Nov. 20, NP and KBL announced an alliance at the Laurel House in Mandaluyong City where Villar declared the inclusion of Marcos in the NP senatorial lineup.
At the age of 23, Marcos began his political career as Ilocos Norte vice-governor in 1980. In 1992, he was elected representative of the province's second district. Then he became Ilocos Norte governor in 1998, serving for three consecutive terms. In 2007, he was elected back to the House of Representatives, where he now serves as its Deputy Minority Leader. During this term, one of the important pieces of legislation he authored was the Philippine Archipelagic Baselines Law or Republic Act 9522.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts Major in Political Science, Philosophy, and Economics degree from Oxford University; and Masters degree in Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business.
12:26 AM
By MALINDANG HERALD ONLINE
OPPOSITION Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday called on the military and police to take immediate steps at disarming private armies of all known warlords, specifically in provinces deemed hot spots by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), to reduce the possibility of political vendettas and electoral violence.
“If only one group or clan is disarmed and not their political opponents, you might see another massacre with the other clan being the next victims,” the 40-year-old lawmaker said.
Referring to the recent Maguindanao massacre, Escudero added that “it might just be a case of transferring the ‘warlord’s crown’ from the Ampatuans to the Mangundadatus.”
He said it was time that the law was implemented to the fullest in all parts of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
“All of this can be done without the declaration of martial law, since it is a peace and order problem. President Arroyo could have just called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines to suppress ‘lawless violence’.”
Among the provinces tagged political hot spots by the authorities based on their respective political histories as well as a current simmering feuds among identified political clans there are Abra, Basilan, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Masbate, Nueva Ecija, Samar and Sulu.
“Unlicensed firearms have proliferated in these places and it has allowed private armies to rule with impunity through intimidation, resulting in the breakdown of law and order even during non-election years,” Escudero noted.
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, he said the murder of at least 60 people, including journalists, in Maguindanao last month is an indication of the failure of a firearms control program initiated by the Philippine National Police.
“Both the military and police should take on these private armies as well as criminal gangs to prevent a repetition of the Maguindanao massacre.”
2:05 PM
By MALINDANG HERALD ONLINE
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2:03 PM
By MALINDANG HERALD ONLINE
SEN. Manny Villar today said the declaration of Martial Law in Maguindanao was unnecessary and only hints of weak leadership and the inability of government to quell lawlessness in this part of the country.
“It is unfortunate that the declaration of Martial law has been resorted to after the government appeared reluctant to go all-out against those responsible for the Maguindanao massacre. The state of emergency should have already been enough to dismantle the private armies operating in the province. We don’t even need to declare martial law in Maguindanao; we only have to enforce existing laws,” Villar said, even as he expressed confidence on the capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to restore law and order in the area.
The standard-bearer of the Nacionalista Party also said the government might have overreacted when it imposed Martial Law in the province.
“We support all efforts for the swift delivery of justice for the murdered victims of Maguindanao massacre, we need a justice that is without fear and favor. Aside from bringing the perpetrators behind bars, the government must dismantle private armies with dispatch and that can be done without declaring Martial Law,” he said.
Villar, former Speaker of the House and Senate president, also called for a review of the Martial law declaration during Monday’s resumption of session to check whether or not there was constitutional basis for it.
Section 18 Article VII of the Constitution states that, “The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion. In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it, he may, for a period not exceeding sixty days, suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law.”
The law also empowers Congress to revoke the declaration by a vote of majority of all its members.
5:22 AM
By MALINDANG HERALD ONLINE
OPPOSITION Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday expressed alarm about the latest Pulse Asia survey showing that 6 of 10 Filipinos are clueless about the automated election system for the 2010 polls.
“If the Comelec can’t even conduct an effective information campaign on the system, what more a full automation of the elections?” asked Escudero, who is the co-chair of the congressional oversight committee on poll automation.
He said the Comelec should now give a full update on the progress of the implementation of full automation of the 2010 polls.
“Except for the occasional press release and sound bite, we have not heard the Comelec provide a complete picture of where we are now insofar as this historic undertaking is concerned,” the 40-year old lawmaker said.
Conducted between Oct. 22 and 30, the Pulse Asia survey shows that only 13 percent of the 1,800 respondents said they know a lot about the automated election system while another 26 percent said they know enough of it.
Most of those who expressed knowledge about the system were from Metro Manila and among higher income classes, the pollster said.
“With barely five months to go before the elections, more than half of our people don’t know how the system will work. If the survey did not come out, the Comelec would not have bothered to tell us about their plan to launch a massive information drive,” Escudero said.
5:21 AM
By MALINDANG HERALD ONLINE
SEN. Manny Villar was in Bataan today to lead the gift-giving activities in his mother’s hometown in Orani. It has been the tradition of Villar, and his wife Rep. Cynthia Villar, to visit Bataan every December to share gifts to their friends and neighbours in their ancestral home in Rizal St., Bgy. Pacar.
“It always feels good to visit Bataan and be reminded of how my Nanay Curing, the original Ms. Sipag at Tiyaga, lived as a young woman,” Villar, the standard-bearer of the Nacionalista Party, said.
Villar’s mother, Curita Bamba Villar, was a native of Orani. She was daughter of a fisherman and a housemade. To help her family, she would collect empty tin cans and sell these to bagoong dealers. It is also in Bataan where Nanay Curing started selling fish.
Villar said he inherited his mother’s business mindedness, which guided him to succeed in business.
“She taught me the value of sipag at tiyaga, which has become my mantra in both my private and public life,” he added.
The traditional gift-giving is Villar’s way of thanking his fellow Bataoenos for their unfailing support for him as an “Anak ng Bataan.” The people of bataan warmly received Villar, Who erupted in cheers at the sight of him.
Villar gave out toys, toiletries and grocery items in water lily baskets to the neighbours. He also took the opportunity to touch-base with local leaders of Orani, led by Mayor Benjie Serrano and Vice Mayor Tonton Bernales, and listen how he could further help his hometown.
5:20 AM
By MALINDANG HERALD ONLINE
THE Dept. of National Defense (DND) has reiterated the implementation of National Disaster Coordinating Council (DCC) Directive No. 24, series of 2003, entitled “Zero Casualty” during calamities.
The reiteration order was issued by Secretary Norberto Gonzales during his recent visit to Northern Mindanao, particularly, Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro City, to assess the damage of Typhoon Urduja that brought an enormous volume of rain causing flashfloods and landslides to occur in some parts of the region.
Gonzales who just assumed the post of DND Secretary called on Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Constantino Jaraula and Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno accompanied by NDCC Administrator Glenn Rabonza, Regional DCC Executive Officer Carmelito A. Lupo of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), region10, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army Commander, Brig. Gen. Mario F. Chan and P/Chief Supt. Danilo T. Empedrad, Regional Director of the Philippine National Police (PNP), region 10.
Directive No. 24 of the NDCC is aimed at reminding all concerned DCC’s to implement response preparedness measures in their areas of responsibility (AOR) and prepare their constituents for the next typhoon.
These measures include, among others, the prepositioning of response assets, stock piling of food and non-food items, identification of evacuation centers and the implementation of pre-emptive evacuation.
The directive also calls for the PNP nationwide to support the local chief executives (LCE) and the DCC‘s to ensure that response preparedness measures are proactively implemented at all levels. (Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob, Philippine Information Agency, Region 10)
