by magnolia_eic | Jul 29, 2011 | Headlines, National News
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) will jointly investigate the alleged fraud in the 2004 and 2007 elections. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. agreed on a joint investigation during a closed-door meeting wherein they also started mapping out the mechanics of the probe.
“What we have right now is an agreement in principle between Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to hold a joint investigation. Maybe in the next few days, they will thresh out the rules of engagement,” said Comelec spokesman James Jimenez. He said the entry of the DOJ should allay suspicion of whitewash by the Comelec. Jimenez added that Sec. de Lima would create a special DOJ task force or team for this purpose.
The DOJ has already started building its case based on allegations of poll fraud raised by former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol. (COMELEC)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 29, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III hasn’t changed his position and remains reluctant in supporting any amendment to the 1987 Constitution saying the country can achieve development even without it. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. echoed this statement in an interview over dzMM on Tuesday.
Ochoa was reacting to the call of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to amend the present Constitution particularly its economic provisions to attract more foreign investments. “The Senate President was expressing his views lang naman. But as far as I know, the President is not really considering any amendment in the Constitution. Kahit noong araw po, noong congressman siya and when he became a senator, and now that he is the President, he still believes that we can live with the Constitution,” Ochoa said.
Still, Ochoa explained that the President is open to proposals seeking the increase of foreign ownership. The Constitution mandates 60-40 ownership, in favor of Filipino citizens. “He is open to that, but his worry is that once you open up any amendment or any proposal
towards the amendment of the Constitution, it would be like Pandora’s box… na parang very difficult to control na, hindi ka makakasiguro talaga na iyon lang ang ma-aamend,” he noted.
In a separate media briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that as far as the executive branch is concerned, it believes that the economic provisions in the Constitution can still pave the way for economic development.
“Other than amending the Constitution, we will provide a level playing field. We’ll make our rules more investment-friendly and most importantly, we have taken away the graft-ridden process of bidding in so far as government transactions are concerned,” Lacierda said.
The government has also plugged the leakages in tax and revenue collections, he said, adding that the administration believes it can get the growth it wants without having to amend the Constitution. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 29, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has accepted the Supreme Court ruling striking down as unconstitutional the Truth Commission that would have looked into alleged irregularities under the Arroyo administration. Mr. Aquino is banking on newly appointed Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to continue what the Truth Commission would have set out to do—investigate grafters under the Arroyo regime.
“We can’t do anything. The Supreme Court is the final arbiter of our laws. And we are the implementor of the same,” President Aquino said when asked if the government was already doing away with the Truth Commission. The SC junked with finality President Aquino’s first executive order creating a Truth Commission to investigate anomalies that hounded the administration of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
by magnolia_eic | Jul 29, 2011 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 27 (PIA)–PORMAL nang gisumite sa Malacañang sa Ubos Balay Balaoranan ang proposed budget alang sa tuig 2012. Personal nga gitunol ni Budget Secretary Butch Abad ang balaodnon sa nasudnong pondo alang sa sunod tuig nga nagkantidad og P1.818 Trillion nga misaka og 10.4 porsiyento o P171 bilyon nga motutok sa mga social projects sa administrasyong Aquino sama sa anti-corruption ug good governance, poverty reduction, edukasyon ug uban pa.
Matud pa ni Abad nga gihuman sa Palasyo og mas sayo ang proposed budget aron masugdan nang dayon ang bidding alang sa mga proyekto sa pag-abli sa tuig 2012 diin apil sa top 5 government agencies nga adunay dagku’ng pondo ang Education nga P238.8 bilyon; DPWH, P125.5 billion; Defense, P107.9 billion; Agriculture ug DSWD.
Gikan sa kasamtangang P21 bilyon nga budget alang sa Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program karong tuiga, nisaka kini sa P39.5 bil-yon alang sa pantawid pamilyang Pinoy aron mapalapad pa ang mga beneficiaries niini sa tulo ka milyong kabus nga Pinoy gikan sa P2.3 milyon karong tuiga.
Gikumpirma usab ni Abad nga dili mabag-o ang makuhang pork barrel sa duha ka kapulungan diin P70 milyon matag-tuig ang alang sa matag kongresista samtang P200 milyon sa mga senador. Sa Lunes, Agosto 1 sugdan na ang deliberasyon ug gipaabot nga mahuman sa December 15 sa dili pa mag-recess ang Kamara alang sa Christmas break. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 29, 2011 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 27 (PIA)–PINAL na ang nahimong desisyon sa Korte Suprema human gipalig-on niini ang ilang naunang desisyon nga nagdeklara nga ‘unconstitutional’ ang Executive Order No.1 o ang pagtukod og Truth Commission ni Presidente Noynoy Aquino. Ang Philippine Truth Commission mao unta ang mo-imbestigar sa mga anomalya sa milabay’ng administrasyon ni kanhi Presidente ug karon Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Sa ilang regular en banc session, gibasura sa SC ang motion for reconsideration aron balihon ang naunang desisyon sa korte niadtong Disyembre tuig 2010. Matud pa sa SC, unconstitutional ang EO 1 tungod kay nakalapas kini sa 1987 Constitution tungod kay ang administrasyong Arroyo lamang ang target sa komisyon.
Una nang gibasura sa Korte Suprema ang EO nga nagtukod sa Truth Commission tungod kay unconstitutional kini tungod sa tinguha lamang niining imbestigahan ang mga giingong anomalya sa milabay’ng administrasyon. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
