by aimee | Apr 18, 2013 | National News
THE government of Saudi Arabia has extended for the second time the deadline for the payment of blood money in the case of Joselito Zapanta in response to President Aquino’s request, Malacanang said on Thursday.
In a press statement, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Department of Foreign Affairs informed the Palace that the Saudi government has extended the deadline from March 12, 2013 to November 3, 2013, which coincides with the end of the current Islamic year.
“This extension allows the Zapanta family more time to raise the funds required by the victim’s heirs,” Lacierda said as he thanked King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi government for interceding on Zapanta’s behalf.
Lacierda assured that the Department of Foreign Affairs will continue providing Zapanta and his family with all the necessary assistance.
To date, the Philippine government and the Zapanta family have been able to raise 512,066.35 Saudi Arabian Riyals (SAR) or P5.6 million, out of the SAR 4 million demanded by the victim’s heirs, which is equivalent to P44 million, Lacierda said.
At the same time, the Palace official also appealed to all kind-hearted individuals for assistance in raising the remaining amount needed by Zapanta to pay for the blood money.
Zapanta went to Saudi Arabia in 2007 to work as a tile-setter. In 2009 he admitted killing his Sudanese landlord and after a court trial he was sentenced to death. (PCOO)
by aimee | Apr 18, 2013 | National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 18 (PIA)–Gimanduan sa Malakanyang ang mga buhatan sa gobyerno nga sundon gayud ang Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 diin nahisulod ang hapsay ug sistematikong serbisyo sa publiko.
Base sa gipahigayong survey sa Civil Service Commission (CSC), naa sa 150 ka buhatan sa gobyerno ang hagbong o wala misunod sa balaod.
Matud pa ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, angay susihon sa mga hingtungdang buhatan ang CSC survey aron tarungon ang ilang serbisyo ug walay malangan nga transaksyon sa frontline desks.
Si Valte nagkanayon nga gawas sa “no lunch break policy” kinahanglang tarungon pa ang trabaho sa mga buhatan sa gobyernon.
“Kailangan sundin…Hindi tingnan nila ‘yong mga rekomendasyon ng CSC at tingnan nila kung ano pa ‘yong puwede nilang i-enhance further,” matud pa ni Valte.
Base sa survey, wala nakontento ang mga gipangutana kalabot sa serbisyo sa 150 ka buhatan sa gobyerno ug giingong wala usab sila atimana og maayo.
Apil sa mga buhatan nga pakyas sa pagsunod sa sumbanan sa CSC ang GSIS, Customs, NBI ug uban pang regional offices sa mga buhatan sa gobyerno. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/p-gg)
2 bag-ong Comelec Commissioners, gihinganlan na sa Malakanyang
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 18 (PIA)–Opisyal nang gihinganlan sa Malakanyang ang duha ka bag-ong komisyoner sa Commission on Elections (Comelec) nga gitudlo ni Presidente Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III.
Sa pahayag ni Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, gikumpirmar niini nga sila Luie Guia ug Al Parreño ang molingkod isip mga bag-ong komisyoner sa poll body.
Si Parreño usa ka miyembro sa Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) samtang gikan usab sa grupong Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) ug kanhi International Election Consultant sa nasud sa Papua New Guinea ug Kenya si Guia.
Giingong gitudlo ni PNoy ang duha niadtong Abril 15 ug matapos ang ilang termino sa Pebrero 2, 2020.
Ang duha maoy mohulip sa gibiyaang puwesto sa niretirong sila kanhi Commissioners Rene Sarmiento ug Armando Velasco.
Giingong posibleng mo-report na ang duha ka bag-ong komisyoner sa Lunes. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-gg)
by aimee | Apr 17, 2013 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 17 (PIA)–Todo alerto karon ang Philippine National Police (PNP) ug Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) human sa nahitabong pag-atake sa mga gidudahang terorista sa marathon sa Boston, Massachusetts sa Estados Unidos niadtong Lunes diin tulo ang namatay samtang naa sa 144 pa ang naangol.
Matud pa ni PNP Spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr., bisan sa kasamtangan nga wala may namonitor nga ‘terror attack’ sa Pilipinas, padayon ang monitoring ug intelligence operations sa PNP batok sa mga teroristang grupo aron masiguro ang seguridad sa publiko.
Si Cerbo nagkanayon nga mas maayo nga andam sila sa tanang oras aron dili malutsan sa mga terorista.
Sa panig usab sa AFP, miingon si Public Affairs Office Chief Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. nga gihingosgan na usab sa ilang security forces ang seguridad ug intelligence monitoring ilabi na sa mga lugar nga gi-taguan sa mga teroristang grupo.
Apil sa hugot nga gi-monitor ang Abu Sayyaf Group, New People’s Army ug ang Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) nga nagtago sa rehiyon sa Mindanao. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-sjp)
DFA, miseguro nga walay Pinoy casualty sa linog sa Iran
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 17 (PIA)–Giseguro sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) nga walay Pinoy nga naangol o namatay sa kusog nga linog nga mi-igo sa Iran kagahapon.
Matud pa ni DFA Spokesperson Raul Hernandez, luwas ang halos 1,000 ka Pinoy nga nagtrabaho didto base na usab sa taho sa Embahada sa Pilipinas.
Giingong luwas usab ang mga Pinoy nga naa sa United Arab Emirates (UAE) diin nakabati usab sila sa magnitude 7.8 nga linog.
Nanghinaot si Hernandez nga magpadayon ang maayong balita samtang gipaabot pa nila ang mosunod pang reports sa mga foreign posts sa apektadong nasud.
Sa pagkakaron, naa sa 40 na ang natalang namatay samtang daghan ang nanga-angol sa maong linog. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-gg)
by aimee | Apr 17, 2013 | National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III will join his counterparts at the 22nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit that will be held in Brunei Darussalam from April 24 to 25, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Wednesday.
In a briefing in Malacanang, DFA Spokesperson Raul Hernandez said this Summit, which also marks the 46th year of ASEAN’s existence, will serve as a follow up to the 21st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from November 17 to 20, 2012.
Among the topics the Philippines will continue to advocate during the Summint, Hernandez said, include maritime security and cooperation, the full implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, the early conclusion of a substantive and legally binding Code of Conduct and the review of the ASEAN Charter “with the objective of streamlining the work and meetings of ASEAN.”
“In the 22nd ASEAN Summit, the Philippines will continue to advocate maritime security and cooperation, to push for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, for the early conclusion of a substantive and legally binding Code of Conduct, and to review the ASEAN Charter with the objective of streamlining the work and meetings of ASEAN,” Hernandez said.
He said the Summit will begin on the evening of April 24 with a working dinner hosted by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam. The following day will have the Summit’s Retreat Session which Hernandez said, “will revolve around the following agenda items: the ASEAN community 2015; the ASEAN’s central role and the regional architecture; ASEAN’s future direction; and exchange of views on regional and international issues.”
Aside from the Summit, the President is expected to meet with leaders from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia comprising the East ASEAN Growth Area for the 9th BIMP-EAGA Summit. (PND)
by aimee | Apr 16, 2013 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 16 (PIA)–Walay Pinoy nga nadamay sa pag-bomba nga nahitabo sa Boston Marathon sa Massachussets diin tulo ang namatay ug kapin 100 ang na-angol.
Base kini sa pahayag sa embahada sa Pilipinas sa Washington DC nga nagkanayong “No Filipino casualties reported in the Boston Marathon blasts but still checking to make sure all Filipinos in area are accounted for.”
“So far wala po tayong reported na Filipino casualties sa mga pag-bomba sa Boston Marathon,” pagsiguro ug pagkumpirmar usab ni Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Asec Raul Hernandez.
Samtang personal nga gipa-abot ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III ang iyang pahasubo sa mga pamilya sa mga biktima sa pag-bomba sa Boston Marathon sa Massachusets.
Sa pahayag ni Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, miingon kini nga nakighiusa ang nasud sa international community sa pagpa-abot sa simpatya sa mga biktima.
“The President personally conveys a message of deep sympathy, concern, and solidarity with the people of Boston, where he and his family had found refuge during martial law, and which so many Filipinos call home,” base pa sa pahayag sa Malakanyang.
Gipadayag usab sa gobyerno ang hingpit nga pagkondena niini sa insidente, (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-gg)
Airtime limit sa pol ads, gipugngan sa SC
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 16 (PIA)–Kasamtangang gipugngan ang gipatuman nga limitadong airtime alang sa political advertisements sa mga kandidato base sa gipagawas nga status quo ante-order (SQA) sa Korte Suprema karong adlawa.
Kini human sa gipahigayong en banc session sa mga mahistrado sa SC sa Baguio City diin migawas sa botohan ang 9-6 nga resulta aron ibasura ang gipatuman nga patakaran sa Commission on Elections (Comelec) karong 2013 midterm elections.
Kahinumdoman nga sa Comelec Resolution Number 9615, gihatagan lamang og 120 minuto nga airtime limit sa telebisyon alang sa political advertisements ang mga national candidate ug 180 minuto usab sa radyo.
Alang sa mga lokal nga kandidato, gihatagan lamang sila og 60 minuto sa telebisyon ug 90 minuto sa radyo.
Ang resolusyong gipagawas sa Korte Suprema agig tubag sa gidusong petisyon sa pila ka TV network nga mikuwestiyon sa gipatuman nga airtime limit sa Comelec. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-gg)
by aimee | Apr 16, 2013 | National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III has committed to further strengthen relations between the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam, as well as “with all Southeast Asian states,” to improve not only economic and cultural engagements but also “through dialogue for maritime security.”
The President gave his commitment during the State Luncheon he hosted for Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in Malacanang on Tuesday.
“Your Majesty, the waters that separate our countries remind us that the same waves lap at our shores. As a brother nation in ASEAN, our country is committed to nurturing our relationship; we commit to enhancing cooperation with Brunei and with all Southeast Asian states, not only through economic and cultural engagements, but also through dialogue for maritime security,” the President said.
“This is our pledge: to continue working with our neighbors in implementing the commitments of ASEAN member states in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and in moving forward with negotiations for the adoption of a Code of Conduct,” he added.
The President expressed confidence that with Brunei Darussalam at the helm as chair of this year’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit “the region will move further along the straight path towards harmony and sustainable progress.”
“I look forward to working with Your Majesty in building a Southeast Asia that is truly an abode of peace for all peoples,” the President said.
In response, Sultan Bolkiah assured the President of his country’s assistance and support in the President’s peace keeping initiatives in Mindanao.
“I would like to commend you Mr. President for the initiatives you have taken to promote peace and reconciliation in the Southern Philippines and I wish to assure you that Brunei will continue to provide assistance in your peace keeping efforts,” Sultan Bolkiah said.
He also said that as this year’s ASEAN chair, Brunei “will continue to work closely with the Philippines towards achieving concrete outcomes and economic growth and social progress and in promoting regional peace and stability.”
“We value your continued support for our chairmanship and I look forward Mr. President to welcoming you to Brunei for the ASEAN Summit,” the Sultan said. (PND)
