by magnolia_eic | Aug 31, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Malacañang said on Tuesday there is no need to issue a travel advisory against Hong Kong, despite rumors of “abuse” after the August 23 Manila hostage crisis.
Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma said there has been no recommendation yet for a travel advisory against Hong Kong, where many residents have expressed their anger and disappointment over the Manila hostage crisis that claimed the lives of eight Hong Kong tourists.
On August 23, Rolando Mendoza, a dismissed senior police inspector hijacked a bus and held hostage 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos. After an 11-hour standoff, Mendoza and eight Hong Kong tourists were killed.
Hong Kong, an hour after the hostage crisis ended last Monday, had issued a “black” travel advisory against the Philippines.
On Monday, Claro Cristobal, Philippine consul-general in Hong Kong, said if Filipino travelers are still anxious over last week’s massacre in Manila, they may want to postpone for now their vacation in Hong Kong.
Cristobal said there is no real threat against Filipinos in Hong Kong and that rumors of Filipinos being ganged up on, or killed, in Hong Kong are baseless.
Cristobal assured that Hong Kong is one of the “most mature areas” in Asia, where the police and emergency response teams will always be ready to secure their guests. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 31, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — The Palace has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation to stop issuing statements about the hostage incident and to let the Department of Justice (DoJ) do the talking.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said only Justice Secretary Leila de Lima would be allowed to brief the media and the public on the developments in the investigation being conducted by an inter-agency body headed by the DoJ.
Lacierda said the order was De Lima’s idea meant to avoid confusion.
The order came a day after the PNP, through spokesman Sr. Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., said all tourists were killed by the hostage taker and not by fire from the members of the Manila Police S.W.A.T. team. Cruz cited initial forensic analysis on spent shells recovered inside the bus where the hostages were held.
by magnolia_eic | Aug 28, 2010 | Headlines, National News
President Benigno S. Aquino III vowed that justice will be served to those found accountable for the Luneta Grandstand hostage-taking incident and subsequent botched rescue attempt by security forces last Monday that led to the death of eight Hong Kong nationals.
The Chief Executive made this statement in his speech on Thursday at the ground breaking and time-capsule laying ceremonies for the construction of the Teacher Education and Law Center Building of the Rizal Technological University in Mandaluyong City.
The President, however, said that due process will be maintained and the results of the investigation being conducted by the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation into the case will be the basis for bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The President gave assurance that they have started to rectify whatever mistakes had been committed Monday evening, and that the public will be informed of the outcome of the investigation to be conducted by DOJ and the NBI.
“There were shortcomings, but there will be justice”, the President said. (PCOO/PIA)
by admin | Aug 27, 2010 | Headlines, National News
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 37,679 out of 91,008 passed the Nurse Licensure Examination given by the Board of Nursing in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Dagupan, Davao, Iloilo, La Union, Legazpi, Lucena, Pagadian, Pampanga, Tacloban, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga last July 2010 .
All names of the passers are now indexed on PRCPassers.com
by magnolia_eic | Aug 26, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — Most of the survivors of Monday’s tragic hostage drama returned home to Hong Kong along with the remains of the eight slain tourists yesterday.
The victims’ kin, and some Hong Kong Government officials who arrived in Manila after the incident have also left the country.
A simple send-off ceremony was held at the tarmac of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport(NAIA). Among those who attended were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman.
The RP government has provided full assistance to the victims and their families, and has extended deep condolences to the government and to the people of Hong Kong. Flags of the Armed Forces of the Philippines flew the flag at half mast inside all military camps to express their deep sympathy.
Click here for full article from Philippine Star
by magnolia_eic | Aug 26, 2010 | Headlines, National News
The Sangguniang Kabataan and Barangay elections will go on as scheduled, after all.
This, after Congress has acceded to President Benigno S. Aquino’s request to pursue the conduct of the said polls in October this year.
President Aquino announced the development in a news briefing with Malacanang reporters Wednesday.
The confirmation came after the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms on Wednesday had dismissed and ‘archived’ all bills and resolutions of the minority bloc to suspend the Barangay and SK polls.
“I appealed to members of the ruling coalition in both chambers to support us in our drive to continue with what has already been scheduled by the pertinent law and that is the conduct of Barangay and SK elections by October of this year. And that was again a primary appeal that they have acceded to,” the President said.
During his meeting with members of Congress, the President explained that ‘a renewal of mandate’ and the conduct of Barangay and SK elections this coming October is necessary in governance as being ‘the primary instrumentality in carrying out any and all programs of the state.’
He stressed that “without the renewed mandate the support of the populace essential in attaining success of this objectives will be severely put to the test.” (PCOO/ PIA)
