New Army Chief, 48 other new generals, flag
officers take oath before President Aquino
Newly-appointed Philippine Army Chief Major
General Hernando Iriberri and 48 other newly-promoted generals and flag
officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) took oath before
President Benigno S. Aquino III at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall on Tuesday.
Other high-ranking officials who joined Army
Chief Iriberri were Commodore Raul Ubando, commander Presidential Security
Group; Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan, AFP spokesperson; Maj. Gen. Eduardo Año, ISAFP
chief; Lt. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., commander of the North Luzon
Command; Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz, commander of Eastern Mindanao Command;
and Maj. Gen. Oscar Lopez, Philippine Military Academy superintendent.
Also promoted were Lt. Gen. Virgilio Domingo,
Maj. Gen. Romeo Tanalgo, Maj, Gen. Edgar Fallorina, Rear Admiral Isabelo Gador,
Maj. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, Maj. Gen. Gamaliel Cruz, Rear Admiral Jose Renan
Suarez, Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad, Maj. Gen. Jet Velarmino, Major General
Rodelio Santos, Maj. Gen. Julius Cesar Guillermo, Maj. Gen. Eusaquito Manalo,
Maj. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, Maj. Gen. Yerson Depayso, Brig. Gen. Demosthenes
Santillan, Brig. Gen. Arnold Quiapo, and Brig. Gen. Rolando Malinao.
Also joining them were Brig. Gen. Andre Costales
Jr., Commodore Primitivo Gopo, Brig. Gen. Raymundo Elefante, Brig. Gen. Rodrigo
Diapana, Brig. Gen. Teodorico Raqueño, Brig. Gen. Gerardo Barrientos, Brig.
Gen. Richard Lagrana, Brig. Gen. Alex Capiña, Brig. Gen. Ricardo Jalad, Brig.
Gen. Vic Castro, Commodore Bayani Gaerlan, Brig. Gen. Ivan Samarita, Brig. Gen.
Edmundo Pangilinan, Brig. Gen. Ruben Carandang, Brig. Gen. Donato San Juan,
Brig. Gen. Anselmo Junsay III, Brig. Gen. Victor Bayani, Commodore Aurelio
Rabusa Jr., Brig. Gen. Roger Salvador, Brig. Gen. Manuel Gonzales, Commodore
Severino David, Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Mutiangpili, Brig. Gen. Ronald Albano,
Brig. Gen. Rodolfo Santiago, and Brig. Gen. Henry Sabarre.
After the oath-taking ceremony, the
newly-promoted generals and flag officers along with their respective families
had a photo opportunity with the President. The President was joined by Defense
Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. PND (jb)
Malacanang calls on all working personnel to pay
correct taxes
Malacanang called on all working personnel and
professional organizations to join efforts in improving the overall economic
development of the country by paying the correct taxes.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday,
Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma, Jr. said the Bureau of
Internal Revenue is stepping up efforts to improve the country’s tax-to-GDP
ratio to 16 to 18 percent by 2016.
“Taxes are the lifeblood of the economy. In
accordance with the Philippine Domestic Program goals, the BIR’s campaign is
intensifying efforts to increase the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio to 16 to 18
percent by 2016. As of 2013, the country’s tax-to-GDP reached 13.6 percent, but
still below the 17 percent recorded prior to the Asian financial crisis,”
Coloma said.
He added that by working to achieve this target,
the government is committed to strengthening its tax collection efforts to be
at par with its ASEAN counterparts.
According to a World Bank report, the tax effort
of Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore stands at 17.6 percent,16.1 percent and
13.8 percent respectively.
“We call on all professional organizations to
urge their members to pay the right taxes and help in the country’s overall
economic development efforts. PND (rck)
Land reform to continue despite termination of
CARPER, says Palace
The Palace made an assurance on Tuesday that
land reform under Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms
(CARPER) will continue even after its termination date.
Some groups in the land reform sector are asking
the status of the implementation of CARPER, which is set to expire this June.
But in a press briefing on Tuesday in
Malacanang, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.
said the land reform program will push through despite its termination date
especially land the owners who haven’t received notices of termination.
“At kapag meron ka nang notice of coverage, ‘yan
‘yung sinasabi nilang subject to proceedings. At sabi ni Secretary de los
Reyes, kapag subject to proceedings, hindi ka naman made-deadline ng June 30,”
Coloma explained.
“Puwede namang ipagpatuloy ‘yung usapin hanggang
beyond June 30 hangga’t maresolba ‘yung isyu. Kaya sa aspetong ‘yan, sinasabi
niyang hindi dapat mag-alala ‘yung meron pang mga nakabinbin na usapin at ‘yung
hindi pa nabibigyan ng notice of coverage.”
Quoting Agrarian Reform Secretary de los Reyes,
Coloma said that under the existing law—the Republic Act 9700, Section 30 says
“land acquisition and distribution may proceed for land holdings with pending
proceedings even after June 2014.”
Under Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR)
interpretation, discussions on CARPER could continue even after the termination,
Coloma said.
People having queries on the CARP and CARPER
issues could contact the Department of Agrarian Reform, which is always ready
to assist the public.
With regards to helping land reform
beneficiaries, Coloma said the DAR set up a dedicated group that focuses on
support services. This group has been coordinating with other government
agencies like Land Bank of the Philippines and Cooperatives Development
Authority to help beneficiaries put up their own cooperatives.
“Ito ngang year 2014, lumalahok ang ating bansa
doon sa International Year of the Family Farm. Ibig sabihin, ini-encourage
talaga ang pagpapalago at pagkakaroon ng family farms para mas marami pang
Pilipino ang lumahok sa pagsasaka,” he said.
The Department of Agriculture said the average
age of Filipino farmers is 55 or older so there’s a need to broaden the base of
farmers in the country to include those from the younger age group, he said.
PND (as)
Palace condemns NPA landmine attack in Davao del
Sur
Malacanang condemned the landmine attack by the
New People’s Army (NPA) in Bansalan, Davao del Sur that injured several
soldiers and civilians.
“We join the AFP in condemning the latest attack
of the NPA in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. This brazen act of the NPA is in
violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International
Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL) that was signed by the Government of the Republic of
the Philippines and the National Democratic Front in The Hague, Netherlands in
March 1998,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio
Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing Tuesday in Malacanang.
Sixteen persons, including 11 soldiers and five
civilians, were hurt when the landmine exploded in Davao del Sur Sunday night.
The Armed Forces said the incident took place at
around 7:30 p.m. Sunday night when the convoy that included three ambulances of
the Davao del Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council
(PDRRMC) and the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion were on their way to Barangay
Managa in Bansalan.
The convoy was transporting soldiers injured in
an earlier encounter with the NPA when the landmine exploded and damaged
passing vehicles. PND (as)
Palace: PNP determined to maintain peace and
order
The police continues to work to ensure peace and
order in the country especially after the recent attack on a local official in
Sarangani, the Palace said.
A lawmaker said there is a deteriorating peace
and order situation in the country as reflected in the ambush on the Maitum
Mayor George Perrett last week.
But in a press briefing Tuesday, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the
Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima issued a directive
for intensified efforts to capture the assailants Mayor Perrett.
Perrett died hours after he was ambushed by
unidentified suspects on Friday night. The Sarangani mayor was onboard his
vehicle when ambushed along the national highway particularly in Sitio Bugo,
Barangay Malalag in Maitum around 10:30 p.m. Friday.
In Central Luzon, the PNP leadership relieved an
entire Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) contingent including
the commanding officer, the Palace official said.
The CIDG contingent, including its commanding
officer, were allegedly coddling criminals and stockpiling illegal firearms,
Coloma said adding this shows the determination of the PNP in cleansing its
ranks of people who are on the wrong side of the law.
“Bahagi din iyan ng pagpapahusay ng kapasidad ng
PNP sa pagpapatupad ng batas,” he said. PND (as)
