Impeachment proponents given fair day during
deliberations, says Palace
Groups wanting to oust the President through
impeachment were given an opportunity to make their case in Congress but their
move did not prosper, the Palace said on Tuesday.
"The Committee on Justice of the House,
after a thorough review of the allegations in terms of its substance, has
dismissed the complaints against the President," Deputy Presidential
Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a statement on the dismissal of the
impeachment cases against the President.
"We take note that the process took place
with transparency, not just according to the rules, but to give the proponents
every opportunity to make their case," she said.
The Justice Committee of the House of
Representatives on Tuesday trashed the three impeachment complaints against the
President after the cases were found insufficient in substance.
With a vote of 54 against each complaint, the
three complaints were dismissed separately by lawmakers. Only four votes
favored each of it.
The first two complaints stemmed from President
Aquino’s Disbursement Acceleration Program.
The third complaint is over the Enhanced Defense
Cooperation Agreement with the United States. The agreement seeks for a greater
American military presence in the country. PND (as)
President Aquino wants detailed report on Golan
Heights incident
President Benigno S. Aquino III wants a
comprehensive report on last week’s incident in the Golan Heights that will
serve as the basis for future deployments of Filipino peacekeepers, a Palace
official has said.
The Filipino peacekeepers will stay in the Golan
Heights until they complete their tour of duty next month, Secretary Herminio
Coloma, Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office said in a
press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday.
"The Philippines is committed to fulfill
its commitment to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force or
UNDOF," he said.
He said the President has instructed the
Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to prepare
a report on the events of last week as a guide for future policies and actions
in similar situations.
Some observers have demanded that the UNDOF
commander in the Golan Heights be investigated for putting the lives of the
Filipino peacekeepers in danger.
Coloma said this is why the President had asked
for the report so that there will be a clearer perspective.
The President has expressed his satisfaction and
has commended the Filipino peacekeepers who were courageous and determined in
the face of the Syrian rebel attack, Coloma said.
Syrian rebels harassed camps manned by Filipino
soldiers in the Golan Heights, demanding they surrender their weapons. The
soldiers however refused, resulting in a stand-off.
The Filipino soldiers eventually escaped
following several hours of gunfight and have since been transferred to a safe
location.
Asked when the government could come up with a
revised system of deploying Filipino peacekeepers, Coloma said it will be an
ongoing study, considering that there is already an announced policy decision
to complete the current tour of duty.
He said the policy is the same for Filipino
peacekeepers deployed in Liberia -- to complete the engagements based on the
country's commitment to the United Nations.
Filipino peacekeepers in Liberia will also
complete their tour of duty next month, he said.
Concerns over the safety of peacekeepers have
been growing due to the changing security landscape overseas as well as the
spread of diseases that pose health risks to peacekeepers.
Prior to last week's attack on Filipino
peacekeepers in the Golan Heights, some of the soldiers were wounded when bombs
and munitions fell on their camp. A few months ago, a number of peacekeepers
were also kidnapped by Syrian rebels.
In West Africa on the other hand, the spread of
the Ebola virus threatens the Filipino soldiers maintaining peace there,
prompting the government to consider their pullout from the region. PND (as)
Office of the Solicitor General presents
top-notch lawyers
After the appointment of new Solicitor General
Florin Hilbay last month, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) now
presents its roster of solicitors ready to serve as government counsels.
Outgoing Solicitor General, now a Supreme Court
justice, Francis Jardeleza joined Solicitor General Hilbay and the solicitors
of the OSG for a photo opportunity with President Benigno S. Aquino III at the
Palace Monday.
All of the solicitors of the OSG were bar
top-notchers, recruited by Jardeleza, who was a 1974 bar top-notcher himself.
Solicitor General Hilbay, who graduated from the University of the Philippines
College of Law Batch 1999 was the 1st placer in the 1999 Bar Examinations.
The solicitors are:
Associate Solicitor Denise Dy-Flores, Ateneo de
Manila University School of Law Batch 2008, 7th placer 2008 Bar Examinations;
Associate Solicitor Luz Danielle O. Bolong,
Ateneo de Manila University School of Law Batch 2011, 2nd placer 2011 Bar
Examinations; Associate Solicitor Christian Louie C. Gonzales, University of
Santo Tomas College of Law Batch 2011, 5th placer 2011 Bar Examinations;
Associate Solicitor Ivan M. Bandal, Siliman
University Batch 2011, 6th placer 2011 Bar Examinations; Associate Solicitor
Irene Marie P. Qua, Ateneo de Manila University School of Law Batch 2011, 8th
placer 2011 Bar Examinations; Associate Solicitor Ma. Graciela D. Base,
University of the Philippines College of Law Batch 2012, 5th placer 2012 Bar
Examinations;
Associate Solicitor Nielson G. Pangan,
University of the Philippines College of Law Batch 2013, 1st placer 2013 Bar
Examinations; Associate Solicitor Rudy V. Ortea, University of Batangas Batch
2013, 3rd placer 2013 Bar Examinations,
Associate Solicitor Tercel Maria
Mercado-Gephart, University of San Carlos, 5th placer 2013 Bar Examinations;
and Associate Solicitor Manuel Elijah S. Sarausad, University of Cebu Batch
2013, 6th placer 2013 Bar Examinations.
The Office of the Solicitor General is an
independent and autonomous office attached to the Department of Justice.
The Solicitor General is the principal law
officer and legal defender of the Government.
The OSG represents the government, its agencies
and instrumentalities, and its officials and agents in any litigation,
proceeding, or investigation on matters requiring the services of lawyers. PND
(as)
Draft Bangsamoro Basic Law in final stages of refinement,
peace adviser says
The draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is
currently in the final stages of refinement and it will be submitted to
Congress before President Benigno S. Aquino III leaves for Europe and the
United States next week.
"The draft BBL is now undergoing final
stages of refinement. By the estimate of the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation
Front) panel and Bangsamoro Transition Commission chair Mohagher Iqbal, the
draft bill is now 99.99 percent done," Presidential peace adviser Teresita
Deles said in a statement on Tuesday.
The presidential review of the draft Bangsamoro
basic law was completed almost two weeks ago, based on the President's
comments.
Both the government and the MILF panels have
held discussions and exchanges of notes, and the results were also submitted to
the President, Deles said.
The government and the MILF signed the
Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro last March, aiming to end the
decades-long Muslim separatism in Mindanao.
Once the BBL is passed by Congress, a plebiscite
will be held and a transition authority will be created prior to the holding of
an election synchronized with the 2016 elections.
President Aquino has vowed to push for the
holding of a fair and democratic election in 2016 that will elect leaders of
the newly created Bangsamoro region. PND (as)
President Aquino orders investigation on bomb
threat in NAIA Terminal 3
President Benigno S. Aquino III has ordered the
Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to
investigate the bomb threat at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)
Terminal 3.
“Inatasan na ng Pangulo ang Department of
Justice at NBI na magsagawa ng mas malalim na pagsisiyasat hinggil sa insidente
sa NAIA Terminal 3 Lunes,” Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said during Tuesday’s press briefing.
Coloma said that according to the DOJ, the four
suspects arrested over the incident have undergone an inquest investigation.
“Ang nais lang nating sabihin sa kasalukuyan ay
wala namang malubhang ligalig na dapat umiral dahil sa insidenteng ito. Sa
pagkawari ng ating Pangulo at ng pamahalaan ay nasabat ang anumang panganib na
maaaring idulot ng pangkat na ito, kaya nga’t masusing pinag-aaralan ang
implikasyon ng naganap kahapon,” he said.
NBI agents on Monday arrested four men caught
with improvised explosive devices inside a white Toyota Revo with plate number
WMK-129, parked in Parking B in NAIA-3.
According to reports, the suspects apparently
wanted to call the attention of the government regarding its stance on the
country’s territorial dispute with China. PND (ag)
Palace: Gilas Pilipinas can still make it, let
us support them
Malacañang is hopeful that the country’s Gilas
Pilipinas basketball team could still qualify in the round of 16 in the 2014
FIBA World Cup in Seville, Spain.
“Patuloy nating suportahan ang kampanya ng
koponang Gilas Pilipinas sa 2014 FIBA World Cup Basketball Championship. Tunay
na kahanga-hanga ang ipinapakitang husay at tapang ng mga manlalarong Pilipino
bagamat ang kalaban nila ay higit na malaki at matangkad na mga manlalaro,”
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr.
said during the daily press briefing on Tuesday.
Coloma said he believes that Gilas Pilipinas’
performance has been impressive despite its three straight losses under Group
B.
In its first game against Croatia, the
Philippine team lost during overtime, 81 – 78. In the second game, Greece defeated
the team, 82 – 70, while in game 3, Gilas lost to Argentina, 85 – 81.
In Group B, the Philippines (ranked 34 by FIBA)
and Puerto Rico (ranked 17th) now share the bottom of the bracket, each having
three losses.
Greece (ranked 5th) is in the lead with three
wins, followed by Argentina (3rd), Croatia (16th) and Senegal (41st), all three
sharing the second spot with 2 wins and 1 loss.
The Philippines has waited four decades to
reenter the FIBA World Cup competition.
“Kapag nagwagi ang Gilas Pilipinas sa kanilang
huling dalawang laro, may pag-asa ang pangkat nating mabilang sa apat na
koponan mula sa Group B na magtutunggali sa susunod na bahagi ng
kompetisyon—ang Round of 16, na susundan ng Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, at
Finals sa paraang knockout o direct elimination,” Coloma said.
He added that with the impressive performance of
Gilas Pilipinas, hopes are still high.
“Hindi naman kahiya-hiya ang performance
natin…siguro para sa aking mga kapwa basketball fans dito sasang-ayon kayo sa
assessment na marami tayong dahilan para mag-cheer sa Gilas Pilipinas,” Coloma
said. PND (ag)
Government agencies agree on measures for
immediate decongestion of Port of Manila
Members of the Cabinet cluster for port
decongestion, during a meeting on Tuesday morning, agreed on measures for the
immediate decongestion of the Port of Manila, a Palace official has said.
In a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday,
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr.
said the President prioritizes the immediate resolution of the problem of
congestion in the Port of Manila.
The cluster meeting agreed that effective
September 8, all cargoes cleared by the Philippine Ports Authority and Bureau
of Customs will be given five days to pull out of the Manila ports or they will
be shipped out by the government to the Subic and/or Batangas ports.
It also agreed that effective October 1, all
cargoes that have been cleared by port authorities but have failed to pull out
within the prescribed five-day period will be charged a fine of P5,000 a day.
Coloma further said that the meeting reached a
resolution on the implementation of a 24-hour last-mile truck routes for two weeks.
"Ang isang susi dito kasi ang pag-operate
ng mga truckers kapag araw ng Linggo at Lunes ng umaga, so they can maximize
the utilization of the 24-hour last-mile truck routes," he said, adding
that the government will give incentives to truckers who will operate on
Sundays.
These truckers will be tagged by the
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) so they can use the 24-hour
last-mile truck routes, he said, explaining that with the last-mile routes,
truckers can complete their trip, even during the truck ban.
Truck routes that will be open 24/7 include the
Roxas Boulevard and Quirino Avenue truck lanes going to the south and the A.
Bonifacio C3 to NLEX truck lanes going to the north.
The Cabinet cluster for port decongestion is
composed of the respective heads of the Department of Public Works and
Highways, Department of Transportation and Communication, Department of
Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, the National Economic and
Development Authority, and the MMDA.
Joining them during Tuesday’s meeting were the
respective heads of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Land Transportation
Franchising and Regulatory Board, and the Bureau of Customs. PND (as)
Department of Energy calls for drafting of
regional energy plans
In response to the President’s instruction for
him to ensure that the growing need for energy is met, Energy Secretary Carlos
Jericho Petilla has called for the drafting of regional energy plans that would
secure energy supply across the country.
“The need for regional energy planning is
essential for us to explore potential energy sources and promote energy
security across the nation,” Secretary Petilla said in a statement issued
Tuesday.
During his State of the Nation Address (SONA)
last August 28, President Benigno S. Aquino III noted that despite its efforts
to ensure that the increasing demand for energy is met, the government has to
prepare for power plant breakdowns and maintenance, the El Niño weather
phenomenon and other “unforeseen events."
“We want to be completely ready so that we can
avoid paralysis if the worst-case scenario arises. The goal: to have planned
solutions for problems that will not arise until next year,” he said.
During the presentation of the Palawan Power
Situationer and Outlook, Petilla said that for the province of Palawan, the
Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded 25.08 megawatts of Renewable Energy
projects and has pending applications for 5 megawatts of projects and 1.7
megawatts of potential renewable energy sites. Most of these projects use solar
and hydro power.
The biggest project is the 10-megawatt Puerto
Princesa City Solar Power Project, which was awarded to Enfinity Philippines
Renewable Resources Inc.
He further said that for the province of
Mindoro, the DOE has already awarded 189.3 megawatts worth of renewable energy
projects, the biggest of which is the 48-megawatt Puerto Galera Wind Power
Project of the Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems Inc.
Mindoro has 47.1 megawatts of potential
renewable energy and 151.2 megawatts of potential biomass energy resources,
owing to its extensive farmlands. Pitkin Petroleum operates Service Contract 53
to explore the island’s gas reserves, estimated at 76.36 billion cubic feet.
Petilla said the Palawan Energy Plan is
undergoing review by the Energy Planning and Policy Bureau, while the Mindoro
Island energy development plan is still being drafted.
The energy plans for Palawan and Mindoro are
scheduled to be released by the last quarter of this year and January 2015,
respectively. PND (ag)
