PIA Dispatch - Thursday, September 10, 2009

Palace welcomes SC junking of petition vs poll automation

MANILA, Sept. 10 - Malacanang On Thursday hailed the Supreme Court decision junking a petition to stop poll automation of the 2010 national elections. The petition was filed by the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) led by UP professor and lawyer Harry Roque Jr.

Earlier, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) likewise welcomed the decision after having been informed the majority of the High Court justices voted in favor of poll automation.

Based on reports, the Supreme Court voted 11-3 in favor of the P7.2-billion automation contract which Comelec awarded to the Smartmatic Corp., a joint venture of a Netherlands-based company and Total Information Management, Inc. (TIM), a Filipino owned firm.

The High Court is scheduled to release the decision this afternoon.

In a media briefing, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson for Economic Affairs Gary Olivar said: “Poll automation is one of the 10-point agenda of the President under the BEAT The ODDS. So I imagine this is a welcome development.”

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez added: “This is one obstacle on the road to automation”. He said the SC decision should be respected even as some quarters are said to be planning to file a motion for reconsideration.


Emulate PGMA’s action in land reform, Palace execs tell critics

MANILA, Sept. 10 (PNA) -- Malacañang today advised critics of the government to emulate President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who placed her husband’s vast estate under the land reform program, instead of using her as a “punching bag” to advance their agenda in next year’s polls.

In a press briefing, Presidential Economic Spokesperson Gary Olivar said the land reform program is part of the 10-point agenda of the President and her administration.

According to Olivar, the President, by distributing the land owned by her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, demonstrates that she is serious about implementing the law and doesn’t matter if her family gets hurt in the process.

Deputy Spokesperson Anthony Golez said the President’s critics continue to throw baseless accusations against her but none of them ever reach the Court.

Olivar reminded the public that it was President Arroyo who signed into law the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Extension with Reforms or CARPER.

He said President Arroyo did so in August this year as a tribute to the Father of Land Reform, former President Diosdado P. Macapagal, who, 46 years ago, signed Republic Act 3844 or The Agricultural Land Reform Code.

Along with the CARPER signing, the President sent a strong signal that she meant business when she distributed 10,853 hectares of agricultural lands to agrarian reform beneficiaries throughout the country.

The land reform law, the consolidated version of House Bill 4077 and Senate Bill 2666, extends CARP for five more years and takes effect retroactively on July 1 this year


Palace respects Ombudsman decision on SALN releases

MANILA, Sept. 10 - Malacañang on Thursday said the Ombudsman, an independent Constitutional body, had decided to tighten the release of statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) after a long and thorough study.

Deputy Spokespersons Anthony Golez and Gary Olivar told Palace reporters that the First Family have been dutifully complying with the Constitutional body’s SALN reporting requirements.

“I’m sure the Ombudsman made the decision to protect people in government from harassment, including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, along with her family, who has been harassed not just recently but ever since she assumed office,” Golez said.

Olivar, on the other hand, said people must also look at how the three branches of government comply with the requirements and “how open they are about the SALNs submitted to them.”

He said it might be a good idea to find out how fast the judiciary release the SALNs of the justices, the Congress of its members, and the executive branch of its officials.

It will surprise people to know that the executive branch is the fastest in requiring submission and in giving out SALNs to concerned institutions like media, all for the sake of transparency,” he added.

Asked whether the executive branch will ask the Ombudsman to soften its ruling, Golez replied, “the Ombudsman is an independent institution and we respect that.”

“Besides, if there is nothing to hide, we would rather maintain the status quo—where SALN is released without much documentation requirement,” he added.


Maring now out of RP, new storm brewing off Philippine Sea

MANILA, Sept. 10 -- Tropical depression Maring has moved out of the country, heading towards southern China, but scattered rainshowers can be experienced in most parts of the country in the afternoon and early evening, the state weather bureau said.

The whole country will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the western section of southern Luzon and eastern Visayas, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.
The Pagasa, however, is monitoring a shallow low pressure area (slpa) some 300 kilometers west of southern Luzon, sighted 2:00 a.m. Thursday.

Maring left the country, but not without affecting 305 villages in Region III, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said.

Severe flooding displaced at least 3,316 people, who are now staying in evacuation centers in Zambales, Pampanga and Bulacan.

Five people died due to drowning and landslide, while four remained missing. Total damage to agriculture reached P30 million.

Meanwhile, strong winds and rough waves tossed a 'paraw' 300 meters away from the shoreline in front of the tourist center station 2, Barangay Balabag, Boracay, Aklan, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard Station Caticlan, together with Special Operation Group and FSWV personnel onboard PCG rubber boat, rescued six passengers off the capsized boat named “Paraw RJ” owned/operated by Mr. Rolando Gardose of Barangay Samberay, Malay, Aklan.

The rescued passengers were identified as Lester Sbih, Christine F. Anicante, Mischaille Ruiz, Edwin Ruiz, Richmon Ignacio and Ian Obiniana, all from Makati City.

The team returned to proper station with no casualty reported and temporarily billeted at Fat Jemys Resort, Station 2.