Lakas-Kampi picks Teodoro as 2010 standard bearer

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. was selected on Wednesday to be the standard bearer in 2010 of the ruling Lakas-Kampi (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino)-CMD party.

Teodoro won by a landslide against Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Bayani Fernando, who walked out of the party’s national executive committee meeting after his motion to defer the voting was rejected.

In announcing the decision, presidential political adviser and party secretary-general Gabriel Claudio noted that Teodoro and Fernando were both worthy presidential aspirants.

"In the end, however, one man alone had to be chosen and the standard bearer to lead the party in the election for 2010…The candidate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD for the 2010 presidential elections, as endorsed by the party national executive committee is the honorable Gilberto Teodoro Jr.," Claudio said.

Claudio said Teodoro’s selection is subject to the ratification by the party’s national convention.

Radio dzBB’s Denver Trinidad quoted a party official as saying that the voting results were 44-5 in favor of Teodoro. The official declined to be named.

House Speaker and party executive vice chairman Prospero Nograles said Teodoro “has the support of the biggest political party with about 3,000 elected officials nationwide."

Sought for comment, Fernando’s camp remained mum. “I’m sorry, we have no statement at this time," said Gina Virtusio, Fernando’s close aide.

Party vice president for membership and recruitment Prospero Pichay Jr. said Teodoro was selected by the committee through secret voting.

“Iyon ang napagkasunduan, secret balloting (We agreed that we will conduct a secret balloting)," Pichay told reporters.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno is also poised to become the administration party’s vice presidential bet as he is the only one who has expressed desire to run for the post, Claudio said.

Performance in surveys

Teodoro had fared dismally in recent surveys on most preferred presidential bets.

In Pulse Asia’s s latest survey, Teodoro ranked 13th among 15 prospective presidential candidates. Only 0.2 percent said they would vote for the defense chief if the elections were held now.



Last week, the results of a new Social Weather Stations survey showed that among Luzon voters, Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III was the top presidential choice in next year's national elections with a 50-percent vote.

Those who had been constant frontrunners on surveys include Senator Manuel Villar Jr., former President Joseph Estrada, and Vice President Noli de Castro.

Earlier in the day, De Castro said he would not run under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD banner in 2010.

"I’m not one of their candidates anymore," De Castro said in a chance interview with reporters at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City.

Asked if he would now join other political parties, De Castro replied: "Wala akong sinasabing ganoon (I’m not saying anything like that).

Lakas-Kampi picks Teodoro as 2010 standard bearer

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. was selected on Wednesday to be the standard bearer in 2010 of the ruling Lakas-Kampi (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino)-CMD party.

Teodoro won by a landslide against Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Bayani Fernando, who walked out of the party’s national executive committee meeting after his motion to defer the voting was rejected.

In announcing the decision, presidential political adviser and party secretary-general Gabriel Claudio noted that Teodoro and Fernando were both worthy presidential aspirants.

"In the end, however, one man alone had to be chosen and the standard bearer to lead the party in the election for 2010…The candidate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD for the 2010 presidential elections, as endorsed by the party national executive committee is the honorable Gilberto Teodoro Jr.," Claudio said.

Claudio said Teodoro’s selection is subject to the ratification by the party’s national convention.

Radio dzBB’s Denver Trinidad quoted a party official as saying that the voting results were 44-5 in favor of Teodoro. The official declined to be named.

House Speaker and party executive vice chairman Prospero Nograles said Teodoro “has the support of the biggest political party with about 3,000 elected officials nationwide."

Sought for comment, Fernando’s camp remained mum. “I’m sorry, we have no statement at this time," said Gina Virtusio, Fernando’s close aide.

Party vice president for membership and recruitment Prospero Pichay Jr. said Teodoro was selected by the committee through secret voting.

“Iyon ang napagkasunduan, secret balloting (We agreed that we will conduct a secret balloting)," Pichay told reporters.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno is also poised to become the administration party’s vice presidential bet as he is the only one who has expressed desire to run for the post, Claudio said.

Performance in surveys

Teodoro had fared dismally in recent surveys on most preferred presidential bets.

In Pulse Asia’s s latest survey, Teodoro ranked 13th among 15 prospective presidential candidates. Only 0.2 percent said they would vote for the defense chief if the elections were held now.

Dacer camp welcomes Lacson's speech vs Erap

The family of slain publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer on Monday welcomed the scathing privilege speech by Senator Panfilo Lacson against former President Joseph Estrada.

A report aired over GMA News’ “24 Oras" quoted Demettrio Custodio, Jr., the lawyer of the Dacer family, as saying that Lacson’s speech had strengthened their bid to include Estrada in the charge sheet.

Custodio said they have already filed a motion before the Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking to include Estrada in the list of perpetrators in the kidnap-slay case of Dacer and Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.

"If you consider the affidavit in the testimony of Mister Mancao where he clearly implicated former President Joseph Estrada... now comes here the good senator also trying to implicate Mister Estrada," Custodio said.

Mancao was a member of the now defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), which was headed by Lacson during Estrada’s term. In his affidavit executed on February 13, 2009, he linked Lacson and Estrada to the Dacer-Corbito case.

He said Lacson's speech could open “new developments" in the case.
In his privilege speech on Monday, Lacson virtually denied participation in the killings as he accused Estrada of micro-managing the PAOCTF to the point of giving "direct orders" to its members during his presidency.

Custodio said he is hoping that Lacson would divulge Estrada's exact participation in the case in his next privilege speech.

Mancao's camp, however, was not pleased with Lacson's speech.

“He’s hiding behind the cloak of parliamentary immunity. He should be man enough to answer in court and go outside the confines of the Senate," said Ferdinand Topacio in a phone interview with GMANews.TV.

The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18 is investigating the case while the DOJ is looking into the complaint filed by Dacer’s daughters against Lacson.

Topacio said Lacson’s statements linking Estrada to the killings could not be considered as evidence in court

A day after Sen. Mar Roxas purportedly gave up his presidential ambitions in favor of the only son of former President Cory Aquino and former Sen. Ninoy Aquino, it was Sen. Noynoy Aquino’s turn tonight to speak.

Here is a full transcript of the statement made by the younger Sen. Aquino at a press conference at Club Filipino:

Mga minamahal kong kababayan,

Kagabi, nasaksihan natin ang isang di pangkaraniwang kaganapan. Sinabi ang aking matalik na kaibigang si Senador Mar Roxas na magsanib kami upang harapin ang napakalaking hamon upang baguhin ang ating lipunan.

Umaapaw po ang paghanga at paggalang ko kay Mar sa kanyang pagsasaalang-alang ng kanyang personal na ambisyon para sa pagkakaisa ng aming partido at para sa higit na mataas na mithiin na kapwa namin inaasam para sa ating bayan.

Sen. Roxas’ sacrifice is a finest example of selflessness that our nation sorely needs in these morally-troubled times. Tulad po ng kanyang sinabi kagabi, kalimutan po muna natin ang ating mga sarili dahil ang paglaganap ng pagtingin sa pansariling kapakanan ang mismong ugat ng kasakiman at pagkawatak-watak na sumisira sa ating lipunan.

Kasama po ako ni Mar sa mas malaking labang ito at sana kasama rin naman ang bawat Pilipinong naniniwala sa angking kalinisan ng loob ng karamihan ng ating mga kababayan at naghahangad ng isang bansang tunay nating maipagmamalaki.

Ang usapin pong ito ito ay di tungkol sa akin o kay Mar. Ang mahalaga pong malaman ay kung kasama namin kayo sa misyon ng tunay na pagbabago. Di po madali ang misyong ito dahil
matindi ang kabulukang bumabalot sa ating lipunan. Ngunit di imposibleng makamit ang ating pinakamimithi para sa Pilipinas at ito ay magsisimula sa bawat isa sa atin.

Sa dakong ito, dapat pong tanungin natin ang ating mga sarili: Handa rin ba akong magsakripisyo para sa bayan?

Sa nalalabing araw ng aming pagluluksa at pagdadalamhati sa pagpanaw ng aming mahal naming ina, sisikapin ko pong taos-pusong sagutin ang katanungang ito. Sana maunawaan po ninyo ang bagay na ito.

This weekend, starting tomorrow actually, I will be going on a spiritual retreat as I pray for discernment and divine guidance. I urge you to pray with me so that you too can access your own readiness to take part in the long and difficult struggle ahead. We are hopefully in this together.

Anuman ang mangyari, tandaan po ninyo ito: Nilabanan ng aking amang si Ninoy Aquino ang lahat ng katiwalian at pang-aabusong sumira sa ating bayan. Nang siya ay pinaslang, pinagpatuloy ng aking inang si Cory Aquino ang laban para mapanumbalik ang ating demokrasya at ang dangal ng bawat Pilipino. Nakamit po nating lahat ang ating kalayaan di lamang dahil sa sakripisyo ng aking ina kundi dahil tumaya din ang milyon-milyong Pilipino.

Ngayong umaatras muli ang ating bayan patungo sa bangin ng kapahamakan, panahon muli para manindigan. Panahon ding para maghanda para sa isang mas mahaba at matinding laban kung saan walang bibitiw hanggang makamit natin ang pagbabagong ating hinahangad.

Di ko po tatalikuran ang hamong ito. Sana ay kasama ko kayong lahat sa laban na ito.

Maraming salamat po at magandang gabi sa inyong lahat.

Nograles eyeing Supreme Court post?

MANILA - House Speaker Prospero Nograles is eyeing a seat in the Supreme Court (SC), two sources privy to his plans told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak.

According to one of the sources, Nograles has talked to at least one member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), the body that vets applicants to the Supreme Court, lower courts, and the Ombudsman.

A "Justice Prospero Nograles" will surely add to the long-running concern and controversy over how the Supreme Court is being filled with appointees of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Nograles, a bar topnotcher, told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak that he is open to the idea of becoming a member of the High Tribunal, but “that is not my option to date.”

“Maybe--and only maybe--I will start to consider it next year when my watch [as Speaker] expires. But it’s not in my radar today,” he said.

He said he intends to finish his term as congressman, and is not willing to give up his post as speaker of the House of Representatives, the fourth in the line of succession.

“I have not talked to anyone about it. Your source must be wrong. But I’m flattered your source thinks I can go there,” he said.

Three vacancies

President Arroyo will be replacing three new members to the Supreme Court in the coming months. Justices Leonardo Quisumbing, Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, and Minita Chico-Nazario will retire on October 5, November 6, and December 5, respectively.

Nograles is on his third and last term in the House of Representatives. Assuming he makes it to the Supreme Court, Nograles will be giving up between six to nine months of his remaining term in exchange for eight years in the high tribunal.

Nograles will turn 62 in October. The retirement age for justices is 70.

After all three retiring justices are replaced, the 15-member tribunal, except for Chief Justice Puno, would all be appointees of President Arroyo.

Former President Fidel Ramos appointed Chief Justice Reynato Puno to the tribunal, although it was President Arroyo who made him chief justice.

Puno will be retiring in May 2010. The next vacancies will be in June 2011, when Justices Antonio Nachura and Conchita Carpio Morales both retire.

Loyalty to Arroyo

Nograles’ loyalty to the administration will expectedly be an issue against him, said lawyer and Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares.

“The Supreme Court’s credibility as an institution should be maintained. He’s not only a politician, but a politician loyal to the president. He is the prime mover of President Arroyo’s wishes,” he told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak, when asked to comment on the report.

Another Supreme Court observer is concerned that Nograles’ performance in the bar exams is his only claim to fame in the legal profession. He earned his law degree, with honors, from the Ateneo de Manila law school in 1971. He reportedly placed second in the bar exams with an average of 90.95%.

“He has no attachment to the field of law, whether as an academician or a practitioner. He has been in politics most of his life,” the court observer said.

Charter change

Colmenares is also concerned that Nograles, if he become a Supreme Court justice, will get entangled in controversial issues involving President Arroyo.

He said Nograles, for instance, was behind the dismissal of the impeachment case against President Arroyo in 2008.

The cases cited in the impeachment complaint—the botched US$329 million National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with Chinese telecommunications firm, ZTE Corp., and the alleged bribery of local government officials, among others—will end up in the judiciary after President Arroyo steps down.

“These cases will go to the Supreme Court,” Colmenares said.

Another major controversial issue that may eventually reach the Supreme Court is the constitutionality of joint voting by both houses of Congress as the proper mode to convene a Constituent assembly (Con-ass). Although the protests against convening a Constituent assembly have died down, the House Resolution (HR 1109) on Con-ass has not been officially dismissed.

Former Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) President Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte was supposed to have been the "brains" behind the Con-ass resolution, but it was Nograles who filed it.

Nograles was originally in favor of a Constitutional convention, but eventually bowed to pressure and allowed the passage of HR1109.

The House committee on constitutional amendments is currently finalizing the resolution consolidating the calls for a Constitutional convention.

Wooing the Court?

As a legislator, Nograles has been supportive of the judiciary.

He has a pending measure, House Bill 882, which seeks to grant additional retirement benefits to members of the judiciary. If passed into law, it will benefit over 2,000 justices and judges in the Philippines.

Under the bill, justices and judges who have served at least 15 years “shall receive during the residue of his natural life, … the salary plus the highest monthly aggregate of transportation, living and representation allowances which he was receiving at the time of his retirement.”

This is on top of a non-wage benefit in the form of an educational scholarship to one legitimate child.

The bill was approved by the House committee on justice in December 2008, and the House committee on appropriations approved funds for it in July 2009.

"We must provide the much needed financial assistance to the retired judges to support them in their twilight years. They have dedicated most of their lives in the service of the people and country," Nograles said in a statement in March 2008, when the bill was deliberated in the committee.

"This initiative is one of the litany of priority reforms we are committed to push during the 14th Congress. I am confident this initiative enjoys the support of my colleagues," he added.

as of 09/13/2009 1:05 AM

Aboitiz: SuperFerry 9 passengers to get assistance

MANILA - The Aboitiz Transport System (ATS) Corporation on Sunday said passengers of SuperFerry 9, which sank off the western coast of Zamboanga Peninsula, will get assistance from the company, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) reported.
In a text message to ABS-CBN News, MARINA administrator Ma. Elena Bautista said that Aboitiz has protection and indemnity (P&I) cover.
MARINA said that under Aboitiz's P&I cover, relatives of deceased passengers will receive P200,000, while survivors will receive P50,000 each.
The agency also said the company assured them that they will comply with MARINA rules.
A press statement from ATS, meanwhile, said assistance for passengers and crew are on standby.
"All rescued passengers and crew will be brought to Zamboanga port. Assistance such as medical, hotel accommodation and transport needs are on standby for the passengers and crew," the statement, signed by ATS Vice President for Safety and Security Jess Supan, said.
All injured passengers will be brought to the hospital immediately. Counseling will also be available for passengers who will need them," the statement said.
Meanwhile, another ATS ship, the SuperFerry 1, has been diverted to Zamboanga to fetch passengers of SuperFerry 9 who would like to continue on their journey to Iloilo and Manila, said ATS in the statement.
"SuperFerry1 has been rerouted to pass by Zamboanga for passengers who would like to depart immediately for Manila and Iloilo. It is estimated to arrive in Zamboanga tonight. SuperFerry has also made arrangements for passengers who would prefer to fly to Manila," the statement said.
Relatives of the passengers may also get assistance from centers that have been set up in by the company Manila, Iloilo and Zamboanga.
Fuel inside ship safe
ATS also said that fuel onboard the ship will stay inside the ship's tanks.
"SuperFerry has consulted oil experts from Shell Phils. who assured them that the fuel oil onboard, which is of the heavy type of fuel, will most probably stay inside the fuel tanks of SuperFerry9," the statement said.
"There is approximately 220 tons of this fuel onboard and in the unlikely event that this fuel should leak, SuperFerry has already hired Harbour Star to bring their oil booms and be prepared with chemical oil dispersants. The tug of Harbour star has already been dispatched. Philippine Coast Guard has also mobilized their buoy tender from Palawan with another oil boom and oil dispersants," it added.
Aboitiz said it has also hired a plane from Cebu to assist in air search and rescue operations.
The Philippine Air Force has sent 2 choppers and one OV-10, while the Philippine Army has deployed a helicopter. The US Air Force Assistance Group, based in Zamboanga, has also deployed helicopters to join the search, Aboitiz said.
Show-cause order
Meanwhile, transportation and communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Undersecretary for Maritime Transport Thompson Lantion has ordered MARINA to issue to Aboitiz a show-cause order on Tuesday, conduct audit inspection of all passenger vessels of Superferry and for the coastguard to continue search and rescue operations.
According to Coast Guard commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, initial reports said the generator set of the vessel switched on and off before it listed.

Iglesia ni Cristo leader Manalo passes away

MANILA, Philippines - The politically influential Iglesia ni Cristo’s leader Eraño “Ka Erdy” Manalo died on Monday of cardio-pulmonary arrest. He was 84.
Manalo was executive minister of the two-million-strong Iglesia ni Cristo (INC, or Church of Christ), founded by Eraño’s father Felix Manalo in 1914.
Ka Erdy took over the administration of the church after his father’s death in 1963, serving as executive minister of INC for 46 years. The INC firmly believes that Bro. Felix was a mere instrument of God in re-establishing the Church.
The INC instructs its members to vote as a bloc and is eagerly courted by politicians seeking their endorsement during presidential and other elections.
It also owns a television network as well as other businesses, and the Manalos are regarded as among the most powerful families in modern Philippine history.
Iglesia and other indigenous Christian churches often clash with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, the main religion in the Philippines that counts over 80 percent of the 92-million population as members.
Sect members believe that Felix Manalo was the last messenger of God and that the Holy Trinity does not exist.
Thousands line up for Manalo
Thousands of INC members yesterday flocked to the central headquarters of INC to pay their last respects to their revered executive minister.
INC followers, in their desire to catch a glimpse of Bro. Erdy, were oblivious to the heat and long queues and some wept silently.
Inside the jampacked Templo Central (Central Temple) some people fainted from the heat and exhaustion.
People started to mass up in front of the INC headquarters as early as 1 p.m. or a few hours after the announcement of Bro. Erdy’s death.
INC spokesman Bienvenido Santiago made the announcement over INC- owned TV network Net 25 Tuesday morning. By 7 p.m. the remains of Manalo arrived at the Templo Central and the public viewing started. His wake will be held for a week.
At around 3 p.m., family members and relatives of Bro. Erdy, including brothers Bienvenido and Amando, left Templo Central for Bro. Erdy’s residence, located within the INC compound in Quezon City, for some private time with the INC leader. They returned to Templo Central at 5:25 p.m.
Some of the INC members, including New Era University students, had been waiting to enter the compound as early as 1 p.m.
The Quezon City Police District has deployed about 300 policemen to secure the perimeter of the INC Templo Central during Manalo’s wake, said Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego.
As of 6 p.m. yesterday, some 3,000 INC members were lined up outside the INC gates for the scheduled public viewing of Manalo’s remains, said Superintendent Alex Sintin, commander of the QCPD-Station 3.
“We expect this to be a 24/7 activity leading to the funeral so we might ask for augmentation to secure the area,” San Diego said.
INC security guards, however, allowed several government officials and VIPs to enter the Templo Central, including El Shaddai spiritual leader Mike Velarde, Sen. Manny Villar, his wife Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar, Sen. Lito Lapid, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista.
Erap leads mourners
Former President Joseph Estrada mourned Bro. Erdy’s death, saying “Ka Erdy was a man of exceptional faith under whose leadership the Iglesia ni Cristo was able to grow from a small church in Punta, Sta. Ana, to more than 800 churches internationally.”
“We will always remember him for the discipline he instilled in the followers of INC and the spirit of reconciliation he tried to impart upon the leaders of our nation,” Estrada said.
The House of Representatives, through Speaker Prospero Nograles, has also extended its condolences to the Manalo family and suspended session yesterday in deference to his passing.
Senators also condoled and paid tribute to Bro. Erdy as the Senate adjourned session yesterday.
The senators led by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile approved Senate Resolution No. 1331 citing Manalo “for his steadfast commitment and his unwavering dedication to the spreading of the message of God Almighty.” – With Jose Rodel Clapano, James Mananghaya, Evelyn Macairan Delon Porcalla, Aurea Calica, Paolo Romero, Reinir Pa-dua, Dennis Carcamo