'Painful' Independence Day as Abu Sayyaf beheads 3 loggers

Islamist militants with links to the regional network Jemaah Islamiah (JI) beheaded three men on a remote southern island in the Philippines, the military and church officials said on Saturday.

The three men were gathering wood near Maluso town on Basilan island on Friday when they were abducted and later executed by Abu Sayyaf militants, Brigadier-General Eugene Clemen, commander of marines on the island, told reporters.

"We received reports this morning the three lumberjacks had been beheaded," Clemen said. Troops had been sent to search for the men's bodies, he said.

The three were residents of barangay Abong-abong in the municipality of Maluso in Basilan. They were abducted on Friday, June 11, at around 3 p.m.

Basilan provincial director Police Senior Superintendent Tony Mendoza identified the victims as Elipidio Amemensi alias Pido, Daduh Lumatangan, and Manuel Lumasag.

Based on the initial investigation of the Basilan Philippine National Police, the three victims were towing some lumber when they were abducted by the armed group believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf group.

The local police in the area was not informed immediately about the incident. When the Basilan PNP learned about the abduction, Mendoza immediately dispatched some of their intelligence operatives and assets to try to look for the abducted persons.

But to their surprise, the three loggers were found lifeless in sitio Pali in barangay Abong-abong, beheaded by their abductors.

The cadavers of the victims were retrieved by the local authorities and brought to their respective relatives.

Mendoza said one of the possible angles that they are looking into is the possibility that the terrorist group had a grudge against some of the residents in barangay Abong-abong because of illegal logging.

Outgoing Maluso Mayor Sakib Salajin condemned the barbaric acts of the Abu Sayyaf, and appealed to the military officials to further intensify their operation against the Abu Sayyaf, headed by its leader Puruji Indama.

Last week, the Abu Sayyaf group led by Indama also killed 3 kidnap victims in the municipality of Sumisip, Basilan. The victims were shot dead as they reportedly tried to escape amid a surprise operation of the military near their hideouts.

Legacy of rebellion, separatism

A simmering Muslim insurgency in the south of the mainly Roman Catholic Southeast Asia country is one of the problems the new government of President-elect Benigno Aquino III will have to contend with when it takes office later this month.

The Philippines is also facing one of the world's longest-running communist insurgencies, which has killed 40,000 people and stunted economic growth in resource-rich areas outside the capital Manila.

Reports of the beheading came as outgoing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sought to list her accomplishments in a speech before a military and civilian parade to mark the country's 112th independence day celebration.

"We have been a leader in the fight against global terrorism," Arroyo said.

Church leaders on Basilan, however, were disappointed over what they said was the government's failure to stop violence on the island, which is known for its rubber plantations.

"It's a bitter and painful independence day when three parishioners were abducted and later beheaded," Bishop Martin Jumoad told reporters. "There is no freedom here."

Gordon's promise: P40,000 salary for teachers

6th in a series on ANC's presidential youth forum at De La Salle University, Jan. 29, 2010

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Sen. Gordon holding a Kindle e-book reader.

MANILA, Philippines - Presidential candidate Richard Gordon claims he's got big perks for students and teachers if he wins in the 2010 election.

In ANC's Youth 2010 presidential forum held at De La Salle University in Taft on Friday, Gordon promised free Kindle e-book readers for public school students and P40,000 in monthly salaries for teachers should he be elected president.

Current teacher's salaries, Gordon explained, are around P12,000 to P15,000 a month, compared to P122,000 a month for teachers in Singapore.

"Gusto ko, P40,000 ang suweldo ng teacher kaagad in the next 6 years. (I want to raise teacher's salaries to P40,000 in the next 6 years)," Gordon said.

Raising teacher's salaries, he said, will attract skilled graduates to teach in schools.

Skilled teachers can raise students' academic performance even at the kindergarten or elementary grade levels, Gordon added.

E-books for all

IN THIS ARTICLE...

Gordon plans to give free Kindle e-book readers for students and raise teachers' salaries. Money will be diverted from texts, corruption and mining. He insists the Philippines needs strong leadership, not dictatorship. Gordon wants government anomaly cases to be resolved within a year and half. As a measure to "eradicate" corruption, he wants the Ombudsman to be elected by the people, instead of being appointed.

He also mapped out a plan to fund a $1.7 billion (or P85 billion) project to give 17 million students a Kindle electronic book reader.

"You can get an electronic book where you can put in the entire curriculum of the school from grade school to college," the senator said.

Kindle, released by online book retailer Amazon.com, is a device that allows people to read digital versions of books. Gordon said it is priced at $100 wholesale.

To fund the Kindle project, Gordon said plans to cut down on corruption, which amounts to about 300 billion pesos.

If this does not work, he plans to improve mining, an industry reportedly worth $1-trillion, to give additional funding for the free e-book reader project.

If both do not work, Gordon said the quickest way to raise funds is through a "text for education" campaign, where P0.50 from every 2 billion text messages will be used to fund teacher's salaries and the Kindle project.

To Gibo's rescue?

Gordon got cheers from supporters of Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidiate Gilberto Teodoro Jr. at the forum when he defended the former defense chief against what he thought were "editorialized" questions from the forum's moderator, Ted Failon.

Failon had called attention to the fact that Teodoro was the lone candidate who did not definitively answer a question on whether president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should be held accountable for anomalies during her term.

Teodoro said he will not criticize Arroyo, who appointed him as defense chief in 2007, but he will not stop anyone from criticizing her.

Failon then asked candidates and the audience whether they agreed with Teodoro's answer.

"I don't think we should editorialize here. I think that's what Gibo said, the president is in his party, then let him answer that. I'm just trying to be careful. I don't want to be argumentative here, it's hard for us to pander to popular opinion," Gordon said.

"Let's not ask kung tama ba ang sagot niya. (Let's not ask if his answer is right)," he said.

Big fish to fry

Earlier, however, Gordon, who is Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman, took potshots at the president and the former defense chief for failing to explain why military arms and bullets ended up in the hands of Mindanao warlords.

If he wins as president, Gordon said he will ask courts to investigate and resolve corruption cases against government officials like Arroyo within 1 year and 6 months.

Delegating the task, he said, means he can go after "bigger fish" and focus on the country's problems.

He also recommended that the Constitution be amended to make the position of Ombudsman, whose office investigates and prosecutes errant government officials, as an elective rather than an appointive post.

He said the Ombudsman must not be a classmate or close friend of the First Family, a reference to current Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who was a law school batchmate First Gentleman Miguel "Mike" Arroyo.

She also served as presidential legal counsel.

'Strong leadership'

Gordon and his Bagumbayan Party (composed of him and vice-presidential candidate Bayani Fernando) were also asked about the brand of leadership they offer.

Critics and political analysts have previously noted that Gordon and Bayani's strict and uncompromising leadership style is "dictatorial."

"I don't think Filipinos are ready for dictatorship, they are ready for Dick Gordon," the senator quipped. "However, I can tell you this. What we need is firm and fair leadership."

He said the country needs strong leaders who are clearly against corruption, focused on the country's problems, and are not willing to bend the rules for the Filipino elite or foreigners.

Some viewers who watched the forum told ABS-CBN News they were impressed by Gordon's articulate speeches and detailed plans for the presidency.

However, both Gordon and Fernando have yet to clinch support from the poor, who comprise the bulk of voters.

Ivler's ma blames 'violent' past for Jason's acts

Ivler 'hates the Philippine gov't'

MANILA, Philippines - Much has been said about Jason Aguilar Ivler's allegedly violent outlook towards authority since his arrest last Monday over the murder of a Palace official's son.

His mother, Marlene Aguilar Pollard, admitted as much on Thursday when asked how Ivler views the Philippine government. "He hates the Philippine government. He has absolutely no respect for the Philippine government," she told reporters.

On Friday, Aguilar revealed that their present ordeal is the direct result of their family's violent past.

Born in Massachussets on Jan. 7, 1982, Ivler is the firstborn of Aguilar and her first husband, Robert Ivler, whom Marlene met in the Philippines.

Aguilar said Jason and his younger brother, Colby, lost their father when they were still very young.

"My husband was found dead in a chair, inside a hotel in Bangkok. He was killed by a professional killer," she said.

Since Jason was only 2 1/2 when his father died, Aguilar did not tell him about his father's death until Jason was older.

She also confessed that she had various affairs before marrying Stephen Pollard, an economist who works as consultant for the Asian Development Bank and Ivler's current stepfather.

She said among her former lovers were a Colombian arms dealer and a wanted criminal who is now serving time in the United Kingdom.

Aguilar said Jason always treated her with gentleness and is a far cry from his brother, Colby, whom he described as hard-headed. She claimed that Jason was a dean's lister at the Hawaii Pacific University where he studied AB Psychology.

"They are extremes. Jason and Colby are both geniuses. When I see Jason, I see heaven. Colby, I call him Saddam, Damien, Hannibal, because everytime I see him, my blood pressure goes up. Lapastangan yan. He drives me totally nuts. I love him. But Jason is the exact opposite. He never raised his voice to me," she said.

A history of violence

It was during his break from school in 2004 when Ivler was involved in the first traffic accident involving a Malacañang official. Ivler was driving his stepfather's Toyota Land Cruiser, which bore diplomatic plates, when he rammed into the car owned by Presidential Undersecretary for Resettlement Nestor Ponce Jr.

Ponce was killed in the accident while his wife and driver survived.

A Philippine National Police (PNP) press statement issued August 2004 said Ivler was charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide for Ponce's death.

Reports said Ivler, who was then out on bail, was nabbed in Zamboanga City with two police escorts while trying to catch a ferry bound for Malaysia. The attempt to leave the country despite a pending criminal case prompted the Bureau of Immigration to issue an order preventing him from leaving the country.

Ironically, Ivler was still able to join the US Army on Feb. 15, 2007 despite a pending warrant for his arrest in the Philippines.

Readers of abs-cbnNEWS.com said Ivler served as an Infantryman (11 series) with the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, with the rank of specialist (E-4). A year later, he was discharged under honorable conditions on Oct. 16, 2008.

In Aguilar's book "Warriors of Heaven", she described how Ivler was arrested by US authorities and pressured to admit things about his family.

A year after leaving the US Army, Ivler again ran afoul of the law when he allegedly shot and killed Renato Victor Ebarle Jr., son of Presidential Chief of Staff Undersecretary Renato Ebarle Sr., on November 18 during a traffic altercation.

He went into hiding for 2 months until his arrest by National Bureau of Investigation operatives in a bloody shootout last January 18.

Despite the ordeal, Aguilar said she has only one wish for her son. "That all of these will end peacefully and we will live peacefully," she said.

'Clogged' Mayon volcano could burst: expert

LEGASPI, Philippines - Rumbling Mayon volcano in the Philippines is showing signs of becoming clogged with lava and could erupt explosively, a government volcanologist said Saturday.

The volcano, which has been oozing lava for weeks, is also emitting gas and ash, all signs of a powerful eruption any day now, said Ed Laguerta, head of the government's volcanology team monitoring Mayon.

"Mayon volcano is still in a high state of unrest and in the coming days it could still have an explosive eruption," he warned in a radio interview.

"The number of (volcanic) quakes have lessened but now the quakes are of a different variety. What is becoming clear is that it (the volcano) is getting clogged. That is when the lava is rising but cannot get out," he said.

"The edifice looks inflated so we cannot say that the actual activity of Mayon has decreased," he said.

"Just because the volcano looks calm... it does not mean its activity is decreasing. We cannot be off our guard. After this calm period, it could explode with even more force," Laguerta added.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it had kept Mayon on alert level four, meaning a hazardous eruption may occur within days.

It warned people to stay away from river channels and other areas that might possibly be hit by volcanic mudflow in the event heavy rain falls on Mayon.

The government has evacuated more than 47,000 people living around the volcano, about 330 kilometres (200 miles) southeast of Manila, since it began belching smoke and oozing lava earlier this month.

The evacuees are housed in 28 makeshift centres -- mostly government schools -- and could remain there for more than a month until the volcano settles, said Jukes Nunez, director of the disaster preparations office.

There are still a few people who refuse to leave the danger zone but Nunez said they were at the fringes of the zone and were not directly threatened.

However, he warned that the evacuees would need to find new shelters when schools reopen in January after the Christmas holidays.

Governor Joey Salceda, whose province includes Mayon, said in a television interview that he plans to set up a tent city for those who evacuated the area around the volcano.

The 2,460-metre (8,070-foot) volcano, which is famed for its near-perfect cone, has erupted 48 times in recorded history. In 1814, more than 1,200 people were killed as lava buried the town of Cagsawa.

Nov forex reserves at record $43.73-B

MANILA - The Philippines' gross international reserves (GIR), its main buffer against foreign exchange shocks, hit a fresh record high in November.

According to preliminary data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the country's GIR grew to a record $43.73 billion last month from the October level of $43.173 billion, which was revised downward from $43.181 billion.

The increase in last month's GIR was due to revaluation gains on the central bank's gold holdings, income from its investments abroad, and inflows of government loans.

The latest GIR could cover 8.1 months worth of the Philippines' import requirements. The reserves are also equivalent to 9.2 times the country's short-term external debt based on original maturity and 4.2 times based on residual maturity.

Short-term debt based on residual maturity refers to outstanding external debt with original maturity of one year or less, plus principal payments on medium- and long-term loans of the public and private sectors falling due within the next 12 months.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco earlier said that the GIR could reach $42 to $43 billion by the end of this year, and $47 billion by the end of 2010.

He said money sent home by overseas Filipinos would also boost the country's foreign exchange reserves. Tetangco forecast remittances to grow 4% this year, higher than the BSP's previous forecast of flat growth from a record $16.4 billion in 2008.

Maguindanao massacre exposes brutal underbelly of RP politics

MANILA - The massacre of at least 46 people in the southern Philippines has exposed a brutal culture of guns, greed and money that for decades has poisoned the nation's political system, experts said Tuesday.

The murders in the province of Maguindanao on Monday are feared to be only the first of many killings likely ahead of next year's national elections, when posts from village chiefs to president will be up for grabs.

"This explosion of violence arises whenever there is an election," said Samira Gutoc, one of the leaders of the Young Moro Professionals, a group helping the government in peace talks with armed Muslim groups in the south.

Indeed, dozens of people are killed each election season in this impoverished and often lawless Southeast Asian nation.

Local political warlords have for generations competed for political power and the accompanying business riches that government posts offer.

These clans are widely known to control private armies, which carry out assassinations and counter-attacks against rivals.

The proliferation of over 1.1 million unlicenced firearms, most of them in the hands of rebel groups or paramilitaries, contributes to the general lawlessness in many remote areas, according to police.

In one high-profile murder in the run-up to congressional elections in 2007, a hired assassin gunned down a member of parliament from a northern province on the steps of a Manila church as the politician attended a wedding.

All in all, 121 people were killed in that polling season, according to national police statistics, slightly lower than the 148 who died in the 2004 national elections.

But while the problem plagues the entire country, experts say the situation is particularly volatile in Maguindanao and other parts of the far southern island of Mindanao, where a Muslim insurgency has raged for decades.

"Politics in Mindanao is about ownership of power. Public office is perceived as a personal, clannish thing -- a birthright, and they would spill blood for it," Gutoc said.

She said she expected more violence in the fallout from Monday's massacre, with relatives of those killed likely to carry out vendetta killings, called "rido" in the local dialect.

"Retaliation is a natural course of events," she said.

At least 46 people were murdered as they accompanied the wife of local official Esmael Mangudadatu to file his candidacy for governor of Maguindanao, as he bid to end the decades-old control of a rival Muslim clan.

The military said 100 heavily armed men under the control of his rival, Andal Ampatuan, seized the group and later shot them.

Forty-six bodies have so far been found, police said.

The military said the Ampatuans were the prime suspects in the massacre.

Abhoud Syed Linga, executive director of the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies and an expert on clan fighting, said the revenge culture complicates the Muslim insurgency, which has claimed more than 150,000 lives since the 1970s.

"Some rido are sustained for generations," Linga said. "The retaliation and counter-retaliation involve the whole family or clan."

The vendetta killings, he said, are the "consequence of the absence of justice" for a perceived wrong.

"Among Muslims the value of justice is strong, to the extent that it becomes a duty for family members to work for justice and reject oppression," he said.

Amnesty International said the killings underlined the danger facing civilians across the entire country in the lead-up to next year's elections.

"The government must prohibit and disband private armies and paramilitary forces immediately," said Amnesty's deputy director in Asia, Donna Guest.

Police name Ampatuan Jr. as top suspect in massacre

MANILA - Police on Wednesday named a political ally of President Gloria Arroyo as the prime suspect in an election-linked massacre of at least 50 people.

"According to the initial reports, those who were abducted and murdered at Saniag were initially stopped by a group led by the mayor of Datu Unsay," national police spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said.

The mayor of Datu Unsay is Andal Ampatuan Jr., a member of Arroyo's ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD coalition and son of an extremely powerful regional politician who has ensured local support for the president in previous elections.

The military had previously named bodyguards hired by the Ampatuan clan as the suspected gunmen in Monday's massacre in which relatives and aides of a rival politician, plus a group of journalists, were abducted and shot dead.

However, the police spokesman's comments were the first time Ampatuan Jr has been specifically named as a top suspect in the massacre, which took place in a village on the outskirts of a town that bears the clan's name.

Espina, however, did not say if police are already readying charges against the local official.

The Ampatuan son was being groomed to succeed his father, the three-term governor of Maguindanao province on Mindanao island.

The massacre victims included the wife and relatives of rival Maguindanao politician Buluan town vice-mayor Ismael Mangudadatu.

The victims were abducted as they were travelling in a six-vehicle convoy to nominate Mangudadatu as the opposition candidate for governor in next year's elections.

Minnesota official vouches for PCOS machines

MANILA - Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and a US election expert on Friday said the Commission on Elections made the right choice in choosing precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines for the automation of the 2010 national elections.

Speaking via teleconference at the De La Salle University College of Law, Ritchie said the state of Minnesota has been using PCOS machines in elections for more than 20 years and not once have they questioned the results.

"The system you've chosen is a system we're very comfortable with and a system we trust in terms of security and ease of use. PCOS [machines] have a very high degree of accuracy and very trusted by citizens and gives high credibility. This is important in cases of close elections where we have to do count by hand," he said.

He said that while the actual count is automated, voters are still required to fill in the ballots that would be counted. This allows election officials to check the results with the actual copies of the ballots.

Prof. Rachel Smith, program director for the Excellence in Election Administration Center of the University of Minnesota, said that while PCOS machines are 99 percent accurate, poll officials should still safeguard the transfer of the machines and the actual ballots. She added that the memory cards should be sealed to prevent tampering.

"Memory card used [are] most vunerable to attack. It must be sealed inside voting system and check seals during transfers," she said also via teleconference.

Ritchie, meanwhile, said the success of an automated election ultimately depends on the vigilance of the Comelec and the support of the public.

Comelec officials, meanwhile, thanked the guest speakers for backing their decision to choose PCOS machines for next year's electoral exercise.

"It gives us a high level of confidence, the way they talked about trustworthiness and accuracy of the PCOS. It shows us we're on the right track because their system and our system are the same," Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said.

Senators oppose government calamity plan

MANILA, Philippines - Senators expressed yesterday strong opposition to Malacañang’s decision to declare the whole country under a state of calamity and even extending it to a year, saying it might lead to abuses on the part of the executive branch and misuse of funds.

President Arroyo last week issued Proclamation 1898 placing the entire country under a state of calamity.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Senators Benigno Aquino III, Manuel Villar Jr., Manuel Roxas II, Francis Escudero, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Alan Peter Cayetano all warned against relaxed rules in the disbursement of funds during a state of calamity, which Malacañang and local government units might abuse.

The senators questioned why the entire nation was placed under a state of calamity when not all areas were affected by tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”

They said this would give local government units (LGUs) power to spend their calamity funds for other purposes. With the general elections approaching, the funds could be misused, the senators said.

They argued that the state of calamity should only be for a few months since prolonging it would give wrong signals to the international community and create a bad image for the country before prospective investors.

Aquino said the move was like “closing the barn door after the horses left” since government should have prepared for disasters.

He said rules in the disbursement and utilization of funds were more relaxed under a state of calamity because of the urgency for their use. “When you declare that is going to be for a year, there might be calls for augmentation as far as those funds depleted are concerned. (The question is) will all the funds really address the calamity or will be used for something else because the rules have been relaxed?” Aquino said.

Villar, for his part, said the task of rebuilding was needed to help typhoon victims to truly recover from the tragedy but this would not merit too drastic actions and sweeping calls from the government.

More bad than good

The Makati Business Club, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines and the Federation of Philippine Industries, among other business groups, also expressed alarm about the planned extension of the state of calamity status.

They said it could create more problems for the country such as job losses and supply shortage. Other business groups even fear that it may lead to a state of emergency and the exercise of police powers.

“It is understandable that we have to prioritize the needs of the flood victims but we have to take into account the repercussions of our actions to other sectors. In this case, if the business sector will be affected, it will have a chain reaction if our economy will slow down because of it,” Villar said.

He said there is a need to put a semblance of normalcy to the people’s lives as soon as possible.

“This early, the concerned government departments and agencies should already put in place mechanisms to ensure the stable supply of food until next year. At the same time, help should be extended to farmers who suffered losses due to the typhoons,” he said.

Roxas, for his part, said placing the whole country under state of calamity was a knee jerk and overreaction. “This was not carefully thought out. It was very clear that in Mindanao, there were no rains,” he said.

He agreed with Escudero and Santiago that funds for projects could be disbursed without bidding and checks and balances since the laws on procurement might be sidestepped.

“Price control should only be in areas affected be calamities,” Roxas said, adding that the extra powers and leeway for government under a state of calamity could be used for “last two minutes” or midnight deals and the coming elections.

Santiago, on the other hand, said that the prolonged declaration of state of calamity could be counterproductive in the long run since it would cause the release of the calamity funds of all the local government units.

She said the state of calamity could be limited to three months and make people return to normalcy the soonest time possible.

No need for supplemental budget

Santiago also objected to the passage of a P10-billion supplemental budget for the victims of Ondoy because the executive branch has more than enough funds to provide for them.

“We don’t need a supplemental budget. Last year, when we were discussing the budget for 2009, Congress allocated appropriations even beyond the amounts that were sought by Malacañang for certain government offices. If we take back all those amounts that were added to the budget of certain government departments, we will be able to source the much-needed funds for our rehabilitation efforts,” Santiago said.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri also said they were no longer sure if Congress could pass the supplemental budget before the break next week.

“It’s (joint resolution) being worked out by the House (of Representatives). It must emanate from the House. I don’t know if they have approved it,” Enrile said.

Asked about the chances of the budget being approved, Enrile said: “Malabo na ngayon (It’s a long shot).”

He said he could not remember if there was an agreement to have the budget passed before the congressional recess and would just wait for the advice of Sen. Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee, regarding the matter.

Zubiri voiced the same concern but said a special session could be called if the budget was really needed.

But Santiago said it would be easy to augment the calamity funds simply by asking the President to exercise her power to transfer appropriations.

“I do not want a prolonged state of calamity, because in the same way that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely, calamity tends to corrupt. The longer the declaration of a state of calamity, the longer the corruption,” Santiago said.

However, Enrile said that placing the country under a state of calamity was okay to protect the public during times of crises.

He argued that a state of calamity was acceptable because there is a need to control the rise of prices, especially prime commodities, during such time.

“This is not the first time that that is done. It has been done post-Marcos many times. It has been done during the Marcos years and it was done also even before the Marcos years,” Enrile said, adding that it can be declared beyond the term of the President.

Palace: No excessive use of power

But Malacañang assured that there will be no excessive use of state powers for the duration of the nationwide state of calamity even if the Philippine National Police (PNP) has been mobilized to enforce price controls amid pockets of violence from some businesses defying orders not to increase prices of basic goods.

The Palace also appealed to critics to stop blaming the government for the destruction brought about by the two typhoons.

Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said that while different parts of the country, including Metro Manila, are facing numerous crises--health, garbage, and education-- the government will not go overboard in exercising its powers while the declaration of the state of calamity is in effect.

He said the main tools of the authorities, particularly local government units, in addressing the problems remain to be the use of their emergency funds and enforcement of price ceilings, both triggered once a state of calamity is declared.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez earlier said that under general welfare provisions of the Constitution, the state can take over vital installations during emergencies, and the current calamity can also be considered a national emergency.

He, however, said that the situation, while serious, does not warrant the exercise of extraordinary powers of the government.

“Those (violent incidents and threats) are focused on certain persons, groups of people with a certain interest so we don’t see any widespread disorder in the streets. We are focused on rebuilding communities as of the moment,” he said.

Mrs. Arroyo also ordered that lands near the permanent relocation sites for families displaced by the calamity be developed for agri-business to sustain the new communities.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, for his part, said it’s not definite yet if the government could prolong the declaration of a state of calamity in the entire country for one year.

“That’s speculative,” he said.

Admin lawmakers lashed at MBC

Coming to the defense of the President, administration lawmakers appealed to the Makati Business Club (MBC), a perpetual critic of President Arroyo, to be humane enough and understand the sorry plight of victims who were hit by the typhoons.

“This is an extraordinary time and extraordinary steps are required to be taken. I think the one-year period (for state of calamity) is necessary to impress upon the people and businesses about the depth of the situation and the need to do something about it,” Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao said.

The MBC is a group of businessmen based in the financial district of Makati City. Its members are mostly employers of big companies in the Philippines, who employ thousands that generate jobs locally.

Rep. Marcelino Teodoro of Marikina, however, lashed out at MBC, saying the group should set aside its “self-serving financial goals” and realize that the people are rebuilding their lives after the two typhoons.

“They should be more contributive to the restoration of devastated areas than to be anarchic moguls,” he said, seeing the government focus on slowly bringing things back to normal in the country.

Lanao del Norte Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo, on the other hand, said the MBC should not paint a grim picture of the government’s plan to extend the state of calamity for a year. It would be better for them if they could come up with a counter-proposal, he suggested.

“The MBC should first check with the administration and recommend constructively. For example, we have seen how President Arroyo handles crises, (and it’s) definitely not dictatorial. To them, the President is always wrong or bad, and has done nothing right. Is MBC gearing up to be a political party?” he said.

One of the perceived effects of the planned extension of the declaration of a state of calamity would be price controls of goods, business groups like MBC fears. If carried out, it said the plan would spawn more problems like job losses and supply shortage.

Dimaporo views the threat of an extended price control as something “persuasive.”

“The price control will most likely be monitoring and persuasion, and can be in phases of six months. Weather these days is unpredictable. And we can’t assume that we alone can solve climate change. The MBC should not be a political opposition, hitting the President at every corner and creating situations to hit her,” he said.

Text msg on Marikina 'dam' release belied

MANILA - Authorities on Monday belied circulating text messages that water from the "Marikina dam" would be released, causing more flooding.

Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando said there is no such thing as a Marikina dam.

One such text message says: "If you have friends and families along Marcos highway, tell them to stay on a high area because authorities are about to open Marikina Dam. It will affect Marikina, Pasig area and lower Antipolo. So please pass for faster dissemination." Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense's Anthony Golez said there are no plans to release water from any other dam at the moment.

In an interview over ANC's on the Scene Monday afternoon, Golez said proper warnings will be given before authorities release water from filled up dams.

"Talking about misinformation, I would like to inform everybody that there is an ongoing text message that dams are going to be opened, that dams are going to spilling water into the different neighborhoods. Let me tell everybody that this information is not correct," he said.

"Even before we have to release water from our dams, we follow certain protocols. As a matter of fact, PAGASA, which is the overseer of the dams, follow certain protocols that even before they release water, they need to warn the communities that are situated within the area of these dams. And after they warn them for a certain period of time, then they are educated, the people are educated which are safe, which areas are not safe," he said.

Senate-House panels OK bill adding 9th ray to RP flag

The country’s national flag will soon have nine rays in its sun instead of only eight. The Senate and House of Representatives are expected to ratify next week the reconciled version of Senate Bill 3307 and House Bill 6424 which provides for the inclusion of additional ray in the sun, Senator Richard Gordon told GMANews.TV Thursday. The two bills proposed amendments to Republic Act No. 849, or An Act Prescribing the Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-of-Arms and Other Heraldic Items and Devices of the Philippines. The bicameral conference committee approved on Tuesday, among others, the additional ray to the sun in the Philippine flag symbolizing the courage, bravery and integrity of Muslim Filipinos who fought for the nation's independence. Gordon, chairman of the Senate panel and principal author of Senate Bill (SB) 3307, lauded the approval of the measure saying that it would foster greater unity among Filipinos regardless of religion. He said the National Historical Institute initially opposed the proposal but he still pursued it. “I don’t care what they think about it. Once it is signed, they should follow the law." “We are a country that has had a conflict with our Muslim brothers for the last so many decades. I think this is a big step towards reuniting our country, recognizing the contributions of our fellow countrymen, the Filipino Muslims. We should recognize their deeds in our country," he said. The other members of the joint Senate-House panel were Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Representatives Del De Guzman, chairman of the House contingent, with Ma. Carissa Coscoluella, Salvador Escudero III, and Roman Romulo as members. Gordon said the national flag not only represents principles of sovereignty and solidarity of the Filipino nation, but also embodies the ideals and traditions of the Filipino people developed over the course of national history. He added that the flag symbolizes the nation’s struggle for independence and victory against foreign colonizers. The three stars in the flag represent the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; while the eight rays of the sun represent the eight provinces that revolted against the Spanish regime, namely: Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac. The senator said he proposed the addition of the ninth ray because behind the stories of the most celebrated names of national heroes, who fought for the country’s independence, lie the stories of mostly-forgotten Muslim heroes, including Lapu-Lapu, Sultan Kudarat and Rajah Sulayman, who displayed courage, bravery and integrity against a determined foe.

Teen daughter defends Chavit, 'My mother's not a battered wife'

MANILA, Philippines - The eldest daughter of Deputy National Security Adviser Luis “Chavit” Singson yesterday denied that her mother was a battered wife, contrary to what she said was being pictured in the media.

In a videotaped statement delivered to the office by one of Singson’s close associates, the 15-year-old girl disagreed with her mother, Rachel “Che” Tiongson, and practically absolved her father of any wrongdoing.

“What I know is that my Mom was never a battered wife. When she lived in this house she was living a happy life and if my Dad did purposely hurt her I would have seen it in her face or anything. But she was never really beaten up when she lived in this house,” the daughter said.

Tiongson earlier came out in the open and accused Singson, her live-in partner for 17 years, of physically beating and abusing her and her “boyfriend.”

Along with the videotape were four “love letters” dated July 8, 13, 21 and 22, 2009 allegedly written by Tiongson to the former Ilocos Sur governor.

Another undated letter shows a breakdown of items, which Tiongson was supposedly asking from her live-in partner.

“Just wanna thank you again for my medicines, etc. But Love, may kulang pa yung pinahihingi kong favor yesterday and (I) just write it here again,” the letter reads, apparently to explain the wherewithal of the amount of money that was being asked.

“I was shocked but at the same time I think what’s being shown in the news right now is a little bit exaggerated. My Dad is not like that,” the teenage daughter said.

The girl also explained that her parents were trying to fix things up and Singson even bought an apartment close to her mother’s house so that he could be with them and her siblings “any day or every week.”

“I know my Dad and I know that when my Mom left the house they were trying to fix things so I don’t know why they’re saying (that) they were separated when they’re trying to fix things,” she added, referring to her mother’s allegation that they had been estranged.

In an earlier interview, Tiongson said she finds nothing wrong with having a boyfriend because the two of them had already been separated since November last year.

She said she broke off with Singson because of his relationships with other women, some as young as their teenage children.

“Hi Love. Good morning. How are you today? How was your meeting? Is it doing well? I wanna hear more positive results from you and hope that you’re not that busy anymore. When are you free? So I can see you and sana you have more time to spend it with me,” part of the July 8 letter reads.

On Aug. 22, Tiongson said the 68-year-old Singson beat her up with a whip after barging into her rented apartment while she was having dinner with her boyfriend, a certain Richard Catral.

Telltale signs

Tiongson’s July 21 letter started with a verse taken from Deuteronomy 31:6, “He will not leave you nor forsake you,” and followed by a series of apologies for something that was not explained.

“First of all, humihingi ako ng kapatawaran sa mga nagawa kong pagkakamali at kung nasaktan ka man sa sulat ko, again I’m really sorry. Mayroon pa bang magbabago sa akin ngayon.”

The next day, Tiongson, in the same apologetic manner, wrote again but this time asking the governor to help her settle an apparent debt from a well-known department store.

“Love huwag ka na magalit sa akin please. Sorry na at please lang rin help me na lang kase last na naman ‘yan eh. Nakikiusap at nilalambing ko na sa’yo… Bayaran na lang natin ‘yung Rustan’s kase tinawagan na ako eh, hindi naman pwedeng magtago na lang ako,” the letter reads.

Four of the five letters were practically a monologue of how she needed money to maintain her and her children’s lifestyle, and how she pleaded to the former governor to replenish her dwindling allowance.

In her July 22 letter, Tiongson begged Singson for a fixed allowance aside from other amount to cover certain payables.

“At Love, pwedeng bigyan mo na lang ako ng fix amount para sa monthly ko tapos ‘yung mga electric, association dues, water, cable sa check mo na lang. What do you think?”

Singson: We’re never separated

Singson presented the same letters in his television interviews to belie the allegation that they were separated since November last year.

“Siya mismo ang naghahabol sa akin. Siya ang humihingi ng reimbursement. Araw-araw may note sa akin, may I love you, I love you pa. So hindi totoo ang sinasabi niyang hiwalay kami (She was the one after me. She was asking for money, for reimbursements. Everyday she sent me notes, saying I love you, so it’s not true we’re separated),” he said the other day.

Singson, in an interview with ABS-CBN, also said he has evidence to prove that he is legally married to Tiongson, adding that it was up to the court to act on the complaint filed against him.

“Kung nakikinig siya, lahat ng sinasabi niyang kasinungalingan, kakainin niyang lahat dahil may ebidensiya ako na hindi kami hiwalay (If she is listening, she will eat all those lies she said because I have evidence to show that we are not separated),” he added.

But the former Ilocos Sur governor said that if Tiongson insists on her claim that they are separated then he would accept it.

“Ok lang hiwalay kami (It’s fine if we are separated). Good riddance. Pinaalis ko na noon eh, siya ang bumalik-balik (I kicked her out before, she just kept coming back),” Singson said.

He, however, emphasized that he will fight for the custody of their children and if Tiongson wins the court battle he would refuse to give support.

“Mabuti pa sunugin ko na lang ang pera ko (I’d rather burn my money),” he said.

Arroyos still need to explain wealth rise

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her two sons in Congress still have a lot of explaining to do regarding the rise in their wealth since they stepped into public office, an opposition lawmaker said Wednesday.

In a statement, Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño said the Arroyos should personally explain the wealth stated in their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN) when the House, through House Resolution 1358, holds an inquiry into the effectiveness of SALNs in determining public officials' real net worth.

"It has never been adequately explained how in just three years, from 2002 to 2005, Mikey increased his net worth by P71.9 million, or from P5 million to P76.9 million. And then in 2009, this further increased to P99 million. Definitely, he could not have amassed such wealth on his salary as a public official. But his SALN fails to indicate how he did it," said Casiño.

Mikey’s wealth reportedly ballooned from the time he got married to wife Angela in June 2002 and became Pampanga vice governor in 2001-04. He was elected congressman for Pampanga’s 2nd district in 2004 and got re-elected in 2007.

In an interview over GMA's Unang Hirit on Tuesday, Mikey said a large part of his recent wealth came from generous wedding gifts and campaign donors.

“Alam niyo nung kinasal tayo nuon, medyo nagkaroon tayo ng maraming regalo. Tapos pag kampanya, siyempre kahit papaano marami ding tumutulong sa atin. Hindi naman sa nakaipon, pero siyempre nakakagaan ng kaunti and we had some good investments," he explained.

(You know, when I married my wife, we received plenty of gifts. And during campaign periods, we had plenty of donors. It’s not that we hoarded donations but these helped lessen our personal expenses and we were able to make good investments).

The presidential son also said, “In 2002, I was a vice governor. I only became congressman in 2004, under the law assuming you make mistakes in your SAL, you can always amend it the next year as long as you pay the proper taxes," he explained.

“Hindi pa tayo marunong mag-declare nun, so siyempre those shortcomings are amended the next year," the Pampanga representative added.

But Casiño said the First Family's explanations of their wealth were insufficient. "If we simply look at their SALN, the logical conclusion is that these unexplained wealth could have come from illegal sources, or at least were acquired without proper disclosure."

The militant lawmaker said the President has also failed to explain the dramatic increase in her net worth from P67 million in 2001 to P144 million in 2008.

"We need the Arroyos to explain what happened so that Congress can be guided in coming up with legislation on how to improve the system. If it is true, as Mikey says, that everything was legal and transparent but there just might have been some mistakes by his lawyer who filled up the form, then he should not fear the House investigation. We can even help in making sure he does not commit any mistakes the next time around," Casiño added.

Questions arose over the SALNs of Mikey and his brother, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado "Dato" Macapagal Arroyo, following a Vera Files report saying the brought luxury US homes in the US after they got elected as congressmen. The two, however, denied any irregularity in their SALNs and maintained that they declared everything that needed to be declared.

Noynoy to seek 'divine guidance' for 2010 election (updates)

MANILA - Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Wednesday announced that he will be going on a retreat this coming weekend for "divine guidance" for his plans on the 2010 presidential elections.

"This weekend, starting tomorrow actually, I will be going on a spiritual retreat as I pray for discernment and divine guidance," Aquino said in a prepared speech.

He also implored his supporters to pray with him, and said he hoped people are one with him in the "difficult struggle ahead."

"I urge you to pray with me so that you too can assess your own readiness to take part in the difficult struggle ahead. We are hopefully in this together," he said.

"Hindi ko po tatalikuran ang hamong ito, sana'y kasama ko kayo sa labang ito," Aquino said.

"Sa mga nalalabing araw ng aming pagluluksa at pagdadalamhati sa pagpanaw ng aming mahal na ina, sisikapin ko pong taospusong sagutin ang katanungang ito. Sana maunawaan po ninyo ang bagay na ito," Aquino said.

Aquino made his announcement in front of members and supporters of the Liberal Party at a press conference at Club Filipino in San Juan.

Noy thanks Mar

Aquino's announcement came a day after Senator Manuel "Mar" Roxas II announced his withdrawal from the 2010 presidential race to give way for an Aquino candidacy under the LP.

In his speech on Wednesday, Aquino first thanked Roxas for his "sacrifice" in withdrawing from the 2010 race, in favor of party unity and the sake of the nation.

"Umaapaw po ang paghanga at paggalang ko kay Mar sa kanyang pagsasaaalangalang ng kanyang personal na ambisyon para sa pagkakaisa ng aming partido at para sa higit na mataas na mithiin na kapwa namin inaasahan para sa aming taumbayan," Aquino said.

"Senator Roxas's sacrifice is the finest example of selflessness that our nation sorely needs in this morally troubled times," he said.

He also echoed Roxas' call for personal sacrifice.

"Tulad po ng kanyang sinabi kagabi, kalimutan po natin ang ating mga sarili dahil ang laganap na pagtingin sa pansariling kapakanan ang mismong ugat ng kasakiman at pagkawatak-watak na sumisira sa ating lipunan," he said.

Noy, Mar one in their fight

Aquino said he and Roxas will be one in their fight.

"Kasama po ako ni Mar sa malaking laban na ito. At sana, kasama rin naman ang bawat Pilipinong naniniwala sa aking kalinisan ng loob, at ng karamihan ng ating mga kababayan at naghahangad ng isang bansang tunay nating maipagmamalaki," he said.

He also said that this is not really an issue about him or Roxas.

"Ang usapin pong ito ay di tungkol sa akin o kay Mar. Ang mahalaga pong malaman ay kung kasama namin kayo sa misyon ng tunay na pagbabago. Hindo po madali ang misyong ito dahil matindi ang kabulukukang bumabalot sa ating lipunan. Nguni't hindi imposibleng makamit ang ating mga pinakamimithi para sa Pilipinas. Ito ay magsisimula sa bawat isa sa atin," he said.

He made his announcement at the historic Gabaldon Room, where his mother, the late former president Corazon Aquino, took her oath of office in 1986.

Erap 99.9% sure he'll run again

MANILA - Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada is 99.9% sure of making another bid for the presidency after realizing that opposition unity is no longer possible, his spokesman said on Saturday.

Margaux Salcedo, Estrada's spokesman, said at a forum that after Estrada talked to Senators Manuel Villar and Mar Roxas, it appears the two other opposition candidates are already bent on running for the presidency, which makes opposition unity in 2010 virtually impossible.

Salcedo said Estrada has been frustrated by efforts to unite and field a single candidate against the administration, which is why he [Estrada] is "99.9% sure to run."

However, she added there are still many possibilities, with over three months still to go before the deadline for the filing of certificate of candidacy for the 2010 elections closes on November 30.

Salcedo said the opposition's experience in the 2004 elections showed that the administration has a better chance of winning if the opposition is divided.

In 2004, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo narrowly defeated opposition bet, the late movie actor Fernando Poe Jr., in a five-way race. Many believe Poe would have won if third placer Senator Panfilo Lacson withdrew from the race.

Estrada eligible to run

Meanwhile, a former dean of the UP College of Law believes Estrada is qualified to run again despite a provision in the 1987 Constitution that says a president is only eligible for a six-year term.

Dean Froilan Bacungan said the provision in the 1987 Constitution which says, "The President shall not be eligible for any re-election," does not apply to Estrada.

He said the Constitution provides that "election may no longer be allowed if an incumbent president has served for four years." Estrada is not an incumbent president and served for only two and a half years, from June 1998-January 2001. His term was cut short by military-backed people power revolt.

Aside from this, Salcedo also said that the Constitution states that whoever the next President will be is dependent upon who the people want to lead them. This is the principle behind a democracy.

She said it is for the people to decide whether Estrada should be reelected.

Last Wednesday, former Senate President Jovito Salonga predicted that the 2010 presidential elections will be a two-way fight between Senators Manuel Villar and Mar Roxas since he believes the Supreme Court will disqualify Estrada.

“In the ultimate analysis, ang maglalaban siguro, subject to qualifications, sina Manny Villar at Mar Roxas,” Salonga told reporters

Salonga said the Supreme Court will still have to decide on the presidential bid of Estrada. He said he doubts if Estrada is qualified to seek re-election. “Sa paniwala nya, lagi siyang qualified. May duda ako,” he told reporters.

Estrada was convicted of plunder in 2007 although President Arroyo immediately granted him pardon and restored his civil and political rights.

I have never profited from my office - GMA

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo maintained yesterday that she has never and will never use her position for personal profit even as she strongly denied manipulating her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) that showed her net worth doubling in the last eight years.

Her lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, said the President vehemently denied “any report or speculation alleging defect or her non-compliance with the law in filing her SALN.”

A report from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) said that based on her SALNs, Mrs. Arroyo’s declared net worth more than doubled from P66.8 million in 2001 to P143.54 million in 2008, or bigger than the combined growth in declared wealth of her three immediate predecessors, including former President Joseph Estrada, who was convicted for plunder.

“The President reiterates that she has never used and will never use or take advantage of her position for personal profit as she had declared in her State of the Nation Address and as expected of her by the people,” Macalintal told a news conference at the Palace that was also attended by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo’s lawyer, Ruy Rondain.

He said he spoke over the phone with the President who was in Ilocos Norte yesterday and received instruction that he speak for her on the matter. She did not sound upset, he said.

He said Mrs. Arroyo prepared and signed her SALN under oath to the best of her knowledge and in full compliance with the Constitution.

“She honestly believes that she has been very transparent on her assets and liabilities and she has nothing to hide,” Macalintal said.

He said the report insinuating irregularities in the preparation of her SALN “is most unfair and uncalled for.”

He said the report “would accuse the President’s SALN as somewhat irregular just because she reported an amount bigger or higher than her predecessors.”

“We do not know what standard used by the reporter in coming up with her analysis. It is as if that if you reported a big asset, this must be investigated; if small, it’s okay and there should be no more investigation,” Macalintal said.

He said Mrs. Arroyo is inviting anyone to question before the Office of the Ombudsman, where the SALNs are filed, “if he or she has any evidence that the President violated or did not comply with the constitutional requirements in the filing of such disclosure documents.”

He said the President filed her SALNs in good faith and without any intention to deceive anyone.

“Those who alleged otherwise should come up with evidence to prove their uncalled for or self-serving accusations instead of being speculative or judgmental on the matter,” he said.

Macalintal and Rondain said if there were any vagueness in the SALNs, the Office of the Ombudsman should have already pointed out the matter to the First Couple.

Rondain also criticized the article’s use of the term “token compliance” to describe the First Couple’s handling of the requirements of the law.

“Under the law, there’s no such thing as token compliance. Either you comply with the law, with the requirements or you don’t comply. Either you’re alive or dead,” Rondain said.

On the issue of the alleged non-disclosure of the First Couple’s business in the stock market, he said the data is open and available in the records of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

“My feeling is that if the PCIJ has any evidence, it would be better if they bring it out. Because the report is just full of insinuations,” Rondain said.

“It’s a clear indication that democracy is in action in the Philippines and nobody is prevented from making this report but of course the President expects the report to have evidence and not based on speculations,” Macalintal said.

A lot of explaining to do

Senators said the president has a lot of explaining to do regarding the allegations in the PCIJ report.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said every public official should account for the wealth he has acquired as stated in the Constitution and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Sen. Manuel Roxas II said the Office of the Ombudsman should be the one to look into accountability of a public officials but it was unfortunate that the anti-graft body was sitting on many scandals involving the Arroyo government.

“Of course it will raise eyebrows and the people will wait for an explanation on how it happened because she has no other businesses that can be the source of (her additional wealth),” Roxas said.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said it would be wise to check the income taxes filed by Mrs. Arroyo.

Enrile said the figures must be justified. “I’m a lawyer, I know how to handle that,” he said.

Roxas said if the President and her financial advisers would say she earned from her shares of stocks, it would be good to check the rates at the time she said she made money out of them.

Sen. Francis Escudero said he had not seen the SALNs of the President but that her salary was considerably low.

Moreover, he said, there is always conflict of interest when a president ventures into a business.

“There is also a worldwide crisis not only in the Philippines, so you wonder why her wealth grew much bigger considering ordinary interest rates, ordinary return on investments on any business that one gets into,” Escudero said.

“I hope she will put that in her SALNs, the explanations of where her wealth came from and that she must be transparent along with the public officials,” Escudero said.

Escudero said it’s doubtful that the wealth had been acquired legally by the President and that her lawyers’ defense should be examined in detail.

Confirmation

The United Opposition (UNO) said it is seriously concerned over reports of “exponential growth” in the wealth of President Arroyo and her family during her term, which exceeded the growth in the wealth of all the three presidents before her, spokesman Ernesto Maceda said yesterday.

“The PCIJ report confirms what people have long known. Arroyo has flouted the rules on accountability and transparency in government and has made a bad example for the million and a half other civil servants running the government,” Maceda said.

“Now we know why she has made token compliance to the requirement of regularly stating a public official’s assets. It’s because she has much to hide. In her eight years in office, Arroyo’s declared net worth more than doubled, from P66.8 million in 2001 to P143.54 million in 2008. The increase of P76.74 million represents a growth rate of 114 percent.” Maceda said quoting the PCIJ report.

Maceda said the PCIJ report showed that the late President Corazon C. Aquino’s declared net worth grew by only 4.8 percent from 1989 to 1992.

He said, by comparison, Fidel V. Ramos’ rose by 34.2 percent from 1992 to 1998, and Joseph ‘Erap’ Ejercito Estrada’s, by 7.2 percent from 1998 to 1999.

If various allowances are thrown in, Mrs. Arroyo’s monthly pay would total P100,000 at most or P1.2 million a year before tax. Yet even then, this represents only 10 percent of the P10.97-million average annual increase in Mrs. Arroyo’s net worth since 2001.

The president’s SALNs, however, offer few clues to explain the big difference, or whether she has other lawful sources of income.

PCIJ said that since 2001, the president has apparently taken the path of “token compliance” instead of going for full disclosure in form and substance of her assets and liabilities, in accordance with the Constitution. As a result, her SALNs in the last eight years have been remarkably full of gaps in data.

Allies come to GMA’s defense

Mrs. Arroyo’s allies at the House of Representatives defended her from insinuations that she had enriched herself during her eight years in office.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III saw nothing wrong in Mrs. Arroyo’s net worth since her wealth came from legitimate sources.

“Baka nga interes lang ng pera iyan sa bangko o kaya sa stocks, shares and other investments,” he said.

“Critics are trying to throw everything because they have no more legitimate issues to raise. It is very clear that politics is behind everything.”

Camiguin Rep. Pedro Romualdo said the report on Mrs. Arroyo’s wealth is incomplete.

“It should have included details about the increase on President Arroyo’s net worth,” he said.

Romualdo said being an economist, Mrs. Arroyo had made some good significant investments that earned dividends.

“It seems that the battle among newspapers to boost its circulations is to report negative stories,” he said.

“How about good news? What happened to the positive gains of this administration? Do these good stories and positive achievements of the administration have been given enough space and prominence?” — with Aurea Calica , Jose Rodel Clapano, Delon Porcalla, Jess Diaz

Philippines' Arroyo to defend legacy amid protests

MANILA, Philippines – President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was expected to defend her spotty achievements during her final state of the nation address Monday against a backdrop of widespread protests that have dogged her turbulent 8 1/2-year rule in the Philippines.

The 62-year-old U.S.-trained economist, who has survived four coup attempts and four impeachment bids since 2001, has been accused by opposition politicians of maneuvering to extend her term, which ends next year.

Her aides deny the claim, saying her speech in Congress will focus on efforts to protect the country's economy from the global financial meltdown through a 10-point program promising a balanced budget, education for all, automated elections, improved infrastructure and peace with Muslim and communist rebels.

Such achievements have eluded the Philippines since Arroyo took power in 2001 in a second "people power" revolt that ousted President Joseph Estrada on corruption charges. She won her own six-year term in 2004, but it was put in doubt when allegations surfaced that she conspired to rig the vote.

Arroyo has denied any wrongdoing, but her ratings plummeted, street protests surged, restive military officers plotted to overthrow her, opposition lawmakers repeatedly initiated impeachment proceedings against her and a dozen Cabinet members resigned in protest.

But she weathered the crises, shielded from impeachment by a loyal majority in the House of Representatives and from coup attempts by faithful generals.

Prominent left-wing group Bayan said it expected up to 15,000 protesters near Congress, where police set up container vans and barbed wire to keep them at bay.

Left-wing Rep. Satur Ocampo said he and several other lawmakers will boycott Arroyo's speech and instead join protests to call for her to step down when her terms ends in June.

Ocampo said he expected Arroyo to paint a "rosy picture" of her tumultuous years in power despite the crushing poverty and high unemployment that plague the country.

About a third of the population of 90 million live on less than $2 a day, and about 3,000 Filipinos leave every day seeking jobs abroad, joining about 10 million overseas workers whose remittances keep the economy afloat.

Presidential spokesman Cerge Remonde said Arroyo will focus on her economic accomplishments, including her success in providing education to the poor and exceeding a promise to provide a million jobs a year since 2001.

He described a string of corruption allegations against Arroyo as "a lie repeated a hundred times."

School days get a beating

he Department of Education (DepEd) urged public schools Friday to cancel their annual semestral break and conduct Saturday classes to make up for lost time after monsoon rains and the Influenza A(H1N1) virus have forced numerous class suspensions.

Frirday, the DepEd again suspended classes in public and private schools in preschool, elementary and high school levels in the National Capital Region (NCR) due to heavy rains caused by tropical storm "Isang." Although no storm signal was announced in the area, heavy rains flooded parts of Metro Manila.

It is the second time this week that the DepEd suspended classes and the fifth time this school year in the NCR.

"As a make-up, 'yung mga schools lang na kailangang mag habol. I think that's more than one week (semestral break), at kung mag Saturday baka makuha na," Lapus said in an earlier interview.

The make-up classes will ensure that the schools complete the required 204 school days this school year, he said.

Weather-related class suspensions are determined based on the guidelines set by the DepEd based on the Typhoon Signals System of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration's (PAGASA).

In Storm Signal No. 1 classes are automatically suspended in the pre-school level in all public and private schools. In Storm Signal No. 2 classes are automatically suspended in pre-school, elementary and secondary levels in all public and private schools.

In the absence of storm signal warnings from PAGASA, localized suspension of classes in both public and private schools in all levels can be decided by the local authorities, such as the local government and also DepEd regional directors.

Philippines warns Mayon volcano may erupt soon

MANILA (AFP) - – Philippines authorities warned that Mayon, one of the country's most active volcanoes, is showing signs of life and could erupt again soon.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it is raising the 2,460-metre (8,070-foot) mountain's alert status to "moderate unrest" from that of "low-level unrest."

Nearby residents were reminded not to venture into a "permanent danger zone" in a six-kilometre (nearly four mile) radius from the crater.

The zone was also extended to seven kilometres on its southeast flank, which faces Legazpi, a city of 160,000 people.

"This alert condition signifies a state of unrest which could lead to ash explosions or eventually to hazardous magmatic eruption," the institute said in its latest advisory.

The increased frequency of low-level volcanic quakes had pushed toward the crater lip "a cone-shaped pile of hot, steaming old rocks, possibly remnants from previous eruptions which could be the source of the glow at the crater," it added.

Seismologist Renato Solidum, the head of the government institute, said the immediate danger if volcanic activity escalates was of ash explosions that could affect aviation at Legazpi airport or crush roofs of nearby houses.

"Sudden explosions and rockfalls from the upper slopes" are also a threat, the advisory said.

Mayon has erupted 48 times since records began, most recently in 2006. A major eruption in 1814 buried the town of Cagsawa.

SC throws away petitions vs con-ass

MANILA, Philippines -- The Supreme Court has junked two petitions seeking to stop a House resolution calling for a constituent assembly (con-ass) to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

In the en banc resolution penned by Chief Justice Reynator Puno, the high court refused to exercise its jurisdiction over the two consolidated petitions -- filed by lawyers Oliver Lozano and Evangeline Lozano-Endriano, and Louis Biraogo -- calling for the nullification of House Resolution 1109.

"The fitness of petitioners' case for the exercise of judicial review is grossly lacking," the resolution said.

It added that the court's power of review "is limited to actual cases and controversies dealing with parties having adversely legal claims, to be exercised after full opportunity of argument by the parties."

The SC said the petitions were found to be premature or "unripe" for review because they failed to show proof of "adverse injury or hardship from the act complained of."

It also noted that "no actual convention has yet transpired and no rules of procedure have yet been adopted...no proposal has yet been made, and hence, no usurpation of power or gross abuse of discretion has yet taken place...the House has not yet performed a positive act that would warrant an intervention from this Court."

Ten justices concurred with Puno, one abstained and the other was on official leave