Filipino-American Kevin Bryan Hills Denies Charges

Filipino-American Kevin Bryan Hills has vehemently denied owning P50-million worth of shabu which were allegedly seized from him by the operatives of the Philippine National Police-Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (PNP-AIDSOTF) in Makati City on Nov. 20, 2012.

In his counter-affidavit, Hills said that the PNP-AIDSOTF mistook him as their target because their real target was a certain "Phil".

Hills said that no "test buy" was conducted between him and the PNP-AIDSOTF on Nov. 7, 2012 at 9 p.m.

According to Hills' counsel Atty. Raymond Palad, on Nov. 7, 2012 between 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Hills was in a restaurant in Baclaran, Paranaque City, together with his relatives.

Hills further argued that the Mitsubishi Pajero was registered with the National Power Corp. (Napocor) and that he did not know how it was parked at the 5th Floor parking lot of the Column Tower 2 in Makati City.

The said Pajero was lent by the Napocor to Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo in 2008, which was used by one of his staff with the name of Atty. Antonio Mariano Almeda.

Likewise, Prosecution Atty. Ana Doreen Devanadera, the one handling the case, conducted an occular inspection Monday on the Pajero, which was brought by the PNP-AIDSOTF to the DOJ.

During the preliminary investigation at the DOJ Monday, Palad said that his client had never used the Mitsubishi Pajero where the suspected shabu was confiscated.

The next hearing will be on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 wherein the PNP-AIDSOTF will submit their reply-affidavit.

Judge Benjamin Pozon Candidate for CTA Position

The judge who convicted an American soldier in the Subic rape case is included in the shortlist of nominees for the post of Associate Justice of the Court of Tax Appeals.

Makati City Regional Trial Court Judge Benjamin Pozon earned seven votes while candidates Lovell Bautista and Roman Del Rosario got eight votes each.

The vacancy at the CTA is due to the compulsory retirement of CTA Presiding Justice Ernesto Acosta, who will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 on Dec. 21, 2012.

On Dec. 4, 2006, Pozon convicted Lance Corporal Daniel Smith for raping a Filipina.

In his ruling, Pozon said the victim was "severely intoxicated that night and was deprived of reason to consent to sex and incapable of sensing or fighting off danger."

The JBC also intended to fill up the vacancy at the Court of Appeals.

The CA narrowed down its short list of nominees, including Edward Contreras with seven votes, Ruben Reynaldo Roxas and Joselito Vibandor with six votes each while Makati City RTC Judge Sela Alaras, Jonel Sebastian Mercado and Edgar Santos garnered five votes each.

The JBC has submitted the names to President Benigno S. Aquino III who has 90 days within which to make the necessary appointment.

Philippine Government 2013 National Budget

By Jelly Musico

The Senate Monday approved at the plenary the proposed P1.312-billion budget of the Presidential Communication Operations Office for 2013 even as Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada urged the government to address concerns of over 200 retrenched employees of RPN Channel 9.

The PCOO's budget is 25 percent higher as compared to the current P1.047-billion appropriation with the Bureau of Broadcast Services to get biggest share amounting to P336.6 million followed by Philippine Information Agency (PIA) with P274.3 million budget.

The Presidential Broadcast Staff will get the third highest budget amounting to P202.2 million followed by PCOO proper with P172.1 million, National Printing Office with P165.79 million, News and Information Bureau which has PNA as one attached office with P115 million and Bureau of Communication Services with P45.9 million.

Assisted by PCOO Secretary Herminio Coloma, Senate committee on finance chairman Sen. Franklin Drilon said the government's three channels including PTV-4 have not been getting subsidy from the government.

"They have not been getting (a) single cent of subsidy from the government. They depend on their (respective) revenues," Drilon answered Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

Drilon said Senators Loren Legarda and Gregorio Honasan have filed bills allotting P5 billion 'makeover' of the PTV 4.

He said the IBC Channel 13 relies heavily on the revenues from block timer AKTV of Manny V. Pangilinan while RPN Channel 9 is 34 percent owned by Solar, 32 percent by Benedicto Group, 20 percent by government and 16 percent by stockholders.

"Channel 13 is expected to generate about P50 million this year. PTV 4 is not earning money while Channel 9 is incurring losses," Drilon revealed.

Drilon said that based on the 2011 financial statement, RPN 9 suffered financial losses of more than P120 million "and therefore, incurring a capital deficiency of more than P2 billion."

With this, Estrada urged the government to address the concerns of 213 retrenched employees and workers of RPN 9 who held rally outside the Senate compound in Pasay City.

"I'm really concerned about the plight of the retrenched workers of RPN 9. I hope the governent can do something with regards to the balance of what they should have accepted that was put in the CBA. That's all Mr. President. I do not have any objection with regard to the budget of PCOO," Estrada said.

Drilon admitted that the separation benefits of the retrenched RPN 9 employees remain not fully paid due to 'financial constraint'.

Human Rights Cases in the Philippines Probed

President Benigno S. Aquino III has ordered the creation of special teams to investigate human rights abuses by state and non-state forces and ensure a focused probe and speedy resolution of all unsolved and new cases, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said Monday.

Ochoa said the special teams would form part of the inter-agency committee and will exclusively handle cases of extra-legal killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other forms of human rights violations.

"This presidential directive reinforces the Aquino administration's resolve to uphold and protect the rights of the people," Ochoa said.

"We believe that the creation of this high-level committee will be a more effective mechanism in handling and monitoring cases of human rights violations," Ochoa explained.

According to Ochoa, AO 35 takes effect immediately and replaces AO No. 211 issued in 2007 that created the Task Force Against Political Violence.

The presidential directive directs the task force to turn over all documents, data, reports, supplies, resources and its remaining budget to the IAC.

"The President envisions the administrative order to harmonize and standardize the government's policies and action plan for resolving human rights abuses. This way we can have a focused investigation and speedy resolution of all the cases," Ochoa added.

One of the first tasks of the IAC is to organize special teams and a technical working group to carry out the immediate inventory of all alleged human rights violations committed by state and non-state forces; monitor the development of cases which are pending in courts or under investigation, and conduct an investigation into unsolved and new cases, as well as prosecute the perpetrators.

Under AO 35, the secretary of the Department of Justice serves as chairperson of the IAC, which members include the head of the Presidential Human Rights Committee, the secretaries of the Departments of the Interior and Local Government and the National Defense, the presidential advisers of the Peace Process and Political Affairs, chief-of-staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National police chief and the National Bureau of Investigation director.

The chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights and the Ombudsman sit as observers and resource persons in the IAC.

The IAC is required to submit to the President every six months a progress report, a detailed inventory of pending human rights abuse cases, and accomplishment and recommendations, among others.

The President has asked all other government agencies and local government units to give their full support and cooperation to the IAC to make sure that the AO 35's objectives and the committee's mandate are achieved.

Modernization of Armed Forces of the Philippines

Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Peter Paul Galvez declined to issue any statement regarding Chinese carrier Liaoning's first ever successful flight deck operations but stressed that the country's modernization program is still on go.

"We wish to refrain from answering to avoid any misinterpretation of statements. As for us, we continue to work double time to achieve the targets in our modernization efforts," he said.

In the pipeline for the Armed Forces of the Philippines' modernization program are two "Maestrale" class missile-firing frigates, two anti-submarine helicopters, 12 South Korean fighter aircraft, to name a few.

The Chinese-made J-15 fighter successfully landed on their first ever aircraft carrier during a recent fleet exercise.

The Liaoning went into service in September in a symbolic milestone for China's growing military muscle.

The J-15 is a Chinese designed multi-purpose carrier-borne fighter jet based on Russia's Sukhoi 33, equipped with high-powered engines and capable of carrying precision-guided bombs and air-to-air missiles.

China bought the stripped-down 300-meter aircraft carrier from Ukraine nearly 10 years ago and refurbished it at the north-eastern port of Dalian.

Rizal Park Guards Shoots Park Attendant

A security guard detailed at the Rizal Park accidentally shot and wounded a park attendant inside the National Parks Development Committee office on Sunday.

NPDC spokesman Kenneth Montegrande, in a statement Monday, said that the shooting transpired as they were cleaning up Rizal Park for the coming Christmas holidays.

He identified the security guard as Roderick Lustina, an employee of Variance Security Agency.

The victim, identified as park attendant Danilo Lasala, was wounded in the right shoulder and was operated on at the Philippine General Hospital Sunday night, he said.

Montegrande said Lasala's family plans to pursue charges against Lustina for what happened.

He said Lustina was turned over to the Manila Police District Station 5.

Philippine Army Arrests Lawless Group in Agusan del Norte

Troopers from the 4th Infantry Division's 7th Special Forces Company have arrested six members of a lawless group during operations in Purok 5, San Isidro, Santiago, Agusan Del Norte Saturday morning.

Belated reports from Lt. Col. Eugenio Julio C. Osias IV, the unit's spokesperson, said that they were assisted in this endeavor by the Santiago municipal police.

Osias identified the suspects as Kevin Badajos, Dennis Badajos, Rolly Samora, William Samora, Jerry Pitao, and Remark Alburo, all of legal ages and are residents of Poblacion 1, Santiago, Agusan Del Norte.

The troops confiscated from the group two homemade shotguns with six live ammunition, one caliber .357 revolver, a .38 caliber revolver, a .45 caliber handgun, and one Mk-2 fragmentation grenade. They were suspected to be members of a criminal group operating in the eastern part of Agusan Del Norte.

Osias said that the six were immediately turned over and detained at Santiago Municipal Police Station for proper disposition.

Can a Jobless Filipino Become an SSS Member?

Coverage of Self-Employed Members of Philippine SSS

A self-employed person, regardless of trade, business or occupation, with an income of at least P1,000 a month and not over 60 years old, should register with the SSS. Included, but not limited to are the following self-employed persons.

a. self-employed professionals;

b. business partners, single proprietors and board directors;

c. actors, actresses, directors, scriptwriters and news reporters who are not under an employer-employee relationship;

d. professional athletes, coaches, trainers and jockeys;

e. farmers and fisherfolks; and

f. workers in the informal sector such as cigarette vendors, watch-your-car boys, hospitality girls, among others.

Explanation: So, even if you don't have a job but you have an income somewhere else and you can pay the monthly premium of SSS contribution, you can sign up and become a member of SSS under the category of "self-employed". What are you waiting for? Prepare for your future. Apply and get your SSS membership in the nearest SSS office in your place.

Philippines To Work With Pres Barack Obama

By Michaela Del Callar

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said the Philippines looks forward to continue working with the administration of President Obama, who was re-elected US President Tuesday night (Wednesday in Manila), in strengthening relations between Manila and Washington.

Obama has won the election for second term as president, defeating Republican contender Mitt Romney, in one of the tightest presidential races in US history.

"The Philippines warmly welcomes the successful holding of the recent elections in the United States. The Philippines and the United States share common and deep democratic values, particularly the right of the people to freely choose their leaders,"

"We look forward to continue working with the administration of President Obama in strengthening relations between our countries and in the promotion of peace and progress in our region and the world," the DFA said in a statement.

The department also lauded the high voter turnout of Filipino-Americans and the increasingly active role they play in helping decide the future of the United States.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, for his part, congratulated Obama, noting he is confident that the good ties between Manila and Washington will continue.

"I wish to congratulate President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on their re-election. I am fully confident that the warm and productive relations between the Philippines and the United states will continue, and matters of mutual interest will be pursued under the same atmosphere of trust and friendship that has characterized our relations for decades," Binay said.

US Ambassador to Manila Harry Thomas Jr. remarked in his Twitter account that Tuesday's elections in America demonstrated that "U.S. Democracy is the winner today!"

Liquified petroleum gas (LPG) anti-leak safety device

by Flor Jackson

Concerned with the proper use of the liquified petroleum gas (LPG) anti-leak safety device, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has asked every household owners who are using this safety gadget if the unit they are using for their LPG tanks are safe to use.

The question was asked by the DTI because it has been observed that LPG anti-leak safety device are flooding the market now which according to DTI, the safeness of said equipment has not been assured that it will not cause fire accidents.

In the liquified petroleum gas or LPG industry, the "anti-leak" safety device refers to the excess flow limiter or otherwise known as excess flow valves. These valves according to DTI automatically closes if there is an excess flow of gas that usually happens if holes develop in the LPG hose and tubings.

Because of this, the DTI declared that the safety device cannot safely protect the holes in other parts of the LPG such as the copper tube hose, thread leak in the connection area and accidental fire caused by stove that was left open.

DTI added that some stove users, open valves at low level because by doing so, detection of small pin holes at the LPG tubings becomes easy, however, this will also cause the eventual stoppage of the supply of gas that flows in the tube from the tank to the stove.

In order to avoid fire accidents resulting from the wrong installation of these LPG anti-leak device, DTI advised household owners who are using this kind of device to consults and seek the services of a technician who is an expert in installing this gadget and likewise certified by the Philippine LPG Association.