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- Current issue May 29,2008
Headline News
4 LBC heirs under hold-departure order
MANILA - The Department of Justice has placed the four children of LBC Group patriarch Carlos Araneta under hold-departure orders after their continued failure to appear in a Makati City Regional Trial Court hearing a case against their father.
Published reports in Manila stated that Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez signed the hold-departure orders for LBC Group chief executive Santiago Araneta and his children Fernando, Juan Carlos, and Monica. The HDO could still be appealed, however, and revoked.
It was not immediately known if the Aranetas had filed the appeal.
The HDO was triggered by a Delaware Supreme Court ruling that their father had “denuded” ATR-Kim Eng, a joint venture in the United States, and transferred over $35 million of the company's assets to members of the Araneta family.
Gonzalez actually signed the HDOs on April 30 on the appeal of the ATR-Kim Eng Group, the LBC Group's joint-venture partner that is trying to seek enforcement of the Delaware ruling.
The US court had awarded $25 million in restitution to ATR-Kim Eng, which is led by Ramon Arnaiz, Carlos' childhood friend and schoolmate in La Salle in Manila.
The group is also trying to recover the US assets of Araneta which include his 51-percent shareholding in Mission National Bank of California and his Hillsborough home in San Francisco.
ATR Kim Eng has filed another suit in Makati, so it could go after the Aranetas' crown jewels LBC Express, LBC Bank, and three houses in Forbes and Dasmariñas villages.
A US legal team is arriving in Manila by end of July for a second round of depositions.
The depositions, according to sources, are in preparation for another round of US court hearings, this time now possibly involving also the children, to satisfy the $25 million that the Delaware Supreme Court had awarded in restitution to Araneta's Manila-based partner, ATR Kim Eng.
US court records showed that Carlos had declared bankruptcy in the United States. He had also transferred a multi-million Hillsborough home, among other things, to his Manila-based daughter Monica for $100.
Monica and her three brothers, all Spanish citizens, have failed since December to attend the hearings before Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Encarnacion Jaja-Moya. The hearings are aimed at enforcing the US court's decision, according to Renato Leveriza, executive vice president of ATR-Kim Eng.
“Clearly, their refusal to appear before the court already manifests an intent to avoid giving testimony and to escape liability,” Leveriza said.
The Aranetas were not immediately available for comment, but they have consistently maintained a no-comment policy to the press on the case, according to reports published in Manila.
27 suspects in extra judicial killings fall
CAMP CRAME — Sustained efforts by a Philippine National Police task force investigating unexplained killings of political activists and journalists has so far led to the arrest of 27 suspects out of 141 verified incidents, according to this PNP probe panel.
Task Force Usig reported that of these 141 verified incidents of political and mediamen slayings, 29 were found to have been perpetrated by cadres of the Communist Party of the Philippines New People's Army (CPP-NPA), 15 involved military and paramilitary men, and three were police personnel.
This task force report to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) showed that as of the end-April, a warrant of arrest has already been issued by the trial court in Western Samar against the alleged killers of Norberto Cabigayan, who was identified as a CPP-NPA supporter and revolutionary tax collector.
A warrant of arrest has been issued by Presiding Judge Yolanda Dagandan last March 28 against Romeo Paday for the killing of Cabigayan.
In the case of Norman Bocar, a lawyer and Bayan Muna regional coordinator for Eastern Samar, a case for murder was already filed before the Regional Trial Court in Borongan City against suspects Elejandro Aragon Jr. and one still unidentified person for his killing.
DILG Assistant Secretary for the Interior Danilo Valero said that the Task Force Usig report bared that a total of 28 incidents of killings of political activists involved members of the CPP/NPA while 13 involved military and paramilitary elements as suspects — five of these cases involved civilians with alleged links to the military and one is still under investigation.
Of the 23 cases filed involving media-related killings, one was perpetrated by the CPP/NPA and two involved two military elements (one arrested and one surrendered) with two civilians (one arrested and one surrendered) as suspects.
Arroyo stops college tuition hikes
PASIG CITY (PilipinasNews) — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to stop all state colleges, universities, and private higher education institutions (HEIs) from increasing tuition for the current school year.
Arroyo made the order in light of the rising prices of oil, food and other commodities.
During the Department of Education (DepEd) command conference in Pasig City, she also directed CHED to do an extensive review of the previous tuition and other school fee increases to determine if they all comply with the existing guidelines and rules on such adjustments.
She said CHED should ensure that previous fee increases were really used for salaries and benefits of the faculty and non-academic personnel and in modernizing the school equipment and facility.
The President stressed that the rising prices of oil and food is already forcing families to cut back on their spending, with some even doing away with certain necessities.
According to her, a tuition increase would only be an additional burden.
“The last thing that our parents need at this point to keep their children striving for college diplomas is another round of adjustment in tuition and other school expenses,” she said.
“I am directing the higher education commission to communicate my appeal to private higher education institutions to reconsider and freeze plans to increase tuition and other fees this school year,” she added.
Arroyo said the government understands the side of the private institutions, particularly the need to reap the fruits of their “legitimate” and “lofty” investments, but they must also “balance this interests with that of the rest of our people who regard college education the lasting legacy to future generations”.
“At an average of P450 per unit, parents are spending about P10,000 for their children with 21-unit loads in college, an expense that eats up a sizeable amount of the hard-earned income of ordinary Filipinos. Hence, any adjustment in school fees is an added burden most of them can ill afford during these belt-tightening times,” Arroyo said.
She added that in order for the country to produce more highly skilled graduates who would help the Philippines achieve first-world status in a decade's time, the students must remain in school.
President Arroyo also advised the government to reverse the dropout rate and set off an environment conducive for learning.
She said freezing the tuition increases is in keeping with the state's constitutional mandate to protect and promote citizens' right to quality education.
MCCAIN, PELOSI, OTHERS BACK FILIPINO VETERANS
Push passage of S. 1315
WASHINGTON D.C. (Phil-AmPress/PinoyNews) - Republican Presidential candidate John McCain, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and other US Senate and House leaders are behind S.1315 which supports the Filipino war veterans.
The US Senate has passed S.1315. The House was not able to act on S.1315 this week, but we expect S.1315 to be the priority for House action immediately after the week-long Memorial Day recess.
Congress will resume work on June 3.
The National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NaFFAA) said that US repesentatives will be in their home states. “Use this week to contact your US Reps in their district offices and in community meetings where they may be present,” it said in a statement.
“We must get all the votes we can for us to win,” NaFFAA stressed.
“ All FilAms must call your US representatives now to vote yes for S. 1315 and to make sure that the benefits for Filipino World War II veterans are in it,”the group said.
S.1315 has US House leadership, and Asia-Pacific community-wide support, but we need to demonstrate that support, “so ask and confirm that they will vote yes,” NaFFAA said.
S.1315 was passed by the US Senate last month, benefits all veterans, including benefits for our Filipino WWII veterans. While it secures this long awaited restoration of justice for Filipinos, that is only a small part of a comprehensive veterans' benefits bill. The Filipino AMERICAN community serves in the US military in large numbers, and we stand with all veterans. S.1315 will NOT reduce benefits for other veterans.
5 Filipino-Americans eye slot in Dem Central Committee
DALY CITY, California- A group of Filipino Americans are reminding all United States citizens of their civic duty to register and vote on Tuesday, June 3.
The Filipino American Democratic Club, composed of concerned FilAms, want to help members of their community to participate in the political process of this country.
They recognize that FilAms have their own issues to address and resolve and the only way to do that is to have their voices to be heard through the ballot.
The FADC is encouraging voters to consider their following Kababayan who are candidates for the Democratic Central Committee of San Mateo County: Ray Buenaventura, Esq, Mike Guingona (Daly City Council), Robert Uy-Esq, and Ora Seyler of the 5th District and Buenaflor Nicolas of the 1st District.
For more information, call R. Buenaventura at 650/756-2000.
DOST warns stronger cyclones may hit RP
CEBU CITY – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 7 warned people of stronger tropical cyclones to hit the country.
Data gathered by the DOST and the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pag-asa) showed that the country has experienced fewer cold days and increasing hot days.
”The Philippines is also projected to experience stronger tropical cyclones, given the country's vulnerability to the climate change affecting the Northwestern Pacific, the most active tropical basin in the world,” DOT 7 officials said.
A tropical cyclone is characterized by a low pressure center over a warm ocean that usually produces thunderstorms, strong winds and flood.
The DOST assured that the agency is working to collect more data, enhance local capabilities and share resources with other agencies to mitigate the impact of climate change on the country.
In a resolution passed earlier this month, the Cebu Provincial Board warned local government units (LGUs) against bad weather condition and urged officials to set up contingency measures in cases of calamity.
The PB quoted Pag-asa's forecast that Cebu and the rest of the country can expect a wet summer because of the La Nina phenomenon.
Citing a study on weather disturbance tha his the country from 1948 to 2005, the DOST revealed that of the 1,128 tropical cyclones in the Philippines, 56 percent were typhoons.
The agency is also studying improvements in farming methods to aid the agriculture industry in responding to changes in the climate. It also started the mapping and assessment of areas that are prone to weather changes, although the DOST has yet to identify such areas.
Pag-asa is proposing to buy Doppler radars, and equipment that is capable of determining the quantity of rainfall in a particular area.
Pag-asa hopes to install 10 Doppler radars in different areas in the country by 2010.
”Although global warming evidence has been succinctly presented, it is important that trend assessment of local climate change is done,” DOT Secretary Estrella Alabastro said.
Pag-asa also expects surging temperatures, especially this month, which they said would explain the unpredictable weather this summer.
Korina Sanchez, 15 others duped; NBI files P500-M syndicated estafa charges vs petroleum product distributor
MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) syndicated estafa charges amounting to P500-million against the incorporators and associates of a petroleum products distributor who allegedly victimized newscaster Korina Sanchez and 15 other persons through its fraudulent investment scheme.
DOJ Prosecution Attorney II Rohairah A. Lao-Tamano said a total of 24 persons connected to Power Generation and Trading Corporation (Powergen) and its affiliate companies would be subpoenaed by the Task on Business Scam to answer the complaint for violation of Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended in relation to Presidential Decree 1689 or syndicated estafa filed against them.
Tamano identified the respondents as Dr. Rudy Enrique Olalia, president of Powergen; Dr. Lourdes Tiu-Olalia, chief executive; Marie Francesca Yuvienco, Katherine Rica Bautista, Rene Anastacio Olalia, all incoporators; Almer Cabigting, Michael Mojica, Pamela Joy Bagtas, Glenn Soriano, Janet Alfaro, Alfredo Ramos, Yolanda Garcia, Vayda Montes, Dr. Gaspar Montes, Allen David, and Angelo David, officers of Powergen, Bernard De Venecia, Andrew De Venecia, Analyn De Venecia, Antonio Escamilla, Felipe Parena, Ariel Canuto, Raulito Manglapus, and Jose Vivencio Reyes, of Germantech Asia Pacific, Inc.
He added that the preliminary investigations will be on June 10 and 12.
Tamano said that Sanchez and 15 other victims surfaced and filed a complaint before the NBI.
Investigations showed that Powergen was registered to engage in the business of trading goods, such as lubricants, fuels and other processed oils on wholesale/retail basis.
The company claimed that among the products it was selling were Chevron and Unioil products. However, upon verification of the NBI with the oil firms, it discovered that Powergen is not an authorized distributor of the above-mentioned firms.
Complainants claimed that spouses Gaspar and Vayda Montes encouraged them to invest in Powergen on the promise that a guaranteed net of tax profit ranging from six percent to eight percent monthly or almost 76 percent to 96 percent per year interest with the option to pull out the investment.
The Montes couple represented themselves as business partners of Dr. Olalia under the company name Powergen to make the investment scheme legal and to assure the investors that there is a bond to protect the principal investment
The Montes couple and Dr. Olalia, would get money from investors by informing them that there were bulk orders for oils and fuel thru text messages or phone calls.
Subsequently, they would direct the investors to either make deposits to their account, issue checks in their favor or they would get the actual cash investment.
The NBI said the business became profitable for the respondents as they were able to trick well-off persons into investing into their scheme which then earned billions of persons.
Lozada fails to convince CA threats against him
MANILA — Self-proclaimed ZTE broadband deal witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. failed to convince the Court of Appeals (CA) that his life is under threat.
Associate Justice Regalado Maambong told Lozada to present evidence that his phones have been bugged and is under surveillance.
He said the court is “unconvinced” of Lozada's allegations until sufficient proof and evidence are presented otherwise.
Lozada, former executive officer of the Philippine Forest Corporation (PFC), alleged that he has been under surveillance by the government, causing undue pressure on him and his family.
Government lawyers earlier said that Lozada's threat allegations are all “speculations”.
Assistant Solicitor General Amparo Cabotaje-Tan said Lozada's claims that government agents have tapped his phones and are behind the series of death threats against him are all speculations and without proof.
Tan's observation was noted by CA Associate Justice Celia Librea-Leagogo who expressed surprise on why Lozada failed to file appropriate charges against former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Benjamin Abalos whom Lozada repeatedly identified as the one who threatened him with physical harm.
Leagogo also pointed out that the threats could have been made by private individuals who opposed his expose'.
“You can't really pinpoint from whom these threats are coming from, yet you have this conclusion that these government people are the ones sending you threats. You don't know if there are some private individuals who do not agree of your advocacy,” she said.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez earlier ordered Lozada to be placed in the watch list of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) after the controversial witness threatened to leave for abroad if the CA would junk his petition to be placed under the witness protection program.
Police Director General Avelino “Sonny” Razon and Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza filed counter-charges against Lozada after Lozada alleged that he was kidnapped by the police upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from Hong Kong last February.
When Filipinos hated Fernando Po
LUCENA CITY — More than a hundred years ago, Filipinos hated Fernando Po to the core. The mere mention of Fernando Po strikes fear in the hearts of Filipinos who loved justice, freedom and independence.
Fernando Po was a small, little island in Equatorial Guinea in Africa is where many Filipinos found guilty of rebellion were exiled by the Spanish colonial government.
On November 2, 1896, two months before Dr. Jose P. Rizal, was executed at the Luneta by Spanish soldiers and guardia civiles, two Bicolano freedom fighters, Ramon Abella and Mariano Arana, together with eight other Filipino compatriots from Manila, were sent to the island by the Spanish Council of War.
Ramon Abella was the son of Manuel Abella, a native of Nueva Caceres (now Naga City). The older Abella was 60 when he faced the firing squad in Bagumbayan. Mariano Arana was a government surveyor.
Abella and Arana died as exiles in Fernando Po island.
They were among 15 Bicolanos who were executed by the Spaniards for crime of rebellion. An imposing monument on islands in downtown Naga City in their memory.
Among the 15 Bicolanos is Leon Hernandez, a well to do resident of Libmanan, Camarines Sur, who was tortured to death for participate in the revolutionary movement.
Leon was the father of Jaime Hernandez, the secretary of finance who served five presidents from Manuel Luis Quezon to Carlos P.Garcia.
The 15 Bicol Martyrs included three Catholic series — Rev. Fr. Inocencio Herrera, Rev. Gabriel Prieto and Rev. Severino Diaz, the first Filipino parish church of Nueva Caceres.