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Weekly Update We Tell It Like It Is Philippine WeeklyPhilippine Update WEEKLY UPDATE WE TELL IT LIKE IT IS VOLUME II, NO. 1 Jan. 17 – 23, 2011 ___ _ ____ __ _____ __PHIL. Copyright 2002 _ THE WALLACE BUSINESS FORUM, INC. accepts no liability for the accuracy of the data or for the editorial views contained in this report.__ Political "Quotes Jockeying is on for Armed Forces, police chief posts of the Week" Eight contenders will be vying to replace outgoing Armed Forces Chief of Staff Ricardo David when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56 on March 8, Defense sources. On the other hand, two police generals will reportedly be competing to get the post of Philippine National Police Chief Raul Bacalzo when he decides to step down. The eight contenders for Gen. David’s post are all members of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1977 like Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu, Armed Forces Deputy Chief of “We need fresh foreign capital to trigger Staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban, Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz, Air Force Chief Oscar Rabena, economic activity and fund infrastructure Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan, Southern Luzon Command to lure investments.” chief Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali, Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, and Western Command chief Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban. The candidates tipped to Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II on the need to amend economic provisions of replace Dir. Gen Bacalzo are Directors Benjamin Belarmino, the deputy chief for Operations, the Constitution. and Rey Lanada, head of the Directorate for Comptrollership. House pushes economic Charter change “My conversations with the President are privileged and confidential.” House leaders have vowed to convene Congress into a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution this year, saying it is a safer and more economical way to bring about reforms Former Senator Manuel Roxas II than a constitutional convention. House Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin Remulla and Majority saying he has begun advising President Leader Neptali Gonzales II said the revisions would focus only on the economic provisions. Aquino on a number of matters as “chief By contrast, a constitutional convention would open up the entire Charter, including political troubleshooter”. provisions, to change. “We really need Charter change, particularly on economic provisions. “We welcome all kinds of help we can get.” We need it done this year,” said Rep Gonzales, a member of the ruling Liberal Party. He said the House would ask to meet with the Senate to discuss issues that needed to be taken up Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. saying he didn’t feel threatened by the before calling for a constituent assembly. entry of former Senator Manuel Roxas II into the Cabinet as President Aquino’s chief Pres. Aquino rejects death penalty troubleshooter. Citing the imperfect justice system in the country, President Aquino rejected a proposal to revive the death penalty. Calls for death penalty revival followed the wave of heinous crimes “How can you turn back the clock if a man wrongly convicted is already executed?” and the abduction and murder of car dealers like the son of lawyer Oliver Lozano. Mr Aquino expressed fear that a person can be wrongly convicted, especially if that someone does not President Aquino on his rejection of a have the capability to secure competent counsel for his defense. Leading the call for death proposal to revive the death penalty. He expressed fear that a person can be penalty revival, the Volunteers against Crime and Corruption founding chairman Dante wrongly convicted, especially if that Jimenez said it is high time the capital punishment was restored because of the resurgence someone does not have the capability to of heinous crimes. The spate of murders has prompted the Senate to conduct a series of secure competent counsel for his defense. inquiries on the crime wave beginning next week. For his part, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said the recent incidents convinced him to push for the reimposition of death penalty, especially on drug traffickers and multiple murderers. Gov’t agrees to send 116 witnesses to HK The Justice Department said it had agreed to grant the Hong Kong government’s request to send witnesses to its investigation of the Aug. 23 hostage-taking in Manila, where eight of its nationals were killed following an inept police rescue attempt. The proceedings would start on DISCLAIMER Feb. 14 and run for 25 days, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said, adding Hong Kong would shoulder all the witnesses’ expenses. She said she made the decision after Hong Kong assured her that the 116 people who had been summoned to testify would not be prosecuted. The articles in this Philippine Weekly Update (PWU) have been culled from various media The Filipino witnesses could not be forced should they refuse to cooperate since their sources. We cannot, therefore, vouch for the participation would be voluntary, Sec. de Lima said. She had also insisted that the accuracy of what is reported. proceedings be covered by the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. The witnesses who have 1 The Wallace Business Forum, Inc. Jan. 17 - 23, 2011 Philippine Weekly Update been asked to testify include Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Interior rights. Negotiations were scuttled five years ago after the Undersecretary Rico Puno, former Philippine National Police chief communists accused the government of providing information Jesus Versoza, Manila Vice Mayor Francisco Moreno, and GMA 7 that led to their inclusion in the list of terrorist organizations of the News reporter Susan Enriquez. United States and the European Union. Earlier, the Aquino administration sought to remove another obstacle to the talks: De Lima reopens Mendiola case over Palace’s the communists’ insistence that 14 of their leaders be released objection as a sign of goodwill before the talks began. The Aquino Justice Secretary Leila de Lima ordered the Task Force on Extra- administration has vowed to review the cases of the detained Judicial Killings to determine whether there were grounds to re- rebels. The previous administration of President Gloria Arroyo investigate the 1987 Mendiola massacre. “They are studying that had rejected communist demands that the rebels facing criminal [reinvestigation] option,” she said when asked about the request charges be released. of farmers’ groups to re-investigate the killings that took place on Jan. 22, 1987. Still, presidential spokesman Ramon Carandang Economy said Malacañang wasn’t keen on re-investigating the case Economy likely grew by 6.5% in 4Q - NEDA because there was “no practical point” in bringing it up again. He Economic growth likely stayed steady at 6.5% in the last quarter said the case had been resolved, but the Justice Department was free to do what it thought best. Earlier, the left-leaning Kilusang of 2010, allowing for full-year growth of slightly above 7% that Magbubukid ng Pilipinas asked the Justice Department to re- tops the government’s 5-6% target, according to Socioeconomic investigate the case so that those responsible for the killing of the Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga at the sidelines of a 13 peasants who had been protesting near Malacañang could be Foreign Correspondents’ Association of the Philippines event. "If held criminally liable. The victims had been participating in a it stabilizes, then we will get 7% or slightly better than that for the multi-sectoral march to ask the late President Corazon Aquino, full year of 2010," Mr. Paderanga added. Surprisingly strong first mother of President Benigno Aquino III, to implement a genuine half growth -- 7.8% and 7.9% in the first and second quarters, respectively -- was followed by a 6.5% result for the third quarter. land reform when they were shot down. Mayor Alfredo Lim was then head of the Manila Police District. If the expansion does not ease anew during the final quarter, growth for the year would end up just above 7%. Mr. Paderanga Speaker gives way to Roxas as Liberal Party was also optimistic the 2011 growth goal of 7-8% would be met, although he stressed that the government had prepared its president budget for the year using a more modest goal. Former Senator Manuel Roxas II will be re-elected Liberal Party president as the new Liberals stopped contesting the position ..while UN forecasts below-target growth for 2011 after House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. rejected the offer to Philippine economic growth will likely slow to 4.6% this year lead the party, Leyte Rep. and Belmonte ally Sergio Apostol said. before picking up to 5.1% in 2012 as a global deceleration At the resumption of the congressional session, Speaker continues, the United Nations said. The country forecasts, Belmonte met with Rep. Apostol and the key leaders of the 81- contained in the UN’s World Economic Situation and Prospects strong new Liberals and asked them not to pursue his nomination 2011 report are lower than the government’s 7-8% target and the but instead to unite behind Mr. Roxas, Rep. Apostol said. As to 5% assumed in this year’s budget. It is also lower than World the threat of the Lakas-Kampi CMD party of the former Arroyo Bank’s 5% and 5.4% outlooks for 2011 and 2012, respectively, administration, Rep. Apostol said Speaker Belmonte had assured that were earlier announced. The UN, which expects the them that Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, the Lakas-Kampi CMD Philippines to have grown by 6.8% last year -- above the 5-6% president, would not pose a threat because the Lakas-Kampi target -- said East Asian economies should expect growth to CMD had declared its “cooperation” with the administration.
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