September 28, 2012 Edition

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno faces her “first important test” when the High Court decides on the constitutionality of the Cybercrime Prevention Act. University of the Philippines professor Theodore Te said he hopes the Sereno court comes up with a “clear, substantive ruling” on the case that is feared to create a “chilling effect” on press freedom. Thus far, 4 petitions have been filed with the Supreme Court, seeking the nullification of the Cybercrime Law. Te said during an interview on #TalkThursday that Sereno is young enough to be exposed to social media and to have a perspective about technology that could influence the court. The law’s provision on libel is ambiguous, Te said, adding that graver penalties compared to those provided in the Revised Penal Code, make the law dangerous.

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Myanmar President Thein Sein commended opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi’s “efforts for democracy” in a speech before the United Nations on Thursday, September 27. As a citizen, “I would like to congratulate her for the honors she has received in this country in recognition of her efforts for democracy,” Thein Sein, a former junta general, said. The remarks would have been unthinkable less than two years ago when Suu Kyi was being persecuted as leader of the opposition in Myanmar. She was kept under house arrest for 15 years under the junta’s rule and was freed in November 2010. She has been elected a member of parliament and has echoed calls for the lifting of US trade sanctions, which Washington heeded. Thein Sein also told the UN General Assembly he wants to “completely end” a long-running war with ethnic rebels in Kachin.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the world to draw “a clear red line” to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Speaking before the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, September 27, Netanyahu said, “It’s not a question of whether Iran will get the bomb. The question is at what stage can we stop Iran from getting the bomb?” The issue has strained relations between Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama. Iran has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but Western leaders suspect it is aimed at building a nuclear weapon. Netanyahu said, “Red lines don’t lead to war, red lines prevent war…Nothing could imperil the world more than a nuclear-armed Iran.” CNN reported that Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad his country won’t be influenced by a threat from Israel and a demand from the US to abandon nuclear plans.

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More details are available on BBCNews. 

NASA’s Curiosity rover is providing scientists more evidence that Mars once had flowing water or a network of ancient streams. After just 7 weeks on the Red Planet, the NASA robot has beamed photos of classic conglomerates or rocks made of gravel and sand, the BBC reported. The pebbles seen in the photos were likely laid down “several billion years ago” but the actual water streams, according to scientist Bill Dietrich, could have been on Mars “thousands to millions of years” ago. A large conglomerate which Curiosity rolled over was named “Hottah,” after a lake in Canada. Scientists are studying the images of pebbles, looking for clues to the speed and distance of ancient water streams.

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The Philippines pulled a convincing 5-0 win over Macau on Thursday, September 27, just one victory short of winning the Philippine Football Peace Cup. The Azkals only need to tie Chinese Taipei this Saturday, September 29, after the Taiwanese defeated Guam 2-0. Striker Denis Wolf was the man of the game, scoring 1-0 for the Azkals in the 21^st minute. He doubled the Philippine advantage heading into halftime, after a goalmouth scramble with skipper Chieffy Caligdong in the 45^th minute. Defender Carli de Murga made it 3-0 in the 49^th, followed by Wolf again in the 64^th minute. Patrick Reichelt scored the last to complete the 5-0 rout for the Philippine team.

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The Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Cebu has made an assurance that no ivory product, including tusks, has been smuggled in the region since ivory trade was banned in 1989. BOC’s top official in Cebu, district collector Ronnie Silvestre, made the assurance amid an ivory smuggling controversy involving a Cebu-based priest. Silvestre said he is saddened by the alleged involvement of Cebu-based Monsignor Cristobal Garcia in the illegal trade. He noted that based on reports, Garcia and another priest still allegedly engage in the business.

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Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has ordered the filing of criminal cases against 28 individuals, including one of the country’s richest, Roberto V. Ongpin, as well as former and current officers of state-run Development Bank of the Philippines. These cases are about the two loans granted by the state-run development bank totaling P660-M to businesses led by Ongpin in 2009. These were the same loans that the Senate committee on banks and financial institutions probed in 2011 to early 2012. The bank-led investigation on these loans in mid-2011 led to the suicide of one of the bank lawyers, Benjamin Pinpin, in August 2011.

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Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, aunt of President Benigno Aquino III and former Tarlac governor, will be running for the Senate in 2013 under the opposition coalition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). Cojuangco confirmed this on September 27 and said she consulted her nephew-in-law, the President, about seeking a seat at the Senate under the so-called “constructive opposition” that is UNA. The 2013 election is appearing to be a family affair for the Aquinos. A presidential cousin, Bam Aquino, is also running for the Senate under the administration-led coalition.

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Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s book launch was the place to be on September 27. “Juan Ponce Enrile: A Memoir” is a 754-page autobiography of one of the country’s most controversial and, to martial law victims, one of the most hated personalities. The memoir was printed by ABS-CBN Publishing, which is owned by the Lopez family, one of the families whose businesses suffered under martial law. ABS-CBN was one of the first media companies shut down by the Marcos government after the 1972 declaration of martial law; Enrile was then defense minister. ABS-CBN did not only publish the book; it also aired the book launch live on its news channel ANC and website. Last Sunday, ABS-CBN aired the documentary “Johnny,” which was based on the book.

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San Miguel Corp, the country’s largest business group, raised P80 billion from a share sale deal, the highest in Philippine corporate history. The P80-B worth of Series 2 preferred shares at the Philippine Stock Exchange overtakes overtakes Henry Sy-led Banco de Oro’s US$1-billion stock rights issuance in July. It said the listing attracted both retail and institutional investors seeking higher yields in a low-interest environment.

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