Rappler Newscast | October 29, 2012

Today on Rappler. 

• The United States East Coast braces for Hurricane Sandy.
• Former president Arroyo refuses to enter a plea on her plunder charges.
• Credit agency Moody’s upgrades the Philippines’ rating.

Story 1: U.S. BRACES FOR HURRICANE SANDY
The U.S. east coast braces for heavy wind and rain brought by Hurricane Sandy — a weather system so large, U.S. media calls it the ‘frankenstorm’.
U.S. cities along the east coast conduct mandatory evacuations in anticipation of life-threatening storm surges and hurricane-force winds.
Residents are advised to move to higher ground and prepare for power failures.
Many flights are cancelled and businesses shut down.
U.S. President Obama and rival presidential candidate Mitt Romney also cancel several campaign events to focus on relief efforts.
Hurricane Sandy is expected to hit major urban centers like New York City and New Jersey.
The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. has activated a 24-hour help desk for Filipinos and Filipino-Americans affected by the hurricane.

Story 2: NO PLEA FROM ARROYO PENDING SC VERDICT
Almost a month since former president Gloria Arroyo was served an arrest warrant, the Pampanga congresswoman shows up at the Sandiganbayan for her arraignment.
Natashya Gutierrez reports.

In a wheelchair and with a neck brace, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo finally appears at her arraignment.
The Pampanga representative is facing plunder charges before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan, accused of misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds.
Arroyo who is under hospital arrest, is accompanied by her family, lawyers and nurses, as she arrives 7:30 in the morning to face the court.
Her arraignment was originally set for October 15 but was moved after Arroyo was rushed to the intensive care unit a few days before.
She refuses to enter a plea as she waits for a verdict by the Supreme Court on her petition to annul the plunder trial against her.
By default, the court enters a ‘not guilty’ plea on her behalf.
Arroyo’s lawyer Raul Lambino says entering a plea means Arroyo recognizes the court.

RAUL LAMBINO, DEFENSE LAWYER: If she’s going to enter a plea of not guilty, then in effect, that would be tantamount to we can say, a recognition of the jurisdiction of the court and the jurisdiction of the findings of the Ombudsman and the action of the Ombudsman.

Arroyo refuses to speak to media and leaves Sandiganbayan by 8:50 to return to Veteran’s Memorial Medical Center.
Prosecutor Diosdado Calonge says he understands Arroyo’s decision.

DIOSDADO CALONGE, LEAD PROSECUTOR: I don’t think there is still a remedy because Supreme Court is the final arbiter and then we go to the trial on the merits if there is no TRO issued by the court.

A few hours after Arroyo’s arraignment, the Supreme Court issues a temporary restraining order for Arroyo’s co-accused, Commission on Audit’s Nilda Plaras.
The TRO stops the arrest of Plaras.
While the TRO does not cover Arroyo, her counsel Anacleto Diaz says it is a good sign.
For Diaz, it indicates a need to re-examine the issue of probable cause.
In recent interviews, President Aquino reiterates the need to bring big fish to justice.
But for now, the waiting game for this big fish continues.
Natashya Gutierrez, Rappler, Manila.

Story 3: MILF, MNLF FORM COMMITTEE ON ‘UNITY, ADVOCACY’
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front form a unity committee to resolve differences.
On Sunday, more than 20 senior Moro leaders attend the third round of an informal dialogue in Davao.
The MILF says the committee would push for a common agenda for the Bangsamoro people.
The MNLF, which signed a peace agreement with the Ramos government, claims the Framework of Agreement signed by the Aquino government and the MILF dilutes the peace process under the Ramos administration.
But MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim says the agreement is an all-inclusive deal.

Story 4: MOODY’S UPGRADES PH RATINGS
The Philippine economy gets a vote of confidence as Moody’s Investors Service upgrades the country’s foreign and local bond ratings from BA2 to BA1.
An improvement in credit rating translates to lower borrowing costs for the Philippines, which taps global debt markets for funds used to plug budget gaps.
Among the reasons cited for the upgrade are the country’s continued fiscal revenue buoyancy in spite of deteriorating global demand; enhanced prospects for growth over the medium-term; and a stable financial system that poses limited contingent risks for the government.
Moody’s joins fellow debt rating agencies — Standard and Poors and Fitch — in rating the Philippines at just one level below investment grade.   

Story 5: FEWER CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES IN 2013
The Comelec says there are fewer candidates for Congress in the 2013 elections despite a slight increase in the number of congressional districts.
A total of 653 certificates of candidacy for the lower house were filed in October.
This is lower than the 796 candidates who joined the race in 2010.
Of the current 232 districts, 21 have lone candidates.
This includes re-electionists congressmen Manny Pacquiao and Rodolfo Farinas.
Unopposed candidates only need a single vote to win.
Visit our website for the full list of congressional candidates.

Story 6: SHOWDOWN SET ON BID TO GIVE UN CONTROL OF INTERNET
A United Nations agency meeting in December proposing to rewrite global telecom rules and give the UN control over the Internet is expected to cause intense fighting.
Russia, China and other countries back a move to place the Internet under the authority of the International Telecommunications Union.
But US officials say this would threaten the openness of the Internet and could give a green light for some countries to crack down on dissidents.
Observers say a number of authoritarian states will back the move, major nations will oppose it, and the vote of developing countries could make a difference in the meeting.

Story 7: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 5, after about a decade of being kept at the Government Service Insurance System or GSIS office, the “Parisian Life” of painter and revolutionary Juan Luna is now at the National Museum.
President Benigno Aquino III witnesses the formal opening of a gallery wing at the National Museum, which now displays Luna’s famous painting.
GSIS purchased the Luna painting in 2002 during a Christie’s auction in Hong Kong P46 million.
In February, the GSIS and the National Museum agreed to the transfer and management of the GSIS art collection by the Museum.

At number 8, The Dragon space capsule, sent by the California-based company SpaceX returns to earth Monday.
It marks the end of the first commercially contracted resupply mission to the International Space Station or ISS.
According to the BBC, it took off October 7 with 400 kg of food, clothing, experiments and spares for 6 astronauts, and docked 3 days later.
On its return trip, the Dragon spacecraft carried broken machinery and medical samples gathered by the astronauts aboard the ISS.
The next mission of SpaceX is expected in January.

And at number 9, a Greek journalist was arrested after he published a list of 2,000 Greeks with accounts in HSBC-Switzerland.
Kostas Vaxevanis is being charged with breach of privacy, but he says he is only doing his job.
“I did nothing more than what a journalist is obliged to do.”
The list of names includes prominent Greeks.
It was leaked by an HSBC employee and then handed over by French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde to her Greek counterpart two years ago.
Greek police say there is no evidence the persons on the list violated laws on tax evasion or money laundering.

– Rappler.com