Rappler Newscast | April 26, 2013

Story 1: LANAO AMBUSH HIKES POLL DEATHS BY 20%
The ambush in Lanao del Norte on Thursday increases the number of election-related deaths by over 20%.
Data from the Philippine National Police show 62 people have died in election violence as of Friday, up from the 50 recorded as of April 22.
On Thursday, gunmen ambush the convoy of a Lanao del Norte mayor, killing 13 and wounding 10 others.
Mayor Abdulmalik Manamparan of Nunungan, Lanao del Norte survives the ambush, but sustained a shrapnel wound that grazed his head.
Officials say Manamparan’s daughter and granddaughter died in the ambush.
The ambush on a remote mountain road near Nunungan town comes 17 days before the May 13 elections.
Manamparan, of the opposition Nationalist People’s Coalition party, is running for vice-mayor of the town of Nunungan.
Thursday night’s ambush is the worst case of election-related violence in Lanao del Norte since 2010.
Police data from 2010 show only one case of election-related violence in the region, a case of ballot-switching. PNP recorded no killings then.
Commission on Elections chair Sixto Brillantes says he will coordinate with the PNP on possibly declaring Lanao del Norte an area of grave concern.

Story 2: BRILLANTES HITS CITIZENS’ ARM
Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes criticizes the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections for its statement on malfunctioning ballot-counting machines.
In a two-page letter to Brillantes released Thursday, Namfrel says problems involving PCOS machines will pose problems on election day, referring to incidents during the mock polls Comelec organized in February.
In an interview with reporters, Brillantes criticizes Namfrel’s move.

SIXTO BRILLANTES JR., COMELEC CHAIR: As a citizen’s arm of Comelec, they should not be coming out openly against the Comelec. Kaya ka nga citizens’ arm, kamay ka ng Comelec. Isusuntok mo ba ang sarili mo? (That’s why you’re a citizens’ arm. You’re the arm of the Comelec. Will you punch yourself?)

Brillantes says he responded to Namfrel’s concerns, but not yet in a “point by point” refutation of the issues.
He assures the public: “Definitely the PCOS is very, very reliable.”
Brillantes airs a warning to Namfrel saying, “We also have the same authority to cancel their accreditation if you think… you would rather act as a (critic).”

Story 3: CEBU LOCAL BETS NOW PART OF ‘TEAM BUHAY’
It’s not just senatorial and congressional candidates who are part of the controversial “Team Buhay” list.
In Cebu, a group of lay Catholics is taking its anti-reproductive health law campaign to the gubernatorial and mayoral races.
The Lay Initiatives for Election or LIFE 2013 says it is endorsing the candidacies of candidates some call pro-life politicians: gubernatorial bet Cebu 3rd District Representative Pablo John Garcia of One Cebu and re-electionist Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama of Team Rama and the opposition United Nationalist Alliance.
LIFE 2013 convenor Dr Rene Bullecer says his group will officially endorse the local candidates along with its senatorial, congressional and partylist bets in a grand rally in Cebu on May 5.
He says it is only in Cebu where local bets are included in the Team Buhay list so far.

DR RENE BULLECER, LIFE 2013 CONVENOR: We need allies not only in the Senate and Congress but also local allies because when you have strong allies like here in Cebu, you have a strong governor who is anti-RH, they will have a hard time implementing what they want to, especially in big cities like in Metro Cebu.

Story 4: BAM, GRACE, AND NANCY: CHILDREN OF PRIVILEGE
Rappler’s editor at large Marites Vitug says a famous family name could win Senate seats, but two long-term solutions could reform this system.
Here’s her video blog.

The newbies in the senatorial campaign have one thing in common: they come from well-known families.
Bam Aquino and Nancy Binay descend from political dynasties. Grace Poe, from show biz fame.
Each has his own saving grace.
Bam is a bright young man devoted to social entrepreneurship.
Nancy, whose claim to fame is being a personal assistant to her parents, exudes a common touch and campaigns on populist issues.
Grace showed her deft management skills running the MTRCB.
But the big question is: in a level playing field, would they even be considered as candidates for the Senate?
That is the heart of the issue.
In our political system, lesser known candidates with bigger accomplishments—but who are not born to privilege—suffer a disadvantage.
Two long-term solutions can correct this.
One, strong political parties that flourish on issues, not personalities.
Two, amending the Constitution and making the senatorial race regional rather than national.
This will encourage leaders from the cities and provinces to emerge. Campaign expenses will also be reduced.
This is Marites Vitug for VitugVlogs.

Story 5: CHINA SLAMS PHILIPPINES OVER DISPUTED ISLANDS
China slams the Philippines for its attempt to seek an international verdict on the territorial dispute over islands in the West Philippine Sea.
This comes after the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea appoints a team to hear the case against China.
The Philippines wants China’s 9-dash claim over the sea declared “invalid.”
But China’s foreign ministry responds, “The position outlined by China will not change.”
It says the Philippines was attempting to -quote- “cover in a cloak of ‘legality’ its illegal occupation of China’s islands and reefs.”
China wants the Philippines to withdraw all personnel and facilities from the islands it said the Philippines was occupying.
The statement comes a day after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations calls for urgent talks with China to resolve the territorial disputes.

Story 6: MOTHER OF BOSTON SUSPECTS BLAMES US OVER SON’S DEATH
The mother of the two suspects in the Boston marathon bombings blames American authorities for the death of one of her sons.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in a shootout with police, while his younger brother Dzhokhar was wounded during his capture.
Dzhokhar is charged with federal terror offenses over the bombings.
At a news conference in the Russian region of Dagestan Thursday, the brothers’ mother, Zubeidat, says US security services “cruelly killed” her eldest son.
She also says her children were innocent in the twin blasts on April 15 that killed 3 and wounded more than 200 others.
Zubeidat says, “I know one thing, that my children did not do this. There is a lot that is not comprehensible.”

Story 7: S. KOREA DECIDES ON PULLOUT FROM JOINT INDUSTRIAL ZONE
South Korea says it will withdraw all remaining staff from its joint industrial complex with North Korea after Pyongyang rejects an offer of formal talks.
Earlier, Seoul gave Pyongyang 24 hours to agree to negotiations on the Kaesong industrial complex.
But North Korea rejects the offer.
On April 9, Pyongyang pulled out its workforce and suspended operations in the complex, which is located 10 kilometers inside North Korea.
South Korea’s unification minister says the government made the –quote– “inevitable decision” to protect its remaining staff in Kaesong.
Seoul also wants Pyongyang to guarantee the safe return of the South Koreans.

Story 8: PEACE AND PROGRESS
Athletes from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao compete in Palarong Pambansa for more than just medals.
Devon Wong reports.

No matter where the region, the dreams are the same.

MISHA-AN K. FLORES, VOLLEYBALL PLAYER FROM ARMM: I want to play volleyball for the UAAP.

During the games, youth from different regions and backgrounds defy the odds, and prove they can overcome their personal obstacles.
But the group from ARMM carries a common burden: overcoming the way people look at them, and their home.

JESSE MAE PACULDO, BADMINTON PLAYER FROM ARMM: We hear others laugh at us just because we are from ARMM and it hurts us. People shouldn’t look down on those from ARMM because we’re people too.

News about the ARMM are stories of conflict and heartbreak, where often times larger political events overshadow the stories of everyday people.
This year’s theme at Palaro is using sports as a road to peace and it hits closer to home for the delegation from ARMM.

ARNEL BILL S. LUNA, BADMINTON COACH FROM ARMM: Peace plays an important role. And of course with peace, we can attain development and progress.

Coach Arnel says his athletes have greater challenges than finding proper training facilities. In his five years at Palaro, his teams have never brought back a medal. But he’s proud of all this athletes.

JESSE MAE PACULDO, BADMINTON PLAYER FROM ARMM: We try to not care because the reason we’re here at Palaro is for peace, not to fight. We just forgive them.

ARMM athletes come to Palaro to fight perceptions.

DEVON WONG, REPORTING: All the athletes proudly representing their regions here at Palaro remind us that it doesn’t matter where you come from; but where you’re going; and to never ever judge based on history, but what could be.
Devon Wong, Rappler, Dumaguete

Story 9: NCR, CENTRAL VISAYAS IN BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL FINALS
Defending champion NCR returns to the finals of both men’s basketball and women’s volleyball in the 2013 Palarong Pambansa.
The NCR high school boys basketball team survives a late-game meltdown and escapes Calabarzon, 73-72.
They set up a finals duel with Central Visayas, who torched Western Visayas, 76-38, in the other semis pairing.
In volleyball, Monica Ortiz leads NCR to a straight-sets whipping of Calabarzon to also arrange a championship battle with the surging Central Visayas.
Catherine Bondad and Regina Castrillo finish the Palaro with the most medals after bagging seven each in swimming.
Bondad is named the Most Outstanding Swimmer of the competitions for the 4th straight year.
Central Visayas also makes it to the finals of men’s football after upending NCR.
In the last day of the individual contests, NCR stays in the top spot with 155 medals while Western Visayas has 92.
Calabarzon, Central Visayas and Central Luzon round out the top five as Palaro 2013 approaches its last day tomorrow.

Story 10: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 7, Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis is working on a vaccine for the H7N9 strain of bird flu.
CEO Joe Jimenez says Novartis has analyzed the virus’ genetic codes..
He says the company — quote — “would today be in a position to develop a vaccine for initial clinical trials within six to eight weeks”.

At number 9, A Pew Research Center report released Wednesday says online social networks act as political hotspots in the United States.
The study, titled Civic Engagement in the Digital Age, reports 39 percent of US adults engaged in political activity in Internet communities during the 2012 US presidential campaign.
By comparison, only 26 percent of people used online social networks in any form during the 2008 presidential election.

And at number 10, A luxury golf bag, a statue of Abraham Lincoln and an Australian rules football jersey are among the gifts given to US President Barack Obama in 2011.
The US State department releases a list of presents given to Obama by foreign governments or dignitaries, ranging from the modest to the lavish.
Several items reflected Obama’s fondness for golf.
All federal employees in the United States must declare gifts from foreign governments or organizations with gifts to the first family turned over to the National Archives.