Rappler Newscast | June 28, 2013

Story 1: PSEI ENDS 5 STRAIGHT WEEKS OF DECLINE
Local shares continue to rise for the 3rd consecutive day Friday, with the Philippine Stock Exchange Index ending 5 straight weeks of decline.
The PSEI climbs up 2.17% or 137.28 points to 6,465.28.
It registered a 4.6% increase during the volatile week.
The PSEI wiped out all gains for 2013 when it plummeted 25.7% to 5,789.06 from its record high close of 7,392.20 on May 15.
Asian markets rise Friday after the US Federal Reserve says it’s not likely to reel in its stimulus program any time soon.

Story 2: STORM SIGNAL IN 13 AREAS OVER GORIO
The state weather bureau raises storm warning signal number 1 in 13 areas over tropical depression Gorio, which is moving toward Eastern Visayas.
Signal Number 1 is up over Camarines Norte; Camarines Sur; Catanduanes; Albay; Sorsogon; Burias Island; Masbate; Polilio Island; Samar; Leyte Provinces; Biliran Island; Dinagat Island; and Siargao Island.
As of 4 pm, Gorio is spotted 290 kilometers east of Surigao City.

Story 3: PCOS MORE ACCURATE IN 2013, AUDIT SHOWS
The results of the random manual audit of the midterm polls show ballot-counting machines tallied votes more accurately in 2013.
The random manual audit shows an accuracy rate of 99.975% for the precinct count optical scan machines, or PCOS.
In the first automated polls in 2010, the PCOS machines registered an accuracy of 99.6%.
But the machines still fail to meet the mandated accuracy rate of 99.995%.
The Automated Election Law requires the manual audit to compare with the machine tally.
The Comelec allows a certain number of discrepancies to still call the PCOS count accurate.
It allows a margin of 10 votes per candidate per position “in the event of discrepancy.”

Story 4: SENATE TALLY ‘PERFECT’ ONLY IN ARMM
In tallying votes for senator in 2013, ballot-counting machines registered 100 percent accuracy only in one region: the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or ARMM –  a region known for widespread fraud in past elections.
The random manual audit or RMA released by the Comelec says PCOS machines worked with 100% accuracy only in ARMM.
This means the manual audit matched the PCOS tally, ruling out the possibility of rigged machines.
The PCOS registered the highest accuracy rate in Region 12, followed by the National Capital Region.
The PCOS accuracy rate in Region 12 is at 99.986 percent, based on the averaged accuracy rates for senator, congressman, and mayor.
In NCR, it is 99.976% on the average.
Still, cheating may still have happened because ARMM posted the lowest transmission rate.  
Another red-flag: 54 precincts had 100% voter turnout.
A Comelec critic says that is statistically improbable.
But Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes says –quote– “The elections of 2013 must, at least, be categorized as successful.”
“This is one of the portions that validate the success of the 2013 election.”

Story 5: NPA HITS UNARMED COPS; 1 KILLED, 9 HURT
About 20 suspected communist rebels ambush a group of unarmed policemen in Mountain Province killing one and wounding 9 others.
A police spokesman says the guerrillas attacked the cops —unarmed and in their jogging pants — around 5:45 am at Sitio Kabunagan, Tadian town.
The incident follows other guerilla attacks which occurred this week.
On Wednesday, two government militiamen are killed in an NPA attack in Davao.
Guerillas ambush an Army unit in Zamboanga del Sur Tuesday, wounding 5 soldiers.
Last weekend, NPA rebels kill two soldiers in Agusan del Sur.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas condemns the Mountain Province attack saying, “This makes the attack more shocking and senseless since it was carried out without any provocation.”

Story 6: SPEAKER: BENALDO SHOT HIMSELF
House Speaker Sonny Belmonte confirms outgoing Cagayan de Oro Representative Benjo Benaldo attempted to kill himself Thursday evening.
In a statement, Belmonte says Benaldo sustained a gun shot wound to the chest which –quote– “now indicates he attempted to take his own life.”
Benaldo was found drenched in blood with a 9mm gun on his table.
He is now in stable condition at the St Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City.
Belmonte appeals to the public to respect the Benaldo family, adding, “Benjo has not disclosed his reasons for what happened and may do so at the right time.”
Benaldo recently became controversial when rumors of alleged domestic abuse circulated after his wife, TV host-model Diana Menezes posted pictures of her wounded arm on Instagram.
Benaldo served as congressman of Cagayan de Oro’s first district.
He ran for re-election in the midterm polls but lost to Klarex Uy of the Liberal Party.

Story 7: US SENATE PASSES HISTORIC IMMIGRATION BILL
The United States Senate passes a comprehensive immigration reform bill, the most significant overhaul of the nation’s immigration system.
The bill, backed by US President Barack Obama, passes the Senate 68-32, picking up all the Democrats and 14 Republicans.
The bill provides a 13-year path to citizenship for 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the US.
It now faces a rocky road in the Republican-led House of Representatives, with House Speaker John Boehner saying, “The House is not going to take up and vote on whatever the Senate passes. We’re going to do our own bill, through regular order, and it’ll be legislation that reflects the will of our majority and the will of the American people.”

Story 8: PROSECUTORS: ACCUSED BOSTON BOMBER TO FACE 30 CHARGES
A United States grand jury indicts teenager Dzhokhar Tsarnaev for the Boston marathon bombing.
The 30-count indictment includes using a weapon of mass destruction and causing death by bombing a public place.
Dzhokhar and his brother Tamerlan are accused of the April 15 attack which killed 3 and injured more than 260.
Earlier, Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in a shootout with the police.
The indictment alleges Dzhokhar was inspired by Al Qaeda publications. It also alleges he left a confession in a boat in Watertown where he was captured.
In it, he said, “I don’t like killing innocent people,” noting it is “forbidden” in Islam to do so.
He justified his actions as a response to US military action in Muslim countries.
He allegedly wrote, “The U.S. Government is killing our innocent civilians. I can’t stand to see such evil go unpunished. We Muslims are one body, you hurt one, you hurt us all.”
Federal prosecutors say 17 of the charges carry a possible death penalty. Tsarnaev will be formally arraigned in Boston district court on July 10.

Story 9: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 4, US President Barack Obama says he will not be –quote– ‘scrambling jets to get a 29-year old hacker,” referring to fugitive Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who leaked details of US internet surveillance to the media.
Obama adds Snowden’s stay in a Moscow airport shows he did not possess documents allowing him to travel further.
Moscow says he is in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo airport after arriving Sunday from Hong Kong.
Snowden’s travel plans are still unclear, but his ultimate destination may be Ecuador.
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa describes the situation as “complex”, saying
Snowden needs to arrive in Ecuador first so his request for asylum can be processed.
Sending mixed messages Ecuador says it will consider Snowden’s request but denies it granted him travel papers.

At number 5, South African President Jacob Zuma offers reassurance to a worried nation saying the beloved anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela is in “now stable” condition, though still critically ill.
An official says Mandela is on life support.
In an earlier interview, Mandela’s eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, describes his condition as “very critical.”
She warns, “Anything is imminent… I won’t lie, it doesn’t look good.”
Mandela was admitted to the hospital with a serious lung infection nearly three weeks ago.

And at number 10, Google is cracking down on adult-themed blogs hosted on its Blogger site.
The Verge reports Google is sending notices informing users of a change in its terms of service.
Google’s current terms of service allow sharing of adult content on Blogger. But Google adds, users shouldn’t use the site to monetize adult content.
Blogs making money from displaying ads or links to commercial porn sites will be removed after June 30.
Affected blog site owners can switch to Yahoo after the clampdown. Yahoo says it won’t restrict porn on the popular blogging site.

Story 10: NASA’S VOYAGER 1 NEARS OUTER LIMIT OF SOLAR SYSTEM
US space agency NASA says its Voyager 1 spacecraft is approaching the outer limit of the solar system, but remains years away from the reach of the sun’s magnetic pull.
NASA says the craft, launched in 1977, is sending back a wealth of data on the final frontier of the solar bubble – or the heliosphere – which scientists dub the magnetic highway.
The magnetic highway allows charged particles to travel in and out of the heliosphere along a smooth magnetic field line.
Scientists are able to detect low-energy cosmic rays from dying stars for the first time since Voyager left Earth.
NASA describes Voyager 1 and its companion Voyager 2 as “the two most distant active representatives of humanity and its desire to explore.”

Story 11: BLOCKBUSTER DEAL OVERSHADOWS NBA DRAFT
The NBA Draft is where amateur players are supposed to take center stage as they enter the world’s most competitive basketball league.
But the spotlight was all on a blockbuster trade that sends future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce from the Boston Celtics to the Brooklyn Nets.
Yahoo Sports reports the Celtics will send Garnett and Pierce along with Jason Terry to the Nets in exchange for Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Reggie Evans, and three other players.
Kevin Garnett waives the no-trade clause in his contract to get the deal done.
He first joined the Celtics in the 2007-2008 season along with Ray Allen to form –quote– ‘The Big 3’ with Paul Pierce.
They won the 2008 NBA Championship.
In the NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers surprises everyone by picking scoring forward Anthony Bennett.
Bennett was projected by most NBA analysts to be drafted around 6th to 10th overall.
Orlando uses the 2nd overall pick on Victor Oladipo. He is a shooting guard regarded as the best scorer in the Draft.

Story 12: FINALLY, A HOME FOR THE UP MAROONS
The UP Fighting Maroons are moving to a new gym.
Hopefully, it will improve their training, their focus and maybe their luck.
Danielle Nakpil reports.

The Men’s basketball team used to train here: the old UP gym, cramped with other varsity teams.
But it’s not just space that’s a problem — the court’s measurements are inaccurate.
One of the rims doesn’t meet the standard size.
The free throw line is inches shorter than the required 15 feet.

MORIAH GINGERICH, PLAYER, UP MEN’S BASKETBALL: When it rained, it would always leak. We cannot go full court ’cause there’s one’s side of the court that’s completely wet. It’s always wet when it rained. There were lots of holes in the floor. They cover them up with tape. Once after my teammate went for a lay-up, he sprained his ankle.

But after 10 years, the UP Fighting Maroons have a new home: the UP CHK Annex.
It took 10 years to build.

RONUALDO DIZER, DEAN CHK: Well basically it started in 2004 when John Osmena donated 4.7 or 4.5 million approximately.  When we were about to have it constructed, tumaas yung presyo ng materials.

The lack of training facilities is one of the reasons for UP’s poor performance in the college leagues.
The Fighting Maroons were at the bottom of the standings for the last 4 years.
A new practice area may help them turn things around.

RICKY DANDAN, COACH, UP MEN’S BASKETBALL: Number one, we no longer have any distractions. Because when we practice inside the main venue, two volleyball teams are practicing. Sometimes, the balls go through what we call the force field and it leads to injuries.

But the team admits, training facilities are just part of the solution.
This coming season, the UP men’s basketball team wants to change its reputation from whipping boys to legit contenders.
Hoping to bring back the glory days of the UP Maroons and end two decades of oblivion.
Danielle Nakpil, Rappler, Manila

Newscast production staff