Rappler Newscast | August 6, 2013

Today on Rappler.

 

• Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza asks the Supreme Court: don’t rewrite the Reproductive Health law.
• 37 face charges for a P200-M agricultural fund scam including the pork barrel scam whistleblower.
• The United States tells Americans to leave Yemen immediately because of terrorist threats.

 

Story 1: SOLGEN TO SC: DON’T REWRITE RH LAW
At the resumption of oral arguments on the Reproductive Health law, Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza asks the Supreme Court to lift the status quo ante order.
He is the first from the pro-RH bloc to argue that the law is constitutional.
The petitioners opposed to the law spent the last two sessions arguing their case, saying it violated the constitutional right to life and promotes abortion.
Jardeleza says the issue is not whether justices should rule on when life begins but whether Congress can enact laws in the first place.
Jardeleza says, “The test is not whether Congress is correct but whether it made this judgement without abuse of discretion.”
He adds, “Courts must be cautious not to rewrite legislation.”

FRANCIS JARDELEZA, SOLICITOR GENERAL: I hope we have relayed the position of the government. The RH Law is pro-poor, for the marginalized, the vulnerable sectors of society and the Congress is trying…

He also cites studies by Filipino experts and the World Health Organization that say contraceptives are not abortifacients.
But Associate Justice Roberto Abad, a known critic of the law, questions the WHO’s impartiality because of its stand in favor of population control.
In the last oral arguments, Abad asked a pro-RH lawyer: “Should Congress legislate a measure that will prevent a child through poison?”
Speaking after the oral arguments, Sen Pia Cayetano says Jardeleza was able to defend the position of the pro-RH bloc.

PIA CAYETANO, PHILIPPINE SENATOR: Klaro po na may mga justices na may mga tanong, mga duda sa intention ng RH law at masasabi rin pong yung impormasyon na nakarating sa kanila ay kakaiba, hindi ho tugma sa intention namin, ng mga gumawa ng batas, so natutuwa po ako na si Solicitor General, napaliwanag nya ng maayos na ang talagang puno’t dulo ng reproductive health law ay makarating sa mga Pilipino lalo na sa mga kababaihan ang karapatan nila pangkalusugan, specifically reproductive health. (It was clear that there were justices who had questions and doubts on the intention of the RH law. The information that reached them is different, it is not in line with the intentions of those who crafted the law. I’m glad the Solicitor General was able to explain that the true intention of the reproductive health law is to give women health and reproductive rights.)

Story 2: 37 FACE CHARGES OVER P200-M AGRI FUND SCAM
37 face charges for the misuse of P200 million agricultural funds earmarked during the presidency of Gloria Arroyo for agri-business development under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
On Monday, the Ombudsman announces a 5-man panel will start hearings into criminal and administrative complaints for the fertilizer fund scam.
One of the respondents is Benhur Luy, the whistleblower in the current pork barrel fund scam allegedly headed by Janet Lim-Napoles.
Napoles was implicated in the fertilizer fund scam during Arroyo’s time, but senators did not call her for the hearings.
Some of the non-governmental organizations tagged in the pork barrel scam are also involved in the agricultural fund case before the Ombudsman.
Also named respondents in the complaint are 29 individuals and former officials of the Department of Agrarian Reform.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales says the probe will be based on the case build-up conducted by the Field Investigation Office, which found the former DAR officials transferred fund for agri-business development” to 7 NGOs.
At least 2 of these NGOs are identified with Napoles.

Story 3: DOJ MONITORING TRAVELS OF NAPOLES, BROTHER
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima confirms she issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin targeting Janet Napoles and her brother Jojo Lim because of the “gravity of allegations”against the siblings.
In a memorandum dated July 15 to Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr and National Bureau of Investigation Director Nonnatus Rojas, De Lima orders immigration officers to monitor Napoles and her brother’s international travels.
A lookout bulletin orders authorities to be on alert, but does not give them the power to stop targets from traveling.
The NBI is in the middle of its probe, and has yet to file any charges against the Napoleses.
Janet Lim-Napoles is the alleged syndicate behind a multi-million peso pork barrel scam involving the development funds of several lawmakers.

Story 4: COTABATO BLAST TOLL RISES TO 8
The number killed in Monday’s blast in Cotabato City rises to 8 Tuesday.
The bomb exploded at the center of Cotabato City late Monday along Sinsuat Avenue.
The explosion damaged at least 4 vehicles and triggered a fire.
Local officials say they have suspects, including the alleged mastermind.
Cotabato City Mayor Japal Guiani says, “We already have witnesses…They have given us the names as well the [identity of the] mastermind.”
He adds, “Yesterday’s incident was not the work of a small group but big fish connected to terrorists.”
No group claims responsibility for the bombing.
It was the second bombing to hit Mindanao in 10 days after the July 26 explosion in Cagayan de Oro City.
More than 300 people are killed in bombing attacks in Mindanao over the last 12 years.

Story 5: REFURBISHED BRP ALCARAZ ARRIVES IN SUBIC
The Hamilton class cutter, the BRP Alcaraz, arrives in Subic.
It’s the country’s second warship after BRP Del Pilar.
The 40 year old warships came from the US Coast Guard through the US Excess Defense Articles program.
The government spent P450 million and P600 million to refurbish Del Pilar and Alcaraz.
Carmela Fonbuena filed this report.

President Aquino leads the arrival ceremonies for the countries 2nd warship BRP Ramon Alcaraz here in Subic Zambales with a challenge for the Philippine Navy
They may be lacking in equipment and what they have may be inferior. But determination, says the President, should push the troops to defend the country’s sovereignty.

BENIGNO AQUINO III, PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT: Isipin na lamang ninyo ang katapangang ipinamalas ni Commodore Ramon Alcaraz noong Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig — siyam na zero fighters ng Hapon, laban sa nag-iisang Q-boat na yari sa kahoy pero nakapagpabagsak pa si Commodore Alcaraz ng tatlo sa siyam na ito at matagumpay na naibalik ang kanyang Q-boat. Ibig sabihin: dehado sa gamit, dehado sa sitwasyon, dehado sa kasanayan, pero hindi siya nagpatinag sa kalaban. Nagawang daigin ni Commodore Alcaraz ang tila napaka-imposibleng sitwasyon. (Imagine the valor of Commodore Ramon Alcaraz in WWII — 9 Japanese fighter planes vs a single Q-boat made of wood, but Commodore Alcaraz shot down 3 of 9 planes and got his Q-boat back safely. At a disadvantage in equipment, in the situation, in expertise– but he didn’t back down from the enemy. Commodore Alcaraz overcame great odds.)

It’s a challenge the commanding officer of the new warship readily accepted.

ERNESTO BALDOVINO, CAPTAIN, BRP RAMON ALCARAZ: Batid po namin na hindi dito nagtatapos ang aming trabaho dahil alam po namin na simula lamang ng mas matindi naming pagsisilbi sa bayan, nakahanda ang aking mga pinuno at tauhan na harapin ang gampanan ang mga susunod naming tungkulin. (We understand that our jobs don’t stop here, we know that this is just the start of more intensified service to our country. Our leaders and our men are ready to face and fulfill our functions, as needed in the future.)

At a time when Manila is caught in a row with Beijing over the West Philippine Sea, it cannot be a coincidence that they’re holding the arrival ceremonies in a former US military base not too far away from the disputed Panatag or Scarborough Shoal.
It is not a coincidence either that the navy and the air force are planning to move camps here in Subic.

JOSE LUIS ALANO, PHILIPPINE NAVY CHIEF: These are part of the areas where they will be deployed, Western Philippine Sea as part of that. For the moment, this is where they are to be initially based.
All these are happening while the defense department is preparing plans to give the US more access to Philippine military bases.

CARMELA FONBUENA, REPORTING: There is no illusion that the latest warships can match China’s military might. but they provide minimum deterrence, according to military leaders, against what they call bullies in the West Philippine Sea.

Carmela Fonbuena, Rappler. Subic, Zambales.

Story 6: YOUNG LEGISLATORS TAKE ON CONGRESS
These two are both under 30, and are the grandsons of former congressmen.
What do the two youngest members of Congress have to offer in their first term of office?
Angela Casauay reports.

Camiguin lone district Rep Xavier Jesus “XJ” Romualdo is only 26-years old and a reluctant politician.
Finishing 4th in the 2012 Bar Exams, he had no plans of joining politics.
With barely 20 days before the midterm elections, his grandfather, the late Camiguin Rep Pedro Romualdo passed away.
It happened on the very day XJ took his oath as a new lawyer, forcing him to take his grandfather’s place.

XJ ROMUALDO, CAMIGUIN REPRESENTATIVE: It was kinda like his wish. Kasi the first thing he said to me, because he was incubated already when he got here, he asked for a white board, then he wrote, sub? No, you can’t to do this to me. But then there was no one else and it was his wish. So it was a way to honor him…

XJ belongs to a well-entrenched political clan in Camiguin. Aside from his grandfather, there’s his father, Camiguin governor Jurdin Jesus Romualdo, and his mother, Mambajao Mayor Maria Luisa Romualdo.
Like XJ, 28-year-old Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas of Cebu is in politics because of his grandfather, Rep. Eduardo Gullas, his role model.
And this rookie is loving every minute.

SAMSAM GULLAS, CEBU REPRESENTATIVE: It’s addicting, that feeling of you helping people, it’s really addicting. Second of all, all the mayors in the district chose me. They told my grandfather that I believe Samsam would be the best one to follow in your footsteps.

In a House dominated by veteran politicians, what do these fresh faces have to offer?

XJ ROMUALDO, CAMIGUIN REPRESENTATIVE: I’d say energy, youthful energy, I try to be present as much as possible.. I’ll just try to absorb as much as I can.

Samsam says he’s a team player.

SAMSAM GULLAS, CEBU REPRESENTATIVE: I’d like to think that Congress is a collegial body. You can’t pass any bills, you can’t do anything if you don’t work hand in hand. What I can offer Congress is I’m a team player. It comes from my basketball background. I’m a team player. I’m committed to learn.

How will they be different from their politician relatives?
Both lawmakers say they would have voted against the RH law – the same as their grandfathers.
They are also both against the abolition of the pork barrel.
This early, XJ is already thinking of the compromises he will or will not make.

XJ ROMUALDO, CAMIGUIN REPRESENTATIVE: One person told me, your grandparents already did the compromising for you so you can do what you really want to do. I get to decide on policy matters in Congress without worrying what the repercussions there may be.

Samsam is bent on continuing the legacy of his grandfather.

SAMSAM GULLAS, CEBU REPRESENTATIVE: Of course, I wanna make my own name for myself but you can never discard the fact that that’s 38 years of public service. That’s legacy that I want to follow but at the end of the day, I really wanna be my own person but I can’t be my own person if I don’t follow in the footsteps of my grandfather first.

XJ and Samsam are only two of the 91 new lawmakers in a House dominated by re-electionists.
As they take on their new roles, the eyes of their constituents – and the rest of the country – will be on them for the next 3 years.
Angela Casauay, Rappler, Manila.

Story 7: DUTCH WHO MADE SONA COP CRY TO BE DEPORTED
The Dutch activist who joined a rally in protest of the President’s State of the Nation Address in July will be deported from the country.
On Tuesday, the Bureau of Immigration prevents Thomas van Beersum from flying out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Immigration spokesperson Tonette Mangrobang says Beersum is on the bureau’s blacklist for visa violations.
Beersum travelled on a tourist visa to attend a conference.
During his stay, he attended an anti-SONA rally on July 22, where he was photographed shouting at PO1 Joselito Sevilla.
The police cried and photos and videos of the incident went viral.
Mangrobang says, “As a tourist, Beersum cannot engage in activities like that, which is contrary to the very nature of his stated purpose for coming to the Philippines.”
Mangrobang says a summary deportation order is issued against Beersum on August 1.
This means he will not be allowed to enter the Philippines again after he is allowed to leave.

Story 8: US URGES CITIZENS TO LEAVE YEMEN ‘IMMEDIATELY’
The US State Department orders all non-essential staff out of Yemen and tells Americans to leave the country “immediately” over terrorism concerns.
In a statement, the State Department says the “threat level in Yemen is extremely high” because of the potential for terrorist attacks and civil unrest.
It adds, “Terrorist organizations, including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, continue to be active throughout Yemen.”
AQAP attempted a number of attacks against the United States in recent years.
US media report some two dozen US missions across the Middle East and Africa were closed after intelligence agents intercept messages from Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri to AQAP leader Nasser al-Wuhayshi.

Story 9: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 5, New Zealand steps in to take control of dairy giant Fonterra’s response to a contaminated milk scare.
Economic Development Minister Stephen Joyce says officials are sent to Fonterra premises in New Zealand and Australia to ensure accurate information about a potentially fatal bug in products used to make baby formula.
Joyce says it’s unusual for the government to take a hands-on approach with a private company, but adds consumers need to regain confidence in New Zealand’s dairy industry.

At number 8, Donald Graham stuns the US media industry by announcing the Washington Post will be sold to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for $250 million.
Graham is the chief executive of the legendary newspaper that broke the Watergate scandal.
He had given no hints the Washington Post was up for sale, despite sinking earnings and plunging subscriptions.
Graham says the challenges posed by the Internet triggered the deal after annual operating losses more than doubled last year.

And at number 10, Scientists unveil the world’s first lab-grown beef burger, serving it to volunteers in London in what they hope is the start of a food revolution.
The 140-gram patty, which cost more than $330,000 to produce, is made using strands of meat grown from cells from a living cow.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin is revealed as one of the project’s financial backers.

Story 10: BASEBALL DOPING SCANDAL: A-ROD, 12 OTHERS BANNED
Major League Baseball bans New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez through the end of the 2014 season Monday because of doping.
Hours before making his season debut for the Yankees in Chicago on Monday, Rodriguez confirms he would appeal.
But he refuses to answer whether Major League Baseball was accurate in charging him for using performance-enhancing drugs.
Rodriguez says –quote–, “We’ll have a forum to discuss all of that and we’ll talk about it then.”
He adds, “I don’t know what the motivation is for any of this. But I’m going to respect the process.”
A dozen other players accepted 50-game suspensions over their links to the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in Florida.
MLB’s announcement of the bans ended weeks of speculation over the fate of three-time American League Most Valuable Player Rodriguez.
Baseball officials say Rodriguez not only used banned drugs “over the course of multiple years” but also acted to “obstruct and frustrate the Office of the Commissioner’s investigation” of Biogenesis and its link to baseball players.

Story 11: RAPPLER, GOOGLE, +SOCIALGOOD EVENTS
Rappler partners with tech search giant Google to explore ideas that are disrupting businesses and societies around the world.
On August 23, we mount #ThinkPH: The Internet, Big Data & You.
The summit at the New World Hotel looks at how the Internet disrupts traditional business models: how the development of social media puts power in the hands of ordinary people; and how digital exhaust is now big data.
On Sept 21, join us for the PH+SocialGood: The Social Good Summit in Manila – Rappler’s second since the website began in January 2012.
Held at the Asian Institute of Management, the summit looks at how social media can be used to solve some of the world’s societal problems.

– Rappler.com

Newscast production staff

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER / WRITER	Lilibeth Frondoso
DIRECTOR	Rupert Ambil
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER / PUBLISHER	Rodneil Quiteles
	Dindin Reyes
HEAD WRITER / PROMPTER	Katerina Francisco
MASTER EDITOR / PLAYBACK	Vicente Roxas
	Exxon Ruebe
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR / CAMERAMAN	Charlie Salazar
	Adrian Portugal
	Francis Lopez
	Naoki Mengua
GRAPHICS	Jessica Lazaro
	Matthew Hebrona