Rappler Newscast | June 19, 2012

Today on Rappler.

• Former presidential candidate Gibo Teodoro declines his nomination as candidates to post of Chief Justice now number 46.
• Forbes magazine says Manny Pacquiao is the world’s second highest paid athlete.
• And, Microsoft unveils its first tablet, the Surface its contender to Apple’s iPad.

Story 1: GIBO SAYS NO TO CJ NOMINATION
2010 presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro declines his nomination to the post of Chief Justice. A cousin of President Benigno Aquino III, Teodoro would have been one of the youngest nominees at 47, had he accepted it. There are now 46 nominees and applicants for the highest post in the judiciary. 9 are Supreme Court justices and 37 are “outsiders.”
New nominees include former Senator Rene Saguisag, Presidential Commission on Good Government chairman Andres Bautista, Court of Appeals Justice Japar Dimaampao, Malabon University president Ramon Maronilla, Manila regional trial court Judge Amelia Tria-Infante, and Dean Jose Manuel Diokno.
Diokno accepted his nomination Monday. Diokno is the chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group. He was nominated for the post of ombudsman in 2011 but was not appointed. Aside from Diokno, 8 other SC “outsiders” have accepted their nominations. Two SC magistrates –Justices Roberto Abad and Arturo Brion — have also accepted. Out of the 46, 5 have declined their nominations — Teodoro. Landphil president Rodolfo Robles, former assistant provincial prosecutor Marianito Sasodoncillo, Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Roan Libarios and Former energy Secretary Raphael “Popo” Lotilla. President Aquino has 90 days from May 29 – the day Renato Corona was removed from office to name the next chief justice.

Story 2: OMBUDSMAN TOLD TO ACT ON GMA’S PLUNDER CASE
A partylist group urges the Ombudsman to act on the plunder complaints filed against former President Gloria Arroyo amid fears she may be granted bail for an electoral sabotage case filed in a Pasay court. Representative Neri Colmenares says Bayan Muna partylist filed an urgent Motion for Resolution on its plunder complaint with the Ombudsman. Plunder is non-bailable. The complaint is based on alleged malversation of funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office or PCSO during her administration. Colmenares says there is a need to immediately file a plunder case to ensure that Arroyo will not be able to post bail.

Story 3: LP WANTS GRACE POE IN ITS SLATE
Liberal Party president Mar Roxas is eyeing MTRCB chairman Grace Poe Llamanzares as senatorial candidate in 2013. Roxas says Llamanzares has the qualities needed for public service. But he says, the daughter of late actor Fernando Poe Jr. has yet to express interest.
Roxas says the names in LP’s shortlist include former Akbayan party list representatives Risa Hontiveros, Customs commissioner Ruffy Biazon, Aurora Representative Sonny Angara, and TESDA chair Joel Villanueva.

Story 4: UNA AND LP, FRIENDS OR ENEMIES?
Vice President Jejomar Binay’s UNA is shaping up to be the upstart in the upcoming 2013 elections.
How do administration stalwarts see UNA? A friend or an enemy?
This report from Carmela Fonbuena.
Toby Tiangco saying UNA is the stronger party
Is the opposition alliance UNA a threat to President Aquino’s administration?
As far as the 2013 senatorial elections is concerned, SOME L-P members do not think so.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte: Binay and president Pinoy are personally close to one another….
Rep Erin Tanada: If UNA succeeds … it will still work hand in hand with the Aquino administration.
UNA candidates express support for the Aquino administration.
Jackie Enrile saying he is willing to be adopted by LP and UNA
What UNA is… is a threat to THE Liberal Party’s reign beyond 2016.
UNA is TURNING OUT to be the machinery Vice President Binay WILL HARNESS for his presidential ambition.
LP and UNA WILL SOON finalize their 2013 senatorial slate.
L-P stalwarts say they are not threatened by UNA even though its candidates are currently leading in surveys.
TheY SAY THE strategy is clear. L-P members will help President Aquino improve THE lives OF FILIPINOS.
LEADERS SAY it’s the best reason to vote for L-P’s senatorial candidates in 2013.
and, more importantly….
for its presidential candidate in 2016.
Erin Tanada As long as we are able to nurture the seeds that PNoy is planting with regard to reform, we are sure that in the 2016 elections, it might still be a Liberal Party that will hold Malacanang.
It WILL BE interesting to see how President Aquino positions himself VIS-A-VIS UNA… A FRENEMY.
Carmela Fonbuena, Rappler.

Story 5: FORBES: PACQUIAO, MAYWEATHER TOP-PAID ATHLETES
Forbes magazine lists Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao among the 100 highest-paid athletes in the world. Mayweather ranks No. 1 for making $85 million off two fights last year. No. 2 on the list is Pacquiao, at $62 million from earnings and endorsements. Tiger Woods, who topped the Forbes list since 2001, fell to No. 3, with $59.4 million his earnings off by $16 million from the previous year mostly due to lost endorsement deals. Miami Heat star LeBron James ranks No. 4 at $53 million, the highest of 13 basketball players on the list. Swiss tennis star Roger Federer Is No. 5 at $52.7 million followed by NBA star Kobe Bryant at $52.3 million. US golfer Phil Mickelson at $47.8 million. English football star David Beckham at $46 million, Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo at $42.5 million and American football’s Peyton Manning at $42.4 million.

Story 6: THE wRap
Let’s now look at Rappler’s “wRap” for today…
a list of the ten most important events around the world you shouldn’t miss.

At number 6, Saudi King Abdullah names his half-brother Prince Salman as his successor, following the death of crown prince Nayef. Nayef died on Saturday in Switzerland of “cardiac problems.” Nayef was the kingdom’s security czar, responsible for the iron-fisted crackdown on Al-Qaeda following a wave of attacks between 2003 and 2006.

At number 7, Typhoon Guchol slams into Japan’s Pacific Coast bringing heavy rain and strong winds. Japan Meteorological Agency says Guchol makes landfall at the tip of the Kii peninsula, south of Osaka, shortly after 5:00 in the afternoon and is expected to cut across Japan’s main island of Honshu. NHK says airlines have cancelled around 200 domestic flights so far because of the strong winds.

At number 8, Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi takes center stage with rock star Bono to receive her prize from Amnesty International in a concert in Dublin, Ireland.
The award was given in 2009 but Suu Kyi was unable to receive it, being under house arrest for the past 21 years.
The crowds join in singing “Happy Birthday” to mark her 67th birthday on Tuesday.

And at number 9, researchers say the impact of increasing levels of weight may have the same impact on global resources as an extra billion people in the world. An author of the paper says “When people think about environmental sustainability, it’s not how many mouths there are to feed, it’s how much flesh there is on the planet.”
For the full top 10 visit Rappler.com’s ‘the wRap.’

Story 7: MICROSOFT’S SURFACE CHALLENGES IPAD
Microsoft unveils its first tablet computer, the Surface. The technology giant steps in with its own hardware to take on Apple’s market-ruling iPads. Key features include an ultra-thin cover which doubles as keyboard, the built-in stand and a 16 by 9 high-definition screen. Chief executive Steve Ballmer describes the surface as a tablet that “works and plays.” Analysts say this lets Microsoft compete with Apple on a more even ground. The audience made of up journalists and bloggers burst into spontaneous applause as key features were revealed. The tablet will have 2 versions. One running Windows RT software, another running Windows 8 Pro software.

-Rappler.com