December 2, 2014 Edition

The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan denied the petition for bail filed by indicted Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. In a resolution released Tuesday, December 2, the Sandiganbayan’s First Division said there exists “strong evidence” that Revilla, along with co-accused Richard Cambe (his staff) and businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, committed plunder in conspiracy with one another, and thus “are not entitled to the constitutional right to bail.” Revilla faces a P224-million plunder charge for illegally diverting his Priority Development Assistance Fund to projects of fake non-governmental organizations linked to Napoles.

Read the full story on Rappler.

The Commission on Audit (COA) identified 5 government agencies that obtained millions of dollars from the Malampaya fund starting as early as 2004, but managed to skip government audit. Intended to fund energy development projects, the fund consists of royalties collected by the government since 2001 from the Malampaya project. COA Chairperson Maria Grace Pulido Tan identified the 5 as follows: Public Works ($169.72 million), Agriculture ($129.15 million), Philippine National Police-Department of the Interior and Local Government ($50.99 million), National Housing Authority ($31.13 million), and PAGASA ($8.91 million). COA is releasing a government-wide, sectoral performance audit of the Malampaya fund in the 1st quarter of 2015.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Calling the “inordinate delays” of the Office of the Ombudsman “deplorable,” the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan said they have been forced to dismiss some cases. While not blaming the present leadership of the Ombudsman, the Sandiganbayan said the problem must be addressed. The delay “grossly offends the right of public justice,” the anti-graft court said in a resolution issued on November 14 by presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang.

Read the full story on Rappler.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is meeting targets it set for itself in fighting the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. It set a 60-day target of isolating and treating 70% of patients and of safely burying 70% of victims in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea by December 1. Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO’s assistant director general in charge of Ebola response, said the gap between disease levels and the capacity to cope had diminished significantly but that more work was needed to get to “zero cases.”

Read the full story on the BBC.

In his last state of the region address on Monday, December 1, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Mujiv Hataman said the achievements of what has been called a “failed experiment” is proof that more can be actualized in the creation of the Bangsamoro government. He said that as chief executive of the region, he was able to bring in social reforms, good governance and stability, which are vital foundations for the new government. Hataman said he has managed to restore trust after taking over a regional government associated with corruption and impunity. Moro National Liberation Front chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal attended Hataman’s state of the region address, indicating better prospects for peace.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Student leader Joshua Wong and two other student demonstrators went on an indefinite hunger strike Monday, December 1, to demand talks with the government. On Facebook, the students wrote, “Living in these troubled times, there is a duty. Today we are willing to pay the price, we are willing to take responsibility.” After the latest outbreak of violence, Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung however told pro-democracy activists to clear their Occupy Central protest sites and not to return. Leung warned that the police will take “resolute action” in carrying out their duties. “Don’t mistake the police tolerance as weakness,” Leung said.

Read the full story on Rappler.

A related story is on the BBC and the South China Morning Post.

The spokeswoman of Republican lawmaker Stephen Fincher of Tennessee said she was going to resign after she posted a Facebook rant about Sasha and Malia Obama. Elizabeth Lauten’s resignation comes after criticism of her post where she addressed the Obama teenagers. “Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar,” referring to their short skirts they wore while standing beside their father as he issued the annual Thanksgiving turkey “pardon”. She later apologized on Facebook, saying she judged the two in a way she would “never have wanted to be judged” as a teenager.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Food aid to more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees will be suspended because the United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) has run out of money to support them. The aid cut will affect refugees in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon who get vouchers to exchange for food in local shops. If WFP does not receive additional funds, food aid in Syria, which has been caught in a civil war, will stop by February 2015.

Read the full story on Rappler and the New York Times.

A related story is in The Guardian.

After 3 of her relatives were caught in a high-profile corruption scandal, the family of the wife of Thailand’s Crown Prince was stripped of their honorific title. In a letter circulated on social media over the weekend, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn asked the country’s junta to forbid anyone from using the surname “Akkharapongricha.” The surname was the honorific given to Princess Srirasmi’s relatives after her marriage to the Crown Prince. Three relatives of the princess were arrested on graft charges related to the probe into police corruption.

Read the full story on Rappler.

A related story is on Asia Sentinel.

Connected smart cities, remote surgery, driverless cars will become possible with a superfast 5G network. Professor Rahim Tafazolli, who leads the United Kingdom’s government-funded 5G Innovation Centre at the University of Surrey, said 5G will be a “dramatic overhaul and harmonization of the radio spectrum.” Tafazolli believes it is now possible to run wireless data connection at a speed of 800Gbps or 100 times faster than the current 5G testing, the BBC said. This speed translates to downloading 33 HD films in one second. Japan is said to be interested in hosting the 2020 Olympics and the world’s first commercial 5G network.

Read the full story on the BBC.