Akbayan Representative Walden Bello slammed President Benigno Aquino III on March 10, Tuesday for engaging in a “brazen cover-up” of his responsibility over the Mamasapano operation, which resulted in the deaths of 52 people, including a wanted international terrorist. Bello says Aquino is trying to erase his fingerprints from the operation to ‘save his own ass.’ Akbayan, an ally of Aquino’s Liberal Party in the 2010 elections, clarified that Bello’s statement where his personal opinion and did not represent the opinion of the organization. Bello added he is seriously considering withdrawing his support for the President.

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Read about what President Aquino has said on the Mamasapano operation here.

President Benign Aquino III dismissed his critics as kulang sa pansin or “attention seekers” during the 29th anniversary rites of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) on Tuesday, March 10. The President said the reason why critics attack him is because he is doing what’s right and changing the status quo. “I will admit: I have courage, because what I’m doing is right, and if I have made mistakes, the Lord will be the judge of that, and he will be in charge of my security,” he said. Malacañang Palace, meanwhile, tried to downplay the President’s recent remarks pointing the blame of the Mamasapano operation on PNP officials. Communications secretary Sonny Coloma said the President was not trying to pass the blame or pre-empt and report on the incident but merely “elaborating” on statements he made in the past.

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Former US First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said women have yet to fully be empowered in this generation. Clinton, Speaking at the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP) event at the United Nations on Tuesday, March 10 said women’s full participation is the “great unfinished business of the 21st century.” The speech comes twenty years after the historic UN conference on women in Beijing where Clinton, then first lady, spoke about women’s rights as a human rights issue. Clinton cited data from the No Ceilings Full Participation Report that found that women work more hours a day without pay and that one in 3 women suffer physical or sexual violence.

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A country with higher levels of corruption tends to have more casualties from natural disasters, according to a study by risk analysis firm Verisk Maplecroft. The study also ranked the Philippines as among 10 countries deemed at ‘extreme risk’ in the Corruption Risk Index 2015. Verism Maplecroft cites corruption as a factor for poor regulation enforcement and inadequate preparation, which can increase the risk of highly exposed areas to natural hazards. Countries with high corruption levels suffered an average of 242 fatalities per disasters, while countries with less corruption suffered 21 deaths per disaster. The study, however, said the Philippine and Sri Lanka demonstrated the greatest improvement in resilience in recent years.

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Motorists in Metro Manila who drink and drive should think twice before they get behind the wheel beginning Thursday, March 12 as authorities begin the enforcement of the anti-drunk driving law. On Tuesday, March 10, some 100 personnel from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) received training on how to use breath analyzers or breathalyzers to measure the blood alcohol content (BAC) of a driver suspected of being intoxicated. For non-professional drivers, a BAC of 0.5% or lower is acceptable; but for professional drivers, there should be no trace of alcohol in the blood. Time to start sobering up before starting up.

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The US Central Intelligence Agency has been working for years to break encryption on Apple devices that would allow the US government to spy on iPhone and iPad users, a report said Tuesday, March 10. According to The Intercept, secret leaked documents reveal the effort by the CIA began in 2006 as Apple was preparing to launch its first iPhone. The report did not indicate if the CIA was successful in its program. Apple and Google both announced last year they were hardening their encryption on devices.

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Vice President Jejomar Binay said on Tuesday, March 10 that the government is trying its best to help save some 80 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on death row in various countries. Of the 80 Filipinos, 27 are in Saudi Arabia. Binary, who is the presidential adviser on OFW concerns, said all those on death row are being given full legal assistance by the Philippine government. The statements comes in the wake of the execution by Saudi authorities of Joven Estevan, who was convicted of murdering his employer in Riyadh in 2007.

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Student activists scuffled with riot police in central Myanmar Tuesday, March 10, vowing to burst through a wall of security personnel who have surrounded them for over a week at a protest for education reform. Activists attempted to break through tightly packed lines of police, just days after authorities cracked down on a supporting rally in the main city of Yangon. Student protesters have embarked on months of demonstrations calling for education reform, but plans by a core group to march to Yangon have been halted by police in the dusty central town of Letpadan, who have surrounded around 150 activists since March 2.

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Looking for a spacious home and someone to share it with? One woman in Yogyakarta, Indonesia is offering both for sale. Wina Lia, a 40-year-old widow has put her spacious house up for sale. But she’s not only looking for a buyer, she’s looking for a soulmate as well. Her advertisement has since gone viral in Indonesia. But, interested buyers need to be religious and a good father to her kids, said Lia. The price tag? Only IDR999 million ($76,500).

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Eight-division boxing and current World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is not impressed, neither is he losing sleep, over reports that his upcoming opponent Floyd Mayweather Jr. knocked out a sparring mate with a body shot. “I hope the reports were true,” Pacquiao said via philboxing.com. “He should be aggressive during our fight so we can make the fans happy.” “We all know how he fights,” Pacquiao said. In fact, his previous fights lulled me to sleep.” Pacquiao added Mayweather should prove to the world that he’s a fearless fighter and not a runner.

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