July 3, 2013 Edition

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, July 3, issued a temporary restraining order on the plea bargain deal between the Ombudsman and former military comptroller Maj Gen Carlos Garcia.

Garcia is accused of converting millions of military funds into cash that he embezzled.

The deal, which was hatched in 2010, allows Garcia to plead guilty to lesser offenses of direct bribery and facilitating money laundering, in exchange for the withdrawal of plunder charges.

The High Court’s order stops the implementation of the controversial deal and the bail
Garcia was allowed to post.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Bolivian President Evo Morales was in a bind Wednesday, July 3. His plane was forced to land in Vienna following rumors that fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden was on board his plane. Earlier, a Bolivian official accused France and Portugal of denying Morales’ entry into their airspace because of the same rumors. Bolivia is among the 21 nations to which Snowden has applied for asylum.

More on Morales on Rappler
Where in the world is Edward Snowden? More from our World section

The Vatican has recognized a second miracle by John Paul II, putting him firmly into the path for sainthood. The only thing missing? A papal signature to authorize the beloved former pope’s canonization. In June, Vatican theologians attributed a second miracle, which reportedly took place the same day he was beatified in St. Peter’s Square on May 1, 2011.

Read more about John Paul II’s miracles on Rappler.

The United States government announced July 2 that the enforcement of a part of the federal health care law will be delayed by a year. The provision is question penalizes employers who don’t provide health insurance. The Treasury Department said they heard complaints over the “complexity of the requirements and the need for more time to implement them effectively.” Employers with more than 50 workers are need to give employees health coverage from 2014.

Read more on Rappler

The Philippine National Police (PNP) came one step closer to a 1 is to 1 police-gun ratio on Tuesday, July 2, after the Philippine government distributed 22,000 Glock pistols, the first tranch of new guns procured by government. President Benigno Aquino III says the P1.2 billion purchase is part of the police force’s Capability Enhancement Program, which aims to improve the 148,000-strong PNP’s capability to fight crime.

Learn more from Natashya Gutierrez’s report on Rappler.

Tiffany’s former vice president of product development Ingrid Lederhaas-Okun was arrested Tuesday, July 2, for stealing and later reselling more than $1 million worth of valuables. According to federal prosecutors, Lederhaas-Okun stole more than 165 items of jewelry between November 2012 and February 2013, she later sold the haul to another jeweler for $1.3 million, after she said the property was her own.

More on Lederhaas-Okun’s heist on Rappler.

Australia on Monday, July 1, advised citizens to avoid traveling to central and western Mindanao, including the Zamboanga peninsula and the Sulu archipelago, citing “security reasons.” Travel by Australian embassy staff to Davao, Cotabao, and Zamboanga have also been cancelled. The warning came following the kidnapping of two Fil-Moroccan sisters by the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu. Earlier, the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth office reiterated a travel advice to citizens in the Philippines, advising “against all travel to southwest Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of ongoing terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups.”

More on Rappler 

In Metro Manila, Samsung trumps Apple when it comes to smartphones – this is one of the insights the TNS “Mobile Life 2013” survey revealed. The study also unveiled the profile of the Metro Manila-based Filipino smartphone user. Aside from being heavily social, Filipinos were found to value smartphone features over looks.

What else did the study reveal about smartphone users in Metro Manila? Find out on Rappler 

Now that the confetti has settled in Miami, it’s time for another exciting period in the NBA cycle: the free agency period. Teams with salary cap space to spare are scrambling to get the best available free agents until July 10, when official papers will be signed.

Rappler rounded up the top available free agents in 2013. Know who they are here.

American and proud – that’s the message Motorola’s sending out for its Moto X smartphone campaign, which is also their first after being acquired by Google early this year. In time for July 4 festivities in the United States, Motorola promises a “smartphone that you can design yourself.” The ad, however, didn’t show the phone itself.

Read more about the Moto X campaign on Adage. 
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