Today on Rappler.
- The Judicial and Bar Council disqualifies Justice Secretary Leila de Lima from the chief justice race.
- Senator Tito Sotto makes an emotional appeal against the RH Bill before the Senate, blaming contraceptives for the loss of a son.
- Tropical storm Helen — international name Kai-Tak — threatens Northern Luzon, with 7 provinces under signal no. 1.
Story 1: JBC DISQUALIFIES DE LIMA FROM CJ RACE
The Judicial and Bar Council disqualifies Justice Secretary Leila de Lima from the chief justice race due to the disbarment complaints filed against her.
The council meets today to finalize its shortlist of chief justice nominees.
Leading the shortlist of 8 nominees is Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio with 7 votes, followed by Supreme Court justices Roberto Abad, Arturo Brion, and Ma. Lourdes Sereno; Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, former San Juan Rep Ronaldo Zamora, Supreme Court justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, and former Ateneo Law Dean Cesar Villanueva.
The President has until August 27 to make his final choice.
The JBC decision on De Lima is a setback for President Aquino, who admits to helping De Lima sort out her legal problems in the selection process.
The JBC decision comes after the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ ruling ordering a probe of the disbarment cases filed against De Lima.
JBC rules say nominees with pending cases cannot seek judicial posts.
JBC member Michael Musngi moved for the suspension of the rule on disbarment when the JBC met last Friday.
3 members opposed the move.
Jardeleza also faces a disbarment case, but JBC member Niel Tupas Jr says the case has no prima facie evidence for it to proceed.
De Lima, reacting to the news of the shortlist, is visibly shaken.
She asks “Why was I singled out?”
Story 2: THE LONG SHORTLIST
Rappler’s Editor-at-large and author of the first expose on the Supreme Court Marites Vitug takes apart the JBC’s long “shortlist.”
Vitug says the 8 choices for chief justice are dominated by insiders but sprinkled with 3 outsiders.
She says “This indicates the strong pull of tradition.”
She says by deciding to give the President 8 names, the JBC plays safe.
Vitug does her own vetting starting with Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio and Justice Ma Lourdes Sereno– who both belong to the minority in the Supreme Court and stood on the same side in crucial cases: Both voted to uphold the Truth Commission.
They dissented in the grant of a temporary restraining order against the justice department to allow former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to leave the country.
They dissented in the decision to stop the House of Representatives from impeaching Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.
In the more than 2 months that he’s been acting chief justice, Carpio has opened up the secretive Court, making it the most transparent ever.
Budget accountability reports are now on the Court’s Web site.
The day after Renato Corona was convicted, Carpio called for a special en banc meeting and pushed to make public the justices’ SALNs.
Justices Arturo Brion, Roberto Abad, and Teresita de Castro are perceived to be pro-Arroyo.
They were part of the majority who allowed Arroyo to leave the country supposedly for medical reasons.
They voted with the majority to stop a co-equal branch from impeaching Ombudsman Gutierrez.
All but Abad voted against the Truth Commission.
During the impeachment of Corona, these 3 justices joined the majority in barring Court staff from testifying.
In the plagiarism case of Justice Mariano del Castillo, these 3 justices were part of the group that cleared him.
Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza has impeccable academic credentials.
But he is associated with Marcos crony Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, when he worked for the conglomerate San Miguel Corp.
There is no doubt about mental agility; Former Congressman Ronaldo Zamora is bright and smart.
Zamora’s political choices include his mentor Ferdinand Marcos and deposed President Joseph Estrada.
Cesar Villanueva has impressive academic credentials but he chose to keep quiet during the debate on the “midnight appointment” of Chief Justice Renato Corona by President Arroyo and did not take a stand during the plagiarism scandal that hit the High Court.
His law firm defended Cristina Corona in the cases she filed against her relatives, the Basa-Guidotes.
Story 3: BATTLE OVER RH BILL SHIFTS TO SENATE
Senator Tito Sotto delivers his ‘turno de contra’ speech opposing the RH Bill.
The Senate Majority leader says more than a job, the issue also affects him on a personal level.
Sotto says his speech will be delivered in 4 parts with the premise that the RH Bill is unnecessary, not beneficial, and not practical for Filipinos.
SEN. TITO SOTTO: Now my main objections to the Reproductive Health bill are as follows: Number 1, the RH Bill violates Philippine sovereignty, the Philippine constitution and existing penal laws. Number 2, the RH Bill is detrimental to the health of a pregnant mother and puts the life of the unborn on the line. Number 3, the RH bill violates our financial independence and autonomy of local governments. And number 4, the RH bill transgresses Filipino culture and family values.
Sotto got emotional after sharing how he and wife Helen Gamboa lost a child after they opted to use contraceptives.
SEN. TITO SOTTO: Helen became pregnant even though she was taking contraceptives. She gave birth to my real first son who we named Vincent Paul. He was born with a weak heart. He needed blood transfusion every now and then. After 5 months, he passed away.
The Senate and House versions of the Reproductive Health Bill are now in the period of amendments.
At this point, the committee will introduce changes to the bill based on inputs from the yearlong plenary debates.
Lawmakers can also propose individual amendments on the floor before voting on second and third reading.
Unlike the House, the Senate leadership is against the RH bill.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Majority Leader Tito Sotto are among the most vocal critics of the measure.
The two are in charge of determining the Senate’s agenda and timetable.
Enrile says the bill’s passage is unlikely while Sotto says it is not a priority.
Many senators are still not categorical on their stand on the issue.
Senators who openly support the Bill are Pia Cayetano, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Ping Lacson, Bongbong Marcos, Edgardo Angara and, Serge Osmeña III.
Aside from Enrile and Sotto, the senators who oppose the bill are Koko Pimentel, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Manny Villar.
The rest are either undecided or supportive but with reservations as indicated in the committee report they signed last year.
They say their vote will depend on the final version of the bill.
Story 4: SIGNAL NO. 1 OVER 7 LUZON PROVINCES
Tropical storm Helen — international name Kai-Tak — maintains its strength and continues to threaten Northern Luzon.
The storm is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing rain over Luzon and Visayas.
Signal no. 1 is up over Quirino, Aurora, Isabela, Kalinga, Apayao, Cagayan, including Calayan and Babuyan Islands; and Batanes group of Islands.
State weather bureau Pagasa reports light to moderate rain over Central and Southern Luzon.
Moderate to heavy rain is recorded over the Camarines provinces, CALABARZON, Bulacan, Pampanga, Mindoro, Bataan, Zambales, and Metro Manila.
Story 5: PASSENGER BILL OF RIGHTS OUT END-AUGUST
Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas says the final draft of the Air Passenger Bill of Rights will be out by end-August.
The bill addresses complaints on airline industry practices, including overbooking and ticket refunds.
The issues tackled during the last public hearing include compensation for denial of boarding, damage and delay of baggage, and special provisions for persons with disabilities.
Story 6: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 4, Over 250 people are dead and almost 2,000 others injured after two massive quakes hit parts of northwestern Iran Saturday.
Iranian officials say 110 villages are damaged, while at least 20 are totally destroyed.
Rescue operations ended on Sunday.
The Iranian government promises to allocate funds to rebuild houses before the onset of winter.
At number 6, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi forces two high ranking Egyptian defense officials into retirement Sunday.
The Egyptian military took control of Egypt after the revolution toppled Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
In a televised announcement, a spokesperson for Morsi announced Defense Minister Mohammed Hussein and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Sami Anan were “sent into retirement.”
Both men were appointed Presidential Advisers and were awarded medals in what is widely seen as Morsi’s way of asserting authority.
At number 7, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney announces his running mate Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan over the weekend.
Many see Romney’s falling behind incumbent President Barrack Obama in recent polls as the reason behind the move.
Obama, who is running for reelection, called Ryan the “ideological leader of Republicans in Congress,” warning that while Ryan was a “decent man”, he supports a vision that Romney fundamentally disagrees with.
Some say the announcement fuels new life into the Republican campaign.
And at number 10, Google announces over the weekend it would be changing its search algorithm to prioritize content from legal sources.
The search algorithm is the formula which decides which stories go first in searches.
Sources with a higher number of copyright complaints will appear lower in search results.
The Motion Picture of America says the change would help steer people away from, “enterprises that steal the hard work of creators across the globe.”
The change will be implemented this week.
Story 7: LONDON 2012 WRAP UP
As the 30th Olympics comes to a close, the host city London ends the Games with a bang and a magnificent closing ceremony.
Natashya Gutierrez reports.
And so it ends.
After 19 days of competition in 26 different sports, 204 nations gather to celebrate the end of the best show on earth.
British musicians make the closing ceremonies a spectacle to remember.
An estimated 750 million viewers around the world watch George Michael, John Lennon, One Direction, the Spice Girls, The Who together with Britain’s most influential performers conclude the London Olympics.
Over the weekend, Usain Bolt adds to his list of feats after he and the Jamaican relay team smash the 4x100m world record.
Bolt’s victory comes a day after the USA women’s team runs the fastest 4x400m relay in history.
Mexico wins its first football gold by pulling off a 2-1 victory over Brazil in one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history.
The US men’s team show they reign supreme in the basketball court, claiming their 5th crown in the past 6 Olympics by defeating Spain 107-100.
The 2012 London Olympics makes history in more ways than one.
Swimmer Michael Phelps wins his 22nd medal and becomes the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time.
Bolt is the first sprinter to defend three events in two consecutive Olympics.
And it is the first time that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei allow female athletes to participate
While women’s boxing makes its Olympic debut.
As the world bids goodbye to London, the only city that has hosted the Games 3 times,
the countdown begins to Rio de Janeiro, as Brazil prepares to be the first South American country to host the Summer Olympics in 2016.
Natashya Gutierrez, Rappler, Manila.
– Rappler.com
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