Rappler Newscast | March 31, 2014

Story 1: CHINA REJECTS PH CASE, INVOKES INT’L LAW
China rejects the historic pleading filed by the Philippines Sunday that challenges Beijing’s claims to disputed territories in the South China Sea.
The Philippines raised the two countries’ dispute to a United Nations backed tribunal, but China claims the arbitral tribunal has no right to hear the case.
Beijing says the disputes involve land, which is not covered by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS, and that in 2006, China rejected arbitral proceedings over disputes concerning overlapping seas or maritime zones.
But for the Philippines, the case is about invalidating China’s expansive claims over the South China Sea.
Philippine Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio says the case concerns the right of the Filipino fishermen to fish in the disputed sea.
Manila says China’s claims encroach on the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone or EEZ, an area 200 nautical miles from a country’s baselines, where a state has the rights to explore and manage natural resources.
Despite China’s warnings, Manila filed its 10-volume pleading to end decades of alleged bullying by Beijing.
The Philippines considers the historic case its last resort, after it exhausted more than 17 years of dialogue.
On Monday, President Benigno Aquino says the decision to file the pleading is not meant to “provoke” China.
He adds, “They should recognize we have the right to defend our own interests.”

Story 2: SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE DAY
For our social media post of the day…
In a bold move, the Philippines files a memorial against China.
How do our followers react to this?
Jose Leonardo A. Sabilano says, “Whether China rejects the memorial or not, the arbitration case will still push through.”
Don Ian Jopio says, “What historical record or international law does China hold to justify its occupation of Tibet? If they can’t answer that, neither will they be able to answer this.”

Story 3: CA JUNKS NAPOLES’ BID TO STOP INDICTMENT
Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles will still be indicted for the alleged illegal detention of principal whistleblower Benhur Luy.
In a decision released Monday, the Court of Appeals denies her bid to stop her indictment.
She and her brother Reynald Lim are accused of illegally detaining Luy starting December 2012 until his rescue in March 2013.
In her petition, Napoles said she did not order Luy’s detention, but that Luy was at the site of detention for an alleged spiritual retreat.
But the court says a resolution by the justice department which found “probable cause” for the complaint against Napoles –quote– “does not appear to have been made with grave abuse of discretion.”
Napoles allegedly siphoned millions of pesos in lawmakers’ pork barrel using fake NGOs.
The scam was exposed by Luy, Napoles’ cousin, after his rescue.

Story 4: DISMISSED PMA CADET SEEKS LAWMAKERS’ HELP
Dismissed Philippine Military Academy cadet Aldrin Jeff Cudia is exhausting all means to get his diploma.
Cudia, along with his parents and the chief of the Public Attorney’s Office, meet with lawmakers two weeks after he was dismissed from the academy.
His father Renato says they are not after Cudia’s reinstatement to the PMA.
They only want the diploma so Cudia can look for work as a civilian.
Renato tells lawmakers, “We are not against the Honor Code. We are against the unjust process of the Honor Committee. We are begging for your help.”
Cudia failed to graduate after losing his appeal to the Honor Committee.
He supposedly lied about the reason for his tardiness in one class – an act that the committee said violated the Honor Code.
Cudia’s family appealed his alleged mistrial, saying one of the voting members was supposedly forced to change his vote.
His is the most controversial case in recent PMA history, triggering public debate on the Honor Code.

Story 5: SPIDER-MAN JOINS PH, WORLD IN EARTH HOUR 2014 SWITCH-OFF
On Saturday, cities all over the world switched off their lights for this year’s Earth Hour, a campaign organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Across the world, lights were turned off in landmarks and buildings in more than 7,000 cities in a bid to reduce energy consumption.
Singapore was the center of this year’s global celebrations.
The stunning light displays of the iconic Marina Bay skyline were dimmed, as the city-state hosted the flagship Earth Hour event.
This year, Spider-Man was named as its first Super Hero ambassador, with the movie’s cast leading the ceremonial switch-off.
The movement has grown into a global phenomenon, thanks to social media.
It has launched Earth Hour Blue, a crowdfunding and crowdsourcing platform for environment-related projects.
Among the projects featured is the building of boats for Filipino fishermen affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan in November last year.

ANDY RIDLEY, EARTH HOUR CEO AND CO-FOUNDER: There’s projects around the world that have really gone beyond the hour. That’s what its all about – what happens beyond the hour. The hour’s an hour of inspiration, to be inspired to do something else.

Story 6: DAMAGED UNDERSEA CABLES AFFECT INTERNET IN PH, ASIA-PACIFIC
Damaged submarine cables connecting 9 countries, including the Philippines, affect Internet connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Philippine Internet service providers Eastern Telecommunications and PLDT say damage to the Asia-Pacific Cable Network 2 last week caused the problem.
While Internet traffic was rerouted, the damage causes slower connections across the region.
Eastern says it expects repairs to be completed on April 4, while PLDT says services will be restored mid-April.

Story 7: NOT THE MARTILYO GANG? MOA ROBBERS USED PIPE WRENCHES
A shooting incident between police and robbers at the SM Mall of Asia causes panic among shoppers Sunday evening.
One person was injured.
Armed men with pipe wrenches and firearms entered a jewelry store in the mall, leading to a shootout with police.
Police arrest 1 suspect, identified as Bryan Bansawan alias Mahdi L. Abelin, who carried one pistol and one magazine assembly with 7 live ammunition.
Authorities are still looking for at least 9 others involved in the robbery.
The SM management has been heavily criticized for the series of robberies inside its major malls, previously by hammer-wielding robbers.

Story 8: NOKOR, SOUTH KOREA TRADE LIVE FIRE OVER SEA BORDER
North Korea and South Korea trade live fire into the sea across their disputed maritime border Monday.
Seoul says Pyongyang fired more than a hundred rounds into South Korea’s waters.
North Korea regularly conducts live-fire drills but, in an unusual move, notified the South of Monday’s exercise in advance.
South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Wi Yong-Seop says it indicates the North’s “hostile intention.”
Wi adds, “The aim is to threaten us and rack up tension on the Yellow Sea border and the overall Korean peninsula.”

Story 9: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 5, 29 relatives of the Chinese passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 arrive in Kuala Lumpur Sunday as the search for the missing plane intensifies.
Some demand answers, while others seek closure.
Search teams say debris found in the Indian Ocean are not from the missing plane.
Malaysian officials say a new Australian Joint Agency Coordination Center will take charge of synchronizing search efforts for the plane.

And at 9, the British royal family releases an official photograph of Prince George with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – Prince William and his wife Kate.
The 8-month-old prince is 3rd in line to the throne.
The royal family is expected to arrive in New Zealand on April 7 and on April 16 in Australia.
It will be Prince George’s first overseas tour.

And at number 10, a US study shows the Monday immediately following spring time daylight saving time records an increase in heart attacks.
The study was based on a database of hospitals in Michigan.
During this time, clocks are turned forward by an hour.
The study’s lead author Amneet Sandhu says the rise in heart attacks seems to indicate that people are -quote- “very sensitive to the loss of even one hour’s sleep.”
For the full top 10 visit Rappler.com’s ‘the wRap.’

Vintage pocket watch photo from Shutterstock

Story 10: BEAUTIES CROWNED AT BB PILIPINAS PAGEANT

Seven ladies win at the Binibining Pilipinas Coronation Night Sunday night.
Mary Jean Lastimosa is Bb Pilipinas-Universe, while Kris Tiffany Janson gets the crown as Bb Pilipinas-Intercontinental, and Mary Anne Guidotti is hailed Bb Pilipinas-International.
Other winners are – Yvethe Marie Santiago, Parul Shah, Laura Lehmann and Hannah Sison.