Rappler Newscast | February 27, 2013

Story 1: PH ASKS TO EXTEND DEADLINE IN SABAH
The Philippines asks Malaysia for another extension of the deadline for Filipinos to leave a village in Sabah.
The government wants to give Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III a few more days to study the message sent to him by President Benigno Aquino.
On Tuesday, Aquino warned the sultan he would face the “full force of the law” unless he withdraws his gunmen from Malaysia.
But Kiram’s spokesman says the sultan wants to talk directly to Aquino before ordering his people to leave.
The sultan also wants a share in Sabah’s future profits.
DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez says Malaysia has yet to respond to the request for an extension.
On February 12, about 180 Filipinos — heirs of the sultan of Sulu and their followers — sailed to Sabah to pursue their claim on the state.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas says about 800,000 Filipinos in Malaysia are now at risk because of the standoff.
Roxas says the government is trying to resolve the crisis peacefully so the OFWs will not lose their jobs.
He adds, “It’s important that we retain good relations between Malaysia and the Philippines.
We don’t want the Malaysians to feel like we can’t be trusted inside Malaysia and Sabah.”

Story 2: VER: ENRILE SUFFERS FROM MEMORY LAPSE
On the 27th anniversary of the EDSA Revolution, Irwin Ver, the son of late Armed Forces chief of staff Gen Fabian Ver, speaks on his father’s role in the Marcos administration.
Ver says his memory of events differ from Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and businessman Roberto Ongpin, both key figures during Martial Law.
In his memoir, Enrile claims Fabian Ver plotted to bring him down.
But Irwin says Enrile was the second most powerful man under the Marcos regime and had earned the reverence and respect of his father, who looked at Enrile as his future boss.

IRWIN VER, SON OF FABIAN VER: I’ve always felt that my father respected Minister Enrile and in fact revered him. He always thought that Senator Enrile was going to be the next President of the Philippines– so he had that respect for him, that he was going to be my next boss…The way my father told me, he (Enrile) was actually the architect of martial law, chief designer… because Minister Enrile as brilliant as he is, he is also the only one who knew martial law was going to be staged. He was the one who knew then that you had to prepare the correct environment for people to accept martial law.

Ver attributes Enrile’s allegedly flawed accounts to a “lapse in memory.”

IRWIN VER: I’d like to think that whatever inconsistencies in his book…I’d like to think it’s more, should I say, mistaken memory or lapse in memory. My recollection is certainly different from what he had written.

He also says he believes his father had no role in the assassination of Senator Benigno Aquino Jr, because of the way his father acted right after the incident at the airport.

IRWIN VER: I was in the barracks nursing a feverish baby. And my father barged in, he was in slippers…If he were the mastermind, I think he would be in an operations room, with all the communications, monitoring every detail, maybe the flight arrival, are the troops in place. But he was there in slippers, in our quarters…The second thing I remember is, when a couple of hours later General Custodio, Luther Custodio, who is the commanding general of the Aviation Security Command…so my father asked him to report to him. And the office, I was there behind the door, I could hear that my father was asking “What happened, what happened?” And the words that struck me, why I knew my father did not know anything, if I may in Tagalog “naloko na, ginawa nyong martir si Ninoy. Nalintikan na tayong lahat.” And to me is a significant statement– that my father knows the effects of assassinating Ninoy Aquino.  

Irwin also responds to a story in the Inquirer where Ongpin claims Fabian Ver was out to kill him.

IRWIN VER, SON OF FABIAN VER: It’s funny that in Bobby Ongpin’s revelation, he said that my father was out to kill him. But a year ago I believe he made this declaration in court exonerating the role of the NISA-Task Force Luntian — that they really just supported the trading… In fact, in that article, he said, my father did not know anything about trading, which is probably true, and now he says he was out to kill him.

Story 3: MORE ‘TEAM PATAY’ TARPS IN BACOLOD CHURCHES
More “Team Patay” and “Team Buhay” tarpaulins will soon go up in the Diocese of Bacolod starting Wednesday.
San Sebastian Cathedral rector Fr. Felix Pasquin says over 90 priests agreed to hang similar tarpaulins in their parishes during their meeting Tuesday with Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra.
Pasquin says, “We are targeting all those who stood by the Reproductive Health law.”
He adds their decision “transcends political consideration,” and that their top concern is the moral issue and not the politics.
In an earlier statement, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, says the church’s role is only to help voters choose candidates through discernment and prayer.
But Pasquin says this stand is no longer enough when “the doctrine of life is being challenged”.

Story 4: PINOYS TRUST THE CHURCH MORE THAN GOV’T
A 2012 survey shows Filipinos trust the Church more than they trust government.
According to the 2nd Philippine Trust Index, a majority of 68.1% of Filipinos trust the Church.
Only 15% trust the government.
Yet the government’s latest trust ratings is already a huge improvement from the 2011 survey when only 7% of Filipinos said they trusted the government.
In the latest survey, 21.8% of the respondents say the Church must “maintain its separation from the state.”
They also look up to the Church for spiritual guidance and expect it to be a role model of holiness.

Story 5: HOW EFFECTIVE ARE PROXIES ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL?
Proxies in the campaign trail take center stage in Bukidnon, where only 3 candidates show up.
But do they help, or do they leave people who want to engage candidates feeling frustrated?
Natashya Gutierrez reports.

This voter’s question to Sen Koko Pimentel was thoughtful and personal.
He says, “Sen Koko does not get much love in Northern Mindanao, what reforms will he push for to sway our vote?”
The problem? Pimentel is not in Bukidnon.
It emphasizes the value of having the bets themselves present on the campaign trail, especially in forums for students like this.
Astra Pimentel, the re-electionist’s cousin, represents him. She answers the question, but even campaign manager Franklin Drilon admits, its not enough.

FRANKLIN DRILON, TEAM PNOY CAMPAIGN MANAGER: You know, as we go along, we learn these lessons, I will relay to them what happened here with the very warm exception of the youth and the fact they missed it. I am only the campaign manager I cannot bring the horse to the water.

Of the 12 bets of Team PNoy only 3 show up, 3 send proxies and 1 sends a video. The rest are a no-show.
It’s a surprising decision especially with Northern Mindanao having voted former President Joseph Estrada and vice president Jejomar Binay over President Benigno Aquino III and his vice presidential candidate in 2010.
Binay and Estrada are stalwarts of the opposition, United Nationalist Alliance or UNA.
Bukidnon’s Miguel Zubiri, a candidate under UNA, also garnered more votes in the region than Pimentel.
But it is not enough to convince Pimentel nor the others to appear in the province.
Sheryl Cruz, a proxy for candidate Grace Poe, speaks in general terms when asked about her cousin’s platforms, and even gets Poe’s educational background wrong.
She says she is confident in representing but Poe, but admits she could use more work in symposiums.

SHERYL CRUZ, GRACE POE PROXY: When it comes to more forums, they should let me know more, I am comfortable when it comes to my cousin when it comes to helping her out… I hope that people who are actually listening will not be too critical of whatever it is that I say.

The request is ironic considering scrutiny is the main point of senatorial forums.
Despite the absence of most bets, Drilon says he is confident of a Team PNoy victory in Northern Mindanao but is crossing his fingers more bets show up when they return to visit Southern Mindanao, especially it also having supported the opposition in the past.
Candidates send proxies to maintain a presence. In sorties, maybe. But does it work for forums, where bets are scrutinized for their platforms?
Natashya Gutierrez, Rappler, Bukidnon

Story 6: UNA STICKS WITH GAME PLAN DESPITE TRAILING IN SURVEY
The opposition United Nationalist Alliance has no plans of changing its campaign strategy, despite a survey showing its candidates are trailing behind the administration slate.
Ayee Macaraig follows UNA’s sortie in Quezon City.
She files this video blog.

A day after it is walloped in the surveys, what changed in the opposition camp? Well, nothing. The United Nationalist Alliance says it will not change its game plan, its strategy and its messaging in the campaign even after a Social Weather Stations survey shows only 3 out of its 9 candidates made it to the Magic 12. UNA campaigns here in vote-rich Quezon City, convinced that the turnout of voters are enough to dispute the results of that survey. But while UNA says the survey is not accurate, it says the decline of the alliance stems from attacks on its top leaders Vice President Jejomar Binay, former president Joseph Estrada and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

NANCY BINAY, UNA SENATORIAL BET: Senator Enrile, nililink sa kanya ‘yung nangyayari sa Port Irene ngayon tapos ‘yung kay Presidente Erap lumabas yung sa Sandiganbayan niya na parang kailangan niyang magbayad. Parang diba it’s a process of elimination. Yung dalawa nasimulan na so isa na lang natitira and that is my father.

SEN GREGORIO HONASAN II, UNA SENATORIAL BET: How could you change your strategy on the basis of something that is not verified, that has no logical basis? That has no rational basis?

UNA is campaigning here in vote-rich Quezon City. Quezon City has over 1 million voters. It is fielding former congressman Matt Defensor as candidate for the congressional race in the 3rd District, up against Bolet Banal of the Liberal Party. UNA is convinced it can win here in QC even if it is led by the Belmonte family of the Liberals. UNA said that Binay won here in 2010 and in other cities in Metro Manila except for Marikina. Even if it says it doesn’t believe in surveys UNA would intensify its campaign after the release of the SWS poll. On Thursday it visits Cavite and it will head to Mindanao this weekend.
Ayee Macaraig, Rappler.

Story 7: FUNNEL REMOVED FROM USS GUARDIAN
The Philippine coast guard says salvage teams have removed the funnel from the US Navy ship stranded in Tubbataha reef.
The USS Guardian minesweeper ran aground on the Tubbataha Reef on January 17.
Strong winds and heavy seas have hampered the operation to dismantle it.
The salvagers say the removal on Tuesday of the funnel is a major step.
The team also removed the ship’s winch, used to operate its sonar equipment and plans to dismantle the mast next.

Story 8: LONGER BROWNOUTS IN MINDANAO THIS SUMMER
The Philippine Institute for Development Studies says Mindanao should brace for longer brownouts in summer.
A PIDS study says brownouts might mirror the 10-hour long outages seen in 2010.
The study says demand for power continues to spike, but there are no additions to the baseload capacity to support the demand.
PIDS urges the energy department to implement short-term solutions for likely peaks in the summers of 2013 and 2014.

Story 9: POPE’S FINAL SPEECH: ‘GOD WON’T LET BOAT SINK’
In his final speech, Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday says God guided the Catholic Church throughout his rule as one of the oldest popes in history.
Comparing the Church to a boat, Benedict says: “I always knew that the Lord is in the barque… He shall not let the boat sink.”
Speaking to a crowd estimated at around 150,000, the Pope says he held on to faith despite his initial worries related to his age.
Pope Benedict delivers his speech a day before he steps down Thursday.

Story 10: TAGLE HEADS TO ROME FOR POPE’S FAREWELL, CONCLAVE
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle leaves for Rome Tuesday evening to attend the conclave that will elect the replacement for resigned Pope Benedict XVI.
Next week, 115 cardinal electors from around the world will begin meetings to decide the Church’s priorities and set a start date for the conclave.
There are mixed views on Tagle’s chances of becoming the next pope.
The US-based Catholic News Service says Tagle “is one of the cardinals most frequently mentioned as a possible pope.”
But citing his age, archbishops in the Philippines say it is unlikely Tagle will be the next pope.

Story 11: THE wRAP: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 2, US President Barack Obama warns of potential devastation from looming spending cuts, but the bickering in Washington suggests lawmakers are too far apart to strike a timely compromise.
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke sounded the alarm 72 hours before $85 billion in sequester cuts begin to bite.
But the president’s top Senate ally says he would prefer the budget tax to a deal that did not raise new tax revenues.

At number 7, At least five tons of liquid waste containing sodium cyanide, spew out of a tank after it was hit by a snow plough at a plating factory in northern Japan.
The leak occurred when workers tried to remove snow from the site and damaged a valve on the tank where the chemical was stored.
An official says snow absorbed most of the liquid and clean-up workers have been able to collect the contaminated snow.

At number 8, A hot air balloon catches fire and explodes as it flies over Egypt’s ancient temple city of Luxor on Tuesday, killing 19 tourists.
The tourists were from Korea, Japan and Britain, as well as one Egyptian.
The two survivors, including the balloon’s pilot, are taken to the hospital.

And at number 10, The music industry announces Tuesday the first lift in global sales since 1999, suggesting the long-awaited fightback against the digital revolution has begun.
Sales rose 0.3 percent to $16.5 billion in 2012, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which represents some 1,400 record companies worldwide.

Story 12: SAMSUNG’S GALAXY NOTE 8.0
Samsung announces the Note 8 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Monday.
The same device was on display at an event in Jakarta.
Josh Villanueva files this hands on video.

Hi I’m Michael Josh here at the show floor of the Samsung forum in Jakarta, Indonesia.
If you recall back at the first episode of TechRap we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Note II which is a phone, but many people call this phone a phablet because in terms of size at 5.5 inches it’s kind of in the middle of a standard phone and a full-sized tablet.
Now Samsung has a lot of tablets in the market today but at the Mobile World Congress just this week in Barcelona, Spain they announced an 8-inch tablet to go head to head with Apple’s iPad Mini, they call it the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
We’re lucky to have a demo unit here in our hands today. We’ve taken a look at the device, let me just run through some specs with you.
It runs off a 1.6 GHz quad core processor, 2 GB of RAM.
In terms of storage space it can either have 16 GB or 32 GB and if that is not enough for you it comes with a micro SD card slot over here for expandable memory.
Now in terms of camera, it’s pretty standard.
A 5 megapixel camera here in the back, and in front a 1.2 megapixel camera.
What’s interesting about this device is that it comes in three configurations.
You can get it in wifi only, meaning you can only surf the Internet if you are in a wifi hotspot but it also comes in a 3G model and an LTE version depending on which market you are. Since we’re in the Philippines and we do have LTE available then it will probably come as an LTE model in the Philippines.
If you get those two cellular models you can actually make phone calls on this device.
I don’t know if anybody wants to be seen crossing the street taking a phone call on an 8-inch tablet but just in case you want to do that then you can definitely do that on this device.
In terms of release date and cost we don’t really know how much it’s gonna cost yet, Samsung hasn’t told us what price range this tablet will be in.
It will be available in the second quarter of this year so it’s something to look forward to.
Just like the iPad Mini was to the iPad I believe an 8-inch tablet is probably the sweet spot in terms of tablets.
So if you’re in the market for a tablet you might want to hold off just a little bit more to get your hands on this one and maybe see if this is exactly what you’re looking for. From here in Jakarta, I’m Michael Josh, thanks for dropping by.

Newscast production staff