Rappler Newscast | April 29, 2013

Today on Rappler. 

• Poll chief Sixto Brillantes denies padding the contract for the deployment of election machines to Mindanao.
• Senator Guingona wants the New People’s Army to surrender those responsible for the ambush on his mother’s convoy.
• The government says peace talks with the National Democratic Front failed. 

Story 1: BRILLANTES DENIES CONTRACT PADDING, HITS CRITICS
Commission on Elections chair Sixto Brillantes defends the allegedly anomalous contract for the deployment of election materials to Mindanao.
Four people file a complaint against Brillantes for violating the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials.
They accuse Comelec of quote — “padding” the deployment contract with the forwarder Airfreight 2100 Inc.
The complainants submit to the Ombudsman two versions of the resolution issued by the Comelec Special Bids and Awards Committee in connection with the deployment of ballot counting machines in Mindanao.
The first version, dated February 14, shows winning bidder Air 21 having submitted the lowest bid of P302 million.
The second version, dated Feb 23, shows Air 21 submitted a bid of P490 million.
The amount increased by 188 million pesos.
Brillantes says if the deal was anomalous, the losing bidders — 2Go and Argo International Forwarders Inc — should have initiated the complaint.

SIXTO BRILLANTES, COMELEC CHAIR: I will not explain any discrepancy cause there was none…Of course it can be legal…The fight was really between Air21, 2Go and Argo. Kung mayroong anomaly na nangyari, hindi papayag yung malaking kompanya, 2Go and Argo, to just let it go. (If any anomaly had occurred, the big companies wouldn’t allow it.)

Pressed for an explanation, Brillantes does not respond directly, but suggests the difference could be due to –quote– “mistakes” or “adjustments” before the Comelec arrived at a final decision.

SIXTO BRILLANTES, COMELEC CHAIR: Nagkakamali, nagkakaroon ng adjustment, nag-aaway ‘yung mga (Technical Working Group) namin, nagdidiskusyon ‘yung SBAC, until a final decision is arrived at. (We make mistakes, we make adjustments, those in the Technical Working Group debate, those in the SBAC engage in discussions, until a final decision is arrived at.)

Brillantes says he will give a detailed explanation once he gets a notice from the Ombudsman.

Story 2: ‘NPA EXTORTS UP TO P5M FROM EACH CANDIDATE’
A senior military official says the New People’s Army extorts millions of pesos from candidates for the May polls and will likely use the money to buy guns.
Major General Jose Mabanta says candidates who want to gain access to rebel-controlled areas pay between P50,000 and P5 million.
Mabanta says –quote– “With the amounts involved, they will be buying arms and ammunition, and these may be fired and used against them.”
He says the amount is significantly higher than the money regularly extorted from mining, logging and other businesses based in the rural areas.
Mabanta urges candidates to reject the NPA’s demands and its permit-to-campaign scheme.
He says, “Candidates who are giving in to the demands are helping the rebels further conduct terroristic activities that victimize innocent people.”
Mabanta says criminal charges will be filed against candidates caught paying the NPA.

Story 3: GUINGONA TO NPA: SURRENDER CULPRITS
Nine days since the ambush on his mother’s convoy, Senator TG Guingona says the NPA should surrender those responsible for the attack.
In an interview on ANC’s Headstart, Guingona says, “The NPA must surrender the culprits. These people must face the law.”
On April 20, the NPA attacked the vehicle of Gingoog City Mayor Ruthie Guingona, killing two of her aides and injuring her and two policemen.
The NPA rebels fired at the vehicle when it failed to stop at their checkpoint.
The communist rebel group apologizes for the attack but claims it was self-defense.
But Senator Guingona says, “NPA’s intent was to kill.”
The 78-year-old outgoing mayor, who sustained wounds in her cheeks and thigh, demands justice for the attack, saying, “Two people died for what they have done.”
Senator Guingona wants NPA checkpoints dismantled, saying the rebels had no right to set up checkpoints in the first place.

Story 4: CPP: PERMIT TO CAMPAIGN DOES NOT EXIST
The Communist Party of the Philippines says what some refer to as a Permit to Campaign does not exist.
The CPP also criticizes the Armed Forces of the Philippines for using –quote– “perverted propaganda” to say the New People’s Army is extorting money from politicians.
The CPP says its election policies aim to “regulate the conduct of the election campaign to ensure that the rights and welfare of the masses are not trampled upon.”
In past elections, candidates complained about the NPA’s Permit to Campaign policy in rural areas.

Story 5: PH: PEACE TALKS WITH NDF A FAILURE
The Philippines says peace talks with communist rebels failed, and that it will not be able to end the decades-long insurgency by 2016 as it hoped.
Chief government negotiator Alex Padilla says the administration is looking for a “new approach” following nearly 3 years of failed negotiations.
Padilla says, “We are at an impasse now. Whether we talk or not, the same violence continues.”
President Benigno Aquino wanted to seal a peace deal to end the 44-year insurgency before his term ends in 2016.
Negotiations between the government and the rebels barely progressed after talks in Norway in early 2011.
Padilla blames the National Democratic Front for the failure, accusing it of setting new conditions for talks such as the release of captured senior rebels.

Story 6: UNA BET SHOT DEAD IN NORTH COTABATO
Gunmen kill a candidate of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance in North Cotabato Sunday night.
Omar Gapor, candidate for councilor in the town of Banisilan was attacked after a campaign rally at the town proper.
Gapor sustained gunshot wounds at the back of his head and died on the spot.
Authorities are investigating if the attack in Banisilan is politically motivated.

Story 7: #PALARO2013 CLOSING CEREMONIES
The 2013 Palarong Pambansa closes, but not without its fair share of stories of comebacks, upsets, and triumphs.
Devon Wong files this video blog.

The Palaro 2013 games are officially winding down with the closing ceremonies marking the end of another successful year.
It’s no surprise that NCR comes out on top again this year with Western Visayas and Central Visayas coming in second and third.
But there were great stories of underdogs overcoming the odds too.
Like the Central Visayas secondary boys basketball team upsetting NCR in the finals or comebacks like Marilyn Avila’s gold for 400-meter individual hurdles.
It’s been a tough week for athletes fighting through their events but the overall message of this year’s palaro is of peace and unity.
The Department of Education made special efforts to encourage more interactions between regions off the field this year, including holding a peace summit with members from each delegation to help promote peace through sports.
Organizers hope that athletes take home more than just medals this year and realize that games can only exist through working together for a common purpose.
Until next year, Devon Wong. Rappler, Dumaguete.

Story 8: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 1, A top US virologist warns health authorities to prepare for the possibility of the deadly H7N9 virus mutating, allowing human-to-human transmission.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases head Anthony Fauci says the virus is “unpredictable” and might mutate into a form that can spread between humans.
Researchers are developing a diagnostic test to identify H7N9, along with a vaccine, with clinical trials due in July or August.
More than 110 people in mainland China have been infected with H7N9 and 23 have died.
Taiwan reports one case of the virus.

At number 8, Syria’s information minister says the US and British claims of chemical weapons use in Syria are a “barefaced lie.”
On Saturday, Omran al-Zohbi says Syria will never use chemical weapons, citing its adherence to international law and “humanitarian and moral issues.”
On Friday, US President Barack Obama warns Syria using chemical weapons would be a “game changer” after the US, Israel and Britain all cited signs the regime attacked with the deadly nerve agent sarin.
But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov says these claims should not become a pretext for foreign military intervention in Syria.

And at number 10, US President Barack Obama pokes fun at himself, his opponents and news media at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday.
Obama says his re-election gives him the chance to carry out a radical agenda, joking, “I’m not the strapping young Muslim Socialist that I used to be.”
Some of Obama’s jokes target billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who spent a fortune backing Mitt Romney, and several Republican members of Congress.
Hollywood stars, South Korean rapper Psy, and singer Barbra Streisand, are among those seen in the event.
But the Hollywood-meets-Washington party gets the ire of Sarah Palin.
She says, “America is buried in taxes… the permanent political class in DC dresses up and has a prom to make fun of themselves. No need for that, we get the real joke.”

– Rappler.com

Newscast production staff