Rappler Newscast | August 5, 2013

Today on Rappler.

• The United States extends embassy shut-downs following reports of possible Al-Qaeda attacks.
• A powerful bomb kills at least 6 and injures 26 in Cotabato City.
• The Court of Appeals rules commercial hub Fort Bonifacio belongs to Makati, not Taguig.

 

Story 1: US EXTENDS EMBASSY CLOSURES
US missions across the Middle East and Africa will be closed through August 10 following intelligence reports an Al-Qaeda attack may be imminent.
The US State Department says 19 diplomatic outposts will shut down until Saturday.
The list includes 15 outposts ordered closed Sunday because of security fears, and four additional posts.
The move comes after Interpol issues a global security alert on August 3, following Al-Qaeda-linked jailbreaks in 9 countries.
Washington shuts down its embassies in the Islamic world, while Germany, Britain and France close their missions in Yemen for at least two days.
The Philippine government says it is –quote– “intensifying intelligence gathering” and heightening security measures in the country.
In Washington, some members of Congress call the intelligence reporting among the most serious they’ve seen in recent years.
House Homeland Security Committee chair Michael McCaul calls it –quote– “probably one of the most specific and credible threats…since 9/11.”
While an exact target is unknown, Joint Chiefs of Staff chair General Martin Dempsey tells ABC News the intent is to “attack Western, not just US, interests.”

Story 2: COTABATO CITY BLAST KILLS 6
A powerful bomb kills at least 6 people and injures at least 26 in Cotabato City.
The explosion occurs at Sinsuat Avenue past 4pm Monday.
The blast also damages at least 4 vehicles and triggers a fire.
A report by the Office of Civil Defense in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao says a multicab, used as a car bomb, allegedly went off after the vehicle of City Administrator Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi passed by.
It was the second bombing to hit Mindanao in 10 days, following the July 26 bombing in Cagayan de Oro City. 

Story 3: MINDANAO BOMBS: OVER 300 KILLED IN 12 YRS
The July 26 blast in Cagayan de Oro is one of the deadliest bombing attacks in Mindanao in more than two years.
But beyond Cagayan de Oro, other cities and regions in Mindanao have gone through worse.
Rappler puts together figures from media reports and the Human Rights Watch.
The 61 recorded bombing incidents in Mindanao killed at least 354 civilians and several military and police personnel from 2000 to 2012.
More than 1,775 were wounded in these attacks.
Most of the deadliest bombing attacks from 2000 to 2012 did not occur in war-torn regions.
It is in Region 12 or Soccsksargen, which includes the cities of General Santos, Cotabato, Kidapawan, Koronadal, and Tacurong, and the provinces of South Cotabato, Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani.
In the last 12 years, 25 bombing and grenade attacks occurred in the region.

Story 4: CA: FORT BONIFACIO BELONGS TO MAKATI
The booming commercial hub fueling Taguig City’s economy in recent years belongs to Makati City after all.
The 6th Division of the Court of Appeals favors Makati’s appeal to declare parts of Fort Bonifacio to be inside Makati territory and not Taguig’s.
The decision reverses the ruling of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 153 that sided with Taguig.
If upheld by the CA en banc and the Supreme Court, this decision will revert 729.15 hectares to Makati.
The contested area starts from the lands behind Barangay Magallanes, Dasmariñas Village, and Forbes Park, all the way to parts of Guadalupe.
It covers the entire Bonifacio Global City development that is home to posh condominiums, luxury malls, and foreign embassies.
The case stems from presidential orders in 1992 and 1993 directing the development of portions of military camps, including Fort Bonifacio.
In those orders, certain barangays are identified as part of Taguig, despite earlier presidential proclamations placing these under Makati’s jurisdiction.
Makati City public information chief Joey Salgado says the city government welcomes the decision.
He adds, “Makati’s claim on these areas have historical and legal basis. 

Story 5: UNANIMOUS DECISION: SENATE WON’T PROBE PORK FOR NOW
In a unanimous decision, the Senate agrees not to investigate the multi-million peso pork barrel scam for now.
In a caucus Monday, the senators agreed to wait for the Ombudsman, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Justice Department and the Commission on Audit to finish their probes before deciding whether to conduct its own investigation.

FRANKLIN DRILON, SENATE PRESIDENT: A question was raised by one of the senators: will the public believe the results of our investigation? The unanimous response was no.

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman TG Guingona adds the Senate did not want to preempt the investigative bodies.
Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, Bongbong Marcos, and Gringo Honasan were tagged in the scam where lawmakers allegedly allowed their funds to be used in exchange for commissions.

Story 6: PH AIRPORT WORKERS LEAVING FOR GREENER PASTURES
Like the government’s weathermen, Philippine air traffic controllers, pilots, and aerobridge operators are leaving to work in Middle East airports.
The Airline Operators Council says the Ninoy Aquino International Airport or NAIA may soon lack specialists to manage the increasing number of airlines arriving at the airport.
AOC-ASEAN chair Onnie Nakpil says 8 aerobridge professionals left NAIA recently.
They have been hired by airports in the Middle East, with a starting salary of P80,000 a month, compared to their salary of P13,000 a month in Manila.

Story 7: SOUTH KOREA LOSING PATIENCE WITH NORTH ON KAESONG TALKS
South Korea warns the North it is –quote– “reaching the limit” of its patience over stalled talks to revive the Kaesong industrial complex.
The joint industrial zone is a key source of revenue for North Korea.
Six rounds of meetings aimed at restarting Kaesong produce little progress, with both sides disagreeing over who is responsible for the shutdown.
South Korea proposes “final” talks on the Kaesong complex, which has remained closed since early April following military tensions.
The most recent meeting on July 25 ends with no date set for the next talks and Pyongyang officials accusing Seoul counterparts of being “arrogant.”

Story 8: ‘DAVID F’: CHALLENGING CONVENTIONS
Cinemalaya breaks new ground in this year’s festival.
One of these films is “David F”, an opus that spans ages and social attitudes.
G Tongi reports.

“David F” is a film about 3 generations of African – Filipinos.
Written and directed by Manny Palo, it explores bigotry in three different eras.

MANNY PALO, DAVID F. DIRECTOR/ WRITER: You know, kailangan maging unkomportable tayo…Films are not just to entertain. We don’t make films just to make people sit down and relax. Kailangan may mga pelikula din na that would feel them uneasy, uncomfortable. (You know, it’s about going beyond our comfort zones. We need films that would make the viewer uneasy, uncomfortable.)

For David F., actress Shamane Buencamino, entertainment is a means to an end.

SHAMAINE BUENCAMINO, ACTRESS: Well because these are issues that are happening, right now, it’s in our midst. But these are subjects that make us uncomfortable, so, it’s best presented through a film. And this film is not hard, you know, just knock your head with it. It tells you a story and you are entertained at the same time, you imbibe the values that the film is trying to say.

Urian Best Supporting Actor Art Acuña says films like David F. reaffirms a revolution is happening in Philippine cinema.

ART ACUÑA, ACTOR: It just so happens that a lot of good stories are coming out in the indie cinema venue, right? And that’s just upping the standards for everything else. I mean the audience is becoming more intelligent, more alert, more aware, more present, and that’s what you want. You want everybody just in the moment every time.

Actor Questor Hanna says a film should not only engage, it should also heal.

QUESTOR HANNAH, ACTOR: Films like these are really important for the society to help bridge the gap that uh other entities have failed to do. So I think films like these are very important to help healing uh to help promote social justice and just overall uh love between all the people.

It’s film’s power to transform.
Singapore based award winning director, Carlitos Siguion Reyna says that power unites us as human being.

CARLITOS SIGUION-REYNA, DIRECTOR: It’s really a good film, it’s important because it opens your eyes, it makes you feel, it sensitizes you to things that are probably in everyday life merely, and I say ‘merely’ in quotation marks, they’re merely discussed, they’re merely talked about, but a good film, a good book, a good piece of art, can open your eyes to… on a subconscious level.

David F, like the rest of this year’s crop of Cinemalaya films, promises to go beyond the mundane, challenge conventions, to tell a story with courage and grit.
G Tongi, Rappler, Manila.

Story 9: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 7, The White House steps into a patent war between Apple and Samsung by overturning a decision banning the sale of certain iPads and iPhones in the United States.
US Trade Representative Michael Froman announces the move, saying he decided to “disapprove” the exclusion order by the US International Trade Commission.
It’s the first time since 1987 that a US administration vetoed a product ban ordered by the trade panel.
The decision comes in the middle of a bitter legal battle between California-based Apple and South Korean competitor Samsung.
Apple welcomes the move while Samsung slams it.

At number 8, Access to the Wall Street Journal’s Chinese-language edition is cut off in China.
Official censors routinely delete sensitive online content but less often block entire websites.
Only the local version of the US newspaper was unavailable.
It’s not clear why this occurred or whether it was intentional.
The Journal’s Chinese-language site had certain articles blocked since it was launched in 2002, but rarely the entire site.
The ruling Communist Party tightly controls the Internet and news media.
It employs a so-called Great Firewall to filter content from abroad.

And at number 9, On August 4, Rappler brings together one Filipino from every continent in a special Rappler Hangout to launch #BalikBayan, a project that aims to engage Filipinos all over the world to collectively rediscover and redefine Filipino identity.
As more Filipinos build a life away from their hometown, Rappler’s hangout guests answer questions on the identity of the Filipino abroad. 

Story 10: CHALLENGES FOR PH AFTER LOSS TO CHINESE TAIPEI
Gilas Pilipinas suffered a heartbreaking loss to Chinese Taipei, 79-84, in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships, Saturday.
The Philippines looked headed for an impressive win, leading 68-55 after 3 periods, before Chinese Taipei rallied to take the lead off a basket by Tseng Wen-Ting with 4 minutes  and 10 seconds remaining.
This gives the Philippines 2 wins and one loss.
The team now faces serious challenges during its ongoing game against Japan, a must-win for the team.
Read Rappler’s live blog for blow by blow updates.

– Rappler.com

Newscast production staff

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER / WRITER	Lilibeth Frondoso
DIRECTOR	Rupert Ambil
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER / PUBLISHER	Rodneil Quiteles
	Dindin Reyes
HEAD WRITER / PROMPTER	Katerina Francisco
MASTER EDITOR / PLAYBACK	Vicente Roxas
	Exxon Ruebe
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR / CAMERAMAN	Charlie Salazar
	Adrian Portugal
	Francis Lopez
	Naoki Mengua
GRAPHICS	Jessica Lazaro
	Matthew Hebrona