Rappler Newscast | May 13, 2014

Today on Rappler.

• Former senator Ping Lacson names the lawmakers in his version of the Napoles list.
• Senator Bongbong Marcos says there’s reason to be concerned over the new Philippine-US defense deal.
• China’s state-run media says challengers to its territorial claims should pay an “unaffordable price.”

STORY 1: ABAD, ALCALA, 12 SENATORS IN LACSON’S NAPOLES LIST 

Former senator Ping Lacson names the lawmakers implicated by alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Napoles in the biggest corruption scandal to hit the country in recent history.
In a television interview Monday evening, Lacson names Senators Miriam Santiago, Francis Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Gringo Honasan, and Budget Secretary Butch Abad as some of those who allegedly connived with Napoles to steal public money.
On Tuesday, Lacson submits his version of the controversial Napoles list to the Senate blue ribbon committee.
The list includes Senators Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, and Juan Ponce Enrile, who already face plunder charges over the scam.
Also included are Senators Tito Sotto, Loren Legarda, Koko Pimentel, Manny Villar, Robert Barbers, and JV Ejercito.
Lacson’s list also includes Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.
While Lacson confirmed in a television interview Monday night that Santiago was part of the list, what he submitted to the Senate did not bear her name.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima warns against early speculations.
She says the different versions of the list are creating more confusion.
De Lima says she would submit her own list to the Senate on or before Thursday, in compliance with the subpoena the chamber issued.

 

STORY 2: MIRIAM, CHIZ, CAYETANO: DON’T FALL FOR NAPOLES TACTIC

Lawmakers implicated in Ping Lacson’s version of the so-called Napoles List warn him not to fall for the supposed tactics of the alleged pork barrel queen.
Lacson earlier named Senators Miriam Santiago, Francis Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano and several other officials in the scam.
Santiago hits Lacson for naming the lawmakers in an earlier television interview, despite having only an unsigned affidavit of Napoles.
She adds, “The Napoles list, if unsigned, has no evidentiary value at all.”
Escudero also says Lacson and De Lima should not allow themselves to be used as Napoles’ spokespersons.
Cayetano agrees with Escudero, calling the Napoles list a “weapon of mass destruction” meant to confuse.

 

STORY 3: PHILIPPINES GETS 135% OF YOLANDA CASH PLEDGES

Government records show the Philippines received at least 135% of the money the world pledged after Super Typhoon Yolanda or Haiyan struck.
Based on the government’s Foreign Aid Transparency Hub or FAITH, the Philippines received close to P15 billion or over $336 million in cash – more than the P11 billion or over $248 million pledged.
But Tacloban mayor Alfred Romualdez questions the “conditions” the national government set for Yolanda survivors to receive the pledges.
During a Senate hearing Tuesday, Romualdez says “What is rightfully ours should be given to us, because first of all, that’s not their money.”
He says the national government should “have a dialogue with the people and tell them where the money went.”
Budget Secretary Butch Abad says his department wants to speed up the release of rehabilitation funds.
He adds, the department “will also prefer releasing funds” to local government units for projects they can undertake.

 

STORY 4: ‘EDCA ALLOWS US MILITARY TO BUILD ANYWHERE IN PH’

Senator Bongbong Marcos says critics of the new military deal between the Philippines and the United States have a basis to be concerned.
The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA allows the US to build military facilities and preposition defense assets…
in “agreed locations” that are yet to be determined by the two countries.
While EDCA limits the “agreed locations” to existing Philippine military bases, Marcos says it’s possible for the Philippine armed forces to establish new bases if the US asks for them.
While the senator says he saw the benefits of US military assistance during Typhoon Haiyan, he thinks the defense deal may have been rushed in favor of the US.
Philippine panel chair Pio Lorenzo Batino says the locations are limited to areas the military determines to be “strategic” for the two countries’ mutual interests.
By strategic, Batino refers to factors like maritime security, maritime domain awareness, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
But Marcos says, “We are an archipelagic country and that would mean anywhere.”

 

STORY 5: CHINA MEDIA: MAKE TERRITORIAL CHALLENGERS PAY ‘UNAFFORDABLE PRICE’

Tensions between China and other Asian countries continue to rise as state-run media says challengers to China’s territorial claims should be made to pay an “unaffordable price.”
In an editorial Tuesday, China Daily accuses Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam of worsening situations in the region, encouraged by “malicious third parties.”
It adds, “Beijing must make sure that every claimant knows blackmail and extortion will not work,
and that it will not compromise its territorial integrity.”
The editorial also says “The Philippines has singled itself out as a determined challenger of Chinese national interests
and the devoted hatchet man of foreign anti-China forces.”
Philippine police earlier detained 11 Chinese fishermen off the disputed Half Moon Shoal despite Beijing’s warning.
Vietnam also demanded that China withdraw an oil rig it deployed in the disputed waters.
China claims ownership over almost the entire South China Sea,
which is also claimed in part by Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
It is also locked in a bitter dispute with Japan over small islands in the East China Sea.

 

STORY 6: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ

wRap #6: US FLYING ‘MANNED’ MISSIONS TO FIND NIGERIAN GIRLS

The United States begins flying “manned” missions over Nigeria to find more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist militant group Boko Haram.
Experts study a new video that reportedly showed about 130 of the girls in Muslim dress praying in an undisclosed rural location.
Group leader Abubakar Shekau says the teenagers converted to Islam and would not be released until their group’s militant prisoners are freed.
Nigeria rejects the demand.

wRap #9: ALCOHOL KILLS ONE PERSON EVERY 10 SECONDS WORLDWIDE: WHO

The World Health Organization or WHO says alcohol kills 3.3 million people worldwide each year, more than AIDS, tuberculosis and violence combined.
The UN health agency says this translates to one death every 10 seconds.
Warning about the rise in alcohol consumption, the WHO says more people in countries like China and India, are also increasingly taking up the habit as their wealth increases.
Still, Eastern Europe and Russia are home to the world’s biggest drinkers.

wRap #10: ANTARCTIC ICE MELT IS ‘UNSTOPPABLE’

New research from scientists at the University of California and space agency NASA warn glaciers in Antarctica are melting.
TIME reports the slab of ice that makes up 10% of Antarctica’s land ice volume could raise sea levels by 15 feet if it melts.
TIME cites glaciologist Eric Rignot, saying the glaciers have “passed the point of no return.”
He adds, “The retreat of this ice seems to be unstoppable.”

For the full top 10 visit Rappler.com’s ‘the wRap.’

 

STORY 7: SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE DAY

In the internet age, every celebrity misdemeanor spawns countless memes.
That’s what happened when entertainment site TMZ released footage of Beyonce’s sister Solange Knowles attacking Jay-Z.
Tweets of memes and videos hashtagged #WhatJayZSaidToSolange trended immediately…
as people speculated what could’ve triggered Solange’s outburst.
Hiphop artist Snoopdogg joined the party on his Instagram account
So did Australian DJ MC and gossip blogger Perez Hilton.

– 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
	Marga Deona
MASTER EDITOR / PLAYBACK	Exxon Ruebe
	Emerald Hidalgo
	Jaene Zaplan
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR / CAMERAMAN	Charlie Salazar
	Adrian Portugal
	Francis Lopez
	Naoki Mengua
GRAPHICS	Jessica Lazaro
	Raffy de Guzman