Rappler Newscast | July 2, 2014

Today on Rappler.

• Senator Miriam Santiago says she has lung cancer.
• The Vatican appoints a Filipino archbishop envoy to the United Nations.
• Former First Lady Imelda Marcos wants her son to become president.

 

Story 1: MIRIAM SANTIAGO: I HAVE LUNG CANCER
Miriam Santiago, the senator who once said she eats death threats for breakfast has lung cancer.
The feisty lawmaker is known for her legal expertise and witticisms.
On Wednesday, Santiago says she has stage 4 cancer, affecting her left lung.
She says, “I’m not afraid of cancer. There is nothing I’m afraid of.”
While her cancer is at an advanced stage, Santiago says she expects to be cured in 6 weeks through “chemotherapy [that] has been reduced to a tablet called molecular targeting.”
She jokes taking it once a day has made her “grow prettier every day.”
She says, “I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, commit adultery. I only tell lies to my husband.”
She explains she does not have to undergo traditional chemotherapy because of a “behavioral mutancy”– a form of genetic mutation in her cells.
She adds she’s so disciplined even her cancer cells are — quote– “showing discipline.”
It may take 6 months for the full results of her treatment to be known.
The news stuns the public.
Before the press conference, there was speculation she might announce her political plans for 2016.

Story 2: SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE DAY
For our social media post of the day: Support pours in for Senator Santiago from social media.
The hashtag MiriamFight trends on Twitter.
@MJANavarro refers to her as the “Iron Lady of Asia.”
@_gundran commends her for embracing her condition without having to resort to wheelchairs and braces.
and @TheAveengers warns cancer… to watch out for Miriam!

Story 3: PALACE: ‘NO REGRETS’ ON DAP
Malacañang says it does not regret implementing the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program or DAP, a day after the Supreme Court declared 3 specific acts unconstitutional.
DAP was initiated in 2011 to transfer unused funds from slow-moving projects to immediate needs.
The government said it was meant to boost the economy, but critics questioned its constitutionality.
The High Tribunal has yet to release its full decision on DAP.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda says the government acted in good faith and did not misuse the funds.
He also says Filipinos benefited from DAP.
He adds, “How does one regret a decision to help thousands of people, of our countrymen?”
Senator Jinggoy Estrada alleged that money from DAP was distributed to senators for the impeachment of former chief justice Renato Corona.
Following the court’s decision, various groups called for the resignation of Budget Secretary Butch Abad.
Senator Miriam Santiago hits Malacanang, saying the Palace cannot defend an unconstitutional act by saying they acted in good faith.
On Wednesday, the Ombudsman says it will investigate possible offenses under DAP.
The court declared unconstitutional the creation of savings prior to the end of the fiscal year and the withdrawal of these funds for implementing agencies; the cross-border transfers of savings of the executive department to offices outside it; and funding of projects not outlined in the General Appropriations Act.

Story 4: PNP EXTENDS VISITING HOURS FOR REVILLA, ESTRADA
The Philippine National Police or PNP extends the visiting hours at the Camp Crame Custodial Center after criticism it was violating its own rules.
Detained suspects can now receive visitors in the afternoon Tuesday to Friday and all day weekends.
This means longer visiting hours for detained Senators Bong Revilla Jr and Jinggoy Estrada, who face charges for a massive fund diversion scandal.
Previously, detainees had only two days for “regular visits” and one day for “special visits.”
On Saturday, journalists staking out the custodial center were surprised to see visitors entering the center past visitation hours.
The PNP said it allowed a request by Senator Estrada to celebrate his wedding anniversary.

Story 5: IMELDA MARCOS, SON PLOT TO RECLAIM PH PRESIDENCY
Former First Lady Imelda Marcos would like to see her son as president.
As she celebrates her 85th birthday Wednesday, Marcos says she still hopes to –quote– “bring more help to the Filipino people.”
She adds returning to Malacanang “would be a great help” in implementing her plans and projects.
Mrs Marcos says her son, Sen Ferdinand Marcos, Jr, known as Bongbong, is “qualified” to run for president in 2016.
Marcos became the symbol of excess with a jet-setting lifestyle, a vast jewelry and art collection, and thousands of shoes collected during the 21-year dictatorial regime of her late husband Ferdinand.
The government estimates the Marcoses plundered $10 billion from government coffers.
A People Power revolt in 1986 sent Marcos and his family into exile in Hawaii, where he died three years later.
The Marcoses eventually returned to public office, regaining significant political clout.

Story 6: IS MANILA PREPARED FOR AN EARTHQUAKE?
With the Philippines inside the Pacific ring of fire, is Manila prepared for an earthquake? Officials hold a city-wide drill.
David Lozada reports.

The sound of sirens fills Roxas Boulevard.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake just hit Manila.
Residents evacuate buildings as responders rush to fires and vehicular accidents caused by the quake.
Luckily this is just an earthquake drill by the city of Manila.
The drill assumes two scenarios – the movements of the West Valley Fault system, a major fault line running through Metro Manila, and the Manila trench, which stretches from Mindoro to Taiwan.
Both scenarios bring catastrophe to the historic city.
Philippine Institute of Volcanology director Dr Renato Solidum says quakes are very real threats to the city.
Based on their study, around 31,000 people will die if the West Valley Fault alone moves.

DR RENATO SOLIDUM, PHIVOLCS DIRECTOR: Doon sa West Valley Fault, napag-aralan na namin noon na in the past 1,400 years, apat na beses itong gumalaw and on the average, between 400-600 years. In our lifetime baka gumalaw ito. So ang issue is dapat handa tayo. Hindi dapat tayo maunahan na mangyari ang lindol na ito. (We found out that for the past 1,400 years, the West Valley Fault has moved 4 times with an average of 400 to 600 years in between. It might move within our lifetime. The issue here is that we need to be prepared. This earthquake cannot happen before we’re prepared.)

Around 80% of public and private establishments in the city participate in the drill.
But not everyone takes it seriously.
Some do not follow the right evacuation routes. Some take selfies and photos during the drill.
Manila disaster risk reduction and management Johnny Yu says this is a problem in every emergency drill.

JOHNNY YU, MANILA DRRM CHIEF: Marami po talagang hindi nagiging serious. Seryoso na lang po sila kapag nandyan na yung actual scenario. (Many civilians don’t take drills like this seriously. They only become serious when the actual disaster happens.)

But he believes the drill is one step nearer to building a more resilient city.

JOHNNY YU, MANILA DRRM CHIEF: Our city government is ready to respond. Pero kulang pa ho. Hindi namin kakayanin ang 3.5 million na population ng Maynila, even with the 2000-3000 city hall employees. Hindi pa rin ho namin kaya. We need all the resources. (Our city government is ready to respond but we still have a long way to go. Even with around 3,000 city hall employees, we can’t respond to the needs of the 3.5 million residents of Manila. We need all the resources we can get.)

DAVID LOZADA, REPORTING: With the city-wide drill, Manila hopes its response teams and residents will be more prepared when an earthquake strikes. But officials say even with good preparation, there’s still no telling what future disasters can bring. When the real test comes, Manila hopes it will be ready.
David Lozada, Rappler, Manila.

Story 7: POPE PICKS FILIPINO AS VATICAN ENVOY TO UN
Pope Francis appoints a Filipino archbishop envoy to the United Nations.
Philippine Archbishop Bernardito Cleopas Auza replaces Indian-born Archbishop Francis Chullikatt.
A native of Talibon in Bohol, Auza was the Vatican’s apostolic nuncio or ambassador to Haiti.
The archbishop had served in Bulgaria and Albania and was part of the Vatican’s mission at the UN in New York.

Story 8: FRENCH EX-PRESIDENT SARKOZY CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION
A French court charges former president Nicolas Sarkozy with corruption and influence peddling.
This comes after Sarkozy was questioned for 15 hours Tuesday, marking the first time a French former head of state been taken into custody in a criminal investigation.
If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Sarkozy denies the charges.
He is accused of abusing his position by promising a high-ranking judge a prominent position in Monaco, in exchange for information about a probe into illegal campaign funding.
Investigators tapped Sarkozy’s phones following reports former Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi and L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt financed Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign.
The case could be devastating for Sarkozy’s hopes of a political comeback in time for the 2017 presidential campaign.

Story 9: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 4, Indonesians on social media welcome the conviction of a former Constitutional Court judge.
Akil Mochtar was caught red-handed in October 2013 in a sting operation as he was about to accept $250,000 in bribes.
A judge in Jakarta sentences Mochtar to life in prison for damaging the integrity of the Court.

And at number 8, A hugely controversial Russian law banning curse words in media and the arts became effective Tuesday.
The law is part of a Kremlin-backed drive to play up traditional values and root out swearing.
It imposes hefty fines on offenders – up to 2,500 rubles or $72 for individuals and up to 50,000 rubles or $1,460 for businesses.
The law does not spell out what constitutes profanity.

Story 10: WIMBLEDON: AUSSIE TEEN KYRGIOS STUNS NADAL
Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios pulls off one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon history, beating world number one Rafael Nadal in four sets.
Kyrgios becomes the first wildcard in 10 years to make the quarter-finals.
He is also the first player ranked outside the top 100 to defeat a world number one since 1992.
The defeat boosts 7-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer’s hopes of an eighth title.
Federer was seeded to meet Nadal in the semi-finals.

Story 11: BELGIUM BEATS USA TO REACH QUARTERS
In World Cup news: Belgium sends USA packing at 2-1 Tuesday as it advances into the quarter-finals, thanks to extra time goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.
This is the first time for Belgium to enter the quarterfinals in 28 years.
Meanwhile, FIFA says Tuesday it will let Cameroon football authorities lead the hunt for “seven bad apples” in the national team linked to match fixing at the World Cup.
The Cameroon federation says it is determined to “employ all means necessary” to uncover any wrongdoing around Cameroon’s World Cup game against Croatia.
The Cameroon Football Federation says its ethics committee is looking into allegations reported by Der Spiegel magazine that a convicted match-fixer correctly predicted the 4-0 victory by Croatia and that a player would be sent off.

– Rappler.com

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