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What is the applicable penalty upon conviction?

The applicable penalty for the crime of Plunder, under R.A. 7080 (as amended by R.A. 7659), is reclusion perpetua to death. The death penalty, however, was already abolished, which means that the applicable penalty is reclusion perpetua, without prejudice to other accessory penalties that may be imposed by the court.

What is the effect of a charge of plunder on a public officer still in office?

Any public officer against whom any criminal prosecution under a valid information under this law in whatever stage of execution and mode of participation, is pending in court, shall be suspended from office.

What is the specific rule of evidence provided under this law?

For purposes of establishing the crime of plunder, it shall not be necessary to prove each and every criminal act done by the accused in furtherance of the scheme or conspiracy to amass, accumulate or acquire ill-gotten wealth, it being sufficient to establish beyond reasonable doubt a pattern of overt or criminal acts indicative of the overall unlawful scheme or conspiracy.

What is the court that has jurisdiction over the crime of plunder?

Until otherwise provided by law, all prosecutions under the law is at the Sandiganbayan. The Supreme Court clarified that the Sandiganbayan has no jurisdiction over the crime of plunder unless committed by public officials and employees occupying the positions with Salary Grade “27″ or higher, under the Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989 (Republic Act No. 6758) in relation to their office. This is pursuant to Republic Act No. 8429 (1997), which is the special law that provided for the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan “otherwise” than that prescribed in Republic Act No. 7080.

What are the elements of the crime of plunder?

As discussed in Estrada vs. Sandiganbayan (2001), the elements of the crime of plunder are:

    1. That the offender is a public officer who acts by himself or in connivance with members of his family, relatives by affinity or consanguinity, business associates, subordinates or other persons;

    2. That he amassed, accumulated or acquired ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of the following overt or criminal acts:

(a) through misappropriation, conversion, misuse, or malversation of public funds or raids on the public treasury;

(b) by receiving, directly or indirectly, any commission, gift, share, percentage, kickback or any other form of pecuniary benefits from any person and/or entity in connection with any government contract or project or by reason of the office or position of the public officer;

(c) by the illegal or fraudulent conveyance or disposition of assets belonging to the National Government or any of its subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities of Government owned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries;

(d) by obtaining, receiving or accepting directly or indirectly any shares of stock, equity or any other form of interest or participation including the promise of future employment in any business enterprise or undertaking;

(e) by establishing agricultural, industrial or commercial monopolies or other combinations and/or implementation of decrees and orders intended to benefit particular persons or special interests; or

(f) by taking advantage of official position, authority, relationship, connection or influence to unjustly enrich himself or themselves at the expense and to the damage and prejudice of the Filipino people and the Republic of the Philippines; and,

    3. That the aggregate amount or total value of the ill-gotten wealth amassed, accumulated or acquired is at least P50,000,000.00.

[Note: The threshhold amount is originally P75 Million under RA 7080. This was amended by RA 7659 (1993), which is an act imposing the death penalty on certain heinous crimes including plunder, decreasing the threshhold amount to P50 Million. We all know, however, that the death penalty law (RA 7659) was "repealed or amended accordingly" by RA 9346 (2006), which prohibits the imposition of the death penalty. The interesting point is this - does the repeal (or "amendment") of RA 7659 mean that the threshhold amount is now back to P75 Million? Let's discuss.]

What is “ill-gotten wealth”?

Ill-gotten wealth means any asset, property, business enterprise or material possession of any person within the purview of Section 2 (defining the crime of plunder) of the law, acquired by him directly or indirectly through dummies, nominees, agents, subordinates and/or business associates by any combination or series of the following means or similar schemes:

    1) Through misappropriation, conversion, misuse, or malversation of public funds or raids on the public treasury;

    2) By receiving, directly or indirectly, any commission, gift, share, percentage, kickbacks or any other form of pecuniary benefit from any person and/or entity in connection with any government contract or project or by reason of the office or position of the public officer concerned;

    3) By the illegal or fraudulent conveyance or disposition of assets belonging to the National Government or any of its subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities or government-owned or -controlled corporations and their subsidiaries;

    4) By obtaining, receiving or accepting directly or indirectly any shares of stock, equity or any other form of interest or participation including promise of future employment in any business enterprise or undertaking;

    5) By establishing agricultural, industrial or commercial monopolies or other combinations and/or implementation of decrees and orders intended to benefit particular persons or special interests; or

    6) By taking undue advantage of official position, authority, relationship, connection or influence to unjustly enrich himself or themselves at the expense and to the damage and prejudice of the Filipino people and the Republic of the Philippines.

What is included in the term “government” in the definition above?

“Government” includes the National Government, and any of its subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and their subsidiaries.

What’s the definition of a “public officer”?

A “public officer” means any person holding any public office in the Government of the Republic of the Philippines by virtue of an appointment, election or contract.

Is the law unconstitutional?

No. The Supreme Court already ruled in Estrada vs. Sandiganbayan (2001) that RA 7080 is not contrary to the Constitution.

What is the applicable law on plunder?

Plunder is covered by Republic Act No. 7080 (“An Act Defining and Penalizing the Crime of Plunder”), as amended.

should they be convicted and sentenced, plunder is non-bailable and the punishment is reclusion perpetua.  (am tackling the law on plunder in another thread.)

our record on this vis-a-vis those who were accused isn't so good.  it's a veritable who's who.  marcoses, estrada, gloria arroyo---they're still very much out of jail and are elected officials as election victors.  it looks like we have no one to blame but ourselves.

this is one thing askew with our laws.  anyone can run for public office regardless of their educational attainment.  as elected officials, they can then appoint workers who at least should have a four-year college course to qualify as a clerk.

Quote from: TUBAGBOHOL.com on September 13, 2013, 06:38:26 AM
nanigum ug kwarta si bong revilla kay gusto modagan ug presidente in 2016. ang nakapait kay labihang buloka ning tawhana. wala man seguro ni katiwas ug high school.

both he and his wife congressman lani claim that they've finished high school.  (something like attended high school at...) at least naman wa mo-claim nga nahuman ug college.  bong purportedly attended fairfax high school in LA while lani attended la salle zobel high school.  obviously, their world is about money and entertainment.  never mind education. 

The Bird Tree

MIM's "The Bird Tree" stands 16 feet tall, its branches reaching nearly 60 feet in diameter. The 100-ton sculpture took six years to sketch and build!

"The Mosaïcultures Internationales de Montréal team put all its passion and expertise into creating 'The Bird Tree,' MIM2013’s emblematic work and one that espouses the competition’s third subtheme: Earth’s endangered species and ecosystems," MIM describes. "The Bird Tree’s branches transform themselves into 56 bird species, while its roots change into a Kakapo (also referred to as an owl parrot, the only parrot unable to fly) and six species of amphibians and reptiles. All these species â€" birds, amphibians, reptiles â€" are among the most endangered on Earth, according to the IUCN Red List."

http://www.mnn.com/

The Man Who Planted Trees

Based on the Academy Award-winning 1987 short film, "The Man Who Planted Trees" was MIM's first masterpiece. MIM consulted with the filmmaker, Frédéric Back.

"'The Man Who Planted Trees' was conceived as a bona fide mosaiculture garden stemming from the efforts of a single man, the shepherd Elzéard Bouffier," the MIM description reads. "Through his ceaseless and patient toil, he was able to transform a desolate, arid expanse of land into a fertile territory verdant with field and forest."

In the sculpture, the shepherd plants an oak tree near a flock of sheep. Adjacent, a scene of horses frolicking in the prairie illustrates the fruits of his efforts.

Hands Up!

The eerily lifelike sculpture "Hands Up!" was submitted by Borneo to raise awareness for the threatened orangutan. Bornean and Sumatran orangutans have faced severe habitat loss in Borneo and may have less than 10 years left on the planet, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Mother Earth

MIM chose "Mother Earth" as the illustrative ambassador of the 2013 competition, inspired by a speech given by Chief Seattle when white settlers bought native land in 1854:

    “The white man must treat the beasts of this land as his brothers. […]
     
    We are part of the Earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters, the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and man, all belong to the same family. […]
     
    This shining water that moves in streams and rivers is not just water but the blood of our ancestors. […]

    What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of the spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. […]

    Preserve the memory of this Earth as [we] deliver it. And with all your strength, your spirit and your heart, preserve it for your children and love it as God loves us all.”

Coexistence

"Coexistence" recalls both the landscape and environmental initiatives of Busan, South Korea. The Dongnae Crane Dance is depicted to show how humans and animals can interact peacefully. Busan emphasizes balancing development with conservation and has many habitats for threatened and endangered cranes.

Planting plane trees to attract the Phoenix

Beijing's "Planting plane trees to attract the Phoenix," comprised of miniature begonias, represents an ancient Chinese legend, which teaches that hard work can pay off for a beautiful planet and a happy life. In Chinese culture, the phoenix is considered to bring happiness, symbolizing peace and harmony.

"'Planting plane trees to attract the Phoenix' interprets humans’ positive actions on their environment, highlights the symbiosis between Man and Nature, and creates a harmonious musical movement based on sustainable development," MIM describes.

Green Man

"Green Man," a medieval pagan god, is another part of the weaving "Spirits of the Wood" installation by MIM. "Green Man" is usually surrounded by oak leaves, considered an ancient sacred tree in Great Britain, and fully embodies the spirit of trees.

"'Spirits of the Wood' draws on the singular and magical cachet of the willow plot to great effect," MIM describes. "The deities weave among the willows, the better to integrate themselves into this peaceful, majestic setting."

Cernunnos and the Ram-headed Serpent

Cernunnos and the Ram-headed Serpent make up a portion of the "Spirits of the Wood" installation by MIM, an experiment in shade plant sculptures. Cernunnos is the horned Celtic god of fertility and represents the cultural unification of the Celts.

"Far removed from its pervasive association with evil, the serpent embodies immortality, infinity and the forces underpinning the creation of all life," MIM's description reads.

A True Story

Shanghai's submission, "A True Story," depicts the real tale of a girl whose lifetime love of red crown cranes led her to care for them at the Yangcheng Nature Reserve until her tragic death, when she never resurfaced after saving an injured crane from a swamp.

"The moving story of this girl, told far and wide across the breadth of China, has touched the hearts of thousands of people," the MIM description reads. "To pay tribute to the wonderful spirit of the girl who saved the crane but lost her own life, a song has been composed to tell this story. The song’s title is … 'A True Story'."

Born with the Sun

Artist Christine Sioui Wawanoloath created "Born with the Sun" to represent the First Nations of Eastern Québec and Labrador. The piece features figures that are common in the Aborignal legends.

"Here, the father-bird pays tribute to the celestial and spiritual universe, while the mother-bear sows the seeds of Earth’s future," the MIM description reads. "They do this for their child, who will thereby remember his roots and grow up in harmony with all his kin. The canoe represents a new world, full of hopes and dreams to carry forth to the four corners of the world."

Earth as art

The Mosaïcultures Internationales Montréal exhibit, hosted at the Montreal Botanical Garden, has invited countries from all over the world to submit the most awe-inspiring horticultural sculptures. This year's theme, "Land of Hope," features more than 50 sculptures from about 20 countries and runs through Sept. 29. Plus, it's not just for looks. It's essentially a horticultural arts Olympics (yep, there's actually a winner!) with a thread of environmental initiatives woven through every piece of art. Check out these 10 amazing sculptures that are winners in our book. (Text: Anna Norris)

Never Miss Another Flu Shot

Think of it as a sort of stroke vaccine. French researchers found that people who received a flu shot every year for the 5 years prior to the study were 42 percent less stroke-prone than those who didn't. "Chronic infections and the resultant inflammation might cause damage to the arteries and increase the risk of blood clots," says Dr. Pierre Amarenco, the study author.

And the best time to get stuck? The first week in November. That's because most flu epidemics start in December, and it takes about 2 weeks for the shot to kick in, says Dr. Robert Belshe, director of the vaccine center at St. Louis University.

http://abcnews.go.com/

Pick Up an Iron Supplement

Aerobic exercise is antistroke medicine. Can't run or cycle to save your life? Then lift. "Regular resistance training decreases blood pressure, elevates HDL cholesterol, lowers LDL cholesterol, and decreases the stickiness of the blood," says Dr. Jerry Judd Pryde, a physiatrist at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.

If you don't already weight-train, try the American Heart Association program: Lift weights two or three times a week, targeting the major muscle groups. For each of the following, choose a weight you can lift eight to 12 times at most, and do one set to fatigue: bench press, shoulder press, lying triceps extension, biceps curl, seated row, lat pulldown, crunch, squat, Romanian deadlift, and calf raise.

Beat Homocysteine

Research suggests that people with high blood levels of this amino acid are more likely to stroke out than those with low readings. Extra folate will help reduce the risk, but only for some people. "Fifty to 60 percent won't respond with lower homocysteine," says Dr. Seth J. Baum, medical director of the Mind/Body Medical Institute, a Harvard affiliate.

Dr. Baum recommends 1,000 micrograms (mcg) of folate, plus 25 milligrams (mg) of vitamin B6, 1,000 mcg of B12, and 1,800 mg of the amino acid N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). "With folate, B6, B12, and NAC supplements, almost everyone will have normal homocysteine levels," says Dr. Baum.

Hold Your Breath

At least when you're around a smoker. University of Auckland researchers found that people exposed to secondhand smoke are 82 percent more likely to suffer a stroke than those who never inhale. It seems that carbon monoxide promotes clot formation by interfering with nitric oxide, a biochemical that relaxes blood vessels.

"To get rid of every single bit of carbon monoxide after a night at the bar, you'd have to breathe fresh air for about 8 hours. But most of the carbon monoxide will be gone from your body in the first hour," says Laurence Fechter, Ph.D., a professor of toxicology at the University of Oklahoma.

So on your way home, make sure you roll down the car windows and start sucking in some clean air.

Count to 3

You may have just lowered your stroke risk.

In a study published in the journal Stroke, researchers noted that of 2,100 men, the anxious guys were three times more likely to have a fatal ischemic stroke than the more serene men. "

Anxiety causes chronic overproduction of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates the brain's control of circulation," says Ernest Friedman, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University.

Counting to threeâ€"or reining in your racing mind in any other wayâ€"helps by stabilizing your levels of serotonin, the antidote to excess dopamine, says Dr. Friedman.

Swig Less Soda

Unless it's the diet stuff. The Loma Linda University researchers also discovered that the men who drank large quantities of fluids other than water actually had a higher risk of strokeâ€"46 percent higher.

One theory is that sugary drinks like soda draw water out of the bloodstream, thickening the blood. Another explanation may be the boost in triglycerides caused by sipping liquid sugar.

"Elevated levels of triglycerides-any level above 150-are a risk factor for arterial disease," says Dr. Daniel Fisher, an assistant professor at the New York University School of Medicine.

Swallow Nature's Blood Thinner

Loma Linda University researchers found that men who drank five or more 8-ounce glasses of water daily cut their stroke risk by 53 percent compared with guys who drank fewer than three glasses. Water helps to thin the blood, which in turn makes it less likely to form clots, explains Jackie Chan, Dr.P.H., the lead study author.

But don't chug your extra H2O all at once.

"You need to drink water throughout the day to keep your blood thin, starting with a glass or two in the morning," adds Dr. Chan.


Getty Images

An ischemic strokeâ€"the kind that affects most menâ€"occurs when an artery to the brain is blocked by arterial plaque that has broken loose and caused a blood clot. In fact, it's just like a heart attack, only instead of heart cells dying for lack of blood, brain cells are kicking off-thousands of brain cells. Perhaps paralyzing half of your body. Or slurring your speech. Or plunging you into senility.

But a "brain attack" is not inevitable.

"Fifty to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented," says Dr. David Wiebers, a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic and author of Stroke-Free for Life. "Making the simple choices at 25, 35, or 45 years of age can make an enormous difference in preventing stroke when you're in your 60s, 70s, or 80s."

Strike back at stroke with these seven strategies.

7 Steps to Reduce Stroke Risk

By BILL GOTTLIEB
Men's Health
Sept. 12, 2013

A man's last years ought to be spent strapped to the fighting chair of a game-fisher while battling a black marlin, not tethered to a nursing-home bed, incontinent and unable to talk.

But the latter is a likely scenario if you're one of approximately 600,000 Americans who will have a stroke this year.

"Your chance of dying is 20 percent-but you have a 40 percent chance of being disabled and a 25 percent chance of being severely disabled," says Dr. David Spence, director of the stroke-prevention center at the Robarts Research Institute in Canada.

thankfully not all voters are ilocanos.

Quote from: Lorenzo on September 12, 2013, 05:20:46 AM
bwahahahahaha! dat my dear sweet and beloved tita, is por me to know and por you to paind awut...

zamut kog kakutaw.  you're speaking martian but i'm from saturn, huhuhu.

lisod gyod ning lahi ang tinan-awan sa kaugalingon uy.  sobrang bilib sa sarili, tsk, tsk.

kun angay siyang ma-presidente sa pilipinas, what am i doing here?  i should be queen of great britain!

it is statistically believable as it is statistically believable nga ang ireland daghang banggiitan nga writers relative to its population ug ang cuba daghang ngilngig nga baseball players relative to its population, hehehe. 

in which case, the version of my kukurukuku is actually the local one, as follows:

kukurukuku, paluma
kukurukuku, kuku sa kabayu
ayayayayayyyy, ay paluma
paluma gihapon.

hehe, more of Cucurrucucu... paloma/ Cucurrucucu... no llores/ (versions of joan baez or the trio los panchos).

nalibog baya akong kutaw nga hanap aning mga formula ni fr chic ug lorenz.

kukurukuku...

buhata lang god diablo kanang gusto nimong buhaton.  spare tb readers lang unta sa imong pagbalikbalik ana kay hapit usa ka tuig na man tawon nimong balikbalik ana uy.  kun wa ka pul-i, ang uban namo giluod na. 

anginon pa ra ba ug balikbalik ang chess tournament.  kalayo pa tawon sa april uy.  makahunahuna man lang ta ani ug binugok ba kaha na nimo nga strategy to remind the webmaster that you're donating the prize... samot kaluod.

hahahahaha!  i like the quote.

Deles admitted that she had no clue yet what it would take to stop restive groups in Mindanao from resorting to violence.

She said that people close to Misuari might hold the key to keeping attacks at bay.

But added that the public should no longer be surprised with attacks, which are usually part of the price to pay to finish the peace process.

http://www.solarnews.ph/

In a statement, the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) condemned the attack on Zamboanga City, saying: "Those behind the continued acts of violence in Mindanao do not want the current peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to succeed. Their actions intend to derail the process using violence and disinformation to spread fear and chaos in Mindanao."

They said perpetrators should be held accountable.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have started gathering evidence to support charges that will be filed against Misuari and others, according to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

"This pattern of behavior on the table should be looked at," Deles said. "What will make Misuari happy? It appears that all our work, with all the different factions, and all our work with the MNLF communities does not seem to make Misuari happy. Therefore, what does he want?"

She said she found it puzzling that Misuari kept complaining about not having any participation in the ongoing peace process because he had always been invited to meetings.

But, with or without Misuari's support, the government is still keen on pursuing peace, especially with other factions of the MNLF openly supporting the peace process.

"All the more that we should continue the peace talks," Secretary Edwin Lacierda, presidential spokesperson, said. "There are many stakeholders beyond that faction of Nur Misuari."

The demands include a provisional government for the MNLF and the expansion of territory, according to Deles.

The government and the MNLF are set to meet in Jogjakarta, Indonesia next week, to review of the 1996 final peace deal.

Deles said Misuari had agreed to attend the talks, noting that the MNLF requested travel papers and two others.

She added that it would no longer be a surprise if Misuari would end dissatisfied with the talks, the same way that he had consistently been unhappy in talks on the planned Bangsamoro entity in Mindanao.

President Benigno Aquino III doubts that MNLF founder Nur Misuari, with his insatiable hunger for power, will ever be happy with any plans for Mindanao unless he is leader of the region.

Malacañan believes that what helped trigger the attack on Zamboanga City were accusations that the government abrogated the 1996 peace deal with the MNLF.

But Deles said it was Misuari who broke the peace deal by declaring independence last August, something never mentioned in peace pact.

Misuari has apparently been making more demands that the government can no longer accommodate since a final peace deal was already signed.

Deles asks: What does Misuari really want?

By Ina Andolong

Secretary Teresita Deles, the presidential adviser on the peace process, seemed to be at a loss for words at a press briefing in Malacañan on Wednesday.

She did quote a leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Abdul Sarin, on what spurred the armed face-off between government troops and MNLF rebels in Zamboanga City.

Deles said: "He said in his statement that 'this is about power'."

estorbot na naman tayo dito.

Quote from: TUBAGBOHOL.com on September 11, 2013, 07:41:00 PM
murag nauso na ni tingali. from Philippine Star today:

A female believed to be depressed climbed a billboard in Makati City and threatened to jump from the structure on Wednesday.

The Makati rescue unit said the female scaled the Bench billboard, AlphaLand Chino Roces Extension corner EDSA at around 4:21 p.m.

The special rescue unit of the Makati Fire and Makati Rescue have arrived in the area and were attempting to safely bring down the woman.

ergo, maayo gyod tingalig tangtangon na lang nang mga billboards uy.  aron mapagan apil e-pals.  this billboard rubbish that distract drivers and does not do anything to beautify an urban terrain should disappear like the pork barrel.

Quote from: hubag bohol on September 11, 2013, 03:42:55 PM
Luoy bitaw. Pero unsa man pud tawon iyang gibuhat. oi. Mora man siyag retard...

kay billboard gikatkatan?  unsaon, tua man ang eiffel tower sa paris...

or what did you expect, magpa-member sa tubagbohol?  na, daghan na unya ta.

hala, mao man tingali na ang dagway ni hubag... kanang gadala sa ulo.

“In fact, only one person directly died from the storm,” Paciente said.

He said the people of Mindanao, a place not typically on the path of cyclones, must also embrace the same level of disaster preparedness and prepare for the unexpected.

But Paciente clarified that he did not believe a strong storm would hit Mindanao for a third December in a row (both Sendong and Pablo struck in December).

“It used to be that storms hit Mindanao every 10 years. So when Sendong hit, that was not really unusual. What was unusual was when another strong typhoon hit the following year, and that was Pablo,” he said.

“That might well have been a fluke. We cannot conclude as of now that Mindanao is now going to be on the regular receiving end of storms,” he said in an interview.

more at: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/485505/forecaster-says-mindanao-should-learn-to-prepare-for-extreme-weather#ixzz2edhvCQno

Forecaster says Mindanao should learn to prepare for extreme weather

By DJ Yap
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

MANILAâ€"Just as Metro Manila residents are learning to brace themselves for storms, it’s time now for residents of Mindanao to follow suit, a top weather forecaster said.

Rene Paciente, chief of the weather forecasting section of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said Mindanao residents must learn to anticipate extreme weather events and take lessons from the destruction of Storm “Sendong” in 2011 and Typhoon “Pablo” in 2012.

“We have seen how Metro Manila is now more prepared than before,” he said, citing the storm-enhanced monsoon episode in August in which relatively fewer people were affected, compared to Tropical Storm Ondoy in 2009 and the monsoon rains of 2012.

aguy, loll.  magbantay kuno mo dinha sa mindanao, matod pa aning latest nga pahimangno sa pag-asa.  it's not really a dire warning, though...

The family was so touched by the apology that they decided to post the note on their store Instagram, Twitter and Facebook pages to ensure “Anonymous” would know he was forgiven. “Obviously he has, he has a great heart, but he just got caught up in a really, some bad situations,” said Somboon. “We feel for the guy and we, we just hope that, you know, that whatever he does after this, that it’s great things for him.”

http://news.yahoo.com/

Keosavanh finally opened the envelope and inside found a handwritten letter and four $100 bills. The letter was written by a man who said he was a drug addict when he robbed the store of $300 around 11 years ago. The anonymous apology stated, “I do not use drugs anymore and I feal [sic] I must make amends to the people I have hurt in the past.” The owners were floored saying, “It’s just, it’s amazing. It’s inspirational really, for somebody to have the courage, to come back and face the person you’ve done wrong… Even though um, it’s hard sometimes, we need to give people a second chance.” Somboon added, "If he's watching, wherever life takes you, just know that we, we forgive you for what you did."

Thief writes apology note & returns money for robbery 11 years later

By Charlene Sakoda | Odd News â€" Mon, Sep 9, 2013

Keosavanh Xayarath, owner of the InterAsian Market & Deli in Nashville, Tennessee, has never forgotten being robbed at gunpoint more than a decade ago. Recently memories of the crime resurfaced for Keosavanh and his son, Somboon Wu, when the elder owner received a mysterious envelope from a man who entered the store. Somboon said, “He was really insistent that we take this, that we had to take this.” Eventually the unidentified man told them that the delivery was important because it contained money. Feeling hesitant about the odd transaction, the family considered calling their lawyer before opening the envelope marked “Owner.”

you do not only want his head, you also want your portrait on his body.

Quote from: diablo on September 11, 2013, 04:48:24 PM
do i have the last word. can you still wiggle out of this

di pareha kay di law-ay ang posing.  pero di gihapon pasado.  nganong i-display pa man tawon nimo nga nagbikini, iyu.  luoy pa gyod tawon ka sa?  this is beyond you now. 

giluod na pod ko.  hoy, balong, adto ipahungaw imong aligotgot sa imong kinabuhi sa bungbong.  buk-a ang inyong bungbong anang imong ulo aron ka mahawasan.  ayaw lang tawon pagbuot unsay avatar o kinsay magpabilin dinhi sa tb uy.  kun gusto ko mohawa, hawa ug imo, ayaw pangangin.

the best and final solution: pangasawha na lang si hubag.

why man nilihay man ani nga thread si diablo?  any answer, bai hubs?

Asked if the documents would show the paper trail, including bank account names and numbers, vouchers, checks and the payors and payees, the lawyer replied, “Yes.”

“I have 10 whistle-blowers, but for the purposes of proving the plunder and malversation charges, we only need six. The others will be used in the serious illegal detention case. They saw how Napoles detained Benhur. But for the purposes of establishing the financial transactions between and among Napoles, legislators and other government officials, we need at least six,” he said.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

Bank inquiry proceedings

According to Baligod, the documents would be submitted to the NBI team conducting the fact-finding investigation of the PDAF scam.

He said the Court of Appeals order freezing Napoles-linked accounts also helped in the completion of the documents.

“We have the check numbers, the dates and other details. That is why the Anti-Money Laundering Council is undertaking bank inquiry proceedings now so the government [prosecutors] will match the results of the AMLC with the accounting record of Benhur Luy,” Baligod explained.

“The six have personal knowledge of the money trail from the NGOs, the lawmakers and Napoles,” Baligod explained. “These whistle-blowers handed millions of money to the lawmakers and their conduits,” he said.

Baligod met with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima Tuesday afternoon. Emerging from the meeting, the lawyer told reporters that the documentary evidence was going through line-by-line cross-checking for accuracy.

“We are conducting a third review because the documents are replete with figures. If we make a mistake in one figure, it will no longer match the bank account [contents], for example, of the legislator or the Saro (statement of allotment release order) number. So we do not want later to be viewed as unreliable when it comes to information,” he said. “We have to be meticulous. We are proofreading [the documents].”

Daily records of transactions

Baligod said that among the documents to support the whistle-blowers’ private complaint were daily records of financial transactions of JLN Corp. “These were records from 2004 until 2010, duly recorded by the whistle-blowers,” Baligod said.

The pieces of evidence include joint statements of six whistle-blowers and more than 2,000 pages of financial transactions. The accusers, aside from Luy, include Merlina Suñas, Nova Dulay Macalintal and Gertrudes Luy, Benhur’s mother. Baligod asked the Inquirer not to name the other two whistle-blowers for security reasons.

He said he would leave it up to the authorities who to prosecute among the heads of the several dozen NGOs allegedly controlled by Napoles.

The 49-year-old Napoles is detained at Fort Sto. Domingo, an antiterrorist training camp in Sta. Rosa, Laguna province, following her surrender to President Aquino on Aug. 28, saying she feared for her life.

She went into hiding on Aug. 14 after the Regional Trial Court of Makati City issued a warrant for her arrest in the alleged illegal detention of her aide, Benhur Luy.

Luy, 31, has accused Napoles, head of the JLN group of companies, of funneling P10 billion from the lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), or pork barrel, to ghost projects of dummy NGOs. Luy has been joined in his accusations against Napoles by at least 10 other whistle-blowers, all of them her former employees.

An Inquirer source said that Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada would be included in the private complaint to be filed based on their letters of endorsement of Napoles’ dummy nongovernment organizations (NGOs) submitted to the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Agriculture and the documents from the Commission on Audit.

He said about 40 other government officials could face malversation charges for their involvement in the alleged racket.

“The documents we submitted will sufficiently show misuse of government funds and the amassing of illegal wealth by the private individuals,” Baligod told the Inquirer.

In an interview with the Inquirer, Baligod said Tuesday that apart from Napoles, the alleged brains of a P10-billion pork barrel scam, the list also includes senators, congressmen and their aides and “conduits.”

He said the evidence in the complaint would also be used in the case to be filed by the NBI in the Office of the Ombudsman.

He identified the others facing plunder charges as Gigi Reyes, Ruby Tuason, Pauline Labayen, Richard Cambe, Jose Antonio Evangelista, Rodolfo “Ompong” Plaza, Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, Edgar Valdez, Prospero Pichay and Samuel Dangwa.

Plunder complaint set vs Napoles, 3 senators

Enrile, Estrada, Revilla, Gigi Reyes among 14 facing charges

By Nancy C. Carvajal, Jerome Aning
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Wednesday, September 11th, 2013



“These people have received kickbacks of more than the plunder threshold of P50 million.”

Janet Lim-Napoles tops the list of 14 people to be charged with plunder in a private complaint that has been finalized by Levito Baligod, counsel of a group of whistle-blowers, for submission to the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice on Wednesday.

judging from his documents, porma ug nanimpad intawon sa manila.  morag hanap ang gidangatan, ug kadtong iyang girlfriend must have been his last shred of a shot at happiness or some kind of emotional stability or sense of self-worth.  luoy baya pod kun mao.

Quote from: islander on September 11, 2013, 02:41:57 PM
An ice cream vendor who had a lot of customers because of the large group of onlookers shouted “Oi wag ka muna tumalon! (Hey, don’t jump yet!)”

Passing motorcyclists couldn’t refuse to comment saying “Nagpapahangin lang siguro (he was probably just getting some air.)”

A hearse that incidentally passed by was shouted at by several onlookers saying “antayin mo na (you should wait for this.)”

maoy gidangat.  hahaha, arang gyod ning pinoy uy.

After the three-hour drama, another passing motorcyclist commented “natalo pusta ko (I lost the bet).”

Gacotano was brought to the Quezon City General Hospital for an immediate checkup because he was dehydrated, authorities said.


NBI clearance of Lucien Junn Gacotano, 22, who climbed on top of a billboard at the corner of Congressional and EDSA in Quezon City. Local authorities have found his bag near the gate of the building where the billboard is located. MATIKAS SANTOS/INQUIRER.net

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

An ice cream vendor who had a lot of customers because of the large group of onlookers shouted “Oi wag ka muna tumalon! (Hey, don’t jump yet!)”

Passing motorcyclists couldn’t refuse to comment saying “Nagpapahangin lang siguro (he was probably just getting some air.)”

A hearse that incidentally passed by was shouted at by several onlookers saying “antayin mo na (you should wait for this.)”

Rodriguez also said that Gacotano also has a cellphone which he threw down from the billboard.

Based on the documents, Gacotano was found to have come from Agusan del Norte province in Mindanao and resides in Valenzuela City.

Onlookers, vendors and passing motorists made fun of the incident.

“Gumagawa lang ng eksena! (He’s just making a scene)” a vendor joked.

Edwardo Rodriguez of the barangay (village) public safety office (bpso) found the man’s bag near the gate of the building where the billboard was located.

In the bag they found his documents such as birth certificate, barangay clearance, SSS documents, cedula (residence certificate), NBI clearance, highschool diploma, etc.

Rodriguez said that there was a security guard at the gate but Gacotano managed to slip through.

Gacotano’s cousin was brought in by authorities to reason with him and convince him to come down voluntarily.

Bureau of Fire Protection Superintendent Samuel Tadeo, Deputy District fire marshall for operations, said that Gacotano was heartbroken when his girlfried, identified only as Theresa, went back to her home province of Bacolod.

He also said that Gacotano suspected Theresa was cheating on him, prompting Gacotano to climb the billboard at the corner of Edsa and Congressional avenue and threaten to kill himself.

Heartbroken over lost love, man climbs billboard

By Matikas Santos
INQUIRER.net
Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

MANILA, Philippines â€" Because his girlfriend refused to live in with him, a man climbed a billboard in Quezon City Wednesday morning and threatened to jump.

The man, identified as Lucien Junn Gacotano, 22, climbed the billboard at 9 a.m. and was brought down around noon.


REACHING OUT Gacotano (right) reaches out to his cousin that was brought up to try and reason with him to come down peacefully. Gacotano climbed the billboard in QC and threatened to jump because his girlfriend refused to live in with him. MATIKAS SANTOS/INQUIRER.net

Cats are the most popular pets on Earth. Clearly, they've got something over us. Some have speculated that cats believe they're domesticating humans. If so, I think they still have a long way to go.


Felix
--Jordan Schultz, Sports Columnist, The Huffington Post


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

Become a copycat. There is most certainly something about twilight that invites us deeply into the present moment -- the here and now. Experiment with carrying elements of sleep with you throughout the day. Not as sleepiness or fatigue, but in the form of a comfortable sense of serenity, poise and relaxation. It's not surprising that being in the present moment is associated with deeply relaxed states such as those found in prayer, meditation, yoga, and moments of intimate connection. When we are in the here and now, we often look like we are partially asleep.


Kashi
--Anna Brand, Homepage Editor, Aol.com, AOL Huffington Post Media Group

Cats have high security clearance allowing them to move about freely in this borderland. Long ago the Druids believed cats had magical powers that could facilitate crossings between the spiritual and physical worlds. Cats live in a serene hybrid state of twilight consciousness where elements of sleep and waking can sweetly commingle. Could it be that this exceptional relationship cats have with sleep is the secret behind their unflappable poise, childlike curiosity and notorious nine lives?


Doozer Monkey and Figgy Monster
--Jennifer Spugnardi, Editing And Quality Manager, Seed, AOL Huffington Post Media Group

In sharp contrast, it appears that modern humans literally have diminished awareness of twilight. The majority of us routinely sleep through dawn and rush through dusk. One could argue that humans have become "anti-crepuscular" and, consequently, are out of touch with the natural, open corridor that bridges day and night as well as waking and sleep. For millions of us, transitioning to sleep is like crossing a highly secure border between two polarized states. Having disengaged so thoroughly from sleep by day leaves us at greater risk for insomnia -- of getting stopped and stranded in this corridor by night.


Dany, Georgina and Arya
--Jade Walker, Overnight Editor, The Huffington Post

I believe the unique features of cats' sleep stem from the fact that they live in another world. Cats are crepuscular -- that is, they are biologically programmed to be most wakeful and active in the twilight hours of dusk and dawn. Cats reside in the boundary between night and day -- between waking and sleep. In fact, cats challenge the commonly held notion that it's impossible to be simultaneously asleep and awake. Not only are they able to sleep while sitting up, their sense of smell and hearing can remain active during most of their sleep.


Rogue
She is a mutant cat with extra toes on her paws, so we named her after the "X-Men" character!
--Liz Perle, Editor, The Huffington Post High School

Although we can only speculate about their subjective experience, cat behavior suggests they live with an unusual sense of continuity between waking and sleep. In contrast, most of us distance ourselves from sleep during our waking day. We relate to sleep the way we relate to our bed -- we're with it by night but keep it under cover by day. We've come to believe that civilized waking must be positioned far from the wilds of sleep. Consequently, millions of us think we're just incapable of napping.


Jasmine
This is Jasmine, enjoying a level of relaxation humans can only aspire to.
--Laura Paull, Supervising Editor for Citizen Journalism / Off the Bus 2012, The Huffington Post

Cats seem never to venture very far from sleep. Though they might be fully roused one moment, engaging in passionate play or serious stalking, cats seem able to slide effortlessly back into rest and sleep the next. Keeping sleep in close proximity to waking leaves cats so adept at napping that we've named a version of it after them.


Clara
--Alicia Maye, Executive Assistant at AOL Huffington Post Media Group

As predators, cats are also inclined to engage in significant spurts of physical activity. They can expend extraordinary amounts of energy stalking, pouncing and wrestling their prey into submission. Even when this prey is a tattered toy mouse, cats generally obtain substantial amounts of exercise. Relative to cats, humans are significantly less animated. Despite the fact that cardiovascular activity provides substantial sleep benefits, nearly half of all adults do not meet established minimal guidelines for adequate exercise.


Daxter Bailey
Dax for short sleeping on his favorite canine.
--Paige Harmes, Weekend Overnight Shift Supervisor, The Huffington Post Media Group

Cats remind us of the critical role of personal safety and security in obtaining healthy sleep. Much of human sleeplessness is linked to hyperarousal, a chronic state of hypervigilance associated with an underlying lack of psychological safety. Feeling safe and secure is not about denying the reality of life's risks, but of learning to relax despite them.


Ruca
--Jordan Schultz, Sports Columnist, The Huffington Post

Cats commonly sleep between 12 and 16 hours a day -- more than most mammals and up to twice as much as humans. Why do they sleep so much? Well, because they can. Cats are predators with few natural enemies, meaning they live under the auspices of a generous, genetically-endowed sense of physical safety. They are, after all, first cousins to the king of the jungle. It's obvious to anyone who has ever watched a cat sleep that they feel remarkably safe and secure.


Sparta
She enjoyed her little coat so much it put her right to sleep!
--Paige Harmes, Weekend Overnight Shift Supervisor, The Huffington Post Media Group

After considerable observation of our feline friends, however, I've come to wonder if they might actually be from another world -- a parallel universe where rest and sleep are held in the highest esteem. Because they are on exceptionally good terms with it, I believe cats have much to teach us about the secrets of natural sleep.


Lizzy
--Simon Heseltine, Director - SEO, AOL Huffington Post Media Group

Rubin Naiman, Ph.D.
Sleep and dream specialist

Here and Meow: What Cats Can Teach Us About Sleep

09/10/2013

I've never been much of a cat person. I'll confess that until recently I couldn't understand the lure these mysterious creatures had for so many. Beyond their penchant for catching the occasional rodent, it seemed they were little more than hypersomnolent stoics who couldn't distinguish a scratching post from a fine leather sofa.


Cary Grant
--Lucy Blodgett, Assistant Editor, The Huffington Post Los Angeles

thanks for the tip, tb.com.

NG: Unsay buot ipasabot ani DJ? Nga daghag corrupt ug bu**** sa ato mao nga wa ta maapil sa lista?

DJ: Ambot lang, Nyor. Daghan man sang bu**** nga malipayon. Paminawa lang usa ning “Don’t Worry Be Happy” ni Bobby Mc Ferrin:

Here’s a little song I wrote/You might want to sing it note for note/Don’t worry, be happy/In every life we have some trouble/But when you worry you make it double/Don’t worry, be happy/Don’t worry, be happy now

Don’t worry, be happy, Don’t worry, be happy (2x)

Ain’t got no place to lay your head/Somebody came and took your bed/Don’t worry, be happy/The landlord say your rent is late/He may have to litigate/Don’t worry, be happy

Don’t worry, be happy

Don’t worry, be happy, Don’t worry, be happy (2x)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

DJ: Earth Institute ang gahimo ning maong survey karon. Ug kun ang sunshine nations sama sa Panama, Paraguay, El Salvador, Pilipinas ug Guatemala ang nanghawd sa Gallup Inc. nga survey, ang mga snow countries sama sa Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands ug Sweden ang mga nag-una ning survey sa Earth Institute.

NG: Unsa man say gibasehan ning Earth Institute, DJ.

DJ: Medyo komplikado Nyor. Ilang gi-factor in ang “reduction of corruption and mental illness.” Ug giapil pod nila ang “freedom to make key life choices.”

DJ: Nyor, kadtong survey diin naka number four ang Pilipinas, gihimo kadto sa Gallup Inc. Ug ang ilang gibasehan sa ilang pagsukod sa kalipay mao kining mga pangutana: Did you feel well-respected yesterday? Were you treated with respect all day yesterday? Did you laugh or smile a lot yesterday? Did you learn or do something interesting yesterday? Did you experience the following feelings during a lot of the day yesterday? How about enjoyment?

NG: Mao diay nga naka-fourth place ang Pilipinas adto nga survey. Kay sige ra man ta og smile ug katawa bisag taga-hawak na ang tubig sa baha. Resilient and happy man gud ta. Kining nigawas ron sa CNN kinsa may gahimo ani?

DJ: Tsk tsk tsk. Na-unhappy ka ana Nyor? Murag daghan tingay ni silang hilig-hilig og lista. Kadtong lista sa una na nabasahan sab nako nga naapil ang Pilipinas, gihimo tingali to sa pundok nga may leaning sa tropical climes. Kining karon, kining nia sa CNN website, murag gihimo ni sa grupo nga murag dunay leaning sa mga nasud nga dunay ice sa ilang palibot. Kun wa ko masayop, mao ni imong nabasahan nyor no?

NG: O Nyor. Lain-lain diay gahimo ani nga mga survey? Lain-lain sad og mga bias? Unsa may ilang mga criteria?

Salins Hulbot

Happiness: Sun vs. Snow

By Gerard Pareja
Cebu Daily News
Tuesday, September 10th, 2013

Nyor Gamay (NG): Hello DJ.

DJ Mbenga (DJ): O, Nyor Gmay.

Unsay akong ika-serve nimo?

NG: Mangutana ta ko nimo kun kinsay tighimo aning lista sa happiest nations in the world. Kay murag nakabasa man ko sa una nga naapil to ang Pilipinas. Nia may bag-ong lista wa na may hisgot nato.