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US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke has warned that the country's economic outlook remains "unusually uncertain".

He told the Senate Banking Committee record low interest rates would still be needed to support economic recovery.

The Fed was also prepared to step in with "further policy actions" to boost the economy if needed, he added.

Investors reacted negatively to the comments, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing 1% lower.

But Mr Bernanke downplayed fears that the US could re-enter recession.

Some economists have questioned whether a withdrawal of economic stimulus measures could harm the US economy's recovery.

"Even as the Federal Reserve continues prudent planning for the ultimate withdrawal of monetary policy accommodation, we also recognise that the economic outlook remains unusually uncertain," Mr Bernanke said, in prepared testimony. - BBC News

Bulgaria offers cheap property for sale in a country whose economic growth has grown at a rapid pace and is now one of the highest in Europe:
http://www.getthebestinfo.com/Article/Why-Invest-in-Bulgaria-/7757

People tend to steer clear of foreclosure properties because of one of the many myths that they have...
http://www.getthebestinfo.com/Article/Bank-Foreclosure-Property-Myths/2044

Brittany is a cacophony of diverse landscapes. Never far from the sea...
http://www.getthebestinfo.com/Article/Brittany-Property-Guide/1384

If you have been thinking about selling your home, you might be a little bit deterred by the slow down in the real estate market: http://www.getthebestinfo.com/Article/Homes-in-Phoenix-Arizona--Is-Now-the-Time-to-Sell-Your-Home-/1318

What to consider before investing in a commercial real estate:
http://www.getthebestinfo.com/Article/Commercial-Real-Estate---Three-Profit-Making-Tips/1268

10 Reasons To Purchase a New Home
http://www.getthebestinfo.com/Article/Phoenix-MLS---10-Reasons-To-Purchase-a-New-Home/1146

Why would he represent the security guards in the House of Representatives?

By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr., Christine O. Avendaño
Philippine Daily Inquirer

It may already be too late, but militant lawmakers have not given up on their disqualification case against Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and will raise their clamor at the Supreme Court on Thursday.

Sen. Franklin Drilon is also demanding the ouster of the four election commissioners who voted to give a congressional seat to Arroyo, who took his oath as member of the House of Representatives.

Ang Galing Pinoy lawyer Charlie Chua said Arroyo took his oath Wednesday in Manila and that his papers are now with the House secretary general.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello said he would file on Thursday an urgent motion in the Supreme Court to appeal the ruling of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow Arroyo to represent Ang Galing Pinoy, which claims to represent security guards, in the House of Representatives.

In its ruling, four election commissioners approved Arroyo’s assumption of office. Two commissioners dissented while Comelec Chair Jose Melo did not take part in the voting.

Drilon called for the resignation or impeachment of the four election commissioners who allowed Arroyo to represent Ang Galing Pinoy in the House.

“They should resign or be impeached for their brazen display of partisanship,” Drilon said, referring to Commissioners Nicodemo Ferrer, Lucenito Tagle, Elias Yusoph and Armando Velasco.

Drilon said the four election commissioners made such move apparently in “repayment of their appointment” to the poll body by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, mother of Mikey.

“They destroy the credibility of the most critical institution of democracy which is the Comelec and they are unfit to hold office,” he said.

How to Save Money When Buying a House:
http://www.getthebestinfo.com/Article/70-Ways-For-Home-Buyers-To-Save-Money-When-Buying-A-Home--Tip--3/17141

GMA News: An airport security guard in Cebu shot his superior dead Tuesday after an argument over training fee.

Jessie Humadyao, assigned to the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), shot his boss Mustang Security Agency, Inc. (MSAI) operations manager Sebastian Amble, dzXL radio reported Tuesday night.

MSAI provides security guards to the MCIAA.

Initial investigation by the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office showed the incident occurred at 4 p.m., when Amble tried to collect a P500 training fee from Humadyao.

After an argument Humadyao shot Amble with a 9-mm pistol.

Amble died from four gunshot wounds in the body. Humadyao surrendered to the Lapu-Lapu police.

Playing another tough game in less than 24 hours, the Smart-Gilas Pilipinas national developmental team battled toe-to-toe with a crack Japanese squad, but didn’t show enough legs in the homestretch.

As a result, the Filipinos absorbed their second loss in five matches after falling short against Japan, 84-74, in the William Jones Cup men’s basketball tournament at the Taipei County Stadium.

Mac Baracael finished with 24 points, import Marcus Douthit contributed 20 and Marcio Lassiter had 16 points for the national team aspirants, who fell into a tie with Japan in third to fourth places. - gma news

China is now king of the world in energy consumption, surpassing the US years ahead of forecasts in a milestone that left the Asian giant immediately rejecting its new crown.

Sensitive to its status as the world's biggest polluter, China has long pointed fingers at developed nations in climate change talks and resists any label that could increase international pressure for it to take a larger role in curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

When the Paris-based International Energy Agency released its data on Tuesday, China branded it "unreliable."

The United States still consumes more energy and oil per capita than China. But China's faster-than-expected shift has global consequences for markets and the environment, reflecting its transformation from a nation of subsistence farmers to one of workers increasingly trading their popular bicycles for cars and buying air conditioners and other energy-hungry home electronics. - associated press

continuation from above case decision of the Supreme Court...

Our Ruling

           The petition is without merit.

The CA correctly reviewed the factual findings of the labor tribunals.          

           As a rule, a petition for certiorari under Rule 65 is valid only when the question involved is an error of jurisdiction, or when there is grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of the court or tribunals exercising quasi-judicial functions. Hence, courts exercising certiorari jurisdiction should refrain from reviewing factual assessments of the respondent court or agency. Occasionally, however, they are constrained to wade into factual matters when the evidence on record does not support those factual findings; or when too much is concluded, inferred or deduced from the bare or incomplete facts appearing on record,[20] as in the present case.

           We find that the CA rightfully reviewed the correctness of the labor tribunals’ factual findings not only because of the foregoing inadequacies, but also because the NLRC and the Labor Arbiter came up with conflicting findings.  The Labor Arbiter found that Helen’s dismissal was valid on account of retrenchment due to economic reverses.  On the other hand, the NLRC originally ruled that Helen’s dismissal was illegal as none of the requisites of a valid retrenchment was present.  However, upon motion for reconsideration, the NLRC changed its posture and ruled that the dismissal was valid on the ground of redundancy due to over-hiring.  Considering the diverse findings of the Labor Arbiter and the NLRC, it behooved upon the CA in the exercise of its certiorari jurisdiction to determine which findings are more in conformity with the evidentiary facts.

There was no valid dismissal based on retrenchment.

Retrenchment is the termination of employment initiated by the employer through no fault of and without prejudice to the employees.  It is resorted to during periods of business recession, industrial depression, seasonal fluctuations, or during lulls occasioned by lack of orders, shortage of materials, conversion of the plant to a new production program, or automation.[21]  It is a management prerogative resorted to avoid or minimize business losses, and is recognized by Article 283 of the Labor Code, which reads:

Art. 283. Closure of establishment and reduction of personnel.- The employer may also terminate the employment of any employee due to x x x retrenchment to prevent losses or the closing or cessation of operations of the establishment x x x by serving a written notice on the worker and the DOLE at least one month before the intended date thereof. x x x In case of retrenchment to prevent losses, the separation pay shall be equivalent to one (1) month pay or at least one-half month for every year of service whichever is higher. x x x (Emphasis ours)

           To effect a valid retrenchment, the following elements must be present: (1) the retrenchment is reasonably necessary and likely to prevent business losses which, if already incurred, are not merely de minimis, but substantial, serious and real, or only if expected, are reasonably imminent as perceived objectively and in good faith by the employer; (2) the employer serves written notice both to the employee/s concerned and the DOLE at least one month before the intended date of retrenchment; (3) the employer pays the retrenched employee separation pay in an amount prescribed by the Code; (4) the employer exercises its prerogative to retrench in good faith; and (5) the employer uses fair and reasonable criteria in ascertaining who would be retrenched or retained.[22]

           The losses must be supported by sufficient and convincing evidence.  The normal method of discharging this is by the submission of financial statements duly audited by independent external auditors. In this case, however, the Statement of Income and Expenses[23] for the year 1997-1998 submitted by the petitioners was prepared only on January 12, 1999.  Thus, it is highly improbable that the management already knew on September 14, 1998, the date of Helen’s retrenchment, that they would be incurring substantial losses.

           At any rate, we perused over the financial statements submitted by petitioners and we find no evidence at all that the company was suffering from business losses.  In fact, in their Position Paper, petitioners merely alleged a sharp drop in its income in 1998 from P1million to only P665,000.00.  This is not the business losses contemplated by the Labor Code that would justify a valid retrenchment.  A mere decline in gross income cannot in any manner be considered as serious business losses.  It should be substantial, sustained and real.

           To make matters worse, there was also no showing that petitioners adopted other cost-saving measures before resorting to retrenchment.  They also did not use any fair and reasonable criteria in ascertaining who would be retrenched.  Finally, no written notices were served on the employee and the DOLE prior to the implementation of the retrenchment.  Helen received her notice only on September 14, 1998, the day when her termination would supposedly take effect.  This is in clear violation of the Labor Code provision which requires notice at least one month prior to the intended date of termination.

There was no valid dismissal based on redundancy.

           Redundancy, on the other hand, exists when the service capability of the workforce is in excess of what is reasonably needed to meet the demands of the enterprise. A redundant position is one rendered superfluous by any number of factors, such as over hiring of workers, decreased volume of business, dropping of a particular product line previously manufactured by the company, or phasing out of a service activity previously undertaken by the business. Under these conditions, the employer has no legal obligation to keep in its payroll more employees than are necessary for the operation of its business.[24]

           For the implementation of a redundancy program to be valid, the employer must comply with the following requisites: (1) written notice served on both the employees and the DOLE at least one month prior to the intended date of termination of employment; (2) payment of separation pay equivalent to at least one month pay for every year of service; (3) good faith in abolishing the redundant positions; and (4) fair and reasonable criteria in ascertaining what positions are to be declared redundant and accordingly abolished.[25]

           In this case, there is no proof that the essential requisites for a valid redundancy program as a ground for the termination of the employment of respondent are present.  There was no showing that the function of respondent is superfluous or that the business was suffering from a serious downturn that would warrant redundancy considering that such serious business downturn was the ground cited by petitioners in the termination letter sent to respondent.[26]

           In fine, Helen’s dismissal is illegal for lack of just or authorized cause and failure to observe due process of law.

Lambert Pawnbrokers and Jewelry Corporation is solely liable for the illegal dismissal of respondent.

           As a general rule, only the employer-corporation, partnership or association or any other entity, and not its officers, which may be held liable for illegal dismissal of employees or for other wrongful acts.  This is as it should be because a corporation is a juridical entity with legal personality separate and distinct from those acting for and in its behalf and, in general, from the people comprising it.[27]  A corporation, as a juridical entity, may act only through its directors, officers and employees. Obligations incurred as a result of the directors’ and officers’ acts as corporate agents, are not their personal liability but the direct responsibility of the corporation they represent.[28]  It is settled that in the absence of malice and bad faith, a stockholder or an officer of a corporation cannot be made personally liable for corporate liabilities. [29]  They are only solidarily liable with the corporation for the illegal termination of services of employees if they acted with malice or bad faith.  In Philippine American Life and General Insurance v. Gramaje,[30] bad faith is defined as a state of mind affirmatively operating with furtive design or with some motive of self-interest or ill will or for ulterior purpose.  It implies a conscious and intentional design to do a wrongful act for a dishonest purpose or moral obliquity.

           In the present case, malice or bad faith on the part of Lim as a corporate officer was not sufficiently proven to justify a ruling holding him solidarily liable with the corporation.  The lack of authorized or just cause to terminate one’s employment and the failure to observe due process do not ipso facto mean that the corporate officer acted with malice or bad faith.  There must be independent proof of malice or bad faith which is lacking in the present case.

There is no violation of attorney-client relationship.

            We find no merit in petitioners’ assertion that Atty. Binamira gravely breached and abused the rule on privileged communication under the Rules of Court and the Code of Professional Responsibility of Lawyers when he represented Helen in the present case.  Notably, this issue was never raised before the labor tribunals and was raised for the first time only on appeal.  Moreover, records show that although petitioners previously employed Atty. Binamira to manage several businesses, there is no showing that they likewise engaged his professional services as a lawyer.  Likewise, at the time the instant complaint was filed, Atty. Binamira was no longer under the employ of petitioners.

Respondent is entitled to the following relief under the law.

           An illegally dismissed employee is entitled to reinstatement without loss of seniority rights and other privileges and to this full backwages, inclusive of allowances, and to her other benefits or their monetary equivalent, computed from the time the compensation was withheld up to the time of actual reinstatement. Where reinstatement is no longer feasible, separation pay equivalent to at least one month salary or one month salary for every year of service, whichever is higher, a fraction of at least six months being considered as one whole year, should be awarded to respondent.

            In this case, Helen is entitled to her full backwages from the time she was illegally dismissed on September 14, 1998.  Considering the strained relations between the parties, reinstatement is no longer feasible.  Consequently, Helen is also entitled to receive separation pay equivalent to one month salary for every year of service.

           A dismissal may be contrary to law but by itself alone, it does not establish bad faith to entitle the dismissed employee to moral damages.  The award of moral and exemplary damages cannot be justified solely upon the premise that the employer dismissed his employee without authorized cause and due process.[31]

           Considering that there is no clear and convincing evidence showing that the termination of Helen’s services had been carried out in an arbitrary, capricious and malicious manner, the award of moral and exemplary damages is not warranted.

           Consequently, the moral and exemplary damages awarded by the CA are hereby deleted.

However, the award of attorney’s fee is warranted pursuant to Article 111 of the Labor Code.  Ten (10%) percent of the total award is usually the reasonable amount of attorney’s fees awarded.  It is settled that where an employee was forced to litigate and, thus, incur expenses to protect his rights and interest, the award of attorney’s fees is legally and morally justifiable.[32]

           WHEREFORE, the instant petition for review on certiorari is DENIED. The Decision of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. CEB SP No. 00010 dated August 4, 2005 finding the dismissal of respondent Helen B. Binamira as illegal is Affirmed with MODIFICATIONS that respondent is entitled to receive full backwages from the time she was illegally dismissed on September 14, 1998 as well as to separation pay in lieu of reinstatement equivalent to one month salary for every year of service.  The amounts awarded as moral damages and exemplary damages are deleted for lack of basis.  Finally, only petitioner Lambert Pawnbrokers and Jewelry Corporation is found liable for the illegal dismissal of respondent.

           SO ORDERED.



                            MARIANO C. DEL CASTILLO          
                             Associate Justice

WE CONCUR:

RENATO C. CORONA
Chief Justice
Chairperson


ARTURO D. BRION
Associate Justice
   

ROBERTO A. ABAD
Associate Justice

                     
JOSE PORTUGAL PEREZ
Associate Justice

source: Supreme Court Website

Republic of the Philippines
Supreme Court
Manila

FIRST DIVISION

LAMBERT PAWNBROKERS
and JEWELRY CORPORATION
and LAMBERT LIM,
Petitioners,
   
- versus -
   
HELEN BINAMIRA,
Respondent
   
Promulgated:
July 12, 2010

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

D E C I S I O N

DEL CASTILLO, J.:

               It is fundamental that an employer is liable for illegal dismissal when it terminates the services of the employee without just or authorized cause and without due process of law.

           This Petition for Review on Certiorari[1] assails the Decision[2] dated August 4, 2005 of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. CEB SP No. 00010, which reversed and set aside the Resolutions dated July 30, 2003[3] and May 31, 2004[4] issued by the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) in NLRC Case No. V-000454-00 (RAB VII-01-0003-99-B).

Factual Antecedents

           Petitioner Lambert Lim (Lim) is a Malaysian national operating various businesses in Cebu and Bohol one of which is Lambert Pawnbrokers and Jewelry Corporation.  Lim is married to Rhodora Binamira, daughter of Atty. Boler Binamira, Sr., (Atty. Binamira), who is also the counsel and father-in-law of respondent Helen Binamira (Helen). Lambert Pawnbrokers and Jewelry Corporation â€" Tagbilaran Branch hired Helen as an appraiser in July 1995 and designated her as Vault Custodian in 1996.

On September 14, 1998, Helen received a letter[5] from Lim terminating her employment effective that same day.  Lim cited business losses necessitating retrenchment as the reason for the termination.

Helen thus filed a case for illegal dismissal against petitioners docketed as NLRC RAB-VII CASE NO. 01-0003-99-B.[6]  In her Position Paper[7] Helen alleged that she was dismissed without cause and the benefit of due process.  She claimed that she was a mere casualty of the war of attrition between Lim and the Binamira family.  Moreover, she claimed that there was no proof that the company was suffering from business losses.

In their Position Paper,[8] petitioners asserted that they had no choice but to retrench respondent due to economic reverses.  The corporation suffered a marked decline in profits as well as substantial and persistent increase in losses.  In its Statement of Income and Expenses, its gross income for 1998 dropped from P1million to P665,000.00.

Ruling of the Labor Arbiter

On November 26, 1999, Labor Arbiter Geoffrey P. Villahermosa rendered a Decision[9] which held that Helen was not illegally dismissed but was validly retrenched. The dispositive portion of the Labor Arbiter’s Decision reads:

WHEREFORE, all the foregoing premises being considered judgment is hereby rendered declaring the respondent not guilty of illegally terminating the complainant but is however directed to pay the complainant her retrenchment benefit in the amount of Seven Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P7,500.00), considering that she was receiving a monthly salary of P5,000.00 and rendered service for three (3) years.

SO ORDERED.[10]

Ruling of the NLRC

On appeal, the NLRC reversed and set aside the Decision of the Labor Arbiter.  It observed that for retrenchment to be valid, a written notice shall be given to the employee and to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) at least one month prior to the intended date thereof.  Since none was given in this case, then the retrenchment of Helen was not valid.  The dispositive portion of the Decision[11] reads:

WHEREFORE, premises duly considered, the decision of the Labor Arbiter dated 26 November 1999 is hereby REVERSED and SET ASIDE and respondents are ordered to reinstate complainant Helen Binamira to her former position without loss of seniority rights and with full backwages from the time of her dismissal up to the promulgation of this decision.

Other claims are denied for lack of merit.

SO ORDERED.[12]

Petitioners filed a Motion for Reconsideration.[13] On July 30, 2003, the NLRC set aside its Decision dated September 27, 2002 and entered a new one, the dispositive portion of which reads:

WHEREFORE, the Decision of November [sic] 27, 2002 is hereby SET ASIDE and a New One Entered declaring as valid the redundancy of the position of the complainant. Accordingly respondent is hereby ordered to pay the complainant her redundancy pay of one month for every year of service and in lieu of notice, she should also be paid one (1) month salary as indemnity.

SO ORDERED.[14]

In arriving at this conclusion, the NLRC opined that what was actually implemented by the petitioners was not retrenchment due to serious business losses but termination due to redundancy.  The NLRC observed that the Tagbilaran operations was overstaffed thus necessitating the termination of some employees.  Moreover, the redundancy program was not properly implemented because no written notices were furnished the employee and the DOLE one month before the intended date of termination.

The Motion for Reconsideration filed by Helen was denied by the NLRC through its Resolution[15] dated May 31, 2004.

Ruling of the Court of Appeals

On petition for certiorari,[16]  the CA found that both the Labor Arbiter and the NLRC failed to consider substantial evidence showing that the exercise of management prerogative, in this instance, was done in bad faith and in violation of the employee’s right to due process.  The CA ruled that there was no redundancy because the position of vault custodian is a requisite, necessary and desirable position in the pawnshop business.  There was likewise no retrenchment because none of the conditions for retrenchment is present in this case.

On August 4, 2005, the CA issued its Decision which provides:

WHEREFORE, the Resolution dated July 30, 2003 and May 31, 2004 issued by the National Labor Relations Commission in NLRC Case No. V-000454-00 (RAB VII-01-0003-99-B), is hereby REVERSED and SET ASIDE.

A new Decision is hereby entered declaring the dismissal of petitioner, Helen B. Binamira, as illegal and directing the private respondents, Lambert’s Pawnbroker and Jewelry Corporation and Lambert Lim, jointly and solidarily, to pay to the petitioner, the following monetary awards:

1.              Backwages from the date of her illegal suspension and dismissal until she is reinstated;

2.              Considering that reinstatement is not feasible in view of the strained relations between the employer and the employee, separation pay is hereby decreed at the rate of one (1) month’s pay for every year of service;

3.              Moral damages in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (P25,000.00);

4.              Exemplary damages in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (P25,000.00);

5.              Attorney’s fees in the amount equivalent to Ten Percent (10%) of the monetary awards herein above enumerated; and

6.              Costs.

SO ORDERED.[17]

           The Motion for Reconsideration filed by petitioners was denied by the CA through its Resolution[18] dated November 7, 2005.

Issues

        Hence, this petition raising the following issues:

I.
Whether the CA gravely erred in reversing, through the extra-ordinary remedy of certiorari, the findings of facts of both the Labor Arbiter and the NLRC that the dismissal of respondent was with valid and legal basis.
II.
Whether the CA gravely erred in reversing, through the extra-ordinary remedy of certiorari, the unanimous findings of fact of both the Labor Arbiter and the NLRC that the dismissal of respondent was not attended by bad faith or fraud.
III.
Whether the CA erred in reversing, through the extra-ordinary remedy of certiorari, the findings of facts of both the Labor Arbiter and the NLRC based merely on the allegations and evidences made and submitted by the former counsel, adviser and business partner of petitioners.[19]

Petitioners’ Arguments

           Petitioners assail the propriety of the reversal by the CA of the factual findings of both the Labor Arbiter and the NLRC on a Petition for Certiorari under Rule 65.  Petitioners posit that a writ of certiorari is proper only to correct errors of jurisdiction or when there is grave abuse of discretion tantamount to lack or excess of jurisdiction committed by the labor tribunals. They asserted that where the issue or question involved affects the wisdom or legal soundness of a decision, the same is beyond the province of a special civil action for certiorari.

           Petitioners further contend that the CA erred in ruling that the dismissal was not valid and that it was done in bad faith.

Respondent’s Arguments

On the other hand, Helen avers that the contradictory findings of fact of the Labor Arbiter and the NLRC justifies the CA to review the findings of fact of the labor tribunals. She further submits that both labor tribunals failed to consider substantial evidence showing that petitioners’ exercise of management prerogative was done in utter bad faith and in violation of her right to due process.

Di ko kasabot: why some people are so self-destructive? Kabalo na sila nga makamatay ug makabuang ang druga, ila gihapong buhaton. Rest in peace, drug addicts.

By SHIANEE MAMANGLU
Manila Bulletin

A former Caloocan City judge was slapped with a fine and a six-year jail sentence for forcibly kissing three female court and city mayor office employees, and licking the ear of one of them, some 14 years ago.

In a 28-page decision, the Sandiganbayan’s first division found Armando De Asa Sr., then Presiding Judge of Branch 51, Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) in Caloocan City, and acting executive judge of the same court guilty of violation of Article 336 of the Revised Penal Code.

The decision penned by Associate Justice Efren N. de la Cruz, the division’s chairman, said that De Asa is “guilty beyond reasonable doubt of Acts of Lasciviousness, as defined and penalized under Article 336 of the Revised Penal Code, in Criminal Cases No. 27438, No. 27439, No. 27440, No. 27441 and No. 27442…’’

The court also sentenced the accused “for each count to suffer the indeterminate penalty of six months of ‘arresto mayors’ as minimum, to six years of ‘prision correccional’ as maximum, and to pay each victim the sum of P30,000 as moral damages, and P10,000 as exemplary damages.’’

Associate Justices Alexander G. Gesmundo and Alex L. Quiroz concurred in the decision.

The case stemmed from the complaints filed by Noraliz Jorgensen, a casual employee of the Office of the City Mayor of Caloocan, and Femenina Barreto and Floride Dawa, both court stenographers of branches 53 and 52 that they were embraced, kissed and licked in the ear, which were committed against their will, by the judge.

In her complaint, Jorgensen said she was kissed on her lips and licked on her left ear by the accused on the following occasions: when she went to the accused’s office to get the latter’s signature for allowance on January 3, 1997; when she went again to the accused’s chamber to give his allowance on March 31, 1997; and when she went to the accused chamber for his signature on May 26, 1997.

Barreto, who was assigned at Branch 53 of the MeTC but was temporarily placed at Branch 51 where the accused was presiding, said that De Asa “went to her, held her jaw and kissed her’’ after she entered his office to hand him an order from her boss Judge Romanito Amatong in July 22, 1997.

Dawa said in her affidavit that on August 8, 1997, the former judge, after seeing her come out of the comfort room, told her to go to his office for a while and when inside the accused “pressed her cheeks with his fingers and kissed her twice.’’

The complaints were backed by employees of MeTC and the mayor’s office who testified to have witnessed the victims following the kissing incidents.

De Asa had denied the allegations claiming that their complaints were “part and parcel of a setup headed by lawyer Mona Lisa Buencamino (clerk of court MeTC) to oust him as a judge because of some grudges they had against him.’’

In April 29, 2002, the accused moved to quash the “Information,” saying that the anti-graft court has no jurisdiction over the case and that his constitutional right to due process was violated.

By Alcuin Papa
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has lost 24 key personnel, most of them experienced weather forecasters, in the past 10 years to lucrative offers from abroad, the Inquirer has learned.

Brain drain is not the only disturbance beclouding the state agency, on whose forecasts depend the lives of countless Filipinos. The problem of outdated equipment has battered it for years.

According to PAGASA personnel who talked on condition of anonymity, most of the weather forecasters have accepted offers from the state weather agency in Dubai, which is strengthening its forecasting system in its bid to attract investors and tourists.

Weather forecaster Nonoy About was the last to leave for Dubai. He left last year. Another experienced forecaster, Robert Rivera, left in 2008.

In 2007, Ayla Bayaca, former officer in charge of PAGASA’s Legazpi City station, and Leonilo Millanes also accepted positions in Dubai.

Also last year, Cora Samar of the forecasting section left for a position in Australia.

Just recently, deputy administrator for operations Nathaniel “Ka Tani” Cruz left to work in Australia’s state weather bureau, making him the highest ranking PAGASA officer to leave for better climes.

Some employees told the Inquirer that Cruz was given three months to reconsider his decision to leave for abroad. Other employees said Cruz would not be returning.

What they earn

As of June of this year, the basic salary of a weather forecaster with the rank of Weather Specialist 1, the lowest rank, was pegged at around P20,000 per month. The next in rank, Weather Specialist 2, earns around P23,000 monthly.

A forecaster with the rank of Senior Weather Specialist earns about P27,000. Next is the Assistant Weather Service Chief with a salary of P32,000.

A Division Chief, which was Cruz’s rank, gets a monthly salary of P37,000.

At present, PAGASA has a total of 14 weather forecasters working in three shifts. The ideal number is 16.

By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Note: This is the son of Gloria Arroyo who shopped for wines at a luxurious Makati Mall while people were dying during the Ondoy tragedy.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualified a big businessman who wished to speak for small entrepreneurs, but ruled that a wealthy political scion can represent marginalized security guards and tricycle drivers in the House of Representatives.

The Comelec has voted 4-2-1 to allow Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo to represent the party-list group Ang Galing Pinoy, but Election Chair Jose Melo said the poll body’s latest ruling and that on another party-list group, Ang Kasangga, were “contradictory.”

Election Commissioners Nicodemo Ferrer, Lucenito Tagle, Elias Yusoph and Armando Velascoâ€"all members of the second division except for Yusophâ€"approved Arroyo’s assumption of office as the first nominee of a group that claims to speak for the guards and drivers.

Commissioners Gregorio Larrazabal and Rene Sarmiento of the first division dissented, saying a “yes” vote would be a betrayal of the party-list law.

Melo did not take part in the voting.

Asked on Tuesday if it would be dangerous for the Comelec to issue two conflicting decisions on party-list groups, he replied in the affirmative. He also said those opposed to the en banc ruling could seek a restraining order from the Supreme Court.

An insult to Filipinos - kapal ng mga mukha ng mga walang hiya...

Militant groups are determined to block Arroyo, the eldest child of the former First Couple and a former representative of Pampanga, from again taking a seat in the House.

Through its secretary general Renato Reyes, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said the Comelec ruling “is utterly despicable and truly destroys the essence of the party-list system.”

Reyes also said Arroyo’s presence at the opening of Congress on July 26 would “insult the entire Filipino people.”

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño, whose colleagues had earlier sought Arroyo’s disqualification as Ang Galing Pinoy nominee, said the Comelec ruling allowed those in power and in positions of influence to coopt the party-list system.

He said Bayan Muna would appeal the ruling before the high court.

Haresco’s case

Casiño wondered how Arroyo’s case differed from Ang Kasangga Rep. Teodorico Haresco, who was earlier disqualified by the Comelec on grounds that he does not belong to the underrepresented sector of microentrepreneurs that the group speaks for.

In Haresco’s case, Casiño noted, the Comelec said it was unfathomable that a big businessman like him would truly understand the plight of microentrepreneurs.

“The Comelec en banc decision allowing Mikey Arroyo to assume his seat as representative of Ang Galing Pinoy contradicts the poll body’s earlier ruling on the Kasangga case,” Casiño said.

“The implication of the ruling is that now, multimillionaires and incumbent elected officials can run under the party-list system. This is an abomination that totally contradicts the letter and spirit of the party-list system and delivers it on a silver platter to the already rich and powerful sectors of society,” he said.

Melo declined to discuss the impact of the two rulings. The case of Ang Kasangga has yet to reach the commission en banc.

Two modern hospitals will open within the next three months to solve the scarcity of private rooms in the city.

All set to open next month is the new Cooperative Hospital while the Holy Name University Medical Center is targeting to commence its operation in September or October this year.

Presently, the city has seven hospitals with a total bed capacity of 573, namely, Gov. Gallares Memorial Hospital, 235; Ramiro Hospital, 100; Tagbilaran Community Hospital, 50; Borja Family Hospital, 50; Englewood Hospital, 75; St. Jude Hospital, 24 and Cooperative Hospital, 39.       

Dr. Benjamin A. Galia who will head the new Coop Hospital located in Dampas district, this city said Phase I will open a 50-bed capacity with medical services like surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB-GYNE and Family Medicine as major services.          

He said other services will include anesthesia, orthopedic surgery, radiology, pathology, ultra sound and CT-scan.

Services and treatment in the existing Coop Hospital along Airport Road will be transferred to the new hospital once it will be operational.

Galia said the hospital will not be hiring new personnel as the existing staff will just be transferred to their new site which is near the Island City Mall, a road leading to the Divine Mercy chapel in Dampas district, this city.

Meanwhile, the Holy Name University Medical Center constructed at the huge Janseen Heights campus is tentatively set to open in September this year, according to Fr. Andres Guban, SVD, vice president for administration.

Guban who is the hospital-in-charge said Phase I will bring 50 beds ready for occupancy.

Fr. Glen Duena, an SVD priest who is a dentist by profession was trained for hospital administration at the University of the Philippines. - source: Bohol Chronicle

By Joann Villanueva

Economic managers await the go signal of President Benigno Aquino III on the adjustment in this year’s national government (NG) borrowing program.

The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) is considering raising this year’s borrowing program to P765 billion from the previous program of P708.6 billion.

Under the current borrowing program, some 70 percent, or about P488.1 billion, of the total would come from domestic sources, while the remaining 30 percent, or about P220.5 billion, from foreign sources.

Under the proposed increase in the borrowing program, domestic funding will amount to P511 billion while foreign borrowing will rise to P254 billion.

“These figures are not yet official. While DBCC already adjusted the program it has to be approved by President Aquino,” National Treasurer Roberto Tan told reporters Tuesday.

The higher borrowing is eyed to be sourced from among others the issuance of retail treasury bond (RTBs) and the proposed dollar-denominated Peso Bond.

Tan said they have not receive the mandate on the RTBs but they are already finalizing the assessment and getting proposals on this.

He said they plan to offer a one-week issuance period for the debt instrument within this quarter but the amount is still being studied.

How to Manage Your Consumption of Fat

Avoid fast foods that contain unhealthy trans fats.
Don't eat too much red meat. Instead, opt for leaner sources of protein such as fish, poultry and vegetables.
Bake with canola oil, and cook and season with olive oil. Use olive oil to top a salad or in place of butter on bread.
Avoid too many potato chips in favor of soy or peanuts without salt.
Top a salad with avocado, nuts or garbanzo beans.
In place of butter, opt for margarine that's liquid or in a soft tub container. Choose margarine that is low in saturated fat and doesn't contain trans fat.

By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net

There is a water crisis in close to 50 percent of areas serviced by Maynilad Water Inc. after the level in Angat Dam in Bulacan reached a record-low â€" a situation that is expected to last for at least 60 days if the current dry spell continues, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said Wednesday.

And Singson blamed this water shortage to the alleged excessive release of water from Angat dam due to the rains spawned by tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng” late last year.

“Water crisis in the area of Maynilad I believe, they are in a crisis situation because almost 50 percent [of the residents] are affected,” Singson told reporters at a press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday.

“All told, we have 344 barangay (villages) who are affected and that translates to 49 percent of the Maynilad concession area. Also that translates to approximately close to three million of the west concession.” said Singson.

Maynilad services over seven million residents in Manila except portions of San Andres and Sta. Ana; in parts of Quezon City and Makati; Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, and Malabon; and the municipalities of Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario in Cavite.

By Jhunnex Napallacan
Inquirer Visayas

The son of a former Cebu provincial board member was shot dead by his younger brother inside their house in Argao town, some 66.9 kilometers south of Cebu City, Tuesday morning, police said.

The Argao police said the fatality, Allan Almirante, 49, died on the spot when he sustained four gunshot wounds, two in the chest, one in the right chest area and another in the lower abdomen.

Senior Police Officer 1 Arnold Abenir, investigator of the Argao Police Station said, Allan was shot by his younger brother Antonio III, 44, after a brief altercation 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

According to Abenir, Antonio III was resting in his room when Allan arrived in the family residence and went wild and even challenged his younger brother to get out of the room.

To scare his brother, Antonio III told the police that he went out of his room bringing his 9-millimeter pistol.
Abenir said Antonio III claimed that he had no intention of killing his brother.

However, Antonio III claimed that Allan, who was holding a knife, attacked him so that he was forced to fire at his brother.

The police recovered three empty shells from a 9-mm pistol from the scene of the crime.

Abenir also said that Antonio III did not feel remorseful over what he did, claiming that he was fed up by his brother’s hostility.

The suspect did not resist arrest when the responding policemen arrived at their house.

Their father, former Provincial Board Member Antonio Almirante Jr., now in private law practice, was attending a court hearing when the shooting happened.

The Almirante family refused to issue any statement but some of their helpers claimed that Allan was always making trouble in the house.

Why do people without a watch look at their wrist when you ask them what time it is?

Why do they call them "apartments" when they are all stuck together?

Why are builders afraid to have a 13th floor but book publishers aren't afraid to have a Chapter 11?

Three guys walk into a hotel, and they're going to split the cost of a room. The room is $30. They each kick in $10 and head up to their room. The manager gets wind of it and tells the clerk the room is only $25. He hands five $1 bills to the bell hop and tells him to go refund the guys' money. On the way up to the room, the bell hop gets to thinking, as bell hops are wont to do, and says to himself, "No way can three guys split $5, I'm going to help out." He stuffs $2 in his pocket, knocks on the door, gives each guy back a buck and heads back downstairs to the desk, glowing in the warmth of a job well done. So now each guy has paid $9. $9 times 3 is $27 plus the two the bell hop stole--only $29! Where is the other buck?

You have three lights in a box, each of which is connected to a switch outside the box. The box is closed. You need to figure out which switch to corresponds to which light and you can open the box only once (and you can't manipulate the switches after you open the box). How do you do this?

A woman had two sons who were born on the same hour of the same day of the same year. But they were not twins. How could this be so?

from Cebu Pacific Air News

Gear up to explore Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau, because we're treating you to a seat sale on all China destinations starting now until July 22, 2010!

With a travel period from September 1 to October 31, 2010, P999 ‘Go Lite’ seat sale fares are available for Manila-Taipei flights. Pick from Bangkok, Hong Kong or Macau via Clark and avail of P1,499 ‘Go Lite’ seat sale fares.

Chart these on your calendar and see exotic destinations! Our flights from Cebu to Hong Kong or Manila to Bangkok, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai and Beijing are as low as P1,999 ‘Go Lite’!

We also have hot deals for our domestic flights from Manila to Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu, Kalibo, Legazpi, Tacloban, Tagbilaran for only P699, for travel from September 1-30, 2010. The same travel period applies for P1,199 ‘Go Lite’ seat sale fares from Manila to Cagayan de Oro, Davao and General Santos.

Our new route Cebu-Pagadian, as well as Cebu-Ozamiz, are selling for only P799 ‘Go Lite’, for travel from August 1 to September 30, 2010.

Best Sentence A Man Has Spoken To You (aside from I love you... or I miss you...)

Best Words A Woman Has Spoken to You

(aside from I love you...)

This is your special thread. Please introduce yourself. Establish your connection to fellow Boholanos who are based in Palawan Island.

This is your exclusive thread. Please introduce yourself. Establish your connection to fellow Boholanos who are based in Batangas.

This is your exclusive thread. Please introduce yourself. Establish your connection to fellow Boholanos who are based in Makati City.

This is your exclusive thread. Please introduce yourself. Establish your connection to fellow Boholanos who are based in Sugbu (Cebu City).

This is your exclusive thread. Please introduce yourself. Establish your connection to fellow Boholanos who are based in Cagayan De Oro City.

This is your thread. Please introduce yourself. Establish your connection to fellow Boholanos who are based in any of the towns of Siquijor province.

This is your thread. Please introduce yourself. Establish your connection to fellow Boholanos who are based in Butuan City.

Networking scam in the Philippines comes in various names of companies but it uses the same trick: you cannot buy a product unless you pay a huge amount of money as membership fee and in order for you to get back your membership fee and earn money is to recruit new members.

This is an unethical way of doing business. But the greed of money lured many to join the bandwagon and fall into the trap of networking scam.

We will not name companies and groups, but if you've been persistently recruited by one of your friends or relatives or officemates, you know who these networking gangs are.

Beware. We've warned you...

"Unless you are prepared to be obsessed... you probably won't be that successful" says Mike Lynch

In just 13 years, Mike Lynch has seen his company grow from a tiny start-up into one of the largest technology firms in the UK.

Customers (who include large corporations like Boeing, IBM and Pfizer) use Autonomy's software to extract useful information from "unstructured" sources such as phone-calls or emails.
Key Advice

"Unless you are prepared to be obsessed... you probably won't be successful; so you have to ask yourself honestly… are you actually obsessive enough to really, really want to do this."

Start-Up Stories
Continue reading the main story

Name of company: Autonomy

    * Turnover: $740 million (2009)
    * Number of employees: 1,800
    * HQ location: Cambridge, UK and San Francisco, USA
    * Year founded: 1996
    * Ownership: Listed on the London Stock Exchange

Best Way to Send Money within the Philippines:

solution: atm to atm or bank to bank

if you send money not using a bank (e.g. pera padala, pawnshops, western union, etc), here's the charge: for 1,000 pesos, the charge is 100 pesos. that's almost a rip-off. the bigger the amount you send, the bigger the sending payment. the poor become poorer.

what is the best way? go to metrobank, bdo, pnb, bpi, get an atm account. it's so easy to apply for an atm account these days. ask your loved ones to get an atm account too. then use atm to transfer money within the philippines. you can save money. example, bdo charges only 50 pesos regardless of the amount you sent.

One of the Caribbean region's most wanted alleged drug barons has been arrested in Puerto Rico.

Jose Figueroa Agosto was captured by the FBI in the island's capital, San Juan, ending a decade-long manhunt.

He is accused of running a major smuggling ring that moved Colombian cocaine into the US via Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

In 1999, Mr Figueroa, 45, escaped from prison in Puerto Rico, where he was serving a 209-year sentence for murder.

Last year, he narrowly avoided capture in the Dominican Republic, escaping on foot after police shot out a tyre on his car. - BBC

  The Tubigon Police Office filed on July 11, an information for attempted rape and rape in relation to R.A 7610 against one Augusto Vedra a.k.a (Liklik) before the Regional Trial Court in Tagbilaran City.

  The case steamed from a formal complaint of a certain Arlene (not her real name), a 16 year old girl who lodged the complaint  before the Tubigon Police Office.

  The complainant, accompanied by her mother, reported to the police that on or about ten o' clock in the morning of July 11, 2010, she was awakened from sleep by the arrival of the suspect at her house who wanted to collect her salary from her mother for services rendered as a porter at the Tubigon port. But her mother was not in the house at that time since she had gone to her grandmother.

  The victim narrated that she went back to sleep, thinking that the suspect would just wait for the return of her mother. But hardly  had she lain in bed when the suspect was already on top of her and kissed her checks and fondled her breast. She struggled to free her self and called for help from her younger sister who was outside the house. Her younger sister ran for help. The suspect stood up and fled the area.

  The other case involving consummated rape took place  last week of December, 2009 at the Tubigon port.

  The victim alleged that she was with her father at around six o' clock in the evening at the Tubigon port. The suspect was also at the same area at that time. While her father was inside one of the vessels at the port, the suspect allegedly grabbed her and brought her to a dark and secluded area of the port. There, he offered the victim a sum of money and urged her to have sexual intercourse with him, but she resisted. Then the suspect allegedly threatened to kill her so that she gave in to the demand of the suspect for fear of being killed. The suspect succeeded in his lustful attack upon the victim.

Banning the wearing of the Islamic full veil in public would be "un-British", the immigration minister has said.

Damian Green told the Sunday Telegraph trying to pass such a law would be at odds with the UK's "tolerant and mutually respectful society".

It comes after Tory MP Philip Hollobone introduced a private members' bill which would make it illegal for people to cover their faces in public.

Last week French MPs voted to ban the wearing of full face veils in public. - BBC News

Ang problema ni Paul kay nanghinambog sija nga daghan ug uyab. Pasabot nga daghan sab ang nagreklamo?

Kamong mga babaye nga nagbasa aning sulat-suliran ni Paul, unsa pud ang inyong ikatambag o ikasugyot gawas sa mga panahom ni Noy Kulas?

By NICK GIONGCO

The prospects of Manny Pacquiao winning an eighth world title in as many weight classes is making Bob Arum forget about Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

As the ultimatum issued by Arum for Mayweather to make a decision nears, the Hall of Fame promoter is readying a couple of attractive alternatives for Pacquiao, who is likewise excited to win an unprecedented eighth world crown.

Pacquiao is widely recognized as a seven-division world champion and even if a fight with Mayweather does not materialize this year, the Filipino can still look forward to a historic night.

“If Manny fights Miguel Cotto, it could be in a Middle Eastern country and if it’s Antonio Margarito, it could be in a 20,000-seat arena in Monterrey,” said Arum on Wednesday from Las Vegas, where he has been keenly awaiting word from Mayweather to issue a statement regarding a  proposed November 13 showdown with Pacquiao.

Cotto of Puerto Rico holds the WBO super-welterweight crown and if Pacquiao clashes with Margarito, it would be for the vacant WBC version of the 154-lb throne.

Pacquiao has won world titles at flyweight, super-bantam, feather, superrfeather, lightweight, junior-welter and welterweight, a feat not even the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard has achieved, winning just five.

Agence France Presse:

Radical Islamists in Somalia cut off the right hands of two men who admitted theft as hundreds of people, including women and children, looked on, a judge said Saturday.

"The court handed down its verdict according to Islamic sharia law after the two accused admitted their guilt," judge Abu Yusuf Sheik Hasan told journalists Saturday.

"They paid for their crimes."

The sentence was carried out by a hooded executioner with a long knife late Friday in the small town of Balad, 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of Mogadishu, which is controlled by the Shebab movement, witnesses said.

Hassan Omar Mohamed, 18, and Murshid Ahmed Adan, 22, confessed to having burgled shops, stealing 45 million and two million Somali shillings (1,350 and 60 dollars) respectively.

A witness who gave his name as Muktar described how three men restrained each amputee, one of them holding the right arm while it was cut off.

Jennifer Lawrence, who's been getting rave reviews for her work in "Winter's Bone," has been cast in the "X-Men" movie as Mystique, a role played by Rebecca Romijn in the first trilogy.

Fox has been furiously casting "X-Men: First Class," which focuses on Marvel's superpowered team X-Men in a younger incarnation. James McAvoy will play Professor Charles Xavier, and Michael Fassbender is portraying Erik Lehnsherr, a.k.a. Magneto. Those roles were originated, respectively, by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen .

Nicholas Hoult, Alice Eve , and Caleb Landry Jones are among those playing mutants looking for mentor figures and teachers to guide them with their powers. Kevin Bacon is playing the villain, whose identity has not been revealed, as the studio keeps plot details under lock and key.

Mystique is a shapeshifter who can mimic other people, though she cannot replicate superpowers. In comics lore, she was revealed to be the mother of X-Man Nightcrawler. - Reuters

The movie is rolling toward a late summer start in London. Matthew Vaughn will direct.

By ROWENA JOY A. SANCHEZ
Manila Bulletin

Angel Locsin may well be the ultimate testament that a woman doesn’t need to wear skimpy outfits or do daring roles in order to be seen as sexy. For the second time in five years, she was crowned as FHM Philippines’ Sexiest Woman in the World at the magazine’s annual party last July 15.

She was literally an angel, donning big, white wings similar to the costume she wore during her “Mulawin” days in the Kapuso network. With a little help of harness, Locsin, wearing an elegant black tube mini-dress, descended from the air and gracefully landed at the center, surrounded by her fellas, who also made it to the 100 sexiest list.

By ELENA L. ABEN
Manila Bulletin

Armed men seized on Friday another foreign national in a remote village in the island province of Sulu, a stronghold of the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), according to the military.

Based on information released by the armed forces’ Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) public affairs officer, Lt. Steffani Cacho-Cimini, the latest victim was a Japanese national identified as Amer Katayama Mamaito.

Cimini said at least 10 armed men seized Mamaito at about 1:00 p.m. at Sitio Bas, Barangay Bangkilay in Pangutaran, Sulu.

The victim, who is about 70-years-old and is reportedly engaged in treasure hunting, is said to be residing in Sulu for almost five years now.

So there we have it â€" Floyd Mayweather showed his unparalleled cowardice to back out of another date with the one-dimensional Manny Pacquiao. The man who God won’t let lose, will not step up to the plate against the Filippino wonder.

Despite all the smokescreens and lies and deceptions from Little Floyd Mayweather, Al Haymon and Leonard Ellerbe, the truth is crystal clear now â€" Floyd Mayweather is a spoiled, manufactured, protected fraud/coward who knows he will be brutally, savagely beaten up and knocked out by the blazing fists of Manny Pacquiao, and will not make a stupid business decision that will result in career suicide.

There’s no pretending anymore, there’s no denying it. It’s stone cold true that sometimes very good professional boxers feel fear and cowardice. And in the case of Floyd Mayweather, sometimes they are even stricken to extreme panic and even paralysis by their fears. I know it, you know it, Ross Greenburg knows it, everyone at HBO knows it now. It’s too obvious to be ignored or sugar-coated anymore. Floyd Mayweather is a flat out coward in the face of Manny Pacquiao.

he BIG question now is, will HBO reward and support this fraud of a fighter who was actually called “a coward” on national TV twice this week by respected journalist Michael Wilbon on the ESPN Network.

continue reading: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/should-boxing-blackball-floyd-mayweather-for-not-fighting-manny-pacquiao

AJ 'Bazooka' Banal of the Philippines sends Big Yoo of South Korea to the canvas with a vicious left uppercut in the 6th round during their WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight Title fight at the Carlos P. Garcia Auditorium in Tagbilaran City Saturday night. Banal won the belt via knockout after Yoo failed to beat the count in an otherwise close contest. - Dong Secuya, philboxing.com

By DJ Yap
Philippine Daily Inquirer

AN AMERICAN and his Filipino wife lost their sports utility vehicle (SUV) and P2.5 million in cash and valuables to armed carjackers who attacked them along Edsa in Mandaluyong City early Friday morning.

The incident occurred at 1:10 a.m. at the intersection of Edsa and Shaw Boulevard, investigators at the Mandaluyong Police Station said.

Frederick Allan Boutcher, 63, and his wife Priny Mosquito-Boutcher, 52, had earlier landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and were traveling on board a gold Isuzu Crosswind, with plate number XJY-499, when a red Toyota Innova bumped the rear of their vehicle repeatedly.

Rogelio Maullan, Boutcher’s stepson, who was driving the SUV ignored the bumps, until the Innova overtook their vehicle and cut them in front, prompting him to stop.

Five men armed with short firearms got off the Innova and forced Maullan out of the car. The men then commandeered the vehicle with the Boutchers still aboard, said Eastern Police District Director Francisco Manalo.

The suspects dropped off the couple in Galas, Quezon City, where they reported the incident to police at the nearest precinct.

Taken from the Boutchers were $2,500 in cash (about P115,000), three cellular phones, several pieces of jewelry, including the couple’s matching 22-karat wedding rings, five suitcases containing their bank passbooks, a land title, and other valuable bank documents.

Manalo said the heist was virtually the same as the modus operandi used on the family of Jorge Bernas, brother-in-law of Luli Arroyo, daughter of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in Pasig City last month. The Bernas family had just arrived at the airport when they were attacked along C-5 Road.

A school president and two other top officials were arrested after they failed to return the training  and placement fees paid by students who were promised employment in Canada.

Police served the arrest warrant against David Sobrepeña, president and owner of Union College; Monalisa Dabao, vice president; and Deobela Fortes, director of the school’s career and placement office in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, on Thursday, a report from the town’s police chief, Supt. Marvin Saro, said on Saturday.

School finance officer Polixema Adorada and office assistant Lirio Corpuz were also named in the charges and were arrested by police on Friday.

At least 30 of 70 individuals, who availed themselves of the school’s short-term program, sued the school officials in 2009, after none of them had gotten to Canada, where they were supposed to land jobs as service crew in a food chain.

This was after the school collected from each student $2,500 to $3,500 for skills training and P15,000 to P20,000 for language training in 2008.

But after the course, none of them was sent abroad.

Sobrepeña, who is suffering from hypertension, is under hospital arrest.

Sirjonas Javier, legal counsel of Dabao and Fortes, said his clients were denying the accusations of illegal recruitment and estafa.

“But with regards to the merits of the case, we are to prove that the evidence of the prosecutor are not that strong to deny them (respondents) bail. We already filed a petition for bail yesterday (Friday) and the hearing will be on Thursday,” Javier said.

The victims are mostly from Laguna, but others come from as far as Mindoro, Pangasinan, Pampanga and Tarlac, said one of the complainants, Adelfo Carandang.

Carandang said some had resorted to mortgaging pieces of property and vehicles and borrowing money from usurers to raise funds for the placement fees. - Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon

Singapore will need 100,000 new foreign workers this year to keep on track an economy enjoying a stunning rebound, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in remarks published Thursday.

Rich but worker-starved Singapore has historically rolled out the welcome mat for foreigners, whose numbers rose dramatically in the boom of 2004-2007.

But with one in three of the five million people living on the tiny island now a foreigner and citizens complaining about competition for jobs, housing and medical care, the government has been looking anew at its open-door policy.

Nonetheless Lee said the need for more overseas labor was unavoidable despite efforts to slow the influx after complaints from citizens facing tougher jobs competition during last year's recession.

"If we don't allow the foreign workers in, you are going to have overheating," the Straits Times quoted him as telling Singaporean media during an ongoing visit to the United States.

On Wednesday the trade and industry ministry sharply upgraded its forecast for economic growth this year to 13-15 percent from 7.0-9.0 percent.

That could make Singapore the world's fastest growing economy this year, according to economists. - Agence France Presse

The United States has granted all 10,000 special visas for victims of crime or human trafficking it has authorized for fiscal 2010, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said Thursday.

Created in the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2008, the non-immigrant visa, also called U visa, is intended to help crime investigations by offering protection to victims inside or outside the United States who want to cooperate.

The USCIS "has approved 10,000 petitions for U non-immigrant status in fiscal year 2010," the service said in a statement.

Since fiscal year 2010 ends September 30, no additional U visas will be issued until the start of the next fiscal year, USCIS added. - pdi

Will you buy a 3D TV? Samsung and LG now have 3D TVs.

By Julie M. Aurelio
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has filed a P1.6-million suit against an American airline company for a five-hour delay in a flight to Los Angeles from New York in 2008 during which she fell sick with fever.

In a 23-page civil complaint the against American Airlines and Airesources Inc., Santiago asked to be awarded P1.6 million in moral and exemplary damages, and in attorney’s fees.

The suit was filed in a Quezon City court on June 28, 2010, or two years after she took the American Airlines flight from New York to Los Angeles on her way home to Manila. The court released copies of the complaint only on Friday after serving summonses on the airline company.

“Defendant breached the contract of carriage when it failed to transport plaintiff from New York to Los Angeles on the agreed time and day, resulting to plaintiff being stranded in New York and missing her connecting flight to Manila,” the complaint pointed out.

Apple boss Steve Jobs unveiled the offer at a press conference called to tackle the ongoing speculation about the iPhone 4's antenna problem.

The case will help overcome a widely reported issue in which phone signal strength was drained when the phone was held a certain way.

Declaring "We're not perfect", Mr Jobs said reception problems were endemic throughout the smartphone industry.

To get their free case, owners will be able to apply via the Apple website from 22 July. Mr Jobs said Apple could not make enough for all owners of the phone but would source a supply and offer a range of cases. - BBC

Will You Marry A Prostitute?

What Do You Think of Lesbians? are they intruders into men's world?

Would You Like to Be an Anonymous Sperm Donor?

Doctors are advising football fans who went to the World Cup in South Africa to check their HIV status if they had unprotected sex on their trip.

Up to 25,000 England fans recently returned from South Africa, where about six million people have HIV.

More than two-thirds of heterosexual men and a quarter of women who contract HIV do so through holiday sex.

An awareness campaign is urging those who may have put themselves at risk to visit their local sexual health clinic. - bbc online

Paul Pierce made it official Thursday, re-signing with the Boston Celtics and hoped one day to retire from the team where he has spent his entire NBA career.

"I never thought once about leaving the Celtics," Pierce said, explaining he opted out of the final year of his contract to help the Celtics attract some new players and insure he would be with the club even longer.

"I wanted this team to get better, knowing we didn't win a championship. ... Also, I wanted to ensure that I had a chance to retire as a Celtic," said Pierce, who signed a four-year deal.

Since losing the NBA finals in seven games to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Celtics have re-signed Ray Allen, who will be 35 on Tuesday, to a two-year contract and gave free agent center-forward Jermaine O'Neal, 31, a two-year deal.

Kevin Garnett, 34, also has two years left on his contract. Those three, plus 32-year-old Pierce have a total of 54 seasons of NBA experience. - Agence France Presse

Boston Celtics minority partner Joe Lacob and Mandalay Entertainment chairman Peter Gruber have won the bid to buy the NBA's Golden State Warriors for a record price, CNBC reported.

An article posted on CNBC.com on Thursday put the price at $450 million, surpassing the previous record paid for an NBA franchise - $401 million paid by Robert Sarver for the Phoenix Suns in 2004.

Lacob and Guber beat out Oracle chief Larry Ellison, who had been considered the favorite to buy the team from Chris Cohan.

Cohan bought the club in 1995 for $119 million. The franchise was valued at $315 million by Forbes in December of last year.

The Warriors have made the playoffs only once since Cohan bought the team.

In 2007 they became the first eighth-seeded team to beat a top seed in a best-of-seven series, but fell in the next round. - Agence France Presse

The much-touted fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather scheduled in November may not push through again.

This developed after the camp of Mayweather did not respond to Pacquiao’s offer for a November 13 bout, according to the Filipino boxing icon’s promoter Bob Arum whose statements were posted on http://www.mlive.com/mayweather/index.ssf/2010/07/bob_arum_floyd_mayweather_stay.html.

Mayweather had until midnight Friday (Saturday, Manila time) to accept Pacquiao’s offer that included those related to random Olympic-style drug testing, according to the website.

With Mayweather’s failure to respond, Pacquiao was now free to scout for other opponents, most likely against Miguel Cotto or Antonio Margarito, Arum was quoted as saying by the site.

But Arum was not completely closing the door for a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown for as long as no other opponent for Pacquiao had been chosen, it said. - source: Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sa among barangay sauna, ang manigarilyo mga baynte anyos naman kapin mosugod. Karon, otso anyos pa manigarilyo. Na-shock ko pag-uli nako. Our government has take a more active role in rescuing children from the evils of cigarette smoking.

Boholanos were united as one in demanding that those involved in the P728-million fertilizer scam during the Arroyo administration be imprisoned behind bars.

Ninety-two percent of the respondents articulated their indignation on the alleged huge fund anomaly saying that those behind the release and use of the outlay should be pinned by the court to serve jail terms.

Of those who demanded for the "culprits" be jailed, 23% was of the opinion that those to be convicted should serve a life sentence considering the amount involved in the alleged scam.

"The almost 1 billion pesos could have fed thousands of poor Filipinos," a respondent said, citing that it could be the biggest fund scam in the country which was released under one specific program disguised as a farmer-beneficiary initiative project.

The survey was conducted among radio listeners yesterday during the top-rated "Radyo Merkado" of dyRD-AM with respondents sending their opinions through phone call and text messages.

"The persons involved in the scam should not only be jailed but should be asked to refund the amount to the government," another respondent said. - Bohol Chronicle

Amid confirmation that the armed units of the communists have already fled to neighboring provinces, the military forces here have readied themselves for any resurgence of the rebels' operation in the province.

In his report before the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), Maj. Ed Malig-on, representing Brig. Gen. Alan Luga of the 802nd Brigade, identified the current threat as the expected resurgence of the communist armed units "to embarrass the military for declaring Bohol as "insurgency-free."

"We are ready for the threat," Malig-on declared.

The first PPOC meeting Monday came simultaneous to the turnover of the Special Forces command at its base in Riverside, Bilar, from Lt. Col. Alfredo Sanchez to Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., former spokesperson of the AFP. - bohol chronicle

Brig. General Roberto Morales administered the turnover of command last Monday in Bilar town.

Malig-on reported that the communists' threat has now reduced to a very insignificant number where they have monitored zero armed rebels, with only political personnel left.

What are the three "nevers" of your life?

Where do you find inspiration?

What in life is beautiful to you?

When people go mental, why do they get physically violent?

Why is "abbreviation" such a long word?

mao nay giingon nga nagpalit na ug helmet bisan wa pay motor.

kon mokaon ta ug bisan unsa nga giputos o gibutang sa lata, tan-awon sa gyud una nato ang "expiration date"

murag sa pilipinas ra man pud mga iring sungkaban kay dili man pakan-on sa tag-iya kung ang amo sa iring one day, way eat pud.

okay ra mapus-an ug apdo kay matabang pa pero kung mapus-an ug itlog, mawad-an na ta ana ug kalipay.

naay problema kung mobasa ta ug topic ug dili ta motan-aw sa petsa kanus-a ni na publikar.

mahimo ba ni nga way suka-suka?

Paagi sa pagdisiplina kaniadto. Nakatilaw na ka?

Naay expression sauna akong madungog: "Mura ka ug iring gibidli." Unsay inyong pagsabot ani?

unsay buot ipaibot kung ingnon ka: "Mura man ka ug gikapus-an ug apdo."

Your time is not your own anymore: http://www.inform.websiteuniversity.org/Article/Homes-in-Phoenix-Arizona--Are-you-Planning-to-Sell-Your-Home-Without-an-Agent-/23476

If you have a home in Glendale, Arizona that you'd like to sell: http://www.inform.websiteuniversity.org/Article/Selling-Your-Glendale-Home---Are-You-Asking-the-Right-Price-/23265

Many people have unrealistic aspirations when it comes to selling their house: http://www.inform.websiteuniversity.org/Article/Selling-Your-House-Quickly/26776

Real Estate Laws In Florida: http://www.inform.websiteuniversity.org/Article/Real-Estate-Laws-In-Florida/138803

By Edri K. Aznar
Sun Star

WITH still no answer from Floyd Mayweather Jr., chances of a mega fight this Nov. 13 with Manny Pacquiao are slim according to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum.

Arum has given Mayweather Jr. until Saturday (RP time) to accept Pacquiao’s challenge.

“We have heard nothing from (Floyd),” Arum told USA Today. “But hey, it’s not the end of the world. If it doesn’t happen this year, hopefully it will happen next year.”

If Mayweather Jr. rejects the offer to fight Manny, Arum feels they can make the super fight next year, in May.

Arum also said Pacquiao could face Antonio Margarito this November, in Mexico.

“They’ll go absolutely nuts for this,” said Arum. “They have a new arena in Monterrey.

The governor wants it, the city wants it, and Manny is not reluctant to fight a Mexican in Mexico.”

Pacquiao will be gunning for his eighth division world title against Margarito because Arum is planning to place the vacant World Boxing Council light middleweight crown on the line.

By Katlene O. Cacho
Sun Star

SONY Ericsson unveiled in Cebu yesterday its latest addition to its Xperia portfolio, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini and X10 mini pro, which are reported to be the world’s smallest Android smartphones.

Sony Ericsson general manager Dennis Manzano said both phones, which are about the size of a credit card, have compelling features.

The X10 mini has dimensions of 3.2 by 1.9 by.63 inches while the X10 mini pro with a slide-out Qwerty keyboard is 3.5 by 2.05 by.67 inches.

Manzano said Sony Ericsson has embraced the open platform system and allows its latest smartphones to be customized with directly downloadable applications from the Android market.

It'd be nicer if Smartcares would provide us a working email address of Smart's customer care service. Correspondence through email is more logical in solving issues.

By Katlene O. Cacho

TRYING to double tourism revenues while avoiding the mass-market route may be a good plan but the government should heavily invest on infrastructure and have a clear tourism brand, industry players in Cebu said.

“It is a good plan but it will take a lot of infrastructure and development of world-class tourism facilities,” said Cebu Business Club president Dondi Joseph.

“I have personally always been for the high-spend tourism market but we must also be realistic and mine the mass-market opportunities while we shift to the higher end of market,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.

Six years, he added, may not be enough time for a complete transition.

Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim earlier said the department is aiming to double tourism revenues while avoiding the mass-market route taken by some of the country’s Southeast Asian neighbors.

Agence France-Presse

Mel Gibson was embroiled in a battle with his ex-girlfriend Thursday over custody of their baby girl, an entertainment website said, as recordings of his alleged obscenity-filled rages went viral.

TMZ.com said the actor-director and the Russian-born model and pianist Oksana Grigorieva were attending the hearing behind closed doors.

The website said the hearing was likely to consider the audio tapes, allegedly of Gibson threatening and cursing Grigorieva, and that attorneys for the mother would argue the rants are evidence that Gibson is a danger to their child, Lucia.

By Daxim Lucas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has ordered the filing of fraud charges against information technology (IT) expert Augusto “Gus” Lagman for allegedly selling a technology company that he ran and partly owned without the consent of its majority owner, businesswoman Nora Bitong.

In a resolution issued on June 17, Justice Undersecretary Linda Malenab-Hornilla said Lagman made “false representations” to the board of directors of Systems Standard Inc. (SSI) when he told them that talks with potential investors in the firm’s wholly-owned Vinta Systems unit had failed to progress.

In her complaint to the DoJ, Bitongâ€"who owned two-thirds of SSI’s stockâ€"said it later emerged that Lagman was already in discussions with a potential buyer at the time.

More importantly, Bitong alleged that the company’s board, led by Lagman, had approved the sale of SSI shares to Philippine Investment Management Inc. (Phinma) while she was away on a foreign trip and despite her earlier objection to the transaction.