AS of 12:30pm, KSA time, the three OFWs arrested by the Saudi police have been released. The OFWs are Lyndon Salonga, Juan Carlos and Jon Jon de Vera, according to Migrants group in Middle East.

According to the OFWs, they were deposited into a car then Saudi police, together with PHl authorities, harassed and threatened them while they drove around. They were eventually released and dropped off at an area far from the campout site.

Group said there is video of the actual harassment done by PH authorities, led by POLO Case Officer Abdullah Umpa.

Also as of this posting, a truck is reportedly parked at the campout site preparing to pick up the women and children but it is not clear where the PH post is planning to take them.

“MANANAGOT ang may sala, kahit tauhan ko pa siya!”

Ito ang mariing pahayag ni Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon tungkol sa kanyang security detail na isang miyembro ng Philippine Marines matapos itong mamaril ng tatlo katao sa mismong Liberal Party meeting ng kanyang amang si Sen.Pong Biazon sa lungsod ng Muntinlupa.

Kinilala ang suspek na si Marine Corporal Nelson Ray Lubrin,28 anyos  na securty escort ng nakababatang Biazon, habang ang mga biktima ng pamamaril ay mga security aide naman ng nakatatandang si Rep. Rodolfo Biazon na nakilalang sina Oscar Parahili,32 anyos ,Nilo Marollano 53 anyos at Victor Marollano,31,pawang mga residente ng Putatan,Muntinlupa.

Ayon sa pulisya, dakong alas 10 ng gabi nuong Abril 26 ay nagdaraos ng miting sina Biazon at mga kapartido sa isang covered court sa Soldiers Hills ,ng biglang umalingawngaw ang tatlong putok
ng baril kung saan makaraan ang ilang sandali ay nakabulagta na ang mga sugatang biktima na pinutukan n Lubrin na agad tumakas sa lugar.

itinakbo naman sa Asian Hospital ng Customs chief ang mga biktima kung saan ginagamot ang mga ito sa kasalukuyan. Makalipas ang walong oras ay isinuko ni Col.Fernando Gomez, assistant chief of staff for Intelligence ng Phil.Navy,ang suspek na si Lubrin sa Muntinlupa Police ,pati na ang baril nito na ginamit sa pamamaril.

Napag-alaman na ilang sandali bago naganap ang pamamaril ay pinagtulungan ng tatlong biktima na gulpihin ang suspek kayat napilitan itong bumunot ng baril at putukan ang mga ito.  Isang matagal ng altan ang nakikitang dahilan na namagitan sa mga ito na nauwi sa basag-ulo kahit nasa trabaho at nagbabatay ng kanilang mga amo.

AN alliance of some of the country’s labor groups condemned Pres. Noynoy Aquino’s response to workers’ demands, saying the chief executive failed to stand up for Filipino workers.

The Action against Contractualization and Towards a Significant Wage Increase Now (ACT2WIN!) condemned Aquino’s refusal to increase wages and outlaw contractual employment, arguing that non-wage benefits and job fairs will not give workers a much-needed respite from worsening poverty.

“It appears that Pres. Aquino does not value Labor Day like he should. He failed to give workers genuine relief from poverty,” said Dave Diwa, president of the National Labor Union, an ACT2WIN member.

“Aquino tried to project that he did something for the country’s workers while protecting capitalists’ profits and the government’s coffers. It was clear that he was just making publicity stunts with his Labor Day moves,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, chair of the Kilusang Mayo Uno, another ACT2WIN member.

The labor alliance also criticized Aquino over the latter’s dialogue with labor groups one day before Labor Day.

“Aquino focused on the single issue of power rates, appeared unprepared, and was unable to make concrete promises when he talked with us. Needless to say, we are deeply disappointed,” said Sonny Matula, president of the Federation of Free Workers, also an ACT2WIN member.

“We value asserting workers’ demands through various means like dialogues. It is clear, however, that we also need to put pressure on the government in pursuing our just and legitimate demands,” he added.

ACT2WIN also criticized the president’s statement that employment generation should be prioritized over increasing workers’ wages or curbing contractualization, citing the recent Social Weather Stations survey showing unemployment increasing from 24.6 percent last December to 25.4 per cent last March.

“It seems that the president is asking us to wait until forever. He has so far failed to reduce, let alone solve, widespread unemployment,” said Charlie Arevalo, president of the Gabay ng Unyon sa Telekomunikasyon ng mga Superbisor (GUTS)-PLDT.

“While we want the employment situation to improve, workers are sinking deeper into poverty and hunger. In many companies, we know that labor cost is just a small section of the entire production cost,” he added.

TWO hundred (200) undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), 70 were women with 10 children, staged a campout protest outside the PH Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, taking cue from the ongoing Tent City campout in Jeddah.

Like those at the Jeddah Tent City, the OFWs also called for free, immediate and mass repatriation by the Aquino government. Since the Tent City broke out, not one OFW has been repatriated by the Philippine government. OFWs at the Tent City still number to at least 4,000, based on Migrante-Jeddah’s latest head count,.

According to reports from Migrante-Riyadh, the OFWs were holding their peaceful protest outside the PH post compound when Riyadh POLO Case Officer Abdullah Umpa arrived with Saudi police. “It was Umpa who pinpointed to the Saudi police who to arrest. Imbes na harapin ng gobyerno ang ating mga OFW sila pa mismo ang nagpaaresto sa kanila. Traydor ang gobyernong ito sa mismong mamamayan niya!” said Garry Martinez, Migrante Partylist 2nd Nominee and Migrante International Chairperson.

Those arrested are leaders of the OFWs, namely, Lyndon Salonga, Juan Carlos and Jon Jon de Vera. As of 12:30pm yesterday, KSA time, the three OFWs have been released.

In a phone conversation with Salonga, he recounted how they were deposited into a car then Saudi police, together with PH authorities, harassed and threatened them while they drove around. They were eventually dropped off at an area far from the campout site.

The arrests came in the wake of the successful three-day Solidarity Campout held by families of stranded OFWs at the Tent City and promises declared by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to ensure the protection and welfare of stranded OFWs in light of the Saudi crackdowns.

“Ito ba ang hinihintay ng goberyong Aquino? Ang tuluyan nang mapahamak ang ating mga kababayan sa Saudi? Heads must roll, those responsible for the arrests and harassment should be held accountable,” Martinez said.

Martinez said that as of 3:00pm yesterday, KSA time, at least 66 OFWs were able to enter the compound of the PH Embassy and demanded a dialogue with PH Ambassador to Saudi Ezzedin Tago. Inside the PH Embassy compound, they said that “they were being harassed and threatened every hour by PH embassy officials”.

Tago reportedly addressed the OFWs at 11:45pm yesterday, KSA time, and told them that they would be transferred to different shelters. The OFWs, however, stood their ground and proceeded to install tents at the basketball court inside the PH embassy. “Naninindigan ang mga OFW na hindi sila aalis doon. At kung ilalabas man sila sa embahada ay dapat sa airport na ang diretso nila at hindi sa kung saang shelter pa.”

“It has been 27 days since the Jeddah Tent City campout started, five days since the solidarity campout of families of stranded OFWs here at the homefront, five days since the DFA and the Aquino government promised to expedite the repatriation of stranded OFWs in Jeddah. Hanggang ngayon ay nagbibilang pa rin tayo ng araw, at naghihintay na mismong ang pangulo natin ay harapin ang krisis na ito.”

“First Jeddah, now Riyadh, and more OFWs are also seeking free, immediate and mass repatriation in Dammam and Al-Khobar. Ano ang balak gawin ng gobyerno? Imbes na tulungan ay ipahuli ang lahat ng OFW na nagpo-protesta at balak magprotesta? Hindi na mapipigilan sa pagprotesta at paggiit ng kanilang karapatan ang ating mga kababayan.”

Martinez said that OFWs in Saudi are giving the Aquino government until May 15 to start repatriating stranded OFWs en masse “or expect bigger protests by OFWs in the region and their families in the Philippines.”

NANAWAGAN si Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares sa Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Automated Election System (JCOC-AES) na kagyat na magpatawag ng pag-uusap para maresolba ang  patuloy na problema sa PCOS machines lalo at papalapit na ang araw ng eleksyon.

“Tama lang na pumasok na sa eksena ang AES Oversight Committee ng Kongreso para magbigay ng mga napapanahong rekomendasyon at panukala sa Comelec kaugnay ng isyu sa PCOS machines. Ang pamantayan kasi para sa genuine election ay hindi lamang patungkol sa freedom of choice kundi pati secret voting, public counting, transparency at verifiability. Kung walang source code at ang pagre-review rito ayon sa batas, hindi makakamit ang ganitong pamantayan,” aniya.

“Sa ilalim ng batas, ang oversight  committee ang tanging grupo na itinakda na magdeklara kung ang isang eleksyon ay matagumpay o hindi. Kailangang magpulong ito ngayon para magbigay ng kailangang imporamasyon upang mahusgahan ang resulta sa gitna ng maraming nakakalitong pahayag mula sa Comelec. Mas madali pa itong makakapag-convene dahil ito ay binubuo lamang ng pitong myembro mula sa bawat kapulungan ng Kongreso,” ang sabi pa ni Rep. Colmenares.

“Mixed signals ang mga pahayag mula sa Comelec; hindi lang ito nakakalito, nakakapag-alala pa. Pinalalabas ng Comelec na kontrolado nito ang sitwasyon sa huling sipa ng paghahanda para sa May 13 elections sa kabila ng mas totoong nangyayari na ipinapakita sa mga balita ng hindi paggana ng ilang PCOS machines sa ginawang final testing and sealing,” sabi ni Rep. Colmenares.

“Sa palagay ko, hindi naman layunin ng mga election watchdogs na sirain ang kredibilad ng Comelec, pero dapat ding tingnan ang kanilang mga kritisismo na  seryoso at tapat na pangangalaga sa integridad ng eleksyon natin. Ilang taong na rin nilang ipinapahayag ang mga obserbasyon nila. Katulad na lang ng source code. Hindi siguro masyadong mag-iingay ang Filipino IT community natin kung ibinigay na sa kanila ang 2010 Source Code noon pa man.”

“Kung wala kasing source code, o mas malala, kung binary codes lang ang inilagay sa PCOS machine, hindi kasi ito nare-review o nababasa ng tao, siguradong magkakaroon ng sangkaterbang election protest pagkatapos ng eleksyon,” dagdag ni Rep. Colmenares.

LAWMAKERS are confident that a measure establishing the Philippine Teachers’ Hospital will be re-filed in the 16th Congress to provide comprehensive health care services for the country’s teachers and their dependents.

Reps. Diosdado Macapagal Arroyo (2nd District, Camarines Sur) and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2nd District, Pampanga) authored House Bill 6491 in recognition of the important role of the teachers, who are considered as among the most reliable and dedicated public servants.

“Under Article 218 of the Family Code, the school, its administrators and teachers shall have special parental authority and responsibility over each and every child under their supervision, instruction or custody,” Arroyo said.

“Aside from their normal teaching duties, they are also being constantly called upon by officials of the local and national government to assist in various extra-curricular and civil activities which contribute to the welfare of the community and the country, like gathering data for the National Statistics Office (NSO), even if it needs going to the remotest of places,” Arroyo added.

Most notable is risking their lives in the performance of their specific duties during election related duties, he stressed.

“They are our unsung heroes because despite the difficulties that confront their profession, they have remained steadfast in molding the values and character of our youth,” Arroyo said.

Arroyo cited a statistical report from the Department of Education (DepEd) stating that the normal teacher-student ratio in the elementary and secondary levels are now at 1:36 and 1:39, respectively.

“As a result, our teachers are exposed to health risks, most common of which are ailments coming from work-related pharyngitis, hypertension, anemia, and hyperacidity, among others,” Arroyo said.

“There is a need for the State to provide health facilities that specifically cater to the needs of teachers in view of the important role they play in educating our children and in the nation’s progress,” Arroyo said.

The measure, known as the Philippine Teachers’ Hospital Act, seeks the establishment of the Philippine Teachers’ Hospital to be located in the National Capital Region (NCR) as the primary medical facility for the hospitalization and medical care of teachers and their dependents.

Under the measure, all regional hospitals in the country shall establish a teachers’ ward, with an initial capacity of at least 50 beds, which will provide hospitalization and medical care to teachers and their dependents residing outside the NCR.

The Philippine Teachers’ Hospital shall provide comprehensive health care services to all teachers and their dependents and complement the existing package of services under the National Health Insurance Program, so as to include preventive, diagnostic, curative and rehabilitative programs.

The Philippine Teachers’ Hospital shall be administered by a Board of Directors headed by the Secretary of DepEd as ex-officio Chairman, the Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH) as ex-officio Vice Chairman; the Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as ex-officio Members.

From the list of nominees prepared by the ex-officio Chairman, the President of the Philippines shall appoint three representatives from the teachers’ sector (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) as members of the Board and shall serve for a term of three years without reappointment.

Among others, the Board shall formulate and implement measures and programs to attain the objectives and purpose of the Hospital; and shall organize the its structure in accordance with a staffing pattern prepared by it and approved by the Department of Budget ad Management.

An amount of P300 Million shall be appropriated for the establishment and initial operations of the Philippine Teachers’ Hospital.

PARTY-LIST legislators have vowed to push for the enactment into law in the next Congress of a bill that will provide for a P125.00 across the board increase in the salary rates of employees and workers in the private sector.

Reps. Rafael Mariano (Anakpawis Party List), Teodoro Casiño and Neri Javier Colmenares (Bayan Muna Party List), were among the legislators who filed House Bill 375 during the 15th Congress. It was reported out by the House sub-committee on Labor and Employment and is now with the Committee on Labor and Employment.

Casiño said the bill aims to partially restore the lost purchasing power in real value of the workers’ wages and close the gap between the income of minimum wage earners and the daily-cost-of-living.

The bill provides that all employees in the private sector, whether agricultural or non-agricultural, shall receive an across-the-board wage increase of P125.00 a day.

Any person or entity violating this act shall be punished by the fine of P25,000.00 to P100,000.00 or imprisonment of two to four years. In addition, the employer concerned shall pay an amount equivalent to twice the unpaid benefits owing to employees.

The bill further provides that no wage increase shall be credited as compliance with the law unless expressly provided under a valid collective bargaining agreement provided that such wage increase was granted in anticipation of the legislated across-the-board wage increase under this act.

Casiño said the Constitution mandates the government to provide the minimum wage to enable the worker to maintain the basic standards of living necessary for the health, efficiency and general well being of his or her family.

“Through all the supposed achievements and success of the national government in improving the economy, however, none of the benefits trickled down to the workers,” Casiño explained.

“For the past 11 years, workers have been demanding a substantial nationwide wage increase. Beyond being a measure that will give immediate economic relief, a substantial wage increase is a matter of social justice,” Casiño said.

Other legislators pushing for the enactment into law of this measure are Reps. Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmi de Jesus of Gabriela Party List, Raymond Palatino of Kabataan Party List, and Antonio Tinio of ACT Teacher Party List.

SAN FERNANDO CITY – Namahagi na ang Commission on Elections (Comelec) dito sa lungsod ng “voter’s information and instruction sheet” (VIIS) sa mga barangay upang mabigyan ng gabay ang mga rehistradong botante sa eleksiyon ngayong Mayo.

Ayon kay Lawyer Jugeeh Deinla, acting city Comelec officer, ang mga kapitan at opisyales na ang magbibigay ng kopya sa bawat botante sa kani-kanilang lugar.

Aniya, nakatakda din ang Comelec na magbahagi ng VIIS sa susunod na linggo sa mga malalaking lugar rito.

Sa ilalim ng information sheet, maaari nilang tignan ang paraan para makita ang sample ballot sa kanilang bayan o lungsod gamit ang Comelec website partikular na sa www.comelec.ph.

Kabilang rin sa VIIS ang mga paraan at direksiyon upang bigyan gabay ang mga tao sa tamang pagboto, paliwang niya.

Gayunpaman, tiniyak ni Deinla na mabibigyan ng VIIS ang 64,268 na bilang ng botante sa lungsod.

MALOLOS, Bulacan – Bukas na ang scholarship program ng Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) para sa mga anak ng empleyado ng gobyerno.

Isa ito sa mga magandang balitang inanunsyo ni GSIS President Robert Vergara sa katatapos lamang na Dialogue with Stakeholders and Pensioners sa St. Agatha Resort Tikay, Malolos, Bulacan.

May 200 scholarship grants na naghihintay para sa mga anak ng mga kuwalipikadong miyembro. Hanggang P20,000 naman ang sasagutin ng GSIS bilang pambayad sa tuition at may kasama pang P2,000 buwanang allowance.

Para makakuha ng nasabing scholarship, sinabi ni Vergara na ang kawani ay dapat may tatlong taon nang naninilbihan sa pamahalaan, may anak na papasok sa kolehiyo ngayon taong 2013-2014, nakapaghulog ng tamang premium contributions sa huling anim na buwan at may salary grade na 24 o mas mababa pa.

Ang GSIS ay isang ahensya ng pamahalaan ng Republika ng Pilipinas na namamahala ng mga seguro ng mga naglilingkod sa pamahalaan.

Nilikha ito ng Batas Komonwelt Blg. 186 na ipinasa noong Nobyembre 14, 1936 na inatasang magkaloob at mamahala sa mga sumusunod na benepisyong segurong panlipunan para sa mga manggagawa sa pamahalaan: sapilitang pagkakaroon ng seguro, di-sapilitang pagkakaroon ng seguro, mga benepisyo ng pagreretiro, mga benepisyong pangkapansanan para sa pasumala na may kaugnayan sa hanapbuhay at mga benepisyo ng mga namatay.

Bukod pa rito, ipinagkakatiwala sa GSIS ang pamamahala sa Pangkalahatang Pondo sa Seguro mula sa kabutihang-loob ng Batas Republika Blg. 656, na kinikilalang Batas sa Segurong Pang-ari-arian. Nagkakaloob ito ng sakop na seguro sa mga pag-aari at mga ari-arian na may malasegurong interes mula sa pamahalaan.

NATIONAL labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno condemned today the illegal retrenchment of 104 plantation workers in Agusan del Sur one day after Labor Day, saying the Aquino government has emboldened capitalists to illegally lay off workers despite its rhetoric of prioritizing job generation.

The Agusan Palmoil Plantation, Inc. (API), located in Trento town and owned by Malaysian businessmen, retrenched 104 regular and unionized workers, without giving any notice to the workers, after filing a notice of closure before the Department of Labor and Employment.

API has just inked a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the workers’ union, the  Pinagbuklod na Lakas ng Manggagawa sa Plantasyon ng API, last March 15. PLMPA is an affiliate of the National Federation of Labor Unions-KMU.

“One day after Aquino boasted about prioritizing job creation, we see how he has emboldened capitalists to destroy jobs by violating workers’ job security,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson.

“Not only has his government failed to generate sufficient jobs for Filipinos, it has allowed capitalists to lay off workers easily, thereby making the country’s employment situation even worse,” he added.

KMU said the illegal retrenchment is part of a drive to bust the workers’ union, saying the plantation’s operation will most likely resume after it has destroyed the union.

“The owners of API continue to rake in huge profits, that’s something workers know. They are not going bankrupt despite the destruction caused by typhoon ‘Pablo.’ They simply want to bust the workers’ union,” said Jacinto Tanduyan, NAFLU-KMU coordinator for Caraga region.

“Palm oil continues to be in demand and capitalists in the palm oil business continue to target Mindanao for expanding their operations. API will surely resume its operations and should not be allowed to bust the workers’ union. The workers should be reinstated immediately,” he added.

KMU also said that casual workers and managers should not be seen working if API has really stopped operations.

MALOLOS, Bulacan, – Lubos ang ginagawang paghahanda ng militar at pulisya upang matiyak na magiging maayos ang pagsasagawa ng Halalan sa Bulacan sa Mayo 13.

Sa isinagawang pagpupulong ng mga kasapi ng peace and order council kamakailan, sinabi ni Police Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Joel Orduña na nasa final stage na nang pag-de-deploy ng mga pulis sa iba’t ibang voting centers sa bawat munisipalidad kasama ang 238 karagdagang tropa mula sa Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters at First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR).

Iniulat din niya na mula ng ipatupad ang firearms ban, nakakumpiska na ang pulisya ng halos 105 high powered and low powered firearms at 76 na iba pang kaugnay na mga gamit.

Pinag-iingat naman ni 56th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Bernardo Oña ang publiko laban sa mga taong nagpapanggap na mula sa Army at napapabalitang lumilibot sa lalawigan upang mangikil sa mga pulitiko.

Idinagdag pa niya na kung may mga kandidatong hihingi ng security, ito ay dapat na magkaroon ng wastong koordinasyon sa Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center (JPSCC).

ABOT sa 350,000 volunteers  ang ikakakalat sa mga polling centers sa araw ng eleksyon.

Ayon kay  Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) Chairperson Henrietta de Villa, ito ay upang tumulong na matiyak na maging malinis ang halalan.

Sinabi pa ni de Villa na sa nasabing bilang kabilang ang 70,000 frontliners at handa na para sa poll watching duties.

Sinabi ni de Villa  magde-deploy rin ng mga person with disabilities volunteers sa mga lugar na maraming rehistradong PWD’s.

Magsusuot naman ang mga frontliners na PPCRV shirts at ID’s upang madali silang makilala sa mga help desk at polling places.

Ang PPCRV ay deputized citizens arm  ng Commisison on Elections (Comelec).

KRITIKAL ang lagay ng isang mister matapos itong saksakin ng asawa ng nakalitan ng kanyang misis Linggo ng umaga sa Brgy. Potrero, Malabon City.

Inoobserbahan sa MCU hospital si Esteban Dela Cruz y Teodoro, 56,  may asawa, ng Anonas Roadm Potrero ng lungsod sanhi ng isang malalim n saksak sa kaliwang bahagi ng katawan.

Mabilis namang tumakas ang susepk na nakilalang si Jinki Cerdon, 27, may asaw ng 77 Anonas Road ng nasabing barangay bitbit ang ginamit na patalim.

Ayon sa ulat, dakong alas 7:30 ng umaga ng maganap ang insidente sa kahabaan ng kalye Anonas sa nasabing barangay.

Nabatid nagkaroon ng mainitang pagtatalo ang asawa ng biktima na si Carmelita Dela Cruz at ang asawa ng suspek hanggang sa makarating kalaman kay Cerdon.

Hinanap ng suspek si Carmelita hanggang sa harapin ng biktima na kung ano man ang problema sa pagitan ng kanilang asawa ay baka pwde sa barangay na lamang pag- usapan.

Hindi nagustuhan ng suspek ang tinuran ng biktima kaya agad na nagbunot ng patalim at agad inundayan ng saksak ang biktima.

Maakaraan ang insidente tumakas ang suspek habang ang biktima ay agad namang dinala sa nasabing ospital.

Patuloy na nagsasgawa ng imbestigasyon ang mga awtoridada at isang manhunt operation ang inilatag ng pulisya laban sa suspek.

MALUBHA ang lagay ng isang mister matapos itong saksakin ng isang tricycle driver sa harap ng isang tindahan Linggo ng gabi sa Celia 2, Brgy. Bayan-Bayanan, Malabon City.

Nakaratay at ginagamot sa Tondo Medical Center si Ernesto Pireto y Velasco, 24, may asawa, tricycle driver, ng 164 Bayan Bayanan ng lungsod sanhi ng tinamong isang saksak sa kaliwang kili-kili at isa sa kaliwang kamay.

Arestado at naharap sa kasong fraustrated murder si Ramil Ignacio y Merules, aka Bagwis, 39, may asawa, ng Rodriguez 1 Brgy. Hulong Duhat, Malabon City.

Ayon sa ulat, dakong alas 10:30 ng gabi ng maganap ang insidente sa kalye Celia 2 ng nasabing barangay.

Nabatid na mag-isang umiinom ng beer ang biktima sa Edna store nang dumaan ang suspek at inimbita ng biktima ngunit hindi nagustuhan ng suspek at kanyang binalikan sa tindahan hangang sa nagbunot ng patalim at dalawang ulit sinaksak Pireto.

Nadakip naman ang suspek sa isinagawang follow up operation.

LIMA katao ang namatay habang apat pa ang nasugatan nang magbuga ng makapal na puting usok at mga bato ang Mayon volcano sa Bicol region kaninang umaga (Mayo 7).

Sinabi sa ulat, na sa apat na limang biktima na hindi nakuha ang mga pangalan ay mga foreign tourists habang ang isa naman ay isang Pinoy na tourist guide.

Nasa kritikal na kondisyon naman ang isa sa apat na nasaktan na hindi rin nakuha ang pangalan kabilang ang isa pang tourist guide na si Kenneth de Salva.

Sa ulat, naganap ang insidente pasado 8:05 ng umaga.

Kuwento ni De Salva, tatlo silang tour guide habang lima naman ang sinamahan nilang turista sa paglalakad sa paanan ng mount Mayon.

Pero maya-maya lamang, nakarinig sila ng pagdagundong ng lupa na sinundan ng pagbagsak ng mga pira-pirasong bato na ang ilan ay sing-lalaki ng pakwan.

Halos silang lahat ay hindi na aniya nagawang ilagan ang pagbagsak ng mga malalaking bato dahil sa dami ay hindi nila alam kung paano ito ilagan.

Tatlong rescue teams na ang ipinadala ngayon sa lugar para iligtas ang mga sugatan, ayon kay Albay Governor Joey Salceda.

Nasaksihan ng mga residente ang ash column na mula sa bubig ng bulkan.

“We were starting our prayer and somebody spotted it. It was really beautiful,” pahayag naman ni Sister Mary Rafael ng Monastery of the Most Holy Redeemer, na nasa Legazpi City sa Albay at nasaksihan ang phreatic (steam-driven) eruption.

Ibinaba ng Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) noong Nobyembre 2012 ang alesrt level sa Mayon mula sa alert 1 level sa alert 0 level.

Matatandaan na  2009 nang huling maganap ang pagsabog ng Bulkang Mayon.

SUMABOG ang isang improvised explosive device (IED) na itinanim sa National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) sa Kabacan, North Cotabato dakong  10 p.m. nitong nakaraang Lunes.

Isa sa NGCP tower ang bahagyang nasira.

Sinabi ni Supt. Leo Ajero, hepe ng Kabacan Philippine National Police, na ang IED, na isang pipe-type bomb, ay may “low order detonation” matapos ang ilan parte nito ay pumalyang sumabog.

Wala naman namatay o nasaktan sa pagsabog dahil ang  NGCP tower sa Sitio Liton, Barangay Kayaga ay nasa malayong lugar, pahayag ni Ajero.

Ang eksplosyon aniya ay isang isolated case lamang pero gayunpaman magkakasa ang pulisya ng mas malalim na imbestigasyon.

Kinukumpirma pa ng pulisya kung pangongotong o extortion ang motibo sa pagpapasabog.

“We have yet to find out if the NGCP has received extortion threats. And if there was, indeed, extortion, we would find out what group is behind it,” pahayag ni Ajero.

Narekober ng pulisya sa blast site ang isang mobile phone, 4 na pirasong nine-volt batteries, circuits, at electrical wires.

Nagdagdag na ang Cotabato Provincial Police Office ng bilang ng puwera para bantayan ang NGCP towers sa Kabacan at sa kalapit na lugar at tinyak ang patuloy na  power supply sa nasabing probinsya.

MAKABAYAN senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño today reminded Filipinos to vote according to their conscience and not based on who are topping pre-election surveys.
“The purpose of the elections is to vote for the candidate who deserves to represent you. Walang puwang dito ang mga kaisipang ‘hindi ko na lang sya iboboto kasi hindi naman siya lumalabas sa SWS o Pulse surveys.’ You are voting for a candidate not because you think he has a great chance of winning but because you believe that once in the Senate, he will do good and be loyal to the people,” Casiño said.

The three-term congressman said voters should all the more be supportive of candidates who are not doing well in the surveys  but are proven to have a solid track record and a platform that serves the interest of Filipinos.

“Many candidates bank on their names, money, popularity and political pedigree to get into surveys but that doesn’t mean that they will be doing a great job in representing the people as lawmakers. Some have been in the Senate for so long but what have they done? Were their authored measures truly representative of the interest of the poor and the Filipino people?” he asked.

Earlier, Casiño questioned the credibility of election surveys. He said moneyed candidates can buy the sample frame of the survey and saturate the areas three to four days before the actual survey, giving them  more leverage against other candidates.

“Where’s the level playing field in that? They are further using these surveys to condition the public, encouraging voters to support those who are likely to win instead of those who deserve to win. Pag pumasok sila, sasabihin nila na expected iyon dahil lumabas naman sila survey pero pag hindi sila nanalo sasabihin nila na nadaya sila?” Casiño said.

“I’m perplexed how I remain at a rate of 7% ‘voting for’ when Makabayan’s combined voting constituents is at 22%, also based on the SWS survey,”  Casiño said, referring to Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women’s Party, Anakpawis, Kabataan, Piston, Akapbata, ACT Teachers, Katribu and Migrante’s combined votes based on SWS’s March survey on party-lists.

While the progressive solon is not doing well with Pulse and SWS surveys, he is figuring in surveys conducted online and in universities. He said some politicians have also informed him that he had been ranking in their local surveys.

“I hope voters will stick with their conscience and vote who they would want to win instead of being affected by these surveys,” he said.

THE progessive peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) today vowed “to deliver one million “organized peasant vote” for the party-list group Anakpawis and three million votes for Makabayan coalition senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño.” The peasant group also warned President Aquino that using the administration’s “electoral fraud machineries” against progressives will “hound the presidency for the rest of his term.”

The KMP made the announcement during the consecutive Miting de Avance of Anakpawis party-list at Liwasang Bonifacio and Casiño’s at Plaza Miranda.

KMP secretary general Antonio Flores said “our more than 1 million members in KMP’s 15 regional and 66 provincial chapters will ink the peasant vote on May 13 for Anakpawis.”

“Anakpawis’s track record speaks for itself. It is the genuine and only party-list who fearlessly fought for the free distribution of lands to landless tillers in filing the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill inside the landlord-dominated Congress,” says Flores. “Anakpawis is the only party-list that seeks the return of the multi-billion coco levy funds to 3.5 million small coconut farmers.”

The top three nominees of Anakpawis party-list are fisherfolk leader Fernando Hicap of Pamalakaya, trade union leader Joel Maglunsod of Kilusang Mayo Uno, and peasant leader Randall Echanis of KMP.

“At the same time,” Flores said, “the Filipino peasantry is set to deliver three million votes for Teddy.”

Flores described the three million peasant vote for Teddy as “realistic” since it is only a 1:2 target ratio or one organized vote plus two additional votes.”

The KMP leader also warned the Aquino government’s electoral fraud machineries against targeting Anakpawis and Casiño.

“Aquino and his electoral fraud machineries inside the military and the Commission on Elections itself are the biggest stumbling blocks for Anakpawis and Teddy’s electoral victory. Massive and brazen electoral fraud and violence aimed against progressives along with Aquino’s inability to address the peasantry’s demand for genuine land reform will hound Aquino for the rest of his term,” Flores said.

THE youth group Anakbayan expressed alarm over yesterday’s Final Testing and Sealing (FTS) of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines, saying the widespread errors and defects during the FTS showed that the Automated Election System (AES) is highly vulnerable to tampering and manipulation by the Aquino administration.

“The level of negligence and incompetence by the Comelec is beyond belief. This can no longer be dismissed as human error. We believe this is part of a deliberate nationwide scheme to rig the 2013 elections for a 12-0 win by President Aquino’s candidates” said Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan.

Initial reports from volunteers of the election watchdog group KontraDaya in Metro Manila and Davao showed several problems in the FTS, including: First, because of the lack of proper equipment from the Commission on Elections, many Boards of Election Inspectors (BEIs) used packing tape to seal the PCOS machines, instead of the special tape which would protect the said machines from tampering.

Second, many machines had problems with tabulating votes, such as counting wrongly-shaded votes, and not counting certain votes. Third, the FTS did not include the testing of the process of transmitting the votes from the PCOS machines to the canvassing machines in the municipal and national levels.

“Hysterical claims by Comelec commissioner Sixto Brillantes that fears about the conduct of elections are baseless exploded in his face yesterday with the massive errors and defects encountered in the FTS” said the youth leader.

He added, “Why did Brillantes keep denying these problems? Was he simply being lazy? In denial? Delusional? Or is it part President Aquino’s plan to use deliberately defective PCOS machines, and a deliberately faulty AES?”

Crisostomo said that no one but Aquino would benefit from what he dubbed the ‘AEF’ or ‘Automated Election Fraud’.

“We must remember that the last time the numbers ‘12’ and ‘0’ were mentioned in an elections, it was former Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo back in 2007 with her ‘election magic’ in the province of Maguindanao. The next time it was mentioned was several months ago, by Team PNOY manager Franklin Drilon. Is there a connection between the AEF and the 12-0 proclamation? We believe there is” he said.

KUMPIYANSA ang mga kongresista na hindi makaka-apekto sa halalan ang maliit na aberya sa ginanap na pinakahuling pagsusuri sa PCOS machines.

Ayon kay House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. na lahat ay nakalatag at handa na para sa padating na eleksyon sa Lunes, Mayo 13.

“Everyone is set for the elections,” sinabi ni Belmonte.

Giit nina Quezon City Rep. Jorge “Bolet” Banal at CIBAC Partylist Rep. Sherwin Tugna na imposibleng makahadlang pa sa pangkalahatang pagdaraos ng eleksyon ang maliit na aberya sa final testing ng PCOS machines.

“Naniniwala po ang tiwala ng taumbayan sa competence at integrity ng bagong Comelec Chairman. Tapos na po ang panahon ng hello Garci at ng malawakang manipulasyon ng boto nung panahon ni dating PGMA,” ani Banal.

Ngunit sa panig naman ni Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong at AKO Bicol Partylist Rep. Rodol Batocabe ay nangangamba sila na ang maliit na aberyang ito ay lumaki kapag hindi agad nagawan ng solusyon.

“Sana maayos yung problem kasi it will cause bigger problem,” sinabi ni Datumanong.

Sa panig naman ni Batocabe ay umaasa siyang “sana naman mawala yang maliit na aberyang yan pagdating ng eleksyon , mahalaga na magkaroon ng malinis na eleksyon para magkaroon ng stabilidad ang pamahalaan.”