MANILA, Philippines — The vice president for administration of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila was shot dead Wednesday night, police said Thursday.
Lawyer Augustus Fernandez Cezar was aboard his Toyota Lite Ace van and on his way home when motorcycle-riding suspects shot him along Pureza Street near Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard in Sta. Mesa, Manila at around 10:15 p.m., said Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., Philippine National Police spokesperson.
The victim died on the spot after suffering two gunshot wounds to his head, said Director Alan Purisima, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office.
Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla, Manila Police District director, said that a bystander was also hit by a stray bullet and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
An investigation is underway to determine the identities and motive of the suspects, Cruz added.
Rongavilla said he has directed investigators to work on solving the case as soon as possible.
Local News in the Philippines
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Llamas guns trigger Senate investigation
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago INQUIRER
Santiago on Wednesday filed a resolution asking the blue ribbon committee to investigate the “apparent anomalies” in the issuance of gun licenses and permits to carry firearms outside of residence by the Philippine National Police.
In Senate Resolution No. 622, Santiago said the committee investigation should focus on Llamas.
“Simply because he is presidential adviser, and merely on his say-so of alleged death threats, Llamas is not automatically entitled to the rare privilege of a permit to carry for such ostentatious and high-powered firearms as an AK-47 and an M-16,” she said in the resolution.
“Although Llamas has announced that he has fired his security guards, nonetheless, he should be held to account on the principle of command responsibility and the constitutional principle of modest living.”
The President, a shooting buddy of Llamas, on Tuesday made light of the controversy and joked about it before a gathering of local government officials in Pasay City.
“Maybe you are thinking Ronald Llamas is hiding. He’s present and accounted for,” Mr. Aquino said.
Llamas later told reporters that the President, himself a gun enthusiast, was “in a joking mood” during the affair “and it also seemed I was teased a little about it.”
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Aquino: Raps vs Arroyo filed November
FACING FOREIGN MEDIA President Aquino answers questions from the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines during Wednesday’s forum at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Makati City. EDWIN BACASMAS
“[T]he latest information that I have is by November we will be filing charges,” the President said in reply to a question at a forum with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap). He did not elaborate beyond saying that the details were “still being finalized.”
Pressed again on who would be charged next month, Mr. Aquino said: “You asked [about] my predecessor. So I said, ‘Yes, by November.’”
The ailing Arroyo, now the representative of Pampanga’s second district, is the subject of five plunder complaints filed in the Department of Justice (DOJ). She is afflicted with a condition called “hypoparathyroidism,” according to her husband, Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo.
The couple are also implicated in the purported poll fraud in 2004 and 2007 that is being investigated by a joint committee of the DOJ and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Plunder is a nonbailable offense. Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes has been quoted as saying that a prima facie finding in the poll fraud inquiry could result in the filing of charges of electoral sabotage, which is likewise nonbailable.
Mike Arroyo himself will be charged with graft this afternoon in connection with the secondhand helicopters sold as brand new to the Philippine National Police in 2009, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday.
Local News in the Philippines
Senate panel to file graft case vs Mike Arroyo in Ombudsman
MANILA, Philippines–The Senate blue ribbon committee has recommended the filing of a case against former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, two former government officials and 16 police officers for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act over the allegedly anomalous purchase of second-hand helicopters in 2009.
To be charged along with Arroyo were former Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno and former Police chief Jesus Versoza.
The police officers charged were those involved in the approval of the contract with the supplier, Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corp.
“This committee finds conspiracy among and between Mike Arroyo and the officers of the Philippine National Police,” Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the committee, said when he presented the repor during a regular forum in the Senate on Thursday.
“With Mike Arroyo’s influence, a scheming conspiracy ensured that the supply contract will be signed and that despite the clear fact that the delivered helicopters were clearly used helicopters, these will nevertheless be accepted by the Philippine Nation Police,” Guingona added.
Arroyo allegedly owned the used choppers sold as brand new to the PNP. He denied the allegation.
Eleven senators signed the report: Guingona, Senators Panfilo Lacson, Aquilino Pimentel III, Sergio Osmena III, Francis Pangilinan, Antionio Trillanes IV, Franklin Drlion, Frances “Chiz” Escudero, Pia Cayetano, and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.
Guingona said Senator Alan Peter Cayetano also sent word that he would sign the report.
Though the report has yet to be presented in the plenary for either approval or rejection, Lacson, Guingona and Pimentel said they would take the case to the Ombudsman this Thursday noon.
Even without the report, Lacson said they have enough evidence to charge those involved in court.
“We have more than enough evidence…incidental lang yung committee report,” said Lacson.
To be charged along with Arroyo were former Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno and former Police chief Jesus Versoza.
The police officers charged were those involved in the approval of the contract with the supplier, Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corp.
“This committee finds conspiracy among and between Mike Arroyo and the officers of the Philippine National Police,” Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the committee, said when he presented the repor during a regular forum in the Senate on Thursday.
“With Mike Arroyo’s influence, a scheming conspiracy ensured that the supply contract will be signed and that despite the clear fact that the delivered helicopters were clearly used helicopters, these will nevertheless be accepted by the Philippine Nation Police,” Guingona added.
Arroyo allegedly owned the used choppers sold as brand new to the PNP. He denied the allegation.
Eleven senators signed the report: Guingona, Senators Panfilo Lacson, Aquilino Pimentel III, Sergio Osmena III, Francis Pangilinan, Antionio Trillanes IV, Franklin Drlion, Frances “Chiz” Escudero, Pia Cayetano, and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.
Guingona said Senator Alan Peter Cayetano also sent word that he would sign the report.
Though the report has yet to be presented in the plenary for either approval or rejection, Lacson, Guingona and Pimentel said they would take the case to the Ombudsman this Thursday noon.
Even without the report, Lacson said they have enough evidence to charge those involved in court.
“We have more than enough evidence…incidental lang yung committee report,” said Lacson.
Local News in the Philippines
Ramon moves away but rains to continue over Luzon, Visayas—Pagasa
MANILA, Philippines – Parts of Luzon and Visayas will experience rains even as tropical depression “Ramon” continues to move away from the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Thursday.
In its latest weather bulletin, Pagasa said that as of 10 a.m., Ramon was seen 195 kilometers west northwest of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro and has maintained its strength with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour.
Ramon is expected to move northwest at 15 kph, Pagasa said.
Central and Southern Luzon and Western Visayas will have cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rains and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides, Pagasa said. Meanwhile, the rest of the country will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms, the state-run weather bureau said.
“Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to northwest will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon and coming from the West to Southwest over Southern Luzon and Western Visayas. The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the Southwest to South with slight to moderate seas,” Pagasa said.
Signal No. 1 remains raised over the Mindoro Provinces, Lubang Island, Northern Palawan and Batangas.
Storm signals elsewhere were lowered, Pagasa said. Residents in low-lying and mountainous areas where Signal No.1 was raised were advised to prepare for possible flashfloods and landslides.
“Estimated rainfall amount is from 5-25 millimeters per hour (moderate – heavy) within the 300 km diameter of the Tropical Depression,” Pagasa added.
By Friday morning, Ramon is expected to be 310 km west of Iba, Zambales and at 620 km west southwest of Laoag City by Saturday morning, Pagasa said.
Local News in the Philippines
In its latest weather bulletin, Pagasa said that as of 10 a.m., Ramon was seen 195 kilometers west northwest of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro and has maintained its strength with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour.
Ramon is expected to move northwest at 15 kph, Pagasa said.
Central and Southern Luzon and Western Visayas will have cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rains and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides, Pagasa said. Meanwhile, the rest of the country will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms, the state-run weather bureau said.
“Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to northwest will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon and coming from the West to Southwest over Southern Luzon and Western Visayas. The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the Southwest to South with slight to moderate seas,” Pagasa said.
Signal No. 1 remains raised over the Mindoro Provinces, Lubang Island, Northern Palawan and Batangas.
Storm signals elsewhere were lowered, Pagasa said. Residents in low-lying and mountainous areas where Signal No.1 was raised were advised to prepare for possible flashfloods and landslides.
“Estimated rainfall amount is from 5-25 millimeters per hour (moderate – heavy) within the 300 km diameter of the Tropical Depression,” Pagasa added.
By Friday morning, Ramon is expected to be 310 km west of Iba, Zambales and at 620 km west southwest of Laoag City by Saturday morning, Pagasa said.
Local News in the Philippines
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Aquino finally visits typhoon victims
President Noy visited places hard-hit by Typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” on Wednesday—but only after the floods had subsided and the rains had stopped.
One of the reporters who covered his tour of the devastated areas said P-Noy didn’t even get his shoes wet
Local News in the Philippines
One of the reporters who covered his tour of the devastated areas said P-Noy didn’t even get his shoes wet
Local News in the Philippines
2 killed in ambush in Maguindanao
MANILA, Philippines — Two people were killed and several others were hurt in an ambush in Maguindanao before dawn on Friday, a police official said.
Director Felicisimo Khu, head of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Western Mindanao of the Philippine National Police, said that unidentified suspects opened fire at a jeepney at Labungan village in Datu Odin Sinsuat town near KM19 and the boundary of Upi town, killing two and wounding 15.
Khu said that authorities have been deployed to the area.
No other details are available as of posting time.
Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones. Subscribe and get several chances to win tickets to the Black Eyed Peas concert in Manila as well as tickets to Stomp. Promo details. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines.Director Felicisimo Khu, head of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Western Mindanao of the Philippine National Police, said that unidentified suspects opened fire at a jeepney at Labungan village in Datu Odin Sinsuat town near KM19 and the boundary of Upi town, killing two and wounding 15.
Khu said that authorities have been deployed to the area.
No other details are available as of posting time.
Local News in the Philippines
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