VOLUME 4NUMBER 115MON - TUEMARCH 14 - 15, 2011

P 8.P 8.P 8.P 8.P 8.0000000000

BY PUNTO I-TEAM

ANGELES CITY – A criminalcomplaint for frustratedmurder has been filed

against a son of Senator Manuel“Lito” Lapid and 11 others beforethe Office of the City Prosecutorhere, documents gathered onlyover the weekend showed.

Sen. Lapid’s son facesfrustrated murder raps

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Says he’s “the real victim”

FREE PRESS. Ashley Manabat (left) and Fred Villareal (right), top officers of the NationalUnion of Journalists of the Philippines-Pampanga, lead the salute to press freedom during thefiling of counter-affidavits of Punto’s (from left) Joey Aguilar, Ning Cordero and Bong Lacson atthe City Prosecutor’s Office. PHOTO BY RIC GONZALES.

BY JOEY PAVIA

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Pun-to Central Luzon staffers yesterdayfiled their counter-affidavit in con-nection with the P20-million libelsuit filed against them by business-man Renato “Rene” Romero over

‘NO LIBEL’

PAGE 6 PLEASE

Punto counters P20-M suitan article written by the newspaper’scolumnist last December.

Editorial consultant and colum-nist Caesar “Bong” Lacson, EditorJoselilto “Joey” Aguilar, GeneralManager Atty. Gener “Bong” Endo-na and Marketing Manager JoannaNiña “Ning” Cordero submitted their

respective counter-affidavits at theOffice of the City Prosecutor here.They were accompanied by Na-tional Union of Journalists of thePhilippines (NUJP)-PampangaPresident Ashley Manabat andVice President Fred Villareal.

ANGELES CITY – ThePampanga Press Club(PPC) is “enjoining” theOmbudsman to investi-gate the use of millions offunds donated in the lastfew years by the ClarkDevelopment Corp. (CDC)to the organizer of the hotair balloon festival last heldfrom Feb. 10-15 this year.

This developed even asthe PPC, the second old-est press club in the wholePhilippines, has de-nounced the organizer ofthe balloon fest for allegedhigh handedness and dis-crimination. PAGE 6 PLEASE

Local media seekOmbudsman probe

of balloon fest fundsIn a manifesto issued

over the weekend, the lo-cal mediamen said: “Thatduring the holding of theevent last February, mem-bers of the local press de-spite wearing accreditationID’s issued by the organiz-ers encountered difficultyin covering the said eventwith the refusal of the or-ganizers to allow them in-side the event venue. Incontrast, members of thenational media were givenVIP treatment and accessto all areas in event ven-ue.”

RAGE. Mayor Pamintuan delivers a fiery speech against the illegalconversion of 16 towns into cities at the city hall yesterday.

PHOTO BY RIC GONZALES

BY JOEY PAVIA

ANGELES CITY – The122 cities in the countryyesterday held a simulta-neous protest actionagainst the alleged illegalconversion of municipali-ties into cities, MayorEdgardo Pamintuan saidin his speech at the city

122 cities hold rally vs.SC’s ‘illegal conversion’

hall.Pamintuan said they

will fight back as the Su-preme Court (SC) re-versed its earlier decisionfor the third time favoringthe conversion of 16 mu-nicipalities into cities.

He cited the towns ofLamitan in Basilan andTabuk in Kalinga as those

with questionable numberof population and incomerequired under the law.

“Does Lamitan has atleast 40,00 people? Howcan Tabuk generate P100million locally generatedtaxes?” he said.

“The alleged ‘flip-flop-ping’ of the SC has

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BY DING CERVANTES

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO –Even before the historic calami-ty wrought by a strong earth-quake and tsunami in Japan lastFriday, the Japanese govern-ment had already put in placestate-of-the-art projects costingP593 million that could save livesduring natural disasters in Cen-tral Luzon.

One of the projects, dubbedas flood forecasting and warn-ing system (FFWS) costingP193 million, is slated to be in-augurated by Pres. Aquino inCarmen Rosales in Pangasinanon March 24.

Phase 1 of the FFWSproject, costing another P400million, was inaugurated here byformer Pres. Arroyo in 2009.

Both projects were fundedfrom grants from the Japan In-ternational Cooperation Agency(JICA).

Dr. Susan Espinueva, chief of

Japan had put in place life-saving projects vs. floods in CLEVEN BEFORE QUAKE, TSUNAMI

the hydrometeorological divisionof the Philippine Atmospheric,Geophysical and AstronomicalServices Administration (Pagasa)said the already finished Pam-panga river FFWS consists of 17unmanned stations monitoringrainfall and water levels along thePampanga river system that runsfrom Nueva Ecija through Bula-can and Pampanga.

She said that regardless ofweather conditions, these sta-tions relay information on riversituation by the hour to the Pam-panga River Flood Forecastingand Warning Center (PRFFWC)based at the Pagasa office inBarangay Maimpis here.

“During bad weather, office ofCivil Defense (OCD) base them-selves at the center so that theycould issue appropriate warningsfor evacuation once the un-manned stations relay informa-tion in potential danger from theriver system,” Espinueva said.

Yasushi Azuma, Japanese

consultant of Pagasa on theproject, said that the FFWScould be configured so that in-formation from the unmannedstations could be had every 15minutes during bad weather.

On March 24, the Presidentis expected to inaugurate anoth-er FFWS center in Carmen Ro-sales in Pangasinan, which has13 unmanned monitoring sta-tions along the Agno river basin.

Espinueva said the twoprojects are funded from grantsfrom the JICA, with the Philip-pine government providing coun-terpart in terms of buildingshousing the modern FFWSequipment.

She said that the initialFFWS for the Pampanga riverwas initially founded in 1973 af-ter the historic floods that hitCentral Luzon in 1972 when wa-ters from the Pampanga andAgno river basins merged, whilethe FFWS for Agno river was es-tablished 10 years later.

She recalled that at thattime, the FFWS center wasbased in Quezon City and thatits system had already deterio-rated over time.

The new modern FFWS forPampanga had its center fin-ished here in 2009, while the newFFWS at Agno has its new cen-ter in Carmen Rosales up for in-auguration on March 24, shenoted. The centers are linked tomodernized monitoring stationsalong the river systems.

Azuma said the upgradedFFWS projects include the re-placement of old rainfall and wa-ter level equipment with state-of-the-art facilities, the establishmentof additional new rainfall and wa-ter level gauging stations, and theupgrading of the “backbone mul-tiples radio equipment to enhancetransmission capacity.”

He said the new systemsalso involved “the establishmentof monitoring system to directlyaccess the observed real time

rail fall and water level data andother information such as floodforecasts and warnings issuedby Pagasa.”

He also said the modernizedFFWS also “enhances floodforecast and warning informationwith the provision of the extentand depth of inundation using therunoff analysis software coupleswith Geographic InformationSystem.”

This, even as Espinueva ap-pealed to local officials to helpsecure the unmanned monitor-ing stations along the river ba-sins, after some cables werestolen by still unidentified per-sons in Barangay Mayayap inCabanatuan City.

“It’s embarrassing to our do-nors, who we had to replace thecable immediately,” she said.

“But what’s more significantis that these equipment are sup-posed to save many lives by wayof early warning during badweather,” she added.

BEST PRACTICE. The Land Transportation Office In Angeles City led by its chief,Aida Santiago (standing, 2nd from left), holds its bi-annual clean-up of their officeon Saturday in line with their commitment to better serve their customers.

PHOTO BY JOEY PAVIA

NI DINO BALABO

NORZAGARAY, Bulacan – Mul-ing iginiit ni Gob. WilhelminoAlvarado ang panukalang pag-kumpuni sa 43-taon na Angatdam na matatagpuan sa bayangito.

Ito ay matapos masalanta ngtsunami ang mga bayan at lung-sod sa bansang Japan bunga nglindol na may lakas na 8.9 mag-nitude sa nasabing bansa noongBiyernes, Marso 11.

Ang nasabing tsunami at lin-dol ay naging dahilan ngpagkasawi ng libong katao,pagkasira ng mga bahay, gusaliat iba pang imprastraktura, atpagkakaroon ng lamat ng mgaplantang nukleyar na kung hindimaaagapan ay maghahatid nghigit na malawak at malagim natrahedya.

Kailangang pagtuunan natinngayon ng pansin ang kalagay-an ng Angat dam dahil binalaanna tayo ng Phivolcs noong 2008na iyon ay nakaupo sa dulo ngMarikina West Valley fault line,”ani Alvarado patungkol sa nag-ing babala ni Dr. Renato Soli-dum, ang direktor ng PhilippineInstitute of Volcanology andSeismology (Phivolcs).

Ang pahayag ni Alvarado ayisinahimpapawid sa DWSS 1494Khz kung saan isinasahimpapa-wid ang kanyang lingguhangpalatuntunang “The Governor’sHour” tuwing Sabado bilang ba-hagi ng kanyang panayam atpag-uulat sa mga Bulakenyo.

Sinabi niya na dapat pan-gunahan ng pamahalaang pam-bansa ang pagsasagawa ngisang feasibility study para sakatatagan ng dam na sinimulanggamitin noong 1968.

Iginiit niya na binanggit naniya kay Pangulong BenignoAquino III ang kalagayan ng silaay magkausap kamakailan.

“Hindi sa tinatakot natin angtaumbayan, ngunit malayongposibilidad ang babala ng Phi-vocs. Mas maganada aymaghanda tayo habang maypanahon.

Ayon sa gobernador, kailan-gan kunsultahin na ng pamaha-laang pambansa ang mga dalub-

hasa mula sa ibayong dagatupang pag-aralan ang kalagay-an ng dam.

“I think Angat dam must beretrofitted, dahil noong nadisku-bre ang retrofitting ay naitayo naang dam sa ibabaw ng Marikinafaultline,” aniya at binanggit naang bansa ay kabilang sa tina-tawag na Pacific Rim of Fire ohanay ng mga bulkan na maaar-ing pumutok at magsanhi ngpaggalaw ng mga tectonic platessa ilalim ng lupa at karagatanna magbubunga ng malakas nalindol.

Batay sa naunang panayamng Punto kay Solidum, ipinali-wanag niya na ang MarikinaFault line ay nakabalatay sa ila-lim ng lupa mula sa Angat damhanggang Taal Lake sa lalawi-gan ng Batangas.

Ayon kay Solidum, angMarikina Faultline ay gumagalawat nagbubunga ng malakas nalidol tuwing ika-200 hanggangika-400 taon.

“It can move anytime dahiltapos na yung 400 year period,”ani Solidum.

Batay sa pagtala ng Phiv-olcs, kapag gumalaw ang maMarikina Fault line, ito ay maar-ing magbunga ng lindol na maylakas na 7.2 magnitude.

“The longer the fault line, thestronger the earthquake,” aniSolidum ay nagbabala na “ Bu-lacan must prepare for theworst.”

Ang babalang ito ay ina-yunan naman Office of CivilDefense(OCD) sa Gitnang Lu-zon matapos magsagawa ngisang earthquake drill sa Bula-can State University noong na-karaang taon.

Ayon kay Neri Amparo, direk-tor ng OCD-III, hindi man masen-tro sa Bulacan ang lindol, apek-tado pa rin ito.

“Halimbawang nasa Maynilaang epicenter, apektado pa rinang Bulacan at Pampanga da-hil malawak ang sakop ng pagy-anig,” ani Amparo.

Sinabi pa niya na kungsakaling magkroon ng pagguhong mga gusali sa Bulacan, masmalaking problema ito sa mgarescue group.

MATAPOS ANG LINDOL SA JAPAN

Kumpunihin ang Angatdam, payo ni Alvarado

NI ERNIE B. ESCONDE

LIMAY, Bataan – Nagmistulangpista noong Biyernes ng umagaang tabing-dagat ng Barangay St.Francis dito nang makahuli ngisang malaking babaing pawikan.Pinakawalan din ito makalipasang isang oras sa Manila Bay satapat ng nasabing bayan.

Ayon sa mangingisdang siGerry Malobo, 45, nahuli niya

ang pawikan nang masaklit itosa kanyang lambat habangnangingisda bandang alas-7:30ng umaga. Agad ding pi-nakawalan ang pawikan alas-8:30 ng umaga ring iyon.

May timbang na 45 kilos atmay habang 90 sentimetro atlapad na 70 sentimetro ang ba-baing pawikan. Nabibilang ito saOlive Ridley specie.

Kailangan aniyang pa-

Malaking pawikan nakuha sa Limaykawalan ito agad upang hindimanghina. Pangalawang pagka-kataon pa lamang umanong na-kahuli ng pawikan sa lugar naito ng mga mangingisda saLimay sa dako ng Manila Bay.

Sa mga bayan ng Bagac atMorong sa Bataan na may ma-gagandang buhanginan ang mgadalampasigan malapit sa SouthChina Sea, pangkaraniwan ngnangingitlog ang mga pawikan.

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BY DING CERVANTES

CLARK FREEPORT – Two mining companies oper-ating in Zambales have expressed keen interest inusing the seaport facilities of the Subic Bay Metro-politan Authority (SBMA) to export iron ore to Chinaand other client countries in the Southeast Asian re-gion.

In a meeting with SBMA Chairman Feliciano Sa-longa, CAZMIN Mineral Resources Corp. Presidentand CEO Luis Ramos and CAZMIN director for mar-keting Ilias Sourdis, formally expressed their inten-tion to export “black sand” products through the Portof Subic.

Ramos said that CAZMIN and partner AlexandraMining and Oil Ventures, Inc. want to utilize a 15,678-square meter open space at the Sattler Pier insidethe Naval Supply Depot Compound of Subic port forstorage and shipping purposes.

CAZMIN and Alexandra process iron ore sand,having existing mining operations in Barangay Ma-banglit in Cabangan town, San Rafael in San Mar-celino, and Sampat in San Felipe, all in Zambales.

“Actually, we contribute something to the envi-ronment because we practically dredge the lahar-clogged rivers of San Marcelino and San Felipe,” Ra-mos said, adding that their black sand product is“absolutely pollution-free, has no chemical and nohazardous smell.”

Ramos said that in order to avoid contributing totraffic problems, especially in Olongapo City, thetrucks they will use in hauling the ore will ply theroute from the milling sites in Zambales to the SubicBay Freeport only in the evening.

The miners told Salonga that Zambales was knownbefore as the chromite capital of the Philippines, butwith big developments in China today, magnetite ironore has become more important than chromite.

“China is buying the iron ore from as far as Iran,India and Brazil. So, if we could produce enough sup-ply of the mineral from the Philippines, China is will-ing to import them all for the economic reason andproximity,” Sourdis said.

Iron ore is the raw material used to make pig iron,which is one of the main ingredients in steel-making.

He said that on a yearly basis, their joint ventureplans to export 4.8 million tons of magnetite iron oreor black sand to a big mill in Nanjin; 1.2 million tonsto a processing plant in Taizhou; and 700,000 tons toanother Taizhou plant, all in China.

The shipment of minerals is set to start this monthwith an initial 30,000 tons and is expected to increaseto 70,000 tons per month starting in April or May.

Sourdis said that the minimum value of black sandper metric ton is $100 to $110, depending on thequality of the mineral. “So, if you sell one million metrictons a year, that is $1 million a year,” he added.

Although the proposal has to be approved by theSBMA board of directors, Chairman Salonga notedthat the proposed transaction would assure the agen-cy of earning about $29,000 a month, plus other portcharges.

Salonga also noted that the bigger the volume ofblack sand to be collected, the better for Zambalesbecause that would mean more income for residentsand the government could save millions of pesos indredging the rivers.

“This is good for the province of Zambales, themaritime and seaport industries. This is the biggestindustry in Zambales today and will place us on themap of mining and the maritime world. That is why itis important to us,” Salonga stressed.

2 firms eye ‘blacksand’ export to China,

other countries

LEGAL TALK. Supreme Court Chief Administrator Jose Midas Marquez (center) answers questionsfrom court employees and justices of lower courts during a dialogue on March 10 at the capitolcompound. The dialogue is part of the Enhanced Justice on Wheels (EJOW) program of the SC.Also in photo are Municipal Trial Court in Cities Executive Judge Merideth Delos Santos (left)and SC Deputy Court Administrator Edwin Villasor. PHOTO BY JOEY AGUILAR

buwan ng taon, kumparasa katulad na panahonnoong nakaraang taon.

Batay sa tala na iprin-isinta ni Rosario sa PPOCnoong Huwebes, umabotlamang sa 2,903 ang kri-meng naitala sa Bulacansa buwan ng Enero at Pe-brero.

Ito ay mas mababa ng665 o 18 porsyento kum-para sa 3,608 na krimenna naitala sa katulad napanahon sa Bulacannoong nakaraang taon.

Hinggil naman sacrime solution efficiencyng pulisya, sinabi ni Ro-sario na umabot sa 8.94porsyento ang kanilangnaitala kumapara sa 7.76porsyentong crime solu-tion efficiency noong na-karaang taon.

Ipinaliwanag ni Rosar-io na ilan sa mga dahilanng mataas na bilang ngkrimen sa Bulacan ay angbilang ng populasyon;bukod pa sa kanilang pag-tatala ng mga non-indexcrime o mga simpleng kri-men tulad ng unjust vex-ation o paninirang puri,oral defamation o pag-aakusa.

“Recorded lahat iyansa mga police station,pero matapos mataladoon ay hindi na nagbaba-lik ang nagpatala dahil forrecord purposes lang iyonkaya ipinatala,” ani Rosa-rio patugkol sa mataas nabilang ng krimen at maba-bang crime solution effi-ciency.

Hinggil naman sa lu-malalang nakawan ngmotorsiklo sa Bulacan,sinabi ni Rosario na di-nagdagan nila ang pagpa-patrulya ng pulisya, mag-ing ang mga checkpoint.

Sinabi niya na hindi la-mang mga walang helmetang kanilang hinuhuli, sahalip ay maging mga wa-lang rehistro kung saanmadalas nilang madisku-bre na nakaw ang motor-siklo.

Bilang ng krimen bumaba Pagiging mapangahas ng mga kriminal ikinabahala

Ngunit hindi kumbinsi-do ang ilang mamama-hayag sa Bulacan dahil saapat na motorsiklo angnanakaw sa harapan ngkapitolyo kabilang angmotorsiklo ng isangmamamahayag at dala-wang kawani ng Depart-ment of Education(DepEd).

Bukod dito, dalawakatao ang pinaslang saMalolos noong Lunes nggabi, Marso 7 at Martes ngumaga, Marso 8.

Ang mga biktima aynakilalang sina OdilonFiloteo ng Barangay Look1st Malolos na pinaslangsa loob ng kanyang baku-ran noong Lunes ng gabi;at isang Gina Canedo nabinaril di kalayuan sahimpilan ng pulisya saCrossing ng Malolosnoong Martes ng umaga.

Samantala, nagpahay-ag naman ng pagka-alar-ma si Alvarado sa pagig-ing mapangahas ng mgakriminal at pagkaka-sangkot ng ilang pulis samga krimen sa Bulacan.

“There is an upsurge inthe criminal operations oforganized syndicates thatstraddle Metro manila andnearby provinces includingprovinces comprising Re-gion III as shown by ban-ner stories of carnappingand killings in dailies re-cently. What is alarmingis that all these evils areperpetrated with outra-geous audacity,” ani Alva-rado.

Binanggit din ngpunong lalawigan angpagkakasangkot ng ilangpulis sa magkakahiwalayna krimen, katulad ngpamamaril ng isang pulissa Marilao, paggamit ngipinagbabawal na droga ngisang pulis sa Lungsod ngSan Jose Del Monte; atpagkakadakip ng isangpulis na nakatalaga saSta. Maria sa nakawan ngmga motorsiklo.

“Kanino tatakbo ang

mga taumbayan kung angmga alagad ng batas aykakampi na pala ng mgakampon ng kriminalidad,”patanong na sabi nggobernador sa kanyangtalumpati sa mga dumalosa PPOC.

Dahil dito nag-utossiya ng maigting na kam-panya laban sa kriminal-idad sa lalawigan.

Sinabi pa niya na, “thebiggest deterrent againstcommission of a crime isto install on the mind ofwould-be-wrong-doers thefear of getting punishedswiftly for the act that theywould do within the short-est period of time.”

Una rito, nagpahayagng pangamba ang mganegosyante sa lalawigan

dahil sa halos di mapigilna pananalsa ng mgagrupong kriminal noongEnero tulad ng Domingu-ez carnapping group.

Ayon sa mga opisyalng Bulacan Chamber ofCommerce and Industry(BCCI), at Department ofTrade and Industry (DTI),nangangamba ang mganegosyante sa lalawigandahil sa mga naganap nakrimen.

Ayon naman kay Am-brosio Cruz, isang nego-syante at dating alkaldeng Guiguinto, dapat pan-gunahan ng gobyerno angkampanya sa pagsugposa mga grupong kriminalupang mas mahikayat angmga negosyante na ma-muhunan sa Bulacan.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESREGIONAL TRIAL COURTTHIRD JUDICIAL REGION

BRANCH 58ANGELES CITY

IN RE: PETITION FOR CORRECTION OFENTRY IN THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVEBIRTH OF GENNADY DIMALIWAT FISICO

Petitioner,-versus -

SPEC. PROC. NO. 8586LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OFANGELES CITY, ET AL.,

Respondents,x——————————————————————————x

ORDERIn verified has been filed by petitioner, GENNADY DIMALIWAT

FISICO, wherein she prays that after due notice, publication and hearing,judgement be rendered ordering the National Civil Registrar, QuezonCity, Local Civil Registrar of Angeles City to correct Entry NO. 2 from“MALE” to “FEMALE” appearing in her Certificate of Live Birth.

Finding the petition to be in due form and substance and pursuant toRule 108 of the Rules of Court, this Court hereby sets the initial hearingof the case on April 5, 2011 at 8:30 a.m at the new location of this Courtat 1271 Stall F. DMC Building II. McArthur Highway, Brgy. Ninoy Aquino,Angeles City and directs the publication of this Order in a newspaper ofgeneral circulation in the Province of Pampanga and Angeles City at theexpense of the petitioner, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks,at which date, time and place of hearing, any person who may have aninterest in the petition may appear and show cause why said petitionershould not be granted.

The petioner is directed to serve copies hereof, together with copiesof the petition and its annexes upon the CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL ,National statistic Office, the OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERALand the LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF ANGELES CITY and to submitproof of compliance hereof.

Furnish the Civil Registrar General, the office of the Solicitor General,the Local Civil Registrar of Angeles City, the CLERK OF COURT,OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT, REGIONAL TRAIL COURT,ANGELES CITY, the PETITIONER and their COUNSEL with copies ofthis Order.

SO ORDERED.Angeles City, February 21, 2011

PHILBERT I. ITURRALDE Judge

PUNTO! Central Luzon: March 14, 21, 28, 2011

NI DINO BALABO

LUNGSOD NG MALO-LOS – Bumaba ang bilangng krimen sa Bulacan saunang dalawang buwan ngtaon ayon sa pulisya,ngunit naalarma naman siGob. Wilhelmino Alvaradosa kapangahasan ng mgakriminal at pagkaka-sangkot ng mga pulis sakrimen.

Kaugnay nito, dalawakatao ang pinaslang sa

dito ilang araw bago isa-gawa ang pulong ng Pro-vincial Peace and OrderCouncil noong Huwebes,Marso 10, bukod sa mgainsidente ng nakawan ngmotorsiklo sa loob ngbakuran ng kapitolyo.

Ayon kay Senior Supt.Wendy Rosario, nanunu-parang direktor ng pulisyasa Bulacan, bumaba ng 18porsyento ang bilang ngnaitalang krimen sa Bula-can sa unang dalawang

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Zona LibreBong Z. Lacson

E d i t o r i a l

acaesar.blogspot.com

Business & Editorial office at Unit B Essel Commercial Center,McArthur Highway, Telabastagan, City of San Fernando

Tel. No. (45) 636•6327 Cel. No. 0917•481•1416e-mail address: puntogitnangluzon@yahoo.com

pdf file at http://www.punto.com.phPunto! Central Luzon is a proud member ofThe Philippine Press Institute

LLL Trimedia CoordinatorsPublisher

EDGAR V. MOVIDOFounder

General ManagerEditor

Editorial ConsultantMarketing ManagerAdvertising Officer

LayoutCirculation

Atty. Gener C. EndonaJoey R. AguilarCaesar “Bong” LacsonJoanna Niña V. CorderoKarl Jason S. ManalotoDondie B. VenturaGilbert Mendoza/Alvin Dizon

HEREUNDER IS my counter-affidavit, (minus the attachments andindices) to the P20-million libel case filed by businessman ReneRomero against me, principally, and the whole of Punto!, generallywhich I submitted to the Office of the City Prosecutor on Monday,March 14.

On 21 December 2010, I was informed by colleagues in the

media that I was the subject of a P20-million libel complaint filedwith the Office of the City Prosecutor in the City of San Fernandoby one Renato Romero who identified himself as the President ofthe Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman ofthe Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon and PrivateSector Representative for Business of the Regional DevelopmentCouncil Region III.

From a copy of the complaint-affidavit, I gathered that thecomplaint stemmed from my article titled Romero ululating whichappeared in my Zona Libre column in the December 17-18, 2010issue of Punto! Central Luzon.

The Libel Defense

Romero in his complaint-affidavit claimed that:“xxx without regard for truth, propriety and

fairness, caused the writing and publication of ascurrilous, injurious, defamatory, and libelousarticle…with the intention attacking my virtue asa person, and to do ulterior and unjustifiable harmtowards my profession and stature as a respectedbusinessman in the Province of Pampanga andas the head of the Pampanga Chamber ofCommerce and Industry for the purpose ofexposing my person to public ridicule, contemptand hatred not only in Pampanga but in the entirePhilippines…”

If indeed, Romero found cause for libel in thearticle as published in Punto!, it is of great surpriseto me that he did not initiate a similar actionagainst Sun-Star Pampanga where the samearticle, likewise titled Romero ululating, waspublished en toto as Letter to the Editor, even atthe earlier date of December 15, 2010.

This to me, in effect, is selective prosecution.Of even graver import to the propriety of the

complaint is the story Bizman happy onmodification, amused over judge’s reaction onpage 1 of the December 16, 2010 issue of Sun-Star Pampanga which reported:

xxx But Romero also revealed he was “amused”on the reaction of Caesar “Bong” Lacson, amember of the board of judges and a 2005 MOKAawardee.

Lacson on Wednesday wrote a letter to Sun-Star Pampanga and professed his standregarding the issue raised by Romero.”

Taking the dictionary meaning of the word“amuse” – “1. To occupy in an agreeable, pleasing,or entertaining fashion. 2. To cause to laugh orsmile by giving pleasure” – Romero by his ownaccord and his own word was even pleased andentertained by the article as it was published inSun-Star Pampanga.

It comes then as rather un-amusing for Romeroto say that the same article when it appeared inPunto! caused him:

“xxx sleepless nights, wounded feeling andsocial embarrassment…”

And “xxx recklessly tainted the good honor andreputation that I have for years carefully laboredin building….”

Amused on one hand, dishonored and shamedon the other by the same story defies commonsense and begs for uncommon reason to meritany justification. A certain incongruity, if not illogic,appears to obtain here.

The article Romero Ululating is actually arejoinder to the banner headline story Sector:Why no biz awardee in MOKA? in theDecember 14, 2010 issue of Sun-Star Pampanga.

As it constituted personal opinion in reactionto a publicized issue, I deemed it likewise meriteda space in my Zona Libre column in the December17-18, 2010 issue of Punto!

Being a rejoinder, indeed a response to apreviously published story, Romero ululatingtakes the nature of fair comment, generallydefined thus:

“A form of qualified privilege applied to newsmedia publications relating to discussion ofmatters that are of legitimate concern to thecommunity as a whole because they materiallyaffect the interests of all the community. A termused in the defense of LIBEL actions, applying tostatements made by a writer (e.g., in the newsmedia) in an honest belief in their truth, relatingto official acts, even though the statements arenot true in fact. Fair comment must be based onfacts truly stated, must not contain imputationsof corrupt or dishonorable motives except as

warranted by the facts, and must be an honestexpression of the writer’s real opinion.”

Being a rejoinder, Romero ululating is anexercise of the right of anyone to respond to apublic issue especially as it directly concerns him.Even with the Right of Reply Bill still un-enactedin Congress, this is an honored praxis in media.

Romero claimed the article at issue “xxx isneither privileged nor a fair and true report madein good faith…” and that ”xxx the whole scopeand apparent object or motive of respondents…”is to present him as:

“xxx only sour-graping when the legitimateconcern that is raised by the Pampanga Chamberof Commerce is the non-selection of arepresentative of the business sector as one ofthe winners in the last Most OutstandingKapampangan Award 2010 (MOKA). But insteadof clarifying the issue as one of the members ofthe board of judges of MOKA, respondent choseto hurl said scurrilous and defamatory invectives.”

One, nowhere in the story Sector: Why nobiz awardee in Moka? was there ever anyspecific mention of the Pampanga Chamber ofCommerce as raising the concern of non-selectionof winners in the MOKA. The story referred onlyto a generic “business sector” with Romeroapparently arrogating unto himself the term.

Indeed, but for Romero there was no othernamed individual or entity that raised the issue.

Two, more than an innocent query as to whyno one in the business sector won the MOKA2010, Romero made the story as a platform tolaunch his own tirades against variouspersonalities he conveniently – perhaps to avoidlibel – did not name: to wit:

“xxxRene Romero, speaking for the businesssector, alleged that the disqualification of thenominees from the business sector may havebeen the handy work of “influence peddlers” inthe Capitol.

“xxx ‘The business sector is disappointed, sadand more so insulted by the results. It simplymeans that despite our efforts and support of theprovincial government, parang sinampal kami atsinabing walang matinong negosyante saprobinsiya,’ said Romero…

“xxx He said the alleged ‘influence peddlers’at the Capitol ‘will not be good and helpful toeffective governance.

Romero even went to the extent of taking theprovincial government to task, thus:

“xxxOne or two of these, pardon my term,‘termites,’ would destroy what we and Capitol havestarted in terms of development. Wala bangqualified sa sector naming. Galit ba sila sa amin?Is this the kind of governance we have whichallows such people to influence something?Where has professionalism gone? Charged withpersonal conflicts? You know, we are very sadabout what happened. But we know the real storyon this and how these influence peddlers arehell bent in trying to justify our sector nominees’disqualification, which really are baseless and nottrue,” narrated Romero”

“xxx There are at least two in these committeeswhom we really don’t see eye to eye with. Withwhat happened, we might reassess and evaluateour position towards the provincial government andslow down a bit,’ said Romero.”

It is these ululations of Romero that meritedthe rejoinder precisely titled Romero ululating,a response that precisely constitutes faircomment. Nowhere in the rejoinder that Romerowas ever referred to as “sour-graping” no matterits apparent obviousness, he being a losingnominee to the MOKA. (To be continued)

ClearedONE OFF the hook, a dozen more to go.

Archimedes Reyes, resigned chief of staff of thenGov. Eddie T. Panlilio, has been cleared of the libeland oral defamation charges the latter and his then-putative provincial administrator Vivian Dabu slappedon him and about a dozen former members of theBiyaya a Luluguran at Sisikapan (Balas).

The charges arose from the 256-day siege of theCapitol in 2009 by the protesting quarrymen wherestreamers and posters of Panlilio and Dabu in variousposes as well as speeches were deemed by the twoas maligning their characters.

“I was sympathizing with them (Balas boys)because most of them were my colleagues in theseminary, like Fil Rodriguez, Chris Ocampo and RopSyquia. But I never raised a hand against them(Panlilio and Dabu). Everyone knows about that. I wassurprised when I was included in the charge sheet.”So was Reyes quoted as saying in a media report.

Reyes said he still sympathized with the Balas boysas they have yet to be cleared of the charges: “Thedecision of the city prosecutor dismissing the libelcase filed against me by Panlilio-Dabu is done. Mylawyer made a motion for reinvestigation. It wasgranted. This is the result of that reinvestigation. I wasnot arraigned. Unfortunately, the rest of the Balas boysare still fighting it out in court.”

The Balas boys, to jolt the collective memory ofthe Kapampangan, were the unheralded heroesbehind the so-called “miracle” of Panlilio in increasingquarry collections from the previous P10 or so millionannually to the whopping P1 million daily.

Yes, they set up a protest camp at the Capitolgrounds after they were unceremoniously dumped bythe Panlilio administration.

Think of gratitude there.

CultTHE OCCULT makes a fascinating cult that alwaysentrances the gullible lot.

Mongered rumors swirled around Angeles Citythese past days about some sort of Satanic cult on amurderous spree.

The rumors spread through text messages allegingthat Mayor Ed Pamintuan himself was cautioningfamilies to beware of opening their doors to strangersas they could be members of the cult that allegedlymassacred a family in Barangay Pandan.

Incredulously stupid even at first glance. But still alot of the gullible fall for it.

Really, Barnum is right: Suckers are born everyminute.

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Napag-uusapanlangNi Felix M. Garcia

‘Supreme CourtMagistrates, now

a subject of animpeachment?’

NAKABABAHALA NA ang sunud-sunodNa isyung may bahid ng kaunting ‘cloud of doubt’Sa kredibilidad ng ating ‘Supreme Court,’Partikular na sa ilang Mahistrados;

Na pabago-bago ang kanilang ‘stand’Sa iisang kaso matapos hatulan;Kung saan pinal na ang desisyon minsanAy binabaligtad pa n’yan kadalasan.

May instansya kasing di lang isang besesAng ‘executory’ na ay paulit-ulitNa binabago at parang pinipilitPalitawing yan ang tunay na matuwid.

Gaya nitong kaso ng labing anim naMunisipyong ngayon ay pinoprotestaNg ‘LCP’ upang maging lungsod silaAy talaga namang nakapagdududa.

(Liban sa iba pa na kamukat-mukat,Ang hatol ay biglang umikli at sukat;Aywan lang kung dahil sa lubhang malakasAng ‘convict’ sa ilang mas nakatataas).

Pagkat kahit malinaw na nasasaadSa ‘ting Konstitusyon o Saligang BatasAng ilang bagay na kanilang nilabag,Yan ay pilit pa rin yatang binaligtad!

Di ko ninanais sabihing ang SCO ang ‘court of justice’ nati’y nabibili,Pero sana’y maging ‘impartial’ paratiAng mga ‘justices’ nating honorable

Na inaasahan nating magbibigaySa atin ng patas at/o pantay-pantayNa hustisya’t saka karampatang legalSa mata ng timbangan ng katarungan.

Na ang sinisimbolo ng nakatakipNitong mga mata’y nagpapahiwatigNa ang sukatan ng ating ‘court of justice’Ay di nakatitig sa alin mang panig

Kundi sa tunay na sukatang marapatGamitin, ang siyang mangibabaw dapat;Upang ang tunay na matuwid ng lahatAng manaig ayon sa Saligang Batas.

At di itong iba ang tinititiganKaysa ika nga natin ay tinitingnanUpang ang ‘due process’ ang siyang umiralSa panig ng alin pa mang indibidual.

Sa pag-‘entertain’ ng kaso halimbawaNg ‘impeachment’ sa isang opisyal ng bansa,Gaya nitong ngayo’y naging mitsa yataNg ganyan ding kasong sila itong paksa.

Na isinusulong ng ating KongresoLaban sa ilan nating mga MahistradoSa di pag-aksyon sa kailangang prosesoPara mapatalsik ang puntiryang tao?

Na si Ombudsman Chairwoman M. Gutierrez,Bunsod ng aywan kung kawalang interesNa mag-‘materialize’ ang kasong ‘impeachment’Laban sa naturingang ‘bar of justice head’

At ngayon ay itong ilang MahistradoNg ating ‘highest tribunal’ na rin mismoItong sa ‘impeachment’ ay namimiligroNa mapatalsik ng Congress o Senado?

Sa puntong nasabi ay nabahiran naNg alinlangan at kaunting pagdududaAng ating tiwala sa Korte Suprema,Kaya’t marapat lang na matanggal sila!

Upang ang imahe ng ating ‘Supreme Court’Na ngayo’y may bahid na nitong ‘clouds of doubt’Ay muling maging matatag na bantayogNg Saligang Batas na sadyang maka-Diyos!!!

WE ALL stopped in shock last Friday, as Japan went throughhistoric devastation. I, like many others, found time to pray for theJapanese people whose nobility surfaced to the level of the sublimeas they lined up with so much patience and dignity for water andfood in the areas almost totally flattened by the earthquakes andtsunami.

Amid this, I, like Catholic writer Michael Brown, was puzzled:What to make of alleged visionary Pedro Regis of Anguera, Brazil?The young man has purportedly been receiving propheticalmessages from the Blessed Virgin, many of which have spread viaInternet even before the prophesied events transpired.

Regis correctly foretold (he claims it was the Blessed VirginMary who did) the flood in Madeira, Portugal, the calamity in Haiti,and the huge temblor in Chile.

The prophecieson Japan, etc.

Halo-haloBy Ding Cervantes

On March 20 last year, he also quoted theBlessed Mother to have said: “A megaquake willshake Japan and my poor children will weep andlament. Greater pain never existed."

And then again, last Feb. 15, he mentionedlast Friday’s incredible calamity in Japan. Websurfers came across his prophecies even beforethe tragic events.

Regis then quoted the Blessed Virgin as havingsaid: " Akita (Japan) will drink the bitter cup of pain.Bend your knees in prayer. Your victory is in theLord. Open your hearts and accept my appeals.Now is the time of grace for all of you."

Akita is in the northern region of Japan nearthe off- shore epicenter of the magnitude 9earthquake. Although the town itself was not asseverely destroyed as other areas, the allusionwas clear.

Akita is the same place where the BlessedVirgin appeared to Sister Sasagawa in the 1970’s.The apparition is one of the more recent onesapproved by the Vatican as worthy of belief.

There in a chapel in Akita, a wooden statue ofthe Blessed Mother wept at least 101 times.Samples of the tears were brought to the mostsophisticated laboratories in Japan and were foundto be authentic human tears. Yet, scientists foundno deception in the tears emanating from thewooden statue.

It is important to cite the Akita apparitions amidthe breathtaking devastation in northern Japan,

for they remind us of the warnings the BlessedMother issued then. Alas, the warnings pertain topossible events whose tragic magnitude couldmake last Friday’s devastation in Japaninsignificant.

The warnings in Church-approved Akita is soshocking that I feel a foreword must be said:Church authorities stress that legitimateprophecies can be preempted by prayers and areturn to God.

That said, let us repeat the words of theBlessed Mother in Akita as relayed to SisterSasagawa on Oct. 13, 1973, anniversary of thefamouns sun miracle in Fatima, Portugalapparitions in 1917:

"My dear daughter, listen well to what I haveto say to you. You will inform your superior. As Itold you, if men do not repent and betterthemselves, the Father will inflict a terriblepunishment on all humanity. It will be punishmentgreater than the deluge, such as one will neverhave seen before. Fire will fall from the sky andwill wipe out a great part of humanity, the good aswell as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful.The survivors will find themselves so desolate thatthey will envy the dead. The only arms that willremain for you will be the Rosary and Sign left byMy Son. Each day recite the prayers of theRosary. With the Rosary, pray for the pope, thebishops, and the priests."

Now it’s up to us.

FROM AN economic perspec-tive, we face an unending arrayof challenges. Economic reali-ties are daunting brought aboutby global financial instability. Formost of this decade, China livedup to its hype, the world’s mostpopulated nation has becomeone of the most progressive andpowerful.

For China, it’s as if someonehas fired the starting gun asmultinationals rushed to it, touse it as export platform and totap the rapidly growing market.China’s momentum was so pow-erful that a few years back, whenUS went into a housing-led re-cession, the argument was Chi-na could continue to maintain itseconomic growth and perhaps(fingers crossed) even helpmuch of the rest of the worldavoid a slump.

China is currently at the pla-teau of success, for the pastyears the growth of its export in-dustry has become parallel with

that of countries like Germany,but their quality and prices differgreatly. In an era where there isfinancial instability, people oftenopt for cheaper (but less dura-ble) brands, most of which arelabeled “made in China”.

“Made in China” is one of themost recognizable labels in theworld today due to rapidly de-veloping China’s large manufac-turing industry. By the end of2008, numbers of factoriessoared to 661, 000. China hasbecome the largest exporter inthe world and the label can beseen on a huge range of goodsfrom clothing to electronics.

However, a series of highlypublicized scandals in exportsfor China has harmed the brandabroad. The most popular ofwhich was the lead content oftoys from China, which wereexported in the US. There hasbeen huge product recalls, notonly in the US but in other na-tions as well.

These incidents tainted the“made in China” brand. But de-spite the recent scandals andthe on-going controversy regard-ing safety protocols and stan-dards, most consumers do notconsistently check for the coun-try of origin and there is littlebrand awareness for Chineseproducts in particular.

But as the world slowlyawakens from its deep slum-ber concerning product qualityand given the fact that US isits biggest market, with ex-ports floundering, due to thestated controversies and glo-bal recession, China needs todivest ways to improve thequality of its manufacturedgoods and to prove to the worldthat they can be trusted onceagain. Otherwise, this trend ofgrowth will reach its peak andwill slowly (but surely) backfireand will eventually result to thedownfall of not only the label,but the nation itself.

Made in ChinaBY GOLDIE DABU

READER’S VIEWS

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NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTWITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS

Notice is hereby given that the heirs of NORBERTO L. RUEDAwho died intestate on October 22, 2010 in Sto. Tomas, Pampangaexecuted an Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights of his estatedescribed as various money in the form of savings, peso and dollaraccounts and time deposits with China Banking Corporation, SFP Branch,City of San Fernando, Pampanga particularly as follows: (a) Peso SavingsAccount No. 177-2937015 in the amount of P 8,314.86; (b) DiamondSavings Account No. 07702-0094573 in the amount of P 62, 022.62; (c)Time Deposit Customer Reference No. 542-54217-0 under confirmationof Time Deposit No. 1600539 in the amount of US$ 2,339.05 with maturitydate on January 25, 2011; and (d) Confirmation of Sale of Fixed RateTreasury Notes Without Recourse No. 0108448 [Value Date: 11-Sep-09,Series: NPC1016L014 NPC 2016. Issue Date: 19-Dec-2006, MaturityDate: 19-Dec-16, Par Value/Nominal: 200,000 PHP, Consideration:198,324.24 PHP.

Punto! Central Luzon: March 7, 15 & 22, 2011

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTWITH SALE

Notice is hereby given that the heirs of AMELIA CRUZ TEOPACOwho died intestate on January 19, 2005 at Dr. Armando L. Garcia MedicalCenter Inc., Angeles City executed an Extrajudicial Settlement with Sale ofher estate more particularly described as a parcel of land (Lot 15, Block 15of the subdivision plan Psd-25091, being a portion of Lot 632-A-1-A describedon plan Psd-25090, G.L.R.O. Cad. Rec. No. 124) with existingimprovements, situated in the Barrios of Pampang and Lourdes, City ofAngeles, Province of Pampanga and covered by TCT No. 82501.

Punto! Central Luzon: March 15, 22 & 29, 2011

In the case docketedas NPS Docket No. III-01-INV-10L-01003, datedDec. 17, 2010, complain-ant Angelito D. Pineda, aresident of Nepo Subd., inBarangay Cutcut herecharged that he and hiscompanion identified asChristopher Marcelo weremauled by more than 10men using “brass knuck-les” on orders of MaynardLapid.

The mauling happenedat around 2 a.m. of July22, 2010 following an al-tercation between Pinedaand Lapid over the latter’sfriend, one Diane Martin-ez.

In his affidavit, Pinedasaid he and Marcelo wereon their way to his vehicleparked in front of TheCourtyard in Barangay Bal-ibago when Martinez,whom he said they did notknow, suddenly accostedthem for harassing – “bi-nastos” in his affidavit – her.

“May biglang lumapitna isang lalaki sa amin at

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Sen. Lapid’s son faces frustrated murder rapstinatanong kami kung ba-kit namin binastos angkanyang kasama ngunitnaging mainit na lang big-la ang kanyang ulo atkami ay kanya nang pinag-sisigawan,” Pineda said inhis affidavit.

“Habang kami ay nag-uusap ay bigla na lamanglumapit ang mga kasa-mahan nito na mahigitsampung katao… at wa-lang babala na ako aykanilang pinagbubugboggamit ang ‘brass knuck-les’. At ako ay kanilangpinagtulungan at ang ak-ing kasamahan…,” Pine-da said.

The mauling onlystopped when the bantaybayan of Balibago arrived,Pineda said, and tookthem to the hospital fortreatment.

A medical certificateissued by the Ospital ningAngeles and signed by Dr.Irene Flores showed Pine-da sustained “1) laceratedwound pre-auricular arearight; 2) lacerated wound2 cm. pinna lower portionright; 3) abrasion infraorbit-

al area left; and 4) linearerythema on left claviculararea.”

“Kung hindi dumatingang mga bantay bayan…ay mas malala pa ang mgasugat na aming natamo obaka kami ay napataynila, sa dahilang madamisila (mahigit sampu) atkami ay kanilang pinagtu-lung-tulungan at gumamitpa sila ng mga brassknuckles para kami aykanilang saktan. Makiki-tang sila ay walang balakna tumigil kung hindi la-mang dumating ang ban-tay bayan e malamang aypatay na kaming dalawadahil ayaw nila kaming tig-ilan saktan,” Pineda said.

Pineda’s allegationswere corroborated by Mar-celo’s own affidavit.

From information gath-ered, Pineda said “ang la-laking una naming nakau-sap at nagpabugbog saamin ay si MaynardLapid…at ang mga kasa-mahan niya na nanakit atnagtangkang pumatay saamin ang mga bodyguardsnya.”

Pineda furthered thaton the night of the inci-dent, the woman who iden-tified herself as Diane Mar-tinez met him at PoliceStation No. 4 and alleged-ly told him that she wouldpay for all damages aris-ing from the mauling. Itwas the last time he sawher, Pineda said.

‘Real victim’In his counter-affidavit

with counter-charge filedon February 23, 2011,Lapid said he “vehement-ly deny the patently mali-cious and and ill advisedcharge of frustrated mur-der” leveled against him.

“I would like to empha-size that I was the real vic-tim in this case,” Lapidsaid, claiming that it wasPineda himself who “sud-denly flared up and arro-gantly” shouted “Nanungproblema mu? (What isyour problem?), Ninu wariika? (Who are you?), Nanume wari?” (What is yourrelation to her?) whilepointing a finger at my faceand forehead.”

Still, Lapid said, he “po-litely pleaded them (sic) tocalm down and talk in apeaceful manner.”

“While the complainantwas shouting and pointinga finger at me, the othermale individual, whom Ilater found out to be Chris-topher Marcelo, suddenlyhit/punched me in thefaced and grabbed myshirt which was followedup by the complainantAngelito Pineda who like-wise punched and kickedme. I protected myselffrom being beaten up andthen several people tried topacify them and suddenlythe two male individualsran away,” Lapid said.

Lapid said it was Pine-da and Marcelo “inflictedinjuries upon my person”and there was no truth totheir allegation of 10 peo-ple with brass knuckleswho mauled them.

Lapid likewise deniedthere were any bantaybayan who came “to paci-fy the mauling incident(sic).”

“It was actually the

people around who paci-fied them from further beat-ing and mauling me,”Lapid said. No medicalcertificate for any injury hecould have sustained wasattached to Lapid’s affida-vit which was corroborat-ed by the joint affidavit ofGian Carlo de Calma andRonmark Gomez, bothPorac townmates of Lapid.

“The filing of (Pineda’s)complaint is motivated byno less than (his) desireto milk undeserved mon-ey from me and my co-re-spondent, Diane Martin-ez,” Lapid said.

In her own affidavit,also dated February 23,2011, Martinez “categori-cally” denied the charge offrustrated murder filedagainst her.

“The allegations (ofPineda) in his affidavit areobviously false and fabri-cated and designed to ex-tort money from me andmy co-respondent May-nard Lapid,” she said.

Pineda has been givenuntil March 16, 2011 to filehis reply-affidavit.

This came as Corderofiled a counter-chargeagainst Romero for includ-ing her in the libel case.

She demanded moraldamages amounting toP.5 million.

Citing Article 360 of theRevised Penal Code, Cor-dero said in her counter-affidavit that a marketingmanager should not be in-cluded in a libel case.

She added that she

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Punto counters P20-M suitwas “really shocked to beincluded in the charge filedby the complainant.”

“The filing of the com-plaint and its publication inthe different media in Pam-panga caused me sleep-less nights, anxiety andbesmirched reputation, asif I am a criminal,” she said.

“My family, relativesand friends are also equal-ly worried. My businessdealings with clients andpossible advertisers wereindeed affected by the fil-

ing of the case. Complain-ants knew very well thatunder the law, I should notbe included as a respond-ed as this would amountto malicious prosecution,”said Cordero in her com-plaint.

In an interview with re-porters just outside theprosecutor’s office, Rome-ro said he was advised byhis lawyers not to com-ment about the case filedby Cordero against himbecause it’s premature.

“It’s premature to com-ment on the case filed byCordero against me. Butthat is her right to filecharges,” said Romero,who was accompanied byhis wife Agnes and his law-yers Noel Canlas andDante David.

Romero said Lacsonabused “the freedom of thepress.” He was referring tothe column of Lacson en-titled “Romero ululating,”which appeared in the De-cember 17-18 issue of

Punto!Lacson, for his part,

said his counter-affidavitwas basically grounded onthe “procedural and con-textual.”

He said his articleabout Romero appearedas a letter to the editor onDecember 14 in Sun. StarPampanga, three daysbefore the same columnwas published in Punto.

“If indeed, Romerofound cause for libel in thearticle as published in Pun-to!, it is of great surpriseto me that he did not ini-tiate a similar actionagainst Sun-Star Pam-panga where the same ar-ticle likewise titled “Rome-ro ululating” appeared entoto…even at an earlierdate,” Lacson said in hiscounter-affidavit. “This is acase of selective prosecu-tion.”

Lacson likewise citedRomero’s reaction to hisarticle in Sun-Star as pub-lished by the paper onDecember 15, wherein hewas reported to have been

“amused” by the article.“How can an article be

amusing when carried byone paper and at the sametime defamatory whenpublished in another?”Lacson asked. “This isclearly a case of selectiveprosecution.”

Lacson also main-tained that his article con-stituted “fair comment, andthus is not libelous,” cit-ing that it was a “rejoinder”to an earlier news item inSun-Star wherein Romeroassailed the failure of the2010 Most OutstandingKapampangan Award(MOKA) judges to choosea winner in the businesssector. Lacson was amember of the five-manMOKA board of judges.Romero was one of thethree nominees for thebusiness category.

The Office of the CityProsecutor has givenRomero and his counselsuntil April 11, 2011 to filetheir reply to the counter-affidavits of the Punto!staff.

The manifesto alsoscored the festival organiz-ers led by one Joi Roa forfailing to make a “full dis-closure of the money al-lotted by the CDC amount-ing to P3.5 million thisyear.”

For the past years theCDC has been donating

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Local media seek Ombudsman probe...similar amount to the hotair balloon organizers. Noaccounting of the donationwas ever publicized by ei-ther CDC of Roa’s group.

The PPC said this“non-liquidation” of publicfunds is “contrary to thepronouncement of Presi-dent Aquino’s “Matuwid nadaan.”

“The public event was

held at the Clark FreeportZone last February whichwas attended by thou-sands of spectators whospent money for entranceand parking fees, foods,souvenir items etc. Rent forstalls inside the festivalwas also collected by theorganizer but again, noaccounting was ever done,”the manifesto furthered.

“In this regard, thePampanga Press Clubenjoins the Office of theOmbudsman to investi-gate the use of funds do-nated in the last few yearsby CDC to the organizerwhich in turn have not ren-dered full accounting ofsaid government funds,” itconcluded.

– Bong Z. Lacson

caused uproar with the122-member League ofCities of the Philippinesled by City of San Fernan-do Mayor Oscar Rodrigu-ez, LCP president,” saidthe Angeles City mayor.

Pamintuan, LCP pub-lic relations officer, alsosaid the SC’s decision willmean huge losses in In-ternal Revenue Allotment(IRA) share of the citieslike Angeles in favor of thenew cities.

He added that this citywill lose about P32 millionin its annual IRA when the16 towns become cities.

“Unfortunately, it cre-ates a perception that ourSupreme Court justicesare not studying the cas-es carefully and meticu-

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122 cities hold rally vs. SC’s...lously,” he said.

The LCP said the na-tionwide protest startedyesterday, local officialswearing black armbandsand will hold noise barrageevery Friday.

He also said that be-cause of the SC decision,“some of our programmedprojects this year would bejeopardized as our shareof IRA would be signifi-cantly reduced.”

The 16 new includeLamitan, Basilan; Tabuk,Kalinga; Bayugan, Agu-san del Sur; Batac, IlocosNorte; Mati, Davao Orien-tal; Guihulngan, NegrosOriental; Cabadbaran,Agusan del Norte; Carcar,Cebu; El Salvador, Misa-mis Oriental; Naga, Cebu;Baybay, Leyte; Bogo,Cebu; Catbalogan, West-

ern Samar; Tandag,Surigao del Sur; Boron-gan, Eastern Samar andTayabas, Quezon.

El Salvador has an an-nual income of P17 mil-lion and about 17,000 res-idents, Pamintuan said.

Last week, city may-ors belonging to the LCPmarched along PadreFaura in Ermita, Manila,to dramatize the filing oftheir motion for reconsid-eration.

In a motion for recon-sideration, the LCP saidthat the SC had no juris-diction anymore to issueits Feb. 15, 2011 resolu-tion declaring constitu-tional the 16 cityhoodlaws because there wasno longer any controver-sy to settle.

“No province, city, mu-

nicipality or barangayshall be created, divided,merged, abolished or itsboundary substantially al-tered, except in accor-dance with the criteria es-tablished in the LocalGovernment Code andsubject to approval by amajority of the votes castin a plebiscite in the po-litical units directly affect-ed,” the LCP said, quot-ing the Constitution.

It added that the cit-yhood laws violated Re-publ ic Act 9009 thatamended the Local Gov-ernment Code six yearsbefore the cityhood lawsand increased the annu-al income requirementfor conversion of a mu-nicipality into a city fromP20 million to P100 mil-lion.

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TheGossip-millerby Cesar Pambid

Give way for Kristine MKRISTINE MANALILI is just an ordinary girl with ambitions to become a sexy actress. Alam dawniyang di na uso ang mga sexy movies ngayon. "Malay nyo, ako na magpauso," sabay tawa pang medyo may kakulitang sexy na talagang ayaw paawat sa isang sexy pictorial.

Aber nga, tingnan natin kung saan mararating ng babaeng ito?

SINUNGALING SI Lovi Poe pagdating sa pag-ibig. Yes, gusto sana niyang magpaka-discreetpero lagi na, siya mismo ang nagbubuking sa kanyang mga relasyon. Iba’ng sinasabi niyakesa ginagawa niya.

Nung sila pa ni Jolo Revilla, kesyo ganyan at ganito, pero lagi naman silang magkasama.Yes, maraming hindi true sa mga sinasabi niya during interviews.

Ganyan din more or less sa sitwasyon nila ni Ronald Singson. Never siyang umaminpero lagi na nahuhuli nasa Hongkong to join Ronald . In fact, mismong si Chavit Singsontold the press about the truth of their relationship, pero lagi na sinsabi ni Lovi nakesyo ganyan at ganito.

Heto ngayon, break na raw sila. Biglang nangyari yun, ano po!Out of the blue, break na gayung wala namang pag-amin na naging sila.We suspect, pinagbabawalan na si Lovi ng GMA 7 at ng Regal Films dahil

negative ang dating niya sa publiko kasi nga tinanggal na sa Kongreso siRonald at nasetensiyahan pang makulong sa Hongkong. Hindi nga namanmagandang image yun para kay Lovi Poe.

Siyempre, sayang din ang milyon-milyong kikitain niya lalo pa’tmaraming projects na ibibigay ngayon sa kanya.

Ang ending, maraming emo tweets si Lovi pertaining sa pakikipag-break niya kuning kuning kay Singson. Alam n’yo na, para sapublisidad.

Lovi Poe ‘nilalaro’ ang press tungkolsa kanila ni Ronald Singson

Melissa Ricks dalawang taon nang karelasyon ni Jake Cuenca

Una, nagpaeste-este si Lovi in some interviews, dinahan- dahan tayo. Kesyo hindi pa siya handa todivulge yung break up nila.

But in the next event ayun, nagsalita na si Lovi, wala na raw sila ni ex-congressman Ronald Singson. “It’s time to move on. We have to look forward now. I’ve put the past behind me. It’s better to talk now

about my work and my future projects, instead of dwelling on the past. I thank God for the continuousblessings.”

Nagtapat na si Lovi Poe na tapos na ang pag-iibigan nila ni Congressman Ronald Singson.Bago hatulan ng Hong Kong court ng isang taon at anim na buwang pagkabilanggo, nag-usap na

raw sila ni Ronald..Nagdesisyon daw si Ronald to set her free dahil alam nito kung gaano kahirap para sa kanya ang

sitwasyon dahil sa kasong nasuungan nito sa HK.“Napakabait ni Ronald. Hindi siya selfish. Alam niya na parehong mahirap sa amin ang sitwasyon.

Kaya siya na ang nagsabi sa akin that he`s setting me free.“He will always be special to me. Hindi ko makalilimutan ang mga pinagsamahan namin,” maluha-

luhang wika ni Lovi.Sa ngayon, magko-concentrate daw muna si Lovi sa showbiz career.Di ba malinaw, nilalaro lang tayo ni Lovi Poe? Pustahan, silang dalawa pa ni Ronald at di true na break

na sila. Papuputol ko ang aking leeg kung totoong wala na sila.

WISH NI Gerald Anderson na sana raw kumitayung pelikula nila ni Sarah Geronimo. Yes, silaang magkatambal sa isang pelikula ng StarCinema kaya maraming kuwento si Geraldtungkol dito.

“Sana kumita ‘yung movie namin ni SarahGeronimo, ‘Catch Me, I’m in Love’ and sana moreprojects,” panlangin pa niya.. “Right now, I reallyfeel blessed dahil tuluy-tuloy lang ang projectsko. I have ‘Buhawi Jack’ on TV at marami ringendorsements, so thank God.”

Kumusta na sila ni Sarah Geronimo?“Okay naman siya. Mabait, sweet. Pero noong

una, siyempre, may ilangan factor kasi we’ve neverworked before kahit sa ‘Maalaala’ or ‘Your Song’.Ako rin, nahihiya pa sa kanya kasi she’s a big starbut I tried my best to make her feel comfortable.After a few days, nag-warm up din siya. Kasi mayscene na nagtitinginan kami, very close mukha

namin sa isa’t isa. Bale yun ang first kilig momentnamin sa movie. E, nahihiya siya, so natawa siyangbigla. Pagtawa niya, tumalsik ang laway niya samukha ko, tumama sa mata ko, sobrang dami.Buti, mabango laway niya. After that, okay na, evenwith Sarah’s parents, friends na kami. We’re allcomfortable with each other.”

Sa ngayon, pinagkukumpara na sina SarahG at Kim Chui.

“Lagi namang ganun talaga sa showbiz, diba? So it cannot be avoided. But each of themhas her own nice qualities. I’m glad tanggap ngfans namin ni Kim ang tambalan namin ni Sarah.The Kimeralds even visit us sa shooting ng movienamin ni Sarah. Mabait sila to her at nagpapa-picture pa with her.”

Ok ba naman sila ni Kim Chui?“Yes, okay naman kami. Massage chair ang

gift niya for me.”

Gerald Anderson nasarapan sa laway ni Sarah GeronimoNAUNA NANG umamin si Jake Cuenca tungkol sa tunay narelasyon nila ni Melissa Ricks.

Heto naman, si Melissa naman ang napilitang umamin narin sa gitna ng kontroberysa sa ginagawa niyang teleserye sangayon.

Daring kasi ang role niya.“He’s very supportive naman, pero hindi pa niya napapanood

ang mga eksena, so, hindi ko lang alam kung ano ang magigingreaksyon niya kapag nakita na niya. Pero alam niya, sinabi kosa kanya, and he knows about the story also, alam niya angstory ng Nasaan Ka Eliza.”

Speaking of Jake, nasaan na ba ang relasyon nila ngayon?“Ako, basta, masayang-masaya ako na alam kong may

taong nagke-care sa akin, may taong inaalagaan ako and alamko na mahal naman niya ako.”

Umamin na si Jake na talagang may relasyon sila and infact, ayon nga sa aktor ay two years na sila, si Melissa ay hindipa makaaamin nang diretso pero dating daw sila ngayon atnagke-care sa isa’t isa.

May anniversary rin daw sila kaya say ng mga reporter, ’yunna ’yon.

“Eh, ’di ’yun na ’yon,” pagsang-ayon naman niya.Masayang-masaya ang bidang si Melissa dahil pagkatapos

ng mahabang paghihintay, dumating din ang biggest break.Ayon sa young actress, hindi siya nainip sa paghihintay

dahil in the first place ay wala naman siyang dine-demand from the management.“Ako naman, I never asked for a lead role, I just wanted work, I just wanted to act, I just wanted to give impression to people na kaya kong gampanan ang mga

ibinibigay sa akin. And sobrang thankful ako na ’yung management, ipinagkatiwala sa akin itong role kahit alam nilang medyo conservative ako, they gave me a role thatcould really challenge me.

“It doesn’t matter kung I waited six years, five years, one year, as long as I’m given what I deserve,” say ni Melissa.Dahil launching niya ito, ano ba ang kaya niyang gawin sa serye?

“Dahil launching ko, lahat ng makakaya ko, gagawin ko. Hindi ko sinasabi na magbo-bold ako or super sexy,basta whatever the role calls for, gagawin ko.”

Lovi

Poe

Kristine Manalili

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BY DING CERVANTES

CLARK FREEPORT –The Clark International Air-port Corp. (CIAC) has em-barked on a project to in-stall solar panels on roofsof its buildings, includingthe Diosdado MacapagalInternational Airport(DMIA), to generate an ini-tial 1,200 megawatts ofpower annually for the useof the 2,400-hectare avia-tion complex here.

CIAC president andchief executive officer Vic-tor Jose Luciano hassigned with Energy Logis-tics Group (ELG) presi-dent Marco Prieto Delga-do an

agreement that willpave the way for this, aspart of a Renewable En-ergy Systems (RES)project within the aviationcomplex here.

The project here is partof ELG’s $1.3-billion in-vestments in various partsof the country.

Luciano said ELG isone of the pioneers in re-newable energy in thecountry and “a staunchproponent of Pres. Aqui-no’s directive to create along-term roadmap to har-ness renewable energysources towards the Phil-ippines’ energy indepen-dence and security.”

ELG is registered bythe Department of Ener-gy (DOE) under the Re-

UNDER RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT

DMIA eyes solar panel on rooftopsnewable Energy Act of2009. It has significantinterests in wind, solar,hydro, bio-fuels, and bio-mass in the Philippines,Guam, Canada, and Lat-in America. With a workforce of 14,000, it is amember of the Transna-tional Diversified Group, aprivately-held conglomer-ate with 30 operating com-panies in shipping, shipmanagement, logistics,business process out-sourcing, air and traveland energy.

“ELG currently has thelargest combined wind-solar pipeline in the Phil-ippines, with a minimumof 420-megawatt in windand 250-megawatt in so-lar capabilities,” Lucianosaid.

He noted that ELG isset to ground-break the $300-million 120-megawattPasuquin East Project inIlocos Norte in the thirdquarter of 2011.

“It is investing $1.23billion in in energy infra-structure for the next tenyears in the country,” Lu-ciano said.

He said that at the avi-ation complex here,ELG’s “flagship projects”would include “solar gen-eration facilities on roof-tops of existing and futureterminals and hangars,initially expected to gen-erate an estimated 1,200megawatt hours per year.