Roxas endorses Noynoy

At the ANC ‘Beyond Politics’ program of Lynda Jumilla, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas endorsed the extension of President Aquino’s term. This gives more circulation to an online campaign to “re-elect President Aquino.”

We have to see how the Charter change (Cha-cha) proposal of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte develops.

It certainly can be approved in the House of Representatives, but it is a question mark if the Senate will go along.

In separate interviews, Senate President Franklin Drilon and Congressman Niel Tupas denied that there was any talk among Liberal Party (LP) leaders to adopt Vice President Jejomar Binay as a coalition candidate of the LP and United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

Drilon and Tupas were explicit in saying Secretary Mar Roxas is the presumptive candidate of the LP in 2016.

The probability is that Mar Roxas will be the LP standard bearer. 

President Aquino should issue a strong statement that he is not agreeable to an extension of his term.

CJ Sereno is no show

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno did not attend the hearing of the House committee on justice to consider two bills seeking to abolish the Judicial Development Fund (JDF).

CJ Sereno wrote a letter to Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. saying the timing of the invitation is not right, and reminding the Speaker of the independence of the Supreme Court.  She also said that the SC is a co-equal branch.

The JDF was established by President Marcos, pursuant to P.D. No. 1949, giving the Chief Justice administration of all collections from court fees and bonds to be allocated for the cost of living allowances of employees (80%) and improvement of the courts’ facilities and equipment (20%).

Congressman Niel Tupas authored the bill seeking to abolish the JDF. The second bill seeking to transfer all collections to the National Treasury was authored by Congressman Rudy Fariñas.

4.9% inflation

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) announced that the inflation rate for July rose to a 3-year high of 4.9 percent, with indications it will remain high for August.

The NEDA took note of the high prices of basic commodities, with rice rising 14.4 percent in July. Corn increased by 7.8 percent. Even vegetables have increased very much, with eggplant, ampalaya and sitaw now selling at P80-P100 a kilo.

Also increasing are housing, water and electricity prices.

Analysts predict that the BSP will increase interest rates at its next meeting on September 11.

It looks like the government is helpless in controlling prices.

CIA under fire

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States (U.S.) is under fire for spying on and hacking the computer records of the U.S. Senate.

Since the administration of President Marcos, the Intelligence Service of Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) has been reported as bugging the telephones of senators, in violation of existing laws. 

No overpricing

There is no overpricing in the construction of Makati City’s 11-storey parking building, according to a Commission on Audit (COA) investigative report issued in February 2014.

COA auditor Cecilia Caga-anan said the Makati Parking Building was reasonably priced.

She noted that construction cost of buildings vary depending on design and whether it is a high-rise or low-rise building.

“High-rise building with unstable soil conditions will entail a more rigid and complicated base/structural preparations and requires higher quantity and quality of materials to be used,” her report read.

“Structures with parking areas require different design as compared to a common/regular building, which is subjected to heavier and moving loads. In addition, the building is designed to withstand earthquake with  certain level of intensity,” Caga-anan said.

Binay’s landslide

President Aquino’s ally, Senator Sergio Osmeña said that if elections were held today, “Vice President Jejomar Binay will win by a landslide.”

Osmeña commented that VP Binay does not need an endorsement by President Aquino to win.

“The way the surveys are reflecting his popularity, he doesn’t need anybody’s endorsement. But of course, politics being addition, you always want any added support. But from the way he is doing (in surveys), if the elections were held today, he’ll win by a landslide,” the senator said referring to the recent Pulse Asia survey showing the Vice President in the lead with 41 percent of the respondents saying they prefer him, followed by neophyte Sen. Grace Poe who received only 12 percent.

Guilty fishermen

Twelve Chinese nationals were found guilty of illegal entry and  fishing when their boat was grounded  at the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

They received prison terms from 5 to 12 years – plus a fine of $100,000 each.

A separate case involving 11 other Chinese fishermen accused of poaching is also pending before Regional Trial Court (RTC) Palawan Judge Ambrosio de Luna.

Earlier, the USS Guardian also damaged the Tubbataha Reefs. The US was fined $58,000.

Tidbits

Senator Sonny Angara proposes to reduce income tax rates, starting  with the highest 32 percent tax rate down to 25 percent.

The New People’s Army (NPA) attacked a cell site in Cagayan.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is buying two C-130s from the United States (US) for $61 million.

Everybody is complaining about the daily traffic jams in Metro Manila. Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Land Transportation Franchise Regulatory Board (LTFRB) are blaming each other for the mess.