MAYOR ALFREDO LIM: Ang Waling-Waling ng Maynila

SOURCE: manilawatch.wordpress.com  

"Lim and His Untouchables

The selective raids in Ermita reinforced the growing belief that Lim was wont to cast a jaundiced eye out for some favored Chinese businessmen belonged to a priviledged lot whose  business interests were being protected and furthered by Lim. During Lim’s tenure as the chief of the WPD, it was reported that no WPD operative dared to arrest or apprehend Chinese businessmen even for simple traffic violations. Almost all the Chinese businessmen and traders of Manila had Lim’s calling card and anyone who had one was virtually immune from arrest. Lim’s calling card was their talisman of invincibility against any traffic regulation and ordinance. Any policeman who committed the grave mistake of arresting these Chinese “friends” of Lim often ended up being immediately and unceremoniously reassigned. This was the “erring” cop’s reward for being true to the thankless job of enforcing the law."

13 may face charges over hostage fiasco

ABS-CBN, GMA 7, TV5 also liable

NEWS SOURCE: Philippine Daily Inquirer

Manila, Philippines—Saying friendship cannot intervene in his duty to serve justice, President Benigno Aquino III announced Monday that charges had been recommended against Mayor Alfredo Lim and Interior Undersecretary Rico E. Puno for the botched hostage rescue last month.

The President said in a nationally televised news conference that the report submitted on Friday by the fact-finding committee headed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima also named 11 other people and the major TV networks ABS-CBN, GMA 7 and TV5 liable for the Aug. 23 fiasco.

The list included newly retired Director General Jesus Verzosa of the Philippine National Police, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and her deputy, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno and top police officials.

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Media admit lapses in Manila hostage coverage

GMA7 Jessica Soho, ABS-CBN Maria Ressa, RMN Jake Maderazo committed media blunders

NEWS SOURCE:INQUIRER.net

After four hours of hearing, executives of media organizations finally admitted committing “major, major” lapses in their coverage of the August 23 hostage-taking that left eight Hong Kong tourists and the hostage-taker, a dismissed police officer, dead. 

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 3) After four hours of hearing, executives of media organizations finally admitted committing “major, major” lapses in their coverage of the August 23 hostage-taking that left eight Hong Kong tourists and the hostage-taker, a dismissed police officer, dead.

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Mayor Alfredo Lim interferes hostage negotiation

Mayor ordered hostage-taker’s brother arrest—Manila police chief

NEWS SOURCE: INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 4) It was Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim who ordered the arrest of the brother of the dismissed policeman who held hostage Hong Kong tourists in Manila last Monday that resulted in the deaths of eight tourists, the city’s chief of police told a Senate investigation Thursday.

“It's Mayor Lim,” Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay told a joint hearing by the committees on public order, and justice, responding to repeated questions by Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

Magtibay said he was with Lim when the mayor ordered the arrest of Captain Rolando Mendoza's younger brother, Senior Police Officer 2 Gregorio Mendoza.

In an interview over the ABS-CBN television program "Umagang Kay Ganda," Gregorio Mendoza said it was Lim who ordered his arrest, spurred by police negotiator Superintendent Orlando Yebra’s report to his superiors that he was derailing the talks by telling his brother not to surrender because authorities have not yet returned a handgun that was confiscated from him.

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Hostage-taker killed as crisis ends

Interior chief ‘very sorry’

NEWS SOURCE: INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 6) It’s over. The hostage crisis that gripped the world for at least 10 hours Monday ended with at least three people killed, including the hostage-taker, and 17 survivors, according to reports culled by INQUIRER.net.

The body of dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza was recovered inside the tourist bus that he took over in Manila about 9 a.m. He was taken to Ospital ng Maynila. Also taken to the same hospital were seven of the hostages, five of who are alive and two dead.

Five – one in critical condition and one dead – are at the Manila Doctors’ Hospital while one confirmed dead is at San Juan De Dios.

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Lyrics | Don Mclean lyrics - Sister Fatima lyrics

AQUINO-BINAY PROCLAMATION

Aquino, Binay proclamation set at 2 p.m. Wednesday

NEWS SOURCE: NQUIRER.net-06/08/2010

MANILA, Philippines—As the leader of the host venue where the proclamation of the country’s next president and vice president would be held, Speaker Prospero Nograles will issue the invitation to Senator Benigno Aquino III and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay for Wednesday’s “historic event.”

The proclamation is set at 2 p.m., although Nograles said he could not say the exact time when Aquino and Binay would finally be declared winners.

“We can’t predict the exact time, but Senator Aquilino (Nene) Pimentel (Jr.) requested that it be done in broad daylight, so that means as long as there is light,” Nograles said.

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It's Aquino and Binay

Now it’s final: Aquino, Binay win in May 10 polls

NEWS SOURCE:  INQUIRER.net-06/08/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Anticlimactically, Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay emerged winners in the country’s first automated elections.

Aquino and Binay got the most votes for president and vice president, respectively, on Tuesday as Congress, sitting as National Board of Canvassers, completed the canvass of 278 certificates of votes after eight days.

The joint committee will prepare a report for approval of lawmakers when they convene in a joint session at 2 p.m. Wednesday to proclaim Aquino and Binay.

Aquino garnered 15,208,678 votes against closest rival, former president Joseph Estrada, who got 9,487,837 votes or a difference of 5,720,841 votes.

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On Midnight Appointees of Pres. Arroyo

Pres. Arroyo appointed hundreds of her political ally to several national positions from government owned and controlled corporations, agencies and the judiciary by beating the deadline set by the Constitution on midnight appointees.

Most notable of these appointments was the appointment of Justice Renato Corona replacing Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno who retires last May 11, 2010 or exactly one day after the May 10, 2010 general election.

All vacant position in the National Prosecution Office (NPO) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its attached Public Attorneys Office (PAO) were all filled up as early as March 1, 2010 but released only on a later date of April, 2010.

It was also noted that vacancies in the judiciary particularly the lower courts of the Regional Trial Courts, City and Municipal Trial Courts were suspiciously filled up. Majority of the RTC vacancies were election courts all of which is seen by many as a preparation for the upcoming midterm election of all three (3) year term officials, the congressional, local and half of the rotating senatorial post .