'A year is too long for Ombudsman to file plunder cases vs. lawmakers who misused pork funds'

One year is too long for the Office of the Ombudsman--which prosecutes government officials--to file plunder complaints against lawmakers who have been found to have misused their Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) before the Sandiganbayan.

This was emphasized by the minority bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, adding that cases should be lodged by December.

The government by this time should have the evidence to back its allegations against those who have erred in using their pork barrel funds, Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora said.

"Let us remember that this is not a new case. We are not looking for new evidence. All of these things are being talked about, many whistleblowers have spoken. There are voluminous documents presented about the case. If this is not probable cause, then what does probable cause mean?" Zamora said in a news conference.

The bloc was reacting to a statement by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, who said that her office would be able to decide in a year or less the plunder case against Janet Lim Napoles and three senators and several former congressmen involved in the pork barrel scam.

On Monday, the Department of Justice filed cases against Senators JuanPonce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon Revilla Jr., former Housemembers and several others for allegedly channelling pork barrel fundsinto bogus projects.

In the same news conference, Representative Silvestre Bello of 1-Banatat Ahapo partylist said the filing of charges before the anti-graft court should not take a year "because in effect, they will only be affirming the DOJ findings."

Zamora said that it was important that the case can be brought to the court to try and punish the guilty and absolve the innocent.

"Between now and one year, malaki ang possibility na magkakaron ng iba pang malaking kaso, baka makalimutan ang impotance ng kasong ito," he added.

Zamora said they are awaiting the other names that the DoJ will include in the pork barrel case, including lawmakers who allegedly misused their PDAF based on the Commission on Audit special audit report.

He said they would ask the DoJ about the progress of the case when its budget is tackled in plenary within the week.

source: interaksyon.com

Obama wants immigration bill 'very soon'

WASHINGTON DC - President Barack Obama on Wednesday urged lawmakers to agree as early as January on a bill to lay a path to citizenship for the estimated 11.5 million illegal immigrants in the United States.

"I'm very confident that we can get immigration reform done," Obama told reporters at his first press conference since a decisive November 6 re-election victory in which Hispanic voters played a major role.

"My expectation is that we get a bill introduced and we begin the process in Congress very soon after my inauguration," said Obama, who is due to begin his second term after a January 21 inauguration ceremony.

Republican nominee Mitt Romney's tack to the right during his presidential campaign, particularly on immigration, was a key reason he lost the Hispanic vote by a substantial margin.

Now, with Republicans soul-searching in the aftermath of their defeat, agreeing to immigration reform is seen as one way to frame the party as more inclusive of Latinos, the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States.

"Before the election I had given a couple of interviews where I predicted that the Latino vote was going to be strong, and that that would cause some reflection on the part of Republicans about their position," Obama said.

"I think we're starting to see that already. I think that's a positive sign," the president said, adding: "We need to seize the moment."

Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham have already begun talks on a bipartisan bill that was shelved two years ago.

"Some conversations I think are already beginning to take place among senators and congressmen and my staff about what would this look like," Obama said.

Comprehensive reform would include measures that would retain strong border controls and penalize companies that hire undocumented workers while opening an avenue for legalization.

"It's important for them to pay back taxes. It's important for them to learn English. It's important for them to potentially pay a fine," Obama said.

"But to give them the avenue whereby they can resolve their legal status here in this country, I think, is very important.

"I think there should be a pathway for legal status for those who are living in this country, are not engaged in criminal activity, are here simply to work," he said.

Republican Speaker John Boehner, whose party retained control of the House of Representatives in last week's vote, has since expressed confidence that he can work with Obama to hammer out a comprehensive deal on immigration.

Republicans rejected the DREAM Act, which would legalize undocumented immigrants who came to the country as children, and supported tough anti-immigrant legislation in Arizona along the border with Mexico.

Rising Republican star Senator Marco Rubio opposed the DREAM Act and has declined to say whether he believes Congress should allow those immigrants to become citizens without going home first.

But the Cuban-American lawmaker, seen as an early contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, made clear the day after the election that his party needed to reach out to Hispanics.

"The conservative movement should have particular appeal to people in minority and immigrant communities who are trying to make it," he said in a statement issued less than two hours after Romney's concession speech.

In a historic development in June, five months before he faced re-election, Obama suspended the deportations of young illegal immigrants under 30 who came to the United States before the age of 16.

The plan was welcomed by the Latino community and no doubt boosted Obama's re-election bid.

Obama ended up winning 71 percent of the Hispanic vote, second only to former Democratic president Bill Clinton, who managed 72 percent in 1996.

The Latino vote was seen as decisive in swing states with large influxes of Hispanics like Nevada, Colorado, and Florida.

Romney, breaking his post-election silence in a phone call with his finance committee reported by the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, expressed bitterness about what he saw as Obama handouts, particularly to Latinos.

"The amnesty for children of illegals, the so-called 'Dream Act' kids, was a huge plus for that voting group," he said.

The number of eligible Hispanic voters in the United States is expected to almost double from 24 to 40 million by 2030. A record 12.5 million Hispanics voted on November 6, according to exit polls.

source: interaksyon.com

Anti-RH solons still won’t agree to give contraceptives only to poorest families

After a meeting with House leaders on Wednesday, lawmakers opposing the reproductive health (RH) bill still refused to accept a version of the measure that would give contraceptives only to the poorest families in the country.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said he would not accept any version of the RH bill, or House Bill 4244, unless the provision on the promotion of artificial birth control methods is deleted.

“We believe this should be taken out. The promotion of modern family planning methods is against the doctrine of the Catholic Church,” Rodriguez said after a closed-door meeting with House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

Belmonte sat down with RH critics on Wednesday afternoon to present possible amendments to the measure.

The House Speaker presented the proposal to amend the RH bill to target the government's provision of artificial contraceptives only to the poorest families in the country, as determined by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Rodriguez, however, said poor families should still be “protected from artificial contraceptives.”

“We cannot accept that contraceptives are essential medicines because pregnancy is never a disease. Besides, the provision of these contraceptives is being done now by non-governmental organizations, so why should the State come and coerce these people?” he said.

The RH bill, one of President Benigno Aquino III’s priority legislations, promotes the use of both natural and artificial methods of family planning. It is being opposed by the Roman Catholic Church, which promotes only natural forms of family planning.

The measure has yet to hurdle second reading in both chambers of Congress.

Due to ‘religious belief’

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, who was also present during the closed-door meeting, likewise admitted that some RH critics were still not convinced by a compromise version of the measure.

“Siyempre, for the hardliner, ayaw pa rin nila. Totally, talagang ayaw. Religious belief nila iyon e,” Gonzales said in a separate interview.

He added that the House leadership held the meeting to push the bill forward, despite the upcoming budget deliberations next week.

“Realistically, hindi naman talaga mate-take up ang RH ngayon e. Ang gusto lang ni Speaker mayroon maging basis ang usapan. Kung walang panibagong i-offer sa kanila na version, wala ka ring pag-uusapan,” he said.

House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, for his part, suggested that the RH bill be entirely junked, and that the funds for contraceptives be incorporated to the budget allocation for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program.

“Why don’t we set aside money for CCT to buy contraceptives so we don’t need a new bill? Nagiging religious war ang issue e. Position ng bishops and tenets ng Catholic Church ang nagiging usapan kaya humahaba,” he said after attending the closed door meeting.

Suarez was one of the co-authors of the RH bill, but he withdrew his support for the bill last July.— BM, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

House members differ over Pacquiao's fight against BIR

MANILA, Philippines -- House members are of two minds on the accusation by their peer, Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, that he is being persecuted by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. One view holds he should just quietly settle the issue with the tax agency, while another view insists he was treated unfairly.

Leaders of the House of Representatives said Wednesday that instead of crying harassment, Pacquiao should just explain to the BIR the questions raised on his tax payments.

“Congressman Pacquiao should talk to BIR preferably with his accountant. That’s the better way to settle the issue,” Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said.

The issue at hand stems from a case the BIR lodged against Pacquiao for alleged violation of Section 266 of the National Internal Revenue Code or the provision on “failure to obey summons.”

Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales II said the cry of harassment by the boxing champion was unfounded.

“There no basis to cry harassment,” Gonzales said, adding “to further connect it to the impeachment is hitting below the belt.”

But Pacquiao's friend and colleague from San Juan City thinks otherwise.

“Insensitive and a major distraction in preparation for Pacman’s June fight” was how San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito slammed the BIR and Commissioner Kim Henares’ attitude toward their handling of the alleged tax fraud case against Pacquiao.

The lawmaker said this distraction is all due to the bureau’s process of exacting tax, which has now come to a point of harassment to the personality of the Sarangani Representative.

“BIR’s duty is given; Manny is not taking that personally. What only bothers him is how his case is being handled. Because BIR officials coming out to speak to the media is apparently becoming an attack to his personality rather than what they say as a fulfillment of duty,” Ejercito explained.

“For example, in news reports, some government officials may not be blatantly labeling Pacman as a tax evader. But if you read between the lines, it’s all the same,” he added.

And given Pacquiao’s rock star status, Ejercito said the media picks up almost every news item that relates with the boxing champ so easily.

“It is just unfortunate that at this time that Pacman needs to promote his upcoming fight, some government officials choose to feed media with pressers that smear on his personality,” he furthered.

“Is this how the government repays him with the victories he has brought to our country, by harassing him in the public to pay his taxes?”

But this is not to say that he and his colleagues in Congress are seeking for special attention with regard to Pacquiao's taxes, the lawmaker said. “Manny is only asking for consideration that they (government) listen to his side of the story. Because after all, he is also a public official.”

In the end, Ejercito hopes the BIR is not merely riding on Pacquiao’s popularity to portray that it is performing well, but is only after accomplishing its tax exacting responsibilities.

source: interaksyon.com