MANILA POST

PHILIPPINE LOTTO RESULTS MARCH 13, 2013

2013-03-13T16:04:00.002-07:00

ARGENTINA'S BERGOGLIO SELECTED AS NEW POPE

2013-03-13T14:19:00.000-07:00

White smoke billowed from the Vatican's Sistine Chapel Wednesday indicating the cardinals have selected a new pope after two days of voting. This came after the resignation of Benedict XVI, a first in in 600 years. Selected was Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who is the first non-Eurpean pontiff in nearly 1,300 years. He has chosen the name Pope Francis I.

Pope Francis reportedly got the second most number of votes in the papal election of 2005 after Joseph Ratzinger. Francis is known to be reserved and humble. He is also known for his social outreach visiting slums of Argentina. The Latin America has the largest share of the world's catholics.

'TEAM TATAY': ALLEGATIONS THAT NEGROS PRIESTS FATHERED CHILDREN

2013-03-13T01:47:00.000-07:00

In what seems to be a retaliatory attack to Negros priests for their Team Buhay and Team Patay tarpaulin, a nasty campaign has been circulating via text messages alleging that a number of Negros priests have actually fathered children. The 'Team Tatay' campaign is in reference to members of the Bacolod clergy who have allegedly sired children which include an archbishop, 3 bishops, one retired bishop, and one priest. The text message also warned that more names will be added to the list of 'Team Tatay'.

According to Bishop Navarra, this is part of a smut campaign versus the clergy for their position on the Reproductive Health Law and the 'Team Buhay' and 'Team Patay' campaign of the the Diocese of Bacolod.

PHILIPPINE LOTTO RESULTS MARCH 12, 2013

2013-03-12T15:58:00.002-07:00

PHILIPPINE LOTTO RESULTS MARCH 11, 2013

2013-03-12T15:56:00.001-07:00

SUPREME COURT RULED SAQUILAYAN AS RIGHTFUL MAYOR OF IMUS CAVITE

2013-03-12T06:52:00.001-07:00

It was Homer Saquilayan and not Manny Maliksi as the duly elected Mayor of Imus, Cavite as ruled by the Supreme Court in a tight vote of 8-7 on Tuesday, March 12 . Maliksi got 40,092 votes while Saquilayan got 48,521 votes last elections.

The TRO issued by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in October 2012 was likewise lifted by the SC. Concurring justices were Castillo, Abad, Martin, Villarama, Perez, Perlas-Bernabe, and Leonen, while dissenting justices were Bersamin, Velasco, Brion, Peralta, Mendoza, and Reyes.

CJ Sereno voted with the majority.

The decision is said to be immediately executory considering there are only less than 5 months left in Saquilayan's term. Maliksi and Saquilayan will face each other again in the upcoming elections with the former running under the Liberal Party and the latter under the Nacionalista Party.

DC SHOOTING LEFT 13 PEOPLE INJURED

2013-03-12T05:55:00.000-07:00

Gunmen in two cars opened fire on a large crowd gathered outside Tyler House, a low-income facility in Northwest Washington, DC. Most of the victims suffered gunshot wounds to the legs, hands, extremities, and some graze wounds. All are expected to survive.

Police are looking into the possibility that the shooting may have stemmed from an altercation earlier at a nearby club.

PAPAL ELECTION

2013-03-12T04:55:00.003-07:00

The 115 cardinals will choose the next pope on Tuesday with the world awaiting in suspense as who will succeed the first pope to resign in 700 years. The cardinals will be completely cut-off from the outside world bound by the strict oath of secrecy. Any cardinal who spills the beans is automatically excommunicated.

They will begin with a mass on Tuesday to ask for divine guidance. Cardinals from Italy, Brazil, Canada, Austria, Hungary, Mexico, South Africa, United States, and the Philippines are among the top candidates.

PHILIPPINE LOTTO RESULTS MARCH 10, 2013

2013-03-11T05:40:00.000-07:00

PAPAL CONTENDER: CARDINAL LUIS ANTONIO TAGLE

2013-03-11T05:22:00.000-07:00

Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle remains a strong contender to be the next pope. Cardinal Tagle is Asia's most prominent Roman Catholic leader who knows how to effectively connect with the masses. He is known for his charismatic nature and his compassion for the poor. He's on Facebook too.

A new pope is expected to be elected this week following the resignation of Benedict XVI. Fifteen Cardinals are considered to be papabile or top papal contenders.

RENALDO BALKMAN, BANNED FOR LIFE IN THE PBA

2013-03-11T04:42:00.000-07:00

Commissioner Angelico Salud of the PBA has released the decision banning Petron import Renaldo Balkman from playing in the PBA for life after the latter's meltdown against the Alaska Aces.

Commissioner Chito Salud said that the import's track record as a player was taken into consideration including a head butting incident during the FIBA-Americas game and an altercation during a pre-season game in Cebu also against the Alaska Aces.

Balkman was likewise fined P250,000 apart from the ban. The import had his worst game of the tournament when he apparently lost it and choked teammate Arwind Santos.

Ramon Ang sparks two-way race for new Manila airport

2012-09-16T04:36:00.002-07:00

From www.interaksyon.com

The proposal of PAL president Ramon Ang for Philippine Airlines to build its own airport only "15 minutes away from Edsa-Ayala" has sparked a bold counter-proposal from his neighboring contractor-developer in the reclaimed stretch of land along Roxas Boulevard.

A plan for a two-runway airport parallel to the Sangley airport in Cavite, to rise on reclaimed land on the peninsula facing Corregidor island, has been resurrected by Delfin Wenceslao Jr., chairman of the construction firm DM Wenceslao and Associates.

DM Wenceslao is part of the international R-1 Consortium that reclaimed the 204-hectare Aseana Business Park between the Redemptorist Channel, parallel to the Mall of Asia, and the Uniwide mall.

The main advantages of the Sangley location, according to Wenceslao, is that not only would it protect the existing marshland and bird sanctuary along the Coastal Road, it could be connected to Makati through the skyway and/or light rail transit via a 14-kilometer coastway.

The coastway-and-light rail combine, he added, is a lot cheaper than building a high-speed train link between Manila and Clark, the planned main gateway to replace Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

More important for developers like Ayala, SM, Robinsons, Federal Land and Vista Land, according to Wenceslao, the Sangley location would free up the height restrictions now imposed along The Fort, Ortigas, parts of Makati and around the Mall of Asia.

The technical proposal for the Sangley site has been with the Philippine Reclamation Authority for over two years, solicited by the past PRA board.

Wenceslao said he was unaware where Ang wanted to locate the PAL airport, even though he sits on the boards of listed companies Philweb and Alphaland along with Ang. The speculation is that Ang is looking to revive the 750-hectare Cyber Bay reclamation project, past the Uniwide mall.

Ang happens to also be the chairman of the listed Cyber Bay real estate company. Moreover, Cyber Bay's president, lawyer Peter Suchianco, is the proponent of a Paranaque-Las Pinas-Bacoor reclamation project that is being opposed by former Las Pinas Representative Cynthia Villar, in alliance with left-wing and environmental groups.

As to Sangley, it was incidentally the same site picked by infrastructure magnate Gordon Wu of Hong Kong's Hopewell Holdings during the Cory Aquino presidency.

But Wu's proposal only called for lengthening the Sangley runway, and then connecting the airport from the Cavite City peninsula across the bay to Roxas Boulevard via an underwater tunnel.

Unfortunately, the present Sangley size of 138 hectares -- a former US Navy facility whose 2,400-meter runway was extensively used during the Vietnam War -- has grown too small for an international terminal, which needs at least 500 hectares for a single-runway airport.

Depending on the size of the terminal and related aviation buildings, the proposed two-runway Sangley airport could be built on 1,000 to 1,200 hectares of reclaimed land, Wenceslao said.

And with the combined light rail-coastway link, owners of general aviation aircraft could no longer use road traffic congestion to object to their transfer to Sangley from the Ninoy Aquino airport, he added.

The main drawback for this proposal? The cost of the reclamation. The Hong Kong airport, built on two islands and reclaimed land, cost $20 billion in 1998.

"The question now is, will Sangley be financially viable? That is what we are trying to find out,' Wenceslao said.

PAGASA WEATHER UPDATE TYPHOON KAREN

2012-09-15T02:28:00.000-07:00

Republic of the Philippines

Department of Science and Technology

PHILIPPINE ATMOSPHERIC, GEOPHYSICAL AND ASTRONOMICAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (PAGASA)

Weather Forecasting Section, Weather Division

WFFC Bldg., BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City 1100

24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST

ISSUED AT : 5:00 AM 15 SEPTEMBER 2012
VALID BEGINNING : 5:00 AM TODAY UNTIL 5:00 AM TOMORROW

SYNOPSIS: AT 4:00 AM TODAY, TYPHOON “KAREN” WAS ESTIMATED BASED ON SATELLITE AND SURFACE
DATA AT 690 KM EAST OF ITBAYAT, BATANES (21.7°N, 129.4°E) WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 185 KPH NEAR
THE CENTER AND GUSTINESS OF UP TO 220 KPH. IT IS FORECAST TO MOVE NORTH AT 15 KPH.

FORECAST: METRO MANILA WILL BE CLOUDY WITH OCCASIONAL
MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS AND THUNDERSTORMS. MODERATE TO
STRONG WINDS BLOWING FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND MANILA BAY
WILL BE MODERATE TO ROUGH.
OCCASIONAL MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS WILL BE
EXPERIENCED IN CENTRAL LUZON, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, BICOL
REGION AND WESTERN VISAYAS WHICH MAY TRIGGER
FLASHFLOODS AND LANDSLIDES. THE REST OF VISAYAS AND
NORTHERN LUZON WILL BE CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED LIGHT TO
MODERATE RAINS. MINDANAO WILL HAVE PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES
WITH ISOLATED RAINS OR THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EVENING.
MODERATE TO STRONG WINDS BLOWING FROM THE
NORTHEAST TO NORTHWEST WILL PREVAIL OVER NORTHERN
LUZON AND COMING FROM THE SOUTHWEST OVER THE REST OF
THE COUNTRY. THE COASTAL WATERS THROUGHOUT THE
ARCHIPELAGO WILL BE MODERATE TO ROUGH.

WEATHER UPDATE SEPT. 15, 2012 TYPHOON KAREN

2012-09-14T14:21:00.003-07:00

From PAGASA WEBSITE

Issued at: 5:00 a.m., Today, 15 September 2012
Strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the eastern seaboards of Luzon and Visayas, the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon and the western and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon.

MITT'S NOT FIT: ROMNEY NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME

2012-09-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

courtesy of http://mariopiperni.com

From New York Magazine

Pretty much everybody in politics, Republicans included, is shaking his or her head over Mitt Romney’s ham-handed attack on the Obama administration and equally clumsy follow-up today. But Romney’s strategy here was a perfectly straightforward application of the foreign-policy principles that have guided his campaign from the outset.

In the wake of his defeat in the 2008 GOP primary, Romney almost immediately started running for the 2012 nomination. At that time (well before the depth of the financial crisis was clear), Obama’s main political weakness appeared to be foreign policy. He was inexperienced in the field and associated (through a 2002 speech against the Iraq War) with a vulnerable dovish wing of the party. What’s more, he seemed vaguely foreign, and many Americans incorrectly believed he was Muslim. All this set the stage for Romney’s planned line of attack that Obama did not sufficiently love or appreciate his country and inappropriately coddled Muslim extremists, a line set forth in Romney’s campaign book No Apology, which castigated Obama for undertaking an international apology tour.

Now, the apology tour was a figment of the right-wing imagination. But this was beside the point. The point was that it set the tone Romney wanted: Obama apologizes for America to the bad guys, and Romney would stand firm for America.

And so, when militant Islamists attacked an American embassy, Romney automatically reverted to this line, releasing a statement charging “that the Obama administration’s first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.” This was triply false: (1) The statement in question was not made by the Obama administration but by the embassy staff, (2) it was not a response to the attacks but a (justifiably panicked) attempt to preempt them, in keeping with a long-standing bipartisan practice of distancing the U.S. from inflammatory religious provocation, and (3) it was not an expression of sympathy with attackers or other militants.

It’s not clear how well Romney would have understood the falsity of his claim. Perhaps he was confused about the timeline or the authorship, making his statement merely a single lie rather than a double or triple lie. In any case, Romney’s abhorrence of apologies required him to avoid steering his attack even slightly away from its original course. He insisted, “It’s never too early for the United States government to condemn attacks on Americans and to defend our values.”

Never too early? Not even before the attacks had occurred, which is when the statement in question was issued?

The miscalculation at work here is that Romney believed his “Apology Tour” method would neatly fit the events at hand — take an event that sort of vaguely resembled an Obama apology to Muslims who don’t like us, twist it around, and call it a day. But Romney had grown accustomed to spinning fantasies cobbled together from months-old Obama speeches and nurtured into legend by extensive repetition and exaggeration in the conservative subculture. What he failed to realize from the outset was that the embassy attack was an immediate, high-profile event that he could not hope to rewrite so brazenly. Forced to confront the yawning chasm between reality and the fantasy he had wallowed in so long, Romney was exposed and, justifiably, discredited.

Semerad Twins: From Red Lions to Blue Eagles

2011-12-13T06:22:00.000-08:00

The Semerad twins, David and Anthony, have confirmed in a recent television appearance that they are leaving San Beda College and will be transferring to the Ateneo. The twins disclosed that they are not happy with their development as players in San Beda and are hoping to fit in with the system in Ateneo.

Sources said that their decision was influenced by their manager, showbiz talent manager Arnold Vegafria. It was also said that they are demanding starters' minutes from Ateneo.

UAAP rules prevent the twins from immediately playing for their new school and have to sit out for at least two years before they become eligible.

SEA Games 2011 Medal Tally

2011-11-20T05:59:00.001-08:00

As of November 20, 2011:

SEA Games 2011Medal Tally

Senator Rene Saguisag speaks: THE LAW IN SAN BEDA

2011-11-18T08:20:00.001-08:00

THE LAW IN SAN BEDA (email from Sen. Rene Saguisag)

The law we learned and teach in San Beda is not the worst. We work and pray. We placed Nos. 1 and 2 last year in the 2009 bar exams, if that would count for anything. Every year we are No. 1 or 2, class-wise, again, if that would count.

It is sad that Ms. Horn should take a cheap shot at San Beda, a small school but there those of us who are proud of and love it. We are expected not to take the low road of invective and insult.

The SolGen is from UP. Does he side with GMA?

The unelected Supreme Court is static and just waits for someone to invoke its authority. The Prez is dynamic, elected by the people and he receives information from all over. If Business Insight reports that the Dominican Republic Ambassador (not to the Philippines) saw GMA last month about an asylum request, it should be checked and verified.

That was why the unelected SC should have conducted a hearing and listened to both sides, not only to GMA’s. Balance and fairness are desiderata.

The Prez takes into account not only the law but also policy considerations and justifications and should verify leads. Jake Macasaet and Pocholo Romualdez of Business Insight reported that the paper has credible information on GMA seeking asylum in the Dominican Republic, through its Ambassador (not to Manila)which could very well have been discussed in a full-blown hearing in the Supreme Court; it should notify parties in the regular mode, not through TV. Chaos may ensue.

Ad hominem is always sad. San Beda’s Florenz Regalado holds the bar record of 96.7% followed by Bobby de la Fuente with 95.95%. Flor served in the SC and had the reputation of being totally unapproachable. They taught us to stick to the high road. Lo cortes no quita lo valiente.

The presidency is in the commanding heights but the SC, without hearings, could only be a bivouac.

If government could not deal with the TRO, it was because the SC provided only GMA with same. This is not law as taught in San Beda.

I speak up in support of Leila, my fellow Bedan topnotcher. We are trained to take positions, firmly, as a matter of conviction, ready to face the consequences believing that in all things God be glorified. If there was no People Power last night in support of GMA, it may be because she has cried wolf all too often.

GMA had the basic human and constitutional right to due process but so has the State.

Foot Stopper Trick video of Juan Manuel Marquez goes viral

2011-11-15T15:31:00.001-08:00

A video of Juan Manuel Marquez stepping on Manny Pacquiao during their last fight dubbed as Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 is going viral on YouTube. The video shows Marquez has stepped on Pacquiao's foot a total of six times. The video alleges that on all the six times that Marquez stepped on Pacquiao, he was always on the offensive.

Arroyos barred by Immigration officials at NAIA

2011-11-15T06:09:00.001-08:00

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her entourage including her husband was barred by Immigration officials at NAIA from leaving the country.

Her camp is planning to file charges of contempt against those who prevented them from leaving the country. They were scheduled to take the Dragon Air flight bound for Hong Kong.

Pacquiao wins over Marquez via highly controversial majority decision

2011-11-12T22:05:00.001-08:00

Manny Pacquiao wins over Juan Manuel Marquez via a controversial majority decision. It was indeed a very close fight with Pacquiao at times feeling frustrated unable to mount a sustained offesive. Everytime Pacquiao comes in, Marquez, famously known as a counter puncher, always got him on his way out.

Juan Manuel Marquez was landing very good shots while Pacquiao was landing more punches overall. Judges have it 114-114, 115-113, 116-112.

Cups were thrown to the ring with Marquez leaving to wild cheers. Crowd does not want Pacquiao interviewed via deafening boos.

Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 undercard: Mike Alvarado over Breidis Prescott via a 10th round stoppage

2011-11-12T21:22:00.001-08:00

Mike Alvarado vs. Breidis Prescott

It was a great undercard with Mike Alvarado and Breidis Prescott fighting each other toe to toe with Alvarado turning things around stopping Prescott who was leading on points.

Alvarado entered the 10th round roaring and landed vicious shots eventually downing Prescott for the first time in his career.

Referee Jay Nady stopped the fight at 1:53 of the final round.

Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 opener: Juan Carlos Burgos over Luis Cruz via a majority decision

2011-11-12T21:05:00.001-08:00

Juan Carlos Burgos outclassed Luis Cruz with Burgos taking a majority decision with scores of 98-92, 97-93, and 95-95. Burgos threw and landed more punches, appeared more active targeting Luis Cruz' body most of the time.

Juan Carlos Burgos vs Luis Cruz

Cruz was not able to do a decent job in the counter-punching department where he is known for with most of his counter punches being a bit too slow. On the other hand, his nemesis Burgos has landed some of the best shots of the fight.

Tale of the Tape: Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez

2011-11-12T06:49:00.001-08:00

Pacquiao vs Marquez 3

Manny Pacquiao Juan Manuel Marquez

143 Weight 142

5’6 ½ Height 5’7

66 ½ Reach 67

38 Chest (Normal) 41

41 Chest (Expanded) 44

13 Biceps 14

12 Forearm 12

28 Waist 29

20 Thigh 19

13 Calf 13

16 Neck 16

8 Wrist 6 ½

10 Fist 11 ½

53-3-2, 38 KOs Record 53-5-1, 39 KOs

December 17, 1978 Birth Date October 23, 1973

Freddie Roach prediction: Manny Pacquiao over Juan Manuel Marquez via knockout by 6th round

2011-11-12T02:56:00.001-08:00

Freddie Roach feels very confident that the fight will not go over six rounds with Manny Pacquiao knocking out Juan Manuel Marquez.

He said that Pacquiao has improved a lot from the last time the two warriors met in the ring.

Roach said to yahoo.com “I don’t think this fight is going to go six rounds. With Manny’s footwork, he’s just a completely different animal to the guy that fought Marquez he first time. [Marquez] has gotten up against Manny before, but I don’t think he’s going to be able to get up from the power Manny has now.”

Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach

In a recent survey, a measly 1.3% say Marquez will win via KO in the early rounds while the same percentage say Marquez will win by KO in the later rounds. Around 1.1% say Marquez by decision and less than 1% say it’s going to be a draw. On the other hand, 75.8% say Pacquiao will win by KO while 11.2% say Pacquiao by decision.