ABS-CBN actor Piolo Pascual revealed that he was disallowed by his superiors to endorse President Rodrigo Duterte in the 2016 presidential elections.

In an old interview with Philippine Entertainment Portal, Pascual said that he tried to meet Duterte in Davao during the campaign period several times, but he kept it private because of the rules given to him.

“Every time I would go to Davao, pinipilit kong maka-meet siya and hindi lang ako pinayagang mag-endorse [openly], pero I’ve always been for Digong.” Pascual said.

He only revealed the politician he supported after the election because of the said rules.

According to him, he’s not the only artist who’s not allowed to endorse candidates.

“It’s crucial, e, this election is crucial para sa bayan natin. And I wanna be able to use my influence para at least magamit naman natin ang tamang paraan ng pagkakampanya sa gusto natin.” he said.

“It will define the next six years of the Philippines, economy-wise, and it’s important for us to know who are we gonna vote for,” he added.

The old interview of Pascual has been recirculated on social media amid the ABS-CBN’s franchise issue.

Pascual is one of the celebrities supporting ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal and “praying everything turns out well and ok.”

In an article of getrelpundit.com, the webmaster of the said site asked if ABS-CBN is the one who disallows Pasqual from endorsing Duterte.

“Pascual stopped short of categorically stating that it was ABS-CBN or an agent of it that disallowed him from endorsing Duterte openly.” the author benign0 said.

“This leaves observers to connect the dots on their own — perhaps no-brainer connections, to be fair,” he added.

Some supporters of President Duterte accused ABS-CBN of trying to influence the 2016 elections after they allowed to air an advertisement against the former Davao City Mayor.

However, ABS-CBN insisted that they don’t have any political agenda.

Source: [1]

The chief of Argao police station in Cebu is now facing multiple charges after he caught sleeping with a female inmate in his office.

Major Ildefonso Miranda was caught by the authorities on Friday night and found that he’s sleeping with the 23-year-old detainee, Jean Claudia De Guzman.

They also found several photos of Miranda having sweet moments with De Guzman.

According to the investigators, Miranda even brought De Guzman outside the police station several times and went to other places in Cebu to have a romantic date.

“The girl was even brought here in Cebu City, naga-date pa sila…a very breach of discipline to a police officer,” Police Regional Office-7 Director Albert Ignatius Ferro said.

While the real relationship between Miranda and De Guzman is not yet been proven, the scene they found during the entrapment operation is already evidence against the police chief.

Police Director Roderick Mariano also ordered all police personnel under Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) to be investigated asking why no one reported the activities of Miranda earlier.

“Why is it na nangyari yun na may desk officer tayo, may deputy… bakit nangyari ito na hindi nare-report sa atin,” Mariano asked.

After being caught, Miranda insisted that what he did is not wrong and his only mistake is that he fell in love with the wrong person.

“Hindi ako nahihiya kasi hindi naman ako gumawa ng karumal dumal na kasalanan, ang tanging mali ko lang ay ang magmahal,” he told the Freeman newspaper.

Miranda is going to be replaced by Police Captain Elstone Dabon, Jr. from Mandaue City as the chief of Argao police.

Source: [1]

Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to give a passing grade to all students in his city amid the COVID-19 scare in the country.

In a radio interview, Tiangco said that he sees no problem in suspending the classes earlier, as there are only two to three weeks left for the current school year.

He argued that an early class suspension is better than risking the health of the student,s especially that the Philippines already confirmed local transmission of COVID-19.

“Ako ay nakiusap sa DepEd na kung puwede ipasa na lang lahat ng mga bata for this school year… para wala nang pasok for the rest of the year… Mas importante naman ho siguro ‘yung buhay ng mga bata kaysa ‘yung ituloy pa nila ‘yung two or three weeks ng pag-aaral,” Tiangco said.

He said that the DepEd could just ignore the performance of the students for the 4th quarter of the current school year and just compute the past quarters they completed to get their general average.

“May general average naman ‘yung mga bata as of this time, so baka naman pwe-pwedeng kung ano ‘yung general average nila, ‘yun na lang ang maging grado nila,” Tiangco stated.

“Ang gusto ho natin is ‘yung maging safe… doon tayo sa mas safe diba po? Alam niyo naiintindihan ko, importante [ang] aral, importante ‘yung grado, sa isang taon meron pa’ng pag-kakataon, eh,” he also said.

Tiangco is one of the first Mayors in the country to suspend the classes after the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the first local transmission of COVID-19 in PH.

President Rodrigo Duterte also declared public health emergency as per the advice of the experts from the DOH.

DOH also said that they already raised the COD Red Sub-level 1 alert.

However, DOH Sec. Francisco Duque III said that it’s still not recommended for the LGUs to suspend their classes amid COVID-19 scare.

“That’s their own decision but as of today, we are on sub-level 1 of code red and that is not being recommended,” the health secretary said.

A netizen shared a touching discussion between her and a security guard about Archie Paray, the former security official who led a hostage-taking in a mall in San Juan because he wanted to reveal the corruption of his former company.

In a lengthy post, netizen Honey Grace Salvador narrated how she was told about the common problems of security guards in the Philippines, including their lack of firearms, missing benefits and being unheard by labor officials in the Philippines.

According to her, Paray helped many security guards by voicing out their problems even in the wrong way.

She also urged the authorities to free Paray because he’s only fighting for the rights of all security guards in the country.

Salvador also compared Paray to former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who became involved in two coup d’etat but still gained his freedom.

She argued that if Trillanes gained his freedom despite launching a coup against the government, why Paray who only wanted to reveal the corruption of his former superiours is facing many charges.

“KUNG MAIHAHAMBING SA GINAWA NI TRILLIANES MAS BAYANI AT NAKA TUTULONG SI MR. ARCHIE KUNG SI TRIELLIANES NAKA LAYA!! BAKIT HINDI SIYA???” Salvador said.

“KUNG SA SENADO ANG PAG IHI SA CR NG KABABAIHAN AY PINAG TATALUNAN BAKIT DI ANG USAPIN NA TO???” she added.

You can read the remaining of her post below:

“Share ko lang experience ko kanina, habang nag aantay sa pag tawag sa akin, mag babayad kasi ako ng billing naki pag kuwentuhan ako sa isang Guard”

“Me: kuya na balitan mo na ung kay Mr.Archi?”

“Guard: ay opo mam,”

“Nag kuwentuhan kami sa mga nang yari,”

“Sinabi ko na humahanga ako sa Guard na yon,”

“Habang na papasarap ang kuwentuhan”

“May tumawag sa cashier kuya kausapin ka daw,”

“After nila mag kausap sa phone,”

“Narinig ko usapan nila ni cashier,”

“Chine check daw kung na abutan na sila ng fire arm,”

“Isip isip ko hala walang Baril si kuya?”

“Nag tanong na ako, kuya paano kung pasukin kayo?”

“Wala ptay, sagot ni kuya,”

“Totoo nga naman nag usap na din kami tungkol sa binipisyo na bangit niya may dalawa na siyang kasamahan nag reklamo sa DOLE”

“At siya nga din daw sa tulong ng cashier di pa niya malalaman na ilang buwan o mahigit 1 taon ng walang hulog ung SSS niya,”

“Si cashier ang pinakisuyuan ni kuya,”

“Ayon ina asikaso na ng agency nila,”

“At yung tumawag kanina AGENCY UN,”

“Dahil kung hindi sa Bayaning si Archie di sila mag bibigay ng benipisyo at fire arm na kailangan nilang mga Guard,”

“Pasalamat din si kuya sa kabaro niya,”

“Ngaun gising mga Agency na gumagawa ng kalokohan sa mga tauhan nila!”

“Maraming Pamilya ang tinulungan ni Sir, Archie sa Ginawa niyang hakbang na kahit alam niya na maari niyang ikaatay ang pang yayari sa Greenhills,”

“Kahit may sarili siyang Pamilya at buntis pa ang asawa niya,”

“imagine mo ilang Guardiya ang nakikita mo sa mga stabliment, condo at iba pa!”

“Ilang Pamilya din ang natulungan niya dahil lalo lumakas ang loob ng gaya niyang na aapi,
At alam nila na tama na ang ginawang Sakripisyo ng Sir, Archie at di na mauulit,”

“Saludo ako sa taong to!!!”

“Siya yung may TUNAY NA PINAG LALABAN”

“DI NIYA INALINTANA ANG BUHAY NIYA MAKATULONG SA IBA,”

“Given na masama ang mang hostage,”

“Pero di niya sinaktan o gusto i pahamak ang hostage niya, ayon sa isang hostage di raw sila na karamdam ng takot kasama si Sir, Archie ung sinabi ng isa na buntis siya, pina laya niya, ung 1pm na ramdam niya gutom na mga hostage niya nag request siya ng makakain!!!”

Paray gained the support of the netizens and called him as the real-life joker and a hero for sacrificing his freedom to fight for the rights of his colleagues.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives’ Committee on Labor and Employment is set to conduct an inquiry on March 10 to discuss the complaints of Paray.

Source: [1]

Senator Grace Poe’s son praised her for showing “true statesmanship” for deciding to inhibit herself from the senate proceedings for the franchise renewal of broadcasting company ABS-CBN.

In an Instagram post, Brian Poe expressed admiration for his mother’s decision, saying that the senator already did her part when she led the controversial senate hearing on the franchise of ABS-CBN.

Brian said that the senate hearing led by his mother is fair and she gave a chance for everyone to speak and question ABS-CBN.

“Statesmanship should come naturally to a public servant. Yesterday @sengracepoe exemplified true statesmanship by announcing she would inhibit herself from the committee proceedings for the ABS-CBN franchise,” Brian said.

“She had done her part for the country by calling for a hearing where all sides were fairly represented and by joining her fellow legislators in expressing the sentiment of the Senate regarding the continuation of the franchise. Now the house will formally hear the issue. Whatever the outcome, may it be the will of the people that prevails ??,” he added.

On Wednesday, Poe announced that she’s going to inhibit herself from voting on the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN.

“Kung sakaling pinalad ang ABS-CBN at magkaroon ng boto sa House at na-transmit dito, I will inhibit myself as chairman of the actual hearing of the franchise, and I will inhibit myself from voting for the approval of that franchise because I am confident that we will have the votes here of our discerning colleagues of ours,” the lady senator said.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Statesmanship should come naturally to a public servant. Yesterday @sengracepoe exemplified true statesmanship by announcing she would inhibit herself from the committee proceedings for the ABS-CBN franchise. She had done her part for the country by calling for a hearing where all sides were fairly represented and by joining her fellow legislators in expressing the sentiment of the senate regarding the continuation of the franchise. Now the house will formally hear the issue. Whatever the outcome, may it be the will of the people that prevails ??

A post shared by Brian Poe Llamanzares ✪ (@heyitsbrianpoe) on Mar 5, 2020 at 6:01am PST

Senator Poe was criticized by some lawyers like Harry Roque and Trixie Cruz-Angeles for involving herself in the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.

Roque and Cruz-Angeles cited Art. VI Section 14 which states:

“No Senator or Member of the House of Representatives may personally appear as counsel before any court of justice or before the Electoral Tribunals, or quasi-judicial and other administrative bodies. Neither shall he, directly or indirectly, be interested financially in any contract with, or in any franchise or special privilege granted by the Government, or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including any government-owned or controlled corporation, or its subsidiary, during his term of office. He shall not intervene in any matter before any office of the Government for his pecuniary benefit or where he may be called upon to act on account of his office.”

Poe also admitted her connections with ABS-CBN in an interview.

“Number 1, I am the chairman of the Committee on Public Services. No.2, it’s no secret the business relationship of my family with ABS-CBN. No. 3, I am only one of 24 senators. Whatever I say, even if I am for it or against it, if the majority will not side with my opinion, it will not prevail,” Poe said in an interview.

But she defended her decision to lead the investigation, saying performed the probe fairly.

“The chairman of a hearing will allow everyone to speak. We were the ones, I, in particular, made sure that the FICTAP (Federation of International Cable TV Associations of the Philippines), the ones against the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise was invited. I allowed them to speak and everyone else. In fact, members of the labor group of ABS-CBN I didn’t call them, Sen. Angara I think asked,” she said.

However, Roque said that the involvement of Poe in the said investigation is unnecessary because other senators could lead it.

“The point is, had she followed the Constitution and the law, the hearing could still have been conducted as obviously, she is only one of twenty-four Senators. Even if she is chairman of the Committee on Public Services, the committee’s vice-chairman could have presided over the same. In other words, Sen. Poe’s participation in that hearing was not indispensable,” he said.

“Ultimately, the question goes beyond delicadeza as obviously, the senator probably does not care for such. The issue is why a senator, who knew about both her conflict of interest and should have known the prohibition against it, would wantonly violate the Constitution and the law and not have any remorse for it!” he added.

“By golly, legislators are supposed to legislate normative values important to mankind. But here now is a senator flaunting violations of no less than the Constitution and saying she did so that the nation will know her stand on the matter! Goodness, a press release or a privilege speech in this regard would have sufficed for that purpose,” he also said.

Senator Cynthia Villar is reportedly met President Rodrigo Duterte in a Pasay City Hotel to discuss a possible change of leadership in the senate.

According to the report of Tribune.net, Villar, together with five Senators, met with Duterte a few days after Senate President Vicente Sotto III led a resolution to question the decision of the President, terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the United States and the Philippines.

Senators Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Francis Tolentino, Ronald dela Rosa and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go were present during the meeting.

Villar and senators Marcos, Tolentino, Dela Rosa, Go, Pimentel and Revilla decided to abstain from the treaty resolution vote.

Some media outlets called them as “Magnificent 7” after that incident.

Villar and the other senators who talked to the President are not yet revealing additional details about the meeting.

The feud between Villar and Sotto’s group started when some allies of President Duterte also signed the resolution asking the Supreme Court to explain the senate powers in terminating treaties like the VFA.

Even Senator Ronald Dela Rosa said that he felt included to the minority instead of the majority after he saw the results of the voting.

“We are the new minority,” Dela Rosa told the press.

“Sinasabi nga na may kaniya-kaniya tayong isip pero kung doon tayo sa political side of it, majority against minority, dapat majority palagi ang mananalo but we were not able to get the majority vote,” he added.

Sotto fought back to the criticisms and claimed that Villar and other senators abstained in voting because they don’t want to offend President Duterte.

“They did not want to offend the president… That is the reason why they abstained because if you feel that a resolution is wrong, then you vote against,” he said.

This is not the first time that Villar and Sotto allegedly clashed because of the position for the Senate president.

Last year, Villar refused to sign a resolution backing Sotto as the Senate President.

Villar was reportedly being prepared to replace Sotto in the 18th Congress, but the majority of the senators decided to support Sotto.

“Bakit ako pipirma dyan? Kung ipahamak n’yo ang aking kapartido? Ako nakapirma dyan. Hihintayin ko na maayos si Pia at si Imee. ‘Di ba tama ‘yun?” Villar said.

Source: Tribune.net