DOJ wants maid allegedly raped by Jalosjos to testify
THE JUSTICE Department wants the mother of the alleged illegitimate son of Congressman Romeo Jalosjos to testify in the trial. Prosecutors are hoping her testimony could help establish Jalosjos's behavioural pattern.
It was a long time ago in a house in White Plains owned by actress Nida Blanca when a 15-year old maid was allegedly raped by Romeo Jalosjos.
Melchor Gabais, now 28 years old, says he longs to meet his father. Melchor was in high school when his mother Ofelia, revealed to him who his father was. Ofelia gave this interview to radio station, dzXL.
Nida Blanca was not home. She has been avoiding interviews about the rape case involving her former husband, Romeo Jalosjos.
The justice department wants Ofelia to testify in the trial against Jalosjos. Her testimony could help establish the record of Jalosjos for having sex with minors.
But former Chief Justice, Senator Marcelo Fernan, believes her testimony is not vital to the case. It's also too late for Ofelia to press charges for the alleged rape that happened 28 years ago. The law provides a proscription period of 20 years. But her experience may just prove vital in determining who between Jalosjos and the 11-year old, is telling the truth.
MWSS assures there will be no mass lay-off of workers
METROPOLITAN Waterworks and Sewerage System Administrator Alfredo Lazaro, denies the mass layoff of workers. Lazaro assures them there is life after privatization.
Administrator Lazaro is upset over newspaper reports that quoted him as saying all 5,400 MWSS workers would lose their jobs. Lazaro says the government will retain a hundred of them for "residual functions." On May 7th, Benpres and Ayala will rehire all employees. Before that, they will have already received their separation pay from the government.
If that doesn't happen, Benpres and Ayala pay them half a month's salary for every year of service. There's also a chance to work in "downstream businesses" that the companies will put up. Lazaro emphasized reorganizing the bureaucracy is at the root of the government's privatization program.
At least, 65 percent of Metro Manila is covered by MWSS services, and close to 60 percent of water supply is lost to illegal connections, pipe leakages, and unsanitary conditions.
The MWSS reorganized in August last year, trimming the work force by some 2,200 workers. Some of the employees are insecure about their jobs.
MILF violates ceasefire agreement?
THE ARMY is accusing the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), of violating the ceasefire agreement reached yesterday ending a week of fighting in Buldon, Maguindanao. The Army says the MILF has refused to dismantle its checkpoints in the area. Regional Army Spokesman Lt. Noel Detoyato, warns they will take drastic action to remove the roadblocks.
Meanwhile, police have arrested the gunman in the 1995 killing of Police Chief Inspector Jose Pring. William Batungbakal admits being a former member of the Alex Boncayao Brigade. He confessed he took part in the daylight ambush of Pring.
But he says he was no longer with the ABB when former PC Colonel Rolando Abadilla was ambushed and killed. Batungbakal was arrested in his house in Malate, Manila, Sunday.
More Chinese in danger / Bus accident
MANILA Mayor Alfredo Lim has ordered the Western Police District to intensify patrols in the city to thwart kidnappers. Prominent Filipino-Chinese businessmen have sought Lim's help after receiving rumors that nine of them will be kidnapped and then killed.
Just last night, a Filipino-Chinese businesswoman, Benita Lim-Ngo, was killed by robbers in Binondo, Manila.
Last week, businessman Tommy Wong was abducted in Tondo. Investigators are now trying to determine if the body of an unidentified man they found in the Pasig River last week was that of Wong's. Lim has ordered the police to speed up the investigation.
In Camarines Norte, at least 19 people were killed and 35 others injured when a bus plunged 40 meters into a ravine in the town of Labo. One survivor says the bus was trying to overtake another vehicle while negotiating a zig-zag. The driver lost control. He was among those killed.
The undeclared epidemic
HEALTH officials say more parents are now bringing their children to health centers for measles vaccinations. Still, more measles victims were brought to hospitals today. And the debate continues to rage on whether or not an epidemic should be declared.
Anti-measles vaccines are available all year round at public health centers, for free. But some parents wait until the last minute to have their children immunized.
Today, the San Lazaro Hospital admitted 38 new cases, bringing the nationwide total to 814. Former Health Secretary, Senator Juan Flavier, thinks the department is being complacent.
But Health Secretary Carmencita Reodica, prefers to play it down. Up to now the health department refuses to declare an epidemic and assures the public that everything is under control. The number of cases are expected to increase. The health department says its aim is to wipe out measles altogether.
But if parents act only when disasters strike, then it still has a long way to go.
The final solution
Environment authorities have begun exterminating about 700 monkeys, bred in a farm in Calamba, Laguna. The Health Department believes the monkeys are infected with the ebola virus.
People from the Environment Department arrived at around 9 this morning. Some of them said they don't agree with the order to kill the monkeys, but they have to follow the order. All 700 monkeys are to be killed, including the pregnant and the newborn.
Farm workers did not feel like working. It was more than just a job. They say they had grown to love the animals. The monkeys will be first killed by lethal injection, and then incinerated.
The DENR personnel at first postponed the mercy killing. The farm's incinerator, they said, was too small.
But, the killing proceeded as soon as our news team left the farm in Calamba. The extermination, which will continue tomorrow, was on order of the Health Department.
PSE to investigate on stock prices
The Securities and Exchange Commission has ordered the Philippine Stock Exchange to investigate the sharp price rises in several penny stocks over the past weeks.
SEC Chairman Perfecto Yasay says there's a possibility of insiders trading. There is also a possibility market players are manipulating the prices. Yasay says they have preliminary reports, but have not yet decided if there are already some guilty parties since the PSE has yet to submit a formal report on its investigations.
There has been a flurry of buying in rarely traded issues, mostly oil and mining companies. The PSE freezes a shareprice if it reaches the limit of a 50 percent rise within a single day. Those that reached their limits are Acoje Holdings, Marsteel Corpora tion and Itogon-Suyoc Mines.
Insider trading is punishable by a 15 to 20 year jail term. So far nobody has been jailed for insider trading.
Export receipts from garments and textile last year fell by almost 3 percent to 2-point-787 billion dollars. Compared to 1995, it was also 7-point-6 percent short of the 3 billion dollar target.
The Trade and Industry Department blame the drop on the slump in exports to quota countries which account for 75-percent of total exports.
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Dollar Reserves / Greenwoods Development launched
The Bangko Sentral is aiming high. It's targetting international reserves of 14 billion dollars in 1997 after a record 11-point-7 billion last year.
BSP Chief Economist Diwa Guinigundo says the target is achievable because of a higher balance of payments surplus this year. Higher export earnings, strong inflows of dollar loans, and foreign investments are expected to further increase the BOP surplus.
Jardine land, the real estate subsidiary of Jardine Davies, launched Greenwoods Development in Dasmariņas Cavite. Jarine land is a joint venture project among Jardine Davies, Hongkong Land, Equitable Bank, Metro Bank and San Miguel Properties.
At the Fort Bonifacio Global City, the groundreaking of its first building, Essensa-East Forbed is a 7-point-2 billion luxury condominium designed by world-renowned I.M. Pei.