Solon pushes probe on USS Warship Sonar - Chinese submarine collision
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A lawmaker today sought a congressional inquiry into the reported collision of United States warship Sonar
and a Peoples’ Republic of China (PROC) submarine in Philippine waters.
Rep. Jonathan A. Dela Cruz (Party-list, ABAKADA GURO), author of House Resolution 1244, said the collision
and the presence of the two warships in Philippine waters should raise a question on whether the country’s
sovereign laws on territorial water have been violated.
“The incident could be a total disregard of the country’s sovereign laws and rights accorded it by international
law,” Dela Cruz said.
Dela Cruz said he is confident the investigation could be able to recommend appropriate actions to protect
and uphold the Philippine’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Dela Cruz said many people want to know if the American vessel is carrying nuclear weapons.
“The USS John McCain -- the warship -- failed to give due notice to the Philippine government, if it carries
nuclear weapons, which Philippine laws prohibit,” he said.
Dela Cruz stressed that the 1987 Constitution prohibits the entry of nuclear weapons in Philippine territory.
“The Chinese military establishment also failed to explain the reason why their submarine was navigating
under water, passing through Philippine waters contrary to the requirements of United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” Dela Cruz said.
The UNCLOS requires all submarines and underwater vehicles passing within the territorial seas of the
signatory States of the convention, including the Philippines, to navigate on the surface and to show
their flag.
US military officials said a Chinese submarine hit an underwater sonar array being towed by the destroyer
UDD John McCain to listen and locate underwater sounds. The array was damaged, but the Chinese
submarine and the Chinese did not collide.
The US navy does not believe this was a deliberate incident of Chinese harassment, as it would have been
extremely dangerous had the array gotten caught in the submarine’s propellers.
On the other hand, the Chinese government labeled the collision as an accident adding it probably occurred
due to misjudgment of distance.
In a statement, Malacañang said there was no provocation on the collision of the two vessels
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HOUSE RATIFIES P150-B 5-YEAR CARP EXTENSION MEASURE
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The House of Representatives ratified Wednesday afternoon the bicameral conference committee report
strengthening the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and extending the acquisition and
distribution of all covered agricultural lands to be completed by June 30, 2014.
Speaker Prospero C. Nograles said the ratification, which came two days following President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address, reflects government’s resolve to “heighten rural productivity
to spur a balanced national economic development.”
“Rural productivity is a vital cog to ensure food security and sustained national economic development. This
is a commitment to our farmers,” Nograles stressed, as he lauded all the deputy Speakers and Majority
Leader Arthur Defensor and his deputies, Agrarian panel chair Elias Bulut, Jr. with Rep. Edcel Lagman for
steering the bill thru the legislative mill, from committee to plenary consideration and debates, until its final
approval and ratification.
Noting that land reform is an issue that transcends partisan concerns, Nograles thanked the House collective
leadership, the majority coalition and the members of the Minority and party list members for their full support
to the agrarian reform extension bill.
The committee report is the reconciled version of Senate Bill No. 2666 and House Bill No. 4077. The House
and Senate contingents to the bicameral conference committee were respectively headed by Rep. Bulut,
Jr. and Sen. Gregorio B. Honasan II, Nograles himself actively participated during the bicam-meetings during
the recess.
The ratified measure, upon ratification by the Senate, would then be submitted to Malacanang for review and
subsequent signing into law by the President after the week-long official visit to Washington.
The proposed law would amend certain provisions of Republic Act No. 6657, otherwise known as the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988, as amended and appropriating funds therefore.
Among the salient provisions of the proposed amendatory law are: - Within 6 months from effectivity, the
DAR shall submit a comprehensive study on the land size appropriate for each type of crop to Congress for a
possible review of limits of land sizes provided under the Act; - Land acquisition and distribution shall be
completed by June 30, 2014 on a province –by-province basis;
In general, the land awarded to a farmer beneficiary should be in the form of an individual title, covering one
contiguous tract or several parcels of land cumulated up to a maximum of three (3)
hectares.
The beneficiaries may opt for collective ownership, such as co-workers or farmers cooperative or some other
form of collective organization…for the issuance of collective ownership titles, among others.
The measure also includes provisions ensuring socialized terms on agricultural credit facilities, extension
services, infrastructure, research, productions and use of organic fertilizers and other necessities for
production.
Likewise, there are provisions ensuring the rights of women CARP beneficiaries, the DAR shall maintain
women’s desks responsible for formulating and implementing programs and activities related to the
protection and promotion of women’s rights, as well as, providing an avenue where women can register their
complaints and grievances principally related to their rural activities.
The measure provides for increase penalties for violations of the CARP law and underlines the vital role of the
Congressional Oversight Committee, jointly chaired by the chairman of the House and Senate Committees
on Agrarian Reform, to oversee and monitor the implementation of the Act.
Clear provisions on just compensation, sourced from the Agrarian Reform Fund, the GAA and other sources
as provided by law, to landowners are clearly stipulated and classified as continuing appropriations that
would total to P150-billion.
The Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) and the DAR shall provide the necessary implementing
rules and regulations within thirty days upon the approval of the ACT.
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Batas laban sa pyramiding scam na naihain na
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NAKATAKDA nang dinggin sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso ang inihaing HOuse bill 6094 ni Rep.
Rufus B. Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan De Oro, PMP) na pinaniniwalaang pipigil sa pagdami ng mga
naloloko sa pyraminding scam.
Ayon sa House Bill 6094 ni Rodriguez tinatayang nasa libong katao na ang nabibiktima ng mga sindikato ng
mga pyramiding scheme.
Kabilang naman na tinukoy ni Rodriguez na nasa likod ng mga prymiding scheme si Rose Baladjaya, ang SM
Fund, Franc Swiss, PIPC, Royal Manchester at ang Legacy Group of Companies na kinasasangkutan ng
bilyong piso.
Sinabi pa ng Kongresista na kabilang sa mga nabiktima ng Legacy Group na naghain ng kaso ang lowly
sectors
tulad ng teachers, soldiers, police, workers, farmers at ibang pang may mababang suweldo.
Pinaliwanag naman ni Rodriguez kadalasan bouncing checks ang ibinabayad ng nagpapatakbo ng pyramid
scams sa kanilang na recruit ma investors ito man ay pagbabalik ng kanilang puhunan o kanilang tubo.
dinagdag pa ng Kongresista na nahihirapan na ang biktima na mahabol pa ang mga nasa likod ng pyramid
scams dahil ang signatories o drawers na nakapirma sa bouncing checks because ay hindi kilala.
"This is especially true for those checks issued by corporations where
no names are provided," ani Rodriguez.
Sa kasalukyan ayon kay Rodriguez sa Negotiable Instruments Law, na pinapayagan na hindi na kailangan na
isama pa ang pangalan ng mga signatory o drawer na nakapirma sa checks.
Ang tinutukoy ni Rodriguez ang Batas Pambansa Blg. 22, "An Act Penalizing the Making or Drawing and
Issuance of a Check without Sufficient Funds or Credit,"
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Bagong bayani ng Sining
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PINIRMAHAN na ni Pangulong Arroyo ang pagiging national artist ng pitong kagawad ng sining.
Ayon sa Palasyo na pinirman ng pangulo ang executive order bago tumulak papuntang Estados Unidos ang
Pangulo para makipagpulong kay US President Barack Obama.
Kinabibilangan ng mga bagong national artists ay sina Manuel Urbano (Film); Lazaro Francisco (Literature);
Federico Alcuaz (Visual Arts); Cecilia Guidote-Alvarez (Theater); Magno Carlos J. Caparas (Visual Arts);
Francisco Manoza (Architecture) at Jose Pitoy Moreno (Fashion Design).
Nalulungkot naman ang mga tagahanga ni Francis Magalona na kilala sa mga makabayang rap at na
binigyan pa ng pagkikila ng Pangulo pero hindi pa rin siya napabilang bagong bayani ng sining.
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