Pinoy Meets World

MANILA, Philippines –(UPDATE) As a “father and a government official,” Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman apologized for the brawl involving his family and that of a businessman at an exclusive golf club in Antipolo City last Friday.

“Humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa nangyari [I am apologizing for the incident]. As a government official, hindi ko rin gusto ang nangyari [I also did not want what happened]. Nasaktan ang pamilya ko, nasaktan din ang pamilya de la Paz [My family got hurt and so did the family of De la Paz] … Hindi ko tinatalikuran ang responsibility ko [I am not turning back on my responsibility] as a government official and a father,” Pangandaman said in an interview on radio dzBB.  Read more... (157 words, estimated 38 secs reading time)

Holy Land Pilgrimage Episode #31: Does your heart have room for Jesus? Listen to Bo’s special message in Bethlehem — at the very spot where Christ was born.

BANGKOK–Thousands of Thai anti-government protesters Monday closed off roads in front of parliament in Bangkok, where new prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was expected to deliver his maiden policy speech.

Police said 9,000 red-shirted demonstrators loyal to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled in a 2006 coup, moved to parliament overnight after gathering on Sunday night at a city center parade ground.

Protesters surrounded the entrances to parliament early Monday and vowed to stay there until the resignation of Abhisit, who won a parliamentary vote two weeks ago after a court dissolved the previous, pro-Thaksin government.  Read more... (162 words, estimated 39 secs reading time)

The Senate has cut the 2009 budgets of 21 state colleges and universities in the provinces by P323 million.

However, it increased the subsidies for next year of most government-owned tertiary level schools. The increases range from a low of P634,000 to a high of P362 million. A large number of these schools received an additional P1 million.

The University of the Philippines (UP), the country’s premier state university, received the biggest increase of P362 million from the Senate. That raised its 2009 budget to P6.8 billion.

Sen. Edgardo Angara, who recommended the reductions and augmentations as Senate finance committee chairman, was UP president during the Marcos years.  Read more... (203 words, estimated 49 secs reading time)

MANILA, Philippines–Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has warned personalities engaged in the drug trade and those who have been helping them in their crimes that government will not stop until they are all made accountable for their actions.

Gonzalez made the warning in his memorandum to National Bureau of Investigation director Nestor Mantaring as he ordered an investigation into the alleged P50-million bribe to state prosecutors to dismiss drug raps versus drugs suspects from wealthy families.

“This government shall not rest until the war on drugs is won and the drug pushers and peddlers, big and small, along with anyone who aids and abets their nefarious activities, are brought to justice,” Gonzalez said.  Read more... (168 words, estimated 40 secs reading time)

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency deemed the so-called “Alabang Boys” arrested in September buy-bust operations flight risks, and insisted on Sunday on keeping them in custody.

“We cannot release them because there is a possibility that they might fly out of the country. There are no hold-departure orders against them,” PDEA spokesperson Derrick Carreon told the Philippine Daily Inquirer over the phone on Sunday.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez’s directive for a reinvestigation of the case, after it was dismissed dismissed by state prosecutors of the Department of Justice, has also nullified the release order for Richard Santos Brodett, Jorge Jordana Joseph and Joseph Ramirez Tecson signed by two prosecutors on Dec. 2, according to Carreon.  Read more... (149 words, estimated 36 secs reading time)

KUALA LUMPUR– Malaysia’s former king Tuanku Jaafar Tuanku Abdul Rahman, who was the longest serving ruler of his southern state, has died at age 86, a report said Sunday.

He died in hospital on Saturday after complaining of dizziness and chest discomfort, state secretary Norzam Mohamad Nor was quoted as saying by the Sunday Star newspaper.

“Tuanku Jaafar was still conscious when two doctors reached the palace. He was rushed to the hospital’s intensive care unit,” the secretary said.

Norzam said he was was given emergency treatment and several attempts were made to revive him, but he was pronounced dead about three hours later.  Read more... (171 words, estimated 41 secs reading time)