SLB Newsbriefs...daily news from different sources, truncated and compiled. updated daily.
11.21.2005
 
Newsbriefs 21 November Afternoon
Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan


JBC announces 3 remaining candidates for Ombudsman (inq7.net)

"THE JUDICIAL and Bar Council (JBC) has narrowed down to three from 14 the candidates for Ombudsman and will submit the list to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo later on Monday.

They are Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Merceditas Gutierrez, Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, and Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Victor Fernandez, the JBC said.

Gutierrez got the highest number of votes from the JBC members, with Peralta and Fernandez ranking second and third consecutively, the JBC said.

The President has 90-days to make the appointment under Article 11 Section 9 of the Constitution.

Earlier on Monday, Congressman Simeon Datumanong, chairman of the committee on justice of the House of Representatives and JBC member, said Arroyo was expected to announce Simeon Marcelo's replacement within the week. Marcelo's resignation takes effect on November 30.

He said the President preferred that the new Ombudsman take over by December 1."

DFA presses RP jurisdiction on Subic rape case (abs-cbnNEWS.com)

"The Philippines will continue to press the United States Embassy to turn over to the Philippines the custody of six US marines accused of raping a 22-year-old Filipina in Subic, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said Monday.

"The department has formally asked the US Embassy to turn over the custody of the six accused to Philippine authorities citing the extraordinary nature of the case pursuant to Article 5 Paragraph 6 of the Visiting Forces Agreement," Romulo said in a press conference at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) office in Manila.

Romulo said that it is the Philippine government's primary interest "to ensure that justice prevails and that the rights and welfare of the victim are secured." He said the Philippine government's concern on the case were underscored in notes verbale issued to the US Embassy.

"The United States government has been made fully aware of the importance that the Philippine government and the Filipino peole are giving to this case as well as our sentiments and position that the Philippine has primary jurisdiction and that the Philippine laws shall govern," he said.

Romulo said DFA officials have coordinated with the Department of Justice in pressing US authorities to have Philippine jurisdiction of the case, saying it is an urgent concern of the Philippines."

Palace: NPA countryside attacks complimenting urban protests (inq7.net)

"THE STEPPED-UP attacks of the communist New People's Army (NPA) against government forces in the countryside are being done to complement the street protests in the urban areas of organizations, known as communist fronts, according to MalacaƱang.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said on Monday that the Palace had information that the attacks "were being done in tandem with stepped up militancy of CPP-NPA-NDF fronts" in urban areas, as well as the recent incidents of extortion by the rebels of private firms.

"This strategy of terror cum mass actions and extortion has been rejected by the people and deserves the condemnation of every peace-loving Filipino," he said in a statement.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the authorities to go after the insurgents responsible for the killing of at least nine soldiers and the wounding of 20 others in Calinog town in Iloilo Sunday, Bunye said.

At the same time, Bunye said the President was extending her sympathies to the families of the slain soldiers.

"This is a dastardly attack that shows the CPP-NPA to be fully deserving of the terrorist tag by the international community," he said."

Congress urged to probe P25-M spoiled vaccines (abs-cbnNEWS.com)

"A group of health workers on Monday called on Congress to investigate the spoilage of P25-million worth of medicine purchased by the Department of Health.

Emma Manuel, national president of the Alliance of Health Workers, said it is highly questionable that the health department bought in bulk medicines that were about to expire.

"We will be vigilant but we call on our lawmakers to heed and attend to the needs public health workers," Manuel told ANC.

She said millions of children could have been vaccinated had the P25-million worth of medicines did not expire.

She added that the Senate should still approve the health department's request for supplemental budget, which would provide for the needs of health workers and to procure additional medicines and supplies.

A Commission on Audit report earlier showed that P25-million worth of vaccines expired in 2004. Senate President Franklin Drilon said he also received a separate report that P10-million worth of vaccines for measles also expired last June."

National health service in crisis as doctors leave (www.philstar.com)

"MANILA (AFP) - The Philippines has become one of the biggest suppliers of healthcare workers in the world but the exodus of nurses and doctors in the last five years for higher paying jobs overseas has left the country's health system in a state of near collapse.

At a summit of healthcare professionals called by the Philippine Medical Association recently delegates were told in a conference paper: "The crisis in medical human resources is now upon us. The delivery of health services is being compromised. We have to address the problem before the health system completely collapses."

Jossel Ebesate, general secretary of the Alliance of Health Workers, said the situation had become so bad that the country's healthcare system would collapse within the next two to three years.

Former health secretary Jaime Galvez Tan, who has been studying the exodus of doctors over the past five years, told AFP: "We are facing a serious problem and we need to address it now before it is too late."

He said the demand for nurses, especially in the United States, is outpacing supply.

"Doctors are leaving for a variety of reasons: political instability, low pay, corruption, poor working conditions and the threat of malpractice. But above all they don't see much hope for the future and the future of their children," he said."
 
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