3 killed, P3.1M taken in Bulacan payroll robbery — reports

3 killed, P3.1M taken in Bulacan payroll robbery — reports

(November 28- from gmanetwork.com/news)

Motorcycle-riding gunmen shot dead three officials of a barangay (village) in Caloocan City in a brazen payroll robbery in Bulacan province Monday noon. The officials of Barangay 176 in Caloocan City were ambushed at Barangay Bahay Pare in Meycauayan, Bulacan, radio dzBB's Denver Trinidad reported. Police are now tracking down the motorcycle-riding men, who took some P3 million in payroll money. The dzBB report identified the fatalities as Rodora Gomito, treasurer of Barangay 176; driver Jaime Mendoza; and a liaison officer. A separate report on dzRH identified the third fatality as Dona Medallos. The dzRH report cited initial information indicating the victims passed through Bahay Pare village in Meycauayan City at about 1 p.m. after withdrawing the money from a branch of the Land Bank of the Philippines.

But at Bahay Pare village, at least four motorcycle-riding men blocked their path and fired on them, then took some P3.1 million in cash.



Recovered from the crime scene were shells from cal-.45 and 9-mm pistols, the dzRH report said. — KBK, GMA News

Bishop opposes renaming of EDSA to ‘Cory Aquino Avenue’

Bishop opposes renaming of EDSA to ‘Cory Aquino Avenue’

(from cbcpnews.com)

Most. Rev. HONESTO ONGTIOCO, D.D.
Bishop of Cubao

MANILA, Nov. 28, 2011— A Catholic bishop has found “unnecessary” the proposal to rename Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) to "Cory Aquino Avenue".

Besides, according to Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, there are already some statues named after the mother of President Benigno Aquino III, including his father, the late and former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Sr.

“It’s not necessary. We have statues of Cory and Ninoy in Luneta and in other places,” said Ongtioco. “The international airport is even named after Ninoy.”

The bishop was reacting to a House Bill 5422 filed by Bohol Rep. Rene Relampagos that seeks to rename EDSA from Caloocan City to Pasay City, after the President Corazon Aquino.

EDSA had been the site two people power revolts that toppled the Marcos and Estrada administration.

“One cannot think of the 1986 EDSA Revolution without thinking of former President Corazon Aquino,” said Relampagos.

The measure is now pending with the committee on public works and highways of the House of Representatives. [CBCPNews]

Installation of Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle as the 32nd Archbishop of Manila

According to the official website of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, the new Archbishop-Elect of Manila, Most Rev. Luis Antonio G. Tagle will be installed on December 12, 9:00 o'clock in the morning at the Manila Cathedral of course, the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila. A circular has been released by Rev. Fr. Rufino C. Sescon, Jr.,  chancellor, for the occasion. 

Congratulations, Your Excellency! Looking forward to addressing you as "Your Eminence" in the near future upon your appointment in the College of Cardinals!

Archbishop Tagle with Cardinal Rosales
(Well, according to reports, it seems that he is the "preferred" one by  Cardinal Rosales to be his successor!)

Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle

Aquino too focused on Arroyo – bishop

Aquino too focused on Arroyo – bishop

Most. Rev. Arturo Bastes, SVD, DD
 (Bishop of Sorsogon)

The Aquino government is too focused on cleaning up after the Arroyo administration and not doing enough in uplifting the living conditions of the Filipinos, a Catholic bishop said.

Speaking to church-run Radyo Veritas, Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes reminded the government that there are more pressing problems that need immediate action aside from issues hounding Arroyo.

“Mas maraming problema ang bansa na mas dapat i-hype at pagtuunan ng pansin kaysa kay Arroyo,” said Bastes who was a known critic of Arroyo during her term.

He said that among the problems that need the government’s attention are poor health and education services, extra-judicial killings, land reform, labor contractualization schemes, and mining and other environmental abuses.

“Ito ang mga social issues na may kinalaman sa pagpapaunlad sa buhay ng mga mahihirap,” said the Sorsogon prelate.

He, then, urged Malacañang to leave the Arroyo issue to the rightful government agency such as the Department of Justice and the Supreme Court.

“May tamang proseso at may tamang korte na magpapanagot kay GMA. Hayaan natin ang mga awtoridad ang gumawa nito,” opined Bastes.

Arroyo had been asking the government to allow her to go abroad for a medical treatment on her “rare” bone disease.

But Aquino, earlier this week, rejected Arroyo’s request amid concerns that she would no longer return to the country and escape her cases of plunder and electoral sabotage.

Aquino instead offered to bring into the country foreign medical experts to check on the former president, and now Pampanga lawmaker. [CBCPNews]

Bishop to govt: Prioritize resolution of Maguindanao massacre

Most Rev. Jose Cabantan, DD
Bishop of Malaybalay, Bukidnon

MANILA, Nov. 22, 2011—A Catholic bishop urged the Aquino administration to exert similar effort in resolving the high profile Maguindanao massacre case, as to what it did to former president Gloria Arroyo.

Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said the government’s handling of Arroyo’s electoral sabotage case only show that it can expedite things if there is a will.

“If they can have a speedy resolution on GMA’s case in a matter of overnight, they can also do it for the Maguindanao massacre,” Bagaforo told Catholic Church-run Radyo Veritas.

“If the government is serious and give top most priority on the resolution of the case, I think they have all the resources for that and they can do it,” he said.

But the way it appears right now, the bishop lamented that there seems to be no sense of urgency being shown by the national leadership.

“We are not satisfied. We are not pleased with the progress of the case… the way it looks, the speedy resolution of the case is not a government priority,” Bagaforo said.

A total of 57 people, including 32 journalists, were killed in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre blamed on the Ampatuan clan, a prominent family in Central Mindanao.

Currently, the court trial is being conducted by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court under Judge Jocelyn Solis – Reyes twice a week, or every Wednesday and Thursday.

An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) also called on the public to keep the “fire” alive in seeking justice for the victims of the carnage.

“Sana lang ay huwag kalimutan na may mahahalaga ring kaso gaya ng Maguindanao Massacre ang higit na nangangailangan ng tulong at katarungan,” said Fr. Edu Gariguez of the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action.

“Sana kung gaano kasigasig ang administrasyon ni President Aquino kay Gloria para siya ay maparusahan, sana ganun din kasigasig na panagutin ang mga may kasalanan sa massacre,” Gariguez said. [CBCPNews]

Bishop to govt: Prioritize resolution of Maguindanao massacre