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THURSDAY DECEMBER 9, 2010


2 SECTIONS 14 PAGES VOL. 112 NO. 060


Search for truth continues P


Pacquiao-led


SAVE Act viral out next week


BY BEN ARNOLD O. DE VERA REPORTER


■ Rep. Manny Pacquiao


LOBBYING efforts for the US Congress’ approval of the Save Our Industries or SAVE Act would go viral, with no less than pound-for-


pound king Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao starring in the infomercial. Lucita Reyes, Board of Investments


executive director, on Wednesday said that the infomercial would be posted on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter next week.


She added that the infomercial was shot in General Santos City last week with Pacquiao, the only boxer to win eight world boxing titles in as many weight divisions, agreeing to endorse the SAVE Act for free. The passage of SAVE Act would al- low duty-free entry to the US of certain


➤SAVEA6


Court seen to uphold Webb ruling


BY JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA REPORTER


THE chief of the Public Attorney’s Of- fice (PAO) expressed confidence that the Supreme Court (SC) would uphold a decision of a lower court to convict Hubert Webb and other accused in the Vizconde massacre case. Lawyer Persida Rueda Acosta, who


served as a private prosecutor in the case, on Wednesday said that the prosecution at the time was able to present witnesses and evidence that strengthened their case against the accused. “We decided to break our silence be- cause of recent reports putting doubts into the credibility of the prosecution’s evidence,” Acosta told a press confer- ence held at her office in Quezon City. The Supreme Court has calendared


➤WebbA6


President vows to punish crooks


BY CRIS G. ODRONIA REPORTER


RESIDENT Benigno Aquino 3rd on Wednesday vowed to continue seeking the truth and hold accountable those who took part in alleged misdeeds during


the past administration. “Nananawagan ako, sa mga nagbubulag- bulagan at nagbibingi-bingihan sa malinaw na panawagan ng taumbayan: Huwag po sanang harangan ang aking tungkulin [I call on those who play blind and deaf to the clamor of the people: Please let me do my job],” President Aquino said.


Arroyo astute SC ‘investor’


BY ROMMEL C. LONTAYAO REPORTER


■ Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona (from left) surfs the Internet as Mayor Alfredo Lim of Manila looks on during the launching ceremonies of the Judiciary Internet Access Project at the Manila City Hall on Wednesday. PHOTO BY JESSIE LAURETA


TOP appointments to the Supreme Court and the Office of the Ombudsman made by former Presi- dent and now Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Pampanga have been “paying off” for her, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Wednesday. De Lima made the statement a day after the


➤’Investor’A6


MIRIAM WITHDRAWS OPPOSITION VS. LUISTRO Massacre suspect slain in gun battle


BY EFREN L. DANAO SENIOR REPORTER


■ Sen. Miriam Santiago


SEN. Miriam Defensor Santiago on Wednesday withdrew her opposition to the nomination of Education Sec- retary Armin Luistro by the Commis- sion on Appointments, leaving only two oppositors to his confirmation by the appointments body in plenary next week.


She indicated that this gesture did not mean that she would be less feisty in other future issues. “I shall save my firepower, keep my


powder dry and fight another day,” Santiago said.


The senator decided to withdraw her opposition after engaging Luistro in what she called “fruitful dialogue.” “I am persuaded by his good faith,


and I have to abide by the basic prin- ciple that any presumption should be resolved in favor of the nominee, as a gesture of courtesy to the incum- bent administration,” Santiago said. The remaining oppositors to


Luistro’s nomination were Rolando Ocampo and Victorino Mendoza, both of Caloocan City.


➤LuistroA2


Chinese lighthouse on Spratly Islands


BY TESSA JAMANDRE VERA FILES Last of two parts


Editor’s note: The first part detailed how China has laid claim to parts of the contested Spratly group of islands which has caused uneasiness with the Philippines and other member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.


FORMER Philippine representative to the United Nations (UN) Lauro Baja, who was the Philippines chief negotiator for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea ➤SpratlyA2


Church, doctors take same position on RH bill »GIMME


BY JOMAR CANLAS REPORTER


THE Catholic Church and the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) have found a common ground to oppose the controver- sial reproductive health (RH) bill pending


before Congress. This unity, according to the Catholic Bish- ops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) News website, resulted from a consultative meeting on the reproductive health bill held on Monday between the CBCP and the PMA


FIVE President


Benigno Aquino 3rd (second from right) exchanges high-fives with a girl as her


companions look on during the Children’s Hour Philippines Inc. Annual Benefit Lunch in Makati City on Wednesday. MALACAÑANG PHOTO


at the doctors’ office in Quezon City. Dr. Arthur Catli, PMA executive director, said that during the meeting, the medical association through its Philippine Obstet- rical and Gynecological Society represented


➤RH billA2


GOVERNMENT troops clashed with dozens of gunmen suspected of taking part in the country’s worst political mas- sacre, killing one of the fugitives, the military said on Wednesday. The heavily armed 50-member group


was led by a grandson of Andal Ampatuan Sr., the detained patriarch of a Muslim clan accused of masterminding last year’s mass murder, local military spokesman Col. Prudencio Asto said.


The grandson, Datu Ulo Ampatuan and the rest of his band escaped after


➤SlainA6


Chemical used in bills linked to cancer – study


CASH register receipts and paper money have been found to contain high levels of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical linked to cancer, obesity and early puberty, a study published on Wednesday said.


Researchers from US nonprofit groups Safer Chemicals, Safer Families and the Washington Toxics Coalition tested


➤CancerA2


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➤ContinuesA2


PACQUIAO-MARTINEZ FINE, IF WEIGHT IS RIGHT – ROACH


SportsA8


»LOTTO


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