The Manila Times


A 2


HE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has temporarily suspended routine fire safety inspections in Metro Manila during the entire holiday season to make sure that its personnel would not be accused of engaging in solicitation activities.


BFP-National Capital Region Director, Senior Supt. Pablito Cordeta, issued an order directing all district fire marshals to stop conducting inspections on vari-


■ SOUTH FROM A1


Eton setting the trend


Since entering the real estate scene,


Eton Properties has already unveiled 30 projects in the residential, commercial and office sectors. The most ambitious is its flagship horizontal development project, Eton City, a 1,000-hectare township in Santa Rosa, Laguna, which was envisioned to be the new Makati of the South. Eton City is home to the developer’s


three residential projects namely the high-end South Lake Village and mid- range project, Riverbend and West Wing Residences. Inspired by famous lakeside communi-


ties overseas such as Palm Island and Jumeirah in Dubai, Lake Las Vegas in Nevada and Foster in California, Eton City’s South Lake Village is a 75-hectare island lot development, which devotes 35 hectares to a man-made lake. The lake sources its water from two


river tributaries and boasts of spring water comparable to that of Colorado in the United States. “Santa Rosa has the best water in the


South that’s why you have Asia Brewery and Coca Cola,” said Mañalac. Located right on the Asia Brewery


(Eton City)—Greenfield Exit of the South Luzon Expressway, Eton City is just a 30- minute drive from Alabang, allowing customers to spend more time at home. Other property developers may also


have sprawling developments in Laguna, but Mañalac is confident that none of them can match the quality of living offered by Eton City. “Maybe in about three or five years,


all developments will all be there. None of them will be like this, and when you’re unique, you can name your price,” said Mañalac.


Making investors happy “Ang sabi nga ni Kapitan [The Captain


said]: ‘Lets make our investors happy because that is the first step. They will dictate what you have to do,’” said Mañalac, referring to Tan. With a banner year in the horizon in


2010, things even look rosier next year for Eton Properties as it targets its net income to reach P1 billion, said Danilo Ignacio, Eton Properties president. The company is on track to meet its


profit guidance of P700 million this year after its nine-month net income surged to P530 million, almost a seven-fold increase from the previous year’s P67 million. The real estate firm is scheduled to


turn over 3,600 units next year for projects in the Makati central business district namely, The Eton Residences Greenbelt, Eton Parkview Greenbelt and Belton Place, as well as Manila develop- ments such as Eton Baypark Manila along Roxas Boulevard and tower 2 of One Archers Place in Taft Avenue. Also slated for turnover are Eton


Emerald Lofts in Ortigas Center, the island lots in South Lake Village and Riverbend in Eton City and additional clusters of The Manors in Quezon City of subsidiary Belton Communities. Ignacio said that the property firm is seriously venturing into the medical- tourism business through its 12-hectare township project Eton Centris at the corner of Quezon Avenue and EDSA. Eton Centris aims to bring together the best names in high-end outpatient treatment, thus becoming the preferred choice of customers, said Ignacio. The company is also set to launch next


year a 40-story high-end residential tower, the first of a planned 10 high-end condominium buildings, offering about 300 units. Eton Properties recently broke ground


on Two Cyberpod Centris, the second office building in Eton Centris. The Elements at Centris, a special events venue featuring two halls that can house as much as 700 guests, will be completed by the second quarter of 2011.


news MONDAY D e cember 13, 2010


Fire bureau suspends safety inspections T


Cordeta, however, clarified that monitoring establishments that sell and manufacture firecrackers and pyrotechnics will continue to en- force fire safety regulations and standards, as mandated by the Fire Code of the Philippines.


ous establishments like malls, commercial buildings, restau- rants, amusement parks and ho- tels from December 15, 2010 to January 15, 2011.


The bureau official added that the said the order suspending in- spections during the holidays does not cover establishments with pending complaints, structures with pending application for new business permits, buildings apply- ing for occupancy permits and


Stop and shop


structures posing imminent danger. According to Cordeta, the order


was issued to avoid suspicions that bureau inspectors are soliciting from various establishments for the Christmas season. “Those who violate this direc-


tive shall be dealt with accord- ingly,” he added. Meanwhile, Cordeta urged the public to be extra cautious because the month of December is a high- risk month for fires.


He said that establishments such as firecracker factories, hos-


pitals, universities, malls and squatter areas are prone to fire this month because of their high con- sumption of electricity. Earlier, BFP Director Rolando Bandilla ordered all the bureau’s regional directors, district and city fire marshals nationwide to strictly monitor and make sure that all establishments that sell and manufacture firecrackers are complying with fire safety regula- tions and standards. According to Bandilla, the in- spections are being conducted as


■ RIGHTS FROM A1 Aquino scored on rights


continued to increase,” the group said. Signatories to the statement were


conveners Fathers Wilfredo Dulay, Quirico Pedregosa Jr., Gregorio Obejas, Tito Maratas and Joselito Sarabia; and Sisters Ailyn Binco, Pat Fox, Angelita Navarro Rebecca Pacete. The group’s advent gathering was held to discern their prophetic role in promoting and defending hu- man rights in the country. “There will be no justice, free- dom and peace for our people un- til the government take the welfare of the people, especially [those] of the urban and rural poor instead of the interests of local elites and large foreign corporations, as the start- ing point for all development poli- cies,” they said.


The group added that the govern- PHOTO BY RENE DILAN


Jeepneys slow down along Blumentritt Street in Santa Cruz, Manila as shoppers walk alongside on Sunday.


■ REBELS FROM A1 AFP insists ‘Morong 43’ are rebels


might have been a difference in the legal interpretation of things leading to the arrest of the health workers. “We will not apologize. The Philippine Army will not apolo- gize. We did our job, we did it well,” he added. President Aquino last week in- structed the Department of Justice to withdraw the charges filed against the ‘Morong 43’ as part of the con- fidence-building measure the gov- ernment is taking in preparation for the reopening of the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philipplines-NPA-National Demo- cratic Front next year. Records showed that the “Morong


43” were arrested by the military on February 6 in Morong, Rizal. The military claimed that they were members of the NPA and were un- dergoing explosive training, an al- legation that the health workers have denied. The 43 have been charged before


the Regional Trial Court of Morong, Rizal for violation of Presidential Decree 1866 as amended by Repub- lic Act (RA) 8294 and RA 9516, which imposes penalties for illegal possession of grenades and other ex- plosives and Commission on Elec- tion Resolution 8714 in relation to Article 261 (q) of the Election Code which prohibits any person, unless authorized by the poll body, to carry firearms outside his or her residence during the election period. In their petition, the suspects


■ SUPPORT FROM A1 Washington rally draws support


replica of the famous Tiananmen Square “Goddess of Freedom” adorns the site as a reminder of the thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators who were killed by communist Chinese tanks and soldiers in 1989. The me- morial was dedicated on the site in 2007. Since then, human rights lead- ers and diplomats from around the world have placed wreaths on behalf of the more than 100 million victims of communism worldwide.


Bonner remembers Suu Kyi In her letter, Bonner said that: “Less than a month ago, we saw the release of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma. She had spent most of past 21 years un- der house arrest. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 but was not allowed to go to Norway to accept her prize. Despite her isolation, we did not forget her.”


She found Suu Kyi’s case similar to her husband, Andrei Sakharov, who fought for human rights in the now de- funct Union of Soviet Socialists Repub- lic (USSR) at a time when authorities


could easily jail and crush dissidents. “In 1975 my husband—Andrei


Sakharov—was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize but was not allowed to leave the Soviet Union to receive it. I went instead, and read his speech. The Nobel Peace Committee called my husband a ‘spokesman for the conscience of man- kind.’ And even though he was not able to travel to Oslo, he was a free man and his struggle was not forgotten. The world was inspired by his thoughts and deeds,” Bonner said.


She added that in 1935, the Nobel


Peace Prize was given to imprisoned German peace activist Carl von Ossietzky who was prevented from going to Norway by the Nazis. “Today we call for the release of Liu Xiaobo, imprisoned in his native China. His crime is to call for demo- cratic reforms and the end of commu- nist one-party rule in China. He is now the fourth laureate to be honored in absentia, but only the second since von Ossietzky to be even denied the right to have a representative accept the prize on his behalf,” Bonner said.


She said that by denying Liu’s pres- ence in Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize Award, China makes it- self no different from Nazi Germany, USSR and Myanmar. “Take note. The world is watching. China should be ashamed. Instead, it mounts a massive propaganda cam- paign to distract from the facts, and to dishonor Liu Xiaobo, a true Chi- nese hero,” Bonner said.


She also scored the decision of her


country, Russia, which was a part of the USSR, for not sending a repre- sentative to Oslo apparently out of Chinese pressure. “Also, I want to tell you of my shame at the behavior of my country of Russia that puts itself in the com- pany of states that chose not to send their ambassadors to the Nobel cer- emony, showing their subservience to the Chinese authorities,” Bonner said. “And finally, I call upon the Chi- nese authorities to recognize and to respect the fundamental right of Liu Xiaobo, indeed, of all people of China, to freedom,” she added.


claimed that the military used a defective search warrant when it entered the premises where they were undergoing community health training.


They also claimed that the search


warrant was issued by a Cavite Court, which is outside the jurisdic- tion of Rizal province. On March 10, the Court of Ap- peals Special Division dismissed the petition for habeas corpus filed by the relatives of the 43 health work- ers, saying that petitioners have al- ready been criminally charged be- fore the Regional Trial Court of Morong, Rizal and as such “can no longer question their detention.” The appellate court explained that


even if the arrest of a person is illegal, a supervening event may prevent their release from detention under Section 4, Rule 102 of the Rules of Court, which states that “the writ is not al- lowed if the person subject of such petition is in the custody of an officer under process issued by a court or judge; or by virtue of a judgment or order of a court of record, and that court or judge had jurisdiction to is- sue the process, render the judgment, or make the order.”


NPA should apologize For his part, Southern Luzon Com-


mand chief, Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali, said that there is no need for the military to apologize to the “Morong 43.” “Our conscience is clear in con-


nection with the conduct of our military and intelligence operations [against the “Morong 43”]. So we feel that we did not violate anything. So there is nothing to apologize,” he said. He even said that the military contingent responsible for the arrest of the Morong 43 were awarded with the “gold cross” medals for a job well done.


Detabali stressed that it should be


the NPA that should apologize for the wrong that the rebels had done to some of their comrades in the un- derground movement. He was refer- ring to the relatives of NPA mem- bers whose remains were discovered in a mass grave in Quezon province. “They [NPA] should ask themselves if they have done wrong to the peo- ple they have mobilized and to their comrades-in-arms as well,” he added. Detabali narrated that last De- cember 10, the military celebrated human rights day in Candelaria, Quezon together with some rebel returnees and the families of some 20 alleged rebels whose remains were discovered five years ago in a mass grave in the municipality of Mauban of the same province. “The rebel returnees and the rela-


tives of the victims [of the mass purge] were apologizing for what they have done,” the Solcom chief further said. The NPA has been sus- pected of carrying out “mass purges” within their ranks by killing their own comrades.


ment’s failure to bring to justice the perpetrators of human abuses is an “indictment” of Aquino’s “and daang matuwid [righteous path].” On the counter-insurgency front, the group said that continued imple- mentation of “Oplan Bantay Laya” [Operation Guard Freedom] by the Armed Forces of the Philippines wor- ried the group because of human rights violations associated with it. “We ask the Government to abandon plans to implement the Oplan . . . but rather to resume peace talks with the NDFP [Na- tional Democratic Front of the Philippines] and MILF [Moro Is- lamic Liberation Front] to ensure that the roots of injustice are stamped out,” they added.


Palace open


to general amnesty But Malacañang on Sunday said


that it is open to the proposal of Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia to grant amnesty to other political detainees. Former House Speaker de Ve- necia earlier proposed general am- nesty to cover other political pris- oners, including communist rebels. This would require the government to drop all the charges it filed against jailed suspected rebels. De Venecia made the proposal af- ter President Aquino ordered the Justice department to drop criminal charges against the “Morong 43” ac- cused of being communist guerillas. “Let’s just say that the adminis- tration is open-minded to such pro- posals, as the one made by former Speaker Jose de Venecia, insofar as its overall spirit is to honor our commitments in terms of human rights,” said Secretary Herminio Coloma, head of Presidential Com- munications Operations Office. “This can be the subject of a comprehensive study. From day one of the Aquino administration, it has been fully committed to human rights and the pursuit of justice,” he said.


Coloma acknowledged that many cases have “intricacies of law” that need to be reviewed by government agencies, including the Armed


Forces, Commission on Human Rights and the departments of Na- tional Defense and Justice. On Friday, the President ordered the Justice department to withdraw the criminal charges against the 43 health workers arrested in February in Morong, Rizal, on suspicion that they were members of the New Peo- ple’s Army. President Aquino issued the or- der to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima during the celebration of the International Human Rights Day on Friday.


proclamation At the House of Representatives, Mr. Aquino’s proclamation ex- tending amnesty to rebel soldiers will be concurred today before the plenary.


House on Aquino House Committee on Justice


Chairman Niel Tupas Jr., who is backing the amnesty proclamation, said that there is no more reason to delay its adoption and that the rebel soldiers be given a second chance for the sake of national rec- onciliation. He cited that the Sen- ate has adopted the amnesty proc- lamation of President Aquino. “[This is] in principle of peace and reconciliation and we should give a second chance to those of- ficers, supporters who might have committed crimes and may wish to come back to the fold of law,” Tupas added. Former President and now


Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Pampanga also welcomed the amnesty proc- lamation, but said that it is right that the rebels soldiers should not be admitted back to the uni- formed service. “I am gratified that the procla- mation being considered by Con- gress today penalizes the amnestied officers by barring them from reentry into the police or armed forces, and by maintaining their civil liability for their actions. This is clearly an acknowledgment that the mutineers indeed committed wrongdoings, it may be recalled, put hundreds of lives at risk, in- cluding the Australian Ambassador and other foreign dignitaries and visitors,” she said. “The granting of amnesty or par- don is truly a constructive action when it is motivated by a laudable objective, such as the reestablish- ment of national unity.


But let us remember that it is also a singular action of executive generosity which should be dis- pensed with great caution, taking care always to exclude,” Mrs. Arroyo added. The Aquino’s amnesty covers sol- diers who took part in the Oakwood mutiny, the Marine stand-off and the Peninsula Manila Hotel incident, which all took place during the pre- vious administration of Mrs. Arroyo. WITH REPORT FROM


RUBEN D. MANAHAN 4TH »In The Manila Times


December 13, 1987 Christmas truce possible, says Cory PRESIDENT Corazon “Cory” Aquino indicated yesterday her willingness to observe moratorium on hostilities with the National Democratic Front, the umbrella organization of communist groups in the country.


December 13, 1967 Aquino case decided today WILL the Supreme Court stop the proclamation of Benigno Aquino Jr. as an elected senator? This will be known today following what is expected to be a spirited discussion among the justices in their session. The High Court heard oral arguments yesterday on the motion of former Labor Secretary Emilio Espinosa Jr., Nacionalista’s senatorial candidate, for an injunction to stop the Commission on Elections from proclaiming Aquino.


December 13, 1947


Dissident coup in Jaen bared CABANATUAN, Nueva Ecija: The reported plan of Huk Commander Liga to stage a coup in the municipality of Jaen on or before Christmas with a view to liquidating Mayor Bartolome Garcia and police chief Felix Velarde was unearthed yesterday when military police and town police raided the residence of Fernando Espiritu in Jaen. But Espiritu was not there.


a preventive measure against fire incidents or explosions that may be caused by negligence on the part of establishment owners that sell or manufacture of pyrotech- nic products.


He added that as much as the bureau wanted to prevent such ac- cidents and fires, the agency could not do it alone and needs the co- operation of firecracker manufac- turers and traders, as well as the public to get rid of establishments selling and manufacturing illegal pyrotechnic products.


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