SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

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aittimes.net

02 04CIA holds family gift giving at Philippine

Embassy’s shelter

Page 05120,000 flee Philippines violence: UN

Bb. Pilipinas (MissPhilippines) 2015

Crowned

MANILA: Thousands of Filipino fans line up for the One Direction concert yesterday in the suburban Pasay city south of Manila, Philippines. OneDirection’s “On the Road Again” tour will continue with upcoming performances in Manila, Philippines, and Jakarta, Indonesia, despite theabsence of one of its members Zayn Malik, who flew back to London due to “stress.” (See Page 3)—AP

MANILA: May posibilidad na gumagamit ng ibangpangalan sa kanilang pasaporte sina Moro IslamicLiberation Front (MILF) chairman Al Haj Murad atchief peace negotiator nito na si Mohagher Iqbal.Ayon kay Bureau of Immigration spokesperson ElaineTan, wala silang naitatalang pagbiyahe ng dalawa.Aniya, ang negatibong resulta ng travel records aynangangahulugang hindi talaga bumiyahe sa labasng bansa ang dalawa o kaya nama’y gumagamit angmga ito ng ibang pangalan sa kanilang pasaporte.Kamakailan, naglabasan ang mga alegasyonggumagamit ng Malaysian passport ang dalawa dahilpareho umanong Malaysian citizen ang mga ito.Mariin naman itong itinanggi ng MILF. Kasalukuyangnasa proseso ng usapang pangkapayapaan ang MILFat gobyerno ng Pilipinas kung saan nilalayong mag-tatag ng isang autonomous Bangsamoro regionkapalit ng umiiral na Autonomous Region in MuslimMindanao (ARMM). —DZMM

MILF officials gumagamit ng ibang pangalan sa pasaporte?

MANILA: The Philippines’ financial capital Makati hasbeen plunged into chaos with two politicians claim-ing to be mayor, forcing courts to close and delayinggovernment business during a bitter stand-off trig-gered by graft claims.

Surrounded by hundreds of supporters, Makatimayor Jejomar Erwin Binay has been holed up in cityhall since the ombudsman suspended him last weekbecause of its investigation into his alleged corruptpractices.

Insisting the graft accusations are trumped up,Binay has refused to cede power to his deputy andrival, Romulo Pena, who insists he is now “acting may-or”. The power struggle is widely seen as a battlebetween the nation’s ruling Liberal Party and mainopposition. Binay is the son of opposition leader, VicePresident Jejomar Binay, while Pena is a member ofPresident Benigno Aquino’s Liberal Party.

Makati’s courts closed for a day last week becauseof the crisis, and some judges have continued topostpone hearings to avoid the crush of Binay sup-porters outside the building, family spokesman JoeySalgado told AFP on Friday.

Continued on Page 5

Makati in chaos as two mayors stand off

MANILA: Rumors circulate that President Aquinocol lapsed Fr iday evening, March 20. H isspokespersons act quickly to dispel it. The pastmonths have been tough for President BenignoAquino III, who has been hit with criticisms leftand right over the botched Mamasapano opera-tion that led to the death of 67 people, including44 elite cops.

Early yesterday, Malacanang denied rumorsthat Aquino collapsed Friday evening. “I have com-municated with the President regarding therumors circulating tonight that he collapsed, andhe immediately responded to my text with ‘Nosuch thing,’” Presidential Spokesperson EdwinLacierda said in a statement.

The President ’s official schedule on Fridayincluded the 10 am inauguration of the Museo niEmilio Aguinaldo at the Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine in

Kawit, Cavite. After this, he was scheduled to meetwith Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa at 1 pm.

Palace sources said it was a short day for thePresident who chose not to return to Malaca?angPalace after the trip to Cavite. He also reportedlyskipped what was planned to be a social event forPresidential Communications Secretary Herminio“Sonny” Coloma who is celebrating his birthdaynext week. In an interview over dzRB on Saturday,March 21, Deputy Presidential SpokespersonAbigail Valte said the President has not even com-plained about having a cold or a cough.

“What I know from the President’s personalphysician is that the President does undergo regu-lar checkups and sees his personal doctor when-ever mayroon po ‘yang ubo or sipon because,siyempre, may kailangan na prescription ng doc-tor.But I can assure you that the President’s healthis in good condition according to his physician.”

Continued on Page 5

‘Crisis’ affecting Aquino’s health?

Aquino

By Maria Al-Ameri

KUWAIT: Spearheaded by its president, MsHoneycel Bermudez, alongside with itsAdvisers, officers and members, CertifiedIlonggo Association (CIA) visited thePhilippine Embassy half-way-home inHateen recently, briefly transforming thehalf-way-home into a happy hour as eagermembers brought laughter and joy withtheir fun filled games, turning saddenedhearts and sorrowful faces into beautifulsmiles, breaking the stillness of the placeatleast for a while.

The happy hour started with a solemnprayer from Rosela Dalisay, followed by abrief remark from Russel, officer in chargeof the place, after which Ms. HoneycelBermudez provided inspirational insightsto the wards, never to lose hope, becausewhen one door closes, a new door opensfor a new opportunity. Above all, greatfaith in God, because with God nothing isimpossible. Indeed, very touching butmoved hearts of the many. To break thevery emotional mood, Bong Pagutayao,CIA Media Adviser, show off his Vice Gandacharacter by gathering few of the wards inthe center and started making fun of themto the great surprize of everyone. It was amoment of ‘okrayan blues’, and as theroom booms with laughter, the lady wardswere very enthusiastic and sport enoughto ride on with Bong’s sarcasm. What atherapeutic moment! Highlight of thehappy hour was an acapella singing con-test, another activity that made everyonelaugh up to their heart’s desire. The dayconcluded with the mouth watering foodsespecially prepared for the occasion andan offering of the gifts that can atleast sus-tain them with their basic needs for awhile! Well Done CIA!

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 2

CIA holds family gift giving at Philippine Embassy’s shelter

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 3MANILA: British pop phenomenon One Directionpaid a cash bond to the Philippines on Thursday thatwas imposed because of drug concerns, allowingthem to play two concerts this weekend, the immi-gration bureau said.

The bond, 200,000 pesos ($4,500) each for singersZayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson, will be forfeitedshould the two get caught using or promoting illegaldrugs, Bureau of Immigration spokeswoman ElaineTan told AFP. The bond requirement was in response

to an anti-drug watchdog group’s request for “strictscrutiny” of Malik and Tomlinson before they wereissued work permits, she said.

“The condition is intended to protect the publicinterest should the band members commit any viola-tion during their stay in the Philippines,” she said.

A video of Malik, 22 and Tomlinson, 23 apparentlysmoking marijuana in a car while on tour in Peru wentviral last year and shocked the tattooed but baby-faced quintet’s hordes of female fans.

The group is scheduled to hold concerts at theseafront grounds of the Philippines’ largest mall,which can accomodate tens of thousands of people,on March 21 and 22.

The mega-venue has in the past hosted teen idolsJustin Bieber and Justin Timberlake.

Tickets for the first night have sold out and thesecond date is expected to sell out as well, GinaSantiago, an executive assistant of the group’sPhilippine promoter, Ovation Productions, told AFP.

When asked about the reported marijuana bond,Santiago said the band’s promoters were at the immi-gration department on Thursday to “sort out” theissue and the concerts would go ahead.

However she was unable to confirm that a bondhad been paid.

One Direction, one of the world’s biggest popmusic acts, is very popular in the Philippines. Thegroup currently has five albums on the local iTunesalbum chart. Marijuana is illegal in the Philippines, amainly Catholic country where the Church continuesto maintain a strong influence on society.—AFP

One Direction pays ‘marijuana bond’ to Philippines: Govt

LOS ANGELES: In this file picture, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, ZaynMalik, and Harry Styles of the musical group One Direction attend the 2014 AmericanMusic Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California. British pop phe-nomenon One Direction paid a cash bond to the Philippines on March 19, 2015, thatwas imposed because of drug concerns, allowing them to play two concerts thisweekend, the immigration bureau said. —AFP

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 4By Raymond L. Hernandez

The lives of Five Filipinas were changed as they werecrowned this year’s fairest in a glittering televised finalelast Sunday, March 15 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in

Quezon City. All five winners earned the right to represent thePhilippines in different international pageants and won cashand other prizes and enjoy the fame and glamour that comeswith the title.

Third time is a charm for 25 year old Pia Alonso Wurtzbach,when she bested 33 others to claim the title Miss UniversePhilippines 2015. The aspiring actress and UK trained chefjoined the prestigious Bb. Pilipinas pageant on her third tryafter placing 1st runner up in 2013 and landed as a semi-final-ist last year. Pia, born to a German father and Filipina mother,follows the footsteps of her good friend, Mary Jean Lastimosa,last year’s winner who also won on her third try. The Cagayande Oro beauty hopes to win the Philippine’s third MissUniverse crown later this year.

Tall and statuesque 19 year old model Janicel Lubina wonthe equally prestigious Bb. Pilipinas - International (MissPhilippines International) title. Lubina, a former house helpand born to a poor family in rural Palawan, also won twoimportant special awards, Best in Swimsuit and Best in LongGown. An early favorite, her Cinderella story caught the atten-tion of local and international media and circulated them insocial media prior to the coronation night. Janicel, succeedslast year’s Bianca Guidotti and will attempt to bring home thecountry’s Sixth Miss International crown held annually inJapan.

US born Christi McGarry was chosen as Bb. Pilipinas-Intercontinental and succeeds Kris Tiffany Janson. Pageantfans were quick to note that the tall and dusky beauty repre-sented the country in the same assigned contest back in2010. A few days later, the organizers announced that thiswas overlooked but McGarry will retain her crown and is stilleligible to compete in this Germany based beauty title.

Cebuana hotelier Rogelie Catacutan succeeds YvetteMarie Santiago and wil l hope to win a second MissSupranational won by Mutya Johanna Datul in 2013. 23 yearold Rogelie is the reigning Miss Casino Filipino and was a vet-eran of other national pageants.

Twenty year old Pampanguena beauty Anne Lorraine Colliswas chosen as this year’s Bb. Pilipinas- Tourism. Collis is nowpursuing a second degree in Accountancy at the University ofSanto Tomas. Also an early favorite by pageant aficionados,this tall model was crowned by last year’s title holder, ParulShah. Parul was unable to compete internationally as lastyear’s Miss Tourism International pageant was shelved.

Chosen as runners up were Hannah Ruth Sison, a DLSUgraphics design instructor and model from Oas, Albay andKimverlyn Suiza a 25 year old TV producer/actress fromNagcarlan, Laguna.

The televised pageant had its string of controversies andfans were all over social media. Nina Alagao, a former MissUniverse Philippines titleholder, expressed her dismay overthe hosting of TV personality Toni Gonzaga. Nina noted thatin the crucial question and answer portion, Toni’s commentson a contestant’s earring and last name was uncalled for.Toni’s fans were quick to defend her and lambasted the beau-ty queen on social media. The word war eventually waned asToni eventually apologized on national TV, so did Alagao.

Here is the complete list of other special awardees:Best in National Costume - Teresita Ssen Marquez (terno

by Frederick Peralta)Miss Friendship - Toni Alyessa HipolitoMiss Photogenic - Canielle Faith SantosMiss Talent- Teresita Ssen Marquez

Miss Cream Silk - Pia Alonzo WurtzbachMiss Philippine Airlines - Kylie VersozaManila Bulletin’s Readers Choice - Canielle Faith SantosMiss Jag - Teresita Ssen MarquezThe annual prestigious beauty tilt is now on its 52nd edi-

tion and organized by Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc (BPCI). It isheaded by Colombian born Stella Marquez de Araneta, thevery first Miss International titleholder married to Filipino bil-lionaire Jorge Araneta.

The pageant has produced Two Miss Universe titleholders,Five Misses International, a Miss Supranational and many oth-er minor pageant titles. The Philippines is now considered apageant powerhouse along with Venezuela, USA, Brazil andColombia, after placing consistently in the Miss Universe pag-eant since 2010.

The 2014 Miss Universe from Venezuela Gabriela Isler dur-ing her final farewell speech in Doral, Florida acknowledgesthe Filipinos as the best pageant fans in the world. This pag-eant writer agrees and believes it will stay that way for a longtime.

Bb. Pilipinas (Miss Philippines) 2015 Crowned

(All Photos courtesy of Bruce Casanova)

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 5‘Crisis’ affecting ...Continued from Page 1

(I know from the President’s personal physician that the President doesundergo regular checkups and sees his personal doctor whenever he has acough or a cold because of course he needs a doctor’s prescription.)

Rumors about the President collapsing began with queries from themedia late Friday night. This is not the first time that rumors about officialscollapsing circulated, according to Valte, who recalled that two or three yearsago, a similar rumor about a high-ranking government-owned and -con-trolled corporation official also went the rounds. It was also untrue.

“Let’s just be careful about disseminating unverified information on socialmedia, not just because it’s the President, but about other equally importantthings as well,” Valte said.

PressureThe President has been under pressure in the past weeks. On Tuesday,

March 17, a Pulse Asia Research survey showedpublic approval and trust rat-ings of Aquino have hit an all-time low. His approval rating plunged by 21percentage points to 38% in March from 59% in November 2014, while histrust rating went down by 20 percentage points to 36% from 56% over thesame period - the lowest since he became president in 2010. The survey alsoshowed that 8 in 10 Filipinos believe the government’s explanation over theMamasapano tragedy is inadequate.

Still, amid continuing calls for Aquino’s resignation, the survey showedmore Filipinos don’t want him to leave his post just yet. A Senate draft reportmade public also on March 17 said Aquino “must bear responsibility for giv-ing assent to and failing to prevent the unlawful exercise of official functions”by then suspended, now resigned, Philippine National Police chief DirectorGeneral Alan Purisima in connection with Oplan Exodus.

It was on January 25, when 392 commandos of the Special Action Force(SAF) were involved in an operation to arrest two “high-value targets,” allegedbomb makers Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir or Marwan, and Filipino Abdul BasitUsman. A clash with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the MoroIslamic Liberation Front led to the death of 44 SAF troopers, 18 MILF mem-bers, and 5 civilians. Marwan was also killed, but Usman escaped. The after-math of the operation has put the future of the Bangsamoro Basic Law in thebalance. In May 2016, Filipinos will troop to the polls again to choose a newpresident. With a little over a year to go, rumors and misinformation areexpected to intensify, all part of the rising election fever. —Rappler.com

Makati in ... Continued from Page 1

He also warned there was a looming crisis over who had the authority tosign the city’s cheques, while some welfare recipients said they did notreceive their benefits on time. If banks do not honour cheques signed byBinay, street lamps and traffic lights will be shut down, taps in governmentbuildings will run dry and garbage collection will stop, according to Salgado.“This is a very dangerous situation, if their (national government’s) actionsresult in delays in salaries, utilities,” he said.

“Any perception of instability would have aneffect on the country. They are sending the wrongsignal to investors. Makati is the financial centre ofthe country.” From an adjacent old building, withhallways that reek of leaking toilets, Pena issued amemorandum on Friday to all city hall employeesasserting his authority. “All ordinances, official docu-ments and official actions must be submitted andreferred to the undersigned for approval and/orappropriate action,” Pena said, referring to himself.Makati is the country’s largest city in terms of rev-enue, with 11.9 billion pesos ($265 million) in earn-ings from taxes and fees in 2013, according to gov-ernment data. The city hosts the country’s stockexchange, 82 embassies and consulates, 506 bankoffices and 246 business process outsourcing andtechnology companies. The stand-off appears likelyto drag on for weeks, with the Binay family againstthe suspension but Pena continuing to receive theAquino administration’s support. While the powerstruggle is unlikely to affect big business in the cityin the short term, it could affect the Philippines’image as a safe investment destination, Richard

Javad Heydarian, a political science professor at the De La Salle University inManila, told AFP. “Business can’t be tied to political cycles,” he said.

Dynasty ruleBinay’s family has said the mayor’s suspension is politically motivated as

his father continues to dominate surveys to become the next president in2016 elections, ahead of the Liberal Party’s Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

The Binays have ruled Makati since the restoration of democracy in 1986,endearing themselves to the masses with unparalleled benefits such as freecollege education, medicine, movies and birthday cakes. —AFP

GENEVA: More than 120,000 peoplehave fled their homes in the impover-ished southern Philippines since fightingbroke out between government troopsand Islamic militants in late January, theUN refugee agency said Friday.

“UNHCR is concerned about the safe-ty of civilians as the conflict spreads intolocal villages,” spokesman Babar Balochtold reporters.

The Philippines military launched anoffensive earlier this year against theBangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters(BIFF), a rebel group fighting for an inde-pendent Muslim homeland in the south.

The offensive, including attacks withartillery and helicopter gunships, hastaken place in poor farming areas onMindanao island, where Muslim rebels

have for decades fought for independ-ence.

Baloch said an estimated 13 munici-palities in Maguindanao and NorthCotabato had been affected by the eightweeks of clashes.

More than 120,000 had been dis-placed and sought shelter in schools,public buildings and madrasas, he said.

But he acknowledged, “the estimatednumber of displaced could be higher,since it does not include people hostedby relatives and friends.”

Baloch also warned that the numberswere “expected to grow as the fightingextends to the local communities ...already hosting many of the displaced.”

The volatile security situation ismeanwhile blocking UNHCR from

accessing many of the affected areas, hesaid. UNHCR expressed particular con-cern for the safety of civilians, includingwomen and children, stuck in the con-flict area.

While civilians did not seem to be tar-geted directly, they were getting caughtin the crossfire, Baloch told AFP.

“Women and children could poten-tially be exposed to exploitation andabuse,” he warned, pointing out thatmany found themselves without incomeor community protection, and with verylimited access to shelter, food, medicineand water.

“UNHCR appeals to all parties of theconflict to ensure the safety of civilianswhile the law and order operation isunderway,” he said. —AFP

120,000 flee Philippines violence: UN

MANILA: A father and son (L) on a makeshift boat made from styrofoam paddle through a garbage filled river asthey collect plastic bottles that they can sell in junkshops in Manila recently. They earn three US dollars a day. ThePhilippines will be observing World Water day on March 22, a global event that focuses on finding access to cleanand safe water. —AFP

MANILA: Mukhang may it inatagong sikreto si FloydMayweather Jr.

Matapos magkasundo hinggil sa pagkakaroon ng $5-mil-lion fine kung sino sa kanila ni Manny Pacquiao ang magig-ing positibo sa paggamit ng banned substance ay nag-iba ngisip si Mayweather. Sinabi ni Michael Konz, ang Canadianadviser ni Pacquiao, na umatras si Mayweather sa naturangkasunduan. “I’m a little puzzled and a little dismayed thatthey wouldn’t agree to something this simple,” wika ni Koncz.

Nakatanggap ang abogado ni Pacquiao na si DavidMoroso ng isang liham mula sa legal counsel ni Mayweatherna si Jeremiah Reynolds na nakasaad na tumatanggi angkanyang kliyente na pumasok sa $5 million agreement.

Kamakailan ay inihayag ng U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USA-DA) ang pagkakasundo nina Pacquiao at Mayweather nasumailalim sa random, unannounced blood at urine tests nasiyang maghahanap sa mga performance-enhancing sub-stances kagaya ng testosterone, Human Growth Hormone atenergy-boosting EPO.—PSN

Mayweather umatras sa $5m side deal nila ni PacquiaoPena

Binay

Floyd

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 6Ni Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: Bumalik na sa trabaho ang may-100 Filipino labor workers na kamakailanlamang ay tumigil sa kanilang pagta-trabahodahil sa hindi pagpapasahod ng kanilangkumpanya sa Kuwait. Namagitan ang emba-hada sa mga nagwe-welgang manggagawaat napagkasunduan na ibibigay sa kanila angnatitirang unpaid salaries bago sumapit angAbril 15. Nangako rin ang kumpanya namagiging regular na ang kanilang sahodsimula sa susunod na buwan at ibibigay itobago mag ika-15 ng bawat buwan.

Sa panayam ng Kuwait Times Kay AttyCesar Chavez, ang Philippine’s Labor Attachesa Kuwait, nagkausap na umano sila kasamaang management ng lokal na kumpanya sapangunguna ng General Manager nitong siEngineer Emad Salama kasama ang apat narepresentatives mula sa mga nagpu-protes-tang manggagawa. Nangako umano angkumpanya sa harap ni Chavez na ibibigayang lahat ng kanilang hiling kasama angpending salaries. “The complaints filed uponour office by more than 100 Filipino workersare not limited to delayed salaries and someunlawful salary deductions but also concern-ing their accommodations and facilities.They have no AC in Wafra accommodationsand they have incomplete facilities such asbathrooms and kitchen. During our meetingwe discussed all their concerns and the com-pany said they are now fixing the facilities;

it’s all recorded by us in the embassy so weare fully aware that everything we discussedabout will be addressed by the company’smanagement. In exchange to the agreement,I already directed all the Filipino workers to

resume their duties by today, or risk deduc-tion if they didn’t show up,” saad ni Chavez.

Kasama ding babayaran ng kumpanyaang dalawang linggong itinigil ng mga

manggagawang Pinoy sa kanilang trabaho.“We reiterated that the work stoppage of ourworkers is not a strike, they will not be con-sidered as strike because they have stoppedworking because of the lack of food. How

can these people perform duties and respon-sibilities if they have no food in their stom-achs? They agreed to pay the two weeks too,but starting today all Pinoy workers must

report to their job site,” sambit nito.Higit sa 200 laborers, 100 ang mga Pinoy,

ang tumigil sa trabaho dahil sa hindi pagpa-pasuweldo ng kanilang kumpanya ng halostatlong buwan. Dahil dito, umabot na sapunto na wala nang makain ang mga Pinoy atnakikiusap na lamang ang mga ito sa ilan sanakakasalubong nilang Pinoy na bigyan silang makakain, ang i lan ay humihingi nalamang ng mga paa ng manok (adidas) mulasa katayan ng sariwang manok.

Sa katunayan, naging mitsa ito ngmalawakang bayanihan ng mga Pinoyorganizations sa Kuwait upang matugunanang kagyat na pangangailangan ng mga itoat makatawid sa gutom. Unang nagpaabotng tulong ang Philippine Embassy at mata-pos noon, wala na halos patid ang pagpa-parating ng tulong mula sa mga Pinoyorganizations. “We are going back to worktomorrow,” wika ni Marvin, isa sa mga nag-puprotesta at tumatayong leader ng grupomatapos ang usapan nila sa embahada ngaraw na iyon. “They promised in front of ourlabor attache that everything will be deliv-ered according to what we have agreedupon. So we hope that everything will beokay. We have many thank to offer to peoplewho helped us a lot especially Kuwait Times,and all the Filipino organizations who donat-ed and offered food. We will never forget,”dagdag nito.

(Lumabas ang balitang ito sa KuwaitTimes noong Miyerkules)

‘Chicken feet’ protesters balik trabaho na!

MANILA: President Benigno Aquino III isready to provide the House ofRepresentatives with a transcript of hisexchange of text messages with DirectorGeneral Alan Purisima, the resigned chief ofthe Philippine National Police, as SpecialAction Force (SAF) commandos were bat-t l ing Moro rebels in Mamasapano,Maguindanao province, on Jan. 25.

It is unclear, however, if Mr. Aquino is will-ing to appear in the House inquiry into theMamasapano incident set on April 7 and 8.

In a statement, deputy presidentialspokesperson Abigail Valte on Friday saidthat “the pursuit of justice must be definedby a strong commitment to the truth.”

“President Aquino has been unwaveringin his support for seeking the truth regard-ing the Mamasapano incident, and encour-ages any action that would contribute toarriving at the truth at the soonest possibletime,” Valte said.

The President agreed to release the tran-script of his exchange of text messages withPurisima after receiving a request from theSenate.

The President gave his consent, coursedthrough Executive Secretary Paquito OchoaJr., as early as March 4.

“This is in keeping with upholding thedignity of the office and maintaining theprinciple of separation of powers andrespect for a coequal branch of government,”Valte said.

“We therefore leave it to the responsiblemembers of Congress to arrive at a method-

ology that will aid their investigation, bear-ing in mind that the inquiry should remainfocused on its primary mission: To uncoverthe truth,” she said.

“In this manner, the process will not beabused by those who might be inclined totake advantage of the occasion to advancepersonal motives,” she added.

Valte told the Inquirer in a text messagethat her statement was a “statement of poli-cy that the President supports the search fortruth and points to his response to theSenate’s request as an example.”

Would Mr. Aquino testify in the inquiry?Valte said Malaca?ang would leave it to

the lawmakers to decide “how best toapproach it [asking the President to providehis testimony] given that the President is thehead of a separate and coequal branch.”

President Aquino has come under heavypublic criticism over his handling of theMamasapano incident, with 79 percent ofFilipinos believing he has not fully explainedthe SAF mission, according to the results ofthe latest Pulse Asia survey released onThursday.

The disclosure of the contents of the textmessages between Mr. Aquino and Purisimacould shed more light on the Mamasapanoincident.

Senate investigators tried but failed toobtain a transcript of the exchange fromtelecommunication companies.

Oplan ExodusEarly on Jan. 25, SAF commandos infiltrat-

Aquino approves release of texts

MANILA: This file photo shows employees of Solaire Manila Resorts and Casino simu-lating gaming during media day inside the casino in Manila ahead of its opening onMarch 16. The Philippine mega-casino reported its first annual profit on the back ofhalf a billion dollars in revenues, strengthening the Southeast Asian nation’s bid tobecome one of the world’s biggest gambling hubs. —AFP

ed Moro rebel-controlled Mamasapano toarrest Malaysian terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir,alias “Marwan,” and Amin Baco, alias “Jihad,”and their Filipino associate, Basit Usman.

The commandos killed Marwan but Bacoand Usman escaped and the commandoswere ambushed by guerr i l las from the

Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF),Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) andJustice for Islamic Movement (JIM) as theywithdrew from the town.

For ty-four SAF commandos, 17 MILFrebels and three civilians were killed in thedaylong gun battle. —Inquirer.net

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 7

By Sebastian Javier

KUWAIT: The 2-week encounter of thebest among the best bowlers in theFirst Season Bowling LeagueTournament of Philippine BowlingAssociation in Kuwait Master’s Editionstarted on Friday and the declaredchampions were Noe Mahayag forClass A and Ali Adel Ata Khalil for ClassB. For each category champion willreceived valuable gift and cash prizewhile runners up will received medaland cash prize.

The 14 qualified bowlers whotopped the Class A group were: GregMelancon, Glen Corbit, Joe White,Aldin Avila, Abdul Aziz Aslawi, NoeMahayag, Fahad Abul, Farid Gabriel,Christopher Bush, Tony Zulueta, NorlanBalasan, Anthony King, Kiko Andayaand Mar Evangelista.

Like true professional bowlers com-peting in an international competition,half of the top qualifiers showed theirmastery when they scored above 400points after the first two games.Frontrunner was the top qualifier Gregwhen he delivered 234/248 (482), fol-lowed by Noe’s 245/225 (470) and FaridGabriel who composed the Top 3. Theywere followed by Mar (442), Glen (436),Joe (423), Tony (401), Chris (393),Abdulaziz (385) and Fahad (385). In thethird game Noe snatched the top posi-tion when he scored 234 against 200 ofGreg and also in the fourth game 214-212 with a total of 918 over 894 with24 points difference in favor of Noe.There were no intruder in the top 10

only changes in the ranking.In the penultimate game, another

big score for Noe with his 255 to main-tain the superiority, Greg remainedpoor second with his 209 points andfor the dismay of Farid and Mar as thirdand fourth placer, they were overtakenby Abdulqaziz when he scored 236 andgrabbed the third spot. In the finalgame, Noe’s killer’s instinct dwindleddue to duress and just scored his low-est of 170. Greg’s production of 207 felt

short of 3 marks and not enough toseized the championship trophy fromNoe and remained the first runner up.Same with Noe, Abdulaziz lost hisstamina and energy and scored 175and find himself nursing in fourthplace behind Joe White who snatchedthe third place with a medal and cash

prize that was intended for top 3 win-ners only.

The final result and standing forClass A group were: 1. Noe Mahayag(1343), 2. Greg Melamon (1310), 3. JoeWhite (1256), 4. Abdulaziz Aslawi(1241), 5. Farid Gabriel (1226), 6. MarEvangelista (1208), 7, Aldin Avila(1202), 8. Fahad Abul (1195), 9. TonyZulueta (1190), 10. Glen Corbit (1184),11. Christopher Bush (1123), 12. KikoAndaya (1073), 13. Anthony King

(1073) and 14. Norlan Balasan (1035). For Class B cluster, 14 pinbusters

joined the championship event com-posed of Saleh Faraj, Ali Adel Ata Khalil,Rani Skeik, Ferdie Saliba, Jess Tolentino,Mike Gonzales, Lito Mercado, MandyManalo, Rudy de Lima, Danny Solis,Rocky Castil, Alex Cervantes, Eddie

Pena and Joel Tizon. After the initial two games, Rocky

Castil was the leader of the top 10 withhis 408 points, followed closely by AlexCervantes (405), Eddie (384), Ali Adel(381), Mike (379), Ferdie (376), Joel(367), Jess (348), Danny (346) and Rani(340). Completing the four games,Ferdie seized the prime post from sixthplace with his 769 followed closely byformer topnotch Rocky 762 and alsothe newcomer Jess from eight place

getting the third place (741) followedby Mike (729), Ali del (722), Danny(708), Joel (706), Eddie (701) Alex (699)and Lito (675) completing the top 10.After the penultimate game the Big 3did not change position with Ferdie(952) on the frontline, ensued by Rocky(934), and Jess ( 928). The other

bowlers composing the top 10 were AliAdel (921), Mike (885), Danny (870),Joel (870), Alex (864), Eddie (859) andMandy (843).

In the final game the championshipis wide open for the top 4 because oflittle difference with their scores butFerdie have the edge over his oppo-nent as the toprank. But turn of eventsurprised everybody when Ferdie losthis consistency and scored his lowestin the last game a mere 123 points. AliAdel scored a big 200 points while Jessscored 188 and Rocky got 177. Ali Adelfilched the championship trophy, Jessthe first runner up medal and Rockythe second runner up.

Final score and standing of Class Bafter the 6-game series: 1. Ali Adel AtaKhalil (1121), 2. Jess Tolentino (1116), 3.Rocky Castil (1111), 4. Mike Gonzales(1084), 5. Ferdie Saliba (1075), 6. MandyManalo (1065), 7. Saleh Faraj (1045), 8.Danny Solis (1036), 9. Eddie Pena(1027), 10. Alex Cervantes (1015), 11.Joel Tizon (1007), 12. Rani Skeik (988),13. Rudy de Lima (961) and LitoMercado (941).

Meanwhile, after the tabulations offinal results awarding ensued and tro-phies were awarded to the IndividualHigh Game, Individual High Series andthe recipients were Greg Melancon forClass A and for Class B Saleh Faraj andDanny Solis. For the first time, thechampions of different categoriesreceived t-shirts printed on it his nameand Masters champion and to all mem-bers they were given a mug with theirrespective names printed on it.

PBAK Master’s edition, Noe Mahayag- Class A and Ali Adel - Class B champions

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

PBAK Master’s edition, Noe

Mahayag - Class A and Ali Adel - Class

B champions

Page 7

KUWAIT: The second elimination rounds for the 1st Pag-IbigFund Badminton Cup went well last Friday at the KuwaitDisabled Sports Club in Hawally. It was a sports event part-nered by the Pag-IBIG Fund with the Filipino BadmintonCommittee-Kuwait Chapter. The said event is the FBC’s 55thtourney launched with an inspirational speech from the Pag-IBIG’s country representative Mc Khalil.

During the launch program on March 13, the good news forFilipino OFW’s in Kuwait was announced by the Chairman andFounder and encouraged Filipinos to conveniently make theirinquiries about Housing Loan and Pag-IBIG registrations everyFriday at the venue.

Here’s the second elimination round results:Team Prep. Standing

Team Names Total Points WinsAM - Level C

1 Lai G. Clarissa J. 315 72 Roughy S. Vergie O. 311 73 Ailyn B Vernz J. 303 74 Mark C Jelsey C 340 65 Jules F Maryann P 264 56 Mary Francis Jelyn L. 238 47 Janice C. Ronald I. 255 38 Nico G Ruby M. 239 3

AM - Level D1 Gian J. Nilda M. 330 112 Rosana B. Gerry C. 271 73 Kathleen Felix D.G 252 74 Chris H. Jean V. 304 55 Gereson G. Violy D. 292 46 Generose P. Malcolm T. 277 47 Mohd F. Laila D. 270 48 Farhana J. Iena C 178 -

FBC’s Pag-IBIG Fund Cup continues