Friday, December 23, 2011

Pinoy Siri Vangie on the iPhone 4S

Here’s Macapuno Systems’ take if Siri had a Pinoy/Filipino version. Meet Vangie, the Pinoy Virtual Assistant.



Siri is an intelligent software assistant and knowledge navigator functioning as a personal assistant application for iOS, which debuted on the iPhone 4S.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Powerhouse lawyers to defend Corona

Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas will lead a powerhouse cast who will defend Chief Justice Renato Corona in his impeachment trial next year, ABS-CBN News sources said.

Joining him is lawyer Eduardo de los Angeles, former Ateneo College of Law Dean. He is also a member of Corona’s fraternity, Ateneo’s Fraternal Order of Utopia.

Cuevas, 83, worked as justice secretary under the administration of former President Joseph Estrada. He was an associate justice during the Marcos administration.

Cuevas is a known lawyer of the influential Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) and a former chairman of New Era University, which was established by the INC.

De los Angeles, on the other hand, was one of the private prosecutors during Estrada’s impeachment trial.

Both are known for their extensive experience in litigation.

Joining their team are former Court of Appeals Justice Hector Hofileña and former Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila Law Dean Jose “Judd” Roy III.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) considers Corona’s legal team very strong. IBP President Roan Libarios said, “We’re confident that he could adequately represent the Chief Justice. Nababahala kami sa IBP na sinasabi ng iba na dahil political process ito, they will rely on the public opinion.”

A team from the IBP was also offered to join the defense team, but had to beg off because they themselves believe that the impeachment complaint is defective.

IBP, the national organization of lawyers in the country, will lead an information drive to explain to the public the effects of the executive and legislative branches’ actions in maligning the Supreme Court.

Former Solicitor General Frank Chavez, on the other hand, said the fight is not all about legal speak.

“This is a battle of propaganda so kailangan maganda rin ang propaganda machineries of both sides,” he said.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Jovito Palparan Latest News Update

The tables have been turned: The hunter is now the hunted.

Two days after Jovito Palparan Jr. was stopped at an airport in Pampanga province from leaving the country, the government launched a manhunt for the retired major general tagged by activist groups as “Berdugo (Butcher)” for the string of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances attributed to him.

A task force has been formed solely to find, arrest and detain Palparan since his foiled attempt to leave for Singapore on Monday, President Benigno Aquino III’s spokesperson, Edwin Lacierda, said Wednesday.

Formed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, the task force is made up of members of the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation, Lacierda said.

The mother of one of two University of the Philippines students abducted in 2006 said that Palparan was “a coward” and that “we will search you out.”

In a statement issued by his office, Lacierda called on Palparan to stop hiding and surrender to authorities: “Come out, come out wherever you are.”

He said the man “formerly so bold and brazen, and lavishly coddled by the former administration, is now a fugitive from justice.”

In the City of San Fernando, Ricardo Diaz, head of the NBI office in Central Luzon, aired an appeal to Palparan to turn himself in after an NBI team assigned to serve an arrest warrant failed to find him.

Palparan, the former commander of the 7th Infantry Division, retired from military service in September 2006, less than three months after Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño were abducted in Hagonoy, Bulacan province.

Diaz said he and his men were hoping that Palparan would heed his appeal.

“He may be thinking about his options. I hope he turns himself in peacefully,” Diaz said.

Human rights groups in Central Luzon have counted over 700 incidents of human rights violations in the less than two years that Palparan was assigned to the region.

In an earlier telephone interview, Palparan said he would face the case and would not resist arrest. But he said he would ask his lawyer to file a petition to review the case.

When asked, Diaz said he believed that Palparan was evading arrest.

“He knew that a case had been filed against him and an arrest warrant had been issued. He should have turned himself in, but there has been no information [on his whereabouts] or any contact [initiated by] him,” Diaz told the Inquirer.

Judge Teodora Gonzales of Regional Trial Court Branch 14 in Malolos, Bulacan, issued separate warrants for the arrest of Palparan and his three coaccused on Monday afternoon. The Department of Justice (DOJ) had earlier approved the filing of charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention against Palparan and the others in connection with the 2006 abduction of Empeño and Cadapan, who remain missing to this day.

No bail was recommended. Gonzales also issued hold-departure orders on the four accused on Tuesday afternoon. “[I]n order not to frustrate the ends of justice, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Bureau of Immigration are hereby directed to include [Palparan et al.] in the hold-departure list,” the judge said.

2 in custody

Charged along with Palparan were Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado Jr., M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario of the 7th Infantry Division based in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija province, and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio, who is assigned to the Army’s 24th Intelligence and Security Group in Fort Bonifacio.

Osorio and Anotado surrendered to the Office of the Armed Forces’ Provost Marshal in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday afternoon.

Under military rules for noncommissioned officers, Osorio will face summary dismissal proceedings just for being charged in court, even if he is not found guilty. But he may be reinstated if he is cleared by the court.

Anotado has been relieved of his post. His relief will be in effect for the duration of the trial. But being a commissioned officer, he will not be discharged from the service until he is found guilty.

The two men are detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame while awaiting Judge Gonzales’ commitment order.

Hilario, the other coaccused, has been absent without leave from the Army since December 2008, according to records.

The mothers of the missing women called on the public to tip authorities on Palparan’s whereabouts.

“Palparan should be man enough to face up to his sins,” Erlinda Cadapan said in a briefing at the office of the human rights organization, Karapatan.

Concepcion Empeño said: “If you’re listening now, Jovito Palparan, you’re a coward. Mr. Empeño said ‘You don’t have any balls.’ We will search you out. [Produce] our daughters and other victims of forced disappearance. You’ll rot in jail with GMA (Arroyo) and Abalos.”

She was referring to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former Election Chairman Benjamin Abalos, both of whom are now detained on charges of electoral sabotage.

Day of reckoning

The two mothers said that with the warrant out for Palparan’s arrest, they believed that “the day of reckoning” was fast approaching.

“The time has come for him to account for his crimes,” Concepcion Empeño said.

The mothers issued a joint statement calling on the public to “join us in this people’s manhunt to ensure that [Palparan] and his cohorts are immediately arrested, put to jail and prosecuted for the grave human rights violations they committed.”

“He should be jailed in the company of ordinary detainees before Christmas without any special treatment. He should be made to account for his actions,” Concepcion Empeño said in an interview.

‘Do what’s right’

Editha Burgos, the mother of another missing activist, Jonas Burgos, added her voice to the call.

“Let’s help out. We have to do what is right. If we don’t act, then we’re siding with evil. We can’t do this alone. You know his face; it’s splashed on the papers. He may be smoking a cigarette by your side. He could be leaning out his window. He could be lolling in his garden, playing with his dog,” Burgos said at the briefing.

Echoing the other mothers, she appealed to the captors of the missing women “to do what is right.”

“Do what your conscience dictates and what God wants. Rest assured we’ll pray for you to have the strength to do this,” she said.

The DOJ recommendation to file charges against Palparan et al. and the court’s issuance of warrants for their arrest have spurred relatives of the disappeared to press on with their search for justice.

“It has given us joy that something [like this] could happen,” Burgos, widow of the late press freedom icon Jose Burgos, said in an interview. “We’re realistic to know that it won’t happen overnight. This initiative will spur us to go on.”

Burgos said the day of reckoning was “coming very, very soon” for the perpetrators of disappearances and abductions.

“This should open the eyes of those holding Sherlyn and Karen and all the disappeared to come out and come clean, to lessen their culpability,” she said. “I’m sure Palparan will bring down many people.”

Not in Taguig, Pateros

The NBI’s Diaz said his men went to Palparan’s house in Taguig City on Tuesday to serve the warrant but were told by the latter’s tenants that he rarely visited the place.

The team also failed to find Palparan in his wife’s house in Pateros town in Metro Manila, Diaz said.

The man could not be reached since Tuesday night; his mobile phone had been turned off.

Flight as guilt

De Lima also called on Palparan to yield to authorities to spare the government from using its resources in hunting him down.

“We very well know the principle that flight is an indication of guilt. If he’s really innocent, he would bravely face the charges against him,” De Lima said.

The lawyer of the families of Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan likewise challenged Palparan to turn himself in.

“Palparan is hopelessly incorrigible and his braggadocio is incomparable. He should face the music and leave the lawyering to his counsels,” Edre Olalia said in a statement. “He must give himself up now and stop being the coward and heartless creature that he really is.”

Source: Inquirer.net

MRT 3 Philippines Schedule Christmas 2011 and New Year 2012

Here is the schedule of operations of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) this holiday season 2011, which includes Christmas and New Year 2012:


DATE NORTH AVENUE Station TAFT AVENUE Station
First train
departure
Last train
departure
First train
departure
Last train
departure
December 24, Saturday 5:30 a.m. 8:30 p.m. 5:30 a.m. 9:00 p.m
December 25, Sunday 7:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m. 7:30 a.m. 10:30 p.m.
December 30, Friday 5:30 a.m. 10:00 p.m. 5:30 a.m. 10:30 p.m.
December 31, Saturday 5:30 a.m. 8:30 p.m. 5:30 a.m. 9:00 p.m
January 1, Sunday 7:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m. 7:30 a.m. 10:30 p.m.

Rhian Ramos and Mo Twister Kissing YouTube video

A second YouTube video believed (by some) to be uploaded by Mo Twister is starting to go viral.

This time around it stars Rhian Ramos and Mo Twister. It shows the 34-year-old DJ/TV host and the 21-year-old GMA-7 actress kissing, touching, and having a “private moment” in front of the laptop camera. It can be recalled that the first video starred Mo Twister where he alleged that they got rid of a baby in Singapore.

 Mo Twister aired his side on the leaked video of him and ex-girlfriend Rhian Ramos making out. The said video surfaced the net on Tuesday via the video sharing site YouTube. 

The said “kissing video” clearly shows Rhian Ramos, 21, and Mo Twister, 34, making out on the bed with their clothes on. Rhian and Mo are aware of the recording which lasted for more than 4 minutes.
This is the second scandalous video pertaining to the past relationship of Mo and Rhian that has gone viral. The first was the “RepairedMovie” video, which was leaked earlier this Month, featuring Mo Twister recording himself on a supposed video diary lamenting about the alleged abortion that Rhian is about to commit (or had committed).

When the said video surfaced the net, Mo Twister quickly denied hand in the upload saying that it was taken from his stolen laptop.

And regarding the new video titled by the uploader(s) as “Mo Twister and Rhian Ramos Scandal,” the DJ/host denied once again that he had a hand on its leakage.

But contrary to the first video (RepairedMovie), Mo said that this one did not come from him.

“This latest video was not one in my possession. It was not recorded on my laptop,” he wrote.
Here is the full statement of Mo Twister as posted recently on his Tumbler account:

“I hope this all ends soon. I don’t even know how we are getting to this point. I know so many theories are out there on how these videos are being uploaded online. I hope I can be as clear as possible that this is not my doing. This latest video was not one in my possession. It was not recorded on my laptop. Actually, at this point, it doesn’t even matter what your opinions are or who you put to blame for this. These files are amongst some of our more private and intimate moments and right now, it looks like even though I ask/beg the person to stop uploading these videos, it will not make a difference. I hope this will all end soon.”

Pacquiao Mayweather demands $100M for mega-fight

Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao claimed that his unbeaten and controversial rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. is asking a hefty sum for their anticipated blockbuster bout.

“Narinig ko sa $100 million ‘yung hiningi… Basta 'yun ang hinihingi n'ya kaya ‘di matuloy-tuloy [ang laban],” the fighting congressman of Sarangani province told ABS-CBN’s Jay Dayupay.

(I heard he’s asking $100 million. That’s what he’s asking for which is why the fight is not yet done).

Pacquiao, who is turning 33 on Saturday, said he is leaving it to his promoter to negotiate with Mayweather’s camp.

Top Rank Promotions, which handles Pacquiao’s fights, said that $100 million for just one fighter is impossible.

Pacquiao also mentioned that there were offers made by some promoters guaranteeing each fighter $50 million.

The Filipino champion said he has no qualms about getting the lower share, as long as the fight gets done.

“Actually, wala akong problema kahit na maliit lang amg prem’yo ko. Walang problema, basta matuloy lang ang fight (It’s no problem for be to get the smaller prize as long as the fight gets done)” said Pacquiao.

Pacquiao Yacht

World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has bought a P25-million yacht as a Christmas gift to his family.

Photo Courtesy of ABS-CBNNews.com
The Italian-made yacht, named "Sarangani’s Pride," is Pacquiao’s surprise treat to his family following his successful bout against Mexican champion Juan Manuel Marquez last November 12.

Pacquiao’s wife, Jinkee, said they had been dreaming of owning a yacht for sometime now.

“Andaming blessing na dumating atsaka ‘yung yate, iniisip lang namin dati na kelan kaya kami magkakaroon ng ganyan? Tapos ngayon, eto na,” she said.

The fully furnished vessel was blessed by a priest on Wednesday.

Pacquiao’s boat is considered as the “Ferrari” of yachts.

It carries 3 jet skis, worth P1 million each, and it can travel from Sarangani to Manila in a day-and-a-half.

Pacquiao said he and his family will have plenty of bonding time while riding the yacht.

"Regalo ko sa pamilya ko at sa mga kids ko, wife ko after ng [Marquez] fight," he said.

The “gift” is also seen by some as Pacquiao’s way to make up for a recent issue surrounding his marriage.

Shortly before the Marquez fight, rumors about Jinkee’s supposed plan to have her marriage to Pacquiao annulled circulated.

But this was vehemently denied by the boxing champion.

Jinkee now maintains that their problems are already a thing of the past.

"Actually, hindi ko na iniisip eh. Hindi ko na dapat iniisip ulit. Saka ‘di ko na dapat balikan pa," said Jinkee.

Source: ABS-CBNNews