PBA: It's Blackwater!

Expansion team Blackwater closed out its campaign on a high note when it stunned playoff-bound Meralco, 84-72, last night in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup elimination round at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Import Marcus Douthit produced 27 points and 14 rebounds while center JP Erram scored a career-high 21 points, with seven rebounds and five blocks as the Elite finished their campaign with a 3-8 record.

Blackwater’s performance was obviously a marked improvement from the Philippine Cup when it failed to win in all 11 matches.

“Going into this game, regardless of being eliminated, gaining the experience and giving their (Elite players) hundred percent is part of the building process we are undergoing,” said Blackwater mentor Leo Isaac.

“Hopefully we can bring this to the next conference. We just wanted to end the second conference on a high note. We’ll enjoy the 10-day break, and then we’ll plunge back to practice on April 6.

“Maybe we can have a fresh start and new level of confidence (next conference),” added Isaac.

Reil Cervantes added 13 points off the bench since he was traded from Blackwater for Alex Nuyles.

Blackwater will have the luxury of signing an import with unlimited height for the Governors’ Cup since the team finished as one of the four-worst teams in the first two conferences.

Isaac said that while he is pleased with the performance of the 6-foot-10 Douthit, who took over from the injured Chris Charles, it is up to the management led by team owner Dioceldo Sy to decide whether to stick with the naturalized player of Gilas Pilipinas.

“Team management will meet with the coaches on Friday, by then baka may decision na,” said Isaac, who added that there is also a possibility for them to avail the Asian reinforcement.

“We have some names on our list, and if it pushes through, (we’re eyeing) a player from the Middle East na magaling siya lumaro. He played for his national team,” said Isaac, who refused to name the Asian import.

Meralco ended the elims with a 6-5 record, losing five of its final six games after a 5-0 start. The loss, however, proved meaningless for the Bolts as they had already secured a best-of-three quarterfinal duel with sister team NLEX Road Warriors.

The quarterfinals begin tomorrow at the Big Dome.

Jared Dillinger led Meralco with 15 points, Sean Anthony and Mike Cortez added 13 points apiece, while import Josh Davis had 11 and 20 boards.

Scores:

First Game

BLACKWATER 84 – Douthit 27, Erram 21, Cervantes 13, Heruela 7, Acuna 6, Bulawan 5, Gamalinda 3, Laure 2, Timberlake 0, Reyes 0, Golla 0.

MERALCO 72 – Dillinger 15, Anthony 13, Cortez 13, Davis 11, Wilson 7, Ferriols 5, Caram 3, Reyes 2, David 2, Buenafe 1, Ildefonso 0, Sena 0, Hugnatan 0, Macapagal 0.

Quarters: 26-23; 50-40; 66-46; 84-72.

Second Game

ALASKA 104 – James 29, Baguio 17, Abueva 16, Jazul 10, Hontiveros 9, Casio 5, Banchero 4, Thoss 4, Exciminiano 4, Manuel 2, Menk 2, Baclao 2, Eman 0, Dela Cruz 0.

GINEBRA 98 – Dunigan 32, Baracael 18, Aguilar 17, Tenorio 10, Urbiztondo 8, Slaughter 7, Caguioa 4, Monfort 2, Pena 0, Helterbrand 0, Ababou 0, Ellis 0.

Quarters: 29-23, 52-39, 78-69, 104-98 - Tempo

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Philippines to attain 7 to 8% economic growth in 2015: central bank

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Governor of central bank Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. said today that the government's 7 to 8 percent economic growth target in 2015 is attainable.

This is because "domestic demand remains firm and supported by brewing production efficiency and robust labor market dynamics," Tetangco said during the Euromoney Philippines Investment Forum.

He said the central bank is confident that the country will be able to attain the goal of an upward economic growth trajectory in an environment of price and financial stability because the bank will remain proactive in policy dialogue with stakeholders, preemptive in putting in place forward-looking policies, and prudent in adopting reforms.

The Philippine economy expanded by 6.1 percent last year, short of the government's 6.5 to 7.5 percent target and also slower than the 7.2 percent growth in 2013. However, this is the second fastest growth rate seen in Asia during the period.

Tetangco added that inflation should remain within 2 to 4 percent target for this year and the next, while liquidity is also expected to remain sufficient.

Despite the favorable prospects of the economy, he said the central bank continues to monitor risks to growth such as the uneven global output, uncertainty in oil prices, and the divergence in monetary policy settings across countries.

"Given the positive alignment between inflation growth and augmented government resources as a result of fiscal consolidation, both monetary and fiscal sectors have sufficient room to make policy adjustments as warranted," Tetangco said.   - philSTAR

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Senator Santiago backs Ombudsman, SC: "Gobenciong case" - Binay should leave Makati City hall

Mayor Junjun Binay vs Senator Miriam Santiago- Politics.com

Ombudsman not liable for acting quickly on Mayor Binay suspension—Santiago

MANILA, Philippines — Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and other concerned officials were not liable for immediately implementing the suspension order on Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said on Wednesday.

Santiago was reacting to a contempt case filed by Binay against the Ombudsman and other officials for defying a temporary restraining order issued by the Court of Appeals on his suspension. It was the Office of the Ombudsman that issued the preventive suspension order on Binay in connection with the allegedly anomalous Makati City Hall 2 carpark building.

But Santiago pointed out that in the 2008 case of Gobenciong v. Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court ruled: “The Office of the Ombudsman can, as a matter of statutory empowerment, validly order the immediate execution of a preventive suspension after determining the propriety of the imposition, regardless of the remedy of reconsideration made available under the law to the suspended respondent.”

“Thus, the Ombudsman can order the immediate suspension of a sitting mayor, who is not allowed to plead that he needs time to file a motion for reconsideration,” the senator said in a statement.

Santiago said that in the Gobenciong case, the high tribunal rejected the argument that the sitting official was denied due process of law, just because the suspension was immediately implemented.

“In the Gobenciong case, the Supreme Court said there was no legal basis for the argument that immediate implementation of the preventive suspension would deny due process. In fact, the Supreme Court added that since preventive suspension is not a penalty for an administrative offense, preventive suspension can be imposed without prior hearing,” she said.

The SC, she said, denied the motion to cite the Ombudsman in contempt on the ground that it had “become moot and academic for the preventive suspension had been served.”

Under the Gobenciong ruling, Santiago said the Ombudsman could not be held in indirect contempt because under the Rules of Court there was no “disobedience of or resistance to a lawful writ of a court.”

“A contempt order usually arises according to the Rules of Court for ‘any improper conduct tending, directly or indirectly, to impede, obstruct, or degrade the administration of justice.’ It is not the case,” she said.

But Santiago also pointed to a 2011 case, Strategic Alliance Development Corp. v. Star Infrastructure Development Corp. where the Supreme Court held: “Although the general rule is to the effect that a writ of preliminary injunction cannot be issued against acts already fait accompli it has been held, however, that consummated acts which are continuing in nature may still be enjoined by the courts.”

She said this “apparent collision” between the 2008 Gobenciong case and the 2011 Strategic Alliance case should be resolved by the Court of Appeals.

One of the petitioners, she said, might also elevate the case on a petition for review on certiorari concerning a question of law to the Supreme Court, which has discretion on whether to pass upon the petition. - INQUIRER

 

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