Armed Forces united & published a manifesto AGAINST BBL Bangsamoro - Shocks President Aquino!

Aquino ‘surprised’ by Bangsamoro manifesto

SEVERAL GROUPS of retired military and police servicemen, a number of retired chiefs-of-staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and one retired chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) called for the junking of the peace agreements between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in a published “manifesto” that President Benigno S. C. Aquino III said took him by surprise.

In a “Manifesto of Retired Officers” published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Monday, the groups urged the Supreme Court to declare as null and void the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, and the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), saying these agreements violate the Philippine Constitution.

The 13 groups which signed the call include the following:

* Association of General and Flag Officers

* National ROTC Alumni Association

* Kampilan Peacekeepers Association

* Fraternal Organization of ROTC Reservists and Veterans

* Filipino War Veterans Foundation

* Philippine National Police Retirees Association

* Veteran Generals and Flag Officers Federation

* Cavliers 57

* Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association

* Kapisanan ng Kawal Mindanao

* Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attache Association

* Last Watering Hole

* Reform the Armed Forces Movement Foundation

Retired PNP chief Umberto A. Rodriguez also signed the manifesto, together with retired AFP chiefs Efren I. Abu, Dionisio R. Santiago, Generoso S. Sengu and Alexander B. Yano.

Political analyst Ramon C. Casiple said that in the military and police service, retired officials tend to have an influence on their junior officers given the culture and nature of these organizations.

“Within the military and police circles, they are influential in a sense that the active leaders now used to be their junior officers,” Mr. Casiple said in a phone interview Monday afternoon.

“I’m not saying that they can actually command their junior officers but we can say that their influence to them is considerable,” he added.

Mr. Aquino said he was “surprised” by the statement, as he noted several among the signatories used to be part of the security cluster.

“So, I was surprised that their reaction was to that degree and that they have objections,” Mr. Aquino told reporters Monday.

“Maybe what’s good is to have a public dialogue with them... so everyone can see if their position on the matter has sound basis,” he added.

In the manifesto, the groups called for safeguards on the proposed BBL, including provisions stating that the proposed Bangsamoro region is “a constituent part of the Republic of the Philippines.”

Other provisions being pushed in the manifesto include a renouncement of separatism, disarmament of all combatants six months after the agreement’s ratification, and conformity of the proposed Bangsamoro region with the Philippine Constitution. –read more at Business World Online

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Controversial ₱700-million Iloilo Convention Center opens for APEC Summit

PNoy opens Iloilo Convention Center

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III led on Monday the inauguration of the controversial ₱700-million Iloilo Convention Center (ICC).

Aquino opened the state-of-the-art convention facility located on a 1.7-hectare lot in Iloilo Business Park, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

The ICC became controversial last year after former provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada Jr. alleged that the structure was overpriced and implicated Senate President Franklin Drilon, an Ilonggo.

Mejorada accused Drilon of conspiring with a supposedly favored contractor to rig the bidding of the project.

Mejorada alleged that W.V. Coscoluella and Associates, which designed the building, was awarded a contract without a public bidding and that construction was overpriced by ₱488 million.

President Aquino at the inauguration of the Iloilo Convention Center in Iloilo City. Official Gazette PH

Drilon was charged with graft before the Office of the Ombudsman in October 2014, but the charge was dismissed for lack of merit.

Two stories high with a floor area of 11,832 square meters, the ICC can accommodate over 3,000 guests. It will be used as one of the venues for some high-level ministerial meetings of this year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit.

The construction of the ICC began in 2013 and was based on a design inspired by Iloilo's Dinagyang and Paraw festivals.

Aquino also joined the ceremonial launch of the Iloilo Business Park and Richmonde Hotel Iloilo. - Louis Bacani @philSTAR

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VIDEO: Pinay X Factor favorites 4th Power grew up in poverty before shooting to stardom got standing Ovation

The group impressed the judges. image: mirror.co.uk

X Factor favorites 4th Power grew up in poverty before shooting to stardom, their mum reveals

The girl group sparked outrage last week as it was revealed they were professionals, but they have come a long way from their childhood

X Factor favorites 4th Power grew up in poverty before reaching stardom, their mum has revealed.

Filipino sisters Almira, 27, Celena, 19, Mylene, 23, and Irene, 25, wept with joy on the opening show after getting a standing ovation from the new judging panel of Simon Cowell, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Rita Ora and Nick Grimshaw.

Some viewers were livid when the Sunday People last week revealed they were seasoned professionals.

But life has not always been so good. The girls grew up in a poor neighborhood in the city of Santiago with two more siblings, their junk dealer dad Dominador and mum Erlindo.

Revealing the family's struggle, Erlindo said: "We moved from place to place to find a better life. Poverty forced my husband to buy and sell bottles and newspapers in a pushcart.

"I sold Tupperware, beauty products and fashionwear. With our hard work, we sent our five daughters and our son to school."

She revealed how they got their first break by finishing second in a family singing contest while wearing homemade kit.

The group appeared on This Morning

The sisters raised travel money by singing at an arena between cock fights and went on to perform at birthdays, weddings and concerts to help pay for school tuition.

A string of international competitions followed.

The band had told X Factor producers about their extensive experience before being invited to perform for the judges.- Read more at Mirror.co.uk

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