Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from August 2003

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from August 2003

6 Abu bandits fall in S. Kudarat.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) GENERAL SANTOS CITY-The military claimed it arrested six suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat on Tuesday afternoon. Col. Edgardo Gurrea, the head of the Joint Task Force Gensan and...

After mutiny, robbery hits Glorietta.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Alcuin Papa FOR THE second time in less than a week, violence gripped the Glorietta mall in Makati City when a suspected robber hit a moneychanger shop and took hostage a student. The...

Lost in bits and pieces.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ambeth R. Ocampo ROUSED from sleep at 3 a.m. by text and calls regarding a new coup attempt in Makati, I sat in front of the TV and got a ringside seat to history as it unfolded. However, an...

Angara presses party reform law.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michael Lim Ubac SEN. Edgardo Angara yesterday asked Senate colleagues to pass the campaign finance and political party reform bill in time for the national elections next year. "This, to...

Another student falls victim to school hazing.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) IBA, Zambales-A plebe of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) in San Antonio town was seriously hurt after he was reportedly hazed by some senior cadets last week. SPO2 Bernabe Malcaba, the...

2 Belgian women drown in Benguet river.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gobleth Moulic BAGUIO CITY-Police and village officials are looking for two female Belgian students who have been reported missing since Wednesday when they went swimming in the Agno River in...

3 slain, 2 wounded in Camarines killings.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) LEGAZPI CITY-Three persons were killed while two others were seriously injured in a massacre at about 2 a.m. Wednesday in the remote Barangay of Cabanbanan, Balatan, Camarines Sur. Reports reaching the...

Church, NGOs form link to stop mining, logging in entire Eastern Samar.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Cyrain Cabuenas BORONGAN, Eastern Samar-"No to mining, yes to Samar Island Natural Park!" This was the resounding stand of the people of Eastern Samar as echoed by their leaders and...

Cheating rears ugly head in registration.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY-At least 17 high school students of the Southern de Oro Philippines College (SPC) here were lured to register in Lanao del Sur in exchange for P500. The voters' registration in the...

Cops put on the spot.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Leila B. Salaverria AS REPORTS of more unrest in the Armed Forces linger, junior police officers in Metro Manila have been asked to express their support for the government of President...

Anti-crime group assails church on death penalty.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Blanche S. Rivera ANTI-CRIME crusaders yesterday rapped the influential Catholic Church for its anti-death penalty stance despite President Macapagal-Arroyo's decision to revive the death...

The failed 1989 coup in retrospect.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Belinda A. Aquino HONOLULU-In the wake of the latest caper in Makati, I dug up my dust-covered 1990 Final Report of the Fact-Finding Commission formed by then President Cory Aquino to...

Bad bread downs 70 in Bataan, Subic.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) SUBIC BAY FREEPORT-At least 70 people, including a three-year-old boy, were taken to the municipal health center of Morong, Bataan, and other hospitals in Olongapo City on Wednesday when they complained of...

Dableo, Paragua boost title drive.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) ASIAN Zonal champion Ronald Dableo and IM Joseph Sanchez won their fifth round matches yesterday to catch up with fellow Filipino Marc Paragua and bolster their title drive in the XV Open Cannes...

Cory says she won't endorse anyone in 2004.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Carla P. Gomez, PDI Visayas Bureau BACOLOD CITY-Former President Corazon Aquino said she is seriously considering not endorsing a candidate for president in 2004 because she is involved in a...

4 die trying to save woman in septic tank.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jhunnex Napallacan CEBU CITY-Four men died on Monday night when they tried to rescue a neighbor who fell into a septic tank in Barangay Guadalupe this city. The police said Glenn Pirame,...

Widely off the mark.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Amando Doronila TIME magazine made President Macapagal-Arroyo its cover story, for the third time, on its Aug. 4 issue. The article cited President Macapagal for "crisis management" after her...

Cops say Cordillera farmers clearing land for marijuana.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) BAGUIO CITY-Police said some farmers in the Cordillera have already started clearing forests through kaingin (slash and burn farming) to prepare seedbeds for marijuana seedlings, which earn for farmers more...

Ex-AFP chief of staff warns of 2nd round.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Carlito Pablo CRITICS had ridiculed retired Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lisandro Abadia when he aired a warning about restiveness in the military last year. To them, Abadia can only say now,...

Knight's sacrifice.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) ONE down, two to go. The young officers who mounted the weekend mutiny in Makati had demanded the heads of three top military and police officials, and for now they seem to have gotten one: that of Brig....

Execute ruling on Marcos funds, high court asked.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Philip C. Tubeza THE GOVERNMENT yesterday asked the Supreme Court to make "final and executory" its landmark decision on the $682 million Marcos Swiss deposits held in escrow at the Philippine...

DOH: Students on drugs won't be dropped.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Dona Pazzibugan STUDENTS who test positive in the random drug check would not be kicked out, but would be forced to seek counseling. Government teams would start going to selected high...

Family driver dies for car.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Edson Tandoc Jr. THE JOB that gave Angelito Maramag a living has led to his dying. Maramag, 46, was gunned down yesterday morning by a group of six men who reportedly tried to take the car...

Coup raps filed against 321 rebels.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Philip C. Tubeza and Christian V. Esguerra CHARGES of coup d'etat, a crime against public order under the Revised Penal Code, were yesterday filed against Navy Ltsg. Antonio Trillanes IV and...

Gunmen kill village exec in Cavite town.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna-A barangay councilor was gunned down by three suspected members of the New People's Army whom he served hot coffee and allowed to spend the night in his house in Barangay Kaytitinga...

Manila police chief flaunts success in crime fighting.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Leila Salaverria WESTERN Police District director Chief Supt. Pedro Bulaong yesterday said that the Manila police has made inroads in crime fighting during his first year. In his...

Hold order for Al-Ghozi.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE BUREAU of Immigration yesterday issued a hold-departure order against Indonesian terrorist Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi and nine others, including one identified as Col. Efren Torres. The order came two...

Gloria furious at malpractice in flood control.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tonette Orejas, PDI Central Luzon Desk MEXICO, Pampanga-It took President Macapagal-Arroyo, who is not an engineer, to point out a malpractice in flood-control projects in her home province...

Lacson vows: 'No turning back in 2004.'.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) OPPOSITION Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson vowed to pursue a campaign for the presidency in 2004 despite reports that he would withdraw from his plan to run should businessman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco stand...

Jenny upbeat on chances.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) AN airline snafu denied Jennifer Rosales of the needed practice round, but she remained upbeat on her chances in the Weetabix Women's British Open which started yesterday in Lancashire, England. The...

Control your libido, Popcom tells men.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Blanche S. Rivera LOSE the macho image. The government yesterday urged Filipino men to help control the country's burgeoning population by controlling their sexual behavior. The...

Lina gives self 3 months for results in campaign against illegal drug trade.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jhunnex Napallacan CEBU CITY-Interior Secretary Jose Lina Jr. has vowed to show results in the renewed war against illegal drugs in three months. Lina, chair of the Dangerous Drugs Board,...

Fed golf: Valley upsets Forest Hills.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) STANDINGS Group I: 13 Eastridge, 10 Manila Golf, 7 Southwoods, 4 Highlands, 3 Mimosa Group II: 15 Forest Hills, 15 Alabang, 10 Valley, 6 Orchard, 5 John Hay, 5 Wack Wack Group III: 11 Royal...

Lobregats hit planned expansion of ARMM.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) ZAMBOANGA CITY-Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat and her son Rep. Celso Lobregat have expressed their strong opposition to the possible conduct of a plebiscite in Mindanao to expand the territory of the Autonomous...

Mariano 5th in Dubai Open.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) FILIPINO Nelson "Elo" Mariano III scored 6.5 points to finish solo fifth place in the 14 and below division of the 2nd Dubai Open Junior age group chess championships at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club in...

MILF in the dark on start of KL talks.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE SEPARATIST Moro Islamic Liberation Front yesterday denied a government statement that formal peace talks would resume in Kuala Lumpur this weekend, or Monday at the latest, saying they had not been...

Miranda layup lifts Tams past Archers.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Dennis U. Eroa Games Tomorrow (Loyola Gym) 2 p.m.-La Salle vs NU (srs) 4 p.m.-UP vs Ateneo (srs) PLAYMAKER Dennis Miranda made the shot that mattered most as Far Eastern came back...

Ex-NPAs fail to stop illegal cutting of trees.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Romy G. Amarado, PDI Visayas Bureau SIBULAN, Negros Oriental-Illegal cutting of trees in the watershed area here has continued even if members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao...

Pelaez hailed as model Filipino.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Christine O. Avendano HE suffered speech difficulties and was half-paralyzed from earlier strokes, but the late former Vice-President Emmanuel Pelaez managed to show that he was "at his...

Peek-a-BANG!
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) BEING nosy can be dangerous to one's health and even to one's life. On Wednesday night, a construction worker was shot dead while reportedly trying to take a peek inside a compound owned by Metro Manila...

Phone Pals, sans Banal, get going against Koreans.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Group A Red Bull 1 0 FedEx 1 0 Yonsei 0 1 Novi Sad 0 1 Talk N Text x x Group B San Miguel 1 0 Alaska 1 0 RP Team 0 1 Jilin Yi Qi 0 1 Coca-Cola x x ...

Ozamiz execs use ex-drug dealers in war on drugs.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) OZAMIZ CITY-The local government here has employed the services of former drug peddlers to spy on their erstwhile colleagues as a one-month ultimatum to end trading of illicit drugs in this city enters its...

Ranking officials placed under lifestyle microscope.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Christian V. Esguerra GOLFING policemen, beware. Besieged by allegations of widespread corruption, the Philippine National Police will place all of its men under the microscope in an...

Meet the 'Pink Pope'.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rina Jimenez-David HE is known as the "Pink Pope." In preparation for the visit to Brazil some years back of Kursad Kahramanoglu, one of two co-secretaries general (the other is Ana Leah...

SEAG Task Force wants to know.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marc Anthony Reyes NOW that they're going to Vietnam, they have to back up their selection as Southeast Asian Games bets with medals-preferably gold. And how many and what color the medals...

Don't ignore warnings of more coups.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Neal H. Cruz DON'T belittle the warning of Brig. Gen. Victor Corpus, the resigned military intelligence chief, that the "political crisis is far from over." Meaning, there would be more coup...

If you build it, they won't come.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Conrado de Quiros YOU don't know whether to laugh or cry. That is, at Malacanang's explanation for why only a gaggle of people went to Edsa to, as Jaime Cardinal Sin put it, "move to whatever...

Rebels used guns issued to Gringo, papers show.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tony S. Bergonia SEVERAL high-powered firearms that were reported missing from the inventory of the Armed Forces and later found in the possession of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group had been issued...

UAAP players not robotics.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Al S. Mendoza JOSE Capistrano Jr. of the UAAP did the right thing. By turning down the request of PBA Commissioner Noli Eala to allow four UAAP players to play in the ongoing PBA Invitational,...

Senate opposition rejects 'crumbs'.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michael Lim Ubac "WE are not asking for crumbs," Sen. Edgardo Angara said yesterday as he slammed the Senate ruling bloc for offering the little-known committee on urban planning, housing and...

Soliman: Mutineers anarchists, not idealists.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Volt Contreras SOCIAL Welfare Secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman is bitter at the mutinous Magdalo group. "Even the vendors of isaw (barbecued innards) whom we provided with seed capital can...

FEU, UE, Adamson tossers ahead in both divisions.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) FAR EASTERN continued its giant-killing ways Wednesday, this time toppling men's defending champion University of Santo Tomas in the 66th UAAP volleyball tournament at the University of the Philippines gym...

Hollywood stars to 'teach' English in Marikina City.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Luige del Puerto IF ONE of these days you meet someone who speaks one-liners like "Are you talking to me?" or "I'll be back," chances are he would be from Marikina City. This novel...

Teener mugged over funky jewelry.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) A GROUP of young men came to admire a student's necklace and funky rings by punching and stabbing the victim. The 15-year-old high school student not only lost some P9,000 in silver jewelry to the young...

We're not out to grab credits -Sotto.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Christine O. Avendano MINORITY Leader Vicente Sotto III yesterday said he and Senators Gregorio Honasan and Rodolfo Biazon were not out to grab credit for their roles in helping to quell last...

Bangko Sentral keeps rates unchanged.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Clarissa S. Batino THE BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas kept its overnight interest rates steady yesterday, saying volatility in the peso after a failed mutiny by 300 renegade troops was "regional,...

AXN leaves Destiny Cable.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Abigail L. Ho DESTINY Cable Inc. said its closest competitor Beyond Cable Holdings Inc. was pressuring it to give in to a consolidation plan in the near future. After last year's pullout of...

American lady's garden business with a twist.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Vicente S. Labro, PDI Visayas Bureau TACLOBAN CITY-There are many things that make Marjorie's Garden stand out when compared to the garden shops found in Tacloban and in some Leyte towns. ...

Your corporate giveaways can make or break your firm's image.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tina Arceo-Dumlao IF YOU want a twist in corporate giveaways, it might be good to check out out Negros entrepreneurs have to offer. Small and medium scale manufacturers under the Association...

Bazaar queen aims to reinvent 'tiangge' concept.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tina Arceo-Dumlao GROWING up in a family of 10 brothers and sisters can be quite taxing, to say the least, but it planted the seeds of a business that would make Carmencita Cruz-Mabanta one of...

Glass makers back Asahi bid for protection.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE GLASS Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc. (GMAPI) has called on the government to approve Asahi Glass Philippines' petition for a safeguard measure against imported glass in view of the...

PNB to start selling P30B in seized assets.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) PHILIPPINE National Bank yesterday said it would start selling some P30 billion worth of residential and commercial properties through monthly auctions to be conducted by CB Richard Ellis, which was...

PNOC gets $175-M loan.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) PHILIPPINE National Oil Co. yesterday secured a $175-million loan facility to refinance its 10-percent stake in the Malampaya deepwater-gas-power project. PNOC records show that the five-year,...

FirstPac issues $115M in bonds.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Abigail L. Ho HONG KONG-based conglomerate First Pacific Co. Ltd. issued last July 29 $115 million worth of secured bonds through wholly owned subsidiary CAB Holdings Ltd. The company said...

Who's afraid of brand cannibals?
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Dr. Ned Roberto and Ardy Roberto Q: "YOU prescribed in last week's column that a market leader with a premium product should introduce its own low priced product when it's threatened by price...

A three-part approach to agricultural success.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ernesto M. Ordonez THERE are two couples who have significantly helped small farmers. One is Drs. Rose and Edwin Hondrade. They are key leaders of Pagkain Para sa Masa, one of the most...

Gov't seen window-dressing 2004 revenue assumption.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Clarissa S. Batino THE MACAPAGAL administration has included the P13.42 billion in projected revenue from three pieces of legislation in the budget assumption for 2004 even if the proposed...

SEC eyes power to resolve independent director feuds.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Elena R. Torrijos THE SECURITIES and Exchange Commission has drafted a rule giving itself the authority to resolve any disputes on the election of independent directors that would sit on the...

Pressed at Finance.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Victor C. Agustin IT LOOKS like Malacanang is not only pressing hard on the Department of Finance to increase revenues; it is also bearing down on Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho to drop...

Security Bank profit up 76%.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) PUBLICLY listed Security Bank Corp., a medium-sized commercial bank controlled by businessman Frederick Dy, reported a 76-percent jump in earnings in the first half of this year to P475 million from P269...

Tire manufacturers seek gov't help vs cheap imports.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michelle V. Remo LOCAL tire manufacturers are prodding the government to ask the World Trade Organization to look into the possible granting of huge subsidies by the governments of Indonesia,...

SGI to invest in bonds.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Doris C. Dumlao SOLID Group Inc., which used to manufacture consumer electronics for Japanese brands Sony and Aiwa, plans to invest 20 percent of its cash hoard of about P1.75 billion in foreign...

Incentives for small businesses.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Eleanor M. Montenegro, SGV & Co. CONGRESS recently passed a law that grants income tax exemptions and other benefits to qualified barangay-based businesses. Dubbed the "Barangay Micro...

My life as a lesson to young stars.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marinel R. Cruz HONORATA S. Dalisay regrets that she had not saved for the rainy days after working as a talent of Sampaguita Pictures for 10 years. She was 18 when she signed a...

12 good reasons to wake up early.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gerrilyn Cadiz ABS-CBN is giving you at least 12 reasons to get up at 5:30 a.m. and turn on the TV to catch its newly reformatted "Magandang Umaga Bayan": Tin-Tin Bersola, Edu Manzano, Erwin...

Fewer viewing options.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre TIME was when, every Wednesday, some 10 new movies would open their run on the film theater circuit in Metro Manila, so movie buffs could choose to see productions that were...

Value that Filipinos put on product quality.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Dennis M. Arroyo, Contributor THE REBEL soldiers raised funds for their coup by selling a helicopter at a steep bargain-only P20,000. But it came with a quality defect. The propeller did not...

How to dress up Rubenesque figures.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Apples Aberin Sadhwani I DON'T know how else to say this so I guess I'll just be blunt. I am extremely overweight! No, not just chubby, fleshy or pleasantly plump, but rather, Oprah-like at her...

Rock and roll for peace.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Oliver M. Pulumbarit ARTISTS have often united in times of uncertainty and rallied against injustice and strife. Who would have thought that the country music trio Dixie Chicks would become...

Going back to hair basics.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Kinny Salas ENGROSSED with makeup, skin care and body sculpting lately, I suddenly realized one morning that my hair was severely neglected. My fault really. My last haircut was four months...

Night of the siege, evening of wine and roses.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Maurice Arcache EVEN during the height of the "coup" night, would you believe, the partying night pack drove using different routes since most of Ayala's main roads were blocked by tanks and...

WHO airs views on GM foods.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Doris Gaskell Nuyda THE WORLD Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations is among those that endorse food derived from genetically modified organisms (GMO) or genetically engineered (GE)...

Abused child still hurting.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tita Dulce DEAR Tita Dulce, I hope you can give me some information and advice I badly need. I was molested as a child. I fear that nobody will like me because of this. I graduated from...

Fil-Am comic, producer back out of film festival.
August 1, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marinel R. Cruz AMERICAN movie stars Lou Diamond Phillips and Tia Carerre are expected to arrive on Aug. 6 to grace the 5th Makati Cinemanila Film Festival, according to organizers. But...