Pinoy News
Pacquiao:`Floyd is scared’
In between rounds of pool, Manny Pacquiao kept on telling just about
anyone who bothered to ask him about the status of Floyd Mayweather the
same thing all over again. “Mayweather is scared (to fight me),” said
Pacquiao, according to his lawyer Franklin Gacal.
Since returning to General Santos on Christmas day, Pacquiao has been
spending more time with his family and playing one of his many passions
– billiards – during night-time until morning.
“He’s just playing every night, relaxing and waiting for developments,”
said Gacal. As camps of both fighters find a way to save the fight from
being shelved owing to the touchy issue of drug-testing, Pacquiao
remains a believer that Mayweather is just trying to find a way out of
the fight by insisting that an Olympic-style random testing be done so
they can finally seal the deal and face each other on March 13, 2010.
On Tuesday, the deadline that was imposed by Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum
on Mayweather finally lapsed but Mayweather’s camp said they’re not
closing the doors about a possible renewal of talks.
Pacquiao and Mayweather have been guaranteed to receive $25 million
each on purse alone and both punchers can go home with as high as $40
million apiece after all the accounting is done.
Mayweather has agreed to a penalty of $10 million per pound in
the event he weighs past 147 lbs and is using this as leverage for
Pacquiao to his own demand for random testing.
Full moon can coax Mayon fireworks
LEGAZPI CITY — Natural loud bangs and fireworks display courtesy of
Mount Mayon could welcome 2010 here as volcanologists said the full
moon on January 1 might trigger the long-awaited hazardous eruption of
the volcano.
Resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta admitted that there were cases in
the past when major eruptions of Mayon occurred during full moon or
what volcanologists called as earth tide, a time when the moon is
closer to the earth and its gravitational pull stronger.
“Statistically, it happened in the past. So it is accepted as a trigger
factor,” Laguerta said.
This was echoed by July
Sabit, spokesman of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology, saying the gravitational effect of a full moon could help
draw magma out of the Mayon crater.
Laguerta and Sabit, however, said a January 1 eruption is just a
possibility.
Director Prisco Nilo, head of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical
and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the only effect
of the full moon is a stronger gravitational effect, the explanation of
the occurrence of high tide.
“The moon is always out there but it is closer in areas where it is
seen in full view,” said Nilo.
PAGASA spokesman Nathaniel Cruz for his part said the side of the Earth
facing the moon has more gravitational interaction compared to the
other side.
“This explains the high-tide and low-tide. When the side of the
Philippines is facing the moon, for instance, the tendency is for sea
waters to rise because of the gravitational pull. The effect then is
that the sea waters on the other side of the Earth would recede,” said
Cruz.
Based on historical data on Mayon Volcano, its eruptions usually occur
during the month of February, including its strongest on February 1,
1814 wherein thousands were killed when it buried the entire town of
Cagsawa.
Majority of Filipinos still dissatisfied with GMA
With only six months in office, President Arroyo’s satisfaction rating
stays at a bad minus 38, according to the fourth quarter Social Weather
Stations (SWS) survey results.
In the non-commissioned nationwide survey conducted from December 5 to
10 with 2,100 respondents, 23 percent said they are satisfied with
President Arroyo’s performance while 61 percent said otherwise.
The percentage of satisfied Filipinos minus the percentage of those
dissatisfied brings the net rating of the President to –38, unchanged
from the previous quarter.
The net satisfaction rating of President Arroyo rose by 10 points in
Luzon outside Metro Manila, to –35 (24 percent satisfied, 59 percent
dissatisfied) at present, from –45 (19 percent satisfied, 64 percent
dissatisfied) in September.
It also rose by two points in Metro Manila to –44 (19 percent
satisfied, 63 percent dissatisfied) in December from –46 (21 percent
satisfied, 66 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in the previous
quarter.
Meanwhile, it worsened by 13 points in the Visayas to – 45 (21 percent
satisfied, 66 percent dissatisfied) in December, from – 32 (26 percent
satisfied, 58 percent dissatisfied) last September.
It declined by eight points in Mindanao, to a bad – 35 (26 percent
satisfied, 60 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) now, from a poor
– 27 (30 percent satisfied, 57 percent dissatisfied) previously.
The survey used terminologies for net satisfaction ratings as follow:
+50 and above, “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”,
+9 to –9, “neutral”; –10 to –29, “poor”; –30 to –49, “bad”; –50 or
lower, “very bad.”
Ampatuan Sr. files raps vs. AFP
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr.
has charged Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) chief
Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer and two other military officers with arbitrary
detention, and two unidentified civilians with illegal detention before
the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office.
Charged with Ferrer were Army 601st Infantry Brigade commander Col. Leo
Cresente Ferrer and 64th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Joel
Paloma.
Military authorities are looking for a place to detain Ampatuan Sr.
after doctors at the military’s Eastmincom Hospital in Camp Panacan in
Davao City reportedly declared him fit for discharge.
Meanwhile, reports said Ampatuan Sr. has asked a Davao City court to
allow him to remain at Eastmincom for his personal security. The
Ampatuan patriarch was among those implicated in the Nov. 23
Maguindanao massacre in which 57 people, including women and 30
journalists, were killed.
Three of his sons, Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao, Shariff Aguak Mayor Anwar Ampatuan, and acting
Maguindanao governor Sajid Ampatuan are now detained at the Criminal
Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) headquarters in Camp Fermin
Lira, General Santos City. Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. is
jailed at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila.
In General Santos City, the families of massacre victims noted
President Arroyo’s statement calling for speedy trial of the case.
They dared Mrs. Arroyo to be true to her word.
“All we wanted is the speedy trial of the case so justice would be
served early for the victims,” said Myrna Reblando, wife of Alejandro
“Bong” Reblando, one of the slain journalists.
Fr. Angel Buenavedez, one of the officers of the Maguindanao Media
Victims Massacre Committee, said he hopes that this time it would not
be merely lip service.
“We should unite and watch over the case to make sure justice is
served,” he said in Filipino. “If the President wants the perpetrators’
conviction, so do we,” Police Officer 1 Eliver Cablitas, husband of
victim Maritess Cablitas, said. “Just make sure that swift justice
should be served and the Ampatuans should pay for the crime.”
(PS)
Roach wants Pacquiao vs Marquez
If a lucrative fight with Floyd Mayweather cannot be done, Freddie
Roach has an attractive substitute in mind for Manny
Pacquiao. “Let's fight (Juan Manuel) Marquez (for the
third time).” Roach said.
Even though Marquez is coming off a loss – a lopsided unanimous
decision to Mayweather – he remains a bankable foe owing to the result
of his two fights with Pacquiao.
Marquez's bitter rivalry with Pacquiao stretches back to May 2004 when
the two battled to a disputable 12-round split draw. Four years later,
they rekindled their rivalry with Pacquiao escaping with a 12-round
split decision in a fight that left the Filipino black and blue.
Roach said fight fans are still going to be interested in seeing
Pacquiao and Marquez go at it in a rubber match. “They're going to
watch it,” said Roach, who is not so cool about Pacquiao meeting Yuri
Foreman.
Foreman, the reigning World Boxing Association super-welterweight king,
is being lined up to face Pacquiao on March 20 at the Thomas and Mack
Center in Las Vegas most especially that Mayweather seems to be
reluctant in softening up in his demand for an Olympic-style drug
testing.
Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum said it'll be historic if Pacquiao goes
for his eighth world title against Foreman.
Roach contradicts those who view Foreman as easy pickings for Pacquiao.
“He's big, he's tall and he's rangy,” said Roach. “It's going to be
tough.”
THE PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE WEEK COMMITTEE KICK-OFF 2010 &
INDUCTION OF OFFICERS & COMMITTEE CHAIRS
PIWC’s Overall Chair for 2010, Joy Manuel, has announced that the
Induction of PIWC 2010 Officers and Committee Chairpersons and the
official kick-off of the PIWC festivities will be held on January 9,
2010 at the Rosemont Hotel (formerly Sofitel Hotel), 5550 N. River Rd.,
Rosemont, IL.
For information and reservations, pls. call the following: Neneth
Miranda (773-407-8583); Elsa Castillo (773-544-2326); Anita Rosa
(773-427-0978); Mercy Matousek (708-284-0196) and Joy Manuel (847)
909-6789.
Watch for the PIWC’s Calendar of Events for the June Independence
Celebration of the Philippine Independence Week 2010 in the forthcoming
issues of VIA Times and also in the Chicago Philippine Reports TV
(CPRTV), every Sunday, 12 noon till 2PM and also from 6PM till 8 PM,
for the video footages.
