Aquino to withhold Armm appointments

Wednesday, October 19, 2011
(UPDATED) President Benigno Aquino III will defer appointing provisional officials in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) even though the Supreme Court, in a decision on Tuesday, allowed him to do so.
This was the assurance given by deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on Wednesday, a day after the High Court also upheld the constitutionality of Republic Act 10153, a law that postponed polls in the Armm.
The President will not appoint any officer-in-charge in the region until the High Court renders a final ruling on the law that synchronizes Armm polls with the 2013 midterm polls.
“We have not appointed anyone. We have not made any such announcements and we are aware of the terms that were set out in that decision of the Supreme Court and we are also aware the decision is not yet final,” Valte said.
Nevertheless, she said the executive is continuing the selection process and preparing for the appointment if ruled by the court.
“We could not just sit and not do anything. We will have to prepare for both eventualities,” she stressed.
The SC on Tuesday, by a narrow vote of 8-7, affirmed the constitutionality of Republic Act 10153, which is the law deferring the Armm elections originally set last August 8 and synchronize it with the 2013 midterm national and local polls.
Senator Franklin Drilon, senior member of the Liberal Party at the Senate and sponsor of the poll postponement bill, has defended the measure saying appointing officers-in-charge will allow political reforms in preparation for elections in 2013.
However, Aquino was still unable to appoint Armm officers-in-charge (OICs) since the decision is not yet final and parties could still file a motion for reconsideration (MR).
House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman Jr. indicated plans to file an MR since the justices’ voting was too close.
A political advantage for the Liberal Party
In the Senate, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the Armm poll postponement will mean less democracy, not more.
The appointment of OICs “is a political move for the Liberal Party to put in position their own people in preparation for 2013.”
Marcos, a critic of postponement, is chairman of the Senate committee on local government. In May, his committee filed a report thumbing down the bill after holding hearings in Manila and Marawi City.
He moved, however, to bring the bill to the Senate floor for debates. The Senate passed the bill 13-7, paving the way for President Benigno Aquino III to sign it into law in June.
The Supreme Court issued an injunction in September, preventing the President from appointing OICs. That injunction lapsed after the Supreme Court decision Tuesday.
Marcos said the decision was a huge let-down for the Muslims in Mindanao, adding depriving Armm residents of their right to choose their own leaders may lead to more conflict in the region.
Senator Ralph Recto, a member of the Liberal Party, said the Supreme Court “did the right thing in appreciating the imperative need to postpone the elections and allow the chief executive to appoint reform-minded individuals.”
“The Supreme Court has finally locked arms with the executive and the legislative departments in sowing the first seeds of reforms in Armm,” he said.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, who submitted a separate petition against poll postponement in July, said a motion for the Supreme Court to reconsider “has a practical chance of succeeding.”
According to a member of his staff, Pimentel–president of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban)–is still studying the decision in preparation for a possible appeal. Pimentel has also been meeting with Muslim leaders and PDP-Laban officers, his staff said.
In a separate report, Romulo Macalintal, the election lawyer of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said that he will file a partial appeal. His motion for reconsideration will only contest the decision that allows the President to appoint Armm OICs.
The decision will be “a bad precedent” since all postponed elections in the future may allow the President to appoint OICs, Macalintal said.
“The 8-7 decision on appointment of OICs, if affirmed, will be a bad, if not dangerous, precedent because in the event Barangay polls are postponed, then OICs from more than 42,000 Barangays or close to 280,000 positions (7 posts or Barangay) have to be appointed OICs. OICs also defeat the representative character of ARMM officials as provided under the constitution,” he explained further.
When congress decided to postpone Barangay elections, the incumbent barangay officials were allowed to continue their functions in holdover capacity, Macalintal said. (Jill Beltran/Jonathan de Santos/SDF/Sunnex)
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/10/19/aquino-withhold-armm-appointments-185906

Wine is becoming increasingly popular in Manila and other cities in the Philippines. Wine lovers in Manila travel to the north to visit Clark, Pampanga to shop for good and rate vintage wines at good duty-free prices. The most frequently visited liquor shop in Manila and wine shop in Pampanga is Clark Wine Center. This highly recommended wine shop located outside Manila near Angeles City, Pampanga in North Luzon is known for offering a great selection of fine vintage wine that is good quality and good value for money also.

This well-known wine shop is a famous shopping destination for wine enthusiasts in Manila and wine lovers from other cities in Asia including Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Osaka and Tokyo.

Famous Philippines wine supplier known for its line of fine vintage wines, Yats Wine Cellars was established in 2000 to address the requirement of a growing population of wine enthusiasts in the Philippines. This 5-star wine shop caters to the discerning client who requires these qualities in their wines: (1) excellent value, (2) large selection of labels and vintages to choose from and (3) wines properly aged for full enjoyment.

Public wine tastings are held from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
(045) 841 4006 / 0922-870-5173 / 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.
Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Yats Restaurant is the best restaurant for special dinner, best restaurant for dinner with friends near Manila, also the best place to celebrate special events.

A Well-known Restaurant in Pampnga, an interesting place to celebrate Birthday Party in Pampnga.
A best place to dine with friends in Pampanga

Are you looking for an attractive restaurant or a nice place to eat with friends in Clark, Angeles City Pampanga? Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar is a restaurant with good food and good wines for dinner located at Clark Angeles City Pampanga. Perfect for exclusive dinner venues for groups, recommended for private dinner in Philippines. A Restaurant in Clark for business dinner meeting. Private dinner place or dinner restaurant in Clark Subic Near Manila Angeles City Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the Good Restaurant in Pampanga Angeles City Clark near Manila. Yats Restaurant is one of the good restaurants in Pampanga, a restaurant with good food, a place that is nice for celebration, ideal for business dinner meeting, a good place to enjoy family reunion, and an attractive restaurant that serves good wines for dinner.

www.YatsRestaurant.com
Looking for interesting hotels near Manila Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga?
Trouble free hotels and well recognized hotels in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga
Clearwater Resort and Country Club offers a good place to stay in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga. In offers nice place to have rest in Subic Pampanga outside Manila.
One of the Philippines top hotels in north Luzon.

Where to go in Clark? Hotel Clark Philippines is a De Luxe Hotel in Clark and Subic, a risk free place to stay, cozy and nice ambience, a nice function place for special occasion. It is one of North Luzon Philippines’ top hotels that is trouble free, risk free, and a nice place to have rest in Subic. A well-recognized and interesting hotel.

www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com