Malacañang

MANILA – Nagbabala ang isang kaalyado ng administrasyon na magiging mapanganib sa bansa kapag pinagbigyan ang kahilingan ng mga kritiko ng gobyerno na magbitiw sa puwesto si Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo kapag tumakbong kongresista sa Pampanga sa 2010 elections.  read more »

A member of the so-called “progressive bloc” in the House of Representatives on Friday expressed doubt about the reported clamor for President Arroyo to run for Congress next year.  read more »

MANILA, Philippines—The militant women’s party-list group Gabriela formally announced the senatorial bid of its three-term representative, Liza Maza, as it unveiled its “women's platform for action” for 2010 during its national convention which opened on Thursday.  read more »

EVEN as top oil refiner Petron Corp. issued estimates of a P1.5-billion quarterly loss for complying with Executive Order (EO) 839, which freeze oil prices in Luzon to give the public relief from recent calamities, the clamor to extend the EO’s effects to Visayas and Mindanao mounted on Wednesday.  read more »

OPPOSITION and administration lawmakers yesterday denounced the oil firms’ warning of a supply shortage as a consequence of the price rollback ordered by Malacañang as “plain and simple blackmail.”  read more »

MANILA – Tinawag ng mga kongresista na “blackmail" ang babala ng mga kumpanya ng langis na magkakaroon ng kakulangan ng suplay sa mga produktong petrolyo sa bansa dahil sa ipinalabas na kautusan ng pamahalaan.  read more »

MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on the revision of laws has recommended the passage of a bill that seeks to replace the crimes of adultery (for women) and concubinage (for men) with the crime of marital infidelity that would apply equally to both sexes.

The bill would also prohibit a spouse from filing a criminal complaint for infidelity if the complainant had likewise been unfaithful.

Under present law, adultery is not committed by the husband. The Revised Penal Code states that “adultery is committed by any married woman who shall have sexual intercourse with a man not her husband.” She faces imprisonment of 2 to 4 years.

On the other hand, the Revised Penal Code defines concubinage as “any husband who shall keep a mistress in the conjugal dwelling, or shall have sexual intercourse, under scandalous circumstances, with a woman who is not his wife, or shall cohabit with her in any other place...” He faces imprisonment of 6 months to 6 years.

When it comes to marital infidelity, the existing law seems biased against the woman. If the wife commits one act of adultery, she and her lover can be criminally charged.
However, the husband who commits numerous acts of marital infidelity cannot be sued by his wife for adultery. The philandering husband must be sued for concubinage.  read more »

MANILA, Philippines—The 2010 budget of the Office of the President (OP) on Wednesday hurdled plenary debates at the House of Representatives amid questions on its use of intelligence and travel funds.  read more »