MANILA, Philippines - Itinuro ng negosyanteng si Joey de Venecia III kay Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes ang sisi sa walang habas na pagtataas ng presyo ng produktong petrolyo.

Ayon kay de Venecia, hindi makontrol ng Department of Energy ang presyo ng langis kasunod ng mga bagyong dumating, lalo na ang mga bagyong Ondoy at Pepeng.

Aniya, parang mga nakawala sa koral ang mga kumpanya ng langis ng alisin ng gobyerno ang Executive Order 839 at nagtaas agad ang mga ito ng P1 hanggang P2 sa presyo ng petrolyo, kaya hindi na rin mapigilan ang kahilingan ng mga jeepney drivers at operators na magtaas ng P1 dagdag pasahe.

Iminungkahi ni de Venecia na dapat solusyunan ng maayos ni Reyes ang naturang problema at hindi sa imposibleng paraan.

MANILA, Philippines - Nagpalabas ng warrant of arrest ang Manila Regional Trial Court laban sa ilang opisyal at miyembro ng Professional Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines Inc., matapos na sampahan ng kasong kriminal ng Bureau of Customs.

Si Agapito Mendez ay sinampahan ng kasong kriminalni Manila District Collector Atty. Rogel Gat­chalian, matapos na aku­sa­han ng una ang huli at ilang kawani ng Customs Accreditation Secretariat na sina Atty. Mary Grace Malabed, Atty. Michael Vito Cruz, Boy Garicia at isang nakilala sa pangalang Percy na nangingikil sa mga brokers at importers para mapadali ang pag­kuha ng BoC accreditation.

Malaki ang hinala ni Gatchalian na gumaganti lamang si Mendez dahil sa ginawang paghabol dito ng Run After the Smugglers noong ang una pa ang pinuno nito dahil matindi ang dagok na idinulot nito sa negosyo ng huli.

Una ng kinasuhan ng RATS si Mendez matapos na illegal na ipadala nito ang 573 rolyo ng mga tela sa Bulacan na dapat ay sa Taytay, Rizal dadalhin.

MANILA, Philippines - Kinatigan ni Pangulong Arroyo na ipagpatuloy at pag-ibayuhin ang kam­panya ng Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) sa pangunguna ni Under­secretary Antonio “Bebot” Villar.

Nagkausap sa tele­pono ang Pangulong Arroyo at si Villar kahapon matapos tanggapin ng PASG ang regional trial court 20-day temporary restraining order (TRO) na nagpapatigil sa operasyon ng PASG.

Ang court order ay ibinaba ni Manila RTC Br. 26 Judge Silvino Pampilo kasunod ng petisyon ng British national na si Alpha Kwok na nahulihan ng mahigit P250 milyong-halaga na smuggled jewelry at diamonds.

“Inaasahan namin ito dahil malalaking smuggler ang kalaban namin pero naniniwala ako na mapa­pa­tunayang lehitimo at legal ang aming operasyon,” ani Usec. Villar.

Kasama ang Bureau of Immigration (BOI) at Bureau of Customs (BoC) sa naturang operasyon.

Sinabi pa ni Villar na ang petisyon ay “harassment suit” lamang at ba­hagi ng politically-motivated “demolition job” laban sa PASG.

Sinabi ni Villar kay Pre­sidente Arroyo na nagsa­sawa na siya sa paninira laban sa kanya at PASG.

“Manghuli kami, pinala­labas pang mali kami. Kung di ka manghuhuli, sa­sabihin nasusuhulan kami. Kapag nanghuli ka at hindi mo tinanggap ang areglo, ididimanda ka ng pangi­ngikil,” sabi ni Villar.

Samantala, pinasinu­ngalingan din ni Usec. Villar ang nalathalang reports ng extortion attempts sa Korean traders ng PASG agents.

Sa ipinadalang sulat ni Wan Sup Park, may ari ng PKSS Enterprises kay Villar ay humi­hingi ito ng pa­umanhin at nilinaw na walang katoto­hanan ang akusasyong humingi ng ‘padulas’ ang raiding team sa kanya.

MANILA, Philippines - Nagbabala kahapon si Senator Edgardo Angara sa posibilidad na magka­roon ng malawakang tag-gutom sa susunod na limang taon, kapag hindi agad kumilos ang bagong administrasyon para pro­teksiyunan ang kapaligiran.

Sa ginanap na national executive council meeting ng Laban ng Demo­kra­tikong Pilipino sa Manila Hotel, sinabi ni Angara na aabot sa 101 milyon mula sa kasalukuyang 95 milyon ang populasyon ng bansa.

“Inaasahang aabot sa 101 milyon ang bilang ng populasyon sa 2015, at 115 milyon naman sa 2025. Sa panahong ito, makakamit na natin ang limitasyon sa kakayahang kapasidad ng bansa. Na­nga­nganib tayong maubu­san ng yaman na siyang susuporta sa lumolubong populasyon,” ani Angara.

Lubha aniyang kritikal ang susunod na adminis­trasyon upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga susunod na hene­ras­ yon sa iba’t ibang larangan.

Dapat aniyang maba­hala ang lahat ng pam­bansang lider kung paano matutugunan ang panga­ngailangan ng mga batang may edad katorse pababa na siyang ikatlong bahagi ng kabuuang populasyon ng bansa sa 2015.

MANILA, Philippines - Bumuhos na ang su­porta ng maraming local executives na miyembro ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD sa tam­ balang Noynoy Aqu­ino-Mar Roxas ng partido Liberal para sa 2010 presidential polls.

Partikular na inendorso ng mga opisyalmula Luzon hanggang Minda­nao ang kandidatura sa pagka-bise presidente ni Sen. Mar Roxas.

Kabilang sa nag-en­dorso sa tambalang Aquino-Roxas sina Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte, Tagum City Mayor Rey T. Uy at Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo “Om­ pong” del Rosario.

“Lumalaki na ang ating puwersa. Nadadagdagan tayo ng nadadagdagan. Patunay lamang ito ng du­marami pa nating mga ka­ba­bayan na pagod na pagod na sa kabulukan ng ating sistema,” ayon kay Roxas.

Kasamang nanumpa kahapon sa LP sina Que­zon City Mayor Feliciano Bel­ monte, anak na si Joy, Que­zon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista at Caloo­can City Mayor Enrico Echiverri.

Sa kanyang talumpati, inamin ni Mayor Belmonte na siya ay nahirapan nang magdesisyon na lumipat ng LP mula Lakas CMD.

Sinabi ng Alkalde na ikinararangal niyang mag­silbi sa pamahalaan ng ma­higit 26 na taon. Ang una ay nang siya ay isang ba­ tambatang abogado may 47 taon na ang naka­raraan na nasa ilalim noon ng Libe­ral party administration.

Ang huling 23 taon anya ay sa ilalim ng ibat ibang Pangulo ng bansa at nagsimulang makaisang dibdib ng Lakas CMD mula 1992, ang partido na pi­nagsilbihan niya ng husay sa pamamagitan ng transitions.

Kasabay nito, pormal na inihayag ni Belmonte ang pagkandidato niya bilang kongresista ng Quezon City sa halalan sa 2010. Si Bau­ tista naman ang tatakbong alkalde ng lunsod habang kandidato nitong vice mayor si Joy na anak ni Belmonte at pangulo ng QC Ladies Foundation.

Gaya ni Belmonte, por­mal na ring nanumpa ka­ha­pon si Echiverri bilang opisyal na kandidato ng LP.

Pinamumunuan ni Echi­verri ang ikatlong pinaka­malaking siyudad sa Ka­may­nilaan kung populasyon ang pag-uusapan. Bitbit din ng alkalde sa LP ang iba pang opisyal ng lungsod.

Nauna rito, nagpulong ang Partido Plaridel ni dating Bulacan Gov. Josie de la Cruz at iniwan na rin ang administrasyon upang sumali sa LP.

MANILA, Philippines - ‘Handa na kami sa laban!”

Ito ang sinabi ni Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro ma­tapos ang pormal na pro­k­lamasyon nila ng kanyang vice presidential running mate na si Edu Manzano sa Philippine International Convention Center.

Sa naturang okasyon, malugod na tinanggap ng “Gibo-Edu” tandem ang hamong tumakbo sa pag­ka-pangulo at pangala­wang pangulo na ang pla­taporma ay matapat na pagserbisyo na nakabase sa pagiging maka-Diyos, makatao, makabayan at makabansa.

“Tayo ang bubuhay sa pag-asa ng mga mama­ma­yan na nananalig na makarating tayo sa tina­tahak nating landas tungo sa kapayapaan, kasaga­naan at pagka­kaisa,” sabi ni Teodoro sa gitna ng umaatikabong palak­pakan ng mahigit sa 5,000 dele­gado mula pa sa iba’t ibang panig ng kapuluan.

Si Manzano ay tinang­gap naman ang hamon ng mga kritiko na anila’y di pa sapat ang kanyang kaala­man sa pamamahala. “Pi­nag­kakapuri kong sa­bihin sa inyo na may background ako sa local governance nang ako’y maging bise-mayor ng Makati,” anang TV host at aktor, dagdag pa­sabing may college degree naman siya mula sa De La Salle University.

Si Cong. Boyet Gon­zales na nagpakilala kay Teodoro ang nagpahayag na hindi nakukuha sa popularidad ang tagumpay sa pamama­hala kundi nasa karakter at kakaya­han ng isang tao.

“Maraming taong po­pular subalit kulang sa ka­kaya­han. Kay Gibo natin ma­­kikita ang mga kali­dad ng lider na da­pat ma­ma­hala ng ating ban­sa at hindi sa mga nagl­i­lider-lideran lang na uma­amot sa popu­la­ri­dad ng ibang tao,” ani Gon­zales na deputy majority leader ng Maba­bang Ka­pulungan.

Sa kan­yang pagpa­pa­­kila kay Edu, sinabi ng ba­tam-batang gobernador ng Saranggani Migs Do­min­guez na “ideal tandem” ni Gibo si Edu sa­pagkat pa­reho ang ka­nilang mga pa­ ngarap para sa mga Pilipino.

Sinabi na­man ni Teo­doro na ka­ba­likat sa ta­gum­­pay ang lahat ng sek­tor tulad ng mga con­ gress­men na nagpu­pun­ya­ging ipasa ang mga legislative reforms na hindi popular sa tao pero nakabubuti na­­man sa pa­mahalaan.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) – The city's notorious traffic came to a halt and thousands lined streets and bridges Friday to cheer their hero Manny Pacquiao, who returned home pondering his next moves — facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. and seeking a congressional seat.

Fresh from stopping welterweight champion Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas on Saturday, Pacquiao stepped from the plane still nursing an injured right ear and said he saw no problem facing Mayweather in the next megafight.

"I am willing to fight Mayweather as long as there's an agreement," the 30-year-old said. "But we don't want to force him to fight me. He should be the one to challenge me because it was clear I had more pay-per-view than him."

Mayweather issued a statement Monday in which he said, "If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight me, all he has to do is step up to the plate and say it himself."

Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum said Thursday his Filipino star was willing to fight at welterweight (147 pounds, 67 kilograms) and that he was waiting to hear from Golden Boy Promotions chief Richard Schaefer, who has assisted Mayweather's team on his most recent fights.

For the time being, Pacquiao said he just wants a vacation with his family.

"I want to relax and my ear injury to heal," he told reporters, saying he will soon fly to his southern home province.

From there, he said he would file his nomination for a congressional seat in next year's elections. It will be Pacquiao's second jab at politics after his 2007 campaign fell short.

His popularity has become overwhelming. He recently made the cover of Time magazine in Asia and is by far the most recognized person in the Philippines.

A former baker and construction worker born to a poor family, Pacquiao became an embodiment of a rags-to-riches story in the country where one-third of the 90 million people live on less than $1 a day.

Standing in a flattop truck and surrounded by his wife and the country's environment secretary, his longtime supporter, Pacquiao waved to the crowds and threw them T-shirts emblazoned with a fist shaped in letters "MP" and draped in colors of the Philippine flag.

President Arroyo will later confer on him a top national medal, the Order of Sikatuna, usually reserved for foreign diplomats and heads of state.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) – Philippine troops killed a senior commander of al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf militants wanted for kidnappings and bombings amid an ongoing offensive, the military said Friday.

Abdulla Ajijul was killed Wednesday during a raid on his hide-out in southern Basilan province's Al Barka township, in an area where the militants have evaded US-backed military operations for years, said Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino.

Dolorfino described Ajijul as an "urban terrorist leader" behind bomb attacks and ransom kidnappings in southern Zamboanga city. He carried a P3.3-million ($70,000) reward on his head, Dolorfino said.

The military "scored a significant gain in its anti-terrorism campaign," he said.

Troops recovered from the hide-out an assault rifle with a scope, but Dolorfino declined to give other details of the raid because it was an intelligence-driven operation.

The military has been hunting down a group of Abu Sayyaf militants accused of beheading a schoolteacher early this month in Basilan when his family could not raise the money for his ransom.

It was one of the latest killings blamed on the Abu Sayyaf, who are notorious for terrorist attacks and kidnappings.

The Abu Sayyaf is suspected of receiving funds from al-Qaida. It is believed to have about 400 fighters on the island province of Basilan, close to Zamboanga and farther south on Jolo Island. The group has also been sheltering militants from the larger Southeast Asian terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah, the military says.

Despite years of US military training and assistance, Filipino troops have struggled to contain the militants, who have recently intensified attacks on Jolo, blowing up bridges, firing mortar rounds and setting off roadside bombs.

A Sept. 29 land mine explosion under a military convoy carrying American troops killed two US Army Special Forces soldiers — the first US military deaths in the southern Philippines in seven years.

SEOUL (AP) – A South Korean official says a gunman has opened fire on the island of Saipan, killing four people before fatally shooting himself.

The Foreign Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release the information, says local authorities on the Pacific island confirmed the shooting occurred Friday near a tourist attraction on Saipan. 

He says five people have been killed including the gunman. Eight others have been wounded including six South Koreans. The official asked not to be named, citing government policy.

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Oprah Winfrey has racked up memorable moments during her long television reign. Some were moving, some embarrassing — to her or others — and a handful became pop-culture landmarks. Here are highlights through the years:

— Winfrey gets the final TV interview with pianist-showman Liberace, six weeks before his AIDS-related death, 1986.

— On the sitcom "Ellen," star Ellen DeGeneres' character confides that she's lesbian to a therapist played by Winfrey, while DeGeneres herself came out as gay, 1987.

— Winfrey travels to all-white Forsyth County, Ga., which had gained a reputation as being a hotbed for racism, 1987. It turns out that a majority of the county voices support for racial integration.

— Wearing slim-fitting, size 10 Calvin Klein jeans, Winfrey wheels a wagon loaded with fat onto the show's set to represent her 67-pound weight loss, 1988. She later called the show her "biggest, fattest" mistake.

— Michael Jackson gives his first TV interview in more than a decade and discusses his oddly changing looks on a highly rated live prime-time special, 1993.

— Rejecting a period of tabloid fare as talk shows come under attack for sensationalism, Winfrey remakes her show with a pledge to highlight the inspirational and informative, which leads to an initial ratings dip, 1994.

— Winfrey recommits to the show and signs a new contract after weeks of speculation that she intended to quit, 1995.

— Oprah's Book Club is introduced, giving a single-handed jolt to the publishing industry and vaulting her choices to the best-seller list and instant fame, 1996.

— Writer Jonathan Franzen dismisses Winfrey's book club selections as including "schmaltzy" works after she picks his novel "The Corrections," and he loses his invitation to be on the show, 2001. He later expresses regret for his comments.

— Winfrey bestows a car on the nearly 300 people in her studio audience in the 19th season premiere, a $7 million giveaway, and famously exclaims, "You get a car! You get a car! You get a car! Everybody gets a car!", 2004. Her giveaways become a punchline in "Ocean's Thirteen," when Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is caught watching one on TV and sniffling.

— Tom Cruise's offers a madcap couch-jumping demonstration of affection for Katie Holmes, 2005.

— Winfrey's on-air comments about mad cow disease lead a group of cattlemen to sue her for $10 million for allegedly maligning the beef industry, 2006. She moves her show to Amarillo, Texas, for several episodes during the trial, which she wins.

— Winfrey lambasts James Frey for his disputed memoir "A Million Little Pieces," 2006. She later called to apologize for being rough on him.

— Barack Obama's presidential campaign gets the Winfrey seal of approval, and a University of Maryland study finds her endorsement may have netted him about 1 million votes in the Democratic primary, 2008. She's seen weeping in the crowd during his Nov. 4 election night victory speech in downtown Chicago.

— A grilled-chicken promotion on Oprah.com sends feathers flying at the KFC fast-food chain, with some outlets running out of the meals for freebie-hungry throngs, 2009.

— Winfrey removes gospel singer BeBe Winans from the show's "karaoke challenge" until charges against him for allegedly pushing his ex-wife to the ground are resolved, 2009. She was criticized by some for including Winans after taking a stand against domestic violence following Chris Brown's assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna.

— Former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's first interview about her new book, "Going Rogue: An American Life," and the meeting, which opens with Winfrey asking Palin if she felt snubbed at not being invited during the campaign, is cordial, 2009.