Subject: BACK TO WORK
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/26/96
It's back to work for the President after a 3-day episode that had the nation worried about his health. Malacaņang officials say the first thing the President did when he got back was clear a backlog of papers.The last time the President went under the knife was in 1950 when he had a kidney removed. Today, 3 days after his operation, President Ramos left for home. Declaring himself in top shape, Ramos showed no signs of fatigue or illness. His doctors' advice: take it easy, eat well, sleep well. To which Ramos replied.
The President arrived at Malacaņang at 11 barely 2 hours after he checked out of the Makati medical center. He tried to follow his doctor's advice and ease up a bit. There were no scheduled meetings, just a courtesy call from Senate President Ernesto Mace da. They reportedly talked about the deadlock on the 1997 Budget. But it wasn't long before the President headed back home. The stock market continued its climb, on news about the President's homecoming. The index went up by almost 13 points by the end of trade. So, to use the President's favourite cliche these days, "All's well, that ends well."
Subject: PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/26/96
With the President out of the running, politicians are already looking at the 1998 Presidential elections. President Ramos once said popularity should not be the basis for picking his successor. Today, Senate President Ernesto Maceda says it's good political sense for Presidential hopefuls to try enlisting the support of their peers who know them well before s eeking public support.Maceda released the results of an informal poll he conducted to see who among the Presidential hopefuls Senators prefer. Senator Edgardo Angara got 8 votes; Vice President Estrada, 6; and Senator Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 2. The fast-talking Senator Miriam Defensor got only one. Maceda refused to identify who voted for whom. 3 Senators were undecided.
His poll may be informal and probably not scientific. But Maceda says the numbers should not be taken lightly. Former Senate President jovito salonga started with 8 LP Senators. By the time the 1992 Presidential campaign began, he lost 6 of them to other parties. Eventually, he lost the Presidential race. This early, Maceda also predicts a possible split within the ruling party. He notes defense secretary renato De Villa is getting increased support among businessmen which could leave Speaker Jose De Vene cia out in the cold.
Subject: BGYs TO PURSUE CAMPAIGN
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/26/96
Barangay leaders have not yet given up on the move to change the charter. They will launch a signature campaign starting January. The Liga ng mga Barangay will spearhead the drive aimed at lifting term limits on all elected officials.Liga President Alex David says they want the President, Vice President and Senators to serve 2 terms, each having 6 years. Congressmen and other local officials will be limited to 3 terms, each having 4 years. David says they will use their nationwide net work of 41-thousand barangays for the campaign.
Subject: ARREST WARRANT OUT, MANHUNT
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/26/96
An arrest warrant is out for Congressman Romeo Jalosjos, who's being accused of statutory rape. The NBI is launching a nationwide manhunt for the Congressman who was nowhere to be found today.At the Makati City Jail, cell number 14 has already been prepared for Jalosjos. Inmates plan to give him a warm welcome if Jalosjos ever shows up. The Jail Warden assures Jalosjos will get no special treatment. Judge Roberto Diokno issued the arrest warra nt after finding probable cause. Government prosecutors filed 2 counts of statutory rape which are non-bailable and 12 counts of acts of lasciviousness. Diokno set bail at 40-thousand pesos for each count. Lawmen are now looking for the lawmaker. Jalosjo s was not in his house in Makati. He reportedly arrived this morning from Dumaguete City.
Judge Diokno is urging the congressman to surrender. The victim's lawyer also called on Jalosjos to surface and prove his innocence. The justice department has already asked for a hold departure order on Jalosjos to prevent him from leaving the country.
Subject: NEW ZEALAND OWNER / CHILD
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/26/96
The wife and daughter of a Filipino-Chinese businessman were kidnapped at 12-noon today, a street away from a dairy products factory they own just outside Makati. 5 armed men dressed in fatigues aboard a beige L-300-van stopped the Pajero Mrs. "Amah" Sy a nd her daughter, Lucy Ongkauko, were riding. Witnesses say the men were armed with M-16s and 45-caliber pistols. Mrs. Sy is the wife of the owner of the New Zealand Dairy Creamery along Camia Street. Squatters nearby saw the abduction and identified the victims they say the kidnappers broke the fron t-right door window and forced the women and their driver into their van.We checked with the Creamery, but they refused to let our team in. The guard at the gate said they knew nothing. But witnesses say the van has been lingering in the area for a week. Police investigators arrived at the crime scene about 3 hours after the i ncident.
Subject: CASE SOLVED- TASK FORCE
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/26/96
Police say the murder of newsman Bert Berbon has been solved. They claim to have identified the suspects. But they would not reveal their identities until after the filing of murder charges. A possible suspect is Jailguard Danilo Espinelli. Espinelli head s the federation of cavite jeepney drivers and operators. The special task force investigating berbon's murder is now concentrating on the money angle in relation to drugs as the motive behind the killing.
Subject: SANCHEZ, BAD BOY LEAD DRIVE
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/26/96
Prison officials and inmates at the national penitentiary have joined hands in the campaign against illegal drugs. The inmates have set up two organizations, The Concerned Inmates' Fight Against Drugs headed by former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez and The Inmates Crusade Against Drugs led by actor Robin Padilla. Justice Secretary Teofisto Guingona swore in the groups' officials today.After the ceremonies, Guingona inspected the death chamber. Its construction is expected to be completed by January 15. The DOJ is now working on the allocation of budget for the training of medical technicians who will execute the lethal injection.
Subject: TELEFUNKEN WORKERS
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/26/96
Labor Secretary Leonardo Quisumbing appealed to hundreds of Telefunken Microelectronics workers to vacate his office which they have been occupying for almost a week now. The workers still refuse to leave. They now want the President to act on their dispute with management. The workers also met with Executive Secretary Ruben Torres and Congressman Edcel Lagman. Torres requested the workers to leave the Labor Department's premises before they start negotiat ing.
Subject: PLDT RATE HIKE / PEZA TARGETS
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/26/96
A source in the National Telecommunications Commission says PLDT and other local telephone companies want to increase their monthly charges by 1-hundred pesos. The telecoms industry is reportedly eyeing the increase to cover additional costs due to inflat ion and the declining subsidy from international calls to local telephone firms.The source says the telephone companies are proposing a new monthly rate of 3-hundred-50 pesos that will cover 5-hundred minutes of local calls. Beyond that, subscribers will be charged 50 centavos for every additional minute. At present, telephone compan ies charge an average flat monthly rate of 2-hundred-50 pesos, regardless of the length of local calls.
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority reports total investments in the economic zones climbed by over 24 percent to a record 65 billion pesos. PEZA attributes the increase to new site developments and expansion projects. This year saw 27 new ecozone pro jects and 7 expansion projects on existing sites. But investments by new locator firms dropped by 65-percent. From 1-hundred-57, the number of export-oriented enterprises declined to only 1-hundred 17 this year. Expansion projects jumped by 81-percent from 24 to 49. The Energy Department expects the cou ntry's crude production to drop by 75 percent this year. Officials say this is because oil production stopped at the west linapacan wells. West linapacan is the country's biggest oilfield. It has recoverable reserves of 1-hundred million barrels. But prod uction stopped last January because of increasing water in its wells.
Isuzu autoparts manufacturing will soon put up a plant in the country. The board of investments approved the company's plan to build a 1-hundred-5 billion peso facility to produce manual gear boxes for pick-up trucks. These will be exported and sold local ly. Commercial operations will begin in 1998.
All financial markets, including the stock, money and foreign exchange markets will be closed for 3 days next week from December 30, Rizal day to January 1, New Year's Day. Malacaņang has declared December 31, a special non-working holiday. The markets wi ll re-open on January 2. That means Friday will be the last trading day of the year.
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Subject: NEWSMAKER OF 1996
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/26/96
As the year closes, we pay tribute to the personalities that made 1996 an unforgettable and colorful year. First in our line-up of newsmakers lineup is someone who in his defeat made Filipinos feel he was a true champion.Mansueto Velasco Junior has got to be the most recognizable face and most recognizable name among Filipinos. Velasco only won the silver but it was his heart of gold that made him win. Onyok is now a millionaire and a celebrity. This gave him a chance to show his other talents. Onyok's silver gave him a house, cars, a movie on his life story, and a stable future. Onyok admits he has thought about retiring. But losing to Bojilov the Bulgarian, has made him determined to fight another day.