9 of 10 Filipinos to face New Year with hope - Pulse Asia

Pulse Asia released results of its Christmas survey and it found out that nearly 9 out of 10 Filipinos will face 2012 with hope, amidst continuing political and economic crisis.


"Overwhelming majorities in every geographic area (80 to 93 percent) and socio-economic class (85 to 89 percent) express this sentiment."


The survey was conducted from November 10 to 23 based on a sample of 1,200 adult respondents 18 years old and above

However, the survey also revealed that majority of Filipinos feel that Christmas 2011 is just the same as next year.

Batangas vice-mayor shot at Mall of Asia

Talisay City Vice-Mayor Florencio Manimtim, Jr. was shot near the entrance of the SM Mall of Asia's Hypermarket in Pasay City before noon Thursday.


Reports say Manimtim, 52, was brought to San Juan de Dios Hospital after he sustained three shots while he was walking to his car parked at the corner of Harbor Drive and Sunset Ave.


Manimtim, who was mayor of Talisay back last year, was ambushed during interment of a relative at the Talisay Municipal Cemetery. His bodyguard, Guillermo Macaraig, was slain.


[Image via Howie Severino's Sidetrip]

Michael Bublé Comes to CityVille

Grammy-award winning artist Michael Bublé is coming to Zynga's CityVille, a city-developing Facebook game.

CityVille players will be able to mingle with the singer's avatar and complete guests, party with the band in a holiday bonfire. The quests are styled after Bublé’s personality and include objects like a Segway, a turntable and a hockey stick, sushi, and atie, and view an exclusive video from the music star's album Christmas - which is currently Billboard 200's No. 1 album.

CityVille has had integrations in the past with Enrique Iglesias and with the Michael Jackson IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil. Fans loved the concert and with the Enrique Iglesias integration, more than 45 million concerts were held in just one week in CityVille.

The game was launched in December 2010 and is Zynga's biggest game, with 49 million monthly users, according to AppData.com

Zynga approaches a kind of partnership that will delight and excite players, as we’ve seen this before with Lady Gaga and Jimmy Buffett branding and the promotion often tightly align with the game itself. Maybe I need to check my CityVille account again to see what the Bublé experience looks like! Just in time for the holidays, Bublé's music will surely delight CityVille's citizens!

[via Mashable]

ABS-CBN Christmas Special 2011

ABS-CBN Christmas Special 2011 was held last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. It will be aired:

Part 1 - December 17
Part 2 - December 18

9:45 pm on ABS-CBN Channel 2.


Here are some pics courtesy of thebaddestmike of PEx.

The stage design.

Crowd shouted so loud when they saw Enchong, half-naked.

Enchong Dee opens a full-on dance number.

KC Concepcion and Anne Curtis in green.

Sarah Geronimo takes on stage with her hot red dress.

KC and Piolo side by side in the opening.

ASAP Sessionistas

Erich and Enchong singing.

Erich Gonzales.

Your favorite Kapamilya loveteams.

Enchong, Rafael Rossell, and Gerald dancing.

Jake Cuenca, Zanjoe Marudo, and Ai-ai delas Alas.

Julia Montes, Kathryn Bernardo, with child stars Zaijan and Xyriel.

Star Magic.

Jodi Sta. Maria with Jason Abalos.

Angelica Panganiban shone like an angel.

ASAP Sessionistas.

ASAP Sessionistas with a wacky pose.

The hot Angel Locsin.

Geminid meteor shower peaks tonight

The Geminid meteor shower will return today, December 14, plowing through debris left from a boiled asteroid.


According to PAG-ASA, the annual meteor shower will reach its peak Wednesday night, with “falling stars” visible at a rate of 40 meteors per hour.

Even with a nearly (89%) full moon, which put on a stunning lunar eclipse over the weekend, observers should still catch one streak every minute or two. Observers away from city lights with clear skies may see more than 40 streaks of light per hour emanating from the constellation Gemini, Wired Science reported.

The Geminid is a meteor shower which originated from the 3200 Phaeton asteroid, discovered in 1983, and known for its relatively slow-moving meteors, and for being one of the only showers that didn’t come from a comet. The Geminids have been observed for the last 150 years, making it a much more recent occurrence than the Perseids (August) or Leonids (November) showers.

The 3200 Phaeton asteroid does careen inside Mercury’s orbit once every 1.4 years, so the searing heat might boil away dust particles that cause meteors when shooting through Earth’s atmosphere.

How to Calculate best-viewing time in your area

To check the absolute best viewing times, use this flux calculator applet developed by the SETI Institute. But, it was too bad Manila was not included in the location, so you need to input your latitude and longitude. Use this site to find your location.

After you have inputted your latitude, longitude, and time zone (Manila's time zone is GMT+8), click on the Apply and then OK. You will now see the shower rate per hour on the Fluxtimator.

Tunisia elects former activist as president

Tunisia has elected its new president on Monday a month and a half after the North African country held its first post-revolution election.


Members of the constitutional assembly, Tunisia's interim parliament, elected Moncef Marzouki, 66, to become the first democratically-elected president, the second most-powerful role after the prime minister, with 153 out of 217 votes in the assembly.

Marzouki, a doctor and human rights activist, strongly opposed the former president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, thus causing his exile and imprisonment and spent two decades in exile in Paris before returning to Tunisia in January after toppling Ben Ali.

Tunisia became the birthplace of the Arab uprisings in January when protests forced Ben Ali, in power for more than 23 years, to flee to Saudi Arabia. That inspired revolutions in Egypt and Libya, as well as unrest in some Middle Eastern states.

Marzouki will serve for a year until the constitution is rewritten and new elections are held.

[via theguardian]

59th FAMAS Awards Winners

Here are the nominees and winners (highlighted) of the 59th FAMAS Awards held at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Theater on December 10, 2011.

BEST PICTURE

ANG TANGING INA MO

DALAW

MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY

ROSARIO

SA’YO LAMANG

SIGWA

BEST ACTRESS

Ai-ai Delas Alas (ANG TANGING INA MO)

Bea Alonzo (MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY)

Dawn Zulueta (SIGWA)

Jennylyn Mercado (ROSARIO)

Lorna Tolentino (SA’YO LAMANG)

BEST ACTOR

Bong Revilla (SI AGIMAT AT SI ENTENG KABISOTE)

Coco Martin (NOY)

Dennis Trillo (ROSARIO)

John Lloyd Cruz (MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY)

Tirso Cruz III (SIGWA)

Vic Sotto (SI AGIMAT AT SI ENTENG KABISOTE)

BEST DIRECTOR

Albert Martinez (ROSARIO)

Cathy Garcia-Molina (MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY)

Dondon S. Santos Rodel Nacianceno (a.k.a Coco Martin) (NOY)

Laurice Guillen (SA’YO LAMANG)

Wenn V. Deramas (ANG TANGING INA MO)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Eugene Domingo (HERE COMES THE BRIDE)

Eugene Domingo (ANG TANGING INA MO)

Gina Pareno (DALAW)

Shaina Magdayao (SA’YO LAMANG)

Zsa Zsa Padilla (SIGWA)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Allen Dizon (SIGWA)

Baron Geisler (NOY)

Carlo Aquino (ANG TANGING INA MO)

Jaime Fabregas (HERE COMES THE BRIDE)

Sid Lucero (ROSARIO)

BEST CHILD ACTRESS

Cheska Billiones (NOY

Dessa Ilagan (SIGWA)

Jillian Ward (SI AGIMAT AT SI ENTENG KABISOTE)

Xyriel Manabat (ANG TANGING INA MO)

BEST CHILD ACTOR

Maliksi Morales (DALAW)

Timothy Chan (HERE COMES THE BRIDE)

BEST STORY

Bonifacio Ilagan and Joel Lamangan (SIGWA)

John Paul E. Abellera, Karen Ramos, Mia Louise C. Ramos, Ralph Jacinto Quiblat and Ricardo Lee (SA’YO LAMANG)

Manuel V. Pangilinan (ROSARIO)

Mel Mendoza-Del Rosario (ANG TANGING INA MO)

Vanessa R. Valdez (MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY)

BEST SCREENPLAY

Ma. Theresa Clamor Juan Miguel Sevilla Vanessa R. Valdez (MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY)

Bonifacio Ilagan (SIGWA)

Elmer Gatchalian (ROSARIO)

Karen Ramos Ralph Jacinto Quiblat Ricardo Lee (SA’YO LAMANG)

Mel Mendoza-Del Rosario (ANG TANGING INA MO)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Monino Duque (SIGWA)

Anne Monzon (DALAW)

Carlo Mendoza (ROSARIO)

Lee Briones-Meily (SA’YO LAMANG)

Manuel Teehankee (MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY)

Timmy Jimenez (NOY)

BEST EDITING

Chrisel Galeno-Desuasido (SI AGIMAT AT SI ENTENG KABISOTE)

Efren Jarlego (SA’YO LAMANG)

John Wong (ROSARIO)

Marya Ignacio (MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY)

Marya Ignacio (MY AMNESIA GIRL)

Renewin B. Alano (DALAW)

BEST SOUND

Alfredo Ongleo (SIGWA)

Addiss Tabong Albert Michael Idioma (SI AGIMAT AT SI ENTENG KABISOTE)

Albert Michael Idioma (DALAW)

Richard Hooks Warren Santiago (ROSARIO)

Ross Diaz (NOY)

BEST MUSICAL SCORE

Lucien Letaba (SIGWA)

Albert Chang (ROSARIO)

Carmina Cuya (NOY)

Cesar Francis S. Concio (DALAW)

Jessie Lasaten (SI AGIMAT AT SI ENTENG KABISOTE)

BEST THEME SONG

SIGWA

NOY

ANG TANGING INA MO

SA’YO LAMANG

MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY

BEST ART DIRECTION

Edgar Martin Littaua (SIGWA)

Glen Herbert Adriano (NOY)

Jesse Bueno Ruben Arthur Nicdao (SI AGIMAT AT SI ENTENG KABISOTE)

Joey Luna (ROSARIO)

Raymond Bajarias (DALAW)

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS

ROSARIO

NOY

SA’YO LAMANG

Benny Batoctoy Chie Torrente (DALAW)

Dekdek Torrente Erick Torrente (SI AGIMAT AT SI ENTENG KABISOTE)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Aldo Aguilar and Marites Mendoza (NOY)

Arturo Jarlego and Elmer Buencamino (SA’YO LAMANG)

Dodge Ledesma and Earl Bontuvan (DALAW)

Jay Santiago, Kim Erik Samson, Melvyn M. Quimosing (SI AGIMAT AT SI ENTENG KABISOTE)

Relie Hinojosa Tessa Cam Rowe (ROSARIO)

And the winners of the SPECIAL AWARDS...

German Moreno Youth Achievement Awardees
Alden Richards, Julia Montes, Kathryn Bernardo, Sam Concepcion, Sarah Lahbati

Memorial Awardees
Danny L. Dolor and Dr. Jose Reyes Perez Jr.
Crispina M. Belen and Arturo M. Padua

Public Service Award
Chief Public Attorney Persida V. Rueda-Acosta

Presidential Award
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Nora Aunor

SPECIAL CITATIONS

H.I.V. Advocacy Film for 2010
Kita Mo Na? Galing ng Pinoy! (Filipino Inventors Radio Program)

Loren Legarda Environment Award for Film
Project: Noel (Carousel Productions)

Rodolfo Biazon Patriotism Award for Film
Emir (Viva Entertainment)

Chic-Boy Scandal: The Higad on my Kangkong

It's circulating on Facebook and trending on Twitter. A "break-up" letter from an upset customer who, allegedly, found caterpillar in her adobong kangkong dish, and posted the pics on her Facebook account.


Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo uploaded the pictures of her kangkong dish with a very huge caterpillar. The album was entitled CHICKBOY SCANDAL!!! taken at Chic-Boy’s Timog branch last November 21, 2011. She allegedly found the caterpillar between 3:54 and 4:00 PM.

Below is the transcript taken from the album's description.

Chickboy Scandal

Date of Scandal: November 21, 2011

Time of Scandal: 3:54-4:00pm

Place: ChickBoy Timog

A Break-Up letter from an Upset customer

Dearest ChickBoy,

I've been a biggest fan of you. I love your chicks, I love your boys. I love your chicken and i love your baboys, I even love your nilasing na hipon and your sinigang sa miso na salmon. I chose to have an affair with you because you seemed to have a cool place plus the staff seems to be nice and definitely you've got good food! You were my trophy then. I tried to brag you around my friends.I can see how they envy me whenever i am with you.

Pero ngayon ko lang nakilala ang totoong CHICKBOY. Kung sino ka, at kung pano mo ko tratuhin. Dalawang linggo na ang nakakalaipas mula ng pinakain mo ako ng ginisang kangkong na may pagka-laki laking bulate o caterpilar o kung ano man yun.

Gusto ko lang ipaalala sayo kung ano ang mga pangyayari nun, nung hindi mo ko hinarap. Matapos kong umorder pati ang kasama ko ng dalawang lechong liempo,isang regular ice tea, at isang botomless,pati na ang bago niyong labas na salmon sashimi at siyempre pa,hindi mawawala ang pagkasarap sarap na ginisang kangkong. Ang total bill namin ay 358php...Sa pagkakaalam ko yung lang ang inorder ko at hindi kasama ang bulate.

Nagyon habang ngasab ako ng ngasab sa aming kinakain, napansin ng kasama ko na oily yung kangkong. sabi ko "Masarap nga yun, oily". nung tinikman ko, ok naman, para lang may petroleum gelly ka lang na kinakain with kangkong, pero ok lang. kumain pa rin kami, may natira pang konti sa kangkong sabi ko ako nalang uubos sayang. Tapos Bigla nalang may sumulpot na mahaba at mataba na nilalang sa kangkong. sabi ko "Ano to?", sabi ng kasama ko "Ay, baka talong". Natawa pa ko, sabi ko "Ang galing may libreng talong!" Sinubukan kong hiwain ito sa pamamagitan ng tinidor, pero ang kunat nito. hanggang sa itinihaya ko ito. At sa pagtihaya ng nilalang, tumambad sa akin ang kanyang mga paa at pati ang mukha nito na parang nagsasabing " Alam mo this time pwede kang magreklamo, tutal nasipsip mo na buong pagka bulate ko, at isa pa obvious naman na ang laki ko".

Alam mo Chickboy hindi naman ako mahirap ka relasyon, sa totoo lang hindi ko alam kung malas lang ako sa mga ganitong bagay, kasi dati sa ibang kainan, may ipis na maliit na kasama sa pagkain ko, langaw, uod na maliit.. Pero ito naman, sobra naman sa laki na imposibleng hindi mo makita! So, siyempre sa hitsura pa lang siguro naman ok lang na mag complain ako no? pati nga mga waiters niyo nagulat sa sobrang laki, yung iba nga kinuhaan pa ng picture. Tapos yung supervisor niyong hindi ko itatago ang pangalan na si Glaiza, namutla talaga, tumawag kagad sa Management. halos ayaw na kong harapin. ang sabi lang niya sa akin. "Mam, paltan nalang ho namin yung kangkong" what??? Sa tingin mo ba kakain pa ko ng mga pagkain niyo pagkatapos ng lahat? na nasipsip ko na ang buong pagkabulate ng nilalang sa kangkong ko?. Kumalma naman ako, pero yun pa rin ang sinabi ko. sabi niya "Ma'm ano ho bang gusto niyo?".

Strike 2!

siyempre sinagot ko "Ang gusto kong malaman kung bakit may malaking bulate sa kangkong ko at hindi niyo nakita!". Lalong namutla yung Glaiza at sabi "Mam babayaran nalang po namin lahat ng kinain niyo". Mainit pa ang ulo ko, pero tumango nalang ako. Pero binawi ko rin ito after awhile, mga limang minuto, kasi gusto ko nalang i take out ang kangkong na may bulate. Malapit ko na sanang palampasin ng dumating ang magiting niyong head waiter na di ko na alam ang pangalan.

Sabi ko kasi kay Glaiza, i take out ko yung kangkong na may bulate.E ayun na nga, etong si head waiter sumabat na ang sabi "Mam, wait lang ho, kasi nirereview ho pa namin yung sa cameras, kasi may mga naka-install na cameras dito eh"

Strike 3!

Ah ganon, hindi ako tanga, at alam ko kung ano ang gusto mong sabihin pwes inunahan ko na. sabi ko "Mabuti pa i review niyo ng malaman niyo kung sino naglagay ng malaking bulate sa kangkong ko! at makita niyo rin kung gaano ako sumuka pagkakain ko ng kangkong niyo!, akin na, akin na ang tinake out kong kangkong na may bulate!" aba strike 4 humirit pa ang waiter na ito at sinabing "Naku, mam pag ho binayaran na kayo hindi niyo na ho makukuha yung kangkong."

Strike 4!

Aba, ako pa pala ang mukang pera. eto ang sabi ko "Kuya, di ka ba nakikinig? sinabi ko na kanina pa kay Glaiza, na di na ko magpapabayad ng kinain namin ang gusto ko lang yung kangkong na may bulate! ngayon, ibigay mo sa akin yung kangkong ko kasi binayaran ko yon!kaya akin na ang kangkong na may bulate!" hindi na nakaimik pa si kuya at ang lahat. edi nataranta kayo ngayon. May meeting ako nung hapon ding iyo at kailangan ko ng umalis. Sabi ko" Excuse me, may meeting pa ako babalik ako mamayang gabi, at mamayang gabi ibigay niyo na sa akin ang kangkong na may bulate at ipakausap niyo nalang sa akin may ari nito para hindi na kayo ma mroblema" . Sa totoo lang naawa pa ko, dahil mga tauhan lang sila at hindi nila alam kung anong gagawin sa mga ganitong sitwasyon.

So bumalik nga ko kinagabihan.. Pinaharap niyo sa akin yung isa niyo pang supervisor o pang gabi, sabi niya tinapon na raw yung kangkong na may bulate, pero tinawag ko yung Glaiza. Sabi niya "Ay mam hindi pa ho namin tinatapon", ano ba yan sobrang halatang nagsisinungaling kayong dalawa.. So si supervisor or manager na pang gabi, inexplain sa akin kung ano ang proseso niyo ng pagluluto ng kangkong. Sabi ko, nasa proseso ba ng pagluluto ang paghuhugas ng gulay?. You're not getting my point. Since wala kayong maisagot, nilagay niyo ko sa isang tabi tapos bumalik kayo kasa ang isang food checker at dalawang pulis.

Akala ko yung pulis, yung kami ang nagpadala, since na reklamo na namin sa kamias station na wala rin naman palang nagawa. Ngayon, ang akala ng mga pulis na ito masisindak niyo ko, well well well nagkamali ka..dahil sa pagkakataong ito ako ang tama at ako ang complainant! at sasabihin pa sa akin ng mga pulis na ito na, ang mali ng isa ay hindi mali ng lahat…ang point dito may sinabi ba akong ganun? ang point dito bakit may bulate sa kangkong ko!

tapos hihiritan pa ako, na may food checker kayo, na one year na kayong operational. Tinanong ko siya kung siya ang manager, hindi ko na hinintay kung tumango man siya o hindi. sabi ko

" Pwes ang pangit ng management niyo! Alam niyo, kung kayo takang taka kung bakit may bulate sa kangkong ko, mas lalo na ako!Dahil NASIPSIP KO LANG NAMAN ANG BUONG PAGKABULATE NIYA. Ngayon, kung iniisip niyo na ako ang naglagay ng nilalang diyan, sana man lang hindi ko ginisa sa kakainin kong kangkong at lasap na lasap ko ang laman ng bulateng yan! ngayon, kung ayaw ibigay sa akin ang kangkong kong may bulate, kumuha kayo ng limang bulate at sipsipin niyo sa harap ko ok na ko! hindi niyo na kailangang kainin yung balat tutal yung laman lang naman nakain ko!"

Ayun, natahimik kayo..nag alisan na sila,medyo natawa pa nga sa monologue ko. Tapos in the end after more than 30 min of waiting. nag reklamo na ako at kailangan kong umalis. Yung mga pulis, niyaya ako sa loob ng room. Pumunta naman ako at sinundan ako ng kasama ko.

At tong mga pulis nato ang unang tanong.."Ano ho ba ang gusto niyo?" pwes sinagot ko siya " kuya, paulit ulit? pa-ulit ulit? ikaw ang sumagot ng tanong mo! ang gusto ko yung kangkong na may bulate"! tapos natahimik siya, sinabi niya na mam, kasi medyo napataas ang boses niyo dun sa labas.

Nilaksan ko ang boses ko na pang main theater ng ccp..sabi ko," Ako pa ngayon ang may kasalanan!ako na nga nakakain ng bulateng pagkalakilaki! at isa pa, una sa lahat, bakit niyo kasi ako nilagay sa gitna ng mga customers niyo? at isa pa, bakit ikaw ang kausap ko? part owner ka ba ng chickboy?"ayun natahimik ang pulis patola.. sabi ng kasama ko. "bakit ba kampi kayo sa kanila eh kami ang complainant! at isa pa kaya gusto namin kunin yung kangkong na may bulate kasi gusto namin kayo ireklamo sa BFAD. bigyan lang ng leksiyon."

Sabi ko."alam niyo, kung kayo nag SORRY nalang hindi na siguro nangyari yung ganito!" papano, ang yayabang pa, napaka defensive kagad. hindi aminin ang mali! sabi ng pulis.."mam, di pa ho ba sila nagsorry?" sabi ko "hinde!!!inexplain niyo lang naman sa akin ang tungkol sa pagnenegosyo, kung papano dinedeliver ang mga gulay niyo at kung papano niyo pinapatakbo ang chickboy!!!"….

Anyway, bago pa makagawa ako ng gulo, pinakalma na ko ng kasama ko at aalis nalang kami…gusto ko lang sabihin sa'yo CHICKBOY na wag niyo kong lekturan sa pagnenegosyo mag seminar muna kayo ng TUNGKOL SA SANITATION, HOW TO DEAL WITH CUSTOMERS, AND HOW TO BE HUMBLE!

At sa tingin ko dapat rin kayo manood ng mga bagong episodes sa KNOWLEDGE CHANNEL UPANG MALAMAN NIYO KUNG PAPANO ANG TAMANG PAGNENEGOSYO AT MALAMAN ANG "BATUKTALI" sa pagnenegosyo! 10 episodes yun. Panoorin niyo LAHAT!

At ngayong pasko lalo na't maraming pamilya ang mag bonding sa labas at definitely kakain, sana Maging maiingat kayo sa mg pagkaing sineserve niyo. At kung mangyari muli yun, isipin niyo ang kung kayo ang nasa posisyon ng customer. Minsan naiisip ko, nung sa karinderya ako kumakain, wala pa akong na experience na ganito. Kung kelan sa mga mas mahal at mas established pa na restaurant, dun pa pumapalya!

At para sa yo CHICKBOY I'm ending this relationship! Gaya ni KC and Piolo, Ni Rhian at ni Mo twister I'm ending this relationship with a bang! Full of controversy.

Goodbye CHICKBOY may you rest in peace just like the poor HUMONGOUS CATERPILLAR WHICH COULD'VE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL MARIPOSA, ONLY IF I HADN'T EATEN IT.

P.S.

BTW, sent you some pics as a souvenier!!! Enjoy!!

Not yours anymore,

The Customer who ate Kangkong with BULATE

The Chic-Boy management posted its reply on the issue:

THE COMPETITOR IS DESPERATE!!!

There are rumors going around Facebook that a caterpillar (or "bulate" as they call it) was found in our Ginisang Kangkong sa Bawang. If you are familiar with Chic-Boys ginisang kangkong sa bawang, our kangkong is cut into bits. HOW COME IN THE PHOTO THEY POSTED, THE CATERPILLAR IS WHOLE?

We are not surprised with this demolition job. We have only been in the market for a year and a half and we have grown to 64 opened stores and 48 under construction. Do you think the competition will just take us sitting down?

We are entrepreneurs who have good business ethics. We will build our name and business by giving our best to our customers and not destroy the name of our competitor for our gain. You be the judge!!!!

Miriam elected judge of International Criminal Court

Philippine Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago was elected judge of the International Criminal Court on Tuesday, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reports.


The ICC is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.

The senator’s media officer Tom Tolibas confirmed that Santiago won in the first round of voting with 79 votes, more than Trinidad and Tobago’s Anthony Carmona who got 72 votes, according to the Twitter account of the American Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition for the International Criminal Court, GMA News said.

Santiago is the first woman from an Asian developing state to join as a judge in the Netherlands-based international court.

In October, Santiago said she would be resigning from the Senate should she win a seat in the ICC.


“I’ll have to resign [as senator]. Isn’t that good news for my enemies? I would have to live in The Hague. I will look like a European and speak like a European and I will be as snooty as a European when I come back," she reportedly said.

Sources: GMA News, Yahoo! News

Chief Justice Corona impeached

The House of Representatives voted for the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona on Monday night.

188 of 284 congressmen signed the complaint for alleged graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust. It will be transmitted directly to the Senate without undergoing House committee deliberations.


House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said majority lawmakers decided to impeach Corona on their own and not because of any orders from President Benigno Aquino III, who has been questioning the chief magistrate’s impartiality.

Earlier this day, Corona revealed of the 'oust' plot "by any means fair or foul" but vowed to remain in his post and defend the Supreme Court.

Corona is widely associated with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who had appointed him to the high court in April 2002 and, just before she stepped down from the presidency in May 2010, appointed him chief justice.


Aquino, who won the presidential elections last year, has never fully recognized Corona's legitimacy as the Supreme Court chief justice, saying Corona was a "midnight appointee" of an outgoing leader - a violation of a constitutional ban.

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales said the House will transmit the impeachment complaint to the Senate on Tuesday. However, Congress goes on break this week, so impeachment trial will likely begin next year, according to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

[via GMA News, photo credit: Inquirer]