Newscast: The World Tonight - Broadcast date: 11/06/96
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Copyright © 1996, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.
Subject: DEFECTIONS AND COUP PLOTS
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/06/96Here at home President Ramos and Senate President Ernesto Maceda met each other at today's LEDAC meeting in Malacañang. They did not talk about charges of a Malacañang-instigated counter-coup in the senate.
Senate President Ernesto Maceda has accused Malacañang of plotting to unseat him. The president and his partymates have repeatedly denied the charge. Today, Maceda and the president met at the LEDAC meeting. they did not discuss the matter, the president just cracked a joke about Maceda's sore throat, which he got for giving out too many press statements, lately. But that was not enough to convince Maceda that the threat isn't real.
Maceda may have reason to worry. The ruling party continues to lure more defectors into its fold including members of Maceda's Nationalist People's Coalition. This noon the president swore in 72 new members of Lakas. 25 of them from opposition parties. Former LABAN regional Chairman Zacaria Candao led the group of turn-coats.
47 of the new Lakas members were elected under the Lakas-LABAN coalition. They say they chose to be with lakas because they got fed up with infighting at the LDP. Laban President Senator Edgardo Angara says he isn't bothered by the defections. But Malacañang warns he should brace himself for more surprises.
Subject: WHAT IT MEANS FOR RP AND ASIA
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/06/96Clinton's victory was widely welcomed in the Asian region even in countries whose relations with the Clinton administration have at times been rocky.
It was Vice-President George Bush a republican who once toasted to the Marcos government's commitment to democracy. Republican President Reagan was a true friend to Marcos, until the price of friendship proved too costly. Republican governments were regarded as too hawkish or too cozy with rightwing dictators. Democrats were regarded as friendlier to the cause of human rights.
The end of the cold war and the end of the US bases meant no more special relations. The Philippines has become just another country that wants to do business. Clinton's victory was welcomed in the rest of the region. Even in China which has quarreled with the Clinton administration over human rights, trade and Taiwan. Vietnam also sent its congratulations and this is a country that once fought a war with the US. Despite lingering political differences it's trade and business that the US and countries in the Asian region are more concerned about. And perhaps it matters less now if it's a republican or a democrat who's in the White House.
Subject: HEALTH CARE FOR APEC LEADERS
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/06/96In place of Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta organisers of the Manila people's forum will invite another high official of the East Timorese independence movement to their counter-APEC conference. President Ramos says government will exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with such meetings but he will not tolerate meddling in the country's internal affairs. Government is leaving nothing to chance in its preparations for the APEC summit. Even the health department is busy nowadays.
It's not another outbreak that's keeping the Health Department busy these days it's the APEC summit. Though they received the smallest budget at 2 million pesos, the department is mobilizing 500 medical workers to look after the health of the delegates. Station clinics will be set up in 12 hotels, the airport, and even on roads leading to Subic. The government is enlisting the services of the country's top physicians to serve as close-in doctors for each of the 18 economic leaders.
The department is expecting the worst. They know of threats to security and they are prepared for these. The high-tech ambulances are now in place and medical and surgical supplies are ready for distribution.
Subject: TUADLES MURDER RAPS
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/06/96The Philippine National Police claims to have solved the killing of former PBA star Arnie Tuadles. But not before the senate threatened to delay deliberations on the PNP's budget for next year.
This morning, senators made it painfully clear to PNP Chief Recaredo Sarmiento congresses power of the purse. Under discussion was the PNP's 19.4 billion peso budget for next year. But senators grilled Sarmiento about the Arnie Tuadles killing. They said it was not going fast enough. Romeo Pena, PNP's Chief Investigator, came to Sarmiento's defense. But the lawmakers found the explanation unsatisfactory. They threatened to stall the PNP's budget till next year unless the police wraps up the case quickly.
Later in the afternoon the police announced the case solved. Security Guard Jimmy Bobis earlier told investigators he was not at the crime scene. Now he says he saw suspect Ambet Antonio aiming a gun while yelling at Tuadles. In the complaint, two policemen were named as accessories SPO4 George Nieto and investigator Onorio Carcalla. Bobis says Nieto did nothing to stop Antonio.
The police may have considered the case closed. But some people are now asking if the case has been truly solved or just wrapped up to placate lawmakers.
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Subject: 4 MORE YEARS FOR CLINTON!
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/06/96US President Bill Clinton has won re-election in convincing fashion. And right after his remarkable comeback, the American president appealed for an end to partisanship. White House officials say Clinton plans to pursue the same economic policies but they admit it will be harder the second time around with republicans retaining control of the congress.
Polls showed Clinton would win re-election by a landslide. And he did he got 379 electoral votes from 31 states And challenger Bob Dole, 159 from 19 states. Clinton only needed 270 electoral votes to win. 2 years ago Clinton was written off as a lame-duck when his presidency hit rock bottom. Voters gave both houses of congress to the republicans.
That's why Clinton's re-election is a remarkable comeback. He's the first president from the post-war "baby boom" generation to win re-election. He is also the first democrat to get a second crack at the White House since Franklin Roosevelt in 1944. Congratulations poured in from all over the world.
But voters opted to put a check on Clinton by letting the republicans keep both houses of congress. Dole who made Clinton's character his campaign issue conceded defeat and congratulated the president. But Dole still called himself "the most optimistic man in America." Struggling to keep his emotions in check he told supporters to keep up the fight. Dole hushed the crowd when some booed upon hearing Clinton's name.
Now that the president has another try at the White House political observers say Clinton's problem is shaping the direction of his second term. Changes in the cabinet may be in the offing. The bottomline is to avoid the mistakes of the past.