Newscast: The World Tonight - Broadcast date: 11/18/96
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Copyright © 1996, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.
Subject: RALLYISTS, WORKERS ASSURED
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/18/ 96Malacañang assures it won't impose a strike moratorium. But it reserves the right or power to impose order when the situation calls for it.
A protest caravan of anti-APEC groups is expected to make its way from Metro Manila to Central Luzon on Thursday. Organizers promised the government they would stay away from Subic to avoid embarrassing Malacañang. Today the palace reiterated its policy of "maximum tolerance" for protesters. The caravan can go without a permit to rally, they say as long as it won't cause traffic jams.
Maximum tolerance also applies to labor groups threatening to go on strike during the APEC summit. Malacañang is definite it won't issue a strike moratorium. The Labor Department earlier said it will resolve all disputes before the APEC conference begins. Labor Secretary Leonardo Quisumbing says his only problems are pending strikes at Philcomsat and Philippine Airlines.
Despite government's assurance to respect the right of free speech Cayetano defends Malacañang's right to take over private firms as legal to keep the peace on the labor front. Cayetano says the president can invoke that power without congressional approval.
Subject: PLOT VS FVR
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/18/ 96Malacañang is on red alert for the APEC summit. a ranking military official says they received an intelligence report about a plot against President Ramos. The armed forces and the PNP have also been placed on alert. But the president dismisses the reported plot as normal. Security for the president may be airtight but not for the presidential limousine. A parking attendant yesterday damaged the presidential car while it was parked at the Manila Hotel. The hotel's management promised to shoulder the repairs and have the attendant investigated.
Subject: MEMBERS OF GABRIELA ARRESTED
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/18/ 96Police arrested eight members of a militant women's group while they were plastering anti-APEC posters in Manila. The police say the eight members of Gabriela will be charged with vandalism. Garbriela in turn accused of the police of curtailing their freedom of expression.
Subject: ARRAIGNMENT POSTPONED
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/18/ 96The Supreme Court has ordered the government to justify the continued detention of labor leader Filemon Lagman. His lawyers filed a petition for habeas corpus last week. The Marikina Regional Trial Court postponed his arraignment today. Lagman was accused of murdering a Marikina policeman. But he calls the charges harassment to silence critics of the APEC summit.
It was the first time Lagman was shown to the public since he was arrested five days ago. He arrived under tight security at the Quezon City RTC for his arraignment for the murder of a policeman in Marikina. Lagman's lawyer convinced the court to postpone the arraignment and give them more time to study the case. On March 30, 1992 a police intelligence officer Ibarra de Guzman, was gunned down in Marikina allegedly by the Alex Boncayao Brigade. But some members of the Marikina police now doubt if Ibarra was killed by the ABB.
Ibarra's friends at the Marikina police say he had enemies in the gambling world and it was more likely that he was killed because of this. Yet the family of Ibarra doesn't care much for the theory of the police. Lagman and his supporters insist his arrest has nothing to do with the murder and could only be linked to APEC.
Subject: METRO GETS A FACE-LIFT
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/18/ 96Beginning tomorrow the MMDA will implement plans to ease traffic as part of preparations for the APEC summit. Two lanes of EDSA will be closed to traffic from 6 am to 10 pm. The remaining four lanes will be open to traffic. On Seaside Drive, MIA Road and NAIA Road two lanes shall be closed to traffic from 6 am to 10 pm. 2 lanes on Roxas Boulevard will be closed also from 6 am to 10 pm. Two lanes on Ayala Avenue, Makati Avenues and Paseo de Roxas will be closed also from 6 am to 10 pm.
If first impressions are important the Philippines may just be able to make a good one. From the airport the roads are well paved and tropical plantlife abundant. For APEC delegates the jeepney would be a peculiar sight and so would the early Filipino Christmas. There's also no escaping the remiders of what they're here for.
But there is escaping the unsightly. After all, what they don't see won't matter. A new coat of paint has been give to the walls and those like it. The newly widened Roxas Boulevard screams of APEC and so do its buildings. At the PICC the red carpet has been rolled out. The plenary hall has its last minute details. The carpet is getting its cleaning. Unfortunately some stains are harder to clean than others. In the 20 years Aling Elvira has been cleaning the presidential table she knows this time around is extra special. Meantime the reception hall is well, getting there. the lights are also ready well, almost.
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Subject: PRICES TO DROP
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/18/ 96Businessman Raul Concepcion says oil prices should go down next year by around January or February. Concepcion mentions 3 factors the end of the winter season the lifting of the embargo on Iraqi oil and stability in the foreign exchange rate. But for now Concepcion suggests that congress approve another 150 million pesos in subsidies to prevent another oil price increase. At this point he says the country cannot handle full deregulation.
At the lower house, Congressman Enrique Garcia criticizes the Committee on Good Government for failing to properly investigate his accusation of overpricing against oil companies. Garcia says after only for 4 hearings the committee is set to clear Shell, Petron and Caltex of allegations they over-billed the OPSF by 10 billion pesos in 1995.