NPA attack a big favor

The NPA attack on 3 mines in Claver, Surigao del Norte has unearthed a can of worms and may have done the Aquino Administration an unintended favor.

Feedback from Surigao del Norte and reliable mining sources say that the cause of the vicious attack was the failure to pay a previously agreed 2 percent of the gross sales of nickel products, entered into by previous owners. Only one percent was paid. The NPAs also alleged that the owners were paying one percent based on the amount exported as declared to the BIR. They charged that the amount actually exported was grossly under-declared as only 1/3rd was being reported based on their knowledge of actual production figures. The same sources also reported that AFP and PNP officers, as well as provincial and municipal officials were also being paid off to keep quiet.

The suspicion is also aired that the NPAs were actually allowed to mass, attack and burn the 3 mines as all those on the payoff list were angry that they were being cheated of their rightful “share”. They welcomed the NPA decision to punish the mine owners.

Mining sources also say that in the case of smaller mining operations in the Agusan, Davao and Surigao provinces, exports are 100 percent under-declared as BIR, DENR and PPA officials are just paid off. A check of the lifestyle of mining operators show their tremendous wealth with new mansions, luxury cars and even private planes acquired.

The under-declaration of mining exports is also reported in gold exports to China. A spot checking of shipments emanating from the Davao International Airport will confirm this fact. BIR Commissioner Kim Henares filed tax evasion charges against gold traders. She should go deeper to charge the gold mine owners and exporters.

 Plugging these tax loopholes will easily solve the BIR tax collection deficit. Billions are involved.

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 STEM CELL. . . FG Mike Arroyo has joined the list of clients undergoing stem cell treatment. He went to a German clinic where a concentrate of fresh cells from the embryo of a newborn mountain goat is injected into the human body to replace dead or diseased cells.

 The 100-year practitioner of stem cell cure is La Prairie Clinic in Montreux, Switzerland where the concentrate injected comes from the embryo of an unborn lamb. Romania also offered this treatment. It has been reported that Doña Josefa Marcos and son Ferdinand underwent this procedure.

The latest procedure now involves getting 50cc of fat from your belly which is treated to produce new cells which is injected back into you. This is being offered in Tokyo. Recently two local clinics opened to offer a similar procedure.

 Proponents say stem cell treatments strenghten the patient, make you look younger and even restore your sexual libido. There is also a claim of it being a cure for cancer.

We are not recommending stem cell treatments. We are just reporting it for you for your study. The cost: Germany $20,000; La Prairie $14,000; Japan $30,000, local clinics P2.5 million. 

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RIDING IN TANDEM . . . Johnson Pascual, Editor of the Prime News, a community newspaper and a bank manager was shot dead by two motorcycle riding gunmen in Alicia, Isabela.

Meat vendors Ferdinand and Jocelyn Arevalo were shot dead in front of their house by two motorcycle riding gunmen in Batac, Ilocos Norte. The last six months, there have been four unsolved killings in Ilocos Norte.

Albert Mann, 58, a sales supervisor died when one of two motorcycle riding gunmen barged into his house and shot him in his garage in Barangay Socorro, QC.

Earlier, shooter Michael Lontoc was killed in the same manner in Malabon. Also in the case of Korean executive Hyung Hur.

At the rate riding in tandem killers are murdering people all over the country, averaging three a day, you will have as many as 1,000 killed in one year. That’s how bad it is.

Meanwhile, Mindanao was again hit with crime. Armed men set up a roadblock at Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, fired at two mini buses killing two and wounding 20 passengers.

Eleven people were hurt as two Zamboanga City villages suffered two explosions, set off minutes apart in a hotel and cockpit in Barangays Guiwan and San Roque as the city prepared for its annual Our Lady of Pilar fiesta.

In Edsa, a Malanday Metro Link bus was held up by three armed men who posed as policemen.

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GUESS WHO? . . . A Cabinet member was berated by President Aquino for receiving a P25 million fee from a foreign investor. He was ordered to return the money by managers check within 48 hours or be fired. He returned the money.  

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TIDBITS. . . The number of persons who died from typhoons Pedring and Quiel has reached 102. Bataan Gov. Enrique “Tet” Garcia narrowly escaped death when an acacia tree fell on top of his SUV as they were travelling on the Roman highway, killing his driver instantly. Garcia who was at the backseat survived. 

Customs officials at Clark clarified that it was a PNP officer, not a Customs agent that extorted money from departing employees of the Isabela provincial capitol.

Presidential sisters Ballsy, Pinky and Viel distributed relief bags to residents of Apalit, Candaba and Calumpit. President Erap Estrada flew by chopper to Nueva Ecija yesterday to distribute relief packages.

Pampanga Gov. Baby Pineda said that two dredging machines have arrived in Pampanga, but cannot start work because the water at the Pampanga River is still very high.

Greetings to Mely Borja of Cabanatuan City who heads a group of civic leaders who have put up a center for rape victims in Palayan City. Number of cases reported is a staggering 89.