Better organized but…Black Nazarene leaves the Quiapo church in
an initially orderly procession.
***
Palace: ID needs a law
Opposition: Scheme under way in barangays
BY JOCELYN
MONTEMAYOR
EXECUTIVE Secretary Eduardo Ermita
yesterday said the proposed national identification
system cannot be implemented without an enabling law.
Acknowledging a Supreme Court ruling
in 1998 that states "only Congress can pass a law for
such a purpose," Ermita said what government is
currently implementing is Executive Order 420 or the
unified ID system for employees in government-owned and
-controlled corporations.
"We will not go against the decision
of the Supreme Court if the proposed national ID system
covers even private individuals," he said.
Malacañang sees P60B
loss,
rejects suspension of VAT on oil
BY REGINA BENGCO
MALACAÑANG yesterday rejected proposals
to suspend the implementation of the 12 percent expanded
value added tax on oil products, saying it would result in
a P60 billion revenue loss and lower credit ratings.
Trade Secretary Peter Favila said the
loss would consist of P54 million from foregone revenue,
and P6 billion for inefficiency as a result of wrecking
the EVAT structure.
If this happens, Favila said government
would not be able to deliver the basic services and
infrastructure projects that it promised the people and
the business community when it was campaigning for
enactment of the EVAT law.
THE PNP Task Force Usig yesterday said three
policemen, 11 soldiers and three militiamen have been either
arrested or named as suspects in killings of media men and
militants since 2001.
The names of the 17 were contained in a
report submitted yesterday by task force chief Director
Jefferson P. Soriano, who also heads the directorate for
investigation and detective management, to PNP chief Avelino
Razon.
"We are continuing our coordination with
various government agencies specifically the prosecution and the
courts to immediately resolve the cases involving these
suspects, majority of whom are already behind bars," Soriano
said.
