The Wutz Up in the Philippines!

When Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao faces Joshua Clottey of Ghana in the ring on Sunday (Saturday in the U.S.) in Texas to defend his welterweight crown, the Ampatuan clan won’t be in the audience at the Dallas Cowboys stadium to cheer him like in his past fights.

Twelve prominent members of the powerful family, which counts among Pacquiao’s biggest patrons and fans, and 16 of their relatives have been implicated in the Nov. 23 massacre in Maguindanao and are either detained or at large.

Of the 12, Andal Ampatuan Jr., mayor of Datu Unsay town, is being held at the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila on charges of masterminding the multiple murders. The patriarch, former Maguindanao governor Andal Sr., is confined in a military hospital in Davao City, while his sons Zaldy, Anwar and Sajid, and brother-in-law Akmad “Tato” Ampatuan Sr. are detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in General Santos City on charges of rebellion and multiple murder.

The other six—grandsons Saudi Jr., Bahnarin and Anwar “Ipi” Ampatuan Jr., Kanor Datumanong Ampatuan, Mama Ampatuan and Norodin Ampatuan—have yet to be arrested.

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MANILA, Philippines—The families of mall magnate Henry Sy ranked 201st and tobacco king Lucio Tan 582nd on a list of the world’s billionaires, which was topped by a frugal Mexican who prefers to use paper notebooks rather than the computers he sells.

Mexico’s telco tycoon Carlos Slim, the world’s richest man, jumped past Americans Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to become the first person from a developing nation to top the list, according to Forbes magazine. The list has long been dominated by Americans and Europeans.

The 70-year-old Slim amassed a $53.5 billion fortune.

The 2010 Forbes list has 1,011 billionaires.

$4.2B for Sys

With their net worth swelling to $4.2 billion, the Sys were 201st on the list, up from 234th last year, when their net worth was at $2.7 billion.

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Due to brownout threats, power generators will gain prominence in the country as the Filipino boxing champ Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao steps into the ring to face Joshua Clottey in the United States this Sunday (Manila time).

A report on dzBB radio on Friday said many local governments, including those in Metro Manila, are setting up generators in preparation for possible brownouts.

In Manila’s Tondo district, the report said the city government arranged for generators to be installed at the Tondo Sports Complex where the bout will be shown for free.

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MANILA, Philippines – Derek Ramsay has denied accusations of verbally abusing her actress girlfriend, Angelica Panganiban.

Ramsay said he is clueless how the allegations came about, but he said what’s important is that he, Panganiban, their respective families and friends know the truth.

“I don’t know where they’re getting these stuff from, but it’s okay. It’s part of the job. If they want to throw more things at me, it’s okay,” he told ABS-CBN News.

He also maintained that his relationship with Panganiban has seen many obstacles, but they are “better than ever.” In fact, the couple and their friends are already preparing for their 3-week vacation in South Africa.

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DALLAS, TEXAS—Filipino ring king Manny Pacquiao said his lightning fast speed would be enough to nullify Joshua Clottey’s size advantage when the two meet here in Texas on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

“My quickness will be the key, my speed,” the seven-time world champion told Reuters as he prepared for a public workout in front of a throng of fans.

However, the WBO welterweight champion is not taking his Ghanaian opponent lightly.

“You cannot underestimate Joshua Clottey,” he said. “He’s a good fighter, and he’s bigger than me, and I have to be very focused in the fight.”

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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved a recommendation declaring a state of calamity in Mindanao, allowing government to use disaster funds to address the power crisis besetting the Philippines’ second-largest island.
This was disclosed on Thursday by Mindanao Development Authority chairman Jesus Dureza, who, until last year, was the Arroyo government’s press secretary.

Dureza made this disclosure while accompanying the President during a visit in Zamboanga del Norte, a separate dzBB radio report said.
Declaring a state of calamity in Mindanao will also allow local government units to use up to five percent of their internal revenue allotments (IRA), which are their share of revenues from the national government.

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A tail-end of a cold front brought some relief to residents of some areas in Rizal province on Wednesday, but state weather forecasters stressed the weather condition is just temporary.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the cold front is not likely to last long, meaning hot days lie ahead.

“Sa mga susunod na araw mawawala siya, so babalik tayo sa mainit na panahon (In the next few days, it will be gone. So we will return to the hot days),” Pagasa forecaster Rene Paciente said in an interview aired on dzBB radio early Thursday.

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MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is “deeply committed to smooth transition to a new government” and is counting on the Armed Forces of the Philippines “to help us prove that our democracy works for the future of our nation’s children.”

Arroyo made this assurance Wednesday at the formal turnover ceremony of the AFP where newly appointed chief Lieutenant General Delfin Bangit took over from General Victor Ibrado who retired today.

“We remain deeply committed to smooth transition to a new government,” Arroyo said in her speech, maintaining that she made the right decision in choosing Bangit.

“We can count on the AFP to help us prove that our democracy works for the future of our nation’s children,” she said, referring to the national polls on May 10 that will pave the way for a new president.

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MANILA, March 9 — A military counter-terrorism expert welcomed the reported death of Dulmatin, a Jemaah Islamiyah bomb expert who, reports said, was slain by Indonesian authorities following a raid in Pamulang in South Tangerang on Tuesday.

“Its good if they killed him…It is good if they got him,” said Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, who once commanded the military’s Joint Task Force Comet in the Abu Sayyaf-infested Sulu province.

Sabban said their information as of last month was that Dulmatin, who masterminded the bloody Bali bombings in Indonesia years ago, was in Sulu, in the company of Abu Sayyaf terrorists.

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MANILA, March 9 — Twin predawn earthquakes rocked Batanes Islands Tuesday, after a series of temblors struck northern Philippines in the past weeks.

Renator Solidum, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the first tremor occurred 1:22 a.m., measuring 5.1 in magnitude.

The 11-kilometer deep shaker was traced 35 kilometers southeast of capital town, Basco. Intensity 5 was felt in Uyugan town, while intensity 4 was reported in Basco and Sabtang towns.

Intensity 5 is considered moderately strong and can be felt by most people indoors and outdoors; it can awaken people who are asleep and may cause panic and some run outdoors.

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