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The Baby Merchants – Part 2
Mothers smuggle their own babies
Irene Low Ai Lian, a Singaporean national who was arrested for being in possession of nine babies in a house she was renting outside Manila, once said she was ordained by God to save unwanted Filipino babies.
By Raissa Robles, Newsbreak 06/03/2009 3:42 PM
The Baby Merchants – Part 1
What looked like a nursery filled with babies was a storage, processing and shipping center for Filipino babies.
When policemen entered a house in Jala Jala, Rizal just southeast of Manila on the night of December 15, 2008, they had a warrant to arrest a suspect accused of writing bouncing checks.
The last thing they expected to find was a room full of crying, cooing newborn babies.
By Raissa Robles, Newsbreak 06/02/2009 10:30 AM
Fiscal boost from cigarette tax going up in smoke
Getting a nicotine fix is not as enjoyable as it used to be for Espiridion de la Pasion, a 56-year-old chain smoker who used to buy Hope, made by Fortune Tobacco Corp. of Lucio Tan, one of the country’s richest persons.
By ROEL LANDINGIN, Newsbreak 05/29/2009 6:55 PM
Cigarette smuggling in RP more blatant now
(Second of two parts)
More than 19 years ago, the assistant director of Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was shocked to hear that his star prosecution witness was brutally murdered, his bloated body found floating in Singapore Harbor.
By Chay Florentino Hofileña, Newsbreak 05/27/2009 1:00 PM
Philippines a haven for cigarette smugglers
(First of two parts)
Authorities say it’s possible that cigarette smuggling is being used as a front for drug trading and money laundering.
By Chay Florentino Hofileña, Newsbreak 05/26/2009 7:55 AM
Smartmatic’s tainted past, low bid raise questions
The vendor that could potentially win the bid to automate next year’s national elections has a checkered track record. And should it bag the multi-billion peso contract, rival bidders say the country should brace itself for a raw deal.
By Aries Rufo, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak 05/19/2009 8:30 PM
Tobacco fund not of much help to Ilocos Sur farmers
The province got the biggest share from the tobacco excise tax, but also the highest increase in poverty incidence in the region.
By Aries C. Rufo, abs-cbnnews.com/Newsbreak 05/07/2009 1:31 PM
P1 billion in tobacco funds misused
(First of two parts)
Of the four tobacco-producing provinces, it was in Ilocos Sur that government auditors discovered white elephant projects and questionable expenses
By Aries Rufo, Newsbreak 05/05/2009 10:35 AM
Justice for jurists
Giving preference to the career jurists would be good for the administration of justice.
By Jose Y. Dalisay III, Newsbreak 05/01/2009 8:13 AM
Demand for tobacco harming Ilocos forests?
Republic Act 7171 requires the provinces of La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, and Abra to each produce around one million kilos of Virginia tobacco per crop season, or once a year. In exchange, they get 15 percent of the tobacco excise tax collected by the national government.
By Purple S. Romero, abs-cbnNEWS.com, Newsbreak 04/29/2009 12:42 PM
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