MANILA-- Senators who will sit as judges in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona on Wednesday admonished the prosecution and defense panels to stop discussing the merits of the case when the trial has not started.
In a statement, Sen. Panfilo Lacson scolded what he called an "undisciplined" public presentation of evidence in the upcoming impeachment trial against Corona.

"If we allow such undisciplined public presentation of evidence by any party in utter disregard of the ethics of their legal profession to continue, the Senate may lose control of the situation and I am certain it will damage not just the Senate as an impeachment court but the sacredness of the whole impeachment process as well," he said.

By Contessa Rita Bourbon

NEW YORK—The Philippines remains to be on rights advocates’ black list of  countries with serious human rights abuses. The Aquino administration has made little progress in addressing impunity for serious human rights violations.  Extrajudicial killings of leftist activists and petty criminals continue in the Philippines  with the government failing to address involvement by the security forces and local officials, according to NY-based Human Rights Watch year-end report.
The report said the civilian and military justice systems remain weak  in

the Philippines,, and the military and police still commit human rights violations with impunity. Armed opposition forces, including the communist New People’s Army (NPA) and various Islamist Moro groups, also commit abuses against civilians.
Also in a separate report, the HRW said The Philippine armed forces should end its unlawful use of schools for military purposes.

MANILA-- Gail Bautista Furuyama and her husband, Hiro, underwent a preliminary investigation at the Paranaque Regional Trial Court Tuesday after being accused of masterminding the killing of Gail's brother, Ramgen Revilla.
In her counter-affidavit on the statement of primary witness Janelle

Manahan, Bautista-Furuyama insisted that the killing was meant for Janelle, and that Ramgen was killed when he tried to intervene.

"This is a frustrated murder of Janelle Manahan that gave occasion to the killing of my beloved brother, Ramgen, by the same masked gunman using the same weapon," she said in her counter-affidavit.

MANILA- The Philippine National Police is verifying a reported death threat against Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr.

On Monday, PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome said they have so far not turned up any information to bolster the reported death threat.