Dzmm:
Nagtuturuan ang DOJ at BIR sa umano'y mabagal na pag-usad ng bilyong pisong tax evasion cases sa gobyerno. Nababagalan ang BIR sa pag-usad ng mga reklamong tax evasion sa DOJ. Hinaing ng BIR, mula 2011 wala pa ni isa sa limang pinakamalalaking kaso ang nakaabot sa tax court.

MLA STANDARD:
Ex-treasurer: Budget anti-poor
In a budget briefing for the independent minority bloc led by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Briones said Luzon would get 58 percent or P726 billion; Visayas, 18 percent or P224.7 billion; and Mindanao, 24 percent at P301.1 billion. Citing government studies and surveys, Briones said the incidence of hunger in households has increased from July 1998 to March 2013 with Mindanao in the lead at 29.2 percent and Luzon 14.7 percent.

TRIBUNE: BSP exec tagged in SMC 'shakedown'

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) deputy governor Nestor Espenilla is totally mum over a report that his department, the supervision and examination sector (SES), is "shaking down" San Miguel Corp. (SMC) in favor of a rival conglomerate. According to the report, the SES started the shakedown of SMC as early as March 29, 2011. In his confidential memo to Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr., the deputy governor told the latter that 'SMC's rapid expansion to new businesses may result in financial distress for the conglomerate.

TRIBUNE: Enrile: Trillanes clueless on MWSS contract legalities
Enrile underscored the fact that even if they proceed with the inquiry, the only recourse to the issue at hand is that of a legal remedy as Congress is barred from passing any law to impair the obligations of contracts entered into by the government. "I will tell you that if I'm not a member of Congress and prohibited from handling this case, I will win it against you in a courtroom.

MLA TIMES: Doctors pitch for Arroyo's release from VMMC
- In separate medical bulletins, the lawmaker's physicians said that Arroyo's condition is not improving that a holistic approach requires, referring to her release from VMMC. According to Dr. Antonion Sison, spine surgeon from the VMMC, Arroyo still continue to complain of lower back pain which is only temporarily relieved through pain killers. She also still have difficulty in swallowing solid food "which contributes to her poor appetite and weight loss," Sison said. "Arroyo, after her three major cervical spine operations, has not been cured of her illness and she continued to fell its ill effects to date. Meanwhile, Dr. Ernesto Palanca, also a doctor of Arroyo, said that the lawmaker is experiencing "deterioration of her entire health," not only apparent delay in healing.

MANILA TIMES: Czech envoy spills beans on MRT extort probe
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Rychtar has provided the NBI information about the attempted shakedown on Inekon, which expressed interest in supplying coaches for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) expansion project. De Lima refused to disclose the information provided by the ambassador to NBI investigators, but she admitted that Rychtar reiterated his earlier claim that MRT General Manager Al Vitangcol was involved in the extort try.