MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Church instituted the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, known as the Apostle of the Gentiles, in thanksgiving to God for his miraculous conversion from a life of sinfulness to holiness.

Known as the author of the Letters of St. Paul in the New Testament, which are often read during the Liturgy of the Word at mass, commemorative masses and novenas will be celebrated and led by the Paulinian family across the world in honor of his feast.

The Church urges the faithful to contemplate on his example “as a model for sinners for true conversion, and as an inspiration that any sinner may be forgiven no matter how terrible his sins.” (Christina Hermoso)

Dr. Ortega

Environmentalists criticized Tuesday the government’s purported inaction on the killing of Palawan-based broadcaster and environmentalist Dr. Gerry Ortega last year, including other cases of human rights violations against environment defenders.

Tuesday, Kalikasan trooped to the Department of Justice (DoJ) to commemorate the first death anniversary of Ortega, which coincided with the resumption of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment trial. The group alongside with other convener organizations of the Task Force-Justice for Environmental Defenders (TF-JED) protested the Aquino administration’s “continuing silence on the killing of Ortega and human rights violations (HRVs) on other environmental defenders.” (Ellalyn de Vera)

Ban stays

The ban on "kuliglig" or motorized pedicab from operating in the city stays. A local court judge in Manila has junked the petition for certiorari that a group of "kuliglig" drivers filed in response against Mayor Alfredo Lim's twin orders banning them from the city's major thoroughfares and national roads.

In a two-page order, Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 39 Presiding Judge Noli Diaz granted the motion to dismiss filed by the Manila City Government on the ground that members of Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Pedicab at Kuliglig Drivers ng Manila (Alnapedku) failed to appear during the pre-trial conference and non-filing of their pre-trial brief. (Leonard Postrado)

No objection

The government said Tuesday that it will not object the plan of tycoon Lucio Tan to auction off the country’s flag carrier, the Philippine Airlines (PAL).

Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II said the ownership changes in PAL will not concern the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) if it will not malign the operation of the airline and compromise the safety of the riding public.

Roxas even said changes in PAL ownership could usher in greater competition in the airline industry that will benefit the passengers as its clients. (Kris Bayos)

Testified

Former House Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr. testified Tuesday before the Sandiganbayan Fourth division on the attendance of former elections chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. at the ZTE headquarters in Shenzhen, China in 2006 for a meeting on the scrapped $329-million national broadband network deal with China’s ZTE Corp.

The prosecution resumed its hearing Tuesday and presented the ex-speaker as its 14th witness against Abalos who was accused with violation of the anti-graft law for unlawful interference in the negotiations of the NBN project by allegedly brokering for Chinese firm, Zhing Xing Telecommunications Equipment Inc.

De Venecia’s testimony was quick and only presented photos of Abalos along with the former first couple and other ZTE officials playing golf prior to the approval of the contract. (Shianee Mamanglu)