(The author of this article, Regina Bengco, is Malaya’s Malacañang reporter. She is one of the 43 journalists sued by Mike Arroyo for libel.)
Forty-two of the 43 media persons sued for libel by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo yesterday agreed to file a suit against Atty. Arroyo for abusing his powers to file libel cases and for violating the rights of journalists.
Lawyer Harry Roque, the group’s counsel, briefed some of the media persons on the case at the Malcolm Hall at the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman. He said the suit is “an unprecedented social experiment but a worthwhile endeavor.”
“We are sending a very strong message to the First Gentleman and other public officials that media won’t take it sitting down when the right to file a libel case is abused,” he said.
Roque said Atty. Arroyo, in filing a slew of libel cases, is not out to defend his honor but to “chill
and intimidate media.” He said the First Gentleman’s being a lawyer strengthens the case of abuse of power because he knows the dynamics and limitations of filing a libel case, but he persisted.
He said Malaya publisher Amado “Jake” Macaset did not sign the petition.
“I think this civil suit should also teach somebody a lesson,” Luis Teodoro, former dean of the UP College of Mass Communication, said.
Roque said Atty. Arroyo is liable for damages under the Civil Code and that the case is expected to be filed before a Makati regional trial court next week.
He said the media persons will initially seek the minimum damages of P5 million because of funding problems on raising the filing fee. He said there was a suggestion to ask for P87 million, or a symbolic P1 per Filipino but it would entail P1.7 million in filing fees.
He said the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) and an international group of
journalists have committed to pay the filing fee of P100,000 for the P5 million damages.
He and Newsbreak editor in chief Maritess Vitug appealed to media practitioners to join their
colleagues in the class suit and to help them raise the needed funds for higher damages.
However, Roque said politicians will not be allowed to donate, including the United Opposition which is offering to shoulder the amount.
He said if the media persons win the case, the damages will be placed in a trust fund for the welfare of journalists and their families.
He said the case is also a pre-requisite for a filing of a suit before the UN Commission on Human Rights, which requires that domestic remedies must be exhausted first before cases could be filed before the international body.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the class suit is a “private matter” that should be answered by the First Gentleman and his lawyers.
Lawyer Ruy Rondain, counsel of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, said he is excited to see the “garbage case” that would be filed by 42 or 43 media persons that his client has sued for libel.
Rondain said Atty. Arroyo’s camp would file a counter-claim if the class suit is filed.
He said the First Gentleman did not violate the civil rights of any journalist and that he just exercised his right to file a libel suit.
E-mail from Jach:
Thank you po! at saka mga lahat ng mga reporter ng buong bansa ng pilipinas na kumakatawan sa boses naming mga masa, maraming salamat sa inyo.
Mabuti na lamang po may mga tao mga katulad ninyo na bumabatikos sa mga kawalang hiyaan ng kasalukuyan gobyerno sampu ng mga kampon nya especially kay Big Fat Bull Arroyo << asawa ni Gloria "SUROT" Arroyo. Lagi po akong nagbabasa ng column ninyo at ng abante on line ko ito binabasa dahil andito po ako sa dubai gusto ko lagi po akong updated dyan sa pinas. Naawa na ako sa bayan natin, eh likas naman magaling lahat ng pilipino here and other part ng abroad lalo na po dyan sa atin, naniniwala ako lahat ng pinoy may talino at talento. Kina FAKE President Arroyo at sa asawa, kay Big FAT Bull Arroyo at sampu ng administration huwag ho kayong mag alala. Susuportahan namin ho namin kayo. Papalakpakan namin kayo sa pagbagsak nyo! kayo po ang sakit ng pilipinas sana mawala na ho kayo.. malaking tulong po yan sa amin at sa bansang pilipinas..
“Malaya publisher Amado “Jake” Macaset did not sign the petition.”
I hope Mr. Macasaet has a valid reason. I’ll wait before commenting on this.
So, lawyer Rondain considers this a “garbage case”. Let’s see how his ‘not a public PIGYUR’ client eats this garbage later!
Ms. Ellen, how does one donate to this cause?
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“Lawyer Ruy Rondain, counsel of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, said he is excited to see the “garbage case” that would be filed by 42 or 43 media persons that his client has sued for libel.”
LET US SEE WHO WILL END UP IN THE BASURA?!
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“Rondain said Atty. Arroyo’s camp would file a counter-claim if the class suit is filed.”
OH, GO AHEAD, ASSH*LE! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, TICKLE THE JOURNALISTS!?
*************************
“He said the First Gentleman did not violate the civil rights of any journalist and that he just exercised his right to file a libel suit.”
HELLO? DOES ANY BODY BELIEVE THIS B-LLSH-T.!?
This lawyer should go back to law school. In trying to evade the issue, nagmumukha tuloy gago!
Chabeli, I’ll ask CMFR, who took charge of raising money for the filing fee.
Thanks, Ms. Ellen.
Over here, Ellen, the court will not allow any lawyer to make such derogatory remarks as those of this Rondain. He will surely be reprimanded to go back to law school and finishing schools to learn more manners and professional ethics. Ang bastos naman!
Ellen, am very willing to donate for your Cause. Just tell us how!
The appearance of Prof. Harry Roque as champion taking up cudgels for the journalists is about time. FG Arroyo thinks that he can herd the journalists into the courtroom easily and that perception makes the bully bold. FG bully and his lawyer are masking their fright by ‘laughing’ the countersuit as ‘garbage’. Prof. Luis Teodoro is correct in saying that some lessons can be learned by both sides of the parties concerned. That lesson is obvious: evil men triumph when good men fail to stand up against evil.
Ellen,
Please supply us of where to send the donations. I will write about it in my blog.
Rondain’s reaction is but natural for a lawyer who knows that they’ll be hang out to dry. He knows that you and the others has a strong case. This is the reason why he called your case, garbage. I could almost see him squirming in his seat. The fatso will now have nightmares of his own. Obviously, Ermita called it a ‘private’ matter to show that Big Mike is a private figure, not what we all know as a public figure. Laying down the predicate or conditioning the people’s mind is what this guy is doing but I know nobody’s buying it.
I am curious, just how much has the big man now spent in order to file all these libel suits?
Same here Ellen, prepared to chip in – please send particulars by e-mail.
Pandawan,
He is seeking P10 million per journalist. At P100,000 per P5 million, the total would be P8.6 million so far.
I think you will have to ask Harry Roque to open an account and you can shout the numbers here, Ellen.
We can all post it in our blogs and in those foreign forums (fora) too. Although Harry announced that your group will not accept donations from politicians, I know many of them are itching to make that fund a rallying point not only for journalists harrased by this maniac but also to make a strong statement against the military and police idiots who have done nothing to stop the killings. The well-meaning politicians can donate anonymously.
So can businessmen, newspaper advertisers and philantrophists who do not wish to attract trouble from the Queen Beast’s lapdogs, be anonymous donors too.
Who knows we can soliicit an amount that will raise the damages to P100 Million or even more! Then that would be a statement.
Who said there’s no money in garbage?
BTW, Ellen, Chabeli, Isa Lorenzo of PCIJ blogged that SEAPA shouldered P100,000 of the filing fees.
Chabeli: “HELLO? DOES ANY BODY BELIEVE THIS B-LLSH-T.!?”
Did you mean PIGSH-T?
Now it’s the “libeled ones” turn to return the favor to the fat guy. It’s a little long time coming, nevertheless it is a good move. Finally someone got the courage to stand up against the onslaught of this arrogant fat guy, not only for the sake of each individual concerned, but for the journalism profession as a whole. Everyone knows that his real purpose is to harass, intimidate and to chill the freedom of the press. He should be told that he has no right to meddle, to control and to dictate to what is purely journalistic activites. He has no right to subject those helpless individuals into shame and humiliation by ordering judges and police officers to serve warrants and put them in jail. And he has no right and business using and exercising the awesome and vast powers of the presidency for his personal gain even if he is a member of the bogus first family, he is not a government official, unelected at that, and there’s no such thing as power-sharing with the wife who incidentally illegally occupying the illegal seat of power. I only hope that those judges open their eyes, their ears and minds so as to see, to hear and to understand the truth and let fairness and justice prevail, and not to blindly follow the whims, wishes and orders of the usurpers and let the rule of law fairly and justly applied to everyone.
Will raise funds over here, too, Ellen. You are in fact one of the people I have suggested to our group of inviting to Japan in a series of mini-court hearings that we plan to do for the PPT for the Philippines in Japan chaired by prominent lawmakers and lawyers in Japan.
I will not hesitate to contribute to this kind of worthy causes especially when it can encourage similar actions by cause-oriented lawyers. In fact, the Philippine courts should have fund to provide welfare to all those who cannot afford to fight back biggies like the Fatso as we do have in Japan. I, for one, is paid by the government for my interpretation for the bar associations in Japan.
Time to show the Fatso that he cannot bully anyone just because he and his wife have now access to the national coffers to pay for his surmounting libel suits brazenly boasting that he is in fact the power behind the throne ala-Rasputin.
This, in fact, he admitted when he describe his important role in the plot to remove Erap in 2001. Even that he should be legally held responsible in a legitimate court of law, not a court dominated by his own political appointees made through the Ale Boba.
Meanwhile, this guy cannot compare himself with Imelda because at least, Imelda was loved by some section of the Philippine society. This guy I know is hated by the majority, even by the very people who contribute to his dubious Pidal fund. It is in fact the impression I got from one contributor that I was able to talk to.
This should read: This, in fact, he admitted when he describeD his important role in the plot to remove Erap in 2001. Even that he should be legally held responsible in a legitimate court of law, not a court dominated by his own political appointees made through the Ale Boba.
Ellen,
This counter lawsuit by the journalists is good too in the sense that it can bring about some social and political consciousness. Filipinos in fact have become mellowed and seemingly indifferent because of the reality that without money they cannot fight those who have.
Now is the time to show them that this is not true. With such collective effort such as this counter lawsuit, they can topple an oppressive regime with or without the backing up of the military or US help.
The wives of the detained brave men of honor should also try to have one to seek redress for their grievances against this oppressive regime.
Ellen,
Just let us know how and where we send something to help the cause.
Schumey:
Sabi ng informer ko, chicken feed lang daw ang P8.6M para kay Fatso sa dami ng collection niya sa mga gambling lords plus iyong nalo-loot pa nila ni Bansot sa national treasury. P5M nga ang taga sa mga gambling lord per game kundi sarado daw ang operation! Sa laban nga ni Pacman baka 1M dollars ang bet this time nila ni Sabit. Noong January 275,000 dollars daw ang bet sabi ng informer ko na mga boxing promoter.
Kaya mayabang ang ungas! Maraming datong no doubt habang gutom naman ang majority ng mga pilipino! Pati nga mga sundalo, maswi-swindle sa pension plan nila because of this extravagance of the biiks at Malacanang! Oink, oink! 😡
Yuko,
This amount is really nothing to what they have been pocketing. This is the reason why he is not hesitant to take this actions. He continues to assert being a private personality when in fact there is an Office of the First Gentleman with the address in Malacañang. What I do not know is if his office has its own budget or its funded by the Office of the President. If this is so, then his office is being maintained by the people’s money which makes him a public official.
The informer could be a member of GMA Internet Brigade. Anyway, as they say “What are we in power for?” Let’s face it, this Fat Guy, Fat Pig, Fatso or whatever name you want to call him is the most powerful guy in the country. The only way to eliminate him and his wife is to eliminate them by force. Less than that won’t work…
Been watching Korina Today talk show through the TFC ABS-CBN Global and her show fits very well the subject article of Ms. Ellen, Libel: To Sue or Not to Sue?
Two of the guests were Atty Jose Santos, the Fatso lawyer and Atty Harry Roque, the media persons lawyer.
Nakakasuka talaga itong matandang ito, na kokonting panahon na lang ang natitira sa mundong ibabaw ay hindi pa pumanig sa tama. Paulit-ulit na sinasabi na mabuting tao si Fatso at puro gawa-gawa lang daw ng mga nag-aakusa ang ang mga litrato na magkasama si Vicky Koh at Fatso.
Hindi ba niya alam na nasa internet na ang litratong ito?
Tongue pointed out “Isa Lorenzo of PCIJ blogged that SEAPA shouldered P100,000 of the filing fees.”
Correct. It was Southeast Asia Press Alliance . If we cannot get more, that would be good enough for a damage fee of P5 million.
If we win, the P5 million will be put in a trust fund for the improvement of journalism in the Philippines.
As stated in the article, we had wanted to ask for P87 million, representing 87 million Filipinos. But that would mean a huge filing fee, which we don’t have the resources.
Anyway, this class suit is a step to our higher aim of bringing it to the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. The UN requiremen is that, we must exhaust domestic judicial process.
As Atty. Roque said, this is an unprecedented social experiement. I’m into this not only for myself but for the Journalism profession in this country and also for press freedom in the world.
We must protect freedom of the press because it is important in a democracy. The people must be informed of the truth so that they can be guided in the choices that they will make.
This is for all of us and I’m heartened by your support.
Mambobola na naman yan si Tababoy!
Kung si Imelda noon ay gumawa ng Ministry of Human Settlement, gagawa rin yan para naman sa kapakanan ng mga sugarol.
Kung inyong matatandaan ay namigay pa ito noon ng insurance para sa mga Taxi driver at pustiso para sa mga bungi ng mga pulis.
Hindi pa ba sapat ang panggagago nila noong sa isyu ng “Jose Pidal” na isiniwalat ni Senator Ping Lacson?
Bakit hindi isama yan sa Senatorial line up ni Gloria para magka-alaman na kung gusto talaga sila ng taumbayan?
Noong panahon ni Marcos ay nakuhang tumakbo ni Imelda, at noong kay Cory naman ay lantaran ang “Kamag-anak’s”.
Tingnan natin kung magkakaroon ngayon ng TG in Fantasyland
ellen:i don’t know if this is true but my son in law told me that each time i enter a blog money will come in to the the blog adress thru the advertisers.in any case i can also contribute to the press freedom cause you represent.
23 November 2006
Off-topic lang po!!!
I wonder if all of you have read the news article about the gagging of mike the defender??? haven’t you noticed that in malacanang, they dont know who to field in the mid-term elections??? that is why the defender is rading the opposition side. Note that even former senator john o, did not bite it, he even said that he learned his lesson after defecting to the gloria side in 2004 only to be discraded (allegedly) by the gloria brigade. He even said that the opposition bets for the senate should not listen to gloria and her cabals.
This means only one thing, the survey is correct to say that the oopsotion will take the majority of the senate unless the disrty tricks office of gloria bucks down to work ahead of time. This also means that nobody dares to run as senator under gloria bucause its doomsday for them.
My question right now is what will de castro do if, only “IF” his wedenesday group do aligned themselves with erap and the opposition??? if in case yes, erap and company should think of it first. de castro is not decisive in making decisions, he is letting his minions do the thinking for him, especially the “ONE” who is running and making decisions for him in his office.
prans
The destruction of malacanang is self-destruct..
tingnan niyo para na silang hilong di malaman kung sinong kakampi at kalaban..
aaahh… malapit na…
Norpil, you asked:”ellen:i don’t know if this is true but my son in law told me that each time i enter a blog money will come in to the the blog adress thru the advertisers.in any case i can also contribute to the press freedom cause you represent.”
Norpil, Your son-in-law may be referring to the ads in the blogsite. Outright, I can tell you I’m not making money in my blog for the simple reason that I don’t know how.
If you notice, in my site, except for google ads and Amazon, I have no ads.
I have not received any payment from Google and Amazon because it seems nothing has been sold through my site. That’s okay with me.
Because my site is in the top 30 in the Philippines in terms of visitors, I have been approached by a few advertising agencies inquiring about rates and terms if they advertise.
As of now, I can’t entertain them because I’m not registered as a business. If I accept ad payments, I will have to issue receipts. I will have to be registered as a business.I don’t have time for that now.
Nelbar:
At least, Imelda legitimized her position. Itong si Fatso, hindi! Nagkukunyari pang hindi kumakabig. Remember at the beginning of the election campaign in 2003, he was seen giving taxi drivers insurance policies in the wee hours of the evening and pretending to be the rich guy sharing his wealth with the poor? Ngayon alam naman natin that the money he and his wife used were from both government (mostly) and private (from gambling lords, et al) funds. Mayaman daw pero tinakaw lang pala!
thanks ellen.it seems very simple to me when he showed me an adress one can register, but you know better specially if you do not have the time for paper work.
Lumang tugtugin na si Fatso. Wala naman siyang immunity at saka taktika nila iyong invoking ang kanila daw privacy! Komo pinsan niya ang PNP Chief o nababayaran nila ang mga pulis, hindi sila mahuli lalo na kung ang kaso nila ay nasa mesa ng isa pang corrupt na hustisya o judge na OK lang na labagin nila ang batas.
Privacy? E di manahimik sila para hindi sila nakikita. Puede naman silang hindi makialam. Ang kaso may bantay pang isang katotok na batalyon na armadong pulis at sundalo. At kung kumilos akala mo naman talagang may titulong official escort at prinsipe katulad ng asawa ni Queen Elizabeth of England na si Prince Philip na talaga namang isang maharlika.
Ang hina naman ni Ping Lacson kasi. Inipit na sana niya ng husto ang mga kumag tungkol sa Pidal funds nila na inako noong inutil na kapatid na nanalo pa sa Negros kundi ba naman may sira rin ang mga tao doon. Kaso magbayad pa ng hinihinging damage noong isa pang swindler sa Amerika. Puede ba, ilabas na lahat ang baraha para mabisto na nang husto itong mga kurakot na ito!
PATALSIKIN NA, NOW NA!
Ellen,
Bilib din ako sa korte ng Pilipinas. Kitang-kita ang kurakot! Dito, fixed ang bayad ng mga litigations (no criminal cases) kaya nga bakit criminal case ang libel suit kung binabayaran ng plaintiff ang pagsampa ng sumbong niya? Sino ba ang author ng libel suit law ng Pilipinas? Ang bobo naman! Dito ang criminal cases ang nagsasampa ng kaso ay prosecutor in the name of the people of Japan. Kaya nga kung gusto ng pamilya for example ng biktima ng isang murder case dito, sinasampahan din ng civil suit para sa compensation gaya ng ginawa halimbawa sa America sa kaso ni O. J. Simpson.
Iyong kaso ni Fatso ay dapat lang na civil suit at hindi niya puedeng sabihing criminal na hihingi pa siya ng compensation e ayon na’t ipakukulong pa niya ang mga defendants! Mapapamura ka talaga sa kabobohan. Bakit pumayag ang mga pilipino na ipairal ang ganyang mapang-aping batas?
Kung ayaw ni Fatso na isulat siya, e di huwag siyang gumawa ng kabulastugan! Bakit ba iyong mga asawa ng mga presidente noon, wala namang mga kaso. Ang alam ko lang na sobrang naeskandalo ay si Imelda as a matter of fact kasi siya ang mabango na pinabango ng husto ni Ninoy Aquino.
Si Loi Ejercito din may naririnig ka ring pintas noon pero instead of filing libel suits the more sensible Mrs. Erap just tried to correct the wrong perception about her by listening to the criticisms, and see if they were right and justified. If they were, she kept her tongue.
I should know kasi isa ako sa mga naunang pumuna sa kaniya when she came to Japan and agreed to voice out the sentiments of the recruiters who invited here. Mali ang dating. Sinulatan namin si Erap. Mula noon restricted ang political participation ng kaniyang asawa na kasa-kasama niya sa trip niya as his escort pero hanggang doon lang. Then she tried to correct her image by becoming the charitable Doctor of Medicine that she was/is in fact.
Itong Fatso, ang yabang! Umaalmang parang kabayong pangkarera ng kaniyang anak na sugarol. Abogado daw kasi siya kaya dapat lang daw supilin through the court at kulungan ang mga pumuna sa mga kabulastugan niya kahit alam niyang mas maraming ebidensiya laban sa kanya ang mga journalist na dinidemanda niya. Kasi ang katwiran niya, hawak nilang mag-asawa ang korte ng Pilipinas with all their political appointees sitting pretty there. God willing, matatalo siya! Ang next will be the litigation in an international court of law! Mas nakakahiya sila pag nagkataon!
PATALSIKIN NA, NOW NA!
Emilio says, “Nakakasuka talaga itong matandang ito, na kokonting panahon na lang ang natitira sa mundong ibabaw ay hindi pa pumanig sa tama. Paulit-ulit na sinasabi na mabuting tao si Fatso at puro gawa-gawa lang daw ng mga nag-aakusa ang ang mga litrato na magkasama si Vicky Koh at Fatso.
Hindi ba niya alam na nasa internet na ang litratong ito? ”
******
Emilio, pihado malaki ang ibinayad sa kaniya ni Fatso, at baka bulag na at hindi makita ang litrato sa Internet nina Vicky Toh at Fatso na sakay ng ferry boat sa SFO na galing siguro sila noon sa Alcatraz. Sayang din nga naman iyong pambayad sa kaniyang libing! 😛
Ellen,
Bugged ang blog mo. Siguro tinitingnan mabuti kung sino si Apoy, Invictus at Military Wife.
Hindi ako worried sa kanila. Mas worried ako sa iyo, Ellen, at sa mga kasama natin na nasa Manila. Kayo ang delikado talaga. And not being under the jurisdiction of such crazy laws as the ones being used by the Fatso together with his professionally unethical lawyers, I invoke my freedom of speech!
I get warnings as I have activated my firewall and spyware. Grabe! I get a maximum of 3 “uninvited guests” per hour when I’m hooked at your blog. Si Emilio, I understand, gets more.
Ingat!
Off topic….Just heard Sen. Ralph Recto being interviewed on TV saying, “I am not a hard-line opposition. I am not a hard-line administration.”
Recto is running again in the Senate. With a statement like this, it seems to me that he is one of those “neither here nor there.” In other words, a TRAPO; wherever the wind blows, doon sya. We should be careful of these types. The definition of Loyalty to a Trapo is to be loyal to no one but themselves. These are the devils who have destroyed the Philippines and who perpetuate the likes of Gloria.
Recto, it seems, is a far cry from his grandfather. If his grandfather has the honor, dignity, this guy doesn’t seem to have that in his vocab.
Chabeli:
His grandfather was born in another era, one that had known what it was to be under foreign rule.
I remember his grandfather because of his British origin. Our history teacher talked of his middle name, Mayo. The mother was another one of those descendants of those sired by members of the Royal British Navy deployed from India in 1762-64 as one of my great grandfather was.
I knew the grandfather was an eloquent speaker, and he must be that good to merit a street being named after him.
balita sa tribune, 23 november 2006 issue:
Miriam bares P8.2-B House insertions in ’07 nat’l budget bill
By Angie M. Rosales
11/23/2006
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago yesterday bared of alleged insertions totaling some P8.2 billion apparently made by congressmen in the Malacañang-proposed P1.13-trillion national budget for next year.
The administration senator took the Senate floor and called the attention of her colleagues on what she claimed as an unconstitutional act committed by their counterparts in the House of Representatives as she alleged to have found them tinkering with the figures in the 2007 General Appropriations Act (GAA) bill presented to them by the Palace, increasing rather than decreasing the proposed appropriations.
On top of the alleged increase in the congressmen’s “pork barrel,” Santiago said members of the lower house also shifted the allocations of the so-called automatic appropriations that included payment to foreign debts and interest payments to programmed allocations.
As such, various government offices, departments and agencies were noted by Santiago to have an increased budget, different from the President’s budget most were found to have ballooned in figures, the difference from the original ranging from 20 to as much as 264 percent.
From the original P6.2-billion “pork barrel” submitted by Malacanang, Santiago said it appeared to have jumped much higher under the lower house-submitted measure, with a total of P9.1 billion.
“I would be very happy to know, how we have been able to work on this budget which has increased the President’s budget by P8.256 billion,” Santiago asked Sen. Franklin Drilon, sponsor of the 2007 GAA bill, during their interpellation on the bill currently being deliberated in the upper chamber.
Drilon acceded to the observations of the lady senator, saying this was the reason the Senate finance committee, which he leads and which is handling the measure, called for the adoption of the Executive’s figures.
Santiago pointed out that aside from the forecast slowdown of the US economy next year and the occurrence of El Niño this year and next year, the likelihood is that under the figures presented by the lower house, the country’s economy would not achieve and the assumed real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of between 5.7 to 6.5 percent in 2007.
“What is the revenue impact of a slower economy on revenues given that new taxes will pass this year? How are we going to support this project? My rationale to this question is, the growth in revenues depends in the growth of the economy, meaning the nominal GDP. But with some real risks that the economy might slowdown next year, I humbly submit, the prudent thing to do is to reduce the budget as appropriated, as proposed by the President. Instead, the House proposed an increase in the President’s budget, an act that is both fiscally irresponsible and unconstitutional,” she said.
“If we are to follow strictly jurisprudence of an unconstitutional act, we recite a case where the Philippine Supreme Court (SC) quoting the American SC said ‘an unconstitutional act does not produce any legal effect.’ In legal contemplation it does not exist. An unconstitutional act is monstrosity that should be sling whenever it rears its ugly head,” she said.
Santiago had initially called for the suspension of any action on the deliberation on the budget since she said it is based on an “unconstitutional” budget submitted by the House “in the sense that it raises the budget as proposed by the President in the face of the clear constitutional provision that Congress may only decrease but not increase the President’s appropriation.”
“Therefore, if we apply the SC decision’s on the points, we are acting on the basis of a non-existent document.
“Considering that global economic analysts (see)…that the global economy might slowdown next year, shouldn’t Congress decrease rather than increase the President’s budget?” she asked.
“We confirm the statement of the good senator (Santiago) that indeed the bulk increase in the new programmed appropriation by P8.256 billion and we fully concur with the views of our eminent constitutionalist in this chamber that indeed this act is constitutionally infirm. In fact, the same view is held by no less than the former chair of the committee on appropriations in the House and now Budget Secretary (Rolando) Andaya. The same view was expressed yesterday on the floor by Sen. (Joker) Arroyo,” Drilon replied to Santiago.
“In addition, our economic managers also put across the view that the budget approved by the House, the fiscal program of government for next year is substantially altered,” he said
I should add that Erap should not include him in the opposition if he wants to solidify the opposition. Makakagulo lang si Recto. It will be cause for another sourgraping as when he pushed his friend, FPJ, to run and caused the Panday to break his heart that led to his early death.
Enough is enough. He should leave the leaders of the Opposition to choose the people they think should run for a cause, and have his supporters to support them. Please, madala naman sana siya!
PM says Quebec ‘nation in Canada’ —-BBC News
Last Updated: Wednesday, 22 November 2006, 21:24 GMT
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has told a debate in parliament that he regards the province of Quebec as a “nation within Canada”.
Mr Harper was responding to a motion by Quebec separatists that MPs should “recognise Quebeckers form a nation”.
Francophone Quebec has previously held two referendums on separation, in 1980 and 1995, but rejected the idea.
Mr Harper’s Conservatives won Canada’s general election in January to end 12 years of Liberal rule.
Analysts say the motion is proving problematic for federalists.
An acceptance would encourage talks towards separatism but a rejection could bolster the separatists’ belief that their aspirations are being ignored.
Kickbacks
On Wednesday, Mr Harper backed the notion that the House of Commons should “recognise that Quebeckers constitute a nation within a united Canada”.
He said: “The real question is simple: do Quebeckers make up a nation of their own in a united Canada? The answer is yes.
“Do Quebeckers make up a nation independent from Canada? The answer is no and will always be no.”
The leader of the Bloc Quebecois party opposed the prime minister’s position.
“It isn’t up to the prime minister to decide what Quebeckers will choose as an option. It’s up to Quebeckers,” Gilles Duceppe said.
January’s elections was called following revelations that Liberal politicians in Quebec had taken kickbacks in return for awarding government contracts.
Afterwards Mr Harper pledged a renewed drive for federalism for Quebec.
“We will do this because shuffling the deck in Ottawa is not good enough,” he said at the time.
The Conservatives made significant gains in Quebec.
matagal nang sinira ni ralph recto ang karangalan at dignidad ng kanilang angkan.
noong una ay pikit mata siyang ipinagtatanggol ang reynang anay dahil lamang sa pork barrel allocation. siguro akala niya ay sapat na ang limpak limpak na salapi upang maging batayan ng pagiging isang epektibong mambabatas, pero hindi niya naisip na ang taong bayan ay hindi tanga na maaari nilang paikutin ng mahabang panahon.
ngayon ay balimbing ang labas niya, pero parang lobong nakalutang!
….parang lobong nakalutang sa hangin!
MRivera, Eto pa about:
House-approved budget unconstitutional — senators
First posted 23:19:15 (Mla time) November 22, 2006
Juliet Labog-Javellana
Inquirer
“IRREPRESSIBLE Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago just could not let it pass. HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES, she said, displayed their LOW LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE by committing the “UNSCONSTITUTIONAL” and “mind-numbing” act of bloating the 2007 national budget.
Santiago stood up on the first day of Senate debates on the 2007 national budget on Wednesday to call for the suspension of budget deliberations because the House of Representatives had ILLEGALY increased by over P8.2 billion the P1.126 trillion appropriation submitted by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“An unconstitutional act is a monstrosity that should be slain whenever it rears its ugly head,’’ Santiago said.
There is a constitutional provision that says Congress MAY NOT INCREASE the budget proposed by the President, lectured the fiery senator and former law professor.
Santiago said the unconstitutional move by the House reflected the “level of intelligence that governs the lower house,’’ and she then proceeded to ask Senator Franklin Drilon, finance committee chair, to expound on the constitutional provision for the “education of the lower house which seeks to abolish the upper house.’’
Santiago enumerated the budget increases made by the House for 2007, an election year.
In particular, she cited the “mind-numbing’’ increase of the National Electrification Administration budget to P1.1 billion from P302.4 million.
“What is so important about NEA that of all agencies of the government the House raised its budget by 264.6 percent?’’ she asked.
Santiago also pointed out that the House increased the Priority Development Assistance Fund, or pork barrel of members of Congress, from P6.2 billion submitted by the President to P9.1 billion.
She noted the huge increases in the budget of the government-station PTV 4 (from P50.3 million to P180.3 million), Ombudsman (from P936.3 million to P1.4 billion), the school building program (from P1.7 billion to P2.7 billion), among others.
Drilon confirmed the new appropriations enumerated by Santiago, adding that the senators and even the President’s economic managers shared the view that this was “constitutionally infirm.’’
Drilon revealed that the House reduced the automatic allocation for debt service payments on the assumption that interest rates will decrease next year, and transferred the amount to the new appropriations.
“If we pass the House budget, it could be declared unconstitutional,’’ Drilon said.
Drilon said this was the reason why the Senate finance committee struck out the P8.2 billion additional allotments made by the House and approved the budget as submitted by the President.”
IBIG SABIHIN ANG KARAMIHAN SA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, (MGA TAGA-ADMINISTRASYON)AY MGA…..BOBO!!!BOBO!!!BOBO!!! PAANO NA KUNG WALANG SENADO NA SISITA SA KABOBOHAN NG KONGRESO!!!
Luzviminda:
That’s the reason why we opposed the ChaCha and the discriminatory Constitution of Abueva. Kundi lalong nabobo na!
Ystakei,
KAKAHIYA TALAGA ITONG MGA BOBONG K(T)ONGRESMAN NA ITO. MAMBABATAS PA NAMAN ANG TAWAG, EH SIMPLENG BATAS HINDI NAIINTINDIHAN!!! NAKAKAHIYA AT NAKAKASUKA!!!
This reminds me. I have translated a legal document from the Philippines in English. Gosh, nahirapan akong i-translate sa wikang hapon kasi ang daming words na ginamit na hindi naman appropriate. Ginamit ko na ang automatic translator ko. Golly, buhol-buhol ang expressions!
I guess they should now simplify the wordings of Philippine laws para maintindihan ng lahat lalo na iyong mga pilipinong hindi na makapag-aral at pinapagtrabaho na lang. Parang bumalik ng 100 taon ang Pilipinas sa totoo lang.
Tignan mo nga iyong mga kumag sa Philippine Congress, marami ingles ng ingles mali naman. Ingles nga ni Bansot ang sagwang pakinggan! Parang ang daming f’s and v’s!
dapat siguro, kung babaguhin man ang Konstitusyon eh, ang DAPAT ALISIN AY ANG MGA KONGRESMAN, AT IPALIT NA LANG NA REPRESENTATIVES AY MGA GOBERNADOR NG MGA LALAWIGAN. TUTAL THEY SHOULD KNOW WHAT THEIR CONSTITUENTS NEED, IN CONSULTATION AND COOPERATION WITH THE MAYORS. LAKING TIPID PA SA NATIONAL BUDGET. IMAGINE WALANG NANG PASU-SWELDUHING KURAKOT NA MGA KONGRESMAN!!! ITO DAPAT ANG I-PEOPLE’S INITIATIVE.
Nelbar, I’m sure Vic has something to say about Quebec’s being made as a nation within the united Canada. If not because we’re living in the 21st Century, any attempt by people of Quebec or another state/territory within any country would have resulted in war or revolt. My Canadian friends, those living outside of Quebec, have been telling me that everything’s French in Quebec. A non-French speaking outsider would find it very difficult to travel and live in Quebec. Even if people there could speak English, they won’t. The problem of Quebec has become one of Canada’s major problems.
Luzviminda,
Wala naman masamang magkaroon ng congress o parliament. Pareho lang iyan sa totoo lang. Sa Japan, ang tawag sa parliament namin ay Diet. Bicam din tulad ng Congress ng Pilipinas. Hindi nakikialam ang emperor sa politika, at hindi siya pumupunta doon kung wala ng special occasion at kailangan niyang pumunta. Ang niluluto doon ay iyong PM kaya kung may session ay kailangan na nandoon siya. Hindi siya puedeng magbolakbol gawa nang ang lahat ay siya ay mananagot lalo na iyong mga kabulastugan na gagawin ng kahit na sino sa pamahalaan. Sa Pilipinas, hugas kamay pa si Pandak kahit na siya ang dahilan.
Kung gagawing parliamentarian ang legislative body ng Pilipinas, hindi dapat ngayon at hindi dapat sa pamumuno ni JdV. Palpak iyan. Sila lang ang makikinabang. At kung gagawing parliamentary, masarap iyong katulad sa Taiwan o kung saan na nagsasabunutan at nagsusuntukan kapag hindi nagkasundo sa debate. Sa Pilipinas, maganda iyong kasi may magbabarilan. E di madali silang maubos na mga palkpak kung sakali man!
Dito naman sa Japan, e medyo pino kasi televised and session ng Diet at hindi puede iyong mga kumakain, natutulog o humihikab. Kakahiya kasi! Iyong nakikitang humihikab, for example, kasi hindi nare-re-elect!
Sa UK naman, meron silang House of the Lords and House of Commons. Tapos iyong mga MPs depende sa partido ang labanan. Dito wala na kaming mga peerage. Upper and Lower Houses ang tawag na parang Senate and Congress sa Pilipinas. Mas mataas ang kategoriya ng mga Senators kasi they represent the whole nation. Kaya nga iyong mga OFWs puedeng bumoto ng Senators pero hindi puede ang Congressmen ng mga distrito kundi partylist lang.
Kaya iyong si SiRaulO Gonggonzales gusto niyang lipulin ang mga partylist congressmen sa pamamagitan ng pagbibintang na commies sila para puede silang tawaging terrorists kuno at patayin execution style kasi lalaban siya at mga tauhan niya as partylist Congressmen. Kaya abangan iyan ng mga botanteng pilipino. Huwag nilang iboboto ang mamang iyan na ubod din ng sinungaling!
Sana naman iyong mga OFWs hindi na sila maloko ng mga hinayupak na ito. Huwag silang papayag na madaya sa totoo lang. Unfortunately, dito sa Japan, hindi na interesado ang karamihan sa mga pilipino na bumoto. Pareho lang daw! Gustung-gusto nilang masipa na si Bansot sa totoo lang. If that happens, boboto daw sila!
Me? Hindi ako makakaboto kasi Japan does not recognize dual citizenship. Not that I would not like to have Filipino citizenship pero doon ako sa mas magiging malaya ako!
Ellen,
Just read Part 2 at Uniffors. Ito ba itong si Esperon? Hilong talilong? And why is he insisting on some articles of war when these men are supposed to be just airing their grievances as the impression I had hearing Querubin’s complaints at that time.
There was no war. Querubin was airing his complaint about his fellow soldiers and him being ordered to shoot on rallyists in some peaceful rally against the bogus president. Anong war ang sinasabi niya?
“Bobo!” they call this Esperon. I think so, too. Gosh, they cannot even follow the rules of war! Ang galing magkunyari na kunyari they follow some Articles of War! Stupid! Kung ano-ano lang ang ibinubuga sa bibig parang katulad noong inutil na squatters ng Malacanang! 😡
The question of Quebec aspirations as an Souvereign Nation is still a very hot issue in the Province of Quebec, but the Big Question now as the population of Quebec is now so diversified with later immigration from mostly French Speaking North African Countries and European Countries, chances of the Parti Quebecois holding another referendum on Souverignity Association or to negotiate total independence with the rest of Canada is fading fast. Firtly, the Bloc Quebecois, the Federal Party representing the separatist movement of Quebec has been losing support in successive Federal Elections. Second, the Provincial Party, Parti Quebecois can not find a Quality leader the Class and Charisma of the late Rene Levesque and Lucien Bouchard. And the people of Quebec, other than in remote inner towns and municipalities are now multi-cultures. And by law, children of Non-French speaking Parents have the rights to send their children to English or Bi-lingual schools. And it is True that as far as Autonomy, Quebec is a Nation within a Nation. It has her own separate pension plans than the rest of Canada. Civil law in Quebec is different from the rest of Canada which is based on Common Law, wheras in Quebec is based on Napoleonic code (whatever that means). And my first cousins enjoy living in Province Le Quebec. Nice people, been there so many times, also was there during the l976 olympic and watched Nancy Deano in swimming events. Canada is a conferation of Ten autonomous Provinces and three Terretories, and nowhere in our constitution where a provision states that the Contry is Inseparable, then any Province or Territory can Negotiate a Peaceful separation as it did in Confederation. Unlike in the U.S. which clearly stated in the Preamble that the Country in Inseparable, then it can only separate by force and can be kept by force. Big difference between these two neighbors.
Hay ystakei, as you said “there’s no war”, but the Pidal woman said so, thus her asswiperon created one! Feeling intense heat already, going…going…going…gone! Mukhang wala na silang pupuntahan kundi gumawa pa ng mas maraming hindi pinag-iisipang gulo. Buti nga!
Chi,
I remember in one of the interviews that was not actually aired here dahil mahaba at hindi naman relevant para sa mga hapon, sinabi ni Querubin na inuutusan silang mag-plant ng bomba para ibintang sa mga protesters at magkaroon ng dahilan na hulihin sila at pagpapatayin isa-isa.
Ang nangyayari nga sa mga rally in fact, sinasadyang buwagin ng mga pulis at sundalong walang magawa kundi sumunod kundi kasi tanggal sila sa trabaho. Ang daming checkpoints at iyong mga galing probinsiya pa nga hindi makapasok ng Manila para sabihin kunti lang sila.
I was told in fact of how the groups are scattered all over the streets going to Mendiola. Kahit nga sa mga entresuelo, lumulusot sila lalo na kung habulin sila ng mga pulis. Ang nakakatuwa naman daw ay pinapalakpakan sila ng mga tao sa mga communities na dinadaanan nila. Kaya ganyan na lang ang takot ni Pandak at utos na pagbabarilin ang mga lider nila. You should see the peaceful rallies held even with the presence of the religious na hindi na ginagalang that turn into a riot because of the brutality of those policemen, who actually do not have to use their guns to shoot or hit the rallyists. Kung talagang may kasalanan bakit hindi nila madakip na mahinahon. They do not deserve to wear those uniforms as a matter of fact.
Can’t help comparing them to our more efficient and dedicated policemen in Japan. Iyon mga sundalo dito hindi nakikialam sa pagsupil ng mga kriminal, rebelde o tulisan sa Japan. Bakit hindi magaya iyan ng mga pilipino?
Alam mo ang police system namin dito ay ginaya sa Scotland Yard ng UK. Magkapareho kasing island country at magkahawig ng isip sa totoo lang.
Chi,
“Re: Hay ystakei, as you said “there’s no war”, but the Pidal woman said so, thus her asswiperon created one! ”
Very perceptive of you!
A rabid-pro Gloria lawyering element has enunciated the same GLORIA ALL OUT WAR in another blog saying that the victims of extra-judicial killings are CASULTIES OF WAR because of Gloria’s ONGOING WAR.
So, the enuciation of A WAR AGAINST HER PEOPLE resulting in the unsolved 760+ politically motivated or extra judicial MURDERS, killings, including abductions by the military, Gloria is good for the docks in the International War Crimes Court for war crimes against her people and could now count herself among the lucky but notorious war crimes perpetrators like Milosevic, Sharon and other West African leaders!
If and when that happens, Gloria will be accompanied by Esperon who will be a sitting with her not only in the docks at the War Crimes court but he too will be a sitting duck – ready to be roasted (as in the Chinese dish canard laqué or perhaps as Duck, Peking style).
BTW, Chi, the name is Yuko. It means “Brave Child.” Pangalan ng babae kahit na parang lalaki ang style ko! Hindi puedeng lamya-lamya kasi if one is fighting for a cause.
One thing I am grateful for having been born in the Philippines is the freedom to express myself as a woman. Sabi nga ni Helen Reddy:
I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an’ pretend
’cause I’ve heard it all before
And I’ve been down there on the floor
No one’s ever gonna keep me down again
CHORUS
Oh yes I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Cheers!
Long live Press Freedom!This fake president, her greedy pig-faced hubby and her bogus gov’t. is coming to an end, if not now, soon,very soon!Hindi nagtatagal and anumang bagay na hango sa kasinugnalingan at kamalian, subok nayan!I agree with you fellow bloggers na nakakasuka ang mga pinagsasabi ng abuGAGO santos ni pig-faced mike!Eh, what can we expect from the ilks of a fake president.LIES!!!Everything about this gov’t is based on lies, spins!!!Di rin magtatagal naman ang matandang abuGAGO santos na yan.Haaay, sana kunin na sila ni satanas!!!Sama na nila ito isa pang abuGAGO rondain na may ngiting ASO!Sa hitsura palang mukhang diyos ang pera niya!!!I Call on my fellow OFWs as a token of our civil disobedience against this fake gov’t. to send our remittances not thru the formal banking system, but thru the informal means, that is door-to-door!Ipamukha natin sa pekeng gobyerno nato na hindi tayo magagamit sa mga ksinungalingan ng nakakadiring pandak sa malacanang!Tutal kahit lumakas ang piso natin kontra sa dolyar, di naman bumababa ang mga bilihin,lalo na pagkain.Mas maraming nagugutom ngayon!I call on our patriotic soldiers to save us from this fake gov’t. and restore decency, morality and accountability in governance!!!If Thailand can do it, we can!!!Huwag nating iboto sa 2007 and mga aso ni pandak,lalo na yung mga buwaya ni pandak sa tongreso!!!Huwag tayong paloloko sa mga tulad nila recto, pangilinan, at iba pang hunyangong ahas!Ipakita natin sa kanya na isinusuka natin siya, gaya ng ginawa nila kay bush itong mid-term election sa states!Sana kunin muna ni taning si abalos bago magkaelection para malinis!Isama narin niya sa impyerno yung siRaulo sa doj, yung madaldal na kapwa pandak niya tong defensurot, yung putang heneral si esperonSHIT.We want a president who we can trust and lead us a to a moral high ground!!!Patalsikin and pekeng presidente!Mabuhay kayo, brave journalists, our 3rd estate!!!
“Gloria will be accompanied by Esperon who will be a sitting with her not only in the docks at the War Crimes court but he too will be a sitting duck – ready to be roasted (as in the Chinese dish canard laqué or perhaps as Duck, Peking style).”
Anna, I’ll be very patient waiting for these two at the War Crimes court.
Patiwarik na duck (mas noble pa sa kanila ang peking duck, kawawa naman, pero kung ready to roast Ok na rin sa akin :).
Yeah Yuko, we are invincible! Oopps isama na rin natin ang ating mga kapatid na lalaki dito sa blog para mas matindi ang nakakabinging ROAR, ROAR, ROAR!!! heheheh.
“Sana kunin muna ni taning si abalos bago magkaelection para malinis!Isama narin niya sa impyerno yung siRaulo sa doj, yung madaldal na kapwa pandak niya tong defensurot, yung putang heneral si esperonSHIT.”
IPAGDARASAL KO RENATO.
Ano ba itong si Jake ng Malaya at ayaw makisama at pumirma! Sige lang…baka siya lang ang journalist na hindi ko bigyan ng regalo itong Pasko.
The libel suit is actually a badge of honor. Kung hindi ka isinama, Ellen, ay para kang “pusang hindi ibinilang.” At alam mo ang ginagawa sa “pusang hindi ibinilang?”
I agree, pandawan. Nothing today is more honorable for any of our journalists than to have him/her charged by the Fat-ass Porky living in the pigsty by the river. On the other hand, kadiri to those who continue to lavish praises on this beastly couple.
mike and gloria? a couple? common! alam ng mga atenista yan ano ung true state ng pagsasama nila…
Vic, if Canada allows separation of provinces, one keen interest is BC particularly Vancouver and Richmond where most Asians and Chinese are located. I heard that Richmond is like a huge Chinatown. Everywhere you go you see Chinese and hear Chinese speak Chinese. If Quebec is allowed to separate from the rest of Canada, what guarantee is there that years from now, the predominantly Chinese in BC would demand that it also be separated? Let’s not forget the East Indians whose immigrant popupation ranks top. Unless these lawmakers come up with contingency plans and laws, I smell trouble for Canada in the future.
I love this breaking news in Inquirer:
Newspaper publisher files criminal raps vs DoJ’s Gonzalez
By Tetch Torres
INQ7.net
Last updated 05:38pm (Mla time) 11/24/2006
THE publisher of a provincial daily has filed criminal charges against Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez for allegedly violating the code of conduct for public officials, obstruction of justice and overstaying at his post.
Daniel Fajardo, publisher of the Iloilo City-based Panay News, alleged that Gonzalez’ continued stay at the DoJ, in the absence of confirmation by the Commission on Appointments, is illegal.
But Gonzalez shrugged off the complaint saying Fajardo was raising “non-issues.”
“Is that a crime that should be entertained by the Ombudsman?” Gonzalez asked.
*****
At least, we see now a number of brave Filipino journalists raising up their voices against this tyranny by all these bogus officials of the Philippine government. I can’t understand how this Gonggongzales can act high and mighty when in reality he has no right to be there and messing up things without a confirmation from the CA regardless of whether or not majority of the members of this commission are also questionable.
Mabuhay ka, Mr. Fajardo! At least, ipinakita mong may yag–ka! Ipakita ninyo na hindi lahat ay nababayaran o nadadaan sa suhol!
I wonder if Mr. Macasaet will do a similar stunning act!!!
Noel,
British Columbia joined the conferation only after the Federal Government promised to build the transcanada railway at the turn of the Century where the imported thousand of Chinese labor from Quandong Province. BC at that time was threatening to join the US federation. But don’t you worry, Canada federation benefits the provinces and there is strong safety net before a province can separate. A win in a referendum, only means an authority to negotiate or initiate a sepation agreement among the rest of the country and even in Quebec with distinct population, and majority of French speaking population, a plebescite can not be won. The process of referendum has now been ammended and the question has to be very clear and if the people sincerely desire to separate and negotiate to be an independent nation within Canada, then that should be accomadated. Remember, Canada started with only lower and upper Canada, with three Provinces (or four?) and grew to Ten and Three Terretories, I believe nobody wants, even if BC becomes Majority Chinese or South Asians, to take chance of being a lone country within Two Giants. Might get squeze..
Or if in the future, each province decides to separate, then consider Ontario is quite large enough, maybe five times larger than the Philippines with only 6 millions populations, and Quebec is even Larger with even lesser population, then surely the rich provinces can easily support their population, but the worry is the poor resource provinces of Prince Edward, Newfoundland and Labrador and even New Brunswick that depend partly on federal downloads? Those people will just migrate to the other provinces and the US will gladly take over newfoundland as it forward military base. Newfoundland joined only in the 50s and was seriously thinking of joining the US before, but now giving the choice many adjoining US states might even want to join Canada, just my thoughts…
Vic, I heard about the Province of Sasketchewan. What do you think about it?
Noel, i have been to Manitoba, but not to Saskatchewan. the two provinces have a lot in common. The main industry is Agriculture and mining. Saskatchewan which has the Area of of more 600,000 sq. km. has only 900,000 plus population, mostly living in the southern half of the province, the same as all provinces, majority European and German Ethnic as the number 1 and Chinese last. It’s Government since the time of Tommy Douglas, (known as the father of Canadian Medicare) is dominated mostly by New Democrats, the Socialist Party, which is quite very popular in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Most services in the provinces are socialized or government run, like the auto insurance, medicare originated in Saskatchewan and most family laws. It is also home to First Nation People (American Indians) and Inuit which compose 10% of total. Criminal law is the same all over Canada, but each provinces may have different civil and other laws like family laws, business law, as long as it is within the the constitution of the Country.
The Star, a young paper by Western measures, has all its pillars passing on to the extreme beyond. Louie Beltran, Art Borjal, Letty Belmonte-Go, now Maxie.
That paper is jinxed. I wouldn’t dare touch now a Star that comes as complimentary with a Jollibee breakfast meal.
Gloria now is one propagandist less with the sudden death of Max Soliven. One by one, they bear the brunt. Who’s next? Lord, I sincerely nominate Alex Magno. Free him from his present miseries, please.
TongueT,
I don’t remember the last time I read The Star. I didn’t like its layout and the column eds. I was very young when Louie Beltran died, and I think that was also the last time that I touched the pages of that paper.
Alex Magno, di ba iyan ang mayabang na PolSci Instructor ba o may karapatang tawaging Professor sa UP? Silent adviser din ba yan ni Pidal woman kaya ganyan ang sitwasyon ng pulitika sa Pinas? Sus, sige na nga, sunod na siya kay Maxie!
TangeT, sa pagpanaw ni Mang Max, papalitan ang pangalan ng diaryo…magiging “The Falling Star”…o sa Pilipino, “The Poling Star”.
journalists are actually very powerful.they are the ones that bring cases to the people.it is also healthy that they are somehow divided,i.e., some are for and against some politicians as long as they tell the truth.some of course become corrupt as they can have amassed wealth thru association with corrupt politicians.owners of newspapers are not journalists anymore but businessmen and most often than not their objectives collide.
Why Jake Macasaet didn’t sign? The reason is because he does not want to look like he’s afraid of the Fat
Guy. Per Jake, the libel suit does not faze him. “It does not have any chilling effect on me”. For the other journalists, they signed so that others not as brave would not be affected, “chilled” so to speak.
These six things does the Lord hate: yea seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tounge, and hands that shed innocent blood.
A heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are quick in running to mischief..
A false witness that speak lies, and he that sows discord among brethren..
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) supports the filing of a class civil suit against Jose Miguel Arroyo, husband of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The presidential spouse has, since 2003, filed libel cases against 43 journalists, demanding at least P141 million in damages. On November 11, policemen in plainclothes attempted to arrest one of those accused by Mr. Arroyo, Malacañang reporter Mia Gonzales, despite the absence of a court resolution.
Mr. Arroyo, apart from being a public figure and a public officer whose actions are open to fair comment and reporting, is also a lawyer who is presumed to be knowledgeable of Philippine laws and jurisprudence. Yet Mr. Arroyo continues to harass media practitioners with his barrage of libel suits.
This spate of libel cases filed by Mr. Arroyo has brought a chilling effect on media and is a brazen affront to press freedom.
The NUJP, with its more than 500 member journalists nationwide, has committed to join the journalists facing libel suits in filing a civil case against Mr. Arroyo.
Among the basis for filing a civil case are the following provisions in the Civil Code:
Article 32 which states that “Any public officer or employee, or any private individual, who directly or indirectly obstructs, defeats, violates or in any manner impedes or impairs any of the following rights and liberties of another person shall be liable to the latter for damages…” Among the rights enumerated are the freedoms of speech and of the press.
Articles 19, 20 and 21of the Civil Code, which all pertain to a person’s willful abuse of another person’s rights.
Meanwhile, the NUJP has launched a signature campaign calling for the decriminalization of libel and an end to Mr. Arroyo’s libel filing spree against journalists. Signatories of the petition have reached over 600 media practitioners, including editors of almost all major newspapers and magazines and coming from as far as the Middle East.
NUJP notes that the United States has already decriminalized libel as early as 1963.
Lawyer Harry Roque of the Roque & Butuyan Law Offices will handle the case for the journalists.
References:
Jose Torres Jr., NUJP chair (cp. 09209010013)
Rowena Paraan, NUJP secretary-general (cp. 09104950095)
Statement of support for Philippine journalists from free expression groups around Southeast Asia
We, representatives of journalist, media, and free expression organizations from around Southeast Asia, and collaborating under the network of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), applaud the initiative of our colleagues in the Philippines to defend their rights in the face of blatant abuse and harassment from the husband of Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
We strongly support the filing of a class civil suit against Mr. Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo for his abuse of power and his clear attempt to undermine press freedom in an important member of the Southeast Asian community.
The Philippines is in the clear minority of countries in Southeast Asia with a functioning—if perennially vulnerable—free press. In this light, the deterioration of the conditions for press freedom under the regime of President Arroyo is a troubling trend that causes anxiety in the rest of the region.
We note with alarm that over the past months, Mr. Arroyo has sued 43 reporters, columnists, editors and publishers of various publications for libel. Many of the journalists he sued had linked Mr. Arroyo to unexplained wealth, vote-buying for his wife’s 2004 electoral win, and money laundering.
Although all these issues comprise serious public interest matters that merit scrutiny by the people through the press, the President’s husband is seeking damages totaling P141 million (about US$2.8 million), thereby sending a chilling message to journalists and the Philippine media in general. Backdropped by the alarming rate of murder of journalists in the Philippines, particularly under the Arroyo administration, the antics of the President’s husband underscore the overall decline of official respect for press freedom in the country.
It is in this light that we encourage our Philippine colleagues in their efforts and initiative to fight back against this clear attempt to harass their ranks. If the presidential spouse intends to send a message that journalists who dare to cross him will face a libel suit, then the victims – both the press and the people – must push back with a stronger message that contempt of press freedom is contempt of the people.
Retaliating against the charges filed against them, the journalists are in turn suing Mr. Arroyo for abuse of power and for seeking to undermine civil liberties, and they are therefore seeking P87 million (nearly US$1.75 million) in damages, in a symbolic campaign to charge Mr. Arroyo one peso for each of the 87 million Filipinos he wants to deprive of free expression.
The countersuit against Mr. Arroyo—signed by 42 of journalists he had sued yet evidently failed to intimidate—is inspiring, groundbreaking, and potentially standard-setting not just for the Philippine media, but for free expression in the whole of Southeast Asia, if not the world.
As one of those rare havens for democracy in the region, and as party to the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights, the Philippines is challenged to set a higher standard with respect to human rights, of which freedom of expression is paramount. Beyond the court case against Mr. Arroyo, we also urge Philippine legislators to decriminalize libel, a move that has found support from more than 600 journalists and 30 local and foreign media organizations.
The Signatories
Signed by:
Southeast Asian Press Alliance
Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, Philippines
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Alliance of Independent Journalists, Indonesia
Institute for the Study on Free Flow of Information, Indonesia
Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia
Mizzima News, Burma
Timor Leste Journalists Association
Aliran, Malaysia
Alliance for Freedom of Expression, Cambodia
Malaysiakini, Malaysia
Good development, nakakakuha ng supporta ang 42 journalists sa mga kapatid nila sa propesyon buhat sa labas ng bansa. sino nga naman ba itong not-a-pablic-pigyur na Pidal, ngeeekkkkk!
This is GOOD NEWS!
The wicked through his proud countenance will not fear GOD.His ways are always grievous.For all his enemies he puffs at them.His mouth is full of cursing and deceit.Under his tongue mischief and vanity. He lurks in secret places to murder the innocent.He lies in wait to catch the poor.He said in his heart.GOD doesnt see..
Arise, Oh Lord God and forget not the humble..The poor commit themselves unto thee. Break thou the arm of the wicked evil man,seek out his wickedness till you find none.
Lord God, hear the desire of the humble.To judge the fatherless and the oppressed,that the wicked man on earth shall oppress no more.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) supports the journalists who are set to file a class civil suit against Jose Miguel Arroyo, husband of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, for his repeated abuse of outdated criminal defamation laws to silence journalists in the Philippines.
According to IFJ affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Arroyo has filed libel cases against 43 journalists and demanded 141 million pesos (approximately 2.8 million US dollars) in damages since 2003, instilling unnecessary fear in the Philippines’ media community.
“These numbers are disgraceful in a country whose government espouses a commitment to press freedom,” IFJ President Christopher Warren said.
“This appallingly long list of journalists, who face jail terms for simply doing their jobs, is a shocking example of the way Arroyo abuses his power and position, shielding himself behind outdated laws, to influence and control the media,” the IFJ president said.
“Arroyo is a public figure, and therefore subject to public scrutiny; thus, it is in the people’s interest for journalists to be able to report freely,” Warren said.
“We challenge the Philippines’ government to set a higher standard of press freedom and support demands that Jose Miguel Arroyo be tried before the civil courts for obstructing the rights of journalists,” he said.
The civil case against Jose Miguel Arroyo is based on Article 32 of the Philippine Civil Code, which states that any public officer or any private individual, who violates or impedes the rights of another person, shall be liable for damages. Among those rights enumerated in the code are the freedoms of speech and of the press.
According to the NUJP, articles 19, 20 and 21 of the code also pertain to a person’s wilful abuse of another person’s rights.
The IFJ, as part of its global campaign for the decriminalisation of defamation, joined more than 600 media workers in signing an NUJP petition to decriminalise libel suits in the Philippines.
The NUJP will formally submit the petition tomorrow at 2pm (local time) to Senate President Manny Villar at his office.
For more information please contact IFJ Asia Pacific +61 2 9333 0919
The IFJ represents more than 500,000 journalists in over 115 countries