December 2006 – Page 4 – ellen tordesillas

Arroyo may attend rally at her own risk:bishops

Published by Ellen on December 15, 2006

ORGANIZERS of Sunday’s prayer rally at the Quirino Grandstand yesterday said President Arroyo and her administration allies can come to the gathering but they will not be answerable for the public’s reaction to their presence.

Read this in Malaya.Click here.

Much as the organizers stress that tomorrow’s rally is “apolitical”, the assembly of thousands opposed to Gloria Arroyo and her allies in the House of Representatives is a forceful political statement.

A mammoth crowd would underscore the political isolation of Gloria Arroyo.

Remembering Guinsaugon

Published by Ellen on December 15, 2006

Canadian Ambassador Peter Sutherland turns over a sack of seedlings to Emilio Punio, barangay captain of Guinsaugon, St.Bernard, Southern Leyte, as a symbol of Canada’s assistance to the village that was hardest hit by the mudslides last February.

While most of us have moved on to other tragedies and have forgotten the victims of the mudslides in Guinsaugon early this year, the Canadian government cares about those who have been left behind and is helping them recover from the misfortune.

Ambassador Sutherland visited Southern Leyte recently to see the projects that received assistance from the Canadian International Development Agency through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.

Brangelina latest family photos

Published by Ellen on December 15, 2006

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are setting examples of how celebrities should use their fame and fortune to make this world a little better especially for the less privileged.

The following photos of their recent Cambodia visit are in current issue of People magazine (www.people.com). I first saw them in Rickey’s blog, the number one blog in the country today.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie with their children Maddox, Zahara, and Shiloh Nouvel.

A delightful respite

Published by Ellen on December 14, 2006

Thanks, Ilya Rashkovsky, for a spectacular evening of music.

It was a delightful respite from the emotionally-draining battle against forces that want to bastardize the Constitution to suit their own selfish agenda. Now we are re-charged for Sunday’s big rally and for other battles ahead.

We are glad that we decided to watch the debut performance of the young Russian pianist Ilya Rashkovsky at the Philamlife auditorium in Manila. “He is phenomenal,” enthused concert pianist Ingrid Santamaria.

Asean summit cancellation fallout

Published by Ellen on December 14, 2006

Dec. 15, 2006, 4 p.m.

Marciano Paynor, head of the 12th Asean summit organizing committee,said today the Asean leaders have responded they will be attending the meeting in January. Click here for full story.

Related story: Malaysia urges leaders to attend reset Asean and Asia summit
* * *
Foreign affairs officials this morning met with ambassadors of Southeast Asian countries and gave them the letter of Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo proposing a new date for the 12th Asean Leaders summit which is Jan. 10 to 15, 2007.

The latter also requested that the answer be given in a week.

Malacañang and DFA officials continue to maintain that it was “weather disturbance” that caused the cancellation of the summit. An Associated Press report said it was the terrorist plot.

Gloria Arroyo backs off from Cha-Cha now

Published by Ellen on December 14, 2006

O, anong say nyo, ayaw na rin ni Gloria Arroyo ang charter change ngayon. Statement of the President On Charter Change I commend the decision…

Court martial against against 30 officers did not push through

Published by Ellen on December 14, 2006

Following is Victor Reyes’ account of the postponed arraigment yesterday for Malaya:

CAMP CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal – A military tribunal on Thursday failed to arraign dozens of officers linked to the failed February coup after the proceedings were marred by legal wrangling,

Lawyer Vicente Verdadero questioned the constitution of the general court martial as soon as he was introduced by the plot’s alleged leader, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, as his counsel.

Verdadero told the court, headed by Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, that his appearance does not mean that the defense recognizes the validity of the court.

Illegal grandstanding?

Published by Ellen on December 14, 2006

If Senate president Manuel Villar or Sen. Ping Lacson or actor Rez Cortez go on stage during a rally for peace on Sunday, they will be arrested. That’s according to the strange order of Reynaldo Varilla, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office of the Philippine National Police.

For what crime, only Varilla knows.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Varilla as having said,”There will be no political speeches and no movie personalities onstage. The organizers will run the show. If they (movie stars and politicos) will insist and thigs get messy, we will do our thing and arrest them a per request of the organizers.

Balimbingan na

Published by Ellen on December 13, 2006

Sa “Strictly Politics” ni Pia Hontiveros sa ANC noong Martes ng gabi, sinabi ni Ronald Llamas, secretary general ng Akbayan na may natanggap silan “feelers” mula sa ilang kapi kay Gloria Arroyo na gusto nilang sumali sa rally sa linggo na inu-organize ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

Sinabi rin ni Ronald na may nagsabi rin na gusto raw sumali ni Gloria Arroyo.

Tinanong ni Pia si Ramon “Boy Blue” del Rosario, Jr. , chairman ng Makati Business Club, na nagsabing pupunta rin sila sa Luneta rally, kung gusto nila makasama doon si GMA, sabi ni Boy Blue, “I don’t think it’s prudent” (Hindi siguro maganda at ligtas).

Comedy of errors

Published by Ellen on December 12, 2006

Last Monday’s session of the House of Representatives was a comedy of errors starring Rep. Emilio Espinosa (NPC, Masbate).

Last Monday’s session was most awaited because the public wanted to see what would happen after last Saturday’s press conference of House Speaker Jose de Venecia and 25 congressmen where they announced they were backing out of the Senate-less Constituent Assembly they brazenly railroaded last week.

Before that surprise but welcome withdrawal, last Monday’s session was supposed to be devoted to election of the presiding officer and formulation of rules for the unconstitutional exercise that was to come the next day because they wanted the amendments to the Constitution by the weekend (Dec. 15) so that a plebiscite could be held on Feb. 12, 2007 to shift to a parliamentary system of government immediately after.

Month: December 2006