Update: What extortion at CA? – Pichay
This is great. Worms are wriggling out of Arroyo’s Pandora box. Fired BIR Chief Mario Buñag disclosed the manipulation of tax collection by Finance Chief Gary Teves. He said Teves should also be fired.
Teves’s father, Rep. Herminio Teves, came to his son’s rescue and dropped another bomb: racket in the Confirmation on Appointments.
Philippine Star/ABS-CBN story below:
By Jess Diaz
A Cabinet member who wants to be confirmed by the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) has to shell out at least P5 million to win confirmation, outgoing Negros Oriental Rep. Herminio Teves disclosed Thursday.
Teves told reporters that he has personal knowledge of the corrupt practice of some CA members – who he clarified were congressmen, not senators – because his son Finance Secretary Margarito Teves was one of the victims of these lawmakers.
Teves said he informed some senators about the congressmen’s demand and that the senators were surprised.
Meanwhile, the lone opposition member in the CA House contingent, Rep. Rolex Suplico, dared Congressman Teves to name names.
“He should identify those he claims to have asked for money or other concessions, in fairness to the congressmen sitting in the CA,” Suplico said.
The elder Teves said his colleagues had asked him if his son could come up with the amount needed so the Cabinet member could get confirmed.
“I told them that Gary (Secretary Teves’ nickname) would never give in to their demand. After hearing that, they asked me if I could give them the money,” the 87-year-old Teves, who is ending his nine years as a House member on June 30, recounted.
“I told them that I could come up with the amount they needed to confirm my son, but asked if they were not ashamed to demand and accept money from their own colleague. They never came back to me,” he said.
Teves said another victim was Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri.
He met Neri by chance at a restaurant on Wednesday night and they talked about the problems Neri and Secretary Teves encountered in the CA confirmation process.
“Secretary Neri complained that members of the House contingent in the CA demanded P5 million from him, and that he reported the matter to Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.,” he disclosed.
Both Neri and Secretary Teves have been bypassed by the CA, which has the power to confirm or reject Cabinet appointments and major promotions in the military and diplomatic service.
Rep. Teves said even generals seeking confirmation for their promotions are being asked to pay huge amounts.
He said some congressmen who demanded money from Cabinet members and generals ran in the May 14 elections but lost.
Others were third-term House members like him who were not qualified to seek re-election but who fielded their wives in their districts to be their successors. Unfortunately, their wives lost, he said.
Reached by The STAR for comment, Neri confirmed that he indeed had a chance meeting with Congressman Teves on Wednesday night.
“We discussed the delay in the confirmation process, but I did not tell him CA members demanded money from me. I can however admit that I complained to the Speaker about such delay,” he said.
Rep. Teves’ revelation is the first confirmation of rumors floating that some CA members, particularly those coming from the House of Representatives, have been demanding concessions, in cash or in kind, but usually in cash, from those seeking approval for their appointments or promotions.
Concessions in kind include contracts for supplies or infrastructure projects, use of equipment and facilities, including planes, free transportation and fuel, including aviation gas, and appointment quotas for relatives, friends and protégés.
Another Cabinet member who did not win CA confirmation was former agriculture secretary Domingo Panganiban. There were reports that certain members of the House contingent were demanding P5 million to P10 million worth of projects for each of them.
Panganiban was not confirmed and President Arroyo eventually
gave back the agriculture portfolio to Arthur Yap.
The CA is a 25-member constitutional body chaired by the Senate president, with the head of the House contingent as its vice chairman. There are 12 senators and 12 congressmen in the commission.
The House contingent is headed by Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr., who lost in his senatorial bid. Its members are Reps. Jesus Jurdin Romualdo of Camiguin, Eduardo Veloso of Leyte, Marcelino Libanan of Eastern Samar (now immigration commissioner), Prospero Amatong of Compostela Valley, Manuel Ortega of La Union, Rafael Nantes of Quezon, Antonino Roman of Bataan, Aurelio Umali of Nueva Ecija, Victor Sumulong of Antipolo City, Harlin Habayon of Northern Samar and Rolex Suplico of Iloilo.
Suplico, the lone opposition congressman in the House contingent, urged Rep. Teves to name names.
Asked about a meeting the House contingent had with Rep. Teves, Secretary Teves, then Internal Revenue Commissioner Jose Buñag, and Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales late last year, Suplico admitted he attended such a conference.
“I came late and left after complaining to Secretary Teves about an anomalous loan the Land Bank branch in Iloilo extended to the provincial government,” he said. He and Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas are political enemies.
Suplico, who won as Iloilo vice governor in last month’s elections, said he heard nothing from his colleagues because he stayed only for a short while in the meeting.
The STAR had learned that the meeting was held at a restaurant owned by Libanan and located in a building fronting the ABS-CBN complex in Quezon City. Discussed was Secretary Teves’ confirmation. It was not known why Buñag and Morales were also present.
In this coming 14th Congress, we will be seeing a lot of fireworks. It will be ignited by the opening of the Arroyo Pandora Box. We could see now some glimpse of it with the simmering Garcia-JDV feud for speakership. It will be a divided house and next the impeachment.
If it’s true that a confirmation cost P5M, oh my gulay! Sino kaya yong congressman na yon who ran and lost and lost very badly with aplenty amoney sa ads?
It’s another national shame in this shameless administration!
Outgoing Negros Oriental Rep. Herminio Teves has opened can of worms in the Commission on Appointments. It appears that House Speaker Jose De Venecia is tolerating such CA confirmation bribery. The country needs competent and progressive leaders in the House of Representatives. The newly elected lower house members owe nothing from the old guards. Oust shameless Jose De Venecia!
hindi kay si pichay?
kung totoo man ang alegasyon ni teves, aba, bakit hindi niya ibigay ang pangalan?
sige, at nang magkabistuhan na. meron pa bang mabango sa gobyerno ni gloria?
kahit alipores pa ang gumagawa, it all boils down to “command responsibility”. kung bakit hindi pa kasi masipa ang bruhang yan.
namber wan most kurap in Asia ang enchanted kingdom, di ba. Ipaghalimbawa na lang si mikey arroyo … ang kanyang SALN pagkatapos ng isa o dalwang taon sa tongress ay naging milyones milyones. I rest my case.
The Enchanted Kingdom of Blinky Tiyanak is in the stage of imploding. Is it Karma? No, this is one way of mother’s nature wonder.
Watch for more fireworks. Chavit “the Cheat” Singson has started singing his swan song yesterday.
What a show, indeed!
breaking news:
DOJ drops coup charges vs Honasan
The Department of Justice on Friday dismissed coup d’etat charges filed against senator-elect Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan for his alleged participation in the failed 2003 Oakwood Mutiny.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said there was never any evidence directly linking Honasan to junior officers who orchestrated the mutiny.
He added that the DOJ decision will not affect the department’s case against senator-elect Antonio Trillanes IV.
Jojovelas2005
Thanks for posting the breaking news.
May good news, bad news ako para kay Honasan.
Good news: Wala nang kaso si Honasan
Bad news: Pagkakaso si Honasan sa bayan dahil magsi-sipsip na yan kay Gloria.
Bad news, good news naman para kay Gonzales.
Bad news: Ay, buhay pa pala si Siraul O.
Good newa: Malapit na ring matodas yan.
There goes another selective justice. I wonder kung anong kapalit ng “dropping of the charges against Honasan”. Another ass licking na naman. Honasan is a good addition to the tiyanak’s sanators. What ever happened to you Honasan? Did you also sell your soul to the devil to get this dismissal. Kung may naiiwan ka pang delikadesa, sana naman manindigan ka!
Generals spend millions for their confirmation.
Not only that, everytime the AFP submits its budget proposal to Congress, the chairman of the defense committee (as a sponsor) demands and gets paid P5 million cash right away. That notorious Congressman is Pichay.
And this SOP continues because the generals have no balls to fight back.
Lastly, Sec Mendoza paid a whooping P25 million for his confirmation (P10m cash and the balance in installment). When he was rumored to transfer to DILG, mendoza
reacted: ”ayoko na. Di pa nga bayad yung balance ko!”
It is quite disappointing that the real truth is always hidden in technicalities. Like Bedol’s “sue me” or “see you in court” since they know that the people in the court are also people who can be corrupted.
Mr. Macasaet has a very nice article today (June 22, 2007 – Business Circuit) which could be made a case study on how the “corrupt” can bully the “innocent” through the use of money.
To make it a simple story, Family M has been occupying a property in Quezon City since 1923 and have been paying for taxes of that property since 1923…
then suddenly, in the 1990’s a fire razes the Registrars Office (where land titles are kept),… and then out of the blue Family B is claiming the land of Family M. But Family B has never paid for any taxes of the land of Family M, and why only in 1996 would Family B claim that the land is theirs? Is this another magic hocus-pocus in the making… care of the Land-grabbing syndicates who have people in all places?
And to add to the dubiousness of Family B, it is Family M who has been occupying the land. Family B (the ones who came out of the blue) has never set foot on the land that they claim to be theirs.. and have never paid for taxes as long as Family M has been paying.
This is another “anomalous” case that the public must scrutinize.
Hmmm… this involves some powerful magic forces again…
Ellen,
This is not a new racket. It has been going on, but for how long I don’t know.
I know personally a case of a diplomat who bought her way to a meaty promotion through some crooks, Congressmen and Senators, manning the Commission on Appointments in 1990.
I was appalled when I learned of it that caused me in fact to lose trust and respect for Filipinos even in high positions in the Philippines. I never heard of such in Japan as a matter of fact.
The lady diplomat had to try to use all her charms and money to get the position she was coveting for years. She wanted me to help her, but I hated it, and bluntly turned her down. There was even a time when a Congressman openly suggested that she slept with him. I almost puked when I heard it, and did my best to try to find out about the said Congressman and did my best to help some disgruntled folks to expose him. Napatalsik!
Anyway, I can name names as I see these idiots still lording it over in the CA even after over a decade since then. Nakakasuka talaga. I actually wanted to expose such racket when I was working as a special correspondent for a news agency in the Philippines. My editor did not want to touch it, however, for fear of being booted out himself.
Sa inis ko, I quit that job, and worked elsewhere as a freelance investigative reporter. Not Filipino company, though.
Hopefully, Senator Trillanes will also make sure to clean up the CA, and remove the greedy idiots still lording it there, especially with a criminal squatting at the palace by the murky river. Deserving people should be encouraged to aim high with only their abilities, talents and commitment to serve as credentials, not be promoted for a fee may kasama pang kalibugan (excuse the language) but there is no better word to use to put the message across to these idiots.
T
di ba kurap ang reyna?
siyempre, kurap din ang mga ministro.
magkakaiba pa ba?
Bedol is doing garci now..according to Comm. he is missing again (source gmanews.tv).
“Controversial Maguindanao provincial election supervisor Lintang Bedol is missing again, Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said Friday.”
“The House contingent is headed by Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr., who lost in his senatorial bid.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if Pechay nga would be one of those scoundrels.
By the way, why kaya did it take Rep. Miniong Teves to only come out about this 5M “CA confirmation” ?
unang re-cycle pa lang ito, hindi pa gastado, pangalawang tugtug pa lang kaya hindi pa sirang plaka.
maraming nagtaka noong nasa ospital si mike, dahil mahal ni gloria ang bayan, iniwan siya sandali nagpunta sa tsina, ngayon nababanaag na ng tao ang totoong dahilan.
=======
Bakit kailangan pumunta pa sa Tsina si Gloria. Iniwan pa niya si Mr. sa ospital. Siya lang ba ang dapat tumanggap. Sa kanyang palad ba dapat iabot? Nag changed hands ba nang million US dollars. Or they failed to come across? That’s why kalimutan na yang project na yan. They failed to deliver. NO DEAL. The contract must vanish.
The Chinese will Just keep quiet as part of diplomacy and international relations. Dahil sa gastos sa operasyon ni Mister kailan lang nabawasan ng ilang patak ang lawa ng kwartang ninakaw ng mag asawa. Kung doctor at gamut lang medio okay, may dagdag suhol pag kailangan mag sinungaling. At saka Kailangang palitan ng balde balding kwarta yung ilang patak na nagastos. Kailangan punta sa Tsina kahit wala sa protocol at nakakahiya.
Are bloggers yaking and yaking about a project contract that’s gone. Kaput, dahil ayaw paloko ng mga Chinese? What is there to investigate on water under the bridge. Sana mali ako para meron Imbistegasyon sa senado.
so terribly sorry guys, sa maling thread lumabas yung tungkol sa china syndrome.
about the commission of appointments, i had experience long ago lagare here and there, for many days and a few sessions of congress because my boss got by passed everytime Congress goes into recess or adjourned. Pero at that time, hinihingi lang ng mga members ng CA ay dalawa o tatlong casuals na kalimitan ay mahirap na kamaganak ng CA members.
Grabe na pala ngayon. seguro asenso na, wala nang mahirap na lamag anak ang mga members, well placed na at may sari-sariling negosyo na.
As if these allegations are new. Both side were quilty, the giver and the receiver and they only complain when things didn’t work out their way.
Now, instead of investigating the allegations, someone will say name Names, come up with solid evidence, and we will just deny them anyways, end of story…
Nawawala si Bedol? Hindi kaya ninakaw?
Rose
Missing P650M TU campaign funds?
Missing $360M telecom deal contracts?
Missing Maguindanao COCs?
Missing Bedol?
That’s increbedol!
Well, Gloria’s song of the year will be ‘MISSING YOU’, Bedol and Formoso version.
It looks like “MIssing” is the famous word nowadays! Good news sana kung yung pekeng presidente na ang missing in action!
Kailan pa kaya magigising ang mga Pinoy diyan at ng maumpisahan nila ang paghahanap ng mga MISSING? Mahimbing yata ang tulog nila hangga’t marami pang dollar na pumapasok sa bangko nila!
I like what is happening now in Tianak’s graveyard, ehe, frontyard pala! her own people shooting one another! Tama talaga, na sooner or later, sila-sila ang magbubukingan! Good news, ito!
On the other hand, SAD NEWS, naman ang balitang BEDOL boy is missing…again? Hoy, Garci, did you give this boy a TIP on how to play…Missing in Action? Or, the GOLDEN ARM of the KOMOLEK boss has his big NOD on this? AMININ mo na, Sir Abaloslos! Total, BUKINGAN season na yata sa kampo ng BOSSING mo ngayon!
The only time the sins of the lowerhouse get out of the closet is when their own interest is adversely affected. For as long as they have it good, they will bow with the wind. I wish that sooner there is the wind of change.
Kanya pala ang $200 million na gastusin sa election campaign ay peanut lang sa isang lantang vegetable.
rose Says: ‘Nawawala si Bedol? Hindi kaya ninakaw?’
pina-fabricate uli, para AYOS NA sa panibagong pagharap sa media!
‘naknangpusit talaga, hoho!
may la’i talaga ng madyikero’t madyikera hang mga halagad
ni reyna gloria!
aruuuu, d’yos ku!
ANG LIMANG MILYONG PISO kapalit ng kumpirmasyon ng sino mang opisyal ng administrasyong arroyo ay nangangahulugan lamang na TALAMAK ang kurakutan sa LAHAT ng sangay ng pamahalaan.
papayag ba ang ikukumpirmang opisyal na hindi mabawi ang kanyang “salaping ipinandulas” sa pamamalagi niya sa pamamahalaang departamento? magkano lamang ba ang suweldo ng bawat kalihim? ng sinumang opisyal? nakakapagtaka ba kung nakakarinig tayo ng mga “panaghoy ng multo” sa bawat sulok ng alinmang departamento ? nakakapagtaka pa ba na ang naaamoy natin ay nakakasulasok na alingasaw ng kabulukan sa kabila ng kagalanggalang at kapitapitagang kaanyuan ng sino mang opisyal?
bakit malalakas ang loob ng sino mang miyembro ng commission on appointments na hindi tuwirang pinangalanan ni congressman teves na mangikil ng hindi birong halaga kapalit ng kumpirmasyon? hindi ba’t maliwanag lamang na kung ano ang ginagawi ng pangulo at asawa nitong kanilang pinoprotektahan laban sa mga akusasyon ng pandaraya, pangungulimbat at paglulustay ng pondo ng bayan ay gayundin ang inaasal ng mga kaalyadong alam na meron na silang blanket of protection mula sa basbas ng malakanyang?
ang tanong pa – BAKIT NGAYON lamang isiniwalat ni teves ang ganitong katiwalian kung kailan siya ay magtatapos na sa kanyang panunungkulan? hindi ba’t ito ay maliwanag na HINDI TUWIRANG PAKIKIPAGSABWATAN sa kanyang kapwa mambabatas na ginagawang gatasang baka ang kaban ng bayan at pangungunsinti sa pangungurakot ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan?
habang milyong pilipino ang naghihikahos at gapang sa kahirapan, silang mga nasa gobyerno ay kanya kanya ang RAKET sa pagpapayaman. habang ang mga nagdarahop nating mga kababayan ay hindi malaman kung saan kukuha ng ipalalaman sa kanilang mga sikmura, walang tigil sa pagpapapintog ng kanilang WALANG KABUSUGANG MGA TIYAN ang mga BUWAYA at LINTA!
nakakaawa ka nga, bayan!
Talamak naman talaga ang corruption sa HOUSE OF CORRUPTION (CONGRESS). 95 % nabibili. Sa IMPEACHMENT CASE la-ang ay natakpan ang mga mata at tainga ng limpak limpak na SALAPI kaya walang kinalabasan ang kaso. Simulat sapol mga BUYAWA talaga ang nariyan. Sa Free Press lang no-ong unang panahon ay picture ng BUWAYA ang nakalagay sa editorial. “RUBBER STAMP CONGRESS”. YES mam ang nagiging alam. Marami pa ang kasunod dyan.
Who WILL NOT believe that this is TRUE? This merely proves what we knew all along:
– Congressmen enrich themselves through influence peddling
– Cabinet secretaries who can afford to bribe their way through, either in cash or in kind, are also as corrupt as the congressmen who demand for bribes
– Iginigisa ang bayan sa sariling mantika
We should stop referring to the the Lower House as House of Representatives. We should stop addressing the members as Representatives. Unless, of course, we admit that their dastardly deeds are exactly what we elected them to do.
A close scrutiny from the statement of the outgoing Congressman Herminio Teves, and zeroing in to one of the CA member who ran for the Senate and lost – can only be the one and only, now citizen Prospero Pichay.
No wonder how this guy can afford and spent more than Pnp200 Million during the little over than 3-months of campaign for his senatorial bid.
It’s good he lost otherwise the Senate will be his passport to further enrich himself. So crooked, he must be investigated.
Bakit walang kasamang pangalan ang pagbubulgar na ito? Naku!!! Baka naghihintay din ng lagay (mula sa lantang gulay) itong gustong magbulgar. Ganyan lang naman sila, kunwari ay magbubulgar, pero mayamaya tahimik na at wala ding mangyayari, dahil ang lahat ay nag-cashunduan na. Wala akong maisip na nagbulgar ng katiwalian na nagkaroon ng tunay na katapusan. Huwag na tayong paloko sa mga ganito.
RE: We should stop referring to the the Lower House as House of Representatives.
The Philippine House of Representatives is popularly known as the House of Crocodiles. Speaker of the House Jose De Venecia is doing crocodile tears again. A crocodile tears is crocodile tears no matter what his intention. He wants to investigate Teves’ extortion allegation at the Commission on Appointments. It’s too late the hero act by an old crook. JDV has been in the House since 1992. Why only now?
How do we address them? It can be Honorable Crook or Kaganggalang na Buwaya. Only in the Philippines.
DKG:
Kaya siguro malaki ang budget nila. Kailangang suot lagi ang ID pag nasa session… kaya ang laging suot na pang-itaas: LA COSTE.
By golay, hindi na kailangang ibulgar ni Rep. Teves ang tunay na pangalan kung sino yong naka-Lacoste na humihingi ng P5M lagay. Iisa naman ang gulay na gustong itanim sa Senado. Ang abangan lang natin ay kung maninindigan itong matandang Teves sa kanyang mga ibinulgar. Sa hanay ng mga kampon ni Gloria, wala ka nang pwedeng paniwalaan. Kahit nagsasabi na ng totoo, parang kaduda-duda pa rin. It’s the case of another missing item, missing credibility.
Tama ka Ka Enchong. The House of Crocodiles should pass a resolution making ‘La Coste’-Buwaya as the official logo on their barongs. Even on their car plates. Anyways, they deserve it.
DGK, Ka Enchong
Just imagining how a crocodile looks like and comparing it to JDV, there’s a stunning similarity. It could be the reason why JDV, for all his being an shrewe and astute poltician, to at least tried to run as a senator. Of course we know and he knows he will never win as a senator but the more compelling reason is: He is much at home in the house where his kind thrives.
And it gave me an idea. Gawa tayo ng isang petition thru this forum to exhort the members of the 14th Congress to conduct an exhaustive and grand design to change the House of the Representatives to House of the Crocodiles with an emblem and logo and other paraphernalia changed to what Lacoste is sporting now. They are lawyers naman, they know what to do to avoid litigation of copyright infringement with regards to patented Lacoste logo. But on second thought, I’m afraid JDV will claim speakership for life following the analogy I mentioned above.
DGK
Halos sabay pa tayo ng iniisip. Correction ko sa itaas, instead of shrewe, it should be shrewd.
Baka magalit si Rene Lacoste ng Pransia.
“Even if I’m not being alluded to, it is incumbent upon me to defend the reputation of the CA House contingent, being its chairman, “It is my responsibility to protect them.”
Rep. Prospero Pichay, defeated TU senatorial candidate
What responsibility? You are protecting your fellow crooks. Asking favor or in kind in exchange of CA confirmation is extortion and indirect bribery. The cyle of patronage must be stopped. Shame on you Pichay! You are the symbol of the House of Crocodiles. Buti na lang inilampaso ka ni Trillanes.
I suggest that a different variety of crocodile logo. It should a have a big tummy and big mouth with sharp teeth. It can be posted at Batasan entrance-Warning CROCODILE Infested Area. Check this link.
sewergator.com/images/i_crocodile.jpg
Maawa naman kayo sa crocodiles! Ano na lang, hmmm… CROOKODILES!
Hoy lantang Pichay, gising! Hindi mo pa nakuhang ikaw ang being alluded to? Kung sabagay, talunan, wala ka nga sa iyong sarili. Sabi mo pa, it’s my duty to protect them. O my gulay, anong it’s my duty to protect them, eh wala ka na sa poder, olat ka sa pagka senador, nangangarap ka pa ba? Pinulot ka na sa kangkungan. Ang isang bagay na bilib ako sa iyo, marami kang tshirt na tatak Lacoste. Sana hindi peke katulad ng iyong panggulo.
Maraming pekeng Lacoste shirts sa Maynila. Sabagay kayang-kaya ni Pichay ang bumili ng orihinal sa halagang $72 . Siyemre maraming kurakot sa Tongresso. Pero may bagay sa kanya ang pekeng Lacoste.
Ading ko, ayos iyan CROOKODILES. Baka mainsulto pa ang mga kawawang buwaya. Patok ang the House of Crookodiles.
Ang pechay ba ay hinahalo sa baboy? Anong lasa?
Ang Sprint w/ Nextel nag-o-auction ng Lacoste, starting bid = $150. Napakamahal namang buwaya niyan!
Pwede bang butiki na lang? As in Toting Butiki.
rose Says: “Ang pechay ba ay hinahalo sa baboy? Anong lasa?”
‘yung baboy nagiging lasang pechay, at ‘yung pechay nagiging lasang baboy!
ang gulo!
ano’ng reputasyon ang sinasabi nitong si pistay?
may dangal ba ang kurakot?
Ka Magno,
Sa kaharian ng Enchanted Kingdom ni Buruka Blinky Tiyanak, pinangangalagaan nila ang kanilang dangal sa pamamagitan ng pagiging kurakot. Kaya nga hindi kasama sa circle nila ang hindi marunong magsinungaling, magnakaw at mandaya!
Follow the leader.