September 2007 – Page 7 – ellen tordesillas

Doble tags GMA aide in cover up

Published by Ellen on September 7, 2007

Related story in Inquirer: Who’s Medy and why she makes things happen

by JP Lopez and Dennis Gadil

Former intelligence agent T/Sgt. Vidal Doble yesterday said a confidante of President Arroyo had offered him help on condition that he not testify on the “Hello Garci” controversy.

Doble, appearing at the Senate inquiry on the “Hello Garci” wiretapping controversy, said he met “Medy,” later identified as Remedios Poblador, at the quarters of then AFP chief Gen. Efren Abu in Camp Aguinaldo, where he was reunited with his wife Arlene and children Darren and Danica in June 2005.

Doble said Arlene identified “Medy” as the personal secretary of President Arroyo.

Serve country, not Palace’-Maj. Jason Aquino

Published by Ellen on September 7, 2007

By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net

One of 28 officers on trial for what government claims was a failed February 2006 uprising reminded his fellow soldiers to “serve the country, not Malacañang” amid rumors of a fresh plot to topple the government.

In a statement addressed to soldiers, policemen, and everyone in government service, Army Major Jason Aquino said: “Huwag tayong pumayag na maging instrumento sa katiwalian, intimidasyon at pananakot, pananakit at pang-aapi laban sa taong bayan na siyant tunay nating pinagsisilbihan. (“Let us not allow ourselves to be instruments of corruption, intimidation, fear, hurt, and oppression against the people that we truly serve.”)

The statement was passed to reporters.

Coup suspects accuse military of jamming cell phone signals

Published by Ellen on September 7, 2007

By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net

Officers detained at an Army camp in Tanay town, Rizal province accused the military leadership of cutting off their cellular phone signals during a hearing on their mutiny case on Friday.

“Our signal has been cut off. I know for the fact that convicted criminals, especially those in Muntinlupa, are not allowed to communicate outside. In our case, we are not yet guilty,” ex-Marine commandant Major General Renato Miranda, the highest-ranked of the 28 accused, told the court.

“After submitting ourselves to the process, I cannot see any reason why we are treated this way,” added Miranda.

Lola Estefania’s long, hard fight for justice

Published by Ellen on September 6, 2007

It was with a sense of extreme urgency and desperation that Maria Teresa “Thez” Guerrero sought an audience with Sen. Loren Legarda last Monday .

Thez said her grandmother- in -law’s question (“Nalpasen?” or Is it done) about their land case is becoming more frequent.

Thez’s grandmother-in-law is Estefania Miguel Guerrero, who turned 104 years old last April. The Guerreros are engaged in a land dispute that has spanned more than 50 years, drained not only their finances but claimed the lives of two men in their family.

Thez said everyday her Lola Estefania would go out to the field and remove the weeds from the land. “Parang nabubuhay lang siya para doon sa lupa,” she said worried that the old woman is not getting stronger.

SC upholds harsh treatment of army major

Published by Ellen on September 6, 2007

The injustices done to military officers are so many that even the court seems to be confused.

Last Aug. 31, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition of Ma. Fe Aquino, wife of Army Maj. Jason Aquino, for habeas corpus .

Immediately after the February 2006 aborted alleged withdrawal of support from Gloria Arroyo, Aquino was arrested and placed in solitary confinement at the Intelligence Security Group compound. He was not allowed contact with his family and lawyers for weeks and months.

It was only in the fourth month of his confinement that he was able to see a lawyer. His wife filed a petition for habeas corpus before the Court of Appeals, which dismissed it . She appealed to the Supreme Court.

May bayad na CR sa public school

Published by Ellen on September 5, 2007

May paki-usap ang isa kong kakilala tungkol sa kanilang problema sa principal ng San Pedro Central School, San Pedro, Laguna na si Ginang Diana C. Casiano.

Ito ang kanyang hinaing:

“Dahil public school po ito, siyempre 99% sa mga mag-aaral ay mahirap. Yung mga bata po ay halos walang makaing almusal, makapasok lang. Ito po’y dinadalhan ng pagkain sa tanghali na halos sang kamay bg Dios mo pa hahanapin ang pambili ng pagkain.

“Pulutan” cookbook featured in HK newspaper

Published by Ellen on September 5, 2007

There’s an article on “Pulutan – from the soldiers’ kitchen” by Elmer D. Cruz and Emerson R. Rosales in Hongkong’s South China Morning Post today.…

The verdict

Published by Ellen on September 4, 2007

Last Thursday, Gloria Arroyo’s national security adviser, Norberto Gonzales, was again in former President Estrada’s farm in Tanay, Rizal.

It was not the first time that Gonzales visited Estrada in the past two months. Last July 18, he was also there.

A source said Gonzales’ message to Erap had a sense of urgency and desperation. He told the elected president they ousted six years ago that he will be convicted in his plunder case before the Sandiganbayan. He asked Estrada not to call on his people to go to the streets.

Payola spread like butter

Published by Ellen on September 4, 2007

From ABS-CBN online:

Opposition leader Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday revealed that three people in the government asked for millions of dollars in kickbacks for the P329-million national broadband network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corp.

Lacson referred to the three people as “a Commission on Elections official” the “big one and little one.” The senator said the COMELEC official was supposed to get $55 million in kickbacks and $75 million for the “big one” and the “little one.”

He said that officials of ZTE Corp., the Chinese firm awarded the broadband project, were also asked to allot $68 million for the administration’s campaign kitty in the last May elections.

7 of 10 believe GMA is corrupt

Published by Ellen on September 3, 2007

by Ashzel Hachero

Despite the much-touted anti-corruption campaign of government, 71 percent of Filipinos believe President Arroyo is enriching herself through corrupt practices, a survey of the Social Weather Stations showed.

Twenty-four percent said they do not think Arroyo was corrupt while 5 percent had no opinion, the survey conducted from July 18-20 with about 600 respondents from the Mega Manila area (National Capital Region and the nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna) also showed.

The survey, commissioned y the United Opposition, asked the respondents on their belief in the “involvement” of officials in corrupt practices.

Month: September 2007