December 2007 – Page 6 – ellen tordesillas

Lim wants to be back in Tanay

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

by Ashzel Hachero, Regina Bengco and Victor Reyes
Malaya
Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim yesterday asked the Makati regional trial court handling the rebellion case filed against him and 35 other persons to order his transfer to the detention facility in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal.

Lim, who was involved in last week’s standoff at the Manila Peninsula hotel in Makati City, is detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

Lim has been in detention in Camp Capinpin since last year for allegedly leading a plot to grab power from government in February last year. He and 27 other Army and Marines officers detained in the camp are facing court martial for mutiny, among others.

Nothing has changed

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

Today, Dec.7 is the 25th year anniversary of the raid of We Forum, the forerunner of Malaya, by Marcos soldiers for publishing articles on his fake medals. Sen. Joker Arroyo,Makati mayor Jejomar Binay, Rene Saguisag were some of the lawyers who helped WEe Forum/Malaya foudner Jose Burgos, Jr. assert freedom of the press. The situation today is as bad, even worse, than during the Marcos dictatorship.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, who is PDP Laban national president, yesterday expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will once again uphold press freedom as it did in its ruling on the case of Jose Burgos Jr. and other journalists who were arrested on sedition charges by the military 25 years ago.

In a raid on Dec. 7 1982, the military also closed down the offices of We Forum and its sister publication Metropolitan Mail, and seized all its printing machines, vehicles, equipment, and assorted documents and items.

Palace backs arrest of media men

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

Malacañang yesterday backed Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno on arresting media persons who violate the law next time a crisis such as the Manila Peninsula standoff takes place.

“Everybody should follow the law,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.

Ermita said the media persons who were brought to the headquarters of the Metro Manila police after the standoff Thursday last week also could not complain of having been handcuffed because it is part of police procedure.

A nation of Sancho Panzas

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

by Raul Pangalangan
Inquirer

Had Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV succeeded last Thursday, would we be hearing today from all the naysayers? Indeed, success has many fathers and defeat is an orphan. But to the Monday morning quarterbacks out there, I ask: Would you rather have celebrated a tainted victory?

Sure it would have helped to have some prominent opposition politicians around. But in all candor, wouldn’t you have been more wary to see the likes of House Speaker Jose de Venecia at The Peninsula Manila? Wasn’t it the best endorsement that the new “Peninsulares” were absent and nowhere to be found?

RP ranks 10th in global bribery survey

Published by Ellen on December 6, 2007

From ABS-CBN online:

The Philippines has been ranked 10th among 60 countries where bribery is most prevalent this year, a Global Corruption Barometer survey showed.

Over 63,000 people in 60 countries worldwide were surveyed about their experiences of bribery over the past year.

In the Philippines, 32 percent of respondents admitted that they had paid bribes.

Pablo’s Christmas gift

Published by Ellen on December 6, 2007

Classical music impresario Pablo Tariman gave Metro Manilans an early Christmas gift in the person of Alvaro Pierri, guitarist par excellence last Tuesday. On Saturday, he will be presenting Russian pianist Ilya Rashkovskiy at the Philamlife Theater on United Nation’s Avenue at 8 p.m.

Pierri’s performance was simply awesome, an exhilarating experience. Just what we needed in these troubled times. He started with Nicolo Paganini’s Grande Sonata, followed by Miguel Llobet’s Preludio y Mazurca, and Federico Moreno Torroba’s Sonatina.

For the second part of the program, he dispensed with William Walton’s Five Bagatelles that was in the program and instead did Two Pieces by Vila-Lobos.

‘Don’t let Trillanes attend session,’ SC asked

Published by Ellen on December 6, 2007

Senators Lacson and Pimentel visit Trillanes. Advised him to stay out of trouble.

by Tetch Torres
Inquirer

Government lawyers asked the Supreme Court not to allow Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to attend Senate sessions or be visited by his staff in detention because he “is more dangerous than a person accused of rape.”

“The information for coup d’etat contains allegations that petitioner led the seizing of Oakwood through violence, intimidation, threat and stealth for the purpose of seizing state power. This is definitely more dangerous than a person accused of rape,” Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera said in a 49-page comment.

Trillanes to Bilibid put on hold

Published by Ellen on December 6, 2007

by Raymond Africa
Malaya

Government has deferred its plan to transfer Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and other personalities accused in the Manila Peninsula hotel standoff to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.

They are now detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame. Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco said the plan would have to wait until Makati RTC Judge Elmo Alameda comes out with a resolution on the charges of rebellion and inciting to rebellion filed against Trillanes and 35 others.

“We will defer any action or planned motion to transfer out of judicial courtesy,” Velasco said.

Who’s telling the truth?

Published by Ellen on December 6, 2007

The court martial hearing of the 28 officers allegedly involved in the February 2006 attempted withdrawal of support from Gloria Arroyo scheduled for today was postponed. Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, chief of the AFP public information office, said it was requested by lawyers of Brig. Gen. Danny Lim.

Vicente Verdadero, lawyer of Lim, said he never requested for a postponement.

Who is telling the truth?

by Victor Reyes
Malaya

A military court trying Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and 27 other Army and Marines officers for the attempt to oust government in February last year reset to December 14 the trial scheduled for today because Lim would not be able to show up as he is still under police custody.

Arrest of media men will be the rule:Puno

Published by Ellen on December 5, 2007

by Ashzel and Regina Bengco

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno yesterday justified the police arrest of media men covering last week’s occupation by Magdalo officers and soldiers of the Manila Peninsula and warned they would be treated the same in future occasions if found “obstructing justice.”

Puno gave the warning during a dialogue at the Manila Peninsula with representatives of the media who have assailed the arrest and handcuffing of journalists covering the six-hour stand off between the Magdalo group led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and security forces.

Puno said in future police operations, journalists who fail to comply with an order to leave a crime scene would be arrested and possibly handcuffed.

Month: December 2007