July 2008 – Page 5 – ellen tordesillas

Scrap VAT

Published by Ellen on July 8, 2008

As the price of oil products continues to escalate, the proposal of Senator Mar Roxas not only makes sense; it’s imperative.

Gloria Arroyo wallowing in billions of pesos in “Katas ng Vat” while the rest of the Filipinos reel from spiraling prices is criminal. Balancing the budget should be done through more efficient revenue collection and not through this unjust value added tax that drives almost everybody into poverty.

Roxas is correct in debunking the argument of the administration that only the higher-middle class income groups and big business are affected by VAT. He said the fisherman buys gasoline for his motorized boat, the tricycle driver buys gasoline for his tricycle, the taxi driver buys gasoline to ply his route. These are poor people.

Balik ang talunan

Published by Ellen on July 7, 2008

Ngayon na tapos na ang isang taon na ban o pagbabawal ng panunungkulan sa gobyerno ng mga tumakbo at natalo noong nakaraang eleksyon, huwag tayo magtataka kung makikita na nating sila bilang miyembro ng gabinete o hepe ng kung anong opisina.

Noong Biyernes, inanunsyo na ng Malacañang ang appointment ni dating senador Tito Sotto bilang bagong hepe ng Dangerous Drugs Board na may ranggo na cabinet secretary. Ibig sabihin noon miyembro na ng cabinet ni Gloria Arroyo si Sotto.

Plain and simple extortion

Published by Ellen on July 6, 2008

When news of the arrest of former assemblyman Homobono Adaza and four of his friends for “proposing to commit coup de’tat” broke out early afternoon last Wednesday, our reaction was of disbelief and concern.

If the Adaza report were a jigsaw puzzle, the pieces do not fit.

Although Adaza’s companions- Army Lt. Col. Oscarlito Mapalo, retired colonels Ernie Amboy (Army), and Cesar dela Peña (Marines) and retired Police Supt. Rafael Cardeño – at one time or another figured in some controversial activities while in the service, they are not known to have a following in the military.

Mga padrinong obispo

Published by Ellen on July 5, 2008

Dati kung gusto mong rekomendasyon sa presidente, hahanap ka ng padrino na pulitiko. Ngayon, ang mag magaling pala na padrino para makakuha ng pabor kay Arroyo ay obispo.

Kung kilala nyo sina Arcbishop Eduardo Talamayan ng Tuguegarao at Juan de Dios Pueblos ang Butuan, doon kayo lumapit at mukhang malakas sila kay Arroyo.

‘Huge bribes’ delayed $503-M Northrail project, says lawyer

Published by Ellen on July 5, 2008

by Jess Diaz
The Philippine Star

The Chinese contractor of the $503-million North Rail project wants out because of the “huge bribe” paid to Filipino officials, causing a five-year delay in the project, according to a lawyer familiar with the case.

Speaking at the Serye Café news forum in Quezon City, lawyer Harry Roque said China National Machinery and Equipment Group (CNMEG), a state-owned corporation, spent most of the $150 million advanced by the government under its contract paying bribes.

The ghost of IMPSA

Published by Ellen on July 3, 2008

Pre-launch publicity for the book “Fight for the Filipino” by former vice-president Teofisto Guingona has underscored the portion about IMPSA, the Argentine power firm that acquired a sovereign guarantee by the Philippine government of the loan it was obtaining to rehabilitate and operate the 750-megawatt Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) power complex in Laguna.

The sovereign guarantee for the $470 million project, embodied in an opinion issued by then Justice Secretary Hernani Perez, was granted on Gloria Arroyo’s fourth day in Malacañang. It was only the second day of Perez as justice secretary.

Pen journalists say fight has only started

Published by Ellen on July 3, 2008

by Ashzel Hachero

Journalists who were arrested last year for refusing to leave the Manila Peninsula Hotel during the Magdalo soldiers’ stand-off yesterday said they are prepared to appeal all the way to the United Nations the junking of their P10 million class suit against government officials.

“Definitely we will appeal to the higher courts the unjust ruling of the Makati court. We will go to the Court of Appeals or we can file a motion for certiorari at the Supreme Court,” lawyer Harry Roque said.

Sige na, tigil na

Published by Ellen on July 2, 2008

Pwede ba tigilan na ni Gloria Arroyo ang kakapaliwanag kung bakit minabuti niyang manatili sa Amerika habang nagdadalamhati ang maraming Filipino sa bagsik ng bagyong “Frank”.

Mas nakakadagdag sa kalamidad na dinarama ng sambayanang Pilipino.

Bising-bisi si Press Secretary Jesus Dureza sa kanyang press release kung saan pinagyayabang ni Arroyo ang limos na nakuha niya sa Amerika dahil nandoon siya at naghahabol maki-pagusap kay George Bush, ang kapwa niyang laos na presidente, at ang dalawang kandidato para presidente sa nalalapit na eleksyon sa Amerika.

Bono Adaza, 3 others arrested for plotting to overthrow Arroyo

Published by Ellen on July 2, 2008

For update on Adaza et al, see Malaya article in comments.

$4M solicited to bankroll new plot?

by Raymond Africa

Operatives of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group yesterday arrested lawyer Homobono Adaza, two retired military officers, and a former police official wanted for a celebrated murder case, for involvement in another supposed plot to overthrow to Arroyo government.

Another person was reportedly arrested but the CIDG refused to identify him or give details of the arrest. The suspects are scheduled to be presented today to the media in Camp Crame.

Trillanes reports to the people

Published by Ellen on July 1, 2008

Message of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV as he marks his first year as senator:

“Inside a jail, you are not witness to the state of the country with your own eyes: the rising cost of living in unequal proportion with a failing economic order. You are unable to hear the sentiments of our people first hand: pervasive cries for justice and accountability against perpetrators of political violence and corruption. You appear insulated from what others endure outside these walls: the disillusionment of a people in the Administration that blatantly betrays its own obligation to serve them.

Continue readingTrillanes reports to the people

Month: July 2008