(The second privilege speech of Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson which the camp of Senate President Manny Villar tried, but failed, to block. September 22, 2008)
I would not have taken the floor today as I am concerned the core issue of corruption in the national budget will be diverted. But for the lies that are now part of the Senate record and other misinterpretations of the contents of my privilege speech last Monday by the gentleman from Makati and Camarines Sur, I now rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege.
I will not dignify by wasting a second of the Senate’s time, however, the points raised by the other fanatical defender of the Senate President. Arguing with the gentleman, I am afraid, would be like talking to a chatterbox in a TV paid advertisement.
Going back to the points raised by Sen. Arroyo, or at least some of them, without conceding of course that the other issues raised are correct, please allow me to state here and now:
First, the issue on Mike Velarde.
Sen. Arroyo charged that I am protecting Bro. Mike Velarde; that I am afraid to lose 2-3 million votes. Mr. President, I have a copy of an article quoted Sept. 14, 3:42 p.m. entitled “El Shaddai’s Bro. Mike not off the hook in P200m road mess.” It proceeds by stating that El Shaddai leader and businessman Mariano Mike Velarde is not off the hook in the P200m road to nowhere mess that the Senate plans to investigate, opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson said Sunday.
If I may proceed, “nag-file ng resolution si Sen. Madrigal para malaman kung sino ang may personal na pakinabang sa kalye, talagang mata-tackle yan. Bukod kay Bro. Mike sino pa ang individual na personal na nakinabang na tinamaan ng C5 extension. Yan dapat malaman he said in an interview on DZBB radio.” I confirm the statement to have come from me. Therefore, what Sen. Arroyo mentioned in his privilege speech last Tuesday was a complete lie.
Number 2: Attack on the integrity of the Senate.
I never attacked the integrity of the Senate when I said there was one among us who could be responsible for the insertion, the double entry in the GAA of 2008. It is not attacking the integrity of the entire Senate. Precisely, I am trying to protect the integrity of the Senate. I was attacking the integrity of the GAA for 2008. Then Sen. Arroyo said I was playing hero. How could I play hero when I was just espousing the advocacy of a group that approached me and pointed to me some of the anomalies in the national budget? And then he proceeded by staying that whatever Sen. Lacson says the Senate media juts say yes, yes, yes. Is he implying that the members of the Senate media are that stupid to just take hook, line and sinker what I will tell them without analyzing the facts?
The distinguished majority leader called for a ceasefire. A respected colleague, my classmate in the PMA, suggested a group hug. Their suggestions are well taken. Because I know they are well intentioned to say the least, and at most their suggestions are noble.
But I will not and cannot abandon the cause of the tens of thousands or millions of Filipino taxpayers and allow them to be left at the mercy of a systematically flawed and corrupt national budget. This is one fight I will never run away from, as I have never run away from all my previous fights against graft and corruption.
Long before I entered politics when I was chief of the PNP, I was fighting corruption. There is nothing political in this endeavor. If I come out of this messy issue politically battered and bruised and even in a state of political comatose then so be it. I couldn’t care less.
Alam kong tama ang pinaglalaban ko rito at handa akong makipagbasagan ng mukha o makipagputukan ng kilay, in a manner of speaking, anuman ang kahinatnan ng laban kong ito. At least I will be comforted by the thought that legislators, as well as our people, now are adequately informed and become conscious of how the national budget should benefit taxpayers and the people and not just a few.
I therefore support the call of the finance committee chairman Senator Juan Ponce Enrile to conduct an immediate investigation on the matter.
I also support the call of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago for transparency in the entire budget process. I support the call of our other colleagues Sen. Mar Roxas, Sen. Legarda, Sen. Pimentel that we should get over with this issue and find out if there indeed are double entries in the national budget, if indeed insertions in the magnitude of P23 billion are categorized as lump sum appropriations.
Before I ended my privilege speech last Monday, I asked 2 questions. One, who among us proposed the double or redundant appropriation of P200 million. That question has been answered. Senator Juan Ponce Enrile pointed at the Senate President as the one responsible for the double or at least the second entry of that redundant or double appropriation for a stretch of road described as follows: C5 Extension from SLEX to Sucat Road in Parañaque. The other one is Carlos P. Garcia Avenue from SLEX to Sucat Road, Parañaque City.
Now my detractors are saying these are 2 different projects. I will always refer to the GAA particularly the provisions therein. Now that Sen. Villar has finally admitted — albeit haphazardly during last Tuesday’s press conference, I have the transcript of the press conference with Senate President Manny Villar and I quote from the transcript: Villar: I categorically deny any participation in the alleged erroneous appropriation in the 2008 budget, referring to the 2nd entry of P200 million from C5 Road Extension from SLEX to Sucat Road. Question: Project nyo ba talaga yan? Villar: Paano nalagay doon, hindi ko alam yan.
Mr. President, how can you lie to members of the media? Everything you say cannot be taken back. It will hit the airwaves, it will hit the print, it will hit the TV stations to be brought out to their audience.
Now the Senate President is saying that yes indeed I was responsible for the insertion but I did not specify any amount.
Mr. President, I’ve been a senator for 7 years, I have introduced amendments in the budget. This is the first time if indeed what the Senate President stated is true that a proponent of an amendment or an insertion will tell the Senate finance committee chairman “bahala na kayo gusto ko madagdagan bahala kayo sa halaga.” I don’t think that has happened or will ever happen in any of our budget deliberations.
Before I cap my privilege speech I would like to bring the attention of this august chamber to a copy or transcript of records of the House of Representatives dated Aug. 17, 1998.
Then Rep. Joker Arroyo of Makati rose on a question of collective privilege on a constitutional issue that affects the integrity of the House of Representatives. This pertains to a possible violation of the 1987 Constitution and existing laws by then House Speaker Manuel Villar.
This is the question raised by then Rep. Agapito Aquino regarding the fitness of then Rep. Villar to seek the speakership, which the latter chose not to answer, NOT TO ANSWER.
Among the alleged violations as raised by then Rep. Arroyo as committed by then Rep. Villar were the following: I’d like to mention only 1 of them. Violation of Sec. 6, RA 3019, antigraft and corrupt practices act, that it shall be unlawful for any member of Congress during the term he has been elected to acquire or to receive any personal or pecuniary interest in any specific business enterprise which will be directly and particularly favored by any law or resolution authored by him previously adopted by the Congress during the same term.
I would like to lift some excerpts from the transcript in my possession: On page 1, Aug 17 1998 … 5:15 p.m., presiding officer deputy speaker Abueg: Let the thing speak for itself … The questions raised made the charges vs. Speaker Villar are constitutional in character and our duty as members of this legislature is clear … We took an oath to support and defend the Constitution and uphold the law. The Constitution has been violated, laws have been broken. If we are to continue in the capacity of public officials, if this chamber is to continue in its very character as legislature an indispensable pillar in the system of checks and balances then we must come to the Constitution’s defense and the vindication of the laws.
I will continue: I hesitated and pondered hard whether to raise these questions for fear of being accused of sourgraping and for being a poor sport.
Remember, they just elected then Rep. Villar to be speaker, this was in 1998.
Our duty is clear. There are charges of illegalities, the charges must be heard and answered. I am reminded of the case of Speaker Newt Gingrich of US House of Representatives. He was investigated by USHR for collecting fees of books he wrote while speaker. I am not too sure of the task but one thing I’m sure of is this. The House after hearing censured and penalized him with $300,000. He remained as speaker but the penalty was meted out. These are precedents and we must not hesitate to do our duty.
Charge 1, this is Rep. Arroyo speaking Aug. 17, 1998, low-cost housing is totally dependent on government agencies such as PagIBIG, NHMFC, SSS, GSIS and other GFIs. Speaker Villar and the companies of which he is president or chairman or where he has a controlling interest are the biggest low-cost housing developers in the country, in violation of constitutional injunction, his companies are given financial accommodation by government banks or GFIs among them PagIBIG and NHMFC during Rep. Villar’s term as rep from 1992 to 1998 to finance their business purposes.
Charge 2, Rep. Villar from 1992 to 1998 did not divest himself of his interest in, nor did he sever his connections with the companies aforestated.
Charge 3, nor has Speaker Villar up to now, I say UP TO NOW, divested himself of interest in or has he severed his connections with the companies aforestated.
Charge 4, Speaker Villar controls Capitol Bank, Mrs. Villar is CEO. Capitol Bank received loans, financial accommodations and guarantees from BSP from 1992 to 1998 while he was a representative. This is constitutionally forbidden.
To sum it up this is still congressman Arroyo speaking … the constitutional prohibition is very simple. If a representative has controlling interest in a firm or entity, that firm or entity cannot be extended a loan, a guaranty or a financial accommodation or any business purpose from any GFI.
And then he proceeded by quoting Sec. 6, prohibition of RA 3019 prohibition on members of Congress, it shall be unlawful hereafter for any member of Congress during the term for which he has been elected to acquire or receive any personal or pecuniary interest in any specific business enterprise which will be favored or benefited by any law or resolution authored by him, previously approved and adopted by Congress during the same term.
Simply put, this is Joker Arroyo speaking, simply put during our term of office, each one of us, it shall be unlawful for us to author any law or resolution that will benefit or favor us. The above prohibition shall apply even to that representative who just recommended, not even authored, the enactment of such law that benefited him.
Charge 6, Rep. Villar in his bid for the speakership prepared a propaganda kit he distributed to congressmen and media. I think you were given copies of that one. It is entitled “Manuel B. Villar Jr.: Achiever and Visionary Leader.” And the legislative performance of Cong MBV Jr. … Rep. Villar unequivocally said he incorporated in the landmark comprehensive and integrated shelter finance act, RA 7835, the re-capitalization of the NHMFC and amendment to the agri-aqua law to including housing…
Charge 7, this is still Rep. Arroyo speaking, when those bills Rep. Villar introduced or co-authored were enacted into law, he did not divest himself of his interests in the companies that benefited therefrom.
Charge 8: When Manuela Corp. applied for and was granted a loan of P1 billion by the SSS, a GFI, another P2 billion loan could be syndicated with another GFI, GSIS. Total syndicated loan from the 2 GFIs, P3 billion. Manuela Corp., a housing and reality corporation, is owned by the family of the wife of Speaker Villar, an indirect financial accommodation. Again in the same code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials states in Sec 3-k, relatives refers to any person related to a public official or employee within the 4th civil degree of consanguinity.
Charge 9: Manuela Corp. owes Capitol Bank P150 million. There may be nothing wrong with that because both are private entities, but out of the P3 billion loan to be syndicated by SSS and GSIS, P150 million was earmarked to liquidate capitol bank loan to the failing Manuela Corp. In other words it is a financial accommodation extended by the GFIs to relieve Capitol Bank owned by Speaker Villar of a P150 million loan.
Charge 10: CARP undertaken in obedience to constitutional mandate, all lands covered by CARP cannot be used for residential, industrial and other uses unless a clearance conversion or exemption for a particular property is first issued by DAR. Speaker Villar’s companies have developed 5,950 ha or almost 60 million square meters of CARP lands without appropriate DAR issuances that would authorize such lands to be used for residential purposes. …
The House, still Rep. Arroyo speaking, cannot reform itself much less operate effectively if a cloud of doubt hangs over the Speaker of the House. It is to the interest of the Speaker and the members no less if these concerns are addressed frontally and resolved forthwith to clear the path for meaningful reforms.
I would like to reiterate my support for the call of SJPE for an immediate investigation that should start within the week if possible.
Public office is a public trust. We the representatives of the people pay a price for getting elected to public office. The Constitution imposes on us certain constraints which we must follow to the letter.
In the case of Speaker Villar, it is simple. If he wants to go/continue in business and deal with GFIs he can do so but he cannot also be a congressman. If he wants to be congressman he must not be in business which deals with the government. We have to pay a price.
So this case is a learning experience for us all. Whatever the outcome, it will show the things we can do, the things we cannot do, and the things we must do.
I propose the HR constitute itself into a committee of the whole to hear the charges and the speaker’s defense. Then Rep. Arroyo was proposing the HR constitute itself into committee of the whole. This was in 1998. He will have a trial that is more than fair to him. He will be judged by the very peers who elevated him to be the first among equals. Only this time they will judge him according to the law.
Mr. President, what is the relevance of all of this? There seems to be parallelism in the situation now with Senate President Villar as our presiding officer. We voted him, at least the majority of the members of this august chamber voted him into office. He is now Senate President. He was then House Speaker. Now I go back to my second question. Who among us would stand to benefit from the development project as a consequence of the appropriation made by that one member of this body? The question is, does SP Villar have financial interest in the development of C5 Extension Road from SLEX to Sucat Road in Parañaque City?
Does he own pieces of land in that stretch of road where he admitted to have inserted or proposed the appropriation of another P200 million? This is a clear case of double entry no matter what the other members of this body say. This is double entry plain and simple.
But if SP Villar will benefit personally and financially in the development of a project he is advocating as he said during his press con last Tuesday, don’t you find some similarities in the situation in 1998 and the situation this year 2008?
The only difference is that Sen. Joker Arroyo is almost rabidly defending Sen. Villar in this case, whereas in 1998 he was the one who stood on the floor on a question of personal and collective privilege lambasting him on the floor … for practically the same offense, for practically the same actions taken by the SP now and HS in 1998. I leave the question and thank the body for bearing with me.
Manny Villar, the great opportunist second only to Gloria.
Alan Cayetano, the fanatic defender of Villar, trapong-trapo na rin. Bwisit ka! I regretted my good words in defense of you before. Never again!
Joker Arroyo, the diaper man of Villar and the Pidals. Isama na rin ito sa ‘biomass’.
Hudasan, a “classmate in the PMA, suggested a group hug”. Huh?!!! Bakit hindi na lang siya mag-pastor! Honasan has joined the league of Lito Lapid, yehey!
Boldyak na boldyak ang financial interest ni Villar. Niloko niya ang media, buti na lang at wala yatang nabilog ang ulo.
Go!Go!Go!…Ping! I-ping-pong mo sila for truth sakes.
24 September 2008
AHA!!!! kung Totoo man ang patutsada ni lacson, dapat managot dapat ang may sala. Kung noong taong 1998 ay ganitong patutsada si joker, bakit ngayon panay ang pagtanggol nya kay villar??? ang kasagutan ay – MAGKASAMA KASI SILA SA WEDNESDAY GROUP sa senado.
Nasaan na ang katagang “KUNG BAD KA, LAGOT KA” bakit ayaw ni joker na tirahin si villar, si joker lamang po ang makasagot nyan???
Ang akin lamang po e, kung tama ang mga patutsada ni lacson, ay dapat na magbitiw sa pagiging senador ni villar at huwag nyang gayahin ang impakta, na lahat na ata ng kasinungalingan ay sinalo na at ang pagiging gahaman sa kapangyarihan, sampu ng kanyang mga kampon.
At kung mali naman si lacson sa kanyang patutsada ay dapat rin syang magbitiw. Ang lahat naman ng sigalot na ito ay iisa lang naman ang naapektuhan e, SI JUAN DE LA CRUZ.
Wala na ngang matakbuhan si juan dela cruz e. Kung ang mababang (kasing baba ng mga tao sa HR) kapulungan ay hawak na ng impakta at ang mga senador ay nagbabangayan e, saan pa tatakbo si juan dela cruz???? WALA
Dapat kasi lahat ng mga opisyal, halal man o iniluklok ng impakta ay dapat magbitiw at magkaroon ng isang halalan na talagang masasabing si juan dela cruz ang pumili. At kung sino man ang manalo o mananalo ay dapat naman gampanan ang kanilang sinumpaan.
Si cayetano naman, hindi naman tunay na Pinoy e, hindi ko alam kung bakit ibinoto sa senado, mapagsamantala rin katulad ng karamihang mga pulitiko.
kaya sa susunod na halalan, ito lang ang aking masasabi “SA IKA UUNLAD NG PILIPINAS, KAMAY NA BAKAL ANG KAILANGAN – tungo sa matiwasay, maunlad at nagkakaisang mamayan ng Pilipinas.
maraming salamt po.
prans
this is also good article from Lito Banayo:
http://www.malaya.com.ph/sep25/edbanayo.htm
Sana mabasa ng ating mga kababayan dahil dito maliwanag na
super balimbing pala itong si Villar.
To Mr. Mike Velarde you don’t threaten the people that you will run for president because hindi nasunod ang gusto mo. Hindi naman laro ang pagiging presidente at hindi rin naman puwede na kung presidente ka na sasabihin mo “lahat ng mahihirap pagpapalain at ilabas ang mga bandilang panyo”. Matatakot ang mga politiko sa iyo dahil lalo na you are planning at narinig ko sa interview mo na on 2010 El shaddai
will be bloc voting.
Mukha tong Tribune ni Olivarez ay nasa tong-pats list ni Villar. Hindi rin pala patas itong si Ninez.
What if INC’s Bishop Manalo threatens to run for President if the Reproductive Health Bill is not passed? We know Manalo won’t do like Velarde did. But, it’s interesting to see the two against one another in 2010. My bet is on Manalo whose flock faithfully obey the brotherhood and unity even when it comes to voting. El Shaddai? Nah.
Yes, Etnad. Unfortunately, Ninez Olivarez has switched side.
I was the first who brought this up when I noticed that she has been attacking Lacson and defending Villar lately. The Tribune has always depended on politicians to subsidize to exist. Villar is reportedly now the one subsidizing it.
Ninez just followed Ducky Paredes who also became friendly to Malacanang. Now, Macasaet’s newspapers are the only true opposition. Nowadays, it’s very difficult to find credible journalists….and we’re proud of Ellen who is among the selected few.
Jojovelas, there’s no such thing as block voting at El Shaddai. They’re just imitating INC that started it all. El Shaddai is composed of Catholics. Catholics have no unity, brotherhood and obedience to doctrines. INC’s unity is based on their faith and strict obedience. The unity in election has biblical basis for them. They believe that true believers must have one mind, one baptism, one faith and one judgment. Since voting is an expression of judgment, INC members vote as one. Of course we don’t expect 100% of INC membership to follow. We can safely say about 80%. But if there are one million registered INC voters, 80% means 800,000 votes which is significant.
like you guys disappointed din ako kay Olivarez. The proof or evidence that she is asking will be presented sa hearing not in privilege speech. As you can see may mga documents si Lacson during his speech ang kakapal pa nga so alam naman i present mo agad yan. Kahit nga sa court hearing sasabihin mo muna yun accusation mo then the next hearing is to present the witnesses/evidence. Kung minsan titignan muna kung kailangan mag hearing…dito malinaw kaya nga tumawag na ng hearing si Sen. Enrile dahil may basis ang accusation.
Nakakatuwa nga naman etong si Villar. Parang bata na pag sinabi mong amoy tae siya, kinabukasan o buong linggo hindi na papasok. Hindi siya puwedeng maging Pangulo ng ating Bansa. Kaya Ninez pag binabasa mo ito magbago ka na ng financier bago mahuli ang lahat.
Olivares, Cayetano and the rest are now saying the same Malacanang line: If you have proof and evidence, file it in the court. Cayetano’s relationship with Villar is understandable since he belongs to the same Nacionalista Party. Joker’s siding with Villar is also understandable because he’s with Villar in that Wednesday Club. But Ninez Olivares? Well, she might have reached an agreement with Villar who’s secretly allied with Malacanang not only for her paper’s continuous subsidy to survive, but to hope that all the libel cases against her would be dropped.
Hindi lamang dapat magresign si Villar, dapat ay makasuhan din, buhayin na lang ang mga accusations ni Sen Arroyo dahil kung totoo, taxpayers’ money ang nagamit ni Villar sa kanyang mga business.
Lacson has said on his privilege speech “I will not and cannot abandon the cause of the tens of thousands or millions of Filipino taxpayers and allow them to be left at the mercy of a systematically flawed and corrupt national budget. This is one fight I will never run away from, as I have never run away from all my previous fights against graft and corruption.”
Yes our taxes are used ostensibly to fund local public works, like roads, schools, and jails. There are a lot of good things that come of paying taxes, but there’s a lot of money wasted or spent inefficiently in the process. Still, it would be hard for all of us to maintain the roads by ourselves without a big bureaucratic engine helping us. In fact, none of us would have a private incentive to do so, and that is why the government takes on certain infrastructure tasks. Like building bridges to nowhere and C-5 road going to Villar’s land and Villarde.
But, why Churches and religions are exempted from paying taxes? They are also using the same roads and jails funded by our tax money. Churches should be taxed like any other business. Like any other business, let them write off any charity work that they do. Churches are businesses. They do not exist solely to bring people to God, they exist to bring people to God and to generate income for the employees and officers of the church. Just as the “Lechon ni Mang Tomas” exists to bring affordable prices of litson to people and to generate income for the hog killers and litsuneros.
To automatically give them a free ride makes no sense. They don’t have to pay property tax, sales tax, income tax, and all the other taxes that you and I and the store down the road pays. If a church is selling baked goods,rosario and estampitas they don’t pay taxes, if “Tatang’s Bakery” is selling pandesal and monay, they pay taxes.
Yung propaganda machine ng Malacañang gumagana para palabasin na watak-watak ang mga oposisyonista. Hindi naman watak-watak dahil nabubuko na may isang grupong hindi tunay na oposisyonista. Oportunista lang. Maliwanag sa speech ni Lacson (at ni Joker noong 1998) na si Villar ay walang pinagsisilbihang interes ng taumbayan kundi ang sariling interes lamang.
Kahit pa ipalusot na tulay iyan o kahit pa magkaibang tulay, hindi rin uubra dahil ang pondo ay malinaw para sa “extension including ROW (Right-Of-Way)” ang flyover ay itinatayo sa ibabaw mismo ng kalsada na pag-aari ng estado, walang right-of-way funds na gagastusin kung flyover nga iyan! Kung meron man, maliit na bahaging maaring kainin ng entrada para sa flyover lamang. Hindi aabutin ng P400M (na barya lang daw kay Cayetano) para sa dalawang lokasyon. Malinaw na ang layunin ng pondong bumili ng ROW ay doon sa bahaging kalsada ang gagawin.
Walang siwang na maaring daanan si Vllar para lumusot. Siksik ang argumento ni Lacson lalo na kung idadagdag ang argumento ni Joker Arroyo sa isyu ng conflict of interest. Hindi tayo magpapagago kay Villar, hindi kay Cayetano, lalo na kay Joker.
Group hug daw kamo, chi? Dapat diyan sa mga kawatang sugapa sa pera gaya ni Vilar, kasama na ang mga nagtatanggol e bearhug upang tuluyan ng putulan ng hininga ang mga ambisyosong maging pangulo na ipinipuhunan ang pinaghirapan ng ordinaryong mamamayan. Piniprito sa sariling taba.
Ngayon pa lang, pigilan na ang ambisyon ng isa pang mala-Glorya na magpapasasa lamang sa kaban ng bayan sa sandaling maupo ito sa MalaKanyaLang. Huwag nang magpakagago pang muli.
bitchevil,
Remember our friend who had been saying of those coin operated journalists?
Is it true that Pimentel is saying the move to remove Villar as senate president has no basis? The facts speak for themselves don’t they not? Or does he mean there are no graft charges, etc, etc? …along the line of proove it in court again…why have we sunk so deep in legal shenanigans that we need lawyers to tell us what is true and what is not?
Are we going to see a senate ganging up on Lacson, churning out inefficiency, incompetence, and rumor mongering issues against him in the long run? Much like the situation where Among Ed is right now in Pampanga?
The system has been operating this way eversince, you have to compromise, be good at wheeling and dealing, to get your share of the budget, some cooperation, for any legislator to accomplish anything worthwhile reporting to the public (while greasing some hands, lobbyists, special interest groups). Lacson has gone against tradition and may well be opening a can of worms here. Its been my nagging question before, if we seriously look into our leaders and try to thresh out the corrupt – we’re going to end up with so many empty seats…
The way the senators like Joker have given way to Villar and others only show us that “honor” is not welcome in the senate…as the saying goes, “there is no honor among thieves.”
Thanks jojovelas for the link. Lito Banayo apparently supplied some of the facs for Lacson’s second speech, may have even written the speech itself.
Dito angkop ang quote mula kay FDR.
“I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made.”
Kung mga magnanakaw ang kaaway mo, may pahiwatig ang sitwasyong yan. Kung may prinsipyo ang kaaway mo, tulad ng tumatalo kay Fr. Panlilio, iba rin ang pahiwatig.
Lito Banayo is one true opposition. He was supposed to run as Vice Mayor of Manila but gave way. I think he would try his luck for a Congressional seat next time. Banayo is currently Lacson’s trusted aide and adviser. Like Lacson, Banayo could not be bought. I know for a fact that Banayo declined all offers coming from this evil Administration. The number of genuine and true opposition is less these days. Make sure you know who are the genuine and fake.
Ate Glue has reason to gloat watching the Senate disarray and has good reason to be laughing all the way to 2010 then on to 2013, after that to 2016, and on to outdo Marcos 21-year incumbency. She couldn’t have done a better job of demolishing barriers to her goal if she plotted the scheme herself.
“One major reason the Catholic Church today is fast losing credibility and a multitude of once Catholic faithful has converted to other faiths, including Islam, lies in the widespread and still spreading impression that its “princes” and officialdom aren’t genuinely concerned with the human condition of the impoverished and deprived masses; that it is a church which, while publicly proclaiming itself to be the “Church of the poorest of the poor” thinks and behaves as the church of the richest of the rich; that it is a church far more concerned with mesmerizing rituals and monotonous novenas than it is with the true spiritual condition of peoples made bereft by their hunger and deprivation of any hope and belief in a supposedly “just and caring God;” that it is more concerned with staying in the good graces of the powerful than it is in staying with the good graces of the powerless; that it is a church whose princes have in truth accepted, wallowed in and relished the “power, the glory and the kingdom” that Christ had spurned; that it is a church which, brought to these shores by western colonialism, continues to serve the dark purposes of that colonialism.”
After Christ’s apostles were killed, people began to change His teachings, and although some truth remained, there was a general falling away from the truth, called the apostasy, and Christ’s church was taken from the earth. Is the Catholic Church the apostatized Church? I leave the answer to you.
Flash!
The “other” P200M being claimed by Remulla, Cayetano, Joker and Villar as intended for the cost of flyover connecting C-5 to Manila Coastal Road is not true. Lacson has just discovered that that portion of the project has just been included in this year’s appropriation as listed by Malacañang and the price is not even P200M, it’s P187M! Why would Malacañang request anew for that amount if it is true that it has already been funded in the 2007 budget? Unless this is going to be a triple insertion, the flyover palusot is already dead in the water.
In the P200M double insertion, truth appears to be in Lacson’s side. Villar as been dodging the issue, avoiding even to sit in the Senate plenary hall.
Sayang si Villar, naunahan kasi ng kasuwapangan.
At bakit hindi umaatend ng hearing/session si Villar? Hindi makatingin ng deretso kay Ping.
Yung “letter of request” for insertion ni Villar ay nasa kamay ni Enrile. Kumpleto ang documents ni Lacson kaya si Villar ay ikot-puwet.
Hindi ako nanghihinayang kay Villar kasi sa tingin ko ay mediocre lang ang swapang na yan!
Ang bait ko naman, mediocre ang description ko kay Money Villar. Binabawi ko…below average na lang.
The answer is N O. The Catholic church is not the apostatized church. Nowhere in the bible that you can find the name Catholic Church or Roman Catholic Church as the church that was apostatized.
kaban ng bayan ating bantayan..saan na ba ngayon si putot? Ano ang kinawa niya dito sa NYC?
noong nakaraang eleksyon lang, ang mga pinoy ang sigaw, “CAYETANO, PAG-ASA NG BAYAN!”
Ang sigaw din nuon (kahit dito) ay ‘kahit sino, wag lang si Glureria’. Eh paano kung si Villar ang maupo? Matakaw din pala ito at maraming niluto ng tahimik na halos walang nakaalam. Mas lalong gagrabe ang Pinas. Mabuti din at ngayon ay alam na natin ang mga kabulastugan nitong si Villar, salamat kay Senator Lacson.
Noong nakaraang eleksiyon rin lang, sabi ni Chavit ,”Number one ako sa Maguindanao”. di bale na si Cayetano, kesa kay Chavit.
I posted Lito Banayo’s column separately because Malaya’s link is only good for one year. The postings here also serve as future reference.
villar and cayetano did not deserve to be senators as it turned out. pinoys made a mistake in electing them, hopefully they will not make a second mistake. but it seems to me congress is full of people who do not deserve to be there like in malakanyang.the most deserving sits in jail.
I have only one criterion for a would-be President and this is in the form of a question.
WOULD HE/SHE RELENTLESSLY PROSECUTE TO ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION ALL THOSE WHO TRAMPLED UPON THE CONSTITUTION, SUBVERTED THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE AND DIPPED THEIR FINGERS IN THE TREASURY?
No less than an emphatic YES would satisfy me.
Who among the presidentiables do you think has the guts and the will?
“noong nakaraang eleksyon lang, ang mga pinoy ang sigaw, “CAYETANO, PAG-ASA NG BAYAN!”
dina, hindi mo yata nabasa na sinabi rin namin dito na kapag nahalal sina Cayetano ay makakatikim sila ng mura at kritisismo buhat sa amin kapag sila ay nagbago ng kanilang posisyon at values.
Fortunately for me, I did not vote for this young trapo. Sa huling sandali ay nakapag-isip ako ng tama.
Ang Ellenville ay isang ‘buhay’ na venue, hindi fixated sa mga political leader and personalities Ito ang gusto ko sa blog na ito.
You are right, Chi. Anybody who betrays the trust of the people, tramples the Constutition, steals people’s money and destroy what we have painskingly built, we should expose, criticize and oust.
If the replacement turns out to be the same, we do the same thing until we find a leader who deserves our vote, our trust and our support.
That’s what democracy is all about.
6000 stranded in Oman.
GLUEria papasyalpasyal lang sa NY.
kampon ng malakanyang nagpagago kay chavit
kampon ng opposisyon nagpagago kay cayetano
ang nagpagago, talo.
“relentless” ba si lacson sa kanyang mga expose’ ?
may nangyari ba? o puro ingay lang?
DinaPinoy: “relentless” ba si lacson sa kanyang mga expose’ ?
may nangyari ba? o puro ingay lang?
———
Na-iingayan din ako kay lacson dahil kako, lahat na lang pinatulan.
Pero on second thought, ganyan siya talaga kahit na nuong pulis pa siya. Walang takot na manghuli kahit ka pa kabaro niya.
Ngayon naman, kahit na kasama ka pa sa senado, pag bad ka! lagot ka!
Hindi pa rin ako sigurado kay lacson pero wala pa akong alam na naikabit na anomalya sa taong itoh! Kahit na itanong pa ninyo kay corpuz.
Bakit hindi natin busisiin ang taong ito hanggang maaga.
Kung puwede, suportahan natin. Kung hindi puwede, ilaglag natin. Para walang sisihan kung makalusot itong presidente sa 2010.
Maging objective lang ang atake natin at walang bangayan.
Ang mga puso ninyo, ingatan!
DinaPinoy,
DikaNagbabasa ng mabuti sa sinabi ko. Wala akong binanggit na pulitiko. Tanungin nga kita, sino sa palagay mo ang pupwedeng sumagot sa tanong ko?
Nanalo si Cayetano for senator kasi sabi niya kahon kahon ang ebidensiya niya sa milyon milyon in dollars sa bangko sa Germany si FG. Naniwala ang mga tao na may mga ebidensya siyang ilalabas, pero nanloko lang kasi mga kahon lang pala, hehe, dahil hanggang sa ngayon wala na tayong narinig duon. Ngayon, kahit na magingay ang mga politicos sa mga expose, maniwala lang tayo kung may irrefutable hard evidence, kung wala sabihin na lang natin ng SHUT UP.
Sa unang pagkakataon pag may kumpyansa ka sa isang tao, ang tawag diyan, “tiwala”. Pag niloko ka at nagtiwala ka pa, yan ang “nagpakagago”.
Ngayon, DinaPinoy, kung lahat ng mangyayari sa darating na panahon ay alam mo na, hindi ka magagago. Gago ka lang kung magpapa-denggoy ka uli. Hindi kasalanan ninuman na ang taong pinagkatiwalaan niya ay bumaliktad.
Kamukha mo, balik ka ng balik dito, kahit supalpal ka naman lagi, yan ang nagpapakagago.
He!He!He!
DinaPinoy,
Di ka na pala Pinoy. Aba eh foreign intervention na yang ginagawa mo. Para kang si Uncle Sam. Huwag mo ng pakialaman ang local problem naming mga Pinoy.
palala lang…..
http://www2.seasite.niu.edu/tagalogdiscuss/_disc2/00000484.htm
MULI? <—- (meaning = AGAIN)
iyan! iyan ang nararapat!
‘Is the Catholic Church the apostatized Church? I leave the answer to you.’ The answer my friend is blowing in the wind for as long as there is money in it, religion continues to blow air.
I appreciate the strong yet wrong views of DinaPinoy, it reminds me of the old maid neighbor’s relentless harangue, pun and angst. Best thing happened to my relief, she now administers a foreign investment that of a baby sitting for grands.
ano ba sa tingin mo ang aking pananaw na mali?
a pinoy will always be a pinoy kahit di na siya citizen ng pinas.
..would it had been better if the weak views just didnt set in quite right to me…
Nakapagtataka na wala si Lacson sa survey sa mga Presidentiables. Bakit kaya? Dahil ba sa ibinibisto niya yang mga tong-pats na nangyayari sa Gobyerno. Na pag siya ay naging Pangulo ay wala na silang kikitain? Nakapagtataka din na ang taas ng rating ng Escuderong yan e kung magsalita ay de numero. Balimbing din yan. Ninang niya si Glorya. Kaya ba niyang ipakulong ang Ninang niya? Pawn ni Glorya yan nong eleksiyon nong 2004. Kunyari adviser ni FPJ kuno. Pare-parehas ang mga bituka nila … puro datung ang nasa isip nila. Puweeeee!!!!
Etnad, remember that was a confidential Malacanang survey. How could it be confidential when everyone has seen it? Anyway, The Daily Tribune continues to attack Lacson and defend Villar. Unfortunately for Lacson, he has to satisfactorily answer for the argument below:
“And this Arroyo-Pidal scam he had threatened to expose only if — and this is on record — Malacañang does not stop the attacks on him (Lacson). But doesn’t the senator claim that the fight in the Senate against Villar is all about corruption and not politics? Why not Palace corruption then?
Notable too is the fact that Malacañang is no longer coming up with any charges against Lacson. Is this the quid pro quo for Lacson to maintain silence on Malacañang’s corruption?”
BE, dapat nga ilabas na ni Lacson ang lahat na baho ng lahat maging yong sa mga Arroyo. Matira ang malinis ika nga. Kaya hanggat hindi inilalabas ni Lacson yong alam pa niya kay Glorya at FG ay hindi pa ako lubos na naniniwala na malinis talaga ang hangarin. Pagkakataon na niya ito kung gusto niyang maging totoong Pangulo ng ating Bansa.
Sana hindi pakawala(espiya) ng Militar etong si Lacson. Puwede di ba? Kasi kung ating titignan lahat na karamihan na nasa Gobyerno na natin pati na yong ibang ambasador ay puro mga ex-General na. Puwedeng itong si Glorya ay para na siyang Robot sa mga ito. Pati yong pagpapalawig ng termino baka kako yong mga militar ang may gusto. Gusto na nilang hawakan ang ating Bansa. Sana mali ako.
Lacson may not be only planted by the military, he could be the US-CIA’s mind. The US has the history of using well known personalities in the Philippines to neutralize or counter those who they think are beginning to rebel against their dictate. That’s what happened to Marcos. The US used Ramos and his group. Anyway, I personally don’t believe that Lacson takes order from the US. That’s the least I could suspect about him.
Correction: US-CIA’s man (not mind). Between politics and being a military or US spy, I would believe the former about Lacson. But who knows, Lacson might really be doing his job. He is up against the powerful people and groups. Lacson is in favor of Reproductive Health Bill which the Catholic Church opposes. Lacson has not absolved Bro. Mike Velarde’s role in that C-5 Road extension. Lacson has differences with Erap. Lacson has much to lose than gain in his fight with Villar and the other groups. So, I think he’s just really after the truth.
*******
huh? strong? weak? taliwas yata?
# norpil Says:
September 26th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
a pinoy will always be a pinoy kahit di na siya citizen ng pinas.
….That’s right. Why is this Dinapinoy using such a handle in this blog?
On the Level.