October 2008 – Page 4 – ellen tordesillas

Impeach raps set vs Arroyo, again

Published by Ellen on October 10, 2008

Complaint to be filed Saturday, Sunday, Monday

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
Inquirer.net

An impeachment complaint will be filed against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for three consecutive days, starting Saturday, a private lawyer said Friday.

Harry Roque of the University of the Philippines Law Center said the impeachment complaint would be filed at the House of Representatives at 7 p.m., Saturday, exactly a year after the filing of a similar case; 12 midnight, Sunday, to mark the end of the one-year ban under the Constitution; and at 9 a.m., Monday, when he and other petitioners would personally go to the House to file the complaint.

Roque said the same complaint would be filed on separate days to ensure that no other complaint would slip past the group.

Vicious Erap rumor

Published by Ellen on October 9, 2008

There are vicious email and text messages being passed around about former President Joseph Estrada alleged sexual relationship with his spokesperson, Margaux Salcedo.

It’s not true.

The ugly message was sent to me by a certain “Natividad Balete”. The blog which was opened only less than two weeks ago is titled “Filipina ako so what.”

The writer says he was formerly an Erap fan but is disgusted by what the former president did to his wife, Dr. Loi Estrada. The story is that Loi caught Erap in a compromising situation with his young and pretty spokesperson. It even alleges that Margaux is pregnant and that, just like with other Erap mistresses, he is building her a house.

Tagapagtanggol ng mga kriminal

Published by Ellen on October 8, 2008

Pinapalabas nina Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez at Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita na nagbayad na sina Claudio Teehankee, Jr. at Rolito Go, mga kilalang kriminal, sa pamilya ng kanilang mga pinatay kaya pwede na silang pakawalan.

Mali! Kaya nang-gagalaiti sa galit ang pamilyang Hultman, mga magulang ni Maureen Hultman, na pinatay ni Teehankee noong 1991, kasama ang kanyang kaibigan na si Roland Chapman. Ganoon din si Grace Maguan, kapatid ni Eldon, na pinatay ni Rolito Go dahil sa alitan sa traffic noong 1991.

Pinakawalan si Teehankee noong Biyernes na walang konsultasyon sa kanyang mga biktima. Sinabi pa ni Ermita na hindi naman daw humarang sina Hultman sa pagbigay ng clemency kay Teehankee. Yun daw ang basehan ng desisyon ni Gloria Arroyo.

SC affirms Trillanes ban from Senate

Published by Ellen on October 8, 2008

by Tetch Torres
Inquirer.net

It’s final. Senator Antonio Trillanes cannot attend official functions and receive members of his staff in his detention cell in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, the Supreme Court has ruled.

In its two-page resolution, the high court dismissed the bid by fellow opposition Senators Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Benigno Aquino III, Rodolfo Biazon, Panfilo Lacson, Loren Legarda, Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal and Manuel Roxas II to allow him to attend Senate sessions and perform his duties as senator.

The high court said the senators’ petition was moot since the matter was decided on with finality last June 27.

The high court has affirmed the decision of Judge Oscar Pimentel of the Makati city regional trial court, saying that Trillanes is a flight risk.

Putting a gun to media’s head

Published by Ellen on October 7, 2008

I texted Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. of my concern about his right of reply bill that was passed by the Senate and is awaiting the House version for consolidation before it is sent to Malacañang for signing into law.

Pimentel is one of authors of the Senate Bill SB 2150 together with Senators Francis Escudero and Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., “An Act granting the Right of Reply and providing penalties for violation thereof.” The House version (HB3306) is authored by Representatives Monico Puentebella (Bacolod city), Juan Edgardo Angara (Aurora), Bienvenido Abante, Jr (Manila ,6th ), Orlando Fua (Siquijor), Jeci Lapus (Tarlac, 3rd), William Irwin Tieng (Buhay), Eduardo Zialcita, 1st Parañaque).

Pimentel, who has fought hard to regain the Filipino people’s freedom suppressed by the Marcos dictatorship, replied: “I guess any one who hasn’t read its contents and intent would be. Briefly, it’s a companion measure to decriminalize libel. Basic intention is to widen, not to limit, freedom of speech. Right to reply will lessen violence against journalists. It has a sunset clause when journalist organizations can police their own ranks.”

Talo ang media, talo ang bayan

Published by Ellen on October 7, 2008

Hindi ako nagtataka na si Rep. Monico Puentebella ay nagsusulong ng bill na labag sa Constitution. Alam naman nating ang suporta ni Puentebella sa isang presidente peke.

Kung kaya mong ipikit ang mata mo sa pandaraya at pagnanakaw ni Gloria Arroyo, ibig sabihin noon hindi mo alam ang diperensya ng tama at ng mali.Kaya hindi ako nagtataka sa kanyang House Bill 3306 na nagu-utos sa media na kapag may sinulat laban sa kanila, ang sagot nila ay dapat ilalabas sa parehong lugar at parehong haba sa lob ng tatlong araw.

Kapag hindi ito ginawa ng diyaryo, reporter or columnist, may kaukulang parusa. Nandyan ang magbabayad ng P50,000 hanggang P200,000. Nandyan rin ang pagkakulong.

Living within one’s means

Published by Ellen on October 6, 2008

The $700 billion bailout package to save the economy of the world’s only superpower is too staggering to comprehend for the ordinary Filipino whose main concern is coping with the rising prices of basic necessities including the shrinking pan de sal.

But whether it’s in the billions of dollars or in the meager Philippine pesos and centavos, the US financial crisis has again reminded us of the folly of a materialistic society and the virtue of living within one’s means.

In an article in the Inquirer, former Economic Planning Secretary Cielito Habito tried to make understandable to non- financial wizards the problem facing the Americans, which has sent shivers all over the world. He said, “Put simply, the plan would permit US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to buy from troubled US financial institutions, using taxpayers’ money, up to $700 billion worth of the so-called ‘toxic mortgages’ or failed subprime loans.

No dial tone

Published by Ellen on October 4, 2008

For almost nine hours today, from a little past 12 to 8:45 pm, all the PLDT lines in Las Piñas were down.

I was not able to send my column to Abante.

But what is exasperating about it is the utter disregard of PLDT, a public utility company, of the need to provide information about the breakdown of their line to those who were affected.

Just like the callousness of Meralco in the aftermath of typhoon Milenyo, a big company like PLDTdidn’t think of assigning someone to answer inquiries of the public.

Chameleon

Published by Ellen on October 4, 2008

Inquirer editorial:

It’s probably too late now to stop Congress from passing the bill compelling media organizations to air the side of anyone who has been criticized or accused of wrongdoing. The Senate version of the bill, principally authored by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., was approved last June, and a counterpart measure, sponsored by Rep. Monico Puentevella of Bacolod City, is scheduled for floor debates anytime soon in the House of Representatives.

The twin measures would require media organizations to publish or broadcast the reply of anyone who has been accused of committing any crime or who has been criticized “by innuendo, suggestion or rumor for any lapses in behavior.” In the House version, the reply must be used not later than one day after delivery, while the Senate version gives a three-day deadline. And it would not be enough to print or broadcast the reply.

It has to be of the same length as the offending article and it must be published on the same space. Failure to comply would merit fines ranging from P10,000 to P50,000 in the Pimentel bill, while in Puentevella’s version the fine could go up to P200,000; offenders could be jailed for a period of up 30 days and the publication or broadcast station could be shut down for a month.

Questions on economy for Arroyo

Published by Ellen on October 2, 2008

Last Wednesday, I wrote about the press conference of Gloria Arroyo with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines that Malacañang press office was working out. It was supposed to have been yesterday.

Malacañang informed Focap that Arroyo would not answer political questions. She would only answer questions “pertaining to the economy and how the current US financial crisis is affecting the Philippines and other Asian countries,” Press Undersecretary Martin Crisostomo said.

Focap did not agree to the restrictions. Malacañang postponed the presscon giving as an excuse Press Secretary Jesus Dureza “not feeling well.” But Dureza was well enough to moderate yesterday’s presscon of the economic managers with the very cooperative Malacañang press corps.

Month: October 2008