November 2008 – Page 4 – ellen tordesillas

CBCP head rejects Arroyo’s call for ‘political ceasefire’

Published by Ellen on November 9, 2008

The head of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) rejected over the weekend Malacañang’s call for a political ceasefire, once again stressing that the issue was about corruption.

CBCP president and Jaro archbishop Angel Lagdameo said the call for a change in government that he and four other bishops made is not for political but for moral change.

“Kung ang ating sinasabi ay pagpuna sa mga maling gawain, hindi lang naman yan sa government kundi sa lahat na pati sa lahat ng antas or level ng ating society. Sapagkat ang corruption ay hindi lang naman nasa gobyerno kundi maging sa iba’t-ibang antas ng ating society,” Lagdameo said over Church-run Radio Veritas.

Multuhin sana sila ni Marlene Esperat

Published by Ellen on November 8, 2008

marlene-esperat Ito ang nasabi ng abogadong si Harry Roque nang malaman niya na ibinasura ng Ombudsman ang kasong isinampa ni Marlene Esperat laban kina Agriculture Sec. Arthur Yap, dating Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante, sa salang ilegal na paggamit ng pondo ng bayan.

Ito ang kasong kaugnay sa P728 milyon para sa abono ng mahihirap na magsasaka na ginamit para pambili ng boto para kay Gloria Arroyo noong eleksyon ng 2004.

Ang resolusyon ay inaprubahan ni Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro at Assistant Ombudsman Jose de Jesus Jr base sa rekomendasyon ni Director Elvira Chua ng Preliminary Investigation, Administrative Adjudication and Monitoring Bureau ng Ombudsman.

Siyempre lahat yun aprubado ni Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez na kaklase at matalik na kaibigan ni Mike Arroyo.

You put this blog where it is now. Thank you very much.

Published by Ellen on November 8, 2008

Ratified.org, one of the leading blog ranking sites in the Philippine blogosphere, recently released the list of the Philippines Top 100 Blogs of 2008. The said list contains the top blogs that has had the most growth during the year of 2008 based on their Ratified statistics.

Here is the top 100 list:

There are two parts in this report. The first one focused on the top fifty blogs where we have established some base data at the start of this year. We wrote to the bloggers that made it to the first part of the list for further information, asking them to share the story behind their growth, and be featured here. Here are some of them.

1. Jehzlau Concepts (http://www.jehzlau-concepts.com)
2. Selaplana (http://www.selaplana.com)
3. Pinoy R.N (http://filipinonurse.blogspot.com)
4. Gio’s WeBlog (http://www.isulongseophil.com)
5. Yugatech (http://www.yugatech.com/blog)
6. Macuha (http://www.macuha.com)
7. Our Awesome Planet (http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com)
8. EntrePinoys Atbp. (http://www.mixph.com)
9. PinoyBlogoSphere (http://www.pinoyblogosphere.com)
10. Ellen Tordesillas (http://www.ellentordesillas.com)
11. Blog ni Inday (http://www.blogniinday.com)
12. Make Money Online with a 13 Year Old (http://www.carlocab.com)
13. The Filipino Entrepreneur (http://www.thefilipinoentrepreneur.com)
14. Tech At Hand (http://www.techathand.net)
15. Philippine Travel Blog (http://www.pinoytravelblog.com)
16. Julia Aquino (http://julia-aquino.blogspot.com)
17. PinoyBlogero (http://www.pinoyblogero.com)
18. Bakla Ako, May Reklamo? (http://www.baklaako.com)
19. FruityOaty (http://www.fruityoaty.com)
20. 5ThirthyOne (http://www.5thirtyone.com)

Ombudsman junks Esperat case versus Bolante

Published by Ellen on November 7, 2008

Related article in Verafiles : Coverup, whitewash seen in Bolante case

by Johanna Camille Sisante
GMANews.TV

The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday junked the 2004 case filed by slain journalist Marlene Esperat against Agriculture Sec. Arthur Yap, former Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante, and other officials over the illegal use of public funds.

In a telephone interview with GMANews.TV, Anna Sanchez – media officer of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez – confirmed the ruling on Esperat’s complaint but did not disclose any further details, saying a press conference will be held Monday regarding the resolution.

Lawyer Harry Roque, who has made it a personal crusade to find truth and justice in the fertilizer scam, said: “I hope that Merceditas Gutierrez can explain that to the children of Marlene Esperat who all witnessed her gruesome murder.

Continue readingOmbudsman junks Esperat case versus Bolante

Prosecution in Feb ’06 mutiny case says they were “trapped’ by defense lawyers

Published by Ellen on November 6, 2008

The prosecution in the court martial trial of 28 officers accused of mutiny in February 2006 said they were “trapped” into giving out their evidence which were “hypothetically” accepted by the defense as true. The defense is going to use the prosecution’s evidence as basis to ask the court to dismiss the case because they cannot sustain the charge of mutiny.
More of this in my column Monday.

Malaya’s report:

Mutiny lawyer to file motion to dismiss

by Victor Reyes

The defense panel in the court martial of 28 Army and Marine officers linked to the alleged attempt to overthrow the Arroyo government in 2004 yesterday renewed its bid for the military tribunal to dismiss the mutiny charges against the accused.

Lagdameo denies Andaya spin on projects

Published by Ellen on November 6, 2008

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya went to see Archbishop Angel Lagdameo Tuesday night, a week after the latter called for the people to prepare for a “new government now.” Andaya told reporters that they have forged a “partnership” with the CBCP. Lagdameo denies it.

Malaya’s account:

Archbishop Angel Lagdameo yesterday said the Church has not agreed to forge a “partnership” with the government in monitoring the implementation of projects and programs as part of efforts to prevent corruption.

What was discussed with government officials, led by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, Tuesday night was that the Church would be given a list of ongoing projects, said Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

What to expect of Obama presidency

Published by Ellen on November 5, 2008

Washington — Barack Obama’s victory in the 2008 presidential election puts a Democrat in charge of the White House for the first time since Bill Clinton left office in January 2001.

Below are some of the possible consequences of the move:

• Obama has promised an orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and a greater focus on the war in Afghanistan. Democrats will call on him to carry out his pledge, but the gains that have been made in Iraq in recent months may make it tempting for Obama to stop short of his pledge to pull out one combat brigade per month until they are all withdrawn.

Sa wakas, nagdesisyon si JDV

Published by Ellen on November 5, 2008

Mabuti naman at pumirma ng impeachment complaint laban kay Gloria Arroyo si dating House Speaker Jose de Venecia.

Kailangan maghanap ng ibang panlalait ang mga kaalyado ni Gloria Arroyo sa pang-apat na impeachment complaint na isinampa laban sa pekeng presidente.

Parang hindi nga tama pagsamahin ang “impeachment” at “pekeng presidente” kasi ang ini-impeach lamang ay ang legal na presidente. Ang mga peke kasi dapat tinatapon. Kaya lang, ganyan talaga sa Pilipinas.

Bolante just might get his wish

Published by Ellen on November 4, 2008

Joc-joc Bolante, the best friend of Mike Arroyo whom the Filipino people want to account for the P2.8 billion of money for agriculture which he diverted to the campaign funds of Gloria Arroyo in May 2004, should be reminded that God, in his unfathomable wisdom, just might grant his wish for an illness that would incapacitate him to go anywhere including the Senate investigation.

A source at St. Luke’s Hospital said the doctors are having a hard time looking for an “illness” which Bolante can use to justify his inability to withstand the stress of lying under the intense questioning of the senators.

As of Monday, six days after Bolante arrived Tuesday night in a wheelchair, his hand on his chest as if in pain, the medical bulletin issued by his attending physician,Dr. Romeo Saavedra (also the doctor of Mike Arroyo) said “the patient’s chest pains are due to findings of gastric ulcers and esophagitis.”

That validates the joke going around that Bolante’s blood pressure is 110 over acting.

Photo contest on climate change

Published by Ellen on November 4, 2008

Entries to the photo contest on climate change maybe submitted online. Details below.

JOIN THE EC-PCP PHOTO CONTEST ON CLIMATE CHANGE!!!!!

1. Who may join: The competition is open to all Filipino photojournalists and photography enthusiasts except for staff of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines.

2. Photographs, published or unpublished, taken in the Philippines from June 2007 to November 2008 covering the theme “Climate Change in the Philippines” are eligible as entries.

Month: November 2008