July 2009 – Page 2 – ellen tordesillas

Interesting Taguig politics

Published by Ellen on July 23, 2009

But the battle for the congressional seat of the second district of Taguig City will not be just between Reyes and Tinga because there’s another candidate that will make it interesting: 39-years old former Navy Lieutenant senior grade James Layug.

The other day, there were two stories on reversals of results of the 2004 elections. One was the case of Angelito “Jett” Reyes against incumbent Henry Duenas of the second district of Taguig City and the other one is the protest of Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel versus Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, notoriously known as the senator from Maguindanao.

Pimentel said in the recount by the Senate Electoral Tribunal of the questioned votes of the 2007 elections, he is already ahead of Zubiri by 96,400. This is the reason why he has declined the invitation of former President Estrada to join his senatorial slate.

The press release from Reyes, son of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, said he was ecstatic over the decision of the Supreme Court, by a 7-5 vote to deny a petition for certiorari filed by Henry Duenas to stop the recounting of the 2007 election results in second district of Taguig City.

Ex-defense chief Nonong Cruz: Defy unlawful orders

Published by Ellen on July 23, 2009

Malacanang’s reactions:: Never did GMA think of declaring martial law

Hallucination

Cruz urges soldiers to stay loyal to Constitution

By Philip Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Warning about a “disturbing pattern” showing that the Arroyo administration will try to perpetuate itself in power, former Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr. Wednesday urged soldiers to defy “patently unlawful orders” for partisan political ends and for subverting the Constitution.

Speaking at a forum of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Pasig City, Cruz accused President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of masterminding moves in Congress to amend the Constitution without the Senate’s consent.

Cruz, who resigned as defense secretary on Nov. 5, 2006, said he was confident that any attempt to usurp power would fail, but even a failed attempt could result in “bloodshed” and other devastating consequences for the country.

Hiling ni Cory: milagro para sa bayan

Published by Ellen on July 22, 2009

Talaga namang kahanga-hanga si Cory Aquino sa pagmamahal sa bayan.

Sabi ng isang pari na nag-alay ng misa para sa kanya, tinanong siya kung humihingi siya ng milagro para gumaling siya, sabi ng 76-taong gulang na dating presidente, “Hindi. Hinhingi ko ang milagro para sa bayan.”

Sabi ni Kris noong linggo sa “The Buzz” na hirap na hirap ang nanay niya sa sakit na colon cancer. Stage 4 na ang kanyang cancer sa colon ng ito ay nadiskubre. Kapag stage 4, malala na yan ngunit walang makapagsabi na ikay ay mamatay na. Diyos lamang ang makapag-sabi niyan.

Lahat-lahat tayo ay mamatay. Dumadaan lang tayo dito sa mundo. Magkakaiba lang tayo ng skedyul at ng paraan ng biyahe sa ating hantungan.

Double, triple dipping

Published by Ellen on July 21, 2009

Last Monday , Yvonne Chua of VERA Files came out with a report about the gross lopsidedness of the Smartmatic-Total Information Management contract with the Commission on Elections for computerized elections next year.

VERA Files said Smartmatic-TIM will get close to P3 billion, or 40 percent of the contract amount of the P7.2 billion even before it delivers all the 82,200 counting machines to be used in the elections.

Bloggers in my site further dissected the contract which was posted by VERA Files in its site (www.verafiles.org). Their discoveries are startling.

Melo defends initial payments

Published by Ellen on July 21, 2009

by Gerard Naval
Malaya

From the Inquirer: SC sees no need for a TRO on payments

Elections chair Jose Melo yesterday rejected the call of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) to withhold the initial payment to Smartmatic/Total Management Information for the 2010 poll automation contract saying it would be tantamount to the complete stoppage of the entire project.

“It’s almost like imposing a temporary restraining order on ourselves,” he told reporters.

“Why should we not pay them if they were able to deliver? They might not send their next deliverables if we don’t pay the previous deliverables,” Melo told reporters.

Hindi solusyon ang pagshortcut ng batas

Published by Ellen on July 20, 2009

Gusto ko talaga na magiging automated o computerized na ang eleksyon sa 2010 para mabawasan ang dayaan.

Sa bilangan kasi ang malakihang dayaan. Kaya kapag hindi manual (yung tao ang magbibilang), naniniwala ako na mababawasan ang dayaan.

Dapat masaya tayo na naayos kontrata ng Smartmatic-TIM at Comelec at tuloy-tuloy na ang computerized election. Kaya lang, mukhang maraming nakatagong mga hindi kanais-nais itong kontrata na ngayon lang lumalabas.Kapag kwestyunable ang kumpanya, medyo nakakatakot sa laki at napaka-importante ng kontratang ito.

Smartmatic TIM to get windfall even before delivering counting machines

Published by Ellen on July 20, 2009

by Yvonne T. Chua VERA Files The winner of the government’s P7.2 billion automated elections project will get close to P3 billion, or 40 percent…

A night of Japanese Harmony

Published by Ellen on July 19, 2009

When the poignant sound of “Amazing Grace” in violin and flute wafted through the darkened Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino theater at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, I knew we were going to have an unforgettable evening.

When the lights were on, Risa Kataoka performed John Newton’s inspiring song in koto, a traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument.

Kataoka was a member of the J-Classics quartet who were flown in by the Japanese government as part of the celebration of Philippine-Japan friendship this month. The three others were violinist Ayako Ishikawa, flutist Takako Hagiwara and pianist Susumu Aoyagi.

Si Obama para sa Amerika; para kanino si Arroyo?

Published by Ellen on July 18, 2009

Ang daming haka-haka kung bakit inimbita si Gloria Arroyo sa White House sa Hulyo 30.

Sa akin, kung ano man yun, dapat palagi natin isipin na ang ating kapakanan ay ating responsibilidad. Hindi natin dapat i-asa kay Pangulong Barack Obama ng Amerika.

Kahit na mas desente naman tao si Obama kaysa kay George W. Bush, ang obligasyon pa rin niya ay sa mga Amerikano. Kung magkasalungat ang interest ng Pilipino at Amerikano, obligasyon ni Obama na ipaglaban ang interest ng Amerikano.

No, no, no, to Gloria Arroyo beyond June 2010

Published by Ellen on July 18, 2009

70% oppose Cha-Cha to extend PGMA’s term;55% believe she is behind current Cha-Cha efforts

Social Weather Station asked respondents, “Kayo po ba ay sang-ayon o hindi sang-ayon sa Charter Change na papayagan si Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo na manatili bilang Pinunong opisyal ng Pilipinas nang lampas sa Hunyo 30, 2010?” (Are you for or against a Charter Change that will allow President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to still be the chief official of the Philippines after June 30, 2010?).

The answer of 70 per cent was a resounding “No.”

SWS again asked if they believed “that Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is behind the current efforts to amend the Constitution in order to extend her term beyond 2010” (“na si Pang. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang nasa likod ng kasalukuyang tangkang pagbabago ng Konstitusyon upang palawigin ang kanyang termino lagpas sa 2010”) and majority (55 percent) said “Yes”.

Month: July 2009