August 2009 – Page 2 – ellen tordesillas

Pang-iinis ni Arroyo sa pamilyang Aquino

Published by Ellen on August 24, 2009

Bilib naman talaga ako sa kapal ng mukha at tapang ng apog nitong si Gloria Arroyo at ng kanyang mga alagad.

Sinabi na nga ng pamilyang Aquino na “No, thank you” doon sa kanilang plano na magpatayo ng monumento para kay dating Pangulong Cory Aquino sa Rizal Park, pinagpipilitan pa.

Sabi ni Gary Olivar, dating aktibista ng panahon ni Pangulong Marcos na ngayon ay isa sa tagapagsalita ni Arroyo: “The proposed Rizal Park monument to President Cory is a gift in her honor from the Filipino people and the Philippine government through their elected president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.”

Automated cheating: Garci computerized?

Published by Ellen on August 23, 2009

by Yvonne T. Chua VERA Files What could possibly go wrong in the automated national elections in May 2010? Just because voting will be computerized…

Ike Zaldivar, a gentleman and politician

Published by Ellen on August 23, 2009

Last Thursday, when I was writing my column about “Ninoy, Cory and Evelio” I called up Antique Governor Sally Perez to check on some dates about the role of the late Evelio Javier in the Cory Aquino for President Movement, she mentioned to me that she and her sisters were at the Makati Medical Center because her brother, Ike, was “not well”.

Ike was Enrique Zaldivar, also former governor and representative of Antique. He served as ambassador to Brunei during the Estrada administration.

Ike was one of the accomplished children of the late Supreme Court Justice Calixto Zaldivar, the executive secretary of President Diosdado Macapagal.

Sirkus na eleksyon

Published by Ellen on August 22, 2009

Padami na padami ang mga pangalan na gustong kumandidato para presidente. Mukhang parang sirkus na itong 2010 na eleksyun.

Itong nakaraang linggo, nagdeklara si Mike Velarde ng El Shaddai at si Eddie Villanueva ng Jesus is Lord Movement ng kanilang intensyon na kumandidato para presidente. Tatlo na sila ang galing sa mga grupong religious. Nauna na kasi nagdeklara si Fr. Ed Panlilio, gubernador ng Pampanga.

Kung sabagay, demokrasya tayo at karapatan ng bawat isa ang mangarap. Sa ating Constitution, ang requirement lang naman para kumandidato para presidente ay Filipino citizen at 40 na taong gulang sa araw ng eleksyon (Mayo 10, 2010).

Ninoy, Cory, Evelio

Published by Ellen on August 20, 2009

Update: Former Antique Governor Enrique Zaldivar passed away Friday. His remains lie in state at the Philippine Independence Church Cathedral on Taft Avenue (in front of PGH).

Update: Please see reflections of Precious L. Javier, widow of Evelio Javier, under comments.

When I passed by the statue of Evelio Javier in front of the provincial capitol in San Jose, Antique last Monday, I noticed he was holding a yellow ribbon.

Antique Governor Sally Perez said the yellow ribbon on Evelio’s statue was part of their tribute to former President Aquino. Rightly so because the heroic lives of Evelio and that of Sen. Benigno Aquino, Jr. and President Cory Aquino are inextricably twined.

Although I was born and grew up in Antique, I personally met Evelio Javier when I was covering the Cory Aquino for President Movement in 1985. He and Sally, on loan to CAPM from the University of the Philippines where she was in the staff of UP President Edgardo Angara, were active in soliciting one million signatures prodding Cory to run for president in the 1986 presidential snap election.

Ibang klaseng laban ang nahaharap kina Lim at Querubin

Published by Ellen on August 19, 2009

Ang kalimitan na tanong kay Brig. Gen. Danny Lim ay kung paano siya makakasilbi sa taumbayan kung siya ay maswerteng manalo sa pagka-senador sa eleksyon sa 2010 samantalang nakakulong siya.

Baka raw matulad siya ay Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV na nanalo noong 2007 na eleksyon ngunit hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa nakadalo ni isang sesyon sa Senado dahil hindi siya pinapayagan ng korte na lumabas sa kulungan sa Camp Crame.

Nagparehistro siya bilang botante sa Solano, Nueva Vizcaya noong Martes.

Danny Lim declares senatorial bid

Published by Ellen on August 18, 2009

Warm hometown welcome for his voter registration

by Ashzel Hachero
Malaya

Solano, Nueva Vizcaya-Detained former Scout Ranger regiment commander Brig. General Danilo Lim on Tuesday formalized his intention to run for public office in next year’s election in front of thousands of his cheering “kababayans” and local government officials in his hometown of Solano, Nueva Vizcaya.

In a brief statement in front of the Solano Municipal Hall, a stone’s throw away from his high school alma mater of St. Louis School, the 54-year old Lim formally declared his intention to seek a seat in the Senate saying his detention would not deter his desire to continue the fight for reforms he has long espoused in his 35 years of active military service.

“Today, I formally declare my intention to run for Senator in next year’s elections. My decision was brought about by my drive to pursue reform advocacies I have fought for as a military officer for the past 35 years; and, more importantly, to continue to serve my country and people,” Lim said to cheers and shouts of “Mabuhay si Gen. Lim” by his townmates.

People blame Arroyo for Basilan tragedy

Published by Ellen on August 18, 2009

In the latest tragedy in Basilan where more than 40 lost their lives, 22 of them members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and one from the Philippine National Police, the public’s heart goes out for the soldiers and the police.

But they are angry at Gloria Arroyo, the fake commander-in-chief.

Read and feel the rage of the people:

Ang mga bakwet

Published by Ellen on August 17, 2009

Click here (VERA Files) for an article and podcast of Siti.

Nakilala namin si Babu Siti Sanday, 57 taong gulang na Maguindanaon, na ngayon isa sa mga ‘bakwet’ sa Datu Piang, sa 5th Mindanao Media Summit sa Cagayan de Oro noong Linggo.

Ang ibig sabihin ng ‘bakwet’ at naglilipat ng tirahan. Kadalasan ito ay dahil sa may tinatakbuhan katulad ng giyera.

Patapos na ang 5th Mindanao Media Summit na ginanap sa Marco Hotel nang dumating siya dahil mahaba rin ang kanyang binyahe mula sa evacuation center kung saan magda-dalawang taon na sila doon nakatira kasama ang mga 300,000 na kapwa bakwet.

The Source Code

Published by Ellen on August 16, 2009

It’s good to be back in Cagayan de Oro after so many years.

The 5th Mindanao Media Summit, held last weekend at the Marco Resort Hotel, a 30-minute ride from downtown CDO, has for its theme, “Election 2010, Vote for Change, Vote for Peace.”

I’d like to thank James Jimenez, Comelec’s information officer, for giving me his power point presentation for media in the 2010 elections. I and the participants in the media summit found it very useful.

The Media Summit was made possible by the Asia Foundation, USAID, Embassy of Canada, 7107 Island Cruise, Center for Community Journalism and Development, VERA Files, Smart and Coca-Cola Export Corporation.

It’s a pity that Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento was not able to make it although he sent his prepared speech. I had wanted to ask him about the “Source Code” which he mentioned in his written speech.

Month: August 2009