Month: December 2009

Congress holds joint session on 1959

Published by Ellen on December 10, 2009

by VERA Files

Congress convened Wednesday its historic joint session to discuss the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao following the Nov. 23 massacre that left 57 people dead, including 30 journalists, in the country’s worst election-related violence.

Legislators grilled Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Philippine National Police Chief Jesus Versoza on the basis for Proclamation 1959 signed by President Gloria Arroyo last week.

The joint session, which started shortly after 4 p.m., lasted six hours. Outside Congress, opponents of martial law held a rally urging the revocation of Proclamation 1959.

Click here for VERA Files photojournalist Mario Ignacio’s photos.

“Where is the President?”
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Lawmakers Wednesday cited the glaring absence of the commander in chief, who declared martial law in Maguindanao province, during the first joint session of Congress.

Day of mourning, indignation

Published by Ellen on December 10, 2009

by VERA Files

Never again to martial law. Justice for the victims of Maguindanao massacre. Stop killing journalists.

These were the resounding messages in Wednesday’s media-led indignation rally at the Chino Roces (formerly Mendiola) Bridge held to demand justice for victims of the Nov. 23 massacre in Maguindanao and protest the imposition of martial rule in the province.

Black was the color of the day. Participants from different sectors mostly wore black clothes and arm bands to assail the attacks on the media, rule of law, and accountability.

VERA Files photojournalist Mario Ignacio and trustee Chit Estella share their photos:

Click here (VERA Files).

A portion of the statement by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility:

Nakakabahalang kalakaran sa Comelec

Published by Ellen on December 9, 2009

Makalintal: Padaca victim of Comelec clique

Matindi itong si Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer.

Si Ferrer and presiding commissioner ng second division ng Comelec.Noong Lunes, sa isang nakakagulat na desisyon, idineklara nina Ferrer na si Benjamin Dy, kandidato ng Lakas- Kampi, raw ang nanalo laban kay Grace Padaca (Liberal Party) sa 2007 na eleksyun para gubernador ng Isabela.

Nakakagulat kasi nanalo si Padaca, isang Ramon Magsaysay awardee, noong 2007 na may 237,128 na boto laban kay Dy na nakakuha lamang ng 220,121 na boto. Kaya lamang ng 17,007 na boto.

The disciple disagrees with the master

Published by Ellen on December 8, 2009

Related updates:

SC:no TRO

Verafiles: SC chief raises concern over martial law in Maguindanao

Gloria Arroyo, the brazen violator of the Constitution, will love constitutionalist, Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J. for this.

Bernas, in his column in the Inquirer says, “ for purposes of constitutional law is satisfied if there exists an armed force whose activities have the effect of preventing the government from implementing its laws in any part of the Philippines.”

The Supreme Court deferred the issuance of a temporary restraining order against the implementation of Proclamation 1959 imposing martial law in Maguindanao.

Instead, the high court ordered President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to comment on the various petitions filed questioning the constitutionality of the proclamation, high court deputy spokesman Gleo Guerra said at a press conference today.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20091208-240833/Supreme-Court-defers-ruling-on-martial-law

His student, lawyer Edwin Lacierda, calls his mentor’s opinion “reckless” and “dangerous”.

Bernas, furthermore, expects Arroyo getting her way both in the Congress and the Supreme Court. “ I do not see either the Supreme Court or Congress revoking her decision now.”

Lacierda said, “With opinions like these, talo na tayo sa boxing bago pa pumasok sa ring!”

Read the two views on Proclamation 1959.

No joint session today; postponed to tomorrow, Wednesday

Published by Ellen on December 8, 2009

The joint session of Congress on Proclamation 1959 declaring martial law in Maguindanao and suspension of writ of habeas corpus will be tomorrow, Wednesday starting at 4 p.m.

Representatives of both chambers of the Legislature agreed late last night on the rules of the joint session. Those rules will be approved in separate regular sessions today.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said they expect the joint sessions to last two or three days because they will be inviting resource speakers. Among them, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, AFP Chief Victor Ibrado, PNP Chief Jesus Versoza, Justice Secetary Agnes Devanadera, Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, and others.

The voting will be jointly, where it is expectred that the pro-martial law Arroyo allies will drown out the anti-martial legislators.

Si Arroyo pa ba ang nagpapatakbo ng pamahalaan?

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2009

Related update: Comelec wants election paraphernalia recovered from Ampatuans

Bakit ba hindi lumalabas si Gloria Arroyo para magsalita sa napaka-mahalagang bagay na nagyayari sa bansa: ang pagdeklara ng martial law.

Kahit sa Maguindanao lang ang deklarasyon, isang mahalagang desisyun yun at walang presidente ang gumawa nun mula nang maibalik ang demokrasya sa Pilipinas.

Bakit si Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita ang pumirma ng deklarasyon pati ang report na kanyang pinadala sa Kongreso? Kahit sa TV, hindi siya lumabas para ipahayag itong mahalagang proklamasyun.

Siya pa ba ang nagpapatakbo ng Pilipinas? O puppet na lang siya nina Ermita at mga tinatawag na “hardliners”sa Malacañang.

Gloria’s justification of Proclamation 1959

Published by Ellen on December 6, 2009

Trillanes on Maguindanao martial law: ‘GMA can’t be trusted’ The primary issue at hand is not whether the declaration of Martial Law is the right…

A grand setup in the making

Published by Ellen on December 6, 2009

Let us beware. Let us not be lulled into another legal shortcut by Gloria Arroyo.

Things are jelling:

A top military official recommended that the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao be extended to cover the May, 2010 elections.

Major General Gaudencio Pangilinan, vice chief of staff for operations,
said the extension would be needed to allow government troops to hunt down more suspects in Maguindanao massacre ..

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20091206-240492/AFP-official%E2%80%93Keep-Maguindanao-martial-law-till-polls

We should learn our lesson from what happened in January 2001 when we closed our eyes or even aided her in grabbing power from an elected, although incompetent, president.

Since then, she has made a mockery of the Constitution and perverted democratic institutions. And we allowed her. She got away with subverting the will of the people in the 2004 elections. She got away with multi-billion scandals. Why then would she stop?

Last Friday, she issued Proclamation 1959, another proof of her contempt for the law and condescending attitude towards the Filipino people. If she gets away with 1959, she would be encouraged to impose Martial Law in the whole country.

PNP: Government troops seize more guns in Maguindanao; 47 persons arrested

Published by Ellen on December 6, 2009

(Take note of the spin of “armed plot to resist government takeover…” Where is murder, which was the beginning of all these?)

From the Philippine National Police Public Information Office:

Government security forces seized more high-powered weapons in Maguindanao as intensified operations went underway to arrest and disarm all persons behind an armed plot to resist government takeover of vital local government functions in the province.

At 10:40 a.m. Sunday, police and military troops raided a ranch owned by Maguindanao governor Datu Andal Amptauan Sr in Barangay Limpongo, Datu Hoffer town.

Initial reports reaching PNP Chief, Director general Jesus A. Verzosa, indicate that search operations continue in the ranch after the raiding team found a strash of 39 assorted high-powered gunds including two M60 high machineguns, a grenade launcher and a Cal. 50 and Cal. 30 machine guns.

Martial law para itikom ang bibig ng mga Ampatuan

Published by Ellen on December 5, 2009

Ito kaya ang tunay na dahilan bakit nagdeklara ng martial law si Gloria Arroyo sa Maguindanao:

Sabi ni North Cotabato Vice-governor Manny Piñol nabalitaan niyang tinatakot ng mga Ampatuan si Gloria Arroyo na kakanta tungkol sa dayaan noong 2004 eleksyun kung ilalaglag siya.

“Ang sabi ng ibang mga miyembro ng Ampatuan clan, kung bibitawan sila ni Pangulong Arroyo, sasabihin din nila ang lahat.”sabi ni Piñol..

Narinig rin namin yun. May umuugong na balita na bina-blackmail ng mga Ampatuan si Arroyo. Hawak pa rin daw nila ang orihinal na dokumento noong 2004 eleksyun. Siguro mga election returns o certificate of canvass.