Year: 2010

Aquino’s unshaken trust on Versoza

Published by Ellen on September 16, 2010

President Aquino’s trust and admiration of recently retired Philippine National Police Chief Jesus Versoza have remained unshaken despite the Aug. 23 tragedy and the jueteng exposé of retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz.

In his speech during the PNP change of command ceremony last Tuesday, Aquino heaped praises on Versoza.

He said: “At tiyak po akong aabutin tayo ng gabi dito kung iisa-isahin pa natin ang mga tagumpay ni General Versoza. Kaya naman po kasama ko ang sambayanang Pilipino sa paghahayag ng taos-pusong pasasalamat sa tapat at mahusay na pamumuno niya sa PNP.
“Sa loob ng halos apat na dekada, isinabuhay niya ang tapang, disiplina at propesyonalismo. Sa kabila ng kislap ng maraming medalyang iginawad sa kanya, namayani pa rin ang kanyang sinseridad at prinsipyo, dahil batid niyang ang pinakamalaking gawad na maibibigay ninuman ay ang tiwala ng taumbayan sa kapulisan.

“ Sa likod ng sangkatutak na batikos at pamumulitikang kanyang pinagdaanan, hinarap niya ang mga ito nang may integridad at walang kinikilingan upang maitama ang anumang pagkakamali, at patuloy na mapaigting ang interes ng sambayan.”

Palace cures defective Romulo appointment

Published by Ellen on September 15, 2010

VERA Files Malacañang has antedated the appointment papers of Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo to cure the original that the Commission on Appointments found defective. Romulo,…

Puno, Versoza named as jueteng payola recipients

Published by Ellen on September 15, 2010

President Aquino, you have the names. The ball is in your court.

From ABS-CBN online

Ibinunyag ng isang opisyal ng simbahan at isang mataaas na opisyal ng gobyerno na sina DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno at kareretirong PNP chief na si Jesus Versoza ang umanoy dalawang mataas na opisyal ng tumatanggap ng payola sa jueteng.

Dalawang mapagkakatiwalaang source ng ABS-CBN — isang opisyal ng simbahan at isang mataas ng opisyal ng gobyerno — ang nagbunyag na sina Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Rico Puno at retired Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa ang umano’y mga opisyal na nadadawit sa jueteng payola.

Kuwento ng dalawa, P5 milyon umano ang ibinibigay sa dalawang opisyal kada buwan at P2 milyon lamang kung mahina ang kita.

Isang retired Colonel Cachuela ang tinuturong bagman umano o tagabigay ng pera.

‘Smoking gun’ testimony versus Ampatuans

Published by Ellen on September 15, 2010

Ex-househelp said Ampatuans planned to surrender Andal Jr to Gloria Arroyo

Ampatuan gave millions in bribe to officials

by Ces Drilon
ABS-CBN

Lakmudin Saliao — Saliao (from ABS-CBN online)

Fearless and direct to the point. This was how people described the testimony of former Ampatuan helper Lakmudin “Laks” Saliao against his former employers in the first trial day of the Maguindanao massacre case on Wednesday (September 8).

Saliao was an aide of Andal Ampatuan Sr..

Saliao testified that the Ampatuan family met twice before the massacre, where they discussed how to stop Esmael Mangudadatu from filing his certificate of candidacy for governor of Maguindanao.

Saliao said Ampatuan Sr. asked his family if they agreed with the plan to kill all the people in the Mangudadatu convoy. Saliao recalled that people laughed upon hearing the Ampatuan patriarch’s question, and then agreed to the plan.

Ang milagro na si George Francis

Published by Ellen on September 14, 2010

GulfAirBaby_[raoul_esperas] — Photo by Raoul Esperas from ABS-CBN online

Nakaka-panghilakbot na nakakamangha na nakaka-pukaw damdamin itong kwento ng sanggol na iniwan sa basurahan sa eroplano noong Linggo.

Talagang tunay na survivor.

Pinangalanan ng mga empleyado ng Manila International Airport Authority ang sanggol na si “George Francis” o GF, initial ng Gulf Air sa aviation industry.

Ito ang report tungkol kay George Francis: Dumating ang Gulf Air galing Bahrain sa NAIA 11:18 ng umaga noong Linggo. Nang naglilinis ang mga sanitary personnel ng eroplano, nakita nila ang sanggol na lalaki nakabalot sa tissue paper napkins na puno ng dugo. Nang nilinisan nila ang bibig, umiyak ang sanggol. Sinabi nila sa security at itinakbo kaagad sa airport clinic.

SC suspends impeachment proceedings vs Ombudsman

Published by Ellen on September 14, 2010

Are we surprised?

From ABS-CBN Online

The Supreme Court has temporarily stopped the House of Representatives from hearing the 2 impeachment complaints filed against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Court Administrator and SC spokesman Jose Midas Marquez confirmed the news Tuesday, a day after Gutierrez filed the petition.

Eight magistrates supposedly ruled in favor of Gutierrez, citing the one-year ban rule in lodging impeachment cases, a source said.

Three magistrates ruled against the status quo ante order, which mandates parties to set aside all actions so far rendered on the issue. They are: Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Conchita Carpio Morales, and Ma. Lourdes Sereno.

The source said most of the 8 magistrates are familiar faces, who also voted to give then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo the leeway to choose the next chief justice despite a supposed constitutional ban on appointments.

Jueteng update: just a change of collectors

Published by Ellen on September 12, 2010

The latest exposé of retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz on jueteng should be another wake up call to President Aquino that something is wrong with the setup that he has created at the Department of Interior and Local Government where he stripped the secretary of supervision over of the Philippine National Police, a vital element in local governance.

Inquirer reported that Cruz said two of Aquino’s trusted officials are receiving a minimum of P2 million monthly payola from jueteng. He gave a clue: the two hold security-related positions which include eradication of the illegal numbers game. Another clue: “One of them began getting his share of the other, who came into the picture fairly recently.”

Update: In his appearance in ABS-CBN’s “Umaga Kay Ganda”, Puno categorically denied accepting jueteng money. “Hindi po.Walang nagbigay. Kung may magbibigay, hindi ko tatanggapin.”

Cruz, who was also a studio guest, declined to name the two officials of the Aquino administration resorting to “Secret” when pressed by host Anthony Taberna. He however said they are more than two actually but the officials are “not in a cabinet position.” One, he said, “malapit na.”

He also said there are also jueteng lords who are governors, unlike before when the governors were just jueteng beneficiaries. Although he declined to name the governor-jueteng lords, he said jueteng is rampant in Regions One (Ilocos), Two, (Cagayan Valley) and Four (Calabarzon and Mimaropa).

On Puno,Cruz said, he is impressed by the targets that he has set.

On putting the burden of proof on him, Cruz said, “Na sa inyo ang kapulisan, ang NBI. Be fair. Ibig sabihin kung wala kaming input, wala kayong magagawa?” (You have the police and NBI. Be fair. You mean if we don’t give you inputs, there’s nothing that you can do?)

Cruz practically cleared Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo saying the arrangement in the DILG where the latter is confined to “ a comprehensive plan on delivering social services to and relocating informal settlers in coordination with the local governments” while he retained direct supervision of the Philippine National Police.

James Yap

Published by Ellen on September 11, 2010

with james, charmaine and pong — Charmaine Deogracias, Pong Querubin, James, myself

Noong Huwebes, habang nagku-cover kami ng court martial hearing ng mga opisyal na sangkot sa 2006 na tangkang pagpatalsik daw ka Gloria Arroyo, natanggap ko ang text ng isang kaibigan ko na matalik na kaibigan ni James Yap.

Siguro naman hindi ko na kailangan sabihin dito kung sino si James Yap.

Sabi ng kaibigan ko, bibisitahin daw niya si James sa St Luke’s hospital sa The Fort dahil magpapa-opera sa ilong. Gusto daw ba namin sumama? Tuwing Sabado kasi, nagkikita-kita kaming magkakaibigan sa isang restaurant para magkuwentuhan. Palagi naming sinasabi, dalhin mo nga dito si James Yap.

Ang unang reaksyun ko sa text niya, bakit ako pupunta, hindi naman niya ako close friend. Baka maka-istorbo pa ako. Si Charmaine Deogracias naman ng NHK TV, excited kaagad. Sumama na rin ako.

Mabuti pala sumama ako at naka-usap ko first time itong sikat na basketbolista na asawa ni Kris Aquino. (Siguro naman hindi ko na rin kailangan sabihin kung sino si Kris Aquino.)

Why a Joint AFP-PNP Elite Security Force would fail

Published by Ellen on September 10, 2010

by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

Yesterday, at a press conference, Pres. Aquino announced his plan to create a security force similar to the British SAS composed of around 200 to 400 police and military personnel to be deployed during crisis situations. This was a policy response to the Aug. 23 Hostage Crisis that led to the death of 8 Hong Kong tourists. On its face, such creation seems responsive to the crisis capability issues of our security forces that were brought to light by the Aug. 23 incident. However, upon close scrutiny, there may be some underlying problems that may hinder its success in the future.

1. Unity of Command – The basic question is, who shall head this composite elite force: a PNP or AFP officer? Or would it be a set-up where both a PNP and AFP officer would be designated as “co-commanders” to accommodate the egos of these two institutions? In either case, we can see potential power struggles within such a composite unit. If there would be a single commander, cohesion would be a major problem because the reality on the ground is, AFP personnel don’t take it too well to be ordered around by a PNP officer and vice versa. There are vast differences in culture and training that cannot suddenly be expected to disappear just because they now belong to a common unit.

In the case of a “co-commandership” set-up similar to what PNoy did to the DILG and his Communications Group, professional rivalry would set in and the power struggle for authority, resources, training and even credit would even be more pronounced.

Transcript of President Aquino’s interview with three TV anchors

Published by Ellen on September 10, 2010

Gleaning from this interview, do you still believe heads will roll aside from probably Gen. Rodolfo Magtibay?

Click here for GMA-7’s video of the interview.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Today marks one year since the President declared his candidacy. We have traveled far since then. This afternoon, for the first time, the President engages the three major networks on the August 23 tragedy, no holds barred. The order in which they will ask questions has been determined by the drawing of lots. There will be one question and one follow-up question for each panelist. Joining us are Ms. Mel Tiangco, anchor of GMA 7’s “24 ORAS”; Mr. Ted Failon, anchor of ABS-CBN’s “TV Patrol”, and Mr. Paolo Bediones, anchor of TV 5’s “Aksyon”. Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the Philippines.

P-NOY: Mel, Ted, Paolo, good afternoon. I would like to thank TV 5, ABS-CBN and the GMA network, and all our friends in the media for agreeing to this one of a kind panel discussion. As you know, in the wake of the hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand, your government has launched an independent and transparent investigation into the events of August 23. I am confident that the results of the investigation will be fair, impartial and thorough. We have also begun efforts to improve the capability of our police forces to better handle situations like this should they arise again in the future. We are also examining our internal processes and crisis management protocols to see how they can be improved.