by Christine O. Avendaño
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Bad news for AFP chief of staff Gen. Delfin Bangit.
Because Congress adjourned on Friday without him getting the nod of the Commission on Appointments, Bangit is deemed bypassed and thus he has to vacate his position and be replaced by his vice chief of staff, Lt. Gen.Rodrigo Maclang, according to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
Enrile said President Macapagal-Arroyo can no longer re-appoint Bangit because of the ban on appointments that is effective until her term ends on June 30.
A friend sent me a partial listing of supposed “midnight” appointees of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Some had to be filled up simply because the offices were vacated, and therefore an appointment in “acting” capacity was required by law. The better option was to name an officer-in-charge (OIC) from any of the undersecretaries or those of lower management rank.
Jesli Lapus was moved from DECS to DTI on March 8, 2010, because Peter Favila who used to be Trade secretary wanted a cushy retirement job as member of the Monetary Board. GMA had to press my good friend Raul Boncan to retire earlier, “for reasons of health”, so as to give way to the desires of Peter.
To replace Jesli at DECS, she resurrected Mona Valisno from retirement and gave her cherished dream of being a line cabinet secretary, at last.
22 BulletsThere is something nicely different with the way French filmmakers narrate their stories.There is subtlety absent in Hollywood movies Filipinos are used to, which makes them absorbing and fascinating.
That’s why the yearly French film festival in Manila is an event film lovers look forward to. That’s why it has lasted this long and still going strong.
In last Tuesday’s preview of the film “La graine et le mulet” (The secret of the grain), Martin Macalintal, head of the audio-visual section of the French Embassy, said in selecting movies to be shown in the festival they always make sure that they are the latest releases. Although there are a number of historical or period films in past festivals, the bulk of the films showcase French contemporary society.
“La Graine et le mulet” is about a 60-year old divorce who was retrenched from his job at the shipyard. In relating how the main character copes with the crisis in his past mid-life (putting up a restaurant that offers couscous , a grain dish, on a junk ship), the film also shows family relationships in today’s France.
Another admirable thing about French films is that their stars are not always the usual young ,handsome and pretty actors and actresses. They stress more on character. And yes, seductive scenes, are part and parcel of French movies.
Screening schedule of La Graine et let mulet: June 4, 6 p.m.;June 6, 3 p.m.;June 9, 3 p.m.;June 11, 9 p.m. and June 13, 9 p.m.
Another film I will make sure not to miss is ” L’immortel” (22 Bullets) starring Jean Reno and directed by Richard Berry. The synopsis says “Charly Mattei has turned over a new leaf and left his criminal past behind. For three years now he has been leading a peaceful existence dedicated to his wife and their two children. However, one winter morning, he is left for dead in a parking lot in the old port of Marseille, his body riddled with 22 bullets. To everyone’s general astonishment, he doesn’t die. Based on real life, the story has been reinvented within the Marseille gangster underworld.”
Screening Schedule: June 10, 12 noon;June 12, 6 p.m.;June 13, 3 p.m.
Ang layunin ng batas ay matino: mabigyan ng representasyon ang mga naapi at mga walang boses. Kasi nga sa gastos ng ating klaseng pulitika, ang mga mahihirap ay wala talagang pag-asang magkaroon ng representasyon sa Kongreso. The ‘marginalized’
Ayon sa ating saligang batas, “The party-list representatives shall constitute twenty percentum of the total number of representatives….from labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth” at iba pang sector ayun sa batas maliban lamang sa religious sector.
Ngunit tingnan mo naman itong Buhay, isa sa mga nanalo. Isa sa kanilang nominee ay si Mike Velarde ng El Shaddai. At halata namang partido ito ng El Shaddai na alam naman natin ay religious kuno.
It’s good that Brig. Gen. Danny Lim is able to celebrate his 55th birthday today out of detention.
In Times st, after his releaseIt would have been better if his men, still incarcerated in Camp Capinpin, would have been able to join him in his celebration of his freedom.
I’m told that in the courtesy call of former Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danny Lim to Armed Forces Chief Delfin Bangit immediately upon his release from Camp Crame custodial center early Monday evening, they discussed the situation of the 15 other officers still in detention.
Among the remaining 15 officers are eight Scout Rangers, who are still detained in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal and one member of the Army’s Special Forces, Capt. Dante Langkit.
The eight Scout Rangers are Maj. Jason Laureano Aquino, Maj. Jose Leomar Doctolero, Capt. James Sababan, Capt. Montano Almodovar, Capt. Joey Fontiveros, Capt. Isagani Criste, Capt. William Upano, and 1Lt. Homer Estolas.
Kawawa naman itong sina Melchor Magdamo at Arwin Serrano.
Naglakas ng loob isiwalat ang bulok sa Commission on Election. Sa halip na purihin at binigyan ng medalya, minura at dinuro pa sila ni Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer.
Nangyari itong insidente isang linggo sa miting tungkol sa anomaly ng P700 milyon na kontrata tungkol sa plastic folders na pantakip para daw magiging sekreto ang pagboboto.
While I am glad that Brig. Gen Lim is out and would be able to celebrate his birthday in his home on Wednesday, I’m sad that 15 other officers who are accused with him in the February 2006 non-event are still in detention. Of the 15, eight are Scout Rangers junior officers and one, a member of the Army Special Forces.
I’ll write more about this on Wednesday. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is the only one left in Camp Crame. True to his word to his fellow Magdalo officers and men that “I will be the last man out of here.”
Anyway, here’s the report by Malaya reporters Victor Reyes, Raymond Africa and Ashzel Hachero:
Former Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danilo was released from detention yesterday and turned over to the custody of Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Ordoñez, chief of the military’s Philippine Defense Reform office.
Truth does not easily get washed awayThere is something sinister in Gloria Arroyo’s re-appointment of Efraim Genuino and four other members of the board to the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation in violation of the ban on midnight appointments.
Last week, my friends and I were talking about how the grim predictions about the May 10 elections were proven wrong.
I asked, “Were we wrong about Gloria Arroyo? ”
I asked that because we all believed that she would do everything to hold on to power beyond June 2010 including cause a failure of election.
Our paranoia was not unfounded. We have seen Malacañang’s efforts to change the Constitution to remove the term limit that prohibits Arroyo from staying on to power. There was an attempt to change the form of government from presidential to parliamentary that would have qualified Arroyo to stay on as prime minister.
Itong midnight appointment ni Efraim Genuino sa Pagcor ay nagpapahiwatig na hindi talaga bibitaw si Gloria Arroyo sa kapangyarihan. May binabalak siyang hindi maganda.
Kung akala natin ang appointment ni Renato Corona bilang Supreme Court chief justice ay ang malaking problema na kailangan resolbahin ng susunod na pangulo na si Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, mas madugo itong sa Pagcor. Bilyunes yata ang nakataya dito.
Ang ibig sabihin ng Pagcor ay Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation na siyang nangangasiwa ng lahat na pasugalan sa buong bansa. Ang malaking parte ng kita ng Pagcor ay pumupunta sa Presidential Social Fund kung saan malawak ang kalayaan ng isang pangulo kung paano gamiting ang pera.
President Gloria Macapagal has re-appointed her close ally Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman Efraim Genuino as well as 4 members of its board of directors.
Genuino said he accepted his re-appointment, confirming a document obtained by ABS-CBN News that he had been re-appointed for another 1-year term.
Others who were re-appointed, based on the document from the Office of the Executive Secretary dated March 9, were Rafael Francisco, Philip Lo, Manuel C. Roxas and Ester Alano Laconico-Feria.
