Month: April 2011

Harry Roque and Vic Agustin exchanges

Published by Ellen on April 14, 2011

Following are two columns, Cocktail Perks at BSP by lawyer Harry Roque and P200,000 to attack Tetangco by journalist Vic Agustin of Manila Standard.

Harry Roque is being criticized for charging Bancco Filipino, who recently was taken over by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for alleged insolvency, P1.28 lawyers fee plus other fees. What’s wrong with a lawyer charging clients fees for services rendered?

I personally know that Atty. Roque is doing a lot of pro bono cases.

Here’s Roque’s column answering Agustin’s criticism against him. Agustin’s column is also reproduced in this post

Cocktail Perks at BSP

By Harry Roque

Cocktales writer Victor Agustin tried to malign my law firm in his column last Monday. No effort at all was made to hear the other side, my side, which genuine journalists always do to differentiate themselves from paid hacks.

In past press releases, the BSP falsely linked me to a supposed P245 million payment made by Banco Filipino (BF) for legal services. In his smear column, however, Agustin unconsciously exposed BSP’s malice because, all along, it turns out that the BSP had records showing that my firm merely got paid one-half of 1% of the alleged P245 million amount. In fact, with P400,000 in still unpaid legal fees, my firm is a victim of the BF closure.

PH protests China’s 9-dash line claim over Spratlys

Published by Ellen on April 13, 2011

China’s reaction to PH protest: In a regular briefing in Beijing today, spokesman of China’s foreign ministry Hong Lei said: “China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and adjacent waters.”

“China owns sovereignty and jurisdiction over the related sea area, seabed and subsoil,” Hong pointed out.

By Tessa Jamandre
VERA FILES

The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest against China’s 9-dash line territorial claim over the whole of South China Sea, a month before President Aquino’s planned state visit to Beijing.

The Philippine protest, dated April 5, was posted by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) as document No. 000228 on April 8.

But the Philippine government tarried in filing the protest, doing so two years after Vietnam and Malaysia, and a year after Indonesia. Vietnam and Malaysia filed their protest a day after China submitted its 9-dash line map to the UN on May 7, 2009. Indonesia registered its protest a year ago, even if it did not have a claim on the South China Sea.

The map is called “9-dash line” or “9-dotted line” because it shows a series of nine dashes or dotted lines forming a ring around the South China Sea area, which China claims is part of its territory. The area includes the Spratlys group, a cluster of oil-rich islands disputed by five other countries, including the Philippines.

China has been using the map with nine dashes in asserting its territorial claim over the whole of the South Sea. But the map first made its way to the UN body, when China used it to challenge the claim made by Vietnam and Malaysia over their extended continental shelves in the South China Sea.

Mikey’s LLC protection

Published by Ellen on April 12, 2011

Related article in ABS-CBN online:Mickey committed fraud to purchase beachfront house?

Raissa Robles: FBI aware of Mikey and Angela’s suspicious transactions

Ang Galing Party Rep. Mikey Arroyo should rest assured that the story of VERA Files, of which I’m a trustee, on the sale of his Foster City house is a factual report of a real estate transaction which he himself confirmed.

The “an ongoing vilification campaign against me and my family” angle is all in his mind.

As we say, trabaho lang ito.

The article on the $1.125 million sale Beachway LLC, a company that Mikey says he is a part-owner, to Mary Grace Apolinario and Jerome Ngo, owners of the popular chain of restaurant, Gerry’s Grill, is the latest in the series of reports on his beachfront property by VERA Files.

Our first story, published on Aug. 30, 2009, was the real estate purchases of Mikey and his brother, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado Ignacio “Dato” Arroyo, in the United States after they were elected to Congress.

Si Politician at si Sexy Star

Published by Ellen on April 12, 2011

Maganda itong kwento ng aking kaibigan. Hindi ko na sasabihin ang pangalan. Alam nyo siguro kung sino-sino sila:

Nangyari daw ito sobra isang taon na. May girlfriend na seksing artista ang isang pulitiko na anak din ng isang makapangyarihang opisyal ng bansa.

Mahilig sa kabayo itong pulitiko at may rantso sa Batangas. Maganda raw ang bahay niya doon sa rantso. Mahilig daw kasi ang kanyang asawa sa interior designing.

Minsan, dinala ng pulitko ang girlfriend doon sa bahay sa rantso. Hanga-hanga raw siya sa ganda ng bahay.

“Ang ganda naman,” sabi daw ni Sexy star. Sabi daw ng caretaker, “Oo. Talagang pinaganda ni Ma’am ,” at sinabi ang pangalan ng asawa. Sinabi pa na talagang pina-order ang mga mamahaling gamit sa bahay.

Medyo nasira daw ang mood ni Sexy star. Bigla niyang sinabing pupunta siya sa pinakamalapit na SM. Pumunta nga at namili ng mga furniture para sa bahay at pinadeliver doon sa rantso kaagad-agad. Pinalitan ang furniture at mga mamahaling décor ni Misis ng pinamili niya sa SM.

Naglagay pa siya ng mga negligee or mga seksing damit pantulog sa cabinet sa kuwarto.

Mikey: Nothing wrong with US property sale

Published by Ellen on April 11, 2011

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Mikey Arroyo reacting — Into real estate business but representing tricycle drivers and security guards

Congressman Juan Miguel ‘Mikey’ Arroyo said there is nothing wrong with the sale last month of a US$1.1 million property in Foster City, California by a company in which he has a minority stake.

In response to a VERA Files story which revealed the sale of the property, Arroyo, who represents security guards and tricycle drivers in Congress, said the sale of the 5-bedroom beachfront house in California was part of the real estate firm’s business.

“The article referred to a sale made by Beachway Corporation, a company which I have personal stake, of a property in the US. What is wrong with that? The sale was made in an ordinary course of business as our company is engaged in the buying and selling of real estate properties. It is but perfectly normal that we sell properties, otherwise we go out of business,” the eldest son of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said.

Mikey’s firm sells Foster home for $1.125M

Published by Ellen on April 10, 2011

By VERA Files
Click on photo to view it enlarged

A company partly owned by Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo recently sold the controversial house in upscale Foster City, California that used to belong to him and his wife Angela for $1.125 million (about P48.49 million).

The five-bedroom beachfront house at 1655 Beach Park Blvd. was sold by the Beachway Limited Liability Company (LLC) – a company Arroyo has admitted being part owner of – and this transaction was reported to the San Mateo County Assessor-Recorder’s Office on March 16.

The property was transferred just last month to Mary Grace Apolinario and Jerome Ngo who appear in the county’s database as “grantees” or buyers. The buyers are owners of the popular restaurant chain “Gerry’s Grill” who, sources said, are good friends of Mikey

The property was transferred to Mary Grace Apolinario and Jerome Ngo who appear in the county’s database as “grantees” or buyers. The buyers are owners of the popular restaurant chain “Gerry’s Grill” who, sources said, are good friends of Mikey.

Palaban pa rin si Willie

Published by Ellen on April 9, 2011

Wille announcing taking a break 1 — Will be back

Palaban pa rin si Willie Revillame kahit atras muna siya ng dalawang linggo habang nag-aalisan isa-isa ang mga advertisers sa kanyang show na Willing Willie.

Sa totoo lang inunahan lang niya ang MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board). Alam ng TV5 at ni Willie na suspindihin naman talaga siya.

May naka-usap kami noong isang linggo bago ang ikalawang hearing noong Huwebes at ang sabi niya buo sila sa opinyun na mali ang ginawa ni Willie sa kanyang show noong Marso 12 kung saan pinag-tripan niya ang anim na taong gulang si Jan-Jan Suan habang nagsasayaw ng “macho dance’. Tawa naman ng tawa ang nasa audience.

Enjoy sila samantalang halos naiiyak na ang bata. Linagay pa ni Willie sa mas mataas na platform ang bata at pina-ulit pa ng malaswang sayaw bago binigyan ng P10,000.

Ni minsan hindi inamin ni Willie na nagkamali siya. Sabi niya noong Biyernes,“Wala po kaming kasalanan. Wala po akong kasalanan. Humihingi po ako ng paumanhin sa inyo, na kung mayroon po kaming na-offend. Pero hindi po kami hihingi ng tawad kasi ho, wala po akong ginawang masama sa batang iyon. Hindi ko minolestiya ang batang iyon,” sabi niya.

Willie Revillame to take leave from show

Published by Ellen on April 9, 2011

By Chuck Smith
omg!Yahoo

The primetime variety show “Willing Willie” will be off the air for two weeks starting this Monday, April 11, after its host Willie Revillame announced that he has decided to take a leave from the program.

In his live message aired on Friday, April 8 episode of “Willing Willie,” the controversial host said he will study his options whether to continue or halt his career as a TV host during the two week hiatus. Today, TV5 will air a taped episode of the show.

It’s Mikey Arroyo’s turn to be shocked

Published by Ellen on April 8, 2011

Inquirer report: No one is untouchable

VERA Files stories on the Mikey Arroyo’s San Francisco properties:

1.Arroyo sons acquire U.S. homes, businesses after election to Congress
2. Mikey:Not hiding houses, just listing them under company’s name
3. Following the trail: 2004, 2007 declarations show no campaign contributions
4. No record of Mikey’s SALN in Ombudsman, Pampanga capitol
5. Mikey fixes Foster City problem- but not quite

Now, it’s the turn of the Arroyos to be shocked.

ABS-CBN online reported Thursday that Gloria Arroyo’s son, Mikey, who shocked the Filipino people with his claim that he represents the tricycle drivers and the security guards in the House of Representatives, was “shocked” upon hearing of the P73.85 million suit filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue against him and his wife, Angela.

The news report, quoting BIR Commissioner Kim Henares, said the Arroyos were charged with attempting to evade taxes and failing to file income tax returns.

Pertinent documents:

7April2011_BIR files Tax Raps Against Mikey Arroyo and Wife Angela
Henares letter to de Lima
7April2011_BIR RATE Case Transcript
7April2011_Statement of Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima on Mikey Arroyo RATE case
Mikey Arroyo’s statement

Henares said Arroyo did not file ITRs for the years 2005, 2008 and 2009, while his wife had no tax returns from 2003 to 2009.

She also said the spouses failed to pay taxes even as the lawmaker declared in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) millions of pesos worth of real and other properties acquired from 2004 to 2009. One of those properties was his $1.32 million beachfront house on Park Boulevard, Foster City in the San Francisco Bay Area in California which was exposed by VERA Files in 2009.