Month: February 2012

Aquino continues to play blind to Naguiat’s culpability

Published by Ellen on February 28, 2012

Aquino swears in NaguiatB — Aquino swears in trusted friend and classmate

President Aquino misses the point in the Wynn Resorts controversy when he reduced it into just losing one prospective investor.

Aquino said he won’t lose sleep if Wynn, whose intra-corporate fight with his partner, Kazuo Okada, exposed the bribes showered by the latter to officials of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation including the current chair, Cristino Naguiat, Jr., does not invest in the Philippines because there’s a long list of foreign investors interested to come.

Aquino preferred to play blind to the issue of unabated corruption raised in the investigation report made by former Federal Bureau of Investigation Louis Freeh commissioned by Wynn Resorts such as, despite his anti-corruption agenda, “Official corruption in the Philippine gaming industry is ‘deeply ingrained.’

Questions on Aquino’s clearance of Naguiat

Published by Ellen on February 26, 2012

President Aquino immediately cleared his classmate and friend Cristino Naguiat Jr of allegations by Wynn Resorts that he was the recipient of of the generosity of his former friend and partner Kazuo Okada.

Click here for Wynn’ suit vs Okada

Of course, Aquino later asked Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to investigate allegations of breathtaking gifts showered by Okada, whose Universal Entertainment Corp is building a casino at the reclaimed Manila Bay area, to Naguiat whom Aquino has appointed chairman ang chief operating officer of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

PAGCOR regulates and operates casinos in the country.

A life in the day of Juan Ponce Enrile

Published by Ellen on February 26, 2012

By Bibeth Orteza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

(Editor’s Note: The author set out to observe a day in the life of her husband’s uncle, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, as he presides over what is one of the most important trials in the country’s history—the impeachment of the Supreme Court Chief Justice. Graciously welcomed by her subject into his home and allowed to tag along to the trial, she came away with much more than just the details of a daily routine. The star of the moment obliged her with a sometimes tearful recollection of his life, enough material perhaps for a scriptwriter like the author and a director like her husband Carlitos Siguion-Reyna to turn into a riveting movie.)

8:15 a. m.

The man of the house is still in his bedroom. Sally Moneda, his cook and personal assistant of 26 years, reminds his close-in aide, Julius Gumban, not to take away the newspaper as “he has not read Bernas [constitutionalist Fr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ, who writes an opinion column in the Inquirer–Ed].”

Pagbigay kapangyarihan sa may kapansanan

Published by Ellen on February 26, 2012

Photos by Mario Ignacio, VERA Files

Marical Ui — Maricar Ui with members of her organization teaching reporters sign language

Maraming kahanga-hangang personalidad ang aking nakilala nitong nakaraang dalawang araw sa orientation at training na ginawa ng VERA Files sa pag-uulat tungkol sa mga taong may kapansanan (Reporting on Persons with Disabilities) na ginanap sa Eastwood Richmonde.

Nandiyan si retired Capt. Oscar Taleon, ang presidente at Chief Executive Officer ng Alyansa ng may Kapansanang Pinoy (AKAP-Pinoy), na nabulag noong panahon ng martial law (1977) nang napasabak siya sa rally sa underpass sa Quiapo kung saan may nagbuhos ng gasolina na lumiyab. Nasa Intelligence Service siya ng Armed Forces of the Philippines noon.

JPE as we celebrate EDSA 26

Published by Ellen on February 22, 2012

JPE1 — Thanks to Inquirer for this photo.

As we celebrate the 26th anniversary of EDSA One, the Filipinos’ show of People Power, I look at Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile and can’t help but be amazed by how he has participated in the different phases of the Filipino nation’s political life, including one of its darkest, and be regarded with respect and a source of wisdom and stability.

Sitting as the presiding judge in the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, Enrile’s competent handling of one of the biggest legal events in the country assures the public that whatever the decision of the senator-judges, whether Corona would be acquitted or convicted, Philippine democracy would be enriched.

Enrile was very much part of the two-decade Marcos regime in various capacities in the department of justice,finance, and defense.

Missing

Published by Ellen on February 20, 2012

The fact that retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan has not been arrested two months after the Malolos Regional Trial Court issued a warrant of arrest for him for the 2006 disappearance of UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno and farmer Manuel Merino should have made us realize that there are forces in the government who have remained unenlightened despite President Aquino’s much-vaunted reform agenda.

There’s also the disappointing lack of action by the Aquino administration on the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance which has been signed by 92 countries , 31 of which have ratified the Convention.

The Aquino government also never replied to the annual requests by the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances for official invitation to visit the country.

Inip na sa ending ang taumbayan

Published by Ellen on February 20, 2012

Kapag impeachment ni Chief Justice Renato Corona ang pinaguusapan, ang tanong ng karamihan ay, “Maku-convict ba si Corona?”

Inip na sa ending ang mga tao.

Sa aming baryo sa Guisijan sa Antique, marami ang sumusunod ng Corona impeachment trial.Sa mga nakita nilang lumabas na mga impormasyun sa trial, naniniwala silang guilty si Corona.Kaya kahit medyo palpak and prosecution, umu-ubra din ang kanilang stratehiya na lumilihis sa proseso.

Ngunit alam din ng taumbayan na malaki ang papel ng pulitika sa pinal na desisyun kaya medyo nag-alala sila.

Who is the better fictionist?

Published by Ellen on February 16, 2012

Just when we were getting excited by another set of accounts by Chief Justice Renato Corona with the Philippine Savings Bank, Katipunan branch, totaling some P36 million which were withdrawn on Dec. 12, 2012, the day the House of Representatives approved the impeachment of the Chief Justice, bank manager Annabel Tiongson, dropped another information that brought us back to the fascinating tale of the “small lady” that has regaled us the past days.

Nineteen days of impeachment trial have revealed that Corona has not been truthful in the declaration of his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth.

Corona stated in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) for 2010 that he had only P3.5 million in cash and investments. Yet his five peso accounts at the Philippine Savings Bank showed he had P19,728,555.39 while his checking account at the Bank of the Philippines Island, Ayala branch contained P12,024,000.67 or a total of about P32 million as of Dec. 31, 2010.

Why is Malacañang vouching for authenticity of ‘fake’ bank document?

Published by Ellen on February 14, 2012

Enrile with fake PSB doc — Enrile showing prosecution's 'fake' document

Why is Malacañang vouching for the authenticity of the documents supposedly on the bank accounts of Chief Justice Renato Corona at the Philippine Savings Bank submitted by the prosecution to the impeachment court?

That document, which PSB Katipunan branch manager Annabel Tiongson, said was fake became the basis of the subpoena issued by the impeachment court for the information on Corona’s bank accounts.

An ABS-CBN report quoted Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda as saying, “Ano ba ang fake? Fake ang account number e mayroong account number doon sa PSBank eh. Kung signature card, pirmado naman po ni Chief Justice Corona ‘yun. So I suppose they’re protecting their bank because there’s a violation of the Bank Secrecy Law so I would assume that the bank will do everything to protect itself from liability from the Bank Secrecy Law. But what has been proven is that it is not fake insofar as the account numbers, insofar as the figures are there.”

Corona to prosecution: You did not have any iota of evidence against me when you filed the impeachment complaint.

Published by Ellen on February 13, 2012

Press statement of Chief Justice Renato C. Corona:

Throughout my public career, I have never been involved in any anomaly or scandal. Whatever assets my wife and I have acquired are products of 45 years of toil and honest work.

My wife and I have been privileged to come from families of comfortable means. We grew up never lacking in anything and even enjoyed some luxuries. We earned our academic degrees in some of the best exclusive schools in the country. I went on to earn several postgraduate degrees, including a Master’s degree in Harvard Law School. Our parents provided well for our future. Family resources continue to be available to us anytime.

I had a very successful career in the private sector where I was a top executive before I joined the government. That is public record.