Month: September 2013

Megan Young’s victory: a much welcome break

Published by Ellen on September 29, 2013

Megan Young’s winning the Miss World title is welcome break from all the depressing news that we have been getting the past months.

We so wanted something pleasant after months of pork barrel stories exposing the insatiable greed of Napoles and our public officials. The Zamboanga stories, despite the government’s declaration of ‘Mission Accomplished” are heartbreaking and emotionally draining.

Megan Young provided a lovely respite. And we thank her for that.

We deserve a break.

That’s what those who watched ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra’s concert of the music from Disney movies like The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins, Tarzan, Little Mermaid, Mulan, Alladin and others at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last Saturday felt .

For two hours, we forgot about pork barrel and Zamboanga and traveled to as far away as South Africa and China under the baton of the ebullient Gerard Salonga with actress and TV personality Nikki Gil as our journey guide.
We just wished the screen was bigger for the excerpts from Disney’s animated films.

Yamsuan sold Rockwell condo to Napoles

Published by Ellen on September 28, 2013

By VERA Files

Two whistleblowers in the pork barrel scam said Thursday that a former Malacañang consultant sold his Rockwell condo unit to Janet L. Napoles, allegedly the brains of the pork barrel scam that has dragged the names of a number of lawmakers and their staff.

Marina Sula and Benhur Luy said they saw Yamsuan twice in Napoles office in Discovery Suites. “Nagpunta kasi siya sa office sa Discovery, mayroon siyang in-offer na condo sa Rockwell na nakapangalan sa misis niya na binili ni Ms. Janet Napoles,” Sula told the Senate Blue Ribbon committee investigating the anomalous use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund.

But the sale of the three-bedroom unit was not completed because of incomplete documentary requirements, the two said.

VERA Files earlier reported that Yamsuan, a consultant in the office of Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo” Ochoa, was fired last Aug. 12 when President Aquino learned of his links with Napoles after his name was mentioned in the interview by Inquirer editors and columnists with the controversial pork barrel operator, the transcript of which was run by the newspaper verbatim.

Quarrel among thieves

Published by Ellen on September 26, 2013

Sama-sama na tayo lahat. Thanks to Inquirer for photo.

The speech of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada may not be as explosive as expected but the public is benefitting from it because we are getting a bigger and more realistic picture of how rotten the system is, and how “tuwid na daan” is being drawn with crooked lines.

Estrada is one of three senators (the two others are Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Juan Ponce-Enrile) charged with plunder in connection with the anomalous use of their PDAF as allegedly operated by Janet Lim Napoles.

Estrada, in his 90 minute speech, never denied his involvement with Napoles’ scam. His complaint was, why only the three of us?

It is distressing because what we are seeing is a quarrel among thieves. But we console ourselves with the wise words of old folks that “When cattle rustlers quarrel, the farmer gets back his cow.”

The impropriety of police escorts for AiAi

Published by Ellen on September 24, 2013

Ai Ai at Kung Fu Diva presscon. Photo by Czeasar Dance NPPA Images from Yahoo.

Clarifying that her security escorts are not from the Presidential Security Group, comedian AiAi de las Alas revealed they are from the Philippine National Police.

Seeing nothing improper about the practice, she bragged, “Ako ang nagpapasweldo doon. Hindi ako nagnanakaw sa bayan. Part iyon ng proteksiyon sa sarili ko. (I’m the one paying them. I don’t steal money from the people. This is part of my protection.)”
She denied that President Aquino meddled in her case as alleged by the lawyer of her former husband Jed Salang. “Problema ko ito at bakit ko sila isasali? (This is my problem so why would I involve them)” she said.

Someone should tell AiAi that having a policemen as her security escorts my not be illegal but it is highly improper considering that the alarming peace and order problem in the country is attributed to the PNP being undermanned and the rise of petty crimes in Metro Manila is due to lack of police visibility.

PH, China in battle of photos on Scarborough shoal

Published by Ellen on September 22, 2013

By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files

Concrete blocks or just rocks and corals?

Chinese photos taken second week of Sept. 2013

That is the latest question troubling the strained relationship between the Philippines and China over the disputed Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, off the South China Sea. This time, though, the dispute is playing out through photographs, more than words.

A week after the Armed Forces of the Philippines came out with photographs showing concrete blocks in Bajo de Masinloc, China released photos that showed only rocks and corals.

The photos sent by China to Philippine officials were said to have been taken second week of September to support the statement issued by China’s Foreign Ministry that the Philippine claim was “fabricated.”

The 14- year cycle as observed by Jun Lozada

Published by Ellen on September 22, 2013

17 years ago. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Last Saturday, I saw a front page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer on the Facebook wall of Pablo Tariman.

The headline was “Congress kickbacks:how much for whom”. There was an illuThe story was about pork barrel and there was an illustration using a lechon and how the roasted swine was being divided.

The upper fold story was “MNLF occupies four more towns in Zambo.” Another story was “Higher gas price begins tomorrow.”

I thought that was last Saturday’s issue until I noticed the initials CIA (Congressional Initiative Allocation) and CDF (Countrywide Development Fund). Those were the old name of PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) .

A closer look at the page showed the date: Aug. 13, 1996.

Yes, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Forgotten details from an old story

Published by Ellen on September 22, 2013

By Luz Rimban, VERA Files THE photograph is 30 years old, but it provides startling details to an old, almost forgotten story. Taken by a…

Sobrang amazing ang kuwento ni Kap

Published by Ellen on September 21, 2013

Sponsors do not want to be seen supporting someone acccused of plunder

Malakas ang ugong na baka mawala sa ere ang Kap’s Amazing stories, ang show ni Sen. Bong Revilla sa GMA7. Nagkakakansela na raw ang advertisers ng show at hindi maganda para sa kanila na ma-identify sa isang opisyal ng pamahalaan na akusado sa krimeng pandarambong.

Ang buhay talaga. When it rains, it pours. Kapag umulan, talagang buhos.

Noong isang linggo, kasama sa sinampahan si Revilla ng plunder o pandarambong. Ayun sa dokumento na hawak ng National Bureau of Investigation, si Revilla ang may pinakamalaking nabulsa mula sa pera ng PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) sa pamamagitan ng operasyun na kasabwat si Janet Lim Napoles.

I’d like to think Lacierda was just acting stupid

Published by Ellen on September 19, 2013

The President's spokesman — The President’s spokesman

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda probably thought the Filipino people are stupid or else why would he say that the reason why the President has not made statements on other national issues was because he has no access to Manila newspapers.

In this day and age of internet and cellphones!

Lacierda said Wednesday: “You know, the problem in Zamboanga is that no planes are flying there. They’re not getting news there. No newspapers are being flown there.”

Lacierda thinks we will believe that? I’d rather think he was not in the mood to think up of excuses why the President has not made a statement on the filing of charges against three senators and 34 other persons in connection with the pork barrel scam operated by Janet Lim Napoles who surrendered to him last Aug. 28. He even brought her to Camp Crame to make sure she is safe and well taken care of, remember?

The lawmaker’s offer

Published by Ellen on September 19, 2013

One of the lawmakers implicated in the pork barrel scam operated by Janet Lim Napoles sent feelers to Malacañang about three weeks ago.

The offer: “I will return the money I got from my PDAF fund plus interest. I will make a public apology. I will resign and will not run for elective office again.”

The requested reward: “Please don’t file plunder charges against me.”

Reason for the offer: “One, I want to spare my grandchildren the stigma of having a grandparent convicted of plunder. Two, I am currently ‘down.’ This is not the best time of my life.”

My source declined to identify the lawmaker and the branch of legislature. I can only guess the identity based on the demands: he or she is old enough to have grandchildren and is eligible for election in 2016.

Last Monday, a total of 37 persons were charged in connection with the misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund. Three senators were charged with plunder: Ramon “Bong” Revilla; Jinggoy Estrada, and Juan Ponce Enrile.