September 2019 – ellen tordesillas

U.S. legislators use visa sanction as a tool to promote human rights

Published by Ellen on September 30, 2019

Sen. Bong Go should go ahead and tell President Duterte to ban American legislators who they think are “meddling” in the way they are running the country.

Speaking during the 118th Balangiga Day Commemoration in Balangiga, Eastern Samar September 28, Go said “I will suggest to President Duterte to ban American legislators from entering our country for interfering in our internal affairs. These senators think they know better than us in governing ourselves.”

Go’s tirade against the American legislators was a reaction to the amendment Senators Richard Durbin and Patrick Leahy proposed, and was approved, in the Fiscal Year 2020 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill which is to prohibit entry to the U.S. Philippine government officials involved in the imprisonment of Sen. Leila de Lima which they see as “politically motivated.”

U.S. senators Patrick Leahy and Richard Durbin

The budget amendment followed the fiing of a resolution in the U.S House of Representatives condemning the Philippine government of for its continued detention of De Lima and called for her immediate release.

International non-profit law group warns Sotto bill will kill free speech

Published by Ellen on September 15, 2019

The anti-fake news bill filed by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III violates international law and , if passed, will “effectively silence and prohibit any speech” the government does not like, the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law said in its analysis of “Anti-Fake Content Act” filed on July 1, 2019.

In the conclusion of its analysis of the Sotto bill, ICNL said, “This Act enables the Government of the Philippines to effectively silence and prohibit any speech it does not like. In addition to censoring such speech – which is itself an unlawful restriction to the freedom of expression – the Act provides for overly harsh criminal penalties to the creators, authors, producers and publishers of content deemed to be ‘false’ or ‘misleading to the public.’”

“Laws that criminalize ‘fake news’ violate international law protecting the freedom of expression, “ ICNL said.

Declining trust in media and the selling of the President as a brand

Published by Ellen on September 12, 2019

The sharp decline of the public trust in media based on the findings of 2019 Philippine Trust Index survey is not surprising but something to be concerned of.

Media is essential in a democracy. There is no democracy where and when media is not free.

Media strengthens democracy by informing the people of what is happening as truthfully as it can be ascertained. In doing so, the people can hold accountable the officials for all their actions and decisions. Media plays a vital role in making democracy truly a government of the people, for the people and by the people.

Trillanes writes to Sabio

Published by Ellen on September 8, 2019

Atty. Jude Sabio files a complaint against Pres. Duterte at the ICC in The Hague.

At the second preliminary investigation last Friday by the Department of Justice of the charge of sedition last Friday by the Department of Justice of the charge of sedition filed by the Philippine National Police against Vice President Leni Robredo and 38 others including former Sen. Antonio Trillanes III, Assistant Solicitor General Angelita Miranda tried to submit additional evidence but was rejected by the panel for the simple reason that when they filed the case in July, the evidence should have been complete.

What Miranda wanted to submit was a news clipping of an opinion piece by lawyer Jude Sabio in the Mindanao Goldstar Daily on Sept. 2, 2019 criticizing Trillanes and a column in the Manila Times by Rigoberto Tiglao about Sabio’s article.

Pamsy and the 2019 Silver Linings

Published by Ellen on September 6, 2019

When the brave ladies of ICanServe gather at the PICC in Pasay City on Sept. 28 for the 2019 Silver Linings, there is one person who will be sadly missed: Maria Fatima (Pamsy) Teosico.

Pamsy has gone ahead. But I bet, she will be in Silver Linings. Forever solicitous, Pamsy will make sure that every one is attended to in a large gathering like Silver Linings.

The anomaly that is Senator Bong Go

Published by Ellen on September 3, 2019

Bong Go announcing that Malacañang is going to investigate the aborted release of convicted rapist, former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez, Sept 2, 2019.

The government of the Philippine is structured in such a way that the three branches of government –, the Legislative, the Executive, and the Judicial – are co-equal and independent from each other.

The independence of the three branches of government from each other is vital under the principle of check and balance in a democracy.

The system of check and balance is instituted to prevent any branch of government or any person in the government from becoming too powerful leading to dictatorship and the destruction of democracy.

Most important documents in Duterte’s 5th China visit unlisted

Published by Ellen on September 3, 2019

Bilateral meeting between Philippine and Chinese officials led by President Duterte and President Xi Jinping at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on August 29, 2019. Malacanang photo by Robinson Ninal.

The most important documents that were exchanged between the Philippines and China during last week’s visit of President Duterte to China were not included in the list of agreements signed that was released by Malacañang to media.

The documents were the list of names that will constitute the Inter-governmental steering committee that would supervise the joint exploration between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea.

CNN Philippines was able to get the document submitted by China. CNN PH said “A highly-placed source gave CNN Philippines a document showing seven members from the Chinese side, to be led by Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui as co-chair and Vice Minister Li Fanrong of the National Energy Administration as co-vice chair. The other members are: