Category: Benigno Aquino III

Mar to DOTC diffuses battle for proximity in Malacañang

Published by Ellen on June 7, 2011

Related article: Drilon congratulates “Samar group” with Roxas appointment as DOTC secretary (Article in comments)

Aquino appoints Mar to DOTC — PNoy appoints Mar to DOTC. Photo from Inquirer.

Mar Roxas is now the new secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications replacing Jose “Ping” de Jesus, whose resignation is a subject of numerous speculations.

The Manila Times’ Dante Ang, in an information-filled article complete with findings of the Commission on Audit of irregularities in a radar project, said de Jesus did not resign. He was actually fired.

We have yet to know the whole truth about what happened at the DOTC amidst the spins being given fed to the media.
In announcing the appointment of Roxas, Aquino admitted that Roxas was originally slated to take a position based in Malacañang.“Sabi ko sa kanya kelangan sana kita sa headquarters pero may sunog sa frontlines…. Puwede ba sumugod ka muna doon? ”

Why Ping de Jesus was sacked, the inside story

Published by Ellen on June 7, 2011

Breaking news: President Aquino announced appointment of his former running mate Mar Roxas as new DOTC secretary. He will also hold the position of senior adviser of the Economic Cluster.

Another side to the controversy that speaks a lot of the goings-on in the Aquino administration:

By Dr. Dante A. Ang
Manila Times

The Manila Times story on the forced resignation of DOTC Secretary Jose “Ping” de Jesus was as clear as the sky on a fine day. De Jesus did not resign from the Cabinet. He was fired by President Benigno Aquino 3rd for loss of confidence, to say the least.

De Jesus was summoned to Malacañang on Monday morning at ten by the President. The meeting was brief; merely 15 minutes. He was distressed and looked teary-eyed after his meeting with the Chief Executive.

I do not know de Jesus personally. Never met him before. Fact is, he strikes me as a no-nonsense former Lopez executive. I have absolutely no reason to write ill of the man who, if you believe his spin doctors, resigned out of frustration for not getting the support from the President for the agency’s various projects and over the Virgie Torres issue.

Aquino’s choice as envoy to China is a member of Taiwan’s Kuomintang Party

Published by Ellen on June 5, 2011

Click here Lee’s koumintang membership : China expert Aileen Baviera mentioned Lee’s Koumintang membership in her book.

It’s not too late for President Aquino to recall the appointment of Domingo Y. Lee as ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.

Lee’s Taiwan connection is so well-entrenched, it will complicate further the Philippine’s delicate relations with one of the world’s superpowers.

A reliable source in the Chinese community said he knows that Lee, in his 70’s “is a card-carrying member of the Kuomintang.” He said he is not sure if he has resigned but what he understood of the party affiliation is that it’s a “lifetime commitment.”

Ang problema sa mga “shooting buddies” ni PNoy

Published by Ellen on June 5, 2011

LTO chief Virginia Torres — PNoy's shooting buddy

Ang isang rason kung bakit mahirap tanggapin ang tinutulak ng Malacañang na pagkansela ng eleksyun sa Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao ay ang kanilang kagustuhan mag-appoint si Pangulong Aquino ng mga officers-in-charge (OIC).

Maliban sa mag problema ang legalidad ng ganyang plano, marami na ang hindi tiwala sa kakayahan ni Pnoy na kumilatis ng mga taong ilalagay sa pamahalaan. Sa mga na-appoint ni Aquino ng pagpasok niya sa Malacañang, marami naman ang maayos kasama na doon ang sa kanyang economic team.

Ngunit ang mga na-appoint na ang pinaka-qualification ay kaibigan sila ni PNoy, super ang palpak.

Ang nasa mata ngayon ng kontrobersiya at ang nasuspindi na hepe ng Land Transportation Office na si Virginia Torres, na siyang dahilan kung bakit nag-resign si Secretary Jose “Ping” de Jesus ng Department of Transportation and Communication at apat niyang undersecretaries.

Si Torres ay barkada ni PNoy sa kanyang hilig na pagbabaril (shooting buddy). Nasangkot si Torres sa kontrobersiya ng Stradcom, ang kumpanyang nagku-computerize sa LTO.

Rewarding Diokno

Published by Ellen on May 31, 2011

ernesto diokno.Philstar — Freed of accountability

Is President Aquino serious about giving his good friend, just-resigned head of the Bureau of Corrections Ernesto Diokno, another position in government?

What’s the basis for such an appointment? It could not be competence because he has proven as BuCor chief to be clueless about his job.

He said his understanding of his job was just policy-making and he refused to take command responsibility for the violation of his subordinate for allowing former Batangas Governor Antonio Leviste, in prison for the 2007 killing of his business associate Rafael de las Alas, to go out of the jail accompanied by fellow inmates.

Diokno also considered the practice of prisoners living out a “small matter.”

Hindi dapat ma-insecure si Pnoy sa kanyang pagkabinata

Published by Ellen on May 28, 2011

PNoy arrival from Thailand — Feeding media with his non-existent lovelife

Sa kakadaldal ni Pangulong Aquino tungkol sa kanyang lovelife, halata tuloy ang kanyang insecurity sa isyu na yan.

Noong isang linggo, pagkatapos niyang sabihin na huwag paki-alaman ang kanyang lovelife, siya mismo ang umungkat sa topic na yan sa kanyang talumpati sa Laguna. Wala namang nagtatanong sa kaya ngunit bago siya nag-paalam, sinabi niya: “Manalig po kayo: Hangga’t pagkakapwa-tao at hindi panlalamang ang isinasapuso natin. Pagbaba ko po sa pwesto sa 2016—sana po’y nakapag-asawa na—babangon naman kayo sa isang Pilipinas na mas maunlad, mas marangal at mas maipagmamalaki sa buong mundo.”

Hindi lang doon niya siningit sa kanyang opisyal na talumpati ng tungkol sa kanyang hindi matuloy-tuloy na pag-aasawa. Sa kanyang talumpati rin sa Iloilo, sinabi niya na baka raw doon siya makahanap ng mapangasawa.

Ang kaso ni Leviste at Diokno, panibagong pagsubok kay PNoy

Published by Ellen on May 22, 2011

Update:Diokno insists he was not remiss with his job as prison chief despite discovery of Leviste’s trips outside prison.http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/9111/prisons-chief-admits-dropping-the-ball-on-leviste-caper

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/9262/diokno-defends-self-at-doj

antonio leviste — Antonio Leviste, living the life of the free while in prison

Sana ang magiging aksyun ni Pangulong Aquino sa kaso ni Bureau of Corrections Director Ernesto Diokno ay hindi magiging katulad ng nangyari kay Undersecretary Rico Puno ng Department of Interior and Local Government, dating hepe ng Philippine National Police na si Jesus Versoza, at Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim nang sila ay nasangkot sa palpak na pag-handle ng kaso ng panghu-hostage noong Agosto 23, 2010 sa Rizal Park.

Kaibigan daw kasi ni Aquino itong si Diokno katulad din nina Puno at Versoza. Kaya kahit palpak, hindi naparusahan. Nanatiling undersecretary si Puno sa DILG at si Versoza at pina-retire na lang. Hindi na ginawa na DILG secretary na siyang plano sana ni Aquino.

Sabit si Diokno sa kontrobersiya tungkol sa nabulgar na special treatment kay dating gubernador ng Batangas na si Antonio Leviste na nakakulong dahil sa sa kanyang pagpatay sa kanyang kaibigan at kasosyo sa negosyo na si Rafael de las Alas noong 2007.

How Aquino can regain lost ground

Published by Ellen on April 5, 2011

Reacting to the latest Social Weather Station survey results that showed his satisfaction rating dipping 13 points, the biggest so far in his 10-month presidency, President Aquino blamed media for not reporting about the good things his administration has accomplished and that from now, his media office would be more aggressive in its propaganda blitz.

Aquino’s deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte said, “P-Noy said that sometimes we are too shy because baka sabihin nagbubuhat kami ng sariling bangko. So bear with us kung kakapal ang mukha namin.”

Malacanang’s misreading of the message of the survey results reminds me of the story of the “Moron and the Beetle”. The moron was conducting an experiment what would happen to the bettle if his legs were cut. With all the six legs of the beetle intact, he ordered “Move” while tapping the table. The beetle moved quickly.

Ang konsyerto ng mga palaka

Published by Ellen on February 27, 2011

sanggumay3 — My sanggumay. Still a beauty but not so fragrant anymore.

Habang nagkakantahan at nasasayawan sina Pangulong Aquino sa EDSAnoong Biyernes sa kanilang pagdiwang ng 25 taong anibersayo ng People Power, ako ay nakikinig sa kunsiyerto ng mga palaka.
Tuloy-tuloy hanggang lampas ng hatinggabi ang kunsiyerto ng mga palaka. Minsan may nagso-solo,pagkatapos pumapasok na parang background music. Ang galing. Talo si Ogie Alcasid at ang kanyang mga all-stars performers sa EDSA.

Sobra isang linggo na ako sa aming baryo sa Guisijan sa Antique at talaga namang nakaka-relax ang sariwang hangin, sariwang isda at sariwang gulay.

Nasubukan nyo na ba ang masaheng alon? ‘Yan ang nangyari sa akin noong isang linggo. Pinaghahampas kami ng alon. Masaya kaya lang masakit sa katawan.

Hindi masyadong damdam ng mga kapitbahay namin dito and selebrasyon ng EDSA1. Natutuwa lang ang mga bata dahil wala silang pasok kaya naligo kami sa dagat. Nang gabi nga nasalubong ko ang aming kapitbahay at sinabi niya makikinood daw siya kanyang katabing bahay ng “Willing-Willie.” Mukhang mas mabenta ang Willing-Willie kaysa EDSA1 na palabas.

Wanted: a well-paying job for Romulo

Published by Ellen on January 16, 2011

Reports that former ambassador to the United Sates Albert del Rosario has agreed to be foreign secretary had raised the hopes of Foreign Service officers for reforms in the department that has been running without direction under Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo.

But their hopes were dashed as quickly as they were raised because it has been confirmed that Romulo succeeded in convincing President Aquino again to let him stay until April this year.

Our sources at the DFA and Malacañang said the suspended departure of Romulo has created awkward situations as demonstrated by a scene at the recent vin d’ honneur in Malacañang. Members of the diplomatic community were all greeting del Rosario because it’s known in the community that he was assuming the position anytime that week.
Cabinet members have been told to coordinate with del Rosario on matters concerning foreign relations.

That was the same instruction given to Presidential Adviser for Peace Process Ging Deles.Those who are lobbying to be appointed or re-appointed ambassadors have also been told “to go see Albert.”