Category: General

O, anong say nyo, ayaw na rin ni Gloria Arroyo ang charter change ngayon. Statement of the President On Charter Change I commend the decision…

If Senate president Manuel Villar or Sen. Ping Lacson or actor Rez Cortez go on stage during a rally for peace on Sunday, they will be arrested. That’s according to the strange order of Reynaldo Varilla, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office of the Philippine National Police.

For what crime, only Varilla knows.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Varilla as having said,”There will be no political speeches and no movie personalities onstage. The organizers will run the show. If they (movie stars and politicos) will insist and thigs get messy, we will do our thing and arrest them a per request of the organizers.

Following article by Marie A. Surbano is from today’s issue of the Daily Tribune.

A bishop started the political-moral ball rolling as he flung the first challenge to the Philippine soldiery to defend the Constitution that he said is today under attack by the Arroyo government.

Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias, an outspoken senior bishop-critic of President Arroyo and her administration, yesterday openly called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to perform its bounden duty to defend the Constitution and protect the Filipino people from the machinations of Mrs. Arroyo and her allies in the House of Representatives in their multiple immoral plots to amend the Charter and thereby ensure that their selfish vested interests would be protected.

“The soldiers, the Armed Forces, are sworn to protect the people and to defend the Constitution,” the bishop said, justifying his call as legal and constitutional, stressing that “Today, the Constitution is being ravaged in the interest of private individuals. We should be dependent on this (constitutional duty of the AFP to correct this wrong) and I ask them (military) to help the people,” the Novaliches bishop told reporters during a press briefing yesterday after the Mass held at the St. Peter’s Parish in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City.

From today’s issue of Malaya:

The United Opposition yesterday renewed its call for a presidential snap election coinciding with the May 14 elections because it said the Arroyo administration no longer enjoys a mandate from the people.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, UNO president, said the postponement of the Asean summit in Cebu and the backing off by the House from its Constitutional Assembly plan were clear indications that President Arroyo and her allies now realize they no longer enjoy support from the majority of the people.

Binay said this should be more than enough reason for the President and the majority in the House to resign.

Following is the motion of Rep. Prospero Nograles after the opening remarks of House Speaker Jose de Venecia picturing themselves as sensitive to the concerns of the Filipino people and patriots willing to sacrifice to achieve unity for the Filipino people

Nograles:

Mr. Speaker, thank you for outlining the prelude to this motion.

In behalf of the Majority, I now move to CANCEL, SUSPEND AND POSTPONE amendments to or revisions of the Constitution scheduled to be held at the plenary hall of the House of Representatives at 10 a.m. in the morning of Dec. 11, 2006 as provided for in Resolution No. 197 pursuant to House resolution no. 1450 until such time that may be set at a later date by this House to enable the House members to deliberate on the option of a Constitutional Convention to effect charter change in accordance with the majority consensus to act towards accommodating the various sectors of society.

Congratulations to Mau Marcelo, the first Philippine Idol.

She bested two other finalists, Gian Magdangal and Jan Nieto.

The announcement was made after a two-and-a -half hour musical extravanganza at the Araneta coliseum that featured the ten other finalists and other celebrity guests like Gary Valenciano and Aiza Seguerra.

(Pictures of the incident below)

Renato Constantino, Jr. (RC) would like to correct the published statement he said to House Speaker Jose de Venecia and 24 other congressmen during an emotionally-charged press conference at the Dusit Hotel last Friday. He said, it’s “collective gall” and not “collective goal.”

The complete sentence which jolted JDV and his friends:“I would like to say to you all (that) I am completely appalled by your collective gall. You’re totally bereft of principle that’s why you’re without shame.”

We all know what happened after that. Philippine Star columnist Carmen Pedrosa stood up and shouted at RC that he didn’t belong to the event because it was only for members of media. Vic Agustin, columnist of Philippine Daily Inquirer, threw a glass of water on RC.

Statement of House Speaker Jose de Venecia and the Majority Coalition, House of Representatives

Speaker Jose de Venecia and we, the leaders of the majority coalition, met in a caucus yesterday, to consider alternatives or variations to the existing “Constituent Assembly” scenario that the Senate has resolved to boycott – irresponsibly, in our view – despite the formal letters of invitation that the House Secretary-General has caused to be issued to all the 23 Senators and the 232 Congressmen.

We agreed to firm up our collective decision to hold national and local elections on May 10, 2007, and not o consider other proposals to hold the election son Nov. 10, 2007. or a technical extension of six months, to enable the Commission on Elections to computerize the elections and prevent any recurrence of dagdag -bawas.

BREAKING NEWS!

House Speaker Jose de Venecia will announce tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 9) that the Senateless Constituent Assembly that he and his gang shamelessly railroaded last Thursday will not push through.

Malacañang sources said De Venecia was forced to back off because if he refused, Gloria Arroyo will issue a statement that she is not supporting the Con-Ass that will be convened on Tuesday. He would then be losing the support of Kampi congressmen, which would trigger more withdrawals.

Arroyo, the source said, got worried when the Iglesia ni Cristo told her that they are joining the opposition to the Con-Ass.