Category: Graft and corruption

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.

May kinatatakutan si Zubiri kay Acosta sa DENR

Published by Ellen on May 18, 2011

Gumagalaw ng husto si Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri para maharang ang appointment ni dating Rep. Neric Acosta bilang environment secretary.

Mula pa ng simula ng administrasyun ni Pangulong Aquino, matunog ang usap-usapan na si Acosta talaga ang magiging environment secretary ngunit hindi siya pwede ma-appoint sa ano mang posisyun sa pamahalaan bago makalipas ang isang taon pagkatapos ng Mayo 14, 2010 na eleksyun.

Tumakbo kasi si Acosta bilang senador noong 2010 ngunit natalo. May isang taong “ban” para manungkulan sa pamahalaan ang mga tumakbo sa eleksyun.

Nag-privilege speech pa si Zubiri.Sinabi niya na kung sinsero daw si Pangulong Aquino sa kanyang sinasabing “Daang matuwid”, hindi raw dapat niya i-appoint ang mga may nakabinbin na kaso.

Naplantsa na ni Merci bago nag-resign

Published by Ellen on May 10, 2011

Nakakagalit ngunit hindi naman masyadong nakakagulat ang desisyun ng Sandiganbayan na aprubahan ang plea bargain agreement ng Ombudsman at ni dating Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia.

Matagal na itong plantsado ni dating Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. Kaya nga noong Marso, nang pina-follow up noon ni Sen. Franklin Drilon kay Gutierrez sa imbestigasyon ng Senado ang kanyang sianbing ipahinto o bawiin ang plea bargain agreement kay Garcia, sinabi niya na pinag-aaralan pa nila. Mag-isang buwan na pag-aaral na yun at marami nang naibulgar si Col. George Rabusa. Talagang gusto talagang palayain si Garcia. At siyempre, nanggaling sa mas mataas ang kuntsabahan.

May nagsabi sa akin na isang mataas na opisyal sa administrasyun ni Gloria Arroyo ang lumalakad sa Sandiganbayan ng kaso ni Garcia. Ang usap-usapan kasi, malaking pera galing sa budget ng military ang napunta sa kampanya ni Arroyo noong 2004.

Is Gloria Arroyo’s SanFo trip connected with resignation of Merci?

Published by Ellen on April 30, 2011

At about the time I learned that Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez resigned (noon of April 29, 2011), a friend texted that Gloria Arroyo and members opf her family arrived in San Francisco,U.S.A.

“They didn’t have any luggage ,“ the informant said adding that “Many Pinoys saw them at the airport, including Pinoy waiter at Mcdo who just texted.“
The informant added his own analysis of what he saw : “They fled to avoid arrest when they knew that knew their protector was about to resign.“

Sen Antonio Trillanes IV issued a statement on the resignation of Gutierrez from Boracay where he is attending a wedding of a Magdalo officer :“It’s a relief for everyone, including herself.“

He said,“Also we can revert back to our normal legislative schedule in the Senate so that we can tackle the more important legislative matters.“

Pakapalan ng mukha sa Ombudsman

Published by Ellen on April 2, 2011

Akala talaga ng mga tao sa Ombudsman sa pamumuno ni Merceditas Gutierrez ay hindi sila sakop ng batas. Ang lalakas ng loob! Ang kakapal ng mukha!

Pakutya na sinabi ni Assistant Ombudsman Jose de Jesus na sorry na lang ang Malacañang at hindi nila susundin ang order ng Pangulo na patalsikin si Deputy Ombudsman Emilio A. Gonzalez III dahil na-imbestigahan na raw nila ang akusasyon ng namatay na pulis na si Rolando Mendoza na kinikikilan siya ng P150,000 at “cleared” na raw si Gonzalez.

Pambihira naman. Sila-sila lang ang nagi-imbestiga ng kanilang sarili. Siyempre “cleared”.

Noong Biyernes pinalabas ng Malacañang ang order ni Pangulong Aquino na tanggalin sa pwesto si Gonzalez pagkatapos ma kumpirma ng team na pinangungunahan ni Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa ang resulta ng imbestigasyun at rekomendasyun ng Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) na pinamumunuan ni Justice Secretary Leila de Lima na dapat panagutin si Gonzalez dahil nagpabaya at hindi tama ang kanyang asal (gross neglect of duty and gross misconduct) sa paghawak sa kaso.

Pera o preso

Published by Ellen on March 26, 2011

gen and mrs ligot — The Ligots. Photo by Manila Standard

Binigyan ng Senado nang mag-asawang Ligot kung tulungan nila ang pamahalaan na maibalik sa sambayanang Pilipino ang milyon-milyon na pera na nanakaw sa sambayanang Pilipino o magpakulong. Sa ngayon mas gusto nilang magpakulong.

Naka-detain si Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot sa Senado dahil sa ginawang niyang hindi pagsipot sa hearing na ginagawa ng Blue Ribbon Committee sa pangunguna ni Sen. TG Guingona. Ang kanyang asawang si Erlinda ay hindi pa kinukulong. Humanitarian reasons daw.

Pambabatos naman kasi ang ginagawa niton mag-asawang Ligot kasama na rin ang kapatid ni Mrs. Ligot na si Eduardo Yambao sa kanilang pagsisinungaling sa Senado tungkol sa pagnananakaw na ginawa nila sa pera ng military nang comptroller si Ligot nang panahon na ang chief of staff ng Armed Forces of the Philippines ay ang nagpakamatay na dating Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes.

Kapag pinapanood mo ang imbestigasyun ng Senado na nagsimula sa kontrobersyal na plea bargain agreement ng Ombudsman ng isa pang dating military comptroller,si Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, na ngayon ay pinalawak na sa mga corruption sa military nang lumabas ang dating military budget officer na si George Rabusa, makikita talaga ang kahalagahan ng pagsabi ngkatotohanan.

Alerto: hindi titigil ang kampo ni Arroyo

Published by Ellen on March 22, 2011

Ang nangyari noong Lunes (Martes na nga pala ng medaling araw) ay hindi maisip mangyari kung si Gloria Arroyo pa ang nasa kapangyarihan. Iba na talaga ang panahon.

Sabi nga ni Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, ilang impeachment complaint na na kasama siya sa pagsulong para mabigyan hustisya ang taumbayan na pinagsamantalahan ng mga nasa kapangyarihan ngunit walang nangyari dahil hawak ni Arroyo ang mga kongresista.
Iba na talaga ang panahon.

Maganda ang sinabi ni Anak Pawis Rep. Rene Mariano na ang impeachment complaint laban kay Gutierrez ay laban ng mga magsasaka na siyang ninakawan nina Arroyo at ng kanyang mga kasama na ang mga opisyal sa Department of Agriculture. Isa sa kaso sa Articles of Impeachment ay ang P728 milyon na anomalya sa abono.

Merceditas Gutierrez impeached

Published by Ellen on March 21, 2011

Click here for Sun Star’s list of Impeachment voting

In a historic vote of 212 “Yes”, 46 “No”, and four abstentions Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez was impeached by the House of Representatives for betrayal of public trust.

After eight hours of deliberation, the House vote was completed at 12:13 a.m of March 22, 2011.

This is the first time in the country’s history that an anti-graft chief has been impeached.

The Articles of Impeachment, which will be transmitted to the Senate for trial, contained in House Bill 1089 cites inaction on the following cases : fertilizer scam; $329.5 million controversial National Broadband Network-ZTE telecommunications deal; Mega Pacific poll automation contract; Euro-Generals cases; 1995 death of Navy Ensign Phillip Pestaño; low conviction rates.

Under Section 3, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, the impeachment case against the Ombudsman would have to get a one-third vote of all House members (95 ) before it can be transmitted to the Senate for trial.

Senate indicators

Published by Ellen on March 10, 2011

When it rains, it pours.

After years of being protected by Gloria Arroyo’s Malacañang, House of Representatives,and Supreme Court, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is getting it from all directions.

Click on related documents:

Executive Summary Blue Ribbon report on Carlos Garcia Plea BargainAgreement

BLUE RIBBONCOMMITTEE REPORT Garcia plea bargain

Last Monday, the House Justice committee voted that there’s probable cause to impeach Gutierrez for betrayal of public trust on five cases at the same time that the Supreme Court denied with finality her motion for reconsideration to stop the House from proceeding with her impeachment.