Aquino’s dare: ‘Impeach me’Aquino haters can try impeaching him for going with his Budget Secretary’s concoction of the Disbursement Acceleration Program but as Sen. Miriam Santiago correctly predicts, it will not prosper.
Not because it was legal as Abad and his spokesmen aver but simply because he controls both chambers of Congress. And for the very reason that he makes everybody happy with the releases that he finds himself now in hot waters.
The DAP was “discovered” by the public after a few days of twisting by Malacacañang and its allies on the P50 million releases to each senator (it turned out others got more like Senators Franklin Drilon, P100 million, Chiz Escudero P99 million, and Juan Ponce Enrile, P92 million) after the impeachment of Supreme Court Renato Corona in May 2012 that Estrada revealed in his speech, “Untold story of PDAF”
Thanks to Inquirer for photo.Malacañang must be feeling beleaguered.
Press Secretary Edwin Lacierda went all the way from Malacañang to ABS-CBN to appear personally in Anthony Taberna and Gerry Baja’s radio program “Dos por Dos” to insist that DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Pogram) is not violative of the Constitution according to the opinion of former Senator Joker Arroyo.
Arroyo said it’s the first time that he heard such an animal called DAP.
Former National Treasurer Leonor Briones questioned the legality of this DAP, which was created in October 2011, two months before the start of the impeachment against Corona. “Is there an executive order? Is there a provision in the Constitution which legitimizes its creation?”
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.
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.”
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.
Sponsors do not want to be seen supporting someone acccused of plunderMalakas 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.
Documentary evidenceOne 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.
By VERA Files THE National Bureau of Investigation filed on Monday afternoon plunder and malversation of public funds charges against Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.,…
Para hindi mapagod. Malacañang releases photos of the Queen of the Pork Barrel scam and the PresidentToday, photos of the President with Janet Napoles, the alleged brains of the mindboggling pork barrel scam, made the rounds in Facebook and Twitter. They were taken at the same occasion where Napoles daughter, Jeane, had her photo with President Aquino- after the national thanksgiving mass for the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod in Cebu November last year.
Jeane’s picture with the President was sent to broadcaster Anthony Taberna Wednesday afternoon and made the rounds of social media immediately after it was posted.
Today’s photos came from Malacañang. Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang said after checking Malacañang’s photo files of that Cebu event, they found more photos of the President with Janet herself and her husband, Jaime. He said in that event, a lot of people were having their pictures taken with the President.
He said they decided to release the pictures “so people would not speculate.” The President had earlier said he does not remember having met Napoles until her surrender last week in Malacañang.
But we doubt if we have seen the end of photo releases from different sources. Last Monday photos of Senate President Franklin Drilon with the Napoles couple were passed around in social media. Drilon said it was taken during an event at the Heritage Park in Taguig City where seminarians from China were guests.
Damay-damay na. Jeane Napoles releases photo with PNoy.There’s a politician I know who welcomes people having a picture taken with him marking them perhaps as a potential vote come Election Day.
In a few parties that I attended where Vice President Jejomar Binay was a guest, I noticed that he was always accompanied by a photographer. The VP gives out the website where one can view the photos.
But with the Janet Lim Napoles, alleged pork barrel scam queen exploding and dragging with her known political personalities, just being seen with her is a nightmare.
Malacañang is downplaying the importance of the picture of the luxury-loving Jeane Napoles with President Aquino which Malacañang has confirmed to be authentic.It was taken after the national thanksgiving mass for the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod in Cebu November last year.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said,“I understand the photo was taken at an event last November in Cebu. She had her photo taken with the President, as did a dozen other people who lined up to have their photo taken with him.”
