Malaya – Page 65 – ellen tordesillas

Disputing government lies

Published by Ellen on January 20, 2008

Army Capt. Ruben Guinolbay, who is detained in Camp Capinpin in connection with the alleged plan to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006, sent us a note to dispute what he said were the lies that the government is peddling against his “men” who were arrested last week and charged for allegedly planning to stage a coup.

The soldiers are former Army Rangers Sgt. Orlando Valencia, Corporals Ramon Perania, Redantel Maranan, and Walter Francisco. They once belonged to the Third Scout Rangers battalion that Guinolbay commanded.

A civilian driver, Kim Agas, who was mistaken as a former soldier, was also dragged in.

Wanted: A better scriptwriter

Published by Ellen on January 17, 2008

Update on coup plot, click here for Victor Reyes’ story

As I’m writing this column, it was announced by the Department of Justice that former Scout Ranger Sgt. Orlando Valencia has been ordered released after their initial investigation showed “no probable cause” for charges filed against him by the PNP Criminal Intelligence and Detection Group.

Valencia, together with three other former Scout Rangers Corporals Ramon Perania, Walter Francisco, and Redantel Mara-nan and a civilian driver Kim Agas were arrested Tuesday afternoon by elements of ISAFP (Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines) for allegedly plotting a coup.

To extend or not to extend

Published by Ellen on January 15, 2008

It looks like AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon’s intense (some even say “shameless”) lobbying for extension of his services is for nothing. Two of Gloria Arroyo’s influential advisers have told her to let go of Esperon when he retires on February 9.

Our usual reliable sources said Rear Adm. Leonardo Calderon, AFP deputy chief of staff for intelligence, and national security adviser Norberto Gonzales discussed with GMA the pros and cons of extending Esperon’s services and the cons outweighed the pros.

Sin begets sin

Published by Ellen on January 13, 2008

Three of the four who came untied:Col. Orlando de Leon, Brig. Gen. Danny Lim, and Col. Ariel Querubin.

The adage “sin begets sin” was best exemplified by what happened in last Friday’s resumption of the hearings of special general court martial trying 28 Marine and Army officers accused of planning to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006.

Estrada should take precautions

Published by Ellen on January 10, 2008

It may not be true but there’s no harm for former President Joseph Estrada to tighten his security when going to around especially in his visits to depressed areas.

We got from several sources that a group is planning to do a “Benazir Bhutto” on him.

As we all know, former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated while addressing a rally in the city of Rawalpindi last Dec. 27. Bhutto was challenging the beleaguered leadership of President Pervez Musharraf.

Coup me?

Published by Ellen on January 8, 2008

Caught unprepared with their pants down by the Nov. 29 walkout by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim from the coup d’etat hearing at the Makati court, Gloria Arroyo’s security officials are falling over each other floating the possibility of another coup try.

First it was Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, tipping reporters of what was shared to him by the military’s intelligence agents. “I believe it’s an assessment of our intelligence services.There’s a possibility that there may be destabilization by various threat groups.”

Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. added to it saying, “Some people, especially those with delusions of grandeur, will always plan things. They never give up.”

PAF S2-11: Missing or shot down in Spratlys?

Published by Ellen on January 6, 2008

Malaya’s update: Missing jet not shot down

Inquirer: PAF continues to search for missing plane

Last Nov. 26, it was reported that one of two Philippine Air Force S2-11 aircraft sent to the contested Spratly Islands in South China Sea to search for 26 Filipino crewmen whose fishing vessel capsized a few days earlier in stormy weather went missing.

On board the aircraft were lead pilot Captain Gavino Mercado Jr. (PMA Class ’99) and co-pilot Captain Bonifacio Soriano III (PMA Class 2000)

A month and 11 days has passed. The pilots remain “missing.” There has also been no official report on the results of the investigation conducted by PAF.

Camp Capinpin’s population explosion

Published by Ellen on January 3, 2008

A kin of one of the detainees in Camp Capinpin shared with us this cute story:

A week after the world celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ in a manger more than 2,000 years ago, the officers detained in Camp Capinpin were overseeing the birth of man’s best friends. Eleven of them.

Tuesday night, Col. Ariel Querubin’s female bull mastiff, Jenny, gave birth to 11 puppies.

Thanks for Pablo’s ‘madness’

Published by Ellen on December 30, 2007

Pablo Tariman’s Great Performances Series concluded in a dazzling performance by Russian pianist Ilya Rashkoskiy early this month at the Philamlife Theatre.

It was a return engagement for Ilya, whose spectacular 2006 performance sent Filipino music lovers asking for more. As expected, Ilya did not disappoint fans the second time around.

His December 8 concert was dedicated to dance. He started with Frederick Chopin’s “Waltzes”, followed by Alexander Scriabin’s “Valse”. He closed the first half with an energetic performance of Maurice Ravel’s La Valse that left the audience breathless.With all the musical pyrotechnics, it was like New Year in early December.

“Pulutan” authors savor freedom

Published by Ellen on December 25, 2007

Emerson is the one on the left wearing Cavaliers T-shirt while Elmer is the one on the right in gray T-shirt. Emerson is with Gwen while Elmer is with Del. Yvonne is the one in black blouse.

Former Navy officers Elmer Cruz and Emerson Rosales, authors of the bestselling cookbook, “Pulutan – From the Soldiers’ Kitchen,” kept their promise to Yvonne Chua and me to treat us to dinner at a “dampa” when they are out of detention.

Last Friday, a day after they were set free, we had dinner at the Cuzina, one of the ‘dampa” restaurants along Diosdado Macapagal avenue. It was a sumptuous dinner of seafoods.

Category: Malaya