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Category: Peace and Order

Statement of the President on the hostage-taking incident at the Quirino Grandstand

Published by Ellen on August 23, 2010

Aquino says brother of hostage taker and media fueled tense situation

With the rest of the Filipino people, I wish to offer our deepest condolences to the families of the victims whose lives were lost in the hostage situation at the Quirino Grandstand. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs has conveyed our deep feelings of sorrow to the Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China and the people of Hong Kong through Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang. I have tasked Secretaries Soliman and Lim to provide everything necessary for the recovery and return home of the survivors. I have directed the fullest cooperation with the Hong Kong authorities on the part of our officials.

From the onset of this incident, the hostage-taker seemed to not be belligerent, as shown by the release of hostages. These were encouraging signs.

We were going to wait him out. The idea was to let the ground commanders who are the experts in this field handle the operation with minimal interference from people who are less expert.

Continue readingStatement of the President on the hostage-taking incident at the Quirino Grandstand

Update on Mrs. Domingo’s traumatic experience with policemen

Published by Ellen on May 18, 2010

Remember the incident related by JJ Domingo, a student of international relations in Japan last month when his mother, also based in Japan, came home to attend his sister’s graduation and to seek second opinion of Filipino doctors on her cancer?

To recall, Mrs. Domingo went a friend named Janet who lives in a slum area in Tandang Sora, Quezon City to collect money owed her because she needs money for her medication. She was accompanied by a friend, Maximo Gabriel.

JJ related, “Just when my mother and Gabriel were about to leave Janet’s place, two plain-clothed policemen- one called Allan and another named Mar Palic- approached them, accusing them of drug possession. My mother and her friends aghastly denied this, and before the two cops could search them they showed their bags to the police officers and emptied their pockets to show that there was nothing incriminating inside. Still, the cops ‘invited’ them for questioning.”

Continue readingUpdate on Mrs. Domingo’s traumatic experience with policemen

Pray that this does not happen to your mother

Published by Ellen on April 29, 2010

JJ Domingo, a 20-year old student of international relations, relates in his Facebook wall the harrowing experience of his mother in the hands of people who introduced themselves as members of the Quezon City police.

JJ , who is now in Japan with his mother, said he has emailed this narration to the Philippine National Police and to the Napolcom. So far, he has not received any response.

He is also sending it to the Commission on Human Rights.

Here his story about what he said was the “arbitrary detention and extortion” of his mother by men who are supposed to protect her from lawless elements:

“When my mother went to the Philippines to attend the graduation ceremony of my sister and to seek the opinion of Filipino doctors on her mild cancer two weeks ago, she had no idea she was in for the shock of her life.

Continue readingPray that this does not happen to your mother

Agra shocker: a diversionary tactic?

Published by Ellen on April 25, 2010

While everybody was busy moving heaven and earth to prevent Justice Alberto Agra from clearing Zaldy Ampatuan, former governor of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao, and his uncle Akmad of complicity in the Nov 23, 2009 massacre in Maguindanao, the government panel negotiating with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Muslim rebel group are moving towards signing agreement that officials say would lead to peace in Mindanao but others are concerned could spark another round of war.

Are the two issues connected? After all, didn’t the government arm and coddle the Ampatuans as vigilantes against the MILF?

We hope Agra’s shocking decision of exonerating the two Ampatuans from the crime so shocking it earned for the Philippines the dubious distinction of being the most dangerous country for journalists was not meant to make us too pre-occupied that they would be able to finally sign an agreement that would result in the dismemberment of the country.

In a 10-paragraph joint statement that Ambassador Rafael Seguis, chair of the Philippine government panel and Mohagher Iqbal, MILF panel chair at the conclusion of the 18th round of exploratory talks last Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, there’s a one sentence that is causing a lot of concern to many who are worried that Arroyo would try again what she failed to do last year with the MOA-AD (Memorandum of Agreement- Ancestral Domain), which is to create a Bangsamoro state within the Philippine state.

Continue readingAgra shocker: a diversionary tactic?

A grand setup in the making

Published by Ellen on December 6, 2009

Let us beware. Let us not be lulled into another legal shortcut by Gloria Arroyo.

Things are jelling:

A top military official recommended that the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao be extended to cover the May, 2010 elections.

Major General Gaudencio Pangilinan, vice chief of staff for operations,
said the extension would be needed to allow government troops to hunt down more suspects in Maguindanao massacre ..

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20091206-240492/AFP-official%E2%80%93Keep-Maguindanao-martial-law-till-polls

We should learn our lesson from what happened in January 2001 when we closed our eyes or even aided her in grabbing power from an elected, although incompetent, president.

Since then, she has made a mockery of the Constitution and perverted democratic institutions. And we allowed her. She got away with subverting the will of the people in the 2004 elections. She got away with multi-billion scandals. Why then would she stop?

Last Friday, she issued Proclamation 1959, another proof of her contempt for the law and condescending attitude towards the Filipino people. If she gets away with 1959, she would be encouraged to impose Martial Law in the whole country.

Continue readingA grand setup in the making

Kaya ba ni Arroyo parusahan sina Ampatuan?

Published by Ellen on November 25, 2009

Managot daw ang may kagagawan, sabi ng Malacañang sa nangyari sa Maguindanao kung saan mga 40 na tao ang pinatay dahil sa pulitika.

Pinagpapatay ng mga isang daan daw na armadong lalaki ang asawa, kapatid, kamaganak, mga tag-suporta ni Vice mayor Esmael Magungudatu ng bayan ng Buluan na mag-file ng certificate of candidacy sa bayan ng Ampatuan sa Maguindanao.

Ang mga babae daw ay ginahasa bago pinagpapatay. Kasama sa pinatay ay ang mga 13 na mamamahayag na magku-cover sana pag-file na certificate of candidacy.

Continue readingKaya ba ni Arroyo parusahan sina Ampatuan?

Prosecution or Persecution?

Published by Ellen on September 22, 2009

by Sen. Panfilo Lacson
2nd privilege speech

I rise again today on a matter of personal and collective privilege.

On several occasions, I took the floor of this august hall on very important issues affecting national interest.

Jose Pidal. Hello Garci. The NBN-ZTE Broadband Deal. The Fertilizer Scam. Jueteng Anomaly. The C5 Extension Road Project Double Appropriation. The Pork Barrel Anomalies. Plus many others, the latest of which talked about Joseph Ejercito- Estrada in “Dalawang Mukha ng Sining.”

I did not have to seek out most of these anomalies. They came to me. The easiest and most convenient thing to do was to ignore them. Wala akong magiging kaaway. Tahimik pa sana ang aking buhay. But that would be betraying my oath to the Filipino people as an elected Senator of the Republic.

Continue readingProsecution or Persecution?