Skip to content

ellen tordesillas Posts

Three people you should meet in Siem Reap

Published by Ellen on September 27, 2012

Photo from Wikipedia
I never cease to be awed by Angkor Wat.

The first time I stepped on the once- sacred grounds of the sprawling (covers an area of almost two hectares), 2,000- year old temple was an overwhelming experience. That was in 1987. I was with a group of journalists of different nationalities covering Southeast Asia. It was a side trip from our main coverage which was an interview in Phnom Penh with Cambodian officials led by Hun Sen, the former Khmer Rouge commander who abandoned the genocidal regime in 1977 and emerged as the leader of the Vietnamese-backed government. He is currently the prime minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Last week, I went back to Siem Reap with my friend, Marilyn Robles. For three days, we went temple-hopping – total of 23 temples in three days. In the process of being enthralled by the distinct features of each temple, we met interesting persons.

One was Muk Moon, former monk and a resident of Angkor Wat.

Continue readingThree people you should meet in Siem Reap

The back channels: Trillanes, US and Pangilinan

Published by Ellen on September 20, 2012


By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files

Trillanes
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV acted as the Philippines’ backdoor negotiator with China from April to July this year, communicating with Chinese foreign affairs officials in a role, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said, in which he won “minor successes.”

Lacierda, though, did not give details.

Trillanes said President Benigno S. Aquino III gave him the assignment verbally and could not produce any documents to prove he was acting in an official capacity. The role was fraught with deniability, with Malacanang even saying it was Trillanes who sought the job.

Based on various interviews with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, senior foreign affairs officials, military officials, Chinese sources and with Trillanes himself, VERA Files assembled the following timeline of Trillanes’ involvement in the dispute between the Philippines and China over Panatag, also called Scarborough Shoal:

April 8, 2012

Continue readingThe back channels: Trillanes, US and Pangilinan

China reaches out thru Mar Roxas

Published by Ellen on September 18, 2012

Invited
An opportunity for newly-appointed Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas to help in the healing of bruised ties with China has been presented by the Chinese government with its invitation for him to attend the 9th ASEAN- China expo in Nanning, the capital of China’s Guangxizhuang Autonomous Region starting this weekend (Sept 21 to 25).

There is no word yet if Roxas has accepted the invitation.

Sept. 20 -Secretary del Rosario recommends Secretary Roxas as special envoy to the 9th China-Asean Expo

Read story in comments.

ASEAN leaders expected to attend the Expo include Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra , Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Myanmar President U Thein Sein.

President Aquino is going to Brunei on Sunday to attend the wedding of a daughter of Sultan Bolkiah.

China is being politically astute in inviting Roxas.

Continue readingChina reaches out thru Mar Roxas

If PNoy believes Puno’s Israel trip story, pity the Filipino people

Published by Ellen on September 16, 2012

Thanks to Inquirer for photo.
I wish President Aquino would stop talking about “tuwid na daan” anymore.

It’s adding insult to injury with the way he protected Rico Puno, his shooting buddy whom he appointed undersecretary in the Department of Interior and Local Government. He accepted Puno’s resignation last Sept. 11.

“You are testing my level of belief ..”

The House of Representatives spared the public another farce by dropping the planned investigation on the alleged overpriced purchase of firearms for the Philippine National Police and the conflicting versions of Puno’s role in securing the documents on the deal, which included a report questioning his trip to Israel to visit the manufacturing plant of one of the bidders, the Israeli Military Industries.

If Puno was able to get away with stonewalling Sen. Miriam Santiago, chair of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Laws, who conducted hearing, the congressmen are not expected to fare better when it comes to ferreting out the truth. They won’t dare antagonize Malacañang.

Continue readingIf PNoy believes Puno’s Israel trip story, pity the Filipino people

Takot ang mga Marzan gawin sa kanila ang ginawa nila sa kanilang katulong

Published by Ellen on September 16, 2012

The maid, Bonita Baran, and her tormentors, Reynold and Anna Liza Marzan face each other at the Senate. Thanks to Interaksyun for photo.
Takot na takot daw si Anna Liza Marzan, ang amo na nagplantsa ng mukha ng katulong nang dumating siya sa Quezon City jail dahil may sumigaw sa mga nakakulong doon, ““Handa na ang plantsa namin!”

Napanood kasi ng mga inmates sa Q.C jail ang balita nang pagmaltrato ni Marzan sa kanyang katulong na si Bonita Baran.

Sabi ng mga guwardiya sa QC jail na huwag daw matakot si Marzan dahil hindi raw nila pinapayagan ang plantsa sa kulungan.

Sayang.

Ano kaya ang dapat na parusa sa mag-asawang Reynold at Annaliza Marzan sa ginawa nila kay Baran? Nabulag si Baran sa sobrang pananakit ni Anna Liza.

Continue readingTakot ang mga Marzan gawin sa kanila ang ginawa nila sa kanilang katulong

Chit Estella Journalism Awards

Published by Ellen on September 15, 2012

Keeping alive her ideals.
Nominations to the 1st Chit Estella Journalism Awards are now open.

The family of Chit (Chit Estella-Simbulan), who died in a vehicle accident May 13, 2011, has set up the Journalism Awards in cooperation with VERA Files and the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communications.

Chit, at the time of her death was a journalism professor at UP-Diliman and trustee of VERA Files, a group that we, together with four other media colleagues – Yvonne Chua, Booma Cruz, Luz Rimban and Jennifer Santiago, set up in March 2008. VERA Files undertakes in-depth reporting on current issues and conducts journalism training.

The Chit Estella Journalism Awards, which are intended to keep alive Chit’s ideals of excellent and principled journalism, will honor the best journalistic report in print and on-line media.

The theme for this year’s contest is human rights as enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

Continue readingChit Estella Journalism Awards

Philippine media – a convenient scapegoat

Published by Ellen on September 13, 2012

President Aquino and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long in APEC
Philippine media have their ample share of problems, one of them irresponsible reporting, but on the report on alleged support of Singapore for the Philippine position in the West Philippine Sea, they correctly reported what was officially conveyed to them.

The statement released by the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Sept. 10 insulted Philippine media.

The statement:

Continue readingPhilippine media – a convenient scapegoat

American who risked life to stop Gadhafi killed in Libya

Published by Ellen on September 12, 2012


By the CNN Wire Staff

Ambassador ‘loved Libya so much’

Photo by Agence France Presse
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) — Chris Stevens, an American who risked his life to help Libyans overthrow dictator Moammar Gadhafi, was killed overnight in the former rebel capital of Benghazi — a city he helped save, making it an especially tragic place for him to die, President Obama said Wednesday.

An Arabic speaker who loved Libya and understood it deeply, Stevens died along with three other Americans when an angry mob stormed the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. He was the first U.S. ambassador to be killed in the line of duty since 1979.

The consulate was one of several American diplomatic missions in the Middle East to face protests Tuesday after the release online of a film mocking Islam and depicting the Muslim Prophet Mohammed as a child molester, womanizer and ruthless killer.

Continue readingAmerican who risked life to stop Gadhafi killed in Libya