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South China Sea issue

Published by Ellen on June 23, 2011

CPR's son, Roberto Romulo, former foreign secretary
By Roberto R. Romulo
Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs

It seems that the situation in the South China Sea is taking a turn for the worse. The increasingly harsh rhetoric is now being backed by a display of muscle. China sent one of its most modern surveillance vessels on a run through the South China Sea from Guangzhou to Singapore. The Philippines sent its largest – and apparently only – warship, a WWII vintage destroyer, on patrol through waters it now calls the West Philippine Sea. Vietnam and China have each conducted live-fire exercises while the U.S. and ASEAN navies have just completed their annual joint naval exercise. This war of words and saber-rattling, if not handled properly, can lead to a situation that would complicate and even make it impossible for a diplomatic solution to be reached.

(With these developments, now I am terrified at the prospect at having him (Domingo Lee) represent our interest during these crucial times. I do not mean to denigrate the nominee’s intellect or age. I just think his abilities and past experience are not suited for this particular post)

Continue readingSouth China Sea issue

Pulse Asia’s May 21 to June 4, 2011 survey:Aquino’s overall approval and trust rating declined but he continues to enjoy approval by majority

Published by Ellen on June 22, 2011

About seven in ten Filipinos (71%) express appreciation for and trust in President
Aquino. On the other hand, less than one in ten is critical of presidential performance
(8%) and distrusts the President (7%). Essentially the same percentages of Filipinos are
unable to say if they approve or disapprove of the President’s work in the past three
months (21%) and are ambivalent as regards his trustworthiness (22%).

Continue readingPulse Asia’s May 21 to June 4, 2011 survey:Aquino’s overall approval and trust rating declined but he continues to enjoy approval by majority

Hindi pwedeng i-ignore ni PNoy ang pagkadismaya ng taumbayan

Published by Ellen on June 21, 2011

Ano pa nga ba ang sasabihin ng Malacañang sa pinakahuling survey ng Social Weather Station kung saan lalong bumaba pa ang satisfaction rating ni Pangulong Aquino? Natural lang yun na depensahan nila ang kanilang ginagawa at hindi nga lang daw masyadong alam ng nakakarami.

Ngunit sa kanilang pagdepensa, sa halip na maghanap ng palusot, dapat aksyunan ang mga bagay na nagdulot ng dismaya kay PNoy ng taumbayan.

Continue readingHindi pwedeng i-ignore ni PNoy ang pagkadismaya ng taumbayan

Ingat sa Facebook at Twitter

Published by Ellen on June 19, 2011

Boon and bane
Ang mga disgrasya na nadudulot ng “Facebook” at “Twitter” ay nagpapa-alala sa atin na ang mga kabutihan na nabibigay nitong mga social networks ay may kaakibat ding panganib.

Maraming kabutihan na nabibigay ang social networks lalo pa sa panahon ngayon na maraming pamilya na magkakalayo.

Ordinary na ngayon sa bawat pamilya na may mienbro na nasa abroad at sa pamamagitan ng Facebook at Twitter, naiibsan ang distansya. Sa pamamagitan ng internet, parang hindi rin magkakalayao. Makakapabalitaan araw-araw.

Ngunit dahil sa demokrasya sa mga social networks na ito, madali mawala ang privacy kung hindi marunong mag-ingat o kung mahilig magbibida tungkol sa sarili.

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Parang wala na rin ang ‘live coverage’ desisyun ng SC sa Maguindanao masaker trial

Published by Ellen on June 18, 2011

Update:

Malacañang statement:

In keeping with the President’s longstanding position that the cause of justice and sustained reforms in ARMM require live coverage of the Maguindanao Massacre Trial, Secretary Herminio Coloma of the PCOO has instructed NBN4 to undertake a gavel-to-gavel coverage of the trial.

Related links:

http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2011/june2011/10-11-5-SC.htm
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/223349/nation/sc-allows-live-coverage-of-maguindanao-massacre-trial

http://harryroque.com/

We should never forget this.
Binabawi ko na ang aking palakpak sa desisyun ng Supreme Court na pinapayagan ang TV na magkaroon ng live broadcast ng trial ng Maguindanao masaker.

Sa dami ng kundisyunes na binigay ng Supreme Court para makapag-cover ng live ang TV, Malabo na rin mangyayari.

Ayun sa desisyun na sinulat ni Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales na sinang-ayunan naman ng lahat na justices, isang TV camera lang ang papayagan sa loob ng korte kung saan doon kukuha na ng “feed” ang ibang TV networks.

Walang problema sa kundisyun na ito. Nagawa na ito sa ibang kaso katulad ng kay dating Pangulong Joseph Estrada.

Continue readingParang wala na rin ang ‘live coverage’ desisyun ng SC sa Maguindanao masaker trial

JDV and GMA should answer for selling out the country to China

Published by Ellen on June 16, 2011

Update:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110616/ap_on_re_as/as_china_south_china_sea
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/15750/china-to-boost-maritime-patrols-as-disputes-mount

PH also deployed largest patrol ship to Spratlys area on a ‘routine patrol’ -ABS-CBN

The two 'forces' behind the JMSU that sold out PH sovereignty to China.
You just have to give credit to former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr for never giving up on an idea which he thinks is bright, no matter how disadvantageous it is to the Filipino people.

In the midst of rising tension between the Philippines and China over the former’s series of armed intrusions on West Philippine Sea the past five months, he urged President Aquino Wednesday to revive, the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking.

The brainchild of De Venecia, the JMSU which was signed in March 2005, opened the exploration of large portion of West Philippine Sea jointly with initially China and later on, with Vietnam. The first phase which ended in 2007 was to find out the amount of oil and other mineral resources in that area. The second phase didn’t push through because of questions of the constitutionality of the tripartite agreement.

The Philippine Constitution provides that”The exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the State.”

Continue readingJDV and GMA should answer for selling out the country to China

Palace suspends for 90 days Garcia plea bargain ‘architect’

Published by Ellen on June 15, 2011

One by one, they fell.

First it was Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzales who was fired. Then Deputy Ombudsman Luzon Mark Jalandoni, who resigned. Then Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez who also resigned. Now, Wendell Barreras-Sulit suspended.

By Jocelyn Montemayor and Peter Tabingo
Malaya

Sulit
Special Prosecutor Wendell Barreras-Sulit has been charged by Malacañang with graft and betrayal of public trust and suspended for 90 days in connection with the plea bargain agreement the Ombudsman forged with former military comptroller Maj. Gen. (ret.) Carlos Garcia who was accused of amassing some P303 million while in the service.

A two-page formal charge sheet signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. Tuesday said the three-month preventive suspension aims to ensure there will be no tampering with evidence and interference in the investigation.

He said the suspension would start upon Sulit’s receipt of the formal notice.

Sulit could not be reached for comment. But according to sources, she received the suspension order yesterday.

The sources said Sulit scribbled a marginal note on the order, which read, “received under protest subject to outcome of my petition in the Supreme Court and in view of the pendency thereof.”

She signed the order, signifying she was properly served.

Continue readingPalace suspends for 90 days Garcia plea bargain ‘architect’