ellen tordesillas – Page 15 – Making life worth living.

Finding ways to circumvent charter for joint exploration with China

Published by Ellen on November 16, 2018

Pres. Duterte and China Pres. Xi Jinping in Beijing Oct. 2016 state visit.

We will be watching out for the details of the agreement on the joint exploration in the Spratlys that is expected to be signed in the presence of President Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping when the latter comes to Manila on Nov. 20 and 21. If there would be any agreement on joint exploration at all.

Duterte and his foreign secretaries, present and past, have assured us Philippine sovereignty will not be compromised. We would like to believe them but we are still concerned especially after the President surrendered to China the Philippine claim in the Spratlys with his statement in Singapore last Wednesday while attending the ASEAN summit.

In an doorstep interview, Duterte, talking about the three-year time frame for the China –ASEAN Code of Conduct for the South China Sea said, apparently referring to the regional military superpower :”You are there, you are in possession, you occupy it, tell us what route shall we take and what kind of behavior.”

Sandiganbayan conviction of Imelda debunks Marcoses’ fake news

Published by Ellen on November 11, 2018

Pres. Duterte and Imelda Marcos SONA juy 25 2016. Malacanang photo by King Rodriguez

It’s doubtful that the fabulous Imelda Marcos would ever set foot in jail after the conviction by the Sandiganbayan on seven counts of graft with a prison sentence totaling 77 years (six years and 1 month to 11 years for each case).

But the decision last Nov. 9 by Associate Justice Maryann E. Corpuz-Manalac and concurred in by chairperson of the graft court’s fifth division, Rafael R. Lagos and Associate Justice Maria Theresa V. Mendoza-Arcega is enough to reverse the declining faith of many in the country’s justice system.

Actually, this is the second boost in less than a month. Last Oct. 22, Presiding Judge Andres B. Soriano of Branch 148 of the Regional Trial Court, National Capital Region refused to succumb to the pressures of those in power to nullify the amnesty granted to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV in 2011.

Cemetequette

Published by Ellen on October 31, 2018

A cemetery scene in Valenzuela City. Photo from PNA.

Cemetequette is a term coined by environment- advocate EcoWaste Coalition for “Pinoy Cemetery Etiquette.”
Nov. 1 and 2 are Undas days for the predominantly-Catholic Filipinos. Undas is derived from the Spanish word “honrar” which means “to honor.”

Nov. 1 is All Saints’ Day when we honor the saints that we all go to for refuge and comfort in times of need. Nov. 2 is All Souls’ Day when we remember our loved ones who have departed.

As we troop to the cemeteries to observe this beautiful tradition, let’s make sure that we do our share in making life worth living.

Khaled Hosseini’s Sea Prayer

Published by Ellen on October 28, 2018

Khaled Hosseini’s Sea Prayer is all of 547 words. In 43 unnumbered illustrated pages.

It’s a powerful moving story of a father and son fleeing the violence and chaos of Syria to a place unknown where they know they are not welcome.

Hosseini of the heart rending best seller, The Kite Runner, said Sea Prayer was inspired by the story of Alan Kurdi, the three- year old Syrian refugee whose dead body was washed ashore somewhere in Turkey in September 2015 as a boatload of refugees tried to flee to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea.

A disturbing statement by the AFP chief

Published by Ellen on October 26, 2018

There is something very wrong about the statement of AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Carlito Galvez praising the President for agreeing to the rule of law.

Galvez said that Wednesday when he announced that the AFP won’t be reconvening for now a general court martial to try Senator Antonio Trillanes IV following the denial by Judge Andres B. Soriano of the Regional Trial Court NCR Branch 148 of the motion of the Department of Justice to issue a hold departure order and issue a warrant of arrest for the senator for the charge of coup d’etat that the court dismissed seven years ago.

“We have already discussed this in a meeting and the President already decided that we will go to the courts,” Galvez told reporters.

He added: “We have to praise the President because he agreed to the rule of law.”

AFP Chief Carlito Galvez shows Pres. Duterte the command saber on the sidelines of the joint AFP-PNP command conference at the Malacañan Palace on Oct. 4, 2018. Malacañang photo by Alfred Frias.

The power of One righteous act

Published by Ellen on October 24, 2018

Judge Andres Soriano of Makati RTC 148. Photo by Philippine Daily Inquirer.

It took only a single act by one man to restore the fading faith of democracy –loving Filipinos in the country’s justice system.

It took only one man: Presiding Judge Andres Bartolome Soriano of the Regional Trial Court, National Capital Region, and Branch 148.

And all Judge Soriano did was do what he believed was right.

Judge Soriano’s principled stand is contained the 33-page decision he handed down in the Motion of the Department of Justice to issue a hold departure order and warrant of arrest against Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV in connection with the coup d’etat case which he dismissed in 2011.

Profiles of courage: Lourdes Mangaoang and Aaron Aquino

Published by Ellen on October 23, 2018

It takes courage not to toe the President’s line.

That’s why it’s awe-inspiring listening to Atty. Lourdes Mangaoang, former Customs X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) chief, in insisting her expert opinion about the magnetic lifters that were alleged to have been used to smuggle illegal drugs last July estimated to be worth P6.8 billion.

Atty. Lourdes V. Mangaoang interview in DZBB. Screengrab from DZBB video.

Same with Director General Aaron Aquino of the Philippine drug enforcement agency who has not wavered in the findings of the agency that the magnetic lifters that passed through the Bureau of Customs contained shabu which is now flooding the streets of the country destroying more lives.

The Greedy Bunch

Published by Ellen on October 20, 2018

To many families, politics is a family business. And they prefer it to be a monopoly.
Certificates of candidacy filed this week reveal that they are determined to hold on to their privileged positions. Here are some of them:

Imme Marcos files her certificate of candidacy for senator accompanied by her sons and Bongbong Marcos. From Bongbong Marcos Facebook.

The Marcoses

Eighty-nine year old Imelda Marcos, widow of the late authoritarian President Ferdinand E. Marcos, walks assisted by an aide but she is still running for governor of Ilocos Norte, a position vacated by her daughter Imee, who is running for senator.

Mrs. Marcos holds the congressional seat for the second district of Ilocos Norte.

Who will now hold the cell phones for Duterte?

Published by Ellen on October 16, 2018

Pres. Duterte raises the hand of his Special Assistant, Bong Go, who filed his certificate of candidacy for senator at Comelec in Intramuros, Manila on October 15. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez.

Christopher Lawrence Go, popularly known as Bong Go, special assistant to President Duterte until last Monday, made a mark in the country’s electoral history by filing his certificate of candidacy for senator the 2019 midterm elections accompanied no less by the highest official of the land.

He was in tears after hearing a mass before his filing of his certificate of candidacy. In his prepared statement, he said: “Ako po ay nagpapasalamat sa Diyos dahil natutunan ko kay Pangulong Duterte kung ano ang tunay na malasakit at serbisyong publiko. Dalawampu’t tatlong taon akong nanilbihan sa kanya at ang karunungan ko ngayon ay utang ko rin sa kanya. Dahil kay Mayor Rody, lalong naging malawak at malalim ang aking pang-unawa (I thank God because I learned genuine concern and public service from President Duterte. I served him for 23 years, and I owe him the wisdom and understanding I’ve learned through the years).”

Some good names among senatorial aspirants

Published by Ellen on October 16, 2018

Gary Alejano files certificate of candidacy

The 2019 midterm elections will surely be fun.

We have our usual clowns: Daniel Magtira, who claims to be the husband of Kris Aquino; Anson Tuana, who said he is an ex-boyfriend of Mocha Uson and Emilio Delfin Tagean, ‘King Salam of Maharlika Kingdom.’

They are welcome distractions to this serious exercise of electing our leaders.

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