ellen tordesillas – Page 194 – Making life worth living.

Bangkok ablaze: It could’ve been us

Published by Ellen on May 20, 2010

By Raul Pangalangan
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Bangkok is literally up in flames—and Filipinos must take note. It could’ve been us. It could still be us.

Photo by AP.Thanks. Used without their permission.

We have not witnessed such open recourse to violence in urban centers in our recent history. Neither Edsa I nor Edsa II entailed the firing of live ammunition against civilians, and indeed we celebrate both events precisely for their non-violence. If at all, the bloodiest was Edsa III on May 1, 2001, which cost the lives of several Erap followers who protested Erap’s arrest at an agitated rally in Mendiola.

The most recent armed confrontation we’ve seen in Manila was the November 2008 assault on the Manila Peninsula when Brig. Gen. Danny Lim and now Sen. Antonio Trillanes walked out of the courtroom, where they were being tried, onto the streets of Makati. That was shocking enough for us—the TV video of an armored personnel carrier ramming through the lobby of a five-star hotel and of snipers and troops positioning themselves along Ayala Avenue. Yet that would’ve been a minor skirmish compared to the “mini-civil war” that Bangkok witnessed the past weeks.

Mensahe kay Noynoy ng biktima ng Maguindanao masaker

Published by Ellen on May 19, 2010

VERA Files has ended its Coveritlive of the 2010 elections.

Those who wants to see the exchanges in that post, please click to older posts dated May 8 (Follow 2010 Elections through VERA Files) when it was first posted.

Thanks for your participation.

Sa Linggo, ika-anim na buwan na ng Ampatuan masaker kung saan hindi kumulang sa 57 katao ang brutal na pinaslang, at 30 doon ay mga journalists.

Tuwing ika-23 nag buwan, samantalang hindi pa nagkakaroon ng hustisya ang mga biktima, may isang media outfit na naghu-host ng dasal para hindi makalimutan ng samabayanan ang karumaldumal na krimen na naglagay ng Pilipinas bilang pinaka-mapanganib na lugar sa mundo para sa mga journalists.

Sa Linggo, ang aming diyaryo, ang Malaya Business Insight, ang host. Gaganapin sa ika-anim ng hapon.

Ina-anyayahin naming ang lahat na samahan kami sa aming pagdasal.

Noy-Mar vs Noy-bi, proxy war of Hyatt 10 vs Kamag-anak Inc

Published by Ellen on May 19, 2010

Fe Zamora’s story “Inside story: Hyatt 10 vs Kamag-anak Inc.” has elicited two columns from Conrad de Quiros. Conrad’s columns also elicited reaction from John Nery, which elicited another reaction from Conrad.

I’m wondering, where is Noynoy Aquino in all these conflicting operations within his campaign?

I’m providing the links to all the articles. Have a glimpse of the Aquino presidency.

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.”

Ex-SolGen tags ‘The Firm’ in drive vs new CJ

Published by Ellen on May 18, 2010

By Philip Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Is The Firm making a comeback?

Former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez Monday assailed what he said were attempts by members of The Firm, a law office formerly associated with the First Couple, to return to the corridors of power with the impending inauguration of the Aquino presidency.

Chavez said that former Defense Secretary Avelino “Nonong” Cruz Jr. was eyeing the post of justice secretary while former Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo wanted to become a member of the Judicial and Bar Council.

Puti at itim

Published by Ellen on May 17, 2010

Ngayon na sila na ang mga nasa-kapangyarihan ang isang dapat pag-ingatan ng mga nagsuporta kay Noynoy Aquino ay ang makitid na paningin . Na ang tingin sa mundo ay puti lang at itim.

Na kapag kasama ka nila, ikaw ay puti, walang kasalanan at pupunta ka sa langit. Kung ikaw naman ay hindi sa kanila, sumuporta ka kay Manny Villar, Joseph Estrada, Gilbert Teodoro at iba pang kandidato ikaw ay alagad ng kadiliman at pupunta ka sa impyerno.

Sana hindi nila uulitin ang ginawa ni Cory Aquino noong 1986 na lahat na nasilayan nina Marcos ay masama at pinagtatangal sa trabaho kahit ang magagaling. Nasa Department of Foreign Affairs ako na-assign noon at nakita ko ang mga magagaling na katulad nina Amb. Rodolfo Severino ay tinuligsa nina Heherzon Alvarez dahil yun daw ang nagdedepensa kay Marcos sa embassy ng nagpu-portesta sila sa Washingon D.C.

A brewing crisis

Published by Ellen on May 16, 2010

It looks like there would be no boring moments in the Noynoy Aquino presidency.

This early, fireworks are starting to be lighted in the controversy of Gloria Arroyo’s appointment of Renato Corona as Supreme Court chief justice succeeding Reynato Puno who retired today.

Aquino’s adviser, Avelino “Nonong” Cruz, who was also Arroyo’s chief legal adviser until he fell out of grace when he disagreed with her attempts to change the Constitution for her to stay in power forever, told the president-in-waiting to void the Corona’s appointment just what Arroyo’s father , President Diosdado Macapagal, did to the midnight appointments of his predecessor, Carlos Garcia.

The top 9

Published by Ellen on May 16, 2010

VERA Files’ Mario Ignacio covered the proclamation of the first nine winners in the 2010 senatorial contest. The top nine are: Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr.;Jinggoy…

Preview ng Aquino administration

Published by Ellen on May 15, 2010

Hindi ako nababahala sa away ng iba’t-ibang grupo na sumuporta kay Noynoy Aquino, ang susunod na pangulo ng Pilipinas.

Maganda yan para sa demokrasya. Sila mismo magbabantayan at taumbayan ang makikinabang.

Nabulgar itong iringan dahil sa mahigpit na laban sa pagka bise-presidente nina Mar Roxas ng Liberal party at Jejomar Binay ng Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.

Lumabas na meron palang mga grupo sa loob ng organisasyun ni Noynoy na ang kanilang kinakampanya ay Noy-Bi (Noynoy Aquino para president at Binay para bise-presidente).

Esperon says he was cheated

Published by Ellen on May 15, 2010

The shoe is on the other foot

From: Philippine Daily Inquirer

LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN, Philippines—Look who’s talking now.

A former Army general, who figured prominently in the controversial “Hello Garci” scandal in the 2004 elections, is now complaining of being cheated after losing in the congressional race in Pangasinan’s sixth district.

In a statement e-mailed to reporters, Hermogenes Esperon Jr., former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, denounced vote-buying and the “bullying” of village voters that, he said, “altered the decision of the electorate.”

Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas clobbered Esperon, also former head of the Presidential Management Staff, who got 85,069 votes as against her 114,523 votes.

ellen tordesillas Posts