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Lessons for Arroyo in Senate coup

Published by Ellen on November 18, 2008

Senator Panfilo Lacson told ANC after Juan Ponce-Enrile was sworn in as senate president after Manny Villar resigned, that “Nothing is spontaneous here in the Senate. These things are planned.”

To recall, Villar, who was re-elected as senator in 2007 under the Genuine Opposition ticket, was installed as senate president last July with a vote of 15-7 by what was described as a “mongrel” majority that included all of Malacañang allies. Given that kind of support base, Villar has been doing a delicate balancing act between Malacañang’s interest and the public’s expectation for the Senate to do a fiscalizing role to the Arroyo administration’s brazen violations of the Constitution.

Although initiated by four opposition senators – Lacson, Loren Legarda, Mar Roxas and Jamby Madrigal, Villar’s ouster last Monday was made possible when the very same people who were his allies just more than a year ago abandoned him.

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Dureza prays for Arroyo in Malacañang beyond 2010

Published by Ellen on November 18, 2008

by Jocelyn Montemayor
Malaya

“We pray for the President, that she may have forbearance, good health, and tolerance to lead this nation until 2010, and who knows, perhaps even beyond,” Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said yesterday as he recited his prayer at the start of the Cabinet meeting.

“Oh my God!” and a glare were what Dureza got from a shocked President Arroyo, who covered her face.

At the end of the prayer, a smiling Arroyo asked media men who were allowed to cover that portion of the meeting to leave the room as she said “that prayer is off the record.”

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Hamon sa oposisyon na kongresista

Published by Ellen on November 17, 2008

House Justice Committee junks MOA-AD intervention

Nang isinampa ng mga bloggers sa pangunguna ni Manuel L. Quezon III ang impeachment complaint laban kay Gloria Arroyo noong Miyerkoles, walang kongresista na nag-indorso.

Ayaw kasi ng mga Bayan Muna at ng Gabriela ang isyu ng MOA-AD (Memorandum of Agreement-Ancestral Domain) dahil kakampi nila ang Moro Islamic Liberation Front, na siyang makinabang sa pag parte-parte ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas ng lupain sa Mindanao na ginawa ni Gloria Arroyo.

Naniwala ang mga bloggers na nag-file ng impeachment complaint na kaya ginawa ang MOA-AD ay paraan yun para maisulong ni Arroyo ang charter-change na siyang magpapalawig ng kanyang hawak sa kapangyarihan. Ito ay labag sa batas at isang impeachable offense.

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Villar ousted as Senate president; Enrile sworn in

Published by Ellen on November 17, 2008

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile was sworn in this afternoon as the new Senate president in a coup that caught Senate President Manuel Villar and his allies by surprise.

Enrile, whose oath of office was administered by Sen. Gregorio Honasan Jr. at 4 p.m. when the chamber opened its plenary session, was supported by administrator senators and several senators, including Sen. Rodolfo Biazon.

Following Villar’s ouster, Senators Francis Pangilinan and Aquilino Pimentel Jr. resigned their posts as majority and minority leaders.

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Proteksyun raket

Published by Ellen on November 15, 2008

Habang sinusulat ko itong kolum, nanood ako ng hearing ng mga “Euro generals”, ang tawag sa mga opisyal ng Philippine National Police na pumunta sa Moscow noong isang buwan at ang isa ay nahulihan na may perang dala sobra sa legal na limit sa pagdala ng pera sa Europe.

Lalong nagkandabuhol-buhol ang kuwento kung saan galing ang 105,000 euros (P6.9 milyon) na nahuli ng Russian customs kay Maria Fe de la Paz, asawa ni Police Director Eliseo de la Paz, nang paalis na sila sa Moscow papuntang Poland pagkatapos nila dumalo sa isang InterPol conference.

Lumabas na 150,000 euros pala ang dala ni de la Paz dahil may isang negosyante na nagpadala ng 45,000 euros sa kanya pambili ng relo. Grabe namang mahal na relo yun.

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The AFP’s original sin (Adam and Esperon)

Published by Ellen on November 14, 2008

By BGen Danny Lim

Before the Filipino people, the raison d’etre for its existence, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is currently in a state of disgrace. This alienation is the price soldiers pay for the Original Sin committed by their senior officers, Esperon and his rogue accomplices, who allowed themselves to be “used” and in the process unconscionably got the institution involved in the massive electoral fraud in 2004.

Like Adam and Eve who were unable to resist the crafty snake’s temptation and ate from the Tree of Knowledge, Esperon and his self-aggrandizement group succumbed to the offers of immoral political leaders and helped themselves to the “tree of Garci.” But unlike the Garden of Eden’s original sin, Esperon’s partakes of a mortal character, not merely venial. It was a grievous criminal offense when he and his gang knowingly and willfully violated our election laws and thwarted the people’s sovereign political mandate. And being mortal, such stain cannot be cleansed by Baptismal waters alone. The sin can only be forgiven and the soldier reconciled with his people through a sincere Act of Contrition and the corresponding Acts of Penance.

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Joc-joc clears Gloria; senators dumbstruck

Published by Ellen on November 13, 2008

Download audio files of Nov. 13 Senate hearing
Download documents related to fertilizer fund scam

VERA FILES

by JP Lopez and Dennis Gadil
Malaya

The former agriculture undersecretary tagged as master architect in the illegal diversion of P728 million in fertilizer funds in 2004 yesterday cleared his “benefactor” President Arroyo.

But senators, both allies and critics of the President, were unconvinced about the claim of Jocelyn “Joc Joc” Bolante, saying it is hard to accept that such huge amount would be released without presidential approval.

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