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Gonzales: Worst of oust-GMA is over

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2008

by Regina Bengco
Malaya

National security adviser Norberto Gonzales yesterday said the worst of the moves to oust President Arroyo has passed and the rest of the opposition’s efforts won’t make much of an impact.

Gonzales said the destabilization peaked during the February 29 interfaith rally in Makati City when, he said, the crowd was less than the expected 1 million. Police estimated the crowd at 15,000 while organizers said it was at 75,000.

He said the Lenten break would defuse the tension and this would be helped along by the fact that students, who he said are being targeted by the opposition’s propaganda efforts, would also have their summer vacation.

‘I know nothing about $41M bribes’

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2008

New NBN witness called a liar

By Dennis Gadil
Malaya

New witness Leo San Miguel yesterday said he had no direct knowledge about the alleged $41 million in advances made by China’s ZTE Corp. to the “Greedy Group” of Benjamin Abalos Sr. in exchange for the approval of the national broadband project.

“I’m not aware of any kickbacks or ‘lagayan’,” San Miguel told the Senate tri-committee of blue ribbon, defense and trade, which is investigating the overpriced project.

Seismic survey is exploration – Mañalac

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2008

My concerns were addressed – Gutierrez

Golez asks if the Philippines is getting correct information from Chinese group.

Former President of the Philippine National Oil Corporation Eduardo Mañalac, the signatory in the controversial Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking with China and Vietnam admitted that the seismic survey being undertaken in the South China Sea and in the territorial waters of the Philippines can be considered exploration.

“If you ask me as a geologist it (seismic survey) is one part of the overall exploration,” Mañalac said in his press conference Monday even as he insisted that the tripartite agreement is aboveboard. He said he signed the agreement after he was told that the agreement was legal.

Bentahang ukay-ukay ng Pilipinas

Published by Ellen on March 10, 2008

Hindi naman yata tama ang sinabi ng dating presidente ng Philippine National Oil Corporation na si Eduardo Mañalac na wala raw legal na boundary and Pilipinas kaya hindi raw masabi kung talagang may nakasama sa Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking na teritoryo ng Pilipinas na hindi naman kasama sa pinag-awayan sa Spratly islands.

Lumabas kasi sa pag-aaral ng marunong magbasa ng mapa, na ang kontratang pinasukan ng pamahalaang Arroyo sa pamamagitan ng PNOC sa China at Vietnam noong 2004 at 2005 ay nagsasakop ng 24,000 square kilometers sa loob ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas.

Vatican lists “new sins,” including pollution

Published by Ellen on March 10, 2008

By Philip Pullella

Vatican City (Reuters) – Thou shall not pollute the Earth. Thou shall beware genetic manipulation. Modern times bring with them modern sins. So the Vatican has told the faithful that they should be aware of “new” sins such as causing environmental blight.

The guidance came at the weekend when Archbishop Gianfranco Girotti, the Vatican’s number two man in the sometimes murky area of sins and penance, spoke of modern evils.

Palace eyes U-turn on Spratly Deal 2

Published by Ellen on March 10, 2008

Binay: Review an admission of agreement’s infirmities

by Regina Bengco
Malaya

A Malacañang legal team is studying whether to push through with the 2005 Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) agreement with China and Vietnam on the disputed South China Sea.

Chief presidential legal counsel Sergio Apostol said the study was prompted by the “political noise” that President Arroyo might have committed treason by allowing the joint exploration of the disputed islands in exchange for loan agreements worth billions of dollars from China.

A stinking deal

Published by Ellen on March 9, 2008

Related stories:

Statement of former DOE and PNOC heads

GMANewsTV: Seismic study showed 3 trillion cubic meters of oil in agreement area

GMANewsTV: Senate to start Spratlys probe

Siazon denies Drilon story

ABS-CBN:Political noise endangers Spratlys deal

How important is the JMSU (Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking) in the Spratly islands to China can be seen by how the Asia-Pacific superpower broke its traditional practice of spacing state visits to accommodate Gloria Arroyo in September 2004.

Six RP-occupied islands covered in controversial Spratlys deals

Published by Ellen on March 9, 2008

By VERA Files*

Six islands occupied by the Philippines in the disputed Spratly Islands Groups are covered by two controversial joint seismic monitoring agreements among the Philippines, China and Vietnam that have come under fire for purportedly “sacrificing” Philippine interests in exchange for huge loans from Beijing.

Whistleblowers band together, set up support group

Published by Ellen on March 9, 2008

From ABS-CBN online:

To encourage more people to testify versus corrupt practices, several key Senate resource persons in corruption inquiries have banded together to start a support group for whistleblowers like them.

Current and former Senate witnesses have put up the Whistleblowers’ Association (WBA), which they said will give emotional, legal, and financial support for whistleblowers like them, ABS-CBN News correspondent Timi Nubla reported.

Included in the group are volunteer witness Dante Madriaga in the controversial national broadband network deal probe, “jueteng payola” probe witness Sandra Cam, and “Hello, Garci” wiretapping witness Vidal Doble.

Transcripts of past interviews related to Spratlys deal

Published by Ellen on March 8, 2008

1.Transcript of July 2006 interview with then PNOC President Eduardo Mañalac, the signatory to the JMSU:

13jul06-interview-manalac.doc

2.Transcript of Sept. 2005 interview with then Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla:

23sept05-interview-with-energy-secretary-raphael-lotilla.doc

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