Skip to content

ellen tordesillas Posts

Amnesty for all, even Estrada in the works–Speaker

Published by Ellen on August 13, 2007

Update: Estrada open to JDV’s amnesty plan

This story is in today’s issue of the Inquirer. Please review my article “Amnesty me”. What JDV does not say is that it includes also Gloria Arroyo and company.

By Michael Lim Ubac
Inquirer

An “all-encompassing” amnesty for all “enemies” of the state, including deposed former president Joseph Estrada and military rebel-turned-senator Antonio Trillanes IV, is in the works.

Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Sunday that a bill to this effect would be filed “soon” in the House of Representatives “so that we can unify the nation.”

Continue readingAmnesty for all, even Estrada in the works–Speaker

War widows

Published by Ellen on August 12, 2007

I met with two of the widows of the 14 Marines who died last July 10 in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan last week. They are here following up the financial benefits from the government due them as dependents of the slain soldiers.

They are also here to claim the generous financial help (P500,000 each) offered by former President Estrada from his Saludo sa Kawal Pilipino Foundation.

warwidows3.JPG By this time, the tears have dried up. Mary Ann Bautista, 44, and Jeanny Callueng, 36, have accepted the reality of life without their husbands. It was not so during the first moments when they learned that their husbands, Master Sergeant Noel Bautista,39, and Sergeant Rey Callueng,33, were killed in an encounter with elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front last July 10.

Mary Ann said after-battle-report on the tragedy reveals that Master Sgt Bautista was killed in the morning in the first hours of the firefight. Mary Ann said it might have it happened before 9 a.m.. because she got a text message from him a few minutes after 8 a.m) saying that they were in Tipo-Tipo. “Nagpapalit ng gulong” (Changing tires.)

Continue readingWar widows

Stop using soldiers as cannon fodder! Uphold the peace in Mindanao!

Published by Ellen on August 12, 2007

Tirad Pass Brigade
August 12, 2007

The members of the Tirad Pass Brigade, the officers and rank and file soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police extend their condolences to the families and friends of the scores of foot soldiers and young officers who have been killed in action in Mindanao the past several weeks.

We also express our sympathy with the tens of thousands of people who are being displaced by the widespread military operations in Basilan and Sulu.

As a movement upholding the democratic aspirations and desires of the common soldier, the TPB denounces the Arroyo administration and the AFP top brass for deceiving our men, using them as cannon fodder in carrying out a reckless war in Basilan and Sulu, ordering attacks against those who are not our real enemies and with whom we have been trying to work out peace. The attacks have also caused undue hardships among tens of thousands of innocent people in the area.

Continue readingStop using soldiers as cannon fodder! Uphold the peace in Mindanao!

Hinagpis sa likod ng mga numero

Published by Ellen on August 11, 2007

Nakabalandra ngayon sa ating mga pahayagan ang mga numero ng mga namamatay sa Sulu kung saan nag-oopensiba ang military laban sa Abu Sayyaf: “57 patay”. “25 patay sa isang araw.”

Nangyari itong opensiba isang buwan mangyari ang trahedya sa Basilan kung saan 14 na Marines ang namatay, 10 sa kanila ang napugutan ng ulo sa encounter sa mga miyembro ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front noong July 10.

Ngunit sa likod nitong mga numero ay mga taong tumatangis dahil sa mga nawala sa kanilang buhay. Mga taong ngayon ay hindi malaman kung papaano mabuhay sa gitna ng putukan at barilan.

Continue readingHinagpis sa likod ng mga numero

57 killed, 42 hurt in Sulu clashes

Published by Ellen on August 10, 2007

These numbers are persons. Tao. Human beings. Filipinos.
What has Gloria Arroyo done to this country?

Update: 25 more killed- biggest casualty in a day

By Joel Guinto
Inquirer

Three days of fighting between government forces and al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern island province of Sulu has left 57 combatants killed and 42 others wounded, a military spokesman said Friday.

A nine-year-old boy was killed in one of four engagements. He was caught in the crossfire when Abu Sayyaf members, assisted by rogue Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels, ambushed Army troopers in Maimbung town on Thursday morning, said Lieutenant Colonel Bartolome Bacarro.

Continue reading57 killed, 42 hurt in Sulu clashes

Who’s afraid of Adel Tamano?

Published by Ellen on August 9, 2007

Adel writes about Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila in the Manila Times.

adel.JPGThe Senate grapevine says that immediately after Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano got the very important Blue Ribbon committee, Senate majority floor leader Francis Pangilinan approached Senate President Manny Villar and made known his intention to block the appointment of Adel Tamano as general counsel of the committee. Pangilinan’s message was dutifully relayed by Villar to Cayetano, who acceded to Pangilinan’s wish.

Another version was that Pangilinan approached Cayetano and told the latter straightforward: “Alan, I want to inform you that if you appoint Adel as general counsel, I will exercise my right to oppose his appointment.”

Continue readingWho’s afraid of Adel Tamano?

Fernando to push plan to arm traffic enforcers with bolos

Published by Ellen on August 9, 2007

Back to the wild, primitive days!

Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Thursday reiterated that he will push through with his plan to arm his traffic enforcers with jungle bolos despite strong opposition from several sectors, including the police.

Fernando, in an ambush interview during President Arroyo’s barangay and police station visit in Caloocan City, said he will just coordinate closely with the police to ensure the plan’s smooth implementation.

Fernando had earlier resisted calls to withdraw the plan, saying he had tried the same tack when he was still mayor of Marikina and it worked in taming illegal vendors and traffic violators in his city.

Continue readingFernando to push plan to arm traffic enforcers with bolos