ellen tordesillas – Page 372 – Making life worth living.

Palace junks extra powers after trial balloon

Published by Ellen on August 3, 2007

Nang hindi makalusot, umurong.

Malacañang yesterday abandoned a floater to grant emergency powers to President on the drought problem.

“On a scale of one to 10, I would put the possibility of the President resorting to emergency powers to address the situation at zero point five (0.5),” Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in a text message to reporters.

Bunye issued the statement after administration and opposition lawmakers said Arroyo does not need emergency powers to remedy the dry spell, saying she has “billions” to mitigate the effects of the dry spell.

Marine officers probed

Published by Ellen on August 3, 2007

Update:Wrong radio frequency not true – Marine commander

Some Marine officers dispute report on radio snafu

Wrong frequencies prevented aerial bombing, strafing

by Victor Reyes

Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has ordered a probe on the radio communications snafu that prevented bombing and strafing measures to aid a Marines contingent ambushed by secessionists in Al-Barka town, Basilan last July 10.

Fourteen Marines were killed, with 10 of them beheaded after the encounter.

AFP information chief Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said the probe would look into the administrative liability of the personnel involved in the snafu.

Keeping the faith

Published by Ellen on August 3, 2007

Members of media and relatives of military officers on trial for their alleged involvement in the February 2006 aborted withdrawal of support from the Gloria Arroyo’s illegitimate presidency were surprised last week to see a light tank escorting the military truck that brought the junior officers to the trial venue.

At the same time, we were amused at the sight of the tank. It’s actually cute. A gunner was on top of it. A 20 mm caliber gun jutted out of it. It was not the heavyweight type that we see in battle scenes or during military parades.

I posted it in my blog and regular visitors familiar with military weapons system said it’s actually a “support assault armored vehicle” One weapons expert said it’s for crowd control.

Radio snafu doomed Marines, probe shows

Published by Ellen on August 2, 2007

Wrong frequency forced gunships, bomber to hold fire

by Ellen Tordesillas, Victor Reyes and Raymond Africa
Malaya

Read this story in the Inquirer.

The military investigation on the Basilan ambush last July 10 has found that “miscommunication” led to the failure of aerial support for the embattled Marine soldiers.

A source privy to the investigation said the affidavit of a radioman to Maj. Nestor Marcelino, operations officer of Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) 8, revealed “there was ‘no contact’ with the aircraft because the First Marine Brigade gave the wrong frequency to WestMinCom (Western Mindanao Command) which was later transmitted to the pilots.”

The battle which started at 10 a.m. and lasted until 6 p.m. resulted in the death of 14 Marines, 10 of them beheaded later.

Wahab Akbar

Published by Ellen on August 2, 2007

Update: Not-so-great Basilan solon laments link to atrocities

Thanks to Newsbreak for posting the speech of Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar last Tuesday.

I’m recalling this story told to me by a high-ranking military officer involved in securing the release of the Sipadan hostages during the term of President Estrada.

Robert Aventajado, personal representative of Estrada for the negotiation on the hostages, was to go up to the lair of the Abu Sayyaf in the mountains for a meeting with the leaders, Abu Sabaya and company.

Palace mulls crisis powers for Arroyo

Published by Ellen on August 1, 2007

Update: Solons cross party lines in rejecting extra powers

Arroyo emergency powers won’t solve drought- green group

The looming energy crisis brought about by the extended dry spell might push Malacañang to ask Congress to grant special powers to President Arroyo, ABS-CBN News reported Wednesday.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President would need an emergency prerogative to procure fuel for power plants.

“[Special powers are needed to authorize] for example, the acquisition of materials, resources, equipment without bidding,” Ermita said.

Magtiyong garapal

Published by Ellen on August 1, 2007

Mukhang naghahanda na itong mga Arroyo ng kanilang exit, kung saka-sakaling hindi maipilit ni Gloria Arroyo ang kanyang sarili sa sambayanang Pilipino habambuhay.

Kaya naman kinurner nila ang mahalagang kumite sa House of Representatives na may kinalaman sa enerhiya at kapaligiran. Nakuha ni Mikey Arroyo, congressman ng Pampanga, ang chairmanship ng energy committee at ang kanyang tiyo, si Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo ay nakuha ang chairmanship ng committee on natural resources.

Tama lang ang pagbatikos ni Bayan Muna Teddy Casiño ng ganitong garapalan. Unang-una ano ba ang qualifications nitong dalawang Arroyo mamuno ng napaka-mahalaga na mga kumite na ito. Maliban sa magaling sa mga bagay na maaring mapagkwartahan.

Mikey, Iggy Arroyo corner energy related committees

Published by Ellen on August 1, 2007

No wonder the upright Popo Lotilla was shunted out of the Department of Energy.

by Wendell Vigilia

All in the family.

Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño has questioned the appointment of two Arroyos as chairmen of powerful committees at the House, saying this could betray the legislative duty of check and balance.

During the plenary session on Monday night, Casiño questioned the assignments of Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo (Pampanga) as chair of the committee on energy and his uncle Rep. Ignacio (Iggy) Arroyo (Negros Occidental) as chair of the committee on natural resources.

Out of whack

Published by Ellen on July 31, 2007

It was not only very wrong. It was stupid.

The argument by the Department of Justice which was upheld by Judge Oscar Pimentel’s pitting the more than 11 million who voted for detained Antonio Trillanes IV for senator against 85 million Filipinos was simply out of whack.

The exact quote by DOJ prosecutors is: “As the prosecuting arm of the government, it’s shield and sword of law and order represents not only the 11,138,067 voters who voted for him but the People of the Philippines, with all its 85 million citizens and counting.”

Tagtuyo

Published by Ellen on July 30, 2007

Nakabahala ang sitwasyon na dahil sa hindi dumating ang inaasahan ulan sa mga buwan ng Hunyo at Hulyo, kumukonti ang pondo tubig sa ating mga dam at natutuyuan ang palayan sa central Luzon.

Kaya sinasabihan tayong humanda sa mga brownout na mangyayari kailangan magtipid ng tubig para kukunting kuryente ang magagamit.

Nakakabahala dahil wala tayong sapat na irigasyon para patubigan ang mga palayan sa Luzon na siyang pinanggalingan ng pinakaraming palay sa bansa. Kapag mahina ang ani, hindi lamang mga magsasaka ang maghihirap kung di buiong bayan dahil mapipilitan na namang mag-import ng bigas. Siyempre tataas ang presyo ng bigas.

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