ellen tordesillas – Page 374 – Making life worth living.

Lame duck quacking

Published by Ellen on July 24, 2007

Who was Gloria Arroyo addressing when she said in her State of the Nation Address, “From where I sit, I can tell you, a President is always as strong as she wants to be.”

Surely not the political opposition and civil society who were never impressed with her stolen power.

Was she directing it to the so called “hardliners” in the cabinet like national security adviser Norberto Gonzales and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez who just do what they want to do and say what they want to say and all that she can say is “Amen”?

18 senators call for Trillanes’ participation in sessions

Published by Ellen on July 23, 2007

Update from Inquirer:Trillanes to file petition anew to post bail

From the Tribune:

Eighteen senators, majority of them are from the ranks of the administration bloc, have joined the opposition in expressing their sentiment toward the current dilemma of detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV whom they feel should be allowed to participate in sessions and other Senate functions.

Senate Resolution 22 effectively expressed the law-makers’ position that the chamber can take into its custody Trillanes in order for him to attend and perform his duty as a duly-elected senator of the Republic.

They said this is also to show their support to the petition for bail of Trillanes currently pending before the Makati City Regional Trial Court hearing the Oakwood mutiny case that the Magdalo leader is currently facing.

Utak pulbura talaga

Published by Ellen on July 23, 2007

May kasabihan tayo na ang isda ay nahuhuli sa sariling bibig. Ganoon nga ang nangyari kay Army Chief Romeo Tolentino.

Pagkatapos ng pasikot-sikot na denial na wala raw kinalaman ang military sa pagkawala ni Jonas Burgos, anak ng press freedom fighter na si Joe Burgos, Jr., sinabi niya noong isang linggo na ayon sa kanilang record, miyembro raw ng New People’s Army si Jonas.

O ano ngayon kung NPA si Jonas? . Yun ba rason para kidnapin at patayin?

Notes on Arroyo’s SONA

Published by Ellen on July 23, 2007

The most applauded in Gloria Arroyo’s hohum State-of-the Nation Address was the part when she said, “From where I sit, I can tell you, a…

Void for vagueness

Published by Ellen on July 22, 2007

Adel Tamano, who gave the Genuine Opposition last election a good-looking image as its spokesman, must be a hit as a classroom teacher.

I saw him work wide-eyed students of UP Manila last Friday during a forum on the Human Security Act (R.A. 1372) organized by the UP Political Science Society.

Adel cited several reasons why R.A. 1372 is unconstitutional and one of these is the doctrine of “Void for Vagueness.” He said: “The definition of what constitutes terrorism is so broad and all-encompassing that the ordinary citizen would have no idea, hence no legal notice as required by our right to due process, of what specific acts constitute a violation of the law.”

Esperon’s brand of justice

Published by Ellen on July 22, 2007

Here goes again Esperon threatening to railroad further the court martial proceedings against Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda et al by appointing a lower-ranking military official to try the accused officers.

Here’ Victor Reyes’ story in Malaya

Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the unnecessary use of the peremptory challenge in the court martial of ex-Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and company is just a ploy to delay the proceedings.

Last July 18, Miranda got rid of Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, military tribunal president, by challenging him. His co-accused Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim then challenged Yano’s successor Maj. Gen. Raul Caballes and also got the latter to inhibit himself. Each of the accused is entitled to a peremptory challenge even without cause and any officer challenged would have to exclude himself from the proceedings.

Opposition can set Senate agenda

Published by Ellen on July 22, 2007

Looks like the situation in the Senate has been salvaged for the Filipino people.

Despite the votes of administration senators that will make him retain the senate presidency, Manuel Villar is giving the major comittees to the opposition. The latest we heard is the important Blue Ribbon Committee will go to Alan Peter Cayetano.

Alan will make use of the position of General Counsel for the committee by appointing Adel Tamano, who competently served as spokesman for the Genuine Opposition.

Ang tunay na terorista

Published by Ellen on July 21, 2007

Nasa taxi ako ng ibinabalita noong Biyernes ang paglunsad ng nakakabahalang Human Security Act (R.A 1372) sa Malacañang.

Ayon sa report, sinabi raw ni Gloria Arroyo na kung mayroon lang HSA noon, hindi na raw nakidnap si Fr. Bossi.

Nambola na naman si trapolita. Sabi tuloy ng taxi driver, “Akala ni Arroyo tanga tayo.”

Sen. Mar Roxas on Sen. Trillanes absence in Senate opening

Published by Ellen on July 21, 2007

I hope that my seatmate, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, would be able to attend the opening of Congress. I recall that the Liberal Party had…

Trial turns into protest forum

Published by Ellen on July 19, 2007

Indeed, the all-powerful unseen hand has a way of spoiling the most calculated plans.

Just like what happened in the court martial hearing of the mutiny case against 28 Marine and Army officers involved in the Feb. 2006 aborted withdrawal of support from Gloria Arroyo.

If the reason for the holding the hearing a week ahead of the agreed schedule had something to do with rendering the accused irrelevant for whatever the government is planning in the coming days, the opposite was achieved because the hearing served as a forum for the Marines to express their sympathy to their fallen comrades and disgust for the inept manner that the military leadership is handling the situation.

ellen tordesillas Posts