Sen. Aquilino Pimentel named Presidential Chief of Staff Mike Defensor as the cabinet official who intervened in behalf of Sentosa Recruitment Agency, being accused by a group of Filipino nurses in the United States of reneging on the terms of their contract.
One of the nurses who was victimized is Elmer Jacinto, the topnotcher in the 2004 board examination for doctors.
Pimentel identified Defensor in a privilege speech delivered today. (Click here for Pimentel’s privilege speech)
I feel sad that one of my favorite TV personalities, Steve Irwin, died today. He is such an affable character. I love his enthusiasm for life and his deep regard for the environment.
Here’s the Associated Press story at MSN:
CAIRNS, Australia – Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and environmentalist known as the “Crocodile Hunter,” was killed Monday by a stingray while filming an underwater documentary on the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44.
Gloria Arroyo is number 45 in this year’s Forbes Magazine list of 100 Most Powerful Women.
Last year, she was number four.
The top ten:
1. Angela Merkel
2. Condoleezza Rice
3. Wu Yi
4. Indra Nooyi
5. Anne Mulcahy
6. Sallie Krawcheck
7. Patricia Woertz
8. Anne Lauvergeon
9. Brenda Barnes
10. Zoe Cruz
I’m sorry, i posted the 2005 Forbes article. It’s a good thing Yuko commented on it. I’ll try to get the new one.
Jocjoc Bolante must have realized by now that he got the shorter end of the bargain when he agreed to Mike Arroyo’s bright idea for him to seek asylum in the United States instead of coming home to the Philippines and tell the Senate how he diverted the P728 million fertilizer fund to the campaign chest of Gloria Arroyo in the 2004 election.
Bolante has filed with a Wisconsin court a petition for the issuance of the writ of habeas corpus or release from jail. Earlier, he filed for a motion for bail and to strike out the amicus brief filed by the group of lawyer Harry Roque, Jr. of the Institute of International Legal Studies at the University, who submitted documents related to Bolante’s involvement in the fertilizer scam.
Bolante, as we all know,was the Arroyo couple’s most dependable Rotarian next to Efraim Genuino of Pagcor, when he was calling the shots at the Department of Agriculture where he was installed as undersecretary.
Ang lumabas sa survey ng Pulse Asia na topnotcher ang mga oposisyon sa mga gusto na mga tao para senador sa susunod na eleksyon ay nagpapatunay lamang na galit na talaga ang taumbayan kay Gloria Arroyo at kasama na doon ang mga taong nakadikit sa kanya.
Ang nasa top 15 ay sina Loren Legarda, Francis Pangilinan, Ping Lacson, Manny Villar, Ralph Recto, Vicente Sotto, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (anak ni Sen. Nene Pimentel);
Alan Peter Cayetano, Gringo Honasan, JV Ejercito-Estrada, Imee Marcos, John Henry Osmeña, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Loi Estrada, Joker Arroyo.
Former Agriculture Secretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante, who has been in detention in the United States since July 7, has filed for bail, reported lawyer Harry Roque who has filed an opposition to granting bail and asylum to Bolante with the U.S. court.
Roque said his US-based colleague, Maria Carmen Madrid-Crost informed him that Bolante’s motion for bail will be heard on September 13, 2006 at 2PM at the Basement of 500 Jackson, Chicago, Il.
To support their opposition for Bolante’s provisional liberty, Roque said they sent today by courier to Karen Lundgren, Chief Counsel of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security, through Mary Carmen Madrid-Crost, an authenticated copy of the Senate report on the fertilizer scam, a copy of the COA report on the scam, a copy of the Senate warrant of arrest issued against him which is still outstanding, and copies of the criminal complaints filed against him by former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez and by Sinag, headed by Dr. Minggita Padilla.
Here are replies by Rep. Ruffy Biazon to comments in a previous blog (The Gallant 32)concerning him. Since the post is already on page two, I decided to post his comments in the front page.
I appreciate it that Ruffy is taking time to address our concerns about his stand in the impeachment.
ruffyb Says:
September 1st, 2006 at 10:02 am
COntinuation….
Spartan said:
““BEING TIRED” IS SUCH AN “UNDER-STATEMENT” TO DESCRIBE WHAT WE TRULY FEELS…
Now that the Commission on Elections has dismissed the petition of Malacañang’s Singaw ng Bayan to verify the signatures they had resourcefully gathered to change the Constitution through People’s Initiative, the next battleground is the Supreme Court.
Nobody was actually surprised at the Comelec decision. The Counsels for the Defense of Liberties, one of those who opposed Singaw’s petition, said last week: “According to the game plan of pro-Chacha advocates, Sigaw will file a petition with the Comelec which will immediately dismiss it due to the permanent injunction, so that Sigaw can immediately go up to the Supreme Court. They then expect the Supreme Court to immediately abandon Santiago vs. Comelec and hastily allow the setting of a plebiscite without any opportunity for opposition.”
I saw last Tuesday on “Strictly Politics” election lawyer Leila de Lima say the same thing.
As expected by many, Comelec dismissed the petition of Sigaw ng Bayan to verify signatures they have gathered via their spurious version of People’s Initiative…