(This article by Raissa Robles appeared in the Hongkong newspaper, South China Morning Post last Monday, August 21, 2006)
Presidential spouse Jose Miguel Arroyo is a natty dresser and a man of many suits. But his critics are finding out his favourite is the libel suit.
Mr Arroyo has sued or is suing six politicians, two publishers, and 12 editors and writers. Two weeks ago, he threatened to sue three more journalists and, this weekend, another congressman.
As we were writing this piece, news came in that another person identified with a progressive organization was killed in Surigao del Sur.
Reports said Hermie Marqueza, a member of local farmers group Kapunungan sa mga Mag-uuma sa Surigao, was killed inside his home in barangay Maitum in Tandag by unidentified gunmen armed with M-14 rifles Monday night.
That was hours after Gloria Arroyo announced in front of the monument of Ninoy Aquino in Intramuros the names of members of a commission that she has created to “conduct an independent probe on killing of media practitioners and militant activists” which has become a daily occurrence while she continues to hold on to her stolen presidency.
Hindi yata inisip ni Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, AFP Chief of Staff, na sa kanyang pagkukumpara ng military sa NPA ay ibinaba niya ang buong sandatahan ng Pilipinas.
Nagreklamo si Esperon sa report ng Amnesty International kung saan binatikos ang pamahalaang Arroyo sa maraming patayan lalo na sa hanay ng mga progresibong organisasyon.
Sabi ni Esperon, bias raw ang AI sa maka-kaliwa. Marami rin daw pinapatay ang mga NPA, ang army ng Communist Party of the Philippines.
Gloria Arroyo must be feeling the noose tightening around her neck.
It showed in the statement her spokesman issued last Saturday threatening Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano “full retribution” if he did not retract his exposé that some “immediate members” of her family maintain a bank account in Hypo- und Vereinsbank in Munich.
Bunye demanded a public apology from Cayetano to which the young congressman from Taguig-Pateros replied: “You should be the one to apologize to the Filipino public for cheating, lying, and stealing.”
News item in Malaya today (Aug. 21, 2006)
TAGUIG-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano yesterday.
brushed aside Palace demands for an apology, saying it should instead be President Arroyo who should say sorry “for cheating, lying and stealing the (2004) elections.”
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye has demanded from Cayetano a “full and unconditional retraction” and a “public apology to the first family” after the latter accused the Arroyos of maintaining an account with a German bank.
The Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) is sponsoring the the 2nd Philippine Bird Festival themed “Endemik: Dito Lang sa Pinas” to focus attention on conserving endemic bird species of the Philippines, the bird watching hobby and responsible appreciation of nature.
The Philippine Bird Festival, the only one of its kind in the country, will be held on September 22 and 23 at the Crossroad 77 Convenarium, Mother Ignacia Avenue corner Scout Reyes Street in Quezon City.
Madaling paniwalaan ang pahayag ni Arsenio Rasalan tungkol sa papel ni dating PNP chief Hermogenes Ebdane na ngayon ay public works secretary, sa pandaraya noong 2004 elections para kay Gloria Arroyo.
Matagal nang usap-usapan yan. Wala lang gustong magkumpirma.
Ito ngayon si Rasalan na kasama sa post-election operation ni Ebdane at ni Atty. Roque Bello ang nagkwento ng buong detalye kung paano nila pinalitan ang mga election returns para mag-match sa mga dinayang COCs (certificate of canvass) na siyang ginamit ng Congress sa pag-proklama kay Arroyo na nanalo sa 2004 elections.
Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye: First Family will not take vicious attack sitting down We demand a full and unconditional retraction from the person…
A news item in today’s (Aug. 19, 2006) issue of Malaya.
by Wendell Vigilia
AN opposition congressman yesterday accused “immediate members” of the family of President Arroyo of hiding a multi-million dollar bank account in a German bank.
In a TV interview, Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (NP, Taguig-Pateros) declined to identify the owners of the account but said it is inside one of the seven boxes of evidence that were not opened in the impeachment hearings at the House.
Last March, we came out with the photos of some of the alleged cheating operations done by Atty. Roque Bello for Gloria Arroyo. The affidavit…