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De Ocampo, Lhuillier aspire for London post

Published by Ellen on June 21, 2016

Ambassador Evan P. Garcia presents his credentials to Mr Julian Evans, Vice-Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps and Director for Protocol at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office

London is one of the most coveted posts in foreign service, including for Philippine diplomats.

The Philippine is currently represented there by Evan Ralph Garcia, who assumed the post last May.

A career diplomat who had served in embassies in Washington D.C, Tokyo, and as Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Garcia was undersecretary for Policy before he was sent to the United Kingdom.

For career officers like Garcia, their foreign assignments last six years, then they return to the home office for three years’ service before they are sent out again. The six years can be in one foreign post or they can be assigned in two posts. A term of three years in a foreign post gives the ambassador time to learn about the host country and establish a network to strengthen relations with the Philippines. Of course, this is just the usual practice and can be changed by the powers- that- be. But less than three years in one post for an ambassador is a waste of money.

Salvador Panelo, who was spokesman of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte for a month, was said to desire to be ambassador to the Court of St. James. He has a new position now: presidential legal adviser.

Why doesn’t Roxas just pay fine for SOCE non-filing?

Published by Ellen on June 19, 2016

Mar Roxas concedes. Photo by Luis Liwanag.

Would it be a less stressful option for Mar Roxas, Liberal Party presidential candidate in the May 9, 2016 presidential election not to file at all a Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE)?

He didn’t win anyway so there’s no position that he would be prevented from assuming because he does not have the Certificate of Formal compliance that is issued by the Commission on Elections to those who have complied with the submission of their SOCEs.
What happened to ousted Laguna Governor Emilio Ramon “ER” Ejercito would not happen to him.

It will be recalled that Ejercito of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino won over Edgar San Luis of the Liberal Party in the 2013 gubernatorial race in Laguna but he was removed from office in 2014 when Comelec upon the complaint of San Luis, determined that Ejercito exceeded expenditure limits in the 2013 elections. Ejercito’s TV ad expenses was one of the proofs Comelec had for his overspending.

David Lapuz: ‘One prodigious fountain spouting forth brilliant ideas’

Published by Ellen on June 16, 2016

Dsvid Lapuz. From the blog of Fr. Joel Tabora, SJ

Aside from Salvador Panelo, spokesperson of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte for a month, aspirant to be ambassador to the Court of St. James and now presidential legal counsel, another appointee of incoming president Rodrigo Duterte who is creating a different kind of buzz is David Lapuz as head of the Commission on Higher Education.

There is still a confusion on the appointment of Lapuz to the government agency that oversees public and private higher education institutions as well as degree-granting programs in all tertiary educational institutions in the country because while others say the position is co-terminus with the appointing authority, there are also those who say that the head of CHED has a fixed term and that of the current chair, Patricia Licuanan, is up to 2018.

The designation of Lapuz as CHED chair was first mentioned by Ateneo de Davao President Fr. Joel Tabora, S.J. In his blog more than a week ago.

According to an Inquirer report, Tabora related: “In fact, last Wednesday, June 8, at 2:30 a.m. in a room filled with people in the Panacan Malacañan of the South, President Duterte had publicly designated Professor Lapuz, long-time professor of political science and of the life and works of Jose Rizal at the Lyceum of the Philippines, CHED Chair. To the professor’s self-deprecating query, ‘Are you really nominating me CHED chair?’ the President replied emphatically, ‘Yes!’”

Panelo wants to be ambassador to London?

Published by Ellen on June 14, 2016

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo with reporters in Davao, June 8, 2016. Photo from Charie Villa.

We are going to miss Atty. Salvador Panelo as presidential spokesperson.

Incoming president Rodrigo Duterte has a new spokesperson in the person for Ernie Abella, a former pastor.

In the announcement of Peter Laviña, spokesman for the Duterte transition team, of the latest cabinet appointments in his Facebook page, he did not say whether Panelo will also remain as spokesperson with the appointment of Abella.

Sources at the Department of Foreign Affairs, however, said they have been told that Panelo has expressed interest to be the Philippine ambassador to the United Kingdom, which is currently being held by Evan Ralph Garcia, a career officer.

For a more meaningful Independence Day

Published by Ellen on June 12, 2016

President Aquino at the June 12, 206 Independence Day celebration in Malacanang. Photo by Malacanang.

The nation observed the 118th Independence Day in a somewhat somber tone.

Maybe because in two weeks time, there will be changing of the guards. The presiding president, Benigno Aquino III, is bidding goodbye and last Sunday’s Independence Day Vin d’Honneur was the last that he was hosting.

Aside from leaving the seat of power, Aquino is turning over the reins of the government not to his annointed, Mar Roxas, but to Rodrigo Duterte, the candidate that he warned the voters to be a danger to democracy.

At the Vin d’honneur, a traditional reception for the diplomatic corps and government officials on New Year’s Day and Independence Day, Aquino once again talked about his family’s sacrifices for Philippine democracy under the Marcos dictatorship to underscore that our much-cherished freedom can be taken away.

Centerlaw voices alarm over Duterte’s acceptance of kangaroo court

Published by Ellen on June 7, 2016

Policemen released by NPA to Duterte. Photo from Bulatlat.

Centerlaw, a non-government organization dedicated to the promotion of the Rule of Law in the Philippines and Asia, reminded President-Elect Rodrigo Duterte that as president of the Philippines, which he will be in 23 days, he is legally bound to ensure that every one within Philippine sovereignty is accorded due process of law.

Centerlaw expressed grave concern over the statement of Duterte that he is leaving the fate of General Generoso, Davao Oriental police Chief Inspector Arnold Ognachen to his captors, the New People’s Army.

Duterte, which has included the Communist Party of the Philippines in his government, had worked for the release of policemen captured by the CPP’s armed group before the May elections. He had also called for the release of Ognachen, who was captured when the NPA recently raided the Davao Oriental police station.

But in his press conference last Thursday, Duterte said an NPA commander told him that they seized drug from Ognachen adding the rebel leaders would not lie to him.

Why reporters are persistent in press conferences

Published by Ellen on June 5, 2016

President -elect Rodrigo Duterte May 29 presscon. Lower photo shows GMA7's Mariz Umali asking a question. — President -elect Rodrigo Duterte May 29 presscon. Lower photo shows GMA7’s Mariz Umali asking a question.

In press conferences, there are times when reporters are persistent with their questioning, annoying the official especially if it’s on a topic that he dislikes.

A reporter’s persistence is not for persistence’s sake. It is not caprice.

A reporter pursues a subject to clarify so that he or she can give the public the information correctly and clearly. Reporters always ask for categorical answers to avoid misinterpretation. Because it is the duty of the journalist to make sure that his or her reports are accurate- a basic in journalism.

Reporters covering President-elect Rodrigo Duterte have been criticized for being soft on him. Some, yes. Even fawning. But not all.
Watching his late night to mid-morning press conferences that are one or two hour monologues, I sympathize with reporters covering him. One needs not only an ample reserve of stamina but nerves of steel not to get intimidated by his manners which border rudeness.
Take the case of GMA-7 Mariz Umali, the subject of the president-elect’s wolf-whistling.

Duterte spokesmen’s damage control statements add insult to injury

Published by Ellen on June 2, 2016

To control the damage wrought by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s verbal assault on media during his press conference Tuesday justifying the extra-judicial killing of journalists, Peter Laviña, spokesman for Duterte’s transition team said media, his principal’s remarks were “taken out of context, misinterpreted, and misunderstood.”

That is adding insult to injury. That is like saying media did not report accurately Duterte’s statements.

Same thing with Duterte’s spokesman and press secretary Salvador Panelo’s statement that GMA-7 reporter Mariz Umali “should be complimented” for the president-elect wolf-whistling or cat-calling at her when she asked a question.

Cayetano’s Leni remark shows he is not “in” in Duterte’s power group

Published by Ellen on May 31, 2016

Signing of NP-PDP Laban alliance. Photo by Mindanews.

After Congress, acting as National Board of Canvassers, declared last Friday Rodrigo Duterte of PDP-Laban as winner in the presidential contest and Leni Robredo of the Liberal Party for the vice-presidential race in the May 9 elections, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte’s running mate, told media that a cabinet position awaits Robredo.

“Mayor Duterte is reviewing every day names and positions [in the Cabinet], and I think from Day 1 he has been thinking about what job can be given the Vice President-elect,” Cayenato said adding that the position to be given to Robredo would be “tailored to what we heard from her during the campaign that she would like to handle.”

Robredo had said during the campaign that she would be interested in a cabinet position that involved lifting the people from poverty.

The following day, in a press conference with Cayetano beside him (also in attendance was Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza and senator-elect Manny Pacquiao), Duterte said Robredo “never entered my mind,” in the forming of his cabinet.

The President’s live presscon is not under MTRCB’s jurisdiction

Published by Ellen on May 29, 2016

One of Duterte's past midnight press conferences. Photo by Dana Batnag. — One of Duterte’s past midnight press conferences. Photo by Dana Batnag.

Putanginas are staple in incoming president Rodrigo Duterte’s language.

His supporters love it. Mas malutong ang mura, mas malakas ang palakpak. Those were in rallies during the campaign. If parents brought along their children to those events, that was their sole responsibility to expose their children to those kind of gutter language.

In new reports of those rallies, print media don’t spell out the whole words. In TV and radio news reports, where they have time to edit the video, the curses are blipped.

It’s a different situation now that Duterte has won the election. His press conferences, even in the middle of the night or in the wee hours of the morning are aired live with his putanginas heard loud and clear.

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