ellen tordesillas – Page 7 – Making life worth living.

More on Bato visa ban and ARIA

Published by Ellen on December 15, 2019

Senate President Vicente Sotto and Sen. Ronald Bato de la Rosa watch the Pacquiao-Thurman fight in a movie house in Makati in July 2019. Permission granted by Inquirer.net for the use of this photo by Neil Arwin Mercado.

Remember this photo of Senate President Tito Sotto and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa watching the Las Vegas fight between Senate colleague Manny Pacquiao and American boxer Keith Thurman fight at a theater in Rockwell last July?

We wondered then why de la Rosa, who was investigated by the Ombudsman for accepting an all-expenses paid trip to watch the Pacquiao-Jesse Vargas fight in Las Vegas in November 2016 when he was police chief, opted to stay in Manila when President Duterte cleared him of any wrongdoing. (In fairness to the former police chief, he also skipped the Pacquiao -Jeff Horn fight in Brisbane, Australia in July 2017.)

A source told us that De la Rosa actually wanted to watch the Pacquiao-Thurman fight but his United States visa was cancelled in connection with The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (ARIA).

Song suggestions for the SEAG closing ceremonies

Published by Ellen on December 6, 2019

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo was wrong when he said that there is no song that embodies the whole Philippines.

“Tama si Mayor Sara. We need to have a song that will reflect not only Manila but the entire Philippines. Wala pa eh,” he told reporters when asked about complaint of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio of the use of the song, “Manila, Manila” by the Hotdog band in the opening ceremonies of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games last Saturday.

For the information of Panelo there is a long list of Original Pilipino Music that embraces the Filipino people. Right off, there’s Yoyoy Villame’s playful “Philippine Geography”.

Enjoy the games, don’t forget issues that matter

Published by Ellen on December 1, 2019

Tribute to the Filipino people. Opening ceremonies. from SEAG2019 Facebook page.

I enjoyed watching the opening ceremonies of the 30th Southeast Asian Games. Salute to director Floy Quintos. Just enough dazzle to showcase the beauty of Philippine culture.

I liked the use of the iconic song, “Manila, Manila” by the 70’s band, Hotdog, as the athletes entered the arena. It set a happy and bouncy mood for the event.

Presidential daughter Sara Duterte Carpio exposed her parochial mind when she complained through her Instagram account, “Di po ba Philippine flag ang dala? Why would you play the song Manila? Did Lapu-Lapu die for Manila? Wag po natin gawing excuse ang upbeat danceable song. Kami nag-imbento ng budots. Kaloko man oi.'”

Dennis Garcia, the other half of the brothers who formed the band, explained in his Facebook post, “
Rene & I created ‘Manila’, not thinking of ourselves as Tagalogs, Bisayans or Ilokanos but as Filipinos missing the Philippines.”

Leni’s questions – a statement on the government’s drug war

Published by Ellen on November 29, 2019

Vice President Leni Robredo: comforting the afflicted, afflicting the comfortable, especially those with a lot of rot to hide.

Ngayon ang tanong ko: Ano bang kinatatakutan ninyo?
Ano ba ang kinatatakutan ninyong malaman ko?
Ano ba ang kinatatakutan ninyong malaman ng taumbayan?

Now my question: what are you afraid of?
What are you afraid of me to know?
What are you afraid of knowing the people?

With those questions, Vice President Leni Robredo painted to the public the real problem in the Duterte government’s battle against illegal drugs which has not shown signs of decreasing despite the loss of more than 20,000 lives (government will admit to only about 6,000).

Robredo asked the question after he was fired by Duterte as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs late evening of Sunday for reasons that Malacañang has muddled in its nine-page statement.
In one paragraph, the statement said, it was “in response to the suggestion of Liberal Party President, Senator Francis Pangilinan, to just fire the Vice President from her post” and to the “taunt and dare of VP Robredo for the President to just tell her that he wants her out.”

That’s childish.

Go’s statements betray reservations about Robredo’s drug czar role

Published by Ellen on November 11, 2019

If Vice President Leni Robredo succeeds in dismantling the illegal drugs network and reducing the menace without the killings that have characterized President Duterte’s failed drug war, it would be a slap on Duterte’s much vaunted iron hand strategy.

Vice President Leni Robredo holds press conference with ICAD co-chair PDEA chief Aaron Aquino

Sen. Bong Go’s statements betray this concern even as he expressed “full support”for her as c-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) together with the head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

In his press release after his visit to Leyte to witness the groundbreaking ceremony of housing projects for typhoon Yolanda victims in Tanauan and to give aid to fire victims in Tacloban Nov 8, Go took exception to Robredo’s statement about no killing of innocent lives in the drug war.

Valuable takeaways from Justice Carpio’s lectures

Published by Ellen on November 11, 2019

Retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio

(The following piece was my remarks during the testimonial dinner given last Oct. 29 by some members of media for Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio, who retired Oct. 30, 2019, at the Manila House in BGC. Disclosure:I’m a trustee of VERA Files.)

Sometime ago, Justice Carpio had a lecture on West Philippine Sea at the UST. Charmaine Deogracias of NHKTV, Dana Batnag of Jiji Press and I called up his office to ask if we could attend and we were told our names will be submitted to the organizer as his guests. So, off we went.

Charmaine arrived first and as instructed, she said, “Guest of Justice Carpio.” The guard asked for her ID and she showed her Press ID. She was told that Media is not allowed and was told to go to the University’s Public Affairs Office.

A staff in UST’s Public Affairs Office said a media request to attend a forum at UST will have to be approved by the higher-ups and that will take time. Taking pity on Charmaine, she smuggled her to the auditorium through a side door. Charmaine then texted us not to tell the guard we are “Media.” Just “guest of justice Carpio.”

New lawyer Dana arrived in denims and backpack and informed the guard “guest of Justice Carpio.” The guard asked, “Are you from media?” Dana said, “No” and showed her IBP ID. She was let in.

I was the last to arrive, wearing a dress. The guard asked me, “IBP ka rin?” I was tempted to say “Yes” but that would be misrepresentation. The guard might also ask for an IBP ID. With emphasis, I said, “Guest of Justice Carpio.” And I was let in.

One has to be resourceful to get to a lecture by Justice Carpio.

Duterte and Bong Go’s pathetic motorcycle show

Published by Ellen on October 29, 2019

Duterte and Go’s motorcycle show. Photo from Go’s Facebook page.

I am not wishing President Duterte ill but the lying and the manipulation about his health must stop. It insults the public’s intelligence.

Last Friday, Bong Go, who has been elected “senator” but continues to be the president’s aide, posted in his Facebook page three photos of him and a sad looking Duterte riding a motorcycle with a caption: “Father Digong and I are ready!!! Wanna come with us? Ready Set Go!!!”

This was three days after Duterte cut short his trip to Tokyo for the ascension of Emperor Naruhito to the Chrysanthemum throne Nov 22 “due to unbearable pain in his spinal column near the pelvic bone as a consequence of his fall during his motorcycle ride last Thursday, Oct. 17,” Malacañang said.

Netizens immediately noticed something amiss with the motorcycle photo. The website Coconuts Manila asked: Why is the lighting on Duterte and Go’s faces different? Why does Duterte’s outline look different in two versions of what is clearly the same image? And finally, why does Go’s left leg appear to be cleanly lopped off at the knee?

The public has the right to know the truth about the President’s health

Published by Ellen on October 22, 2019

President Duterte in Japan. He cut short his visit due to “”unbearable pain in his spinal column.” Photo by Sen. Bong Go. From Philippine Star.

Section 12 of Art. VII of the Constitution states, “In case of serious illness of the President, the public shall be informed of the state of his health.“

What is the state of the President Duterte’s health now? How serious is his current illness?

Tuesday, Malacañang announced that the President will be cutting short his trip to Japan where he was supposed to attend the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito. He left Davao City in a private plane Monday evening.

“The Palace announces that the president will cut short his trip to Japan due to unbearable pain in his spinal column near the pelvic bone as a consequence of his fall during his motorcycle ride,” Malacañang said.

Gordon’s friendly warning as Duterte continues to promote culture of killing

Published by Ellen on October 22, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte awards a medal on then Ozamiz City police chief Jovie Espenido during the 116th anniversary of the police service at Camp Crame, Aug. 9, 2017. Photo from the Philippine Star.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, in his attempt to explain President Duterte’s alarming order to newly promoted Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido to go to Bacolod City in Negros Oriental and “feel free to kill everybody” said it was an exaggeration to emphasize a point.
He also said the President might have just suggested a “shortcut.”

“Shortcut” is most disturbing and that is not assuaged by his assurance that the Philippine National Police still follow the law.
In a speech at the 45th Philippine Business conference and expo at the Manila Hotel Oct. 17, Duterte again talked about his favorite topic- illegal drugs- and repeated his quarrel with human rights groups, who condemn the extra judicial killings.

What Duterte’s henchmen have come up with against Trillanes

Published by Ellen on October 21, 2019

Then senator Antonio Trillanes IV, flanked by Se. Franklin Drilon and Sen. Risa Hontiveros, when Pres. Duterte tried to nullify the amnesty granted him by President Benigno Aquino III.

If all that President Duterte’s henchmen can come up with against former senator Antonio Trillanes IV is Guillermina Barrido, that means they have scraped the bottom of the barrel and found nothing.

The preliminary hearing resumes Oct. 22 and it is interesting to see what fiction and invention Duterte and his minions have again produced.

Duterte’s con artists tried fake bank accounts and it was Duterte that they conned. Trillanes was able to debunk them by getting a certification from the banks mentioned in the documents.

Duterte tried dragging in Trillanes sick mother in the Napoles helmet scam but records in the Sandiganbayan of the case never mentioned her name.

Trillanes has joined the academe after his stint in the Senate. It’s a quieter life compared to the years after he and a group your military officers decided to make a stand against corruption in the government of Gloria M. Arroyo in what is known as the Oakwood mutiny on July 27, 2003.

ellen tordesillas Posts