May 2017 – Page 2 – ellen tordesillas

ICC will be the next battleground

Published by Ellen on May 16, 2017

Rep. Gary Alejano during the House Justice Committee hearing on the impeachment complaint against Pres. Duterte. Photo from Philippine Star.

It was not surprising that the Malacañang-friendly congressmen killed without much fuss the impeachment complaint against President Duterte filed by Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano Monday.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, also a member of the Magdalo group (which started as a group of young military officers advocating for reforms in the military), lamented the quick dismissal of the impeachment rap saying that the members of the House Justice committee didn’t even study the content of the complaint when they decided that although it was sufficient in form, it was not sufficient in substance.

But Trillanes, one of the few who dare oppose Duterte, said it’s not the end of the quest for a better government for the Filipino people.

In fact, the dismissal of impeachment complaint would even bolster the communication filed by lawyer Jude Sabio against Duterte before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Why it’s finally Cayetano at DFA?

Published by Ellen on May 14, 2017

Incoming foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has been a regular part of Pres. Duterte's delegation in all the latter's foreign trips. This Malacañang photo was taken on board the presidential plane to Malaysia. — Incoming foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has been a regular part of Pres. Duterte’s delegation in all the latter’s foreign trips. This Malacañang photo was taken on board the presidential plane to Malaysia.

The appointment of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as foreign secretary is an indication that the Duterte administration is feeling the heat of a negative international image and needs somebody who can passionately defend the President’s human rights record as what the senator did last week before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

No one among the foreign service officers would be brash enough to counter the antipathy that Duterte has elicited with his “Fuck u U.N.” and “Fuck u E.U.”

Malacañang needs someone who can say with conviction that white is black and black is white just like what the incoming secretary said when he declared that under Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, “drug personalities have been arrested. Arrested your Excellencies not killed.”

Mocha Uson and Duterte deserve each other

Published by Ellen on May 11, 2017

Why are the non-fans of President Duterte protesting the appointment of dancer – singer Mocha Uson as assistant communications secretary?

They deserve each other perfectly.

Why are they questioning the appointment citing lack of qualification of Uson for the job that pays between P87, 000 and P106, 000 a month?

Uson’s qualification is unassailable: she and her group of sexy dancers campaigned for Duterte.

“Utang na loob ko iyan sa kanila, because they offered their services free at a time na wala akong pera, because they believe in me. Now it’s my time to believe in them,” Duterte said.

Justice Carpio wants to speak to the Chinese people through his eBook

Published by Ellen on May 7, 2017

Justice Carpio's eBook — Justice Carpio’s eBook

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio’s hope springs eternal.

At the launch of his eBook, “The South China Sea Dispute: Philippine Sovereign Rights and Jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea,” Carpio said the reason why it will soon have a Mandarin version is because, he wants to reach out to the Chinese people to convince them that the nine-dashed line that puts 80 percent of the vast South China Sea under China’s jurisdiction has no legal or historical basis.

“I believe that, like all other peoples of the world, the Chinese people are inherently good, but their government has drilled into their minds that they owned the South Chinese Sea since 2,000 years ago. This is, of course, utterly false and the world will never accept this. Once the Chinese people realize the falsity of the nine-dashed line, they themselves will be too ashamed to press the nine-dashed line claim before the world. That will be the time when the Chinese government can comply with the ruling of the arbitral tribunal,” Carpio said.

Why an eBook and not a physical book?

1734 Murillo Velarde map is back in Manila

Published by Ellen on May 5, 2017

IT businessman Mel Velarde explains to Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III the Murillo-Velarde map he bought in a Sotheby auction in London for P12 million two years ago.

Sharing the spotlight at the launching of Senior Justice Antonio T. Carpio’s E-Book, “The South China Sea Dispute:Philippine Sovereign Rights and Jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea” at the Manila Polo Club Thursday was a glass- encased 1734 Murillo-Velarde map.

This was the map IT businessman Mel Velarde bought in a Sotheby auction on Nov. 4, 2014 for P12 million. A copy of the map was one of the documents used in the case filed by the Philippines against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2013. The Arbitral Court upheld the Philippine position in most of the issue raised in the case.

The map has been kept in a safe in London since its purchase. Last week, Velarde took out the valuable map and hand carried it during the 13-hour flight arriving in Manila last April 29.

ICC investigation would affect Duterte’s foreign travels

Published by Ellen on May 3, 2017

Pres. Duterte boards presidential plance after APEC meeting in Peru.Malacañang photo.

In dismissing the case filed against him at the International Court of Justice at The Hague, Netherlands last week, President Duterte cited the principle of territoriality.

“The fundamental thing in our Revised Penal Code is territoriality. You can only be prosecuted in the country where you committed the crime, “he said.

Justice Carpio’s E-book on South China Sea dispute

Published by Ellen on May 1, 2017

The political winds have indeed shifted.

On the same day that the China-friendly statement of this year’s chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, President Rodrigo Duterte, was released to media, Philippine and Chinese flags were seen raised on a Chinese warship, Chang Chun (DDG 150) that docked in Davao city pier.

This would have been unthinkable in the past administration.

These developments may cause some to be confused on the issues on South China Sea where we are contesting the almost all-encompassing claim of China. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have also overlapping claims with China in the area.

Month: May 2017