January 2008 – Page 3 – ellen tordesillas

Mike A’s bid to quash journalists’ case junked

Published by Ellen on January 19, 2008

by DJ Yap
Inquirer

Journalists who sued the President’s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, for damages over alleged press freedom violations scored a legal victory after a Makati court junked Arroyo’s motion seeking the dismissal of the case.

But they also suffered a setback when Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 143 Judge Zenaida Galapate-Laguilles dismissed their motion to quash a previous court order requiting the media practitioners to produce all the stories they wrote about Arroyo.

In an order dated Dec. 19 but released only last week, Laguilles denied Arroyo’s omnibus motion to dismiss the case on the ground of “liberality.”

Wanted: A better scriptwriter

Published by Ellen on January 17, 2008

Update on coup plot, click here for Victor Reyes’ story

As I’m writing this column, it was announced by the Department of Justice that former Scout Ranger Sgt. Orlando Valencia has been ordered released after their initial investigation showed “no probable cause” for charges filed against him by the PNP Criminal Intelligence and Detection Group.

Valencia, together with three other former Scout Rangers Corporals Ramon Perania, Walter Francisco, and Redantel Mara-nan and a civilian driver Kim Agas were arrested Tuesday afternoon by elements of ISAFP (Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines) for allegedly plotting a coup.

Mga kawawang sangkalan

Published by Ellen on January 16, 2008

click below for:

Malaya story

Inquirer story

Kung hindi lang buhay ng mga mahihirap na tao ang apektado, maari nang pagtawanan itong mga pakulo ng mga alagad ni Gloria Arroyo.

Kaya lang hindi nakakatawa itong ginagawa nilang kung ano-anong pakulo para lang magkaroon ng rason para magawa nila ang gusto nilang mag-emergency rule o martial law at isantabi ang batas para sila ay manatili sa kapangyarihan habambuhay.

Kanina may ipineresenta silang limang mga sundalo, mga enlisted men at sinabi nila na na kasama raw sa nagbabanta mag-coup. Susmaryosep. Isang sarhento sa active service apat na kaka-discharge lang na enlisted men.

To extend or not to extend

Published by Ellen on January 15, 2008

It looks like AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon’s intense (some even say “shameless”) lobbying for extension of his services is for nothing. Two of Gloria Arroyo’s influential advisers have told her to let go of Esperon when he retires on February 9.

Our usual reliable sources said Rear Adm. Leonardo Calderon, AFP deputy chief of staff for intelligence, and national security adviser Norberto Gonzales discussed with GMA the pros and cons of extending Esperon’s services and the cons outweighed the pros.

Press photogs group declares DOJ chief ‘persona non grata’

Published by Ellen on January 15, 2008

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has been declared as “persona non grata” by the Press Photographers of the Philippines following his media advisory that stated journalists may incur criminal liability should they fail to heed the order of authorities during emergency situations.

“We cry foul! We vehemently denounce such statement! And we declared Sec. Raul Gonzalez ‘persona non grata’,” said the PPP in a statement.

Enough of the “moro-moro”

Published by Ellen on January 14, 2008

Malaya editorial:

If Gen. Hermogenes Esperon is obsessed with staying as AFP chief after his scheduled retirement next month and if Gloria Arroyo is inclined to grant his wish as payment for services rendered, why don’t the two of them get it done away with?

It’s not the first time an AFP chief wants to stick to his post like a leech (think Fabian Ver). It’s also not the first time a widely discredited president wants to keep a trusted man at the AFP helm (think Ferdinand Marcos). So there’s a precedent.

Pekeng senador

Published by Ellen on January 14, 2008

Buking na si Juan Miguel Zubiri, ang pekeng senador.

Binuksan noong Biyernes ang 198 na ballot boxes mula sa Sultran Kudarat sa probinsya ng Shariff Kabunsuan at nabulagta ang lahat. Walang laman!

Wala ang 32,000 na boto ni Zubiri na siyang naglagay sa kanya sa Senado.

Gonzalez to international media watchdog: go jump in the lake

Published by Ellen on January 14, 2008

by Evangeline de vera
Malaya

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez yesterday said only President Arroyo could make him withdraw an advisory he issued last week in which he told media practitioners not to interfere in legitimate police and military operations on the pain of sanctions.

He dismissed the call of a New York-based media group Committee to Protect Journalists to withdraw his advisory on the ground that it poses a threat to press freedom and democracy.

He said he takes orders only from the President, and the foreign media group can “go jump in the lake.”

Six new batallions and an extension

Published by Ellen on January 14, 2008

by Ramon J. Farolan
Inquirer

At the recent AFP command conference in Camp Aguinaldo presided over by the Commander in Chief, President Macapagal-Arroyo, the Armed Forces reported that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), remain the main threat to national security. At the same time, the AFP reported its gains against the insurgency saying that communist strength has fallen to its lowest levels in 20 years with only 5,760 active guerrillas operating throughout the country.

The AFP spokesperson Col. Bartolome Bacarro told reporters that NPA influence has been neutralized in 202 villages while 13 “guerrilla fronts” were dismantled, reducing the number of such fronts—whose shadow governments are administered by the rebels—to 87.

Sin begets sin

Published by Ellen on January 13, 2008

Three of the four who came untied:Col. Orlando de Leon, Brig. Gen. Danny Lim, and Col. Ariel Querubin.

The adage “sin begets sin” was best exemplified by what happened in last Friday’s resumption of the hearings of special general court martial trying 28 Marine and Army officers accused of planning to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006.

Month: January 2008