March 2008 – Page 4 – ellen tordesillas

China protests

Published by Ellen on March 13, 2008

Aide Memoire of the People’s Republic of China delivered to the Philippine Embassy in Beijing

Talking Points
(December 2007)

It is learned that the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives of the Philippines recently passed a revised draft of Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial sea of the Philippines, which puts Scarborough Shoal and some other NANSHA reefs and islands (referred to as so-called “Calayan Islands”) inside the baseline of Philippine territorial sea, and would be submitted to the plenary of Senate and House of Representatives for review and adoption. China is shocked by and gravely concerned with this negative development. We request clarification from the Philippine side.

‘Nagalak si Ma’am’

Published by Ellen on March 12, 2008

Ping: “I-know-nothing’ witness took a phone call

by Dennis Gadil
Malaya

Connect the dots, if you please, or if you will.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday said his “surprise” witness, Leo San Miguel, was overheard by members of the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) during a break in Tuesday’s Senate hearing on the ZTE deal talking to a person he addressed as “Ma’am.”

On the other side of town, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that President Arroyo was “elated” by San Miguel’s testimony that he knew nothing of supposed kickbacks in connection in the deal.

Beijing letter opposing RP territory bill bared

Published by Ellen on March 12, 2008

by Wendell Vigilia
Malaya

The chairman of the House committee on foreign affairs said yesterday China’s opposition to the bill defining the Philippines’ boundaries prevented the chamber from approving the measure despite the deadline set by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS).

Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Lakas, Cebu) said Beijing expressed its objection to House Bill 3216 in a “note” to the Philippine embassy in Beijing last December.

“China is shocked by and gravely concerned with this negative development. We request the clarification from the Philippine side,” said the two-page letter which was faxed to Cuenco’s office by Ambassador Sonia Brady.

March 14 rally

Published by Ellen on March 12, 2008

Please join interfaith cultural rally on March 14 at 3 pm, Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila to be led by CBCP President Angel Lagdameo.

Tongpats

Published by Ellen on March 12, 2008

GMANewsTV: Madriaga: Tongpats prove San Miguel hand in ZTE

‘Yan ang bagong term sa lumalawak na bokabularyo ng kalakaran sa gobyerno ni Gloria Arroyo.

Itong salita, na lumabas sa e-mail ni Leo San Miguel, consultant ng ZTE, ang Chinese corporation na nakakuha ng kontrata mag-lagay na national broadband network (NBN), isang proyekto na telecommunications.

Ang ‘tongpats” ay baligtad ng “patong” at kasama na siya sa mga salitang “Bubukol ho yan”, “Moderate their greed”, “Sec, may 200 ka dito”, “Greedy group”, na nagpapahiwatig ng gawain ng mga kampon ni Gloria Arroyo.

Gonzales: Worst of oust-GMA is over

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2008

by Regina Bengco
Malaya

National security adviser Norberto Gonzales yesterday said the worst of the moves to oust President Arroyo has passed and the rest of the opposition’s efforts won’t make much of an impact.

Gonzales said the destabilization peaked during the February 29 interfaith rally in Makati City when, he said, the crowd was less than the expected 1 million. Police estimated the crowd at 15,000 while organizers said it was at 75,000.

He said the Lenten break would defuse the tension and this would be helped along by the fact that students, who he said are being targeted by the opposition’s propaganda efforts, would also have their summer vacation.

‘I know nothing about $41M bribes’

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2008

New NBN witness called a liar

By Dennis Gadil
Malaya

New witness Leo San Miguel yesterday said he had no direct knowledge about the alleged $41 million in advances made by China’s ZTE Corp. to the “Greedy Group” of Benjamin Abalos Sr. in exchange for the approval of the national broadband project.

“I’m not aware of any kickbacks or ‘lagayan’,” San Miguel told the Senate tri-committee of blue ribbon, defense and trade, which is investigating the overpriced project.

Seismic survey is exploration – Mañalac

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2008

My concerns were addressed – Gutierrez

Golez asks if the Philippines is getting correct information from Chinese group.

Former President of the Philippine National Oil Corporation Eduardo Mañalac, the signatory in the controversial Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking with China and Vietnam admitted that the seismic survey being undertaken in the South China Sea and in the territorial waters of the Philippines can be considered exploration.

“If you ask me as a geologist it (seismic survey) is one part of the overall exploration,” Mañalac said in his press conference Monday even as he insisted that the tripartite agreement is aboveboard. He said he signed the agreement after he was told that the agreement was legal.

Bentahang ukay-ukay ng Pilipinas

Published by Ellen on March 10, 2008

Hindi naman yata tama ang sinabi ng dating presidente ng Philippine National Oil Corporation na si Eduardo Mañalac na wala raw legal na boundary and Pilipinas kaya hindi raw masabi kung talagang may nakasama sa Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking na teritoryo ng Pilipinas na hindi naman kasama sa pinag-awayan sa Spratly islands.

Lumabas kasi sa pag-aaral ng marunong magbasa ng mapa, na ang kontratang pinasukan ng pamahalaang Arroyo sa pamamagitan ng PNOC sa China at Vietnam noong 2004 at 2005 ay nagsasakop ng 24,000 square kilometers sa loob ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas.

Vatican lists “new sins,” including pollution

Published by Ellen on March 10, 2008

By Philip Pullella

Vatican City (Reuters) – Thou shall not pollute the Earth. Thou shall beware genetic manipulation. Modern times bring with them modern sins. So the Vatican has told the faithful that they should be aware of “new” sins such as causing environmental blight.

The guidance came at the weekend when Archbishop Gianfranco Girotti, the Vatican’s number two man in the sometimes murky area of sins and penance, spoke of modern evils.

Month: March 2008