September 2009 – Page 3 – ellen tordesillas

Arroyo tries another tack to stay longer

Published by Ellen on September 20, 2009

I’m glad that Comelec Chairman Jose Melo accepts the possibility that automated elections may not take place in many parts of the country on election day.

Last Wednesday, a week after the Supreme Court upheld Comelec’s claim that they are fully capable of a nationwide automated elections despite questions raised by the Concerned Citizens Movement on the legality their having skipped the required testing of the contracted system, Melo said, “Aside from preparations for poll automation, Comelec is also preparing for manual elections sa mga liblib na lugar (in remote areas), provinces with no electricity, and would have issues in electronic transmission. We are ready for manual polls in at least 30 percent or 50 percent of the country as a last contingency measure in case the contingency plans for automation are difficult to implement.”

I don’t know if Melo’s admission of lack of electricity in many areas of the country has something to do with the warning of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes of a power shortage next year, during election period.

Invitation to Alecks’ healing journey

Published by Ellen on September 20, 2009

Those who personally know Alecks Pabico or his works as long-time PCIJ writer-editor, you are all invited to a benefit dinner that aims to support…

Para saan talaga ang emergency powers?

Published by Ellen on September 19, 2009

Nakakaduda itong rekomendasyun ni Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes na bigyan ng emergency power si Gloria Arroyo para matugunan ang problema ng pagkukulang ng elektrisidad na mangyayari daw sa panahon ng eleksyun sa 2010.

Sa ilalim daw ng Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) maari daw mabigyan ng Kongreso si Arroyo ng “emergency power”.

Naku po. Kung sa ngayon lang na wala siyang emergency power, kung ano nang katarantaduhan ang pinaggagawa sa bayan at pinagtatapak-tapakan na ang batas, ano pa kaya kung dadagdagan pa ang kapangyarihan niya?

Dacers say Lacson OK as witness vs Estrada

Published by Ellen on September 19, 2009

Lacson not interested; denies participation

by Norman Bordadora, Michael Lim Ubac
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The daughters of Salvador “Bubby” Dacer will accept Sen. Panfilo Lacson as a state witness if he provides information identifying the mastermind of the abduction and murder of the publicist and his driver in November 2000.

This was disclosed to the Philippine Daily Inquirer by Demetrio Custodio, the lawyer of Dacer’s daughters, who filed a murder complaint against Lacson after former Senior Supt. Cezar Mancao’s earlier testimony that he had heard the then Philippine National Police chief issue the order to kill Dacer.

“We are willing to accept any witness who will lead us to the killer. If it’s [Lacson], it would be okay,” Custodio said. “We are hoping that he can provide us usable information. The last time [he took the Senate floor], it wasn’t quite definite.”

But Lacson is not interested.

Mancao: General offered money if he pins Ping

Published by Ellen on September 18, 2009

by Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Former Senior Supt. Cezar Mancao II Thursday testified at the Manila Regional Trial Court that he was offered financial support and relocation abroad by an official of the Arroyo administration in exchange for fabricated statements against Sen. Panfilo Lacson in connection with the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.

Mancao made the claim during the same hearing where Judge Myra Garcia Fernandez affirmed a Supreme Court decision dated Oct. 5, 2005, ordering the dropping of former Supt. Glenn Dumlao—also an ex-member of the now-defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF)—from the list of accused in the case in order to become a witness.

As has been the practice in Judge Fernandez’s court, journalists were barred from covering the hearing on her orders.

2010 election trends

Published by Ellen on September 17, 2009

It’s heartening to know interest among young people to participate in the 2010 elections is growing.

Political consultant Malou Tiquia, in her presentation on “Developments in the 2010 election campaign” in a recent forum sponsored by the Ateneo School of Government, said of the 45,029,443 registered voters as of March 2009, nine million belong to age 18-35 years old. Election observers expect 22 per cent of voters would come from the youth sector.

If these young people would identify with someone in their age range, they would have three to choose from: Chiz Escudero of the National People’s Coalition, who will be turning 40 (the minimum age requirement to be president) on October 10; Gilbert Teodoro of the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD; and the Liberal Party’s Noynoy Aquino.

Bayani mathematics

Published by Ellen on September 16, 2009

Opisyal na: si Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro ang kandidato ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD, ang partido ng administrasyon ni Gloria Arroyo.

Iisa lang ang nagpresinta na gustong magkandidato na bise president- si Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno. Kaya Teodoro-Puno ang magiging tiket ng administrasyon.

Sa paghirang ng kandidatura ni Teodoro para president sa 2010 na eleksyon, malabo na si Bise Presidente Noli de Castro na tatakbo. Baka bumalik na lang siguro siya sa pagka-brodkaster.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s speech

Published by Ellen on September 15, 2009

Photo by Philip Duquiatan

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues of this august chamber:

I rise today before this distinguished assembly with a heavy heart, to respond to the innuendoes and half-truths which our colleague delivered yesterday in this very hall.

I rise today, mr. President, on a matter of personal and collective privilege in defense of the honor of president joseph estrada over this vicious and savage assault made by a person whom President Estrada trusted and supported without reservations.

Mr. Lacson, by his own admission, mr. President, acknowledged that he was plucked from the obscurity of his position as provincial director in Laguna.

Ingat sa tsismis

Published by Ellen on September 14, 2009

Ngayong palapit na 2010 eleksyun, dumadami ang mga panggulong mga balita.

Kawawa nga itong si Senator Chiz Escudero. Itong mga nakaraang araw, siya ang pinagdidiskitahan ng ilang grupo na mag-withdraw sa 2010 presidential contest.

Noong Linggo, maaga kong kinalampag ang kanyang political consultant na si Malou Tiquia dahil sa text na nakuha ko tungkol sa SWS survey na run-away si Sen. Noynoy Aquino sa survey sa Luzon.

Malaki ang nakain ni Noynoy sa rating ng ibang mga kandidato katulad nina Sen.Manny Villar, Estrada at Escudero. Pati narin nga yung kay Noli de Castro.

Ang Dalawang Mukha ng Sining

Published by Ellen on September 14, 2009

Privilege speech by Sen. Panfilo Lacson

In Greek drama, masks were useful devices that allow the actor to play several different characters.

In the Philippine political drama, nothing much differs.

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues. Today, I rise on a matter of
personal and collective privilege.

The great American writer Elbert Green Hubbard once wrote:

If you work for a man, in heaven’s name work for him…. If you must
vilify, condemn, and eternally disparage, resign your position, and
when you are OUTSIDE, DAMN TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT, but as long as you are part of the institution do not condemn it. If you do that, you are loosening the tendrils that are holding you to that institution, and at the first high wind that comes along, you will be uprooted and blown away, and will probably never know the reason why.

I hope you will understand why it has taken me this long to unburden
myself of the truth I carry.

Month: September 2009