Month: September 2010

Aquino scores in transparency

Published by Ellen on September 23, 2010

One good thing that can be said of the almost three-month old Aquino presidency is transparency.

Sometimes, too transparent to a fault but openness is still better than keeping people in the dark.

Aquino bungled big-time the Aug. 23 hostage crisis, wasted a lot of time trying to justify the bungling before finally doing something right: asking Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to head a panel that would investigate the fiasco.

Another correct decision was releasing the report to the public a few days after it was submitted to him. The release of the report to the Chinese Embassy ahead of releasing it to the Filipino public could have been handled better, of course. Also,he could have released the whole report including the recommendations.

Compare that to how Gloria Arroyo handled the “Hello Garci” scandal and the report of the Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga who investigated the involvement of the military in the tampering of the results of the 20004 election in Arroyo’s favor. Up to this day, we have yet to see the full report although I’m not expecting much from it.

IIRC recommendations: only Lim cited for criminal sanction

Published by Ellen on September 23, 2010

Following are the recommendations of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee that investigated the Aug. 23 hostage tragedy. This was withheld when President Aquino released the fact-finding part of the report. The recommendations are being reviewed by the presidential legal panel headed by Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Eduardo de Mesa.

Recommendations

In light of the preceding discussions on the accountability of the above-mentioned public officials, PNP officers and private individuals based on their corresponding acts and omissions during the August 23, 2010 Rizal Park Hostage-taking crisis, the Committee hereby recommends the following actions:

1. Against PCSUPT (General) Rodolfo Y. Magtibay, the initiation of the corresponding administrative proceedings is recommended based on the following grounds:

a. Serious Irregularities in the Performance of Duties – for countermanding the order of his superior officer, Police Director (General) Leocadio Santiago Jr. to use the PNP SAF-CRG in the assault of the hostaged bus, and in direct opposition to the clear and categorical order of the President to do so as relayed through said superior officer;

b. Gross incompetence – for manifest lack of adequate ability and fitness to satisfactorily perform his police duties as ground commander in the hostage-taking incident as established in this investigation, resulting in the needless and tragic death of eight (8) foreign tourists and the injury of seven (7) others;

Mayor Lim: miserably unrepentant

Published by Ellen on September 21, 2010

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has become a pathetic figure – a far cry from the anti-crime crusading character that earned for him the compliment “Dirty Harry”, the alias of the fictional character of San Francisco policeman, Harold Francis Callahan, played in several films by Clint Eastwood.

IIRC recommended harshest sanction on Lim

In recommending administrative and criminal proceedings, the IIRC held Lim liable for “assuming the authority of the on-scene commander in negotiations and tactical action… for negligence in his failure to organize and constitute the CMC (crisis management committee), for issuing an illegal order the arrest of Gregorio Mendoza, for abandoning and ordering the on-scene commander to abandon the Advance Command Post at the height of the hostage crisis and, in general, for failure to perform his duties as CMC Chairman… constituting dereliction of duty and gross negligence.”

“Dirty Harry” endeared himself to the audience by stomping on the inept bureaucracy, even taking the law in his hands, to give justice to the underprivileged.

Lim became a legend when he cleared known criminal havens of undesirable elements. For that, he was rewarded a political career after he retired from the police service. He was manila mayor from 1992 to 1998 and senator from 2004 to 2007. He returned as Manila mayor in 2007 and got re-elected last May.

One would think that with his long years as local chief executive, Lim would have handled the Aug. 23 hostage incident with competence and wisdom. What we saw was “utak pulbura” at work.

Showbiz ang hearing ng jueteng

Published by Ellen on September 21, 2010

Tungkol sana sa report ng Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) ang aking kolum ngayong araw at sinimulan ko na habang ako ay nagmu-monitor sa TV ng hearing sa Senado ng imbestigasyon sa jueteng.

Aba, biglang narinig ko ang pangalan ni Gretchen Barretto . Mas interesante ito, sabi ko.

Actually, hindi sangkot si Gretchen sa jueteng. Lumabas ang pangalan niya kasi tinanong ni Sen. Jinggoy Estrada si retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz kung may kuma-usap sa kanya na maghinay-hinay sa pagtuligsa kay Interior Undersecretary Rico E. Puno.

Hindi primero naintindihan o narinig ng husto ni Cruz ang tanong. Sinabi niya “Wala.” Nang maintindihan niya, sinabi niya “Meron.” Nang tanungin niya kung sino, hindi niya kaagad maala-ala ang pangalan. Nagtanong siya sa kanyang kasama na nasa likuran niya. Ngunit dahil bukas ang mike, naririnig ang kanyang tanong, “yung partner ni Barretto?”

Sabi nga ni Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, showbiz na rin pala ito.

Cruz names Puno and Versoza as jueteng coddlers

Published by Ellen on September 21, 2010

From ABS-CBN online

Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz on Tuesday named Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno and retired Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa as the two Aquino officials who are receiving monthly jueteng payola.

Puno, however, immediately denied the accusation and said his name is being smeared because he is working to strengthen the small-town lottery (STL) to wipe out the illegal numbers game.

“I deny receiving jueteng payola. When I assumed office in July 5, I knew that these things will crop up…Because I wanted to have an alternative to jueteng, they are hitting me because mawawalan sila ng kita,” he said in a Senate hearing.

RP faces new tensions with China over Spratly

Published by Ellen on September 21, 2010

by Tessa Jamandre VERA Files EVEN before the diplomatic tension created by the Aug. 23 hostage crisis has subsided, President Beningo Aquino III will have…

Aquino orders review of IIRC recommendations

Published by Ellen on September 20, 2010

The IIRC report:

http://www.gov.ph/2010/09/17/first-report-of-the-iirc-on-the-rizal-park-hostage-taking-incident/ or

http://www.scribd.com/doc/37763943/20100917-IIRC-Report

President Aquino today said he has ordered the review of the recommendations of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) to sanction 12 persons and three networks over the Aug. 23 hostage tragedy.

Statement of the Foreign Ministry of China, Sept. 21, 2010

On 20 September 2010, the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has been given by the Philippine IIRC the First Report of the IIRC on the 23 August 2010 Rizal Park Hostage-taking Incident: Sequence of Events, Evaluation and Recommendations. Since it is a long report, the Chinese side does need time for a careful study. The initial reading indicates that the Philippine side takes a sincere and serious manner in handling with and looking into the incident, to which the Chinese side expresses its appreciation.

We hope that the Philippine side continues to handle with the aftermath in an appropriate manner, so as to console the souls of the victims and render comfort to the bereft families and injured Hong Kong compatriots. We also hope that the Philippine side takes effective measures to strengthen protection of the Chinese personnel in the Philippines and prevent the reoccurrence of similar tragedies. The Chinese side stands ready to work with the Philippine side to advance the bilateral relations in a sound and steady manner.

In a press conference, Aquino named the following who were cited by the IIRC for negligence or failure to follow manual:

* Then Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jesus Verzosa;
* Then Manila Police District chief Rodolfo Magtibay, who served as ground commander;
* National Capital Region Police office chief Leocadio Santiago;
* Hostage negotiator Manila Superintendent Orlando Yebra;
* DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno;
* Chief Inspector Santiago Pascual, head of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team;
* Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez;
* Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III;
* TV5’s Erwin Tulfo;
* Radio Mo Nationwide’s (RMN) Michael Rogas;
* Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim
* Manila Vice-Mayor Isko Moreno
* 3 broadcast networks.

Aquino’s statement:

Abby Tan: profile in courage

Published by Ellen on September 20, 2010

Here’s a video of Abby prepared by John Silva: files.me.com/jsilva79/jazq9h

Last Saturday, I woke up to find a message from Maan Hontiveros that our friend Abby K.S. Tan passed away at 1:09 a.m. at St Luke’s Hospital in Bonifacio Global City. She said cremation is at 10 a.m. the same day at Heritage Park.

When I opened my email, I saw a mail from writer John Silva, also informing friends of Abby’s death.

Abby is a Singaporean journalist and has been writing on the Philippines since the 70’s. She covered for Singapore Straits Times and later for other international publications like the Christian Science Monitor, the country’s struggle to restore democracy since the Marcos years. The Philippines has become “home” for Abby.

John and Maan were two of Abby’s closest friends who gave her constant company in the last four years that she was battling cancer.

In his email, John related, “Last Wednesday, she (Abby) declared she wanted to go to hospital, no more life supports, just the morphine drip.

“Once she was on the drip, it was difficult for her to have a conversation, she slept most of the time, but she was no longer in the excruciating pain she was suffering. She recognized us in those brief moments she was alert. She still had a smile for us this morning.

“You all know her to be very decisive and strong willed. Until the end she was that.

Coast guard trains ‘aspins’ to sniff bombs

Published by Ellen on September 20, 2010

by Khrysta Imperial Rara Vera Files Every day at 6:30 a.m., Pacman goes to his training area for a 30-minute run. Egged on by his…

Makataong media para sa ina ni George Francis

Published by Ellen on September 19, 2010

Sana naman respetuhin ng media karapatan ng ina ni George Francis, ang sanggol na iniwan sa basurahan sa Gulf Air nong isang linggo, sa “privacy” o pag-iisa habang inaayos niya ang kanyang buhay.

Sana naman sundin ng media ang paki-usap ng Department of Social Welfare and Development na huwag siya at ang kanyang pamilya pagpiyestahan.

“Huwag nyo gawing telenobela ito,” paki-usap ni Social Services Dinky Soliman lalo na ng malaman niyang may cre ng TV station na pumunta doon sa probinsiya sa pamilya ng babaeng tinututukoy palang na ina ni George Francis. “Bigyan nyo siya ng kahit isang buwan,” sabi ni Soliman.