March 2011 – Page 4 – ellen tordesillas

Mataas ang tsansang lusot si Merci sa Senado

Published by Ellen on March 6, 2011

May basehan si Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez kung bakit sa isip niya, mas pag-asang siyang mas may laban siya sa Senado kaysa sa House of Representatives sa impeachment na kanyang hinaharap.

Sa ngayon kasi, alam na ng mga kongresista na gusto ng Malacañang maalis si Gutierrez dahil walang mangyayari sa mga kaso ng kurakutan na sabi si Gloria Arroyo habang si Gutierrez ang Ombudsman. Alam naman natin sa House, kung ano ang kumpas ng Malacañang, kahit anong administrasyon, susunod yan dahil sa kanilang pork barrel. Itong klaseng impluwensya ng Malacañang ay maaring gamiting sa kabutihan, maa-aring ring gamiting sa masama katulad ng pagggamit ni Arroyo sa paghadlang ng katotohanan nang siya ang nasa Malacañang.

Ang Senado naman, talagang may kasaysayan din namang may sariling diskarte. Lalo pa ngayon na iilan lang ang kapartido ni Pangulong Aquino. Kaya nga ang senate president ay si Juan Ponce-Enrile na hindi kapartido ni Aquino dahil kulang sila sa numero.

Walang katapusang pag-aaral

Published by Ellen on March 5, 2011

Tinanong ni Sen. Franklin Drilon at Sen. Jinggoy Estrada ang representative ng Ombudsman sa hearing ng Blue Ribbon Committee na nagi-imbestiga ngayon ng plea bargain agreement kay dating military comptroller Carlos Garcia kung ano na ang nangyari sa kanilang pangako ng bawiin o ipahinto sa Sandiganbayan ang kontrobersyal na kasunduan.

Sagot ng kinatawan ng Ombudsman, “pinag-aaralan pa.”

Hindi ko nakuha ang pangalan ng Ombudsman dahil nagbrownout sa amin at lumipat ako sa radyo. Medyo inis ang dalawang senador dahil mag-iisang buwan na mula ng nangako sila na pag-aaralan ang pagbawi ng plea bargain agreement halatang namang talong-talo ang mamamayang Pilipino. Biruin mo sa P303 milyon na nahuling nakaw na yaman ni Garcia, pumayag ang Ombudsman na P135 lang ang ibalik. Pwedeng nang itago ni Garcia ang P168 milyon.

Philippine protests Chinese ships action vs PHL vessel in Reed Bank

Published by Ellen on March 3, 2011

The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest Thursday with China over the intrusion of two Chinese patrol boats Wednesday into Reed Bank in Western Palawan where a seismic survey is being conducted by the Department of Energy.

A text message from Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said: “I confirm the incident on March 2, 2011 (that) two Chinese patrol boats encountered a Phil-sanctioned vessel conducting seismic surveys in the Western Palawan. The Chinese boats warned the vessel away and the vessel moved away from its position.

“We have sought an explanation from the Chinese Embassy regarding the matter. The vessel is expected to resume its normal activities in a few days.”

The Chinese Embassy, through its spokesperson Ethan Y. Sun, issued the following statement Friday:

I noted the related report. What I want to point out is that, ever since ancient times, China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters. China has been consistently sticking to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. The Chinese side maintains that the related disputes should be resolved through peaceful negotiations. Thank you and have a nice day.

You get Gutierrez, you get Arroyo

Published by Ellen on March 3, 2011

Until the House committee on justice voted (41-12) last Tuesday that the two impeachment complaints against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez have sufficient grounds, Gloria Arroyo and her family had reasons to be confident that they would get away with the crimes she committed against the Filipino people.

I seriously doubt if she is as confident now.

The impeachment complaint against Gutierrez still has to go through another voting in the committee level. It needs one third of the House members (94 out of 283) to have it passed and bring to the Senate.

But once it gets to the Senate, Gutierrez is in trouble. Sentiments against her in the light of the controversial plea bargain her office entered into with former military comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia are high among most of the senators. Even if that particular issue is not included in the complaint, that would be a factor in the decision of the senators.

Del Rosario scores in redeeming DFA’s image

Published by Ellen on March 1, 2011

Acting Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario surprised everybody when he flew to Tripoli in Libya the day after he was sworn into office by President Aquino to oversee the evacuation of some 24,000 Filipinos in the African country which is now being rocked by violent protests between the forces loyal to strongman Muammar Gaddafi and rebels who want to end his 42-year dictatorship.

Not everybody applauded saying that the secretary’s job is at the home office to oversee the gargantuan evacuation operation. They said he was exposing himself unnecessarily to risks and added more pressure to the overburdened staff of Philippine embassy .

(Why is del Rosario’s title ‘acting secretary’? To allow him to assume the position of foreign secretary without confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.
Under the law, all cabinet appointments by the President have to pass CA approval. He can only make cabinet appointments without CA approval when Congress is not in session.

Congress is in session now but was not scheduled to meet the week del Rosario had to assume the job because of the emergency in Libya.Thus, the ‘acting” title. Del Rosario’s title will be upgraded once confirmed by the CA.)

TAF-VERA Files to launch ‘Democracy at gunpoint:election-related violence in the Philippines’

Published by Ellen on March 1, 2011

The Asia Foundation and VERA Files will be presenting their latest work, Democracy at Gunpoint: Election-Related Violence in the Philippines, on March 2 at 5 p.m. at the Magellan Room, 41/F of the Discovery Suites in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

In the 2010 elections, The Asia Foundation partnered with VERA Files in producing a series of journalistic accounts—news, features, in-depth reports on election-related violence in nine provinces that were traditionally considered as election hotspots. VERA Files consolidated the journalistic pieces into a book to provide a comprehensive, in-depth report that examines election-related violence in the Philippines.

The 212-page Democracy at Gunpoint: Election-Related Violence in the Philippines examines why election violence happens in 10 provinces known for being hotspots. While violence was the thread that stitched all provinces together, each one had particular characteristics that aggravated the problem.

“That violence still happens more than two decades after the ouster of Marcos and the restoration of democracy, and well into 21st century Philippines is cause for consternation and frustration,” wrote book editors Yvonne Chua and Luz Rimban in the preface.

Month: March 2011