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Year: 2012

Bangsamoro is born

Published by Ellen on October 7, 2012


Speech of President Aquino on the Framework Agreement with the MILF

Aquino announces agreement on creation of Bangsamoro political entity
Dalawang henerasyon na po ang lumilipas mula noong magsimula ang hidwaan sa Mindanao. Isang siklo ng karahasang umangkin sa buhay ng mahigit isandaang libong Pilipino—hindi lamang ng mga kawal at mandirigma, kundi pati mga inosenteng sibilyang dumanak ang dugo dahil sa alitang puwede namang naiwasan.

Marami na pong solusyong sinubok upang matapos ang hidwaang ito; nakailang peace agreement na po tayo, ngunit hindi pa rin tayo umuusad tungo sa katuparan ng ating mga pangarap para sa rehiyon. Nabigyan ng poder ang ilan, ngunit imbes na iangat ang kaledad ng buhay sa rehiyon, nagbunga ito ng istrukturang lalo silang iginapos sa kahirapan. Nagkaroon ng mga command votes na ginamit upang pagtibayin ang pyudal na kalakaran; naglipana ang mga ghost roads, ghost bridges, ghost schools, ghost teachers, at ghost students, habang tumaba naman ang bulsa ng iilan. Nag-usbungan ang mga warlord na humawak sa timbangan ng buhay at kamatayan para sa maraming mamamayan. Umiral ang isang kultura kung saan walang nananagutan, at walang katarungan; nawalan ng pagtitiwala ang mamamayan sa sistema, at nagnais na kumalas sa ating bansa.

The ARMM is a failed experiment. Many of the people continue to feel alienated by the system, and those who feel that there is no way out will continue to articulate their grievances through the barrel of a gun. We cannot change this without structural reform.

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Huwag gawing sangkalan ang Panginoon

Published by Ellen on October 6, 2012

In preparation for post -boxing life, Pacquiao builds political dynasty.
Sabi ni Manny Pacquiao, hindi naman daw talaga gusto ng kanyang asawang si Jinkee na pumasok sa pulitika.

“God’s will (Kagustuhan ng Panginoon),” daw ang kandidatura ngayon ni Jinkee bilang vice-governor ng Saranggani.

Tumigil na nga sa kagagamit ng pangalan ng Diyos. Bakit naka-usap ba siya ng Panginoon? Wala lang talaga silang kabusugan sa pera at kapangyarihan.

Congressman ngayon si Pacquiao at nakapaghain na rin siya ng certificate of candidacy para sa kanyang re-election. Ang kanyang kapatid na si Rogelio ay tatakbo para congressman sa first district ng South South Cotabato.

Bakit kaya hindi tumakbo si Nanay Dionisia na senador?

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The sad, dramatic, if redeeming, life of Juan Ponce Enrile

Published by Ellen on October 6, 2012

By Pablo A. Tariman, VERA Files

The 753-page of “Juan Ponce Enrile: A Memoir” has many things going for it.
For one, the simple yet striking cover layout doesn’t call attention to itself and for another, it is well-edited (by Nelson Navarro) which makes for smooth, easy reading. It is, by turn, a no-nonsense book about someone’s life as he lived it and how he survived it.

Divided into two parts ( “With God and Guts” and “Making A difference”), the memoir has a unique voice you can’t mistake for a politician’s. The narrative flows with ease as the subject recalls the poverty-stricken barrio of his birth and ending his joining the government in the first part.
The first part is easily the most engrossing and the most poignant. The author – now well-known and famous — recalls the abject poverty of his past with startling details.

Born February 14, 1924, Juan Ponce Enrile (JPE) admits he was a love child baptized in the Aglipayan Church as Juanito Furagganan. His father, Alfonso Ponce Enrile, was born from parents from Baliwag, Bulacan. He notes that his grandfather, Damaso Ponce, was first cousin to Mariano Ponce of La Soledaridad, the propaganda arm of the Philippine Revolution of 1896.

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Campaign lies?

Published by Ellen on October 2, 2012

President Aquino and the administration’s senatorial bets witness the signing of coalition for 2013 election agreement among LP,NP,NPC,PDP-Laban,Akbayan,NUP. Photo by Mario Ignacio of VERA Files.

Thanks, Secretary Lacierda for this statement: “Campaigning is campaigning. There were words that were exchanged during that time but we move on for the sake of the country.”

At least now, we know how to take your words, the words of President Aquino and all politicians in the coming campaign for the May 2013 elections.

Many of us were not wise enough to have taken your and your partymates’ words seriously in the 2010 elections. That’s a valuable lesson learned.

Lacierda made the above statement when asked about the inclusion of Cynthia Villar, wife of Senator Manny Villar, in the administration 2013 senatorial ticket.

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An appeal to the SC to stop Cybercrime law

Published by Ellen on September 30, 2012

Last Friday, I joined five other persons in asking the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order against the implementation of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
We asked the High Court to declare Sections 4 (c) [4], 5, 6, 7 and 19 of the Act unconstitutional.

Thanks to Inquirer for Harry’s photo.
My fellow petitioners are Davao-based radio broadcaster radio broadcaster Alexander Adonis, my VERA Files colleague Ma. Gisela Ordenes-Cascolan, lawyers/bloggers Harry Roque, Romel Bagares, and Gilbert Andres, legal officer of Media Defense Southeast Asia.
Alexander Adonis in blue during hearing of his libel suit in 2004. Photo by Barry Ohaylan of Davao Today

Named respondents because they are the ones who will be implementing the law which President Aquino signed last Sept. 12 and took effect Sept. 27 are: Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas III, National Bureau of Investigation director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas, Philippine National Police chief Nicanor Bartolome, and acting Director-General Denis Villorente of the Information and Communications Technology Office-Department of Science and Technology.

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PPP- Partnership para sa Pepe

Published by Ellen on September 30, 2012

Photo from Dr. Gerry Wain presentation
Iba and kahulugan ng PPP sa pangalawang pagtitipon tungkol Human papillomavirus (HPV) na isinagawa sa Sofitel Hotel kamakailan.

Kung sa pamahalaan ang PPP ay Public-Private Partnership, naisip ng mga dumalo sa miting na tawagin ang kanilang pagtutulungan na Partnership para sa Pepe.

Mukhang hindi masyadong natuwa si Health Assistant Secretary Enrique Tayag.

Ang HPV ang sanhi ng cervical cancer. Sa Pilipinas walong babae ang namamatay ng cervical cancer araw-araw. Isipin mo na lang kung ilang pamilya ang nawawalan ng nanay, asawa,anak at kapatid dahil sa cervical cancer. Ang HPV ay kadalasan naililipat sa tao sa pamamagitan gn pakipagtalik.

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Three people you should meet in Siem Reap

Published by Ellen on September 27, 2012

Photo from Wikipedia
I never cease to be awed by Angkor Wat.

The first time I stepped on the once- sacred grounds of the sprawling (covers an area of almost two hectares), 2,000- year old temple was an overwhelming experience. That was in 1987. I was with a group of journalists of different nationalities covering Southeast Asia. It was a side trip from our main coverage which was an interview in Phnom Penh with Cambodian officials led by Hun Sen, the former Khmer Rouge commander who abandoned the genocidal regime in 1977 and emerged as the leader of the Vietnamese-backed government. He is currently the prime minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Last week, I went back to Siem Reap with my friend, Marilyn Robles. For three days, we went temple-hopping – total of 23 temples in three days. In the process of being enthralled by the distinct features of each temple, we met interesting persons.

One was Muk Moon, former monk and a resident of Angkor Wat.

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The back channels: Trillanes, US and Pangilinan

Published by Ellen on September 20, 2012


By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files

Trillanes
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV acted as the Philippines’ backdoor negotiator with China from April to July this year, communicating with Chinese foreign affairs officials in a role, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said, in which he won “minor successes.”

Lacierda, though, did not give details.

Trillanes said President Benigno S. Aquino III gave him the assignment verbally and could not produce any documents to prove he was acting in an official capacity. The role was fraught with deniability, with Malacanang even saying it was Trillanes who sought the job.

Based on various interviews with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, senior foreign affairs officials, military officials, Chinese sources and with Trillanes himself, VERA Files assembled the following timeline of Trillanes’ involvement in the dispute between the Philippines and China over Panatag, also called Scarborough Shoal:

April 8, 2012

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