July 2019 – ellen tordesillas

What will happen to my lotto bet?

Published by Ellen on July 28, 2019

PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde leads the closing of lotto outlets. Screengrab from ABS-CBN video.

After reading Sen. Ping Lacson’s revelation of the billions of pesos collected by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office that do not go to government coffers and are instead diverted to the pockets of PCSO officials., corrupt politicians, policemen and syndicate operators, I feel my lotto problem is minuscule.

But I still want my P576 back.

I buy my lotto tickets in bulk- six draws- to save time and effort in going to lottery outlets.

Last Friday, I went to an SM lotto outlet to place my bets for six draws of 6/42, 6/45,6/49 and 6/55. I paid P576.

‘Possession’ or ‘position’ controversy turns ludicrous

Published by Ellen on July 27, 2019

This is becoming ludicrous.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo’s explanation of the President’s declaration of his helplessness about the situation in the West Philippine Sea because China is “in possession” of disputed geographical features in the area has made the mess messier.

Carpio is now suggesting that the President disown the statement of his spokesman and chief presidential counsel.

This all started when the President said in his State-of-the-Nation address last Monday that “You know, I cannot go there even to bring the Coast Guard to drive them away. China also claims the property and he is in possession. ‘Yan ang problema. Sila ‘yung in possession and claiming all the resources there as an owner. We are claiming the same, but we are not in the position because of that fiasco noong dalawang nag-standoff doon during the time of my predecessor si Albert, ambassador.”

Duterte’s SONA speech on West Philippine Sea made matters worse for PH

Published by Ellen on July 23, 2019

President Duterte delivers his 4th State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 22, 2019. Malacañang photo by Rey Baniquet.

Riding on an 85 percent approval rating, President Duterte probably thought he could convince Filipinos about the wisdom of his much-criticized policy towards China in the matter of the country’s territorial claim in the South China Sea. He devoted a lot of time on the issue of West Philippine Sea in his State of the Nation address Monday.

Now his top two security officials – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon are doing damage control- issuing clarification about the President’s explanation. They are now blaming the President’s pronunciation of the word “position.” They said it’s not “possession” as everybody heard the President say last Monday.

Here’s the problematic portion of Duterte’s statement on West Philippine Sea:

Banaag blames ‘copy and paste’ re PCOO’s drug 2017 drug figures

Published by Ellen on July 21, 2019

If the objective of the #Real Numbers press conference last Thursday organized by the Presidential Communications Operations Office was to clarify about the conflicting numbers related to President Duterte’s drug war, it left us more confused.

Communication Assistant Secretary Marie Banaag. 2018 file photo.

Communications Assistant Secretary Marie Rafael-Banaag repeated her earlier press statements that Homicide cases under investigation (HCUIs) are “not at all” related to the war on drugs or anti-illegal drug operations.

It’s difficult to believe her assertion because in the Duterte government’s 2017 Accomplishment Report, under the section “Fighting Illegal Drugs,” it listed 3,967 “drug personalities who died in anti-drug operations” from July 1, 2016 to November 30, 2017 and 16,355 “homicides under investigation” from July 1, 2016 – September 30, 2017.

Month: July 2019

What will happen to my lotto bet?

‘Possession’ or ‘position’ controversy turns ludicrous

Duterte’s SONA speech on West Philippine Sea made matters worse for PH

Banaag blames ‘copy and paste’ re PCOO’s drug 2017 drug figures