Author: Ellen

Trillanes finally free, thanks Pres. Aquino

Published by Ellen on December 20, 2010

Update:Trillanes vows support of Aquino’s anti corruption drive

Sen. Antonio Trillanes reiterated today (Dec. 23) his support for President Aquino in his first visit to the Senate since he was elected senator in May 2007.

In his first press conference at the Senate, Trillanes said his support for Aquino who granted him and more than 300 members of the military would include fighting corruption. “One way we can help the President is to give him information on the ground. We can relate these directly to the President without going to the media first for publicity purposes.” http://verafiles.org/main/news/trillanes-vows-support-of-aquino%E2%80%99s-anti-corruption-drive/

Freedom 1 — First glimpse of world outside prison walls after 7 years!

After almost 7 years and 5 months in prison,Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is finally free.

He stepped out of his detention cell in Camp Crame at 9:24 p.m, Dec. 20 (Monday). His release was made possible by the order of Judge Oscar Pimentel to turn him over to the custody of the Senate.

Trillanes statement:

I would like to express my gratitude once again to President Aquino and all those who made this Amnesty possible.

Likewise, I thank my family,friends and supporters who patiently stood by us through this long and difficult journey.

Finally to our countrymen, be assured of our unwavering commitment to selflessly serve our Country and People. May God bless us all.”

Trillanes a victim of betrayal: Robles

By David Dizon, abs-cbnNEWS.com

Foul, foul

Published by Ellen on December 19, 2010

These scoundrels really know timing.

They unloaded their dirty tricks at the time when when the public was busy with Christmas shopping and parties while coping with issue overload — Amnesty proclamation for military rebels, release of Morong 43, boycott of Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies in exchange for the life of Filipino drug traffickers, and acquittal of Hubert Webb and company in the Vizconde massacre case .

First was the decision of the Supreme Court allowing Mikey Arroyo to take his seat as sectoral representative of the security guards and tricyle drivers upholding the bastardization of the partylist system. The second was the deal struck by retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia with the Sandiganbayan.

Former police official in Dacer-Corbito case appeals extradition

Published by Ellen on December 19, 2010

By VERA Files

Former police officer Michael Ray Aquino has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals to junk the Philippine government’s request that he be extradited for the murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and Dacer’s driver, Emmanuel Corbito.

In his appeal filed Dec. 14, Aquino cited the lack of probable cause, noting the prosecution’s pattern of witness and evidence tampering.

Aquino anchored his appeal on the prosecution’s failure to produce Dacer and Corbito’s remains.

“Without a victim, there is no death. In the absence of death, there is no crime of murder. Without a crime, there can be no basis for a finding of probable cause,” he said.

Tears and joys of overseas life in OFW blogs

Published by Ellen on December 19, 2010

By VERA Files

Photos by Antonio Magno Carranza Jr. of www.pusangkalye.net.

Rubi Garcia gets her greatest reward: responsible and grateful children

Blogger Danilo Garcia Jacob had lived the most part of his growing up years without a mother who had to leave them when he was young to work abroad as caregiver. The cycle is being repeated today: He works in Kuwait, his younger sister in Dubai and his elder brother in Saudi Arabia.

“At ngayon ngang kami naman ang lumayo sa kanyang piling, nagtagumpay siyang pagtibayin ang aming luob na anumang hirap sa ibang bansa ang pinakamahalaga ay ang dahilan kung bakit kailangang magsakripisyo at makipagsapalaran (And now that it is our turn to leave her, my mother has succeeded in preparing us for the hardships of a life overseas and accepting why we must make the sacrifice),” he wrote in “Ang bakal na ibon sa himpapawid,” on his blog Animus (http://dahnjacob.com).

Jacob’s heart-tugging story won the first prize in this year’s Pinay Expats/Overseas Workers Blog Awards (PEBA). His tearful mother, Rubi Garcia, received the award for him during the awarding held Thursday at Teatrino in Greenhills, San Juan.

A parallel category was created this year for Philippine-based blogs that also deal with overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The winner for the best blog award was “Fil-Am” by Davao-based Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD, posted in his blog, Felmar’s Missionary Journey (http://fielsvd.wordpress.com).

Ang pagbangon mula sa trahedya

Published by Ellen on December 18, 2010

Noong Huwebes ay may misa sa Santuario de San Antonio sa Forbes Park, sa patuloy na pagdasal para sa katahimikan ng namatay na si KC de Venecia , anak ni dating House Speaker Jose de Venecia at ang kanyang asawa na ngayon ay congresswoman ng 4th district ng Pangasinan na si Gina.

Labing-anim na taon si KC nang nangyari ang trahedya na nasunog ang kanilang bahay sa Dasmariñas Village, tirahan ng mga mayayaman, noong Dec. 16, 2004. Huli na nag malaman nina Gina na nandoon pala si KC sa loob ng bahay at hindi na nakalabas.

Matagal bago naka-recover ang pamilyang De Venecia sa trahedya lalo pa si Gina. Sa aming pagtipon-tipon noong isang linggo sa kanilang bagong bahay, sinabi ni Gina na nakatulong ng malaki ang mga kasamahan niya sa “INA” (Inang naulila sa anak), ang grupo ng kanyang itinatag sa kanyang pag-uusap sa ibang ina na nawalan rin ng anak.

Sa halip na mamumukmuk at magpakalunod sa hinagpis, ginawa ni Gina ay nakipag-hawakan ng kamay sa kapwang nagdurusang ina at magtulungan. Madali nahilom ang kanilang mga sugat at marami sa kanila ngayon ay mas malakas dahil sa trahedya.

Arroyo ‘disappears’ from new P200 bill

Published by Ellen on December 18, 2010

I like this. The past years, I have been refusing to accept the P200 bill as a form of protest because I consider Edsa Dos a farce that installed a fake president. Even if she did not completely disappear from the P200 bill, at least hindi na namamayagpag.

By Michelle Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Next time you get hold of a new, crisp P200 bill, don’t be surprised if you find it difficult to locate the picture of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It has been relegated to a small corner of the bill and the new dominant photo is that of the tarsier, a specially protected animal species found in a few places in the Philippines.

Due for circulation this month, the newly designed peso bank notes will showcase on the reverse side the country’s top tourism spots.

The picture of Arroyo’s inaugural ceremony in 2001—printed at the back of the existing P200 bill—will still appear on the bill, this time on the front side, although a bit too small for anyone to even decipher her face.

It is on the side dominated by the picture of her father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal.

Ex-Ombudsman, reform group slam Garcia plea bargain

Published by Ellen on December 17, 2010

From ABS-CBN online

Ma. Gen. Carlos Garcia — The face of corruption in the military

Former Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo and a reform group criticized state prosecutors for entering into a plea bargaining agreement with ex-military comptroller Major Gen. Carlos Garcia who was facing plunder and money laundering charges worth P303 million.

Just in time for Christmas, the Sandiganbayan antigraft court on Friday ordered the release of former military comptroller Carlos Garcia, who had been detained for the past six years while on trial for amassing P303 million in ill-gotten assets.

The Sandiganbayan Second Division has granted Garcia’s petition for bail and ordered the Philippine National Police to release him from its custody.
. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20101218-309627/Sandigan-frees-general-facing-plunder-charges

Marcelo said the plea bargaining agreement, which allowed Garcia to enter guilty pleas for the lesser and bailable offenses of direct bribery and violation of Section 4-B of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), is illegal.

“Under the rules of court, a plea bargaining agreement may only be entered if the prosecution has not yet started the presentation of evidence. In this case, the prosecution has already completed it. Further, the court has already ruled that the prosecution has presented sufficient evidence to convict Garcia,” he said in a text message.

Promulgation on Oakwood ‘coup’ deferred indefinitely

Published by Ellen on December 16, 2010

after deferment of promulgation dec 16 '10 — Hopes to finally be able to perform duty in the Senate next year

Judge Oscar Pimentel of Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148 today (Dec 16) deferred the promulgation on the 2003 Oakwood coup d’etat case against the Magdalo soldiers including Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

Pimentel said he is bowing to the wisdom of President Aquino’s amnesty proclamation for members of the military that rebelled against Gloria Arroyo. Amnesty Proclamation No. 75 has been concurred in by Congress.

Magdalo Spokesman Ashley Acedillo said, “We thank the Court not only for submitting to the grace of the State but more importantly, in keeping with the spirit of the season.”
From ABS-CBN:

The Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Thursday deferred the promulgation of the decision on the rebellion cases filed against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and members of the so-called Magdalo Group involved in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny.

SC acquits Webb et al

Published by Ellen on December 14, 2010

Eyewitness’ testimony found ‘unbelievable’

By Nikko Dizon
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Hubert Webb and six others were acquitted Tuesday of the grisly 1991 Vizconde massacre by the Supreme Court, which thrashed the testimony of the prosecution’s star witness Jessica Alfaro as “incredible and unbelievable.”

So, who did it? Who murdered Estrellita Vizconde and her daughters Jennifer, 7, and Carmela, 18, who was raped before being stabbed to death?

Voting 7-4, the high court acquitted Webb, Antonio Lejano, Michael Gatchalian, Hospicio Fernandez, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada and Gerardo Biong “for failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”

House approves amnesty proclamation for Trillanes et al

Published by Ellen on December 13, 2010

Judge Oscar Pimentel of Makati Regional Trial Court denied the petition of Trillanes to cancel promulgation of the coup d ‘etat case in the light of the amnesty proclamation. Promulgation today.

In a vote of 213 “Yes” and seven “No”, the House of Representatives concurred with Proclamation 75 which grants amnesty to military and police personnel who participated in the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny, the February 2006 attempted withdrawal of support and the November 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.

Some congressmen took time to explain their vote. Bayan Rep. Teddy Casiño said, “Patriots deserve freedom.”

While a number of them expressed the hope that it would be the last amnesty to military rebels they would have to concur with, Rep. Salvador Escudero said, “I pray that the present and future governments govern well” so as not to give reasons for members of the military to rebel.