Ellen – Page 268 – ellen tordesillas

Francis M inspires

Published by Ellen on March 8, 2009

When a friend, Marlyn Divinagracia, 32-year old wife of detained Scout Ranger Capt. Ervin Divinagracia, was diagnosed to have leukemina Nov. 7 last year, we told her not to lose hope and cited rapper Francis Magalona.

“Look at Francis Magalona. He has leukemia and he has survived it,” we told her. It was announced in August 2008 that Francis had leukemia.

Marlyn’s battle with leukemia was swift. One week after, we bade goodbye to her.

Francis also bade goodbye last Friday. But in his seven-month battle with leukemia, he showed how to turn the prospect of death into a celebration of life. In his blog (http://francismagalona.multiply.com), the Jan. 9, 2009 entry was about the visit of artist-magician Jeffrey Tam while he was in a recording session with “Ely B” at Tracks studio in Pasig.

Bibeth talks of Francis M

Published by Ellen on March 8, 2009

This is one of the three photos in Francis M’s last blog entry dated Jan. 14, 2009 as he was preparing for his fourth chemo.

by Bibeth Orteza

Thursday night, March 5, I had a meeting with Malou Choa-Fagar, Executive
Producer of Eat Bulaga. The meeting stretched all the way to 4:30 a.m.,
Malou had been informed by Tita Rose (Rosa Rosal) that it was a matter of
time, for Kiko. My friend of many years back was sad, terribly sad, for
Francis called her ³Mama,² and was really close to her. The next day, March
6, at a lunch meeting with Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza, I got a text
from Malou: ³Francis passed this noon.² I was stunned.

March is usually when I work on The ³Eat Bulaga² Holy Week drama episodes as
writer and director. For this year, before we found out we weren¹t going to
do any, Kiko through his wife Pia agreed to the plot I outlined on the
phone. He was to play himself, he was willing to lend us videos and photos
of his treatment, do his voice-over narration, with scenes of his treatment
to intercut with fictional stories about other people who want to give up
because jobless, because spurned by a lover, because unable to deal with an
in-law, etc., with the message ³Yo, I ain¹t giving up, so don¹t.² The
project sadly didn¹t push through.

Linisin ang listahan ng botante

Published by Ellen on March 7, 2009

Computerized na ang eleksyon sa 2010.

Handang-handa na raw ang Commission on Election na magiging computerized ang eleksyon sa buong bansa sa 2010 pagkatapos naipasa ng House of Representatives at ng Senado noong Huwebes ang P11.3 milyon na supplemental budget pambili ng mga kagamitan para dito.

Sabi ni Comelec Chair Jose Melo, sa computerized na eleksyon, malalaman raw and resulta sa loob ng dalawang araw. Galing!

Sa computerized na eleksyon, sa halip na susulatin ng botante ang pangalan ng mga kandidato, i-itimin lang ang espasyo na nakatala sa pangalan ng kandidato. Ipasok sa optical machine reader na siyang magbibilang ng boto.

The right of reply legislation – a boon to corruption

Published by Ellen on March 7, 2009

by Atty. Ernesto B. Francisco, Jr.

At first glance, the proposed right of reply legislation seems to be a valid proposition since it offers a fair chance to the public to reply to published or aired accusations or criticisms. However, a closer examination will show that far from bestowing the public with a right, the end result of this proposed legislation may be to protect public officials from valid accusations and criticisms coming from the public. But public officials are public figures who “have lost, to some extent at least, their right to privacy” and who should not be too “thin-skinned with reference to comment to (their) official acts.” Moreover, this proposed legislation, far from serving its avowed ends, may also be creating a boon to corruption.

Senate Bill 2150 is entitled “An Act Granting the Right of Reply and Providing Penalties for Violation Thereof” and is authored by Senators Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., Ramon Revilla, Jr., and Francis Escudero. It requires the free publication or airing of a reply to any accusation of a crime or offense or criticism that is published or aired.

Smoking submachinegun

Published by Ellen on March 5, 2009

Let’s pray for the two officials of Legacy Group of companies who have come out, despite threats to their lives, bringing with them documents that would prove the crime of Celso de los Angeles against the thousands of investors of the company.

Carol Hiñola, Legacy’s senior vice president and Namnama Santos, the chief finance officer, sought the help of Philip Piccio of the Parents Enabling Parents (PEP) Coalition that is helping victims of pre-need companies who have failed to meet their obligations to their members.

Piccio described the documents that Hiñola and Santos have as “smoking submachinegun.”

Detained Trillanes moves closer to joining sessions

Published by Ellen on March 5, 2009

proclamation2

by Lynda Jumilla, ABS-CBN News

The Senate has begun exploring ways to allow detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to participate in the chamber’s proceedings through video conferencing.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Committee on Accounts, witnessed a demonstration by Filipino-owned American Technologies Inc. of its video conferencing technology.

During the demo, Lacson was able to have real-time discussions with another party in a remote location.

“Allowing him to participate is a foregone conclusion that has already been decided in the Committee of Rules,” Lacson said.

Magkakampi laban sa bayan

Published by Ellen on March 4, 2009

Nakakabahala ang hayagang pagdepensa ni MikeArroyo, asawa ni Gloria Arroyo, kay Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez na nahaharap ngayon sa isang impeachment complaint na isinampa sa House of Representatives ng mga dating opisyal ng pamahalaan sa pangunguna ni dating Senate President Jovito Salonga.

Parang instruksyon yun sa mga congressman na depensahansi Gutierrez.Pampalakas loob din kay Gutierrez. “Ang mensahe ay, huwag ka mag-alala. Prutektado ka namin.”

Hindi na tinatago ng Malacañang na kaalyado nila ang Ombudsman. Na hindi dapat ganun. Ang Ombudsman ay para ma-check sa mga katiwalian na nangyayari sa pamahalaan. Independent siya dapat.

Sa ginawang pagdepensa ng hayagan ni Mike, buking na buking na hawak nila si Gutierrez. Anong klaseng Ombudsman siya?

Mercy, Abalos in a moro-moro

Published by Ellen on March 3, 2009

Malacañang is coming out with a masterpiece to divert attention from the unholy alliance between Gloria and Mike Arroyo and Merceditas Gutierrez, the Ombudsman.

A highly reliable source said anytime soon the Ombudsman will be filing a graft case with the Sandigan against Benjamin Abalos, the former chairman of the Commission on Election who was exposed to be brokering a $329.5 million national broadband network project for a Chinese firm, ZTE Corp.

Abalos is the subject of two complaints (filed separately by lawyers Ernesto Francisco and Harry Roque) before the Ombudsman in connection with ZTE deal for violation of Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Code of Conduct for Government officials. It will be recalled that Abalos offered then NEDA chief Romulo Neri P200 million to endorse the ZTE contract which was allegedly overpriced by P9 billion. The peso equivalent of the Abalos-packaged ZTE deal was P14.8 billion.

Marcelo:Ombudsman ignoring big fish

Published by Ellen on March 3, 2009

by Luz Rimban VERA Files Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez may have filed more cases than her predecessor, Simeon Marcelo, but she has focused on the small…

Tuloy ang kaso vs Mike Arroyo

Published by Ellen on March 2, 2009

Siguro naman sisipot na si Mike Arroyo sa hearing ng aming class suit sa Makati Regional Trial Court sa Marso 11,susunod na Miyerkoles, 2 p.m.

Kung ayaw naman niya, sabihin na lang niya sa korte ibigay na niya ang hiningi naming danyos na P12.5 milyon na ilalagay namin sa isang trust fund para tulong sa mga journalists na walang pambayad ng abogado kapag sila ay sinampahan ng kaso ng libel katulad ng ginawa sa amin ni Arroyo.

Noong Biyernes, binasura ni Court of Appeals Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta ang petisyon ni Arroyo na ibasura ang aming class suit dahil kulang raw ang binayad namin na filing fee.

Author: Ellen