Ellen – Page 345 – ellen tordesillas

A People on Standby

Published by Ellen on December 10, 2007

by Enteng Romano
Convenor, Black and White Movement

As soon as the Manila Pen siege was over, there was a flurry of pronouncements from just about every political group as well as personalities from both sides of the political divide. Invariably, the statements depicted Trillanes and Lim as misguided, military adventurists, rebels, criminals, or arrogant fools for repeating the same mistakes in Oakwood and in 2006. At best, some would say they sympathized with Trillanes’ and Lim’s cause, but did not agree with their methods.

But why did they have to wait until the standoff was over before they spoke their minds? Simple. They weren’t really sure about how the incident would turn out and they didn’t want to be caught with their feet in their mouths just in case Trillanes et al prevailed.

Ang laban ng Sumilao farmers

Published by Ellen on December 10, 2007

Dapat tutukan natin itong kaso ng mga magsasaka ng Sumilao, Bukidnon na ngayon ay nasa labas ng opisina ng Department of Agrarian Reform.

Dalawang buwan naglakad ang 55 na Higaonon na magsasaka (1,700 kilomenters) mula Bukidnon hanggang Manila para lamang maipaglaban ang kanilang karapatan sa lupa na dapat nasa kanila at ngayon ay nasa San Miguel Foods Inc.

Ang kuwento ng mga Sumilao farmers ay nangyayari sa maraming bahagi ng Pilipinas. Hindi lang ito nangyayari sa Bukidnon. Ito ang kuwento ng pagkaganid ng tao. Ito ang kuwento ng mga sakim na gusto pang dagdagan ang kanilang yaman.

Reminiscing with Rene

Published by Ellen on December 9, 2007

His voice, hoarse and not yet fully recovered, Rene Saguisag’s eyes sparkled as he reminisced Dec. 7, 1982 when Marcos’ military raided the office of We Forum, the sister company of Malaya, and the subsequent legal battle for press freedom.

He shook his head sadly when the conversation touched on the Nov. 29, 2007 incident at the Manila Pen and the arrest and handcuffing of media who covered the crisis.

On the eve of his checkout from the Makati Medical Center where he was confined after surviving a vehicular accident (his wife, Dulce, died) last Nov. 8; we visited Rene to mark the 25th anniversary of the raid and closure of We Forum.

Medalla de berdugo

Published by Ellen on December 9, 2007

Sa English, may expression na “adding insult to injury”. Sinaktan na, ininsulto pa.

Yan ang dating ng Medalla de oro na binigay ng Universidad de Alcala kay Gloria Arroyo noong isang linggo sa kanyang pagiging champion raw ng human rights o karapatang pantao.

Mukhang naloko ng Philippine Ambassador to Spain na si Lani Bernardo itong Universidad de Alcala. At mukhang kulang itong universidad sa international research. Nakakapagtataka dahil madali lang naman malaman ang nakakabahalang record ni Gloria Arroyo pagdating sa karapatang pantao. Pumunta ka lang sa internet, makukuha mo na doon ang mga pangalan ng mga taong walang pakundangang pinatay, kasama na doon ang mga journalists, sa rehimen ni Gloria Arroyo.

Ex-DAR chief: “Sumilao is one case I’m certain farmers are right’

Published by Ellen on December 9, 2007

(I have neglected the Sumilao case due to other important issues. I’m catching up)

By Jerome Aning
Inquirer

The call on the government to heed the Higaonon farmers who marched for two months to dramatize their claim to a 144-hectare property in Sumilao, Bukidnon, is ringing louder, with more Church leaders and a former agrarian reform secretary joining in.

The Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines cosponsored a Mass Saturday afternoon at the farmers’ picket line at the Department of Agrarian Reform central office in Quezon City, in an effort to continue demonstrating Church support.

Shaken but not deterred

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has survived a series of scandals to hold onto her presidency

by Alan Robles
South China Morning Post

In 1997, the influential Catholic prelate, Jaime Cardinal Sin, belittled the ambition of then-senator Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to run for president. He asked her disparagingly: “What would you do when there is a coup d’etat? Cry?” The cardinal, who died two years ago, couldn’t have been more wrong about the diminutive leader’s personality.

Far from being a faint-hearted, delicate creature, Mrs Arroyo has proven to be as tough as nails. And she’s needed the grit because she’s also turned out to be one of the troubled nation’s most contentious and beleaguered leaders.

Lim wants to be back in Tanay

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

by Ashzel Hachero, Regina Bengco and Victor Reyes
Malaya
Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim yesterday asked the Makati regional trial court handling the rebellion case filed against him and 35 other persons to order his transfer to the detention facility in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal.

Lim, who was involved in last week’s standoff at the Manila Peninsula hotel in Makati City, is detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

Lim has been in detention in Camp Capinpin since last year for allegedly leading a plot to grab power from government in February last year. He and 27 other Army and Marines officers detained in the camp are facing court martial for mutiny, among others.

Nothing has changed

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

Today, Dec.7 is the 25th year anniversary of the raid of We Forum, the forerunner of Malaya, by Marcos soldiers for publishing articles on his fake medals. Sen. Joker Arroyo,Makati mayor Jejomar Binay, Rene Saguisag were some of the lawyers who helped WEe Forum/Malaya foudner Jose Burgos, Jr. assert freedom of the press. The situation today is as bad, even worse, than during the Marcos dictatorship.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, who is PDP Laban national president, yesterday expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will once again uphold press freedom as it did in its ruling on the case of Jose Burgos Jr. and other journalists who were arrested on sedition charges by the military 25 years ago.

In a raid on Dec. 7 1982, the military also closed down the offices of We Forum and its sister publication Metropolitan Mail, and seized all its printing machines, vehicles, equipment, and assorted documents and items.

Palace backs arrest of media men

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

Malacañang yesterday backed Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno on arresting media persons who violate the law next time a crisis such as the Manila Peninsula standoff takes place.

“Everybody should follow the law,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.

Ermita said the media persons who were brought to the headquarters of the Metro Manila police after the standoff Thursday last week also could not complain of having been handcuffed because it is part of police procedure.

A nation of Sancho Panzas

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

by Raul Pangalangan
Inquirer

Had Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV succeeded last Thursday, would we be hearing today from all the naysayers? Indeed, success has many fathers and defeat is an orphan. But to the Monday morning quarterbacks out there, I ask: Would you rather have celebrated a tainted victory?

Sure it would have helped to have some prominent opposition politicians around. But in all candor, wouldn’t you have been more wary to see the likes of House Speaker Jose de Venecia at The Peninsula Manila? Wasn’t it the best endorsement that the new “Peninsulares” were absent and nowhere to be found?

Author: Ellen