Inquire Online:
by Erwin Oliva
President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo had allegedly asked former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri why he did not accept the P200-million bribe offer for a favorable endorsement of the national broadband network project, the son of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. disclosed to the Senate.
Jose De Venecia III, who testified anew on Wednesday at the resumption of the Senate investigation on the NBN project, said this was what Neri had revealed to him.
Kahapon, sa sobrang inis ko sa naririnig ko sa radyo sa mga kasinungalingan na pinagsasabi ni Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, tinext ko siya,”Mahiya-hiya ka naman. Kinurakot nyo na ang kaban ng bayan, ginagagago nyo pa ang taumbayan.”
Si Evardone ang secretary general ng League of the Provinces of the Philippines na siya ngayon ang umaako ng pinanggalingan ng supot-supot na milyones na pinamudmud sa Malacañang noong Oct. 11. Sinabi ni Evardone na may programa daw sila para sa mga baguhan na gubernador katulad ni Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio na siyang nagbulgar ng bigayan sa Malacañang.
Insisting that he knows certain information that would point to National Security adviser Norberto Gonzales and AFP chief of staff Hermogenes Esperon as possible authors of the Glorietta 2 blast, and brushing aside criticisms of his accusation as being irresponsible and without basis, opposition senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV today said he will prove his accusations in a Senate investigation.
He filed today a resolution calling for such a probe.
The resolution, P. S. No. 174, recalled only the incident of October 19, when a powerful explosion ripped through three floors of the Glorietta 2 shopping complex resulting to the death of 11 people and injury to scores of other mall goers.
We have always been made to believe that a sitting president is immune from suits.
Gloria Arroyo has never been elected to the presidency and is therefore an illegitimate president. Nevertheless, she sits in Malacañang and she is afforded presidential privileges including immunity from suits.
But lawyer Harry Roque thinks otherwise. Together with former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Ma. Dominga Padilla, Roel Garcia, Bebu Bulchand, and Fr. Jose Dizon, he filed a case before the Ombudsman against Arroyo for violating Republic Act No. 3019 otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) as well as provisions of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).
Statement from Atty. Trixie Angeles, counsel for Capt. Nick Faeldon
On 19 September 2007, Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, who is currently detained at the Marine Brig in Fort Bonifacio, was examined by doctors from the Manila Naval Hospital, within the Marine compound two blocks away from the detention facility.
He was initially diagnosed with Adhesive capsulitis and recommended to undergo physio-therapy. The therapy, which was required to be undertaken continuously for six days, was scheduled for 24 to 28 September.
On the 24th, however, as he was about to leave the detention facility, he was informed by an emissary from the Battalion Headquarters Commander that he was not to be allowed to leave the detention facility without approval from the Commandant. Gen. Dolorfino was newly installed at the time.
Statement of Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV on developments on Glorietta 2 mall bombing:
Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) visited detained Senator Antonio F Trillanes IV twice last Saturday ostensibly to gather information regarding Trillanes’ statement on the “Glorietta 2 Bombing” where he accused National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and AFP Chief of Staff Gen Hermogenes Esperon.
However, Trillanes said that he will only reveal what he knows to an independent, impartial and credible body that would be created for the purpose.
“As a person, and now as an elected lawmaker, I do not just make statements out of pique, or without anything to stand on, or to grandstand. I have information obtained from my own network of informants in the AFP and the intelligence community.”
Ang sitwasyon ni Gloria ngayon ay para siyang nahulog sa kumunoy (quicksand). Hindi siya maa-aring kumilos. Bawat kilos niya ay lalong nagpapalubog sa kanya.
Apat na araw na ang nakalipas at wala pang kongkretong hawak ang mga imbestigador kung sino ang may kagagagawan ng karumal-dumal na krimen kung saan 11 ang namatay at sobra 120 ang nasugatan.
Ngunit sa mga pahayag ni Arroyo at ng kanyang mga opisyal, hindi naa-alis ang suspetsa ng mga tao na kagagawan nila ito para matabunan ang maraming kontrobersiya na kanyang nakakasangkutan.
Gloria Arroyo is in big, big, big trouble.
The society matron, the businessman, a police officer, a taxi driver, a sidewalk vendor – almost everybody believes that Arroyo and her officials are behind the bombing of the Glorietta mall that has claimed the lives of 11 persons and injured some 120.
It didn’t help that her strongest words were directed at “those who seek to destabilize our government … for their selfish political motives” rather than to perpetrators of the crime.
By Nancy C. Carvajal
Inquirer
The father of one of those killed in last Friday’s blast at the Glorietta mall in Makati City, has blamed the government for the death of his son and said he was not hopeful that those responsible for the bombing would be brought to court.
“We do not expect justice for my son’s death, and to those who did this, you owe me one,” Ceasar Vidamo a former Philippine Constabulary colonel told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (at his home in Malabon City, where the wake for his son Niño Ceasar is being held.
What does one do when he knows he would be uncovered for a crime committed? Confuse everybody. That seems to be happening now. Who has the capability to do that?
Calls to ‘Sheik Omar’ diverted to mobiles of oppositionists
By Christian V. Esguerra
Inquirer
Muntinlupa Rep. Rufino Biazon cried foul on Sunday after being dragged in the bombing of the Glorietta shopping mall that killed 11 people and wounded more than 100 in Makati City.