Thanks God, there are still decent souls in the Supreme Court
By Leila Salaverria
Supreme Court justices Tuesday invoked public interest in the reform of the electoral process as they grilled the lawyers of two retired justices who had sought to stop the renewed Senate inquiry into the “Hello Garci” wiretapping scandal.
After seven hours of oral arguments, the high court merely required the contending parties to submit their respective memoranda containing their positions within 15 days.
Update: Sen. Francis Pangilinan says Esperon’s denial of medical attention to Gen. Miranda is a violation of his right to life. Calls on Esperon to allow Gen. Miranda to undergo general check up. For full statement, scroll further down.
In his book, “Long Walk to Freedom,” South Africa’s former president, Nelson Mandela, said: “A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness.”
Mandela, one of the greatest human beings, was speaking about his jailors in their struggle against apartheid but the description could perfectly apply to AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon.
For how can one explain Esperon’s odious remark about the request of Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda for a general or executive checkup?
Update: THE Arroyo government will let the controversy over the cancelled $329 million broadband deal with Chinese firm ZTE Corp. simmer down before pursuing a similar project in a different form before President Arroyo steps down in 2010, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said today (Oct. 3). Click here.
Arroyo informs China NBN deal with ZTE cancelled
by JP Lopez
The Senate is expected to hold no further hearings on the inquiry into the $329 million national broadband deal until Congress returns for work on Nov. 5 after a one-month break which starts tomorrow.
The freeze was a result of the decision to scrap an all-member caucus last night where a proposed hearing tomorrow was to be taken up.
by Jay Chua
First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo flew in yesterday from Hong Kong to deny that he told Jose “Joey” de Venecia III to “back off” from the national broadband network project.
“Let me just clarify, I never said back off, that is not in my vocabulary,” he said.
The young De Venecia testified in a Senate investigation on the broadband project last week that the presidential spouse pointed a finger at him and said “back off” during a meeting at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong.
Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, former Marines commandant who is detained for allegedly leading a failed power grab last year, is not entitled to an executive checkup because he is a destabilizer, AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon said yesterday.
“If they are asking for an executive check, what I know is that an executive checkup is a privilege for those who are not resorting to violence,” Esperon said.
“For example, if you are not doing something illegal, you can have an executive checkup. But if you are a destabilizer, you are detained, why then are you asking for an executive checkup? We (military leadership) are not the ones who are at fault why you are being detained,” Esperon also said.
Sa pag-resign ni Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos, ibig ba sabihin doon libre na siya kasama ng lahat na sangkot sa manomalyang NBN ZTE deal lalo na si Gloria Arroyo at si Mike Arroyo, sa krimen ng plunder o malakihang pangungurakot ?
Hindi ako tumatalon sa tuwa sa pag-resign ni Abalos kasi pag-iwas yun sa kanyang kasalanan. Hindi naman siya umamin ng kasalanan kahit na buking na buking na siya.
Kung may ikinatuwa man ako, ang kanyang pagbibitiw ay nagpapakita ng mabigat na impact o dating ng televised na congressional investigation.
Update: Atty. Trixie Angeles, counsel of Army Capt. Ruben Guinolbay and Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, in separate court martial cases, received an almost similar death…
Breaking news!
Resignation statement of Comelec Chairman Benjamin S. Abalos, Sr.
Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat. Salamat at dumalo kayo dito sa press conference na ipinatawag ko upang mai-pahayag sa ating kababayan ang kabuuan ng niluloob ko patungkol sa mga isyu at kontrobersiya na insinasangkot ang aking pagkatao at ngayong ay nakaka-apekto ng hindi lamang sa trabaho at katungkulan ko bilang Chairman ng COMELEC kundi pati na ang pribasiya, katahimikan at iba pang karapatan ng aking pamilya.
It has been almost a week since I appeared at the Senate Committees investigating the NBN Project. I did so against the advise of my counsel and closest of friends, driven by what I expected would be the inherent fairness of a Senate inquiry and the statesmanship of our Senators.
By Jarius Bondoc
Philippine Star
I called Romy Neri right after testifying Sept. 18 in that first Senate hearing on the ZTE scam. It was our tenth talk about the issue since Apr. 20, when The STAR ran my first of a series of articles. I pried why he didn’t show up, if he was under any threat of harm, and when he’ll reveal all he knows. From his replies it was clear he was charily weighing the consequences. There’s a time and place for everything, he mused, then asked if what he has narrated to me thus far would “incite another EDSA.”
I said I didn’t know, but that I do wish the Senate inquiry would spark a wave of reforms, starting with clean elections. He shared the dream, but doubted if it would come true soon. Our talk eventually led to sacrificing for the sake of the nation. He said Joey de Venecia was brave to implicate big names, adding that if push comes to shove the young whistleblower fortunately has a rich dad to fall back on. “I’m not affluent,” Romy stated the obvious. Neither am I, I reminded him. Whereupon, he shot back: “Oh, but you’re a journalist, you’re supposed to be dedicated to the truth.”
Senators who hope that Commission on Higher Education Chairman Romulo Neri could provide the missing piece in the story that would “directly link” President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the controversial National Broadband Network (NBN) deal are in for a big disappointment.
Neri indicated on Sunday that he had nothing more to say to the Senate committees investigating the $329-million contract for the NBN project that was awarded to China’s ZTE Corp.
“The Senate grilled me for 12 hours. Did they miss on any significant question?’’ he said in a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) when asked if he had said everything he needed to say to the senators.