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Author: Ellen

Ang Ladlad slams Abalos, Neri

Ang Ladlad, the national organization of lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender Filipinos, today supported the impeachment complaint filed by Iloilo Vice Governor Rolex Suplico against Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin abalos Sr. before the House of Representatives.

ben-abalos.JPGStatement of Ang Ladlad:”We support the impeachment complaint against Mr. Abalos for culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and bribery,” said Danton Remoto, Chairman of Ang Ladlad. “Mr. Abalos is already ripe for impeachment for his crimes against the Filipino voters and the Filipino people. The stench of his actions darken even the heavens. It began with the overpriced P1.3 billion Mega Pacific deal for computer automation, the 2004 and the 2007 elections anomalies, and now, the ZTE broadband deal.

CA stops media suit vs Mike Arroyo

The Court of Appeals has granted the petition of presidential spouse Jose Miguel Arroyo seeking to bar the Makati regional trial court from proceeding with the preliminary hearing of the P12.5 million class suit filed by journalists for Arroyo’s alleged attacks on press freedom.

The CA agreed with Arroyo that continuing with the preliminary hearing on an amended complaint filed by the journalists would cause “irreparable injury” to Arroyo who has opposed the acceptance of the amended complaint.

Without the CA injunction, the preliminary hearing by the Makati RTC would render ineffectual any judgment that the appellate court might promulgate on the petition filed by Arroyo on May 24.

AFP tightens security on detainees as Esperon continues spinning coup tale

Note: Court martial hearing for the 28 officers involved in the alleged failed February 2006 coup resumes tomorrow at 9 a.m. in Camp Capinpin, Tanay.

Old faces, new recruiters involved in new destab plot

by Victor Reyes

Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Wednesday said the same people involved in last year’s failed power grab are among those recruiting officers and enlisted personnel for the latest plan to destabilize the Arroyo government.

Esperon said four active officers were also implicated by four fellow officers whom they tried to recruit. “We have the names of the four officers who made the approach. The four are under surveillance,” he said.

Neri refuses to tell all in executive session

neri.jpgA senator said former NEDA chief Romulo Neri said nothing in the executive session convened by the senators after a 12-hour session where Neri invoked executive privilege when asked why NEDA changed its position from BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) to a supply contract which the Chinese firm ZTE was offering.

Neri’s invoking of the executive privilege was on questions which he said could be embarassing to Gloria Arroyo.

The senator said Neri was running a fever.

Walang anomalya raw

(This column was written before the Senate hearing today where Romulo Neri revealed in open session that Abalos offered offered him P200 million and he told Gloria about it. Arroyo didn’t do anything about it.)

Hindi na talaga siguro alam ni Gloria Arroyo ang kanyang gagawin para lang matigil ang balita tungkol sa ma-anomalyang proyekto na ZTE National Broadband Network.

Ipinalabas noong Martes ng Malacañang ang resulta raw ng kanilang imvbestigasyon sa ZTE NBN at ang resulta, tararantaran……. Walang anomalya, walang suhulan.

Neri confirms Abalos bribe offer

Former NEDA Chief Romulo Neri, testifying before the Senate, said while playing golf with Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos, the latter told him, “Sec, may 200 ka dito.”

Abalos, who was also in the Senate, feigned ignorance, “ano ba yan, hindi ko maintindihan. Siya mismo hindi niya masabi kung ano ang 200. 200,000 or 200 million.”

Neri also said that he informed Gloria Arroyo over the phone about Abalos bribe offer. “Chairman Abalos offered me P200 million,” he said the told Arroyo.

Test case for Ombudsman

Like many citizens of this distressed republic, law-yer Ernesto B. Francisco Jr. who follows the ongoing Senate investigation on multi-billion national broadband network and its seemingly anomalous awarding to the Chinese government-owned firm, ZTE Corporation, is very concerned that certain big personalities and high government officials who have been prominently mentioned as having played a major role in the deal might be spared from investigation especially with the recent announcement of Gloria Arroyo that the project would suspended.

Since he knows the law better than most of us, Francisco last Monday filed a request with the Ombudsman to investigate Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos and Gloria Arroyo’s husband, Mike Arroyo.

Brewing bribery scandal at the high tribunal

Update: SC threatens Jake Macasaet with contempt over bribery report

Last week, Malaya publisher Jake Macasaet ran a series of items in his column “Business Circuit” about Cecilia Muñoz Delis, a member of the staff of Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, who got a surprise of her life when she opened a box intended for her boss and found P10 million. Click here (Sept. 18), here (Sept. 19), here (Sept. 20), and “>here (Sept. 21)

Macasaet never mentioned the name of the Supreme Court justice. Newsbreak and TV Patrol, in their stories today, identified the lady justice as Consuelo Ynares-Santiago.

Sisipot kaya si Neri sa Senado bukas?

Marami na ang nangyari mula nang isinumite ko itong kolumn hanggang ngayon. Unang-una, nagpasiya na si Neri na hindi na siya sasama kay Gloria Arroyo sa New York. Ang abangan natin ay, ikuwento ba niya ang buong katotohanan sa Miyerkoles?

Kinumpira ni Romy Neri, dating director ng National Economic Development Authority o NEDA na ngayon ay chair ng Commission on Higher Education, na sinasama siya ni Gloria Arroyo sa kanyang biyahe sa Amerika ngayong araw.

Sabi ni Neri, pinag-iisipan pa raw niya.