Ellen – Page 88 – ellen tordesillas

The 14- year cycle as observed by Jun Lozada

Published by Ellen on September 22, 2013

17 years ago. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Last Saturday, I saw a front page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer on the Facebook wall of Pablo Tariman.

The headline was “Congress kickbacks:how much for whom”. There was an illuThe story was about pork barrel and there was an illustration using a lechon and how the roasted swine was being divided.

The upper fold story was “MNLF occupies four more towns in Zambo.” Another story was “Higher gas price begins tomorrow.”

I thought that was last Saturday’s issue until I noticed the initials CIA (Congressional Initiative Allocation) and CDF (Countrywide Development Fund). Those were the old name of PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) .

A closer look at the page showed the date: Aug. 13, 1996.

Yes, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Forgotten details from an old story

Published by Ellen on September 22, 2013

By Luz Rimban, VERA Files THE photograph is 30 years old, but it provides startling details to an old, almost forgotten story. Taken by a…

Sobrang amazing ang kuwento ni Kap

Published by Ellen on September 21, 2013

Sponsors do not want to be seen supporting someone acccused of plunder

Malakas ang ugong na baka mawala sa ere ang Kap’s Amazing stories, ang show ni Sen. Bong Revilla sa GMA7. Nagkakakansela na raw ang advertisers ng show at hindi maganda para sa kanila na ma-identify sa isang opisyal ng pamahalaan na akusado sa krimeng pandarambong.

Ang buhay talaga. When it rains, it pours. Kapag umulan, talagang buhos.

Noong isang linggo, kasama sa sinampahan si Revilla ng plunder o pandarambong. Ayun sa dokumento na hawak ng National Bureau of Investigation, si Revilla ang may pinakamalaking nabulsa mula sa pera ng PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) sa pamamagitan ng operasyun na kasabwat si Janet Lim Napoles.

I’d like to think Lacierda was just acting stupid

Published by Ellen on September 19, 2013

The President's spokesman — The President’s spokesman

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda probably thought the Filipino people are stupid or else why would he say that the reason why the President has not made statements on other national issues was because he has no access to Manila newspapers.

In this day and age of internet and cellphones!

Lacierda said Wednesday: “You know, the problem in Zamboanga is that no planes are flying there. They’re not getting news there. No newspapers are being flown there.”

Lacierda thinks we will believe that? I’d rather think he was not in the mood to think up of excuses why the President has not made a statement on the filing of charges against three senators and 34 other persons in connection with the pork barrel scam operated by Janet Lim Napoles who surrendered to him last Aug. 28. He even brought her to Camp Crame to make sure she is safe and well taken care of, remember?

The lawmaker’s offer

Published by Ellen on September 19, 2013

One of the lawmakers implicated in the pork barrel scam operated by Janet Lim Napoles sent feelers to Malacañang about three weeks ago.

The offer: “I will return the money I got from my PDAF fund plus interest. I will make a public apology. I will resign and will not run for elective office again.”

The requested reward: “Please don’t file plunder charges against me.”

Reason for the offer: “One, I want to spare my grandchildren the stigma of having a grandparent convicted of plunder. Two, I am currently ‘down.’ This is not the best time of my life.”

My source declined to identify the lawmaker and the branch of legislature. I can only guess the identity based on the demands: he or she is old enough to have grandchildren and is eligible for election in 2016.

Last Monday, a total of 37 persons were charged in connection with the misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund. Three senators were charged with plunder: Ramon “Bong” Revilla; Jinggoy Estrada, and Juan Ponce Enrile.

NBI files plunder raps vs Enrile, Revilla, Estrada, Napoles

Published by Ellen on September 16, 2013

By VERA Files THE National Bureau of Investigation filed on Monday afternoon plunder and malversation of public funds charges against Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.,…

“Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap?”

Published by Ellen on September 15, 2013

Watching Yaya Teresa (played movingly by actress Rustica Carpio) in Joey Reyes’“Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap?”, I saw my grade school classmate Antonia.

After elementary school, Antonia, a farmer’s daughter, didn’t go to high school. She worked as a helper in the Gomez family. She was more than just a helper to the wife of the master of the manor. She was a friend, a shoulder to cry on. In the quarrels of the mistress of the manor with in-laws, Antonia was also a combatant.

She was a surrogate mother to the two children of the Gomezes.

Focus on the (PDAF) ball

Published by Ellen on September 12, 2013

Para hindi na mapagod. Malacañang releases photos of the Queen of the Pork Barrel scam and the President — Para hindi mapagod. Malacañang releases photos of the Queen of the Pork Barrel scam and the President

Today, photos of the President with Janet Napoles, the alleged brains of the mindboggling pork barrel scam, made the rounds in Facebook and Twitter. They were taken at the same occasion where Napoles daughter, Jeane, had her photo with President Aquino- after the national thanksgiving mass for the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod in Cebu November last year.

Jeane’s picture with the President was sent to broadcaster Anthony Taberna Wednesday afternoon and made the rounds of social media immediately after it was posted.

Today’s photos came from Malacañang. Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang said after checking Malacañang’s photo files of that Cebu event, they found more photos of the President with Janet herself and her husband, Jaime. He said in that event, a lot of people were having their pictures taken with the President.
He said they decided to release the pictures “so people would not speculate.” The President had earlier said he does not remember having met Napoles until her surrender last week in Malacañang.

But we doubt if we have seen the end of photo releases from different sources. Last Monday photos of Senate President Franklin Drilon with the Napoles couple were passed around in social media. Drilon said it was taken during an event at the Heritage Park in Taguig City where seminarians from China were guests.

A picture does not make a story

Published by Ellen on September 11, 2013

Damay-damay na. Jeane Napoles releases photo with PNoy.

There’s a politician I know who welcomes people having a picture taken with him marking them perhaps as a potential vote come Election Day.

In a few parties that I attended where Vice President Jejomar Binay was a guest, I noticed that he was always accompanied by a photographer. The VP gives out the website where one can view the photos.

But with the Janet Lim Napoles, alleged pork barrel scam queen exploding and dragging with her known political personalities, just being seen with her is a nightmare.

Malacañang is downplaying the importance of the picture of the luxury-loving Jeane Napoles with President Aquino which Malacañang has confirmed to be authentic.It was taken after the national thanksgiving mass for the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod in Cebu November last year.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said,“I understand the photo was taken at an event last November in Cebu. She had her photo taken with the President, as did a dozen other people who lined up to have their photo taken with him.”

‘Beyond tears and borders’

Published by Ellen on September 5, 2013

Messages of faith and hope marked the observance of the International Day of the Disappeared in the Philippines.

At the launching of the book, “Beyond Tears and Borders” at the office of the Commission on Human Rights, Edith Burgos, mother of farmer/activist Jonas Burgos who disappeared on April 28, 2007, said in the six-year search for her son, the emotions “vacillate between hope and despair.”

She said, “no matter what you do, there will always be indifferent people. “

She said families of the disappeared have to contend with labeling. “The moment you speak about the disappeared, you become labeled.”

But she said in the agony of the search, she has found “examples of selflessness.” She said it was her son’s love for others that made him devote his life for the farmers and caused him to be disappeared.

Author: Ellen