Governance – Page 21 – ellen tordesillas

Arroyo’s latest gimmick: packs her bags, turns Malacañang into refugee and relief center

Published by Ellen on September 28, 2009

Gloria Arroyo’s statement:

The recent calamity brought about by typhoon Ondoy was an extreme event not likely to happen again in our lifetimes. This of course is of little comfort to our countrymen who were ravaged by the storm, and who now need more than ever our time, our compassion, and our time, our compassion, and our material support as they try to rebuild their lives.

As my own small contribution to the common effort, I have ordered Malacanang Palace to be opened to the general public, effective immediately, as a center for relief and rescue operations, the receipt and distribution of charitable donations and the temporary relocation of families who were displaced or made homeless by the storm.

Relocated families will be sheltered in all available premises within the Palace grounds. Government employees will be asked to make room for our guests, and I myself will move across the river to temporary quarters at bahay pangarap in the PSG compound.

Ilang rubber boats ang $35,000 na ginastos sa hapunan ni Arroyo sa New York?

Published by Ellen on September 28, 2009

Habang pinapakinggan ko ang sinasabi ng mga rescuers na gustuhin man nilang tulungan ang lahat na humihingi ng tulong noong kasagsagan ng bagyong Ondoy, hindi nila kaya dahil limitado ang kanilang mga gamit, naala-ala ko ang $35,000 na .dalawang hapunan ni Gloria Arroyo at ng kanyang mga alipores sa New York noong isang buwan.

Sinabi ni Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, spokesman ng Philippine Navy, na iilan lang ang kanilang rescue team, rubber boats at trucks. Sinabi sa TV hindi yata umaabot 20 ang rubber boats ng Navy.
Sinabi rin ni Marikina Mayor Marites Fernando na 13 lang ang rubber boats ng Marikina.

Enrile defends Estrada

Published by Ellen on September 22, 2009

by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile

Mr. President and my colleagues, I rise today on a matter of personal privilege. I do so as a Senator of the Republic who sought and obtained the people’s mandate in the Senatorial Elections in 2004 under the banner of the Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino.

Last week, I sat at that exalted seat of the Senate President and listened with deep pain, a heavy heart, and a troubled mind as I presided over the session when my friend and colleague, the Hon. Panfilo Lacson, delivered his searing privilege speech. He rendered his own personal account and portrayal of the person and character of Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, the founder and leader of my Party, the PMP.

The next day, the Hon. Senate President Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, stood and took the Floor, and properly so, to defend the name and honor of his father.

Para saan talaga ang emergency powers?

Published by Ellen on September 19, 2009

Nakakaduda itong rekomendasyun ni Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes na bigyan ng emergency power si Gloria Arroyo para matugunan ang problema ng pagkukulang ng elektrisidad na mangyayari daw sa panahon ng eleksyun sa 2010.

Sa ilalim daw ng Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) maari daw mabigyan ng Kongreso si Arroyo ng “emergency power”.

Naku po. Kung sa ngayon lang na wala siyang emergency power, kung ano nang katarantaduhan ang pinaggagawa sa bayan at pinagtatapak-tapakan na ang batas, ano pa kaya kung dadagdagan pa ang kapangyarihan niya?

Dacers say Lacson OK as witness vs Estrada

Published by Ellen on September 19, 2009

Lacson not interested; denies participation

by Norman Bordadora, Michael Lim Ubac
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The daughters of Salvador “Bubby” Dacer will accept Sen. Panfilo Lacson as a state witness if he provides information identifying the mastermind of the abduction and murder of the publicist and his driver in November 2000.

This was disclosed to the Philippine Daily Inquirer by Demetrio Custodio, the lawyer of Dacer’s daughters, who filed a murder complaint against Lacson after former Senior Supt. Cezar Mancao’s earlier testimony that he had heard the then Philippine National Police chief issue the order to kill Dacer.

“We are willing to accept any witness who will lead us to the killer. If it’s [Lacson], it would be okay,” Custodio said. “We are hoping that he can provide us usable information. The last time [he took the Senate floor], it wasn’t quite definite.”

But Lacson is not interested.

Mancao: General offered money if he pins Ping

Published by Ellen on September 18, 2009

by Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Former Senior Supt. Cezar Mancao II Thursday testified at the Manila Regional Trial Court that he was offered financial support and relocation abroad by an official of the Arroyo administration in exchange for fabricated statements against Sen. Panfilo Lacson in connection with the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.

Mancao made the claim during the same hearing where Judge Myra Garcia Fernandez affirmed a Supreme Court decision dated Oct. 5, 2005, ordering the dropping of former Supt. Glenn Dumlao—also an ex-member of the now-defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF)—from the list of accused in the case in order to become a witness.

As has been the practice in Judge Fernandez’s court, journalists were barred from covering the hearing on her orders.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s speech

Published by Ellen on September 15, 2009

Photo by Philip Duquiatan

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues of this august chamber:

I rise today before this distinguished assembly with a heavy heart, to respond to the innuendoes and half-truths which our colleague delivered yesterday in this very hall.

I rise today, mr. President, on a matter of personal and collective privilege in defense of the honor of president joseph estrada over this vicious and savage assault made by a person whom President Estrada trusted and supported without reservations.

Mr. Lacson, by his own admission, mr. President, acknowledged that he was plucked from the obscurity of his position as provincial director in Laguna.

Ang Dalawang Mukha ng Sining

Published by Ellen on September 14, 2009

Privilege speech by Sen. Panfilo Lacson

In Greek drama, masks were useful devices that allow the actor to play several different characters.

In the Philippine political drama, nothing much differs.

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues. Today, I rise on a matter of
personal and collective privilege.

The great American writer Elbert Green Hubbard once wrote:

If you work for a man, in heaven’s name work for him…. If you must
vilify, condemn, and eternally disparage, resign your position, and
when you are OUTSIDE, DAMN TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT, but as long as you are part of the institution do not condemn it. If you do that, you are loosening the tendrils that are holding you to that institution, and at the first high wind that comes along, you will be uprooted and blown away, and will probably never know the reason why.

I hope you will understand why it has taken me this long to unburden
myself of the truth I carry.

No record of Mikey’s supplemental SALN in Ombudsman, Pampanga capitol

Published by Ellen on September 13, 2009

by VERA Files The Office of the Ombudsman and Pampanga provincial capitol have no record of presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo…

Bias for crooks

Published by Ellen on September 13, 2009

I beg to disagree with Ombudsman Merceditas Guttierrez that the “independence and objectivity” of the Ombudsman would be “endangered, diminished or destroyed” if they would not impose more restrictions on the public to secure the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth of government officials and employees.

In fact, by making it difficult for taxpayers to get those documents that are important in anti-corruption investigation, the Ombudsman is showing her bias for crooks in the government.

Enshrined in the Constitution’s Bill of Rights is the provision that “The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents, and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by the law.”

Category: Governance