Victim of malicious reporting Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV has issued the following statement regarding the rumor that he owns condo units in Mandaluyong:
“ Last 18 April 2012, Mr. Arnold Clavio alluded to me in his radio program over DZBB as the buyer of two condominium units in Twin Oaks at Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City amounting to seven million pesos each. This was the same subject of the column of Mr. Jojo Robles in Manila Standard on the same day and the radio program of Mr. Deo Macalma on 19 April 2012.
“ In response to these obviously well-orchestrated and malicious reports masquerading as blind items, I hereby categorically deny that I have bought a unit or units at the Twin Oaks Condominium, Mandaluyong City. I further state that I do not have any property not declared in my Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN).
Update: Last Wednesday, the House Ways and Means Committee, voting 46-14, passed HB5727. Use money to kill yourself to improve lives of less fortunate.The fact that House Bill 5727 has reached this far at the House Ways and Means Committee bodes well for the legislation that aims to raise sin taxes making it more expensive for Filipinos to ruin their health.
The Ways and means committee, chaired by Davao City (3rd district) Rep. Isidro T. Ungab , tackles a legislations and related matters concerning fiscal, monetary and financial affairs of the national government including tariff, taxation, revenues, borrowing, credit and bonded indebtedness. All revenue- related bills emanate from the House of Representatives.
Lobbying in that committee by alcohol and tobacco manufacturers is known to be intense. That’s why many congressmen want to be in that committee. It’s a lucrative committee. That’s also why bills like HB5727, an Act restructuring the excise tax on alcohol and tobacco products authored by Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio “Jun” Abaya, is difficult to pass. In Tagalog, we say, kabangga mo ang pader.
VERA Files took snap shots of the state of the country’s greatest resource,Filipino manpower, on Labor Day:
JENNY Tanael, 47, is a wife of a minimum wage earner and mother of a contractual worker.
Her eldest son Juan Paolo keeps on hunting for a job each time his five-month contract in a fast food chain expires. Sometimes it takes him six months to find work at another branch of said restaurant. In between jobs, he relies for support on his father who earns less than P 400 per day as a security guard.
Her son has been unemployed for two months now. Since Juan Paolo is turning 24 he will have to look for another company since his former employer only accepts workers 23 years and below.
If you have not yet signed the manifesto for HB 5727, it’s time you take a look at it.
There’s one in Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=260011474082380
HB 5727, authored by Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, calls for the restructuring of the excise tax on alcohol and tobacco products. The rationale is that, if prices for what we refer to as sin products were to be increased, it would become less affordable to many people, especially the poor. They would then be saved from the ill effects of alcohol and cigarettes. We would then become a healthier nation.
The manifesto explains the financial advantage to the government and to the Filipino of higher taxes for alcohol and cigarettes. It says, “ On the first year of implementation, the government is expected to raise additional revenues worth P60 billion, of which, P30 billion is from cigarettes, P11 from distilled spirits and P19 billion is from beer.”
Who was it who said,” In politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies, just permanent interests?”
That is evident in the alliances that are being formed in preparation for the 2013 and 2016 elections.
The early bird is the United Nationalist Alliance of Vice President Jejomar Binay and former President Joseph Estrada, which includes Gloria Arroyo loyalists Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay and Candaba mayor in Pampanga Jerry Pelayo.
Reports said while Estrada is okay with Arroyo’s allies, he is not keen on an alliance with Manny Villar’s Nacionalista Party.
It is understandable if one recalls that it was Villar who railroaded the impeachment complaint against Estrada in 2000 which eventually led to his ouster in January 2001 and the installation of Arroyo in as unelected president.
But then, if Estrada can embrace the loyalists of Arroyo, who put him in jail (although she eventually pardoned him) it’s intriguing why he remains antagonistic to the NP.
Anyway, reports said NP is talking with the administration party, the Liberal Party for a 2013 alliance.
This one really makes me laugh.
How are the proponents of “Villaroyo” and all the operators of the Aquino campaign who came up with those C-5 and Daang Hari extension expose now going to promote the senatorial lineup that would most probably include NP’s Alan Peter Cayetano and Cynthia Villar?
Estrada during the 2010 campaign with running mate Jojo BinayMabuti naman kung hindi na nga itutuloy ni dating Pangulong Estrada ang kanyang balak na tumakbo sa pagka-mayor ng Manila.
Mas makakatulong si Estrada sa bayan kung gamitin niya ang kanyang popularity para mag-endorso at tumulong sa mga batang pulitiko na sa akala niya may kakayahan at may puso na magserbisyo sa bayan.
Sinabi sa newspaper report na balak daw niya i-endorso si Manila Vice mayor Isko Moreno para mayor . Dati kasi kinikuha niya si Moreno para magiging vice mayor niya.
Kahit daw ang kanyang mga anak, si Sen. Jinggoy Estrada at si San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito ay hindi masyadong boto sa pagtakbo ng tatay nila bilang mayor ng Manila.
Edith Burgos: today's Mater DolorosaOn April 28, 2007, past noon, Jonas Burgos was at Ever Gotesco Mall in Quezon City waiting for friends. Before his friends came three military agents, one was a woman, approached him and forcibly brought him out to a waiting vehicle. Jonas was never seen after that.
Jonas’ mother, Edita, wife of press freedom fighter Jose Burgos, Jr. (founder of Malaya) issued the following statement yesterday:
“April 28, 2012 marks the fifth year of the disappearance of my son, Jonas Burgos. Jonas’ family commemorates this day by looking back at the five years of search. We recall how we have exhausted every possible peaceful means available to us within the limitations of resources and information.
“We have encountered numerous attempts at individual and institutional cover up and confronted these with more determination to uncover the truth. The denials, the stone-walling, the labeling, all the lies and even the indifference have only encouraged us to pray some more and to look at others with the eyes of a Christian heart. Undeterred, our search must go on.
“At every turn of the uphill path of the search, something and someone would somehow turn out to be His Providence supplying what was needed for the moment. The particular grace would always be on time… just enough, and would, in spite of the pain and seeming helplessness… fuel a renewed vigor to search for the lost son, the lost brother, the lost husband, the lost father.
Aquino whining about media. PPI chair Jake Macasaet and Press Secretary Heminio Coloma listen.
It was crab talk at the two-day 16th National Press Forum of the Philippine Press Institute at the Traders Hotel. President Aquino, who was the keynote speaker, was the one who started it when he began his talk with a childhood anecdote about Filipino crabs:
“Ayon po sa kuwento, narinig ko po sa aking ama, sa loob daw po ng isang bar, umiinom ang isang Amerikano. Pumasok ang isang mangingisdang Pilipino na may dalang timba na puno ng alimango. Ibinaba niya ito, at ang sabi po ng Amerikano: “Buddy, your crabs are about to escape.” Tiningnan lang po ng Pilipino. Ang sagot ng Pilipino, “Don’t bother and don’t fret; they’re Filipino crabs. Before they get out, they’ll be pulled back in.” Walang raw pong makakaangat, kasi lahat sila naghahatakan pababa.Habang pinipilit ng ilang kababayan nating makaahon, siya namang sipag ng ilan na hilain siyang pababa.”
Statement from the Office of Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda: On the denial-of-service attack on PCDSPO-maintained websites At around four o’clock in the afternoon of April…
Note:I did this story for VERA Files Elections Commissioner Rene Sarmiento is urging President Aquino to make history by appointing state solicitor Jessica S. Magbanua,…
