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Gatdula axed as NBI Director

Published by Ellen on January 20, 2012

President Aquino said he has lost trust on NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula. He is president and he has every right to fire anybody whom he no longer trusts.

But there must be competent way to do it.

After the Department of Justice implicated NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula in kidnapping and extortion, here comes the DOJ Undersecretary Francisco Baraan saying they didn’t make any conclusion.

Take a look at the letter Justice Secretary Leila de Lima sent to the Ombudsman. She can’t decide who she is sending the letter to.

Please click on photo to view it enlarged

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‘Beyond my competence’

Published by Ellen on January 20, 2012
Kris Aquino's competence

The quote for this week should be: “It’s not within my competence.”

That was what Supreme Court Clerk of Court Enriquita Vidal told the Senate-turned-impeachment court when she was still in a dilemma whether to comply with the trial court’s order to produce the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

A variation of it, “It’s not within the competence of the witness,” was former Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas’ constant protest when prosecution lawyers would ask records custodians-witnesses to comment on the veracity of the contents of the documents that they were merely told to bring to the impeachment court.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda also said, “It is not within my competence.”

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Impeachment trial as comedy

Published by Ellen on January 17, 2012

Barzaga
Who says the Corona impeachment trial would be boring with all the legal gobbledygook, a classic quote by then Sen. Rodolfo Biazon during the Estrada impeachment trial in 2000, that we expect would dominate the trial?

It was the second day and the prosecution was expected to start the presentation of evidence. It was
Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr (Cavite, 2nd dist) who was the lead prosecutor and he started with saying that it
was in the public interest that they start with Article 2 of the Impeachment complaint which was“culpable violation of the Constitution and/or betrayed the public trust when he failed disclose to the public his statement of assets, liabilities, and networth statement of assets,
liabilities, and net worth as required unders Sec. 17, Art. XI of the 1987 Constitution.”

The defense, as expected, opposed the re-arranging of the order of presentation of evidence. Barzaga said the prosecution was not ready with the evidence for Article 1 which was “betrayal of the public trust through his track record marked by partiality and subservience in cases involving the Arroyo administration from the time of his appointment as supreme court justice which continued to his dubious appointment as a midnight chief justice and up to the present. “

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Philippine media fell for hoax WB report?

Published by Ellen on January 16, 2012

Philippine media has a term for it: kuryente

It looks like a number of Philippine media organizations were victims of a hoax World BanK Report regarding Supreme Court’s Judicial Reform Support Project criticizing Chief Justice Renato Corona and Court Aministrator Midas Marquez.

Manila Bulletin came out with a report on WB disowning the so-called JRSP report. Here it is:

World Bank disowns JRSP report
By CHINO S. LEYCO
January 16, 2012, 5:38pm

MANILA, Philippines — The World Bank denied on Monday it released a report on the Supreme Court’s Judicial Reform Support Project (JRSP) that noted its dissatisfaction with the way the project was being implemented.

Erika Leann Lacson-Esguerra, World Bank program assistant for external relations, said Monday the bank did not release to the media a supposed memo regarding the “unsatisfactory” progress of the high court’s loan.

“This email message did not come from the World Bank. Any official statement from the World Bank will be posted online (www.worldbank.org.ph),” Lacson-Esguerra said.

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The Corona impeachment trigger

Published by Ellen on January 16, 2012
It's the Gloria Arroyo connection, CJ

The trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona has started.

It is expected that like the Estrada impeachment trial, the Corona impeachment would also be a blockbuster telenovela that will be followed by the Filipino nation. Afternoons will now be prime TV hours, Mondays through Thursdays.

It is appropriate to ponder how we got into this situation that viewed from the Aquino administration’s perspective would result in reforms in the judiciary and better government for the people. From the political opposition’s perspective, however, it’s trampling on the Constitutional guarantee of separation of powers and bastardizing democracy.

I think it’s good to know how we got into this situation in the first place. We must ask why, after one-and-a-half-years in office, Aquino finally decided to move for the ouster of Corona.

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63-year-old pianist puts up impromptu ‘concert’ for train commuters

Published by Ellen on January 14, 2012

This is so beautiful!

By Amer R. Amor, VERA Files

When world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell played at the Washington DC Metro Station in 2007 as part of The Washington Post’s social experiment on how people perceive and appreciate art and beauty, very few noticed and applauded. But when a 63-year-old man played the piano at the LRT 2 Cubao Station on Jan. 12, Filipino commuters stopped, paid attention, took videos, applauded, and at some point, swayed and sang along with his music.

Perhaps as a testament to British award-winning author Neil Gaiman’s tweet on Friday that it is indeed more fun in the Philippines since Filipinos applaud loudly, at least 300 commuters alternately took delight in the impromptu “concert” of pianist performer Vidalito Infante in a music retail stall at the Cubao Station from 4 to 6 p.m.

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Si Jinkee at ang kambal niyang si Janet

Published by Ellen on January 14, 2012

Before the Belo makeover, 2010.Thanks to Malaya for photo
Birthday ni Jinkee Pacquiao at ng kanyang kambal na si Janet Jamora noong Huwebes (Enero 12) at pinakita sa television silang magkatabi.

Hindi nga naman masyadong malayo ang mukha. Maayos ang trabaho ni Vicki Belo.

Nag-uusap kami ng aking mga kaibigan tungkol sa report kung paano pinaganda ni Belo si Jinkee at naawa kami kay Janet.

Di ba ibang-iba na ang mukha ni Jinkee. Sexy at glamorosa. Kailangan daw gawin ito ni Jinkee dahil malikot daw ang mata ng boxing champ sa mga sexy na artista na nakakasalamuha sa showbusiness. Di ba showbiz na rin si Pacquiao?

Sabi ni Jinkee dati, ng tanungin siya tungkol sa mga balita sa mga babaeng nauugnay sa asawa niya, “Ayaw kong magalit. Magpaganda na lang ako.”

At sa tulong ni Belo, talaga namang gumanda.

Continue readingSi Jinkee at ang kambal niyang si Janet