ellen tordesillas – Page 137 – Making life worth living.

DOJ finds cause to sue Mikey, Angela for tax evasion

Published by Ellen on October 5, 2011

Mikey and Angela — Thanks to VERA Files and Global Balita for photo.

Former First Son and incumbent party-list congressman Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and his wife Angela Montenegro will be charged with tax evasion, after the Department of Justice found probable cause to sue them.

The DOJ’s Task Force on Bureau of Internal Revenue Case (TBFBIR) released a resolution today saying it has found probable cause to charge Mikey and Angela with multiple counts of violation of Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code.

Section 255 penalizes taxpayers for failure to wilfully pay income taxes and file returns, or supply correct and accurate information, among other offenses. The penalties are imprisonment of between one and 10 years, and a fine of not less than P10,000.

The resolution was the DOJ’s response to the complaint the BIR filed in April 2011, which alleged that the couple underdeclared their income for the years 2004, 2006, and 2007.

Angela allegedly failed to file income tax returns from 2003 to 2009, and Mikey for the years 2005, 2008 and 2009.

Still in search for a lasting solution to the South China Sea conflict

Published by Ellen on October 4, 2011

There’s relative calm in the just recently turbulent waters of South China, which makes it the best time to explore ways to find lasting solutions to the area which is being claimed by Brunei, China, Malaysia, Philippines,Vietnam, and Taiwan.

On Oct. 17, the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation for Peace and Development chaired by former Foreign Secretary Roberto R. Romulo in collaboration with the Institute of South East Asian Studies, Singapore (ISEAS), will host a by- invitation- only forum at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City.

The CPR Foundation said there will be 23 notable former officials and authorities from academe speaking from ASEAN countries, China, Australia, India, Canada, the United States, and Europe. China has agreed to nominate three speakers for the event.

Mahabang pasensya ang kailangan sa biyaheng PAL

Published by Ellen on October 4, 2011

airport oct 1 — The long wait for our luggage. Almost midnight of Oct. 1, 2011.

Alas –tres ng umaga noong Lunes, nasa Centennial Terminal 2 na ako para sa aking Philippine Airlines flight papuntang Iloilo.

Pagdating ko doon, sinabi cancelled daw ang flight ko na dapat ay 7:40 ng umaga.

Uuwi ako sa aming bahay sa Guisijan, Laua-an, Antique. Wala na kasing eroplano na pumupunta sa Antique kaya via Iloilo ako tuwing umuuwi sa amin. Pwede rin via Caticlan sa Aklan, kaya lang mas maraming sasakyan ang bumabiyahe mula Iloilo.

Nang kinuha ko ang aking ticket noong isang buwan, pinili ko ang unang flight, mga 5:00 ng umaga dahil gusto ko bago magtanghalian nasa amin na ako. Apat na oras pa sa bus mula Iloilo papuntang amin.

Who is a journalist?

Published by Ellen on October 2, 2011

massacre photo with backhoe — The Maguindanao massacre

After eight annual self-examinations, media practitioners, meeting in Cebu’s Marco Polo Hotel last weekend, still had not found the answer to the question, “Who is a journalist?”

The question was crucial because the theme of MediaNation 8 was the Philippines being “The Most Dangerous Place for Journalists.”

Actually, that notorious title which the country achieved after the Nov 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre where 32 of the 58 killed were members of media. Other countries like Mexico, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, have overtaken us in that notoriety but it doesn’t mean the killing of journalists here has stopped. Under the 16-month old government of President Benigno Aquino III, six journalists have already been killed, according to the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines.

One unwarranted death is too many.

Si Manny Pacquiao at ang Cha-Cha

Published by Ellen on October 2, 2011

Hindi ako sarado sa pag-amyenda ng Saligang Batas ngunit medyo may kaba ako na mai-pasok ang mga hindi kanais-nais na pagbabago.

Sana hindi nila ibahin ang limitasyun sa edad ng gusto kumandidato para presidente at bise-presidente. Natatakot kasi akong tumakbo si Manny Pacquiao sa 2016 at mananalo. Kawawa naman ang bayan.

Kamakailan sinabi ni Pacquaio na hindi pa naman ang pagka- presidente ng bansa ang sunod na pinupuntirya nya sa 2016. Bise- presidente daw.

Sunod na araw, sinabi na mali daw ang report. Dahil alam naman daw niya na hindi pa siya qualified para tumakbo kahit sa pagka bise-presidente. Pareho naman ang age requirement sa mga gustong kumandidato sa pagka presidente at bise-presidente. Kailangan 40 na taong gulagg sa araw ng eleksyun.

Revisiting the almost forgotten

Published by Ellen on September 29, 2011

VERA Files first photobook,”Silenced: Extrajudicial killings and torture in the Philippines,” is an example of the power of images and words combined.

Launched yesterday, the book is a collection of images of human rights victims as sensitively captured by the talented Mario Ignacio IV.

“The two young daughters of a women’s rights advocate try to live normal lives even as they attend the trial of their mother’s murder in Tagbilaran City almost every month. A Lumad family in Davao continues to bereave the death of their patriarch while seeking ways to hold on to their ancestral land. A wife in North Cotabato wrestles with the fact that her husband is a bus bombing suspect and a victim of torture,” Mario describes three of the 14 images in the book.

In the aftermath of “Pedring”

Published by Ellen on September 27, 2011

The world is filled with stories of opportunities resulting from adversities.

There is one report that gives me hope Manila’s landscape would improve after the destruction caused by Pedring.

A Facebook entry mentioned that many of those ugly, multi-colored lamps along Roxas Blvd have been destroyed.

That means, the city government would be allotting millions of pesos again to have Roxas Boulevard lighted. I hope former Tourism secretary Gemma Cruz, who advises Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim on historical and cultural matters, recommends a better- designed lamps that reflect the beauty and character of Manila.

Buko talk

Published by Ellen on September 26, 2011

buko juice vendor — Thanks to Desi-Radio for the photo

Much as I’d like to join in the excitement of President Aquino over the interest of American businessmen in coconut water or buko juice, I have my reservations.

Upon his arrival from the United States, where he attended the official launch of the Open Government Partnership in New York – an initiative by US President Barack Obama and Brazil President Dilma Rouseff to promote transparency in governance, the President waxed ecstatic about the information that the Americans have discovered the joys of drinking buko juice, something that Filipinos have been doing since time immemorial.

“Drinking what they call coco water and what we call buko juice is a growing trend in the US. Because of its nutrients, because it is natural and environment friendly, it is becoming the new natural sports drink in America and is now a hundred-million-dollar industry,” he said.

‘Kung nahuli mo ang karelasyon mo na nagtataksil sayo, saang SM branch mo sya babarilin, and why?’

Published by Ellen on September 24, 2011

Nilagay ni Joey Reyes, direktor ng pelikula, sa kanyang Facebook wall ang natanggap niyang text tungkol sa magkasunod na barilan sa magkaibang branch ng SM at patok na patok. Ang daming nag-repost.

Ito ang nasa FB status ni Direk Joey:”Miss Universe question: Kung nahuli mo ang karelasyon mo na nagtataksil sayo, Saang SM Branch mo sya babarilin? and why?

Sumakit ang tiyan ko sa kakatawa. Pamatay talaga ang sense of humor ng Pinoy.

Hindi ko tinitingnan itong mga nakakatawang kumento na pinagtatawanan natin ang trahedya ng mga nawalan ng mahal sa buhay. Nakaka-shock ang nangyari at nakikiramay ako sa mga namatayan.

Presence of mind

Published by Ellen on September 22, 2011

Hold-up — Thanks to mylot.com for photo.

My sharing of my experience as a victim of snatching last month elicited amusing ways to deal with the petty crime which is alarming in the boldness of the criminals. They choose no time and it seems they are everywhere.

My earrings were snatched by a woman, in her thirties, who held my ears hard simultaneously from behind, while I was flagging down a bus on Taft Avenue last Aug. 19, at about 3 p.m.

I was so shocked by the incident. I had been a victim more than once of a pickpocket and it was always emotionally unpleasant, aside from the financial loss. But the experience of being touched by a criminal was more traumatic.

I was thankful though that I was not hurt. Anti-crime crusader Teresita Ang-See said a staff member of the Kaisa, an organization of Filipino-Chinese, was also a victim of earrings snatching, also along Taft Avenue, in front of the Philippine General Hospital where Kaisa members do weekly assistance to charity patients.

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