Is it also believable that Mike Arroyo would decide to involve PNP in this anomalous deal without making sure that the PNP chief is into his scheme?
The seemingly velvet glove treatment of Verzosa in this anomalous deal that cost the reportedly cash-trapped PNP, and in a larger picture, the Filipino people millions of pesos, is intriguing and disturbing.
Sa totoo lang, kaya naman nag-resign si Migs Zubiri sa Senado dahil alam niyang sa bagong composisyun ng Senate Electoral Tribunal, wala na siyang pag-asa. Wala na kasi ang kanyang mentor at tagapagtanggol, si Sen. Edgardo Angara.
Ang malas pa niya, ang pumalit kay Angara ay si Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, na kung maala-ala natin mula-mula pa noong 2007, naniwala na hindi naman talaga nanalo si Zubiri. Kaya minus one na si Zubiri sa bilang niya sa SET at plus one si Pimentel.
Ang SET, na siyang dumidinig ng protesta sa Senado, ay kinabibilangan ng tatlong Supreme Court justices (Antonio Carpio, Arturo Brion, at Teresita de Castro) at anim na senador na ngayon ay maliban kay Trillanes, sina Pia Cayetano, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Lito Lapid, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., Gregorio Honasan.
Final score: 5 golds and 2 silver. Mabuhay ang magigiting na Dragon Boat team ng Pilipinas!
I had the pleasure of watching this team, composed of Army men, win the International Dragon Boat race in Boracay last summer. Their dedication to the sport and determination to win honors for the country is so admirable considering that they do not get adequate support from the government.
Congratulations!
In Boracay, while participants from other countries were billeted in resort hotels, the Army team (who was the champion) as well as the Navy team (if I’m correct, it came second) were billeted in public school buildings and were content with economy meals.
Thanks to Philippine Daily Inquirer for the photo by John Bedaure.
PH Dragon Boat team wins 2nd gold medal
abs-cbnNEWS.com
The Philippine Dragon Boat team bagged another gold medal in the ongoing International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) 10th World Championships in Tampa Bay, Florida.
This time, the Filipino paddlers won first place in the Premier 200-meter mixed event with a time of 57.07 seconds.
Speaking at a news conference held in Iba, Zambales which started with his tribute to former Zambales Rep. Antonio Diaz who passed away Wednesday, Ebdane said his main concern now is his province. “I never thought of my family. Nag-retire ako, pumunta ako rito sa probinsiya with nothing less but the interest of my province.” He choked and quickly left the press con.
Ebdane tried to turn the table against his accuser, Senior Supt. Rafael Santiago by mentioning the electronic bikes and explosives that are allegedly in the position of the former Zambales provincial police director.
Related article:
PNoy-Murad meet: “a great leap forward” for the peace process
By Carolyn O. Arguillas
Mindanews
President Benigno Simeon Aquino III and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim shook hands and talked peace for two hours in a hotel in Japan with their respective panel chairs taking down notes, the President’s Cabinet members and the MILF’s peace panel and Central Committee members as well as the Malaysian facilitator waiting outside the meeting room.
The President and the MILF chair agreed to move the negotiations forward to ensure that whatever agreement is forged can be implemented within the Aquino administration whose term ends on June 30, 2016, the chairs of both panels told MindaNews in separate telephone interviews. How the talks can move forward, the panels will discuss when they meet within the month, they said.
Update: Mike Arroyo, misspelled name in BI Departure card; De Lima apologized for wrong info to public
By Ashzel Hachero
Malaya
Former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo is undergoing therapy due to loss of voice following cervical spine surgery last week at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City.
GMA leaves hospital
ABS-CBN
Doctors said Arroyo has been told to rest at her house for a month. She also was told to rest her voice. Doctors said there are no complications from her cervical spine surgery. However, she lost her voice after her vocal cords got swollen after she started to receive visitors last Wednesday.
“Her vocal chords were swollen and until now are swollen not because of complication in the surgery but they were strained because of use of cellphones,” Cervantes said.
Mayor Jerry Pelayo of Candaba, Pampanga, a close Arroyo ally, Arroyo is prohibited from talking, reading newspapers and watching television.
“Kung nasa labas siya ng bansa, admittedly, hindi mo masu-subpoena. But I don’t think he should do that because, as we say, flight is evidence of guilt,” Drilon said.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee said putting Arroyo on the immigration watch list would be pointless since he has already left the country.
This was in response to reports that the Department of Justice is drafting an order to place Arroyo under the immigration watch list.
“I instructed Chief [Justice Ricardo] Paras first to confirm officially if there is really a request from the Senate because it was reported in the media na there’s a request from certain senators to put him on watch list. So once that is verified, then I am inclined to issue a WLO (watch list order),” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said.
Says cheating allegation has taken toll on family, nation
Zubiri speech Honor and Integrity
Malaya
Amid allegations he benefited from the supposed cheating in the 2007 elections, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday announced his resignation, a move seen by colleagues and even his opponents as an act of statesmanship.
“Without admitting any fault and with my vehement denial of the alleged electoral fraud hurled against me, I am submitting my resignation as a duly elected senator of the Republic of the Philippines in the election for which I am falsely accused without mercy and compassion,” Zubiri said in an emotional privilege speech.
Aquilino “Koko “ Pimentel III I: I commend him for the rare act of resigning but na-disappoint lang ako na parang may denial pa siya na nagkaroon ng dayaan sa Maguindanao which was the reason why he got proclaimed in the first place. Hindi po baseless and unfounded ang charges of election fraud in Maguindanao. Proven na po iyon.”
“I am resigning, not because I am exhausted from the demands of my calling as a legislator. . I am resigning, not because I wish to evade the decision of the Senate Electoral Tribunal. Handa kong tanggapin ang anumang hatol mula sa nasabing hukuman,” he said.
Following the coming out of Police Senior Superintendent Rafael Santiago of his primary role in the switching of genuine 2004 election returns stored at the Batasan Pambansa with manufactured ERs, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan called on the Commission on Elections and the Department of Justice to ferret out the truth no matter who gets hurt.
Pangilinan, who earned the pejorative tag “Mr. Noted” for dismissing protestations of the Minority in the canvassing every time questionable returns would be canvassed with “Noted,” is on the defensive because many accuse him of being instrumental in allowing Arroyo to get away with her electoral cheating.
Businessman to testify in Senate probe
By Cathy Yamsuan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Two five-year old helicopters sold as brand new to the Philippine National Police in 2009 were among the five choppers that then First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo acquired for the campaign of his wife, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in the 2004 presidential election.
This was disclosed by a businessman, who was privy to the sale of the helicopters to Mike Arroyo in late 2003. The businessman is scheduled to appear as a witness at a hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee on Tuesday.
The Inquirer tried to contact Sunday night Raul Lambino, lawyer and spokesperson of the Arroyos, to get his side but did not get any response.