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Corruption killed Angelo Reyes

Published by Ellen on February 11, 2011

Statement of former government officials

Unlike other cultures, our Filipino culture does not accord suicides by public figures one clear and definitive meaning.

Thus the message of a Filipino dying in public by his own hand often ends up being contested, improvised and twisted by various interested parties. And so it is with the tragic death of General Angelo Reyes. Did he put a bullet through his heart in an ultimate admission of personal responsibility for whatever wrong he had committed? Or was his willful termination of his own life a sublime act of protest to assert his innocence against unfair yet unremitting persecution?

The death of someone like Gen. Reyes who served our country for most of his life deserves our respect, prayers and reflection. This is a tragedy to one person, to his family and to many who believed and admired him for his personal, professional and public life. For his fellow Filipinos that Gen. Reyes left behind, his chosen timing and manner of exiting the public stage and this mortal world challenges us to seek some meaning and purpose from such a tragic loss. We, former senior government officials, choose to see the death of Gen. Reyes in the light of the principle that public office is a public trust.

1. We find no honor in a death without meaning to the welfare of our nation.

Egyptians celebrate resignation of Mubarak

Published by Ellen on February 11, 2011

From MSN:

CAIRO — Hosni Mubarak has resigned as president of Egypt, the country’s vice president said in a brief statement Friday.
Omar Suleiman, speaking on state television, said Mubarak had decided to hand power to the military.

“In these grave circumstances that the country is passing through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to leave his position as president of the republic,” a grim-looking Suleiman said. “He has mandated the Armed Forces Supreme Council to run the state. God is our protector and succor.”

The news swept the country and Tahrir Square, home of the protest movement, erupted in celebration.

The unnamed powerful man behind Maj.Gen. Carlos Garcia

Published by Ellen on February 10, 2011

The mysterious powerful man behind Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia is once again mentioned in the news following the outburst of retired Commodore Rex Robles after the suicide of former Armed Forces Chief Angelo Reyes.

Robles, who belongs to Philippine Military Class ’65 said his closeness to Reyes goes back to PMA days because he was the yearling, the academy lingo for mentor, of Reyes who was in Class ’66.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV yesterday said investigations into alleged diversion and conversion of the military budget might lead to Malacañang during the administration of former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo.
“Masyadong malaki yung perang involved na imposibleng nasa level lang ni late General (Angelo) Reyes…sa Malacañang lang nagre-release ng ganung level,” Trillanes said.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/feb11/news2.html

The following version of that controversy which has now involved Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV , PMA Class ’95, is the result of my interviews with Robles, Trillanes and talk with other sources even before the Ombudsman entered into a plea bargain agreement with Garcia, the subject of the congressional investigation which has led to more revelations of corruption in the military.

The view from the bar: Azkals vs. Mongolia

Published by Ellen on February 10, 2011

I enjoyed this article as much as when I was watching the game on TV last night.

by Sid Ventura
For Yahoo! Southeast Asia

I can’t tell you how exhilarating it was to be at Panaad Stadium for the Philippines-Mongolia AFC Challenge Cup match. I can’t tell you because I don’t know.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/sports/02/09/11/azkals-vs-blue-wolves-first-half-highlights

I was unable to fly to Bacolod, so I had planned to catch the game at home. But Sky Cable chose this day, of all days, to have a massive service interruption, forcing me to find an establishment that was showing the match.

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because there are few things in this world that are more fun to do than watch the Azkals with a bunch of strangers, collectively cheer and scream, slap high fives, slowly get intoxicated, and listen to one of them adoringly compare Chieffy Caligdong to Pele.

An ex-military chief’s untimely death

Published by Ellen on February 9, 2011

by VERA Files News that former Defense Secretary and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Angelo Reyes on Tuesday committed suicide shocked the…

Gloria’s call to Reyes

Published by Ellen on February 8, 2011

One of early visitors of Reyes l — Photo by Luis Liwanag for VERA Files

Retired Navy Commodore Rex Robles said in his talk with former AFP Chief Angelo Reyes the past weeks, the latter was very worried and felt the walls coming down on him.

His last conversation with Reyes was Monday noon. Reyes told him that Gloria Arroyo called him up recently to inquire about two things: One, she wanted to know who was the mistah of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV who delivered his (Reyes) Jan. 14, 2011 letter to the senator asking him to reveal who was “powerful person” behind former military comptroller Carlos Garcia, and two, she wanted to know why Robles was attacking Paranaque Rep. Roilo Golez.

It must be noted that Reyes sent Trillanes the letter before former military budget officer, Lt. Col. George Rabusa with his expose on Reyes getting P50 million send-off gift and P10 million allowance every month on Jan. 27. At this time, the issue was limited to the plea bargain agreement between the Ombudsman and Garcia.Does this mean Reyes knew he would be dragged into the controversy?

On Arroyo’s second concern, Robles said he is suspicious of Golez’ motive in attacking Reyes and that it is diverting the issue from Garcia. He said that people protecting Garcia are doing it through Golez.

Former AFP Chief Angelo Reyes commits suicide in front of mother’s grave

Published by Ellen on February 8, 2011

Former AFP Chief Angelo Reyes shot himself in front of his mother’s grave at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina.

He was brought to Quirino Memorial Hospital where he expired. It happened minutes past 7 a.m.

Retired Navy Commodore Rex Robles said he talked with Reyes yesterday noon. He sounded worried. He said Gloria Arroyo called him up recently.

1. She wanted to know who was the mistah of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV who delivered his (Reyes) letter to the senator asking him to reveal who was behind former military comptroller Carlos Garcia.

2.Arroyo also wanted to know why Robles was attacking Paranaque Rep. Roilo Golez.

Robles said he was with Reyes two nights last week.

Related article by Glenda Gloria in the Comments section.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona who was at the hospital gave the official medical bulletin that Reyes was pronounced dead officially at 8:32 am.

Real men cry

Published by Ellen on February 6, 2011

I like men who cry. It makes them very humane and vulnerable. And manly.

Air Force Col. Antonio Ramon “Sonny” Lim couldn’t hold back his tears when he testified at the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee investigating the controversial plea bargain agreement of the Ombudsman with the retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia.

He said in Pilipino that ever since the news about the corruption in the military broke out, he had been thinking of coming out with what he knew and decided that under Aquino’s reformist administration, “Panahon na na malaman ng sambayanang Pilipino ang katotohanan. (It’s time that people know the truth)”

Lim was the assistant of retired Lt. Col. George Rabusa, former budget officer, who had earlier spilled the beans on three AFP chiefs of staff – Angelo Reyes, Diomedio Villanueva, and Roy Cimatu – getting bienvenida and despedida money ranging from P50 million to as high as P150 million and monthly allowances of P10 million.

Ang panig ng abogado ni Zaldy Ampatuan

Published by Ellen on February 6, 2011

Sumulat sa akin si Atty. Howard Calleja, na binabatikos ngayon dahil sa kanyang pagtanggap kay Zaldy Ampatuan bilang kliyente.

Kasama si Zaldy sa nakasuhan ng multiple murder sa masaker ng 58 na tao, 32 doon ay mga journalists, noong Nobyembre 23, 2009. Ang itinurong nagsagawa ng masaker ay ang kanyang kapatid na si dating Mayor Andal Jr. Sabit din ang kanilang ama na si Andal Sr. Sobra isang daang tao ang nakasakdal sa kasong ito.

Pinuna ko si Calleja sa aking kolum noong isang buwan. Nadismaya ako sa kanya dahil kilala ko si Howie bilang ma-prinsipyo na abogado. Abogado siya nang Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, isang organisasyun na ang misyun ay malinis at maayos na eleksyun. Alam naman natin kung anong eleksyun ang pinaiiral ng mga Ampatuan sa Maguindanao. Ang tawag nga doon bangko ng mga boto. Magdeposito ka lang ng cash, makukuha mo ang boto na gusto mo. Tanungin nyo si Gloria Arroyo at si Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Panibagong imbestigasyun ng Dacer-Corbito murder case

Published by Ellen on February 5, 2011

Statement of Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson:

Secretary Leila de Lima should stop using brute reason in interpreting the court of appeals ruling dismissing the case against me which she claimed she has not even read.

Let me remind her that in a civil and common law system like ours, the hierarchy of courts places the supreme court at the highest level and is therefore the sole authority to reverse the court of appeals in its ruling and decision. – not any of the lower courts of the land and certainly not the secretary of justice.

The appellate court has ruled that there is no probable cause to indict me for two counts of murder and categorically nullified the warrant of arrest that the Manila RTC branch 18 issued against me. De lima cannot place herself above any court of law. Otherwise, the justice system becomes defective and worse, will self-destruct.

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