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ellen tordesillas Posts

President Kris in 2016?

She immediately took it back as a joke, but was it a deliberate leak?

Kris at "The Buzz"In her farewell interview in the showbiz talk-show, the Buzz, Kris Aquino said she may yet stage a comeback after her brother’s presidency. Or, she said,”“Who knows, with the help of science, I may still look good. But then again, six years from now, maybe I’m the one who’ll be sworn in.”

Realizing she had unleashed a mouthful, she quickly backtracked: “Joke lang. Baka may magalit na naman (Someone might get mad again).”

Here’s the report of Inquirer’s Bayani San Diego Jr.:

Kris Aquino admits end of marriage to James Yap

It’s game over for the Kris Aquino-James Yap marriage.

On ABS-CBN’s “The Buzz” on Sunday, host Aquino declared: “This marriage is over on my part.”

News about the separation had been swirling the past week – after co-host Boy Abunda revealed Tuesday that Aquino failed to attend an event in Cebu due to marital problems.

PNP’s Hawaii Five-O?

I got this paper titled, “Unmasking the Hawaii Five-O” from a source in the Philippine National Police. I am sure PNP Chief Jesus Versoza who is assured of staying on under the Aquino administration knows about the existence of this group in the police organization.

I was given names composing the group. The one that got my attention was that of Chief Superintendent Leocadio Santiago, Jr. commander of the Special Action Force. I remember him because he was the one who ordered that media be handcuffed during the Nov. 29, 2007 Manila Peninsula incident.

The cry for genuine reforms of the people behind this paper is clear enough:

Unifors: Let’s work triple times to make up for incompetent foreign secretary

Members of the Union of Foreign Service Officers said they would have to work three times harder with the reported retention of Alberto Romulo as foreign secretary.

In a text message, UNIFORS said, “First faux pas of P Noy. We need to work triple time to make up for such an incompetent secretary of foreign affairs.”

Highlights of Inquirer’s report on retention of Romulo:

-Romulo said Aquino did not give a time limit to his tenure in the DFA. The statement of Ed Malaya, FDA spokesman, talked of six years.
– Liberal Party faction in the Aquino camp recommended former Trade Secretary Johnny Santos, who was also former president and CEO of Nestle Philippines. (I understand after Santos had said “Yes”, it was taken back and he was offered the position of ambassador to the U.S. Santos has not said “yes” to the second offer.)
– The Aquino sisters, specifically Maria Elena “Ballsy” Cruz, who has been helping out the search committee, stood up for Romulo.

Romulo is the first of Gloria Arroyo’s cabinet member that Aquino has retained. It’s not known whether there would be more.

Unifors has earlier issued statements asking President-elect Benigno Aquino Jr. not to retain Romulo citing his incompetence.

Usapang itlog

Soft boiled, never fried
Hindi pala masama sa puso o sa blood pressure ang itlog. Basta soft-boiled lang. Hindi yung pinirito.

Walang pruweba na ang “Noni juice” ay nakakagaling ng cancer. Wala ring pwuweba na ang mba bakuna ay ang dahilan ng autism at alzheimers disease.

Kung magkodakan, hindi cheese ang sasabihin para smiling ang labas sa litrato. “A” o “eight”, mas maganda.

Ito ang isa lang sa aking natutunan ko sa 10th midyear convention ng Philippine Society of Oncologists noong Sabado na ginanap sa Lung Center. Nakasama ako sa isang sesyun tungkol sa mga tinatawag natin ngayon na alternative medicine para sa cancer.

Lokohan ng Airport yellow taxi

Update: MIAA GM Melvin Matibag informed me today (June 27) that the driver was apprehended and is being investigated. He said the driver will be banned from the airport.

Dumating ako noong Biyernes galing Zamboanga mga 5:30 ng hapon sakay ng Philippine Airlines.

Katulad ng dati kung gawi, dumeretso ako sa pilahan ng Yellow Taxi. Walang pila. Dadalawa lang kaming pasahero ang nandoon.Sianbi ko sa taong naglilista ang aking pangalan at ang aking destinasyon: Las Pinas. Binigyan niya ako ng parang tiket at tinulungan ako ng isa nilang empleyado papunta sa nakapilang taxi.

Kaya ako sumasakay sa Yellow taxi dahil gumagamit sila ng metro. May mga airport taxi na fixed rate, mas mahal.
Medyo mataas ang flag down ng Yellow Taxi. P70 pesos yata. Okay lang sa akin yan kaysa pupunta pa ako sa malayo at makipagtawaran pa sa mga colorum na taxi. Grabe magtaga ang mga colorum taxi doon sa airport.

Jessie

Jessie in a safehouse, taken last March
Centerlaw’s Harry Roque said the death of Suwaib Uphamb, one of the gunmen in the November 23 carnage who wanted to be a key witness but was turned away by the government, should bear on the conscience of outgoing justice Secretary Alberto Agra.

Uphamb, whom media christened “Jessie,” was killed last June 14 in Parang, Maguindanao.

“I put the blame for his death to Acting Secretary Agra and his principal, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who refused to accord any protection to Jessie. There is blood in Agra and Mrs. Arroyo’s hands. May they forever by hunted by the souls of Jessie and the rest of the victims of the massacre,” the straight talking Roque said.

Roque has every right to be outraged. He was the one who sought protection for Jessie at the DOJ.

Honorable exit for Romulo on July 1

President-elect Benigno Aquino III’s appointment of Human Rights Commissioner Leila de Lima as justice secretary is an inspired choice.

Foreign Service officers are hoping and praying that it would be the same case for the secretary of foreign affairs. Romulo has been a disaster as foreign secretary the past six years and it would be a tragedy to let him stay even for a day once Gloria Arroyo is out of Malacañang.

By the nature of their work, diplomats do not engage in protest actions. They are supposedly the epitome of tact, discretion and subtlety. But concerned about persistent talks that the incompetent foreign secretary, Alberto Romulo, would be retained, the Union of Foreign Service Officers headed by Vicky Bataclan yesterday came out with an open letter to the president-elect telling him of their sentiments about Romulo.