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Holding Arroyo responsible for the Ampatuans

Published by Ellen on March 30, 2010

The dismissal by a Quezon City judge of the rebellion case against Maguindanao governor Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr, his son, ARMM governor Zaldy Ampatuan and 22 others should strengthen the case filed by relatives of journalists who were among those killed in the November 23 massacre before the ASEAN Intergovernmental Human Rights Commission (AICHR).

Nov 23 massacre
Nov 23 massacre
The journalists’ relatives are holding the Arroyo government responsible for the Nov. 23 carnage. In their suit filed last February, the relatives said “Clearly, all of those responsible for the carnage are agents of the Philippine State. Their acts in connection with the 23 November 2009 Maguindanao massacre are attributable under international law to the Republic of the Philippines.”

This week, three of the petitioners, Glen Salaysay, son of Cotabato City journalist Napoleon Salaysay, Noemi Parcon, wife of Koronadal City journalist Joel Parcon, and Feulen Sumagang, cousin of UNTV reporter Julito Evardo, were in Jakarta, where the AICHR is based, to follow up on their suit accompanied by their lawyer, Harry Roque of the CenterLaw Philippines.

They were most disgusted to find out that the Arroyo government has taken the stand that the Maguindanao massacre that has shocked the world and earned for the Philippines the distinction of being the most dangerous place for members of media is “a domestic legal issue” and international human rights bodies have no business meddling in.

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Magnanakaw sa hatinggabi

Published by Ellen on March 29, 2010

Tamang-tama talaga ang pagka-describe kay Gloria ng isang Malacañang in-house writer nang pumunta siya sa Boao, China noong 2004 para sa pirmahan ng ma-anomalyang kontrata ng NBN/ZTE: “Like a thief in the night”. Magnanakaw na nag-ooperasyun sa gabi.

Ngayon hatinggabi ang operasyun.

Lumalabas ngayon ang maraming “midnight” appointment na ginawa ni Gloria Arroyo. “Midnight appointment” ang tawag sa mga tinatalaga ng isang paalis na na presidente.

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Questions on Yuchengco’s nomination as ambassador to Germany

Published by Ellen on March 28, 2010

rcbc_alfonso_yuchengcoDoes the controversial appointment of businessman Alfonso Yuchengco as ambassador to Germany have to do with the expose’ of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano in 2006, when he was still a member of the House of Representatives , about a secret bank account of the Arroyos in HypoVereins Bank ?

Or does it have to do with Fraport AG, a German company that partnered with Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco) in building the $350 million Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport? It must be recalled that the Supreme Court under Gloria Arroyo nullified the Piatco-Fraport contract because of anomalies.

These are just some of the questions that came up as we tried to find rhyme and reason for Arroyo’s appointment of 87-year old Yuchengco to Germany with only three months left in her administration.

From a very reliable source:
Heard that the German ambassador has recommended that German government deny the request for agrément on the basis of age if such a request is ever sent.

Foreign Service officers were shocked and disgusted to learn about the letter of Gloria Arroyo to the Commission on Appointments coursed through the Office of Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo asking for the confirmation of her nomination to Yuchengco as ambassador.

The letter, which was received by the office of Romulo, only last week, was dated March 9, 2010, two days before the 60-day ban on presidential appointments before Election Day. Many suspect that the nomination was ante-dated.

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Ang nakakulong sumipot, wala ang malaya

Published by Ellen on March 27, 2010

Kung sino pa ang nakakulong , yung pa ang sumipot. Ang malaya na nasa kapangyarihan ay hindi sumipot.

Ito ang nangyari sa pirmahan ng Peace Covenant para sa mapayapang eleksyon sa Sipalay, Negros Occidental noong Miyerkoles na inurganisa ng “Project HOPE (Honest, Orderly, Peaceful, Election)” na itinataguyod ng mga lider ng simbahan, Katoliko at Aglipayan at sa komunidad kasama ang Philippine National Police at ang military. Ginawa ito sa Sipalay gymnasium.

covenant signing32410 (43) covenant signing32410 (2) praying gary speaking

Si dating Marine Capt. Gary Alejano, miyembro ng grupong Magdalo, ay tumatakbong mayor (Independent) ng Sipalay laban kay Acting Mayor Oscar Montilla ng United Negros Alliance na naka-alyansa sa National People’s Coalition.

Si Alejano ay nakakulong ngayon sa ISAFP (Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines) sa Camp Aguinaldo habang hinaharap niya ang kaso konektado sa tinatawag na “Oakwood mutiny” noong Hulyo 2003 at Manila Peninsula siege noong Nobyembre 2008. Sa dalawang insidente nayun, nanindigan sila laban sa kurakutan at pambabastos ni Gloria Arroyo ng batas.

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2009 Bar Exams: 1,451 Pass; Passing Percentage Lowered

Published by Ellen on March 26, 2010

By Jay B. Rempillo & Annie Rose A. Laborte
Supreme Court Online

A total of 1,451 out of the 5,903 examinees from 108 law schools nationwide passed the 2009 Bar examinations.

Do you have friends who took the bar exam and you want to know if they passed?

Click to these Supreme Court links: here or here

The top 10:
1.Reinier Paul R. Yebra ( San Beda College) – 84.80 percent.
2. Charlene Mae C. Tapic (San Beda College) – 84.60 percent.
3. John Paul T. Lim (Ateneo de Manila University) – 84.50 percent
4. Caroline P. Lagos (University of the Philippines) – 84.40 percent
5. Eric David C. Tan (Ateneo de Manila University) – 84.05 percent
6. Yves-Randolph P. Gonzalez (Ateneo de Manila University) – 83.90 percent
7. Joan Mae S. To (Ateneo de Manila University) – 83.65 percent
8. Herminio C. Bagro III (University of the Philippines) – 83.40 percent
9. Timothy Joseph N. Lumauig (Ateneo de Manila University) – 83.20 percent
10. Naealla Rose M. Bainto (Ateneo de Manila University) – 83.10 percent
Sheila Abigail O. Go (Ateneo de Manila University) – 83.10 percent.

So it’s two from San Beda, two from UP and seven from Ateneo in the top ten.

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People’s contingency plan vs ‘Gloria Forever’

Published by Ellen on March 25, 2010

As calls for vigilance over possible attempts to sabotage the May 2010 elections intensify, we miss Josie Lichauco, activist for good governance.

Josie, the activist
Josie, the activist
Josie, who served as transportation and communication secretary during the Ramos administration passed away last Feb. 14. Yesterday, her family and friends held a mass on the 40th day of her death.

The Concerned Citizens Movement, which Josie started with a few friends in 2005, is formulating a “People’s Contingency Plan to Counter Gloria Forever”.

Marily Orosa, CCM co-convenor said, “The issue now is not whether there will be failure of elections. That’s already a foregone conclusion. The issue is what will the people do in response to the failure?”

It was CCM that petitioned the Supreme Court to stop the Comelec – Smartmatic –Total Information Management consortium from carrying out the nationwide automation of the 2010 elections because it was never tested in a smaller scale as required by the law.

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