ellen tordesillas – Page 290 – Making life worth living.

Putting a gun to media’s head

Published by Ellen on October 7, 2008

I texted Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. of my concern about his right of reply bill that was passed by the Senate and is awaiting the House version for consolidation before it is sent to Malacañang for signing into law.

Pimentel is one of authors of the Senate Bill SB 2150 together with Senators Francis Escudero and Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., “An Act granting the Right of Reply and providing penalties for violation thereof.” The House version (HB3306) is authored by Representatives Monico Puentebella (Bacolod city), Juan Edgardo Angara (Aurora), Bienvenido Abante, Jr (Manila ,6th ), Orlando Fua (Siquijor), Jeci Lapus (Tarlac, 3rd), William Irwin Tieng (Buhay), Eduardo Zialcita, 1st Parañaque).

Pimentel, who has fought hard to regain the Filipino people’s freedom suppressed by the Marcos dictatorship, replied: “I guess any one who hasn’t read its contents and intent would be. Briefly, it’s a companion measure to decriminalize libel. Basic intention is to widen, not to limit, freedom of speech. Right to reply will lessen violence against journalists. It has a sunset clause when journalist organizations can police their own ranks.”

Talo ang media, talo ang bayan

Published by Ellen on October 7, 2008

Hindi ako nagtataka na si Rep. Monico Puentebella ay nagsusulong ng bill na labag sa Constitution. Alam naman nating ang suporta ni Puentebella sa isang presidente peke.

Kung kaya mong ipikit ang mata mo sa pandaraya at pagnanakaw ni Gloria Arroyo, ibig sabihin noon hindi mo alam ang diperensya ng tama at ng mali.Kaya hindi ako nagtataka sa kanyang House Bill 3306 na nagu-utos sa media na kapag may sinulat laban sa kanila, ang sagot nila ay dapat ilalabas sa parehong lugar at parehong haba sa lob ng tatlong araw.

Kapag hindi ito ginawa ng diyaryo, reporter or columnist, may kaukulang parusa. Nandyan ang magbabayad ng P50,000 hanggang P200,000. Nandyan rin ang pagkakulong.

Living within one’s means

Published by Ellen on October 6, 2008

The $700 billion bailout package to save the economy of the world’s only superpower is too staggering to comprehend for the ordinary Filipino whose main concern is coping with the rising prices of basic necessities including the shrinking pan de sal.

But whether it’s in the billions of dollars or in the meager Philippine pesos and centavos, the US financial crisis has again reminded us of the folly of a materialistic society and the virtue of living within one’s means.

In an article in the Inquirer, former Economic Planning Secretary Cielito Habito tried to make understandable to non- financial wizards the problem facing the Americans, which has sent shivers all over the world. He said, “Put simply, the plan would permit US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to buy from troubled US financial institutions, using taxpayers’ money, up to $700 billion worth of the so-called ‘toxic mortgages’ or failed subprime loans.

No dial tone

Published by Ellen on October 4, 2008

For almost nine hours today, from a little past 12 to 8:45 pm, all the PLDT lines in Las Piñas were down.

I was not able to send my column to Abante.

But what is exasperating about it is the utter disregard of PLDT, a public utility company, of the need to provide information about the breakdown of their line to those who were affected.

Just like the callousness of Meralco in the aftermath of typhoon Milenyo, a big company like PLDTdidn’t think of assigning someone to answer inquiries of the public.

Chameleon

Published by Ellen on October 4, 2008

Inquirer editorial:

It’s probably too late now to stop Congress from passing the bill compelling media organizations to air the side of anyone who has been criticized or accused of wrongdoing. The Senate version of the bill, principally authored by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., was approved last June, and a counterpart measure, sponsored by Rep. Monico Puentevella of Bacolod City, is scheduled for floor debates anytime soon in the House of Representatives.

The twin measures would require media organizations to publish or broadcast the reply of anyone who has been accused of committing any crime or who has been criticized “by innuendo, suggestion or rumor for any lapses in behavior.” In the House version, the reply must be used not later than one day after delivery, while the Senate version gives a three-day deadline. And it would not be enough to print or broadcast the reply.

It has to be of the same length as the offending article and it must be published on the same space. Failure to comply would merit fines ranging from P10,000 to P50,000 in the Pimentel bill, while in Puentevella’s version the fine could go up to P200,000; offenders could be jailed for a period of up 30 days and the publication or broadcast station could be shut down for a month.

Questions on economy for Arroyo

Published by Ellen on October 2, 2008

Last Wednesday, I wrote about the press conference of Gloria Arroyo with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines that Malacañang press office was working out. It was supposed to have been yesterday.

Malacañang informed Focap that Arroyo would not answer political questions. She would only answer questions “pertaining to the economy and how the current US financial crisis is affecting the Philippines and other Asian countries,” Press Undersecretary Martin Crisostomo said.

Focap did not agree to the restrictions. Malacañang postponed the presscon giving as an excuse Press Secretary Jesus Dureza “not feeling well.” But Dureza was well enough to moderate yesterday’s presscon of the economic managers with the very cooperative Malacañang press corps.

Hinto na ang parada ng suspek

Published by Ellen on October 1, 2008

Mabuti naman at pinagpatuloy ng bagong chief ng Philippine National Police na si Police Director Jesus Verzosa ang sinimulan ni dating PNP Chief Avelino Razon na pag-ban sa pagparada ng mga suspek sa krime sa media. Tinututulan ito ng Commission on Human Rights.

Hindi naman nakakatulong yan sa pagsugpo ng krimen.Ang trabaho ng pulis ay ang pigilan ang krimen, hindi yung magpasikat kapag nangyari na ang krimen ngunit hindi pa nakumpleto ang proseso ng hustisya.Kung palpak pa na katulad ng ginawa ni Gloria Arroyo kay Acza Ramirez, malaking paglabag pa yan sa karapatan pangtao. Krimen rin maparusahan ka ng wala kang kasalanan. At dapat parusahan din ang may kagagawan nun.

More pabulum from Gloria

Published by Ellen on October 1, 2008

Malaya’s editorial today says:

The local markets are in turmoil as the US financial crisis spreads. Investors, lenders and borrowers need information. They are desperately seeking assurance from anybody in government credible enough to be believable.

What they are getting instead is more of the pabulum that Gloria Arroyo dished out to businessmen during the economic briefing she and her Cabinet conducted before she went to the United States purportedly to gather a deeper insight into the crisis and, consequently, come up with measures that would minimize damage to the local economy.

Here’s Gloria’s take direct from Samar: To insulate the Philippines from the effects of the US crisis, the government will focus on easing inflationary pressures, providing safety nets, creating jobs, generating revenues and strengthening the banking system.

Standing up to Gloria

Published by Ellen on September 30, 2008

Gloria Arroyo is used to having her way with the Malacañang Press Corps that she thinks she can impose the same control with all members of media, even the foreign media.

A week ago, Malacañang invited members of the Foreign Correspondents of the Philippines to an exclusive press conference in Malacañang on October 2, at 11 a.m. More than 50 Focap members signed on for the Arroyo’s first presscon in more than a year.

Last Monday, Press Undersecretary Martin Crisostomo notified Focap that it was “all systems go for the October 2 press briefing with PGMA.”

However, he set a condition: “The President will NOT entertain political questions, but will answer other questions, including those specifically pertaining to the economy and how the current US financial crisis is affecting the Philippines and other Asian countries.”

Nabuhayan ng pag-asa

Published by Ellen on September 29, 2008

Kung kailan parang wala na tayong maasahan na hustisya sa ating mga korte dumating itong desisyon ng 7th division ng Court of Appeals na laban sa petisyon ni Mike Arroyo na i-dismiss ang kaso ng mga journalist na kanyang pinirwisyo sa pamamagitan ng pag-file ng libel suits kaliwa’t-kanan.

Mabuti naman. Parang sinag ng araw pagkatapos ng madilim na ulap. Sana tuluy-tuluy na.

Noong isang buwan, nagmistulang bulag at bingi ang Court of Appeals sa kanilang desisyon ng idinismis ang petisyon ni NBN/ZTE star witness Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada laban sa mga tauhan ng Philippine National Police na nagtangkang kumidnap sa kanya sa airport nang dumating siya galing Hongkong.Pagkatapos lumabas ang eskandalo tungkol sa Meralco at GSIS, hindi nakapagtataka ang ganoong desisyon.

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