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Fearing JDV plot, GMA dumped PI’

Published by Ellen on October 29, 2006

(The following article appeared in Malaya today. All is not well in Gloria Arroyo’s Enchanted Kingdom.)

BY DENNIS GADIL

FEARING a “coup” by Speaker Jose de Venecia, it was President Arroyo who dumped at the last-minute the people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution by sending out word she would not be averse to a Supreme Court ruling against the petition of Sigaw ng Bayan and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, a source said yesterday.

The source said the message was relayed through the Villaraza and Angangco law office which counts Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz and Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio as founding members.

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Secretary Duque explains

Published by Ellen on October 28, 2006

In reply to my Oct. 26 column in Abante on the death of nine infants at the Rizal Medical Center, Health Secretary Francisco Duque wrote the following explanation:

Greetings.

Please allow me to reiterate that the Department of Health (DOH) has not absolved the hospital authorities now facing charges for the alleged neonatal sepsis deaths of nine babies who were among those born last October 4 at the state-run Rizal Medical Center (RMC). A more thorough investigation is now under way to really see whether the neonatal deaths can be linked to a breakdown in infection control standards at RMC.

This developed as some sectors continued to regard the DOH Fact Finding Committee (FFC) and the National Epidemiology Center (NEC) investigation results as a whitewash to cover the alleged misdeeds of the said hospital.

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The battle ahead

Published by Ellen on October 27, 2006

After we have savored the joy of seeing justice upheld and the Constitution protected, it’s time to prepare for more vicious strategies of Gloria Arroyo and her minions to carry out her plan to change the Constitution because that’s one of the few remaining survival options for her. (The other is martial law.)

Truth and justice triumphed in a tight score of 8-7. Much of it is credited to Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, who has surprised many with his independence and integrity in crucial issues concerning Arroyo’s attempts to curtail democracy despite the fact that he was appointed by her.

Panganiban is retiring on December 7. Top contender is Justice Reynato Puno, whose seniority in terms of years of service in the High Court was ignored by Arroyo when she chose Panganiban December last year.

Continue readingThe battle ahead

Ang buhay mahirap

Published by Ellen on October 25, 2006

Kawawa naman ang nangyari sa pamilya ng mga namatayan ng sanggol sa Rizal Medical Center.

Sa imbestigasyon na isinagawa ng Department of Health ang mga nanay pa ang may kasalanan ng pagkamatay ng kanilang mga anak.

Pambihira naman buhay ito. Nanganak ka sa ospital. Kahit sabihin mong government hospital yun, gumastos ka pa rin. Namatay ang anak mo dahil sa “neonatal sepsis” na sa pagkaintindi ko ay infection sa dugo. Tapos ikaw pa ngayon ang sinabing nagbigay nag infection sa anak mo at hindi ang maduming gamit sa ospital.

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SC thrashed fake people’s initiative

Published by Ellen on October 25, 2006

You have already heard about it and some of you have already commented in the previous post.

The Supreme Court by a vote of 8-7, dismissed the petition by Singaw ng bayan and Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (Ulap) for a charter change through their dubious version of People’s Initiative. Click here for the decision.

Justice Antonio Carpio penned the decision.

Continue readingSC thrashed fake people’s initiative

Awaiting SC’s decision

Published by Ellen on October 24, 2006

The public’s concern that the Supreme Court will succumb to the pressure of Malacañang for them to reverse their 1997 decision prohibiting changing the Constitution without an enabling law is reflected in the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations.

The survey conducted nationwide from September 24 to October 2, 2006, using face-to-face interviews of a national sample of 1,200, showed that six out of ten Filipinos (62 percent) are “unsure” that the Supreme Court will decide fairly on the petition by Sigaw ng Bayan and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) to amend the Constitution through a people’s initiative.

One-fourth (24 percent) said they have “little trust” while 13 percent say they have “much trust” that the tribunal will make a fair decision on the petition.

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Takot sa katotohanan

Published by Ellen on October 24, 2006

Binigyan ng MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board) ng X rating and pelikula ni dating Pangulong Estrada ng X rating. Ibig sabihin noon hindi mapanood ng publiko.

Ngunit hindi sinabi ng MTRCB na bawal panoorin sa loob ng bahay mo.

Mas matindi pala ang interpretasyon ng military dahil ipamigay mo lang ang CD ni Erap, kulong ka na.

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Confined to brig for non-existent offense

Published by Ellen on October 22, 2006

A junior navy officer has been detained in the Philippine Marines Brig for almost a month for allegedly distributing compact discs of former President Estrada’s life story and about cheating in the 2004 elections.

Navy 1Lt Artemio Raymundo, Jr. was ordered confined by Navy Major Danilo Luna,commanding officer, last Sept. 25 in connection with his “alleged involvement on (sic) the distribution of CD’s containing Erap’s documentary.”

Last October 2, Raymundo’s lawyer, Juanito I. Velasco of the Lazaro Law firm, wrote the staff judge advocate of the Philippine Marine Corps that “Under Article 70 of the Articles of War, a person subject to military law, charged with minor offenses, ‘shall not be placed in confinement.’ “

Continue readingConfined to brig for non-existent offense