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More Filipinos disapprove House junking of impeachment complaint

Published by Ellen on October 17, 2006

This should warm the hearts of Bishop Antonio Tobias, Nini Quezon Avanceña, Josie Lichauco, Dinky Soliman, Leah Navarro, and many others who filed the second impeachment complaint against Gloria Arroyo this year despite discouragement from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

The latest survey of the Social Weather Stations showed that more Filipinos disagree (45 percent) than agree (30 percent) with the decision of the House of Representatives last Aug. 24 to junk the second impeachment case filed against Gloria Arroyo.

Forty-five percent is a substantial number. It’s almost 50 percent or half of the Filipino people.

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Suspension order for Binay served

Published by Ellen on October 16, 2006

Amidst tension in Makati, Local Government Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar served the suspension order on Makati Mayor Binay, his vice mayor and all the 16 councilors at about 6 a.m.
corybinay.jpg
They have designated Rodolfo Ferraren, official of the national capital region, as officer-in-charge.

Binay refused to personally receive the suspension order. Andanar merely pasted it in front of the City Hall.

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Jocjoc asks Magsaysay to testify in US

Published by Ellen on October 16, 2006

(The following article by JP Lopez appears in today’s Malaya. What could be Bolante’s strategy?)

Talk about chutzpah.

Former agriculture undersec-retary Jocelyn “Joc Joc” Bolante has asked Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. to testify in his immigration hearing in the United States.

This is the same Bolante who the Senate ordered arrested for repeatedly failing to attend the hearing of Magsaysay’s committee on agriculture into the alleged diversion of the P728 million fertilizer fund into President Arroyo’s campaign chest in 2004.

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Age-rule ‘violations’ have foreign service going gray

Published by Ellen on October 15, 2006

(I did the following article for I-Magazine of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism)

UP for confirmation before the Commission on Appointments anytime now is retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide, 71, who has been nominated as permanent representative to the United Nations in New York.

If confirmed by the Commission on Appointments, Davide will replace Lauro Baja, 69 years old and a retired career foreign-service officer.

As ambassador to the United Nations, Davide would have the duty to ensure that Philippine interests are protected in all the international treaties that the organization is crafting and implementing. For that, he would get at least $30,000 ( P1.5 million) a month, representing $20,000 free housing plus some $10,000 in salary and allowances.

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Tridentine mass soon to return?

Published by Ellen on October 15, 2006

I welcome the news that Pope Benedict XVI will soon be allowing Catholic churches to hold Tridentine masses.

A Washington Post report last Friday said:

“Pope Benedict XVI has drafted a document allowing wider use of the Tridentine Mass, the Latin rite that was largely replaced in the 1960s by Masses in English and other modern languages, a church official said yesterday.

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Garbage in, garbage out

Published by Ellen on October 15, 2006

Galit si Sen. Richard Gordon kay Comelec Chairman Benjmain Abalos na kaagad sinabi na huli na para mag-computerize para sa May 2007 elections.

“Alam ko hindi siya interesado dito (poll automation bill) dahil gusto pa rin niyang gamitin ang kanilang lumang mga computer,” sabi ni Gordon na nagpapatungkol sa P1.3 billion na mga computer na binili ng Comelec sa Mega Pacific ngunit ngayon ay nabubulok lamang dahil sinabi ng Supreme Court na ilegal ang transaksyon .

Ipinasa ang ng Senado noong Huwebes ang poll automation bill sa pagpupurisge ni Gordon, chairman ng Senate committee on constitutional amendments. Inaasahan ni Gordon na ipasa na rin ng House of Representatives sa pangunguna ni Rep. Teddy Locsin ng kanilang bersyon para mapag-isa nila at mapirmahan sa susunod na buwan.

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Otoniel Gonzaga teams up with Dulce

Published by Ellen on October 14, 2006

This is one musical event not to be missed.

gonzaga.jpgOtoniel Gonzaga, the country’s foremost tenor, teams up with Asian diva Dulce and the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) in a yearend concert called “Christmas Spectacular & Immortal Arias” at the Philamlife Theater on December 9, 2006.

In the same concert, the MPO under the baton of Rodel Colmenar, will also accompany guest soprano Camille Lopez Molina and flutist Christopher Oracion, two-time first prize winner of the National Music Competition for Young Artists.

Fresh from his triumphant team-up with Lea Salonga early this year, Gonzaga, a winner of the Marian Anderson Voice Competition and the ARD International Voice Competition in Munich, will do a duet with Dulce, a grand prize winner of the Asian Singing Competition in Hong Kong.

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Nokor’s nuclear test: a fizzle?

Published by Ellen on October 14, 2006

Almost a week after North Korea announced that they had successfully tested a nuclear weapon, analyses by Wesyern scientists indicate that Kim Il Jong, North Korea’s leader was not exactly telling the truth.

They have have conducted a nuclear tests but apparently, it failed. “”The betting is that this was an attempt at a nuclear test that failed,” Associated Press quoted a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information. ”

“We don’t think they were trying to fake a nuclear test, but it may have been a nuclear fizzle an effort that failed,” the official added.

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