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I’m Ellen Tordesillas, a journalist.

I will be posting in this blog my columns in Malaya, articles by VERA Files, as well as materials relevant to strengthening democracy and making life worth living.

Malaya is a daily (except Sunday) newspaper in English that has a courageous history in the Filipinos' fight against tyranny.

VERA Files is composed of veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues.

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Ellen
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Tag: Colombia

Speculations on GMA visit to Colombia

Published by Ellen on June 23, 2009

Makati Mayor Jojo Binay, who is president of the United Opposition, is asking Gloria Arroyo to explain why she detoured to Cartagena, Colombia in between her visit to Japan and Brazil last weekend.

Binay has every right to ask because he said “Arroyo is traveling on taxpayers’ expense.”

Since the Department of Foreign Affairs said they arranged only the Japan and Brazil trips and were not told about the trip to Colombia until Friday (Arroyo went to Colombia Saturday and left for Brazil Monday) and Malacañang does not want to say anything about it, the secret visit has become fair game to speculations.

Biyaheng Colombia ni Gloria Arroyo

Published by Ellen on June 20, 2009

Sa mga press release ng Malacañang tungkol sa biyahe ni Gloria Arroyo sa Japan (Hunyo 17 hanggang 20) at Brazil (Hunyo 22 hanggang 25), walang sinasabi tungkol sa Colombia.

Napag-alaman ng VERA Files noong Biyernes na pag-alis ni Arroyo sa Tokyo ng Sabado, siya ay pupunta sa Cartagena, Colombia. Buong araw ngayon ay sa Colombia siya at pupunta siya sa Brazil bukas.

Napag-alaman din namin na ang host niya sa Colombia ay ang negosyanteng si Jaime Augusto Zobel at ang kanyang asawang si Lizzie. Pangalawang beses na raw ito na bumisita si Arroyo sa Colombia at sina Zobel at tumira siya sa bahay ng mga Zobel doon. Ang una ay noong November 2008 galing siya sa Peru kung saan dumalo siya sa Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.