By Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – A witness in the Maguindanao massacre has admitted that his first affidavit was "half-truth" and that the two other affidavits he executed were incomplete.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Palace hails judge for deferring Trillanes verdict
By Norman Bordadora
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang Thursday lauded Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Oscar Pimentel for his postponement of the promulgation of the coup d’etat charges filed against Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and other members of the Magdalo Group that figured in the Oakwood Mutiny in 2003.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
51 Passengers Brought to Safety in Sta. Ana, Cagayan
Manila, Philippines - On the eve of the expected onslaught of Super Typhoon “Juan” (International codename: Megi), elements of the Philippine Coast Guard rendered assistance to three passenger shipping vessels carrying a total of 51 persons stranded along the vicinity waters off Santa Ana in the Province of Cagayan around 7:30 p.m. of Sunday.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Expert Sees Need for Court Deference to Amnesty Proclamation
MANILA, Philippines (PNA) — A lawyer believes it is proper for the court to already defer prosecuting cases involving detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and others implicated in failed military uprisings during the previous administration in view of President Benigno S. Aquino III's issuance of Proclamation 50 which grants amnesty to them.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Prosecutors: After 7 yrs of trial, nothing happened
MANILA, Philippines—After the presidential amnesty, is anyone still interested to know the judge’s verdict on the first ever coup d’etat case tried in a Philippine court for seven years?
This was the lament of Senior State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera after President Benigno Aquino III granted amnesty to more than 300 military officers and soldiers accused of trying to overthrow the administration of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Once Quiet Cebu Town is Now a Booming Tourist Site
By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.
October 10, 2010, 5:32pm
ALOGUINSAN, Cebu — From a small quaint fishing village, local folks living quiet simple lives, fourth-class Aloguinsan town in Cebu province now thrives with tourists, with everyone benefiting from its booming transformation into a tourist destination.
From fishing and farming as the main source of livelihood in this town with a population of some 27,000, Aloguinsan residents now gain additional income by promoting the town’s ecotourism activities.
“Ecotourism is really a big thing for Aloguinsan. We empower our people and promote tourism so people are given alternative livelihood,” said town mayor, Cynthia Moreno, whose municipal government hired a tourism consultant to promote the locality’s attractions.
Aloguinsan’s best kept secrets are now out and international tourists, especially wealthy tourists from Europe looking for unusual tourist destinations, have been visiting to see the town’s beauty.
Among Aloguinsan’s attractions is Bojo River, where a community of fishermen and their families operate an educational and entertainment tour, giving tourists a hands-on experience in the average day in the life of a fisherman.
Among the packages the town offers are mangrove ecology and bird wildlife lectures, handicraft demos, a river tour, cultural and heritage walk, a kayak adventure, dolphin and bird watching tours.
Moreno said the local government is intent on maximizing these adventure tourism features in the coming months what with the positive feedback, plus growing interest in this town following its recent inclusion in the Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo caravan. The latter was started in 2005 by the Cebu provincial government under its Tourism and Heritage Council which basically brings busloads of tourists to well-kept but off the beaten track historical, cultural, gastronomical and natural attractions spread through Cebu’s 44 towns and seven cities.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Philippine massacre probe focuses on Arroyo ally
By AARON FAVILA, Associated Press Writer Aaron Favila, Associated Press Writer – 23 mins ago
AMPATUAN, Philippines – Philippine authorities, under intense public pressure to make arrests in the country's worst election massacre, said Wednesday they are investigating a member of a powerful clan allied with the government along with four police commanders.
Officials recovered six more bodies Wednesday, bringing the death toll in Monday's attack on an election caravan to 52, including 18 journalists.
No suspects have been formally named in the killings, which provoked outrage beyond the Philippines, with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and media and human rights watchdogs calling on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to swiftly punish the attackers. Full Story.
AMPATUAN, Philippines – Philippine authorities, under intense public pressure to make arrests in the country's worst election massacre, said Wednesday they are investigating a member of a powerful clan allied with the government along with four police commanders.
Officials recovered six more bodies Wednesday, bringing the death toll in Monday's attack on an election caravan to 52, including 18 journalists.
No suspects have been formally named in the killings, which provoked outrage beyond the Philippines, with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and media and human rights watchdogs calling on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to swiftly punish the attackers. Full Story.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Philippines imposes emergency; massacre toll reaches 46
By Eric de Castro
AMPATUAN, Philippines (Reuters) - The Philippines placed two southern provinces and a city under emergency rule on Tuesday after gunmen killed 46 people in a brutal election-related massacre that has shocked the country.
Many of the victims in the killings in Maguindanao province were women from the powerful Mangudadatu clan. About a dozen journalists were also among the dead.
"There is an urgent need to prevent and suppress the occurrence of several other incidents of lawless violence," Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said while announcing the emergency.
The adjoining provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat and nearby Cotabato City will be under an indefinite state of emergency, which gives the military and police wide powers of arrest and detention.
The orders were issued as troops, using shovels and their bare hands, dug up hastily covered graves on a grassy hillside in Maguindanao to recover the victims of Monday's massacre. Police spokesman Leonardo Espina said 46 bodies had been found.
A Reuters photographer at the scene saw many of the bodies with bullet and machete wounds. Some of the dead men had their hands tied behind their backs and one of the women was pregnant.
"This atrocity leaves a deep wound in our national psyche," said Ralph Recto, a former senator. "It is as if each one of us has been stabbed."
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered extra troops to the region and sacked the Maguindanao provincial police chief.
"No effort will be spared to bring justice to the victims and hold the perpetrators accountable to the full limit of the law," she said.
FILE NOMINATION
The Mangudadatus, accompanied by lawyers and journalists, were on their way to file the nomination of one of their clan in elections next May. No men from the family were present, since they believed that women would not be attacked by rivals.
But the convoy was held up by about 100 armed men, who herded the group away from the highway and then attacked them with M-16 rifles and machetes.
The dead included Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu, whose husband Esmael wanted to contest the governorship of Maguindanao against Datu Andal Ampatuan, the head of another powerful local family.
Ampatuan, an ally of Arroyo, has been elected governor of Maguindanao three times previously. One of his sons is the governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, an area which covers six provinces. The town near where the massacre took place bears the name of his family.
None of the Ampatuans made any comment to local or foreign media. But Presidential Adviser Jesus Dureza told television that the family was willing to answer any questions.
AMPATUAN, Philippines (Reuters) - The Philippines placed two southern provinces and a city under emergency rule on Tuesday after gunmen killed 46 people in a brutal election-related massacre that has shocked the country.
Many of the victims in the killings in Maguindanao province were women from the powerful Mangudadatu clan. About a dozen journalists were also among the dead.
"There is an urgent need to prevent and suppress the occurrence of several other incidents of lawless violence," Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said while announcing the emergency.
The adjoining provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat and nearby Cotabato City will be under an indefinite state of emergency, which gives the military and police wide powers of arrest and detention.
The orders were issued as troops, using shovels and their bare hands, dug up hastily covered graves on a grassy hillside in Maguindanao to recover the victims of Monday's massacre. Police spokesman Leonardo Espina said 46 bodies had been found.
A Reuters photographer at the scene saw many of the bodies with bullet and machete wounds. Some of the dead men had their hands tied behind their backs and one of the women was pregnant.
"This atrocity leaves a deep wound in our national psyche," said Ralph Recto, a former senator. "It is as if each one of us has been stabbed."
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered extra troops to the region and sacked the Maguindanao provincial police chief.
"No effort will be spared to bring justice to the victims and hold the perpetrators accountable to the full limit of the law," she said.
FILE NOMINATION
The Mangudadatus, accompanied by lawyers and journalists, were on their way to file the nomination of one of their clan in elections next May. No men from the family were present, since they believed that women would not be attacked by rivals.
But the convoy was held up by about 100 armed men, who herded the group away from the highway and then attacked them with M-16 rifles and machetes.
The dead included Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu, whose husband Esmael wanted to contest the governorship of Maguindanao against Datu Andal Ampatuan, the head of another powerful local family.
Ampatuan, an ally of Arroyo, has been elected governor of Maguindanao three times previously. One of his sons is the governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, an area which covers six provinces. The town near where the massacre took place bears the name of his family.
None of the Ampatuans made any comment to local or foreign media. But Presidential Adviser Jesus Dureza told television that the family was willing to answer any questions.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Pacquiao wins 7th belt vs Cotto
Last 15th November 2009 Manny Pacquiao made boxing history by stopping Miguel Cotto 55 seconds into the 12th round. Cotto was knocked down in the 3rd and 4th round.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
9 killed as Parma (Pepeng) ravages the Philippines
Full story: Zamboanga Journal
The aftermath of typhoon Ketsana that ravaged the Philippines. MANILA, Philippines a ' At least 9 people had been killed, including seven who were buried in a landslide in Benguet province as typhoon Parma ravaged the northern Philippines, uprooting trees and tearing roofs off houses and flooding many areas that affected tens of thousands of ...
The aftermath of typhoon Ketsana that ravaged the Philippines. MANILA, Philippines a ' At least 9 people had been killed, including seven who were buried in a landslide in Benguet province as typhoon Parma ravaged the northern Philippines, uprooting trees and tearing roofs off houses and flooding many areas that affected tens of thousands of ...
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Presidential Prediction
By Conrado de Quiros
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:11:00 09/21/2009
I will make a fearless forecast: the winner of next year’s elections will be Gilbert Teodoro as president and Ronaldo Puno as vice president.
I am not joking. Or I am joking only in the sense that I am joking when I say we’ve had a non-elected president these last nine years.
Teodoro’s actual chances of winning of course, as everyone has pointed out, are nil. That is an insult to the word “nil.” He cannot even get 1 percent in the surveys. Even if you do not believe in surveys, you have to grant at least that they have a grain of truth in them. That grain becomes an absolute boulder when you trail your rivals by a mile. Is it possible that Teodoro can still peak? Only in the same way that his boss can still become a nun.
It cannot help that his handlers whom he really ought to shoot have persuaded him to sell himself as “Gibo.” A name that openly invites all sorts of puns, not least “giba,” the Tagalog word for “wreck.”
That doesn’t include the fact that he is Arroyo’s anointed, which can sink Noli de Castro himself.
But Teodoro has two things going for him.
The first is Ronaldo Puno.
Take it from Miriam Santiago, he’s the puno’t dulo, the long and short, of pulling rabbits out of ballot boxes. He’s the fellow Miriam openly accuses of cheating her of the 1992 elections via dirty tricks hatched in the camps. I half-suspect Miriam’s railing against the early campaign ads of some candidates is motivated as well by personal reasons Puno is one of the culprits. I half-suspect the best way to turn Miriam into a giba, or total wreck, or an unguided missile is to whisper “Puno” in her ear. Heaven truly works in mysterious ways.
If the activists are to be believed, Puno began his career in the 1960s by winning the elections held in Naga City for president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines by cheating. He subsequently helped Ferdinand Marcos win the snap elections of 1986 by the same tack. And he subsequently helped Arroyo win in the 2004 elections by the same tack. Miriam, of course, claims he also helped Fidel Ramos win by the same tack, but I’ll just leave them to their debate and God to work his mysterious ways some more.
Puno has the distinction of having served three masters who delivered this country to the, well, dogs are a decent species, as are all the categories of fauna. Let’s just say, who delivered this country to hell: Marcos, Erap and Gloria. He will also have the distinction of having provoked three Edsas, or People Power revolutions that ousted those tyrants. The last if he persists in his folly.
Which brings me to the second thing Teodoro has going for him. That is Smartmatic.
Gustavo Coronel, a Venezuelan, tells us exactly what Smartmatic is:
“The other component of the Venezuelan electoral system that illustrates its prostitution is the voting equipment, bought from a company called Smartmatic, a very mysterious outfit apparently owned by Venezuelans. This company has a very short history since it was created only in 2000. The company was a tiny outfit until an equally small company, also owned by the shareholders of Smartmatic, Bizta Corporation, received an injection of money from the Hugo Chávez regime to develop a voting machine prototype….
“Is it ethical that the Venezuelan government acquires voting machines from a company where they have or had shares? Is it honest that a huge $100-million contract can be awarded without much competition to a newly formed company without previous experience with voting machines? Can Venezuelans reasonably expect that a company having partial government ownership and having close ties with the regime can be impartial and transparent in its management of the machines?
“If the electoral officers cannot be trusted, if the voting machines cannot be trusted, if the electoral registry cannot be trusted, how can we have transparent elections in Venezuela?”
A very good question. Which we ought as well to ask about ourselves. If the Comelec cannot be trusted, if the voting machines cannot be trusted, if the regime itself cannot be trusted, how can we have transparent elections in the Philippines?
So far the criticisms of Smartmatic by the candidates have centered on the physical or visible partthe length of the electoral forms, the distribution of the right forms to the right place, the ability of the machines to transmit accurately the results of the voting. The real nightmare in fact is the software, which is proprietary, or the workings of which are known only to Smartmatic. As the IT people have shown, it’s the easiest thing in the world to imbed errant commands in the software that function like malware. These can be imbedded variously in the BIOS, the motherboard, the operating system, the flash card, or all of the above. Commands that will tick off votes for one candidate to another, which will make Garci look like a veritable saint.
Every time I hear the electoral watchdogs, old and new, calling for vigilance and proposing all sorts of watchers to watch the process closely, I think to myself: Watch what? If the cheating happens inside the machines, what on earth can you watch?
The point is to stop Smartmatic and adopt an open, transparent, inexpensive and automated, electoral count. It is not too late. There are models aplenty for this, chief of them the Open Electoral System, which is all of the above. I know the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Smartmatic. That doesn’t put an end to the protest, it only shifts it from the courts to the streets. It has to be stopped. We don’t do this, and with Puno there, and the Comelec there, and Smartmatic there, I will make a fearless forecast:
Gilbert Teodoro will win as president and Ronaldo Puno as vice president next year.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:11:00 09/21/2009
I will make a fearless forecast: the winner of next year’s elections will be Gilbert Teodoro as president and Ronaldo Puno as vice president.
I am not joking. Or I am joking only in the sense that I am joking when I say we’ve had a non-elected president these last nine years.
Teodoro’s actual chances of winning of course, as everyone has pointed out, are nil. That is an insult to the word “nil.” He cannot even get 1 percent in the surveys. Even if you do not believe in surveys, you have to grant at least that they have a grain of truth in them. That grain becomes an absolute boulder when you trail your rivals by a mile. Is it possible that Teodoro can still peak? Only in the same way that his boss can still become a nun.
It cannot help that his handlers whom he really ought to shoot have persuaded him to sell himself as “Gibo.” A name that openly invites all sorts of puns, not least “giba,” the Tagalog word for “wreck.”
That doesn’t include the fact that he is Arroyo’s anointed, which can sink Noli de Castro himself.
But Teodoro has two things going for him.
The first is Ronaldo Puno.
Take it from Miriam Santiago, he’s the puno’t dulo, the long and short, of pulling rabbits out of ballot boxes. He’s the fellow Miriam openly accuses of cheating her of the 1992 elections via dirty tricks hatched in the camps. I half-suspect Miriam’s railing against the early campaign ads of some candidates is motivated as well by personal reasons Puno is one of the culprits. I half-suspect the best way to turn Miriam into a giba, or total wreck, or an unguided missile is to whisper “Puno” in her ear. Heaven truly works in mysterious ways.
If the activists are to be believed, Puno began his career in the 1960s by winning the elections held in Naga City for president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines by cheating. He subsequently helped Ferdinand Marcos win the snap elections of 1986 by the same tack. And he subsequently helped Arroyo win in the 2004 elections by the same tack. Miriam, of course, claims he also helped Fidel Ramos win by the same tack, but I’ll just leave them to their debate and God to work his mysterious ways some more.
Puno has the distinction of having served three masters who delivered this country to the, well, dogs are a decent species, as are all the categories of fauna. Let’s just say, who delivered this country to hell: Marcos, Erap and Gloria. He will also have the distinction of having provoked three Edsas, or People Power revolutions that ousted those tyrants. The last if he persists in his folly.
Which brings me to the second thing Teodoro has going for him. That is Smartmatic.
Gustavo Coronel, a Venezuelan, tells us exactly what Smartmatic is:
“The other component of the Venezuelan electoral system that illustrates its prostitution is the voting equipment, bought from a company called Smartmatic, a very mysterious outfit apparently owned by Venezuelans. This company has a very short history since it was created only in 2000. The company was a tiny outfit until an equally small company, also owned by the shareholders of Smartmatic, Bizta Corporation, received an injection of money from the Hugo Chávez regime to develop a voting machine prototype….
“Is it ethical that the Venezuelan government acquires voting machines from a company where they have or had shares? Is it honest that a huge $100-million contract can be awarded without much competition to a newly formed company without previous experience with voting machines? Can Venezuelans reasonably expect that a company having partial government ownership and having close ties with the regime can be impartial and transparent in its management of the machines?
“If the electoral officers cannot be trusted, if the voting machines cannot be trusted, if the electoral registry cannot be trusted, how can we have transparent elections in Venezuela?”
A very good question. Which we ought as well to ask about ourselves. If the Comelec cannot be trusted, if the voting machines cannot be trusted, if the regime itself cannot be trusted, how can we have transparent elections in the Philippines?
So far the criticisms of Smartmatic by the candidates have centered on the physical or visible partthe length of the electoral forms, the distribution of the right forms to the right place, the ability of the machines to transmit accurately the results of the voting. The real nightmare in fact is the software, which is proprietary, or the workings of which are known only to Smartmatic. As the IT people have shown, it’s the easiest thing in the world to imbed errant commands in the software that function like malware. These can be imbedded variously in the BIOS, the motherboard, the operating system, the flash card, or all of the above. Commands that will tick off votes for one candidate to another, which will make Garci look like a veritable saint.
Every time I hear the electoral watchdogs, old and new, calling for vigilance and proposing all sorts of watchers to watch the process closely, I think to myself: Watch what? If the cheating happens inside the machines, what on earth can you watch?
The point is to stop Smartmatic and adopt an open, transparent, inexpensive and automated, electoral count. It is not too late. There are models aplenty for this, chief of them the Open Electoral System, which is all of the above. I know the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Smartmatic. That doesn’t put an end to the protest, it only shifts it from the courts to the streets. It has to be stopped. We don’t do this, and with Puno there, and the Comelec there, and Smartmatic there, I will make a fearless forecast:
Gilbert Teodoro will win as president and Ronaldo Puno as vice president next year.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
'Ondoy' death toll hits 246 as 'Pepeng' nears RP
MANILA, Philippines - Swollen rivers and debris-strewn streets yielded more bodies yesterday, bringing the death toll from massive flooding brought by tropical storm “Ondoy” to 246.
As disaster teams sifted through tons of debris in search of bodies – and hopefully survivors – two new storms brewing in the Pacific threatened to complicate relief efforts. Full Story.
As disaster teams sifted through tons of debris in search of bodies – and hopefully survivors – two new storms brewing in the Pacific threatened to complicate relief efforts. Full Story.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Storm causes widespread flooding
(The Philippine Star) Updated September 26, 2009 02:30 PM
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Hundreds of people fled their homes today (Sept. 26) after overnight rains brought by Tropical Storm Ondoy flooded Metro Manila and areas in the northern Philippines.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Hundreds of people fled their homes today (Sept. 26) after overnight rains brought by Tropical Storm Ondoy flooded Metro Manila and areas in the northern Philippines.
Water was chest-deep in low-lying areas of the capital and part of nearby Rizal province, said Anthony Golez, deputy presidential spokesman.
"Warnings were given to local government units but the rains have not stopped since yesterday," Golez told ABS-CBN television.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, who also heads the National Disaster Coordinating Council, said he had to take the commuter train to his office because the roads were too flooded to drive.
"This kind of flash floods in metro Manila took us all by surprise," he said, adding that flooding was also reported in Bulacan and Pampanga provinces north of Manila.
Swollen creeks forced many residents in some communities on to the roofs of their homes and they were calling for help to evacuate, according to local radio reports.
Television news footage showed one flooded road in suburban Quezon City appearing like a raging river.
The storm intensified the seasonal monsoon, drenching much of the main island of Luzon where Manila is located, weathermen said. A dozen flights in and out of central and northern Philippines were canceled because of poor visibility, airport officials said.
Power distributor Meralco cut off electric services to some flooded areas in metropolitan Manila to prevent accidents, spokesman Joel Zaldarriaga said.
Hundreds of vehicles stalled in flooded streets around the capital and nearly 2,000 passengers and more than 150 vehicles were stranded in ports in several provinces south of Manila after the coast guard suspended ferry operations.
Tropical Storm Ketsana packed 53 mph (85 kph) winds with gusts up to 100 kph when it made landfall early Saturday about 80 kilometers northeast of Manila. It was moving westward toward the rice producing Central Luzon region at 19 kph .
The rains have also caused the water in two dams near the capital to rise to spilling levels, the national disaster agency said.
"Warnings were given to local government units but the rains have not stopped since yesterday," Golez told ABS-CBN television.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, who also heads the National Disaster Coordinating Council, said he had to take the commuter train to his office because the roads were too flooded to drive.
"This kind of flash floods in metro Manila took us all by surprise," he said, adding that flooding was also reported in Bulacan and Pampanga provinces north of Manila.
Swollen creeks forced many residents in some communities on to the roofs of their homes and they were calling for help to evacuate, according to local radio reports.
Television news footage showed one flooded road in suburban Quezon City appearing like a raging river.
The storm intensified the seasonal monsoon, drenching much of the main island of Luzon where Manila is located, weathermen said. A dozen flights in and out of central and northern Philippines were canceled because of poor visibility, airport officials said.
Power distributor Meralco cut off electric services to some flooded areas in metropolitan Manila to prevent accidents, spokesman Joel Zaldarriaga said.
Hundreds of vehicles stalled in flooded streets around the capital and nearly 2,000 passengers and more than 150 vehicles were stranded in ports in several provinces south of Manila after the coast guard suspended ferry operations.
Tropical Storm Ketsana packed 53 mph (85 kph) winds with gusts up to 100 kph when it made landfall early Saturday about 80 kilometers northeast of Manila. It was moving westward toward the rice producing Central Luzon region at 19 kph .
The rains have also caused the water in two dams near the capital to rise to spilling levels, the national disaster agency said.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Pinoy Poitical Awareness
Pilipinos are politically enlightened people, from the hotbed of student activism of the UP campus to the barber shops and OTBs (Off Track Betting Stations) the kwentong kutsero of Pilipinos are mainly about political issues, everyone has an opinion.
As can be gauged by the last Senatorial elections pinoys are now more savvy and intelligent voters, gone are the days when moneyed candidates (Chavit) or popular celebrities (Cesar Montano, Richard Gomez) are almost assured of a candidatorial win.
Yes, pinoys are politically aware individuals although some are more astute than others. A High School classmate of mine posted and commented (in our Yahoo eGroup) on the subject of Senator Mar Roxas' giving way to Noynoy Aquino's bid for President. He had a very insightful and edgy opinion of the subject and I quote him:
As can be gauged by the last Senatorial elections pinoys are now more savvy and intelligent voters, gone are the days when moneyed candidates (Chavit) or popular celebrities (Cesar Montano, Richard Gomez) are almost assured of a candidatorial win.
Yes, pinoys are politically aware individuals although some are more astute than others. A High School classmate of mine posted and commented (in our Yahoo eGroup) on the subject of Senator Mar Roxas' giving way to Noynoy Aquino's bid for President. He had a very insightful and edgy opinion of the subject and I quote him:
"With the development at the Liberal Party front, we may be expecting some major political re-alignments among the Opposition's rank, Chiz's camp included?
Many believe that Noynoy's unexpected rise in the political ring opened some window of opportunity for unity among the non-administration bloc, something that was considered closed and next-to-impossible before Cory's demise.
Sen Mar saw the writing on the wall. He was trailing behind paid and independent surveys, despite spending around 600Million in political tri-media ads, and despite the forthcoming union with broadcast and TV celebrity Korina. He also correctly read that if he stonewalled using his Party built-in influence (His late Dad was the founder of the Liberal Party) against the rising tide of Noynoy's popularity principally pushed by the Cory Magic (and even by Ninoy's stature), division among the Party's already tattered lines (occasioned by the Atienza-Mike Defensor faction) would inevitably lead to its possible collapse.
Would it be illusory to even hope for others to follow the selfless example of Sen Mar?
The Noynoy factor is seen by a number of analysts as some sort of a Divine Intervention, considering the timing. At a time when no apparent strong credible, presidentiable could unite the opposition, Noynoy's name surfaced from the mist of mourning eyes mostly of people who long for relevant change Cory's magic has woven into the minds even of the ordinary Filipino. He commands relative respect and credibility, hence, acceptability, for many reasons. One, he has no personal ambition to become president. This sets him apart from the other wannabe's. Two, he has no history of political wheeling-dealing, influence peddling, or has he been identified with corrupt politicians. Three, his apparent or perceived lack of political sophistication or savvy is no argument against his capability to lead a nation who needs moral integrity more than mercenary intellect, mental honesty than technical competence-- one who is patriotic and not narcissistic.
I hope he (whether he ultimately becomes the standard bearer or not) could unify not only the political opposition (many of whom do not even qualify as opposition if by opposition we refer to the act of fighting political patronage, endemic corruption, and abject poverty in this country) but also the ordinary people whose interests the traditional and elitist political players (both admin and Oppo) pay only lip service to, ever since "democracy" has been established in the national political landscape.
God bless this country, the only one we have!"Yes, Pilipinos are politically aware, the 2010 elections will put this point on center stage.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Mar gives way to Noynoy
Country above self.
Heeding the signs of the times, Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas announced Tuesday that he is sacrificing his presidential ambition to give way to his Liberal Party colleague, Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, whom he endorsed to become the party’s standard bearer in the May 2010 elections. Full story.
Heeding the signs of the times, Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas announced Tuesday that he is sacrificing his presidential ambition to give way to his Liberal Party colleague, Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, whom he endorsed to become the party’s standard bearer in the May 2010 elections. Full story.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Palace: Neri’s on his own
MANILA, Philippines – Romulo Neri has to deal on his own with the graft charges he is facing in connection with the scuttled $329-million National Broadband Network deal with China’s ZTE Corp., a Palace official said. Full story.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Senate should invite First Gentleman in NBN-ZTE probe, says JDV
Senate should invite First Gentleman in NBN-ZTE probe, says JDV: "
Former House speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. said the Senate Blue Ribbon committee investigating the botched $329-million NBN-ZTE deal should summon First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo so it could “write finis to the probe.”
"Dacer kin won't file raps vs Erap
Dacer kin won't file raps vs Erap: "
The daughters of slain publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer are not inclined to seek the indictment of former President Joseph Estrada despite the testimony of former police senior superintendent Cezar Mancao II linking the former leader to the killings, according to the family lawyer.
"Friday, August 21, 2009
Mass at NAIA for Aquino death anniversary
MANILA, Philippines – Some 40 members of the Ninoy Aquino Movement and August Twenty-One Movement gathered Friday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City to mark the 26th death anniversary of former opposition leader Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
Clad in yellow shirts and waving ATOM flags, the group attended a Mass for Ninoy in Bay 11 of the NAIA Terminal 1, the same spot where the martyred freedom fighter fell after he was shot by alleged gunman Rolando Galman exactly 26 years ago.
Aquino's younger siblings, former Senators Agapito "Butch" Aquino and Tessie Aquino-Oreta, later led the wreath-laying ceremony.
Arroyo 44th most powerful woman in Forbes list
ABS-CBN
MANILA - President Arroyo has been named the 44th most powerful woman in the world, according to Forbes magazine.
The President's Forbes' ranking is lower than last year's, which saw her land on the 41st spot. Her worst ranking was in 2007 when she placed 51st in the annual list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.
Mrs. Arroyo was previously named the 4th most powerful woman in the world in 2005, the same year that she faced the first in a series of failed impeachment attempts over allegations that she rigged the 2004 elections.
Forbes said the rankings combine the person's visibility in the media and the size of the organization or country that she leads,
In her description of the Philippine president, Forbes writer Tatiana Serafin said Mrs. Arroyo's visit with US President Barack Obama in the White House last month -- the first for a Southeast Asian leader -- was a "boon to an otherwise lame-duck presidency."
She noted that while Mrs. Arroyo's tumultuous six-year term ends next year, the President's allies could push through with a plan to change the Philippine Constitution and adopt a parliamentary form of government. This would allow Mrs. Arroyo to get around the six-year presidential term limit and become prime minister.
"Critics contend this may further sink the stalling economy that earlier in the year hit a 10-year-low GDP growth of 0.4%. Arroyo also has her hands full dealing with rise in domestic terrorism," the Forbes article noted.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel held on to the No. 1 spot on Forbes' annual ranking of the world's most powerful women for the fourth year in a row. The list also included newcomers such as US First Lady Michelle Obama (40) and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (54).
Forbes noted that the women on its most powerful list are "moving across companies and industries, making big leaps with each change, and repositioning themselves for opportunities that allow them to gain a breadth of experience."
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