Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100625com6.html |
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Dear Editor: We champion the media’s vigilance against the transactional politics that typified the Arroyo administration through hard-hitting news, which was attempted in the report, “Kris A peddles choice Senate posts for LP bet” by Ms. Angie Rosales, published on The Daily Tribune last June 22, 2010. However, in equal reverence for the journalistic norms of truth and balance, the erroneous reference to Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trilllanes as having been promised by Kris Aquino “freedom to attend the Senate hearings in exchange for his vote” for Sen. Francis Pangilinan as Senate President, warrants clarification. Despite the inclusion of information acknowledged as “not confirmed by the Senate source,” it was still falsely inferred that through Ms. Aquino’s efforts “a Senate resolution is being prepared to allow Trillanes to attend the opening session and formally cast his vote for Pangilinan.” Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100625com7.html |
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McChrystal’s radical war plan losing early luster
KABUL — US Gen. Stanley McChrystal radically altered the rules of war in Afghanistan but, sacked after a year, the success or failure of his counter-insurgency masterplan will fall to David Petraeus. The brilliant former special operations chief was appointed commander last June of what has become America’s longest war when his predecessor was pushed out for being unable to stem an unravelling war in the “graveyard of empires.” Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100625com8.html |
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Key witness in massacre trial murdered
By Michaela P. del Callar 06/25/2010 First came the recantations of witnesses to the Maguindanao massacre. Now a key witness has been killed. The witness, Suwaib Upham, known as “Jesse” regarded by the private prosecutor as a key witness in the trial of a powerful Muslim clan accused of orchestrating the worst political massacre in the country, was shot dead, a private prosecutor said yesterday. Upham claimed to have taken part in the November killings of 57 persons in a crime allegedly planned by his former employers, the Ampatuan clan. “He was supposed to be one of our strongest witnesses,” Harry Roque, a lawyer representing the families of 14 media victims, told Agence France Presse. “He saw, and participated in, the killings and could have directly named in court those involved.” Roque warned that Upham’s killing, which he was told occurred last week in the southern province of Maguindanao, could potentially weaken the case against the Ampatuan family. US-based Human Rights Watch also said the killing raised doubts about the government’s resolve in seeing justice done in the case. “Massacre witnesses are dying while the government sits on its hands,” the group’s Asia director Elaine Pearson said in a statement. “This sends the worst possible message to other witnesses thinking of coming forward.” The New York-based human rights watchdog yesterday challenged President-elect Benigno Aquino III, who takes office next week, to live up to his promise of justice for the massacre victims by taking urgent measures to protect witnesses. Human Rights Watch said the Aquino administration should provide sufficient funding to ensure adequate protection for witnesses and their families, and urged the government to promptly investigate acts of witness intimidation and killing and to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. ”We don’t want to hear the government say a few months down the road that it is dropping charges because there is no eyewitness testimony,” Pearson said. “Aquino should make witness protection a priority to fulfill his promise of justice for the massacre victims.” Security forces and the Justice Department should also take the measures needed to protect witnesses’ physical safety, including relocation where necessary, and to ensure that witnesses and their families are afforded appropriate housing, Pearson said. HRW also called on the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct prompt investigation on the latest killing of Upham, stressing that the Philippine government must act swiftly to protect witnesses and their families. But DoJ Secretary Alberto Agra laid the blame on Roque , saying that Roque “never respected the authority of the public prosecutors...who have control over private prosecutors and not the other way around,” Agra said. “He (Roque) never brought ‘Jesse’ for interview and evaluation before the prosecutors,” Agra said. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100625hed1.html |
Plunder raps to greet GMA once she loses immunity, says solon
By Gerry Baldo 06/25/2010 President Arroyo is going to face multiple criminal and administrative cases, including plunder, graft and violations of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Govern-ment Officials and Em-ployees, once she loses her immunity on June 30. According to Rep. Teodoro Casiño of party-list Bayan Muna, one of the strong cases that would be revived against Arroyo would be in connection with the government’s botched ZTE-National Broadband Network (NBN) deal. “The NBN-ZTE deal is a strong case against her,” he told reporters in an interview. Casiño, referring to a Malacañang statement that Arroyo is leaving the Palace quietly, said the outgoing President is going to lose her immunity from suit on June 30 and that it is now time to file the cases against her. “There’s no going quietly for GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo),” he stressed. “She has to account for the nine years that she was President,” he said. “Arroyo is going to lose her immunity from suit the minute she steps down from Malacañang,” he said, adding that the target date for the filing of the plunder case would be on July 1 as June 30 is a holiday. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100625hed2.html |
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Pimentel reminds Noy he’s a minority president
By Angie Rosales 06/25/2010 A staunch ally reminded President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino that he will assume the top post in the nation as a minority president and he should strive to get all the support he can get from his closest allies, friends and even perceived rivals. Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said Noynoy is a minority president since he did not get 50 percent plus one or majority of the voters despite his huge 5-million lead over his next rival. “And, therefore, that being the case, as a minority president, he needs the support of all his friends and his allies. The more friends supporting him visibly, the better for him,” Pimentel said during a news forum at the Senate. The senator’s statements were in relation to the issue involving incoming Vice President Jejomar Binay, who had rejected accepting any concurrent position in the incoming administration after apparently being crowded out of a Cabinet position due to the several recomendees from groups who supported Aquino and are now all lobbying to get prime government posts. Binay and Aquino met at the latter’s residence in Times St., Quezon City where the incoming vice president was reportedly offered the positions of heading the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and on a temporary capacity and as head of the commission that will investigate President Arroyo on her alleged anomalous acts which many see as palliatives since Binay was denied of a Cabinet post. Appearing in the weekly Kapihan sa Senado, Pimentel lauded the decision made by Binay saying that it “speaks of statesmanship in him.” Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100625hed3.html |
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‘Graduating’ Pimentel may join Noynoy gov’t
06/25/2010 Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay may not have any active role in the Aquino adminis-tration but one of his partymates in the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) appeared to be “in.” Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. is seen to join the incoming administration. The “graduating” senior legislator gave broad hints regarding this matter but refused to reveal details as there is yet to be any concrete plans disclosed to him by incoming President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino. Pimentel was conspicuously cautious in discussing the matter when reporters asked him of his plans now that he’s bowing out of the upper chamber after serving 17 years during the last 23 years. Initially, Pimentel indicated that he would not be making any comeback in 2013, saying he would rather let “younger people take over.” When asked if he has received any offer of government post, being highly identified to be close to the Aquino family, Pimentel answered in the negative. “None so far. I am not free to talk about anything because he (Aquino) might deny it. In other words, there’s no formal offer. Pimentel served as minister of Local Government under former President Corazon Aquino, mother of President-elect Noynoy. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100625hed4.html |
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Solon to CJ Corona: Beware of Cojuangco hacienda’s maneuvers
06/25/2010 Now that the Hacienda Luisita land dispute is in the hands of Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Renato Corona’s First Division, a militant lawmaker called for an immediate resolution in favor of the farm workers as he called the attention of the Chief Justice to the Cojuangco-Aquino clan’s alleged maneuvers to maintain its stronghold on the controversial sugar estate. “The Hacienda Luisita agrarian dispute remains an acid test for Chief Justice Corona,” said Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano “(And) in the face of President-elect Noynoy Aquino’s refusal to recognize Corona, a favorable decision for the farm workers will also test Aquino’s adherence to the rule of law.” Mariano added that an immediate resolution of the case favorable to the farm workers will prevent the Cojuangco-Aquinos to reclassify and convert a large portion of the lands, and transfer ownership to other Cojuangco corporations. Mariano was referring to the establishment of the Luisita Estate Management, and the intervention by the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) in the SC case regarding the Hacienda. According to the RCBC Web site, “in November 1996, RCBC joined Agila Holdings, Itochu and Hacienda Luisita in putting up the Luisita Industrial Park Corp., a 300-hectare industrial park for Japanese investors.” At the same time, reports said that Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) chair Jose “Peping” Cojuangco is planning to set up a 50-hectare National Training Center inside Luisita for the country’s bid to host the 2014 Asian Games. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100625hed5.html |
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La Salle president gets DepEd post
06/25/2010 De La Salle University (DLSU) president Brother Armin Luistro, who is identified with the Black and White Movement and a known supporter of President-elect Benigno Aquino lll, has accepted his offer to head the Department of Education (DepEd) under his government. This is the second time a president of La Salle University has been tapped as chief of the Education department, after La Salle Brother Andrew Gonzales was tapped by then President Joseph Estrada as Education Secretary. “After due consultation with various stakeholders in the Lasallian community, Bro. Armin Luistro has accepted the invitation of President-elect Aquino to be the Department of Education secretary,” a DLSU statement released on Wednesday night said. Bro. Luistro is the sixth member of the official family of incoming President Aquino. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100625hed6.html |
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It was bound to happen in a Noynoy Aquino presidency, having disparate groups behind him, with each group, or bloc, claiming credit for making him win the polls, as well as making a bid for more power and influence within the administration, while cutting off others. And those who are cut off or are in danger of being cut off from the power line, will naturally be among the first to show discontent at the “ingratitude” of the new dispensation. As revolutions devour their children, so do victories devour the victors’ supporters who do not have the same tools with which to survive in a veritable snake pit. As things stand today in the blocs of Noynoy Aquino, there is obviously a pro-Mar Roxas group and an anti-Roxas bloc as well as a pro-Jojo Binay group and an anti-Binay group, the Liberal Party officers and members, along with the most influential, Sisters Inc. grouping, the Kaklase Inc., the Cory veterans group and the old Kamag-Anak Inc., that publicly strives to survive, even when this family group knows that privately, it can’t quite be shaken out of the power equation. There is too, that infamous group of the Black and Whites, the Hyatt 10, and naturally, the Makati Business Club types that are never far away from the power line just as the yellow media would be there to protect Noynoy and his family while they and their businesses continue to make hay while the Noynoy sun shines. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100624com1.html |
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Same turncoats next election year
Not surprisingly, with Noynoy Aquino now in Malacañang and Gloria Arroyo out of it, the Liberal Party (LP) that claims to be the non-trapo party, disdaining trapo politics, is now showing its true trapo color, swearing in the turncoats coming from Lakas-Kampi-CMD, to build up its party members and become the dominant political party in the House of Representatives. But turncoatism is expected, with congressmen then allied with the outgoing Malacañang tenant, making a beeline to join the party identified with the new Malacañang tenant. Quite frankly, no matter how big the LP becomes, due of course to the fact that Noynoy Aquino will be sitting in Malacañang, these same turncoats and some more, even from the LP, will also be swearing in as party members of whoever wins Malacañang in 2016, or earlier, in the event the chief executive is ousted, resigns, or, as the Supreme Court ruled, has “constructively resigned,” is permanently incapacitated, or is impeached. This is how trapo politics always goes, since the party system in this country is very, very weak and unprincipled, with no ideology but to stay in power and position and allied with the new administration. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100624com2.html |
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Jackson’s death triggers billion dollar bonanza
LOS ANGELES — Soaring music sales, a blockbuster movie and an array of commercial spin-offs: Michael Jackson’s demise has lent weight to the wry showbusiness maxim that death is the ultimate career move. In the final years of his life, Jackson’s finances were widely reported to be in chaos, with the singer facing foreclosure on his famed Neverland Ranch and struggling with debts of roughly $500 million. However in the 12 months since Jackson’s death on June 25 last year, the King of Pop’s empire has witnessed a money-spinning resurgence, generating revenues estimated at more than $1 billion, according to one report. Jackson’s estate has paid off more than half of the singer’s debts and is likely to put his affairs back into the black in the coming year. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100624com3.html |
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If Sr. Supt. Antonio Gumiran and Sr. Insp. Jeffrey Briones Uy of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are still wearing their uniforms today, it is because of their friends in the Department of Justice (DoJ) who chose the path of least resistance in sweeping under the rug the administrative charges for conduct unbecoming of police officers that had been lodged against them, rather than prosecuting them in court and having them sent to jail. Just to refresh the memory, Gumiran and Uy both of whom were active duty officers at the time were caught in 2004 by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in the company of Jason Aguilar Ivler (remember him, too?) while inside a cabin of a small passenger ship that was about just to leave the Port of Zamboanga for Sandakan, Malaysia. Official reports said that the two police officers allegedly tried to bribe the NBI and BI agents with $5,000 so that they would forget they ever cast eyes on Ivler and allow him to peaceably leave the country through the southern backdoor. Back then, Ivler was being sought by the Pasig Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) in connection with the fatal vehicular smash-up wherein the Toyota Prado SUV he was driving jumped over the center island of the C-5 highway onto the path of the Isuzu Trooper being driven by Undersecretary Nestor Ponce Jr. thus instantly killing him. The arresting officers reportedly rejected the bribe offered to them and brought the suspect Ivler back to Manila and immediately turned him over to the custody of the court. As fate would have it, Ivler later jumped bail and went into hiding; he was later recaptured by the NBI, who had launched a nationwide manhunt for him resulting from the road-rage killing of the son of another Malacañang functionary, but not after a spectacular shoot-out inside the residence of his mother in the upscale neighborhood of Blue Ridge, Quezon City...... MORE Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100624com4.html |
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By Ronald Roy
When Scottish lawmaker Frank Mc Aveety quit his role in a parliamentary committee hearing after being caught on microphone saying a woman in the gallery was “very attractive with that Filipino look... dark... and dusky... nice, very nice... the kind you would see in a Gaugin painting,” he did so in accordance with the exacting ethical standards of Scottish culture, and we can only respect him for his resignation. Mc Aveety said two other things: “The heat’s getting to me,” — aha, a state of sexual arousal eh?! — and “I’ll maybe have to put a wee word out for her” — probably a Scottish idiom the meaning of which understandably escapes me. In any event, a judgment on the lawmaker’s improper behavior — assuming this were the case by Scottish norms — should not be made by non-Scots. After all, when in Rome tourists do as the Romans do, do in Tokyo as the Nipponese do, and do in Sudan as the Sudanese do. Someone should assure Mc Aveety there’s nothing to be ashamed of about being turned on by the opposite sex, whether swimsuited in the flesh or reclined in a painting by Gaugin or Renoir of the Renaissance period. In truth, the solemn way to appreciate a frank painting, as in other art forms, is to allow oneself to be drifted by its power into a reverie of senses and instincts where he can thus discover the meaning of his own humanity. Art has long been a procreative driving force since Adam hailed Eve as a most sublime masterpiece by the Supreme Creator. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100624com5.html |
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Vatican wants clean-up amid corruption probe
VATICAN CITY — Shaken to its core by revelations of paedophile abuse in the Church, the Vatican is moving to publicly clean up its finances as a top cardinal is caught up in a corruption probe, experts say. Prosecutors are investigating Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe over allegations he took kickbacks as head of Propaganda Fide, the body that handles the Vatican’s vast real estate holdings and financing much of the Church’s missionary work. The Vatican has defended Sepe’s “intense and generous” work, and the cardinal insist he was acting at the time with the full support of the Roman Catholic Church. But Vatican expert Sandro Magister says Pope Benedict XVI has acted cool toward Sepe, who left Propaganda Fide four years ago to become Archbishop of Naples. He sees this as a sign that the Pope “clearly wants to clean up” the Vatican’s earthly business. “It was Benedict XVI who moved Sepe away from Rome” in 2006, replacing him with Ivan Diaz, an Indian cardinal considered “light years away from any kind of wheeling and dealing,” Magister told AFP. On Monday, the Vatican set up a link from its website to the historical archive of Propaganda Fide in a bid to promote better transparency. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100624com6.html |
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New air. Renewed spirit. Renewal of hope
It is not written down nor accordingly recorded. It is not even expressly said nor formally noted. But the palpable truth is that there is a new air in the atmosphere. There is even a renewed spirit in the country. But more important of all, there is a renewal of hope among the Filipinos. All these are not only timely but also necessary — considering the foul air, the trampled upon spirit and the dying hope of the present generation, courtesy of the exiting administration at long last. But to add salt to injury, before it is actually gone as a distressing and shameful part of Philippine history, there is on the other hand, the callous shameless attempt at a futile and vain self-glorification of the singularly distrusted — repeatedly obtaining distinctly minus approval ratings in the course of time — finally departing leadership. Power-points are made. Books are written. Rah-rah boys and girls are singing the mandated chorus. All these are highly predictable in their overall deodorizing intention. There were the roads made, the bridges built, the railways extended. There is the infrastructure in place, the economic fundamentals in order, not to mention these and those accomplishments made for these and those development programs. But: At what and at whose expense ? Let it be noted that the said administration in no way spent a single centavo from its own pocket for all such projects — as it in fact earned very much from them. With how much external and internal debts? Let it is said that any and all expenses incurred by the same administration are paid for with public funds — chargeable to every single Filipino, rich and poor, the yet unborn included. How on earth could such be its own projects, its own accomplishments?! Come on! Be truthful even but for once! Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100624com7.html |
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Also declines heading body to probe GMA, DAR seatBinay rejects Noy’s MMDA job offer06/24/2010 He may have been elected Vice President by over 14.5 million Filipinos, but to President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, this electorate’s mandate given to Vice President-elect Jejomar “Jojo” Binay should not be given the respect and importance the sovereign will deserves, as the first offer Aquino made to Binay was for him to merely head the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), a lowly position for an elected Vice President, reliable sources close to the Binay camp told the Tribune. Aquino is hardly known for his finesse in handling matters diplomatically, as shown in the manner by which he made public his allergy to now retired Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Delfin Bangit with Aquino’s demand for him to resign his post, as he was not going to have Bangit as his AFP chief of staff. Binay, in 1998, was appointed by former President Joseph Estrada as MMDA chief. Binay was then already a third termer Makati mayor. Sources told the Tribune that “Noynoy’s offer of the MMDA position was very insulting offer to an elected vice president,” since the post calls for mayors, rather than an elected constitutional heir. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100624hed1.html |
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