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 Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2005 10:57 pm
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2005 11:03 pm
NOLI DE CASTRO has, in the past few years, portrayed himself as every corrupt government officials’ nemesis, the defender of the poor and the oppressed and the hope of the exploited and the helpless. Every morning, De Castro is heard over radio DZMM fearlessly lambasting corrupt police officials, taking to task lazy and inefficient government functionaries and exposing exploitative and oppressive private individuals and Big Business. His exposes continue on ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation’s primetime television news, TV PATROL and the once-a-week news magazine program, MAGANDANG GABI, BAYAN. In the process, De Castro has managed to cultivate an image of "MR. CLEAN." Indeed, he has become everybody’s KABAYAN.
BUT THE SIXTY MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION IS: IS NOLI DE CASTRO FOR REAL?
To the hordes of uninformed and unsuspecting radio listeners and television viewers, BE WARNED!!!
The "MR. CLEAN" NOLI DE CASTRO you have been admiring for his fearless commentaries and exposes against graft and corruption IS A FAKE!!! IN REALITY, his name is synonymous to NOLI DE "CASH"TRO and he is derisively called "KA BAYAD" by those who have fallen prey to his black-mailing tactics in the guise of public service. The hard-hitting commentaries, the fearless exposes and all the other noise and chest-beating by De Castro purportedly against graft and corruption are all in fact mere CHARADES….. SCRIPTED DRAMAS….. and PALABAS…. with the end view of harassing and shaking down their targets to come across with the amount demanded OR ELSE the "fearless commentaries and stinging criticisms" will not stop. Even MGB, the highly-acclaimed weekly news magazine TV program, has been derided as MAGANDANG GABI, BAYAD!
NOLI DE CASTRO, THE DEFENDER OF THE POOR AND THE OPPRESSED, IS AGAIN A FAKE!!! IN REALITY, his "crusades" for the poor are just fronts of the whole money-making venture he is engaged in through what is known in the media as AC-DC. In the guise of taking the cause of the poor and the oppressed, De Castro then "Attacks or Defends" his targets – be they government officials, police officers, contractors, vice lords, gambling lords and individuals. In either case, De Castro collects piles of money from his preys.
AS HOPE OF THE EXPLOITED AND THE HELPLESS, AGAIN NOLI DE CASTRO IS NOT. For what can be expected from a man who is judged by his peers and colleagues in the industry to be the MOST CORRUPT broadcaster alive. This is most obvious in the area of PR and Crisis Management work where De Castro has no qualms using MGB, TV PATROL and his KABAYAN radio program over DZMM to shakedown and harass targeted government officials and private individuals to further enrich himself.
But what puzzles most of the people in and out of media, is how come the top management of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation has chosen to look the other way amidst many reports from A-1 sources about De Castro’s unethical, even criminal money-making activities? How come the management of ASIA’S MOST ADMIRED NETWORK refused to even just investigate the A-1 reports even for the sake of knowing the truth and the veracity of its sources? How can it continue to claim as its network’s motto "In the Service of the Filipino" when management itself has remained deaf and mute to NOLI DE CASTRO’S corrupt journalistic practices, clearly a disservice to the Filipino people? YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS ANYBODY.
NOLI DE CASTRO’S CHOP-CHOP DAYS AND OTHER EARLY CORRUPT ACTIVITIES
In 1987, De Castro, an upstart broadcaster at that time, was tagged as one of those directly involved or giving protection to smugglers in the Bureau of Customs who were bringing in Completely Knocked Down (CKD) but highly-dutiable luxury vehicles in what is now the infamous Chop-Chop Controversy. In exchange for lending his supposedly untouchable and feared name, NOLI DE CASTRO was gifted with an L-300 Van by the smuggling syndicate. When his involvement was exposed in the media, NOLI DE CASTRO tried to explain himself by claiming that he was just a buyer (of the smuggled luxury utility vehicles). But informed sources in the Customs confirmed that NOLI DE CASTRO was indeed involved (either directly or indirectly, it was not sure) in the smuggling attempt and that the L-300 Van was a payment for the services (whatever it was) he rendered to the syndicate. Fearful that the controversy may cut short his budding broadcasting career at ABS-CBN, and to avoid further public ridicule, NOLI BOY sold the Van and used the proceeds (still the fruit from an illegal activity) to buy a red Nissan Pathfinder.
Also, at the time when NOLI DE CASTRO was still making a name for himself in the broadcast industry, San Pablo City (Laguna) Mayor Vic Amante, Southern Tagalog Jeepney magnate and one of the region’s biggest illegal logging and quarrying operators, BRIBED KABAYAN NOLI with several hectares of prime agricultural land. In exchange, NOLI "MR. CLEAN" DE CASTRO must, in the first several days upon his acceptance of the "gift," get and air the side of Mayor Amante when KABAYAN’S topic concerns the illegal logging and quarrying activities in the Southern Tagalog region. The Mayor hoped that his explanations on air will help put the issue to rest. As part of the whole deal, when the issue had quieted down, KABAYAN NOLI must refrain from ever exposing and criticizing Mayor Amante’s illegal activities. Even CPP’s Ka Roger and the late Ka Hector Mabilangan know about this whole rotten deal. Six months later, MR. CLEAN sold Mayor Amante’s "gift" to a buyer.
BLACKMAIL is another favorite tactic employed by NOLI DE CASTRO to get his share of the pie from government contracts. One of his victims was the venerable FF Cruz whose construction firm was awarded to build the KAMUNING Fly-Over. During its construction, MR. CLEAN NOLI DE CASTRO mounted daily attacks on his radio program against FF Cruz for its alleged defective construction of the fly-over. NOLI BOY pointed to alleged unsound structural design and poor construction methods. But while NOLI BOY was waging his public battle on air against FF Cruz’s alleged failure to comply to sound engineering standards, NOLI "MR. CLEAN" DE CASTRO had privately sent emissaries from the staff of MGB to FF Cruz. NOLI was demanding P500,000.00 from the firm in exchange for his silence. The issue was "settled" for a lesser amount. Let us not be surprised then, why MR. DE CASTRO THE CRUSADER would not touch any issue concerning fly-overs especially those constructed by FF Cruz.
Before he made a name for himself, when he was still the private valet and butler of ROD NAVARRO, MR. DE CASTRO used to live in a modest house in Lagro, Quezon City, now occupied by his sister and brother-in-law. Only months after he came to ABS-CBN, MR. DE CASTRO was able to acquire a twin townhouse in ROMAROSA TOWNHOMES. Then, with bank accounts bulging with money from his illegal connections in Southern Tagalog, particularly from his patron Mayor Amante, NOLI THE DEFENDER OF THE POOR, was able to acquire a new multi-million peso house in Tierra Pura bought from a retired military general who was also a friend of Mayor Amante. This general was Amante’s protector in the latter’s illegal logging and quarrying operations in Laguna and Quezon provinces. Again, MR. CLEAN NOLI DE CASTRO got the house at a bargain price with the help of Mayor Amante. The deal? NOLI BOY’S continued silence concerning the Mayor’s illegal activities in the Southern Tagalog and the Bicol region. And how about the large FARM property he’s got in San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan? What rotten deal (through bribery or blackmail perhaps) did he get into this time?
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2005 11:05 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2005 11:14 pm
Sadistang Arroyo
From Ellen Tordesillas:
Bukas, bilang tradisyon, ipepresenta ni Gloria Arroyo sa madla ang kalagayan ng bansa ngayon sa taunang talumpati ng isang pangulo na tinatawag na State of the Nation Address o SONA.
Ano na naman kayang kasinungalingan ang kanyang sasabihin? Ang isang patunay ng kalagayan ng bayan ay ang pagdeklara niya ng July 25 na holiday sa Metro Manila.
Sa buong kasaysayan ng Pilipinas, ngayon lang nangyari na ginawang holiday ang araw ng SONA. Sabi ni Ermita, para raw mapanood at makapakinig ang mga tao ng SONA.
May pagka-sadista talaga itong si Gloria Arroyo at ang kanyang mga kampon. Hirap at galit na nga ang taumbayan, sasabihan pa niyang makinig sa kanyang kasinungalingan.
At bakit Metro Manila lang ang kanyang pinapakinig ng kanyang SONA? At totoo, kaya niya dineklarang holiday ang July 25 ay para hindi makapag-ipun-ipon ang mga tao para sumali sa rally. Takot sa taumbayan.
Maraming kumpanya ang nainis sa biglaang pagdeklara ng holiday dahil sa apektado ang kanilang trabaho at serbisyo sa kanilang mga kliyente. Ang mga nagsasahod ng arawan ay kawawa rin dahil isang araw na wala silang kita. Ang mga kumpanya na kailangang magbukas ay magbabayad ng mas mahal sa kanilang mga empleyado.
Ganyan kapag praning na ang nakaupo sa Malacañang.
Bakit sa metro manila lang? And why the holiday? Para marinig ng mga taga-MM ang mga kasinungalingan ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo?
posted by john marzan at 12:00 PM 0 comments
Things that make you go, hmmmmm...
I don't recall the US gov't warning those who want to remove Erap back in 2000 to "follow the constitution" and not engage in people power.
Bakit ngayon lang sila nagiingay about this?
And what did the U.S. admin think of Ukraine's "Orange Revolution"? "Unconstitutional" rin ba ito? Di ba dinaya rin ni Yanukovych si opposition candidate Yushchenko sa halalan nila?
At sino na ngayon ang Prime Minister ng Ukraine? wink
posted by john marzan at 11:04 AM 0 comments
Ping Lacson's "Be Not Afraid" movement website
It's here.
posted by john marzan at 1:37 AM 0 comments
New look for Philippine Politics 04
Like it? So now, lahat na ng blogs ko ay magkakamukha... LOL.
posted by john marzan at 1:19 AM 1 comments
Saturday, July 23, 2005
After the London Bombings, napansin ko na...
wala na tayong masyadong naririnig na stories re the prisoner abuse in Guantanamo Bay from the MSM. Bakit kaya?
posted by john marzan at 7:55 PM 0 comments
Ping Lacson's TSONA
SEN. Panfilo Lacson yesterday delivered his "true" state of the nation address (TSONA) at the Manila Hotel which he said is in stark contrast to the "cosmetic" state of the nation address that will be delivered by President Arroyo on Monday.
"As we approach Monday, when she gives her annual state of the nation address before Congress in joint session, we find our nation in its moment of gravest crisis and our people in their moment of darkest faith and direst straits," he said.
Lacson said the state of public trust has deteriorated especially after Arroyo was caught lying, cheating and stealing, yet clings "with epoxy" to a presidency that is not hers.
He said she did not only steal the presidency and "personally supervised" the cheating, she also did it "with impunity and in a scale unprecedented in Philippine elections."
"Atras-abante, dagdag-dagdag, dagdag-bawas, bawas-bawas. You name it, she and her cohorts did it just to grab the presidency. From the premeditated and sinister appointment of ‘Garci’ Garcillano to the prostitution of Namfrel, the fingerprints of Mrs. Arroyo et al. are all over the place," he added.
Read the rest of the details here.
Of course, to blunt Ping's message, pinakawalan na naman ng admin ang bayarang attack dog nila vs. Ping.
posted by john marzan at 12:22 PM 2 comments
Washington open to transition gov’t in RP
More subtle signs being manifested by the United States government amid the political crisis in the country, point to its lessening of support for the Arroyo administration.
The US government, through its embassy in Manila yesterday said it is open to the idea of a transition government in the Philippines provided this is done within the framework of the Constitution.
Senior American diplomat Joseph Mussomeli, outgoing US Embassy Charge d'Affaires, advised Filipinos to adhere to the rule of law and resolve the political turmoil within the bounds of the Constitution.
“If there is to be one (transition government) so there would be long-term benefit of the Filipino people, this should be done within the Constitution. No quick fixes,” Mussomeli said in an impromptu interview yesterday during the completion ceremony of the 3rd Congressional Internship Program for Young Muslim Leaders in Makati City.
The statement comes two days after groups of opposition forces came together broaching the idea of establishing a transition government in the event President Arroyo steps out of Malacañang, along with the proposal of holding honest elections after a complete overhaul of the Comelec and other institutions.
The opposition groups, in a primer, said transition governments had been established in other countries prior to ushering in a new government.
At the same time, Mussomeli maintained that the US support is for institutions and democratic processes and not to individual persons.
Again, Mussomeli failed to give a categorical statement of support for President Arroyo, who is being asked to resign over allegations of vote fraud.
“We have very close relations with the President and this administration. We are still working together on a broad way of issues from counter-terrorism to fighting corruption and that will continue,” he said.
Following President Arroyo's admission that she was the voice behind the controversial wiretapped conversation, it has been noted that the US has been distancing itself from the Arroyo government.
This was contrary to the embassy's previous expression of “unequivocal” support to the President, who is involved in a vote fraud scandal during the May 2004 polls.
The American charge also said Washington will continue to oppose actions made beyond the Constitution such as a military coup, the imposition of martial law, and people power in the streets.
“There is always a reflex toward making a quick fix. None of those things are good for the Philippines in the long run,” he said.
“But what is clear is that a country, a sophisticated political quality cannot really develop unless things are done by the procedures that are in the Constitution and law,” he added.
He stressed it is important for the institutions in the Philippines to work rather than take constitutional shortcuts.
“It's sort of like you spoil your children because it is easier than doing things that are hard. And if that means is going to be messy, it's going to be painful. That's okay in the short-run because in the long run it proves that Philippine democracy can survive and can be effective,” Mussomeli, said.
The envoy also said that Washington will not interfere in the domestic problems of the Philippines.
“It is for the Filipino people to resolve among themselves,” he said.
And here's the article link.
Previous:
- Heritage Foundation: Crisis in the Philippines
- More on Dana Dillon's suggestions
posted by john marzan at 12:02 PM 0 comments
Friday, July 22, 2005
UPDATED: Palace gives allies P200K each to block impeach move
From the Tribune:
While the opposition is now in full swing, pushing the impeachment case against President Arroyo, Malacañang was said to have sweetened the pot by handing out “goodwill money” to its allies in the House of Representatives, to double their efforts in blocking the opposition members from getting the nod of several administration congress-men to sign the complaint.
Some known congressional allies, one of whom is a congresswoman known to be staunchly supportive of Mrs. Arroyo, were reported to have received the P200,000 initial “goodwill” money from still unidentified government fund sources.
The money is meant to “convince” the administration allies who have privately committed to support the impeachment complaint against the President not to sign the complaint. They were said to have been promised P1 million plus additional project-funding in their respective districts, by Malacañang.
A highly reliable source from the House of Representatives named a female legislator from Luzon and one from Region 1 as among the first few members of the House who had already benefited from the “well-oiled money machinery” of Malacañang, which money reportedly is sourced not only from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) but also from the Road Users' Tax.
The female legislator, sources said, had indiscreetly asked a fellow congressman if he had already received his share of the goodwill money since she already obtained her P200,000 last Wednesday.
“She practically admitted it earlier, then denied it but later admitted it directly when she was confronted by others,” the source, who requested not to be identified, told the Tribune.
The other congressman was also said to have bragged about the “gift” he had received, but quickly claimed “it was not intended for the killing of the impeachment complaint. These two congressmen are members of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), Mrs. Arroyo's political party.
Another congressman said if members of Kampi got only P200,000, some members of the Lakas had already gotten their share of P1 million each. “That's why they are being called the P1 million men of GMA.”
Some of these legislators come from the Visayas region. “There are Visayans who admitted to us that the budget for this Malacañang gift came from the NCA but they said they would sign anyway because it really wasn't GMA's money.”
Inuulan na talaga ang mga tongressmen ng pera ng bayan...
UPDATE: More on the frantic attempts by the administration to buy our tongressmen's support.
Administration congressmen led by House Speaker Jose de Venecia hope they will get lucky this weekend as well. House members say the Speaker and his wife Gina have been making frantic phone calls and visits, and making even more frantic promises. Congressmen have reportedly also been getting offers of projects from cash-rich government entities like PAGCOR (Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp.) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
In a press conference today, party-list Rep. Eulogio “Amang” Magsaysay Jr., of the Alliance of Concerned Educators said two congressmen and three other persons called him the past week. The offer: P500,000 not to sign the impeachment complaint and an assurance of P5-million worth of projects.
Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, House deputy minority leader, also accused the administration of offering all sorts of inducements, including appointments of congressmen’s protégés to plum government posts.
Pro sabi rin ni pro-Admin Congressman Prospero Pichay na binabayaran rin raw ng opposition ang mga lumagda sa impeachment complaing.
Pro-Arroyo representatives, meanwhile, say that the opposition is offering payoffs as well. Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay says his opponents have a war chest courtesy of ousted President Joseph Estrada.
I believe Pichay... NOT!!! LOL!
UPDATE: More coverage here, here and here.
posted by john marzan at 3:42 PM 1 comments
More on Dana Dillon's suggestions
Here's an update on the Dana Dillon proposal from Malaya.
I've already discussed his suggestions here. Read it if you wanna know why I'm upset.
Kasi if you read his article, it's clear that Dillon doesn't really give a s**t if Gloria Macapagal Arroyo cheated or not. Ang imporante lang sa kanya ay yung interests ng U.S., ang War on Terror at ang China problem. He is also pushing for the Charter Change, which is a weird suggestion at this point in time, because guess what, YAN RIN ANG GUSTONG MANGYARI NILA FIDEL RAMOS AT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO.
But most Filipinos know that the "blame and change the constitution" strategy is just a ploy by FVR and GMA to distract attention from GLORIAGATE.
Mr. Dillon also wrote:
* Statements from Washington should be measured expressions of support for the Philippine people, constitutional processes, and the rule of law and should avoid any appearance of partisanship;
* If requested, assistance should be in the form of commissions or delegations of constitutional scholars, Philippine experts, and former U.S. lawmakers to assist with constitutional reform; and
* If requested, and considered appropriate, financial assistance should be restricted to the administration of the convention.
Which made me laugh, because the best way for the US to lose credibility among Filipinos is to support Arroyo's and Fidel Ramos's Charter Change strategy.
Filipinos will rightly think that the U.S. gov't is tacitly supporting and giving legitimacy to the Arroyo gov't by embracing Arroyo's fake solution.
And the Arroyo administration will waste no time in reminding Filipinos that the Bush Admin's support for her (and Ramos') "amend the constitution" proposal is a sign that the US is strongly behind her administration.
posted by john marzan at 3:00 PM 0 comments
Joblessness at record 20%, says SWS
From Malaya:
UNEMPLOYMENT in the second quarter of this year has reached a record of 20.3 percent or up by 3.8 percent from the first quarter figure of 16.5 percent, a nationwide Social Weather Stations survey reported yesterday.
The survey conducted from May 14 to 23 and covering 1,200 respondents also showed unemployment is more prevalent in women (30 percent) and among the younger labor force (53.5 percent) or those aged between 18 and 24.
The survey also showed that 54 percent of adult women and 15 percent of the adult men do not have jobs.
posted by john marzan at 2:00 PM 0 comments
Reckless stunt by Duterte, Singson et al
The gov't-approved secession will only spur the MILF and MNLF to ditch the peace process and go for real secession, since the duterte/chavit stunt "legitimizes" their previous secession demands.
Treason. According to the Hyatt 10 Cabinet members, one of the points that convinced them to resign was the strategy adopted in a Cabinet meeting that Duterte, Singson and other GMA allies go on TV to threaten seceding from the Republic of the Philippines and establish their own independent republics.
The threat of Mayor Duterte to secede has been reinforced in a presscon called by Governors Jose Zubiri of Bukidnon, Manny Piñol of North Cotabato and Miguel Rene Dominguez of Sarangani.
This treasonous act gives support to the stand of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and other Bangsa Moro groups who have long wanted to secede.
But Duterte, Piñol and company are not thinking right. Once they move to secede, the MILF and MNLF with a combined force of 15,000 armed components and 20,000 belonging to warlords and private armies can take over the whole of Mindanao. Without an AFP to defend it, Duterte's new republic will be overrun by Moslem forces.
The same goes for Chavit's Republic of Ilocandia. Joma Sison's NPA can easily conquer the small province of Ilocos Sur. They are all over the place already.
posted by john marzan at 11:10 AM 1 comments
Yesteday's GLORIAGATE news (pahabol)
- Supalpal ang "kangaroo court" proposal ni Arroyo, CBCP
- Serge says Angara angling for VP post. Not surprising. Matagal na nating sinasabi na "palace mole" yang si Angara eh noong pang campaign manager siya ni FPJ.
- JB Baylon on how to tell which businessmen is on which side of the GLORIAGATE divide.
- Smoke and Mirrors lang ang "truth commission" na proposal.
THE idea of a Truth Commission seems like a good thing. But, looking at the truth commissions set up in other countries, we find that the Philippine idea is far removed from the other truth commissions that have been set up in other parts of the world.
The Truth Commission that has been set up by Malacañang would find out what happened – whether Gloria Arroyo was guilty of electoral fraud and worse crimes. Truth commissions that had been set up elsewhere began from the fact that crimes against peoples and nations had been committed. Truth commissions had been set up in Haiti, El Salvador, Burundi and other countries. Always, before these were set up, the fact of criminal neglect or criminal offenses had already been established.
In South Africa where they have one (and where I suppose the proponents picked up the name, if not the purpose), the premise was that apartheid was wrong and that crimes were committed in its name. That part was already presumed. This was common knowledge. What the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Committee on Human Rights Violations, the Committee on Amnesty and the Committee on Reparation and Rehabilitation set out to do was to make things right again in the Republic of South Africa.
Certainly, the South Africans did not need to have a truth commission to find out whether of not apartheid was wrong or even that excesses were committed in apartheid’s name. Here, we seem to be poised to find out whether cheating and lying were wrong. I will tell you that they are. Why do we even need a commission to find that out?
In South Africa, they decided that the only way to do this properly was for those who committed crimes in the name of Apartheid to own up to their errors.
According to South Africa’s "Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act", their purpose was "the investigation and the establishment of as complete a picture as possible of the nature, causes and extent of gross violations of human rights committed, within or outside the Republic, emanating from the conflicts of the past, and the fate or whereabouts of the victims of such violations; the granting of amnesty to persons who make full disclosure of all the relevant facts relating to acts associated with a political objective committed in the course of the conflicts of the past; affording victims an opportunity to relate the violations they suffered; the taking of measures aimed at the granting of reparation to, and the rehabilitation and the restoration of the human and civil dignity of, victims of violations of human rights; reporting to the Nation about such violations and victims; the making of recommendations aimed at the prevention of the commission of gross violations of human rights."
After all those high-minded purposes, how does the idea of a local truth commission compare? We are setting up one to find out whether Gloria Arroyo committed any crimes.
Truth to tell, fact-finding is not a proper purpose for such a commission. We have our regular courts and an impeachment process to do that for us. We even have fact-finding commissions that will do that for us as in the Agrava Commission to find out who killed Ninoy Aquino.
The truth commission is a useless contraption created to try to save Gloria Arroyo’s thick hide. This is a smoke and mirrors act that, sadly, will not work. After all, eight out of ten of us already want her to go by whatever means, foul or fair. She has no credibility; neither will whoever she appoints have any credibility with the people. Even the credible ones will lose whatever trust the people have in them.
posted by john marzan at 11:07 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Good news for Lacson
- Metro folks favor Ping to take over. Pulse Asia says Gloria is least acceptable leader.
Ping Lacson would make a good Commander-in-Chief. He also criticized Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for being FVR and JDV's puppet and will deliver a preemptive SONA on friday.
- Hyatt 10 will support Impeach GMA move
- CBCP conspires with Arroyo to form so-called "Truth Commission". More like a "Kangaroo court", according to Napanice because Arroyo will handpick the members.
Conrado de Quiros has more on the "truth commission"
Like I said in response to the endorsement by election watchdog Namfrel's chairman, Jose Concepcion, of a Truth Commission, what is a Truth Commission supposed to ferret out? To repeat, I'm all for a Truth Commission myself if it will ferret out the truth about the extent of Namfrel's collusion with the Commission on Elections to defraud the voters. Or if it will investigate how Code-NGO, which also wants a Truth Commission, managed to corner the Peace Bonds worth P1.4 billion. Those are the only things left worth knowing. The truth about the "Hello, Garci" tapes Ms Arroyo has already yielded, albeit grudgingly: She confessed to it. We know it is she on the tapes. We know she talked to Garcillano during the counting. We know what they talked about. What else do we want from an "independent body"?
Exactly.
- Opposition at House endorses impeachment complaint. It will be filed during GMA's State of the Nation Address on July 25. The likelihood of impeachment is making some of Arroyo's allies in Congress very nervous.
- GMA cheated in Cebu with 460 K vote pad
ALLY EX-SEN. JOHN OSMEÑA SPILLS BEANS, SAYS ARROYO LOST
The Cebu truth is out, with an erstwhile administration ally and member of President Arroyo's senatorial team in last year's elections yesterday spilling the election beans, finally confirming truth behind charges of massive election cheating as intimated in the Gloriagate tapes.
Former Sen. John Osmeña, in a press conference at the Westin Plaza yesterday categorically stated that Mrs. Arroyo had definitely cheated her way to the presidency — and not just in Mindanao but also in Cebu, where Malacañang bragged to have obtained about a million votes over her rival, opposition standard-bearer, the late Fernando Poe Jr.
Osmeña said Mrs. Arroyo mustered only 621,000 majority support from among Cebuanos yet padded 460,000 votes in the election returns to reflect a million votes from Cebu, Osmeña's home province.
“I would like to use this opportunity to state something that I have always thought about in the last year and a half, almost 14 months, and that is that President Arroyo lost the 2004 elections because in my opinion, the winner of that elections by about 700,000 votes was Fernando Poe Jr.,” Osmeña, appearing before Senate beat reporters for the first time since the polls.
The former senator who was consistently on top of the mock poll surveys prior to the elections said he is more than willing to attest to these facts if called to testify especially if the information in his possession is made part of the planned impeachment proceedings.
He pointed out that his revelations would further undermine the legitimacy of Mrs. Arroyo in obtaining her additional six-year mandate, since it came from him, a former member of the administration's senatorial slate.
More on the Cebu cheating from Malaya.
- Ellen Tordesillas on loyalty checking at the UNIFORS
- ‘Hello, Raul, you still there?’ Hehe. Sana wag munang tanggalin si aydol Raul. Comedy kasi eh everytime he opens his mouth.
More here.
- Nasaan ka Garci?
Sa Pilipinas lamang nangyayari na ang isang taong hinahanap ng buong sambayanan, maging ng mga nagmamasid sa buong daigdig, ay hindi makita-kita, higit sa isang buwan na.
Ito’y walang iba kundi si Virgilio Garcillano, dating Commissioner ng Comelec sa pagkakapaghirang ni Donya Gloria maski na siya’y pinagsabihan ng napakarami na itong si Garci ay may masamang record bilang regional director ng Comelec. Matapos sumulpot sa kanyang opisina noong Hunyo 8, at itinangging kanyang boses ang lumabas sa tapes na noon ay mismong si Press Secretary Toting Bunye ang nangangalandakan, biglang nawala itong si Garci.
Read the whole article.
posted by john marzan at 5:00 PM 9 comments
The "Red scare" tactics of Arroyo's military
This is disturbing. Sana hindi mangyari ito.
THE military and the police are hysterically raising the Red bogey in the run-up to the State of the Nation Address of President Arroyo on Monday. We hope it’s just the worn-out tactic of trying to scare the moderates from joining the anti-SONA protest actions. What we fear is that the AFP and the PNP might be cooking up something and already laying the ground so the communists would be blamed.
Brig. Gen. Jose Angel Honrado, AFP spokesman, was honest enough to say that the intelligence information talks only of a general threat to disrupt the SONA.
"Aside from that, there is no specific information, like targeting specific targets or establishments or facilities… On the specifics (of the plan), there are none," he said.
PNP chief Arturo Lomibao has at least something specific to point to. A purportedly breakaway communist group, Partido Marxista Leninista, has threatened to assassinate all those involved in the "Hello Garci" tapes, including President Arroyo.
Since the communist party has been splitting like an amoeba for years, we don’t discount the possibility there is indeed such as group. As to the group’s capability, its obscurity alone indicates it cannot mount any action more significant than holding press conferences.
So, again, what gives?
The purported "communist infiltration" probably would be used by the police and the military to justify harassment of protesters. Lomibao has warned that "out of line" jeepneys and buses ferrying protesters from the provinces would be barred from entering Metro Manila.
Well, the zealousness in enforcing franchising rules would be commendable had the police also barred those buses from the provinces which hauled the warm bodies to the pro-Gloria rally at the Luneta last Saturday. But that’s the way things work. The AFP and PNP are strictly neutral for Gloria.
"Communist infiltration" could also be used to justify a crackdown on protesters. Policemen, with the support of soldiers, could break up any attempt by protesters to mass. All in the name, of course, of protecting these protesters from the violence the communists are purportedly planning.
There are other possibilities, worse ones. Some hardliners in the Arroyo cabinet, most of them retired military men, are itching to crush the opposition with a mailed fist. It would take only a few teams of provocateurs to turn a peaceful demonstration into riot and mayhem.
And the communists would be conveniently blamed.
I hope Gloria's military is not dumb enough to use extreme force to break up the huge "Gloria resign" rally scheduled during her SONA speech.
More from Ducky Paredes:
CHANCES are that the rallies during Gloria Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 25 will be bloody and violent. This is because the PNP has already floated "reports" there is a plan to assassinate Gloria.
According to PNP chief Arturo Lomibao, he has information that the Partido Marxista-Leninista ng Pilipinas (PMLP) will be out to create trouble on that day. He also has "reports" that "unscrupulous individuals" will "sow terror" on that day.
My reaction is to be on guard against what the PNP, under Chavit Singson’s former police chief, might have in store for us on the day of the SONA.
Whoever the President has been, there have always been rallies on SONA day. It is only under Gloria that the police have been so paranoid that they have kept rallies as far away as possible from the Batasang Pambansa where the SONA takes place. The police have also never been as rabid in their defense of the establishment as in Gloria’s "presidency."
posted by john marzan at 2:00 PM 0 comments
How to solve our Gloria problem
Na-inspire ako na gumawa ng post na ito dahil sa website ni Ka Enteng Romano, yung SavetheRepublic.net website.
Parang medyo mali yung poll nila kasi you can be for resignation AND for new elections too. In fact, you can be for resignation, a transition/caretaker gov't and new elections!
I think there are two questions that needed to be answered. One is, what's the best way to resolve this crisis? Two naman is, who should replace Gloria?
The options for question one -- how to end gloria's reign -- should be:
a) Voluntary Resignation
b) Impeachment
c) People Power
d) Charter Change
The options for question two -- who should replace Gloria -- should be:
a) the guy next-in-line, Noli de Castro
b) let the voters decide via new elections to correct the last one
Here's how I think must/should happen.
Resignation is the best move GMA can make. I hope she makes that choice. Kasi kung hindi, baka mag-people power ulit ang tao and install Estrada or Ramos might lead a military junta to take over this country. As for impeachment, does that even apply to a fake president?
Now for the second question, of course we need new elections. May dayaan na nangyari sa 2004 presidential elections eh.
Why should Noli replace Arroyo when Arroyo is not the real president in the first place? Okay lang sana kung si FPJ ang presidente at namatay siya while in office, doon pwedeng pumalit si Noli as FPJ's successor. But Fernando Poe never got to be president because he was cheated by GMA.
Besides, even if we found out na Gloria Macapagal Arroyo cheated while FPJ was still alive, hindi naman automatic na magiging presidente kaagad si Poe eh. We will still have to have an election rerun again, katulad nang nangyari sa Ukraine, but this time disqualified na si Arroyo from running for president again at dapat mag-resign rin ang lahat ng COMELEC commissioners.
Here's another example. If there was massive evidence indicating that Arroyo stole the 2004 elections one week after she was proclaimed "winner", would we even be discussing whether or not Noli de Castro should permanently succeed Arroyo and be the new president? Of course not.
Ang may K lang na pumalit kay Arroyo ay yung sasali sa bagong presidential elections na ito para palitan ang pekeng presidente. People probably like Lacson, Eddie V, FPJ (if he was still alive), Mar Roxas, Roco, Serge Osmena, Frank Drilon or Bayani Fernando.
Ang gagawin lang ni Noli (or Drilon) is to take the role of "acting president", organize new elections, and wait for the outcome.
I've already blogged on this before.
As for Maceda's suggestion, as long as temporary lang yang caretaker gov't na yan, and will end when we elect a new president, I'm open to it.
Acceptable. The idea of a transition caretaker government is gaining acceptability because of a unanimity in calls to revamp the Comelec and to effect immediate savings by pruning down useless and money-guzzling government corporations to help solve our fiscal problems.
A consensus is fast developing with an indication that former Presidents Cory Aquino and Erap Estrada, former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa, Sen. Ping Lacson and five prominent leaders from the religious, business, academe, activist and student sectors should be included in the council.
The door is left open for FVR if he does a 180 degree turnaround and junks GMA who has now clearly indicated that she does not accept FVR's formula to shorten her term to June 2006.
With the bishops backtracking, coupled with the formation of a credible nine-man council and strengthened by continuing quit calls and resignations, definitely public pressure for GMA's exit is building up.
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Talumpati at Sinta Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2005 11:19 pm
Pwede po bang paliitin ang font mo? Masyadong nalalakihan ako e; nagiging "page-stretcher" na ang post mo. Salamat.
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:30 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:34 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:35 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:36 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:38 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:39 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:40 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:42 am
Charter change ipinipilit ni Ramos
(Juliet de Loza)
Iginiit kahapon ni dating Pangulong Fidel V. Ramos na patulan na ng mga halal na opisyal ng pamahalaan ang kanyang win-win solution na walang iba kundi ang Charter Change (Chacha) na isa umanong "total approach" para tuluyan ng matapos ang dinaranas na krisis sa pulitika ng bansa.
"Congress (both Chambers jointly) and the President must lead the way by taking the first significant step toward national renewal while at the same time insuring the integrity of the Republic under a Constitutional democratic order," ayon kay Ramos.
Nangangahulugan umano ito ng paghinto sa lahat ng isinasagawang special investigation para bigyan daan ang constitutional reform tungo sa estabilidad ng bansa.
Dapat umano na sa Nobyembre 2005 ay maisulong na ang Constitutional Assembly at mai-draft ang constitutional amendments para sa pagpapalit ng sistema at mga repormang electoral, political, at judicial.
Naniniwala si Ramos na wala sa kahit na anong isinusulong na paraan, imbestigasyon, resignation, impeachment, at maging Truth Commission ang solusyon upang matapos ang problema ng bansa.
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:54 am
pilya I think the Arroyo Admin is planning a violent dispersal tomorrow A show of force, if you will. Kaya nag-declare ng non-working holiday sa Metro Manila ang Arroyo admin is probably because may binabalak silang hindi maganda sa mga rallyista bukas sa SONA ni GMA. Bakit sa metro manila lang? And why the holiday? Para marinig ng mga taga-MM ang mga kasinungalingan ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Sa tingin ko, ginawa niyang holiday iyon para mag-bakasyon ang mga taga-Maynila at magsialisan sila sa ibang lalawigan. Sa pagalisan ng mga taga-Maynila, mas liliit ang mga rally doon sa Maynila lalo na kapag linalathala ni GMA ang kanyang SONA. Basta, may paraan si GMA laban sa mga gustong humamon sa kanya. Keep it strong, sister.
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Talumpati at Sinta Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 2:19 am
Weed Unit Under Blue Sky pilya I think the Arroyo Admin is planning a violent dispersal tomorrow A show of force, if you will. Kaya nag-declare ng non-working holiday sa Metro Manila ang Arroyo admin is probably because may binabalak silang hindi maganda sa mga rallyista bukas sa SONA ni GMA. Bakit sa metro manila lang? And why the holiday? Para marinig ng mga taga-MM ang mga kasinungalingan ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Sa tingin ko, ginawa niyang holiday iyon para mag-bakasyon ang mga taga-Maynila at magsialisan sila sa ibang lalawigan. Sa pagalisan ng mga taga-Maynila, mas liliit ang mga rally doon sa Maynila lalo na kapag linalathala ni GMA ang kanyang SONA. Basta, may paraan si GMA laban sa mga gustong humamon sa kanya. Keep it strong, sister.hehe galeng..nice observation there..
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Reply
