To Danny and Other Readers:
If you want to read more information about this topic, visit the website of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism with the link below:
http://www.pcij.org/
There seems to be no stopping to the series of corruption scandals being exposed under the Arroyo Administration. The most recent is World Bank's suspension of seven big contractors, three of whom are Filipinos from participating in World Bank-funded infrastructure projects. Not surprisingly, the House cleared the contractors from any wrongdoing after two hearings chaired by a former contractor Congressman (or is he still a contractor until now). Sen. Joker Arroyo has also turned the tables against the World Bank. (What happened to Joker, I voted for him in the last elections?)
I don't think people perceive these exposes as mere political gimmicks. The problem is people seemed to have been resigned to the fact that nothing happens after all. Not one of the perceived wrongdoers gets penalized, and the whistle-blowers are instead, the ones hit.
If you have the time, you may want to watch the attached video of Winnie Monsood, former NEDA Director-General, a UP Economics professor, and well known columnist. She has an excellent take on the implication of the "WB Report". Just click the link below.
http://www.gmanews. tv/video/ 36153/Analysis- World-Bank- Report
For those interested to read the full text of the decisions on the plunder and perjury cases, visit the following:
Criminal Case No 26905 - People of the Philippines vs Joseph Ejercito Estrada for Perjury
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=df3m9sd4_7gqbxzt&hl=en
Criminal Case No. 26558 - People of the Philippines vs Joseph Ejercito Estrada et al for Plunder
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=df3m9sd4_4gbgtj4&hl=en - pages 1 - 131
pages 132 - 263
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=df3m9sd4_6f6qh6z&hl=en
FLASH:
The Sandiganbayan headed by Justice Teresita de Castro handed down its decision finding Erap guilty of plunder and sentencing him to reclusion perpetua (equivalent to 40 years according to the lawyers.), but acquitted him for the perjury charges. The two other accused, Jinggoy Estrada and Atty. Serapio were acquitted.
The accused through their lawyer, Atty. Flamiano requested the reading only of the dispositive portion. Thus, the whole proceeding lasted only a short while.
Yesterday was 9/11 anniversary but everything was normal when I traveled from Cebu back to Manila. It’s now Sept 12. In a few minutes, judgment on the Erap plunder case will be handed down. (He has already arrived in the Sandiganbayan compound.) This is a very historic event and everyone is awaiting for the verdict. The Supreme Court has already allowed the live telecast but the camera will focus only on the reader of the Sandiganbayan decision.
Whether Malacanang is being paranoid or there’s a real threat to its security should the decision be adverse to Erap, the fact is it will be deploying 6,000 police and military troops and 5 APCs around Metro Manila concentrating in the vicinity of the court, Malacanang and the probable rally sites. Malacanang is now heavily guarded with container vans placed on the streets leading to the gates. Along the Pasig River, naval patrol boats keep watch.
Personally, I believe Erap is guilty - of manipulating the stock market in his favor, of using the tobacco excise tax (but Chavit Singson is equally guilty and should in fact be in prison with him), of profiting from jueteng operations, of using his power to benefit friends and relatives (contrary to his inaugural speech – WALANG KAMAG-ANAK, WALANG KAIBIGAN who will be unduly favored), and of practicing a work ethic completely opposed to what a President should be – holding drinking/gambling sessions with his midnight cabinet until the wee hours of the morning such that no official functions requiring his presence could be held before lunch time the next day and publicly admitting to an adulterous life, and being proud of it.
Should he then be punished? I’m not sure whether the 6 years in confinement are already sufficient. What is certain is that more people are now sympathetic to him, not really because of any good thing that he did while in detention but because of what Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been doing since she assumed office. The massive corruption that is happening under Gloria’s watch makes Erap’s sins ‘venial’ compared to GMA’s ‘mortal sins’. Having taken over from an administration that was ousted due to corruption, Gloria turned out to be worse. I agree with Conrad de Quiroz’s opinion in his Inquirer column that the issue is not about setting Erap free but of putting Gloria to jail.
The $329Million ZTE broadband deal is the latest. What is revolting is the cover-up and denials that insult our intelligence. The contract was signed in April by the Secretary of Transport and Communication Leandro Mendoza (ex military man) with Madam as witness (Gloria even had to leave the bedside of the First Gentleman Mike who had a major heart surgery at the St. Luke’s Hospital to go to China). When questions about the contract were raised, a Transport/Comm official claimed that the Philippine copy of the signed contract was “LOST” in the hotel on the same day it was signed. Talks about the overpricing and kickbacks started heating up, and Malacanang officials issued statements defending the deal. The Justice Secretary (whose remarks are always abhorrent every time he opens his mouth) said that the contract was valid (how could he have examined it if the copy was lost!). Sergio Apostol, the President’s legal counsel said that technically there was no contract to speak of – if it was lost, then there was no contract to review, Peter Favila, the Secretary of Trade claims that only a Memo of Agreement, not a contract was signed. Mendoza (the signatory) says there’s nothing irregular with it.
Then an opposition congressman revealed that the Comelec Chairman Abalos brokered the deal. For this, he was allegedly bribed, wined, dined, ‘golfed’ and ‘sexed’. Abalos admits to being friends of the ZTE officials – but finds nothing wrong with being their golf buddies? What’s wrong with playing golf during an all-expenses paid trip to China at the time that he should be busy attending to the May elections? – he also hosts and spends money entertaining these Chinese when they play golf here in the Philippines? (Isn’t he aware of the Code of Conduct for government officials and employees?).
Finance Secretary Teves admitted to the media that indeed Abalos introduced him to the ZTE officials and they talked about the contract. Romulo Neri, the former head of the National Economic and Development Authority, which reviews and approves proposed projects hinted that there was an attempt to bribe him P200M. The media also exposed that there’s no Detailed Engineering design, no bill of materials so the basis for setting the amount of the contract is a mystery. Details of the contract are not being revealed yet it will be funded by a loan from China that will be paid for by the Filipino people.
Secretary of Budget and Management says that the contract has not been perfected. Presidential Legal counsel Apostol now puts the blame on Mendoza and asks the media to direct questions about the contract to him. GMA in an interview in Australia said that she has asked her cabinet to review the agreement and to give her recommendations. The Supreme Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order on the transaction yesterday. Senate will open its investigation on Friday. For resolution by the Supreme Court is the case filed requiring the government to provide the losing competitor a copy of the contract.
Ang gulo ano? Is there or isn’t there a contract? Obviously there is. Can it be rescinded by the Phil. Government unilaterally? This is doubtful. Was the copy of the contract really lost? Tell it to the marines!
CANCEL THE CONTRACT AND PUNISH THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS ANOMALOUS DEAL! And what about GMA, is she is innocent, doesn’t she know the details of what she signed as witness in April? F_ _ _! She should give Erap company!
Postscript: This NBN contract is only the first of several contracts with China. Next is the US$400M + Cyber Education Program supposedly signed also in April and whose copy of contract is also allegedly lost.
It is not absolute power that corrupts but the fear of losing power! (according to Ed de la Torre).
An article in the Philippine Star cited a study of the International Labor Organization (ILO) which showed that the ratio of women to men in executive jobs in the Philippines is the highest in the world at about 58%. Barbados follows with 43.4% and then the US with 42.3%. An earlier international survey of 32 countries by the Grant Thornton International Business Record showed similar findings.
The Department of Labor and Employment reported that the number of women in senior positions rose from 2.162 million in 2004 to 2.257 million in 2006. The number of men in similar jobs increased to only 1.629 million from 1.613 million in the same period. I thought all the while that there is discrimination against women in the work place. It seems this isn’t true. Even if we look at the education statistics now, there are more women graduating from college.
A chief executive officer of Land-Excel Consulting, a Manila real estate firm and a professor of the Asian Institute of Management said that “Women are better managers of people. They are also more hard-working”. Do you agree Danny and Bert?
Only one student from Metro Manila (Taguig Elementary School) made it to the top 20 of the NAT administered by the Department of Education last March. Topnotcher was a Grade 6 pupil from Eastern Samar. Other topnotchers came from Cavite, Leyte, Butuan City and Biliran (what about Bicol?).
The Department of Education Bureau of Elementary Education director Yolando Quijano said that students in public schools in the provinces fared better than those in Metro Manila because they were less distracted.
My own take on this is that there is bigger shortage of classrooms in urban centers (especially Metro Manila) resulting in several shifts using the same classroom and therefore, shorter class hours.
(Source: Philippine Star)
Very interesting prison scene in the Philippines…extremely creative….. - shared by Ed Canela
Ed shared the dance video clip of more than 1,000 Filipino inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center. Byron Garcia, Prison head, posted the video himself at You Tube and this is now creating a stir with more than 1Million hits in only a week’s time.
I watched the interview with Byron Garcia and the choreographer in the morning show yesterday, (not sure if it was GMA 7’s Unang Hirit or ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda). Byron said that it used to be difficult to get the prisoners to do their morning exercises, until they thought of a more creative way to prod them. The choreographer related the difficulties he initially underwent. At the start, the prisoners were antagonistic and he cried not a few times because of the insults. But after a while, the prisoners began to enjoy what they were doing.
"I want the prison system to learn from this," Garcia told Reuters. "The inmates are after all human beings and the inmates after all, once inside, know that they have committed mistakes, let them enjoy their stay."
It was my first time to see the entire presentation. Wonderful! Just being able to form straight lines, and much more, dancing in unison, with rhythm and timing shows discipline. Now that they found out that dance exercise works, perhaps they can think of other creative ways of reforming and rehabilitating the prisoners - like holding academic and technology classes.
By the way, GMA loves Cebu, isn't it? Wouldn't it be lovelier if she were the one leading those inmates doing the Thriller?
Just click the video clips at the upper right hand corner of this page or:
click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnk7lh9M3o
It costs P148Million on the average to pass a law. With a budget of P12.5Billion over a period of 3 years, the 13th Congress passed only 83 laws. Mura ano?
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RP needs $16M more for Bicol typhoon rehab – particularly Albay, Catanduanes and Camarines Sur, which were badly hit by last year's typhoons. Such amount is needed for health, food and shelter, and early recovery needs such as livelihood programs, nutrition and education.
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Teofisto Guingona: "Free Estrada, he’s now a new man." Remember Guingona as the Senator who gave a privilege speech entitled "I accuse (Erap!)" which started the moves to impeach Erap. Just because Gloria has turned out to be worse than Erap in terms of corruption doesn't make Erap less guilty (my personal view).
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Sexy actor Jay Manalo was taken into police custody for his bomb joke while on board PAL flight bound for Puerto Princesa. "I didn’t know that making such a joke would land me into trouble." Ulol! Sinong lokohin mo? Dapat ikulong na iyan, pero dapat kasama si John Estrada, who did the same thing in General Santos City.
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Still no proof of life of Italian priest Fr. Giancarlo Bossi, who was abducted in Zamboanga Sibugay on June 10.
July 5, 2007
Department of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales says nobody is immune from wiretapping once the Human Securities Act (Anti-Terrorism Law) takes effect this month.
Booo!
Taxes for 7 Marcos Baguio mansions unpaid these past 20 years. (Bureau of Internal Revenue unable to meet its tax collection target).
Booo!
Supreme Court upholds 20% discount on the price of medicines for the senior citizens.
Yehey! Meron na bang eligible to become beneficiary sa atin?
E-jeepney (earth-friendly) electrifies Makati folk –– costs P500,000 each; runs by batteries charged via electrical sockets overnight; 12-seater; does not puff smoke
Yehey!
Imelda Marcos’s birthday bash held in Canlubang Mansion, a sequestered asset under the care of the Department of Tourism.
Booo!
UN seeks stricter measures to ensure safer milk formula
Yehey!
RP ranks 17th among 191 nations in UN’s survey on e-governance
Yehey! But I really don’t know what e-governance is. I have yet to read the news article.
Jaworski returning to PBA – Philippine Basketball Association next season as coach of Air21
Yehey or Booo depending on whether you are a Lolo Jawo fanatic or not.
