-- Sunod-sunod na pagpatay ng mga aktibista nakaka-alarma
Nakakaalarma na ang "serial killings" na nagaganap sa hanay ng mga aktibista at lider manggagawa partikular sa Central Luzon.
Kahapon, hindi pinalagpas ni Senate President Franklin Drilon ang magkakasunod na pagpatay sa mga lider ng militanteng grupo sa Central Luzon kasunod ang pagkalampag sa liderato ng Philippine National Police (PNP) at Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
May labing-siyam na pagpatay sa hanay ng mga aktibista at lider ng militanteng grupo ang naitatala, simula noong Setyembre 2 kung kaya’t nakakaalarma, ayon kay Drilon, dahil walang ginagawang aksyon ang gobyerno.
Ayon kay Drilon, dating kalihim ng Department of Justice (DOJ), karapatan ng bawat indibidwal ang magpahayag ng kanilang damdamin at saloobin laban sa gobyerno kung kaya’t hindi dapat humahantong sa madugong senaryo.
"Freedom of expression is an inalienable right of every Filipino. It is the government’s obligation to safeguard this right...," ani Drilon.
-- Ellen Tordesillas: Ambassador Bobi Tiglao
Tiglao’s foreign assignment has surprised even some members of Arroyo’s inner circle and has led to speculations on why he has opted to be away at a time when Arroyo’s hold on the presidency is precarious.
-- US Embassy report links RAMOS to coup plot
EARLY on in the year, the US Embassy in Manila received information linking former President Fidel Ramos to reports of a supposed planned coup against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
According to an embassy report dated Feb. 24, 2005, and prepared before the "Jueteng-gate" and "Hello, Garci" scandals erupted, Ramos gave his former national security adviser, Jose Almonte, until June to implement the plan against the President.
At that time, the questions of legitimacy and integrity leveled at Ms Arroyo involved only the dismissed election protest of the late opposition standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr. and the persistent allegations of fraud in the 2004 polls.
"Most disturbingly, sensitive reports maintained that former President Ramos continues a series of meetings with Forces (Federation of Retired Commissioned and Enlisted Soldiers)," the report said.
It added: "[Forces], which includes many ex-members of Ramos' former Cabinet, including former Budget Secretary Salvador Enriquez, former Defense Secretary Fortunato Abat, and... Almonte, is mostly just a springboard for Ramos' conspiratorial hints of a forthcoming coup attempt."
Ramos, who helped install Ms Arroyo as president in January 2001 and "saved" her from ouster in July 2005, is currently on an official trip to Guangdong, China. He is expected back on Oct. 29.
-- JB Baylon: First things first
-- Good Idea from Ernie Maceda:
Scrap it. If the Cha-cha pushes through, one of the offices needing to be abolished is the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC). The poor performance of the judiciary as a whole proves that the JBC has not produced quality judges. Friends and relatives of JBC members have been recommended for appointment.
Like in the US system, return the screening and confirmation process to the Commission on Appointments.
Another possible change would be to give Supreme Court justices a staggered fixed term of six years so that they would not be controlled by the President and to prevent a President from being able to appoint all the members of the SC or even a majority of them.
-- Former Sec. Emily Boncodin spills beans on Agri funds scam
Moves were made by Malacañang to ensure that the presidential couple's alleged bagman, former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante, along with former Agriculture Secretary Luis “Cito” Lorenzo would not testify before the Senate, knowing that resigned Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Sec-retary Emilia Boncodin would tell all and pin them all down, including President Arroyo in the P3-billion fertilizer funds scam.
Up to the last minute, Palace gofer and staunch ally of Mrs. Arroyo, Wilfredo Villarama, was in the hospital room where Boncodin's deposition was being taken.
The deposition was enough to pin down the two former officials on the alleged misuse of billions due farmers for their fertilizer needs.
Boncodin confirmed the release of funds amounting to some P3 billion, which was said to have been diverted to help bankroll the candidacy of Mrs. Arroyo and her adminis-tration candidates in last year's elections.
She confirmed making more than P1-billion funds in cash available a week before the campaign period started, upon the initiative of the Department of Agriculture (DA), for distribution to 105 congressmen and 53 provincial and 23 municipal officials.
Boncodin formally entered into the records of the Senate panel investigating the fertilizer scam her testimony as gleaned from her deposition, which was taken by a team led by Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., chairman of the committee on agriculture and food.
The former Budget secretary even vowed to support her sworn statements by submitting evidence and sworn affidavits while also committing herself to testify before the Senate panel and allow senators full play in grilling her.
The alleged fertilizer scam is believed to be among the issues that led Boncodin in deciding to sever her ties with Mrs. Arroyo and cut short her career in government.
“I am banking on her promise to attend the third and final hearing to supplement her testimony when her medical condition improves,” Magsaysay said.
Boncodin, currently being treated for an ailment at the National Kidney Institute, was sought by Magsaysay's committee to shed light on the issue on the heels of the flight abroad of Lorenzo and Bolante hours before the Senate hearing last Wednesday.
More here.
Abante-Tonite: Boncodin inespiyahan sa fertilizer scam
-- Corruption jacking up electricity costs - ADB
YOU WONDER why your electricity bill is so high? It’s because of corruption, says the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
A new study by the bank warns that “deeply rooted” corruption is jacking up costs of power projects in the Philippines, delaying their implementation and providing Filipino households and businesses with expensive but unreliable electricity services.
“If unmitigated, the growing negative perception will adversely affect the inflow of investments into the sector,” the ADB said in a study assessing its assistance to the local power sector as a lead development partner over the last 30 years.
-- Noli iniinsulto ng mga GMA allies
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