A staunch ally of President Arroyo, who took part in the 1986 Edsa “people power” revolt, yesterday slammed the Arroyo administration for its apparent lack of interest in commemorating the “peaceful” uprising which forced the ouster of strongman Ferdinand Marcos 20 years ago.
Former President Fidel V. Ramos expressed dismay that with only two weeks to go to celebrate the 20th Edsa anniversary, he has yet to receive a formal invitation from the Edsa Committee.
“It is deplorable that now with just 10 days to go, there are no announced official government plans for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Edsa I,” he said.
The former president said he was aware that an Edsa People Power Commission (EPPC) was established right after then Vice President Macapagal-Arroyo took away the presidency, through a military-backed coup d’etat, from President Estrada in 2001.
“I understand that the EPPC executive director and his staff have submitted, I’m told, about a month ago proposed plans for the 20th anniversary celebration. But I don’t know what has happened to those plans,” Ramos, told a press conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal I’s Dignitaries Lounge before leaving for Bangkok to attend the “Eminent Persons Group” meeting.
“I am not seeing any advance plan of this important event, unlike in previous years which were not that significant,” considering that it is the 20th anniversary celebration, he added.
Ho ho ho... Takot kasi ang Arroyo admin eh, FVR. Edsa is a dangerous idea for a corrupt and illegitimate admin like them to celebrate and promote at this time.
More: Ramos deplores amnesia on Edsa 1986
Read this too from Ellen Tordesillas.
UPDATE: Malacanang prefers "quiet" celebration of Edsa. Heh.
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FVR: What economic gains Arroyo is talking about?
Former President Fidel V. Ramos yesterday dismissed the claims of the Arroyo administration that its economic programs was responsible for the country’s 5-percent economic growth, saying it is the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who should be given credit for keeping afloat the Philippine economy through their remittances.
“What economic gains? Who is reporting that?” Ramos asked during a press conference held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Dignitaries Lounge prior to taking a Thai Airways flight to Bangkok where he will attend an international conference.
“It is not economic productivity. It is not even good governance that is maintaining the economy. It is the 10 billion plus US dollars remittances over the last four quarters that has saved the Philippine economy,” he stressed.
I guess he's another one of those who didn't fell for ARroyo's "economic miracle" propaganda, ano?
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From Conrad de Quiros:
THE ALLIANCE OF CONCERNED TEACHERS has a problem with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo teaching public elementary school kids, or making a show of it. Late last week, the current occupant of Malacañang descended on a public school in Mandaluyong and played teacher to a Grade 1 class for 40 minutes. She encouraged the kids to read more books and speak English better. She gave out lessons in geography as well.
ACT is unimpressed, however. It demands to know: "What values will our schoolchildren learn from a President who faces serious charges of electoral fraud, betrayal of public trust, corruption, and gross human rights violations, and who has used every means, both fair and foul, to thwart efforts to hold her accountable? That it's all right to lie, cheat and steal?"
Read the whole thing. Arroyo, will become our children's new role model if we're not careful.
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Malaya Editorial: Dishonest is the Best Policy?
MalacaÑang insists Executive Order 464 is meant to maintain the "dignity" of officials of the Executive department in the face of "harassment" and "grandstanding" by legislators. We need only to review the history of EO 464 to expose the dishonesty of Malacañang’s claim.
Start with national security adviser Norberto Gonzales’ appearance before the Senate on the Venable lobby contract, the original justification for the order requiring Cabinet members, military and police generals and those whose jobs deal with national security to secure permission before appearing in congressional inquiries.
In his appearance, Gonzales consistently withheld information. He would not answer who authorized him to sign the contract with the lobby firm in the name of the Republic. When asked who paid Venable, he initially declined to answer. When pressed, he said the contract was funded by a private group. When asked for the identities of the private citizens who bankrolled the project, he said he didn’t know. Later he admitted he did but he was not talking.
That prompted the Senate to hold him in contempt and place him under custody. Question: What is the dignity of a dissembler and a liar worth? Enough to up-end the constitutional order by subverting the legislature’s power to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation?
Then came the "Hello Garci" tapes, the single biggest controversy that has placed under question the legitimacy of Gloria Arroyo because of her alleged cheating in 2004. The evidence is now overwhelming that the Intelligence Service of the AFP conducted the wiretapping. Among those summoned by the Senate were ISAFP chief Brig. Gen. Marlu Quevedo, then AFP intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Tirso Danga (who was chief of ISAPF when the wiretapping took place) and AFP chief Gen. Generoso Senga. They all took refuge under EO 464.
Ongoing is the inquiry into the alleged diversion of the P728 million fertilizer fund during the 2004 election to congressmen and local officials who were allies of Arroyo. Two of those summoned by the Senate invoked EO 464. One was Undersecretary Belinda Gonzales, who handled the money, and the other was former Assistant Secretary Ibarra Poliquit, who identified the beneficiaries, mostly non-existent.
An undersecretary invoking EO 464 is questionable enough. But extending the privilege to Poliquit, who has left the agriculture department and is now a vice president of the Government Service Insurance System, is ludicrous.
Leaving aside Norberto Gonzales’ case, EO 464 has been invoked to block inquiries into a) Gloria’s election cheating, and b) Gloria’s stealing of government money to buy election support.
The reason for EO 464 clearly is not to curb harassment of witnesses and grandstanding by the senators. It’s plain obstruction of, as the bishops’ call it, the "relentless pursuit for the truth."
Read this too on EO 464 from Manuel Quezon 3.
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Why Ducky Paredes is wrong about Merceditas Gutierrez:
If we were to go with Congressman Mariano’s logic, the Ombudsman, from being a classmate of the First Gentleman and an Appointee of Gloria Arroyo would have to inhibit herself from just about any case that is brought before her. Thus, he has to be wrong. On the other hand, why not give the Office of the Ombudsman a chance to prove itself and Merceditas Gutierrez, who is a truly fine lawyer and should become among our best Ombudsmen, a chance to show us all what she is made of. Putting her in a corner where she is labeled as a classmate of Mike and an appointee of Gloria is being unfair to Merceditas. Give the lady a chance.
She may be a fine lawyer, but she's also a partisan one. If I recall correctly, she's the former DOJ Usec who stonewalled the Swiss gov't's investigation on Nani Perez's hidden bank accounts and unexplained wealth. Takot na takot si GMA na tulungan ang Swiss govt dahil may connection rin siya doon dahil Mark Jimenez did not only give $2-Mil money (out of $14-Mil) to Nani Perez, nakatanggap rin ng pera yung mga ibang Arroyo gov't officials at ang mga "Malacanang occupants". At sino ang "Malacanang occupants" nung tumanggap ng suhol si DOJ Nani Perez? Guess nyo.
Besides, nung DOJ Usec pa siya (at naging acting DOJ Sec at one time nung bakante ang Justice secretary position), do you recall any serious instance by her to show impartiality and independence from the ARroyo admin?
I don't think so either.
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