Credits to http://www.malaya.com.ph/

Manila, Philippines -

The Bolante/fertilizer scam investigation have taken a backseat as the “Alabang boys” (or Alabang adults as others would politically put it) drug issue has grabbed the limelight. It is the most celebrated news at the moment as it involves three men from affluent families namely Richard Brodett, Richard Tecson, and Jorge Joseph who were allegedly caught in a buy-bust operation by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

The case became very controversial as several issues emerged during the course of the investigation. First is the alleged bribery attempt to PDEA agents and/or state prosecutors. Second is the parents’ wrath against the alleged physical abuse inflicted on their son/s. Third is the excessive enthusiasm of defense counsel Felisberto Verano to draft the release order to be signed by Justice Seceretary even using official DOJ letterhead and coursing it through the office of Ateneo law classmate and fraternity brother Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor. Fourth is the seeming friction between government agencies PDEA and DOJ. These are just some of the reasons that make this issue very interesting.

The Lower House is already conducting its probe of the issue. With the 2010 elections just around the corner, much of our beloved congressmen would definitely want a share of the media mileage. Thus, expect to gain a myriad of information from various groups involved but don’t be too optimistic that heads will roll anytime soon. As they say, it’s simply in aid of grandstanding err legislation and not of prosecution.

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Credits to http://www.tribune.net.ph/

Manila, Philippines -

Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. is set to launch his autobiography in Washington, D.C. this week. The book entitled “Global Filipino: The Authorized Biography of Joe de Venecia Jr., the Visionary Five-Time Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines” is said to contain first-hand accounts of JdV on the “secret meeting” held in Shenzhen, China among President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr., and ZTE officials in 2006.

Through “backdoor negotiations”, the anomalous contract was said to have been awarded to ZTE Corporation and changed from the suggested Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) financial scheme to direct contracting scheme (government-to-government loan). It came under fire and public scrutiny when it was revealed by former Philippine Forestry Corporation head Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, Jr. and former NEDA chief Romulo Neri that Abalos among other people stand to receive millions of kickbacks from the higly-overpriced project.

With the impeachment complaint filed by JdV’s son Jose “Joey” de Venecia III in Congress currently in the “sufficiency in substance” phase, JdV will certainly be in the hotspot and is expected to shed light on various issues involving the President. A lot of people are questioning his actions, specifically the timing of his revelations. “Why now?”, “isn’t it too late?”, or “what for, the administration has the numbers in the Lower House?”.

JdV’s actions are certainly late but not too late. It would’ve been very useful during the Senate investigation of the NBN-ZTE deal as it would strongly backup Lozada’s testimony. Still, it is as valuable at the moment as it may give the impeachment enough push to enter the trial phase. It will also serve as a reminder to the people not to falter in watching out for attempts by this admistration to stay in power and continue with their corrupt acts.

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Credits to http://www.philstar.com/

MADISON, Wisconsin –

Well, what do you know, corruption pays. If the Philippines is not one of the most corrupt countries in Asia, then accused health care scammer Dr. Diogenes Dionisio might have been convicted by now.

The Filipino doctor was part of a scam involving U.S. military retirees residing in the Philippines. He conspired with these retirees to file medical service claims that were deceitfully increased. Thus, in the process, Dionisio and his cohorts defraud U.S. taxpayers of around $2 million of their hard-earned money.

U.S. federal agents apprehended Dionisio last March when he arrived on Guam for a family vacation. He was prosecuted on U.S. soil but may soon be released without a single penalty as U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that Dionisio was denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial. He was living in the same address in the Philippines for 4 years yet investigators failed to request for his arrest and extradition contending that “the Philippine government was corrupt and would fail to execute the request or botch it“.

If you still don’t get the whole picture, you need not look further. The fertilizer fund scam and euro-general scandal are classic examples of the many corrupt practices in government that were never resolved but merely forgotten over time. Filipinos, in general, are foolish for dwelling only on the latest issues. Lest we forget, the list is quite long: hello Garci election cheating, NBN-ZTE deal, enveloped bribe money to congressmen and governors, Jose Pidal accounts, Northrail project, to name a few, yes those were just a few.

The Arroyo administration is on the twilight of its existence. Be warned however that GMA and her allies will never cease from devising means to stay in power. Let’s continue to be vigilant and make sure that she is soon removed from office either by impeachment or 2010 elections.

House of Representatives, Philippines -

In a move to clear the names (or probably to cover up the mess) of congressmen involved in the fertilizer scam controversy, the House of Representatives will conduct today their own inquiry on the scandal that allegedly diverted the fertilizer funds to the campaign funds of President Arroyo and spread to her allies in the Lower House and other local officials during the 2004 elections.

But it seems to be a very bad joke with the Lower House scheduling the inquiry one day before the Senate inquiry already scheduled tomorrow. The Senate has legal custody of Jocjoc Bolante and is not expected to relinquish their claim to the scam mastermind anytime soon especially to a body tattered with the President’s hands all over.

And as to how one can expect a “free, fair and fearless” investigation as claimed by agriculture committee chairman Palawan Rep. Abraham Mitra, I have no idea. Talk about suspects being part of the prosecution team, defense team and jury altogether. The rotten congressmen involved in this controversial misappropriation are better off inhibiting themselves if at least to give the slightest bit of significance to this inquiry.

It’s now a toss up between the Senate and the House of Representatives. With both bodies being co-equal, it’s now a battle of impartiality, credibility, and resolution. Or will both inquiries be mere venues for grandstanding, that we’ll soon find out.

Credits to http://www.abs-cbnnews.com

Manila, Philippines -
Until now, the inequality of wealth and the imbalance of power in our country never cease to fascinate me. Just look at how our purported public servants are regularly accorded special treatments to the point of being abusive. Still, its the way nature works to restore equality and balance that is more astonishing.

The recent controversy wherein retired police Director Eliseo dela Paz and his wife were held by Russian Customs authorities at Moscow airport for carrying a questionably large amount of money is one such example. The €105,000 or P6.9 million, they were carrying clearly exceeded the allowable limit of €10,000. Had Mr. dela Paz and company followed airport procedure and declared the money before leaving the country and upon arriving at Moscow, they would have avoided the mess they are in right now.

Did i just say karma?

Oh well, the PNP big bosses are on the move to save their asses, as they always do. And they have less reasons to worry about even if the Napolcom and Ombudsman are set to conduct their formal (meaning, simply for formality) their separate investigations on the case.

But its the Filipino people they owe an explanation to. More so that they’re top-secret contingency fund is believed to be taxpayers’ money. Why were they carrying such a large amount of money? Why was the money not declared? Why do they have such fund after all when Senator Lacson had stated that no item in the contingency fund of the 2008 budget is alloted for travel expenses? Why were their wives part of the trip when it was an official mission? More and more questions waiting for answers.

Will heads roll this time or will this issue again die a natural die just like all the anomalies of the Arroyo administration? Abangan…

Credits to http://www.inquirer.net/

MANILA, Philippines -
While watching late night news this whole week, I continuously felt disappointed and disgusted toward this ever tainted GMA administration. As if it wasn’t enough that taxpayers’ money are constantly being misused, now justice is being twisted big-time.

Convicted murderer Claudio Teehankee Jr. was granted executive clemency and thus regained his freedom before midninght on Friday. This despite having served only 21 years of his sentence of one count of reclusion perpetua and one count of reclusion temporal which should have been up to 60 years of imprisonment. He was sentenced to jail for the near fatal shooting of Jussi Olavi Leino and the deaths of Maureen Hultman and Roland John Chapman.

Adding insult to injury, the extremely unpopular Justice secretary Raul Gonzalez is again at his wits defending the move and brushing aside every criticism from the Makati Business Club and even the parents of Maureen Hultman.

Our leaders are definitely sending wrong signals to lawbreakers. Does having money, power, and the right connections indeed make someone above the law?