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Confirmation galore

MR. EXPOSE

Amb. Ernesto Maceda

10/31/2008

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Balanga Bishop Soc Villegas, the brains behind Jaime Cardinal Sin’s Edsa I and Edsa II participation, Legaspi Bishop Emeritus Jose Sorra and Masbate Bishop Joel Baylon in a press conference finally confirmed the gross corruption of GMA and prayed for liberators to in effect change her government.

Not to be outdone, now comes Pope Benedict XVI calling on GMA to “provide more and better jobs to Filipinos so that they wouldn’t have to work abroad and leave their families behind.”

Speaking at the presentation of credentials by Ambassador Cristina Ponce Enrile, Pope Benedict XVI took note of the fact that eight million Filipinos are working outside the country. The Pope also called for the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

The Pope also observed: “I pray that by implementing measures that foster the just distribution of wealth and the sustainable development of natural resources, Filipino farmers will be granted greater opportunities for increasing production and earning what they need to support themselves and their families.”

The Pope’s observations certainly confirms the major deficiencies of GMA in job creation and in uplifting the life of Filipino farmers.

In the field of education, a top USAid official said in Koronadal City that the Philippine educational system has failed to improve compared to those of other Asian countries. Tom Crehan, USAid education expert said: “There’s no doubt that the educational system of the Philippines, at one point, 40 years ago, was one of the best systems in the region. But nowadays, not anymore.”

After almost eight years in office, GMA has not even solved the simple problem of providing one textbook per pupil in the elementary schools, much less the lack of classrooms and school toilets.

Dr. Alicia Sayson, vice president for Academic Affairs of the University of the Immaculate Concepcion in Davao, supported Crehan’s observation, blaming the DepEd for its penchant to spend for useless projects and just attending to cities and neglecting rural schools.

Also in the news yesterday was Amnesty International’s report that thousands of cases of human rights abuses in the current GRP-MILF war in Mindanao were committed by both sides. Amnesty International for the last seven and a half years has repeatedly accused the GMA administration of human rights violations, including hundreds of extra judicial killings.

Wake up GMA, Secretary Teodoro, Secretary Lapus, Secretary Favila, Secretary Roque, Secretary Syjuco, General Yano. The end of the road is in sight. It’s your last two minutes for redemption.

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Good observation. We bumped into Bukidnon Gov. Jose Zubiri at the dental clinic of Dr. Lucila Bernardo. After shaking hands, he immediately blurted out that the fertilizer scam is true. He revealed that before the 2004 elections, Department of Agriculture Region X officials visited him to inform him that DA had a P5 million allocation for him for a Foliare liquid fertilizer. They told him that if he would sign the necessary papers, they will take care of everything and give him P3 million in cash. He rejected the offer and called on all governors and congressmen who were also offered to come out and testify.

It will be recalled that Joc-joc Bolante in a letter to GMA in Feb. 2, 2004 listed 105 congressmen including Jose de Venecia, Prospero Nograles Jr. and Raul Gonzales as recipients of fertilizer funds, including six Metro Manila districts including Makati, Quezon City and Parañaque that have no rice fields. Seventy-six governors and mayors also received funds from Joc-joc. At the Senate hearings, witness Jose Barredo, one of Joc-joc’s agents for Region VI, named several congressmen, governors and mayors who converted their fertilizer allotment into cash, including one who specifically requested that the liquid fertilizer delivered to him be 50 percent water. Barredo also revealed that an incumbent governor is one of the manufacturers of the liquid fertilizer they were purchasing.

It should also be recalled that DA Secretary Cito Lorenzo delegated the purchase, allocation and release of funds to Joc-joc because he couldn’t implement the orders of higher ups. Lorenzo has also gone into hiding in the United States. Cito Lorenzo and Joc-joc Bolante’s plight and refusal to testify in the Senate are persuasive indicators that indeed, the fertilizer funds were misused and that they are protecting GMA. We know that Gov. Armand Sanchez of Batangas used his allotted fertilizer funds to buy hand tractors instead.

Gov. Joe Zubiri is correct. Conscience stricken governors and congressmen must now come out and tell their story. But why is Senate President Manny Villar not immediately scheduling a hearing to hear Joc-joc? There are enough senators in town to attend a blue ribbon committee hearing. This is baffling.

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Malacañang hand. Despite DoJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez’s statement that after normal immigration processing, Joc-joc Bolante would be released to his family or even to the Senate Sgt. At Arms, what happened at NAIA was clearly a well scripted plan to bring him to St. Luke’s Hospital complete with an arrival statement issued by NAIA PR officers.

Instead of allowing Senate officer Col. Jaime Dimacali to take him into physical custody and ride in a Senate van, Joc-joc was hustled by a dozen NAIA policemen to a NAIA ambulance and escorted by NAIA policemen inside the van and backed up by a NAIA police car to bring him to St. Luke’s Hospital. And why are PSPO officers from Camp Crame guarding him also at St. Luke’s?

ABS-CBN broadcaster Anthony Taberna made this succinct observation: If Joc-joc had some serious ailment, US immigration authorities would not have allowed him to travel.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, a movie actor himself, had good basis to say Joc-joc was acting and feigning illness, to escape Senate detention.

TV cameras showed FG Mike Arroyo entering St. Luke’s Hospital yesterday. He admitted Joc-joc is his friend. If Malacañang really believes he did nothing wrong, then FG, even GMA should visit him. If they don’t, are they dropping him like a hot potato, in the same manner that they appear to have abandoned Gen. Eliseo de la Paz? Didn’t they abandon former Justice Secretary Nani Perez, too? And Jose de Venecia? And Pancho Villaraza? And the latest, Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol?

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Tidbits. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales said that the statements of Archbishop Angel Lagdameo are seditious. Dare you to file charges against the bishops, Mr. Secretary... The Naga City doctor who attended to Rep. Luis Villafuerte confirmed that he did collapse at a speaking engagement, suffered lacerations, ischemia and has serious heart problems... Imelda Marcos, GMA’s new found friend, is conducting a survey to determine if son Bongbong is a viable candidate for president!... SMC President Ramon Ang clearly outfoxed PLDT boss Manny Pangilinan in closing the deal to buy the GSIS 27 percent stake in Meralco. Is this the first step in the full takeover of Meralco by Ramon Ang and his silent partners?... Why did AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Alexander Yano issue a pledge of loyalty to GMA in the light of the favorable comment of Archbishop Oscar Cruz? Is he one of Archbishop Lagdameo’s liberators?... Shell, Caltex and Petron have rolled back diesel prices by P5 per liter and gasoline prices by P2 per liter. A little better than P1.00 per liter, but still way above the P30 for diesel and P35 for gasoline in the February-June, 2007 when crude oil prices were at present levels. Now, will LTFRB rollback transportation fares, please?... David Chiu, a Bacolod businessman, and two companions were shot down by armalite toting hold-up men Wednesday afternoon. Our condolences to the family... Major Wirlo Ver told us that many Filipinos in Hawaii have known Barack Obama since he was a kid. In a Democratic presidency, there are more Filipinos in the White House staff... Have a safe trip on your travels for undas. Boy, its November na! 54 days to Christmas, 61 days to 2009. Expect 2010 politics to heat up soon...