
`The suspicion is Gloria is fanning fears of a crisis so
people could be distracted from corruption scandals…’

Yeah...follow the leader no matter how much she stinks!
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It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.
Mula sa Senado, sinabi naman ni Sen. Panfilo Lacson na isang direktang pangungutya sa hirap na dinaranas ng sambayanan ang pagbyahe sa Europa ng sangkatutak na opisyal ng pamahalaan.
Mistula umano talagang binabalewala na ng gobyerno ang mga karaingan ng taumbayan laban sa matinding corruption na isa sa pangunahing sentimiyento ng pinakahuling pag-aalsa ng grupo nina Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV at Gen. Danilo Lim noong Huwebes sa Manila Peninsula Hotel.
"Sa dami ng kasama sa entourage ni GMA sa Europe, kung hindi man manhid na ang gobyerno, parang nangungutya pa sa mga hinaing at reklamo ng taumbayan tungkol sa malawakang katiwalian," diin ni Lacson.
Kinastigo rin ni Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero ang sangkaterbang sabit sa byahe sa pagsasabing, "Naghihirap ang mga kababayan natin tapos magpapakita ng karangyaan at pagpapakasarap ang mga opisyal natin, hindi tama ‘yan."
Narito ang listahan ng mga kumpirmadong kasama sa byahe:
3 senador:
Miriam Defensor Santiago
Edgardo Angara
Juan Miguel Zubiri
35 kongresista:
Mikey Arroyo (Pampanga)
Simeon Datumanong (Maguindanao)
Ma. Amelita Villarosa (Occidental Mindoro)
Reylina Nicolas (Bulacan)
Milagros Magsaysay (Zambales)
Mary Ann Suzano (Quezon City)
Victoria Reyes (Batangas)
Rizalina Seachon (Masbate)
Herminia Ramiro (Misamis Occidental)
Antonio Alvarez (Palawan)
Trinidad Apostol (Leyte)
Rachel Arenas (Pangasinan)
Abraham Mitra (Palawan)
Rodolfo Antonino (Nueva Ecija)
Antonio Cerilles (Zamboanga del Sur)
Reynaldo Uy (Western Samar)
Roger Mercado (Southern Leyte)
Albert Garcia (Bataan)
Monico Puentebella (Bacolod City)
Nanette Daza (Quezon City)
Arnulfo Go (Sultan Kudarat)
Datu Pax Mangudadatu (Sultan Kudarat)
Monico Prieto-Teodoro (Tarlac)
Ann York Bondoc (Pampanga)
Aurelio Gonzales (Pampanga)
Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (Leyte)
Danilo Suarez (Quezon)
Zenaida Angpin (Manila)
Rodolfo Albano (Isabela)
Dong Mendoza (Batangas)
Del de Guzman (Marikina)
Carmen Cari (Leyte)
Ann Tan (Western Samar)
Bing Climaco (Zamboanga City)
Carissa Coscolluela (Buhay partylist)
Mayor:
Judd Lanete (kasama ng inang si Lina Lenete)

The Land of the Fee....and the Home of the Bribe.
Filipino Chinese businessmen on Thursday condemned an alleged racial slur made by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago during the Senate inquiry on the controversial broadband deal between the Philippine government and China’s ZTE Corp. on Wednesday.
In a statement, the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. said the group was taken aback by Santiago’s "irresponsible and insensitive statements against the Chinese."
"Alleged irregularities in the ‘isolated’ [national broadband network (NBN)]-ZTE transaction cannot be the basis of the unwarranted and regrettable condemnation by Sen. Santiago that the Chinese people invented corruption," the group said, adding:
"While her outburst may have been made in the heat of emotion during the ZTE-NBN probe, the general and sweeping racial slur is directed against all Chinese and ethnic Chinese around the world."
The group also said that Santiago’s remarks became "more deplorable," considering that the senator is the chairwoman of the Senate foreign relations committee.
The group said it is demanding an "unqualified apology" from lawmaker.
"China invented civilization in the east, but as well it invented corruption for all of human civilization kaya mahilig itong mga Intsik na ito mag-kumbida sa golf, magkumbida sa dinner, magbigay ng free ticket to China (that's why the Chinese people like inviting acquaintances to golf clubs and dinners and giving free tickets to China). Nakakaintindi naman tayong lahat (It is a common knowledge) that when we are public officials, we are not invited because of our physical or sexual good looks. We are being invited in connection with a certain government project. That is my observation,"
In a pre-departure interview Tuesday, President Arroyo said she ordered an independent investigation into the NBN contract amid allegations that First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. were involved in the anomaly.
“When we learned of alleged bribery attempt in connection with the broadband project I instructed that the matter be discreetly investigated, the result of investigation were reported as uncorroborated,” said Mrs. Arroyo.
Abalos was accused by whistleblower and businessman Jose de Venecia III of attempting to bribe him with $10 million to withdraw his company's proposal to undertake the NBN project. De Venecia, a son of House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., is majority stockholder of Amsterdam Holdings, Inc.
Ermita seconded Mrs. Arroyo's statement, saying she had wanted to cancel the deal with ZTE Corporation before leaving for Australia for the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference Leaders' Summit earlier this month.
He said said the President ordered the investigation weeks before the Senate decided to investigate the NBN contract.Source
Those opposed to President Arroyo had failed in two instances to muster the minimum number of signatures to impeach her. It's been said that because De Venecia didn't allow any of these attempts to prosper, he got concessions from the Palace, a form of blackmail that the First Gentleman is said to be tired of. Congressmen believe that if De Venecia will give his blessing to any impeachment bid against the President, this can finally prosper.
"Lakas has still the numbers, plus the minority bloc," if Lakas will break its coalition with Kampi to side with De Venecia, said a source in Congress. Lakas has 95 members in the House, while the opposition, including the progressive party-list representatives, has about 30. The smaller parties in the coalition have yet to say where they stand in this controversy.
Congressional employees expect this silent war between the Speaker and the President to "erupt soon." And if it gets uglier, "JDV will do a Villar," one of them said.
In 2000, then Speaker Manuel Villar Jr. skirted the process to approve the impeachment of President Joseph Estrada, who earlier backed his speakership bid. Villar read nonstop and unintelligibly the impeachment decision and banged the gavel to seal it, ignoring objections from the floor.



gloria created the Procurement Transparency Group, which will monitor procurement for public projects and report irregularities to the agency heads concerned. She also formed a Pro-performance Infrastructure Monitoring Group.
But what is needed in dealing with the problem of graft and corruption are not new government agencies but resolute action against grafters. We already have many government agencies charged with bringing corrupt officials to justice. What is needed is the political will to go after these officials and not to let up until they are all behind bars. Source: INQ7 Editorial