Category: Benigno Aquino III

I’d like to think Lacierda was just acting stupid

Ellen Leave a comment

The President's spokesman

The President’s spokesman

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda probably thought the Filipino people are stupid or else why would he say that the reason why the President has not made statements on other national issues was because he has no access to Manila newspapers.

In this day and age of internet and cellphones!

Lacierda said Wednesday: “You know, the problem in Zamboanga is that no planes are flying there. They’re not getting news there. No newspapers are being flown there.”

Lacierda thinks we will believe that? I’d rather think he was not in the mood to think up of excuses why the President has not made a statement on the filing of charges against three senators and 34 other persons in connection with the pork barrel scam operated by Janet Lim Napoles who surrendered to him last Aug. 28. He even brought her to Camp Crame to make sure she is safe and well taken care of, remember?

There were other issues like the Sangguniang Kabataan elections scheduled Oct. 28. Last Monday the Senate approved a bill postponing it until the SK is restructured. The House also approved a similar bill last week. It’s awaiting the President’s certification as “urgent.”

There are hundreds of journalists sending their stories complete with pictures and video from Zamboanga. That simply means that nobody can be out of touch.

I’d like to think that Lacierda was just acting stupid when he thought of that “no newspapers” excuse because if he were, kawawa naman ang taumbayan.

The President has been in Zamboanga since Friday last week. It’s good that he held a press conference in Zamboanga yesterday because his absence in public functions is fuel all sorts of rumors.

Here’s excerpts from his press conference:

Reporter: How involved are you in the decision making dito and in order to solve this crisis here in Zamboanga?

Aquino: I am both Commander-in-Chief and the President, therefore, at the end of the day, everything is my responsibility, so I am very involved—‘yung from everything to getting briefed and putting some of my inputs into the security operations.

Meron din ‘yung others to make parang the effects of the crisis less, ano, that means ‘yung DSWD. I get briefed; I get—I ask them what is needed, et cetera; authorize the releases of funds; to talking to Bangko Sentral to ensure that the cash supply, ano, ‘yung physical cash supply is present; to talking to DTI, DOTC, and DA to ensure that basic food stuffs are available from the time before I left Manila to the present—to include not just Zamboanga City but BASULTA (Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-tawi).

Reporter:. Sir, kumusta po ‘yung war room? Balita kasi namin parang madaling araw daw kayo nagigising. Talagang nagko-command kayo sa mga different heads in order to resolve this crisis.

Aquino: Mahirap naman sigurong bigyan ng image na nagma-micromanage ako. Hindi, ano. In-assign natin ang bawat tao sa kanilang pwesto dahil may paniniwala tayong may kakayahan sila na tugunan ‘yung kanilang responsibilidad.

So, kung minsan, meron tayong katanungan, hinihingan natin ng clarification at sinisigurado rin natin, kaya nagpunta ako dito… Alam mo, ‘nung bago ako umabot dito—‘di ba, Friday—nag-uusap kami: telepono, may video conferencing na kailangang i-improve, medyo ‘yung layo nagka… Baka magkaroon ng hindi klaro na pag-unawa doon sa ating mga kautusan.

So nagpunta tayo dito para mas mabilis ‘yung pagbigay ng impormasyon, at pagbigay din ng desisyon, at i-klaro kung ano man ang kailangang klaruhin—either doon sa mga konsepto or doon sa desisyon na ating pinairal.

Reporter: Sir, parang napansin ko lahat na ho ng opisyales ay nandirito sa Zamboanga. Hanggang kailan niyo po sasamahan ang mga taga-Zamaboanga?

Aquino: Well, pipilitin ko hanggang matapos itong immediate na crisis, ano. Palagay ko babalik ako ‘pag natapos ‘yung plano para maipaliwanag nang naka-detalye: ano ang gagawin ng gobyerno, para kanino, saan, at kailan. At I don’t expect that to take too long, ano.

Pero balikan ko lang nga, ‘yung siguro, gusto ko lang iwan sa mga nakikinig po sa atin sa kasalukuyan, na handa ang gobyernong tumugon sa lahat ng suliranin. Ito palagay ko’y, in a sense, unique, ano. Nailipat mo or nailikas mo ang daang libo at hindi kami humingi ng—o hindi kami gumawa ng excuses kung hindi mapakain, kung hindi matugunan ang panggagamot. Siguro, patunay ‘yon na ready sila.

So I’d like to… ‘Yung ‘pag may nagsasabi sa akin, “parang ang ‘cool’ mo.” Sabi ko, ‘pag ito mga kasamahan mo, na lahat ay ginagampanan ‘yung kailangan nilang gawin na hindi mo na kailangang utusang gampanan, at kung ano mang pagsubok na palaki nang palaki ay natutugunan pa rin, ay talaga namang, ‘di ba, napapahanga ako sa kanila at doon nagmumula ‘yung kumpiyansa na malalampasan natin kung ano man ang pagsubok dito.

Siguro, baka as a last thing na lang, ano, hindi pa huli ang lahat. Doon sa mga natitira na puwersa ng kalaban, sa akin mahalaga ang buhay, baka naman gusto niyong tingnan kung mahalaga rin ‘yung buhay niyo? At hindi pa huli ang lahat para tapusin ito nang mabawasan ‘yung namamatay or nasusugatan—nasa inyong kamay ‘yon.

I’d like to think Lacierda was just acting stupid

Ellen Leave a comment

The President's spokesman

The President’s spokesman

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda probably thought the Filipino people are stupid or else why would he say that the reason why the President has not made statements on other national issues was because he has no access to Manila newspapers.

In this day and age of internet and cellphones!

Lacierda said Wednesday: “You know, the problem in Zamboanga is that no planes are flying there. They’re not getting news there. No newspapers are being flown there.”

Lacierda thinks we will believe that? I’d rather think he was not in the mood to think up of excuses why the President has not made a statement on the filing of charges against three senators and 34 other persons in connection with the pork barrel scam operated by Janet Lim Napoles who surrendered to him last Aug. 28. He even brought her to Camp Crame to make sure she is safe and well taken care of, remember?

There were other issues like the Sangguniang Kabataan elections scheduled Oct. 28. Last Monday the Senate approved a bill postponing it until the SK is restructured. The House also approved a similar bill last week. It’s awaiting the President’s certification as “urgent.”

There are hundreds of journalists sending their stories complete with pictures and video from Zamboanga. That simply means that nobody can be out of touch.

I’d like to think that Lacierda was just acting stupid when he thought of that “no newspapers” excuse because if he were, kawawa naman ang taumbayan.

The President has been in Zamboanga since Friday last week. It’s good that he held a press conference in Zamboanga yesterday because his absence in public functions is fuel all sorts of rumors.

Here’s excerpts from his press conference:

Reporter: How involved are you in the decision making dito and in order to solve this crisis here in Zamboanga?

Aquino: I am both Commander-in-Chief and the President, therefore, at the end of the day, everything is my responsibility, so I am very involved—‘yung from everything to getting briefed and putting some of my inputs into the security operations.

Meron din ‘yung others to make parang the effects of the crisis less, ano, that means ‘yung DSWD. I get briefed; I get—I ask them what is needed, et cetera; authorize the releases of funds; to talking to Bangko Sentral to ensure that the cash supply, ano, ‘yung physical cash supply is present; to talking to DTI, DOTC, and DA to ensure that basic food stuffs are available from the time before I left Manila to the present—to include not just Zamboanga City but BASULTA (Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-tawi).

Reporter:. Sir, kumusta po ‘yung war room? Balita kasi namin parang madaling araw daw kayo nagigising. Talagang nagko-command kayo sa mga different heads in order to resolve this crisis.

Aquino: Mahirap naman sigurong bigyan ng image na nagma-micromanage ako. Hindi, ano. In-assign natin ang bawat tao sa kanilang pwesto dahil may paniniwala tayong may kakayahan sila na tugunan ‘yung kanilang responsibilidad.

So, kung minsan, meron tayong katanungan, hinihingan natin ng clarification at sinisigurado rin natin, kaya nagpunta ako dito… Alam mo, ‘nung bago ako umabot dito—‘di ba, Friday—nag-uusap kami: telepono, may video conferencing na kailangang i-improve, medyo ‘yung layo nagka… Baka magkaroon ng hindi klaro na pag-unawa doon sa ating mga kautusan.

So nagpunta tayo dito para mas mabilis ‘yung pagbigay ng impormasyon, at pagbigay din ng desisyon, at i-klaro kung ano man ang kailangang klaruhin—either doon sa mga konsepto or doon sa desisyon na ating pinairal.

Reporter: Sir, parang napansin ko lahat na ho ng opisyales ay nandirito sa Zamboanga. Hanggang kailan niyo po sasamahan ang mga taga-Zamaboanga?

Aquino: Well, pipilitin ko hanggang matapos itong immediate na crisis, ano. Palagay ko babalik ako ‘pag natapos ‘yung plano para maipaliwanag nang naka-detalye: ano ang gagawin ng gobyerno, para kanino, saan, at kailan. At I don’t expect that to take too long, ano.

Pero balikan ko lang nga, ‘yung siguro, gusto ko lang iwan sa mga nakikinig po sa atin sa kasalukuyan, na handa ang gobyernong tumugon sa lahat ng suliranin. Ito palagay ko’y, in a sense, unique, ano. Nailipat mo or nailikas mo ang daang libo at hindi kami humingi ng—o hindi kami gumawa ng excuses kung hindi mapakain, kung hindi matugunan ang panggagamot. Siguro, patunay ‘yon na ready sila.

So I’d like to… ‘Yung ‘pag may nagsasabi sa akin, “parang ang ‘cool’ mo.” Sabi ko, ‘pag ito mga kasamahan mo, na lahat ay ginagampanan ‘yung kailangan nilang gawin na hindi mo na kailangang utusang gampanan, at kung ano mang pagsubok na palaki nang palaki ay natutugunan pa rin, ay talaga namang, ‘di ba, napapahanga ako sa kanila at doon nagmumula ‘yung kumpiyansa na malalampasan natin kung ano man ang pagsubok dito.

Siguro, baka as a last thing na lang, ano, hindi pa huli ang lahat. Doon sa mga natitira na puwersa ng kalaban, sa akin mahalaga ang buhay, baka naman gusto niyong tingnan kung mahalaga rin ‘yung buhay niyo? At hindi pa huli ang lahat para tapusin ito nang mabawasan ‘yung namamatay or nasusugatan—nasa inyong kamay ‘yon.

I’d like to think Lacierda was just acting stupid

Ellen Leave a comment

The President's spokesman

The President’s spokesman

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda probably thought the Filipino people are stupid or else why would he say that the reason why the President has not made statements on other national issues was because he has no access to Manila newspapers.

In this day and age of internet and cellphones!

Lacierda said Wednesday: “You know, the problem in Zamboanga is that no planes are flying there. They’re not getting news there. No newspapers are being flown there.”

Lacierda thinks we will believe that? I’d rather think he was not in the mood to think up of excuses why the President has not made a statement on the filing of charges against three senators and 34 other persons in connection with the pork barrel scam operated by Janet Lim Napoles who surrendered to him last Aug. 28. He even brought her to Camp Crame to make sure she is safe and well taken care of, remember?

There were other issues like the Sangguniang Kabataan elections scheduled Oct. 28. Last Monday the Senate approved a bill postponing it until the SK is restructured. The House also approved a similar bill last week. It’s awaiting the President’s certification as “urgent.”

There are hundreds of journalists sending their stories complete with pictures and video from Zamboanga. That simply means that nobody can be out of touch.

I’d like to think that Lacierda was just acting stupid when he gave that “no newspapers” excuse because if he were not, kawawa naman ang taumbayan.

The President has been in Zamboanga since Friday last week. It’s good that he held a press conference in Zamboanga yesterday because his absence in public functions is fuel all sorts of rumors.

Here’s excerpts from his press conference:

Reporter: How involved are you in the decision making dito and in order to solve this crisis here in Zamboanga?

Aquino: I am both Commander-in-Chief and the President, therefore, at the end of the day, everything is my responsibility, so I am very involved—‘yung from everything to getting briefed and putting some of my inputs into the security operations.

Meron din ‘yung others to make parang the effects of the crisis less, ano, that means ‘yung DSWD. I get briefed; I get—I ask them what is needed, et cetera; authorize the releases of funds; to talking to Bangko Sentral to ensure that the cash supply, ano, ‘yung physical cash supply is present; to talking to DTI, DOTC, and DA to ensure that basic food stuffs are available from the time before I left Manila to the present—to include not just Zamboanga City but BASULTA (Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-tawi).

Reporter:. Sir, kumusta po ‘yung war room? Balita kasi namin parang madaling araw daw kayo nagigising. Talagang nagko-command kayo sa mga different heads in order to resolve this crisis.

Aquino: Mahirap naman sigurong bigyan ng image na nagma-micromanage ako. Hindi, ano. In-assign natin ang bawat tao sa kanilang pwesto dahil may paniniwala tayong may kakayahan sila na tugunan ‘yung kanilang responsibilidad.

So, kung minsan, meron tayong katanungan, hinihingan natin ng clarification at sinisigurado rin natin, kaya nagpunta ako dito… Alam mo, ‘nung bago ako umabot dito—‘di ba, Friday—nag-uusap kami: telepono, may video conferencing na kailangang i-improve, medyo ‘yung layo nagka… Baka magkaroon ng hindi klaro na pag-unawa doon sa ating mga kautusan.

So nagpunta tayo dito para mas mabilis ‘yung pagbigay ng impormasyon, at pagbigay din ng desisyon, at i-klaro kung ano man ang kailangang klaruhin—either doon sa mga konsepto or doon sa desisyon na ating pinairal.

Reporter: Sir, parang napansin ko lahat na ho ng opisyales ay nandirito sa Zamboanga. Hanggang kailan niyo po sasamahan ang mga taga-Zamaboanga?

Aquino: Well, pipilitin ko hanggang matapos itong immediate na crisis, ano. Palagay ko babalik ako ‘pag natapos ‘yung plano para maipaliwanag nang naka-detalye: ano ang gagawin ng gobyerno, para kanino, saan, at kailan. At I don’t expect that to take too long, ano.

Pero balikan ko lang nga, ‘yung siguro, gusto ko lang iwan sa mga nakikinig po sa atin sa kasalukuyan, na handa ang gobyernong tumugon sa lahat ng suliranin. Ito palagay ko’y, in a sense, unique, ano. Nailipat mo or nailikas mo ang daang libo at hindi kami humingi ng—o hindi kami gumawa ng excuses kung hindi mapakain, kung hindi matugunan ang panggagamot. Siguro, patunay ‘yon na ready sila.

So I’d like to… ‘Yung ‘pag may nagsasabi sa akin, “parang ang ‘cool’ mo.” Sabi ko, ‘pag ito mga kasamahan mo, na lahat ay ginagampanan ‘yung kailangan nilang gawin na hindi mo na kailangang utusang gampanan, at kung ano mang pagsubok na palaki nang palaki ay natutugunan pa rin, ay talaga namang, ‘di ba, napapahanga ako sa kanila at doon nagmumula ‘yung kumpiyansa na malalampasan natin kung ano man ang pagsubok dito.

Siguro, baka as a last thing na lang, ano, hindi pa huli ang lahat. Doon sa mga natitira na puwersa ng kalaban, sa akin mahalaga ang buhay, baka naman gusto niyong tingnan kung mahalaga rin ‘yung buhay niyo? At hindi pa huli ang lahat para tapusin ito nang mabawasan ‘yung namamatay or nasusugatan—nasa inyong kamay ‘yon.

I’d like to think Lacierda was just acting stupid

Ellen Leave a comment

The President's spokesman

The President’s spokesman

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda probably thought the Filipino people are stupid or else why would he say that the reason why the President has not made statements on other national issues was because he has no access to Manila newspapers.

In this day and age of internet and cellphones!

Lacierda said Wednesday: “You know, the problem in Zamboanga is that no planes are flying there. They’re not getting news there. No newspapers are being flown there.”

Lacierda thinks we will believe that? I’d rather think he was not in the mood to think up of excuses why the President has not made a statement on the filing of charges against three senators and 34 other persons in connection with the pork barrel scam operated by Janet Lim Napoles who surrendered to him last Aug. 28. He even brought her to Camp Crame to make sure she is safe and well taken care of, remember?

There were other issues like the Sangguniang Kabataan elections scheduled Oct. 28. Last Monday the Senate approved a bill postponing it until the SK is restructured. The House also approved a similar bill last week. It’s awaiting the President’s certification as “urgent.”

There are hundreds of journalists sending their stories complete with pictures and video from Zamboanga. That simply means that nobody can be out of touch.

I’d like to think that Lacierda was just acting stupid when he thought of that “no newspapers” excuse because if he were, kawawa naman ang taumbayan.

The President has been in Zamboanga since Friday last week. It’s good that he held a press conference in Zamboanga yesterday because his absence in public functions is fuel all sorts of rumors.

Here’s excerpts from his press conference:

Reporter: How involved are you in the decision making dito and in order to solve this crisis here in Zamboanga?

Aquino: I am both Commander-in-Chief and the President, therefore, at the end of the day, everything is my responsibility, so I am very involved—‘yung from everything to getting briefed and putting some of my inputs into the security operations.

Meron din ‘yung others to make parang the effects of the crisis less, ano, that means ‘yung DSWD. I get briefed; I get—I ask them what is needed, et cetera; authorize the releases of funds; to talking to Bangko Sentral to ensure that the cash supply, ano, ‘yung physical cash supply is present; to talking to DTI, DOTC, and DA to ensure that basic food stuffs are available from the time before I left Manila to the present—to include not just Zamboanga City but BASULTA (Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-tawi).

Reporter:. Sir, kumusta po ‘yung war room? Balita kasi namin parang madaling araw daw kayo nagigising. Talagang nagko-command kayo sa mga different heads in order to resolve this crisis.

Aquino: Mahirap naman sigurong bigyan ng image na nagma-micromanage ako. Hindi, ano. In-assign natin ang bawat tao sa kanilang pwesto dahil may paniniwala tayong may kakayahan sila na tugunan ‘yung kanilang responsibilidad.

So, kung minsan, meron tayong katanungan, hinihingan natin ng clarification at sinisigurado rin natin, kaya nagpunta ako dito… Alam mo, ‘nung bago ako umabot dito—‘di ba, Friday—nag-uusap kami: telepono, may video conferencing na kailangang i-improve, medyo ‘yung layo nagka… Baka magkaroon ng hindi klaro na pag-unawa doon sa ating mga kautusan.

So nagpunta tayo dito para mas mabilis ‘yung pagbigay ng impormasyon, at pagbigay din ng desisyon, at i-klaro kung ano man ang kailangang klaruhin—either doon sa mga konsepto or doon sa desisyon na ating pinairal.

Reporter: Sir, parang napansin ko lahat na ho ng opisyales ay nandirito sa Zamboanga. Hanggang kailan niyo po sasamahan ang mga taga-Zamaboanga?

Aquino: Well, pipilitin ko hanggang matapos itong immediate na crisis, ano. Palagay ko babalik ako ‘pag natapos ‘yung plano para maipaliwanag nang naka-detalye: ano ang gagawin ng gobyerno, para kanino, saan, at kailan. At I don’t expect that to take too long, ano.

Pero balikan ko lang nga, ‘yung siguro, gusto ko lang iwan sa mga nakikinig po sa atin sa kasalukuyan, na handa ang gobyernong tumugon sa lahat ng suliranin. Ito palagay ko’y, in a sense, unique, ano. Nailipat mo or nailikas mo ang daang libo at hindi kami humingi ng—o hindi kami gumawa ng excuses kung hindi mapakain, kung hindi matugunan ang panggagamot. Siguro, patunay ‘yon na ready sila.

So I’d like to… ‘Yung ‘pag may nagsasabi sa akin, “parang ang ‘cool’ mo.” Sabi ko, ‘pag ito mga kasamahan mo, na lahat ay ginagampanan ‘yung kailangan nilang gawin na hindi mo na kailangang utusang gampanan, at kung ano mang pagsubok na palaki nang palaki ay natutugunan pa rin, ay talaga namang, ‘di ba, napapahanga ako sa kanila at doon nagmumula ‘yung kumpiyansa na malalampasan natin kung ano man ang pagsubok dito.

Siguro, baka as a last thing na lang, ano, hindi pa huli ang lahat. Doon sa mga natitira na puwersa ng kalaban, sa akin mahalaga ang buhay, baka naman gusto niyong tingnan kung mahalaga rin ‘yung buhay niyo? At hindi pa huli ang lahat para tapusin ito nang mabawasan ‘yung namamatay or nasusugatan—nasa inyong kamay ‘yon.

A picture does not make a story

Ellen Leave a comment

Damay-damay na. Jeane Napoles releases photo with PNoy.

Damay-damay na. Jeane Napoles releases photo with PNoy.

There’s a politician I know who welcomes people having a picture taken with him marking them perhaps as a potential vote come Election Day.

In a few parties that I attended where Vice President Jejomar Binay was a guest, I noticed that he was always accompanied by a photographer. The VP gives out the website where one can view the photos.

But with the Janet Lim Napoles, alleged pork barrel scam queen exploding and dragging with her known political personalities, just being seen with her is a nightmare.

Malacañang is downplaying the importance of the picture of the luxury-loving Jeane Napoles with President Aquino which Malacañang has confirmed to be authentic.It was taken after the national thanksgiving mass for the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod in Cebu November last year.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said,“I understand the photo was taken at an event last November in Cebu. She had her photo taken with the President, as did a dozen other people who lined up to have their photo taken with him.”

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang also said, “I can confirm that there was an event that the President attended and there were 100 to 200 people there and at least a dozen people had their picture taken with him.Now we looked at the record, it seems Jeane Napoles was there and had her picture taken.”

Carandang said, “It’s no big deal.”

Now a stigma.

Now a stigma.

Monday,photos of Senate President Franklin Drilon with Napoles and her husband Jaime Napoles, a retired Marine officer, was the social media’s main menu.

Drilon has issued a statement that can thus be summarized: “A picture does not make a story.”

Drilon’s statement:”There is a clear effort to implicate me as guilty by association with the picture shown last night on television. Let me make it very clear that none of my PDAF allocations was ever assigned or given to any project of this Napoles or any of her NGOs. You can go through the DBM and COA websites and you can go through it with a fine comb and you will not see a single peso of my PDAF being assigned to any of the Napoles NGOs.

“The NGO that I work with is the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry where I have assigned a substantial portion of the PDAF to build classrooms all over the country at half the cost of government contractors and this is to fill in the gap at that time of the classroom shortage.

“ So, I have dealt with the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, this is the NGO that I am working with to build classrooms all over the country. A substantial portion of my PDAF also goes to the indigent patients in National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine General Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Children’s Hospital and other government services where indigents would avail of this PDAF, none of the Napoles NGOs.

“Insofar as that picture is concerned, Mrs. Drilon and I were invited to a dinner. Mrs. Drilon, being an active church worker, was invited because the guests were seminarians from China who were here on a study tour. I repeat, these were Chinese seminarians who were here on a study tour. And, there were also orphans and street children who were beneficiaries of a church-led feeding program. Yes, we were there. Pictures were taken.

“But ang importante po ay walang piso ng aking PDAF ay nagpunta sa mga NGOs ni Jenny Napoles. Puwedeng mayroon pang lalabas ng ibang pictures kasi nakikita ko rin siya sa ibang social gatherings, there can be other pictures because I had seen her in other gatherings but you know, kami naman mga politico ay marami nag papapicture sa amin at hindi naman naming tinatanong kung “sino ka ba.” And I did not know the business of Ms. Napoles when all of these were happening. So, this is the situation. As I said, there is a clear effort to implicated me and make me appear as guilty by association. I reject such implication.”