Category: Benigno Aquino III

Let’s not forget Purisima

Ellen Leave a comment

While we are riveted to the splendor of Hacienda Binay’s Kew Gardens and air-conditioned piggery, let us not forget Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima and his questionable acts as a public official.

PNP Chief Alan Purisima and President Aquino

PNP Chief Alan Purisima and President Aquino

The public should be more vigilant of the Purisima case because no less than President Aquino is protecting him, vouching for the Police chief’s integrity despite blatant violation of ethical standards set for government officials.

Talking with reporters in Indonesia, Aquino said, “Natuwa ako noong sinama niya lahat sa bahay niya sa Nueva Ecija. Iyon, gawain ng tao na hindi nagtatago.”

What kind of logic is that? Allowing media to see his vacation villa in a 4.5 hectare property in Nueva Ecija does not answer the questions of how he acquired it at a cheap price and how he was able to build a nice four-bedroom vacation house complete with swimming pool, gazebo and a nipa hut out of his salary as a police officer.

It is PR.

In the same way, former Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado was out of line when he expressed sympathy for Purisima during his presentation of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s alleged 350-hectare estate in Rosario, Batangas at the Senate hearing last week.

“Kawawa naman si PNP Chief Purisima. Binabanatan ng media, 4.5 hectares lang naman ang property niya sa Nueva Ecija. Ito 350 hectares,” Mercado said.

Binay’s 350-hectare Batangas estate is mindboggling but Purisima’s 4.5 hectare vacation place is no less an anomaly if it’s proven to have been acquired illegally.

Just because one is a smaller crook does not make him not a crook. A smaller size or amount is no certification of honesty.

Aside from his Nueva Ecija property, Purisima’s conduct in the P25 million renovation of the White House in Camp Crame, the PNP chief’s official residence, also raises a lot of questions.

Sources said the White House was constructed with government money although there was no capital outlay for it in the PNP budget. It was made possible with the juggling of funds by PNP officers in charge of the agency’s finances.

When the White House renovation was being questioned by media, sources said Purisima met with his trusted officers and they agreed that the line they will give the public was: “No government money was used.”
If no government money was used, where did the P25 million for the renovation come from?

Sources said Purisima’s group had another brainstorming session and they came up with the bright idea of asking the PNP chief’s fellow Mason brothers to own up having made a donation to the PNP for the renovation of the White House.

This was not easy because lying is supposedly anathema to Freemasonry which includes Truth as one of its core principles.

One military officer who is also a Mason said they also saw a problem justifying a P25 million donation for the renovation of the White House when there were more urgent projects in the PNP like improvement of the hospital.

The group finally was able to get three contractors to agree to be identified as “donors”: Carlos Gonzales of ULTICON Builders, Alexander Lopez of Pacific Concrete Corporation, and Christopher Pastrana of CAPP Industries.
But it was a strange kind of donation consisting of “building materials” because the deeds of donation were signed only last month when the renovation had already been completed.

Purisima’s tale of the three donors also defies common sense because those three companies are based in different parts of the country. How were they coordinated as to their participation in the renovation?

News reports later revealed that although the donors did not have projects with the PNP, as Purisima stressed, two of them – Pacific Concrete Corp. and Ulticon Builders – have contracts with Department of Public Works and Highways and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

Purisima also had another intriguing revelation when he appeared at the hearing of Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs committee chaired by Sen. Grace Poe. He admitted that he bought his brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser “Prado” for P1.5 million which has a published price of P4.5 million. He said a car dealer in Pampanga gave him a huge discount.

P3 million is no ordinary discount. It’s a huge favor. It’s a gift. Sen. Miriam Santiago went even further and called it “bribery.”

Plunder and indirect bribery charges have been filed against Purisima.

He is also being investigated by the Ombudsman for allegedly approving an irregular courier service contract with Werfast Documentary Agency in 2011.

Accepting gifts and donations is a violation of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act); Republic Act No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees); Presidential Decree 46 (Making it Punishable for Public Officials and Employees to Receive, and for Private Persons to Give, Gifts on Any Occasion, including Christmas).

Aquino’s defense of Purisima makes a mockery of his “Tuwid na Daan” mantra.

Let’s not forget Purisima

Ellen Leave a comment

While we are riveted to the splendor of Hacienda Binay’s Kew Gardens and air-conditioned piggery, let us not forget Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima and his questionable acts as a public official.

PNP Chief Alan Purisima and President Aquino

PNP Chief Alan Purisima and President Aquino

The public should be more vigilant of the Purisima case because no less than President Aquino is protecting him, vouching for the Police chief’s integrity despite blatant violation of ethical standards set for government officials.

Talking with reporters in Indonesia, Aquino said, “Natuwa ako noong sinama niya lahat sa bahay niya sa Nueva Ecija. Iyon, gawain ng tao na hindi nagtatago.”

What kind of logic is that? Allowing media to see his vacation villa in a 4.5 hectare property in Nueva Ecija does not answer the questions of how he acquired it at a cheap price and how he was able to build a nice four-bedroom vacation house complete with swimming pool, gazebo and a nipa hut out of his salary as a police officer.

It is PR.

In the same way, former Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado was out of line when he expressed sympathy for Purisima during his presentation of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s alleged 350-hectare estate in Rosario, Batangas at the Senate hearing last week.

“Kawawa naman si PNP Chief Purisima. Binabanatan ng media, 4.5 hectares lang naman ang property niya sa Nueva Ecija. Ito 350 hectares,” Mercado said.

Binay’s 350-hectare Batangas estate is mindboggling but Purisima’s 4.5 hectare vacation place is no less an anomaly if it’s proven to have been acquired illegally.

Just because one is a smaller crook does not make him not a crook. A smaller size or amount is no certification of honesty.

Aside from his Nueva Ecija property, Purisima’s conduct in the P25 million renovation of the White House in Camp Crame, the PNP chief’s official residence, also raises a lot of questions.

Sources said the White House was constructed with government money although there was no capital outlay for it in the PNP budget. It was made possible with the juggling of funds by PNP officers in charge of the agency’s finances.

When the White House renovation was being questioned by media, sources said Purisima met with his trusted officers and they agreed that the line they will give the public was: “No government money was used.”
If no government money was used, where did the P25 million for the renovation come from?

Sources said Purisima’s group had another brainstorming session and they came up with the bright idea of asking the PNP chief’s fellow Mason brothers to own up having made a donation to the PNP for the renovation of the White House.

This was not easy because lying is supposedly anathema to Freemasonry which includes Truth as one of its core principles.

One military officer who is also a Mason said they also saw a problem justifying a P25 million donation for the renovation of the White House when there were more urgent projects in the PNP like improvement of the hospital.

The group finally was able to get three contractors to agree to be identified as “donors”: Carlos Gonzales of ULTICON Builders, Alexander Lopez of Pacific Concrete Corporation, and Christopher Pastrana of CAPP Industries.
But it was a strange kind of donation consisting of “building materials” because the deeds of donation were signed only last month when the renovation had already been completed.

Purisima’s tale of the three donors also defies common sense because those three companies are based in different parts of the country. How were they coordinated as to their participation in the renovation?

News reports later revealed that although the donors did not have projects with the PNP, as Purisima stressed, two of them – Pacific Concrete Corp. and Ulticon Builders – have contracts with Department of Public Works and Highways and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

Purisima also had another intriguing revelation when he appeared at the hearing of Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs committee chaired by Sen. Grace Poe. He admitted that he bought his brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser “Prado” for P1.5 million which has a published price of P4.5 million. He said a car dealer in Pampanga gave him a huge discount.

P3 million is no ordinary discount. It’s a huge favor. It’s a gift. Sen. Miriam Santiago went even further and called it “bribery.”

Plunder and indirect bribery charges have been filed against Purisima.

He is also being investigated by the Ombudsman for allegedly approving an irregular courier service contract with Werfast Documentary Agency in 2011.

Accepting gifts and donations is a violation of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act); Republic Act No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees); Presidential Decree 46 (Making it Punishable for Public Officials and Employees to Receive, and for Private Persons to Give, Gifts on Any Occasion, including Christmas).

Aquino’s defense of Purisima makes a mockery of his “Tuwid na Daan” mantra.

1987 coup: The ties that bind PNoy and Purisima

Ellen Leave a comment

President Aquino with PNP Chief Alan Purisima.

President Aquino with PNP Chief Alan Purisima.

President Aquino’s dogged defense of Police Chief Alan Purisima despite revelations of acts of irregularity and the public’s frustration over breakdown of law and order, have led many to ask what’s behind the closeness of the two.

While in New York last week, Aquino described the PNP Chief as ““not capricious.” Back in Manila after information about the luxurious Nueva Ecija vacation house with an attic on a 4.5 hectare property with a separate pavilion, separate four- car garage with quarters, a 7.5m x 15m pool, Aquino maintains the line that criticisms against his administration are really meant to block reforms that he is instituting.

It should be recalled that in order to install Purisima as PNP chief before the 2013 elections, then PNP Chief Nicanor Bartolome was forced to retire three months before his retirement age of 56.

During the turnover ceremonies from Bartolome to Purisima at Camp Crame on Dec. 18, 2012, Aquino revealed that he has known Purisima since 1987 when the latter was part of his mother’s Presidential Security Group.

'This is not a mansion. Just an ordinary house.'-Purisima's Nueva Ecija resthouse.

‘This is not a mansion. Just an ordinary house.’-Purisima’s Nueva Ecija resthouse.


Aquino said of Purisima:”Our bonds have been tried and tested; we know that we stand by each other on the straight path, in service to our countrymen. This explains my utmost confidence that he will always side with what is right, and that he can ensure meaningful, positive change among the ranks of our police force—especially when compared to the system we inherited. “

Police and military sources said the strongest “bond” between Purisima and Aquino was the Aug. 28, 1987 coup attempt against Cory Aquino’s government where the presidential son was wounded. They said Purisima was with him in that incident.

Then Presidential Security Group Commander (and now Secretary of National Defense) Voltaire Gazmin recounted the incident for National Geographic : ”I was right there at Gate 4 when the rebel soldiers tried to enter Malacañang. The rebel troops moved in on several trucks and shooting started. The car of the President’s son, Noynoy, was intercepted by attacking rebel soldiers near St. Jude Church. Noynoy was injured, and three of his security men were killed. Other PSG troops were killed during that clash.”

Following the series of coup attempts (nine all in all) against the Cory government, a fact-finding commission was formed headed by then Comelec Commissioner Hilario Davide, Jr.

Here’s the portion on the Malacañang attack of the Davide Commission report: “At about 1:45 a.m, 28 August, the rebels launched their attack on Malacanang. Some 20 rebels ransacked the armory of the Ant-Terrorist Task Force at the PSG at the foot of Nagtahan bridge. They attacked Malacañang from two directions along Aguila and JP Laurel streets but were blocked by the PSG and CAPCOM elements deployed at all possible approached. A firefight ensued, where several men from both sides were killed or wounded.

“The V-160 under the command of rebel Capt Reynaldo Ordoñez (PMA ’78) was confronted by a Scorpion tank coming from the Malacañang area near St. Jude Church. After Ordoñez spoke with its driver, the tank withdrew and the V-160 later left for Camp Aguinaldo. The 62IB led by Ochosa arrived at the Nagtahan bridge area at 2:00 a.m. passing through La Loma. They engaged in a firefight with government troops where three of their companions were killed while two were wounded. After about 30 minutes, they too headed for Camp Aguinaldo. The men of the 14 IB led by Acosta arrived at the Ayala bridge at about 2:30 a.m. and were deployed on both ends of the bridge.

“Later, after hearing shots from the area of Malacañang, they fired three rounds of flares to signal their withdrawal to Camp Aguinaldo.

“Unable to get to Malacañang, the rest of the rebel troops under Honasan headed for Camp Aguinaldo through the Sta Mesa route. But in the course of their withdrawal, they shot at civilian onlookers who were jeering at them killing 11 and wounding 54.

“Earlier they had fired at the convoy of President Aquino’s son, Noynoy, who was rushing home to Arlegui near Malacañang. Noynoy was wounded while his bodyguard was killed. Two other people died, and a third one was seriously wounded in the car behind them. The marine reinforcement led by Biazon composed of five companies and four LVTs arrived at the Malacañang area at 4:30 a.m but the rebels had by them withdrawn to Camp Aguinaldo.”

Aquino relates to media the Aug. 28, 1987 clash with rebel soldiers.

Aquino relates to media the Aug. 28, 1987 clash with rebel soldiers.

The years and his ascendancy in Malacañang as president have not completely healed the wound (actually one of the five bullets is still embedded in his neck) that incident had caused on Aquino. In March 2013, in General Santos City, while he was condemning the Datu Lahad, Sabah siege by the forces of the late Jamalul Kiram III, Aquino confused the audience when he suddenly shifted to the 1987 coup. He said: “Pasensiya na ho kayo kung may halong emosyon ‘yung talumpati ko sa inyo ngayon. Talagang, alam ho niyo, na-ambush nga ako noong ‘87 po. Tatlo sa apat kong kasamahan patay.”

We are wondering, if three of Aquino’s companions died, was the fourth one who survived Purisima?
There were rumors that a woman , who was in the car with Aquino during that incident, was one of the three persons killed.

The late broadcaster/blogger Ding Gagelonia had written about this rumor in his blog “At Midfield” on Sept. 27, 2009. The blog entry carried a press statement from Florencio “Butch” Abad, then campaign manager of presidential candidate Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III refuting what he denounced as “ malicious allegations” that appeared in a newspaper.

Abad said it was “ an old story” and the reporter “got the facts completely wrong. “

He said: “A certain ‘Charlotte Marie Datiles’” indeed died during the August 28, 1987 coup d’etat. She was not the girlfriend of Senator Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III nor was she in the same car as the senator.”
Abad quoted from a September 9, 1987 Inquirer column Ramon Tulfo saying that Datiles “ was the 19-year-old girlfriend of a certain Lt. Teodoro Sanchez, an undercover operative of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.”

Bad said according to Tulfo, “Sanchez and Datiles and another ISAFP agent were passing by Malacañang aboard a car during the attack on the palace. They came from a mission following up a lead in the slaying of Local Government Secretary Jaime Ferrer. Sanchez’s car was sandwiched between the Palace guards and the rebels firing at each other.”

Abad closed his statement with “While we all expect evil propaganda of this nature to continue as the election nears, we have no doubt that truth will prevail in the end. We must not be distracted in the campaign to fight for what is right. The Filipino people deserve nothing less. Our call remains: ‘Tanggaling ang tiwali, itama ang mali!’

The relevance of Abad’s call has become more sharp and urgent in the wake of controversies involving the President’s men.

Run PNoy, Run

Ellen Leave a comment

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I have lost track counting the number of somersaults that President Aquino and his spokesmen have performed on the issue of whether he wants to stay in Malacañang after his term ends on June 30, 2016.

To save myself further aggravation, I decided to “like” President Aquino’s Facebook Page which was brought to my attention by singer Leah Navarro.

Navarro, a certified PNoy loyalist, said: “ Have any of you visited the President’s Facebook page? It’s Noynoy Aquino P-Noy . It has over four million likes. You’ll see a clamor for the President to stay on for another term. It’s pretty awesome – thousands of people have posted, commented on, or just ‘liked’ this suggestion that he stay on for another six years.”

The Constitution provides only one six-year term without re-election for the President. For him to stay in Malacañang after 2016 would require Charter change or elections would have be cancelled in 2016.
Now I believe that “kung sakaling itutuloy ang 2016 elections (if elections in 2016 will push through)” statement by Press Secretary Edwin Lacierda three weeks ago was not a slip of the tongue nor inadequacy in Tagalog nor stupidity. It’s part of their game of taking people for a ride.

Last month when Interior Secretary Mar Roxas first suggested that Aquino run for another term in 2016, amplified by Aquino himself in his interview with TV5’s resident legal analyst Mel Sta. Maria, I gave five possible reasons why Aquino floated Cha-Cha to allow him a second term and clip the powers of the Supreme Court.

The five reasons were 1) he doesn’t want to be seen as a lameduck, 2) he has not gotten over the Supreme Court’s 13-0 decision on the DAP or Disbursement Accelerated Program ; 3) there is no one in his party, the Liberal Party, that can beat Vice President Jejomar Binay in the 2016 elections; 4) he is enjoying the Presidency and if he can get away with another six years, why not; 5) Type lang niya i-gudtime ang madlang pipol.

Now, I’m more convinced it’s number five: Type lang niya i-gudtime ang madlang pipol.

Why am I saying that?

Last Friday in a gathering of Aquino allies in Malacañang where he made another State-of-the Nation address (his second in less than three months), he said, “I know that the 2016 elections are already on the minds of some. Indeed, the time will soon come when the straight path will choose a new candidate. I hope it isn’t me.”

The audience laughed. Do you find it funny?

In an interview with the editors and reporters of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Aquino said there is still time to amend the Constitution contrary to the opinion of some analysts. “, might do even better in a second term,” he was quoted by the Inquirer as having said.

In his Friday speech, Aquino said, “I still get told, or even get sent text messages: About how it is my duty to look for who will replace me, and to train him for the responsibility. That it is my duty to help further everything we’ve begun. There are even those who say that the surest way to secure the straight and righteous path is if I myself continue leading the country. I cannot disregard the suggestions of open-minded people, of people who have sincerest intentions to help their fellow man.”

In the Inquirer interview, Aquino was quoted to have said, “If many people come to Luneta (to persuade him to stay) I might find it hard to say No.”

In the count of Aquino’s FB Fan page, I was number 4,078,091.

Run, PNoy, run!

There is wisdom in Napoleon Bonaparte’s strategy “Not to interfere with the enemy while he is in the process of destroying himself.”

5 possible reasons why PNoy floated Chacha and term extension

Ellen Leave a comment

From Pixel Offensive
Faced with overwhelming opposition to a Charter Change to allow President Aquino to extend his term beyond 2016, Malacañang has backtracked and assured the public that he is not supporting changes in the Constitution in the last two years of his presidency.

Press Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr and Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte can resort to all kinds of spins but it is on record (TV5’s interview Aug. 13 interview) that Aquino said he was open to charter change to clip the powers of the Supreme Court and to another term.
But why did Aquino float it in the first place?

We can think of five possible reasons:

1. He doesn’t want to be considered a lameduck.

Online dictionairies define “lameduck” as “A president who is completing a term of office and chooses not to run or is ineligible to run for reelection; politicians who are known to be in their final term of office, when colleagues and electors look toward a successor.

Politicians gravitate to where their interests are served. That means being allied with someone who will be in a position of power for a long time. A possible second term will dissuade those who are thinking of going to the other side to stay on with him.

It’s understandable that Aquino is anxious that he should continue being seen as a source of formidable political clout by members of Congress because he still has some important legislations to pass, one of them the Bangsamoro Law.

Impeachment complaints have been filed against Aquino. It is unlikely to pass in the House with the administration coalition in the majority. A possible second term for Aquino would make an effective disincentive for those who are being convinced to sign on to the complaint.

2. He has not gotten over the unanimous rejection that he got from the Supreme Court of his Disbursement Accelerated Program or DAP.

With his own appointees voting against his pet initiative, Aquino felt betrayed. He had expected some justices voting against it and was told that it would be a close vote, 7-6 in their favor.

When it was 13-0, declaring parts of DAP unconstitutional, Aquino couldn’t take it.
As playwright William Congreve said “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

3. Aquino’s party, the Liberal Party, is desperate who to put up against Vice President Jejomar Binay, the political opposition’s candidate in the 2016 presidential elections, who is far ahead of other possible presidential candidates, in the surveys.

The numbers of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas are not improving. It is doubtful if Aquino’s endorsement could carry Roxas to Malacanang in 2016.

If not Roxas, who in LP? Senate President Franklin Drilon? His numbers are no better than Roxas’s.

Aquino’s desire to have a partymate as successor is understandable not only to continue his programs but also to make sure that he would be protected from cases that are expected to be filed against him when he is no longer in Malacañang.

4. He is enjoying being president. Kung makalusot, why not?

5. Type lang niya i-gudtime ang madlang pipol.