JAMES LAYUG "MAGDALO" for Congressman

By MIRIAM CORONEL FERRER
ABS-CBN; 03/13/2010

Everyone has been focused on the election trail, and while we’re not looking, the government is fast tracking the selling of valuable government assets.

The issues surrounding the selling of the Food Terminals in Taguig and the real estate owned by government in Fujimi, Japan have already come out in the open. But still outside of the public glare is the ongoing negotiation to sell the 10 percent share of the government in the Malampaya oil field.

If Malacanang manages to arm twist the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) board to sign the deed of sale – and it seems they are trying their darnedest to pull this through — the billions of fresh funds from the sale will immediately prop up the sagging coffers of this administration. But the Filipino people and Philippine government will lose forever significant and potentially higher annual revenues from the resource in the next 20 years.

Gas from Malampaya fuels the 2,700 megawatt power plant in Batangas. So far, Malampaya is the biggest oil and gas producing field in the country. It is estimated to contain 3 trillion cubic feet of gas and 40 million barrels of recoverable oil reserves. However, there are indications that it has much more in store not only in the Malampaya structure, but also in the nearby prospects that Shell and the Service Contract 38 joint venture have identified and will be drilling soon.

The government plans to sell Malampaya for about US$300 million or P14 billion. In 2008, the PNOC-EC earned P3.08 billion, most of which came from Malampaya earnings. At this rate, and assuming steady gas prices and volume of sales, it can easily raise the $300 million in six years without having to sell the goose that lays the golden egg.

In fact, the Malampaya consortium has already fully recovered its initial $4.5 billion investment. It started operation only in 2001.

Obviously, disposing of the asset now will immediately strip the government, starting with the next administration, of a sustained and significant revenue source.

Without the Malampaya asset, the PNOC-EC’s net worth would be decimated. It won’t have the capacity to invest in other exploration projects.

The government plan is to eventually sell 60 percent of the PNOC-EC. But without the Malampaya goose, it won’t fetch much. If it sells PNOC-EC with its Malampaya share intact, it can fetch a much higher value for the same share. So why is the government so keen to sell the shares now?

This is the not the first time, the GMA administration tried to sell the participating interest of the PNOC-EC in Malampaya. In 2005, it approved the sale of half of Its participating share to the Korean LG company. But several people in government managed to block the planned sale. With only three months to go before a new administration takes over, high-ranking government officials are once more working fast to swing a deal asap.

Speculations as to motives are naturally rife when a government-brokered deal is evidently unwise from a business investment point of view and fraudulent from a governance perspective. Some surmise the funds will be diverted to private pockets, or electioneering. Others think the administration wants to exit without the shameful legacy of a huge budget deficit. That’s why they badly need the green bucks-transfusion. Still others cannot help think of even more sinister plots in the offing, such as the eventual privatization of the much devalued PNOC-EC at bargain prices to a favored investment group.

The president has promised a smooth transition to the next administration. And while we have yet to see through this promise, we have before us very high-ranking government officials hell-bent on using their terminal powers to squeeze the most benefit for themselves.

The president has been filling up all appointive positions with people whom we will have to suffer even after she has stepped down. It seems she will appoint the chief justice of the Supreme Court during the election ban period even at the cost of a constitutional showdown. It is pathetic that an incoming AFP chief’s inaugural speech is a plea for trust, given how little there is on both the appointer and appointee.

And now, we have this impending sell-out of a prime revenue-generating government asset for one more short-term and self-serving gain.

E-mail: mcf178@yahoo.com

By Cynthia Balana, Miko L. Morelos
Philippine Daily Inquirer; March 04, 2010

MANILA, Philippines—An agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has accused retired Supreme Court Justice Dante Tinga and his son, Taguig Mayor Sigfrido Tinga, of influencing a judge into dismissing a drug-pushing charge against their three relatives.

Jeffrey M. Roquero, PDEA intelligence officer II, who posed as the buyer to bust the Tinga kin, wrote Chief Justice Reynato Puno on Feb. 8 seeking the disbarment of Judge Raul Villanueva of the Regional Trial Court Branch 267 of Pasig City (Taguig City station) who handled the case.

Roquero also filed a formal complaint in the Supreme Court on Feb. 17 seeking an investigation of Villanueva for ignoring “the strong and sufficient evidence of the prosecution by the mere demurrer to evidence submitted by the defense.” (A demurrer to evidence is a pleading for the court to order the outright dismissal of charges pending before it due to weak evidence.)

Politically motivated

Retired Justice Tinga Wednesday shrugged off the complaint filed against him and son Freddie, describing it as “politically motivated.”

“The accusation is simply false and utterly unfounded,” the elder Tinga said. “The attempt to include me and my son in the administrative complaint apparently is politically motivated.”

Tinga, who’s seeking the mayoral post his son is currently holding, pointed out that if the accusation had any truth to it, the drug suspects would have not spent at least two years in jail while their case was being heard.

“From what I’ve read in the papers and columns, the case was dismissed on demurrer to evidence that shows the prosecution evidence is weak,” said the former Supreme Court associate justice.

He lamented that “when a Tinga is being accused of something, they always drag our names,” referring to his son Freddie and himself, a three-term representative before being appointed to the high court by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Buy-bust operation

In his letter to Puno and in his complaint, Roquero said he was the poseur-buyer in the case filed by PDEA against Fernando Tinga, Alberto Tinga and Allan Carlos.

The three men were arrested in a buy-bust operation on July 11, 2007 in front of a house in Ususan, Taguig. The house was tagged by “Bitag,” a television anti-crime show, as the ancestral home of the Tinga political clan.

The TV show devoted an episode to the buy-bust operation.

Several other men surnamed Tingas had been arrested by PDEA and the police on drug-related charges, including Joel Tinga and Bernardo Tinga.

Drug syndicate

A PDEA report dated June 22, 2009 identified Joel as “a member of the Tinga drug syndicate.”

PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago told reporters after Joel’s arrest for selling P100,000 worth of “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) that “he (Joel) is a cousin (of Mayor Tinga).”

Bernardo was arrested in a buy-bust operation at his house in Ususan in 2007.

Roquero said that from the testimony of witnesses, the prosecution had satisfied the elements of the crime of illegal sale and possession of drugs.

He said the outcome of the case was “heavily influenced” by the retired justice and the mayor.

Chemistry report

The PDEA agent said Villanueva rendered a verdict without any legal basis considering the testimony of the witnesses and evidence, including a chemistry report, presented during the trial.

“We did our best to have the accused convicted with only ourselves to rely on, but the court had other plans and looked for loopholes. So, they, the three of them, could go scot-free at our expense,” Roquero told Puno.

“I could not discount the possibility of a political favor being offered here,” he added.

Sacrifice wasted

Roquero said Villanueva’s decision was demoralizing for drug law enforcers because it could affect their mind-set in anti-illegal drugs operations.

“Our time, effort and sacrifice in this particular case got wasted,” the PDEA agent said.

Roquero believed that Villanueva succumbed to pressure when he dismissed the charges on Feb. 16, a violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which provides that a judge must be vigilant against any attempt to subvert the independence of the judiciary and resist any pressure from whatever source.

Tilting scales of justice

The PDEA agent noted that the very opening statement of Villanueva’s order showed that “he is tilting the scales of justice in favor of the accused, reducing the heinous crimes they committed as merely ‘concocted.’”

Judge like accused’s counsel

“On the contrary, it is Judge Villanueva’s order which is founded on mere speculations. He appeared more as counsel for the accused instead of displaying cold neutrality as the presiding judge,” Roquero said.

Roquero said there was sufficient evidence to convict the Tingas because they yielded not only shabu but also the marked money used by PDEA to prove that they had sold the drug to PDEA agents.

Earlier, the PDEA legal division asked Villanueva to reconsider his decision, saying the court could not have expected prosecutors to oppose the motion for demurrer filed by the Tingas because they (PDEA and the prosecutors) did not even receive a notice of hearing on the motion.

Justice, Mayor Tinga tagged by PDEA agent as drug protectors

An agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has accused retired Supreme Court Justice Dante Tinga and Taguig City Mayor Sigfrido Tinga of influencing a Pasig City judge into dismissing last Feb. 16 the drug-pushing charges that had been filed by PDEA against three of their relatives.

In his complaint dated Feb. 17, 2010, filed before the Office of the Court Administrator, PDEA agent Jeffrey Roquero charged Judge Raul Bautista Villanueva of “gross ignorance of the law, manifest partiality, incompetence and serious misconduct, [and] knowingly rendering unjust judgment.”

Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte Rep. Roque Ablan, Jr., chair of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, issued a warning that the Philippines could become a narco state if the drug menace will be allowed to spiral out of control.

“We must get to the bottom of any and all charges against officials of government being involved in the drug trade lest we become one of those Latin American countries now grappling with the problem of narco-politics,” said Ablan.

Ablan expressed dismay over a US State Department warning that the trade in illegal drugs in the Philippines may even affect the results of the May 2010 elections.

“We cannot allow drug money to be used to elect lawmakers, governors and mayors. On the flipside, we cannot allow any justice, government official or the police and the military to coddle drug syndicates,” said Ablan.

The drug trade in the country was estimated at US$6.4 billion to $8.4 billion annually.

Sa Bayan kong mahal.

Anim-na-taon na ang nakalipas nang kami po na mga Kasundaluhan sa AFP na nakilala sa pangalang MAGDALO ay nagtungo sa OAKWOOD upang manindigan laban sa isang mapang-abuso at kurap na administrasyon. Kami po ay lumabas ng aming mga kampo upang pigilan ang pagpapasasa ng isang rehimeng magnanakaw, mandaraya at manloloko na siyang nagbabaon sa kahirapan sa ating mga kababayan. Kami po ay naglabas ng hinaing at nanawagan ng pagbabago at kaayusan sa pamamahala ni GMA at ng kanyang liderato ngunit sa halip na kami ay pakinggan kami ay niloko, hinubaran ng karapatan at itinapon sa piitian.

Sa nagdaang mga panahon wala pong nagbago. Lalong lumala ang ating kalagayan. Tumaas ang kahirapan, lumala ang kurapsyon, umasenso ang mga naghaharing politiko, at napabayaan ang mga mamamayan. Si GMA at ang kanyang pamilya ay nabaon sa isang litanya ng iskandalo at pagkakasala sa bayan tulad ng Macapagal Blvd, Jose Pidal Acct, PIATCO, Fertilizer Scam, Road Users Tax, MO-Ad, Greenbase, ZTE NBN Deal, North Rail, HELLO GARCI, at marami pang-iba. Nawalan ng direksyon ang bansa at lalong nawalan ng pag-asang makaahon sa ilalim ng “Mafia Style Corruption” na ipinaiiral ng mga kasalukuyang namumuno.

Sa ngayon bagama’t kami ay naka-piit, ang puso at diwa namin ay nananatiling tapat at buo para sa bansa. Hindi kayang harangin ng mga rehas na bakal at bakod na pader ang aming adhikain na makamit ang isang tunay na malaya at demokratikong bansa. Sa tulong ninyo aming mga Kabisig, mga Kasama sa pakikibaka, at mga Kaisa sa paniniwala ay itutuloy natin ang laban para sa isang mapayapa, maunlad at masaganang bukas.

Ngayong halalan sa 2010 gamitin natin ang lakas ng balota upang maging instrumento sa pag-pili ng mga tamang lider na paglilingkuran ang interes ng mamamayan. Ang bukas na inaasam natin ay nasa ating mga kamay. Tayo ang magpapasiya kung saan patutungo ang ating bayan. Sama-sama nating isulong ang Bagong Pulitika. Isang pulitaka na kakatawan sa boses ng masa, ipaglalaban ang interes ng bayan, babantayan ang kalikasan at maglilingkod ng tapat sa mamamayan. Bagong pulitika na naka-angkla ang plataporma sa patriotismo, nationalismo, idealismo, at altruismo. Pulitika na hindi nakatali sa salapi bagkus ang pinapahalagahan ay ang malasakit sa kapwa.

Ito po ang pulitika ng Pagbabago. Ito po ang pulitika ng Magdalo. Ito po ang nasa puso ko at ng mga kasama kong Bagong Katipunero na sina BGen Danny Lim, Col Ariel Qureubin, Cpt Gary Alejano, Cpt Dante Langkit, at Cpt Ashley Acedillo.

Theres The Rub

By Conrado de Quiros
Philippine Daily Inquirer
08/17/2009

To my beloved countrymen,

Six years ago today 300 young officers and men of the AFP went to Oakwood Makati to air their grievances against a corrupt leadership who advocates state terrorism as a national policy. Armed only with the desire for change and a vision for a better country they tried to sound the alarm of patriotism to wake up the Filipinos enslaved in poverty by this corrupt system and corrupt leaders. Unfortunately their call was a voice in the wilderness. They got incarcerated, persecuted, and ridiculed.

At present we are neck deep in shit because of our subservience and non-action.GMA and her cohorts have drained the country of its resources and bastardized every institution in our society for the past eight years. History have absolved these young patriots. They were vindicated by recent events which validates their message at Oakwood. Let us not forget the spirit of Oakwood and continue the fight for a better country. It’s about time that we all stand up, reclaim what is ours and assert our sovereign will…

(more…)

To the Members of the House who sponsored HR 1109

We write this letter in the knowledge that within our inalienable right to free speech, we have the right to condemn, to dissent, and to express. We believe that dissent and disagreement – as well as anger – is warranted for the events of June 2, 2009, where 170 Representatives sponsored and passed a ruthless, rude, and repugnant resolution that fuels our rage.

On that night, you held a marathon session to pass House Resolution 1109. The House majority have passed the resolution to set up a constituent assembly to open up the Constitution to changes that endanger Philippine sovereignty, and the rights and liberties, granted to us in this country. The possibility of “Gloria Forever” haunted a sleeping nation. The House overstepped its bounds in a claim to power, and to usurp the present decay of political institutions of this nation. (more…)