MANILA, Philippines – Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s hospital bill at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City has reached more than P120,000.
The VMMC reported that the running total of Mrs. Arroyo’s stay at the hospital is now at P126,661.21. The former president was transferred to the VMMC from the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City on Dec. 9, 2011.
Of the said amount, Mrs. Arroyo’s electrical consumption at the hospital was already at P65,635.43 and medical procedures done on the former president reached P52,547.
The amount is being shouldered by …

Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo Jr. died Thursday after life-support systems were removed from his body, said his brother, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo.
“Support systems were pulled out already thirty minutes ago. My brother passed away already. I’m so sad,” he said.
The Negros lawmaker was earlier declared “clinically dead” and was only relying on life support systems after he suffered a cardiac arrest Wednesday night.
“At that point, an ambulance was called for him in London. He was revived at the hospital but he went into a coma. …

MANILA, Philippines – Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo wants the Supreme Court to nullify the filing of electoral sabotage raps and the subsequent warrant of arrest against his wife, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In an urgent petition filed before the Court, Arroyo is asking the SC to declare all the actions of the Joint Department of Justice-Commission on Elections fact finding and preliminary investigation committee to be illegal.
This includes the filing of information which was basis for last Friday’s issuance of a warrant of arrest.
“All the acts so far performed …

MANILA, Philippines – The doctors of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo have advised the ailing congresswoman to seek medical treatment in the United States or Singapore, her spokesperson Atty. Raul Lambino said.
According to Lambino, however, Arroyo chooses to remain in the Philippines to quash speculations that she is avoiding the plunder charges filed against her.
“Sensitive siya sa public opinion e. Sinasabi niya, ‘Kapag ako umalis sa bansa, sasabihin nila tinatakbuhan ko itong accusations against me.’ To the extent of maybe putting her life in danger,” said …

Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, who was linked to a growing scandal involving second-hand helicopters sold to the Philippine National Police (PNP), on Monday laughed off claims that he has sought asylum in Portugal, which does not have an extradition treaty with the Philippines.
Mr. Arroyo, who is in Hong Kong, said he is planning to return to Manila before noon Monday.
“Makikita nila, babalik ako,” Mr. Arroyo said in an interview on dzXL radio.
Earlier, Mr. Arroyo was reported to be planning to take a 9:00 a.m. Cathay Pacific flight for …

MANILA, Philippines – The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) lawyer, who committed suicide after being caught up in an investigation into alleged anomalous transactions of the bank, was laid to rest on Saturday.
Benjamin Pinpin was buried at Loyola Memorial Park in Parañaque City past 4 p.m. following a requiem mass at the Holy Trinity Memorial Chapel around 12 noon.
Pinpin’s funeral service was attended by his family, friends and co-workers, who wore black clothes to mourn his death.
Pinpin was found dead in a bathroom of a hotel room in Las …

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima may soon order the Bureau of Immigration to place her erstwhile boss, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, on its watch list to keep the current Pampanga legislator in the country as she faces the charges filed against her.
Speaking to reporters, De Lima said that as head of the Department of Justice, she has the prerogative to issue watch list orders against subjects of government inquiries.
“She (Arroyo) is now a subject of several investigations not just in the DOJ, but also the allegations that have cropped up …

House allies of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged their colleagues in Congress to avoid “trial by publicity” during congressional inquiries a day after the suicide of former Defense chief Angelo Reyes who was accused of corruption in a Senate probe.
“The death by suicide by former Armed Forces chief of staff Angelo Reyes sends the message to legislators to desist from engaging in trial by publicity,” House minority leader Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Lagman added that Reyes “possibly could not bear his own and his …

Former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whom Angelo Reyes helped catapult to Malacañang in 2001, on Tuesday urged Filipinos to recognize Reyes’ “patriotic” service as a soldier and government official.
“He served the country well in uniform and in the halls of government, particularly in a critical moment in our history when our people called for radical reform of governance,” Mrs. Arroyo said in a statement issued through her spokesperson, Maria Elena Bautista-Horn.
Mrs. Arroyo said she was saddened by Reyes’ “tragic” death. She praised him for his “courage and …

A younger-looking Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made heads turn in Congress and on the world wide web this week.
The former chief executive, known for her short, side-swept do and no-nonsense style, sported on Tuesday her wavy dark brown hair which covered her nape.
The new look complemented her earth-tone makeup and her long bell-sleeved blouse with black buttons.
House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, a known Arroyo ally, noted that she looks more relaxed after ending her term as president early this year.
“The burden of the highest office of the land is not …

(Photo Credits: BSAIII FB)
Let me begin by saying that you will be reading a SONA reaction from a loyal Noynoy Aquino supporter. However, this does not mean that I will be singing kumbaya with my President at all times – just because. Having said that, I will try to be fair with Gloria Arroyo (Can you imagine me saying that? I must be going nuts!) By saying that the findings would have been more believable if it was conducted by a third-party and/or independent auditors and I’m certainly not referring …

President Benigno Aquino’s 1st State of the Nation Address (SONA) will be shocking, says one headline news. It reads: “Aquino says SONA will ‘shock’ Filipinos“. But if you read it, it’s all about how much was left by the Arroyo’s on the national coffers. That’s not shocking. That’s expected from these corrupt [insert bloody anything here]. What is shocking is that – you still see all of these KUPALS (thanks to Larry Leviste) prancing around – even in the halls of Congress. That’s what’s shocking.
Several weeks ago, out came the …

(Photo Credits: FB Wall of friends)
Wang-wang mentality
Wang-wang mentality is really an abuse of power and privilege. It’s bloody annoying to read comments saying that this wang-wang policy is too tiny mini-mayni-mo of a problem to even deserve presidential attention. Naknampooka oo! Translated into common Pinoy language: “Los Indios, lumayas kayo sa kalsada! Wala kayong karapatan ni anuman dahil dadaan kami”. Only the wannabes cannot understand how symbolically big this bloody wang-wang culture is. Worse, government officials are rabidly guilty of these as well as the rich and notoriously wannabe …

(Typo on July 3. Sorry)
Gloria Arroyo, once the illegal occupant of Malacanang is now officially a Congresswoman. At least, she was elected in that position. Without wasting any time, she took the very first step towards charter change and filed a resolution to change the constitution.
Love it or hate it, she deserves credit for being a fast legislator.
In fact, she is still the President of the Philippines. Blame it on the Aquino Team who is very, very, very, very slow. Maybe they’re not really slow; there is just nobody …

My response?! DA NERD!!!

Just how many “Unsolicited advice” have we heard from so many wannabe-advisors to President Noynoy? Quite a lot, davah? Imfak, Gloria has one too many. Malacanang Palace too! But here is one piece of unsolicited advice that I just can’t help reacting.
Malacañang gave incoming President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III a lesson or two on governance, cautioning him against discriminating his political opponents during his six-year term daw! Tapang magsalita!!!
They said:
You are the president even of your enemies.
“When you become the President, you become the President of …

With just a little over two weeks remaining in Gloria Arroyo’s presidency stay in Malacanang, her supporters and detractors, in fact Gloria Arroyo herself, are already hard at work crafting two very different versions of her historic and/or corruption laden legacy. And you better believe me when I say that no one is working harder to leave a favorable mark than Gloria Arroyo herself. In fact, she bombarded the airwaves with videos of her accomplishments. The video shows an economic boom. Great highways, whether you travel North or the South. …

Can you believe this?! Our country’s debt is now a whopping P4.4 trillion! And there is not even a decent expressway that spans from south of Manila all the way to Matnog, Sorsogon. All we hear are Nograles unexplained wealth, Arroyo’s sons unexplained wealth and more! The article said:

“All borrowings under President Arroyo’s term–that racked up the country’s outstanding debt to a whopping P4.2 trillion as of 2008 from only P2.2 trillion in 2000–were necessary, her economic managers argue, amid accusations the President was responsible for the country’s deepening …

(Photo Credits: ABS-CBN)
Aquino-Binay: No news
Congress says it’s final. It’s Aquino and Binay. I visited some of the blogs that I visit frequently, I checked the statuses of some of my FB friends, and everyone in cyberspace is silent. Mar Roxas is mulling an electoral protest. He should, it’s a very close fight. He shouldn’t because it will take 7 years to resolve the issue.
Proxy war
Gloria appointed 250 people to juicy positions in what is now called midnight madness. One of which was the Armed Forces of the Philippines …

Now we know why these journalists were the attack dogs during the election campaign. For a job well done, they were given prizes. Take a look.

Here’s the video:

Viewed 15001 times by 3343 viewers

A very interesting read about the Balkans that we, in the Philippines can relate. The article discusses the problems and possible solutions (some sections of the case study were removed). In the Balkans, organized crime is their big corruption problem. In the Philippines, it seemed like the [insert word here] is the mafia. In the Balkans, they have incentives. In the Philippines? Nada. What we have is easier national unity, never having to grapple with ethnic civil wars.
If you want to read the entire article, here is the link: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/analysis/28539/ …

What a news!
The Ombudsman cleared President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo of culpability for their roles in the aborted $329-million national broadband deal known as ZTE controversy, but recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against former Commission on Elections chief Benjamin Abalos and Neri.
Read the rest of the story here: Reyna Elena
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O, sya pa rin ba?!

(Photo Credits: Inquirer)
O sya na nga?!

(Photo Credits: GMA News)
No.
Hindi sya.
Sabi sa news, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III will no longer take his oath before a barangay (village) captain, instead, is now considering a notary public, a judge or a justice of the Court of Appeals to swear in the Liberal Party standard-bearer or probably a associate justice of the Supreme Court.
In effect mga kabarrio – wa pa decision.
“If you take your oath before an associate justice, that shows your continued respect for the Supreme Court as …

Dear Mr. President-elect:
As a gesture of good faith, please release all prisoners of conscience.
In return, as our gesture of our good faith, we will actively assist in the prosecution of the enemies of the people, starting with Gloria Arroyo, Hermogenes Esperon, Jovito Palparan, Mike Arroyo, Mike Defensor, Jocjoc Bolante and everyone’s favorite, Mr. Comelec himself, the famous, Garci.
Trixie Cruz Angeles
Viewed 8449 times by 2217 viewers

(Picture Credits: Inquirer)
Corona was Chief of Staff and Spokesman of Vice President Arroyo then. When Gloria Arroyo became President, he became the Presidential Chief of Staff, Spokesman and later, Acting Executive Secretary. Despite the ban on midnight appointments, Gloria nominated Corona. Corona accepted. He is the new Chief Justice of Gloria Arroyo, the new Congresswoman who was repudiated during this election.
I leave the discussions on the legality, the constitutionality of the issues surrounding this appointment, to lawyers and constitutional experts. Nakiki-chika lang ako.
Because, aside from what President-elect Noynoy Aquino’s campaign …

I love reading the editorials on the Inquirer. It’s like reading one from the New York Times.
This editorial is about the Corona issue and Gloria Arroyo’s continued belligerence which is almost equivalent to insulting President-elect Noynoy Aquino. “Instead of allowing the country to savor the end of the long crisis of legitimacy that began—and deepened— from 2001-2005, the present administration chose to pursue its strategy of manufacturing crises so as to maximize its opportunities for aggrandizing power.” says the editorial.

Here it is:
Judicial quarantine
An editorial by the Philippine Daily Inquirer
WHILE …