Vol 2 No 246.pmd

P 8.00
VOLUME 2
NUMBER 246
WEDNESDAY
MARCH 25, 2009
ON UNSOLVED JOURNALISTS’ KILLINGS
CPJ calls for reforms in provincial judiciary
BY DINO BALABO
QUEZON CITY – New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
slammed the Arroyo administration’s
failure to solve killings of journalists say-
ing the country ranks first among peace
time democracies with highest impunity
rating at 90 percent.
Shawn Crispin, the Southeast Asia
Coordinator of the CPJ said there is a
need to reform the judiciary in the prov-
inces, creation of special courts to address the killing of journalists and establishment of a quick response team among
media groups that will document attacks
on journalists.
Based on CPJ’s Global Impunity In-
dex for 2009, the Philippines rank sixth
among 14 countries with the highest
number of unsolved journalists’ murder
with 24 unsolved killings from 1999 to
2008.
PAGE 6 PLEASE
‘GMA for congresswoman’
Political allies in Pampanga say she could land as prime minister
BY DING CERVANTES
SASMUAN, Pampanga – President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will
resign as president 60 days before
the 2010 elections and appoint
Vice Pres. Noli de Castro as acting
president.
She will then run for
congresswoman in the
second district of Pampanga. This, in time for an
anticipated shift to a parliamentary system of government where she could
land as prime minister.
In an interview yesterday with Punto, Pampan-
ga’s first district Rep. Carmelo Lazatin said this
scenario of events is circulating among some proadministration members
of congress.
“I think she will,” Lazatin replied when asked
whether he thought the
PAGE 6 PLEASE
Panlilio not yet
fixed on prexy bid
BY TONETTE T. OREJAS
MINALIN, Pampanga –
Catholic priest and Governor Eddie Panlilio isn’t yet
giving in to clamors for him
to run as president in 2010
even as Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal
Rosales saw no religious
issue on the matter of a
priest in politics.
Instead, Panlilio said
he prefers to be playing the
part of convenor now. He
and several civic and religious leaders are initiating
primaries to select the reform candidates for national positions in the 2010
elections.
Among those involved
in the preparations are lawyer Alex Lacson and Fr.
Melo Diola, he said.
“We’re doing the outline for a step-by-step process on how to go about
the so-called primaries.
PAGE 6 PLEASE
Recall petitioners vent their ire on Melo. PHOTO BY JOEY PAVIA
Impeach Melo – Kambilan
2 other groups rally at Comelec; exec denies sitting on recall vs. Panlilio
BY JOEY PAVIA
MANILA – Recall petitioners in
Pampanga and two other areas in
the country yesterday staged a
rally at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office here de-
manding the poll body’s immediate
action on their respective petition,
including that of Gov. Eddie Panlilio.
The Kapanalig at Kambilan Ning
Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan),
recall petitioners in Cabuyao, Lagu-
na and Mauban, Quezon protested what they described as “death
of their constitutional rights” at the
hands of Comelec Chairman Jose
Melo. They carried placards bearing “Impeach Melo” and “gawin mo
PAGE 6 PLEASE
NI ERNIE B. ESCONDE
DINALUPIHAN, Bataan –
Tinangka ngunit nabigong ipatigil
noong Linggo ang grand opening ng isa sa dalawang sabungan dito matapos igiit ng mayari na tanging utos lamang ng
hukuman ang kanilang susundin.
Nagsimula ang pagpaparisparis ng mga maglalabang
manok at matapos ang pananghalian ay nagsimula ang aktual na sabong sa sigaw na pustahan ng mga mananabong.
Ilang residente ng Sta. Isabel sa pangunguna ng kanilang
barangay chairman na si Fernando Paule ang nagsagawa ng rally sa bukana papasok ng New
Dinalupihan Cockpit Arena bilang pagtutol sa nasabing
sabungan.
“Ang Sta. Isabel ay tahimik
na lugar, ayaw namin ng magulo”, “No cockpit arena in Sta. Isabel”, sabi ng maliliit na placard.
Ayon kay Ariel Lingad, barangay treasurer ng Sta. Isabel,
natatakot silang maulit ang ginawang raid sa sabungan ng
pulisya noong isang taon kung
saan nadamay ang ilan nilang
ka-barangay.
“Ayaw namin ng sabong,
maingay, magulo at ayaw naming pati mga bata ay baka matututong magnakaw,” sabi ng ilang matatandang babae. Ang
pastoral council sa lugar ay ayaw
din diumano sa sabungan dahil
malapit ito sa kanilang kapilya
at kung nagmimisa ay naririnig
ang sigawan.
Ipinaliwanag naman ni Dennis Soriano, may-ari ng New Dinalupihan Cockpit Arena, na legal ang kanilang operasyon
batay sa utos ng hukuman na
diumano’y nag-utos sa mayor ng
Dinalupihan na pagkalooban sila
ng mayor’s at business permit.
“Tuloy ang sabong at pwede
nila kaming ipasara basta may
court order pero kung verbal lamang hindi kami hihinto,” sagot
ni Soriano sa tanong na kung
itutuloy nila ang grand opening.
Sinabi pa nito na sila ang
kauna-unahang nagkaroon ng
prangkisa upang mag-operate
ng sabungan sa bayang ito.
Dumating ang ilang empleyado ng licensing division ng Dinalupihan treausrer’s office kasama ang ilang kasapi ng pulisya
sa pamumuno ni Chief Insp.
Dario Menor, Dinalupihan police
chief.
“Walang business at mayor’s permit ang sabungan kaya
utos sa amin ng aming treasurer na ilagay ang paskel na temporary closure order,” sabi ni
Dominador Salang, license inspector.
“Opening of the Dinalupihan
Cockpit Arena is illegal,” sabi ng
isang bahagi ng sulat ni Municipal Treasurer Lani Penaflor.
Sinabi ni Rommel Espinola,
may-ari ng isa pang sabungan,
ang Dinalupihan Coliseum sa
San Ramon, na ipakita lamang
ni Soriano na meron itong mayor’s at business permit, OK na
sa kanya. “Kami sumunod sa
batas at kumuha ng lahat ng
requirements at sana ganoon
din ang gawin nila,” ani Espinola.
May kaso diumano sa Department of Agrarian Reform na
illegal land conversion ang New
Dinalupihan Cockpit Arena kaya
hindi mabigyan ng mayor’s permit.
“Mag-submit lamang sila ng
mga kailangang dokumento at
agad ko silang bibigyan ng permit to operate subalit sa ngayon ay illegal ang kanilang operasyon,” sabi ni Dinalupihan Mayor Joel Payumo.
CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN. Even before the onslaught of the global economic crisis,
most Filipinos often shop for cheaper products like pirated CDs and DVDs to suit their
budget. PHOTO BY JOEY AGUILAR
Father and son die after eating butete
BY JOHNNY R. REBLANDO
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MARCH 25, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
SAN NARCISO, Zambales – A
father and his youngest son was
killed while her wife is in critical
condition in a hospital after eating a poisonous Blow Fish or
popularly known as butete, Sunday evening, police said.
Sr. Supt. Rolando Felix, Zam-
2
bales Police Provincial Office
(ZPPO) director, identified the
victims as Jimmy Santos, Sr.,
55 and his eight year old son
Jimmy, Jr., both residents of
Purok 1-A, Barangay La Paz of
this town.
Santos wife, Arceña, 49, is
still in critical condition at the
San Marcelino District Hospital.
Inspector Danilo Dollente,
OIC-chief of San Narciso Police
Station, said that the Santos family felt dizzy after eating butete
around 10:00 p.m.
Santos Sr. was rush to the
hospital but was declared
dead on arrival while his son
Jr. was found dead inside their
house.
“Mangingisda ang hanapbuhay ng biktima at ayon doon
sa aming imbestigasyon, nakaugaliaan na nilang kumain
ng butete at may palagay
kami maaring hindi lahat natanggal yung nakakalasong
bahagi ng butete nang ito ay
kanilang makain”, said Dollente.
Roxas’ job
seekers’ boot
camp opens
in Bulacan
BY ROMMEL RAMOS
MALOLOS CITY— A two-day
job seekers boot camp will
open at the Bulacan State University here today until Thursday.
Dubbed as “The Mar Roxas Job Seekers’ Training
Camp,” it coincides with the
opening of similar training
camps nationwide.
Liberal President Senator
Mar Roxas said the opening of
Job Search training camps is
designed to help prepare new
college graduates look for jobs.
“Nu’ng ako’y bagong gradweyt, nadiskubre kong mahalaga na mahusay ang aking pagharap sa interviewer, maganda ang aking resume at maganda ang aking suot na damit
pagharap ko sa aking magiging boss. Ngayong mahirap
makahanap ng trabaho,
sana’y malaki ang maitulong
ng boot camp na ito sa mga
bagong gradweyt ngayon,”
Roxas said in a statement.
He noted that an estimated 490,000 university graduates are expected to join the
already crowded employment
market in the next two months
when “the local economy is flat
and jobs are scarce due to
companies closing or downsizing because of the global
financial crisis.”
Roxas said the new batch
of job-seekers would have better chances of landing employment if they are well-prepared
and equipped for their jobhunting activities.
The boot camps would be
open to university graduates
who wish to polish their job
search skills for better and easy
presentation of themselves to
prospective employers.
It would also help the graduates with the packaging of
their credentials.
The two-day training
camps would be held in 30
cities nationwide, with each
camp corridor accommodating
1,000 new graduates.
Trainers of companies from
the Business Processing Association of the Philippines
would talk on issues such as
job search hints and strategies, Curriculum Vitae/biodate writing and packaging,
presentation of skills (oral and
visual), dress and appearance,
how to answer interview questions, tips on Business English grammar, how to write
letters of introduction and tips
in building self-confidence.
The boot camps would be
held in Malolos, Bulacan
(March 25-26); Baguio City
(April 2-3); Cabanatuan City,
Nueva Ecija (April 16-17);
Dagupan, Pangasinan (April
23-24), and Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley (April 29-30).
The training camps would
be held in partnership with local universities and university
Student Councils. Those interested in participating in the
training seminars can e-mail
[email protected]
or text (city or place of training) ,<space>, Name
<space> and University where
they graduated to 0915-1999689 (For Globe subscribers);
0919-851-8416 (Smart) and
0922-554-1246 (Sun).
Terminal 2 completion seen before 2010 ends
CLARK FREEPORT –
Officials of the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) yesterday
expressed high hopes
that the P3-billion Terminal 2 project of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA)
would be finished before
the end of 2010.
“We will have the new
terminal at the airport before the end of 2010,”
CIAC Vice-President for
Administration and Finance and Joint Venture
Selection Committee
(JVSC) Chairman Romeo
N. Dyoco Jr. said.
Dyoco said the JVSC
Technical Working Group
is in the process of evaluating and checking the
eligibility of the proposal
of the Private Sector Proponent (PSP) Pacific
Avia Group Inc., (PAGI)
under Annex C of the
2008 JV Guidelines.
Among these is the
evaluation of PAGI’s detailed negotiations with
CIAC to enhance their
proposal and the eligibility check of local and foreign partners composing
their consortiums.
Dyoco said the JVSC
Technical Working Group
has until March 28 for the
evaluation and eligibility
check of the proposals of
PAGI.
He said that should
PAGI pass the evaluation
and eligibility check, it
will then undergo a Competitive Challenge with
other interested PSPs
challenging PAGI’s proposal to build, finance,
design and operate the
P3-billion to P7-billion
Terminal-2 project as a
joint venture partner of
CIAC.
Dyoco expressed
high hopes that the
project would be completed by September
2010 should all systems
go smoothly.
PAGI’s foreign partners include Selex, Egis
and Leigthon, while their
local partners are A.M.
Oreta Construction Company, DHL Philippines,
DRI Holdings, EGIS AVIA
S.A., Pentagon Development Corporation, the
Bank of Commerce, and,
Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose.
The new terminal is
estimated to accommodate 3 million to 7 million passengers annually. He said it can also
service long-haul commercial airlines of the
world in accordance with
President
Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo’s vision of making the DMIA
the Premier Gateway of
the country.
As of March 23, CIAC
is in the process of selecting a PSP to Design,
Finance, Construct and
Operate Terminal 2 of
DMIA in accordance with
Annex C of the 2008 JV
Guidelines and other pertinent references and coordination with the Office
of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC).
The current Expanded
DMIA Terminal-1, designed to accommodate
at least one million to two
million passengers annually, was inaugurated by
President Arroyo in April
2008 to service the grow-
ing passenger volume due
to the entry of foreign and
local budget carriers at
the airport.
The airport is serviced
by air carriers Cebu Pacific Air which flies to
Hong Kong, Singapore,
Bangkok and Macau and
daily to Cebu; Tiger Air-
ways of Singapore which
flies out of Clark to Singapore; Air Asia of Malaysia via Clark to Kuala
Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu; Asiana Airlines of
South Korea via the
Clark-Incheon route with
connecting flights to the
United States; and, local
carrier South East Asian
Airlines (Seair) which
flies to Caticlan en route
to the world famous Boracay Beach Island.
CIAC is currently in
talks with a major Middle
East carrier and longhaul flights are expected
to start this year.
IMPROVED COLLECTION. Governor Panlilio talks to the group of identifiers during the 2nd
batch training on General Revision and Tax Mapping Operations held at Hotel Victoria, Sindalan,
CSFP. Photo Courtesy of Jun Jaso/PIO
Punto! Central Luzon is in need of one newsboy. Applicants must have
a driver’s license and can ride a motorcycle. Interested parties may apply
at Unit B Essel Commercial Center, McArthur Highway, Telabastagan,
City of San Fernando. Look for Ning.
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MARCH 25, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
Grand opening ng sabungan
sa Bataan nabigong ipatigil
3
Grand delusion
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MARCH 25, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
“STUDY HIS ways from the start of his campaigning
for governor to his performance as governor.”
Thus said Rosve Henson, president of the
Kapanalig at Kambilan ning Memalen Pampanga Inc.
(Kambilan) that spearheaded the move to recall
Pampanga Gov. Eddie T. Panlilio.
Henson was reacting to the frenzy stirred by the
Philippine Daily Inquirer of Panlilio setting his eyes
on the presidency in 2010.
Advised Vice Gov. Yeng Guiao to Panlilio’s rahrah crowd: “To ask Kapampangans is to get their
opinions. To examine the records is to be more
objective… Be objective enough and examine the
governor’s accomplishments in the province”
Straight from Guiao’s shoulder now: “(Panlilio)
failed in all aspects because he failed to harmonize
and involve local officials and he had isolated himself.
His performance has been below par in education,
infrastructure development, health, among
others…Even the imprtessive quarry revenue
increase was good only within his first year in office.
Since then, quarry revenues have been plunging by
as much as 40 percent.”
What accomplishments will Panlilio talk about to
merit the presidency there?
“Dios co,” as the eminent columnist Dick Pascual,
a Kapampangan, is wont to say. “…it is grand
delusion for the priest-turned politician to dream of
ruling this country of 90 million when he cannot even
run Pampanga…”
God’s will, invoked by the suspended priest when
he made a go for the governorship is again an
attachment to all his talks about the presidency,
“How can (Panlilio) know God’s will for himself
when he does not even obey his superior in the
Catholic Church?”
So asked the Rev. Fr. Resty Lumanlan, SVD, in
reference to the appeal – for five times – of San
Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto for him not to
run for governor in 2007.
“How can he invoke God’s will when he defied his
very superior, when he violated his own vow of
obedience at his very ordination?”
So asked Panlilio’s brother priest, articulating the
stand of the so-called prayer warriors, the group of
priests that signed the recall petition.
Still, says Panlilio: “If people will say that I can do
it, if they will say I can make it, yes.” He will run for
president, that is.
Of course, Panlilio has always listened to people.
And one Dabu is all the people.
4
EDGAR V. MOVIDO
Founder
LLL Trimedia Coordinators
Publisher
General Manager Atty. Gener C. Endona
Editor Joey R. Aguilar
Editorial Consultant Caesar “Bong” Lacson
Marketing Manager Joanna Niña V. Cordero
Administrative Staff Ma. Teresa U. Villanueva
Layout Dondie B. Ventura
Circulation Jose Yabut/Gilbert Mendoza
Business & Editorial office at Unit B Essel Commercial Center,
McArthur Highway, Telabastagan, City of San Fernando
Tel. No. (45) 636•6327 Cel. No. 0917•481•1416
e-mail address: [email protected]
pdf file at http://www.punto.com.ph
Punto! Central Luzon is a proud member of
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O p i n i o n
acaesar.blogspot.com
Zona Libre
Bong Z. Lacson
AT NAGANAP na nga. Ang pagpapaimbulog sa pambansang
pulitika ng suspendidong pari na gubernador ng Pampanga.
Magmistula mang ako na nga ang batang humiyaw ng “lobo”
sa pabula ni Aesop, akin pa ring uulit-ulitin ang nasulat ko na dito
noong Mayo 3, 2007 na:
Calendario Bulakenyo
AD 900 - 2007
Palpak ang
kaparian sa pulitika
MATAGUMPAY na inilunsad ang Calendario Bulakenyo AD 9002007 na inakda ni Jaime Salvador Corpuz ng Marilao noong Sabado,
Marso 22 sa Intramuro, Maynila.
Isang malaking ambag sa kasaysayan ng Bulacan at sa pagaaral nito ang nasabing libro. Bili na kayo!
MULA SA iba’t ibang siglo sa kasaysayan ng mundo, puro
kapalpakan ang mga naging kaganapan sa pagtangan ng
kapangyarihang pulitikal ng kaparian. Isa itong masamang pangitain
sa mga Kapampangan kung palaring mahalal na guberndor ang
isang pari.
Walang anumang bahid personal ang lathalaing ito ukol kay
kandidato Padre Eddie Panlilio. Ito ay halaw sa mga tunay na
pangyayari.
Noong 1494 naging diktador ng Florence ang
Dominicanong prayleng si Girolamo Savonarola
nang lupigin ng mga Pranses ang lungsod-estado
ng Italya. Kaagad niyang ipinatupad ang
malawakang reporma sa moralidad na tanging
paksa ng kanyang mga sermon sa simbahan ng
San Marco na kanyang pinamunuan. Mga sermon
na nagpasikat sa kanya at nakapagparami ng
kanynag mga tagatangkilik.
Binigyan niya ng kahulugan ang pagsakop ng
mga Pranses bilang parusa ng Diyos sa mga tao,
at pinaniwalaan niyang siya ay isang propeta na
maglalatag ng paghuhukom hindi lamang sa Italya
kundi sa mismong simbahan na noo’y lunod sa
kamunduhan.
Ang awayan nila ni Papa Alejandro VI ay
nagbunga ng pagka-ekskomunikado ni
Savonarola na hindi lamang niya nilabanan kundi
ipinahayag na walang saysay dahil lipos din sa
kasalanan at hindi maka-Diyos ang nagpataw.
Dahil sa kanyang pagka-suwail, nawala ang
suporta sa kanya ng mga Florentino, bumagsak
ang kanyang popularidad at siya ay inaresto,
nilitis, pinahirapan at ginawaran ng parusang
kamatayan sa salang pagiging erehe at iskismo
o pagkawatak-watak ng pananampalataya.
Binitay si Savonarola at sinunog pa ang
kanyang bangkay noong Mayo 1498.
Ang sumunod sa pandaigdigang tanghalan ng
mga kaparian sa larangan ng pulitika ay si
Cardinal Richelieu ng Pransiya, punong ministro
ni Haring Luis XIII mula 1624 hanggang 1642.
Isinulong ni Richelieu ang royal absolutism o ang
sentralisasyon ng lahat ng kapangyarihan sa hari
– ang pagsulong ninya sa interes ng kanyang
kaharian ay nanaig pa sa relihiyon, humigit pa sa
moralidad o anumang prosesong konstitusiyonal.
Ang mabigat na buwis na ipinataw ni Richelieu
sa mga mamamayan upang makalikom ng
pondong pantusta sa digmaan ng mga bansang
kanyang pinag-away-away ay nagbunga ng mga
paghihimagsik sa mga probinsiya ng Pransiya.
Isa pang pari – bagama’t sa Simbahang
Orthodox ng Rusya – na naging bantog sa mga
gawaing karumal-dumal sa pulitika ay si Grigory
Rasputin.
Ang wari’y pagpapagaling ni Rasputin sa
hemophilia ni Prinsipe Aleksei sa pamamagitan
ng hipnotismo ang nakapagpalapit sa kanya kay
Tsarina Alejandra Fyodorovna. May mga
nagsabing magkalaguyo pa ang dalawa.
Nang personal na pamunuan ni Tsar Nikolas II
ang hukbong sandatahan ng Rusya sa
kasagsagan ng Unang Digmaang Pandaigdig
noong 1915, si Rasputin at ang tsarina ang
nagpalakad na ng gubyerno sa bansa.
Makalipas ang dalawang taon – noong 1917 –
matagumpay na naibagsak ni Lenin ang gubyerno
ng Romanov, naitatag ang Unyon Sobyet at
minasaker ang buong mag-anak ni Nikolas at
Alejandra.
Si Rasputin? Nilason, binaril at nilunod sa Ilog
Neva ng mga dugong bughaw noong Disyembre
30, 1916.
Sa ating kapanahunan, si Jean-Bertrand
Aristide naman ang tumatayong pinakatanging
halimbawa ng paring humawak ng
kapangyarihang pulitikal.
Ang kauna-unahang halal na pangulo ng
bansang Haiti sa loob ng 200 taon nitong pagiging
malaya, si Aristide ay na-ordinang pari noong
1982. (Siya ay umalis sa pagkapari noong 1994
at nag-asawa.)
Isang magaling na mananalumpati, kampeon
si Aristide ng mga mahihirap, nakibaka para sa
demokrasya at lumaban sa diktador na si Baby
Doc Duvalier na napatalsik sa isang himagsikan
noong dekada ’80.
Naging pangulo ng Haiti si Aristide noong 1990
subali’t nakudeta matapos ang ilang buwan
lamang, tumakas at naglagi sa Estados Unidos
kung saan nag-lobby para mapatalsik ang lidermilitar na pumalit sa kanya.
Noong 1994, sa tulong ng Amerika, si Aristide
ay nakabalik sa puwesto. Dahil sa bawal ang
magkasunod na termino sa pagka-pangulo, hindi
kumandidato si Aristide noong 1995.
Sa kanyang pagbabalik noong 2000, nakamit
ng kanyang Lavalas Party ang 80 porsiyento ng
mga boto.
Subali’t hindi rin nagtagal ang suporta sa kanya
ng mga mamamayan dahil sa mga anomalya sa
kanyang administrasyon. Nagkaroon ng mga
malawakang protesta at armadong paglalaban
hindi lamang sa mga kanayunan kundi pati na rin
sa mga lansangan ng kabiserang Port-au-Prince.
Bago pa man magwakas ang kanyang termino
noong 2006, nagbitiw sa pagkapangulo si Aristide
at nag self-exile. Ito ay matapos mag-alinlangan
ang Washinton sa kanyang “fitness to continue
to govern amid a crisis which was his own
making.”
Savonarola. Richelieu. Rasputin. Aristide.
Natatanging halimbawa ng kapariang nagdulot ng
pagkariwara ng sambayanang sa kanila’y
naniwala’t nagluklok sa kapangyarihang pulitikal.
Natatanging halimbawa ng kapalpakan ng
kaparian sa larangan ng panunungkulang pulitikal.
Pinakamalinaw na pangangatwiran o argumento
sa paghihiwalay ng estado at simbahan.
Puntong
Bulacan
Dino Balabo
Aminado si Corpuz na hindi kumpleto ang mga impormasyong
itinala niya sa kanyang inakdang libro, ngunit iyon ay maituturing
nang isang isang groundbreaking work mula sa isang lokal na
historyador.
Mukhang ang ibang lalawigan sa Gitnang Luzon ay may mga
plano na ring gumawa ng katulad na libro. Abangan ang Kalendaryo
Kapampangan!
Ang 270-pahinang libro nahahati sa 12-buwang kabanata kung
saan bawat araw ng buwan ay may nakatalang mahahalagang
impormasyon patungkol sa kasaysayan ng lalawigan at mga taong
may dugong Bulakenyo na naging bahagi ng kasaysayan.
Tingnan ninyo kung ano ang mga pangyayari sa araw ng inyong
kapanakan.
Kung tutuusin, parang isang talaan ng
mga birthday ang nasabing libro dahil
maraming kaarawan ng mga sikat na taong
may dugong Bulakenyo ang nakatala doon.
Bumili agad kayo ng kopya para makilala
ninyo ang mga sikat ng personalidad na may
dugong Bulakenyo.
Ilan sa mga halimbawa ay sina Fernando
Poe Jr. (FPJ), Dr. Jose Rizal, at mga dating
Pangulo ng Pilipinas na sina Manuel L.
Quezon at Corazon Aquino.
Hindi ba kapanipaniwala? Basahin na lang
ninyo sa mga pahina ng Calendario
Bulakenyo!
Batay sa pananaliksik ni Corpuz, si FPJ
ay isinilang bilang Roland Allan K. Poe sa
Maynila noong Agosto 20, 1939. Siya ay anak
nina Fernando Poe Sr., at Bessie Gatbonton
Kelley, na anak ni Martha Gatbonton ng
bayan ng Calumpit.
Sayang, iilan ang nakakaalam ng
impormasyong iyan noong 2004 elections sa
Bulacan. Gayunpaman, inilampaso ni FPJ si
GMA sa Bulacan.
Maging ang pambansang bayaning si Dr.
Jose Rizal ay inangkin ng libro ni Corpuz na
may dugong Bulakenyo dahil ang kanyang
lola sa talampakan na si Maria Florentina ay
nagmula sa bayan ng Baliuag.
Sana, may sumilang pang katulad ni Gat
Jose Rizal sa Bulacan.
Patungkol naman sa yumaong Pangulong
Manuel Quezon, pinagbasehan ni Corpuz
ang unang itinala ng historyador na si Antonio
Valeriano hinggil sa pinagmulan ng lahi ng
dating Pangulo. Ayon sa tala sa libro ni
Corpuz, ang ina ni Pangulong Quezon na si
Maria Dolores Molina ay nagmula sa bayan
ng Bulakan ngunit lumipat sa Tayabas
matapos ikasal kay Lucio Quezon.
Si Molina ay anak nina Alejandro Molina
at Petrona Manajan ng Brgy. Bambang,
Bulakan, Bulacan at isinilang noong Oktubre
23, 1856. Siya ay bininyagan ni Padre
Balbino Bunag noong Nobyembre 1, 1856.
Ang lolo at lola naman ni dating
Pangulong Corazon Cojuangco Aquino na si
na Melecio Estrella Cojuangco at Tecla
Va l e n z u e l a C h i c h i o c o a y n a g m u l a s a
Malolos.
Isa sa naging anak nila ay si Jose
Cojuangco Sr., na isang mambabatas na
k u m a t a w a n s a d i s t r i t o n g Ta r l a c ,
industrialista at isa sa mga naunang nagtayo
ng mga bagko sa bansa na pag-aari ng
Pilipino ay isinilang sa Malolos noong
Hulyo3, 1896.
Ngunit bukod sa mga kontrobersyal na
imporasyong katulad ng nabanggit sa itaas,
ang isa sa pinakamalaking kontribusyon ng
Calendario Bulakenyo ay pag-uurong ng
kasaysayan ng Bulacan mula sa bahagi ng
1500 kung kailan dumating ang mga Kastila,
pabalik sa 900 AD.
Narating ng mga Kastila ang Pilipinas
noong 1521, at dahil sa walang nakatalang
kasaysayan bago ang panahong iyon,
marami ang nagsasabi na ang kasaysayan
at sibilisasyon sa bansa ay kasabay lamang
ng pagdating ng mga Kastila.
Ngunit batay sa Laguna Copperplate
Inscription na natagpuan sa ilog ng Lumban,
Laguna, may maunlad na sibilisasyon sa
bansa partikular sa bahagi ng Bulacan mula
pa noong 900 AD.
Ilan sa mga tinukoy na lugar sa Laguna
Copperplate Inscription na kasalukuyang pa
ring matatagpuan sa Bulacan ay ang
B i n w a n g a n o a n g B r g y. B i n u a n g a n s a
O b a n d o ; B u k a h o B r g y. G a t b u c a s a
Calumpit, Puliran o ang bayan ng Pulilan at
ang Pailah na isang sitio magpahangga
ngayon sa dulo ng Ilog Angat sa bayan ng
Norzagaray.
Hindi naging madali ang pananaliksik at
pag-iipon ni Corpuz sa mga nilalaman ng
kanyang akda. Inabot lang naman siya ng
10 taon sa pananaliksik.
Ito ay nangangahulugan lamang na sa
anumang gawain, kailanga natin ng tiyaga.
Congratulations, Jimmy! You did well.
Napaguusapan
lang
Ni Felix M. Garcia
Mga barangay
chairman,
aarmasan?
(KARUGTONG NG SINUNDANG ISYU)
PAGKAT katulad nga ng atin nabanggit
Ang baril ay hindi karaniwang gamit
Ng sinuman pagkat doble ang panganib
Na posible nitong sa ati’y ibalik!
Kasi, armasan ka ng sampung beses,
Kung may atraso ka’t gusto kang iligpit,
Nitong sa atin ay may matinding galit
Ay di tayo ligtas sa lahat ng saglit.
Walang masama sa intensyon ng ilan
Na mabigyan sila ng armas kung ganyang
Nanganganib laban sa mga kriminal
Ang buhay n’yan na pinakakaingatan!
Gaya sa maraming mga malalaking
Komunidad po r’yan o barangay natin;
Kung saan tulad ng Angeles, ang daming
Iba’t-ibang taong, saan-saan galing!
Na ayon nga po sa Kapitan ng Cutcut,
Kadalasan kahit sila’y iyong sakop
Ay di ka kilala at di mo rin halos
Kilala kung sino pati (labas-masok?);
Sa dahilang ubod din ng lawak pati
Ang iyong area of responsibility,
Na di kagaya ng katamtamang laki
Ng mga barangay diyan sa tabi-tabi.
Na kilalang lahat halos ni Kapitan
Ang pagmumukha at pati na pangalan,
Ng mga kabaryu o nasasakupan,
Kaya madali ang mga bagay-bagay;
Na posibleng maging ugat halimbawa
Ng away o hindi pagkasundo kaya
Nitong magkaminsa’y daig pa bata,
Pero ya’y madaling namang masawata.
Pagkat bilang punong barangay po nila
Na kung saan pati bata’y kilala ka,
At sila mandin ay lubos mong kilala
Ay igagalang at susundin ka nila.
Kaya kung anila ay kinakailangang
Mabigyan ng armas ang mga Kapitan,
Kung pupuede ay ‘yong karapat-dapat lang
Na magkarun, bilang proteksyon ang bigyan.
At marahil maka-bubuti kung sila
Ay dumaan sa psychiatric test muna,
Bago mabigyan ng baril at iba pa
Na posibleng ipang-abuso lang nila!
Partikular na ang ilang ‘trigger happy’
Na munting kibo’t ay tina-target pati
Ang kung sinong makatuwaan ng dyaske
Kapag nakainom r’yan ng ibang klase;
Ng ‘de bote’ o kung minsa’y alkohol lang
Na hinaluan ng ‘softdrinks’ ay puede nang
Pagtiyagaan nitong sugapa sa ganyan,
Kaya’t malamang na manganib ang buhay.
Pero kagaya nga ng ating nasabi,
Ano’t mangangamba kung yan ay mabuti
At walang sinumang inargabya pati
Bilang kapitan sa isang community?
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MARCH 25, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
Editorial
5
Malaking pera ang dahilan kaya pinagaagawan ang Pambansang Kamao
‘GMA for congresswoman’
Panlilio not yet fix on prexy bid
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MARCH 25, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
FROM PAGE 1
6
Basically, there would be
a visioning of what we like
the Philippines to be in 1520 years from now, list the
qualities of candidates
we’re looking for, track
down their accomplishments, find bases of unity. We’re not starting with
personalities,” said Panlilio, an advocate of good
governance and moral
leadership.
He said Dr. Nicanor
Perlas, a practitioner of
sustainable agriculture,
has called him on Monday
to say he was interested
in running as president and
if he could possibly be
endorsed for that bid. He
suggested that Perlas undergoes the selection process.
The reform movement,
Panlilio said, could not afford to be fractious if it
wants to make good leaders win and lead the coun-
try.
Panlilio said Rosales
took a “more realistic,
more authentic views” on
his possible presidential
bid.
The cardinal had said
that the issue was not a
religious one, but a question of character and qualification.
“The issue here is, ‘Is
this a person of integrity?
Is this a person who won’t
cheat, won’t steal, won’t
lie? Is this person compassionate? That will be
the issue,” Rosales said
on Catholic Church-run
Radio Veritas on Monday.
“That’s beautiful. Kalawak na (Broad),” Panlilio
said of Rosales’ views.
“The cardinal went to
the essentials. He looked
more at the substance
that at the peripheries,”
the governor added.
Earlier, San Fernando
Archbishop Paciano Aniceto opposed the plan while
E R R A T U M
In the Notice of Extra-Judicial Sale of our February 27, March 6 & 13, 2009
issue, Transfer Certificate of Title No. 534903-R should have read “A
parcel of land (Lot 65-I of the subd. Plan Psd-03-116574, being a portion of
Lot 65, Psd-035406-051105 (AR) LRC Rec. No.), situated in the Bo. Of
Paguiruan, Mun. of F’blanca, Prov. of Pamp. Bounded on the SE., along
line 1-2 by Lot 65-J of the subd. Plan; on the SW., along line 2-3 by Lot 64
Psd-035406-051105 (AR); on the NW., along line 3-4 by Lot 65-H and on
the NE., along line 4-1 by Lot 65-Q both of the subd. Plan x x x containing
an area of FIVE HUNDRED (500) Square Meters more or less x x x.” and
not as earlier published.
Punto! Central Luzon: March 25, 2009
Bishop Oscar Cruz and
Jaro Archbishop Angel
Lagdameo urged Panlilio
to quit the priesthood if he
intended to run for president.
Rosales had said that
people asking a priest to
run for the country’s highest public post, which he
described as unprecedented, was a sign that
Filipinos were fed up with
the usual kind of politicians seen every elections.
Defining the priesthood, Panlilio said, “It is
to live the life of Jesus in
the world. He witnesses
Jesus’ compassion, humility, simplicity, suffering,
death and resurrection. It
is offering of one’s self so
that God and His kingdom
may replace this kingdom.”
Talking of the hostile
reactions he has been getting from politicians since
the possible tandem of
Panlilio and Isabela Gov.
Grace Padaca as vice
president were published,
he said: “It’s a repeat of the
2007 elections on a larger
scale this time.”
“I stick to my belief that
I’m a bugo (a person helping a man during a courtship process) at this point.
Luntu ya mu rin (The candidate will surface in
time),” he added.
The
Gossipmiller
by Cesar Pambid
Jose L. Pavia, chairman of the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists
(FFFJ), opens the forum on global impunity index with a brief message
on Monday at Annabel’s Restaurant in Quezon City, while (L-R) Lawyers
Prima Quinsayas and Nena Santos of the FFFJ and Elisabeth Witchel and
Shawn Crispin of the Committee to Protect Journalists listens.
PHOTO BY JOEY AGUILAR
CPJ calls for reforms...
FROM PAGE 1
Iraq is number one with
88 cases of unsolved journalists’ murders followed
by Sierra Leone with 9,
Somalia (6), Sri Lanka (9),
Colombia (16), Philippines
(24), Afghanistan (7), Nepal (5), Russia (15), Pakistan (10), Mexico (6),
Bangladesh (7), Brazil (5),
and India with seven unsolved murder cases.
The CPJ’s “impunity
index” also showed that
523 journalists have been
killed worldwide since
1998
Elisabeth Witchel, impunity campaigner of the
CPJ, said that the ratings
are based on the numbers
of journalists killed in a
country divided by its actual population.
She said that only
countries with five or more
cases of unsolved journalists’ murders were included in their list.
Witchel also noted that
the index can be divided
between countries in conflict or at war, and democratic countries at peace.
She also defined impunity on journalists as nonconviction of suspects on
the cases of journalists’
murders.
“Our records shows
that countries undergoing
conflict like Iraq recorded
the highest number of unsolved murder cases and
majority of countries in our
list belongs to peace time
democracies where there
is actually a working judicial system,” she said.
On the other hand,
Crispin stressed that the
Philippines ranks number
one among peace time
democracies with highest
number of unsolved cases.
He also said that the
country has almost 90
percent on impunity index
over the last 10 years.
“We believe journalists
murders in the Philippines
will remain as long as the
current administration is in
power,” he said.
REFORMS
Crispin also called for
the creation of special
courts to address journalists’ murders and to reform
the judiciary in the provinces.
He said that based on
records, prosecutors have
to ask for the Supreme
Court to transfer hearing of
cases to urban areas like
Cebu and Makati City just
to get justice.
The same was echoed
by Prima Jesus Quinsayas, the legal counsel of
the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ)
who has been working in
different cases of slain
journalists in the provinces, especially the case of
Marlene Esperat of Sultan
Kudarat.
Quinsayas said that
local prosecutors and
judges are facing pressures from local politicians
involved in journalists’ murders.
A writer for the Midland
Review, Esperat was
gunned down in front of her
children on the night of
March 24, 2005 in Sultan
Kudarat.
Her case is only one of
the two cases of journalists’ murders in the country that were decided by
the court where suspects
were convicted.
The other case is that
of Edgar Damalerio, the
managing editor of the
Zamboanga Scribe who
was murdered in Pagadian City on May 13, 2002.
A police officer was convicted for his murder.
In the case of Esperat,
Judge Eric Menchavez of
the Cebu Regional Trial
Court sentenced to life
imprisonment suspects
Randy Grecia, Gerry
Cabayag, and Estanislao
Bismanos in 2006.
Despite the conviction
of suspects in both cases, the FFFJ believe that
is not enough as the mastermind in the journalists’
murders remain free.
Based on recent data
released by the National
Union of Journalists of the
Philippines (NUJP), both
Esperat and Damalerio
belongs to the list of 100
journalists killed in the
country since 1986 when
democracy was restored,
until this year.
The latest victim was
Ernesto Rollin, broadcaster from Oroquieta City
who was gunned down last
February 23.
Impeach Melo – Kambilan
FROM PAGE 1
ang trabaho mo, chairman” in a rally attended by
Kambilan officials led by
its president, Rosve Henson.
Henson said they will
support impeach proceedings against Melo should
the Comelec fails to properly act on their recall petition against Panlilio. He
added that Melo “had sat
on their petition” filed last
November.
But James Jimenez,
Comelec spokesperson
and director of information
and education, denied the
allegations of Henson.
He said that the Senate bicameral committee
had pulled out the P50
million funds for the recall
elections rendering them
without a choice but to halt
the proceedings for the
recall petitions in Pampanga and other places in the
country.
Jimenez said they will
accept suggestions from
Kambilan and other recall
proponents for “other solutions” regarding their respective petition.
But Jimenez stressed
that time is running out for
the recall petitions. He dis-
closed that they only have
until May to act on the recall petitions.
Henson urged Jimenez
to write the Department of
Budget and Management
(DMB) and asked the
agency if they will not be
able to fund the recall petitions pending before the
Comelec.
“If the DBM says they
will not fund the petition
that is quite acceptable.
But for now, I hope the poll
body acts on the petition,”
said Henson.
Jimenez said he will
bring up Henson’s proposal to Melo.
HALATANG hindi pinag-iisipan ni Manny Pacquiao ang mga importanteng desisyon sa kanyang buhay. Para sa kanya, kung saan may malaking pakinabang,
doon na lang at wala ng iba.
Take note na yung desisyon niya na muling lumipat sa ABS-CBN ay done in
haste, kaya ayan, publicly ay po pinagsisisihan na niya.
Maraming palusot si Manny pero hindi yan binibili ng publiko. Na kesyo raw
pinag-usapan nila ng ABS-CBN na hindi pa dapat i-air yung kanyang announcement gayung malinaw kung ano ang nakasaad sa mensahe niya. Na kesyo pinakiusapan daw niya ang network na ‘wag munang i-air yun habang hindi pa
malinaw ang lahat sa usapan nila.
Pakiulit nga! Ano naman kasi ang hindi malinaw sa statement niya? Di ba siya
mismo ang nagsalitang Kapamilya na siya at kahit kailan di na aalis sa naturang
network?
If we know, naghahanap ng mas malaking pakinabang si Manny pero dahil
nga binding yung kontrata niya sa Solar Films na tinangka niyang balewalain,
ayun nagpadalus-dalos siya. Inakala yata niyang ni Manny pacquiaoat makalulusot sa ginawa niya.
Pero ayan, dahil may impluwensiya rin naman ang Solar Films, tameme si
Pacquaio at napilitang muling bumalik sa itinakwil naniya.
Ano, Manny, masarap bang muling kainin ang suka
mo?
Heto na ngayon , balik na sa GMA-7 ang airing matapos makipag-negotiate ni Manny sa ABS-CBN at pumirma ng kontrata.
Humingi ng dispensa ang People’s Champ sa kaguluhang nangyari na dulot daw ng hindi nila pagkakaintindihan ng Solar Sports.
Napatunayan nga kasi na valid and binding ang kontrata, kaya hindi na natuloy ang negosasyon sa ABSCBN.
Nagpahayag naman ang ABS-CBN na nirerespeto nila at naiintindihan ang desisyon ni Pacman at hangad
nila ang magandang resulta ng laban nito kay Hatton.
Sari-saring reaksyon tuloy ang publiko. May nagtatanong kung hindi raw ba inintindi ni Pacman ang kontrata
sa Solar bago nakipag-deal sa ABS-CBN.
Of course, kung may kontrata pa pala siya sa Solar, hindi talaga siya puwedeng makipag-deal at pumirma sa
iba, otherwise, demanda talaga ang aabutin niya.
Ganu’n lang naman kasimple ’yon. Ewan lang kung bakit nagkaroon ng hindi pagkakaintindihan ang MP
Productions at ang Solar hinggil sa bagay na napakadali namang intindihin.
Nagpakabobo ba si Manny at ang mga tao sa paligid nila dahil sa sobrang laki ng in-offer sa kanila ng Dos?
YOU CHANGED MY LIFE (GP3)
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Diether Ocampo muling nabuhay
nang mawala sa kanyang buhay si Kristine Hermosa
PAULIT-ULIT nasi Diether Ocampo sa mga statement niyang natutuwa siya at tapos na yung kabanata nila ni
Kristine Hermosa?
We would like to infer na impiyerno nga yata ang nagging buhay noon ni Diether kay Kristine to be overly
ecstatic sa pagkawalang-bisa ng kasal nila.
“I am glad that I’m alive again” ang pahayag ni Diether Ocampo sa panayam ng hinggil sa pinagdaanang
masalimuot na relasyon with Kristine Hermosa na humantong sa nullity ng kanilang kasal.
Aminado si Diet na napakahirap ng pinagdaanan niyang proseso but he’s glad na nalampasan niya ito and in
fact, it made him a better person.
“Tapos na ’yung chapter ng buhay kong ’yon. This time, magsisimula ako ng bagong chapter, so, I hope this
time hindi na maulit ’yung pagkakamali,” sabi ni Diet.
Aljur Abrenica tinablan sa sex scenes nila ni Ara Mina
NAUNA NANG nagbigay ng pahayag si Ara Mina tungkol
sa mga mainit na eksena nila ni Aljur Abrenica sa kanilang
afternoon soap na Dapt Ka Bang Mhaalin. Ayon kay Ara,
kinailangan niyang i-tutor ng tamang pakikipagromansa si
Aljur dahil nga sobrang baguhan pa ito sa mga sex scenes.
Natutuwa raw si Ara dahil nga natuto naman daw si
Aljur. “Ang galing niya, after na turuan ko siya kung paano
humalik,” natatawang kuwento pa ni Ara Mina.
Marami nga kasing kissing scenes sina Ara at Aljur sa
naturang aftrenoon soap. Agad itong sinang-ayunan ng
young actor, pero ginawan na raw ng paraan ng writers na
bawasan ang mga ganung eksena dahil na rin sa request
ng viewers.
“Talagang marami, dati sa important scene lang may
kissing scene at dalawang babae pa ang kahalikan ko. Sa
isang eksena namin ni Ms. Ara, kinailangang i-take two
dahil nagkaproblema sa audio. Ang pinakagrabe sa ginawa namin ay yung sa pool, torrid yun,” kuwento ni Aljur.
Tinablan ba siya sa kissing scene nila ni Ara?
“Oo naman!” nakangiting sagot ni Aljur. “Iniwasan kong
malaman niya dahil nahihiya ako, pero nahalata rin niya.
Sabi niya sa akin mag-relax at samantalahin ko ang opportunity, pero nahiya pa rin ako.”
Feeling ba niya sinamantala ni Ara ang kissing scene
nila?
“Never kong inisip yun dahil magaling siyang actress.”
Nakikita naman ng publiko na sweet-sweetan sila ni
Kris kahit saan sila magpunta. Ano ba si Kris sa kanya?
“Kinakabahan naman ako sa mga tanong ninyo!” tawa
niya. Sabay sabing, “Special siya sa akin.”
May mutual understanding na ba sila? “Nanliligaw pa lang ako sa kanya,” sabi ni Aljur.
So there!
Gurang na ex-matinee idol kabit ng bading na TV executive
HINDI NA kami nagulat sa tsismis na kabit pala ng isang tv exec ang ngayon ay laos ng matinee idol. Noong
araw pa naman, pakabit-kabit na ito sa mga bakla. Hindi ba nagging kulakadidang din niya yung dati niyang
manager?
Anyway, mayaman nga ngayon ang ex-matinee idol dahil sa super rich ang kanyang azucarera de papa.
Aba, napakalaking personahe ng bading sa network na pianglilingkuran ngayon ni ex-matinee idol. Totoo rin daw
ang tsismaks na siya ang paborito ng tv exec at di na yung sikat na aktor na sobrang lakas din sa network na
pinaglingkuran niya.
Ang balita nga, dahil mahusay kumairinyo ang aktor, nagagawa na niyang suhetohin ang bading para siya na
lang ang pansinin nito. Dapat kasi, lahat ng mga guwapong lalaki sa showbiz na kursunada niya ay naibubugaw
sa kanya. Yes, maraming bugaw ang yumaman dahil nga sobrang laki kung magbayad sa lalaki ang tv exec.
Clue? Ay, ‘wag na lang po, hayaan na lang nating maging pahulaan kung sino ang actor na ito na mahusay
maglaro ng dyolens noong araw.
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MARCH 25, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
es for the public, and announced for coverage by
the local media.
Lazatin said that in
the case of the President,
she would have to resign
60 days before the 2010
elections to be able to run
for congresswoman in
Pampanga’s second district.
There have been rumors that her son, Mikey
Arroyo, who now represents this province’s second district in congress,
would run for governor.
“In such a case, Vice
Pres. Noli de Castro will
be acting president until
election time,” Lazatin
said.
He stressed, however,
that if the people reject
the proposed new charter
in the plebiscite, the winners for president and other posts in the 2010 polls
would serve their terms
under the present Constitution.
Last week during the
induction rites of the Pampanga Press Club, De
Castro denied he had previous information about
the President’s plan to run
for Congress in 2010. But
he added “there is nothing wrong with that”.
Lazatin said he supports the move to shift to
a parliamentary system of
government where the
prime minister and members of the cabinet are
accountable to the whole
parliament.
“The prime minister
can be removed if the
members of parliament
are dissatisfied with his or
her performance,” he said,
adding that “people would
be supportive of this
change once they understand everything”.
Manny Pacquiao
President had plans to run
for congress in her bid to
be later absorbed as assemblywoman in a parliamentary system of government under a new Constitution.
Pampanga 3rd district
Rep. Aurelio Gonzalez,
who was with the President in her sorties to
Lubao, Arayat, and Bacolor in this province only
last Monday, also said
such a scenario was “also
in my mind” amid the
President’s recent unusual number of visits to her
home province, particularly in the second district
where she is a registered
voter.
He declined to say
more, but added “it’s up
to the public to analyze
her movements”. He noted, however, that the
President has not talked
to her about such plans.
Lazatin stressed, however, that “the presidential
elections will push
through as scheduled or
people will get angry. But
it will be timed for the
holding of a plebiscite
that will change the Charter.”
Lazatin, who is known
to be one of the President’s close political advisers in Pampanga, admitted, however, that the
President herself has revealed such plans to him,
although her supporters in
congress have been talking about such scenario.
The plebiscite is expected to lead to a shift
to a parliamentary system
of government that would
be put in place immediately, he added.
“Members of congress
will be come assemblyman and seven senators
will be absorbed,” he also
said.
Lazatin said this
should not pose difficulty
to other senators as the
plebiscite will also propose the creation of 100
more seats in the assembly, so that other senators
could run for congress in
anticipation of this.
“Some senators are
already supportive of the
idea,” he also noted.
Only recently, Malacanang expressed support for the proposal of
Senate Pres. Juan Ponce
Enrile to increase the
number of congresspersons from 250 to 350 allegedly to address the
growing population of the
country.
Executive Secretary
Eduardo Ermita said he
agreed with Enrile’s reasoning that the country
needs more legislators “if
we want full representation.”
Talk of the President’s
running for congress in
2010 was fueled anew by
her visit yesterday to the
island Barangay Malusac
yesterday afternoon to visit a farm to market road,
amid another medical and
dental mission for local
folk.
Since January, the
President was noted to
have visited barangays in
this province no less than
eight times, five of the visits covering the second
district which includes
here Lubao hometown
where she is registered
voter.
Unlike in the past, her
recent visits were also
mostly accompanied with
medical and dental servic-
Ara Mina
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SEAPA TELLS ARROYO:
Stopping killing of journalists could be your legacy
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MARCH 25, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
A MULTINATIONAL Southeast
Asian journalists’ mission has
called on the Arroyo government
to intensify efforts to prosecute
the killers of journalists and to
arrest the suspected masterminds in the 2005 killing of a
woman journalist.
“We are alarmed by the continuing killing of media workers
in the Philippines and the inadequate measures the government is taking to stop them,” the
group said in an end-of-mission
statement.
“Given the prevailing sense
of urgency in the impunity issue
and in anticipation of an increase
in the number of journalists being killed as the 2010 presidential election draws closer, we call
upon President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to take the steps necessary to prevent that unfortunate development. Madame
President, a halt to the killing of
journalists as well as political
dissenters would be one the
enduring legacies you can leave
the Filipino people as your term
ends.
“We note with concern that
despite intensified efforts by civil
society and Philippine media
groups themselves to convince
the government, its law enforcement agencies and the judiciary to address the issue of impunity and the killings, the murders, a majority of which occur
in the provinces, have been continuing. An average of five journalists has been killed in the line
of duty in the Philippines since
2001 when the Arroyo administration came to power. By the
8
end of February 2009, the count
of slain journalists had gone up
to 78 since the end of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, according to statistics compiled by the
Philippine-based Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility.”
The Southeast Asian Press
Alliance (SEAPA) mission,
which visited the Philippines
from March 21 to 24 to mark the
fourth anniversary of the killing
of Sultan Kudarat journalist Marlene Esperat, said that while it
welcomed the creation of “tracker teams” in the Philippine National Police, the Arroyo administration could still do much
more by tracking down the killers of journalists and arresting
suspected masterminds.
The tracker teams, said the
Philippine National Police in a
meeting with the mission, are
charged with speedily locating
and arresting suspected killers
of journalists.
Esperat, who exposed corruption in the regional office of
the Department of Agriculture
(DA) and in local government,
was killed in her home in Tacurong City on March 24, 2005.
Her expose of DA wrongdoing
has been linked to the 2004 fertilizer scam scandal in which DA
funds were allegedly used for the
elections that year.
The SEAPA mission was
composed of Doung Hak Samrithy, vice president of the Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists; Jajang
Jalamudin, secretary general of
the Alliance of Independence
The delegates of SEAPA Anti-Impunity Mission to the Philippines (from left): Pradit
Ruangdit (Thai Journalists Association), V Gayathry (Center for Independent Journalism,
Malaysia), Kulachada Chaipipat (Head of the Mission, Southeast Asian Press Alliance),
Jajang Jalamudin (Alliance of Independent Journalists), and Doung Hak Samrithy
(Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists). PHOTO COURTESY OF LITO OCAMPO
Journalists, Indonesia; Pradit
Ruangdit , secretary general of
the Thai Journalists Association;
V Gayathry, executive director
of Center for Independent Journalists, Malaysia; and Kulachada Chaipipat, campaign and advocacy officer, Southeast Asian
Press Alliance (SEAPA),
Bangkok, Thailand, the Head of
the Mission.
Based in Thailand, SEAPA
member-organizations include
the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and the Manila-based Center for Media
Freedom and Responsibility, in
addition to Indonesian and Thai
journalists’ groups.
The team members expressed fear that the killing and
harassment of journalists in the
Philippines could spread to other countries unless stopped.
“One of the reasons we
came to the Philippines on the
eve of the 4th death anniversary of Marlene Esperat was because we believe that the culture of impunity that is deeplyrooted in the Philippines could
be replicated in other countries
in the region unless there is a
common effort to dismantle it
in the Philippines. We note an
increase in the violence against
journalists and media workers
in Malaysia and Thailand including browbeating, harassment and mob attacks on individual journalists; surrounding
media premises; and the kill-
ing of journalists in addition to
the use of legal sanctions to
silence the media and suppress on-line free expression in
2008.”
“The culture of impunity” refers to the seeming immunity
from prosecution and punishment of most of the killers and
suspects in the killing of journalists. Only two out of the 78 cases of journalists killed while on
duty since 1986 have been partly resolved in that the killers have
been tried and convicted. No
mastermind, however, has been
prosecuted.
Journalists groups worldwide
believe that this immunity from
punishment encourages further
killings.