ERAP: Takot Lang 'Yan Makulong!

MAYNILA - Tinawanan lang kahapon ni dating Pangulong Joseph Estrada ang pasaring na binitiwan kamakalawa ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo laban sa kanya at pabiro pang sumagot na kabado lamang umanong makulong ang huli oras na matapos ang termino sa Malacañang.

“Malinaw na takot makulong ‘yan (Arroyo) kaya puro kasinungalingan ang kanyang SONA. Kahit sinong mamamayang Filipino ay ramdam ang kahirapan sa ilang taong kanyang panunungkulan dahil mas inuna ng adminsitrasyong ito ang pangungurakot kaysa ibigay ang nararapat sa mga nagdaraop na masa,” ani Estrada.

Ganito rin ang pananaw ni dating senador at tagapagsalita ng United Opposition (UNO) na si Ernesto Maceda.

“Apparently, GMA is admitting that she is afraid that she will be jailed,” ani Maceda, bilang reaksyon nito sa patutsada ni Arroyo kay Estrada na namuhay nang marangya habang nasa kulungan.

Si Estrada ang nabilanggo matapos mahatulan sa kasong plunder. Ito rin ang dahilan kaya’t napaaga ang alsa-balutan nito sa Malacañang sa kasagsagan noon ng EDSA Dos.

Sinabi pa ni Estrada na pinaikot-ikot lamang ni Arroyo ang mga pahayag sa binitiwang State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) gayong ang kailangan at gusto lang namang marinig ng sambayanan ay ang pamamaalam nito.

Maging ang pagbira sa kanila sa oposisyon ay pang-cover lang umano ni Arroyo sa mga tunay na isyung nakakulapol sa kanyang administrasyon.

“Hindi ko maintindihan. Sa lahat ng nabasa ko sa sinabi niya, dapat ideklara niya ang kanyang SONA na araw ng kasinungalingan. Hindi lang naman ako at ang oposisyon ang nagsasalita laban sa kanya ngunit ang ibang panig ng mundo halimbawa ang Transparency International, World Bank, United Nations at Reporters without Borders”, pahayag ng dating pangulo.

Simple naman ang naging pahayag ng anak ni Estrada na si San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito, “She can speak of whatever she believes in, but she needs to step down in 2010.”

Sa kanyang privilege speech naman sa Senado ay tinumbok din ni Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada ang matinding takot ni Arroyo na makulong pagbaba sa puwesto.

“Karagdagan dito ay ang kanyang inaakalang pananakot sa kanya ng pagkakakulong matapos ang kanyang panunungkulan. Bakit? Inaanim ba niya na siya ay may nagawang kasalanan sa taong bayan at kanyang winika ito kahapon (Lunes),” anang senador.

Sa halip naman na magalit ay ikinatuwa pa ni Sen. Mar Roxas ang pagkakapitik sa kanya ng Pangulo sa binitiwang SONA.

“Malaking karangalan ito na maging tinig, na maging mukha ng galit ng milyun-milyon nating kababayan, galit na hindi nila ginagawa ‘yung dapat nilang gawin,” diin ng senador.

Naniniwala naman si Anakpawis partylist Rep. Rafael Mariano na ginamit lang ni Arroyo na panakip-butas ang mga inatakeng taga-oposisyon para mailipat dito ang atensyon ng sambayanan at para idiin sa iba’t ibang kasalanan ang mga kritiko sa halip na aminin ang sariling mga pagkakamali at kasalanan sa bayan. (Abante / Nina JB Salarzon, Nonnie Ferriol, Rey Marfil, Boyet Jadulco at Bernard Taguinod)

President Arroyo Hands Out Millions Worth Of Govt Projects In Zamboanga Sur

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 18, 2008) – President Gloria Arroyo on Thursday handed over tens of millions of pesos in various infrastructure and development projects in the southern Philippine province of Zamboanga del Sur.

Arroyo was in the province as guest of honor on its 56th founding anniversary held in Pagadian City, the regional capital of Western Mindanao. “My anniversary wish is for everybody to be united in the spirit of the Megayon (festival) because if there is no unity, there will be no progress,” Arroyo, who spoke in the local dialect, told a huge crowd that gathered to welcome her.

The Megayon Festival is the grandest festival in the province which celebrates the cultural tradition of the ethnic Subanen tribe.

Arroyo distributed checks worth millions to Zamboanga del Sur Governor Aurora Cerilles for government projects in the province, including land certificates to more than 300 farmers in 24 towns under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and funds for various livelihood cooperatives.

She also inaugurated many infrastructures projects that also included farm-to-market roads worth over P20 millions and farm implements and market and day-care centers.

Arroyo also set aside P 1 million in scholarship fund for poor, but deserving students in Zamboanga del Sur and another P 1 million in medicine fund for the elders, who do not have retirement pensions.

But while Arroyo was promoting government welfare in the province, former President Joseph Estrada, whom she deposed in 2001 in a people-backed revolution, was also busy visiting places in nearby province of Zamboanga Sibugay, where his supporters were campaigning for his possible return to the presidency.

Estrada was pardoned by Arroyo after he was convicted and jailed for plunder. His followers were gathering signatures that would push for Estrada to run again in 2010 if opposition parties fail to unite and support one common presidential candidate.

Estrada, accompanied by former foe-turned-political ally Senator Loren Legarda, was in Zamboanga City on Wednesday and Thursday where he attended a social gathering and met with his supporters here. (Mindanao Examiner)

Anwar Ibrahim, Joseph Estrada To Meet In Manila

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 5, 2008) – Former Filipino President Joseph Estrada is set to meet Friday with Malaysia’s ex-Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim when he visits Manila for a forum on Islamic politics.

Estrada and Ibrahim are long time friends and political allies. Ibrahim is to attend the forum in Makati City.

“The friendship between Anwar and Estrada is unique because their political careers run parallel lines,” Estrada’s spokesperson Margaux Salcedo said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

“Anwar is considered the 'voice of democracy in Malaysia' while Erap is considered the 'voice of democracy' in the Philippines,” she said.

“Erap” which means “buddy” is the name Estrada, a former movie action star, is more popularly known for.

Anwar was imprisoned in 1999 in a highly controversial trial for corruption. While Estrada was also convicted of plunder in 2001. Anwar was released in 2004 and Estrada had been pardoned by President Gloria Arroyo last year.

Both former leaders are still popular in their own country despite their convictions. (Mindanao Examiner)

Wow, Mali! AFP, Umamin Nagkamali Sa Pullout Ng Security Ni Erap

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 25 Feb) - UMAMIN si Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. na nagkamali ito sa direktibang alisin ang seguridad ng dating Pangulong Joseph Estrada na nakaditine sa Tanay, Rizal. "It was an honest mistake," ayon kanina ni Esperon.

Nilinaw rin nito ang naturang hakbang ay walang kinalaman sa pag-endorso ng dating Presidente sa mga kandidato ng oposisyon sa nalalapit na eleksyon sa Mayo.

Hindi raw sinadya ng AFP na magpadala ang Office of the Adjutant General ng kautusan na may kaugnayan sa kampanya na mai-pull out ang tropa ng mga sundalo na nakatalaga sa mga politico bilang bodyguard.

"It was unintentional. It was a general recall of soldiers assigned to politicians and it came to a point that those who were authorized to maintain military security were sent with the order," dagdag ni Esperon.

Sa ilalim ng batas, may karapatan ang mga dating Pangulo na magkaroon ng seguridad habambuhay, depende sa bigat ng banta sa buhay nito.

"It was a letter sent out to everybody but in the case of the former President, we recalled that (letter recalling Estrada's security) immediately and his security men are back there already," paliwanag pa ni Esperon.

Ibinalik rin naman aniya ang mga sundalong pinaalis bilang seguridad ni Erap. (Juley Reyes)