I CONGRATULATEÂ Judge Pimentel on his ruling
denying Mr. Trillanes free rein to attend Senate hearings.
If Mr. Trillanes thinks he can escape the consequences of his actions by hiding
behind the skirts of an election victory, the law still has proven him wrong.
He tried to gain power by stepping over our laws and now he uses the same syste
m to try to bail himself out.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.
-- Jerry Lalic, Ontario, Canada (via e-mail)
July 2007 Archives
THIS is in regard to the recently concluded Senate presidency voting that was w
on by Senator [Manuel] Villar.
I am not against Mr. Villar or the opposition senators that voted for him, [but
] these opposition senators should have thought about it over and over again be
fore they voted for him. Since Mr. Villar spoke to the administration senators,
does this mean that most of the important committees will be given to them and
not to the opposition? The opposition senators that voted for him keep saying
that they still oppose President [Gloria Macapagal-]Arroyo, but how can you do
check and balance in the Senate if you do not have the power or position to do
so?
I think these opposition senators threw away what the Filipino people has given
them. They have to realize that people got hurt and even died to give them thi
s mandate because they want some changes and they want to stop GMA from doing w
hatever she pleases. I think the end result of this will show in the next elect
ion. The people will now think twice before voting for the opposition because i
t really does not matter anyway who sits in power. They (politicians) do not th
ink about the welfare of the people, or what the people want, but only what the
politicians want to do.
I take off my hat to the remaining opposition senators who remain with the true
opposition. It does not matter what their true reason is for doing so, at leas
t we can be sure that they will
oppose any wrongdoing of this present administration.
-- Ed Tuason, Santa Maria, California (via e-mail)
I HAVE been following the last midterm elections and was elated that the people
finally let their voices be heard by voting for change.
Historically, during elections, whoever has the most money and influence gets t
he seat; thankfully that trend has changed -- at least for the last election.
Now, what I cannot believe is how does a bunch of senators voted into office n
ot because people want them to be senators but because they represent the oppos
ition, have turned their back to their ideologies and to what they promised to
the people that voted for them that there will be change if they win the electi
on.
How can they do the changes they promised if all of the important committees will still be controlled by the administration?
Deep in my heart, I would like to commend Senator [Antonio] Trillanes [IV] and
hopefully he will stay as a true servant to the people and serve his mandate wi
th dignity! To the following
Senators (Escudero, Estrada, Cayetano), there is no way you can save your manda
te to the people now that you've joined the administration!
-- Ed Tuason, Santa Maria, California (via e-mail)
By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines--Heeding the call of the opposition, incoming Cebu Represen
tative Pablo Garcia has vowed to surrender his Speakership bid should he lose i
n secret balloting that he has proposed ahead of the July 23 opening of Congres
s.
Garcia and his supporters, led by Kampi (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino, Partne
r of the Free Filipino) president and Camarines Sur Representative Luis Villafu
erte, are pushing for an all-party caucus, to include members of the opposition
group, to decide who should be the next Speaker.
While the opposition has been invited in the caucus, the choice of candidate fo
r the Speakership would only be between Garcia and incumbent Jose de Venecia.
Garcia explained that the caucus was aimed only at coming up with one candidate
from the administration coalition to run against an opposition candidate durin
g the actual voting on the floor.
They had invited the minority bloc in the caucus because both he and De Venecia
have supporters from the group, Garcia further explained.
âMy proposal is to have an all-party caucus. All members of Congress, including
the opposition, will be there but the candidates will only be two -- I and the
Speaker. Whoever loses will no longer participate in the actual voting on the
floor,â Garcia said in a phone interview.
And the losing candidate in the caucus should agree to abstain during the actua
l voting on the floor, he added.
This way, the opposition can be assured that the Minority Leader will still com
e from its ranks since Garcia and De Venecia are both allied with the administr
ation coalition.
Under House rules, the candidate to get the second highest vote in the Speakers
hip race automatically becomes the Minority Leader.
âIâm making this proposal because this will also address the concerns of the op
position that the Minority Leader should come from their ranks. So if I lose in
this secret balloting, I will no longer run for the Speaker,â Garcia pointed o
ut.
âThis only proves that I really listen to everybody, to every group. I also wan
t that on the opening day, everything will be smooth already,â he said.
As of posting time, however, De Venecia has not commented on Garciaâs proposal.
If the Speaker would reject his offer, Garcia said he would pursue his candidac
y and insist that the voting in the plenary be done through secret balloting.
After all, Garcia said, the House would have to either adopt its existing rules
or approve new ones at the opening of the session where they could propose tha
t voting be done through secret balloting.
âWe must give each congressman and congresswoman the fullest freedom or opportu
nity to express their choice and that can be done only through secret balloting
,â Garcia said.
FILIPINOS are entitled to one vote each. It represents the heart and soul of a
person who is longing that his voice will be heard, though faint in the million
s of votes.
Shave a vote and you kill entirely that faint voice and literally, the essence
of that person's right to suffrage. The Philippines, Mindanao in particular, ha
s become a graveyard of honest election watchers, teachers and volunteers. It h
as also become a stinking place of dishonest government appointees like Lintang
Bedol.
Justice, strike where you need to strike and I will be there to believe in your
name. Justice, hear the last breath of heroes that died looking for you.
-- Rynor Jamandre, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (via e-mail)
WEARING a medical patch over his right eye, Maguindanao provincial elections su
pervisor Lintang Bedol is mobbed by media as he arrived from Davao City Monday
night after being arrested.
Video taken by INQUIRER.net reporter Thea Alberto on July 2, 2007 at the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 in Parañaque City.
For more videos, visit i
VDO.
