Inside Philippine politics & beyond

DEAR CPMERs: THIS SITE WILL BE DOWN FOR MAYBE 24 HOURS

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Now that I’ve got your attention, let me continue.

I’m Alan, the editor and technical consultant of raissarobles.com. For some time now, I’ve been planning a few technical changes in the site, but we’ve been unable to implement them because of the pace of events.

Now that there is a hiatus in political controversy, we’re grabbing the opportunity to effect these changes, which will (we hope) improve your experience.

1. Chief among the issues we’re tackling: “ERROR ESTABLISHING DATABASE CONNECTION.”

That maddening message, which has tormented thousands of visitors (including ourselves btw), is actually an indication of the site‘s success. It’s brought about by the sheer volume of visitors, thousands upon thousands at any given moment. We’ve already done minor tweaks, such as removing the avatars of commenters (sorry about that), but we’ve decided we can’t really avoid what needs to be done – increase the bandwidth by upgrading the host server.

We are doing this asap, as of today, which is why the site will be down soon. The host company says 24 hours max. We hope it will be much less than that. It’s just about 4:13 pm Manila time now, so set your watches. When it comes back online we’d like to think things will be a lot faster.

2. Comments system – I’m not totally happy with this and have some ideas for improving it, but before moving on it I’d like to know what suggestions and ideas you might have. In the end, it’s all about your experience in posting your ideas, suggestions, criticisms, and opinions

3. Navigation – My own feeling is that articles, topics and keywords aren’t easy to track down under the current system. We are studying alternatives

4. Facebook integration – The disabling of Raissa’s personal FB account gave us the much needed kick to finally launch a fan (fun) page, which we plan to fill with all sorts of stuff. Don’t hesitate to go there to find out what’s happening. Raissa’s personal page was finally reactivated Monday afternoon, so if you’re friends with her, you can also drop by there. The main problem I’m scratching my head about is why, when we all paste links from this blog to FB, the wrong head and picture show up (if at all). We still haven’t figured this out. Does this have to do with meta tags? If anyone has a clue don’t hesitate to share it with us.

That’s it for now, if you have other suggestions on how to improve the site (some people have emailed inquiring about ads, we’re working on that as well) tell us about it.

We hope to see you soon.

[P.S. from Raissa – I insisted on using his photo here. I wanted to introduce him to all of you, guys.]

Comments

  1. Another topic: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/39199/london-cabbies-have-%e2%80%98more-fun%e2%80%99-with-ph-slogan

    My son and wife stayed for a few days at Boracay. Here’s some of their feed backs from the visit. Of course, they enjoyed it for the novelty of the Bora scenery but they said they were frustrated that every window, tickets and info booths were charging different fees one after another. One for ecogreen, one for use of this and that. etc. Is this the normal system wherein anyone can just charge a certain fee indiscriminately? I’ m not being scrooge but I just want to know if these are regular charges / or just making money from tourists on the beach resorts where we try to boost TOURISM ; otherwise this practice will push them away. This is just ridiculous making tourism a pain of the game.

  2. Folks, Sen. Rene Saguisag had this to say for the next SC CJ(June 8, 2012, Opinion, Manila Times):
    “The CJ aspirant I can support must TODAY make a public vow to reveal what has been done with the JDF billions extracted from litigants since 1984, in this new post-Corona era of transparency and accountability”. It looks like the SC is hiding a lot of money or, well, they may have been spent illegally.

  3. WHO IS YOUR DREAM CHIEF JSUTICE? MY CHOICE KIM HENARES:

    For a Chief Justice, Philippines needs someone so unlike Corona-no love for talkshows, no love for ostentatious living, no love for technicalities and a passion for doing what’s right even without the public focus. I was going over the nominees: Jardeleza,Katrina Legarda, Dean Villanueva and the rest, including Secretary De Lima, the one nominee that struck me most was BIR Atty Kim Henares. Something about her makes her just the type to disrupt the too comfortable world of Philippine Supreme Court Justices.

    When Pnoy assumed the Executive Branch, his style of no wang wang governance did shake up the powers that be that even VP Binay was exposed early on as a trapo. With Secretary De Lima taking care of Justice Department where she has been very effective (anyone with the balls to stop GMA in the airport and confront Corona- Midas TRO at that time is “fearless” in any language) and Conchita Carpio Morales in Ombudsman is a dream combination for the Philippines. One last wish for PNoy’s dream team is Heidi Mendoza becoming the BIR chief.

    I don’t’ know, I may be wrong but who do you fancy for our next Chief Justice?

    For more info on Kim Henares:
    http://www5.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=781253&publicationSubCategoryId=86

    • @eber redi,
      why not. let’s opt for an SC outsider naman. ok din ako kay KIM.
      para mailabas na ang mga accounts ng disbursements ng inutang sa world bank na $21.9M. midas can stay with KIM to submit the report on financial management project na kanilang hinawakan ni deposed TJ..
      “World Bank bares Supreme Court misuse of loan for judiciary reform
      By Michael Lim Ubac, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 8:12 pm | Saturday, January 14th, 2012

    • @ Eber Redi,

      Thank you so much for this information regarding BIR Commissioner Kim Henares. Kaya ganoon na lang ang pag endorse ni PNoy sa kanya para sa SC.

      “Something about her makes her just the type to disrupt the too comfortable world of Philippine Supreme Court Justices.”

      The whole judiciary system should really be overhauled in toto. This might be an impossible task to accomplish but even small steps or policies can pave the way to enhance good justice system in the long run. Instituting necessary judiciary reforms will take some time but the equal impetus should be done for the good and benefit of all. It has been noted and observed that justice is seldom given or rendered to poor and powerless people. Crooks and criminals are usually set free due to technicalities or due to many unreasonable postponements of trials. Justice delayed is justice denied. At times, justice can be bought…di ba? That’s the main reason why aggrieved parties usually place justice or judgment in their own hands.

  5. MIRIAM, EJUSDEM GENERIS, AND A YOUNG BOY, PART 2
    (Request ni @duquemarino, see post #61)

    .

    Upon landing at the airport Miriam rushed to the customs area with the young boy tagging behind her. (Nagmamadali, hinihintay na raw siya sa ICC.)

    Miriam handled her customs declaration to the officer who noticed that she did not declare the more than $10,000 she has in her carry-on bag.

    “Do you know that you can be fined for not declaring your $10,000?” the officer warned her.

    “Why? I’m the only RTC judge on this flight!” Miriam replied in a loud voice.

    “I don’t care if you were the ex-Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court, you still have to declare your cash if $10,000 or more,” the officer said.

    Miriam was about to go ballistic when the young boy whispered into her ear, “Quick, tell him it’s our commingled account!”

  6. By the way, any news from Johnny lin? I surely miss his CORONAPTIONS. If he is trying to get some rest that’s good for him. I hope he is doing well and in good health and spirit. Likewise, I haven’t read any comments from Maria A., Baltazar and jcc. I hope you guys are doing fine too… Gbu….

  7. Oversized eyeglasses do not look well when it hangs in your oversized nose. Use a smaller frameless or halfframed lenses. Your current outfit overly emphasizes your Babalisque look.

    • Bakit ka nakajacket, mainit na sa Belgium. Sa Pinas Lang nakajacket kahit 90′s ang temp

      • 90’s na in Belgium? Last i checked it was in the 60’s if you’re into the Farenheit scale (that’s between 15-20 in the centigrade scale). Medyo malamig for people used to the tropics.
        Wrong again ,Doc.

        • Hi, Simon. Ang sinasabi ko ay dito sa atin na kahit 90’s mayroon pa ring nagjajacket. Nakapunta na ako sa Benelux, at around the same time.June is a shoulder month, comportable na pero tama ang sabi mo maaring malamig para sa atin.

        • Read your post. You said ” bakit ka nakajacket, mainit na sa Belgium.” That is 1 sentence and obviously refering to wearing a jacket in Belgium where it is mainit.
          Obviously you are trying to wiggle your way out just like your idol who was cornered being less than truthful. Nagpapalusot baga according to Rudy Farinas. You are so like your idol.

          And what the hell is a shoulder month?

    • The eyeglasses hang nicely “on his nose”, thank you. I assume I give you credit for being a perfect human specie, so be it., be happy.. Reflect back on yourself and you will find that you are becoming awful. Pity you for being very unhappy that you pick on mundane issues to feel better. Rather, for a perfect person like you, you can be nice once in a while, I bet. Cheer up, DOC.

  8. Lacierda: We have problems with Midas Marquez
    by David Dizon, ABS-CBNnews.com
    Posted at 06/07/2012 4:01 PM | Updated as of 06/07/2012 4:33 PM

    MANILA, Philippines – A Palace spokesman on Thursday admitted Malacañang had “problems” with former Supreme Court spokesman and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez even before the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona.

    Speaking to ANC, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Marquez, as a Court Administrator, “has not been cooperative” in threshing out the issues over the judiciary’s budget and the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF).

    He said Marquez even tried to instigate judges to conduct a street protest outside Malacañang over the release of the special allowances for judges (SAJ) early last year.

    “As a Court Administrator, let me be frank, we had problems with him. Not because of the World Bank aide memoire,” Lacierda said.

    “The other problem was when we were discussing the budget of the judiciary with Department of Budget and Management and it is no secret among us, between me and Butch Abad that Midas Marquez and the current deputy administrator, Tony Eugenio, were trying to engineer a rally because they were protesting about these allowances,” he said.

    Special Allowances for Judges

    The SAJ was created in 2003 by Republic Act 9227, which granted justices, judges, and other judiciary officials of similar rank special allowances equivalent to 100% of the individual basic monthly salaries under the Salary Standardization Law.

    Its implementation was spread uniformly over the span of four years (2003-2007) in amounts equivalent to 25% of the basic salaries covered for each installment.

    The SAJ Fund is sourced from increases in current fees and new fees imposed by the Supreme Court.

    In the interview, Lacierda said the DBM explained to the judges last year that the SAJ is sourced from the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF). The JDF is sourced from legal fees for certifications, clearances and even photocopying services, collected from the different courts of the country.

    “For the longest time, DBM had no record of the JDF. In fact if you look at the Senate hearings, Sen. Franklin Drilon was asking Midas about the status of those funds. It was only after the impeachment complaint was filed [that he submitted a report],” he said.

    ‘Report just for show’

    Even then, he said, the report submitted by Marquez “was so muddled even DBM could not understand it because there were no opening, second opening balances.”

    “It was so bare for the purpose of compliance lang. When the DBM saw it – what the heck is this report coming from the SC? The compliance was just for show because remember, the impeachment complaint had an article regarding the JDF,” he said.

    Lacierda said Marquez and Eugenio tried to lead the judges to conduct a street rally outside Malacañang. Eugenio was later appointed Deputy Court Administrator by CJ Corona because of his loyalty to the chief justice.

    “There was a plan to walk and rally before Malacañang and not to be too mayabang naman, may kaibigan naman kami sa judiciary, mga judges who are really not in favor of all this, the idea of Midas Marquez and Tony Eugenio staging this,” he said.

    Agreement on SAJ

    He said the planned rally was averted after DBM met with the justices and explained the sources of the SAJ. Judges’ associations later forged a memorandum of agreement with the DBM over the release of the SAJ.

    “I was present. President Aquino was also witness to that signing. The one who was supposed to sign that MOA was Midas Marquez. He was the Court Administrator. He did not show up. He just sent Tony Eugenio. Of course it was signed, wala siyang magagawa e. The judges said agree kami sa proposal ng DBM,” he said.

    News of Marquez’s possible removal has been rife since Chief Justice Corona was convicted in the Senate impeachment trial. Marquez, who has been closely associated with Corona, was removed as Supreme Court spokesman but remained as Court Administrator.

    No answer to WB aide memoire

    In the interview, Lacierda said Marquez has yet to answer a World Bank aide memoire noting “ineligible” expenditures of $199,000 in the Judicial Reform Support Project of the SC.

    “SC keeps complaining mababa ang budget e pag tinignan mo naman lahat ng allowances nasa SC, wala sa RTC [Regional Trial Court] based on the WB aide memoire,” he said.

    He also said Presidential Decree 828 stipulates that a Court Administrator can be removed for just cause by a vote of not less than 8 Supreme Court justices.

    Marquez: I didn’t handle WB funds

    In an ANC interview last Tuesday, Marquez said he was never the administrator of the World Bank funds.
    He said the aide memoire contained initial findings on a small portion of the $21.9 million loan for the JRSP.

    He said the SC has been waiting for representatives from the World Bank so that they could sit down with them and explain the condition of the fund.

    He said the court has been waiting for them since March.

    • @davide @raissa

      The more reason this issue on Midas Marquez regarding the “judiciary’s budget and the Judiciary Development Fund.” The can of worms may have been just partly opened.

      • @davide@duquemarino@raissa,

        “Marquez: I didn’t handle WB funds”

        If SHE (Midas) did not handle WB funds, who was then responsible in disbursing the funds? Does COA have an authority to audit SC funds? I think it’s high time to see what’s inside the CAN OF WORMS……di ba?

        • That’s right HE DIDN’T HANDLE THE WB FUNDS.

          HE ONLY SPENT IT! HAHAHA…

          Dugton… “WB funds ba yun?”

          ” ”Kala ko kay CJ yun!”

      • Yes, @davide and @raissa, can you please write more on Midas Marquez. I’m interested on what happened to the WB funds that he mishandled (according to WB report). Yong bang pera ng WB naging commingled din sa bank accounts nya? Ano na kaya ang nangyari, nasuli kaya nya?

        Congratulations pala Mis Raissa and Mr. Alan sa bago mong design. It’s beautiful and truly reflects your love for your county.

        Congratulations din sa mga taga CPMers, ang gagaling ninyong lahat. I enjoy what you write here and sometimes make me laugh.

        • @ Newark2002

          “Yong bang pera ng WB naging commingled din sa bank accounts nya? Ano na kaya ang nangyari, nasuli kaya nya?”

          Totoo yon commingled din sa bank accounts ng bf niya….kaya laging mataas ang kilay…ok yon manicure niya ….hehehehe…… baka nagpa nose lift up siya….kaya di niya kayang iliquidate ang money/funds advanced sa kanya….di ba? LOL….

        • ” ‘bakit ko isasauli yun? FINDER’S KEEPER yata ang alam ko!”

          ” anything I “touch” is never “mishandled” as you @Newark2002 says.

          that’s why I got the name “Midas! with a magic touch!.”

          “@Newark2002, there is only one who can get WB funds, that is ME !

          Don’t be interested in that funds as you are not the court administrator!”

          “Haaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy! Nahulogggg! “

        • @ Leona,

          LOL…..Haaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! Nahulogggggggggg! Sabay takip ng labi…at taas ng kilay………….hehehehehehe….di ba?

        • at yun kanan kamay niya ibabaw ng dalaway tuhod nag dikit naka bend!

          hayyyyyyy kooooo pooooooooo! di ba? hahaha…

  9. MIRIAM, EJUSDEM GENERIS, AND A YOUNG BOY

    .

    On her way to the ICC Miriam found herself seated next to a young boy on the plane. A few minutes after take-off the boy turned to Miriam and said, “Time flies faster when you talk to someone.”

    Miriam who was still reading Charles Black put the book down and asked the boy, “What will interest you?”

    “Anything,” the boy answered.

    “How about impeachment?” Miriam said hoping it will bore the boy and quiet him down.

    “Sounds interesting,” the boy said.

    So Miriam started to talk about impeachment. She was talking about ejusdem generis when the boy interrupted her, “Before you go on, can you explain something else to me?”

    “Sure!” Miriam said.

    “When I was in the Philippines I saw a goat, a cow and a horse. They are all four-legged and feed on grass. But a goat poops little round hard droppings, a cow poops out flat soft patty, and a horse drops clumps of dried grass. Why are the poops different?”

    After a long silence Miriam replied, “I don’t have the slightest idea. Kagaguhan yan!”

    Turning to Miriam the boy asked, “How can you talk about ejusdem generis if you don’t know sh*t?”

    (Nose bleed si Miriam.)

    • @Yvonne

      Ha ha ha, meron bang susunod na eksena ang “MIRIAM, EJUSDEM GENERIS, AND A YOUNG BOY” mo? Mahabahaba kasi ang flight, I would like to see MDS going ballistic inside the plane and lecturing the passengers until the flight attendants (most likely FASAP members) restrain her with a straight jacket.

    • LOL. thanks a lot, Yvonne. It really gave me a good laugh early in the morning.

    • You will be jumping over the Jones Bridge once Meriam is able to convince the ICC

      Judges to transfer the hearing of its cases to Manila, Philippine! Don’t underestimate

      her capability on that! Reason: CHANGE OF VENUE…dami kriminal DITO din!