Inside Philippine politics & beyond

Does ex-Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile look deathly ill to you?

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By Raïssa Robles

Old age and declining health are reasons the former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile cited for the court to grant him bail.

The request was accompanied by a May 16, 2014 medical certificate from a Dr. Claver Ramos of Makati Medical Center.

Dr. Ramos, an internist specializing in nephrology listed a long list of ailments that the 90-year-old Enrile has:

    1. diabetes mellitus,
    2. dyslipiddemia,
    3. essential hypertension,
    4. extensive coronary artery calcification in the right coronary,
    5. left anterior descending and left circumflex,
    6. multifocal ventricular premature beats,
    7. episodes of bradycardia,
    8. colonic diverticulosis,
    9. thoracic and lumbar spondylosis L4-L5,
    10. alpha thalassemia,
    11. macular degeneration,
    12. chronic lacunar ischemic zones,
    13. scattered small luminal plaques of proximal middle segments of basilar artery, both horizontal and insular opercular branches of middle cerebral arteries

Meanwhile, Enrile’s doctor is saying Enrile’s health would be greatly at risk if he were to be confined at the police custodial center all by himself. It has a single bed, a bath and shower, a ceiling fan and a small window. But it is much better than the bunkhouses built for the families of the Yolanda typhoon victims.

And how about Golden Acres?

I’d like to invite other doctors to explain what Enrile’s illnesses are in laymen’s terms and how serious these illnesses are.

The evidence out there, however, speaks louder than the doctor’s medical certificate.

UPDATE: June 26, 2014, 7:30 PM

Journalist Melo Acuña, my colleague at FOCAP (Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines), chanced upon Senator Enrile today at Hotel Intercon, and they chatted awhile.

Here is what Melo wrote on Facebook about Enrile:

“While waiting for the EU-MAG-TFD event at InterCon’s Bahia, I opted to have coffee at the Jeepney Coffeeshop and chanced upon Senator Juan Ponce-Enrile. Asked him of his bp, he said it’s 130/70 with a pulse rate of 96. He seemed relaxed.”

Only last November, Enrile delivered a 31-minute privilege speech on the floor of the Senate standing up, without a 24-hour nurse interrupting him to take his bp (blood pressure).

Besides, Enrile himself was strong enough for the grueling jobs of presiding over an impeachment court while personally writing his own memoirs – at least if you believe his own words.

On page 714 of his book, he said:

“Writing my memoirs proved to be an emotional roller-coaster ride for me.”

And on the next page, he also wrote:

Enrile-book“I am now on my last term in the Senate and it ends in 2016. By then, I would be 92. I just pray that I will stay in good health and in good humor.”

What does this mean?

This means, Enrile himself believed at the time of his writing his memoirs that he was in good health. It would be interesting to ask Dr. Ramos how long Enrile has had those illnesses he enumerated.

Was it before 2012 when Enrile published his memoirs?

Finally, you can see how vigorous and healthy Enrile is by watching this video of his privilege speech delivered only last November:

Comments

    • anti-dynasty bill, too. and correct those loopholes in the saln, foreign accounts, etc. laws.

      can’t leave anything to chance. even honest politicians when greed, personal stakes, cloudy judgment, etc. enters the picture will take advantage of the system when given an opening.

      bottomline, acts of politicians in a democratic system needs to be scrutinized for the system to be robust.

      • @ drill down,

        Tama ipasa ang Anti-Dynasty Bill at ang FOI para mabawasan mga KURRAPT at malantad ang mga Mandarambong sa Kaban nang Bayan…

        • @drilldown,
          May malaki tayong problema sa Anti-Dynasty Bill at maging sa FOI bill
          Ano? Sino ang magfill, mag sulong at mag-aproba?
          Sila-sila din na may anak, ama, ina, kapatid, tiyo, tiya, pamangkin, pinsan, apo, etc…
          Di pa kasama dyan ang kumare, kumpare, amiga, ka-grupo sa frat, sa club, sa social club.
          At wag din kalilimutan mga escabetche at ka something-something.
          Sino kaya ang magsisigsa na ipaglaban yan hanggang sa maaprobahan?
          Isa uling suntok sa buwan?

    • and we have to make sure and be very clear that when made into law, FOI is retrospective. that documents and information going back years ago before FOI bill is passed are all accessible. baka sabihin na FOI only applies to documents filed after FOI bill is made into law.

      • Correct ka naman dyan moonie@!

        The proponents of the FOI bill should be careful on the issue of ‘retrospectivity’ of the LAW. My understanding is the ‘new’ law is always prospective unless expressly said otherwise, and jurisprudence has adopted the doctrine of prospectivity to emphasize it to avoid iniquity to others.

        Let’s hope the proponents don’t forget on this sub-issue of the bill.

        • Kuno, read this LINK – http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/616032/ex-national-treasurer-says-dap-money-must-be-returned

          Notice that lawmakers have become spenders or program implementers of gov’t funds amounting to KUNO millions of PESOS…people’s money.

          Pres. Aquino protests why is this daw the issue? The simple and short answer is to entrust such huge sums of money there is not only violation of the Constitution but great risk that the money goes somewhere else. Can the Adm really monitor where the money goes ultimately? What projects benefited the majority of the people?

          If the Constitution marks limitations of separation of powers in the government, why avoid or create something to go around the limitations?

          No more DAP. No more PDAF. Stop Malampaya Fund misspending. Stop all violations on the money side issue.

  3. What is the plunder law – R. No. 7080. How is it committed. Who can commit it. Acts of committing it.

    ” Any public officer who, by himself or in connivance with members of his family, relatives by affinity or consanguinity, business associates, subordinates or other persons, amasses, accumulates or acquires ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of overt or criminal acts as described in Section 1(d) hereof in the aggregate amount or total value of at least Fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) shall be guilty of the crime of plunder”

    It says ‘any public officer’ …in connivance xxx with other persons…amasses, accumulates or acquires ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of over or criminal acts –

    As described in Section 1 (d): “d) “Ill-gotten wealth” means any asset, property, business enterprise or material possession of any person within the purview of Section Two (2) hereof, acquired by him directly or indirectly through dummies, nominees, agents, subordinates and/or business associates by any combination or series of the following means or similar schemes:”

    ‘acquired by him [public official] directly or indirectly through dummies, nominees, agents, subordinates and/or business associates’

    ‘by any combination or series’ …combination; or series – (through) means or similar schemes’

    1. misappropriates, conversion, ,misuse, or malversation – of public funds; raids on public treasury.’ Raids like ransacking the money.

    2. receiving, directly or indirectly – any commission [refers to money], percentage [money also], kickbacks [money again] gifts, share; or any other form of pecuniary benefit [money again] FROM ANY PERSON [private person] or entity;

    3. any illegal conveyance; fraudulent conveyance; disposition of assets owned by the nat’l gov’t;

    4. obtaining [getting it…the money]; receiving or accepting directly [solo, alone] indirectly ;

    5. taking undue advantage of official position [being a public officer]; or authority; influence -to unjustly ENRICH himself or themselves at the EXPENSE and to the DAMAGE and prejudice of the Filipino people and the Republic.

    there are Six but FIVE here show how it is committed also.

    ‘connivance’ – means also: to cooperate secretly (with someone) especially in wrong doing; conspire.

    ‘Conspire’ means also ‘connive’. Webster New World Dictionary 1962 edition.

    Interchangeable use: “conspire” or “connive” [connivance] in the Plunder Law.

    So, using the word ‘conspire’ or the word’ connive’ in the charged sheets/Informations as ‘conspiring’ or ‘conniving’ bla bla…makes no difference in thought. Why fear which word to use?

    Having confidence on this because the Dictionary books says so as to the same meaning of the two words. That is the convention accepted and the Plunder law simply meant it to be.

    Plunder law is no exclusively committed only by public officers as the law provides. It also mentions ‘private persons or entity.’ The law is not narrowly understood or interpreted. The provisions clearly says so.

    • Further, the Plunder Law R.A. No. 7080 on rule of evidence (Sec. 4) simply says it being sufficient to establish beyond reasonable doubt ‘a pattern of overt or criminal acts’ ….’indicative of the overall unlawful scheme or conspiracy.’

      ‘Unlawful scheme’…the criminal acts – almost even lay people what are criminal acts.
      ‘Conspiracy’…simple folks know this better than lawyers…sabwatan; tulungan; may usapan at gawaan sa usapan, etc.

      The law on Sec. 4 says also – ‘it is not necessary to prove each and every the criminal act done by the accused in plunder to further the unlawful scheme or conspiracy. What is required is the accused ‘amassed, accumulate or acquire ill-gotten wealth through unlawful scheme or conspiracy.’ What does this mean?

      If accused made 10 criminal acts of plunder, 3 or 4 acts of that would be enough as long as such acts resulted in amassing, accumulating or acquiring ill-gotten wealth through the unlawful scheme or conspiracy.

      If 5 or 10 truckloads of criminal acts as evidence are present, a PUJ load of such evidence would be enough.

      Prove P50,100,000.00 as amassed wealth. Or P80, 000,000.00. Just at least P50, 000,000.00 is enough wealth.

      The Anti-Plunder law [R.A. No. 7080] has this explanatory Note of Senate Bill No. 733 –

      “The Explanatory Note of Senate Bill No. 733, as quoted in the case of Estrada v. Sandiganbayan, explains the reason behind the law as follows:

      Plunder, a term chosen from other equally apt terminologies like kleptocracy and economic treason, punishes the use of high office for personal enrichment, committed thru a series of acts done not in the public eye but in stealth and secrecy over a period of time, that may involve so many persons, here and abroad, and which touch so many states and territorial units.

      The acts and/or omissions sought to be penalized do not involve simple cases of malversation of public funds, bribery, extortion, theft and graft but constitute plunder of an entire nation resulting in material damage to the national economy.

      The above-described crime does not yet exist in Philippine statute books. Thus, the need to come up with a legislation as a safeguard against the possible recurrence of the depravities of the previous regime and as a deterrent to those with similar inclination to succumb to the corrupting influence of power”

  4. Pity that poor victim hazing.

    Hazing should be PROHIBITED and not just regulated. The law RA No. 8049 says –

    “AN ACT REGULATING HAZING AND OTHER FORMS OF INITIATION RITES IN FRATERNITIES, SORORITIES, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR”

    …regulating hazing. That’s why hazing continues. Prohibiting it closes all hazing.

    Consider:
    “Sec. 2. No hazing or initiation rites in any form or manner by a fraternity, sorority or organization shall be allowed without prior written notice to the school authorities or head of organization seven (7) days before the conduct of such initiation.”

    No hazing xxx shall be allowed without prior written notice xxx” hazing is not prohibited. It is allowed!

    “Sec. 3. The head of the school or organization or their representatives must assign at least two (2) representatives of the school or organization, as the case may be, to be present during the initiation.”

    xxx the head of the school xxx must assign at least 2 representatives xxx to be present’ during the hazing rites. Hazing should be absolutely prohibited.

    “xxx the officers and members of the fraternity, sorority or organization who actually participated in the infliction of physical harm shall be liable as principals.”

    ‘actually participated’ inflicting physical injuries means hazing is allowed. Allowing hazing by just regulating it results in injuries and deaths etc. Prohibit hazing absolutely now.

    Make any form of hazing strictly prohibited like a crime per se. The law needs to be amended.

    http://www.chanrobles.com/antihazinglaw.htm#.U7IC0tKSyrE

  5. At the Sandiganbayan court – Ong silent on his ouster.

    “Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez was tapped to handle the investigation. Gutierrez submitted her report and recommendations to the highest tribunal on May 15.” Last year pa ito?

    “Gutierrez recommended administrative charges against Ong for gross misconduct, dishonesty and impropriety.”

    Recommended for administrative charges only? Can this KEVLAR case be like the Ninoy-Galman cases? Null and void was the ‘acquittal’ and was retried per order of the SC!

    Collegiate court daw acc to Judge Ong. If there was enough evidence of bribery or preponderance of it, why administrative charges only? Acquittal of all the accused resulted.

    Null and void has no prescriptive period to talk about.

    Awaiting SC decision since May 2013 the Report.

    http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/615736/ong-silent-on-ouster

      • …an Daya talaga! Signed 33 Saros in PDAF scam.

        “MANILA, Philippines–Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya, who allegedly received P255 million from businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles while he was budget secretary, signed almost all the special allotment release orders (Saros) from 2007 to 2009 issued to the three senators indicted for plunder in the Sandiganbayan, documents obtained by the Inquirer showed.”

        P255 million! Wow waawee.

        “Even so, Andaya was not charged in connection with the P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam allegedly masterminded by Napoles.”

        Why kuno?

        http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/615724/andaya-signed-33-saros-in-pdaf-scam

        • They cannot touch andaya (ang daya) since his successor did the same (much more), and ergo, could be indicted too – sayang lang ang kkk.

  6. Song for Binay, to the tune of ‘Bye bye blackbird’

    Pack up all your loot and go
    Before you get an HDO
    Bye bye Binay
    You’re busted now
    For your abuse
    Useless to fight
    You’ll just lose
    Bye bye Binay

    Yumaman ka sa pagnanakaw
    Maitim ang Budhi
    Pati ang kulay

    One day soon
    You’ll get your due
    Off to jail- no TRO
    Bye bye Binay..
    Bye bye Binay!

    Just havin’ fun!

  7. Philippine Fun Run in the Limelight!
    On your Mark!

    Mark the Names Game!

    Now the BIG NAMES are coming out:
    Arthur Yap
    Rolando Andaya

    Names Awaiting to pop out, the masterminds of them all:
    Puno?
    Ermita?

    Triumvirate Names, Filipinos should get Seizures from:
    Enrile- the name that started it all from Martial Law
    Estrada- the name that plunge the Filipinos into shame and made fools of the poor
    Binay?- the name every Filipino should fear to come into power if they want to get rid of Corruption

    Names gloating for theirs are swept under the rug momentarily:
    Genuino of Pagcor
    Syjuco of Tesda

    The Big Silent Monster Name:
    Mike Arroyo

    The Sacrificial Name of Bulldog
    GMA

    For Nine Years, the Philippines was run like a criminal syndicate worst than MAFIA
    Four Years so far, Daan Matuwid name has tried to Cure the Filipino Cancer

    Waiting on Sidelines are the Names of Opportunists to create havoc in 2016 :
    Binay and the Dreaded Eating Flesh Virus and Bacteria Company

    Filipinos:
    When are you going to wake up?
    Do you Poor Filipinos still Wonder why you are in the Bottom of the Pits?

    End game is The Answer:
    No, it’s not Iverson, Only Pathetic Fools do not know the Right Answer!

    Mark this date because it is my ultimate posting for the Idiots are beyond Redemption if they do not keep Ala PNoy beyond 2016.
    Mark the Words!

    To Raissa, Yes, I am a real MD

    That’s the truth
    He he he!

    • I tremble with your ultimate diagnosis/prognosis. How to cure the BOBOTANTS incurable malady? Someone has to bombard them with chem-trails to defog their minds from the virus that creeps every election season. But who are really the BOBOTANTS? It’s the whole PHILIPPINE-DOM .

      • Netty, the masa voters classified as class D & E represent 90% of the populace; C (middle class) only 9% and the ultra and very rich – AB, only 1%.

        No wonder bong revilla tops the 2010 senatorial election closely followed by jinggoy, while pia cayetano placed # 6 and guingona # 12.

    • that’s okay, johhny, we have phagocytes on standby. prep, primed and ready to gobble up undesirables. some of us are resistant to societal viral infection and pathogens, ready for the big moment. got stout mitochondrial defence. it will get worse before it can get better. will peak first, then level out.

      reminds me of the big battle in heaven. good angels vs bad angels. bad angels got routed, lost but never gone. still in the horizon. like infection control. contained but not eradicated. by 2016, we have all been inoculated, got daily updates of the nation’s woes and current affairs. how successful is the mass inoculation? wait and see the big test. we’re excited but not frightened. ready. steady. go. end game coming.

    • The cabinet secretaries closest to GMA and Mike Arroyo were not even mentioned in any Napoles affidavit. DA Secretary Yap in the PDAF and FF scam, Executive Secretary Ermita in the Malampaya Fund scam and DBM Secretary Andaya in all said scams.

      While the specific masterminds in each PDAF scam comprise of the legislator concerned, Napoles and Implementing Agency Head, the general or overall masterminds are the conjugal tandem of GMA and Mike Arroyo who actually controlled and manipulated DBM through Andaya. And this is true for all government fund scams in the PNP, DAR, AFP, DA, ETC.

      For her future salvation, I think Napoles deliberately omitted the names of Andaya, Ermita and Yap to hide the link to GMA and Mike Arroyo. Only the said trio had the direct link to “Olympus” in the PDAF, MF and FF scams. So it is not true that “Olympus has fallen.”

  8. Here is another bit of information that will contradict any effort to portray Senator Enrile as being too old, or too sickly, that he should be put on house or hospital arrest for humanitarian reason, once a warrant for his arrest is issued by the Sandiganbayan:

    During the 15th Congress, Enrile had the second best attendance in the Senate, next to Senator Vicente Sotto III, who had perfect attendance of 214 days. Enrile missed only one day with 213 days attendance.

    Here is the list of senate attendance during the 15th Congress:

    Sen. Vicente Sotto III – 214 days
    Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile – 213 days
    Sen. Jinggoy Estrada – 211 days
    Sen. Gregorio Honasan – 210 days
    Sen. Franklin Drilon – 209 days
    Sen. Serge Osmena III – 206 days
    Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero – 204 days
    Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., – 198 days
    Sen. Pia Cayetano – 196 days
    Sen. Teofisto Guingona III – 188 days
    Sen. Loren Legarda – 187 days
    Sen. Lito Lapid – 184 days
    Sen. Ralph Recto – 183 days
    Sen. Edgardo Angara – 183 days
    Sen. Francis Pangilinan – 179 days
    Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. – 169 days
    Sen. Manny Villar – 149 days
    Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano – 141 days
    Sen. Joker Arroyo – 147 days
    Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV – 135 days
    Sen. Panfilo Lacson – 131 days
    Sen. Aquilino Pimentel – 102 days
    Sen. Zubiri – 98 days
    Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago – 94 days

    Is Senator Enrile too old, or too weak, to face jail detention? No, I don’t think so. If he were, he would have resigned his senate seat already, or at the very least he would have missed many more days working in the Senate.

  9. SHOCKING HEADLINES TODAY

    From Rappler – Ombudsman ‘blunder’ may cost the plunder charges?

    A former prosecutor involved in the Estrada plunder case says the Ombudsman should insist on the amended complaints and bring its argument to the SC before its too late.

    The root cause of this brouhaha was a “memo by the Ombudsman dated June 24 stating that the introductory paragraphs in the 3 plunder complaints “may be rephrased” to highlight the fact that the senators were the ones “who amassed, accumulated and acquired ill-gotten wealth in connivance or in conspiracy with his co-accused public officer and private individuals.” But the anti-graft’s first division trying Revilla’s plunder case on Thursday, June 28, dismissed the prosecutor’s move to amend the original complaint on the ground that it involves substantial changes.”

    “In the original information filed by the Ombudsman with the anti-graft court, the prosecutors stated that the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles misappropriated the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of lawmakers “for her personal gain.”

    “The wording, in effect, shows that Napoles is the central character in the plunder case, with lawmakers playing the secondary role.”

    “One major element in the plunder law is that it is principally committed by public officials, with relatives, family members and private individuals as co-conspirators if conspiracy is present.”

    “Prosecutors managed to realize their potential blunder on Friday, June 27, when they withdrew their bid to amend Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s plunder charge sheet – but only upon advice of Associate Justice Roland Jurado, chair of the anti-graft’s 5th division hearing the case.”

    “The effect of amending the information will be the release of the accused, since the original information was used in determining probable cause against Estrada.”

    “This early, some say they’re beginning to see the handwriting on the wall, and it’s not pleasant.”

    • My observation kuno: Might not be too confident to rely on news papers’ report. Many can be misinformed really even the many reading it…etc.

      If conspiracy is between or among public officials and private persons as alleged sufficiently to render a judgement by the court on the criminal liability, seems good; the prosecs said their charges are good and can stand even without the amendment…kuno.

      Their words holds them on that like chiseled on the concrete wall. hehehe

      • Mok …

        “The amended information would have made Enrile, and not Napoles, as the one who chiefly orchestrated and benefited from the scam and who amassed P172 million from misappropriating pork barrel funds to anomalous projects.”

        “The amended information would have also removed the element of “conspiracy” among the accused by alleging that Napoles was a mere collaborator in the scam.” Now, prosecs put back ‘conspiracy’.

        “The panel maintained “that the crime of plunder was committed by the accused and the definitive acts constituting conspiracy among all of them were properly alleged.”

        And then the news reports says (kuno):

        “They had also wanted to delete the phrase “enabling Napoles to misappropriate the PDAF (Priority Development and Assistance Fund) proceeds for her personal gain.”

        “Then they would have wanted to include the phrase that the senator enriched himself through kickbacks and commissions “by exerting undue pressure on the implementing agencies to favorably act on his endorsement of the NGOs of Napoles to ensure that his PDAF be in the possession and control of Napoles and her cohorts.”

        Why delete that phrase re: Napoles? Tama naman (kuno).

        Why include the phrase “by exerting undue pressure on the implementing agencies” etc.? Is this an element of plunder law crime? I don’t think so (kuno).

        Drafting a charge sheet/Information…know the facts of the crime and know how the crime is defined or committed…formulate your facts acc to the commission of the crime issue. The language is short, concise and precise to understand that the court can render the judgment of conviction as alleged. Always kuno.

        PDAF kuno.

        hehehe

    • Kalahari@ –

      “xxx Not pleasant.” did we see on ABC-CBN tv footage on the detained senator(s)? – lechon pinapasok; may Pari pa pumapasok; dami bisita pumapasok; walang horas na pumapasok pa, nang doon pa sa loob; madaling araw na pumapasok pa. TV footage at balita kuno.

      Pleasant it is! Is this the writing on the wall? Baka kuno! May imbestigasyon na kuno gagawin dyan sa pasukan, kuno. Mawawala itong imbestiga kuno.

      Buhay kuno! Hayyy k k k …uno!

      hehehe…kuno natin.

  10. Since both detained senators refused to enter a plea and the courts entered for them a plea of ‘not guilty,’ …if their cases are ‘dismissed’ before the trial court starts the trial, based on their pending motions before the SC, will Double Jeopardy come in case the prosecution files new charges within 15 days time? Is/are the dismissals an acquittal?

    That issue is not yet ripe but could possibly happen.

  11. excerpts from the recommendation of Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, who carried out the investigation, recommended administrative charges against Ong for gross misconduct, dishonesty and impropriety.
    Phil. Daily Inquirer 30/06/2014 : Sandiganbayan-justice-tied-to-napoles-faces-)
    *****************************************
    The 34-page report and recommendation, a copy of which was given to the Inquirer, gave much credence to the testimony of whistle-blowers Benhur Luy and Marina Sula that Gutierrez described to be “instantaneous, clear, unequivocal, and carried with it the ring of truth.”
    ************
    “The undersigned found [Luy and Sula] credible witnesses and their story untainted with bias and contradiction, reflective of honest and trustworthy witnesses,” Gutierrez said in her report.
    ********************************
    With this opinion coming from a retired SC Associate Justice, how hard will it take for the defense to demolish the testimonies of the whistle blowers, especially Luy & Sula?

    Great help to the Prosecutors…. unless one of them is the pointman of Napoles, as mentioned by Sula:

    “Sula said Napoles assured her and the other members of her staff not to worry about the pork barrel scam case because she had contacts in the Office of the Ombudsman and in the Sandiganbayan.

    She said Napoles did not name her contact in the Ombudsman but the staff knew that Ong was her contact in the Sandiganbayan.”

    (same article)

    Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

  12. KUNG IKAW SI MANONG JOHNNY, ANO ANG PIPILIIN MO?

    .

    Kung si Manong Johnny ay maaaring pumili ng isang bagay, at isang bagay lamang, sa mga sumusunod na pagpipilian, at siya ay pagbibigyan sa kanyang kahilingan, ano kaya ang kanyang pipiliin?

    1. Ang tanggapin ang hospital arrest, kasama si Gloria, upang mapangalagaan ang kanyang kalusugan.

    2. Ang tanggapin ang jail detention, kasama si Deniece, upang siya ay mag-feeling “young and reckless”.

    3. Ang tanggapin ang military detention sa Fort Sto. Domingo, kasama si Janet, upang sila ay magbilang ng designer bags na may lamang envelope.

    4. Ang tanggapin na makulong sa PNP Custodial Center, kasama si Bong at Jinggoy, upang sama-sama silang kumanta ng “Happy days are here again.”

    5. Ang tanggapin na e-exile sa Port Irene, pero walang sinumang kasama, at ang pwede lang niyang gawin ay uminom ng kape, kumain ng lugaw, at matulog sa cot, araw-araw, bawat araw. Hindi rin maaaring maglaro ng Bejeweled sa anumang electronic gadget.

    Kung ikaw si Manong Johnny, anung nag-iisang bagay ang higit na pipiliin mo – health, beauty, riches, power, o freedom?

    • none of the above Yvonne….

      eto ang scenario na pinagdadasal niya (IMHO)::

      1. payagang mag bail ang kanyang ex-COS
      2. hospital detention na ang primary caregiver niya ay ang kanyang ex-COS para mapag-aralan nila nag strategy ng kanilang kaso. His ex-COS has been working for and with him during all these years that the alleged plunder was committed so who should be the best person to remind him of the circumstances, if any?

      • @chit, salamat sa sagot, pero yung isa lang sa 5 nabanggit ang pagpipilian.

        The scenario is not premised on legal tactic, or best option. It is set as a philosophical supposition to mirror a person’s priorities in life, or state of mind, once a person reaches the twilight of one’s human mortality.

        :-)

    • Hi Yvonne,

      i got a n e-mail saying there is a new post from you and I read it
      which is a reply to what i posted….
      (none of the above)…

      i wanted to reply cheekily to your post but i
      can’t find it….

      good morning…

      • Hi @chit,

        After I posted it, it seems to have been was lost in the cloud.

        Actually, the message first says it’s awaiting moderation, then it disappeared. Hopefully, it will resurface after sometime, otherwise I will have to re-compose it.

        Thanks for reading my posts.

        • Eto yung nawala kong post:
          .

          Chit, salamat sa sagot, pero yung isa lang sa 5 nabanggit ang pagpipilian.

          The scenario is not premised on legal tactic, or best option. It is set as a philosophical supposition to mirror a person’s priorities in life, or state of mind, once a person reaches the twilight of one’s human mortality.

          :-)

        • thanks for validating that i was not “hallucinating”… hehehhehe

          have a great sunday and a great week ahead! @yvonne

  13. BUKAS NA LIHAM:

    Dear Kuya Eddie,

    Ano na ba ang nangyayari sa ating bansa? Parang kahapon lamang ay nagkukumahog na umalis si Gloria upang pagpagamot sa ibang bansa. Sino ang di maniniwala na nanganganib ang kanyang buhay kung hindi makaalis at magamot agad sa ibang bansa? Sino ang di maaawa sa kanyang kalagayan? Naka-wheelchair, naka-brace ang leeg, namamayat ang katawan. Pero nagpatintero sila sa airport, at di nakaalis si Gloria.

    Hay, laking pasalamat ni Ginoong Topacio at buo pa ang kanyang pagkatao.

    Kawawang Gloria. Nagbilang ng araw ang mga Pilipino. Pero, ano eto? Tumakbong congresswoman si Gloria sa kabila ng stress at panganib sa kanyang kalusugan. Sa kabila ng kanyang malubhang karamdaman. At muli siyang nanalo. Ganyan tayong Pilipino – malambot ang puso. Makabayan talaga si Gloria. Kaya naman maski si Gng. Imelda ay hanga sa kanya at dinalaw pa siya sa ospital. Ako man ay humanga rin kay Gloria nang makita ko sa TV na siya pa ang sumalubong kay Imelda sa bungad ng ospital. Wala na ang wheelchair niya – kusa siyang naglakad mag-isa. Ganun nga ba kalubha ang sakit ni Gloria?Iba talaga si Gloria.

    Kuya Eddie, ganyan ang buhay nating Pilipino. Madrama. Parang teleserye. Laging may kasunod na kabanatang inaabangan. Parang nanuod ka ng “The Legal Wife”. Legal, pero parang kerida ang dating. Ramdam mo kung peke lang pala.

    Ngayon, si Manong Johnny naman ang sumunod na kabanata. Bukod sa masakitin din raw ay matanda na. Ang tulad nya ay hindi raw dapat makulong sa piitan – dapat ay hospital or house arrest lang kung mapatunayang nagkasala. Kase may 13 sakit daw si Manong Johnny, sabi ng kanyang doctor. Totoo ba? Di ba dapat naka-wheelchair na rin siya tulad ni Gloria? Si Corona nga, walang masyadong sakit nagwheel-chair din, di ba?

    Totoo man, o hindi, dapat maging maunawain tayo kay Manong Johnny. Igalang natin ang matatanda. Iyun ang turo sa atin ng simbahan. Turo ng mga pari.

    Kung ako si Manong Johnny sisibakin ko ang doktor niya. Bakit 13 ang inilahad nyang sakit? Hindi nya ba alam na malas ang numero 13? Hindi nya ba alam ang salitang “dagdag-bawas”? Dapat dinagdagan o binawasan nya ng isa. Dapat ginawang labing-dalawa ,or labing-apat yung sakit nya. Maski nga sa elevator, walang 13th floor. Malas daw kase, walang gustong tumira o magtrabaho sa ika-13 palapag. Kapag minalas si Manong Johnny at umiksi ang kanyang buhay ay walang dapat sisihin kundi yung doktor nya – kung bakit kase ginawang 13 ang sakit nya, pwede naman ang dagdag-bawas.

    Pero malakas pa si Manong Johnny – ayon na rin sa kanya. Madalas pa siyang magpunta sa Port Irene. Pakape-kape lang. Pakain-kain ng lugaw. Kung tutuusin parang spartan yung life nya sa Port Irene. Natutulog lang siya sa cot, hindi siya nagpupunta sa mga resort. At wala rin siyang ibinabarko.

    Malakas pa si Manong Johnny, OK pa siyang interbyuhin – basta huwag lang daw uungkatin yung love life nya. Yung isang senadora kase naaasiman pa sa kanya, baka raw may iba pang maasiman kung uungkatin yung love life nya. Tingin ko nga naaasiman din sa kanya si Gloria. Naku, hindi si Gloriang labandera, ha. Si Gloria na kontrabida ni Raissa ang tinutukoy ko.

    Napakasakit , Kuya Eddie! Ganito na kami nuon, ganito pa rin kami ngayon. Ganito lang ba talaga ang buhay nating Pilipino? Napeke na kami nuon, nagpapapeke pa rin kami ngayon. Hay buhay.

    Lubos na gumagalang at nagpapasalamat,

    Yvonne

    • Na purohan mo yvonne@! Katotohanan nga! Salamat.

      …itong kuya Eddie, siya ba ang nag halimbawa palitan ang pangalan ng ating Bansa…gawin Maharlika at tayo maging Maharlikanos? Sana dumating yan sulat mo yvonne kay Kuya Eddie.

      Ganda ang boses nya. Walang katumbas.

      • “By 1978, Ilarde had allied himself with President Marcos. Running under the Marcos’ political party Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (or the New Society Movement), Ilarde won election to the Interim Batasang Pambansa as an Assemblyman representing Metro Manila. He served until 1984. While at the Batasan, he drew attention for his proposal to rename the country “Maharlika”, an advocacy which he promotes to this day.[2]”
        Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Ilarde

        • ben@…baka siya na nga…myembro ng Kilusang Bagong Leap-unan…lundag ng lundag!

          hahaha

    • yvone, yong spartan life ni manong johnny sa port irene where he eats lugaw, pakape-kape at sa cot lang natutulog will put him in good stead sa kulungan. praktisado na pala siya. kaso lang sa kulungan he may have to make his own cot and roll his own banig. no housemaids there to do it for him.

      to be fair, at his arrest, he will be taken to camp crame and given full physical assessment by PNP doctors. if he is mobile enough to do ADLs (activities of daily living) like brushing his teeth and combing his hair without assistance, check. can he go to the toilet and clean himself afterwards without assistance, check. can he showers by himself, check. can he put his clothes on and button his shirt without assistance, check. can he walk and move around without assistance, check. oh, my, malakas pala siya, better than the poor and malnourished people his own age, their families walaan ng livelihood, thanks to him.

      at kung maiinit ang luob ng selda ay pwede namang switch on yong ceiling fan 24hrs a day to keep cool. no one has ever told us kung ano talaga ang ambient room temperature sa luob ng selda, how many degrees in celcius o farenheit it is different from the temperature outside.

      • If the ceiling fan is operating 24/7, the noon temperature is quite comfortable but at early morning, it may be a little colder – not bad for plunderers who almost emptied the public coffers by reason of their high positions in the government.

        We can blame gen. purisima for rushing the construction of the custodial centers in anticipation of the senatongs’ incarceration. They could have been at city jail or bilibid penitentiary right now.

        • palagay ko, senadores magnanakaw wont last long sa bilibid. marami ang gigil at naghihintay sa kanila ready to give them summary justice, fast and quick and straight to the point. save us the lengthy court cases.

          kaso, sa bilibid, may VIP rooms din duon para sa mga high profile inmates. I heard crime king camata was given preferential treatment. got sent to hospital for krista miller’s emergency treatment. as a result, may mga pnp doktor yata na nasibak sa trabaho.

    • @ Yvonne,

      Kong ganyan humihiling nang hospital arrest si johnny enrile ay dapat noon pa nagresign ang matandang taong ito kasi nakakastress ang trabaho nang senador… Bakit kong kailan malapit nang ilabas ang warrant of arrest ay biglang nagkakasakit katulad ni gloria, corona at iba pa at sana huwag sila matulad kay angelo? nagpakamatay/nagbaril sa sarili sa kahihiyang kinasangkutan, Amen…

      • bet, hospital arrest is not justified. enrile has no current life-threatening illness, padalaw-dalaw at pakape-kape pa nga yan sa port irene. seen not using walking stick, or assisted by health carers. no ambulance on standby too.

        the list of illnesses we are given is probably old, lifted from a collection of not so recent illnesses that enrile previouosly had, before he discovered the wonders of stem cell therapies. maybe.

        the last time enrile was hospitalized was in sept, 16, 2013, nahirapang umihi daw (pls see comment 15.1.1.1.4). even that was dismissed by his son jack as insignificant.

        no news of enrile having ill health since.

  15. Accused Sen. Jinngoy Estrada might be release, if:

    MANILA, Philippines – The special prosecution panel nearly jeopardized its case against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and the other accused in the pork barrel fund scam with its motion to admit its amended charge sheet.

    In the amended charge sheet, the Office of the Ombudsman makes Estrada the mastermind of the pork barrel scam, instead of businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

    Associate Justice Roland Jurado, presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan Fifth Divison, told the prosecution that amending the information may prompt the court to release Estrada, who is already detained for plunder.

    “The effect (of amendment) is that the accused will be released,” Jurado said told the prosecution.

    The Office of the Ombudsman wanted to “emphasize that the [Estrada] was the one who amassed, accumulated and acquired ill-gotten wealth in connivance of in conspiracy with his co-accused public officer and private individuals,” including Napoles.

    Associate Justice Alexander Gesmundo, member of the Fif Division, told the government prosecutors that they should be precise in the words that they use on their charge sheets.

    Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
    Gesmundo clarified that the word “conspiracy” is totally different from “collaboration” and “connivance.”

    …the charged sheet had been amended as desired by the prosecutors!

    Ma’m Raissa, is it possible you can secure copies of the charged sheets/criminal Informations so we will know what and how the gov’t worded the accusations?

    http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/06/27/1339705/govt-prosecutors-nearly-jeopardized-case-vs-jinggoy

    • ‘Conspiracy’ means: all are principals of the crime. While in ‘collaboration’ or ‘connivance,’ under these circumstances of the cases, is distinct from conspiracy.

      Prosecutors missed this distinction? hehehe. In criminal cases, the usual rule is: 1.) prosecutor cannot prove what has not been alleged, unless defense keeps quiet or does not object. 2.) to amend the charged sheet/criminal Information to change from like ‘making accused Sen. Estrada as ‘the mastermind’ from ‘not the mastermind’ is clearly a substantial amendment. [ my opn]. It changes the whole ball-game.

      What’s happening here? Are they eating on time? Enough resting? What?

      • @Leona
        probably overeating. Too much carbo protein increases the blood sugar and bad cholesterol. The brain stop thingking reasons logically. And without policies for quality assurance in most of govertment agencies, specially the senate, congress and justice system, magnitude of errors are very large. Larger than their one pack abs for overeatingand greed.

        Same case with the corrupt senators and congressmen, they rob yet no quality control he he he result is they fail the ISO 9000

    • According to urban dictionary the criminal mastermind is the mastermind or kingpin of a criminal operation. If taken out of the loop the operation fails.

      In Estrada’s plunder case Napoles, Estrada and the implementing agency (IA) divided the loot among them. Firstly, Estrada assigned his PDAF to Napoles’ NGO through an IA. Secondly, Estrada, the NGO and the IA executed an agreement that the PDAF allocated and released to the custody of the IA would be paid to the NGO. Finally, Napoles took hold of the money and paid the respective shares of Estrada and the IA.

      Could the plunder of Estrada’s PDAF be consummated without Napoles, Estrada or the IA head? I don’t think so. Clearly, Napoles, Estrada and the IA head are the masterminds in the theft or plunder that happened on Estrada’s PDAF from 2007 to 2009. These masterminds conspired and employed their subalterns to consummate the crime of plunder.

      The move by the Ombudsman to amend the Information or charge sheet would be unnecessary because both Estrada and Napoles are criminal masterminds. Besides, the Supreme Court ruled that substantial amendment of the Information would require re-investigation or another preliminary investigation of the case. And that would effectively quash the arrest warrants already issued by the Sandiganbayan.

      http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/august2010/182677.htm

      • Your link Rene-Ipil of the case is good. Writer of that case Decision is Hon. Carpio Morales.

        What is the charge sheet/Information in these PDAF cases and how are they worded about is worth knowing its contents why the Ombudsman tried to amend the Information(s) on the day of arraignment pa!

        Thanks for the linked case here.

      • Rene-Ipil@ –

        Your clear and simple sizing up of the criminal operation is crystal. First – assigning the PDAF; Second – an agreement of allocation and release; and Third – holding the money and paying their shares.

        In the US the federal gov’t enacted a RICO law:

        “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. The RICO Act focuses specifically on racketeering, and it allows the leaders of a syndicate to be tried for the crimes which they ordered others to do or assisted them, closing a perceived loophole that allowed someone who told a man to, for example, murder, to be exempt from the trial because he did not actually commit the crime personally.”

        A racket crime. A racket is a service that is fraudulently offered to solve a problem, such as for a problem that does not actually exist, will not be affected, or would not otherwise exist. Conducting a racket is racketeering.[1] Particularly, the potential problem may be caused by the same party that offers to solve it, although that fact may be concealed, with the specific intent to engender continual patronage for this party. A prototype is the protection racket, wherein a person or group indicates that they could protect a store from potential damage, damage that the same person or group would otherwise inflict, while the correlation of threat and protection may be more or less deniably veiled, distinguishing it from the more direct act of extortion.’

        Do we have a version or modified version of this US RICO law? it can be seen that crimes here are growing into a racket…forming racketeering acts in the form of a service that is fraudulent. PDAF and similar items are definitely a racket…into billions of money.

        Link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeering

    • Just putting more the bad shots –

      “Faced with the very real possibility of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada walking out of his rat-and-cockroach-infested cell, government prosecutors on Friday withdrew their motion to amend the plunder information against him to make him the central figure in the embezzlement of hundreds of millions of pesos in public funds instead of businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.”

      When the Judges warned the prosecs the consequences of insisting their amended charged sheets/Information, the latter ‘again’ switched back to love the original Information…?

      Looks like prosecs can not decide which is which on the charged sheets/Information. How can they proceed on this situation with ‘a middle’ spot unclear idea how the accused will be proven to have committed the crime?

      Na halata ang indecisiveness nila siguro dito sa motion to file the amended document. It’s not a palpable mistake (acc to Atty. Bodegon who said could be it).

      Are there more than one ‘chef’ as chief of the prosec team here? Looks like it has. What’s the matta’?

        • I think it is best for the Government to hire a private lawyers to help the Governments lawyers/(prosecutors) to handle this plunder cases. They did that during Corona’s Impeachment. They should do it ASAP to help them prepare all these plunder cases.

          Like HKG Govt. during the 70’s the government was so corrupt then! What they did then the government hired competent officials from the UK to help HKG Government to clean up corruption so they put up Independence Commission against Corruption (ICAC) aside of ICAC they also hired private lawyers to help the government lawyers. Lets not forget that the plunderer are the biggest crooks in the country…