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The nuns went tsk, tsk, tsk during Antonio Tiu’s Senate testimony on ‘Hacienda Binay’

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And my other experiences while testifying at the Senate

By Raïssa Robles

When I testified at the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee on Oct 30, a clutch of nuns in white and grey habit quietly sat in the rear gallery of the Senate session hall. Well, maybe they weren’t TOTALLY quiet.

During the testimony of businessman Antonio Tiu, some of the nuns went “tsk, tsk, tsk” and shook their heads, according to a friend of mine who sat with them.

The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, who has the job of keeping order in the hall at all times, would raise a sign that said “Silence” in order to shush the up. The nuns would subside. But then they would go “tsk,tsk,tsk” again upon hearing more from Antonio Tiu.

And the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms would once again raise the sign that said “Silence.”

When I talked to them before the session started they told me they were members of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP).

Those who know what the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines is would understand the significance of the nuns’ presence at a politically charged event. During the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, the nuns of the AMRSP were at the front lines fighting human rights abuses. Today the AMRSP is one of the vanguards of the anti-corruption movement within the Catholic Church.

During the recent closed-door meeting of Vice-President Jejomar Binay with the Catholic Bishops, some nuns were also present according to news reports. I wonder if some of them were the same ones who had attended the Senate hearings and went “tsk, tsk, tsk.”

Here’s a short video I took of the listening nuns. The video shows the view from inside what we reporters used to call “The Cage” – the area where “resource persons” and “witnesses” stayed, which was off limits to reporters.

When businessman Antonio Tiu was testifying I realized the stark difference between the first post-Edsa 1986 Senate and the Senate today. Tiu was actually being allowed to talk back to the senators. That was a no-no before. The likes of Senators Ernesto Maceda and John Osmena would have eviscerated him.

But I also realized that blasting Tiu would not have resulted in the kind of answers that he gave Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Answers that could later be used against him and against VP Binay before a court of law.

During the interrogation of Tiu as a “resource person”, Senator Cayetano was more patient and diplomatic toward Tiu than Senator Antonio Trillanes. Trillanes accused Tiu several times of lying to his face.

Which is perhaps why VP Binay backed out of the debate with Trillanes that he had proposed in the first place. Trillanes would not have hesitated to tell Binay to his face on prime time TV that he was lying.

And Binay himself has a short temper.

* * *

Our row faced the senators directly. The row on my left had the resource persons who belonged mostly to the Binay side: The vice-president’s legal counsel Martin Subido, Antonio Tiu and Hillmarc Construction Corporation chair Efren Canlas. I knew that Atty JV Bautista and UNA spokesman Toby Tiangco were gate-crashers that day because there was no name plate neatly prepared for them on any table.

Again, that kind of behavior would never have been tolerated by previous senators.

When Toby Tiangco and JV Bautista came in, JV and former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado had a brief shouting match.

* * *

One advantage I had testifying at the Senate was that I was inside The Cage for the first time.

I took the opportunity to hook up with sources exchanging business cards and phone numbers as I could from among the other witnesses and resource persons.

When I asked the dreaded Tax Commissioner Kim Henares for her business card, she asked me sharply “Who are you?” She was refreshingly blunt.

When I gave her my card, she softened and told me she didn’t recognize me because my hair was now long, compared to my photo (on the Internet, I guess) where my hair was shorter.

* * *

My seat mate that day was Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Teresita Herbosa. Perhaps, had I met her during coverage we wouldn’t have been as comfortable chatting with each other. But there’s a certain invisible bond generated among witnesses and resource persons – at least in the middle row where I sat.

I noticed that BIR’s Henares, Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes and SEC Chair Herbosa used the breaks in the Senate probe to compare notes and impressions with each other on VP Binay’s case. Probably for the first time. They also said they would get in touch with each other on certain documents.

Here below is a snippet of a video I took of the Senate session hall. The voices in the background are those of Henares and the other officials discussing the case.

Someone asked me what the food was like at the Senate.

The short answer: “Tough”. Whatever it is the Senate is spending its budget on, it isn’t on fine food.

The food – brought to the witnesses and resource persons by uniformed waiters – was well presented on a plate and covered with Saran plastic wrap to keep the heat in. I was debating whether or not to eat lunch because I knew the audience and the journalists would not be getting any. But feeling faint with hunger, I decided to eat. The cream soup was promising, not outstanding but well seasoned.

The meat was bland and gnarly. Except for the nice cutlery, It reminded me of the food at Vinzon’s Hall in the days of gastronomic nightmare at the University of the Philippines

* * *

After the Senate hearing, I met for the first time Senator Cayetano and we shook hands. His hand was very cold, I realized, from the central air-conditioning. I wondered how he could stand the cold in his barong.

He joked he wasn’t sure he wanted to be interviewed by me because he noticed that all those I had interviewed later met their downfall.

I smiled.

I don’t know why a word balloon persisted in my mind while talking with Sen. Cayetano. It consisted of two words – “yung kahoy”. The words that former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile told Cayetano. Anybody who can reduce the former Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile to uttering such memorable lines is an interesting subject for me.

Plus, I would like to see for myself “yung kahoy” that Enrile said he had supplied the Cayetano family home that should have earned him their life-long gratitude and loyalty.

Comments

  1. Tsk, tsk, tsk…

    (That’s the closest i can get to the blog post.)

    This is Ona different topic…Ona a different kind of pork actually ’cause Ona is ‘hogging’ the headlines…

    This week, another issue came up: Ona’s authorization of the use for the treatment of dengue and malaria of a drug that did not pass clinical trial.

    – Ellen Tordesillas

    I wrote in Ellenville:

    It’s the ActRx Triact, a combination of antimalarial drug, that is being studied to treat dengue. It’s not FDA-approved medicine even in the U.S.

    Ang balita’y inaraw-araw ng anak ni Heherson Alvarez ang pagdalaw sa DOH para maaprubahan ang gamot sa clinical trial.

    Alvarez is in the Advisory Board of the drug manufacturer:

    http://theactrxfoundation.org/content/leadership

      • our country is already made dumping ground of imported household rubbish from canada all 29 shipping containers of them full of rotting rubbish, all potentiallyl hazardous to health. our country is also being made dumping ground of alternative and supplemental medicines of no known curative values and health benefits such as ActRx Triact, and DOH’s dr ona is okay with that too, eric tayag as well.

        too many people are receiving too much tainted money. dr alvarez and son tried to make themselves appear benovolent, trying to help cure people infected with dengue. father and son forgot to mention their pecuniary interests in the deal, how much are they being paid by drug companies to market the drugs and so, keep up production. the more drugs produced and sold, the higher their commission. but the drug father and son tried to sell as front line treatment for dengue is not really for front line treatment.

        like multi-vitamins and castor oils, the drug ActRx Triact is only supplemental, gabay lang po, and not a cure. at worst, ActRX Triact is just placebo.

        they are selling hope when you can get hope for free.

        • I hope janet garin will resist the pressure exerted by both father and son alvarez forcing her to lift the ban on ActRx Triact that will, supposedly, make both father and son new bred of drug barons!

        • p.s. I saw on bandila news alvarez the son said, people participating in the trial were not charged for the use of the drug. kinilabutan ako! the man sounded like a scammer. you dont charge participants for the drug being trialed. you pay participants instead. a little pittance so that meron silang pamasahe pauwi o pambili ng meryenda when the trial is over, the money coming from the drug company. and to thank participants for their thoughtfulness, they are given freebies like soap, shampoos, toothpaste and other subsidiary products of the drug company.

          if left by themselves, I think, the father and son alvarez would have exploited people, withhold the little pittance and sell the freebies.

        • Further on the topic…

          No evidence of clinical trials

          I took some time to explain this all because, as I began to ask around about this breakthrough drug, my surprise turned to mystification and then dread.

          I could find no evidence that ActRx Triact has gone through the proper clinical trials. No evidence of PCHRD or FDA approval of any of the clinical studies cited (but never fully presented) by the manufacturer and the DOH.

          http://www.rappler.com/thought-leaders/76598-anti-dengue-drug-medical-mystery

    • On ABS CBN video News
      “Father and son Alvarez pressuring Garin to lift suspension of ACTRX TRIACT Malaria drugs as AntiDengue experimental drug”

      Amazing, son on interview was guaranteeing the efficacy of drug without clinical trial data. Funny, snake medicine salesman roaming DOH.

      Danger of this malarial drug for Dengue treatment without scientific procedural study was not only that there was no proof of efficacy of the malaria drugs on Dengue but the added danger of development of resistance to anti malarial drugs of those patients taking the drugs.

      Corruption in the Philippines is becoming familial, hereditary or genetically inherited now, it seems.

      • thanks for the infos, @baycas.
        may suggestion po ako.
        kung may drugs na nais na mai-procure ng DOH na di pa tested ay gawan din ng doh ng test experiment.
        ang mga nag-la-lobby ang isalang sa experiment.
        kung pumasa ay okay lang sa akin ang reward nila ay yung kikitain nila sa commission.
        fair lang po siguro yun.
        kung mag-fail, okay lang din po sa akin.
        mababawasan ang mga taong nais magsamantala dahil sa kanilang iwing impluwensya.

      • It’s good you brought up “resistance.”

        Falciparum malaria is dangerous because (1) highly pathogenic parasite is involved, (2) endemic* in the Philippines, and (3) known to develop resistance to anti-malarial drugs.

        Giving an anti-malarial drug to dengue patients will hypothetically cure both disease (proven effective to malaria while investigational to dengue).

        Nguni’t, datapuwa’t, subali’t…

        However, giving it to more sick people…even to sick people one doesn’t surely know it will work…will just PROMOTE resistance to the drug. This results to a dangerous effect of making the malarial parasite impervious to that drug.

        Thus, the STANDARD TREATMENT for Falciparum malaria will now become ineffective to prevent malarial deaths.

        Ang WHO ay hindi nagbababala sa atin dahil “wala lang.” Sadyang nakababahala o nakatatakot na mawalan tayo ng gamot para sa malaria. Mahirap pa namang mag-imbento ng napakaepektibong gamot.

        Huwag na sana nilang palakihin pa ang malaki na ngang problema ukol sa “drug resistance.”

        —–
        *may be commonly encountered in certain parts of the Philippines, e.g., corruption is endemic

        • . . . what is then the ‘cure’ for corruptial? Or for corruptengue?

          any drug on these being ‘invented’?

          There should be!

    • Assume Binay gets to be President (shudder!); assume the drug was approved for treatment of malaria/ dengue (shudder!); assume corruption grows exponentially (shudder!).

      Then 20 years hence, the Philippines will be a wasteland except for flies, mosquitos, and the sturdy cockroaches (triple shudder!!!).

      • hindi po pwede yan. binay will not be next president. if our country is wasteland, makati is going to be new utopia. it will have to be boarded up with kilometer high concrete fences, keep people away and from bombarding and bombarding it, multitudes of desperate people trying to get in and avail themselves of food, supplies and whatnots. many will be maddened and resort to cannibalism, then binay will be in trouble, big trouble. he will be main course of boodle fight, spread eagled, he, he.

  2. On another front

    Impunity and Lies by abusive people must be put to stop before it gets out of hand like culture of corruption in government and motorists Wang-wang mentality. Binay presidencythreatento restore wang wang mentality, re-establish massive corruption and stagnate abusive behavior.

    Binay has been accused of impunity with his power as Makati mayor amassing unexplained wealth not only for himself but also his children. Asked to explain their sudden wealth, Binay and family resorted to lies and cover up. In their interviews, one could easily discern the Binay’s were lying in defense of their ownership of Hacienda Binay. In short, abusive family ransacking city money with impunity.

    How to spot a liar!

    In recent news followed by netizens, the beating of MMDA enforcer by a person driving a Maserati was in the limelight. The enforcer he tried to apprehend the driver making an illegal turn. He run away from the incident prompting the police to look for him. Rich people act with impunity thinking they are above the law, their arrogance incomprehensible. Just like Binay.

    Watch the recent interview of this Maserati driver. It is picture perfect psychological profile of a Lying person.
    For every question by reporter, his answer was being thought slowly and carefully, not to speak the truth but focus to not commit mistakes rehearsed with counsel. Yet inconsistencies could be ascertained.
    H
    A person speaking the truth can relate to an unforgettable recent incident like saying a prayer, instantaneous from memory. The way the Maserati man answered was more like defending a thesis thinking defense strategy by answering slowly. He was claiming that the MMDA enforcer assaulted him first and he sustained injury.

    The reporter is one of the better ones I have seen with follow up questions like asking why Maserati man did not report to authority or why he did not go for treatment of injuries sustained. His illogical answer was enhanced by the reporter indicating, “if it were me, logic dictates I should go to the authority to report immediately the assault by an officer. his lawyer was more insensible by claiming he did not go to the police because he read on media he was being arrested by the police. Lawyer showed on national his stupidly, aside from obvious lying, because his client did not report his “alleged assault victim claim incident” immediately. Police resorted to look for him after 24 hours, only after he was identified thru investigation. Their excuse for not reporting to the police could have been corrected by reporting immediately to the police, meaning reporting after the incident as logical truthful people would do.

    impunity and Lies by abusive people have similar characteristics. One can observe similar typical demeanors and boxed answers of liars by watching Binay, Tiu, Corona, Janet, Bong, Jinggoy, and this Maserati guy.

    Punishment to these abusive liars is shaming their family relentlessly until they are incarcerated for their impunity. That will teach their children not to emulate their disgusting life of abuse and lies.

    If I were BIR chief Kim Henares, I would look into this Maserati guy income if he pays the right taxes to be able to buy a Maserati if he owns it. That will add to his injury for trying to paint the poor MMDA enforcer a violent person for his traffic violation.

    Pardon me for being out of topic; social responsibility for a better nation should also be our calling p.r.n.

    • You’re so right. His lawyer is using the-best-defense-is-offense tactic. But it won’t work. The guy came off as insincere, lying and coached.

    • In Mr. Ingco’s story during the interview of Jessica Soho. He said that he feared for his life and the first thing that comes to his mind is to break free from the MMDA enforcer, speed away and go to his lawyer. Really a lawyer not a police?

      He already appeared to the 2 biggest media channels to air his side of the story. I feel bad though that nobody asked Mr. Ingco why didn’t he go to the hospital and have his injuries checked for his record if ever he decides to file a case against the traffic enforcer.

      As you have said @Johnny Lin his story seems to be written by his lawyer. He paused a lot to answer simple questions.

      Someone should KEYED the Maserati with a traffic violation messages on all 4 sides hahaha

      • . . . he is a slow and poor THINKER… shouldn’t drive a Meseratible but a push-cart instead!

        …he intended to ESCAPE to INVENT many pretexts to show how meseratible he is!

  3. “Yung kahoy”

    Yes, the greedy old man who knows no conservation. As a logging concessionaire who pillaged even those declared as national reserve, Enrile’s greed is insatiable.

    • tsk tsk tsk….

      I felt the same as the nuns….

      technology catches up with the corrupt, no place to hide, no more secrets for plunder, data base calculates the expense report so fast that they missed to hide some truth. For God came the materials to create the technologies, such as Cell Phones and computers…All praises belongs to God, amen…

      • Yes indeed. And through God — Steve Jobs of Apple, Bill Gates of Microsoft, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google, and many recent others; and the early pioneers of the computer technology usually un-heralded unless one does some research on them. We will not be here typing away in the comforts of our home or coffee shop without their inspired efforts.

  4. If I’m not mistaken, that “yun kahoy” remark might refer to what the elder Cayetano (former Sen. Rene Cayetano) did back then.

    Isn’t it that former Sen. Rene Cayetano was involved in corruption? Maybe it may help to revisit the BW Resources scandal.

  5. really enjoy the intelligent, well-informed, well-articulated exchanges in the cpm community but i have this nightmare from time to time that while i am enjoying the words and the company of this community there is the reality of nancy binay who won because there is this apo machinery and network of lgus in the hinterlands. i feel frustrated that the only person who has declared himself for the presidency is one who has absolutely no respect for the poor and has no qualms using the poor to get into power.

    • Must include the Boys Scout of the Philippines. I wont generalized that ALL Apo & BSP will vote for Binay, but i dont know the percentage either, of those who will vote for honesty, integrity & competence in 2016, hoping that majority of them would place love of country above self interest.

      • “See you in Malacanang, Binay tells Boy Scouts” from newsinfodotinquirerdotnet

        Tsk tsk tsk he is really hell bent on claiming the palace. Duon ka na lang sa hacienda mo.

    • @wecandoit:

      We did have some fun early today.

      Seriously, your nightmare is one I (and most probably a lot here in the cpm community) share; the thought makes me shiver.

      Put another way, confronted with an impending man-made or more accurately Filipino-made disaster, what do we do?

      The use of Raissa’s platform as we do here, and by others online may just put a small dent to the “machinery and network” as you describe it; and thus cause a repeat of the Nancy Binay phenomenon. I have two minds about.

      I have said it before in this platform, under a different heading of Raissa’s Blog: the backdrop, the variables, and constraints have changed. Of course, his machinery and network — which I called in a different form, POLITICAL PROMISES and MONEY factors, remain.

      The very negative aura (which we hope permeates more than in the cyber community); the Senate investigation; a different SC, Ombudsman and Sandiganbayan — which we should praise when they do right by us — are some of these factors or variables. That is why, in my case, I am hungry for the result of the professional next survey by the SWS or Pulse Asia to see if we are still headed for the cliff or to some relief.

      LAST ITEM. Some people comment that unlike The broadsheet Inquirer, Philstar is said to be pro-Binay. I note, interestingly, that Philstar continues with its online survey with the question, “Do you believe claims that Vice President Jejomar Binay owns the 350-hectare property in Batangas?” Last I look the total respondents was already past 10,000 with 91 percent saying YES.

      Of course, we should heavily discount this percentage of 91 since these respondents are just online users. If we discount this by 50 percent to include some of the D and E crowd (presuming we have the A,B,C group covered), we have about 45% from D/E crowd. I have to be very careful though — my bias is showing here.

      My final comment. Let us keep up with the faith. We have some 6 months to a year to think and device some more things (?) along with others than just having fun at CPM.

      • Yes, I can’t help but follow your line of thinking and reasoning. Yes, we are having fun, but this fun we can’t carry out until 2016, unless some doom comes before 2016 that some major force announces that there will be no election by then Let us assume the normal situation pans out, this fun should be put into action, I don’t know how because we can’t put down the men with the super bloated EGO. I left the blog and back again, still the perennial problems persist. that even PNOY doesn’t have an answer. But it seems everyday tayo ang napipikon by this “negative aura”. Needless to say we are just a whole bunch of happy people taking unfortunate situations into funny , comical concerns. Having said this, now what are we going to do?

        I read once that Coloma mentioned that there won’t be election sometime in the future. Has anyone read it? I thought it was related to Pnoy thinking about CONCON and or CHARTER CHANGE though he already said that the plan is dead. I am still curious about that statement and have my own perspective. … and it is DARK…. {hidden}

        • @netty,
          tama ka.
          it’s really frustrating!
          para tayong mga sirang plaka na nakikipagbalitaktakan araw-araw.
          at ang nakukuha nating pabuya ay pabalat-bungang komedya.
          pero we have to go on.
          dapat tayong maging makulit.
          paulit-ulit.
          ang paghinto natin ay tagumpay ng may masasamang pita.
          why not? noel for the top position.
          noel for senatorial spots. ewan ko kung anong epekto.
          ayaw ko munang isipin yun.
          naleleto-nahehelo na ang lahat sa kung anong klaseng o tipo ng gobyerno ang magpapatino sa pinoys.
          minsan naiisip kong tama na ung konti na lang silang pinuno.
          magugulo sila habang dumarami.
          pwede po bang alisin na lang din o bawasan ang lower house?
          parang hindi ko nararamdamang may congressman sa amin.
          ang meyor nga hindi ramdam.
          puro liga at aerobics lang ang nakikita kong project.

          ang national lang ang gumagalaw sa tingin ko.
          in fairness, DPWH has done great so far.

          pwede bang governors na lang ang bahala sa mga distrito?
          may mga bokal naman para humabi ng batas.

      • @nherrera. thank you for your thoughtful response. the last three paragraphs suggest where the most difficult work lies. yes “six months to a year to .think and device” ways to reach the segments who have no internet access and much less time to access blogs like raissa’s. vp binay knows his math very well. if the have-nots outnumber the haves, he has the t-shirts, the cakes. and the eating-by-hand to seduce the majority’s loyalty and votes. cayetano is no saint but am so grateful to him and trillanes for bringing to the fore what many in makati have been whispering. am grateful also to raissa and the cpm community for the reminder that the journey is long and arduous but one is in the company of many others.

  6. FRAGMENTS FROM RAISSA’S LATEST TOPIC

    On non-politician Kim Henares’: “Who are you?” Raissa made the interesting observation — she was refreshingly blunt.

    Another fragment: ‘And Binay himself has a short temper.’

    On this second one — it’s only 8:00 in the morning and I am already hallucinating: I see Presidential candidates Binay, Trillanes, and some others on a televised debate; and on the portion between Binay and Trillanes — which the naughty media will surely make a combination of — Trillanes barks at Binay, “YOU ARE LYING.” And Binay’s house of cards come tumbling down.

    We are having fun, aren’t we?

    • pwede..:)
      might be a blockbuster epic.
      abangan natin ang episode na iyan:
      trilla vs. vp.
      who knows it might come near to a trilla vs. ala angie.r(ip) encounter.

      • Baka lang pagka alam niya na sisiput si Trillanes sa debate ng Presidential candidates, atras na naman ang paborito natin rambotito. Oops, sorry. Segurado ang atras pala.

    • I think Raissa did not introduce herself first so the blunt ‘Who are you?’

      If I were Kim, I will ask for Raissa’s TIN first!

      :)

      —

      To Raissa:

      On the cutlery…

      Are the cutleries made of silver? Were the plates made of china?

      If they are not silver, then even the caterer can’t not even trust the Senate.

      ***
      On Cayetano…

      What about the facial resemblance to Matet?

        • Dapat yung mga pinahiram nila sa mga Senators eh bilangin. Alam mo na pag sanay nang magsubi pag walang nakatingin…

          ;)

      • @Parekoy: TO YOUR

        “I think Raissa did not introduce herself first so the blunt ‘Who are you?’

        If I were Kim, I will ask for Raissa’s TIN first!”

        NICE.

        Which reminds me that even a septuagenarian-retiree like me has to have my TIN at the ready. Never know when Kim Henares will ask for it — such as when having lugaw at good old Ling Nam.

        • Yup!

          But I am only familiar with Chowking since I am a ‘quadragenarian’ like me did not experience Ling Nam. But definitely I recommend Ho Hup in Chinatown NYC, HuaTing in Singapore, Hakka Restaurant at KL, Ding Dim in HK, Tou Tou Koi in Macau, and just go to the market hawkers Shanghai and Beijing!

    • “Excuse me, do I know you?,” “May I know your name,?” “Have we met before?,” “I do not remember having met you before,” “I’d love to know your name,” “You look very familiar to me, what is your name?,” . . .

      “WHO ARE YOU?” “What is your TIN number?” “Are you a tax payer, what is your name?,” . . .

      I won’t try to get near her even if I’m innocent . . . in birth in life and even in death…YOU GOTTA PAY TAXES!

      hehehe

      • I love it when I hear some such dialogue as this:

        Reporter: Mam, anong masabi nyo sa panukalang itataas ang tax exemption?

        Kim Henares (in her signature voice with that smile on her face): Ok lang, huwag lang silang humanap sa amin ng malaking revenue.

        • . . . paying taxes, where does it -the MONEY really GO?]

          . . . let’s change that to : ‘OK lang, huwag lang silang humanap sa amin ng malaking robbingYOU!’

          hahaha

  8. wala ng lusot ang testimonies ni tiu. now binay’s camp turn to mayor cayetano and she answered the allegations point by point in less than 24 hours. “politically motivated” words not found in her statement. how many millions did binay pay for this news to get even with the cayetanos?

    and early this morning another misleading headline: See you in Malacañang, Binay tells Boy Scouts by
    Christine O. Avendaño @inquirerdotnet 4:49 AM | Friday, November 28th, 2014

    Before sharing a meal laid out in a long table, he welcomed the group in his official residence and gave a short speech on the 36-year-old, three-hectare-long Coconut Palace.

    “My office is open to all members of the BSP,” said Binay, the longest serving president of the organization.

    Binay received a warm applause, a gesture he took as a “sign of optimism.”

    “But we will not [only] end up meeting here, it goes without saying,” the Vice President said, bringing more cheers and applause from the group.

    When asked by reporters whether his statement was alluding to his presidential bid, he said his statements should “not be mixed with politics.”

    He said he is the BSP president and the morning activity was a “physical fitness activity or timeout from their conference” and thus, was “no political activity.”

    what a delusions of grandeur!

    is this Christine O. Avendaño BINAYaran? kung sabagay she is the female and english (cross out the 3last letter of her name) version of jejomar binay.

    • Cmon. I think it wasnt Christine who gave that spin to the news. She didn’t write the head for the story.

      • @Raissa who wrote the head of the story since it clearly states her name under the title, the editor-in-chief?

        See you in Malacañang, Binay tells Boy Scouts -by Christine O. Avendaño
        Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/653342/see-you-in-malacanang-binay-tells-boy-scouts

        @kalakala
        Never underestimate the power of Binay’s & UNA’s political machinery and maneuvering. As i have said before we can all learn from the last election specifically Nancy Binay election run. She won without any background just her name recall, without engaging anyone (Risa Hontiveros etc.) into a debate. She won by doing what his father is doing right now.

        Going to far flung places that have less access to internet to know the “current issue” and giving out freebies. With the help of investigative journalist like Mr. Mejorada to divert the issue it can be a reality (a nightmare to most of us who wants justice/reform) that VP Binay will win in 2016.

        Note:
        Raissa & Alan another interesting Presidentiable website that might interest you. It needs a reality check.

        Link: http://www.bongbongmarcos.com/

        Notice in the “Issues Tab” not a single word about “Corruption & i’ll gotten wealth”.

        • no, usually a desk editor or the editor in charge of the page writes the head and even tweaks the first sentence which we call the lead.

        • @ raissa imho, the reputation of the writer is at stake. i feel guilty barking at the wrong tree because of a single word “by”. thank you for enlightening.

        • @Raissa: instructive item we get here in CPM — how to read behind the headline and the lead (sentence). Good to know, for a retired man of science like me.

          Should we do that too for your head topic and lead sentence? Haha.

        • the typical story flow in a newspaper (and sometimes in a broadcast news unit) is
          (1) the reporter or correspondent writes the story, submits it to
          (2) the desk, which assigns it for editing to a
          (3) subeditor who touches up, rewrites, or destroys and rebuilds the story (or consolidates and merges it with other stories if there are other reports coming in). Sub gives the story a tentative title (the head) and assigns the bylines then
          (4) Story goes straight to publication or to the chief of the desk for a final look before it’s cleared for publishing

        • @ alan i noticed that after no. (3) hindi na bumabalik sa no. (1) kung ok sa kanya ang changes/revision ng kanyang news/story. imho the writer has the right to know and acknowledge the changes/revision because his/her credibility is at stake. mabuti kung “edited by” or “revised by” ang nakasulat instead of “by”.

          it’s like playing the “sentence relay game” and enjoy the fun while listening to the reader!

        • that only happens if the editor is considerate or has time, or the story is considered ultra-sensitive. It’s called a playback, and it’s standard for magazines. But for newspapers, which are pressed for time and deal with dozens of stories per day, the presumption is the editor has the experience to make the judgement call. I’ve been at both ends, as a reporter and as an editor. Believe me, there are award-winning journalists out there who owe their distinctions to editors who breathed life into their stories, made them stand up and run.

        • Thanks, Alan, for the interesting information about how a reporter’s piece goes through the mill.

          We may yet become good and effective writers (speaking about myself, actually).

          Woe unto you Binay and cohorts; and Alvarez of malaria-dengue-treatment fame — here come our PENS and TYPEWRITERS.

        • One secret to writing – at least journalistic writing – is practice. You have to do it all the time. It also helps if you read a lot, so you can pick up styles and usage. The key is willingness to learn. The problem with many journalists in this country is that they’re lazy and unwilling to learn or admit they need to learn. If you’re writing by yourself, don’t be afraid to show your drafts to others, – it’s the “four eyes” principle: someone other than the writer is more likely to spot mistakes.

        • You’re welcome. Raissa and I have long been thinking of conducting seminars and workshops, we’ve been checking out possible venues

        • @Martial Bonifacio: good points re “Never underestimate the power of Binay’s & UNA’s political machinery and maneuvering.”

          However, we have to recognize that we have now a different backdrop or set of variables. We just hope these vote-decreasing variables weigh more than the vote-getting variables.

          We will see in six to nine months (?). We should remain vigilant and perhaps counter the maneuverings with resources at our disposal.

          RETIREES WITH OR WITHOUT WHEELCHAIRS, AND NON-RETIREES — TO THE BARRICADES!

  9. Very interesting write-up, Raissa. I felt like I was there hobnobbing with nuns and tax ladies and senators on the prowl. Thanks for the inside perspective.

    • I’ve got to thank raissa too, for allowing me to be like a fly on the wall with 360degree vision, listening, watching and observing. and looking at people seizing each other, networking, making contacts with promises of follow up to come. senate is exciting, pity about senators being absent and not reporting for duties.

  11. A shouting match between Toby and Mercado? This didn’t come out before. What did they say and who started it? Was this on the same day that Toby tried to speak out regarding their medical proof on Mercado?

  12. Oh, so hindi pala nice ang food sa Senate. I’ve always wondered how their food tastes like. Sa laki ng budget ng Senado, dapat mag-hire na sila ng mga chef.

    • tira-tira yata ang pinakain. the good food were all eaten up, only the not so good were left. not good host ang senado, hindi hospitable and did not ensure the comfort of their guests. kaya pala ayaw dumalaw si binay, he might end up starved and hungry.

      nagkunwari yata na walang excess sila sa senado, pihikan sa pagkain.

        • Sa favorite nya — Cayetano at Trillanes. Maski sa hindi favorite na si Pimentel, Guingona at Drilon bibigyan nya rin. Kung nandoon si Raissa, bibigyan nya rin.

          THAT IS OUR VP — GENEROUS WITH OUR MONEY.

      • E sanay naman magbaon ng sariling pagkain si Binay a. Kaya walang dahilan na hindi sya mag-attend ng hearing kung hindi lang nya gusto ang food sa senate, baka nga may cake pa si nansee he he he.

    • If thats the case, better for the Senate to prepare a Boodle Fight baka sakaling dadalo si Binay.

  13. What a nice observation Raissa! From covering a public hearing to become the one being covered. I wanna know what kind of preparation a resource person should do and what was playing inside your head the moment that you know that you’re going to appear before the senate? Did you get nervous too or cold feet? Just in case lang naman na ipatawag isa sa CPMers at least may tips ka na sa amin hahaha

  14. On the nuns…

    I know that the nuns meant well attending the Binay Senate investigation, but I don’t approve their presence for they did not respect the separation of Church and State!

    On Sen. Cayetano…

    If a bunch of investigative journalists do an investigation on the Cayetanos’ corruption, most likely you guys will get damning evidence too. The likes of them practicing Political Dynasty is already a reasonavle doubt that they stole public funds and I don’t believe they are lily white like their mother’s skin either.

    The Binays and Cayetanos have similarities in their unimpeded perpetuation of forcing us down our throats to ‘serve’ the Filipino People though the ultimate goal is to serve their families above all else!

    Cayetanos in ‘Publc Service’: Alan Peter and Pia – record breaking service as Senators at the same time frame, Lani -Mayor of Taguig, and Lino as congressman!

    Binays in ‘Public Service’- Jejomar as VP, Nancy as Senator, Abi as congresswoman, Junjun as Mayor of Makati, and Elenita as former Mayor of Makati to serve as one of the players in the musical Chairs of Binay Family!

    I commend Alan Peter for his expertise in exposing Binays and their conspirators for at this juncture he served us well. But if he or his family had stolen from us, then similar indignation should be served!

    • Amen. Expose one, expose all. No sacred cows. I expect any Cayetanos involved to do a Drilon, will face the music and explain in full details.., and force the Binays to do exactly the same. Suntok sa buwan sa part ng Binays but we’ll see.

    • The nuns were there as concerned citizens, they just happened to be nuns. That’s not a violation of the principle of the separation of church and state.

      • Appearance matters.

        We don’t need to encourage them, eventhough they are concerned citizens. What if the Senate gallery is crowded with priests and bishops? Where do we draw the line?

        RH bill was acrimonious enough and we saw the ugly side of Religion imposing on the matters secular, thus my bit of intolerance on their presence of matters not of Religion. There is nobody preventing them to view the proceedings on TV, but in the Senate gallery their presence is uncalled for, or I may say they are out of place.

        We have to start the change of their meddling so we can go forward as a secular nation. We need to start now.

        • Are proposing to ban them from any governmental proceedings? It’s not about appearance, it’s about the individual right, the constitutional right to be there. As long as they are not proselytizing while observing the proceedings, that should not be a violation of the principle of the separation of church and state. If their presence affect the demeanor of the participants of the proceedings, that’s the participants’ problem. I too am for the separation of church and state but I would also respect individual rights. I am atheist, just for background info. Happy Thanksgiving.

        • Nope I am never proposing a ban on their presence. It is just that they look absurd in that gallery.

          Their presence is a grey area, but it is prudent for them not to appear there. It just appears that they are craving for attention too. Epal, righteous style?

          :)

        • Would the presence of imams and rabbi be your preference? Or would you rather have a gallery full of people wearing T-shirts with “I am Atheist” enblazoned on them?

        • Nope,

          I prefer that nobody there is wearing their faith (habit) or costumes announcing their authority(an official not a follower) in their chosen religion or non-religion.

          I hope you can distinguish my equal treatment of the authorities of diffierent religions or non-religion.

        • How are they meddling? Sitting quietly in the gallery in their traditional garb is meddling to you? If their presence in that gallery bothers you, that is your problem. But that is far from meddling in the proceedings. That is not a violation of any law nor is it a violation of the separation of church and state. That is the only reason why I replied to your post because you mentioned the separation of church and state. They have not exhibited any intolerance on their part. You are manifesting your own intolerance to their presence.

        • So you don’t have any misgivings or any feeling of discomfort if the priests and bishops are present in the gallery during the Binay investigation?

          Please be honest with your answer…

        • I won’t have any feeling pro nor con. They have as much right as anyone to be there. The problem is when they impose their own set of morals and mores to the proceedings. If they are there to be witnesses to the proceedings and making sure everyone is honest, more power to them

        • Good for you!

          So it seems you don’t have a stand on the religious groups (INC, El Shaddai, Jesus is Lord, Moslems, Catholic and Protestants), with their religious leaders hiding behind the cloak of being a citizen who has every right to support, endorse, and vote for any candidate?

        • What kind of stand are you talking about? You want me to say that I hate them? I don’t. Intolerance is the root of all misunderstanding. As much as I don’t like what they are doing, they do have the right to support or endorse any candidate they want as much as you and I have the right to endorse whomever we want. The problem is not them endorsing a candidate, the problem is the people who listen to them and vote for whom they endorsed without proper assessment and/or understanding who and why they vote for such a candidate. What we need is a movement or counter movement to neutralized their influence on their flock. I don’t have the answer on how to do that. Maybe start your own church or movement that would mobilized people who think like you and I? Something to ponder.

        • What do you think I just did?

          Did I just make you think you think to start thinking about it?

          Why do you think I brought up the nuns in the gallery the first place?

          Do you think you honestly answered me or are you trying to tolerate their intolerance of not meddling in the first place? So when you pictured the scene in your brain that the senate gallery is full of catholic priest and bishops in their habit do you still believe that they are there as concerned individual citizens and not parading their ‘righteous’ presence on the procedings?

          (note read this in a monotone so it does not upset you…)

        • I have seen the ugly side of religion. Mao said: Religion is poison and I believe that. I also believe that, sans religion the world would be better. But just because their beliefs is what you and and I might consider childish, ridiculous, stupid, old school or whatever you might want to call them, that won’t give us the right to deprive them of their rights.

    • you’re right @parekoy.

      if i go to a senate hearing in a red cape and tell them i represent the church of the flying spaghetti monster, would i be given the same deference as those nuns? NO.

      • Maybe you should try. You’ll never know unless you try. But be prepared if people will laugh at you. But if you want people to take you seriously, you have to present yourself with seriousness and sincerity.

      • The nuns are not wearing costumes. They are wearing something that identifies them of who they are without uttering a single word. If you go as a spaghetti monster, you are mocking the proceedings. There’s a huge difference.

        • i’m not gonna go as a spaghetti monster. please read again. i’m saying what if i’ll go and tell them i represent some other denomination. wearing a red cape.

  15. How was Tiu’s demeanor? Maangas ba talaga? He has this talent for sounding like a successful businessman – although the FSs of his companies show otherwise.

    • Arbee,

      Makigamit ng thread mo kasi di makapasok yung comments ko. Salamat…

      On the nuns…

      I know that the nuns meant well attending the Binay Senate investigation, but I don’t approve their presence for they did not respect the separation of Church and State!

      On Sen. Cayetano…

      If a bunch of investigative journalists do an investigation on the Cayetanos’ corruption, most likely you guys will get damning evidence too. The likes of them practicing Political Dynasty is already a reasonavle doubt that they stole public funds and I don’t believe they are lily white like their mother’s skin either.

      The Binays and Cayetanos have similarities in their unimpeded perpetuation of forcing us down our throats to ‘serve’ the Filipino People though the ultimate goal is to serve their families above all else!

      Cayetanos in ‘Publc Service’: Alan Peter and Pia – record breaking service as Senators at the same time frame, Lani -Mayor of Taguig, and Lino as congressman!

      Binays in ‘Public Service’- Jejomar as VP, Nancy as Senator, Abi as congresswoman, Junjun as Mayor of Makati, and Elenita as former Mayor of Makati to serve as one of the players in the musical Chairs of Binay Family!

      I commend Alan Peter for his expertise in exposing Binays and their conspirators for at this juncture he served us well. But if he or his family had stolen from us, then similar indignation should be served!

      • On the nuns…

        I know that the nuns meant well attending the Binay Senate investigation, but I don’t approve their presence for they did not respect the separation of Church and State!

        On Sen. Cayetano…

        If a bunch of investigative journalists do an investigation on the Cayetanos’ corruption, most likely you guys will get damning evidence too. The likes of them practicing Political Dynasty is already a reasonavle doubt that they stole public funds and I don’t believe they are lily white like their mother’s skin either.

        The Binays and Cayetanos have similarities in their unimpeded perpetuation of forcing us down our throats to ‘serve’ the Filipino People though the ultimate goal is to serve their families above all else!

        Cayetanos in ‘Publc Service’: Alan Peter and Pia – record breaking service as Senators at the same time frame, Lani -Mayor of Taguig, and Lino as congressman!

        Binays in ‘Public Service’- Jejomar as VP, Nancy as Senator, Abi as congresswoman, Junjun as Mayor of Makati, and Elenita as former Mayor of Makati to serve as one of the players in the musical Chairs of Binay Family!

        I commend Alan Peter for his expertise in exposing Binays and their conspirators for at this juncture he served us well. But if he or his family had stolen from us, then similar indignation should be served!

        (my above comment did not register so I try this here for luck)

      • @raissa, who are you referring to as smooth and charming? si Antonio Tiu ba o si Allan Cayetano? I think i:m nalilito na with the sequence of comments. i am alarmed that you find Antonio Tiu charming. to me, i wasn’t charmed by his lies. besides, he looks like a cat. but if you meant Alan Cayetano, i ‘m intrigued. talaga ba? pls. explain.