SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH
By Ernesto M. Maceda
The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star
A combative President Noynoy Aquino has upped the ante in his battle with the CBCP on the RH bill by saying that he will take sedition charges against Anti RH bill advocates who engaged in civil disobedience.
His threat was immediately challenged and accepted by a group of Bishops led by Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, Iloilo Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes and Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Collin Bagamoro who said “put us all in jail. Let him charge all of us bishops, priests, religious, all the faithful with sedition.”
“It is better to obey God rather than men and immoral laws,” Bishop Bastes stressed.
Archbishop Ramon Arguelles was more pointed when he said:
“He can put all of us in jail. We are willing to pay the price to save the unborn from modern Herods and save the executioners from the group of the evil one.” Bullseye!
President Aquino started his administration by engaging a war with Chief Justice Renato Corona at the Supreme Court, even labelling them paranoid, followed by his war with Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III. He is now critical of media and lately, the Sandiganbayan. Well, at least, we have a fighting, shouting President.
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SET THE EXAMPLE… President Noynoy Aquino keynoted the DOH Healthy Lifestyle Program at the QC Memorial Circle. He also led Cabinet members and 100 bikers in a 10-minute ride around the Circle. In his speech, President Aquino said the nation needs “healthy people so it could progress.”
When asked whether the President would stop smoking, Communications Sec. Ricky Carandang evaded the question and said:
“The President did not say anything about that. It was not discussed and it was not asked.” The President has been coughing more frequently.
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STAYING ALIVE… A person who gets elected to any public position enters into a contract with the people to serve and protect their interest for the term he got elected to — six years for President, Vice President and Senators and three years for Congressmen and local officials.
The first obligation of an elected official is to keep himself alive and healthy six or three years. He should, therefore, avoid putting himself at great risk of dying, or seriously sick.
The Department of Health just released statistics that 87,000 Filipinos die due to illness related to smoking including cancer of the lungs or throat and other respiratory diseases like emphysema and heart diseases. All elected officials should seriously try to stop smoking.
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VISIT TO UNCLE JOE. . . President Aquino finally took time out to visit Uncle Jose “Peping” Cojuangco. He visited him at his Dasmariñas residence to try to convince “Uncle Joe” to support the proposal to postpone the ARMM elections. Uncle Peping stood his ground and said it is a matter of principle for him and wife Tingting, as well as a commitment to Muslim leaders they recruited to support P-Noy in the May 2010 elections. End of visit.
Peping has told his Philippine Patriots group no longer expect being appointed to positions in the Administration.
In the meantime, Uncle Peping has agreed to become President of VP Jejomar Binay’s PDP-Laban party.
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GUESS WHO?… A group of big time contractors are raving mad these days. They claim that a fellow contractor raised over a billion pesos in campaign contributions from them for the Aquino campaign in 2010. The come on was an assurance their projects already approved and awarded to them under GMA would be upheld and allowed to be implemented by the new administration. That didn’t happen. Most of their contracts were not honored, others were reduced in amount.
The corollary question, how much of the contributions were reported to Noynoy?
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WIL TIME, BIG TIME… TV5 and Willie Revillame upgraded his TV show to “Broadway” class with the very latest in light and sound technology, including a P10-million sound stage floor that really left his audience starstruck and mesmerized.
The 25-minute opening musical number could be given a triple A rating with his 26 dancers in sparkling outfits doing excellently as Willie sang and danced.
As always, the lovely Shalani Soledad was an eye catcher. But her many fans told us they hope her participation be given more time and her assets be maximized.
Congratulations and welcome back, Willie, Shalani. Excellent show!
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TIDBITS… La Salle Dean Jose “Chel” Diokno, son of the late Sen. Pepe Diokno is the frontrunner for the Ombudsman job. President Aquino has ruled out “too old” aspirants for the position.
Much debated is whether former Cong. Nereus Acosta will be appointed as DENR Secretary. Acting Sec. Ramon Paje is backed up by the Iglesia ni Cristo and by P-Noy crony, Gerry Acuzar.
Deadly accidents are back on Commonwealth Avenue, QC, UP Professor and media person Lourdes Simbulan, 54, was killed when a taxi she was riding was struck from behind by a speeding Universal Guiding Star bus. The other day six passengers were hurt when a racing bus hit their jeepney on the killer highway.
Add Angeline Mantigue, a grocery owner to the long list of kidnapped victims in Mindanao. She was kidnapped in North Upi, Maguindanao.
We join the many who commend Manny and Cynthia Villar for their program to build 10 new churches, the first, the Sanctuario de San Exequiel Moreno occupying 1.2 hectares in Las Piñas.
We chanced upon Sen. Villar at the resumption of the Willie Revillame TV show last Saturday. He looked 20 years younger and said he is devoting his full time to running his many businesses.
Congratulations to Rep. Gina de Venecia and Joe de Venecia on the graduation of their son, Ipe as No. 1 in his class of Masters in Publishing at New York University.
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