Ex-PGMA Says "GUILTY, i am not!"

Former and President-in-Question Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pleaded not GUILTY on her arraignment today, February 23, 2012,  at the Pasay Regional Trial Court for election sabotage in 2007. PGMA arrived in the court with her husband and children surrounded with security personnel. She was still wearing her neck and back brace to highlight her overacted physical condition. However, she still showed some teeth.

Ex-PGMA waived the reading of the information on the case since she fully understood her indictment. Instead, she just announced her innocence and vowed to respect the rule of law. Former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr. and former provincial election supervisor Lindal Bedol were co-accused of Congresswoman Arroyo.

HELLO, ExPGMA? WE ARE SORRY!

"Please release me, let me go!" - Ex President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

The Filipino people feel sorry for the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) when she and her family were not allowed to leave the country on 15 November 2011. This was after the Philippine Supreme Court (SC) issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the Watch List Order issued by the Department of Justice headed by Secretary Leila De Lima.

"I'm sorry but you cannot go right now, ExPGMA!" - Leila De Lima

The 3 conditions imposed by the SC, whose members are mostly appointed by PGMA, to be satisfied by the Arroyos so that they can leave the country are:

1 - Appoint a legal representative to receive legal documents & notices while the Arroyos are overseas

2 - A bond of 2 million pesos in cash

3 - Notify the Philippine Embassy of their whereabouts in their country of destinations

The first condition was met by appointing Ferdinand Topacio as the legal representative of the Arroyos. The P2M in cash was readily met. The last condition will only be fulfilled once the Arroyos leave the country.

In spite of the TRO, Sec. De Lima still  instructed the Bureau of Immigration and the Bureau of Aviation to bar ex-President Gloria Arroyo, her husband Mike Arroyo, his son Mikey and wife, pending the resolution of the Motion for Reconsideration filed by the Office of the Solicitor General. Sec. De Lima wants the SC to give its ruling on the Motion before the implementation of the TRO with the impression that the Arroyos will not come back to the Philippines.

 "You can castrate one of my balls if the Arroyos did not come back." - Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, in an attempt to validate the Arroyo's vow to return to the Philippines after the treatment, offered his one ball to be castrated if the Arroyos broke their promise. Likewise, exPGMA's spokeswoman, Maria Elena Bautista-Horn, former head of one of the most corrupt agencies in the Philippines - the Land Transportation Franchise Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) administrator, offered herself to jail sentence in case Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (RGMA) did not return.

"If the promise is not fulfill, you can put me to jail." - Maria Elena Bautista-Horn

My thoughts to this fiasco:

1 - Let the Supreme Court rule on the Motion for Reconsideration filed by the Solicitor General. Although the TRO issued can already be imposed, what will happen if they (SC) reversed its ruling and the Arroyos were already overseas?

2 - Freeze the assets of the Arroyos and do not let them return to the Philippines. Living in exile can be the worst of punishment.

3 - Karma is on its way. The Arroyos are afflicted with many illnesses. God knows best.

JALOSJOS and the New Bilibid Prison Chief

If you think that the replacement of Gen. Ricardo Dapat by retired PNP Director General Oscar Calderon as Bureau of Corrections chief is the result of Rep. Romeo Jalosjos escapades, you are WRONG.
Palabas lang naman ito. Talaga namang papalitan na si Dapat. Ayon sa sabi-sabi, bago pa umupo si Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, ayos na ang mga appointments sa loob ng kanyang panunungkulan. Ibig sabihin, meron na talaga silang terms of office. Pinagpapalit-palit lang sila. Hindi ba inalis si Angelo Reyes at pagkatapos ay binigyan ng bagong pwesto?Syempre gagawa muna sila ng kwento para mailipat sa ibang pwesto.
Politics is like showbusiness and vice versa. And speaking of Jalosjos, the convicted child-rapist is yet to announce his apology to his victim. Pinalalabas pa niyang inosente siya. Hindi na nahiya! Kapal ng mukha! Matanda na siya! Dapat na siyang magpakabait! Madali namang magpatawad ang mga Pinoy!

PESO vs DOLLAR

An OFW's (Overseas Filipino Worker) nightmare!
When I decided to temporarily stop working in the Middle East in April 2004, the exchange rate of 1 US dollar to peso is US$ 1 = Php 54+.
Ngayon, pagkatapos ng mahigit na 3 taon, ang palitan ay US$1 = Php 41+. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit nanggagalaiti na ang mga kababayan nating OFW. Okay lang daw kung bumaba ang palitan ng dollar kung may kasabay itong pagbaba ng presyo ng mga bilihin. Ang kaso, patuloy ang pagtaas ng mga bilihin. Sabi nga ng ibang OFW, babalik na lang sila sa Pinas at doon na lang magtatrabaho kasi nga hindi sulit ang kalungkutan nila sa labas g 'Pinas kumpara sa kakaunting diprensya sa sahod.
One of the reasons why the value of peso is increasing is the volume of OFW remittances. The Philippines is overflowed with US dollars. If that is the case, OFW must regulate their remittances. Instead of every month, why not every other month or every quarter?
Even President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo does not have a solution. Akala ko, may masters degree siya sa economics?