Showing posts with label senate investigation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label senate investigation. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon As the Kho-Halili sex scandal is investigated, obscene video sells briskly in the sidewalk

5/29/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


For those who follow the Kho-Halili sex video scandal, the senate investigation for the purpose of “legislation” brings more questions than answers. Instead of truth coming out from Dr. Hayden Kho and starlet Katrina Halili, their testimonies are confusing----one couldn’t be sure where truth and lies start and end. Stable minds are wondering why such a vulgar erotic affair has become a circus in the senate distracting the public from more important issues.

It’s embarrassing that the entire nation is dragged into the salaciousness of sex that comes from an immature cosmetic surgeon and a budding young actress. In a fit of anger, a man doused water on the surgeon during the probe. Everybody becomes the guardian of morals as the perplexing details of private lives are revealed.

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) takes interest in finding the truth about Dr. Hayden Kho and another girl-lover, Dr. Vicky Belo---that sensational lady-doctor who specializes on bringing celebrities, medical science, and the aesthetics of the human body together.

But on the side, one can’t ignore a poor man's dirty video business which comes along with the scandal. Illegal copies of the skin flicks of Kho and Halili are peddled like hotcakes coincident to their televised infamy. Even the old sex movies of faded actors and actresses in Philippine cinema have stirred renewed interest. Once again pornographic films have a come back in the Manila and in the provinces.

The senate must do its job well. This kind of investigation has the potential to excite the sexual fantasies of the entire nation without safeguarding the morals of the people. If laws will be enacted from lessons out of the sex scandal, they must at the very least, be enforced. (Photo Credit: Inquirer) =0=

RELATED BlOG: "Dr. Vicki Belo: a lesson on cosmetic surgery, sex, & "quackery"?" Posted by mesiamd at 11/07/2009

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PostHeaderIcon Senate wants to probe the misuse of P46 million in the 2007 RP-US Balikatan exercises

5/14/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


Consistent to the corruption that RP is known for, another round of investigation is in the horizon This time it’s the Department of National Defense (DND,) Armed Forces of the Philippines (AF) being probed by the Philippine senate for misuse of about P46 million, an amount given the United States in 2007 in the RP-US Balikatan exercises.

The whistle-blower is Lt. Senior Grade Nancy Gadian who alleges that retired Gen. Eugenio Cedo misused money--- of the P46 million, only P2.7 million went the to the Balikatan CMO projects. Gadian who served as head of the Western Mindanao Command Civil Military Operations based in Zamboanga City is also accused of lavish spending and insubordination by Cedo.

The allegations caught the attention of Senate defense committee chairman Sen. Rodolfo Biazon vowed who wants to conduct a probe in the senate. As many corruption charges had been exposed in the past against the pervasive government corruption, the public is skeptical if anything tangible will come out of this investigation. The AFP is a governmental institution which traditionally operates with a huge obscure budget that the public has little knowledge of. (Photo Credit: Captain Narender) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Who bears the shame in the senate investigation of WB corruption scandal?

2/16/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


If it is true that World Bank (WB) has no proof against Jose Miguel Arroyo (husband of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo) and others implicated in the rigging of WB-funded projects what next should the senate do? With the charges of corruption coming from no less than a foreign lending institution (whose reputation is undoubtedly better than the Philippine government,) Sen. Miriam D, Santiago must listen to what WB is trying to say: “If there is smoke, then there could be fire.”

Why then doesn’t she---the Senate Economic Affairs Committee chairman ascertain if the house is indeed on fire? Is Santiago trying to hide something? A known ally of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo, is she trying to protect someone under her wings---perhaps Jose Miguel?

Instead of waging a “diplomatic protest,” an investigation is more productive to do. Besides, what is the country protesting for? The WB has already given away a favor. Aren’t the solons ashamed of being defensive? Instead of being shooting down the bad news, it’s more productive to ascertain the charges. There is no valid justification for a cover-up, a low-road exercise in dealing with this common problem.

The gutsy lady senator who is supposedly sane must not waste time. Her insistence that there is no evidence in the WB report (without investigating) distracts people from the vital issues of the controversy. As a government official, Miriam must be truthful. She must take the initiative of purging the country from corrupt practices---something which is doable if she follows the leads WB has so far disclosed.

Based on the bank report, it’s now the turn of the government to investigate and get to the bottom of the case. If the WB doesn’t have the evidence, this is the right time to seek and find. The public must not be misled into thinking that the rigging of contracts has not happened. It's not at good idea to perpetuate the cynicism of the Filipinos, harass the WB, and pretend the country doesn't need a lender.

Miriam has to do more digging. Whether there is corruption or not, the burden of proof lies in her turf. As chairman of the inquiry, she needs to bring the investigation to a credible conclusion to convince the world who is telling the truth, thereby freeing innocent people of the stigma of dishonesty.

Santiago’s high-handed display of power looks amateurish and blasé. It’s embarrassing the self-absorbed senator and her admirers wring the arms of foreign bank officials who care less if Filipinos are corrupt. She persistently waves around her intelligence---an ego-trip, a deluded peacock awareness of self, a condescending habit of demeaning people in public which are all counterproductive. To illustrate, here is her comments on Sen. Panfilo Lacson who correctly points out the lack of focus on the investigation:

“Di naman siya abugado, gusto niyang turuan ako. Di magandang ugali ‘yung tuturuan mo ang chairperson mo sa gagawin, lalo na kung wala ka namang background sa batas [He’s not even a lawyer and yet he wants to outsmart me. He’s not supposed to dictate to his chairperson on what to do, especially because he does not even have any background in law],” Santiago said.---GMANewsTV.net (02/15/09, Dedace, S)

Obviously, it’s the whole town’s interest that Miriam’s bloated sense of erudition simmers below the fight against corruption. Regardless of the cost and the damage on the people involved, she must work (in spite of her misgivings for not being admitted in the International Court of Justice) to banish any suggestion of bias and defensiveness. Without this, shame on us Filipinos will continue to mount. =0=

RELATED BLOG: "World Bank opens a can of worms & Sen. Miriam D. Santiago investigates" Posted by mesiamd at 2/13/2009



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