Showing posts with label Makati City. Show all posts

Ang Pagbitiw ni Binay bilang

Cabinet Secretary

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Ang pagbitiw ni Binay bilang Cabinet Secretary na sinabayan pa ng maanghang niyang salita ay lalong nagpatagilid sa administrasyon ni Aquino.  Sumentro ang talumpati niya sa itutuloy niyang pagtakbo bilang presidente dahil kailangan upang ipagpatuloy sa buong Pilipinas ang kaunlarang inumpisahan niya sa Makati. Pagpapakita rin ang kanyang pagbitiw bilang pag-alma dahil ginagawa daw na punching bag ng administrasyon ang kanyang pamilya na sa kabila ng mabuti nilang ginagawa ay gusto pang ipakulong.

Siguradong matatabunan ang mga kasong inihain kay Binay ng mas mabibigat na paratang niya sa administrasyon, tulad ng: hindi pagkamit ng mga nasa liblib na bahagi ng bansa ng tulong lalo na sa pag-ipit sa IRA na inaasahan ng mga barangay, iresponsableng paghawak sa Mamasapano operation na humantong sa massacre ng 44 SAF members, pork barrel at Presidential Development Acceleration Fund (PDAF) scams, at palpak na operasyon ng MRT dahil sa corruption.

Kung idadagdag ni Binay ang palpak na rehabilitation program para sa Zamboanga evacuees na biktima ng MNLF attack at mga biktima ng bagyong Yolanda, at ang kawalan ng aksyon sa simula pa lang ng administrasyon ni Aquino sa kaso ng West Philippine Sea, ay lalong madidiin ang administrasyon.

Ang lamang ni Binay ay kontrolado niya ang maraming LGUs sa mga liblib na bahagi ng bansa na siya namang may control sa mga tao.  Ang nakakaalam ng mga kaso niya ay puro mga taga-Manila at iba pang malalaking lunsod at bayan. At, ang mga tinatanong para sa mga survey ay hindi maaasahang nagri-represent ng kalooban ng mga Pilipino, kaya kahit naungusan siya dito ni Grace Poe ay malakas pa rin ang loob niya. Si Grace Poe naman ay hindi pa rin nagdi-deklara ng balak na pagtakbo bilang presidente at hindi kilala sa mga liblib na lugar. Si Roxas ay napatunayan nang mahina kaya walang epek kung i-endorso man siya ng pangulo. Kaya bago magkaroon ng malinaw na kalaban si Binay, milya-milya na ang narating nito sa pangangampanya…na baka umabot pa sa mga barangay sa kabundukan, upang maniguro.

Subalit kung pipilosopohin ang ilan sa mga balak ni Binay, mangangahulugang ang ginawa niyang pangungumisyon sa Makati ay gagawin na rin niya sa buong Pilipinas, dahil gusto nga niyang palawakin ang ginawa niya sa Makati. At, dahil sa dami ng mga senior citizens sa buong bansa, bilyong piso na ang kikitain sa mga cake na ipamimigay sa kanila bilang birthday gift.

Ang panlaban naman niya sa mga bintang ay simpleng deklarasyon: “bakit may napatunayan ba sila?” Gasgas na at nakakasawa ang “pinupulitika lamang ako”. Sa batas kasi hangga’t walang napatunayan sa husgado, ang akusasyon ay walang silbi, kaya diyan din makikita ang kawalan ng malayong pananaw ng mga senador na nanguna sa pag-akusa kay Binay. Pwede siyang i-impeach pero hindi pwedeng akusahan sa husgado dahil sa immunity bilang Vice-President…pero may panahon pa ba? Tulad ng dati, marami pa ring taong maiiwang nakatunganga…nakanganga! At, ang mga Pilipinong umaasa sa mga “bright” na senador na malinaw na naisahan, ay nagkakanda-high blood sa inis!

Nakakadismaya si Coco Pimentel

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Nakakadismaya ang parunggit ni Coco Pimentel na hindi dahil maraming pera ang isang tao sa bangko ay dapat pagdudahan na. Nangyari itong parunggit nang lumabas ang balita tungkol sa pag-freeze ng lahat ng mga asset ng mga Binay at mga dummies nila na nagkakahalaga sa kabuuhan ng mahigit sa Php11B, at nakapaloob sa 242 bank accounts.

Noon pa man, marami na ang nakakaalam na hindi dating mayaman ang mga Binay bago pa pumasok ang pinaka-ama ng pamilya sa pulitika at ang unang naging puwesto ay pagka-mayor ng Makati. At kahit pa doktora na noon si Mrs. Binay, hindi rin nangangahulugan na aabot sa nakakamanghang dami ang mga deposito nila sa mga bangko. Dahil dito, marami ang nagtaka at nagtanong kung saan nanggaling ang yaman nila.

Ang mga katanungan ay tila nasagot paunti-unti nang magsulputan ang mga kaso ng pangungulimbat nila sa kabang-yaman ng Makati, at sa mga gawaing may kinalaman sa mga puwestong hinawakan ng Bise-Presidente.

Ang nakakagulat lang ay nang malaman ng publiko na malapit pala sa mga Binay ang tatay ni Coco Pimentel, na dating senador din, si Aquilino Pimentel. Nabisto kasi sa isang hearing ng Senado tungkol sa katiwalian sa pagpagawa ng University of Makati, na ang tatay ni Coco Pimentel ay isa sa mga Board Members nito. Matapos ang pagkabulgar, napansin na parang nawalan na ng lakas ang mga salita ni Coco laban sa mga Binay, at lalong napansin ito nang magsalita siya tungkol sa malaking perang nakaembak sa mga bangko at hinihinalang may kinalaman sa mga kasong binibentang sa mga Binay.

Questionable and Self-serving Accomplishments of the Binays

…and the desperate quest of Vice-President Jejomar Binay to become President

By Apolinario Villalobos

The picture is clear now that Vice-President Jejomar Binay really had a grand plan ever since, to become president of the Philippines. His humble beginnings could have played a vital role for this quest, as Filipinos have the penchant to favor underdogs, however, he committed the grave mistake of going beyond the limits of tolerable abuse that the Filipinos can take.

From being a humble husband of a struggling doctora, he became Vice-Mayor and worked his way up to become Mayor of the then, fast-developing commercial hub of Metro Manila – Makati. Physically, observers say that he does not have the factor that can make a man standout in the crowd – not good looking, dark-skinned and short. But this handicap was overshadowed by shrewdness which shaken up constituents in Makati used to believe was an inherent benevolence of a man who, long ago was poor, and who derived extra income from a backyard piggery. They thought he was generous at heart with all the projects that were supposed to benefit the poor of Makati. Unfortunately, cases filed against him, are alleging that those projects were concocted for fat commissions.

The people of Makati clearly tolerated him despite floating stories about commissions derived from projects. From cakes given to senior citizens during their birthdays and hospital equipment, commissionable ventures soon grew into infra-structures. The Binays tried to maintain their clout on Makati, as after the father, the wife took over, and lately, the son. Ongoing cases are still being heard on these.

But when the elder Binay became Vice-President and shamelessly floated the idea of his running as President of the country while only barely a year in his position, eyebrows began to rise. It was again a mistake on his part, perhaps due to uncontrolled enthusiasm. In all honesty, he seems to believe, that he should be credited for the development of Makati into what it is now. Unfortunately, his basis for his “success” is the bustling business district of Ayala only. He did not throw a glance at the other nooks of Makati where squatters still thrive along river banks, street corners dumped with uncollected garbage, streets pockmarked with holes, etc. He thought that only the Ayala district is Makati City. He forgot that the real “developers” of the Ayala district are the Ayalas, themselves, and their trusted industrial buddies. He was a salaried mayor and expected to work for Makati to the best of his ability. But what he did, according to investigators of his graft cases, was “milked” Makati for his own selfish motives, which as of late have been exposed, with presidency of the country as the centerpiece!

He has been going around the country as far as Mindanao and Visayas. In the guise of doing his job as housing czar of the administration, he visits cities and municipalities that lately have been exposed as “sister municipalities or cities” of Makati. The number of Makati’s sister LGUs has unbelievably soared with unprecedented pace during his incumbency as mayor. A simple analysis would show that, that early on, he had been tying friendly knots with prospective supporters that he would need when the time comes for him to run for president of the country….and that is a year from now – 2016. What a grand and genius plan, indeed! It has been found out that officials of the sister LGUs who visit Makati are accommodated in condo units which saw better days as low-cost BLISS housing complex for Pag-ibig members. It has been alleged that the purchase and renovation of the building were strapped with fat commission. The free-of-charge accommodation comes with free meals, too.

Binay keeps on flaunting the benefits of Makati constituents, despite the fact that all of these are based on national policies which any municipality or city can adopt. When the latest survey on who the Filipinos thought is the most appropriate president, and the name of senator Grace Poe tailed behind him by just a very insignificant difference, Binay immediately issued a statement that the President should have enough experience as a government official, particularly in heading a political unit, which of course points to him, being a “successful” mayor of Makati and now Vice-President of the country!

Since the quest of Vice-President Binay affects the whole country, Filipinos who cannot be as tolerant as the constituents of Makati are now apprehensive, especially, with his uncalled for remark when interviewed by a radio station in Samar, during which he insinuated his pro-Chinese leaning. A joke is circulating about his plan to convert the whole country into a vast business empire using the investment of the Chinese, if he becomes the president of the country!...but whose business empire, is the question.

Ang Mga Maling Akala ni Binay

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Ang akala ni Binay, dahil sa pinipilit niyang imahe na siya ay mahirap at maka-mahirap, patok na siya sa taong bayan. Nagbandera pa ng mga retrato sa mga pahayagan – puro front page, kaya may nakahalata na parang paid advertisement. Maka-tribu din daw siya kaya todo costume din at nagpakodak kasama ang mga miyembro ng isang tribu sa Mindanao. Paanong hindi siya asikasuhin ng mga taong nilapitan niya, eh namigay daw ng mga dokumento tungkol sa mga kaek-ekang “pabahay”, na dapat lang naman niyang gawin dahil trabaho niya. Ginamit pa ang puwesto niya at pera ng bayan, na hindi naman nakatulong sa pagkubli ng tunay iyang layunin na pangangampanya lang pala! Sana mag-resign na lang siya bilang Bise-Presidente at cabinet secretary, upang makapag-concentrate sa kanyang kampanya, at nang lahat ng isla ng Pilipinas ay masuyod niya.

Nagpakodak pa kasama ang mga bata na nagbo-boodle fight- kainang nakakamay sa dahon ng saging. Pati mga bata ay sinangkalan pa sa kanyang maitim na hangarin! Sana sinamahan niya ng cake ang mga nakalatag na pagkain, upang lalong mabuo ang kanyang drama. Naglagay din sana siya ng flower arrangement sa gitna ng hapag kainan, gamit ang mga rare orchids ng kanyang asawa na inaalagaan sa asyenda nila sa Rosario, Batangas. At upang lalong masaya, hiniram sana niya ang mga mamahaling ibong alaga ng anak niyang si Abigail upang magamit na palamuti sa paligid ng kainan.

Ang isang wild suggestion ay bumalik siya sa Mindanao,  at pasyalan si mayor Rod Duterte, makipagkamay dito tulad ng ginawa ng isang dating presidente na pilit na nagmamalinis, at habang nandoon siya, dumaan na rin siya kay Quiboloy tulad ng ginawa noon ni Gloria Arroyo. Pwede rin siyang dumiretso sa Makilala, na hindi kalayuan at tahakin ang isang landas patungo sa New Israel, sa paanan ng Mt. Apo – doon maraming unggoy…at, siyempre, mga miyembro ng isang nakakabilib na sekta,  lahat din lang ng paraan ay ginagawa niya upang magkaroon ng media mileage. At mula sa Makilala, ay mag-side trip siya sa kampo ng MILF.

Magdala siya ng sangkaterbang tagakodak niya at umupa ng eroplano ng PAL o Cebu Pacific…gumastos din lang siya ng pera ng bayan, lubus-lubusin na niya. Pero sa isang banda, kaya ng sarili niyang yaman ang mga gastusin, dahil nakaya nga niyang ibili ng bahay na may elevator ang kanyang anak na kapangalan niya, kaya may adhikain ding kapareho niya. Kapag ginawa niya ang mga suggestion, papatok siya sa mga diyaryo, TV, at radyo...bilang isang trying hard na trapo na pang-Guinnes Book of World Records ang effort!

Maglaan din siya ng isang magdamag na ititiyempo sa prayer rally ng El Shaddai sa Paraῆaque, sabayan niya sa pagkanta si Velarde sa stage. Maghanda siya ng payong na ititihaya upang makasalo ng grasyang awa na hihikayatin niyang bumagsak sa pamamagitan ng pagwagayway ng puting panyo – tumingala siya. Huwag niyang kalimutan ang Iglesia ni Kristo at ang bagong Obispo ng Maynila, upang hindi sila magtampo sa kanya.

Dapat ang isuot niya sa mga lakad na nabanggit ay damit na galing sa ukay-ukay, dahil ang palagi naman niyang sinasabi ay mahirap siya, kaya siya maka-mahirap…at ang mga kalaban niya ay mga mayayaman. Dapat isama niya sa kanyang mga talumpating gasgas,  na dahil sa kahirapan ay nabanat siya sa trabaho at kumapal ang kanyang mga palad kaya nagkaroon siya ng kakayahang humawak ng limpak- limpak na salapi, at ang mukha naman niya ay kumapal sa sobrang pagkabilad sa init ng araw dahil sa kaiikot niya sa ekta-ektaryang lupaing hindi naman kanya, kaya lalo siyang umitim. At huwag sana niyang kalimutan ang mga Mangyan sa Mindoro at mga tribu sa norte kung saan ay makakatipid siya ng malaki dahil ang isusuot niya kung magpapakodak ay bahag lang!

Sa mga lakad niyang yon, sana hindi umulan…para walang kidlat na magngangalit at maghahanap ng tutusuking sinungaling na taga-lupa!

Dapat isipin ni Binay na matatalino na ang mga botante ngayon. Pati ang ilang pari ay nagpapayo na tanggapin ang mga perang suhol ng mga garapal na mga kandidato pagdating ng kampanyahan subali’t bumoto nang naaayon sa kanilang konsiyensiya, dahil talagang hindi mapigilan ang bilihan ng boto…at ang perang binibigay sa kanila ay pera din naman ng bayan, kaya bawi-bawi lang.

The Crucial Binay Case

By Apolinario Villalobos

The Binay case will bring to light, who among the contenders to the presidency, deserves the post. While the Binay camp is obviously rattled under the pressure of mounting evidences that include authentic testimonies, it went beyond decency by requesting a meeting with the President. The latter move boomeranged, proving that Binay is surrounded with unthinking counselors, for arrogantly releasing statements that it was the President who initiated the meeting, which of course, the latter vehemently denied. The denial of the President, added to the already deepening humiliation of the desperate Binay camp.

A certain Atty. J Bautista even had the temerity to show himself during the Senate hearing and “lectured” on the committee. As he started speaking, viewers and listeners confirmed their suspicion that the guy is just a typical lawyer who want to make impressions even to the extent of making nonsensical statements. Sitting beside empty seats, J Bautista was a forlorn picture of a helpless boy who lost a toy! His antics made viewers wonder if indeed, he is a lawyer.

Jonvic Remulla made a mistake in emphasizing smilingly in front of TV cameras that the billings and receipts showed by former Makati Vice-mayor Mercado do not hold water as regards the Binays’ ownership of a log cabin at Tagaytay Highlands. The fact that nobody can be issued such documents if he does not own any property inside the high-end housing complex has already been stated during the hearing, such being a prevalent practice, so that the effort of Jonvic in  blatantly thwarting the documents’ purpose, just earned him added ridicule.

Jonvic Remulla should have distanced himself from the Binay case in the first place. As the Revillas are becoming more unpopular, the Caviteños turned to Jonvic Remulla as their hope in regaining the respect for their tainted image. For them, he was clean, until he dipped his fingers in the Binay case, even proudly championing the questionable honesty of VP Binay, as spokesperson. He should have used his wise judgment if he wants a clean image as a staunch fighter for justice which was expected of him, ever since he entered the political arena after so many years of absence of a representative from his clan. Now, his political opponents in Cavite must be rejoicing.

The latest Senate hearing, conducted on October 22, put to fore how greed could make a person sacrifice anything in favor of a selfish quest. Tony Tiu, an accused dummy of the Binays, vehemently claims with arrogance his being an honest businessman, until from his lips came information about his political ambition. Simple analysis would show that Tiu was banking on the Binays to prop up his ambitions both for more financial gain and a crack at politics. Despite the technical facts pointing to his just being a “rights owner” of the Hacienda Binay in Rosario, Cavite, he kept on insisting otherwise. His brave allegations when interviewed a day before were crushed one by one during the hearing, yet, he desperately tried to make a gallant stand to show his “honesty”. His classmates in a reputable school could be squirming in their seats while focusing their attention to TV monitors at home, seeing his helpless look. The disastrous performance of his businesses shown on TV, just pushed the guy deeper down the muck of embarrassment. Gone now is the image that he has been desperately trying to project as a “successful” businessman. Questions are mounting as to how he got the billions as his personal asset, that he has been mumbling to show that in no way could he become a dummy of the Binays, as he can afford to be equally rich as they.

The composure of Allan Peter Cayetano earned him more respect. His calm statements showed that he knows what he has been doing. Statements were carefully weighed and never did he stammer, even showing humility in making an apology for a slight and insignificant oversight. Not even the arrogant, nonsensical ranting of a JV Bautista changed his facial expression, at the end, even thanking the guy for showing up on his own, unlike VP Binay who kept on snubbing invitations. All the way, throughout the proceedings, he exhibited unquestionable intelligence.

Cayetano expertly showed how the Binays desperately, are trying to hide their ownership of properties by not registering them in their name, as in the case of estates, although, payments have been effected. The municipal towns in Cavite surrounding the Hacienda Binay have alleged that their records do not show any Binay property. Very clearly, Tony Tiu, though with a hint of confusion, insists on his ownership of the hacienda although honestly claiming that what he paid does not represent the total value of the property. The picture shown during the hearing was, with Tiu “owning” the hacienda at this time, with the title to be given him as soon as he completed the payment within at least two years. Meantime he “uses” the land to supposedly plant exportable vegetables. But the catch is that if he “fails” to pay the total value within the allotted period at least two years from now, the property reverts back to the “real owner”. The year is a little beyond 2016 – past the election period for president. Binay is moving heaven and earth to be in Malacaῆan, by then, during which, promised protections for sacrificing allies would have been secured – if he will make it.  That is how Cayetano explained the scenario of how corrupt officials hide ill-gotten wealth.

As usual, the pluckiness of Senator Trillanes  did not help him much to gain a good impression. He still is the guy who easily gives in to pressure, easily intimidated, as several times, he almost became unreasonable in his statements. He allowed himself, to be overcome by hatred.

Meanwhile, VP Binay has the gall to go around Mindanao and campaign for his quest. He is so shamelessly vocal about it this early, which shows a lack of decency on his part. He makes use of his power as housing czar to gain popularity by distributing housing units which the recipients deserve, in the first place. His desperation reached its climax when he approached the president for help to bail him out of the scandalous Senate hearing, thinking that he is a “valuable family friend”. He shamelessly failed.

The Binay campaign slogan about what happened in Makati during his time can happen to the Philippines when he becomes the president, has become more appropriate as the Senate hearing is gaining grounds in exposing unthinkable anomalies. What Filipinos now think is that, if indeed, Binay makes it as president, what happened in Makati could indeed, woefully happen to the whole Philippines. Some say, the Binays may even convert the whole country into a vast business empire!...with the Filipinos subsisting on cakes, instead of rice!