Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Amnesty To Trillanes?

Sen. Gregorio Honasan has proposed to give Amnesty to the Navy Officer Antonio Trillanes IV who is charged of staging a military take over of the government. He led a military rebel takeover of the Oakwood Apartments, Makati City in July 2003.

Since then, Trillanes is put in jail. However, in the 2007 national election, he ran and won as Senator of the Philippines. But he is continuously detained in jail and has never attended any Senate session and committee hearings.

In October 2009, Sen. Chiz Escudero proposed for the granting of amnesty to the Magdalo leader, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

Amnesty is a general pardon for political offenses against the government.

Will Escudero remain true to his words he issued in October 2009? He said, "the government should grant amnesty to all those soldiers and officers…allegedly involved in a coup attempt against Arroyo". This includes Trillanes.

Last week, PNoy ordered Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to review the coup d’etat charges against Trillanes.

NO LUNCH

In a meeting of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (Aklan). Banga Mayor Antonio T. Maming left early. Perhaps, he was disappointed or embarrassed because almost all his remarks in the meeting was strongly refuted. He left the venue early without eating lunch at Café Latte, Andagao, Kalibo. It’s a pity for the Banganhons.

IS MIKEY A GUARD?

In a vote of 4–2–1, Mr. Mikey M. Arroyo becomes congressman. He will be representing the "district" of tricycle drivers and security guards in the House of Representatives. His organization is called "Ang Galing Pinoy" party-list group composed of tricycle drivers and security guards, the most marginalized and depressed Filipino citizens.

Is Mikey M. Arroyo among the ranks of the most marginalized and depressed Filipino? His net worth in year 2008 was P99 million. This amount increased to P101.3 million at the end of 2009. He was congressman of the 2nd District of Pampanga until June 30, 2010. He is the son of the First Family for the years 2001 to 2010, nine years. He is the son of the former secretary of DTI, Senator and Vice President of the Philippines. Is Mikey Arroyo of the economic level of security guards and tricycle drivers?

CONTRADICTORY

But in the words of COMELEC chair Jose Melo, the body’s ruling on the "Ang Galing Pinoy" is "contradictory" to that of another party-list group "Ang Kasangga".

Election Commissioners Nicodemo Ferrer, Lucenito Tagle, Elias Yusoph, and Armando Velasco approved Arroyo’s assumption of office as nominee of "Ang Galing Pinoy".

Com. Gregorio Larrazabal and Rene Sarmiento dissented. To them, "yes" vote is a betrayal of the party-list law. Com. Jose Melo did not vote, hence 4-2-1.

To Larrazabal and Sarmiento, Com. Ferrer, Yusoph Tagle, and Velasco betrayed the party-list law.

KASANGGA CASE

Ferrer, Tagle, and Velasco voted to disqualify Teodorico T. Haresco as nominee of "Kasangga", a party-list group composed small businessmen.

According to the four commissioners, Haresco does not belong to the underrepresented sector of micro entrepreneurs.

These four Comelec commissioners have double standard who do not deserve public trust.

These two contradictory decisions of the same commissioners are great insult to the entire Filipino nation. What a shame!

The Ang Galing Pinoy decision is an abomination that totally contradicts the spirit and letter of the party-list law. This is a knock out punch and a betrayal to the Filipino nation. /MP