Two Congresspersons. Pork for one and something else for the other

Yawwwwwwn. Its quite great for the current Liberal Party (LP) led government. They got the raging pork barrel (PDAF is gone but DAP is in), the MNLF-Misuari Zamboanga incident is quite done (rehabilitation and rebuilding must ensue now), and the apparent LP 2016 presidential bet is on television (again?!) today to announce the inanities of the Two Serendra explosion.  Duh.

Let’s review na lang smaller stories that still concern some, no just two Lower House legislators.

A Deputy Speaker’s Pork

In a case of pork barrel extended set stories, a columnist of the Philippine Star (yes, that yellow and light blue masthead newspaper) hyper-extended a story of another columnist in another paper, the older, Manila Times. Problem is the Philippine Star column that can be accessed here: http://www.philstar.com/letters-editor/2013/09/25/1237844/rep.-abad-batanes-pdaf targeted a Deputy Speaker of the 16th Congress who coincidentally (as if) is also a senior member of the LP and the wifey of the Budget Secretary who was previously a congressman and education secretary too. Whew.

Budget Secretary Butch Abad

Deputy Speaker Henedina Abad

The column re-echoed the Manila Times column of GMA lackey Rigoberto Tiglao in trying to pin down the Deputy Speaker for  “a staggering P92.5 million. Mammoth, considering Batanes’ population of 16,000 souls, making it the least populated province in the country, smaller than many barangays in Metro Manila.”

It even attempted to foment a squabble in the House leadership with this line: “Abad’s P92.5 million pork barrel in 2012 is in fact the sixth largest among 289 members of the House of Representatives, even bigger than Speaker Feliciano Belmonte’s P65 million for his Quezon City district having a population a hundred times more than Batanes.”

Suffice it to say, Deputy Speaker Dina Abad replied to clarify, also in the Philippine Star as published here:  http://www.philstar.com/letters-editor/2013/09/25/1237844/rep.-abad-batanes-pdaf that basically explained the whys and wherefores her PDAF reached P92.5 million in 2012. And who can blame the girl?  For the 2007 to 2009 period, she only got P2 million of the PDAF.  Why is it that someone at the back just shouted “weather weather lang kasi yan tol.” Ang gulo niyo.

Sorry po columnistas and congresista na may asawang sekretarya: pareho po kayo loser dito. And why oh why?  In this time and age, graphic na po ang mga utak ng mga Pilipino. We are the pictures to show that that despicable PDAF was used for what the legislator claims to be above board? Where is the further documentary proof of the columnistas that the PDAF was misused? Sorry, you just wasted a lot of column inches.

Score: 0-0. Belat. I-abolish na yan.  I mean the pork barrel, not the media.  Bwahahaha.

A Congressman’s ex-wife seeking asylum

Grace Grande courtesy of Asian Journal

Agbiag Party-List Rep. Patricio Antonio

These two people split up sometime in 2007.  The woman and her two sons with the Congressman above are in a major major fight in the United States that can be seen here: http://thefilam.net/archives/9304 and there is still no end in sight.

I dunno but this legislator apparently isn’t serious in his job as a powerful congressman. As of this posting he has not authored any House Bill or House Resolution in the 16th Congress.  He has co-authored one measure though,  HB 2630 AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES FROM JANUARY ONE TO DECEMBER THIRTY-ONE, TWO THOUSAND AND FOURTEEN, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Automatic co-author since he is a member of the powerful Committee on Appropriations.

Quite funny but I just don’t understand how this ongoing story has escaped most, if not all of the mass media in the Philippines and the House in particular. That is indeed, beyond me.

Indeed, there is hope for all beautiful, smart and geeky people in the world

You want proof? Please click on this: http://philnews.ph/2013/10/01/ramon-bautista-in-a-relationship-with-jinri-park-whats-up-doods-interview/

Welcome to October. Someone just woke me up since September has indeed ended.

Before we forget the lessons of booting out Corona…

We should actually move on by setting the example, plain and simple.

Ex-Chief Justice Renato Corona was impeached and convicted for not being truthful in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN).

So the SALN game is now different. But in the old-boys-attitude House of Representatives, old habits of secrecy and anti-transparency refuse to die.

May I please take to task lead impeachment prosecutor, House Justice Committee Chair, Judicial Bar Council Ex-Officio Member Niel Tupas Jr. for his adamant refusal to sign a waiver and submit the same to the Office of the Ombudsman as seen in http://www.waiverwatchph.com/.

For the sake of honesty, accountability and transparency; as Palace stooge and Liberal Party stalwart; as a duly-elected representative of Iloilo, Cong. Tupas would do his kasimanwas proud if he signed a waiver and released his latest SALN to the public.

It would work wonders for his career and help stop the so-called black propaganda hurled by Corona supporters against him as seen in:  http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/247039/news/nation/tupas-denies-owning-p50-m-mansion-in-qc-its-only-p14m

If you have a P14-million peso House and you are just a Congressman, maybe the SALN can explain how and why that is possible if the document was filled-up honestly.

Don’t get me wrong folks. It is good that an unfit Chief Justice was removed. But since this is the so-called straight path (hello, matuwid na daan), those who mouth it, should also act.

It would be better if those who worked for his removal come out and come clean too.  Cong. Tupas can and should take the lead. No amount of “we aren’t the ones on trial” and  “my SALN is available to the public” statements can satisfy the bar of transparency of public officials when the House will still not release the SALNs of its members, primarily Liberal Party members as seen in:  http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/205105/partying-solons-still-wont-release-salns

Moving on is about doing better and being honest.  The challenge now rests with the victorious accusers, the President included.

Release your SALNs and sign the waiver.  #

Corona Impeachment: Now it can be told…

And so we have had our close to two month’s dose of property and asset legalese also known as the Corona impeachment. A conviction is in order. But after that decision, we will look into the hang ups of the elected officials in the prosecution. Don’t worry, its decision time for the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. Juicy-ness again from the indolent congressional observer after judgment!

Congresswoman Abad: Pag oil prices ang usapin, Trabahong Tamad?

Is Congresswoman Henedina Abad naive or just plain unaffected by every spike in prices of gasoline, diesel, LPG and other oil products?

This is very disturbing about the House of Representatives of the 15th Congress when it comes to burning people’s gut issues of the day.

Congress has answered the people’s cries for relief from oil price hikes with inaction. Legislative inaction.

It comes as a real bummer when the Congressional Committee concerned with the oil industry and oil prices has yet to call for hearings on measures that aim to reform the oil industry and put oil prices in check when the country is bludgeoned almost every week by price hikes.

Abad is the Chairperson of the House Committee on Energy that has 65 Members.

Early in 2011, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez , Abante-Mindanao Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr., Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, San Juan City Rep. Jose Victor Ejercito, Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop and Agham Partylist Rep. Angelo Palomones have filed bills to repeal or amend the oil deregulation law.

The Energy Committee has yet to hear any of these bills.

Quite mind-boggling as Rep. Abad is number 1 in the current roster of House Members, number 1 among Liberal Party women legislators, number 1 in pork barrel releases and number 1 in the energy committee as chair.

At this point, it can be said that Cong. Abad is trabahong tamad. #

Benhur Abalos and who?

Benjamin D.C. Abalos, Jr. Current Mayor of Mandaluyong City and former Congressman (2004–2007) of the city’s lone legislative district is in hot water.

Yes he is the son of ex-Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr., who is detained at the Southern Police District (SPD) headquarters on charges of election sabotage.

Yes he is married to Ms. Carmelita Aguilar and yes they have 6 children.

But the world went agog with this pic that went viral on the net:

Yes that’s Mayor Benhur Abalos alright.

But no. That isn’t Mandaluyong City first lady Carmelita Aguilar.

According to various posts on the internet universe, that is allegedly Jeanerica Eddun Bagang, the winner of Miss Mandaluyong 2008 and former aspirant from Star Struck Batch 4 of GMA-7.

Haaaay.

Ex. Cong. Benhur is hot, este, in more hot water. #