No TKO for RVO

Former Trade Minister Roberto “Bobby” Ongpin is forging ahead with his plans to expand his business in the Philippines despite the recent DBP loan controversy that has apparently cost the life of a young lawyer. Even if a case has been filed, putting the 74-year-old businessman – also known as RVO among his colleagues and employees – in a negative light, the feisty businessman says “these jokers are not going to stop me from putting more investments in my country.” 

Ongpin says his plans for retirement have been put on hold because of the “new challenges” placed before him. “It will take a lot more punches before they knock me out of business,” Bobby said, as he recently launched the upscale Alpha Residences and the much-anticipated “The City Club” occupying about two hectares of floor space within three stories at the Alphaland Makati Place along Malugay Street, right in the heart of the financial district. Set to open in 2012, The City Club will have a gym, a boxing ring, six studios (for yoga, Pilates, dancing, martial arts, etc.), three swimming pools, badminton and tennis courts, a basketball court plus conference rooms and a business center, among others. In short, it will have “everything one can find at the Manila Polo Club except the horses,” RVO’s right hand man and Alphaland president Mario “Babes” Oreta told us. 

Firm-ly ethical

Erroneous initial reports claiming that the Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco (also known as CVCLaw) is lawyering for the former First Gentleman has prompted “The Firm” to issue a statement to the contrary. Saying, “The Firm does not and will not represent former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo,” the topnotch law office also clarified that FGMA’s current lawyer Atty. Inocencio “Toto” Ferrer Jr. resigned from The Firm almost a decade ago in 2002.

As a matter of fact, CVC Law has also made it a matter of policy to decline representing anyone facing charges before the Office of the Ombudsman since the appointment of Simeon Marcelo as Ombudsman - obviously for the sake of ethical practice. Besides, one of the reasons why The Firm parted ways with the Arroyo family was due to the vehement objection of CVCLaw founding partner and then-Defense Secretary Avelino “Nonong” Cruz Jr. to FPGMA’s plan to impose martial law. This fact was recently confirmed by a purported diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks saying the former president gave US Embassy deputy chief of mission Paul Jones a “defiant stare” when told that the US will not go along with her plan.  

Pikon over PCOS

A lot of people are wondering why Comelec Commissioner Gus Lagman reportedly gets very “pikon” (peeved) at the subject of PCOS (Precinct Count Optical Scan) machines from Smartmatic-TIM and how it can save P18 billion for Filipino taxpayers. Those in the know say they are not surprised at Lagman’s insistence on the use of a mongrel technology called the Open Election Systems which critics say could open doors for dagdag-bawas operators once again.

Observers say Lagman is acting like an ostrich whose head is buried in the sand, letting his inherent bias get the better of him by refusing to acknowledge that the conduct of the May 2010 presidential polls - which we might add resulted in the speedy proclamation of President Noynoy who appointed him to his Comelec post - has been soundly praised by internationally respected institutions like the Carter Center. Using the same technology offered by Smartmatic-TIM will send a strong message of continuity and trust among Filipino voters who, except for a few sourgraping losers, were immensely satisfied with the conduct and result of the previous elections. Besides, Lagman’s continued whining about the Comelec not trusting Filipino IT professionals and preferring foreign ones is way off the mark - since almost all the technology in use today were developed by foreigners, Spy Bits sources scoffed.

Spy tidbit

— Our friend, Argentine Ambassador Joaquin Daniel Otero, is tirelessly working to expand trade opportunities in Asia and strengthen ties between the Philippines and Argentina. At the recent Trade Forum organized by Philippines-Argentina Business Council chairman Susing Pineda at the PCCI, Ambassador Otero highlighted the healthy business environment in his country plus its other comparative advantages to make it a strategic investment location and trade partner.

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