Coup plot: Two unnamed senators

Two unnamed senators are suspected of imputing malice on the additional MOOEs (maintenance and other operating expenses) released by the office of Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile by labeling them as “Christmas gifts.” Talk had been going around about these two Senators who have been at odds with JPE on several occasion, wanting to depose Enrile as Senate president.

In fact, the JPE camp has identified these two solons are being responsible for “leaking” the release of the additional funds – sourced from Senate savings – in such a way that put the Senate President in a very bad light. Enrile immediately came out with a strong statement, saying he can “look anybody straight in the eye” in saying that he “did not buy” his position, and that not one single centavo of the people’s money is spent just to enable him to cling to his office.

Enrile also said it was time to “call a spade a spade,” explaining that the Senate President has the sole discretionary power to grant additional budgets from savings which he has done with “prudence and equity.” 

JPE also clarified reports alleging that four senators – Cayetano siblings Pia ad Allan Peter, Sonny Trillanes and Miriam Defensor-Santiago – received “only P250,000” unlike the others who were given P1.6 million each. Enrile said each of the four Senators had received P600,000 like all the rest, and that all their requests for cash advances and the realignment of various items in their respective committee and oversight committee budgets were approved by his office.

Obviously, Enrile was miffed at senators who described the release of the additional MOOE as “unconscionable” and “unconstitutional” and yet received the amounts just the same, never saying anything before the issue broke.

The 88-year-old legislator’s handling of the Corona impeachment trial elevated his status to almost iconic proportions, generating continued high approval and trust ratings from the public as confirmed by the most recent Pulse Asia survey that showed Enrile’s numbers even increasing. This is probably why Enrile’s foes are desperately trying to erode his stature, JPE allies said, disclosing that they are “anticipating more attacks to come, because their ultimate goal is to bring him down and take him out as Senate President.

No longer ‘Gore for broke’

More than 10 years after his failed bid as president, the life of former US vice president Al Gore has since undergone a series of interesting twists and turns that saw him going “green” as an environmental advocate, a Nobel peace prize awardee, a successful book author, single again after separating from Tipper in 2010. And now, Al is no longer broke with his fortune definitely on the upswing after the recent purchase of Current TV network by Al Jazeera for $500 million.

Not bad for a flopping cable network that Gore and several partners bought for $71 million in 2004. Gore, who has a 20-percent stake in the network, highlights his successful makeover from politician to businessman, serving in the board of Apple, an adviser to Google Inc., a partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caulfield and Byers, including investments at Amazon.com, eBay and Procter and Gamble, among others.

However, Current TV’s sale to Al Jazeera has also generated a wave of negative opinion for the environmental advocate since it goes against his earlier criticism of businessmen involved in oil and gas companies that ignore the pollution generated by carbon dioxide emissions. A couple of years ago, Gore was quoted as saying “Many Americans are tired of borrowing huge amounts of money from China to buy huge amounts of oil from the Persian gulf to make huge amounts of pollution that destroys the planet’s climate,” he had said.

Well, Al Jazeera just happens to be funded by Qatar, a rich, oil producing state. Part of the criticism also stems from the fact that Al Jazeera – an Arab network that has been rather critical of the US – will be in stiff competition with US news networks like CNN, MSNBC and Fox. But then, the color of petrodollars is green, so no surprise that Gore has developed an affinity, some observers have sarcastically commented.

Bong Naguiat on a high

PAGCOR chairman Bong Naguiat is definitely on a high roll, with the government owned casino regulator remitting over P12 billion to national coffers from January to November last year – up 18 percent from the previous P10.34 billion for the same period in 2011.

The PAGCOR chair has been under fire from critics over a number of issues, even getting criticized for filing cases and going after errant officials, yet the GOCC still managed to post over P31 billion in earnings as of September last year or a strong 16-percent increase. Obviously, Bong is happy with what he is doing – and that is making PAGCOR an even more profitable institution than it ever was before.

Spy tidbits

–– The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. continues to be the most valuable company in the stock market, ahead at P575.14 billion and thus, still the “bellwether” as far as many market observers are concerned.

–– The government of Estonia is donating 50,000 euros to victims of Typhoon Pablo (international codename Bopha), honorary consul to Estonia Fernando Martin Peña disclosed, who said hopes for recovery are high as donations and humanitarian aid from both local and international donors continue to pour.  Estonia, a former Russian territory that is now considered as one of the European Union’s most advanced countries as far as IT is concerned, established diplomatic ties with the Philippines in December 1991.

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