Unfair comments

President Aquino said that President GMA will get a “fair trial”. Sunday he reiterated that GMA will be accorded “due process”.

Is it fair for him and his Justice Secretary to declare that he no longer approves of house arrest for GMA followed by Sec. de Lima warning RTC Judge Jesus Mupas that the evidence does not warrant the grant of house arrest? Fair trial means not exerting pressure directly or indirectly on the Judge handling the case.

Just keep quiet and let the Judge do his job. The members of the House of Representatives and the Senate should also be well advised to refrain from expressing their opinions on the GMA case.

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 LEYTE UPDATE. . .Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez will be opposed in his bid for a third term by An Waray partylist Rep. Bem Noel. 1st Councilor Sambo YaoKasin will be Noel’s running mate.

Graduating Gov. Jericho “Icot” Petilla will field his younger brother Dominic to succeed him. No opponent has come out as of today. Gov. Petilla confirmed the financiers were rediscounting the CCT payments at 80 percent paying beneficiaries in advance and getting their identification cards.

The sudden death of businessman Jimmy YaoKasin brought hundreds of mourners from all over as he was a leading officer of the Philippine Jaycees. He is also known to be a friend and supporter of many of the national politicians. Among those who sent flowers and messages of condolences were President Noynoy Aquino, President Erap Estrada, Vice President Jojo Binay, Senators Francis Pangilinan, Francis Escudero, Bong Revilla, Antonio Trillanes and Migz Zubiri and Cong. JV Ejercito.

Among the mourners at the wake who told us they read our column regularly were Ex Gov. Leopoldo Petilla, Provincial Board Member Roque Tiu, Harry YaoKasim, Luz Mate, Teresita Pil and Rotarian Rickie Nocon.

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LANDLORD’S INTEREST. . . President Aquino divested himself of his shares in Hacienda Luisita, Inc. when he assumed office. He sold them to a relative.

He showed his landlord’s interest when he declared that the landowners are entitled to just compensation. But, of course, that’s the law. But, now that the question raised is the price of the land, will the Department of Agrarian Reform fix a price fair to the farmers?

HLI lawyer Antonio Ligon has filed a Motion with the Supreme Court to clarify the issue of land valuation, estimated to be as high as P5 billion. DAR announced it will take at least six months to distribute the land to 6,296 farmers.

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CRIME MARCHES ON. . . Michael James Licuanan, a Bombo Radyo broadcaster survived a slay try by 2 motorcycle riding gunmen in Cagayan de Oro. The 7th incident against journalists under the Aquino Administration.

Businessman Rafael Reyes, 42, was shot dead Saturday night in his Toyota Altis by 2 motorcycle riding gunmen along Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati, using a shotgun. The gunmen took 2 bags and a laptop from Reyes’ car.

An attempt to kidnap Indian trader Gurnek Singh in Tiaong, Quezon failed when he resisted and escaped. The kidnappers took his motorcycle. Four kidnappers in a Mitsubishi Lancer were apprehended in San Juan, Batangas.

Three are dead and 28 wounded in a bomb blast in Zamboanga City. Bombs are exploding all over Mindanao especially Cotabato, Maguindanao, Lanao and Zamboanga City.

A mother, Sarah Padawan and her 5 children were wounded when 2 grenades exploded in their garden in Laoac, Pangasinan. John Gerald Concepcion, 23, was stabbed to death by a tricycle driver in Siniloan, Laguna. Another dental clinic was robbed in Barangay Immaculate Concepcion, QC by 3 men who posed as patients.

The culture of impunity continues with the PNP unable to cope with the large volume of crimes.

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GOOD NEWS. . . DA Sec. Proceso Alcala is confident he can achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2013. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. Alcala admitted there is a shortage of sardines for canning in the Zamboanga area necessitating a ban on fishing for 3 months. He also assured that there is enough supply of bangus fingerlings to restock the fishponds destroyed by typhoons. The Alcantara group is the principal producer of bangus fry in Sarangani, producing 1.2 billion a year which they are expanding to 2 billion. The Alcantara’s FinFish Hatcheries (FHI) also produces fingerlings for lapu-lapu, apahap, pampano and maya-maya.

Good job Tommy Alcantara, FHI president established in 1994.

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ERAP ON ANC. . . President Erap in an interview with Pinky Webb said that he was humiliated and treated like a common criminal when he was arrested on April 5, 2001. He recalled he stayed to face the charges, refusing to accept then DOJ Sec. Nani Perez’ offer to be allowed to leave the country.

He commended DOJ Sec. Leila de Lima for holding her ground against the departure of Cong. Gloria M. Arroyo.

President Erap looked good and healthy. He said that he was in favor of giving GMA hospital arrest, but not house arrest.

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TIDBITS. . . KC Concepcion, daughter of Sharon Cuneta confirmed to Boy Abunda that she has broken up with actor Piolo Pascual.

Catanduanes State College in Virac got the top 3 places in the Civil Engineering exams. Congratulations to Benjie Pantino, son of a farmer, 1st place; Benjames Go, 22, son of a construction foreman, 2nd and Joseph Rendon, 21, son of a tricycle driver, 3rd place.  

Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco and Retired Lingayen Bishop Archbishop Oscar Cruz are opposed to the renaming of Edsa as Cory Aquino Avenue.

Cars are triple parked on Ortigas Ave. in front of La Salle Greenhills causing a traffic jam daily.

Greetings to our avid readers Justice Efren Plana, Justice Minita Chico-Nazario, Sen. Rene Espina, Joe Lipa Jr., Gerry Zorilla, RTC Judge Sibanah E. Usman of Catbalogan.