Aguirre just admonished

The Senate in caucus decided to accept Chief Justice Renato Corona’s bank documents as evidence. The defense quickly said that it will not damage their case and expressed confidence they can still block the offer of evidence by the prosecution. An Accountant/Lawyer can explain Corona’s bank accounts, they claim. The defense will start presenting its evidence next Monday with 25 witnesses lined up. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile vowed to speed up the trial by holding morning and afternoon sessions to try to finish the trial before the scheduled Holy Week recess on March 24. The morning and afternoon sessions may be unfair to the defense as they will have less time to prepare for the daily sessions. Can the Senior Senators in the Senate stand the stress?

The Senate decided also not to impose any penalty on Atty. Vitaliano Aguirre and just admonished him.

This leniency is a good decision since Aguirre has already apologized.

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LOS BAÑOS CRIME WAVE . . The crime wave has hit UPLB at Los Baños, Laguna. Rey Bernard Peñaranda, a 19-year-old Bachelor of Science in Agriculture student was robbed and stabbed to death last Sunday.

Previously, there were 2 incidents of rape slay in the area. Late last year, Given Grace Cebanico, a UPLB student was robbed, raped and killed by 2 tricycle drivers. Early this week, the body of Rochel Geronda, a 14-year-old high school student, apparently a rape slay victim was found near the UPLB gate.

Holdups and killings have also occurred at UP Diliman, QC. Holdups are a regular occurrence along UST, FEU, and UE in Manila. There have been recent killings in other towns of Laguna, Cavite and Batangas.

Malacañang has promised justice for Peñaranda. That’s welcome but it should do more to prevent crime. Equally disturbing is the reported involvement of Police Colonel Rommel Miranda and 2 other Patrolmen in a kidnapped murder case of businesswoman Leah Ng.

Meanwhile, a Pajero was carnapped in front of a grocery in West Triangle QC. Efren Martinez, 55, an architect was shot dead by a motorcycle riding gunman in San Jacinto, Pangasinan.

Barangay Chairman Erwin Catacutan, 40, shot dead Ramil Bautista, 39, at his house in Majorada St. Tondo, Manila. Edwin Lao was shot in front of the China Bank branch in Binondo.

Six people are dead in a holdup hostage situation in Panabo, Davao del Norte.

There’s definitely an urgent need to upgrade the PNP, including adding 50,000 policemen. Its recruitment and training programs must be improved.

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PCOS AGAIN? Its has been one year and ten months since the May 2010 elections. The sad fact is hundreds of electoral protests have not been resolved by the Comelec, among them the cases of Taguig City, Compostela, Cebu and Surigao del Norte.

The huge number of election protests puts into serious question the credibility of the PCOS automated process.

There is no longer any doubt in our mind that the PCOS machines can be preprogrammed. So why are we going to use the same machines again for 2013?

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IT’S ADVISABLE . . The President’s security is a matter of highest concern. He needs the best protection available. It is therefore in order that a brand new bullet proof car should be bought for him.

For the same reason, there should be no objection to buying a new plane for him, considering his many travels.

 With a P1.5 trillion budget, the cost for a new car and a new plane for presidential use is insignificant.

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GOD HELP US . . Storm Sendong recorded 1,500 casualties in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

Next a 6.9 intensity earthquake hit Negros Island, killing hundreds in Guihulngan, La Libertad and other towns in Negros Oriental and inflicting damage in Cebu and Iloilo. Now on the 1st week of March, an intensity 6 earthquake has hit Masbate. What a disastrous start for 2012.

Last year, several destructive typhoons and floods hit Central Luzon, Pangasinan, Isabela, Aurora and Cagayan. Why so many calamities?

There’s need for more prayers.

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TIDBITS . . Congratulations to Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza for receiving a Manila Rotary Club award for tourism development in his City.

The continuous rise of oil prices supports the people’s demand for the removal of the VAT on oil. It is unconscionable for government to gain 12% on every increase of oil prices. Protest rallies are going on.

As a former Ambassador, I agree with the closure of ten diplomatic posts, most of them in Europe and Latin America. DFA is transfering their budgets to Philippine diplomatic posts in the Middle East where millions of OFWs are located. The experience in Libya, Bahrain, Lebanon, and Syria show Middle East embassies are understaffed and under funded.

The lowest price of rice in Puerto Princesa is P28 per kilo. Given enough government support, Palawan can double its rice production.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes confirmed that there are moves to recruit junior officers for a coup plot. FVR does not believe it. Sen. Gringo Honasan also denied the report.

Mindanao blackouts have increased from 2 hours to 6 hours. No remedy has yet to be announced by the Dept. of Energy.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted a 4.2% GDP growth rate for 2012. It is however pushing for new taxes including increasing the VAT and SIN taxes which translates to more hardships for poor taxpayers.

Greetings to readers Congressman Eufranio Eriguel of the 2nd District, La Union, Diane Sayo-Villordon, former Secretary Raul Gonzales, former Congresswoman Pacita Gonzales, Atty. Agustin Rocamora of Puerto Princesa, Cristina Aquino of DFA and congratulations to Edwin Calanog on his passing the bar exams.