Exposés

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, implicated in the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam, is said to be coming out with an exposé on a bigger pork misuse.

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That's the beauty of these corruption exposés. They lead to more exposés by the exposed. So let's have more exposés.

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Some 46.5 million Americans are living in poverty. Quite a record, says the US Census Bureau. More than one in seven Americans are living in poverty. Our slum dwellers must be saying: "So, we're not alone. Big Bro."

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I read somewhere that it will take the Ombudsman up to one year to decide to file plunder charges against the legislators, et al, implicated in the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam. Isn't this too long? Noy Temiong says this is normal in a country with a justice system like ours.

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But Madam Ombudsman says it will not take that long before the charges are filed. "You'll be in for a surprise," she said. So, OK, let's wait for that surprise. Meanwhile, let's brace ourselves for the bombshell Senator Jinggoy has vowed to surprise the nation with sooner.

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Sen. Tito Sotto is proposing the granting of the 14th month pay for workers. He said there are millions of unspent funds in some government coffers and it's better to let it go to the workers' stomach.

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A businessman of my acquaintance said to me over the phone when I asked him to comment on Senator Tito's proposal: "Tito's idea will draw cheers from Eat Bulaga audience but not from the business community. He forgot that the 14th month pay will not come from the government coffers but from the business sector's kitty."

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Thanks to Dr. Hernani Tacandong for the kind words. Doc, wherever you are, you can always follow me through the Philippine STAR's website: www.philstar.com and please read also on the same web BANAT News.

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OVERHEARD: Sept. 21, the anniversary of martial law, has come and gone. Many remember it as a day of infamy. Some ML victims gathered in a fastfood chain and exchanged stories about their experiences. One of them, now a restaurant operator, recalled: "Nangaon mi'g halo-halo sa akong uyab, kalit lang ko gibira sa usa ka PC soldier ug gigunting ang taas kong buhok...uso man niadto ang taas og buhok. Paghuman sa martial law gipangita ko tong pisiha (PC) kay upawan nako. Pero missing hangtud karon."