Abad on the dock

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Senate President Frank Drilon, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala have come out to deny that they are involved in Janet Lim-Napoles Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.

Department of Budget and Management Secretary Butch Abad has been named as the “Pork King,” which he now denies. One thing is clear, all the PDAF, Malampaya, and the Department of Agriculture’s funds have been released by the DBM. Considering the billions released, it also stands to reason that the releases had been approved by President Aquino.

It has been the standard operating practice for decades that the DBM Secretary releases funds only with the prior approval of the President.

The big question now: Considering the alleged involvement of Abad and Alcala, will they be relieved by the President? The two are considered among the closest to the President.

Usec Abigail Valte said the President had talked to Abad, but the PDAF scam was not discussed. Incredible!

10-year defense agreement

The Philippines and the United States (US) signed a 10-year Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), allowing US troops greater access to Philippine military bases.

No details have been released regarding the agreement as the signing of the EDCA was downplayed with only Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and US Ambassador Philip Goldberg officiating at the signing rites at Camp Aguinaldo, without the presence of President Aquino and Obama.

Malacañang has taken the position that the EDCA is not a treaty and, therefore, does not need Senate ratification.

NPA offensive

The New People’s Army (NPA) has admitted responsibility for the murder of Mayor Carlito Pentecostes Jr. of Cagayan. The NPA’s West Cagayan Front accused Mayor Pentecostes of espionage or helping the military in the raid on a rebel camp in Gonzaga’s Tapal village.

NPA Front’s spokesperson Ester Falcone said the Pentecostes’ killing is a “slap on the military who had presumed we have dissipated.”

The NPAs have been active in Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Quezon, Samar, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte, Bukidnon, Abra, Kalinga, Mt. Province, and the Bicol provinces.

Erap-Titoy celebration

Former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and former Secretary Jose Titoy Pardo held a joint birthday celebration last Saturday, April 26, at 409 Shaw Boulevard.

The venue was full packed with 1,000 guests. The happy affair also reflected a celebration of Erap and Titoy’s successful trip to put closure to the Luneta bus hostage-taking crisis, which motivated the Hong Kong (HK) government to impose sanctions on the Philippines.

Leading the guest list were Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Speaker Jose de Venecia, Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, Senator Bong Revilla; Secretaries Voltaire Gazmin, Cesar Purisima, and Rene Almendras; Congressman Sherwin Gatchalian, Mayor Junjun Binay, Tessie Sy, Ninez Cacho-Olivares, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, Brother Eddie Villanueva, Manila City councilors and department heads, Erap Cabinet members, Mare Ladies, business leaders, classmates and friends of Erap and Titoy.

The highlight of the affair was Erap serenading Loi Estrada. Also performing were Pilita Corales, Dulce, and the grandchildren of Erap and Titoy.

Roxas suspended

The Wack Wack Golf and Country Club found member, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, guilty of violating club rules and suspended his membership for two months. If he were not Department of Interior and Local Government secretary, he would have been suspended for one year. A suspension is a suspension, and inflicts damage to Roxas’ presidential ambitions, raising questions as to his fitness.

What is sad about Mar Roxas’ conduct is the fact that he tangled with an ordinary employee who was just doing his job.

Double canonization

An estimated three million attended the canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II last Sunday at St. Peter’s square at the Vatican City.

Twenty-four heads of state and 100 delegations have attended the affair. President Aquino could not attend due to the arrival of President Barack Obama yesterday. Six thousand Filipino pilgrims attended.

The canonization of the two popes gave everyone a feel-good feeling. Pope John II, in his 23-year term, visited so many countries touching the lives of millions.

When Pope John Paul II visited Manila in 1995, I had the great privilege to be recruited by Ambassador Tita de Villa to be a committee member, putting me in close contact with the Pope.

I was also accorded the privilege of being one of the 50 persons to receive communion from the Pope at the Quirino Grandstand.

One problem we solved was the dressing room for 300 priests who will concelebrate the papal mass. Jimmy Policarpio borrowed thirty 40-foot containers and converted them to dressing rooms.

Lawyers’ oath taking on May 5

Congratulations to the 1,174 new lawyers who were slated to take their oaths at the PICC yesterday. The oathtaking had been set as early as the middle of last year but the Obama visit necessitated the postponement of the event to May 5. Security requirements required the closure to traffic of stretches of Roxas Boulevard, and Airport Road. Checkpoints were set up in several areas in Pasay. Militant protesters trooped to the Malacanang and other offices to make their voices heard. And the PICC area is itself within the perimeter to be secured by the US President’s Secret Service detail. The inconvenience suffered by the new lawyers and their families in rescheduling and rebooking their arrangements is nothing compared to the torture they all would have experienced had the Supreme Court insisted on pushing through with the oath taking as scheduled.