QUIET ABOUT CJ ISSUE IS WRONG
MANILA, FEBRUARY 21, 2012 (ABS-CBN) President Benigno Aquino III said
Sunday he was still hoping to find a wife, saying it would make him a better
leader.
Aquino, who turned 52 this month and recently confirmed he was dating Korean
TV and radio personality Grace Lee, said he had been looking for a wife for
years but he had never found anyone.
"Matagal ko nang plano 'yan [to get married], college pa lang ako. Hindi lang
ako sini-swerte," he told reporters during the inauguration of the Aurora
Memorial Hospital in Aurora province.
"Given the burdens of this office, kung mayroon kang nahihingahan, kung
mayroon kang naku-kwentuhan, kung mayroong nagsasabi sa iyong 'okay ka pa', eh
'di syempre 'yun ang susi ng inspirasyon," he said.
He recalled that his parents, former President Corazon Aquino and former
senator Benigno Aquino once told him that "mapalad ang may katuwang sa buhay."
"Hindi nila maaabot ang naabot nila kung hindi nila nahanap 'yung isa't isa.
O 'di syempre tayo ho nag-aambisyon rin ng ganoon," he said, adding that his
parents remain his role models.
"Tinuro sa amin 'nung college 'yung --ano ba tawag doon? -- Christian
commitment and theology of marriage. 'Yung all couples agree to be one and the
one that is achieved is greater than the sum of its parts," he added.
"Kung sino 'yon, aalamin natin 'yon," Aquino said with a laugh.
Earlier this month, the President confirmed he was seeing Lee, 29.
Just last year, Aquino said he was resigned to the idea of staying single
until his term as president ended in mid-2016 because the demands of his job
were too great. -- With a report from Agence
France-Presse
FROM THE INQUIRER
Aquino disses Chief Justice Corona a few meters away from
senator-judge Angara By Christine O. Avendaño Philippine Daily
Inquirer 3:47 pm | Sunday, February 19th, 2012
[PHOTO COURTESY OF ABS-CBN- President Aquino (ctr), accompanied by
Aurora Lone District Representative Juan Edgardo Angara (left) and Senator
Edgardo Angara, salutes the colors during the wreath laying ceremony for the
124th Birth Anniversary of Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon and the 33rd Foundation
Anniversary of the Province of Aurora in the provincial capital Baler on Sunday.
Photo by Jay Morales, Malacañang Photo]
BALER, Aurora, Philippines—President Aquino once again dissed Chief Justice
Renato Corona, even as Senator Edgardo Angara, one of the senator-judges in
Corona's impeachment trial, sat a few meters away during rites celebrating the
33rd founding anniversary of Aurora province held in Baler.
Here to attend as well the commemoration of the 124th birth anniversary of
Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon, the President took the opportunity again to give his
piece of mind in relation to the ongoing impeachment trial of Corona.
Aquino said that his main aim in having Corona impeached has always been to
establish a government that would provide for the people, including justice.
He said the province must be proud of Baler Representative Juan Edgardo
"Sonny" Angara, a member of the prosecution panel in the impeachment trial
because he would clarify issues in the trial.
Aquino then expressed his faith in the fairness of Senator Angara and the
entire Senate impeachment court.
The trial's simple aim "is just to come out with the truth," according to the
President.
"How can we have confidence that every centavo of our taxes will go to good
use if you have a member in government who doesn't understand simple
arithmetic?" the Chief Executive said, referring to Corona and the alleged
discrepancy in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth, or SALN.
He reminded the public about an earlier description made by Senate President
Juan Ponce Enrile, the presiding judge in the trial, of the SALN as one's
"personal balance sheet."
"And this means: What you have sworn (into your SALN) is what you really
own," Aquino explained.
Aquino later told reporters he would not keep quiet about his thoughts on
Corona, in response to calls made by some senator-judges that the President and
Corona stop their public bickering and just let the Senate do its job.
"I think I am within my rights to express my opinions, especially as I
believe I speak for a sizable number of our people," he said.
President Aquino underscored the need for "discourse" about "contending sides
on any issue."
"To keep quiet about the whole thing is wrong," he said.
Aquino to CJ: My SALN long open to public By Delon
Porcalla (The Philippine Star) Updated February 20, 2012 12:00 AMComments (4)
MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday reminded Chief
Justice Renato Corona that he is not under any obligation to provide anybody a
copy of his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), saying it has
always been made public from the very start.
He said that from the time he was elected congressman in Tarlac in 1998, to
the time he was elected senator in 2007 and when he joined the presidential race
in the May 2010 elections, his SALN had always been the subject of vigorous
scrutiny.
"So what will I lay bare? If he did not read the papers, or watch TV, or
listen to the radio, that's not my fault. He has means to buy a paper or watch
TV, isn't that so?" he said in Filipino.
Aquino said that while his name was never mentioned prominently in news
reports, mainly because he was not among the richest and poorest legislators,
his net worth had almost always been covered by a paragraph or two in articles.
This had been the practice of House reporters, Aquino said, during breaks,
particularly "toward the Holy Week" when there is not much news in both the
Senate and the House of Representatives.
Government officials are mandated to file their annual SALN every April 30.
"There are one-paragraph mentions in the articles, mostly among the notables,
but neither am I among the highest or lowest, nor even in mid-tier," he said in
Filipino.
Aquino issued the statement after Corona challenged him to make public his
SALN and psychological records. He said that in contrast to the chief
magistrate's utmost secrecy in placing his SALN in a "locked vault," his had
been public ever since.
Several senator-judges have cautioned both the President and Corona from
engaging in a word war and from further discussing the merits of the case in
public.
Aquino on Thursday publicly discussed the discrepancies in Corona's SALNs and
the gaps once the SALNs are compared with the magistrate's bank accounts.
Corona retorted by challenging the President to disclose his own SALNs, as
well as his alleged psychological records, to the public.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte earlier said Aquino is
exempted from the admonition of the Senate that merits of the impeachment case
should not be discussed outside of the proceedings, as he is technically not a
party to the trial.
She said the President was not conditioning the mind of the public for
another people power in the event that Corona is acquitted.
Noynoy Aquino SALN Released Wednesday, February 8,
2012 , Posted by JED at 11:16:00 AM
Noynoy Aquino's net worth, at the end of 2010, is around P55 million which
include cash on hand and in bank, real properties, and personal and other
properties.
The bulk of his receivables came from the sale of stocks he used to own in
his family's eight companies, including Central Azucarera de Tarlac which
manages Hacienda Luisita.
His real properties consist of a residential lot and an agricultural land in
Tarlac City, an agricultural land in Capas, Tarlac, a house and lot in Quezon
City, and a commercial lot in San Juan City.
PHILSTAR
Both Noy and Corona should explain SALNs
POSTSCRIPT By Federico D. Pascual Jr. (The Philippine Star) Updated
February 19, 2012 12:00 AM
NOTHING TO HIDE?: The nation is awaiting President Noynoy Aquino's disclosure
of his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, bank account balances
and psychological report as suggested by Chief Justice Renato C. Corona.
President Aquino has challenged the Chief Justice to immediately
disclose his SALNs and bank balances (but omitted his medical history) that are
being scrutinized in the Corona trial before the Senate impeachment court.
"If you hide it, then you must be guilty," the President told the Chief
Justice. In reply, Corona challenged him to make public his own records. We
agree. Fairness dictates that the protagonists stand on level ground.
The Batangueno CJ reminded the President: "Mayroon po tayong obligasyon na
ipakita sa taong-bayan na maayos ang ating pag-iisip." (We owe it to the people
to assure them we are of a sound mind.)
* * *
INSTANT REBUTTAL: It is only fair that the accuser and the accused
make a simultaneous disclosure "para magkaalaman na." After all, Mr. Aquino
himself is in a hurry to have the people know the truth.
But that might be difficult to do as the trial follows an established
pattern. Under the rules, the prosecution presents its case first. Until the
accuser is done, the accused has to wait toward the end to present his defense.
The President's idea of an instant rebuttal is not in the rules. His
statements calculated to embarrass Corona as hiding something may work with an
uninformed crowd, but not with those who know and respect the procedure.
* * *
BALANCE: Still, I love a President who can take what he dishes out,
especially because I presume that Noynoy Aquino has nothing to hide.
This observer will be happy to see the President's idea of an instant reply
worked into the rules. I prefer to see the defense given the chance to reply
RIGHT AFTER the prosecutor closes its presentation on an article of impeachment.
This will also be good for the media seeking to balance their reports. This
will minimize speculative interpretation dominated by the one-sided presentation
of the prosecution.
* * *
WHY 8 RAPS?: This prompts me to repeat a point I raised earlier. As a
non-lawyer, I understand that only one charge can be filed against an
impeachable official within one year.
How come in the Corona case, not one but eight scattergun charges were filed?
It has been explained to me that the eight items are the articles of only one
impeachment charge. Still, I think the matter should be revisited.
The eight articles are not similar to one another. Each one is not a
duplication or a mere elaboration of the other articles. We actually have a
litany of eight distinct and separate charges disguised as one.
If they are only one charge, as the prosecution claims, ALL THE EIGHT
articles comprising the alleged one charge should be proved to gain conviction.
If one article is not proved, that one would bring down the entire complaint.
The eight articles — if they truly comprise just one charge — must rise or fall
together.
* * *
GUARDED OPTIMISM: The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas enters 2012 with guarded
optimism even while other countries grapple with their own economic
difficulties.
Scanning the global environment and its linkages to the Philippine economy,
BSP Vice Gov. Cyd Tuano-Amador (Monetary Policy Sub-Sector) said that while we
are not immune to global headwinds, we are "well-insulated."
Briefing officers of the Capampangan in Media Inc. (CAMI) days ago, Dr.
Amador recalled that a barrage of shocks hit the global economy in 2011. She
mentioned the weak recovery/sub-par growth of United States, the European
sovereign debt worries and banking system fragilities.
There was also the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan (which had
immediate and direct impact on Philippine industries) and the violent unrest in
some oil-producing countries spiking the price of petroleum products.
* * *
GLOBAL GROWTH: Amador reported that global growth in sum is expected to be
moderate through 2012.
She cited projections of the International Monetary Fund showing that the
growth of the world economy which was 3.8 percent in 2011, would dip to 3.3
percent in 2012. It was 5.2 percent in 2010.
Specific growth forecasts are: for advanced countries/regions from 1.6
percent to 1.2; United States, from 1.6 percent to 1.8 percent; Euro area from
1.5 percent to -0/5 percent; and emerging and developing countries from .2
percent in 2012 (a drop from 7.3 percent in 2010) rising to 5.4 percent in 2012.
* * *
SOLID OUTLOOK: The BSP official said the overall growth outlook for the
Philippines is solid.
For 2012, government authorities foresee a growth of 5-6 percent, although
the Asian Development Bank places it at 4.8 percent, while the IMF has it at 4.7
percent. Bloomberg Consensus also sees it at 4.7 percent.
Optimism is buoyed by credit rating upgrades: Fitch Ratings has raised our
credit rating to BB+ from BB with a stable outlook; Moody's raised Philippine
and foreign currency to Ba2 from Ba3 with a stable outlook; and Standard &
Poor's upgraded our credit rating from stable to positive outlook.
* * *
SPILLOVER: But Amador said some global economic woes could spill over into
the Philippines through a number of channels:
1. Trade in goods — US and Europe each account for about 15 percent of
Philippine exports.
2. Trade in services — In Business Process Outsourcing, about 75 percent of
total BPO receipts are from the US and 7 percent from Europe. In tourism, 17
percent of tourists are from the US and 10 percent from Europe.
3. Remittances — More than 40 percent of remittances (through the banks) of
overseas Filipinos are from the US and about 20 percent from Europe. In 2011,
overseas workers remitted $20 billion, a new record high. In 2010, it was $18
billion.
4. Investments — The US accounts for 48 percent of gross foreign direct
investments, while Europe accounts for 5 percent.
* * *
FOLLOWUP: Access all POSTSCRIPTs at www.manilamail.com. Follow us at Twitter.com/@FDPascual. E-mail to fdp333@yahoo.com
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
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