Driver at Bodyguard ni dating Congressman "Lord Velasco" na kilabot na Drug "Lord" sa Marinduque Timbog sa PDEA.

Noong nakaraang Enero, sa pinagsama-samang puwersa ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office IVB, Marinduque Provincial Police Office and Police Regional Office IVB Regional Intelligence Division ay nagsagawa ng isang buy-bust operation upang mahuli ang isa sa mga tinuturong "big time" drug pusher sa buong Marinduque.

Niici Buencamino
(Grabbed from his Facebook Account)

Nahuli si Niici Buencamino, 27 years old sa Barangay Bagong - Silang, Sta. Cruz  habang i-nabot nito ang isang plastic na naglalaman ng shabu sa asset ng mga operatiba kapalit ang halagang isang libo't limang daang piso (P 1,500). 

Narekober din sa kanya ang isang malaking plastik na naglalaman ng shabu na tinatayang umaabot sa P70,000.00

Sa kanyang pagkakahuli, kusang loob niyang itinuro si Mark Dexter Preclaro aka Macoy na siyang di-umano'y pinagkukunan niya ng malaking bulto ng shabu upang ibenta ito sa buong isla ng Marinduque.

Ayon pa sa kanya, bago siya mahuli ng mga operatiba ay galing siya sa bahay ni Macoy upang bayaran ang "salto" niyang nagkakahalagang P40,000.00 mula sa pinagbentahan niya noong nakaraang linggo na iyon.

Dinagdag pa niya, ilang oras lamang bago siya mahuli ay pinakita pa sa kanya ni Macoy ang "tatlong bulto" ng shabu na nagkakahalaga raw ng humigit kumulang na P120,000.00 na galing sa karatig probinsya na walang kahirap-hirap daw niya na-ipuslit ito sa ating lalawigan gamit ang mga sasakyan ng dating Congressman Velasco.

Naging hakbang ito sa mga operatiba upang imbestigahan si Macoy na kasama na sa listahan ng Most Wanted list ng PDEA Region 4B.

Mark Dexter Preclaro aka Makoy
(Grabbed from his Facebook Account)

Si Mark Dexter Preclaro aka Macoy ay galing sa isang kilalang pamilya. Ang kanyang ina ay isang Kapitana at ang kanyang ama naman na si Franco Preclaro ay kilalang announcer sa radyo at naging konsehal ng bayan ng Sta. Cruz, Marinduque. 

Si Preclaro ay kasalukuyang driver at naging staff ng dating kongresistang si Lord Allan Velasco sa Kongreso.

Dahil sa lakas ng impluwensya niya at ng kanyang pamilya, minabuti ng mga operatiba na sa Maynila mag-apply ng Search Warrant upang hindi masunog ang kanilang operasyon.

Copy of Search Warrant

Ika-10 ng Disyembre, bit-bit ang isang Search Warrant sumalakay ang mga pinagsama-samang puwersa ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office IVB at Marinduque Provincial Police sa bahay ni Mark Dexter Preclaro.

Copy of PDEA's Progress Report

Narekober sa kanya ang humigit kumulang na 19 gramo ng shabu, iba pang mga paraphernalias sa pagawa nito.

Narekober din ang isang mataas na kalibre ng riple, isang calibre .22, magasin at mga bala.

Ayon din sa kanyang Laboratory Result, nagpositibo din siya sa pagamit ng Methamphetamine Hydrochloride o mas kilala sa tawag na shabu.

Ayon sa ating impormante, malapit ang dalawang nahuling si Nicci Buencamino at Mark Dexter Preclaro sa dating Kongresistang si Lord Allan Velasco kaya't nahirapan ang mga operatiba na hulihin sila.

Makoy and Nicci with former Congressman Lord Allan Velasco

Former Congressional Staff of Lord Allan Velasco.

Hindi lamang daw isang driver at staff si Makoy ng dating Congressman Lord Allan Velasco, kundi lagi niyang kasa-kasama kung saan man siya magpunta.

Grabbed from Former Congressman Lord Allan Velasco's facebook
and it was tagged to Makoy's Facebook  

Dagdag pa niya, kung minsan daw ay ginagamit pa nito ang mismong sasakyan ng dating Kongresista upang kumuha at mag dala ng droga dahil kilala na raw ito at hindi na kinakailangang suriin pa ito ng mga tauhan ng pantalan. 

Double flip - flop by high court

The justices of the Supreme Court have been drowning in cases. As of 2004, the last year they gave us information through the Philippine Statistical Yearbook, their case backlog (defined as case load minus case outflow) was 6,882 cases. Divide that by 15 justices, and that means an average of 458 cases each that the justices haven’t disposed of yet.

Meanwhile, new cases are coming in. Has this backlog been reduced? Not if we go by the high court’s case disposition rate (ratio of total cases decided/resolved in a year, over the total cases filed), which in 2003 and 2004 was 0.97.  For the mathematically challenged, that means the backlog is growing.

All this is by way of introduction. Each justice has so many to take charge of that he/she usually doesn’t want to get involved with someone else’s case by way of giving a dissenting or concurring opinion, unless it is of great moment. Just take a look at the decisions handed down each month (sc.judiciary.gov.ph) to see how few and far between those are.

That is why the decision in the case involving Regina O. Reyes vs. Comelec and Joseph Socorro B. Tan (GR 207264) caught my eye.  There were three dissenting opinions and two separate concurring opinions. That’s like the pork barrel case, for heaven’s sake. Not only that. What made me sit up and take notice were the names of the dissenters: Arturo Brion, Antonio Carpio, and Marvic Leonen, who I consider to be three of the high court’s intellectual heavyweights.

That was enough for me to read all the case material.

Here’s the case in a nutshell: Regina O. Reyes filed her candidacy as representative of the lone district of Marinduque in the last elections. Her candidacy was questioned by Tan, a voter and resident of the district. On what grounds? Essentially, that she lied about her civil status, her birthday, her residence, and her citizenship. He brought the case to the Commission on Elections. The Comelec found that she was a US citizen, and had not renounced her US citizenship. Therefore, the Comelec cancelled her certificate of candidacy (which means, among other things, that she is not a valid candidate, and that all the votes in her favor are “stray” votes).

Her motion for reconsideration failing in the Comelec, Reyes then filed her case in the Supreme Court, which decided in favor of the Comelec (there was no grave abuse of discretion on its part) and Tan.

Everything looks on the up and up, right?  Well, there is a glaring error. Would you believe that the Comelec decided that she was an American citizen on the basis of a blog? I kid you not. Justice Brion was brutal: “Common sense and the minimum sense of fairness dictate that an article in the Internet cannot simply  be taken to be evidence of the truth of what it says, nor can photocopies of documents not shown to be genuine be taken as proof of the ‘truth.’ To accept these materials as statements of ‘truth’ is to be partisan and to deny the petitioner her right to both procedural and substantive due process. Again, at the very least, further inquiry should have been made before there was the judgment.” Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes had similar thoughts in his dissent.

Then there is the matter of “undue haste” on the part of the Supreme Court in making its decision (it dismissed the Reyes petition outright) on the case. Reyes filed the case against the Comelec and Tan on June 7, 2013.  The decision was handed down barely three weeks later, on June 25. The high court did not even ask the Comelec, and Tan, for their answer (as presumably is the usual procedure). Justice Brion calls the majority approach “unusual,” and their rulings “strained,” which is why he could not allow it to stand without comments. And he calls them “comments” rather than “refutations” because the latter “implies a consideration on the merits of properly submitted and debated issues, which did not happen in this case.”

Why was there this “rush to judgment” by the majority? There’s the rub. The ruling would favor the son of a member of the high court, which is why, failing all else, the high court should “at least hear and consider both sides before making the ruling,” which it did not do.

Reyes’ opponent in the Marinduque elections was Lord Allan Velasco, son of Justice Presbitero Velasco. This apparently was discussed in the deliberations of the high court, but was not mentioned in any opinion except Justice Brion’s. That has to explain the high court’s seeming imprudence.

But the story does not end there. According to Justice Carpio, the high court’s ruling is a “double flip-flop.” It reverses the “well-settled” doctrines that the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal acquires sole jurisdiction over any contest relating to the “election, returns and qualifications” of House members, and that any question on the validity of the proclamation falls under the sole jurisdiction of the HRET. Reyes was proclaimed, so the high court should have stepped back. Why didn’t it? My guess: If the HRET determines that Reyes is disqualified, Lord Allan Velasco will have no advantage, and special elections will have to be held. Whereas if the high court’s position was that the Comelec still has the power to stop her proclamation, the votes for her will be regarded as stray, and her opponent (Velasco) will win.

In other words, the high court’s decision has the effect of disenfranchising 52,209 voters who voted for Reyes, and allowing Velasco to win the elections with his 48,236 votes.

Lesson: 48,000 wins over 52,000 if the Supreme Court is on your side.

Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/66885/double-flip-flop-by-high-court#ixzz2mrX4kkFq 

Solon assails SC’s decision on PDAF

Manila, Philippines – A senior administration congressman is dangling an impeachment threat against Supreme Court justices following the issuance of two recent rulings that allegedly reversed its previous decisions on the same legal controversies.

In a privilege speech delivered Tuesday, Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali provided the lone voice in the wilderness in assailing the unanimous Supreme Court ruling on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

Umali also chided the High Court for its ruling on the election protest against Marinduque Rep. Regina Ongsioco Reyes who is being ordered to vacate her post in favor of rival, former Rep. Lord Alan Velasco, son of SC Associate Presbitero Velasco.

‘Instances Of Despotism’

A close associate and Liberal Party colleague of President Benigno S. Aquino III, Umali recounted various “instances of despotism” allegedly demonstrated by the High Court in issuing controversial rulings.

“We must not let these magistrates sit on their iron thrones for a minute longer. They must know where they stand and if they will continue to lord over the foundations of our great Republic, then they only deserve to be impeached,” Umali told his colleagues.

He added: “Let us not allow a co-equal branch of government to emasculate.”

The Mindoro solon said he decided to take the floor to “defend the fundamental law of the land against judicial despots,” referring to the members of the High Court.

Umali’s protest was clearly the first to be registered against the High Court’s decision on PDAF, which has earned strong public support.

Flip-Flopping

Umali, a member of the powerful Commission on Appointments, assailed the tribunal for its alleged flip-flopping decisions on the PDAF and Reyes-Velasco case that disrespected Congress as a co-equal branch.

Umali recounted various “instances of despotism” allegedly demonstrated by the High Tribunal. Among them are the walkout of former Chief Justice Renato Corona during the impeachment hearings in the Senate and the “hastily issued” Temporary Restraining Order preventing the Lower House from inviting former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez who was then under impeachment probe.

“Not contented with its despotic tendencies, the Supreme Court strikes again by undermining its counterpart branches of government this time, both the legislative and the executive in flip-flopping fashion,” he said.

Umali said the High Court flip-flopped in its 12-0 ruling against the constitutionality of the PDAF.

“This is quite perplexing because, about a year earlier, the same Supreme Court, in the case of Lawyers Against Monopoly and Poverty (LAMP) vs Department of Budget and Management with (G.R. No. 164987) promulgated on April 24, 2012, declared the Priority Development Assistance Fund as constitutional,” he pointed out.

“Now I ask – why the flip-flop?” asked Umali. “Whatever happened to the doctrine of stare decisis or ‘adherence to precedents when just a year ago the same court ruled the PDAF is constitutional?”

He said, “Mr. Speaker, if this is not despotic behavior, I don t know what is!”

Independent Powers

Umali also chided the High Court for disqualifying Reyes as elected congresswoman of Marinduque.

“Accordingly, Representative Reyes now sits as member of this August Chamber, but some magistrates resolved to disqualify her on technical grounds, again in utter disregard of the doctrine of stare decisis and disrespect to the separate and independent powers of the House of Representatives, again in flip-flopping fashion,” he said.

Citing the case Jalosjos Jr. vs Comelec, Umali said the High Court settled the question of jurisdiction over post congressional electoral protest which rightfully belongs to the House of Representatives Electoral 

Tribunal.

“The proclamation of a congressional candidate following the election divests Comelec of jurisdiction over disputes relating to the election, returns, and qualifications of the proclaimed Representative in favor of the HRET,” he pointed out.

The administration lawmaker also recalled the electoral protest filed by fellow LP member, Quezon congressional candidate Toby Tañada against proclaimed Rep. Angelina Tan, in which the SC ruled that the protest should be resolved by the HRET.

“The High Court recognizes HRET jurisdiction in the case of Representative Tan but not in the case of Representative Reyes. Where lies the difference?” stated Umali.

He added: “What moved the Supreme Court to railroad a decision which negates established jurisprudence, in flip-flopping fashion at that and perceived to benefit the son of a sitting magistrate as noted by a colleague in the Supreme Court is beyond comprehension.”

Basahin dito:http://www.mb.com.ph/solon-assails-scs-decision-on-pdaf/

Belmonte: Reyes remains as lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. yesterday said Marinduque Rep. Regina Ongsiako-Reyes remains a member of the House of Representatives even as the chamber’s leadership decides on its next move after the Supreme Court (SC) upheld her disqualification.

Belmonte, however, maintained that the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) has jurisdiction over Reyes’ case under the Constitution since she has been duly proclaimed as winner and sworn into office.

“Remember that she was proclaimed, and that is not something unimportant to us because under the Constitution, the HRET – which is not a creation of the House but of the Constitution – supposedly has jurisdiction over all of these matters so we want to be sure that the HRET is not being rendered useless (by the SC ruling),” Belmonte told reporters.

He said the House leadership is waiting for a copy of the SC ruling for study and to help it decide on its next move.

The disqualification case against Reyes stemmed from allegations that she is a US citizen, which she has repeatedly denied and showed documents to prove that she is a Filipino citizen.

The complaint against her was pushed by her defeated rival, former Marinduque congressman Lord Allan Velasco, son of SC Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco.

Mababasa ito: 
http://www.philstar.com/nation/2013/12/05/1264166/belmonte-reyes-remains-lawmaker

Pakiki-alam ng Supreme Court sa talunang anak ni Justice Velasco?

Muli nanamang naglabasan sa ating mga pahayagan ang di umanoy pagkakadiskwalipika ng nag-iisang Representante ng ating lalawigan na si Congresswoman Regina Ongsiako Reyes.

Halos kada linggo nalang ay may lumalabas na bagong balita na ang natalong si Congressman Lord Allan Velasco ang uupo sa kongreso.

Ngunit hanggang kailan kaya maglalabas ang kampo ng dating Congressman ng mga mapanira at mapanlinlang na artikulo ukol dito.

Hindi na rin kasi natutuwa ang mga mamamayang Marinduqueño sa kanyang pagpilit na maka-upo para sa ika-16th Kongreso.

Maliwanag sa kanila na nanalo at mas pinili nila si Congresswoman Reyes dahil lumamang siya ng halos Apat na Libong boto noong nakaraang halalalan.

Hindi na rin lingid sa kanilang ka-alaman na ginagamit ng Pamilyang Velasco ang kanilang impluwensya upang mabaliktad ang katotohanan.

Sawang sawa narin sila sa mga balita na lumalabas sa pahayagan na nagkaroon na ng pinal na desisyon ang Korte Supreme. Alam nila na ginagamit lamang ng Pamilyang Velasco ang media upang malito ang taong bayan.

Naninindigan silang House Representative Electoral Tribunal (HRET) na ang hahawak ng kaso ng mga na-iproklama at nanalong kongresista dahil ito ay naayon sa Sanligang Batas at wala nang saysay kung anu man ang nilalabas ng Korte Suprema.

 

 

Dalawang magka-ibang desisyon ng Korte Suprema - Binatikos!

Naglabas kahapon ng desisyon ang Korte Suprema sa pangunguna ni Justice Estrela Perlas-Bernab ukol sa petisyon na isinumite ni Wigberto Tañada Jr., laban kay John Alvin Tañada at naproklamang kadidatong ng lalawigan ng Quezon na si Representative Angelina Tan.

Ayon sa Korte Suprema, ang mga kaso at reklamo tungkol sa mga nanalo at naiproklamang kongresista at hurisdiksyon na ng HRET o House of Representative Electoral Tribunal, dahil ito ang nakalagay sa ating Sanligang Batas.

mababasa dito ang buong kwento.

Ngunit kasalungat ito sa desisyon na kanilang inilabas noong nakaraang buwan na sinasabing diskwalipikado ang nanalo at proklamadong Representante ng ating lalawigan na si Congw. Regina Ongsiako Reyes dahil sa reklamong dual-citizenship.

mababasa dito ang buong kwento

Lumamang ng halos 4,000 boto noong nakaraang halalan si Congw. Reyes laban sa kanyang katungaling si Allan Jay Velasco. Prinoklama ng Comelec at sumumpa sa opisina ni House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. 

Inakusahan noon ni Congw. Reyes si Justice Presbitero Velasco na iniimpluwesyanahan nito ang iba pang mga hukom sa Korte Suprema upang pumabor ang mga desisyon sa kanyang anak.

Kung totoo ang sinabi ni Justice Estrela Perlas - Bernab na ayon sa ating Sanligang Batas, na ang mga nanalo at proklamadong kongresista ay hurisdiksyon na ng HRET. 

Baket hindi nalang nila hayaan na ang HRET ang magpasya tungkol sa kaso ni Congw. Reyes at ni Allan Jay Velasco? Baket hindi mabitaw-bitawan ng Korte Suprema ang kasong ito?

Marahil ay nagkakaroon na rin ng linaw ang totoong impluwensya ni Justice Presbitero Velasco sa usaping ito.

Pagpapakitang Gilas ng Ang Mata'y Alagaan Party List

Matapos maitampok ng Investigative Documentaries ng GMA News TV kamakailan ang ilan sa sinasabing mga nanalo ngunit kwestionableng mga Party List group.

Agad namang nagpakitang gilas ang isa sa kanila, marahil ay upang matabunan ang isyu at maipakitang karapat-dapat daw talaga silang maging kinatawan ng mga taong may sakit sa mata. Ang Party List group ni Lorna Velasco na Ang Mata'y Alagaan ay kaagad namigay ng mga salamin sa piling matatanda sa ating lalawigan.

Ngunit sa halip na sila ay matuwa sa kanilang natangap na regalo mula sa kongresista, tila inis pa ang kanilang naramdaman. 

Ibis kasing kaginhawahan, sakit sa ulo at pagkahilo pa ang kanilang nadama sa paggamit nito.

Ni hindi pala sila nagkaroon ng check up o kahit anung konsultasyon upang malaman ang kanilang grado, basta agad nalang silang binigyan ng mga ito.

Sobrang panghihinayang naman ang naramdaman ng kanilang mga ka-anak dahil sa pondong nilaan para dito ngunit tila hindi pinagplanuhan at pinagisipan ito.

OFWs sa Egypt at Syria umuwi at magnegosyo na lang

MANILA, Philippines - Hinihikayat ng isang mambabatas ang mga overseas Filipino workers sa Egypt at Syria na umuwi na lamang at magnegosyo upang hindi madamay at maipit ng kaguluhan sa dalawang nabanggit na bansa.

Ayon kay Marinduque Rep. Regina Reyes, may maganda namang programa at tulong na inaalok ng gobyerno sa mga ‘returning OFWs’ kabilang na rito ang ‘livelihood package’ at pagpapautang ng kapital para magsimula ng isang negosyo.

Sinabi ni Reyes, ang Overseas Worker Welfare Administration (OWWA) ang nangangasiwa at magkakaloob ng kapital para sa mga nais na negosyo na babalik na OFWs mula sa Egypt at Syria.

Ang Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) naman ang magbigay ng libreng seminar sa mga nais pasuking ang negosyo ng mga babalik na OFWs.

Muling iginiit ni Rep. Reyes na dapat samantalahin ang mandatory evacuation ng mga OFWs sa Egypt at Syria na ipinapatupad ngayon ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“Habang may panahon pa at hindi pa nadadamay sa kaguluhan ay umuwi na po kayo,” apila ni Reyes.

Si Rep. Reyes ay dati ring OFW na may pagmamahal at malasakit sa kapwa OFW kaya ramdam niya ang hirap ng mga ito, lalo na ang may mga anak at asawa na iniwan sa Pilipinas.

Mababasa dito

Gubat sa Karagatan, Duyan ng buhay..

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Pie Hirondo

Pinangunahan ng kapatirang Alpha Kappa Rho ang isang proyekto na naglalayon upang mas mapangalagaan ang mga mangroves sa ating lalawigan na nasisira dahil sa walang habas na pagputol nito.

Dahil dito, unti - unting tumatamlay ang pangingisda sa ating lalawigan dahil wala ng mapangitlugan ang mga isda at iba pang mga yamang dagat.

Sa pakikipagtulungan ng iba pang mga pampubliko, pribadong sektor at ng opisina ni Congresswoman Regina O. Reyes unti - unti nang manunumbalik ang ganda at sigla ng Luntiang Marinduque!

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Pie Hirondo

"If there is no Mangroves, then the sea will have no meaning. It's like having a tree without roots, for the mangroves are the roots of the sea..."

Marinduque, among the best neighbours in the Philippines!

THE Philippine Human Development Report 2012/2013 identified Marinduque as among the few provinces in the country that shares high values with their neighbours, speeding the human development progress of its people.

The report, released by the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) and National Statistics Coordination Board (NSCB) this week, means the province exhibited strong local neighbourhood effects in human development agenda.

The UNDP defined human development as a way of giving people more life choices — to lead a long and healthy life, to be educated and knowledgeable, and to enjoy a decent standard of living. The human development index (HDI) was measured as a composite statistics of these three categories.

“Some locations exhibit strong local neighbourhood effects over the period: provinces in the Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), for example, and a number of other provinces in Mindanao (Bukidnon, Lanao Norte, Sultan Kudarat) are cold spots. On the other hand, Romblon and Marinduque are hot spots,” the report said.

The term “hot spot” in the report means the province shares similarly high values with its neighbours.

The report also showed the commendable and healthy inter-provinces relation of Marinduque in the MIMAROPA Region and Quezon province, which “… positively implicated in the behaviour of average income growth rates of the provinces…”

Among the provinces in the Philippines, Marinduque ranks 23rd in the HDI, four notches higher than Cebu province.

This significant improvement of HDI was attributed to the progressive development agenda of the province through peace and order, human health, agriculture prospects, access between locations, and specific political scenario. (JP/MNP News Team)

Mababasa dito

MSC to MSU Nalalapit na!

Halos 6 na taon nang hinihintay ng mga estudyante ng Marinduque State College na kilalanin ang kanilang kolehiyo bilang isang ganap na unibersidad.

Noon pang 2007, munungkahi na ng dating Congresswoman Carmencita O. Reyes na palitan na ang pangalan ng MSC at gawin itong MSU. Ito ay para magkaroon din ng sapat na pondo upang makapag bukas pa ng mas maraming kurso at makapagpatayo pa ng sapat na silid aralan para dito. Ngunit sa kanyang termino ay umabot lamang ito sa unang pagbasa sa kongreso.

Sa panahon naman ni Congressman Allan Velasco noong 2010 muli nilang "nire-file" ang batas na ito, ngunit ito ay umabot lamang sa ika-tatlong pagbasa sa kongreso.

Ngayon, muli itong munungkahi ni Congresswoman Regina Ongsiako Reyes bilang House Bill 1820. Dinagdag niya dito na kinakailangan din magkaroon ng sapat na kagamitan ang unibersidad na magagamit ng mga mag-aaral upang mas mapalawig ang kanilang kasanayan sa napili nilang kurso.

Sa tulong ng kasalukuyang administrasyon, positibo ang ating kongresista na ito ay maisakakatuparan bago pa man matapos ang kanyang termino sa 2016. 

Congresswoman Regina Ongsiako Reyes, Kinilala bilang kinatawan ng Marinduque

Sa pagbubukas ng 16th Congress, kinilala ang nanalo at prinoklamang kongresista ng Lone district of Marinduque na si Congresswoman Regina "Ate Gina" Reyes.

Nitong nakaraang State Of the Nation Address  ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III nagkaroon ng "Rollcall" ang bawat kinatawan ng Kongreso.

Nagkaroon din ng botohan para sa Speakership Position kung saan natili parin si Congressman Feliciano Belmonte Jr. ng 4th District of Quezon City bilang House Speaker.  

Mas Pinaigting Na Parusa Para Sa Magnanakaw at Sisira ng mga Road Signages

Tumataas ang mga naitatalang aksidente sa ating mga kalsada, isa sa mga tinuturong dahilan ay ang pagkawala at pagkasira ng mga "Road Signages" na kinakabit ng mga Local Government Unit at ng Department of Public Works and Highways.

Ayon sa tala ng DPWH, noon lamang Enero ng taong ito ay humigit kumulang na 42,558 piraso ng mga "Road Signages" ang ninakaw o sinira.

Dahil dito, naghain ng isang panukalang batas ang nag-iisang kongresista ng Marinduque na si Congresswoman Regina Ongsiako Reyes upang paigtingin ang parusa para sa mga magnanakaw at sisira ng mga ito.

Nakasaad sa kanyang House Bill 1302:

• Labing dalawang (12) taon hanggang labing limang (15) taon na pagkakakulong o multa na umaabot sa dalawang daang libong piso (P200,000) hanggang tatlong daang libong piso (P300,000) ang sinumang mapapatunayang nagnakaw, bumili at nagbenta ng mga road signages, early warning device, man-holes atbp. 

• Anim (6) na taon hanggang sampung (10) taong pagkakakulong o multa na umaabot sa isang daang libong piso (P100,000) hanggang isang daan at limampung libong piso (P150,000) ang sinumang mapapatunayang nagsira o sumira ng mga road signages, early warning device at man-holes atbp.

• Pagtanggal naman ng kanilang mga benepisyo at hindi na papayagang muling magtrabaho sa kahit anung posisyon sa gobyerno ang sinumang empleyado ng gobyerno na mapapatunayang pasimuno o kasangkot sa pagnanakaw, pagsira, pagbili at pagbenta ng mga road signages, early warning device, man-holes atbp.

Inaasahang mababawasan ang mga aksidente sa ating mga kalsada pag naisabatas na ito.

It’s Official: REYES is Marinduque Representative

The House of Representatives formally recognized Reyes yesterday as the duly elected representative of the province during its roll call of members.

Velasco was not invited to the opening session of the House in the morning and to the afternoon’s joint session. He was not included in the roll call.

Reyes was proclaimed on May 18, five days after the elections, beating Velasco by 4,000 votes.

However, on June 25, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualifying the proclaimed winner for allegedly being an American citizen, which she has denied.

Last Tuesday, five days before the convening of Congress and more than two months after the May 13 elections, the Comelec annulled Reyes’ proclamation and proclaimed Velasco in her place.

That same day, Reyes appealed the SC decision upholding her disqualification.

She said the Comelec, in declaring her not qualified to run, relied on an article published on the Internet claiming she is an American citizen, and on photocopies of supposed immigration documents showing that she traveled using an American passport.

She said the poll body violated her right to due process by accepting such kind of evidence and by denying her the opportunity to present her side.

Citing the dissent of Justice Arturo Brion and three other justices to the majority decision upholding her disqualification, Reyes said the evidence was “double hearsay” and should not have been admitted.

Velasco’s non-recognition by the House in its roster of members means that he would now have to pursue his case against Reyes before the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET), even if the SC sticks to its decision disqualifying her.

Velasco has filed an election protest against Reyes with the HRET shortly after the latter was proclaimed on May 18.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II earlier said the Marinduque lawmaker’s disqualification should be resolved by the HRET, and not by the Comelec or SC.

While Velasco was not recognized as a member of the House, his mother, Lorna, was among those included in the roster of members. She represents the party-list group Ang Mata’y Alagaan.

Velasco skips SONA

Velasco decided to skip President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address in Congress yesterday, out of respect for the House’s decision to recognize Reyes as the representative of Marinduque.

“My absence in the opening session does not mean that I am giving up on my battle for the truth and what’s right, but instead, my absence shows my respect for the House and my colleagues and to the sanctity of the proceedings in the election for its speaker and other officers,” Velasco explained.

He said he chose not to attend the event to avoid any untoward incident in the proceedings, as he stressed that the House’s recognition of Reyes in its roll of members was just temporary.

Velasco said Reyes was temporarily recognized by the House’s secretary general because of her proclamation last May 18, which he said was annulled by the Comelec last July 9.

He expressed belief that any and all acts done by Reyes are null and void as he noted that she has no more legal basis to perform the functions of a representative. 

Velasco said he already wrote Belmonte for him to be recognized as the duly elected representative of Marinduque. – With Edu Punay

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Magnitude 4.7 quake jolts Marinduque

MANILA -- A magnitude 4.7 earthquake hit Marinduque Wednesday evening, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

Phivolcs said the epicenter of the earthquake was located 15 kilometers northwest of Boac at 6:51 p.m.

Intensity IV was felt in Boac and Mogpog in Marinduque while Intensity III was felt in Lucena City, and Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro.

The quake was tectonic in origin. It had a depth of 19 kilometers.

No damage was reported. Phivolcs said aftershocks are also not expected.

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SB Remains!

MANILA (Updated 12:40 p.m.) -- Quezon City Representative Feliciano Belmonte Jr., a member of the ruling Liberal Party (LP), was elected to another term as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday.

The close ally of President Benigno Aquino III got 245 votes to regain control of the 280-member chamber.
This is Belmonte's third non-consecutive term as head of the chamber. He was elected Speaker in the 15th Congress. He led the House of Representatives in January to June 2001 during the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. 

LP Secretary General and Western Samar Representative Mel Senen Sarmiento nominated Belmonte in the opening session of the 16th Congress, where 267 out of the 289 members showed up and responded to the roll call.

"The 15th Congress was an active partner of the administration in achieving milestones and in creating policy foundations that now spur the momentum for economic growth," Sarmiento said.

Representatives Enrique Cojuangco (Tarlac), Rolando Andaya Jr. (Camarines Sur), Sharon Garin (Aambis-Owa), Marlen Abigail Binay (Makati City), Franz Alvarez (Palawan), and Rodolfo Farinas (Ilocos Norte) seconded Belmonte's nomination.

"It is apt to choose a leader who will bring the best in us in the next 1,000 days and boost our chances of being rehired or fired," Andaya said.

Representative Ronaldo Zamora (San Juan City), meanwhile, was elected House Minority Leader after falling behind Belmonte in the speakership race. Another candidate, Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, was third in the tally.

Under the rules, the nominee who gets the second highest number of votes will be designated as Minority Leader.

Zamora was appointed Executive Secretary during the term of former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada in 1998.

The new Minority Leader was also one of the candidates for the highest post in the Supreme Court (SC) after former Chief Justice Renato Corona was ousted by the Senate impeachment tribunal.

Romualdez, the nephew of Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos, was all set to assume the responsibility of former Minority Leader Danilo Suarez. Both are members of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) of former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Romualdez, however, lacked the numbers to outvote Zamora. He only got 16 votes compared to Zamora's 18.

Over the weekend, the seven-member Makabayan bloc bolted the majority coalition and threw its support behind Zamora. The group said it found common grounds with the returning congressman in the issues of national industrialization, modernization of agriculture, and the release of all political prisoners.

Those who voted for Belmonte as Speaker are automatically members of the majority coalition while those who voted for Zamora will compose the minority bloc.

Navotas Representative Tobias Tiangco, a member of United Nationalist Alliance, abstained from voting. He said he'd rather go independent. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)


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