200K, P500K Envelopes Given To Pro-Arroyo Lawmakers To Protect GMA from Impeachment?

[ejr]

hindi na aasenso ang pinas pag ganyan ng ganyan ang gagawin nila. imbes na sa mga proyekto ng gobyerno ilalaan ang pera eh ipangsusuhol nila. ang mga balita ngayon eh puro na lang kurakutan sa gobyerno kaya nakakatamad ng manuod ng balita.

[VtEC]

can't take it any longer.they are too much.kakaumay na!!!!

[explorer]

from: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquire...ticle_id=94424

2 governors: ‘Yes, we received money’
2 more governors bare ‘gifts’ from Palace

By Arlyn dela Cruz, Christine Avendaño
Inquirer
Last updated 01:54am (Mla time) 10/15/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- And now there are three.

Two more governors -- both from southern Luzon -- Sunday owned up to receiving P500,000 each from Malacañang last week at the height of a controversy over moves to impeach President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Their admissions brought to three the number of top provincial executives who had said they received handouts from the Palace, following a similar statement given by Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio.

But unlike Panlilio, the two governors asked not to be identified for their own reasons. One fears courting Ms Arroyo’s displeasure, while the other one is an official of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), which has taken the position of denying there had been any such handouts.

A fourth governor said he also heard money flowed after the Malacañang meeting on Thursday but that he missed the Palace “blessings” because he had to leave quickly for another appointment.

“Yes, we received money that morning,” one of the two southern Luzon governors said in a phone interview.

The governor added that the money “was given just like that, no conditions, no instructions as to where the money should be used or why we are being given money.”

According to this governor’s claim, all the other governors who attended the meeting were handed brown paper gift bags. Inside the bags were paper bills amounting to between P200,000 and P500,000.

But such an act -- distributing money after a meeting of officers and members of ULAP -- did not come as a surprise anymore.

What came as a surprise was the amount given, this governor said, adding that at Subic two months ago, a similar meeting of ULAP officers and members called by Malacañang was marked by distribution of cash.

At that Subic meeting, a Palace representative told the local officials: “Pang gasolina lang (This is just for gasoline money).”

This governor, a member of the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrat coalition, said Thursday’s handouts were viewed by most of the governors as “pampalubag loob” (token).

“Malacañang knew that as local executives we have so many emergency expenses, especially those involving our poor constituents, so that’s why this money is given to us and we are even thankful for this will [help] our pro-poor projects,” this governor explained.

Brown bag missed

The governor asked for complete anonymity, “or else mag-aaway tayo (we’ll quarrel).”

Another southern Luzon governor admitted receiving also P500,000.

This second governor also said the money had nothing to do with the impeachment complaint against Ms Arroyo.

“What I know is that many governors have been complaining that they have no expenses for the barangay elections and many barangay captains are approaching them for help,” the second governor told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net.

The third governor said he missed the brown bag because he had to dash out for another engagement. This third governor heard about the money distribution later from a text message from another local executive.

“I was told about it by a fellow governor and I was somehow disappointed that I did not get one because that amount could be used for barangay projects and we local officials need all the help we can get to attend to the many basic problems of our constituents,” the third governor said.

This governor is not identified as an ally of the administration but maintains a “cordial political relationship” with Ms Arroyo.

A total of 48 governors attended Thursday’s meeting called by Malacañang.

Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, ULAP secretary general, said the other day that Thursday’s meeting actually discussed the pending impeachment complaint against Ms Arroyo and agreed it should be thrown out.

Evardone also said the governors agreed to rally behind Ms Arroyo and that they wanted the Senate probe into the controversial National Broadband Network deal stopped.

In a statement, the leaders and members of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) denied knowledge of any money changing hands at the Palace meeting.

“We ... strongly deny allegations that we were given cash by Malacañang last Thursday,” said the statement issued by Misamis Occidental Gov. Leo Ocampos, LPP president.

Ocampos’ statement said that the report that Governor Panlilio was given money was “unknown to all of us.”

“Maybe, just maybe, since he’s the governor of the President’s home province, he was given special attention,” the statement said. “But on the whole, no cash gift was given to us.”

Ocampos said his colleagues were already grateful to Ms Arroyo for having included the local governments in a panel to oversee projects between the Philippines and China, the timely release of funds for various super region projects, and the inclusion of P5-billion Kilos Asenso Fund and the P2-billion Barangay Kalayaan Fund in the proposed 2008 national budget.

“These multibillion-peso projects are more than enough to reaffirm our support to President Arroyo,” the statement said.

Undersecretary Antonio “Tonypet” Albano of the Office of Political Coalition Affairs urged Panlilio to identify the Palace staff member who purportedly gave him the cash.

“I wished Governor Panlilio would name the person so this could be investigated,” said Albano, who also strongly denied being at the President’s meeting with ULAP members.

In Sorsogon City, Gov. Sally Lee also denied having received a cash gift after the Palace meeting.

Lee said the governors were in Malacañang merely to witness the oath-taking of Ramon Guico as the new president of ULAP.

In Pangasinan, mayors in the province also denied received money from Malacañang.

Anda Mayor Nestor Pulido said he and other Pangasinan mayors were at the Palace for their oath-taking and to witness the turnover of the ULAP leadership.

Calasiao Mayor Roy Macanlalay said he did not receive anything.

Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno branded the reports about the supposed money distribution at the Palace as another ploy perpetrated by personalities gearing for the 2010 presidential election.

Moreno admitted signing a press statement criticizing the impeachment case against Ms Arroyo but denied having received anything during the closed-door Palace meeting.

“It’s unfair to make a sweeping generalization that everyone who attended that affair received something,” he said.

Senators were “outraged” by the reported distribution of cash envelopes.

“I will file a resolution today to have a formal investigation where we will invite resource persons with knowledge of the payoffs, whether recipients or givers,” said Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

Lacson said the Senate would likely summon Panlilio to testify.

“Now that a governor, no less than the local head of the President’s home province, has provided first-hand public testimony that money changed hands, it is appropriate to determine where the money came from,” Lacson said.

He added: “We are not only talking about impropriety but also criminal acts (of giving money right inside Malacañang).”

Sen Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said: “It is outrageous that this administrations is resorting to this trickery to shield or ‘immunize’ the President from facing an impeachment case containing the grave offenses she has committed that may be initiated by the opposition and other groups that are disenchanted with her misrule.”

[Syuryuken]

Si Gov. Panlilio din binigyan ng 500K pero malas nila ibinunyag ni Gov. sa media yung ibinigay sa kanya.

[chua_riwap]

Among Ed Names DoTC Chief’s Son as Money Hander

10/16/2007

The truth surfaces, a little at a time.

Pampanga Gov. Eduardo Panlilio yesterday held a press conference in his province and identified Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza’s son, Bulacan Gov. Joselito “Jonjon” Mendoza, the leader of his province’s Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) party, as the giver of a paper bag containing P500,000 in cash in the grounds of Malacañang.

Panlilio, in his conference which was televised live, showed the bag to reporters, as well as the cash it contained. He clarified yesterday that the bag was handed by Mendoza to his aide, Archie Reyes, who then handed it to him later.

“First, I did not think it was bribe money, otherwise I would not have accepted it. I received it in good faith. I consider the money to have come from public funds as it was given by Malacañang and that it will be used for public purpose,” he said.

He said he believed that after receiving the cash, the documentation would come later or Malacañang would coordinate with the provincial government for the processing of the money.

Also interviewed for his reaction, Mendoza confirmed Panlilio’s statements, admitting it was he who had handed the paper bag and cash to the Pampanga governor’s chief of staff, saying it had come from a “female staff member of Malacañang” who had asked him to hand the bag to Panlilio.

He, however, refused to identify the woman, but sources have pointed to this Palace staff member as Remedios Poblador. Panlilio also mentioned that earlier, he and Mendoza talked about money being given to the governors, and whether the governor priest would be accepting it.

Panlilio claimed he told Mendoza that he would take the money, if this was meant for community and barangay projects, but would reject it if this is meant for the barangay elections.

Mendoza then reportedly replied that he would do the same.

The Pampanga governor’s chief of staff claimed that he didn’t know what was in the paper bag either, handed to him by Mendoza, saying that he thought it contained some t-shirts or other stuff that Panlilio usually was given, stressing that the only time he opened the bag and found cash in it was when they were already in the car.

Panlilio then ordered his secretary to turn over the money to the provincial administrator upon reaching Pampanga.

He reiterated that he did not think it was “bribe money” else, he would not have accepted the money, even as he acknowledged that he knew the money came from public funds, as it came from Maalcañang.

He appeared not to have questioned the fact that the money was in cash and that no receipts were issued.

In line with his, the Pampanga governor said he had already sent Malacañang a letter asking the source of the money, after which he will be issuing a receipt. If clarified by Malacanang, he said the money will be deposited in the trust account of the provincial government and will be spent with the approval of the Provincial Board for barangay projects.”

Panlilio said he will return the money if he does not receive a response from Malacañang. He stressed that there was nothing to indicate during the meeting that the cash was meant to convince governors to support or reject the impeachment bid against Mrs. Arroyo, pointing out that contrary to what was claimed by the League of Governors through Gov. Ben Evardone, it was agreed by the governors present that the law should take its course in the impeachment complaint.

But it appears that Panlilio will have to return the cash given to him by Malacanang, as Palace aides yesterday were in denial.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita kept mum over the issue, saying reporters should not ask him about this since he was not present during the meeting of governors. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye Sunday, picking up on what Panlilio claimed on getting the money and putting it to good use, said there was nothing questionable about giving cash gifts to governors and congressmen last Thursday.

“There is nothing wrong with receiving a donation, provided it is put to good use,” Bunye told Malacañang reporters. He said even the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin saw nothing wrong in accepting donations.

But this was yesterday denied by Bunye himself, who said he never said it.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. for his part, also denied that the money received by the governors could not have come from Malacañang, stressing that his office, the Department of Burget and Management, has no budget for these cash gifts and donations, while pointing out that the DBM does not release cash directly to local officials.

“What we have is the authority to hand out pieces of paper saying the projects can be undertaken,” he was quoted as saying to television reporters.

Ermita and Andaya, both former members of the House of Representatives, however, said it was normal for local officials to request projects from the President or Malacañang for their respective districts or provinces.

Ermita also denied payoffs were also given to congressmen during the breakfast meeting, even as other congressmen, namely Rep. Mauricio Domogan and Rep. Roque Ablan have admitted to having received “cash gifts” from Malacañang.

[VtEC]

bilang na oras nyo mga kawatan kayo!!!!!!

mabuti nalang mabait pa si among ed.yan ang transparent talaga.walang tinatago.

ito namang anak ng pulis na ito, takot pang mag name names.amp, ala kang bayag!!!!!pangalan palang takot na sya meaning may tinatago talaga at kasama sya don

[Galactus]

AFAIK, Gov. Joselito Mendoza is NOT the son of Sec. Leandro Mendoza.

Governor Mendoza is the younger brother of former Bulacan Gov. Josie Mendoza Cruz. Yung anak ni Sec. Mendoza ay isang Congressman from Batangas.

[badsekktor]

AFAIK, Gov. Joselito Mendoza is NOT the son of Sec. Leandro Mendoza.

Governor Mendoza is the younger brother of former Bulacan Gov. Josie Mendoza Cruz. Yung anak ni Sec. Mendoza ay isang Congressman from Batangas.

hehe nagulat nga ako sa report na anak ni sec leandro mendoza si gov jonjon.

gov panlilio said that he received the money from jonjon kaya siguro pumiyok na rin si gov jonjon.

i really have a feeling that majority sa govt eh corrupt! mula sa pinakamataas hanggang sa pinakamababa.... just check their lifestyles..... di mo malaman kung saan kumukuha ng pera.... siguro kapag naupo ka sa puwesto magkakaroon ng minahan ng pera sa loob ng bahay mo?

[claRkEnt]

.
Moral Bankruptcy!... what an apt description...

.

CBCP head says RP suffering from moral bankruptcy


[SIZE=2]Amid allegations of cash gifts distributed by Malacañang to administration congressmen and local officials, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines lamented that the country is suffering from "moral bankruptcy disappointingly shown by our leaders."[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]"Bribery is not an acceptable word even to culprits, so, it is better called ‘gifts.’ And so, in order to feel good and escape the blame of conscience, bribe is also called a ‘gift,’" said Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo in a statement. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Lagdameo added: "With this sort of thing happening, our country is not only suffering from economic bankruptcy but also moral bankruptcy, disappointingly being shown by our leaders. We are very much concerned with our youth who are looking at our leaders for models in honesty, integrity, and transparency." [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Last week speculations have surfaced that Malacañang had distributed P200,000 to P500,000 to 190 congressmen and some local officials after their meetings presided by President Arroyo. The money reportedly was given in exchange for the transmittal of an alleged weak impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Roberto Pulido against Mrs. Arroyo.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Some congressmen admitted receiving the money but denied that it was a bribe, saying that the money was a mere allowance and that it came from the Lower House and not from Malacañang. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio and Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza earlier said they received P500,000 each from a female staff member of Malacañang. They said the money was placed in paper bags and handed to them inside the palace compound after a governor's league meeting. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]The two governors said they do not know where the money came from. They added that they will send letters to Malacañang to inquire where the money came from.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]But Lagdameo pointed out that "from the moral standpoint" anyone should not accept money whose origin is dubious. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]He added that he supports the plan of the Senate to conduct an inquiry on the allegations. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]In a press conference, CBCP spokesman Monsignor Pedro Quitorio said the CBCP is supporting Panlilio’s move to come forward and tell the truth. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Quitorio added that those who received the alleged cash gifts should emulate the Pampanga governor.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Malacañang had denied the allegations of bribery or cash given to solons to support the impeachment complaint.[/SIZE]

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/topoftheh...?StoryId=96017

[buriroy]

I still believe that majority of Filipinos are good, decent people
who are morally upright.

Its just so sad that the minority who are morally bankrupt
scoundrels are at the top of the food chain - our so-called "revered"
poiliticians!

I still believe in karma and I really believe that in the end, each and every
one of these animals will suffer a fate worse than hell! Maubos na sana
lahi nyong lahat - mga pasakit sa bayan!