Maniolas

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (MNS Photo) MANILA, June 4 (Mabuhay) – Justice Leila de Lima on Wednesday rejected accusations of incompetence and bias for alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles during her first confirmation hearing this Congress. Three individuals opposed De Lima’s confirmation: former Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua, whistleblower Sandra Cam and private individual Virginia Libunao. Before answering the oppositions, De Lima delivered an opening statement, where she enumerated alleged irregularities she has investigated, including the alleged pork barrel scam. “It is impossible to carry out the mandate of Secretary of Justice without getting negative sentiment… All I have done is to do my job, nothing more, nothing less,” De Lima said. She then proceeded to debunk Cam’s accusations one by one. De Lima said it is “regrettable” that Cam will accuse her of “gross incompetence by granting undue benefits to Napoles.” The Cabinet official said she only accommodated Napoles’ supposed tell-all to get to bottom of the alleged pork barrel scam. “As part of my truth seeking mandate, why would I not listen?… We are currently undertaking vetting to determine which of allegations of Mrs. Napoles has basis. It is part of our truth seeking mandate,” De Lima said. Incompetence, media killings Cam also accused De Lima of incompetence as Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson from 2008 to 2010, and for the supposed inaction against media killings. “If a public officer proves unfit for a position, it is my duty to bring this to the attention Read More …

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (MNS Photo) MANILA, June 4 (Mabuhay) – Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday refused to answer allegations that she had illicit affairs with at least two married men. Sen. Jinggoy Estrada raised the issue about de Lima’s supposed affairs during the justice chief’s confirmation hearing before the bicameral Commission on Appointments. “I do not want to publicly engage insofar as those issues are concerned. It’s too demeaning for me,” de Lima told Estrada. She said she will give a written response to the allegations by whistleblower Sandra Cam, which also include other claims of misdemeanor as justice chief. De Lima said in an interview that she had no intention of remarrying even though she was seeing someone. “Our marriage has been officially annulled so now I am legally single by judicial decree. I committed to myself that I won’t remarry. I don’t know. I just don’t want. I guess because the kind of life that I have, stressful life, it’s an understatement. It’s a stressful daily life with all the schedules. I feel I would not be doing justice to my partner if he will be brought into relationship,” she said. Cam is the first to claim de Lima had illicit affairs, saying she would not have raised the allegations if she could not prove it. She claimed that while de Lima’s marriage has been annulled, “the other party is married.” Asked if the alleged affairs would affect de Lima’s work, Cam said: “Well, Read More …

President Benigno Aquino III and Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman will face rejection yet again before the bicameral Commission on Appointments, courtesy of no less than Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago. In a letter to Rep. Conrado Estrella III, Santiago said she is planning to invoke Section 20 of the CA Rules to suspend consideration of Soliman’s nomination as Department of Social Welfare and Development secretary. The senator said she has been opposed to Soliman’s nomination from the very beginning of the Aquino administration because the DSWD chief was a “fervent devotee of President Arroyo.” “All of a sudden, on her way to Emmaus, she heard a voice telling her that President Arroyo is allegedly corrupt. Conveniently, she then turned her back on her erstwhile patron and ran to the other side of the street to join President Aquino’s daang matuwid,” she said in her letter. Santiago said Soliman should be satisfied with one term as DSWD chief under one president. She also said Soliman cannot retain her post on the strength of her denunciations of her former boss. Soliman is a member of the so-called Hyatt 10 group of officials who resigned their posts on July 8, 2005 as a result of the “Hello, Garci” wiretapping scandal. The resigned officials urged then President Arroyo to resign for allegedly rigging the results of the 2004 presidential election. Soliman was reappointed DSWD Secretary by President Aquino in 2010. In her Read More …

Ruffa Gutierrez (MNS Photo) Beauty queen-actress Ruffa Gutierrez denied that the foreigner she’s with in Tim Yap’s Instagram photos is already her boyfriend. Gutierrez said she and the guy in the photos, whom she identified as French-Israeli entrepreneur Jordan Mouyal, are still “getting to know each other.” “I met him in Manila. Mabait naman siya. He’s visiting me here now. So siguro lagi siyang nakikita,” she said. Contrary to rumors, Gutierrez clarified that she and Mouyal are not yet a couple. “He’s so private. He’s in the IT business, he has a company. Nandito siya ngayon for another week or so and then he goes back. [Walang label], kain-kain lang ng food kapag may time,” she said. Asked to comment on her mother, talent manager Annabelle Rama, who recently marked that her daughter wastes her money on younger guys, Gutierrez said, “Si mommy para lang may masabi siya minsan ‘di ba… Yung mga nail-link naman sa akin, that’s just puro tsismis.” In a previous interview, Gutierrez emphasized she is not “officially” dating anyone. However, Gutierrez, who is part of the Star Cinema movie “Maybe This Time,” said it is still her dream to walk down the aisle again one day. “Before kasi, ayoko na magpakasal talaga. Pero since ang daming nagpapakasal lately and every time na may nagpapakasal umiiyak ako, sabi ko, ‘Ay, I’m really a romantic at heart.’ So gusto ko talaga magpakasal ulit,” she told The Philippine Star. Gutierrez was previously married Turkish businessman Yilmaz Bektasin 2003. In Read More …

Joveno ‘Bing’ De La Vega is president and chair of Kalayaan 2014. LOS ANGELES – A page in our historical saga, and an epic of courage, valor and profound love of country, unfolds June 14, at the Westin Los Angeles Airport hotel when Kalayaan Incorporated hosts a cultural evening commemorating the 116thanniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. The theme this year: “Pagsunod sa Yapak ng mga Dakilang Pilipino, Tungo sa Malawakan at Permanenteng Pagbabago,” roughly: Following footsteps of great Filipinos, towards universal and permanent change. PH Senator Grace Poe will headline Southern California’s celebration of freedom day as the guest speaker. “She has been dubbed as the most respectful member of congress in the Philippines because she never fails to say ‘poe’ and ‘opoe,’” quipped Joveno ‘Bing’ De La Vega, president and overall chair of the gala. “She made election history by garnering the highest number of votes (20 million) in the May 2013 elections.  This overwhelming mandate,” he added, “must have inspired her to work hard towards her father’s unfulfilled dream of uplifting the lives of the Filipino people.” One of the first bills the senator filed is the institutionalization of a feeding program for public elementary and secondary schools (Sustansya sa Batang Pilipino Program). Sen. Poe grew up knowing actress Susan Roces and her husband, the late action film star Fernando Poe Jr., as her parents. Her father is also known by monickers ‘FPJ’ and ‘Da King,’ short for King of Philippine Movies. She’s married to Neil Llamanzares, Read More …