When he is not playing the role of his party mates’ campaign manager, you can find Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino playing the lead role of their defense counsel. Yes, defending members of his inner circle, particularly cabinet secretaries who have been implicated in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam or pork barrel scam is the President’s top priority at the moment. In fact, he has been playing the role of campaign manager and defense counsel since Day One of his term; so long that most Filipinos have likely forgotten that he should actually be doing his role as the head of state instead.
These hands handpicked a lot of alleged crooks for sensitive government positions
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Unfortunately for BS Aquino, the damage to his administration’s reputation this time around is not as trivial as the Mai Mislang incident in Vietnam. As a former member of Malacanang’s communication team, BS Aquino’s drinking buddy, Mislang embarrassed herself when she ungraciously whined about how “the wine sucks” on social media during a banquet hosted by Vietnam and lamented about the lack of handsome men in the host country back in 2010.
BS Aquino’s current predicament is not as easily fixed by his erring staff’s resignation just like what the President’s shooting buddy and former Undersecretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Rico Puno did when he got caught up in dubious circumstances.
Recall that Puno had to resign when the public grew suspicious of his actions immediately after the death of his former boss DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo in a plane crash. People couldn’t understand why Puno and his men had to “break-in” to Robredo’s office to retrieve “sensitive” documents. A lot of people actually thought that Puno should have resigned a long time ago particularly after a report conducted by the Department of Justice found Puno to be one of the government officials accountable for the deaths of eight Chinese tourists in the Mendoza hostage crises in 2010.
Back then, BS Aquino already showed his bias for his allies when he absolved all of those accountable including Puno and former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim of any responsibility. It was a decision that would later anger the relatives of the Hong Kong tourists who died and infuriate Hong Kong officials. BS Aquino’s lack of empathy for the victims and refusal to apologize for his government’s shortfall even resulted in Hong Kong imposing sanctions against Filipino travellers.
Budget Secretary Butch Abad: Architect of illegal appropriations and Napoles mentor?
Some of his misguided supporters defend BS Aquino by saying that he is not corrupt himself but that he is surrounded by people who are. The problem with their claim is that, they don’t realize that BS Aquino’s high tolerance for corrupt activities involving his allies reflect on his inability to control even those close to him. His irrational approach to justice is beginning to look like a result of his lack of conviction. The double standards he applies to his friends and enemies alike exposes him as a coward deep down inside. His cowardliness is masked by the false bravado he projects to the public eye.
Why is BS Aquino afraid of firing or even reprimanding his own staff? It could be he is either too scared of what a disgruntled staff member might tell the public about him or he has no choice but to stick to those who swear allegiance to the yellow flag because an outsider could inadvertently disclose his incompetence to those who still believe he is for “Daang Matuwid” or “straight path”.
BS Aquino’s desperate attempts at defending his staff were so apparent when he used the “innocent until proven guilty” defense – a defense that somehow does not apply to his political enemies especially former President Gloria Arroyo (GMA) and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Renato Corona.
When it comes to his allies, the President is an advocate of looking at proof or evidence before judging the accused:
Aquino said it would be improper to remove his aides because of mere criticisms.
Aquino said Villanueva had already explained to him why he was implicated in the pork barrel scam.
“Is there evidence? For instance, not to pre-judge, Secretary (Joel) Villanueva showed me his alleged request. (The) letterhead was not of his partylist CIBAC. His partylist where he had ran under was CIBAC. But the partylist (used) as letterhead in the alleged document from him was (the name of) another partylist,” Aquino said.
The people can count on BS Aquino to go the extra mile just to explain why any of his staff who are involved in scams are innocent. He even reiterates that his staff still enjoys his full trust and confidence – something that members of the opposition will never enjoy.
And you can also count on him to remind the public that he is determined to re-file the case against GMA for her alleged involvement in the fertilizer fund scam. He has already instructed DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima to find concrete evidence to support the refiling of the case. He did this immediately after the case against GMA was dismissed by the office of the ombudsman. It seems looking like a hypocrite doesn’t matter to BS Aquino at all. It just comes naturally to him. If he still doesn’t have evidence against GMA, then why is she in jail? Some people have even commented that BS Aquino is showing psychopathic tendencies in dealing with GMA.
Unclean hands: No amount of prayer can wash BS Aquino’s tainted hands!
Now that it has been revealed that no less than Budget Secretary Florencio Abad allegedly benefitted from the pork barrel scam, we can now understand why the budget for the PDAF kept going up every year. Abad’s 2014 budget would have allocated 200 million pesos for every senator and 70 million for every congressman. It was mind-boggling how Abad kept putting up the pork allocation when there was no evidence that the money given to the lawmakers in the past made a difference to the plight of the poor nor was the PDAF allocation improving the country’s decrepit infrastructure.
The inclusion of Abad in pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Napoles’ list is another interesting chapter in BS Aquino’s sorry saga. It would be interesting to see how Abad can come out of this one unscathed. No matter what version of the list people look at, and there are three versions so far, Abad’s name keeps coming up.
The more BS Aquino defends his allies, the more he loses his credibility. The President appears to be too thick to realize this though. And the people who still believe that BS Aquino is not corrupt should have their heads examined.
[Photo of President Aquino’s voting hands and Secretary Butch Abad courtesy Winnipeg Free Press and Bloomberg respectively.]
In life, things are not always what they seem.
It’s disgusting to spend a piece focusing multiple times on any part of Noynoy’s body. Granted you have to do that since his brain is non existent. Like you said he symbolizes Pinoy anti intellectualism.
Had to emphasise that his hands are not that clean.
Oh I’m sure PNoy will find a way. As long as it’s his allies there is a way.
Aquino is a very “special” person who lives in his own special world. Just looking at Abad makes me come to a verdict: GUILTY as charged.
The Napoles’ list and other accusations have no probative value unless substantiated by evidence. Anyone can come up with a list and implicate other people in alleged crimes but to prove you are right before the people and the court is another thing. Isn’t it what the constitutional experts and the supreme court have to say every time there is an allegation of a crime committed by any individual? We are always following the rules of the court. Go figure.
Then Abad has to be prosecuted ASAP.
Just like how BS Aquino and his minions came up and keeps coming up with a list of alleged crimes that includes GMA. People have noticed that the cases against her keeps getting dismissed for lack of “evidence”. It’s so obvious that he just wants to keep her detained just to appear like he is doing something about corruption.
People have noticed too how “innocent until proven guilty” only apply to the President’s allies. Very hypocritical of him. He has never appealled to the public to give his political enemies the benefit of the doubt the same way he appeals for his allies.
‘He has never appealled to the public to give his political enemies the benefit of the doubt the same way he appeals for his allies.’
Nor will you find a shortage of commenters like ‘Jigs’ seeding social media networks with appeals for fairness and a strict adherence to the rule of law when dealing with administration lackeys. At the same time, ‘Jigs’ calls for a ‘vigilante’ stance in the name of ‘justice’ when presented with the case against known Aquino dissenters.
@Johnny Saint
I noticed this “Jigs” show up every time there is an article critical of his boss “BS” Aquino. He also has the facility to change his IP address.
@Ilda
It’s very likely that this “jigs” fellow is indeed a member of the malacanang trolls group since he keeps protecting his boss Aquino.
He can deny it all he want but its already clear that he’s a paid hack.
He cant stop the criticisms because his boss is already exposed as being corrupt.
Not only does ‘Jigs’ switch IP addresses, he also switches personalities. The writing style is different from the last few comments by ‘Jigs.’ It isn’t replete with errors in grammar. And there is an actual thought in the comment; a departure from the previous rambling mess purporting to have been written by ‘Jigs.’
Well, I should say they are doing what is right to detain this woman and hopefully she will eventually be incarcerated for a lifetime. Two major obvious reasons why she deserves it that the public would agree. First, she made Filipino people angry by not stepping down from Malacanang for years, especially after 2004 elections, which they believed were marred by fraud and deception, followed by multiple scams and scandals resulted to the consistent negative ratings of her from the public until 2010. Second, during and after her term (2001-2010), the Philippines has been tagged as “Asia’s Laggard”, “Most Corrupt in Asia” and “Sick Man of Asia” among others by international communities. We were a laughingstock in the world at the time.
In almost 10years of her reign with little visible progress at all, the public is more convinced that she has done an outright abominable crimes right before their noses.
Compare her almost 10years of service and public trust ratings to that of Noynoy in just almost 4years of his presidency and I would say Gloria is the true ampaw and awful manager. At the end of the term of PNoy in 2016, let’s compare and contrast his governance to GMA and you would believe that the former has more brain cells than the latter.
And of course, PNoy has to defend his allies simply because they have gained his trust based on their performance and behavior and simply because Napoles and GMA cannot be trusted as based on what they have woefully done to the public in the past. Benefit of the doubt is unequivocally not applicable to them. You bet!
Your post: all crap, no substance. Saying that the former president is the “true ampaw and awful manager” is pure TROLLING. 😀 Of course, that is what the biased tells everyone to gullible fools like you.
It’s hilarious that people like you go EMO over PGMA, claiming she stole millions of YOUR money (when its the governments money to begin with. Taxation money ain’t yours son! You aren’t down with that? Complain about taxation without representation!) when she also was an efficient leader that kept the Philippines economy afloat, invested on its economic side and did what she could to keep the government from going astray as she wasn’t going to get any legitimacy as the transitional leader after Estrada. So in this system, she had to what she can to gain allies, even if it meant throwing money at them.
In other words, parang ang pahiwatig na ang problema ay nag umpisa kay Arroyo at perpekto ang pagka lagay at implemento ng constitution ng 1987 at kahit noon pa ng 1942.
You’re just TROLLING. You bet!
This again?
Recycled spiel with no substance.
Tsk,tsk,tsk.
You noytards will always suck Aquino’s little c**k even if he is totally wrong. That’s not patriotism, thats being blind sheeple.
Pinning the blame again on gloria won’t convince us since your propaganda is like a broken record. You are just beating up a dead horse with your constant blaming of the past government.
Your “dissent opinion” will never be accepted here because its not even opinion in the first place, its just propaganda.
@Jigs
Detaining someone based on “hearsay” is called persecution. Those who condone this abominable treatment should be locked up in a mental hospital.
The first automated election in 2010 is also believed by many to have been marred by fraud and deception. PNoy also ignored the calls for investigation into the alleged manipulation of the machines. It seems this current administration has more in common with the past administration that you care to admit. This is especially true since there are also multiple scams and scandals during PNoy’s term involving his cabinet members.
The Philippines has been tagged “Asia’s laggard” and “sick man of Asia” even before GMA came into power. Even with PNoy in power now, the Philippines is still in the list of one of the “most corrupt in Asia and the world”. We also maintain being the laughingstock of the world for PNoy’s incompetence in dealing with the Chinese and corruption in government. His lack of diplomatic skills doesn’t help but only makes the relationship with China worse.
You say there was “little visible progress” during GMA’s term but PNoy just copied her economic policies including increasing government spending and relying on OFWs for “growth”. The only thing PNoy has done well is to run a propaganda machine.
What performance? Do you think Abad’s move to increase the budget for the pork barrel “excellent” performance?
Try not to expose your bias too much.
P.S
You’re totally wrong about FPGMA being an ampaw president because she doesn’t rely on idiots to spread propaganda unlike your AMPAW president that is obviously paying you to defend him.
If he was doing his job, he wouldn’t send idiots like YOU to troll here.
Post 2016, Penoy Aquino will be portrayed as the head of state who initially captured the imagination of the world when he propounded that his administration would be hallmarked by honesty, integrity and, above all, prosperity. A stark contrast to the perceived corruption of his predecessor.
History will remember Penoy Aquino as…
A mediocre personality who was elected to the highest office in the land based not on merit or capability, but on the memory of his dead parents.
A lacklustre leader who appointed unqualified cronies (a majority of whom have never been confirmed by Congress) to sensitive government positions and who have repeatedly been shown on video to be violating the law in complete disregard of their oath of office and the code of conduct they are sworn to uphold.
An indifferent administrator who, instead of allowing the designated anti-terrorist elements to do their job, bypassed the specialists and assigned an untrained, ill-equipped, publicity-hungry crony in the police to handle a hostage situation which resulted in the very public murders of several Chinese tourists. A tragedy for which Penoy stubbornly refuses refuses to acknowledge responsibility, much less express sympathy or regret.
A closet narcissist who places more importance in conducting his non-story ‘love affair’ in front of news cameras than formulating public policy.
A middle aged buffoon suffering a midlife crisis who shut down major thoroughfares so that he could drive his Porsche 911 above the speed limit.
LAZY. He passed no legislation while he was a member of Congress nor did his administration push through any measures that weren’t legally defective. After nearly four years, the Philippines still exists in a state of inertia. NONE of the essential infrastructure projects he promised have gotten any significant headway. Worse he went back on international agreements already signed by previous administrations. One result of which has been the recent flooding in Metro Manila when Penoy discontinued a flood control project consummated during President Arroyo’s administration.
Coupled with the laziness is the glaring evidence that Penoy is…
A STUPID AND INCOMPETENT MANAGER. He has hired incompetent and ill-suited people to run key departments in his administration. He’s filled the DOTC with lawyers when the agency needs ENGINEERS. As a result, four years of Penoy has FAILED to produce any roads or airports or new power plants. ALL of which he promised at the start of his term. He’s even held up completion of the projects that were already under way before he took office.
The second Aquino to plunge the Philippines into DARKNESS. This is self-evident. No new power plants, ergo less power for a growing number of consumers. In 2014 the country faces one of the worst power shortages in its history. Akin to the energy crisis created by Penoy’s mother, the late Cory Aquino. Mindanao already experiences 12 hour blackouts. Luzon and the Visayas look to follow suit within the next few weeks.
A heartless oligarch who presided over a growing population of impoverished Filipinos while a larger proportion of the country’s wealth became allocated to Filipino ‘elite’ — the EXACT OPPOSITE of the Penoy administration’s raison d’être.
A bumbling diplomat who arrogantly tried to goad China into a shooting war with the expectation he could go crying to the United States to bail him out.
And worst of all…
A hypocritical, lying thief who created the highly questionable ‘Disbursement Allocation Program’ — a largely unaccountable executive policy (with little or no oversight), that expands on the anomaly-riddled funding program originally created by his mother, Cory Aquino, to facilitate the redistribution of the taxpayers’ money to cronies and allies for their personal use.
He’ll also be remembered as someone who relies on sending paid stooges to spread propaganda online
@Jigs
Following the rules of court?
Yeah, Tell that to CJ Corona, where blackmail, bribe and hearsay are considered evidence.
not to mention fake evidences concocted by his lackies!
I’m still learning about this country, so forgive my ignorance. Does the Philippines have any hard-edged TV interviewers who’ll just put these questions to the president and other politicians bluntly in an awkward and satisfying interview, and not tolerate their sidetracking bullshit?
Someone like Jeremy Paxman, John Sweeney or Stephen Sackur in the UK. (I don’t know their American equivalents, I just watch the satire shows).
Whenever I read these political stories on GRP, the writers raise the clear questions that need to be addressed. I just wonder if anyone gets the chance to do so.
No, there aren’t. Just paid hacks who’ll do the polititcians’ propaganda work for the right price. Everyone else does ‘soft’ interviews. Not unlike something you’d expect from Ellen Degeneres or Oprah Winfrey.
Minor correction, Mr Dave. Local hacks will do two things for the right price. First, as I previously mentioned, is propaganda. Second, they can be engaged to conduct a smear campaign against their political patron’s enemies.
As an example, look over the series of reports produced by ABS-CBN news anchor Ted Failon on the supposed adverse effect that the West Cove resort has on the ecology of Boracay island. While his efforts appear, on the surface, to be laudable, all of it is in favour of the local mayor who represents business interests that want to gain control over a very desirable tract of real estate which West Cove’s owner refuses to sell.
@Dave
Unfortunately, no. Most members of the press can be bought. The boss of Rappler for example showed her true colours during the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona. She kept posting comments on social media that painted Corona in a bad light. She didn’t give the accused the benefit of the doubt and as a member of the media, did not follow the code of conduct expected of her.
Thanks for laying it out. I guess I’m still naive when it comes to the extent of corruption!
The main thing I have a problem understanding is that clearly pretty much everyone knows this stuff is going on (if not the specifics) but that doesn’t have any effect on its continuing. I’m not looking for more explanations there, just venting.
Probably because in this country, money talks and alot of people really wouldn’t want to counter such people in high positions blatantly lest they want their body to be tossed at ilog Pasig or some other place. This country is corrupted to the roots.
you mean she should have filtered out the negative comments against coronakot and just allowed the positive ones?
Commentary is fine. It was never about having an opinion, whether for or against. The issue was always about (and you certainly are aware of this) pre-judging the outcome of the Corona enquiry, smearing his reputation and helping to demonise the man and shaping public opinion so that Filipinos would be predisposed to accepting a ‘guilty’ verdict. For a person who professes objectivity as a journalist, it is very hypocritical of Maria Ressa to favour one political personality and his cronies over the others.
“coronakot”?
Has it been proven that he actually stole something or are you just echoing what your ampaw of a president keeps saying about Mr. Corona?
Regardless, it’s been almost a year since it has been found out that your president bribed the senators and congressmen to impeach and convict CJ Corona and ironically, karma is now biting them hard in the ass.
Word of advice, don’t bother posting your propaganda here since nobody will believe you.
TROLLS like you won’t reply back because what we’ve said is 100% TRUE. 😛
What’s your definition of negative and positive comments anyway? It seems anything unfavourable to PNoy is negative to you even when exposing his true colours will benefit the majority.
CORRECTION: GMA IS NOT IN JAIL. GMA is still a sitting member of HOR and will never be prosecuted.
Please, it is as if no one understands what is actually going on in the shit-hole scamm ridden gov’t.: They take turns ,publicly, vilifying each other and yet…..none are ever convicted of anything (and when they are, they get an executive pardon) and none of them ever return any money and none of them ever return any merchandise/real estate they have bought with pilferred treasury funds.
Did the OLDMAN ever return those Christmas gifts? go to jail for it? UH-HUH!!! did not think so….SOOOOOOOO…..
if this is not an organized, well rehearsed and painstakenly choreographed charade, IDK what is…
In 2016 you can write President xxx defends corrupt political allies.
Repeat the story 2022,2028,2034,2040 and so forth.
The entire country is a cesspit of crime, corruption and sleaze.
Cash is king and 99.9% of the population will sell their soul to the devil for a dollar bill.
@ YAWN, You got that right! the other .1% is dying, on life support and can not make their own decisions.
IDK if any of the GRP staff think that there is a single politico in the country is not a lying, thieving weasel…but it seems that way….BUT if you can
Show the people an honest Filipino politician you will see a Man or Woman on their way to an early death in a aircraft cabin at the bottom of the sea or dead on an airport tarmac.
Pretty elementary.
All at it.
Smorgasbord of thievery, steal all you can.
When they are full they let the spouse or relatives take over.
@ YAWN, U know it,RIGHT THERE!!! It seems that a few here at GRP actually think that a few of these lying thieving scumbags is actually not a lying thieving scumbag…and that is quite simply: impossible!!! Not true and not even open for debate.it just is not!
I constantly get into arguments with a few here, as it seems as though a couple of these people think I somehow assume that there is an honorable current member of the Failippine government, and that could not be further from the truth. Lying thieving scumbag weasels…every single one of them!
That’s because you are always looking for one. I don’t think you know how to be civil at all.
Crookedness with self respect…this seems to be the moral principle of Aquino.
Instead of removing those crooks who are his cahoots in the plunders. He defended them.
The “Daan Matuwid has now become a crooked path…the moral fiber of our country is now destroyed.
No amount of words can be used to defend someone like PNoy, who has continued to tolerate corruption since Day 1. These Aquino sympathizers are such pussycats to hear anything bad about their idol that they resort to idiotic comments and delusions of grandeur.
Don’t insult pussycats. I have one living with me and I love her to death. 😉
My apologies, I prefer pussycats over Aquino p*ssies.
People here doesn’t know that all (or should I say almost all) politicians are corrupt. Articles here are targeted only to PNoy and his allies. Make this site an anti-PNoy site and not Get Real Philippines.
It seems you didn’t linger on the site long enough. Must be too lazy, eh? You just read an article and derived that conclusion….. what an idiot.
Looks like someone’s butthurt.
Doesn’t really surprise me since this site tends to get that reaction from noytards, yellow zombies and malacañang trolls a.k.a paid idiots.
Really? Do I have to repeat that ALMOST ALL POLITICIANS ARE CORRUPT? Replace Pnoy and his allies with the anti-Pnoy politicians and you’ll get the same thing. What have you done to make the Philippines a better place to live with? What have you done to make people understand that the Philippines dont need another politician to lead, but a much more clearer, secure, constitution. All of you are idiots here. Criticizing politicians but doesnt generate results.
I’m sorry, but how does a ‘much more clearer, secure constitution’ (whatever that means) transform Philippine society? As you say the political personalities the electorate expect to uphold the fundamental law of the land cannot be trusted. How does new legislation accomplish this? Your prescribed solution is very vague.
—
Incidentally, do you know what it means to have a stake in ensuring good governance and competent service from our officials? It involves expressing outrage when we see them behaving in a questionable manner and arrogantly flaunting it in the public’s face. It means criticising politicians for their decisions as well as the reasons for making them. And it means voting officials out of office if we are not satisfied. This is how the people participate in a representative democracy; this is how the free market place of ideas works, how the people express their sentiments. If you aren’t aware of the fundamental principles of democracy, then your own so-called ‘solution’ becomes highly suspect.
Do I have to repeat that you are a butthurt noytard?
Your failure to present a better spiel is very disappointing.
I always noticed that whenever someone writes against the ampaw president, you noytards almost always show up.
Really predictable behavior from an ampaw president that relies on idiots like you.
@What the!
My, my…you remind me of this staunch advocate of constitutional reform. He and his minions strongly believe that amendments to the constitution and change to a parliamentary system of gov’t is the only answer to the country’s problems. People like them have become delusional in thinking that they are the only ones doing something for the country.
“Criticizing politicians but doesnt generate results”.
…and not criticizing does?
writers here are paid hacks of una, marcos, binay, et al.
^ [citation needed]
Yes, but of course we are. 😀
Well now, one cannot live on good intentions alone 😉
users are paid hacks of aquino, et al. 😀
@John
Spoken like a real loser. You should have your head examined for thinking that writers here are paid hacks.
He’s a hypocrite since its blatantly obvious that he’s just being paid to troll here.
They’ll replace PNoy with Binay and still write down articles against PNoy. haha
Just don’t call us Noytards. That would hurt.
…and we’ll use that money to buy you a brain.
Buy a brain at AyosDito.ph. As the company motto says, “Hanap, usap, deal!” Maghanap ka ng maka deal mo na may matinong utak!
It doesn’t matter how educated and rich the President of the Philippines is, he or she will still be a product of colonial mentality: a penchant for aristocracy, at the cost of the future and the well-being of the people.
Hi Ilda, is an article regarding Miriam Defensor Santiago’s current fiasco in the offing. I read your article against Ninoy and you apparently cited some defensible arguments. How about your idol (that is the former) this time? Now that would be something of a cerebral challenge for the usual groupthinkers here.
@Salungki
Can you try writing your above question/request once again using simple terms. I can’t seem to understand it with all the false assumptions in your statements.
Who is my idol?
Thanks
I meant Nonoy or “BS” Aquino, whatever makes your day.
Hey all I can say is that most people are blind to the truth and are easily mislead by rumors and gossips..i live in a place where you could smell the corruption noytards make and yes we hate em but can’t do much about it, only hope we have Now is if bnay wins so that he can replace those who only hamdpicked, noytards can bash me if they want to..thats what you guys do here in our town anyway so have a go at it