I used to wonder how an obscure former Congressman from Cagayan de Oro could bag a hot Brazilian babe like Daiana Menezes. But then after reading about his million-dollar lifestyle in a Mindanao Gold Star Daily article describing his “imeldific” lifestyle, it suddenly all made sense to me. What red-blooded female after all can resist Benjo Benaldo’s debonaire demeanor and flashy Italian threads?
Benaldo allegedly ridicules congressmen whose fashion sense differs from his. Several times, he allegedly made fun of Rep. Yevgeny Vincente Emano of the 2nd District of Misamis Oriental over the way the latter dresses. His exact words, according to the source: “Morag taga bukid magsanina.” The source said Benaldo also jests at Emano’s suit, said to be relatively cheap and tailored “only in Cagayan de Oro,” which the Misamis Oriental congressman allegedly wears in the Lower House over and over again.
There’s nothing wrong with being fashionable. But Benaldo’s idea of fashion is screaming and high-priced clothing and accessories by Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Armani, Hugo, Boss and Valentino, among others.
The source said going out with a US$1,400-Hermes belt, US$400-Louis Vuitton cellphone pouch, US$300-Burberry shirt, US$200-denims, US$700-boots and a Rolex watch that costs at least P1.4 million, is exactly Benaldo’s idea of fashion.
Well, I guess as far as red-blooded females go, Brazil fits my stereotype of the sort of place that churns them out, what with the way Rio de Janeiro sizzles with its Carnival every Lenten season and how it is now lavishing billions on hosting soccer matches. But a Brazilian model who marries a James Bond caricature, comes to the Philippines to live and make her living here hosting Eat Bulaga can’t really be considered the brightest among them. To the US’s place as the prime destination for the world’s “best and brightest”, Daiana it seems represents the Philippines’ being an antithesis to that — we attract the worst and the dumbest.
Exactly on what basis Cagayan de Oro voters chose Benjo Benaldo to represent them in Congress will forever remain a mystery to me. Suffice to say, his ascent to that Congressional seat can probably be chalked up to yet another instance of starstruck ignorance in the Philippine electorate. But then at least they wizened up this year and booted him out. It remains to be seen if Daiana will do the same, however. You’d think when one is already dumb enough to marry a guy like Benjo (who can’t even aim a gun properly), one couldn’t get any dumber.
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All Benjo ended up achieving was highlighting the fact that unlicensed firearms can actually be carried into the House of Representatives (HoR) building with impunity. Maybe this should prompt the police to do a random check of all the offices within the HoR building to see if there are any other offending objects to be found.
I also wonder why the House Speaker Sonny Belmonte is always quick to defend this guy. In the latest report, Belmonte again stepped up as Benjo’s spokesman…
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., meanwhile, said Friday that carrying of firearms is strictly prohibited inside the House of Representatives premises, but admitted that the policy is difficult to implement among congressmen.
“I think there’s a policy against it (carrying firearms), but it’s hard to implement in so far as members are concerned,” Belmonte said in a text message.
Yeah, it’s hard to implement because Congressmen are notorious for being paranoid jackasses who are constantly watching their back. I suppose it is because of the convoluted webs of patronage and under-the-table deals they’ve spun around themselves that assures them a life of not knowing exactly who their real friends and enemies are. Best thing for these Congressmen, I suppose, is to ensure you pack a piece wherever you go.
But according to Cibac Party-list Representative Sherwin Tugna, “guns are strictly prohibited inside the HOR premises. This is the standing rule. However, those who have a permit to carry a firearm can bring their gun inside the HOR, provided there is a sufficient justification (of threat to life) given to the HOR security department.” You wonder though how enough dangers to one’s life could lurk even within the corridors of the Batasan Pambansa building to justify carrying a weapon there. Then again try explaining that to Dumb and Dumber and you will likely get a glazed look as a response.
[Photos courtesy FanPix.net and CDODev.com.]
Frustrated artist doing geek for a living.
The short version:
This clown is corrupt.
The pretty girls love the corrupt guys?
And I’m not surprised. There are so many cases of “good girl loves bad boy.” The cases that make you scratch your head.
I think KAte meant pretty girls love money. Corrupt government officials in the PHilippines have money. If she came to the US, she would most likely go for Donald Trump.
this guy is not BAD, he is a PUSSY. Who NEVER got into a fist-fight in his little rich-boy life.
Send his ass to a place like Riker’s Island Prison and he would find out what BAD is…
…and believe this: it ain’t him.
This guy is not rich. He accumulated his wealth by pocketing millions of taxpayer money.
the way i see it: a lot of women are hypergamy (money+Looks+social status) in which they choose partners of higher caste, status than themselves. Probably a product of uncontrollable progress of feminism. The story is not new evil corrupt politician has lots of money to burn so he bought the best woman he can buy within his budget. I often wish I’am wrong but here in the US this have been a big issue for a introverted men. In japan there is a portion of the male population who gave up dating, partnership, relationship because women chooses men of high status. I guess the current human progress is only for the alpha males or high status males.
“Bihisan man ang matsing, matsing pa rin.”
ask the BIR to do a lifestyle check
oo nga
Diana was not actually dumb. She is sharp and witty,if you watch Eat Bulaga. A passport to the U.S. is more pricey, while coming here is cheaper. That could be the reason why she came here instead of the U.S. Pinning her dream for a good life is marrying a politician who had no scruple prioritizing his expensive lifestyle over his duty as a lawmaker. EAT Bulaga to her was like the glass-cage of honky-tonky bars advertising their “collections” so that patrons can examine and inspect the goods in the glare of kleiglights then taking one of them out after paying a “bar fine.” Her glass-cage is huge, giving truth to the jingle “mula Aparri hanggang Jolo.”
If she is sharp and witty, Miriam Defensor Santiago must be Albert Einstein.
neither of them is too bright. Miriam spent a life-time studying a dictionary and trying to convince people she went to Harvard, just like Benjo. They both WENT there, but neither of them was ever en-rolled in a graduate program or ever got a degree from that institution. No matter how much they brag about it, they can not change that fact.
I could only describe him and his recent fate in the elections in one word: LOSER! These congressmen who are supposed to be crafting laws are the first ones to break them. He should be charged with illegal possession of a firearm since his gun license had already expired over a year ago. Sad to say laws are only suggestions in this country, and are not really meant to be followed.
He’s not a real man…He dumped his wife or wife dump him coz He cannot perform His primary duty to his wife…. He dont belong to alpha male coz He’s not a male.
money makes the world go round………
The only thing Benjo benaldo is representative of is the corrupt low life who inhabit congress.
No doubt will soon claim it was an accident whilst clearing his office and forgot the gun was even there hence did not re register it.
No class or style, however much he spends on clothes, just a 3rd world provincial bum.
Kate Natividad, you took the words out of my mouth and the mouths of all intelligent Filipinos! Your eloquence painted a clear picture of this impostor. FYI, ASk Ateneo Law..he never went beyond first semester of his freshman year. There is no way he finished law at Ateneo. He never went to Harvard either.
Manny Pacquiao (who’s in the Forbes highest paid athletes list) wears a $40 Nautica polo and still looks much sharper than this hermaphrodite.
“Congressmen are notorious for being paranoid jackasses who are constantly watching their back. I suppose it is because of the convoluted webs of patronage and under-the-table deals they’ve spun around themselves that assures them a life of not knowing exactly who their real friends and enemies are.”
Well said. This is true for 99.9% of all philippine public servants i think. It’s a global shame! Where is their love for country, for fellow Filipinos, their dignity! If their rise to their current public position was honorable then they would not be so parranoid…more fun in the Philippines where politics are dirtiest and deadly! Whether their deeds are bad or good, it will catch up to most of them in the end, I hope it’s the latter. You can’t call yourselves public servants if their primary goal is only serve themselves for personal gains. This idiot benjo is a prime example, the poster boy of corrupt, uneducated, and incapable of performing his job as a congressman…guess this is what happens when votes are for sale. It’s a shame he survived…one less idiot in congress.
In all seriousness I love Philippines so much even though i dont live their any longer and I pray that our public officials will respect their jobs, love their country and people because they are the elected few with the ability to make the most positive impact on our country.
God bless Philippines and our president pnoy who continues to lead the country in the right direction….
Ex-congressman Benjo benaldo is a peacock whose greatest friend is his mirror, and whose worst enemy is his ego.
His “imeldific” life of excess paid for by corruption is over, just like his marriage.
Back to oblivion and little league for the provincial wannabee, social climber, and bad marksman.
“If you’re a nobody, just imagine a lot of celebrities are in love with you. Narcissism is the best cure for attention deficit disorder.”
― Bauvard,
Back on the eat bulaga meat market for daiana menezes.
One used and slightly battered model for sale to best offer.
Test drives available.
So the guy has issues and way too much loads of money – do a background a lifestyle check. He tried to kill himself in a stupid way – have him see a shrink. Let him be evaluated before we cast judgement that he is corrupt and deranged.
So she married a man who’s wealthy and in power – so what? Does that make her bought? Are you 100% sure she wasn’t courted first and simply fell for his charms? Are you 100% sure of your judgements??
I’m not defending the two but it is pretty obvious that there are bitter people out there who would rather spread a convenient conclusion than verify facts. Especially most fellowmen who crave for trophy-model-wives themselves.
Easy to cast judgement without
No judgments cast here. It’s simply a fact that much of what drives many of us to whoever we might hook up with does not really come from careful intelligent thought processes — only from the heart which, as many love songs attest to, makes the best of us do dumb things. 😉
Teka muna, where in the article did Benjo Benaldo explained how he bagged his trophy wife??? Labo ah. Parang inggit lang yung sumulat.
gunggong bago ka magsalita ang meaning nung title ung way ng pananamit or fashion sense ni benaldo ung nagsasabi kung pano nakuha si daiana. magisip ka muna bago ka magcomment.
lol
I cannot judge if Daiana is indeed dumb, because with the recent turn of events all i can say is that she isn’t believable. She isn’t consistent and seems confused with how she feels.
What amazes me, relaly is where Benjo got all his money…
I always go back to 1980 when I heard Robert Palmer sing a phrase that I found to be so true over and over again . ” a pretty face don’t make no pretty heart. I learned that buddy from the start “. Any woman that would find this bozo appealing has to be one piece of work.
If the Spurs did not pull a ” Benakdo ” in the last few minutes of Game 6 , they would be NBA champs.
I would say the Philippines is easily one of the shallowest countries in the world. You just need a pretty facade and the agencies there will very much likely land you a job in the entertainment industry; regardless of whether you suck or have no talent. Which was why Ms. Daiana Menezes chose to reside. Perhaps someone had a ‘conversation’ with her about making it big. The States? Sure, there are countless shallow people there too, but I believe the scouting agencies there require more than good-looks and a fit-assed figure for you to get a role. You don’t even need to be ‘foreign’ in the Philippines. Just look at the numerous half-Filipinos there who can’t act sh!t yet get worshiped in a role they emulate from other repetitive movies that has been done a gazillion times before.
“provided there is a sufficient justification (of threat to life)”
I guess there’s the reason why the representative was allowed to carry the gun, there was indeed a threat to his life. Too bad the security group didn’t bother to ask who this threat was.
My Retirement Income – per annum
London – 3 star life-style (all in pesos)
Income/pension – 10,000,000
Less tax – 3,000,000
Sub-total – 7,000,000
Less living exp. – 7,000,000 +
Balance – 0
Philippines – 4/5 star life-style
Income/pension – 10,000,000
No tax – 0
Rental london prop. – 5,000,000
Sub-total – 15,000,000
Less living exp. – 4,000,000
Balance – + 11,000,000
The point is that as a benchmark of income i still have no car, other properties (except london), no children at school/university abroad, wife or mistress, and only 1 househelp.
My estimation would be that some/many congressmen/senators would need to ‘earn’ minimum 10 – 15 million per annum to fund their lifestyle ( home & abroad). More for those that are constantly in los angeles/las vegas, or funding an american education, or a young mistress.
How to get rich without even working – be a philippine politician. No wonder benjo benaldo is worried. Corruption is the only way he knows to fund his excessive life-style
Wow, Kate! nice one. I’m glad someone has got the nerve to call this guy what he is! U can see him in CDO acting like he is someone! He a dip-shit, a li’l girly dip-shit! The kid makes me laugh every time I see him! so cute!
“All Benjo ended up achieving was highlighting the fact that unlicensed firearms can actually be carried into the House of Representatives (HoR) building with impunity.”
Sounds familiar indeed. Apparently, even the guards of the Lower House are incompetent–is there any other reason behind Benjo being able to sneak in a loose firearm?
“But according to Cibac Party-list Representative Sherwin Tugna, “guns are strictly prohibited inside the HOR premises. This is the standing rule. However, those who have a permit to carry a firearm can bring their gun inside the HOR, provided there is a sufficient justification (of threat to life) given to the HOR security department.” You wonder though how enough dangers to one’s life could lurk even within the corridors of the Batasan Pambansa building to justify carrying a weapon there.”
I’m guessing it’s because the men and women of the Lower House play the Game of Thrones within its walls. One could be offed even at the front door of the Lower House–IIRC, a lawmaker ate a VBIED (vehicle-borne IED) just outside the BP some years ago.
Sen Benjo mukhang matsing wearing expensive clothes.
Maporma nga ala naman sa gawa. Kung magaling yan at mayaman di yan papasok sa politiko.