LIST OF ARROYO US ENTOURAGE

The amazing Arroyo government's US tour.


The President was billeted at the Willard Hotel. She occupied the Capitol Suite. Reported total cost: US$70,879.78.

The President’s delegation includes-



Family:

1. Atty. Arroyo, the President’s husband

the President’s sons,

1. Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, 4th District of Pampanga and 
2. Rep. Diosdado Arroyo, 4th District of Camarines Sur

Cabinet Secretaries:

1. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita
2. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde
3. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro
4. Finance Secretary Margarito Teves
5. Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila
6. Labor and employment Secretary Marianito Roque
7. Global Warming Adviser Heherson Alvarez
8. Solicitor General and Acting Justice secretary Agnes Devanadera
9. Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez 
10. MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando
11. deputy presidential spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo
12. Lupita Aquino Kashiwahara of Radio-TV Malacañang
13. Juris Soliman, chief of staff of Atty.Arroyo, and
14. Remedios Poblador.

(Raul Gonzales, former DOJ secretary said Ombudsman Mercy Gutierrez joined the President to secure that a reconciliation could be brokered with Solicitor-General Devanadera; see also Palace wants a new Ombudsman?).


The President’s Office of the Press Secretary/media team included,

1. Usec. Romeo L. Junia, press undersecretary, OPS
2. Asec. Maribel C. Dario, Asst. Press Secretary, OPS
3. Rosalinda Jacoba Coni, Advance MARO Project Officer, OPS-MARO
4. Rodrigo Del Agua, Presidential Close In Writer, OPS-PND
5. Jose L. Ogrimen, Jr., Special Assistant to the Press Secretary, OPSEDP
6. Exequiel Supera, Presidential Close in Photographer, OPS-Photo
7. Ruby Jane Villaverde, MAROCo- Project Officer, OPS-MARO
8. Janet V. Mariano, Advance MARO Project Officer, OPS-MARO
9. Luis Morente, Presidential Close in Writer, OPS-PND and
10. Enrico Borja, Presidential Close in Photographer, OPS-Photo.

Senate: 

1. Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago
2. Manuel Lapid.

House of Representatives: 

1. Speaker Prospero Nograles, Jr.
2. Marikina Rep. Del de Guzman
3. Pampanga Reps. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. and Anna York Bondoc
4. Manila Reps. Benny Abante and Zenaida Angping
5. Cebu Reps. Ramoncito Durano VI and Nerissa Soon-Ruiz
6. Camarines Sur Rep. Felix Alfelor
7. Quezon City Reps. Annie Susano and Vincent Crisologo
8. Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella
9. Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas
10. Deputy Speaker Amelita Villarosa
11. Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez
12. Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez
13. Abra Rep. Cecilia Searez-Luna
14. Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez
15. Malabon Rep. Alvin Sandoval
16. Pangasinan Rep. Rachel Arenas and
17. Bohol Rep. Edgar Chatto
18. Surigao del Sur Rep. Francis Matugas
19. Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron
20. La Union Rep. Thomas Dumpit

Party-list Representatives:

1. Rodante Marcoleta (Alagad) conspired with Atty. Oliver Lozano's bogus impeachment case against Mrs. Arroyo
   
2. Catalina Leonen Pizarro of Arts, Business & Science (ABS), wife of CA Justice Normandy Pizarro of Abra Province
   
3. Godofredo Arquiza (with wife Remedios) of (Senior Citizens)
   
4. Agapito Guanlao (with wife Socorro) (Butil), receives P10 million aid from Mrs. Arroyo
   
5. Carissa Cosculluela (Buhay)
6. Daryl Grace Abayon (Aangat Tayo). 

(Palace said, 100 congressmen had wanted in on the trip. See also 23 lawmakers join Arroyo in US trip)



Local government: 

1. Gov. Tet Garcia (Bataan)
2. Mayors Marides Fernando (Marikina)
3. Nitoy Durano (Danao City).

IMPROPRIETY RULES THE OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL PROSECUTOR

Businessman and poor litigants in Nueva Ecija are complaining about the improprieties that governs the Nueva Ecija Provincial Prosecutor Office were newly appointed assistant prosecutors are involved.

There were stories that the newly appointed assistant prosecutors were exacting monies from people with pending complaints under investigation in their office and cases that were already in court, more so in their petition for reduction of their bailbonds.

Chief Provincial Prosecutor Floro Florendo is said to be not aware of the illegal collection made by his assistants and staffs. The no objection comment on the motion for reduction of bailbond is said to peg at P500 per request and the affidavit of desistance depends on the amount of bail posted by the accused. The bail posted by the accused is then rumored to be divided between the complainant and the assistant prosecutor handling the case. The assistant prosecutor will not grant or agree with the desistance if not given his percentage share of the bailbond recommended. 

Some insiders said their is an assistant prosecutor who after the dismissal of the case was said to personally get a hold of the official receipt of cash bond of the accused from the court records and with the help of the Office of the Clerk of Court withdrawing the same for his own.

Malacañang deflects excessive wining and dining

Malacañang deflected the issue of the First Couple's excessive wining and dining trip to US yesterday August 8, 2009 by slamming United Opposition chairman Jejomar Binay for capitalizing on the death of his political benefactor, former Mrs. Arroyo could honor Aquino by resigning her post as president.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, a Cebuano prolific liar said Binay’s latest remark was "too absurd to deserve a serious comment" and reminded the Makati City mayor that he was part of the opposition using the late President’s death to further its own vested political interests.

MILLIONS OF PUBLIC FUNDS WASTED ON ARROYO'S 72 FOREIGN TOURS

This story never ceases to shock me.


Mrs. Arroyo have clocked up P1.6 billion and more on overseas travel in just over eight (8) years, enjoying first class flights, chauffeured limousines, US restaurant tours and exclusive five star hotels. In their scandalous period abroad yet, slugged Filipino taxpayers almost $20,000 in a day of extravagant wining and dining while in the US.

An economist by training, Gloria Arroyo treats herself  an executive officer and a chairman of the board and the country a private Republic of the Philippines Corportation. Her expensive jetsetting around the world was compared to promoting the newest line of products of a company that includes highly educated domestic helpers, 1700 fiesta islands for sale, money laundering free banks, free bank secrecy and many exciting line by products of her wild mind.

No belt-tightening for the presidential partners traveling on public's money. Although many Filipinos are rattling their cups for money after the global financial crisis, partners Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Jose Miguel "Mike the Fatguy" Arroyo and their cabals of lawmakers from the very low Lower House of Congress didn't skimp when they dipped into a public purse to pay for their monthly overseas tours.

Arroyo entourage dined first in Washington for $15k

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her entourage first dined on "lobster, steak and fine wines" in Washington and spent $15,000 for the meal, a Washington Post blog reported on Wednesday before the controversial New York dinner where they spent $20,000.

It also reported that an "unidentified woman opened a handbag stuffed with cash" and paid for the tab. The information came out in a popular blog called The Reliable Source by Roxanne Roberts and Amy Argetsinger.


The Washington Post is the newspaper of record in the US capital and taken much more seriously than the tabloid New York Post, which broke the story about the Arroyo's lavish caviar and champagne dinner in New York's Le Cirque restaurant.

The column said the dinner at Bobby Van's Steakhouse on 15th Street in Washington occurred hours after President Arroyo met with US President Barack Obama last July 30. In Manila, Quezon Representative Danilo Suarez, who was with Mrs. Arroyo in Washington, confirmed that they dined with the President at Bobby Van's Steakhouse. He, however, did not confirm the reported $15,000 bill and was coy on who paid for it. "I doubt if you will spend that much there. Parang Italianni's yan e (It's just like Italianni's)," Suarez told GMANews.TV in a telephone interview.

He also said he could not remember how many they were, and whether they went to the restaurant hours after Mrs. Arroyo met with President Obama. Suarez refused to divulge more details, saying he and his colleagues in the House have decided not to issue any more statements about the President's dinners in the US since an "impeachment" case has been filed against her. Suarez may have been referring to the complaint letter of Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello asking the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate the New York dinner.

$15,000 tab According to the blog post entitled Heartburn Over Two Big Meals, "The group took over one of the restaurant's private rooms and dined on lobster, steak and fine wines; at the conclusion of the meal, an unidentified woman opened a handbag stuffed with cash, counted out bills and paid the $15,000 tab -- which included a generous tip." Among the items on the menu of Bobby Van's Steakhouse are Colorado Lamb Chops for $39.50, Ribeye Steak for $42, and Louis Roederer Cristal champagne (2002) for $575 per bottle.

The previous report about the New York dinner triggered a political firestorm, with oppositionists and bishops demanding investigations, and even Arroyo allies such as Sen. Miriam Santiago decrying the wining and dining as "excessive".

At the time of this posting, Malacañang has not commented on the latest dinner report. Scandalous Opposition lawmakers quickly pounced on the information, with Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. describing the dinner as "scandalous" and "deplorable." "Isn't that scandalous?

What's more deplorable is the insensitivity of the diners to the plight of our people and a period of mourning which the President proclaimed," Pimentel said, referring to the nationwide mourning for the death of former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino last August 1. Bayan Muna party-list Representative Satur Ocampo said since the Washington Post is "a prestigious paper," the report puts into "serious question" Malacañang's denial on the alleged extravagance of the Arroyo party in the US.

"The more compelling is the reason for Malacañang to level with the people how they spent their own money or public money in their trips to Washington and New York," Ocampo told GMANews.TV in an interview.

Bello condemned what he called a "pattern of extravagance in the presidential party." “We are not surprised (about that Washington dinner) because this administration in known for being insensitive to the actual state condition of the people here. We are talking about (their) extravagance on a grand scale," he said.

Former Pres. Cory Aquino died of cancer at 76

NINOY and CORY

Her son, Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, said his mother died at 3:18 a.m. Saturday (1918 GMT Friday).

Aquino was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer last year and confined to a Manila hospital for more than a month. Her son said the cancer had spread to other organs and she was too weak to continue her chemotherapy.

Supporters have been holding daily prayers for Aquino in churches in Manila and throughout the country for a month.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is on an official visit to the United States, said in a statement that "the entire nation is mourning" Aquino's demise. Arroyo declared a period of national mourning and announced a state funeral would be held for the late president.

TV stations on Saturday were running footage of Aquino's years together with prayers while her former aides and supporters offered condolences.

Aquino's unexpected rise began in 1983 when her husband, opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., was assassinated on the tarmac of Manila's international airport (now named after him) as he returned from exile in the United States to challenge Marcos, his longtime adversary under the fictitious name "Marcial Bonifacio".

The killing enraged many Filipinos and unleashed a broad-based opposition movement that thrust Aquino into the role of national leader.

"The Manila Times Internet Edition reported M/Sgt. Pablo Martinez said he lied about everything he knew about the Aquino assassination."

Maria Corazon Cojuangco was born on Jan. 25, 1933, into a wealthy, politically powerful family in Paniqui, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of Manila.