Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
BIOGRAPHY
In 1961, when Arroyo was just 14 years old, her father was elected as
president. She moved with her family into Malacañang Palace in Manila. A
municipality was named in her honor, Gloria, Oriental Mindoro. She attended
Assumption Convent for her elementary and high school education, graduating
valedictorian in 1964. Arroyo then studied for two years at Georgetown
University's Walsh School of Foreign Service in Washington, D.C. where she
was a classmate of future United States President Bill Clinton and achieved
consistent Dean's list status.[5] She then earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in
Economics from Assumption College, graduating magna cum laude in 1968.
In 1987 she was invited by President Corazon Aquino to join the government as
Assistant Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry. She was
promoted to Undersecretary two years later. In her concurrent position as
Executive Director of the Garments and Textile Export Board, Arroyo oversaw
the rapid growth of the garment industry in the late 1980s.
Senator
Arroyo entered politics in the 1992 election, running for senator. At the first
general election under the 1987 Constitution, the top twelve vote-getting
senatorial candidates would win a six-year term, and the next twelve candidates
would win a three-year term.[7] Arroyo ranked 13th in the elections, earning a
three-year term. She was re-elected in 1995, topping the senatorial elections
with nearly 16 million votes.
As a legislator, Arroyo filed over 400 bills and authored or sponsored 55 laws
during her tenure as senator, including the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law, the
Indigenous People's Rights Law, and the Export Development Act.[1]
The 1995 Mining Act, which allows 100% foreign ownership of Philippine mines,
has come under fire from left-wing political groups.
Vice Presidency
Arroyo considered a run for the presidency in the 1998 election, but was
persuaded by President Fidel V. Ramos and leaders of the administration party
Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats to instead seek the vice-presidency as the
running mate of its presidential candidate, House Speaker Jose de Venecia,
Jr.[8] Though the latter lost to popular former actor Joseph Ejercito Estrada,
Arroyo won the vice presidency by a large margin, garnering more than twice
the votes of her closest opponent, Estrada's running mate Senator Edgardo
Angara.[9]
Arroyo began her term as Vice President on June 30, 1998. Historically, she
was the first and only to date female Vice President of the Philippines. She was
appointed by Estrada to a concurrent position in the cabinet as Secretary of
Social Welfare and Development.[8]
Arroyo resigned from the cabinet in October 2000, distancing herself from
President Estrada, who was accused of corruption by a former political
supporter, Chavit Singson, Governor from Ilocos Sur.[10] She had initially
resisted pressure from allies to speak out against Estrada,[11] but eventually
joined calls for Estrada's resignation.[10]
Presidency
“Join me therefore as we begin to tear down the walls that divide. Let us build an
edifice of peace, progress, and economic stability”
— Gloria Arroyo, January 20, 2001
While the local media and its proponents hailed EDSA II as another peaceful
"People Power," international views expressed through the international media
described it as a conspiracy to oust Estrada and install Arroyo as president.
The New York Times writes that Southeast Asia-based political economist
William Overholt called it as "either being called mob rule or mob rule as a cover
for a well- planned coup."[13] The International Herald Tribune reports how the
"opportunist coalition of church, business elite and left... orchestrated the 'People
Power II movement."' [14] On Arroyo's proclamation as President, Former
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew opined that there is "an assumption
of power here which isn't in the constitution."[15]
Weeks later, Estrada filed a lawsuit challenging the legal basis of the Arroyo
presidency and insisting he remained the lawful president, though adding he
would not try to reclaim his post.[16] The Supreme Court issued its decision on
March 2, 2001, asserting that Estrada had resigned the presidency and
relinquished his post.[10] The court unanimously voted to dismiss Estrada's
petition, reaffirming the legitimacy of Arroyo's presidency.[10]
On May 1, 2001, a week after Estrada was arrested on charges of plunder, an
estimated 40,000 protesters sympathetic to Estrada degenerated into violence
and attempted to storm the presidential palace to force Arroyo from office.[17]
Four people died, including two policemen, and more than 100 were wounded
in clashes between security forces and rioters.[17][18] After being dispersed the
crowd had looted stores and burned cars.[17] Arroyo declared a 'state of rebellion'
in Manila and ordered the arrests of opposition leaders who lead the uprising
and conspired to topple the government.[17] The state of rebellion was lifted one
week later, with Arroyo declaring "the disorder has subsided".[18]
Support for the opposition and Estrada subsequently dwindled after the victory
of administration allied candidates in the midterm elections that was held later
that month. Arroyo outlined her vision for the country as "building a strong
republic" throughout her tenure. Her agenda consists of building up a strong
bureaucracy, lowering crime rates, increasing tax collection, improving
economic growth, and intensifying counter-terrorism efforts.
Arroyo's initial term in office was marked by fractious coalition politics as well
as a military mutiny in Manila in July 2003 that led her to declare a month-
long nationwide state of rebellion.[17] Although she had declared in December
2002 that she would not contest the May 2004 presidential election, citing a
need to heal divisiveness, she reversed herself in October 2003 and decided to
run.[17] She was re-elected and sworn in for her own six-year term as president
on June 30, 2004.
ACHIEVEMENTS
In her more than two years at the Department, she established the AHON
Programs - Ahon Bayan, Ahon Bata and the Ahon Pamilya - which are all aimed
at improving the lives of the poor and the disadvantaged through strengthening
linkages with various stakeholders. The Quick Reaction Team was also started
during her term.
Ahon Bayan
Ahon Bayan and the DSWD's Main Tasks
Ahon Pamilya
Internal Audit Service (IAS) and the External Assistance Office (EAO)
The two offices were also operationalized during her stewardship of DSWD. The
IAS helps ensure that DSWD's resources are administered efficiently,
economically and effectively through continuous and special review of control
and quality assurance, policies and procedures. The EAO on the other hand,
mobilizes resources and generates fund sources for social welfare and
development projects.
During her stewardship of DSWD, Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also made
major achievements in the regular DSWD programs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------
Health Revolution
Leading the country to a better health, safety and well-being, President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo keeps on providing development in the health division
through various projects and policies. Foremost among these are her
commitments to ensure that affordable, high-standard and efficient health
services are accessible to poor families. Some of the projects undertaken are
food enrichment program, measles elimination campaign for Filipino children,
reducing the price of drugs and medicines by fifty percent (50%), Sentrong Sigla
health centers, and execution of programs against emerging diseases (e.g.
SARS, meningococcemia, Avian flu virus etc.)
That is the reason why through her leadership, the government has instituted
administrative measures and revenue-generating tax measures to further
improve revenue collections. Three monthly budget surpluses have been
recorded in 2005, with revenue collections increasing by 15% in the first eleven
months of that same year over the same period in 2004. Thus, the budget
deficit is now very well within its target.
Creation of Jobs
Included in the 10-Point Reform Agenda of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
the government is putting its best efforts to give the people with jobs and open
up employment to strengthen the economy. Alongside with the government's
Medium Term Development Plan for 2004- 2010, employment and generation of
jobs are one of the government's top priority.
Education Reform
In line with her obligation to significantly decrease poverty nationwide,
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has stressed the need for an active
partnership between the government and various sectors to sustain efforts
concerning various aspects of the schooling system. These are lessening the
textbook backlog; constructing more school buildings; restoring English as
medium of instruction; implementing the Basic Education Curriculum or BEC ;
improving teacher welfare; sparing public school teachers from the “vagaries of
politics”; mainstreaming distance learning; and launching the internet-based
education program.
Housing
Housing efforts under the Macapagal Arroyo administration plan to provide the
bottom 40 percent of households with affordable socialized housing. The private
sector shall be organized to innovate and produce decent housing at lower
costs, while the government shall be tasked to improve the efficiency of the
housing market. The President has enjoined the support of Congress to enact
bills addressing the high price of urban lands for housing. By putting into place
a sustainable housing financing, the private sector, especially the banks, is
called to participate in the housing market. The housing program shall also
provide security of tenure for the informal sector, consisting of poor and low
salaried workers from government and the private sector. Assistance will be
extended in the form of consultations for resettlement, housing and livelihood
training to affected poor families who are in danger areas.
Land Distribution
In recognition and support of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program
(CARP) as a strategic program to fight poverty and push rural development, the
Macapagal Arroyo administration has speed up land distribution and delivery of
support services to the farmer-beneficiaries. The same shall apply to the
distribution of public lands. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are the lead
agencies for land distribution, agricultural lands to be distributed by DAR,
while public lands to be distributed by DENR.
Mindanao Natin
The Mindanao National Initiative or “Mindanao Natin” is the sound strategy for
peace and development in Mindanao that is being executed across many areas
of action from security to infrastructure to education to economic growth to
poverty reduction to law enforcement. Pushed to be an important step towards
the fulfillment of the promise of the region, “Mindanao Natin” aims to mobilize
the local governments, civil society and the business community in the
blueprint for development for Muslim Mindanao. It has been noted that Muslim
Mindanao continued to be the poorest area in the country, beset by a very low
literacy rate and whose economic exclusion has resulted in conflicts. Guided by
four principles, the socio-economic package would be carried out in over 5,000
villages in Mindanao’s four regions- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM), Southcentral Mindanao, Western Mindanao and Northern Mindanao.
A 10-point program has been drawn in view of the Tripoli Agreement reached by
the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro National
Liberation Front.
KALAHI
The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) program is an anti- poverty plan
of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The project will
help the government in strengthening the capability of local government units
(LGUs) to design, implement, and manage development activities. Such
activities may include basic infrastructure like new or rehabilitated roads and
bridges, barangay schools and clinics, and water supply and sanitation
facilities. Communities will prioritize their development needs, design activities,
seek technical expertise and make informed choices on how resources are used
for sustainable poverty reduction. More than 5,300 poor barangays in 193
municipalities in 40 of the poorest provinces in the Philippines are probable to
benefit from this project. These will be mostly in rural areas, where most poor
Filipinos live.
E-Procurement
The Electronic Procurement System or EPS is one initiative of government to
improve and modernize government's procurement services. It involves the
creation and operation of a central portal for government procurement, bidding
and supplier information requirements, and the increasing use of the portal
among government agencies. The EPS is expected to attain transparency in
public procurement activities. The resulting improved competition will
encourage the attainment of the best quality products at the lowest possible
prices and consequently generate substantial savings in public spending. Some
P80 million in newspaper advertisements and P600 million out of the P17
billion government procurement budget are expected to be saved. Acquisition
time by government agencies shall also be shortened by two (2) weeks, and
eventually, deliveries can be done "just in time".
Electrification of Barangays
The program aims to provide electricity to 1,513 barangays all over the country.
SCANDALS
2001
‘Payola’ for FG
Barely had President Arroyo warmed her seat when the first in a series of
scandals involving the first family erupted.Correspondence secretary Veronica
“Bing” Rodrigo accused first gentleman Mike Arroyo of taking a P50-million
bribe in July 2001. The bribery was said to be for President Arroyo to recall her
veto on two franchise bills. The first bill involved the Philippine Communication
Clearinghouse which sought a franchise to operate a clearinghouse where telco
firms were to interconnect for a certain fee. The second bill granted APC
Wireless Interface Network a franchise to build a wireless telecommunication
system nationwide.
The companies were allegedly owned by Jaime Dichavez, a close friend of former
President Joseph Estrada, who allegedly used Pacifico Marcelo as his dummy.
According to Rodrigo, a woman named Malou Nuñez from the office of the
Presidential Legislative Liaison Office under Gabriel Claudio approached her,
inquiring about the request to veto the bills.
Rodrigo is a friend of the president, having been classmates in grade school and
high school. Their parents were close friends.
Marcelo alleged that President Arroyo called him to stop lobbying for the
franchise and that the three of them—the First Couple and Marcelo—will
establish their own company. Marcelo turned down the offer.
The president did not recall her veto of both bills. Arroyo also said that the First
Gentleman never asked her to recall the veto. Her husband denied receiving any
money and claimed that Rodrigo was the one who received the bribe. Rodrigo
later retracted her allegations in the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing.
In May 2009, Perez filed his third petition asking the Sandiganbayan to dismiss
the charges of unethical practices filed against him for allegedly not declaring
$1.7 million in his 2001 Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth
(SALN) saying that Arroyo herself approved his SALN when she assumed office.
Perez was then a member of her cabinet.
Later events revealed the nature of Arroyo’s ties to the Pinedas. In 2005, during
the height of the Senate probe on the “Hello Garci” scandal, Army Capt. Marlon
Mendoza quoted Virgillio Garcillano and said Pineda gave P300 million to fund
Arroyo’s presidential bid in 2004.
Rear Adm. Guillermo Wong, then Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine
Navy, exposed irregularities in the Philippine Marines’ procurement of
equipment worth P3.8 million.
This did not sit well with Marine officials. Then Armed Forces chief of staff
Angelo Reyes offered Wong another post, chief of the Northern Command,
practically demoting him. This forced Wong to resign.
When asked to comment, President Arroyo said Reyes had done “the right
thing.” Fresh from retirement, Reyes was immediately appointed defense
secretary.
A foul deal
Senators Sergio Osmena III and Franklin Drilon cried foul because it disposed
of almost all the assets of PNCC, a company acquired by the government after
President Marcos forced government financial institutions to exchange debt
owed to them by the company for stocks.
The deal, they said, gave Marubeni/Radstock preferential treatment over other
bigger creditors, particularly government. As of December 2002, the PNCC owed
the government through the Assets Privatization Trust P41.39 billion, according
to the Commission on Audit, and has pending liabilities amounting to P6.9
billion, a bulk of which was from the Philippine government.
2002
Sulpicio Tagud Jr., then board director of the Public Estates Authority (PEA),
exposed the P600-million overprice of the construction of the GSIS-funded 5.1-
kilometer President Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in the Manila Bay
reclamation area. The contracts were approved during the Estrada
administration and were given to three companies: Shoemart Inc., DM
Wenceslao, and Jesusito D. Legaspi Construction (JDLC).
A series of supplemental contracts with JDLC were later approved by the PEA
board under the Arroyo administration that increased the original approved
cost of their section of the highway. According to Tagud, while the SM group of
companies constructed its part of the boulevard at P54,000 per lineal meter,
JDLC built its section at P302,000 per lineal meter.
Arroyo asked PEA and the Government Service Insurance System officials to
submit a full report on the project to Presidential Legal Counsel Avelino Cruz.
After the the report was submitted, Arroyo asked the entire PEA board to go on
leave until the Presidential Anti-graft Commission submitted the results of its
investigation.
In February 2008, the Sandiganbayan said it will continue the probe on JDLC
despite the firm’s motion to dismiss the alleged overpricing of the boulevard.
Despite the passage of the Clean Air Act and the Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act (both banned the use of incarcerators) , the Supreme Court
declared the contract valid in April 2002 in a decision penned by Justice Jose
Melo.
Still, Arroyo said the deal had many flaws. Arroyo passed the decision to the
Manila Metropolitan and Development Authority (MMDA) to decide whether the
deal is disadvantageous to the government or not. Although negotiations had
started between the MMDA and Jancom, Arroyo called off the deal in April
2002.
Mismanaged funds
GSIS president and general manager Winston Garcia ordered its units to stop
the processing of claims and loan applications because of financial difficulty.
The Kapisanan ng Manggagawa attributed the financial problems to the
following: Garcia’s cash advances amounting to P3.4 million, the establishment
of district offices worth P4 million each, and the appointment of outside legal
counsel for P200,000 a month.
Garcia allegedly used GSIS money to purchase Juan Luna’s Parisian Life
painting. Likewise, Garcia was said to earn P540,000 a month and appointed
some 130 vice-presidents who earn P70,000 a month. There were allegations
that GSIS contributed at least P100 million to the campaign funds of Pres.
Arroyo. Garcia was retained in his post despite appeals from GSIS employees.
FG as OFW envoy
Naia’s Terminal 3
Piatco was also accused of paying huge sums of money to Alfonso S. Liongson,
PR consultant and said to be an associate of the First Gentleman, for permits or
supplementary agreements to the contract. In 2003, Arroyo revoked Piatco’s
build-operate- transfer contract and the government took over the airport in
2004. After almost a decade, the airport was partially opened in 2008.
2003
Rotten rice!
In February 2003, Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla revealed that 600,000
metric tons of rice imported from India were found to be rotten and moldy.
Kishore Hemlani, an Indian trader allegedly close to Arroyo, reportedly bagged
the P9.5 billion contract for the rice importation.
Anthony Abad, head of the National Food Authority, had to dispose of some
P2.2-million worth of moldy rice stocks and tried to dispose of the remaining
sacks in order to recover at least P2.5 billion.
Since she got elected in 1992 as senator, Arroyo had failed to declare in her
Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth the properties her husband
Mike Arroyo bought in San Francisco through his California-based LTA Realty
Corporation. According to Newsbreak, Mike acquired, resold, and managed at
least five properties with a total value of at least $7.1 million in the Bay City
from 1992 to 2000. The First Couple said the properties were bought in trust
for Ignacio or Iggy Arroyo, Mike’s younger brother.
In August, news broke out that presidential son Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo
planned to import 32 thoroughbred horses from Melbourne, Australia worth
P384 million (at P12 million per horse). Mikey denied the allegation but
admitted that he was in the horse-trade business.
He owns Franchino Farms along with cousin Franchino Pamintuan and friend
Ralph Mondragon. (We requested for Mikey’s SALN but it has not been granted
as of press time.)
In August, opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson accused First Gentleman Jose Miguel
Arroyo of money laundering: he allegedly siphoned off at least P321 million in
campaign funds and contributions and put these in a secret bank account
under the name Jose Pidal. He also supposedly used the names of his aides in
three other accounts. According to Lacson, among the donors was then Rep.
Mark Jimenez who gave P8 million. Arroyo’s younger brother, Iggy, came
forward and admitted he is Jose Pidal.
Oakwood mutiny
Reyes, since then, has held other Cabinet posts: environment secretary and
energy secretary.
The clash of the two co-equal bodies was all about the billions of pesos in
Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) and how it was spent. The Nationalist
People’s Coalition (NPC) and its allies in Congress, peeved that they were being
ignored by the Supreme Court, went after Chief Justice Hilario Davide. They
almost impeached him.
2004
In February 2009, Garcia’s sons, Juan Pablo and Ian Carl were indicted in the
US with one count of conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling, failing to file a
report of monetary instruments, and making false statements to a US
government agency. The sons were placed in US custody until proven innocent.
On the same month, Garcia was found guilty of misdeclaring his assets and
liabilities in 2000. He was acquitted from two other perjury cases.
On June 2009, the Sandiganbayan acquitted Garcia of the last perjury case,
saying there was no proof that the retired general lied in his 1997 SALN.
However, the retired general is still facing plunder and forfeiture cases in the
Sandiganbayan and is still being detained in Camp Crame.
The Northrail project started during Ramos’s administration but it was only in
February 2004 when Finance Secretary Juanita Amatong entered into a credit
loan agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China. The agreement granted
the Philippine government a $400-million loan facility to finance the
construction of the project.
Critics said the interest rate on the loan per annum (3%) is much higher than
the rate on other loan packages that the Philippines could have availed itself of.
China National Machinery and Equipment Corporation was designated as the
prime contractor for the project without public bidding. The Senate probed the
issue but the hearings were stalled in 2005 after Malacañang issued EO 464,
requiring Cabinet members to seek presidential clearance before they could
testify in congressional hearings.
Fertilizer fund scam
The controversy started when President Arroyo was accused of using fertilizer
funds for the 2004 election. The fund, worth P728 million, fell under the
Ginintuang Masagana Ani Program. Jocelyn Bolante, agriculture
undersecretary and regarded as the architect of the fund, left the country and
sought asylum in America. He came back to the country in 2008 and faced the
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
Bolante told the Senate that (1) he does not know who nominated or
recommended him to be an agriculture undersecretary, (2) it was former
Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo who requested the release of the funds, (3)
the fertilizer fund was valid and legal and was approved by the DA, and that (4)
when he left the department in August 2004, 91% of the fertilizer funds had
been liquidated already.
The committee recommended the filing of plunder and other criminal case
against him and nine other persons but no case was filed. In January 2009, the
panel who investigated the fertilizer fund scam submitted the proposed
resolution to Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.
No reports on the investigation have been released from both the Ombudsman
and the justice department. In March 2009, Bolante disclosed a plan to run
either as governor or congressman in Capiz, Roxas.
Six weeks before the May 2004 elections, two lawyers filed a disqualification
case against President Arroyo, saying she was behind the enhanced Philippine
Charity Sweepstakes Office’s Greater Medicare Access or GMA program. Public
funds were allegedly spent to enroll families in PhilHealth for one year. The
premium cost of P1,200 for each family member was chargeable to PhilHealth
and the PCSO. The IDs, bearing Arroyo’s picture and name, were coincidentally
distributed during the start of the election campaign.
2005
Hello, Garci
Hyatt 10
Eight cabinet members and two bureau heads, called the Hyatt 10, filed their
irrevocable resignations in the aftermath of the “Hello, Garci” scandal and
requested Arroyo to resign. The Hyatt 10 is composed of Secretaries Florencio
Abad (education), Juan Santos (trade and industry), Emilia Boncodin (budget
and management), Cesar Purisima (finance), Dinky Soliman (social welfare and
development) , Rene Villa (land reform), Alberto Lina (customs), Guillermo
Parayno (internal revenues), Teresita Quintos Deles (adviser on the peace
process), and Imelda Nicolas of the national anti-poverty commission.
Juetengate
In Senate hearings on jueteng that began in May 2005, jueteng operators and
bagmen said the President’s husband, Mike, her son Mikey, and her brother-in-
law Ignacio or Iggy were among those who received monthly payoffs from
gambling lords. The payoffs ranged from P500,000 to P1 million.
Garcia and Riva retracted their statements a few months later and said they
were merely “coached” by Sen. Panfilo Lacson. Zuce’s testimony failed to take
off after one witness did not corroborate Zuce’s claim. Former Isabela Gov.
Faustino Dy Jr. who was also said to have been present at the La Vista meeting,
flew to the US and refused to come to Manila to testify.
Among others, the documents said that: “Arroyo has always exhibited paranoia
and the need to control every aspect of the Philippine economy and politics. As
time ticked out for her administration, it was clear the biggest problem was
Arroyo herself.”
Mega-anomaly in Comelec
According to Solicitor General Alfredo Benipayo, the botched P1.3 billion poll
modernization project of Comelec was overpriced by P500 million. Comelec
ignored its own bidding rules and changed these to suit one favored bidder:
MegaPacific Corp.
The SC deemed the process flawed and declared the contract null and void. The
Office of the Ombudsman committee created by Ombudsman Merceditas
Gutierrez initially indicted Commissioner Resurreccion Borra but cleared him a
few months later. Abalos and company were ruled to be not liable for the voided
contract.
Lozano’s complaints
For the third time, Lozano filed his impeachment complaint against the
President on 2007. Like the second version, this impeachment rap was
dismissed for insufficiency in substance. Critics say Lozano’s impeachment
complaints were moves to hinder the submission of a solid complaint against
the President.
Weeks after former Arroyo ally Jose De Venecia filed his impeachment
complaint in 2008, Lozano took his fourth try with a four-page impeachment
complaint penned with his daughter, Atty Evangeline Lozano, and another
lawyer, Elly Pamatong.
Imelda’s jewelries
Former First Lady Imelda Marcos asked a Manila court to stop a Philippine
Commission on Good Government auction of her P15-billion jewelries. Marcos
claimed the jewelries belonged solely to her. No restraining order was issued by
the court.
The PCGG has two of the three jewelry collections in the vaults of the Bangko
Sentral ng Philipinas and planned to auction off majority of the jewelries in May
2009, with strong resistance from Mrs. Marcos.
2006
During Manny Pacquiao’s match with Erick Morales in Las Vegas, the First
Gentleman allegedly stayed in a $20,000-a-night suite at the MGM Grand Hotel
in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mike said that there was nothing corrupt about accepting
the free luxury suite offered to him by the hotel. He argued that as the husband
of a head of state, he was entitled to such perks.
Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that a member of the Arroyo family
maintained a bank account in Germany amounting to hundreds of millions of
dollars. First Gentleman Arroyo flew to Germany and secured a certification
from the bank to disprove Cayetano’s claims. Upon his return, he sought
Cayetano’s expulsion from Congress but without success.
Toxic JPEPA?
In 2008, the Senate finally ratified the agreement by a vote of 16-4 as the
agreement was favorable since 95% of exports from the Philippines to Japan
will have zero duties.
Meanwhile, numerous representatives from the House questioned the Senate
decision as the agreement “will bring a tsunami of unfair trade and toxic
wastes.”
2007
Estrada pardon
After spending six years in detention for plunder and graft and corruption
charges, former President Estrada was sentenced to life imprisonment by the
Sandiganbayan in October 2007. Three days after, President Arroyo granted
him pardon citing a policy to release prisoners aged 70.
The scandal was exposed in August 2007, a few months after Transport
Secretary Leandro Mendoza and ZTE Corp Vice President Yu Yong signed a
$329.5 million contact for a national broadband network deal in April.
President Arroyo and the First Gentlemen were said to have visited China for
the contract-signing.
Rep. Carlos Padilla (Nueva Vizcaya) said that Comelec chairperson Benjamin
Abalos also joined the President in China to broker the deal. Abalos denied
brokering the deal but admitted going to China four times. In September 2007,
the son of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr testified that he was with Abalos in
China and that Abalos demanded money from ZTE officials.
The following day, the Supreme Court promulgated a TRO stopping the deal
between the Philippines and China and gave ZTE 15 days to comment.
NEDA chair Romulo Neri testified in the Senate hearings and said Abalos tried
to bribe him with P200 million but he refused to answer some senators’
questions, citing executive privilege. Abalos resigned as Comelec chair in
October 2007 as President Arroyo cancelled the deal in a trip to China.
Jun Lozada, former chief executive officer of Philippine Forest Corporation and
NEDA consultant, testified in February 2008 that Abalos and the First
Gentlemen were to receive kickbacks once the deal was signed. Speaker Jose de
Venecia was unseated and got dragged into the deal when his son said he was
also in China.
Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio revealed that he was given a paper bag
containing P500,000 in a Malacañang meeting in October 2007. The money was
allegedly for community projects. The bags were handed out by a female
Malacañang staff. Panlilio said he accepted the money because because no
conditions were attached; he did not consider it a bribe. Various versions of the
source of the money came out as other local officials present in the meeting
admitted receiving either P500,000 or P200,000.
The Glorietta 2 bombing, on the other hand, resulted from gas leakage. Rumors
spread that the bombings were perpetrated by the government to divert the
public’s attention away from the Arroyo scandals.
The Batasan bombing happened the day before Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio was
set to testify on the bribery of local officials in the Senate and a day before the
House justice committee was to hear the impeachment case.
The Glorietta 2 bombing happened during the height of the bribery case which
took place in Malacañang.
Antonio Trillanes IV, together with Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and 25 other Magdalo
officers walked out of their trial and marched on the streets of Makati City.
Former Vice-President Teofisto Guingona and some soldiers from the AFP joined
the march that ended in Peninsula Manila Hotel. After several hours, the group
surrendered to the government forces after a military assault. They were
arrested and several journalists were detained.
2008
Teehankee pardon
Euro generals
When the group returned, the Senate called for hearings on the issue. De la Paz
said the money was “cash advance” for “emergency cases.” His statement was
questioned as PNP Chief Jesus Versoza said the money was for purchasing
intelligence equipment.
The Senate recommended that the justice department and the Ombudsman
conduct a preliminary investigation on the PNP delegates to the Interpol
assembly as the group violated the travel ban under Administrative Order No.
103, the law on allowable travel expenses, and the rule on retired officials or
those about to retire. The report also proposed a preliminary investigation on
interior and local government chief Reynato Puno and Versoza for allowing the
group to travel and for ignoring the travel ban.
As of March 2009, De la Paz settled the remaining 65,000 euros, fully paying for
the cash advance and avoiding a civil law suit.
C-5 insertion
Senators Panfilo Lacson and Jamby Madrigal spilled the beans on Senate
president Manny Villar when they exposed his double insertion of a P200
million C-5 project in the 2008 budget. After a few months, Villar resigned as
Senate president when he learned about the planned “ouster” led by Lacson.
Enrile became Senate president.
In May 2009, although Villar was out of the country, the Senate ethics
committee deliberated on the alleged C-5 insertion and declared the ethics
complaint filed by Madrigal as sufficient in substance.
What started out as a tug-of-war between the Lopezes and GSIS over control of
Meralco ended up tainting the reputation of the Court of Appeals. The scandal
started when Justice Jose Sabio Jr told the media that he was offered a P10
million bribe by an alleged Meralco emissary, businessman Francis Borja.
Tarlac Rep. Mark Cojuangco and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo
filed HB 4631 or the Bataan nuclear power plant commissioning act, a bill
aimed at rehabilitating the mothballed power plant for $1.4 billion. Various
groups were strongly against the re-opening of the plant, stating that more
viable and cheaper options are available like renewable energy. A feasibility
study was requested from Cojuangco to prove that BNPP’s structures are still in
good condition. A consolidated HB 6300 was submitted to the House and will be
deliberated after the legislative break in July.
In January 2004, peace monitors from Malaysia, Brunei, and Libya went to
Mindanao to monitor the five-year truce between the two parties. The
discussion on ancestral domain progressed and was divided into four strands:
concept, territory, resources, and governance.
By November 2007, government panel chair Rodolfo Garcia and MILF peace
panel chair Mohagher Iqbal said that the agreement can finally be concluded.
But by December of the same year, the ancestral domain negotiations reached a
deadlock due to constitutional issues.
The text of the Memorandum of Agreement on the Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD)
caused a big stir when it leaked to the press. On August 2008, the Supreme
Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order on the peace agreement and
suggested renegotiating the homeland deal.
In September 2008, the government dissolved the panel conducting the peace
negotiations with the MILF, formed a new one, and announced that negotiations
will depend on whether the MILF will turn over two rogue field commanders and
other members who attacked North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, and other
provinces in Mindanao. The peace talks were set to resume in 2009.
2009
Three months after the kidnapping, after numerous negotiations, Lacaba was
released. A few days after, Notter was released as well. Vagni, after six months
of being held captive, was eventually released July 12.
Con Ass
In 2005, Arroyo initiated a move to change the Constitution and transform the
present presidential- bicameral republic into a parliamentary- unicameral form
of government but failed.
By late 2006, the House shelved a plan to revise the Constitution through a
constituent assembly. In June 2009, two days before the House adjourned, they
passed HR Bill 1109. The bill calls for a Constituent Assembly to amend the
1986 Constitution.
After spending years in America, Cesar Mancao returned and was willing to
speak out on the murder of publicist Bubby Dacer and his driver Emmanuel
Corbito in 2000. Mancao became a state witness in July 2009.
Aside from Mancao, 21 others were accused of the same charges. According to
Mancao, he is no longer afraid of anyone, particularly of Sen. Panfilo Lacson,
who consequently denied having a hand in the crime.
Dacer was asked by former President Estrada to boost his image during the
height of the BW scam and the latter’s impeachment trial. The publicist was
said to have knowledge of BW Resources Corp, a gaming firm in which Estrada
owned shares. The scam started when it was found out that BW won an
exclusive contract to operate on-line bingo and introduce Quick Pick-2 in 1999,
a game similar to jueteng. On that same year, PAGCOR granted BW a
nationwide online bingo franchise. Further investigation revealed that Dante
Tan, Estrada’s alleged financier during the latter’s presidential bid, had been
heavily buying shares in BW.
In late 2000, the charred bodies of Dacer and his driver were found in a creek
in Cavite and eyewitnesses said they were abducted and killed by policemen.
Some of the witnesses pointed to Estrada as the mastermind of the killing
through Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force chief Lacson.
CARP extension
A few days before the House’s legislative break, the body passed House Bill
4077 to extend the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law for another five years.
The House appropriated P100 billion for land acquisition and distribution,
support services, and other funding requirements. The Senate has also
approved its own version of the bill.
In 2007, Arroyo certified an urgent bill to extend the law. The program has yet
to distribute a million hectares to another two million beneficiaries.
RH bill
In June, the controversial House Bill 5043 or reproductive health bill was
trashed in the House of Representatives, as it failed to gather enough votes from
the lawmakers. The bill was penned by Cong. Edcel Lagman and it advocates,
among others, the use of government funds to provide free contraceptives to the
poor. The bill reached the plenary on 2008 and has since been under fire from
various groups, particularly those with the Catholic Church.
The controversial Right of Reply bill (RORB) failed to gather enough signatures
and was not passed in the House. Since it was filed last year, numerous groups,
especially from media organizations, have contested the passing of the bill.
In February, seven senators reiterated their support for the bill. Arroyo, on the
other hand, assured journalists while the bill was being deliberated in the
House that she will not hesitate to trash it should it contain provisions that will
curtail press freedom.
Baselines bill
Navy Lt. Nancy Gadian revealed an alleged malversation of funds in the 2007
Balikatan joint military exercises with the United States. According to Gadian,
Gen. Eugenio Cedo, former Mindanao Command head, pocketed P2.3 million of
the money and the rest were pocketed by other higher Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) officials. The Balikatan exercises were given a P4.6 million
fund.
GMA in Congress?
Due to rumors that Arroyo is planning to run for Congress, election lawyers
clarified that there are no provisions that prohibit Arroyo from resigning as
president if she runs for a lower post. They cite Sec. 67 of the Omnibus Election
Code which was repealed in the Fair Elections Act passed in 2001, Arroyo’s first
year as president after Edsa 2.
The Code states that “any elective official, whether national or local, running for
any office other than the one which he is holding in a permanent capacity,
except for President and Vice-President, shall be considered ipso facto resigned
from his office upon the filing of his certificate of candidacy.”
Helicopter crash
In April 2009, a helicopter carrying eight passengers, two of whom were Cabinet
undersecretaries and a senior military aide, crashed in the Ifugao region. The
Philippine Air Force (PAF) blamed bad weather for the accident.
Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, chair of the senate committee on national defense and
security, questioned why the helicopter was allowed to fly from Loakan Airport
in Baguio in the afternoon when visibility was low and why there was no back-
up helicopter provided at the time. There were allegations that the helicopter
was delayed for three hours because it was used to ferry Congressman Mikey
Arroyo, the president’s eldest son, from Manila to Baguio.
EXPOSE
What is the ZTE NBN deal? It is a $ 329 million loan from the China Export and
Import Bank to finance the infrastructure project between the Philippine
Government and the China-based Zhong Xing Telecommunication Equipment
Company Limited (ZTE). The said project aims to develop a telecommunications
infrastructure that will deliver voice, data, and internet services to all
government offices and municipalities nationwide. However, the said project
encountered serious accusations of fraud, bribery and other anomalies forcing
the Arroyo Government to suspend it “indefinitely” last September 22, 2007.
But due to the public's continued and strong outcry over the project, Mrs.
Arroyo was forced to cancel the ZTE deal last October 2, 2007.
Former Philippine Forest CEO Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, the second whistle-blower
who was reportedly abducted by Malacañang's security group accused Abalos of
“protecting” his $130 million kickback. The money was reportedly given by ZTE
officials to Abalos in order to secure the NBN deal with the Philippine
Government. It was alleged that the ZTE-NBN deal was Malacañang's “gift” to
Abalos because of the “important role” he played during the highly questionable
2004 Presidential elections.
COUP D’ E’TAT
On Friday, February 24, 2006, an alleged coup d'état plot was uncovered in the
Philippines, headed by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim.
The declaration of Proclamation No. 1017 gave Gloria Macapagal Arroyo the
power to issue warrantless (and until then unconstitutional) arrests and to take
over private institutions that run public utilities.
After the foiling of the plot and the dispersal of the rallies, PP 1017 continued
for a week on threats of military plots (such as the military stand-off of
February 26 at Fort Bonifacio headed by Col. Ariel Querubin), violence, illegal
rallies and public disturbance.
Six leftist representatives - Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Casiño, and Joel Virador of
Bayan Muna, Liza Maza of GABRIELA, and Crispin Beltran and Rafael Mariano
of Anakpawis - were charged with rebellion. Crispin Beltran of Anakpawis was
arrested on February 25 on charges of inciting to sedition and rebellion. To
avoid further arrest, the other five found shelter at the Batasan Complex.
On Saturday, February 25, the office of the Daily Tribune, a newspaper known
as a hard-hitting critic of the Arroyo administration, was raided. After the raid,
an issuance of Journalism Guideline followed, authored by the government in
order to cope with the "present abnormal situation", according to then Chief of
Staff Michael Defensor. The move to suppress freedom of the press against the
Daily Tribune was criticized by Reporters Without Borders.[26]
The decree was lifted on March 3, 2006. However the opposition, lawyers, and
concerned citizens filed a complaint in the Supreme Court contesting the
constitutionality of PP 1017. The court, on May 4, declared the proclamation
constitutional, but said it was illegal to issue warrantless arrests and seize
private institutions.
POLICIES
Domestic policies
Charter change
Human rights
A May 2006 Amnesty International report expressed concern over the sharp rise
in vigilante killings of militant activists and community workers in the
Philippines.[56] Task Force Usig, a special police unit tasked to probe reported
extra-judicial killings, by state run death squads counts 115 murders and says
most of these are the result of an internal purge by communist rebels.[57]
Human rights groups put the number as high as 830.
General Palparan who retired September 11, 2006 has been appointed by
President Arroyo to be part of the Security Council. This has alarmed left-
leaning political parties about the potential for human rights violations.[63]
Under Arroyo's government, the Philippines has become second only to Iraq as
the world's riskiest place to report the news, with 23 journalists killed since
2003[64]
In her July 23, 2007 State of the Nation Address, Arroyo has set out her agenda
for her last three years in office, and called for legislation to deal with a spate of
political killings that have brought international criticism to her presidency. She
promised to bring peace to the troubled south, and also defended a
controversial new anti-terrorism legislation. Arroyo told the joint session of
Congress that "I would rather be right than popular."[65] Lawmakers and
lawyers, however, were dismayed by the SONA's failure to highlight and address
this major hindrance to human rights. Specifically, the Alternative Law Groups
(ALG) echoed the lawmakers’ position that Mrs Arroyo failed to take
responsibility for the problem.[66]
Amnesty proclamation
Estrada pardon
Bunye noted that Estrada committed in his application not to seek public office,
and he would be free from his Tanay resthouse on October 26, noon.[69][70][71]
Accordingly, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales categorically stated in 2008 that
an Estrada plan to run for president in the scheduled 2010 elections is
unconstitutional. Estrada, however, disagrees, saying that he is eligible to run
for president again, based on the legal advise he gets from former Supreme
Court Chief Justice Andres Narvasa.[72]
Health
FOREIGN RELATION
The Arroyo administration has forged a strong relationship with the United
States. Arroyo was one of the first world leaders who expressed support for the
US-led coalition against global terrorism in the aftermath of the September 11,
2001 attacks, and remains one of its closest allies in the war on terror.[49]
Following the US-led invasion of Iraq, in July 2003 the Philippines sent a small
humanitarian contingent which included medics and engineers. These troops
were recalled in July 2004 in response to the kidnapping of Filipino truck driver
Angelo de la Cruz.[49] With the hostage takers demands met, the hostage was
released.[49] The force was previously due to leave Iraq the following month.[49]
The early pullout drew international condemnation, with the United States
protesting against the action, saying giving in to terrorist demands should not
be an option.[49]
When Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo assumed the Presidency on January 2001
after the ouster of President Joseph E. Estrada, she reversed the all-out war
policy of the Estrada Administration and initiated peace talks which led to the
signing of a ceasefire agreement on June 22, 2001.
To sustain the peace and development efforts in Mindanao and as part of the
commitment to the 1996 Peace Agreement, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
supported the September 2001 plebiscite for the ratification of Republic Act
9054, expanding the area of autonomy. The ARMM is now comprised of the
provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and the
Islamic City of Marawi.
The November 2001 ARMM election installed Dr. Parouk Hussin on January
2002 as Regional Governor of the expanded ARMM.
Since 2005, Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan has been ARMM Regional Governor
PROGRAM OF GOVERNMENT
She called for national unity, at the same time stating her administration's
policy to support the fair and speedy trial of all accused in the cases vs. former
President Joseph Estrada.
computerization of elections
amend the BSP charter and the Banking Act to improve supervision and
promote financial prudence
enact laws addressing internet privacy and security; allowing for multimedia
convergence; creating a Department of Telecommunications and Information
Technology
wage increase
enact a law reducing the amount of drugs in a suspect's possession for him to
be charged with drug trafficking
2002-"strong republic"
She also cited gains in anti-terror (defeat of the Abu Sayyaf, rescue of Gracia
Burnham) and anti-crime efforts (particularly vs. kidnapping, illegal drugs and
smuggling).
anti-terrorism bill
PGMA declared that there will be no moratorium on the death penalty for drug
traffickers, but maintained that she is still pro-life in other matters.
anti-terrorism bill
Transco franchise bill
make sure that coconut farmers benefit from coco levy funds -- allocate a
portion to victims of human rights violations during the Marcos regime
In light of OFW Angelo dela Cruz's hostage taking and release, PGMA defended
the pull out of RP troops from Iraq: RP's foreign policy is to defend national
interest, including the safety of OFWs.
With the budget deficit as the country's "most urgent problem", PGMA asked for
reforms, revenue measures, and "more sacrifice".
She also cited anti-crime efforts (breaking up drug and kidnapping syndicates)
and government reforms (lifestyle checks, procurement reforms, downsizing
government by abolishing 80 offices)
farmland as collateral
Transco bill
PGMA described the country as divided -- poised for economic take off but is
beset with a degenerated political system.
Half of the entire speech was devoted to pushing for charter change.
charter change
pre-need code
PGMA detailed her plans for the "super regions":- North Luzon Agribusiness
Quadrangle
- Metro Luzon Urban Beltway
- Central Philippines
- Mindanao
- Cyber Corridor
With record revenue collections and savings, PGMA said there are enough
funds:
- to address social inequity
- to combat terrorism, lawless violence and corruption
- for constitutional and electoral reforms
2007- investments
laws reserving the harshest penalties for the rogue elements in the uniformed
services
create a law that would improve long term care for the senior citizens
amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act for open access and more
competition
Katas ng VAT
legislative and political reforms for a just and lasting peace in Mindanao
bill allowing SSS to do housing loans beyond the 10% limitationmore stringent
anti-graft act