Imelda Marcos is the Richest Poor

If Imelda Marcos claims she's going broke and becoming poor, then imagine how one can describe the conditions of those living in dumpsites and in squatter’s area. She made this pronouncement in an apparent bid to get some of her loot back.

The wife of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos is demanding that the Philippine government return PhP 15 billion worth of jewelry – a collection which includes a Persian-style necklace with more than 100 carats of canary and pink diamonds; tiaras previously owned by European royalty; a 93-carat diamond necklace crafted by renowned Italian designer Gionmoria Buccellati.

A Landgrabbing Former SG?

It was reported on 27 May 2008 that the homeowners’ association of Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa City is accusing former solicitor general Frank Chavez of landgrabbing by encroaching on 240 meters of open space behind his house.

In a complaint before the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, Zacarias Maribbay, Ayala-Alabang Village Association Inc. acting village manager, said Chavez committed several violations of the AAVA’s deed of restrictions. One of which is the use of an open space behind his lot which is said to be public property. Chavez apparently constructed a gazebo in the middle of property line at the rear of his lot.

77% Say Anti-Corruption Efforts Ineffective

Results of Transparency International’s 2009 Global Corruption Barometer survey is now out and the figures are not an encouraging sign for the present administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Results showed that 77 percent of Filipinos believe that the Philippine government’s efforts to fight corruption are ineffective. Only 21 percent believe that the government’s actions against graft are effective, while only two percent say "neither."

The Cost in Passing a Con-Ass Reso

Major dailies reported that because of additional offers of cash and more pork barrel funds of up to PhP 20 million each from Malacañang, allies of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo worked overtime on 2 June 2009 to have the Constitutional Assembly (con-ass) resolution approved by a mere voice vote.

House Resolution 1109 was signed by more than 170 congressmen shortly before midnight, as Speaker Prospero Nograles will say, "to finally put an end to the perpetual conflict on the legal interpretation of how to amend the Charter by way of constituent assembly."

RedBull Scam

Unscrupulous traders, beware!

This was the stern warning of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), in a report by Hector Lawas of Journal Online, after they had uncovered a multimillion-peso scam linking a Taytay, Rizal distributing firm to the mislabeling and violation of the intellectual property code of popular energy drink Red Bull.

NBI agents swooped down on the warehouse of Maryland Distributors Inc. on Ortigas Avenue, Taytay, recently and seized Red Bull products with labels indicating these were brought into the country and marketed nationwide under questionable circumstances.