A medical doctor, on social media, asked presidential candidate Senator Miriam Santiago to disclose whether she had indeed been cured of her Stage 4 lung cancer. Miriam refuses, claiming her right to privacy.
I disagree. The people should know if she is fit, healthy and strong to be the next President for six years. What is Miriam so afraid of?
When Miriam came out publicly that she was suffering from cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome, which conditions prevented her from attending Senate sessions and assuming her role at the International Court of Justice, we believed her. Many people pitied and sympathized with her.
I know for a fact that when one has Stage 4 lung cancer, that’s already a death sentence. And when one starts feeling well, that’s what is called remission. Soon enough, the cancer returns with a vengeance.
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The camp of Senator Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares is now making it appear that the four cases filed against her, questioning her residency status and citizenship, are part of a smear campaign because she now tops the poll surveys.
That sounds like a usual excuse.
Santa Banana, we don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that in October 2012, when Mrs. Llamanzares field her CoC to run for the 2013 senatorial race, she stated that she had been a resident of the Philippines for the last six years and six months.
But, my gulay, when she filed her CoC for President last week, Mrs. Llamanzares stated under oath that her residency period is 10 years and 11 months, no longer nine years and six months.
This inconsistency in her Certificates of Çandidacy is so blatant that should compel the Comelec to disqualify her. She lied when she stated in her notarized oath for Dual Citizenship under The Dual Citizenship Act that she had been born of the union of Ronald Allan Kelly Poe (Fernando Poe Jr.) and Jesusa Sonora (Susan Roces). We all know that they were childless and had adopt Mary Grace, supposedly a foundling. She is lying again on her residency status.
Do we really want a President who lies?
Mrs. Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares claimed she came back to the Philippines to attend the 2004 funeral of her adoptive father, FPJ but, her status was still that of an American citizen. At that time, she was still carrying a US passport because she had lost her Philippine citizenship on Oct. 18, 2001. Logic dictates that the earliest Mrs. Llamanzares could have established her Philippine domicile was on July 18, 2006, the date when she became a Filipino citizen by virtue of Republic Act 9225.
I am not very good at math. But in this case, we just need to know how to add and subtract to realize that Mrs. Llamanzares lacks the required 10-year residency status.
I rest my case.
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There are two things the Aquino administration would not like to see nor go through when the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation delegates start coming to town next month.
First are street children living in makeshift tents along Roxas Boulevard and many other places. Second, the congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
For that reason, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman once again will hide these squatters and say they need to attend seminars in resorts outside Metro Manila.
There’s also the four-day lockout of planes, coming in and out of the international airport forcing the cancellation of domestic and international flights next months. My gulay, this is a neat way of Apec delegates not knowing about how bad our airport situation is because of Transportation Secretary Emilio “Jun” Abaya’s failure to address the problem.
Come to think of it, why is Malacañang not doing anything to address the continuing international airport congestion? Planes have to fly around for 30 minutes to one hour before landing, and departing planes have to fall in line and taxi for as long.
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The Supreme Court has suspended the plunder trial of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
To me, this a big slap on Malacañang which has been adamant in continuing the hospital detention of BS Aquino III’s predecessor, despite the fact that most of GMA’s co-accused in the alleged plunder of P336 million of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office intelligence funds had been allowed to post bail.
I think the suspension of the Arroyo trial for plunder is already an indication of how the Supreme Court justices think of the continued hospital detention of the former President. I foresee a release.
