Tag Archives: Senators

Human Interest, International, Law Enforcement, Politics, The Media

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PHILIPPINE JAIL INMATES GO ON HUNGER STRIKE

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Philippine jail inmates in the viral YouTube video "Thriller"
Philippine jail inmates in the viral YouTube video “Thriller”

Cebu City, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Chances are you’ve seen the viral YouTube video featuring hundreds of jail inmates dancing to a choreographed version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

Now these same Cebu City inmates, joined by tens of thousands of others incarcerated in Philippine jails and prisons, have gone into a hunger strike. Their demands?  Larger jail cells, airconditioning and free wi-fi access.

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) estimate the total prisoners at 80,000.  BuCor has jurisdiction over national prisons while BJMP oversees jails in cities, towns and provinces.

The striking inmates were emboldened upon learning that two senators who are now in jail in connection with plunder charges arising from the Ten Billion pork barrerl scam, have demanded more comfortable jail conditions, including airconditioning, gourmet meals, refrigerators, television sets and Internet access, among others.  The two senators are Bong Revilla, Jr., and Jinggoy Estrada.

“If our leaders can demand better conditions in their jail cells – or bungalows – why can’t we?”  the strikers said.

President NoyNoy Aquino was reported  to be under severe stress as a result of the national hunger strike, especially because he has always proclaimed that under the law, every Filipino will be treated equally. Witnesses observed that Aquino has been continuously puffing cigarettes as a result of the stress.

Business, Human Interest, International, Law Enforcement, Military, Politics

PHILIPPINES RUNNING OUT OF JAIL SPACE FOR THOSE INDICTED UNDER THE PORK BARREL SCAM

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The refurbished "bungalow jails" at Camp Crame in Quezon City
The refurbished “bungalow jails” at Camp Crame in Quezon City

Quezon City, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – With hundreds facing jail time in connection with the 10 Billion-peso pork barrel scam, the Philippines is facing an acute shortage of jail cells and detention facilities, it was announced today.  In addition to the three senators and their associates who have recently been indicted of plunder and other crimes, many more are expected to be named by the Ombudsman for their involvement in the elaborate scheme to siphon taxpayer money into ghost projects and the pockets of politicians that include other senators, congressmen and Aquino administration officials. Rumor has it that more than half of sitting senators and over a hundred congressmen have been implicated in the scam by suspected mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

The announcement of the jail shortage was made  as media reporters were shown the refurbished bungalows inside Camp Crame which will serve as detention facilities for Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla, Jr. — all of whom were indicted for non-bailable plunder in connection withe pork barrel scam.  Camp Crame is the headquarters of the Philippine National Police and is located along EDSA — the boulevard that was the center of the people’s power revolution that ousted the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.

As a way of dealing with the jail shortage, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima ordered the sequestration of the condominiums owned by Napoles. The windows and doors of the condo units will be fitted with iron bars, and door locks will be replaced with heavy bolts.  They will be emptied of all furniture except for a banig (straw mat) to serve as sleeping mat and airconditioning in the units will be totally disconnected.

As to who will be detained in these “condo jails,” de Lima said that the decision will be left to the courts.  However, de Lima added that due to a conflict of interest, Napoles will not be eligible for detention in her own condo. Napoles is currently in detention at another “bungalow jail’ at Fort Sto. Domingo, a police camp in Santa Rosa, Laguna, south of Manila.

 

Business, Film and TV, Human Interest, International, Law Enforcement, Politics, The Media

PHILIPPINE PORK BARREL SCAM: ‘NAPOLES LIST’ FINALLY REVEALED

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Justice Secretary Leila de Lima
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – After weeks of intense pressure from senators and congressmen as well as the media, Philippine Justice Secretary Leila de Lima finally revealed the so-called ‘Napoles List’ which contained names of individuals that benefited from the 10 Billion-peso pork barrel scam. The scam allegedly siphoned taxpayer money into ghost nongovernmental organiztions (NGOs) and projects as well as the pockets of senators, congressmen, Aquino administration officials, the Justice Department, journalists and yes, even Catholic bishops.

The ‘Napoles List’ was contained in a signed affidavit obtained from suspected pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.  De Lima persistently refused to make the list public, saying that the Justice Department needed more time to conduct a more thorough investigation of the celebrated case.

But today, de Lima made the list public.

The Adobo Chronicles obtained an early copy of the list.  Because of limited space, we are publishing the list in installments of ten, starting with these names:

  1. Elena Magtanggol
  2. Perla Silanganan
  3. Bayani Magiliw
  4. Alana Puso
  5. Lupa Hinirang
  6. Duhat Magiting
  7. Dibdiban de la Cruz
  8. Juan Tamadino
  9. Dyesebel Moreno
  10. Darna Zobel

While no senators and congressmen are on this initial list, it does not mean that they are scathe-free. In fact this initial list are names of  mistresses and gigolos of senators and congressmen who received money from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel funds.

Stay tuned for the next installment.