Merry-Go-Round: Floro L. Mercene
COMELEC Chairman Ben Abalos is being raked over the coals over the R1.3-billion contract to fully computerize the elections which has been voided by the Supreme Court.
A sober look at things will show that Comelec acted judiciously in approving the contract with Mega Pacific. Mr. Abalos is being crucified unjustly.
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In voiding the contract, the Supreme Court said it did not make any premature conclusions on any wrongdoing but precisely directed the Ombudsman to make that determination after due process.
Former Chief Justice Davide himself said that there was no suggestion that graft and corruption attended the bidding process or that the contract price was excessive and unreasonable.
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In awarding the contract to Mega Pacific, the government was able to save R2.28 billion. The government of South Korea certified that the machines supplied by Mega Pacific were used successfully in two national elections in Korea in 2002.
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Those machines were far superior in performance compared with the machines of the losing bidder. The Mega Pacific machines were certified 100 percent accurate and reliable by the Department of Science and Technology.
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The problems of Mr. Abalos are being generated by the group that lost in the bidding. The ugly truth also is that none of the political parties wanted those machines because it will prevent them from cheating.
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Agatep Associates, headed by my pal Charlie Agatep, is doing a fantastic job in whipping public interest in the Gospel of Judas.
AAI is the PR counsel of National Geographic Channel in the Philippines which aired the documentary on the Gospel of Judas.
According to Carling Agatep, the cover of the next issue of National Geographic magazine will be devoted to the Gospel of Judas, now stirring a controversy of worldwide proportions.
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GMA commutes death sentence of 1,280 convicts to life imprisonments on the Day of Resurrection.
Good news for the executioners who will be obliged to take a long vacation.
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Anti-crime advocates and relatives of victims of heinous crimes condemn the President’s decision. But churchmen and pro-life groups and European diplomats applaud it.
She was exercising a presidential prerogative but forgot to say excuse me to Congress and the judiciary.
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The President wanted to exercise compassion and reconciliation with the criminals. Reconciliation with her political enemies is still under study.
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Commutation of death sentence was a publicity gimmick to overturn the President’s low survey rating.
Her decision has successfully divided the nation even more.
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GSIS insiders intimated that it had to postpone the public bidding of its Equitable PCI Bank shares because a family, owner of a bloc in EPCIB, was not able to come through with its foreign investor.
The family had assured GSIS that there was very keen interest of a foreign investor to buy GSIS and SSS shares at 92 pesos to 95 pesos per share.
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The foreign investors were reported to have found the price of 92 pesos too steep. Therefore, GSIS had to postpone the public bidding of its EPCIB shares from April to May 8.
GSIS was banking on the foreign investors that the family was going to go in partnership with to bid for the GSIS and SSS shares.. At any rate, GSIS has no choice but to postpone its bidding because the price that they have set for their EPCIB shares was much too high and unrealistic.
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