Midnight fastbreak at Equitable PCI Bank

When the Supreme Court allowed the new majority to serve as the board of the Equitable PCI Bank (EPCIB), our bank Eye-Spy disclosed that the new board had some eye-openers in their first week on the job. They uncovered a plan to provide former board member Anthony Conway a $500,000 golden parachute for his retirement. They also unearthed a P100-million slush fund that was routinely being used by the old board as a charge account without liquidation requirements. Similar to the intelligence funds of senior government officials, their miscellaneous expenses were discovered hidden under the Equitable Card Network. Of course, new Chairman Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, with the help of the new board, lowered the boom on these midnight fastbreaks for the interest of the bank and its shareholders. With their successful diggings of arcane, yet valuable irregularities, the new board can consider taking on a second career as Dr. Indiana Jones raiding lost arks, temples of doom, and other mysteries. As one local observer put it, "Huli na, humihirit pa."

Filipinos in demand at the White House

First Lady Laura Bush’s announcement of the appointment of Filipina Cristeta Comerford as the first female White House Executive Chef simply confirms Filipinos are extremely popular in the Bush household. Cris, a naturalized American, was personally chosen by the Bushes because of her enchiladas and cheeseburgers. She helped former Executive Chef Walter Scheib prepare the menu for the State dinner during President Arroyo’s visit to the US in 2003. Bush sometimes gets his private, unofficial briefings on the Philippines from his Filipino valet and stewards. Another successful Filipina-American in the Executive Mansion is Dr. Eleanor ‘Connie’ Mariano, who was President Bill Clinton’s physician until 2001. She was also Air Force One’s chief physician. Mariano was also a top ranking officer of the US Navy, having been promoted to Rear Admiral, the highest military post ever occupied by a Filipina-American in the US Armed Forces. Mariano, who is now with Mayo Clinic in Arizona, also came to the White House by way of the kitchen, having come from a Fil-Am family of US Navy stewards.

Chavez asks SC to nullify Senate contempt citation

Atty. Frank Chavez filed a petition yesterday for the Supreme Court to nullify the Senate’s contempt citation on him after his verbal exchange with Sen. Richard Gordon last July 12. He was barred from appearing as counsel for any witness in any public hearing of four Senate committees until July 2007. Chavez pleaded the following: 1. The Senate cannot delegate its contempt power to the committees so the penalty is null and void; 2. The Senate has neither power nor authority to bar him from appearing as counsel because this is a clear usurpation of the exclusive power and authority of the Supreme Court; 3. He was punished without the benefit of notice and hearing; 4. The penalty imposed was beyond the coverage of Senate rules; 5. The penalty violates a witness’ constitutional right to be represented by counsel of his choice; and 6. The incident took place when the committees had no quorum and after the session had been suspended. If the Supreme Court doesn’t resolve this soon enough, we might find Flash Gordon and Feisty Frank at the Araneta Coliseum’s boxing ring. Instead of the usual Senate hearings "in aid of legislation," this could be "in aid of the boxing sport."

From the listening post: US Embassy’s new Public Affairs Counselor

Spybiz welcomes new US Public Affairs Counselor Lee McClenny, a San Francisco California native who was previously the Press Counselor of the US Embassy in London. McClenny reportedly speaks Spanish, French and Russian, and has had stints in Belgrade and Guatemala. He was also NATO deputy spokesman at the headquarters in Brussels. Mr. McClenney took the place of Ron Post, who left last month to head the Public Diplomacy East Asia Desk in Washington, D.C.

Spy tidbiz: Proposed RP space program for Mars

For the past three weeks, friends, officemates, and relatives have been emailing each other that the planet Mars, not the defunct disco, will be brightest in the night sky starting August. It is anticipated that it will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. On Aug. 27 at 12:30 a.m., Mars will be closest to the Earth at a distance of only 34.65-million miles. Astronomers said the earth will appear to have two moons on that evening. It normally takes seven months to get to Mars from our planet but because it is the closest as it can be in 282 years, perhaps this is the perfect time to send our politicians to the red planet where they can all slug it out with each other. This reminds us of the time a reporter asked President Kennedy – When did he plan to send a man to the Moon? With humorous wit, JFK replied, "As soon as Sen. Barry Goldwater is ready to go." Goldwater was JFK’s political nemesis at that time.

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