Warrant of arrest for Carding Silverio

Irritated at the numerous postponements in the grave coercion case filed by Ricardo “Ricky” Silverio Jr. against his father and namesake Ricardo “Carding” Sr., presiding judge Barbara Briones of the Makati Regional Trial Court issued an ultimatum to the old man Silverio to appear on the next hearing scheduled for tomorrow, October 6. Otherwise, the angry judge said she will immediately implement the arrest warrant against Carding. The lady judge sternly warned “no more postponement,” adding this will be the “last time.”

 It’s been almost two years since Ricky Jr. filed a grave coercion case against the old man Carding and his two bodyguards, claiming that he was beaten up and forcibly dragged out of the Silverios’ Urdaneta Village house. Ricky has been engaged in a legal battle against his father over several properties left by the older Silverio’s first wife Beatriz, who was actually the widow of Edmundo Silverio, Carding’s brother. Several accounts say it was actually the money of Beatriz that got the Silverio empire going, starting with the Toyota dealership during the 60’s.

Beatriz died without leaving a will, but in her dying days she told Ricky in Tagalog, “Anak, itong bahay ay para sa iyo (Son, this house is for you)” - a sentimental reason why Ricky has been fighting tooth and nail to reclaim the Urdaneta Village residence which according to sources Carding Silverio allegedly wants to bequeath to his former secretary and now his current wife, former Bulacan Congresswoman Lorna Cillan-Silverio.

The enmity between father and son intensified during the last congressional elections. Both ran against each other in the third district of Bulacan - ultimately making former governor Joselito “Jonjon” Mendoza win.

Shalani for Senator?

At a recent wake in Santuario de San Antonio, former Banco Filipino chairman Adi Aguirre introduced presidential special friend and Valenzuela councilor Shalani Soledad as “my daughter” to the Noy-Bi group headed by Vice President Jojo Binay, Pastor “Boy” Saycon and presidential uncle Peping Cojuangco. Adi Aguirre is the son of the late Don Tomas Aguirre, founder of Banco Filipino Savings Bank and BF Homes, Asia’s biggest subdivision.

This early, there are already whispers that the dynamic and very attractive young politician (voted as one of the prettiest politicians in the country today) will be endorsed as senator come the 2013 elections. With the backing of the formidable Aguirre wealth, the Presidential Liberal Party machinery and the powerful Noy-Bi group, there’s no question she could very well become the Honorable Senator Shalani Soledad in 2013.

Dying with importance

Every time business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco goes to St. Luke’s Medical Center for a check-up, rumormongers go on overdrive and do a Mark Twain on him by greatly exaggerating rumors about his “death.” The San Miguel Corp. chairman just finds these rumors amusing and simply ridiculous. Naturally we immediately called ECJ and told him, “Boss, when they stop talking about you, that means you’re no longer important.” To which he answered in classic Danding fashion: “I’d rather not be important.”

Spy tidbits

Professor Benjamin Diokno has been nominated for president of the University of the Philippines where he has been teaching Economics since 1974. Diokno served as Undersecretary for Budget Operations during the time of Cory Aquino and became Budget Secretary during the administration of Joseph Estrada. The then DBM chief was known for his WSYWIG or “what you see is what you get” policy that simplified the system for GAA fund releases. Ben is definitely qualified for the position, having held numerous positions in both the government and the private sector and was consultant for numerous projects by various financial institutions such as the ADB and the World Bank.

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