Contentious BBL

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. convened a hearing of the Senate committee on local government to receive an initial briefing on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

Both sides of the negotiating peace panels were present and jointly explained the proposed BBL. Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita “Ging” Deles and  Mohagher Iqbal   led the resource persons.

With Congress adjourning yesterday for a three-week recess, the BBL and the President’s request for emergency powers, will probably go to the plenary of both Houses by November, at the earliest.

Senator Marcos said issues concerning sharing of “national wealth” between the national government and the Bangsamoro political entity and the terms on “power-sharing” especially issues covering economic planning and security arrangements will be among the most contentious issues.

Senate bill 2408 is entitled “An act providing for the Basic Law for the Bangsamoro and Abolishing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

P8.8B DAP for lawmakers

Upon insistent demand of Navotas representative and United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) Secretary-General Toby Tiangco, Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad finally released the list of lawmakers who received allocations from the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

The list shows that more than the earlier amount of P10 million per congressman and P50 million per senator, much bigger amounts, were released to mostly allies of President Aquino.

This was glaring in the top 10 recipients of DAP funds among the representatives, all of them LP members:

1. Former Cavite Rep. and now Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya (P408 million)

2. Speaker and LP vice chair Feliciano Belmonte Jr. (P297.487 million)

3. Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II (P263 million)

4. Former Cavite Rep. Erineo “Ayong” Saquilayan Maliksi (P217.894 million)

5. Former An-Waray Rep. Florencio “Bem” Noel (P179.5 million)

6. Deputy Speaker and Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad (P176.619 million)

7. Former Laguna Rep. Edgar San Luis (P160.209 million)

8. Former Cebu Rep. Tomas Osmeña (P124.124 million)

9. Former Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III (P120.581 million)

10. Former Batangas Rep. Nelso Collantes (P110 million)

The top 10 biggest recipients in the Senate were:

1. Teofisto Guingona III (P360.51 million)

2. Francis Pangilinan  (P310.841 million)

3. Aquilino Pimentel III (P258.100 million)

4. Loren Legarda (P250 million)

5. Juan Ponce Enrile (P249 million)

6. Gregorio Honasan II  (P238 million)

7. Francis Escudero (P235.5 million)

8. Ralph Recto (P233.17 million)

9. Vicente Sotto III (P214 million)

10. Franklin Drilon (P197.11 million)

The other senators who reportedly received DAP funds were:

1. Pia Cayetano (P175.676 million)

2. Alan Peter Cayetano (P159.999 million)

3. Edgardo Angara (P153.9 million)

4. Ramon Revilla Jr. (P115 million)

5. Sergio Osmeña III (P111.75 million)

6. Antonio Trillanes IV (P100 million)

7. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos” Jr. (P100 million)

8. Miriam Defensor Santiago (P100 million)

9. Jinggoy Estrada (P96.75 million)

10. Manuel “Lito” Lapid (P65 million)

11. Manuel Villar  (P44 million)

12. Joker Arroyo (P17 million)

Still unreleased by Abad is the list of beneficiaries of the Malampaya Fund, the Calamity Fund, the Contingent Fund, and the Presidential Fund.

Cost of visits

Malacañang announced that the President’s visit to Europe cost P31 million and his 5-day visit to the United States (US) cost P10.5 million.

The amounts appear to be understated and probably did not include the cost of the Philippine Airlines plane that the President used for two weeks straight.

To the President’s credit, he did not include in his entourage members of his family.

Malacañang has not released the members of the presidential entourage. An Airbus 330 can carry about 400 passengers.

From Boston and New York, the President will visit San Francisco.

Crime report

Seventy-year-old Zenaida “Baby” Sison, mother of actress Cherry Pie Picache, was stabbed to death by robbers in her Teachers Village, Quezon City home.

Four businessmen were shot to death in an ambush in Mabini, Batangas last Sunday. Killed were Jonathan Tolosa, Cesar Manalo, Isko Ramos and Miguel Aldovino.

Lomboy National High School principal Editho Jacinto was shot dead in  Angadanan, Isabela.

RVM Healing Center

Devotees and patients continue to flock to the Mother Ignacia Healing Center in Barangay Bagumbong (Novaliches), Caloocan City.

A group of healers, headed by Sister Gloria Ross, RVM, attends to hundreds of sick people on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Following the procedure in Lourdes, France, there is also a bathing portion during the whole day healing process.

A big number of patients are stage 4 cancer patients. We have witnessed more than 20 such stage 4 cancer patients cured at the Mother Ignacia Healing Center.

Congestion at Bilibid

The Bureau of Corrections New Bilibid Prison Reservation in Muntinlupa continues to be congested with over 40,000 inmates.

The same congestion is true at the Manila City Jail and the Quezon City Jail.

The congestion can be relieved if the President ordered the release through pardon or parole of an estimated 7,000 inmates.

It has been reported also that several thousand prisoners who have served their sentence are still not released.