BANTAY Points Out ‘Conflict of interest’ in the Aquino III Cabinet (tags)
The BANTAY PILIPINAS based California said today that President Benigno Aquino lll’s decision to pick executives from big business for key Cabinet posts has placed his administration in potential conflict-of-interest situations, particularly in state-regulated enterprises, such as power, water, telecommunications and toll roads, the EPCC noted Tuesday. The BANTAY PILIPINAS said the big business appointments were a growing public concern because they were identified with four of the most influential business conglomerates in the country – the Ayala, Lopez, Aboitiz and Metro Pacific groups – to positions with powers to make or unmake business empires. The appointees mentioned were Transportation Secretary Jose de Jesus, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras. De Jesus used to be president of Meralco (where the Lopez group and Manuel V. Pangilinan of Metro Pacific are controlling partners) and former executive vice president of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (headed by Pangilinan). Singson is a former president of Lopez-owned Maynilad Water and former director of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. Almendras is a former president of Manila Water and Cebu Holdings Inc. (both owned by the Ayala group) and former treasurer of the Aboitiz group.
PESANTE BACKS HLI FARMERS AGAINST DISPLACEMENT (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network (PESANTE)-USA support Hacienda Luisita farmers in their dispute as Cojuangco family's deadline for them to cultivate the lands,. Pesante is solidly behind the United Luisita Workers' Union (Ulwu) and Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) who are beefing up its forces as they anticipate displacement measures of the Hacienda Luisita, Inc.
GIVE BACK HACIENDA LUISITA TO THE FILIPINO FARMERS! (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network(PESANTE)-USA stands solidly with peasant organizations in the Philippines in their call: GIVE BACK THE HACIENDA LUISITA to the farmers! Pesante supports the call of former KMP chair PAeng Mariano . Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano said that Senator Noynoy Aquino’s statement that they will give up Hacienda Luisita is just ruse to further evade his duty to give the land to the farmers. He said the Aquino-Cojuangco family could just convert the estate into other uses (such as the Luisita Mall and the Luisita Industrial Park) to raise money and pay its debts, which do not comply with their obligations under the agrarian reform program. “For generations, the Cojuangcos have benefited greatly from the Hacienda and labor of the farmers. It’s time they give it away, selling it or converting it will only aggravate the problems,” said Mariano.