Friends or foes?

Spybiz operatives intercepted an email dated July 13 between a former Comelec chief and a female NGO head – who just recently resigned from her presidential adviser post – regarding the creation of a Truth Commission as specified in a July 5 document. Last week, civil society was speculating that the two were working to railroad impeachment charges against the President. In essence, the NGO head’s letter said the Truth Commission should go beyond GMA and use it to dig into the operations of the Comelec. The email called for the investigation of the characters mentioned in a PCIJ Internet report and if there is cause, to file charges against them. The email expressed interest in how one man could single-handedly manipulate so many aspects of the elections, with the hope that the Truth Commission could lead to reforms in the beleaguered electoral body. The former Comelec chief, who works for a media magnate clan, recently opined that talking to a Comelec official is not unconstitutional. Those who know these two personalities are wondering what gives – are they friends or foes of the President? The bottom line is would you want them to be on your side in the trenches?

From The Same Tree

Regarding Tony Go’s July 19 rejoinder issued by his executive assistant, Rene de los Reyes, Spybiz Eye-spy Dr. Strangelove clarified that Edwin Go is a distant relative of the embattled clan. He is the son of the founder of the Bank of Orient in San Francisco. Edwin just comes from another branch of the same tree. Common to Chinese business practices, enterprises are compartmentalized due to fiduciary trust issues. As such, the numerous John Does listed in the various cases filed against Edwin are allegedly members of the clan. And we stand by the veracity of these documents. In view of the raging battle for control of the Equitable PCI Bank (EPCIB), the clan’s disavowal of developments in separate enterprises and the doings of separate family branches is understandable. But it can’t be denied that the action of one affects everyone in the clan. They all come from the same tree which is now being shaken to its roots.

P152 Million Lost To Rob Gangs

An estimated P152 million was lost to big time robbery in the last 30 months, a lawmaker revealed. Citing statistics from the Philippine National Police, Rep. Joseph Santiago of Catanduanes said that some 90 bank offices and armored cars were raided by these rob gangs. From January to June this year, 12 banks have already been victimized, with at least P21 million reportedly carted away. Holdup gangs seem to have been most active in 2004, an election year, with 41 banks and armored cars losing P59 million. In 2003, an estimated P72 million was carted away from 37 bank offices. Santiago said that the bank heists from 2003 to June this year have claimed the lives of 27 people, 10 of them security guards, two police officers, two bank employees and two innocent bystanders, while the remaining 11 were robbery-holdup suspects, some of them said to be active police officers and soldiers. At least 41 others were also injured as a result of the robberies.

Spy Tidbiz: Amicable Rejection

A day before the Equitable PCI Bank (EPCIB) stockholders’ meeting the other day, SSS president Corazon de la Paz allegedly offered to amicably settle the matter of who will lead EPCIB with the Gos. The Go family reportedly would have no part of it. Bank Ear-spies added that the Gos will fight tooth and nail to hold on to the bank. With the Gos’ refusal, observers noted they’re probably hiding anomalous transactions from the past. Stockholders are worried that if the stalemate is not resolved soon it could become the biggest scandal to rock the banking industry.

The Listening Post: A Peaceful Dragon In 20 Years

Cavendish learned from an old China hand about the country’s enlightened policy to defuse tensions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits leading to mutual cooperation against terrorism and international crime. He quoted a faculty member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences who intimated that China really doesn’t want with Taiwan. However, the Taiwan issue has a domino effect – it has serious implications to domestic separatism. China has no less than 56 ethnic groups. If China were to relax on the Taiwan issue, it might exacerbate separatist inclinations among these ethnic groups, including 20 million Muslims within its borders! Instead, China wants to play a constructive role in the international community and to defuse the notion of a "China threat." The academic explained that his country is appealing to other countries to have patience and allow the reform and openness process to continue. He said that within 10 to 20 years, the international community will see a more peaceful, more responsive China.

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