Pinoy Daily Talk

PAGCOR Chairman Efraim Genuino

Recently, Ted Failon made an expose about the chairman. According to Failon, based on gathered documents, the chairman and his family had benefited from PAGCOR. The documents shows that funds came from PAGCOR then to BIDA Foundation which in turn goes to BIDA party list.

Millions of funds were transferred to support the candidacy of his family. We may recall that last election,  his sons, Erwin Genuino, run for mayor of Makati and Anthony Genuino run for mayor of Los Banos.

Here are the video links which documented the corrupt acts of Chairman Genuino:

Part I: How the Genuino family benefited from PAGCOR as exposed in Failon Ngayon
Part II: How the Genuino family benefited from PAGCOR as exposed in Failon Ngayon

Part I: Dapat malaman ng mga taong bayan ang tungkol sa PAGCOR – Failon Ngayon
Part II: Dapat malaman ng mga taong bayan ang tungkol sa PAGCOR – Failon Ngayon

A commenter from youtube.com has this to say:

“Mr Genuino should be investigated. He has taken a lot of money from Pagcor. He was appointed by GMA to the agency as he was the campaign manager of the president during her senatorial race up to the bid for presidency. Before his appointment, he own a simple businesses like trace college in makati with less than 300 population in makati, less than 300 students in los banos laguna, a kodak franchise photoshop, and a pest control company. He was not that wealthy and rich before his appoinment.“

An item in Daily Inquirer dated 3/26/2009 also said that Ganuino should resign from PAGCOR as he was using the agency’s fund to further his political ambitions.

“A Caloocan City congresswoman wants “Kuya Efren” to resign from the country’s casino monopoly if he wants to run for senator next year.

Rep. Mary Mitzi L. Cajayon was referring to Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Chair Ephraim Genuino who, she claimed, “unabashedly” used his office and the anti-drug drive BIDA (Batang Iwas sa Droga) it has been promoting as a campaign vehicle to boost his stock way ahead of the 2010 elections.

“We are both administration allies, but what I cannot accept is if Genuino used Pagcor money to further his political ambitions. It’s alright to pursue one’s dream, but he should use his own funds. He should resign out of delicadeza (propriety),” said Cajayon in an interview.

Cajayon said she was appalled when she watched a parade along Roxas Boulevard in Manila made up of students wearing T-shirts with Genuino’s face and the words “Kuya Efren” emblazoned on them.

“The students don’t even know who Kuya Efren is. If it was indeed an anti-drug rally, then why was Genuino’s face and name plastered all over the event site?” said Cajayon.

She also said Genuino reportedly offered free rides on the Light Railway Transit system to students on March 21.

“Where is he getting all his money?” asked Cajayon.“

Pinoy, what can you say?

The influence of money has gotten into Willie’s head. The power of money has made this noontime show host arrogant in all his ways.

During the airing of his show, “Wowowee”, he objected, “on air”, to the insertion of a video of former President Corazon Aquino’s cortege.

“Hindi siguro magandang tingnan na pinapakita niyo yan (Mrs. Aquino’s footage). Nagsasaya kami tapos pinapakita niyo yung, I don’t think dapat ipakita yan.”

“Eh mahihirapan akong magsalita rito. Nagpapasaya ako nakikita ko ‘yung ano (cortege) ni Tita Cory. Sana pakitanggal naman muna ‘yan sa ating traffic. Kasi kung ganyan pakita nalang natin ‘yan kasi nagsasaya kami dito tapos masakit sa akin yan. Nagsasalita ako dito yan Pls, sana maintindhan niyo, nagsasaya kami dito papakita niyo sa amin yun. Diba? Hindi tama eh okay?”

“Hay nako. Pangit. Hindi maganda ho sa atin nagsasalita pinapakita yung kabaong ni Tita Cory. Diba? Paano kami magkakapagsaya nahihirapan kami? I’m sorry ho ah pero ako totoo ako eh. ‘Wag niyo akong papagalitan…Pagkatapos ng show pakita niyo ‘yung gusto niyong ipalabas. Kasi itong Wowowee gusto ko at alam din ni Tita Cory ‘yan kasi napasaya din siya ng show na ito na laging masaya dito. Okay?”

A day after this controversial remarks, he apologized through his show and clarified that he had no ill intentions when he sought the removal of the insets.

However, some cause oriented groups were dismayed over his arrogance. The MTRCB also reiterated that Revillame violated code of ethics.

Yesterday, a poem created by Joey De Leon, were spreading on emails. And to share with you, here is the poem…

Wala na sa piling ng mga Pilipino,
Tinig ng awiting Mga Kababayan Ko,
At lumisan na rin noong isang Sabado,
Inang nagpalipad sa awiting Bayan Ko.

Ako’y sumasaludo, paalam Pangulo,
May isa ‘kong lihim, kay tagal itinago,
Sa lahat nang inabot kong mga namuno,
Tanging ikaw lang sa luha ko’y nagpatulo.

Marami ang nalungkot sa iyong pagyao,
Magalang ang lahat at puno ng respeto,
Nagpasalamat pa nga Kapamilya sa ‘yo,
Dahil kanilang himpilan naibalik mo.

Subalit ano itong nabalitaan ko?
Nangyari noong Lunes, a-tres ng Agosto,
Habang inililipat ang mga labi mo,
Ika’y parang nabastos sa isang TV show.

At ang napakasaklap at masakit dito,
Ang nambastos pa’y kapamilya ng anak mo,
Napanood ito ng tao at publiko,
Kakaunti na nga, ngunit lahat nahilo.

Sabi ng TV host na mainit ang ulo
Pagkakita sa video na kanyang kasalo,
“Sandali, meron akong ano… sa’ting ano…
Hindi naman sa ano,” nagkaanu-ano!

Ayon sa Internet, meron pa s’yang nasambit,
“ Sana pakitanggal muna ‘yan sa’ting traffic…”
At ‘di maaalis sa iyong pag-iisip,
Ang parada ng patay ang pinaliligpit!

At dagdag pa daw ng naghahari-harian,
“I don’t think na dapat n’yong ipakita iyan…”
Nasaan naman ang paggalang, o nasaan?
Mga sinasabi natin minsa’y pag-ingatan.

At ‘di pa nangimi nang sumunod na araw,
Pinilit pa ring ginawa n’ya ay tama raw,
Mga nakarinig ‘di na nakagalaw
At ayon sa iba sila na la’y napa-wow!

“… Pero ako, totoo ‘ko eh … “, sabi kuno,
Totoo nga at totoo ring walang modo,
Pwede namang sabihin itong pa-sikreto,
Kaya’t wala na rin mga paliwanag mo.

“Kung ganyan, pakita na lang ‘yan!”, ang hamon pa,
Para bang ang prusisyon nila-“lang – lang” lang ba,
Ang pangasiwaan ay pinapili pa n’ya,
Sumunod ang himpilan, nung August 5 wala s’ya.

May mga komentong pwede nang pang-harapan,
“On camera” baga sa TV ang tawag d’yan
At kung sensitibo man ang gustong bitawan,
Pagpasok ng commercial, hintayin mo na lang.

Matutong magbaba muna ng mikropono
At saka idikta lahat ng iyong gusto,
Lagi kang mataas lahat daw takot sa ‘yo,
Ratings lang ang mababa — totoo ba ito?

The breaking news breaks your heart — at ‘yan ang bawi mo,
Nang mahalata mong sumablay ang pasok mo,
Pero sigurado ika’y maa-abswelto,
‘Di ba ikaw rin ang may-ari ng network n’yo?

Nung Hueves nag-apologize sa diario naman,
O, akala ko ba wala kang kasalanan,
Tapos ng angalan, sunod paliwanagan —
COMPLAIN before you EXPLAIN ka na naman!

O ito kaya ay isa na namang “glitch” lang,
Tulad ng “two-zero” ‘di na natin nalaman,
O ito ay maliwanag na kabobohan?
Sa tingin ng marami, mahirap lusutan.

Ang sabi ng iba — istupidong mayabang,
At giit ng iba — istupidong mayaman,
Mayaman man o mayabang ang tiyak diyan,
Napakayaman n’ya sa kaistupiduhan.

Buti pa ang apat na honor guards ni Cory —
Sina Malab, Laguindan, Rodriguez, Cadiente,
Walong oras tumayo sa ulan at viaje,
Ang lahat ay tiniis at walang sinabi.

Samantalang ikaw na may bubong sa ulo,
Komportable ka lang sa malamig na studio,
Nang kapirasong libing sa TV sumalo,
Angal at inis ang sumambulat sa iyo.

Maaari din namang pabayaan na s’ya,
Subalit ang nangyari’y mabigat talaga,
Namayapang pangulo’y huling paalam na,
‘Di mo pa pinagbigyan … hoy, nag-iisa ka!

At nais ko lang sabihin at ipagyabang
Sa mahigit na s’yam na libong tanghalian,
Sa limang pangulong sa Bulaga’y dumaan,
Kahit isa wala kaming nilapastangan.

THE wife of ABS-CBN news anchor Teodoro “Ted” Failon was rushed to New Era General Hospital last April 15 afternoon and was “fighting for her life,” due to a gunshot wound in the head, as reported by its network and GMA 7.

In a statement sent earlier by his home network ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., Failon did not complete his program over dzMM radio Wednesday morning after speaking with his wife on the phone.

According to Failon, “I immediately went home and saw that the bathroom door was locked. I had the door opened and I found my wife bloodied, so I rushed her to the hospital,” he said.

ABS-CBN reported that Trinidad left a note of apology in the master’s bedroom.

“Papa, Im so so sorry gustong gusto ko pong magsabi sa yo ng totoo, pero hindi ko po alam kung papaano ko uumpisahan.

Sobrang takot na takot po ako. Umalis po muna ako. Kasi hindi ko po kayang at nahihiya po ako sayo humarap.

Sana po mapatawad mo ako papa. Sorry, sorry Papa

Mama”

[I want to tell the truth but I don’t know how to start. I was afraid that is why I left]…

The Quezon City Police said they would not treat the victim’s alleged letter as a suicide note, noting inconsistencies in Failon’s statements.

The Witnesses

Based on Inquirer, initial investigation showed that Trinidad Etong was taken to the hospital by her sister Pamela, the family driver identified only as Glen, and another man believed to be Failon.

This was how a resident physician described the turn of events:

Upon arrival and after begging doctors and nurses to immediately attend to his wife, Failon asked everyone in the ER not to allow reporters or police personnel to enter the hospital premises: “No media, no police, please, nakikiusap ako.”

While attending to the patient, the ER staff asked what were considered standard questions, but Failon refused to answer even the most basic: What happened? How did the patient get the gunshot wound?

He remained silent, was in tears and visibly very worried. The only information he gave the hospital, verbally and in writing on the official hospital form for patients, was the patient’s name, Trinidad Etong, and her age, 45. He managed to tearfully tell the ER staff that the patient was his wife and a nurse: “Asawa daw niya, nurse daw, iyak nang iyak.”

A witness told the Inquirer that he saw Failon leaving the ER in a bloody polo shirt and wearing a surgical mask, apparently to avoid identification by policemen and reporters waiting outside, and boarding a blue Pajero at around 1 p.m.

Another witness, a gardener of Failon’s neighbor told the Inquirer that before noon, he saw the broadcaster in a bloody shirt about to board the Pajero in his garage with another woman who was weeping. But he did not see Failon’s wife. The gardener also said he did not hear gunshots coming from Failon’s house with glass windows.

Police investigators were only able to interview witnesses in the hospital and to get Failon’s address at around 4 p.m., or more than five hours later, because hospital personnel did not immediately allow interviews with the witnesses.

Hospital personnel also barred reporters from entering the premises and refused to issue a statement.

Sources said ABS-CBN had ordered a news blackout for several hours upon Failon’s request.

The Investigation

According to investigators, they were very dismayed when they found out the crime scene – the house and the car – were already cleaned.

This developed as the police contemplates to file charges of obstruction of justice against the driver of Failon and the three house help who cleaned the area where Trinidad was found.

Although Failon is tested negative for gunpowder burns, investigators said this does not mean he is already absolved from the case as they are not still considering the findings as conclusive.

“He is not off the hook. Paraffin test is not conclusive. We have to continue the investigation and would file charges against Failon if evidence warrants,” Chief Supt. Roberto Rosales said.

The Passing of the Victim

Trinidad Arteche Etong, the wife of news anchor Ted Failon, passed away, about 20 minutes after doctors tried to revive her, radio dzMM’s vice president for Manila division Peter Musngi reported Thursday night.

Etong was brought to the New Era General Hospital in Quezon City at about 11 a.m., Wednesday. She stayed at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and died there minutes before 9 p.m., Thursday.

Report said that the doctors and nurses were trying to revive Trinidad whose blood pressure had continued dropping minutes before she died. New Era’s Dr. Adonis Gascon, a neurosurgeon, said Etong was pronounced dead at 8:50 p.m.

“The immediate cause of death is penetrating cranial missile injury and then disseminated intravascular coagulation, and subsequent multi-organ failure,” Gascon told radio dzBB.

The Question

What do you think, is it a suicide or a homicide?