Aquino surrounded by unsavory people

President Noynoy’s honesty and integrity are beyond question, but can those sterling qualities be said of some members of his Cabinet?

A former classmate of the President, who holds a top government post, comes from a political family allegedly engaged in extortion.

The guy owns a beautiful house at upscale Ayala Westgrove in Cavite province. He has four luxury sedans parked inside the compound which he visits  every other weekend.

Family members of this P-Noynoy appointee allegedly enriched themselves by extorting money from investors in their Southern Luzon turf.

A report sent to me claims a big investor shelled out P30 million so he could put up a building on the family’s turf.

The family of another P-Noynoy appointee is also engaged in extorting money from investors, particularly those involved in real estate.

I am reminded of P-Noynoy’s mother, the late President Cory who, during her watch was as pure as the driven snow, but was also surrounded by corrupt people.

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Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is contesting the ruling of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima that does not allow the shipment to other countries of mineral ore dug up from provinces in    the ARMM.

It was Hataman’s reaction to an item in this space on

July 24 that said the ARMM governor disobeyed the justice secretary’s opinion when he continued to allow the shipment of  ore from the Muslim provinces.

Hataman showed this columnist a letter he sent  to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which sought a  ruling from the Department of Justice.

“The DOJ opinion mistakenly concluded without any legal basis that nickel is a strategic mineral when in law it is not,” Hataman told Mines Director Leo Jasareno.

Strategic minerals, said Hataman, are sources of potential energy like uranium, petroleum, and other fossil fuels.

He said nickel and other metallic minerals (gold, copper, iron, chromite, molybdenum) are not strategic minerals.

The Constitution  says strategic minerals belong exclusively to the national government, Hataman said.

However, gold, silver, copper and ore can be exploited by the ARMM, he added.

What is Secretary De Lima’s comment to Governor Hataman’s reply to her ruling?