Pulse Asia must have asked wrong people

Vice President Jojo Binay has resigned from the Aquino Cabinet. But why only now? What kept him so long?

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Do a Binay, Cabinet bets told—headline. The first to do that long before Binay resigned was Energy Secretary Jericho “Icot” Petilla.

That says a lot about Petilla’s character.

If he runs for senator, let’s vote for him.

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Despite allegations of corruption and plunder against him, Binay’s approval rating rose 58 percent in June, up from 46 percent in March.

His trust rating increased 57 percent in the same month, from 42 percent in March.

Pulse Asia, which conducted the survey, probably interviewed the wrong respondents.

The respondents obviously do not read newspapers or watch the news on television.

If we have this kind of voter who doesn’t have political savvy or who tolerates corruption because “everybody is doing it, anyway,” then you know why our country has remained blighted all these years.

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Whistle-blower Rhodora Alvarez’s request to be placed under the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP) will have to wait until the arrival of Senate President Frank Drilon and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima from abroad.

Drilon’s signature is needed because Alvarez exposed the P1.26-billion “rotten” deal to buy refurbished combat helicopters before the Senate blue ribbon committee.

De Lima, on the other hand, has supervision over the WPP.

Let’s hope they don’t stay long abroad because Alvarez’s life is in danger.

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A lawyer has become the butt of jokes among his peers for filing petitions to inhibit judges and magistrates who favor his client’s opponent in a case involving a father and son’s battle for possession of a big company.

They call him “Boy Inhibit.”

Even judges who are hearing cases he is handling for other clients, ask him if they would have him inhibit if he perceived them to rule in favor of his opponents.

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Customs people have their own jargon for bribes and illegal money-making schemes, according to Deputy Customs Commissioner for Intelligence Jessie Dellosa in a report to Malacañang.

For example, “tara” is a term for grease money given by smugglers to some personnel at the Bureau of Customs, said Dellosa.

But does Dellosa know that some of his men (and women) get tara from smugglers?

If he discreetly asks other customs personnel, he will have the shock of his life.

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“Sayang” (What a waste) is how knowledgeable people describe Ramon Ang’s failed talks with the owners of GMA Network Inc. for the acquisition of 30 percent of the giant radio-TV network.

GMA owners abruptly terminated the talks, catching the president of San Miguel Corp. by surprise.

Ang had told this columnist that the Gozon, Duavit and Jimenez families wanted him to buy 90 percent of the company or 60 percent more, which was the subject of negotiations.

He also told me his plans for the company which would have made it the country’s No. 1. TV station,

Anyway, it’s GMA’s loss, not Ang’s.