World Bank report on Supreme Court ‘ineligible funds’ inappropriately leaked to Rappler?

Recently, Purple S. Romero of “social news network” site Rappler.com published the article “Return P8.6-M, World Bank tells SC” which details a World Bank request to the Philippine Supreme Court to return “a total of US$199,000 (P8.6-M) in ‘ineligible’ funds by the end of January, saying the High Tribunal spent this on activities and projects not covered by a loan agreement between both parties”…

In a Dec 28, 2011 letter addressed to SC Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, chair of the Judicial Reform Support Project (JRSP) Management Committee, Matthew Stephens, acting WB country director, cited seven concerns and issues on how the High Tribunal used the US$21.9M loan (P903-M based on current rates) it granted the High Tribunal in 2003.

Over at the Get Real Philippines Community group on Facebook, member Belinda Gozon Madrid had this to say about the above “report”…

It seems that [the above request] was not supposed to be published publicly as yet but it was leaked to RAPPLER.COM. It is alleged that Andre[w] Parker husband of Presidential Management Staff chief leaked the paper to RAPPLER. This is the report which seems to insinuate and fuel anti [Chief Justice Renato Corona] sentiments before Monday’s trial.

I was a BETA page user of RAPPLER but I have since UNLIKED this page because I object to the use of news to promote partisan views. I have [no] problem with partisan views as long as they are stated as such. When news is muddled with opinions and innuendoes…then that is called something else?

This is worrisome… not only do we have political dynasties now ruling together with oligarchs…we now also have here an example of a whole family in government holding key appointed position…s…pwede pala ito???

“Julia Abad. Budget Secretary Abad’s daughter Julia Abad Parker is the director-general of the Presidential Management Staff, a very powerful office that has a lot of say on how the President’s P1 billion pork barrel will be spent. In addition, her husband, Andrew Parker, is a senior rural development economist for the Philippine office of the World Bank, a major multi-lateral lender to RP. A second child of Abad, Luis, is the chief of staff of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, who also heads the Monetary Board. Abad’s wife, Rep. Henedina Abad, has been assured by incoming Speaker Feliciano Belmonte that she will be the senior vice-chair of the very powerful House Committee on Appropriations, which will be chaired by Cavite Rep.Joseph Abaya.”

[Above quoted from the article “Conflict of interest in Abad situation” written by Belinda Olivares-Cunanan, 21st July 2010.]

[NB: Some parts of the above excerpt are edited for clarity and as such may not be identical to the original text taken from the source.]

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Rappler.com was also recently the centre of a row with the prestigious University of Santo Tomas (UST), after one of its “online journalists” Marites Vitug reported that the UST allegedly granted an academic degree to Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona who, it is also alleged, did not meet the standard requirements for said degree. Rappler.com CEO Maria Ressa, had since been quick to invoke “libel!” in response to some bloggers issuing their opinion on possible agendas at work behind her fledgling “social news network” site.

Indeed, Rappler.com has so far been silent on the obvious question given these sorts of observations made about the way it “reports” the news and presumes to be a “social news network” made up of a clique of “online journalists”…

Who funds Rappler.com?

Abangan ang susunod na kabanata…

37 Replies to “World Bank report on Supreme Court ‘ineligible funds’ inappropriately leaked to Rappler?”

  1. Mbuti nga at nlalaman ng taumbayan ang pangungurakot nitong mga lokoloko sa Korte Suprema, si Gloria pasimuno nito!

    1. “Mbuti nga at nlalaman ng taumbayan ang pangungurakot nitong mga lokoloko sa Korte Suprema, si Gloria pasimuno nito!”

      Any EVIDENCE to backup your ramblings TROLL?
      As Usual wala ka parin maipakita kundi hearsay lang at propaganda ng yellow zombies na katulad mo.

      Give up TROLL
      YOU LOST

    2. @Nutzi Vincenzo

      Vincenzo why don’t you see the corruption of your EvilNoy? Are you blind? You are a poor manipulated, brainwashed mind.The Supreme Court/GMA is being dragged through the mud by your own statements. This should validate the fact that your EvilNoy is destroying personalities, the institution, freedom and democracy.

    3. Ateng Vince, I know u….lahat ng komentaryo mo si GMA ang may kasalanan, at si Tito Noy super idol mo, and you worship Santa Kristita too. Sa ka-a-idol mo ayan nagasara utak mo, me tama ka! Ikaw si Boy Abunda ano….?

  2. rappler take ‘journalism’ to a new low
    and the p-noy government show yet again that they will resort to anything – lies, doctored reports, bribery, ‘surveys’ to get their way, which is the opposite of open, honest, transparent.
    people are realising and tge adverse comments forced tgem to close noynoy’s official facebook page – only good news/positive comments accepted. they cant take the heat. amateur politicians, professional liars.

  3. I want to see World Bank officially release this supposed statement to the Supreme Court. Otherwise, this “news” site is nothing more than an online tabloid. I can’t wait for them to post, “289 MNLF sundalo, nagtae,” like what I saw in this funny tabloid before, Init.

  4. Release the whole report and not just the cover letter – because the JRSP was under CJ Davide – only that some projects continue during the time of CJ Corona. The cover letter does not indicate the projects and spendings which were disallowed and what years? This is certainly biased reporting.

  5. benignO

    The title and opening single-line paragraph in the 01/15 issue of PDI by Michael Lim Ubac:

    “World Bank: Loan to Supreme Court high risk”
    “The Supreme Court under the watch of Chief Justice Renato Corona has been weighed and found wanting.”

    But the story actually states otherwise, since “The World Bank approved the loan in 2003” during the incumbency of CJ Hilario D. Davide (November 30, 1998 – December 20, 2005) and continued to be administered during the tenure of CJ Artemio V. Panganiban (December 20, 2005 – December 7, 2006).

    The loan was to expire on Dec. 31, 2009, during the incumbency of CJ Reynato Puno (December 8, 2006 – May 17, 2010); however “the World Bank extended the closing date twice–first by 18 months (until June 30, 2011), and then by 12 months (until June 30, 2012).”

    “Thus far,” the report continues, “the tribunal has spent $16.3 million (76 percent of the revised loan amount of $21.4 million.”

    However, “due to questions over the fiscal discipline of the tribunal in adhering to loan stipulations, the World Bank cancelled the final tranche of the loan amounting to $0.5 million.”

    So, if the loan was administered under the incumbencies of three other previous Chief Justices during a span of eight long years, why does Ubac of PDI selectively conclude that: “The Supreme Court under the watch of Chief Justice Renato Corona has been weighed and found wanting”?

    NOTE: The following are the World Bank documents Ubac referred to with the caveat–not to be disclosed to the public:
    http://www.scribd.com/doc/78146970/Cover-letter-World-Bank-Aide-Memoire-to-Philippine-Supreme-Court?secret_password=cjvs0tp042015z9quz3

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/78147473/INELIGIBLE-Transactions-charged-by-the-High-Court-against-World-Bank-loan?secret_password=1j3r0zq0db1hw89g1qee

  6. The Communist Links of Mr. Aquino. True or false?

    “The same source also told Rep. Alcover that upon Sison’s return, several instruments, e.g. Memo of Understanding and others, between the PNoy government and the Maoist terrorist CPP will be signed. Foremost among these, is an instrument that would manifest both parties’intent to draft an agreement on the sharing of power of government. In other words, a coalition government with the Maoist terrorists is in the works. Rep. Alcover stressed.”

    http://www.anadpartylist.org/20111219/anad-warns-vs-joma‘s-return-within-the-month.html

        1. The continuing association of the dictator Mr. Aquino with the leftists in and out of government is not misplaced speculation. It is now a clear and present danger. I would not want our country renamed as the “People’s Republic of the Philippines,” or the “Socialist Republic of the Philippines.” I posted links in past articles warning of the communist infiltration. Ninoy Aquino himself networked and had an informal alliance with the CPP-NPA and Jose Maria Sison. The dictator son is just following the footsteps of his father. God help us all. We are again living in dangerous times.

  7. So basically the report has not been officially and Abad’s relatives are now enthroned in influential positions that happens to handle money.

    The first is a deliberate distortion of facts and the second smells of nepotism on steroids, well after all loyal minions must be appropriately rewarded.

    Pnoy’s stench is getting stronger and it’s just a matter of time.

  8. and it is because of the stupidity of needy people like vincenzo that p-noy survives for now, as the country declines, but in time they will have to accept their burden of guilt – if they have such values/integrity.
    the tide is turning as seen by the tone and volume of adverse reader comments in the inquirer and even in the star, so things must be bad.
    closed minds are exactly why the country is being left behind by its neighbours who relish information, education, debate, best practice and as a result stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship.vincenzo represents the 5% vocal minority. not worth bothering about. the educated and informed are tge silent majority – but for how long?

  9. “…we now also have here an example of a whole family in government holding key appointed position…”

    Where in the world have you been all this time? It always happen. Erap called it ‘weather, weather lang yan.’

    Not so long ago, there were Bert Romulo (daughters) Mike Defensor (wife, father, uncle), Belinda Olivares-Cunanan (husband), etc.

    Call it Family Feud, as in Feudal.

  10. We have a Culture of Political Patronage, that produced the Culture of Corruption. In turn, it results into Family Political Dynasties…all family members holding Juicy Positions in the government…this is what we have in our government…Cory Aquino regime started it all…now his son, Noynoy Aquino is continuing it…this is the reason his YellowTard Armies are fighting tooth and nail, for him to monopolize the separate Powers of the government…with taking back of his Hacienda Luisita, as a Bonus…
    The World Bank News is a disinformation from Noynoy Aquino and his YellowTards…Only we, can fight to destroy another dictatorship emerging in our country…

    1. A true propagandist doesn’t check the facts or truths, all he cares is how to distort the facts to it’s most max level. Goebbels was a master of this sort of thing.

  11. “This email message did not come from the World Bank. Any official statement from the World Bank will be posted online (www.worldbank.org.ph),” Lacson-Esguerra said.”

    Officially, maybe not. But foreign ambassadors, permanent representatives, and country managers of international organizations, have been known to dabble in local politics.

    Hmmm, the right words to the right ears gets to the wrong hands.

    Think Wikileaks.

  12. I always thought that Manila Bulletin, the most staid-looking among the broadsheets, seem to get it right. I guess MB gets so much advertising revenue, they don’t need paid ‘news.’

    Editors should always double-verify the ‘news’ to make sure they don’t print views. That’s what you get when publishers starts acting like editors and editors thinking like publishers.

    Even the site, which benign0 fondly called “Jologsville,” is talking about the ‘kuryente.’

    http://www.ellentordesillas.com/2012/01/17/philippine-media-fell-for-hoax-wb-report/

  13. Rappler.com is a yellow progressive media hack disguising itself as a “social news network”

    WALANG PINAGBAGO MULA SA Inquirer, Philippine Star AT ABS-CBN!

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