Sen. Zubiri expected to announce resignation from Senate

[windshock]

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Walay asong makum-kom, hisgot sa mga katigulangan.

A brilliant strategy,for Zubiri, I bet he knows something about the treachery the previous President had done, he might be afraid if the people will keep asking for him to step-down. We don't have to wonder if this is one of his political scheme as another election is fast approaching in couple years.

[networkguy]

wala nman pd choice c Zubiri mam, actually na pildi nman ni siya sa recount sa SET pero wala tawn na proclaim c idol koko pimentel tungod sa technicalities..

style pd ni niya aron sa 2013 election pwede maka lansar ug usab.. wise guy kau..

jack ibutang link sa result sa SET...

[high_heels]

if mo resign kay guilty kung dli mo resign kay baga og face. so which is which?

Bitaw!!! At the end of the day, zubiri walks out with a clear conscience and a big load off his shoulder.

[networkguy]

Zubiri resigns; Palace ‘blackmail’ rap aired

08/04/2011


Just a month before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) is slated to come to an end on his counter-protest case against lawyer Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel in a recount of the contested votes during the 2007 elections, Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri announced his resignation from the Senate membership.Zubiri’s decision to give up his elected position, whose legitimacy he continues to be defending for four years now, was prompted by renewed charges of supposed cheating in the elections following the recent surfacing of purported new witnesses in massive poll fraud operations.

Zubiri, in a class act of resigning, said he is doing so to defend his, and his family’s honor and integrity, as power and position and even money cannot be more important than integrity and honor.

The surfacing of the former Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and former election officer Lintang Bedol, apparently aggravated Zubiri’s predicament as Tribune sources disclosed that Zubiri was being subjected to intense pressure as well as threats from Malacañang for quite sometime now, dating back when he was strongly opposing the Palace-backed bill postponing the elections in the ARMM.

Sources said a Palace emissary first issued a veiled threat to Zubiri who remained steadfast in blocking the ARMM bill, “reminding” him that he still has a case pending before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET), during a meeting held at the New World Hotel in Makati City at the height of the deliberations on the measure few months ago.

Allegedly, the resolution of the post-proclamation case filed by Koko Pimentel, an opposition candidate and son of former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., was being dangled to Zubiri, sources said.

Apart from the incident with the Palace official whom sources identified as Presidential Adviser on Political Ronald Llamas, phone calls subquently were made telling the senator to the effect that the President does not forget easily.

Sources quoted Palace emissaries as telling their camp, “You know how boss (President Aquino) is. He is a farmer, which means that nagtatanim ng galit si Pnoy (Aquino is known for holding a grudge).

“There were threats....but I think it was indirect blackmail,” the source privy to these incidents, said.

When asked to confirm this issue immediately after delivering his speech in the plenary where he announced his resignation, witnessed by his parents, wife and other family members, relatives and friends, the senator would not confirm or deny, saying only that he will deal with the matter when the right time comes.

“But you’re gearing toward that direction,” Zubiri told Tribune when pressed on the issue.

The senator’s announcement ended speculations on his resignation which Zubiri himself confirmed was supposed to have have taken place two weeks ago. He was only prevailed upon by colleagues, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, who tried to convince him to think things over first.

Enrile, another source said, was said to be against Zubiri’s decision, adding that the former initially wanted to reject his resignation.

Enrile told Zubiri,in plenary, after the latter’s speech, that his resignation will still be studied by him.

During a closed-door caucus of senators, in between the plenary session, they held the position that they should not act on it anymore since they have no power to reject such decision by a colleague.

They have decided to formally inform the SET today, through the Senate secretary, that Zubiri had already resigned from being a member of the upper chamber.

Zubiri’s position became final almost midnight Wednesday and immediately ordered the drafting of his speech delivered yesterday during their plenary session.

In a radio interview also yesterday, Zubiri reportedly stated that he would also tell the SET to stop the counting and congratulated Koko Pimentel, although it is doubted that Pimentel can be proclaimed since it is not the SET that can proclaim him.

In his privileged speech, he said: “I would be doing an injustice to my fellowmen and to this great and honored Institution if I continue working half-heartedly and without full concentration and devotion. For this reason, I have directed my lawyers to make proper and immediate representation before the SET and convey my actuations today, with the end in view of expediting the proceedings and with the prayer that the Tribunal come up with a decision at the soonest possible time.

“And in this August Chamber, without admitting any fault and with my vehement denial of the alleged electoral fraud hurled against me, I am submitting my resignation as a duly elected Senator of the Republic of the Philippines in the election for which I am falsely accused without mercy and compassion,” he said.

“I am resigning because of these unfounded accusations against me and these issues has systematically divided our nation and has cast doubts in our electoral system which has affected not only myself, this Institution but the public as well.

“And as a legislator, who is being referred to in the Senate as ‘Your Honor’, I believe that my honor is something that should never be subject to taint,” he said.

In his speech, he admitted before his peers that the new round of controversies hounding alleged cheating operations committed by the Arroyo administration contributed to his decision.

“While my counter-protest is still pending before the Senate Electoral Tribunal and the revision and recounting of the ballots are going on smoothly to find out the truth on the parties’ allegations, a number of highly suspect ‘personalities’ suddenly cropped up recently, claiming that they were allegedly ‘witnesses’ to the alleged frauds and irregularities during the 2007 elections.

“Armed merely with their vocal chords and without any supporting documents to prove their allegations, these alleged witnesses are now shouting out loud and, as if with full orchestration, that my election was marred with irregularities.

“My political detractors began calling me ugly names and dragging the name of my family in entirety... the trial by publicity has begun. The trial at the Senate Electoral Tribunal where this issue could have been properly ventilated and resolved has been practically set aside,” he said.

Zubiri attested that he “did not cheat nor ask anyone to cheat for me and my family. We would never tolerate any form of electoral fraud.”

“In my family’s almost 30 years of public service in Bukidnon, not once has our name been dragged in any election controversy, not once has an election protest ever been filed against us. This you can ask the people of Bukidnon.

He said he is not alone who has been hurt by these personal attacks but his family and his parents who have had sleepless nights.

“I have seen and felt the suffering of my family, and from the burrows of my conscience, I could not allow this to happen, let alone be tolerated...After all, I am a husband first before a Senator; and I am a father first before a legislator.”

Before letting Zubiri walk out of the plenary hall for the last time, Enrile took the floor to give commendation for what he said as a very rare show of moral courage for a member of the Senate.

“Never have I thought that I would witness today a very rare show of moral courage for a member of this august chamber, in defense of honor, of his honor and his family’s honor, have decided to turn his back on the power of the senator of the Republic of the Philippines, to go out and to the arena out there to defend himself against the attacks made on him. I could very well feel what he’s feeling today because at one-time in my career as a senator, I was also vilified in this chamber.

“Many people in this life posess physical courage but very rarely one would see a man standing up for what he really believes in. It is the highest form of moral courage to uphold ones honor and die for it if necessary to show that there is something more valuable than power for which his wealth and life itself, it becomes necessary, to lay down your life to uphold dignity of your self as a man and the dignity of your family.

“Today, I am happy that in my lifetime and in my watch as Senate president of this Republic, I see a man standing before us to uphold the honor of his family and himself... This is the first time that a man, a member of this chamber chose honor ahead of himself.”

The Daily Tribune - Without Fear or Favor

tsk tsk tsk jack, galing talaga ng presidente mo

[kiybordwaryur]

Like I said, I understand where you're coming from. I'm not saying Zubiri was a bad person or anything, all I'm saying is that it isn't ENTIRELY correct to laud his resignation considering all the surrounding facts. Had he done this way back 2008 or 2009 I would've said na gentleman gyud siya. But quitting because the furnace got too hot begs the question "why only now"? Di na delicadeza bro oi. More like saving face.

Anyway, let's not argue. I'm just saying.

clearly you did not watch interviews....
kung news lng imoa gi tan-aw gi chop2x na..

pero kung imoa paminawun si Zubiri on live interview ma gets nimo
unsa iyaha reason..

whether reason or alibi.. mao ni iyaha gi sulti..
- dili siya mutuo sa cheating b4.. just karon ra na ang mga leaders na mao nibali ug side..

mao na reason why "Karon ra"..
kay ngano si Ampatuan ni tug-an sa una?
Si Bedol nitug-an sa una?

hope makasabut ang mga critics!

[Jumperman]

I PM'd you cos I don't like flooding up the thread, not because I wanted to hide anything. Why would I be worried of hiding anything when I am not a party to that controversy? Personally I dislike reading posts between people that start to veer into a rather testy exchange, so I presume that some other people share that peeve which is why I also try to avoid doing it myself.

Anyway, like I said, I totally understand your points. You came up with those from reading the news or whatever sources you might have. The same way, I came up with my own views from the sources that I have. I did mention that I am BIASED because Koko was my professor for 2 semesters in law school. He often talked about his case, and syempre mas mu-laban gyud ko sa iyang side of the story kay gipa-sabot gud mi niya. Asa man ko mu-tuo, sa news nga SECONDHAND INFO ra or sa tao mismo nga nag-file sa election protest?

Now as for the Ampatuan side, classmate nako ang anak sa usa ka igsuon ni Zaldy. When the massacre happened, she missed school for like a week and all her pics and info on the internet were even deleted, for security reasons. Why am I mentioning this? To drive home the point nga legit gyud siya nga Ampatuan and that she is privy to legit information, nga di ra chismis2x. Iya ko gipakita ug mga pics nga naa si Zubiri sa ilaha, different occasions, di ra kausa. While it's correct to say that a picture can mean anything, in this case it does also tell us that Zubiri was connected and in touch with the Ampatuans. "Close" sila, at least at that time when things were going peaches and cream for them. Understandable lagi, kay admin/GMA man siya. Pero iyang claim man gud, nga wa siya kahibaw nga naay tikas working in his favor. Would you have people believe that, bisag nakit-an na ka nga sigeg tambay2x didto kuyog sa mga Ampatuan? It's like he's saying "I know GMA cheated in Maguindanao but I did not know she cheated for me too, even if I am a member of her party. So what if I hung out with the Ampatuans?" That's a little hard to believe. GMA was gunning for the 12-0, established na na. Do you think she never told those 12 candidates that she was moving heaven and earth just so they can make it? Ni-gasto gud na si Zubiri for the campaign, you expect him to sit pretty and wait around for magic to happen without asking for assurance from the Standard Bearer of their party and just heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that in a span of 2-3 weeks he had mounted an almost improbable comeback and won by getting in through the backdoor?

Yes I did hear his reasons, only that I don't believe them. Apparent na man gud nga, since Bedol and Zaldy are now testifying, the SET will uncover for sure the truth behind the rigging of ballots in Maguindanao (which benefited Zubiri) and that Koko's protest will be given merit. That is why I think na it is more like a face-saving move rather than a "noble" gesture as he would have everyone think. Pasabot diay, kung wa pa ni-gawas si Bedol ug ni-bali si Zaldy, hilom ra sad si Zubiri ug di mu-resign? Mao nay noble? I still think he's a good senator, just that ni-gawas lang sad gyud iyang pagka-trapo ani nga incident. Think about it, if he stuck it out and waited for the SET decision...presuming Koko is recognized as the REAL winner and he is unseated, imagine how embarrassing that would be? Imagine what a blow that would be to his credibility, even if it was in fact GMA and her machinery that cheated for his benefit? Mao na mas maayo pa gyud para niya mu-resign. And it turned out to be a good move too, as you can see from all the reactions here in the thread. Noble or not, whether it was he or GMA that actually cheated, the fact still remains that he got the senate seat, occupied it for 4 years, and gave it up only when crucial figures are now coming out to testify as to the truth behind the fraud. Dugay na gud ni ang controversy, in fact ever since he was proclaimed in 2007 it was already there. "Delicadeza" would have been quitting in 2008, when it was apparent that the controversy would still drag on. He probably didn't think Koko would fight it out this long.

You keep telling me to understand what you are saying, but did you also even try to comprehend what I am saying? Wa man ko nangitag lalis gyud. Gi-PM gani nako. If you don't agree with my post, then disregard it and move on. But now you know my sources and why I came to that conclusion/thinking, so huna-hunaa lang kung yaga2x ra akong sulti or dili. I don't mean to make such heavy-handed remarks and comments but the tone of your posts sound like they want to paint a picture of me being an imbecile. Mao ra na ba. PEACE

[unsay_ngalan_nimo]

dili ko ganhan ni zubiri.. kay ni resign siya 1 and half na alng sad nabilin... dili man sad maka lingkod ang sakto na taw.... mao na... na nagplano na siya dagan sa sunod an election.. wala gyud ayo..

[sparkolboi]

nice political move jud ni nya para dli mabaho ang iya name. after sa iya resignation ang sympathy sa mga tao naa na noun sa iya. murag minlabas na Coco Pimentel ang kontra bida.

for sure one of the reason to para sa iya preparation for the next election.

NICE ONE gyud Migz clap2x ako kamot apil tiil..

[bot_yok]

for sure next election mu dagan ni ci Zubiri daku ug chance mu daug...bryt move ni..
pero grabe lang jud ka daku na gasto ni Koko sa news ako napaminawan murag 10M man cguro... hehehe ipa proclaim dayun aron ma bawe ang expenses..

[jumper_stage]

in other words, mapili ra ang tarong ngara sa senado