Inmates as call center agents?! Bilibid Or Not

Only in the Philippines, folks. Then: Dancing Inmates. Now: Call Center Inmates.

I wonder if there will be an outsourcing or just outbreaking? :)


From Yahoo News:

TAGUIG CITY, METRO MANILA – An information and communications technology (ICT)-based training program has been initiated for detainees in an effort to provide them with the necessary skills that would make them viable workforce upon their release from prison.

Incidentally, the IT course being offered is on call center training.

The program, ostensibly called BILIB I.T. (a wordplay of “bilibid” that describes a prison), was started by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority(TESDA) and technology training school Informatics.

The training is being pilot tested at Camp BagongDiwa in Taguig City, with the idea to have it emulated in other municipalities with detention centers.  (Alexander Villafania)

Inmates lining up - no, not for their mug shots -  but for their  training program 

Do we need Jaymar Waradje as state witness in Julie Ann Rodelas kidnap-slay case?

I'll just share a few thoughts on the controversial case of the slain model Julie Ann Rodelas. First off, it's not a rape-slay case as what several news blogs I've browsed through have labelled it. According to latest police information, there is no conclusive evidence that rape was committed although they're not ruling out the possibility. I don't know when or if  the police investigators will be able to have conclusive findings before Rodelas' burial this Saturday. I hope they already did a thorough autopsy of the body; otherwise, the victim's family faces the agony of exhumation.

Secondly, I'm bothered by the statement coming from the media and from the police that one of the accomplices Jaymar Waradje will be a state witness. Do the prosecution really need him as a state witness? I believe the evidence is very strong to convict the perps, so why turn Waradje as state witness? In exchange for what? Immunity from being prosecuted? A lesser penalty? I hope not. For crying out loud, the man knowingly participated in the crime - abducting a defenseless woman "to teach her a lesson". In my view, he should be put to jail along with his cohorts! Let's teach them all a lesson!

Four of the six suspects in the Rodelas kidnap-slay case: Althea Altamirano, Fernando Quiambao Jr., Gelan Pasawilan, and Jaymar Waradje

Thirdly, I noticed that several members of our police are overeager to grant interviews. I saw in the early news tonight that reporters were pointing their cameras and mics to forensic people (see video below) as the latter comb the black Montero for blood splatter and other evidence. Said car is owned by one of the suspects Fernando Quiambao Jr and believed to be the one used by the suspects to kidnap and dump Rodelas' body. Hindi kaya ma-contaminate ang ebidensya? Remember the Vizconde Massacre? Nakakainis lang kasi madalas kong makita ang ganitong eksena sa mga imbetigasyon ng mga kapulisan natin.  Andaming umeeksena sa scene of the crime at di man lang nila masaway. Journalists should also practice discretion, please.

Lastly, in connection with my observations and video above (please take note of Chief Inspector Marcelo's statements being corrected), I think the police should designate a spokesperson and /or schedule press conferences during an investigation, especially if it's high profile.  Our police officers have proclivity for explosive statements and often they tend to falter on leading questions by the media. Reporter: Sir, may nangyari po bang rape? Police: Oo, maaaring may nangyaring ganun.  We don't need speculations, sir, we need definitive statements based on forensic evidence gathered. 

Kennedy to Sotto: Apologize for unsanctioned theft

It's a shame that this is the second time that I'll be blogging about plagiarism committed by our country's top leaders. The first one I wrote in November 2010 was that of Supreme Court Associate Justice Mariano Del Castillo who copied his ruling from two international law experts, namely professors Evan Criddle and Evan Fox-Decent of the universities of Syracuse and McGill respectively. Del Castillo's ruling has involved the dismissal of the case of 70 comfort women in compelling the Philippine government to support their claim to seek apology and reparation from the Japanese government. More shameful is the fact that Del Castillo was absolved by his colleagues in togas and that his impeachment was shelved by the House of Representatives.

Now, it's Wanbol University's Tito Escalera aka Sen. Tito Sotto who's turned into a copycat. We all know that Sotto is against the Reproductive Health Bill and to convince Filipinos of the "evil" of the RH Bill, he resorts to all kinds of tactics - from grandstanding and shedding crocodile tears in the Senate. In so doing, he's been lifting phrases, sentences and paragraphs from different sources including those of the late Robert F. Kennedy. Sotto has been chastised and called names by those whose works he plagiarized and by the lot of us who cannot tolerate dishonesty in any form from any public official. And yet he refuses to admit the flagrant act and apologize. Just like his character Tito Escalera in Iskul Bukol, Sen. Sotto is talagang kapalmuks.

Below is the scathing letter from Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert Kennedy,  to our "esteemed" Senator Sotto who made RFK's "ripple of hope" his very own.

Pres. PNoy:From Noynoying To Annoying

A couple of days ago in one of his overseas visits, President Benigno Aquino III once again lambasted his archenemy the former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Just like his smoking habit (I heard he smokes up to three packs a day!), our dear president simply cannot give up his hobby of enumerating Arroyo's transgressions to us Filipinos. We all know Arroyo rigged the 2004 presidential elections and that she and her husband Mike along with some close political allies had received pay-offs from the NBN-ZTE deal as well from other government procurement projects. Oh, and that she has a son named Mikey who considers himself an actor but cannot really act (sorry, can't resist this one hehehe). But to always segue to her in  public speaking events and interviews and blame her for the widespread malaise in the country, it's becoming disagreeable.

Aquino is cruising every avenue to prosecute Arroyo at every turn. To Arroyo, her former student is as tenacious as a pit bull - he just won't let go no matter how she tries to shake him off. Definitely, the wheelchair thing failed to elicit sympathy from PNoy.

His quest to bring down Arroyo and her cohorts seems to highlight the rumor that he's noynoying, or basically doing nothing in his incumbency. IMO, PNoy sounds like a broken record in his personal vendetta against the former prez that he begins to annoy me - a lot. Mr. President napakarami pong problema ng bansa that needs your full attention. There's our territorial disputes with China and other neighbors, the "sin tax" on tobacco and alcohol, the RH bill, red tape, the Freedom of Information bill, the state of our international airports, and so on.

I'm not asking PNoy to let the corrupt go scot free; what I want is for him to accomplish what he always promises in his SONAs which is improved lives for Filipinos. Let the Ombudsman and other inquiry agencies such as the Revenue Integrity Protection Services (RIPS) do the digging for him. Tutal may mga appointees (which is euphism for tuta)  naman si presidente sa mga yan for sure. Although admittedly I rarely hear of RIPS doing its mandate so baka wala ring ginagawa ang ahensya para bantayan ang kaban ng bayan. At tutal may common pain in the butt naman sila ng dating pangulo so may be he can now ease off the noose on Arroyo. The common and shared pain? If Arroyo has Mikey, PNoy has a sister named Kris who considers herself an actress but also cannot act  (sorry, can't resist that one too). I remember a joke bandied about Kris Aquino when she's just started her showbiz career. Q: Anong pagkakaiba ng iyak at tawa ni Kris Aquino? A: Eh, di wala!