Senate stands behind detention order of Arroyo bookkeeper

By Jonathan de Santos
August 24,2011
SENATORS who ordered the detention of Rowena del Rosario, a former bookkeeper for Arroyo-owned LTA Inc., for contempt are confident that the court will uphold the chamber’s power to do so.
Del Rosario’s lawyer, Nunilo Marapao, will reportedly petition the court for a writ of habeas corpus, a legal action to release people from illegal detention.
He said del Rosario’s detention over what senators saw as inconsistencies in her testimony Monday was unfair.
He said his client only answered questions “based on what she knew to be the truth.”
Senator Panfilo Lacson, who moved to have Del Rosario cited for contempt Monday, said the Senate will answer her petition. He said if the court grants the petition, they will have to let her go.
“But there are several legal precedents, there is jurisprudence. The Senate and the House have the power to cite and detain witnesses who answer evasively,” he said.
Lacson said del Rosario will “definitely” be held at the Senate until Thursday, when the Senate blue ribbon will hold another hearing on second-hand helicopters sold to the police at brand-new prices in 2009.
He said senators will hold a caucus after the hearing to decide if they will send the former Arroyo bookkeeper home.
“Of course, I anticipate that Rowena will ask to go to St. Luke’s or to the Asian Hospital, so we will have to release her,” he said, referring to witnesses who have missed Senate hearings for medical reasons.
Del Rosario’s former employer, Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio Arroyo, missed the hearing Monday because he had to consult doctors in London for a liver condition. His brother, Jose Miguel Arroyo, has also begged off from the hearings over a heart condition. Doctors have warned that the stress of a Senate hearing could kill him.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, for his part, welcomed del Rosario’s decision to petition the court for her release.
“I am not allergic to being brought to court because I want the court to decide. We can be wrong, or we can be right. In all my life as a lawyer, I never say that I know everything. Habeas corpus is always an available remedy,” he said.
“It is very obvious that there was contradiction between what she said in one part and what she said in another part (of her testimony),” Enrile added.
Senator Franklin Drilon, also a lawyer, said the Senate is “confident that our position can be defended.”
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV told reporters earlier Tuesday that del Rosario can petition the court but “whether the court will reverse the Senate order is a different matter.”
“I really doubt that the Supreme Court will intervene in the affairs of the Senate,” he said.
Trillanes and 11 other senators cited del Rosario for contempt Monday afternoon after she failed to satisfy them with her answers at a hearing on an anomalous purchase of second-hand helicopters believed owned by the former President’s husband.
Del Rosario used to handle the accounts for LTA Inc, which Arroyo now heads. Del Rosario told senators that she answered to Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio Arroyo when she worked at the company from 2001 to 2010. Representative Arroyo was president of LTA Inc. at the time.
Trillanes said the accountant was being punished for “outright lying” while under oath. The Senate blue ribbon committee found inconsistencies in her testimony, which she gave to support the Arroyos’ statements that they only leased but did not own the helicopters.
“My advice to her is to just tell the truth,” Trillanes said.
Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, who was at the Senate Tuesday for a hearing, said the detention order was within the Senate’s powers. She said the Senate has certain powers and that everybody is enjoined to respect them.
“The Senate would look silly if it cannot enforce those powers,” she said. (Sunnex)

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/08/23/senate-stands-behind-detention-order-arroyo-bookkeeper-174874
Although wines are widely available in most Asian countries, especially in Hong Kong which has eliminated import tariff on wines altogether, the availability of fine vintage wines is still very scarce. Most wine merchants offer big names, young vintages and cheaper wines for everyday consumption. Wine lovers and connoisseurs looking for something special often travel to Clark Pampanga Philippines to do their shopping at this Wine Shop in Manila.

At Yats Wine Cellars we believe that a little bit of knowledge in wine goes a long way to developing expectations in the wines we choose to buy or drink. Without expectation, it is difficult to really enjoy wine to its fullest. With this in mind, efforts are made by Yats Wine Cellars to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for our clients to learn more about wine.

Birthday wine gifts is one of the most popular birthday gifts to give someone living in the Philippines. Fine Vintage wine from Yats Wine Cellars is a sure winner and it does not have to cost a great deal to send someone a bottle in Philippines

To avail of wine catering service of Yats Wine Cellars, just contact this wine supplier in Manila or Angeles Clark Philippines for a meeting to design a theme for the event. The venue for a wine event can be in the privacy of a home, the convenience of an office in Manila for example or in a clubhouse of a subdivision. Wine glasses and accessories necessary for wine service are included in the wine catering service. Moreover, interesting wine notes accompany the wine to help participants enjoy the event even more by learning a little bit about wine while enjoying the party. A wine steward will be present to serve the wine.

There is also an exciting collection of white wine from Burgundy at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Meursault, Chablis, Chassagne Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne and St. Aubin. Red wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhone are also available with a good depth of back vintages too. Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
(045) 841 4006 / 0922-870-5173 / 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.yatsleisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Yats Restaurant is the best restaurant for special dinner, best restaurant for dinner with friends near Manila, also the best place to celebrate special events.

Famous Restaurant in Pampanga, a place to dine with friends in Clark, cozy restaurant with a nice ambience, a nice function place for special occasions

Are you looking for an attractive restaurant or a nice place to eat with friends in Clark, Angeles City Pampanga? Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar is a restaurant with good food and good wines for dinner located at Clark Angeles City Pampanga. Perfect for exclusive dinner venues for groups, recommended for private dinner in Philippines. A Restaurant in Clark for business dinner meeting. Private dinner place or dinner restaurant in Clark Subic Near Manila Angeles City Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the Good Restaurant in Pampanga Angeles City Clark near Manila.

www.YatsRestaurant.com
Looking for interesting hotels near Manila Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga?
Trouble free hotels and well recognized hotels in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga
Clearwater Resort and Country Club offers a good place to stay in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga. In offers nice place to have rest in Subic Pampanga outside Manila.
One of the Philippines top hotels in north Luzon.

Where to go in Clark? Hotel Clark Philippines is a De Luxe Hotel in Clark and Subic, a risk free place to stay, cozy and nice ambience, a nice function place for special occassion

www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com