What’s with the website – www.gracebandoy.com and Facebook?? Part1
Volume XVII NO. 37 (July 5-11, 20014)
Screen shot of www.gracebandoy.com/ June 28,2014
I learned about the above website as a friend (Art Boquiren) called me up asking if I have any idea as to who could possibly have some information about it and also about a certain Remando Martinez whom it appears had written a letter and posted at FB, questioning and commmenting on what appears to be the continuous non-stop malicious and vicious attacks of Grace Bandoy against Mayor Domogan and Congressman Aliping and his family. For a quick rundown of the site ( but before that, just a little summary on how I know Grace). It is obvious that this site was not created by Grace Bandoy, although she could also have created this for reasons known only to her.
I do have some personal knowledge about Grace as she was one of our columnists for the period 2001 -2004, and she was also an active member of the LG (remember Grace our numerous attendance at the Senate CA hearings, the LG opposing the appointment of then DOTC Sec. Pantaleon Alvarez?). Although we did have some sort of a falling out when this paper remained silent against then Candidate Cong. Bernardo Vergara during the 2004 elections and she admittedly was rooting for candidate Braulio Yaranon. When then Mayor Yaranon lost to Peter Rey Bautista , we would ocassionally meet. She would also come around during this paper’s anniversay and other ocassions.
Once again, our paths crossed last elections when she texted me that according to Ferdie Balanag, I or this paper was demanding for a certain amount from the then candidate Vergara and that is why this paper was critical of Vergara as they did not give in to our demands. What I did then was to email to her this paper’s proposal for campaign ads solicitation (given to F. Balanag as early as February 2013), likewise copy furnished the parties concerned. I also explained to her that these paper as a rule, sends to all political campaign candidates solicitation proposals for campaign ads and related PR services. It is an accepted fact and legal at that for a media outfit to solicit for campaign ads before the elections (who doesnt?). And the funny thing is, this paper’s criticisms against candidate Vergara stemmed from issues raised by the LG as far back as the year 2012, which candidate Vergara simply ignored. As to why Grace Bandoy seems to take seriously verbal information from Ferdie Balanag was a bit of a puzzle.
Just recently, my path with Grace had come accross again when we invited her for dinner to discuss possible small scale minning venture as she ( and her relative) had previously visited a property of mine several years ago (upon her offer) to look into the possibility of small scale minning, as she claims that she has relatives engaged in such.
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Geting back to the www.gracebandoy website, I actually do not see anything offensive about it. I in fact find it humourous. I believe that those of us who have the capacity to dish it and dish it hard should also have the capacity to receive it and receive it hard; or us some would put it, when you work hard you should also know how to play hard . I also in fact find the website to be quite factual except for a tinge of sarcasm, but nothing compared to the sarcasm Grace had been dishing out to the Mayor and the Congressman as I had learned from the recent information shown to me by a source, and of course there appears to be quite some non-stop malicious and vicious comments of Grace as indicated at the website. But, what concerns me more at this point is the letter of Remando Martinez when he said that he will divulge information that is under oath as he has a witness(es) who will attest that Grace needed something from the mayor and the congressman.
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To disgress for the meantime from the website referring to Grace, let us take a look at this blatant false inuendo against the media in general!
One example on the use of Facebook on how one can take out of context the following photo (this photo was provided to me by a source) which appears to have been posted by a certain Marcos Loyola and re-posted by Grace Bandoy at her FB Page, and thus basically the whole media was placed under a questionable light, as prior to this photo there had already been quite an extensive thread and/or discussion about the seeming bias of the media. While the comment seems to be in an inquisitive/questioning manner there is nevertheles a conclusion with the use of the words “culprit”. “Could this be the reason why some media persons do not give a shit about the destruction of Sto. Tomas because they wine and dine with the culprits?”
Having seen this, I asked around and I was informed by one media person (who prefers to remain anonymous) that the photo was taken during the birthday of Congressman Eric Singson last June 15, 2014. So how come whoever released the photo did not bother to indicate such an important piece of information and cleary wanted to make it appear that the affair (whatever affair it was) was hosted by the Baguio Congressman? The intent and purpose was cleary to mislead! I dont need to defend the media, but have you forgotten Grace that you yourself are part (or used to be part) of media and in one of your columns you related that you and some others from media were invited to spend an overnight at the beach house of the newly elected Mayor Braulio Yaranon? So what’s the difference with these guys in the photo and with your actions? In fact, Bing is trying to recall another incident when you informed her that you and your media friends were also dined by a politician. Once she recalls the incident and I confirm it, I will state it. Now, let’s not be hypocrites. Certainly you must have had even a cup of coffee or even a banana cue with the former Mayoral candidate Atty. Joemol, and if you did, well, I see nothing wrong with that as well as I see nothing wrong with media persons attending an affair hosted by a politician, unless it is an official policy of their outfit that does not allow it. I myself, once invited would attend such as long as I happen to have the time. So what’s the big deal??? The objectiveness and independence of a media person simply cannot be measured by the affairs he or she attends.
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(Screen shot of www.gracebandoy.com/ June 28, 2014 ) Here is one perfect example of a low blow that I was not expecting to come from someone like Grace (there are a lot more but due to space constraints, I will come out with the others on suceeding columns). Quoted herein is the first sentence (FB comment at Grace FB on June 14) that was provided to me by a source and to which Grace replied as you can see at the 2nd sentence.
“ Ay inayan sa. Adi taku matagotago . How can an ifontok own an ibaloi land. How come the ibalois will not rise to defend what is theirs since time immemorial “
“ June 14 at 11.01 am · Like· 2 , Grace Bandoy its also my concern, the Ibalois should not take this sitting down being “shy mango”, a land grabber comes to own their land and destroy it, its unacceptable ! “
So when my partner Bing brought this up to you as to how come you seem to be fomenting some racial issues between the Ibalois and the Kankana-eys, your answer was “Ha-ha. Wen ya, bay-am to isuda ti agaapa. Haan ko pay nga maawaten jay nag-uuneg nga sau da.” My golly, what kind of a damn answer is that, and you know very well that Bing just like you is also a full bloded Igorota who traces her roots from Mountain Province. What I can say to you Grace is grow up. Almost anything and everything evolves. Surely, you must have heard the saying “the only thing constant is change.” And the nice thing about Baguio and Benguet politics and for which this is something we all can truly be proud of is that right after elections you can see the loosing candidate being friendly and at times even supportive of the winning opponent. They move on and wait until such time that the campaign fever comes around. Appartently, or should I say obviously in your case, you have not moved on as you hardly took a break from lambasting continously the Mayor and the Congressman, that not even the hardest hitting media personalities in the country has the priviledge or has engaged in your one-sided tirades! (to be continued)
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On my next column, I will touch on what Facebook was intended to be and what it is all about, comment on the Remando Martinez FB letter, more on the website – www.gracebandoy.com, Grace bandoy handling of her FB page, dinner with Grace Bandoy (myself , my son, and Bing Dawang) on June 20, 2014 at a Korean Restaurant, media accountability to the public etc. Oh by the way, Grace, feel free to send over any reply or comment of yours on this column. As you know me, we never refuse to publish even critical replies/commentaries against the paper or yours truly.
