According

to the Manila Inquirer, former Philippine President Joseph Estrada is outraged and

threatening to sue Transparency International for having been listed as one of the

top most corrupt officials in the entire world. The Inquirer quoted Estrada as saying:

"I did not steal from the government; the money came from the private sector."

** In the last issue this column reported that as many as 20 car keys were given

to newlyweds Sar Sokha and Ke Suon Sophy at their high-profile marriage reception.

A close friend of both families checked and reports that information is incorrect.

He says no car keys were given as gifts.

** Several pub owners want to alert patrons to Khmer New Year schedule changes. Le

Deauville will be open on Sunday, April 11, but will be closed on April 13, 14 and

15. The Cantina will be closed from April 10 to April 18. And Talkin to a Stranger

will also be closed from April 10 to 20.

** The alleged rogue Australian cop who fled to Cambodia, as reported in the PPPost

on March 12, has returned to his native land and testified before the Police Integrity

Commission in Sydney. The highly-decorated veteran of the police force worked undercover

with Cambodian authorities, which led to the seizure of $20 million worth of heroin

in March 2003. At the commission, the now unemployed former cop testified:"I

didn't want to be involved with drugs." Then he later added: "I agreed

to the taking of money."

** Stranger than truth. Koh Santepheap Daily's April 8 edition has a front page story

and photos of a woman who had triplets that were stillborn. The babies were buried

near the house but the mother said she heard them crying in a dream so she dug up

the bodies and tried to cremate them on her charcoal grill.

** The NGO community cranks out tons of reports, but sources say that one under way

on the Kingdom's Cham community will contain some "jaw-dropping" revelations.

Happy Khmer New Year to All