Which is more important to a Senator? Be the servant of the Constitution or try and save his hide and get a lid to cover his stinking deed? These things probably are in the mind of Senator Manny Villar.
Villar just got the nod of the Supreme Court to ask the Senate to defer the trial of his ethics case. His contention is mostly based on technicals and what Villar managed to do is try to stay the hand of the Senate. The Supreme Court asked the Senate to "answer" the Petition for Injunction of Villar. The SC did not issue a TRO and instead, asked the Senate to answer the petitioner. As a co-equal branch of government, the Senate may or may not follow what the SC said but out of "courtesy", they must do so.
Villar just said some days ago that the ethics trial will not muster enough votes to either expel him or reprimand him. For Villar, it's all a numbers' game. For most Senators, especially those who consider the integrity of the Senate as an institution, it's about honor and obeisance to the Constitution.
The evidence against Villar is overwhelming. Villar violated the Constitution by not divesting his interests in his companies and he also admitted gaining a fiduciary interests in some government projects---two things expressly prohibited by the framers of the Constitution due to the principle of conflict of interests.
Villar never denied that he has substantial interests in Adelfa Properties nor in Vistaland. IN truth, he's even proud of this. What he does not know is he's turning into an embarassment especially among his peers because it should have been incumbent upon him to know that his continued stake at these companies makes his position as a legislator on shaky grounds.
Right now, Villar does not have the moral high ground to even question any erring government official nor any person accused of graft or collusive practices because, he, himself, is being accused of an ethical matter. What, then, is the use of Villar as a senator? He cannot now function effectively as a Senator of the land because he, himself, is accused of a crime and moreso, his reputation has now been sullied beyond repair.
Manny Villar should vow to the will of the People. He should resign before the Senate renders judgment against him, if there is still some shame left in him.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
LAKAS-KAMPI CMD could elect New Prexy
Here's the thing. In the Philippines, all politics is local. National politicians behave like local officials. They do the same thing---reinforce the patron-client relationship through giving favors and the like. That said, what is more potent than a political party that has at least 72% of local officials under its wing? Surely, that is a very big threat to the ambitions of the counter-elite led by the Opposition.
Yesterday's LAKAS-KAMPI CMD launching party shows a stellar cast of trapos and people with graft cases. Nothing of a surprise there since even before this, LAKAS and KAMPI have shown dogged allegiance to Mrs. Arroyo. What is a surprise is the absence of perceived "strong supporters" like FVR, Villafuerte, Fernando and De Venecia---all original members of the first LAKAS-CMD and KAMPI. Ramos made his opposition known through a press conference. While others maintained their silence.
Now, what would happen to this "powerhouse" of a party? Will they splinter and scatter, as what the Opposition hopes? Unlikely, I suppose.
As I said, national politics behave like local ones and in local politics, relationships are based on support, particularly financial. If you have the booty, you win. If you have the lagay muscle, you win. But, if you just have "ideology", chances are, you lose. Nothing of a surprise since everyone knows how crude the political system still is.
With a 40 billion peso electoral kitty, that would ensure the perpetuation of elitist rule in this country. A huge sum of money like that could buy an election. And Interior secretary Ronnie Puno is probably not joking. This political party has the muscle to push the next president to Malacanang.
If Lakas KAMPI CMD continues on united, there is a big chance for them to get the presidency and frustrate the ambitions of a disunted opposition.
Yesterday's LAKAS-KAMPI CMD launching party shows a stellar cast of trapos and people with graft cases. Nothing of a surprise there since even before this, LAKAS and KAMPI have shown dogged allegiance to Mrs. Arroyo. What is a surprise is the absence of perceived "strong supporters" like FVR, Villafuerte, Fernando and De Venecia---all original members of the first LAKAS-CMD and KAMPI. Ramos made his opposition known through a press conference. While others maintained their silence.
Now, what would happen to this "powerhouse" of a party? Will they splinter and scatter, as what the Opposition hopes? Unlikely, I suppose.
As I said, national politics behave like local ones and in local politics, relationships are based on support, particularly financial. If you have the booty, you win. If you have the lagay muscle, you win. But, if you just have "ideology", chances are, you lose. Nothing of a surprise since everyone knows how crude the political system still is.
With a 40 billion peso electoral kitty, that would ensure the perpetuation of elitist rule in this country. A huge sum of money like that could buy an election. And Interior secretary Ronnie Puno is probably not joking. This political party has the muscle to push the next president to Malacanang.
If Lakas KAMPI CMD continues on united, there is a big chance for them to get the presidency and frustrate the ambitions of a disunted opposition.
Friday, May 29, 2009
New Moon the movie and My Chotovelli
By the way, there are two things that I love---watching movies and watches. That's why I'm reading this new blog called The Watch Club (http://thewatchclub.blogspot.com). It's more polemical yet touches on lifestyle, entertainment and business, less of politics. Why it's called the Watch Club, visit the site. I also did a YOUTUBE channel for the club and a wordpress version of the Watch Club.
By the way, for those of you who love elegant watches, I made a video of my favorite movie and my favorite watch. I did this just today and I hope you'll love it.
By the way, for those of you who love elegant watches, I made a video of my favorite movie and my favorite watch. I did this just today and I hope you'll love it.
Spare us the agony, Dr. Kho
There’s a concerted P.R. effort to “salvage” the ruined reputation of Dr. Hayden Kho. Allegedly, the former PR man of Erap Estrada was tasked by no less than Dr. Vicki Belo to help Kho repair his damaged image.
Belo should realize that the best way for Dr. Hayden Kho to repair his tarnished image is simply go straight to jail. Simple. Easy. And the best remedy for everybody. Kho’s apology is simply not enough. He needs rehabilitation. And the best way to do it is incarceration.
And if Kho is really sincere on his apology, he must pack his bags and prepare to spend six years in Muntinlupa. He’ll enjoy himself there, I guess. He must pay for violating the law.
If Kho escapes this one, I sincerely believe that there’s really something wrong with our justice system.
Belo should realize that the best way for Dr. Hayden Kho to repair his tarnished image is simply go straight to jail. Simple. Easy. And the best remedy for everybody. Kho’s apology is simply not enough. He needs rehabilitation. And the best way to do it is incarceration.
And if Kho is really sincere on his apology, he must pack his bags and prepare to spend six years in Muntinlupa. He’ll enjoy himself there, I guess. He must pay for violating the law.
If Kho escapes this one, I sincerely believe that there’s really something wrong with our justice system.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Who is the drug dealer behind the Halili-Kho sex scandal?
Despite assurances from Senator Madrigal, controversial Dr. Hayden Kho refused to name the "big-time drug dealer" who reportedly supplied him with ecstacy pills. In a bizarre twist, the Senate probe turned from a sex probe into a drugs probe, with members of the PDEA even inviting Kho to shed light on the matter.
Now, who is this "big-time drug dealer"?
Two things that will identify this "dealer". First, he operates within showbiz circles and high society places and second, he's well connected in Philippine society. He's a "big name", says Kho and which was corroborated by Senator Madrigal.
Now, let me tell you that there are three (3) names under the PDEA watchlist and this drug supplier of Kho is the member of the Asian drug triad. He gets his ecstacy pills straight from abroad through couriers that pass thru the VIP airport passage.
He's not "old" as what Madrigal believes, but in his middle thirties. He's a son of a retired PNP general. He's the one who reportedly killed a former junior golf champ sometime late 2002 and continues to operate his illegal drug trade through his Pasig city residence.
He operates through his circle of friends, and these people are the same ones which Richard Brodett and the infamous "Alabang Boys" used to deal with.
Now, both Chua and this Rosario reportedly know this person, and has dealt with him several times before, according to sources from PDEA. He was the one who brought those sex tapes because of Katrina Halili, whom this person reportedly wanted to go to bed with.
This drug dealer also used these tapes to extort money from Belo and Kho. There were reportedly "feelers" and "pressures" coming from this dealer, that he'll release the tapes if Belo or Kho refuses to give him money. Belo reportedly resisted and that's why the sex tapes leaked out.
Now, again, who is this big-time drug dealer?
Another hint---he's very close to a legislator who supports charter change moves and once dealt with the wife of this legislator. The wife of this legislator reportedly used drugs (ecstacy and shabu) before. The wife continues her illegal drug use since this day. She was reportedly a party-goer before and gets her drugs from bars. The legislator also uses drugs.
There's reason for Kho to feel threatened since this drug dealer is "malakas" and "well connected" in Filipino society. The backer of this dealer is a legislator who's afraid of being jailed after this administration.
Hayden Kho Sex Tapes: Tales of Sex & Drugs
From sex to drugs---that's how this Dr. Hayden Kho sex scandal probe is going. The Senate Committee on Women and Children's Rights chaired by Senator Jamby Madrigal conducted the hearing allegedly to establish what really happened and why the sex tapes of Kho having sex with different women surfaced in the internet.
Madrigal said that a big-time drug dealer was behind the "leakage" of these sex tapes, which was reportedly sold for two million pesos by Kho's bosom buddies, Eric Chua and Victor "Bistek" Rosario. Kho admitted that these two guys were the ones who got the video clips from his laptop. Atty. Adel Tamano, Vicki Belo's lawyer, also admitted that it was Belo who allowed Chua and Rosario to access the laptop austensibly to "erase" those tapes. What happened was instead of erasing it completely from the computer's memory, either one or both of them reportedly sold those tapes to a big-time drug dealer.
More on this drug dealer in the next entry.
Madrigal said that a big-time drug dealer was behind the "leakage" of these sex tapes, which was reportedly sold for two million pesos by Kho's bosom buddies, Eric Chua and Victor "Bistek" Rosario. Kho admitted that these two guys were the ones who got the video clips from his laptop. Atty. Adel Tamano, Vicki Belo's lawyer, also admitted that it was Belo who allowed Chua and Rosario to access the laptop austensibly to "erase" those tapes. What happened was instead of erasing it completely from the computer's memory, either one or both of them reportedly sold those tapes to a big-time drug dealer.
More on this drug dealer in the next entry.
Singit, Taga at Kapal=Villar
Senator Manny "Sipag at Tyaga" Villar told Inquirer editors yesterday that the Senate will not be able to expel him; despite overwhelming evidence of his violation of the Constitutional ban for Senators having fiduciary interests with government projects.
He said he'll continue endorsing infrastructure projects that would benefit his own companies. Ultimately, he said, his fellow senators will not be able to muster enough votes anyway to either expel him or reprimand him. So, nothing will come out of the Senate trial.
This proves, says the ebullient Senator, that the trial is just a "smear campaign", a "publicity stunt" engineered by the "presidentiables" against him. In fact, Villar even congratulated them for exposing his indiscretions in public because "the issue is helping my campaign."
Villar even said that the trial will be decided not on evidence but on numbers. For Villar, it's always political, and the fact that the minority, and that includes retiring Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister, Pia, are still solidly behind him, he's confident that nothing will come out of this. Even Jinggoy Estrada who voted for the continuance of the ethics proceedings against him will not vote for his expulsion nor reprimand.
So, it's political numbers and not evidence, that will be the ultimate result of this Senate trial against Villar.
Expect this Senate trial to go the circus route since at this early, one of their members already told the public that he'll go scot-free.
This is a very dangerous precedent. Villar just proved that senators can do whatever they want, they can interfere with government projects and earn from it, and they can even do corruptive practices and again, escape from any prosecution since, in the end, it's P.R. or public relations that would decide their fate.
Now, what would happen to the 1.8 billion pesos of public money that went to Villar?
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
No-El and August
Why do I always hear rumours of "No-El" and people whisper that something "big" will happen this August? What's with August anyway?
Despite this Resolution that passed thru the rigorous House two days ago, I don't believe that elections will not push thru as planned. The administration already agreed on a merger with Lakas CMD and it would be foolish not to go ahead with the elections. These politicians know that tampering with the elections would lead to widespread violence. People are waiting for the transition. Everyone's itching to know what future lies in a post-Gloria era. Yet, to tempt fate and pursue a term extension is foolhardy at best.
Again, I don't know what will happen come August. Congress has until June 3, that's next week, to tempt fate by pushing thru with that Resolution. They also have until that time to extend CARP. Farmers are clashing with police in a daily fashion lately. And House members, especially Cong. Edcel Lagman already gave assurances that the House will extend CARP. Yet, these legislators just want farmers to wait for their turn.
Tomorrow, 28 May 2009, two significant events will happen. LAKAS-KAMPI CMD will have a dinner meeting and wagging tongues say, Noli de Castro will grace the event, alongside with, DILG secretary Ronnie Puno. Puno already threw his hat unto the vice-presidential ring and the architect of the Sulu hotel operations that catapulted Ramos to power is very much assured of winning. Puno will pit himself against Senator Kiko Pangilinan and possibly, Jinggoy Estrada from the Opposition. If Puno wins against Kiko or Jinggoy, there's something wrong with the system.
Administration allies, I heard, is confident of a win, given that COMELEC will soon award the computerization project to the rag-tag rich team of Cezar Quiambao and Ernest Villareal. These two graft geniuses are known associates of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and surely, they'll go whatever the Arroyo family wants.
Going back to my original query, I just don't know what's on August that people whisper something sinister about it. All I know about August is that's the month when Ninoy got shot and the month when Marcos decided to go ahead with September 12---a date that went down in history as the most infamous day that blackened Philippine history.
Will this administration do ala-Marcos and decide to tempt fate, throw every caution in the wind and satisfy its whim? Possibly. This administration has survived so many attempts that it has adjusted everytime. It became stronger. It became bolder. And what's so unique about all of these things---it became wiser.
After June 3, it's possible that some sipsip Congressmen will tempt fate and go on with charter change. They cannot declare an extension since it's prohibited by the 1987 Constitution but the president can. Or, possibly there will be something serious that affects security that would prod Mrs. Arroyo to declare martial rule?
But, all these are far-fetched and simply too ridiculous even to think. No-El? Cha-cha? Crap!
Despite this Resolution that passed thru the rigorous House two days ago, I don't believe that elections will not push thru as planned. The administration already agreed on a merger with Lakas CMD and it would be foolish not to go ahead with the elections. These politicians know that tampering with the elections would lead to widespread violence. People are waiting for the transition. Everyone's itching to know what future lies in a post-Gloria era. Yet, to tempt fate and pursue a term extension is foolhardy at best.
Again, I don't know what will happen come August. Congress has until June 3, that's next week, to tempt fate by pushing thru with that Resolution. They also have until that time to extend CARP. Farmers are clashing with police in a daily fashion lately. And House members, especially Cong. Edcel Lagman already gave assurances that the House will extend CARP. Yet, these legislators just want farmers to wait for their turn.
Tomorrow, 28 May 2009, two significant events will happen. LAKAS-KAMPI CMD will have a dinner meeting and wagging tongues say, Noli de Castro will grace the event, alongside with, DILG secretary Ronnie Puno. Puno already threw his hat unto the vice-presidential ring and the architect of the Sulu hotel operations that catapulted Ramos to power is very much assured of winning. Puno will pit himself against Senator Kiko Pangilinan and possibly, Jinggoy Estrada from the Opposition. If Puno wins against Kiko or Jinggoy, there's something wrong with the system.
Administration allies, I heard, is confident of a win, given that COMELEC will soon award the computerization project to the rag-tag rich team of Cezar Quiambao and Ernest Villareal. These two graft geniuses are known associates of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and surely, they'll go whatever the Arroyo family wants.
Going back to my original query, I just don't know what's on August that people whisper something sinister about it. All I know about August is that's the month when Ninoy got shot and the month when Marcos decided to go ahead with September 12---a date that went down in history as the most infamous day that blackened Philippine history.
Will this administration do ala-Marcos and decide to tempt fate, throw every caution in the wind and satisfy its whim? Possibly. This administration has survived so many attempts that it has adjusted everytime. It became stronger. It became bolder. And what's so unique about all of these things---it became wiser.
After June 3, it's possible that some sipsip Congressmen will tempt fate and go on with charter change. They cannot declare an extension since it's prohibited by the 1987 Constitution but the president can. Or, possibly there will be something serious that affects security that would prod Mrs. Arroyo to declare martial rule?
But, all these are far-fetched and simply too ridiculous even to think. No-El? Cha-cha? Crap!
Lakas-KAMPI CMD--the devil's flock
A New political party will be unveiled today. This party, the elite's answer to the yearning clamour of the masses for change, will not be the one that would save us. It'll not be the one who'll save us from the rot,the mess that the Arroyo regime did for some nine years. No.
This party aims to perpetuate the existing clique's rule, a rule so base that it does not deserve even a page in this country's History.
That party---the merger of KAMPI, Mrs. Arroyo's political baby, and LAKAS-CMD, the creature invented by former president Fidel V. Ramos---is sure to create strong ripples in the political pond.
Admit it or not, this party is a powerhouse. It counts most of the local executives of this country as members and is powered by 40 billion pesos.
LAKAS-KAMPI CMD is a marriage of convenience, a desperate attempt by the ruling elitist clique to perpetuate its illegal rule. A legitimizing move, meant to justify an illegal administration, and an attempt to preserve the way of life that they so lavishly enjoyed these nine years.
Those who took part in the Hello Garci scandal, those who funded and earned from the most expensive highway in the world, those who continuously scam millions of farmers out of their harvests, those who import rice fit for pigs from Vietnam, those who benefitted from billion peso worth of DPWH projects, those who got billions from defense and telecomms projects, and those who took part in the scandalous and murderous Joc-Joc Bolante fertilizer scam, are now at it again.
These people will again, scam their way into power, the same method they used to illegally usurp power from an incumbent and the only way they know how to get money from public coffers.
This time though, the name itself betrays the very philosophy of this flock of vultures---Lakas (means strength) and Kampi (illegal association) merged together to subliminally tell us that they are more powerful than before.
That, in acting like a mafia, there's strength. Instead of unity, they opted to perpetuate a scheme of continual elite rule through KAMPIHAN, a belief so base and so immoral that it makes one puke even hearing it mentioned.
Tonight, LAKAS-KAMPI CMD will invite prospective recruits into their fold. How many and how influential those persons are, take a quick look at who heads this devil's marriage:
DILG Secretary Ronnie Puno, the architect of numerous electoral scams and scamlets.
Speaker Prospero Nograles, Davao's alleged land grabber and main proponent of sipsip politics in the Philippines
Cong. Villafuerte, the strong man of Bicol, the very reason why that region continues to wallow in extreme poverty.
Let the true Party of the Masses rise up and defeat this evil monster come 2010.
This party aims to perpetuate the existing clique's rule, a rule so base that it does not deserve even a page in this country's History.
That party---the merger of KAMPI, Mrs. Arroyo's political baby, and LAKAS-CMD, the creature invented by former president Fidel V. Ramos---is sure to create strong ripples in the political pond.
Admit it or not, this party is a powerhouse. It counts most of the local executives of this country as members and is powered by 40 billion pesos.
LAKAS-KAMPI CMD is a marriage of convenience, a desperate attempt by the ruling elitist clique to perpetuate its illegal rule. A legitimizing move, meant to justify an illegal administration, and an attempt to preserve the way of life that they so lavishly enjoyed these nine years.
Those who took part in the Hello Garci scandal, those who funded and earned from the most expensive highway in the world, those who continuously scam millions of farmers out of their harvests, those who import rice fit for pigs from Vietnam, those who benefitted from billion peso worth of DPWH projects, those who got billions from defense and telecomms projects, and those who took part in the scandalous and murderous Joc-Joc Bolante fertilizer scam, are now at it again.
These people will again, scam their way into power, the same method they used to illegally usurp power from an incumbent and the only way they know how to get money from public coffers.
This time though, the name itself betrays the very philosophy of this flock of vultures---Lakas (means strength) and Kampi (illegal association) merged together to subliminally tell us that they are more powerful than before.
That, in acting like a mafia, there's strength. Instead of unity, they opted to perpetuate a scheme of continual elite rule through KAMPIHAN, a belief so base and so immoral that it makes one puke even hearing it mentioned.
Tonight, LAKAS-KAMPI CMD will invite prospective recruits into their fold. How many and how influential those persons are, take a quick look at who heads this devil's marriage:
DILG Secretary Ronnie Puno, the architect of numerous electoral scams and scamlets.
Speaker Prospero Nograles, Davao's alleged land grabber and main proponent of sipsip politics in the Philippines
Cong. Villafuerte, the strong man of Bicol, the very reason why that region continues to wallow in extreme poverty.
Let the true Party of the Masses rise up and defeat this evil monster come 2010.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Kinatay director gets Cannes Top Plum
"Kinatay" director Dante Mendoza got the top prize as Best Director in the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. This is the first ever recognition made by the Cannes for a Filipino film art work. Since the late Lino Brocka's foray into international film competitions such as Cannes, no Filipino film has been adjudged best among the best, except of course, this one.
What's so stunning about this award is it recognizes a Filipino filmmaker as one of the world's best. Oscar winner and maverick director Quentin Tarantino praised Direk Mendoza, for reminding him about Brian de Palma. Surely, the gore and savagery of Mendoza's film reminds one of that classic film Scarface, which De Palma megged and got none of the praises which Mendoza got from the purely international jury.
I saw the film and found it fantastic, to say the least. Critics lambasted Mendoza's work as an orgy of mindless violence, but it is'nt. The film tells of a tale of a newly married cop who got involved in the gruesome murder of a Filipina prostitute. Mendoza says its based on a true story, the story of the Philippines, and I believe him.
Films are allegorical art pieces that show slices of life bent and scaled down to a 35mm. Those scenes of gore, of blood, of murder and savagery shows how unsafe, how murderous and how violent our society has become.
Lift all those layers and cleanse all those blood splattered all over that roll of film and you'll find a synopsis of Filipino society. Think of that cop as authority, the power, the change maker. Think of that prostitute as society.
Filipino society has succumbed to the basest situation, a society made beautiful by Western makeup and bastardized, err, ravaged even by money, foreign capital. That prostitute represent the State of Filipino society. It has been taken slave by monopolistic powers, and raped by numerous and erroneous influences that it has been transformed into a dirty, mindless, mismash of social neuroses and psychoses.
It lures unconscious and innocent victims into its vicious vise grip, draining all innocence, and sucking all those delicious marrows in. Those who succumb to the wiles of the Prostitute are made helpless and dirtied. The cycle of filth continues while the Prostitute lives.
Those who have the ideal and the correct consciousness brave convention by thinking of the bizarre. Murder is frowned upon, yet, in certain situations, the killing of cretins is justified. Dismemberment is a long-held literary convention. Poe used this to describe that 18th century killing of a beautiful lass. De Palma did that in Scarface to show how one can go to the basest depths just for money while others show that to prove a point that humans are barbaric, savage creatures made more vicious by a vicious society.
That cop needs redemption from a society who has now been turned into a prostitute. BY killing the prostitute and dismembering her, the cop feels a sense of neurotic satisfaction, knowing that he rid the world of a smelly contemptious thing when in truth, and in fact, he just made the world a tad cleaner.
What's so stunning about this award is it recognizes a Filipino filmmaker as one of the world's best. Oscar winner and maverick director Quentin Tarantino praised Direk Mendoza, for reminding him about Brian de Palma. Surely, the gore and savagery of Mendoza's film reminds one of that classic film Scarface, which De Palma megged and got none of the praises which Mendoza got from the purely international jury.
I saw the film and found it fantastic, to say the least. Critics lambasted Mendoza's work as an orgy of mindless violence, but it is'nt. The film tells of a tale of a newly married cop who got involved in the gruesome murder of a Filipina prostitute. Mendoza says its based on a true story, the story of the Philippines, and I believe him.
Films are allegorical art pieces that show slices of life bent and scaled down to a 35mm. Those scenes of gore, of blood, of murder and savagery shows how unsafe, how murderous and how violent our society has become.
Lift all those layers and cleanse all those blood splattered all over that roll of film and you'll find a synopsis of Filipino society. Think of that cop as authority, the power, the change maker. Think of that prostitute as society.
Filipino society has succumbed to the basest situation, a society made beautiful by Western makeup and bastardized, err, ravaged even by money, foreign capital. That prostitute represent the State of Filipino society. It has been taken slave by monopolistic powers, and raped by numerous and erroneous influences that it has been transformed into a dirty, mindless, mismash of social neuroses and psychoses.
It lures unconscious and innocent victims into its vicious vise grip, draining all innocence, and sucking all those delicious marrows in. Those who succumb to the wiles of the Prostitute are made helpless and dirtied. The cycle of filth continues while the Prostitute lives.
Those who have the ideal and the correct consciousness brave convention by thinking of the bizarre. Murder is frowned upon, yet, in certain situations, the killing of cretins is justified. Dismemberment is a long-held literary convention. Poe used this to describe that 18th century killing of a beautiful lass. De Palma did that in Scarface to show how one can go to the basest depths just for money while others show that to prove a point that humans are barbaric, savage creatures made more vicious by a vicious society.
That cop needs redemption from a society who has now been turned into a prostitute. BY killing the prostitute and dismembering her, the cop feels a sense of neurotic satisfaction, knowing that he rid the world of a smelly contemptious thing when in truth, and in fact, he just made the world a tad cleaner.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Meralco and PLDT: Marriage of Convenience?
There'll be no fireworks today. The Lopez group will continue to head Meralco. And sources say, that's courtesy of Manny Pangilinan, the top PLDT honcho. He entered the scene, reportedly as a "white knight" to save the diminishing hold of the Lopezes and prevent it from falling into the hands of San Miguel, led by Ramon Ang.
Meralco, undoubtedly, is a critical industry, a prized possession so to speak, for those who want to control the entire economy. It's just a power distribution utility, yet, it commands great power. It holds the key to our boom-bust economy, and failure to supply, means billions lost, or billions gained.
Why the Lopezes hate the guts of the San Miguel group is an enigma. Maybe because of Cojuangco's past. Why are they willing to serve Meralco on a silver platter for a local representative of a foreigner is beyond me. Is the Lopezes more than willing to serve a foreign master than let a local success continue the legacy of the firm? Pangilinan is the local representative of Salim of Indonesia and by entering Meralco, Salim has a majority stake in another country's power distribution utility. Government should have been more sensitive in the sense that power should have been viewed as one of the most critical and security-sensitive infrastructure that, control should be delimited to local control, instead of allowing this situation where the most critical sector has now been controlled, indirectly, by a foreign business entity.
But, as they say, business here is personal. And the Lopezes hate both Cojuangco (due to his Marcosian past) and Mrs. Arroyo (because she released her attack dog, GSIS President Winston Garcia who failed because of public pressure).
Now, I fully understand why GSIS wants Meralco.
On the reverse side, it's actually beneficial that a more effective management group heads Meralco. Meralco has had its fair share of financial hemorrhages and best to leave this with those who know how to crunch numbers rather than those who just know how to count profits.
Businessmen expect the PLDT takeover to lower electricity rates, which, I think, is not going as planned. Electricity prices here are more expensive than other Asian countries. And rates continue going up.
It remains to be seen how PLDT will fare now that they are the majority. Will Pangilinan, the "white knight" save the Filipinos from further price hikes. Or, will Big Capital with the "BIG PROFITS" in bold letters continue to be the rule instead of the exemption, being public welfare as paramount? Let's see in the next few months.
Meralco, undoubtedly, is a critical industry, a prized possession so to speak, for those who want to control the entire economy. It's just a power distribution utility, yet, it commands great power. It holds the key to our boom-bust economy, and failure to supply, means billions lost, or billions gained.
Why the Lopezes hate the guts of the San Miguel group is an enigma. Maybe because of Cojuangco's past. Why are they willing to serve Meralco on a silver platter for a local representative of a foreigner is beyond me. Is the Lopezes more than willing to serve a foreign master than let a local success continue the legacy of the firm? Pangilinan is the local representative of Salim of Indonesia and by entering Meralco, Salim has a majority stake in another country's power distribution utility. Government should have been more sensitive in the sense that power should have been viewed as one of the most critical and security-sensitive infrastructure that, control should be delimited to local control, instead of allowing this situation where the most critical sector has now been controlled, indirectly, by a foreign business entity.
But, as they say, business here is personal. And the Lopezes hate both Cojuangco (due to his Marcosian past) and Mrs. Arroyo (because she released her attack dog, GSIS President Winston Garcia who failed because of public pressure).
Now, I fully understand why GSIS wants Meralco.
On the reverse side, it's actually beneficial that a more effective management group heads Meralco. Meralco has had its fair share of financial hemorrhages and best to leave this with those who know how to crunch numbers rather than those who just know how to count profits.
Businessmen expect the PLDT takeover to lower electricity rates, which, I think, is not going as planned. Electricity prices here are more expensive than other Asian countries. And rates continue going up.
It remains to be seen how PLDT will fare now that they are the majority. Will Pangilinan, the "white knight" save the Filipinos from further price hikes. Or, will Big Capital with the "BIG PROFITS" in bold letters continue to be the rule instead of the exemption, being public welfare as paramount? Let's see in the next few months.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Chiz Escudero tops People's favorites for New Prexy
Senator Chiz Escudero of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) topped the latest Ibon survey on the people's favorites for the presidency. Following him is Senators Manny Villar and Loren Legarda. Joseph Estrada placed a poor fourth place while nothing has been heard of Mar Roxas while Vice President Noli de Castro is a few notches below Legarda.
Despite my previous criticisms of Escudero, I congratulate him for earning the trust of the people. I am a firm believer of Ibon Foundation surveys and when the people say that they want Escudero as their president, as a humble servant of the masses, I humbly submit to their will.
I would prefer Chiz than Manny, who is now embroiled in this humiliating ethics scandal. It would have been good if the people decide to elect someone with experience in economic matters or someone with a strong political will like Senator Ping Lacson. This just shows how disjointed the views of those in my class with that of the masses. I admit I am still ignorant of how and why the masa thinks and acts this way.
Maybe the masa got tired of old, trapos and want a young, idealist like Escudero. Or maybe the fight would all boil down to age. We don't know. What I do know is, if this elections pushes through, this will result to a diminution of the party and the rise of individual political powerhouses.
What I just want to be assured of, if Chiz or any of his supporters read this, is for Chiz to disassociate himself publicly from Danding. Chiz should also be very transparent on who backs him up financially should he decide to really run for the presidency. Likewise, Chiz should present an agenda that is totally consistent with the Will of the People. No more compromises. No more motherhood statements. No more pa cutesy moves. We deserve someone better. We deserve a young leader who will hold the hand of the people and lead them to a better Philippines.
If the people want you, Chiz, to be their president, I, am, with you.
Despite my previous criticisms of Escudero, I congratulate him for earning the trust of the people. I am a firm believer of Ibon Foundation surveys and when the people say that they want Escudero as their president, as a humble servant of the masses, I humbly submit to their will.
I would prefer Chiz than Manny, who is now embroiled in this humiliating ethics scandal. It would have been good if the people decide to elect someone with experience in economic matters or someone with a strong political will like Senator Ping Lacson. This just shows how disjointed the views of those in my class with that of the masses. I admit I am still ignorant of how and why the masa thinks and acts this way.
Maybe the masa got tired of old, trapos and want a young, idealist like Escudero. Or maybe the fight would all boil down to age. We don't know. What I do know is, if this elections pushes through, this will result to a diminution of the party and the rise of individual political powerhouses.
What I just want to be assured of, if Chiz or any of his supporters read this, is for Chiz to disassociate himself publicly from Danding. Chiz should also be very transparent on who backs him up financially should he decide to really run for the presidency. Likewise, Chiz should present an agenda that is totally consistent with the Will of the People. No more compromises. No more motherhood statements. No more pa cutesy moves. We deserve someone better. We deserve a young leader who will hold the hand of the people and lead them to a better Philippines.
If the people want you, Chiz, to be their president, I, am, with you.
NPR transformation
By the way, in the hopes to transform this site into a domain, I have decided to include Nuffnang ads. I know some of you would holler that this is a compromise and yes, it is. This site needs expansion. And, everybody knows how expensive that is. I don't have the money since I am just a poor boy here in Makati.
I will be allowing Nuffnang to post their ads here, if they wish, only this reputable blog network. Thanks for your kind understanding.
I will use the revenue generated from these ads only to purchase the domain. The sobra, I will donate to a charitable institution.
I will be allowing Nuffnang to post their ads here, if they wish, only this reputable blog network. Thanks for your kind understanding.
I will use the revenue generated from these ads only to purchase the domain. The sobra, I will donate to a charitable institution.
Murder Scandal in Ajuy Iloilo
While we gossip on the latest update on this Halili-Kho scandals, which my friend Ding Gagelonia described as "Hayden-gate", let me divert your attention a little bit and talk about a scandal which happened in Ajuy Iloilo. This scandal involves an alleged collusion between a suspected mastermind and those of the provincial prosecutor's office. This despicable travesty of justice happened reportedly with the full knowledge of Department of Justice secretary Raul Gonzales.
Last May 22, 2008, Ajuy Iloilo vice mayor Ramon Rojas was shot and killed by paid assassins in Barangay Central. Rojas was shot nine times in the head and body, at close range. He died on the spot.
Four months later, one of the assassins by the name of Dennis "Totong" Cartagena was arrested. In a six-page affidavit, Cartagena revealed how his group tracked and killed the vice mayor. He also pointed to a certain Vicente "Etik" Espinosa as the mastermind, a first cousin of the victim.
Cartegena swore before Iloilo prosecutor Nora Causing-Española that Espinosa planned the assassination shortly after the May 2007 elections. Espinosa reportedly hatched the plan in his house in Barangay Lantajan. It was only in April 2008 when Espinosa gave the go-signal for the killing of Rojas. Espinosa gave Cartagena and his accomplice, a robber by the name of Edgar Cordero money to track down and kill the vice mayor.
A month after, the assassins received news about Rojas. They saw the vice mayor jogging. They went out and shot the victim close range. They escaped.
Cartegena said he received 30,000 pesos from one of Espinosa's associates as payment for his participation in the murder. Cartagena was the former bodyguard of Espinosa. He drove the get-away motorcycle which the gunman, a certain Edgar Cardero rode after killing Rojas. Cardero was killed in a firefight with policemen while resisting arrest.
With this extrajudicial confession, police amended the murder rap and included Vicente "Etik" Espinosa's name in the complaint sheet.
Five months later, Iloilo prosecutor Bernabe Dusaban issued a resolution flatly dismissing the confession of Cartagena and absolved Espinosa allegedly due to "weak evidence".
Last March, the Rojas family filed a motion to dismiss Dusaban's resolution before the office of Department of Justice secretary Raul Gonzales. It has been two months and nothing was heard about the motion.
Why is Gonzales sitting on the Rojas' motion?
Sources say Etik, also nicknamed the "bulldog", is a very close associate of Gonzales. He served as Gonzales' "strong arm" during the time when he served as Congressman.
Gonzales, as what some Iloilo-based journalists whispered, is running for the post of mayor of Iloilo. Raul Gonzales Jr. is now the incumbent local executive.
Dusaban, by the way, is the lead prosecutor who reportedly exonerated the Balasan boys from drug charges. A motion was filed in opposition, which Gonzales reportedly dismissed.
In the Rojas case, Prosecutor Dusaban is being accused of favoring Espinosa. He reportedly maintains a very close friendship with the alleged mastermind Espinosa and once served as 18 roses in the debut of one of Espinosa's kids.
By the way, Rojas is just the first politician whom Espinosa planned to kill. Espinosa, Cartegena revealed, reportedly plotted to kill Ajuy Mayor Juancho Alvarez, provincial board member Jett Rojas, and town councilors Pepe Dumayao, Pepe Baterna and Punong Barangay Ronnie Banas.
More explosive material very soon...
By the way, I remember one passage in the Old Testament. It goes like this, " an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
If these allegations are indeed true, and this Etik Espinosa is really involved and violence seems to be his "hobby", he better clean his act altogether because God does not forget and God, the Almighty always task His avengers to exact justice.
Last May 22, 2008, Ajuy Iloilo vice mayor Ramon Rojas was shot and killed by paid assassins in Barangay Central. Rojas was shot nine times in the head and body, at close range. He died on the spot.
Four months later, one of the assassins by the name of Dennis "Totong" Cartagena was arrested. In a six-page affidavit, Cartagena revealed how his group tracked and killed the vice mayor. He also pointed to a certain Vicente "Etik" Espinosa as the mastermind, a first cousin of the victim.
Cartegena swore before Iloilo prosecutor Nora Causing-Española that Espinosa planned the assassination shortly after the May 2007 elections. Espinosa reportedly hatched the plan in his house in Barangay Lantajan. It was only in April 2008 when Espinosa gave the go-signal for the killing of Rojas. Espinosa gave Cartagena and his accomplice, a robber by the name of Edgar Cordero money to track down and kill the vice mayor.
A month after, the assassins received news about Rojas. They saw the vice mayor jogging. They went out and shot the victim close range. They escaped.
Cartegena said he received 30,000 pesos from one of Espinosa's associates as payment for his participation in the murder. Cartagena was the former bodyguard of Espinosa. He drove the get-away motorcycle which the gunman, a certain Edgar Cardero rode after killing Rojas. Cardero was killed in a firefight with policemen while resisting arrest.
With this extrajudicial confession, police amended the murder rap and included Vicente "Etik" Espinosa's name in the complaint sheet.
Five months later, Iloilo prosecutor Bernabe Dusaban issued a resolution flatly dismissing the confession of Cartagena and absolved Espinosa allegedly due to "weak evidence".
Last March, the Rojas family filed a motion to dismiss Dusaban's resolution before the office of Department of Justice secretary Raul Gonzales. It has been two months and nothing was heard about the motion.
Why is Gonzales sitting on the Rojas' motion?
Sources say Etik, also nicknamed the "bulldog", is a very close associate of Gonzales. He served as Gonzales' "strong arm" during the time when he served as Congressman.
Gonzales, as what some Iloilo-based journalists whispered, is running for the post of mayor of Iloilo. Raul Gonzales Jr. is now the incumbent local executive.
Dusaban, by the way, is the lead prosecutor who reportedly exonerated the Balasan boys from drug charges. A motion was filed in opposition, which Gonzales reportedly dismissed.
In the Rojas case, Prosecutor Dusaban is being accused of favoring Espinosa. He reportedly maintains a very close friendship with the alleged mastermind Espinosa and once served as 18 roses in the debut of one of Espinosa's kids.
By the way, Rojas is just the first politician whom Espinosa planned to kill. Espinosa, Cartegena revealed, reportedly plotted to kill Ajuy Mayor Juancho Alvarez, provincial board member Jett Rojas, and town councilors Pepe Dumayao, Pepe Baterna and Punong Barangay Ronnie Banas.
More explosive material very soon...
By the way, I remember one passage in the Old Testament. It goes like this, " an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
If these allegations are indeed true, and this Etik Espinosa is really involved and violence seems to be his "hobby", he better clean his act altogether because God does not forget and God, the Almighty always task His avengers to exact justice.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Halili Sex Scandal, American Idol and New Eras
A writer over at FilipinoVoices wrote that there is too much attention being given by the people with this Katrina Halili-Hayden Kho scandal that other issues, like this proposed tax on books, are being glossed over. Manolo Quezon agreed and other people over the netsphere.
Probably he's right but I disagree on some points. First, this issue just shows you how pervasive the internet is becoming, from just a place for research, to a place for destroying or prepping up reputations. What this Halili sex scandal shows not just the non-sensical fascination of a people on sex and gossips, but rather a genuine concern for the effects of the New Media on a hapless victim (willing or not willing).
What public discourse just want us, observers and analysts to see, is the way they are being affected by this New channel of communication. That Filipinos care for other Filipinos. That it is not just ideas or books that we must be concerned about---we should be concerned with the personal lives of real people allegedly affected by this new medium.
What Filipinos are trying to figure out is whether to accept this change as calmly as possible, or repulse it with a New law called Cyber Law. By populating public discourse with such a scandal, we are being made to choose between embracing a New Medium, or crucify it by tagging it as an evil tool. This is the reality we are grappling about here. The despicable acts done by Dr. Hayden Kho are just superficial; yet, if we are to lift that layer off, we find that the core issue lies on the new media having an emotional connection with the people. And the numbers of people affected ranged to 22 million, not to fret nor frown upon.
It also shows how net issues have permeated the national psyche and has even dominated public discourse.
Having said that, there lies the challenge for us, writers in the netsphere. We know the medium. We know how now it has established a personal, emotional connection with our fellow Filipinos. It is now our tasks to see to it that Filipinos accept this medium as part of their lives and use it to empower the masses to change the way things are.
We are entering a New Era, where New Ideas are slowly eating old ones up and it is our responsibility to make people accept this New Era, like what Americans did in accepting Kris Allen as winner of American Idol season 8.
We must seize this New Era by the hair and take it to wherever the welfare of the People is.
Likewise, the way some gloss this scandal over, shows the communicative disjunct between those who profess to know what the masa feels with the masa. The challenge is to bridge that gap. From a stage where we are, which I described as gesellschaft, we must ascend this stage to a gemeinschaft, or what we term as a community.
As long as this gap remains wide, there is still no connection between intellectuals and the People whom they profess to serve.
Probably he's right but I disagree on some points. First, this issue just shows you how pervasive the internet is becoming, from just a place for research, to a place for destroying or prepping up reputations. What this Halili sex scandal shows not just the non-sensical fascination of a people on sex and gossips, but rather a genuine concern for the effects of the New Media on a hapless victim (willing or not willing).
What public discourse just want us, observers and analysts to see, is the way they are being affected by this New channel of communication. That Filipinos care for other Filipinos. That it is not just ideas or books that we must be concerned about---we should be concerned with the personal lives of real people allegedly affected by this new medium.
What Filipinos are trying to figure out is whether to accept this change as calmly as possible, or repulse it with a New law called Cyber Law. By populating public discourse with such a scandal, we are being made to choose between embracing a New Medium, or crucify it by tagging it as an evil tool. This is the reality we are grappling about here. The despicable acts done by Dr. Hayden Kho are just superficial; yet, if we are to lift that layer off, we find that the core issue lies on the new media having an emotional connection with the people. And the numbers of people affected ranged to 22 million, not to fret nor frown upon.
It also shows how net issues have permeated the national psyche and has even dominated public discourse.
Having said that, there lies the challenge for us, writers in the netsphere. We know the medium. We know how now it has established a personal, emotional connection with our fellow Filipinos. It is now our tasks to see to it that Filipinos accept this medium as part of their lives and use it to empower the masses to change the way things are.
We are entering a New Era, where New Ideas are slowly eating old ones up and it is our responsibility to make people accept this New Era, like what Americans did in accepting Kris Allen as winner of American Idol season 8.
We must seize this New Era by the hair and take it to wherever the welfare of the People is.
Likewise, the way some gloss this scandal over, shows the communicative disjunct between those who profess to know what the masa feels with the masa. The challenge is to bridge that gap. From a stage where we are, which I described as gesellschaft, we must ascend this stage to a gemeinschaft, or what we term as a community.
As long as this gap remains wide, there is still no connection between intellectuals and the People whom they profess to serve.
America is not yet ready for Adam Lambert
Lastly, let me get this thing out of my system. Adam Lambert is really a reincarnation of Elvis Presley and those great Fathers of Rock n' Roll. Remember that when Elvis stormed the stage, he was criticized, bullied, even castigated for the way he sang those rock songs. The Beatles also started with more boos than ahs. Yet, we saw how people around the world, worshipped their artistry. After the initial harsh reactions, true artistry emerged and eventually, the whole Humankind accepted it as their own.
Elvis, the Beatles, Kiss, The Queen are all class acts. They are the progenitors of eras, and Lambert, surely, will lead another one.
What America has shown in voting for Kris Allen is that they fear for this era. It's called a "future shock". Societies, when faced with new paradigms, show adversity at first, then, as soon as they feel accustomed to the sound and feel of the paradigm, they slowly adjust and embrace it as their own.
This is the same as revolutionary ideas. At first, we oppose it. But, when we are in the midst of it already and we feel its effects in our lives, we adjust and accept it as our own. Look at Cuba. In 1959, Fidel Castro won and seized power. Yet, it took him at least 10 years before Cubans accepted those changes the revolution wrought upon Cuban society. Now, it is the strongest model for change in America.
It is this hope that I, and all the rest of the New Patriots of the New Generation, continue to do what is necessary for change. Revolution might be too loud or too high pitched an idea for many and probably, paradigm shifts are more acceptable terms. In due time, people will warm up to it and embrace change like they do with their lovers.
This reality made me realize that there is still hope for Filipinos to come together as one and change the way we do things. It is still not hopeless.
To Adam Lambert, my man, continue doing what you're doing. Eventually, the revolution you started will engulf the whole of America and eventually your coronation will happen very soon.
Elvis, the Beatles, Kiss, The Queen are all class acts. They are the progenitors of eras, and Lambert, surely, will lead another one.
What America has shown in voting for Kris Allen is that they fear for this era. It's called a "future shock". Societies, when faced with new paradigms, show adversity at first, then, as soon as they feel accustomed to the sound and feel of the paradigm, they slowly adjust and embrace it as their own.
This is the same as revolutionary ideas. At first, we oppose it. But, when we are in the midst of it already and we feel its effects in our lives, we adjust and accept it as our own. Look at Cuba. In 1959, Fidel Castro won and seized power. Yet, it took him at least 10 years before Cubans accepted those changes the revolution wrought upon Cuban society. Now, it is the strongest model for change in America.
It is this hope that I, and all the rest of the New Patriots of the New Generation, continue to do what is necessary for change. Revolution might be too loud or too high pitched an idea for many and probably, paradigm shifts are more acceptable terms. In due time, people will warm up to it and embrace change like they do with their lovers.
This reality made me realize that there is still hope for Filipinos to come together as one and change the way we do things. It is still not hopeless.
To Adam Lambert, my man, continue doing what you're doing. Eventually, the revolution you started will engulf the whole of America and eventually your coronation will happen very soon.
Chris Allen won American Idol Season 8
In the most shocking news of all, Kris Allen won the American Idol season 8 top plum. That put a great damper on all the hoopla and all the homage Hollywood made for Adam Lambert. And I'm definitely sure that a multi-milion WTFs! spewed out of the mouths of 49 million people today.
WTF....that surely will definitely ruin my day. Anyway, to Kris Allen, congratulations my man. It just shows that America still loves their traditional way of doing rock and roll. They don't want a Gothic man to say that everyone already embraced this lifestyle.
Adam Lambert is a great artist, and I still believe, he's iconic. His star will shine brightly, more lumicent than Allen's. Anyway, the Nation has voted and we have to respect their choice. It just shows you how traditional and "Christian" this nation of 400 million thinks and make their choices.
America is not ready yet for an Adam Lambert. Yet, soon, they will be. True artistry will emerge from the American Idol woodwork.
This is an example of how Americans take these things. Soon after Allen was announced, Lambert immediately accepted the verdict, in a calm and reposed manner. It also shows the disjunct between what Hollywood and the artists want, and what the patricians want. Obviously, artists love and worship the artistry of Lambert. But Patricians do not love such Gothic, even darker, devilish performance. They love their music and that music is what they think as traditional American.
It's a classic case of magnanimity in victory, and acceptance in defeat. Wherever way you look at it, we, Filipinos, should adopt the same mindset, especially in 2010, when we face the greatest challenge to our democracy.
WTF....that surely will definitely ruin my day. Anyway, to Kris Allen, congratulations my man. It just shows that America still loves their traditional way of doing rock and roll. They don't want a Gothic man to say that everyone already embraced this lifestyle.
Adam Lambert is a great artist, and I still believe, he's iconic. His star will shine brightly, more lumicent than Allen's. Anyway, the Nation has voted and we have to respect their choice. It just shows you how traditional and "Christian" this nation of 400 million thinks and make their choices.
America is not ready yet for an Adam Lambert. Yet, soon, they will be. True artistry will emerge from the American Idol woodwork.
This is an example of how Americans take these things. Soon after Allen was announced, Lambert immediately accepted the verdict, in a calm and reposed manner. It also shows the disjunct between what Hollywood and the artists want, and what the patricians want. Obviously, artists love and worship the artistry of Lambert. But Patricians do not love such Gothic, even darker, devilish performance. They love their music and that music is what they think as traditional American.
It's a classic case of magnanimity in victory, and acceptance in defeat. Wherever way you look at it, we, Filipinos, should adopt the same mindset, especially in 2010, when we face the greatest challenge to our democracy.
Chris Allen won American Idol season 8
American Idol Season 8 grand finale is like a Bacchalian baptism ceremony hailing the birth of the New King of Rock and Roll and that, in my book, is Adam Lambert.
All the classic rock bands joined together to pay homage to the New King. The Kiss, Carlos Santana, and the Queen---all recognized magistrates of Rock N Roll---went onstage with Lambert, as if to signal that they're relinquishing and paying homage to the reincarnation of the original King, Elvis Presley.
In fact, all the movers and shakers of that glitzy town called Hollywood, went to the American Idol event, it's a a dream seeing those constallation and galaxies of stars converging in one place.
By the way, while I'm writing this, Ryan Seacrest has just received the envelope. About a 100 million people voted for their New American Idol, the winner is.......CHRIS ALLEN!
WTF?!!!! The underdog won!
Adam Lambert wins American Idol Season 8
After watching American Idol season 8, I noticed one guy that really shone brightly compared with the others and that's Adam Lambert. Results are in and preliminary news says he won.
If you say that's news, I tell you that it is'nt. Since the first top ten picks for the American Idol season 8 winner, Lambert has already distinguished himself from the pack. Voters already assumed that he'll win the top plum. Lambert has a clear high-pitched voice, a lot like other rock singers. Lambert's voice, however, has its distinct sensitivity. Adam knows how to tone it down and put some emotion to his voice. He can sing ballads and rock the house down if he wishes.
Unlike Chris Allen, who is a classic rocker, Lambert is a versatile one. I agree what Paula Abdul said---Lambert is iconic. He has a very unique signature as a singer and he stands on the verge of superstardom.
The very first time I saw this guy, I remembered the King, Elvis Presley. He looks like the reincarnation of the King who brought the world in its knees. Lambert's moves, his unique voice and his stage savvyness connotes a total entertainment package.
And that, in my book, is what an American Idol should be.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Flash! Katrina Halili files criminal case against Hayden Kho
GMA 7 star Katrina Halili just filed a criminal case against Dr. Hayden Kho for violating Republic Act 9262, or the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Children.” This law penalizes any violent acts done against women, including the act of Dr. Kho of publishing the video without her consent. That video caused so much humiliation and even nearly destroyed the career of the young star.
Dr. Kho’s act is criminal. It has a six year jail term. Kho is also placed under the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) watchlist.
Citizens who read this entry can do a citizen’s arrest since what Kho did was a continuing crime. Cops out there who sees this offender should immediately arrest him.
TRUE STORY ON HOW THE VIDEO WAS LEAKED.
A friend of Hayden Kho admitted leaking the video. Hayden reportedly had sex with the girlfriend of his friend. It incensed this friend.
When Hayden asked his friend to help him fix his phone, the friend went to Greenhills and downloaded all the sex videos of Kho. The friend later found out that it was not only Katrina who was victimized but also Ruffa Mae Quinto, another Pinay model and a Brazilian.
Likewise, the two videos showing Halili dancing infront of Kho were not the videos that prosecutors saw and based their criminal charge. It was another video showing Halili having sex with Kho. That video clearly showed that Kho took that video without the knowledge of Katrina Halili.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is reportedly building up the case against Kho and his friends who uploaded the video online.
Kho is reportedly with Vicki Belo right now, either holed up in a hotel in Hongkong or somewhere in the States.
Dr. Kho’s act is criminal. It has a six year jail term. Kho is also placed under the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) watchlist.
Citizens who read this entry can do a citizen’s arrest since what Kho did was a continuing crime. Cops out there who sees this offender should immediately arrest him.
TRUE STORY ON HOW THE VIDEO WAS LEAKED.
A friend of Hayden Kho admitted leaking the video. Hayden reportedly had sex with the girlfriend of his friend. It incensed this friend.
When Hayden asked his friend to help him fix his phone, the friend went to Greenhills and downloaded all the sex videos of Kho. The friend later found out that it was not only Katrina who was victimized but also Ruffa Mae Quinto, another Pinay model and a Brazilian.
Likewise, the two videos showing Halili dancing infront of Kho were not the videos that prosecutors saw and based their criminal charge. It was another video showing Halili having sex with Kho. That video clearly showed that Kho took that video without the knowledge of Katrina Halili.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is reportedly building up the case against Kho and his friends who uploaded the video online.
Kho is reportedly with Vicki Belo right now, either holed up in a hotel in Hongkong or somewhere in the States.
Cyber Law and Katrina-Kho Sex Video
Let me expound on one of the threats to democracy that I mentioned in a previous entry. I pointed out the observation that certain quarters are using this Katrina Halili-Dr. Hayden Kho sex video scandal as a pretext to generate public support behind the current bill of Partylist representative Irwin Tieng's Cyber Law. It seems that what these legislators are doing is play up the issue to justify turning this law into a penal legislation with a corresponding jail term.
Whichever way you look at it, this law is a setback from the gains we so fought for at those EDSAs. It's a measure that smacks of non-sensical censorship and obviously a threat to our thriving democracy. It's a measure that would put the very liberties we now enjoy in jeopardy. Why?
Why punish somebody for expressing himself online? If a pervert, for example, wants to upload a nasty, X-rated stuff, who's to say that it's wrong? That upload is a form of self-expression. It may be offending to some, but not to others. Same goes to an activist who writes damning stuff against government. That's self-expression. And no law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, according to Section 4, Article 3 of the 1987 Constitution.
Perhaps Cong. Tieng is simply afraid that, someone would write about Solar Entertainment and the way they conduct their affairs over at RPN 9. Tieng probably wants to curtail this very right to protect certain business interests that are fair game once this Arroyo administration leaves office.
Tieng, whom I met a couple of years ago, is a young and well-meaning person. Yet, I am afraid that he is being used right now by corporate interests which were once victimized by online comments or by bloggers online hack jobs.
Penalizing self-expression is simply not the most democratic way to do it. Here, in this vast vacuum of space, ideas are ascendant. If you don't like what's being written about you or for someone you know, you have the right to reply. Simple. It's an unwritten ethical code that bloggers like me follow.
Yet, penalizing and attaching a jail term for an idea smacks of totalitarianism and simply cannot exists in a so-called democratic society like ours.
If Tieng used the argument that this Cyber Law aims to punish certain acts deemed despicable by him or his religious backers, who said that those acts are despicable? Simply, acts seen as bad by others may not be the case to some. And who gave them the authority to say that particular acts are deemed offensive or contrary to public morals?
Hence, this Tieng bill called the Cyber Law is a primary example of a moral law which does not merit a place in our jurisdiction.
Besides, our Revised Penal Code have many provisions that already punishes an act deemed criminal or at a certain extent, tortous.
In Dr. Hayden's case, for example, there is a bunch of laws which he violated, such as the Law on Violence Against Women, Ethical Code for Physicians and even the anti-wire tapping law. This suggest that we really don't need a new law such as the Cyber Law to punish an alleged online offender. Existing laws suffice to address a grievance made online. Lawyers should just be creative.
Whichever way you look at it, this law is a setback from the gains we so fought for at those EDSAs. It's a measure that smacks of non-sensical censorship and obviously a threat to our thriving democracy. It's a measure that would put the very liberties we now enjoy in jeopardy. Why?
Why punish somebody for expressing himself online? If a pervert, for example, wants to upload a nasty, X-rated stuff, who's to say that it's wrong? That upload is a form of self-expression. It may be offending to some, but not to others. Same goes to an activist who writes damning stuff against government. That's self-expression. And no law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, according to Section 4, Article 3 of the 1987 Constitution.
Perhaps Cong. Tieng is simply afraid that, someone would write about Solar Entertainment and the way they conduct their affairs over at RPN 9. Tieng probably wants to curtail this very right to protect certain business interests that are fair game once this Arroyo administration leaves office.
Tieng, whom I met a couple of years ago, is a young and well-meaning person. Yet, I am afraid that he is being used right now by corporate interests which were once victimized by online comments or by bloggers online hack jobs.
Penalizing self-expression is simply not the most democratic way to do it. Here, in this vast vacuum of space, ideas are ascendant. If you don't like what's being written about you or for someone you know, you have the right to reply. Simple. It's an unwritten ethical code that bloggers like me follow.
Yet, penalizing and attaching a jail term for an idea smacks of totalitarianism and simply cannot exists in a so-called democratic society like ours.
If Tieng used the argument that this Cyber Law aims to punish certain acts deemed despicable by him or his religious backers, who said that those acts are despicable? Simply, acts seen as bad by others may not be the case to some. And who gave them the authority to say that particular acts are deemed offensive or contrary to public morals?
Hence, this Tieng bill called the Cyber Law is a primary example of a moral law which does not merit a place in our jurisdiction.
Besides, our Revised Penal Code have many provisions that already punishes an act deemed criminal or at a certain extent, tortous.
In Dr. Hayden's case, for example, there is a bunch of laws which he violated, such as the Law on Violence Against Women, Ethical Code for Physicians and even the anti-wire tapping law. This suggest that we really don't need a new law such as the Cyber Law to punish an alleged online offender. Existing laws suffice to address a grievance made online. Lawyers should just be creative.
Threats to Philippine Democracy
There are reasons why people feel fear and threatened right now. The very democracy which we so love hangs in the balance.
First, the very integrity of the constitutional and electional process is under threat. Second, an elitist Lower House continues to ignore public pleas to address more significant issues like agrarian reform while they waste public money discussing charter change. Third, attempts are underway to curtail the very individual freedoms we enjoy over the Internet.
How do you know expect the 2010 elections to be sweakingly clean when the very computer system that the COMELEC intends to use, is controlled by associates of the First Gentleman of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?
Wittingly or unwittingly, COMELEC played in the sinister plans of this administration. What is to prevent people behind this consortium to ensure the victories of their favored bets come 2010? Answer---nothing. Gus Lagman is right---the system is not infalliable. It can be manipulated. What are our safeguards? Nothing. We don't have any weapons to fight or counter fraud except collective expression of disgusts.
And despite public opposition against charter change, the Lower House continues to discuss this despicable issue in contempt of the 76% of the Filipino People who already expressed their anger against cha-cha. Who are the people being represented by these Congressmen? I thought they are representatives of the people. The people already decided this issue. Yet, they seem ignorant or they act like they don't hear the shouts of our people against this measure.
And people like Partylist Cong. Irwin Tieng seems like playing into the hands of these anti-democratic forces working fervently within government, using the Katrina Halili-Hayden Kho sex video scandal, to justify the passage of a Philippine Cyber Law. Nothing wrong with passing such a law yet it is the duty of Mr. Tieng to explain the rights to be curtailed by his law. Instead of playing into the emotions of people, Tieng should present the merits of his proposal before the Filipino net community. We are the stakeholders here and we should be informed correctly on the merits and demerits of such a measure.
We have been deprived of our voice in 2004. And we face the very prospect of a repeat of the same come 2010. Worst, other civil liberties like internet use etc. are being put into extreme jeopardy.
What are we to do about these threats? Are we to just be "silent" or we choose the right leader or just fight it out? You choose.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Macalintal's Word Play
Noted election lawyer and Mrs. Arroyo election counsel Romulo Macalintal today just changed the very wording of the prohibition for re-election expressed in Section 4 of Article 7 of the 1987 Constitution.
In an interview by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the election lawyer of Mrs. Arroyo just added the word "elected" to refer to the word "president" in that provision. Macalintal knows that the word "president" there in that provision may mean many things. Obviously, the president referred to there was elected. But, there is no dispute there.
The core issue is whether or not that provision barring presidents from re-election applies to an ousted leader such as Estrada. Estrada did not finish his term. It was cut short by an extra-constitutional event. With his constructive resignation (an invention by the Philippine Supreme Court), Estrada was not able to finish the constitutional term of office of six years.
Now, will this proviso applies to a person who obviously just served three years in office? If you read the provision, it is very clear that the prohibition does not apply. Why? Because the term " four years" qualifies with that of the term of office that a president should serve in office. With his constructive removal err resignation, Estrada was not able to discharge the duties and rights as a president in 2001.
There lies the symantics problem. With Estrada being always referred to as a "former president", it means, literally, that the provision for re-election applies to him.
That's a problem. Even if there is no term or word "elected" immediately preceding the phrase "president", it does not matter. If the principle of legal construction is to be applied, it clearly shows that this provision could be interpreted as applicable to any person elected or has assumed the presidential posts provided that this person has finished more than three years of his term in office. Yes, the provision applies to presidents but only those who already finished or served more than 3 years in office.
In the end, this issue will boil down to seconds, minutes, hours or days that Estrada served his term. If it is more than three years, this prohibition would definitely apply.
What is certain is that this provision applies to a person elected as president yet was able to serve more than 3 years in office.
In an interview by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the election lawyer of Mrs. Arroyo just added the word "elected" to refer to the word "president" in that provision. Macalintal knows that the word "president" there in that provision may mean many things. Obviously, the president referred to there was elected. But, there is no dispute there.
The core issue is whether or not that provision barring presidents from re-election applies to an ousted leader such as Estrada. Estrada did not finish his term. It was cut short by an extra-constitutional event. With his constructive resignation (an invention by the Philippine Supreme Court), Estrada was not able to finish the constitutional term of office of six years.
Now, will this proviso applies to a person who obviously just served three years in office? If you read the provision, it is very clear that the prohibition does not apply. Why? Because the term " four years" qualifies with that of the term of office that a president should serve in office. With his constructive removal err resignation, Estrada was not able to discharge the duties and rights as a president in 2001.
There lies the symantics problem. With Estrada being always referred to as a "former president", it means, literally, that the provision for re-election applies to him.
That's a problem. Even if there is no term or word "elected" immediately preceding the phrase "president", it does not matter. If the principle of legal construction is to be applied, it clearly shows that this provision could be interpreted as applicable to any person elected or has assumed the presidential posts provided that this person has finished more than three years of his term in office. Yes, the provision applies to presidents but only those who already finished or served more than 3 years in office.
In the end, this issue will boil down to seconds, minutes, hours or days that Estrada served his term. If it is more than three years, this prohibition would definitely apply.
What is certain is that this provision applies to a person elected as president yet was able to serve more than 3 years in office.
Exclusive! Associates of First Gentleman bagged COMELEC contract
Sources say the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has already decided on who will handle the automated elections in 2010 and it's definitely the group of SMARTmatic/TIM. And you know who's behind this group?
SmartMatic/TIM is the group of Cezar Quiambao and this brilliant financial cum funds wizard named Ernest Villareal. Sounds familiar? Well, yes.
Villareal is actually the "shadow" that lends weight in every deal entered into by the highly popular bunch of golfers under the First Golfer Group.
Who is Cezar Quiambao? Quiambao is a businessman who in 2007 faced a complaint after asking for transparency in the bidding for the SLEX. He was chairman of the Star Infrastructure Development Corporation/Star Tollway Corporation before the Supreme Court declared his being chairman non-legal.
Quiambao also managed Stradcom, the tech company which bagged the highly controversial contracts of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Registration Authority (LRA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Quiambao also created CITRA, which constructs those highways and roads which we normally use in the provinces and Metro Manila.
He's reportedly a big time broker who is very close to the pro-Arroyo generals. He's also a "miracle maker" who secures 10 billion peso worth of projects through a very expansive network of government and non-government officials. In some projects, he teamed up with Wellex of plastics king William Gathalian. Quiambao's hand work is all over Pacifica, which the SEC suspended their trading activities.
Mrs. Arroyo mentioned Cezar Quiambao as a businessman who "helped realize the dreams of government to construct roads" in 2002. Quiambao is reportedly very, very close to the First Gentleman.
Now, who is behind Quiambao?
Quarters whisper the name of Ernest Villareal. Villareal, as everybody knows, is a very close associate of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.
Question---do we still expect a very honest, clean and graft-free elections in 2010? Your guess is as good as mine.
SmartMatic/TIM is the group of Cezar Quiambao and this brilliant financial cum funds wizard named Ernest Villareal. Sounds familiar? Well, yes.
Villareal is actually the "shadow" that lends weight in every deal entered into by the highly popular bunch of golfers under the First Golfer Group.
Who is Cezar Quiambao? Quiambao is a businessman who in 2007 faced a complaint after asking for transparency in the bidding for the SLEX. He was chairman of the Star Infrastructure Development Corporation/Star Tollway Corporation before the Supreme Court declared his being chairman non-legal.
Quiambao also managed Stradcom, the tech company which bagged the highly controversial contracts of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Registration Authority (LRA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Quiambao also created CITRA, which constructs those highways and roads which we normally use in the provinces and Metro Manila.
He's reportedly a big time broker who is very close to the pro-Arroyo generals. He's also a "miracle maker" who secures 10 billion peso worth of projects through a very expansive network of government and non-government officials. In some projects, he teamed up with Wellex of plastics king William Gathalian. Quiambao's hand work is all over Pacifica, which the SEC suspended their trading activities.
Mrs. Arroyo mentioned Cezar Quiambao as a businessman who "helped realize the dreams of government to construct roads" in 2002. Quiambao is reportedly very, very close to the First Gentleman.
Now, who is behind Quiambao?
Quarters whisper the name of Ernest Villareal. Villareal, as everybody knows, is a very close associate of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.
Question---do we still expect a very honest, clean and graft-free elections in 2010? Your guess is as good as mine.
Estrada's Run & Its Implications
Former president Joseph Estrada is definitely running for the presidency in 2010. He says that the prohibition stated in Article VII Sec. 4 of the 1987 Constitution does not apply to him. It states, and I quote:
If you look closely, this provision has two closely linked concepts. The first sentence tells of the term of a president, which is six years. The second and third sentences express a prohibition for that president to run for re-election. That provision, however, has a qualification. It says that that president should have served for "more than four years" before such an expressed prohibition should be applied.
In Estrada's case, the Supreme Court says that Estrada's term was cut short due to his "constructive resignation". Estrada served as president only for three years; therefore, according to his legal counsels, he did not complete his full term. Hence, the expressed prohibition for re-election does not apply to his case.
Eligibility requirements are expressed in Section 2, Article VII of that same Constitution which says that:
The question now before us is this---what other issues on disqualification will the Supreme Court raise to prevent an Estrada run?
Two things I see: First, they may rule that perpetual disqualification applies to Estrada's case since he was charged with plunder. That pardon did not extinguish it. Though this may render previous Supreme court decisions in opposition, the Supreme Court could spring a "surprise" like what the Davide court did in issuing that "constructive resignation" ruling.
Or, the Supreme Court may also render Estrada uneligible due to a case pending before him. However, this is also impossible since perpetual disqualification applies only to cases rendered final by the Highest Tribunal.
Now, granting that there is really no legal impediment for Estrada to run, what other things will his political enemies do to deter his second dig at the presidency?
Well, a citizen may question his eligibility to run by filing a case before the COMELEC. That would at least prevent his name from being included in the list of contenders---for some time--if an injunction is filed. That case would probably go to the Court of Appeals and straight to the Supreme Court. By then, it would have been lack of time before the Supreme Court may issue a ruling.
This now presents a very serious security problem, and presents a very dangerous effect in the overall conduct of the 2010 elections.
Since there is a pending case before the Supreme Court, Estrada's name will not be included in the list of candidates for the election. What if, for example, the Supreme Court issues a ruling a few days before May 10, 2010, that will effectively create chaos and confusion among the electorate. COMELEC may have to print new copies (ballots, list of candidates etc.) and distribute these to thousands of precincts. Of course, the Supreme Court cannot rule after the elections since that will render the ruling moot and academic.
In the interest of public welfare and prevent chaos, the Supreme Court will have to rule the matter "with haste." "Haste" means either 30 days before the elections or it may mean 60 days before it. Whether the SC rules either 30 or 60 days prior to May 2010, it would still give COMELEC a big headache, insofar as printing and distribution of new election paraphernalia is concerned.
Re-printing of new copies would now open the system to possible cheating. Election operators may use this confusion to their advantages by getting these new copies and use them to cheat.
Estrada should think very hard about this. It is about him. It is about the entire security implications to the elections that might happen should he tempt the Fates and throw his hat unto the presidential derby.
" The President and the Vice-President shall be elected by direct vote of the
people for a term of six years which shall begin at noon on the thirtieth day of
June next following the day of the election and shall end at noon of the same
date six years thereafter. The President shall not be eligible for any re-election. No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time."
If you look closely, this provision has two closely linked concepts. The first sentence tells of the term of a president, which is six years. The second and third sentences express a prohibition for that president to run for re-election. That provision, however, has a qualification. It says that that president should have served for "more than four years" before such an expressed prohibition should be applied.
In Estrada's case, the Supreme Court says that Estrada's term was cut short due to his "constructive resignation". Estrada served as president only for three years; therefore, according to his legal counsels, he did not complete his full term. Hence, the expressed prohibition for re-election does not apply to his case.
Eligibility requirements are expressed in Section 2, Article VII of that same Constitution which says that:
" No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of
the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty
years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for
at least ten years immediately preceding such election."
Now, under our jurisdiction, the only ones not eligible to run for any public office are those barred by law with a perpetual disqualification which emanates with the commission of a criminal offense. In Estrada's case, he was charged with plunder, which, under normal circumstances attaches a perpetual disqualification.
Yet, Estrada was pardoned by Mrs. Arroyo. That pardon, according to numerous cases in the Supreme court, is absolute, not conditional. Hence, Estrada's political rights were restored effectively with that pardon. (By the way, the issue of whether that pardon was absolute or conditional remains a question. Some quarters say the pardon was conditional, with a proviso that Estrada cannot run for any elective or political office. Others say, its absolute, which means all of his political rights were restored.)
The question now before us is this---what other issues on disqualification will the Supreme Court raise to prevent an Estrada run?
Two things I see: First, they may rule that perpetual disqualification applies to Estrada's case since he was charged with plunder. That pardon did not extinguish it. Though this may render previous Supreme court decisions in opposition, the Supreme Court could spring a "surprise" like what the Davide court did in issuing that "constructive resignation" ruling.
Or, the Supreme Court may also render Estrada uneligible due to a case pending before him. However, this is also impossible since perpetual disqualification applies only to cases rendered final by the Highest Tribunal.
Now, granting that there is really no legal impediment for Estrada to run, what other things will his political enemies do to deter his second dig at the presidency?
Well, a citizen may question his eligibility to run by filing a case before the COMELEC. That would at least prevent his name from being included in the list of contenders---for some time--if an injunction is filed. That case would probably go to the Court of Appeals and straight to the Supreme Court. By then, it would have been lack of time before the Supreme Court may issue a ruling.
This now presents a very serious security problem, and presents a very dangerous effect in the overall conduct of the 2010 elections.
Since there is a pending case before the Supreme Court, Estrada's name will not be included in the list of candidates for the election. What if, for example, the Supreme Court issues a ruling a few days before May 10, 2010, that will effectively create chaos and confusion among the electorate. COMELEC may have to print new copies (ballots, list of candidates etc.) and distribute these to thousands of precincts. Of course, the Supreme Court cannot rule after the elections since that will render the ruling moot and academic.
In the interest of public welfare and prevent chaos, the Supreme Court will have to rule the matter "with haste." "Haste" means either 30 days before the elections or it may mean 60 days before it. Whether the SC rules either 30 or 60 days prior to May 2010, it would still give COMELEC a big headache, insofar as printing and distribution of new election paraphernalia is concerned.
Re-printing of new copies would now open the system to possible cheating. Election operators may use this confusion to their advantages by getting these new copies and use them to cheat.
Estrada should think very hard about this. It is about him. It is about the entire security implications to the elections that might happen should he tempt the Fates and throw his hat unto the presidential derby.
Declaration of War Against FV Trolls
Just saw DJB's letter over at Filipino Voices. It's a sad day for those who enjoy reading his works and crossing swords with him. The thing is, admit it or not, FilipinoVoices is being destroyed by these trolls that masquerade as intellectuals but as hollow as coconuts. These people, whom DJB described as hiding under cloaks of anonymity, are diluting the value of the site and making it a laughing stock of the entire Filipino blogsphere. And to think that we started it as an experiment in collective blogging.
I feel that it's time for FV to evolve into what Nick envisioned that site to be some 13 months ago--a site that would feature Filipino political thinking. But, how will that happen when we are being tortured by the inane rants of an egoist, the non-sensical comments of a paid hack like Renato, and the obvious shrill writing of a certain Bong.
But, this has nothing to do with me not contributing as regularly as before. I mean, I pretty much enjoy writing in my own site and also enjoy the sensible and non sensible comments of my readers. However, I would love to whittle these trolls down to size but my senses tell me that it's useless having intellectual conversations with these people. They are out to destroy the uber version of La Solidaridad and whatever one do, these people will definitely not stop until they see FV's death.
Though I would love to fight these people, and surely I did before until they complained to Nick, what I'll do in the next couple of days is sharpen my sword and prepare myself for another round against these useless pigs. If they want to infect an intellectual H1N1 to FV, just continue doing so. But, I personally would not want these idiots to win. Because that'll mean that we allowed these devils to ran rough-shod the efforts of a few remaining nationalists.
So, instead of a sabbatical, this is fore warning to those trolls who happily hop-the-hop FilipinoVoices.....expect a stronger, naughtier and tougher Patricio Mangubat. Let the war begin!
I am now lighting my cigarette, hehehehe!!!
I feel that it's time for FV to evolve into what Nick envisioned that site to be some 13 months ago--a site that would feature Filipino political thinking. But, how will that happen when we are being tortured by the inane rants of an egoist, the non-sensical comments of a paid hack like Renato, and the obvious shrill writing of a certain Bong.
But, this has nothing to do with me not contributing as regularly as before. I mean, I pretty much enjoy writing in my own site and also enjoy the sensible and non sensible comments of my readers. However, I would love to whittle these trolls down to size but my senses tell me that it's useless having intellectual conversations with these people. They are out to destroy the uber version of La Solidaridad and whatever one do, these people will definitely not stop until they see FV's death.
Though I would love to fight these people, and surely I did before until they complained to Nick, what I'll do in the next couple of days is sharpen my sword and prepare myself for another round against these useless pigs. If they want to infect an intellectual H1N1 to FV, just continue doing so. But, I personally would not want these idiots to win. Because that'll mean that we allowed these devils to ran rough-shod the efforts of a few remaining nationalists.
So, instead of a sabbatical, this is fore warning to those trolls who happily hop-the-hop FilipinoVoices.....expect a stronger, naughtier and tougher Patricio Mangubat. Let the war begin!
I am now lighting my cigarette, hehehehe!!!
Monday, May 18, 2009
SMARTmatic lowest bidder
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) just announced that SMARTmatic/TIM has the lowest bid among the remaining bidders in the automation of the 2010 elections.
Smartmatic/Total Information Management gave the amount at 7.19 billion, about 4 billion pesos lower than the rest of the bidders.
Smartmatic/Total Information Management gave the amount at 7.19 billion, about 4 billion pesos lower than the rest of the bidders.
COMELEC BID BODY SAYSSmartmatic has lowest automated polls bid
By Anna ValmeroINQUIRER.netFirst Posted 18:35:00 05/18/)
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) The Commission on Elections said on Monday
that Smartmatic/Total Information Management consortium was the lone qualifier
for the final leg of bidding for the P11.2 billion automation
contract.
Smartmatic and local partner TIM, which pegged its financial bid for the automation contract at P7,191,484,739.48 or about P4 billion below than the total contract amount, is the only qualifier for the last leg of the automation bidding.
For this, the Comelec Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) declared the Smartmatic consortium as bidder with the lowest calculatedresponsive bid that “complied with the set requirements of Comelec,” according to SBAC vice chairman Adolfo Ibanez.
“With the evaluation report on the Smartmatic consortium, at this part of the bids process, the SBAC declares Smartmatic/TIM a complied bidder. The evaluation of the financial bid proposals will not mean that they have already bagged the award. To get the contract, the bidder must still pass the technical evaluation of PCOS machines set this week,”
said Ibanez.
Ibanez invited Smartmatic to setup their poll machines for the bid evaluation.
“Looking for the bidder with lowest calculated responsive bid does not necessarily mean selecting a bidder with the least expensive proposal.
We have to strike a balance between the bidder's eligibility to handle the project, their technical capacity to comply with requirements of the Comelec for the automated election system, and financial proposal that should not exceed the
total contract amount,” added SBAC chirman Ferdinand Rafanan.
Before making a recommendation on the lowest bid, Rafanan said SBAC would be conducting post-qualification or post-evaluation of the documents simultaneously with the technical demonstration and evaluation of machines.
Earlier today, the consortium of Indra Sistemas, SAHI and Hart Intercivic was disqualified for having a bid that failed to comply with required number of deliverables or components of the automation system. These include units of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) units, canvassing units, battery devices and digital keys
for use in the encryption of voting system results and operation of PCOS
machines.
The consortium of Indra Sistemas, SAHI and Hart Intercivic offered a proposal worth P11,223,307,799--a bid lower by P310, 609 from the contract amount.
SBAC said the P11,223,618,400 total contract amount covered the following: P10.923 billion for the automated election system, including the lease amount for 80,000 precinct count optical scan machines (P8.22 billion); canvassing units (P140 million) and related services (P1.563), P200 million for transmission costs and P100 million for project management costs.
The financial proposals were calculated on Monday by the technical working group
(TWG) to check if they did not exceed the amounts allocated per subcomponent,
and if they fulfilled the required automation system subcomponents, said Rafanan.
By end of May, the poll body will award the contract and “hopefully, have a poll automation bidder that will work for the automation of the 2010 elections,” Rafanan said.
Meanwhile, SBAC will make the ruling on Tuesday regarding the motion for clarifications of Sequoia Voting Systems-USSC consortium and other pending bid appeals, without entertaining verbal manifestations from other bidders.
Regarding the appeal of Avante International/ES&S, the SBAC junked its motion for reconsideration for failure to submit certificate of acceptance regarding contracts with the States of Michigan and Minnesota.
At this point in time, Rafanan said bidders are barred from communicating with any SBAC member or official observer outside of the bidding proceedings.
The SBAC is almost on the final stage of evaluating bid proposals.
Inviting Philippine Presidentiables
By the way, since I already have a YouTube channel, and I already know the technical aspects of blogging, I would like to invite the following candidates for interviews:
1. Chiz Escudero
2. Mar Roxas
3. Loren Legarda
4. Noli de Castro
5. Richard Gordon
6. Bayani Fernando
7. Manny Villar
Here's the thing:
1. I am amenable to interview them, provided that it would be a "no-holds barred" thing. It should be recorded and presented here.
2. I am willing for these candidates to use my site for podcastings or Twitter Times or Plurk Times. Also Skype time. I will announce the times they'll be podcasting their stuff in this site.
Just coordinate with me through my email address at mangubat.patricio@gmail.com. This is in response to some commenters who want me to write about their preferred candidates. You're welcome to use this site for your respective candidates.
1. Chiz Escudero
2. Mar Roxas
3. Loren Legarda
4. Noli de Castro
5. Richard Gordon
6. Bayani Fernando
7. Manny Villar
Here's the thing:
1. I am amenable to interview them, provided that it would be a "no-holds barred" thing. It should be recorded and presented here.
2. I am willing for these candidates to use my site for podcastings or Twitter Times or Plurk Times. Also Skype time. I will announce the times they'll be podcasting their stuff in this site.
Just coordinate with me through my email address at mangubat.patricio@gmail.com. This is in response to some commenters who want me to write about their preferred candidates. You're welcome to use this site for your respective candidates.
Philippines encountering economic crisis
Last week, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo just admitted that we are now in the midst of the worst economic crisis. Despite the alleged increase in the amount of remittances abroad, more and more OFWs are returning home due to job cuts in such countries as the United States, Europe and the Middle East. One of my contacts, a Yemeni, says that Dubai has cut down drastically on construction projects while most of the Middle Eastern countries are now on a standstill.
Singapore still suffers from a recession, same as China and Japan. Bloomberg reports that analysts expect the recession to ease on the third quarter of this year, as America hopes to rev up its economy. Yet, the biggest economy in the world is not showing signs of recovery. The stimulus package has done little to improve the current financial lot of most Americans.
George Soros in his book, " Underwriting Democracy, Encouraging Free Enterprise and Democractic Reform Among The Soviets and in Eastern Europe" published in 1991, predicted the flaws and eventual fall of US economic hegemony. Soros described the US is at a "crossroads". He says that the trouble is " we (US) spend more than we earn, both as a country and as a government." (page 87). Soros earlier on predicted that the problem is abundant spending in the military and government. With the fall of its traditional ideological enemies, the US is left spending more on counter-insurgent and terrorist activities, placing emphasis on maintaining its "self-image" as the only superpower of the world, to the detriment of its economy, slowly grappling on a fast globalizing world.
US President Barack Obama realizes this and downsizes government spending. Yet, it would take time before the US fully sees the impact of "deficient spending". Deficit spending is not the solution, says Soros in another book, its " downsizing military commitments. The budget deficit could be not only reduced but eliminated, and we could recover our economic and financial strength."
As the USA and its trade partners suffer colds, expect the Philippines to do badly as well. Since 2000 when we relied heavily on OFW remittances, the Philippines has seen the better of its boom-bust days. De-prioritizing big and heavy foreign investment capital portfolios and shifting to improving small and medium scale industries is actually doing wonders for the Philippine economy. We have'nt seen the "crash" that other Asian markets suffered because most funds here are invested in long-term, low risk instruments.
However, low consumer confidence could prove disastrous for these SME's, especially since most are into services, food and apparel. Cut downs on spending could worsen our situation and it is most appropriate to encourage consumers to buy, buy, buy products instead of saving up. This is the challenge of government---how to improve the retail and services environment so that people spend their money instead of just parking their monies in banks.
Singapore still suffers from a recession, same as China and Japan. Bloomberg reports that analysts expect the recession to ease on the third quarter of this year, as America hopes to rev up its economy. Yet, the biggest economy in the world is not showing signs of recovery. The stimulus package has done little to improve the current financial lot of most Americans.
George Soros in his book, " Underwriting Democracy, Encouraging Free Enterprise and Democractic Reform Among The Soviets and in Eastern Europe" published in 1991, predicted the flaws and eventual fall of US economic hegemony. Soros described the US is at a "crossroads". He says that the trouble is " we (US) spend more than we earn, both as a country and as a government." (page 87). Soros earlier on predicted that the problem is abundant spending in the military and government. With the fall of its traditional ideological enemies, the US is left spending more on counter-insurgent and terrorist activities, placing emphasis on maintaining its "self-image" as the only superpower of the world, to the detriment of its economy, slowly grappling on a fast globalizing world.
US President Barack Obama realizes this and downsizes government spending. Yet, it would take time before the US fully sees the impact of "deficient spending". Deficit spending is not the solution, says Soros in another book, its " downsizing military commitments. The budget deficit could be not only reduced but eliminated, and we could recover our economic and financial strength."
As the USA and its trade partners suffer colds, expect the Philippines to do badly as well. Since 2000 when we relied heavily on OFW remittances, the Philippines has seen the better of its boom-bust days. De-prioritizing big and heavy foreign investment capital portfolios and shifting to improving small and medium scale industries is actually doing wonders for the Philippine economy. We have'nt seen the "crash" that other Asian markets suffered because most funds here are invested in long-term, low risk instruments.
However, low consumer confidence could prove disastrous for these SME's, especially since most are into services, food and apparel. Cut downs on spending could worsen our situation and it is most appropriate to encourage consumers to buy, buy, buy products instead of saving up. This is the challenge of government---how to improve the retail and services environment so that people spend their money instead of just parking their monies in banks.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
What a Wonderful Philippines
Tears roll down my face as I think of how my fellow Filipinos try to destroy this lovely place that God gave us.
If all of us would unite and act right now to change things, we will be doing what God wills---see this wonderful place in the hands of people who will just love and think of the general welfare instead of themselves.
We must rekindle everyone's Love. Love for God, our country and our family. Love makes everyone change. 
My friends, revel in these photos which I took when I visited Bolinao Pangasinan a few weeks ago. Check my travels at PinoyObserver.
(By the way, PinoyObserver is now ranked 3/10 in Google. It has a steady stream of 2-3,000 people viewing it everyday, according to TopBlog. It is also syndicated by a weekly Fil-Am magazine based in California and soon, it will be seen in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and London)
COMELEC scam: Melo's Nightmares and Poll Automation Saboteurs
Frustrating the people's will for change through elections would lead to chaos, says COMELEC Chairman Jose Melo. But, would it?
Three presidentiables, officials of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and progressive groups have criticized Melo for expressing his "nightmares" in public. Yesterday, Melo expressed apprehensions that anybody sinister enough to file a TRO due to a failed bidding, may yet derail the electoral exercise. He says the current bidding should be "above board" and "transparent" to avoid such complications.
Yet, we all know that Melo is asking for the impossible. This early, one of the seven bidders represented by one lawyer, a certain Attorney Nobleza, indicated its desire to file a TRO due to alleged partiality in COMELEC's choice of the four remaining bidders. COMELEC cannot prevent anybody from exercising what they think is a right.
That's the problem with this bidding. It is being implemented a few months prior to the elections; hence the poll body is now pressured to choose a bidder even if the choice is a "lesser evil". That's why critics are wont to say that the entire exercise is designed to fail.
Even suggestions that maybe COMELEC may choose to automate some and not all areas of the country just indicates the a priori knowledge of COMELEC of the inability of these bidders to adequately supply the necessary machines to fully automate the elections. The very fact that COMELEC suggested this just shows you how ill-prepared they are for the elections.
Indicatively, Melo is just one small player swimming in a lake full of veteran election gamblers. Melo may have the right intentions; yet the syndicate of election operators are stronger and more entrenched inside the organization than him, a veritable newbie and outsider. This syndicate wants manual counting precisely because they earn from it. It is not a political decision. These derailments are signs that the COMELEC syndicate is silently working as a saboteur.
COMELEC is just one example of a government gone the syndicate way. The entire Philippine bureaucracy has been transformed into one big syndicate that is anti-progress, anti-reform. The only way to change it is not through elections but through a systematic, surgical and painful way possible.
Three presidentiables, officials of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and progressive groups have criticized Melo for expressing his "nightmares" in public. Yesterday, Melo expressed apprehensions that anybody sinister enough to file a TRO due to a failed bidding, may yet derail the electoral exercise. He says the current bidding should be "above board" and "transparent" to avoid such complications.
Yet, we all know that Melo is asking for the impossible. This early, one of the seven bidders represented by one lawyer, a certain Attorney Nobleza, indicated its desire to file a TRO due to alleged partiality in COMELEC's choice of the four remaining bidders. COMELEC cannot prevent anybody from exercising what they think is a right.
That's the problem with this bidding. It is being implemented a few months prior to the elections; hence the poll body is now pressured to choose a bidder even if the choice is a "lesser evil". That's why critics are wont to say that the entire exercise is designed to fail.
Even suggestions that maybe COMELEC may choose to automate some and not all areas of the country just indicates the a priori knowledge of COMELEC of the inability of these bidders to adequately supply the necessary machines to fully automate the elections. The very fact that COMELEC suggested this just shows you how ill-prepared they are for the elections.
Indicatively, Melo is just one small player swimming in a lake full of veteran election gamblers. Melo may have the right intentions; yet the syndicate of election operators are stronger and more entrenched inside the organization than him, a veritable newbie and outsider. This syndicate wants manual counting precisely because they earn from it. It is not a political decision. These derailments are signs that the COMELEC syndicate is silently working as a saboteur.
COMELEC is just one example of a government gone the syndicate way. The entire Philippine bureaucracy has been transformed into one big syndicate that is anti-progress, anti-reform. The only way to change it is not through elections but through a systematic, surgical and painful way possible.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Former RP Governor survived slay try
After the failed assasination attempt against Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, here comes another news, this time, an assassination attempt (the sixth) against another former governor. Andal Ampatuan, a scion of the powerful Ampatuan clan, survived a roadside bomb attack today. Military sources say, the attack was allegedly perpetuated by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The Ampatuans are allies of Philippine pseudo-President Arroyo. Tan, meanwhile, is also an administration lackey.
Are these wag the dog tactics or just coincidence?
The Ampatuans are allies of Philippine pseudo-President Arroyo. Tan, meanwhile, is also an administration lackey.
Are these wag the dog tactics or just coincidence?
Ex-Philippine governor survives bomb blast, 1 dead Updated May 15, 2009 06:55 PM
COTABATO, Philippines (AP) -- A former provincial governor in the southern
Philippines survived a roadside bomb attack that killed one of his security
escorts Friday, the military said. An army spokesman blamed Muslim separatsts
rebels, but they denied involvement.Three homemade bombs fashioned from mortar shells exploded seconds apart as former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan's convoy made its way to his farm in Sharff Aguak township, said military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Ponce.
Shariff Aguak councilor Iyo Kitub said Ampatuan was unharmed but a member of his security detail was killed. Ponce said two other escorts were wounded.
Ponce blamed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has been fighting for decades for a separate Muslim homeland in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation's south.
Peace talks between the government and the rebels have been suspended since last year, but a ceasefire appears to be holding.
Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu denied the group was involved in the attack. He urged authorities to look at other angles like a family feud or political rivalry ahead of next year's election.
Violent feuds and clashes linked to politics are common in the southern region where access to weapons is relatively easy.
Ampatuan’s spokesman Norie Unas says it was the sixth assassination attempt on the former governor.
Three years ago, a car bomb exploded as Ampatuan’s vehicle passed by, killing six people, including two of his relatives.
Another Potential Road Scam: NLEX to C-5 Extension Project
Last May 9, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo specifically gave Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Bayani Fernando the "green light" to proceed with the construction of the Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX) to C-5 extension project. The 2.1 billion project is expected to be completed in April 2010, a month before the elections. Bayani got the project after impressing Mrs. Arroyo of the newly completed C-5 elevated U-turn slot, which, says Bayani, saved government 1 billion pesos due to traffic decongestion and minimal government supervision.
What Mrs. Arroyo forgot was Mr. Fernando is not allowed to undertake such a project since it is not within the purview of Republic Act 7924, or the "Act Creating the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, defining its powers and functions, providing funding therefor and for other purposes" to give the MMDA only the power to "formulate, coordinate and monitor" policies, standards, programmes and projects relating to transport and traffic management. MMDA does not have the power to undertake or implement road projects. It is under the purview of the DPWH and it also needs laws from local governments under the MMDA.
Is this why Mr. Fernando already abandoned thoughts of running for the presidency since Arroyo already gave him a gravy project? Is this 2.1 billion peso project the one in exchange for Fernando's "silence" and the one given for him to dis-engage from the presidential nominations?
We need to be very vigilant because Mrs. Arroyo is giving her most trusted lieutenants gifts left and right.
What Mrs. Arroyo forgot was Mr. Fernando is not allowed to undertake such a project since it is not within the purview of Republic Act 7924, or the "Act Creating the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, defining its powers and functions, providing funding therefor and for other purposes" to give the MMDA only the power to "formulate, coordinate and monitor" policies, standards, programmes and projects relating to transport and traffic management. MMDA does not have the power to undertake or implement road projects. It is under the purview of the DPWH and it also needs laws from local governments under the MMDA.
Is this why Mr. Fernando already abandoned thoughts of running for the presidency since Arroyo already gave him a gravy project? Is this 2.1 billion peso project the one in exchange for Fernando's "silence" and the one given for him to dis-engage from the presidential nominations?
We need to be very vigilant because Mrs. Arroyo is giving her most trusted lieutenants gifts left and right.
COMELEC Bidding Scandal
As what New Philippine Revolution wrote a few entries ago, we must be very vigilant in the coming weeks because what I wrote before has slowly unfolded. Two days ago, clashes broke out in Mindanao, a Marine Lieutenant Senior Grade by the name of Gaudian exposed a funds anomaly involving Marine officers, palace pronouncements indicating Mrs. Arroyo as Prime Minister, charter change moves at the House and this recent bidding anomaly over at the COMELEC.
This bidding anomaly over at the COMELEC was even uploaded in the YOUTUBE by a concerned citizen, showing COMELEC automation chairman Ferdinand Rafanan allegedly waiting for architect and bidder FF Cruz Senior to finish signing his bid documents. The alleged incident happened last May 9, the day when COMELEC was to hear FF Cruz and their partner Gilat's proposal to provide the poll body with counting machines. Here's the video clip. Judge for yourself:
This administration is creating scenarios that would justify regime extension. Arroyo is testing the waters, dipping her fingers slowly in the increasingly heating broth and assessing whether she and her devil flock can continue their evil rule without fail.
Ideologues within the regime are also stroking the lit fire, albeit, slowly at first, then, come June, they'll unleash their full support behind moves and actions for one purpose---justify and implement a God Save the Queen scenario meant to prolong the administration of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Since a few months ago, pivotal players and actors involved in the change movement are being harassed and are being prevented from doing business. One of these players, Jun Lozada, was even incarcerated. These moves are meant to "test the waters", so to speak, to enable this regime to see the extent of possible public dissent or the lack of it.
The Lozada episode and the obvious lack of public outrage against charter change have lead ideologues within the Arroyo regime to presume that oppositors against term extension have weakened. This is very dangerous since this allows the regime to further up the ante a little bit.
It is also interesting to see how major political players will move to oppose Mrs. Arroyo. They did it before and was repulsed by a stronger force.
Former president Joseph Estrada yesterday threatened to lead anti-cha cha rallies but it is dubious whether he truly has the capability to cause the downfall of this regime, seeing he is already weak politically. Whether he can muster enough force to avert cha-cha is doubtful.
Having said that, it is time for the New Patriots of the New Generation to abandon thoughts of changing society through elections. This early, this mode has already been tainted, with this bidding anomaly. A paradigm shift is in order.
This bidding anomaly over at the COMELEC was even uploaded in the YOUTUBE by a concerned citizen, showing COMELEC automation chairman Ferdinand Rafanan allegedly waiting for architect and bidder FF Cruz Senior to finish signing his bid documents. The alleged incident happened last May 9, the day when COMELEC was to hear FF Cruz and their partner Gilat's proposal to provide the poll body with counting machines. Here's the video clip. Judge for yourself:
This administration is creating scenarios that would justify regime extension. Arroyo is testing the waters, dipping her fingers slowly in the increasingly heating broth and assessing whether she and her devil flock can continue their evil rule without fail.
Ideologues within the regime are also stroking the lit fire, albeit, slowly at first, then, come June, they'll unleash their full support behind moves and actions for one purpose---justify and implement a God Save the Queen scenario meant to prolong the administration of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Since a few months ago, pivotal players and actors involved in the change movement are being harassed and are being prevented from doing business. One of these players, Jun Lozada, was even incarcerated. These moves are meant to "test the waters", so to speak, to enable this regime to see the extent of possible public dissent or the lack of it.
The Lozada episode and the obvious lack of public outrage against charter change have lead ideologues within the Arroyo regime to presume that oppositors against term extension have weakened. This is very dangerous since this allows the regime to further up the ante a little bit.
It is also interesting to see how major political players will move to oppose Mrs. Arroyo. They did it before and was repulsed by a stronger force.
Former president Joseph Estrada yesterday threatened to lead anti-cha cha rallies but it is dubious whether he truly has the capability to cause the downfall of this regime, seeing he is already weak politically. Whether he can muster enough force to avert cha-cha is doubtful.
Having said that, it is time for the New Patriots of the New Generation to abandon thoughts of changing society through elections. This early, this mode has already been tainted, with this bidding anomaly. A paradigm shift is in order.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
On choosing the best instead of the lesser evil
There is a prevalent feeling among Filipinos right now that we face the prospect of choosing the "lesser evil" instead of choosing the best president come 2010. This current perspective is being shared by many Filipinos, particularly OFWs and is reflected in numerous surveys by SWS and PulseAsia. Why did we come to this point is rather confusing; but dig deeper inside of every one's psyche and you'll surely say that this dreadful feeling exists in each and every one of us.
Why? What are really the variables of leadership we seek? When I heard of that "choosing the lesser evil", it concludes one thing---people are still trying to find a suitable leader that is "good"; and they find these current crop of aspirants as "evil". What is "good" is simply not entirely based on moral grounds rather probably based on past history or track record as a public servant. We simply see a leader as "good" when he exercises prudence in handling funds while in office or "good" because he provides us with sustenance or "good" if he's seen actively pursuing like-minded causes or the general welfare. "Good" also means avoidance of any scandal or scam. And "good" when he acts with haste in any problem, domestic or otherwise.
Or, probably this present viewpoint stems from the lack or absence of trust among the current crop of Filipino leaders. Why have we come into this?
Simply because the past leaders who launched those morale boosting revolts failed to provide the vision, the direction and even acted in contrast to Filipino welfare. Those who launched those so-called revolutions are mainly counter-elites who did so out of spite of the incumbent and simply used the nationalist platform to beguile the public into joining them. They're simply too elitist and pacifists that they ignore the reality of revolts as society changing models through armed struggle.
And when we find ourselves in this situation of "choosing the lesser evil", we invariably go to either one of these options: choose the wrong one or go with the incumbent.
It is this justifying circumstance that this administration wants us to realize to justify an extension of its illegal rule. It is this very same mindset that they want to create so that we choose to stay where we are and avert an act where we go the other direction.
Having said that, the imperative is simply transform these presidential aspirants into Patriots. Change them from being lumped into the "evil" group into the "benevolent" leaders' group. This is an imperative which is very hard to do since it entails a crash course on proletarianism. Whatever it takes, we simply cannot ignore this. Otherwise, we face the prospect of finding ourselves with Gloria still sitting in that wicked mahogany chair in 2020.
To JULIAN MARCIAL, this is my response.
Why? What are really the variables of leadership we seek? When I heard of that "choosing the lesser evil", it concludes one thing---people are still trying to find a suitable leader that is "good"; and they find these current crop of aspirants as "evil". What is "good" is simply not entirely based on moral grounds rather probably based on past history or track record as a public servant. We simply see a leader as "good" when he exercises prudence in handling funds while in office or "good" because he provides us with sustenance or "good" if he's seen actively pursuing like-minded causes or the general welfare. "Good" also means avoidance of any scandal or scam. And "good" when he acts with haste in any problem, domestic or otherwise.
Or, probably this present viewpoint stems from the lack or absence of trust among the current crop of Filipino leaders. Why have we come into this?
Simply because the past leaders who launched those morale boosting revolts failed to provide the vision, the direction and even acted in contrast to Filipino welfare. Those who launched those so-called revolutions are mainly counter-elites who did so out of spite of the incumbent and simply used the nationalist platform to beguile the public into joining them. They're simply too elitist and pacifists that they ignore the reality of revolts as society changing models through armed struggle.
And when we find ourselves in this situation of "choosing the lesser evil", we invariably go to either one of these options: choose the wrong one or go with the incumbent.
It is this justifying circumstance that this administration wants us to realize to justify an extension of its illegal rule. It is this very same mindset that they want to create so that we choose to stay where we are and avert an act where we go the other direction.
Having said that, the imperative is simply transform these presidential aspirants into Patriots. Change them from being lumped into the "evil" group into the "benevolent" leaders' group. This is an imperative which is very hard to do since it entails a crash course on proletarianism. Whatever it takes, we simply cannot ignore this. Otherwise, we face the prospect of finding ourselves with Gloria still sitting in that wicked mahogany chair in 2020.
To JULIAN MARCIAL, this is my response.
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