Creeping Fascism

First, that attempt to take over Meralco (which on second thought, seems okey to me now. I know. I opposed it before. But, because of this electricity rate hike this coming month, it would be best for everyone for government to manage Meralco. I;ve had enough of Meralco and the Lopezes already). Then, the outbreak of war in Mindanao. And now this.

IN Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales' interview, he charged that ABS-CBN 2 violated the Code of Ethics and its franchise with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) when it released an interview of MILF Commander Bravo. Bravo is wanted by the law. The Philippine Army and the PNP are out there in Mindanao, trying to arrest the elusive commander.

My good friend, George Carino (who's a brilliant journalist and hails from Bulacan) traced the whereabouts of Bravo and interviewed him. I saw his interview. And I found nothing wrong. I would agree with my professor, Luis Teodoro, that ABS-CBN 2 violated no law.

Jun Nicdao of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) also found nothing wrong with the interview. As a former journalist myself, I saw nothing that would merit a sanction against ABS-CBN.

What instigated IN Justice secretary Raul Gonzales?

Gonzales said that ABS-CBN violated its franchise when it gave air space to a known fugitive. He said that Bravo used ABS-CBN to "instigate" fellow Muslims to "foment violence or the use of arms".

Where? Where in the interview did Bravo actually tell his fellow Muslims that they need to raise up arms against the government? I never saw nor heard anything similar to what (in)Justice secretary Gonzales referred to as "instigations"? Am I dreaming or Mr. Gonzales is just hallucinating?

Gonzales' acts are plain and simple muscle flexing. Government is trying to frighten one of the biggest media networks in the land for one goal--neutralize or marginalize media outlets. Why? Is government laying the ground for martial rule? My mother told me that this is the same tactic employed by the dictator Marcos a year or two before he implemented martial rule. History shows that media was the first one neutralized, second were civil society and people's organisations, and lastly, progressive middle class groups.

Are we in the midst of martial rule?

Great Story Angles May not be sensationalism Butch

I grudgingly accept Butch's take on the changing face of journalism (read it now at www.filipinovoices.com). Like the Inquirer (which is number 1 in a recent Nielsen survey), ABS-CBN 2 leads all networks because of its interesting content and packaging of its stories. Yes, people view it as "sensationalism" and ABS-CBN people would probably say "so what"?

Question--why would ABS-CBN go to such lengths as "sensationalizing" their content? Are they really doing it?

What other people would deem "sensationalism", may not be the case really for ABS-CBN 2. Consider.

Watch TV Patrol and its content follows very strict journalist principles. You'll find that its a complete rendering or presentation of the facts involved. What, I think people see is how they presented it--with scoring, tight shots and scripts written in a fast-paced style. Is that sensationalism? No.

Butch, it's what in the industry calls, " presenting news in a different light". ABS-CBN, like the Inquirer, goes after great story angles. That's the secret why they always trounce the competition because, in the case of GMA 7, they don't present the angle that people of all ages and across the economic spectrum would understand.

The core of communication is being able to communicate effectively. That is what ABS-CBN is doing and also Inquirer. Gone are the days when a network would just present the news "Newswatch" style and still be able to attract viewers. People should take notice. And the only way to nudge people from their seats is present news in an interesting way.

That's what ABS-CBN and the Inquirer are doing.

And people like Ces Drilon, journalist of the old tradition, goes out of their way to give the people news that matter.

Erase the Abu Sayyaf from the face of the earth!

Muslims everywhere should fight the Abu Sayyaf Group

Terrorism is condemnable in all its forms— be it an armed attack against innocent civilians or economic terrorism done in the name of profits. There is simply no justification for the use of terror as a mode of struggle by revolutionary groups. Why?

Terrorism dilutes support from mass bases and alienates any revolutionary group from potential support of the powerful neutrals. Revolutions are more of processes, of a series of armed assaults against state security agencies to weaken defenses. These assaults can be undertaken by small, specialized revolutionary units (as what Lenin suggested) or by regular army formations.

The use of urban insurrectionary activities such as bombings and assassinations are to be selectively chosen based on strategic or tactical necessity; never the centerpiece of any war plan. Nowhere do we find revolutionary leaders advocating terror as a mode of struggle. There is simply no place for terrorist actions in the arsenal of tactics employed by genuine revolutionary movements.

Worst, actions that place innocent civilians in harm’s way and done with money in mind are not only condemnable; it is simply abominable. Codes of conduct and ethics still exist even in war. Revolutionary work done in the name of money is pseudo-revolutionary. Terror tactics, such as kidnappings, are works of thugs, of syndicates, not revolutionaries.

That’s why I cannot understand why some of our Muslim brothers allied with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) would even think of supporting the Abu Sayyaf. Those Muslims who do believe in the Abu Sayyaf Group and support them, think. A pious Muslim should not support evil acts even if done by fellow Muslims. Supporting the Abu Sayyaf will not in any way contribute to the furtherance of the Bangsamoro struggle for total independence.

Whatever other Islamic scholars would say about this group, the ASG has no place in the Bangsamoro struggle. The ASG is an aberration, an anomaly of history, a relic pushing for a distorted and un-Islamic interpretation of the holiness of the Moro struggle.

Since it started its kidnapping campaigns against innocent civilians, the purity of its struggle against Philippine imperialism has been tarnished. Islam has ceased to be the ASG’s main ideology. Its members have degenerated into bandits, monsters and thugs, who claim to worship Allah SWT but has since prostrated themselves before the altar of Baal. They have become men who eat their own vomit.

Throughout its years of existence, did this group ever contributed to the success of the Bangsamoro struggle? None. Their actions not only damaged the image and reputation of Moros everywhere—they are mainly responsible for the total degeneration of the correct Islamic life in the island of Jolo.

Inquirer journalist Arlyn dela Cruz reminded us of a conversation she had with a Tausug leader sometime in 2002. That Tausug leader lambasted journalists for writing bad stuff about Muslims in Jolo. He says that journalists are part of the problem since journalists should write something to help Tausugs improve their lives in Jolo.

I pose a question to that Tausug leader—how would we, journalists, or even anybody, write about the beauty of Jolo and even the beauty of Islam when all we see are these thugs masquerading as mujaheddins? What good would come from these stupid kidnapping capers, such as this recent one involving a respected journalist such as Ces Drilon?

Let me also condemn some journalists who blame Ces Drilon for making that trip to Jolo. Do not be misled. We must condemn and use the strongest possible words we can write against the Abu Sayyaf Group who did this cowardly and idiotic kidnapping, not lambast our colleague. Ces Drilon did what she was tasked to do—go after the story.

I urged every pious Muslim to rise up and obliterate the Abu Sayyaf Group from the face of the earth. The only ones, who can cause the death and destruction of this mockery of an Islamic group, should be those who fully understand Islam.

Pray for the help of Allah SWT in erasing this menace from Jolo and if you are dead serious in your struggle against Imperialist Manila, form a new group that would undertake genuine revolution under the Banner of Islam.

Pressing Concerns of the Times

There's an interesting book which you, my friends, should read in the weekend. It's George Soros' book entitled, " The New Paradigm of Financial Markets". It's available on line, about 24 dollars for e-books. Soros explained why we are now facing the worst financial crisis of the century and how we will be able to avoid the effects of this.

I commend Gloria for her "tutok" policy in the Customs bureau. However, more than just a propaganda ploy, Gloria should immediately fire Morales. This will make us happier. It was obvious during the press con that there were violations of the Customs and Tariff Code made by his men. He should be fired immediately.

People should really go out in the streets now due to this food crisis. As for rice, there's an apparent attempt to really jack up the price of this cereal to an average of 25 pesos. Government propagandists are trying to justify this by further releasing statements about the crisis. I think this is the height of government apathy on the plight of the poor because they should not allow rice to break the 20 pesos per kilo barrier because as they said, the main issue is not stocks but price. If it's price, they should at least shoulder the burden of the price difference for the meantime because people nowadays lack the capacity to buy food.

Gloria should not be held hostage by these giant rice traders. By the way, 3 big-time traders were allegedly arrested in Isabela. GMA should parade them before the media. That would make my day.

Effects of Hello Garci

I know this is four years late. And I am not resurrecting the dead. For me, Hello Garci has already been written in history's pages. But, its prudent to talk about it again in this blog since we are now seeing its manifestation in our society.

Look at this ABS-CBN versus GMA7 issue of ratings manipulation. Based on evidence, there really was manipulation of the ratings done by GMA7. There is overwhelming proof. What's the defense of GMA7? There's nothing wrong with their provincial promotional activities and campaigns since its legitimate. What's worst, AC Nielsen is defending them because of their perverted notion that they should since they are now in a very serious vein.

Well, GMA7 I think should desist. Obviously, these promos have directly influenced some AC Nielsen homes. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Probably, more homes were influenced.

I remember at the height of the Hello Garci campaign, a similar alibi was used by Mrs. Arroyo (her nickname is GMA too, get the drift?). She says there's nothing wrong with calling Garci. She says she was just asking for some updates.

Both GMA's have a somewhat perverted sense of ethics and morality. Both sees nothing wrong with what they're doing since it is legally okey. They seem to gloss the fact that it is morally and ethically wrong.

Unlike GMA however, GMA7 has still time to make amends and rethink their strategies. It is not too late. While this thing stretches into infinitum, I'll bet my bottom Sing dollar that this will definitely affect their commercial load. Likewise, it will also affect investor confidence, since they are now listed.

Oh, by the way. ABS-CBN 2 should probably initiate an action of stock manipulation or something to that sort. Why? Obviously, look at the period when GMA 7 allegedly did this. It was the period where GMA 7 WAS ON THE VERGE OF ENTERING THE PHILIPPINE STOCK MARKET. It was the IPO period. Was this ratings manipulation directly linked with their IPO, especially price stock determination? ABS-CBN 2 should look at this very seriously.