Joc-Joc Bolante must tell all; Gloria visibly bothered

Lest we forget, now that Joc-Joc's back and intimated his willingness to "tell everything" about the fertilizer scam, the People wants him to answer these questions:

1. Who are his principals?
2. Who assisted him in distributing the funds?
3. How much money did he kept for himself?
4. Who did he called when he exiled himself in the US? 
5. Who visited him in jail? How many times?
6. Who are those who supposedly are out to kill him or silence him?
7. What things will he reveal that he thinks might cause him his life?
8. Did he ever called the president during the time he's operating the scam?
9. Did he felt some remorse when he was spending those years in jail?
10. Any regrets on serving government?

Updates:

• Senator Jinggoy Estrada asked the Senate to immediately send Joc-Joc to the Senate holding area to be examined by the Senate physician. He believes that Joc-Joc is just faking it.
• The Ombusman just asked Joc-Joc to submit his counter-affidavit in response to the government's graft case against him.
• Senator Ed Angara said he will not re-open the fertilizer scam case. He still believes that the warrant for Joc-Joc's arrest by Villar is invalid. His former ACCRA partner, ex-Senator Franklin Drilon thinks otherwise.
• Gloria is seen visibly tired and disturbed during the Global Forum on Migration and asked media not to ask questions about the Bolante case.
• The palace just issued a statement that it welcomes Bolante's return.

BY THE WAY, heard from my source inside St. Luke's Medical Center that allegedly the First Gentleman uses the resident cardiologist as "courier" between him and Bolante. We have yet to confirm this.

Also, Bolante reportedly received numerous calls (both cellular and landline) from unknown callers.

As of the moment, Bolante is being guarded at the hospital by the Senate security personnel, the hospital's security and even the Quezon City Police. 

Meanwhile, some spotted former Vice President Teofisto Guingona entering the St. Luke's Medical Center.

New Philippine Revolution and PinoyObserver will remain vigilant. Let's continue our vigil for the Truth.

The Cycle of Shame

Have’nt you noticed that everytime this administration’s lackeys escape the long arm of the law, they become more brazen in stealing our money? From 1997 up to 2008, the total money which went out of the public coffers and lined the pockets of corrupt and greedy men has cost us more than 67 billion pesos already–enough to subsidize the daily nutritional requirements of Metro Manila’s poor for 3 years. The spike of graft cases occurred just lately, with government deals reaching over the multi-billion peso mark.

Recently, we saw how multi-million dollar projects turn into billion dollars overnight. One example is the Northrail project. We saw how government officials tried to feast on a multi-million telecommunications which only went sour when the public turn vigilante.

Now, our government is opening up the mining and oil fields sector in hopes of getting some much-needed revenues. It’s actually good if the revenues from these projects go straight to us. In all likelihood, some of it may fatten the bank accounts of a few.

The reason being, most of our government officials have a misplaced concept of accountability. High government officials think that they owe their positions to the appointing power instead of the public. They don’t recognize that those monies which have been entrusted to them belong to the people. Yes, we have checks and balances, like the vaulted Commission on Audit. And yes, we have prosecuting arms that investigate and file cases. Yet, for all of these, we find not a single big one, the mastermind, prosecuted for graft and corruption.

So, the impression that these thieves have is, they can get away with murder for as long as (1) they enjoy the trust of the real powers behind the seat of power and (2) the higher they are in the totem pole, the least likely they’ll be prosecuted and put behind bars. Its understandable, given the laxity our agencies put behind anti-graft campaigns.

So, expect more anomalous deals. Brace for more multi-billion peso ones since elections is just around the corner. These deals are out to fatten the pockets of a privileged few just to keep them happy and contented. Anyway, it’s just a simple paper bearing the Seal of the Highest Office that they keep as license for fiduciary murder.

And we go to the very core of this issue–the perpetuation of this thievery by a patronage-oriented leadership. For as long as we have an administration that is being held hostage by its own savage and greedy officials, graft cases will keep on rising. Look–how many of our leaders would benefit from an impeachment complaint? Most, I guess. Those who’ll support will have the promises of rewards. Those who’ll not, will always have the license to continue what they already started. This cycle of thievery of the highest order has already been there. And it will continue unabated for as long as these people in government fail to recognize that there are dire consequences in life, liberty and property should they misplace their accountabilities. For now, we only have God to go to seek comfort whenever we hear of another government official’s guffaws all the way to the bank.

Magtiis

I would just like to ask for the indulgence of all my non-Filipino readers. I wrote the following entry to my fellow Filipinos on the eve of the arrival of alleged fertilizer scam architect Joc-Joc Bolante. If you want to know what this letter means, please just ask your Filipino friends.

Mga mahal na kapatid na Pilipino sa lahat ng dako,

Hindi ninyo ba napapansin? Habang papalapit ang pagdating ni Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante, lagi nating naririnig ang katagang "arkitekto" ng fertilizer scam. Maaaring totoo. O maaaring hindi. Pero, ang sigurado--ipinako na ng gobyerno ang lahat ng sisi kay Bolante.

Epektibong istratehiya ito dahil wala na tayong nakikitang midyang nagtuturo kay Gloria bilang totoong mastermind dito. At malamang, talagang si Bolante ang may pakana, pero, hindi ba natin uungkatin kung sino ang talagang nakinabang at maaaring siyang utak ng iskandalong ito?

Sino ang nag-udyok kay Bolante na walang takot na ipatupad ang scam na ito? Nasan ang limpak-limpak na salaping sinasabing itinago at hindi napakinabangan maging noong 2004 elections?

Maaaring hindi na natin malalaman ang tunay na istorya sapagkat tinapos na ng Senado ang kanilang imbestigasyon at tanging sa Ombusman na lamang ang pag-asa. Pero, sa inaasta ni Merceditas Gutierrez, ang kawalang aksyon ng ahensya sa kabila ng tatlong taong nakasampa ang kaso at malamlam na interes ng taumbayan sa pinuntahan ng kanilang buwis, malamang na mauwi sa wala ito.

Tulad ng karamihan sa mga iskandalong kinasangkutan ng mga opisyales de gobyerno, nauwi sa bula ang perang ninakaw ng mga kawatan. Ilang buwang inabot ang galit ng taumbayan. Pero, pagkatapos nito, unti-unting nawala sa mga pahayagan at nakalimutan.

Habang patuloy ang kawalang katarungan, palaki ng palaki ang pagnanakaw na ginagawa sa atin ng mga kawatan. Habang may nakakatakas sa katiwalian dahilan sa may tiwala sa kanila ang Malakanyang, lumalaki ang nawawala sa kaban ng bayan.

Magpapatuloy na magpapakapagod tayo sa pagbabayad ng buwis. Hihigit sa sampung milyong Pinoy ang lulunok ng sariling laway at magpapa-alila sa mga dayuhan, makatakas lamang sa napipintuhong kahirapan. At hindi iilan ang kakapit sa patalim, mabayaran lamang ang VAT, sanlaksang buwis, pati na mataas na kuryente't gasolina, maituloy lamang ang pamumuhay sa ating lipunan.

Sabi nga ng ilan, life goes on. Let's move forward at hintayin na lamang ang 2010. May pag-asa pa.

Nasasaan ang pag-asa? Pag-asang sa susunod na administrasyon, milyon-milyon na lamang ang kukubrahin ng mga kawatan at hindi na bilyon-bilyon? Nasasaan ang pag-asa? Pag-asang magiging mumo na lamang at maibabaon sa limot ang mga katiwalian at kawalang-katarungang ginawa sa atin ng kasalukuyang administrasyon? 

Para na rin tayong nagparaya sa kabuktutan at kahalayan at pagkatapos magpakasarap ng animal na mananambong, tatalikod tayo at sasabihing, may pag-asa pa at kalimutan ang kapalastanganan sa ating karangalan.

Hindi ko naman masisisi ang mga Pinoy. Naging pambansang anthem na natin ang Erap song na "magtiis". Naging national animal na rin natin ang kalabaw. 

Kumbaga, kapagka kinubabawan ka at nilapastangan ng isang rapist, ibukas mo pa ng mas malaki ang mga binti mo at "enjoy" (a famous quote from Foreign Secretary Raul Manglapus).

Kumbaga, kung binomba na ng mga dayuhan, pinatay ang mga mamamayan, kinatay ang mga sanggol ng mga sakang na Hapon, mag-tiis at mag-enjoy.

Sa pagbalik ng isang sinasabing kawatan na ni wala tayong narinig na sorry man lang, tanungin siguro natin ang ating mga sarili---bilang Pinoy, okey na ba tayo sa asado o sa bola-bola lang? Ito ba ang kapalit ng 756 milyong pisong pinuhunanan natin ng ating pagod sa pagtratrabaho makapagbayad lang ng buwis? Ang tanggaping ang katotohanan ay maaaring asadong may laman o isang siopao na may bola-bola.

Bahagi na ng ating kultura ang umasa na lamang ng umasa na magkakaroon ng magandang umaga sa kabila ng mga dagok sa ating buhay. Kung mahirap ang lagay ng bayan, mangibang bansa. Kung makakatapos ka naman ng kolehiyo, kunin mo na ang nursing at siguradong me US green card ka.

Kailan kaya tayo tatayo at sasabihing, oras nang kilalanin natin ang ating mga karapatan? Na hindi tayo kailangang magtiis sapagkat karapatan nating maging mabuti ang lagay ng ating mga buhay?

Na, hindi na tayo kailan man papayag na nanakawan tayo ng harap-harapan ng mga kawatan at papatawan na talaga natin ng matinding kaparusahan ang mga mandarambong ng kaban ng bayan?

Kailan kaya na sasabihin natin ng harapan na walang silbi ang mga naninilbihan sa pamahalaan. Kailan kaya tayo pipiyok at sasabihin ng harapan na pitsa-pitsa ang serbisyo ng DPWH sa EDSA?

At kailan kaya natin sasabihin na diring-diri tayo sa mga namumuno ngayon sa atin, na karapatan nating magkaroon ng mas mabuting gobyerno at maiging pamumuhay at sawang-sawa na tayong pamunuan ng mga palpak at makasariling opisyales de gobierno?

May isa pang pagkakataon. 

Sa pagbabalik ni Joc-Joc Bolante, sana piliin natin ang tumpak at tamang daan. Manawagan tayo ng katarungan. Ilabas niya ang katotohanan. Kung mag ala-Neri siya, huwag na huwag tayong papayag na hindi niya makamtan ang katarungang pambayan. 

Galit tayo sa snatcher. Galit tayo sa akyat-bahay. Mas dapat tayong magalit sa mga kawatang naka suot ng barong at harap-harapan tayong niloloko. 

Joc-Joc Bolante's Arrival: End of Days for Arroyo?

Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante, the undersecretary who allegedly masterminded the Fertilizer scam is set to arrive on a Northwest airlines flight on Tuesday, October 28. (this corrects my earlier piece that Joc-Joc has arrived and being held in a villa in Subic). 

His arrival will not be met with an arrest, since according to in Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales' interview, Bolante has no pending case. However, Senator Cheez Escudero asked the Senate to immediately revive the pending warrant for Bolante's arrest for possible plunder.

Question--will Bolante do a Lozada and cause another stir in the political hornet's nest? Or will he parrot the official government line? Such may be the thoughts of the condemned Atenean now that he's a man without a face. 

If I'm Joc-Joc, I would just tell the truth. Why? Will you protect someone who's just a year and a half away from exile? Or even weeks away from exile?

Worst that could happen is if Joc-Joc suffers the fate of Ninoy. That would surely make some fascists in barongs happy. And, martial rule will be served in a golden plate.