On Mary Jane Veloso--what's the fuzz? And on the "should haves" that we expect from Pnoy

The president's men are all over town, trying to stir up the public to acknowledge what President Aquino reportedly did for Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina convicted to die by firing squad in Indonesia due to illegal drugs possession. That last minute conversation by Aquino with Indonesian president Widodo spared Veloso from death.

Are we praising this president for doing the right thing at the last minute? Are we so desperate that even such acts are to be praised? Are we now saying that our standards in leadership have shrunk so low that we still describe this president as a "good one" because of his "last two minute" appeal?

Are we praising Aquino for acting so late in the game? Then are we encouraging him to do the "right thing" even at this late in his administration even though these would be considered as band-aid solutions?

Veloso was arrested last 2010. Five years later, and when Indonesia announced that she's one of the ten convicted drug offenders in that country, did our government intervened from the very highest levels and after Veloso had the scare of her life when she was transferred to the "execution island" pleading to government to ask Widodo to spare her because she was a victim of illegal recruitment. That fact alone should have been identified a year or two years or three years or even five years ago when she was arrested. Imagine, Veloso waited for five long years before government thought of a way of sparing her from execution. That very simple identification of her as a victim than a willing accomplice in a very serious case of drug possession and transportation into Indonesia should have been presented a very long time ago, in the courts, rather than involve two heads of state.

No. There is no reason why this President is to be praised, for a job that he and his army of legal minds in the bureaucracy is supposed to do a long time ago.

This applies to every and all things that this President should have done five years ago. Aquino should have used his powers to build industries in our country to make this economic growth permanent. Aquino should have stopped the implementation  of PDAF and DAP for the benefit of Congressmen, Senators and LGU officials five years ago. Aquino should have rooted out graft and corruption from its very roots five or four years ago when he was still getting a very high approval and trust ratings by cleansing the bureaucracy of misfits.

If I were to define this administration, this Tuwid na Daan which has been the slogan that drove us in a frenzied fashion for the last five years, is, not just me, but many Filipinos, an empty one which led us to nowhere but to different and differing roads.

Indonesia attacked (Update: 9 Killed, 50 injured)

At least two improvised explosive devices (IED) detonated in the busy Mega Kuningan business district of downtown Jakarta, Indonesia today near the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels. Sketchy reports say, the Ritz was heavily damaged.

As of presstime, at least 21 Indonesians and 19 foreigners were reportedly injured. (Latest from my good friend Thea Alberto: 9 already died while 50 are injured.)

Several foreign embassies are reportedly also located in the area. Local reports describe witnesses observing white smoke coming from several structures, while other buildings were being evacuated. Further details are sketchy at this point. It is unclear exactly where the devices were placed or how large they were, though some photos of the Ritz show damage that would be consistent with a small device being detonated inside. Early casualty reports described four people killed, though if the damage to the Ritz-Carlton is as extensive as described, the casualty count will likely rise.

This is the ninth time that terrorists, possibly belonging to the dreaded Jemaah Islamiyah attacked Indonesia. The bombing followed other terror attacks in the Middle East and in the Southern part of the Philippines.

We must condemn these attacks. Such attacks are not consistent with the teachings of Islam. For it is written in the Holy Qu'ran that attacks can only be permissible against armed enemies, not those who are peacefully doing their business about. Terror attacks such as these only confuse the non-believers and therefore, should not be one of the cocktails of any revolutionary group. This is pure and simple crime against humanity. It must be condemned by all.

Lipton Milk Tea Tainted by Toxic China Milk

Have you bought or drank Lipton Milk tea lately? I've been scanning regional news reports and came across an item that says that Unilever already withdrew the Lipton green milk tea from the shelves off Taiwanese groceries and supermarkets after finding out that Unilever might have used tainted milk from Chinese companies. That tainted milk, my friends, contain melamine, a plastic resin used for manufacturing plastic cups and plates. 

How many boxes of Lipton Green milk tea are in the Philippine market? How many groceries and supermarkets here sells Lipton Green milk tea? The Department of Health and the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) should advise the Philippine Retailers Association or the Philippine Association of Groceries and Supermarkets to immediately take those Lipton Green Milk Tea from the shelves. These tea bags could cause many deaths since there's a high concentration of the deadly chemical in them.

Unilever Philippines should be responsible enough to tell the people (a) how many boxes of its Lipton Milk tea are in the market (b) how many of those supplies came from Taiwan and Indonesia and (c) what are the measures being done by the company to protect the consumers from these toxic milk teas.