The 9th SONA of Gloria

I don't want to sound like a fatalist or a believer in the occult arts, but I like to direct your attention to the date of Mrs. Arroyo's Ninth State of the Nation Address.

The date is July 27, 2009, right? July is the seventh month of the year. If you add 7 to 27, it becomes 34. Add 34 to 2, then 0, and another 0 and 9, what do you get? The sum would be 45, right? Add 4 and 5, and it comes out as 9.

Eerie, is'nt? The numerological equivalent of the date coincides with the number of times of Mrs. Arroyo's SONA. Even if you add 9 to 9, you'll get 18 which, add 1 and 8, it still produces 9.

What's the significance?

Nine symbolises the end. It presents a conclusion. It is also a mystical number to the Masons, ascribing it as the eternal number of humanity and also a number considered by many civilizations as a number expressing completion and humility.

In the Tarot, the number signifies completion of a cycle. While the Baha'i faith considers the number 9 as unity.

For us, truly, this ninth SONA of Mrs. Arroyo should be considered as the ending and the final show of the greatest pretender and destroyer of democracy in this country. And as always, when there's an end, renewal and change always follows.

I just pray that what follows after this SONA would not be another Arroyo. Or an Arroyo, albeit, in a totally different form but with the same devilish laugh.

Oplan August Moon

Brace yourself my friends for a tumultuous July. Some months ago, I've wrote an entry about the plan of hawks and ideologues within the Arroyo administration to create scenarios to implement Operation August Moon. This self-coup will happen the week after the SONA, on August 6, 2009. One of the indicators, say a source who requested anonymity, is the expected failure of the poll automation bidding.

" Pat, the plan involves compromising the automated bidding altogether, " says a friend privy to the plan. " Imagine, what was the reason why they approved of Smartmatic-TIM when they know for a fact, that the only capability of the group is face value of Cezar Quiambao and Ernest Villareal. That's all. The so-called consortium which was backed legally by one of Comelec chairman's closest relative was never in existence. They just used the group to get the bidding and eventually the plan was really to mess things up. That would surely create unrest especially to the De Villa group who is pushing for automation of the elections."

COMELEC Chairman Jose Melo said in an Inquirer interview that they don't want to negotiate with a "ghost". Well, I don't know about Melo, but I am totally surprised with Atty. Rafanan. Why did Rafanan failed to even check the credentials of Smartmatic-TIM before they even allowed them to take part in the bidding? Is it elementary for a member of the bar to do that?

This failure of the Comelec just shows that the entire thing was a setup, a design to really sabotage the bidding and compromise the elections in May 2010.

The plan also involves the heightening of tensions between rebel groups and the military in Mindanao since most generals distrust Southcom Brig. General Juancho Sabban. They want to keep Sabban busy in Mindanao so that he'll have his hands full while they orchestrate their moves in Metro Manila.

Sabban is the youngest member of Class 1978 yet he reportedly does not share his mistahs' dogged allegiance to Mrs. Arroyo. He was formerly a member of RAM (Rebolusyunaryong Alyansang Makabansa). Yet, says deeper sources in the military, he'll take extreme action once other members of his class went ahead with Arroyo's plan.

Moves were to create an environment of chaos and confusion, with reports of bombings, assasinations of key government officials and members of the media. These black operations will be blamed to so-called JI or Al-qaeda members who, a week ago, was reportedly in the country already. News about their existence were floated to the media to be used later on by the government in the blame game.

A move against Lacson accuser former police official Cezar Mancao is reportedly also in the pipeline. The source refused to say what would happen to Mancao.

This early, talks that PMA Class 1976 of which the present AFP Chief of Staff General Ibrado belongs to and PMA Class 1978 were already at logger heads. Army Chief Lt. General Delfin Bangit is reportedly filling up sensitive posts without the knowledge of Ibrado.

Bear in mind that all sensitive positions right now in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are occupied by members of Class 1978. The Air Force is headed by Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena. The entire NCRPO which has, under its disposal, the anti-coup task force, is headed by Chief Supt. Roberto Rosales while the head of the Manila Police District which provides external security of Malacanang right now is headed by Director Rodolfo Magtibay.

Members of Class 1976 occupy the Central Command (Lt. Gen. Isagani Cachuela), the Navy (Vice Admiral Ferdinand Golez) and the Marines (Major Gen. Ben Mohammad Dolorfino). The AFP leadership is also being occupied by a PMA class 1976 member (Ibrado) and the PNP (Director General Jesus Verzosa).

The critical commands (Army and Air Force) are under the command of members of PMA Class 1978 while those with minimal numbers (the Marines and the Navy) were entrusted to PMA Class 1976.

Sources say Mrs. Arroyo's group will ease Ibrado out prior to the 2010 elections. They will use as a pretext this August 6 affair. Members of Class 1978 will move decisively ten days after July 27.

The plan is expected to take place on August 6, 2009, a full ten days after the SONA (SONA is slated on July 27, the Monday of the fourth week of July).

A state of martial rule will be imposed for six months, while members of Arroyo's devilish clan tinker with the Constitution. Parliamentary elections are slated on May 2010.

Other members of Class 1978 involved in this plan:

In GHQ, Camp Aguinaldo:

J2 (Inteligence) – Rear Adm. Victor Martir (PN – Philippine Navy)
Deputy J2 – Commodore EfrenTedor (PN)
J3 (Operations)- Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza (PA – Philippine Army)
J6 (Commel) – Maj. Gen. Jonathan Martir (PM – Philippine Marines)
J7 (Civil-Military Relations) – Maj. Gen. Sealana (PA)
DND-BAC Chairman – Brig. Gen. Gregorio Paduganan (PAF – Philippine Air Force)
Chief of Engineers – Maj. Gen. Rudyval Cabading (PA)
ISAFP – Maj. Gen. Romeo Prestoza (PAF)
Presidential Security Group – Brig. Gen. Celedonio Boquiren (PAF)

In the Army, six out of 10 infantry divisions are under the control of the Class of ’78 members, namely:

Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit – Commanding General of the Philippine Army
Maj. Gen. Roland Detabali – CG, Southern Luzon Command
Maj. Gen. Romeo Lustecteca – CG, 1st Infantry Division (Zamboanga del Norte)
Brig. Gen Florante Martinez – OIC, 2nd Infantry Division (Tanay, Rizal)
Maj. Gen. Vic Porto – CG, 3rd Infantry Division (Panay Island)
Maj. Gen. Ralph Villanueva – CG, 7th Infantry Division (Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija)
Maj. Gen. Manuel Tabaquero – CG, 8th Infantry Division (Catbalogan, Samar)
Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu – CG, 10th Infantry Division (Caraga Region)

In the Air Force, there is Maj. Gen. Oscar Rabena as Commanding General, and Brig. Gen Jesus Fajardo – CG, 710th Special Operations Wing as well as Col. Carlix Donila – Commander, 530th Air Base Wing (Zamboanga).

And in the Navy, the chief of the Naval Staff, Commodore Feliciano Angue, as well as heading the most strategically-located naval station in Cavite is Commodore Nestor Los Banes.

So now the game of the generals are on! Who'll be check mated in the end?

Now that I already revealed their plan in public, what now? Will they proceed with zero hour or not?

The best strategy against this devilish plan is expose them in public. I already did my part. How about the thousands of Patriots out there? Will you do yours?

Palace to use H1N1 issue as ruse for SONA delay?

Is Malacanang thinking of calling for a special session ahead of the scheduled SONA on July 27, using the worsening H1N1 as a reason?

It seems like it since there are suggestions that the Palace, through Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita is amenable to delay the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of Mrs. Gloria Arroyo if the situation worsens. The question I would like to pose is this---is this allowed by the Constitution?

Obviously, the charter is very explicit on this. Under Section 23, Article 7 of the 1987 Constitution, it says that:

The President shall address the Congress at the opening of its regular session. He may also appear before it at any other time.

And when is the regular session of Congress? In Section 15, of Article VI, the date of the regular session is explicitly stated, thus:

The Congress shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of July for its regular session, unless a different date is fixed by law, and shall continue to be in session for such number of days as it may determine until thirty days before the opening of its next regular session, exhaustive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. The President may call a special session at any time.

Now, that provision is very explicit and directory, meaning, it cannot be changed except with a law passed that would direct the Congress to change the date of its regular session. Changing the date of the regular session, at this point, is impossible since Congress is on recess and there is, I think, difficulty in assembling at least 200 Congressmen to vote on this.

There are talks that Malacanang wants to use this H1N1 issue as a ruse to allow itself to declare a State of Emergency or at the least, use it to delay the SONA. As I wrote, this is not possible since the provision is very explicit, probably except if there is a national emergency.

What is the effects of a delay in the opening of a regular session? Well, one it pushes back the passage of pending legislation. And two, it also allows Congressmen, especially allies of the president, to consolidate their forces and muster enough numbers to really convene the House as Constituent Assembly. Talks are rife that Malacanang would not be able to get the required 240 votes for con-ass, says Fr. Bernas. Yet, Cong. Ortega said, this is still achievable.

Now, then, this H1N1 issue could be used as a basis to call for a special session ahead of the SONA, austensibly, to call on the passage of a law that would delay the SONA date. If this would be the case, this would be the very first time that the date of regular session would be changed since 1987.

Let's not fool ourselves

This Monday (July 28), expect not a few people to go out in the streets to protest. Despite the scare tactics being employed by the military and police, groups from the Youth sector, church, civil society and the Genuine Opposition will gather together and present their own State-Of-The-Nation Address (SONA).

And then, what?

Are these groups really serious in making their point known to the world, that everybody hates Gloria and her gang of misfits? Or, are they just going there because it's always a tradition for oppositionists to bang their gongs whenever a head of state opens Congress?

If groups would just do this just to make noise and cause an horrendous traffic jam, then, don't bother. Better stay at home or go to work. Why?

Much as I want to go to the streets and protest, if these things would just be something momentary and would not lead to anything serious, then, I'm just wasting my time. Actions such as these should at least result to something. If it's just a way for these elites wearing activists suits to help people let off steam, then, don't bother. 

People have this attitude because what they expect from these people is something different. They expect them to take the people's cause seriously. What do I mean by this?

When civil society and the rest of the anti-Gloria groups rally, it should at least be part of a bigger thing. If it's just political posturing to make "papogi" come 2010, then, come on people!

The Filipino masses deserve something better. They want action. They want a leader or a group of leaders who'll finally tell Gloria that it's time to leave. 

People don't want to be used. No. They want to be a part of something different, something big, something historic and something that would change their lives forever.

They want another revolution. Yes, the masses had had enough of misguided rule. They want their government to be responsive of their  needs, not a bureaucratic monolith that cause them death. No.

If these groups cannot give the People this, then, let's just pack our bags and wait for 2010 to come. I don't want to hear political speeches. I don't want to listen to a litany of complaints. And I don't want to be told that I'm being fooled by this government. 

I know that when Gloria grabbed power from Erap. I already realized that when she cheated FPJ of victory. I definitely saw that when Gloria admitted calling Garci and when she dipped her fingers in an anomalous ZTE contract. And, truly, I already knew that government and big oil companies colluded to fool me to buy overpriced gasoline and diesel just to make VAT collections big. 

The people are not fools. It's time for civil society and all the rest of like-minded change catalysts to band together and put our money where our mouths are. If we want change, and we want it now, let's act now and save this country from another 2 years of Gloria's rule.