Proposed US military comeback in Subic, being opposed by Filipinos

Senators Dan Inouye and Cochran probably thought that they looked like General Douglas MacArthur when they went to Subic to inspect their former military bases. They themselves admitted that they expect Subic and the surrounding environs to be filled with beggars, dilapidated buildings, old prostitutes, abandoned single mothers and girls wearing tattered clothes and a depressed local economy shortly after the US military left Olongapo.


They were surprised to find a vibrant and independent local economy and a busy international port. What's more--they found no Filipino waiving the U.S. flag and asking for Joe to come back and enjoy the beauty of Subic once more.


Fact is, instead of a welcoming party, Filipinos both in Manila, in Olongapo and all over the world are militating against the possibility of the US bringing their rowdy bunch of soldiers and their weapons of mass destruction again unto Philippine shores.


Senators Osmena and Honasan were not as welcoming as Noynoy Aquino when he met the two US legislators. Osmena and Honasan said Noynoy must respect the 1991 ouster of the US military from Subic and the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement which replaced the Military Bases Agreement.


Even businessmen and local folk in Olongapo are against the return of the comebacking US cowboys. 


The Palace was surprised with the overwhelming public opposition that it was forced to deny that they even raised that possibility during that talk with the two U.S. legislators. Noy, don't lie. What did you share with them, your score playing PSP or PlayStation 3?


And realising that it is too premature and too early to even raise this possibility, the US embassy denied that they plan to revive their military bases in Subic. What these two Senators intended was to see the economic progress of Subic and "how the US can cooperate with the Philippines."


What a statement coming from an ingrate! When Mt. Pinatubo erupted, these nincoompoops deserted us, and left us for dead. We were practically left by the US to fend for our own, something which Richard Gordon knows quite well. 


Gordon was left holding an empty bag when Nature itself gave the US military the final death knell. Instead of crying at one corner why his fellow Americans left him, to his credit, Gordon unleashed the power of the Filipino through voluntarism, something which he is now largely credited of doing.


Two decades past and we see a healed Subic, something which the Americans in 1991 probably did not think would happen. But it happened, thanks to the resiliency and strong Pinoy spirit that dared to conquer the impossible.


Now that we turned tragedy into an opportunity, here comes Major Joe spoiling the broth and asking us to please lease those damned facilities again to us, to be used by us in spreading havoc throughout the world.


Uncle Sam is pleased that we did the dirty work for them. Now that Subic has been freed from the tentacles of Uncle Sam, here comes Dan and his fellow octagenarian Cochran preaching the Gospel of Cooperation.


Pooh.

ZTE-NBN deal--not a mom and pop ops, says Gordon

So based on the observations of Senator Richard Gordon, the ZTE-NBN deal is not a mom and pop operation. It's a father and son caper. That's how Gordon sees it.

Gordon sees nothing wrong with the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo with his wife, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal strolling down the fairways of Shenzhen golf and country club as "nothing wrong". Gordon sees nothing wrong with the First Gentleman threatening Joey de Venecia III with the now infamous words, " back-off!" as a sign that he's interested with the deal. And obviously, Gordon sees nothing wrong with Mrs. Arroyo's meeting with former NEDA chief Romulo Neri and telling him to "just accept the money and approve the deal."

I'm beginning to think that the reason why Gordon wants to be chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee is he wants to ingratiate himself with the First Family. Is he serving as the First Couple's hatchet man or he's just being himself?

I remember a few years ago when the Americans were still running Clark and Subic. When cases of abuses were filed against American servicemen, Gordon saw nothing wrong with the accused safely inside the bases facility and waited for days before the cases were dismissed. Gordon saw nothing wrong with protecting the Americans rather than those comfort girls in those Zambales honky tonks. And of course, Gordon found nothing wrong weeply unabashedly in public while his fellow Americans left our shores.

Gordon also saw nothing wrong with Americans spraying dirty water to Gordon's fellow Filipinos protesting in Subic. Gordon even saw those protestors as "monkeys", just like what those WASPs think of us.

So, I'm not really surprised that Gordon wants to crucify the whistleblowers than the masterminds.

Or Gordon is doing it because Joey de Venecia stands to get his seat in the senatorial elections? Or, probably, that was the concession Gordon got because America and his friends, Mrs. Arroyo already agreed to revive the Clark and Subic bases and Gordon wants nothing sort of getting his old post back?

Or, Gordon really saw nothing wrong with his logic.

US Bases in Mindanao?

A confidential document tells of US apprehension over tensions at the Korean peninsula. US President Barack Obama's official policy regarding North Korea is what analysts call "engagement policy". Three years back, writing for Foreign Policy, Obama termed his view on how America should conduct itself with the North, he wrote that US policy must be a "sustained, direct and aggressive diplomacy." Now, some analysts say, this might change after the North tested another nuclear missile (underground test) last May. But, shortly after the June 15 meeting, it seems that Obama has not changed tack. And Forbes magazine seems to fear that Obama is just another Carter when it comes to foreign policy.

What analysts probably misread about Obama's action is his tendency to use every available diplomatic tactic first before he deploys armed forces. That is what he did in Afghanistan. More than this though, Obama seems to be totally agreeable on strengthening US military might first before implementing any military action against the North.

Now, before anti-nukes activist balk, let me just say that the US needs a military base only as refuelling, landing and ammo dump---nothing more. In a sustained fight with the North, the US needs closer areas where they can immediately refuel and possibly, arm their subs and carriers and fighters.

With this in mind, the possibility of further strengthening US military facilities inside the AFP Western Mindanao military base in Zamboanga is, I think, a top Obama concern. US forces need strategically placed launching pads to strengthen the US Pacific fleet. And Mindanao seems a very good place to actually have one, since their Diego Garcia base (which serves as their present refueling station), is a good hundreds of miles away.

IN an event of an armed engagement with the North, that would probably happen in the South China sea, in the air and eventually, some nuclear strikes. Now, what is dangerous is the high possibility of Mindanao as one of the North's target should that happen. Probably, that's why Mrs. Arroyo visited South Korea?

Are we expecting also a possible re-activation of the Subic and Clark military bases and a possible installation of another one in Ilocos and Cagayan? And is this the topic of interest between the two leaders come July 30? Will Obama request such accommodations from the Philippine government? And what would be the concessions? Would Obama sacrifice democracy and stability in the Philippines in exchange for the return (of the comeback) of the US bases?

Joc-Joc Bolante here in Philippines?

Breaking news---is Joc-Joc Bolante now in the Philippines and being kept in a secured villa at Subic? That the expected arrival on the 31st of this month will just be a scripted one?

One of my highly-placed source in the community says that US immigration policy mandates the immediate repatriation (read: DEPORTATION) of a person who failed to pass the asylum test. Immediate repatriation means "immediate" as in pronto. I want to make this clear because Pinoys and Americans have totally different concepts when it comes to time.

If his asylum was rejected just recently, then, it would just take him at most 24 hours to arrive here.

A source also told me that Joc-Joc enplaned early in the morning at the Diosdado Macapagal International airport and was whisked away immediately upon arrival. Is this true? If this is, indeed, the case, then, why the secrecy? Is the government preparing Joc-Joc Bolante for his bout against the Senators come November?

And if, indeed Joc-Joc Bolante is here, who is keeping him? Is it government functionaries or the opposition?