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I’m leaving on a jet plane… Not!

September 24, 2007 by mlq3  
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Update 8:34 pm (heard on the road around 7 pm) Arroyo changes mind, ‘advises’ Neri to attend NBN hearing. The end of a long day of official flip-flopping!

Update 6:28 pm: Senate to subpoena Neri to attend NBN probe next week . I think the Senate’s let him slip through their fingers on this one.

Update 5:29 pm : guess who just filed a new impeachment rap?

Ta-da! Oliver Lozano.

***

Over the weekend a source described the situation between the President and the Speaker like this. It’s like Defcon 3, the source said. The missiles are fueled and primed, the launch codes have been brought out and authorized, but neither side has pressed the launch button. The papers report that an initial effort to topple the Speaker failed.

Wednesday’s Senate hearing showed every sign of being the launch-button-pressing event.

In his blog, Ricky Carandang reported on the hastily-called press conference last Saturday, where two cabinet secretaries announced that the ZTE and the CyberEd deals had been suspended. And why a sudden reversal of the official position was called for:

Some inquiring minds think that the suspension was actually prompted by Arroyo watching Romulo Neri on TV last night vowing to tell all he knows about the NBN deal.  The argument is that now that the deal has been suspended, we can all ”move on” and there’s no need for Neri to appear before the senate anymore.  I can already imagine the chorus of the “lets move on” crowd filling the columns of newspapers and blogs and  airwaves of TV and radio stations. I anticipate Joker Arroyo saying on Wednesday that since the project has been suspended,  there is no need to investigate the matter further and therefore we can let sleeping dogs lie.  Its a win-win solution.  The opposition can claim victory by blocking another DOTC white elephant, no one goes after Abalos and Mike Arroyo anymore and Joe De Venecia remains Speaker…for now.  Of course there are some loose ends.  Joey De Venecia is hung out to dry, and if his allgations are true, someone  forfeits their $200 commission, and Abalos will have to find some way to return the “monies” already advanced by ZTE, or the generals will break his kneecaps.

Carandang’s opinion, in a comment in his own blog, makes for a compelling analysis:

Personally, I don’t think this will lead to Gloria’s premature removal from office. Aside from having no hope that Congress will ever impeach her, I think too many of the elite cliques would oppose it at this late hour. With three years to go before she (presumably) steps down, her removal would intoduce a new element of uncertainty–a Noli de Castro presidency. By 2010, having tasted power for three years, Noli may want more and may resort to the same machinations to hold onto power as his predecessor. That in turn could usher in another prolonged period of political intramurals among the elites. Add to that the fact that Noli, like Erap,is considered by the establsihment to be an unacceptable outsider.

What I see happening at this point is that all the accumulated evidence of wrongdoing will be used against Gloria and her accomplices after she is made to stepdown in 2010 and face a plunder/economic sabotage/multiple murder/crimes against humanity/ case before the Judiciary.

But the clumsy, heavy-handed actions of the Palace over the weekend has only intensified demands for the hearing (while BusinessWorld reports the President and her husband’s ratings have dipped). See last Sunday’s Inquirer editorial and today’s Inquirer editorial. Interest in what former NEDA chief Romulo Neri has to say, is particularly keen. In his column, today, Jarius Bondoc says Neri could possibly not only implicate the President herself (see the Newsbreak article from September 10, PCIJ’s primer on ZTE, as well as GmaNews.tv’s scoop: Cabinet split on cost, benefits of NBN, overlap with CyberEd), but a prominent businessman:

Romy then rattled off many things he knew about the events leading to the scheduled signing of Apr. 21. I later learned that he had told at least three of our common friends the same things.

Some of the items have since been reported in broadcast and print. There was a supposed invitation from COMELEC chief Benjamin Abalos to golf at the Wack Wack Country Club, during which Romy was offered P200 million to support ZTE. As the story goes, Romy turned down and told President Arroyo about the indecent proposal. Whereupon, she instructed him to not accept the bribe but ensure the NEDA approvals just the same. Romy has neither confirmed nor denied the reports.

Only God and Romy know if under oath he would confirm or deny the other items. I pray that he expound on them. He had told me on that morning of Apr. 20 and several other times that not only a COMELEC official but an influential businessman too was inordinately lobbying for ZTE Corp. The businessman allegedly was responsible for the sudden rise of the ZTE tag price to $330 million days before the signing, when its original offer in Dec. to Feb. was $262 million. What was the $68-million difference for, I asked in subsequent talks. Romy said the businessman was assigned to raise campaign funds for an administration party during the last election.

I would understand if Romy balks in identifying the businessman. In a previous cocktail party at the residence of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., he said, that man had cornered and threatened him for opposing a fishy pier project. That man reportedly also worked on Romy’s consequent transfer from NEDA to the Commission on Higher Education.

Romy in our talks implicated most of the persons Joey de Venecia has exposed under oath as thieving from the broadband purchase. But I get the impression that Romy knows much more than the heroic whistleblower who initially was bidding for the telecom project.

About ZTE executives, Romy also said he has never seen any group as aggressive as them in pushing for a contract. They were waiting outside the NEDA conference room while the Cabinet was deliberating about them.

More importantly, Romy said a very powerful official arm-twisted him to turn the broadband project from a safe build-operate-transfer plan to a risky outright supply purchase. It was for that reason, he told me on Apr. 20, that he almost resigned from the Cabinet the day before.

And yet, in the face of increased public interest, it seemed that the President’s only option would be to invoke EO 464 and forbid executive officials from appearing.

But that would solidify negative public perceptions of the President. But there seemed no other option: better people coming to sinister conclusions rather than solid testimony made under oath.

Then, this morning, a pretty breathtaking example of Marcosian jujitsu.

The President leaves for New York tomorrow, and it’s being widely discussed that among her entourage will be Romulo Neri. (update, 1:235 pm) President asks Neri to take US trip with her–reports. There you go!

(update 2:10 pm) Neri: DFA ‘advised’ me to go with President:

Romulo Neri, ex-economic planning secretary, and a key resource person in the national broadband network contract between the government and the ZTE Corp. of China, has disclosed that he was “advised” to accompany President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the United States this week.

Neri, who was at the House of Representatives for a budget hearing Monday, issued the statement in response to a question by Bayan Muna Congressman Teodoro Casiño on whether he would go with the President in her US trip.

“It’s a possibility,” said Neri and said that he had been “advised” by the Department of Foreign Affairs to go to the US where the President is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

But before the budget hearing, Neri told INQUIRER.net that he would still have to think about whether to accept the invitation as he has agreed to attend the Senate investigation on the NBN project this Wednesday.

(update 3:40 pm):

“I have been advised by the DFA that I may be needed to help in the Millenium Development Challenge,” said Neri Monday, responding to Cagayan Representative Rufus Rodriguez’s question about his impending US trip.

“The President is my superior… I guess, if instructed to go and it’s a legal order, I may have to follow it,” said Neri who attended the budget hearing at the House of Representatives.

But at the same time, Neri said he would “come back in time.” “As I’ve said I’ve promised to attend [the Senate investigation].”

The question then becomes whether Neri is a free agent or not, at this point: if he’s a captive, he will bundled onto the presidential plane. If he is partially free, he can wriggle out of the trip and stay for the Senate hearing: a gambit which may or may not succeed, not least, because it depends on the risks Neri is willing to take.

Or, if it’s just a propaganda effort to deflate the ballooning effort to cheer Neri on.

My column today, Heroic leadership, suggests why Neri should be prepared to testify even at the risk of disobeying the President (I also quoted from this article by Matthew Mehan on St. Thomas More). There are even those, like blogger Uniffors, who are calling on Neri to live up to his Ateneo principles.

A few days ago, Solita Monsod said, in her column, that she believed Joey de Venecia (I Set No Corner agrees). She also used a term that I found interesting: a scorched-earth campaign is under way, she said, against critics of the NBN deal. But I‘d pointed out scorched-earth governance has been the style of the Palace for some years now. Just how scorched-earth? Read Tony Abaya describe how his writing a column skeptical of the ZTE deal triggered a negative in Enrique Razon’s paper -the same paper Abaya writes for:

So, between 12:23 pm when I emailed the article to Manila Standard Today, and 1:30 pm, or a little over an hour later, someone in Malacanang had concocted this story about how Joey de Venecia – whom I had never met in my entire life – had been talking to me to destroy the credibility of the ZTE Corp.

This is all the more surprising since this article –A-B-Z-T-E-F-G – did not see print until the next day, Sept. 20. And it was not sent electronically to my distribution list until 8:51 pm of Sept. 19.

So the only copy of that article that the Malacanang source could have possibly seen was the copy that was sent by email to Manila Standard Today. Either someone in the newspaper office forwarded it to Malacanang, which I doubt, or “intelligence agents” wire-tapped the cable lines of my computer, which is more likely.

(I first became aware of my computer being wire-tapped in July 2005, but that’s another story for another day.)

In the blogosphere, Yugatech’s entry made news: Filipino bloggers frustrated with NBN Senate investigation (would they agree or disagree with Patricia Evangelista, too?). In Newsstand, John Nery says he wasn’t satisfied with the way the senators conducted their questioning. A Nagueno in the Blogosphere calls the deal a “Frankenstein project.” Slap Happy simply isn’t surprised.

New Philippine Revolution has an interesting take on things, similar thoughts expressed in Ya Basta de Disparates. I wonder though, if, as the blogger (NPR) asserts, Sec. Leandro Mendoza is “clean.” There was a point during the last Senate hearing, when senators seemed like they were trying to pin him down on the question of whether an executive agreement existed or not. Mendoza said, no executive agreement existed. The Q&A hinged on what Mendoza tried to pass off as ungrammatical English on the part of the lawyer who wrote the contract with ZTE.:

7:26 Legarda: Is there an executive agreement or not?

M: Not yet. It’s still in process.

L: Even if the supply contract says there was an executive agreement signed?

M: This was explained by the one who wrote the contract, this may be explained by maybe there was some error… Uh, well, if the other party thinks it’s OK…

L: There is an admission by the executive that there was an error in which the document was drafted and signed?

M: Well, no, the executive agreement is under process…

(continued debate on “is” and “was” and differences in terms of English usage; Mendoza insists lawyer said intent of document was clear to both parties; Mendoza says there are many angles; government thinks, though, best angle to pursue is the Supreme Court, they will follow the rule of law…

I wonder though: what if Mendoza perjured himself? Which is the easier, and thus, more likely explanation? Poor English skills or, that the document was referring, indeed, to an existing executive agreement?

In his blog, Karl Garcia says, take a second look at Abaya vs. Ebdane. See Manila Bay Watch and big mango, too.

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Comments

110 Comments on "I’m leaving on a jet plane… Not!"

  1. TDC on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 1:27 pm 

    To ROMY NERI:

    “Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly.”St Ignatius of Loyola

    ROMY:Trust GOD.Don’t succumb to the wiles of the Devil and his goons(The PIDALs , Ermita Esperon,Abalos,Apostol ).

    With GOD with you ,who can be against you?

  2. justice in waiting on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 2:15 pm 

    Another impulse re-action from PGMA. Most of the times her impulses work on her favor, but just one tiny weeny miscalculation and that’s all that’s needed. Meantime more drama on the sidelines, while Mr Chairman will have to find some ways to reimburse his Chinese benefactors, that is if he has not divided his loot to his “heirs” already to cover the tracks.. Evidence? Someone here would ask, not now, wait until the proper time and place and there will be plenty of evidence, especially when the other feet are wearing that shoes that dancing in Malacanang, every time there is a BiG Deal. Like they said in the country’s politics, our turn will come and so is yours.

  3. inodoro ni emilie on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 2:31 pm 

    mb,

    so romulo neri is now being jesuitic, huh? ask him the right questions?

    bring on all ateneo philo teachers for another round of oral examination. i think he misses the exercise a lot.

  4. cvj on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 2:48 pm 

    If he decides to go on the trip, here’s a suggested in-flight movie for Neri to watch:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=100YKVnu4pc

  5. LAPSAPAN on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 2:55 pm 

    am i the only one worried (aside from the nerys themselves) about the safety of sec. nery’s family? what if he wants to tell the whole truth (not just JDV3’s inconvinient truth) but he’s worried about his family?

  6. hvrds on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 2:58 pm 

    Neri Jr. will decide based on his rational material self interest and that of his family.

    Right now he can write his own ticket to riches as this kind of window of opportunity to leverage his loyalty to himself and to his Queen versus this abstract of loyalty to some kind of moral underpinnings is rare. He is a financial analyst at heart. No morality involved. It simply could be about material valuations. His favorite term – net asset valuations.

    MLQ3 attempt to morally sandbag Neri and Jarius Bondoc’s clear attempt to lay down the crux of Neri’s alleged testimony is clearly meant to give Neri a reminder of the choice he has to make. I do not believe he sees it that way. He is a number cruncher at heart.

    The number of technocrats that stood by during the Marcos years while the clans in power raided the treasury is a prime example of this type of blind loyalties.

    They set themselves as above all this trivialities. He might rationalize that the SC will decide on the deal anyway and take the company line.

  7. Jeg on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 3:01 pm 

    hvrds, you are such a hopeless romantic.

  8. Beancurd on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 3:14 pm 

    hvrds,

    give the man some breathing room. if he is that kind of man as you think he is, then he could have easily taken the bribe at a time when joey de venecia’s singing at the senate was still inconceivable. if you happen to be even at the fringes of the frontlines in the anti-corruption fight in this country, then you would most certainly have been subjected to a police/military background check and you most probably would have known about it. That gives you pause as any person with a family of her own would.
    For Mr. Neri, with all the information that has come out, it would be hard to make a good story that would not implicate some high and mighty. We pray that you find the courage to speak and protection for you and your family.

  9. manuelbuencamino on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 3:28 pm 

    Abduction na yan

  10. TDC on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 3:42 pm 

    To ROMY NERI:

    “If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that He has great designs for you, and that He certainly intends to make you a saint. And if you wish to become a great saint, entreat Him yourself to give you much opportunity for suffering; for there is no wood better to kindle the fire of holy love than the wood of the cross, which Christ used for His own great sacrifice of boundless charity.”St.Ignatius of Loyola

  11. TDC on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 3:51 pm 

    112.

    http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=90327

    Typical Gloria Pidal tactics(in this precise sequence):

    1)”Let’s Move On”
    2)”Back Off”
    3)”Flu now,Fly later”

    1)”Let’s Move On”
    2)””Back Off”
    3)”Flu Now,Fly Later”

    1)”Let’s Move On”
    2)””Back Off”
    3)”Flu Now,Fly Later”

  12. Jeg on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 3:53 pm 

    By 2010, having tasted power for three years, Noli may want more and may resort to the same machinations to hold onto power as his predecessor. That in turn could usher in another prolonged period of political intramurals among the elites. Add to that the fact that Noli, like Erap,is considered by the establsihment to be an unacceptable outsider.

    It would be very difficult for Noli De Castro to harbor the ’same machinations to hold onto power as his predecessor’ precisely because he is an outsider. One only has to look at Erap to see how an outsider fares in the oligarchy. Erap isnt even an outsider outsider. Like Noli, he just wasnt up to the standards in intellect and ‘propriety’ and breeding as the elites.

  13. justice in waiting on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 3:58 pm 

    It was proven time and again that family interests personal interests among the Philippines’ Elites and Politicians are above everything. Shame and disgrace are no longer regarded as counterbalancing deterrents to wrongful deeds to further one’s personal and most importantly his or her clans, as we had seen in the past. Take a look at the Marcosses, are they shamed or disgraced by all the allegations of the wrongful sources of their enormous wealth? or Even Chavit Singson, may not have been convicted, much less charged of any corruptions related crimes, but would these wealth and affluent lifestyle been earned honestly? in our dreams, maybe, but in a country where evidence of wrongdoings can easily be buried deep with piles of more money, you need the group of men history has known as the “Untouchables” with Elliot Ness as the lead man and Neri is not Elliott Ness and not a single one of them, not even our Ping Lacson who is looking beyong 2010 for his turn dancing in Malacanang and the rest of them pretenders in the Senate and the House. Such quality is absent in our society, they are all “touchable”….

  14. hvrds on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 4:24 pm 

    Would Neri miss out on the GDP triumphalism that HRHGMA will most likely trumpet in one of the premier sites of global financial capitalism. The probability of him reveling in that exercise is too good an opportunity to miss out on. Neri is part of that spin department.

    The mavens of financial capitalism do not like whistle-blowers. Discretion and morality do not make for a good mix.

    It would be like the head of the Council of Economic Advisers in the U.S. exposing corrupt practices within the executive department with a foreign government. It would send shock waves in any normal country.

    Here it becomes simply another chapter in the news of the week. Soon to pass.

  15. Beancurd on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 4:38 pm 

    hvrds, well, i would really hate to read an “i told you so” from you or justice league waiting on this one. so i hope both of you are wrong.

  16. frombelow on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 4:54 pm 

    Touche, hvrds

  17. iRonnie on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 4:57 pm 

    i hope that the authorities speed up their investigations lest the public grew tired with the issue and the culprits will freely walk away waiting for another government project to milk.

  18. Manila Bay Watch on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 5:02 pm 

    Ellen Tordesillas also says “A friend’s Palace source said: GMA told Neri come with me to New York. It’s the only way I can prortect you from Abalos and Mendoza.”

    Why would Neri need protecting from Abalos and Mendoza? If Neri is telling the truth, it’s Abalos and Mendoza who will need protecting, unless of course, Gloria has inkling that protecting Neri from abalos and Mendoza means that those two have intentions of causing Neri some bodily harm in which case, she should denounce Abalos and Mendoza and have them perhaps arrested to prevent the commission of a crime.

    Don’t understand Gloria’s logic at all.

  19. Jeg on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 5:07 pm 

    hvrds: The mavens of financial capitalism do not like whistle-blowers. Discretion and morality do not make for a good mix.

    Ubi es, Perfecto Yasay? Quo vadis, Romulo Neri?

  20. Manila Bay Watch on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 5:21 pm 

    Mlq3 – btw, thanks for the mention.

  21. Manila Bay Watch on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 5:23 pm 

    Re: ” Poor English skills or, that the document was referring, indeed, to an existing executive agreement?”

    I suspect both.

  22. pete on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 5:51 pm 

    mlq3,

    A hijacker,leaving on a jet plane

    In the 2001 takeover, Gloria had hijacked the gov’t, unless the gov’t is rescued Gloria stays in power beyond 2010.

  23. grd on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 6:00 pm 

    no doubt that gloria knows every detail of this NBN project and the ZTE deal considering how FUSSY (a subject of manolo’s previous thread) she’s been with government projects even with minor ones.

    but the only best thing that can be achieved from this whole exercise of the senate is the cancellation of this anomalous ZTE deal and another embarrassment to the current administration. as to the culpability and punishment of those people involved or the removal of gloria, i don’t think it’s going to happen even if neri testifies and will disclose everything he knows. by this time, gloria has mastered the art (ala houdini) of extricating herself out of big troubles whenever she faces them. but what i expect will happen to neri next if he decides to go against his boss is the same as what happened to dinky soliman and other members of the hyatt 10 or other critics of gloria. malacanang dirty tricks department will take over. neri will be demonized. behind the scene moves to discredit him will follow. that’s how the machineries of gloria works. then add to that the voice of the so called “move on crowd”. so predictable.

    i still believe the only realistic chance gloria can be prosecuted and made to account for all her crimes is beyond 2010 when her term ends and the military will cease to support her.

  24. leah on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 6:03 pm 

    a bit off topic, but could this be quid pro quo for the pardon? any other reason Jinggoy would introduce this?

    14th Congress
    Senate Bill No. 1556

    RE-INSTITUTING ROTC AS A MANDATORY COURSE FOR ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS
    Filed on September 11, 2007 by Ejercito-Estrada, Jinggoy P.
    Overview | Committee Referral | Leg. History | All Information
    Download PDF icon

    * SBN-1556 (as filed)
    9/19/2007 112.8KB

    Long title

    AN ACT RE-INSTITUTING ROTC AS A MANDATORY COURSE FOR ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS, REVIVING THE PERTINENT PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7077 AND COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 1 AND AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9163 FOR THE PURPOSE

    Scope

    National

    Legislative status

    Pending in the Committee (9/19/2007)

  25. Manila Bay Watch on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 6:25 pm 

    Question 1: Who first “demobilized” the ROTC, I mean which president?

  26. grd on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 6:42 pm 

    manolo,

    what’s your take with this CybeEd project? you think this is more important than the need for more teachers, classrooms and textbooks? jesli lapus is passionately pushing for this project as the answer to our ailing educational system. how will this help in classroom overcrowdedness as what lapus is saying?
    http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=93685

  27. TDC on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 7:46 pm 

    http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=90425

    for ROMY:

    “Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly.”

    ~ Saint Ignatius of Loyola

  28. koolit on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 7:51 pm 

    grd,

    if i may,

    I was involved in several gov’t IT projects. Min 30% of fund is lost due irregularities in the purchase stage. But setting that aside, the mortality rate of projects already implemented is about 25% for the first 3 yrs, 50% in 5 yrs. I ahve even encountered deliveries

  29. TDC on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 7:53 pm 

    KAWAWA naman si Bunye!

    1)Early today:”At this point, I can say that that’s kuryente (erroneous report),” Bunye said, in referring to reports that Neri was tagging along with the President’s party.

    2)Early this evening:Bunye says Neri included in Arroyo trip to New York.

    3)breaking news:Bunye says that Arroyo orders Neri to stay behind, attend ZTE probe.

  30. frombelow on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 8:18 pm 

    NBN scandal. Spinning out of control?

  31. koolit on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 8:21 pm 

    cont’d,

    deliveries were left to rot in storage, like the COMELEC’s Mega pacific hardware rotting in warehouse. There were/are more of these unexposed ex: The EPZA nation-wide network, even COA got a bulk purchase of design level defective proprietary PC’s,

    The more Jesli Lapus talks the more I’m convinced he doesn’t fully understand what he’s talking about. He’s mouthing the same justifications I’ve been hearing from trapos and technocrats I’ve dealt with the past 20 yrs.

    Audit gov’t IT purchases past ten yrs. first before we waste more money on this scamy projects.

  32. Manila Bay Watch on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 8:36 pm 

    koolit,

    Re “The more Jesli Lapus talks the more I’m convinced he doesn’t fully understand what he’s talking about. ” But aha, he will tell you he’s got a triple A thinggy from AIM!

  33. baycas on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 9:43 pm 

    abalos to mendoza: let’s tee OFF.
    gma to neri: get OFF neda and go to ched!
    fg to jdv3: back OFF!

    gma to neri, again: get OFF the plane!

    …how i wish they’d all f_ck OFF!

  34. grd on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 10:01 pm 

    calling the attention of the npa hit squad. can you once and for all get rid of oliver lozano?

  35. koolit on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 10:12 pm 

    mbw,

    Presicely, like Georgetown grad GMA, this AIM guy has the technocratic skills to accomplish the wrong things very very efficiently. The GMA administration is interesting case study of the blind leading the blind technocracy.

    Why don’t we solicit opinions of other AIM grads on Jesli’s CyberEd project. I doubt if Jesli would be getting an A thingy for his CyberEd thingy.

  36. pete on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 10:48 pm 

    mlq3, mbw, grd

    Studies related to CyberEdu

    http://www.seameo-innotech.org/resources/seameo_country/news_clippings.asp

    The CyberEd pilot, at initial stage, un-evaluated;

    “DoST, Deped to introduce computer-based learning modules”

    http://archive.inquirer.net/view.php?db=1&story_id=37435

  37. rego on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:16 am 

    “What I see happening at this point is that all the accumulated evidence of wrongdoing will be used against Gloria and her accomplices after she is made to stepdown in 2010 and face a plunder/economic sabotage/multiple murder/crimes against humanity/ case before the Judiciary.”

    ————————————————

    I wonder who is doing the safe keeping of all the evidence?

    Will a promise to go after Gloria after 2010 become a winning formula for 2010 presidential election?

    Should Neri speak up now or after 2010?

    But will Gloria step down after 2010?

  38. koolit on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:24 am 

    mlq3,

    Re Ricky Carandang’s comment:

    “With three years to go before she (presumably) steps down, her removal would intoduce a new element of uncertainty–a Noli de Castro presidency. By 2010, having tasted power for three years, Noli may want more and may resort to the same machinations to hold onto power as his predecessor”

    Between the CERTAINTY of accelerating pillage and plunder during the three remaining years of GMA and the UNCERTAINTIES of a Noli de Castro presidency, shouldn’t we take a RISK in the latter?

    Between a forced and an un-forced GMA resignation, shouldn’t we prefer the former, to teach GMA a lesson Noli should keep in mind?

  39. koolit on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:29 am 

    Better ,

    Between a forced and an un-forced GMA (resignation) departure from office, shouldn’t we prefer the former, to teach GMA a lesson Noli should keep in mind?

  40. arturo on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:36 am 

    rego,

    Accumulated evidences against Gloria are accumulated reasons why GMA will not step down without securing a safe exit. She could stay beyond 2010 if the people are lethargic enough to let her.

  41. rego on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:38 am 

    Koolit,

    How?People Power? Impeachment?

  42. frombelow on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:55 am 

    NBN scandal. Spinning out of control???

  43. Bencard on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 2:04 am 

    carandang’s punditry betrays classic ignorance of the law. he would not know admissible evidence when he sees one. he should consult with the abs-cbn legal counsel whether anyone, including a president, can be indicted on the basis of innuendos. or else, he should just stick to reading news (with bias slant) for his anti-gma employer. i think he is beginning to believe abs-cbn’s propaganda, among others.

  44. supremo on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 2:05 am 

    I bet GMA will step down in 2010. Step down from a plane that just landed in Switzerland ready to spend Jose Pidal’s money.

  45. BrianB on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 3:56 am 

    St. Ignatius Loyola, the “Untouchables”? You people are my people. hikbi.

  46. grd on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 4:01 am 

    i think you’re right koolit. jesri lapus does not know what he’s talking about. i just can’t connect how this CyberEd can help our problem on classroom ‘overcrowdedness’. maybe by creating virtual classrooms over those decrepit school buildings and under the acasia tree?

  47. supremo on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 4:44 am 

    Lapus should implement CyberEd on a small scale then implement nationwide after ironing out the kinks. OR just retool the government channel to show only educational programs 24/7.

  48. rego on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 6:25 am 

    Oh But the lates news says, Gloria changed her mind and allow Neri to attend senate hearng on wednesday.

    And what is this? Absolute pardon for Erap? Di kaya parang unwise naman ang plano eto. I dont think this will help any efforts to curbecorruptin in the highest leve of government.

  49. nash on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 6:33 am 

    kayo naman, of course pgma will want to pardon erap because when she’s out of power and it’s her turn to be hauled to court for plunder, she’ll want absolute pardon too!

  50. koolit on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 7:24 am 

    grd and supremo

    you make a lot better sense than AIM boy DECs sec Jesli Lapuz who betrays his lack of better sense when he joined Georgetown girl Gloria’s cabinet. This bright boy will squander OUR tax money BIG TIME — 25B !!!

  51. koolit on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 7:34 am 

    rego,

    Good question “How?People Power? Impeachment?”

    Michael Jordan’s advice to the Filipino people:

    “Just do it.”

    What to do? Get off the comfort zones first, then our the answer will unfold as we move.

  52. Art on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 7:42 am 

    Koolit,

    You’re kool man, your comments make a lot of sense:

    Better a CERTAIN Gloria than an UNCERTAIN Noli.

    Better to move than get stuck in the groove.

    Groovy, man, that’s kool koolit.

  53. Art on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 7:44 am 

    Let’s Just Do It, koolit !

  54. benign0 on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 7:49 am 

    “What to do? Get off the comfort zones first, then our the answer will unfold as we move.”

    At the moment though, the comfort zone of imagination-challenged Pinoy society is political buffoonery; i.e. personality politics, impeachment politics, and street politics.

    Jordan’s “just do it” is best exmplified by focus on the important things rather than trivial tabloidesque discussions that dominate the airwaves and blogosphere.

    Pinoys have a talent for wasting the best of what hi-tech has to offer on mediocre pursuits. :D

  55. Art on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 7:53 am 

    correction pls:

    Better an UNCERTAIN Noli than an CERTAIN Gloria !

    sorry koolit,

  56. koolit on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 8:07 am 

    benign0

    “Pinoys have a talent for wasting the best of what hi-tech has to offer on mediocre pursuits.”

    Gloria and her bright wimpy boys have a talent for wasting the best of what hi-tech has to offer on ZTE NBN and CyberEd white-elephants-in-the-making.

    Don’t worry ’bout me wasting the hi-tech, I earn a lot out IT, it’s hard work not just the tech.

  57. karl garcia on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 8:51 am 

    Thanks for the mention, MLQ3;
    naisip ko kesa ulit ulitin ko bat di ko na lang iblog

    Thanks for the liveblogging,btw,malaki ang naitulong nun.

  58. indoro ni emilie on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 9:06 am 

    “Absolute pardon for Erap? Di kaya parang unwise naman ang plano eto. I dont think this will help any efforts to curbecorruptin in the highest leve of government.”

    unwise? is that all you can meekly say, rego?

    it is a mockery!!!!! an exercise she has perfected.

    benigno: please deliver us to a country where politics is never personal? your kevin rudd is not even spared from garbage-digging politics.

  59. TDC on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 9:33 am 

    “AN ABSOLUTE pardon means the government will no longer confiscate P1 billion in ill-gained assets that deposed President Joseph Estrada had allegedly acquired and that the Sandiganbayan wants forfeited in favor of the state.

    This was how Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno interpreted the proposed unconditional pardon .”

    I know understand why GMA wants to pardon Estrada:

    1)To establish a legal precedent:a sitting president granting pardon to a convicted former president.

    2)To keep the Pidal clan’s ill-gotten wealth after she is pardoned one day!

    “Deal or No deal?” “Game ka na ba?”

  60. Shaman of Malilipot on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 9:44 am 

    “I wonder who is doing the safe keeping of all the evidence?” – rego

    PlunderWatch is doing it. Carol Araullo has said that they will pursue the case against Gloria after she leaves office more vehemently than they did in Erap’s case.

  61. TDC on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 9:48 am 

    As the Senate resumes its NBN/ZTE hearings,expect the following “clusters” of Senators to act accordingly:

    Genuine Oppositionists:
    1)Pimentel
    2)Lacson

    Credible Independents:
    3)Roxas
    4)Allan Peter Cayetano
    5)Kiko
    6)Escudero
    7)Gordon

    “Sound Bites/Photo Ops”Senators

    8)Biazon
    9)Loren
    10)Noynoy
    11)Gringo
    12)Jinggoy
    13)Villar
    14)Pia
    15)Jamby

    Old,Tired Fogeys
    16)D’Joker
    17)D’ Johhny
    18)D’ Miriam
    19)D’Angara

    Silent Ones
    20)Lapid
    21)Revilla

    The Silenced One
    22)Trillanes

    Kasali ba?
    23)the 12th senator(from Maguindanao)

  62. peter on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 9:52 am 

    mlq3, rego, ine,

    Mayor Lim said the law applies to all or none at all.

    Clear as clear can be,
    Gloria says The Law applies to none at all,

    Gloria goes for FFA — Free For All — where she who has the force rules all,

    ROF — Rule of Force — instead of ROL — Rule of Law since EDSA 2’s ROE — Rule of Elite — the very few who rules the economy rules the country, by military’s force if need be.

    All in all what Erap pardon means is Gloria rules.

  63. tonio on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 9:54 am 

    Curriculum Vitae

    Atty. Oliver Lozano

    Hobbies: Reading, Writing, filing impeachment cases…

    :P

  64. BrianB on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 10:25 am 

    “Better a CERTAIN Gloria than an UNCERTAIN Noli.”

    Maybe they don’t get the point. What’s certain is that we cannot tolerate what is happening. If we do, we lose all pride as a nation. What is certain is that PGMA knows she will not be tolerated any longer, and she wil certainly do something to prevent a coup or a revolution. What is certain is that she will act not only to defend her position but also to try to clean up her name. Can you imagine her retiring from politics with this specter over her?

    What is uncertain about Noli: he will or he wion’t be a tolerable transitional president.

  65. Abe N. Margallo on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 10:42 am 

    Ricky Carandang’s punditry, while quite “compelling,” may have missed the suggestion that in some way the Philippines remains a semi-colony of the U.S. as maybe indicated in the following:

    - so far, the most persuasive criticism of the ZTE deal is the one by Fabella and de Dios. But something turned up during the Senate investigation – the possibility of Big Uncle’s footprint in the report. The diction of the Fabella/de Dios report sounds AGILE (which serves the purposes of the US Agency for International Development) to me. It is therefore not surprising that beneath the well-reasoned analysis is the sly attempt to sell the Washington Consensus – essentially the free-market and liberalization paradigm (as the continuing prescription for countries as the Philippines that cvj has referred to as comprising the Empire 2).

    - Tribune reports “that word had gotten around to the Palace that the United States Embassy was mulling the cancellation of the visa issued to Neri, ostensibly to prevent him from leaving the country “ because the “US government is apparently interested ” in the probe and that “US Ambassador Kristie Kenney earlier advised the government to observe transparency in the signing of the deal with the Chinese firm.”

    - on the other hand, expect PGMA spinmeisters to try twirling GMA’s NY appearance with a view to toning down the impact of the ZTE controversy at home, like to the effect that if it’s harmless to the mainland, why shouldn’t the colony give it a pass.

  66. Jeg on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 10:51 am 

    Update 8:34 pm (heard on the road around 7 pm) Arroyo changes mind, ‘advises’ Neri to attend NBN hearing.

    ‘Oplan Neri’ is a success, Ms. Arroyo? Seems the prez is confident about Mr. Neri’s testimony at the senate hearings.

  67. tonio on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 11:21 am 

    hmmm…. did this sudden confidence involve ridiculous amounts of money or psychological torture? it’s all up to prof. neri tomorrow.

  68. indoro ni emilie on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 11:27 am 

    there goes civil society again deciding who should rule the country in the event of a presidential ouster.

    who else but the vice-president?!? it happens to be noli, so be it. respect the choice of the majority. para naman kasing hindi na sila natuto sa pagpapatalsik kay erap, and now here they are again disregarding and worrying about the democratic process of succession.

  69. karl garcia on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:02 pm 

    If the us is so inetrested in the NBN
    why did sprint, the third largest telecom in the US partnered with ZTE to supply multiple wimax devices in the us.(baka gusto nila partners sila with ZTE dito sa pinas)

    well, iba nga pala pag sinabi us government interests at us corporate interests.

    speaking of corporate interests; apparently Mattel offered an apology to China for the exaggerations being reported by media.

    The us cannot afford to cross china,because that is where almost all the mnaufacturing money went,and now with their current economic problems(and others obviously),they need more allies than enemies.

  70. Shaman of Malilipot on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:14 pm 

    Ricky Carandang and Marieton Pacheco interviewed Speaker JDV on ANC yesterday morning wherein JDV may have implicated GMA in the NBN scandal:

    “This morning on ANC, Marieton Pacheco and I interviewed the Speaker who confirmed a story told by his son Joey before the Senate last week: that sometime in October 2006, the elder De Venecia, President Arroyo, and Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos were in Shenzhen to meet with Chinese officials about a number of things.

    “As JDV tells it, he and his president were on a bus from Hong Kong to Shenzhen when she had a phone conversation with Abalos. Apparently Abalos had flown ahead to China and was waiting for them there so they could all play golf. During the phone conversation, Arroyo asked Abalos why he couldn’t tweak ZTE’s broadband proposal so that there would be no need for the government to borrow money or issue a sovereign guarantee for the project. In the presence of the Speaker, she asked Abalos why he couldn’t get ZTE to submit a proposal similar to the one submitted by Joey De Venecia’s company, Amsterdam Holdings, which had no up front cost for the government.

    “JDV says he didn’t know how Abalos replied to the President because she was speaking to him on the phone. He said that they only met with Abalos after they arrived in Shenzhen.

    “What does this tell us?

    “First, that President Arroyo knew that Abalos was pushing the ZTE proposal. Based on what the president said, she not only knew that Abalos was involved in the ZTE proposal but assumed that he had enough influence over ZTE to get them to materially modify their proposal.

    “Second, that the president knew that the ZTE proposal did not conform to her own policy and guidelines about how a broadband deal should be done. She knew that, contrary to her stated policy, the ZTE proposal would require the government to borrow the money to fund the project. And yet, she approved the deal later on anyway.

    “This is not an unsubstantiated claim by some oppositionist trying to oust the president. This is the Speaker of the House talking about something he had direct knowledge of. The fourth highest offical in the country and a loyal ally of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Whether he meant to or not, the Speaker may have just implicated the President in the ZTE Broadband scandal.”

  71. karl garcia on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:29 pm 

    apparently the telecom giants in the us are a bit scared of ZTE and its main rival in China Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd entering the US market slowly but surely,it even made Lucent and Alcatel suddenly merge.

    ZTE is making its presence felt all over,so RP is just peanuts if they are not successful in implementing it.

    For them,it would be our loss not theirs.

    If cancelled,I go back to the moral lesson of robin hood and machiavelli,of exactly what not to follow, Consequentialism

  72. Shaman of Malilipot on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:36 pm 

    From Malaya newspaper:

    “ELECTIONS chair Benjamin Abalos yesterday said he is ready to face Senate probers tomorrow over the controversial $329-million national broadband network deal.

    “‘I do not need to prepare for it. You don’t need to prepare if what you are going to say is nothing but the truth,’ he said.”

    From Inquirer Online:

    “Benjamin Abalos Jr, the beleaguered chairman of the Commission on Elections, was a no show at a budget hearing in the House of Representatives Tuesday.

    “(Comelec executive director Jose)Joson said Abalos was in consultation with his lawyers in preparation for his appearance in the Senate this Wednesday while the other commissioners cited personal reasons.”

    Liar talaga.

  73. cvj on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:38 pm 

    Karl, the US cannot afford to cross China because it is its one of its largest creditors.

    …the U.S. economy has become dependent on low-interest loans from China and other foreign governments, and it’s likely to have major problems when those loans are no longer forthcoming…

    …Here’s what I think will happen if and when China changes its currency policy, and those cheap loans are no longer available. U.S. interest rates will rise; the housing bubble will probably burst; construction employment and consumer spending will both fall; falling home prices may lead to a wave of bankruptcies. And we’ll suddenly wonder why anyone thought financing the budget deficit was easy. – PAUL KRUGMAN, The Chinese Connection’ Published: May 20, 2005 NY Times

    Of course, the need to borrow money from China is the result of GW Bush’s tax cuts for the rich and his invasion of Iraq, but that’s another story.

  74. cvj on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 12:44 pm 

    Here’s the [newly liberated] link to the above.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/20/opinion/20krugman.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

  75. karl garcia on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 1:25 pm 

    CVJ,

    Touche!

    Many Thanks!

  76. 3rdson on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 1:27 pm 

    paano mo naman nalamang nagsisinungaling yung taga comelec? alam mo ba kung nasaan si abalos at yung ibang commissioners?

  77. leah on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 1:28 pm 

    Manila Bay Watch :

    Question 1: Who first “demobilized” the ROTC, I mean which president?
    September 24th, 2007 at 6:25 pm

    answer: ROTC became voluntary under GMA, but not really because of her. Just timing. But even voluntary RP has 80 thousand ROTC, USA has 55,000 ROTC only.

    my question is: why Jinggoy would introduce this? no political gain for him to make millions angered.

  78. Shaman of Malilipot on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 2:41 pm 

    3rdson,

    Hindi mo ba na-gets? Sabi ni Abalos hindi raw kailangan ng preparation para sa Senate NBN hearing bukas kasi purong katotohanan lang raw ang sasabihin niya. Pero, ang sabi ni Comelec executive director Jose Joson, hindi raw nakapunta si Abalos sa budget hearing ngayon sa House dahil kapulong niya ang mga lawyers niya in preparation for tomorrow’s Senate hearing.

    O, ano, na spot mo na ang kasinungalingan?

  79. 3rdson on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 2:53 pm 

    masyado kang literal magisip. Ang “I don’t need to prepare” ay hindi katumbas ng “I will not prepare.” yan ang hirap sa banat ng banat, palaging ginagawang big-deal pati ang mga inconsequential na salitang ganyan. sa tingin mo ba, sa ganyan ka-importanteng tagpo ay hindi mag-hahanda ang tao? para ka namang inosente niyan e.

  80. Shaman of Malilipot on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 2:57 pm 

    I’m inclined to believe that even GMA’s sudden order for her cabinet to attend last Thursday’s Senate NBN hearing, after calling it a “vaudeville act”, was “inspired” by the Americans.

  81. Shaman of Malilipot on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 3:00 pm 

    O, sige na lang, 3rdson.

  82. 3rdson on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 3:09 pm 

    ok, shaman

  83. peter on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 6:41 pm 

    BrainB,

    I agree with you that tolerance of GMA had been stretched to breaking point, its wrong in fact.

    Your comment is to Ricky’s comment and to art’s mistake on paraphrasing koolit’s take,
    Noli presidency is a risk, koolit’s comment asks if we should take the risk on Noli:

    “Between the CERTAINTY of accelerating pillage and plunder during the three remaining years of GMA and the UNCERTAINTIES of a Noli de Castro presidency, shouldn’t we take a RISK in the latter?”

  84. karl garcia on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 7:24 pm 

    For Leah,

    the answer could be that those retire and get killed every year from outnumber those who enter.

    approximately 300 enter pma plebes and it gets reduced along the way.The others enter as enlisted personnel who are in the frontline.

    very few from the enlisted personnel gets to be officers.
    if you are in the rotc,with additional training you are an officer pronto,an example would be the major who handles the NCR guys, major Zagala,he graduated lia com from dlsu and obviously not an Ayer and yet his responsibility is the whole ncr forces.

    But as I have mentioned before also in reply to you,that the ROTC here is somehow bastardized by the cadets themselves,by buying their way to light duties with conninvance with their doctors and some officers and the trees that give them shade.

    but i am sure that does not answer your question,why jinggoy would file such a bill,because you asked it again after a month.

    ps

    your figures regarding the 55,000 rotc in the US needs updating,because as far as I know ROTC comprises 39 % of the force.

    before our AFP had an average composition of 75 % or more from the ROTC.

  85. Manila Bay Watch on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 8:19 pm 

    Leah,

    Must say I don’t see the connection between the filing of the bill and a potential pardon.

    Karl may be right when he says the killed in action outnumber the applicants. Could be just that, i.e., need to replace. He saw this as a bill that could be useful.

    Of course, if Jinggoy has not been one of them active legislators in terms of number of bills drafted and given that there’s a question of absolute pardon or whatever pardon, it’s easy to imagine that there’s an ulterior motive behind his filing of ANY bill. Sinister motives of any kind could be imputed on any of his acts as legislator.

    Anyway, am curious, why would millions be angered by such a bill? The Philippines has a small armed forces. It has a small corps of officers coming from the PMA so could be that the ROTC is the answer. Perhaps the bill is meant to change the rules or to make it more ‘professional’ to do away with the charges enumerated by Karl. All these could be just conjenctures.

    In fine, I’m for ROTC but a “professionalized” ROTC, i.e., not just marching under the sun endlessly day in day out and for hours and given college credits for having done just that – doesn’t make sense. The forced ‘recruits’ must also be trained in leadership and taught warfare, after all, they are potentially, if the corps, if you want, the breeding ground for military officers.

  86. Manila Bay Watch on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 8:22 pm 

    Ooops, “after all, they are potentially, if you want, the breeding ground for military officers.”

  87. Manila Bay Watch on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 8:25 pm 

    Leadership cannot be imbued by only forcing these ROTC lads to march.

  88. pete m. on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 8:45 pm 

    mbw, kg, leah

    I’m for ROTC as component of a pyramid model of the afp. I’d say i’m for pro-activating a bigger/wider base. I have a wonderful model in mind. present problems in afp increase relevance of totally re-engineering the armed forces.

  89. Manila Bay Watch on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 8:54 pm 

    Pete m,

    Could you elaborate on that wonderful model of yours?

  90. Manila Bay Watch on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 8:56 pm 

    Re cvj’s, “Karl, the US cannot afford to cross China because it is its one of its largest creditors.”

    That’s for sure! If China pulls the plug, i.e., collects their hundreds of billions of dollars in American debt, the whole world will be in a mess.

  91. cvj on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 9:38 pm 

    MBW, in the realm of national competitive strategy it’s an incredible double achievement for President George W. Bush. From strategic economic advantage during Clinton’s time, he moved the USA to a position of strategic economic disadvantage vis-a-vis China. From strategic military advantage as the world’s only superpower at the end of Clinton’s term, he now leaves the Americans with a broken military responsible for an unlawful invasion and hundreds of thousands dead. Uncannily, back in January 2001, the satirical online magazine ‘The Onion’ foresaw all of this with an imagined inaugural speech which plays out how his term would unfold.

    http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28784

    Funny, but scary.

  92. karl garcia on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 10:42 pm 

    “Perhaps the bill is meant to change the rules or to make it more ‘professional’ to do away with the charges enumerated by Karl. All these could be just conjenctures.”

    As to all conjectures,I beg to disgaree,at least at one point in my life time I saw it with my own eyes. Now,as if it happened all the time and everywhere ,that could be time I have to agree that they could be conjectures.

    I am for a professionalized ROTC too,
    Pete ,anytinme you are ready share with us the model.MBW,myself and even Jaxius is interested in military affairs.

    Many Thanks.

  93. Manila Bay Watch on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 11:25 pm 

    Karl,

    I didn’t mean that YOUR charges were conjectures – sorry if it came out that way. I was actually referring to my entire plate of suppositions if you like that I proposed up there…a possibility, hence I said, COULD BE JUST conjectures. I should have specified, MY CONJECTURES.

  94. Manila Bay Watch on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 11:27 pm 

    cvj,

    it is frightening indeed that the world’s most powerful nation on whose stability – financially and militarily – the world depends is hostage to Bush and China.

  95. cvj on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 11:32 pm 

    The Chinese leaders have a good head on their shoulders. The same cannot be said of Bush. After all, as an evangelical, he believes that we are living in the end times.

  96. Manila Bay Watch on Tue, 25th Sep 2007 11:33 pm 

    cvj,

    in that report, Bush said,

    “The insanity is over.

    “After a long, dark night of peace and stability, the sun is finally rising again over America. We look forward to a bright new dawn not seen since the glory days of my dad.”

    That was pure insanity.

  97. cvj on Wed, 26th Sep 2007 12:38 am 

    Yes MBW, it’s amazing how that parody speech can reflect reality so closely.

  98. Manila Bay Watch on Wed, 26th Sep 2007 12:47 am 

    Heheheh!

  99. Karl Garcia on Wed, 26th Sep 2007 10:18 am 

    Mbw,
    No problem,sorry for making such a fuzz out of it.

    But regarding our conjectures, I read a few day old paper that the intention of teodoro was for replacement or replenisshment so to speak and he was suggesting scholarships for qualified or potential commissioned officers.

    Since it became voluntary,the armed forces has been terribly depleted.

    maybe an interim solution if they need people in the battlefields in mindanao is to recall all driver bodyguards,assigned to the generals.(not all,of course)

  100. Karl Garcia on Wed, 26th Sep 2007 10:22 am 

    The US economic problem was not even anticipated by greenspan.

    news says crisis will last till 2008.

    Bush needs a jocjoc type or enrique razon type of a fund raiser for the elections.

    maybe zte and its rival will merge with all the us telcos or something,with all the lobbyists of bush in full force.

  101. leah on Wed, 26th Sep 2007 2:41 pm 

    ROTC was not abolished, it was just made voluntary in 2001.
    there are still (using Jinggoy’s figures) 80,000 taking ROTC every year. according to the US military there are 46,000 plus ROTC cadets as of 2005.(not even the 55,000 I mentioned before) and it can’t vary much by now.
    millions effected-mandatory ROTC would increase the cost and risk of every college student, male and female. and their parents. so by 2010 this could easily be in the millions.
    if the USA can get by with 46,000 then why would we need 500,000?

    ROTC numbers going down
    By JAMES W. CRAWLEY
    Media General News Service
    Saturday, December 10, 2005

    WASHINGTON – More bad news for the Pentagon.
    Its recruiting troubles have reached the officer ranks.
    The number of college students who enroll in the ROTC and later become officers is down.
    Enrollment in Army ROTC – the Army’s largest source of new officers – has plunged 21 percent since 2002. The Army will fail to meet its goal of commissioning 4,500 new second lieutenants from ROTC next year and, possibly, the year after, said the general in charge of cadets.
    Some defense analysts say it’s another sign the military has become overextended by the war in Iraq.
    Some ROTC officials worry the war is sending the wrong message to college students: Don’t join the military.
    With ROTC providing nearly 70 percent of the Army’s new officers, fewer second lieutenants – who typically command platoons – could mean younger officers will spend more time in the war zone.
    The ROTC shortfall comes as the Army is struggling with its failure to meet annual enlisted recruiting goals, as it needs men and women to fill its ranks for repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
    And, next Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether military recruiters can be blocked from college campuses.
    Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programs are on college campuses in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. The Army, Air Force and Navy, which also commissions Marine officers, run separate programs. Total enrollment is currently 46,405. It peaked in 2003 at more than 55,000 students.
    Reserve officer training is a misnomer.
    By far, ROTC is the Pentagon’s largest producer of active-duty officers, surpassing the military academies and officer schools. After ROTC students graduate, they are commissioned as second lieutenants or ensigns. This year, the military commissioned 7,617 graduates from ROTC programs.
    Air Force and Navy ROTC also have posted enrollment declines for the past two years, but officials say their services are intentionally downsizing.
    The Army ROTC shortfall follows a post-9/11 surge of patriotism that boosted enrollment to more than 31,750 in November 2003. New officer commissions rose to 4,408 in May 2004.
    By this fall, enrollment had fallen to 25,086. And, commissions last spring dropped to 4,178.
    The Army Cadet Command’s leader, Maj. Gen. Montague Winfield, blamed the enrollment drop on the war and other reasons.
    While college students continue to want to serve their country, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan has had a negative impact on enrollments, Winfield acknowledged.
    “There are ‘influencers’ out there who don’t want their children (going to war),” Winfield said, using a military recruiting term for parents.
    While none of the students who have dropped ROTC in recent years has mentioned the war as the reason, Col. Hampton Hite at the University of Virginia said, “My guess is, yes, the war is a factor.”
    The war has deterred students from signing up, said David Axe, a Charleston, S.C., journalist whose forthcoming book, “Army 101,” chronicles ROTC.
    “I’ve talked to several students (at the University of South Carolina) who dropped out of ROTC because they didn’t want to fight in the war,” he said.
    Winfield also pointed to grade requirements, physical fitness standards and health issues as hurting ROTC enrollment.
    “Gen Y tends to be heavier … a lot of young people still have their baby fat. But, we work with them (to get them leaner),” he added.
    Some of the Army’s problems are self-inflicted.
    After overspending its financial aid budget, the Army has cut back on scholarships. And, the Army is trying to target minorities and students with better grades.
    Despite the downward trend in new officers, Winfield said ROTC surpassed its commissioning goals for three years in a row, post 9/11.
    He predicted ROTC units would produce 3,900 officers next year – the smallest group in four years.
    To take up the slack, the Army plans to recruit and train more college graduates in officer candidate school. Also, the Army hopes to sign up more students before their junior year for an accelerated two-year ROTC program and will offer larger financial incentives.
    But, Winfield added, the shortfall will take time to erase.
    Because ROTC students must complete college before becoming military officers, any increase or decrease in enrollment takes years before it affects the officer ranks.
    “Our ‘flash to bang’ is two to four years,” the general said, using the analogy of lightning – seeing the bolt of lightning and hearing the thunderclap.
    Declining college ROTC enrollment is not the Pentagon’s only crisis. The war’s drain on money, equipment and manpower is lining up the military for an “imminent train wreck,” said Axe.

  102. Manila Bay Watch on Wed, 26th Sep 2007 4:25 pm 

    Leah,

    If that is the case, then it seems to me that compulsory ROTC is important, don’t you think? Why should this anger millions? Nation must face the fact that it that defence is bulwark of independence.

  103. Manila Bay Watch on Thu, 27th Sep 2007 7:56 am 

    Karl,

    “all driver bodyguards,assigned…”

    Good suggestion! Maybe they can replace Esperon and his fellow so-called generals who are wimps! Our bunch of generals today are really useless anyway.

  104. leah on Thu, 27th Sep 2007 12:29 pm 

    compulsory ROTC is ridiculous. we do not need an army reserve bigger than America or China.

    if all the college students have to waste time and pesos of course they will be angry, as will their parents.
    It serves no military purpose. Not 500,000 a year just marching with plastic rifles. the cost in uniforms, doctors excuses, bribes, snacks etc will be in the billions.

    and the elite will just send their children and grandchildren to the USA, as Ople did at the same time he wanted ROTC for everyone else

  105. Manila Bay Watch on Thu, 27th Sep 2007 11:48 pm 

    Leah,

    Best thing to do is to do some kind of referendum in school, targeting parents and children.

  106. Primer C. Pagunuran on Wed, 3rd Oct 2007 5:55 am 

    ABZTEFG – deal or no deal?

    The real good thing about our indicatively damaged psyche, come to think of it, is that the senators, as the Senate now took cognizance of the infamous AB-ZTE-FG scam, behave in such a misbehaving way – projecting themselves as cordial, objective, impartial, unknowing – just when it is not the time and place to do so. If these early signs were any indication, it sets the stage for a final committee report that would, in effect, absolve Abalos, Benjamin; ZTE: and first and foremost, First Gentleman. When this happens, the whole exercise is one of gross futility and not surprisingly enough since as always, Malacanang’s “hatchet men” in the Senate (Enrile, Angara, Santiago) will always bid orders of GMA, their most favored patron. So what else is new?

    A ZTE project that would cost the Philippine government $329 million is said to be overpriced by as much as $130 million – a reason valid enough why the young JDV cried wolf or turned sour grape when Amsterdam Holdings, Inc. lost in a bidding that never really took place. The accusing finger, it now appears, points to COMELEC Chairman Abalos as the broker. No less than DOTC Secretary Mendoza ought to be as badly implicated as signatory to a supposed-to-be contract or memorandum of understanding, as witnessed by GMA herself. Key government officials appear to have their hands tied on a string at the end of which shows us First Gentleman as the one pulling it. Did not the young JDV tell us that FG threw to his face the words – “back off!” – when Abalos, Mendoza, even Teves, and no less than FG all met in a small air-conditioned room in Wack Wack? Truly, this wacky sum of $329 million – now cast in public view – ought to be looked into.

    Ironically enough, the just recently decided case of plunder of Erap dwarfs in comparison to this AB-ZTE-FG, a National Broadband Network project where high public officials may have been possibly involved, directly or indirectly. There are clear indications that there were efforts to do away with the normal bidding requirements for this broadband cyber-backbone project that would connect the entire Philippine government structure – digitally. And if Lacson’s claims be proved true, there were bribes to this person or that by the project proponent ZTE. Certainly, JDV III is said to have been offered $10 million likewise to withdraw any interest in the project except that he has to spill the beans, matter-of-factly.

    Problem is, a viewing universe will have to be glued in their TV sets to monitor developments on this full-dressed investigation until the whole zarzuela is brought to a vote where predictably, the tyranny of numbers is king. At the end of the day, senators will simply tell us, some rules and regulations have been violated, albeit, not intentionally or with any obvious criminal intent to defraud the government. They will tell us that there were no public monies actually spent at any stage of this transaction and that in fact, had the contract been allowed to be perfected, it would have redounded to the highest public good (summum bonum).

    Malacanang’s skilled propagandists have always proven themselves to be reliable cleansing agents. They will turn the table on the young JDV labeling him as sour-graping, hallucinating and all that. Unwittingly, the young JDV may have pushed his father to the wall or why indeed should a person like him bear any interest in big-time government deals such as an NBN project? The old JDV should not have permitted his young son to ever get involved into projects such as these as it would, implicitly and explicitly, indicate some personal interests to derive kickbacks, commissions, rebates, whatever soon as a project is sealed with approval.

    Funny but true, there seems to be no document to be examined since the very contract or MOA itself is said to have been lost in a hotel in China by you know who. How good can the Senate really lay the brick one upon another if the bricks are no longer there in the first place? No one anyway seriously believes that anything can really come up in this deceiving Senate investigation. It will be the height of naivety to even start to believe that anyone will soon be impeached, imprisoned, fined, or penalized. In the final analysis, what we are witnessing is a grand zarzuela laid before our eyes as someone pulls the rugs from under our feet. JDV III has just launched a sure senatorial bid come 2010. He will have my vote – no guts, no glory.

  107. Primer C. Pagunuran on Wed, 14th Nov 2007 8:37 am 

    Batasan blast – what’s this?

    JDV was uncharacteristically too quick to point the accusing finger to terrorists or anarchists right after a bomb that exploded at the South Wing Entrance of the Batasan killed three, badly wounded other individuals, destroyed cars and government property.

    GMA, on the other hand, appeared on national TV to caution against those spreading unverified claims as to who the culprit is to this rather bastard act of cowardice as she promised to go at the bottom of things on this incident.

    DILG chief likewise theorized, albeit prematurely, that the blast was directed to Congressman Akbar as some weeks before this incident, there had been intelligence reports of an assassination plot. If it were something known to the DILG chief beforehand, had there been enough precautionary measures taken as would have precluded this bomb explosion right at the home-front?

    PNP chief claimed to have known the owners of the two-motorcycles that were suspected as the bomb carriers, parked as they were near the casualties’ cars. The post-blast operatives appear rather too slow to make public its findings on what kind of explosive materials may have set off this tragic blast.

    Against this backdrop, one might ask – what is happening to this country, Madame President? Is this not part of a larger scenario that would set the stage for a military regime? Could this not be the work of media genius to deflect public attention from the more mundane societal issues to the less?

    Tri-media (TV, radio, print, electronic), as usual, now train their focus on this event as though the recent Glorietta bombing and the fatal vehicular accident that killed Atty. Saguisag’s wife have now become less of media value. The Congress’ payola, more importantly, has been hidden from public view. This turn-to-to-the-next-page practice in news reportage is really beyond comprehension.

    Batasan blast and that of Glorietta really share a lot in common. In both, the cause of the explosion is not known till now. The perpetrators, likewise, are yet to be identified. The extent of possible damage of such explosions is basically the same – more casualties with more people, less with less. Versions, coming from independent sources, conflict with one another.

    A viewing universe is at a lost – awaits only the more official theory on all these. Is there an emerging pattern of more explosions that would kill or harm target personalities, inflict death or injury to innocent people, create damage to private or public properties, sow chaos, intrigue, and all that? Are there paid mercenaries to pull al these tricks from their dirty departments?

    Come to think of it, the blast inside the very premises of the Batasan Complex is not one that could normally be undertaken without being nipped in the bud. And this one, escaped notice. What is this? Even veteran coup plotters are not about the group that can launch such kind of an attack – right at the heart of Batasan. How then did it happen?

    The assassination theory is a self-contradictory claim given that the radius of possible damage the explosion would cause is illogically too large. It is shotgun approach – and as such, could not have been directed toward a particular target. The theory of motorcycle bombs is an untenable one even highly stupid given that motorcycle riders are vulnerable to checkpoints. To blame the “tiangge” is another scapegoat to provide alibi for a possible serious security lapse.

    In the higher scheme of things, it just might be a political statement. It takes away from our collective consciousness the otherwise fresh but issues of overriding importance at this point in time. The move on whether to unseat JDV for some indicative involvement in the issue of payola shall be automatically shelved for now. The equally pressing move to push the impeachment case against GMA will have to placed in the back burner in favor of what is neatly and skillfully projected as a better option given this series of explosions.

    How indeed the Batasan blast was caused by motorcycle bombs when there were no footages at all of a single motorcycle torn into pieces? Why did the PNP remove all the fallen debris, flashed down with water nearly everything that should have been preserved as crucial evidence? The assassin would again be a fall guy just to close this page in history, pray tell.

  108. Primer C. Pagunuran on Thu, 7th Feb 2008 6:30 am 

    JDV out – another with a different collar

    JDV’s almost theatrical 59-minute rhetoric, served public notice that he stood trial – and pleaded guilty as charged, matter-of-factly. Keen observers of trends know where the man is coming from – trying even a last-ditch effort – to free his head off the noose. Blackmail, call it that, for the first and final act, against the president of this damned republic. It was time for the man that left a legacy only best known to him – to go. Or ask anyone in the know what monstrous scenario he has created in an institution called the House of Representatives as its supposed-to-be mere agency head. JDV projected himself as bigger than the institution he represents when in truth and in fact, no part ought to be bigger than the whole. Thus, he probably overdid the state of affairs of what ought to be a sacred institution in so far as the officials and employees are concerned and more so in so far as the historic role of a Legislature is taken into account.

    The vote configuration betrayed the man who thought he has all the Batasan for himself – as new set of congressmen and women mixed with the old set in what Pichay always referred to as the ‘Old Boys Club’. Now, there must be any given number of his colleagues – old or new – who rebelled against JDV’s own self-fulfilling prophecy not to mention antics that have already lost their spell or hypnotic effect. Ironically how many editors, political analysts, and even scholars ever thought of JDV as the consummate statesman – as such perception rests on a mistake. It is not just Malacanang that benefited more with his ouster – the Filipino people in general. The anomaly that is JDV is soon a thing of the past or how indeed can he seat as speaker for three consecutive terms when each time a new Congress opens, every member is deemed on equal footing – no such thing as primus inter pares. In other words, he is the author of a grand historical blunder and good thing this Gorgian knot is finally cut that no more tradition as bad as that JDV authored be repeated in history.

    Public perception of JDV is limited to what we read in newspapers, hear over radio, watch on TV, view on the net. All these were created to be false by the man himself who writes his own press release, his own oratory, his own place in history. History should be objective but when he came, he made it purely subjective as though everything that happens in the country, every issue that burns in the day, every hope left for the entire people – gravitates around his well-designed image as a great political leader of the times. Not anymore as his long oratory or rhetoric gave the man away – JDV – in real than in reel, has become more of himself. Now that he has to subordinate himself to the new leadership he himself apparently anointed – good or bad – not much shall be heard of him. He shall resigned himself to oblivion – the sooner the better – that no more of him is heard, not his idea – if it ever was a bright one anyway. His chronic reference to all his accomplishments – spoken from the first point of view, that is – really is an insult to intelligence. Now he fall in his own snake pit.

    JDV’s successor, albeit his protégé, does not have to test the waters any longer. Problem is, our fate and future might still be more of the same as they both came from the same breed of what Salonga conveniently calls ‘traditional politicians’ and its negative slant. Spin doctors, damage control experts, media handlers need not do a lot of dishing in or dishing out. The same menu will be served to the public at large with no perceptible change in flavor detected from any distance from the frying pan. As a people or as a country, Nograles doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel. Creeping patronage politics as that discussed by Brillantes of UP will be the norm than the exception. If we go by B.F. Skinner’s psychoanalysis, we shall find out in no time at all, that anybody driven by the same set of stimuli will respond in the same particular way as that demonstrated by the old occupant for three punishing terms or the man called JDV. Thus, it is not as if ‘payolas’ will be a thing of the past. It is not as if ‘lobby money’ will no longer circulate within the Big League. It is not as if, the Congress will cease to be a Malacanang rubber-stamp.

    PGMA is probably the luckiest president we ever had. And she better has to finish all of her term in office till she really has to go herself – with all the music and trimmings of a well-served term, if we can call it that. Nothing has been proven of all the charges slapped against her to the satisfaction of the High Court. On whether or not the High Court is beholden to her is another story by itself. If the AFP and PNP and even the bureaucracy itself continue to patronize her leadership, so be it – nothing is the matter with that. If coup plotters, destabilizers, or other extremists group cannot inflict the political blow they want to deliver, then so be it. The president is the president under all the harsh conditions that have visited her – past, present, future.

    It would seem that no promising group ever holds promise. No such group can keep up a good fight – not even the so-called ‘bully from the school yard’. Definitely, not Lacson, not Cayetano, not Escudero, not Magdalo. Nobody as no group can boot PGMA out of office except by the tinkerable processes of law. Malacanang knows what buttons to press, its survival kit complete, its lieutenants and sub-alterns trained in politics as it should be better done under existing culture and sub-cultures. PGMA’s core group of advisers are a force to reckon with and they understand their political calculus more than other presidents combined. Who said it was hard for PGMA to boot out JDV from his speakership? It is a walk in the park – so far as PGMA is concerned – no fuss, no fibs. The daughter of the former president knows how to run the affairs of state, albeit – one step forward, two steps backward, if you follow my drift. Fact is, the more she is ‘harassed’, the stronger her stay in power becomes.

    What is in store for the Filipino people?

    PRIMER C. PAGUNURAN
    UP Diliman, Quezon City Email: nielsky_2003@yahoo.com Cellphone: 09164985265

  109. f. c. zamora on Thu, 28th Feb 2008 8:59 am 

    sir, this is the first time i visited your blog but i did read some of your issues already in the national paper. i have my cartoon blog and i want to include you in my blogroll. is it ok? thanks in advance and more power.

  110. mlq3 on Thu, 28th Feb 2008 9:35 am 

    yes of course, thank you very much.

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