Update 2:13 pm In a comment on her blog, Ellen Tordesillas says the President’s husband arrives back home tomorrow.
Update 1:42 pm Atty. Gabriel Villaroel, lawyer of Abalos, says the ex-Chairman will file damage suits versus Jose de Venecia III; versus Romulo Neri; and also, a perjury suit versus Romulo Neri.
Update 12:57 Surrounded by his family, Benjamin Abalos, introduced by Benhur, speaks: (shrieks of support from loyalists):
Good Afternoon, specially to my townmates from Mandaluyong many barefoot and in slippers, here even with the bad weather. Thank you for coming to this press conference I called to let our countrymen know how I truly feel about issues and controversies involving my honor, my work, and the privacy and tranquility of my family. It’s been a week since I appeared at the Senate, despite counsel of lawyers and friends, expecting they’d be fair and statesmanlike. I was sorely mistaken, not treated fairly; limited to what they wanted to hear; in these few days of consultation of family and friends, I have come to the painful determination to separate my person from the office I hold. Ladies and gentlemen, I have resigned… (screams of outrage from audience) effectively immediately. However, let not my detractors feast on this… I am not admitting guilt and I am not giving up on my determination to clear my name. I am doing this to spare the Comelec. October 20 election will be detached from my problems…. And this proves I am not dangling so-called political debts… or that administration is out to protect me… Forty years ago I entered politics… and in support of the reasons I entered, that’s why I am resigning…. I am doing this to prevent a long drawn-out impeachment process… Thank you to colleagues in government for comfort all these years… Thank you to my family… I am all the more determined to continue my crusade to clear my name and reputation and dispel the lies… The fight isn’t over! (cheering) However long the darkness lasts, there will be a beautiful dawn, we shall meet again, heads raised high, in a new dawn. Thank you.
The Romans had a term for this sort of thing: falling on one’s sword. He spared himself the risk of an impeachment trial and conviction; and he avoided the opportunity to spill the beans on the President. Benhur’s lease on political life, too, has been given a reprieve, which in the end may have been the clincher. Charges will now be in the hands of the (ta-dah!) Ombudsman.
Update 12:49 TV reports a mass going on with 500 supporters at the residence of Chairman Abalos, and he will then make a statement. Abalos looks calm and collected, Benhur Abalos grimacing and frowning.
Update 10:57 am: News vans arrived and began setting up at the House of Representatives this morning, in expectation of a stormy session this afternoon. Congressmen have been trickling in to endorse the impeachment complaint versus Chairman Abalos. Word is, an informal head count by Abalos’s family indicates the proponents of impeachment have the numbers. The Speaker has gone on record releasing members of the House from their loyalty to the party line -turning impeachment into a “conscience vote.” The Chairman has announced he is holding a press conference at noon, and there is talk that rather than face an impeachment, he will resign. Others believe he will, instead, release a bombshell to try to derail the brewing impeachment.
***
This is, perhaps, the longest text message I’ve ever received, sent by a Palace loyalist. I assume it represents the emerging party line (which has taken them long enough to put together!) and therefore, this message bears close scrutiny concerning those the message absolves and defends and those it condemns:
Neri must be compelled to talk. He’s invoking Exec Priv bec he wants d public think he s protecting GMA. Neri started by telling media he will talk about d bribe offer n d proper forum bec he wants d senate 2 investigate him. at d senate he invoked Exec Priv. Neri s slowly poisoning d mind of d public so dey wud suspek pres s involved. He’s blackmailing admin. 2 protect JDV’s speakership. GMA tried 2 cancel NBN when she met ChinaPres n APEC but he threatened 2 cancel all other future investments f she does. D suspension of all d China supported Agri proj. worth USD 1.3B s just d start. Facts:China appointed ZTE 2 implement d NBN proj. ZTE contracted-Multimedia telephony (4merly owned by JDV3 & sold 2 Ricky Razon n 2003) 2 b their Manila counterpart. JDV3 tried 2 steal it thru Neri, a JDV puppet. Neri, issued a comfort letter 2 JDV3 so he can raise funds & pressure ZTE 2give him d contract instead of Multimedia. When he failed even w/ his father’s power pushing, he decided to go 2 media & opposition. In JDV3’s testimonies he said he went to see ZTE several times but never said he went 2 DOTC 2 push his offer. Abalos s d broker of ZTE n getting China 2 appoint ZTE. Abalos stands to earn P200M frm ZTE. JDV3 thought Abalos can convince ZTE 2 move him what razon got. Razon sought d help of FG 2 stop JDV3. MVP also tried 2get a share of d biz but Razon wont let him. N return, PLDT paid d UP prof P1M 2 make d study dat wil put d NBN-ZTE look bad. PLDT s funding all d bad PR on Razon & giving d opposition senators d bullets 2 kill d NBNZTE. NBN-ZTE s nothing but a fight of greedy pipol but could cause enormous economic loss 4 d country.
The message places the President as the heroine, and Enrique Razon as one of the aggrieved parties, and pits the Presidents versus the Speaker and the Philippines as the victim of Chinese dictation (as for the Chinese government itself, it’s issued diplomatically impeccable, vanilla statements: China closely monitors ZTE probe, though there is speculation the President might cancel her upcoming trip to China: Palace: No word yet on cancellation of Arroyo’s China visit).
I think this long text message suggests the emerging Palace view as to those who are allied on one side (its side), and how it’s lashing out at former allies it now considers on the other side.
Consider this part of the proceedings last Wednesday:
Abalos: I have here copy of letter, my counsel secured… Addressed to Mike Defensor stated it may interest to know that ZTE a reputable firm in China, responded to this undertaking and consequently, Chinese government designated it as NBN “frime” contractor.
Lacson: Mr de Venecia?
JDV3: This is 1st or 2nd time I’ve heard this in 3 days. Why is Abalos involved in NBN? To rebut him, I divested my shares in multimedia telephony, in 2003, bought by Anscor, Ricky Razon… I have documents that show in 2004 supply contract between my former company and ZTE with regards to vendor contract. I don’t need Abalos to lobby for me because I already know ZTE.
Note that JDV3 says he sold out to a group composed of the Sorianos and Ricky Razon (and note the connection to the text message I quoted in its entirety).
Much later in the same hearing, this came out:
Pimentel: I understand you’ve incurred the ire of some business people, because of your stand of privatization of arrastre service?
Neri: There’s a monopoly, I favored allowing Harbor Center to compete, as our containter fees among highest costs in the world for containers…
Pimentel: Among those angry is Ricky Razon?
Neri: Well, met him at reception for Equitorial Guinea president, Speaker’s mother-in-law’s house, Forbes Park, it was there he accosted me, in effect telling me, in effect, you will allow Harbor Center to operate over my dead body.
Those familiar with the inner circle of the President know that Enrique Razon wields great influence. Some have gone as far -and this inference can be drawn from Neri’s testimony- that Razon, whose resume includes interest in container and port management, publishing and printing, etc (he got into publishing, it seems, when the Sorianos sold him the Manila Standard; he then further acquired Today to form The Manila Standard-Today) was influential enough to get Neri removed from the director-generaliship of NEDA because he wanted arrastre services liberalized (Razon has shown his infighting skills in this department in the past).
In other words, according to those claiming to be in the know, it was Neri’s decision on the ports issue that got him moved out of NEDA, and it had nothing to do with ZTE which, after all, Neri ended up signing off on.
One source went as far as saying that as far as JDV3’s testimony that Multimedia Telephony was sold by JDV3 and now owned by Razon, the Sorianos, Server, etc., is true; a source mentioned Nono Ibazeta, now president of Psalm, formerly our ambassador to Iraq as a “padrino” but of what, exactly, was never clear (But as for the connection between the two? Ibazeta was ambassador to Iraq; Razon was appointed by the President a member of the Public-Private Sector Task force on the Reconstruction and Development of Iraq: an investigative reporter would be licking their chops over such a lead) .
And there’s more: Arroyo okayed talks with ZTE on NBN before NEDA review. This compounds the issue.
But the combination of Neri disappointing those expecting him to tell all, and yet, the obvious lack of celebration on the part of the Palace and its partisans, brings up something blogger chizjarkace wrote:
Even after being urged by some senators that yesterday was the day Neri could do the country a great favor by not hiding under the executive privilege, he still insisted that he was only following Ermita’s order.
That was a clear sign of Neri’s loyalty to the administration, but is the administration loyal to him? I don’t think so. In fact Ermita just denied that he was the one who ordered Neri to invoke the privilege. If Neri wasn’t lying about it then Ermita is. Neri should take that as an indication that even how much he shield Malacañang, he is not assured to get the same protection. Who knows, if the controversy becomes even bigger, he might be the next fall guy for the couple in the palace.
As Justice Isagani Cruz opined,
Romulo Neri appears to be the most believable of the three witnesses, considering his clean living image and his magna cum laude academic credentials from UP and the MBA degree from the University of California. I am disappointed, however, that when asked about President Macapagal-Arroyo’s possible involvement in the scandal, he evaded the question and invoked her – not his – ”executive privilege” in obedience to Secretary Eduardo Ermita’s instruction. Some persons may be honest but not necessarily brave.
The Ignatian Perspective pens a spirited defense of Romulo Neri, and encourages him to withstand the tremendous pressures he’s undeniably being subjected to, by all sides. Ricky Carandang, in his blog, says those disappointed with Neri fail to see that what he has revealed, under oath, is damning enough (something also said in a recent Inquirer editorial by the way). As Carandang puts it,
I know many are disappointed at former NEDA Secretary Romulo Neri’s performance at Wednesday’s senate hearing on the ZTE Broadband deal, but I think he said a mouthful…
Despite being informed of the bribe offer, Arroyo eventually approved the ZTE broadband deal.
On its face, the fact that a cabinet level officer reported a bribery attempt in connection with the deal should have been enough cause for Arroyo to stay away from it. It should have also been grounds for Neri to refuse to nominate te ZTE deal. And yet, despite the bribe offer, that’s exactly what they did.
Not only is that improper, that’s illegal.
What should have happened is that Arroyo should have referred the matter to the Ombudsman and out of a sense of propriety, refused to entertain the ZTE proposal. Neri should have either refused to sign the April 20 letter or — if he were somehow being pressured to sign it — resigned.
Now, like some chess maneuver, Benjamin Abalos is being sacrificed as Malacanang circles the wagons around Arroyo.
But what we’ve learned is that Arroyo knew that Abalos was pushing the ZTE deal as early as October. She was also aware that a senior cabinet member was claiming that Abalos attempted to bribe him. In other words, she had knowledge of two illegal acts pertaining to the ZTE deal prior to approving it.
Many people were disappointed that Neri didn’t somehow implicate Arroyo in all this. They suspect, with good reason, that the subsequent conversations that Neri refused to talk about would indicate the extent of her involvement in ZTE. And they would be right. But what people don’t seem to realize is that already, Neri’s testimony has damned his president. And possibly himself as well.
Yesterday, a dramatic headline appeared in the Inquirer: Neri was ready to talk about ZTE. The revelations, which go beyond the usual two-source requirement but lists four sources, are quite astounding:
According to the four sources of the Inquirer, Neri was ready to answer the senators’ questions when Sen. Joker Arroyo intervened. (The sources all declined to speak on the record in deference to the gag rule governing executive sessions.)
Arroyo reportedly made a motion to allow Neri to avail himself of the legal counsel of his choice.
“I think he tried to help” was how a source explained Arroyo’s purported move.
On the phone last night, Arroyo denied that he had intervened….
After Arroyo’s motion, Budget Secretary Rolando “Nonoy” Andaya Jr. entered the members-only Senators’ Lounge, according to the Inquirer sources.
Andaya, who succeeded Neri in the budget department, came in supposedly to act as the latter’s lawyer.
A source said the senators had an argument about the presence of Andaya, who, some insisted, should not be acting as Neri’s lawyer because he was also a member of the Cabinet.
“It’s hard to predict what he (Neri) was going to say, but he was about to talk. I think it’s the presence of Nonoy that stopped him,” one source said…
…Inside the Senators’ Lounge, Neri began to experience chills, and by one observer’s account, it might have been partly because he was afraid.
The sources could not explain how Andaya got into the picture, but he was seen arriving at the Senate a few hours before the senators decided to take Neri to the executive session.
“Basta dumating na lang, umupo doon (He just arrived and sat there),” a source said.
The sources said Andaya told the senators not to press Neri to talk because the latter was sick.
“Then kinalabit na niya si Neri,” a source said…
…The executive session was over in less than 30 minutes.
The story led to angry replies: Joker denies he blocked Neri’s ZTE deal exposé. And to the Palace laying the basis for a possible non-appearance in the future: Palace exec: Neri sore at media for sowing ‘intrigues’. After all, I have nothing more to say on broadband deal–Neri.
(update: Jarius Bondoc has taken an unprecedented step for a columnist, revealing his source and what the source told him; originally, he was going to hold a press conference but instead, the information appeared in his column this morning; because the Star website’s links are wacky, I’m reprinting the column in full):
I understand why Neri couldn’t talk
GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc
Monday, October 1, 2007I called Romy Neri right after testifying Sept. 18 in that first Senate hearing on the ZTE scam. It was our tenth talk about the issue since Apr. 20, when The STAR ran my first of a series of articles. I pried why he didn’t show up, if he was under any threat of harm, and when he’ll reveal all he knows. From his replies it was clear he was charily weighing the consequences. There’s a time and place for everything, he mused, then asked if what he has narrated to me thus far would “incite another EDSA.” I said I didn’t know, but that I do wish the Senate inquiry would spark a wave of reforms, starting with clean elections. He shared the dream, but doubted if it would come true soon. Our talk eventually led to sacrificing for the sake of the nation. He said Joey de Venecia was brave to implicate big names, adding that if push comes to shove the young whistleblower fortunately has a rich dad to fall back on. “I’m not affluent,” Romy stated the obvious. Neither am I, I reminded him. Whereupon, he shot back: “Oh, but you’re a journalist, you’re supposed to be dedicated to the truth.”
Yes, in this calling our first instinct is to truth and justice, at all costs. So with Romy’s words in mind I must disclose what he has told me. I know I might get him and myself into deep trouble with powerful persons. But that is journalism. Too, in my hierarchy of values, God is first, country next, family and friends third, and myself bottom. Patriotic duty calls.
Romy bared many frightening things when he called me morning of Apr. 20. I had written that the government was rushing to award the ZTE contract the next day in Boao, China, and that the NEDA, which he headed then, had approved the overpriced telecoms supply in a huff. Before I could ask anything, Romy blurted three items in succession: “This deal was the handiwork of Ricky Razon and Comelec chief Benjamin Abalos … I warned President Arroyo about this, and also told Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. … Abalos tried to bribe me P200 million.”
I was stunned, and asked him to start over again by answering some basic questions. Like, how the NEDA got involved in this, and why a build-operate-transfer project suddenly became a negotiated supply purchase. He said “NEDA had to make an evaluation any which way.” Too, the law “allows the President to waive ODA (overseas development assistance) rules in a bilateral or government-to-government agreement.” He stressed that NEDA had no capacity to determine any overpricing, then explained the three steps in any NEDA project review.
Three times Romy repeated he had warned Arroyo about the deal. He told her about the bribe offer, and she allegedly replied “then don’t accept it, but work on the approvals just the same.” He said Arroyo kept blaming Joey for the mess that was then brewing.
The culprits in this deal, he said, are “ZTE Corp., Razon, Abalos - and one more….” When I asked why his NEDA approved the ZTE proposal when he knew all along it was stinky, he said, “GMA was pushing it, and it’s our job to process.” With pain in his voice, Romy said he had almost resigned the day before.
“My life is in your hands,” Romy cautioned towards the end. He said Abalos had wiretapped one of his staff, and Razon had once threatened him at a cocktail party hosted by the Speaker.
Before he hung up, Romy said that my exposé had the potential to mar the administration’s chances in the May election. It was so explosive, he counseled, so I must be very careful. He also said he would fire off a Letter to the Editor to clarify his role, in view of the sensitive info he had just shared.
I expect Romy to get mad at me initially. He already did because of my column last Monday, which his friends said put him in peril for hinting at what he might testify to. I apologized to him Tuesday, explaining that I intended his potential tormentors to realize, for his safety, that some other persons and I know what he knows. Too, that I wanted corroboration of Joey’s testimony.
I also expect Romy to understand in the end. He was feverish and coughing when he testified Wednesday. The media have since praised him for boldly divulging Abalos’s bribe attempt, but also pilloried him for hedging on matters involving higher officials. Some even mocked him for downplaying his role at NEDA as presidential co-chair of major projects, making it look like he wasn’t worth a P200-million payoff to begin with.
But then news reports have it that Romy was ready to bare all during the executive session at 9 p.m., just that he was having chills. I pray I can help him with this. Before the hearing I offered Romy a prayer for fortitude. He said he was more courageous than us. I don’t doubt it.
My column today,Should thuggery trump secrecy? tackles this dramatic story of an “intervention” in the Senate’s executive session (I translated “kalabit” as “nudged,” which may or may not impart the proper imagery). It is a story that suggests those inclined to sympathize or at least show compassion towards Neri, may be on to something, and that the new official line he has nothing more to say, is to prevent his saying anything further. The man didn’t just fold because the pressure was intense; the pressure may have been applied persistently and in a manner that represents an institutional assault on the senate itself. This morning, at least one senator is of a similar view: Lacson: Andaya lawyered for Neri during call for exec meet.
And, bearing in mind what Ignatian Perspective and Ricky Carandang wrote, blogger Slap Happy ties it all together with the reports on the Senate’s Executive Session:
In fact, the mere notion that he cited Executive Privilege was to keep everybody in bated breath over what he has to say. It’s like his way of telling the Senators, “I have something, and boy oh boy will you love this, but wait, they might go after me after this so you have got to assure me safety.”
I think this safety clause should be made before he changes his mind, lest we suddenly read the papers tomorrow and find that he has flown out of the country.
All of this talk had stemmed from Neri’s appearance in an executive meeting of the Senators who were investigating the NBN Deal.
In an article from Inquirer.net, Neri was supposed to start talking had not someone intervened and allowed him to have legal representation for the meeting, and then Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya appeared and said that he was appearing on Neri’s behalf.
This was when they noticed Neri getting the chills or feeling sick or something. The guy must be really scared with the information he holds.
Pretty much like what i have written earlier, this has become more of like a soap opera where the plot thickens and characters with significant issues suddenly appear.
If the rumors are true, and what he indeed knows will blow up in the executive office faces, i think it is our moral duty to protect and impose upon Neri the moral ascendancy to speak up and correct what he sees is wrong.
Since these hearings will resume, yesterday’s Inquirer editorial imparts some advise on how such hearings can be better handled:
The Senate must review its procedures. The lowest point was Richard Gordon acting like a petulant child, insisting on adding a full hour to the proceedings because he craved television time, when even his usually fractious colleagues had decided to go into executive session. Gordon wouldn’t even give the chairmen of the committees, Sen. Alan Cayetano in particular, the basic respect due a chairman. We have seen many moments of political degeneracy in our recent Senates, but Gordon’s was among the most galling debasements of the Senate. Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s slur on an entire civilization came quite close in disgracefulness.
The Senate has no apologies to make for seizing on the ZTE-NBN issue and following the money, as investigators of Watergate were once advised. They are doing their job – but so badly as to be incompetent. They must learn to ask proper questions, which requires teamwork, and they must show they know as much as – if not more than – wily executive officials trying to prevent their finding out the truth.
But it goes beyond that: the Senate must not shrink from a confrontation with the Executive, not only on the basis for invoking executive privilege, but on its possible intrusion into the executive session.
And if it’s true that ‘GMA allies ready to sacrifice Abalos’, is a premature feeding frenzy worth it? Once you pick Abalos’ political carcass clean to the bone, then what? Or sustain the pressure, and investigate all the way to the top? Update 12:12 pm: however, the Speaker has gone on record releasing his partymates from party loyalty or discipline on this issue, making their choices on whether to sign on to impeachment or not, a “conscience vote.” Since party discipline is the ultimate line of defense, this suggests the Speaker’s implicitly favoring impeachment. The Speaker’s expected to endorse the impeachment complaint to the Committee on Justice this afternoon or tomorrow, which means it could then gather steam, with congressmen trickling in to sign on.
On another note, in Inquirer Current John Nery clarifies some misreported details; this made me review my liveblogging account and whew, at least he wasn’t referring to my (terse) account:
Estrada: you said, Mystery Man was Atty. Arroyo. When did you first see him?
JDV3: earlier this year, Wack-Wack, it was Atty. Arroyo with Abalos, Jimmy Paz, Quirino de la Torre, Ruben Reyes and Leo San Miguel.
Estrada: What were exact words Atty. Arroyo told you?
“Back off,” says JDV3.
Estrada: “Back off” were exact words? In presence of Abalos, etc? I have a waiter friend there, can you demonstrate how it was done?
JDV3: May I use seatmate as model? (giggle) shoves finger in face of Suplico and yells, “Back off!!”
And also, here, my account seems OK, too:
Santiago: I am not interested in that project. For record China invented civilization in the East, but they also invented corruption that’s why these Chinese like inviting people to golf, etc. As officials we know we’re being invited not for our good looks… On record, let me put it on record: I resent being made party to this squabble! You’re just fighting over kickbacks! You’re wasting Senate time! (Santiago leaves Senate)
11:13 Cayetano: Noted.
Speaking of these liveblogging efforts, please refer to Achieving Happiness who also covered the hearing. And Rasheed Abou-Alsamh points out something we should bear in mind:
It is not that often that people in developing countries get to see non-elected government officials squirm on live television while they are relentlessly grilled by elected representatives of the people. And it is a scene that I have never seen happen in an Arab country.
You know, anything can be liveblogged, check out Jalajala Rizal liveblogging a fiesta.
Meanwhile, Carmen Pedrosa continues to find every which way to keep justifying her recent trip to Burma and thus, her role in coddling the junta.
mlq3:What does Ronnie Puno really bring to the table? Ronnie Puno has been connected with Marcos/Eamos/Erap/GMA administrations?
re brian on cory: cory lost a chance to be even greater in history by forcing her family to lead by example and simply relinquish hacienda luisita. that being said, i tend to be irked by all the focus on luisita because much as some dislike their scheme (technically giving shares of stock instead of actual land) this was still a solution light-years ahead those that other landed families refused to even consider. and that in general, there were, until recently, far better relations and benefits on that estate than in countless other estates where real, brutal, peonage existed before 1987 and continues to this day. yet all the focus is on luisita and not, say, on the arroyo haciendas and the agitation in negros to simply scrap the carp.
“moral of the story: there was lots of money for private firms, lots of benefits for the government, potential benefits for the people, if government did less monkeying around and just did deals the right way.”
When I was young I get punished for actions that result in damage or loss for my family, even though the act itself in not morally or ethically reprehensible… hindi mali. Tapos itong manga taong ito, napa damaging nang mga immoral na ginagawa walang punishment.
It’s not just moral double standard; it’s moral cowardice. Kung hindi pa mamula at mangitim ang mga mata hindi pa ata lalaban mga pilipino. This is cowardice. A brave people does not wait for “sobra” to react. They see a crime, they immediately plan the best way to punish a criminal.
What’s worse with moral cowards is that the little guy get the brunt of their frustrations. Parang ano to, tatay na lasingero. Walang maiuwi na pag kain so mangbubugbog na lang nang asawa at anak.
Manolo,
Luisita has been decided by the Supreme court. May contract tatay no Cory. Yun yun. Yung mga taga Negros, iba doon hindi nga land-grab eh, either they bought it from the natives or they married a native to get land. If you’ve been to bacolod maraming mga maliliit na mestizo di ba? At least, that’s what old people used to say about Negros.
“re brian on cory: cory lost a chance to be even greater in history by forcing her family to lead by example and simply relinquish hacienda luisita.mlq3”
How true!Cory was tested there and found wanting! Sayang.
At hindi pera nang cojuangco ang bumili sa luisita, if my understanding is correct. The government was naive, and yes full of elitist hubris, to allow the Cojuangco patriach to “manage” the land at the expense of tax payers money. Isn’t that how Luisita came to Cojuangco land. Did cojuangco pay back the Central Bank.
tdc: i would hazard to guess, a willingness to serve whoever the master du jour is, ably and well.
and considering the allegations of his operational skills, there’s a simple rule: if you were apresident, wouldn’t you rather have him on your side, than on the other side?
I think experts have said the incorporation was not beneficial to the farmers and some UP law professors have said it is unconstitutional.
mlq3:ang galing mo magexplain. thanks!
brian, my understanding was luisita was a tabacalera hacienda, and was bought by the cojuangcos from them.
google it for more reference.
http://www.bulatlat.com/news/4-42/4-42-tenants.html
Manolo I gave you a link but you can easily google the topic
keywords: cojuangco luisita central bank
If Jarius Bondoc places God first, country second and family 3rd. I think Cory places God first then family then country.
These hacienda heirs, I believe, have been brainwashed by their elders to love their land and protect it at all cost. It’s understandable, especially since they get their pride and identity as landowners from them. It’s like what that lady said: to take away her hacienda from her is to take away every piece of her clothing. That’s why I recommend that we go strong if we want true land reform. These are the same people who invented Philippine Federalism. Yes, it was the hacienderos who brought the idea to the Philippines back in Cory’s time. They want Federalism to avoid CARP.
I believe we don’t have to look far for a solution, implement the law – enforce Land reform to the letter. If its in the spirit of the law it will not look like a communist takeover as these landed class will cry “fowl!” What has made it impossible for us to enforce our laws, the constitution, etc.?
Come to think of it, there are resources that either we already have or can have access to inorder to transform the country, we just don’t have the set of leaders who we can fully trust to “make it happen.”
mlq3: from your vantage point,which is a more serious crisis for GMA,”Hello Garci” or “ABCZTEFG”?
Ramrod Dispense me I wasn’t able to reply to this comment of yours yestedday. I scrolled today and it’s only today I saw this comment.
To a certain extent, you could say that I’m a “coffee person.” I drink Starbucks in the weekend but I do drink coffee at home every night as well. I’m sure you know that Coffee is the number one source of antioxidants .
I just speak my mind and stand my ground. A healthy exchange of ideas, opinions, and concepts is one of the mental calisthenics that broadens our horizons and opens our mind to certain stereotypes and that.
Talking about the “Singapore Model.” I concur that the “singapore phenomena” is something doable and implementable in any setting, given the right circumstances, the right attitude of people most importantly, and the right set of leaders to lead this. It would be a daunting task since there are some obstacles. Here are some that I can think of.
GEOGRAPHICAL HINDRANCE: In terms of land area, the Singapore is only 0.22% if we compare it to the land area of RP. A smaller geographical situation would spell a lot in enforcing laws and monitoring the movement of people and goods. Our is an Archipelago whilst Singapore is one small island.
POPULATION HINDRANCE: Less people means more control and more people means less control. Singapore is a land of fines. One wrong move and you pay the fine – this is what makes them toe the line. Singapore has a population of only 4.5M (2007) +/- whilst the Philippines has a popualation of a whooping 91M (2007) +/-. Monitoring 4.5M people is a feat in itself but monitoring 91M warm bodies is wow, a godlike task.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY: Though cultural diversity has its own pros and cons, let us use this with reference Singapore and the Philippines. The biggest Ethnic Group are the TAGALOGS (approx 28.1%), the next are the CEBUANOS (approx 13.1%). Though they are all Filipinos, their ethno-cultural background might have some differences. One task is to make all these ethnic groups agree on something. Singapore is 76.8% Chinese. I’m sure you understand where I’m getting at.
Can the SINGAPORE MODEL be replicated in the Philippines, yes it can. I hope I’m still alive if that happens – a singapore-like Philippines. Now, there’s another school of thought that would refute this. Why? They would assert why we need to copy the Singaporeans if we can make our own model. The question I’d like to ask these people would be: What’s your model all about?
You must be referring to the CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program) or RA 6657. This is one LAW that chooses who should be covered by it. It’s an IRONY that this Law was signed at the time when Corazon Aquino became President and yet their family owned Hacienda Luisita was never under CARP during her entire term. Why? Only Cory knows the answer to that 😀 No good example was set that’s why it’s a GOOD yet a USELESS Law. It favors the Landlords over the very Recipients of the Law. It all boils down to the MONEY GAME. People have shed tears, blood, and even lives for this LAW but to no avail.
Our leaders have failed us. Could be a very serious character flaw of Filipinos or we have just been unlucky so far with the first set of leaders . Maybe after the unelected one who took the LIGHT: Loot, Integrity, Good Governance, Honesty and Trustworthiness, we will be more discerning.
I hope the senate passes a law that mandates everyone seeking public office to undergo a neuro-psychiatric test. Signs of psychosis is bigotry, trigger happy mood swings and urges to jump from a plane…I wonder if this comment will merit a grand conspiracy label from lunatics…
cvj (a) It’s the ATTITUDE. A higher salary in the Rank and File, the Middle and Senior Executives of the Government might lessen corruption. There are people who are DOWNRIGHT CORRUPT and there are some people who are forced to be CORRUPT due to circumstances. The downside of this suggestion is that there would always be room for GREED and WANTING MORE. But then again, why not try it and see what happens. Yes, a more SENSIBLE Compensation Package might entice and encourage people from the Private Sector to try Government Service.
(b) Another way of looking at this is not the SOLE “narrowing” of the GAP between the RICH and POOR but by “strengthening the MIDDLE CLASS” to balance the Economic Spectrum. In most First World Countries, a solid, stable, and strong Middle Class is what sustains their Economy. We cannot remove the fact that there would always be people who want to PULL A FAST ONE on other people. To take advantage of people who shall we say have less UNDERSTANDING that being citizens should DEMAND what they deserve in terms of how they are treated and how they sustain their STANDARD OF LIVING.
(c) Maybe we should start educating the Upper Middle Classes and Class A re: TRUST FUNDS. In my own knowledge, there might be only less than 2% of Filipinos that avail of TRUST FUNDS for their Children, for their Family, for their Assets, and the like. You familiar with this INDUSTRY?
karah — great stuff. I agree with most of what you have written. Pls keep it up.
On the “Singapore Model” topic, I think many Pinoys have an uncritical perception of that city-state. This blog, and much of what mlq3 writes, would not be allowed. Ricky Carandang would be in jail. Those who repeatedly call for more transparency in the government’s doings would be muffled.
In Singapore there is little, if any, room for the free (yet often free-wheeling and irresponsible) media which we enjoy here. I get frustrated by the local media here sometimes, but I’m not so sure I’d like to see the Philippines become a Singapore.
“Our leaders have failed us. Could be a very serious character flaw of Filipinos or we have just been unlucky so far with the first set of leaders . Maybe after the unelected one who took the LIGHT: Loot, Integrity, Good Governance, Honesty and Trustworthiness, we will be more discerning.diego torres”
I don’t know if we will ever produce a towering figure like Nelson Mandela.
We are have a myopic”Family First” orientation.No strong sense of nationhood.Patriotism is a dead horse here.
So Cory thinks of the Cojuancos’Hacienda Luisita interest first.
so Ramos thinks of his family first(and his”Second Lady”).
So Erap thinks of his “families” first.
So Gloria thinks of the Pidal family business first(jueteng)
sad.
sad.
sad.
Rego It’s good that you’ve raised the issue on how Executives in GOCC’s and GFI’s are insanely compensated. Now, before we go into how much these CEO’s really earn, we have to benchmark. Here are some criteria that I have come up with:
(a) How much does this particular GOCC or GFI contribute to the National Treasury on a yearly basis?
(b) Given the present Industry Benchmarks, are GOCC and GFI CEO’s on par in terms of Salary vis a vis Industry standards in the Private Sector?
(c) More than the Salary itself, what are the PERKS because I have heard that some CEO’s of GOCC’s and GFI’s have bigger perks than wages.
(d) Make an inventory of all GOCC’s and GFI’s and show to the public their books (Annual Reports). This is to determine which are BLEEDING DRY and which are EARNING BIG BUCKS. Which of these are still RELEVANT and which of these needs to be SCRAPPED by way of Legislation.
I am particularly targeting the GSIS because I have heard from some Pensioners that their Bonuses are being delayed for no reason. It’s also very frustrating for would be Retirees to process their papers in GSIS or SSS because the following agencies employ a lot of red tape (at least the examiners and those in the frontline). We all know the different anomalies that shrouded these 2 cash-rich agencies then and now.
Going thru the motions of History, people change on their outlook, their mindsets, their paradigm on things. I once told that a Government Employee from the 1900’s up until 1950’s and 1960’s was highly respected. Now, I dunno what happened along the way. Whether a Gov’t Official nowadays is corrupt or not, there’s that STIGMA especially to people who lack understanding of things and assimilate what they hear HOOKLINE and SINKER.
Thank you Tonio. I would rather comment on Blogs rather than maintain my own. Maintaining a blog is not that easy, you know.
Karah, thanks for (a), i agree. As for (b), i also agree that narrowing the gap between the rich and poor precisely involves moving the poor into the middle class. Can you clarify what you mean by your last sentence in (b)? As for (c) (i.e. trust funds), i think Ca T above knows more about this.
Karah,
Yes. (c)Trust Funds. I invested in educational funds earlier, trust funds I heard about these but I don’t have any idea, probably later on. I way I see it is that at the moment this is the best I can do, ensure the education of my children to prepare them and hopefully when its their time – they won’t be heavily taxed just to pay for the debts our leaders incurred which we were not able to stop during our time. Why do we have to make it part of their inheritance?
Tonio Another interpretation in the “narrowing the gap” between the RICH and POOR as what I’ve said in my other comment could also mean, the STRENGTHENING of the MIDDLE CLASS to balance all of these. Even in a Communist State, there’s no such thing as EQUALITY. There might be such a thing as “maximum equitability” but these are mere theories.
There would always be the RICH and there would always be the POOR. I’d like to see a Philippines wherein everybody is given the opporunity to uplift his economic standing. This is notwithstanding the fact that some of the RICH take advantage either of the INNOCENCE or even IGNORACE of the poor. Just look at how kids are being made to work in Sugar Plantations (Haciendas) under harsh working conditions and very low salary. This is even CHILD ABUSE and yet nobody seems to do something. The RICH are getting RICHER at the expense of the POOR and the POOR are getting poor without even a chance of having a decent life.
“I would go for a very strict implementations of laws against corruption. That is why im am very much against granting pardon for Erap at least for now.” – rego
I agree completely, Rego. And not only laws against corruption, but all laws down to traffic rules.
The “strengthening of the middle class” may well indeed be the magic solution. But how can it be strengthened?
Considering the socio-eco-politico dominance of a few dozen families, how will various small entities amass enough say-so? Peacefully?
Open the doors to much more foreign competition and investment, I propose. The increasing number of returnees of long-term OFWs and “overseas” Pinoys (dual-nationalities) is but a first step. But a good one.
In my opinion, this country needs a good dose of new blood, full of capability and experience, backed by independent money and in numbers that can have an impact in a country of 80 million people. I don’t know if this can be done by in-country players alone.
Geo, just to mirror what you said, i agree that bringing in MNC’s strengthens the business ecosystem. For every IBM, HP or Microsoft that comes in, a dozen or more Resellers and dealers are set-up around it.
However, economic takeoff also requires home grown companies that engage in manufacture of sophisticated products. I wish our business tycoons would focus their efforts on delivering on this area instead of conspiring with their government counterparts on fleecing the Filipino taxpayer.
Geo,
The Philippines following the Singapore model is on face value “unimaginable” but it really depends on what our concept of “ideal” is? Honestly my closest friends right now are Singaporeans, too close that one of them wants to “save” me by studying the bible with me everytime he gets the chance, and this is one of my bosses – so no escape! It is possible if we can mature into a people, a government of laws. They’re just ordinary people, although at times you want to strangle one of them because sometimes this air of superiority unconsciously surfaces in moments of stress (and I’m talking about the secretary). What I like about this model is that as a people we are through the government given the power to determine our destiny (as set goals) with clear objectives and clear parameters on how to meassure our successes. We are assured of the “predictability” of our leaders, so in effect we are secure. Of course, if we are used to the American form of democracy we will never appreciate this, but are the americans really secure, are they happy? As a personal opinion, yes I’d want to see a Philippines molded in the Singapore model though in a larger scale. Perhaps not all at once, but bit by bit, reform by reform – where’s all these reforms Gringo Honasan was talking about that made him the “idol” of my youth? I look at the Singapore model as an “ideal” and as one wise man once said “ideals are like the stars, we can’t reach them but we chart our course by them.”
Why is it I can’t find my post in here? I posted something and it did not appear in the Blogs. 🙁
cvj,
Good to “chat” with you again.
It doesn’t have to just be MNCs. Small foreign companies and individual investors can create a lot of business opportunities. More importantly, they can challenge the long-dominant players and arrangements.
“Creative destruction” is what I’m thinking will work.
On the political front, and I recall that you disagree with me, this is the same reasoning/argument I used in support of Cha-Cha. Peaceful, legal changes are needed, starting with the need to loosen the grip a few have on the whole country.
re: geo’s comment, i wonder if a more effective means for infusing new blood would simply be a single term limit for all elected officials, period, with a corresponding ban on all relatives ever entering public office, ever (the debate will be on the level of consaguinity and whether perpetual ban or 25, 50, 100 years, etc.)
the idea is, we should encourage people to take a sabbatical from their normal work, devote some years to government service, then return to private life and a means to go back to a career. eventually you will exhaust the existing political families (you cannot pass a retroactive law), and then it’s everyone else’s turn within a term.
i think i discussed this a few years back in this blog. you avoid the hysterical cries of those who don’t want to lose face, one big reason you can’t get an anti-dynasty law passed.
Nono Ibazeta was President and COO, under Andy Soriano, of A. Soriano Corp. (Anscor). Until their recent divestment, Anscor was a major shareholder of ICTSI, Razon’s company.
mlq3,
Great idea! I didn’t understand your last sentence, tho.
MLQ3: Can’t seem to post my comment re: Relative Value of Dollar and Peso with reference to the Salary of your Grandfather.
perhaps it had a link….
hmmmm…its missing and it had a link?
karah. i dunno, checked the held in moderation panel, nothing there!
arbet. my comment? noted.
geo: sometimes people oppose things because intangibles (neither money, nor position, etc.) are involved, but rather, the question of saving face.
Tonio It didn’t have a link but it contained a lot of numbers. I gave a detaile computation on all the Salaries of MLQ based the link that MLQ3 gave me. I don’t know what happened there.
It’s quite a lengthy comment. I got tired typing all the numbers and even checked and double-checked the figures. I even finished two mugs of coffee.
karah, i have no clue. hopefully next time please take the precaution of copying just in case something like this happens again.
mlq3:
here’s an interesting bit about everyone getting their turn in government. apparently in Echiverri’s Caloocan, senior citizens are getting their turn to serve as city councillors and heads of departments for a week.
karah:
i decided to take the plunge a few minutes ago and set up a blog. let’s see where that goes. 🙂
the middle class will be mostly composed of BPO “zombies” who, while in the same country, live 8-12 time zones away from us. perhaps government should adjust to address the needs of our nocturnal population… i’d like to see the upcoming barangay elections run from 5am to 5am the next day. 😛
tdc, brian:
i doubt there are many “true Filipinos”. as has been said by many people on this blog. the people who live here tend to think in this order: i am (surname), my family is from (province), i live in (neighbourhood), i went to (school), i am a Filipino.
that’s only a small sample. because in between those little spaces there’s also one’s clan, sports team, school org, frat, bible study group, etc., etc. there are so many things people come up with to set themselves apart from each other… and for people in governmet, it reflects in the way they behave.
show me someone who truly believes in the statement “Ako’y Pilipino”. I’d like to meet this person.
because heck, i’ll admit it. i’m not much of a Filipino myself. i’m breaking trying to break my conceptual boundaries, but i can’t say i can identify with the entire country as a whole just yet.
mlq3 — The part I don’t understand is WHY anyone’s face would make them oppose/not oppose the passing of the Anti-Dynasty enabling laws…especially if the law was as you decribed/proposed?
ramrod — To each his own, but it sounds to me that you might like an autocracy where the people are cogs in a state-controlled wheel. Isn’t this a little like the “Mussolini/Marcos made the trains run on time” reasoning?
Geo, yeah i agree with you on the small foreign companies. It does not have to be the big MNCs. As for Cha-cha, its goal had nothing to do with what we’re talking about. Its main objective was elitist, i.e. to take away the right of the people to directly vote for their leaders which i don’t believe is a step in the right direction. Contrary to your ideal of creative destruction, that would be more like destructive destruction.
MLQ3: I made my comment in Word actually so I can repost the said comment anytime. I was thinking it might be a “@” sign but I tried removing this and see if my comments comes through.
tonio, because it would be an admission of complicity in the screwed-up situation the country’s in, and human nature is such that we always think it’s someone else’s fault.
karah, whew. please try again. you could then take a look at this,
https://www.quezon.ph/?page_id=1026
and try some historical forensic accounting.
Karah, same thing happened to me last night. i think Manolo’s moderation software has some quirks depending on word combinations which is hard to figure out. Why don’t you set-up a blog as a placeholder for posting your comment and then link back to it?
cvj It might be the software and some character-recognition flaws. I was thinking it might be that some characters like @ would be blocked but I was able to post some numbers with that character. I have no idea myself. If I don’t get lazy, I’ll look into having my own Blog.
cvj — That was “their” Cha-Cha, not mine. Perhaps you can have your own Cha-Cha, too. The point is: Many ideas and versions are welcome for debate, but the key would be to significantly change the rules of the game.
The old game — with all the old players and old tricks — is too well-known and corrupted. Staying within the boundaries of representative democracy, major changes could still occur. I like mlq3’s idea (above), for example.
This can be done in the vein of peaceful, legal, “creative destruction”, I believe.