Belinda in Space
Monday’s Mass at Baclaran (where the Comelec encoders had sought refuge after walking out of the canvassing of votes in the PICC) pictures, where people from all walks of life came together to recall Edsa I:
Approach to the Church; banner at the front of the Church
Church begins to fill up; reminder behind pulpit, placed by Redemptorists
Amb. Howard Dee and friends; media takes up its stations
Church fills up; preliminary security sweep
overflow crowd; FPJ’s daughter
FPJ’s daughter; Boy Blue arrives
Cory and Lozada arrive
Mass begins; processional
Processional; clergy before the Altar
Gospel; Cory lights Truth Candle
Cory; Offertory led by lead convenors of BnW and leaders of Ang Kapatiran
Two gentlemen in white T-Shirts are the Ang Kapatiran leaders; after mass, “Bayan Ko”
“Bayan Ko”
“Bayan Ko”
“Bayan Ko”
“Bayan Ko”
Cory’s remarks
After Cory, Jun Lozada’s remarks
Jun Lozada
I recently read an article (in a book) by a foreign correspondent who observed that one of the President’s problems is that she engages in fights she cannot win (e.g. after Estrada’s macho posturing, she tried to be “Ina ng Bayan”). I was reminded of this by a couple of things in Jove Francisco’s latest blog entry. First, there’s the scene of the Loyalty Rally organized by the President’s sons in the Liwasang Bonifacio yesterday :
And let us not forget that her allies conducted their own noisy (festive) rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio. She wasn’t there, but her allies from the lower chamber were seen having lunch (or were assembling themselves) at the Macapagal Blvd restaurant of her son, Rep. Mikee Arroyo (reportedly his)… before going to the Liwasan. And as if that’s not enough, the 100 or so congressmen even trooped to Malacanang shortly before seven in the evening for some chit chat with PGMA. While there, some congressmen, led by House speaker Propsero Nograles continued to lambaste the president’s enemies, like JDV (he called on PGAM to resign), Senate president Manuel Villar (the impeachment quote) and yes, even Erap (for being Erap).
Yup, the president just wanted herself shielded from politics on this people power holiday. But as we’ve seen, she actually surrounded herself with politics today.
(Inicidentally, Pressure Points wasn’t amused by Dato Arroyo’s quoted remarks) And then, here’s Jove’s account of how the President tried to summon up one of the last remaining viable counter-arguments of her administration: that, somehow, Filipinos outside of Metro Manila have different values and that she continues to represent them. So the President, yesterday, went to Cavite. Was it a spontaneous or pre-prepared visit? Jove recounts,
Based on the number of passenger jeepneys (I saw more than 20) and buses (about a handful) that occupied a vast lot beside the provincial capitol of Cavite…one can say that the Cavitenos really “came in droves to pour out their support to PGMAâ€Â
The sight of those vehicles parked in that lot was in a word: overwhelming. It was like seeing a vast field where a flock of tamaraws rest. Rolling steel moving around, causing the dust to envelope the area. Pero sige lang ang lakad ng mga tao na naka color coded attire at may dalang lobo sa isang kamay nila. From afar they seem quite happy and excited about being there.
My team waited for the folks who rode the said vehicles near the entrance of the event area. PGMA has yet to arrive so may time kami mag-“man on the street†interview. Pasalubong ang direction namin, eager to talk to some of them.
Turns out… some of the people who trooped to the event were clueless about why they were asked to be there, in the first place.
You have to watch the clip to listen to some of them.After about talking to a handful of people, and getting the same answer (Hindi kami andito para kay Gloria, Hindi ko alam na para sa kaniya ito, Di ko alam bakit kami pinapunta dito etc etc) I told my crew (Armand and Luther) “Pano ba ito? Bakit wala tayong makuha na supportive sa admin, baka masabihan tayo na hindi fair.†So we tried interviewing some more, but we got the same soundbytes. (Hence, during the final edit, I asked my VTR editor to include the pro PGMA banners, placards plus the shouting of real fans of PGMA (they were seated in front) in my report. Para fair.
Cavite leaders admit… they were the ones who mobilized their kababayans so they’ll attend the rally and so that they can show Mrs Arroyo that the feelings in Metro Manila doesn’t necessarily reflect the sentiments of those in the provinces.PGMA arrived via chopper. Then she motored to the provincial capitol.
Some residents may not be aware that the event is for PGMA…but as soon as the guest of honor arrived, they still gave her welcome fit for a VIP.
Strangely… the palace disclosed that the president will just GATE CRASH the event. In fairness, she didn’t have a teleprompter with her on stage and we saw her organize her thoughts/speech kodigos in between listening to the “small talk†of her seatmates on stage and listening to the seemingly endless profession of support by “almost everyone who mattered in Caviteâ€Â. (They were under a tent, the people were not, the reporters were not. It was one warm day, napakataas pa ng araw. Nagdusa kami lahat.)But at the start of her supposedly “impromptu†speech, the president had a slip of the tongue. Nasabi niya na INIMBITAHAN siya ni Governor Maliksi, pero ooops, di pala siya invited, wala silang kinalaman sa rally na iyon, nag gate crash lang daw sya. Okay then.
When life gives you flags that can’t be raised and potentially lethal clumps of confetti, as well as today’s Inquirer editorial, At least you have that noble prelate, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales who will surely come in handy in that episcopal gabfest today. And there’s the return of the President’s husband to be thankful for, well, hey, hey, the gang’s.. and there’s always Bel Cunanan.
So Bel Cunanan presents the party line, as is well her right and indeed, her duty at a time like this. But something was in the Cool-Aid when she wrote,
Some schools are also reported to be planning to join Friday’s rally and will bus their students rain or shine. This has drawn protests from many parents who don’t want their children to be used and involved in the politics of hatred. So concerned have some parents become that they have set up two blog spots where other parents can air their sentiments: www.pulitikangpinoy.blogspot.com and www.8sallpolitics.blogspot.com. Anonymous bloggers are welcome.
Anonymous bloggers, huh? Commenters, I guess she means…
To be sure there are parents who feel worried, but really, can someone say someone was so concerned they set up a blogspot to air sentiments, when one of the blogs was set up in 2005, has entries for only two months, entirely about Constitutional issues. See Pilipinas: Pinoy, Buhay at Pulitika. Here’s a screenshot, as of 1:12 AM February 26, 2008:
I mean, is it just me, or isn’t “So concerned have some parents become that they have set up two blog spots” supposed to mean they’re fresh, spankin’ new blogs, for a cause? Seems like a relict of the “Our Name is Legion for We Are Many” Days.
he other blog, It’s All Politics…. (u know…) however, fits the bill, having been set up this month. It’s a great read. With such kid-friendly gems as this entry for February 23:
The continued manipulation of public opinion is so outrageous to the point of hideousness. One of these days, history will catch up with all of you, heroes and traitors alike.
Then we’ll bury you all deep in goat shit.
Continuing on that (goat) theme, there’s the entry for February 24:
Overpriced goats, reckless dispersal of public lands to relatives and friends, kickbacks from previous government projects he had been involved with, and more… all these have slowly eroded Lozada’s credibility. But the most damning thing he ever did was to dance to the tune of his new marching band(his patrons)…and go around schools convincing kids (as young as pre-schoolers) to support an uprising against the government. Such blatant manipulation reeks of goat-shit. Unable to convince the masses to join them in renewed bid to grab political power, the political opposition (a friend calls them the disgruntled opposition) are trying to mobilize the youth by USING the religious sector and the media and just about everybody else who dares falls into the trap of their Jun Lozada script.
I agree that it is the duty of every citizen to be concerned with the affairs of government but we must NEVER fall into the trap set by politicians who have shown no qualms of using public opinion in the furtherance their selfish ends. The danger of Jun Lozada is not in the exposure of seemingly unbridled corruption in government: It is in manipulating the political power of the people and abusing popular will in order to serve self-serving interests.
Enlisting kids to join in subverting authority is one example.
This we cannot allow.
Leave it to the alumni, I guess? Those less interested in goat-poop can, instrad, go on explaining ,as Filomeno Sta. Ana III does, what The Fight for our Children’s Future is about.
Meanwhile, I’m hoping Bel familiarizes herself more with space. Cyberspace.
Now this extract from Space Bel’s column will, I’m sure, get someone’s goat:
There’s inaccuracy regarding the ZTE document signed in Boao, China, last April, and peddling it shows the opposition’s intellectual dishonesty. President Arroyo went to Boao mainly to deliver a speech before the biannual gathering of international leaders there. Afterwards she planned to spend a week in China, but First Gentleman Mike Arroyo’s condition forced her to cut her visit to only 12 hours. Before flying back, Ms Arroyo witnessed the signing of several agreements by various government officials, among them the ZTE deal.
What was signed, however, was not a contract, but only a memorandum of understanding on a supply contract, which is only Step No. 3 in a 17-step process that includes multi-department reviews. The Department of Finance late last year circulated an enlightening graph showing this long process. The many steps could be the reason the cancellation of the deal took five months. But this graph was ignored by the media, which chose instead to strengthen the perception that the ZTE “contract†was consummated at Boao.
I leave it to Uniffors, though, to chew on in. If anyone can get her goat, that blogger will. Perhaps Bel has no diplomatic experience and so needs to be informed what it means when a head of state witnesses the signing of any sort of official document.
And so, the debate on what to do, what not to do (or simply, to be left alone, as A Simple Life prefers), or perhaps whether what should be done is worth it it all, continue. Pinoy Potter’s Chronicles is filled with misgivings at the scale of the problem. And yes, ambivalence about People Power, see The Warrior Lawyer.
He’s not a blogger but Juan Mercado’s Fond illusion looks at the same problem, too:
The crisis, meanwhile, dismantles unnoticed one of our fondest illusions: that before midnight, someone on a white charger, will dash in to banish enemies. They’d rebuild plundered institutions while we slump back to business-as-usual.
This ZTE scam instead tells us: Look beyond discredited pretenders to ordinary people. Leadership is not an office. It is life lived and, in the on-going process, brings change. Academics, parents, students and barangay officials seeking truth will usher in tomorrow. They continue to do that with Governor “Among Ed†Panlilio in Pampanga province. People Power is a weapon of last resort. A stray “hinge factor†may yet see that unsheathed.
“Much of what is new and innovative is not initiated by governments,†Indonesian thinker Soedjatmoko wrote. “Their source is ‘movements from below’: expressions by ordinary people of their aspirations for a decent, secure and equitable way of life.â€Â
Or, as big mango asks, should we aspire for a continuing revolution?
As John Nery points out, what people overlook is that a People Power moment just materializes, though it’s the tug-of-war over public opinion that creates a situation in which People Power can manifest itself. Two years ago I quoted Teodoro L. Locsin Jr.’s dismissive remark on the first impeachment effort, that the opposition was “trying to manufacture a People Power moment,” and agreed with him; there is a more conscious appreciation of the need not to force things forward but trust the Fates to let them unfold in their own good time (which is why those who argue the recent gatherings are an effort to force that moment, are completely wrong).
Returning to Neri:
I think it is fair to say that, for many who are now outraged by the abuse of power and immoderate greed revealed by the ZTE-NBN scandal, the analogy for today’s crisis is that turbulent 100-day period between October 2000 and January 2001. If true, then taking to the streets should quickly lead to a decisive People Power moment.
But it is also possible that the real analogy goes farther back in time. The highly esteemed Torn and Frayed blog, for instance, posits the idea that Lozada is today’s Perfecto Yasay — the Securities and Exchange Commission chairman who dueled with Estrada a year before Singson saw the light (the headlight, that is, of an unfriendly police vehicle). We should remember that the road to EDSA People Power II wound through Ayala Avenue too; in August 1999, over 100,000 people thronged the famous intersection to denounce Estrada’s attacks on press freedom.
I think the real analogy may be to that even more turbulent 1,000-day period between the Ninoy Aquino assassination and EDSA People Power I. We took to the streets almost every week then, driven by the need to confront the evil in the system, but acutely aware that the dictator’s fake-hero persona would not allow him to cede control peacefully. People Power as we know it now was not even a dream then.
So, yes, we should take to the streets; we should repair to our churches; we should fill the public square. But we should let People Power take care of itself.
Meanwhile, it’s up to the citizenry to figure out their personal level of engagement, and define what their participation ought to look like, as caffeine_sparks suggests. Blogger-citizens like Don’t F**k with a Ninja!! are under the impression that political questions require “proof” beyond reasonable doubt. This has never been the case whether for impeachment or elections, a moral certainty is what’s required, precisely because proof beyond reasonable doubt is what’s required for a criminal conviction; in political matters what suffices is simply a preponderance of evidence (as in civil cases). Does it exist? c0nfoUnd aMbigUity seems to think so.
What interests me though are those who support the President because they are uneasy about the Vice-President. But the President hand-picked de Castro to be her vice-presidential candidate; he was her choice, and she knows as well as anyone else that a veep is literally a heartbeat away from the presidency, it’s happened three times to us. Therefore, in her mind, the person best qualified to succeed her should the unthinkable ever happen, is the Vice-President. So you trust her wisdom, then you must accept her choice. If you didn’t accept her choice, you should’ve voted for someone else for veep (for this reason, I voted to Hermie Aquino in 2004).
signs of life has no qualms about standing up and being counted at the present time. Pedestrian Observer links to ongoing on-line efforts.
After all the endless discussions, we can only ask ourselves whether we have the courage to undertake comprehensive reforms in our political and social system. It seems we only talk and argue a lot but, at the end of the day, nothing will be done.
The two EDSA’s gave us opportunities to change Philippine society for the better, yet nobody had the courage to take on the bastardized system that had been established by Marcos and those before him. Instead, the new regimes were coopted by the old order. Some new faces came in, some pre-Marcos faces made a comeback, and many of the pro-Marcos establishment stayed on became even more entrenched. Marcos henchmen and cronies like Joe de Venecia, Ronnie Puno, Ronnie Zamora, Mel Mathay, Fred Lim, Danding Cojuangco, Tony Boy Cojuangco, Lucio Tan, the Madrigals, the Escuderos, the Cayetanos, Johnny Enrile and Erap, just to name a few, easily adapted to or bought their way into the “new” order. Like true political butterflies, the oligarchy has the ability to metamorphose into “new†personalities that blend with the new environment.
And many of the Marcos technocrats and operatives were utilized by the new order to continue the dirty political tricks that they had learned so well under Marcos. Peping Roño and his boys: Ronnie Puno, Gabby Claudio, Vic Sumulong, etc. became prized political consultants and tacticians. Even the notorious Leonie Perez and his protégés
became valued political advisers in all administrations after Marcos.
At the heart of it all is the fact that each new “order†is basically just a replica of the old one, albeit with a few cosmetic changes. There is no real desire to change the way things are done and, because of a weak moral spine, there is a tendency to be drawn into the dirty practices of old.
I can only laugh at the idea of Cory Aquino searching for the truth. She had a good 6 years as the most powerful person in the land, and she couldn’t even get to the truth behind her husband’s murder.
Manolo, i think someone’s trying to hijack your website. Ellen also got ‘bandwidth exceeded’ yesterday.
Yep, I think it was hacked.
ya, i thought my ip address was disallowed from your site because i had difficulty accessing
Belinda Cunanan has to worked hard .She knows which side of the bread is buttered:
The appointment of Ambassador Thelmo Y. Cunanan (Ret. Gen.) by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to head the top policy-making body of the Social Security System (SSS) can be considered as auspicious, coming as it did on the 47th anniversary of the national pension fund last September 1, 2004. As the 15th Chairman of the Social Security Commission (SSC), he brings to the position a well-rounded blend of business savvy, diplomatic skill, and military experience.
Chairman Cunanan is no stranger to high-level posts in both public and private sectors. He was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) from February 2001 to August 2004. At the same time, he served as Chairman of the various subsidiaries of PNOC, such as the PNOC Petrochemical Development Corporations, PNOC Exploration Corporation, PNOC Shipping and Transport Corporation, and PNOC Development and Management Corporation. He also sat in the Board of Directors of diverse corporations, such as PETROCORP, Jacinto Group of Companies, Eastern Telecom, and Inter-Command Security Agency.
Jude,
One effective way to counterbalance the damaging influence of the oligarchs is to campaign to the lower and middle classes to wake up and be a little more vigilant for their own good. Magtulungan tayo at pagtulungan natin ang mga yan.
Sorry:I should have said :Belinda Cunanan has to work hard for her husband,Thelmo Cunanan.She knows which side of the bread is buttered!
jude, thank you for making those comments.
quite true. i wish more people would realize what you’ve realized.
I can only laugh at the idea of Cory Aquino searching for the truth. She had a good 6 years as the most powerful person in the land, and she couldn’t even get to the truth behind her husband’s murder.
I thought this is where we must admire Cory. She was undeniably the most powerful person after Marcos but Cory, I must say, would know better how to handle power than any president before or after her. The truth sorounding the death of Ninoy may not have been fully uncoverd in the long winding court procedures but Cory never used her influence or force to suit her own conviction of truth.
GMA in contrast uses everything including peoples money to cover up whatever her adminitration has messed up.
sorry, the first paragrapth in my previous post was taken from the post of “jude”
Jude, isn’t that what many of us want to happen? That is for the rule of law to be followed? What else could have Cory done differently anyway, force the judiciary and the military to find who killed Ninoy?
If Cory failed to find the real killer because she followed the rule of law when she was president, then we should not follow the rule of law in deposing Gloria because it is not going to work either, right?
Kawawa naman si Bel Cunanan. Imagine how she must feel now. Once upon a time, she was on easy street just rehashing press releases from JDV and GMA.
She has been a loyal promoter and defender of both JDV and GMA, extolling their virtues and all that. Now she has to choose between them.
Or maybe she can do the smart thing: don’t take sides in the GMA-JDV fight and just attack and condemn the political awakening and involvement of the youth in the nation’s affairs.
there are essential truth beyond the understanding of the court. we can take for example thae lozada expose that NBN-ZTE was ovepriced. what paper trail would possibly prove that. None. between testimony of Lozada and the actions of the Malacanang peple on the matter, which dow e think jave more consistency. one can only glean from the undisputed facts as presented by John Nery at the issue of the inquirer today. By the way, I skip Blinda Cunanans column because i find her a lousy writer.
I’d like to correct a line i my previous post it should read Between Lozada and the Malacanang people who do we think have shown worst inconsistency on the issue.
Hi Manolo are these your pics? Which area were you at?
I came in a bit late and by that time the Redemptorist church was packed to the brim.
Now some posters would be aware that the event was a multi-sectoral mass. Rich, poor, middle-class, from the right, center, and left of the political spectrum. No divisions as being conjured by some. And with one voice we say Enough is Enough!
A far cry from the disastrous omen filled EDSA shrine celebration early during that day which disallowed even ordinary people to participate in mass. They think they’re royalty I think. Then the flag wouldn’t raise, the background sound system conked out, the helicopters without realizing it bombed the people and a media camera with bunched-up globs of confetti. I was half expecting it was to be capped off with the group of “unity jump” bigshots to trip all over themselves. Well, I guess it was too much to ask. Later protesters claimed the EDSA shrine, as indeed it rightly for those who detest corruption and abuse in government.
The pro-corruption groups are likely getting desperate … trying to hijack websites … for shame.
(…waiting for a cranky sound of protest, any moment now)
Jon Mariano : I like this.
Sorry to rain in your parade. No need to crow about this people power that was supposed to happen yesterday. It went pfffft. Call a spade a spade. No matter how you spin it to the contrary, it was a disaster in gigantic proportions with sparse crowds . Wowowee can attract more people than that. The whole thing was a non event. It was a gross miscalculation by the opposition. Just like the senate hearings too much noise but nothing to show for. They should change their tactics. Its better to get GMA through judicial means instead of disruptive demonstrations. Peace.
maiba…is the leo san miguel being mentioned in the senate hearing the same one from the cable tv industry?
magdiwang, long weeked kasi kahapon tapos oscars pa. it’s a sad commentary on Pinoy commitment, but I think it really affected crowd-drawing on both sides…
kabayan, tingin ko naman wala sa Pilipino ang pro-corruption. rather than help your cause, you will alienate more people when you use that term…
mlq
do you have any picture of the event that would show a rather ‘significant’ number of gullible people joining this wasteful and useless engagement. For the last so many years I could see same number or even lesser and same faces- the intigators of this ‘non-event’.
the number one instigator ABS-CBn would give us footages of rallies in different parts of the country as if this is really nationwide! Some of those can’t even reach 50 rallyists. what made them eye-catching are the attractive red streamers and flags.
Mita,
Who are the pro-corruption Filipinos? They are now there walking in the halls of government. Those who manipulate the truth, who use all means necessary to preserve their ways. Yes, there are pro-corruption Filipinos who will lie, cheat, kill, manipulate the law, intimidate, and abduct so that their corrupt way of life is preserved.
Will this alienate others? If it will alienate the big time corrupt people of society and their protectors, so be it. That includes the balimbings now wanting to side with civil society because they are scared of losing their “milking cow”, (i.e. the Filipino people), their power and other luxurious amenities that they have grown accustomed to.
There are people with harsher opinions than mine, and they would not think twice of executing these abusive men and women in power, and unjust as it is, even their families. I am mild by comparison.
Magdiwang,
Sayang yang pangalan mo, bilib pa naman ako sa mga Magdiwang naging grupo ni Gat. Bonifacio, Jacinto at Sakay. Nasanay ka at ang iba sa “instant noodle victory”, diyan ang kahinaan ninyo.
So let me repeat, yes there are Pro-Corruption groups, aka yung nakikinabang at nagtatanggol sa kurapsyon sa bansang ito.
“To those who said let GMA finish her term… To those who said let the rule of law work for her impeachment… To those who said theres’ no better alternative than GMA… Need I say more?†– RIP EDSA 1 (1986-2008)
Salients Points of Presidential Resignation Speech:
“I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow. The Vice President will be sworn in as President at that hour in this office.”
“I shall continue to work for the great causes to which I have been dedicated throughout my years as a Senator, a Vice President, and President, the cause of peace not just for our country but among all nations, prosperity, justice, and opportunity for all of our people.”
“In all the decisions I have made in my public life, I have always tried to do what was best for the Nation. Throughout the long and difficult period of my political crisis, I have felt it was my duty to persevere, to make every possible effort to complete the term of office to which you elected me.”
“I would have preferred to carry through to the finish whatever the personal agony it would have involved, and my family unanimously urged me to do so. But the interest of the Nation must always come before any personal considerations.”
“I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body. But as President, I must put the interest of the Nation first. The country needs a full-time President and a full-time Congress, particularly at this time with problems we face at home and abroad.”
“I shall leave this office with regret at not completing my term, but with gratitude for the privilege of serving as your President for the past years. These years have been a momentous time in the history of our Nation and the world. They have been a time of achievement in which we can all be proud, achievements that represent the shared efforts of the Administration, the Congress, and the people.”
Everybody watch Senate hearing today on Columnist Lito Banayo’s diagram of Oligarchic control which was given to him by Neri…incredible.
I thought it would be Madriaga testifying today. Was I mistaken?
No Madriaga so far Mike, I don’t know if he’ll show up later. In the Senate inquiry was Lozada, Gaite and Lito Banayo
Ok I think Madriaga is in the Senate hearing now
So Cory Aquino just followed the rule of law, the rules of evidence and, somehow, nothing came out of it. LOL!!!
There was another Marcos henchman who led the most corrupt branch of the military during most of Marcos’ term. Not surprisingly, he became President, with Cory Aquino’s blessings.
In the final analysis, we can argue until we are blue in the face and the Church can pray until Kingdom come. But unless the nation is willing to take the bull by the horns and make wholesale changes in our political, social and economic structure, it will only amount to blather.
Bago pa lang ang explanation ni Madriaga nakakasuka na itong kagaguhan ng Mafia government sa Pilipinas.
Madriaga: Cost of NBN project was padded by “Filipino Group” and ZTE
Magkakutsaba. Dalawang grupo pala ang lumalabas na ma-Moderate ang greed.
According sa kanya, yung mga additional na dagdag sa amount ng kurakot para pala sa “War chest” ng administrasyon sa susunod na eleksyon. Ang initial yata na ibinigay (o ibibigay?) ang basic $ 1 Million + $ 10 Million(for government including First Couple, Abalos among many) + $ 30 Million(for Election War Chest)
Ruben Reyes and Jimmy Paz involved who would be receiving among the larger chunks of corruption money which also involves Abalos and the First Couple.
The REAL cost of the ZTE deal should only be a measly $ 50 Million according to Madriaga.
According to Madriaga, Ruben Reyes has a fleet of cars including a number of BMWs
No wonder the administration Congressmen were ultra loyal to the Gloria administration – it already alloted an initial $ 30,000,000 for the election War Chest in the initial stages of the ZTE deal alone.
Therefore it is not surprising that no Congressional investigation against the Executive Department will prosper because of this (and for many other reason).
So from Madriaga’s statements, it follows that it is not only Mike Arroyo who is involved in the ZTE corruption but Gloria Arroyo as well.
On a side news. Gloria Arroyo still reject renewed calls of former President Cory Aquino for her to resign.
ALL $ 41,000,000 dollars were ALREADY GIVEN to the “Filipino Group” (yep, the whole kit and caboodle)
It seems that Madriaga is far more knowledgeable than Lozada on the corruption mechanics in the NBN project.
From $ 50,000,000 to $ 329,000,000, figure the difference.
The illegal price difference will come from us the FILIPINO PEOPLE, our children, and our grandchildren.
Total illegal price difference that the Filipinos will pay for a SINGLE TRANSACTION (i.e. NOT including other transactions like the rushed Northrail project) is $ 279,000,000 or P 3,950,000,000 at the old exchange rate of P 50 is to $ 1.00.
Now what can you do with nearly 4 BILLION PESOS in this single anomalous transaction alone?
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Sorry my computer hung a few minutes back and had to reboot
“But unless the nation is willing to take the bull by the horns and make wholesale changes in our political, social and economic structure, it will only amount to blather.” – jude
Definitely street “revolutions” no longer constitutes this proverbial taking of the bull by the horns. All these hollowheads from whatever Catholic schools can sing ‘Bayan Ko’ til kingdom come on the streets. But at the end of the day, it’s the guys who hold the guns and the gold who will call the shots.
Total illegal price difference that the Filipinos will pay for a SINGLE TRANSACTION (i.e. NOT including other transactions like the rushed Northrail project) is $ 279,000,000 or P 3,950,000,000 at the old exchange rate of P 50 is to $ 1.00.
Now what can you do with nearly 4 BILLION PESOS in this single anomalous transaction alone?
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Sorry my computer hung and I had to reboot
This is a test: I got hung and my comments were not able to transmit a while ago
My computer access to this site has been getting loopy.
Have to go now, probable hacking in progress. Good luck.
Everyone,
Laws are made for men. I can’t quote an authoritative source right now except Jesus but I bet what millions of people feel are superior to petty technicalities. Besides the Bill of Rights, laws are malleable in the longer and wider view.
Manolo, I’m disappointed! I can’t believe you wasted time on this earth reading Belinda Cunanan!
bel cunanan who? is she worth your time?
The first two Edsas happened spontaneously. A revolution will happen when it’s time for it to happen.
So much crap talk about morality in this political exercise.
So now if you don’t favor Gloria resigning, you’re morally impaired?
Stick to the issue: has GMA lost the mandate? You won’t convince me to your side by judging my current political views immoral.
dear manolo,
my constituents in district 3 of qc and my friends in barangka, marikina, said they were given food and P150 to stay for two hours and watch mrs. arroyo at the riverbanks, marikina event over the weekend.
this debunks boy nograles’s boast that the people came of their own accord. the pitch went like this: ” o ayan, may pagkain at P150 na, ilang oras lang na tatayo at papalakpak.”
talagang bugs bunny and her dark company are grasping at straws thinner than joey de venecia’s hair
Cunanan once wrote that the website of pro-Chacha Sigaw ng Bayan was so popular that it got “a phenomenal nine million visits” in just three weeks. “Nine million represents almost 20 percent of the total number of registered voters,” she wrote.
Cunanan mistook “hits” (file requests) for unique visitors. :p
The numbers (or lack thereof) in the street have spoken.
The mayors, governors and congressmen — elected by their constituents in 2007 and 2004 — have spoken.
The CBCP has spoken.
The military has spoken.
What everyone agrees about is — Things can…and must…improve. Laws must be enforced; corruption must be minimized. Root out the criminals and prosecute them!
If this is the core of the message of the vocal minority, then God bless them. Nothing wrong with having this pressure within the democratic space.
But the majority has also made clear — Let the institutions, laws, processes and procedures be respected.
Another step in the right direction. Political maturation side-by-side with fundamental economic growth. The future remains bright.
Carl, did GMA ever have a mandate?
@geo
“Let the institutions, laws, processes and procedures be respected.”
I disagree. HUMANS should be respected first.
I love the Cunanantic. When agreeable, she’s informative, when bootlicking, very entertaining. Like Alex Magno. I find great entertainment in intellectual acrobatics.
I can’t understand why a mere denial from Malacanang is enough to negate Madriaga’s expose…
But lest we forget, it ws during Corazon Aquino’s term that thousands of peasants marching to Malacanang for land reform were shot at by security forces. The Mendiola Massacre claimed the lives of 17 farmers.
This happened less than a year after the first EDSA. Likewise, militarization, the forced disappearance and extrajudicial killings of hundreds of mass leaders and members of cause-oriented groups continued.
There was the proliferation of human rights violating cultist vigilante groups like the Alsa Masa and the Tadtads. The former president publicly supported these groups in the name of a dirty war against communism.
This period saw the cold-blooded murder of one of the country’s most promising leaders:
Oh, my previous comment was cut short. I meant Lean Alejandro – former UP Student Council chairman and BAYAN secretary general at the time of his assassination.
nash — The humans in this case are the ones who make up the military, church, congress, governors, mayors…and, of course, those that elected them and/or follow them.
These humans are saying that they want their rights respected.
And the only way that is possible is if they also respect the rights of others.
How? Rights. Human rights. The rights of the accused.
The hardest part of wanting the rule of law to dominate is to let the rules of law dominate you. That is to say — even though you’re sure of someone’s guilt, you still must accept the results of the legal processes. No vigilantes allowed.
Ok, assuming that GMA is guilty of all as alleged of her, the next issue here is who (there are MANY) made her do it? These are the people that must be dealt as important as dealing with Her whenever that happens, otherwise same will just jump over the fence and its the same story all over again…
Below is a prime example of government double speak also known as lawyer speak. The NDC is owned by the state. My favorite banker in residence in the cabinet claims that no cash will come from the NDC but it will come from the national government. The fraud of the BOT.
Another raid on the treasury in full view.
All GOCC’s and the BSP are owned by the state and are off budget transactions.
“Trade and Industry Secretary and NDC Chairman Peter Favila said NDC which was tapped by the government to raise funds for the proposed acquisition of the MRT 3 contract on behalf of the government had approved in principle the planned purchase.”
“NDC would become the owner of the rail contract on behalf of the government but it will not shell out any money for the takeover. We are waiting for the final proposal from the Department of Finance which is putting together the financing,†he added.
“Favila said although NDC becomes the corporate vehicle for the planned buyout of the MRT 3 contract, it will be the national government that will shoulder the financing aspect of the proposed deal.”
“The national government and the MRT3 consortium would settle the payment among themselves. NDC would simply take ownership of the contract on behalf of the government,†he added.
With NDC assuming the MRT 3 contract, the acquisition would then be reflected in the books of NDC.
“We are agreeable to the proposal for as long as there would be no cash-out on the part of NDC,†Favila said.
“The MRT 3 which runs from Taft Avenue in Pasay City to North Edsa started operations in 2000. It is now under the control of the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC), a private consortium led by the Ayala group’s Ayala Land Inc.; Anglo-Philippine Holdings Corp.; the Sobrepeña group’s Fil-Estate Management; Ramcar Inc. of the Agustines group; and Greenfield Development Corp., of United Laboratories’ investment holdings.”
“The project contract under a build-lease-transfer scheme for 25 years include various perks from the government including after-debt service, after expense return of 15 percent annually and a sovereign guarantee on loans from foreign creditors.”
John K. Galbraith said it correctly, socialism is acceptable but only for the rich.
I’ve posted audio of GMA’s radio interview on the Internet Archive. Nice opportunity for some semantic analysis of a smoking gun in Tagalog!
@geo
I have no disagreement with your reply. I’m just iconoclastic kasi kaya I don’t put ‘institutions’ up on a pedestal…
You sound pleased.
I’m back, a brief story of ominous signs in the People Power monument and recapture of EDSA shrine from the elitists by the ordinary Filipino people; with Youtube links at my blogspot bayanikabayan.blogspot.com/
And just when some thought it would be over
Gloria Resign!
Can someone enlighten us on this Madriaga character? The papers don’t have his CV (along with seminars attended) and biography up yet..
mita, apparently, yes, co-founder of home cable, if i recall the testimony correctly, and also why i believe jun magsaysay is being asked to help bring him in.
wow…where was the likes of madriaga hiding all this time! he’s the insider in the NBN deal even before ZTE entered the picture. his story can also produce real evidence like the cayman bank account of that ruben reyes he mentioned…
i’m still for the rule of law, to whatever it will lead to, it has to play itself out – within the rule of law. the country needs closure and we need the institutions to work.
watch oliver lozano now…he could be up to no good again…
Of course for some, photos, recounting of events, cameras, the fact that the police were unable to enforce the no-permit no-rally policy and not to mention the funny incident where pro-corruption crowd melted away at the first sign of rain, will never be enough for them.
yes i heard jun magsaysay’s name brought up too. i’m still surprised he got involved in this…
Interesting show Manolo. I’m currently watching “Surviving the Occupation” WW2 Manila in the Explainer
talking about conspiracy theories, where is everyone getting the idea that yesterday or the days before were supposed to be *the* people power? they were days of protests with many more to come. no one has ever predicted when and if the people power moment will come, it just happens. but it’s exercising the atrophied politicial consciences of people that *may* provide fruitful ground for people power to blossom.
“Lawyer Oliver Lozano has again filed an impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over the national broadband network scandal.”
My god, who is this idiot???????? He’s immunizing GMA from stronger impeachment raps and moreover, he should know that GMA has her forcefield for another 4 months or so….
“The hardest part of wanting the rule of law to dominate is to let the rules of law dominate you. That is to say  even though you’re sure of someone’s guilt, you still must accept the results of the legal processes. No vigilantes allowed.” – geo
No easy to say or do when family is involved. But inorder to save them from further complications with this unjust regime – I have subscribed to this, even if it was so difficult.
Yes Manolo, many in these times failed to realize that it took years, starting from the assassination of Benigno Aquino to People Power 1, before the protests gathered enough momentum to topple the Marcos dictatorship. As I have been apt to remind today’s young protectors of democracy, it isn’t easy to achieve a democracy with good governance, they have to work for it… patiently, steadily but surely.
Mlq3, that premise is necessary to back up their conclusions.
“talking about conspiracy theories, where is everyone getting the idea that yesterday or the days before were supposed to be *the* people power? they were days of protests with many more to come. no one has ever predicted when and if the people power moment will come, it just happens. but it’s exercising the atrophied politicial consciences of people that *may* provide fruitful ground for people power to blossom.” – mlq3
True! Can’t we just exercise our right for “redress of grievances” without being suspected of sedition? Or worst, get detained for years for a stupid charge of CONDUCT UNBECOMING? Even the US military does not detain anyone with this charge alone, Burma maybe?
Manolo, can you send me your email address, the one I got keeps bouncing (pldt)? Thanks.
To prove his electability Marcos in a period of instability was cajoled into calling a snap election.
Erap was very confident of his beating his impeachment rap but that second envelope created the perception of a huge cover up.
The CBCP is pushing Big Mike and GMA to submit themselves to a transparent process. The greater chance that they will hang themselves.
The economy might come into the picture down the line. the price of pan de sal and rice might be a factor.
The U.S. government is moving to bail out the housing industry and inflation will take care of oil prices (they will retreat for a short period), The IMF is running out of money and is going to sell some of its gold holdings.
Because of lag time – food prices for 2008 will be a major problem. – The dollar will strenghten.
Countires that are net food importers like the Philippines will move to subsidize prices. When the choice comes to keeping food prices low and allowing a small rise in budget deficits is a no brainer. Trade deficts are balloning already.
Shorting the peso and even a fifty centavo drop in value leveraged 20 times is like a ten peso devaluation.
IMF is preparing its war chest for countries that will be in need of funding for their food imports which are wiping out their BOP gains in Africa.
Whats this I hear that Abalos won a free ticket to the US? They say he’s leaving with his wife.
Guys, reflecting on our previous two ESDAs, the nebulous thought just put itself into words for me:
The only thing that will make People Power 3 erupt is this: someone extremely identified with GMA has to defect. Not someone like Jun Lozada, although his defection helps to keep some pressure up. No, it has to be someone who is to GMA what was Enrile to Marcos and Chavit was to Erap. A true insider whose word will be unquestioned.
Unfortunately, the only thing that will make such an ultimate insider defect is the feeling (familiar to Enrile/Ramos, Chavit, and Jun Lozada) that their patron is about to liquidate them. When this happens, their defection assumes the urgency of self-preservation, and they become totally fearless–when faced with death, what else have they got to lose? So all GMA has to do to survive–and I hope GMA or her minions aren’t reading this–is to make sure none of her inner circle gets the idea that they are about to get the axe.
And this is the sad thing: JdV should have been that insider. But he was too incredibly stupid to realize that the axe REALLY was about to fall on him. Now, he’s not an insider anymore (and besides, even now that he’s outside the kulambo, he’s still mum–what a pathetic idiot).
So for those of you who are action-minded (although I have no idea what kind of action this will require), what it takes is ONE MAJOR DEFECTOR. (Forget the Hyatt 10, or even Neri. You need someone like Ermita or either Gonzalez.)
hrvds,
Can you recommend a good book on economics that simple enough to understand by people from a sales and marketing background? Of course it must have something in it regarding international economics also of some sort? Thanks…
I hope we will see an end to all this soon. I have one question in mind though, if Gloria steps down together with Noli, who’s going to step up the plate?
Ramrod, Noli will not step down, I think. So it’ll be him.
Mike,
Yikes, in my meeting this afternoon, a prominent businessman said the business community is not keen on Noli. That question was actually raised by a foreign guest. You know even up to now most Europeans (and Singaporeans) I talked to still can’t understand why we want Gloria out, they say she’s doing a great job. Unfortunately I can’t reveal my position with these matters as they might have this impression that I’m a loose cannon or something, but I make it a point to update them with newspapers and its working.
Manolo,
Keep it up! I’ll wager, if Gloria steps down this year I will grant you a guided tour (and you can interview the execs) of any big plantation in Davao of your choice – if not, will you settle for lunch at EDSA Shang? I’m serious, its the least I can do.
why call for resignation now when there’s a very good chance a FULL impeachment can be achieved? don’t you want closure? if the president resigns, then what? they all move somewhere they can’t be prosecuted? is that enough for you?
this is THE chance for the institutions to prove themselves worthy of their existence.
—
on food supply, i’m sure there are a lot of people here with farmlands or idle lands in their province. get them bulldozed and irrigated (pumps are not that expensive and can even be rented) and then planted to high-yield rice varieties.
there was a discussion on productivity and economics here in past threads. let’s take it to the real world and take it as a challenge. every little bit helps.
Mita,
Re institutions, what if they still show partiality to to Gloria? Corruption does not involve one person alone, it branches out.
Re food supply, I’m with you on that!
I don’t know if you guys have also felt this, but each time I say something negative about Gloria Arroyo to non Filipinos I feel hurt also, actually ashamed of myself. In the eyes of these people we are hurting ourselves, insulting ourselves…really…but it doesn’t feel that way when I talk to fellow Pinoys.
ramrod,
It’s because we’re all in the same hole. Foreigners can only listen or even judge, but we Filipinos as whole experience the injustice of it all together.
ramrod,. k.k.b. na lang. for that amount you can donate some good books to your local library
i’m superstitious, too. the day to toast the people’s victory is when cruella’s gone, not a moment before.
mlq3,
Somehow I knew you’d say that. Funny how we can feel kinship with people even if we don’t see each other here.
hear, hear, Manolo
@ramrod
you shouldn’t feel ashamed because hindi naman ikaw yung nagnakaw at nagsingungaling. Mabuti ng you call a spade a spade. I’m often asked to describe the philippines and i start with all the positive ones before saying “it’s also the most catholic and most corrupt in the region” and you can qualify that last sentence with either “and I don’t mind because I benefit from this corruption” which is the stand of some of the spoiled kids I meet here abroad…or “i would like to make a stand and say that I have ZERO tolerance for this and would like those corrupt officials to be jailed…” Or pwede mo ring sabihing “Wa ako pake dahil hindi na ako citizen pero mang-aasar pa rin ako” like the stand of most expat pinoys who live in the first world yet have a banana republic mentality…
cheers
Ramrod, here in Singapore, i don’t bring up local politics at work but when i’m asked, i say that i oppose Gloria Arroyo because she cheated.
ramrod, there was also a discussion here in the past that we have to get back our representatives in congress working FOR US, make themselves useful to US and not to themselves.
a new people power? you bet. if we get the names and contact numbers of our representatives and bug them at least once a month with phone calls, everyday with email if they have any, which they should. when you call their office, ask for the chief of staff, keep calling until they talk to you. the more people calling the more they’ll realize their game is over. you can always couple that with snail mail and have it sent to congress..ilan members of the house of representatives? how many letters can be generated for each one of them? madami-dami yon..
every province should have its own website….I’ve seen a few but they are not updated. siguro naman there’s at least one IT or computer-literate person who is now doing well abroad and has a lot of time on their hands, from each province of the Philippines, who can start a simple unofficial website for their province with a working email address that constituents with email access can write to. one person in the province can then print out a summary of this emails every month and send it to their congressman.
for those without internet access, those who ran in the last elections and lost can probably be tapped to work for the people in this effort. they can always run in the next elections and will have more chance to win once they have proven themselves worthy of representing the people.
cvj,
Its always brought up, its part of how we assess the business scenario, the political situation is always part of the program but I’ll follow your lead though.
nash,
You can still get away with that because you’re young, unlike us gurangs, hehehe.
cvj,
I guess you’re Singaporean colleagues also find it difficult to understand right? They’re quite rigid.
Gotta go guys, early day tommorow, mamya na pala.
while I agree with your premise that the dollar in the short term will appreciate via a vis the peso, however; the reasons of dolar appreciation lies on whats happening stateside. Cuurently, while the dollar is fundamentally overvalued, it is also technically oversold. If there will be a true US recession, watch for the peso to give some of its gains. In the environment of just a US economic slowdown, the peso will hover around its current value. What is clear on all of this is that the time of rapid peso appreciation is definitely over at least on the short term.
Shorting any currency is extremely risky as the downside is infinite. I will not in any way recommend that unless you eat, breath and sleep with the market. This is more of the turf of the big hedge funds.
To be on topic, GMA is one lucky biatch he he he…..20% peso appreciation, 30 quarters of continued growth and bungling opposition.
hmmm, I notice something here since yesterday.
1) I couldn’t blog in the afternoon (Manolo’s is hacked?)
2) Most anti-GMA bloggers seem happy, the pros are silent
3) Manolo puts Belinda Cunanan on the spotlight
For the last item, all I can say is, Bel must be one of those lucky bit…es around. The last time Gloria came here, Bel C. was in tow with a few rah-rah journalists. Of course, she acted like any other VIP tourist in a 5-star hotel in Waikiki.
Seriously, those writer-apologists of Gloria’s misrule, or misguided regime, must be uneasy these days. For a time, Amando Doronila was doing it, and a few others. Ditto for her loyal defenders trying to justify the stinky NBN deal. Fomoso or any of those so-called technocrats better keep mum – or pack their bags.
i voted for Roco and Hermie Aquino. last election, my congressman did not win, and naga does not vote for governor since we’re a chartered city. i voted for robredo.
kaya pag narinig ko pa si benign0 magtanong ng “who voted those bozos in?” isasampal ko sa kanya ang malakas na: “hindi ako, gago!”
kasalanan ko ba kung si dato na di bikolano eh nanalo sa distrito na napakadaling bilhin ang mga boto?
kasalanan ko ba na ang hayop na villafuerte(the father) na yan ay patuloy na sinisira ang pangalan ng mga bikolano?
i have always, ever since – voted with my conscience. and none of that crap – let’s vote for GMA to prevent an FPJ presidency. and look what you fuckers got. if we had a primary bet GMA and Roco, Roco would have won and went on to win the presidency.
but then again, if Lacson did not run, FPJ would still have won over Roco.
benigno keeps harping abt the stupidity of filipino voters. here’s my challenge: go change that by going into the countryside and educating those whom you love to ridicule. but unless you go down that pulpit, nothing will come of your ideas except hot air.
so what does this teaches us?
if you want to be president, run for vice president.
cbcp-”arryo:take lead vs. corruption”, best joke there is although it not funny! it’s like letting the wolf watching you flock of sheep!
these men in cbcp lost their marbles! i called them “men” because they don’t deserve the title of priest or bishop!
let us make know to those men that we don’t agree with their stand tantamount to supporting gma! let us not give alms during masses and not support their projects and send them letters of protest. they should have just shut their pie holes if they have nothing good to say the filipino nation. there is term for these men that Jesus used in his time on earth- “pharisees”. Jesus warn us of these kind of self-righteous men!
re hacking of manolo’s blog
three lettered acronym
istambay, not all priests are as bad as you make them out to be. many are still out there, in the countryside, doing good work, God’s work. the lay people and most of the lower ranked priests are all good christians and embody christ’s teachings.
it’s the leadership that has gone bonkers.
you can easily distinguish the pharisees from the true followers of Christ by one thing: those who follow Christ are actively involved in community development. pharisees wallow in their fat and proclaim infallibility conferred by God. PRIDE is the worst sin agst God. so who do you think sins the most in the catholic hierarchy?
pope, can i hear you saying you’re humble enough to claim you’re fallible? phooey!
how can anti-gma bloggers be happy with more rotten eggs on their faces, unless they have grown accustomed to them? this futile exercise of plotting to oust gma before her term ends is getting more boring with each debacle. when, oh when will these people wake up to reality that their unholy quest is causing havoc to the nation? let pgma be until 2010. you don’t have to “love” her or like her. just respect the office of the presidency and all the other institutions of the state.
of course, wrongdoers in government should be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law; but only with sufficient evidence and after due process of the law.
“just respect the office of the presidency and all the other institutions of the state”
Oh really? Shouldn’t it be “the incumbent should respect his/her office…”
“this futile exercise of plotting to oust gma before her term ends is getting more boring with each debacle. when, oh when will these people wake up to reality that their unholy quest is causing havoc to the nation? let pgma be until 2010. you don’t have to “love†her or like her. just respect the office of the presidency and all the other institutions of the state” — Bencard
The IRONY in what you just said is that all this is being made to be some kind of HOLY quest by all these men and women in robes (and one Lady in Yellow) that currently infest our society.
To be fair, it seems that the Catholic Bishops have backed off a bit expressing their stand that people are free to choose what to do and how to express what they believe should be the next steps in this whole debacle and that the Church no longer should figure as a key inciting force.
That’s well and good. I’m hoping they are starting to realise how medievally-backward they make the Philippines look whenever their crucifixes and weeping nuns make front-page photos and get Bandila airtime all over the world.
It’s ironic that we aspire to be a modern nation YET employ medieval methods to achieve this.
“We should now turn our homes into sanctuaries from official lying.” — INQ7.net Editorial, 27 Feb 2008
That sounds really peachy, until one considers how much of an inherent advocate of lies and half-truths Pinoys actually are even in their own homes.
I recall a middle aged man who lamented this reality in a rather crudely written by straight-from-the-heart letter to me a couple of years ago:
“we filipinos are so hypocrete. we live on lies and half truth.
when I was a kid (am now 40 [years old]) our elders never give us straight answer. one day while playing to my female friend, we were both taking a bath (nude and I was 5 [years old]) I shout “ay pepe” [and] my aunt scolded me for saying bad words.
another was, when I ask my aunt again how did I come out in this world. and without hesitation she said “galing ka sa puwet”.
there’s alot more lies and half truth i learn from my elders, when we went to US at my age of 10 [years old], I was so surprised how ordinary folks explain everything as if am talking to them as the same age as mine. up to now am still wandering why we filipinos doesnt treat kids as intellectual and the future of our country, in the philippines, youth are deprive of ideas what is better for them. look who’s the one talking and explaining everything on tv,radios or in press con. FVR 78 [years old], DOJ Gonzales 78 [years old], Ex Gen Abat 80 [years old], Sec Ermita and other’s who as if t[h]ey will still live by hundred years and cannot accept that their ideas are already “kalawang”. please you oldies, give the youth what is best for the country and for them.”
check out the whole letter here:
http://www.getrealphilippines.com/rant/rant00020.html
So think twice about being so pompous about the way we point accusing fingers at our politicians. They merely reflect the quality of the society they govern.
‘another was, when I ask my aunt again how did I come out in this world. and without hesitation she said “galing ka sa puwetâ€Â.’
That explains why benignO is full of sh*t.
supremo,
hahahahaha!nice have a few laughs in times like these!lol
“That explains why benignO is full of sh*t.” — supremo
Too bad nobody seems to be able to clearly explain the nature of this sh1t I am allegedly full of.
Tough luck.
actually at first i thought they were the smell of rotten eggs in my face! i realised that i never had one and it was someone else smelling sh*t!
somebody please differentiate the word “expain” from “spin”. seems a few individuals here are good at “spinning” things ratrher than “explaining” as they claim.
umagang kay ganda, bishops ineguez phone interview where he claimed that “hindi pa sufficient ang evidence” (on graft and corruption of gma)- what a b.s.! what more proof that they need? ika nga mahirap talagang gisingin ang nagtulogtulogan!
again, they have lost their marbles.
let us voice our collective protest! PHARISEES!
ramrod, mlq3,
I will not celebrate Gloria’s ouster util I see one clean presidential election. No thank you.
The advantages of a financial based empire. . They can absorb a financial loss of a trillion with out feeling it.
“Those who believe even Prof Roubini’s scenario too optimistic ignore an inconvenient truth: the financial system is a subsidiary of the state. A creditworthy government can and will mount a rescue. That is both the advantage – and the drawback – of contemporary financial capitalism.”
“If the worst comes to the worst, the government can mount a bail-out similar to the one of the bankrupt savings and loan institutions in the 1980s. The maximum cost would be 7 per cent of GDP. That would raise US public debt to 70 per cent to GDP and would cost the government a mere 0.2 per cent of GDP, in perpetuity. That is a fiscal bagatelle.”
Because the US borrows in its own currency, it is free of currency mismatches that made the balance-sheet effects of devaluations devastating for emerging economies. Devaluation offers, instead, a relatively painless way out of a slowdown: an export surge. Between the fourth quarter of 2006 and the fourth quarter of 2007, the improvement in US net exports generated 30 per cent of US growth.
Why is the U.S. running close to full employment? Now you know why
Martin Wolf FT
Methinks Gloria Arroyo (i deliberately omitted the title and middle name) does not deserve the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines.
I support calls for resignation. But deep down my gut, I know Mrs. Arroyo will not resign. It is in her, her family, and her minions’ survival interest, not to step down. As Senator Juan Ponce Enrile’s unsolicited advise to Mrs Arroyo goes, “Step down, you’re dead”.
Still despite the improbability of Mrs. Arroyo “heeding” the resignation calls, I still maintain that she is unfit, mayabang, and arogante, for having the gall to speak like she does in the past few days, in the face of glaring accusations of corruption. Her boytoys (Ermita, Nograles, Golez), her evil spawns (failed-actor Mikey and Dato) and that blabbering thing named Lorelei Fajardo, is not helping her image either. Arroyo, through this political cockroaches, takes the form of the “devil” that Romulo Neri aptly described her to be.
And being a Catholic myself, i looked forward to the position of the Bishops regarding the politcial climate. I WANTED the CBCP to join the resignation call, but again, deep down, I was half-expecting what actually came out in the pastoral letter late last night.
The Bishops echoed just about every point of the Gloria-resign sectors, except the resignation part.
And i think the pay-off of such “prudence”, is calling for the lifting of EO 464.
I was initially disappointed upon hearing the supremely `disciplined` pastoral letter, BUT my disappointment evaporated quickly after hearing the “calls to lift the EO 464″ part of the letter.
Here’s why: had the CBCP called for Arroyo’s resignation, AND at the same time, called for the lifting of EO 464, Malacañang would have summarily dismissed the CBCP’s position, including the chance for the debate or possibility of EO 464 to be lifted.
To my mind, the CBCP is bidding its time. Taking a slow, but more realistic and concrete steps towards the same end that the Gloria-Resign mass wants: ridding the Malacañang of a thief.
The CBCP’s position just needs a second look, and a little bit of second guessing. It is matter of choosing what battles to fight, in the interest of winning a bigger war.
“To my mind, the CBCP is bidding its time. Taking a slow, but more realistic and concrete steps towards the same end that the Gloria-Resign mass wants: ridding the Malacañang of a thief.” — Liz
I don’t think it is the place of the Church or any organised religion to be playing king-maker or king-destroyer in a “modern” society (well, at least the kind of democratic SECULAR society that presumably most Pinoys aspire to).
Liz,
I absolutely agree. I really don´t understand why all the papers run headlines about CBCP refusing to call for GMA resingation. The bishops did no such thing. If you actually read the full pastoral letter, it is very tough on GMA and leads to right conclusions, I believe.
bening0,
I am pro-secular all the way, but the strong position and influence the church enjoys in the Philippines is just one anomaly among many, isn´t? Equally, you should be calling for Congress to represent the population accordingly, i.e. serve the interests of the poor majority, not just the rich minority. And don´t even get me started on what any normal president´s role should be…
Oops, I didn´t mean to misspell your name, benign0, sorry for that
the revealing part of the bishop’s letter is the account on media to be objective and fair– that’s a slap on the greatest instigators ABS-CBN and PDI.
And ANC didn’t even bother to mention this…truth my foot!
I misprinted, it should have been nearly 14 BILLION PESOS worth of graft by the “Filipino Group”
“Equally, you should be calling for Congress to represent the population accordingly, i.e. serve the interests of the poor majority, not just the rich minority. And don´t even get me started on what any normal president´s role should be…” – bafil
Agree. Funny, how others are more focused on the reform-oriented bloggers, CBCP, and opposition, when they should be looking at the REAL CROOKS, the representatives, Gloria, and FG et al. Which is more important, the wrongdoing itself or the guys trying to make it right but are apparently(?) doing it wrong?
How could the need to be CONTRARY or debate be more important than the issuess themselves?
How could the need to dish out wit overshadow the desperation of some people who are now suffering under this regime? Its easy to be appear cynical when you can blog leisurely from afar. Most especially if you don’t actually know anyone in the country…
James, este Abalos, there you go again.
SIDE-TOPIC: Feb 27 to Feb 29 Conference – Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City.
Prosecutors, judges, human rights advocates and even high-level justices from such countries as Colombia, Guatemala, Argentina, Spain, the US, Indonesia, and the rest of Southeast Asia, are expected to meet with Philippine media, rights advocates, and members of the national legal community to address the topic of and to attend a conference on “Impunity and Press Freedom” in the Philippines from Wednesday, February 27 to Friday, February 29.
Welcoming the foreign experts, said the Bangkok-based Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) and its Manila-based member, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), will be no less then Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno, who will deliver the opening keynote address to the conference.
“The Philippines, unfortunately, is notorious for the number of journalists that have been killed in recent years and over the past two decades,” says Melinda Quintos de Jesus, executive director of the CMFR.
CMFR notes that no less than 70 journalists have been killed in the Philippines since 1986. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which along with the Open Society Insitute (OSI) is supporting this week’s conference, in 2006 called the Philippines one of the “most murderous” places for journalists anywhere in the world.
During the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo alone, CMFR says at least 33 journalists have been murdered in the line of duty. There have been few arrests, and zero conviction of the masterminds behind the murders.
For queries, call Ms. Lara de Jesus at tel (632) 894-1314, (632) 894-1326, (632) 840-0903, telefax (632) 840-0889.
If well used for the benefit of the Filipinos in need, which includes job generation and immediate emergency basic needs, what can 14 BILLION PESOS do? No wonder these greedy bast*rds consider P 500,000 as regular pocket money.
Liz said:
Hmm, if true then the next question is from where the threat would come from. It is entirely possible that one of the corrupt big shots (or group of big shots) themselves would do her in (in the remote possibility she would step down) to prevent Gloria from spilling the beans on these shady characters; familiar pattern of a mafia organization’s code of silence. I do not think that they are the type who would say, “What is a couple of Billion (and divulging our identities ) between friends”
Bafil,
true. sometimes things are not what they are at face value. especially on Philippine politics. it takes a lot of thinking to get through sanitized and media-fit facade. if one is emotional, he/she fails to see what’s important.
Benign0,
sure. TO SOME EXTENT, secularism, for me, must be upheld in normal conditions of running the affairs of the State. but in the wake of such gut-wrenching accusation of corruption (billions for that matter), like the civil society, business, lawyers, managers, opposition, and the youth, the Church is entitled to its institutional stand on matters where its faithful are stakeholders of, which in this case, is of the State’s.
Kabayan,
to me, Senator Enrile’s remarks is not about a literal “dead”. i think it is about a scenario that once she resigns, and therefore loses her immunity, she will be swarmed with charges upon charges of graft and corruption, and her long standing critics will descend upon her like vultures. that’s how i took Sen. Enrile’s advice to the GMA.
Liz, Kabayan, i’ve commented before that our situation is like a long drawn out hostage-taking, with our entire nation being the one held hostage by an illegitimate occupant of Malacanang (and whoever is behind her). The debate within our institutions and communities, whether it be the clergy, the business community and the military, and among ourselves, is along the lines of how to take out the hostage-taker without the nation becoming collateral damage.
BryanB said:
“One effective way to counterbalance the damaging influence of the oligarchs is to campaign to the lower and middle classes to wake up and be a little more vigilant for their own good. Magtulungan tayo at pagtulungan natin ang mga yan”
Also:
“Laws are made for men. I can’t quote an authoritative source right now except Jesus but I bet what millions of people feel are superior to petty technicalities. Besides the Bill of Rights, laws are malleable in the longer and wider view”
And Then:
“I will not celebrate Gloria’s ouster util I see one clean presidential election. No thank you”
Well said my friend…Those who want GMA out have the following options:
1. Willing (Hah! Is that even an option?) or Forced GMA resignation due to Rallies/People Power – I think more people will join if it can be reassured that the constitutional succession is followed – i.e. Noli De Castro Presidency (Best option I think!). The operative word here is RESIGNATION.
However, I think she will not resign as long as she thinks she can hang on till 2010! (I.e. no military withdrawal of support and 1 million plus people or vice versa) Is 1 million representative in a population of 80 million plus? I dont’t know but it will be nearly impossible for any President to hang on to his/her seat if you have that many people in the Streets! Now you will need to convince the 1 million people why they should leave the riveting Oscars to “hang out with friends” and oust a President in the process!
2. Go the impeachment route. This will only succeed if enough pressure is put on the “elected” Congressmen by their CONSTITUENCY (yeah those probinsyanos who keep electing them!) that they (or their kamaganaks!) will not be reelected if they support GMA and kill another impeachment! How come I don’t see any pressure here like WARNING! WARNING! I WILL NOT VOTE FOR AN OLIGARCH AGAIN! or “SA MGA PROBINSYANO NATING KABABAYAN – MAGPAKA KAPAMPANGAN NGA KAYO…IBOTO NYO TULAD IN FATHER PANLILIO HINDI YUNG GUAPO O MAYAMAN NA PADRINO NI JUNIOR!”
3. Be vigilant against corruption, FIX THE ELECTORAL PROCESS and and be ready for 2010! Now if she tries to hang on to power by 2010 or if the election is cancelled by the COMELEC/Congressmen/Senate/Military/GMA or Jesus Christ! Then I’ll hang out with you in the Streets for another People Power!
4. Respect the will of the Electorate in 2010. Yes! Even the Metro Squatter who voted for the mestizo actor, Or the Atenean who voted for the polician with the Harvard Accent! Or those who voted for the member from the ANG LADLAD Party (Assuming the COMELEC has been reformed by then why not?) Or those who voted for the bloody left wing rabble rouser from the Akbayan Party! (I keep asking myself does Akbayan stand for Anak ng Bayan? If so I am sooo tempted to say Hoy, hindi ka anak ng Bayan! Anak ka ng Tatay at Nanay mo!) LOL!
I agree with your first and third comments. I disagree with your second premise about Laws are made for men etc. Laws are actually made for men and woment BY MEN and WOMEN (elected by men and women) for an ordering of Society and therefore disagree that “what millions of people feel are superior to petty technicalities”.
Laws are not “petty technicalities”.
In Mature Western Democracies Power is ultimately in the hands of the People – via the Electoral Process. Make the lawmakers (Senators and Congressmen) and those implementing the Laws accountable via Fair and Credible elections! If the Electoral Process is flawed and is not fixed then you will have People Power AD INFINITUM!
So how come I don’t hear any urgency or clamor from the people to fix COMELEC and ensure an Efficient, Fair and Credible elections in 2010?
MLQ – Sorry about the caps!
Liz said:
That’s good, we need to know all those who are involved, otherwise her minions, oligarch’s and government mafia allies will pop up in our society again.
====================
cvj said:
I myself can’t really predict the likely events to follow, we just have to patiently work till these leeches are removed and tried by the society they wantonly abuse. It’s a group of individuals who are involved by the way; Gloria Arroyo and her office is simply a path where they can use to “legitimately” wield power (i.e. the Rule of Law they keep harping about) and manipulated laws for the clique’s benefit.
Columnist Lito Banayo’s Oligarchic Structure Diagram given to him by Neri is an eye opener to this.
Kabayan, were you able to get a copy of that diagram or did anyone put it up online?
cvj said,
No dice, wasn’t able to get any. I was hoping someone can and post it in the internet and tell us the link.
Agree. Funny, how others are more focused on the reform-oriented bloggers, CBCP, and opposition, when they should be looking at the REAL CROOKS, the representatives, Gloria, and FG et al. Which is more important, the wrongdoing itself or the guys trying to make it right but are apparently(?) doing it wrong?
========================================================
I believe both are important. How can you make right or correct a wrong doing by doing it the wrong way?.
What was the “right way” before is now corrupted by this administration; the most glaring of this is E.O. 464. Now Gloria is reaping the whirlwind.
ramrod,
like rego said “…both are important.” you cannot get to the crooks if you don’t get to the representatives. You have to look toward resolution or everything, even the wranglings we got into here, was for nothing.
as for everyone else, it’s all part of the package that makes the dysfunctional system what it is. if you don’t, at the very least, discuss it now, they will all come back to haunt you…
btw, watch Oliver Lozano!
Oliver Lozano is like a pest who’s doing what is natural for him to do and which the system allows him to do. It’s for our honorable lawmakers to plug the loophole that Lozano and the like is using to make a fool out of them(lawmakers) and us(the people).
I cannot but agree with Lea Navarro that the CBCP has relegated itself to irrelevance.
But that it is a positive development, long overdue at that, because only the people and not a handful of Bishops can chart history. But history will always be on the side of those who are fighting for what is right. Hitler, Stalin, Russian Bolshevism, Marcos, American intervention in Vietnam, Saddam Hussein, Pres Nixon, Erap, etc etc. Where are they now?
I really believe that man’s political history has its own of correcting society to the right path. No matter what despots and tyrants do.
Come to think of it, I vividly remember that Catholic Bishops only threw its support behind the people when it became obvious that Marcos’ days are numbered in 1986.
Research if there was any reaction from CBCP during the heydays of corruption during the Marcos regime and immediately after Ninoy Aquino was killed.
When Kruschev denounced Stalin and asked members of the Politburo where were they during the pogroms of Stalin, he was met with silence.
That is where the Bishops were always during trying times, in silence.
If you want to have a barometer on whether GMA is on the way out, watch the move of the Bishops. Once they disengage from this regime, it means the end is near.
Not because of them, but in spite of them.
“I really believe that man’s political history has its own of correcting society to the right path. No matter what despots and tyrants do.” — frombelow
Let’s not forget the Catholic Church’s own extensive track record of SUPPRESSING free thought, propagating ignorance, and inciting bloody crusades; not to mention the genocide it led against heretics and conquered natives in the Americas.
Gloria may be a crook, but she did try (as a few other politicians try to do before her — including Marcos) to implement family planning programs; all of which were undermined or outright stamped out by the Church.
Which is the greater crime then?
Put the millions skimmed off these telco deals in the context of the shameful ballooning of the population of the Philippines from a manageable 20 million-odd 40 years ago to the 90+ million we see today.
MY EXAMPLE IS INTEGRITY!
In my Inauguration Speech on January 20,2001,I told the nation my mantras: applying the highest level of moral standards, practicing good governance and leading by example .
On many occasions, I have given my views on what our program of government should be. This is not the time or place to repeat them all. However, I can tell you that they converge on four core beliefs.
1. We must be bold in our national ambitions, so that our challenge must be that within this decade, we will win the fight against poverty.
2. We must improve moral standards in government and society, in order to provide a strong foundation for good governance.
3. We must change the character of our politics, in order create fertile ground for true reforms. Our politics of personality and patronage must give way to a new politics of party programs and process of dialogue with the people.
4. Finally, I believe in leadership by example. We should promote solid traits such as work ethic and a dignified lifestyle, matching action to rhetoric, performing rather than grandstanding.
Let met talk about the moral aspect of my beliefs.
Morality is the bedrock of public service. And this must start by the example set by leadership at a highest levels.
I firmly believe that my example is integrity!
To ensure that our gains are not dissipated through corruption, we must improve moral standards. As we do so, we create fertile ground for good governance based on a sound moral foundation, a philosophy of transparency, and an ethic of effective implementation.
Let me now go back to the management style of this administration. As often mentioned, the Arroyo government is characterized by ‘Good Governance’. But what exactly is ‘Good Governance’? Allow me to share with you how I believe this government practices ‘Good Governance’.
1)Good Governance under the Arroyo government is governance practiced with the highest level of integrity.
*The National Power Corp. (Napocor) -CPK-Kalayaan rehabilitation project.
* The race horse importation fiasco.
* The overpriced Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard exposé.
* Misuse of the fertilizer funds.
* The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. scandals.
* The jueteng scandals.
* The Bribery of Governors and Congressmen in Malacanang.
* The MOTHER of ALL SCANDALS: THE HELLO GARCI Mega Scandal that influenced the last Presidential elections.
2)Good governance under this government is governance practiced with competence and expertise..
*ZTE-NBN Broadband Deal
3)Good governance under this government is governance practiced with transparency. This is a government prepared to face any public forum to explain its decisions and actions.
*Executive Privilege
*EO 464
Good governance under this government is governance practiced with follow through. Ningas Cogon has no place in this government.
And finally, good governance under this government is governance practiced with a strong sense of urgency and the need to act or decide.
And so my friends – we may be sailing in stormy weather but your captain and her crew are well-equipped to steer our boat to calmer waters. The boat may rock back and forth, but not to worry – I see no risk of tipping over.
As a parting word, let me share with you the wise words from a well-known international personality better known as MJ and the Company he represents. Nothing can better describe your government leadership as this -
The Case is Closed !Let’s Move On!
I WILL NEVER RESIGN!
Thank you and good afternoon.
Note:Pathological lying is falsification entirely disproportionate to any discernible end in view, may be extensive and very complicated, and may manifest over a period of years or even a lifetime
CBCP. The thing about the CBCP is, in politics, they are just another interest group. Their moves are calculated by those interests as much as any business group. If people think my words are sacrilegious, then I will burn in hell.
If they have the power of discernment as they claim. Well, we ordinary mortals should start honing on our own skills of discernment as well…whether you pray for it or train yourself for independent thought is your choice.
Kabayan: It seems that Madriaga is far more knowledgeable than Lozada on the corruption mechanics in the NBN project.
To be fair, from what I caught of Madriaga’s testimony, most of it was about his conversations with his boss at ZTE Leo San Miguel. He didnt have first-hand knowledge as to where and to whom the overprice went. His first-hand knowledge had to do with the cost of the project and its subsequent ballooning.
“If they have the power of discernment as they claim. Well, we ordinary mortals should start honing on our own skills of discernment as well…whether you pray for it or train yourself for independent thought is your choice.” — Mita
That’s the problem with these moronic street “revolutions” that Pinoys have become addicted to.
It only takes a few whispers, text messages, a bit of operatic drama, and crying “heroes” — not to mention the usual toekn Lady-Dressed-in-Yellow — to incite cretins to join a street “revolution”.
On the other hand, it requires brains (i.e. critical thinking faculties) to get the democratic institutions and processes CURRENTLY in place to work their wonders. That’s because these processes were designed around the concept of using a rigorous regime of logical debate and a bit of the scientific method (all based on evidence and a rigorous method of piecing them together) to tease out the Truth.
Pinoys have become addicted to the easy shortsighted way, and shun the hard, rigorous, high-level-thinking-required (and therefore unfathomable to most Pinoys) path.
Rigour and Process seem to be things that are utterly ALIEN to the Pinoy mind. That is why Pinoy minds are prone to hi-jacking by politicians and celibate men-in-robes.
Go figure.
“my constituents in district 3 of qc and my friends in barangka, marikina, said they were given food and P150 to stay for two hours and watch mrs. arroyo at the riverbanks, marikina event over the weekend.”
Did Remoto win anything?
Ederic, those hits came from 9 IP addresses only.
Jeg said:
Agreed, that is why E.O. 464 needs to be removed so that a proper investigation can proceed. Corroboration can bring us nearer to the truth, however since this administration keeps on covering up investigations and habitually lie to boot, where does that leave the citizens on whom to believe? That is why Lozada and other witnesses are credible in the eyes of the people because this administration is covering up the truth hence they are deemed to have done something dirty. They try to choke media and protests, that then confirms that Gloria and here ilk have something to hide.
People are now looking for champions for truth as truth has been systematically hidden by this administration through Executive Orders and mailed fist tactics. That is the way it is, so for those who goes into nitty-gritty legalisms to prevent truth from surfacing (like this Lozada creature, most of the Tongressman and some people I know), the people shall not believe them, as such when the critical mass is reached, then they shall reap the whirlwind.
From ManilaStandardToday:
Neri’s brief? Oligarchs control RP economy
By Christine F. Herrera
AN ADVISER to Senator Panfilo Lacson yesterday said that former Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri briefed opposition politicians in a secret meeting last December on how “national oligarchs†influenced government policies and national elections.
Testifying at the Senate hearings on a lingering corruption allegation, Lito Banayo said he was at the meeting where Neri briefed Lacson and Senator Jamby Madrigal at the Asian Institute of Management.
Lacson witness Rodolfo Lozada was also at the meeting, Banayo said.
In his lecture, Banayo said, Neri allegedly claimed that former Board of Investments governor Tomas Alcantara was involved in oil smuggling that resulted in at least P3 billion a year in “foregone revenues.â€Â
Banayo presented a chart that Neri prepared, and it supposedly showed that President Arroyo was at the center of the “ecosystem of corruption.â€Â
Neri, he said, stressed that the President needed the oligarchs or big businessmen for survival. But Neri, even before the Banayo testimony, merely laughed off the chart, saying it was part of his standard political-economic briefing to any interested group, the media included.
In the diagram, Banayo identified TA as Tomas Alcantara of C. Alcantara and Sons, and ER as Enrique Razon Jr., chairman and chief executive of International Container Terminal Services Inc. Other “oligarchs†in the diagram included Lucio Tan, owner of Philippine Airlines; Donald Dee; Endika Aboitiz; John Gokongwei; and the Lopez family.
Other businessmen such as Manuel Pangilinan of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. were outside the circle of oligarchs, Banayo said, quoting Neri.
- – - -
Deposed President Joseph Estrada was also on the diagram but was said to be part of the opposition.
Banayo said Neri listed three institutions that were pro-Senate and anti-Arroyo. These were the Senate media, civil society groups and the Catholic Church.
“I don’t see how we can achieve any consensus on reforms given the present situation. Nothing can also happen because the Church, the opposition, civil society and the media cannot remove her from power,†Banayo quoted Neri as saying.
Banayo said the group at the meeting did not dwell on the oligarchs because they were more interested in the ZTE scandal.
Gaite’s manny was not his. it was loaned to him by an uncle intended to have his in-laws’ house renovated. Gaite spent years in the seminary we must believe his story whole heartedly. I can understand the deepseated pain Mrs. Gaite who is a former nun must have been feeling.
What is in this administration that makes almost all of its men pathoLogical liars! So, the comtract afterall was flawed-kawawa Formoso and Leandro Mendoza- MAG RESIGN NA KAYO!
fIRST line should be Gaite’s money
Mita:
My guess is that between GMAs bags of cash and the respect of some vocal constituents, congressmen will choose the former 99% of the time.
Guys, there is no chance of E.O. 464 being lifted before the end of GMA’s term. If she lifts that, tapos na ang boksing. If you doubt that, just imagine what Gudani and Balutan’s testimony–after all, they were the first victims of 464–will do to her.
UP n student,
Actually even the relationship of China to the Philippine government is reflected in the diagram that Lito Banayo showed.
I noticed in the diagram that the Filipino masses are small in comparison to the image bubbles of other interest groups and organizations. It somehow reflects how small we the whole population of the Philippines are compared to these manipulative power blocs.
This administration will just delay or offer another palliative solution instead of lifting E.O.464. That is why anti-corruption groups should not rest on its laurels and should continue scheduled mass actions and recruitments against corruption.
Correction at February 27th, 2008 12:12 pm “…legalisms to prevent truth from surfacing (like this Lozada creature, most of the Tongressman and some people I know),…”
Should be “this Lozano creature, Gloria’s personal lawyer/doctor who regularly immunized her from impeachment every year,…”
Hi Mike,
I’ve received some disturbing news that even if E.O. 464 is lifted, it would be quite useless since it was reported that there is a Memorandum Circular 108 issued by Malacanang is practically the same as E.O. 464, thus the request of the CBCP is useless. I hope someone can verify how true this report is.
Hi guys, just saw Neri, Golez and some people I didn’t recognize have dinner tonight at the HEAT EDSA Shang, the buffet is nice though…
Mita,
I am for making our representatives work for us, even in the previous threads. Its just that at times I feel frustrated with everything thats happening. Its wrong I know, we haven’t started on this route yet. Maybe its frustrating in the beginning but when we get one or two who are willing to listen it’ll get the ball rolling right?
ramrod, next time take a photo.
mlq3, is there anything unusual about eating dinner? i suppose neri still needs to have a meal amidst all the fuss over him.
in view of the fact that Lozano is what he is – don’t just watch him – start a patriot fund for him – NOW NA! LoL!
ramrod,
i’m starting to print out flyers with our representative’s name and batasan contact details which i intend to drop off to as many households in our area. i’ll also put down: if you want anything done, call the honorable so-and-so.
when it’s election time they send out flyers that litter our streets, afterwards they just hang up “thank you” banners. well, i think thank you is not enough, they should make themselves available for the people.
Sir:
First off, I’m glad u took time to check my blog (http://8sallpolitics.blogspot.com/). I never thought that my trying to stay sane in this madness about Jun Lozada and ZTE scandal had gotten your and Ms. Cunanan’s attention.
We may have differences of opinion in this matter but let me say that it does not affect my high regard for ur wit and nationalism.
Anyway, my only concern when I put up that blog was there is something wrong with the picture of Jun Lozada AND Ping Lacson together. Somehow, somewhere, something connects them more than just a staff of the Senator who happened to be a friend of Lozada’s brother. Call me a classic conspiracy theorist but the 2010 elections and the dirty nature of our electoral politics deems a more critical look at the present crisis brought about by Jun Lozada.
I have nothing against Senator Lacson. But I do have SOMETHING against those who would manipulate the masses – our opinions, our votes and our numbers – in the furtherance of their self interests.
God bless and more power.
Letter to the editor
Bisrockers
Dear Belinda,
Sen. Panfilo Lacson revealed the other day that your husband is a Malacañang appointee. What’s your response to this possible conflict of interest between your Jurassic, I mean, journalistic work (?) and your husband’s appointment?
What is your response to this possible scenario: Belinda criticizes the “Evil Bitchâ€Â. The “Evil Bitchâ€Â, who is the patron of Belinda’s husband, gets mad and sacks Belinda’s husband. Belinda’s husband loses his salary, bonuses, and perks. Ergo, Belinda keeps licking the shoes of the “Evil Bitchâ€Â. I hope you will shed light on this matter and won’t stonewall like your husband’s patron.
Sincerely yours,
Bisrockers
P.S. If you have time, can you please write an article about your husband’s positions in government. Oh common, don’t be shy of your husband’s connection to Malacañang.
Ah, ganun pala yun: pag pro-GMA, or di masyado anti-GMA ang comment, rather than debate with the commentator based on the merits of his argument, one of the very first things done is to find where the connection with the Little Girl is.
So… it’s either the tyranny of the Little Girl, or the tyranny of the… how should I call those people who, in their own way, suppress dissent to their ideas yet demand that their peeve – i.e. Gloria – accord them the freedom to call her unsavory names and demand for her head?
Nakaka-depress.
I pity Noli, in case he’s allowed to sit. He has less the power that Gloria’s holding now. He probably won’t survive a fortnight in the Palace.
Belinda Cunanan is a GMA apologist! I understand her because it is through the Regime that their bread is being buttered. Her husband Retired Admiral Thelmo Cunanan has been appointed to different juicy positions in the Evil Bitch’s regime.
hi manolo!
greetings from seoul!
just wanted to clarify that the blog “Pilipinas: Pinoy, Buhay at Pulitika” was set up in 2005 by my graduate student and junior faculty at dlsu – jet olfato as a final requirement for my course on Constitutional Reforms. the postings were reflection papers on the weekly assigned readings so its ludricous for bel cunanan to claim that it was recently set up by “outraged parents.”
all the best!
july teehankee
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