Some time ago there was a hilarious editorial cartoon in the papers, showing Joc-Joc Bolante at the peak of Mount Everest, to the surprise of Filipino mountaineers.
Joc-Joc Bolante, at last, is behind bars -due to some sort of US visa violation, which really doesn’t help anyone else any.
Bolante reportedly tried to get the help of the First Gentleman, who is in San Francisco, but apparently, to no avail. Another report has him trying to enlist the help of an unnamed Palace official. The Philippine consulate didn’t send someone, apparently. Ellen Tordesillas has some interesting questions to ask.
Lists: new appointments; a list of bishops who declined donations; a list of alleged rebel targets including a list of administration allies to “embarrass”; a list of countries that tags ours as the 17th happiest.
Ombudsman closing in on the rest of the Comelec?
Was the Thaksin letter to Bush forged? Why does Osima bin Laden hate Rotary?
In the punditocracy, my column for today is Pawn-feeding time. A reader pointed out that if Americans used the SWS or Pulse Asia practice system of subtracting approval ratings from disapproval ones, George W. Bush, too, would show negative numbers. The helpful reader pointed out looking at PollingReport.com shows that Dubya is in the -15 to -24 range!
Here are the SWS results I referred to in my column:
Someone should set up a similar website here at home to compile polling data.
Comments and criticisms on the CBCP pastoral statement continue. Patricio Diaz says the statement’s been misread; Connie Veneracion sets aside faith and morals altogether, and views the bishops’ exercise as purely a question of power, and of meddling in what should be strictly secular affairs. The Inquirer editorial underlines the importance of the legitimacy issue.
Billy Esposo is still concerned with Fidel Ramos salvaging his standing. I don’t know why.
In the blogosphere,
In the blogosphere, Philippine Commentary and Red’s Herring go deeper into Church-State issues. Ricky Carandang believes that if people think the CBCP position’s muddled, it reflected the muddled nature of society at large. Piercing Pens thinks they were fed a magic potion.
And commentary on the Bolante caper is brisk: Punzi thinks people shouldn’t get their hopes up over the arrest; An OFW Living in Hong Kong thinks perhaps Bolante’s been fed to the wolves;
Edwin Lacierda compares the President to Gen. Danny Lim. On other generals, Uniffors says Esperon is the new Ver.
Philippine Politics 04 has a bone to pick with Bong Austero.
Bunker Chronicles shares some concerns about the new education secretary.
Morofilm points out the Philippines refused to ratify an international agreement on Indigenous People’s rights.
Iloilo City Boy tackles the mega-region scheme.
Another Hundred Years Hence wonders what happened to all the fantastic Subic development plans.
Citizen on Mars looks forward to more green technology.
baratillo@cubao on piranhas in the Philippines (scary thought!)
Mamutong reminds us of the tragedy in Mumbai.
And Torn & Frayed, as well as Edwin Lacierda and [email protected] share some thoughts on The Explainer.
Technorati Tags: CBCP, constitution, explainer on anc, impeachment, military, Philippines, politics
hi mlq. if anything, i’ve noticed that its your links that are all gonzo. the commenting seems to be working fine. 🙂
Malacanang could be taking Joc-joc’s arrest as a ‘joker’ that could turn out either a good or a bad hand. This could be like a high-stakes poker game. Who’s playing the Joc-joc hand? Cards are kept tightly closed. Calculating Malacanang-minds at work guys.
13 July 2006
Okay, okay, the joke was caught by the US INS, but did you hear that he is asking for political asylum??? tsk, tsk, tsk, I wonder who he called in the palace the day he was caught??? the problem right now is of course the hoods in the palace will say they will not assist the joke, but the problem is the right hand is saying no help will be extended, but the left hand is doing something, am i right on this???don’t you think the big penguin in the stinking palace (he’s in frisco)will not do anything to help his compadre??? i dont think so, they will do everything for the joke so he would not be extradited back to the Philippines. To add that he is not being persecuted in Manila, why is he asking for an asylum, he is only being asked to explain what happened to the money and the fertilizer scam. It is different when a person is being persecuted by the the government, in fact, how can he be persecuted in the Philippines, the very fact that his handlers are the ones in power, tsk, tsk, tsk,…. funny thing, in case he is being perscuted, it will be only those who are in power so they can keep him off the Philippines and shut him down. Panigurado, nginig na sa takot si leprechaun at si big penguin, hehehehehe….. kaya lang, dapat lahat tayo ay manmanan ang mga mangyayari sa mga sumunod na araw.
jinx
Political assylum sought by Bolante?
What on earth could that mean? That Gloria and hubby might have him assasinated if he’s deported back to RP?
There’s more to this Bolante arrest than meets the eye.
First of all, why was his visa cancelled? Then why lock him up only to be granted bail – could it mean that he’s committed something that is considered criminal in nature on American soil?
If Bolante visa is considered a mere undesirable alien, why doesn’t the US simply deport him? Why lock him up and granted bail?
Perhaps a lawyer specialized in immigration could throw a bit of light.
Political Asylum is for those who thinks (and can prove) that they will be persecuted when sent home. Bolante is definitely not in that category. He is a suspect and accused of a crime. He has not explained himself yet so there’s no persecution there. In addition, he cannot claim that he’s going to be given the death penalty for plunder as there’s no death penalty in the Philippines anymore.
Jocjoc has proved to be elusive for a long time, so I’m interested to see how he’s going to get out of this one. Hopefully he can’t and he will be forced to give light on the DA scam.
Bolante of the Fertlizer scam was busted?
Hope the shit hits the fan .
Jon,
Please bear in mind that the ferti-scam is a top-down level conspiracy. Joc did not scam to pocket, he scammed for and in behalf of the queen, Joc is a worker his Big bosses schemed the scam bigtime. Story is Big boy’s the first he called. Donno how Uncle Sam is gonna deal this hand. Prisoner swap?!!!
Maybe the DoJ and the Immigration should take lessons from the INS on how to apply true justice. Justice in the U.S. is not as “BLIND” as it is in the Philippines.
i don’t know about that schumey. to the americans, apprehending bolante wasn’t a major deal. he’s nobody to the americans; he’s a playa only to us. as for american justice not being as “blind” as it is in the philippines, well, you only have to look at how they trashed iraq even when there was no demonstrable link between saddam and osama. and how about the kennedys and all the girls that have died when a kennedy entered their lives? wherever in theworld, i think, justice isn’t as wide-eyed as we would want.
hey manuel, why don’t you want to run for office? content to stay on the sidelines where you can snipe and wisecrack with absolutely no accountability? you are such a class act. me? run for office? i don’t have the wherewithal for that, manuel, nor the experience, nor the skills – truth be told. but if i had any of those things, the way you obviously do, i wouldn’t think twice about serving this country on the front line. did i vote for gloria? no. i voted for roco. want to make something of it?
Nowhere in the world is justice perfect or completely color blind. But at least in the U.S. criminal justice is not as selective as in the Philippines. Yes, as always the rich and the famous could have the unfair advantages, but sometimes it works against them. A few may get away with it as ‘antonio walanglaban have noted, but in general it is fair and equitable if compared to most. As for the U.S. foreign policy, it is separate and distinct as to their justice system. The interest of the country, econonically and security are the basis for its guidance and measure, and in retrospec may be unjustifiable and misguided
For Mr. Bolante, I hope he’ll get a speedy and fair trial, where ever the venue is. But, sometimes I doubt it very much if he’ll get one or get away with one if extradited and tried in the Philippines. But come what may, let him have his day in Court.
hey vic. excellent point about foreign policy and the justice system being distinct. thanks.
yes, joc-joc was once on top in that editorial cartoon. i wish we can likewise see him in another cartoon…now that he’s at the bottom (or aptly, behind bars).
why the visa cancellation? two words: pirated disc.
…gen. lim’s video is now a hot item in LA…the flight attendant had a glimpsed of the fake dvd in joc-joc’s carry-on.
why the huge amount for a mere visa cancellation? two words: ammonium nitrate.
…joc-joc stashed too much ammonium nitrate from the fertilizer that the paranoid americans thought he’ll bomb the LAX.
why request for a political asylum? two words: big mike.
…joc-joc’s now on big mike’s hit list…and you think he seeks refuge from the opposition? naah!
SCARY THOUGHT: The Palace setup Jocjoc so he would be arrested by US authorities. Sen. Magsaysay said today that it’s not clear WHY he has been arrested, apart from the fact that his visa was cancelled. But what if he’s been set up in some money laundering scheme into or out of the US. He would have to be tried and imprisoned there for a few years…where the jails are better than some “posh” Villages here. Be the perfect deep freeze for radioactive waste like him.
well, i think the “fertilizer” has hit the fan !!!
antonio,
thanks for the vote of confidence but I’ll stick to what I know – sniping and wisecracking at stupid and crooked politicians and with no accountability to them. The way I see it they are accountable to us. We don’t owe politicians anything. They owe us. They have to meet our highest expectations or else.
I’ll never consider running for office because I’ll never meet my standards.I would never deserve my vote.
I think Guantanamo is the intersection where the justice system and foreign policy jusr had a major collision.
fair enough manuel. now if you could just lay off giving people who don’t share your opinion nasty labels, we’d be all good. consider it a polite request, if you please. thanks man.
DJB
You pinned the tail on the donkey. To deepfreeze Bolante would be advantageous to GMA. For sure Bolante will try too stay in jail for as long as he can than be deep-fried by the senate for his role in the Fertilizer Scam.
With all due respect, Connie Veneracion has steadfastly ignored the explicit provision in the Bill of Rights that says: “No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil and political rights,” when she complains that the Bishops have justified their right to participate in politics based on their own religious teachings like Deus Caritas Est. Yet isn’t it obvious that the Constitution explicitly grants them full freedom to exercise the same civil and political rights as everyone else, whether or not they are for or against the impeachment.
I claim by the way that above provision goes beyond the rightrs of individuals like Iniguez, but protects the corporate acts of “the church”, which can mean ANY church. this is not unusual in the constitution. The freedom of the press and the freedom of assembly are cooperative acts of citizens banding together in common causes. So, do we question the right of the CPP to use Marxism Leninism to justify its participation in peaceful politics? How about the Rotary Club? Or the KOR? Or the newspaper Connie writes for? Of course not!
That is because I claim the freedom of religion is a mere subset of the freedom of speech and that a church is an assembly of believers just like a newspaper is an assembly of writers.
But they are all equal in rights and duties under the Constitution. Any right we care to grant say the Makati Business Club to do as body, we must grant to Churches, all churches!
Her second main conclusion is also wrong, imho:
“2) A moral basis for the impeachment is both unnecessary and detrimental.”
This has to do with the widely held notion that separation of church and state means separation of politics and morals as “separate spheres of human activity.”
But I say it is separation of all theologies from lawful morality. The State is a MORAL state, but it arrives at moral conclusions and takes moral actions on the basis of Law and Reason, not on the basis of religious or spiritual beliefs. However, it does not outlaw the route to moral behaviour that goes through religion! If you end up obeying the laws of the State BECAUSE you believe in the Great Spaghetti Monster, that’s okay, you are allowed complete freedom of religion to do. Catholics are included.
Morality, in other words, is like the summit of Everest: there are actually many routes up to the top. The State strictly observes the route of Law and Reason. But everyone else is allowed to go the way they believe gets them there.
I guess it boils down to this: Every church is just like any NGO, newspaper, Boy Scout troup, glee club, Rotary or other people’s organization, with exactly the same rights and duties.
I’d love to be contradicted on these points!
Peace Connie!
At the much bally-hooed Ombudsman hearing today, the only thing really worth noting was the absence of the petitioners. Kilosbayan was not there. Bantay Katarungan never even darkened the Ombudsman’s doorway, and Senator Pimentel sent a man who – despite his valiant efforts – was clearly in over his head. Considering the gravity of their charges, you’d think they’d at least bother to show up.
antonio,
I’ll try my best. Really.
Now , let’s move on to something positive for a change. I promise it will be fun and funny. and probably profitable too.
Let’s find a husband for Luli !!! .
I’m really worried about her, She might end up just like her mother.
We can have a contest. We can copy the “Find a wife for Prince William” show in England.Or do it like American idol,
Can you imagine if we could have it podcast and Filipinos all over the world participate? What do you think? Will people go for it? Seriously,
We have to find her a man or a woman as the case may be. Yeah, we’ll open the contest to everyone. Man, woman or child, Gee, I gotta go. I’m getting too excited about this.
joc-joc is being dropped like a hot camote. he is better off in san pedro where he does not have to answer the philippine senate. what a convenience if he is not extradited.
haha. funny is your department manuel. i’ll leave concept development for that new show up to you and just sit back and enjoy the show.
mb,
what’s with your blog? why can’t you make it easy for everyone to comment on your posts?
mb,
on luli’s possible to be, off the bat it has to be someone of royal heritage. none of those lakandula crap. Her mom, gloria already knows that it’s fake. Prince William might be a good candidate, but Queen Elizabeth may frown on that idea. Prince charles low self esteem broke her heart already.
Hmmm, it’s going to be tough. luli’s internet brigade may have to pitch in on this project.
Hey, how about may-key D. He’s been a-kissen gloria’s ass for the longest time anyway. He’s practically arroyo family. Yep, I think that may work.
My mole told me the real reason why the fugitive businessman was detained in the US. He tried to make bola the US Immigration Officer. The exchange went something like this:
OFFICER: “Why are you using a female’s name in your passport?
DYOK-DYOK: “My mother wanted to name me Joe. But my father kasi. He preferred Jocelyn.â€Â.
OFFICER: “ You’re kiddingâ€Â.
DYOK-DYOK: “No, my name is not Kidding. It’s Jocelyn. But you may call me Dyok-Dyok.â€Â
OFFICER: “That’s a joke.â€Â
DYOK-DYOK: “No. It’s two Dyok’s. Dyok-Dyok.â€Â
OFFICER: “Occupation?â€Â
DYOK-DYOK: “Oh, yes. I’m very occupied.â€Â
OFFICER: “No. No. Your occupation! What’s your occupation?!â€Â
DYOK-DYOK: “Fertilizer distributor.â€Â
OFFICER: “Hey …aren’t you the guy with an arrest warrant in the Philippines?!â€Â
DYOK-DYOK: “Of course not. There are no arrest warrants in the Philippines.â€Â
OFFICER: “Smart aleck, huh? Step inside the office please.â€Â
DYOK-DYOK: “Wait, wait…Ok…ok…Tell you the truth na lang. I’m really Jose Dapal. I am the First Gentleman of the Queen of the Pasig. I am here on a secret mission. That’s why I am disguised as Jocelyn. Now you better watch out how you treat me because my wife is famous as the Taray Queen and she has a fiery temper and she has just appointed the most dreaded in our country as chief of our Armed Forces and he can declare all out war on you and include you in our extra-judicial killing list. My wife is also very close to Bush. He kissed my wife pa nga eh. So she can easily whisper to him that you are a destabilizer. And she can have you detained without an arrest warrant and held incommunicado and.. and…â€Â
OFFICER: “Guards! …$100,000 bail for this Dyoker !â€Â
Isn’t this strange even highly suspicious turn of event becoming too repetitive?
“III. RESPONDENT ENGAGED IN GRAFT AND
CORRUPTION, ENTERED INTO ILLEGAL GOVERNMENT
CONTRACTS AND CRIMINALLY CONCEALED HER
CONJUGAL ASSETS.
11.1. Respondent appointed Mr. Jocelyn Bolante as
Undersecretary of Agriculture to orchestrate and
implement, as he did in fact orchestrate and implement,
on Respondent’s behest and for Respondent’s benefit, the
use of 2.806 Billion Pesos released shortly before the 2004
elections, of which 728 Million Pesos were allocated for the
fertilizer fund, by, among others, overpricing the supply
and acquisition of fertilizers, granting Millions of Pesos of
the funds as allocations to highly-urbanized, nonagricultural
congressional districts and, in some instances,
releasing the funds to non-existent entities, foundations or
non-government organizations;22”
Remember Garci who’s ass was haunted to shed light on the electoral fraud charges during the first impeachment? Is Bolante kept in the vault for the same reason–that we would never get to hear about the scam, which–from among the myriad of impeachment charges–is sure to nail this administration?
bring back home the bacon.
hello mlq,
I think Mr. Bolante was simply profiled by ICE (Immigration and Custome Enforcement) for his numerous travels. Anything more is probably a result of good interrogation and research. This link will probably help lift the curtain. http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/js3077.htm
Let’s add to the speculation –
Maybe Bolante as caught with two passports. Different names.
ICE confirmed that Manila US Embassy is responsible for the visa cancellation. With regards to request from the senate, they did not comment on it. My take is they could be accused of meddling in Philippine politics. Bolante has also applied for political asylum.
And with political asylum, one can have bail and have a grand time traipsing around the US and not ever be brought to justice?
Smart. Bolante will thumb his nose at Senator Magsaysay, et al then? Do we hear snickerings at the Palace? And a celebration dinner again?
it’s disheartening to know that Jocjoc has indeed filed an application for asylum in the US after having had his visas cancelled.
This process could go on for years and in all likelihood Bolante out on bail. Legal fees care of his good friend Mike maybe..?
Watching “Strictly Politics” last night has me convinced that the dark hand of Malacanang is behind this master stroke.
I have to hand it to Mike Arroyo and the cabal of coverup artists in the Palace by the stinky Pasig.
Bravo!
@ Phil Cruz re: the real reason why the fugitive businessman was detained in the US…
Dude, that was hilarious ..=D
Buon luogo, congratulazioni, il mio amico!