And what the heck!

Hoping the rain would stop today

2011-07-27T23:13:00.000-07:00

It has been a very unpleasant week! Rain consume my always busy days. Knee deep flood is the order of the day and wrong predictions by PAG-ASA weather bureau come handy. Add to it was the SONA address by P-Noy... Oh GOD! please give us a meaningful days ahead of us, not this kind of negativity.

MJ & Kobe: Comparable Statistics

2008-06-01T03:39:00.000-07:00

MJ and Kobe’s stats if only we look closer with a little objectivity it would appear a little identical.

· Kobe’s tallied (5.3 rebounds, 4.6 assts and 25.0 pts career average) playoffs stats 6.1 boards, 5.3 assts and 31.9 points.

· While MJ (6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assts and 30.1 pts career average) have 33.4 points, 6.4 boards and 5.3 assts playoffs average.

There is indeed a little discrepancy in their tallies since MJ was the main man for his team while Kobe’s first two years were a development and the subsequent years, he was mere a subordinate of Shaq. MJ in his playing years was the focal point of the offense while Kobe was just the second option. MJ was never relegated as the 2nd option while Kobe waited as the no. 2 for a long time with Shaq at the helm. When you’re the main man the play of the team is at your mercy and will thus create multiplying effect on your statistics, naturally.

Comparative Statistics of Kobe:

With Shaq: 21.3pts 4.9rebounds 4.1assts

W/out Shaq: 29.4pts 5.7rebounds 5.3assts

MJ’s career: 30.1pts 6.2rebounds 5.3assts

Michael Jordan playing career is history while Kobe’s career is still in the process of making its own destiny and historical significance and who knows, the minute difference between their stats might tally or wipe out by the awesome demonstration of basketball aptitude that Kobe had been displaying so far.

Federalism, anyone?

2008-04-27T05:02:00.000-07:00

Countless times, the Senators have been showcasing themselves as the branch of government that is a large amount free and sometimes conventional. Certainly, it has excessively emphasized that independence every so often, particularly its conflicts with the other branches of government, the executive and the judiciary.

For apparent motivations, the senate has been so unenthusiastic to the initiative of shifting to a unicameral parliamentary method of government. Senators some time ago have taken the stance that any alteration to the present Charter has to be made through elected members of a Constitutional Convention. Unfortunately, last Wednesday, no less than 12 senators put their signature on a resolution suggesting to call together both Congress into a constituent assembly. The document, to the surprised of everyone was authored by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, put forward a federal structure of government that eliminates the present centralized form where the sole power emanates in the “Palace by the river” where a number of corruption scandals and in the minds of those outside the corridor of power has brought about blemished progress.

Our senators have work log jams that have been significantly put away by these current investigations. They put down essential pending bills like the cheaper medicine law which until now is on the backburner. I wonder how the public would interpret this turnaround from the senators. A nice explanation is that federalism would be a little sort of middle ground for charter change who in the past has been espoused by the GMA administration. It cannot be denied that modifications and changes should be effected on the current Charter and that a few of them should have done a long time ago. Unfortunately on the past proposals the senate needs to be phase-out and as expected these senators do not want to be omitted, as well.

Debates and discussions on important concerns that will impinge on the lives of Filipinos should be left to professionals and to those proficient enough. The nation is dismayed with a replicate of the comical and sometimes hilarious roundabout in those sterile and fruitless Senate hearings and we also recognize with certainty how our legislators can fall short in conducting themselves worthily.

The country cannot avoid but feel suspicious; the shocking turn around by these senators cannot be straightforwardly disregarded.

2008-04-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

Power Forward Pau Gasol started the first round with playoff highs 36 markers and eight dimes and had 16 caroms in Sunday’s (Monday at Manila) game, as the Lakers seized control early on in the third canto and hammers the Denver Nuggets 128-114.

Lamar Odom netted 17 points, 14 rebounds and six assists and Luke Walton added 16 for the Lakers, who come into the match having won eight of their last nine regular-season games to earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

Game 2 will be played Wednesday night at Staples Center before the best-of-seven series shifts to Denver for the third and fourth games.

Nugget’s Anthony had 30 points and 12 rebounds for the eighth-seeded Nuggets and Allen Iverson also had 30 points before picking up two Ts with 2:10 before the end of the fourth Q, calling for instant discharge from the game. Denver had a 50-32 record, its best in 20 years. Denver hasn’t gained a playoff series since 1994.

The Lakers led 97-78 toward the inside of the fourth Q; an 11-2 run by Denver made it 101-91 with 8:17 remaining. The Nuggets drew within nine twice down the stretch, but that’s all they can get since Bryant wouldn't permit them to get any closer by continuously hitting at crunch time.

Kobe's lock for the MVP plum

2008-04-13T02:48:00.000-07:00

Kobe Bryant hasn’t constantly been the finest person, the best teammate, the topmost ambassador for the National Basketball Association. This is the explanation so many voters are insearch for someone else to vote for the Most Valuable Player. For this, Bryant can fault himself. This is the price paid for tantrums and bad tempers within him.

Nonetheless, Bryant is an MVP material and will always be one. MVP plum are in no way won at once in the NBA. As sportswriter Mark Heisler’s unofficial survey in the Los Angeles Times illustrated that the MVP race seems narrowing down to Kobe Bryant and NO’s point guard Chris Paul. Sooner or later, Paul is going to get the title and a championship ring. There isn’t a NBA player in the association that I be keen on more to talk with and whom I enjoy watching than CP3.
It is easy to predict that before Paul and LeBron James and maybe Dwayne Wade reach 29 years of age, will in all probability have MVP trophies. Kobe’s wait has been extensively long enough.
There are those who strongly believe that KB24’s enormity will forever rip the voting parameter, and there will be those who will insinuate tall story, that Kobe will in no way be named MVP. In those years when Tim Duncan, Nash and Nowitzki were getting their MVP titles, the Lakers at the same time was destroying Bryant’s chances for three straight years by letting themselves into a mediocre kind of basketball.

Bryant doesn’t need the Lakers to conclude with the best record in the regular season. Joe Dumars is right: No more taking Bryant for granted.

Oh Lozada… my Lozada!

2008-04-05T05:06:00.000-07:00

If Lozada is thriving in his brand new role, why the oust-Arroyo movement appears to have lost steam and simmered down? In spite of complaining on the adversities that he and his family had to undergo while he spouted a mouthful of allegations on the Broadband deal; it is perplexing to spot JLo still enjoying his current job as an opponent of the present administration. While Lozada’s actions are element of the exploration for the truth concerning the exploits of our uppermost political leadership, spectators state that the holy Catholic mass is at this instant being exploited as a podium to put on view his potentials for an elective office.

In offering a further analysis, the Pulse Asia survey rating is the phase blot in Lozada’s “abbreviated carnival” with the public. As of now, Lozada can still fascinate his listeners with his story on the defective Broadband deal. Possibly an additional preference would be for Lozada to go into merchandise brand modeling like some publicity aware wannabes are doing right now. Lozada experienced a gigantic obstruction when authoritative Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal emerged with an important instruction of not allowing the celebration of the Holy Mass in his ecclesiastical districts where Lozada may possibly exploit the pulpit to convey biased testimonials critical of government. University of Santo Tomas, where JLo is an alumnus, University Rector Rolando de la Rosa cautioned that the people that 2010 is just around the corner and if they so desire changes in the government which is an express rejection of Lozada’s plea for Mrs. Arroyo’s acquiescence from office.

LA down Sacramento

2008-03-05T05:27:00.001-08:00

LA downed by a dozen points and one in the third canto and in no way had the advantage before Kobe Bryant made his move and brought the whole band there in the concluding minutes of the game ahead for good.
KB24 tallied 34 points, half of those were in the fourth quarter, and Gasol made some good adjustments from a small number of lackluster performances to make 31markers as the Hollywood team prevail for the 12th time in 13 games to remain at minute distance with the Spurs ahead of the Western Conference fight for primacy.
Bryant as always, assumed responsibility when needed the most, thrust his Lakers to a critical fourth quarter uprising in which they outscored the Sacramento, 36-18 (Bryant nearly matched the total 18 pts. output of the entire Kings in the 4^th Q). His 17 points in the quarter included two free throws with 4:06 to play that gave the Lakers a 101-100 lead, their first of the game.

Kobe Bryant time and again proves his passion and intensity, his desires alone can move heaven and earth in order to attain primacy for his ball club. I hate to pronounce it but this clutch thing is for KB24 alone and not those pretenders out there.

MVP…. Lebron or Kobe???

2008-02-29T22:46:00.000-08:00

Twenty four hours subsequent to being designated Eastern Conference Player of the Week the Lebron James gets dethrone and thrown-out of his kingdom. Some NBA experts say he should not because of the superb statistics he had acquired, but unfortunately stats is not that all and victories are much better to reckon with. Regardless of the off-the-chart individual statistic numbers, the King’s Cavaliers have failed enough to rally around him and fend off Kobe Bryant or surpass the winning record of the Hollywood team.

The combination of KB24 and Gasol has produced much better result than everybody in LA might have anticipated and it is a little bit chilling to imagine how Los Angeles is capable of when young center Andrew Bynum comes back from injury. Kobe ought to be commended for executing an above level performance even on a severely injured pinky. Many basketball pundits have come noting how KB24 had made so much effort to involve his young team play to an above par level game when most needed and LA win-loss record could provide evidence to that announcement. In the NBA good statistics sometimes are the reference for choosing where to award the MVP plum, but lot of times it was flushed down the drain for the reason that most of persons engage in the selection working group look the other way and have a preference to bestow the coveted title to the player that have done so much and have help his team to the Championship trophy.

The way to the Crown is still long and winding but at this point in time, KB and Lebron are neck and neck in their fight to the MVP.

The Suns Predicament

2008-02-23T15:57:00.000-08:00

Phoenix’s big man Stoudemire tallied 28 markers as the Suns conferred Big C its first 3-game losing smudge at the middle of the regular period with a bruising 85-77 conquest of the Celtics last Friday night. The Desert Diesel had scored just 4 points but unfortunately adding 14 boards as the Desert team took over the rebounding department with 50-32 caroms on both end of the court. KG scored 19 points (including 5rebounds and 4assists), Paul Pierce (5points, 6reboards and only 2assists) suffered an offensive eclipse and was 15% shooting for miserable five points and ditto with Ray Allen who forgot his shooting hands in Boston and got 11 points as the Suns caught the Celtics napping in its offense. . Phoenix bettered their record to 22-2 vis-à-vis the East teams. The Suns who have recovered from a loss to the Lakers, done their thing for the most part of the match without the Brazilian Blur, who obtained an incision over the right eye on a hard collision with Paul Pierce with 4:36 left in the game time.

Phoenix led more often than not by 13 at halftime although committed 15 errors resulted in turnover in the early part of the game. KG and Amare were engaged in an intense scuffle all over the game. Soon after, Amare obtained a big T for pushing KG. Phoenix Suns’ 11 TOs at the end of the 1st quarter was a big disappointment, nevertheless still led 24-13 because the Celtic’s was only shooting 21 percent (5-for-24). O'Neal tallied zero, had 4 TOs in the quarter. The Celtics began 2-for-14 in the 3^rd quarter as Phoenix went on a 15-0 run to erect a 19-4 lead on Barbosa's lay-up with 5:39 in the match and at the end the Suns tallied another lopsided win against an East team. This unconvincing win brought them second to the Hornets in the West Conference, a win better than the LA Lakers retreating to the third position.

But there are some issues needed to be raise… like, what if the honeymoon of Shaq with the Suns is over? What if the new enthusiasm of the Desert Diesel is gone? How can we decipher a fact that he is being paid a hefty sum of more than 30M USD, much more than the Main man Amare Stoudemire and Grant Hill combined salary? Will this compensation inequality create havoc to the relationship of the players in the near future? This will be a great dilemma that will crop up into which the Suns’ organization will be hard press to solve. GM Steve Kerr ought to know the answers for these predicaments, since many Suns fans would like to witness Phoenix accomplish something that is more than just a mere Western Conference playoff contender

KB24 on staples center’s boo…

2008-01-19T18:45:00.000-08:00

I was dismayed by the manner Kobe crucified the fans by expressing and I quote "I thought it was terrible," Kobe Bryant said after the game. "If [fans] want to do that, they can stay home”. Look who’s talking? Didn’t he was the Kobe Bryant who did complained when player around him were as not as productive as today? Did he not say soiled languages on the issue of Bynum then at the parking lot? Did he not dirty mouthed Dr Buss last summer because of disappointment as regards to the supporting cast around him being not helpful as much as necessary to merit team decency?

You simply failed to remember those trying times Kobe, we supported you, all the way in your advocacy to have a decent supporting cast and even forget the foul words you have said. Many of NBA sportswriters and fans faulted you for that, but we stand by you and give you benefit of the doubt, we all supported your action as a mere aspiration to remind the Lakers management to upgrade existing line up. We shielded you at every attack put in your direction at each blogs and board all over the internet and illustrate our faith and confidence in you and this Lakers team, and as a matter of defense for your action, we simply says, we understand your frustrations and expounded that you have the right to express dissatisfaction over team management and your intense desire to bring home a trophy in LA.

Do you know why we feel that way towards you, Kobe? It is because each and every game you show us your desire to win and the intensity of your game each and every given night. You give us the value of our hard earned money we spend in going to the game at staples. You show your love to us by making it appear that we are very special to you by simply displaying your passion to improve more of your talent playing basketball for the LA. We will continue to love you Kobe and the support the Lakers team through thick and thin, we will continue to come to the game and cheer for you, we will continue to defend you Kobe from reproach hurled by those erratic sportswriter and press people. We will continue to condemn each and every individual that will throw nasty and unwarranted statements that will put you and this Lakers team in bad light, because we are the Lakers fans and we believe we are part of the Lakers family.

As we keep on showing devotion to the Lakers organization, we also have the right to discern each and every awful action by this Lakers management with the aim of putting the team in discomfited position. We will persist on putting our dissent at every wrong judgment the Lakers will commit, we will continue to boo each and every player who doesn’t show energy and his aggressiveness in the game and we will continue to show our dissatisfaction when you're persistent in giving us highly paid players like Kwame Brown who just don’t want to show his professionalism and persistenly providing us lots of bad and awful games like that recent Lakers-Suns game. It is within our right to do so as part of the family. But we will continue to be fans of this Lakers team because we love the game and we love LA.

Who is fearful of a media advisory?

2008-01-16T00:03:00.000-08:00

I don’t comprehend media’s motives in questioning or wanting that advisory to be out of the blue, because in my own honest opinion there is nothing in that media advisory which would cause chilling effect on media as a whole, nor does it constitute prior restraint in their advocacy. From where I stand as a media observer, the advisory was issued simply to remind that there’s still a rule of law to observe notwithstanding the emergency situations. The application of press freedom and the privilege of the public to be informed must not go in opposition to the law that had also provided those right and freedom they are now exercising. The right to press freedom must not be a license to transgress the basic function of government that is to implement peace and order and the preservation of its survival. After all, no freedom is absolute. It is a pity, media who turn into incessantly paranoid over a plain advisory assumes that as card carrying components of the press, they possess encompassing authorization to perform what they feel like to accomplish even contrary to the rule of law. I am truly flabbergasted at this reaction of the press associations.

Like for instance, the claim of press club official, that the Justice Department’s advisory obviously affirmed that in occurrence of crisis conditions, press people be supposed to abide by the rule of law from legitimate peacekeeping officials. In such a case that the National Press Club chieftain doesn’t understand what emergency situation signify, or if he isn’t sensitive of what legally recognized authority is, he doesn’t deserve to embody the club.
Certainly, media have to use press freedom and emphasize the right of the people to be informed, however it should be within the bounds of law and not keep on experimenting the threshold of the law, nevertheless, press freedom is not infinite, it has its own boundary and that is the rule of law. That is what the media advisory of the Justice Department is all about, no more, no less. Damn… can’t the media understand the difference between the exercise of freedom, or a license?

Re-examination of pardon system for prisoner

2007-12-31T19:50:00.000-08:00

The power to grant Executive clemency power in modern governments comes from the time when kings, princes, dukes, cardinals and popes had power of life and death over their citizens. Its modern usage has been described by legal scholars as “entirely discretionary,” “unilateral,” “notoriously non-reciprocal,” “virtually unassailable,” “absolute,” and “perhaps the most imperial of presidential powers.”
On the negative side, it is seen as “anomalous,” “delicate,” “shrouded in mystery,” and “fraught with arbitrariness.”
It all started in the case of Erap. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines wants a comprehensive assessment of the method for conceding executive clemencies to convicts. In a near blame to the Arroyo administration’s latest caper of granting clemency to series of prominent criminal offenders and the most recent puzzling discharge from prison of ex- Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Romeo Jalosjos, the Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care of the CBCP is appealing for a system to “level the playing field” when it comes to giving way pardons.

Rudy Diamante, ECPPC executive director declared in a consultation, the scheme ought to incorporate discussions with the public and the jailbird and not merely be depending on the judgment of the Office of the President and its instrumentalities. Restorative justice, in the societal dogma of the Church, indicates to a kind of justice which can restore harmonious social relationships, that was interrupted by the unlawful and criminal deeds perpetrated by the convict.

“My belief is that an act of pardon will at all times be of political motivation. There has to be a meticulous evaluation of our executive clemency system,” CBCP’s spokesman on the issue said.

Vengeful crybabies

2007-12-31T03:53:00.000-08:00

ENCOURAGED by a court’s resolution to consign them out of jail, those civilian components of the Manila Pen siege who were apprehended for the duration of the armed occupation of the hotel in Makati last Nov. 29 have regain their bearings and turned the tables on the police, accusing them with unlawful arrest before the Ombudsman. I felt badly with these kinds of developments and I sensed it was a sad note on our justice system that rabble-rousers like these was permitted not merely to go scot-free, but exploit the courts to extract revenge.
Dismissal of the mutiny accusations against the civilians who were at the Manila Peninsula hotel, the court assumed their plain existence at the crime scene was not indication of unlawful activity. At least one of those civilians, a cleric whose anti-government outlooks are well known fact said he was in attendance to “prevent violence,” an excellent objective until we become conscious he intended to accomplish this by precluding the Police authorities from disposing the rebellious soldiers at the Peninsula by force. By inserting themselves between those armed soldiers who held hostage the hotel by sheer force, and those avowed to implement the rule of law, these outrageous personalities were at the very least hamper justice in its course. Underneath the ruse of upholding human rights, the attorneys and a cleric now declare they will compel the police to suffer for their arrest and how they were handled while taken into custody. But the activist priest’s comments were more revealing, he said, he was surprised at how the authorities “disrespected” ranking government and men of the cloth by securing them with handcuffs and at the same time poking fun at them.
The brusque statement discloses two circumstances:
1) A yearning to get even for insults experienced; and
2) The prospect of exceptional treatment on the basis of societal class.
What happened to justice for all? All of a sudden, those human rights records don’t seem to be too believable. Senator Joker Arroyo, a former human rights lawyer and advocate got it correct when he rebuked the Peninsula civilians for “performing similar to crybabies.” We would include the adjective “revengeful and vindictive” to the senator’s depiction since that is how they picture themselves when they take legal action against the police for implementing the rule of law of which they themselves pledge to uphold.

No strings attached

2007-12-21T16:34:00.000-08:00

It’s a trendy expression these days when gift and dowry proliferate.
The whole thing, in spite of everything commences from the undersized and apparently not worth mentioning; a pack of cookies, a basketful of fruits, a jug of nice wine or an sachet of diplomas and certificates. All of it seems nontoxic when noticed as simple gestures purportedly from acquaintances that bother enough to consider.
However what if the gifts turn out to be extra costly? What if the present is a cluster of monetary instruments? What if you’re not friendly enough to be a friend in the first place? Furthermore what if the “gift” receives on a perceptive type of sort; a mortgage canceled, a complimentary directive, an executive clemency?
Dowry- providers constantly maintain on the wholesomeness of their undertakings. However that does not signify danger signals will not hum if, at a short time in the near future, the recipient of such particulars does somewhat to be rude to the benefactor in a number of approach, or abstains from doing a bit that would profit that charitable spirit.
Sponsorship started in all the social order, except that it seems more prevalent in the Philippine society. One should be equipped to refuse every bequest - safe mementos or contentious political special treatments if one cannot pledge there would be no strings

Speaker JDV’'s moral aptitude

2007-12-15T16:29:00.000-08:00

Talking and facing the bunch of people who are present at the 12 of December Global Peace Festival gathering, House Speaker JDV attested he was yet interested in his “moral” stage as he appealed on all and sundry to “treat others as you would like to be treated.” The golden rule was the mother of all moral principles he said, that could convey a conclusion to divergences all over humanity and work out its urgent difficulties that consist of illnesses, climate alteration and nuclear propagation.
JDV also pleaded on those in attendance to “unbound globally their proper values and moral principles.” Most of us marvel if he understood the inconsistency involving his talk and his walk. The speaker first stuck to this ethical pretentiousness quite a few months ago when, in the middle of one controversy after another, he begged the President to show the way for a moral upheaval in her regime. However he too conveniently sidestepped an ethical case filed against him before the House ethics committee for contravening the stipulations of the Anti-Graft Law.
We must admit that JDV is one hell lucky survivor in the past. Previously the ethics committee had dismissed the charges against him and a move to unseat him fizzled out. Having endured these political disputes in the midst of questions of doubt, does not make the speaker to any further extent convincing as a resource person in the matter of, of all things, moral values.
The least he may perhaps do is to settle in silence.

Media in the Senate

2007-12-13T03:45:00.000-08:00

Having watch over the senate hearing today at ANC and I was disgusted the way media profess the freedom of information the premier right and thereby pronouncing them as the most privilege human being on the earth. I don’t how can they say that their right is higher than the lives of human being and the security of the state. This is preposterously an arrogant statement, using the right of people to know as a scapegoat to hide their true objectives, that is spreading half lies to provoke more people in joining the Trillanes cause, thus creating much sensational news. I am in no mood to accept as true when media say that they are there to update the people of what is going on; I saw it in my own two eyes that their mere presence causes the police to alter their rules of engagement so as not to impair innocent non-combatant and loitering media. As arrogant as the media was the senate, instead of sobering up the situation, they set more flames into the media’s sickening summations by reprimanding the authorities who were not present in the hearing due to some more pressing schedules than that prejudiced inquiry. An odd tone in Joker Arroyo was the solitary dissenting voice in the wilderness, pointing out the limitation of the freedom of expression in time like that of the Manila Pen siege. He explicitly stated the responsibility of media in a situation like that. If those individuals keep on harping and force us people to believe that newsmen have a special privilege beyond that of police power of the state and at the same time unwilling to consider limit to those right, then I believe there will be chaos the next time a similar incident happens. I do not condone the non-appearance of those authorities in the senate hearing but I also do believe that they can never get a fair hearing until those clowns in the senate are still there specially escudero, cayetano and pangilinan whose hatred towards the administration appears where ever a venue arises. I firmly believe that any right could indeed be suspended when the lives of individuals are at stake or when the security of the state is in peril.

From Makati Pen to Bilibid Resort Complex

2007-12-07T17:56:00.000-08:00

I had made a case that the PNP and the Military Authorities had preferred the exact strategic move when they dispatched a military armored vehicle crashing through the main entrance door of Manila Pen to immediately end the existing standoff. Letting the “situation” to persist until the following day, as what Senator Trillanes and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim had actually anticipated to ensue would have allowed their civilian followers and supporters, which was schedule to congregate in Liwasang Bonifacio in a protest gathering prepared by the Communist movement and their Leftist allies to transfer to the Peninsula Hotel and the nearby Ninoy Aquino monument and put forward a possible people power scenario not seen since 1986, thus creating more problem for the Security Officers.

In the previous month, the Black and White Movement, an unyielding middle-class anti-GMA group, instigated an online petition requesting President Arroyo to give up her job. In fact, BnW drew more warm bodies from 50,000 online petitioners than Trillanes and Lim did from 11 million voters. Why? Is it partly because of protest fatigue? The Filipino voting public has grown significantly. The electorates now avoided boisterous political rallies to get acquainted with ambitious aspirants. Trillanes was the exception that substantiated the imperative. Nothing like his slick kuya Gringo, Trillanes in no way mastered the gift of public verbal communication; his spoken accounts, even during the confrontation, came out unexciting and without any passion.

The two were also active in the Fort Bonifacio standoff in February 2006, trying unsuccessfully, to put together a mini-Edsa people power civil disobedience. In a Trillanes avant-garde government, Nemenzo would be the principal ideologue. But throughout the inquest on the Pen Revolt, Nemenzo disavowed any participation in uprising articulating he was in the Pen simply to do academic study on armed rebels. In my article Fidel Castro Trillanes (June 11, 2007) I wrote: “For the next three years at least, Trillanes will be looking forward into a vague future, to escape which the only way out appears to be a audacious flight from jail, pursued by a popular revolt directed by him against a awfully detested lame-duck president, which might be successful this point in time.

Anyhow, he did get away from confinement for a short time last week, but his trendy uprising metamorphosed into a not so popular undertaking. There would be sufficient time for that in Bilibid Resort Complex but not in Makati Pen hotel.

Expel him, Mr. Senate President!

2007-12-05T17:04:00.000-08:00

A MOVE in the Senate to look into Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for “uncontrollable conduct” should gain ground, and may perhaps in the end lead to his temporary relief or ejection in the senate, as the rules may permit. We extremely welcome this inquiry if there will be any and offer our support for ejection as a more serious way of retribution. I was not caught by surprise that the resolution to scrutinize Trillanes came from a resolute administration ally. While unsurprisingly, opposition stalwarts have been unwilling to support the inquiry, a indication that politics not respectability or justice is paramount on their psyches.
The most disgraceful response, yet, happen to be from the Senate chief, who supposed that the senators were “not paying too much attention” to the subject “because it is not easy to handle a complaint against a fellow senator.” Even to the most inexperienced onlookers, the Senate president’s latest declaration looks absurd. The Senate seems to tell us that the august body is not morally equipped to do an investigation to an issue concerning a fellow senator who have just initiated an uprising against a duly constituted authority.
Just as bizarre is the impression that Trillanes’ caper should be left only to the courts. The courts will come to a decision of course, if the senator was responsible of a misdeed when he and his band of armed mutineers forcibly insert themselves into The Peninsula Hotel and commandeered its facilities. But the Senate cannot be an Old Boy’s Club whose members are not accountable and liable for their misdeeds. The Senate, as a law producing machine, have to make certain that all its members uphold and respect the law.
For the second time, Trillanes shattered and broke the law in our very eyes on nationwide TV. Just as the courts make a decision his lawful destiny, the Senate ethics committee be supposed to have no difficulty in find out that he took steps in a manner that brought shame and dishonor to the law making body. He ought to be denounced for that and must also be expelled.

Press Freedom vs. Rules of Engagement?

2007-12-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

After the arrest of the mutinous senator and the equally insidious general who pull off last Thursday’s Manila Pen siege, some reporters covering the events were themselves held by the Police authority, were told to sit down on the floor and then consign them in a bus transport them to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig. Police investigators inform them that they were being invited for some question to be satisfied, while their hands were constrained with makeshift handcuffs.
Subsequent to the discharge a lot later in the evening, the country was by now buzzing with so much speculation that the government had started its attack on press freedom, which, when in use jointly with the curfew enforced at midnight, without hesitation aimed to what appeared resembling gloomy days ahead. Some leftist groups anxiously exploited the volatile situation, condemn the police’s treatment of the press and stated that this was without a doubt suggestive of the days previous to Martial Law in the early days 1970s.
The police and the DILG have since expressed regret for the hassle initiated by the “arrest.” They solicited for indulgence amplifying that the media had actually been gave orders to vacate crime scene ahead of the 3 p.m. deadline issued to offenders, Trillanes and Lim. Those who were “arrested” were the ones who decided to remain at the hotel in the face of a clear and impending danger. The police authority as well believed a few rebel soldiers might have blended with this strident group to circumvent detection.
It was indeed bothersome why not? Since the media people one of whom was ours were every one scampering to submit their scoops sooner or later to meet their cut-off dates. In addition the mode of “inviting for questioning” was extremely dubious. Up till now, the concentrated attempt on press freedom spin is not acceptable. Every one among them remains free to submit any kind of stories, twisted or not, concerning the whole incident or make statement on it on whichever venue they choose.
Given the facts on the actual objectives of the “arrest” media should recognize that the freedom they flaunting is neither without limit nor without responsibilities. Over zealousness on the part of the police is understandable given the explosiveness of the situation and the risk the media is taking. It should be remembered that rules of engagement specifically states that lives of those of the non-combatant are paramount and must at all times be safeguarded in all circumstances like that of Manila Pen incident.

5-star hooligans?

2007-12-03T17:44:00.000-08:00

The conceited "pretending intellectual” (as uttered by Senator Santiago), phony messiah attacked for a second time. Once more he and his cronies assaulted a posh facility hotel a 5-star at that and without a doubt not anticipating any person from a sufficient mass of people to link them, as why would the ordinary people be at ease in the luxurious air-conditioned ambiance of that magnificent, admired facility labeled the Manila Pen Hotel? This was all concerning those personalities. This was not in relation to the Filipino folks whom they profess to stand for. And don’t accede to somebody with a degree of aptitude judge otherwise.
Not in any manner this constitutes an opinionated or a societal stereotyping article. Allow us devote more on the rules. What statutes did they go against?
Basically, I vehemently disagree with the absurdity of their legal representatives maintaining that the court issued arrest warrants were unlawful. In this given situation there was no necessity for warrants of arrest since they perpetrated transgressions against Manila Peninsula Hotel, the patrons and guests of the hotel, and the citizenry. Their offenses were done in public, in the eyes of the whole world and thanks to the press. Right then and there they could be apprehended even exclusive of court orders. On that premise, those along with them who fled their detention security could have been inoculated on sight. They were considered escaped prisoners, thus, fugitives. Faeldon is a escapee and a habitual lawbreaker and can be shot on any given time. A congressman who rapes a child is a common criminal. A congressman who orders the murder of people is a common criminal and for that reason, a senator who effects devastation to private edifice s is an ordinary felon. Avoid putting them on a pedestal. It is good since the security people did not create willing victims out of them. It could have been too much to take.
The senator surmise that it could have been treason if he did not do what has to be taken. Sanamagan, at this time he made known his deficiency on the very edicts he avowed he would defend when he received his pledge as senator of the republic. Treachery is characterized as being carried out by a Filipino who “impose confrontation” in opposition to the duly constituted government, or "sticks on to the provocateurs of rebellion" against the state, or "provides them (the rebels) support and succor." Now tell me, is there a war going on in which the country is directly engrossed? These are the ingredient of the transgression of treason and unless they could show me that the country’s battle is only in the figment of their imagination and that's why they took those drastic actions.
These government employees violated the rights of Manila Pen, entered the hotel premises against the will of the owner forcibly snatched every function room available and declared it as a command post. Noticing them in uniform, and in bunch, make it clear to me how those ill fated hotel attendants could have prevented them? They have declined to vacate the premises even when requested to do so, in violation of the constitutional right of the hotel proprietors and the guests.
This is blatant disregard of existing public order when they go against a duly constituted authority in public as well as took arms against the state for the intention of doing away adherence to the Government and the constitution. It is not crucial to complete the offense of rebellion. Their detention securities perpetrated a misdeed when they fell short to counter the uprising using every means that the authority delegated them to do so and if they also immersed themselves in the rebellion, then they can be held liable for the mutiny. The least they could get is to be liable for infidelity in the custody of prisoners. They schemed with their prisoners and consented to let them leisurely walk on the road to their five star goal.
On the other hand, those people (the likes of Guingona, Bishop Labayen, Fr. Reyes and others) can be indicted with sedition as they levitated “publicly and tumultuously in order to attain by force intimidation, or by other means outside of legal methods” to commit, for a political or collective purposes. "Any act of revulsion or revenge against a private individual or any societal group”. The former nun, Montayre, if the information in the papers is accurate is likely be charge for inciting to sedition… while she expediently vanished when it was clear that no one was going to adhere and join-cause with the mutineers or men of the cloth who imagine they are Cardinal Sin reincarnate.
These soldiers/officers caused unswerving attack against the court hearing their indictment. The assault based on Supreme Court past edicts, require no physical demonstration since an direct assault consist of any provocative or aggressive movement or deed of any sort .

The Old Man Lee Kuan Yu on press freedom in RP

2007-12-01T02:41:00.000-08:00

In one of my father’s tour in Singapore he had remembered, Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, addressing an assembly of students in front of Nanyang University and refuting the allusion questioning the freedom of expression in Singapore. My father was so incensed when he said "do you wish for a freedom of expression and information similar to what they do it in Philippines? Having too much of a free speech but still end up in anarchy and so much confusion". To cut a long story short, it didn't take much longer before my Dad realized that the elderly gentleman of Singapore was undeniably telling a fact with so much truth in it.

With so much certainty, here in the country the journalist and press people do not have definitive parameter in the freedom of information and expression. This has been the reason why it is abused; they even draw closer to point of inventing out news lines which are mere conjectures and hearsays and passes them on to the people who love to disseminate rumors. Between us are numerous personalities in the populace who care for chitchats and breathe with it resembling it as a vital element of our every day life.

Sen. Mar Roxas Resolution on Erap's pardon

2007-11-28T18:42:00.000-08:00

In Resolution No. 135, Roxas said Estrada, 70, has been detained for more than six years, during which the ousted leader showed “remarkable humility.”

What humility are you talking about. Does his action at this point in time give you an idea about the humbleness that you look forward to from the plunderer? Does humility means not to show repentance in the misdeed he has perpetrated. Did he ask the nation for forgiveness for the crime of plunder he committed? If this “remarkable humility” will be the parameter for providing clemency then I am sure no prisoner will ever be in jail or in prison now or forever.

Roxas said Estrada “is entitled to live the rest of his life quietly and in peace with members of his family.”

The former president not only did live quietly and in peace in Tanay, he lives there like a tourist with all the amenities of a 5 star luxurious hotel. With his routines now a days, it cannot be said that he like to live quietly and in peace, since he is now indulging himself more on campaigning here and there and issuing political noise every now and then. In one of his sorties he even vilified the president who had provided him of what he is now, a freeman.

Liberal Party unity... or have another name?

2007-11-27T03:41:00.000-08:00

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza exclaims that notwithstanding the stunning vocalizations, Senator Mar Roxas has seized “the incorrect stride in the incorrect path.” Members of the Liberal Party’s National Executive Council in attendance yesterday at the Club Filipino nominated and selected Roxas party president. Atienza, however, contends that he was in any case as other council members who turned down call for GMA’s resignation in July 2005 was not asked to the assembly. Therefore, Mar Roxas is merely the president of the LP’s Drilon-wing. The ex- mayor of Manila in addition declares that former Senate President Franklin Drilon disregarded his proposition to resolve their diversities prior to setting up the council but went ahead with the meeting anyway, engaging only those whom he identified were on his periphery.
Meanwhile, Roxas recognized the encumbrances of the party’s leadership and stopped short of asserting his proffer for the presidency in 2010. He brought to mind the splendid existence of the Liberal Party, when its members were motivated by principles and love of country. Roxas ought to have appended: “…when we were not drowning by internal strife and unbending self-esteem”. In fact, the split that has kept alive for more than two years now give rise to Drilon’s declaration that the LP has “passed the tests of political philosophy and morals organizational toughness, political loyalty and party unison” sheer wishful thinking.
One faction putting doubts on the other barely does service to the decades-old party. If Mar Roxas cannot unite his own party, how in the hell could he unite the warring faction in the society. If at this early he tends to accept that it is impossible to unite the LP as a whole then he have no business running for president and perhaps he should start christening them by some other party name rather than the Liberal Party.

LP alternative party in 2010... No way!

2007-11-24T15:23:00.000-08:00

An alternative political party? Hello? Perhaps Franklin Drilon was building a castle in the sky when he spoken these terminologies. His dearly loved LP is divided and jumbled to a point of no return. The Atienza wing which membership mostly form part the grassroot machinery of the party will never join the Drilon faction (this motley group compose of a few high echelon members). LP Drilon wing can simply stay alive by working out an alliance with the original opposition, unfortunately dominated by UNO in which it will be fielding their own presidential aspirant and no means they merely roll over and provide way to Mar Roxas presidential aspiration

Resignation insistence is a demand for disorder

2007-11-22T16:44:00.000-08:00

As of the intense political noise experienced in our country nowadays, it is a God given privilege of every Filipino who attaches importance to democratic principles to be made aware and be considered. Indeed, it is startling to take notice of exigency of particular faction screaming for GMA to give up her mandated work and insist on a custodial regime as an option. I noticed the stipulation for resignation is too prejudiced, risky and surely disadvantageous to the country’s long term interest. Let it be recognized that I am not a champion for existing administration but a regular citizen who care for the country most and the wellbeing of the people.

The assertion for President Arroyo’s stepping down at this instant is a plea for improbability, haziness, disorder and rabble rousing; a cry for the discontinuation of the beneficial accomplishments in the areas of economy and international relations. I am steadfast that at this point in time the Filipinos should never be drawn into another EDSA People Power Revolution of to any other kind of political upheaval since I am very well convince that this motley group’s envision will just fail to materialize. If this will fail, then another again and again…. when will our option end, and when will we ever learn?

Mapalad Farmers… Landless or Landed???

2007-11-22T05:04:00.000-08:00

At this moment in time, a group of farmers from Sumilao, Bukidnon is walking all the away to Malacañang. It is the third occasion a vivid mass action of this level was set up by this group but this instance it is so emotionally overloaded and hence theatrical. However a sharp scrutiny into the event, I am getting more encourage to believe that the true problem was the agrarian reform law itself. Remembering Ruben Torres, a former Labor Secretary during Ramos presidency and a former activist himself said; “In law, what is important is that you stand by the law and not whether you are affluent or underprivileged”.
* * *
Reports shows that CLOA (Certificate of Land Ownership Award) certificates for a sixty-five (65) hectares have been granted to the farmers’ leaders of the this group from an adjacent property owned by the Carlos family, this same group MAPALAD (Mapadayonong Panaghiusa sa mga Lumad Alang sa Damlag ) and SALFA (San Vicente Landless Farmers Association) now wants the one hundred forty-four (144) hectares Quisumbing land again, unfortunately a glimpse at the requirement of the CARP law they are found not eligible as recipients since they were not the actual occupants of the disputed land, not tenants, or either workers and farmhand in the site but are seasonal recruits contracted in a specific period of time for specific kind of works in the land.
* * *
NQSRMDC (NQ Sr. Management and Development Corp.) controlled by the Quisumbing family of Cebu in 1970 get hold of the property from the Salvador Carlos and his family and after the acquisition rent it out to Philippine Packing Corp. (Del Monte) and on March 29, 1996, the Quisumbings secured from the Office of the President (Ramos) an approval for conversion of the land to agro-industrial/institutional usage, this reversed the DAR’s verdict previous disapproval of the conversion. The case was brought to the Supreme Court whereby the court rules upholding the approval by the Office of the President of the conversion of the property subjected to a Land Reform Petition by the MAPALAD petitioners. The tribunal denied the motion for intervention filed by the petitioners and confirms that the petitioners were “merely recommendee farmer beneficiaries” and not real parties in interest. It denied with finality the motions for reconsideration filed by the petitioners on April 19, 1999. It also ruled that the Sumilao property does not fall within the definition of “agricultural lands” under the CARP law and another element is that the beneficiaries must be tenants, farmers, or landless farm workers and neither of these elements describe the petitioners.
* * *
Information from the DAR also long-established that the MAPALAD lobbyists are agrarian reform recipients of at least 66 hectares of the Carlos estate bordering the Sumilao property, contrary to their claims in their caravan posters that they are landless.

Phil. Economy becoming resilient

2007-11-19T03:48:00.000-08:00

The World Bank in effect inscribed the Philippines for its new economic progress articulating its growth was exceptional in Southeast Asia this year. Visibly overwhelmed with the healthy 7.5-percent development in the second quarter, the organization elevated its growth calculation for the Philippine economy this year to 6.7 percent.
Performance and prospects in the economy have enhanced following the significant monetary fine-tuning, public obligation cutback and balance of payments surpluses of recent years,” the WB said. It also assumed sturdy economic basics had also protected the economy from politically and opinionated hullabaloos a quantity of of which were brought about by the opposition-dominated upper legislature. The resilient economy didn’t blink in the recent Glorietta 2 blast and the Batasan Bombing unpleasant incident and contradicted calculation of a few that it cannot endure a momentous episode similar to this.
Vera Songwe of the World Bank, momentarily alleged the country’s economic development in the Philippines would do better than those of other countries in Southeast Asia this year, mentioning slashed public debt, physically powerful balance of payment surplus, declining interest rates, convalescing financial markets and lofty remittance levels by migrant Filipino workforces.
The bank’s expected 6.7-percent growth rate for the Philippines this year surpasses its development estimate for other middle-income nations in Southeast Asia, for instance the 6.3-percent growth for Indonesia, 5.7 percent for Malaysia and 4.3 percent for Thailand. Maryse Gautier, acting country director for the World Bank in the Philippines, also noticed that the Philippines had established its capacity to operate at an equal pace with or healthier than its regional neighbors on the economic front in recent years.
GMA and her Cabinet should continue to focus on the economic program and pay no attention to the political rants and tirade produced by the biased oppositions in the Philippine landscape.

Recall the pardon... if Erap continue his challenge

2007-11-17T17:08:00.000-08:00

Now it can be told that the President didn’t exactly did a comprehensive consultation on the pardon extended to Erap. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales on Saturday believed that all members of the society concerned should have been well thought-out in the assessment to pardon former President Joseph Estrada and in the forfeiture order on his property. In a short dialogue over the Catholic Church-owned Radio Veritas 846, Rosales said, "When you dispense justice, you just don’t consider a solitary detached set of circumstances”. The Cardinal supposed the indictment of the dishonored president could have taught Filipinos a lesson in this clemency brouhaha.

When GMA proffered executive clemency to Estrada, the penitentiary punishment required on him by the Sandiganbayan was lay out-of-the-way. Sheriff Edgardo Urieta previously transmitted a notice directing Atty. Gerardo Banzon, chief of the Legal Advisory and Research Department at Banco de Oro, to release two checks in the name of the Sandiganbayan with a total amount of P215.8 million as total accounted amount of illegally acquired wealth deposited in the Erap’s Muslim Youth Foundation. At the moment Estrada showing disrespect to the president who had conferred clemency to him, had been issuing announcement left and right that he cannot obtain the justice that he wanted with this administration still in place. Continuing the diatribe he maintain that he is guiltless of the offense of plunder in which the court rightfully establish his guilt, articulating that he is challenging the administration of Gloria to recall the clemency. What a hard headed pathetic old man he is.

Seeing all this misdemeanor of Erap, Cardinal Vidal being the lead voice in the pardon request seems so disappointed in this on-going behavior of the former president. Last Friday, the good Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal begged the discredited president in a meeting to follow the conditionality of the pardon granted to him by Mrs. Arroyo and at least demonstrate a measure of gratefulness to the president.

Senator Enrile versus Speaker JDV

2007-11-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

The feisty Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, in a verbal communication last week at the Senate, bare how the speaker invited him to, in so numerous remarks, pull back in commencing the inquiry of the northern railway project. Meeting Enrile at Makati’s Intercontinental Hotel, De Venecia even called up quite a few people to support his claim —as if he understood that Enrile would be influenced toward dropping the Northrail investigation on the simple endorsement of De Venecia’s clandestine co- schemers.

Enrile, the former Defense Minister during Marcos regime said he feel some pattern in De Venecia’s actions. The speaker likes holding silent conferences to strike out the arrangements that he is pushing, transactions that would essentially be better off dissected in an open venue as they ought to be. The hot NBN-ZTE broadband deal, as Enrile assumed was one of those inaudibly prepared contract and contemptibly unfavorable deals, pushed by the Speaker that would profit his own son.

At the moment Enrile is challenging De Venecia to a open debate on Northrail and other transactions that the senator considers the speaker formulated in the hushed of his domicile and in other such locations, for his own or his family members’ advantage. It doesn’t matter where, Enrile declares, provided that De Venecia is ready to leave the backrooms where he operates best and engages the senator in a public verbal tussle. As an extra inducement Enrile articulates there’s a bundle more other details about the speaker that he’s raring to expose, that is if De Venecia is game. As we all know the speaker, JDV most likely will not engage Enrile in any kind of arguments or discussions. The senator is excessively proficient an interrogator, too over matched to the speaker’s astuteness and veiled threats and too knowledgeable in De Venecia’s prior and recent dealings to be beaten.

This renders Enrile a dangerous core to break for the speaker: here is an antagonist that cannot be bought off with House bonuses, the menace of impeachment or even an accounting of stinking carcasses in the closet. In contrast, people who have recognized Enrile for a long moment believe that the aggressive senator from Cagayan has only launched his battle against the House speaker. Take note to the senator’s variety words for De Venecia’s contemporary transformation to near-complete derision as a “moral activist”. “What have you done for the betterment of our nation Mr. Speaker? You chatter on the subject of morality; you are not even at liberty to have a discussion about probity in government. Let the struggle carry on so that De Venecia and other cloaked wheeler-dealers similar to him will be unmasked and so that their shady transactions are hauled into the clear light of day''.

Can we have an option... bio-fuel or food?

2007-11-13T17:22:00.001-08:00

As further exploration for alternative fuel and renewable energy supply persists around the world, World Bank in its newly made public 265-page studies had brought out anxiety. Based on WB rural strategy adviser Christopher Delgado submitted 2008 World Development Report, he was quoted “the search for renewable and alternative energy sources has been affecting the world markets right now. World Bank cited the United States and Brazil which account for 90% of the global ethanol production last year and which both give tax incentives and subsidies to sugarcane and corn farmers who transform their agricultural crops into bio-fuels.” However, World Bank also noted that the market-altering courses of action have resulted in the swelling of feed stock costs and a 23-percent swell in corn prices worldwide in 2006. “As the market of these agricultural products favored the production of ethanol given that it has subsidies, it thus creates significant welfare losses for the underprivileged as the cost staple food gets higher and higher. A potential conflict is in the offing as debates between the use of agricultural crops for bio-fuels and for staple food purposes come to be recognizes.”

In the Philippines, specialized facilities for jatropha nut crushing have been recommended by experts so its toxic vapor can be supervised and potential undesirable burden on human lives and the environment can be tapered and lowered. The jatropha (Jatropha curcas) plant is generally seen as a more economic bio-fuel than corn-based or sugarcane-based ethanol. A recent study of the bio-energy market has recommended that jatropha could be used to manufacture a barrel of fuel for roughly $43, less than the price of sugarcane-based ethanol ($45 per barrel) or corn-based ethanol ($83 per barrel) at this time favored in the US and in Brazil. As the Philippines develop one too many facilities & open more areas for its intensive production, the apparent predicament produced by the high cost of ethanol generating crops may as well be the peril we will be facing as those in the Brazil and US. As the manufacturing of jatropha bio-fuel continue and broaden, more agricultural farms will be put to Jatropha producing utilization thereby reducing staple food production farms.

As higher price tag of oil base fuels generate troubles and shifting to low cost alternative bio-fuels will be a problem too? So the question is Renewable Energy or Food?

Bishops’ imprudence

2007-11-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

Assuming for the sake of argument that EDSA was an anomaly, can anybody give us an assurance that Chief Justice Reynato Puno, whom the bishop is nominating to lead the proposed junta or anybody else will not be like or worse than the one he’s presume to dispose of. Righting a wrong with a new one does not make it right but it does prolong the wrongness of an error. Even considering their proposal seems worthwhile, one cannot deny that an election in 2010 is fast approaching and waiting for it means patience and patience is a good virtue.
Looking at the haphazard moral decay we are now in, may we ask those good bishops if morality not their foremost temporal duty now? Isn’t just fair to request those good bishops to revisit to their chosen vocation and rebuild the moral decay in the society? They have failed sadly and yet they still yearn for taking more tasks. I am very sure they will be more fruitful if they exert effort at improving the moral yardstick of those who are coming after this morally busted generation.

Unless Bishops Lagdameo, Cruz and Tobias wish to join the bickering, the political scrimmage and planning to run for public office, they should refrain from these activities and instead go back to tending their flock. Grandstanding is not the way for them. They should show the way in modesty and humility as epitomized by the Lord Jesus.

Gloria A. unconsciously unmasked their pretense

2007-11-09T16:13:00.000-08:00

The thoughtless pardon handed out by GMA to the convicted felon Erap after only six weeks from his conviction making me doubt if this is a demonstration of tolerating the criminal behavior of criminal people to overlay the way for goodness to prosper. Gloria’s sudden clemency of an unremorseful looter had unconsciously depicted the pretense of a lot of our so called persons in charge. In my mind, the leading losers are the Catholic Church’s leaders who had unconditionally supported the pardon for the shameless offender. Casually, I’ll be able to mention Cardinal Vidal and Bishop Bacani & even several other Church hierarchies who also sustained the reprieve. At this hour, Estrada still declines to concede remorse and maintains that he is guiltless, so backing a pardon for an impenitent criminal go against Church philosophy. Given these particulars how in hell can Cardinal Vidal, Bishop Bacani and those other church leaders now reconcile their support for the contentious pardon with the Catholic dogma that allows forgiveness only after a criminal has own up his fault and recognized a pretense of repentance. This grave divergence from Church policy entitles for an urgent explanation from the Vatican at this point in time.

Noting that Jinggoy Estrada was one of the most fervent enemy of the NBN-Broadband transaction at the Senate investigations and enthusiastically pushing the corruption direction in the contract now proclaimed his plans to personally express gratitude to Gloria Arroyo for granting pardon to his father and also detached his person from any GMA impeachment case. Conceivably becoming conscious of the consequences of his hasty turnaround, Estrada make known last Friday that he will nonetheless back an Opposition impeachment legal action. The Estrada father and son political spectacle stink of utter selfishness and an all-too-easy propensity to throw out their cause once own concern is provided. I am not certain if Ronnie Puno and GMA expected this result, thereby neutralizing the very grave danger to her political existence and similarly wear away the political integrity of the Estradas. Joseph Estrada may perhaps not interested in public office but son Jinggoy is conveyed to be looking for a Vice Presidential slot in Senate President Manny Villar when the latter runs for president come 2010.

Even if GMA’s public evaluations get better or not, the President has managed to significantly wear down two of the major risks to her continued existence in power, it is Joseph Estrada and the Catholic Church.

So lucky in my life... Erap!

2007-11-08T19:14:00.000-08:00

Essentially, the more precise Filipino word for it is binubwenas.
A writ of execution last Tuesday was handed down by the Special Division of Sandiganbayan to the newly pardon ex-President Erap thereby giving him five days upon receipt to return to the government P545 million jueteng payoff, P189 million kickbacks from the sale of Belle Corp. shares and the now dilapidated Boracay Mansion at a hub QC subdivision in New Manila. The former president has been taking pleasure in the previous few days his newly found liberty thanks to GMA. He has been congregating with almost all of his political allies, visits regularly his ailing mother at the San Juan Medical Hospital and even paid respect to bosom friend, the late Fernando Poe Jr.
And here emerge ex- senator Rene Saguisag, Erap’s lead attorney swearing to high heaven saying “masyado nang ginigipit si dating Pangulong Erap ng Sandiganbayan [The Sandiganbayan is pushing former President Erap to the wall]”. In saying these, maybe Saguisag to some extent hallucinating or his intelligence is somewhere else simply since Erap was not imprison in the correct meaning of the word. He lives in a very comfortable Rest House mansion, regular leave on his every request.
The ex-President himself, rendered congenial by the pardon reward is again in the combative manner. He even chided [or maybe warned is the proper term] the Sandiganbayan sheriff to go after his former buddies Chavit Singson and Jaime Dichavez instead of running after him. He cautions the court that they cannot forfeit his asset obtained prior to his tenure as president just to satisfy the remaining money and the definite cash on bank obtainable for forfeiture.
The statement attributed to him is dejectedly principled on his innocence that Estrada’s statements are miserably premised on his innocence that had been discredited by his dreadful conviction. No amount of denial can disprove his guilt no matter what he do and not doing, and anybody need not reflect so hard not distinguish that in reality he is pushing his luck so hard.

Impeachment, Politics and Probabilities come 2010

2007-11-07T04:36:00.000-08:00

All of that chain of impeachment grumblings organized by UNO and the Black & White Movement against GMA is rapidly transforming into a big & funny story line and it provide us an giggle when brought forth to discussions. Those persona involved are all good lawyers like Harry Roque, Rolex Suplico and Adel Tamano and I doubt very much if they basically believe that the impeachment revisions would in fact pass the scrutiny of Congress. Obviously they do comprehend that at the end of the day and with all the grandstanding and thunderous clatters, the impeachment will boil down to the existing imperatives and that is who has the more number of votes. It is a fact that even the coalesce attempts of the entire opposition and some of De Venecia’s loyalist they still cannot muster the required 80 votes for the impeachment complaints to go further than first base. Nevertheless, they carry it out just the same.
They don’t even care if the structure and body of the impeachment cases against the President are without foundation and may not grip the truth. Never mind if an edict (rulings of the SC) disallows more than one impeachment case within a year. And never mind the fact that the opposition and their associates don’t seem to care appearing or acting like fools. I think it is enough for them just to let people know that they are still visible and still around to unseat GMA. That is kind of politics for them, always critical, vicious and unhelpful.

xxxxxxx

The opposition and their breed are so arrogant and cocky as they causes one gigantic blunder by disregarding the President’s political weight come 2010 and yet at this point in time they aver GMA is a weak and powerless president. They do not recognize that among all the hopefuls, counting eight of them – not one have something comparable to the President’s grassroots backers and an enormous political apparatus having both Lakas and Kampi. For this reason I earnestly consider that whoever will be the anointed one of the President will have the immense edge above all presidential hopeful outside the President’s party.
Let us scrutinize these hopefuls in the running such as:

1. Senate President Manny Villar - Nacionalista Party, a major party prior to martial law but at presently comprise of only a little number of well-known politician and membership of less known political non-entity.
2. Mar Roxas – Liberal Party, another motley group consist mainly of big name politicians but no grass root followings.
3. Loren Legarda – a celebrated political personality with nothing in term of political backings.
4. Ping Lacson - a good political tactician, good source of financing but little on the political machinery.
5. Jinggoy Estrada or Mayor Binay – Maybe they can inherit the masa followers of Erap but not sufficient to elect a president.
6. Dick Gordon – A good executive but no political party to show off.

The possibility of GMA anointing VP de Castro is not farfetch and in the coming 2 ½ years all will be possible in this art politics but naturally these are all mere speculations until the final hours and someone is selected. What I am declaring is when the president steps down come 2010, she still enjoy the clout (stimulated by funds and grass root followings) that will provide the upper hand over the election.

Talking of potentialities, with the clemency granted by GMA to Erap, it is not unlikely to contemplate that come 2010, a grand alliance of GMA-Erap in 2010 may perhaps still occur. I know that Erap being a political beast realizes this and an alliance with the President will be his foremost endeavor to gain from the influence that GMA enjoy until 2010.

As the opposition argues, Kiss of Death! But far from it, if you recognize the nature of politics that reigns this nation—the Golden Rule—he who has the gold rules! As I said, since politics is the art of the probable, the probabilities in 2010 are never-ending. Some may say that 2010 is still two-and-a-half years from now, and everything is speculative. But I say that in the world of politics, 2010 is just around the corner.

Binay reeks with Glorietta stench!

2007-11-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

Makati mayor Binay seems to boast his own world where the whole lot descends to what he desire them to be, on his personal undomesticated conjectures.
Even if the mayor is out of the country on a Boy Scout mission tour, as soon as the blast take place Binay repeatedly released a declaration pointing to the Administration of Gloria as the culprit behind all of this incident. It is an effort by Gloria’s underlings to draw away interest on brewing scandals coming her way. As absurd it maybe, this manner of scheming declaration is reeking with disrespect and unsolicited since in incident like this we must be certain that every person have to maintain their calm.
After arriving from abroad, like the ruler of the kingdom of Pandakake he proclaim that his office will be closing the entire Glorietta complex and will remain that way until the mall operators comply with all the necessary requirements. However, the management of the mall submitted promptly all the papers required and that is why the other part of the mall were restored to business as usual the following day.
In the meantime, as foreign investigators release their investigation report and ruling out terrorism as the behind the blast. Police findings point to negligence on the part of the management of Glorietta. They are certain that methane gas build up within the septic vault at the basement was somehow ignited by a flicker. Investigators are still aiming to pull through rubbles two submersible pumps from the cistern and are deemed to be essential to the inquiry which we expect would be bring to a close soon. Those accountable should be made answerable for justice to be obtained by victims’ families.
Noting disparity between his pronouncements and that of the investigator’s report, Binay suddenly put himself in the attack mode with a statement saying that the PNP is now conditioning the mind of the people to recognize hook and line the investigator’s theory of industrial accident and not about his personal wretched speculation that GMA masterminded the vicious bombing. I feel sorry for this man, so pathetic.
Still concluding on his theory, insisted that an independent body be form to look for the true and independent probe and even warned police against injecting politics into the vicious occurrence by saying “It leads me to believe that the police and Malacañang have already made up their minds and will now use this issue for political purposes,” and “the statements of the police reek of politics” he concluded.
But investigators are using terms pertaining to structure and engineering. Their statements are hardly political at all.
On the contrary, it is the mayor who keeps on bringing up politics even when nobody is talking of it anymore—at least not in the context of the blast.
Binay, dishing out a mouthful if only to deflect attention from the fact that his city government may have been liable, too, for issuing permits to the mall without following inspection procedures, smells something reeking. We wonder if he realizes that the stink is coming from his own biases

Quo Vadis?... Mr. Speaker!

2007-11-02T05:35:00.000-07:00

The entire plan to depose Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. seems to be uncertain. It will only flourish if he retaliates but on the contrary, he will not, paving a way to a ceasefire of hostilities. As for those congressmen, so long as Mrs. Arroyo provides for their needs — constant deliveries of pork barrels and cash gifts — they will not stand on her way and still be trustworthy. In the first place serving their constituents was never their objective in quest of congressional seats last May. Fundings for congressional pork barrel was.

At the onset of the congressional session on Monday an attempt by a congressman from the ruling majority to rise and declare all seats vacant will commence a direct challenge to the Speaker. If ever the 190 representatives will vote to unseat JDV is still to be seen and hinged on extracting from the Speaker a guarantee to stop subverting and weakening the administration of Mrs. Arroyo. After son Joey’s indignant and risky depiction of corruption and pay-off in highest places, de Venecia had realized an outpour of public cheer & support for courageous warriors on uprightness & truth. Acquiring Joey’s reformist posture, he gave Mrs. Arroyo a hundred days to initiate her own personal ethical upheaval. The Palace rebuffed it of course: Mrs. Arroyo shrieked at him in what ought to have been a conciliation dinner the other weekend, and her assistants ridiculed him as a political party minor functionary and heed to Pres. Arroyo’s agenda of government as an alternative. The Speaker babbled and perhaps bit off more than he could chew. In demanding Arroyo to change he had assure his presidential counterpart actions and his own hard work to cleanse the pork barrel issue. Making sure the pork barrel will be open to aforementioned public scrutiny would crush its apt to steal rationale. It would make congressmen’s political way of life virtually useless. The importance of political dynasties will not be that so compelling any longer, that is if Joe de Venecia, the Speaker would in effect do away with the pork in the course of lucidity?
Many of us think, Mrs. Arroyo abhors ethical upheaval and they won’t compel her to do so. Her allies in congress worry about losing their pork lumps, and she won’t allow them to keep it and the Speaker will do nothing and will just watch them do it.

Monday, November 25, 2007 will not be just another ordinary first day for Congress for the reason that a side concern will be the Arroyo’s impeachment suit filed and put forward to the justice committee before congress went on vacation. The complaint has been censure as rubbish and the petitioner lawyer Atty. Roel Pulido and backer Rep. Edgar San Luis indicted of being on the Palace payroll, hastily filed the pathetic impeachment case purportedly was devised to immunize Mrs. Arroyo from any bona fide suit within 12 months. Nevertheless petitioner Pulido and endorser San Luis have been welcoming hecklers in the mainstream opposition to develop the indictment sheet. Strings of Malacañang conferences were set up to timetable the demise of an improved edition of the complaint. Next to maintaining a flexible speaker in his position the majority ruling coalition members will make certain that impeachment does not progress either in its premature phase at the justice committee or in the committee of the whole.

PROs & CONs... of executive clemency

2007-11-01T01:25:00.000-07:00

I don't have any reservations about Mrs. Arroyo's prerogative to grant executive clemency; neither do I cast doubt on the legality and her intention to do so. She must really have reconciliation in her mind when she issued the reprieve. I am aware that possibly an ample number of our people truly crave for a genuine resolution to a lingering squabble between the Arroyos vis a vis the Estradas, the only question was, can this pardon helps in bringing the two faction together to a more better relationship and mutual collaboration? Doña Mary's state of health offer good sense of purpose and motivation in bringing this pardon a more agreeable executive action, I do sympathize with Erap on this concern. I also ponder constructively on the aspect of giving back the plunder/loot including all profit derive from it.

As much as I want to give GMA the benefit of the doubt on this clemency issue, a part of my brain was still much unsympathetic, concerning the of granting of pardon and just about to be overstress in assuming the other way around. On the reconciliation concern as a given factor in the issuance of pardon, I still can’t accept as true that the Erap advocates especially his political wards both in congress and in the senate will act honestly and stop political criticisms and allusions of graft and corruption heave at the First Couple, given that they have incorporated a sort of political armistice as a precondition appended on the executive action.

Complementing to my anxiety on the reconciliation subject was the pronouncement last night at the ANC program by Atty. Rene Saguisag a staunch supporter of Erap when he stated that Erap had no intention of kowtowing to Malacañang wishes, now that he was given the reprieve, and at the same time branded the President a usurper of power that drove Estrada out of the seat of influence/supremacy and the act of giving pardon to Estrada was a way of GMA to correct a mistake imposed on Erap. At one time he even declared that we the middleclass and the upper class members’ of society are just horde of lynch rabble troublemakers whose foremost objective was to derail program s of President Erap to empower the underprivileged masses. If mutual collaboration were without a doubt ingredient of the negotiated attachment to the reprieve, I was astonished why a lead legal representative of Erap has the audacity to verbalize these mouthfuls of expression if those words didn’t originate from the horses’ mouth. This was not the only instance I took notice of him disclosing the viewers of statements like those of last night but umpteenth time for sure.

Looking forward to the return of the plundered money back to the government as a gratifying section of the executive clemency supporting documents, one can ponder if that order of the Sandiganbayan was an easy task to accomplish knowing how large the sum of money that was involved in it. Will the Estrada family let go of this ill gotten wealth? With that amount of riches they could compensate an array of excellent lawyers just to derail or slowdown a move to recoup or retrieve the money. I agree the agency of government will be able to get a grasp of that monies but I also believe it will not be in a year or two, not in five years time but a much longer period considering the impudence of lawyers to circumvent and outwit existing edicts and laws especially in civil cases like this, thus preventing government to use the loot to a much productive endeavor and projects that will benefit the true victims of the plunder done by the former President.

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

Reconciliation or Conspiracy

2007-10-29T17:27:00.000-07:00

Reconciliation is not for government squaring off with its adversaries, it must be for government settling with its populace. That is so mainly done at the closing stage of an oppressions when government is obligated to comfort the impairments of the people by chastising the guilty and gratifying the innocent. Without a doubt, that is many times more so when an heir arrived about not by her peculiar courageous resourcefulness, as Cory Aquino did, but by the gallant enterprise of the people themselves, as Arroyo did. Giving executive clemency to Estrada is not curing the country’s wounds, it is chaffing saline on them.
Definitely, reconciliation is not reconciling with injustice, it is reconciling with rightfulness. It is not to bring together with tormenter s, it is bringing together with the tormented. The only way to comfort the impairments of the people, and that is by justice. That is the only acknowledged medication for a exhausted land, tattered and hemorrhaging from viciousness. The only way to unite a ruined nation, the only way to fix a partitioned people, and that is by justice. That is the only known way to revive a dead land, one floating aimlessly in a sea of untruth and thievery.
Unity has never been an obscure entity in our beloved country. Even now the people are unified in one thing, which is their mutual abhorrence of their leaders. You want this country to find a sense of objective, a sense of steadfastness, a sense of aspiration – bloody hell, you want people to party in the streets in rowdy festivities – then let Arroyo and Estrada cease to exist in the whirlpool of oblivion. Then will we have a country more united or held firmly together than can be achieved by Epoxy or Mighty Bond.
The nation merging collectively, that is unity. Arroyo and Estrada unite together, that’s just a conspiracy.

FVR merrygoround!

2007-10-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Malacañang confident of FVR support
By Roy Pelovello ManilaStandardToday

MALACAÑANG yesterday said it is confident that former President Fidel Ramos will continue to support President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo even if he disagreed with her decision to pardon another former president, Joseph Estrada.

On Friday, shortly before Mrs. Arroyo granted executive clemency to Estrada, Ramos declared his opposition to pardoning her predecessor, warning that pardon might lead to Mrs. Arroyo’s downfall.

Another former president, Corazon Aquino, welcomed the decision to pardon Estrada after he was convicted to serve 40 years in prison for the crime of plunder.

Presidential Management Staff Chief Cerge Remonde also urged Ramos to exercise statesmanship and to support the administration for the good of the country.

“We highly respect former President Fidel Ramos. We trust in his high sense of statesmanship. While he may have disagreed on the pardon, we believe that he will continue to support what is good for the country—especially reforms and national unity,” Remonde said.

An administration ally in the Senate, Senator Joker Arroyo, said Mrs. Arroyo went overboard in pardoning Estrada, but admitted that it was futile to expect the courts to reverse the President’s order, since the authority to pardon “is absolute and exclusive to her.”

The senator told a radio interview that the order to pardon Estrada was “wrong,” and that if the President did not want him to go to jail, she should just have kept him in detention in his Tanay, Rizal, resthouse.

Morality & Pardon

2007-10-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

Remember that politics is never a moral game, it is a game of chance and decisive actions and convictions.

You must be talking of dirty politics my friend, but politics per se is not bad because politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions, and it is base on wide ranging opinions collated to form a common policy stand, not by one man or by its head. Maybe you talking of political power which is the ability to impose one's will "even in the face of opposition from others". Politics and political power are not the same animal.

Even religion is not purely about morality - it is also about love, charity, and forgiveness. All encompassing and inclusive of all. Sinners and saints are but equal in the eyes of the Lord!

For me, Morality is the encompassing conduct or ethics in which people tend to look upon to measure the relationship of one's person to the other. Love, charity and forgiveness are but some factors in which morality are determined and evaluated. So as i see it, there are no difference when we talk about love, charity and forgiveness at one side and morality on the other.

Sinner or saints are equal in the eyes of the Lord - yeah, i do agree with you on that in the present situation, but on the other hand, in the final judgement and when all mankind face the consequences of his action before the court of God, i am sure there will be a differentiation in the eyes of our Lord.

The latest act of Gloria smacks of despicability and unconventionality that affects and transcends a wide range of people who are waiting to be consulted on this executive fiasco (pardon) given to despot named erap. Her action will be harsely judge by people who are with her before this unthinkable clemency happens.

The Betrayal... ouchhhh!

2007-10-26T02:19:00.000-07:00

Word has gone around that pardon is forthcoming no later than the 27th. The truth came like a thief in the night when Bunye acting as the one giving the pardon (Notice the posture towards the camera?) read the text.

GMA for all the insults (Bogus president, Illegitimate, etc) and brickbracks thrown by the estrada family to her person finally succombed to the pressure of the people who have worked hard to pardon erap. Some say a powerful religious group is behind it, some say there was an agreement that will benefit GMA. .

For what its worth, this act is one despicable pardon coming just one month after the verdict was given. All who are defending the pardon keeps on saying that erap was jailed for more than six years and for a 70 yr old former president, it is more than enough punishment. . If jail is what staying in his tanay resthouse and given all perks everytime he barks a request, then I will gladly take his place! The truth is he was never jailed in the strictest sense of the meaning of a jail term. He was more like restricted to royal quarters!

This act of GMA will definitely add on to the many controversial acts she had to endure during her presidency. Whatever pardon sfe gave erap, up to now, jinggoy cannot even readily say that she is the president and from the pronouncements of erap, she has to expect more after erap gets his full freedom.

Unless she has a confidential paper that erap signed in exchange of the pardon, she will never have peace from erap and his minnions!

God bless this country and no mercy on GMA.. .

The Last Straw.... Erap's pardon!

2007-10-25T05:40:00.000-07:00

I can never forget you GMA for this! The writing on the wall become more legibly today and no further explanation can support your action in giving pardon to Erap. Former Pres. Ramos had issued a previous warning against pardon, you should have heed the call but you didn't. There is no need for you to stay longer in Malacanang... Time is ticking but not in your favor. Sorry GMA, the the right moment for you step down has come and there is no way for you to change the tide.

So mrs. arroyo brace yourself. You have made one unrepentant felon happy but you have angered a nation that continued to support you despite your flaws as a leader. Now i doubt if that support is still there. On the other hand, do you even care anyway? You only have your political interest in mind and not ours just like we believed before.

Condolences to the Filipino people, the demise of justice system in the Philippines had commenced, no thanks to GMA.

Joey de Venecia's novel... the Ultimatum!

2007-10-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

Joey de Venecia's current unfounded insinuation is one for the book really, daring espionage thriller and scheme after scheme, patterned on the escapades of Jason Bourne. He's knitting a fantastic footpath with big time names to tear down. He is playing the role now of a sacred cow in this new controversial tirades against these people with this new conspiracy/assasination sequel. Any trace or even an ounce of substantiation is still not being offered here. All he is disgorging out are mere innuendoes after innuendoes. With a mountain of finger pointings in the senate floor, he is anticipating that one will be convincing enough to absolve him from the tight spot he himself have invented. He thinks, he is just one base away from the homebase plate. Insidious but brilliant!

He and his handlers really knows what kind of script that will click with the opposition and the general public. Couple that with intrigues regarding military and police power abuses, billionaire's money power, and corruptible but powerful government officials, he trully has a good fictional novel on his self produced play.

The ZTE deal is done but he's still trying to revive it through more incredulous tales and allegations. The poor public is then again taken for a ride by the speculative reporting of the presss using tabloid journalism.

This recent concoction of his is prelude to a very imminent danger that he and his father is into with you know who, a trademark of a senator that was the master of conspiracy theory in the past. I think this new allegation of his put more danger to the country than to the administration of GMA.

Incredible expose but not an iota of evidence to back it. You be the judge!.

Absurd Claims.... I guess

2007-10-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

Joey de Venecia accuses 3 retired PNP officials of kill plot
By Jose Rodel Clapano
Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Businessman Jose de Venecia III filed a complaint at the Makati City police accusing three retired police officials, including Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, of plotting to kill him and his father, Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. He said this information was relayed by Gen. Jaime de los Santos, a mistah of both Berroya and Leandro Mendoza at the Phil. Military Academy during a meeting his father arranged with the General. It is said to be, that three officials have hatched a plot to release an inmate from the New Bilibid Prisons to assassinate him and his father.

The young De Venecia filed a complaint against Mendoza, Transportation and Communications Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Berroya, and Bureau of Corrections director Ricardo Dapat.

In a statement to the press Sec. Mendoza said “That’s a recycled claim I have already described as a fairy tale from a sore losing bidder. As I have said before, I do not threaten people because it’s out of my character. I just do what I have to do.” At the same press conference Gen. de los Santos denied the claim of Joey that he said there is a plot against him and his father, and he thinks the allegations of Joey is absurd. I pity Joey de Venecia, after his allegations were not swallowed by the people now he's making another story again just catch attention for the next ZTE-NBN Deal hearing at the senate. I suggest that the good Speaker send his beloved son to Makati Med to see a Psychiatrist, because what he is saying now is not a joke anymore.

2007-10-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

Goodgrace of God! And now he's asking for pardon... I thought he still believes he's innocent, how come he is asking for a pardon now?

Estrada letter requesting for presidential pardon

October 22, 2007

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Malacañan Palace
Manila

Your Excellency:

On September 26, 2007 we, the lawyers of President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, filed with the Sandiganbayan a motion for reconsideration to reverse and set aside its decision of September 12, 2007 convicting President Estrada of the crime of plunder and sentencing him to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua with corresponding accessory penalties. The prosecution filed its opposition to the motion for reconsideration and oral arguments were heard last October 19, 2007. The matter is now submitted for resolution.

Although persuasive constitutional and legal grounds have been alleged in the motion for reconsideration which may justify the reversal of the judgment of conviction, our consensus is that there is a very slim chance that the Sandiganbayan will reconsider its original guilty verdict. The much admired Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro was quoted as saying in a press interview that the Special Division of the Sandiganbayan “stands by its original guilty verdict”.

The looming denial of the motion for reconsideration will have no other option for President Estrada except to appeal to the Supreme Court. Once an appeal is perfected, the present custodial arrangement may be put in question. The Sandiganbayan exercised sound judgment in allowing President Estrada to remain in his Tanay resthouse while his motion for reconsideration pends. His transfer to the National Penitentiary may generate bad feelings on the part of many of our countrymen which may boil over again.

Passions on both sides would be aroused. A period of prolonged fault-finding and recrimination would be disastrous for the nation. Our Republic needs recovery, not revenge.

No other issue could compete with the drama of a former President detained in the National Penitentiary serving a life sentence. It will be virtually impossible for Your Excellency to direct public attention to anything else.

Upon the other hand, the entire appeal process in the Supreme Court may require years: a minimum of two, a maximum of five. Although we are confident that we can obtain a reversal of the guilty verdict from an impartial tribunal, President Estrada will necessarily remain in detention while his appeal is being heard. An acquittal after more than ten (10) years in detention is unjust.

The time has come to end President Estrada’s fight for justice and vindication before the courts. Today, we filed a withdrawal of his motion for reconsideration. President Estrada himself believes that appeal in the Supreme Court would be futile for even the possibility of a favorable judgment will not justify several more years of detention.

His ouster from the Presidency and to live with that humiliation for the rest of his life was a severe punishment in itself and may be equivalent to serving a long jail term. He deserves sympathy, compassion and understanding. He is now 70, had borne suffering with grace and dignity, despite not being the best of health always.

He often frets about the delicate condition of his mother. Her situation deteriorated when she learned what has befallen her son. Knowing he is a free man should be one of the last thoughts a recuerdoshe could carry when she goes to her final resting place, in total serenity.

In the highest national interest, to which President Estrada is always willing to subordinate his own, we appeal to Your Excellency to grant him full, free and unconditional pardon.

Very truly yours,

The Defense Panel of
President Joseph Ejercito Estrada

By:
Jose Flaminiano

if i were the president, i will not give him pardon at this point in time because it will be a treacherous move for the filipino people. the people would feel betrayed once a pardon is granted since the people wants estrada to be incarcerated first in prison and atleast suffer the consequences of his previous action. we should be firm enough to show once and for all that juctice should be served though the heaven fall. kahit ano ang mangyari...NO PARDON TO ERAP!.

It's Monday... a working day!

2007-10-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

I hope this day will be good day for everyone. i hope no untoward event will happen today since it is the beginning of the work week. i hope also that it will be unifying day and work for the benefit of more people than have a selfish interest. let us give ourselves a break and work for the common good. Start your day with a prayer that politics will take a back seat.

The Rajah Sulaiman Group...what now Senator Trillanes?

2007-10-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

"After the blast, Trillanes accused National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. as masterminds of the blast that struck Glorietta 2 Friday afternoon"

"In a text message to ABS-CBN News, the person who said he was RSM spokesman Ruben Omar Lavilla, alias Sheik Omar, demanded the release of founder Hilarion del Rosario Santos, alias Ahmed Santos. RSM is a terror organization whose members are allegedly composed of Christians who have converted to Islam and reportedly operates in Manila and northern Luzon. It was suspected of carrying out the Rizal bombing in 2000 and Valentine’s Day bombings in 2004"

This development belied the claim of Senator Trillanes, the Makati Business Club and the opposition putting the blame on the militay and this administration. we can see now how irresponsible this people are, in impugning malicious lie to grandstand again. How can we trust these grandstander and the press itself after all these occurrences. Fingerpointing and unfounded insinuations does not help but create more annoyance and disorder that could give us only anger and frustrations. I want plead to these people to be more circumspect and sober enough with these unfolding events. if you don't want to help, then be on the sideline so as not to impede this on going investigations.

Glorietta Mall Bombing... Terrorism at its best!

2007-10-19T16:04:00.001-07:00

At 1:40 pm Phil. time yesterday, the lazy afternoon was disturbed by a news flash on a nationwide tv program about an explosion which occur at Glorietta mall 2 at exactly that hour. Gory footages was splashed all over the screen and i was so flabbergasted in what saw. Picture of destructions and debris scattered around the area was displayed for two hours in the said program. I ask myself, was this gory details a show of force by whom? Was it in the name of unfounded cause or in the name of freedom, and freedom from what? Are we just bunch of expendable object that you can sacrifice to further the cause you're ramming our throat. This dastardly acts were handiwork of cowards afraid to face the truth that neccessary changes can only be obtain thru the parameters of laws and the legal frameworks of our constitution. You cannot just give up human lives in furtherance of societal transformation, because we are not living in the 16th century where the upheavals were done by the end of a sword. My GOD!... 8 deaths and scores of injured persons!!!!

Aquilino Pimentel... A profile of a wasted principle?

2007-10-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

A four termer senator of the Republic and in the beginning of his once illustrious career in politics, i am very much awed of this man. He was a pillar in the movement against the Marcos dictatorship and he was indeed brave and his incarceration during that time did not slow him down, until the dictator fell down. He was a good Minister of Local Government during the time of Cory and became a senator of the Republic also during that time. He was to be credited for the Local Government Act and i admit that law as a whole was indeed good, although it had some infirmities on it. He ran against the upcoming Erap as Vice President in tandem with Salonga when Cory finished her term but unfortunately both of them lost that election. During the time of Citizen Eddie as president, he became a staunch ally of the opposition and vigorously challenge every move of the administration. He was again elected to office for the second time during Erap's time as President, and became the Senate President. It was at this time that he presided the impeachment of President Estrada together with Chief Justice Hilario Davide and he shows his partiality against the president but unfortunately the process was abruptly stopped because the majority of the senate juror did let the second envelope which contain incriminating evidence of the guilt of the President on the plunder case and the rest was history.

Edsa 2 then change history when Erap vacated Malacanang because of his imminent downfall as millions of masses of people congregate at the People's Power Monument out to topple him. When Arroyo was swore in as the legitimate successor, he even hold the microphone for her in the oath taking. In the Arroyo regime most people believe it was he who would be the Vice President but because Arroyo was pressured by her party to appoint then Senator Guingona for the post, he was by pass and with these event he was oblige to withdrew his support for Arroyo and joined the opposition again with the likes of the senators allied with Estrada, and i can say that this was time of the transformation of this man from a principled politico to a motivated oppositions without an honorable party stand. I can't believe a good man like him was altered into something like that, far from the man i once adore. politics... politics strange bedfellows indeed!

Separation of Church and State; A myth?

2007-10-18T04:43:00.000-07:00

As of the other day the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Phil. (CBCP) had condemn a news about the allegation of bribery at the Malacanang Palace where a bunch of local executives from the Union of Local Authorities of the Phil. (ULAP) requested an audience with President for the oath taking ceremonies of the officers of the group. When the affair seems finished and most of the local executives were home at the places of their origins, along came Among Ed, the governor of Pampanga announced in his provincial office that he was given a bunch of money amounted to half a million peso. The money allegedly given to him by Governor Jonjon Mendoza of the province of Bulacan. When ask by media, Gov. Mendoza said it was given to him by a lady at Malacanang and that he doesn't know who the lady was. This unfounded assertion was hook and line caught by media and started the bandwagon for more allegations and counter allegations from both sides of the fence, the opposition and the administration. I was flabbergasted when the CBCP dip their fingers in the cookie jar and created more smoke by telling that they tired of the moral bankruptcy of the administration of Mrs. Arroyo and they were supporting a senate inquiry into the matter. Since we all knew that senate was a forum for more grandstanding of the politicos, i wonder if those Bishops were true to their vows, if so, why are they joining the political scuffle and be a part of a destabilization initiative by the opposition who cannot wait until the next election come. I am beginning to think that in the face of this development, there are now two faces of morality, one favored by the church and one for the outcast.