Arroyo and Gonzales didn't mind US "meddling" in CHA CHA

From Conrad de Quiros:

MANILA, Philippines - Raul Gonzales is livid (in more ways than on). "That is blackmail," he says of the American threat to stop military aid to this country if the extrajudicial killings do not stop. "(The US Senate foreign relations hearing) is one-sided because the complainants were all heard but we were not heard. That is already making a judgment that all our efforts are not sincere."

What's batty about that statement is, well, what's not about anything Gonzalez says? Batty is his middle name. But at the very least what's so about his claim of US meddling in our affairs and even blackmailing us is its breathtaking selectiveness in perception.

Only a couple of years ago, his namesake, Norberto Gonzales, was in fact begging the United States to please intervene in the most basic of our affairs, in changing our Charter. Indeed, he wasn't just begging for it, he was proposing to pay an American firm, Venable LLP, a fortune to lobby the US Congress into doing so. The US Senate foreign relations hearing merely upholds a universal principle that crosses borders, which is the preciousness of life, the transgression of which constitutes a crime against humanity. Norberto's initiative would have trashed a principle cherished by the community of nations, which is the preciousness of sovereignty, the transgression of which constitutes intervention- and, for those who initiate it from within, treason. Well, Banana (Republic) is Norberto's middle name. My profoundest apologies to bananas (and republics).

I do not recall that Raul was stoked to his usual irascibility by that object lesson in "How To Betray Your Country."

Pero there's nothing wrong with the Venable contract raw, sabi ni Ralph Recto.

But in a recent joint statement with Joker Arroyo announcing their joining TU, they bragged about their opposition to the Venable contract:

We fought the Venable contract which involved American money to change the Constitution. We fought the People’s Initiative to do the same.

Err... about the Venable contract deal, hindi ba ginago lang kayo ni norberto gonzalez, at pinakawalan nyo siya?

This is another example na walang napaparusahang big fish sa arroyo admin.

Anyways, the venable deal was cancelled raw (in 2005) after the admin got much criticism.

Pero what did Ralph Recto mean when he uttered this remark noong March 13, 2007, on the US senate investigations on extra judicial killings:

Reelectionist Sen. Ralph Recto, for his part, said it is the job of embedded Malacañang lobbyists in the US Capitol to make sure that the side of the government is heard.

“If the lobby firm Venable is still engaged, then I presume that the terms of reference include assistance and representation in presenting the Philippine case.

Akala ko ba tapos na ang dealings natin with venable?

UPDATE: Ah... Malacanang pala has quietly rehired Venable in 2006, but Joker admitted he was helpless at that time because of EO 464. That's checks and balance for you, amigo.

Wonder if they followed up on it after EO 464 "was lifted"?