Villar, Joker will not join the debates

From People's Taliba:

UMATRAS sa panukalang debate sa pagitan ng Team Unity at Genuine Opposition sina re-electionists Manuel Villar Jr., at Joker Arroyo dahil na rin sa paniniwala na wala itong patutunguhan.

Sinabi ni Villar na hindi siya masyadong naniniwala dito dahil walang malinaw kung ano ang pag-uusapan at ikalawa, kung hindi rin lang naman daw ito isasahimpapawid ng media ay wala itong patutunguhan.

Ganoon pa man, sinabi ni Villar na kung talagang ma-plantsa na ito ay pwede naman siyang dumalo at makipag-debatehan sa ibang kandidato.

“Hindi ako masyadong naniniwala diyan, kasi ang problema ay yung makikinig, unless na may live broadcast iyan,” paliwanag ni Villar.

Sa bahagi naman ni Arroyo, sinabi nito na hangga’t walang malinaw na alituntunin, paksa, lugar anong lengwahe ang gagamitin na kailangan ay inayunan ng magkatunggaling partido hindi rin siya dadalo.

Chicken! But Villar doesn't really need the debates, because he's going to win. And I think TV coverage shouldn't be a problem. If I were GO, i'd demand the debates be on TV too.

But Joker on the other hand I believe would rather limit the topics to a few issues because he'd rather not be seen on TV defending Arroyo legitimacy, corruption, abuse of power and his own hypocrisy and inconsistencies.

The TV can make you look really good, or really bad. And Joker will look really bad on TV to his supporters (who still think of him as "independent-minded"). It will certainly burst their fantasy about Joker's ehem "independence." It exposes him for what he truly is. Supporters who are undecided about Joker because of his association with Team Arroyo will find it easier NOT to vote for him this time.

So I predict joker will only join the debates if it's in english (para hindi masyadong maintindihan ng masa) at limited ang scope ng topics to a few issues that he thinks are beneficial to him and the arroyo administration.

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In other news, Conrad de Quiros recently met with the Ang Kapatiran candidates and finds the meeting "not an unpleasant one."

Why, what was Conrad expecting? lol. Anyway, he says the Kapatiran candidates are just regular people like you and me who enjoy life and likes to have a good time once in a while, and "as resolutely secular as the next fellow".

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Joker "Ubusin ang mga Corrupt" Arroyo says the Opposition is only attacking Philip Evardone because he is the brother of Ben Evardone, TU media director.

Senators Panfilo Lacson and Jinggoy Estrada urged President Arroyo to now “execute” the pending recommendation of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) to dismiss him from his post, on the grounds of the two pending alleged graft cases.

Evardone is the brother of Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone and newly appointed Team Unity’s (TU) media director and the agency he belongs to, NPO, is responsible in the printing of all election paraphernalia, from ballots to election returns and certificates of canvass — all of which were allegedly not spared in the supposed massive cheating during the 2004 presidential polls.

Reelectionist Sen. Joker Arroyo, who is running under the administration ticket, however, came to Evardone’s defense, saying the charges against the two, especially the matter alluding Gov. Evardone’s family ties with the NPO chief in poll fraud are malicious.

“Because it’s election time, there will always be some malice in the way news is projected. Suddenly, (NPO’s) Evardone is now in the media, whatever his position is. If they cannot hit him, they’ll hit the brother,” Senator Arroyo said. “But a candidate saying that the brother of the media TU…that Malacañang is sitting on it, well there’s a malice there,” he said in reacting to the statement made by Lacson.

“Now (that the cheating issue) is being resuscitated, let the people judge. But for me, if I join a team, (that means) I believe in the team, that’s all there is to it. Otherwise, why should I join the team if I don’t believe in it? I am saying that there should be no cheating. I’m not a guarantor of the cheating,” Arroyo said.

Whatever.

Military intimidating people to vote a certain way

We are seeing once again Arroyo's politicization of the military during election time. Ginawa nila ito rin nung 2004 nung ginamit nila ang military para sa dagdag bawas operations.

Sabi ni Mong Palatino of Kabataan:

MILITANT youth organizations yesterday said the military has "invaded" not only urban poor communities but also universities in Metro Manila.

"The deployment of troops in schools is intended to instil fear and intimidate student councils, publications and organizations that are critical of the Arroyo administration and support progressive party-list groups and organizations," said Raymond Palatino, president and nominee of the Kabataan party-list group.

The military has deployed at least 240 soldiers in 27 of the 1,965 barangays in Metro Manila. Amid objections from several sectors, the military said more barangays are requesting that soldiers be deployed.

Palatino said the Armed Forces branded youth organizations as "communist fronts." This was during a forum held Monday at the Philippine Normal University (PNU).

He said the AFP requested the PNU administration to hold the forum as "communist (youth) groups had infiltrated the school."

Palatino said the groups that were tagged as "communist fronts" were Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, College Editors Guild of the Philippines and the National Union of Students of the Philippines.

He said a similar forum titled "Caravan for Peace and Unity" was held at the Philippine Christian University (PCU) last week.

Palatino said in both forums, the military presented its "Knowing Your Enemy" documentary.

IMO, any accredited Partylist groups must be able to campaign freely without intimidation from Military.

Napansin rin ito ni MLQ3:

Certainly, as today’s Inquirer editorial and the Manila Times editorial point out, if the military has been active in squatter colonies since November, it has to be asked if this is a really valid counterinsurgency effort, since it involves frightening people into not voting a certain way. It seems the government is alarmed by the strength in the surveys of radical party list groups. The question is whether the armed forces have any business telling voters -at the point of a gun- whom to vote for, when they are supposed to be neutral during elections.

I wouldn't be surprised too if the admin will use the same tactics to intimidate voters into voting vs. other Opposition and anti-arroyo candidates. Umpisa pa lang, gagohan na ano?

From Ernie Maceda:

Officers of the Philippine Army have started to conduct seminars not only in 27 barangays of Metro Manila but also in universities and colleges. That’s a big mistake because there are now hundreds of student-witnesses and videotapes of the officers campaigning against Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis and other militant party-list groups.

What is reprehensible about this is the misuse of the officers and soldiers in an urban area such as Metro Manila. Recall that when GMA declared an all-out war against the NPA, they recalled 1,500 officers and men from Mindanao and reassigned them to the Southern Luzon Command to fight the NPAs from Southern Tagalog to Bicol provinces. The Defense Secretary Nonong Cruz announced they were training an additional 1,500 men to complete the augmentation force for the Southern Luzon anti-insurgency campaign.

Now, they are using three battalions in Metro Manila to give lectures against the NPAs and its front organizations. They should be sent to the Bondoc Peninsula, Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon as well as Mindoro and go after the NPA regulars. They are wasting their time in Metro Manila.

With Mayors Lito Atienza and Sonny Belmonte not complaining, that’s an admission that they have peace and order problem in their cities.

Reli German accuses GO of "copying" their townhall meeting strategy

Recently demoted United Administration campaign manager Reli German accuses GO of copying their townhall meeting strategy

Sabi ni Reli German:

German also said GO's planned "Talakayang Bayan" or town meetings were mere imitations of TEAM Unity's "Pulong Sulong [Meeting for Progress]."

It's either "ginagaya nila kayo", or they must have read my post here (written the day after the Plaza Miranda rally) where I suggested that it'd be much better and more practical for them to hold "townhall meetings" instead of outdoor rallies.

(Or pareho kayong gaya gaya ang TU at GO sa "Let the Conversation Begin" townhall meeting strategy ni Hillary! LOL.)

It was reported on Manila Standard on Feb. 26 that TU was planning to pilot test it's "Pulong Sulong" strategy.

Team Unity will pilot-test the Pulong Sulong strategy which would divide the candidates into three teams campaigning simultaneously.

Team A includes Montano, Kiram, Zubiri and Magsaysay; Team B—Recto, Oreta, Arroyo and Sotto; and Team C—Defensor, Singson, Pichay and Angara.

Reli German also said the reason GO is "copying" their strategy is because they can't attract any crowds:

"Sobrang gaya-gaya sila, di ba [They are really copycats, right]? They find it difficult to attract crowds to their rallies so they resort to copying our campaign strategy through the Talakayang Bayan," he said.

And I'm sure Reli knows something about it's candidates' "inability to attract crowds", because this is what Team ARroyo's campaign said about their expectations on "Pulong Sulong":

Lupita Kashiwara, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s image consultant and director of Team Unity’s television advertisements, said Team Unity’s new strategy, “Pulong Sulong,” or gathering for progress, would ensure intimacy.

“There will be a maximum of 200 people as audience, so the campaign will be more intimate and aimed at catching the hearts of the audience through personal interactions with the candidates,” Kashiwara said in a telephone interview.

Now that's setting the bar low, ano? I think if the Opposition can smoothen out some of the "gusots" at the start of their campaign, I believe it can attract 5 to 10 times that number in a townhall meeting (around 1,000 to 2,000 people, like the one in Capiz, thanks Mar!) inside a gym or auditorium.

Jon Mariano has pretty much the same reaction to Reli's comments.

And again, instead of GO calling theirs "Talakayang Bayan" (BORING!), mas maganda if the call their events "Magusap Tayo" Townhall meetings and Rallies. capture it on video and photos and post it on youtube or GO's team website (kung meron na sila). Tignan nyo yung picture sa townhall meeting ni Hillary, ang ganda ano?


UPDATE: Sabi ni Schumey sa comments section:

There is a big difference from the crowds TU and GO attract. GO's crowds are the ordinary people while TU's are the barangay officials.

Its been TU's practice, complete with their hi-tech presentation to serenade the officials sympathetic to them. Go on the other hand are speaking to the general public. Now this is the big contrast. Alam kasi ng TU na baka batuhin sila ng taumbayan, this is also the reason why they refuse to face the GO in a public debate in Plaza Miranda.

He's right. Nakalimutan kong banggitin na ang mga barangay at local officials ang mga audience ng TU, at ordinary folks naman sa GO.

Cebu Daily News
Last updated 02:14pm (Mla time) 03/05/2007

Dumaguete City - A political gathering of Team Unity senatorial candidates was disrupted Saturday night when Negros Oriental Representative Herminio Teves of the district was rushed to the hospital after he suddenly wobbled and vomitted from what he would later call indigestion.

The gathering at the Bethel Guest House here, which was attended by about 200 barangay captains and elected local officials of the 2nd district of Negros Oriental, was supposed to cap another hectic day of campaigning throughout the northern towns of the province.

The Team Unity candidates present were Mike Defensor, Edgardo Angara and Vic Magsaysay.

Ito raw ang purpose ng Pulong Sulong, according to Tito Sotto:

The barangay meetings called Pulong Sulong (Meetings for Progress) may not be enough to get good publicity for Team Unity.

The meetings kicked off in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and the candidates were grouped into threes.

One meeting was hosted by Team Unity senatorial candidate Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and was attended by at least a hundred local officials, who are expected to spread the word from the group discussion to their voting constituents.

But even Sotto, who gained popularity as one of the hosts of the noontime show Eat Bulaga, only succeeded slightly in making the meeting in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental lively and bearable for its participants – mainly because the meeting was set at lunchtime and the place was humid.

JV Ejercito disagreed German's claim na pareho lang ang ginagawa nila with TU's "Pulong Sulong":

Ejercito had earlier said he would organize "town hall" meetings with sectoral and community leaders to hear complaints and issues "directly from the people."

He denied it was a copy of Team Unity's "Pulong Sulong" dialogues with local officials.

"No, we've been telling the media about our plans to have community forums as early as the start of the campaign. It's just being drowned out by all the other issues," Ejercito said.

Adel Tamano even mocked "pulong sulong" because of it's had a phoney, staged managed feel to it.

The Genuine Opposition (GO) on Friday hurled this question at the administration's Team Unity, which refused to hold debates of senatorial candidates at Plaza Miranda in Manila City.

"It is an insult to the common Filipino and to the public. They are making it appear the common people cannot understand discussions and are capable only of shouting matches," GO spokesman Adel Tamano said in Filipino during an interview on dzXL radio.

He also scored Team Unity for holding its campaigns, including its "Pulong Sulong" town hall meets, in alleged "controlled environments" and only with officials.

UPDATE: Talk to masa, Chiz tells Unity

GENUINE Opposition candidate House Minority Leader Francis Escudero yesterday criticized the campaign strategy of Team Unity, which relies on local government officials to deliver the votes.

In a statement, Escudero challenged Team Unity to go to the people instead of allowing the LGUs to campaign for them.

He said people will vote for candidates based on their qualifications and principles.

Escudero noted that the administration believes local government officials need only tell the electorate who to vote for. But that election strategy, he noted, is a thing of the past and people now have a mind of their own.

“In contrast, we in the Genuine Opposition go directly to the people and discuss the issues,” Escudero said.

Did Manny Villar have Botox injections?

Kasi napansin ko sa mga pictures mukhang wrinkle-free at cherubic-looking siya eh. lol.

But like The Tall One, Sen. John Kerry, he too denied having botox injections to make him look younger.

Senate President Manuel Villar, who is seeking re-election as guest candidate of the opposition, was teased by Senate reporters for his dancing in his ad. The Senate media also bluntly asked Villar if he had botox to remove his wrinkles and Villar sharply said no. "That’s the truth even if lightning strikes me," Villar said.

Do we have a before and after pictures of Manny V?

UPDATE: Here's a photo of Manny Villar in 2004. In 2006. and in 2007 (here, here)

Napansin rin April Kicks yung pagbabago sa mukha ni Sen. Villar.

The Opposition's first big mistake

was choosing JV Ejercito as national campaign manager. I agree with Neal Cruz. What was the Opposition thinking?

I'd rather hear less talk from JV, and let GO's new campaign manager Serge Osmena, Chiz Escudero, Adel Tamano, or Ping Lacson articulate the issues and speak for GO more.

I want to hear less talk from Rez Cortez too. His rhetoric doesn't help the opposition much. I'd rather he work behind the scenes if he wants to make meaningful contributions to GO's campaign.

The Agreement over Kiko Pangilinan's candidacy

Late na naman ako sa usapang ito. here's my take.

Drilon last week threatened to withdraw it's support from the opposition if it drops Kiko as a candidate:

The sources said Drilon has been asking GO leaders to retain Pangilinan despite his decision to remain an independent candidate even after his adoption as guest candidate.

Drilon heads a faction of the Liberal Party of which Pangilinan is national vice chairman. The other faction is headed by Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.

"If GO would drop Kiko, the entire Liberal Party contingent would leave the opposition coalition," one of the sources said.

Although Drilon later consented to GO's plan to let Kiko go.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan has been junked by the Genuine Opposition in its senatorial slate.

Sources said Tuesday LP president Sen. Franklin Drilon finally consented to GO’s plan to get rid of Pangilinan after the latter did not show up at the coalition’s proclamation rally on Saturday.

Drilon worked for GO’s adoption of Pangilinan, vice-chairman of the LP-Drilon wing.

"Senator Drilon could not do anything. Kiko continued to shy away from the opposition. Finally, he (Drilon) told the leaders of the opposition ‘go ahead; anyway I’m not the one funding his campaign.’ So that’s it," one of the sources said.

Pero ang usapan raw ay hindi siya pwedeng palitan:

GO will violate coalition deal if Kiko replaced - LP
03/01/2007 | 01:56 PM

Liberal Party president Franklin Drilon told reporters on Thursday that if the Genuine Opposition (GO) finds a replacement for Francis “Kiko" Pangilinan in its 12-man Senate slate, this would violate the coalition agreement entered into by the two groups, radio station dzBB reported...

LP vice-president Florencio Abad said that replacing Pangilinan in the opposition slate would only “complicate" the matter.

First of all, if there's an agreement between Drilon of the Liberal Party and the Opposition over Kiko's candidacy, then the opposition should honor that agreeement. Palabra de honor. Your word is your bond. End of story. We need to honor the agreement the way Manny Villar honored his by not jumping ship (either to the admin or the "Third Farce") when Joker, Recto and Kiko were luring him away from GO.

Having only 11 candidates is not the ideal, but I'd rather have that than breaking the agreement with the Liberal party over Kiko. If the agreement is to not replace Kiko, then so be it.

Bilib rin talaga ako kela Drilon at Abad. They stood up for their partymate Kiko. That's loyalty there for you. I guess if I were in their shoe, I would have done the same thing.

But I agree also with Lito Banayo:

How does the opposition solve a problem like Kiko?

Ignore him as if he did not exist? That is difficult to do because every time they have a major rally, media would always report about the candidate who was not there. They give Kiko free media exposure just for snubbing them.

And Kiko is totally unrepentant. He flaunts his "independence" and makes political hay about not wanting to be in anybody’s company. Chiz was right in fulminating about Kiko’s attitude. "What does he think of us, lepers?" referring to a disease which used to be highly infectious. Truth is, Kiko is acting precisely like that. He does not want to be "contaminated" by the opposition. He prefers the solitary use of his wife Sharon as his one and only campaigner. He would not share his one and only precious political possession with the rest of the candidates of GO. Makiki-ambus pa nga naman sa kasikatan ni Mega, or so he preens.

There is only one sane and honorable way for the GO to treat the problem that is Kiko. And that is to drop him from their list of candidates. Never mind if they are left with eleven instead of twelve. Let the people write in their personal replacement for Kiko. It could be any of the three Kapatiran candidates, like Zosimo Paredes Jr. or Martin Bautista or Adrian Sison. It would not be right to substitute one of the three for Kiko. That would split up a well-intentioned nascent political experiment. Let the people write in their replacement for Kiko. Print sample ballots with only eleven names for senator.

Here's more: Noynoy nagbantang kakalas kung papalitan si Kiko

NAGBANTA kahapon si Genuine Opposition (GO) senatorial candidate Benigno ’Noynoy’ Aquino III na kakalas siya sa hanay ng oposisyon sakaling ipilit na lagyan ng kapalit ang tinanggal na senatorial bet na si re-electionist Senator Francis ’Kiko’ Pangilinan.

Ayon sa kuya ng kontrobersiyal na TV-host actress na si Kris Aquino, mapipilitan siyang umalis sa GO kapag naglagay ng kapalit ni Sen. Pangilinan sa senatorial line-up matapos alisin dahil sa hindi pagsipot sa nakalipas na grand proclamation rally ng oposisyon sa Plaza Miranda sa Quiapo, Manila kamakailan

Hindi rin umano siya pabor na alisin ang pa-ngalan ni Pangilinan sa mga campaign poster ng GO lalo na kung maglalagay ng kapalit dito.

“Kung papalitan nila si Kiko na aking kapartido sa Liberal Party ay mapipilitan akong kumalas sa GO,” dagdag pa ni Noynoy.

Kaugnay nito, sinabi naman ng isa sa nangungunang kandidato ng GO na si senatorial candidate Francis ’Chiz’ Escudero na maging siya ay hindi rin pabor na palitan kaagad si Pangilinan.

“Desisyon po ng Executive Committee ng GO ang tungkol kay Senator Pangilinan pero ako po ay naniniwala na ’di rin dapat punuan ang binitiwang puwesto ng kaibigan nating senador,” ani Escudero sa press conference kahapon ng umaga sa La Corona Hotel sa Lipa City.
.....
Ayon kay Escudero, kahit na tinanggal na sa GO si Pangilinan, dadalhin pa rin niya ito sa pangangampanya dahil ito ay sarili niyang desisyon.

More: JV says he will not replace Kiko

But here's the interesting part:

In the Senate, lawmakers yesterday took a dig at former Sen. Ernesto Maceda for blaming Senate President Manuel Villar, Jr. for the controversy created by the GO’s dropping of Pangilinan from its slate.

Villar himself chided Maceda, supported by Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., saying finger-pointing at this time will bring them nowhere and will only sow division in their ranks.

Although Villar had said he does not intend to retaliate, he addressed the issue just the same.

“Id like to clarify that never did Maceda and I talk about the issue. I talked only with (former) President (Joseph) Estrada, only the two of us. That is why I’m wondering how he was able to get the information regarding my conversation with him (Estrada).

“I want to leave behind this issue. (But I’d like to point out) it’s Pangilinan’s decision and that of GO and I respect them both. As I’ve been saying in the past, Pangilinan is part of the Wednesday group and as much as possible, I would like us to be campaigning together,” he said.

Villar stressed it was GO that approached them, his Nacionalista Party (NP) and the LP and offered the idea of them aligning with the mainstream opposition, a matter, that he admitted, they were willing to undertake.

“We need not rely on others, actually or any other party as a matter of fact. When we agreed for a tie-up, this is aimed at establishing cooperation, collaboration...and expression of support to their sentiment and not to their group per se.”

Pimentel, for his part, rallied behind Villar as he urged other prominent personalities to refrain from further highlighting the issue of Pangilinan as they do not stand to gain anything in fault-finding.

I agree with Villar and Pimentel.

Another strange thing happened: the rally that was supposed to be organized by Drilon and Gov. Tupas in Iloilo city mysteriously got cancelled (for "security reasons" raw):

Being a coalition has its benefits in the sense that it gathers under one umbrella several political groups of different persuasions. But it has also its problems as was manifested in the cancellation of the Iloilo City rally last week.

The Liberal Party-Drilon wing, a member of the GO coalition, was supposed to be in charge of that rally. They have Gov. Niel Tupas, Sr., who gained national prominence a few weeks ago, when heavily armed policemen attempted to take him out of the capitol building, as their highest official there.

Opposition representative Rolex Suplico, who is nephew of Tupas, is with the breakaway LDP group of Ping Lacson.

Apparently, Sen. Frank Drilon and Tupas failed to mobilize people for the Feb. 28 rally. They had to cancel it, giving security threat as their lame excuse. To make up for the Iloilo fiasco, the LP in Roxas City, led by the LP matriarch, Judy Roxas, showed that Capiz is very much Roxas country.

Hmmm... maybe they're just sending a message. passive aggressive stuff.

Of course, the admin spinners were quick to pounce and GO's situation:

GO could at this point mean Getting Out, Unity Team deputy spokesman Tonypet Albano said Monday.

That’s because some of the candidates of the Genuine Opposition are considering leaving the team at this early stage of the campaign, Albano said.

Besides Sen. Francis Pa­ngilinan, Senate President Manuel Villar and Rep. Noynoy Aquino are also planning to leave, he said during the weekly Kapihan ng Bayan Forum in Sulo Hotel.

“Team GO is now being abandoned by its members and they are now starting to panic, the reason why they decided to make some changes on their ranks,” Albano said.

I'll have more to say later.

Failing to understand the concept of Protest Vote

De Quiros attacks the opposition for failing to comprehend the concept of a "protest vote." Sabi niya:

The opposition is not unraveling only because it never raveled in the first place. Its fundamental mistake, or the mistake of the one associated with the so-called Genuine Opposition, is not that it waited for people who were never forthcoming. It is not that it did not get the strongest candidates to man, or woman, its roster. It is not even that it made the wrong moves in the process of who to get and who to drop in its roster, though this succeeded only in fragmentizing rather than unifying the forces ranged against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

It is simply that it never understood the concept of the protest vote.

The ingredients of the protest vote you see easily in the Philippine elections of 1971 and the American elections of last year. Both elections saw the opposition rubbing the snouts of the administration candidates in the mud. Until January this year, that was where the local elections this May seemed headed to.

There are two main ingredients in the protest vote. One is that the administration is hugely unpopular. And it is hugely unpopular because of one particular issue that has shocked the nation. In the case of the Philippine elections of 1971, that was the Plaza Miranda bombing. The grenades that exploded in the miting de avance of the Liberal Party were matched by the anger that exploded in the mind of the public, which translated into a rejection of the administration at the polls. In the case of the American elections, it was the Iraq War. With no small help from the sight of the body bags being flown back home, Americans finally woke up seething with rage at having been duped into fighting another Vietnam War. And by an American president given to outright lying.

The other ingredient in the protest vote is that the opposition offers the possibility of being the solution to the problem. In the Philippine elections of 1971, the Liberal Party candidates were first of all the victims. Except for Ninoy Aquino, they were all at Plaza Miranda when it was bombed. But more than that, they also represented the hope that they could check a madman like Marcos. In the American elections last year, the Democrats also represented, well—more than the hope—the very real possibility America could extricate itself from the quagmire of Bush’s making.

Uh huh. Well, let's talk about the US elections. What De Quiros failed to mention was that the Democrats (the Opposition) had to lose big time in 2004 first --and squander their so called "protest vote" for failing to capitalize on the American voter's (and the World's) anger towards the Iraq War--before coming back strong in 2006 to regain the House and Senate majorities.

(the dems had this idea nga na if the US allowed everybody around the world to vote in the 2004 US elections, Bush would have lost raw, LOL. that's how unpopular the war was around the world back then, they say.)

And how bad was the loss? Not only did Bush win 51% of the total votes cast (making him the first president since Bush the Elder in 1988 to win a majority of the popular vote), but republicans won across the board. It gained 4 seats in the House (to make it 230-202 Republicans after election day). And an even bigger deal was that it also gained 4 additional Senate seats (to make it a 55-44-1 Repubican Majority). One of the carcasses in the 2004 Senate race was Democratic Senate Minority leader and vocal Bush/Iraq critic Tom Daschle of South Dakota.

So much for that so called "protest vote", eh?

And how could the democrats bungle it so badly back in 2004 when most polls indicate a democrat victory and Republicans losing seats in the House and Senate?

Wasn't the anti-war rallies were at it's peak during the 2003-2004 period? Hindi ba lumabas ang mga images ng "Abu Ghraib" noong early 2004, and it was given round the clock coverage by the media? Didn't the 9/11 commission declare that there was no connection between 9/11 and Iraq? Didn't we find out around mid-2004 na wala palang WMDs sa Iraq, and Bush was forced to declare during the 2004 campaign that he would still have gone to Iraq even there's no wmds to be found?

Bush said Iraq had the ability to build weapons of mass destruction and had been deceiving weapons inspectors, who reported no sign of banned weapons in Iraq in the weeks before the invasion.

"Everybody thought they would be there. We haven't found them yet," Bush said. "But he did have the capability of making weapons. Knowing what I know today, I would have made the same decision."

And didn't the Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry promise to get the troops out of iraq within the first 6 months if becomes the next president of the US of A? Wasn't that many in the Opposition democrats wanted?

Hindi ba the democrats mantra on Iraq in 2004 was "Wrong War, Wrong Place, Wrong Time"?

And Didn't the Mainstream media do it's part in reporting the iraq War and covering the bloodshed and civilian deaths on tv and in print? Didn't Fahrenheit 9/11 won the Cannes Film Festival's best picture award and was the highest grossing documentary of all time?

So what happened? how could the Democrats opposition screw the 2004 elections so badly fuck up the so called protest vote on an unpopular war?

"What did the opposition do to improve the economy, to lessen hunger, to lower the poverty level?"

From Rego:

Alright, from the “top” what did the opposition do to improve the economy, to lessen hunger, to lower the poverty level, to improve the education situation….national security or just name any area where they have positive contribution the past two years. Sige nga!

I think this question about “walang nagawa” ang opposition is a stupid one. They can’t do much other than to oppose (or support) Arroyo’s policies because they’re not in power. And the House is completely under GMA’s control, so the Senate is neutralized, and the check and balance system is crippled with the admin’s EO 464 and it’s other incarnations.

It's like asking the anti-Marcos opposition kung anong nagawa nila noong panahon ni Marcos para mapaunlad ang ekonomiya, reduce poverty, promote world peace etc. etc.

The opposition’s primary goal should be to make Arroyo and her crooks accountable, and reform and depoliticize the COMELEC and military. Make the government more transparent. Retain the policies that work, and scrap the ones that need fixing and are major sources of corrupt wasteful spending (like the pork barrel system and Arroyo’s CHA CHA initiative/diversion.)

(UPDATED) COMELEC okays fake "Peter" Cayetano

From the Tribune:

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) weeded out the so-called “nuisance” senatorial candidates, trimming the senatorial bets to 37 from 79, but insisted on retaining one major “nuisance” candidate who would pose a serious problem to an opposition candidate who ranks high in surveys.

Of the 37 senatorial candidates which the Comelec included in the final list for the May 2007 polls, one candidate, Joselito “Peter” Cayetano of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) against whom Genuine Opposition (GO) candidate Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano has lodged a complaint in the Comelec for perjury and for his being fielded solely to destroy Alan Peter’s chances of victory in the polls, has been approved by the Comelec.

Joselito “Peter” Cayetano yesterday on television admitted that his nickname is not “Peter” but “Jojo,” and admitted further that he adopted the nickname “Peter” precisely to win more votes that would not be his, by virtue of the Cayetano name.

Sources, however, said this was a lie, since Cayetano, who lied about being a Marine engineer in his certificate of candidacy, knows that the votes that read only “Peter” or “Cayetano” will be deemed as spoiled ballots.

But he is not a nuisance candidate! Just ask Pidal, Abalos and Oliver Lozano.

In other news, the Ang Ladlad party was denied accreditation by the COMELEC.

Which led to this reaction from Manuel Buencamino:

As to Ladlad, Abalos also did not recognize a party list group with the acronym TOMA. He said drunks have no place in Congress.

And then he offered a ord of advice to Ladlad and TOMA : ” Aminin muna nila na mga bakla, tomboy at lasenggo sila.”

Before proceeding to allow the candidacy of the fake Peter Cayetano.

A bigot and a tuta of the Arroyos is in charge of the May election.

What does this say of the person who appointed him Comelec chairman?

I think Manuel is refering to this statement by the COMELEC Chairman: “Kung nais nila na seryosohin ng Comelec ang aplikasyon nila ay dapat na gawin lamang ng mga ito na lumutang at aminin sa publiko na ang mga ito ay bakla, tomboy at lasenggo.”

UPDATE: Joselito ruling an invite to more ‘nuisance’ poll bets

The Genuine Opposition (GO) yesterday hit at the recent decision made by the Com-mission on Elections (Comelec) upholding the candidacy of Joselito “Peter” Cayetano, a namesake of GO senatorial bet Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (Taguig-Pateros), saying the ruling will encourage more “nuisance” candidates to muddle up the electoral process in the country.

House Minority Leader Francis Escudero, also a GO senatorial candidate in the May 2007 mid-term elections, expressed dismay at the ruling made by the Comelec over the weekend, saying this would certainly cause a big dilemma on the part of the “original Cayetano.”

Representative Cayetano, for his part, said he believes that the ruling of the poll body might open the floodgates for many nuisance candidates being fielded for local elective posts.

He maintained that Joselito Cayetano’s candidacy was pushed in an attempt to block his election to the Senate, as fielding a namesake will confuse the public.

The Comelec decision, Alan Peter said, would set a dangerous precedent.

“This would even encourage parties to field namesakes to confuse voters for as long as they are endorsed by a party, which is easiest to do considering the multi-party system and coalition politics in the country,” he added.

Nah. Only the admin can get away with fielding nuisance candidates. Thanks a lot COMELEC. Thanks a alot Ben Abalos. Thank you ComelecAko. Thank you James Jimenez.

UPDATE: The issue of election spoilers first came out noong Jan. 4, 2007 when the admin vehemently denied it was looking for spoiler candidates to sabotage the opposition's senatorial candidates:

MALACAÑANG yesterday described as hogwash reports that administration political operators are planning to field as candidates persons with surnames similar to those of opposition senatorial aspirants to confuse voters.

Gabriel Claudio, presidential adviser for political affairs, said the administration does not engage in such dirty tricks.

Reports said Malacañang is trying to persuade a "T. Aquino" and a "J.M. Cayetano" to run for senators to split the votes for Representatives Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III of Tarlac and Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig-Pateros.

T. Aquino is Teodoro Aquino, whose senatorial bid got thrown out by COMELEC.

Rodrguez stressed that there is a precedent, as the Comelec had thrown out the senatorial bid of one Teodoro Aquino, who also purportedly aims to muddle the electoral chance of opposition senatorial bet Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

“If the Comelec junked the senatorial bid of this Teodoro Aquino, why not Joselito Cayetano’s? Between the two, (Noynoy) is much better since he has a following compared to Joselito, who has none,” he said.

But Rufus, they did not do it for Noynoy, but for Tessie Aquino, who is now with the administration's slate.

(Or maybe from the admin's perspective, there's no need for nuisance candidate Teodoro anymore since Tessie's Aquino candidacy will have that spoiler-like effect on Noynoy Aquino. Ginagamit lang ng admin si Tessie, and she doesn't even know it. Poor Tessie.)


Previous:

- BongBong esposes Joselito "Peter" Cayetano as a sham KBL candidate
- Adminstration uses dirty tricks against Cayetano

DJB slams Leftist Party Listers

From Dean Bocobo:

The party list groups are not fooling anybody. Until they categorically and publicly renounce the violence of the CPP NPA, they can hardly expect sympathy from a disbelieving public who cannot accept their sophisticated and convoluted refusal to take such a simple and forthright stand. They can only expect more public apathy towards their alleged plight at the hands of the Military, which is after all, fighting a deadly communist insurgency that is also involved in all kinds of organized criminal activities like extortion, collection of revolutionary taxes, kidnapping, assassination and blackmail.

I agree with Deanie na the Lefty party list groups should publicly renounce the violence of the CPP NPA.

And you're right na most of our public is not outraged by these assassinations. Which is good news I guess for the corrupt military officials involved in these activities.

But I don't think these people are being killed because they failed to condemn or renounce the atrocities committed by the NPAs.

They're being killed because a) Arroyo sees them as a threat (after GLORIAGATE) b) the CPR policy did not do the job.

Arroyo initially didn't see these leftist groups as a threat when she was trying to get their support to oust erap back in 2000. GMA also tolerated these groups kapag nagra-rally sila during her first term (2001-2004).

Naging problematic lang sila kay Arroyo nung sumabog ang Gloriagate scandal noong 2005. hindi kasi nakuha sa CPR, kaya idinaan sa Palparan method ang pag-control sa mga grupong ito.

But I don't see the party list groups as a terrorist threat. I don't see Mr. Satur Ocampo or Teddy Casino or Lisa Masa as dangerous people. We welcomed these Lefty groups into the political process back in the 90s even tho we knew that many of them still have sympathies with the CPP/NPA.

These groups posed no problems during Erap and Ramos' time. Sure, their rallies can be annoying sometimes, pero hindi problema yan. Kasi kasama yan sa democracy natin.

IMO, Bayan Muna, Sanlakas and Gabriela are your typical lefty orgs that causes no harm if you just leave them alone and not pay too much attention to them, like what Ramos or Erap did. Erap didn't see them as a threat, so he allowed these groups to hold rallies at Mendiola, just like his predecessor Ramos (siguro dahil hindi sila insecure sa legitimacy nila, ano?)

(Hindi ang kaliwa ang nagpabagsak kay erap kundi ang military, simbahan at civil society.)

IIRC, humina rin ang lakas at "popularidad" ng NPAs during the 90s at early 2000, dahil sa a) mga terroristic activities nito b) young people prefer to join the lefty party list groups than "armed resistance" c) walang legitimacy issues ang dating presidente natin (ramos, erap).

Again, to solve our NPA problem, ito ang message ko para sa lahat.

Get tough on terrorism, without becoming monsters ourselves. We need to go after the bad guys, not our critics. Kasi kapag pinapatay mo naman yung mga student activists at mga party list critics mo sa Kaliwa, abe e, mali yan. The Military needs to be able to distinguish between the killing real terrorists (yes) and assassinating Arroyo's critics from the left (Big NO!).

Lito Lapid and son had a falling out with the Arroyos?

You know something's not right when wannabe Makati mayor candidate Sen. Lito Lapid starts making parinig re his "regrets" na hindi siya sumali sa Opposition. Maybe he knows something or is anticipating some bad news na most of us are not aware of yet. He made these following statements reported on Feb. 22, 2007:

Clark Field, Pampanga --- "Ako, gusto ko talaga sa opo-sisyon. Mahirap sa administrasyon. Wala kang ginawa kundi sumalo. Pero baka pagkatapos na ng eleksyon," ayon kay Senator Manuelito ‘Lito’ Lapid na kilalang masugid na taga-suporta at tagasunod ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Ang tila may himig paghihinanakit na pahayag ni Lapid sa Malacañang ay inihayag nito sa harap ni Senador Panfilo "Ping" Lacson na du-malaw sa Pampanga kahapon, kaugnay sa umano’y lantarang ipinapakita ni Pa-ngulong Arroyo na pagkiling nito sa kandidatura ng asawa ng umano’y jueteng king na si Rodolfo ‘Bong’ Pineda, na si Lubao Mayor Lilia Pineda bilang gubernatorial candidate ng administrasyon laban sa kanyang anak na si Governor Mark Lapid.

Gayunpaman, sinabi ni Lapid na sa kasalukuyan ay hindi pa siya handang sumapi sa oposisyon, at posibleng gawin niya ito pagkatapos ng eleksyon.

Kahit dehado sa endorsement ni Mrs. Arroyo at posibleng ilaglag kapalit ni Pineda bilang gubernatorial candidate ng administrasyon sa ilalim ng partidong Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI), walang balak si Lapid na magmanikluhod o magmakaawa sa Malacañang.

Sa tagal ng panahon, naging tapat ang kanilang pamilya sa Malacañang, ayon kay Lapid kung kaya’t hahayaan nitong si Mrs. Arroyo ang magdesisyon sa gubernatorial race ng Pampanga.

Gusto mo na maging opposition? But only after the elections? Whatever. :rolleyes:

But I guess Mr. Lapid's instincts are correct re na ibabasura na sila ng mga arroyos, because the other shoe has finally dropped:

Lapids charged with graft
By: Joel de la Torre

March 03, 2007 06:29 PM Saturday

Pampanga Governor Mark Lapid
GRAFT charges were filed yesterday against Sen. Lito Lapid and his son, Pampanga Governor Mark Lapid, for alleged ghost road projects worth P11 million.

Also charged before the Office of the Ombudsman were 22 personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways. Pampanga vice governor Joseller “Yeng” Guiao, who filed the complaint, accused the Lapids of conspiring with DPWH employees to make it appear that five infrastructure projects in five barangays have been completed. Guaio said officials of these barangays claimed no road project was finished.

Guiao said the projects were “double-funded,” meaning that the money came from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of the senator and the development fund of the governor.

The vice governor said barangays Lourdes, Mandili, and Magumbali were purportedly given more than P4 million to finish road projects, which include rehabilitation of the Mandili and Magumbali farm-to-market roads. He said 29 other barangays were reportedly given funds for road projects from 2004 to 2005 but local officials said they did not receive the money.

The projects are covered with a memorandum of agreement between the provincial government and the DPWH.

Guiao said the senator and his son made it appear that they both shelled out money from their pork barrel and development funds when in truth, these projects were either non-existent or unfinished.

So I guess the wife of the jueteng lord (and GMA kumpare) Bong Pineda will become the next governor of Pampanga, eh? CHEERS!

More: Lilia Pineda first got into the media spotlight for bribing COMELEC officials (inside maam Arroyo's La Vista home) back in 2004.

Serge Osmena is the new GO campaign manager

He's replacing JV Ejercito. I think this is good news. I'm a big fan of Sen. Serge Osmena. He's politically smart and a very capable guy.

COMELEC rejects Ang Ladlad's bid for accreditation

From the Inquirer:

Comelec denies accreditation to Ang Ladlad
By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has rejected the application for accreditation as a party-list of the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender group Ang Ladlad (The Coming Out), its co-founder and senatorial candidate Danton Remoto said Wednesday.

The resolution, issued by the Comelec’s second division composed of commissioners Rene Sarmiento, Florentino Tuason Jr. and Nicodemo Ferrer, said: “Contrary to petitioner’s [Ang Ladlad] allegation in its petition that its membership is national in scope, reports from our field offices reveal that it doesn’t exist in most regions in the country,”

Remoto, who was at the Comelec early Wednesday afternoon to meet Sarmiento, said he is filing a petition for reconsideration within five days.

He dismissed the Comelec’s contention that Ang Ladlad does not have a nationwide presence.

“Did they go the houses of our members to check? ‘Yan ang tanong ko [That is my question]. We paid P3,050 as filing and research fees. Sa’n ‘to napunta [Where did this go]?” he said.

Kalokohan ito. Anybody can see that this is BS. Arroyo's COMELEC should be strongly criticized for rejecting the application of Ang Ladlad for no damn good reason (other than to not anger the admin's CBCP base, I guess). Nung Sept. 2006 pa nag-apply ang "Ang Ladlad" as a party list group.

More: And Danton Remoto fails to file his candidacy for Senator.

UPDATE: "No place for drunks, homosexuals"

SAYING drunkards have no place in Congress, Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos, Sr. yesterday said the poll body has refused to accredit Toma as a party-list organization.

Abalos said the group failed to show proof that it has members nationwide.

The Comelec earlier denied party-list accreditation to Ang Ladlad, a group of gays and lesbians.

Abalos told the Kapihan sa Sulo breakfast forum that both Toma and Ang Ladlad failed to present evidence that they have members nationwide.

“Open pa rin naman tayo dyan as long as they can show proofs na ganun kalaki ang bilang nila,” he told reporters.

“Kung nais nila na seryosohin ng Comelec ang aplikasyon nila ay dapat na gawin lamang ng mga ito na lumutang at aminin sa publiko na ang mga ito ay bakla, tomboy at lasenggo,” Abalos said.

Why just limit the debate to the Economy?

I have no problems re the debate on the economy. But why limit it to only that issue. Ang dami daming isyu na pwedeng pag-usapan, katulad ng pandaraya, Arroyo's legitimacy issues, the massive cheating and corruption scandals like the PHILHEALTH and Fertilizer funds issue, Arroyo's attempt to abolish the Senate (defang it via EO 464) and "fix" our constitution via CON ASS and PI, yung political assassinations na ginagawa sa mga maka-kaliwang kritiko ni GMA, yung Jose Pidal issue etc.

Sabi ni Lacson:

In Agoo, La Union, Panfilo Lacson said he wants the debate to cover "all issues" instead of just the economy.

Lacson told a press conference that the debate should be freewheeling and include graft and corruption, as well as on Malacañang’s attempts to muzzle Congress’ oversight functions.

"Why limit ourselves to the economy? Let’s debate on issues such as the fertilizer scam, the telecom scam, Jose Pidal accounts, Macapagal boulevard, everything. The administration cannot just challenge the opposition to a debate then limit it to the economy. We are prepared to debate with them, with their candidates on legislation, on oversight functions," he said.

Yeah, it doesn't make sense to just limit the debate on the economy when there are so many issues that are plusses for the Opposition.

More:

Lacson said he will ask administration candidates why they are running under an administration that wants the Senate scrapped.

"It doesn’t make sense. They are fooling the people, while we want to make the Senate stand as an independent institution as we have been doing since the Garci scandal broke out," he said.

He said he will ask Malacañang why it withholds the pork barrel funds of pro-impeachment lawmakers while pouring funds to those who voted against it.

"They have no right over those funds because those funds belong to the people. They treat government funds like they were personal funds," he said. "That is the kind of government, the kind of governance we should reject in the coming election."

Useless appeal

I saw this from MLQ3's blog:

Last week I received this text message:

PLS patronize pirated DVD’s so that the Filipino movie industry will die & we will no longer have actors, actresses, nor their spouses running for public office. Pls pass.

And reacted negatively to it.

Pointless ang appeal cuz karamihan sa mga dating artista ay naging TV o telenovela stars na. At ang TV networks na ang nagbui-build up ng mga young stars ngayon (Starstruck? Star Circle Quest? Pinoy Big Brother?).

So in short, wag na matakot sa mga artista. Mas matakot kayo sa mga Telenovela stars, Noontime hosts o Newscasters na tatakbo (o papatakbuhin?) in the future by the GMA Kapuso Party or the ABS-CBN Kapamilya Party.

UPDATE: I have nothing against artistas or TV celebs running for office as long as their are qualified, knows the issues, and has good leadership potential. Kaya nga i am against the extremist idea (proposed by some quarters) of banning artistas--even those without college degrees--from running for public office.

MALAYA: Mindanao media men decry AFP surveillance

Intimidation tactics? From the Malaya:

On Feb. 14 in Salay, Misamis Oriental, soldiers reportedly belonging to the Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion took full-face photos of five media men who were covering the burial of peasant leader Dalmacio Gandinao, the second militant leader slain in Misamis Oriental and in the Northern Mindanao region (Region 10).

Gandinao’s burial was also attended by Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo and other regional and local leaders of Karapatan, Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and the Misamis Oriental Farmers Association.

Pictures showing the soldiers taking photos using cellphone cameras were published. But Maj. Gen. Jose Barbieto, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, denied his men were involved in the surveillance.

So yung mga uma-attend ng mga funeral ng mga pinatay na aktibista kinukunan ng photographs ng mga military? Methinks hindi lang mga mediamen ang target dito.

Warning Graphic Image Shaun Livingston dislocates knee

LA Clipper PG Shaun Livingston lands awkwardly and well... See it on youtube.

What a way to celebrate Edsa People Power

Rina Jimenez David reacts to Arroyo's self-serving speech:

What a way to celebrate the anniversary of an event that changed the nation!

First, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, herself a beneficiary of a replication in 2001 of the Edsa People Power I revolt, asks the nation to observe the event by vowing never to embark on a similar exercise again. Saying another display of “People Power” would merely derail the economic gains her administration has achieved, she warned that “the world will not tolerate another Edsa” and instead condemn the Philippines if people mass on the streets again.

We all know where she’s coming from, of course. If ever “People Power” does materialize in this country again, it will probably result in her ouster. She has come this close to it time and again, and it is only a matter of luck that, due to various factors, the “tipping point” to a restaging of Edsa I has not been reached.

Still, wasn’t it rather crass of her to discredit the very event that led to her ascension to power? Would she have said the same thing in 2001 when, due to the massing of People Power incensed by the goings-on at the impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada, she found herself prematurely thrust into power? A little gratitude would seem to be in order, and some acknowledgement, at least, of the value of People Power, and the lessons those events taught us but which, sadly, we have failed to learn or take to heart.

And if Edsa I was such a big deal, then why should there not be -- depending on your historical valuation -- an Edsa III, IV, V and so on down the line?

A President, who is confident of her mandate, secure in her place in history, clean of conscience and knowing she owes no one, least of all the people, an apology, has no reason to fear a reenactment of Edsa I.

Agreed.

Eto naman ang reaction ng Tribune Editorial re Arroyo's claim na dapat wag na raw mag-People Power dahil maapektuhan ang economiya natin:

One certainly can’t call Joseph Estrada a tyrant or a dictator. He may have had his faults, but certainly dictatorial was never one or them, since he never tried to muzzle the freedoms of the Filipino people — even of those who were against him. He kept the Senate and the House independent, and before the coup plotters, among whom were the businessmen and the then political opposition and the leftists who are now suffering under Gloria’s rule, the economy was doing very well under Estrada, with foreign investments coming in, as even the official data show.

So did the Edsa dos types cared about our economy then when they tried to topple erap? IIRC, from the time erap inherited FVR’s broken economy in 1998 (mainly because of the Asian financial crisis) to the year Dec 2000, the economy grew from -0.6% in 1998 to 4.4% in 2000 (so the economy even then was headed in the right direction), but he still got “people powered” in 2001.

for all its faults, the erap admin still left behind a 4.4% GDP in 2000 for Arroyo when she took over in Jan. 2001. Buti pa si arroyo. During Arroyo’s first year though, the GDP rate fell to 3.2% in 2001. You can look that up.

Anyway, sabi ni Maam na wag na raw tayong mag-people power. Pero ito ang sinabi nya dati nung ginamit nya ang Edsa para patalsikin si Erap.

Sa innaugural speech ni Maam noong Jan. 20 2001:

“..I pray that we will all be one – one in our priorities, one in our values and commitments, and one because of Edsa 2001.

“People Power and the ‘oneness’ of will and vision have made a new beginning possible.

“As we break from the past in our quest for a new Philippines, the unity, the Filipino’s sense of history, and his unshakeable faith in the Almighty that prevailed in EDSA ’86 and EDSA 2001 will continue to guide and inspire us.

“I am certain that Filipinos of unborn generations will look back with pride to EDSA 2001, just as we look back with pride to Mactan, the Katipunan and other revolts, Bataan and Corregidor, and EDSA ’86.

“People Power has dramatized the Filipino’s capacity for greatness.

“People of People Power, I ask for your support and prayers. Together, we will light the healing and cleaning flame.”

Dec. 03, 2001

It is now more than ten months since edsa dos, when I assumed the
presidency through the process of constitutional succession and on the
shoulders of people power, spontaneous people power, not people power
mobilized by any one organized group. I stress this point because it was
my discernment on january 20th that god was speaking through the almost
one million people who were in edsa, saying, gloria macapagal-arroyo. For
many months, the organized protesters were frustrated in their efforts to
mobilize sustained people power. Then i, on january 16th, it was i, the
lord your god, who inspired my beloved filipino people in the hundreds of
thousands and also million to go to edsa and create the vacancy that
allowed you to ascend to the presidency. Therefore, this is my discernment.

God said to me that his expectation is that I will work constructively for
the benefit of the filipino people whom he love so much, the only catholic
nation in asia, the nation to whom he showed his love in an extraordinary
way in edsa one, and again in edsa two. And for my part, I hope that in
these last ten months, I have kept faith with what I perceived to be that
mandate from divine providence.

April 18, 2001:

The late chief justice teehankee said that "the rule of law is the basis of any civilized society -- and it is here -- a law that upholds human dignity and freedom and protects human rights." This is the essence of our democracy with a government which acknowledges that sovereignty resides in the people. And this principle of sovereignty residing in the people was the principle that was invoked when chief justice davide said that he would administer the oath of office of my position as president on that day january 20th. Indeed, nothing can be more demoralizing to the mass of the people than to see public officials uninhibited by old, conventional practices because they are left disconcertingly without a code of ethics to guide and restrain them.

The Issues for the 2007 Midterms

(UPDATE: Thanks, Manuel)

Gusto ko sanang ipagpatuloy ang pag discuss ng mga issues na dapat gamitin ng Opposition sa 2007 elections, but I was distracted by the delayed composition ng Senate slate (kasalanan ni Joker ito), and other issues that demanded immediate attention.

So continuation ito ng mga posts ko dito, dito at dito.

1) Make Arroyo and Garci accountable. I know it's difficult for some people, but it must be done. We need to do the right thing. If we let her get away with it, I see no end to the divisions and political instability even after 2010.

2) A Zero Tolerance Approach to Cheating. It's a two-step process. First, reform the COMELEC and do a thorough housecleaning within the Election commission of all those involved in the dagdag bawas operations of 2004, and those who helped lie and coverup for those guilty COMELEC officials. Second, automate our voting system. But we need to do the COMELEC housecleaning first.

3) Depoliticize the military and investigate and punish all personnel involved in:

- helping Arroyo and Garci conduct Dagdag bawas operations in 04.
- extra-judicial killings
- wiretapping/spying on opposition and admin officials
- Corruption (it aint just carlos garcia, folks)

Re sa extra-judicial killings, sayang si Randy David dito. His candidacy would have turned the spotlight on the issue of military assassinations against the activists and lefty critics of Arroyo.

I do believe that most in the military are honest and trustworthy, like Gudani and Balutan, but around 30% of them are corrupt, and most of them were high ranking military officers appointed by Arroyo after Edsa Dos. It's a joke na si Gen. Carlos Garcia lang ang nahuli (ng US).

(re Trillanes, I don't agree with his methods, but he was right on the issues. He was in a way, a whistleblower to the corruption that's going on within Arroyo's military, and I'm glad that he has chosen a different path by participating in the political process.)

Tungkol naman sa ISAFP. We may need to abolish this highly politicized spy organization and replace it with something less partisan.

4) Get tough on terrorism, without becoming monsters ourselves. We need to go after the bad guys, not our critics. Kasi kapag pinapatay mo naman yung mga student activists at mga party list critics mo sa Kaliwa, abe e, mali yan. The Military needs to be able to distinguish between the killing real terrorists (yes) and assassinating Arroyo's critics from the left (Big NO!).

5) Pursue strong and friendly US relations, but we must be willing to stand up and defend citizens against potential abuse from American personnel and officials. Hindi yung katulad ng nangyari kay Nicole, where our own Gov't even tried to sabotage her rape case.

to be continued tomorrow...

Tape justifies killings?

From the MLQ3:

The government’s response, besides the usual reflex call for “calm”, was to release a video of Jose Ma. Sison (a very interesting one, indeed, if genuine: as Tingog.com points out, Inquirer.net has put it up on YouTube for the viewer to judge; Tingog has a clip from GMA7, and he also states Sison’s reaction: “it’s a fake!”), and call the UN official “in denial.”

So to blunt the Alston report and sort of justify the targetted assassination of leftys, the Arroyo admin leaked a 20 year old video of JOMA sison that tells us what exactly? ("Pero hindi ba si Crispin Beltran ay ipinakulong rin ni Arroyo on a 22 year old rebellion charge filed during Marcos' time?" - Ed, Oo nga ano.)

Nag react ang mga party list groups sa video ng military:

IN what was described as a “crude attempt” to dispute the findings of the Melo Commission and of United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alston on the extrajudicial killings, the military released a 20-year-old video tagging certain party-list groups as “legal fronts” for the communist rebel movement.

Releasing the video, party-list groups Anakpawis and Sanlakas said, “strengthens the argument that the real target” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are the progressive party-lists and militant organizations.

“By releasing the tape, the propaganda line being peddled by Malacañang and the AFP is that they have the right to go after the unarmed left as ‘enemies of the state’ by association,” Wilson Fortaleza, Sanlakas national president, said in a statement.

Both Alston and the Melo Commission held certain rogue elements of the armed forces responsible for the political killings. Human rights organizations claim that more than 830 left-leaning activists had been killed since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came to power in 2001.

The said video shows Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Ma. Sison delivering a lecture in Brussels, Belgium in 1987. In the speech, which Sison said was “an old doctored film clip,” he allegedly identified legal mass organizations likeBagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Gabriela, and the League of Filipino Students as “front organizations” of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF).

Sison said the military conflated a passage of his speech enumerating the said organizations and another passage mentioning the NDF.

“What is the point of (Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes) Esperon in making all the foregoing false claims against me? To prove that I have identified legal organizations as belonging to the NDF and to ‘justify’ the military in threatening and murdering legal activists?” Sison said.

At sabi pa ng isa sa mga nakakita ng video, commenter Ruth:

have you seen that joma video? you know, i’ve see it when esperon played it during his presscon yesterday. Its pretty old video, 2 decades ago they say. Joma just mentioned that there are revolutionary organizations in the Philippines. Then he went on to say that there are also legal democratic forces in the country and mentioned organizations like Bayan, KMU, Gabriela, KMP LFS, kadena, (can’t remeber the others).

From that statemement, joma was only statinga fact about the existence of such organizations in the Phils. He never said anything that these orGANIZATIONS ARE UNDER cpp-npa?

guys, I haven’t heard that he mentioned Bayan Muna Partylist, GABRIELA Women’s Partlylist? or other partylists that they are saying as leftists. Besides guys, the video really looks very old (they say 2 decades ago), probably 80’s. But when was the partylist system became a law and implemented? Was it not in 1998? And when did Bayan Muna started to run and won 3 seats in congress? was it not only in 2001?

Guys, I think you are smart enough to discern . We don’t have to be activists to know these facts because the partylist sytem is still relatively new, only in 1998.

Tama.

And the point of these killings is not to weaken Communism or the NPAs (in fact, the opposite is what's happening), but to eliminate Arroyo's critics from the Left, and blame it on the Communist purge.

Previous admins had no problems with these lefty groups. Panahon ni Cory, Fidel Ramos, at ni Erap. Even during arroyo's time noong 2001-2005. I don't agree with most of their politics, but I don't consider these party list groups a threat to our way of life either, unlike some crazy right wing hawks and other arroyo sycophants. Naging problema lang sila kay arroyo nung sumabog ang gloriagate scandal at nasira ang legitimacy claim ni Arroyo. Rally kasi ng rally eh, hindi na natauhan sa CPR... kaya hayan, palparan and co. have been trying more "creative" ways to neutralize them.

NAPAKALUNGKOT KUYA EDDIE: And you know what's really sad? What's sad is that hindi naman magkaaway dati ang military at mga leftist groups eh. In fact, they joined forces in 2001 to oust Erap.

And if you believe ARroyo, there was a Communist-Military alliance to topple her gov't.

So naisipan ng admin at ni palparan na pagawayin ang military at mga maka-kaliwa, para wala na silang tiwala sa isa't isa.

UPDATE: Gen. Butch Palparan eyes seat in congress.

UPDATE: Conrad de Quiros comments:

But still more than that, there is the war that Arroyo has unleashed against the Reds, which is as criminal -- and cynical -- a war as you can get. What’s wrong with it isn’t just its boast about accomplishing its goal in a record two years, though that by itself guarantees a scale of mayhem that rivals that of martial law. As Philip Alston suggested when Raul Gonzalez boasted again about wiping out the enemy before you could say “idiot,” what did he propose to do, kill everyone?

What’s wrong with that war is that war itself. At least when Marcos (and later Cory Aquino) unleashed the sword of war against the insurgents, the insurgents were a threat to the country. Today, they are a spent force, lacking arms, lacking a flood of recruits, lacking an ideology that could attract the youth, lacking moral superiority (specifically because of the “killing fields”), lacking numbers.

The only purpose Arroyo’s war against them serves is to save Arroyo, not the country. That war turns public attention away from the real threat to the country, which is an illegitimate government, by trotting out the Reds as the bogeyman, the way Hitler trotted out the Jews in his time. Additionally, it strengthens the “Hello Garci” generals in the military by giving them the power to hound “subversives,” quite literally on pain of death, while neutralizing the rebellious junior officers who have been asking what in God’s, or Arroyo’s, name they are doing fighting (and killing) folk who, like them, have been driven to arms by poverty and injustice. It’s a cynical war -- with criminal consequences.

Like I've been saying before, the purpose of the killings is not to weaken or destroy the NPAs (the opposite is happening), but to take out Arroyo's critics from the left, one person at a time.