"This story was bad for Bush on Friday, but it'll be bad for a lot of other people by next week."

Glenn Reynolds on the NYT leak of the NSA eavesdropping program. I would be surprised if there are no resignations in the New York Times over this scandalous act.

Pulse Asia survey on Philippine poverty

From PCIJ:

THREE in every four of the country’s extreme poor (Class E) feel their personal quality of life has worsened. Even more — 84 percent — feel the same way about the national quality of life. And they believe that the quality of life will deteriorate further in 2006, according to a Pulse Asia survey released yesterday.

The survey, conducted from Oct. 15 to 27, likewise found the number of poor who believe the country is hopeless rising from 7 percent in July 2005 to 25 percent in October 2005, and those who wish to migrate jumping from 21 percent to 31 percent in the same period.

Disturbing.

The US policy in the Philippines is idiotic

It is, really. And this is coming from a guy who still supports Bush and the US on Iraq.

Haven't they learned anything for the last 20 plus years about supporting illegitimate and corrupt rulers? One of the reasons the dictator Marcos lasted 20 years was because of US support.

(The Philippine situation is not like in Pakistan or Egypt where it's better to deal with dictators like Mubarak or Musharraf than see them be overthrown by the Muslim Brotherhood or Al Queda.)

The US I believe knows Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is not real winner in the last presidential elections. They know that she is corrupt and plays dirty, but they continue to prop her up anyway.

They have chosen to support a corrupt and illegitimate president for "stability's" sake over democracy and the Filipino people.

But the US will find out that there will be no "stability" or true democracy in the Philippines as long as Mrs. Arroyo is in power.

U.S. Senate rejects Patriot Act extension

So yung anti-terrorism bill ng Estados Unidos that's up for renewal was defeated in the Senate yesterday.

WASHINGTON - In a stinging defeat for President Bush, Senate Democrats blocked passage Friday of a new Patriot Act to combat terrorism at home, depicting the measure as a threat to the constitutional liberties of innocent Americans.

Eh yung anti- Opposition bill este "anti-Terrorism" bill naman na gustong nang ipasa ni Arroyo (after many years of dilly-dallying), matutuloy kaya?

Ito na ba ang ibibigay ng Arroyo admin sa US kapalit nang suporta nila sa kanyang illegitimate administration?

More: Here's how senators voted on the Patriot Act. Tignan nyo kung sino yung bumoto ng Yea at Nay.

Arroyo's Con-Com: No Elections for 2007

Nice.

3-year term extensions... yan ang regalo/suhol ng Arroyo administration sa Congress ngayong pasko para maipasa yang Arroyo constitution na yan.

But, like I said before, hindi ang Constitution natin ang dahilan kung bakit may Gloriagate at ISAFP wiretapping scandal. Yung Malacanang occupant mismo at ang AFP ang may kasalanan niyan.

Kahit na palitan mo yung sistema, wala ring mangyayari dahil sila sila pa rin ang mamumuno sa atin, and we've already seen how Arroyo's allies used their superior numbers to railroad GMA's proclamation without doing any recounts on the disputed COCs and later murder the impeachment complaint against her.

The last thing we need right now is a "fake reform" initiated by this fake president to coverup for her illegitimacy.

Cha-cha is just being used to change the subject and divert our attention from the real issue-- which is the questionable legitimacy of this admin and the ISAFP wiretapping scandal.

From the Tribune:

Con-com’s No-El ’07 slammed
GMA to stay as head of state, government under parliamentary system

12/17/2005

The draft of a new constitution by the special body created by President Arroyo that has hardly found life in Congress, is now dead in the water, as this Consultative Commission (Con-com) not only proposed the continued stay of Mrs. Arroyo and maintaining her powers up till 2010, but also called for the scrapping of elections in 2007. The terms of all the elective officials, especially in the legislature, will be extended until 2010, and the same legislators will then serve in the transition parliament with the President still running the government.

Under the commission’s proposals, executive and legislative powers would be transferred to a parliament headed by a prime minister by 2010. The presidency would become a ceremonial post elected by parliament.

I guess that means no "graceful exit" for GMA too, yes?

Joker Arroyo demands resignation of COMELEC officials

But it's not because of the failed 2004 Presidential elections. It's over it's anomalous handling of its election modernization program.

And like JDV, he want's to end the GLORIAGATE investigations too. Sure, Joker made some noise about "the need to investigate ISAFP." Tama na sana siya eh, pero sabi rin nya na yung AFP raw ang dapat na mag-conduct ng sariling investigation nila.

LOL. That's like saying Raul Gonzalez should head the panel to investigate the 2004 election fraud scandals.

And his blue-ribbon committee, which joker chairs, as far as I know, will not be conducting any investigations on the GLORIAGATE or the ISAFP wire-tapping cases against the admin.

"Ubusin ang mga Corrupt" raw, his slogan says. Heh.

Ligtas na si Arroyo kapag natuloy ang No El

-- 2007 elections di itutuloy

Ayos! Because dat mins the same group of pro-Arroyo congressmen who murdered the last impeachment complaint will be there for 5 more years to make sure na walang lulusot na impeachment complaint laban kay Arroyo.

Meaning, safe si Arroyo until 2010!

Strong Republic talaga!

-- Archbishop Oscar Cruz questions security recall of jueteng witness

Lingayen-Dagupan Arch-bishop Oscar Cruz yesterday questioned the government's decision to remove the detailed personal security of self-confessed jueteng bagman Sandra Cam and jueteng operator Wilfredo "Boy" Mayor, claiming the move has placed the lives of the witnesses in the illegal numbers game, which reportedly involves some members of the First Family, in grave danger.

The prelate said Cam informed him that the security personnel provided by the Senate to his witness were called off recently, exposing Cam to all possible attacks from those who wanted her "silenced."

Cruz added they are still convincing Cam to return to the same safe house of Mayor since they feel she would be more protected there than being alone.

The bishop stressed the withdrawal of the bodyguards would make witnesses fear for their lives and possibly scare away possible witnesses on irregularities in the government.

"I think there'll be very few witnesses who would want to tell the truth if there's a limit to protecting life," he noted, adding he is not aware why the Senate removed Cam's security as well as their rules on the witness protection.

Papaano naman magkakaroon ng lakas ng loob na lumabas ang mga ibang witnesses in the future kung hindi sila ma-proprotektahan ng mabuti ng mga authorities? Anong gusto nyong mangyari, yung katulad kay Acsa Ramirez? This is just plain stoopid.

-- Lacson: Clean Garci passport manufactured.

The conspiracy to cover up the alleged cheating in the 2004 presidential elections has gone a notch higher, threat-ening to protect President Arroyo at the expense of Philippine-Singapore relations.

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday made this claim after receiving information that Senior Supt. Asher Dolina, who was implicated in the reported illegal raid of handwriting expert Segundo Tabayoyong last August, was behind the purported manufacture of "clean" passports of former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Virgilio "Garci" Garcillano to back up claims that he never left the country during the five-month period he had been reported missing.

By doing so, Lacson said Dolina may have unwittingly exposed a high-level conspiracy to cover up the cheating in last year's presidential elections at the expense of the country's diplomatic relations with the government of Singapore that had issued a note verbale attesting to the entry of Garcillano to the city-state last July 14 before proceeding to London.

Reliable informants of Lacson claimed Dolina was behind the alleged fabricated passports of Garcillano showing he did not have any foreign travels since 1996.

"Our sources identified the culprit as Dolina. The passport was made to conform with Garcillano's statement that he never left. We're still investigating how he did it," Lacson said.

Dolina, head of the Metro Manila division of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), happened to be the same person involved, along with several others, in the controversial San Mateo raid last Aug. 17.

The incident involved the questioned entry into the residence in San Mateo, Rizal, where Tabayoyong, a former ranking National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) official and considered as a handwriting expert, was staying.

The police seized from Tabayoyong's rented apartment alleged tampered election returns (ERs) and certificates of canvass (CoC).

So after na white-wash yung raid sa bahay ni tabayoyong, seems like Senior Supt. Asher Dolina is "busy" again eh?

-- Malaya Editorial: Abat's gambit accepted:

Originally, we thought Abat was putting the cart before the horse when he insisted that only the military can remove Gloria. We were probably so blinded by the Edsa 1 and Edsa 2 model – a military-backed popular uprising, according to conventional wisdom – that we did not see that Abat was probably correct in giving a weightier role to the military.

We have only to go back to Edsa 1 and strip it of its mythology. It was triggered by a failed coup, followed by the withdrawal of support by then Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile and PNP chief Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos. The people power component came later.

Bearing this in mind, we probably just saw Gloria and her generals playing right into Abat’s hands.

Ellen Tordesillas: Can Abat be Trusted?

-- P2.8B diverted to Gloria campaign chest, says Magsaysay committee

THE Senate committee on agriculture and food chaired by Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. yesterday concluded that P2.8 billion for agricultural programs was diverted to the campaign chest of President Arroyo last year.

"The release of the funds was timed with and had as a focal consideration the national elections of 2004. It is even claimed that the release of the fertilizer fund actually assured the victory in the polls of a number of incumbents in the government," the committee report said.

"Until disputed by a substantial and convincing evidence to the contrary are submitted by the Department of Agriculture and/or other relevant offices and officials, the funds released on February 3, 2004 amounting to P728 million; the funds released on February 11, 2004 amounting to P1.1 billion; the funds released on April 28, 2004 amounting to P544 million from the DAR and intended for the Hybrid Rice Production Program; and the P432 million released by DA to the National Food Authority, were all utilized to assure the victory of the administration in the electoral polls of 2004," it said.

Will holding a referedum re "separate homeland" for Moros FINALLY bring peace to Mindanao?

From Inq7.net:

COTABATO CITY—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said it would propose the holding of a plebiscite with the aim of creating “a separate homeland (for Moros) in Mindanao.”

Eid Kabalu, MILF spokesperson, said the proposal, which would be coursed through the MILF peace panel, could be finalized as early as next year after the rebel group has finished a series of consultations with the Moro people and lumad communities.

One of the issues being asked in the consultations is ancestral domain, one of the two remaining issues confronting government and MILF negotiators.

The government and the MILF have been negotiating to resolve the decades-old Moro rebellion, which already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives since it first broke out in the 1960s.

Jun Mantawil, head of the MILF peace panel secretariat, said the MILF already met tribal leaders from Bukidnon, Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, the Davao provinces, and the Zamboanga Peninsula.

The result of the consultations would be presented when the peace negotiations resume.

“Legally and historically, Mindanao is the homeland of the Moro people,” Kabalu said when asked why the MILF still want a separate state.

However, he said the MILF is also willing to compromise on its demand for a separate republic for Moros in Mindanao.

Moro and indigenous peoples account for less than half of the population in Mindanao.

“We recognize that we are only minority. Our proposal for a separate homeland will only be confined to areas where Moros are majority,” Kabalu said.

He said when the peace talks are concluded, areas with large Moro communities would also be asked if they are in favor of the agreement or not.

I'm in favor of this referendum, if this is what it takes to end the conflict in Mindanao. Katulad ng sinabi ni Kuya Eid Kabalu, "the referendum will only be confined to areas where the Moros are majority."

Once the MILF gets their referendum (and I don't care what the results of the referendum are), they will respect the decision of the voters at tapos na ang labanan ng Muslim at Kristiyano sa Mindanao, yes?

And I don't want to see any "breakaway faction" from the MILF claiming to be "unhappy" with the negotiated peace agreement with the gov't. That excuse/B.S. won't fly anymore.

Of course, these recent news re the AFP accusing the MILF of secretly training it's members on suicide attacks doesn't look good.

More: Bagong base ng Terrorismo

UPDATE: From the Sunstar:

However, certain local officials who happened to briefly step outside while the lengthy briefing was on-going, informed the media that one issue worth watching carefully is their proposal to hold referendum in only the few Muslim-dominated villages in the city.

They said all the Christian areas, which actually comprise the majority population here, will be exempt from the expected political exercise to determine the so called MILF's ancestral domain in this part of the region.

In the agreed consensus points forged by the two peace panels to carve the MILF's claimed Bangsa Moro homeland, practically the entire Mindanao is being included. Among them are Davao, Agusan, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, and Zamboanga.

“The Consultative Commission’s proposal to postpone the 2007 election and extend the term of elective officials to 2010 is an indecent proposal.”

Nasa comments section ni Ellen Tordesillas.

Ang reaction ko sa proposed scrapping of the 2007 elections ng mga kaalyado ni GMA is: HELL NO!!

Coup! Coup! Coup!

Malaya Editorial:

There are indisputably officers in key positions whose loyalty to Gloria as commander-in-chief ends where their loyalty to the Constitution and to the people begins. The AFP and the PNP leadership knows these officers. But again, the brass cannot move against them on mere suspicion of disloyalty to Gloria. The leadership cannot even resort to the simple expediency of stripping them of command and sending them to the freezer.

Why? Because running after these officers might yet trigger precisely what the Gloria loyalist generals fear most – a mutiny within the ranks or a rebellion against the corrupt and incompetent Arroyo regime.

Remember the first Edsa uprising? Months before, General Fabian Ver knew what the Reform the Armed Forces Movement was up to. He could not, however, round up the RAM leaders because it might further polarize the military. Ver believed, fatally to the Marcos regime, that RAM was just a nuisance that could be swatted like a fly by the full might of the AFP.

That’s where we are right now. And the Sengas and the Esperons are sounding exactly like Ver.

Ellen Tordesillas: Coup-korokoko!

-- Magdalo captain bolts: Says he's joining fight for credible gov't

-- Former General Fortunato Abat declares "Revolutionary Transition Gov't." But his buddy Fidel Ramos is against it... raw.

-- 2 Coronels related to Abat fired.

A perfect storm

Hmmm... maybe Brenda is on to something after all... LOL.

From the Tribune Editorial:

All this talk of coup plots to destabilize Gloria Arroyo appears to be the handiwork, not of the opposition forces, but of Malacañang as she and her loyal generals are into staging one of their own coups, in preparation for her exit.

This can be seen from a confidential document which this paper obtained from a Palace insider, the details of which were published in yesterday's edition.

From the document, the coup, codenamed "Perfect Storm" is to presage her "disengagement," as Gloria prefers to call her exit from Malacañang, and the Philippines.

It bears asking why Gloria is planning her exit through a Palace-initiated coup where, the document states, a "New Order" with a three-man council, will be set in place to replace her, but not before certain conditions Gloria herself has imposed are met and the plot agreed upon by several elements, including the United States government.

From the confidential document, a series of three developments that will impact on the social, political and economic fronts is expected to descend upon the country and the Arroyo government, placing Gloria in a situation where she can no longer manage or manipulate anything.

There is hardly any question that, despite the rosy picture being painted by Gloria and her propagandists of an economy poised for takeoff, the economy is expected to deteriorate some more, with a former National Economic Development Authority (Neda) director openly stating that the Philippine economy is on the path of an economic meltdown and even with the current Neda chief publicly stating that the economy has taken a downtrend. This may explain the coming "economic storm."

The "social storm" may just about ready to combine with this economic storm, given the rising prices, joblessness, along with the poverty levels rising, financially dislocating families and hitting the middle class where it really hurts. With despair and hopelessness enveloping the Filipino people, social unrest is not too far behind. The indications are already there.

And now comes the strong "historic" storm: The political storm that is already blowing strong, with a military growing more and more restive everyday amid a confluence of events in the political front shaping up.

With the economic and social storms combining with the strong political storm, what else can be expected but the coming of the perfect storm, which is reportedly a coup hatched up by Gloria Arroyo and her loyal generals to usher in a New Order where a three-man "junta" or council — vetted by Gloria and her generals — takes over the reins of government?

Interestingly, a perfect storm, said to be a rare occurrence, comes about when three storms combine into one over the ocean.

But where the perfect storm is a natural, if rare occurrence, Malacañang's perfect storm is to be managed and artificially produced and will only be in place when certain conditions, imposed by Gloria, for her and her family's protection long after she makes her exit, are met and agreed upon by the concerned parties, one of which is the US government.

The other important factor for Gloria and for the coup plot to take effect is for the "host government," obviously a third country, to have already agreed to "shelter" her.

For this coup plot to find acceptance with the foreign governments, it was claimed that the current Vice President, Noli de Castro, would have to be one of three members of the council, with two others vetted by Gloria and her generals. The names bandied about are those of the Speaker and behind him, former President Fidel Ramos, while the other is said to be former military chief of staff and current Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes, who was instrumental in 2001, for Gloria's installation as President.

Just as interestingly, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales a month back told the media of wanting to go back to work because of his need to be in place to be one with a "historic event" that is to take place. A Palace insider, last month, told the Tribune of the coming "December Storm" coup d'etat, but pointed to the opposition forces as the coup plotters.

Yet all along, it is Gloria and her clique who are plotting a coup, with her loyal generals in on her exit plans, and three political personalities, ready to take over power and position in exchange for her protection, here and abroad, and ready again to betray the Filipino people.

But, as it is always said, the best laid plans of mice and men do go awry.

Totoo kaya itong "Exit Strategy" ni Ate Glue?

Si Ninez Cacho-Olivares ang nagsulat at nasa frontpage ng Tribune kahapon.

Gloria readies exit plan; ‘Perfect Storm’ plot set
PALACE TO STAGE COUP, INSTALL ‘NEW ORDER’ WITH LOYAL GENERALS ANOINTING 3-MAN ‘JUNTA’

By Ninez Cacho-Olivares Editor in-Chief
Wednesday, 12 14, 2005

President Arroyo is ready to leave Malacañang, but only after her exit plan will have been perfected to the point of her military generals and close aides mounting a Palace-led coup d'etat that will then establish a "New Order" whose members, said to be three, whom she herself has anointed, after forging an iron-clad deal with them based on specific conditions imposed by her that have to be agreed to by the New Order and followed strictly.

The term used for her exit is "disengagement."

The Palace coup plot has been named "Perfect Storm."

A perfect storm is said to be a phenomenon which occurs very rarely and happens only when there is a coming together of three storm fronts, producing this type of storm.

The establishment of the New Order with a three-man civilian junta but with residual powers lodged in her loyal generals, a confidential report pointed out, will be in place, with the approval of the George Bush government.

The Palace-staged coup, or what was described in an earlier confidential report which the Tribune made public on Nov. 3 as the "revolt from within" as one of Mrs. Arroyo's exit options, will be followed by a series of "accidental deaths" of opposition leaders as a way of eliminating her foes and the jailing of others, as a way of marginalizing them, a Palace insider who leaked out the report stated.

To keep the people in line, the military and police officials whom the President has tapped to take over the reins of government will be applying the full force of the calibrated preemptive response policy, which, the insider pointed out, means shooting demonstrators down.

The New Order, under the deal she forged with the group, will not only take over the reins of government but will also guarantee her and her family's protection against any and all lawsuits and even allow her to access "resources" here and abroad, the confidential document obtained by the Tribune yesterday detailed.

The same confidential paper also marked the "elimination" and "marginalization" of the political opposition as well as those within the administration party, as identified by Mrs. Arroyo, through "Operation Plan Clean-up," which will go into full operation "the day after" the Perfect Storm, or the exit of the President.

This is deemed essential by Mrs. Arroyo and her New Order group as the pinpointed individuals are seen by her as elements who may rock the "disengagement" and the "day after set-up."

The military-Arroyo coup d'etat hints at installing a group of loyal generals to be known as the New Order that would then anoint, as agreed upon with the President, a three-man civilian council.

This is to be done with the agreement of the US government, the paper stated.

From the two-page document entitled "Detailed Exit Plan of GMA" with the subhead "Scenario X:Disengagement," the Arroyos' exit from Malacanang and the Philippines is to become operational with the expected developments in the socio-economic and political fronts which will impact negatively on her and her government.

The paper said "the eye of the storm is expected to unfold by the last week of December and develop into a Perfect Storm by middle of Jan. 2006 the earliest, or at the latest early weeks of Feb. 2006."

On Nov. 22 this year, the Tribune quoted a Palace insider as having disclosed a planned civilian-military coup codenamed "December Storm" that would oust the President.

What the insider did not say then was the plan called for a stage-managed Palace coup that would install the President's "anointed" military generals to keep the "anointed" civilian officials in line and for this "council" to create a "New Order."

The document in Tribune's possession speaks of the eye of the December Storm that is expected to develop into a "Perfect Storm."

This, it was pointed out in the document, is supported by the "temperature (XYZ) of 10 November."

But as early as October, in a "mopping-up" meeting with Mrs. Arroyo, it was agreed that in order to "pursue the disengagement," certain conditions must be in place while adhering to the timeline.

Last October, the Tribune published a confidential security situationer entitled "New Threats to Philippine Democracy," which was discussed among the Chief Executive and her trusted aides, where her exit plan options were enumerated, among which was a "revolt from within" to mean a Palace-staged coup d'etat where she makes an exit while putting in charge her chosen "successors," with the iron-clad guarantee of presidential protection for her.

She exits, however, following a set of conditions, where monitoring shall be continued to flush out any indications of deviations and that any response to these deviations shall be cleared by Mrs. Arroyo and "the group," the paper said.

One of the first conditions mentioned in the confidential paper is to "establish 'safety nets' within the military and security of business sectors and the bureaucracy (executive, legislative and judiciary) that will ensure a friendly environment for Code One (CO, Mrs. Arroyo's code name) during the "day after."

The confidential Palace document also details the plan of Mrs. Arroyo and presumably, her family members, living in exile as the document speaks of one of the conditions that has to be met before making her exit, which is for the "host government agree(ing) and (to be) prepared to shelter Code One during the period of 'actualization' of the first part of the agreed 'package of settlement' with the New Order... making sure that the controlling Order is faithful to the provisions of the package."

Here, the confidential document refers to an earlier "executive summary" of Nov. 5, 2005.

Another condition imposed by Code One, or Gloria Arroyo is for "(shared) jurisdiction over available resources, here and abroad, to continue until the New Order manifest(s) and actualize(s) the three elements committed to Code One. Thereafter, control shall be transferred to the NO's (New Order's) anointed hand (to be jointly agreed by CO and NO. For this purpose, the second meeting between the concerned parties and hopefully, the final one is set on 16 December)," the document stated.

There was yet another sine qua non condition imposed by Mrs. Arroyo and her anointed successors, which is to get the consent of the US government for her "disengagement" plan.

The paper states: "Sam's (code name for the United States/Bush government) consent to the 'end-state' of the disengagement is secured. Its operational term is submitted by CO/NO to the (US) Embassy to assure Sam that any "bridging scenario" will not jeopardize his anti-terrorist initiatives involving covering Manila and the region (i.e. Response-basing system)."

The document also speaks of a "push-and-pull" operation (that) shall be sharpened to allow the CO to calibrate the situation and allow the disengagement plan to work.

The Palace insider who leaked the document to the Tribune suggested that the "disengagement" of Mrs. Arroyo will have to involve her "loyal" military, as the coup can not be pulled off successfully.

She also needs her loyal generals to provide her "long-term" protection.

The generals she anoints to establish the New Order will also be able to "keep in line" the three-man council, or junta, the Palace insider explained, saying for the US government to agree to Mrs. Arroyo's "disengagement" plan will mean having Noli de Castro, the current Vice President, in that council, but without any powers to speak of, as the other two will be directing the whole civilian show with the military and police generals watching their moves.

A US Embassy report that was leaked to a newspaper had quoted a US official expressing his dismay at De Castro as a successor to Mrs. Arroyo.

"To give it a constitutional flavor, Noli will have to be in that three-man council," the source said.

While the Palace insider mentioned two possible "anointed" members of the planned council, such as Speaker Jose de Venecia and/or former President Fidel Ramos and Angelo Reyes, current Interior chief, who would be the probable 3 civilians running the show, for the US government's acceptability of the Palace staged coup, the source said there has been no specific mention of these civilians.

Mrs. Arroyo is said to be planning her exit because of the dire developments that are sure to impact on the political, economic and social fronts.

Already, despite her mantra of the Philippine economy poised for takeoff, her top economic manager has stated that the economy is on a downturn and that the takeoff is far from becoming a reality.

Other economists, such as former Neda director Cielito Habito, have warned of the coming economic meltdown soon.

This may bring about a social disorder of great magnitude that could blow up into rioting.

At an Oct. 5 briefing, the national security document that spelled out the exit options of Mrs. Arroyo, a notation said: "The real peso value will dive after Christmas when OFW remittances will contract and government machine is (not) able to manage market."

The October document also mentioned that the military was nearing its "tipping point."

UPDATE: More here:

‘Storms’ to be calibrated by GMA, for final exit


Thursday, 12 15, 2005

Exiting from Malacañang needs more work to be done to polish and perfect the "Perfect Storm" Palace-initiated coup plot, the confidential documents obtained by the Tribune two days ago disclosed.

This would mean encouraging, among others, divisions within the church, civil society and other sectors, as well as playing up Charter change (Cha-cha) while stage managing an escalation of "atrocities" in Mindanao.

Contracts and fund-raising projects are also to be completed before she makes her exit, the papers said.

Events will be managed and manipulated to allow President Arroyo, codenamed "Code One" to "calibrate the situation," thereby allowing the disengagement plan to work.

Another operation was referred to in that document, which was termed the "push and pull operation that needs "sharpening, the two- page confidential document stated.

This push and pull operation involves the managing and manipulation of certain developments to "delay the convergence of events, among which would be a focus on the "prices of basics (petroleum products, water, power) being minimized, falling under (strategy two)."

There is also her plan to engage in "market intervention to project favorable foreign exchange," the management of "fund releases to LGUs (local government units) to maintain support and dissuade climate of bankruptcy" as well as the need to "prioritize new recruits, and manage public deficit," with the intention to delay the convergence of events.

As published by the Tribune Wednesday, the exit plan of Mrs. Arroyo expects "evolving developments on socio-economic and political fronts compounded by world environment" to converge, with the "eye of the storm... expected to unfold by last week of December and develop into a perfect storm by middle of January 2006, the earliest, or at the latest early weeks of February 2006."

Part of the manipulations to be done to "delay the convergence of events," the documents said, is to play up the Charter change issue. It appears, from the document that Speaker Jose de Venecia, whom the Palace insider mentioned as a probable council member after the coup and the disengagement plan becomes operational, is in on the Perfect Storm plot, even if the Charter change efforts are also meant to keep former President Fidel Ramos and his group (of military and former Cabinet members) at bay.

The document reads, as part of the push and pull operation: "Maintain, if not deepen, Cha-cha effort to keep FR (Fidel Ramos) and his group at bay and allow disengagement plan to work without interruptions from them."

It also stated that "JV (Jose de Venecia) shall be apprised of the situation on (a) need (to know) basis.

From the documents, it also appears that even as the two are probable successors after Mrs. Arroyo's planned exit, the President does not completely trust them, as the confidential paper also states that "the elements of FR and JV must be continuously monitored and checked."

The reason for the continuously monitoring of Ramos and De Venecia, it was learned, was that thier people have been discovered by Palace intelligence to have "misrepresented Mrs. Arroyo to the United States Government, which the paper pointed out has "been affecting the disengagement timetable."

As published Wednesday, the confidential Palace document said the consent of the US government, codenamed "Sam" was needed for the "end-state" of the disengagement to be secured.

"Its operational term is submitted by CO/NO (New Order) to the (US) Embassy to assure Sam that any "bridging scenario" will not jeopardize his anti-terrorist initiatives involving covering Manila and the region (i.e. response basing system)."

More of the "push-and-pull" operation expected to be sharpened, again to allow the President to calibrate the situation and allow the disengagement plan to work include promoting the divisions within the Church, Academe, Business, Congress, Local Government, Executive, Civil Society and media to assuage the storm —any gains from these operations will give CO a longer lease of time to maximize gains from disengagement plan."

It will be recalled that in an earlier document that contained the National Security Briefing of Oct. 5 this year, exit options were already being mulled, and the convergence of events already being noted.

The change in the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) leadership was a cause for Palace worry. There is the division already existing among bishops, along with the business groups. Civil society is also divided.

Another essential in the push and pull operation, the document said was the completion of "contracts and major fund raising measures."

Also stated in the document in the "push and pull operation is the plan to have a "Mindanao escalation of atrocities (that) shall be continued to refocus the attention of the restive AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police) members from destabilization works, as well as defuse public attention to the impact of the convergence of events."

The Palace insider explained that this could mean more bombings in Mindanao, "to set the stage for justification of the 'Perfect Storm' coup plot, where Mrs. Arroyo's "calibrated preemptive response policy" will be applied to the fullest.

There have also been twin bombings, one of which was the First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo's building in Perea St., Makati City, which has been pointed to as being an "inside job" as the street is blocked both ways by presidential security group members. Mr. Arroyo no longer holds office at the LTA Building.

Interestingly, part of the plan focused on the role of the presidential spouse, including a report from the US Embassy dated Oct. 30 this year which document, apparently is in the possession of Mrs. Arroyo.

"The role of FGM (First Gentleman Mike Arroyo) shall be ascertained pursuant to the instruction of the CO (Code One or Mrs. Arroyo) and in light of the concerns expressed by the plan cooperators during the October Meeting, including the Embassy report of 30 October 2005," it said.

It was also stated in the document that "A strategic media plan shall be continuously updated to ensure its responsiveness to the Plan. Reorganization in strategic and tactical position in government (OP [operational plan] included shall be slowly implemented to complement the Plan).

A second meeting between Mrs. Arroyo and the parties concerned in the plot Perfect Storm is scheduled for tomorrow, the 16th of December.

Meanwhile, the US government has denied its involvement in the Palace -staged military coup that will pave the way for the establishment of a council or junta, but stopped short of expressing categorical support for Mrs. Arroyo.

US Embassy spokesman Matthew Lussenhop said they are not aware of any exit plan being prepared for Mrs. Arroyo to give way to a three-man junta, a deal she reportedly forged with military generals.

"We don't support extra-constitutional efforts or means to effect change in the Philippine government," Lussenhop said during a telephone interview.

The embassy official said they believe that a military coup or emergency rule of that nature will have a bad impact on the Philippines.

"We support the rule of law. We wouldn't support drastic measures. We've got a stable partner in the Philippines," he said.

But when asked if Washington supports the Arroyo presidency, Lussenhop said: "We have said in the past that we are confident that the political situation in the Philippine is stable."

Lussenhop stressed that Washington will not interfere in the domestic issues of the Philippines.

"We see the Philippines as a partner. We don't meddle (in the internal affairs of your government)," he said.

Mrs. Arroyo's popularity ratings continue to drop due to controversies confronting her presidency, such as the poll fraud allegations.

Protest actions calling the President's removal have also snowballed rapidly since exposes of 2004 election fraud and family corruption scandals were made public earlier this year.

Following the President's admission that she was the voice behind the controversial wiretapped conversations with former Commission on Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, the US has distanced itself from the Arroyo government.

This was contrary to the embassy's previous expression of "unequivocal" support to the President.

Since then, Washington has maintained its official line on the Philippine political crisis, saying that US support is for institutions and democratic processes and not to individual persons.

As earlier reported, a three-man civilian junta with residual powers will be preceded by the exit of Mrs. Arroyo and the establishment of the New Order which will usher in the three man junta.

Under the plan, the junta will not only take over the reins of government but will also guarantee the President and her family's protection and immunity from any and all lawsuits. It will also reportedly allow her to access "resources" here and abroad.

The US Embassy said Washington is not aware of such report.

"We have not seen the report itself," Lussenhop said. NCO with additional reporting from Michaela P. del Callar

Gebran Tueni

David Ignatius on the assasination of Lebanese journalist Gebran Tueni:

This is the time of the assassins in the Arab world. On Monday they killed a brave Lebanese journalist who dared to tell the truth about Syria. This week in Iraq they will try to kill people who want to vote. They kill wives to intimidate their husbands. They kill children to frighten their parents into silence. Their power is the ability to create raw fear.

The shame for America isn't that we have tried to topple the rule of the assassins but that we have so far been unsuccessful. We thought we were cracking the old web of terror when America invaded Iraq in 2003, but it's still there, in the shadows of the shadows. George W. Bush gets a lot of things wrong, but he knows that he's fighting the assassins. On days like these, I'm glad that he is such a stubborn man.

Of course sa Pilipinas, marami ring pinapatay na journalist because of their exposes and reports against the police and powerful politicians, but I'm glad hindi pa ganyan kalala ang situation natin. Well, not yet at least.

But the tactic of going after the relatives of potential witnesses and whistleblowers to silence them (aka "soft touch", "state-sponsored abductions") is a common tactic used by our administration... although imbes na patayin sila on the spot-- either kini-kidnap sila ng ISAFP, ini-intimidate sila, or binabayaran sila para mag-recant.

The headline atop the newspaper's front page said this: "Gebran didn't die and an-Nahar will continue." For a paper that had already lost its fearless columnist Samir Kassir to a car bomb in June, it was a defiant statement to the assassins: Kill us all. We aren't going to stop publishing the truth.

I spoke yesterday with Hisham Melhem, the paper's Washington bureau chief. His voice was cracking with emotion as he spoke of his colleagues: "I shudder when I think of the courage of Gebran and Samir. They knew they were dead men walking. But they were never intimidated."

Matapang talaga ang mga journalist ng Lebanon. Sa Pilipinas naman, siguro sila Ellen Tordesillas, Conrad de Quiros at yung mga taga PCIJ and a few others lang ang iilan sa nakikita kong mga matatapang at credible na journalists. Marami pa ring pro-Arroyo journos kasi dito eh, katulad na nung mga nagsusulat sa PHILSTAR, Manila Standard, Manila Times, Manila Bulletin. Just like marami pa ring pro-Syrian journalists sa Lebanon.

I don't know if PCIJ, Ellen and Conrad have received any death threats because of their articles against Arroyo (well, ISAFP called PCIJ "enemies of the state"), but I'm pretty sure they (like the opposition) are being spied on by the Arroyo admin and their phones bugged. Magkano ba ang "intelligence fund" ng Arroyo admin this year... P1.2 Billion? Heh. Money well spent yan.

A nice tribute to FPJ

-- A nice FPJ tribute from Conrad de Quiros.

-- Manong Ernie Maceda on the "3-minute rule" and ISAFP's coverups:

There's one defect in the House hearing. The 3-minute limit allows only three questions to be asked, not enough to lay the basis and ask the main question sought to be answered. Rep. Jing Paras who had pointed this out has turned out to be correct. The chairman, Rep. Emmy Talino-Santos, also ruled that a congressman who was not immediately following could not yield his three minutes to the person asking the questions. Were the rules adopted precisely to protect Garcillano from in-depth questioning?

-------------------

What investigation? AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Generoso Senga told Senate President Franklin Drilon that there was no security breach at Isafp. Senga questioned the competence and credibility of Marietta Santos, who testified under oath at the Senate that she had access to the Isafp officers.

That's to be expected from the AFP chief of staff to say in his defense. But Senga's credibility is totally negated by his lack of action against T/Sgt. Vidal Doble.

Doble admitted that he received P2 million from Sammy Ong through National Bureau of Investigation agent Lito Santiago. Doble has admitted his relationship with Marietta Santos who is his third "wife." Accepting a bribe and immortality are grounds for the dismissal of a civilian employee. How much more for an intelligence officer? The fact that Sgt. Doble has not been discharged implicates Gen. Senga, Gen. Marlo Quevedo and the Isafp and raises serious questions of leadership in what is clearly a breach of basic military rules.

That's the quagmire the Garci tapes has put the GMA government in. It has cast a wide net of cover-ups and liars.

-- Malaya Editorial: The people know better

Budget Secretary Romulo Neri recently scolded manufacturers and retailers for blaming government for the marked slowdown of sales during the traditionally brisk Christmas season.

He said overseas remittances are at a record level and the economy is doing quite well. There’s a lot of money out there. He said it’s business’ fault for not finding the right marketing tack to move their products.

"When you fail, review your strategy and, please, do not blame government," Neri said.

Neri’s advice is sound when applied to individual firms. But when everybody is suffering a downturn in sales ranging from 5 to 10 percent, there is definitely something wrong more than failed marketing strategies.

Read the whole thing.

-- Senate: Sandra Cam to lose security detail.

I wouldn't be surprised if one day she recants everything she said and blames the opposition for "forcing her" to testify on Jueteng.

Buti pa yung corrupt na administration ni GMA, kahit na gaano kalaki ang gastos, sasagutin--para lang mapatahimik at "protektahan" ang mga dating witnesses na katulad nina Mahusay, Doble, Garcillano, judge Moner etc.

Bagong base ng Terrorismo

Mukhang lumalabas na tayo yon. From Ellen Tordesillas:

Ang terorismo ay lumalago sa isang environment na mahina ang liderato. Natabunan ng pagbabalik ni Hello Garci ang balita noong unang linggo nitong buwan tungkol sa dalawang militanteng Indonesian na umalis sa Jemaah Islamiyah at nagpatayo ng base sa Mindanao.

Ang dalawang Indonesian ay sina Dulmatin at Umar Patek at kasama sila sa operasyon na pagbomba sa Bali noong 2002 kung saan sobra sa 200 katao, karamihan Australian, ang namatay. Si Dulmatin ay isang electronics specialist at kilala sa kanyang galing na gumawa ng bomba. Si Patek naman daw ay magaling sa recruitment. May patong na $10 milyon para sa ulo ni Dulmatin at $1 milyon naman kay Patek.

Pumasok daw sa Mindanao ang dalawa sa tulong ng mga miyembro ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front, na nakikipag-usap sa pamahalaang Arroyo. Ngunit nasa pagkukupkop sila ng Abu Sayyaf.

Mahirap kasing ipaghiwalay ang MILF at Abu Sayyaf dahil ang marami sa kanila, miyembro ng parehong grupo.

Aba, akala ko "willing partners for peace" na ang MILF? BTW, whatever happened to the "peace plan" na malapit na raw pirmahan ng MILF at ng gobyernong Arroyo? Ano tuloy pa ba yan?

Anyway, back to Ellen's article:

Noong isang linggo, guest sa Bulong-Pulungan sa Westin Philippine Plaza si Maria Ressa, na ngayon ay nasa ABS-CBN. Dating nasa CNN si Maria ay kinikilala siyang eksperto sa terrorism.

Sabi ni Maria, lahat daw na mga pasabog na ginawa ng Al Qaeda ni Osama bin Laden, kasama na ang pagpasabog sa World Trade Center noong September 9, 2001 ay may kinks sa Pilipinas. Ang JI ay ang bisig ng Al Qaeda rito sa Asia.

Ang pagpatayo ng base ng dalawang militanteng Indonesian sa Mindanao ay nagpapahiwatig na sa pag-akala nila mas madali silang gumalaw rito. Isa na siguro ang sitwasyong pulitikal dito sa bayan ngayon kung saan ang liderato ay hindi ginagalang ng mga tao.

Katulad ng anti-terror bill na nahihirapang maipasa ng administrasyon sa Kongreso dahil ang suspetsa ay gagamitin ni Gloria Arroyo ito hindi laban sa terorismo kundi sa kanyang mga kalaban sa pulitika. Paano naman sa kanilang definition ng terorismo, magra-rally ka lang, pwede ka nang terorista.

Dahil sa wala tayong anti-terrorism law, maraming lusot ang mga terorista.

Iyan ang pakay ni John Negroponte, director for intelligence ni George Bush, sa kanyang pagbisita rito sa Pilipinas noong isang linggo. Alalang-alala na ang Amerika sa sitwasyon.

Patuloy ang kapit ni Arroyo kahit karamihan sa mga Pilipino ay walang tiwala sa kanya. Mahina na siyang lider. Kaya, habang tumatagal si Arroyo sa pwesto, lalong sasamantalahin ng mga terorista ang pagkakataon at palalawakin ang kanilang aktibidades.

More: the AFP is not happy with the MILF.

ZAMBOANGA CITY ---Inakusahan kahapon ng militar ang Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) na nagsasagawa ng sikretong pagsasanay ng mga re-beldeng miyembro, kabilang na ang nakakagulat na bagong indok-trinasyon sa suicide attack missions na kapapalooban ng suicide bombers.

Mismong si Southern Command (SouthCom) chief Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan ang naglatag ng impormasyon sa isang news conference kahapon matapos matanggap ang nakakagimbal na impormasyon.

"There had been decentralized and specialized training activities with the purpose of enhancing the military skills of its members and maintain their war-fighting preparedness," ani Adan.

Kabilang umano sa mga ginagawang sikretong pagsasanay ay ang commando tactics, guerilla warfare, weapons at marksmanship at explosives.

Ngunit sa halip na kakitaan ng pagkayanig ay buong katapangang binalaan ng SouthCom chief ang MILF at inakusahan itong lumalabag sa ceasefire agreement na nilagdaan noong 2001.

"I am warning the MILF that any training activity that is military in nature is considered an offensive action," dagdag ng heneral.

Nasa gitna ngayon ng peace talks ang MILF at mga kinatawan ng pamahalaan sa pag-asang matitigil na ang tatlong dekadang karahasan sa Mindanao dahil sa patuloy na pakikibaka ng MILF laban sa tropa ng pamahalaan.

O, akala ko ba gusto na ng MILF ng peace? bakit ganyan?

Arroyo's arrogance

The fact that this administration is so reluctant to go after the perpetrators of the wiretapping operation done on Garci, is already an indication na she probably knew who did the wiretapping, and it's very likely someone close to her administration.

And she probably knew too that she was being monitored by her ISAFP but didn't care anyway, because she always assumed even if the tapes came out that she can always get out of any tight jam. And that most of the CBCP and the civil society will stick with her through thick and thin kahit na alam ng nakakarami na ninakaw niya ang eleksyon. And she was right.

(and I wouldn't rule out the possibility na she was the one who ordered the wiretapping ala Nixon, in order to monitor Garci.)

That's arrogance for you, Kuya Dean.

UPDATE: Watergate chronology regarding the Nixon tapes:

November 5, 1968
Richard Milhous Nixon, the 55-year-old former vice president who lost the presidency for the Republicans in 1960, reclaims it by defeating Hubert Humphrey in one of the closest elections in U.S. history. Post Story


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January 21, 1969
Nixon is inaugurated as the 37th president of the United States. Post Story


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July 23, 1970
Nixon approves a plan for greatly expanding domestic intelligence-gathering by the FBI, CIA and other agencies. He has second thoughts a few days later and rescinds his approval.


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June 13, 1971
The New York Times begins publishing the Pentagon Papers - the Defense Department's secret history of the Vietnam War. The Washington Post will begin publishing the papers later that same week.

September 3, 1971
The White House "plumbers" unit - named for their orders to plug leaks in the administration - burglarizes a psychiatrist's office to find files on Daniel Ellsberg, the former defense analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers.


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June 17, 1972
Five men, one of whom says he used to work for the CIA, are arrested at 2:30 a.m. trying to bug the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate hotel and office complex. Post Story

June 19, 1972

A GOP security aide is among the Watergate burglars, The Washington Post reports. Former attorney general John Mitchell, head of the Nixon reelection campaign, denies any link to the operation. Post Story

August 1, 1972
A $25,000 cashier's check, apparently earmarked for the Nixon campaign, wound up in the bank account of a Watergate burglar, The Washington Post reports. Post Story

September 29, 1972
John Mitchell, while serving as attorney general, controlled a secret Republican fund used to finance widespread intelligence-gathering operations against the Democrats, The Post reports. Post Story

October 10, 1972

FBI agents establish that the Watergate break-in stems from a massive campaign of political spying and sabotage conducted on behalf of the Nixon reelection effort, The Post reports. Post Story

November 7, 1972
Nixon is reelected in one of the largest landslides in American political history, taking more than 60 percent of the vote and crushing the Democratic nominee, Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota. Post Story


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January 30, 1973
Former Nixon aides G. Gordon Liddy and James W. McCord Jr. are convicted of conspiracy, burglary and wiretapping in the Watergate incident. Five other men plead guilty, but mysteries remain. Post Story

April 30, 1973
Nixon's top White House staffers, H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, and Attorney General Richard Kleindienst resign over the scandal. White House counsel John Dean is fired. Post Story

May 18, 1973
The Senate Watergate Committee begins its nationally televised hearings. Attorney General-designate Elliot Richardson taps former solicitor general Archibald Cox as the Justice Department's special prosecutor for Watergate. Post Story | Post Analysis

June 3, 1973

John Dean has told Watergate investigators that he discussed the Watergate cover-up with President Nixon at least 35 times, The Post reports. Post Story

June 13, 1973
Watergate prosecutors find a memo addressed to John Ehrlichman describing in detail the plans to burglarize the office of Pentagon Papers defendant Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist, The Post reports. Post Story

July 13, 1973
Alexander Butterfield, former presidential appointments secretary, reveals in congressional testimony that since 1971 Nixon had recorded all conversations and telephone calls in his offices. Post Story

July 18, 1973
Nixon reportedly orders the White House taping system disconnected.

July 23, 1973
Nixon refuses to turn over the presidential tape recordings to the Senate Watergate Committee or the special prosecutor. Post Story

October 20, 1973

Saturday Night Massacre: Nixon fires Archibald Cox and abolishes the office of the special prosecutor. Attorney General Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus resign. Pressure for impeachment mounts in Congress. Post Story

November 17, 1973
Nixon declares, "I'm not a crook," maintaining his innocence in the Watergate case. Post Story

December 7, 1973
The White House can't explain an 18 ½-minute gap in one of the subpoenaed tapes. Chief of Staff Alexander Haig says one theory is that "some sinister force" erased the segment. Post Story


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April 30, 1974
The White House releases more than 1,200 pages of edited transcripts of the Nixon tapes to the House Judiciary Committee, but the committee insists that the tapes themselves must be turned over. Post Story

July 24, 1974
The Supreme Court rules unanimously that Nixon must turn over the tape recordings of 64 White House conversations, rejecting the president's claims of executive privilege. Post Story

July 27, 1974
House Judiciary Committee passes the first of three articles of impeachment, charging obstruction of justice.

August 8, 1974

Richard Nixon becomes the first U.S. president to resign. Vice President Gerald R. Ford assumes the country's highest office. He will later pardon Nixon of all charges related to the Watergate case. Post Story

King Kong

It opened today sa Pinas. Nice film, go watch it peeps. Kong is a lovable ape. And Naomi Watts ain't bad lookin either.

Anyways, there was a scene na nasa King Kong trailer pero wala sa KK movie. I'm talking about this scene:

Carl Denham: You're feeling uneasy, Ann. Your feeling's growing. Washing over you. Scream, Ann! Scream for your life!
[Ann screams, then stops. Then a long growl from Kong roars from the distance]
Carl Denham: [pause]
Carl Denham: Herb, get the camera.

Nope. Didn't see that one in the movie.

Tanong tungkol kay Edgar Ruado

Yung tapes ni Bunye where we heard Edgar Ruado's voice, papaano nakuha ang boses niya doon?

Na-wiretap rin ba siya ng ISAFP, like GMA, Garci and Barbers etc.?

O ginawa sa studio ang Bunye tapes, and Mr. Ruado "lent his voice talents"... para i-dagdag ang boses niya sa Bunye tape, while deleting Garci's voice, so that it will look like GMA is talking to Ruado, instead of Garci?

Are there any Filipino politicians na bloggers rin?

Kung meron kayong alam, paki-post dito o.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go...

-- Go to PCIJ for the latest on the Dec. 13, Garci Hearings.

-- From Ducky Paredes:

By using EO 464, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is identifying itself and its agency, the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP) as the greatest threat to national security. It is not terrorism, the New People’s Army or the separatists of the Bangsa Moro Republic or any other group that endangers our national security but the AFP and the ISAFP itself that are the greatest dangers to the country!

Imagine that we have an agency that can tap any phone in the country without being responsible to anyone. They can tap the phone conversations of the presumptive president and are apparently not beholden to explain to anyone why they did this or why the record of this conversation has been sold to the public in exchange for a sum of money.

They are the greatest danger to our national security and no one can do anything about it. The Commander-in-Chief (the presumptive President) is apparently unable to act on this. She, apparently, does not want to get to the bottom of this mess. She does not want anyone to look into this.

She is the only one who could order the military to probe the breach. She is the only power that, under her own EO 464, can tell the military to allow the Senate to probe their wiretap of her conversation with an election commissioner. Apparently, she would rather not know who ordered that she and her phone pal be wiretapped.

According to Sen. Panfilo Lacson, her reluctance to get to the bottom of this is proof enough that Gloria herself ordered the wiretap and unwittingly caught herself talking to Garci on matters that a candidate (especially not a president) should be caught talking about: kidnapping, cheating, bribery and so on.

To me, this is further proof of her incompetence. To Sen. Lacson, it is proof that the ISAFP was only following orders from the commander-in-chief. (In truth, in her shoes, having been caught in a web of her own making, anyone would not want anyone else to know just how incompetent she really is. Else, how could any of her soldiers have any respect for Gloria?)

The military command is, itself, seemingly unconcerned about all these? It is not investigating the matter, nor does the military seem to have any interest at all in doing so. While the military would, of course, have investigated the matter if the disclosure of the ISAFP role in the wiretapping had come as a surprise, the military does not seem the least bit interested in conducting and investigation into the matter.

This can only mean that the military will not waste time and energy in investigating what is already known to the military. After all, they are not politicians who will do investigations for show. What the military already knows does not have to still be investigated by the military itself.

Thus, the wiretap was perfectly legitimate, as far as the military goes, in that it was ordered done, according to the chain of command that starts with the commander-in-chief. That much is pretty clear.

From Ernie Maceda:

Presumption of truth. The First Gentleman's response to Ahmare Lucman's testimony at the Senate is the usual "a set of lies." He challenged Lucman to show proof that he masterminded and funded the cheating in Lanao del Sur.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines through spokesman Col. Tristan Kison also challenged Marietta Santos, T/Sgt. Vidal Doble's third "wife," to prove her allegations at the Senate that he did the wiretapping of the GMA-Garcillano conversations. The challenge was hurled instead at the AFP brass, which calls for their proper reaction by ordering an investigation of Santos' charges made publicly under oath.

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye has also repeatedly reacted to charges of cheating and corruption by demanding proof from the accusers.

They are all missing the point. The point is that ordinary citizens such as Ahmare Lucman, Marietta Santos, Sandra Cam and Louie Zuce will not dare come out to accuse the President, the First Gentleman or even only a general if they don't have the truth on their side. It takes a lot of courage and soul-searching to accuse the very powerful. When they testify under oath in full view of TV cameras in a congressional inquiry, they have the presumption of truth on their side. They are testifying at the risk of their personal and family safety.

Simple denials by FG, Bunye or Kison are not enough to overcome that presumption of truthfulness. The all-knowing sovereign public can see through these routine denials. And the people have said so in all the opinion surveys.

Malaya Editorial: AFP conducting an "open-ended" "investigation" on ISAFP's wiretapping?

-- It's GMA and Garci's voice on tape, sound expert Jim Sarthou says.

-- Another Garci-type "election operator" being groomed for COMELEC post? Para saan ito, sa Cha-cha referendum at 2007 elections?

-- Arroyo Admin to Businessmen: Don't blame us for slow sales.

Yeah, and don't blame E-VAT too.

More: Lies Unveiled

-- Oh how times have changed for PCGG.

SENATORS yesterday assailed the Presidential Commission on Good Government for mismanaging sequestered companies.

Sen. Joker Arroyo said directorships in sequestered companies were apparently reserved for favorites.

PCGG chairman Camilo Sabio is an officer of 29 corporations. He is either chairman, vice chairman or officer-in-charge of nine United Coconut Planters Bank subsidiaries and 20 affiliated Coconut Industry Investment Fund firms.

Danilo Coronacion is president and chief executive officer of 25 companies while Jose Barcelon is corporate secretary of 35 companies.

At least 150 directorships were farmed out to other favored nominees.

Arroyo disclosed the list of directors during deliberations on the P67.58-million budget of the PCGG for 2006.

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile said the PCGG has turned into a "commission on good corruption."

"I am asking you to review the companies handled by the PCGG, which should be preserved. These were lucrative operating companies before they went bankrupt. They went down because of the capacity of the people you sent there," Enrile said.

Enrile particularly cited UCPB and Philcomsat which he said were among the most profitable companies in the country before PCGG-appointed officials made them milking cows, "earning fabulous commissions and allowances."

"Now they’re almost bankrupt. The PCGG cannot escape responsibility. PCGG appoints the presidents, directors, supposed guardians, and executives," Enrile said.

Bravo, PCGG, Bravo!