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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| New Order 2
By Antonio C. Abaya Written on March 5, 2008 For the Standard Today, March 06 issue If there is a lesson to be learned from the failure of Edsa 1, it is that it is both futile and foolish to try to please everyone. President Cory Aquino�s no doubt well-intentioned attempt to include all shades of the political spectrum in her motherly embrace was doomed from the start. As her sad experience showed, you cannot include both pro-communists and anti-communists in the same Cabinet and expect the collegial body to move in one direction. At best, such a body would be confused and confusing. At worst, it would push and pull in all directions, like a headless chicken, and ultimately collapse and bleed to death without getting anywhere. Trying to please and appease everyone seems to be a Filipino trait., part of our cultural imperative to have smooth inter-personal relationships with everyone we interact with. President Fidel Ramos had his own personal brand of trying to please everyone. Instead of hunting down and neutralizing the enemies of the state, he signed �peace agreements� with every group of outlaws that challenged the authority of the Philippine government. military adventurists, MNLF secessionists, MILF Islamists, Communist revolutionaries.. The logic seems to have been: avoid confrontation and the problem may go away. To some extent, he was successful. His presidency was marked by the least number of open conflicts in the past 30 years. But the problems never went away; they just got bigger, for future presidents to grapple with. President Joseph Estrada was at least consistent. If you were wanted by the FBI for fraud and illegal political contributions, if you were being sought by the Australian and German police, if you were a stock price manipulator, if you were a big-time smuggler, if you had seven estafa cases pending against you in court, if you were a mega-jueteng lord, if you could make annoying people disappear like David Copperfield, if you were an unofficial peddler of radio and TV frequencies, if you were prepared to build mansions for women whose surnames ended in �ez�, if you could play high-stakes mahjong and could afford to lose millions of pesos just like that�.then you were IN, baby. Meaning, in the Midnight Cabinet in Malacanang that caroused till the wee small hours of the morning on a generous supply of Petrus wine (P90,000 a bottle at that time), and Johnny Walker Blue Label Scotch whiskey, according to his then chief-of-staff Aprodicio Lacquian, who wrote in his memoirs that he was often the only person left in the Palace who was still awake and sober at four in the morning President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo�s contribution to our political history, if the revelations on the ZTE broadband scandal are to be believed, seems to be a mind-boggling capacity for the sordid deal, the instamatic over-price, the apparent confidence that everyone can be bought, the total absence of genuine remorse, the limp excuses. The key event, so far, in this scandal was Neri�s revelation at the Senate hearings that Benjamin Abalos had allegedly told him, �May 200 ka dito, Sec.� Neri said he told his boss, President Arroyo, about this apparent bribe, who in turn told him to ignore the bribe but to approve the project nonetheless. There should be no more doubt in anyone�s mind that this deal was indeed corrupt, and corrupt to a mega-scale beyond anyone�s �permissible zone.� The debate is only on how mega was mega, and who was supposed to get the biggest mega share.. Neri was not a witness hostile to the government in these hearings; he was there to defend his boss President Arroyo. So his testimony that �may 200 ka dito, Sec� cannot be dismissed as oppositionist propaganda. And President Arroyo publicly admitted last Feb. 23, several weeks after Neri�s testimony, that she was indeed told by someone, whom she did not identify, that there was indeed something anomalous about this contract. (This is vintage Gloria. Several weeks after the �Hello Garci� tape scandal in 2005, in which someone who sounded like her was recorded talking to someone who sounded like Virgilio Garcillano, asking him about my �one M,� believed to mean �one million votes,� President Arroyo finally publicly admitted talking to a Comelec official, whom she did not identify, for which she gave a limp and unconvincing �I am sorry.�) But President Arroyo proceeded to Boao , China , the next day to witness the signing of the contract � even though it was not a government-to-government undertaking and did not need the presence of the Philippine president; the Chinese president was not present. And even though her husband was in hospital for a life-threatening operation . She claims she could not forego going to Boao �because another country was involved � Jesus Christ! She didn�t think of instructing her Foreign Affairs secretary to telephone the Chinese ambassador in Manila to explain that she could not proceed to Boao because her husband was in hospital with a very serious condition? Would the Chinese have bombed or invaded the Philippines if she had not shown up in Boao? And as if on cue, her toadies in the Cabinet suddenly, almost one year later, recall how she �agonized� over the decision to go or not to go. As the Americans would say, �Yeah, right.�. It is phony statements like this that erode her credibility even more and convince many that there must have been a more compelling reason for her to be present in Boao on April 21, 2007. And, in the absence of a credible explanation, they will believe the worst about her and her husband, whether true or not, that she had to be there to pick up her/their commission from the Chinese. President Arroyo should please drill it into her head that if she cannot come up with a credible, plausible, coherent and consistent explanation, for this or anything else, she should just keep her mouth shut. Less talk, less mistakes. She did not cancel the controversy-ridden but signed contract, a copy of which � mysteriously - cannot be found, until Sept. 22, five months after she had been told by Neri about the bribe offer, and days after the Supreme Court ordered that the implementation of the contract be deferred temporarily. All 27 contracts that the Arroyo government signed with the Chinese, whether government or private corporations, should now be examined thoroughly. ZTE could be a template for corruption: Were they subject to public bidding? Were the terms dictated by the Philippine government or by the Chinese entities? Did the Chinese government provide the financing to avoid bidding? Were they over-priced? Was FG somehow involved? Are the signed contracts also, mysteriously, missing? If the answer to all or most questions is Yes, then this has to be the end. Malacanang apologists challenge those who are scandalized by this and other sordid transactions to file cases in court. Now, why didn�t they think of that? Probably because it is a convenient bone to throw to the wolves, knowing that a) the President enjoys immunity from legal suits, and b) high-profile corruption cases in this country take years and years to hear and resolve, if they ever get resolved at all.. Joseph Estrada�s trial for plunder dragged on for six years before he was convicted (and then hastily pardoned by Gloria). The plunder cases against Gen. Carlos Garcia, Gen. Jacinto Ligot and Col. George Rabusa, all filed with the Ombudsman in 2003 and 2004, have not even reached trial stage up to now.. So, if we were to follow the admonition of our favorite Malacanang apologists, we would find out, if we did not already know, that no suit can be filed against President Arroyo until after June 30, 2010, even though she seems to be in the center of this ecosystem of corruption, as Romulo Neri is said by Lozada to have said during that Dec. 7 meeting with Lozada and Senators Lacson and Madrigal and their chiefs-of-staff. Let Neri claim that �I don�t remember saying that,� again. This assumes the Constitution will not have been amended by 2010, to allow her to stay in power as prime minister in a parliamentary system or as president without term limits, as the ChaCha Road Show of Joey �Bitch� Salceda, is meant to do, in which case she would enjoy immunity from suit for the rest of her life... If the Constitution is not amended, give another five to ten years for the Ombudsman to elevate the case to trial stage. And another 10 to 20 years for the trial to run, if the many cases against members of the Marcos family, filed in 1987 and still pending, are any indication. So we can look forward to a resolution sometime between the year 2030 and 2040, by which time President Arroyo and most of the other principals will have died of old age. How convenient, isn�t it? Those who parrot this line deserve P500,000 or more in paper bags the next time they visit Malacanang. Then why not go for the impeachment tack, another Constitutional remedy to remove a sitting president. Impeachment � for the fourth time, it must be said - in a Lower House controlled by the trapos of Kampi and Lakas has as much chances of prospering as the proverbial ice cube in Hell. Then, when all else fail, why not have a majority of Cabinet members declare that President Arroyo is no longer fit to govern, as the Cory Constitution allows? But if Romulo Neri himself, who knows the ins and outs of this scam more intimately than anyone else, alive or dead, other than the crooks themselves, cannot gather enough nerve to rat on his dominatrix, what more those Cabinet members who are in on the scam themselves, and what more those Cabinet members who are not even on the periphery?. So, how does one create a New Order with untermenschen like these? How, indeed?.***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in www.tapatt.org and in acabaya.blogspot.com.. NOTE: Transmission to yahoo.com and mydestiny.net addresses is sometimes delayed or blocked by the servers for one reason or other. If you are experiencing these delays and blockings, we suggest you move to a hotmail or a gmail address. To subscribe, send a blank emil with the subject heading Subscribe. To Unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �New Order 2� More Reactions to �Why Only Now?� More Reactions to �Revolutionary Junta� Warning about New Zealand Tony, While GMA is at the center of this web of corruption, Neri has pointed out that the puppeteers are the oligarchs � the likes of E�s Razon and Aboitiz, and T. Alcantara already mentioned by Neri, et al. If the conditions in our Constitution bar us from removing a president and there is as much chance for her to continue beyond 2010, perhaps we can direct our attention to these oligarchs that are perpetrating the chronic cycle of election financing and unbridled corruption. The customer is king, why not direct our efforts to establish this New Order by dismantling the business operations of these booty capitalists? Get them where it hurts; let�s stop patronizing or supporting their business activities. Tet Gambito, (by email), Cebu City , March 06, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww SIR ABAYA, I�d say, you almost hit the jackpot with your answer to the roots of the prevalent and chronic corruption throughout the whole country (not only in government), �Filipino trait�. However, �to please and appease everyone� is not just a �Filipino trait�. It�s a �Filipino culture�, and bribe, corruption and the likes are just tools incorporated with it to achieve the goal of pleasing. For three hundred years or so, Pinoys adopted and practiced this way of life to survive the Spanish rule and all the �Padre Damasos� of that period (unfortunately we still have some of the latter until now, only different color). In my own opinion, only a person with an unstable state of mind can surmise that this ugly side of that culture (good side is hospitality) can be undone by merely arousing people to switch it off, the very same people who are used to it, �switched on�. As I believe you would agree, hypocrisy, is a prime ingredient in this recipe which almost everybody I�m sure, is keeping a stock in their kitchen, some, a lot of it. In all this, I guess we have the law of man at our disposal and lawmakers that are supposed to hone them as time requires. Basically, the problem lies on the lawmakers hand and for us Pinoys who put them there. Again, in my humble opinion, the �dogs� are barking at the wrong tree for the nth time. When hell is breaking loose, just like now, all we can do is pray �alone� and not with the remaining breed of those dark years. I pray that the nth time won�t be the worst time for my helpless and innocent kabayans. Ador Ramoso, (by email), Atlanta , Georgia , March 06, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, A 'New Order' based on the destruction of our institutions will only result in disorder, anarchy and chaos such as what we are now seeing in the streets in the guise of freedom of expression. Yet that is where we, specially the young minds, are being led by powerful forces who have been relentless in their attack to destroy a particular object of hatred aroused by a vengeful media, by destroying whatever is left of the people's trust in our institutions. Our justice system may be inefficient and flawed causing a lot of the problems besetting our people but it is NOT dysfunctional as shown by the successful trial and prosecution of the former highest official of the land. No matter if it took ages, still it was a moment of victory for our people who have long desired to raise the standard of decency in our society and free itself from the shackles graft and corruption that have long afflicted our nation. However, the strong message of crime and punishment may have lost its impact with the hurried pardon accorded the convicted leader by an apparently ill-advised President in the name of 'reconciliation'. What we must do is to make sure that our Justice institutions dispense justice efficiently and equitably by continually hounding them at every turn when we see them faltering in their critical responsibility to the people. Media have been sadly remiss in this duty as they are concerned mainly in flexing their muscle as they abuse freedom itself. Everybody is crying for the truth behind the despicably anomalous ZTE-NBN transaction as alleged by, actually, a willing co-conspirator who turned whistle-blower when caught between the run-away greed of people who stood to benefit from a now aborted gargantuan overprice. Jun Lozada, have captured the hearts of moralists, the religious and those who simply wish to cure our malady of corruption. He has become the unquestionable paragon of virtue to the idealists in our young students attaining celebrity status akin to a movie screen idol. You can see this in the shrieking squealing students seeking his autograph and ready to charge head long to wherever Jun Lozada would lead them as we see him animating them towards a certain objective. But I wonder, will the mounting passion that we see obviously fired, exploited and manipulated by people with their own arrogant and un-moderated greed for power bring us the "New Order" that will finally speed our desire to lift the quality of life of our people? The words of V.I.Lenin threatens: "Revolution is the midwife of an old society pregnant with a new one." With the prodded distrust in our institutions, our Motherland is in peril as we force it to give birth to a New Order. E. J. T.Tirona, (by email), Paranaque City , March 06, 2008 (So should we therefore maintain the Old Order at all cost? ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I am a regular reader of your column at the Manila Standard Today. This note is in response to your question at the end of today's column. First, I gather that you basically agree with the following premises: 1. The easier task is to do regime change, the difficult part is to establish the new order; (That�s what Jun Lozada-Romulo Neri said, which was the start of this discussion. ACA) 2. The first does not lead to the second as we've learned in the two Edsas; and 3. On the other hand, regime change prior to conclusion of term has downside effects on the nation's welfare and economy. (This is what happened in 1986 and 2001. The economy grew under Cory Aquino until Gringo�s coup in December 1989. The economy also grew under Gloria Arroyo and continues to grow, but may slow down in 2008 because of recession in the US . In both cases, the downturn was caused by extraneous forces, not because of regime change prior to conclusion of term. ACA) . The current political noise is getting a lot of media attention and increasing participation by many seemingly well meaning people, not just the usual leftists, trapos and other usual suspects. Your columns indicate that you have joined this crowd whose rallying cry is "Seek the Truth". It is hard to be against the quest for truth. The tragedy however is that "Seek the Truth" quickly morphs into a "GMA Resign" campaign. There seems to be a developing hysteria for another regime change even without a path to or realistic expectation of an ensuing new order. I suggest that instead of getting all worked up with outrage, we will all be better off if we channel the energy that is being unleashed into building the new order. The new order will not happen quickly. It will take a lot of work by a lot of people. It may even take a generation. But we should start now, while people are fired up. The next election is more than two years away and, if we start now, a good beginning can be made. Let us use the talent and zeal of the well meaning citizenry to literally create the laws and regulations that will never get done by the people in charge. Here are examples of what I mean. Why don't we organize a parallel universe of working groups of respected people who will draft an effective anti-dynasty law? (There are several bills gathering dust in Congress calling for the dismantling of political dynasties, as called for by the Constitution. But the dynasts in power resist and will continue to resist such laws. ACA) How about required improvements to the procurement process, tightening qualification requirements for government officials? I am sure we can draw up a long list of such reforms that will have a large impact. Here's the key � After drafting, there should be working sessions for explaining, debating and refining until we are satisfied that we have a workable solution. Then we can use the "people power" forces to pressure the authorities (congress, executive departments, whoever) to enact and enforce. A second thrust is to start now to select candidates for elective posts in 2010. The anointed ones should be active participants in the reform activities and should run on a platform of reform implementation. Another thrust is to conduct research on how other countries (eg., Singapore , Hong Kong ) succeeded in eliminating graft and corruption. This research should not be the kind that produces esoteric scholarly articles that only serve to fill file cabinets. We should seek practical, easy to understand and actionable recommendations which could then be assigned to working groups to flesh out. Directing this research work would be a better activity for university officials instead of fawning over sinners, attending rallies and raising fists. The basic idea is, on the one hand, identify what needs to be done and do the work that won't get done by the people in charge, and on the other, start identifying and preparing the new leaders that we can support in the next election. We all need to focus on the construction of the new order instead of the destruction of the current administration. The latter may be the popular thing of the moment again, but, as history shows, it does not improve our lot and the country will definitely take a hit. Noel M. Mirasol, (by email), March 06, 2008 (These are all worthy initiatives that no one can argue against. But realistically it would be difficult to rouse public opinion in favor of these initiatives if you will not encourage people to also express their outrage over the present iniquities. Do you really think Lee Kwan Yew, Ho Chi Minh, Mao Zedong and Fidel Castro could have built their New Orders without demonizing the Old? ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, I never felt as helpless and defeated for our country after reading your analysis. How does one make a financial contribution to the New People's Army? I am not and have never been a communist in my life. But it seems that the violent overthrow of this regime is the only card left on the deck, so to speak. My only precondition for my contribution is that if they win, they line up all these bastards (both in the administration, the opposition and in between) who have brought our country to its knees and shoot them! I never thought that I would 1 day be thinking along this line but I am in a cold rage. (Name withheld on request), (by email), March 06, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I learned a new word today � untermenschen, from your article. The word untermenschen - literally "under-people" - was brought to prominence by Adolf Hitler in his book Mein Kampf, published in 1925. He used the term to describe those he regarded as racially inferior: Jews, Slavs and gypsies. I believe this is a kind word for the people that you were referring to. So, how does one create a New Order with untermenschen like these? How, indeed?.***** A very good question indeed. I wish I had an answer. Bert Peronilla, (by email), March 06, 2008 (a long-time avid reader) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi there again, Mr. Abaya. This piece says it all -- that we're in a quagmire. What pains me the most is that we can't seem to do anything about it. I shudder at the thought and realization that corruption has reached "exponential" levels. I remember my late boss Ruben Ancheta expounding on corruption like a house infested by termites. What do you do, burn the whole house? Corruption is also like having those little insects sucking blood from one's head. What do you do, chop off your head? A self-respecting person and in this case, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, would not lie through her teeth about an obviously flawed deal. Maybe she doesn't have that. Or giving her the benefit, she has probably never had so good. I pray for this country for I have no other. What does President Arroyo pray for? (Probably to be allowed by the Lord to stay in power beyond 2010. ACA) Regards, Kit Soriano, (by email), March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony: Romy Neri is now in really grave danger. With EO464 and other blocking gimmicks being removed, the Evil Bitch will now have to employ other means of shutting him up. So if Neri uses his brains a little more than he uses his tongue (which isn't much, it seems, at least for speaking, unless he's briefing people at meetings that never took place), he would know that silencing him can be accomplished in ways other than legal gags that are really illegal. And a little more analysis would tell Neri that his boss seems to have used these methods before, so these can be used on him. If Romy is lucky, he'll get the Trillanes method and be jailed but still alive. After all, he might already be hauled to court for slandering his boss as being Evil, unless he can prove that what he said was fact with documented proof. But if he maintains his silence, then it might be interpreted as a Guilty plea - and he will go to jail. But Trillanes in jail has proven to be warse for Neri's boss. Trillanes became a Senator (is that Neri's goal pala?), has been proven by events to be more correct than his accusers on most issues, and continues to give his tormentors problems despite being incarcerated. So I doubt if the object of Salceda's adoration will opt to a jail solution for Neri. Then again, Neri may really be asking for assisted suicide. I'm sure his boss can accomodate such a request that solves so many problems. Sic transit Gloria mundi. Tito Osias, (by email), March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Why can�t most of us accept the fact that only through a national cleansing can we reform our country? There is major risk involved , but given the present circumstances, we just have to take the risk. Anything less will keep moving in a vicious cycle. Cesar Sarino, (by email), March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Re problems on yahoo, they changed their pop3 setting to plus.pop.mail.yahoo.com and their smtp setting to plus.smtp.mail.yahoo.com. If you make changes in your yahoo mail account, (click on tools, then your yahoo account, then properties, then servers) it should start working smoothly again. I had the same problems until i found out about the changes. Re your articles, well, I have been following all since I can remember. but the magnitude of what is happening now is really awesome. I am a senior citizen now with my kids settled down. They eventually want to get out of here, and they will. May I just look at the whole thing as entertainment? At least a get a little fun out of what they are stealing from me. Thanks. Keep fit. Epi Espaldon, (by email), Ayala Alabang, March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, How indeed are we going to start a New Order? Does this New Order mean a new Philippines where corruption will end and will not surface anymore, and all people especially the politicians will be honest, law-abiding and concerned for the plight of their constituents and fellow Filipinos? Where the people in government will never succumb to temptation of enriching themselves so that we can live in peace, improve our economy, wipe out unemployment and poverty? I may be too idealistic if that is what I have in mind about this so-called New Order. But for me, this is what I believe it to be. We can do it, but we have to do some drastic changes not only in our society but in ourselves and it will take a lifetime for us to be able to do this. And we want change after PGMA, right? Ely Lerio, (by email), March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, You hit it right on the head with your " A New Order 2". Are we now at an impasse? As the song goes, how do we solve the problem like GMA? I share with you, how indeed? Enrique T. Dominguez, (by email), Abu Dhabi , UAE, March 07, 2008 Relationship Manager, Portfolio Risk Management-Corporate Business Banking Group, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww You are indeed right, Tony. This Gloria is a congenital liar and truly an "evil" "bitch". She is also a Master of Deceit. By the way, another big scandal has been exposed. DBP head Rey David who is a recommendee of FG advanced 4 years of DBP dividends to the Government amounting to 4-6 Billion pesos and allegedly pocketed by FG Mike Arroyo and cohorts. Narciso Ner, (by email), Davao City , March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, I would like to encourage you that when we have tried our best and fail, God can do the impossible for us.. to show His great love, mercy, justice and power. God bless and have a great day. Cheers. Glo Gerona, (by email), March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, In the 2004 Presidential election, on the issue of corruption, I supported Roco against GMA. My reasoning then and even now, is Marcos is the most corrupt President the Philippines ever had, but Imelda during his time and until now is not a lawyer. In the case of GMA, her husband is a lawyer, and I believed then and even now, that she would be most corrupt than Marcos. I was not wrong. So, personally, if I may be asked, I would not ask GMA to resign, but you know what, all she got to do is abandon her husband, fire those cabinet members who are corrupt or have shown signs of corruption and let her two Congressman sons resign from their post and stay away from any transactions in the government of any nature. Thanks and more power! Bert Celera, (by email), March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, I fully subscribe to your thought of the so called New Order. I think we are going in that direction. In the first place, we deserve the government system we have today and even before Mrs Aquino's time. As we may recall on our history most of our policymakers or the lawmakers belong to an affluent or rich family their exposures are more on preserving their economic and political power, others want to strengthen their holds. It is unfortunate that our marginalised lawmakers, those who belong to an average class, their clout can easily be subdued or overcome in favor of the powerhouse rich. Back today, This is what we have seen right now. I salute to the new citizens today who have open up their hearts and mind who stand-up and presented themselves to be counted for a better country and morally upright member of the community. But change is not easy, U.S.A, Russia , China , India or any great countries in the world spent millions of lives just for a change. Only Mr. Marcos as I recall in my memory (a leader) spend only a number of lives, food and gasoline who were able to effect or allow changes in favor of Mrs. Aquino or the masses of the elite, Cardinal Sin and the middle class. And this phenomenon was copied elsewhere and a leader with a heart of the people allow its changes to happen. I guess it happen also elsewhere without blood to spill. We are a lucky country, a happy people and a great citizens. God bless us. Clarito Platil Gerarcas, (by email), Siargao, Surigao del Norte, March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww How about forwarding GMA's corruption cases to the United Nations or to the International Courts, and let her be sentenced, similar to the death of Iraq 's Saddam Hussein, since she's the reason of millions of deaths Filipinos from hunger and poverty? Or what does the Communist group doing to people like her in the higher echelon? When I was still in the Philippines , they would just kill a Barangay Captain because the barrio leader was having two wives. They would just kill weak women for rumor mongering. They would simply shoot a small-time policeman whom they know asking for "lagays" in the town. Why can't the Communists do this kind of judgments to Erap and GMA? Jess Guim, (by email), New York City , March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww It's true we are all disappointed with the past presidents Pres. Cory Aquino (was it her brother who was directing the show?) and Pres. Ramos (overpricing issues?) and very much disgusted with Joseph Estrada and superlatively enraged with the mega corruption of PGMA, yet we have to have a New Order. If only people power can push all those involved, ZTE issues or others, to come forward and confess their guilt, then they can be sentenced with community service. The bigger the loot, the dirtier/heavier the service sentenced. Philippine jails will not be enough for them. They should not be given government positions ever. The graduates of PMA should look at their rings to be reminded of what loyalty and integrity mean. All that they remember is the word courage. Courage to misdeed. The way the ZTE issue/Spratly, etc is evolving the more I am convinced that the Philippines has been offerrd by PGMA to China on a silver platter. Why she did or is doing so? To stay in power. She needs the money to buy everybody to work on the cha-cha or she was promised by the Chinese government that once owned by them she will stay as Prime Minister with her sons to follow after her. Why else would she leave a seriously ill husband? Why else is she moving everything (praying and moving all corrupt people to agree) to get all those Chinese contracts completed? If we do not do anyhting we will wake up one morning with the communist's red flag replacing our own red, white and blue. We must have that New Order. Let us please hear from the young idealists. Pura Flor Isleta, (by email), March 09, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww NOTE: Due to limited space, this post may be truncated in acabaya.blogspot.com. It appears or will appear complete in www.tapatt.org. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, I also wish to share my thoughts on our crisis of leadership and institutions. Pepe Abueva, (by email), Marikina City , March 09, 2008 Dr. Jose V. Abueva President, Kalayaan College at Riverbanks NOTES ON THE 1986 EDSA REVOLT: CONSOLIDATING OUR DEMOCRACY AS WE BUILD OUR NATION By Jose V. Abueva President of Kalayaan College and U.P. Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Public Administration The EDSA �People Power� Revolt in February 1986 What was the so-called �EDSA Revolution� of 1986? It was a historic uprising demonstrating our people�s will and power to assert our sovereignty; a largely peaceful demonstration of �direct democracy� that ended the over 13-year old authoritarian regime of President Ferdinand Marcos. The world acclaimed our heroic achievement and as a nation we were proud of it. The slogan and promise of the �EDSA Revolution� was a �people power� revolution to bring about �Justice, Freedom and Democracy.� But it was not at all a �revolution� that changed our political and social structure, but �a restoration� of our kind of democracy before the Marcos dictatorship. However, the 1987 Constitution that replaced the 1973 Marcos Constitution articulates a grand vision of �the Good Society� and an ideal democracy. It also provides safeguards against the imposition of authoritarian rule. During her Revolutionary Government, President Aquino discarded the 1973 Marcos Constitution and ruled under a provisional �Freedom Constitution.� A new constitution was formulated by an appointed Constitutional Commission and then ratified by the people in February 1987. This was followed immediately by a general election of the members of a bicameral Congress and all local government leaders. The Vision in the 1987 Constitution is: (1) �to build a just and humane society�; and to (2) establish �a government that shall embody our ideals, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of independence and democracy---under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality and peace�. The Ideal Political System: �The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people, and all government authority emanates from them.� Consolidating Our Democracy As We Build Our Nation (1986-2008) It has been 22 years since the EDSA Revolt of 1986. As a nation what have we accomplished in all these years? Basically, to summarize, we: (1) Restored the old oligarchic, patron-client relationships between the rich politicians and political families and the people at large, many of whom are poor and vulnerable. (2) Responded to the high-cost of elections with �big money politics� amid mass poverty, thus vote-buying, �pork barrel� patronage, electoral fraud, and the corruption of elected and appointed officials. (3) Restored the old �crony-capitalism,� albeit we effected the deregulation of banking, transportation and communications, achieved a measure of development, and lately significant fiscal and tax reforms and the highest economic growth in several years (7.3% in GNP in 2007) since 1986. (4) Continued our traditional politics and political parties focused on personalities rather than on issues, policies, and reform, with political (family) dynasties dominating power in many places. (5) Restored the old, dysfunctional presidential form of government that is prone to gridlock, ineffective, and unaccountable for its corruption and failure in governance. (The President, Congress, and the political parties are not accountable to the people unlike in more mature democracies.) (6) Restored the colonial unitary structure of national-local government relations that concentrates political power and resources in the national government; hampering local governance and the prosperity of local communities by keeping them dependent on national government patronage and decisions. (7) Established the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and concluded a peace accord with the Moro National Liberation Front in 1996; but a just and lasting peace and accommodation of the legitimate aspirations of the Moro peoples, now led by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, has yet to be achieved. (8) Inherited the corrupted politics, political culture and bureaucracy and the weakened judiciary under the Marcos dictatorship: in the absence of adequate salaries and public accountability of officials, and of accountable political parties that assume responsibility for failure of governance. (9) Inherited the politicized military/police as a partner in civil governance, sharing in the exercise of political power. There were nine coup attempts to topple the Aquino administration and two mutinies (Oakwood and Peninsula Hotel) during the during Arroyo�s time. This tends to �militarize� the exercise of civilian authority and threaten human rights. Ideally, to be �politicized� should mean becoming a professional military/police subordinate to civilian authority, instead of being interventionist. (10) Encouraged a large and vibrant civil society some of whose NGOs have become highly politicized�a force for representation, change and reform, as well as for selfish interest and partisanship. The Black and White Movement of NGOs is actively seeking the ouster of the Arroyo presidency. (11) Having removed President Marcos in 1986 by people power, in 2001 we again employed people power to remove erring President Joseph Estrada immediately following his aborted impeachment trial by the Senate. This was our second extra-constitutional removal of a sitting president. Although legitimized by the Supreme Court and by public opinion expressed in the surveys, this act caused some political instability. (12) Restored the pre-martial law free press and media with a vengeance: as a force for democratization, public accountability and reform, and also for promoting the self interest of their practitioners, owners and political allies; like other institutions, some of their practitioners suffer from corruption and lack of responsibility and accountability. (13) Enlarged the political role of religion by the Catholic bishops, priests and nuns, and Christian evangelicals (Iglesia, El Shaddai, Jesus is Lord, etc.). Jaime Cardinal Sin led the civil society revolts at EDSA 1986 and EDSA 2001. (14) Continued with our dependency on foreign loans and aid rather than on more self-reliant development and resource mobilization. (15) Failed to put closure to the plunder and corruption and human rights violations and injustices of the Marcos regime and succeeding administrations. President Arroyo pardoned detained former President Estrada in a hurry after his conviction for plunder in a trial that took over six years�in the name of national reconciliation, or for political expediency. A �culture of impunity�: �Corruption, crime and lawlessness pay.� (16) Forced and encouraged the massive migration of Filipino workers and families all over the world, which has resulted in substantial foreign currency remittances, as well as heavy social costs to our migrants and their families. It is also expanding �the Global Filipino Nation,� some of whose concerned overseas Filipinos, including �dual citizens,� are seeking an active role in promoting reforms and good governance in the homeland. (17) We failed largely�despite some development and progress in 22 years�to solve our chronic problems of poverty, social inequality, corruption, unemployment, injustice, lawlessness, violence, Communist and Moro rebellions, inadequate public services, environmental degradation, rapid population growth, lack of revenues, low global competitiveness, etc. Our �Restored Democracy� Has Yet to Be Consolidated Twenty-two years after the 1986 EDSA Revolt we still have not consolidated our �restored democracy.� Our political institutions are still weak and unaccountable for their failure. They are vulnerable to corruption, lack transparency, and are resistant to change and reform. EARLY IN 1988 WE FACE A CRISIS IN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE. To her detractors Gloria Macapagal Arroyo�s presidency was tainted with illegitimacy since she succeeded President Estrada who was forced to resign through �people power� in 2001, after his aborted impeachment trial. This continued as the still popular Estrada was arrested, detained, and then tried for plunder and corruption. The taint of illegitimacy worsened in 2004 when she won a six-year term over the movie superstar Fernando Poe, Jr. and other rivals for the presidency. President Arroyo was hounded by allegations of fraud and misuse of public funds in the elections in 2004, and again in 2007. When audio tapes of wire-tapped conversations between an election commissioner and President Arroyo surfaced in 2005, she was asked to resign by former President Corazon Aquino, by ten Arroyo Cabinet members and high officials, and by Senate President Franklin Drilon. Then President Arroyo was successively held responsible by her critics: for the spate of extra-judicial killings and forced disappearances of militants, journalists, and leaders; for the reported rampant official corruption and buying of political support of political leaders; and for the alleged official cover-up of illegal and scandalous business deals, particularly the national broadband deal with the Chinese firm, ZTE. The latter deals were exposed by high-profile whistle-blowers and dramatically covered in the media and in the Senate as millions of people eagerly watched. Consequently, more and more people in civil society, religious organizations, and business, and especially in the schools and universities joined opposition politicians in Metro Manila and some provinces in demanding that the truth behind the allegations be uncovered and the guilty held accountable. The burgeoning ranks of critics escalated their demands for the removal or resignation of President Arroyo and members of her administration. So did the Communist Party of the Philippines . Significantly, several thousands of the youth, mostly students, joined the movement. Altogether, this was a good and welcome sign that many more citizens were fed up with, and demanding an end to �the old politics.� They wanted a �new politics� of responsibility, transparency and accountability to the sovereign people. On the other hand, President Arroyo enjoyed the support of the majority of the representatives and local government officials, including those in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, a few senators, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and some leaders in business, labor, religious organizations, and civil society. She benefited from the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines that urged the faithful to observe �communal action for truth, accountability and reform� and refrained from calling for her resignation. This position blunted somewhat the moral and numerical weight of many other religious figures and organizations calling for the President�s resignation. To her crucial advantage, the commanders of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the National Police expressed their solidarity in support of their commander-in-chief. They vowed that the military and the police would maintain law and order as the citizens held their protest rallies and demonstrations, that they would not intervene in the raging civil conflict, and that they would defend democracy and the Constitution. Their �unity walk� as opposition rallies intensified was well publicized. Alternative responses to the mounting political and moral crises Since 2001 we have tried �people power� revolts, impeachment of the president, military coup attempts, calls for a snap election or a �revolution� led by a civil-military junta, pressure to make the president resign; and in 2008 a call for a �moral revolution,� �communal action for truth, accountability and reform,� and �alternative people power.� Will changing President Arroyo now through mounting people power, or the election of another president in 2010, change our political system, our political culture, the quality of governance, and our quality of life as a people? By no means. Much more is needed. In fact, we need a combination of strategies to move us in the direction of our constitutional vision of the ideal society and good democratic governance. We need not only a change of leaders but also a thorough reform of our political, social and economic institutions, including Charter change. Specifically, changing our unitary-presidential system with a federal-parliamentary system; reforming our electoral system, our political party system, our judiciary, and our bureaucracy; liberalizing the restrictive provisions on foreign participation in our development, and instituting a bill of duties to complement our bill of rights. We need reforms and improvements over the long term. There are no panaceas and quick fixes, and no guarantees of success. And there are many chances of setbacks and failure. But with sustained and determined effort by all our leaders and citizens, and God�s grace, we can make progress. This is the story of many progressive countries. The Unending Task of Nation-Building To make our reforming and revitalizing institutions succeed, we also need to re-build our nation. We need continually to develop: (1) love of country, a deeper sense of nationhood, a stronger commitment to the common good and the national interest, spirituality, moral values, and modern ethical behavior; (2) competent, responsible and accountable leaders who have the political will to do what is necessary in terms of policies, decisions and reforms; (3) responsible citizens who are empowered economically, socially and politically as members of a growing middle class; and (4) a productive, competitive, and responsible private sector and an equitable economy. ***** wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �Why Only Now?� (Feb. 08, 2008) Hello Tony, On the Filipino Malaise - Rizal's singular reaction to the various schisms among Filipino expatriates in Europe should be the mould WE should follow to improve the effectivity of group movements - learn to acknowledge the ability and leadership qualities of one and unified/common understanding of the issues on the table. But looking at it the other way around, why did Rizal have this problem? Jun Lozada - I have tremendous admiration for Jun's courage to say "mea culpa" for his acts in his moments of weakness, and as much admiration for his courage in risking his life and possibly his family's in testifying about the mud in the ZTE deal. This admiration was somewhat diminished when I read in the papers that he turned in the Php500,000 only yesterday when that amount was received by his brother while he was still in Hong Kong. He came home Feb. 5, and yesterday was Feb. 18, two seeks before the money was "returned." What took it so long? Moral Regeneration - How morally equipped is JDV to lead a moral crusade? Edmundo Ledesma, (by email), Cainta, Rizal, Feb. 19, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I agree in what you wrote. For many years JDV allowed himself to be used and his silence bought by the executive branch instead of using Congress as an effective gatekeeper of peoples' money. .JDV transformed himself into a real sour grape. Dr. Nestor P. Baylan, (by email), New York City , Feb 25, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �Revolutionary Junta� (Feb. 29, 2008) Dear Tony and All, The only and best solution against government graft, human rights abuses or to replace a corrupt President with less inconvenience to the country is people empowerment in justice. For what I meant by this, please click HERE. Marlowe Camello, (by email), Homeland, CA, March 09, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, I am pleasantly surprised to hear from friends whom i admire and respect that what the country really needs is a Revolutionary Government. These guys are successful or accomplished professionals who have studied law, engineering, political economy, public administration and other post-graduate degrees. It seems that they have already done a comprehensive analysis of the political and economic situation and their conclusion is that the present constitutional system will never work for the Philippines . They say that the past 20 years have sadly shown that the Philippine-brand of democracy has not moved the country forward. Thus, extraordinary measures are needed to curb corruption and all the vested interests that adversely affect the public weal. My own personal position is for Constitutional Change that will reform the Government such as the shift to a Parliamentary system ( and later to Federal) and the professionalization of the Civil Service. I am also open to the French or Russian model of having a President and Prime Minister. Sure the tyrant Marcos had one before, but it was a Sham! Likewise, the New Constitution or amendments to the existing Charter should include the primordial role of Responsible Citizenship. The main reason why our country is badly governed is due to the lack or absence of a Vigilant Citizenry! What the Filipino people have done is Absentee Citizenship. We just allow the Government do what it wants and do it with IMPUNITY! The only time the Citizenry wakes up from slumber and demand for Transparency and Accountability is when a Crisis occurs, such as the ZTE NBN scandal! However, if the needed constitutional reforms are not done within the year, then by all means let us have a Revolutionary Government! Lastly, I completely agree that the Philippines Cannot be Compared to U.S. , U.K. , Australia and New Zealand because the latter are matured democracies. Thus, whatever leadership crises they had cannot be resolved in the same manner as in our country. Rick Ramos, (by email), Santa Rosa , Laguna, March 09, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, I have no objection whatsoever at having a revolutionary junta rule the country. In fact, I applauded CCA's declaration of a revolutionary government in 1986 but my enthusiasm gradually waned when Cory refused to exercise her revolutionary powers to dismantle the oppressive structures in our system of government. It would have been the best chance to reform our society since she was enormously popular at that time nationally and worldwide. If Cory and her men failed when the time was ripe, I don't see any reason why it should succeed now. There's just no one in the horizon with the personality to rule outside of the Constitution. My question is: who will compose the junta you envisage? At least, give some names so that we, yourm readers, will know if it is worth the risk having a junta. If the present crop of people leading the call for GMAs resignation will compose the junta, thanks but no thanks. I'd rather have GMA till 2010 or De Castro if GMA resigns or is impeached. I just cannot find anything admirable about these people. They're a bunch of hypocrites. I don't have any respect for people with selective sense of morality or righteousness. Ahmed Cortes, (by email), March 09, 2008 (Did you demand from Cory Aquino the names of those who would make up her revolutionary government? The nature of revolutionary governments is such that the names of those who will be members are not publicized ahead of time, partly because the choices have not yet been made, and partly because those who are identified prematurely would be subject to harassment/assassination by those who want to preserve the status quo. I agree with you that the trapos who are demanding GMA�s resignation are a bunch of hypocrites. There should be no trapos in any revolutionary government. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, You wrote:, In 2005, the Americans actually tried to overthrow President Arroyo and replace her with Joseph Estrada. But the plot, which included the �Hello Garci� tapes, bombed out. I take a contrary view. I think your source got it all wrong. Estrada's style of allowing government officials to be corrupt, starting with him, is quite contrary to US policy, and they know that he had not been and would not be a good President. They had not wanted him to win n the first place (remember the July 4, 1997 cocktail incident? One Embassy official told me that "99% of the Embassy staff would not have the US government support such a slob") (Chuck, in 1997, the neo-cons were not yet in power in Washington DC . They had to wait until George W. Bush was sworn in in January 2001. Besides, foreign policies are dictated by the honchos in Wash , not by career or junior diplomats in Manila ) But he won. However the US had been exasperated with him right afer the first month of his presidency. Certainly all of the US Embassy officials (and I think these are the people the State Department and the CIA would consult in case intervention was being planned) I had talked to then would not have anything to do with Estrada, not even as a result of the Garci tapes. You wrote, Military governments are by definition revolutionary governments since they operate without a constitution. China and Vietnam are one-party communist states that developed economically by re-embracing capitalism in 1979 and 1986, respectively. The Philippines is the only country in this part of the world that is trying to modernize itself under American-style liberal democracy, and by all accounts is doing poorly, compared to its neighbors. Many of us feel the same way. I had been active in the '70s and '80s dealing with Asian countries on mil-to-mil engagements, and all of them used to kid us privately with "your fascination with civilian supremacy", obviously not understanding the wherewithals of our system. American (or Western) -style liberal democracy has not done us much good, although I believe it can still work provided that we can find the leadership and the no-nonsense determination to follow the rule of law. But how do we get around to this? Why does New Zealand , a very safe country with virtually no criminality have the second highest occupancy of prisons (next to the United States ) in the world? In both countries, they happen to have a high batting average of court convictions. Their law enforcement agencies enforce the law. In the Philippines our batting average for criminal convictions is among the lowest in the world. Chuck Carlos L. Agustin, (by email), March 09, 2008 President, National Defense College of the Philippines wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr. Abaya, Ms. Remedios C. Paningbatan sould send a copy of her letter to all the newspapers. All her thoughts are just like mine and I believe most righteous people feel and think the same way. But in her question as to "what kind of school, teacher", did these corrupt, evil people have, should add as the number one question the kind of parents and grandparents who nurtured or failed to nurture them. These evil people are so weak that Satan easily entered their mind and whole being. I agree with a revolutionary junta which must be formed by people-selected President and Deans of major institution of higher education. Pura Flor Isleta, (by email), March 10, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww This forum is great and I would support a revolutionary government, but definitely not the military. They are 10 times more worst than the present administration. What does it mean, it�s a hopeless case I think unless one stop their individual greed first. Everybody want to change the Philippines , but are not willing to change themselves. I guess they are sick! Blood must pour out on the street to serve a real catalyst of change. Whose blood is it, that's the big question? Well start from those who advocate that they love the country, but robbed its chance to become truly one great nation by wholesale corruption. Our country's poor is increasing in spite of government spinning, why because there is no real genuine spirit unity for the country. If we don�t act now to start the change in us, who else is? Ernie Dellosa, (by email), Sto. Tomas, Batangas, March 10, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I know you meant well when you said a "Revolutionary Junta" should be the path to go when GMA leaves. Sorry, but I disagree. I opposed the Revolutionary Government of Cory before because there were just too many people to deal with and establish a consensus as to who will lead, etc. It's even worse now. I don�t think the left and right can work with each other. Imagine Joe Ma Sison and a representative of the mIlitary seating together. With the many diverse views, ideologies, etc., they will spend the time fighting each other and bringing our country further into chaos. (That�s why I have argued that communists and pro-communists should not be included in any revolutionary government. That was the major flaw in President Aquino�s revolutionary government, which was incredibly na�ve of her. ACA) I still feel the best scenario is ASSUMING GMA resign is to have De Castro take over as the next in succession and then hold general elections in 2010. IF GMA does not resign then we would just have to wait for 2010. I DONT think she will push CONCOM to extend her term because it would be disastrous for her and our country. And with today's sentiments, i dont think the military will agree to that. We need to have to make the process work and hold elections in 2010. De Castro will make a good transition president. (I have also written that VP de Castro be allowed to succeed PGMA if she resigns before 2010, which is highly unlikely. But she has not given up on amending the Constitution to allow her to remain in power beyond 2010. What do you propose if and when that happens? ACA) The middle class especially those who are not campaigning to oust GMA now should work hard to campaign for qualified candidates in their own locality. We cannot forever leave the decision to elect people to the whims of politicians. I know this is a long shot but there is no other alternative. Gerry Delgado, (by email), Changmai , Thailand , March 10, 2008 (You are living in a country which has had 19 military coups d�etat in 70 years. The military again ousted the politicians in September 2006 because of perceptions of corruption, and are still in power to this day. Have you told the Thai military to go back to their barracks? ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Warning about New Zealand Hi Tony, It's Pedro from Auckland , New Zealand . I have been meeting lots & lots of people from the Philippines coming here in NZ with Tourist Visa or Student Visa and they paid exorbitant amount of money to agent there in Manila with promise of a good life here in NZ. I really feel sorry for these people as most of them are well educated with good skills and yet they are being asked to pay huge amount of money just to get here. It will be a beneficial to all if the public is to be informed that a tourist visa or student visa here could not be given a legal job by employer as opposed to the promises of various scrupulous agents in Manila . I don't know how to disseminate this information to the Filipino public and I think you have your way....Awang awa po kami sa mga tao na dumarating dito with a false NZ dream!!! Regards, Pedro Cura, (by email), Auckland , New Zealand , March 11, 2008 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NOTE: Transmissions to yahoo.com and mydestiny.net addresses are sometimes blocked or delayed by the servers for one reason or other. If you are encountering these delays or blocking, we suggest that you move to a hotmail or a gmail address. To subscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. |