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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| Republic of FUBAR By Antonio C. Abaya Written March 21, 2006 For the Standard Today, March 23 issue In my article A TIMEly Story (Feb. 28), I had written that �the TIMEly story raises some questions about the efforts to overthrow President Arroyo, to which I have no answers at present: Are we seeing two parallel and independent efforts�.? �One led by Erap, (Boy) Morales and the Reaffirmist (Joma) faction of the communist movement, and supported by some of the Magdalo warriors (who were also prominent in the Oakwood Mutiny of July 2003)?� To which must be added the Solidarity �transition council� of Morales, chaired by Renato de Villa, into which Joma Sison has apparently been inserted, compelling de Villa to announce that he would resign from it if Sison were included in the council. For their own self-serving reasons, Panfilo Lacson and Evangelist Eddie Villanueva have issued statements abjuring membership in this council.. �The other led by Cojuangco-Saycon, the Rejectionist (Popoy) faction of the communist movement, and supported by some Rangers, some Marines and some PNP units, as well as some Catholic bishops, some businessmen, the neo-cons in Washington DC, and some middle-class organizations and individuals?� To which must be added the fact that the two communist lawyers who showed up at Fort Bonifacio on Feb. 26, to choreograph a mini-EDSA, are identified with Sanlakas, the main formation of the Popoy faction of the communist movement, with which Cojuangco�s and Saycon�s Council of Philippine Affairs (COPA) has been allied since 2002. Based on information that have surfaced recently in media (but discounted for self-serving denials), the answer seems to be Yes, Virginia, two groups are trying to unseat President Arroyo, independently of each other and even competing with each other. One month after my TIMEly Story came out, the investigative newsmagazine Newsbreak (March 27 issue) published a story titled �Romancing the Military� with more or less the same conclusion, namely, that two different groups, each one supported by a different faction of the military as well as by a different faction of the communist movement, are trying to overthrow President Arroyo. The main difference between Newsbreak�s and my analysis is their conclusion that a) the two diverse groups are coordinated by a Command Center; and b) they will be united in the post-Arroyo era in an unnamed transition council. These conclusions are evident in an organizational chart on pages 20-21 of that Newsbreak issue. But the author does not offer any evidence to support his/her conclusions. My own interpretation is that these two divergent groups do not have a command center coordinating their moves � only, at most, ad-hoc committees spying on each other - and will not likely unite in a transition council after Arroyo is overthrown. These two main groups, and the sub-groups in each, are motivated purely by a) a burning hatred for Gloria Arroyo; and b) an overwhelming drive to seize state power for themselves. They are actually operating with diametrically opposed goals, temporarily united against their common enemy, Arroyo. But once that immediate objective of overthrowing her is achieved, they will be quarrelling with, and even killing, each other with the same passion that they now display towards her. The truism that a Revolution devours its own children applies here, except that this is not even a Revolution (except for the communists), only a mad scramble for power. Picture this. The businessmen and middle-class organizations and individuals in Group A, allied with the Rejectionist faction of the communist movement, do not want to see a communist dictatorship installed, only an improved Jeffersonian democracy. But the Rejectionists want to install a communist dictatorship. Their quarrel with the Reaffirmist faction is over strategy: Joma�s Maoist strategy of waging revolution in the countryside is precisely what the Rejectionists rejected, in favor of insurrection in the cities similar to the strategy of the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. To that end, the Rejectionists have since 1992 concentrated on politicizing the urban squatters and industrial proletariat in preparation for their anticipated urban insurrection. Now how will the na�ve businessmen and the even more na�ve perfumed do-gooders from the gated communities react when their Rejectionist allies blow the whistle for the urban insurrection to start and the proles climb over their factories� and their exclusive subdivisions� walls? Picture this. The disgraced President Erap (in Group B) does not want to see a Maoist dictatorship installed either. He just wants to be restored to the presidency � even for only three days, as the deal apparently was with the Oakwood mutineers in 2003 � so that he can clear his name of the plunder charges pending against him. The predatory trapos allied with him do not want a Maoist dictatorship either. They just want to be in power again so that they can feed again on the abundant swill at the stinking trough of Philippine politics. But their Reaffirmist allies, led by Joma Sison himself, want to install a Maoist dictatorship. He has been waiting for this moment since 1964, for chrissakes. Do these predatory trapos really think that Joma will give them the time of day when it is no longer useful or advantageous or necessary for him to do so? And picture the trans-species hatred that overfloweth between Group A and Group B. The perfumed do-gooders from the gated communities � including Tita Cory, the Hyatt 10 and the Black and White Movement � despise Erap and his predatory trapos. Both the Rejectionist and Reaffirmist factions of the communist movement despise the exploiting businessmen and will likely line them up against the wall at their first opportunity. But most of all, the Rejectionists and the Reaffirmists hate each other to the point of actually killing each other. The Rejectionists� top leaders, Popoy Lagman and Rolly Kintanar, were assassinated in 2003-04, almost certainly on orders of Josef Ma. Stalin, who does not abide challenges to his leadership.. It is not impossible that some of the 100 or so Reaffirmist militants killed in the past two years, including last week, were assassinated by Rejectionists in revenge killings. So how can these two quarrelling Groups, each with its own set of prepaid mercenaries and brimming with mutual hatred, possibly agree on a �Command Center� and, even less likely, on a common post-Arroyo �Transition Council�? If, on the slimmest possibility, the improbable happens and these endlessly quarrelling, inherently incompatible, power-mad machos were to take over, the Philippine Republic would become the FUBAR Republic: F**ked Up Beyond All Recognition. ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in www.tapatt.org. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �Republic of FUBAR� Sir ABAYA: WHOAAA! This one blows my mind. Very enlightening revelations behind the scenes that every true democracy-loving Pinoy must know. Sir ABAYA, how did you come to know all these? Were you an insider before or was this just a fruit of careful and patient research? Either way, what you are doing is the true and patriotic way of preserving our freedom and democracy. More power and I pray, together with the other millions of Pinoys out there, who still can distinguish right from wrong, left from right or left and right (what ever), that "May God Bless and Protect You" from "forces of the dark side". I'm not a journalist but my common sense tells me, it should be more dangerous to cross path with people who are less accountable with their selfish acts than crossing the government. Ador Ramoso, [email protected] Atlanta, Georgia, March 23, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony ---- I thought the Philippines had already reached the FUBAR stage--- is there more to go??????? You are far better reading than Newsbreak or in fact any of the other journalists, for that matter. Keep up the good work, mate. John Craige, [email protected] Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 24, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I read the FUBAR. I know naman where your article is leading, and you want GMA to stay. When us use the terms " power-mad machos" and " an overwhelming drive to seize state power for themselves" for the adversaries of your president, I could sense of your partiality with GMA. Fine. No problem. However Mr. Abaya, I will stick to what I have written to you in the past. Was it GMA on the Garci tapes or not? TAPOS. Just try answer that sir. Kung hinde eh di hinde... Kung yes, face the music squarely. Mike Delgado, [email protected] March 24, 2006 MY REPLY. I suggest you read my articles on the Garci tapes, all archived in this website. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I hate to say this, but no matter who take over our country, it will not prosper, as long as all these politicians have a personal agenda. Why can they just help each other and hope that our country will move forward. Always remember that two hands are better than one. Nora Valenzuela, [email protected] March 24, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Indeed, a FUBAR Republic: F**ked Up Beyond All Recognition, Mr. Abaya. But I have some questions. Your analysis is very succinct. But I don't think the contending forces in the Philippines are autonomous from their international connections or lack thereof. How about America and the three million Filipinos in America? Or if there are eight million of us in the Diaspora, the other five million dispersed all over the world. What would they be doing in case either one of the two factions has become ascendant or they start killing each other? Don't you think America will send its battleships to "guard and protect" American interests by ringing the Philippine coasts with their battleships? And Phantom Jets and B52's flying sortie after sortie over the azure Philippine skies? It is possible that even now American groups, such as the International Republican Institute, are conjuring scenarios about the Philippines. How about the MILF and the MNLF and Jemaah Islamiyah and Al Qaeda? A strong government, this is what we need. And a Government of National Reconciliation. Cesar Torres, [email protected] March 24, 2006 MY REPLY. Forget about the US ringing the Philippines with its battleships. For one thing, all its battleships have been mothballed or sold for scrap. The same with its Phantom jets and B-52 bombers. Where have you been all these years? Seriously, the US will not do anything militarily to intervene in our political problems. We are not that important to them. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, If your assessment is correct, then maybe GMA was right after all, when she claimed that God was on her side. That scenario makes it easier for GMA to get rid of her enemies once and for all. The internecine warfare between the Rejectionists and the Reaffirmists is certainly a boon to to GMA. All her counter-insurgency experts would do is to fan the fires of mutual hatred between the two warring groups by sowing intrigues and cloak and dagger methods, so that they would annihilate each other. As for the naive burgis, the sanctimonious clergy, the trapos, the mercenary military factions, the misguided businessmen, the do-gooders, the perfumed set, who are also blinded by abysmal greed, unbridled ambition and delusions of grandeur, getting killed in the crossfire would serve them right. They have been warned not to play with fire. As for Amnesty International, what can I say ? They are fast on the draw when the military does the killing, but has an eerie silence when the Left commits the atrocity, as shown by the killing of their own comrades( Operation Ahos, Kadena de Amor). Why the bias ? Could you offer some explanations? Thank you. Auggie Surtida, [email protected] Tigbauan, Iloilo, March 24, 2006 MY REPLY. Amnesty International is a liberal organization. That means that it is sensitive to violations of human rights committed by conservative and rightist elements, but not to those committed by liberal and leftist ones. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Sir, In light of your Fubar Republic column, who do you think is more guilty of the murder of quite a number of RA members of mass organizations? The other communist faction or the state security force? What is your comment about Mr. Bong Austero's "Open Letter to Our Leaders"? John Ponsaran, [email protected] March 24, 2006 MY REPLY. As I stated in that column, I would say that some of the Reaffirmists who have been killed in the past two years were killed by Rejectionists in revenge killings. Others no doubt were killed by military death squads. As to who have killed more, I do not have any information on that. Re Bong Austero�s letter, it expresses the feelings of many in the middle class who have no sympathy for either the trapos or the communists. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr Abaya, I would like to congratulate you for continuously writing about these people who would like to take over the government for their own vested interest. I hardly read the papers because they are all biased. I just read your emails. This just shows that they don�t love their country and the people. I'm sick and tired of them. I just pray for them. Anything bad will not succeed. De Arlene, [email protected] UP Diliman, March 24, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, A+ for you on that one. 100% correct analysis. I will go one step further. It�s not that we're tired of people power. It�s not that we can't do it again. It�s not that her administration is not corrupt enough. The situation is that the Class A and B crowd are not going to support a bunch of hyenas that we have just thrown out previously. To get the A and B populace to support overthrowing GMA, there HAS TO BE a viable alternative. That means a name. In each People Power revolution there has been a name to rally behind. In the first one, it was Cory. Eddie lasted his term. In the next, it was GMA. And right now, there is none. There is no name to rally behind. The hyenas are so jealous of each other that NEITHER of the two groups are even ready to throw forward a name to rally behind. If either of those two groups were to throw out a name, it will self-destruct. Getting BOTH groups to agree on a name? Absolutely impossible. Peter Capotosto, [email protected] March 24, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Your article will surely make GMA gloat with glee. This will re-affirm her belief that she is God's gift to the Philippines. Bombing Moll, [email protected] March 24, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Sir Tony, Thank you for the article. It confirmed my gut feel about Prof Nemenzo. I really appreciate you, Mr. Max Soliven and Mr. Emil Jurado who write your columns with a sense of history and healthy respect for our country's democratic heritage. More power to you. Angie Diaz, [email protected] March 24, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Copy furnished) Ruben in Norway: "When will we ever learn?" Adelbert Batica, our Frente Amplio expert in Minnesota: "Well, if we're looking at the Vietnamese model of engaging the U.S. in a protracted war that eventually wore the gringos out...believe me, and I do hate to be pessimistic - as a general rule, we as a nation and as people - don't have the same staying power as the Vietnamese." And I keep on harping and harping and harping ad nauseam on Friedman: Afghanistan and Lebanon were also FUBAR because the trapos and the warriors in those failed states did not have enough intelligence to compromise with each other, no semblance of oneness in the national interest, so that they, the INSIDERS, could make a fist and shake that clinched fist at the OUTSIDER-FOREIGNERS and tell them to "F..CK IT and GET OUT OF OUR FACES!!!! I don't think these OUTSIDER-FOREIGNERS could FUBAR Singapore, or Thailand, or Malaysia or Taiwan. Ruben, those in the Philippines never learn. All they are interested in is power and what power can do for them. Mr. Batica, remember that when the Vietnamese were dying by the thousands and thousands thousands, the People's Republic of China, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics were helping them not only with quotations from Marx and Chu Teh and Engels and Mao but with other things. And practically all good people in America and the world were asking the ruling class in America to stop that senseless war. They were right. Even McNamara, one of the architects of that war told the world that it was wrong. Of course, he made money from his book of contrition. Now, conjure the scenario in Perlas ng Silangan. You two do not need another witch to help you stir the brew so that you can discern the outlines of the future in the 7,107 islands and its 79 million people which includes 8 million Muslims, and 8 million of us in Diaspora trying to provide for our love ones in Bangsa Kasuko-an if those TRAPOS and the warriors of the Left and Right cannot think beyond their passions for power. Cesar Torres, [email protected] March 24, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Thank you, Tony, for this insightful, well-written piece. And thank you for sending me your columns. I don't know how [email protected] ever got in your list, but I am enjoying it. I did get into your Tapatt website, and I learned that you are an ADMU co-alumnus, batch 56, right? I am cc'ing some of my batch 66 mates above with this post. I agree totally with your analysis. What to do? I understand very well the frustration of those trying to foment a revolution (from the left and from the right) to change the status quo. However, as you indicated, there is no assurance that once successful, their revolution will change the country for the better. I suspect that you, like me, would like to institute changes by working from within the rotten "democractic" framework. What is needed i s a revolutionary movement arising from the masses that would sweep good, honest, sincere leaders into the top leadership positions of the government like a tidal wave. The frustration is there, the demand for change is there. What we need is a spark to put all these together. To start with, we need a leader. A movement without a leader goes nowhere. I have thought of Dick Gordon as that possible leader. We can approach him, and talk about this. The only problem is: will he be able to transcend his class and circle of friends to rise above and be the savior of the Philippines? With his wife in Congress, and various family members in control of Olongapo, he might turn out to be another traditional politician once in power, dynasty building. If he does want to be this leader, his "change in men" slogan can be the nucleus of a revolutionary ideology, and later, a framework of a platform of government. We need to catch the revolutionary spirit already in the air. "Carpe diem", or "carpete diem", as the Latin saying goes. Fred Montenegro, [email protected] March 24, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww No se puede FUBAR este cigarrillo. Ang galing mo talaga...and I mean it. Would that there were a hundred of you with the same quality of mind and objectives. The Philippines would once again - as in 1935 - be the innocent eager-to-learn idealists they were and should be. Tony Joaquin, anthony [email protected] Daly City, California, March 24, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya: The two groups you describe are now clearly engaged in a separate struggle to topple Arroyo and her administration. On the very remote possibility that one or both will succeed, in all likelihood these two groups would still go for each other's throats. For it is in the nature of a struggle for power that one group has to eliminate the other in order for it stay in power and thus be able to grab the spoils. Given the present political situation, a logical question that needs to be asked is: What are the chances of a "Republic of FUBAR? I say that anything is possible under the Philippine political sun. The situation is that fluid. Mar Patalinjug, [email protected] Yonkers, New York, March 25, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hello Tony, I am not sure whether this will actually reach you or get bottled up by one of your staff. Anyway, I am passing on to you this piece because I believe that you, Gico and I are on the same side of the fence. There might be some bits and pieces that you two can share and help coagulate a workable plan of action to alleviate the plight of our country. More power to both of you. Dodi Canete, [email protected] Davao City, March 27, 2006 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Gico Dayanghirang <[email protected]> To: ADOLFO CANETE <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, March 27, 2006 3:37:57 PM Subject: Re: Republic of FUBAR Dods, Tony Abaya is correct. As I've pointed out in my earlier email to you, Erap's remaining followers and the CPP have joined together. For certain, they're going to turn against each should they succeed in unseating GMA. These two groups are diametrically opposed. Erap's remaining followers are trapos and opportunists and are no different from the leeches that surround GMA now. The CPP of course are communists who wish to rule as the vanguard of society following the Leninist model. They've recently criticize their former patron China for turning capitalist. The Black and White movement is joined together by the Makati Business Club, Hyatt 10, Jesus is Lord, El Shaddai and Iglesia ni Kristo. Jesus is Lord is more vocal while El Shaddai and Iglesia ni Kristo are merely providing silent but no less significant support. Prominent personalities like Cory also belong to this group. FVR is acting on his own but is in constant touch with this group more than the others. Tony Abaya has failed to mention another significant group which is the Laban ng Masa. They actually have the most numbers during demonstrations. The Laban ng Masa is a coalition of social democrats that includes former U.P. Chancellor Dodong Nemenzo, U.P professor Randy David and Akbayan party list representatives Risa Hontiveros-Baraquiel, Mayong Aguha and Etta Rosales. This group and the Black and White et al are now coming together. I hope they do soon. The military rebels are split among these groups. The RAM is allied with Erap's remaining followers. Magdalo and YOU are more inclined to support the social democrats. There are other smaller groups such as the Kawal ng Mamayang Pilipino who are willing to support any group that is able to take the initiative. These are the loose cannons who are responsible for all these assassination plots. YOU in particular is opposed to violence. It is trying to caution everyone about the use of force. This is why they merely wanted to march unarmed with the demonstrators last 25 February. Peping Cojuangco and Boy Saycon are opportunists and are merely riding on the various groups opposing GMA. They're are acting as power brokers hoping to share in the spoils later. This is why they advertised their involvement to make their mark. Nabuko. Buti nga. Dapat sa dalawang ito ipakulong ni GMA at itapong and susi. Gico Dayanghirang, Davao City wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Reactions to �Tony in Foreign Media� PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL AROYO WON THE ELECTION. PLEASE LET HER FINISH HER TERM. THE CHANGE MUST BE IN THE HEART OF EVERY FILIPINO. CORRUPTION IS IN THE PHIL. SINCE PANAHON PA NG KASTILA AND IT IS ALREADY CANCER of the SOCIETY. MAY GOD PLEASE BLESS AND HELP OUR COUNTRY THE PHILIPPINES. IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN. Myrna Mateo, [email protected] March 26, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya: Congratulations! Your proposed extra-constitutional provisional government certainly deserves serious study. Even if your proposal fails to materialize, you deserve credit for the very serious thought you are giving to finding solutions to the malaise which now afflicts the country. Mar Patalinjug, [email protected] Yonkers, New York, March 26, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwww Kudos... now the thousands of OFWs in Italy and the Arab regions will enjoy reading your incisive articles. Rudy Ordonez, [email protected] March 26, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, This is where I disagree with you. It all sounds so wishful thinking and so na�ve, if you'll pardon an amateur saying so. Once you deviate from the rules of the constitution, we will be left at the mercy of those who are in power and those that will grab it so easily after that from them. And when all things get messy, the military will take over. This is what happened after EDSA 1 and 2 where members in the military thought it could be easy come easy go. But since there was a semblance of legality in both cases, there were those who were brave enough to stand by the new governments. I have just come back from a business trip in Myanmar. My second visit there in two years. Its not pretty. I wouldn't want the Philippines to be another Myanmar. Lilit Cuisia, [email protected] March 26, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr. Abaya, I usually agree with you, but not here. I can only foresee more trouble with this proposal. As I see it, the economy is doing well enough--look at the exchange rate and the stock market. Ethel, [email protected] March 26, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony: Thank you for your email. I have read with great interest your article on the above subject. In essence you have recommended that a "Provisional Philippine Government" be set up in place of the current incumbent in the hope that all different factions of Philippine society will place themselves under the guiding umbrella of protection of the provisional government. I respectfully disagree with this venue. It is illegal from the very beginning. The result is highly speculative. It could result in a fight for power of each interested faction to take a stronghold of the power of government. It will cause more hardship to the entire country. I strongly believe that the best approach to solve the social chaos in the Philippines is to put the private sector in the driver seat of justice through the creation of the Grand Jury and Trial Jury systems by the Initiative Process and it is a perfectly legal move. It will give the people, specially the poor, the greatest opportunity to protect their interest in justice. By the nature under our democratic society, sovereign majority rule belongs to the people in the private sector because they compose the far greater sovereign majority of Philippine society. Kindly peruse my amplified reasons for this suggestion in the web site below: http://anticorruption.homestead.com/LameDuckDemocracy.html Marlowe Camello, [email protected] Homeland, California, March 27, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Sir ABAYA: This piece caught me by surprise, if this is true. Yet, if this is true and it really is your sentiment as the "only solution" to bring order to the Pinoy Nation's current bewildered way of life, I give you the benefit of the doubt that you have other inside information that made you conclude that way. On the other hand, all your other analysis regarding different groups (of various orientations) intentions to grab that "wheelchair" of power by any means possible (which I and I suspect the silent majority also believes), seems contrary to this "solution" statement. First, with the currently boiling tempers and with the Pinoy mentality "one for you, two for me", a peaceful, extra-constitutional change of government or a formation of a provisional one for that matter, is not feasible. If it's not feasible, it's not a solution. If it's not a solution, don't add it to the confusion. But considering "all things possible under the sun", just for argument, what happens to "each one of these groups ready to kill each other" in the wink of an eye scenario? Besides, we had a couple of these so-called extra-constitutional solution ways before, still nothing better offered to the people. Next time, the only difference I can see is more greed, more iron hand and more anti-democratic steps to be applied to attain their objectives. And before that happens, do you think the present administration is just going to hand over the seat in a silver platter after what they have gone through and still hurdling at this very moment? I'd say to them, "forget about it". I agree this government is corrupt, but whose was not anyway? Who didn't cheat in any election and who will not anymore? In my own humble opinion, the best solution is to stay on the peaceful road of democracy and try to remodel the house along the way until we get there. I mean, educate the people more, use the power of election, reform electoral procedures, charter change, encourage watchdogs and so forth. But for "God's" sake, no shortcuts anymore please....otherwise, then I must say, the Pinoy Nation is definitely on a head on collision to becoming a full pledged "FUBAR REPUBLIC" and Filipino shall be called "FUBARIAN". My goodness, I don't want to greet you "MABUHAY FUBARIAN TONY"? Do you? Ador Ramoso, [email protected] Atlanta Georgia, March 27, 2006 P.S. Please don't mention Abat's name again in any of your future talks, you loose points by doing that. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Reaction to �Revolutionary Governments� (March 19, 2006) Sir, You wrote: "Under existing Philippine laws, it is neither a crime nor a misdemeanor to belong, or to have belonged, to any communist organization, or to believe that Communism is the most ideal form of socio-economic-political order." But in this country, those accused of being communists or sympathizers of communists are harassed, abducted and killed. Mong Palatino, [email protected] March 28, 2006 MY REPLY. That�s because they insist on waging armed revolution against the state, or actively support those who do. Those who choose to play at revolution should not complain when they are singed by counter-revolution. Revolution is not a picnic. As in physics, for every action, there is a reaction. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Larry Henares� favorite columnist Mr Abaya, You are, of course, aware that Mr Larry Henares is paying you the supreme compliment of broadcasting your column over DWRB business radio. The latest column of yours that Mr Henares read was "Uncle Dick, Lolo Abat and Ate Glo". Ethel, [email protected] March 12, 2006 MY REPLY. About a dozen people, including Larry himself, have told me so. No problem. I�m actually flattered. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Not his favorite columnist We are obviously not on the same page here. MY FIRST COMMENT: Some of them may be naive. But you would be naive yourself to think that any such alliance would ultimately result in the communists taking over this country. Everyone in that alliance obviously plan to drop each other as soon as Gloria's out. Which means the cute communists would never really suc ceed in going mainstream. It would never happen. The people would never support it. Which means your painting of a Maoist Philippines is really more abstract than realistic.... YOUR REPLY. Henry Kissinger once remarked that in very Catholic Poland only four percent of the population were communist or pro-communist, yet they wound up taking full control of the country. Was Kissinger na�ve, too? MY SECOND COMMENT: 1. No, I dont' think Kissinger was naive. But that situation was a different milieu. A world war just ended. The Soviets WANTED Poland to be run by communists. For their own reasons, the Allies capitulated. The communist minority was able to run Catholic Poland because they had the Soviet Army to back them. Not so here. Again, it would be naive to think the communists can ever take over the Philippines. 2. Which really makes me wonder why you're pushing the idea, since you've implied, by comparison to Kissinger, that you're NOT naive. Hmmmm...what would a lingering communist threat justify�. YOUR REPLY: Please reread what I wrote. Kissinger was NOT na�ve. Neither am I. MY COMMENT NOW: Enough with the Communist bogey. It�s not going to happen. The Philippines is not Poland, the milieu is different, there�s no Soviet army around to execute you and me. Fernando Lapongga, [email protected] March 22, 2006 MY REPLY. There was no Soviet Army in Cuba in 1959. There was no Soviet Army in Nicaragua in 1979. There must have been those who said �It�s not going to happen.� The lucky ones are those who have made it to Miami. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (The following was emailed to us, author unknown.) All I Really Need to Know, I Learned in Philippine Politics By Anonymous Undated ROBERT FULGHUM learned most of what he really needed to know about how to live and what to do and how to be - in kindergarten. Mine, in Philippine politics. Most of these, just recently: 1. During elections, the lesser evil isn't really the best choice. It's still evil. 2. Voting is a right. Getting counted is a privilege. 3. Calling an election official is not illegal. Wiretapping that call is. The first, a mere "lapse in judgment;" the second, a criminal act. 4. Philippine politics is not Mission Impossible. In the movie, the tape self-destructs in five seconds. In this country, the (Garci) tapes didn't just dodge deliberate destruction. It spawned several versions. 5. When caught cheating, deny. Then, lie. Saying sorry is the last option. But never ever admit to doing anything. The formula worked for the president, it could work for anyone. 6. You cannot have a thinking president and a thinking vice president at the same time. One has to be mentally-inferior and less experienced to achieve equilibrium. 7. It is easier to oust someone who's male and powerful than somebody who's female and extremely lucky. 8. To err is not just human. It's presidential. To forgive may be divine, but utterly stupid. 9. The pork barrel per s� is not evil or corrupt. Lawmakers are. 10. It takes two to tango but all of two Houses to Cha-Cha. 11. Critical collaboration is the stance taken by oppositionists otherwise known as "appointees-in-waiting." 12. Coup plotters always come in three types: the plain adventurist, the genuine reformist, and the former senator. 13. People who were ousted by previous people power revolts should not be at the forefront of another people power attempt. Else, it would miserably fail. 14. Seditious journalism does not guarantee high readership. A police raid does. 15. You want to become a newspaper editor, forget about taking a course in communications. Join the Philippine National Police instead, and strive to be its chief. 16. When anti-riot cops bodily carry you off a rather peaceful rally against your will (as in the case of party-list Rep. Rissa Hontiveros-Baraquel), that's not an arrest. That's to safeguard you from harm. 17. When children of deposed leaders [e.g. Imee Marcos or Jinggoy Estrada] insist that the current occupants of Malaca�ang are either thieves or crooks, believe them. They've been there. 18. If you're a journalist and you wrote something deemed offensive by a politician, they call it "libel." When a lawmaker says something defamatory against anyone, they call it "privileged speech." 19. The State of the Nation Address is when the country's most prominent and influential liars come together to listen to the country's most powerful liar tell lies. Worse, they tend to believe one another. 20. When in UP, they are referred to as "hard-line activists." In Mendiola, they are "hardcore militants." In Congress, they are "party-list representatives." Simply put, there are NO Communists in this country. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |