Out of sight, out of mind

Call Gloria anything you want, but as Emil Jurado would say, you can never question Gloria's work ethic. After Typhoon Juaning hit Bicol, there were complaints from Albay Governor Joey Salceda about how PAGASA failed to inform them that the typhoon would be passing through their province. This is less than a week after the yellow president praised the agency for their accurate predictions and forecasts.

Now many people are asking where the president was at the height of the typhoon. Of course, we can expect his mouthpieces to say that th president was monitoring the situation, but wouldn't it have be better if the president made himself visible during the storm?

I remember in years past, PGMA, even when a typhoon was pounding Manila, would be out of Malacanang, attending the NDCC meetings or checking out evacuation areas. This is clearly not the case with Penoy, who has been out of sight, out of mind. The most visible official i have seen so far last Friday was that noisy undersecretary of PAGASA.

At a time when the people need to see leadership, the president was clearly absent, choosing to delegate authority rather than take charge. It is surprising since the yellow president and his palace have been known to micromanage anything that has anything to do with his perceived arch-enemy, Gloria Arroyo, but doesn't want to involve itself with things like disaster management. Ika nga, out of sight, out of mind. In his July 29, 2011 column, Emil Jurado had this to say:

And where, oh where was DSWD head honcho Stinky Soliman? Up to now, Albay has yet to receive much-needed relief. If i know my fellow Bicolanos, I would not be surprised if Joey Salceda is a tad bit disillusioned with his President right now.

Now, if you still have doubts, you might want to check the clippings below and see how the present leadership compares to the past when it comes to work ethics.

That's leadership you won't get with Penoy. 30

Micromanaging

With too many problems facing the country that needs to be addressed, it is surprising why the president and his minions try to meddle into every little detail that should be the job of his cabinet secretaries. It is quite telling, though, why the Palace is so interested in the Amaptuan and Bedol brouhaha and everyone who has 25% of his brain working has already deduced that Bedol and Amaptuan will be used by the Palace in their Anti-Arroyo propaganda. Even the hospitalization of Ampatuan is being handled by the Palace, while people suffer from high oil prices and high commodity prices -- something that is equally, if not more important than the Palace's anti-Arroyo stance.

One wonders how the president could appear to be doing so much without doing anything at all. Yes, the media shows Penoy doing all sorts of activities, yet the supposed benefits of those activities never seem to trickle down to the most deprived segments of our society. I almost seems like there is no president at all.

Now we are seeing so many explosive revelations about alleged anomalies and election frauds, to which evidences are presented not in a court of law but in the media. It also seems that the government knows they have nothing solid against Arroyo and that they just want her to be tried in the media.

What the President needs to do is stop meddling in everything anti-Arroyo and concentrate on his campaign promises, many of which remain unfulfilled after a year in office. With the SONA just days away, I fear that Penoy will make many more promises without completing first the promises he made during the elections.

Perjury for Margie?

Margie Juico swore under oath in a Senate hearing regarding the PCSO donation to the Bishops that she was not the source of the claim that the Bishops bought Pajeros using donations from the charity office. Juico, who was questioned by Senator Jinggoy Estrada regarding the source of the term "Pajero Bishops" said she never said the word Pajero and blamed the media for taking her statements out of context.

Yet it was Margie Juico herself, in an interview on TV, who said to the effect that she is bothered by the fact that the money donated to the bishops could have been put to good use kesa pinambili lang ng Pajero.

Margie perjured herself and there must be consequences to this. In fact, many people are beginning to suspect that the Pajero issue cropped up in an attempt to "put the bishops in their proper place" and to shame Gloria Arroyo (killing two birds with one stone, so to speak).

She must be held responsible for committing an act so grievous that it placed the integrity of the Catholic Bishops and the Roman Catholic Church to question.

It was indeed a lucky break that Sen. Miriam Santiago did her homework, looking into the claim by the COA that the donations were unconstitutional. In her opening statement, she said that the COA's duty was to audit and questions on constitutionality should have been referred to the DOJ. She even asked why the Senate is wasting its time investigating something so petty, when she has it from a personal source that there is a bigger issue involving the PCSO amounting to billions of pesos.

In her blog, Sen. Santiago presented the following:

Statement at the public hearing on alleged PCSO anomalies

held by the blue ribbon committee on 13 July 2011

The Facts

It appears from the 2009 report by the Commission on Audit that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office charged to its Charity Fund the total amount ofP6.94 million for five utility vehicles granted to certain dioceses of the Catholic church.

On the face of each check, in so many words, the following explanation was typed: “Purchase of one unit 4 x 4 service vehicle to be used by the diocese in its various community and health programs.”

Each of the bishops involved used the PCSO grants to purchase the following utility vehicles: a secondhand ten-year-old Nissan Pathfinder pickup; a Mitsubishi Strada pickup; a Toyota Grandia Hi-Ace; a Mitsubishi Montero; and an Isuzu Crosswind.

The COA report said that this action was a violation of the constitutional provision that no public money should be appropriated, directly or indirectly, for the use of any church.

The Law

The Constitution contains at least three specific provisions concerning the relationship of church and state.

The first provision is found in Article 2, Declaration of Principles, which states in Section 6: “The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable.”

The second provision is found in Article 3, Bill of Rights, which states in Section 5: “No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

And the third provision is found in Article 6, the Legislative Department, which states in Section 29 paragraph 2: “No public money or property shall be appropriated, applied, paid, or employed, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, sectarian institution, or system of religion. . . .”

The Issue

The issue is whether the 2009 COA report is correct, in finding that the grant ofP6.49 million to certain dioceses of the Catholic church violates the Constitution.

I humbly submit that the COA report is wrong, and that there was no constitutional violation. Under the Constitution, the power of the COA is to audit government funds, not to settle questions of constitutional law. That power is granted only to the Supreme Court. COA should have recommended that the constitutional issue should be raised with the Department of Justice, which is the official legal adviser of the executive branch of the government.

Constitutional Analysis

Constitutional law consists, not only of the Constitution, but also of the cases decided by the Supreme Court on constitutional grounds. So far, the only case decided by the Supreme Court that has some bearing on the present issue is the 1937 case ofAglipay v. Ruiz.[1]

The post office issued postage stamps commemorating an international eucharistic congress of the Catholic church. The issue was whether the stamps used public money for religious purposes, thus violating the Constitution. The Supreme Court ruled that there was no violation:

It is obvious that while the issuance and sale of the stamps in question may be said to be inseparably linked with an event of a religious character, the resulting propaganda, if any, received by the Roman Catholic Church, was not the aim and purpose of the Government. We are of the opinion that the Government should not be embarrassed in its activities simply because of incidental results, more or less religious in character, if the purpose had in view is one which could legitimately be undertaken by appropriate legislation. The main purpose should not be frustrated by its subordination to mere incidental results not contemplated. (Emphasis added.)

Thus, the test is the basic purpose, and not the mere incidental result, of the use of public funds. The basic purpose of the grant of public funds is clearly stated on the face of the checks themselves: “purchase of service vehicles to be used by the diocese in its various community and health programs.” If there is any benefit to the bishop and the diocese, it is merely incidental.

The Threefold Test:

Purpose, Effect, Entanglement

The provision in our Bill of Rights consists of two clauses:

• The Establishment Clause, prohibiting Congress from establishing a state religion; and

• The Free Exercise Clause, denying to Congress the power to prohibit the free exercise of religion.

Under the Establishment Clause, the general guide is the concept of “neutrality.” This means that government should act to achieve only goals which are secular, meaning goals which are worldly; as distinguished from goals which are spiritual. Government should achieve secular goals in a religiously neutral manner.

To determine what is a religiously neutral act, the U.S. Supreme Court has adopted a threefold test called purpose, effect, entanglement. To determine whether a law that is religiously neutral on its face violates the Establishment Clause, the Court will consider three factors, which I shall now apply to the pending PCSO case:

1. Does the law have a secular purpose?

Answer: Yes, because the PCSO law (R.A. No. 1169, as amended) authorizes the PCSO “to engage in health and welfare-related investments, programs, projects, and activities,” by itself or in collaboration with others.

2. Does the law have the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion?

Answer: No, the PCSO law does not even mention religion.

3. Does the law create an excessive entanglement between government and religion?

Answer: No, as I shall now explain.

The threefold test was laid down in the 1971 case of Lemon v. Kurtzman[2]decided by the US Supreme Court. It is not binding, but it is authoritative in our jurisdiction. In Lemon, the Court said that in determining whether a law involves excessive entanglement between government and religion, we must conduct the following analysis:

1. Consider the nature of the institution that received the benefit from the government.

2. Consider the nature of the aid that the government gave to the bishops.

3. Consider the resulting relationship between the government and the bishops.

The donations pass the threefold legal test under jurisprudence. However, during the hearing, PCSO management apparently admitted that it has not given similar donations to any other religion. If so, then PCSO management appears to be giving preference to the Catholic religion, and that would be a violation of the Establishment Clause.

Repeal the PCSO Charter

As chair of the Senate committee on revision of laws, I shall call a public hearing this August on a new PCSO charter, as well as a new Pagcor charter. Both the PCSO and Pagcor funds constitute the President’s Social Fund, which has served as a black budget, meaning a budget insulated from public scrutiny, confined to the dark and insulated from sunshine, sneaked through the back door instead of undergoing the open process of congressional budgetary authorization.

Under existing law, PCSO generates revenues from the sale of sweepstakes and lotto tickets. The resulting revenues are allocated, as follows:

• 55% to the Prize Fund

• 30% to the Charity Fund

• 15% to the Operating Fund

The Charity Fund and the Operating Fund – or in other words, 45% of the revenues – are allocated by the PCSO Board, apparently with the approval of the President. According to the 2008 COA report, the total deposits to the bank’s current account for the three Funds were in the aggregate amount of P7.603 BILLION.

To give to the PCSO Board the power to allocate the galactic sum of P7.603 BILLION A YEAR is to excavate a yawning democratic deficit. The present situation is feudal and contrary to best international practice. The best practice is the one-fund concept, under which all government revenues are remitted to the Treasury, and disbursed only as authorized by Congress. There should be no President’s Social Fund, because the entire government budget is already his budget. This is why we call it the President’s Budget.

The new law will repeal not only the PCSO charter, but also all the various republic acts that seek to allocate certain PCSO funds to alphabet-soup national programs. The new law will limit the PCSO Board only to the function of regulating and supervising sweepstakes and lotto operations.

The entire revenues for the year will be remitted to the national treasury. Only the President and Congress will prioritize and allocate the fund, except that 5% of the lotto earnings shall be given to local government units, and only 10% shall be allocated for administrative expenses. The PCSO bureaucracy shall be slashed, their allowances and privileges abolished, and the public relations budget removed.

And while this process of building on the ashes takes place, I respectfully move that this blue ribbon committee should immediately recommend to the Ombudsman the criminal prosecution of all PCSO officials responsible for depositing in 2009 with a private commercial bank the sum of P1.548 BILLION without the prior approval of the Department of Finance, as required under DOF Order No. 27-05.

By the process of lateral thinking, I respectfully move to investigate the source of the false report about the so-called “Pajero bishops,” when it turns out that no Pajeros were involved. Who is this maleficent twisted genius? Was this media spin designed to cover up the crime of depositing without authorization in a private bank the sum of P1.548 BILLION? Was this media spin further designed to call public attention away from the annual sum of some P 7.6 BILLION made available to the sticky fingers of the PCSO Board?

Like the wanton world-class theft of public funds and conspicuous consumption generated by the road user’s tax, the PCSO anomaly is bodaciously corrupt. Keep the bishops out of it. #

—–

[1] 64 Phil. 206 (1937).

[2] 403 US 602 (1971).

Miriam's presentation was quite revealing, to say the least.

The best part of the hearing was when Juico' plans backfired, and people were shocked with the revelation that the PCSO donations to the Bishops was blown out of proportion by Juico and the present board, with Juico being booed by the audience during the hearing.

Now that the truth has been revealed, it is time Margie Juico faced justice for wasting the Senate's and the peoples' time and money in a wild-goose chase that now appears to be a smoke screen for an even bigger scandal -- a scandal which might put Juico in a bad light, perhaps?

The ball is now in the Seante's court. They should find Margie Juico guilty of perjury if only to send a message to others that the Senate will not be used to destroy other people's credibility.

Aha!

In his show on DZBB last week, Arnold Clavio shared this blind item.

Sino itong mataas na opisyal na opisyal ng gobyerno na niregaluhan ng isang negosyante ng BMW X6M na tinest drive nga niya sa kanyang bahay/opisina?

Clavio, while giving out clues, and with Mike Enriquez joining in the guessing, received a text message from Malacanang via Ed Lacirda saying that they deny that the President bought a BMW X6M, to which Clavio replied:

Oo nga. hindi nga bumili. Bigay nga eh.

---

It is funny how Malacanang became so defensive about this issue. Guilty ba?

The Yellow Fever symptom of paranoia

Paranoid. That is the best word to describe the current government. Everywhre they look, they see Gloria plotting against them. And with good reason, since they did the same to Gloria when she was president. They know full well that now that Penoy is in power, they are at the receiving end of what they used to do to the past administration.

Penoy's paranoia stems from the fact that he has done nothing in his one year in office, and now that the SONA is drawing near, he has to do something to make the people think that he is. And so, he uses his secret weapon: Blame Gloria.

Blaming Gloria is this administration's favorite past time, but i contend that Penoy could take a page from Gloria's book. Ask anyone who worked for Malacanang during Gloria's term and they will tell you that Gloria is a workaholic -- something Penoy will never be accused of.

Let FPJ Rest

Here comes Susan Roces and her daughter again, demanding justice for FPJ who they claim was robbed of the presidency. This comes in the wake of Lintang Bedol's statements that there was indeed cheating in the national elections in Mindanao in 2004.

Here is a person who says something unsubstantiated yet immediately believed by people who want so much to believe that their camp won the elections. Totoo nga, sa Pilipnas, walang natatalo, lahat dinadaya. I pity these people whose egos are so big as to believe that they alone have the monopoly on honesty and deserving of the peoples' trust. I pity FPJ whose soul cannot rest because the people he left behind are still holding him back by not letting things go.

Col. Mariano's Message: "It is our right to replace the government"

In a video being circulated on the worldwide web, the deputy commander for naval reserves, Col. Generoso Mariano, called on the people to stop believing the lies being fed to us (by the government about the economy. Generoso is being supported by the Solidarity For Sovereignty (S4S).

Meanwhile, the S4S denounced the statements claimed by Col. Ariel Querubin that Col. Mariano's video was fake. The S4S said:

Kami po, ang SOLIDARITY 4 SOVEREIGNTY (S4S) ang nagpalabas ng video tape na ito. Kami po ang unang naglabas ng pangungurakot ni Gloria. Kahit ang kanyang pagka-imoral sa mga relasyon ay inilabas namin. Nagkampanya po kami sa buong bansa upang ilantad ang kanyang katiwalian at imoralidad. Kami rin po ang unang una nag-file sa Kongreso ng kasong impeachment kay Gloria ngunit kahit isang Kongresista ay walang nagendorso. Kasama po kami sa lahat ng mga pagkilos laban kay Gloria. Ano ang dahilan bakit ngayon ito inilabas? May mga nagsasabi na bigyan ng pagkakataon si Noynoy sapagkat isang taon pa lang. Bakit masyado tayong mapagbigay sa pinuno ngunit hindi naaawa sa kapwa Pilipinong nagdurusa araw-araw, sa mga nagugutom, sa mga hindi nakakaeskwela, sa mga walang trabaho, sa mga namamatay dahil sa sakit at walang gamot, sa mga biktima ng karahasan at krimen, atbp. Ilang libo pa ang mamamatay habang binibigyan natin ng dagdag na panahon si Noynoy na ipakita ang kanyang kakayanan. Milyun-milyon na ang naghihirap. Dapat sa unang araw pa lang ng pagupo ni Noynoy kung siya at talagang handa, dapat nagutos na siya sa kanyang mga tauhan na sagutin ang mga problemang ito. Kung hindi pala siya handa at hindi niya kaya, hindi dapat siya tumakbo. Sa pagbibigay sa kanya ng dagdag na palugit, lumalabas "trial and error" o "hit and miss" lang ang kanyang liderato. Husto ba ito o makatarungan sa mamamayang Pilipino? Hindi! Nagtatamasa na siya ng katakut-takot na kapangyarihan, ngunit hindi niya ito magamit kaagad-agad para sa nakararami na naghihirap? Maawa naman po tayo sa ating sambayanan. Mukhang pinaglalaruan lang tayong lahat.

Ayon kay Ariel Querubin hindi totoo ang video tape. Sumakay na naman sa isyu. Maliwanag na sinabi ni Col. Mariano sa Ch 5 na 33 taon na siyang nakipagtagisan sa kamatayan at hanggang ngayon buhay pa siya. Hindi niya tatalikuran itong deklarasyon niya, paninindigan niya ito. Ngunit tulad ng fake na awards ni Ariel na nilakad niya kay Erap ayon sa kanyang mga kasamahan - ang gold cross, medal of valor (hindi siya ang lumaban, batalyon ng Bikolanong si Col. Asidao ang nakipagencuentro) at pagpatay sa isang kumander daw (ang napatay ay ang "muse" na kinidnap hindi kumander) gusto na naman niyang magpasikat. Dapat respetuhin na lang niya si Col. Mariano, huwag na niyang pilitin na tabunan ito. Alam niyang bayani sa mata ng mga makabayang tao si Col. Generoso Mariano.

Ang mga sumusunod na "land mines" ay dapat nalutas na ni Noynoy. Ito ay ang unconstitutionality ng May 10 elections, ang "aspergers disorder" na kapansanan n Noynoy, ang pagkawala ng direksyon ng pamahalaan, ang hindi mapigtas na pagtaas ng mga presyo ng bilihin, isang taon na hindi pa nakukulong si Gloria, ang nagbabantang takeover ng coalition government pinangungunahan ng kaliwa, ang isyu sa Spratlys at RH Bill. Dito nakabase ang mga aksyon o hakbang ng S4S.

S4S, 7.19.11

Col. Mariano is currently being investigated by the Armed Forces because of his controversial video.

It is sad when people like Col. Mariano risk everything to air their sentiments, while some quarters who support the Yellow President simply dismiss it as a "propaganda". The many criticisms hounding this administration come from all factions of society, but still the Palace is suffering under the delusion that these criticisms are merely works of his enemies and not the true sentiments of the people. The people running this government are no longer in touch with the true sentiments of the people. They live in their protective bubble, happily test-driving Porsches and BMWs, attending concerts, going out on dates while the people go hungry. It is no different from Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burned.

The government should look at Mariano's video as a wake-up call that there is indeed a problem, but they refuse to do so, wanting so much to believe that everything is alright in their quit little world. They will never accept their faults, nor accept that they too are human and capable of being blinded by their own biases. Having observed politics in out little nation for nearly a decade, i fear that Mariano is not the last Filipino who will call for a rejection of this do-nothing government.

Let no one say that the president has not been warned. It will be his own fault when he wakes up ousted one day.

The Hands-Off Presidency

Since Penoy became president, he has not shown any inclination to be a hands-on, can-do president. In fact, to this day, he continues to be a fence-sitter president, not having a proper or firm stand on anything (except for that wang-wang thing).

In the heat of the August 23 hostage fiasco, he was nowhere to be seen, later justifying his absence as not wanting to micromanage the situation. His hands-off attitude ended up with the death of many Hong Kong tourists. (Later on, it was found out that Penoy and Mayor Lim were having a delicious dinner at Emerald Restaurant along Roxas Blvd. at the time of the crisis).

In his campaign speech prior to the elections last year, he promised that he would support the Reproductive Health Bill. When he assumed the presidency, his stand became less clear, not wanting to be seen as pro- or anti- RH. (His wishy-washy stand is beginning to irritate some civil society leaders who supported his campaign primarily because of his promise to support the RH Bill).

Now, when there are calls for Ferdinand Marcos to be finally buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, he shows his hands-off attitude by passing the decision to VP Binay. Penoy fails to realize that whatever Binay decides, he would still have to approve, which makes me wonder how he's going to a squirm out of that predicament.

Yes, we have a president with no hair and no balls, who doesn't even have the chutzpah to make definitive decisions. We have a president who doesn't want to make controversial decisions because he enjoys being popular and loved. What we have is a hands-off president who can't be bothered with details.

God save the Philippines from this creature.

EDSA 1: The Bogus Revolution

There is once again much fanfare about the commemoraiton of the 1986 EDSA revolt which catapulted Cory Aquino into power and sending the nation into another dark chapter of history known as the First Aquino Regime.

Many stories and articles have been written about how the EDSA revolt heralded the dawning of freedom and democracy after 20 years of darkness under the Marcos dictatorship. Much of what have been written were written by authors wearing yellow-tinted glasses. After all, hisotry is written by the victors, and boy, were they victorious! (I say "they" because "we", the people, never really won anything substantial in EDSA 1). Many will argue that we won back our freedom. Wake up. We did not win our freedom back simply because we never lost our freedom. Freedom is in each and every one of us, regardless of whether the current leadership is a tyrant or a dictator. It cannot be taken away by anyone by force. However, it takes real courage to exercise that freedom in times of tyranny and oppression. What we won back in 1986 was not our freedom but the COURAGE to exercise that freedom.

What many fail to realize is that when we ousted the Marcos dictatorship, a new form of dictatorship immediately took over. After Marcos left, the power-hungry backers of Cory Aquino quickly went into overdirve. What could have been a true era for the Philippine became nothing more than a sham which continues to fool the people of the Philippines to this day.

For the record, Cory never should have opted for sequestration. Sequestration has the effect of permanently removing from the debtor any liability to pay any of the debts accumulated up to the date of sequestration. Once discharged from bankruptcy (usually after 3 years) they can benefit from a fresh start entirely free of debt (source: http://www.insolvencyhelpline.co.uk) . That is the reason why so many of the cronies of Marcos continue to enjoy the good life. As for the few good businesses left by Marcos, these were taken over by the Aquino government, whichr eulsted in mismanagement. The other assets of the Marcoses recovered abroad were sold cheaply instead of being utilized by the government. Those that were not sold were left to rot, so to speak.

After the so-called revolution, those who supported Cory and her presidency were rewarded with juicy posts (much like the present Aquino Regime). Meralco was given back to the Lopezes without much opposition, plus other assets and businesses of the Lopezes and other oligarchs who went into exile after martial law was declared. As a result, the so-called free media, led by ABS-CBN, is beholden to the Aquinos, paving the way for Kris, who has no talent in acting

whatsoever, to become one of the network's "top stars". Even Cory's own son Noynoy was allegedly involved in in juicy contracts for the placement of security guards in various government establishments under his BSA Security & Investigation Agency.

So what really was the difference between the Marcos Regime and the first Aquino Regime? Nothing. Sure, the old posts now have new faces, but they still function the same. Those close to the President enjoy the benefits that come with it. In fact, the Cory appointees and OICs

continue to enjoy power and privilege up to this day.

What happened in 1986 was not a revolution but a changing of the guards, so to speak. Nothing really changed. The term crony was removed, but those close to the Aquinos still enjoy the privileges of being a crony, minus the title, of course.

EDSA 1 was an exercise in futility. It was an event, to be sure, much like the much talked about love-a-palooza every Valentines Day, nothing more. EDSA 1 was a bogus revolution, and we were duped into believing that we were ousting a dictator, when in fact we were just replacing the old crooks with new ones. Out with the old, in with the new, ika nga.

Fast forward to yesterday: The second Aquino regime ordered all government offices to display EDSA 1-themed decors to "commemorate" the 1986 event. What the Palace fails to realize is that you don't need decorations to remind people of the importance of the event. When people no longer remember EDSA 1, it is because no one believes in its significance anymore.

On the Reyes Suicide

Many have written on the circumstances surrounding Angelo Reyes' suicide, and many lament the fact that Angelo Reyes, with his death, lost the opportunity to prove his innocence. Such statement takes me aback, since I have been brought up thinking that one is presumed innocent until proven guilty through due process of law.

I decry the fact that Angelo Reyes has been presumed (rightly or wrongly) guilty without having been given the chance to defend himself in the proper forum. He has been stripped of his dignity before the probing eyes of the nation without being given the chance to defend himself.

For the record, Reyes was called to the Senate as a resource person on the investigation being conducted on the plea-bargain agreement between Carlos Garcia and the Government. He was not the focus of the investigation "in aid of legislation". Yet he was put on the spot and made the focus of the investigation -- an investigation which hurled unfounded accusations against his person and his honor, affecting not just him but his family.

He was disgraced even before he was tried, an suffering irreversible disgrace, he sought the only available option left to him. For me, what he did was total liberation from the clutches of the vultures in elected office.

Statement of the Reyes Children

(source: newinfo.inquirer.net)

For the past few years, many different people have spoken and written about our father, Angelo T. Reyes, in newspapers, television, radio and public gatherings. Unfortunately, some of these accounts have been grossly inaccurate, terribly unfair and downright vicious. We suppose that's part of the price a public servant has to pay. But it pains us greatly that a good and kind-hearted man like our Papa can be maligned so casually.

Allow us to set the record straight on the real Angie Reyes:

He was a dedicated soldier for 39 years, putting God and Country above self, but not once did he forget to call his wife and children every single day--whenever and wherever he was assigned in the country or the world.

He was known to demand the best from his subordinates, striving for excellence in any endeavor, but would find contentment in eating corned beef, monggo and sardines.

He was an outstanding alumnus of Harvard University and the Asian Institute of Management but could easily strike up a sincere conversation even with the lowest ranking soldier, policeman, or barangay tanod.

He was the nemesis of kidnappers, drug dealers, smugglers, and terrorists but was helpless as his granddaughter put lipstick on him.

He was a four-star general, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the conqueror of Camp Abubakr, but not once had he thought twice about kissing and embracing his wife and sons in public.

He was instrumental in EDSA 2 where he had to withdraw support from President Estrada for the higher interest of the nation but was man enough to go to Malacañang and face the beleaguered president to perform his final duty.

He was a political appointee but never participated in unproductive political bickering. He had never spoken ill of anyone in public--not even those who openly or secretly attacked him.

He was one of the busiest and hardest-working Cabinet members but always found time to visit his 95-year-old mother almost everyday and would take her out to dinner on weekends when she was still alive.

To us, his children, he was and will forever be, our idol--and no amount of ridiculous rumors, intrigues and accusations from the ignorant, the envious, and those who have nothing better to do than to cowardly criticize him, will ever change that.

Bogie, Jett, Marc, Carlo and Judd Reyes

Angelo Reyes and the Kangaroo 'Court'

I feel for the family of the late General Angelo Reyes. Angelo, and to some extent his family, has been portrayed unfairly by the Senate and the media. He was a victim of a vindictive Senator who cannot get over the fact that their stay in Malacañang was short lived.

I say Angelo Reyes was a victim because even without the benefit of a fair and just trial, he was put on the spot by the Senate whose sole purpose for conducting investigations are supposed to be in aid of legislation. The Senate has no prosecutorial power, but it has the power to destroy a person, his reputation and his dignity.

What transpired in the Senate the past two weeks was not an investigation but a lynching. Angelo Reyes was lured to the lion's den under the guise of being a resource person in the investigation of the plea bargain agreement between the government and General Carlos Garcia. Instead, he became the focus of the investigation, with Jinggoy Estrada presenting no less than Reyes' kumpadre standing as a "witness" against him. What baffles my mind is why no one in the committee bothered to point out that the focus of the investigation has deviated from its original purpose.

With media playing the witting accomplice, Reyes' dignity was shred to pieces before the eyes of the nation and the world. He became the instant kontrabida in the unfolding real-life telenovela, without having been given the right to defend himself. In the words of Mr. Oakwood, "No, no, no. You have no reputation to protect". What an arrogant little prick Mr. Oakwood is.

The senate investigation, for all intents and purposes, violated the basic rights of Angelo Reyes under the Bill of Rights of the Constitution, to wit:

Section 14. (1) No person shall be held to answer for a criminal offense without due process of law.

(2) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved, and shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself and counsel, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to have a speedy, impartial, and public trial, to meet the witnesses face to face, and to have compulsory process to secure the attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence in his behalf. However, after arraignment, trial may proceed notwithstanding the absence of the accused: Provided, that he has been duly notified and his failure to appear is unjustifiable.

Sadly, our very own Senate, using the power of investigation in aid of legislation as its personal tool of vendetta, acted as judge, jury, and in the end, executioner. The senate, particularly Jinggoy Estrada and Mister Oakwood Trillanes, have the blood of Angelo Reyes on their hands. They used and abused their powers as senators to get even with the man that is Angie Reyes.

To those who believe in their heart of hearts that Angelo Reyes is guilty of the accusations hurled against him, I tell you that guilty or not, he should have been given his day in court, a real court, and not the kangaroo court that many of our fellow citizens watched lustily in their idiot boxes within the safety of their homes, not realizing that with the deprivation of Angelo Reyes' rights (which the viewers in their hearts allowed), they have signed their own death warrants, for in truth, if a man like Angelo Reyes can be deprived of his basic rights as guaranteed under the constitution, then the same can be done to them as well.

The only consolation is that he died with the presumption of innocence, albeit a paltry one, compared to his life. And to those who still managed to cheer upon hearing of his death, cheer while you can, for when it is your turn at the receiving end of injustice, I hope that you will then realize the importance of your rights.

Criminals unafraid of cops

It clearly seems that criminal elements no longer fear the police. The spate of crime, including carnappings, carjackings and yes, even bikejackings, is a clear indication that criminals, not the police, have the upper hand.

This is exactly what i was afraid of. When yellow president Penoy divided the work of the DILG Secretary so that his BFF Puno could hava a piece, he unwittingly weakened the DILG and the PNP. Puno, who knows nothing about running the PNP, was given control over it by presidente Penoy, while the more qualified Robredo was sidelined.

The president doesn't seem to care that crime is on the rise. His reason big boy toy, a Porsche, seems to be his only concern nowadays. It's funny when you watch the nightly news and see

Penoy buying expensive cars, attending fiestas, and being late for his first cabinet meeting of the year. I don't know about him, but being president isn't about only the fun stuff.

I have some acquaintances who are afraid to leave their homes now. If they take the MRT, they fear they will get mugged. If they drive their own car, they are afraid it would be carnapped or worse, carjacked. These fears are valid, since the police has been less that efficient since this administration took over.

So here's an appeal to that tenant in the Palace: Dump the car. Focus on the real issue. It's not the noisy minority. It's the lack of authority that makes criminal elements bold. When criminals see that the president and his men aren't competent, they know they've already won.

Curses! Foiled Again!

Wily Coyote vs. the Road Runner

If life were a cartoon show, I'd be laughing my ass off. The clever plot of the wily coyote to capture the dastardly road runner backfired for the nth time. This is how I tend to look at the plot of the present administration to push it's Truth Commission geared towards Penoy's imagined arch-nemesis, Gloria Arroyo. Sadly, life isn't a cartoon, and the infantile efforts of Penoy and his legal team to push the Truth Commission down Juan dela Cruz's throat isn't funny anymore.

Penoy is living the life of her mother all over again, copying everything she has done -- so logically, if Cory had Marcos, Penoy must have a Gloria. In a press conference the other night, i heard the Yellow Leader say in essence that the Truth Commission was meant to put some sort of closure on a "dark chapter" of our history (naks! feeling superhero si gago!) And guess what? I'm not the only one who thinks the same thing (well, not so much the gago part). Bobby Tiglao wrote the same thing in his column in the Inquirer yesterday! Yan ang tunay na Hindi ka nagiisa.

Psycho?

Penoy's actions remind me of the movie Psycho (with a pinoy touch), with Penoy playing Norman Bates. I could actually picture Penoy sitting in the presidential chair, wearing a curly wig and yellow duster, looking out the window of Malacanang. I can see him obsessing over La Gloria, while his alter-ego (the mother) tells him he must destroy the woman. The pinoy touch is that every plot he hatches backfires...

Curses, Foiled Again!

The Palace's recent setback, the EO No. 1 fiasco, has shown Penoy spiraling on the very brink of insanity when he implied that his allies will begin impeachment proceedings versus the current Chief Justice. One can simply surmise that this is because the First Brat did not get his way again. Good for us that none of his allies are biting (at least for now).

Even the Senate is playing it cool and not jumping into the issue like rabid attacks dogs of their master -- and with good reason. They know what would happen if all branches of government start warring with each other. I guess this is why many were surprised when Penoy went on the offensive again, hurling accusations and insinuations against the High Court. My God, is he that stupid to realize that he setting his yellow zombies up for a people power vs. the SC?

King of Lala Land

Penoy is living in a Quixotic delusion, a dream world of sorts. He thinks that he is a revolutionary president, having recently just toppled the past administration. He thinks that he is king of the Filipinos, and that his word is law. He thinks that Executive Orders are actually Royal declarations, where the king's orders must be carried out forcefully and without delay. He lives in a fantasy where he is adored by each and every one of his constituents, and that those who dare go against him are agents of evil. Someone really has to douse him with cold water and wake him from this dream.

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Glorietta 2 blast revisited

I was shocked to read this morning in gmanews.tv that the Palace wants the Glorietta 2 incident re-investigated (by the Truth Commission, no less). The news item said that the Palace hinted that the investigation was "whitewashed". Apparently, the Palace stooges are experts in whitewashing investigation results.

Why, oh why, would the GMA administration cover-up the truth if it indeed was a bomb that caused the explosion? Wouldn't it be favorable to the then Gloria administration to claim it was a bomb rather than a gas leak? It could have been a good reason for her administration to crack down on her critics, but they did not do that.

But I think I know the reason behind this so-called "re-investigation". The Ayalas, who own Glorietta 2, are liable and subject to lawsuits for the explosion if it had been a gas leak, and they wouldn't want that to happen. Hey! They supported Penoy's campaign, so why can't they just have it re-investigated by their "boy" Penoy and have the new results "tweaked" to show that it was really a bomb and not a gas leak? I mean, the Palace go-boys have proven their skill in tweaking investigation reports.

I see no logic in the need for the past administration to cover up what happened in Glorietta 2... But hey, it's Penoy's Truth Commission, and they've been given a blank check.

Whitewash

For the life of me, i cannot understand why Usec. Rico Puno, of all people, would be spared from any responsibility for the botched hostage rescue attempt last August 23 which killed 8 Hong Kong nationals. Penoy himself made it clear that he assigned Puno to the DILG specifically to handle the Philippine National Police. What does Puno have on Penoy to make the President bow to this low-life scum?

But hey, it's Penoy's funeral. Somehow, former National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales' statement that Penoy is on a self-destruct mode seems to hold water. Even some of my firends who are staunch supporters of Penoy are starting to question his decision to spare his BFF from prosecution, despite the result of the IIRC investigation.

Why in hell did Penoy even create the IIRC when he knew from the start that he will have the last say on the matter? He only made a fool of Laila De Lima who performed an exemplary job, only to be sidelined in the end.

What we are seeing from the Palkace is a clear sign of a whitewash. The Palace has no intention of finding out the truth but is more itnerested in saving the Presidential friends from taking responsibility.

What a sham.

Damaso

The catholic hierarchy today said that Celdran was jailed not because he exercised his right to free speech but because he "committed a sin against the church". First off, in my humble opinion, having such a law as Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code is in itself a violation of one's basic human rights.

Art. 133. Offending the religious feelings. — The penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period shall be imposed upon anyone who, in a place devoted to religious worship or during the celebration of any religious ceremony shall perform acts notoriously offensive to the feelings of the faithful. source: www.chanrobles.com

In a nutshell, Article 133 means that the Church or any religious organization can have you imprisoned if they feel you performed an act offensive to the "faithful", but not vice versa.

In the United Staes Bill of Rights, it says:

Amendment I-- Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Freedom of Expression must include being able to express one's feelings inside the church. If the church pulpit can be used to demonize, accuse without evidence and lambast the government (like what they did during GMA's administration), then i say with conviction that it is also the right of every catholic to speak out against its church and its hierarchy INSIDE that church.

Remember history, my friends. Many of these old churches, including the Manila Cathedral, were built by our fellow Filipinos, some working for free in exchange for what the Frailes call "salvation". It is the people, the Filipino people under the oppressive Spanish regime who built these churches, not the bishops, not the priests and not the Pope. It is our Church, and if priests can call a person evil using the pulpit, then we, the people, can certainly use this church built by our forefathers' blood, sweat and tears to call the church hierarchy whatever we want.

What is good for the gander should be good for the goose. The church cannot have double-standards and say "we can speak against anyone inside the church but the people cannot". This goes against the teachings of Christ where He is the Head and we, the people, The church, is the body. Christ never mentioned anything about Popes, Bishops, Cardinals and excommunication.

Then, of course, there is that argument made by Carlos Celdran which I agree with -- the Church cannot, according to our Constitution, involve itself in matters of State, to wit:

ARTICLE II

DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES AND STATE POLICIES

Section 6. The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable.

I commend Carlos Celdran for having the balls to speak out against the Catholic Church, a taboo though it may be to some, but judging from the reactions of many people in the world wide web, I'm sure many share Carlos' sentiments about the separation of Church and State.

Celdran: Bagong Bayani

Dressed as Jose Rizal, Manila's famous tour guide Carlos Celdran walked into the Manila Cathedral, went to the altar, raised a sign that says DAMASO (in reference to Jose Rizal's antagonist in Noli me Tangere) and shouted "Stop meddling in politics!". Now that's what I call guts. For all the hot air and bluster I've been hearing from the Palace about supporting the Reproductive Health Bill, what Celdran did was a breath of fresh air. Celdran was later arrested and charged with violation of Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code.

What the priests and bishops failed to realize that they played right into Celdran's hands. This is exactly why he was garbed as Jose Rizal. What the church demonstrated when they had Celdran arrested was that they were in fact the modern day Damasos ordering the arrest of a modern day Rizal and putting him behind bars. But what Celdran did was merely an exercise in freedom of expression, something the church cannot fully understand since it is anchored in dogma written in the middle ages.

If the church continues with its threats against the government's plan to push for Reproductive Health, then we are seeing the end of days of the church's holier-than-thou meddling in politics and I would not be the least bit surprised if activists replicate this action by Celdran. Let's see if the church can take a dose of civil disobedience.

As for Celdran, I say stay strong. We are behind you 100%.