War and Lip Service

"Just like America."

This statement bests describe the administration of Aling Gloria as she tries to project that her government is also a power-that-be. Mantakin niyong mag-utos ang ale na: "I have specified a timeline -- three years -- to end armed rebellion in the Philippines.” Galeng di ba? As if ang choppers ng AFP ay di bumabagsak pag inaabutan ng hangin. As if ang ulo ng mga marines ay ulo lang ng teddy bear na kinatay ni Biboy. As if kaya nga talaga. Hanep, di ba?

Dagdag pa: We too will fight back and repel the incursions of insurgency and terrorism. We will not stop until the bandits find no more nook to hide in the land they have blighted and no sanctuary to seek from the people they have terrorized and used as shields.

Galing! Paano na nga ba nakuha ang pari na na-kidnap a few weeks ago? May nakakaalala pa ba?

Sabagay, ever since naman, trying hard copycat ang Pinas at ang ale. At the brink of collapse, Bush declared war against Afghanistan and Iraq kaya natalo si Kerry. Sabi nga sa film ni Jackie Chan na Rush Hour 3, war freak ang mga kano at parang di sila kano kung walang giyera. So Gloria tried to copy that. Ang problema, mukhang di swak ang script sa totoong mga pangyayari. Ano ang ibabala sa mga baril ng mga sundalo, laway? O gagawa na naman kayo ng excuse para dagdagan ang budgetary allotment sa AFP? At budgetary allotment din sa intelligence funds? Hmmmnnnn.....

One time, nahuli si Tikboy ng prof niya na nangongopya during exams. Even then, di ito pinahiya ng prof. Nang i-release ang result ng exams, negative ang resulta ni Tikboy so he asked his prof why. Sagot ng prof: Mangongopya ka na nga lang mali pa? So dahil dalawang beses ka nagpalpak, negative ang binigay ko sa iyo.

Similarly, nangongopya na nga si Aling Gloria, mali pa ang kinokopya. Ba't di na lang tularan ang Switzerland? O kaya ang mga free country sa iba't ibang lupalop ng mundo? Ang Japan? Sila, walang masyadong focus sa giyera. Focus nila, paano pagsilbihan ang mga constituents nila at ma-satisfy ang gusto ng mga ito. Similarly, if Gloria will focus on social welfare and poverty alleviation, nobody will be thinking of fighting for food and joining the terrorist for the sake of income. And nobody will go to the streets and shout their grievances. Di ba malinaw ang kasabihang "Don't talk when your mouth is full"? Ibig sabihin, kung busog ang mga tao, nobody will cry foul and nobody will want her ouster.

Piracy traffic and Jakie's Rush Hour 3

One sad news: Jacky Chan's 'Rush Hour 3' performs poorly in Hongkong
Another sad news: Piracy devoured Chan's movies.

Even in the Philippines, the streets are crowding with clear and not-so-clear copies of Rush Hour 3. Paano naman po, ang mahal ng sine ngayon. Nag-evolve na sana ang mga tao from radio drama and comics to movies pero eto, ang mahal na rin ng sine. Swerte ni Tikboy dahil ang kapitbahay niya ay nagyayabang na pamangkin ng isang miyembro ng VRB (now Optical Media Board) raiding team kaya hayun, laging may supply. At ang buong barangay, happy-happy ang buhay. Libreng DVD (pronounced as "deebeedee" sa may kanto ng Quiapo at sa may Divisoria) disk na pirated, me kasama pang DVD player na pirated din. Galing daw yun Hongkong. Tseng-wawa kasi ang brand.

Pero teka, ba't ganun? From VRB tapos me pirated DVD and VCD disks? Kala ko ba sinisira nila ng lahat ng makumpiska? Tulad nung magagarang sasakyan sa may Subic na sabi winasak ng wala ng makina? Ba't ang magagandang kopya nasasalin sa kamay ng iba? Kasama siyempre ang kay Francine Prieto na pelikula. Kuya Edu, bakit nga ba?

Ewan. Basta ang alam ko, somebody named Kautilya once said: Just as it is impossible not to taste a bit of honey that passes through one's tongue so it is impossible not to taste a bit of money that passes through one's hands. Siyempre kasama na dun ang deebeedee. And this simply means super serious ang gobyerno ni Aling Gloria sa paglansag ng piracy with Edu on the front. Kaso nga lang, to err is human kaya ang ilang duling sa VRB nalalagpasan na sirain ang ilang magagandang kopya.

Pero seryoso, kahit patawa ang Rush Hour 3 ni Jackie, me message dun na patama kay Bush at sa mga kaalyado nito -- ang mensahe ng taxi cab driver (Yvan Attal as George) sa France na sobrang war freak ang mga Kano at ang kaya lang ng mga ito ay ang mga maliliit na bansa tulad ng Iraq, Afghanistan, at iba pa. Kaya nga sabi ng driver ayaw niyang maging Kano. Pero di dun nagtapos, later inambisyon niya na maging American Spy dahil gusto niya ring pumatay ng tao for free.

But who will notice Attal's words? Tumagos kaya ito sa puso at utak ni Aling Gloria? Mukhang Hindi, no? Kasi sabi niya: We won't back down versus the Abu Sayyaf. Galing, di ba? Pero ba't Abu Sayyaf lang? Ang laban against piracy, nag-back down na ba? Kasi ang kapitbahay ni Tikboy nagpapahiram na naman ng The Bourne Ultimatum.

Pagkatapos mo Tikboy, pasa mo sakin ah?

More responsibilities but lesser resources for LGUs

In its recent decision, the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that the local government units have the primary responsibility over flood control and management in their respective jurisdiction, including areas in private subdivisions.

The decision stemmed from the case filed by a group of homeowners whose subdivision became a catch basin of the water from the Naga River in Paranaque. Now, they are asking the subdivision developer, Filinvest, to address the problem or "upgrade the elevation of the affected areas and repair the units, or transfer them to flood-free housing projects and “sell-back” their affected units."

But while it is true that based on the Local Government Code the LGUs have the responsibility to address such flood-related problems, it is a very big lie to say that they have the capability to do so. Bakit kamo? Kasi hanggang ngayon, di pa rin settled ng isyu sa internal revenue allotments (IRA) ng mga LGUs. Karamihan sa mga LGUs, baon sa utang dahil hindi pa released ang mga IRA nila.

Second, karamihan din sa mga LGUs, ang liit-liit ng IRA dahil sa in-equitable distribution nito. May mga munisipyo na nabubuhay sa 7 million pesos lang na annual budget as opposed sa kung ilang milyong pork barrel ng mga congressman natin as well as sa bilyones na pork barrel ni GMA. How is that, then?

Buti ang Quezon City at Makati City dahil malaki ang tax base. Kahit di n sila umasa sa IRA, puwede silang mabuhay. Ang problema nga lang, mas malaki ang IRA ng QC at Makati (na malaki ang local income) as compared sa halos walang local income na mga munisipyo at mga probinsiya. And now, the Local Government Code is expecting much from these low-or-almost-no-income LGUs?

Baka puwedeng pag-isipan din, Senator Pimentel, lalo na ang IRA-sharing. This will also answer your proposal to delimit the conversion of municipalities into cities. Karamihan kasi gustong maging cities para lumaki ang share ng IRA.

At baka puwedeng pag-isipan din, Gng. Gloria. If you are aware, lubog sa utang ang karamihang LGUs natin dahil sa kakulangan sa resources. And soon, with this decision from the Supreme Court, dadami din sigurado ang lulubog sa baha at iba pang kalamidad.

Total war policy: What's the logic?

According to a story, the Americans bombed its own ship in Cuba in order to participate in the second world war. Similarly, there is also an inkling that the 9-11 attack happened so that there would be a reason for the United States to attack Iraq and Afghanistan. Could this logic be also the reason for Gloria Arroyo's total war policy?

Tikboy happened to read the thesis of now-Senator Trillanes. In the thesis, Trillanes presented accounts of military officials selling arms to MILF and other Mindanao secessionists -- allegations which the government did not dare to peek into. Similarly, there are stories of military officials involved in selling guns to the New People's Army members. Again, nobody dared to lower their brows and look into it. The question is: Why?

Well, taking a frame from conspiracy theorists, it can be argued that the total war policy may be related to the non-investigation of the allegations on military personnel selling guns and ammunitions to enemies. For instance, why can't the few hundred strong Abu Sayyaf and NPA rebels or terrorists be eliminated by several tens (or even hundreds) of thousand strong soldiers of the government? Latest intelligence statistics show that NPAs, for instance, is only less than 10,000. Why is it hard to eliminate them?

Sabagay, kung alang giyera, what would be the use of our PMA graduates? And our soldiers? At paano pa ba makakahirit ng intelligence funds?

At kung alang giyera, how can Gloria Arroyo prove that she is a strong president? And that she is fit for a strong republic? Well, the father and son (Bush) used the wars in the middle east and won the elections. And so did Tony Blair. And all of them saved their fading popularity. Is Gloria also following their footprints? If so, paano na ngayon ang mga civilian casualties? Can somebody tell the bullets: Excuse me po, di po kami kalaban. Civilian lang?

Related readings: Only Abu Surrender will halt drive: DND
Arroyo: Minimize civilian casulties

Check and Balance or Retaliation?

According to Inquirer.net: Malacañang has “unceremoniously” sacked the brother of Chief Justice Reynato Puno from the Commission on Higher Education, slashed by about P1 billion the 2008 budget for the judiciary, and disapproved funding for the Manila City Hall of Justice requested by Puno.

Well, as a democratic country, there is a system, of check and balance. Pero bakit mukhang retaliation ata ang nangyari? As Senator Pangilinan asked: Is Malacañang punishing the Supreme Court for calling the summit on extrajudicial killings? Is it exacting vengeance after the summit raised the issue of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s possible liability for the unabated killings?

Oo nga. Bakit ganun?

Pero teka, speaking of bakit, let us also ask: Bakit nagtatanong na rin si Kiko? Noted niya na rin ba ang mga nangyayari? Ba't ngayon lang ata siya nakahalata unlike in 2004 canvassing of votes for the presidential elections?

Bakit nga ba?

SK and Barangay Elections postponed once again?

While the Filipino youth are already busy and excited for the incoming Sangguniang Kabataan elections, Speaker Joe De Venecia phoned in Comelec Chair Abalos "to inform him that a growing number of congressmen want the village and youth elections deferred or altogether scrapped."

Screeecccchhhhhh!!!!! (Tunog ng kotse na biglang nagpreno!)

At eto naman ang mga kalakaran sa House of Representatives ayon sa ating insider (Tadaaannn!):

• Cong. Boyet Gonzales is pushing for HB 25 postponing the elections to 2010
• Cong. Al Bichara is pushing for HB 460 postponing the elections to 2008
• Cong. Pinggoy is pushing HB 722 postponing the elections to 2008
• Cong. Amante also has Resolutions No. 3 and No. 6 requiring barangay elections to be held simultaneously with the election of the ConCon delegates

Bichara has reasons. There are reports that he owes much from the Punong Barangays in the second district of Albay kaya niya natimbag ang political stalwart na si Carling Imperial. Maybe the same with other congressmen pushing for their respective bills. Pero dahil lang ba sa utang n loob kaya they are trying to make a mockery of democracy?

Elections are a hallmark of democracy. Pero di lang basta election. Me qualifier -- that elections are free, fair, honest and held regularly. Postponing and postponing ad infinitum the barangay and SK elections is not being true to the principles of democracy. Asan na ngayon ang declaration sa Article 2 Section 1 ng Philippine Constitution na "The Philippines is a DEMOCRATIC and republican state"?

Sabagay, Gloria in the Palace started the joke on democracy and elections. Kaya nga di pa rin tapos ang "Hello, Garci!" di ba?

Trillanes's continuing detention, not a voice of the people

Many looking for complicated arguments just to let Senator-Elect Antonio Trillanes go out of his detention cell and perform his functions as a member of the Upper House. Pero simple lang naman ang argumento diyan.

First, the President of the Philippines has a power to grant pardon and amnesty. Pero saan ba galing ang powers na yan? Sabi sa Article 2 ng 1987 Constitution:

Section 1. The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.

In a sense, the president cannot exercise his/her powers to grant pardon and amnesty without the blessing of the people.

Second, If the President is a delegatee of the powers to grant pardon and amnesty, it therefore follows that the people also has those powers. Sabi nga: One cannot delegate which he/she doesn't have.

Which boils down to the third proposition: The people elected Trillanes. This is despite the fact that there are 37 choices for the position. And this, despite the fact that Trillanes is facing charges for his "criminal acts". The very simple conclusion is that the people simply condones whatever acts Trillanes may have committed. O di ba?

Say ni Fr. Joaquin Bernas na isang constitutionalist? Kahit si Senator Brenda Santiago pa ang tanungin natin.