Glorietta and Batasan Blasts: What's the real story?

A professor from Bicol University, Dr. Carlos Gegantoca, used to say: There are actually three sides in every story -- your side, my side and the correct side.

For this, while Glorietta Management and a number of legislators from Batasan believes that the blasts that happened in their yards are acts of terrorism, the Philippine National Police (PNP) maintains otherwise. For the Glorietta blast, the PNP offers the pozo negro theory -- that is, the blast was caused by methane from the septic tank -- while the Batasan blast is based on an assassination plot against Wahab Akbar.

But what could be the incentives why these groups differ in giving reasons as to the cause of the blast?

• For Glorietta, accepting the idea that the blast may be caused by methane or faulty wiring simply means admitting that it had failed in its obligation to provide a safe and conducive place for shopping and leisure. That may be detrimental to their business and of course, to their reputation.
• For the PNP, admitting that the cause of the blast in Makati is caused by terrorism simply shows that they have failed to fulfill their functions to maintain peace and security in their areas of jurisdiction. The same in Batasan.
  
• Of course, arguing that the Batasan blast is a product of the Abu Sayyaf will simply mean additional intelligence funds (na nakakabobo) and an intensified operation against these people. Siyempre, if what Lacson said is true about the PNP money as a source of the Malacanang's "cash gifts", then more money will be made available for distribution to local officials, legislators and others. (Read the denial, though.)
  
• For the government especially the Arroyo Administration, accepting the theory that the blasts in both Glorietta and Batasan are a product of terrorism simply shows that it had failed to fulfill its duty to provide security to the Filipinos as well as maintain peace and order. It also shows that the Human Security Act is nothing but a crap of paper with regards terrorism prevention and that the Administration is short sighted by being reactive rather than proactive. Sabagay, mantakin mo namang ang PNP leadership pa ang mag-utos na ibigay mo na lang ang cellphone mo sa snatcher instead of them (the PNP leadership) asking the help of the people for crime prevention activities.
• For some congressmen who claim that they may also be the target of the bomber (like Luz Ilagan, et. al. of Gabriela party-list), the reason could be media mileage. Of course, that may also mean an additional sympathy vote in the succeeding elections.

Muddling the Story

Given the incentives to their sides, Tikboy asks: Ano ba talaga ang totoo, kuya?

To add to the complexities, ba't parehong non-terroristic theory ang angulo ng PNP both sa Batasan at sa Glorietta? This, despite the findings of an independent consultant in Glorietta that the blast in Makati could not be a product of methane and the common sense that an assassin will not make things difficult for himself by shooting a target in a place outside his control. (See also the article: Scientific Assessment on Methane.)

Lastly, and if it is indeed true, why is it that suspects were shot and/or apprehended almost immediately after the blast? This, to consider that the suspects of the murder of Mang Kiko were still at large, and the snatcher of the cellphone of Tikboy are still un-caught. Teka,si Rowena rin na na-rape mga isang dekada na, me balita na ba sa rapist niya? Eh yung nambugbog kay Boyong isang buwan na ang nakakaraan, nadakip na rin ba?

Hmmmnnn... Hmmmn?

'S' for 'Seven'; 'S' for 'Shut-up'

Joining the "7-7-7" hype is my friend, Albytes, who got wed on that date. He thought seven is a lucky number so after seven years, he is dreaming of having seven children.

But seven is not a lucky number after all. After nearly seven hours of debates, the members of the Supreme Court voted 7 favor and 7 against the petition of Pimentel the Son for the plea for temporary restraining order. The equal number of votes simply meant denying the petition and thereby continuing the proclamation of Team Unity's Juan Miguel Zubiri as the 12th Senator of the Pinoy Republic.

Pimentel the Son felt a great loss but the Filipino people suffered a far greater loss. As Tribune simply put it: The former congressman’s [Zubiri's]proclamation at the expense of his rival [Koko Pimentel]from the opposition camp for the 12th seat has legitimized cheating and any views to the contrary will only “inspire” the politically ambitious into looking for the Bedols around and, presto, the Comelec will raise his hands as victor.

In simple terms it means bastardizing democracy and making the voting public look stupid.

*****

7-7 is to be remembered also for shutting-up dissident voices because of the implementation of the anti-opposition law.... err., anti-terrorism law couched in a beautifully worded term "Human Security Act".

The implementation of the law started July 15 even without the necessary implementing rules and regulations (IRR).According to Toting Bunye, the IRR is not anymore necessary.

Naks naman. If the IRR is not necessary, then anything that “causes widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the populace” can be considered as acts of terrorism because that is the definition of the law. So if you happened to wear a mask for the maskara festival, or if you are trying to imitate and provide a visual description for the tambaloslos in the Ibalong festival, you must be a terrorist already.

Another "panicky" pothole in the law is the question as to who will give the qualification of a terrorist. That is because, with the general definition, Ducat of the Manila hostage drama can be considered a terrorist. 40 years pa naman iyon sa kulungan.

Similarly, all the rallyists can be tagged as terrorists especially if Gloria in the Palace will be rattled with their "storming presence" as what happened in February last year. Gloria thinks she is the state with the promulgation of PP 1017 and the CPR so the possibility is not remote for her, being the State, to experience “widespread and extraordinary fear and panic". That being the case, goodbye dear rallyists.