US Report: A Work of the Opposition?

Every time there is a negative report the Arroyo Administration would blame the opposition as the cause. Lately, the US State Department released a country report stating that corruption and low pay are among the reasons that plague Philippine law enforcement efforts to bring terrorists to justice. Shall we say this is also done by the opposition?

The Inquirer, in its "Corruption, low pay hinder RP fight vs terrorism--US report", writes:

MANILA, Philippines -- Corruption, limited resources and low salaries of security forces are just some of the problems plaguing Philippine law enforcement efforts to bring terrorists to justice.

These were some of the findings contained in a US State Department Country Report on terrorism for the East Asia and Pacific Region released Wednesday.

The report concluded that the Jemaah Islamiyah regional terrorist network (JI), which has ties to Osama Bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network, remains a serious threat to Western and regional interests, particularly in Indonesia and the southern Philippines.

“Limited financial resources, inadequate salaries, corruption, low morale, limited cooperation between police and prosecutors, and other problems in law enforcement have hampered bringing terrorists to justice,” the report said.

Rumors were rife that personal profit was responsible for the escape of JI top bomber Fathr Rohman Al-Ghozi from the heavily guarded headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame, Quezon City in 2003. Three months later Al-Ghozi died in a gun battle with security forces in Mindanao

Also, the alleged connivance between the ASG and the military, exemplified by the ease with which Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members escaped from a surrounded hospital compound in Lamitan, Basilan in 2001, has yet to be resolved.

No one has been prosecuted for the two events.

Read more here>>>

Independence from Uncle Sam... finally?

According to the Inquirer.Net:

The United States had been "pissed off" by the Philippines' deals with China, including the joint seismic study in the disputed Spratly Islands, former Senate President Franklin Drilon said Friday.

Finally, the Philippines, through Gloria Arroyo, is deciding on her own. Finally, the Philippines, through Gloria Arroyo, has started to move away from the shadow of America. Pero, seryoso na kaya ito?

Reading the pages of contemporary history, it appears that:

1. The actual signing of the agreement on joint seismic exploration with China happened after the Philippines got a verbal whipping from the US for backing out of the Iraq War


2. The actual signing of the agreement also happened after the United States and other members of the Coalition of the Willing tightened its purse on loans and aids to the Philippines

Galing di ba? Meaning, the Philippines is trying to stand on its own feet. Kaso nga lang, if it is true that the agreement is a precondition for the questionable loans wherein only a few will benefit, and will always involve the first family, mukhang mas personal interest- rather than national interest-driven ang decision to shy away from the shadows of Uncle Sam. Does this mean the claim of our whispering spirits Gloria is now being abandoned by the US? That in the recent restlessness and mass mobilizations, parang walang paki na si Uncle Sam?

Pero sabi ng isang taga-Malacanang, busy lang ang US sa elections kaya dun naka-focus. Kaya? Hmmmnnn....

Hala.... may momooooo!!!!!

Favila, another lost tongue?

Just the other day, US presidential hopeful John McCain was forced to take time to disavow disparaging remarks made at a rally about Sen. Barack Obama by conservative talk show host, Bill Cunningham. This simply affirms the saying: More talk, more mistakes.

Kung sabagay, Cunningham's remarks had improved the likability of Mc Cain. The presidential aspirant was given the additional time to boost his candidacy by denouncing anti-racist statements.

Yun nga lang, mas marami ang Cunninghams kaysa sa McCains. Tulad ni Gloria Arroyo when she affirmed that there was, indeed, flaws in the ZTE-NBN Broadband deal. Earlier we have Raul Gonzales, a loose canon; Lorelei Fajardo, and Sergio Apostol. Buti nga medyo tumahimik na si Toting Bunye after the long and never-ending two blind mice... este, two pirated CDs.

Pero teka, meron na naman palang bago sa listahan ng Filipino Cunninghams: si Trade Sec. Peter Favila. Sabi ni Favila, ex-President Fidel Ramos pressed Gloria to attend the Boao Forum kaya andun ang ale sa China. Kaya nga daw nag-agonize ang ale.

Parang naririnig ko tuloy ang background ng video-singko sa kapitbahay. Bago maglabas ng score, me soundtrack muna na parang ganito ang lyrics: Ang tanga, ang tanga-tanga talaga....dubidubidubidum... klang!

One need not study abroad to learn the fact that silence is gold. Yun nga lang, one needs to use that gold in the proper time. Parang buying and selling ng dolyar. Kung mataas ang dolyar, kelangan magbenta, kung mababa, kailangan bumili.

Releasing statements that GMA went to China dahil lamang kay Ramos only creates more questions as well as enemies. Bakit ngayon lang sinabi yun na malaki na ang gulo? Dahil ba inililigaw nila ang isyu? Bakit di na lang pinadala si Noli De Castro? O kaya si De Venecia na isa ring Lakas? O si Ed Ermita? Ganun ba ka-insensitive si Tabako at kailangan pang pilitin o i-pressure ang isang tao na ang asawa ay lubhang may sakit?

Opinyon lang ni Tikboy sobrang sensitive itong si Tabako. Pa-pogi lagi eh. And during his administration, he flies political balloons first before enacting as well as implementing policies. For that reason, kahit me rallies din noon, walang mga "Oust Tabako Movements" na nagsipag-sulputan, movements na kasing-sigasig sa panahon ni Cory, ni Erap, at ngayon, ni Gloria. Sa madaling salita, maiintindihan naman ni Tabako ang sitwasyon ni Gloria kung sakali.

Teka, lumabas na naman ang soundtrack. Kumanta kasi si Aling Toyang. Ang score: 39%.