Naughty

Press Secretary Ed Ermita on the write-ups regarding Gloria Arroyo's visit to the Vatican: It’s just too bad that we are getting some feedbacks from other quarters, especially those critical of the President and the administration, that rather than appreciating what has been said by Pope Benedict XVI, there are a few of them who are trying to link some political issues in the Philippines with the President’s visit to the Pope.

Too sad the press secretary don't clearly understand. What is Gloria, anyway? Isn't she a political leader? And what is her visit about? A religious visit? If so, why use the taxpayers' money? And her statements, weren't those political statements?

But Ermita, commenting on the write-ups, said: To say the least, (these reports were done) in bad taste.

Bad or good taste, the point is: Be careful with what you say.

Pero me mga espiritu sa Malacanang na ngsasabing kaya daw nakapasa ang Anti-Death Penalty law ay dahil sa panliligaw ni Gloria sa Simbahan. (See also Gloria to dance cha-cha on commutation of death sentences). Kasama na ba itong pagbisita sa Vatican?

Una, ni hindi pa nga naa-address ang isyu ng policy of impunity dito sa Pilipinas. Teka, ilan na ba ang mga namatay na journalist? In addition to Batul meron pa daw dalawang sumunod. At ilan na ba ang nabigyan ng solusyon? Sabi ni Toting Bunye solved na lahat? Nakakatawa siya.

Pangalawa, gaano ba kabilis ang pagresolba sa iba pang krimen maliban sa patayan? Singbilis ng punerarya? O ibibigay na lang namin ang mga cellphones namin courtesy of Vidal Querol?

Ok lang magsalita pero caution galing sa Good Ol' Book: The measure that you used for others will be the same measure that will be used with you.

At last, Recto speaks up!

In connection with the impeachment complaints filed before the lower House, Senator Ralph Recto opened his mouth after months of silence. His words: He believes that the second impeachment bid would not prosper.

"I could even speculate that I don’t believe the opposition could have the same number of votes they had last year. I expect lower," Recto said.

Are these words for the sake of re-election, Mr. Senator?

*****

Anyway, for everbody's consumption, Recto was able to produce 94 bills from July 1, 2004 to May 29, 2006 based on the Senate's Legislative Information System. Those he filed from January 1 last year to May 29 are as follows:

Bill/Res. No.	Short Title		Date Filed	Author
SBN-2255	OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL (BUREAUCRACY STREAMLINING)		5/29/2006	RECTO, RALPH G.
SBN-2233	PERSONAL EQUITY AND RETIREMENT ACCOUNT (PERA)		3/21/2006	RECTO, RALPH G.
SBN-2213	SULTAN KUDARAT LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS (REAPPORTIONING)		2/23/2006	RECTO, RALPH G.
SBN-2210	SIMPLIFIED NET INCOME TAX REFORM ACT OF 2006		2/20/2006	RECTO, RALPH G.
SBN-2196	COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENT FOR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES		1/23/2006	RECTO, RALPH G.
SBN-2159	NATIONAL BIOFUELS DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2005		11/15/2005	RECTO, RALPH G.
SBN-2133	SAMAL ISLAND SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE AND FREE PORT ACT OF 2005		9/22/2005	RECTO, RALPH G.
SBN-1956	RENTAL REFORM ACT OF 2005		3/9/2005	RECTO, RALPH G.
SBN-1950	VALUE-ADDED TAX LAW AMENDMENTS		3/7/2005	RECTO, RALPH G.
SBN-1917	30% REDUCTION ON INCOME TAX RATES OF INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYERS		2/15/2005	RECTO, RALPH G.

Well Done or Welcome?

Pope Benedict's "well done" statement to Gloria Arroyo was interpreted by our little genius s a pat on the back. She was thinking that Benedict was thinking of the "reforms" she initiated.

Bishop Cruz stated, however, that Benedict was only referring to the lifting of the death penalty and not to eveything she had done or is doing. Cruz said the Pope knows the Hello Garci scandal, the cheating, the relentless killings and everything.

Mukhang may punto naman si Cruz. Pero ano nga ba talaga ang ibig sabihin ni Benedict? Let us count the ways:

1. If Benedict really means "well done for everything", then he could be ignorant of the things happening in the Philippines. Something like a shepherd who doesn't know his flock tulad ng sinasabi ni Cristo. But if he is ignorant, then sayang ang intelligence funds ng mga Katoliko. At sayang din ang mga "pastoral statements" na pinadala ng mga obispong Pinoy dahil di naman binabasa.
2. If Benedict really means "well done for everything" but he is not ignorant of the things happening in the Philippines, then he is a hypocrite. He is not a good moral leader. He is not an authority on morality. Even if he is just trying to be "pa-cute" for the sake of internation relations, still, he is not a person who is willed enough to call wrong a wrong. And he is unlike Jesus Christ who has the guts to drive away the sellers in the temple and risk his life. Paano kung bugbugin siya?
3. If Benedict only said well done for knowing nothing to say, he is not a good leader either. He is no different from Gloria who said "I am sorry" just to appease the restless crowd.
4. If Benedict said "well done" to refer to only to the lifting of the death penalty, his words are not well said. It was interpreted to a number of things.
   
5. Or Benedict was only saying "Welcome!" and Gloria interpreted it to mean "Well done"?

Hmmnnn......

Psst, puwede pahingi ng transcript ng statement ng Papa? Mukha kasing kailangang me maglinis ng tenga...