STOP TYRANNY! ESTABLISH A JUST AND HUMANE GOVERNMENT.

When I submitted myself to trial in August 2006, I had faith in the system then. I did so with the full belief that no matter the quality of people who man the positions of power in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the system works, and that it would work in delivering justice. I do not have such faith anymore.

Today, the court martial will rule on the Demurrer to Evidence filed by the defense lawyers. The outcome of this trial today – dismiss or continue with the trial– will not change my loss of faith, because the damage has been done.

I see Maj. Aquino and Cpt. Divinagracia mourn their terrible losses, made even worse by their prolonged separation from beloved family members, now forever gone. Col. De Leon Col. Segumalian, Lts. Estolas and Sereno are lucky to get yearly visits from their province-based families.

I look at the upstanding officers detained with me and I see careers derailed, and the country deprived of their honest outstanding service. Worse, I see undeserving people, cowardly, callous, selfish and greedy perpetrating themselves in power, at the expense of these detainees.

This trial is indicative of much that is wrong with the present governance. It shows that discipline is demanded from – and more often than not, given by – those who do not wield power. So we pay our taxes, follow orders from our superior officers, obey the laws, submit to processes. In return our officials steal from us, evade the law, lie blatantly, cheat openly and make us out for fools. When we are hurt or oppressed by such actions no restitution is forthcoming. To them, this is justice and democracy.

There is no doubt that we are all innocent of these trumped up charges. Yet my fellow officers were unjustly detained and subjected to a choreographed trial. Our lives are being continuously hostaged by unscrupulous powerful individuals.

Definitely, we can endure the severity of detention and the bastardization of the process.

Ang nakalulungkot at nakababahala lang ay: kung nagawa nila ito sa amin, paano na ang ordinaryong sundalo at mamamayang Pilipino na walang kakayahang lumaban? Hayaan na lang ba natin na mananaig ang katiwalian, pananakot at pang aabuso ng mga nasa huwad na kapangyarihan?

This is tyranny. Tyrants must be removed. A just and humane government must be established; a government of the people, for the people and by the people.

MGEN RENATO MIRANDA PN (M) AFP

TIME TO DIE FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS

I call on my brothers in uniform, NOW is the time to redeem ourselves. The whole nation cries for succor against the relentless onslaught of tyrants.

Our organization and our systems have been prostituted. Our justice system doesn’t work. Our territorial integrity is under attack. Law and order is a dream. Our coffers are being robbed. The dignity of a whole generation is lost.

We are being pitted, used and abused against the very people whom we have sworn to defend and protect. Our sense of loyalties has been distorted to favor a cabal of criminals. We shed blood, sweat and tears and the comfort of our families for all these wrong reasons!

We dare to imprison those who stood up against cheating…but we never dared to put to task the cheaters.

We dare to shoot our Muslim brothers…but we never dared to hang those who committed treason.

We dare to run after farmers, fishermen and workers…but we never dared to break the cause of their poverty.

We dare to stop legitimate dissent…but we never dared to confront an illegitimate government.

We dare to serve the ends of criminals…but we never dared to protect a nation.

Fellow soldiers, we cannot fool a nation that our silence and inaction is a mark of professionalism. Neither do we fool ourselves. For in truth and in fact, we refuse to leave our comfort zones.

We hate to be called cowards for we are not. Let us not wait for the Filipino people to judge us.

Now is the time to rectify. Now is the time to perform our mandate.

A call to MARCH has been sounded. I enjoin everybody to march in cadence with the Nation. I will be there.

Time to die for all the right reasons!

SULBATZ

It's time for the military and police leaderships to unify the armed services and make a genuine revolutionary reform

Ang nakakaraming mambabatas sa Justice Committee of the House of Representatives, na kaalyado, kakutsaba ng korap na rehimen pulitikal ay muling binasura ang impeachment complaint re pandaraya sa eleksyon, malawakang suhulan na naganap sa Malakanyang, kitang-kita ito sa video sa TV kamakalawa bilang patunay, na me mga bitbit silang bagfuls of money to the tune of P0.5M per bag as claimed by pro-impeachment solons (laking kawalang-hiyaan ito, sa Malakanyang pa naman), at sari-saring korap mega deals like the NBN-ZTE (na mismo sina GMA & FG the Full of Greed pumunta sa Tsina together with other officials) atbpang shady deals, at matinding pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan.

Sobra-sobrang kabuktutan at kawalang-hiyaan ito, TOP to BOTTOM, NATIONAL to LOCAL LEVEL, sa taumbayan at bansa - systemic, endemic kind of LEADERSHIP BY BAD EXAMPLE. Huwad na mga national political leaders exercising political power only because of sheer protection of the armed services, the military and police. Who'll say they're the legitimate, duly constituted authorities, when they are violators of the Constitution. They took only a sham Oath of Office to obey and defend the Constititution. They don't protect the interests of the people and the state. Bagkus pa niyuyurakan nila especially the basic value on honesty and integrity. Dahil sa ganitong sistema, no amount ang ethical standards, code of conduct and HONOR SYSTEM sa PMA, AFP & PNP, may mga naligaw ng landas. Yun kasi ang kalakaran ng nakakataas kono na political leadership system. Decades na itong ganitong kalintikan sistemang ito, asserting their bogus civilian supremacy over the armed services to serve their selfish interests..

But there's still chance - they reform, rectify themselves, ang mga naligaw ng landas sa militar at pulisya. Mahuhugasan ito if they conform with the winds of change for the better.

Remove this protection and these sham and corrupt political leaders are gone with the winds . . . of revolutionary change for the betterment of our country that has been suffering from this kind of political bondage and from the decades old political and social malaise.

It's high time for the military and police, na binababoy lang ng mga pulitikong ito, ginagamit lang sa kanilang kabuktutan, na tanggalin ang kanilang korap at ganid na kapangyarihang pulitikal. Maliwanag sa Constitution, the armed services are mandated to serve and protect the interests of the people and country from all kinds of viciousness especially that of mandaraya, fake and corrupt leaders.

This is only a "single stroke of the pen" by the top and senior military-police leaderships, a mere announcement. It's a pronunciamento in the media, in alliance with the morally concerned leaders in the country. The majority members of the military and police, pati taumbayan na naghu-humiyaw na sa pagsulong ng makabago at rebolusyunaryong pagbabago ay mga magsisipagsunod, aayon na mawala na finally ang kabuktutan ng rehimeng ito, di lang ng kay Gloria, GMA, her political dynasty and her cohorts, pati na ang mga nakaraang dekada, na tigib ng SISTEMANG KAISIPAN ng kabulukan at kabuktutan.

Wag ng hintayin ng high command of the military and police na ang kanilang mas nakakabatang opisyal at sundalo ang magtuloy ng ganitong REVOLUTIONARY REFORM MOVEMENT. Marami ng nakulong sa panahon ni Esperon'74 na baluktot ang isip sa pagtulong sa dayaan sa eleksyon at pagprotekta sa huwad na rehimen. Despite this, di maaawat ito, ang kilusang ito. Patuloy ito. NAGSIMULA ITO NUONG EDSA I & II, though genuine revolutionary reforms were not achieved due to fast turn--over to leaders with the same collar of dog, kaparehong uri at hanay, kaparehong kaisipan.

Nasa diwa at isip ng nakakaraming taumbayan itong KILUSANG ito - ang sila'y magkaroon ng tunay na kalayaan, di sa ganitong corrupt political system. Kitang kita na ang kabuktutan. It's time for the top/senior military and police leaderships to unify the armed services and make a genurine revolutionary reform in alliance with morally concerned leaders and intelligentsia and the masses. Kahiya-hiya naman kung ayaw nilang magpasimuno at lalong umigting ang kanilang pagprotekta sa dekadang korap na political system. Nasaan ang propesyonalismo nila to lead the good example of serving the people sa ganitong pagsuporta sa huwad na rehimen at corrupt political system. Lalabas na leaders by bad example din sila following the same vein of their political leadership. Their names will go down to history if they don't listen to the people's clamor, wakasan na finally ang kawalanghiyaan ng corrupt political system para guminhawa ang taumbayan.. Bemedalled nga sila sa lahat ng laban, tactical & combat, pero ang tunay na laban na kumampi at maglingkod sa taumbayan ay di dapat nilang iwaksi.

Lahat tayo ay social and political being na dapat kahanay ang taumbayan hindi ang political parties o anuman - ang interes ng masa, lalo na. Ang militar at pulisya ay galing at kauri ng mahihirap lalo na ang taong masa, Di sila pinanganak with silver spoon in their mouth. Laki sila sa hirap di gaya ng mga ganid na pulitiko lalo na mga anak nila na hinubog upang sumanib sa hanay ng political dynasties. So, walang mawawalang kayamanang materyal sa kanila bagkus pa, mabibiyayaan ang taumbayan sa kanilang paglilingkod upang isulong ang tunay na revolutionary reform in our political system.

This is the constitutional duty of the armed services, not to give continuing and further protection to illegitimate, dishonest and corrupt political system that tramples on the rights of the people especially the poor masses and low-salaried employees like the soldiers. Tito'66

Senator Trillanes calls for support to the new impeachment against GMA

He has been behind bars and has yet to set foot in the Senate since being elected last year. Yet, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV remains to be one of President Arroyo's harshest critics.

In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News, he praised former House Speaker Jose de Venecia for his revelations on the government's controversial National Broadband Network project.

Trillanes says if former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis 'Chavit' Singson was the star witness in the impeachment case against former President Joseph Estrada, this is now the role of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia.

"It's a welcome development," Trillanes says, when asked what he thought of De Venecia's move to go against Arroyo. "The act of Gov. Chavit Singson, they were demonizing him, and yet, they welcomed him when he started revealing some things."

Trillanes also dared House members to support the new impeachment complaint against the president and prove they are pursuing the interest of the public.

"Dapat, kung ano ang hinaing nila, dapat yun ang hinaing ng congressman. But, so far, hindi yun ang nangyayari dahil sa kanya-kanyang personal na interes," he says.

If the House junks the latest impeachment complaint against Arroyo, Trillanes says, "The bottom line is, I will let the people decide kung saan nila gusto patungo ang ating bayan. Kung gusto nilang manatili si GMA even beyond 2010, it is up to them."

Trillanes says his vote was not sought in the recent leadership change in the Senate, but he says the new alliances won't have any effect on how the upper chamber works.

He believes Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile could change his position on any issue even if he is a Palace ally.

"People change, and remember, Senator Enrile turned his back also on Marcos," he says.

Trillanes also warns Malacañang should not be too confident even if the uprising at the Manila Peninsula hotel last year failed saying, it's difficult to gauge the sentiment of the masses.

"Unfair po na i-husgahan natin ang taong bayan na pagod na sila sa mga ganitong mga political activities," he says.

The AFP's Original Sin (Adam and Esperon)

By BGen. Danny Lim

Before the Filipino people, the raison d’etre for its existence, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is currently in a state of disgrace. This alienation is the price soldiers pay for the Original Sin committed by their senior officers, Esperon and his rogue accomplices, who allowed themselves to be “used” and in the process unconscionably got the institution involved in the massive electoral fraud in 2004.

Like Adam and Eve who were unable to resist the crafty snake’s temptation and ate from the Tree of Knowledge, Esperon and his self-aggrandizement group succumbed to the offers of immoral political leaders and helped themselves to the “tree of Garci.” But unlike the Garden of Eden’s original sin, Esperon’s partakes of a mortal character, not merely venial. It was a grievous criminal offense when he and his gang knowingly and willfully violated our election laws and thwarted the people’s sovereign political mandate. And being mortal, such stain cannot be cleansed by Baptismal waters alone. The sin can only be forgiven and the soldier reconciled with his people through a sincere Act of Contrition and the corresponding Acts of Penance.

To be redeemed from its complete separation from the Filipino people, for a start, the military needs to be honest with itself and be truthful to the country it has sworn to serve. The AFP needs to come out of it with a clean breast by admitting the fault, dealing with it squarely and helping initiate moves that would task those responsible to account for their illegal acts. Unfortunately, it is like wishing for the moon at this time; even a watered down version of the Mayuga Report has yet to be made public.

Meantime, a chasm of sinfulness and damnation continue to define the military’s relationship with the Filipino people and its estranged sons and daughters continue to suffer from the stigma of Esperon’s shameless act. Innocent soldiers continue to suffer and pay for the original crime. Some who stood up to be counted for the side of truth and justice ended up in detention and continue to languish in their cells to this day. Add to this the cases of involuntary disappearances, tortures, abuses, etc and you multiply and magnify the gulf between soldiers and civilians.

From accounts in the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden and condemned to perpetual harsh existence where they can only “eat bread from the sweat of their faces.” The serpent’s punishment, “on your belly you will go, and dust you will eat all the days of your life.” No such treatment for Esperon, his rotten crew and the big Anaconda, no matter how well they deserve it. The crooks in uniform were, to a man, amply rewarded for their “invaluable services” with promotions, incentives (including financial) and other perks. They’ve got it made! Their brows need no longer sweat. They were banished to paradise (juicy positions) after retirement. The political serpent is not crawling on its belly. It continues to lord it over the garden and abuse its hapless and downtrodden residents.

Only when the men in uniform and the Filipino people unite and act as one can the Biblical story rooted in crime and punishment come to full realization.

Business leaders join 5 Catholic bishops, call for 'new governance'

Written by Carmela Fonbuena
Thursday, 20 November 2008

Image The country’s top business groups—the Makati Business Club (MBC) and the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP)—on Thursday issued a statement supporting the earlier call of five Catholic church leaders for a “new government.”

Echoing the five bishops’ statement that “the time to prepare a new government in now”, the business groups’ said: “We should now prepare for a new kind of governance.”

“We support the call of the five senior bishops led by Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo that the time for radical reforms to rebuild our country economically, socially and politically, and to conquer complacency, cynicism and apathy, is now,” the business groups said.

Lagdameo is the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). Others who joined him in calling for a new government were: Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Masbate Bishop Joel Baylon, and Legazpi Bishop-Emeritus Jose Sorra.

Among the members of MBC and MAP are the chief executive officers, chief operating officers, and top business executives of the country’s largest and most profitable corporations.

When the bishops made the call in October, they were criticized by administration allies for being “seditious.” Among them was Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, who interpreted the bishops’ statement as a call for the removal of President Arroyo.

When asked about the possibility that their statement may be interpreted as seditious, MBC executive director Alberto Lim told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak, “We don’t mean to be seditious.”
Unabated Corruption

Like the bishops, the business groups also condemned the unabated corruption in government.

“Corruption is bad for business growth, employment and long-term survival. It worsens poverty, steals from the poor, compromises public order and safety, mocks the rule of law, encourages bureaucratic inefficiency, and destroys society's moral fabric,” the statement said.

“The dishonor of being the most corrupt in Asia and one of the worst in the world compels us to join the call for redemption,” it added.

When the Church made their statement in October, former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante was about to be deported to the Philippines.

Critics of President Arroyo urged Bolante to testify on the P728-million fertilizer fund that was allegedly misused to help finance President Arroyo’s election campaign in 2004.

Bolante has repeatedly denied this in congressional hearings. “There is no fertilizer fund scam,” he said at the House hearing last Tuesday.

The business groups lamented how no one has been made accountable for the high-profile corruption cases involving government officials.

“Suspects are, in fact, perceived as being protected and even rewarded. We cannot understand government's inability or refusal to wield its vast powers to prosecute the accused,” the statement said.

“We’ve been wanting to catch a big fish,” Lim said in a phone interview. “We regret that the big fish was let go,” he added, referring to the parole President Arroyo granted former President Estrada, who was convicted by the Sandiganbayan for plunder.

Early this year, at the height of the National Broadband Network (NBN)-ZTE Corp. deal controversy, some MBC members, including its chairman—Phinma’s Ramon del Rosario Jr.—joined calls for President Arroyo’s resignation.

MBC also supported in 2001 the successful ouster move against former President Joseph Estrada.
JIL, too

The business groups also called on President Arroyo, senators and congressmen to “demonstrate their patriotism and have the courage to use the remaining 18 months of their term to do what is right for our country and our people.”

They also called on religious leaders, other business groups, and civil society to throw their support behind the bishops and told them “to not only speak out against wrongdoing but also do something about it.”

The Jesus Is Lord (JIL) movement’s Coalition for National Transformation is also a signatory to the MBC and MAP statement. (abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak)

The Time to prepare for new government is now

Gloria must go: CBCP head Says Arroyo hopelessly corrupt
By Gerald Naval, Malaya

ARCHBISHOP Angel Lagdameo yesterday called on Filipinos to start preparing for a new government, citing the need for transformation amid rampant state corruption.

Reading a prepared statement at a press conference, the Jaro (Iloilo) bishop said there is a real need to have a new government as the current one has been severely stricken by the "social and moral cancer" that is corruption.

"In response to the global economic crisis and the pitiful state of our country, the time to rebuild our country economically, socially, politically is now. The time to start radical reforms is now. The time for moral regeneration is now. The time to conquer complacency, cynicism and apathy and to prove that we have matured from our political disappointments is now. The time to prepare a new government is now," he said.

Asked if his statement is tantamount to calling for a public uprising to force President Arroyo to step down, Lagdameo said it is up to the people to decide what course of action to take.
"Kailangan ang taong bayan ay magsama-sama kung paano sila mag-response together dun sa sulat namin na sinabi naming communal discernment and communal action," he said in an interview.

Lagdameo clarified he was making the statement as a bishop and not as president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

During the press conference, he was flanked by four other prelates — Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, and Bishops Joel Baylon (Masbate) and Socrates Villegas (Balanga), and Bishop emeritus Jose Sorra.

Lagdameo said the presence of the four signifies their concurrence to his statement which he said was spurred by a letter sent to him by the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines.

The AMRSP letter said: "At this time when people are losing hope and are becoming cynical and apathetic, a prophetic word from you will be like a Pentecost event, a rekindling of hope and an inspiration and impetus to take active part on social transformation."

Lagdameo said corruption has been continuously growing despite repeated condemnation by the Catholic Church and calls for widespread reform.

"In the past few years up to today, we have watched how corruption has become endemic, massive, systemic and rampant in our politics. The faces and symptoms of corruption are overprized projects, multi-billion scams of various kinds, election manipulations, anomalous transactions, bribery of both high and low, unsolved murders of media practitioners. Corruption is a social and moral cancer," Lagdameo said.

He noted there have been at least three CBCP statements denouncing corruption.
Lagdameo said he believes Arroyo is a corrupt leader and has done little in preparing for a new government that could make a transition away from a corrupt one.
In his statement, Lagdameo said corruption is the reason the country could not get out of the quagmire it is in.

"Corruption impedes economic development, worsens income inequity and poverty, endangers public order and safety. Corruption results in bureaucratic inefficiency and demoralization," Lagdameo said.

The bishops said they are hopeful new leaders will emerge in the process of "liberating" the country from the claws of corruption.

"In spite of the seemingly hopeless and negative prognosis, our liberation may yet serendipitously happen. We are dreaming, praying and hoping that our country may yet have the liberators. Yes, liberators who will, in a courageous peaceful way, effectively and uncompromisingly reform our country," they said in the statement.

Cruz said corruption under the Arroyo administration is something that cannot be dealt with by the human justice system alone.

"Corruption in such an extensive degree in the Philippines is a crime that cries to heaven for vengeance. Corruption in this country has become endemic, systemic, from top to bottom in government. Perhaps they may be given the punishment they deserve by the human justice system, but that’s not enough. Someone else in the Higher Authority will punish them as they deserve," said Cruz, former CBCP president.

The known Arroyo critic said it was not too long ago when the President received the "distinction" of being the most corrupt president in the country’s history.

"Though our country is at the 11th place of the most corrupt from the bottom, we even have a gold medalist of corruption in our national leader. To say that the Malacañang occupant is a follower of corruption and not a leader in corruption is already asking too much. Perhaps, if this is said, it will take someone from the moon to believe that the head of corruption is down below and not above," Cruz said.

Villegas said they are hoping their statement will continuously bother the public.

"We are not here to bring you peace. We are here to disturb you. I’m praying to God that after this meeting, may the Lord trouble you because the trouble that comes from the Lord is going to make you a better person and it’s going to make the country a better country," said the protégé of Cardinal Jaime Sin, archbishop of Manila.

Villegas said that with the current state of the government, there must be very drastic and dramatic actions from each and every one.

"If we have been only half less corrupt, we would have more money to feed our children, more money to put up schools, more money to bring medicines to hospitals. The problem is not population. The problem is corruption. Just cut the corruption in half and we would have enough money to take care of the poor," Villegas said. – With Jocelyn Montemayor

Bishops call for GMA’s ouster
By Ellen Tordesillas, Malaya

That was one great statement that the Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, released yesterday. He practically called for the ouster of Gloria Arroyo.

Not in 2010 but now.

In a statement he read flanked by four other progressive-thinking bishops namely, Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas, Masbate Bishop Joel Baylon, and Legazpi Bishop Emeritus Jose Sorra, Lagdameo said: "The time to start radical reforms is now. The time for moral regeneration is now. The time to conquer complacency, cynicism and apathy and to prove that we matured from our political disappointments is now. The time to prepare a new government is now. "

In the open forum, Lagdameo said Gloria Arroyo is not capable of instituting reforms because he said, "I believe that the President is corrupt."

The question and answer portion with Bishop Cruz was fascinating. Asked if Arroyo can lead the radical reforms, he replied, "Siempre hindi."

Q: How about Vice President Noli de Castro?
Cruz: Walang ganyanan.

Q: How about Senate President Manny Villar?
Cruz: Walang ganyanan.

Q: How about House Speaker Prospero Nograles?
Cruz: Walang ganyanan.

Q: How about Chief Justice Reynato Puno?
Cruz: Pwede.

Q: How about AFP Chief Alexander Yano?
Cruz: Okay yun.

Q: Have you met with General Yano?
Cruz: Tama na. tama na.

It is about time that leaders of the Catholic Church whose consciences haves not been numbed by Malacañang’s cash donations, do what they preach. They cannot be preaching "Thou shalt not steal" while closing their eyes on the thievery of Arroyo and her cohorts. Worse, accepting the fruits of Arroyo’s crimes.

Many Catholics have already given up on the CBCP when it comes to giving them guidance at this time when democratic institutions are degraded to protect Arroyo’s hold on power.
Lagdameo and the four bishops seriously doubt there will be an election in 2010 despite Arroyo’s pledge there would be one.

Cruz said their sources say "Elections in 2010 is a big dream. In short, elections in 2010 up to this time that I’m talking, is a moral impossibility."

He asked the media to be on the alert when Congress opens on Nov. 10. "Charter change will be an open, public and well funded move in the Lower House. Whether it will triumph in the Senate is still debatable. But then I repeat, no more camouflage, no more double-talk, no more indirect insinuations. Charter change will be an honest-to-goodness agenda for Congress," he said.
Arroyo’s Cha-cha, Cruz said, will be through a constitutional assembly. "The moment it passes the Lower House, and the moment it passes Senate and there is a plebiscite, then it is done, because the local governments are all at the command of Malacañang."

Cruz said the charter change that Arroyo is crusading "is not for patriotic reasons."
"It is intended principally, basically and fundamentally to extend the term of office of the incumbent. I hope to God and I pray very dearly that I am wrong but that is what I know," he said.

Lagdameo: Corruption—a social and moral cancer
By Melo M. Acuña, CBCP News

MANILA, October 28, 2008—Jaro (Iloilo) Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo SAID more people has felt poorer and impoverished over the past few years.

Speaking before national and international media, religious men and women from various congregations Tuesday morning, the prelate said "twenty million hungry Filipinos will disagree with the often repeated government slogan "Ramdam ang Kaunlaran." He said the people’s own experience prove "Ramdam ang Kahirapan, Ramdam ang gutom."

He underscored the fact the biggest culprit and major cause of the country’s poverty and hunger is "the abuse and misuse of public or private institutions." The prelate quoting Asian Development Bank defined corruption as "the abuse and misuse of public or private office to unlawfully enrich oneself and those close to him, or induce others to do the same."

He said ordinary citizens have "watched how corruption has become endemic, massive, systemic and rampant in our politics." He said the faces and symptoms of corruption are overprized projects, multi-billion scams of various kinds, election manipulations, anomalous transactions, bribery of both high and low, unsolved murders of media practitioners.

He described corruption as "a social and moral cancer." Referring to corruption’s consequences, the prelate said in political elections corruptions damages political legitimacy, integrity and competence as it "impedes economic development, worsens income inequity and poverty and endangers public order and safety."

He said Transparency International tagged the country as the 11th most corrupt among 102 countries. "If we are not horrified, disgusted, exasperated and enraged by these realities, can we still say we love our country?" the prelate asked.

Archbishop Lagdameo said he agrees with columnist Conrado De Quiros who noted people identify themselves "so easily with the victims of pickpockets or snatchers and throw these small-time thieves to (almost) forever languish in prison.

"But when it comes to big-time crooks and public officials stealing billions upon billions of the people’s money, it takes forever to prove their crime," he further observed.

Archbishop Lagdameo said "there is much embarrassing hesitation and false respect to start mounting a campaign to show that corruption is the worst form of crime, because it kills the common good, it kills the poor, it kills the country" and "violates God’s commandments "Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not kill."

He cited the CBCP Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine Politics (September 16, 1997) which said "Philippine politics—the way it is practiced—has been most hurtful of us as a people. It is possibly the biggest bane in our life as a nation and the most pernicious obstacle to our achieving of full human development."

He said the CBCP statement entitled "Let Integrity Flow Like a Stream" released July 7, 2003 said "In the strongest term we condemn graft and corruption as an offense against society and sin against God. God will certainly hold the perpetrators accountable. To combat this evil we also proposed the formation of citizens’ councils to promote public awareness, to monitor the use of public funds, and to initiate charges against guilty officials."

He recalled the CBCP pastoral statement entitled Restoring Trust released July 10, 2005 said "Moral accountability calls for radical reforms in various agencies of government to make them more responsive to the requirements of integrity as well as the needs of the poor."

The CBCP’s latest statement entitled "Seeking the Truth, Restoring Integrity" released last February 26, 2008 said "We strongly condemn the continuing culture of corruption from the top to the bottom of our social and political order."

The Jaro prelate said "In response to the global economic crisis and the pitiful state of our country, the time to rebuild our country economically, socially, politically is now." He said it is important to begin radical reforms, moral regeneration soonest and "to conquer complacency and apathy and to prove that we have matured from our political disappointments is now." He added "The time to prepare a new government is now."

In closing he asked "who will pick up the broken, shattered pieces of our country, hurting from poverty and occupation, to make it whole again?" He said "our liberation may yet serendipitously happen."

Archbishop Lagdameo quoting Apolinario Mabini said "Upang maitindig natin ang bantayog n gating lipunan, kailangang radikal nating baguhin hindi lamang ang ating mga institusyon, kundi maging ang ating pag-iisip at pamumuhay." (Melo M. Acuña)

STATEMENT OF AWARENESS AND ACTION

We, Junior Officers of the Philippine Army (PA), Philippine Air Force (PAF), Philippine Marines (PMar), Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Navy (PN) Fleet, are painfully aware that the supposed Constitutional foundations of this administration are grounded on illegitimacy, abuse and impunity.

We are aware that this administration has not only grabbed power in 2004 but has been abusing that stolen power for its own benefit;

We are aware that those who have positioned themselves in power are involved in rampant irregularities and criminal behavior, and the rule of law can no longer be expected to prevail.

We are aware that our government leaders function with little regard for conscience, moral scruples and the public good, yet when we demanded accountability, we were called de-stabilizers;

We are aware that as citizens are obliged to guard and protect a democracy where suffrage is the people’s right and not merely an exercise to be manipulated and prostituted.

We therefore has resolved to act on our Constitutional obligation to oust a usurper who has violated the sovereign will of the people;

We believe that it is our right and our duty to institute change in government by force or general uprising since all legal and Constitutional means have been thwarted, corrupted or rendered useless.

This being so, we are creating a new democratic nation where the sovereign will of the people will reign supreme and where the tyranny of money-driven leadership shall be a thing of the past. We are bringing back power to the true wielders of power: the Filipino people, who have been silenced, marginalized and disenfranchised by this cabal posing as government.

And to do so we will first sweep out this corrupt and murderous administration. The time to do it is NOW !

Para sa Bayan
Junior Officers of the Philippine Army (PA), Philippine Air Force (PAF), Philippine Marines (PMar), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Philippine Navy (PN) Fleet

Mutiny charges against 16 officers recommended dropped

MUTINY CHARGES against more than half of the military officers involved in a 2006 plot to oust the government were recommended dropped for lack of evidence.

Military prosecutors told a court martial yesterday that they have recommended to military chief Gen. Alexander B. Yano the dropping of charges against 16 of the 28 military officers who tried to overthrow the Arroyo administration in February 2006.

Court martial proceedings are being held against the military officers headed by former Marine commander Ma. Gen. Renato P. Miranda and former Army Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danilo P. Lim.

Col. Feliciano Loy, head of the military prosecution panel, said the letter of recommendation to Mr. Yano "was returned without taking any action. It was neither denied nor approved."

He stopped short of disclosing the names of officials recommended for deletion from the charge list.

Mr. Yano has the authority to convene or dismiss court martial proceedings.

Trixie Angeles, lawyer for Maj. Jason Aquino, one of the accused, and collaborating counsel for Mr. Miranda, said the mutiny charges against all officials should be dismissed based on the prosecution’s admission of lack of evidence to pursue the charges.

Other defense lawyers also asked the court martial president, Maj. Gen. Jogy Leo Fojas, to direct Mr. Loy to furnish them a copy of the letter to Mr. Yano.

Mr. Loy, however, said the letter was a "personal communication between me and general Yano."

Col. Marian Aleido, a member of the court, said: "We could not grant the oral pleading to dismiss the case because we have not heard yet the evidence of the prosecution."

Mr. Loy said other evidences can be presented against the accused.

The 28 officers remain in detention pending the resolution of mutiny charges. The next hearing was set for Nov. 5.

Trillanes seeks dismissal of hotel siege case

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and his co-accused asked a Makati court yesterday to dismiss the rebellion charges against them, claiming government prosecutors violated their constitutional rights against double jeopardy.

Trillanes and 12 Magdalo rebel soldiers are facing charges of rebellion for their alleged participation in the standoff at the Peninsula Manila hotel in Makati last November.

The case is being heard by Judge Elmo Alameda of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150.
Trillanes’ lawyer, Ernesto Francisco Jr., said the Constitution mandates that no person shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment for the same offense.

“For double jeopardy to set in, the following requisites must concur – there is a valid complaint or information; the complaint should be filed before a court of competent jurisdiction; the accused has pleaded to the charge; and the accused has been convicted, acquitted, or the case has been dismissed or terminated without the express consent of the accused,” he said.

Francisco said tomorrow’s scheduled pre-trial conference should be cancelled so he filed a motion to quash the charges against three new respondents in the case on grounds that the prosecution’s claim that they had undergone preliminary investigation is false.

Francisco said the prosecution made the mistake of submitting a third amended information six months after the original charges were filed and three months after his clients underwent arraignment.

Francisco said Trillanes and his co-accused were charged and arraigned under an amended information dated Dec. 2, 2007, which was edited when another amended information was filed last June because three more respondents were added.

Francisco said the third amended information is “an entirely new and different information,” which charged his clients for the same offense of rebellion.

“Thus, the withdrawal of the amended information, dated Dec. 2, 2007 under which the accused were arraigned without their express consent (because they refused to enter a plea) and the filing of the new third amended information, dated June 18, 2008, which charges the said accused for the same offense of rebellion, have placed the said accused in double jeopardy,” he said.

In withdrawing the Dec. 2, 2007 information by filing that which was dated June 18, the prosecution did not get the consent of the accused, which is a requirement under the rules, he added.

In response, Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco said the prosecution did not violate the rules on double jeopardy because the amended information only meant to add more respondents to the case.

“There is no double jeopardy there because when we filed it, they were notified,” he said. “They were given the time to comment. It was not a substantial amendment, just inclusion of three more accused. A very important factor there is that when we filed that amended information, they were duly notified. Therefore, there was no violation of the due process clause.” – Michael Punongbayan

A continuing unjust detention

The Marine and Scout Ranger officers should not have been detained.

The 40 enlisted men should not have been detained then arbitrarily dismissed.

A great injustice has been perpetrated and continues to be inflicted on the officers and men of the Marines and Scout Rangers detained allegedly for the February 2006 incident. The prosecution has not come up with any evidence that will sustain a finding of probable cause, much less a finding of guilt. And yet we were jailed.

The Pre-trial Investigation Report, which found no commission of the crime of mutiny, was arbitrarily overturned by then Gen. Hermogenes Esperon. His actions deprived us of our freedoms, de-railed our careers and denied our families of our company. Yet, as we have said before, our detention and continued incarceration clearly appears to have been the result of one man’s whims backed by his patrons in the administration and surprisingly continued by an AFP leadership that appears to be not much different from the previous one.

There was no mutiny. Yet Esperon, and his ilk have demanded that we go to trial. The current AFP leadership continues this oppressive policy, despite the fact that they are by now aware of the lack of basis for our continued incarceration.

Very well, if there must be a trial, I am willing to submit myself to the process. In so doing, I am willing to stand for trial in the stead of my more junior Marine officers. Gen. Danilo Lim has also expressed the sentiment that he is willing to do the same, in the stead of his junior Scout Ranger officers. This is command responsibility, which Gen, Lim and I have always been willing to undertake.

We take full responsibility for the actions of our men.

Let our men go, reinstate the unjustly dismissed enlisted men and let justice prevail.

MAJOR GENERAL RENATO P. MIRANDA, PN (M)

Gen. Miranda hits AFP top brass for continuing 'oppression'

MARK MERUEñAS, GMANews.TV

10/09/2008 | 11:50 AM

MANILA, Philippines - One of the 28 military officers detained in connection with the alleged February 2006 coup on Thursday scored the current Armed Forces leadership for the "oppression" still being inflicted on them.

In a statement, Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, former Marine commandant, said the AFP leadership under General Alexander Yano has done nothing to help them despite the prosecution’s failure to present evidence against them.

"The current AFP leadership continues this oppressive policy, despite the fact that they are by now aware of the lack of basis for our continued incarceration," Miranda said.

Miranda is the highest ranking officer in detention followed by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, former commander of the elite First Scout Ranger Regiment.

The 28 Army and Marine officers were earlier slapped with several charges but all, except for Articles of War 67 or mutiny, were later dropped after the two-year prescribed period expired.

In addition to the officers, 40 enlisted men were held by in connection with the alleged power grab. Though no charges were officially filed against them, all were dismissed from the service.

A pretrial investigation had initially cleared all the accused officers but former Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon overturned the decision.

"As we have said before, our detention and continued incarceration clearly appears to have been the result of one man’s whims backed by his patrons in the administration," Miranda said.

"[Esperon’s] actions deprived us of our freedoms, de-railed our careers and denied our families of our company," Miranda said. Incidentally, Miranda and Esperon are both members of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1974.

Miranda said they had hoped to finally find some relief after Esperon left the top military post and became presidential adviser on the peace process. However, the detained officer lamented how the leadership of Esperon’s successor, Yano, was no different.

"Our detention and continued incarceration clearly appears to have been the result of one man’s whims backed by his patrons in the administration and surprisingly continued by an AFP leadership that appears to be not much different from the previous one," he said.

To begin with, he and his 27 fellow officers and 40 enlisted men soul d not have been sent behind bars due to the prosecution’s failure to list any evidence that could prove their guilt, according to Miranda.

"The prosecution has not come up with any evidence that will sustain a finding of probable cause, much less a finding of guilt. And yet we were jailed," he said, adding their detention was “unjust."

Miranda also insisted there was no mutiny and expressed willingness for him and Lim to go on trial on behalf of all the other officers under them.

Miranda said under direct responsibility, the two of them are responsible for the actions of all their subordinates.

"Let our men go, reinstate the unjustly dismissed enlisted men and let justice prevail," he ended. - GMANews.TV

Moves For Term Extension Will Not Die: Filipino Citizens Should Prepare For Action

We, the organizations and individuals who have signed this statement, are citizens of this Republic alarmed by current political developments. We note that in spite of various protestations by political leaders from the administration and the opposition, the talk of a brazen attempt to extend the term of Mrs. Arroyo simply will not die.

Charter change to be initiated in Congress through a constituent assembly has seemingly been stopped in its tracks by the vocal opposition of many members of the Senate, whose two-thirds approval would logically seem necessary to convene a constituent assembly. Yet the House of Representatives, through the Speaker, and the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments, has announced that it will be holding “public consultations” to elicit public opinion on charter change, whether for federalism, shift to a parliamentary system or such other excuse/justification as may later dawn on the proponents. Some legislators have been vocal in pushing their interpretation that “the Constitution requires only a two thirds vote of its members to propose amendments to the Constitution,” an interpretation that would make the Senators’ votes almost irrelevant in the process.

The current administration has swung violently on the matter of the conflict in Mindanao from rushing to sign the MOA on Ancestral Domain with the MILF to the abrupt cancellation of the peace talks, the dissolution of the peace panel and the attempt of Mrs. Arroyo to disown knowledge of the agreement; and now a relentless armed confrontation that is seemingly designed to goad the MILF and other groups into a combative reaction or a series of violent actions. The inevitable armed confrontations and deaths that will follow could be a ready-made platform to suspend the writ of habeas corpus or, heaven forbid, even the declaration of Martial Law. The Constitution requires only a vote of a majority of the members of Congress, voting jointly, to approve and extend Martial Law.

We declare our commitment to a just and sustainable peace in Mindanao. We will initiate and support all possible actions that will bring about an inclusive process to begin with ceasefire and return to the peace table.

We declare our united opposition (1) to any moves that exploit the Mindanao situation to extend Mrs. Arroyo’s stay in power, (2) to any attempt to amend the Constitution before 2010, (3) to any attempt to change the Constitution through a Constituent Assembly, and (4) to any step towards declaring Martial Law.

We call on all Filipinos to be vigilant, to inform themselves, to organize with like-minded fellow citizens, and to prepare to show our leaders and officials the true power of our democracy.

--------------

Organizations and Individuals are invited to sign up at FSGO Website

The real story behind the ambush of soldiers in Mulondo town in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY. The ambush on August 17 was led by Mangombaya Hadji Mustapha, a.k.a. Kalamunggay, who is a notorious illegal logger with a more or less 60 to 80 armed followers.

In the1980's, Kalamunggay founded and led RIMORUNG, a group of bandits preying mostly on victims who travelled along the national road from Marawi City to Masiu, Lanao del Sur. He is wanted for involvement in several criminal cases filed in courts in Lanao del Sur, the most noted was the beheading of several tribal people from Bumbaran and Wao in Lanao del Sur, and in Talakag, Bukidnon. The cases, ranging from murder, robbery in band, arson and rape, are archived since most of the victims are afraid to pursue for fear of reprisals.

During the ambush, Kalamunggay acted it alone with his band, and was helped and aided only by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Commander Aleem Pangalian and his men after sensing the arrival of Army reinforcements.

According to an eyewitness, an hour before the ambush, Kalamunggay was seen talking with the team leader of the Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO), Mustapha Mundir, after his cargoes of illegally cut logs loaded in several trucks were stopped in a checkpoint manned by Mundir at Bubong, Lanao del Sur, a 20-minute drive away from the ambush site.

The said witness overheard the two haggling, saying that Kalamunggay was asking Mundir to let his cargoes pass the detachment even with no legal papers allowing the transport of logs.

"Piray SOP a kayo aya,? (How much is the SOP for these logs?)," Kalamunggay asked Mundir who replied, saying its P20,000.00.

Sensing that Mundir would not changed his demand, the eyewitness saw Kalamunggay dialling his cellphones and asked, "Andakano? (Where are you?)"

A firefight ensued between the group of Mundir with his four CVO members and Kalamunggay with his 60 heavily armed followers which lasted for 15 minutes before the group of Kalamunggay retreated near Mulondo, Lanao del Sur.

By that time, a three-vehicle convoy of Philippine Army soldiers were passing along the national highway in Brgy. Ilian, Mulondo, Lanao del Sur. Unfortunately for the said convoy, they were fired upon by Kalamunggay and his band with the help of MILF fighters. "Akala kasi nila, hinahabol sila ng mga sundalo na nakasakay sa mga truck!"

The incident claimed the lives of 12 soldiers and the wounding of 11 CVOs and civilians.

But, what was unfortunate, was the seeming reluctance of the officials of the Philippine Army in Lanao del Sur led by Col. Rey Ardo, the 103rd Brigade Commander, to conduct relentless hot pursuit operations against the group of Kalamunggay who are still holed up in Brgy. Panayangan in Maguing, Lanao del Sur.

It is a sad reality that the practice of illegal logging remain unabated and worst, being done in cahoots with the Philippine Army based in Lanao del Sur.

The Reason For Our Existence

Filipino soldiers among us, the basic duty of the Filipino soldier is to defend our nation. But for whom and against whom?

Normally, this question is not being asked just like asking to members of a family this question, “ if you have to protect your family, for whom should you protect them against whom?” is not being asked. It is not being asked because the answer which is, “for the family against trespassers” is already a basic natural instinct.

Our bodies have a defense labelled as the immune system. The MedicineNet.com from its website, http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp? articlekey=3907 defines the Immune system as responsible for distinguishing us from everything foreign to us, and for protecting us against infections and foreign substances. The immune system works to seek and kill invaders.

Just like the defense at the family level and the biological level, defense system at the social level, in particular at the national level is not being given attention to as the unit it is supposed to be the beneficiary of its function is also at least functional, normally not pathological and preferably vibrant.

But when a nation as that of ours manifest painful symptoms not normal to other nations especially progressive ones like Japan, Vietnam, Israel, France or Finland, then we have to undergo examination, review our history and diagnosis. It is but proper that this is what a person experiencing pain, has to undergo—medical examination, medical history review, and diagnosis before treatment options can be decided for application.

After the 1920s, the situation in the Philippines showed that defending against who and for whom have to be reviewed.

Some of the Symptoms:

Our relatively large proportion of forest area has been decreasing at a fast rate causing flash floods and erosion of hillsides and mountainsides every year. During the last quarter of 2004, some 1500 people perished in the flashfloods and landslides in Aurora and neighboring provinces. This was caused by logging operations financed by 5 Chinese named by former DENR Secretary Alvarez. As reported in many news reports, a big proportion of those have been involved in the financing of logging are Chinese.

We have a fertile land. Our food production including rice production of which we were one of the highest in exporting to other countries has now gone down to making us one of lowest in production making us highest in importing. As reported in many reports, Chinese are mostly the ones in cartels buying farm products to farmers at a very low price and distribute them to retailers at a very high price. There is a report now that a group of Chinese are flooding the Philippine market with very low priced eggs threatening to kill the egg livelihood of the Filipinos.

Sometime in the 1950s, there have been killings of some of us Filipinos by Americans in Clark Field, Pampanga when it was still a U. S. Base. But the American military refused to hand over the killers to the Philippine courts for trial. There was an incident in which some of us Filipinos were alleged to be pilferers were shot down like dogs inside the American bases.

There was also the detention of Enrique Santa Maria, a Filipino mining operator, by the Clark Field U. S. Air Base authorities for mining in Bueno Hill, Capas, Tarlac, which was within the American reservation.

In 1964, one of us Filipinos, a boy in Clark Field was shot in the back by an American sentry. This was followed shortly by the killing of another one of us, a Filipino fisherman by American sentries at the Olongapo Naval Base in Subic, Zambales.

In 1968, another one of us Filipinos was shot to death by an American sentry in Cavite.

The following year, another trigger happy American soldier, who was off duty, went hunting with his service pistol, in broad daylight shot to death another one of us, a Filipino employee of the military base. The American soldier said he mistook that one of us Filipinos for a “wild boar.” The American military court hastily tried the offender and acquitted him. A few days later, he was reported to have left for the United States

We now have one of the highest death rates in the world of persons who were either vocal in exposing or fighting corruption in the government. This is an indication of sytematic killing of Filipinos of which, only an organization like that of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the Philippine National Police is capable of executing. This is a symptom of systematic killing of own nationals by a defense organization of the same nationals.

In General Santos City ISM participants investigated several facilities including the local airport, the Makar Wharf, the fish port, and a new luxury hotel and concluded that they are grossly out of proportion to the actual needs of the people of the city and the region. The fact that these huge infrastructures were built recently with US funding in a region that is strategically favorable for military use raises the suspicion that they were constructed for future use by the US military.

There was a case of an american convicted of raping a Filipina. The convicted american was sprang out of Manila City Jail by Americans helped by Filipino Government Officials.

This is a pattern of foreign trespassing. All through these years, the Philippine government labelled legally as such have not only not done anything to stop these trespasses but have even collaborated with them. Instead of utilizing the national defense organization to check foreign trespassings, the Gloria Macabebe Arrobo government utilized these organization to kidnap a witness to anomalous dealings with the broadband deal of the Chinese, kill Filipinos fighting corruption in the government, manipulate election results and protect the foreign trespassers.

In developed nations, their soldiers instinctively defend their nation against foreign trespassers. We only read their histories. The Japanese generals in the 1900s threathened to remove their prime minister when he took American for his advisers. Gen de Gaulle led a resistance movement against German invasion and their puppet government led by Gen Petain in the 1940s. The Vietnamese people and their soldiers drove away the American invaders in the 1970s.

The MedicineNet.com also states that a key part of the immune system's role is to differentiate between invaders and the body's own cells– when it fails to make this distinction, a reaction against 'self' cells and molecules causes autoimmune disease.

Ours is a case of an autoimmune social disease. We have first of all to realize that defending Americans and Chinese who are our invaders, and their collaborator GMA is abnormal. It is pathologic.
The next thing to do if we still do not know what to do with this case is to review our history. Let us research our glorious moment when we became independent of Spain and produced our own government, our own defense system, constitution, a republic and a national identity. Whereas before there were the visayans, the tagalogs, the moros and many different groups of people, we became one territory and one nation when we became independent.

After that, during the 1900s, the Americans invaded our country, destroyed our defense system, killed our people and corrupted our education, communication, political and psycho-sociological sytem with an Americanized Infected Disorder Syndrome.

This in a very brief review, is the underlying cause of our sickness today, including thatof the painful situation in Mindanao.

Filipino Soldiers among us, for whom are we defending against whom?

(Posted by Josemiguel at the Sundalo Forum)

The reformed military with genuine revolutionary program is the only hope.

Father Reuters says “Let's not just abandon the Philippines ” because since 40-years ago our nation has been heading “towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral decadence.” He says further, “We have tried people power twice; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe it's time to try prayer power.”

We tried though prayers a lot esp. in EDSA I that led the evil forces of Marcos dictatorship not to defy with viciousness and ruthlessness, the 300 strong military rebels backed by the critical mass of people. But prayer power seemed not enough.

The military was too fast to hand over to Cory and GMA political forces the reins of the govt. They failed to educate them and get their real commitment to sacrifice and if need be, die for our country and people, not only done by the soldiers being abused and corrupted by them.

They were the same old dogs with different collars only, afflicted with the decades old culture of corruption. When the military revolutionaries realized such grave error in our nation’s history, they did pockets of rebellion against Cory and GMA but didn’t know the evil forces of corruption grew much bigger than their pangs. They learned the techniques of suppressing people power – the choke point strategy of the RAM then was met also with the same approach pouring loyalist forces to strategic choke points to counter the people’s movements to the seat of power. People power has become a PUFF, no longer an effective means.

The political forces entrenched more themselves bribing and corrupting the military whose leaderships couldn’t just reject. They were easily brained washed that according to the Constitution, political authority is supreme over the military and must be protected and safeguarded at all times, no matter what the prevailing corrupt practices they used in getting and keeping themselves into power. They are in effect illegitimate in the throne of power that the military keeps on putting them entrenched on the pedestal. This runs counter to the very essence of the Constitution.

Yes, prayers could be. This had always been resorted to by the people, esp. the poor ones. But nothing significant changed the tide of the sad history of the nation. Prayer power fell short??? The political leaders and their corrupt values being exorcised by prayers??? No way will they ever reform!!!

For the military revolutionaries and the well meaning leaders in the noble profession of arms, prayers or no prayers, this has been their much much long wish for our great mass of people: the entire AFP be unified so they have the solid will to free the people from the decades old of vicious, ruthless, corrupt political bondage. They learned so much about the lessons of our nation’s political history at the national and local level: sa kaparangan, kabundukan, kanayunan, lungsod man o hindi – pare-parehong mga ganid ang mga nasa poder pampulitika. Kasama na rito ang mga sumusuporta sa NPA at Muslim extortionist-terrorists, ninanakaw nila ang kaban ng bayan para mabihisan sila (like uniforms being tailored even by military tailors outside camps) at maarmasan sila.

So, the reformed military with genuine revolutionary program is the only hope. Mao did it as he knew political power emanates from the barrel of the gun.

TITO'66

We have lost our constitutional options

The Philippine system of elections, as has been widely acknowledged, is a flawed process that produces only dishonest government leaders. Since the time it was first implemented it has shown no acceptable measure of honesty and fairness.

Like a bad tree planted on our grounds it has continually borne bad fruits that have poisoned our society, our culture and all the other facets of our life as a nation.

Our election process is flawed not only in the sense that the counting of votes is easy to manipulate. Our present system essentially requires every candidate to spend an unreasonably huge amount of money for his campaign. A presidential candidate, for example, necessarily has to set up a huge campaign network that requires enormous amount of money to run effectively. So does every senator, congressman and governor.

First in the mind of every newly elected politician is how he shall recover his election expenses. After he has recovered his investments through illicit and immoral use of his newly acquired power, he then works to similarly generate funds for the next election. By this time, he would have lost all his scruples. Once he has saved enough to ensure his re-election, stealing would have become a habit. He then goes on to endlessly acquire more and more, to continuously satisfy a luxurious lifestyle.

Since almost all of our political leaders go through this route of political spending, cheating and stealing, we continuously suffer from corrupt leadership. After all, what can we expect of a nation led mostly by thieves and cheats?

As most of our politicians are irreversibly corrupt they are rich only in rhetoric and promises but utterly poor in delivery. From being number one in Southeast Asia in economic performance the Philippines under their leadership is now at the bottom of the list. At over 50% poverty rate, we have the highest percentage of families living in destitution. Furthermore, over 17% of our people continually go hungry as they often miss a meal or two in some days for lack of money. With not much to show where our borrowed money have gone, our total debt has now reached an amount we can never hope to pay unless our leaders mend their corrupt ways. The nation's annual amortization for this debt is now computed at over 90% of our country's gross revenue.

Surely, if we allow our present political leaders to continue with their merry but corrupt ways they will bring us to the gutter. That is if we are not yet there.

Actually, we have not only failed in economic performance but we have also done extremely badly in practically all other aspects of governance. We have performed terribly in the field of education and sports, with Pacquiao as our only saving grace. Peace and order has not been improving. Worst, there is no longer a government institution we can trust. Even the Judiciary, including the Supreme Court, for good reasons, is now widely perceived to have been corrupted by power and money.

Clearly, our present system has miserably failed our people. Our nation does not lack competent and honest men but because we have a corrupt election system, we find it impossible to elect even a few honest men.

We need to bring into our government leadership untainted breed of individuals but we can do it only if we change the manner we choose our leaders. Our present crop of politicians, however, who thrive only in a flawed electoral system where guns, goons and gold determine victory, will not allow meaningful change.

We need a window of opportunity where we can institute meaningful and lasting reforms without the intervention of the enemies of change.

We know such an opportunity can never exist within the bounds of the present Constitution as the mechanism by which it can be obtained are in the hands of the same corrupt political leaders from whose abuse and manipulation we wish to be freed.

It is, therefore, only through a direct exercise of our sovereign right as a people by instituting an interim government that we can break the chain that tie us to a flawed and destructive political system. Such a democratic initiative is legitimate and it is our only remaining road to freedom. As the Supreme Court ruled in 1987 when it decided on the legitimacy of the Cory government, "it is an inherent right of the people to cast out their rulers, change their policy or effect radical reforms in their system of government or institution by force or a general uprising when the legal and constitutional methods of making change have proved inadequate or are so obstructed as to be available."

To do nothing about our country's continuing journey to destruction is treason.
Col. Guillermo Cunanan, PMA '66
Malaya

Why most soldiers have lost the will to fight

The slow and painful death of Marine Cpl. Angelo Abeto in the battlefield in Basilan, as recounted by GMA 7 reporter Jiggy Manicad, is an eye-opener.

It gives the public a first-hand view of why the military is losing the war against enemies of the state: The foot soldier’s welfare is the least of the government’s concern.

Soldiers, as well as policemen in far-flung areas, have lost their will to fight because of low morale. Low morale is caused by the perception that they are being fed to the dogs by corrupt government officials.

Abeto would have lived if he had been immediately evacuated by helicopter from the battlefield, which he cried for as he lay wounded.

“Ang sakit ng ulo ko! Hindi ako makahinga! (I have a terrible headache! I can’t breathe!) Medevac! Medevac!” Manicad recounted Abeto as shouting.

“Medevac” is the military acronym for medical evacuation or transportation by either ambulance or helicopter from the battlefield.

A military helicopter came all right for Abeto, but it was too late. He died on the way to the hospital.

There are many Abetos in Mindanao and other places where soldiers and policemen are fighting the New People’s Army and Moro guerrillas.

That’s why soldiers and policemen don’t fight as they used to many years ago, because the government does not attend to their medical needs when they’re wounded.

Wounded soldiers, who are lucky enough to be brought to the V. Luna Medical Center in Manila, run out of luck at the hospital.

At V. Luna, soldier-patients are told to buy their own medicines as the hospital pharmacy doesn’t have enough stock. They are told they will be reimbursed later.

To a typical soldier who lives a hand-to-mouth existence, buying his own medicine is like telling a waitress to dip into her pocket to give the customer his change as the restaurant cashier doesn’t have the cash yet.

* * *
When my father was in the military service in the late 1940s up to his retirement in 1970, soldiers fought hard in the battlefield because they were given the best possible medical attention at the various military station hospitals and, in severe cases, at the Camp Crame hospital and V. Luna.

Also during the time of my old man, soldiers’ families were given the best possible care by military doctors assigned in every camp.

At that time, soldiers dreaded retirement as they and their dependents would be losing free medical treatment and hospitalization. They retired after serving 30 or more years.

Now, soldiers are retiring en masse when they reach 20 years of service.

By Ramon Tulfo, On Target, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 08/14/2008

TV reporter witnesses 4-hour dying of a Marine

What this TV reporter witnessed on Monday in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan, echoes yet again the tragedy of soldiers dying in the battlefield because of the limitations of the Armed Forces itself.

It also showed that the issue, one of a number raised five years ago by renegade junior military officers in the Oakwood mutiny, remains a problem and is far from resolution.

By his account Tuesday to the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net), GMA 7 reporter Jiggy Manicad traveled with his crew to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for a “simple coverage” of the first ever automated elections in Philippine history.

But the news team found itself trapped in heavy fighting between government troops and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, and Manicad found himself witnessing the agony of the severely wounded Marine Cpl. Angelo Abeto, begging for a “medivac” as he lay bleeding for four long hours.

No Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopter arrived to evacuate Abeto and three other wounded Marines and a militiaman, Manicad said.

It was a Sikorsky helicopter from the US military, which has troops in Zamboanga City, that picked up the wounded men in the afternoon.

Bled to death

“We learned that on the way to Zamboanga, Corporal Abeto died,” Manicad said on the phone from Lamitan, Basilan.

The way he saw it, the Marine, who was hit by shrapnel from mortar fire, had bled to death.

“His whole body was already pale when I saw him lying on the gurney at the Marines camp. He kept on shouting, ‘Ang sakit na ng ulo ko! Hindi ako makahinga! (I have such a headache! I can’t breathe!) Medivac! Medivac!’” Manicad recounted.

Four of Abeto’s fellow soldiers stayed by his side, rallying him to hang on and fight for his life.

Manicad said he had heard a number of Marines complain that military choppers were immediately available when generals needed them but that it was often a futile wait for wounded soldiers.

On the phone, however, Marine Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, chief of the AFP Western Mindanao Command, denied that Abeto had died from loss of blood and that the PAF had not sent choppers to Tipo-Tipo.

“[Abeto] did not die because of loss of blood. He was hit in the head and back. He was seriously wounded,” Allaga told the Inquirer. Quoting military doctors, he said Abeto would not have survived his injuries.

Allaga also said PAF choppers had arrived earlier in Tipo-Tipo than the US chopper.

Daylong firefight

Abeto was part of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 10 that engaged some 300 MILF rebels in a daylong firefight to drive away the latter, who were purportedly planning to take over the town of Tipo-Tipo in protest of the ARMM elections.

According to Manicad’s account, he and his team started their election coverage on Monday at around 6:30 a.m.

They were to document the collection and transport of ballot boxes from the municipal hall to the schools for the elections. But they were diverted when told that Cabangalan Bridge in Tipo-Tipo had been blown up by armed men believed to be MILF guerrillas.

After wrapping up a report on the bridge, Manicad, along with cameraman Gregg Gonzales, assistant cameraman Jonathan Palisoc, and driver Ding Lagoyo, returned to the municipal hall.

Manicad and his crew

At around 8:45 a.m., they were informed that some 300 MILF fighters were already at the bridge.

The Marines and the police began to prepare for a fight, and the teachers and residents of Tipo-Tipo started to flee to the nearby town of Unkaya Pukan some 30 minutes away by foot.

From a distance

Manicad continued his account thus:

At the onset of the firefight, the news team took cover in the Tipo-Tipo municipal hall but subsequently rushed to Unkaya Pukan, where even Mayor Joel Maturan had armed himself in case the fighting spilled over to his town.

Manicad and his crew covered the fighting from a safe distance.

Still, they saw some 300 MILF rebels led by four commanders spread on the other side of the highway that separated the government troops from the guerrillas who were in fatigue uniforms.

To Manicad, it appeared that the Marines were severely undermanned in the first hours of the fighting. He learned that most of the troops had been deployed for election duties in the other ARMM provinces.

“There were reinforcements, but they came really late in the day—almost at the time of clearing operations,” said Manicad, 33, who has covered the military and defense beat.

‘A lot of snipers’

The fighting lasted for 10 hours, Manicad said.

He said the Marines had mortars, M-16 rifles and .50 cal. sniper rifles, and the MILF, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and “a lot of snipers.”

“They were strong,” he said of the MILF.

Manicad said he believed that the rebels had a well-planned effort to take over Tipo-Tipo on Monday.

He said cell sites had been destroyed a day earlier, and all roads leading to other towns had been turned into ambush sites by the rebels, practically isolating Tipo-Tipo.

Reprise of kidnapping

Late Monday night, text messages that Manicad and his team could not be reached by GMA 7 headquarters in Manila made the rounds.

The team had not been able to file a report from Tipo-Tipo, raising fears of a reprise of the kidnapping of an ABS-CBN news team in Sulu two months ago.

Isolated

Manicad said he had exhausted all means to contact GMA 7 headquarters but that Tipo-Tipo had effectively been isolated.

He and his team were able to leave Tipo-Tipo early Tuesday morning, and reached Lamitan at around 8:30 a.m.

After phoning his bosses to inform them that he and his crew were safe, Manicad immediately went to work to tell Corporal Abeto’s story.

Nikko Dizon, Philippine DailyInquirer

Surrender and betrayal

Just so it’s in context: Mrs. Arroyo’s deal for "peace" in Southern Mindanao is analogous to the Americans giving the descendants of Geronimo and his Apaches exclusive ownership of Arizona and New Mexico and the descendants of Sitting Bull and his Sioux exclusive ownership of Montana and parts of Wyoming and Dakota. Everyone should thus congratulate the MILF rebels for a great victory over the Philippine government and its armed forces.The deal is nothing less than a surrender.

While no one will dispute the great need to finally bring peace to conflict-troubled areas in Mindanao, the soldiers who’ve fought and bled and died there because they were told that this served the interest of their government surely have a right — or their families do — to now feel betrayed. After all, they sacrificed much — as much as the MILF fighters did — but they are not to be rewarded with the kind of settlement for which the word generous would be an understatement. The Filipino people, who are only now learning about what was to be given away in their names because Mrs. Arroyo and her panel of negotiators tried to seal this agreement behind their backs, also have a right to feel betrayed.

Presidential spokesmen and other apologists for the deal are being disingenuous when they call the agreement a mere "discussion document" and quibble that it will still require enabling laws, plebiscites, and an amendment of the Constitution before it can be called an agreement. They ask us to believe that recognizing the MILF as the sole representatives of a separatist group and treating them as equals in "a piece of paper" signed in a foreign country by authorized representatives of the Philippine government (including its secretary of foreign affairs) and witnessed by representatives of other foreign governments (including superpower mediator America) has no effect on the MILF’s standing in the international community and on our own actions regarding their separatist movement. They should try telling that to the marines in Mindanao.

Reading the wordy document, one cannot shake the feeling that the MILF leadership drafted it exactly the way they wanted — they even managed to delete all mention of our Constitution or of a National Government — and the Philippine panel just meekly agreed to it. That, of course, is a tribute to the MILF negotiators and their foreign supporters. Mrs. Arroyo and her panel should, however, consider this a sad reflection on their own negotiating abilities, assuming of course that their goal was actually the national welfare and not just their own personal interests or the interests of some foreign power.

Consider just a few of the things the Philippine negotiators agreed to. For one thing, the panel agreed to define the "Bangsamoro" people as "those who are natives or original inhabitants of Mindanao and its adjacent islands including Palawan and the Sulu archipelago at the time of conquest or colonization of its descendants" and agreed that "ownership of the [Bangsamoro] homeland is vested exclusively in them by virtue of their prior rights of occupation that had inhered in them as sizable bodies of people, delimited by their ancestors since time immemorial, and being the first politically organized dominant occupants." Note that if it is the Spanish conquest referred to, the definition excludes all those who moved to Mindanao only after 1565. Note also that the so-defined Bangsamoro people own what is designated as their homeland "exclusively," with no apparent qualifications for who might own particular areas now.

Additionally, the panel agreed to acknowledge "any unjust dispossession" or "marginalization" of the Bangsamoros’ "territorial and proprietary rights (and) customary land tenures" and make restitution. This could be taken to mean that land that had been appropriated by Spanish and American colonial authorities or land that had been awarded to homesteaders and settlers for farming or land on which structures like roads and dams and buildings had already been constructed must now be given back. Moreover, "whenever restoration is no longer possible, the GRP [Philippine government] shall take effective measures of adequate reparation collectively beneficial to the Bangsamoro people." That would mean that the Bangsamoro people will have to be paid, presumably by the rest of us.

Then, the panel agreed that "the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) shall have jurisdiction over the management, conservation, development, protection, utilization and disposition of all natural resources, living and non-living, within its internal waters extending fifteen (15) kilometers from the coastline of the BJE area. (and that) the territorial of the BJE shall stretch beyond the BJE internal waters up to the Republic of the Philippines (RP) baselines." This is significant because the panel agreed that "all potential sources of energy, petroleum in situ, hydrocarbon, natural gas and other minerals, including deposits or fields found in territorial waters, shall be shared between the Central Government and the BJE in favor of the latter through production sharing agreement or economic cooperative agreement." And this sharing? "All royalties, bonuses, taxes, charges, custom duties or imposts on natural resources and mineral resources shall be shared by the Parties on a percentage ratio of 75% / 25% in favor of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity." Wow.

Now who heads the BJE? Well, it can only be whoever is designated by the MILF signatories of the agreement. The agreement itself gives implicit recognition to the MILF leader as the representative of the entire Bangsamoro people. Note that it is not the MNLF leader. Nor the ARMM governor. Nor the governor of any province. Nor anyone else.

With respect to the nature of the relationship between the BJE and the Philippine government, the panel agreed that this "shall be associative characterized by shared authority and responsibility." That’s deliberately vague, but the word "associative" implies a relationship between equals. Other parts of the text shed some light on the intentions: "the BJE shall be empowered to build, develop and maintain its own institutions, inclusive of civil service, electoral, financial and banking, education, legislation, legal, economic, and police and internal security force, judicial system and correctional institutions. (and) is free to enter into economic cooperation and trade relations with foreign countries. (and) open Bangsamoro trade missions in foreign countries." Furthermore, the Philippine government is required to "take necessary steps to ensure the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity’s participation in international meetings and events, e.g. ASEAN meetings and other specialized agencies of the United Nations."

What is one to make of such munificent provisions other than that the Philippine government has agreed to surrender part of its territory and allow the establishment of an independent state by the MILF?

There really seems to be no way of interpreting the proposed agreement except as a deal intended solely to benefit the MILF and its foreign sponsors and Mrs. Arroyo and her factotums personally. What the MILF and its backers get from the deal is abundantly clear. The question before us is, what does Mrs. Arroyo get from this that is so important to her that she is willing to betray her soldiers and the Filipino people for it? Let’s guess.

Rene B. Azurin, Strategic Perspective, Business World