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Two bishops have called upon the people to join the mammoth rally this Sunday, November 30, 2008. Heeding the clarion call, the Makati Business Club (MBC) and other civil society groups are also calling for people to go to the streets and protest the current efforts of this administration to extend Gloria’s term.

A few days prior, detained Senator Antonio Trillianes called upon the people to support the impeachment complaint against Gloria. Saying it’s the last legal option to oust the Pinay anti-Christ, Trillianes says it is still possible for the democratic soldiers to “intervene” into this political mess and rectify these errors wrought against the people by this evil administration.

Question that everybody is asking–will there be a realization of the People’s dream for the ouster of Gloria? Rumours say, a big event will happen on the 28th of November, the day when Gloria comes back from her Latin American trip. Others say, the 30th of this month will signal a week-long “Revolution of Hope” and would culminate with Gloria’s ouster.

Observing what’s happening, I think that the thirtieth will just be the proverbial first shout that would culminate to Gloria’s eventual ouster before January 2009. There are very auspicious signs which point to a weakening of Gloria’s defenses by December 2008. The apex of the people’s sentiments may be reached next month as Congress formalizes the killing of the impeachment, a symbolic act which could trigger widespread dissillusionment and cause the justification of a December affair.

Or, it could be prolonged to January of next year. If the forces against Gloria succeeds in ousting her in January or weaken her pro-cha-cha forces in the first quarter of 2009, kiss charter change goodbye. People behind Gloria will definitely not be able to implement their dastardly plot in summer, since there will not be sufficient time to effect charter change.

Unbeknownest to Gloria, the more anti-charter change proponents delay the hearing of the cha-cha proposals, the lesser the prospects for Gloria to extend her term. Surely, they cannot ram cha-cha in June of 2009 simply because Congressmen will be busy by then for their re-election campaign. So, the critical months begins in December and ends in March 2009 or the month where Congress adjourns. However, there is another card which Gloria’s minions are contemplating and that is the emergency power card. These Malacanang hawks will try to implement black operations, will try to portray lawlessness in the Metro and in Mindanao and justify it. Like charter change, however, they are also pressed for time since they need to muster enough support from the AFP to do this. Surely, the defense secretary will not be a party to this, since Danding’s party, if reports are to be believed, is aligning itself with the JDV-FVR faction in Lakas.

As I am writing this, I received information that Gloria’s men are meeting in a secluded place in Malacanang and plotting for their next move. With the impeachment complaint squashed, the palace political operator is reportedly plotting to oust ex-Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. The ouster of JDV will be made in a political caucus by Lakas members. Former palace legal counsel Sergio Apostol is allegedly the one tasked to cut JDV’s head.

I think this plot will just be a counter-plot since it will just anticipate the expected bolt of the JDV-FVR faction in Lakas to coalesce with Manny Villar’s Nacionalista Party and Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco’s Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). Sources say there is already an understanding between FVR and Cojuangco while FVR’s group reportedly is almost close to talks with Villar’s. Meaning, Lakas is just trying to mitigate the effects of a formal split, since obviously, Malacanang, for the longest time, has been trying to marginalize both JDV and FVR.

A split within Lakas will definitely affect the strength and stability of the entire “rainbow coalition” at the House. It would impact particularly on KAMPI, since majority of its members are former Lakas stalwarts. If JDV and FVR succeeds in coalescing with Danding and Villar, the possibility of another party raid within Kampi-Lakas is huge given that JDV and FVR still commands respect among the old guards of Lakas. In practical terms, with Danding and Villar united, this sends a message to Congressmen that the gravy train has shifted from Gloria to again, the JDV-FVR tandem.

JDV’s marginalization will all be done immediately after the AFP attack on Camp Bushra of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Reports say, the AFP brass is preparing for an outright assault on Bushra this December. JDV’s ouster from Lakas will coincide with this military assault.

This explains why Gloria hurriedly invited 40 or so Congressmen to the Peru trip, austensibly to discuss and fortify the Kampi ranks which was reputedly being raided by JDV and FVR. Talks are rife that Gloria wants to discuss cha-cha with these Congressmen, which, by the way, includes Batangas Cong. Hermigildo Mandanas, the author of Resolution No. 550 calling for the conversion of the House into a Constituent Assembly. The Resolution, which was a surprise for House Committee on Constitutional Amendments chair Victor Ortega is one among three Trojan Horses that Gloria and her allies created to austensibly lead to one conclusion—charter change.

A JDV-FVR bolt from Lakas will wreck havoc Gloria’s plan of term extension and charter change. This will spoil the pot, so to speak. However, with Gloria’s Peruvian Forty, cha-cha advocates would just need a another forty or even a hundred to pass these resolutions and throw it into the plenary for voting. The vote in the impeachment complaint at the House Committee on Justice shows the future direction of these cha-cha efforts.

By the way, Joey de Venecia the Third, who I find to be a very serious Nationalist, sent me his statement stating his opinions on the killing of his impeachment complaint. This is what he has to say:

STATEMENT OF JOEY DE VENECIA III
DISMISSAL OF IMPEACHMENT CASE
DUE TO INSUFFICIENCY OF SUBSTANCE
November 26, 2008

This is a sad day not only for us the complainants and the minority lawmakers, but more so for the Filipino people. Our right to take President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to task has again been taken away from us.
As our minority lawmakers have said repeatedly, this process is a way to let government show the transparency that the Constitution mandates.
The impeachment process is the proper and legal forum to let the people know what is happening and to allow the government and its officials to explain themselves.
It appears that the government would rather that the people take its grievances to the street than offer them a decent and legal forum.
The House Justice Committee might have stopped the impeachment complaint but I assure everyone that the Committee cannot stop us from airing our grievances and allegations in any and all other forums available to us.
We will bring this case straight to the people. We will go to them and talk to them. We will put out into the open what the government would rather keep under the cloak of darkness.
I give my utmost appreciation to all those who supported us in any way. I thank the Filipino people for their sentiments and their prayers.
We will not keep quiet. The fight in the halls of Congress may be over but the real fight for truth and justice goes on.

A Congressman once likened Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to that of Jesus Christ. He said that the People can’t just crucify someone out of innuendoes and false accusations. Yet, if I remember my Bible correctly, especially the Book of Matthew and that of the Book of Revelations, in the end times, false prophets and anti-Christs will appear claiming to be the saviour. And we will know them by their fruits.

We all know that Gloria is not Jesus, nay, far from him. Jesus was never greedy nor had that insatiable appetite for power. Christ even sacrificed his life so that others may live. For Gloria, as the records would show, she ordered the killing of activists, arrested change agents, destroyed thousands of farmer’s lives and promoted an immoral governance style. “We will know them by their fruits”, the good book says.

And like that proverbial story in the bible, in just three days, the cabal of Gloria killed the impeachment complaint. Voting 42 to 8, these cult followers of Gloria wearing amerikanas and barongs showed their unfledging worship to the Philippine anti-Christ. With their hossanas, they infused new life to the old fogey, albeit, literally bringing forth the resurrection of the Pinay anti-Christ. What is left right now in the House of Represent-the-Thieves is that elixir, a proposal to extend the life of the Pinay Anti-Christ up to 2011.

After that infamous voting, Gloria’s “John”, Executive secretary Eduardo Ermita treated Malacanang reporters and other “disciples” of the Anti-Christ to a sumptuous lunch. ” Triumph of justice”, so they say as they feasted on roast pig, and other gourmet foods which ordinary Pinoys just eat in their dreams. Gloria’s cult delivered in Congress, led by a man who sired a boyish looking demon who now is on a mission to flatten our mountains and mine our gold to sacrifice in the altar of the almond-eyed Mammon.

” This signals the death of truth and justice”, was the only remarked of the reformed cultist member who once feasted with the Anti-Christ and once masterminded the antics of the cabal in repulsing the truth. The reformed master of tricks now feels very threatened, knowing that his political extinction is beyond reach. ” It’s only the people who can save this country from infamy and tyranny”.

But, what of the people? We live in such evil times that the blackness has even creeped within our very souls. We live in a chaotic era where hope is non-existent. As predicted in the good book, these times try men’s souls. We will be lured to worship the anti-Christ. We will succumb to her wiles. And we have. Oil companies just lowered pump prices. Employers just gave out 13th month pays. Malls have cut their prices by 50%. Government is creating a favorable environment, giving us the crumbs while they feast on 30 billion pesos of stolen money from our pockets.

We feel nothing because the State has injected a social anesthetic. Can we ever defeat the power of this Anti-Christ who use our monies to lull us to complacency while they rape and sodomize us? Such is the power of this social anesthetic that even those who are enlightened, are themselves, helpless against this anti-Christ.

” Cha-cha is evil”, says the head of one of God’s divisions. But, yes, we know. Since last year, the people already know that Gloria is the anti-Christ. What will God’s disciples do to defeat Satan’s daughter? Place their hope in law? Hope lies not in law, but in men. In these times, we need to expunge the anti-Christ from our midst. And it should be now, not later.

Like what some foreigners accuse the Filipino of always doing, even in politics, we do that same old habit–that is manana. Our political situation actually calls us to decisively act to change things but we are indulging in procrastination. We know there’s really something seriously wrong with how our government is running things yet, we go our own usual ways, ignoring the obvious signs and doing our everyday chores with apparent gusto. Such is the way things are and though we live in a modern world, our habits remain conspiciously Iberian. Not that I hate Iberians (Portuguese and Spanish), but we seem to fail to grasp that even Spaniards and Portuguese nowadays have abandoned their manana habit when it comes to governance and exhibited French style-revolutionary streaks just to correct things.

I actually liken our situation right now to this:

Picture yourself, your friends and almost everybody sitting in one theater. A Magician was there, holding flaming knives. His woman performer is strapped in this huge wheel. He strikes and hits the woman in her forehead. Blood flows. Magician rushes to woman and leaves flaming knives on the floor. One of the knives torches a blind and in an instant the entire stage has been lit on fire.

If you’re one of the audience, what would you do? Will you go get fire extinguishers? Will you help the woman and the magician? In most cases, people will be stupefied and will not immediately take action. People will wait for someone to rise from his seat first before they’ll do something as fundamentally intrinsic as saving their own lives.

Is Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo still “in love” with her husband, the controversial First Gentleman Mike Arroyo? I ask this question for one thing–what’s so important in Peru that Gloria opted to proceed to that troubled nation instead of being with her sick husband? Yes, it was just a stomach ache. But, I believe it was so painful that it caused the airplane to make a momentary stop in Japan just to accommodate the First Gentleman? His doctors say it was the “hardening” of the aoerta walls that caused FG’s hospitalization. FG reportedly ate a “steak”, which he could’nt digest that well and caused his aorta walls to tighten, hence, the pain.

Malacanang wanted to downplay the incident. I don’t want to be cruel, but many thought that it was Gloria who succumbed to illness. Remember those “talks” alleging that Gloria (like Macoy) is suffering from a serious disease (cancer of the ovary? I don’t believe it). Regime critics even prayed for this. There’s one government official though who heaved a sigh of relief when he learned that it was FG and not GMA who fell down his seat. That official probably thought that he’s still okey since he’s still just a spare tire.

But, I really believe that FG’s latest hospitalization is very serious. Is’nt natural for a happy wife to stay beside his ailing husband? What’s so important in Peru for Gloria? Peru is just as impoverished as the Philippines (probably even in worse shape than us) and it’s not even a major trading partner. Is Gloria there to meet with some “power players”? When I think of Peru, I think of Argentina. Selling NAPOCOR assets to Peruvian businessmen?

Going back to the First Couple.The alleged estrangement of Gloria and Mike have been the stuff of legendary coffee shop talks since 2002. One of those rumours alleged that Gloria has been living separately away from her husband since the controversies exploded. We all know those purported indiscretions allegedly by the First Gentleman, one of the most controversial was his alleged tryst with his secretary Vicky Toh. Rumours say the First Gentleman even sired two kids with Vicky Toh before they split up. Now, allegedly, the First Gentleman is said to be with another woman right now. This alleged relationship started a year and a half ago. The woman, wagging tongues say, is a former flight stewardess. This newest relationship, says some Malacanang insiders, is the reason why Gloria and Mike’s relationship remains very strained.

All these news are just probably rumours to besmirch the relationship of Gloria and Mike. What’s important is FG’s safe. But, is he?

What would happen if Gloria loses FG in her side? All of us know that FG is Gloria’s “silent big operator”. Will Gloria fare better without FG inside Malacanang?

I just visited a great site. It’s called PinoyBusiness.org. For those of you who want to set up their own business (like me!), this site will definitely give you great information on how to start your own. Check it out at http://www.pinoybusiness.org. You can also click http://pinoybusiness.org.

Want to get out of the financial rut? Then, go, build your own business. There are many things to sell (excludes yourself of course). You just need to be a risk taker. And of course, passion to make your dreams possible.

I watched one report over at ANC. It’s a story of a man who just thought of selling street food to the middle class. He started with just one food cart. And you know what? That food cart generates for him 1,000 pesos a day! He figured that if he continues selling street food in a food cart, he’ll be able to get more than his monthly pay. After two months, he set another food cart. Then, another one, and another one until it grew to 300 food carts right now! Imagine, he’s earning 300,000 a day just by selling fish balls and kikiam!

I’m also proud to be friends with Atty. Bong Suntay. For those of you who still don’t know it yet, Bong owns Basic Taxi, one of the biggest, if not the biggest taxi service in the Philippines today. He started with just one cab. Then, it grew. Now, he has a fleet of about 3,000 cabs plying Metro Manila and the environs. And you know what? One cab generates 1,800 pesos a day! What’s more, he build his own gasoline station and every cab gets their gas from him. Now, think of how much he earns right now.

There are so many success stories of Filipinos right now who started getting rich by just making their dreams happen and had the guts to struggle and get on with life. I’m looking forward to see my own business in the next few weeks.

Rumour mills are a-buzz with the latest “Erap-tion”–that at past 60 years old, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada still has the charisma to snatch his pretty spokesperson. He allegedly even got her pregnant.

I really can’t fathom how low these political operators can become. I mean, Margaux Salcedo (a former newscaster of GMA7) is a decent lady. She used to be my classmate at the Ateneo School of Law and was my team mate at the debating team.  I don’t mean to be mean to Erap, but please, Margaux is not the kind of lady who will have relations with an old and married man.

She’s a lovely lady with a mean reputation. She’s very friendly and probably those political operators thought that she’s the weak link in Erap’s armor.

At this point, it’s better for the Erap camp to ask Margaux to clarify this matter before the public since this is harming the status of her “client” before the eyes of the masses. It brings back those unsavory thoughts about Erap’s indiscretions.

The House Committee of Justice just junked our Motion to Intervene in the current impeachment case filed by ZTE whistleblower Joey de Venecia. Despite vigorous opposition from some members of the majority, the Committee ruled that the MOI should be treated as a separate complaint, hence, it should be reverted back to the Intervenors since it is covered by the one-year ban on filing impeachment complaints. House Majority Floor Leader Art Defensor who also chairs the House Committee on Rules earlier ruled that the MOI cannot be treated as an addendum to the original impeachment complaint since there seems to be no opinion on “intervention” as far as the rules are concerned. This is one area where the law is silent and probably should be resolved or construed by the Supreme Court. Some argued that the SC cannot intervene on this since it does not have the power to pry into the rules of the House.

Reviewing my constitutional one, the Supreme Court actually has the duty and the power to review Congressional acts, limited to the determination or construction of these acts according to prevailing jurisprudence. Meaning, even though the question would delve on the Rules of the House, the Supreme Court can be made to determine or construe the real intention of the House in making those Rules. Statutory Construction is one of the main purposes and powers of the Supreme Court.

I was informed by Manolo Quezon that the intervenors will go to the Supreme Court as a last recourse. Though the SC cannot recommend the House to decisively act on a purely executive matter, nonetheless, it would be good for Philippine jurisprudence that a case be filed before the Highest Tribunal to finally rule on what the “intervention” clause really mean. If the term “intervention” is being allowed in the rules of the Lower Chamber, what does this truly mean? Quezon will serve the Filipino People better if he again spearheads this legal initiative.

Bolante’s runner, Maritess Aytona is now being tagged as the one who offered Congressmen the fertilizer funds. The Senate wants to get her. But, where is she? She’s reportedly the manager and owner of Feshan Philippines Incorporated, a company built just to be the legit front for Bolante’s operation. Feshan was given the exclusive contract to supply diluted fertilizers.

With her over at Feshan was one Jimmy Paule, allegedly an official at the Provincial government of Antipolo and reportedly an uncle of DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno. Paule was the designated “snitch” of Malacanang to reportedly monitor the movements of Aytona and Bolante. While fertilizer scam whistleblower Jose Barredo Jr. worked as Bolante’s courier. It was Barredo’s testimony before the Senate (which was confirmed by Rebecca Aquino, a board member of the Provincial government of Sorsogon) that blew open Bolante’s illicit trade.

Where is Aytona? Why is the Senate not ordering her immediate arrest? Aytona should be made to appear before the Senate and asked to reveal the truth. Otherwise, the DA syndicate might just get hold of her and murder her, like what happened to Esperat and another DA employee whose entire family was massacred by this syndicate.

Some insights about Aytona. Maritess “Tess” Aytona hails from Marikina. She formerly dabbled in the medicine business and met Bolante through some acquiantances. Aytona is said to have very strong connections with Bulacan-based mayors.

The House Committee on Justice chaired by Cong. Matias Defensor has just decided to discuss the merits of the Motion to Intervene by a group of citizen journalists led by Inquirer columnist and friend Manolo Quezon. The MOI is the first time that citizen journalists have shown that they are also a force to reckon with. They set up a blogsite of their own (it’s called “Oust the Imp” at http://ousttheimp.wordpress.com/ and “Suya Ka na Ba?” at http://suyakana.blogspot.com/) just for the impeachment updates. This is a welcome development since it is time for these Congressmen to know that citizens of note are taking a great interest in the politics of this country.

I was invited to participate in this undertaking and I knowingly registered by support. Despite my present status, I believe that it is to the best interest of the entire Filipino blogosphere that I take part in this. Though I’m somewhat financially depressed at this point, I deemed it wise to sacrifice my personal interests and put the country’s welfare first. I have a sick baby to take care of today, but I decided to make a definite stand and continue meeting people of different walks of life and make them aware that this is the time for action, not of retrospection.

I texted Inquirer.net reporter Lira Fernandez that we, in the blogsphere are watching very carefully the deliberations on this impeachment complaint. Though many say that it’s a lost cause, nonetheless, I feel and told my media friends (Anthony Taberna and Weng Salvacion) that the Committee should do its ministerial duty to receive, review and pass the MOI and the main impeachment complaint and let Congressmen debate on the substance of the complaint. Yes, it is a number’s game and obviously, Gloria enjoys the tyranny of numbers. Nonetheless, what I want is for people to hear the crimes committed by Gloria and her ilk and let the People decide what course of action to take in the future.

I remember my friend Brian Q telling me that it’s very hard to fight these traditional and entrenched powers in our society. They have been ruling this small and impoverished state for so long and it’s foolhardy for anyone with the purest intention of reform to presume that a flash revolt would just suddenly change all of these things. Our societal problems have deep roots and uprooting them would take a very long time to do. Having said that, awareness is one step towards the right direction and being a pragmatist, I told myself that this MOI and impeachment are two steps toward that direction.

Congress should be made aware that we will not tolerate them railroading this thing. And I mean, we will NOT allow that. Congress should recognize that hundreds if not thousands of people are watching their every move. There are so many groups that I know would burst asunder and would abandon all legal hopes should Malacanang and their factotums in Congress make a fool of Joey de Venecia’s main impeachment complaint and our Motion for Intervention.

Let Congress allow Joey de Venecia, the complainants and the Intervenors to say their piece before the Filipino People. Let Congress give Joey, Manolo and all the rest of those who want Gloria be made accountable of these high crimes their moment to present their case before this august chamber. It would be better if the Committee even pass the buck of responsibility to the assembly since, Gloria enjoys a sizeable number of supporters anyway and like the palace and the Speaker Nograles says, the impeachment will not even reach second reading because it does’nt enjoy the numbers.

Yes, this struggle is, I think, doomed to fail, if Nograles and Dureza are to be believed. Nonetheless, as one anecdote says, one door closes, another one opens. Impeachment is a very political act. It will not solve the very core problems of this country of ours. However, with its death rise hopes that other options is better and more potent that mere pen and paper.