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At around 10 this morning, residents of Trece Martires Cavite heard a blast. The blast, as reported and confirmed by police, came from a compound shared by an electronics firm and Starmaker company, a duly legitimate pyro-technics company. Scores were injured and some unfortunately died.

Media reported the incident, the first one, DZBB of GMA Channel 7. Initial, yet sketchy information revealed that the accident was non-intentional and probably emanated not from the pyrotechnics company but on the adjacent electronics firm.

Additional investigation showed that there were a few employees of Starmaker when the accident happentd. It was perplexing to the company management since they were reportedly on the shut down mode and there were no production being made in the area.

The blast was so strong that it was heard a few kilometers away. However, the 40 or so citizens who were injured by the blast, as of presstime, are being given post-traumatic counselling. All were fine.

Pinoy Observer sensed something wrong with news that these pre-need companies are losing money. As early as August 2008, a report supposedly written by big pre-need firms suggest that a total of 46 billion pesos out of the allowable fund of 100 billion pesos has dissipated from these pre-need firms due to the so-called financial crisis. There are insinuations that pre-need firms will not be able to fund maturing policies by next year due to losses being incurred by them.

Hence, these pre-need firms are asking government to give them a slice of the billion peso stimulus package as assistance.

Question—why will these pre-need firms seek government help and use our money? Nanggagago na ang mga ito! It is their responsibility and not government nor the people. If they lost huge amounts due to their placements in Lehman brothers, they should not resort to such PR stunts to justify a possible infusion of public money into their companies. Ginigisa tayo sa ating sariling mantika ng mga dambuhalang pre-need firms na ito!

If they bungled on their investments, they should not get money from the public coffers! They should owe up to the financial mess they themselves created.

Likewise, why did the Arroyo regime allotted at least 82 BILLION PESOS for the so-called ailing real estate business? Pinapakita lang ng mga Arroyo ang mga dambuhalang real estate firms samantalang kakarampot ang ibinibigay ng gobyerno sa tunay na dapat bigyan ng agarang tulong–those ailing Philippine export companies and small and medium sized service firms.

Controversial Social Security System president Romulo Neri has agreed to lend 12.5 BILLION PESOS to the government. The money, which will be sourced from the SSS Pension fund, will reportedly fund the proposed stimulus program being envisioned by the government. Neri has reportedly presented the proposal to Malacanang and he is putting the final touches on the deal.

Question—did Neri conducted a public hearing on this? Take note that this Pension Fund is the public’s money, not Neri’s nor Arroyo’s. They have no right toying with our hard-earned contributions.

Neri said the “contribution” is actually in a form of a loan, that will earn interest and is beneficial to SSS members. Question–what’s the interest? And how much will SSS members earn from this plan?

Neri and this administration do not have the right to play with the people’s money. They are really getting more brazen and bolder everytime we allow them to go unpunished for their previous sins against us. It is time to stump our foot down!

Chief Justice Reynato Puno’s call for a moral revolution smacks of a veiled attempt by traditional forces to present an anti-thetical platform against rising public perception of systems failure. It is an attempt to re-shift the focus, from systems change to personality change. Conservative forces who are benefitting from this dysfunctional system are the primary oppositors of real systemic change through revolt, and these forces are moving to perpetuate the democratic way of change through the ballot.

There is a conscious campaign by conservative forces to disabuse the minds of the public, shifting the discourse from systems failure to personality failure, so as to stem the tide of rising dissent. This moralist call also shows how conservative forces are trying to control the developing counter-culture that threatens their very lives and power under the present dispensation. This counter-counter reflects the underbelly of dissent against the prevailing system, since people are now arriving at the conclusive presumption that the ballot is an ineffectual means for change.

The pragmatist in Puno knows that his victory as president is a long shot. Nobody has ever won in a campaign centered on a moral platform. First, people are unconvinced that it’s the morals really of those in power which should be blamed for this prevailing fiasco. I know this deviates from my previous presumption and calls also for a “moral revolt”, but my treatise is more on the intellectual revolt rather than a moral revolt.

Second, on whose moral code would we base Puno’s moral platform? Obviously, his platform would be based on Pacheco’s religious biases, which has no proven effectiveness in governance. What if this moral platform conflicts with, say, the Islamic code? How would Puno justify the use of this moral and ethical base platform in actually managing government? Surely, given the fact that morals are culturally rooted, running such a campaign attracts attribution, confusion and utter destruction of values and norms beneath or antithetical to the platform? This will surely attract opposition and worst, serious dissent which could deepen the fissures of disunity among the Filipino people.

Lastly, running under the moral platform shows a possible weaker governance style than the present one. Politics is not for the faint hearted nor the benevolent heart. Bureaucracy is full of bullshit and opportunists. What would Puno do if someone stole billions of pesos, like what Bolante reportedly did? Will he impose the death penalty? Obviously not, since, under a moralist government, it is more humane to allow one person to live and capital punishment is not considered.

Puno should not allow himself to be used by these pseudo change agents and by these conservative forces whose interests are now being threatened by the entry of New Money. The shift of wealth, from land resources to non-land and rent, are threatening the very existence of the old elites. Propping up Puno is a serious last ditch effort at finding solutions to the slowly rising influence of New Money.

Many applauded Philip Salvador for what he did to that bus driver in yesterday’s altercation in EDSA. If you still don’t know, Salvador reportedly punched the bus driver in the face after the driver nearly killed him and his family. Reports say that Philip was driving his car with his wife, his kid and a maid when the bus nearly sideswept them.The driver was driving so fast that his bus nearly slammed unto the right side of Philip’s car.

The MMDA should start reviewing its guidelines at EDSA. Bus drivers are getting riskier and bolder by the day. Maybe these drivers feel that they own the road, what with their weekly protection money lining the pockets of MMDA traffic officials, as what Ted Failon said in his radio show.

High time that Mr. Bayani Fernando, the self-proclaimed “traffic genius” put a stop to all these road madness at EDSA.  Fernando is so busy campaigning in the provinces that he’s unable to control his men right now. So much for so mayabang Bayani Fernando.

Though many criticize Gordon for his alleged bravado and his usual line of him being God’s given son in Philippine politics, what I saw pleased me when he presided over at the Blue Ribbon committee hearings on the Fertilizer fund scam. Despite some attempts by his “classmate and bosom friend” Atty.Fornier (or is it Fonacier?) to influence or cloud his decisios as Committee head against the counsel’s client, Gordon maintained his cool and tried to remain impartial. It would have been better if Gordon really stuck his guns and meted his friend a contempt of court ruling. For about seven times, his classmate violated the Rules of the Senate. Gordon should have been firm.  Gordon should have thrown Atty. Fornier to the Pasay City jail. His leniancy at that point became suspect because of his ties with the counsel of the beleaguered witness.

Maybe it was all theatrics, since, in the end, Gordon just let that thing passed. Imagine, a mere lawyer mocking the integrity of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee! For all my years covering the Senate and watching history unfold there, it was my first time to see a lawyer and some other persons, mocking the very integrity of the Blue Ribbon committee.

Gordon failed to assuage the fears of the public that this administration is trying to railroad the proceedings. The first time that Gordon assumed the blue ribbon, many feared that, as administration ally, Gordon could use the powers of the committee to just allow Joc-Joc Bolante and his accomplices to escape punishment.

The previous hearing showed just that–Gordon being made to be party in this silly and whimsical and almost parodied scam hearing. What a shame.

New US President Barack Obama just signed three Executive Orders, two of which concerns political lobbying and a freeze on the salaries of top White House officials. The other one is an E.O about the financial stimulus package. He also signed an order temporarily stopping the prosecution of those jailed over at Guantanamo bay.

What’s the meaning of all these? What Obama is trying to say is this—he wants to clean up the government, save the people some money and send a message to the world that the Obama presidency is respectful of human rights. That’s the right way to start his 100 days.

Obama expects a series of meetings with Congressional leaders on how to pass and implement the 820 billion dollar stimulus package that is expected to create 3million jobs. Though the stock markets continue to plunge, Obama and his economic advisers hope that the infusion of new money into the economy will reinvigorate the markets and production starts humming again.

Let’s just hope that this works. Sectors say Obama is just being given at least 100 days by the American technocrats and power-shakers. It’s unfair. Yet, in American politics, that is all the patience these tradpols allow to a sassy neophyte like Obama.

Shortly after the announcement of Al Qaeda spiritual leader Osama bin Laden’s call for jihad against the so-called ” US-Zionist” alliance, members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, led by a certain Albader Parad kidnapped two foreigners and one aide member of the International Red Cross.

The kidnapping happened right under the noses of authorities, as accounts reveal that the kidnap victims were seized at gunpoint near the Sulu capitol building in Patikul town just this morning.

Sulu police director Senior Supt. Julasirim Kasim identified the kidnapped victims as Andreas Notter, 38, the Swiss head of the ICRC Office based in Zamboanga City; 62-year old Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipina engineer Jean Lacaba, 37 of Davao City. Reports say they were seized at the Area Coordinating Center (ACC), a conference hall between the provincial capitol and provincial jail.

They were taken at gunpoint along with three other ICRC staff members. Witnesses say at least eight men with high-powered firearms emerged out of nowhere and nabbed them.

The suspects then ordered the victims to board an ICRC vehicle, leaving behind Dr. Richie Sorilla, ICRC medical field officer; Ramon Catacutan, senior field officer; and Mohamad Shihata Jikiri, field officer.

Brigadier General Eugene Clemen, commander of the 3rd Marine Brigade based in Patikul, said the victims were on their way out of the capitol compound when the armed men ordered them to board the ICRC vehicle.

Immediately after the kidnapping, Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered for a full manhunt against the kidnappers. Sulu governor Abdulsakur Tan meanwhile vowed to retaliate against the families of those who kidnapped the foreign aid workers.

It will be remembered that the same Albader Parad led the team which kidnapped ABS-CBN News Anchor Ces Drilon and her team. After the release of Drilon, no news as to the whereabouts of Parad. However, AFP press statements said that they continued hot pursuit operations against the group of Parad.

This caps a series of insurrectionary activities in Mindanao, which has killed scores of others. Fighting rages in the hinterlands of Sulu, Basilan, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao and Cotabato.

Question—will this affect the ongoing efforts by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to return to the negotiating table soon? Will this also turn into a scenario similar to the Sipadan hostage crisis?

This is the most recent high profile kidnapping done by the ASG. The last time that the Abu Sayyaf Group, a known international terror organisation, held a high-profile kidnapping was in 2000, shortly prior to the ouster of former President Joseph Estrada.

This kidnapping is significant for two things: First, it involves an international organization. And second, the terror group could use this as a propaganda stunt. Given the attention in the Middle East brought by the Israeli-Palestinian clash in Gaza, this kidnapping could get worldwide attention or condemnation. This could also be misinterpreted as a coordinated effort by global terrorist groups under the ambit of the Al Qaeda.

As I’m writing my earlier entry, I received numerous texts from my bosom buddy Joey de Venecia 3, the son of former speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

It appears that some officials of Malacanang have prevented Joey de Venecia from entering and speaking in a school inside an airbase in Cebu. It appears that Joey’s security is compromised and there are reports that airforce officials want him arrested right there and there!

Joey texted me, and I’ll write this in entirety now:

“…jst wud like to infrom u that i am in cebu right now to attend a students forum with student leaders and faculty of the philippine state college of aeronautics on mactan airbase. unfortunately, i was informed that the forum was cancelled after some Malacanang officials called up the school…

According to Prof. JM Sarselejo, Mactan airbase officials and security approved the school forum but “higher authorities” in Manila ordered them to refrain me from entering (the school)”

This is a flagrant violation of Joey de Venecia’s right to freely express himself. This shows how arrogant and how high and mighty these Palace occupants think of themselves.

After all the hoopla and the drama, the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) is pushing thru with the very controversial and very overpriced Northrail project. Yes, Noemi, it is definitely pushing thru. And the people must be made to understand that they must be ready to pasy more than US$700 million for this huge monstrosity.

Imagine, this project and that of the ZTE cost the head of former Speaker (and alleged “Global Filipino”) Joe de Venecia Jr. No, I stand corrected—this controversy actually put an end to the decades-old political ascendancy of JDV. It has lead, providentially in fact, to a succession, which we will see in 2010.

So, if the Northrail project is pushing thru, are we then seeing the revival of the mothballed ZTE project? Or, the project is actually now on-going in a different name? We will never know.

Ultimately, it was only the activists who got hoarse shouting to high heavens how fucked things up. Eventually, those close to the Palace got their millions, plain and simple.

Whatthefuckhappened?