Juan Ponce-Enrile, ex-implementor of Martial law

Senator Juan Ponce-Enrile says the martial law declared in Maguindanao is a “toothless” one, unlike that of his friend and boss, Ferdinand Marcos in 1972. In 1972, Marcos declared martial law and effectively wielded it for decades. Now, says Enrile, Mrs. Arroyo and her hawks may only effect martial law for sixty days. There are checks and balances in place under the Constitution to prevent or deter abuses.

For example, says Enrile, if the military arrested somebody under martial law, he can avail of a remedy–invoke the Amparo rule. The arrest will only take effect within 36 hours, by which time, the suspect can post bail and win his freedom. Enrile also said that  a person can actually claim legal recourse when his rights as an individual are abused. The abused victim can either go to the regular courts and file cases or he can go to the Commission on Human Rights and report them. Under this new version of martial law, regular courts are in operation; meaning, there are venues available for seeking remedies.

Yep, there are legal remedies but we all know what happens in reality. Most instances, victims fail to avail of these legal remedies and result to widespread abuse of human rights. This is what happened during the Marcos regime’s martial rule. And we expect this also under Arroyo.

I ask Mr. Enrile—why trifle with martial law in the first place? Why try the limits of the law? The Maguindanao episode can be solved through effective application of police powers. You don’t need martial law to contain a warlord. This is like saying that it is not enough for the State to contain a warlord just by using police powers. It’s like saying that thousands of troops cannot even neutralize just one warlord.

Arroyo Cabinet

At around 8:30 last night, December 5, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, on behalf of Mrs. Gloria Arroyo, submitted a 21 page report to Congress, officially beating the supposed “deadline” for submitting a report to Congress on the supposed causes of declaring Martial rule in Maguindanao.

The report, which was supposedly written by Ermita with the help of Justice secretary Agnes Devenadera and DILG secretary Ronnie Puno was a chronological narration of what happened in Maguindanao since the day the massacre in Shariff Aguak happened to the day when supposed armed supporters of the Ampatuans reportedly massed up to prevent the government from arresting any member of the Ampatuan clan.

The report said that there was a threat of rebellion coming from the Ampatuans. The rebellion aims to prevent duly constituted authorities from enforcing the law.

Tomorrow, December 7, Congress will have to convene a joint session to debate on the merits of Proclamation 1959. Their aim, says Senate president Juan Ponce-Enrile, is to determine whether or not there is factual basis on the declaration.

This early, the Lower House is expected to vote for the Proclamation while the Senate is again, expected to take a contrary stand. What would possibly happen is that Congress would assume a rubber stamp position and grant the full implementation of the Proclamation (60 days) without extension.

This early, however, the AFP, speaking thru Major General Gaudencio Pangilinan, AFP Vice Chief of Staff, recommend that the martial law be extended up to the May 2010 polls. Pangilinan boasts of “teaching civilians how to have a clean and honest polls”. 

Today, a lawyer’s group will file a Petition before the Supreme Court, questioning the legality of Proclamation 1959.

Under the 1987 Constitution, martial law can only be declared if there is an existing condition of “insurrection, revolution or coup d’etat”. Martial law, as an available power to the State, is exercised only when the security of the state is threatened. When a serious condition of lawless violence pervades in some or a particular area of the archiepelago, the Chief Executive, acting as the Commander-in-Chief, has the power to declare martial rule.

Mrs. Arroyo signed last night Executive Order 1959 placing the entire province of Maguindanao under martial law. This is the first time that Mrs. Arroyo exercised the full extent of the powers granted to her under the Constitution.

The question really—is Martial law necessary in Maguindanao?

In signing the order, Mrs. Arroyo used as reason the massacre which members of the Ampatuan clan allegedly committed against their political enemies. Press secretary Cerge Remonde said it was the government’s answer to the cries for justice to the victims.

After surrounding the Ampatuan’s mansions and confiscated a huge cache of AFP-supplied arms and ammos, Mrs. Arroyo deemed it wise to declare martial law.

Local government secretary Ronnie Puno did not know it. And surely, it might have been the reason why Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabby Claudio immediately tendered his resignation. His scoliosis might have affected him so much after learning that Mrs. Arroyo intends to use the Maguindanao massacre issue as basis for her to flex her political muscle.

Why was martial law declared when the AFP already neutralized the threat? Was it to whitewash a possible investigation as being called by Senator Rodolfo Biazon, after the AFP discovered a huge cache of high-powered firearms bearing the DND-PNP mark?

Was it to shield the DND from possible complicity in arming a warlord such as the Ampatuans? Was Martial law the possible tactic employed to keep the Ampatuan’s mouths shut?

Or, was Mrs. Arroyo and Defense secretary Norberto Gonzales using the issue as foil in an apparent attempt to implement their version of “God Save the Queen”?

A few days before this, the entire National Capital Region was placed under “blue alert”, signalling a possible or imminent attack despite the absence of a clear intelligence report as basis for the alert level declaration. 

These acts by the State are suspicious and should be a serious cause of alarm. 

More than these overt acts, clearly, Mrs. Arroyo again abused her powers granted to her. It is clear that Mrs. Arroyo’s declaration is just to show her political enemies that she is still in power and is still a major political force to contend with.

Arroyo should not stand down on E.O. 839

Opponents of Executive Order 839 has found another willing ally, this time, the AIM Policy Center, a so-called “think tank” of the elite.

In a press conference, the Executive Director of the Center urged Malacanang to lift the contentious E.O. because ” foreign investors are threatening to leave” the country.

Curiously though, a responsible think tank would have provided us with concrete information about how many are thinking of leaving, how much money will leave the country and who are those foreign companies who said they are leaving the Philippines.

What this supposed “think tank” did was basically offer a blanket warning. Meaning, it is just bluffing the government, trying to pressure Mrs. Arroyo to lift the E.O. so that oil giants will again, be preying on us hapless consumers.

Executive Order 839 is a judicious act. It is well within the bounds of Executive Power to regulate the activities of industries, especially those acting as cartels.

This writer urges Mrs. Arroyo not to stand down on Executive Order 839. Instead, let this issue be Arroyo’s “shining moment”, so to speak, a time for her to really show the Filipino People how she intends to protect them in times of need.

The Executive Order is a blessing to everyone since gasoline and diesel prices are sure to rise by 5 pesos if Malacanang decides to lift the E.O. This will have a disastrous effects on the economy, especially on inflation, since prices of basic commodities are sure to rise by then.

Kudos to Mrs. Arroyo for EO 839 against oil firms

Executive Order 839 is one of the most admirable executive orders issued by outgoing president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. If you notice, this is the first time that I referred to her as “president”.

For the longest time, I just say Madame or Mrs. Arroyo. The E.O. was issued, directing oil firms to freeze oil pump prices to October 15 levels. At this time, only one small player obeyed. The rest are still disobeying the Executive Order.

Now, with the issuance of this E.O., it shows how resolute Mrs. Arroyo is in resolving the problem of the people, especially motorists, on the virtual monopoly exerted by giant oil companies. These oil firms have been fooling us for the longest time, and it is about time for government to act in deference to the welfare of the toiling masses. How dare these oil firms threaten the Philippine government that they will either shut down their retail selling due to this E.O. or cause a temporary oil shortage ! Ang kapal ng mga mukha ng mga kapitalistang ito!

Who are they to terrorize or even threaten the Philippine state? If these oil companies stop from importing oil products, let the State, as represented by the Energy secretary, trade and import these oil products in the name of protecting the interests of the Filipino People. Time to regulate the oil industry which has been abused by these foreign oil companies and their local lackeys.

The Philippine government has the facilities to import oil in the name of national emergency. In fact, if these oil firms, namely Caltex, Shell and Petron refused to abide by the provisions of this Order, let the State seize their assets and their facilities. If their executives balk, jail them. The Government is fully justified if they do so.

Now, Mr. Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes. You have been given a directive by the Chief Executive. I think, this time, you’ll be glad to implement this E.O. since this will show that the Philippines will never kowtow to these capitalists who capitalize on the misery of the People. O, now what Mr. Reyes? Will you or will you not obey your Chief Executive?

If the early Christians and Jews have their horsemen, here, in the Philippines, we have our own version, consistent of course with the Pinoy penchant for duplicating whatever is good (and even the bad, i.e., government) from foreign religio-cultural perspectives.

I’m talking about our three “hoarse” men. They are Manila Congressman “and preacher extraordinaire”, the irrepressible Benny Abante of the sixth district of Manila. Following him in his red chariot is Pampanga Congressman, Mikey ” The Facebook Donkey” Arroyo (red symbolizing the color of the wine he bought from Rustan’s supermarket last Sunday). And of course, who would ever forget Jackie ” The once Jacque” Bermejo.

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, we have our three hoarse men, those who blame us for the catastrophe that is Typhoon Ondoy.

First that God sent was Jacque (or Jackie). She wrote in her socnets how God decided to punish us for our transgressions, that we, the people of Metro Manila and other provinces, deserve God’s wrath.

I don’t know when or where Jackie met God, but I’ll not question if she really met The Creator and that the Almighty told her a secret no one already knows. What is important–Jackie berated us for the catalysmic event that killed more than 300 people, displaced 2 or even 3 million people and destroyed billions of pesos worth of property.

She was followed by Mikey, who, in his signature “Nero”-tic style, bought wine when all of us were asking for water. Like Bermejo, Mikey bemoaned some people’s views against him, and even proposed that Facebook in the Philippines be regulated.

Probably Mikey thought that Facebook is some sort of a Congress that he can manipulate to dismiss impeachment complaints, or pay to railroad investigations or even goad its members to pass a defective con-ass.

And, it is as if by some cue (probably from “god”–small “g”), “Dr”, “Preacher” Benny Abante came, with a bible in his hand, and echoed what Bermejo said. Abante blamed the people for sinning against God, and told us that we deserved to be punished.

Abante might have thought of his constituents in the sixth district of Manila who suffered, like all others, from the devastating onslaught of muddy Pasig river water with trash and mud. Abante knows that people would blame him for not doing anything to help them, so he then got his bible, turned to page so and so in the Book of Revelations, and blamed the people for their sins against God.

Abante’s statement was a classic diversionary tactic, meant to beguile the innocent and convert the intelligent and turn them into bumbling, stupid, believers of the Lie.

Benny Abante wants the people to believe that his principal, the Great Madame Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is blameless from all of these. Since he already partook of those great meals, Abante forgot that Mrs. Arroyo spent P 800 million of our monies to pay for those expensive trips abroad, leaving us with nothing to spend in times of calamities.

Abante blamed the people for those anti-flood pumps installed by the MMDA which failed to function. Abante blamed us for PAGASA not having those Dopler weather detection devices because government spent its budget elsewhere.

Abante blamed the people for not believing in government, that this government did not err in that ZTE-NBN deal, nor committed grave thievery in that Fertilizer fund scam.

Abante probably even thought that those people who filed an impeachment complaint against Ombusman Merceditas Gutierrez were big-time sinners because he found nothing wrong with Gutierrez doing nothing in her office but sit it all out until the Day of Perdition (June 30, 2010) comes. Nothing wrong with not filing a case against the First Gentleman in that Jose Pidal thing. Nothing wrong with staying her hand against corruption cases committed by big-time Malacanang operators. And it is absolutely angelic of her not signing the “death” warrants of certain government officials who got billions from noddles, books, roads and bridges and even anti-flood devices.

For Abante, it is the people’s fault that they did not support government initiatives of carving out huge mining concessions in Tanay and other parts of Rizal. Abante might have thought that the people is to blame for not supporting government’s charter change initiative, seeing it as a sin for not giving agreement with their plan of transforming the entire Philippines into a real estate bonanza.

Jesus Christ once told some Pharisees and Sadducees even ordinary Jews in his time that ” He who does not sin should cast the first stone.” In those times, not one threw a stone against that woman whom they accused of being a prostitute. For in those times, even Jews who crucified the Christ, still bear some sense of delicadeza in them, even though they were not conquered by the Spaniards.

Our three “hoarse” men, especially those two gentlemen from Pampanga and Manila, already threw those stones. They are God’s anointed, the sinless, blameless angels who reminded us of our sins.

I was reminded of an appeal by government yesterday about people throwing big rocks and stones whenever government trucks pass them by. These trucks bear those pan de sals and softdrinks that Malacanang thinks would satisfy the thirst and hunger of the people.

Was yesterday’s stone-throwing incident of the people, a portent of things to come, a sign from the judicious God that this is really the time to throw stones at the real prostitute of the elite? (cross posted over at http://www.newphilrevolution.blogspot.com)

The Philippine Star has an explanation—according to an interview with Cong. Teofisto Guingona III, funds dedicated to emergency relief operations worth P 800 MILLION PESOS WERE ALREADY SPENT FUNDING THOSE EXPENSIVE DINNERS AND FOREIGN TRIPS OF MRS. ARROYO.

Typhoon Ondoy is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility tomorrow, leaving the country with 50 killed with an estimated 42 million pesos worth of damages. The storm, which, in some estimates, is just a moderate one, with winds just 100 kilometers per hour and moving just 85 kilometers per hour, left most of Luzon, particularly Metro Manila, in utter devastation. Authorities say the storm packed a powerful volume of rain water, which reached 341 millimeters, the highest since 1967.

More than the physical damages to homes and casualties, the storm left the country with more psychological scars. The people have already been affected most by high food and gasoline prices and paupered by a debilitating financial crisis. The damages wrought by this storm to as many as 280,000 people would surely affect the political future of this administration in 2010.

This storm exposed this government more than what those Joc-Joc Bolante or ZTE-NBN cases did before—it further exposed the weakness of this government especially in addressing disasters and calamities.

With billions of pesos supposedly under its disposal, this government still failed in its most basic responsibility–that of protecting its people from harm. It has reportedly prepared for contingencies like these; yet how amateurish this government exercised its responsibility.

Imagine, the NDCC was able to mobilize just 13 rubber boats. There were half a million people trapped in their homes and subdivisions, most of whom were in their rooftops. The government should have mobilized rescue choppers, not only rubber boats. What happened to those choppers? Are they only for the exclusive use of generals and high government officials?

What they don’t say is that what happened to those expensive water pumps which the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) spent billions of pesos worth of our taxes. MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando once boasted that these pumps are capable of managing onrushing flood waters. MMDA should better prepare for a rational explanation what happened to those pumps.

The budget of P 500 million were also spent by the MMDA in its de-clogging operations. What happened? The people know that the volume of rain water reached 341 millimeters, yes. But, look at how high those flood waters were–most areas were submerged in at least 12 feet. The MMDA said that their projects were capable of mitigating the effects of rushing flood waters. What happened to our monies spent there?

If the MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando still has what others call delicadeza, he should have resigned today. In other countries, like Japan, officials who erred in their BASIC responsibilities, tender their resignations immediately, go straight home, get their samurais, and carve something in their stomachs. Here, we, the people, need to still convince nincompoops like Bayani to do the right thing. Kapal ng mukha!

Just the same, I also would like to ask the Honorable Defense secretary Gilbert “Gibo Teodoro, the head of the NDCC. What happened to our choppers? Why are they grounded? I would also like to ask DPWH secretary Hermogenes Ebdane who is responsible for assisting the MMDA in declogging operations, sir, what happened?

Of course, Mrs. Gloria Arroyo—why were we like frightened kids yesterday and last night? You always prepare whenever you travel abroad. Why were you unprepared in this? Where are those billions of pesos of intelligence funds that you control?

Floods are now subsiding in most of Luzon, but the psychological damage wrought by the storm in most of residents of the Metropolis and those living in Regions 4, 4-a, 4-b and Central Luzon will definitely change the political futures of some.

The lives of 280,000 people were affected, with about 42 to 50 million pesos damaged. The huge volume of people traumatized by this storm will surely make a substantive impact on the political situation of this country.

Natural calamities are stronger than political intramurals in effecting change in other countries. In the next few weeks, the impact of Typhoon Ondoy would surely be felt by this country’s leadership if they continue to do nothing.

One advice to this government—-this early, make a threat to those who will capitalize on this natural calamity, especially food traders. Kill them if they think of raising food prices. I warn these traders who will use this calamity as a justification in raising market prices–be forewarned! We know who you are. If you are thinking of getting a fast buck out of this, the people will look for you and you’ll be neutralized.
Read more…

According to the source, the meeting reportedly was called by Pineda. And the agenda?

Small Town Lottery (STL). Pineda has asked Mrs. Arroyo for “blessing” in expanding their gambling territory not just in Central Luzon but throughout the country. Pineda said that the request came from her husband. It was unclear if Pineda’s request was granted by Mrs. Arroyo.

Don’t get me wrong—STL is not illegal per se. In fact, the PAGCOR grants permits to companies and individuals interested in operating STL.

Now, if you want interesting Philippine news, go to this site. It’s http://www.filipinonewsnetwork.com. It is a megablog for Filipinos and by Filipinos so if you have some interesting insights or news, you can contribute it to the site. It aims to unify all Filipinos in one online platform.

The site also encourages discussion, so feel free to discuss things there and blog away. Now, on with the story.

I was privileged to watch Lady Gaga perform at the Araneta Coliseum. The concert was a success. Many people went to watch this phenom of an artist. She is really a creative force.

There was one thing though which people are still talking about—Lady Gaga being a hermaphrodite. Yes, with a weener and a pussy cat doll in the middle. Lady Gaga was said to have admitted this in an interview.

Now, I don’t know with you, but for me, whether he or she is a Lady Gaga, a Gentleman Gaga or simply Gaga, we don’t judge people with the size of their weeners or pussy cat dolls. We judge them by their character and their talent. If you’re as talented as Lady Gaga, even if people call you GentleLady Gaga, that, for me, is beside the point.

But, hey, for those who love oggling at sexy bodies, maybe having a weener there is disgusting? Or maybe not…

At least Lady Gaga was honest when she admitted she’s an hermaphrodite. That’s comforting. We know of people who even denied they had a boob job. Ask Malacanang.

Obviously, her almost nine years in power brought some improvements in the lives of ordinary Filipinos. This cannot be denied. Her achievements in poverty alleviation, her housing program, her job generation schemes are nothing short of spectacular. Yet, these things are somewhat glossed over by scandals after scandals involving even her very close relatives and friends.

When she said that she’s leaving her office come June 2010, should actually be interpreted as is. There’s nothing that actually prevents us from assuming otherwise. The fact that she’s already the longest serving president means something already. Now, it would be the height of stupidity if she continues on after 2010. Arroyo knows that she’ll be courting disaster if she’ll do that.

We don’t need a categorical, ” yes, I’m not running,” or “no, I’m not extending my term.” phrases for us to believe her. Her statement yesterday is enough. We don’t need to further elaborate on it nor ask more than what she can actually give us. Now, it is but natural for us to expect that she honors this. If she reneges on this again, she knows that she can never go back to those thoughts of a peaceful retirement. That would forever be a destabilizing situation.