Saturday, July 11, 2009


BROWN AND FROWN, WHITE AND RIGHT?

Here's one for Henry Sy and family, and the SM people and their friends who still think it's just hunky-dory and harmless to display those "imported" posters and billboards on all SM Malls in the country:

The most gut-wrenching portions of Dr. Renato Constantino's History: Myth and Reality are the excerpts from letters written by American soldiers who were ordered to commit atrocities here during the Philippine-American War.

These portions of the book convince a reader that the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam, which shocked the world, was quite nothing compared to the atrocities committed here at the turn of the century. Constantino quotes the Boston Herald correspondent who describes the American soldier's attitude toward the Filipino as follows: "Our troops in the Philippines look upon Filipinos as one of race and condition, and being dark men, they are therefore 'niggers' and entitled to all the contempt and harsh treatment administered by white overlords to the most inferior races." Constantino also quotes this excerpt from a letter by U.S. soldier A. A. Barnes who wrote to his parents: "The town was surrendered to us a few days ago and two companies occupied the same. Last night, one of our boys was found shot and his stomach cut open. Immediate orders were received by General Wheaton to burn the town and kill every native in sight, which was done to a finish. About 1,000 men, women and children were reported killed. I am probably growing hard-hearted for I am in full glory when I can sight my gun on some dark skin and pull the trigger."
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A story like this one shouldn't make you rush to the nearest store to buy whitening cream because of fear. On the contrary, it should make you think and be proud and fight on that being brown or kayumanggi in color is beautiful, and you should be proud of your race and stand for it, even at gunpoint. Or, to the other parties concerned, would you rather just sell them whitening creams in your stores and try to save their lives by delivering a subtle message that being brown in color can be downright unacceptable - or in this case, life-threatening? Lame. Shame.

Friday, July 10, 2009


THE PCGG IS NOT ONLY A BIG FISH, IT'S ALSO AN OCTOPUS

Every now and then, the government embarks on a crusade to catch a "big fish." Well, it need not go too far, for right under its 'ilong' - gated nose is one that would make a butanding look like a butete. Matter of fact, not only is it Leviathan-like, it's also an octopus with Hoover-like suctions, tentacles and all. I am pertaining to the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), a misnomer of course, because what it clearly shows is bad governance. By all means, the administration must begin a no-nonsense investigation of this tarnished agency with its officials since its creation by former President Corazon Aquino a few days after she rose to power in 1986.

The full-scale probe will clear up all tales and speculations about the so-called Marcos wealth and expose grand-scale looting of the riches of the Marcoses and their cronies - by Aquino favorites appointed to the PCGG. This must also include other PCGG officials appointed by succeeding presidents from Fidel Ramos to Joseph Estrada, and now with the biggest tentacles of them all under Gloria Arroyo. These officials are reported to be living it up in silent contented opulence from the hundreds of millions they plundered in their short stints in the PCGG. Included in the batch of post-EDSA crooks are members of the notorious Kamaganak Inc., who were among the first to venture grabbing the wealth of the Marcos family and company. Today, a new Kamaganak Inc. II has emerged as a more vicious bottomless pit, making the other past loots look like loose change. In the past, the Sandiganbayan had ordered Malacanang to require the PCGG to submit a thorough and honest report on its activities since its creation, and make a public accounting of the Marcos assets it had accumulated, and how they were disposed of. Also, what offices and banks they were deposited in and who were the individuals responsible for administering them.

Many former PCGG officials - and also the present top officials, including minor liquidating officers in the Marcos firms, are now living bountiful lives with enough illegally-acquired wealth to last them more than three lifetimes. I know of several Marcos cronies who escaped persecution and sequestration of their assets by simply handing over half of these assets to well-placed relatives who are lawyers. One such relative cornered most of the wealth of former Ambassador Benjamin 'Kokoy' Romualdez in a lightning raid on such firms a few weeks after EDSA. This relative has passed away and his loot has been distributed to his heirs, who still cling to them and enjoy its fruits.

No less than Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. had admitted to having $500 million in deposits in Swiss banks, 75 percent of which the Marcos family was willing to give back to the country, and keep 25 percent for themselves. But he insisted that this amount was not stolen from the coffers of the country, but instead was earned and saved legitimately by their family through the late President Marcos' legal practice and business investments. Bongbong speaks the truth here, and documents will prove such.

Today, the PCGG continues to exist in the dark alleys of the powers that be, with shady characters running it. It is therefore inevitable that it now comes out in the open - towards the light, and tell the public once and for all what has become of all the wealth it had sequestered. It's high time they live up to its name - especially the last two words.
What say you, Ric Abcede?

Thursday, July 09, 2009


CONGRESSIONAL INQUISITIONS

Congressmen and senators who take too much time abusing the privilege hour to harass their political opponents and extort money from businessmen deserve not a bit of respect at all from the citizenry. No less that House Speaker Prospero Nograles and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile should quickly act and order a stop to sinister executive speech-making and the abuse of privilege speeches.

For many years, the public has complained about legislators who attack their enemies in privilege speeches, knowing that they may not be sued for libel or slander, because such speeches are covered by parliamentary immunity. So many lives and fortunes have been damaged by irresponsible privilege speeches, so much so that people want to do away with these altogether. If they're not destructive, they're downright boring, having been poorly researched and crafted by mediocre congressional staffers.

Even presidents in the past have been lambasted by legislators who wanted to pressure Malacanang into granting concessions. In a not-so-recent past, one senator became famous for his scathing speeches against Malacanang. He was reported to have collected PhP 500,000 for every speech he delivered on the floor (and another PhP 500,000 for every speech he did not deliver) against a former president. His assistant would deliver to Malacanang a copy of his smoking speech, and presidential aides would be on their feet looking for funds to pay the senator to keep his mouth shut.

Speaker Nograles should strongly advise members of congress from abusing the privilege hour to deliver speeches against their political foes, or force concessions from business firms in a manner condemned as blackmail and extortion. Again, the solons are covered by parliamentary immunity and cannot be brought to court on any issue they discuss during their speech.

I hope the Speaker has never abused the privilege hour and neither has he coerced anybody through the power of cogressional subpoenas. For many businessmen and corporations will surely agree with this because many too have been victimized in the past, and continue to be victimized by abusive privilege speeches. These individuals claim to have been harassed by certain congressional committees which wanted only to fleece them of big amounts under pain of congressional investigations or even through legislation. The privilege hour consumes too much time and can be utilized for deliberations on pending important measures. These measures are always put on hold when solons take to the floor.

On the other hand, committee hearings too have been abused by congressmen, when invited guests are known to be terrorized by brusque legislators. These committee hearings, more often than not, have been transformed into torture chambers and inquisition cells for political and business rivals of lawmakers. And while these hearings are justified as "in aid of legislation," the public knows better and scoffs at them as they usually hide some vile intentions. Clearly, "in aid of legislation" turns out simply as "in aid of extortion." It is said that most government officials (before E.O. 464) quake in their boots and are numbed with fear each time they are called for congressional hearings. This is true especially during budget hearings where executive department officials have to justify their funding requests. It is during these hearings that officials are coerced into agreeing to allocate plum posts for proteges of legislators, or to reserve mouth-watering contracts for their business partners. Several appointive officials report that in consideration and approval of discretionary and intelligence funds, a portion of the outlays have to be reserved for use by the congressmen. As such, the public wishes to inquire from the legislators the following:

- Is this hearing in aid of legislation, or is it in aid of extortion, larceny and re-election?

- How many of you have not made fat sums of money from private individuals and corporations hauled before congressional inquiries?

- How many of you have not earned humongous commissions from contractors you helped win awards from your Countryside Development Fund (CDF)?

- How many of you do not protect vice lords in your respective districts?

- How many of you do not maintain mistresses and have not fathered illegitimate children?

- How many of you have not coerced huge amounts from private corporations as contributions to your campaign funds?

- How many of you were elected in office through terrorism and electoral fraud?

- How many of you do not employ your children and relatives in your office?

- How many of you do not use government-issued vehicles to ferry your wives and children to the beauty salons, groceries and schools?

- How many of you do not employ goons and ex-convicts as your security detail?

- How many of you have not mis-used gargantuan allowances as committee chairmen?

- How many of you do not frequent expensive lewd cathouses and karaoke joints?

- How many of you do not abuse traffic laws and regulations (you and your arrogant security escorts) simply because your vehicle sports a number 7 or a number 8?

- How many of you do not cheat on your income taxes and your SALs?

- How many of you do not disappoint the motherland by having US Green Cards (just in case?)

So, is it still any wonder now why the President wishes to be a member of Congress and be Prime Minister thereafter?

Monday, July 06, 2009



THE BASICS OF A MANUFACTURED MANDATE IN POLL AUTOMATION

With poll automation now on track, large-scale electoral fraud will be neat and efficient. No more hiring of goons or flying voters, herding of the electorate, grabbing ballot boxes, substituting ballots, bribing precinct personnel, etc.

Who says our country is still an antediluvian Third World nation left behind by other Asian and African states? At least, we will have gone high-tech in one area: fraudulent poll canvassing. Thanks to Garci and Bedol who are reported to have just enrolled in a crony computer school taking up 'Automation 101' and 'The Basics of a Manufactured Mandate in Poll Automation.'

The computerization of the Comelec's canvassing process would thus make it possible for the administration to engage in high-tech fraud, against which the opposition (ho-hum) can mount no counter measures, short of dynamiting the computers themselves. The trial runs of the computers that will soon take place before administration people in the executive and legislative branches will certainly suggest how easily the machines can be manipulated to doctor the election returns. The opposition must be present as well because if and when they are in power, they too shall have to learn the ropes manipulating these machines.

Perhaps, if the computerization of the election process envisions that the voter's choices will be represented by punches on a card, the punched card will be fed into a portfolio-size card reader, and the results collated at the provincial capitol where Comelec supervisors will man a central computer. The result? The winning cheater will be known in just a few days.

Ferrum Mann has a brilliant definition of the various computer terms presently being mastered by Garci and Bedol in a crony computer school, perhaps located somewhere in Guadalupe:

COBOL (Cheating Operations in Bangsamoro-Occupied Lands)
BASIC (Bello's Antipolo Sweatshop to Impose Counterfeits)
FORTRAN (Forgery Operations to Replace True Results by Addition and Negation)
PASCAL (Police and Armed Soldiers Colluding with the Administration's Lapdogs)
WINDOWS VISTA (Winner Is Now Decided Offline in the Warehouse, before Shipping; Vote Is Switched To Administration)