Common interests

By REY O. ARCILLA
MALAYA

‘Our officials concerned should treat “common” as the operative word, the watchword, in their discussions with the American official.’

MALAYSIANS now claim that Agbimuddin Kiram, younger brother of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram, has slipped back to Mindanao. So? You want him back?

Fine. But let us have that soulless Manuel Amalilio who is a Malaysian national, back too. That bastard, figuratively speaking, has killed more people, hundreds of them, than Agbimuddin might have during his and his men’s encounters with Malaysian security forces. His (Amalilio) pyramiding scam has driven hundreds of our people to penury. Some, maybe even to their graves.

Question is, why has Malaysia not taken any action on our request for the extradition of Amalilio? Is it true he is being protected by certain high Malaysian government officials?

Incidentally, there are reports that Malaysians operate the PCSO lotto here. I faintly recall that sometime ago, they were indeed given the license to do so.

If they still are the licensees, I think the government should have a look at their contract with a view to terminating it as soon as possible. Why should foreign nationals control a lucrative business that Filipino entrepreneurs could very well do themselves?

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Speaking of the PCSO, three weeks ago, the Commission on Audit (COA) found several irregularities committed by its present management. One of them is the payment to board directors millions of pesos in per diems which covered board meetings, committee meetings and draw allowances (fee paid for attending the lottery draw). They later vowed to return the illegal and unconscionable payments. Have they? Our people want to know.

COA also raised concerns over the unnecessary advertising expenses of the agency in 2011 saying that the PCSO “is neither engaged in the marketing of a consumer product that needs so much advertising nor is there that competition factor to contend with.”

Last Friday, I was watching a series of prime time boxing bouts on one of our TV’s sports channels. During the numerous commercial breaks of the telecast, the ad that came on most is the tasteless and irritating PCSO commercial, with that even more irritating ditty “Pusong Pilipino, Pusong Panalo”.

What gives? Everybody knows that a 30-second TV spot costs hundreds of thousands of pesos. It looks like the “daan” leading to PCSO isn’t “matuwid”. The agency is headed by a close Aquino friend, Margarita Juico.

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Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak tried to justify his government’s actions in Sabah. No matter what he says, no one can ever justify the merciless killing of people, including women and children.

“Malaysia was on the side of the truth in defending the country’s sovereignty from the terrorists. The government is most careful in the matter and about what we are doing,” Najib was quoted as saying.

To begin with, Malaysia’s “sovereignty” over Sabah is not a settled issue. That’s why the people of the Sulu Sultanate are there. “Careful” about what you are doing? How? Through systematic killing and terrorizing of our people? Why? Could it have anything to do with your forthcoming elections?

And, pray tell, why do you deny our humanitarian and consular assistance and media teams access to confined Filipinos in detention and evacuation centers? What are you hiding? Well, the answer seems pretty obvious.

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The No. 2 man of the US Defense Department, Ash Carter, is visiting the country for a “consultation meeting on matters of common security interests in the Asia-Pacific region”.

Our officials concerned should treat “common” as the operative word, the watchword, in their discussions with the American official.

Expect Carter also to pay a visit to President Noynoy Aquino, accompanied not by his counterpart, but by our defense secretary and possibly our foreign secretary too. Then again, they might read this piece and do the proper thing… No need to bother the busy Noynoy.

In the meantime, let us welcome and be grateful for the toxic wastes dumped anew in our sea and shore by another US warship, the USS Emory S. Land, now anchored in Subic Bay.

As usual, the warship’s visit is touted as highlighting “the strong historic, community and military connections between the US and the Philippines”.

Yeah, right!

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Food for thought for our officials who will be talking with Deputy Secretary Carter:

Now that the Aquino administration has “shelved” the Panatag dispute for the next four years at least in the Arbitral Tribunal, our foreign and defense departments should start reassessing our position on the so-called US Pivot to our region. It has always been my contention that we are giving far too much to the US than what we should get in return.

They should also raise the question of reviewing or abrogating the Visiting Forces Agreement which is erroneously being used as the cover for the US Pivot. It will be recalled that the Senate passed a resolution not too long ago urging the executive branch to do exactly that.

In this regard, I wonder if it has occurred to anyone that Noynoy may have decided to send our Panatag claim to the Arbitral Tribunal because he wanted that off his agenda in his remaining two years and nine months in office.

As I have stated often enough, he should have sent back our ships to Panatag – first, to test China’s resolve; second, to show our resolve; and third, to test US’ resolve to defend us, as she professes.

Now, it’s too late. Our Panatag claim is already in the backburner for the rest of Noynoy’s term. Neat.

That’s why the need to re-assess our position on the US Pivot which, as some quarters say and with which I agree, is really geared towards the China-Japan and the two Koreas issues. China-PH relations are merely peripheral.

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Noynoy “welcomed” the election of Pope Francis. However, I have not heard or read any news item about him congratulating President Xi Jinping of China whose appointment was formalized by the New People’s Assembly last week. Only his chief mouthpiece congratulated Xi.

Why? Aren’t we supposed to be friends with China notwithstanding the West Philippine Sea dispute? Or was his Amboy of a foreign secretary, Albert del Rosario, sleeping on the job?

I stand corrected if indeed Noynoy congratulated Xi before or after his chief mouthpiece did.

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Reminders (for Noynoy’s action):

1) Filing of charges against officials of the National Food Authority (NFA) during Arroyo’s illegitimate regime. Noynoy himself said on several occasions that there is documentary evidence to prove the venalities in the past in that agency.

2) Investigation of reported anomalies in the GSIS during the watch of Winston Garcia and ordering his successor, Robert Vergara, to file the proper charges, if warranted, against the former.

Noynoy should also order Vergara to report to him on COA’s findings that at least P4.13 billion in contributions and loan payments made by 12 government offices to the GSIS had not been credited to the offices as of Dec. 31, 2011. COA also said the amount of unrecorded remittances could go much higher because only 36 agencies have so far responded out of the 186 that were sent confirmation requests by government auditors. Of the 36, 27 confirmed “discrepancies” in their premium and loan payments ledgers when compared with those of the GSIS.

Last week, a GSIS official wanted to discuss this matter with me. I requested her instead to email me GSIS’ side which I can publish. She agreed. I’m still waiting for her email.

3) Facilitating the investigation of rampant corruption in the military and police establishments.

4) Expeditious action by the AFP on the case of Jonas Burgos.

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Today is the 317th day of the sixth year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

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From an internet friend:

DON’T MESS WITH KIDS

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, “When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah.”

The teacher asked, “What if Jonah went to hell?”

The little girl replied, “Then you ask him.”

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Email: roacrosshairs@yahoo.com