Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Red alert

By Rey O. Arcilla
Malaya
House-of-Representatives.2SENATE President Franklin Drilon, he who was Senate President once and a staunch ally of Ms. Gloria Arroyo till his personal interest no longer jibed with the latter’s, expressed fears that the Supreme Court’s ruling that pork barrel is unconstitutional may curtail Congress’ power to review the annual budget proposal from the executive branch.
Drilon was echoing the view of his speedy-mouthed colleague, Chiz Escudero, Senate finance committee chairman, who said that the SC ruling appears to prohibit legislators from making insertions in the budget proposal before its enactment into law.
Why are these people so concerned about “insertions”? The word has a very bad connotation. It could mean a way of circumventing the prohibition of pork barrel.
Why can’t these people stop talking about curtailment of their powers (and about money) and start talking about service to the people for a change?
In this connection, it is common knowledge that this evil invention called pork barrel is also present in provincial, city, municipal and even barangay levels. I would assume that the SC ruling applies to those as well. Does it?
***
For the first time in a very long, long time, the members of the lower house of Congress did something noteworthy – they approved at the committee level a proposed enabling act that would give substance and meaning to the constitutional provision against political dynasties.
But as Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said, the bill is certain to face rough sailing in plenary. A significant number of congressmen belong to political dynasties.
“I believe it will experience rough sailing but I could be wrong, we’ve put up a big stone in one day, and I think that is something to be happy about but it’s a long way (to final passage),” Belmonte said.
***
As far as can be reasonably determined, it was only in this space last week where mention was made of the virtual invisibility of our armed forces in the Yolanda-stricken areas of Visayas. They could have helped initially in the clearance of debris, collection of dead bodies, prevention of looting and the maintenance of peace and order.
As Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, defense secretary during the Marcos regime, said during the Senate hearing on the DND budget, “why was the defense secretary relegated to a support position when he was supposed to be in command?”
He added that during his time as defense chief, the military was always informed when a typhoon was about to hit a certain area to give it time to gather its resources to assist the people, including delivering necessary equipment and materiel to ensure their safety.
A retired general confirmed this to me. He also cited the fact that there are military divisions based in nearby Cebu, Samar, Panay and Iloilo.
Another retired military officer also wrote me:
“Sir, I share your observation about the absence of AFP in the relief operations. I had also expected that the ground commanders in the affected areas, on their own, would have launched ‘immediate action’ responses to the crisis. This requires no instructions from higher ups because the response is part of every unit’s mission.
“As regards command and control, by this time, we should already be familiar with him. He should have been designated since Day 1. There should have been a central command center at Tacloban with detachments all over the affected areas. An hourly briefing should be given to the government spokesperson to avoid rumors, speculations and to discourage misinformation.
“But only the AFP has the capability, the concept and the competence to undertake such operations. The AFP is trained to set up command centers, distribution points, evacuation centers, field hospitals, disease control measures, engineering works, security, and last but not least, rehabilitation.
“It would have been the AFP’s finest hour had it been given the chance to serve. I have no doubt our men in uniform would have responded with patriotism.”
Given the foregoing information, the question begging for an answer is why was the military not given the role that it should have played in the Yolanda-hit areas? Possible answers: President Nonoy Aquino wanted DILG Secretary Mar Roxas to play the lead role; he does not have enough confidence in Gazmin; he does not trust the military; nobody was thinking straight at the height of the crisis; etc. Your guess is as good as mine.
***
Nearly two weeks repeat two weeks after Yolanda struck, Xinhua reported that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced that it was on red alert “to coordinate and organize its ongoing humanitarian assistance and disaster operations in areas devastated by typhoon Yolanda.”
The AFP spokesman said the military was placed on red alert starting November 18 “to ensure that all troops are prepared for disaster operations”. Huh?
“The red alert status was issued not because of the supposed attempts by some quarters to destabilize the administration of President Benigno Aquino but because we wanted to coordinate and organize all our efforts,” the spokesman said.
That says volumes, if you ask me.
***
A confirmed spy has just been appointed US ambassador to the Philippines.
Philip Goldberg, who was the intelligence bureau chief of the US State Department before his present assignment, will be arriving in Manila this week.
He was once ambassador to Bolivia where he was declared persona non grata for allegedly spying on the government of President Evo Morales.
The allegation was denied by Goldberg.
Goldberg’s assignment comes at a very crucial point in US-PH relations: The fallout of Ed Snowden’s revelations about US and Australia spying on leaders of friend and foe alike, presumably including Noynoy (Indonesia has just withdrawn her ambassador to Australia), the stalled negotiations on the proposed Increased Rotational Presence of US forces in the Philippines and the ongoing US assistance in the relief operations for the victims of Yolanda.
***
Warm congratulations to Manny Pacquiao for his masterful domination of Brandon Rios!
***
Reminders (for Noynoy):
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 “Pretty Boy” 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:
(a) He received the obscenely excessive compensation of P16.36 million last year making him the highest paid government servant and;
(b) That, as of five or six months ago, 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.
There are three questions being raised when remittances, or parts thereof, of government agencies are not recorded by the GSIS on time: a) Where are these huge sums “parked” in the meantime?; b) Do they earn interest?; and c) To where (whom?) does the interest, if any, go?
Pray tell, Mr. Vergara, what is the present status of these funds?
3) Facilitating the investigation of rampant corruption in the military and police establishments.
4) Resort to his immense presidential powers to expedite the resolution of the Ampatuan massacre case that is now on its fourth year.
***
Today is the 205th day of the seventh year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance
The Justice Department has dismissed the charges against several of those accused in Jonas’ disappearance. Cleared were former AFP chiefs of staff Hermogenes Esperon and Alexander Yano, ex-PNP chief Avelino Razon, retired Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, Brig. Gen. Eduardo Ano and Lt. Col. Melquiades Feliciano. Only Maj. Harry Baliaga will be charged for arbitrary detention, murder and obstruction of justice on the disappearance of Jonas.
“Pwedeng kasuhan ang kamay ng krimen pero ang utak ay hindi?” rued Lorena Santos, daughter of a desaparecido like Jonas.
Mr. President, is this what you meant when you called for a “focused, dedicated and exhaustive” probe of what really happened to Jonas?
***
From an internet friend:
A blind guy on a bar stool shouts to the bartender, “Wanna hear a blonde joke?”
In a hushed voice, the guy next to him says, “Before you tell that joke, you should know something.”
Our bartender IS blonde, the bouncer is blonde. I’m a 6’ tall, 200 lbs black belt. The guy sitting next to me is 6’2”, weighs 225, and he’s a rugby player. The fella to your right is 6’5” pushing 300 and he’s a wrestler. Each one of US is blonde. Think about it, Mister. Do you still wanna tell that joke?”
The blind guy says, “Nah, not if I’m gonna have to explain it five times.”
***
Posted by omeng at 5:00 AM

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