KAT'S EYE
By KATRINA LEGARDA
I was supposed to write about another Soroptomist awardee this week, but I was moved to defer that because of the columns of Randy David and Winnie Monsod, published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer last Saturday (February 16). What IS the truth? How do we judge? And is it necessary that a person be completely blameless, completely without sin, to be believed? Humans are so flawed – let me remind you just how flawed. You judge later what IS the truth? And do you want to know the truth? Are you prepared for it?
A husband comes home very late at night. His wife asks him where he has been. He tells her that he was working late, decided to go out for a drink with his colleagues, and they lost track of time. In fact, he was with his girlfriend. He knows that his wife suspects that he has another woman. His wife struggles with her suspicions, but decides to give him the benefit of the doubt; otherwise the life that she knows (the ideal, "we are so happy" life) will be destroyed. The husband lied: a big lie? A small lie? A convenient lie? The point is: all husbands who have mistresses are liars. When these husbands testify in court against former business partners relative to fraud in business dealings, should we believe them?
A child, suspected of breaking a precious crystal vase, is castigated by her mother. The child lies and says, "But it wasn't me!" (All of us have disclaimed fault at one time or other in our lives.) The same child is known to make up stories about fights she gets into, crayons she has taken from her classmates, and coins she has pocketed from her mother's handbag. The point is: all children learn the art of self-preservation very quickly. When this child complains that her father has sexually assaulted her, should we believe her?
You want to continue with the list? Wives who hide their extravagant purchases from their husbands; girlfriends who date their best friend's partners; parents who abuse their children; teachers who sexually harass their students; corrupt politicians who are holier-than-thou; lawyers who must defend even the indefensible; doctors who are in cahoots with the drug companies which affect what they prescribe to their patients; house help who steal; public utility vehicles drivers, especially taxi-drivers, who demand more than what is due; government employees who do not work the full 8-hour day; private employees who just watch the clock; business owners who do not pay a living wage and do not pay taxes; media people who do not report the other side of a story. As the inimitable Dr. House reiterates: "Everybody lies."
Just like Winnie Monsod, I was angry when Jun Lozada omitted to state that he went to see Atty. Fely Aquino Arroyo last September 2007 long before Jun Lozada was considered by the Senate as a possible witness (note: he met with Senators Lacson and Madrigal only in December 2007). This is a malicious omission. But if you want to rationalize it, you can say he was angry and afraid and just wanted to hit back, the way he was being attacked by Senator Joker. The point is: Jun Lozada made it to appear to everyone who was listening, and he NEVER corrected this lie of omission, that Atty. Fely Aquino Arroyo made him go to her house for the sole purpose of convincing him not to testify.
Jun Lozada is not an innocent in the dysfunctions and corruption of government contracts. You cannot be a whistle-blower unless you are a participant to the contract and its negotiation. Jun Lozada was the bagman of Neri, a man he still seeks to protect lest all his bank accounts be revealed and lost. Joey de Venecia wanted a powerful sponsor too, so he went to the president's brother for help, but because the president's brother was in Canada, Joey de Venecia was sent to Ricky Razon. I am sure, having an idea about how these things work, that Razon was supposed to tell him whether he had a chance in hell of getting his contract approved. Razon was NOT there to be his sponsor or his bagman. De Venecia had no intention of giving one cent to Razon. In short, everything was about the MONEY. Joey de Venecia and his backers and sponsors lost in the high stakes game of procurement. So he cried. And people forget that his contract price was $262 million. And yet he claims that the true cost of the contract was only $132 million. To whom was Joey de Venecia's padded cost going? $130 million din yun.
Randy David said all I have been trying to explain to hot-heads in his column last Saturday too. Those who want to take over the president's seat will be exactly like the president when they come to power. Let us not be fooled by self- righteousness. Let us come to discernment slowly, surely, wisely, with maturity. Any change we seek must endure, and that change must be for the better. To paraphrase Randy David, we must not go back to where we came from, and we must insist that our future leaders do not take on the ways of the old. Watch the moves for charter change. Don't allow yourself to be taken in. In 1987, we could have had a parliamentary system of government. Ironically, Atty. Fely Aquino Arroyo cast the one deciding vote against it during the deliberations of the Cory Aquino-constituted constitutional commission. Do not forget the past.
Monday, February 18, 2008
RECLAIMING OUR HUMANITY
Homily of Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ
MASS FOR JUN LOZADA
LA SALLE GYMNASIUM, GREENHILLS
17 FEBRUARY 2008
On this Second Sunday of Lent, during which we are asked to reflect on the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, I wish to touch on three themes that have to do with our moral transformation as a people: first, Ascertaining Credibility; second, Rediscovering our Humanity; and third, Witnessing to the Truth. In so doing, I hope to invite all of you to reflect more deeply on how we, as a nation, might respond to the present political crisis in which our identity and ethos, our convictions and integrity, in fact, who we are as a people, are at stake.
I. ASCERTAINING CREDIBILITY
Jun, as Sen. Miriam Santiago has grilled you to ascertain your credibility (or was it to undermine your credibility?), allow me to raise some important questions to consider in the very process of discerning your credibility. Allow me to do so by drawing on my own counseling experience.
Very often, a young rape victim initially suppresses his or her awful and painful story, indeed wills to forget it, in the hope that by forgetting, he or she can pretend it never happened. But very often, too, there comes a point when concealing the truth becomes unbearable, and the desperate attempts to supposedly preserve life and sanity become increasingly untenable.
At this point the victim of abuse decides to seek help. But even after having taken this step, the victim, devastated and confused, will tell his or her story with much hesitation and trepidation. It should be easy to imagine why. In telling the truth, one risks casting shame on himself or herself, subjecting oneself to intense scrutiny and skepticism, and jeopardizing one’s safety and those of his or her loved ones, especially when one dares to go up against an older or more powerful person.
Similarly, it is easy to imagine why Jun would initially refuse to challenge the might of Malacanang. Who in his or her right mind would accuse Malacanang of crimes against our people and implicate the First Family in a sordid tale of greed and corruption, knowing that by doing so, one endangers one’s life and the lives of his or her loved ones? We are, after all, living in dangerous times, where the government has not hesitated to use everything in its power to keep itself in power, where it has yet to explain and solve the numerous cases of extra-judicial killings.
But Jun is in his right mind. His story rings true especially in the face of the perils that he has had to face. And by his courage, Jun has also shown that it is not only that he is in his right mind; his heart is also in the right place.
Hence, my personal verdict: Jun, I believe that you are a credible witness. And if hundreds have gathered here this morning, it is probably because they also believe in you. Mga kapatid, naniniwala ba kayo kay Jun Lozada? Naniniwala ba kayo sa kanyang testimonya? Kung gayon, palakpakan po natin ang Probinsyanong Intsik, si Mr. Jun Lozada.
Jun, we hope that by our presence here, you may find some consolation. Pope Benedict XVI writes that “con-solatio” or consolation means “being with the other in his or her solitude, so that it ceases to be solitude.” Jun, be assured that your solitude is no longer isolation as we profess our solidarity with you. Hindi ka nag-iisa. We are committed to stay the course and to do our best to protect you and your family and the truth you have proclaimed.
II. REDISCOVERING OUR HUMANITY
What makes Jun a credible witness to us?
I think Jun is credible not simply by virtue of his being an eyewitness to the unmitigated greed of some of our public officials. Perhaps more importantly, Jun is credible because he has witnessed to us what it means to be truly human.
Which leads me to my second theme: What does it mean to be human? How might we rediscover our humanity?
Allow me to quote Pope Benedict XVI, who in his latest encyclical, Spe Salvi, has written: “the capacity to accept suffering for the sake of goodness, truth and justice is an essential criterion of humanity, because if my own well-being and safety are ultimately more important than truth and justice, then the power of the stronger prevails, then violence and untruth reign supreme. Truth and justice must stand above my comfort and physical well-being, or else my life becomes a lie. . . For this … we need witnesses—martyrs …. We need them if we are to prefer goodness to comfort, even in the little choices we face each day.”
Our Holy Father concludes, “the capacity to suffer for the sake of the truth is the measure of humanity.”
Isn’t this the reason we emulate our martyrs: Jose Rizal, Gomburza, Evelio Javier, Macli-ing Dulag, Cesar Climaco and Ninoy Aquino? They have borne witness for us what it means to be truly human—to be able to suffer for the sake of others and for the sake of the truth.
I remember Cory recalling a conversation she had with Ninoy while they were in exile in Boston. Cory asked Ninoy what he thought might happen to him once he set foot in Manila. Ninoy said there were three possibilities: one, that he would be rearrested and detained once more in Fort Bonifacio; two, that he would be held under house arrest; and three, that he would be assassinated.
“Then why go home?” Cory asked.
To which Ninoy answered: “Because I cannot allow myself to die a senseless death, such as being run over by a taxi cab in New York. I have to go home and convince Ferdinand Marcos to set our people free.”
Witnessing to one’s deepest convictions, notwithstanding the consequences, is the measure of our humanity. Proclaiming the truth to others, whatever the cost, is the mark of authentic humanity.
Jun, we know you have feared for your life and continue to do so. But in transcending your fears for yourself and your family, you have reclaimed your humanity. And your courage and humility, despite harassment and calumniation by government forces, embolden us to retrieve and reclaim our humanity tarnished by our cowardice and complicity with sin in the world. You have inspired us to be true to ourselves and to submit to and serve the truth that transcends all of us.
III. WITNESSING TO THE TRUTH
This leads us to our third and last theme: witnessing to the truth. In his encyclical, Pacem in Terris, Pope John XXIII exhorts that it is the fundamental duty of the government to uphold the truth: “A political society is to be considered well-ordered, beneficial and in keeping with human dignity if it grounded on truth.” Moreover, the encyclical explains that unless a society is anchored on the truth, there can be no authentic justice, charity and freedom.
Every government is therefore obliged to serve the truth if it is to truly serve the people. Its moral credibility and authority over a people is based on the extent of its defense of and submission to the truth. Insofar as a government is remiss in upholding the truth, insofar as a government actively suppresses the truth, it loses its authority vested upon it by the people.
At this juncture, allow me to raise a delicate question: At what point does an administration lose its moral authority over its constituents?
First, a clear tipping point is the surfacing of hard evidence signifying undeniable complicity of certain government officials in corruption and injustice, evidence that can be substantiated in court.
Hence, during the Marcos Regime, the manipulation of Snap Election results as attested to by the tabulators who walked out of the PICC was clear evidence of the administration’s disregard for and manipulation of the collective will of the people in order to remain in power..
During the Erap Administration, the testimony of Clarissa Ocampo, claiming that Pres. Erap had falsified Equitable Bank documents by signing as Jose Velarde, was the smoking gun that triggered the rage of our people.
Allow me to respond to the same question by pursue an alternative track of argument: an administration loses it moral authority over its people when it fails in its fundamental duty to uphold the truth, when it is constituted by an ethos of falsehood. When a pattern of negligence in investigating the truth, suppressing the truth and harassing those who proclaim the truth is reasonably established, then a government, in principle, loses its right to rule over and represent the people.
Regarding negligence: Do the unresolved cases, such as the the failed automation of the national elections, the fertilizer scam, the extra-judicial killings, and the “Hello, Garci” scandal, constitute negligence on the part of the GMA Administartion to probe and ferret out the truth?
Regarding covering-up the truth: Does the abduction of Jun Lozada and the twisting and manipulation of his narrative by Malacanang’s minions constitute concealment of the truth? Was the padlocking of the office of Asst. Gov’t Counsel Gonzales who testified before the Senate regarding the North Rail project anomaly an instance of covering-up the truth?
Regarding the suppression of the truth: Does the issuance and implementation of E.O. 464, which prevents government officals from testifying in Senate hearings without Malacanang’s permission, constitute suppression of the truth? Was the prevention of AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Senga and six other officers from testifying before the Senate with regard the “Hello, Garci” scandal tantamount to a suppression of the truth? Was disallowing Brig. Gen. Quevedo, Lt. Col Capuyan and Lt. Col. Sumayo from appearing before the Lower House an instance of hindering the truth from surfacing?
And regarding harassment of those who proclaim the truth: Are the abduction of Jun Lozada and the decision to court-marshall Gen. Gudani and Col. Balutan for disregarding Malacanang’s order not to testify before the Senate examples of punishing those who come forth to tell the truth?
By conflating one’s responses to all these questions does one arrive not at hard evidence showing culpapility on the part of some government officials, but a ghestalt, an image which nonetheless demands our assessment and judgment. I invite all of you then to consider these two methods of evaluating and judging the moral credibility of any government, the moral credibility of our present government.
Allow me to end with a few words about an Ignatian virtue, familiaritas cum Deo. To become familiar with God involves the illumination of the intellect, coming to know who God is and what God wills. But it also involves the conversion of the affect, the reconfiguration of the heart. Becoming familiar with God entails trasforming and conforming my thinking, my feeling and my doing in accordance to the Lord’s, which can only be the work of grace.
Familiarity with God thus entail rejoicing in what God delights—the truth; abhoring what God detests—falsehood; being pained by what breaks the heart of God—the persecution of truth-seekers. Familiary with God means sharing the passion of God for the truth and the pathos of God whenever the truth and the bearers of truth are overcome by the forces of the lie.
On this Second Sunday of Lent, as we contemplate the transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mount Horeb, we pray that our hearts and minds be so transfigured and so conformed to the mind, heart and will of the Jesus, our way, our life, and our truth.
May the Lord bless and protect you, Jun, and your family. May the Lord bless and guide us all into the way of truth. Amen.
MASS FOR JUN LOZADA
LA SALLE GYMNASIUM, GREENHILLS
17 FEBRUARY 2008
On this Second Sunday of Lent, during which we are asked to reflect on the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, I wish to touch on three themes that have to do with our moral transformation as a people: first, Ascertaining Credibility; second, Rediscovering our Humanity; and third, Witnessing to the Truth. In so doing, I hope to invite all of you to reflect more deeply on how we, as a nation, might respond to the present political crisis in which our identity and ethos, our convictions and integrity, in fact, who we are as a people, are at stake.
I. ASCERTAINING CREDIBILITY
Jun, as Sen. Miriam Santiago has grilled you to ascertain your credibility (or was it to undermine your credibility?), allow me to raise some important questions to consider in the very process of discerning your credibility. Allow me to do so by drawing on my own counseling experience.
Very often, a young rape victim initially suppresses his or her awful and painful story, indeed wills to forget it, in the hope that by forgetting, he or she can pretend it never happened. But very often, too, there comes a point when concealing the truth becomes unbearable, and the desperate attempts to supposedly preserve life and sanity become increasingly untenable.
At this point the victim of abuse decides to seek help. But even after having taken this step, the victim, devastated and confused, will tell his or her story with much hesitation and trepidation. It should be easy to imagine why. In telling the truth, one risks casting shame on himself or herself, subjecting oneself to intense scrutiny and skepticism, and jeopardizing one’s safety and those of his or her loved ones, especially when one dares to go up against an older or more powerful person.
Similarly, it is easy to imagine why Jun would initially refuse to challenge the might of Malacanang. Who in his or her right mind would accuse Malacanang of crimes against our people and implicate the First Family in a sordid tale of greed and corruption, knowing that by doing so, one endangers one’s life and the lives of his or her loved ones? We are, after all, living in dangerous times, where the government has not hesitated to use everything in its power to keep itself in power, where it has yet to explain and solve the numerous cases of extra-judicial killings.
But Jun is in his right mind. His story rings true especially in the face of the perils that he has had to face. And by his courage, Jun has also shown that it is not only that he is in his right mind; his heart is also in the right place.
Hence, my personal verdict: Jun, I believe that you are a credible witness. And if hundreds have gathered here this morning, it is probably because they also believe in you. Mga kapatid, naniniwala ba kayo kay Jun Lozada? Naniniwala ba kayo sa kanyang testimonya? Kung gayon, palakpakan po natin ang Probinsyanong Intsik, si Mr. Jun Lozada.
Jun, we hope that by our presence here, you may find some consolation. Pope Benedict XVI writes that “con-solatio” or consolation means “being with the other in his or her solitude, so that it ceases to be solitude.” Jun, be assured that your solitude is no longer isolation as we profess our solidarity with you. Hindi ka nag-iisa. We are committed to stay the course and to do our best to protect you and your family and the truth you have proclaimed.
II. REDISCOVERING OUR HUMANITY
What makes Jun a credible witness to us?
I think Jun is credible not simply by virtue of his being an eyewitness to the unmitigated greed of some of our public officials. Perhaps more importantly, Jun is credible because he has witnessed to us what it means to be truly human.
Which leads me to my second theme: What does it mean to be human? How might we rediscover our humanity?
Allow me to quote Pope Benedict XVI, who in his latest encyclical, Spe Salvi, has written: “the capacity to accept suffering for the sake of goodness, truth and justice is an essential criterion of humanity, because if my own well-being and safety are ultimately more important than truth and justice, then the power of the stronger prevails, then violence and untruth reign supreme. Truth and justice must stand above my comfort and physical well-being, or else my life becomes a lie. . . For this … we need witnesses—martyrs …. We need them if we are to prefer goodness to comfort, even in the little choices we face each day.”
Our Holy Father concludes, “the capacity to suffer for the sake of the truth is the measure of humanity.”
Isn’t this the reason we emulate our martyrs: Jose Rizal, Gomburza, Evelio Javier, Macli-ing Dulag, Cesar Climaco and Ninoy Aquino? They have borne witness for us what it means to be truly human—to be able to suffer for the sake of others and for the sake of the truth.
I remember Cory recalling a conversation she had with Ninoy while they were in exile in Boston. Cory asked Ninoy what he thought might happen to him once he set foot in Manila. Ninoy said there were three possibilities: one, that he would be rearrested and detained once more in Fort Bonifacio; two, that he would be held under house arrest; and three, that he would be assassinated.
“Then why go home?” Cory asked.
To which Ninoy answered: “Because I cannot allow myself to die a senseless death, such as being run over by a taxi cab in New York. I have to go home and convince Ferdinand Marcos to set our people free.”
Witnessing to one’s deepest convictions, notwithstanding the consequences, is the measure of our humanity. Proclaiming the truth to others, whatever the cost, is the mark of authentic humanity.
Jun, we know you have feared for your life and continue to do so. But in transcending your fears for yourself and your family, you have reclaimed your humanity. And your courage and humility, despite harassment and calumniation by government forces, embolden us to retrieve and reclaim our humanity tarnished by our cowardice and complicity with sin in the world. You have inspired us to be true to ourselves and to submit to and serve the truth that transcends all of us.
III. WITNESSING TO THE TRUTH
This leads us to our third and last theme: witnessing to the truth. In his encyclical, Pacem in Terris, Pope John XXIII exhorts that it is the fundamental duty of the government to uphold the truth: “A political society is to be considered well-ordered, beneficial and in keeping with human dignity if it grounded on truth.” Moreover, the encyclical explains that unless a society is anchored on the truth, there can be no authentic justice, charity and freedom.
Every government is therefore obliged to serve the truth if it is to truly serve the people. Its moral credibility and authority over a people is based on the extent of its defense of and submission to the truth. Insofar as a government is remiss in upholding the truth, insofar as a government actively suppresses the truth, it loses its authority vested upon it by the people.
At this juncture, allow me to raise a delicate question: At what point does an administration lose its moral authority over its constituents?
First, a clear tipping point is the surfacing of hard evidence signifying undeniable complicity of certain government officials in corruption and injustice, evidence that can be substantiated in court.
Hence, during the Marcos Regime, the manipulation of Snap Election results as attested to by the tabulators who walked out of the PICC was clear evidence of the administration’s disregard for and manipulation of the collective will of the people in order to remain in power..
During the Erap Administration, the testimony of Clarissa Ocampo, claiming that Pres. Erap had falsified Equitable Bank documents by signing as Jose Velarde, was the smoking gun that triggered the rage of our people.
Allow me to respond to the same question by pursue an alternative track of argument: an administration loses it moral authority over its people when it fails in its fundamental duty to uphold the truth, when it is constituted by an ethos of falsehood. When a pattern of negligence in investigating the truth, suppressing the truth and harassing those who proclaim the truth is reasonably established, then a government, in principle, loses its right to rule over and represent the people.
Regarding negligence: Do the unresolved cases, such as the the failed automation of the national elections, the fertilizer scam, the extra-judicial killings, and the “Hello, Garci” scandal, constitute negligence on the part of the GMA Administartion to probe and ferret out the truth?
Regarding covering-up the truth: Does the abduction of Jun Lozada and the twisting and manipulation of his narrative by Malacanang’s minions constitute concealment of the truth? Was the padlocking of the office of Asst. Gov’t Counsel Gonzales who testified before the Senate regarding the North Rail project anomaly an instance of covering-up the truth?
Regarding the suppression of the truth: Does the issuance and implementation of E.O. 464, which prevents government officals from testifying in Senate hearings without Malacanang’s permission, constitute suppression of the truth? Was the prevention of AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Senga and six other officers from testifying before the Senate with regard the “Hello, Garci” scandal tantamount to a suppression of the truth? Was disallowing Brig. Gen. Quevedo, Lt. Col Capuyan and Lt. Col. Sumayo from appearing before the Lower House an instance of hindering the truth from surfacing?
And regarding harassment of those who proclaim the truth: Are the abduction of Jun Lozada and the decision to court-marshall Gen. Gudani and Col. Balutan for disregarding Malacanang’s order not to testify before the Senate examples of punishing those who come forth to tell the truth?
By conflating one’s responses to all these questions does one arrive not at hard evidence showing culpapility on the part of some government officials, but a ghestalt, an image which nonetheless demands our assessment and judgment. I invite all of you then to consider these two methods of evaluating and judging the moral credibility of any government, the moral credibility of our present government.
Allow me to end with a few words about an Ignatian virtue, familiaritas cum Deo. To become familiar with God involves the illumination of the intellect, coming to know who God is and what God wills. But it also involves the conversion of the affect, the reconfiguration of the heart. Becoming familiar with God entails trasforming and conforming my thinking, my feeling and my doing in accordance to the Lord’s, which can only be the work of grace.
Familiarity with God thus entail rejoicing in what God delights—the truth; abhoring what God detests—falsehood; being pained by what breaks the heart of God—the persecution of truth-seekers. Familiary with God means sharing the passion of God for the truth and the pathos of God whenever the truth and the bearers of truth are overcome by the forces of the lie.
On this Second Sunday of Lent, as we contemplate the transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mount Horeb, we pray that our hearts and minds be so transfigured and so conformed to the mind, heart and will of the Jesus, our way, our life, and our truth.
May the Lord bless and protect you, Jun, and your family. May the Lord bless and guide us all into the way of truth. Amen.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
The Lozada crisis: Diversion follows the failed cover-up
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Seven men of the same ilk peddling a big lie cannot overturn the credible story of one simple man.
But seven not-so-wise men tried. They were Secretary Lito Atienza, former Secretary Mike Defensor, Deputy Executive Secretary Manny Gaite, PNP Director-General Avelino Razon, PNP Sr. Supt. Paul Mascarinas, Airport AGM Angel Atutubo and lawyer Antonio Bautista.
They comprise the loyal choral group of the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) regime who tried to dispute the Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada kidnapping story during the February 11 Senate ZTE hearing.
Two geriatric senators even attempted to derail the February 11 Senate hearing. Sen. Joker Arroyo raised a potential conflict with the court once those implicated go on trial. But thanks to the superb stewardship of Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the Senate Hearing proceeded as planned.
Sec. Lito Atienza and Atty. Antonio Bautista depicted themselves as the victims. They completely disregarded the agony of the man who was spirited away against his will upon arrival at the airport and was subjected to the scariest car ride of his life.
By the time Senators Alan Cayetano, Ping Lacson, Dick Gordon and Mar Roxas were through grilling the incredible seven, their demeanor looked sapped and shrunken.
Bautista was particularly forceful — vehemently resenting being dragged into the controversy when all he did was to "serve" Jun Lozada's interest. His attempts to paint himself in the high ground only gave him a higher platform for his fall when Sen. Lacson asked him to comment on a dossier that reported on Bautista's dark past — he was fired as dean of a law school over a sexual harassment case. Bautista lamely explained that it was about a libel case, not sexual harassment.
A very reliable source told me that there indeed was a libel case, except that this resulted from the sexual harassment issue.
Atty. Bautista's legal knowledge was even placed in doubt when he averred that Lozada should have signed the Writs of Habeas Corpus and Amparo that were filed in the Supreme Court. Sen. Rodolfo Biazon pointed out the ridiculous scenario depicted by Bautista in asking for the person who was missing to sign for these writs that were meant to account for his own whereabouts.
Airport Assistant GM Angel Atutubo and PNP Sr. Supt. Paul Mascarinas were tongue-tied and could hardly answer questions. If they did, they seemed to recite memorized programmed lines. Several of the senators had to say to them: "You did not answer my question!"
From where I sit, wrecking another chair, the biggest loser in this cover-up conspiracy was my EDSA 1986 comrade — Joker Arroyo. His precipitate outburst when Lozada mentioned having met with his wife Fely Aquino-Arroyo in their house raised a lot of eyebrows.
What was that outburst for? How can one claim to be a champion of human rights and be such a bully to one who was merely trying to explain that he is open to talking to everybody?
Tony Abaya (husband of Belle) was identified to have brokered that meeting. He later confirmed to media that he brought Lozada to Fely Aquino-Arroyo but that he did so only because this was requested by Lozada and Romy Neri.
That was challenged by information going around that the meeting was not a "private" matter as Joker claimed, but that it had something to do with the ZTE controversy and a supposed client of Fely who was also mentioned in the ZTE hearings.
Last Thursday, my good friend Mariasun Azcuna (wife of Supreme Court Justice Adolf Azcuna) relayed to me a message from Fely Aquino-Arroyo regarding that meeting. Adolf Azcuna and Fely Aquino-Arroyo were once law partners.
Fely's message was: "Wow, what a sordid story! Whoever is peddling these lies must have a diabolical mind. I met Jun Lozada in September 2007. The meeting was requested and arranged by Tony who is an old friend, who was a classmate of Neri in college. Tony said Neri and Lozada needed legal advice. Lozada told me he did not want to appear before the Senate. At that time there was no warrant of arrest against him yet. Since there was no compulsory process issued against him, I said there was no compulsion for him to go to the hearing. At that time, he did not have to testify if he did not want to. I know Razon (referring to Arroyo crony Ricky Razon) only casually. I am not his lawyer, neither am I his consultant. They give me too much credit, in terms of my convincing powers and connections!"
Last Friday, during my four-hour interview with Jun Lozada in his La Salle sanctuary, I asked him how the Fely Aquino-Arroyo meeting materialized. According to Lozada, he never asked for the meeting. He said that Abaya called him that day to urge him to proceed to Fely Aquino-Arroyo's house in Dasmarinas Village to listen to what she has to say about the ZTE hearings.
We wondered how a supposed brilliant lawyer like Sen. Juan Ponce-Enrile (JPE) could not see the lies being peddled by the incredible seven not-so-wise men of GMA. He insisted on pressing Lozada to identify each and every lie made by the seven not-so-wise men. Exposing the promoters of the big lie would have been a breeze after seeing how they have been stumbling over each other like the 3 Stooges and the Marx Brothers.
Now that the attempt to cover up the Lozada kidnapping has failed, expect the regime to employ diversionary tactics. New issues will be manufactured to divert public attention elsewhere.
Perhaps there'll be renewed bloody fighting in Mindanao or with the Communists. Maybe big bombs will detonate here and there — who knows what is in the planning board?
Glorietta II was bombed (I subscribe to the Ayala version and not the PNP manure blast theory) when the ZTE contract became a hot potato. Who knows, maybe two malls will be bombed this time.
Even the sudden revival of Cha-cha (Charter change) reeks of an attempt to shift the public focus to a new political arena.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Seven men of the same ilk peddling a big lie cannot overturn the credible story of one simple man.
But seven not-so-wise men tried. They were Secretary Lito Atienza, former Secretary Mike Defensor, Deputy Executive Secretary Manny Gaite, PNP Director-General Avelino Razon, PNP Sr. Supt. Paul Mascarinas, Airport AGM Angel Atutubo and lawyer Antonio Bautista.
They comprise the loyal choral group of the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) regime who tried to dispute the Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada kidnapping story during the February 11 Senate ZTE hearing.
Two geriatric senators even attempted to derail the February 11 Senate hearing. Sen. Joker Arroyo raised a potential conflict with the court once those implicated go on trial. But thanks to the superb stewardship of Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the Senate Hearing proceeded as planned.
Sec. Lito Atienza and Atty. Antonio Bautista depicted themselves as the victims. They completely disregarded the agony of the man who was spirited away against his will upon arrival at the airport and was subjected to the scariest car ride of his life.
By the time Senators Alan Cayetano, Ping Lacson, Dick Gordon and Mar Roxas were through grilling the incredible seven, their demeanor looked sapped and shrunken.
Bautista was particularly forceful — vehemently resenting being dragged into the controversy when all he did was to "serve" Jun Lozada's interest. His attempts to paint himself in the high ground only gave him a higher platform for his fall when Sen. Lacson asked him to comment on a dossier that reported on Bautista's dark past — he was fired as dean of a law school over a sexual harassment case. Bautista lamely explained that it was about a libel case, not sexual harassment.
A very reliable source told me that there indeed was a libel case, except that this resulted from the sexual harassment issue.
Atty. Bautista's legal knowledge was even placed in doubt when he averred that Lozada should have signed the Writs of Habeas Corpus and Amparo that were filed in the Supreme Court. Sen. Rodolfo Biazon pointed out the ridiculous scenario depicted by Bautista in asking for the person who was missing to sign for these writs that were meant to account for his own whereabouts.
Airport Assistant GM Angel Atutubo and PNP Sr. Supt. Paul Mascarinas were tongue-tied and could hardly answer questions. If they did, they seemed to recite memorized programmed lines. Several of the senators had to say to them: "You did not answer my question!"
From where I sit, wrecking another chair, the biggest loser in this cover-up conspiracy was my EDSA 1986 comrade — Joker Arroyo. His precipitate outburst when Lozada mentioned having met with his wife Fely Aquino-Arroyo in their house raised a lot of eyebrows.
What was that outburst for? How can one claim to be a champion of human rights and be such a bully to one who was merely trying to explain that he is open to talking to everybody?
Tony Abaya (husband of Belle) was identified to have brokered that meeting. He later confirmed to media that he brought Lozada to Fely Aquino-Arroyo but that he did so only because this was requested by Lozada and Romy Neri.
That was challenged by information going around that the meeting was not a "private" matter as Joker claimed, but that it had something to do with the ZTE controversy and a supposed client of Fely who was also mentioned in the ZTE hearings.
Last Thursday, my good friend Mariasun Azcuna (wife of Supreme Court Justice Adolf Azcuna) relayed to me a message from Fely Aquino-Arroyo regarding that meeting. Adolf Azcuna and Fely Aquino-Arroyo were once law partners.
Fely's message was: "Wow, what a sordid story! Whoever is peddling these lies must have a diabolical mind. I met Jun Lozada in September 2007. The meeting was requested and arranged by Tony who is an old friend, who was a classmate of Neri in college. Tony said Neri and Lozada needed legal advice. Lozada told me he did not want to appear before the Senate. At that time there was no warrant of arrest against him yet. Since there was no compulsory process issued against him, I said there was no compulsion for him to go to the hearing. At that time, he did not have to testify if he did not want to. I know Razon (referring to Arroyo crony Ricky Razon) only casually. I am not his lawyer, neither am I his consultant. They give me too much credit, in terms of my convincing powers and connections!"
Last Friday, during my four-hour interview with Jun Lozada in his La Salle sanctuary, I asked him how the Fely Aquino-Arroyo meeting materialized. According to Lozada, he never asked for the meeting. He said that Abaya called him that day to urge him to proceed to Fely Aquino-Arroyo's house in Dasmarinas Village to listen to what she has to say about the ZTE hearings.
We wondered how a supposed brilliant lawyer like Sen. Juan Ponce-Enrile (JPE) could not see the lies being peddled by the incredible seven not-so-wise men of GMA. He insisted on pressing Lozada to identify each and every lie made by the seven not-so-wise men. Exposing the promoters of the big lie would have been a breeze after seeing how they have been stumbling over each other like the 3 Stooges and the Marx Brothers.
Now that the attempt to cover up the Lozada kidnapping has failed, expect the regime to employ diversionary tactics. New issues will be manufactured to divert public attention elsewhere.
Perhaps there'll be renewed bloody fighting in Mindanao or with the Communists. Maybe big bombs will detonate here and there — who knows what is in the planning board?
Glorietta II was bombed (I subscribe to the Ayala version and not the PNP manure blast theory) when the ZTE contract became a hot potato. Who knows, maybe two malls will be bombed this time.
Even the sudden revival of Cha-cha (Charter change) reeks of an attempt to shift the public focus to a new political arena.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Joke Time - Rest muna from ZTE-NBN Deal
Nay? bakit po VICTORIA ang name ni ate?
Kasi anak dun namin siya ginawa ng itay mo...
Eh bakit si kuya, ANITO?
Ay Naku, tumigil ka na nga Luneta at baka mapalo kita!
tawagin mo na si kuya FX mo !
Two nurses on duty...
Nurse 1: Hoy! Gaga, bakit may thermometer sa tenga mo!
Nurse 2: Ha? susmaryosep! kaninong pwet ko kaya naiwan
yung ballpen ko!!
Juan: San ka galing?
Pedro: sementeryo, libing ng byenan ko.
Juan: E bakit puro kamot ang mukha at braso mo?
Pedro: Mahirap ilibing eh... Lumalaban!!
Pedro: Pare galing ako sa doctor, nakabili na ako ng
hearing aid...
Grabe ang lakas na ng pandinig ko!
Juan:tlaga?! ?! Magkano bili mo?
Pedro: Kahapon lang...
AMO: day, gamitin mo itong chalk pamatay ng ipis,
sulat mo sa pader.
Maid: yis ati!........ ...
NEXT DAY nagulat ang amo, nakasulat sa pader:
EPES MAMATAY KAUNG LAHAT! SYET PAKYO!
Husband: Kung di ako makaligtas sa operasyon ko bukas,
ikaw na sana ang
bahala sa lahat lahat... I LOVE YOU!
Wife: Tumigil ka! wala pang namamatay sa TULI!
Mommy 1: Ano ang pinapainom mo sa baby mo?
Mommy2: Promil para Matatag na Pangarap! eh ikaw?
Mommy3: Ako? Emperador, sa Totoong Tagumpay!
Three girls make paalam to their Dad...
Girl 1: Dad, I'm going out with Pete to Eat.
Girl2: I'm going out with Lance to Dance.
Girl3: I'm going out with Chuk to...
Dad: Ah, Hinde! Dito ka lang sa bahay!!!
Teacher: Sino pumatay kay Magellan, may initial na LL?
Student: Lito Lapid?
Teacher: Inuulit ang pangalan nya...
Student: Lito Lito?
Teacher: Mahaba buhok nya!
Student: Lot Lot?
Teacher: Madami sila...
Student: Lot Lot And Friends?
Anak: Itay, bibili ako ng band paper
Itay: Anak, wag kang bobo ha? hindi "BAND paper" ang
tawag dun!
Anak: Ano po ba?
Itay: "Kokongban"
Bakla at Macho nagkasabay sa CR...
Bakla: Ang laki naman nyan sayo...
Macho: Wala na tong silbi kasi iniwan na ako ng GF
ko... puputulin ko na
lang at ipapakain sa aso!
Bakla: aw! aw! aw!
Pedro: Pare bakit malungkot ka?
Juan: Asawa ko nag hire ng driver, Gwapo, Bata, Macho!
Pedro: Nagseselos ka?
Juan: Nagtataka lang ako kasi wala kaming sasakyan!
Mister: Di ko na kaya problema ko!
Misis: Hon, problema natin ito, tayo ang magkasama sa
buhay, lahat ng
problema mo problema ko... ano problema natin?
Mister: nabuntis natin si Inday, tayo ang ama!
A Husband came home 4AM and saw his wife in bed with
another man...
His wife shouted at him, "Where have you been?"
Husband: "Who is that man?!?"
Wife: "Grabe ka! Dont change the topic!!"
Wife: Dear, ano regalo mo sa 25th Anniversary natin?
Husband: Dalhin kita sa Africa...
Wife: Wow! How sweet naman... eh! sa 50th Anniversary
natin?
Husband: Susunduin na kita!
Biyaya na makukuha sa Gulay:
AMPALAYA, pampapula ng dugo KALABASA pampalinaw ng
mata TALONG pampatirik
ng mata MANI pampatirik ng TALONG. Ay! nalito na ako.
American guy named Paul challenged a Filipino:
American: Use my name 4 times in a sentence!
Pedro: Paul, be carePaul, you might Paul in the
swimming Paul
Sabi Airforce: "No Guts No Glory!"
Sabi Marines: "No Retreat No Surrender!"
Sabi Army: "No Pain, No Gain!"
naks! ayaw patalo
Security Guards: "No I.D. No Entry!"
HONEYMOON:
Wife: Hon wag mo ako bibiglain ha? I'm still a virgin
Husband: You mean ako ang una?
Wife: Yes, do it na
Husband: I did it na, kanina pa!!
Wife: ah ganon ba? Aray pala
Ama: Buntis anak ko, panagutan mo!
BF: May asawa na po ako!
Ama: Pano 'to?
BF: Areglo na lang po... 2 M pag Boy, 2.5M pag Girl
Ama: Ok, pero pag nakunan. GIB HER ANADER CHANS ha?
BALIW (tumawag sa mental hospital):
Hello... may tao po ba sa Room 168?
Telephone Operator: Wala po, Bakit?
Baliw: Check ko lang kung nakatakas talaga ako!
Misis: lolokohin ko mister ko, magpapanggap ako na
prosti dito sa kanto
namin>(dumaan ang mister nya...)
Misis: Pogi! available ako ngayon, pwede ka ba?
Mister: Yoko sayo kamukha mo misis ko!
Maid: Sir sinong mas yummy? si mam ba o ako?
Sir: Syempre naman ikaw day! bakit?
Maid: Naguguluhan lang po kasi ako eh... sabi kasi ng
driver, eh mas yummy
daw talaga si mam!
A chinese and Steven Spielberg were drunk in a bar...
Spielberg hit the chinese...
Chinese: why you hit me?
Spielberg: coz you bombed Pearl Harbor, my father died
there.
Chinese: but I am chinese not Japanese, stupid!
Spielberg: Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese... all the
same!
.... chinese punched Spielberg
Spielberg: why you hit me too?
Chinese: Thats for the sinking of TITANIC.
Spielberg: but the Titanic was sunk by an iceberg, you
fool!
Chinese: Iceberg, Carlsberg, Spielberg... you are all
the same!!
Kasi anak dun namin siya ginawa ng itay mo...
Eh bakit si kuya, ANITO?
Ay Naku, tumigil ka na nga Luneta at baka mapalo kita!
tawagin mo na si kuya FX mo !
Two nurses on duty...
Nurse 1: Hoy! Gaga, bakit may thermometer sa tenga mo!
Nurse 2: Ha? susmaryosep! kaninong pwet ko kaya naiwan
yung ballpen ko!!
Juan: San ka galing?
Pedro: sementeryo, libing ng byenan ko.
Juan: E bakit puro kamot ang mukha at braso mo?
Pedro: Mahirap ilibing eh... Lumalaban!!
Pedro: Pare galing ako sa doctor, nakabili na ako ng
hearing aid...
Grabe ang lakas na ng pandinig ko!
Juan:tlaga?! ?! Magkano bili mo?
Pedro: Kahapon lang...
AMO: day, gamitin mo itong chalk pamatay ng ipis,
sulat mo sa pader.
Maid: yis ati!........ ...
NEXT DAY nagulat ang amo, nakasulat sa pader:
EPES MAMATAY KAUNG LAHAT! SYET PAKYO!
Husband: Kung di ako makaligtas sa operasyon ko bukas,
ikaw na sana ang
bahala sa lahat lahat... I LOVE YOU!
Wife: Tumigil ka! wala pang namamatay sa TULI!
Mommy 1: Ano ang pinapainom mo sa baby mo?
Mommy2: Promil para Matatag na Pangarap! eh ikaw?
Mommy3: Ako? Emperador, sa Totoong Tagumpay!
Three girls make paalam to their Dad...
Girl 1: Dad, I'm going out with Pete to Eat.
Girl2: I'm going out with Lance to Dance.
Girl3: I'm going out with Chuk to...
Dad: Ah, Hinde! Dito ka lang sa bahay!!!
Teacher: Sino pumatay kay Magellan, may initial na LL?
Student: Lito Lapid?
Teacher: Inuulit ang pangalan nya...
Student: Lito Lito?
Teacher: Mahaba buhok nya!
Student: Lot Lot?
Teacher: Madami sila...
Student: Lot Lot And Friends?
Anak: Itay, bibili ako ng band paper
Itay: Anak, wag kang bobo ha? hindi "BAND paper" ang
tawag dun!
Anak: Ano po ba?
Itay: "Kokongban"
Bakla at Macho nagkasabay sa CR...
Bakla: Ang laki naman nyan sayo...
Macho: Wala na tong silbi kasi iniwan na ako ng GF
ko... puputulin ko na
lang at ipapakain sa aso!
Bakla: aw! aw! aw!
Pedro: Pare bakit malungkot ka?
Juan: Asawa ko nag hire ng driver, Gwapo, Bata, Macho!
Pedro: Nagseselos ka?
Juan: Nagtataka lang ako kasi wala kaming sasakyan!
Mister: Di ko na kaya problema ko!
Misis: Hon, problema natin ito, tayo ang magkasama sa
buhay, lahat ng
problema mo problema ko... ano problema natin?
Mister: nabuntis natin si Inday, tayo ang ama!
A Husband came home 4AM and saw his wife in bed with
another man...
His wife shouted at him, "Where have you been?"
Husband: "Who is that man?!?"
Wife: "Grabe ka! Dont change the topic!!"
Wife: Dear, ano regalo mo sa 25th Anniversary natin?
Husband: Dalhin kita sa Africa...
Wife: Wow! How sweet naman... eh! sa 50th Anniversary
natin?
Husband: Susunduin na kita!
Biyaya na makukuha sa Gulay:
AMPALAYA, pampapula ng dugo KALABASA pampalinaw ng
mata TALONG pampatirik
ng mata MANI pampatirik ng TALONG. Ay! nalito na ako.
American guy named Paul challenged a Filipino:
American: Use my name 4 times in a sentence!
Pedro: Paul, be carePaul, you might Paul in the
swimming Paul
Sabi Airforce: "No Guts No Glory!"
Sabi Marines: "No Retreat No Surrender!"
Sabi Army: "No Pain, No Gain!"
naks! ayaw patalo
Security Guards: "No I.D. No Entry!"
HONEYMOON:
Wife: Hon wag mo ako bibiglain ha? I'm still a virgin
Husband: You mean ako ang una?
Wife: Yes, do it na
Husband: I did it na, kanina pa!!
Wife: ah ganon ba? Aray pala
Ama: Buntis anak ko, panagutan mo!
BF: May asawa na po ako!
Ama: Pano 'to?
BF: Areglo na lang po... 2 M pag Boy, 2.5M pag Girl
Ama: Ok, pero pag nakunan. GIB HER ANADER CHANS ha?
BALIW (tumawag sa mental hospital):
Hello... may tao po ba sa Room 168?
Telephone Operator: Wala po, Bakit?
Baliw: Check ko lang kung nakatakas talaga ako!
Misis: lolokohin ko mister ko, magpapanggap ako na
prosti dito sa kanto
namin>(dumaan ang mister nya...)
Misis: Pogi! available ako ngayon, pwede ka ba?
Mister: Yoko sayo kamukha mo misis ko!
Maid: Sir sinong mas yummy? si mam ba o ako?
Sir: Syempre naman ikaw day! bakit?
Maid: Naguguluhan lang po kasi ako eh... sabi kasi ng
driver, eh mas yummy
daw talaga si mam!
A chinese and Steven Spielberg were drunk in a bar...
Spielberg hit the chinese...
Chinese: why you hit me?
Spielberg: coz you bombed Pearl Harbor, my father died
there.
Chinese: but I am chinese not Japanese, stupid!
Spielberg: Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese... all the
same!
.... chinese punched Spielberg
Spielberg: why you hit me too?
Chinese: Thats for the sinking of TITANIC.
Spielberg: but the Titanic was sunk by an iceberg, you
fool!
Chinese: Iceberg, Carlsberg, Spielberg... you are all
the same!!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Where are the Filipino Youth?
by: Harvey S. Keh
The past weeks we have witnessed yet another political scandal that has rocked our country, the ZTE Broadband Scam wherein former COMELEC chairman Benjamin Abalos with the apparent blessings of the First Gentleman, Mike Arroyo was said to have asked for a commission of US$ 130 Million or a whopping 6 Billion Pesos in exhange for his influencing our government's decision to award the broadband deal to ZTE, a Chinese Telecommunications Company. To make this happen, the ZTE Broadband Contract was greatly overpriced at US$ 329 Million and worse, the government to be able to make this deal push through would have to loan this amount from the Chinese government. In short, the US$ 130 Million kickback of Abalos and his cohorts will have to be paid for by our tax money.
To make things even worse, the govenrment tried its darn best to cover this deal by pressuring Joey De Venecia, the first star witness to stop talking abouit this in the Senate and in public, Joey didn't want to cover up the truth thus, Malacañang led by the congressman sons of President GMA led a revolt at Congress which ousted Joey's dad, then Speaker Jose De Venecia. The next star witness whose courage we so admire, Jun Lozada initially didn't want to go to the Senate and take part in their investigation because as he said, if he ends up in the Senate, he will be forced to say the Truth. Again, our government tried every trick to ensure that Lozada wouldn't be able to testify in the Senate, leading to his alleged kidnapping as soon as he arrived from Hong Kong where he hid for a few days. Two men picked up Lozada as soon as he got out of the plane and brought him around Metro Manila and even to Laguna against his will. If that can happen to Jun Lozada, that can happen to every Filipino in this country. In Jun Lozada's words, when he was picked up against his will, he already thought about the late Bobby Dacer who at the height of the Erap impeachment was also picked up by unidentified men and after weeks of looking for him, they finally found his body along with the body of his driver.
I can go on and on about this but the point is, this government has continued to steal our people's money from under our nose and they continue doing this because they know they can get away with it. Just look at the many scandals that have rocked the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo which we already have no idea what happened like the 1 Billion Peso Fertilizer Scam and the Hello Garci Scandal. As Jun Lozada further said in his testimony at the Senate, the Standard Operating Procedure in our country now is that every government contract is overpriced by 20%, the 20% goes to the pockets of our government leaders who helped in pushing the deal. This is indeed very disappointing since 6 Billion Pesos can help build so many classrooms for our public school students, it can provide so many college scholarships to deserving students, it can help build public hospitals so people can receive proper health care and it can provide adequate housing to thousands of families. But in this case, 6 Billion Pesos will just end up in the pockets of one or maybe a few families and worse, we will all have to pay for their greed.
Nakakainis at Nakakagalit ang nangyayari sa ZTE Deal na to, harap harapan na tayong ginagago ng gobyerno natin and as one of my students in class said, he wouldn't be surprised if another scandal comes out within the next few months... it seems that Malacañang is already so used to scandals because they know they will eventually get away with it once media and the public grow tired of hearing about these scandals. Pero para sa akin, mas nakakalungkot na parang walang pakialam at walang ginagawa ang karamihan sa kabataang Pilipino sa mga nangyayaring ito, it seems that the Filipino Youth which led the charge in EDSA 2 is nowhere to be found. Could it be that the Filipino Youth has given up all Hope for making this country great again? Could it be the Filipino Youth has given up in its fight for a clean and effective government? Has the youth given up on our future? I hope I am wrong because what is at stake here is not just my future or the future of the poor, it is our shared future that we have to continue to fight for. Ayaw ba natin na dumating ang araw na bawat Pilipino pwede nang magkaroon ng kalidad na edukasyon? Ayaw ba natin na dumating ang araw na hindi na natin kailangang mag abroad at mahiwalay sa pamilya para magakaroon ng magandang trabaho? If we can all work together and join forces, we can show this administration that we will not just sit idly while they continue to corrupt and destroy our future, remember that in 2010 the Filipino Youth will be able to elect the next President of our country. Let us not wait till then to make a change, let us act now, our country needs US Now!
If you want to help and be part of a youth-led initiative that will push for genuine and lasting reforms in our government, please email me at harveykeh@gmail.com or you can help by forwarding this email to your friends who might be interested to help. Let's meet, Let's Talk and Let's all work together for our country.
*Harvey Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship of the Ateneo de Manila-School of Government and a Lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University-Loyola Schools' Development Studies Program and Department of Theology. Harvey is also Executive Director of AHON Foundation, a corporate foundation of Filway Marketing, Inc. that helps build public elementary school libraries.
The past weeks we have witnessed yet another political scandal that has rocked our country, the ZTE Broadband Scam wherein former COMELEC chairman Benjamin Abalos with the apparent blessings of the First Gentleman, Mike Arroyo was said to have asked for a commission of US$ 130 Million or a whopping 6 Billion Pesos in exhange for his influencing our government's decision to award the broadband deal to ZTE, a Chinese Telecommunications Company. To make this happen, the ZTE Broadband Contract was greatly overpriced at US$ 329 Million and worse, the government to be able to make this deal push through would have to loan this amount from the Chinese government. In short, the US$ 130 Million kickback of Abalos and his cohorts will have to be paid for by our tax money.
To make things even worse, the govenrment tried its darn best to cover this deal by pressuring Joey De Venecia, the first star witness to stop talking abouit this in the Senate and in public, Joey didn't want to cover up the truth thus, Malacañang led by the congressman sons of President GMA led a revolt at Congress which ousted Joey's dad, then Speaker Jose De Venecia. The next star witness whose courage we so admire, Jun Lozada initially didn't want to go to the Senate and take part in their investigation because as he said, if he ends up in the Senate, he will be forced to say the Truth. Again, our government tried every trick to ensure that Lozada wouldn't be able to testify in the Senate, leading to his alleged kidnapping as soon as he arrived from Hong Kong where he hid for a few days. Two men picked up Lozada as soon as he got out of the plane and brought him around Metro Manila and even to Laguna against his will. If that can happen to Jun Lozada, that can happen to every Filipino in this country. In Jun Lozada's words, when he was picked up against his will, he already thought about the late Bobby Dacer who at the height of the Erap impeachment was also picked up by unidentified men and after weeks of looking for him, they finally found his body along with the body of his driver.
I can go on and on about this but the point is, this government has continued to steal our people's money from under our nose and they continue doing this because they know they can get away with it. Just look at the many scandals that have rocked the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo which we already have no idea what happened like the 1 Billion Peso Fertilizer Scam and the Hello Garci Scandal. As Jun Lozada further said in his testimony at the Senate, the Standard Operating Procedure in our country now is that every government contract is overpriced by 20%, the 20% goes to the pockets of our government leaders who helped in pushing the deal. This is indeed very disappointing since 6 Billion Pesos can help build so many classrooms for our public school students, it can provide so many college scholarships to deserving students, it can help build public hospitals so people can receive proper health care and it can provide adequate housing to thousands of families. But in this case, 6 Billion Pesos will just end up in the pockets of one or maybe a few families and worse, we will all have to pay for their greed.
Nakakainis at Nakakagalit ang nangyayari sa ZTE Deal na to, harap harapan na tayong ginagago ng gobyerno natin and as one of my students in class said, he wouldn't be surprised if another scandal comes out within the next few months... it seems that Malacañang is already so used to scandals because they know they will eventually get away with it once media and the public grow tired of hearing about these scandals. Pero para sa akin, mas nakakalungkot na parang walang pakialam at walang ginagawa ang karamihan sa kabataang Pilipino sa mga nangyayaring ito, it seems that the Filipino Youth which led the charge in EDSA 2 is nowhere to be found. Could it be that the Filipino Youth has given up all Hope for making this country great again? Could it be the Filipino Youth has given up in its fight for a clean and effective government? Has the youth given up on our future? I hope I am wrong because what is at stake here is not just my future or the future of the poor, it is our shared future that we have to continue to fight for. Ayaw ba natin na dumating ang araw na bawat Pilipino pwede nang magkaroon ng kalidad na edukasyon? Ayaw ba natin na dumating ang araw na hindi na natin kailangang mag abroad at mahiwalay sa pamilya para magakaroon ng magandang trabaho? If we can all work together and join forces, we can show this administration that we will not just sit idly while they continue to corrupt and destroy our future, remember that in 2010 the Filipino Youth will be able to elect the next President of our country. Let us not wait till then to make a change, let us act now, our country needs US Now!
If you want to help and be part of a youth-led initiative that will push for genuine and lasting reforms in our government, please email me at harveykeh@gmail.com or you can help by forwarding this email to your friends who might be interested to help. Let's meet, Let's Talk and Let's all work together for our country.
*Harvey Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship of the Ateneo de Manila-School of Government and a Lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University-Loyola Schools' Development Studies Program and Department of Theology. Harvey is also Executive Director of AHON Foundation, a corporate foundation of Filway Marketing, Inc. that helps build public elementary school libraries.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The True Story
Shared by Aurora Pijuan. Enjoy reading!
From: Manuel Buencamino/ Business Mirror
Au; Here's my article today.
The Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. saga is unprecedented. Nothing in the history of man or beast comes close. It is the first and only recorded instance of a witness asking those he is about to testify against to protect him from those who want him alive and well.
The following is the true version of Mr. Lozada's amazing journey:
We took custody of Mr. Lozada when he debarked from a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong.
"Who are you?" Mr. Lozada asked us.
"We are the police protection you asked for," we replied.
"I don't remember asking," he said.
"Your brother did," we replied.
"Oh, I see. And whom are you protecting me from?" he asked.
"Those people who are waiting for you at the arrival area," we replied.
"But they're my family and friends. Is my brother with them?" he asked.
"We have to leave the airport immediately," we replied.
"Where are you taking me?" he asked.
"We don't know yet but right now we have to take evasive action. We will drive around Villamor, C-5, Slex, Cavite and Laguna," we told him.
We drove around for hours, always on the lookout for nuns, La Salle brothers and Leah Navarro. They wanted to take Mr. Lozada and coerce him to bear false witness against the principals of the ZTE-NBN project.
Mr. Lozada could hear us communicating with command center the whole time. He heard the order for us to surface him because media was raising a fuss about his "disappearance." It seems destabilizers had fooled media that we were holding Mr. Lozada against his will. We were not.
As a matter of fact, Mr. Lozada was in constant communication with his family. He was even playing
cell-phone hide-and-seek with his wife.
"Where are you?" his wife texted.
"Triangulate my signal, if you can, LOL," he teased his wife.
Mr. Lozada thought he impressed us by that bit of techno-speak but he was floored by our wizardry when we told him we could read his texts before his wife got them. That's also why we allowed him to keep his cell phone while he was under our protective custody.
Mr. Lozada also spoke on the phone with Lito Atienza and Romy Neri. They assured him he was in good hands.
Mr. Atienza even told him that "Ma'am" and "ES" were directing the operation. Lozada was delighted.
"I can't wait to go home and tell my wife that 'Ma'am' and 'ES' are actually managing my protection!" he said.
We reminded him how much "Ma'am" cares for the little guy.
"Remember how 'Ma'am' kept Garci safe for months?" we said.
We were all hungry from hours and hours of driving around so we decided to stop somewhere for a bite. We went to the Outback restaurant in Libis.
At Outback, we ran into a lawyer who just happened to be there. . . with papers for Mr. Lozada to sign.
"Hi Jun," said the lawyer, "What a surprise to see you. Anyway, it's good you're here because I just happen to have a couple of papers for you to sign. These papers will provide some comfort to the Palace because they show how much you appreciate all the trouble they went through just to protect you."
Mr. Lozada read the papers and said, "These are antedated and false."
"No, Jun. Those are just typos. Sign them and I'll have the typos corrected as soon as I get back to the office," the lawyer assured Mr. Lozada.
Mr. Lozada complied. But his sister, who was asked to sign a separate letter saying she requested police protection for Mr. Lozada, refused.
"I am 60 years old and I won't destroy my name now. I won't allow myself to be mistaken for my brother. Ano ako, mukhang lalake? [Do I look like a man?]" she said.
The lawyer looked confused so we explained to him that our superiors mistakenly announced to the press that it was the brother who requested protection for Mr. Lozada.
We cleared up that slight misunderstanding, assuring the sister she didn't look like her brother.
Thereafter, Mr. Lozada and his sister signed the papers, typos and all.
By the way, Mike Defensor was also at the Outback and, like the lawyer, he had a bundle of papers for Mr. Lozada.
"Pare, I have some papers for you," said Mr. Defensor.
"Something else for me to sign?" asked Mr. Lozada.
"No Jun, these papers are for you to spend," said Mr. Defensor.
We don't know if Mr. Lozada used those papers to pay our tab.
From the Outback we took Mr. Lozada to La Salle Greenhills. We thought he would be safe there. But we walked into an ambush.
We surrendered Mr. Lozada to nuns and La Salle brothers because our conventional arms were no match for their supernatural weapons.
At about 2:30 a.m. Mr. Lozada, surrounded by a phalanx of nuns and brothers, held a press conference where he twisted everything that happened to him while he was under our protection. Our hearts bled when we saw him break down in tears. We knew he was terrified of nuns.
After Mr. Lozada's press conference, his captors turned him over to the Senate security forces.
He is now a captive of the Senate, forced to tell lies about innocent people and patriots whose only desire is to serve their country to the best of their abilities.
Believe it or not.
__._,_.___
From: Manuel Buencamino/ Business Mirror
Au; Here's my article today.
The Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. saga is unprecedented. Nothing in the history of man or beast comes close. It is the first and only recorded instance of a witness asking those he is about to testify against to protect him from those who want him alive and well.
The following is the true version of Mr. Lozada's amazing journey:
We took custody of Mr. Lozada when he debarked from a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong.
"Who are you?" Mr. Lozada asked us.
"We are the police protection you asked for," we replied.
"I don't remember asking," he said.
"Your brother did," we replied.
"Oh, I see. And whom are you protecting me from?" he asked.
"Those people who are waiting for you at the arrival area," we replied.
"But they're my family and friends. Is my brother with them?" he asked.
"We have to leave the airport immediately," we replied.
"Where are you taking me?" he asked.
"We don't know yet but right now we have to take evasive action. We will drive around Villamor, C-5, Slex, Cavite and Laguna," we told him.
We drove around for hours, always on the lookout for nuns, La Salle brothers and Leah Navarro. They wanted to take Mr. Lozada and coerce him to bear false witness against the principals of the ZTE-NBN project.
Mr. Lozada could hear us communicating with command center the whole time. He heard the order for us to surface him because media was raising a fuss about his "disappearance." It seems destabilizers had fooled media that we were holding Mr. Lozada against his will. We were not.
As a matter of fact, Mr. Lozada was in constant communication with his family. He was even playing
cell-phone hide-and-seek with his wife.
"Where are you?" his wife texted.
"Triangulate my signal, if you can, LOL," he teased his wife.
Mr. Lozada thought he impressed us by that bit of techno-speak but he was floored by our wizardry when we told him we could read his texts before his wife got them. That's also why we allowed him to keep his cell phone while he was under our protective custody.
Mr. Lozada also spoke on the phone with Lito Atienza and Romy Neri. They assured him he was in good hands.
Mr. Atienza even told him that "Ma'am" and "ES" were directing the operation. Lozada was delighted.
"I can't wait to go home and tell my wife that 'Ma'am' and 'ES' are actually managing my protection!" he said.
We reminded him how much "Ma'am" cares for the little guy.
"Remember how 'Ma'am' kept Garci safe for months?" we said.
We were all hungry from hours and hours of driving around so we decided to stop somewhere for a bite. We went to the Outback restaurant in Libis.
At Outback, we ran into a lawyer who just happened to be there. . . with papers for Mr. Lozada to sign.
"Hi Jun," said the lawyer, "What a surprise to see you. Anyway, it's good you're here because I just happen to have a couple of papers for you to sign. These papers will provide some comfort to the Palace because they show how much you appreciate all the trouble they went through just to protect you."
Mr. Lozada read the papers and said, "These are antedated and false."
"No, Jun. Those are just typos. Sign them and I'll have the typos corrected as soon as I get back to the office," the lawyer assured Mr. Lozada.
Mr. Lozada complied. But his sister, who was asked to sign a separate letter saying she requested police protection for Mr. Lozada, refused.
"I am 60 years old and I won't destroy my name now. I won't allow myself to be mistaken for my brother. Ano ako, mukhang lalake? [Do I look like a man?]" she said.
The lawyer looked confused so we explained to him that our superiors mistakenly announced to the press that it was the brother who requested protection for Mr. Lozada.
We cleared up that slight misunderstanding, assuring the sister she didn't look like her brother.
Thereafter, Mr. Lozada and his sister signed the papers, typos and all.
By the way, Mike Defensor was also at the Outback and, like the lawyer, he had a bundle of papers for Mr. Lozada.
"Pare, I have some papers for you," said Mr. Defensor.
"Something else for me to sign?" asked Mr. Lozada.
"No Jun, these papers are for you to spend," said Mr. Defensor.
We don't know if Mr. Lozada used those papers to pay our tab.
From the Outback we took Mr. Lozada to La Salle Greenhills. We thought he would be safe there. But we walked into an ambush.
We surrendered Mr. Lozada to nuns and La Salle brothers because our conventional arms were no match for their supernatural weapons.
At about 2:30 a.m. Mr. Lozada, surrounded by a phalanx of nuns and brothers, held a press conference where he twisted everything that happened to him while he was under our protection. Our hearts bled when we saw him break down in tears. We knew he was terrified of nuns.
After Mr. Lozada's press conference, his captors turned him over to the Senate security forces.
He is now a captive of the Senate, forced to tell lies about innocent people and patriots whose only desire is to serve their country to the best of their abilities.
Believe it or not.
__._,_.___
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Joke Time: Sulat ni Mama
Anak,
Medyo mabagal akong magsulat ngayon dahil alam kong mabagal ka ring magbasa. Nandito na kami sa Estados Unidos para bantayan ang bagong biling bahay ng kapatid mo. Pero hindi ko maibigay sa iyo ang address dahil dinala ng dating nakatira ang address para daw hindi na sila magpalit ng address.
Maganda ang lugar na ito at malayo sa Manila. Dalawang beses lang umulan sa linggong ito, tatlong araw noong una at apat na araw noong pangalawa.
Nakakainis lang ang mga paninda dito katulad nun nabili ko na shampoo dahil ayaw bumula. Nakasulat kasi "FOR DRY HAIR" kaya hindi ko binabasa ang buhok ko pag ginagamit ko. Mamaya ay ibabalik ko sa Walmart at magrereklamo ako.
Noong isang araw naman ay hindi ako makapasok sa bahay dahil ayaw bumukas ng padlock. Nakasulat kasi ay "YALE", eh aba namalat na ako sa kasisigaw ay hindi pa din bumubukas. Magrereklamo din ako sa nagbenta ng bahay, akala nila hindi ko alam na SIGAW ang tagalog ng "YALE", wise yata ito!
Mayroon nga pala akong nabili na magandang jacket at tiyak na magugustuhan mo. Ipinadala ko na sa iyo sa "Federal Express" medyo mahal daw dahil mabigat ang mga butones kaya ang ginawa ko ay tinanggal ko na lang ang mga butones at inilagay ko na lang sa bulsa ng jacket. Ikabit mo na lang pag dating diyan.
Nagpadala rin ako ng tseke para sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo, hindi ko na pinirmahan dahil gusto ko na maging anonymous donor. Nakakahiya naman kung ipagkakalat ko pa.
Ang kapatid mo palang si Jhun ay may trabaho na dito, mayroon siyang 500 na tao sa ilalim niya. Nag-gugupit siya ngayon ng damo sa memorial park, okey naman ang kita above minimum ang sahod.
Nakapanganak na rin pala ang ate baby mo, hindi ko pa alam kung babae o lalake kaya hindi ko pa masasabi na kung ikaw ay bagong uncle or auntie. Wala na akong masyadong balita. Sumulat ka na lang ng madalas.
Love,
Mama
p.s. Maglalagay sana ako ng pera, kaya lang ay naisara ko na ang envelope. Next time na lang ha.
Medyo mabagal akong magsulat ngayon dahil alam kong mabagal ka ring magbasa. Nandito na kami sa Estados Unidos para bantayan ang bagong biling bahay ng kapatid mo. Pero hindi ko maibigay sa iyo ang address dahil dinala ng dating nakatira ang address para daw hindi na sila magpalit ng address.
Maganda ang lugar na ito at malayo sa Manila. Dalawang beses lang umulan sa linggong ito, tatlong araw noong una at apat na araw noong pangalawa.
Nakakainis lang ang mga paninda dito katulad nun nabili ko na shampoo dahil ayaw bumula. Nakasulat kasi "FOR DRY HAIR" kaya hindi ko binabasa ang buhok ko pag ginagamit ko. Mamaya ay ibabalik ko sa Walmart at magrereklamo ako.
Noong isang araw naman ay hindi ako makapasok sa bahay dahil ayaw bumukas ng padlock. Nakasulat kasi ay "YALE", eh aba namalat na ako sa kasisigaw ay hindi pa din bumubukas. Magrereklamo din ako sa nagbenta ng bahay, akala nila hindi ko alam na SIGAW ang tagalog ng "YALE", wise yata ito!
Mayroon nga pala akong nabili na magandang jacket at tiyak na magugustuhan mo. Ipinadala ko na sa iyo sa "Federal Express" medyo mahal daw dahil mabigat ang mga butones kaya ang ginawa ko ay tinanggal ko na lang ang mga butones at inilagay ko na lang sa bulsa ng jacket. Ikabit mo na lang pag dating diyan.
Nagpadala rin ako ng tseke para sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo, hindi ko na pinirmahan dahil gusto ko na maging anonymous donor. Nakakahiya naman kung ipagkakalat ko pa.
Ang kapatid mo palang si Jhun ay may trabaho na dito, mayroon siyang 500 na tao sa ilalim niya. Nag-gugupit siya ngayon ng damo sa memorial park, okey naman ang kita above minimum ang sahod.
Nakapanganak na rin pala ang ate baby mo, hindi ko pa alam kung babae o lalake kaya hindi ko pa masasabi na kung ikaw ay bagong uncle or auntie. Wala na akong masyadong balita. Sumulat ka na lang ng madalas.
Love,
Mama
p.s. Maglalagay sana ako ng pera, kaya lang ay naisara ko na ang envelope. Next time na lang ha.
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