Going to the Dogs

PerryScope
by Perry Diaz

With all the scandals and anomalies which have erupted during Gloria Arroyo’s tumultuous reign, it seems that the Philippines is going to the dogs or could it have gone already to the dogs. With a highly politicized military and an abjectly dysfunctional Congress, the Supreme Court appears to be the only branch of government that has not yet deteriorated. However, some members of the Judiciary have used their position to achieve ends other than protecting the law and safeguarding the constitution of the land.

In my article, “Reign of the Kleptocrats (January 19, 2007),” I said of former Justice Secretary Hernando “Nani” Perez: “The Perez corruption case is one of the most despicable corruption cases because, as the chief guardian of the law, he brazenly broke the law that he swore to protect. He was responsible for the prosecution of law-breakers and now he is prosecuted for breaking the law.”

Gloria appointed Perez, an intimate friend, as the Top Lawman of the land after she assumed the presidency on January 20, 2001 when Joseph Estrada was ousted President during the “People Power” EDSA II revolution. Four days later, Perez approved the controversial IMPSA deal in which he allegedly received a $2-million bribe for his ruling favorable to the Argentine-based company. It was also alleged that this amount was part of a $14-million bribe given to Arroyo administration officials. The First Gentleman, Mike Arroyo, was also implicated in the scandal.

Recently, a “bombshell” was dropped involving the two Sabio brothers in the GSIS-Meralco feud. It all started when Associate Justice Jose Sabio Jr. of the Court of Appeals complained that a certain Francis de Borja who, on behalf of Meralco, offered him a P10-million bribe to inhibit himself from the case filed against Meralco, presumably a move that would benefit Meralco. As soon as Justice Sabio disclosed the offer of bribery, de Borja countered and alleged that Justice Sabio wanted P50 million instead. According to de Borja, Sabio told him that Malacanang had offered him a large amount plus a promotion to the Supreme Court. Apparently, Sabio would have preferred P50 million to a promotion to the High Court. Needless to say, Sabio denied de Borja’s allegation.

As all of these events were going on, Jesus Santos, a lawyer of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and a member of the GSIS Board of Trustees, called Camilo Sabio — older brother of Justice Sabio and Chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) — to ask for “help” on behalf of GSIS General Manager Winston Garcia. Santos later admitted that he indeed called Chairman Sabio on May 30, 2008. In an interview with dzBB radio station, Santos said: “We are not trying to influence the courts. We were just asking for help for GSIS president and general manager Winston Garcia, for his campaign to give justice to consumers and fellow Filipinos abused by Meralco’s policies.” Would anybody believe that?

The scandal prompted Senator Ping Lacson to call for the disbarment of Santos and PCGG Chairman Camilo Sabio. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also formed a panel to investigate the role of the PCGG Chairman in the bribery scandal. But like what had happened in several scandals involving government officials, Malacanang hastily sent Sabio on an “official” trip to Brazil, Austria, and the United Kingdom from August 14 to 30. When his brother Justice Sabio was summoned to testify before the Supreme Court investigation panel, he admitted that his brother Camilo called him twice to influence him to decide in favor of GSIS. With his testimony, the link from Winston Garcia to Justice Sabio was established with Justice Sabio’s brother Camilo as the conduit.

On June 12, 2008, several senators called for Camilo Sabio’s resignation or removal from office. It is interesting to note that Camilo Sabio was arrested in September 2006 by the Senate for ignoring a Senate subpoena to answer accusations that he and other PCGG commissioners dissipated funds from sequestered Marcos properties. What I found abominable is that Sabio is supposed to be the anti-corruption crusader and advocate for “good government” but as it has turned out, he may have betrayed his duty to the people he swore to protect. What a shame.

Last September 1, 2008, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) published a paid statement seeking the resignation of Court of Appeals justices involved in the bribery scandal and influence peddling in the GSIS-Meralco case. The statement said that “resignation would salvage what is left of the integrity of the Court and is a necessary sacrifice that needs to be made by those whose names have been dragged into the scandal.” Now is the opportune time for the Judiciary to clean up house and restore high ethical standards among its members from the Supreme Court down to the Municipal Courts.

(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE PHILIPPINES

By her own admission, GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) rightfully assessed that over the last decades; our republic has become one of the weakest, steadily left behind by its more progressive neighbors.'

Forty years ago, we were only second to Japan in economic stature, and way ahead of Singapore , Hong Kong , Malaysia , and Thailand . Today, at our present growth rate, it will take us 30 years to get to where Thailand is.

1. A population of 160 Million;

2. Of those, 70 to 90 million (equivalent to our current population) will live below the poverty line;

3. Our national debt is estimated to be at US$200B (compared to US$28B when Marcos fled, and US$53B today);

4. We will be competing, not against Thailand or even Vietnam , but against Bangladesh ;

5. We will be the most corrupt nation in Asia , if not in the world (we're already ranked 131th most corrupt nation by Transparency International).

The signs are clear. Our nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral decadence. It is not for lack of effort. We've seen many men and women of integrity in and out of government, NGOs, church groups & people's organization devote themselves to the task of nation-building, often times against insurmountable odds.

But not even two people's revolutions, bloodless as they may be, have made a dent in reversing this trend. At best, we have moved one step forward, but three steps backward.

We need a force far greater than our collective efforts, as a people, can ever hope to muster. It is time to move the battle to the spiritual realm. It's time to claim GOD's promise of healing of the land for His people. It's time to gather GOD's people on its knees to pray for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation.

Is prayer really the answer? Before you dismiss this as just another rambling of a religious fanatic, I'd like you to consider some lessons we can glean from history.

England 's ascendancy to world power was preceded by the Reformation, a spiritual revival fueled by intense prayers.

The early American settlers built the foundation that would make it the most powerful nation today - a strong faith in GOD and a disciplined prayer life. Throughout its history, and especially at its major turning points, waves of revival and prayer movement swept across the land.

In recent times, we see Korea as a nation experiencing revival and in the process producing the largest Christian church in the world today, led by Rev. Paul Yongi Cho. No wonder it has emerged as a strong nation when other economies around it are faltering.

Even from a purely secular viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. For here there is genuine humbling & seeking of GOD through prayer, moral reformation necessarily follows. And this, in turn, will lead to general prosperity. YES, we believe prayer can make a difference. It's our only hope.

Today, we launch this email brigade, to inform Filipinos from all over the world to pray, as a people, for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. We do not ask for much. We only ask for 5 minutes of your time in a day, to fwd this email to your close friends and relatives.

This is the kind of unity which can make a big difference. Of course, if you feel strongly, as I do, about the power of prayer, you can be more involved by starting your own prayer group or prayer center.

We have tried people power twice; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe it's time to try prayer power. GOD never fails. Is there hope? YES! We can rely on God's promise, but we have to do our part. If we humble ourselves and pray as a people, GOD will heal our land. By GOD's grace, we may yet see a better future for our children.

'If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.'(2 Chronicles 7:14).

If you care for your children and grandchildren, PLEASE pass this on. .. .

Let's not just abandon the Philippines .

THE SEVEN SINS IN OUR WORLD

1. WEALTH WITHOUT WORK.

2. PLEASURE WITHOUT CONSCIENCE.

3. KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT CHARACTER.

4. COMMERCE WITHOUT MORALITY.

5. SCIENCE WITHOUT HUMANITY.

6. WORSHIP WITHOUT SACRIFICE.

7. POLITICS WITHOUT PRINCIPLES.

---- Mahatma Ghandi

* Now go tell that to President GMA and her husband

Joke Time: The Marriage Commandments:

Commandment 1.
Marriages are made in heaven. But so again, are thunder and lightning.

Commandment 2.
If you want your wife to listen and pay strict attention to every word you say,
talk in your sleep.

Commandment 3.
Marriage is grand -- and divorce is at least 100 grand!

Commandment 4.
Married life is very frustrating.
In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens.
In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens.
In the third year, they both speak and the neighbours listen.

Commandment 5.
When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing:
Either the car is new or the wife is.

Commandment 6.
Marriage is when a man and woman become as one. The trouble starts when they try to decide which one.

Commandment 7.
Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about something you say. After marriage, he will fall asleep before you finish.

Commandment 8.
Every man wants a wife who is beautiful, understanding, economical, and a good cook. But the law allows only one wife.

Commandment 9.
Marriage and love are purely a matter of chemistry. That is why some wives treat the husband like toxic waste.

Commandment 10.
A man is incomplete until he is married. After that, he is finished.

Bonus Commandment story.
A long married couple came upon a wishing well. The wife leaned over, made a wish and threw in a penny.

The husband decided to make a wish too. But he leaned over too much, fell into the well, and drowned.

The wife was stunned for a moment but then smiled, "Wow! This stuff really Works!"

-- Shared by Oscar Apostol

What is there to upset Gloria?

AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
By William M. Esposo
Sunday, August 24, 2008

It was recently admitted by the Palace that Madame Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) suffered from an upset stomach. It was also one of the few times when a Palace statement was generally accepted to be true.

Why? Well, for one, there are a lot of things happening in her scandal and controversy marred life that can cause more than just an upset stomach, even among those who are known to possess a so-called cast iron stomach.

There were the recent photos on several publications and videos on TV news that suggest that GMA may just have swallowed too much. Internal ailments do have a way of manifesting externally. Ever since GMA returned from a recent face off with Chinese President Hu Jintao, just before the opening of the Beijing Olympics, GMA started looking like a bibingka — that local favorite that is cooked with fire above and fire below.

There is good reason to believe that GMA is now suffering from a relentless bombardment of fire from above and below. The syndrome is common among those who like to sleep with more than just one superpower partner. As we know in life, partners are easily driven to extreme behavior once smitten by jealousy. Superpower partners can be more intensely jealous.

The two fires buffeting GMA from above and below are being generated by the rising superpower that is China and the threatened superpower that is the US. GMA has been playing them all this time — going with US President Bush on the Iraq War misadventure and awarding China all the juicy contracts and concessions to Philippine mining resources. Logically, she did these with a lot to gain from both partners.

Unfortunately for her, dealing with superpowers is not like dealing with your other friends. Superpowers may give you a lot but they also expect a lot more in return — often more than what you can afford to pay. When you shake hands with a superpower, you must immediately check if you still have your fingers and arm.

There is every reason to believe that a US — long under severe pressure to secure its dwindling supply of oil — has engineered the controversial BJE to suit US geopolitical interests and to check the ever increasing threat from China.

Why is the US paranoid over China? Here are some big reasons why:

1. Like the US, China also faces a similar oil crisis — its oil reserves are going to be depleted in 14 years at its present rate of consumption. But the US is seen to be exhausting its own oil reserves even earlier than China — in 11 years. This is the real reason why Iraq was invaded and why the US is poised to attack Iran. Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran have the biggest oil reserves in the world.

2. Iraq and Iran are hostile to the US (despite a friendly regime in Iraq at the moment), the same with Venezuela — all three having 168, 83, 107 years of oil reserves (based on current production), respectively. The US source of oil from Saudi Arabia is considered under threat with so much anti-US sentiment in the Middle East.

3. The South China Sea is estimated by Global Security to have around 213 billion barrels of oil reserves which will prove to be the world's second biggest after Saudi Arabia. The South China Sea, per the same source, is estimated to be able to produce a minimum of 1.9 million barrels a day (Iraq's daily oil production is 1.88 million barrels).

4. At full mobilization, the US can muster a 118 million armed force. China can raise a 730 million armed force. Russia and India which are China's allies can raise 50 million and 468,000, respectively. China and Russia are known to be ready to absorb heavy casualties while the US, with just over 4,000 casualties in Iraq, has been raring to go home.

5. As of 2007, per the CIA World Factbook, China's real GDP is 11.4% versus 2.2% of the US. In external debt, the US has $12, 250 billion while China has a mere $363 billion. In balance of trade, China has a positive $303.6 billion while the US has a negative $847 billion.

China and the US are headed towards an unavoidable confrontation and the place where this Armageddon is set to take place is the South China Sea where the BJE territory becomes most strategic for US CSL (Cooperative Security Locations) and FOS (Forward Operating Sites) needs.

In the age of quick strikes, missile warfare, nuclear arms equipped aircraft and submarines, the FOS and CSL have replaced the need for big bases like Clark and Subic. Big bases like Clark and Subic are now irrelevant in modern warfare — just as Corregidor and the Maginot Line proved irrelevant during World War II.

China, on the other hand, cannot just sit by and watch the US clip them and undermine their growth via the unhampered operation of US FOS and CSL in the strategic BJE (which can impede the flow of China's oil supplies from the Middle East and Africa).

In the middle of this superpower confrontation is GMA who made the mistake of 'sleeping with the two superpowers' for her own selfish ends.

Just as the US supported Marcos in imposing martial law, GMA will be supported by the US to do the same if that is what is needed to secure their strategic location. If you were the US, it suits your plans perfectly to deal with a weak leader like GMA who is distrusted by the majority of her people. GMA has no choice but to kow tow to US dictates.

But the biggest impediment to such a plan is anti-GMA sentiment in the military which even the USIP paper (Philippine Facilitation Project, 2003-2007) acknowledges. If you were China, wouldn't you support that anti-GMA side of the AFP to instigate a counter-force? If you were China, wouldn't you leak details of those deals that are being protected by executive privilege?

When a pro-US and a pro-China AFP confront each other, our nation is plunged into a civil war.

With the way things stand, People Power can easily start in Mindanao. Mindanaoans are not tired of People Power which they have never tried. This will be GMA's greatest nightmare because 60% of the AFP is in Mindanao and those are the elite units of the AFP assigned there.

This is a time for deep introspection for every Filipino, especially those who prop up GMA, especially those who are still oblivious to what are happening in our country.

This is a time for deep introspection for those Supreme Court Justices who voted favorably on executive privilege (to cover the sellout of national interest and the commission of plunder).

This is a time for deep introspection for the soldiers and officers of the AFP. They will be the most exposed in the line of fire and are constitutionally mandated to protect the people.

This is a time for deep introspection for the Bishops and Cardinals who still cannot decide if they have seen enough evil in the land. It is high time that they take a more Christian, militant stand against that evil.

This is a time for deep introspection among our Muslim brothers who must rationalize if they can really trust the foreign meddler or if they will be better off securing their demands with just their Filipino Christian brothers who share a common heritage with them. Most of their Christian brothers seek a peaceful accommodation. But this is best accomplished if kept strictly among the members of the Filipino family.

* * *

Chair Wrecker e-mail and website: macesposo@yahoo.com and www.chairwrecker.com

The War Gloria Has Been Waiting For

PerryScope
by Perry Diaz

The ugly turn of events in Mindanao in the past several weeks makes me wonder if what happened was accidental or deliberate. It may seem accidental, but in politics events are sometimes programmed to make them look accidental but in reality were deliberately planned.

After drafting a Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) that seemed to be in violation of the constitution, Gloria -- to avoid embarrassment by a Supreme Court reversal -- canceled the MOA-AD. But any intelligent person -- and Gloria is a very intelligent woman -- would know that the MOA-AD violated the constitution. So, why did she push hard for the signing of the controversial treaty when she knew that it wouldn't pass the scrutiny of the Supreme Court and Congress. What did she really have in mind?

What I find intriguing was that Gloria preempted the Supreme Court by canceling the MOA-AD before the High Court could decide on whether the agreement was in order or not. Had she allowed the High Court to reject the MOA-AD, she could have washed her hands and blame the High Court for denying the Muslim Filipinos' right to a homeland or ancestral domain. She could then renegotiate the MOA-AD and make it more compliant with the constitution. That would have been a win-win situation. And she would have redeemed herself and at the same time demonstrate her statesmanship. And, the Muslims will have their Bangsamoro homeland and perhaps peace will finally reign in Mindanao. Who knows, Gloria might even be able to tweak the constitution and achieve her dream of an "Enchanted Kingdom" as the nation's Prime Minister for the next 20 years. That would have been the high road for her to take. But she chose to waddle in murky waters.

Gloria played a queen's gambit by sacrificing the MOA-AD to gain a strategic offensive position against the MILF. The MILF fell for it and declared that they will not renegotiate the MOA-AD claiming that the treaty is a "done deal." Immediately, elements of the MILF went on the offensive and struck at government forces as well as civilians. Civilian casualties were heavy and more than 200,000 were displaced.

On August 18, 2008, Gloria addressed the nation and said: "We will not tolerate and will crush any attempt to disrupt peace and development in Mindanao. I'm also calling for an emergency meeting of the National Security Council this afternoon. I'm with you in peace. We're all in this together." She then convened the NSC Cabinet cluster -- not the entire council which includes the past presidents and congressional leaders. Gloria then instructed the members -- many of whom are retired generals serving in her administration -- to come up with recommendations on how to deal with the Mindanao imbroglio. I wouldn't be surprised if the generals would recommend an "all-out war" against the MILF.

Of course we all know that an "all-out war" is not going to vanquish the MILF or, on broader scale, the Muslims of Mindanao. The Muslims in Mindanao have never been totally subjugated in the last 500 years. War between the government and the Muslims would only end in stalemate.

The Arroyo government has made its position: It will not sign the MOA-AD in its present form. The government also demanded that the MILF turn in the three "rogue" commanders who initiated the attacks in Mindanao. In addition, the government said it will only renegotiate with the MILF only if they surrendered their weapons. The MILF's position is: It is willing to go back to the negotiation table; however, it considered the MOA-AD a "done deal" and will never renegotiate it. In regard to surrendering the "rogue" commanders, MILF said, "No way." Unless the parties change their positions, the peace process is in the deep freeze. And for now, it's war

I often wonder what Gloria had in mind when she appointed her retired Chief of Staff, Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, as Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process in Mindanao. It was like putting a wolf in sheep's skin. And true enough, the moment Esperon took charge of the "peace process," the whole thing went haywire. His predecessor, Jess Dureza, said that the draft of the MOA-AD had been changed drastically where he left off.

I am beginning to suspect that the real objective of Gloria was to create a "war," not the peace that she had been parroting for the past weeks. It's beginning to sound like a broken record. Indeed, this could be the war that Gloria has been waiting for to put in place a scenario that would ultimately end in a martial law. Indeed, all the signs are there for Gloria to replicate what Ferdinand Marcos did in 1972 and Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan in 1999. They were both supported by the U.S. Marcos stayed in power for 14 years before Uncle Sam booted him out of the country and dumped him in Hawaii. Musharraf was in power for nine years until Uncle Sam forced him to resign last week. Can Gloria do 10?

Renegotiate

By Antonio C. Abaya

Written on Aug. 20, 2008

There seems to be only one way out of the impasse created by the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD), between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and that is, to renegotiate it.

But it has to be assumed that some in the MILF would object to any renegotiation. These are the hardliners who believe that the MOA is a done deal and is already binding on the GRP, even if it has to be approved in a plebiscite, has to be backed by an enabling law from Congress, and has to wait for charter change to accommodate a federal state – which the MILF are demanding – within a larger federal union.

The MILF panel contends that these legal and constitutional details are of no concern to them because, as rebels, they are not bound by the Philippine Constitution, which they specifically insisted should not be mentioned at all in the MOA, to which the GRP panel sheepishly agreed.
Assuming there are still moderates among the MILF leadership who will agree to renegotiate, some basic ground rules should be agreed upon from the start.

One. The venue for future "peace talks" should be in Indonesia, not in Malaysia. Malaysia is not an honest broker in these negotiations. The Malaysians do not and will never forget that President Ferdinand Marcos tried in the 1970s to organize an invasion force that was meant to invade Sabah (or North Borneo) and claim it as part of Philippine territory on behalf of the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu, who had merely leased it to the British North Borneo Co., but which in turn ceded it to the Federation of Malaysia.

A Bangsamoro federal state controlled by the MILF, if it were to become a reality, would most likely declare independence from the Philippine Republic – the MILF has always been separatist – and even federate itself with Malaysia, since Malaysia has always been a much better managed country than the Philippines.

It can be argued that the separatist struggle that has percolated among the Moros in the region since the 1970s was stoked by Malaysia, with the help of British intelligence, as their payback to us for Marcos' failed grab for Sabah..

Indonesia, at least, has no reason to harbor ill will against the Philippines. Furthermore it has had its own share of separatist movements and would be sympathetic to Philippine efforts to discourage the dismemberment of the Republic.

Two. The GRP should negotiate only with groups that seek only greater autonomy. Groups that declare themselves separatist are really beyond negotiations because their minds are already made up and there is no point in talking to them. The GRP should talk to present separatists only if and when they are ready to scale down their demands to greater autonomy, rather than outright separatism.

The GRP should also insist that all negotiations should be held within the ambit of the Philippine Constitution. If groups wish to negotiate without acknowledging the over-arching jurisdiction of the Constitution – as the GRP panel foolishly caved in to the MILF - then forget it.

For once, I agree with former president Joseph Estrada: "We have only one flag, one armed forces and one nation. It is treason if you give away part of the country to the MILF."

For his part, Nur Misuari, chair of the rival Moro National Liberation Front or MNLF, says that "the MOA-AD is infringing, not only on the Philippine Constitution, but also on the GRP-MNLF final peace agreement," referring to the accord signed in 1996.

Misuari also said that until now he could not understand why the government negotiated with the MILF when it had already struck a deal with the MNLF, describing his group as "the official representative of the Bangsamoro People in the powerful Organization of Islamic Conference." (Philippine Daily Inquirer, Aug. 20, 2008)
This is an aspect of the problem that has been overlooked. Why is the GRP negotiating with two separate (and rival) groups over the same territory. Isn't that a guarantee of future problems as the two rivals squabble and fight over concessions given to one but not to the other, or over concessions given to both at the same time? It is like a property developer leasing out or selling one and the same condo to two separate tenant-buyers. I think it is called estafa or swindle.

The speed with which the GRP made concessions to the MILF, after years of stalled negotiations, and the secrecy with which these concessions were hidden from Congress, from the local government officials and from the general public, strengthen suspicions that these were lutong makaw concoctions in the Panciteria Gloria..

Add to this the uncanny coincidence of "presidential peace adviser" Hermogenes Esperon's admission that the MOA needed a charter change to federalism, and Sen. Nene Pimentel's Senate Resolution no. 10 to make that shift to federalism before the end of President Arroyo's term removes all doubts that this MOA was/is really meant to keep President Arroyo in power beyond 2010.

Keep in mind that simultaneous with Sen Pimentel's push for federalism is Gov. Joey Salceda's push for parliamentarism. One does not have to be a nuclear physicist to conclude that once Pimentel's constituent assembly is convened – where the Lakas/Kampi have an overwhelming majority over other parties – there will be a motion to table discussion of parliamentary also, even if Sen. Pimentel assures us that only federalism will be discussed. Come on, Nene, you are only the designated carpenter of this Trojan Horse. You do not decide who will hide inside it.
When asked by media why his resolution specifically seeks to make the ChaCha to federalism before the end of President Arroyo's term, Sen. Pimentel replied that he is afraid that if the shift to federalism were discussed after 2010, he would no longer be in the Senate – his term ends in 2010 - to push for it (and presumably to claim credit for it).

I suppose even carpenters experience bouts of megalomania. .But why should the fate of the Republic hang by the thread of one woman's inordinate lust for power, and a man's drive to build a monument to himself for an idea whose soundness has no basis at all in empirical evidence.
(To sell the idea that federalism will be good for the Philippines, the federalists cite the USA, Germany and Malaysia. This is false advertising. The USA has been federal since independence in 1776. Germany has been federal since unification in1871. Malaysia has been federal since independence in 1957. These countries did not shift from unitary to federal, which is what Pimentel wants us to do.

(Since this debate over federalism started, I have asked Sen. Pimentel what country or countries he knows that shifted from unitary to federal and thereby improved their economies, since it is his contention that federalism "will spur economic growth."
(Sen. Trojan Horse Pimentel does not deign to reply to me. But his people did. The only countries they can cite that shifted from unitary to federal, and presumably improved their economies, are: Ethiopia which did so in 1993 (now having its umpteenth famine in 15 years), and Nepal which did so in 2007 (now controlled by Maoists). All those who think that Ethiopia and Nepal are inspiring role models for the Philippines, please check your genius IQ with the Pimentel Pollyanna Psycho-Clinic.

I say, renegotiate the MOA under terms and conditions more appropriate to a sovereign country with a modicum of self-respect. And postpone all discussions about ChaCha to after June 2010 – which is less than 24 months away - and only through an elected constitutional convention.
Doing it through a constituent assembly, as Sen. Pimentel insists, guarantees that the trapos and political dynasts who now control Congress will wind up controlling Congress after 2010. By all standards, that would be a fate worse than death. *****
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