BREAKING NEWS: GOV. PANLILIO TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT IF GOD WILLS IT

FORMAL STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR ED PANLILIO

I never  had a liking for partisan politics.  Priesthood and pastoral ministry has always been my life for 28 years.  And I love this life.

On the evening of May 18, 2007, I was proclaimed governor of Pampanga.  On that same night I said I would only be in public service for 3 years.  That was my promise and I intend to keep it.

However, we have a saying that goes, “Man proposes, God disposes.”

Hence, if the Good Lord wills me to run for a second term or a higher office, let His will be done.  After all I have stopped living for myself.  My agenda has therefore been to be submissive to His design.

I have been approached by a number of groups prodding me to aspire for the presidency.  I replied  let us make a collective discernment to know whom God really wants for this job.  If we find a person or persons that best embody good governance, effective and ethical leadership, let us support such leaders and make them win.  I too will support them.

I will not volunteer to run.  But if God tells me to run through this collective process, so be it.
I will also come to a personal discernment.  Whatever is the decision that brings peace to my heart, then that must be His will.

Governor Eddie T. Panlilio
Pampanga

Glo and Blago

PerryScope
Perry Diaz

Glo and Blago

The lives of Philippine President Gloria “Glo” Arroyo and Illinois Governor Rod “Blago” Blagojevich have, in so many ways, ran parallel — but similar — courses in the way they governed the people whom they swore to serve. Today, the Philippines is the most corrupt country in Asia and Illinois is one of the most, if not the most, corrupt states in the United States.

The similarities between Glo and Blago are striking. Hey, they even coif their hair the same way. Both practice “pay to play” politics. Both are corrupt kleptocrats. Both have been called “liar, thief and cheat.” Both have illusions of grandeur: Glo wanted to be Prime Minister for life and Blago wanted to be US President in 2016. And both refused to step down from their positions. In 2004, Glo claimed, “The Lord put me here.” Last week, Blago defiantly said, “I will fight this thing every step of the way. I will fight, I will fight, I will fight, till I take my very last breath. I have done nothing wrong.”

Gloria Arroyo, her husband and a legion of government officials and business cronies have been implicated in at least 30 major corruption cases including the IMPSA deal, “Hello Garci” scandal, fertilizer scam, ZTE/NBN bribery scandal, North Rail and South Rail overpriced projects, Spratly sell-out to China, and Jose Pidal kickback accounts.

Rod Blagojevich has been accused of shaking down people and corporations for campaign contributions in return for government contracts or favors. In a wiretapped conversation, he said, “I want to make money,” as he demanded $50,000 campaign donation from an official at a children’s hospital and threatened to withhold $8 million for pediatric care if the official failed to donate.

When President-elect Barack Obama resigned his Senate seat upon his election, Blagojevich immediately put up a “For Sale” sign on the vacated Senate seat which he as governor has the sole authority to appoint. On another wiretapped conversation with a subordinate, he said, “I’ve got this thing, it’s [expletive] golden, and uh, uh, I’m just giving it up for [expletive] nothing. I’m not gonna do it. And, I can always use it. I can parachute me there,” which means that he can appoint himself to the vacant Senate seat.

While Arroyo had survived four impeachment petitions in the last four years, Blagojevich might not survive an impeachment petition filed recently because even his fellow Democrats in the state legislature want him out. He has been known to use bully tactics to persuade legislators to support his pet bills. But in one bill — a $7 billion tax increase on business– which he actively lobbied for, he was repudiated when the bill lost 107 to 0.

Illinois and the Philippines have long histories of corruption. Corruption in the Philippines started during the more than three centuries of Spanish colonial rule which ended in 1899 with the arrival of the Americans. During the half-century of American administration which followed, corruption was at a minimum. But as soon as the Philippines gained its independence in 1946, corruption started to increase and reached its highest level during the Marcos dictatorship. The People Power revolution of 1986 ousted Marcos and brought in a relatively peaceful era in which corruption decreased for the next 15 years.

In 2001, when then Vice President Arroyo was catapulted to the presidency in another People Power revolution, corruption increased dramatically. Within four days of her takeover, the first corruption scandal erupted: the controversial IMPSA deal which Arroyo’s newly appointed Justice Secretary Hernando Perez signed. Six years later, Perez was indicted for allegedly extorting $2 million from former Congressman Mark Jimenez in relation to the IMPSA deal. However, the charges were dropped by the Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez when Jimenez executed an affidavit of desistance. It is interesting to note that Gutierrez was appointed by Arroyo to the job and was also a law school classmate of the First Gentleman, Mike Arroyo.

Last December 17, 2008, Gutierrez ordered the filing of graft, extortion and falsification charges against Perez, his wife, brother-in-law, and a business associate. However, it was immediately ridiculed by the opposition as a farcical show — “moro-moro” — to dispel allegations of “selective prosecution” by the Ombudsman.

Illinois has a notorious history of crime and corruption. Chicago was one of the bloodiest and corrupt cities during the Prohibition era when Al Capone’s criminal and bootlegging empire ruled. Politicians, judges, and police officers were in his “payroll.”

Corruption became the rule rather than the exception. During the 21-year reign of the late Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley which ended in 1976, he built a powerful political machine. Although he was never indicted of corruption, a lot of his underlings went to jail.

Since 1971, more than 1,000 people have been convicted for corruption in Illinois. From 1997 through 2006, the state had 524 federal corruption convictions. Since 1973, three governors have been imprisoned: George Ryan (Blago’s predecessor) convicted in 2006 for racketeering, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice; Daniel Walker in 1987 for savings and loan fraud; and Otto Kerner, Jr. in 1973 for bribery, conspiracy and perjury. If convicted, Blagojevich would be the fourth of the last eight governors to be jailed.

In the case of Arroyo, since she cannot be prosecuted while she’s still in office, she may eventually have to face the music when she steps down from the presidency in June 2010. Unless, she finds a way to extend her term of office beyond 2010, she could — like her predecessor Joseph Estrada — be charged with plunder. However, Gutierrez, whose appointment as Ombudsman is a fixed term of seven years, will still be around until December 1, 2012. The question is: Would she prosecute Arroyo at the end of Arroyo’s term of office? Debt of honor — “utang na loob” — goes a long way in the Philippines. However, should Gutierrez decide not to prosecute Arroyo, she’ll live out the rest of her life in ignominy.

At the end of the day, Glo and Blago would probably have to deal with their own conscience. And sometimes one’s own conscience could be very unforgiving and could be tormenting to one’s sanity.

(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

Why Arroyo is not Pacquiao

Theres The Rub
By Conrado de Quiros
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12/09/2008

The only sour note in every victory by Manny Pacquiao is Malacañang rushing to take credit for it. Indeed, not just rushing to take credit for it but rushing to identify with it, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo specifically appropriating Pacquiao’s persona and posturing as the Pacquiao of Philippine politics, or even of the world. It’s almost a cinch, or at least it has far better odds than Pacquiao got as “dejado” in his fight against Oscar de la Hoya, that she will use Pacquiao’s latest, and most glorious, fight to push for Charter change more strenuously, drawing parallels between the two.

Hence, this column:

Ms Arroyo is not Pacquiao because:

When Ms Arroyo travels to the United States to personally congratulate the president-elect of that country, she is snubbed by the president-elect. When Pacquiao travels to the United States to personally train before a major fight, he is welcomed with a red carpet by the heads of the various boxing organizations. Half the time it is Pacquiao who snubs the fawning heads of the boxing organizations, or at least their even more fawning subalterns.

When Ms Arroyo attends a meeting of world leaders, her views are not solicited either by her colleagues or the media. Only her press secretary and spokesperson are there to report to her credulous compatriots (or so they deem us to be, not entirely without reason) how she lectured the world leaders on how to solve the global economic crisis and how they listened to her in rapt attention. When Pacquiao fights a fight, particularly one as huge as the last one with Oscar de la Hoya, the various boxing groups vie to hold press conferences for him and the sportswriters push and shove to ask him questions, hanging on to his every word. Half the time he is so busy training to want to humor them, though he has been known to exchange pleasantries with the training camp help and Recah Trinidad.

Ms Arroyo desperately tries to look world-class, hobnobbing (or attempting to hobnob) with the world’s most powerful personages in hopes of their luster rubbing off on her. Certainly with a view to having herself photographed with them to suggest to her countrymen that despite her diminutive stature, she stands heads and shoulders with the world’s titans. Pacquiao doesn’t bother with looking world-class, he knows so, he is so. The boxing world’s most powerful personages try to hobnob with him in hopes of his luster rubbing off on them, or, as in the case of other fighters, in hopes of his formidable fighting spirit rubbing off on them. His countrymen can only stand in awe as, despite his diminutive stature, he stands heads and shoulders above the world’s greats, or would-be greats.

Ms Arroyo is inch by inch possibly the worst leader in the world today. Pacquiao is pound by pound possibly the best boxer in the world today.

When Ms Arroyo ran against the hugely popular and seemingly invincible Fernando Poe Jr., she needed to call up an official of the Commission on Elections during the counting to make sure she would win, specifically asking, “Will I still win by one million votes?” When Pacquiao fought the hugely popular and seemingly invincible De la Hoya, he did not need to whisper to the judges, “So, will I still win by decision even if I do not knock him out?”

When Ms Arroyo ran against the Goliath Fernando Poe Jr., nobody knew how the votes, particularly in Mindanao, Poe’s turf, were counted, which ended up prohibitively in her favor. The general in charge of the area was prevented from speaking out against the anomalies and even court-martialed. When Pacquiao took to the ring against the Goliath de la Hoya, everybody saw how he did it, how blow by blow, jab by jab, sweat by sweat, he fashioned a masterful job, turning the fight prohibitively in his favor. No one, not even De la Hoya himself, prevented his corner from throwing in the towel, everyone breathing a sigh of relief that they did so.

Ms Arroyo is the disputed queen of her own country. Pacquiao is the undisputed king of the world lightweight division—and probably soon of the welterweight as well.
Ms Arroyo says she will push for Charter change but only to change the economic framework of the country, the better to deal with the global crisis, not to extend term limits. Six years ago this month, she announced that for the good of the country, specifically in order not to cause never-ending divisiveness, she would not run for president. She did anyway, and won insidiously. Pacquiao said he would shift to a higher weight class the better to test the limits of his abilities and extend the range of his domination. Some months ago he announced that for the honor of his country, he would take on one of the legends of boxing and do everything in his power to make that country proud of him. He did as he said, and won brilliantly.

Ms Arroyo’s Charter change evokes Clint Eastwood’s aphorism in one of his Dirty Harry movies, “A man’s got to know his limitations,” which applies to woman as well. Pacquiao’s victory evokes Browning’s great line: “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s heaven for.”

Pacquiao has brought honor to his country. Ms Arroyo has brought shame to her country. Pacquiao is adored by his countrymen, even when he sings karaoke. Ms Arroyo is reviled by her countrymen, even when she tries to sing a different tune. Each time Pacquiao comes home, he is treated like a conquering hero. Each time Ms Arroyo comes home, she is treated like an uncontainable plague. Wherever Pacquiao goes, he is mobbed by adoring fans, eager to touch him. Wherever Ms Arroyo goes, she is met by an angry mob, eager to lynch her. Pacquiao has united his countrymen by giving them to see the best that they can be. Ms Arroyo has divided her countrymen by giving them to see the worst that they can be.

The nation would love Pacquiao to reign forever. The nation would love to see Ms Arroyo step down now.

Arroyo’s options

With Due Respect

By Artemio V. Panganiban
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12/14/2008

THE Charter change (Cha-cha) express via the constituent assembly (Con-ass) is being derailed by a defiant Senate, a delayed test case on the “joint or separate vote” issue, a Supreme Court trying to maintain its heroic place in history and other legal obstacles.

Arroyo’s options. However, the more formidable block is our people’s scorn for term extensions. A recent SWS survey shows that a whopping 64 percent of our voters reject any Cha-cha at this time. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, El Shaddai, Jesus Is Lord Movement and other groups capable of mass action echo this public aversion. The “showdown” rally in Makati last Dec. 12 is a preview of more massive ones to come.

But to me, the most foreboding is the open resistance of the usually low-key Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales. The 1,252-school strong Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) quickly seconded his stance unanimously. The late Jaime Cardinal Sin’s secret weapon in launching People Power I and II was the lethal combination of parishes and Catholic schools in Metro Manila that produced a vast army of disciplined demonstrators who followed the beat of a single drummer. This multitude brought its food, sound systems, placards and other logistics and stayed indefinitely at the rallies until the government succumbed.

This army is now ready for action under Cardinal Rosales and Msgr. Gerardo O. Santos, the president not only of the CEAP but also of the Manila Archdiocesan Parochial Schools Association, which—together with the Manila parishes—was Cardinal Sin’s source of warm bodies.

So the big question now is: if the partisans fail in their Cha-cha bid, as they probably will, what are Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s options if she wants to stay in power beyond 2010?

First, should there be any terrorist attack here in the magnitude of Mumbai, or a demonstration as pervasive as the yellow takeover of the Bangkok airport, or similar large scale disruptions caused by rebels, rightists or even Arroyo allies—whether real or concocted—the President may be tempted to impose martial law.

True, the present Constitution limits martial law’s duration to only 60 days. But Congress, by a majority vote of all its members, “voting jointly,” may extend it. Certainly, this joint majority vote could easily be obtained by the Lakas-Kampi juggernaut. With the country under martial law, the Con-ass would be able to install the parliamentary system. This is the tried and tested Marcos formula.

If the disruptions will happen during this long Christmas vacation when Congress and the Supreme Court are on recess and the Church, schools and our people are on holiday mood, martial law would indeed be very tempting. The only real foil would be our politics-free military headed by the respected Gen. Alexander B. Yano.

Her second option is emergency rule. However, this is very risky, as it will set aside the Constitution. Any unconstitutional regime would be extremely unpopular and would be denounced by the international community.

Third, GMA could run for vice president in the 2010 elections and take over as president if and when the new president abdicates or resigns. This is not impossible. For instance, Joseph Estrada has been heard to say that if elected president, he would serve only the unexpired three years of his original term. As they say, anything is possible in politics.

Fourth, GMA commands a powerful political machinery. She could use it to elect a new face to the presidency like Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, and to retain her hold on Congress. Her appointees dominate the Supreme Court, Commission on Elections, Ombudsman and the other independent bodies, which could shelter her from her political enemies. After June 30, 2010, she will no longer be chief executive, but she won’t be a spent force.

 Comments are welcome at chiefjusticepanganiban@hotmail.com

Signs that we’re not a right thinking nation

AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
By William M. Esposo
Philstar

What’s wrong with us Filipinos?

That is a question both non-Filipinos and Filipinos have been asking as far back as I can remember. The only difference with Filipinos who were asking it then versus Filipinos who are asking the same question now is the desperation with which it is asked these days.

In 1961, our economy was rated second only to Japan in Asia and now we cannot even claim to be second in Southeast Asia. We were also among the first to enjoy the benefit of having a democracy in Asia only to realize that what we have all along is an oligarchy. Many of our people are ignorant and not empowered to operate a viable democracy.

In the early 1960s, the Indians and the Chinese were scampering to come to our shores because we could provide more opportunities for a better life. Now, our people are seeking employment opportunities in China and India. We used to be watchful of Chinese and Indian illegal immigrants. Now the Chinese and Indians are watchful of Filipinos entering their country to work and stay there illegally.

South Korea and Vietnam were war zones while we were enjoying relative prosperity and an impressive economic development in the 1950s and the 1960s. Today, we cannot even compare with their level of development. Even Cambodia, where they had the killing fields during the reign of terror of the Khmer Rouge, is now overtaking us.

Of course it is easy to blame the leaders we’ve had, especially former presidents Ferdinand Marcos, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada and the present, largely perceived squatter in Malacañang Palace — Madame Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

And who would not blame them? Marcos started this downward spiral when he declared martial law in 1972. Ramos recklessly embraced globalization and restored the reign of the trapos (traditional politicians). Estrada decided to become the so-called Chief Executive of nationalized jueteng operations instead of becoming the hope of the masses he promised to be. Arroyo is virtually the sum of Marcos, Ramos and Estrada at their worst.

But be that as it may, is it not a fact that we are also to blame for electing those who lead us? Did we not allow those leaders who manipulated our elections to get away with electoral fraud?
After all, if we accepted their money and voted for them, then we are to blame for their ascendancy. If we think they cheated their way to public office and did nothing, then we are to blame for this pathetic state of our democracy.

It is hard to accept that we have brought this upon ourselves but we will forever be asking that question of what is wrong with us if we refuse to accept the fact that we are the root cause of the problem.
Invariably, we must ask ourselves if we are a right thinking nation. Is it a right thinking nation that invests its precious time on the unimportant and is oblivious of the truly important? Just look at the issues where we spend our precious time and energy.

We are all engrossed with strengthening our English proficiency when in fact our people will learn better when taught in the language they are familiar with. We don’t even have teachers who can speak passable English so you must wonder what kind of lessons they can teach our children.
English proficiency translates to overseas and call center jobs, it is said. What happens now that overseas jobs are drying up and overseas workers are losing their jobs?

Is English proficiency the savior of the Philippines? Is that right thinking for you?

On the Australian Network, a Cambodian girl who spoke good English admitted that she was rushing to learn Chinese because we are now in the Chinese century and the economic opportunities will be teeming in China. If we insist on mastering a foreign language, does it not make sense that we should learn Chinese instead? That is how ridiculous this language debate is and yet over here we spend too much time on this instead of doing the right thing.

We need a new leadership desperately — a leadership that will enlighten and provide the right direction. So how come the early presidential surveys continue to show that able and inspiring presidentiables like Richard Gordon and Sonny Belmonte are lightly regarded and are at the bottom of the surveys?
Is there enlightenment and salvation in Noli de Castro, Loren Legarda and Panfilo Lacson? Worse — is there salvation in Joseph Estrada, assuming that he can run again? If we are a right thinking nation, we should be uniting under the banner of leaders like Richard Gordon and Sonny Belmonte. Instead, we only unite around the banner of Manny Pacquiao.

Western Europe and Japan have this problem of aging populations which will negatively impact economic performance. China and India are the rising economic powers in the world. China and India share a common asset. They both have big populations.

So how come we are rushing to curb our population growth instead of empowering our poor so that we can have a bigger market base? Population is clearly a national asset. If we can offer 84 million consumers with the annual per capita spending capacity of US$12,000, that would attract investors to our shores like a magnet. But instead of developing our national asset, here we are debating on how to reduce it.

If we are a right thinking nation, the ONLY population control we should apply is the one that can reduce, if not totally eliminate, the plunderers, election cheaters, murderers, sex offenders, extortionists, corruptors, predators, quislings and like vermin in our country. We seem to have an unusually big number of them — more than what our economy can absorb.

In the aftermath of the global financial meltdown, the developed countries are now rethinking globalization and are looking at protecting their respective economies. But here we continue to embrace globalization and its extension — the illusion of economic salvation brought about by foreign investors.

When we should be protecting Filipino industrialists and promoting Filipino-made products, we recklessly embraced globalization and choked whatever fledging industries we had. China is now attracting foreign investors but that happened because China did their homework first.

Here, we don’t do our homework but we expect to reap the benefits. Does that not reflect the thinking of the influence peddlers who want to make big bucks sans any real investment or production?
In other countries, nationalists are looked up to, revered and emulated. But here nationalists are regarded as fossils, irrelevant and are even ridiculed by writers espousing globalist views. Here, for many, it is vogue to love America and dismiss those who espouse nationalist views.

Is that a right thinking nation? Why are you surprised that we are in the rut we’re in and stuck with the leaders we have?
* * *
Chair Wrecker website: www.chair wrecker.com

Mar Roxas on his PI Speech in Ayala, 12 December 2008

Looking back to the things I said last Friday night, I feel good!

All our lives we are told not to belt out our feelings freely in public. We are told to curse quietly, privately, within the cloister of family or friends. To blurt out anger, or rage, or grief before a crowd, is taboo.

I say that depends a lot on the situation, especially when we look at what is happening in our country today.

We all live in a rotten prison.

Filipinos are selling their kidneys online! Leftovers from the fast food kitchens are Christmas fare for the hungry! Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos are taking care of elder persons abroad to earn money to buy expensive medicines for their own elders in the Philippines!

People are denying their values for survival. Fathers drown their humiliation in drink knowing their daughters are prostitutes; mothers keep quiet knowing their sons are thieves—just so they can all meet in their hovel to have one meal together.

On top of all these, activists and journalists are being killed with impunity.

And we all know that one of the biggest reasons why the people are so destitute, so emaciated in body and spirit, is the insidious, relentless and organized corruption in a government that has imprisoned us in shame.

So what can we expect the people to act when those in power attempt to perpetuate themselves in office through the Gloria Forever Constitution and seal the final lock in our prison?

This administration has already stolen a lot from our people. It is now attempting to steal our last thread of hope–not only our Constitution, but the great ideals of Filipino democracy and freedom.

Those ideals are our only means to break free from the prison of hunger, want, disease and injustice.

But this is not about Government alone, this is also about all of us. When we ourselves reduce everything to power and money, deny the squalor around us, or think we can fence out the unwashed and stifle voices that do not agree with us— we lose not only a huge part of our humanity, but our entire nationhood. We perpetuate our own imprisonment in the past.

Let us break free from the darkness, and fight for truth and right!

– By Senator Mar Roxas

BREAKING NEWS: RALLYISTS ATTACK GOV. PANLILIO’S OFFICE

FORMAL STATEMENT OF GOV. ED PANLILIO

YESTERDAY, AT ABOUT 9:30 IN THE MORNING, SEVERAL RALLYISTS COMPOSED OF FORMER PROVINCIALS CHECKERS AND MEMBERS OF PAMPANGA TRUCKERS WITH THEIR DRIVERS AND HELPERS BARGED INTO THE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL AND PROCEEDED INTO THE SECOND FLOOR KICKING ATTEMPTING TO ENTER MY OFFICE. THE DOOR WAS FORCED OPEN. THE RALLYISTS RETREATED UPON NOTING THAT MY SECURITY OFFICERS ARE READY TO ENGAGE THEM IN COMBAT AND PROTECT ME FROM ANY IMMINENT DANGER.

UNDAUNTED, THE RALLYISTS PROCEEDED TO THE OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATOR AND LIKEWISE ATTEMPTED TO BARGE INTO HER OFFICE KNOWING FULLY WELL THAT THERE ARE NO SECURITY OFFICERS WHO WOULD PROTECT HER. FORTUNATELY ENOUGH, HER STAFF IMMEDIATELY LOCKED THE DOORS WHEN THEY HEARD THE RALLYISTS GOING UP THE SECOND THE SECOND FLOOR LOBBY.

After some minutes, the rallyists went down, leaving the employees shaken by the incident. This is the provincial capitol. The seat of power in this province. And yet, the Sangguninang Panlalawigan DID NOT see fit to protect us but opened the door for these incidents to happen by unceremoniously and illegally declaring the Macario Arnedo Park as a freedom park.

Not satisfied, at about 11:30 yesterday, the rallyists repeatedly HIT and ATTACKED my two nephews who are here in the country for a vacation. They are here at the capitol to see me. Their infraction: my nephews attempted to tear down the offensive streamers put up by the former checkers. The very streamers for which I have instructed Col Singian to put down, if not arrest the rallysists for violating the law. At the time my nephews were BEING BEATEN, some policeman are just stone’s throw away.

For several months now, we have endured the daily insults thrown at us by these rallysists. Malicious, offensive streamers hung around the park and their trucks carrying libelous, suggestive pictures of me and Atty. Dabu were roving the province.

What happened yesterday merely accentuated the marked incompetence of our police force. For several months now, I have asked Col. Singian to arrest the rallyists. Yesterday morning, I have asked Col Singian to effect the arrest against the the rallyists who attempted to HARM me. Since they were NOT immediately arrested, two of those rallyists HIT my nephews. I again asked Col Singian to arrest them. Col Singian and his men DILLY-DALLIED till the period to arrest had lapsed. TILL THIS MORNING NOTHING HAPPENED. No arrest was made and none will be made.

And so today, I appear before you to express my condemnation to these acts. To the rallyists, who did not follow the rule of law. They held the rally without a permit and even barged into the provincial capitol attempting to harm me. This attack is not merely an attack to me as a person but an attack to the very office I now hold, the Office of the Governor, an attack to the people of Pampanga.

To the Sangugunian Panlalawigan, who violated both law and wisdom in declaring the Macario Arnedo Park as a freedom park. To the police officers in this province, whose ineptitude and incompetence put me and the lives of others in danger.

For more than 18 months now, I have been asking the President no less to replace Col. Keith Singian to no avail. Today, I am raising again my voice calling the PNP leadership, the DILG Secretary, and the President for the relief of Col. Singian, Col. Medina, the chief of police of the City of San Fernando, and their men for gross dereliction of duty and incompetence. And so, today, I am personally filling my petition for their relief to the office of the DILG Secretary, the Chief PNP and the NAPOLCOM.

Lastly, I am appealing to our well-meaning kabalens to open their eyes and be involved. These despicable acts are not merely due to the ineptitude of the police officers, the lack of wisdom of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the disrespect to authority and law of the rallyists. These loathsome acts are orchestrated by people who from day one do not wish me to stay a single day longer as Governor of this province. Their recount and recall move have failed. Their last resort is to discredit me, to malign me in public, to humiliate me, to intimidate me, and to make it appear that I am not fit to govern.

Should it take young, idealsistic men who saw the evil of those posters and streamers to make us realize that we have been lethargic in fighting the evil around us? We love this province. Should we remain silent and indifferent by what is happening around us? Please remember, evil triumphs when good men do nothing.

Governor Eddie T. Panlilio
Pampanga

For further information, contact Emma Panlilio at emmapanlilio@yahoo.com