Month: January 2011

Required reading for policy makers

Published by Ellen on January 13, 2011

Another article on the book: http://ph.yfittopostblog.com/2011/01/13/diplomat-rodolfo-c-severinos-book-takes-on-national-territory-debate/

Severino signing books2 — Severino signing his book. Tress Reyes of Nikkei Shimbun and Charmaine Deogracias of NHK TV wait for their turn.

I have yet to meet a reporter who has covered the diplomatic beat seriously who is not in awe of former Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rodolfo Severino.

Severino unselfishly shares his vast knowledge about foreign relations in an engaging way that makes what is generally regarded as an esoteric and intimidating topic easily understandable.This enviable skill of his is again evident in his latest book, “Where in the world is the Philippines?”

The book, published by the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore is about the ambiguity of the country’s territorial boundaries which he said has far reaching effects on people’s lives and communities.

The ambiguity is ironic because, he said, the Philippines is the only country that defines its national territory in its Constitution.

Aquino criticized for buying luxury sportscar

Published by Ellen on January 13, 2011

From ABS-CBN, Agence France-Presse:

WhitePorsche — Aquino's P4.5 M source of joy

President Benigno Aquino III said Thursday he had splashed out on a luxury Porsche sportscar, sparking criticism in a country where a third of the population live on less than a dollar a day.

“It appeared to be out of character. He had campaigned against luxury cars and here he is buying a Porsche,” Milo Tanchuling, secretary general of the activist group Freedom from Debt Coalition, told AFP.

Aquino doth protest too much on Porsche?

by Jocelyn Montemayor
Malaya
President Aquino yesterday said there is nothing wrong if he bought a 2007 model white Porsche at a cost of P4.5 million late last year which he said was his own money.

Aquino, in a chance interview after the oath-taking ceremony of the Liga ng mga Barangay members at the SMX Convention Center, said he is only enjoying and spending his money the way he wants it.

“There is a danger that it will be viewed by many as a sign of extravagance and an unnecessary flaunting of wealth amid massive poverty.”

Beware of Cha-Cha as Arroyo’s Trojan horse

Published by Ellen on January 11, 2011

Related article: ex CJ Puno: It’s time for charter change

Cha-cha tune is being played again and we should be wary and alert.

Last Sunday, a friend working in the House of Representatives alerted us that Gloria Arroyo and her allies are ready with the charter-change operation and they are just waiting for the right time to start it. She said Arroyo has the “budget” for it.

Arroyo has already made the first step when she filed on her first day as Pampanga 2nd District representative last July 1 a set of bills including House Resolution 8 calling for charter change through a Constitutional Convention. It was co-authored by her son, Camarines Sur. Rep. Dato Arroyo.

Ang padrino ni Maj.Gen. Carlos Garcia

Published by Ellen on January 9, 2011

Update: Garcia’s P128 million now ‘beyond reach’

Naala-ala nyo ba noong 2009, nabalita na itinakda ng korte sa Amerika ang $2milyon (P92,000,000) na piyansa para sa dalawang anak ni Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia na si Ian Karl at Juan Paulo na nahulihan ng $100,000 sa San Francisco airport na hindi nila na-declare nang pumunta sila sa Amerika noong Pebrero 2003?

Ang tanong ng marami ay sino ang nagbayad noong $2 milyon na yun? Sobrang malaking pera yun. Naka-freeze ang mga bank deposits ng mga Garcia sa America.

Ngayon na nagkaroon ng plea bargain agreement si Garcia at ang Ombudsman ma maari na siyang lumaya basta magbayad lang siya ng P143.45 milyon sa kanyang ninakaw na P303 milyon (yun lang ang nakita ng pamahalaan. Posibleng meron pa), bumabalik na naman ang tanong na yan.

The honor of rebelling against a corrupt government

Published by Ellen on January 6, 2011

President Aquino’s grant of amnesty to members of the military who stood up against Gloria Arroyo’s misuse and abuse of presidential powers is a fulfillment of his promise to reshape Philippine society back to its moral state which has been misshapen so badly by Gloria Arroyo for nine years that she was in power.

How the amnesty was carried out to where it is now- the processing of applications of those who want to avail of the amnesty- is instructive of how to navigate around the various forces not only of the competing allies of the administration but also of the political opposition.

Aquino was elected overwhelmingly on the promise of reforms and a discontinuation of Arroyo’s perversion of the justice system for her interest.

But many in the government bureaucracy, having internalized Arroyo’s practice of twisting the law to suit her interest, could not comprehend the message of reform in Aquino’s electoral victory.

From the very beginning, even during the presidential campaign, Aquino was clear about his stand that Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and other Magdalo officers did not commit coup d’etat as defined in the Revised Penal Code. He also said continued detention of Magdalo soldiers was an injustice.

Trillanes applies for amnesty, has no regrets

Published by Ellen on January 5, 2011

By Ryan Chua, ABS-CBN News

“Let me be clear. We admit guilt as far as rising up against the most corrupt president this country ever had,” he said. “Proudly.” – Trillanes

Reiterating that they have no regrets about rising against the previous administration, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and other Magdalo soldiers on Wednesday formally applied for amnesty, which requires an admission of guilt.

In his application form, Trillanes signed a portion acknowledging his involvement in uprisings that entail “a violation of the 1987 Constitution, criminal laws, and the Articles of War” and recanting his statements in the past that are contrary “to this express admission of involvement/participation and guilt.”

Trillanes clarified that this does not mean admitting that what they did against the Arroyo administration was wrong.

“Ever since hindi naman kami nagpanggap na ‘yong ginawa namin ay natutal na ginagawa ng sundalo. We are man enough to admit we have broken rules in the pursuit of our cause,” he told reporters after submitting his application.

Trillanes said what they signed was just a general admission of guilt of some rules, and does not mean they’re regretting anything.

Gen.Garcia case: a test of Aquino’s anti-corruption drive

Published by Ellen on January 4, 2011

Update: Sandiganbayan okayed Garcia plea bargain last May (during the Arroyo administration)

A briefer on the Carlos Garcia case

Update: Tax case filed vs Garcia

Ma. Gen. Carlos Garcia — Getting away with plunder

The Office of the Solicitor General is set to file an intervention to the plea bargain deal of Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, former comptroller of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Ombudsman that allowed him to get away with plunder of taxpayers’ money allotted for the soldiers who are asked to lay their life to keep peace and security for the people.

Tuesday, staff members of the OSG were reportedly busy copying the nine volumes of documents that gave a glimpse of the massive corruption in the military.

That’s a welcome news because many are wondering why the Aquino government seemed not to be moving while Garcia, his wife and children were securing their ill-gotten wealth and freedom.

Expect more of the same incompetence in foreign relations

Published by Ellen on January 2, 2011

sepsep — This is what earned Romulo the retention to the foreign secretary post.

By now, after six months in Malacañang, we have to say that there is so much more that President Aquino will have to do to earn our admiration as the country’s chief executive.

We don’t expect him to master all issues but it is important that he knows how to choose people to help him run the country. He should have an eye for , to borrow a phrase from what American journalist David Halberstam , the best and the brightest.

The late President Marcos was gifted with such talent even as he himself was brilliant. There were executives who were not intellectually heavyweights but were honest enough to admit their inadequacies and did the smart thing of hiring the “best and the brightest.” The one that comes to mind is former Ambassador to the US Benjamin Romualdez who tapped the brains and skill of the bright boys in the Department of Foreign Affairs namely Pacifico Castro,Rodolfo Severino and others.

President Aquino and his Malacanang team are weak in the area of foreign affairs. And the worrisome thing about this is, they don’t seem to realize it. They do not know that they do not know about foreign affairs.

Hopes for the New year

Published by Ellen on January 2, 2011

From his column in the Philippine Star:

By Roberto R. Romulo
Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs

President Benigno S. Aquino III begins his seventh month in office on January 1 with his approval ratings comfortably high and broad public support for the major initiatives of his administration. It adds a hopeful note for the New Year that this support – as well as from foreign governments and international business – could be major factors in the success of the President’s major initiatives – particularly those relating to revving up the economy, turning around the culture of corruption, forging greater security and peace across the entire archipelago.

None of this should becloud perceptions of the administration’s shortcomings during the last six months – for these have been also all too real and palpable.

There has been considerable sobering in what was once a triumphalist posture of the administration. After a succession of setbacks – notably in the hostage-taking crisis in August last year, the defeat of his signature executive order creating a Truth Commission, and the chorus of criticism of the administration’s legal acumen and the poor quality of paper work pouring out of Malacanang — the administration speaks more softly now. There is now a clearer appreciation of limits to power, and hopefully more willingness to acknowledge mistakes when they are made.

Dapat ikondena ang pagpatay sa Samar 11

Published by Ellen on January 2, 2011

Peace Presidential Adviser visits one of the Samar 11 wakes

Tama ang punto ni Col. Antonio Parlade, Jr., hepe ng Public Affairs ng Philippine Army sa kanyang emosyunal na sulat kung bakit ang mga defenders ng human rights ay tahimik sa ginawang pagpatay ng New People’s Army ng 10 sundalo kasama ang isang bata sa Samar noong Disyembre 14, dalawang araw magsimula ang napagkasunduang ceasefire sa pamagitan ng pamahalaan at ng Communist Party party of the Philippines, National Democratic Front at NPA.

Nagawa ang pagpatay sa pamamagitan ng landmine sa Las Navas sa Northern Samar. Mga miyembro ng 803rd Brigade ang nasawi na pabalik na sa headquarters para umuwi sa pamilya sa Pasko at bagong taon.

Malalim ang sama ng loob ni Parlade. Sabi niya:

“ Ang tanong namin: nasaan ang mga human rights advocates? Nasaan ang mga nagpu-protekta ng karapatan ng mga bata?

Continue readingDapat ikondena ang pagpatay sa Samar 11