Though the incidents are not directly related, there were a lot of statements that came out in the Senate investigation on wiretapping yesterday that apply to the escape the other day of four Magdalo officers.
I think the best quote came from former intelligence chief, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Rodolfo Canieso: “Obey stupid orders to the best of your stupidity.”
(At the Senate hearing on wiretapping: From left, Mayet Santos, girlfriend of Tsgt Vidal Doble; Commodore (ret) Rex Robles; former Sen. Greg Honasan; and Gen. (ret) Rodolfo Canieso. Photo by Philip Duquiatan.)
This was Canieso’s advice to officers who are ordered to do something illegal like wiretapping of political opponents of the commander-in-chief. But it could also apply to the conclusion of Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Army chief, after conducting a loyalty check following the escape of Capt. Nathaniel Rabonza; First Lt. Lawrence San Juan; First Lt. Patricio Bumidang; and First Lt. Sonny Sarmiento from their Fort Bonifacio detention cell.
Esperon said he has talked with division commanders who in turn talked to their battalion commanders and their report was, their company commanders have pledged their commitment to follow the chain of command.
“That indicates that our junior officers, company commanders and platoon leaders especially are abiding by their mandated tasks and in fact they are so busy performing their tasks in the field and they have nothing to do with this,” Esperon said.
We don’t think Esperon is that stupid to think that his subordinates would tell him they would not be obeying the chain of command even if that was their true sentiment.
Esperon would not be where he is now if he were not smart. The mention of his name in the Hello Garci tapes shows that Gloria Arroyo finds him dependable.
There is something that doesn’t quite fit in the escape of the four. It was too easy.
We would not discount the theory that military authorities allowed them to escape to be able to trace Capt. Nicanor Faeldon who escaped last December while attending a hearing of their case at the Makati Trial Court.
Faeldon has issued statements calling for civil disobedience against the Arroyo administration. Aside from setting up a very popular website (www.pilipino.org.ph – more than 600,000 hits in less than two months!), Faeldon has been going in and out of military camps, as shown by the photos and video clips he sends out to media.
Esperon said they learned of the escape plan last Friday. That’s why he ordered them transferred, which was objected to the lawyer of one of the detainees, Atty. Roel Pulido. Now, Esperon thinks Pulido’s objection was part of the escape strategy.
The escape of the four happened the day after Navy Lt. (s.g.) Antonio Trillanes issued an appeal to the people to make a choice.
While attending a hearing at the Makati Trial Court last Tuesday morning, Trillanes said: “If you choose GMA, that means you are content with your situation now and that you can abide by her until 2010 onwards. If you choose change, it means you want, and you are hoping that your quality of life, and that of your fellow Filipinos, will be better.”
Trillanes also said: “Whatever the people’s decision may be, wherever the people will go, so will the AFP.”
Yesterday, Rabonza, San Juan, Sarmiento, and Bumidang followed it up in their first statement after their escape. They revealed the obvious: “We are not alone in this struggle.”
They gave us some comforting information: ” Most of the Armed Forces are still loyal to their oath and are one with us in our vision. We make up the New AFP. And we join our fellow Filipinos who now refuse to be cowed.
“We are a Force that grows stronger by the day, working in solidarity to usher a new nation where the people’s interests are truly supreme.”
Once again, their message: “The time to act is now.”
My comments on the preceding article applies. The military
has a dismal record when it comes to effecting change and
reforming societies. It is far better for our country men
to entrust their future to duly elected political leaders who are accountable to the public and can be voted out of office if they fail to do their jobs. You cannot do the same to a military junta.
Moreover, the military now is also corrupt. It cannot even cleanse its own ranks. It will be expecting too much to hope that they can do a better job running the entire country.
mawalang galang na po amb. cruz. marahil po ay sa maikakapit nyo lang lang salitang “corrupt” sa mga tao sa AFP na nagpapagamit sa pulitika gaya ni NUNDAK (NUNAL AT PANDAK) subalit hindi nating ito maikakapit sa buong Sandatahan lalo na sa mga junior officers na sila mismo ang nakararanas kasama ng kanilang mga tauhan ang epekto ng corruption sa AFP, sila ang sumusuong sa labanan na nakataya ang kanilang mga buhay. may dahilan sila para magmaktol at humingi ng pagbabago, at maging tayong mga sibilyan ay kasama na naaapektuhan ng mga katiwaliang ito. magandang kombinasyon di ba? iisa ang mithiin. PAGBABAGO
Romeo,
Ganoon din ang nangyayari sa boong bansa natin. Yoong na sa itaas lang ang corrupt, madaming maliit na tao na hindi corrupt. Pero ang nagpapatakbo ng gobyerno ay ang nasa itaas. Ganoon din ang mangyayari kung magkakaroon ng military junta. Hindi junior officers ang magpapatakbo, mga heneral. Nagawa ba ni Maj. Gen. Garcia ang mga katiwaliang niyang ginawa. Sino mga kasabwat niya? Bakit walang inililikpit ang militar sa mga kasama ni Garcia? Bakit dalawang taon lang ang parusa niya? Kung sinasabi nating corrupt ang gobyerno o ang militar ang tinutukoy natin ay boong organisayon.
whew, may punto ka dyan amb. cruz. pero paano na? ganito na lang ba tayo? umiikot na lang sa siklo ang pilipino ano po? overhauling.. baka maka tsamba ang mamamayang pilipino.. mas mabuti na ang may siklo kaysa maging stagnant na lang sa ganitong sistema ng gobyerno.
Ambassador H.C.Cruz says: “It is far better for our countrymen to entrust their future to duly elected political leaders who are accountable to the public and can be voted out of office if they fail to do their jobs.”
Sino’ng political leaders po ba ang tinutukoy ninyo? Hmmmmm, can’t think of one, actually. Totoo po na they can be voted out of office, pero in the meantime, nangungurakot sila and when they are out of office, hindi naman sila napaparusahan. Out of sight, out of mind na lang po ba tayo palagi? Nagatanong po lamang.
Atong
i don’t think the four escaped just to catch faeldon. would esperon stand the embarassment and the flak that hes now getting just to get faeldon? highlighy unlikely. in the end it might just be worth it, you can say. but theres also a chance that the four wont catch faeldon — so it would have been a high-risk adventure for a segurista general like esperon.
faeldon is not the only magdalo officer who was against the group apology that they made to the president in 2004. it’s just that faeldon was the first to make a point that he has not been coopted. the four escapees wanted to prove the same thing, and note that they did it within the context of an apparently wider rebel plot.
the story of magdalo, the dynamics of their split (between maestrocampo/gambala on the govt side and trillanes et al on the other), why faeldon escaped by his lonesome and on the day of abat’s foiled declaration of an independent republic, etc is something worth telling in the future. what i just know from informed sources is this: the escape was really part of a rebel plot that nobody seems to have a firm handle on. which means probably this: the rebels are leaking as much info (to shake the leadership and to divert media attention from chacha to the unresolved issues of cheating) as much as they are hiding it (to prevent it from being compromised a la oakwood).
May point sana si ambassador Cruz, kaya lang bakit ngayon lang siya nagsasalita..ngayon na sisiklab na ang nag-aalab na damdamin ng sambayanan? Bakit nuon ay hindi kayo kumilos upang ang pandaraya ay naiwasan sana? Paano tayo magkakaroon ng duly elected oficials kung andyan pa rin ang kasalukuyan COMELEC na nagpasasa sa pera ng bayan dahil sa pagsunod kay Donya Sinungaling, Mandaraya at Magnanakaw. ENOUGH!! Simulan na ang pagpapalaya!! Uulitin ko, sanay na po kami sa hirap Amb. Cruz, ang nais namin ay magkaroon ng isang lider na magiging inspirasyon at hindi desperasyon. Wala ng konsensiya ang mga generals na nagpapagamit kay Donya Sinungaling. Kilos Bayan!!!
ellen, check and see if this is true from Rizalist, who made this comment on the UNIFFORS site.
http://www.uniffors.com/?p=67
Rizalist said on January 11th, 2006 at 7:07 am
And to Dean, ya got it all mixed up, sir. The Faeldon situation is not like Gringo or Angelo Reyes trying to topple Cory or Erap respectively–but more like Ramos and Enrile trying to topple Marcos and install Cory to power.
btw rizalist, how do you like them apples?
I find this comment interesting too from a guy whose username is “Dan_ky”:
http://www.ellentordesillas.com/?p=111#comment-1872
In the picture you posted Ellen, the one I truly admire is the girl Mayet Santos. She is brave and her principles are in the right places. Alas, she is braver than the soldier Vidal Doble.
In fact, of the seven people in the photo she is the bravest and the most principled.
I hope Senator Biazon is giving her the tight security that she deserves.
The latest news update in relation to the statement issued by the Great 4 escapees is coming from Mike Defensor: “dadanak ang dugo kung itutuloy ng Magdalo ang kanilang balak na pabagsakin ang gobyerno ni Gloria”. Kapit tuko talaga sa posisyon ang mga kampon ng kadiliman. Kahit anong banta ang inyong gawin, walang makakapigil sa daluyong ng kasaysayan. Sulong bayan, Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!!
ito yung ginagamit na counter ng http://www.pilipino.org.ph
http://www.rapidcounter.com/signup.php
can anybody try registering for that counter, then test it to see kung pwedeng dayain yung increments?
and i think faeldon’s counter is counting the number of hits, not the number of unique visitors.
i’ve registered for the counter and is now using it in the link provided below.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/5345/message/1137746778/Re-+Untitled
can anybody teach me how to fix the counter so that it will increase by increments of 30 or 40? btw, if you want the source code for the counter just register to get your own and try tinkering with it.
http://www.rapidcounter.com/signup.php
—————–
Here’s more criticism on faeldon’s counter here.
http://www.quezon.ph/blog/?p=794#comment-8725
in the end, i guess if you keep clicking on the site, aandar yung counter ni faeldon, LOL, kasi it counts hits, not unique visitors.
Atong Kuliglig.
si jun magsaysay sana pwedeng subukan. hindi trapo, honest at matalino. problema lang hindi ambisyoso at hindi hayok sa poder.
Let’s try everybody. Let’s have a clean and honest election conducted by competent, credible Comelec. Let all those qualified who have to offer the country run. Then whoever wins, we should support. Be he or she is an actor or a college drop-out.
But we should always be vigilant and make sure that he adheres to his oath. That’s how democracy works.
Re Mayet: I like her too. She is so natural.
Thanks Glen. What you said is interesting: “the escape was really part of a rebel plot that nobody seems to have a firm handle on. which means probably this: the rebels are leaking as much info (to shake the leadership and to divert media attention from chacha to the unresolved issues of cheating) as much as they are hiding it (to prevent it from being compromised a la oakwood).”
That means they are keeping their cards close to their chest. Which is good.
Rizalist served a timely warning what happens when junior officers seize power. Liberia is one example, there are
two other examples in Africa wherein junior officers seized
power. The others are Sergeant Idi Amin in Uganda, and the sergeant who declared himself Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Republic. In all three cases they ruined their countries and were removed from power only after bloody civil wars. So the first question those supporting the Magdalo should ask is once in power how do you get rid of them ? They will not give up power willingly they cannot be voted out of office either.
The other questions are even if the Magdalo succeed, will the other factions of the military fall in line ? Will the
generals allow themselves to be commanded by lieutenants
and sergeants? Ditto for the retired generals like Gen. Abat
not to mention FVR. Will they be happy to see their former
valets giving them orders? The stage is being set for a bloody civil war as each faction of the military will
also try to grab power. In the end it is the Philippines
which will be the loser.
Will that benefit the country? Is that the best way to attract foreign investors and tourists to come to the country? We need change in our country, but it has to be
a change for the better. Not just any change.
Sarap sanang panoorin ni Pacman sa linggo, nandun din si FG, pero wala na akong aasahan kay Pacman maski manalo, WALA NA AKONG GANA. Mabuhay ang prisidinti!!! Manhid din pala yan, para bang utang niya kay Unana yung pagkapanalo niya, pwe!! Sepsep!! Unang una, hindi naman ako mabalatuan niyan, Pangalawa, may balita akong mangangampanya siya para sa chacha, at pangatlo, NAKADUTY KAMI BUONG ARAW NG LINGGO!!! bawal ang transistor 🙁
The defunct Reform the Armed Forces of the Philippines (R.A.M.), Young Officer’s Union (YOU) and the AFP faction Magdalo group have the same battle cry, to get rid of corruption and favoritism. I think corruption in the public service is worst under the Arroyo regime. The civilian leadership is tolerating corrupt practices particularly military and police generals allegedly involved election fraud in the last presidential election. They are protected and promoted instead of prosecuted for the alleged crimes against the Filipino people. Professionalism in the military and police service is prostituted due to politics and favoritism by the civilian leadership. The bogus President Gloria Arroyo exploited the non political institutions for her own political survival. Mrs. Gloria Arroyo is responsible for all this mess. If there’s a DELICADEZA left in her conscience, then, she must resign or exit peacefully. The BUCK STOPS HERE!
Juan dela Cruz,
Who will pay their bills? Jueteng money? Hindi lang si Big Mike pati anak niya Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo at kapatid Rep. Jose Pidal “Iggy” Arroyo, MMDA chief Bayani Fernando at ilang Metro Manila mayors. A Manny Pacquiao “victory” will be exploited by Malacanang progandists – for the sake of Filipino Unity kuno. Manny is a Gloria Arroyo supporter. Mabuhay si Manny! Ibagsak si Gloria!
No Filipino will wish for Pacquiao to lose. Lahat tayo gustong manalo siya at sabay-sabay na mapapasigaw kapag napabagsak niya si Morales.
But I dread what he will say after the victory and what Gloria & FG & Bunye will declare. Pacman will dedicate his victory to the Filipino people but he will also dedicate it to GMA. And as a punchline, FG & Bunye will exult that as Pacquiao defeated Morales so will Gloria massacre his destabilizers and enemies. Pustahan?
I will not watch the fight live. I will watch the replay if he loses, because that is the time when most of them will abandon him. If he wins they will all be there to claim credit as Pacquiao shouts: “Mabuhay ang Prisidinti!”
ma’m ellen, with all the twists and turns in the continuing saga of GMA’s “true-to-life movie” titled Gloria’s Evil Empire (Deception by a President), it’s really clear now that some of us would think that Capt. Faeldon’s “freedom” is in danger until what the last 4 Magdalo officers “escapees” true roles are “clearly defined”. Are they going to be the ally of truth and justice that most of us filipinos are waiting for, or Reyna Gloria’s “wild cards” to try and “neutralize” the “Ace of Diamond” which is Capt. Nick Faeldon. Well, I am pretty much sure Capt. Faeldon and his group are smart enough to “smell a rat” if they encounter one or in this case might be four. MABUHAY KA CAPT. FAELDON!!!
pahabol lang, last week I can’t help but shed a tear when i watched in The Filipino Channel “1 episode” of Reyna Gloria’s movie…location was Navotas, daytime, cast of characters are the Reyna herself, her man-friday Mike “Defective” Defensor, and her entourage of “Palakpak Boys and Girls”, situation…Gloria with her “fake smiles and handshakes” are giving “alms” of “bigas and noodles” which she even pronouns sounding as “nudols”, trying to be “bakya” for the masses. they should fire their production designers, they forgot to dress up the “extras” which in this case are our poor kababayan’s who because of hardship and hunger are “unwilling background crowd on the scene” with t-shirts printed with GMA (Gutom na Mamamayan Ako)as they shout GMA! GMA! GMA! …noodles?
Spartan, what I understand from that one theory (there are a number) that they were allowed to escape to trace Faeldon is that, they are NOT in cahoots with the military. They really was planning to escape (part of a bigger plan) and the military learned of it. So they were allowed so they can be monitored. It’s not only Faeldon the military is interested in but the backers of the rebel group.
But as Glenda said, this theory is not plausible.
There’s also the theory that the miltiary learned of the plan and were allowed to escape so that malacanang can use it to justify emergency measures that Arroyo will impose.
Whatever it is, the situation seems to be moving towards the breaking of a stalemate.
Re fears that a military undertaking against Arroyo would result in a Liberia-like situation, the statement of Capt. Faeldon on Jan. 21, 2006 might be relevant:
Of course, we don’t have to believe Faeldon.
But the danger of descending into chaos, Liberia style, could be prevented by Arroyo if she steps down and call for a snap election to be supervised by another high official (drilon has been suggested by Pimentel).She should voluntary not run. If she does that, maybe the Filipinos would be kinder to her.
Liberia style of rebellion? Maybe not, but a “rebellion” is already imminent, I just hope that groups like those of Ka Roger would not “beat us to the draw”, because if they indeed succeed (which I know is really a long-shot) to topple the “Evil Empire” then they would be regarded as “the saviour” by the masses. To our kababayans who are commenting that they are “already tired” of people power, in my opinion, they are our same kababayans who flocked to EDSA during Reyna Gloria’s Coronation, can’t blame them…”the truth is a hard pill to swallow”, they can’t handle the truth that Gloria was able to “USE” them to grab power, and now with “thick face and thick skin” is willing to do anything “just to hang-on into it” like a gecko in the night. She’s holding the Legislature (Congress) and Judiciary (Court) on the palm of her hands, that’s why trapos like Joe de Venecia and now Noli de Cashtro’s favorite line..”we should follow the rule of law”, because thay are confident that even if it’s really black, “their Congress and Court would say it is white”. So, where’s our option? Rebellion…so that hypocrites and liars like the Glorias, Bunyes, Defensors character would be taken out of “the Palace”.
Ellen,
I agree with you. A resignation (which is a graceful exit for the liar, & cheater president) is the best thing Gloria can do. In the end she could soften some heavy hearts. Regarding Pacquiao, sorry for this guy, actually I should be proud of him, making news in the international scene, but since he allowed Mike A. use him for their own interest I lost my admiration in him. Seeinghim in the TV saying “suportahan natin ang pangulo” ay sus!! Pacman, stay away from GMA and her husband……for your own good. Terible talaga!!
Ellen,
The three cases noted in Africa whereby junior officers and
sergeants seized power involved countries with small
populations and economies that are in a far lower level of development than the Philippines. They are all LLDCS. The three countries, namely Liberia, Uganda and the Central African Republic all descended into chaos in short order. The usurpers were removed from power only after bloody civil wars.
The point I am making here is even if Faeldon is sincere
in all his pronouncements, I don’t believe that experience
as a junior officer will be a relevant experience to run a big country like the Philippines with 86 million people. Liberia and the Central African Republic by contrast have only about 4 million population each or 1/20th of the size of the Philippines.
Once the military splits into factions, if you go by the
Latin American experience, the ruling elites also go into the act and supply funds and logistics for the respective
factions they are supporting. That will mean in our case
the Ayalas, the Cojuangcos, the Sorianos, the Gokongweis,
the Lucio Tans etc. each supporting a faction of the
military. The jockeying will involve jockeying for political and economic power. There will be endless coups and counter coups. The military route is thus a barren route.
I agree with you, a fact I also mentioned in your other
blog site, that a way must be found to make GMA quit or
let her commit enough mistakes, like manipulating the
plebiscite, until an aroused citizenry ousts her from
power.
Ellen,
I agree with you totally – let’s have an election.
However, two prerequisites before an election.
One, Gloria must leave Malacanang by hook or by crook.
Two, a caretaker who will preside over the elction.
In order to achieve the first, the opposition must agree on what number two will be. Will it be a person or a junta? We can look at constitutional succession all the way to Drilon if we want or we can look elsewhere. What is vital, however, is that the opposition agree on a plan of action and do it.
Let us decide on how we are going to get to an election. Once that’s clear to everyone and supported by all opposition parties, getting Gloria will be next.
Faeldon states his position clearly and that’s good. If what he says is true, that his group has no hidden agendas, then he can be a bridge to the election scenario.
I wish MANNY PAQUIAO wins, and if GMA and FG claims
CREDIT to victory, I wish MANNY saved some PUNCHES for the
two. GMA and FG deserves a BIG PUNCH to KNOCK them OUT !!!
Good Luck MANNY PACQUIAO !!! DON’T LET FAKE PRESIDENT
USE you !!!
Dear Ellen, We would like to support Captain Faeldon’s call for civil disobedience.In Mr. Herman Tiu Laurel’s column in Daily Tribune dated 20 January 06, Mr. Laurel said he was donating P1,000 for the production of little “half-mast” Filipino flags, stickers, etc. We also would like to send some donations for this cause. We do not know Mr. Laurel’s email ad, so we tried emailing webmaster@tribune.net.ph, but our email was returned. Would you be able to help us get some information where and to whom we could send our donations for this purpose? I would also like to suggest that we should have stickers made with http://WWW.FILIPINO.ORG.PH. Marami pa pong mga kababayan natin ang hindi nakaka-alam na may website na ganito.Thank you & regards. Hunter.
Correction : http://WWW.PILIPINO.ORG.PH . Hunter
Eroded na ang ating mga institusyon dahil sa sunod sunod na iskandalo at kurapsyon. Kailan kaya mahihinto ito?
Sana’y magkaroon tayo ng batas na ang mga dating namumuno sa AFP at PNP ay hindi pwedeng humawak ng sensitibong posisyon sa gubyerno pagkatapos nilang magsilbi bilang mga sundalo at pulis. Eto kasi yung naging bargaining agreement between civilian authority and the AFP/PNP. Kaya tuloy nagpapa gamit ang ilan sa ating mga pulis at mga sundalo. Mas mahalaga syempre para sa kanila kung sino yung magbibigay sa kanila ng trabaho pag retiro nila at the expense of the people.
Destruction of institutions- that’s Gloria Arroyo’s legacy to the Filipino people.
In the Senate hearing last Thursday, Rex Robles said institutions like the military, particularly ISAFP where used for purposes they were not intended to. He likened the destruction of institutions to a destruction of a platform one is standing on. What happens when the platform is destroyed? The one who stands on it falls.
Robles further said, what is sad is that the destruction of institutions will lead to the destruction of our society.
Does Gloria Arroyo care?
To me it’s the person, not the place where he came from, that matters when it comes to leading the country. It is the character, dedication and love of country that is vital to be able to steer this country to greatness. It is vision that drives him and fear of God that puts him in the right path.
Soldiers are good leaders, too. They have been pruned to leadership! But there is a big difference as to leading a country and leading professional soldiers to battle. Soldiers are bound to obey by their oath while civillian are more relax and demand more diplomacy.
Capt. Faeldon should realize that at the present state of the military, very few trust it. They have an unenviable task of bringing trust back into this institution that many high ranking military officials have tarnished and abused.
On the leadership issue, my suggestion is to look at emerging China. At least, until we hurdle the economic crises. All nine members of the Pulitburo or Political bureau are engineers, why don’t we try that for a change. Put more technical people in the government than lawyers (or economist in todays case) that leave us always hanging dry.
Ellen;
I would rather like to believe that there is, at least a speck, of hope in our institutions than produce a chaotic scenario for the country. This is because, i can still feel that the people will not take this blatant abuse of authority sitting down. I am still hoping that the AFP and PNP will right itself up and continue to be apolitical, pro-people as what it once was. I still believe that our institutions are our most potent weapon for anarchy and the search for truth, that we don’t need a change in the style of government nor a change in the wordings of our constitution. i’ll still bet my bottom dollar on them.
Sana nga Panginoon bigyan mo ang lakas ang mga kabataan ngayon para sugpuin nila ang mga BUWAYA
cont’n…..Mga BUWAYANG walang pakiramdam at makakapal ang mukha. Mga GARAPAL!!!! Isa-isahin kayong ililibing kasama ang mga nakurakot niyo para may panlagay kayo kay SATANAS. Iisa lang ang pupuntahan natin ….. tignan niyo si Marcos.
Tiago,
You will need a lot of prayers to transform the military.
All the flag officers now, the generals and admirals,
graduated from the PMA and entered the military ranks during the Marcos Regime. The Marcos regime was actually
a civilian-military dictatorship in the Latin American model. It is different in the case of the Soviet Union or
Nazi Germany. In both countries, it was a party dictatorship. The Communist Party and the Nazi Party
controlled everything even the military. Thus in the old
Soviet Union you cannot rise beyond the rank of major if
you are not a party member. Marcos never developed the KBL
into a monolithic party like the Communist Party or the
Nazi Party. That is why it is the military which propped up the Marcos regime. Without the military there is no
Marcos dictatorship. That is why you are correct when you
say that our people do not trust the military. Our kababayans still recall the Marcos-military dictatorship. Faeldon has a tough job convincing people he can be trusted when he represents an institution that nobody trusts.
The military as is usually the case when they become
part of the ruling group, assumes the faults of the ruling elites. They lose their focus and take on the lifestyle of the ruling elites. Meaning they become as corrupt as anybody else and start enriching themselves. These are
the leaders of our present military. I am sure Gen. Garcia is not the lone wolf in the military who enriched himself.
When Fidel Castro took over Cuba he simply executed all the
ranking military officers he could get. As you can see it
will be a bloody affair to clean our military if cleansing
is what you are hoping for.
Bago maging plebo ang isang kadete ng pma ay may mga ugaling hindi magaganda na ang mga iba dyan, yung unang 18 taon na ipinaglaki nila mula bata pa hanggang maging teenager sa ibat ibang klaseng pagpapalaki sa kanila ng mga bawat magulang nila at yung iba pang nakapaligid sa kanila ang ugat ng mga kagaguhan sa military kasama na ang natural na ugali nila na likas bago pumasok sa pma, hindi kayang burahin ng academy yun sa apat na taon at ng haba ng buhay sa military, naroroon na yon sa puso at isipan nila.
At habang napapasama sila sa senior officer na gago rin lalong lumalala ang kagaguhan nila. Mahirap para sa isang maprinsipyo at matinong sundalo na maunder sa isang corrupt na opisyal na mahusay makisama sa mga nasasakupan nila at mapaligiran ka pa ng iba pang medyo medyo gago rin, kaya naghahalo nalang ang bulok sa mga matitino at ang matitino sa paligid ng mga bulok. Pero sa bawat sarili nila alam nila kung sino ang sino sa kanila.
To Amb. Cruz;
Call me an idealist, sir, but I am still hoping for our military to redeem themsleves and come out clean. I am hoping for a military that doesn’t meddle in politics. I am hoping for a military that repect their oath and the very sense of the words within it. If re-affirmation to the oath is needed, then so be it. Nobody can do that for them except themselves. But I cannot accept the fact that we have to live in a society that compromises the values that our forefathers have fought so hard to gain and defend, and not do anything about it. If the generals of today are fruits of a Marcos style get-rich-quick era, then we have to be more vigilant and discerning. We have to somehow thresh out all the Gen. Garcias in the military, sequester their properties and prosecute them. If we become as passive as Juan Tamad under the guava tree, then we are to blame as they are, for we fail in the midst of our clamoring for a better country. The bare skin fact remains; crooks and thugs, in whatever clothing, will get about their business only if we let them. I also believe that, as loosely related as it may seem, we are as much a part of that institution as they are.
Tiago,
We already had such a military establishment. Before Martial Law the military was a pristine institution. They
do not meddle in politics, you never heard of any corruption in the military. You never hear of military officers getting rich. Marcos made the military a
partner in his dictatorship. Once the military gets
politicized, it becomes corrupt, something which the our
Latino cousins know very well. They start enriching themselves and become part of the ruling elite. You are aware I am sure about the military officers during the
Marcos Regime who acquired houses in the exclusive housing
areas.
We need to restore the military to the pre-martial law days.
But how do you do it now? All the flag officers now started their careers under the Marcos regime. Having tasted power and its corrupting influence, it will not be
easy to reverse the course. It will help if Faeldon and
his group be more specific and tell us how he intends to
clean the military if he gets to power. All he did is state
that the military top brass is corrupt. All of us already know that. We would like to learn the details of his plan.
And if they sound credible, more of our kababayans may
rally to his banner.
There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that “It is easier to reshape a mountain or a river than a person’s character.” I believed with Valentine’s stand. Its the basic unit of our society that really gives a big factor to the totality of one human being – the FAMILY! The Academy will just enhance and further develop their x-factors/potentianls.
The Filipino Family has never been remissed in it’s duty to mold its sons and daughters into better citizens. In fact, it’s always been the desire of every parent to send their kids to school and get a good education. But the Establishment seems bent into hindering this humble aspiration.
Schools have been deregulated. Oil and Electricity have been deregulated, etc.
So were do we start? Have we forgoten the concept of “Follow the Leader”?
In my short stint at DPWH, i have witnessed how the employees reacted possitively with the appointment of Fernando Bayani. Everybody started to come earlier than usual just to be able to attend the Flag Raising Ceremony, and do some stretching afterwards. In his inauguration statement, he said, “I am bringing with me a truckload of engineering experience. We don’t need foreign consultants!” And with that he earned our respect and loyalty. Three months later, he was replaced with a policeman who’s initial actions were to replaced all gates with new padlocks for “security reasons”.
We need a moraly upright leader with a truckload of common sense to solve practical problems with practical solutions. We need leaders worth emulating.
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P.S. I’m encouraging young men of today [and old alike] to listen to Ka Butch of Larouche Society, DZRJ-AM every 10-11pm daily, and DZXL-AM every 8:00-9:00pm Sunday. He’ll give you more insights and, more importantly, SOLUTIONS to the problems we are facing today. Feel free to call and disagree with him, as he is very much willing to share ideas that have worked before but were obscured thru deceit and lies.
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Exactly my point, sir?
I think, and i’m hoping that the AFP’s “middle managers” aren’t as currupt as their superiors, that they will somehow make some sense of their orders before they follow them. These “middle managers” are the ones mostly in command of the majority of field operations and once binded, outnumbered the generals several hundreds to one. If these young officers will just show that they are also a force to be recon with inside the institution, they won’t be just shrug aside by their superiors.
Maybe we should give DND more hand in the operations/administrations of the AFP, more civilian control means more checks. But then again more bureaucracy, but, hey, we will never know until we try. The AFP has been spared of changes thru time. Perhaps they have been out in the limbo for so long they cease to be in sync with the current situations. My concerns are that the AFP will cease to be what they have been made for. The junior officers still know what the AFP stands for, perhaps the old generals have gotten tired and need to rest.
to jun marzan…regarding faeldon’s website counter… you cannot trick that. if it happens that every time you refresh the page and it increments by 30 or 35 it simply means that during that exact time there are around 30 to 35 people who are also accessing faeldon’s website. im saying this because i also experience that. although i believe it counts the number of hits and not exactly the number of unique visitors which is normally where website counters are program for. but often the counter runs normal. by the way as of today faeldons visitors has reach the i million mark. hmmmm..
faeldon website is good so that
we can hear stories not only from government
but also from the other side.
Maari po ba mag-bigay ng isang maikling obserbasyon at pahayag? Ako po ay isang pangkaraniwang mamamayan ng ating inang bayan Pilipinas. Nuong una ay humanaga ako sa ating kasalukuyan pangulo ng ianunsyo nya na hindi na siya tatakbo na elekyson sa kadahilanang di na nya kaya, kapuna puna ang pagtakbo nyang muli, una nawalan ako ng tiwala dahil para sa akin ang isang tapat na lider ay kailangan may palabra de honor, pangalawa kapunapuna rin ang tahasang pandaraya, ito ay pinatunayan nyy ng sya mismo ay humingi ng paumanhin sa taong bayan. At pangatlo, humingi sya ng patawad sa insideteng yaon subalit ng humingi ng tawad ang MAGDALO ay di nya pinatawad. Isa syang traydor ng bayan!!! Yun lang po, maraming salamat at mabuhay po kayong lahat. Magandang araw po.
Isang katanungan pong muli, sa aking pakiwari lamang, parang iniugnay ang EO 464 ng kasalukuyan panguluhan sa EO 66 sa pelikulang “Star Wars”. Hindi po ba baga?
Tuloy ang laban ni Nick Faeldon!