Mukhang wala kayong na hakot. Nabibilang lang sa daliri yang mga nagwewelga na yan samantalang daan-daang Pinoy ang nandyan sa Brussels. Well, di kasi kayang bayaran lang ng lunch ang mga Pinoy na nandyan kaya wala kayong na hakot. Pinakita nyo pa, lalong maraming maniniwala na kakapiranggot lang kayong mga tuta ng oposisyon. Nakakahiya. Kaya pala ang lapit ng kuha parang wag mahalatang nilangaw.
Jun
Kita mo yang mga titulo na yan. “Nakaambang Constitutional Crisis” malayo sa katotohanang mangyayari yan. Pero pag nabasa yan ng mga investor sa titulo pa lang wala na talagang mag-iinvest dito sa Pinas. Mga intigero at intrigera wala kayong gawang magaling pinahihirapan ninyo ang sarili ninyong bayan. Maawa kayo sa mga anak at magiging anak ng anak ninyo. Mga anak ng… ewan..
bayonic
banal na aso , santong kabayo
natatawa ako ( sa mga posts dito )
hihihihi
Mula Maynila hanggang Jolo,
maraming ayaw sa santo mo!
Kaya’t makinig buksan ang isipan,
nang manaig ang hustisya, hindi kasakiman!
Saang sulok man ng Bansa,o mapaibayo man,
Marami na ang galit sa mga kapalpakan,
Kaya nga’t dalian at mag-empake na…
Sa Malacanang at sa Batasan, UMALIS ka na D’YAN!
arf! arf!
anthony scalia
Wait, yung bang yellow banner sa likod protesta kay Ate Glue din? Looks like di lang si Ate Glue ang may protesta?
Talagang nakakatawa ang “united opposition.” Mas lalo pang nakakatawa ang pag-wonder nila na bakit the people are not out on the streets supporting them.
Remember the joke on the sabungan:
Paano mo malalamang may tanga sa sabungan?
May nagdala ng pabo
May mas tanga pa ba doon?
Oo, tumaya sa pabo.
May mas tatanga pa ba doon?
Oo, nagtaka pa kung bakit natalo ang pabo
Paano malalamang may sindikato sa sabungan?
Pag nanalo ang pabo
Paano malalamang puro mga engot ang “united opposition”?
Nakaupo pa rin si Ate Glue
Elvira Sahara
Para mapaalis si Ate Glue ninyo, hindi lang naman ang opposition ang kailangang mag-unite kundi pati yung mga nananalangin na ” maawa naman kayo sa future ng ating mga anak!” Ang opposition ay kailangan ng supporta ng mga taong-bayan. Ang mahirap sa inyo, kung laban…kukonti lang ang humaharap. Sinasabi pang hayaan na natin ang mga opposition na gumawa niyan. Pero pag napanalunan na, saka pa sila magsusulputan at makikisayaw sa saya! Ni walang pasasalamat na kung hindi sa opposition, hindi sana sila liligaya! I think dapat ma-relize ng bawat isa na ang pinaglalabanan dito ay ang MALI…mga katiwalian na gustong ituwid at hindi ang kung sino ang sa majority party, kung ilang tao ang umattend…o kung sino ang left or right!
Ang mas nakakahiya ay yung mga dayuhan ang sumama sa protesta. Bakit nakakahiya? Dahil ang baho ni pandak ay umaalingasaw pati sa ibayong dagat. Duon kasi, walang CPR, extra-judicial killings at forced disappearances. Ultimo mga bata ay walang habas na pinapatay dito. Tanong niyo kung bakit walang sumasali sa protesta dito? Dahil sinigurado ni pandak na maghirap ang bayan para nga naman imbes na mag-protesta ay ang kumakalam na sikmura ang uunahin. Siyempre, ang administrasyon at mga alipores niya ay ‘di problema ang kahirapan dahil sa patuloy nilang pag-sipsip sa kaban ng bayan. Gusto ba ng mga OFW na bawiin ng DFA ang kanilang mga pasaporte? Oras din ng trabaho kaya konti ang sumali sa protesta. Yung tumatanggap lang suhol galing kay pandak ang nagsasabing ang mga sumasama sa protesta ay puro bayaran. Nakita niyo na ba ang hakot crowds ng administrasyon? Ayon sa isang interview sa mga “hakot” ay ‘di hamak na malaki ang bayad ng administrasyon. May P250, pagkain at may pabaon pa. Alam niyo na kung saan galing ang mga “lagay” na yan, hindi sa bulsa ng politiko dahil ayaw nilang mabawasan ang mga ninakaw nila. Yan ay galing sa’ting mga nagbabayad ng buwis. Kaya kung ‘di ka taxpayer ay wala kang pakialam kung nakawin man ang buwis na yan dahil ‘di ka agrabyado, pero kaming taimtim na nagbabayad ay siguradong magagalit. Sa hirap namin kinukuha ang pambayad na yan.
bayonic
natatawa lang ako doon sa mga banal na aso at santong kabayo … na kunwari ay nagmamalasakit sa mga anak natin at sa mga magiging anak ng anak natin pero pilit na ipinagtatanggol ang mga taong nasa gobyerno natin ngayon na siyang tunay na pumapatay sa kinabukasan ng pilipinas.
mga magagaling magbasa ng titulo pero sa tingin ko hanggang titulo lang ang binabasa.
mga taong halimbawa ay ninakawan na ang bahay pero ang gustong gawin ay tulungan pa magbuhat ang mga magnanakaw … at ang siyang sumisita sa magnanakaw ang pinapagalitan.
sila ang problema ng bansa.
pero sabi nga ni Freddie Aguilar , “tawanan mo ang iyong problema” … kaya natatawa na lang ako.
Jun
Bayonic, Sa totoo lang kayo ang magnanakaw. ksi dapat maganda na ang economy ng bansa kund hindi sa mga kalokohan ninyo e. Nawawala ang mga lumilipas na pagkakataon na sana umuunlad na tayo kund hindi kayo mapang intriga.
Tama ka! Ang mga punyetang mga alagan nitong si moral bansot ay walang bayag pero sa totoo, maraming Pinoy rin na ayaw kay Gloria na wala ring mga bayag.
Tama ang sabi mo: ang issue dito ay ang ginagawang MALI at hindi dapat isipin na dalawa ang kampo: they and us.
Dapat mag-isa ang taong bayan para lumaban sa MALI!
Jun
Anna,
Dyan ka bibilib sa Pinoy. Marami pa rin ang matitino kaya kahit papaano ay may pag-asa pa tayo. Hwag lang kayong makialam. Tatawagin na lang namin kayo pag maganda na ang lagay ng Pinas. Pansamantala kung hindi kayo makakatulong mano bang hwag na kayong dumagdag sa problema. PLSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!
Jun, Bugger off, will you? Or plant sili if you have nothing better to do. Leave us alone to fight the good fight, i.e., hang your favorite president from the highest lamppost. When that happens, we will NOT hang you from the highest lamp post. Because you are such a dimwit, it’s not worth the effort to even mind you.
nelbar
tatlong klaseng Pilipino ngayon ang sinasabi nyong mga walang bayag kung pananaw sa Constitution ang pag uusapan 💡
Btw, I just posted the following comments in reply to that of Bystander’s post in PHILIPPINE EXPERIENCE.
I was talking to the one of the top guys (a woman leader) of the European labour unions here and she was saying that they are going to table a resolution when they go on their international summit calling labour and trade unions to put pressure by calling their members to go on strikes around the world if the killings of trade unionists in the Philippines go unabated!
If they can do that, corporations themselves will pressure their national governments to put pressure on Malacanang.
The leader was at the picket against Gloria and spoke officially and was interviewed by the local press and by the Philippine Star – she made the same declaration.
Schumey is right. The only reason why the majority seems silent now is not because they have been subdued. As in any resistance and guerrilla warfare, tahimik ka lang, pretend to mix with tyhe melee, and then, pukpok when the right time comes.
The US at the moment is too busy with its own problem, domestic and international to be bothered with the problems of the Philippines, which has lamentably remained the perennial white man’s burden. Kaya nga binibigay na nga ng mga kano ang responsibility for the Filipinos to solve their own problems caused by the kabobohan of the vain dugong aso the Filipinos installed there in 2001. God willing truth, justice and yes, sanity will prevail eventually.
It gives me hope and even pride in the Filipinos as a matter of fact when I see the likes of you, Anna, Ellen, Schumey, Emilio, Alitaptap (I love his poems as a matter of fact), etc. sharing the burden of removing a crook like Gloria Kawatan Labandera (money laundering) y Pidal Kurakot and her minions.
Thanks, Anna, all for making me feel proud of the Filipino race sans Satanyita Gloria and her legions. Yes, they are many but soon they will be entering the swines in the plains and be drowned in the murky river. The Singaw’s declaration that they are the legion is prophetic as a matter of fact—a prophesy of their doom!!!
I also met and spoke to Mr Olalia, the human rights lawyer who was at the picket. He is still here in Brussels.
I met a few Pinoys NA MATAPANG doon.
I saw the pictures of many PINOYS who were killed. Their pics were plastified and adorned the flower patches which were located in front of the European commission.
Gosh, sabi ni Marie Hilao Enriquez of Karapatan, 28 members na raw ng kanyang organization ang NAPAPATAY ni Gloria through Palparan.
Marie spoke before the crowd – people and cars stopped to listen to her. She was very, very eloquent and articulate (her sister was killed by the military in dtention.) BUT THE PICS ARE IN MY PHONE AND I HAVE BEEN BATTLING TO DOWNLOAD THEM AND CANNOT! I’m waiting for my oldest son to do it and he’s only coming this weekend! She’s left for Geneva to attend the UN human rights convention or something like that – she rang me yesterday coz I had offered to translate into French her press statements and she wanted to thank me – she said, she’d like to take advantage of my offer.
But Yuko and Ellen and Schumey, I’ve sent you the first batch of pics through e-mail. (My camera fell on the ground and it wouldn’t work so I had to use my phone camera na bago and as you know I’m so ignoramus with all new gadgets – can’t make the darn thing download the second set of pics!)
Toney Cuevas
JUN;
You failed to understand, “STOP THE KILLING”. Quite powerful freedom of expression, and it represent the violent unjustified death of 748 activists and journalists under the regime of illegitimate Gloria Arroyo since she illegaly occupied Malacanang. It’s not about the number of protesters on the street, but the important of the message itself, something you overlooked. You’re defending an indefensible regime of corrupt family. This is the remaking of another dictatroship in the Philippines. I pity the like of you, and it sadden me that Gloria existed only because people like you are sightless to the reality of what really has been happening. How many more proof of evidences beside the 748 killing before you change your loyalty to illegitimate Gloria Arroyo? Again, don’t take my words just do your homework and the evidences against Gloria are available on discs, tapes and newspapers. Edsa 2 and Hello Garci are not fiction, they were events of what really happened to the lives of illegitimate Gloria Arroyo, President Joseph Estrada and Candidate for President Fernando Poe Jr – Stolen Sovereign Rights.
npongco
The photo would have been much better had there be more Filipinos. Anyway, yes…where are you in the pic, Anna? By the way guys, can you help me look for these three persons whom I’ve not heard of for a while now: Kaminoka, YST and Faithfullds. If you know their whereabouts, please let me know. Thanks!
npongco
I’m sorry, it’s Kaminoko. Where’s he and the other two?
I don’t know if you would understand the meaning of fair justice? Evidences dictated, illegitimate Gloria Arroyo committed the crimes…I would like to think very much that the Philippines is a civilized nation. But, I can make an argument that the Philippines is far off from such, since the killing has not stop, and with the barbaric regime. Obviously, illegitimate Gloria don’t want it stop. Furthermore, it’s out of control since she has no longer the capability to stop the killers. This what happen when you’ve a corrupt leadership and a liar, just don’t know when enough is enough. It’s obvious tht illegitimate Gloria desperately wants to remain in power, so the killing must go on and to silent the oppositions. Illegitimate Gloria is the ultimate epitome of a corrupt leadership. It’s no longer the future of the Philippines, but Gloria’s survival.
I’m posting here my kwentos which I also posted in Uniffors for Manuel B.
Well, they’re really right off the bat kwentos but I have more:
I met Brenda in Brussels.
She’s gone a bit ga ga! Her teeth were yellow too. She looked as if she hadn’t taken a shower for some time.
Talagang, she’s starting to sound like a screwball.
We’re not discounting that what’s keeping her from going totally nuts is her legal training but even this, I’m afraid is becoming intermitent.
I’m not kidding Uniffors – I believe she is in the first stages of Althzheimer’s disease.
There’s a pic of her with Gloria but believe me, I saw and spoke to her close up. She was by her poor lonesome self most of the time and looking lost!
The sad thing is she had bouts of incoherence!
I saw and heard her saying “hello” to Amb C Ortega and they started on one liners. Then Brenda turned to my friend to say hello – she smiled and said, “can i do anything for you?”
My companion said, “Just want to say hello Senator”.
She asked her, “Why?” (I personally almost fell off my seat!)
Amb C Ortega was still beside Brenda. Then Brenda turned to Ortega and asked her the same thing! I MEAN IT: “Can I do anything for you?” (She had just been speaking to Ortega 10 seconds ago and all of a sudden, she didn’t recognize her anymore!) Even Ortega looked a bit jolted and said in Tagalog, “No, wala ma’am…” and left Brenda by herself!
I mean it – it was very strange! And you know what? She started looking for her purse. She started to panic and said, where is my purse????… she couldn’t find it (a black handbag) So security came and they scampered to look for it. They scoured the hotel lobby, restaurant – no dice!
Half hour later, a PSG guy came and handed it to her and said, “M’aam naiwan yata ninyo kagabi sa koche!” He had found it in the car. She’d left it the night before (coz it was very early in the morning and the delegation hadn’t left for a meeting yet so the purse had been sitting in the car the whole night and she only found out that she didn’t have it with her at breakfast time!)
uniffors said, on September 14th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
Wow. Now we feel sorry for her. But not for Romulo who should have known better than to respong that way. Besides she would have forgotten she said it anyway pala. Hehe
anna de brux said, on September 14th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
And then, Romulo is also one strange person.
I mean, he’s sweet, gentle and all pero, gosh, the guy is already ulyanin!
Uniffors, ano ba naman iyan? He’s saying n’importequoi!”
My friend (a European) said afterwards, “I had no clue what he was trying to get at….” Your venerable secretary, my dear uniffors was mixing up dates and places, events and was doing a tit-for-tat over something else, meaning to say, he was chatting about something else that was not the point of discussion.
I was just absolutely GOBSMACKED!
The only guy who had his head on his shoulders it seems, was a guy who looked like a shark and was introduced as Congressman Suarez. The guy looked like he was in the wrong business… I mean the guy was obviously on the Gloria bandwagon to do business with Europeans! Halata talaga! hahah!
I never met Suarez in my whole life but boy, he was too obvious. I mean, he was making bida about how, what he can do to help Europeans in Manila if they wanted to do business – hahahah!
One European came to me and said, is he a broker or an agent? I said, I don’t think so, coz he’s a member of Congress or at least, that’s how he was introduced to our group! Heheheh!
Toney Cuevas
I believe that we shouldn’t silent Jun, yet welcome him to the blog and the like of him. It’s refreshing to note how ridiculous Jun’s argument without substance, such as that illegitimate Gloria is presentable. So is my dog Oscar. Perhaps Oscar got more personality than illegitimate Gloria and Miguel combined together. At least, Oscar understand the right and wrong, and when not to bark. Again, love is blind!
npongco
I agree Toney. There should be some kind of a balance in this blog and not to be controlled by just one person or group. It’s not difficult to see who’s in control and monopolizing this blog. At least for credibility, people like Jun even if they are sometimes stupid should be allowed to express their views here.
Nice to have you back Anna. Nice job, I loved the pics.
Toney Cuevas
We can only express an appreciation to those that participated in Brussel’s rally and other countries. I think it’s great that there are Pilipinos all over the world understand the stake in the Philippines. Most importantly, to expose the Arroyos to what kind of people they really are. Many thanks and I wish I could’ve been there.
Inga Verhaert, elected member of Parliament in Belgium told me that she’s prepared to be a part of the NGO that gloria announced she’s asked the EU to organize so she (Gloria)can show that there’s no spate of extra judicial killings.
I told her, I will go with her when that happens. She also asked me off the record lots of things about Gloria and her Pinas politics.
For info, she interpelated in Parliament a question which was duly tabled concerning the political situation in Pinas. I received the copy by e-mail of the Parliamentary minutes of the interpellation by Ms Verheart. She did it twice. The Foreign Affairs Minister’s reply was also recorded in the minutes. They are in French and I have to translate them yet. The Minister’s reply was that he had written to the Embassy about it and the Foreign Ministry received a reply which they didn’t find satisfactory.
A friend has a video clip of the Karapatan’s protest rally at some plaza at Mabini, and there were priests brazenly beaten by police even when they knew that they were being videoed. Over here, it will be good excuse for dismissal of policemen who do just that—beat participants of peaceful demonstrations.
It’s really barbaric. Someday, when the Boba is removed and rule of law is restored, hopefully, we will be able to present these video clips as evidences against these soldiers posing as policemen.
Proud of you, Anna!
Toney Cuevas
anna:
Keep up the good work! You’re doing an excellent job in bringing illegitimate Gloria to justice outside Gloria’s paid courts. I hope your love for fair justice will someday be fruitful. I envy you and your fashion to bring political justice in the Philippines. Again, thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I’m still learning and understanding to why this is happening to us Pilipinos when other countries are advancing, and Philippines is left behind. In my opinion, it’s no longer a debate, illegitimate Gloria Arroyo and her corrupt regime is the major cause of political instability, and the exodus of the Pilipinos to escape poverty. Illegitimate Gloria must go, and justice system must be reformed. Also, thanks to Ellen in providing this blog to all, at least a solace place where we are welcome to air our grievances against Gloria’s regime. Certainly, I’m very greateful.
Thanks, Yuko! My participation is so minute compatred to what you have personally beed doing against this odious moral bansot.
But now that I’ve linked up with people here, I hope to get going. I met Pinoys here who were not left-leaning at all but like good, decent, hardworking people, cannot stomach Gloria’s lying, cheating and thieving . I also promised to be of help to Ms Verheart and Mr Glorieux (two members of parliament who attended the rally) by informing them about Gloria and her shenanigans when they ask me (both speak remarkable English) so that they as officials in the European Union capital can help “rectifier le tir” meaning straighten the shot or make the record straight following Gloria’s visit.
People here believe and not only these two parliamentarians but lots of people in the Union know that Gloria is weaving lies. Barroso may have been polite to Gloria, being a visitor but he wasn’t duped. People here know Gloria’s record. It’s up to Pinoys to help open the right doors in the EU so that the EU will see through Gloria’s woven stories of her enchanted asylum!
The EU could apply limited sanctions if really there is a wanton disregard or for blatant breach of law.
One more thing: They don’t like little presidents, tottering around, selling them lies and weaving shit in front of them! They smile and say nothing but if the liar Gloria is really perceived to be lying, she would be a dead duck in the EU. No more aid, no more, tap on the back, no more trade, no more abuloys to her projects!
A shitty, little bitch of a bogus president may believe she’s conned Pinoys and believe she can do it to Europeans but she mustn’t overdo it coz in the end she’ll end up having shit on her little ugly face.
I can’t wait to get hold of that report. You and Yuko are definitely worth praising for the things you do for our country and people. Thanks for the love of country you both share with us.
Ellen,
You have always been fair and just. We support your work and admire you for the effort you put in to give us this venue for sharing our thoughts and sentiments. Hope the good Lord will give you the strength to continue to share with us your views.
Toney Cuevas
Now and more than ever the Philippines need the Senate and some of the Senators. They’re only thing that stand in the way of illegitimate Gloria. It’s a showdown that the Senators must win ultimately if we’re going to retain checks and balances in the government. Gloria’s private Cha-Cha or Con-Ass and/or unicameral system of govt must not happen, not while Gloria in stolen power. Illegitimate Gloria doesn’t deserve a day of rest ’till justice is served.
Npongco, about your query of shooting in montreal and the crime rate in canada, I remember i posted in one comment before that in our major cities, violence in one of our big problems. what with availability of weapons legally and illegaly and the cultures that invading our youth of today.
but the incident in montreal was an action of a lone gunman, tha as now we don’t why he did what he did. Luckilly he was stopped by the bullts from one of the patrolling officers before he can do any more damage. One woman died and 19 injured. I made an entry in my site and you may peruse it i f you wish. Again thanks for the query and sorry for the late reply because my P.C. is encountering troubles with ellen site and mlq sites. here is my site is you want to know more about or you can check our daily http://www.torstar.com my site http://truenorthandme.blogspot.com/ again thanks
Rally greets GMA in Brussels
By Vi Massart Chief Europe Correspondent
The Philippine Star 09/15/2006
BRUSSELS — A street rally protesting the spate of killings of left-leaning activists and journalists in the Philippines greeted President Arroyo upon her arrival in Belgium last Monday on the second leg of her European visit.
About 50 Filipino, Belgian, Dutch and German protesters denounced the killings and accused Mrs. Arroyo of doing little to stop them and bring the killers to justice.
Belgian socialist lawmaker Inga Verheart joined the rally, organized by Belgian non-government organization INTAL, outside the European Commission during Mrs. Arroyo’s talks with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.
“We believe that if the spate of killings do not stop, the European Union should impose limited economic sanctions on the Philippines,” rally organizer Wim de Ceukelaire said.
The protesters displayed a banner that said “Stop the killings in the Philippines.”
Verheart, a member of the Federal Parliament of Belgium, challenged Mrs. Arroyo’s administration “to be transparent” in dealing with the killings.
“We addressed questions to Mrs. Arroyo’s government about the treatment of members of Congress this year and we still have to hear from her government,” she told The STAR.
Verheart was referring to Mrs. Arroyo’s crackdown on left-leaning lawmakers, street protests and critical media organizations when she declared a weeklong declaration of national emergency in February to quell a reported coup attempt by renegade military officers in league with communist rebels and their civilian backers.
“We hear of these incidents of killings and we are saddened to hear that Mrs. Arroyo does not believe it’s worth her while to answer questions by members of the Belgian parliament concerning the situation in the Philippines,” Verheart said.
The Arroyo administration has come under criticism from leftist and human rights groups following several disappearances of left-leaning activists that they blame on security forces.
Mrs. Arroyo has been criticized for the series of killings, for which she has been blamed for either condoning the attacks or not doing enough to stop them.
She denied that her administration has been cracking down on dissidents and had pledged to bring the killers to justice.
“I believe that such a spate of killings has no room in our democracy or in our government so I have escalated the response of the government,” Mrs. Arroyo told The STAR.
She formed an independent commission last month to investigate the killings. Retired Supreme Court justice Jose Melo heads the panel.
A number of Filipino, Belgian and Dutch human rights activists staged a protest rally outside St. Michael Cathedral where Mrs. Arroyo attended Mass and was welcomed warmly by the local Filipino community later in the day but they were dispersed by police.
Mrs. Arroyo also had talks with Belgian Prime Minister Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt in his official residence but there were no street protests because the vicinity was a no-rally zone.
She then paid a visit to Belgian lawmakers and discussed her initiative to amend the Philippine Constitution and replace the country’s present form of government with a parliamentary system with a federal setup.
Mrs. Arroyo told The STAR that it was “very important for the Philippines to engage Europe” as much as Manila does with main ally the United States, China, Japan and other Asian neighbors.
“After all, Europe is our third largest trading partner and second largest investor in the Philippines. And I’m proud to hear that I’m the first incumbent president to actually visit the European Union officially,” she said. “So that’s bringing the Philippines a step higher in our relationship with Europe.”
After criticizing the administration of creating “a climate of impunity” that led to the deaths of hundreds of journalists and political activists since President Arroyo assumed office in 2001, Amnesty International agreed yesterday to help the government investigate and put an end to the alarming spate of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.
Mrs. Arroyo met Amnesty International secretary-general Irene Khan shortly after her arrival in London yesterday on the third leg of her trip. They spoke for nearly an hour about the spate of killings in the Philippines.
“Just this morning I asked for a meeting with AI and I’m very happy they will help us to find experienced investigators who will help the independent commission in its investigations,” Mrs. Arroyo told a gathering of British and European businessmen in a forum organized by Asia House with Shell Corp. on business process outsourcing (BPO) at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel.
“I’m saying all these in a BPO conference because a European businessman would look at the entire cultural environment in which he or she is doing business,” she said.
“I would like to point out to you that not only are we familiar with Western business processes, we are also very much in synch with you as far as the universal values of democracy and therefore free enterprise are concerned.”
Mrs. Arroyo reiterated her condemnation of the killings saying such violence has no place in a democratic society.
After sending monitors on the human rights situation in the Philippines, AI criticized the Arroyo administration for the continued killings.
It said the “methodology of attacks, including prior death threats and surveillance of persons reportedly linked to the security forces, the leftist profile of victims and the climate of impunity, which in practice, shields the perpetrators from retribution.”
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo’s meeting with Amnesty International “reveals her deep concern for human rights and underscores the determination and political will to stop the legacy of this type of retribution once and for all.”
“The President sought out AI out of respect for their work and their shared concern for human rights,” Bunye said. “She listened intently to their comments and welcomes their recommendation,” he said.
Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo also took the opportunity to brief Amnesty International on the abolition of the death penalty and the impending passage of a law compensating human rights victims of the Marcos dictatorship.
Earlier, the European Union commended the Arroyo administration for taking steps to put an end to the killings, including the creation of the Melo commission, but also called for greater transparency in the investigation process.
European Commission president Barroso said the EU would extend assistance to the Philippines on the issue, including grants to strengthen the judiciary.
Spain and Finland have also committed to help in putting together a team of experts to monitor the work of Philippine authorities. — With Paolo Romero
Rally greets GMA in Brussels
By Vi Massart Chief Europe Correspondent
The Philippine Star 09/15/2006
BRUSSELS — A street rally protesting the spate of killings of left-leaning activists and journalists in the Philippines greeted President Arroyo upon her arrival in Belgium last Monday on the second leg of her European visit.
About 50 Filipino, Belgian, Dutch and German protesters denounced the killings and accused Mrs. Arroyo of doing little to stop them and bring the killers to justice.
Belgian socialist lawmaker Inga Verheart joined the rally, organized by Belgian non-government organization INTAL, outside the European Commission during Mrs. Arroyo’s talks with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.
“We believe that if the spate of killings do not stop, the European Union should impose limited economic sanctions on the Philippines,” rally organizer Wim de Ceukelaire said.
The protesters displayed a banner that said “Stop the killings in the Philippines.”
Verheart, a member of the Federal Parliament of Belgium, challenged Mrs. Arroyo’s administration “to be transparent” in dealing with the killings.
“We addressed questions to Mrs. Arroyo’s government about the treatment of members of Congress this year and we still have to hear from her government,” she told The STAR.
Verheart was referring to Mrs. Arroyo’s crackdown on left-leaning lawmakers, street protests and critical media organizations when she declared a weeklong declaration of national emergency in February to quell a reported coup attempt by renegade military officers in league with communist rebels and their civilian backers.
“We hear of these incidents of killings and we are saddened to hear that Mrs. Arroyo does not believe it’s worth her while to answer questions by members of the Belgian parliament concerning the situation in the Philippines,” Verheart said.
The Arroyo administration has come under criticism from leftist and human rights groups following several disappearances of left-leaning activists that they blame on security forces.
Mrs. Arroyo has been criticized for the series of killings, for which she has been blamed for either condoning the attacks or not doing enough to stop them.
She denied that her administration has been cracking down on dissidents and had pledged to bring the killers to justice.
“I believe that such a spate of killings has no room in our democracy or in our government so I have escalated the response of the government,” Mrs. Arroyo told The STAR.
She formed an independent commission last month to investigate the killings. Retired Supreme Court justice Jose Melo heads the panel.
A number of Filipino, Belgian and Dutch human rights activists staged a protest rally outside St. Michael Cathedral where Mrs. Arroyo attended Mass and was welcomed warmly by the local Filipino community later in the day but they were dispersed by police.
Mrs. Arroyo also had talks with Belgian Prime Minister Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt in his official residence but there were no street protests because the vicinity was a no-rally zone.
She then paid a visit to Belgian lawmakers and discussed her initiative to amend the Philippine Constitution and replace the country’s present form of government with a parliamentary system with a federal setup.
Mrs. Arroyo told The STAR that it was “very important for the Philippines to engage Europe” as much as Manila does with main ally the United States, China, Japan and other Asian neighbors.
“After all, Europe is our third largest trading partner and second largest investor in the Philippines. And I’m proud to hear that I’m the first incumbent president to actually visit the European Union officially,” she said. “So that’s bringing the Philippines a step higher in our relationship with Europe.”
After criticizing the administration of creating “a climate of impunity” that led to the deaths of hundreds of journalists and political activists since President Arroyo assumed office in 2001, Amnesty International agreed yesterday to help the government investigate and put an end to the alarming spate of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.
Mrs. Arroyo met Amnesty International secretary-general Irene Khan shortly after her arrival in London yesterday on the third leg of her trip. They spoke for nearly an hour about the spate of killings in the Philippines.
“Just this morning I asked for a meeting with AI and I’m very happy they will help us to find experienced investigators who will help the independent commission in its investigations,” Mrs. Arroyo told a gathering of British and European businessmen in a forum organized by Asia House with Shell Corp. on business process outsourcing (BPO) at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel.
“I’m saying all these in a BPO conference because a European businessman would look at the entire cultural environment in which he or she is doing business,” she said.
“I would like to point out to you that not only are we familiar with Western business processes, we are also very much in synch with you as far as the universal values of democracy and therefore free enterprise are concerned.”
Mrs. Arroyo reiterated her condemnation of the killings saying such violence has no place in a democratic society.
After sending monitors on the human rights situation in the Philippines, AI criticized the Arroyo administration for the continued killings.
It said the “methodology of attacks, including prior death threats and surveillance of persons reportedly linked to the security forces, the leftist profile of victims and the climate of impunity, which in practice, shields the perpetrators from retribution.”
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo’s meeting with Amnesty International “reveals her deep concern for human rights and underscores the determination and political will to stop the legacy of this type of retribution once and for all.”
“The President sought out AI out of respect for their work and their shared concern for human rights,” Bunye said. “She listened intently to their comments and welcomes their recommendation,” he said.
Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo also took the opportunity to brief Amnesty International on the abolition of the death penalty and the impending passage of a law compensating human rights victims of the Marcos dictatorship.
Earlier, the European Union commended the Arroyo administration for taking steps to put an end to the killings, including the creation of the Melo commission, but also called for greater transparency in the investigation process.
European Commission president Barroso said the EU would extend assistance to the Philippines on the issue, including grants to strengthen the judiciary.
Spain and Finland have also committed to help in putting together a team of experts to monitor the work of Philippine authorities. — With Paolo Romero
vonjovi1
OUT OF TOPIC ANG ISSUE KO DITO. GUSTO KO LANG ILABAS ANG INIS AT YAMOT KO SA NAKA UPONG REYNA NG MAGNANAKAW. TALAGA NAMAN KUNG IKAW AY ISA SA ALAGAD NILA AT KAHIT ANONG PARAAN AY TUTULUNGAN KA NILA PARA LANG HUWAG MAGSALITA. KATULAD NI BOLATE NA ILALABAN NG DFA NATIN AT HAHANGAL SA US DAHIL PINASO ANG VISA NIYA. KITA NAMAN NINYO ANG KAWALANGHIYAAN NA GINAWA AT TINUTULUNGAN PA RIN. BAKIT HINDI NILA TULUNGAN ANG MGA NAHULING TNT SA US. NAKAKA INIS NA TALAGA SA ATIN NGAYON.KUNG SINO ANG MAY KASALANAN SA BAYAN AY SIYANG PA ITONG NAKAKAMIT NG TULONG AT GINHAWA. SAMANTALA ITONG MGA TAPAT NA POLITIKO AT SUNDALO AY NAKAKAMIT NILA AY HARASSMENT AT KASO. BALIKTAD NA ANG PILIPINAS AT PATI ANG MGA KATAAS TAASAN HUKUMAN NATIN AY NASASAPAWAN NA RIN NG PERA. PURO RECYCLE NA GENERAL ANG PINA PA UPO SA PUWESTO SA GOBYERNO DAHIL BAYAD SA UTANG KAHIT NA WALANG ALAM AT HINDI KARAPAR DAPAT SA PUWESTO. PPUT***@***NA NINYO… LALO NA ANG HOUSE OF KOTONGRESS…
jaime
I’ve been a lurker on this site for many months and an avid reader of Ellen’s columns for years now. I am an American in the U.S. who has a deep interest in the situation in the Philippines and a great deal of admiration and affection for the Filipino people (with the exception of the corrupt politicians and military officers.)
I am the only non-Filipino on the Board of Directors of a local Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce. One of our missions is to promote U.S. investment in the Philippines, which opens up much-needed employment for the Filipino People. Unfortunately, we cannot actively promote the Philippines with this political climate. I cannot imagine bringing a group of business leaders to call on Malacanang with that thieving, cheating bunch in power. I pray for the day where the Philippines is considered a great place to do business–but not now.
I watched GMA speak here in the San Francisco Bay Area back in 2002. I wish I had a tape recorder for all of the lies she told and broken promises she made about fighting corruption and improving the economy of the Philippines. Her only economic plan is to stay in power, supported by millions of OFW’s and their remittances, despite the high social costs of broken families and the abuse of many of the workers. She is all talk and no accomplishments. The Melo Commission is another empty promise so she can try to appease her critics. I applaud the group in Belgium for their protests. I hope a large number of protesters greet her in Hawaii as well. I think she knows better than to show her face around the San Francisco Area since a lot of community leaders and publishers know she is an illegitimate president with blood on her hands. (the FG, El Gordito, kept a low profile when he was in “exile here–he is even more unpopular than his devious wife)
I was happy to see the Philippine Star covered the protest, since Max Soliven seems to always make yabang about how much influence he has with “la presidentia”. He seems like an intelligent man and I have no idea why he still claims she is the best hope for the Philippines.
I hope the European press picks up on the protests and more attention is drawn to the killings of journalists and activists by the military. I may try to get the American media to pick up on the Joc Joc Bolante case. ABS-CBN has been covering the story, but I have not seen any mention in the American media. I pray that justice is done in the fertilizer case. I am haunted by the vision of Marlene Esperat, who sent her bodyguards home on Good Friday, being shot in the head in front of her children–for exposing irregularities in the Department of Agriculture. Joc Joc Bolante has her blood on his hands and has to answer for his crimes against the Filipino people.
Diego K. Guerrero
What do we expect from Army Major General Hermogenes Esperon? Whitewash? He is a Gloria Arroyo loyalist. He cheated for GMA in the 2004 presidential election and must protect her to at all cost save his ass. The creation of independent investigation body Melo Commission is another Moro-Moro stage by Malacanang. According to the Budget chief it will be funded by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It’s like a police detective investigating Mafia illegal activities and all expenses being funded by Mafiosi boss.
Esperon clears AFP, blames reds for killings
EXCERPTS Daily Tribune 09/15/2006
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon yesterday cleared the military from its alleged involvement in the spate of political killings in the country, claiming it was the communist insurgents, not the security forces, who were behind the attacks on leftist militants and journalists.
He accused the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), its armed component the New People’s Army (NPA) and its political organization, the National Democratic Front (NDF), of deliberately waging a trial by publicity to destroy the military’s defense capability and credibility.
“Subjecting the AFP in trial by publicity is a modus operandi of the CPP-NPA. This is indeed a deliberate act to discredit and alienate the military from the people, in order to weaken your defense institution,” Esperon told the Melo Commission tasked to investigate the killings of leftists and journalists.
The defence institution was weakened by corrupt military officers like him. He is guilty of self-inflicted paranoia.
He ought to be committed to an asylum illico!
Toney Cuevas
Jaime – Appreciated your contribution to this blog and to publicly recognizing the numerous problems facing the Pilipinos. It’s not an easy task to fight Gloria’s regime, since she got control of every sectors of the govt, most especially the Philippines National Police and the Military. The only effective tools available in combating illegitimate Gloria is through the media and blog like this one. Perhaps, if we yell loud enough every single day of the year expose illegitimate Gloria for her crimes against the people of the Philippines globally, we at least doing our part in prosecuting illegitimate Gloria.
About Hermogenes Esperon, is a member of Gloria’s private club. He’s not going to testify that will upset the perfect system of Gloria’s regime. And I could think of dozen names that can be added to mental institution. Better yet, Gloria can be a queen of Muntinlupa.
Like Toney, I am hoping that if we unite and denounce Gloria’s crimes loud enough, we may unmask her before the world so she may be dragged to Muntinlupa where she belongs.
TongueInAnew
Jaime, in my book, you are as Filipino as one can get. I can’t help but admire the keen interest you have on the plight of our country.
I was working out plans with some people in your area who used to be upbeat but now they are as worried as you are about investments here. Are you familiar with the SF biz association FILPABA? They’ve put off plans of investing at present, not with the kind of atmosphere prevailing here. One particular doctor bought St. Martin Hospital here in San Juan and has done charity for many indigent cancer patients. His untimely death, however, stopped all that.
Aside from private houses that Fil-Ams are building for their retirement here, practically no one has risked on hard investments that could generate the much-needed employment.
We appreciate your effort in trying to involve the American media in exposing the savage tyranny our countrymen are suffering and we know that with well-meaning people like you around the world to be with us in this fight, we know that in the end, truth and justice will prevail.
Pardon me, Ellen, but let me welcome Jaime into the group.
I’m also partly from the Bay Area. At least, I call it home because my folks have settled there, and I own a house there where my mother lives.
Yes, I know Yolly Stern from the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce. How is she? I have not met her in person but I have admired the zeal of this Filipina.
Like the rest of the “mandirigma” here, you’re most welcome especially if you can share with us tidbits from over there, not much about the charity that makes Filipinos to become more parasitic as they are being molded to be by the pimp who calls herself “President of the Philippines.”
What the Filipinos need in fact is real honest to goodness investments that will benefit ONLY the Filipinos, not the Chinese who control the business there (majority of Japanese companies in fact in the Philippines are connected only with companies run by Chinese residents with Filipino dummies), etc., and business ventures that can generate funds but not for the spending spree of the bogus president but to make real good jobs for the Filipinos who need not go overseas to feed their families, because in time, they can even be another burden to the host countries like what is happening now in Japan that is cutting off welfare for single parents who are taking advantage of the Japanese government’s compassionate charity to send support even to their families in the Philippines when they are supposed to be using those welfare funds only for their Japanese children and their own livelihood in Japan.
Esperon is telling a lie, Anna, especially about the NPA liquidating their own members. Sure, there was rumor of what happened to some squealers in Mindanao a long time ago with the families of the NPA members themselves denouncing the activities of those who led the revolution there during the time of Marcos, but times have changed.
I know one in fact, a commander of the NPA, who was pardoned by Cory and had since become a progressive and useful member of the community in Netherlands advocating for the migrantes over there.
My source has informed me in fact that when there is such thing as Esperon claims to discredit the NPA, it will be the families of their victims who will cry “foul” first, but none of the families of the victims of atrocities committed on leaders of unions of farmers, journalists, lawyers, human rightists getting killed there have denounced the NPA, but the cry for justice is loudest against the members of the military who should be pointing their guns on themselves than on the people they have taken oath to protect! Iyan ang mga sinungaling na duwag pa—sundalong kanin labas ang mga tumbong!
The bogus president has to be removed now as a matter of fact, before the Philippine soldiers are completely demoralized and/or substituted with ass lickers who would not have their loyalty on their own country and people, but to who grease their hands!!!
PATALSIKIN NA, NOW NA! KAWAWANG BANSA! BAKA MAWALA PA IYAN SA MAPA DAHIL SA KABOBOHAN NI BANSOT AT MAYABANG NIYANG ASAWA! KAMAG-ANAK PA ANG NAMUMUNO NGAYON SA MGA SUNDALONG KANIN! PATAY NA!
I am not a leftist myself. I am actually a rightist bred to uphold the law. Though I support the Socialist Democratic Party of Japan, I am actually more for the upholding of the laws of the land that I abide by faithfully together with the Laws and Commandments of God that I worship, love and revere.
I cannot be a communist because pure Communism does not believe in God. Karl Marx who invented it was an atheist, and I am not one. I doubt if Mao Tse Tung himself believed in a god but himself!!!
Nevertheless, one does not have to be a leftist to know what is right and what is wrong, and to fight for what one is privileged to enjoy and is obligated to do under the laws of the land. Demanding for a good government is a right guaranteed under a democratic government, which is supposed to be a government FOR, OF and BY the people, not one that can be held stagnant and depressed by some executive order by a bogus president as in the Philippines. Joining rallies and protest movements is a right and privileges under a democratic Constitution that guarantees freedom of press, speech and assembly!
Tuloy ang laban, Anna! We’ll do our part over here likewise.
I say YOU are one great woman!
With your power to write and express what most of us feel,
I beg to God that He keeps you safe and well at all times.
More Power and GodBless!
Emilio_OFW
Hat’s off to Anna for giving the up-to-date scenarios regarding Pandak’s Europe lamierda. It’s nice to hear and read first from a person who is at the scene before the events will be twisted and printed in Max Soliven’s daily newspaper.
I don’t read Max Soliven, Emilio. But I surely love to read Anna’s notes on this rainbow tour of the Ale Boba and her countless thieves meant in fact to whitewash the Cayetano claim. But I bet you, mapapalpak sila. They don’t know the Germans!
But look at the attempt to hoodwink the Germans with the payments made on the NAIA3. Wait till we hear of the additional and new breaches on this transaction. Ang galing manglito!!!
Hahahahh! Noel, Marijeke Persoone might get upset if she learns that you’ve said she looks older than Gloria.
Marijeke is the Deputy Secretary General of the LBC-NVK, a high-power European labour union (not just trade union)who proposed to table a resolution in the upcoming world labour unions’ summit to investigate the killings of trade unionists in the Philippines.
By the way, Noel, if you are reaslly so curious, the Philippine Star took a picture with me in the group. Their correspondent has it. Heheh!
npongco
Anna, at least Marijeke doesn’t look like the speaker.
Mrivera
npongco,
why not just admire the person, instead of her shoes? he eh heh!!! joke joke joke!!
artsee
Ang mga taga Brussel daw nagbra-brush your teeth palagi. Congrats sa mga litrato. Malaking bagay ito kahit na wala pang sampu ang nagrally tapos ang kalahati mga puting baka asawa lang ng mga Pinay doon. Pero malaking impact ito sa mundo. Balak ko din mag-organize dito sa China. Yayayain ko sina Jackie Chan at Jet Li. Pero ang numero unong pakay namin ay lusubin ang Japan para mabawi iyan na dati naman sa Tsina.
1) Launching of HUSTISYA which unites in one national organization the families of victims of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances, the survivors of frustrated killings and the victims of political persecution and other human rights violations under the Arroyo administration.
HUSTISYA demands justice and calls for an end to state terrorism.
2) 6th gathering of the families of victims of political killings; honoring Rudy Calubad on his 53rd birthday, abducted and missing since June 17, 2006
ow artsee..lukmabas ka na pala sa St Luke’s..ang bilis mo bumalik sa china!!!..iba na talaga ang blessed!…wag mo na idamay si jackie chan and jet li baka mapasama pa sa mga e-libel ni fatguy..let them entertain us..they are people who have integrity to give their advocacy to their own fellowmen…lets just find our own people and own kadugo here na kahit anong region galing will be willing to fight the piping-hot red tape and kleptocrats in this bogus administration!!!!..BOMBAHAHIN NA!!!! NOW NA!!!!
soleil
i salute the people present in this Brussels get-together for a jst cause…they are ‘heroes’ in their own rights..hindi bayaran at hindi hakot…pareho ng mga andito sa Pinas..whether its oposisyon or bogus administration…may mga bayaran talaga at lalo na sa bogus admin, may takutan pa!!! walang sweldo o bonus pagka hindi sumama sa mga rally or parade ng pro-pandak bruha…kailanaga lagi na mapuno ang stadium at may mga palakpak crowd..kung hindi ay balik taga walis ng corridor or CR!!!!
Really? Ginagawa ang ganyan na harrassment and intimidation sa mga government employees? Wow, bago iyan a?
Confirm na ngang criminal ang nagpapalakad ng bansa. Iyan ang style ng mga gangsters sa totoo lang! Tangna Mafia-style ha! Ang hindi nare-realize ng mga pilipino for example ay pera nila ang ginagasta ni Pandak even for those wining and dining kapag bumibisita siya even to prevent the Filipinos from attending those rallies and protest against her as what happened for instance in London.
We’re making a lot of those T-shirts. I decided to survey more for a T-shirt printer after finding the one I wanted to order previously to be difficult to operate. We are planning to wear those T-shirts in activities sponsored by the Philippine embassy here.
Apparently, with Japan no longer willing to accept Japayukis to Japan, and there is a strong protest against the hiring of so-called “Super Atsoy and Atsays” from the Philippines, the labor attache here is doing nothing presently but help promote the bluffs of the Pandak in Japan.
Mrivera
ystakei,
what bluff is that? meron na palang pulubing nanakot kapag hindi inamutan ng limos@!! nakakahiya! ‘yan siguro ang bahagi ng millions of jobs the mother of evil should have created before she steps down (kuno) after her cheated term! busettttttttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!
soleil
really hats off to u guys…even if we dont knw them personally, our hearts and sentiments are with them. yes Yuko and others who have been away in the Pinas fro a long time na…takutan talaga dito..name it, whenever there is the need to have a ‘show of force’ kuno frm this bogus admin (well frm the other admin as well no doubt!!)..the reason why they declare it as a holiday when there is a parade bec every dept of the govt will have to be represented…the prize will be free meals, t-shirts,(additional garbage in ur haus short),allowance, and sometimes there is an inter-dept contest who has the most attendance and there are bonuses or trips to karaoke or once a month lunch out in a resto…the higher officers will have weekend trips out-of-town…naku i knw this bec i hav a classmate who is in one of the sector industry handled by kayabang…
heroes are those who brave the unknown, that even if their chest are pounding and knees melting due to the sight of cannons and truncheons, they will still go whther they are bayaran or not..sino ba namang gago ang susugod sa kanyon at batuta kahit na may 300p kang baon, what about the affect of having contusions and being hospitakized and traumatized, lest even be killed 🙁 …this is the scenario here my fellow kababayans..the poor bayarans frm the slums go home in jeeps and walking while the govt bayarans go home in aircon buses…
soleil
am honored Anna..sad to say i cant blog regularly nowadays..mommi-duties first w/3kids+1 my hands are full…
sorri for the wrong spellings above:
-affect whould be ‘effect’
-hospitalized
norpil
ty soleil for your insight.ijust wonder about the middle class.are they dwindling or increasing?i suppose they are politicised enough but are they reacting to gma?
soleil
truth is norpil…the middle-class are playing it safe..go with the tide..cz they knw nthings gonna happen naman kc hawak ni pandak bruha lahat..unless there will be an iron fist who will dare to stand on top of the luneta stadium and call for a coup d’etat or something that will pull the people’s hearts and make thm feel ‘oh this is the real thing na to kick the pandak out! lets all go, patay kung patay!!!” then maybe we will all have the courage to do so..i for one honestly could go as far as wearing a t-shirt and yet be risk being picked-up to be questioned. maybe diretso crame pa ako and will interogate me asking who funded my tshirt – subversives, NPAs, Jo-Ma, JI…i ownder if i reply joke-joke bolate or bin laden? am sure they will have a rumble getting hold of me when i say bin laden cz he has a ransom over his head!!!..u will see the greediness in people norpil…
jst an exmple, in a diner we had w/frends last week, i voiced out my hatred for pandak bruha and my frend ask why..i said she is abusive and she really cheated! the sad and stupid thing that people keep fooling themselves is this question “but who is the best to replace her?”..helooo, the best? she was never the best!..only bec she flaunts she’s an economist daw!!! so what!!! i told my frend, that is nt the question who is the best to replace her cz the opposition is like a plate of spaghetti, we need to take a risk for other people we think are credible. in chinese there is a saying…”chi bak kweh”(couldnt remmber the whole sentence)..we just “close one eye” in order that somethings might turn out for the better once in awhile…this is true rather than making just-tiis with fake everything…some may call it “choosing between the lesser of both evils” ummm…is this sentence correct? 🙂
Sana sinabi mo sa friend mo that you yourself could do a much more humane and absolutely more honest job than the dwarf in Malacanang!
norpil
ty soleil..thing is most people are siguristas just like what i read from anna’s entry somewhere that the afp officers are siguristas.another problem with pinos is this nonchalant(?) attitude not to care if they are not directly involved.we have not learned that if your neighbor is jobless today, tommorrow it may be you.like the guy who tried to sell an aptmt in soma last xmas, he said he was earning a couple of millions a year just by working hard and he could not understand the others who are picketing somewhere.
Where is Anna in the picture?
Anna,
Mukhang wala kayong na hakot. Nabibilang lang sa daliri yang mga nagwewelga na yan samantalang daan-daang Pinoy ang nandyan sa Brussels. Well, di kasi kayang bayaran lang ng lunch ang mga Pinoy na nandyan kaya wala kayong na hakot. Pinakita nyo pa, lalong maraming maniniwala na kakapiranggot lang kayong mga tuta ng oposisyon. Nakakahiya. Kaya pala ang lapit ng kuha parang wag mahalatang nilangaw.
Kita mo yang mga titulo na yan. “Nakaambang Constitutional Crisis” malayo sa katotohanang mangyayari yan. Pero pag nabasa yan ng mga investor sa titulo pa lang wala na talagang mag-iinvest dito sa Pinas. Mga intigero at intrigera wala kayong gawang magaling pinahihirapan ninyo ang sarili ninyong bayan. Maawa kayo sa mga anak at magiging anak ng anak ninyo. Mga anak ng… ewan..
banal na aso , santong kabayo
natatawa ako ( sa mga posts dito )
hihihihi
Honga, where is Anna in the pix?
Mula Maynila hanggang Jolo,
maraming ayaw sa santo mo!
Kaya’t makinig buksan ang isipan,
nang manaig ang hustisya, hindi kasakiman!
Saang sulok man ng Bansa,o mapaibayo man,
Marami na ang galit sa mga kapalpakan,
Kaya nga’t dalian at mag-empake na…
Sa Malacanang at sa Batasan, UMALIS ka na D’YAN!
arf! arf!
Wait, yung bang yellow banner sa likod protesta kay Ate Glue din? Looks like di lang si Ate Glue ang may protesta?
Talagang nakakatawa ang “united opposition.” Mas lalo pang nakakatawa ang pag-wonder nila na bakit the people are not out on the streets supporting them.
Remember the joke on the sabungan:
Paano mo malalamang may tanga sa sabungan?
May nagdala ng pabo
May mas tanga pa ba doon?
Oo, tumaya sa pabo.
May mas tatanga pa ba doon?
Oo, nagtaka pa kung bakit natalo ang pabo
Paano malalamang may sindikato sa sabungan?
Pag nanalo ang pabo
Paano malalamang puro mga engot ang “united opposition”?
Nakaupo pa rin si Ate Glue
Para mapaalis si Ate Glue ninyo, hindi lang naman ang opposition ang kailangang mag-unite kundi pati yung mga nananalangin na ” maawa naman kayo sa future ng ating mga anak!” Ang opposition ay kailangan ng supporta ng mga taong-bayan. Ang mahirap sa inyo, kung laban…kukonti lang ang humaharap. Sinasabi pang hayaan na natin ang mga opposition na gumawa niyan. Pero pag napanalunan na, saka pa sila magsusulputan at makikisayaw sa saya! Ni walang pasasalamat na kung hindi sa opposition, hindi sana sila liligaya! I think dapat ma-relize ng bawat isa na ang pinaglalabanan dito ay ang MALI…mga katiwalian na gustong ituwid at hindi ang kung sino ang sa majority party, kung ilang tao ang umattend…o kung sino ang left or right!
Ang mas nakakahiya ay yung mga dayuhan ang sumama sa protesta. Bakit nakakahiya? Dahil ang baho ni pandak ay umaalingasaw pati sa ibayong dagat. Duon kasi, walang CPR, extra-judicial killings at forced disappearances. Ultimo mga bata ay walang habas na pinapatay dito. Tanong niyo kung bakit walang sumasali sa protesta dito? Dahil sinigurado ni pandak na maghirap ang bayan para nga naman imbes na mag-protesta ay ang kumakalam na sikmura ang uunahin. Siyempre, ang administrasyon at mga alipores niya ay ‘di problema ang kahirapan dahil sa patuloy nilang pag-sipsip sa kaban ng bayan. Gusto ba ng mga OFW na bawiin ng DFA ang kanilang mga pasaporte? Oras din ng trabaho kaya konti ang sumali sa protesta. Yung tumatanggap lang suhol galing kay pandak ang nagsasabing ang mga sumasama sa protesta ay puro bayaran. Nakita niyo na ba ang hakot crowds ng administrasyon? Ayon sa isang interview sa mga “hakot” ay ‘di hamak na malaki ang bayad ng administrasyon. May P250, pagkain at may pabaon pa. Alam niyo na kung saan galing ang mga “lagay” na yan, hindi sa bulsa ng politiko dahil ayaw nilang mabawasan ang mga ninakaw nila. Yan ay galing sa’ting mga nagbabayad ng buwis. Kaya kung ‘di ka taxpayer ay wala kang pakialam kung nakawin man ang buwis na yan dahil ‘di ka agrabyado, pero kaming taimtim na nagbabayad ay siguradong magagalit. Sa hirap namin kinukuha ang pambayad na yan.
natatawa lang ako doon sa mga banal na aso at santong kabayo … na kunwari ay nagmamalasakit sa mga anak natin at sa mga magiging anak ng anak natin pero pilit na ipinagtatanggol ang mga taong nasa gobyerno natin ngayon na siyang tunay na pumapatay sa kinabukasan ng pilipinas.
mga magagaling magbasa ng titulo pero sa tingin ko hanggang titulo lang ang binabasa.
mga taong halimbawa ay ninakawan na ang bahay pero ang gustong gawin ay tulungan pa magbuhat ang mga magnanakaw … at ang siyang sumisita sa magnanakaw ang pinapagalitan.
sila ang problema ng bansa.
pero sabi nga ni Freddie Aguilar , “tawanan mo ang iyong problema” … kaya natatawa na lang ako.
Bayonic, Sa totoo lang kayo ang magnanakaw. ksi dapat maganda na ang economy ng bansa kund hindi sa mga kalokohan ninyo e. Nawawala ang mga lumilipas na pagkakataon na sana umuunlad na tayo kund hindi kayo mapang intriga.
Re: “Ang mas nakakahiya ay yung mga dayuhan ang sumama sa protesta. Bakit nakakahiya? Dahil ang baho ni pandak ay umaalingasaw pati sa ibayong dagat.”
Totoo yan Schumey.
Maraming Pinoy dito at sa atin na walang bayag! Puro mga kagaguhan sa kapwa nila ang tapang lang nila.
Dapat iyang mga tangnang iyan, hang from the highest lamppost katabi ni moral bansot.
Elvira,
Tama ka! Ang mga punyetang mga alagan nitong si moral bansot ay walang bayag pero sa totoo, maraming Pinoy rin na ayaw kay Gloria na wala ring mga bayag.
Tama ang sabi mo: ang issue dito ay ang ginagawang MALI at hindi dapat isipin na dalawa ang kampo: they and us.
Dapat mag-isa ang taong bayan para lumaban sa MALI!
Anna,
Dyan ka bibilib sa Pinoy. Marami pa rin ang matitino kaya kahit papaano ay may pag-asa pa tayo. Hwag lang kayong makialam. Tatawagin na lang namin kayo pag maganda na ang lagay ng Pinas. Pansamantala kung hindi kayo makakatulong mano bang hwag na kayong dumagdag sa problema. PLSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!
Jun, Bugger off, will you? Or plant sili if you have nothing better to do. Leave us alone to fight the good fight, i.e., hang your favorite president from the highest lamppost. When that happens, we will NOT hang you from the highest lamp post. Because you are such a dimwit, it’s not worth the effort to even mind you.
tatlong klaseng Pilipino ngayon ang sinasabi nyong mga walang bayag kung pananaw sa Constitution ang pag uusapan 💡
Reaffirmist
Abrogationist
Reformist
❓
Ellen,
Btw, I just posted the following comments in reply to that of Bystander’s post in PHILIPPINE EXPERIENCE.
I was talking to the one of the top guys (a woman leader) of the European labour unions here and she was saying that they are going to table a resolution when they go on their international summit calling labour and trade unions to put pressure by calling their members to go on strikes around the world if the killings of trade unionists in the Philippines go unabated!
If they can do that, corporations themselves will pressure their national governments to put pressure on Malacanang.
The leader was at the picket against Gloria and spoke officially and was interviewed by the local press and by the Philippine Star – she made the same declaration.
I believe foreign allies can help.
Anna:
Schumey is right. The only reason why the majority seems silent now is not because they have been subdued. As in any resistance and guerrilla warfare, tahimik ka lang, pretend to mix with tyhe melee, and then, pukpok when the right time comes.
The US at the moment is too busy with its own problem, domestic and international to be bothered with the problems of the Philippines, which has lamentably remained the perennial white man’s burden. Kaya nga binibigay na nga ng mga kano ang responsibility for the Filipinos to solve their own problems caused by the kabobohan of the vain dugong aso the Filipinos installed there in 2001. God willing truth, justice and yes, sanity will prevail eventually.
It gives me hope and even pride in the Filipinos as a matter of fact when I see the likes of you, Anna, Ellen, Schumey, Emilio, Alitaptap (I love his poems as a matter of fact), etc. sharing the burden of removing a crook like Gloria Kawatan Labandera (money laundering) y Pidal Kurakot and her minions.
The
Thanks, Anna, all for making me feel proud of the Filipino race sans Satanyita Gloria and her legions. Yes, they are many but soon they will be entering the swines in the plains and be drowned in the murky river. The Singaw’s declaration that they are the legion is prophetic as a matter of fact—a prophesy of their doom!!!
By the way, Yuko, Ellen,
I also met and spoke to Mr Olalia, the human rights lawyer who was at the picket. He is still here in Brussels.
I met a few Pinoys NA MATAPANG doon.
I saw the pictures of many PINOYS who were killed. Their pics were plastified and adorned the flower patches which were located in front of the European commission.
Gosh, sabi ni Marie Hilao Enriquez of Karapatan, 28 members na raw ng kanyang organization ang NAPAPATAY ni Gloria through Palparan.
Marie spoke before the crowd – people and cars stopped to listen to her. She was very, very eloquent and articulate (her sister was killed by the military in dtention.) BUT THE PICS ARE IN MY PHONE AND I HAVE BEEN BATTLING TO DOWNLOAD THEM AND CANNOT! I’m waiting for my oldest son to do it and he’s only coming this weekend! She’s left for Geneva to attend the UN human rights convention or something like that – she rang me yesterday coz I had offered to translate into French her press statements and she wanted to thank me – she said, she’d like to take advantage of my offer.
But Yuko and Ellen and Schumey, I’ve sent you the first batch of pics through e-mail. (My camera fell on the ground and it wouldn’t work so I had to use my phone camera na bago and as you know I’m so ignoramus with all new gadgets – can’t make the darn thing download the second set of pics!)
JUN;
You failed to understand, “STOP THE KILLING”. Quite powerful freedom of expression, and it represent the violent unjustified death of 748 activists and journalists under the regime of illegitimate Gloria Arroyo since she illegaly occupied Malacanang. It’s not about the number of protesters on the street, but the important of the message itself, something you overlooked. You’re defending an indefensible regime of corrupt family. This is the remaking of another dictatroship in the Philippines. I pity the like of you, and it sadden me that Gloria existed only because people like you are sightless to the reality of what really has been happening. How many more proof of evidences beside the 748 killing before you change your loyalty to illegitimate Gloria Arroyo? Again, don’t take my words just do your homework and the evidences against Gloria are available on discs, tapes and newspapers. Edsa 2 and Hello Garci are not fiction, they were events of what really happened to the lives of illegitimate Gloria Arroyo, President Joseph Estrada and Candidate for President Fernando Poe Jr – Stolen Sovereign Rights.
The photo would have been much better had there be more Filipinos. Anyway, yes…where are you in the pic, Anna? By the way guys, can you help me look for these three persons whom I’ve not heard of for a while now: Kaminoka, YST and Faithfullds. If you know their whereabouts, please let me know. Thanks!
I’m sorry, it’s Kaminoko. Where’s he and the other two?
Sorry, noel, ain’t in the pic in Ellen’s blog.
Jun:
I don’t know if you would understand the meaning of fair justice? Evidences dictated, illegitimate Gloria Arroyo committed the crimes…I would like to think very much that the Philippines is a civilized nation. But, I can make an argument that the Philippines is far off from such, since the killing has not stop, and with the barbaric regime. Obviously, illegitimate Gloria don’t want it stop. Furthermore, it’s out of control since she has no longer the capability to stop the killers. This what happen when you’ve a corrupt leadership and a liar, just don’t know when enough is enough. It’s obvious tht illegitimate Gloria desperately wants to remain in power, so the killing must go on and to silent the oppositions. Illegitimate Gloria is the ultimate epitome of a corrupt leadership. It’s no longer the future of the Philippines, but Gloria’s survival.
Ellen,
I’m posting here my kwentos which I also posted in Uniffors for Manuel B.
Well, they’re really right off the bat kwentos but I have more:
I met Brenda in Brussels.
She’s gone a bit ga ga! Her teeth were yellow too. She looked as if she hadn’t taken a shower for some time.
Talagang, she’s starting to sound like a screwball.
We’re not discounting that what’s keeping her from going totally nuts is her legal training but even this, I’m afraid is becoming intermitent.
I’m not kidding Uniffors – I believe she is in the first stages of Althzheimer’s disease.
There’s a pic of her with Gloria but believe me, I saw and spoke to her close up. She was by her poor lonesome self most of the time and looking lost!
The sad thing is she had bouts of incoherence!
I saw and heard her saying “hello” to Amb C Ortega and they started on one liners. Then Brenda turned to my friend to say hello – she smiled and said, “can i do anything for you?”
My companion said, “Just want to say hello Senator”.
She asked her, “Why?” (I personally almost fell off my seat!)
Amb C Ortega was still beside Brenda. Then Brenda turned to Ortega and asked her the same thing! I MEAN IT: “Can I do anything for you?” (She had just been speaking to Ortega 10 seconds ago and all of a sudden, she didn’t recognize her anymore!) Even Ortega looked a bit jolted and said in Tagalog, “No, wala ma’am…” and left Brenda by herself!
I mean it – it was very strange! And you know what? She started looking for her purse. She started to panic and said, where is my purse????… she couldn’t find it (a black handbag) So security came and they scampered to look for it. They scoured the hotel lobby, restaurant – no dice!
Half hour later, a PSG guy came and handed it to her and said, “M’aam naiwan yata ninyo kagabi sa koche!” He had found it in the car. She’d left it the night before (coz it was very early in the morning and the delegation hadn’t left for a meeting yet so the purse had been sitting in the car the whole night and she only found out that she didn’t have it with her at breakfast time!)
uniffors said, on September 14th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
Wow. Now we feel sorry for her. But not for Romulo who should have known better than to respong that way. Besides she would have forgotten she said it anyway pala. Hehe
anna de brux said, on September 14th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
And then, Romulo is also one strange person.
I mean, he’s sweet, gentle and all pero, gosh, the guy is already ulyanin!
Uniffors, ano ba naman iyan? He’s saying n’importequoi!”
My friend (a European) said afterwards, “I had no clue what he was trying to get at….” Your venerable secretary, my dear uniffors was mixing up dates and places, events and was doing a tit-for-tat over something else, meaning to say, he was chatting about something else that was not the point of discussion.
I was just absolutely GOBSMACKED!
The only guy who had his head on his shoulders it seems, was a guy who looked like a shark and was introduced as Congressman Suarez. The guy looked like he was in the wrong business… I mean the guy was obviously on the Gloria bandwagon to do business with Europeans! Halata talaga! hahah!
I never met Suarez in my whole life but boy, he was too obvious. I mean, he was making bida about how, what he can do to help Europeans in Manila if they wanted to do business – hahahah!
One European came to me and said, is he a broker or an agent? I said, I don’t think so, coz he’s a member of Congress or at least, that’s how he was introduced to our group! Heheheh!
I believe that we shouldn’t silent Jun, yet welcome him to the blog and the like of him. It’s refreshing to note how ridiculous Jun’s argument without substance, such as that illegitimate Gloria is presentable. So is my dog Oscar. Perhaps Oscar got more personality than illegitimate Gloria and Miguel combined together. At least, Oscar understand the right and wrong, and when not to bark. Again, love is blind!
I agree Toney. There should be some kind of a balance in this blog and not to be controlled by just one person or group. It’s not difficult to see who’s in control and monopolizing this blog. At least for credibility, people like Jun even if they are sometimes stupid should be allowed to express their views here.
But Noel, only Ellen can control this blog. It’s hers and not anyone else’s here. So, who might you be referring to?
Nice to have you back Anna. Nice job, I loved the pics.
We can only express an appreciation to those that participated in Brussel’s rally and other countries. I think it’s great that there are Pilipinos all over the world understand the stake in the Philippines. Most importantly, to expose the Arroyos to what kind of people they really are. Many thanks and I wish I could’ve been there.
Hi Schumey,
Inga Verhaert, elected member of Parliament in Belgium told me that she’s prepared to be a part of the NGO that gloria announced she’s asked the EU to organize so she (Gloria)can show that there’s no spate of extra judicial killings.
I told her, I will go with her when that happens. She also asked me off the record lots of things about Gloria and her Pinas politics.
For info, she interpelated in Parliament a question which was duly tabled concerning the political situation in Pinas. I received the copy by e-mail of the Parliamentary minutes of the interpellation by Ms Verheart. She did it twice. The Foreign Affairs Minister’s reply was also recorded in the minutes. They are in French and I have to translate them yet. The Minister’s reply was that he had written to the Embassy about it and the Foreign Ministry received a reply which they didn’t find satisfactory.
Note the words “didn’t find satisfactory”.
Thanks, Toney!
Anna:
A friend has a video clip of the Karapatan’s protest rally at some plaza at Mabini, and there were priests brazenly beaten by police even when they knew that they were being videoed. Over here, it will be good excuse for dismissal of policemen who do just that—beat participants of peaceful demonstrations.
It’s really barbaric. Someday, when the Boba is removed and rule of law is restored, hopefully, we will be able to present these video clips as evidences against these soldiers posing as policemen.
Proud of you, Anna!
anna:
Keep up the good work! You’re doing an excellent job in bringing illegitimate Gloria to justice outside Gloria’s paid courts. I hope your love for fair justice will someday be fruitful. I envy you and your fashion to bring political justice in the Philippines. Again, thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I’m still learning and understanding to why this is happening to us Pilipinos when other countries are advancing, and Philippines is left behind. In my opinion, it’s no longer a debate, illegitimate Gloria Arroyo and her corrupt regime is the major cause of political instability, and the exodus of the Pilipinos to escape poverty. Illegitimate Gloria must go, and justice system must be reformed. Also, thanks to Ellen in providing this blog to all, at least a solace place where we are welcome to air our grievances against Gloria’s regime. Certainly, I’m very greateful.
Thanks, Yuko! My participation is so minute compatred to what you have personally beed doing against this odious moral bansot.
But now that I’ve linked up with people here, I hope to get going. I met Pinoys here who were not left-leaning at all but like good, decent, hardworking people, cannot stomach Gloria’s lying, cheating and thieving . I also promised to be of help to Ms Verheart and Mr Glorieux (two members of parliament who attended the rally) by informing them about Gloria and her shenanigans when they ask me (both speak remarkable English) so that they as officials in the European Union capital can help “rectifier le tir” meaning straighten the shot or make the record straight following Gloria’s visit.
People here believe and not only these two parliamentarians but lots of people in the Union know that Gloria is weaving lies. Barroso may have been polite to Gloria, being a visitor but he wasn’t duped. People here know Gloria’s record. It’s up to Pinoys to help open the right doors in the EU so that the EU will see through Gloria’s woven stories of her enchanted asylum!
The EU could apply limited sanctions if really there is a wanton disregard or for blatant breach of law.
One more thing: They don’t like little presidents, tottering around, selling them lies and weaving shit in front of them! They smile and say nothing but if the liar Gloria is really perceived to be lying, she would be a dead duck in the EU. No more aid, no more, tap on the back, no more trade, no more abuloys to her projects!
A shitty, little bitch of a bogus president may believe she’s conned Pinoys and believe she can do it to Europeans but she mustn’t overdo it coz in the end she’ll end up having shit on her little ugly face.
Anna,
I can’t wait to get hold of that report. You and Yuko are definitely worth praising for the things you do for our country and people. Thanks for the love of country you both share with us.
Ellen,
You have always been fair and just. We support your work and admire you for the effort you put in to give us this venue for sharing our thoughts and sentiments. Hope the good Lord will give you the strength to continue to share with us your views.
Now and more than ever the Philippines need the Senate and some of the Senators. They’re only thing that stand in the way of illegitimate Gloria. It’s a showdown that the Senators must win ultimately if we’re going to retain checks and balances in the government. Gloria’s private Cha-Cha or Con-Ass and/or unicameral system of govt must not happen, not while Gloria in stolen power. Illegitimate Gloria doesn’t deserve a day of rest ’till justice is served.
Npongco, about your query of shooting in montreal and the crime rate in canada, I remember i posted in one comment before that in our major cities, violence in one of our big problems. what with availability of weapons legally and illegaly and the cultures that invading our youth of today.
but the incident in montreal was an action of a lone gunman, tha as now we don’t why he did what he did. Luckilly he was stopped by the bullts from one of the patrolling officers before he can do any more damage. One woman died and 19 injured. I made an entry in my site and you may peruse it i f you wish. Again thanks for the query and sorry for the late reply because my P.C. is encountering troubles with ellen site and mlq sites. here is my site is you want to know more about or you can check our daily http://www.torstar.com my site http://truenorthandme.blogspot.com/ again thanks
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200609150402.htm
Rally greets GMA in Brussels
By Vi Massart Chief Europe Correspondent
The Philippine Star 09/15/2006
BRUSSELS — A street rally protesting the spate of killings of left-leaning activists and journalists in the Philippines greeted President Arroyo upon her arrival in Belgium last Monday on the second leg of her European visit.
About 50 Filipino, Belgian, Dutch and German protesters denounced the killings and accused Mrs. Arroyo of doing little to stop them and bring the killers to justice.
Belgian socialist lawmaker Inga Verheart joined the rally, organized by Belgian non-government organization INTAL, outside the European Commission during Mrs. Arroyo’s talks with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.
“We believe that if the spate of killings do not stop, the European Union should impose limited economic sanctions on the Philippines,” rally organizer Wim de Ceukelaire said.
The protesters displayed a banner that said “Stop the killings in the Philippines.”
Verheart, a member of the Federal Parliament of Belgium, challenged Mrs. Arroyo’s administration “to be transparent” in dealing with the killings.
“We addressed questions to Mrs. Arroyo’s government about the treatment of members of Congress this year and we still have to hear from her government,” she told The STAR.
Verheart was referring to Mrs. Arroyo’s crackdown on left-leaning lawmakers, street protests and critical media organizations when she declared a weeklong declaration of national emergency in February to quell a reported coup attempt by renegade military officers in league with communist rebels and their civilian backers.
“We hear of these incidents of killings and we are saddened to hear that Mrs. Arroyo does not believe it’s worth her while to answer questions by members of the Belgian parliament concerning the situation in the Philippines,” Verheart said.
The Arroyo administration has come under criticism from leftist and human rights groups following several disappearances of left-leaning activists that they blame on security forces.
Mrs. Arroyo has been criticized for the series of killings, for which she has been blamed for either condoning the attacks or not doing enough to stop them.
She denied that her administration has been cracking down on dissidents and had pledged to bring the killers to justice.
“I believe that such a spate of killings has no room in our democracy or in our government so I have escalated the response of the government,” Mrs. Arroyo told The STAR.
She formed an independent commission last month to investigate the killings. Retired Supreme Court justice Jose Melo heads the panel.
A number of Filipino, Belgian and Dutch human rights activists staged a protest rally outside St. Michael Cathedral where Mrs. Arroyo attended Mass and was welcomed warmly by the local Filipino community later in the day but they were dispersed by police.
Mrs. Arroyo also had talks with Belgian Prime Minister Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt in his official residence but there were no street protests because the vicinity was a no-rally zone.
She then paid a visit to Belgian lawmakers and discussed her initiative to amend the Philippine Constitution and replace the country’s present form of government with a parliamentary system with a federal setup.
Mrs. Arroyo told The STAR that it was “very important for the Philippines to engage Europe” as much as Manila does with main ally the United States, China, Japan and other Asian neighbors.
“After all, Europe is our third largest trading partner and second largest investor in the Philippines. And I’m proud to hear that I’m the first incumbent president to actually visit the European Union officially,” she said. “So that’s bringing the Philippines a step higher in our relationship with Europe.”
After criticizing the administration of creating “a climate of impunity” that led to the deaths of hundreds of journalists and political activists since President Arroyo assumed office in 2001, Amnesty International agreed yesterday to help the government investigate and put an end to the alarming spate of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.
Mrs. Arroyo met Amnesty International secretary-general Irene Khan shortly after her arrival in London yesterday on the third leg of her trip. They spoke for nearly an hour about the spate of killings in the Philippines.
“Just this morning I asked for a meeting with AI and I’m very happy they will help us to find experienced investigators who will help the independent commission in its investigations,” Mrs. Arroyo told a gathering of British and European businessmen in a forum organized by Asia House with Shell Corp. on business process outsourcing (BPO) at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel.
“I’m saying all these in a BPO conference because a European businessman would look at the entire cultural environment in which he or she is doing business,” she said.
“I would like to point out to you that not only are we familiar with Western business processes, we are also very much in synch with you as far as the universal values of democracy and therefore free enterprise are concerned.”
Mrs. Arroyo reiterated her condemnation of the killings saying such violence has no place in a democratic society.
After sending monitors on the human rights situation in the Philippines, AI criticized the Arroyo administration for the continued killings.
It said the “methodology of attacks, including prior death threats and surveillance of persons reportedly linked to the security forces, the leftist profile of victims and the climate of impunity, which in practice, shields the perpetrators from retribution.”
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo’s meeting with Amnesty International “reveals her deep concern for human rights and underscores the determination and political will to stop the legacy of this type of retribution once and for all.”
“The President sought out AI out of respect for their work and their shared concern for human rights,” Bunye said. “She listened intently to their comments and welcomes their recommendation,” he said.
Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo also took the opportunity to brief Amnesty International on the abolition of the death penalty and the impending passage of a law compensating human rights victims of the Marcos dictatorship.
Earlier, the European Union commended the Arroyo administration for taking steps to put an end to the killings, including the creation of the Melo commission, but also called for greater transparency in the investigation process.
European Commission president Barroso said the EU would extend assistance to the Philippines on the issue, including grants to strengthen the judiciary.
Spain and Finland have also committed to help in putting together a team of experts to monitor the work of Philippine authorities. — With Paolo Romero
Ellen and friends,
Here is a story appearing in tomorrow’s Star.
For your info:
Rally greets GMA in Brussels
By Vi Massart Chief Europe Correspondent
The Philippine Star 09/15/2006
BRUSSELS — A street rally protesting the spate of killings of left-leaning activists and journalists in the Philippines greeted President Arroyo upon her arrival in Belgium last Monday on the second leg of her European visit.
About 50 Filipino, Belgian, Dutch and German protesters denounced the killings and accused Mrs. Arroyo of doing little to stop them and bring the killers to justice.
Belgian socialist lawmaker Inga Verheart joined the rally, organized by Belgian non-government organization INTAL, outside the European Commission during Mrs. Arroyo’s talks with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.
“We believe that if the spate of killings do not stop, the European Union should impose limited economic sanctions on the Philippines,” rally organizer Wim de Ceukelaire said.
The protesters displayed a banner that said “Stop the killings in the Philippines.”
Verheart, a member of the Federal Parliament of Belgium, challenged Mrs. Arroyo’s administration “to be transparent” in dealing with the killings.
“We addressed questions to Mrs. Arroyo’s government about the treatment of members of Congress this year and we still have to hear from her government,” she told The STAR.
Verheart was referring to Mrs. Arroyo’s crackdown on left-leaning lawmakers, street protests and critical media organizations when she declared a weeklong declaration of national emergency in February to quell a reported coup attempt by renegade military officers in league with communist rebels and their civilian backers.
“We hear of these incidents of killings and we are saddened to hear that Mrs. Arroyo does not believe it’s worth her while to answer questions by members of the Belgian parliament concerning the situation in the Philippines,” Verheart said.
The Arroyo administration has come under criticism from leftist and human rights groups following several disappearances of left-leaning activists that they blame on security forces.
Mrs. Arroyo has been criticized for the series of killings, for which she has been blamed for either condoning the attacks or not doing enough to stop them.
She denied that her administration has been cracking down on dissidents and had pledged to bring the killers to justice.
“I believe that such a spate of killings has no room in our democracy or in our government so I have escalated the response of the government,” Mrs. Arroyo told The STAR.
She formed an independent commission last month to investigate the killings. Retired Supreme Court justice Jose Melo heads the panel.
A number of Filipino, Belgian and Dutch human rights activists staged a protest rally outside St. Michael Cathedral where Mrs. Arroyo attended Mass and was welcomed warmly by the local Filipino community later in the day but they were dispersed by police.
Mrs. Arroyo also had talks with Belgian Prime Minister Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt in his official residence but there were no street protests because the vicinity was a no-rally zone.
She then paid a visit to Belgian lawmakers and discussed her initiative to amend the Philippine Constitution and replace the country’s present form of government with a parliamentary system with a federal setup.
Mrs. Arroyo told The STAR that it was “very important for the Philippines to engage Europe” as much as Manila does with main ally the United States, China, Japan and other Asian neighbors.
“After all, Europe is our third largest trading partner and second largest investor in the Philippines. And I’m proud to hear that I’m the first incumbent president to actually visit the European Union officially,” she said. “So that’s bringing the Philippines a step higher in our relationship with Europe.”
After criticizing the administration of creating “a climate of impunity” that led to the deaths of hundreds of journalists and political activists since President Arroyo assumed office in 2001, Amnesty International agreed yesterday to help the government investigate and put an end to the alarming spate of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.
Mrs. Arroyo met Amnesty International secretary-general Irene Khan shortly after her arrival in London yesterday on the third leg of her trip. They spoke for nearly an hour about the spate of killings in the Philippines.
“Just this morning I asked for a meeting with AI and I’m very happy they will help us to find experienced investigators who will help the independent commission in its investigations,” Mrs. Arroyo told a gathering of British and European businessmen in a forum organized by Asia House with Shell Corp. on business process outsourcing (BPO) at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel.
“I’m saying all these in a BPO conference because a European businessman would look at the entire cultural environment in which he or she is doing business,” she said.
“I would like to point out to you that not only are we familiar with Western business processes, we are also very much in synch with you as far as the universal values of democracy and therefore free enterprise are concerned.”
Mrs. Arroyo reiterated her condemnation of the killings saying such violence has no place in a democratic society.
After sending monitors on the human rights situation in the Philippines, AI criticized the Arroyo administration for the continued killings.
It said the “methodology of attacks, including prior death threats and surveillance of persons reportedly linked to the security forces, the leftist profile of victims and the climate of impunity, which in practice, shields the perpetrators from retribution.”
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo’s meeting with Amnesty International “reveals her deep concern for human rights and underscores the determination and political will to stop the legacy of this type of retribution once and for all.”
“The President sought out AI out of respect for their work and their shared concern for human rights,” Bunye said. “She listened intently to their comments and welcomes their recommendation,” he said.
Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo also took the opportunity to brief Amnesty International on the abolition of the death penalty and the impending passage of a law compensating human rights victims of the Marcos dictatorship.
Earlier, the European Union commended the Arroyo administration for taking steps to put an end to the killings, including the creation of the Melo commission, but also called for greater transparency in the investigation process.
European Commission president Barroso said the EU would extend assistance to the Philippines on the issue, including grants to strengthen the judiciary.
Spain and Finland have also committed to help in putting together a team of experts to monitor the work of Philippine authorities. — With Paolo Romero
OUT OF TOPIC ANG ISSUE KO DITO. GUSTO KO LANG ILABAS ANG INIS AT YAMOT KO SA NAKA UPONG REYNA NG MAGNANAKAW. TALAGA NAMAN KUNG IKAW AY ISA SA ALAGAD NILA AT KAHIT ANONG PARAAN AY TUTULUNGAN KA NILA PARA LANG HUWAG MAGSALITA. KATULAD NI BOLATE NA ILALABAN NG DFA NATIN AT HAHANGAL SA US DAHIL PINASO ANG VISA NIYA. KITA NAMAN NINYO ANG KAWALANGHIYAAN NA GINAWA AT TINUTULUNGAN PA RIN. BAKIT HINDI NILA TULUNGAN ANG MGA NAHULING TNT SA US. NAKAKA INIS NA TALAGA SA ATIN NGAYON.KUNG SINO ANG MAY KASALANAN SA BAYAN AY SIYANG PA ITONG NAKAKAMIT NG TULONG AT GINHAWA. SAMANTALA ITONG MGA TAPAT NA POLITIKO AT SUNDALO AY NAKAKAMIT NILA AY HARASSMENT AT KASO. BALIKTAD NA ANG PILIPINAS AT PATI ANG MGA KATAAS TAASAN HUKUMAN NATIN AY NASASAPAWAN NA RIN NG PERA. PURO RECYCLE NA GENERAL ANG PINA PA UPO SA PUWESTO SA GOBYERNO DAHIL BAYAD SA UTANG KAHIT NA WALANG ALAM AT HINDI KARAPAR DAPAT SA PUWESTO. PPUT***@***NA NINYO… LALO NA ANG HOUSE OF KOTONGRESS…
I’ve been a lurker on this site for many months and an avid reader of Ellen’s columns for years now. I am an American in the U.S. who has a deep interest in the situation in the Philippines and a great deal of admiration and affection for the Filipino people (with the exception of the corrupt politicians and military officers.)
I am the only non-Filipino on the Board of Directors of a local Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce. One of our missions is to promote U.S. investment in the Philippines, which opens up much-needed employment for the Filipino People. Unfortunately, we cannot actively promote the Philippines with this political climate. I cannot imagine bringing a group of business leaders to call on Malacanang with that thieving, cheating bunch in power. I pray for the day where the Philippines is considered a great place to do business–but not now.
I watched GMA speak here in the San Francisco Bay Area back in 2002. I wish I had a tape recorder for all of the lies she told and broken promises she made about fighting corruption and improving the economy of the Philippines. Her only economic plan is to stay in power, supported by millions of OFW’s and their remittances, despite the high social costs of broken families and the abuse of many of the workers. She is all talk and no accomplishments. The Melo Commission is another empty promise so she can try to appease her critics. I applaud the group in Belgium for their protests. I hope a large number of protesters greet her in Hawaii as well. I think she knows better than to show her face around the San Francisco Area since a lot of community leaders and publishers know she is an illegitimate president with blood on her hands. (the FG, El Gordito, kept a low profile when he was in “exile here–he is even more unpopular than his devious wife)
I was happy to see the Philippine Star covered the protest, since Max Soliven seems to always make yabang about how much influence he has with “la presidentia”. He seems like an intelligent man and I have no idea why he still claims she is the best hope for the Philippines.
I hope the European press picks up on the protests and more attention is drawn to the killings of journalists and activists by the military. I may try to get the American media to pick up on the Joc Joc Bolante case. ABS-CBN has been covering the story, but I have not seen any mention in the American media. I pray that justice is done in the fertilizer case. I am haunted by the vision of Marlene Esperat, who sent her bodyguards home on Good Friday, being shot in the head in front of her children–for exposing irregularities in the Department of Agriculture. Joc Joc Bolante has her blood on his hands and has to answer for his crimes against the Filipino people.
What do we expect from Army Major General Hermogenes Esperon? Whitewash? He is a Gloria Arroyo loyalist. He cheated for GMA in the 2004 presidential election and must protect her to at all cost save his ass. The creation of independent investigation body Melo Commission is another Moro-Moro stage by Malacanang. According to the Budget chief it will be funded by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It’s like a police detective investigating Mafia illegal activities and all expenses being funded by Mafiosi boss.
Esperon clears AFP, blames reds for killings
EXCERPTS Daily Tribune 09/15/2006
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon yesterday cleared the military from its alleged involvement in the spate of political killings in the country, claiming it was the communist insurgents, not the security forces, who were behind the attacks on leftist militants and journalists.
He accused the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), its armed component the New People’s Army (NPA) and its political organization, the National Democratic Front (NDF), of deliberately waging a trial by publicity to destroy the military’s defense capability and credibility.
“Subjecting the AFP in trial by publicity is a modus operandi of the CPP-NPA. This is indeed a deliberate act to discredit and alienate the military from the people, in order to weaken your defense institution,” Esperon told the Melo Commission tasked to investigate the killings of leftists and journalists.
I beg your pardon! Esperon is hallucinating!
The defence institution was weakened by corrupt military officers like him. He is guilty of self-inflicted paranoia.
He ought to be committed to an asylum illico!
Jaime – Appreciated your contribution to this blog and to publicly recognizing the numerous problems facing the Pilipinos. It’s not an easy task to fight Gloria’s regime, since she got control of every sectors of the govt, most especially the Philippines National Police and the Military. The only effective tools available in combating illegitimate Gloria is through the media and blog like this one. Perhaps, if we yell loud enough every single day of the year expose illegitimate Gloria for her crimes against the people of the Philippines globally, we at least doing our part in prosecuting illegitimate Gloria.
About Hermogenes Esperon, is a member of Gloria’s private club. He’s not going to testify that will upset the perfect system of Gloria’s regime. And I could think of dozen names that can be added to mental institution. Better yet, Gloria can be a queen of Muntinlupa.
Jaime,
I concur with Toney Cuevas!
Thanks for joining us openly.
Like Toney, I am hoping that if we unite and denounce Gloria’s crimes loud enough, we may unmask her before the world so she may be dragged to Muntinlupa where she belongs.
Jaime, in my book, you are as Filipino as one can get. I can’t help but admire the keen interest you have on the plight of our country.
I was working out plans with some people in your area who used to be upbeat but now they are as worried as you are about investments here. Are you familiar with the SF biz association FILPABA? They’ve put off plans of investing at present, not with the kind of atmosphere prevailing here. One particular doctor bought St. Martin Hospital here in San Juan and has done charity for many indigent cancer patients. His untimely death, however, stopped all that.
Aside from private houses that Fil-Ams are building for their retirement here, practically no one has risked on hard investments that could generate the much-needed employment.
We appreciate your effort in trying to involve the American media in exposing the savage tyranny our countrymen are suffering and we know that with well-meaning people like you around the world to be with us in this fight, we know that in the end, truth and justice will prevail.
Pardon me, Ellen, but let me welcome Jaime into the group.
Jaime:
I’m also partly from the Bay Area. At least, I call it home because my folks have settled there, and I own a house there where my mother lives.
Yes, I know Yolly Stern from the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce. How is she? I have not met her in person but I have admired the zeal of this Filipina.
Like the rest of the “mandirigma” here, you’re most welcome especially if you can share with us tidbits from over there, not much about the charity that makes Filipinos to become more parasitic as they are being molded to be by the pimp who calls herself “President of the Philippines.”
What the Filipinos need in fact is real honest to goodness investments that will benefit ONLY the Filipinos, not the Chinese who control the business there (majority of Japanese companies in fact in the Philippines are connected only with companies run by Chinese residents with Filipino dummies), etc., and business ventures that can generate funds but not for the spending spree of the bogus president but to make real good jobs for the Filipinos who need not go overseas to feed their families, because in time, they can even be another burden to the host countries like what is happening now in Japan that is cutting off welfare for single parents who are taking advantage of the Japanese government’s compassionate charity to send support even to their families in the Philippines when they are supposed to be using those welfare funds only for their Japanese children and their own livelihood in Japan.
Mabuhay ka!
Esperon is telling a lie, Anna, especially about the NPA liquidating their own members. Sure, there was rumor of what happened to some squealers in Mindanao a long time ago with the families of the NPA members themselves denouncing the activities of those who led the revolution there during the time of Marcos, but times have changed.
I know one in fact, a commander of the NPA, who was pardoned by Cory and had since become a progressive and useful member of the community in Netherlands advocating for the migrantes over there.
My source has informed me in fact that when there is such thing as Esperon claims to discredit the NPA, it will be the families of their victims who will cry “foul” first, but none of the families of the victims of atrocities committed on leaders of unions of farmers, journalists, lawyers, human rightists getting killed there have denounced the NPA, but the cry for justice is loudest against the members of the military who should be pointing their guns on themselves than on the people they have taken oath to protect! Iyan ang mga sinungaling na duwag pa—sundalong kanin labas ang mga tumbong!
The bogus president has to be removed now as a matter of fact, before the Philippine soldiers are completely demoralized and/or substituted with ass lickers who would not have their loyalty on their own country and people, but to who grease their hands!!!
PATALSIKIN NA, NOW NA! KAWAWANG BANSA! BAKA MAWALA PA IYAN SA MAPA DAHIL SA KABOBOHAN NI BANSOT AT MAYABANG NIYANG ASAWA! KAMAG-ANAK PA ANG NAMUMUNO NGAYON SA MGA SUNDALONG KANIN! PATAY NA!
Anna:
I am not a leftist myself. I am actually a rightist bred to uphold the law. Though I support the Socialist Democratic Party of Japan, I am actually more for the upholding of the laws of the land that I abide by faithfully together with the Laws and Commandments of God that I worship, love and revere.
I cannot be a communist because pure Communism does not believe in God. Karl Marx who invented it was an atheist, and I am not one. I doubt if Mao Tse Tung himself believed in a god but himself!!!
Nevertheless, one does not have to be a leftist to know what is right and what is wrong, and to fight for what one is privileged to enjoy and is obligated to do under the laws of the land. Demanding for a good government is a right guaranteed under a democratic government, which is supposed to be a government FOR, OF and BY the people, not one that can be held stagnant and depressed by some executive order by a bogus president as in the Philippines. Joining rallies and protest movements is a right and privileges under a democratic Constitution that guarantees freedom of press, speech and assembly!
Tuloy ang laban, Anna! We’ll do our part over here likewise.
Anna,
I say YOU are one great woman!
With your power to write and express what most of us feel,
I beg to God that He keeps you safe and well at all times.
More Power and GodBless!
Hat’s off to Anna for giving the up-to-date scenarios regarding Pandak’s Europe lamierda. It’s nice to hear and read first from a person who is at the scene before the events will be twisted and printed in Max Soliven’s daily newspaper.
I don’t read Max Soliven, Emilio. But I surely love to read Anna’s notes on this rainbow tour of the Ale Boba and her countless thieves meant in fact to whitewash the Cayetano claim. But I bet you, mapapalpak sila. They don’t know the Germans!
But look at the attempt to hoodwink the Germans with the payments made on the NAIA3. Wait till we hear of the additional and new breaches on this transaction. Ang galing manglito!!!
Naku, Taipan, blushing, blushing na ako dito ah! Salamat ng marami…
Anna, were you the one holding the speaker? The lady with a green scarf? You look older than Gloria…but sexier though. I love your shoes…beautiful.
Hahahahh! Noel, Marijeke Persoone might get upset if she learns that you’ve said she looks older than Gloria.
Marijeke is the Deputy Secretary General of the LBC-NVK, a high-power European labour union (not just trade union)who proposed to table a resolution in the upcoming world labour unions’ summit to investigate the killings of trade unionists in the Philippines.
Heheh!
I’m not in any of the pics. I still have to see one where I am featured, siguro ayaw sa akin ng camera – hahahah!
Oh and for info, I’m much younger than Gloria, much younger!
By the way, Noel, if you are reaslly so curious, the Philippine Star took a picture with me in the group. Their correspondent has it. Heheh!
Anna, at least Marijeke doesn’t look like the speaker.
npongco,
why not just admire the person, instead of her shoes? he eh heh!!! joke joke joke!!
Ang mga taga Brussel daw nagbra-brush your teeth palagi. Congrats sa mga litrato. Malaking bagay ito kahit na wala pang sampu ang nagrally tapos ang kalahati mga puting baka asawa lang ng mga Pinay doon. Pero malaking impact ito sa mundo. Balak ko din mag-organize dito sa China. Yayayain ko sina Jackie Chan at Jet Li. Pero ang numero unong pakay namin ay lusubin ang Japan para mabawi iyan na dati naman sa Tsina.
Here’s the latest on the political killing from Arkibo:
Latest postings at http://www.arkibongbayan.org:
1) Launching of HUSTISYA which unites in one national organization the families of victims of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances, the survivors of frustrated killings and the victims of political persecution and other human rights violations under the Arroyo administration.
HUSTISYA demands justice and calls for an end to state terrorism.
http://www.arkibongbayan.org/2006-09Sept15-HUSTISYA/hustisyalaunching.htm
2) 6th gathering of the families of victims of political killings; honoring Rudy Calubad on his 53rd birthday, abducted and missing since June 17, 2006
http://www.arkibongbayan.org/2006-09Sept16-Calubad/rudycalubad.htm
Arkibong Bayan Web Team
ow artsee..lukmabas ka na pala sa St Luke’s..ang bilis mo bumalik sa china!!!..iba na talaga ang blessed!…wag mo na idamay si jackie chan and jet li baka mapasama pa sa mga e-libel ni fatguy..let them entertain us..they are people who have integrity to give their advocacy to their own fellowmen…lets just find our own people and own kadugo here na kahit anong region galing will be willing to fight the piping-hot red tape and kleptocrats in this bogus administration!!!!..BOMBAHAHIN NA!!!! NOW NA!!!!
i salute the people present in this Brussels get-together for a jst cause…they are ‘heroes’ in their own rights..hindi bayaran at hindi hakot…pareho ng mga andito sa Pinas..whether its oposisyon or bogus administration…may mga bayaran talaga at lalo na sa bogus admin, may takutan pa!!! walang sweldo o bonus pagka hindi sumama sa mga rally or parade ng pro-pandak bruha…kailanaga lagi na mapuno ang stadium at may mga palakpak crowd..kung hindi ay balik taga walis ng corridor or CR!!!!
Soleil, I hope mabasa nila (Marie Enriquez, Olalia, Wim, Inga, Marijeke at iba pa) ang sinabi mo! They will be so pleased.
I will send cut outs of these kind comments from Ellen’s blog to them by e-mail.
Thanks, Soleil.
Soleil:
Really? Ginagawa ang ganyan na harrassment and intimidation sa mga government employees? Wow, bago iyan a?
Confirm na ngang criminal ang nagpapalakad ng bansa. Iyan ang style ng mga gangsters sa totoo lang! Tangna Mafia-style ha! Ang hindi nare-realize ng mga pilipino for example ay pera nila ang ginagasta ni Pandak even for those wining and dining kapag bumibisita siya even to prevent the Filipinos from attending those rallies and protest against her as what happened for instance in London.
Anna:
We’re making a lot of those T-shirts. I decided to survey more for a T-shirt printer after finding the one I wanted to order previously to be difficult to operate. We are planning to wear those T-shirts in activities sponsored by the Philippine embassy here.
Apparently, with Japan no longer willing to accept Japayukis to Japan, and there is a strong protest against the hiring of so-called “Super Atsoy and Atsays” from the Philippines, the labor attache here is doing nothing presently but help promote the bluffs of the Pandak in Japan.
ystakei,
what bluff is that? meron na palang pulubing nanakot kapag hindi inamutan ng limos@!! nakakahiya! ‘yan siguro ang bahagi ng millions of jobs the mother of evil should have created before she steps down (kuno) after her cheated term! busettttttttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!
really hats off to u guys…even if we dont knw them personally, our hearts and sentiments are with them. yes Yuko and others who have been away in the Pinas fro a long time na…takutan talaga dito..name it, whenever there is the need to have a ‘show of force’ kuno frm this bogus admin (well frm the other admin as well no doubt!!)..the reason why they declare it as a holiday when there is a parade bec every dept of the govt will have to be represented…the prize will be free meals, t-shirts,(additional garbage in ur haus short),allowance, and sometimes there is an inter-dept contest who has the most attendance and there are bonuses or trips to karaoke or once a month lunch out in a resto…the higher officers will have weekend trips out-of-town…naku i knw this bec i hav a classmate who is in one of the sector industry handled by kayabang…
heroes are those who brave the unknown, that even if their chest are pounding and knees melting due to the sight of cannons and truncheons, they will still go whther they are bayaran or not..sino ba namang gago ang susugod sa kanyon at batuta kahit na may 300p kang baon, what about the affect of having contusions and being hospitakized and traumatized, lest even be killed 🙁 …this is the scenario here my fellow kababayans..the poor bayarans frm the slums go home in jeeps and walking while the govt bayarans go home in aircon buses…
am honored Anna..sad to say i cant blog regularly nowadays..mommi-duties first w/3kids+1 my hands are full…
sorri for the wrong spellings above:
-affect whould be ‘effect’
-hospitalized
ty soleil for your insight.ijust wonder about the middle class.are they dwindling or increasing?i suppose they are politicised enough but are they reacting to gma?
truth is norpil…the middle-class are playing it safe..go with the tide..cz they knw nthings gonna happen naman kc hawak ni pandak bruha lahat..unless there will be an iron fist who will dare to stand on top of the luneta stadium and call for a coup d’etat or something that will pull the people’s hearts and make thm feel ‘oh this is the real thing na to kick the pandak out! lets all go, patay kung patay!!!” then maybe we will all have the courage to do so..i for one honestly could go as far as wearing a t-shirt and yet be risk being picked-up to be questioned. maybe diretso crame pa ako and will interogate me asking who funded my tshirt – subversives, NPAs, Jo-Ma, JI…i ownder if i reply joke-joke bolate or bin laden? am sure they will have a rumble getting hold of me when i say bin laden cz he has a ransom over his head!!!..u will see the greediness in people norpil…
jst an exmple, in a diner we had w/frends last week, i voiced out my hatred for pandak bruha and my frend ask why..i said she is abusive and she really cheated! the sad and stupid thing that people keep fooling themselves is this question “but who is the best to replace her?”..helooo, the best? she was never the best!..only bec she flaunts she’s an economist daw!!! so what!!! i told my frend, that is nt the question who is the best to replace her cz the opposition is like a plate of spaghetti, we need to take a risk for other people we think are credible. in chinese there is a saying…”chi bak kweh”(couldnt remmber the whole sentence)..we just “close one eye” in order that somethings might turn out for the better once in awhile…this is true rather than making just-tiis with fake everything…some may call it “choosing between the lesser of both evils” ummm…is this sentence correct? 🙂
Soleil,
Sana sinabi mo sa friend mo that you yourself could do a much more humane and absolutely more honest job than the dwarf in Malacanang!
ty soleil..thing is most people are siguristas just like what i read from anna’s entry somewhere that the afp officers are siguristas.another problem with pinos is this nonchalant(?) attitude not to care if they are not directly involved.we have not learned that if your neighbor is jobless today, tommorrow it may be you.like the guy who tried to sell an aptmt in soma last xmas, he said he was earning a couple of millions a year just by working hard and he could not understand the others who are picketing somewhere.