Update from the Inquirer:Dead soldiers mutilated
This statement by Dolorfino raises the question on the government’s policy towards the MILF:
Philippine Star:
Dolorfino later told a briefing in Zamboanga City that the government suffered 23 killed and 22 others wounded.
He added the Abu Sayyaf were aided by gunmen belonging to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
He said 10 of the rebels killed during the firefight have been identified as MILF guerrillas.
Update on Dr. Ramon P. Santos, National Artist Nominee
Extremely delicate 11-hour surgery of Dr. Ramon P. Santos is over. He is still in the recovery room in the Philippine Heart Center. His family members appeal for your prayers. Supporters are seeking more volunteers to donate Type O blood. Donations to help cover the cost of hospitalization, operation and medicines will be truly appreciated. Money may be sent through his daughter Waya (contact 09178438432). Or perhaps through the Office of Chair Emily Abrera, Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Members of the artists community who denounce Gloria Arroyo’s denigration of the National Artist Awards dub what she did as “Dagdag-Bawas” in reference to her rigging of the 2004 elections with the help of then Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
The name that she removed from the original list of four was that of Ramon Santos, described by fellow artists as “excellent musician and mentor of musicians.”
Santos, 68, underwent surgery yesterday at the Philippine Heart Center for aneurysm.
Family friend Anna Leah Sarabia said Santos experienced severe headache the other day and the CT scan revealed something very serious. Her daughter’s text message to friends said, “I just talked to the doctor. May intramural hematoma si Dad. Mas rare daw yun sa aneurysm. Namumuo ang blood sa ‘wall’ ng ugat o heart.
By Albert Del Rosario
Philippine Daily Inquirer
At the bishops-businessmen’s conference a few weeks ago, the possibilities of a declaration of emergency rule or an imposition of martial law were among the topics discussed.
In that regard, I am prepared to sadly confirm that our incumbent national leadership would indeed be capable of placing our democracy at great risk in pursuit of its survival.
The past week, our nation found itself deeply mourning the immeasurable loss of our beloved former President Corazon Aquino, who was responsible not only for ousting a dictator but also for restoring our democratic institutions.
Got a text from Anna Leah Sarabia that Ramon Santos, the National Artist for music nominee who was dropped by Gloria Arroyo, is at the intensive care unit of the Phillippine Heart Center.
He suffered severe headache last night so he went to the doctor. Initial findings point to aneurysm. He is scheduled for surgery tomorrow.
Anna forwarded this text from Waya, daughter of Santos: “I just talked to the doctor. may intramural hematoma si Dad. mas rare daw yun sa aneurysm. Namumuo ang blood sa ‘wall’ ng ugat o heart. As of now, hoping he may not need an operation but they are preparing for noon surgery tomorrow.”
Malaki ang epekto sa pulitika ng pagkamatay ni Pangulong Cory Aquino at sa nakita nating pagpupugay sa kanya ng bansang Pilipino.
Tumaas ang paningin ng taumbayan sa pamilyang Aquino at ngayon ay pinag-uusapan na baka tatakbo si Nonoy Aquino bilang bise-presidente o presidente.
Malaki naman ang dagok sa administrasyong Arroyo. Nagmu-mukhang palubog na ang barko na kanyang pinagyayabang noong kanyang state of the nation address tuloy-tuloy ang biyahe.
by Andre Marshall/Bangkok
TIME
Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi will spend another 18 months as a prisoner of Burma’s military junta, a Rangoon court decreed today. She was found guilty of violating the terms of her house arrest after an American man called John Yettaw swam to her lakeside house in Rangoon in May. Yettaw, who has been in poor health, was sentenced to seven years in prison with hard labor.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was initially jailed for three years with hard labor until a special order from junta chief General Than Shwe was read out in court commuting her sentence to 18 months under house arrest. The verdict has prompted further global outrage and renewed calls for stronger action against the dictatorship. Suu Kyi has already spent more than 13 of the past 20 years in jail or detention.
Juana Change as Cecile Alvarez:
Carlo Caparas and Cecile Alvarez just don’t get it.
There is a process in the nomination for the National Artist Award. A series of eliminations is conducted until the best of the best are chosen for the prestigious award given every three years.
(I can’t help but find some similarities described by Wolfowitz here to the current situation like “there’s no real alternative” and the “opposition weak and expected the US government to do their work for them.”)
By Paul Wolfowitz
The Asian Wall Street Journal
Corazon Aquino, who died of cancer Saturday at the age of 76, will be remembered as the surprisingly tough “housewife” who forced a dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, to leave office after his attempt to steal an election. But she also deserves to be remembered as the leader of the first “People Power” revolution. Her success strengthened U.S. confidence in what was then a new policy of promoting peaceful democratic change, a policy that remains relevant today.
Marcos ruled the Philippines for 21 years, nine of them under martial law. Initially hailed as a reformer, his regime became progressively more tyrannical, corrupt and incompetent, particularly as his health deteriorated and he became dependent on his wife and on the cronies he promoted solely based on loyalty.
Some U.S. officials in the mid-1980s defended Marcos on the grounds that “there’s no real alternative” (though not, as often claimed, because “at least he’s our son of a bitch”). Embassy officials said that the Philippine opposition was weak and expected the U.S. government to do their work for them. But that ignored the fact that continued U.S. support for Marcos was itself discouraging opposition.
Pasalamat pa pala tayo dahil simple lang ang hapunan ni Gloria Arroyo at ang kanyang “wine imbibing” o mahihilig sa alak na kasamahan.
Kung naiisip pala nila na magkaroon ng medyo bongga na hapunan, para ipagdiwang ang pang 41st na anibersayo ng kasal nina Gloria at Mike Arroyo, baka ilang miyong dolya ang inabot ng bill.
Habang nagpapaliwanag si Press Secretary Cerge Remonde tungkol sa kanilang halos isang milyong piso na hapunan sa New York, lalong lumalabas ang kanilang despalinghadong pag-iisip.
