Junk EO 839, Please!
BY DUCKY PAREDES
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DAHLI ASPILLERA
‘On the Samahang Magdalo; political slugging here and in the US; how livable the Philippines is, as ranked by the UN.’
THIS is the continuation of my last week’s column on the Magdalo’s endorsement of Senator Chiz Escudero as president: Navy Lt. (s.g.) Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV (born ‘71) is currently a detained for leading 321 Magdalo soldiers in protest for rampant corruption in government and the Armed Forces.
On November 29, 2007, he abandoned his own trial and triggered a standoff at the Peninsula Manila hotel in Makati City , where he called for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s ouster.
While in detention, Trillianes was elected senator as guest candidate for the anti-government Genuine Opposition ticket. He campaigned, though in jail, through an internet based social network, Friendster. On June 15, 2007, Trillanes was eventually proclaimed Senator-elect by the Commission on Elections.
Judge Oscar Pimentel denied Trillanes’ plea to be granted leave from detention to attend Senate sessions, and to set up an office where he had been detained, on the ground that his incarceration would not be a bar to fulfilling his duties as a senator.
On October 10, 2007, Antonio Trillanes IV filed a petition with the Supreme Court of the Philippines, asking for permission to attend Senate sessions; also petitioned the court to allow him to receive visitors in his jail at Fort Bonifacio.
On November 29, 07, after walking out of his court hearing, he and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim led their supporters to the Peninsula Hotel where they staged their protest against the government, calling on the public to join them. Six hours later, after military teams surrounded the hotel and armored personnel carriers broke through the hotel’s front doors, Trillanes and his companions surrendered.
More soldiers belonging to the mutiny-linked Magdalo group have announced their intentions of joining the 2010 elections, claiming to bring "genuine reform" in the government. Former Air Force Lt. Francisco Ashley Acedillo, Lt. (s.g.) James Layug, and Captain Dante Langkit said they would run for congressional seats in Cebu City, Taguig City, and Kalinga, respectively. Captain Gary Alejano is set to run for mayor in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.
"Our decision to join mainstream politics is fueled by Magdalo’s principled pursuit of effecting genuine reforms in government. We assure the Filipino people that we will continue to stand for their rights and welfare, and fight for what they truly deserve," Acedillo said in a statement.
The Samahang Magdalo has some 19,000 members in 227 chapters nationwide.
"Even in detention, Senator Trillanes continues to serve the people as a senator. In fact, even with his marginalization by the Arroyo administration, he remains to be one of the most active members of the Senate when it comes to legislative activity," Acedillo said.
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Email A: An article by journalist Scott Allford saying great things about the Philippines. He has lived and worked in Australia, South Korea, has traveled extensively throughout Asia--Mongolia, China, Tibet, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia and Japan. He fell in love with the Philippines and decided to allocate at least two years to comprehensively cover the country.
Email B: A United Nations survey listing desirable countries to live in--the Philippines at a very low rating at No. 105--after Armenia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Georgia, Dominican Republic, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, China, Belize, Samoa, Maldives, Jordan, Suriname, Tunisia, Tonga, Jamaica, Paraguay, Sri Lanka, Gabon, Algeria. Even after Suriname. I lived there. I wouldn’t want to go back there!
"I have trouble listening to what [Republican Dick] Cheney says sometimes because of the blood that drips from his teeth while he is talking." – Congressman Alan Grayson. This comment was triggered by Cheney’s criticism of President Obama’s handling of Afghanistan. Grayson likens the former VP to a vampire. Dick Cheney has accused President Obama of dithering over Afghanistan.
Someone quoted a Newsweek columnist as saying, what, they want the US president were to quickly invade a country on the basis of half-baked intelligence [Saddam’s Weapons of Mass Destruction?] Would such swift decisions impress Cheney of Obama’s courage and decisiveness? The Newsweek columnist adds that it is not a bad idea for Obama to take his time, examine all the options, and watch how the post election landscape in Afghanistan evolves. Movement of US forces into Afghanistan: January’08, 27,000; mid-’08, 48,000 in Bush’s "quiet surge" increase; Obama added 17,000.
At the Manila Overseas Press Club "Presidentiables Series" with Manny Villar last Thursday at the Intercontinental Hotel: I heard this presidentiable mention one concern of his that hit close to my heart: "Employees not paid properly." I checked at the Villars’ mall, the Metropolis. Employees are definitely not paid properly…"Menos pa po sa kalahati ng minimum wage."
Manny Villar dealt at length on what all he is and had been--impoverished, diligent student, self-supporting, maka-masa, industrious entrepreneur, successful businessman, efficient manager, multi-millionaire–he mentioned many more assets, traits of his.
"What I am not is: I’m not my mother, I’m not my father." Touche, Manny Villar!
At the Aquino museleum, comes the repartee: "If [Villar] is all that, how come he can’t manage to get a running mate?" Touche, Noynoy Aquino!