Ms. Gloria Arroyo’s secret side trip to Colombia turned private after it became public.

In other words, "na-buking"!

Another secret side trip was to Dubai (again?!) on her way home.

What is it about Dubai that she had to go there again and again? Is it because Dubai stands for many things like "Did U Buy Assets and Invest" (DUBAI) in that tiny but rich emirate?

If and when the Senate does conduct a probe of Arroyo’s junkets, she should be made to reimburse the government the expenses she incurred in those private portions of her trips.

Aside from Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo and presidential assistant on foreign visits (or something) Marciano Paynor Jr. who is concurrently consul general in San Francisco (with the number of trips that Arroyo has taken in the last two years alone, one wonders how much time Paynor has been able to spend attending to his duties in San Francisco), the Senate should also invite the press secretary, the presidential spokesperson, the head of the government TV station and the commander of the Presidential Security Group. They should all be able to help shed light on the expenses incurred in Arroyo’s junkets. Of course, the Senate should also invite the Budget Secretary and the Commission on Audit chairman.

I dreamt the following exchanges between two congressmen who were members of Arroyo’s entourage to Japan and Brazil:

Cong. 1: Sarap ng sushi dun sa hotel resto, ‘no?

Cong. 2: Oo, pero ang mahal. Sabagay, pinirmahan ko lang.

Cong. 1: Pa-Brazil na tayo bukas. Gusto ko nang makatikim ng churrasco. Masarap daw.

Cong. 2: Ako rin.

(Later)

Cong. 1: Pa-landing na tayo. Parang kay bilis.

Cong. 2: Oo nga. Teka, kilala ko yata yung arkong iyon… Pare, nasa Los Angeles tayo. Bakit kaya? Siguro refueling ng eroplano.

Cong. 1: Pero, d ba sabi de-hins na pwedeng pumunta dito sa Ta-te si…

Cong. 2: Pare, tumahimik ka na lang.

(Later)

Cong. 1: Ilang oras kaya mula dito hanggang Brazil?

Cong. 2: Naku, mahabang biyahe ‘yun.

(Later)

Cong. 1: Aba, pababa na tayo. Akala ko ba sabi mo mahabang biyahe.

Cong. 2: Oo nga, nagtataka rin ako eh. Parang mga anim na oras lang ang inilipad natin.

(Later at the airport terminal)

Cong. 2: Naku, wala pa pala tayo sa Brazil. Tingnan mo ang mga signs, kastila. Alam ko, Portuguese ang salita sa Brazil.

Cong. 1: Ayun, pare, Cartagena ang nakasulat sa dingding. Cartagena, hindi ba sa Panama ‘yun? O Barbados?

Cong. 2: Pare naman, Colombia.

Cong. 1: Bakit kaya dito tayo bumaba?

Cong. 2: Aba, anong malay ko. Basta, pare, sakay na lang tayo ng sakay. Libre naman lahat.

(Later)

Cong. 1: Ayan, pare, Brazil na. Nakita ko Recife.

Cong 2: Alright! Sige pare. Mamaya ha. Hanap tayo ng makakainan ng churrasco. Masarap daw talaga ‘yun.

(Four days later)

Cong. 1: Pare, mabuti na lang pa-balik na tayo ng Pinas. Sawang-sawa na ako sa kakakain ng churrasco.

Cong. 2: Ako rin. Medyo nai-inip na ako. Mahirap din pala itong puro pasyal lang.

(Later)

Cong. 1: Pare, San Francisco ‘to ah. Refueling siguro.

Cong. 2: Siguro, at malamang bababa na si Paynor. Consul General dito ‘yun eh. From here, siguro diretso na tayo sa Manila.

(Later)

Cong. 1: Pare ko, nasa Dubai tayo! Tingnan mo ‘yung matataas na building. ‘Yun, di ba ‘yun ‘yung Burj Dubai, tallest building in the world! Ayun, Burj Arab Hotel. Pare, the Palm! Meron daw dyan si….

Cong. 2: Ha?! Oo nga. Pare, huwag kang magkakamaling magtanong kahit kanino kung bakit dito tayo napunta. Mag-shopping na lang tayo ng gold jewelry. Mura ang ginto dito.

(Later)

Cong. 1: Palagay ko naman, talagang diretso na tayo ngayon sa Manila.

Cong. 2: Saan pa?

(Later)

Cong. 1: Oops, pare. Nasa Hong Kong tayo.

Cong. 2: Ha, talaga?! Pare, para tayong nag-circumnavigate the world ah! Like I said, pare, di bale na, libre naman lahat. Masarap pala talagang makasama sa mga trips ni M’am.

(Later)

Cong. 1: Ah pare, wala nang duda. Nasa Manila na tayo. Kilala ko ang mga squatter areas na ‘yan, pa-approach sa airport.

Cong. 2: Baka hindi na tayo magkita sa terminal, see you na lang ….

Cong. 1: Ok…

OK talaga sila!

To depict a possible congressional contest next year between Ms. Arroyo and university professor Randy David in Pampanga as a fight between David (Randy) and Goliath (Goliar) may not exactly be off the mark, but only in terms of political machinery and financial resources. Otherwise, it is not an apt analogy because Goliath was supposed to have been a giant while David was puny.

Malacañang later said Goliath (Goliar) will win such a contest. I wouldn’t be too sure. What happened in Pampanga two years ago is too fresh to be forgotten. The Pampanguenos chose Eddie "Among Ed" Panlilio as their governor over an incumbent and the wife of an alleged jueteng lord, both of whom are close to Arroyo.

Supporting Brazil’s bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in exchange for her support of the Philippine bid for a three-year term in the Economic and Social Council is not exactly a good deal.

A seat in the Security Council, permanent at that, is like being a member of the governing body of the UN, whereas a seat in the ECOSOC is just like being a member of a powerless, debating forum.

Be that as it may, I hope Arroyo made it clear to the Brazilians that they should keep their end of the bargain even if changes in the membership of the Security Council do not come to pass. As I said in an earlier column, it is not likely that Council membership will change in the foreseeable future.

The current five permanent members of the Council, namely, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States will never allow their dominance, through their veto power, of the most powerful body in the UN to be diluted or diminished in any form. (Their unanimous approval is required for any UN Charter change, particularly in the Security Council membership.)

The most they can probably agree to, if at all, would be the addition of three more permanent members (Japan, India, and Brazil) but without veto power, and six more non-permanent ones with two-year terms each, for a total of 24. But even this number will be difficult to attain given the sharp difference of views among the members regarding the distribution of the additional seats.

For instance, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Germany, and Argentina all believe they have a right to be permanent members of the Council as well.

It is, to say the least, a merry mess of a problem without a solution in sight.

There are 365 days or exactly one year before the end on 30 June 2010 of Ms. Gloria Arroyo’s stolen presidency, courtesy of "Garci" et. al.

Today is the 63rd day of the third year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

Jonas’ mother, Edita, bewailed the fact that those military officers who were tagged as suspects in Jonas’ disappearance have been promoted. Tragic.