Tragic Ateneo accident

Doy Cinco / Feb 27, 2009

Kung driver ng truck ng basura, Bus, Jeep o ng isang taxi ang nakasagasa kay Amiel Alcantara, grade four student at batang “HANGIN” ng Ateneo Grade School, sigurado akong kasusuklaman at ikukundina ito ng mundo.  Subalit kung ang trahedya ay nangyari sa “iligal na pedestrial lane” sa harap ng Commonwealth Market at may karatulang nakabalagbag na “bawal tumawid, nakakamatay” ng MMDA, baka naiba ang sitwasyon.

Sa BATAS ng tao, walang dudang mabibilanggo ang driver sa kasong reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, serious physical injuries at damage to property. Sa mata ng mga Pilipino, lalo ng mga magulang ng mga nakaraririwasa (exclusive school)  at pangkaraniwan, ano mang klaseng pangangatwiran sa driver, isa lang ang posibleng maging tugon o husga, “magdusa ka’t pagbayaran ang kasalanan.”

Sa batas ng estado o mga grupong non-state “liberation forces,” iisa lang ang cardinal rule; “buhay ang nasawi, buhay rin ang kapalit.” Ganito kalupit ang tao at ang mundo; mula sa “electric chair-lethal injection o habang buhay ng kalaboso ng isang demokratiko kunong bansa, SALVAGING – shoot out sa Pilipinas, FIRING squad ng estadong diktadurya, binabato hanggang mamatay – bitay, pugut ulo ng Taliban o muslim fundamentalist sa mga Arabong bansa.”

Nagpang-abot kami ng ilang panahon ni Jose “Pepe” Alcantara sa kilusan, isang aktibista at kilalang lider estudyante ng anti-diktaduryang pakikibaka nuong late 70s hanggang early 80s. Matatag, prinsipyado, malumanay at mapagpakumbaba ang aking pagkakakilala kay Pepe. Ayon sa kanya, sa nangyaring trahedya, mukhang “hindi pa sila handa sa pagpapatawad.” Sa takbo ng mga pangyayari, hindi ko lang alam kung kaya at paano niya ito maiigpawan.

‘Wala akong magawa, aksidente at hindi ko kagustuhan yun.” Ito ang mariing sinabi ng salaring driver na si Ma. Theresa Torres, nakalagak pansamantala sa Camp Karingal at malamang nakalabas na sa piyansang P42,000.00. Walang dudang aksidente at kapani-paniwala ng mahigit isang libong beses na “wala itong intensyong managasa’t pumatay ng tao, lalo na sa isang batang mag-aaral.”

Isang single mother, may apat na maliliit na pinapaaral sa nasabing unibersidad, walang masamang record at isang middle class na interior designer lamang si Gng Torres. Ayon sa ilang inpormasyon, kayod kalabaw sa pag-aaruga’t pagpapa-aral, bahay-opisina at paaralan ang rutina at simpleng buhay lamang ang inang si Mrs Torres. Sa ganyang konteksto, maaaring ikunsidera, kaawaan at magmalasakit ang mga Femenista o mga grupong Kababaihan. Sapagkat, sintido kumon lamang, bukud samagiging kahabag-habag na kalagayan sa piitan, “hindi na nating makakayanan pang dagdagan ng apat pang bata, maliban kay Miel Alcantara ang pagdurusa at ang maging biktima ng mabangis na lipunan."

Hindi ko kabisado ang mapa ng Ateneo Grade School campus sa Ateneo, subalit, sa naganap na trahedya, "maaring may salik o pagkukulang ang disenyo at lokasyon ng paaralan. Halimbawa lang, saan dapat kinukwadra, pinu pwesto ang mga sasakyang magsusundo at maghahatid sa mga mag-aaral. Hindi ba dapat hiwalay na bahagi ito, ilagay sa malayo at hindi nagpapang-abot sa lugar na ginagalawan ng mga bata? Meaning, ang perimeter ng grade school area, lalo na ang outdoor sport area ay nakahiwalay sa daloy ng trapiko. Ang suma, child friendly ba o protektado ba, safety ba ang environment ng Ateneo Campus sa mga mag-aaral lalo na ang Grade School campus area?"

Parang walang kamuang-muang damay o nacollateral damage ang apat na bata. Sapagkat kung mapaparusahan si Gng Torres, bayad milyon piso at mabubulok sa bilangguan, ano ang kahihinatnan ng kanyang apat na anak, mahihinto at ililipat sa public school, maaring mapariwara, maging palaboy at arugain ng kanyang kamag-anak o sino mang nagmamalasakit na kaibigan?

Ganyan kalupit ang batas, walang cultural at humanist aspects, waratan ng buhay at kinabukasang buhay. Kung baga, ang batas ay batas, malupit, walang puso, hindi makatao, nabubutasan at naaabuso.

Election Fever Builds Up

Norman Patino / 2/16/09

In early February, GMA went on an unscheduled trip to Washington after an official trip in Switzerland. In both occasions, she failed to have an audience with US President-elect Barack Obama. Neither did she get a handshake with Obama, which a major photo-ops in the Philippine media. It seems that while GMA is desperately seeking Obama for her to get the legitimacy booze, the new American president doesn’t want his popularity tainted with GMA whose government is in the midst of another corruption scandal of a World Bank funded public works project and allegedly involving her husband.(Photo above: Sec Clinton and PGMA. http://jackmyers.daylife.com/photo/07xver6e0234r?q=Hillary+Rodham+Clinton)

Perhaps more important for the Obama’s “catch me if you can” gesture is send GMA the signals “to really clean up…” Various players, including the Pentagon, are working for a credible elections in 2010. GMA has the capacity and urge to cheat massively in the elections. These forces would not allow a repeat of the Hello Garci wholesale cheating that would put the country into another six-year political turmoil. Despite what the surveys and warnings say against the Arroyo administration, corruption continues unabated and invading even international finance projects such as that of the World Bank. Massive high-level corruption and the unrelenting push for charter change manifest the disposition of the administration to thwart the elections or manipulate its results. Manipulating the results of the election is more probable because pushing for charter change is highly-probable a dead-end for GMA.

Thus, breaking the cheating machinations of GMA, her husband and political operators is an urgent agenda. Some forces are even exploring the possibility of a replacement President de Castro before the elections. It is far-fetched possibility that GMA leaves the Office of the President voluntarily, unless a very strong legal-political-military environment forces her out. Through what? Too big a question that requires many improbable answers. But no one can say what is coming in a country with a very fluid situation – politically, economically and socially.(Right Photo; www.sahi.com.ph/images/comelec.jpg)

Fortunately for GMA, key political figures are already busy preparing for their 2010 campaigns.

Talks circulate that Chiz may run for the 2010 presidential elections in lieu of a possible GMA-Danding Cojuangco pact. The Nationalist People’s Coalition of Danding Cojuangco has maintained its “tilting-the-balance” strength as one of the political parties that form the triumvirate of a ruling coalition. GMA and Danding have common political and economic stakes in the post-2010 regime. This early, Chiz is building his image in the Obama mold – change and youth. Chiz is the most politically close protégée of Danding but will his popularity overcome the kiss of death once his campaign is identified with GMA? Chiz declared that he may decide to take the presidential challenge when he reaches 40 years old in December, the minimum age qualified by the Constitution for a presidential or vice-presidential candidate.

In early February, Jo Hansen, one of the key strategist of the US Democratic Party, was in Manila to share insights of the Obama presidential campaign. The Manila public fora of Hansen was organized by organizations identified with the Liberal Party of the Philippines. The LP had already declared that Sen. Mar Roxas is the party standard bearer come 2010. Is Roxas starting to gather support from the Democratic Party of the US? Roxas is building his campaign around Reform. Roxas is actively projecting himself as Mr. Botica besides being Mr. Palengke. Roxas’ Mr. Palengke label catapulted him to the top post in the 2004 senatorial elections.

Senator Loren Legarda, another presidential aspirant, maintains her morning presence in the popular radio station DZRH and close-second position in poll surveys. Legarda is anchoring on her popularity over Chiz to be the NPC standard bearer. Legarda has the advantage of giving it all-out for her presidential aspiration because she has the advantage of easily sliding to the vice-presidency to anybody. Senator Manny Villar, the most serious and untiring in building his campaign, has consistently and aggressively making his presence felt in the television and tarpaulins as savior of aggrieved overseas workers and the only one who hails and understand the plight of the poor. Villar spends more time going around the country than attending the Senate session. Villar has the most resources and political base but he also has the most attacks to confront with once the election fever reaches boiling point.

Poll survey front-runner Vice President Noli de Castro continues to keep his cards in the chest. But while hiding his aces, he is said running around opening his options to anybody including running for re-election again to anyone that could offer him victory and P2B. He seemed to have learned more than what Erap did in 1992 who started as presidential aspirant and later acceded to becoming Danding Cojuangco’s vice presidential bet with a P400-million goodwill. De Castro’s popularity is not enough to compensate his lack of resources and political machine to mount a presidential campaign. Both de Castro and Legarda were at par in popularity when they slugged against each other in the 2004 vice-presidential race but GMAs resources and machine won for de Castro.

As in many games of expectation, next year’s election will push through even if there are, if any, attempts at constitutional tweaking through charter change or transition government. Only question is, while election fever heats up, will there be a political environment for a credible elections? There are other factors that may effect in the nature of Philippine elections, dependent on how they unfold. Like the brewing effect to the domestic economy of the global economic meltdown; the full automation of the elections; the conjunctural change of voter behavior that were seen in the 2007 elections and the evolving partisan position of the key centers of legitimacy such as the church and religious groups, the big business, the media and the military.

WB report, kayang lusutan ng Palasyo

Doy Cinco / Feb 10, 2009

Kung ang United Nation Human Right (UN) report ni Philip Alston at London based Amnesty International (AI) patungkol sa talamak na extra-judicial killings at human right violation ng Administrasyong Arroyo ay nakaligtas at naigpawan ng palasyo, ang World Bank pa? Hindi hamak na subuk na sa husay ang spin doc ng pangulo. Na-master na ng palasyo ang teknolohiya ng psy war, napruwebahan ito at ang track record ng Malakanayang pagdating sa palusutan, maniubrahan, brasuhan at political survival ang makapagsasabi.

Maliban sa WB report, hindi lingid ang iskandalong naiugnay sa Unang Ginoo tanging Esposong si Mike Arroyo (FG) sa ZTE broadband"back off," hello Garci dagdag-bawas, weteng payola, fertilizer scam at Jose Pidal controversy. Idagdag pa ang kaliwa't-kanang inbestigasyong isinagawa ng iba’t-ibang kilalang International watch dog na experto sa larangan ng katiwalian at pangungurakot, ang Europe based TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL at Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN).

Nalusutan ng palasyo ang lahat ng ito at ang katawa-tawa, ang sinisi at ang pinalabas na may kasalanan pa ay ang mga Institution ng Mundong nabanggit. Pinalabas pang sinungaling, destabilizer at naakusahan pang kasabwat at kagawan lamang ito ng political opposition? Sa bandang huli, lumabas na kontrabida ang mga International watchdog at bayani at inosente ang pamilyang Arroyo.

Pagtatawanan lamang ng Malakanyang ang inaasahang Senate hearing patungkol sa WB Report lalo na't hahawakan ito ni Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chairperson of the Senate economics committee. Una; malaking hinala ng marami na hindi sisiputin ni FG ang hearing ni Sen Miriam Defensor. Kung si FG na't asawa ni President Arroyo ang nakasangkalan, aasahang magmimistulang KUTING at hindi TIGRE ang postura ni Sen Miriam Defensor. Kung PADRINO, kung pader na ang babanggain, tiyak na mag-iiba, lalambot ang trato kung ikukumpara sa ibang isinalang na pipitsuging personalidad sa Senado.

Pangalawa; simpleng estratehiya't taktika ang gagamitin. Palalabasing may malubhang karandaman, hindi pa humuhupa ang chronic fatigue syndrome, ang bypassed operation sa puso na maaring maka-apekto't lumala kung sakaling maisasalang sa hearing. Sa simpleng technicalities, "medical certificate," walang dudang MAE-EXCUSED ang Unang Ginoo at Tanging Esposo (FG). Iimbis na kaladkarin sa Senado, lalabas na ang komite pa ni Miriam ang magsusumamo, ang makiki-usap, ang makikisuyo at pupunta’t luluhud sa Unang Ginoo.

Kung hindi makakasipot, malamang na kuhanan na lamang ng testimonya o deposition si FG, idedelay ang isyu at hearing hanggang sa matabunan ang balita sa headline, unti-unting mabura sa isip ng tao at lumamig ng tuluyan ang isyu. Ang masakit pa rito, "baka upakan pa ni Sen Miriam Defensor ang WB o ang institution ng Senado sa walang humpay na kaiimbistiga nito at wala namang nangyayari't naipapakulong.”

Sa'di mabilang na kaso't inbestigsyon, hindi mahirap paniwalaang mauuwi lamang sa wala, sa cashunduan ang paparating na inbestigasyon ng Komite ni Sen Miriam sa Senado. Kaya lang, kung paulit-ulit na lamang at walang napaparusahan, sino man ang maggugubyerno sa 2010 and beyond, tiyak na magiging inutil at mahina. At dahil sa may kabigatan at sensetibo ang usapin, sari-saring haka-haka at espekulasyon ang lumalabas.
Kung mamarapatin, isang “impartial at independent panel of Prosecutor” ang dapat na itayo ng Senado't gubyerno. Isang option at mahirap tanggapin ng palasyo, ang "maagang pagresign ni GMA at pagkakaroon ng constitutional succession."

Related Story:
GMA House allies blame WB for bid rigging mess
By Jess Diaz and Delon Porcalla
MANILA, Philippines - Administration lawmakers have turned the tables on the World Bank and other international lenders, saying their rejection of a cap on the cost of foreign-assisted projects has spawned corruption.
One of those who hit back at the World Bank (WB) was former congressman Prospero Pichay, who described the institution’s report on anomalies in road projects as an affront to the country’s sovereignty. (Photo: Ex Cong Pichay at Rep Datumanong, mga "hardcore" na alyado ng Malakanyang)
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=439261&publicationSubCategoryId=63

HOPELESS SCENARIO

Doy Cinco / Feb 5, 2009

Sa isang pagtitipon ng Lakas at KAMPI sa Clark, Pampanga, matapos tanggaping "wala ng kapagka-pag-asang magmaterialized ang cha cha-con as, ang administrasyon Arroyo ay nanawagang magsanib pwersa ang KAMPI at LAKAS at paghandaan ang 2010 election." Matapos ang ilang araw, tiniguk nito ang isang panukalang magbabasura sa cha cha at para makakabig ng alyado sa Senado, biglang inilutang ang sariling bersyong Nograles economic provision.

Kahit pa sabihing idederetso ang cha cha provision sa Korte Suprema, meaning kakatigan nito ang sistemang bicameral, ang hiwalay na paghuhusga ng Kongreso at Senado, may approval ng ¾ sa House at ¾ sa Senado at hindi ang 3/4 totality ng magkasamang Senado’t Kongreso na inilalarawan ng constitutional assembly (Con As), kung kaya't pinapangunahan ng hindi ito magtatagumpay. Bukud sa unpopular ang cha cha sa mata ng mga Pilipino, nangingibabaw ang kawalan ng kredibilidad at pagtitiwala sa administrasyong Arroyo. Walang kaduda-dudang hindi ito lulusot sa Senado, may "bantang maghahalo ang balat sa tinalupan, muling mapopolarized ang lipunan at magkakagulo." Parang dalawa na lamang ang lumalabas na option; ang magplano at magpanalo ng manok sa 2010 o iumang lang at ipagpilitan hanggang huling sandali ang cha-cha.

Walang sapat na bilang na ‘warm bodies’ ang Lakas at KAMPI na isustini’t ipanalo ang cha cha. Kahit nagpanibagong packaging at iumang ang resolution ni Nograles na economic provision, nagbibigay lupa (60/40), kaluwagan na pag-aari ng dayuhan, walang kumakagat, walang naniniwala. Ang kutub ng marami, "kapag nabuksan ang pintuan, awtomatikong bubulwak ito at hindi mahirap paniwalaang hahantong din ito sa pulitika; term extension at postponement ng 2010 election." (Larawan; Speaker Nogie Nograles-Lakas at Rep Villafuerte-KAMPI)

Una; power play at bilyung pisong kickback, pork barrel at proyekto ang dahilan ng lumalalim na gusot ng KAMPI at Lakas. Parang ang ulo ni Nograles ang nakasangkalan sa cha cha at naka-abang na bilang kapalit si Cong Villafuerte. Maaring bahagi sa estratehiya ang framing na “psy war, may layuning mabulabog lamang ang mainit na iskandalong bumabalot sa admnistrasyong Arroyo,” ang kaliwa’t kanang inbestigasyon pangungurakot sa Senado, ang exposay ng World Bank (WB) na inuugnay sa Unang Ginoo at tanging esposong si Mike Arroyo.

Pangalawa, sa konteksto ng walang winnable at popular na kandidato ang administrasyong Arroyo sa 2010, ang pag-umang ng cha cha ay magbibigay buhay sa nalalapit na kamatayan ng partidong Lakas-KAMPI at NPC, ang ruling party at galamay ng Malakanyang sa nalalapit na 2010. Sa patuloy na paggigiit ng cha cha, maiibsan ang senaryong “lame duck president, mapipigilan ang malawakang exodus,  break-up (Lakas, KAMPI at NPC), re-allignment of forces at kung saka-sakali, may maluwag na maniubrahang pulitikal sa 2010 election na alam ng marami ay hindi na mapipigilan.”

Sa kabuuan, ang lahat ng pagsisikap ng Malakanyang ay may direksyong "durugin, i-marginalized ang political opposition at mahadlangan at all cost ang posibleng landslide victory sa 2010 election." Sa kabilang banda, palakasin, imintina ang mga kriminal, mga dambuhalang pulitiko, elitista't oligarkiyang pwersa, hindi matulad kay Thaksin ng Thailand at iwas pusoy sa seldang naghihintay sa mga Arroyo.