The Ampatuans’ Yellow ties DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 11/27/2009

The Ampatuans’ Yellow ties DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 11/27/2009 My source from the Yellow forces had this to say about the Ampatuans: After the 1986 “Yellow” coup d’ etat where a “revolutionary government” was imposed, thousands of local government officials were summarily dismissed and replaced with OICs (officers-in-charge). Through the sponsorship of Tingting Cojuangco (Peping’s wife), Zacarias Candao was appointed OIC of Maguindanao and went on to become ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) chief. It was under Candao that the Ampatuans were tapped to control the province to manipulate its elections. Thus began the rise of the Ampatuans. Dan Murphy of the Christian Science Monitor, who provides supporting research for his report last Nov. 24 entitled, “Philippines massacre: The story behind the accused Ampatuan clan,” says that “Many Filipinos are pointing to the massacre of 46 unarmed people (now 57) in the southern Philippines province of Maguindanao Monday as evidence of the deadly influence of a dynastic clan that has been nurtured by the central government for almost 20 years.” Yes, folks. That’s 20 years of the Yellows holding the reins of government — interrupted only by less than two and a half years of President Estrada. Liberal Party (LP) chief Frank Drilon’s attempt to cash in on the massacre, despite the Yellows’ long history with the Ampatuans, by saying that the aggrieved Mayor Mangudadatu is joining his party, smacks of malice, hypocrisy and opportunism. The Ampatuans and their warlordism have been part and parcel of the feudal-oligarchic system, which the Yellows have long fostered. So this isn’t something new as far as the Yellows are concerned. In fact, it is their trademark. There is no question that Edsa II only strengthened the power of the Ampatuans even more. In sweeping aside the Constitution and justifying the illegal removal of an elected president, thereby legitimizing the illegitimate, Gloria and the rest of the Yellows had to resort to force, deception, and fraud to supplant the Rule of Law. Hence, chaos ensued. The bloody May 1 end of the Edsa III march, where unnumbered Erap supporters were machine-gunned in Mendiola; the countless rallies dispersed with tear gas and truncheons; the hundreds of “extra-judicial” killings; the worsening corruption; the 2004 electoral fraud (which none of the Yellows nor the PPCRV exposed or denounced, until Estrada’s forces helped the late NBI Director Samuel Ong bring out the “Hello Garci” tapes); the declarations of a state of rebellion, emergency, ad nausea; and the barbaric ambushes, bombings, and beheadings in Mindanao are but reflections of the current lawless order. We must recall that in 2007, 14 Marines were ambushed and killed, with 10 beheaded in Basilan. The suspected perpetrator, administration Rep. Wahab Akbar, was then killed in a motorcycle bomb attack as he was stepping out of the House of Representatives five months later. Norberto Gonzales was acting defense secretary at that time. Now that another grizzly episode has taken place a few days after he was returned to that post, is it still mere coincidence, considering Gonzales’ perpetuity gameplan for himself and his principal? For sure, Basilan is a less important vote manipulating base than Maguindanao is because it has much fewer fraudulent votes to add to the regional total. But in all, ARMM politicians assumed heightened importance in the era of massive electoral fraud thanks to Edsa II and the Yellows. Undoubtedly, from 1986 to 2004 and 2007, until today, the Yellows have been allied with these feudal-warlord Muslim politicians for this very reason. While Drilon still tries to cash in on the deaths of the 57 to score points for his party, the significant recollection in many people’s minds is that of President Estrada’s success at pacifying and stabilizing Mindanao when he crushed the MILF and other rebel groups. Now could the Maguindanao massacre have happened under Estrada? Many believe that he would have been far more effective in containing any seething warlordism in Mindanao. Given his record of cracking down on crime and injustice in the entire country, he would have gone hammer and tongs after the culprits immediately after discovering Monday’s crime. And since several governments have traditionally cultivated these warlords as a counterfoil to the mercenary MILF and Abu Sayyaf, Erap’s crushing of these groups would have rendered those warlords more dispensable too. The truth is, the Ampatuans would sooner or later have forged an alliance with the Yellows again the way many of Gloria’s people have done. The LP, notwithstanding Philippine Star columnist Billy Esposo’s hypocritical protests against the Yellow dummy’s new recruits, is proving to be “Lakas Pala!“ anyway — a party of hypocrites and opportunists composed of: Drilon, Abad, the Hyatt 10 of Dinky Soliman, Purisima, et al.); NGO stalwarts Dan Songco (of the PeaceBonds infamy), etc.; plus incumbent Arroyo officials who have sworn allegiance to the LP while still serving Gloria, such as Romulo, Bello, and others. Yellow is not only the color of cowardice but also of opportunism — taken from the color of the balimbing no less. The Republic’s colors should thus fly high above this yellow jaundice to return this country to honor, dignity and democracy. (Tune in to 1098AM, Sulong Pilipinismo, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Global News Network, Destiny Cable Channel 21, Talk News TV, Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. on “An Analysis of the Maguindanao Massacre;” also visit http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com) (Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu-Laurel)

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Cite Gloria for genocide FRONTLINE Non-stop violence ZOOMING IN An extraordinary bookkeeper MR. EXPOSE Drugs in Maguindanao NO HOLDS BARRED The presidency, but not at all cost DIE HARD III The Ampatuans’ Yellow ties

Source:  The Daily Tribune


ALTERNATE URL: http://www.classicposters.com/commentary/20091127com6.html 

RP: Hungry, forlorn, blinded DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 11/23/2009

RP: Hungry, forlorn, blinded DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 11/23/2009 The Philippines was recently reported by Gallup International as the 5th among the hungriest nations in the world. All through the Yellow era (21 years of Edsa I and II), the Philippines has gotten this distinction alongside Cameroon, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Peru. Four in 10 Filipinos had little or no food on their tables in the past 12 months — the highest being in Metro Manila, with half-a-million families lacking food. Whenever I debate these issues with the Yellows in whatever forums, they just gloss over the facts and invariably go back to chant Cory Aquino’s “democracy,” ad nausea. They really don’t care that it was Aquino’s neo-colonial, neo-liberal political-economic policies that have precisely devastated the country. In the run-up to 2010, the Yellows are still at their old game. Villar is the surrogate of the Yellows’ Gloria Arroyo faction. Other than claiming not to be a coño, handing dole-outs to a few OFWs, and saying that Arroyo is not an issue, he has explained nothing more. Like him, the Yellow dummy of the “evil society” faction, perpetually hides his tongue behind a wide-eyed stare and inane grin. Both really offer no change from what the country has had under the present ruling cabal. And that’s because behind this cabal is the ruling elite — the oligarchs — who are limiting the public’s focus on the traditional NP-LP parties by limiting media coverage for the only candidate that presents real leadership and policies for sovereignty and economic democracy — President Joseph Estrada. By this time, Chiz Escudero would have already started shifting gears to become an independent vice presidential candidate, probably in the mold of Noli de Castro circa 2004. But Noli had the support of Gloria, Garci, plus ABS-CBN’s vast empire at that time. Furthermore, since Chiz has postured as an oppositionist all these years, his voting base will still stay opposition. His votes are predominantly from those who would go for Erap too plus a number of young voters who similarly abhor the Yellow dummy. Thus, with Chiz out of the way, most of his votes will simply return to Erap. The only major stumbling block to Erap’s drive toward winning back the presidency is the constant rumor-mongering about his potential disqualification. The latest obfuscation comes from Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, who is for Villar because he says the Yellow dummy lacks experience and Estrada will be disqualified. Although the second part is correct, he’s wrong on Estrada. As it is, where are the qualities of moral uprightness, as well as, the strict adherence to the principle of democracy and Rule of Law to be found in what he said? Is our democracy of, for and by those few who rule by corruption and force, using interpretations of law from those who violate the Constitution themselves, and going by a Supreme Court that has proven time and again to kowtow to the powers-that-be? Let us recall that quote from Dean de la Paz’s column a few months back, “Amid the discord, there is relief. Writing on constitutional limitations, Thomas McIntyre Cooley, the 25th Justice of the US Supreme Court wrote, ‘The Constitution does not derive its force from the convention which framed it, but from the people who ratified it. The intent to be arrived at is that of the people.’” Does Pimentel really have the true spirit of democracy in mind? Well, if he ever did, he would never have supported Edsa II, Arroyo, or voted for the power vultures’ Epira, tolerated the prevailing hunger over the land, and hoodwink people with false interpretations of law. Indeed, a more enlightened view comes from former Justice Secretary Artemio Tuquero, who concluded in his three-page analysis: “Simply put, perpetual ineligibility/disqualification for election as President applies to any person who serves as such by election or through succession for a period of more than four years. Service for such a period could provide ample opportunity for an incumbent President, who intends to remain in that office, to abuse his powers and/or misuse government resources to further that intention. “At any rate, if there be any doubt at all on the eligibility of Estrada to run for the top position in government in the 2010 elections, the same ought to be resolved by the people in their sovereign capacity. Indeed, a fundamental tenet of representative democracy is that the people should be allowed to choose those whom they please to govern them... In this regard, Chief Justice Puno aptly stated: The better policy approach is to let the people decide who will be the next President. For on political questions, this Court may err but the sovereign people will not. To be sure, the Constitution did not grant to the unelected members of this Court the right to elect in behalf of the people (Tecson v. Commission on Elections, 424 SCRA 401). “This pronouncement from no less than the highest official in the Judiciary gives flesh to the cardinal principle underlying a democracy: VOX POPULI EST SUPREMA LEX.” The only presidential choice that presents a determined leadership for eradicating hunger; establishing a self-reliant and self-sufficient economy; upholding national sovereignty; and giving genuine concern and heart to the people, middle class and poor, is President Estrada. His candidacy opens the eyes of the nation to the hope of a better life and a politics of frankness and sincerity, as well as, straight talk and pragmatism to reverse the disaster of the over 20 years of Yellow corruption, hypocrisy, corporatism, and anti-people policies. (Tune in to 1098AM, Sulong Pilipinismo, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Global News Network, Destiny Cable Channel 21, Talk News TV, Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. on “Ninoy Aquino: Untold Stories;” also visit http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com) Source:  The Daily Tribune ALTERNATE URL: http://www.classicposters.com/commentary/20091124com6.htm (Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu-Laurel)

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Resident evil FRONTLINE Will rules on ban apply to all? ZOOMING IN Time to bang together sports leaders’ heads DIE HARD III RP: Hungry, forlorn, blinded FEATURE Ethiopian Jews in Israel still await Promised Land HE SAYS ‘Prostis’ SHE SAYS No Cha-cha, but rigodon

Timing is the key DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 11/20/2009

Timing is the key

DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 11/20/2009 The latest Pulse Asia survey is very instructive; we understand President Estrada when he says the results are okay as he wants to peak between January and February. In a previous column, I calculated the ratio of TV and radio ads among the pack of presidential contenders. Based on my observation, the ratio of Estrada’s ads, if any, relative to the ABS-CBN-Inquirer-Ayala candidate and Villar, is estimated at 1 to 200; that is, one Estrada ad for every 200 of the two. This is because the only time Estrada released TV and radio ads was on the day of his Oct. 21 Tondo rally, when he and Jojo Binay announced their candidacy. Escudero, too, started his daily ads right after his Oct. 28 bolting the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), and probably out advertises Erap 1 to10 by now. I heard Pulse Asia’s Felipe Miranda over radio explaining that TV ads, even more than radio presence, make all the difference in survey results today. The Yellow dummy has been getting three-minute plugs for free, courtesy of his oligarchic family controllers, which, if paid for, would cost P240,000 for every 30 seconds or P1.44 million for each run. It’s unclear how many times it is aired a day; some say three and others say up to 10 times. This doesn’t yet factor in the “casual mentions” (the broadcast term for plugging and name-dropping) by the candidate’s sister and her co-host in all their shows. How much would all these cost? Well, they are certain to be charged after the elections — if and when this Yellow mascot is ensconced in power, as what had happened to Cory Aquino when she effected the transfer of government assets to these puppet masters. Villar has been spending at least P7 million a day on ads for months now. We can no longer track when the Hindi conyo, galing sa Tondo ads or the Tulong sa OFW plugs first came out, as these have been playing far too long. Skeptics of Erap’s candidacy thus argue that Estrada may not have many paid ads but he continues to be very visible in media and that this should reflect on his standings. But what they fail to note is that news reports and coverage can never equal ads that assert a candidate’s message without equivocation. While Erap’s open declaration should have quelled any uncertainties, this has been obfuscated by constant rumor-mongering about his withdrawal in favor of this or that candidate, exploiting the potential disqualification issue that is really mere speculation. Truth to tell, Erap has already a series of TV and radio ads with a clear and outstanding message to the people. It will have none of the gimmickry of torches and celebrities saying nothing, or of coños and other strangers, or of lame borrowed tunes. It will compress the historical facts of the past 10 years; the suffering and injustice wrought upon this nation; the tribulations and triumphs, as well as the dedication of the nation’s pre-eminent leader to a cause and its promise of deliverance. From what I’ve seen, these will make a major difference in the campaign, which up to now has only dwelled on the inane and opportunistic. There is nothing of value in the ongoing discourse except for news of political opportunists transferring from one corrupt party to another, ad nausea. Erap will provide the debate on issues. Chiz Escudero has been banking on spurious speculation about Erap’s disqualification, telling people that he will replace Erap when that happens. There is an even more ridiculous claim that Erap will slide to become his VP. We don’t know who is now financing Chiz; some say it’s some big Tsinoy businessmen. But they all underestimate the gift of timing of the veteran dramatist and political leader, and underrate his political skill and charisma. Even the combined firepower of international and local media, the corrupt Supreme Court, “evil society,” and the corrupt conservative hierarchy of the Catholic Church could not crush Erap. They’ve been saying that Estrada is a “spent force” since 2001, yet, to their surprise, Erap still stands tall and gives all comers a run for their money. For sure, they’ll get another bone-jarring surprise in 2010. Timing is the key. Babying one’s limited resources; playing one’s card; and releasing one’s main blows are all essential to a good game plan. This is not a slugfest like the Cotto-Pacquiao fight that ends in just a little over 30 minutes. There’s still six and a half months to go until election day. As everybody notes, even the hardiest fans of the Yellow dummy, will concede that in just a few weeks the perceived invulnerability of the three-headed hydra’s candidate has been deflated by almost 20 percent from the time of the inflated SWS survey. It’s going to deflate even faster as more and more of the Yellow myths are shattered by truth and reality — like the favoritism enjoyed by the Aquinos from the oligarchic conspirators of Edsa I and II while the country slid deeper and deeper into poverty because of their policies and joint opportunism. (Tune in to 1098AM, Sulong Pilipinismo, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Global News Network, Destiny Cable Channel 21, Talk News TV, Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. on “The Darker Side of Ninoy Aquino;” also visit http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com) Source:  The Daily Tribune ALTERNATE URL: http://www.classicposters.com/commentary/20091120com6.html (Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu-Laurel)

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Different color, same dog FRONTLINE Imploding LP ZOOMING IN GMA’s Pampanga trips validating Erap’s eligibility MR. EXPOSE Serge leaves LP NO HOLDS BARRED Crab mentality DIE HARD III Timing is the key

Predictable moro-moro endings DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 11/16/2009

Predictable moro-moro endings DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 11/16/2009 Moro-moro is a unique Filipino theater genre for the show battles between Moors and Christians. It also perfectly describes the show staged last week between Gloria Arroyo and Hillary Clinton. With them, a bevy of supporting cast provided the backdrop: From the kidnap and beheading of a high school principal in Sulu, allegedly by Abu Sayyaf bandits, giving the “evil” characters, the bad guys, another opportunity to strike fear; to the kidnap of an Irish Catholic priest by unknown elements, prompting certain quarters to ask the country to pray for the “good” old clergyman — all these have culminated with the GRP-deemed “good” MILF helping secure the priest’s release in time for Clinton’s tête-à-tête with Arroyo, with news headlines ending the show with “Clinton to gov’t on MILF talks: Strike while iron is hot.” Last Friday, we depicted this series of MILF-related incidents as a coordinated set-up for Clinton’s visit. Her real message: More “ap-peace-ment” talks that will cede the ARMM and some more, plus the entire Sulu Sea, to the MILF’s BangsaMoro Juridical Entity (BJE), as stipulated in the junked Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MoA-AD). All the headlines about Clinton wanting to discuss “Ondoy” or clean elections are simply crap. She came to demand from Gloria the signing of the MoA-AD before the latter’s term ends. This new marching order, despite the huge backlash against it from the people and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), is intended to avoid any new administration from further hemming and hawing on the issue. Gloria then would probably use this US impatience over Mindanao as an opportunity to stage a fait accompli for an extension of her stay in exchange for getting the MoA-AD through. Question is, will the AFP, as an institution tasked with preserving the nation’s territorial integrity, which has sacrificed literally tens of thousands of lives over the decades, yield to this? Well, in the event of a confusion in the elections run by a most incompetent and mentally dishonest Comelec, Gloria and the US might just succeed. Meanwhile, the 2010 elections and the Comelec may be described more as a zarzuela rather than a moro-moro. The comic state-of-affairs in the Automated Elections System is as predictable as most other things that happen in our “democracy.” I am not impressed with Chairman Jose Melo because, despite the PR spin, he has absolutely no record of outstanding service. He has served the corrupt judicial system with nary a squeak of protest. Ferdinand Rafanan, too, has revealed himself a dreamer for promising a heavenly perfect automated election despite critiques from intelligent and honest skeptics. The Comelec is facing a massive debacle with the automated voting machines a month behind production schedule. All these, plus the “garbage-in-garbage-out” probabilities inherent in any computerized system, prove that I just can’t have faith in the 2010 polls. Of course, I am still campaigning for President Joseph Estrada; but it’s more of my faith in him and his vision than in the electoral and political system that prevail. If there’s any political leader who has never tolerated moro-moro or zarzuela in governance, it is Estrada. He went out to tackle real life problems as mayor of San Juan by producing real tangible results: Resettlement and housing for squatters; computerized tax collection 20 years ahead of others; and paving roads without using excessive government funds (by tapping the people’s resourcefulness). As president, he seriously tackled the issues of food security, peace-and-order, the insurgency, as well as, other problems by brooking no hypocrisy. He moved to flush jueteng into the daylight and tried to end the “sovereign guarantees” that Big Business has long used to bleed the people dry. Erap’s struggle is an uphill fight because the US Embassy and the domestic oligarchy are opposed to his return. The three-headed ABS-CBN-Inquirer-Ayala hydra, for sure, is out to derail his determination to protect the poor and middle class from endless power, water and other utility rate increases. Erap has no love lost for these oligarchs but there is one more thing he must add to his agenda: Fighting the “oily-gopoly” by initiating the re-nationalization of Petron or, at the minimum, setting up a new national oil company to deal with oil producing countries ready to supply cheap oil. Since Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez already offered such a deal in 1999, it’s time for us to take it up seriously. Erap must continue campaigning — for, at any moment, something other than elections could happen. The Arroyo regime is always ready for a surprise; which is why Bono Adaza last Friday hinted as much about AFP elements preparing their own. Even Tribune columnist Tony Gat wrote that he’s still waiting for a revolution. And the mood is worldwide. The US , in the wake of Obama’s failed “change,” is rife with talk of revolution. 2012, despite the apocalyptic themes attached to it, could be a turning point for a world hungry for a new beginning. As it opens its eyes to the lies of the prevailing world order after the Wall Street Ponzi scheme collapse, 9/11 and the Iraq-Afghan War, the Obama fraud, the MoA-AD et al., the end of the current US-Western hegemony here and around the world is now at hand. And this is no moro-moro. (Tune in to 1098AM, Sulong Pilipinismo, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Global News Network, Destiny Cable Channel 21, Talk News TV, Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. on “The Fight Against the Oily-gopoly;” also visit http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com) Source:  The Daily Tribune (Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu- Laurel)  ALTERNATE URL: http://www.classicposters.com/commentary/20091116com4.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Oplan August Moon still on FRONTLINE What’s up, Norbert? ZOOMING IN Consumer expectations in 2010 DIE HARD III Predictable moro-moro endings ANALYSIS Taliban guerrillas bring ‘Iraq tactics’ to Pakistan HE SAYS ‘Bora’ SHE SAYS Boracay blight