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Will rules on ban apply to all? FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 11/23/2009

Tuesday, November 24, 2009


Will rules on ban apply to all?


FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares
11/23/2009

With such stringent rules covering the ban on premature campaigning, given the earlier ruling of the Supreme Court
in a disqualification case of a town mayor and the poll body’s announced ban following the SC’s decision, what can be expected, even by way of news, between Dec. 2 and, for national candidates, sometime in .... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

ALTERNATE URL: http://www.classicposters.com/commentary/20091123com2.html



Time to bang together sports leaders’ heads ZOOMING IN Rudy Romero 11/23/2009


Time to bang together sports leaders’ heads



ZOOMING IN

Rudy Romero
11/23/2009
The performance of the Philippines in the arena of world sports has been one of the most dismal aspects of its records as a member of the international community. With the exception of two medals — neither of them gold — won by Filipino boxers, this country has been a consistent non-performer in the Olympic Games, and even in the regional championships (the Asian Games and the Southeast Asian Games) the Philippines has over the years managed to win only a modest number of .... MORE


SourceThe Daily Tribune

ALTERNATE URL: http://www.classicposters.com/commentary/20091123com3.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)


SourceThe Daily Tribune



(Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu-Laurel)

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