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The ‘dictatorial wimp’ DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 02/20/2012

Monday, February 20, 2012

The ‘dictatorial wimp’

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
02/20/2012
We were never confused. We had always known. Now, thanks to BS Aquino III, everyone now knows the naked truth: He is a wimp, and has always been a wimp. And as the powers behind the exploitative political-economic establishment wanted to ensure that the Philippines would have a wimp of a president, this was the reason for his becoming the favorite of the elite, who poured in lots of media and money support toward this end.

Before long, the wimp was bestowed with power, and he brought in a whole set of wimps to share political power with him. From behind the scenes, the shadows most probably murmured, “What are we in power for?” and “you’ve got 75 percent popularity, don’t squander it,” into his wimpy ears. And soon, another dangerous thought was implanted: “Why not go for it? Uncle Sam’s giving us the chance. The Makati Business Club is behind us when we begin to terrorize the Supreme Court (SC). After that, we conquer all.” Thus, the dictator-wimp was born.

Addressing the colegialas of La Consolacion College, Manila, Aquino III lambasted SC Chief Justice (CJ) Renato Corona, and asserted his fearless forecast that the CJ will be convicted. He then lashed out at his critics, saying they are getting confused in their name-calling: “(You say) I’m a spoiled brat, immature. You have so many criticisms against me. In 2010 (you said) I am wimpy, very weak. In 2011, I am a dictator. In 2012, I am now a wimpy dictator.”

Well, have I got news for him: First of all, Aquino III, you are the one who is confused. Why, you even have your qualifier and noun reversed. Still, you are a wimp first and foremost, one who thinks he can build a new dictatorship to follow his mother’s revolutionary government. Gladly, few are following though, and even fewer are scared into submission. Because of that, you’ve gone even deeper into your wimp-ishness in hurling your threats and harangues before an audience of colegialas and not us — the genuine critical media.

You are not just “very weak.” After your antics against the SC, you have become even weaker. You also made yourself so much weaker after saddling the nation with a 3.7-percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2011 after your gross mismanagement of the economy.

By the end of 2012, you will most certainly collapse as even your own National Economic Development Authority (Neda) could only make out a 3 percent to 5 percent growth rate for the most critical year of 2012, and in its over wide statistical stretch, reflects a nervous, baseless guesswork, which only betrays a total absence of clear economic plans.

You claim that with Corona in the SC, it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible,” to pursue reforms. Yet, despite the pressing need for one reform most urgent for the people, the reform in the electricity sector to bring down the “highest power rate in Asia,” it was your appointee to the SC, Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, who decided on a crucial consumer petition in favor of the power oligarchs and its captive Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

In August of 2011, Sereno was ponente to an SC Second Division decision junking consumer protection groups’ petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the 26.9-centavo Meralco (Manila Electric Co.) rate increase and its overcharge beyond the 12-percent Return-on-Rate Base (RoRB) formula affirmed by the SC in 2003, on the basis of the ERC’s violation of the consumers’ right to due process in refusing consumers opportunity to present their opposition. Though the high court admitted that the ERC “prematurely” issued the assailed decision “since the period for the petitioners to file their comment/opposition had not lapsed then,” Sereno still decided against the consumer groups.

The worst part of it all was when Sereno chastised these groups for supposedly not being “vigilant enough,” despite the fact that they used their own time and resources, in contrast to Meralco, which the ERC allowed to charge consumers its two dozen lawyers at the hearing and its P2.2-billion “regulatory liaison” fund (for what, it was never explained). Worse, Aquino III is a wimp in pretending not to see (and definitely not acting on) the electricity and power sector oligarchs’ plundering. As we speak, the power pirates are pushing the transfer of the IPP (independent power producer) plunder debt from the Power Sector Asset and Liabilities Management (Psalm) Corp. to taxpayers — part of a P140-billion component of the overall $18-billion debt left with Psalm despite 10 years of privatization of almost 90 percent of the National Power Corp. (Napocor)’s assets.

All these debts are supposed to be passed on to power consumers through the so-called Universal Charge, but with power rates already the “highest in Asia,” adding this $18 billion or P800 billion (roughly P80,000 per household — yes, that’s how much the Electric Power Industry Reform Act has cost us each) would make Philippine power rates the highest in the world even if spread out over the next 20 years.

Aquino III is a wimp for not acting to protect the nation and the people, particularly the nation’s small miners, and stop global mining mega-corporations from gaining headway in controlling millions of hectares of our nation’s rich mineral deposits. The record of these mega-mining corporations’ destruction of million-hectare pristine areas with their collapsing tailings dams in at least 35 incidents all over the world is a matter of record.

Our water aquifers built up over eons will be poisoned, with threats of massive toxic tailings inundating hundreds of thousands of hectares of agricultural lands, condemning for eternity such areas with mercury and other chemical contamination, and with thousands of Filipino lives put in peril.

The list of BSA III’s wimp-ishness would not fit into this small space. So while his dictatorial tantrums are going out in a whimper fast, the nation should prepare a spanking for this little brat until he learns his lessons.
(Tune in to 1098AM, dwAD, Sulo ng Pilipino/Radyo OpinYon, Monday to Friday, 5 to 6 p.m.; watch Destiny Cable GNN’s HTL edition of Talk News TV, Saturdays, 8:15 to 9 p.m., with replay at 11:15 p.m., on “Hocus PCOS: New proof of cheating?;” visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com for our articles plus TV and radio archives)

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




SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120220com5.html

P10B to appease Noynoy EDITORIAL 02/20/2012

P10B to appease Noynoy

EDITORIAL

02/20/2012
Granting Chief Justice Renato Corona is ousted either through the impeachment court or a mob power action, what happens next?

The likelihood of the biggest highway robbery on the government to come out of it is very real.

Corona has repeatedly stressed that the campaign to remove him from the top post of the high court has everything to do with the Hacienda Luisita case.

Two crucial issues are at stake here, the finality of the high tribunal’s decision upholding land distribution in the vast estate of President Aquino’s relatives and the Cojuangco-Aquino’s demand for P1 million per hectare or a total of P10 billion as just compensation..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120220com1.html

Corporatocracy: Ron Paul says US ‘slipping into fascism’

Corporatocracy: Ron Paul says US ‘slipping into fascism’


Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul slammed America's system of governance at a rally in Kansas City, saying businesses and government are pushing the country into twenty-first century fascism.

­But before you start picturing fair-skinned, blue-eyed CEOs and bureaucrats running amok and with their right arms held high, calm down. What the outspoken Texas Republican meant was fascist corporatism – an economic model most prominently seen in Mussolini’s Italy of the 1920s to the 1940s. Fascist economic corporatism involved government and private management of full sectors of the economy – which Paul says is par for the course in today's America..... MORE
SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/america-fascism-ron-paul-705/

West’s poker face at Middle Eastern grand chessboard

West’s poker face at Middle Eastern grand chessboard


The planned neo-colonial takeover of the Middle East is gearing up. As the heat rises, the West finds it increasingly difficult to proceed with its grab for dominance and maintain a brave face, says political analyst Adrian Salbuchi.

­Things are happening very fast in the Middle East.  Tensions are mounting, threats are being made, and strange assassinations are taking place…  Even stranger diplomatic, political, global media, military and economic strings are being pulled; sometimes so quickly, that they’re getting tangled!  The atmosphere is becoming very rarefied indeed!  A bit of historical perspective might even lead you to think we’re re-living August 1939: the last days before World War II..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/iran-syria-west-policy-697/

Big Brother aims to screen all online activity in UK

Big Brother aims to screen all online activity in UK


British security agencies are pushing for a law, which would allow vast amount of private data to be collected and stored, according to media reports. Big Brother will know who you call to, what sites you surf and how you play video games.

The government wants details about text messages, phone calls, email, visited websites, Facebook and Twitter exchanges and even online games chats, British media report..... MORE

Source: RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/uk-online-surveillance-plan-733/

China: US and allies push Syria into civil war

China: US and allies push Syria into civil war

US and its allies are pushing Syria into civil war by backing the armed opposition, the newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party writes. The article insists Beijing must stick to opposing any attempt to intervene or regime change in Damascus.

­"If Western countries continue to fully support Syria's opposition, then in the end a large-scale civil war will erupt and there will be no way to thus avoid the possibility of foreign armed intervention," a foreign affairs expert Qu Xing wrote in the piece as cited by Reuters.... MORE
SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/china-syria-civil-war-729/

Abilify and Seriquel CROSSROADS Jonathan De la Cruz 02/20/2012

Abilify and Seriquel

CROSSROADS
Jonathan De la Cruz
02/20/2012
Abilify and Seriquel (Soriquel) are drugs being taken by a friend of mine who used to be one of the so-called “glamor boys” of De La Salle College in the ’70s. The guy who comes from a well to do family is the only boy in a brood of three and his parents’ favorite. As such, he was used to the nice things in life and enjoyed it immensely. He loved fast cars, was into music, dated beauties from exclusive schools and at some point was also into guns and the latest gadgets until he decided to try other things in his spare time.

He was the first in his class to drive a Mustang which he really enjoyed to the hilt showing off to friends and schoolmates alike.

Together with his gang, they managed to put together a combo which got them to be part of the “social circuit” and kept them on the fast lane. But it also took a toll on his health which was made even worse by his exposure to smoke and drinks. But he managed nonetheless..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120220com4.html

US formalizes second warship offer to RP government By Mario J. Mallari 02/20/2012

US formalizes second warship offer to RP government

By Mario J. Mallari 02/20/2012

The United States government has formally offered a second Hamilton class cutter to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), particularly the Philippine Navy, which is hopeful that the ship could be commissioned before the year ends.

Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Alexander Pama said the AFP will submit its acceptance letter to the US this week to pave the way for detailed discussion of the acquisition.

According to Pama, the AFP leadership received the formal offer from the US government last week stating the availability of US Coast Guard Dallas, a Hamilton class cutter vessel similar to BRP Gregorio del Pilar which was acquired from the US last year..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120220nat4.html

Llamas-organized Edsa I mob may turn into oust-CJ ‘Plan B’ 02/20/2012

Llamas-organized Edsa I mob may turn into oust-CJ ‘Plan B’

02/20/2012
The preparations for the Edsa I celebration is turning out more than what meets the eye with the huge mobilization that is being required from presidential political adviser Ronald Llamas by President Aquino.

It would not take much to turn the massive crowd expected at the Feb. 25 into what is being bruited about as Malacañang’s Plan B designed to compel the removal of Chief Justice Renato Corona from the Supreme Court.

Last Feb. 16, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. issued a directive to all government officials and employees to participate in the 26th Anniversary of the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120220hed3.html

Quake death toll rises to 52; 61 missing 02/20/2012

Quake death toll rises to 52; 61 missing

02/20/2012
The death toll and number of missing from a powerful earthquake that struck Visayas region have risen to 113 as the civil defence chief said yesterday he had given up all hope of finding any more survivors.

Benito Ramos, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chief, told AFP the latest toll from the 6.7 magnitude quake which struck the central island of Negros on Feb. six was 52 dead and 61 missing.

He added that army engineers were continuing to dig on the heavily-populated island because of the clamor of people insisting that the bodies of their relatives be found..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120220nat3.html

ASK releases P7.7-M financial aid to kin of soldiers killed or injured during combat 02/20/2012

ASK releases P7.7-M financial aid to kin of soldiers killed or injured during combat

02/20/2012
The Alay sa Kawal Foundation (ASK) released last year P7.7 million financial assistance to families of soldiers killed or injured during combat, Vice President Jejomar Binay said.

Binay, foundation chairman and is a reserve Marines colonel, said that ASK gave P30,000 each to 258 families, including those who lost their loved ones in a bloodshed in Al-Barka, Basilan..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120220nat6.html

21 Malabon barangays receive medical tools 02/20/2012

21 Malabon barangays receive medical tools

02/20/2012
The 21 barangays in Malabon City have received several medical equipment and devices, courtesy of Rep. Jaye Lacson-Noel who assured the villages of more support to the health centers.

Lacson-Noel, wife of An Waray party-list Rep. Bhem Noel, distributed the medical tools to the health centers in the city’s entire barangays to their respective chairmen and council members.

“This may not completely support the medical needs of the various health centers in Malabon but I am pretty sure those medical equipment will largely help in extending medical needs of barangay constituents,” Lacson-Noel said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120220met3.html

NBI confirms homicide case of Daza’s ex-BF By Mario F. Fetalino 02/20/2012

NBI confirms homicide case of Daza’s ex-BF

By Mario F. Fetalino 02/20/2012

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has confirmed the homicide case of slain hostage-taker Noel Orate Sr. in connection with the killing of his neighbor in Zamboanga City 19 years ago.

According to a criminal history report from the NBI, a certain Belinda Belisario filed a homicide complaint against Orate years before he was killed in a recent hostage-taking incident in Quezon City last Feb. 10.
 
The report also said Belinda charged Orate before the NBI with illegal possession of firearms..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120220met2.html

MMDA bent on arming its traffic enforcers By Pat C. Santos 02/20/2012

MMDA bent on arming its traffic enforcers

By Pat C. Santos 02/20/2012

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is seriously mulling arming its traffic enforcers following a new attack on a traffic enforcer by a group of drag racers before dawn last Friday along Macapagal Boulevard in Paraaque City.

This after MMDA assistant manager for planning Emerson Carlos admitted there is a need to protect enforcers but said that such a move must be carefully studied and should not be done in haste.

Pag-aaralan namin yang posibilidad na bigyan ng konting armas ang ating mga tao para makapagtanggol naman sila sa sarili lalo na yung mga nakatalaga sa ganitong klaseng operasyon (We still need to study the possibility arming our enforcers to defend themselves, especially in this kind of operation), Carlos said, referring to the enforcers deployed to crack down on the illegal scooter race along Macapagal Boulevard where the attack took place..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120220met1.html

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