Its All About Musa And The Maguindanaoans

As Arbet Bernardo and I exchanged text messages, the subject of Maguindanao cropped up. He asked me why Migz Zubiri had been the subject of my posts lately. You may have noticed that since the Maguindanao polls were contested, I have been "passionately expressing my views" on the issue. No, I am not harping nor ranting. I am merely pointing out what is at stake and why we all should be focused on Maguindanao.

We shouldn't be complacent about the issue. The brazeness of the cheating is just too much to pass. When people are subjected to intimidation and threat, we should take notice. The blatant display of raw power by the few is ruining the image of an entire people. Patsada Karajaw points out why fraud continues in Maguindanao (Postscripts of Maguindanao Polls). Its sad that perception against a people is actually because of a few corrupt and powerful individuals. Add the willingness of Migz Zubiri to be a benificiary of fraud and you will see the complete picture.

Arbet says its impossible for Migz to simply give up, I must agree with him on this one. Patsada (Migz Should Stop His Theatrics and The Zubiri Doctrine) clearly points this out and so does my previous posts. For someone who claims to be a son of Mindanao, he should be the first to defend the much maligned people of Maguindanao. He should be the first one to have the scandal investigated. To allow the people to suffer for him to get the final senate seat is downright criminal.

Musa Dimadsidsing and the missing two other witnesses have opened the eyes of the nation of what is happening in Maguindanao. The exploitation they have to endure is just too much to disregard. I been focusing on this issue as I do not want the people of Maguindanao to suffer. They should stand proud as Musa and the other witnesses have shown the rest of the country that Maguindanao is not a land of cheats.

The powerful who continue to threaten them should be made accountable. They have no other choice as the gun is mightier than the pen. Afraid of reprisal, they are forced to be pawns in the deadly game of electoral fraud. These people have suffered enough humiliation. Its high time the rest of us defend them. The likes of Bedol and the Ampatuans have no place in a democracy.

We all should rally behind the oppressed people of Maguindanao and the witnesses who gave up their lives to change the system. Let us not allow their sacrifices go to waste. They have opened our eyes to what is really happening in Maguindanao. Let us prove the cheats wrong. Its time to say enough is enough and that we will not be apathetic to the plight of Maguindanao.

Maguindanao is a microcosm of what is happening in our society. The international community will soon brand us a country of cheats. We are better than Gloria and her ilk. Its time to make a stand.

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Is Migz Worth His Weight In Gold?

Is Migz worth his weight in gold? This the one centavo question that's bugging me. As we wait in total disbelief of who Abalos and his gang of thieves will proclaim, many of us wonders why GMA is hanging on to Migz. This Moro-Moro is doing Gloria a great deal of harm. It continues to push her to the wall.

Even with Migz in the senate, the opposition will still have the majority. For whatever reason GMA has or for what purpose, Migz has become a heavy baggage. The administration will not gain anything with Migz around. His win will highlight the massive and concerted fraud the COMELEC and the administration undertook. The fiasco is so glaring that it dwarfs the Hello Garci.

Now GMA wants the media's support for her remaining illegitimate years in office. Her call to move on will definitely fall on deaf ears. I am sure that the blatant display of arrogance and impunity may even accelerate her demise. Sen. Trillanes's calls on every decent Filipino to rally behind Koko Pimentel. Its not just about the administration or the opposition anymore, its about the people's will. A proclamation of Zubiri is downright criminal with all that's coming out. It exemplifies pure lust for power and getting it at whatever cost.

The administration is clearly on the defensive. The continued insistence of Abalos to force the Migz issue only pushes them down in the quagmire. What does Migz have that warrants such unrelenting support from GMA? I really do not have any idea. He's not even good as an administration poster boy. If GMA wants to ram Zubiri down our throats, its her loss as the people are fed up with the way the COMELEC and the administration has been subverting the people's will.

The next few days will reveal how much this administration is willing to give up. Its highly unpopular now and to go into another scandal bigger than Garci would be disastrous. With witnesses missing but others taking their place, fear is the least of our worries. The blatant display of power has touched the senses of even those who were silently watching in the sidelines. The people I know who openly supported the administration last May are now disgusted with Gloria.

The cheating is so obvious. Gloria, if she still wants to keep the support of those who believe in her should now step in. She should talk some sense into Zubiri's head.
Like I said, her last three years will be the ride of her life. With Migz, it will even be wilder. Her negative ratings will definitely hit rock-bottom. She's now a lame duck and this latest scandal would make her a dead duck. The ball's in her court, her decision could make or break her.

Is Migz really worth fighting for? Is he worth her political life? Decency, its all about decency. Let's see if GMA will finally make a decisive move. Its her call now.

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Stick To The Script!

As expected, Abalos went to Maguindanao to try an convince us that what was presented to him by election officals are authentic CoCs. Yes their authentic alright, authentic fabricated Cocs. He is definitely sticking to the script. He will not deviate from what has been agreed upon, TU would win by landscape, este, landslide pala in Maguindanao.

As expected, Abalos did not try to look into the contents of the ballot boxes. He did not bother to as the truth might come out. He contented himself with what was presented to him despite being the incorrect set of Cocs. Nice job of investigating a crime. It was "fixed" all along. It was a Moro-Moro after all. Abalos wasted time and money to make it appear that everything is in order.

He would not have any of the suggestions of the teachers to open the ballot boxes. Koko Pimentel and the people are screwed. Screwed and defrauded! Now the spoiled brat, Migz Zubiri has a lot to smile about. Abalos will canvass the manufactured Cocs and declare him the winner.

While Koko has now elevated his plight to the Supreme court, the opposition is contemplating of impeaching Abalos. The IBP also reported that employees of the National Printing Office said that ballot boxes from Maguindanao were sent to their office a day after the May 14 elections. Migz advices Koko to keep cool and file a protest before the senate tribunal instead. Migz adds that they will never succeed in impeaching Abalos as the opposition does not have the numbers. Yes, I forgot that everything is a numbers game, never mind what is moral and just. What a whimp! No wonder he refuses to concede despite obviously benefiting from "Dagdag-Bawas" and manufactured CoCs. Everything has been set a long time ago, they just want it to be dramatic.

See, I told you so. Migz, just like his queen is an unprincipled, immoral brat. He will accept a win whatever the cost may be. He will strut his way to victory as Abalos and his gang of electoral thieves will stick to the script. Its all been settled long before any witness nor protest came out. All this time, everything was just for show. Bedol, the stolen election documents, the staged hearings and the phony investigation, they're all part of the play. Musa Dimasidsing and the missing witnesses were inconsequential extras in this electoral play.

They will get away with it and soon Migz will tell everyone to just move on. I hope one of his kids will not be the one to pay for his misbehavior. I'm sure just like Abalos and Joe deV, he will just simply shrug it off for they belong to that breed of immoral immortals who believe that they account to no one not even to God.

What a show the COMELEC and Team Unity put for us. The script though riddled with absurdities must be followed and believed by everyone. The cheats must stay the course and see it to the very end. I am sure, the COMELEC and TU will force this issue upon us. They couldn't care less if much blood is spilled. Nor would it make any difference if the people protest. They are in power and will continue to wield it to their heart's content.

Questions will be left unanswered again. Why didn't Abalos look in the ballot boxes? Why did he stand by what was presented to him? Why did he not hold Bedol accountable for what happened in Maguindanao? Why were the copies of CoCs which were supposed to be supplied to the opposition and the watchdogs never given to them? Why were watchers and watchdogs never allowed to witness the canvassing? Why did TU despite their claims never presented the documents pointing to a sweep? The answers were before Abalos's eyes and yet did not dig deeper. I am sure he will once again make an absurd statement. He will again hide behind a veil of technicality to save his scaly skin. Abalos will definitely finish his term and will be judged by history unless God has other plans for him.

As for Migz Zubiri, his kind can sleep soundly at night for he has no conscience. He can look you straight in the eye and lie through his teeth. Hell, he can even tell you that the people actually voted for him. I wonder how many really did vote for this arrogant brat? He will ascend to the senate and will forever be called the Senator of Maguindanao.

As for Bedol, he can do a Garci or may be promoted again. In the end, the cheating conspirators will stick to the script. Its all about the script and the culture of impunity that pervades in our country. They will dictate what we must believe and dismiss. Musa Dimasidsing, I hope will not fade into the sunset but be the beacon of hope for honesty and integrity.

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The New Praetorians?

Is the Armed Forces of the Philippines the new order? Its not only their doctrine that's been twisted, even the way they view themselves as the LAW. The way their leaders conduct themselves is a mockery of the hierarchy of the bureaucracy and society. Under Hermogenes Esperon, the military has become untouchable (at least those who view GMA and Esperon as their masters). They dictate what we civilians can do and what the military can do.

The resurgence of militarization is very evident in this administration. The military has been given a freehand on how it conducts its operations whether it violates civil liberties or not. Retired officers close to the incumbent is being appointed to juicy positions in the bureaucracy. The military acts with impunity and totally disregards the rule of the land.

As of late, Esperon said that no senate nor judiciary can compel him to act. He sticks by the chain of command. See how twisted their interpretation can be? He also said that what he follows are the articles of war and also points out that civilian rule is not always supreme. With this kind of attitude, the judiciary and congress should put him in his proper place. He and his ilk are not above the law.

If he thinks he can twist the arms of prctically anybody, he is in for a big surprise. He is obviously abusing his authority. I'd like to see him squirm when congress decides to screw him. The congress holds the purse of the military not him. Its going to be sad for the rest of the AFP who truly serves the people. They will be caught in the middle of a power struggle just because of an arrogant but definitely scared nitwit thinks he is a god.

I'm also very sure that Esperon cannot launch a power grab as there are still decent soldiers out there that will disobey him. The congratulatory statement of the 3rd Infantry Division to Sen. Antonio Trillanes and the survey the AFP conducted after the elections shows that a huge segment of the military recognizes/respects the civilian mandate and its supremacy over the military. This only proves that a vast majority of the men in uniform are apolitical and adheres to the constitution.

Esperon should stop issuing statements which would only put him in a tight spot. The decent majority in the military institution though silent, I am sure will not be forced to follow a crooked chain of command such as what the AFP now has. Esperon and his henchmen may consider themselves as the new Praetorians but the arrogance they display could very well put an abrupt end to their despicable reign.

The men in the field have spoken and it has sent shivers down the spine(?) of those in power. The chain of command has shown its weakness. Decency, integrity and genuine love for the country still holds true for most of the men in uniform. Their exploiters better beware as they have manifested that they are on the side of the people. They have displayed their might and Esperon and GMA should take heed of the telling signs that these men in uniform had sent.

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The Spoiled Brat Called Migz

A pathetic and callous Migz Zubiri lauds the COMELEC's decision not to declare a failure of elections in Maguindanao. This supposed to be principled spoiled brat has been claiming victory for several weeks now. I'm sure they know the fight for the last seat in the senate will go down the wire and to cheat is the only recourse.

This brat now accuses the opposition of peddling lies about the elections in Maguindanao. He even is so insensitive to insinuate that witnesses were floated to discredit the polls there. He is banking on Maguindanao to give him the win. But an exclusive by ANC on a certain Nasser (a colleague of alias Bai, the teacher who first reported that no elections took place in the province) reports that Abalos should open and scrutinize the contents of ballot boxes which will unmask the massive electoral fraud in the province. This is the only way for Abalos to get to the bottom of things. Nasser claims that the ballots will reveal how the results were manipulated as thumbmarks and penmanship will reveal the truth. Nasser also adds that what happened in this election is no different from what transpired in the 2004 presidential elections.

Just like in 2004, they were given a list to copy, such is also the case in this election. Back in 2004, they were ordered to give all votes to GMA and Noli and nothing to FPJ and Loren. The administration also relied on Maguindanao to deliver the votes for TU, but the vigikant electorate and honest teachers foiled their attempt to steal the elections and defraud the people.

Now the brat is ranting that the opposition is trying to disenfranchise the voters. If we follow Nasser's assertions, there were actually no elections. And the voters Migz is talking about are non-existent as documents were fabricated to give the TU a sweep. I am sure he knows of the cheating that transpired and what got his goat is that despite the cheating, Koko still leads him in the senatorial race.

Maguindanao is his last hope. The COMELEC may favor him but the documents might not. In the end, evidence might be too great that the COMELEC will have no choice but to proclaim Koko Pimentel as the twelfth senator. I'm hoping this would happen only to prove that Maguindanaoans are not cheaters. Musa Dimasidsing did not give up his life just to be called a player in a conspiracy. The spoiled brat, Migz should not insinuate that a conspiracy to steal his votes was cooked up by the witnesses and the opposition. If a conspiracy exists, its to conspire to make the elections credible and clean.

Musa Dimasidsing died because of his conviction. He only wanted to put a stop to the culture of cheating and exploitation in the province of Maguindanao. It was improper and insensitive for Migz to malign the good memory of a man who fought for change. It only showed what Migz is made of. Just like his master in the palace, he shifts the blame to someone else. He would rather accuse a man who clearly belongs to a different league. His claims of a conspiracy is so absurd that even scriptwriters wouldn't dare come up with one. But of course, he can always stoop low just to justify his rantings.

Only spoiled brats never accept "genuine" defeat. They would rather win at all cost than play fair. By hook or by crook is their motto and their creed, if you can't beat them, cheat them. This is what the administration wanted. The national election is what was more important to them after all. A national defeat only shows the sentiments of a nation.

I am disgusted by Zubiri's assertions and accusations. I am appalled by his conduct. He has shown his true color, the color of greed. He will not succeed in dishonoring Musa. He may have the money but lacks the moral integrity Musa Dimasidsing possessed.

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Do You Believe In Magic?

What seems to be absurdity is fast turning into impunity. COMELEC chairman Benjamin Abalos intends to get to the "bottom" of things regarding the Maguindanao polls. To root out the truth(?) kuno, Abalos will be heading to Maguindanao to inspect supposed to be authentic election documents that will show that elections really took place.

But wait, reports from witnesses have said that election documents have been tampered. In another absurd turn of events, Abalos would still make the trip to canvass fakes? Did TU and the COMELEC buy enough time to put everything in order? Has Koko Pimentel played into their trap?

The late Musa Dimsidsing and three missing witnesses have affirmed reports of fraud. Fake CoCs have been unearthed and a totally improbable 12-0 blast by the TU was presented by Lintang Bedol. With supporting documents missing and weeks of delay,cheats could have easily manufactured new documents and give Migz Zubiri the final seat in the senate.

The objective now is to condition the mind of the suspecting public. If they can sway the perception to their side, this will pave the way for successfully defrauding the electorate. We must bear in mind the long delay in the canvass, the missing three witnesses, the continued existence of Bedol and the perseverance of the political operators. Add the absurdity of the COMELEC and you have the perfect recipe for electoral fraud.

For me, the die is set. The last phase is to declare the so-called authentic election documents in the hands of the local candidates genuine. I'm sure they have taken into account the small lead Pimentel has over Zubiri. Migz have been bannering how he could easily take out Koko with the Maguindanao Cocs. This reinforces my suspicion that they will try to the very end to cheat Pimentel out of the senate.

TU first floated the 12-0 during the campaign and now Migz is boasting that Maguindanao is his turf. These are tell-tale signs that something is afoot. And they want the people to believe in these myths. A magic trick is convincing only if the magician's hand is fast enough. It works only if it is done "cleanly". It only works if the audience believes its true. All these are not present in this electoral magic the cheats are performing. There is a long delay, the documentations are not cleanly executed and the people a skeptical. Should Migz Zubiri be declared the winner by the COMELEC and the people accept it, then MAGIC really works.

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A Voice In The Night

In a country where many hope against hope, a new hero stepped up to the plate. Disregarding safety, Musa Dumasidsing, a COMELEC designated election supervisor in Maguindanao reported irregularities during last month's elections. His surfacing confirmed earlier reports of massive cheating of teachers tasked to oversee the process.

The teachers complained of intimidation and harassment by political operators. Armed men did the cheating while teachers watched helplessly. Election watchdogs were also barred from the canvassing. Soon after, a 12-0 vote for the administration slate emerged. Highly improbable, the COCs were then questioned and supporting documents cannot be produced. Maguindanao holds the key to determine the last two positions in the senate.

The en banc of the COMELEC is set to declare a failure of elections in Maguindanao. They said that it appears the elections there never took place. But a proclamation of the local winners had been conducted thus proving otherwise. Now questions are popping up as to the legality of calling for a special election.

For weeks, provincial elections supervisor, Lintang Bedol defied the commissioners' order for him to appear before the en banc. When he finally came, the only answer he could give was that the documents being sought have gone missing. Com. Abalos berated Bedol about his conduct but failed to make him accountable for the fiasco. (Lintang Bedol is one of Virgilio Garcillano's lieutenants. He was implicated in the "Hello Garci scandal" in connection with cheating in the 2004 presidential elections. Despite this, the COMELEC promoted him to provincial supervisor for Maguindanao)

Last weekend, things turned for the worst as the gutsy witness Dimasidsing was mercilessly gunned down. He brought with him the secrets to the fraud-riddled elections. The three other witnesses have gone missing too. What is apparent and quite exposed, is the impunity by which political operators wield power. No amount of military might nor millions of watching eyes deterred them from mocking the will of the people.

Musa Dimasidsing is a "Voice in the Night". He only wanted the elections to be clean and honest. Going up against giants had cost him his life. Linatng Bedol it seems is untouchable. Even the lords of the COMELEC cannot force him to speak. I am appalled by the way the COMELEC is handling this case. The palace too has been mum about Dimasidsng's murder.

The authorities would like to even divert the focus to something else other than the election. Am I to believe that his killing is not connected to te elections? The cheats are definitely covering their tracks. Dimasidsing was killed to make an example, to intimidate those who intend to expose the fraud in Maguindanao. The COMELEC in a bid to defuse the mounting tension now wants Virgilio Garcillano investigated.

Dimasidsing's life should not go to waste. The people must now make accountable the perpetrators of this dastardly and cowardly act. The COMELEC should act decisively on this matter. Everything is as clear as day and they can no longer hide behind technicalities. Dimasidsing came out not for himself, he was protecting the people. His death will be worthless if the people do not act. Do we simply accept cheating as a norm? I suppose we do not want to be called a country of cheats.

Another life has been sacrificed in the name of democracy. Dimasidsing was not a rebel nor an enemy of the state. His demise cannot be justified by any label or title. All he wanted was the truth to be heard. His voice now echoes the call for justice. He fought for you and countless Filipinos. Let us show him we are not afraid and join him in defending true democracy.

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A Mutant Lower House

I may have viewed the Moro-moro between Lakas and Kampi in a different perspective. But as things come into play, I may have to agree with Manuel Buencamino, its a staged fight ala WWE. Gloria is about to make a political coup. From the looks of it, she might just pull it off.

What is at stake is not the speakership but the house minority post. Wouldn't it be dandy should Lakas get the majority and Kampi the minority? Fantastic isn't it. Now the opposition can be eased out of the picture. Sure the committee positions are at stake but it will be divided among thieves.

This is the time when we actually wish we had a two-party system. With the coalition getting both the majority and minority, they will get the control of the entire lower house and the treasure chest as well. This will turn the lower house (as if wasn't) into an abomination.

Gloria would be laughing at the opposition should this happen. Imagine the immense power the administration will wield. De Venecia will be kept happy and her Kampi henchmen as well. Now they can raid the country blind. To control both majority and minority is quite a feat. GMA's political advisers may have put one over the people. As they always say, numbers matters.

Scary isn't it. Now they will push their Cha-Cha agenda. Term extensions are being dangled once again. Heck, they may commit to a constitutional convention to make it appear credible. With the COMELEC's perfecting the art of making something incredulous to credible, who could stop them from getting the votes? The "ZOMBIES" of Singaw ng Bayan will rise again to pester us with their signature campaign. With the control of the lower house, they can now make an enabling law to aid their Cha-Cha bid.

One Voice and the Black and White Movement will definitely have their hands full. Will the people this time around bring in the numbers to prevent a catastrophe? I hope they do or we're all dead meat.

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Veiled Threat?

Ricky Carandang's one on one with Joe de Venecia revealed that JdV is still a force to reckon with. While expressing support for GMA he added that he would like an independent congress. A congress that will exercise its mandate of checks and balance. As if JdV just issued a veiled threat and that he cannot be pushed around. What started it all was Luis Villafuerte's backing of Pablo Gracia's bid to contest the speakership of the house.

Previously, Villafuerte blasted JdV for mishandling the Cha-Cha bid. I have discussed the rift between GMA's Kampi Party and JdV's Lakas. The cannibalism that transpired before the elections had put a dent on the coalition. While to most this would seem like plain theatrics for Kampi to lasso the juicy committee leaderships, I however see this as an attempt to wrest the power from JdV.

Kampi however failed to get enough of its members elected to the house and Lakas has maintained the majority. To ease JdV out will be a tough undertaking. I'm sure that despite the unpopularity of JdV to the opposition, its members wouldn't want party-mates of GMA to get the speakership. GMA will be more powerful should her party win the speakership.

Despite Gloria expressing her support for De Venecia, I'm quite sure JdV knows too well that she can easily turn her back on him. I suppose that his vision of an independent house will derail any attempt to unseat him. Villafuerte should not push his luck too far. He might just be the cause of GMA's demise. JdV is too wily to lose his position.

I would like to see how this zarzuela will end. Unless GMA wants to get impeached, maintaining the staus quo in the house will somehow ease the pressures the opposition has been exerting on her. She is not about to gamble her survival just to please her party. To maintain a "healthy" relationship with Lakas is the key to preventing an impeachment from taking place.

Malacañang failed in its bid to gain majority of the house, so was its plan to get bogus party-lists elected. As I expected, Pablo Garcia is now saying that JdV is using the impeachment as the ace up his sleeve. Now Kampi cries foul. They should have known better than to push JdV's back against the wall. With Gloria "hostaged", she is now more than ever ripe for the picking. Any move to unseat JdV will really cost her political life.

So who says now that all these is just a show to get juicy positions? The Sword of Damocles hangs above the head of the bogus incumbent. I'm grinning from ear to ear and can only imagine how she squirms in her seat. With teeth gnashing, she is nothing but a whimp and her lust for power is all to blame. Let's see you escape this one your highness(?). You thought all the while that your party, Kampi is indestructible. You lost the races madam and your party's been whipped.

No wonder she's continent-hopping, probably to forget the mess she got herself into. Hehehe, the wily old fox outwitted you. serves you right for being too greedy as someone is definitely greedier.

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Apathy Breeds Impunity

Despite the disappearances, the killings and assault on civil liberties, I'm surprised at the lack of public outcry. Coming from a dictatorship, the Filipinos should have learned their lesson. It seems that we have failed to teach ourselves to maintain the defense of democracy. Just like in the Martial Law years, people have succumbed to complacency and self-preservation.

What I see and often hear today is that people are just watching out only for themselves. I have lived through the injustices of the Marcos era and believe me, we should never forget. Its seems that we martial law babies have failed to pass on to the next generation the lessons we learned in those dark year. While we slept soundly, people are dying left and right. Others simply disappear never to be seen again.

Oh yes, we as parents can always claim that we've been doing our duties to family and country. But are these the right things? A perfect example is how some easily dismiss the right to life and due process of left-leaning individuals. Never mind if they are fighting for their rights and the rights of others. Some would even laud the perpetrators since they are considered enemies of the state and better off dead.

I wouldn't look to far, Ive been branded and called a communist just because I believe that we are all equal. We have lost genuine concern for others and our sense of nationalism. We fall prey to propaganda and the spin this administration bombard us with. We have grown apathetic and thus the culture of impunity pervades in the country.

The wasted lives of those who believed in equality, most of them, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers are easily accepted by the people as collateral damage. Some fell victim to the policy of shoot/abduct first and ask questions later. We have heard of 11 yr. old Grecil who was shot and killed at pointblank, mistaken to be a rebel by a patrolling military unit. The outcry was short-lived and we went back to our own lives.

How many more should die or disappear into the night before we all realize that we need to collectively pursue genuine democracy? Do we have to wait for our loved ones or even ourselves to fall prey to these injustices before we wake up and do something? This is the reality we live in, its now a way of life. We live in a supposed to be civilized society and yet we behave like beasts caring only for ourselves. We have forgotteh that we belong to a community.

Hope and pray that none of your loved ones become a victim. Maybe that would be the only way for us to finally see beyond the walls we've built around us. We can never be sure what would happen next. There is no assurance that we will be eternally safe from the tentacles of this oppressive regime. Look around and see what's happening around us. Stop and put yourselves in the shoes of those families these victims have left behind. And then ask yourselves what you've done for your neighbor.

Apathy breeds impunity. Lest you want to lose your liberty again, I'd start caring "again" before its too late. Just imagine of what we can do if we wake up all at the same time from our apathetic slumber.

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Learning The Hard Way: Pacman's Misadventure

A report by ABS-CBN says that the people's champ, Manny Pacquiao has withdrawn all his money from a bank. Audits revealed that he spent a little over P140 million for his bid at a congressional seat. The report also said that his political backers never reimbursed his expenses reneging on their previous agreement. Attempts by the Pacman to reach his backers were all futile. They dropped him like a hot potato when it became apparent that Darlene Antonino Custodio was going to trounce him in their hometown of General Santos.

Manny should have known better than listen to these opportunists. He grew too big for himself that he truly believed that his popularity will give him the win. Now that he learned his lesson the hard way, I hope he would be more discerning next time. Political operators and their ilk are made of steel. They never care and think only of how much money they'll make or how they can get more power. Manny should have listened to his mother who advised him not to enter politics.
He now realized that there are people out there who will take advantage of him to advance their political ambitions. I now wonder where this experience will take him. But this was all his fault. Naive/arrogant as he may be, he should have taken into consideration his limitations. He may still recover from this debacle and lift himself up again. He can still pick up the fragments of his shattered ego. He has done this in the past.

So now that reality has struck him down to size, he should focus on his real career, boxing. Those who manipulated him will face the consequences somehow, someday. We all know who they are even if they deny it. The people of GenSan showed how important Manny is to them and they delivered him from the jaws of certain death. He should be thankful that he only lost some of his riches and not his career altogether. He can always earn what he lost in the elections.

To serve the people is not the only consideration. One has to always bear in mind his limitations. Manny can still serve the people in his own capacity. One need not have to be in an elected position to serve. Who knows, he may even win in the future. But for now, let's hope he sticks to what's his forte is, boxing.

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My Growing Family

I have been looking forward to meeting Manilenya and Sasha. I got a bonus and got to meet Bro.Vince, Kneeko and Master Betong too. We had a late lunch at Gerry's Grill yesterday. Melai (Manilenya) and Sasha fondly calls me Tatay which I appreciate very much. Now I have three more wonderful "kids" to add to my growing family. My good friend, Arbet was there too.

I had a wonderful afternoon with them and it was a despedida of sorts as Melai will soon leave for her new home, Canada. We had loads of fun exchanging stories and ideas. It was a fruitful and enlightening discussion which left me wishing for more time with them. Of course we too discussed the "juicier" side of blogging with Arbet revealing some secrets and Betong and Sasha explaining to us how blogging can earn you some dough.

I have never seen such a wonderful group. They were so vibrant and Kneeko just kept shooting pictures of us in candid(?) poses. Its my second time to attend an Eye Ball which allowed to finally meet the people behind the blogs. I really enjoyed it and I'm now looking forward to the next one which I hope will be bigger.

To my newfound children, thanks for the great time. And to my "panganay", Melai, have a safe trip anak, our prayers are with you.

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Budol-Bedol: Now You See Him, Now You Don't

I once questioned ComelecAko why Bedol and the rest of the Graci Gang were promoted and never investigated for the fraud-riddled 2004 presidential elections. His answer back then was posted in his blog which for some reason, I can no longer access. He too was disappointed but adds that they seemed to be hardworking thus their promotions were justified. If memory serves me right, he adds that he wished that the allegations had closure, meaning the people implicated should have been investigated.

Now Lintang Bedol is nowhere to be found. He's done a Garci, he had disappeared into thin air and brought with him the answers to the mystery of the Maguindanao vote. ComelecAko was right, he should have been investigated along with Sumalipao and Macaambon. The two are still here as no scandalous actions have yet been uncovered. Macarambon however was involved in the last fiasco of the special elections in Lanao. Ricky Carandang reported that he was the one who picked up blank ERs from municipal treasures and brought ithem to a hotel.

Bedol had been called to the national canvass to explain the elections (as if it ever took place) in Maguindanao. He was the election supervisor in that area. Bedol and his henchmen did a "BUDOL-BUDOL" in Maguindanao (Budol-budol is a scam wherein a bundle of cash is padded with paper cut in the size of paper money. Only the exposed faces are genuine money and everything in between are just plain paper cuttings).

Now the elections in Maguindanao are in limbo as too many questions were left unanswered. As for the magician, Bedol, he could be anywhere living in luxury from the fruits of his labor. We have the commissioners of the COMELEC to blame. They should never have promoted Bedol. I can almost see inquisitive minds such as mine, asking whether Abalos and the rest of the commissioners were all in this or not.

My gut keeps telling me Abalos knows what is going on. His latest absurd order was to re-canvass ERs which were known to be fakes. You'll get the same results dummy! Recounting wouldn't amount to anything, you'll get the same result. For someone supposed to be brilliant, it seems sanity and common sense had escaped the man.

So the Garci legacy continues! This time its Budol-Bedol and his gang of magicians. The COMELEC's mental state is now in question. The lieutenants of Garci have done their share, its up to Abalos to cover their tracks. Not only were the elections in Maguindanao stolen, the people were swindled by the Budol-Bedol Gang.

*Must read entries: Tingog's Lintang Bedol, Patsada Karajaw's Totally Absurd and Ricky Carandang's About Those ERs

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