Giving Gloria A Good Whacking

Well, its high time the disgruntled people of the Philippines show this despotic regime who the real boss is. Its time that we show GMA how fed up we really are of how she is running this country to the ground. Let this midterm elections be the turning point and the start of the end for the Pidals.

She wants the people to forget the past and move on. But with so many questions left unanswered, we will never move forward. Let us not forget that we should learn from the past or else be bound to repeat the mistakes we committed. She must be made accountable for the lying, the cheating, the stealing and the killings. We must not allow her to take the country down with her. The Pidals and their minions must face the music.

I must admit that I'm not fond of some of the Grand Coalition's candidates, but heck, its time to give Gloria a piece of my mind. Even just to spite this moral pygmy, I will throw my lot with the opposition. The issue really is Gloria and no one else. I must respect however the views of others. We live in a democracy and we cannot impose our will on others. Its still their choice and its their vote.

I however will be turning a blind eye just this once. I AM VOTING 12 - 0 FOR THE OPPOSITION SLATE. I don't want any of GMA's gang sneaking in. I hope we all unite and make a political statement come May 14. Let's dump this administration and give Gloria a good whacking!

VOTE STRAIGHT FOR THE GRAND COALITION!

1. Alan Peter Cayetano
2. Chiz Escudero
3. Sonia Roco
4. Sonny Trillanes
5. Koko Pimentel
6. Noynoy Aquino
7. Manny Villar
8. Kiko Pangilinan
9. Nikki Coseteng
10. Ping Lacson
11. Loren Legarda
12. John Osmeña

To John Marzan, CJV, MLQ3 and the rest of the country, let's go kick some ass. (Yuko and Anna has jumped the gun and are campaigning hard for a 12-0 blast)

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KAMPON And LAGAS - JdV's Rude Awakening

Despite the denials, one thing is obvious, the once vaunted LAKAS of Joe de Venecia has been decimated by GMA's political party, KAMPI. JdV's heart must in shreds as the biggest predator in Philippine politics has outsmarted him again. He can just sulk and console himself with memories of how formidable his party once was.

As the days pass, more and more of his supporters will be joining KAMPI. Being a seasoned politician, all he can do now is try to think where he went wrong. Obviously, GMA is more cunning than he is. What will happen now to the Rainbow Coalition? Will it finally fade away? The majority has been devoured by the KAMPON ni GMA. Soon he will be holding an almost empty bag and may have to rename his party, LAGAS.

The KAMPON will now be a force to reckon with and could very well be GMA's best defense. Could this e a prelude to GMA's perpetual stay in power? We all know that when her term expires in 2010, she needs a force that will ensure her "safety". The continuing exodus of party mates will definitely change the political landscape, at least in the lower house. JdV has lost his touch and depending on how the opposition performs in the midterm elections, LAKAS will cease to exist. But JdV may still reinvent himself and ally with the opposition just to send a message across.

JdV never really saw it coming. He was blindsided by the most vicious politician in the country today. He was taken for a ride, a ride the spelled his political demise. This is what happens when one becomes too ambitious, the greed for power led to complacency and now he has lost all he toiled for. He worked hard to make LAKAS one of the biggest most potent political party. It never occurred to him that he will be hoodwinked by a woman, a woman more greedy than he is.

He should have adhered to every politician's tenet, the here are no permanent friends in politics, only permanent interests. Well, this only show that no matter how politically sly one is, there is always some one more wily. It would be nice to see these two contenders battle it out for supremacy. And while they distract and destruct each other, the emerging opposition force might just pull the rug from under them. Now that is a sight to see.

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Of Payoffs And The Economy

Talk of bribes paid to senatorial bets had been going around for the past weeks. Use of aircrafts and even shouldering of campaign expenses had been mentioned. There was even mention of actual figures, P100-150Million. And these amounts are given upfront. Its no wonder that even those allied with Erap were lured to jump the fence and join the administration's so called Unity Ticket.

The power of the incumbent and its machinery will be bearing on the opposition with all its might. The midterm elections will be the most expensive one to date. What about the funding for administration's cohorts in the lower house? For sure they will be asking for funds too. GMA needs to win both houses to save her neck. Surely, dirty money will be flowing, no doubt about it.

This early, she had been dragging with her the M&Ms, not the candy but Mike and Migz (the supposed to be bright boys with misdirected principles). To spoil the opposition's chances, they are fielding namesakes. Some had said that this will be the dirtiest elections yet. With the tactics the administration had been employing, it is turning out to be one.

Trillions of pesos will be poured into this elections. Their cheating operators will be very busy and greedy. Promotions and appointments had allowed the administration to put in place the best frauds in the land. While Garci may have retired, his army of cheats have been given new posts with matching promotions. With the automation put on hold, who knows what these cheats have in store for us.

The opposition however lacks funding. This is the reason why their (un)principled allies joined the administration. Businessmen wouldn't dare support the opposition for fear of reprisal from the present dispensation. We all know how the administration uses the institutions at getting back at its opponents. Nobody is safe from the long arms of the (un)lawful.

But let's go back to the bribes. Let's be conservative and peg it at P100M. That's P100M x 12 candidates = P1.2Billion, add the cost of advertising which could be another P1.2Billion, that's a huge chunk of the National Budget for 2007. It could have been put to good use. It could have been used to pay part of our national debt. Or better yet, improve the basic services, our people so desperately need. This of course does not include the money to be handed out to their congressmen and local executive allies. The election operators would also demand for their share of the pie. I wouldn't be surprised if this election alone would cost the administration more than P6Billion in total. The country could have a lot of uses for this amount and Gloria wouldn't need to walk out on reporters when asked about the economy. Oil and LPG prices went down due to the decrease in international prices, not because of her economic reforms. OFW remittances is at an all-time high and the dollar's continuing decline is the reason why the exchange rate is dropping. The EVAT is a major factor in the shrinking deficit. While she brags about the economy, high utility rates continue to make life hard for the ordinary Filipino. We, the taxpayers should rise up and tell this government that this is where the real fight is. It is not in congress or the electoral battlefields. We the people deserve more, much, much more.

If Gloria can raise this staggering amount to bribe her candidates, then the country is not her priority. She would rather make her minions happy than make sure every child can get a good education, that every Filipino can be given better health service, that there will be food on every family's table and that there will be a roof over every Filipino's head. No wonder its only her and her cohorts who believe and feel the improving economy. If this is the kind of person who believes she is the country's best leader, then I must go with those who advocate a national strike and let her know we've had enough of her brand of leadership and that we will not give her our hard-earned taxes.

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Super Twins Of The Administration

While Erap had his Balato Twins, the administration's Unity Ticket has one of the Balato Twins and the Super Twins. Joker Arroyo and Ralph "Santos" Recto finally succumbed to the administration's mouthwatering offer. To the very end, the Super Twins continued to point out how they stood against the constitutional onslaught of the palace. But that is not the entire issue. The real issue is Gloria Arroyo and her band of terrorists.

So what if they fought GMA tooth and nail against the Con-Ass and the PI. They were out protecting their seats in the senate. So what if they exposed so many anomalies committed by this administration, they should have seen these scandals to the very end. So what if they fought against GMA's EOs, someone else could have done that, they just rode on the public outcry.

That truth of the matter is, they are only part of a collegial body. They were not alone in the fight. They were joined by the entire nation. They should not take credit for what is not truly theirs. We need closure on all issues, we don't need exposes and scandals. We cannot sit and wait while our country is run to the ground. We need to make our leaders accountable. Merely pointing out the illegalities does not cut it.

In the end, its all about money. Money and resources which these two need for their campaign. The opposition cannot promise them this, the most logical decision is to join the bandwagon of the incumbent who has the machinery to run their candidacy. Yes they won under GMA's ticket before, that was before this issue on GMA arose. Now let us see if GMA still has the magic or the witch's brew to win them their seats. She can always cheat again, can't she?

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Stupidity Of The House Moro-Moro

As expected by all, the (un)Ethics Committee wasted no time hammering Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano on the expulsion case filed by Mike Arroyo. Brandishing the supposed authentic certification from the officials of the Hypo VereinsBank, Arroyo's minions in the committee without blinking an eye, the scoundrels took it hook, line and sinker. Did the panel think that their moro-moro worked? Of course not, no launderer in his right mind would use his real name in an account which contains his loot.

They tried to demolish the young Cayetano's credibility, one even going as far as calling him an extortionist. We all knew from the start that the fishing expedition by the three stooges amounted to nothing. The bank as expected denied the existence of an Arroyo account. A seasoned launderer will use dummies, aliases and pseudonyms to hide his identity. Maybe the Arroyos thought that the people had forgotten the Jose Pidal scandal.

But the committee in all its stupidity could have done Rep. Cayetano more good than harm. They may have sealed his seat in the senate, thanks to the media, Rep. Cayetano looked more like the aggrieved party than Mike Arroyo. We all know how public sympathy can have an impact on ones candidacy. The Arroyos may have won the battle but have totally lost the war. The tyranny of numbers left a bad taste in the mouth of the viewing public. It further stoked the flames of an already simmering cauldron.

Probably realizing what they have done, the committee after holding an executive session, recommended a 45-day suspension for the embattled congressman. Smarting from how disgusted the people were from their Con-Ass shenanigan, the panel avoided kicking Rep. Cayetano out. The panel knew they were put in a bind, they had to save face. They need to make the Arroyos happy and at the same time clear the Arroyos already tarnished name. Mind you, its not their job to cleanse Mike Arroyos name.

Never have I seen a pack of wolves in barongs so rabid in defending the most unpopular personality in the Philippines today. To puke is an understatement. They turned the halls of congress not into a circus tent but a whore house. Frothing at the mouth, they showed the people what kind of legislators they all are. Its obvious now that they are not the true people's representatives but the defenders of the most hated family in the land. They truely have served their masters in the palace by the murky river.

They showed us that we the taxpaying deserve better. Instead of serving us who pay their wages and who give them their much desired pork barrels, they throw their undivided attention to a despotic family. Now you've all seen how your (mis)representatives work, are you still going to vote for them?

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Learning Life The Hard Way

I had the chance to interview a neighborhood toughie. At a young age of 19, he has graduated from petty crimes to the more "rewarding" drug trade. Alone, with a wife and kid to support plus 5 young siblings to take care of, he has turned to the life of crime for survival. I will call him Astig to hide his identity. He creates a lot of trouble in my place and every one's afraid of him. Although I have heard a lot of stories about him, he never really bothered my little store.

We crossed paths when I prevented a gang from another area from beating him up. I was able to pacify the gang and convinced them to just leave. I learned that he is quite intelligent. Although a high school dropout, he was a straight A student. His family's woes began when his father was imprisoned for being an alleged pusher. The father had a friend who lived with them. Unknown to them, the friend was a pusher. The police raided their house and found a big stash of 'crack or shabu' in the friend's room. The friend then implicated his father. The mother, not skilled enough was unable to hold a steady job. With mouths to feed, the mother turned to prostitution to make a living.

Astig's mother started using shabu to numb her senses to be able to stomach the business she is engaged in. Soon, the mother was caught taking drugs and was also sent to prison. Now Astig had no one to rely on and started working in the wet market. Doing odd jobs, he tried to work for his sibling's survival. Of course it was not enough, he turned to doing petty crimes to augment his earnings. He made sure that his brothers and sister had enough food and attend schooling.

He said that even if he worked and stole, it still wasn't enough. He became a runner for a pusher and as of late, a pusher himself. Now, with his new 'career' in peddling drugs, all he has to do is sit and wait for his customers to come and pick up their 'stuff'.

I have tried to council this boy but I have failed as I have nothing to offer him. My wife often sends them food before. He now rejects the little help we extend him. I sense a lot of hatred against the world in this boy. The harsh realities of life seems too much for him. Losing both parents at the age of 16, I cannot even imagine the hardships he had to go through. Still, I have not given up on this boy who has a lot of promise. I know there is still some good in him. He was after all a former altar boy and used to be a good student in a Catholic school. He confided his dreams and aspirations in life during our series of interviews. I know that given the right break, he will rid himself of his evil ways.

I wonder how many Astigs there are in our country today. Having to learn about life the hard way and facing each day with pity and hate. Sometimes, we cannot just condemn but understand. The last advice I gave him before we parted is what I always tell my kids and friends whenever they find life too difficult: "Try looking down instead of up, you will see that you are more fortunate than others and that you do not experience the sufferings they have to go through in life."

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Cooking It Up With Gloria

The installation of Hermogenes Ebdane as the new Secretary of National Defense may have sealed the deal for the coming elections. Ebdane as we all know, is one of the generals implicated in the election fraud of 2004. The alleged ballot switching in the lower house and subsequent protection of election operator, Virgilio Garcillano has been attributed to him.

With Avelino Cruz out of the way, this paves the way for another round of election fraud. The Dynamic Duo of Hermogenes Esperon and Hermogenes Ebdane (coincidence?) now has a stranglehold on the entire military. Madame Glueria sure has the best recipe to ensure her minions' victory in the coming polls. She's slowly filling up her administration with her most trusted henchmen. With the aid of another perceived operator at the DILG, the skepticism of the people could turn into reality.

To cloak her evil plans, Glueria had called for a poll summit which she says should allay the fears of the people. Of course she knows very well that even without this summit, the government is duty bound to ensure an honest and clean election. She knew that the opposition and the church will not join this circus. Everybody knows its plain lip service. She has a penchant for saying one thing and doing another.

Its good that the senate has sat on the anti-terrorism bill, imagine if it had been passed, there might not be an opposition slate in the coming polls. The threat of suspension and dismissal of local officials is also part of the administration's grand design to make sure their horses will win the electoral race. The goal is to survive at all costs.

The only way to prevent this witch's brew from poisoning the electoral process is the people's vigilance and active participation. The voters' should guard their votes. With the technology available today, and even without the automation, the people can use their camphones and even their digicams to record the canvassing. To attentively watch the counting of votes is also a way to safeguard our votes. The Filipinos are known "usiseros", let's put that trait to good use and make sure our votes count.

Let us collectively thwart their plan to cheat us again. We must not let our guard down. To be passive will allow evil to win again.

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