Commented on antipinoy.com:
I won't contest a number of things that Gordon says in his interviews, as they are true - from a certain point of view. What I will say, and folks pay close attention, is this:
The Devil himself can quote even Scripture, if it serves his purposes.
Think on that for a moment.
Done already? Alright, let's move along.
I find it funny when Gordon openly criticizes people for "not wanting to hear the truth" (and by "truth" he apparently means his criticism of everyone else) and yet at the same time talks a whole nine yards of trash to people who acknowledge the truth that Gordon will not win this year's elections. I'm not trying to bash on Gordon in this respect, but seriously, let's face reality. This Presidential race is a three-way race between Aquino, Villar and Erap, with Teodoro as a remotely possible dark horse. There is no silver lining in this scenario for Gordon, as there are NO signs on the horizon of any possible victory for him.
What happened?
What happened is what follows, and thousands more examples of this throughout the past few months:
"What have you ever done aside from criticize people like me? Have you ever picked up a piece of paper on the street? Have you ever reported a crime? You're a talker, not a doer! Shut up!" - Headstart, segment 4/6, 2:35-2:43
8 seconds of Fail. Of the Epic variety.
See, here's a little secret that you may want to let Gordon in to: There's a very broad line between being honest and being "bastos." Guess which side of that line Gordon is on?
Even if he argues that he was insulted first, as a statesman vying for the highest elective position in the land, he must adhere to a higher standard of dignity and behavior. Senator, this is not some college basketball game where you can shout expletives back at the opposing team's supporters if they heckle you or your team.
Heck, if you think this is bad now, you should wait until you actually *DO* get elected to President. What will you do if a member of the opposition criticizes your judgment or calls you out on your decisions? Call him a useless a**hole and tell him his opinion doesn't matter?
THAT is your grand plan of changing the Philippines? Transforming politics into an R-18 B-movie?
Oh, wait, you already did that back when Erap had you replaced as chairman of the SBMA. Silly me.
Gordon could be the most capable, most skilled, most knowledgeable Presidential candidate out there - and he would lose. He could run again in 2016 - and he will loose again. He could continue trying to get elected every 6 years, until the day he dies - and he would lose, every single time. It is very simple: his attempts to be the "tell it like it is" guy does not unify the Filipino people, it just further polarizes them. He wants to be the "carino brutal"-type politician, but the only part of that that gets communicated is the "brutal" part.
He tries so hard to be honest, but in the end, he only winds up being bastos.
I for, one, would be astounded, the day kabastusan can transform the Philippines for the better.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Finally, a Nacionalista with balls!
I had once asked in this blog if Atty. Adel Tamano was taking any banned substances, as a way of trying to make sense of some statements he had made about the Liberal Party.
Let me be the first to revoke this statement in light of new information. Finally, a Nacionalista Party member with balls!
Read about it here => http://bit.ly/cnthNh
I could very well be wrong. It could just be a stunt to gain that last bit of political mileage. But for now, I have no reason to doubt him in what he says. If anything, it is telling that to date, he is the only Nacionalista Party member who has condemned the series of fake documents and fake endorsements to come out against Sen. Noynoy Aquino, and the only Nacionalista Party member who has shown any sort of conviction in his belief of fair play in politics, by offering to leave the NP should it be proven that the NP is, in fact, responsible for the psychiatric reports and the Ampatuan endorsement.
As someone who plans to go straight SLAMAT LORRRD, I am proud to say that it is a shame I will not be voting for Atty. Adel Tamano. Good sir, my hat goes off to you.
Let me be the first to revoke this statement in light of new information. Finally, a Nacionalista Party member with balls!
Read about it here => http://bit.ly/cnthNh
I could very well be wrong. It could just be a stunt to gain that last bit of political mileage. But for now, I have no reason to doubt him in what he says. If anything, it is telling that to date, he is the only Nacionalista Party member who has condemned the series of fake documents and fake endorsements to come out against Sen. Noynoy Aquino, and the only Nacionalista Party member who has shown any sort of conviction in his belief of fair play in politics, by offering to leave the NP should it be proven that the NP is, in fact, responsible for the psychiatric reports and the Ampatuan endorsement.
As someone who plans to go straight SLAMAT LORRRD, I am proud to say that it is a shame I will not be voting for Atty. Adel Tamano. Good sir, my hat goes off to you.
An Open Letter to King del Rosario
From King del Rosario's Facebook status:
"I know some of u secretly hate me & may not like the idea of me having influenced ur Vote due to my 'constant flooding of Pro-Gibo articles in ur NewsFeed'. But the thing is, ur Vote is very important. Take me out of the equation instead & just think about the Philippines, the Future, & Gibo. U know he deserves to be President. Wag na kayong mahiya at umamin na kasi! Or don't. Just vote for him this May 10."
Dear King,
If it helps ease your guilt, you have convinced me of one thing: that delusions of adequacy tend to warp one's perspective.
First of all, I do not secretly hate you. I do not know you well enough nor do I care enough about you to hate you. And even if I did hate you, I would not make it a secret. So please try to overcome this first delusion of adequacy: the delusion that you have some form of influence over the undecided, so much so that other people might hate you for it. At the very least, you may have some influence over the weak-willed or those already leaning towards Gibo to begin with, and in that respect I congratulate you for swaying them in Gibo's favor, if indeed you have done so. But don't think for a moment that your words will sway those with serious doubts as to the ramifications of Gibo's undying loyalty to PGMA. If anything, we've seen this country under the leadership of one who was highly intelligent and highly skilled - and we got Martial Law as payment for our gullibility.
It is true that my vote counts. Everyone's vote counts. That is a given. But to say "Take me out of the equation instead & just think about the Philippines, the Future, & Gibo" makes such a ridiculous assumption. So now I ask, please discard this second delusion of adequacy: that a Gibo supporter is necessarily one who thinks of the Philippines and its future. No single person or group has a monopoly over nationalism and patriotism, least of all a group supporting a presidential candidate who, in turn, supports a sitting President whose administration is riddled with scams and anomalies.
And finally, do away with this third delusion of adequacy: that a person whom you consider to be deserving of the Presidency is in fact deserving to be President. "U know he deserves to be President?" What I DO know is that the only person who deserves to be President is the one who is elected President in a clean, honest and democratic electoral process. Even so, he or she who is elected must constantly prove themselves to be deserving of the Presidency by their work in public office.
The elections are only the beginning. Regardless of who wins or loses, we ALL have to do our part in ensuring a better future for our country. It is our duty as Filipinos.
But please, leave your delusions at the door.
"I know some of u secretly hate me & may not like the idea of me having influenced ur Vote due to my 'constant flooding of Pro-Gibo articles in ur NewsFeed'. But the thing is, ur Vote is very important. Take me out of the equation instead & just think about the Philippines, the Future, & Gibo. U know he deserves to be President. Wag na kayong mahiya at umamin na kasi! Or don't. Just vote for him this May 10."
Dear King,
If it helps ease your guilt, you have convinced me of one thing: that delusions of adequacy tend to warp one's perspective.
First of all, I do not secretly hate you. I do not know you well enough nor do I care enough about you to hate you. And even if I did hate you, I would not make it a secret. So please try to overcome this first delusion of adequacy: the delusion that you have some form of influence over the undecided, so much so that other people might hate you for it. At the very least, you may have some influence over the weak-willed or those already leaning towards Gibo to begin with, and in that respect I congratulate you for swaying them in Gibo's favor, if indeed you have done so. But don't think for a moment that your words will sway those with serious doubts as to the ramifications of Gibo's undying loyalty to PGMA. If anything, we've seen this country under the leadership of one who was highly intelligent and highly skilled - and we got Martial Law as payment for our gullibility.
It is true that my vote counts. Everyone's vote counts. That is a given. But to say "Take me out of the equation instead & just think about the Philippines, the Future, & Gibo" makes such a ridiculous assumption. So now I ask, please discard this second delusion of adequacy: that a Gibo supporter is necessarily one who thinks of the Philippines and its future. No single person or group has a monopoly over nationalism and patriotism, least of all a group supporting a presidential candidate who, in turn, supports a sitting President whose administration is riddled with scams and anomalies.
And finally, do away with this third delusion of adequacy: that a person whom you consider to be deserving of the Presidency is in fact deserving to be President. "U know he deserves to be President?" What I DO know is that the only person who deserves to be President is the one who is elected President in a clean, honest and democratic electoral process. Even so, he or she who is elected must constantly prove themselves to be deserving of the Presidency by their work in public office.
The elections are only the beginning. Regardless of who wins or loses, we ALL have to do our part in ensuring a better future for our country. It is our duty as Filipinos.
But please, leave your delusions at the door.
Monday, April 26, 2010
In Defense of the Indefensible: Thoughts on the words of Nanay Curing and the Villar Siblings
It was no surprise that the Villar camp would release a rejoinder to the most recent slew of attacks from the Erap camp regarding Villar's unethical dealings with the Philippine Stock Exchange. It is alleged that Manny Villar, while Senate President, blackmailed the PSE into releasing his Vista Land shares from a lock-up period to sell them for allegedly billions of pesos in profits.
But it *was* a surprise to see this response come from his mother.
"Kasi aping-api na ‘yung anak ko e [My son is being persecuted]," says Curita “Nanay Curing” Villar, when asked why she was voicing out her grief in public.
I do not doubt her sincerity and concern over her son, nor do I doubt the sincerity of Manny Villar's sisters. It is only natural for a mother or a sibling to defend their kin when threatened.
I *do* doubt, however, that they knew and understood what they were talking about.
"Kawawa naman po siya. Nagtiis na nga po ako ng hirap, naapi na ako sa palengke pati ba naman ang anak ko? Pati ba naman ang anak ko, naapi pa ngayon? [My poor son. We endured poverty. I was oppressed in the public market and now even my son? Even my son is being maltreated now]." she said.
I did read an anecdote about how they would at times get into debt and their lendor would become physical when the payment was not made on time. No one should be treated so unfairly, and Nanay Curing is right to be angry at how she was bullied and harrassed.
It's just that there's nothing similar between what Nanay Curing went through and what Manny Villar is going through. Nanay Curing did not wish to be in debt, but worked hard to get out of it; Manny Villar also did not wish to be in debt, but worked the system to pay off his debts for him, and come out ahead in the deal too. Nanay Curing worked hard for her money, to raise her nine children and to ensure a better future for them; Manny Villar duped Filipino taxpayers and invstoers of their money, to raise his own ego and to ensure a better future for his political aspirations. Nanay Curing seems to have conducted her business affairs honestly and with integrity; Manny Villar seems to have conducted his business affairs completely devoid of honesty, integrity be damned.
I guess it is just as well that Nanay Curing is blind, as I feel she would weep rivers if she saw what her son has accomplished.
Speaking of mothers, here's an apparent swipe at Noynoy Aquino and the LP:
From Inquirer: "Patay na kanyang ina, sinasama pa...Buti nga nanay ko nakakapagtanggol pa sa kapatid ko. ‘Yung ina nila patay na ginamit pa nila di ba? [Their mother is dead but they still include her… Our mother is still alive so she can defend my brother. Their mother is dead but they still use her)" said Gloria, sister of Manny Villar.
"Sino ba ang unang nanggamit? Hindi ba lahat ng posters niya? Andun ang nanay at tatay niya, so kami ngayon lang kami lumilitaw kasi sobra na, personal na [Who used their mother first? Didn’t they put their mother and father on all their posters? We came out just now because it’s all too much, it’s getting personal]," she lamented.
Ironically, this was in response to a question by a reporter, who had apparently explained that this might be a Villar stunt to use his mother to propr up his sagging campaign, and not in response to a statement from Noynoy or the LP camp.
Here's the thing, and pay close attention: There is nothing similar about how Noynoy and Villar have used the images of their respective parents in their campaigns.
Noynoy has always talked about what his parents taught him, and how he thanks them for making him who he is today. When he talks about his mother and father, he talks about how they treated other people and how they handled themselves, and by extension how he learned to handle himself and his affairs.
Villar, on the other hand, has all but maligned his own parents, blaming their poverty for the death of his brother and making them seem like poor providers, all to bolster the claim that he is a self-made man. When he talks about his mother and father... Scratch that, he doesn't even talk about them other than to reinforce the claim that they were poor, and how he didn't have "famous parents."
There's just no comparison. Noynoy knows and professes that he owes everything to his parents. Manny Villar believes and proclaims that he is solely responsible for his success, with nary a nod to the accomplishements of his mother and late father.
This is, by the way, not just some invention of a fertile imagination. These are statements and conclusions lifted from Villar's own statemens about his prior economic class and of how he "built his own name." Many a journalist have already taken notice and have dug deeper to verify Manny's dubious political ad claims. Much to Villar's chargrin, official records of a variety of shapes and sizes contradict him at every turn: He did not come from a "dirt-poor" family, but grew up in a merchant-class family; his brother Danny dies from leukemia, an incurable disease, and not from lack of money for treatment; the C-5 road, far from being above-board, is highly anomalous and disadvantegous to everyone but Manny Villar's business interests; the Norzagaray farmers' lands were illegally claimed from them by the Villars via fake land titles...
Yet in the face of the overwhelming evidence, Manny's sister Gloria still found choice words for the media:
Again, from Inquirer: "Bigyan niyo naman ng tsansa kapatid ko. Alamin niyo naman ang katotohanan bago kayo magsalita. Yang ABS-CBN na ‘yan masyadong unfair sa kapatid ko yan, Channel 7 very unfair sa kapatid ko...[Give my brother a chance. Find out the truth first before you start talking. ABS-CBN and Channel 7 have been very unfair to my brother],"she said.
"Masyado kayong unfair, you media people, you are unfair. Yang si Clavio na yan si Monsod na yan, my God, ‘di nila kami kilala para sabihin yan [You are so unfair, you media people, you are unfair. Clavio and Monsod, My God, they don’t know us for them to be able to say those things against us]," she said.
To be fair, I have no knowledge of anything that Arnold Clavio or Winnie Monsod have said about the Villar family as a whole, so I can't comment on such a matter. But the fact remains, Clavio and Monsod aren't just rumor-mongers. They have shown evidence to support their findings. They have provided Manny Villar ample opportunity to provide his side. The response? "Black propaganda lang yan." Who is being unfair to whom?
"Yang Channel 2 na yan kung apihin yang kapatid ko sa media, kung bigyan ng airtime ang kapatid ko, hindi makapagtanggol ang kapatid ko sa mga sinasabi ng kalaban e. Ang airtime ng mga kalaban napakatagal, ang kapatid ko pinapasasdahan lang nila ang mukha [Channel 2, they mistreat my brother through media. They don’t give him enough airtime to defend himself against the accusations of his opponents. The other camp’s airtime is so long while they only show my brother’s face in passing]," she further said.
So, I suppose the ad that was created out of this interview is their way of balancing the scales?
All told, I fully understand why they are angry.
What I don't understand is why they have to make a spectacle of their rage.
But it *was* a surprise to see this response come from his mother.
"Kasi aping-api na ‘yung anak ko e [My son is being persecuted]," says Curita “Nanay Curing” Villar, when asked why she was voicing out her grief in public.
I do not doubt her sincerity and concern over her son, nor do I doubt the sincerity of Manny Villar's sisters. It is only natural for a mother or a sibling to defend their kin when threatened.
I *do* doubt, however, that they knew and understood what they were talking about.
"Kawawa naman po siya. Nagtiis na nga po ako ng hirap, naapi na ako sa palengke pati ba naman ang anak ko? Pati ba naman ang anak ko, naapi pa ngayon? [My poor son. We endured poverty. I was oppressed in the public market and now even my son? Even my son is being maltreated now]." she said.
I did read an anecdote about how they would at times get into debt and their lendor would become physical when the payment was not made on time. No one should be treated so unfairly, and Nanay Curing is right to be angry at how she was bullied and harrassed.
It's just that there's nothing similar between what Nanay Curing went through and what Manny Villar is going through. Nanay Curing did not wish to be in debt, but worked hard to get out of it; Manny Villar also did not wish to be in debt, but worked the system to pay off his debts for him, and come out ahead in the deal too. Nanay Curing worked hard for her money, to raise her nine children and to ensure a better future for them; Manny Villar duped Filipino taxpayers and invstoers of their money, to raise his own ego and to ensure a better future for his political aspirations. Nanay Curing seems to have conducted her business affairs honestly and with integrity; Manny Villar seems to have conducted his business affairs completely devoid of honesty, integrity be damned.
I guess it is just as well that Nanay Curing is blind, as I feel she would weep rivers if she saw what her son has accomplished.
Speaking of mothers, here's an apparent swipe at Noynoy Aquino and the LP:
From Inquirer: "Patay na kanyang ina, sinasama pa...Buti nga nanay ko nakakapagtanggol pa sa kapatid ko. ‘Yung ina nila patay na ginamit pa nila di ba? [Their mother is dead but they still include her… Our mother is still alive so she can defend my brother. Their mother is dead but they still use her)" said Gloria, sister of Manny Villar.
"Sino ba ang unang nanggamit? Hindi ba lahat ng posters niya? Andun ang nanay at tatay niya, so kami ngayon lang kami lumilitaw kasi sobra na, personal na [Who used their mother first? Didn’t they put their mother and father on all their posters? We came out just now because it’s all too much, it’s getting personal]," she lamented.
Ironically, this was in response to a question by a reporter, who had apparently explained that this might be a Villar stunt to use his mother to propr up his sagging campaign, and not in response to a statement from Noynoy or the LP camp.
Here's the thing, and pay close attention: There is nothing similar about how Noynoy and Villar have used the images of their respective parents in their campaigns.
Noynoy has always talked about what his parents taught him, and how he thanks them for making him who he is today. When he talks about his mother and father, he talks about how they treated other people and how they handled themselves, and by extension how he learned to handle himself and his affairs.
Villar, on the other hand, has all but maligned his own parents, blaming their poverty for the death of his brother and making them seem like poor providers, all to bolster the claim that he is a self-made man. When he talks about his mother and father... Scratch that, he doesn't even talk about them other than to reinforce the claim that they were poor, and how he didn't have "famous parents."
There's just no comparison. Noynoy knows and professes that he owes everything to his parents. Manny Villar believes and proclaims that he is solely responsible for his success, with nary a nod to the accomplishements of his mother and late father.
This is, by the way, not just some invention of a fertile imagination. These are statements and conclusions lifted from Villar's own statemens about his prior economic class and of how he "built his own name." Many a journalist have already taken notice and have dug deeper to verify Manny's dubious political ad claims. Much to Villar's chargrin, official records of a variety of shapes and sizes contradict him at every turn: He did not come from a "dirt-poor" family, but grew up in a merchant-class family; his brother Danny dies from leukemia, an incurable disease, and not from lack of money for treatment; the C-5 road, far from being above-board, is highly anomalous and disadvantegous to everyone but Manny Villar's business interests; the Norzagaray farmers' lands were illegally claimed from them by the Villars via fake land titles...
Yet in the face of the overwhelming evidence, Manny's sister Gloria still found choice words for the media:
Again, from Inquirer: "Bigyan niyo naman ng tsansa kapatid ko. Alamin niyo naman ang katotohanan bago kayo magsalita. Yang ABS-CBN na ‘yan masyadong unfair sa kapatid ko yan, Channel 7 very unfair sa kapatid ko...[Give my brother a chance. Find out the truth first before you start talking. ABS-CBN and Channel 7 have been very unfair to my brother],"she said.
"Masyado kayong unfair, you media people, you are unfair. Yang si Clavio na yan si Monsod na yan, my God, ‘di nila kami kilala para sabihin yan [You are so unfair, you media people, you are unfair. Clavio and Monsod, My God, they don’t know us for them to be able to say those things against us]," she said.
To be fair, I have no knowledge of anything that Arnold Clavio or Winnie Monsod have said about the Villar family as a whole, so I can't comment on such a matter. But the fact remains, Clavio and Monsod aren't just rumor-mongers. They have shown evidence to support their findings. They have provided Manny Villar ample opportunity to provide his side. The response? "Black propaganda lang yan." Who is being unfair to whom?
"Yang Channel 2 na yan kung apihin yang kapatid ko sa media, kung bigyan ng airtime ang kapatid ko, hindi makapagtanggol ang kapatid ko sa mga sinasabi ng kalaban e. Ang airtime ng mga kalaban napakatagal, ang kapatid ko pinapasasdahan lang nila ang mukha [Channel 2, they mistreat my brother through media. They don’t give him enough airtime to defend himself against the accusations of his opponents. The other camp’s airtime is so long while they only show my brother’s face in passing]," she further said.
So, I suppose the ad that was created out of this interview is their way of balancing the scales?
All told, I fully understand why they are angry.
What I don't understand is why they have to make a spectacle of their rage.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Because Creativity Strikes At the Strangest of Moments
Such as when one is standing two blocks away from his home, fetching water because the piping system in their area is shot to hell.
Modified lyrics courtesy of Ian Castillo (yes, Eric, *that* Ian Castillo)
sung to the tune of "Hindi Bawal Mangarap," as used in the Manny Villar campaign ad:
Di masamang mangarap
ang Pekeng Mahirap,
Basta't may pondo ka galing sa pinahabang daan!
Di masamang mangarap
ang Pekeng Mahirap,
Basta't ang mukha mo ay makapal,
At mayroong masusuhulan!
Modified lyrics courtesy of Ian Castillo (yes, Eric, *that* Ian Castillo)
sung to the tune of "Hindi Bawal Mangarap," as used in the Manny Villar campaign ad:
Di masamang mangarap
ang Pekeng Mahirap,
Basta't may pondo ka galing sa pinahabang daan!
Di masamang mangarap
ang Pekeng Mahirap,
Basta't ang mukha mo ay makapal,
At mayroong masusuhulan!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Going Straight to the Source
Usually, when I need to find out something, I try as much as possible to go to the source of the information to make sure that what I know is accurate. For example, when I submitted my pre-enrollment requirements to UP Law, one of the items listed was a "Certificate of Graduation." The College Secretary's office was kind enough to inform me that if my transcript already contained my date of graduation, then the certificate wasn't necessary. Problem: the copy I gave them was sealed, and I couldn't check it.
So, what else do I do but troop on over the the AdMU Registrar's Office?
The lady at the Registrar's office was kind enough to even look for a sample transcript (of course, she had to hide the name portion, that stuff's supposed to be on a need-to-know basis only) to show me that my records did, indeed, include my date of graduation.
High fives all around.
~ ~ ~
What happens, then, if the source of information cannot be verified to begin with?
For example, take a look at the newest attack on Noynoy's credibility: a forged document, with the Ateneo de Manila Dept. of Psychology letterhead and the signature of Fr. Tito Caluag, claiming that Noynoy had suffered from clinical depression following a beark-up from his ex-girlfriend.
ABS-CBN was the first to break the news story, citing two officers of the Nacionalista Party who had independently (meaning, they had done so separately, and apparently without prior knowledge of what each other was doing) furnished the document. Ateneo de Manila and Fr. Caluag have both since debunked the document as a patent forgery. The statement from Ateneo is here, while Fr. Tito's statement is here.
The Nacionalista Party, of course, denies ever having released the document and has demanded that ABS-CBN divulge the names of its sources. The ABS-CBN, for its part, has opted to protect the anonymity of its sources and has declined to name them.
*Quick Aside: I find it odd that ABS-CBN claims that it must protect its news sources, as no law provides that they can do so. The closest applicable law, the Sotto Law or Republic Act No. 53, only covers print media, and not broadcast media. Although it has not come down to an actual legal challenge, once ABS-CBN is ordered by legal authorities to divulge the names, then they are obliged to do so, for lack of any law protecting their alleged sources.
And yet, even while denying that the document came from the NP, Villar is now using it as a new avenue of attack. How convenient, isn't it, that the document they deny came from them, and whose source the ABS-CBN News crew chooses not to divulge, is now the basis for this new attack strategy?
This new attack avenue may yet backfire on the NP anew. It's only a matter of time before the ABC-CBN News Center will be forced to reveal who supplied them with the fake document. And when that time comes, guess who's going to get egg in their face - again.
So, what else do I do but troop on over the the AdMU Registrar's Office?
The lady at the Registrar's office was kind enough to even look for a sample transcript (of course, she had to hide the name portion, that stuff's supposed to be on a need-to-know basis only) to show me that my records did, indeed, include my date of graduation.
High fives all around.
~ ~ ~
What happens, then, if the source of information cannot be verified to begin with?
For example, take a look at the newest attack on Noynoy's credibility: a forged document, with the Ateneo de Manila Dept. of Psychology letterhead and the signature of Fr. Tito Caluag, claiming that Noynoy had suffered from clinical depression following a beark-up from his ex-girlfriend.
ABS-CBN was the first to break the news story, citing two officers of the Nacionalista Party who had independently (meaning, they had done so separately, and apparently without prior knowledge of what each other was doing) furnished the document. Ateneo de Manila and Fr. Caluag have both since debunked the document as a patent forgery. The statement from Ateneo is here, while Fr. Tito's statement is here.
The Nacionalista Party, of course, denies ever having released the document and has demanded that ABS-CBN divulge the names of its sources. The ABS-CBN, for its part, has opted to protect the anonymity of its sources and has declined to name them.
*Quick Aside: I find it odd that ABS-CBN claims that it must protect its news sources, as no law provides that they can do so. The closest applicable law, the Sotto Law or Republic Act No. 53, only covers print media, and not broadcast media. Although it has not come down to an actual legal challenge, once ABS-CBN is ordered by legal authorities to divulge the names, then they are obliged to do so, for lack of any law protecting their alleged sources.
And yet, even while denying that the document came from the NP, Villar is now using it as a new avenue of attack. How convenient, isn't it, that the document they deny came from them, and whose source the ABS-CBN News crew chooses not to divulge, is now the basis for this new attack strategy?
This new attack avenue may yet backfire on the NP anew. It's only a matter of time before the ABC-CBN News Center will be forced to reveal who supplied them with the fake document. And when that time comes, guess who's going to get egg in their face - again.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Random Musings on the Political Landscape - 0% Law School, 100% Elections
How quick they are to harp over fabricated issues on Noynoy, the latest being his involvement with Best Security Agency. To wit: "Senator Aquino should not try to sweep this episode in his life under the rug as if it were a small, minor thing. It is not minor. He put up a security agency while his mother was president and bagged contracts with government corporations and agencies. I don't know how he can say there was nothing wrong about it," Remulla said in a statement.
As always, the truth is easy to find:
"The truth of the matter is - Sen Aquino divested his 50 shares in Best Security Agency, worth P50,000, as early as 1987 in order to avoid any issue of conflict of interest. Its lone government contract with the Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) was obtained through public bidding and without any intervention from Senator Aquino," said in a statement.
Really, Remulla. To borrow Atty. Tamano's favorite catch phrase, "Everyone knows" that you're so deep inside Villar's back pocket, you may as well be living inside Villar's ass. People will buy that you're generally smart and possibly a good Senatorial candidate. No one believes you the moment you start talking about Noynoy and the Liberal Party. Please, get over yourself.
At the very least, Aquino's involvement in setting up Best Security Agency pales in comparison to Villar's multiple instances of using government resources to benefit his private corporations' interests. Just as Joker Arroyo - assuming he still remembers his speech back in 1998. If he doesn't remember, you can read it yourself here.
This is just anther case of the pot calling the china black.
~ ~ ~
Curious is the NP's latest accusation against Noynoy: That Noynoy, and not Manny Villar, is GMA's secret candidate.
ROTFLMAO!
First off, let's get something straight. The term "Villarroyo" is not an invention of the Liberal Party. It is the invention of Manuel Buencamino, from the group Action for Economic Reforms. This is a crucial distinction, as it is an indication that political observers, and not actual Liberal Party members, could already see the signs of the Villar-Arroyo connection as early as January this year.
Furthermore, it was not the Liberal Party who put the final nail in the Villarroyo signpost: it was Lakas insiders who confirmed that Mike Arroyo had given marching orders to Cebu lawmakers to support Villar instead of Teodoro. Surely, you don't expect us to believe that the Liberals engineered this too? Come on.
~ ~ ~
Most disturbing about a recent article on the ABS-CBN website was this quote from Manny Villar himself, in reference to Aquino's campaign spending:
"I am beholden to no one but myself because I am spending my own money."
The premise of this statement, meant to insinuate that the people behind Noynoy have vested interests, is that in the event that Noynoy wins, he is obligated to pay back the money spent on the campaign, in cash or in kind.
If that is the case, then doesn't the same logic hold for Villar's spending? Should Villar win, who's to stop him from obligating himself to pay back the only person he is supposedly beholden to?
When in Congress, he transformed small millions to large millions. When in Senate, he transformed large millions into billions.
When in Malacanang, will he transform billions into trillions?
I shudder at the thought.
As always, the truth is easy to find:
"The truth of the matter is - Sen Aquino divested his 50 shares in Best Security Agency, worth P50,000, as early as 1987 in order to avoid any issue of conflict of interest. Its lone government contract with the Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) was obtained through public bidding and without any intervention from Senator Aquino,"
Really, Remulla. To borrow Atty. Tamano's favorite catch phrase, "Everyone knows" that you're so deep inside Villar's back pocket, you may as well be living inside Villar's ass. People will buy that you're generally smart and possibly a good Senatorial candidate. No one believes you the moment you start talking about Noynoy and the Liberal Party. Please, get over yourself.
At the very least, Aquino's involvement in setting up Best Security Agency pales in comparison to Villar's multiple instances of using government resources to benefit his private corporations' interests. Just as Joker Arroyo - assuming he still remembers his speech back in 1998. If he doesn't remember, you can read it yourself here.
This is just anther case of the pot calling the china black.
~ ~ ~
Curious is the NP's latest accusation against Noynoy: That Noynoy, and not Manny Villar, is GMA's secret candidate.
ROTFLMAO!
First off, let's get something straight. The term "Villarroyo" is not an invention of the Liberal Party. It is the invention of Manuel Buencamino, from the group Action for Economic Reforms. This is a crucial distinction, as it is an indication that political observers, and not actual Liberal Party members, could already see the signs of the Villar-Arroyo connection as early as January this year.
Furthermore, it was not the Liberal Party who put the final nail in the Villarroyo signpost: it was Lakas insiders who confirmed that Mike Arroyo had given marching orders to Cebu lawmakers to support Villar instead of Teodoro. Surely, you don't expect us to believe that the Liberals engineered this too? Come on.
~ ~ ~
Most disturbing about a recent article on the ABS-CBN website was this quote from Manny Villar himself, in reference to Aquino's campaign spending:
"I am beholden to no one but myself because I am spending my own money."
The premise of this statement, meant to insinuate that the people behind Noynoy have vested interests, is that in the event that Noynoy wins, he is obligated to pay back the money spent on the campaign, in cash or in kind.
If that is the case, then doesn't the same logic hold for Villar's spending? Should Villar win, who's to stop him from obligating himself to pay back the only person he is supposedly beholden to?
When in Congress, he transformed small millions to large millions. When in Senate, he transformed large millions into billions.
When in Malacanang, will he transform billions into trillions?
I shudder at the thought.
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