Exclusive
By Raïssa Robles
With the continuous incursions of Chinese ships into Philippine waters, a friend recently told me she is seriously thinking of migrating to another country.
China might invade the Philippines, she said. When, she doesn’t know, but she said she’d rather go while still young and able to.
While I see an actual invasion as far-fetched (attacking and occupying Manila would be strategically and politically useless to China), the fear of it is in itself already a kind of invasion into the minds of Filipinos. It’s a fear that has been stoked by the continuous threatening presence of missile-armed Chinese vessels in Philippine waters.
It hasn’t helped that one senior Chinese officer, Major General Zhang Zhaozhong, openly bragged this May that the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has all but wrapped Panatag or Scarborough Shoal (which China calls Huangyan Island) with a multi-layered strategic “cabbage.” I will explain this in detail later.
I asked experts for a threat assessment. Two of them dismissed the near probability of a Chinese invasion or an attack on Manila. But they both said China is probably waiting for any Philippine action in the South China Sea that it could brand a “provocation”, to justify a counterstrike.
The counterstrike could be in the form of another Chinese military takeover or occupation of a Philippine islet, shoal or reef. This would likely be brief and bloodless, Dr. Jay Batongbacal told Asian Dragon.
“They could do this without firing a shot,” said Batongbacal, a University of the Philippines law professor and a specialist on the Law of the Sea and maritime resources and disputes.
“All they need to do is to prevent the resupply of those islands” in the Kalayaan Island Group – which Beijing insists is part of their Nansha Islands.
They call it their “cabbage strategy”, said Chito Santa Romana, a China specialist and former Beijing bureau chief for ABC News network.
He explained to Asian Dragon why PLAN named their strategy after a vegetable. It’s a blockade to “squeeze out” the Philippines from the area. And like a cabbage, the blockade consists of several layers.
Santa Romana said the inner layer or circle consists of Chinese fishermen. The layer above that are the CMS (China Marine Surveillance), a paramilitary maritime unit), and FLEC (Fisheries Law Enforcement Command), a unit to protect Chinese fishermen. Though heavily armed, both the CMS and FLEC are still considered civilian units. But in the outermost ring are the warships of the navy. They hover protectively over all the other layers.
“It’s a bit of a trap. They’re waiting for us to make a mistake which they would label a provocation, then they would respond with superior force to try to effectively occupy our territory,” Santa Romana said.
China’s occupation of another Philippine islet, shoal or reef could backfire, though, said Vinod Saighal, a retired Indian army major general and security specialist who recently delivered a lecture on “India’s expanding maritime interests in Southeast Asia” at the University of the Philippines Asian Center.
He said this could make China’s neighbors wary of its intentions, wary enough to band together.
In his talk, General Saighal said China intends to dislodge the United States as the leading power in Asia.
And geographically, the Philippines happens to be in the way of that ambition to become a world power, wielding a blue water navy that can project China’s power outside Asia.
In my interviews on the South China Sea conflict I have noticed that many Filipinos – who would otherwise be unconcerned with foreign affairs – actually feel personally violated by China’s naval incursions in the West Philippine Sea – the Philippine side of the South China Sea.
Perhaps, this is is partly because the Philippines is an archipelago. It shares no land boundaries with any country. It therefore feels constricted to have an unwanted alien presence so near its shores.
However, as the old saying goes, “geography is destiny.” And it is for this reason that China’s ships continue to hover so aggressively near Philippine shores.
If you look at a map of China – you will see that although it is huge, it is mostly land-locked. No portion facing the sea has any clear passage to the Pacific Ocean. One area faces the South China Sea. But Chinese ships based there would have to pass between Taiwan and the Philippines to reach the Pacific Ocean.
Another area, although facing the ocean, would still have to pass between Taiwan and Japan – both American allies.
In the event of a conflict, even submarines could be easily detected and neutralized.
“Exactly,” Santa Romana agreed. “We are in a strategic area. The Chinese strategists call it ‘the first island chain’ that runs from Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. What the Chinese strategist would like to achieve is to have the ability to control their near seas – the East China Sea and South China Sea, including the Taiwanese Strait.”
Scarborough Shoal is part of that island chain.
Earlier, I had asked General Saighal whether other countries would mind if China were to start building a military installation on Scarborough Shoal.
He replied: “I think the whole of Asia would be concerned. It’s not mainly a Philippine thing. It’s an attitude (of China) that it’s becoming more and more aggressive.”
It was only while Santa Romana was explaining that I realized another meaning of ‘the first island chain’. It meant these islands formed a chain around China’s neck. These islands were choke points for China’s global ambition.
“They (China) want to break through their first island chain but we are in the way,” Santa Romana said.
“Their immediate goal…is to achieve some control because right now they cannot control their near seas,” he said.
China has long been paranoid about the sea. According to state-owned China Daily in a recent article: “From the Opium War in 1840 to the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the country has suffered more than 470 offenses and invasions that have come from the sea.”
Former Philippine foreign secretary Domingo Siazon has described the heightened conflict between China and the Philippines as that between “an elephant and an ant.”
What can an ant like the Philippines do? One option seems to be to find a bigger elephant and hop on its back. To this end, the Philippine government has floated a plan to give US troops, ships and planes wider access to its existing ports, airports and military camps.
Immediately after the plan was unveiled, a stinging commentary was published in the People’s Daily of the Communist Party of China. It called the Philippines “a crying child”; accused it of committing “seven sins” in the South China Sea; and warned of a counter-strike” if such provocations continued.
Siazon suggests that instead of relying on just one elephant, the Philippines should gather a herd. He said Manila “must strengthen its defense ties with the USA, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, India and Russia.”
General Saighal is in full agreement with this approach. He said that what the Philippines and other countries facing similar territorial conflict with China needs is “a security architecture in the region to restrain China (so) that the costs of aggression would be much too heavy. If you have that architecture in place, China will not attempt anything.”
[This article first appeared in the July 2013 issue of Asian Dragon magazine. My thanks for allowing me to post this on my site.]
alizarin viridia says
PAKIKISABAT : Sa tunay na LIVE na eksena, lumalayo ako sa naguusap na kabataan kasi lagi akong meron opinyon , kaya damdam ko asiwa sila. Pero dito sa pahina ni Ms. Raissa
Puedeng pakawalan ang pangigigil at awa sa kapwa tulad ng nangyari sa isang anak na dalaga sa kwarta lumalangoy ng pahiga kaya hindi kita ang pupuntahan. Kaya paumanhin, por pabor mga ninyas Raissa at Chit heto ang say ko.
CHILD OF PLUNDER AND VIDEOS OF HER KARMA
A Buddhist will say: KARMA is what you have done to yourself because of what you did to others. You therefore will have Karma if you did not understand and failed to heed:
DO UNTO OTHERS WHAT OTHERS DO UNTO YOU, or something like that but not relevant to this one, the case at bar.
When I saw the footage of the birthday party the loins and the heart became young again. Never in my longish life had I seen so many happy beautiful people. The shapes of lithe bodies and the glow of young faces and their fig leaves were WOW, awesome. The guys and dolls, este the chicks and cats were gallery exhibits of expensive food and wine and coke. It’s a fashion show in Nirvana, where true male and female models DON’T look undernourished, underfed, and underpaid. Watch and think, THINK DEEP of these perfect party frolickers.
After reading the news about the celebrator and her family and their money. After seeing themselves not as props and background but as center pieces of the grand show going the rounds, orbiting cyberspace, what will they think of their rich friend NOW? Will there be hugging and crying, sobs and crocodile tears? May be. But will they come if invited again to the next party? Will there be another grand party?
In a place where where the law is harsh to the poor but inutil to the POWER OF MONEY, KARMA IS BETTER and may be God given. KARMA IS DIVINE. PERO, Hindi masamang ma awa sa isang batang Magna Cum Laude na bulag sa tadhana.
alizarin viridia says
ayaw lumabas sa kabila baka sakali lumabas dito
Mahaba kasi kaya hindi seguro lumabas ng unang i-post kaya dapat por piraso ang
Posting heto:
Unang post:
PAKIKISABAT : Sa tunay na LIVE na eksena, lumalayo ako sa naguusap na kabataan kasi lagi akong meron opinyon , kaya damdam ko asiwa sila. Pero dito sa pahina ni Ms. Raissa
Puedeng pakawalan ang pangigigil at awa sa kapwa tulad ng nangyari sa isang anak na dalaga sa kwarta lumalangoy ng pahiga kaya hindi kita ang pupuntahan. Kaya paumanhin, por pabor mga ninyas Raissa at Chit heto ang say ko.
CHILD OF PLUNDER AND VIDEOS OF HER KARMA
A Buddhist will say: KARMA is what you have done to yourself because of what you did to others. You therefore will have Karma if you did not understand and failed to heed:
DO UNTO OTHERS WHAT OTHERS DO UNTO YOU, or something like that but not relevant to this one, the case at bar.
Pangalawang post:
When I saw the footage of the birthday party the loins and the heart became young again. Never in my longish life had I seen so many happy beautiful people. The shapes of lithe bodies and the glow of young faces and their fig leaves were WOW, awesome. The guys and dolls, este the chicks and cats were gallery exhibits of expensive food and wine and coke. It’s a fashion show in Nirvana, where true male and female models DON’T look undernourished, underfed, and underpaid. Watch and think, THINK DEEP of these perfect party frolickers.
Panghuling post:
WHERE IS THE KARMA?
After reading the news about the celebrator and her family and their money. After seeing themselves not as props and background but as center pieces of the grand show going the rounds, orbiting cyberspace, what will they think of their rich friend NOW? Will there be hugging and crying, sobs and crocodile tears? May be. But will they come if invited again to the next party? Will there be another grand party?
In the Philippines where the law is harsh to the poor but inutil to the POWER OF MONEY, KARMA IS BETTER and may be God given. KARMA IS DIVINE. PERO, Hindi masamang ma awa sa isang batang Magna Cum Laude na bulag sa tadhana.
Rene-Ipil says
Raissa wrote:
“It was only while Santa Romana was explaining that I realized another meaning of ‘the first island chain’. It meant these islands formed a chain around China’s neck. These islands were choke points for China’s global ambition.
“They (China) want to break through their first island chain but we are in the way,” Santa Romana said.”
China has recently fulfilled its dream of breaking through the “first island chain blockade” and gaining access to Pacific Ocean. Thus, the Chinese navy has been able to circumnavigate Japan.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/82149/china-breaks-first-island-chain-blockade
If the main purpose of China in invading Scarborough Shoal is to break through the “first island chain”, it (China) has shown that the break through can be done without regard to the u-shaped line.
kalahari says
US SENATE CONDEMNS USE OF FORCE IN SEA ROW
The US senate has adopted a proposed resolution No. 167 condemning “the use of coercion, threats, or force by naval, maritime security, or fishing vessels and military or civilian aircraft in the South China Sea and the East China Sea to assert disputed maritime or territorial claims or alter the status quo”
“Whereas, in recent years, there have been numerous dangerous and destabilizing incidents in this region, including… Chinese vessels barricading the entrance to the Scarborough Reef lagoon in April 2012; …and, since May 8, 2013, Chinese naval and marine surveillance ships maintaining a regular presence in waters around the Second Thomas Shoal, located approximately 105 nautical miles northwest of the Philippine island of Palawan” (Philstar 8/1/13)
As expected, China immediately lodged a formal complaint saying said resolution “took heed of neither history nor facts, unjustifiably blaming China and sending the wrong message” (GMA online 8/2/13)
Keanleogo says
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer
Editorial ‘ Padrinos’
It is patronage that is the source of corruption.
The padrinos serve as gatekeepers; their nominees win the right posts.
They serve to protect those they have nominated, from reassignment or the occasional anticorruption initiative.
They serve as quarantors of those they protect, assuring them of steady extra revenue.
They even serve as financiers for political campaigns.
leona says
“InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Wednesday filed a resolution that would reduce the Priority Development Assistance Fund, or pork barrel, of lawmakers each year and abolish it altogether by 2016.
Senate President Franklin Drilon agreed with Santiago’s proposal, which he called feasible, and said a new law would not be necessary to implement the scheme.”
Abolish altogether….the Senate? APPROVED without thinking!
leona says
SANTISSIMA! Shocking absorber! dOTc vehicles worth fifty pesos na lang? –
“The Department of Transportation and Communication has a fleet of 51 motor vehicles with a total value of only P50.00, according to a report from the Commission on Audit released Wednesday.
Based on the DOTC’s books, 50 of the cars were listed with a value of P1.00 each while one vehicle had no assigned value.”
eh…yun akin [modelo ’90] 1/5 centavo na lang! ? ! …But their one Hyundai [mulag] is P850,000.00!
Why not buy the old PUJs…been running since 1945…it can still run up to 2155! Ask the manong drivers how they do it…
leona says
Source
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/320080/news/nation/dotc-has-a-fleet-of-50-cars-each-worth-p1-coa
vander anievas says
totoo ba yan? e sinong gago ang nagpresyo nung P1/unit? kahit isang mangangalkal ng basura ay hindi papayag na ibenta yun ng P1k lang sa junk shop! ilang kilo ang isang motor vehicle? isang kaululan yan…
leona says
New voters? Herded? – “MANILA, Philippines – “New” voters waited in long lines in heavy rain, the adults jostling with youths, swamping voter registration centers yesterday on the last day of the listup for first-time registrants in the barangay and youth council elections.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking into reports that many of the “new” registrants were informal settlers and transferees herded by candidates with the promise that they would be safe from relocation at least until the Oct. 28 polls.”
Herded like cattle etc.? Nakita mo ang DAMI – Eminence Cardinales/Obisposes/ka-pari-Ans? Kaya pala a MAD promises were circulated to them…ERGO – Let’s madly REGISTER! From a photo a man in sando is SMILING enjoying the jostling with everyone!
…kawawa talaga ang Bayan …sila ang ‘base’ ng pyramid electing our officials!
leona says
…source
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/08/01/1037241/mad-rush-register-sk-barangay-polls
leona says
On the reported MRT scandal, would it be unlawful under our laws to “tape & video” attempts to be bribed without the consent of the culprits? When the innocents are asked to prove what they are saying, then present the tapes and videos on the attempt to commit a felony. Will this be admissible evidence?
This was the method used by the US FBI agents on state/federal senators, et. al., sometime in the past years.
alizarin viridia says
24.1 Mel says:
July 28, 2013 at 5:15 pm
“Hoy mga chino, suntukan na lang.
Kung ayaw ninyo sa Hague, sa Macau, Singa, Malaysia o dibung Vegas!”
—————–
Puna ng igan kong si Juan Kariton:
Bakit nga ba walang Chino na boksingero tulad ni Pacquiao ?
bakit ayaw nilang lumaban ng suntukan sa ring?. Sabi ni Juan
K. nagka hamonan , naglaban, matagal na sa Bangkok grupo ng select
Thai Kick Boxers at Hongkong Shao-Lin Boxers. Resulta
talo lahat ang mga Shao-Lins. Yung laban baka nasa Google pa.
Iba na kung KARATE, Taekwando, MMA UFC ang paguusapan.
Mel says
Siguro hinihintay nilang bumalik si Bruce Lee at mag ‘Uwaaahh!’.
Idolo pa ata ni Manny si Bruce Lee, kumpisal niya nuong naguumpisa sa boksing.
Rene-Ipil says
Senator Santiago proposes a calibrated abolition of the Pork Barrel. Miriam wants to cut the 200 million of senators to 100 million in 2014, 50 million in 2015 and zero in 2016. For congressmen, it will be 35 million in 2014, 15 million in 2015 and zero in 2016.
I think this is a practical and doable proposal.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/456059/santiago-seeks-gradual-abolition-of-pork-barrel
alizarin viridia says
WHY CONTINUE THE CRIME AGAINST THE PEOPLE
THEY HAD SWORN TO SERVE?
alizarin viridia says
I am just on second paragraph of Randy David:
By Randy David
Philippine Daily Inquirer
9:36 pm | Wednesday, July 31st, 2013
Even if only half of the allegations against her turn out to be true, Janet Lim-Napoles, the supposed brain behind the mind-boggling pork barrel scam that is the subject of ongoing Inquirer reports, would easily qualify as the country’s foremost expert on corruption. The elaborate scheme attributed to her presumes an intimate grasp of the workings of the political system that no Filipino scholar has ever fully documented. Napoles appears to have explored the weakest links of government and seen the vulnerabilities of officials at various levels. But, instead of writing a doctoral thesis or book on the topic, she has used this knowledge to build a lucrative business.
Should she ever land in prison and need a benign intellectual pursuit to keep her active mind at work, I would recommend that she consider writing a participant-observer account of the social system of corruption. I would be happy to offer advice on the theoretical framework. A working title for her thesis might be: “Politics and the function of corruption: How the pork barrel works.” The aim of the study would be to bring out the background assumptions implicit in the way the JLN group of companies navigated the murky waters of government. Such research would help transitional societies like ours find effective antidotes to the scourge of corruption in public service. ”
THE WORD PORK BARREL BLEW MY MIND from biblical to street
language to biblical:
China has PEOPLES CONGRESS
THE POPE HAS YOUTH CONGRESS
Philippines Congress has Pork Barrel, ERGO
Philippines has PIGS’ CONGRESS
or Congress of Pigs composed of
the Lower House of Pigs and the
Upper Chamber of Pigs. All wallowing
not in the pigsty of mud and murky water
but in the pork barrel of millions paid by helpless
taxpayers. So neat, so clean, so intelligent
so articulate like Miss Piggy.
YET, Why are pigs so detested and abhorred in the bible?
I’ll finish reading Randy David’s column.
alizarin viridia says
I FINISHED THE PIECE of Prof David, his is really cerebral and academic
for classroom purposes, not for remedial action, a ten-foot pole PIECE to social
change.
Other columnists may want to tackle and expound on the means to
FOLLOW THE PAPER TRAIL
FOLLOW THE MONEY TRAIL
Those two trails (not the tuwid na daan) will surely surely cook
Napoles’ lawmakers and cabinet members. It’s like a movie
run backwards. From the purchase of the daughter’s sports car
to the witdrawal to deposits, to checks etc. to the budget commission
to the NGOs. It’s the PROCESS and not CONTENT that will
TOAST the bread.
If you are a senator even with the colored tattoo of Jesus Christ on
your arm and chest and somebody approach and tell you no signature,
no staff involvement, no waiting; just make a choice: cash in
Samsonite bags or deposits in the banks in the country of your choice
and its 20% of you don’t know nothing about but in the budget. Just
keep quiet and not know anything about it. Will you not be tempted
to say YES when you don’t have the stomach to fast for 40 days
and 39 nights in Mount Halcon?
P NOY should get a young management instructor (not a professor) who
teaches flow charting and project scheduling and he will draw the
paper as well as the money trails. Such instructor you won’t find in
PNP, THE nbi OR THE DOJ.
chit navarro says
We have not heard about the new job of Senator Lacson in PNoy’s cabinet now that the SONA is over.
Maybe they should give him the authority to investigate this PORK-SCANDAL for both houses – Senate & HOR. He would have the moral ascendancy to handle the investigation as he has never touched his PDAF from the time he became a senator…
I am also looking forward to tax evasion charges to be filed against the daughter of Napoles – income taxes on income used to purchase of her P80M condo in LA; her lavish lifestyle; etc.
Also income taxes on the parents because even if their “legitimate businesses” are situated in China and Indonesia, they still have to pay taxes in the Philippines.
And when oh when will the FOI bill be revived and passed? Transparency in government with the FOI bill will definitely lessen these blatant corrupt practices unfolding before us.
Thank God for investigative journalists who dare expose the truth!
leona says
@chit… acc to a famous sophist (427-347 B.C.) –
“The truth is that which is agreed on, at the time of agreement and as long as the agreement lasts.” The one thing certain was that men by nature were [are] greedy for pleasure, money, and fame and would always get what they could by fair means or foul.
We live in the materialistic world with evil in it. Kwarta walang santo ‘o santa. Demonyo ‘o demonya la.
leona says
..not even Sen. Lac can survive to investig both Houses and Et. Als.! Many issues against him will be brought back to highlights! Crucifixing in the end…+ ! It’s like looking ‘into Hell ” !
wil says
anonymous insider facebook blog:
The solution is a violent revolt against all members of congress and senate. Let their bodies hang on bridges and burn their houses. Once the purge is over, the government should hire a foreign consulting company that will handle the nation’s budget and rebuild this nation from ground up. It is a fact that we filipinos cannot govern our own selves, let’s face it. Once we see power and wealth within our grasps, we don’t fucking care anymore. This is the only way to restore our nation and to bring back countless OFWs abroad and start a new life for the current generation.
There is no other solution.
Before we abandon this blog, we will give you the telephone number of Janet. All of them have accounts in Globe. So if you have friends working in the call centre of globe, you can hook up with them and uncover all their numbers. Once Janet’s number is out, it will only be a matter of hours before she switches to another number, so text her with something substantial that will drive her do the right thing. The family is still in the country but they will be leaving next week. Numerous congressmen and senators are already sending their children abroad so better hurry if we will start a bloody revolt. Burning the houses in ayala alabang and forbes park is a good place to start the purge.
Here is her number:
+63917 525 XXXX (edited)
Remember, this is not all Janet’s fault, her part in this grand scheme is very, very, very, little to be honest. The whole nation is in poverty because of the people you voted and they created laws that will make it legitimate to steal from you and me and from all of us. Kill all the congressmen. Kill all the senators. Don’t forget to kill the Macapagals and the Arroyos down to their last kin. Guard the airports and seaports, don’t let them out. And we will have our freedom and you will all get your taxes back. you can also kill kris aquino if you like.
Or maybe we can just sit back and relax and go back to work on Monday and forget that this blog ever existed. Just dont be mad when you see your payslip with the word TAX on it, and GSIS/SSS, and salary loans, and PAGIBIG and all those other shit that only your payroll team knows.
Tita Jenny, we are very sorry for this and to Jeane – we hate to admit but all the parties you had were all amazing and you really know how to bring the house down *wink wink high fives and down lows wink wink*. But we have to do this. Who knows tita jen, you may become a hero in this story because you became the catalyst to finally make a positive change in this country. But we think everyone is looking for you now. And there is no fucking way out.
And to the napoles children, all of you should have known that your parents were helping politicians steal money, you should have told them before to stop immediately. And to janet and jimmy, you should be ashamed of yourselves bringing your own demise to your family. and to ALL the politicians, PNP chiefs, Army chiefs, judges and cabinet members, just pray that the napoleses wont post your home addresses and phone numbers here on this blog – else you’ll be all fucked. (We want to see Glorya and Enrile fucked up so hard by the way – if a bloody revolt happens. How long enrile has been in power? since 1986? fuck hell, how much is his worth now?!?!)
raissa says
Problem is, there is no concrete evidence given in this anon. Blog.
Something that will stand up to scrutiny.
ondoy says
concrete evedience , he cornerstone of true journalism
most everybody is bribable,but Germans are less bribable, they withdrew many projects n investments during 80’s and 90’s from PH due to local n natl officials asking for commissions.
partly due their unique history where they were the agressors. they were embarassed n aknowledge their mistake, not wanting to repeat their forefather’s wrongs. their chancellor knelt in UN asked for forgiveness from the world
much unlike the Japanese whose authorities refuse to accept yheir role in WWII , adulterated their history books, and denying up to this day their agression unto other nations
raissa says
Excuse me. You think a foreign consulting company is not bribable?
rommel garcia says
handa rin ang spain, u s at japan na tutulong sa pilipinas para malabanan ang china. kapag hindi tumigil ang pambubully ng china sa ating bansa. malamang world war 3 na to.
vander anievas says
cali-calibrated pa, tanggalin nang lahat ang pork barrel. sa una lang tayo magaling. paglamig ng issue, balik uli sa dating gawi. kupitan at dugasan. tama na ang sila ang tagabantay ng kaban ng bayan.
leona says
Why is the vocation of priest good for men only? A bishop says –
ingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, however, said priesthood remains for men only.
While Cruz agrees with Pope Francis that gays should not be judged, he said they are still not allowed to enter priesthood not because they are being discriminated but also for their own welfare.
“It’s not because they are being discriminated. It’s because they will find it very difficult to stay in the seminary which is for boys,” he said in an interview.
“It is to their favor because it is in respect to their peace of minds because they will find it difficult to stay there. It’s for their own good,” added Cruz.”
Women do not know how to pray as effectively as men? C’mon! The relic idea is sex discrim.
Leaders of gov’ts can be women. There are women soldiers and officers! Generals at that. Combat pilots too! Other religious sects have women ministers now. Why not with the R.Catholic Church? Is it because of the Old T & New T sayings?
Is it due to ‘one cannot trust women priests’? But how about men priests, can one always trust him?
So, when will it be with a woman pope? Women Cardinals? Bishop women?
rallie f. cruz says
I do not think Pope Francis and Archbishop Willie Cruz know what they are talking about when it comes to Gay not allowed to enter priesthood. There are several of them who are already priests in the Philippines who may not be wearing make ups nor having promiscuous affairs but obviously they are gays.
Most of them are respectable enough that we have to ignore whatever it is that we see and know about them. I even know personally three of them who are loved in their respective parishes, one as a good lecturer and even distinguish as a scholar and expert in several languages especially Hebrew. The other one died a long time ago but loved by so many in his parish for being so caring. The other one is here in California whose parishioners find him so approachable and inspirational in his pastoral works.
alizarin viridia says
this might be a reaction from my young friend Juan Kariton:
Priesthood for MEN ONLY?
Are men Gays MEN?
When two gays marry or live-in
the aggressive macho partner is the man
the coy dainty soft partner is the woman
who of the two should qualify for priesthood?
Can the latter qualify to be a nun?
In the case of Lesbians one acts as the man
the other as woman. Can the man Lesbian
enter priesthood? why is there no
hulaballo when masculine or effeminate
Lesbians become Nuns?
Ancient cultures have adopted means to bridle the libido:
The Eunuchs of China and circumcision of women
of some middle east cultures’
Priests and Bishops should be Eunuchs then?
Should Castration precede all ordinations.
BEING GAY THEN WILL BE AN OXYMORON.
end of discussion.
leona says
BOC scandal…senate investig? vs. whom? some senators? Sen. Osmena comments –
“An amused Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, however, cautioned his fellow lawmakers against the Senate probe.
“That’s been going on forever. Ha-ha,” he said in a text message when asked to comment about the planned padrino investigation.
Probe by independent body
Osmeña said he would rather that the probe “be done by an independent agency” or well-meaning investigators could face a blank wall.”
What is a ‘blank wall’? Is it a structure supporting an edifice? Color – ‘white’? Is there such a thing – as a ‘blank’ wall?
What number of the 13 Billard balls should PNoy hit now? …13? Who are the ‘others’ padrinos besides some sens & congs? The SONA berating on BOC is soooo millions Pesos grave, not only serious [ decades in operations already] …what’s next?
What agency, independent at that, should investigate, but complete the involved names muna! …then investigate all of them. And get the wrath of the boc-gods!
Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/455593/aquino-dared-name-customs-padrinos#ixzz2aaCregXl
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook
alizarin viridia says
“That’s been going on forever. Ha-ha,” he said in a text message when asked to comment about the planned padrino investigation.”
Oh Yeah? says, Juan Kariton. The way not even the animals will do it but by
Filipino lawmakers? You mean by the billions of pesos? You mean leaders
f. . .ck . . g their people since forever? Dispensa Senyor, yo soy no comprende.
Rene-Ipil says
China merely wants to establish the “first island chain” as their own to control and deny access of US and its allies to South and East China Seas. But China has to establish first its title to the “first island chain” which stretches from Japan and Taiwan through the Philippines. That is why China places utmost importance to its ownership claim of Huangyan “Island” or Scarborough Shoal. For without that title to Scarborough Shoal, China’s entire claim to the South China Sea as supported by the “U-shape line” would collapse. (See Irasec Discussion Papers @18.1).
According to China, it owns the whole Zhongsha archipelago consisting of the Macclesfield Bank, Scarborough Shoal, Saint Esprit Shoal, etc, within the South China Sea. But all the places in the Zhongsha are under water even during low tide except some rocks in the Scarborough Shoal (SS). So that China has to mislead everyone that SS is an island entitled to a territorial sea, contiguous zone and EEZ which are 12nm, 24nm and 200nm, respectively, from the baseline plus a continental shelf.
Without China’s title to SS, the whole of Zhongsha archipelago would be divided as EEZs of nearby states such as Vietnam and the Philippines. Consequently, China cannot now lay claim to the entire South China Sea. The “first island chain” of China would be no more, and the South China Sea would now become the “playground” of the US and its allies. Conversely, China’s ownership and occupation of SS would fortify the “first island chain” and effectively enhance China’s capability to deny access to its territories.
So, the fate of the two most powerful nations in earth, and probably the whole world, is now anchored on a few rocks in the West Philippine Sea.
Will there be war? Maybe.
parengtony says
CPM’s favorite senator is back in the limelight for giving 5 million pesos from his pork barrel to Tanay, Rizal to purchase (from a Napoles company?) 320 20-liter containers of garbage deodorizers consisting of brown sugar, spoiled rice, and water.
Eto na naman tayo… kanya kanyang palusot, iwas, at ilag.
As Reagan famously said; “There you go again”.
parengtony says
awaiting moderation? not a problem. however I would like to cancel this post but I do not know how.