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I will not drop Sabah claim, President Aquino told me

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By Raïssa Robles

President Benigno Aquino has categorically stated that he will not drop the Philippine claim to Sabah, contrary to what critics of his centerpiece legislation on Muslim autonomy – the Bangsamoro Basic Law – are saying.

During my recent wide-ranging interview with him that lasted over two hours in Malacanang Palace, I asked President Aquino directly whether he was going to drop Sabah.

“No,” he said.

When I asked him if Malaysia had offered a quid pro quo – Kuala Lumpur’s support of the Philippine claim in the West Philippine Sea in exchange for Manila’s dropping of the Sabah claim – President Aquino also replied “No.”

I am posting at the end a video clip from the entire interview that has to do with the Sabah issue. I had to cut away a small portion of it because he placed that off the record.

This morning when I attended the forum on the BBL which presented the Filipino public opinion on the matter, I decided to share what Aquino had told me during my lengthy interview with him for South China Morning Post (HK). This was after I realized that much of the animosity of the people of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi – as well as a lot of Netizens on Facebook – toward the BBL stemmed from the Sabah issue.

They believe that in exchange for Malaysia’s brokering the peace deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, President Aquino would express his gratitude by dropping the Sabah claim.

During the forum this morning at the University of the Philippines, Dr. Carmen Abubakar, former dean of the University of the Philippines Institute of Islamic Studies asked MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal – who was also present – why “from day one” Sabah was not included in the discussions.

Iqbal replied that Sabah “is a foreign affairs issue”, meaning it was beyond the powers granted by the BBL.

For the first time, though, Iqbal spoke lengthily about the Sabah issue. Whenever I had asked him about it, he had always dodged the question. Today, he said for the first time that “personally” and “perhaps it reflects the position of the MILF, the Sabah claim will not be dropped. However, pursuing the Sabah claim would need two aspects – whether the claim would involve a sovereignty claim or a proprietary claim.”

And for the first time in the 18 years I have been covering the MILF peace talks and interviewing Iqbal as a source, he categorically said: “Organizationally, we would not agree to the dropping of the Sabah claim. Whoever drops the Sabah claim, magkakaroon ng (will suffer from) karma.”

But he reiterated that “the issue is whether to proceed on the sovereignty or proprietary claim. That will be be the decision of the Philippine government and the Sultanate (of Sulu).”

Please note that Iqbal was referring to whether Sabah is being claimed as part of Philippine territory or as a piece of property in Malaysian territory that is owned by the Sultanate of Sulu.

Personally, I feel it is unfair to demand that the BBL should contain a section on the Sabah issue when neither the 1996 peace deal of Moro National Liberation Front Nur Misuari nor the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, which Misuari also signed, made no mention of Sabah.

Misuari would have been in the proper position to raise the Sabah issue since his ancestor was the commander of the military force sent by the Sultanate of Sulu to come to the aid of his relative, the Sultan of Brunei. In gratitude for helping stamp out a rebellion, the Sultan of Brunei gave Sabah as a gift to the Sultanate of Sulu.

Because of this, I happen to believe that Sabah is part of the ancestral homeland of the people of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. But the issue can be resolved in a peaceful and just manner. And it is to Malaysia’s interest to resolve it in that manner. As well as to ensure that the BBL uplifts the lives of all Moros of all ethnic groups.

In any case, after Iqbal spoke, Almarim Tillah, the former Tawi-Tawi governor and ex-Senator Santanina Rasul’s brother – whom I have also interviewed as a source – again stood up and underscored the need to discuss Sabah as an issue now, in connection with the passage of the BBL law.

Tillah questioned the use of Malaysia as the broker of the peace talks when Malaysia “is a party in interest” because of Sabah.

After I shared what Pres. Aquino had told me, Tillah spoke up again saying, “he (Aquino) has never made a statement (on Sabah) categorically….I have not heard our president (speak on the issue).”

So why – of all people – did the President tell me his stand on Sabah?

Only because I had asked him about it.

After I had asked him about Sabah, Aquino turned to an aide to ask what other activities he had that afternoon.

It was a broad hint for me to wind up the interview. But I did not take the hint. :)

You can listen to the video and read the transcript of the interview:

 

Interview with President Benigno Aquino III on the Sabah issue: 

Raissa Robles: Sir, sources have told me it was Malaysia which first offered a quid pro quo. But if the Philippines drops the claim to Sabah, Kuala Lumpur would back the Philippine claim in the West Philippine Sea. Is this true?

PRESIDENT AQUINO: No.

Raissa Robles: It’s not?

PRESIDENT AQUINO: If you look at the note verbale, it doesn’t even mention anything about Sabah. At saka ‘di ba, parang…Sorry…[Ito na naman ‘yung my smile that gets me into trouble.]

Raissa Robles: [laughs] Okay.

PRESIDENT AQUINO: Iyong giving up Sabah does not that open such a big can of worms in this country. Remember even my mother was attacked na, ‘are you giving up Sabah?’ et cetera, et cetera.

Raissa Robles: Yes.

PRESIDENT AQUINO: And what do we get in return? Another country helped us…You know, the other version of that it helped us in the UN (United Nations). So if Malaysia pulls its weight, it can convince all the other member countries in the UN to support our claim in the South China Sea or even within ASEAN. They are hosts for…They can support resolves the issues in the South China Sea and I gave up Sabah, and I open myself up to such a juicy item for all of the media to pounce on? To anybody who has entertained this idea that that was possible, that really smack so much of your rationality.

Raissa Robles: How is your attitude to Sabah, then?

PRESIDENT AQUINO: Leila (de Lima), SOJ (Secretary of Justice), did a study and perhaps one of the biggest issues there is the right of self-determination, which is I understand part of the UN Charter, okay.

It’s supposed to trump everything whether historical fact et cetera. At the end of the day, the people who are living there and if they are asked, ‘Will they say, they want to join us or they want to join Malaysia?’ There was supposed to have been a vote done —

Raissa Robles: 1960 —

PRESIDENT AQUINO: Whatever year it was.

Raissa Robles: 1960s under Foreign Secretary Emmanuel Pelaez. But he condemned that and he said that cannons were being brought all over the place to –

PRESIDENT AQUINO: Then that will be redone again. And we are having that understanding.

Raissa Robles: But are you going to openly tackle the Sabah question in your term or you prefer not to

PRESIDENT AQUINO: After I’m presented with a very good case, then baka pwedeng… [Sandali ha, off the record lang muna]

Raissa Robles: But you are not going to drop Sabah?

PRESIDENT AQUINO: No.

Raissa Robles: Okay, that’s a no.

PRESIDENT AQUINO: Pero ano it goes back to that enshrined right of self-determination. They will have to be asked where they want to go. And I am told that previously there had already been a plebiscite done to which they said they wanted to join the Malayan Federation.

Raissa Robles: But Pelaez said…Actually Pelaez gave me some papers, e during that time because I was covering him —

PRESIDENT AQUINO: Parang ngayon ‘di ba, parang some of our citizens in Basulta in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi used the Ringgit to purchase their basic necessities from Sabah as opposed to Zamboanga. Do we really want to open that can of worms?

Raissa Robles: Actually, sir, I have a lot to say about Sabah but this is not the right time…Okay —

 

Comments

  1. @Raissa, I would like to seek clarification on a point. I have long held that I am a CPMer, and participate on those terms. Some seem to believe I am an outsider, and visit here as a guest. Therefore, I am obligated to temper my language and opinions. Am I a CPMer, or a guest?

    Thanks.

    Joe

    • @raissa,

      The Plaza Miranda embraces all earthlings.

      I presume the online version does the same.

      • @Raissa and baycas, there are ugly rumors that both Mork (aka Robin W) and Joe were also actually foundlings and their real parents were Martians. What happens now? Hehehe..

      • hahaha.
        natawa talaga ako sa hase ni puti kay mother hen.
        nauban nang lahat ang itim ay may clarification pang inuungkat.
        magtigil ka nga jose sa kababalat-cebollas mo!
        ang orig na PM sa quiapo ay halos magdunggulan pero tuloy ang balitaktakan.
        hangga’t may tumutukol sa iyo ay katropa ka pa rin.
        put that in your matigas na kukote.

    • Hey Joe,

      As far as I know, you maybe one of the “earlier” visitors to this site, long before the term Cyber Plaza Miranda was coined – when we were all looking for a name to call the group of commenters on Raissa’s blog. If I can call myself a CPM’er, why can’t you?

      Raissa’s blog is named Cyber Plaza Miranda…. Anybody who drops by at CPM is a “tambay of CPM” or a CPM’er.. that’s y point of view.

      • Expecting preferential treatment, MAYBE ….NOT in Quiapo, I don’t think. Preferential treatment is only done in OLIGARCH LAND; could be worst if it were Divisoria. ERAP’s pitbull might really get him .

        • I would refer you to my current blog: http://joeam.com/2015/05/24/eureka-i-have-found-it-why-the-philippines-is-this-way/

          Specifically, this paragraph:

          “The impossible divisions into power blocks that are unable to unify as a nation. The dynasties, the languages, the islands, the tribes, the clans, the religions, the income classes, the leftists, the capitalists, the whites, the browns, the history, the political parties built on people but not principle . . . it is a nation that does not find joy in its rich fabric, but reasons to complain and argue. To be selfish and not respectful of or compassionate to those who are different.”

          How do you and I contribute to unity instead of division? I don’t really like your digs and am at a loss as to how to deal with them.

        • Or better still, if you can’t stand the HEAT, get out of the KITCHEN ???? PINOYS are good cooks, after all :-))

        • I appreciate the advice. It is consistent with that of Leona, and others. I think I’ll stay in the kitchen, heat and all. PINOYS are for sure good cooks.

        • Try to think of it as being on the basketball court. Better say kaon bula than fuck off. As long as nobody breaks your nose during rebound things are not an issue IMHO. Somebody did that to my brother during an all-Filipino tournament in the 1980s – it will not have been resentment against his skin because it is dark, more like resentment against a mestizo which can exist, possibly his Spanish nose and his tallness – well I am the whiter one, but I am short and have a much wider nose…

          Now even if you are playing on the same team, people will always see you as an import – and me as a kind of Azkal – so don’t sweat it, that’s the way it is. Just never ever criticize Manny Pacquiao like one import did and you will be fine :-)

        • Joe has not been to Cubao much like his frequent poster Steve, an American who lives in Baguio.

          Or in Cubao and Balara like me in my teen years, or the Munich equivalent to Divisoria where I live. Your nature analogy is apt: Parekoy and me fought it out once, the territories are now clear and mutually respected after my apology that he accepted and we get along. Same thing with Joe and me, I also had my differences with him, he handled it the American way in his territory, we have found a way to co-exist like Republicans and Democrats. Simple lang iyan. Bakit problema?

    • Whether you are a member or not, it would be nice if everyone tempers their language and refrains from posting obscenities like Fuck or Fuck Off, something that might be mentioned even in your blognotes terms of service. It is also rather rude to make remarks about how people who hang out at this site tend to have snide attitudes and other derogatory remarks about CPMers in general. If you fo not like it here, you are always free to leave.

      • I apologized for the lapse in language, and agree with you. It is also unkind of you to challenge people who disagree with you by characterizing their views as paranoid, vituperative and baseless. What is good for me is good for you.,

        • Try watching NATURE on PBS; a group of hyenas will clobber one another but once a CROC is in their midst, the hyenas will band together and trample the CROC. I think it’s termed the CALL of the WILD. What is good for PINOYS is probably NOT good for YOU !!
          I can just hear my Jewish mother-in-law say, did you think of that ??

      • I would add that I do not make derogatory remarks about CPMers in general and resent the implication. I have given Raissa’s blog compliments left and right. She knows it. Other people here know it. It is the best blog in the Philippines because of the articles and consistently high level of commentary. Why you would distort the truth is beyond me.

        • Here let me find your posts and link it here since you seem to be having an attack of amnesia.

        • Maybe this might refresh your memory, Joe. Welcome to our hangout :)

          …Joe America says:May 24, 2015 at 7:59 pm
          @Caliphman, “Or is this another ruse to get more CPMers to visit your blog?” You must think CPMers are gullible and I am manipulative. Maybe they are smart and I market my blog like any successful blog writer does.

          Why is this blog becoming a hang-out for snide attitudes? Is it contagious? I actually saw Rene-Ipil take a shot here the other day. He’s an institution.Here’s an idea. Stick with issues and forget the personal slurs. It is the best way to honor Raissa’s fine blog.You have the brains to figure out who the most viable candidates are.

        • Okay, let me explain my comment. I’ve commented here for years, and been welcomed. I’ve had good debates with others, Rene-Ipil, Leona, baycas, even, when we saw things differently. Always, always, the focus was on issues.

          A number of months ago, Parekoy went ballistic on me for a blog I had written about transgender Jeffrey Laude, and that started a period of personal attacks, and what I believe was an attempt to isolate me as an outsider, a foreigner. Now, joining the character-moralists in addition to Parekoy are yourself, balayang, and (maybe) Ricelander (we’ll see). So I see a gang collecting who are unable either to discern issue from character arguments, or who share Parekoy’s view that I am an “outsider” deserving special treatment. Like, I am uppity for having an opinion in Philippine territory and need to be put in my place.

          That group is what I meant by “becoming a hang out”. It is an unhealthy trend, I think. It turns a respectable blog into a Get Real cesspool of personal attack.

          Thanks for the opportunity to clarify that.

      • I wholeheartedly agree to caliphman@! JoeAm@ when you read a derisive one against you, take KIKKAPHO and enjoy the drink.

        If I am replied to ‘Fuck Off You Shittenkitten!’ I already have a carabao hide for that. he he Maybe I am not good for the person at all. Okay. I let it go and go away like Chinese Navy GO AWAY PLEASEEEE!
        ha ha

        I don’t commit the same tone to anyone when I get it here. Remember the movie of PATTON, the Russian drinking toasts with him, he was called Sonofabitch by the Russian General? Patton then toasted ‘Aha! Okay. From one sonaofabitch to another!’

        Learn to lower one’s BP also.

        Also, having ‘known’ a lot of you here, when a new one comes along and I don’t ‘know’ new one, I think of not making anything what he or she blogged much as I want to do a reply.

        Overall, let us all do things with diplomacy. Be diplomatic. Otherwise, no negotiation. Trade.

        The Chinese do not follow diplomacy nicely. They are still learning it these days. Now, I remember ‘Jack Ryan’ calling them Klingons, aliens from another planet! ha ha We don’t want that.

        Stay as gentlemen and ladies. Try hard and so hard. Burning Ego is like inggot. My partner begins to dislike me when I am showing I am inggot! [ inggot = low life ? ]

        :-)

        • Thanks, Leona. Good advice, sometimes hard to do when someone is kicking in the area of the groin. Kickapoo is a fine shield, indeed. Will order up a case.

        • A U.S. Marine is disciplined. Of course, me I’m 70+ holding our ego is difficult but we learn. I was only a P.I. infantry man but we go back about discipline. Not many have it.

          Make it S.O.P. = sweating over perspiration!

          :-)

        • . . . bakit ang ‘Congressman’ ay Babae pala?

          . . . ‘infantry man’ eh tawag ‘infantry woman?’ . . . ‘soldier’ eh man or woman unless ‘soldier woman’ eh?

          si ‘Rosario’ babae ‘o lalaki…ending in ‘o’? Si ‘JeJoMar’ babae ‘o lalaki? ‘Maria’ ang ending! Babae yun!

          ‘Leona’ nick sa bumper yun!

          he he he . . .

        • Ang gulo gulo ninyo kaya sugro pati si Kanong Jose nalilito tuloy at hindi makaisip at makasalita ng diretso …hehehe

        • Dunno if my kapampangan is correct or not, but here goes — “Quing leon-a quing tigre, di ko tatakot kika pa?”

        • @leona,

          Cuba (Gooding, Jr.)
          Ezra (Pound)
          Ira (Gershwin)

          All males.

          But like Leona,

          I like Indiana (Jones)…

          Mang Gani’s wife yelling: “Hoy, Isagani! Halika na’t mukhang uulan!”

          Mang Gani sheepishly shouts back: “Honey, Indiana po…”

        • Si ‘Dana Andrews’ ‘kala ko babae!

          <Lie Jokes

          ‘A bus filled with politicians was driving through the countryside one day, on the campaign trail. The bus driver, caught up in the beautiful scenery,loses control and crashes into the ditch. A farmer living nearby hears the horrible crash and rushes out to discover the wreckage. Finding the politicians, he buries them.

          The next day, the police come to the farm to question the man. “So you buried all the politicians?” asked the police officer. “Were they all dead?”

          The farmer answered, “Some said they weren’t, but you know how politicians lie.”

          ‘A lady calls the police to report her husband is missing. The police arrive and ask for a description. She tells them he’s 6 feet 2 inches tall, blonde wavy hair and has a smile that makes everybody love him.

          The police then go to the next door neighbor to verify this report and the lady next door tells the police, “You can’t believe her. He’s 5 feet 4 inches tall, has no hair and he wears a perpetual frown on his face.”

          The neighbor then goes and asks the lady why she gave the police such a false report. She replies, “Just because I reported him missing, doesn’t mean I wanted him back!”

          Palusot! Lie

        • hehehe,
          matagal na tayong nasasabik malaman kung lalake nga ba o babae si @Leona.
          merong ang pakiramdam ay babae siya, babaeng matapang.
          merong ang address sa kanya ay lalake.
          pero madulas si @leona.
          nakakaiwas sa ating salakab.
          tanong: anong relasyon mo kay Bnay? @ leona.
          ang sa akin, isang araw lang kami sa starbucks sa harap ng tig-isang tasang cafe americano, at yun na! :)

        • Sir/mam@Carmenrosales, ganito ko address ang mga CPMers pagka nakiki sabat ako. Para safe. Mahirap sila matukoy. Eh ikaw din baka @Rogeliodelarosa ka ddin.hihihi

        • Natural born Pilipina tayo na kasing edad ni Sir/Mam Leona na nagkaroon ng interes at sigla sa mundong ginagalawan mula nang maligaw sa blog na ito ng CPMers.

        • balayang@ . . . ‘kick-a-poe’ is cancerinogen! It will ‘kill’ you slowly and painfully.

          Huminto ako dyan matagal na. Lahat ng ka-inum kong lalaki ‘ded-ball’ na! Puro seryosis ng atay nila.

          Yun ‘barok’ pampa PULA sa kick-a-Poe ay kemical na matapang! Puede isang tasa lang. Wag sa tumahan taas na baso mag damag na inuman.

          Wag kang bumili dito sa Maynila. . . may halo ng tubig yan – bahal ‘o bahalina man.

          Drink BRANDY Foundador etc. Imported lang. Grapes like Grace yun. Srap!

        • Thanks for the reply; SO-o-o it’s carcinogenic ?? Is there anything else that does NOT cause cancer in this universe ??
          People sell Kick-a-POE juice by my way, though :-)) YOU really rock Leona !!!

        • Do you really want to know what’s in the tap water that we drink ?? People in China don’t drink water, they drink tea. In a Chinese house, in the suburb, there is always a hot water dispenser that they use to brew their tea with. They do not drink tap water. What does that tell you? Those chinois in the West Phil. sea must have hot water dispenser with them.
          I can’t remember the term use in Pinoy household, which is a vacuum flask, that they use for hot water. Drat my memory is failing me, and I haven’t had Kick-a-POE juice yet :-))

    • Nr 1: i don’t like to read comments here calling contributors ”whity”…..not don..

      Nr2: If a Philippine citizen goes abroad it can apply in most countries for a dual citizenship and can join ANY discussion..when a foreigner goes to the Philippines no dual citizenship allowed…What choice they have?
      If a Filipino married a US citizen green card, rights etc etc..If a US citizen married a Filipina…13a visa at most…still foreigner, yearly renew, no voting etc etc

      Nr 3: a Filipino OFW goes abroad send back most of the earnings back to the Philippines, it is lost for the host country…right? …….a foreigner who goes to the Philippines brings his savings/ pension from abroad to the Philippines…invest all his/her hard earned capital in the Philippines voluntarily…

      Why deny a foreigner the right to discuss if he/ she cannot become a dual citizen without losing all the rights from his/her previous country?

      Why reinvent the wheel again..sometimes the foreigners are ahead of the Philippines….

      Example….gay marriage, legal marijuana (i don’t say it is good or bad but i know country’s with very good track record controlling drugs abuse and HIV ) abortion (what if your 14 year old daughter comes home, raped or just an ‘experiment” and tells you ”i am pregnant” etc etc…

      Please live and let live..

      If you don’t agree with someone’s view just argue by point and not by name calling..

      Lastly…it is Raissarobles.com…..i don’t see Raissarobles.com.ph

      Most of her columns are in English..very appealing to join for a foreigner…

      For what my opinion is worth….less than 50 cent… :-)

      • Your opinion is $10.00 worth!

        Speaking of Gay marriages, Ireland I think went for it.

        One day, believe me, cloning of people will take place, for Gays & Lesbians, and for everyone who wants his/her same self!

        Science with progress will dominate our lives. sup@ >you’ll have sup1@! ha ha

      • for the most cool-headed advice of all @sup JAWOHL! let me add, i don’t like low name-callings here like, fool, stupid, ignorant etc. as well as fuck-off. no matter how angry we feel. once those words come out , you can’t take it back. it’s like a mud that sticks to your clothing, too hard to remove. we, filipinos have always been hospitable and even courteous especially if we are abroad. Si Joeam, asawa niya pinay, kababayan natin. i’m sure, nasasaktan din siya pag nasasaktan si joeam. Natural lamang ang katulad niya, assertive because they are taught to be assertive in their country at a very young age, . hindi kagaya natin, noong mga bata pa tayo, lahat hindi tama ang ginagawa pag ang tatanungin natin ang ating mga magulang. huwag sasagot sa matatanda, huwag sasabat pag hindi kinakausap, bawal iyan, bawal ito which make us “tameme” when sorrounded by assertive people. i’m also amazed how my children growing-up in a german environment could be assertive even as children. eventually, joe am will learn how to deal with our temperament accordingly.

        • Servus pelang! You are very right about the “tameme” thing – even me who was raised by a German mother but in the Philippines had to learn to open my mouth coming back to Germany! And even more in Bayern about which my Prussian grandmother used to say “Bayrische Höflichkeit ist wenn es nicht zu Tätlichkeiten kommt” – Bavarians are polite when they don’t hit you. The only Filipino I “know” who is similar in attitude is Sir Parekoy…

          About assertiveness in Filipino kids growing up in Germany, my little sister who came to Germany at 5 years old – I was 17 – is an example. Filipino temperament plus German assertiveness with British self-control she learned there where she is now married to an Englishman and successful.

          Another example is the daughter of my former yaya, an Ilokana. A mixture of German assertiveness from the environment plus Filipino politeness my former yaya inculcated in her. Speaks both Ilokano and Tagalog perfectly so she can navigate both Manila and communicate with her Manangs and Manongs, her Ilokano elders back home. She is now studying Medieninformatik (media informatics) and will have more opportunities than her mother who was always looked down upon as a former maid and farmer’s daughter inspite of the evening courses my mother sent her to, or her father who was PNP for a long time and a truck and tricycle driver also and now is a German Hausmeister (superintendent) for a German NGO.

          Now the stuff Joe is facing reminds me of how some Filipino association heads treated German heads of German-Filipino associations when the first came up in the 1980s – that was the time many Filipinas started coming to marry Germans, I have a posting about it in my blog responding to one of yours, unfortunately no e-mail notifications for answers in blogsport so those who want to follow must subscribe to the whole blog, OK tama na muna ang epal. Filipino leaders who mostly where Gastarbeiter from Luzon did not accept the Germans and much less accepted their mostly Visayan wives, you know the typical prejudices especially Ilokanos have about Visayan women – about Bikolanas too – and I will not detail them here. Being mestizo I found myself on both sides, in between and alternating very often so I know.

          Acceptance is the key, at least tolerance if one cannot (yet) accept. But one must in this context remember Goethe’s maxim: http://www.gutzitiert.de/zitat_autor_johann_wolfgang_von_goethe_thema_toleranz_zitat_20226.html

          Toleranz sollte eigentlich nur eine vorübergehende Gesinnung sein: Sie muß zur Anerkennung führen. Dulden heißt beleidigen.

          Tolerance should actually be just a transitory attitude – it must lead to recognition. To merely tolerate is to insult.

          It is hard to do so, I know from own experiences. And it must be MUTUAL to work. Goethe like Rizal was great in being very broad-minded and philosophical, what both had in common was that there own people did not read them enough, much less understand them or apply them. Goethe also wrote “das Land das den Fremden nicht beschützt, wird untergehen” – the land that does not protect the stranger will go down, it took 1945 for Germans to get that. And Rizal wrote “what if the slaves of today become the tyrants of tomorrow” – look at the Philippines!

        • For sure… but I think it might make sense to have a ceasefire for a while. At some point babasahin ko iyong nangyaring alitan tungkol kay Laude. Iyong mga alitan ng mga Filipino leader at German leader na may asawang Filipina noong araw, may mga kanya-kanyang dahilan din iyan, minsan ka isang panig lang, minsan parehong may kasalanan. Kung hindi maaring magkasundo kayo ni Joe, mag-iwasan muna sana kayo – palagay ko lang.

          Sa palagay ninyo, niloloko ni Joe ang mga Pilipino – sa palagay ko hindi, at kasalanan din ng mga tao kung masyado silang napapaniwala KAHIT KANINO, kahit sa akin. Malaya ang bawat tao sa kanyang isip at gawa, at siya lang mismo ang mananagot doon, walang iba.

        • Aha… many thanks. Now wala pa tayo sa Virtual Trial Court, sabihin nating fiscal lang ako or district attorney or prosecutor. Atty.-at-Large Irineo B. R. Salazar says:

          “violation of a man’s manhood may have occurred prior to the murder.” written by JoeAm can be interpreted as rape, or it can be interpreted as insulto sa pagkalalake – you take home a girl and end up in the Crying Game, then overreact. JoeAm did not, in the discussion, immediately clarify what he meant, thus inciting disrespectful reactions to the victim which he, as a blogwriter, should avoid, or should at least try to calm down if he sees them happening. His clarification took place only after clear questioning by his counsel Rene-Ipil.

          Other records of Mr. JoeAms writing in the blogosphere show similar ambiguities that may lead to misunderstanding, but in less sensitive issues. However, the intention of malice cannot be clearly proven, since this is the first case presented to us, yet the recklessness of expression is not an excuse.

          Therefore the undersigned Virtual Fiscal hereby closes this case upon condition of fining Mr. JoeAm for a misdemeanour, with a warning that a repeat offense of similar gravity shall lead to the next case being brought to the next Virtual Trial Court which has jurisdiction over the case, with no TROs accepted as the Acting Clerk of Court Karl Garcia will throw them into the wastebasket.

          Since Mr. JoeAm has already paid the fine for this misdemeanour by promoting my blog, the file for this case is hereby formally closed. In case of a repeat offence witnessed by Tuan Parekoy and Encik balayang, they are hereby authorized to administer tribal justice of their choice without consulting this office. However, the two plaintiffs are enjoined to follow the rules of Malay adat, and to especially use a Malay kris and not any balisong to administer justice.

        • The altercation between Mr. JoeAm and Tuan Parekoy is not covered by this decision, as it is an issue for a private case or for traditional tribal vendetta, matters for which the undersigned has neither jurisdiction nor expertise.

        • pelang says

          ‘let me add, i don’t like low name-callings here like, fool, stupid, ignorant etc. as well as fuck-off.’ . . . isn’t that the truth?

          Ha Ha Ha

        • quote. . . “It is funny how the people that hurt
          you the most are the ones that swore they never would.. .”

          :-)

        • quote. . . I’m sorry what language you are speaking? It sounds like bullshit!

          :=)

        • quote. . . I’m sick of people telling me it’s just a “get over it” situation. Fuck you. You don’t know what it’s like in my head!

          :-)

      • @ sup

        I agree, I wish everyone here answers issues with issues… we can always disagree in a civil manner. I’m always uneasy when others use unkind words or snipe at each other. It’s not a good policy to say when you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, that’s unkind, be it to a foreigner or to a fellow Filipino specially when one is just stating his opinion, which is our universal right.

        Just my 2 centavos…

        • aba’y katagal mo nang di nagawi rito… lahat naman tayo dumadalaw lang dito sa suki nating si Raissa, nagkukuwentuhan minsan nagaaaway. Pero wala pa naman akong nakitang nagbasag ng bote o naglabas ng balisong o kaya paltik kaya hindi ako nag-aalala maingay lang minsan.

          at kung minsan mangyari man na may boteng Red Horse mahulog at mabasag, walisin natin o kaya mag-Hoover tayo.. Matatag ang karamihan dito hindi balat-sibuyas, minsan pikon lang.

        • Pa konti konti lang kung mag post depende sa available time… have stockholders’ meetings to attend to and financial reports to write for them…ewww- that is with the simultaneous and still ongoing BIR e-reports and their corresponding initial start up requirements. Their website is still experiencing periodic blips due to the volume of taxpayers’ e-requirements.

          With this limitation, I’m reduced to just lurking, and enjoy reading the wit, wisdom and updates here. I’m not that comfortable, though, when others bare their fangs and facility with sharp and wounding words when provoked with real or imagined slight. Balat sibuyas? pikon? is that how we now describe someone who reacts to unkind treatment? I also take exception to being called colonialist, sycophant just because I also frequent JoeAm’s blog. That is just mean.

          I remember reading this – Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

          I also am of the belief that verbal insults have no place in a civilized discussion, and that is not being onion skinned or pikon. Those belong to GRP and some other trollish media blogs.

          My other 2 centavos.

        • I’ll donate you the 10 dollar Leona virtual gave to me… :-)
          And as bonus the 75 cent of BFD….

          Ps. hope you are not the cpa of Gerry L…..that would give you a lot of trabaho and headache for catching up ….hahahahaha

        • No, thank God, his and Binay’s businesses are not among the corporations that I’m handling…

          The virtual $10.75 is much appreciated hahaha

        • Sup, that dollar, of what country, because it would depreciate or appreciate depending….

          :-D

        • Mary is right! – Stick in the kitchen! Many loves to remain for the left-overs like biting even the bones!

          Ha Ha Ha

        • Mary : here’s the thing; I read between the lines of what this guy says and his ARROGANCE just makes me, as an American dialect say,
          ‘upchuck’. I don’t think PINOYS need a non-PINOY stating that which is obvious to us. It is like smearing our FACES with the cake’s ICING.
          To me, he can have his cake and his ICING too.

    • As far as I’m concerned you can speak anyway you wish, just as long as you don’t sound like Farol, Ignacio & Trolls Inc. But I doubt that’s going to happen: you’re several (dozen) levels of evolution above that

      • Well, I very much appreciate that, as we have also argued from time to time, and you usually won by outpointing me on wit. That, of course, is entirely fair.

        • Thanks for the compliment, I don’t always agree with what you say (sometimes with a lot of what you say) but I think you make your points well, logically and in a straightforward way, with a calmness that I occasionally (often) lack.

        • I am not saying you are stupid..just that you are saying stupid things and saying it a lot more often.

        • Interesting, I would say the same thing about you. So I guess we have achieved a harmonious balance and can stop this nonsense.

        • Now are you telling me that, or Joe, or us both? For my part I admit that I often write either very smart or very stupid things – wenn dann gscheit as Bavarians say, means if you do something do it properly in any sense. So if you mean me I am cool with that.

          As for Joe, I understand that some people fear that what he says may be taken too much for face value because some Filipinos believe anything white men tell them. Now that is their problem, especially in CPM I believe most Filipinos are maturer now.

        • I will let you decide for yourself. Just scroll several posts up and see good old joe flipflopping on what he claims he said or didnt say and then when confronted by copies of his posts, excusing his badmouthing this cpm site because he was being ganged up on by Parekoy and company..say what? ?…lol

        • Joe is Joe, Parekoy is Parekoy, I am myself. Or like the Jeffrey Laude type person says in the Crying Game: we all follow our respective natures.

          Which brings us back to your wilderness analogy. CPM is not wilderness though, it is a valuable biotope with high biodiversity. Dangerous predators that endanger this diversity are not let in at all which is a good thing.

        • To which I say let the predators in..remember the old saw about sticks and stones?

        • Six years of dealing with virulent, malevolent and banal trolls (mainly on the RH and Martial Law forums) have made me less enthusiastic about endorsing Voltaire’s position.

        • Voltaire was pre-internet, never forget that. Today he might have said: I will die for your right to say it once or twice, but if you troll I will pull the plug on you if I can…

        • Voltaire lived at a time when a lot of people lost their heads over writing politically incorrect ideas…that was almost 300 years ago…now people can lose their lives if not their heads from just writing or drawing religiously incorrect beliefs or images…so much for societal enlightenment and maturation?

        • Like I wrote already about Rizal and Goethe – most people don’t read, much less understand and rarely apply the writings of great and wise men.

          We have top technology but many of us are still barbarians at heart…

        • Apologies to Joes motherland but it is said that America is noteworthy as the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without going through a period of civilization.

        • I gave up reading years ago, Uroguay; it spoils my coffee. I just stick with Raissa’s blog, gives me the chuckle and informs me at the same time.

        • “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend you to the death your right to say it.

          Voltaire, I am leaving you! Defend yourself ’til you die!

          Ha Ha

        • dear ma’am raissa, asking for your kind understanding to take this opportune time in using your blog in my personal issue.

          hi ibrs, nice quote and it is really relevant to our (my husband and I) present situation. kindly refer to my post 101.1.2.3. for more than one week now, my husband keeps on requesting the publisher to delet such photo but to no avail. to think that the publisher works at motorola and holding a good position as an IT expert. he has a PhD degree obtained from one of the universities in london. aware that you are an IT expert in germany, i would like to ask if i can send you an email regarding this issue. thank you in advance for your kind understanding and consideration.

          your kababayan,

          kalakala

        • Hi kalakala,

          yes, feel free to send me an email, you can either use my contact box on my business website http://irineo.eu or the mail address shown there. I will ask my lawyer who is specialized on IT topics his opinion – a German man whose wife is from Indonesia.

          Best Regards,
          Irineo

    • Joe@, You are a natural-born-subscriber at CPM and not an alien-foundling!

      I just thought of this help now after having read it many hours ago. I am serious, believe me.

      :-)

      • Leona, so the rumors aren’t true and I was just being paranoid and vituperative….Okay, I will put away the “ET, Go Home” placards now :)

    • @Joeam

      PIE apologized to meand we started a clean slate.

      I reminded you long ago about your bigotry in Laude’s case. I ask you to apologize to me and I will let you be, else I will hound you!

      You never did apologize.

      Your pride betrays your claimed superiority which in this blog shows you are light weight. You are a hypocrite and thankfully for you a lot of people here are still exercising their restraints but some are fed up too with your usual hypocrisy and fragile ego and expected to be treated like by some of your psychophants in your blog who adulate your whimsical ideas, and a lot of sophomorics writings.

      I already mentioned way way back that You cater to those Filipinos with colonial mentality and I don’t fault you nor them for you deserved each other.

      But here in CPM you are treated as you are supposed to be treated, a foreigner who can’t vote, a foreigner who is clueless of our history, culture and norms, a foreigner who tries to market and sell his daft and stale political ideas in this tough Political Market and a failure here.

      I respect Ireneo for he, a Filipino, is smart enough and humble enough to admit that politics for him is still a territory he needs to learn for eventhough he has more potential to discuss deeperour politics, he is smart enough to admit that he needs to deal first with his competency and eventually venture to politics. You in the other hand is just a fool in a white skin and the Colonialists are just swooned by the patina of the skin instead of ideas.

      In here you are both a welcome and unwelcome distraction!

      Welcome when you show your onion-white-skin, whining and pleading for some compassion. Unwelcome when you show your hypocrisy, your stale ideas and a lot of Filp-flopping, and your crass using this site to snare more Colonialists in your blog.

      Since you don’t fail to make a lot of us giggle of your assumed superiority, stale stupid ideas, and expected preferrential treatment, and a lot of flip-flops, I think it is apt to bestow you our CPM adpoted-White-jester-fool!

      Having white skin and a red-face whenever you are PIKON, You really give this site additional colors!

      Parekoy

      • “expected to be treated like by some of your psychophants in your blog” that is a trap into which it is easy for a foreigner to fall. Not all in his blog are syncophants though, many are genuine.

        “You cater to those Filipinos with colonial mentality” Not all are with colonial mentality. Many “lost” Filipinos there too, I was also one similar to Fil-Ams like Juana Filipinas, or partly foreign-raised like Edgar Lores (formative years in Hawaii, never felt at home in Pinas, I had classmates like that, lucky for me or unlucky depending on perspective my first three years were in Germany and the next four years hanggang sa “may isip ako” – Filipinos know that without reading Piaget – were in Manila) well Manong Sonny is from the first post-colonial generation so I respect his attitude ganyan siya lumaki. Some occasional appearances there are truly syncophants and colonials. None of the regular Society members. Mary is disenchanted with many things Filipino which I understand, she is a born-again I have read and they are people who look for a guiding light.

        ” a foreigner who is clueless of our history, culture and norms” he is trying to learn, that is obvious, maybe he should ask more questions instead of stating his observations as the truth so forcefully. In fact, I noticed how many important things he does not know – F. Sionil Jose is a recent example. Part of the motivation for my blogsite was my argument with him, which got me thinking – in Germany they have a citizenship test for those who wish to naturalize. Much of the content in my blogsite is what I would consider vital material to be learned for Joe’s Filipino citizenship test. Also stuff that many Filipinos have forgotten or not learned and therefore are easily misled in issues. My approach is Germanic, it is a teaching approach, but I strive to avoid being overbearing in teaching. And since I cannot vote either, my way of helping is to give fellow Filipinos food for thought, helping them learn to fish with their minds instead of giving them fish for just a day. Well my mind is working well, I just ate the Ilokano food my former yaya left me, with a lot of patis… Healthier than our Bikolano stuff, even though the Bikol stuff tastes better I do remember how many of my uncles in Tiwi were sitting on their armchairs, victims of strokes that diet encourages.

        “I respect Ireneo for he, a Filipino” I am Filipino-German in both origin and in attitude, a mixture. An honorary Philippine vice-consul from the Maravilla clan of Batangas once said I am Filipino at heart and German in the head, that sums it up well. My loyalty to Germany is pragmatic and comes from gratefulness as well for what that country has done for me, while my loyalty to the Philippines in the heart, even if the country has caused me much headaches and heartaches.

        “Colonialists are just swooned by the patina of the skin” a certain awe for Westerners has been inculcated into all peoples that were colonized, but like a British person once said “our superiority is mainly a matter of bluff” – I like the brutal sincerity the British can have. So it isn’t just the skin. They have learned to sell themselves better, which is why I liked to outline how they also passed through certain developments Filipinos are now passing through in order to become how they are. “Sie kochen auch nur mit Wasser” – they also just cook with water is the German term for all of this. Finally they are not superior, only with a head start in some things. This is what I learned in all the years abroad, this is what I observed. Datus in every Moro vilage? Well almost every German village has a Freiherr = Baron. Sultans of Sulu and their antics? Just watch the Dukes of Bavaria. Swiss were feared like Moros in the Middle Ages, their last tribal war was in the 19th century…

        “your crass using this site to snare more Colonialists in your blog” – I have Piwik in my blog and can see which site gives ME more traffic. It is definitely Raissa Robles! The ticker shows how many people come, more than one per minute. Now I also make my own epal here, I admit, but I do it openly. And Joe also has placed me on his list of Philippine blogs and readmitted me, so I am no longer removing the link to his website from his alias when he posts on my site. Now I think that people will be able to read and judge for themselves. What many do not get is the double meanings that English can have. Anyone who has dealt with North American regularly DOES.

        “a lot of Filp-flopping” let me give an example of flip-flopping. In my latest blog article, Joe says that scenario 1 works for him, scenario 2 is a nightmare. No comment on scenario 3 which was bait I deliberately laid, because it is the scenario most likely for the Philippine future if oligarches and their postcolonial partners continue to try to run the Philippines there way. Now Scenario 3 is the best scenario for many postcolonials, and Joe may be one of them, I am not letting him off the hook just yet! http://filipinogerman.blogsport.eu/the-philippines-today-and-tomorrow/

        “assumed superiority” I wrote once that America is the modern Roman empire. Similar patterns, the same innocent but dangerous assumption that the whole known world will do better with their way of doing things. E Pluribus Unum and Novus Ordo Secolorum – the American mottos out of many one and new order of the centuries are the US mission statement! Joe may even just be raised that way and cannot even conceive anything else. Free markets for example in their unbridled version caused much of the recent trouble the world is in now, Adam Smiths original ideas did not know today’s world. The US system – presidential and based on common law – only works in a country with a strong consensus which the Philippines does not yet have! The American assumption that original culture does not matter is fine for them, all immigrants adjust sooner or later and to the north they only have Canadians, with the Mexicans they barely manage to get along. At least we Euros know that culture does matter, that old ways die hard and have their reasons as well as adaptations to living circumstances, that breaking down these ways can cause much misery. So I make no secret of the fact that I prefer every EU-funded or sponsored project in the Philippines to an American-funded one, because over here respect for other cultures is there, it also had to be learned after being colonial powers and losing. US has yet to learn!

        • I appreciate your wise perspective, Irineo, and it saved me a lot of writing. The bottom line is, what is our intent in writing here or there? For me it is the well-being of the Philippines, and personal gains (developing writing skills and learning). As you have noted in my blog, I carry the biases of history (American) and style of culture (direct). The other thing I have is a personality. Parekoy is right to point out the sensitivity that is a part of that personality, for it exists, and if it is a weakness in his eyes, it is a strength in other forms, getting expressed as compassion (something I’m not sure he can relate to) or helping me align words in ways that strike an emotional chord. It is what it is, and if he zips it through his anger filter and giggles with his friends about it, not much for me to worry about. Teenagers do pretty much the same thing as they try to define their masculinity by giggling with pals. Parekoy is entitled to a personality, too.

          The other thing I would elaborate on is the reason for my question is very practical. Am I a CPMer or a guest? As a non-citizen in the Philippines, I am a guest. There are rules for me that are different than for a citizen. I can’t protest against the state. I can’t interfere in elections (which I interpret to mean during the campaign period). I am entitled to express opinions. As a CPMer, I am allowed to express myself on the same basis as a Filipino CPMer. That is, the idea is what matters, not the heritage. I am not an “outsider”, other than as an intellectual construct that Parekoy can use to justify his angers. The personality moralists cannot hold that my behavior is not up to CPM standards because I am a part of the group that makes the standards.

        • Put 2 lawyers together and they will never agree
          Put 2 politicians together and they will never agree
          Put 2 man together and after some red horse they also start to disagree
          Put a Filipino and a foreigner together and they will argue what country is the best

          It’s an ego thing…Mirror mirror on the wall who has the biggest ego of them all

          Please don’t call forum members names you would not like to read when they are talking about you?

          By the way…women always agree…about not having enough shoes and bags…. :-)

        • LOL! (on the last sentence….)

          The second to the last, I agree wholeheartedly (though it’s not about shoes and bags…haha)

        • Depends on income, I think. For low income, a meal in a real restaurant, for high income, jewelry. For single women, a hunk perhaps.

        • Good advice. But those of us who are a part of two countries, or two countries being a part of us, often find that such debate about which nation is better is both impossible to resolve and foolish to undertake. It is like describing a former girl friend to your wife. Best to avoid altogether or to be very very very very careful about.

        • ‘Put 2 lawyers together and they will never agree’ .. papaano naman yun ‘I concur’?

          ‘ego’ – – – ‘enhanced genetic ogre’. I am not saying anyone here is with that. No. Wala. It’s all just fake and peke from the Mirror On The Wall. It doesn’t exists. Hmmm?

        • Joe consider yourself a pesky fly.

          If you irritate some of us here, duck for they will swat you!

          Buzzzzzzz..

          :)

        • @Joe: my article about the Philippine blogosphere and its key players will be in a similar style to my posting about you – even if I will describe each blog and its key players in a shorter way. But as well all know it takes longer to write shorter. My role models are the internally and also externally published reports of NGOs and Embassies, even those now on Wikileaks. So as much as possible describe the situation with as little value judgement as possible in a way that an intelligent and diligent outsider can gain an quick understanding. Ambassadors and NGO reps write that way to their home offices, and I can imagine intelligence analysts do the same towards Langley, the Lubjanka and the Forbidden City. Describe each biotope and the different species that have their habitat there. Of course Raissa, JoeAm, GRP are the major major places just like LP, NP and UNA are the major parties – no mapping intended here just the size of the role they play in the blogolitical/political spheres, then you have the rest IMHO.

          The process of defining who has a say in matters Filipino and not is ongoing. Well I guess we all have a say in the sense of being entitled to an opinion. I would say those who are citizens and live in the Philippines are the innermost circle. Foreign migrants to the Philippines and Filipino OFWs are the second circle. Filipino migrants abroad only third! The mix of citizenship/background/stakeholdership plus engagement is what matters.

          Parekoy I think is saying that you lack sufficient background to give a well-based opinion and be more than a saling-pusa (the cat on the side table or Katzentisch in German) here, as pelang says your outspokenness may annoy those who are not used to it culturally. Well I also see your lack of background knowledge sometimes, which is why I engage you in that area, in order to give you – and the readers who may not know – that additional stuff. What I remember very well was the time when the Philippines articles on Wikipedia in German were mostly written by German husbands of Filipinas – the level was appalling so I came in and edited the articles, luring a critical mass of knowledgeable writers/readers. Now you may be American but your German heritage shines through – Germans state what they know even if it is just a part of the body of knowledge very securely and outspokenly, but are willing to stand corrected if another person comes with convincing facts/arguments. Some heritage never gets lost – Filipino-Chinese have their heritage also, but in the end allegiance is more important. I do suggest that you be careful in all bilateral matters that involve both of your countries. In such matters, all with dual backgrounds will always have “two souls in one chest” (Zwei Seelen in einer Brust) to quote Goethe. Just like I shall tread lightly on NAIA3 and touch it only when truly ready, trying to stay as neutral as possible, even if I have flip-flopped on that issue often I have usually done it quietly. Well I have lost it on Facebook before, telling fellow Filipinos guys lets talk again when you have paid your goddam terminal, but fortunately FB posts can be erased… but that was my Jeffrey Laude… Have had my share of cross-cultural arguments so I know the sensitivities and pitfalls.

        • @Joe: my article about the Philippine blogosphere and its key players will be in a similar style to my posting about you – even if I will describe each blog and its key players in a shorter way. But as well all know it takes longer to write shorter. My role models are the internally and also externally published reports of NGOs and Embassies, even those now on Wikileaks. So as much as possible describe the situation with as little value judgement as possible in a way that an intelligent and diligent outsider can gain an quick understanding. Ambassadors and NGO reps write that way to their home offices, and I can imagine intelligence analysts do the same towards Langley, the Lubjanka and the Forbidden City. Describe each biotope and the different species that have their habitat there.

          The process of defining who has a say in matters Filipino and not is ongoing. Well I guess we all have a say in the sense of being entitled to an opinion. I would say those who are citizens and live in the Philippines are the innermost circle. Foreign migrants to the Philippines and Filipino OFWs are the second circle. Filipino migrants abroad only third! The mix of citizenship/background/stakeholdership plus engagement is what matters.

          My advice is be careful on matter involving both of your countries – I had a big Waterloo on Facebook years ago regarding the NAIA3 issue when I lost it towards fellow Filipinos – that way my Jeffrey Laude online incident. Stuff where you are in the middle is very delicate!

        • Please note that I qualified that by “some of your psychophants…”

          A friend o mine notified me of Joem’s Eureka moment and promised me if I read the reactions of the pschophants, I will have a good laugh!

          I did and I just laughed at the reactions of the Colonialists in Joeam’s blog of his Eureka moment!

          Funny how they just adulated his supposed discovery of the answer!

          I have seen stupid and this one is for the records of saying a lot of things and saying nothing at all!

          For this I would reward Joeam’s stupidity and recommend visiting his blog for a good laugh!

          See, stupidity has its own rewards!

          :)

        • Eureka is quite OK IMHO. I have not commented at all on the survey article because I don’t quite get the point there. Joe is a salesman type, expect that style, it is American. They always act as if they invented everything, but started off as imitators then lured foreign talent to come.

          Did you know that the UK had a major problem with illegal reprints of books by the US in the 19th century? This is just from memory I do not remember the source. Just remember one thing – sie kochen auch nur mit Wasser – they only cook with water or just fry their burgers.

          My point in the Tipping Point article, the first one I wrote at Joe’s, is that Filipinos who have worked abroad and at call centers are losing their awe of “the white man”. Filipinos like Karl Garcia and giancarloangulo represent the modern Filipino that is now developing. Kayo naman dito you, balayang et al. “we don’t need Joe’s education… we don’t need Joe’s though control.. dark sarcasm in the classroom.. Hey, Kano, leave Pinoys alone… all in all you’re just another brick in the wall” – which is why he calls you a “gang”. Eh ako naman, gagawa siguro ako ng spoof – Virtual Trial Court, Presiding Judge Irineo B. R. Salazar, in the case of Parekoy, balayang et. al. vs. Joe America – kaya lang wala pa akong hatol na talagang salitang tapos tungkol sa inyo. You are all very pronounced characters, maybe like those in Gangs of New York, maybe like in Charles Dickens, ewan ko pa talaga – I do not know to all of you, to translate literally. JoeAms blog may assessment na ako, CPM wala pa, susunod sila Mr. Ignacio atbp., kung baga sa mga partido sa Pinas kayo ang LP, NP at UNA, no similarities just a comparison in terms of influence in the blogolitical sphere as opposed to the political sphere. Mauna ang blogosphere article ko sa political party article, hopefully all in time for the candidates line-up in October. Ako naman foreign citizen pero nasa abroad, so hindi ako sakop ng COMELEC order as long as I write like a foreign reporter. Kung gawin akong source ng Süddeutsche Zeitung, Frankfurter Allgemeine atbp. kontento na ako – hindi pa masyadong kilala sa Alemanya ang Pilipinas, therefore “this looks like a job for me.. cause I need some controversy.. cause it feels so empty without me” – now if Joe were more like Eminem, a whiteboy who knows how to rap, ibang usapan.

        • I look forward to your article and would like to see your perspective of the ‘attention whores’ who are trying to make their voices heard for their own reasons.

          I suggest you need their written articles first so you have a deeper and broader understanding of their thinking and some flip-flopping. You could also discover who mimics who, who are the riders and who are writing with conviction and others who are writing for their egos, and other angles…

          Good luck!

          :)

        • I will analyze first the direction in which the respective people write. As for motivations, it is probably even harder to understand blogger’s motivations than those of women.

          Mimicry and reacting, as well as riding on waves is very common, it is hard to say who really has certain convictions and which. I for example have been riding on federalism very recently, but I also am open to that idea, or at even quite favorable to the idea.

          Therefore I will focus more on the direction that each blog has, what benefit it brings to the reader and what things a reader should watch out for – known directions/biases. We blogwriters are not that important – the readers are, and what they learn from us.

          Ang dapat matutunan ng taong-bayan, huwag silang sumunod o maniwala masyado kahit kanino – gamitin nila ang sarili nilang kokote para suriin ang binabasa nila. Sa bandang huli, sila ang kawawa kung sunod lang ng sunod.

          Ang problema ng maraming Pilipino, natutong sumunod lang at maniwala – sa datu at babaylan noong araw, tapos sa prayleng Kastila na malibog, tapos sa mga Kano, tapos sa mga trapo at epal. Iyong mas may utak, madalas na napunta sa pagiging sipsip o kaya kapit sa malakas para sa sariling kapakanan. Dito sa CPM, talagang may kanya-kanyang isip halos lahat, wala pa akong nakitang wala. Kina Joe, iyong mga talagang Society Member karamihan may sariling isip, magustuhan natin ito o hindi, pero marami pa ring mga masunurin at sipsip na sumusulpot. Iyong grupo naman ni Ignacio, parang Iglesia ni Kristo, iisa halos ang pananaw, iyong bago nilang manunulat na si Grimwald may ibang direksiyon, pero sa tingin ko window-dressing lang iyan para hindi halatang para silang sekto. Eh pati ako naimbita na ni Ignacio na maging manunulat sa kanila, kaya lang umayaw ako.

  2. Susmaryosep, pinalulutang naman ngayon ang Binay-Erap tandem. (politicsdotcomdotph)

    “Manila mayor Joseph Estrada is being pushed to run alongside Vice President Jejomar Binay for the second highest office in the land, a Politiko source said.”

    BTW, the APO and the Guardian Brotherhood Inc. (Binay aligned factions) are doing their rounds activating local chapters and encouraging members with potentials to run for local positions.

    • Puwede yan.

      Para pag-usapan.

      At least hindi disqualified si Erap as VP candidate.

      Of course, after the filing of the COCs shall we determine the final list.

      • When I see it I will believe it . . . *Binay = for P. Erap = for VP. VS Roxas = for P PNoy = for VP!

        Battle [ or bottle] Royale! A Return Bout indeed!

        Sigue, tuksuin natin sila! Let’s make it a realistic flattering for them. May the Mahinay TEAM Win.

        :-)

  3. THIS IS A JOKE IN THE SAME WAY POLITICAL SCIENTISTS/ ANALYSTS GIVE THEIR JOKES THROUGH TRADITIONAL MEDIA

    Here is my joke.

    I concocted a formula for the plausibility index of a PV (Pres-VP) tandem to be endorsed by Aquino/LP:

    Index = AxLx(1/2P + 1/2V)

    where x is multiplication; and the numbers — that Aquino, Liberal Party, Pres prospect and VP prospect assign to the PV tandem — are inputted into the formula. Rather than cause a headache or cause uncontrollable laughter to the readers, I chose not to explain the thoughts behind this formula.

    Taking only the (probable) VIEWS of Aquino, Liberal Party, Roxas, Poe, I assign percentage numbers as follows:

    ——-A—L–R—P
    PR–40-30-20-30
    RP–30-40-40-20
    RD–20-20-30-10
    PE–10-10-10-40

    (percentage totals are 100; and D = Duterte, E=Escudero)

    The resulting Index numbers are as follows, after dividing the result by 1000, so we have few-digit numbers for easy appreciation, after all we are interested in relative numbers only:

    RESULTING INDEX

    Poe-Roxas——-30
    Roxas-Poe——-36
    Roxas-Duterte—8
    poe-Escudero—2.5

    There you are, my dear readers. Is this any worse than the (university-credentialed) political scientist forecast? If you say yes, it’s OK by me; I can take it; I am a big boy now. Hahaha.

    (PS — As the cliche’ says, “the devil is in the details.” Even assuming my formula from the Oracle of Delphi is reasonable, the assigned numbers are just my gut feel. You may input your own gut feel and see a different result.)

    • In qualitative terms, my point is that the views of Aquino, the LP are important factors aside from the views or thoughts of Poe and Roxas. The result tells me, since the numbers I assigned are debatable, that it is a toss-up between Poe-Roxas and Roxas-Poe tandem with the Roxas-Poe combination the more probable.

      • the variables assigned into the equation can beat toby and jbautista’s blabbery, hahaha!
        you made my monday morning @nherrera.

    • I like P-VP acronym better.

      Parang PVC pipe ang dating…

      Plastikan naman daw kasi ang pangangampanya…

  5. On April 20, 2013 or one month before the senatorial elections that year, Grace Poe appeared on TV to explain how she was adopted by Susan and FPJ. Let us watch and listen to Grace talk about her foundling story. As of today around 125,000 have viewed the video and many of them wrote comments which are really informative and interesting.

    https://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=qM0O8O01smA

    • MANILA – From foundling to showbiz royalty daughter and now senatorial candidate, Team PNoy bet Grace Poe-Llamanzares on Wednesday opened up about how she was abandoned by her biological parents and how she was adopted by celebrity couple Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces.

      Speaking to ANC’s Headstart, Grace revealed that she was abandoned as a baby at a church in Iloilo. She said a couple told the parish priest about the foundling but that no one came forward to claim her despite several announcements in the church and in a local newspaper.

      “Nag anunsyo dun sa simbahan na may batang nakita pero dahil wala naman istraktura ng [Department of Social Welfare and Development] nun so kinupkop ako nun. Tapos nag anunsyo na sila sa pahayagan. Sinabi wala naman lumapit so kinupkop ako ng pamilya,” she said.

      Grace said the couple approached a wealthy haciendera and asked if she wanted to take care of the baby. The haciendera, who was childless, agreed and often brought the baby Grace to Manila where she was following her idol, actress Susan Roces.

      “Ang kanyang kaligayan ay sundan yung mommy ko dahil fan siya so lumuluwas siya from Bacolod to Manila. Dala-dala niya ako palagi. I was a baby,” she said.

      Grace said FPJ, who at that time just recently married Roces, took an instant liking to her because he loved kids. Roces then asked Grace’s guardian to stay at their house so that FPJ could see more of Grace.

      “He was always taking care of me. So my mom said: ‘Tessie, alam mo pag nasa Maynila ka, dito ka na lang mag-stop sa bahay.’ When they built their house, they had a room for my ninang. At some point, there was a very minor falling out between my ninang and my mom. She said: ‘Tessie. siyempre sa iyo yan.’ And my ninang said: ‘She needs parents.’ She saw how my parents cared for me.’

      “And then my mom said: ‘Hindi pwedeng ganyan lang. It has to be formal adoption dahil kawawa naman ang bata.’ My dad was against it. He said: “Bakit pa e dito anak ko na siya e? (pointing to his heart)’ E iba naman yung mom ko. Practical din yun. So ako’y nagpapasalamat.”

      Search for her biological parents

      Grace admitted that when she grew up, she did wonder about her biological parents who had left her at the church.

      Asked if she ever felt resentment after finding out that she was adopted, she said: “Not resentment. It was more of insecurity and these were fed to me. Itong pagiging insecure ay resulta din ng mga nasa paligid mo.”

      “Yung nanay at tatay ko naman, ginawa nila ang lahat ng kanilang makakakaya para hindi ko naman maramdaman na menos ako. Kung ano naman ang oportunidad na ibinibigay sa isang biological na anak, binigay naman sa akin yun.”

      Grace said she also did her own search for her biological parents by asking the couple who first took her in as well as her ninang. She said that before she was formally adopted, there were several people who claimed to be her parents but were later found out to be lying.

      Grace said she feels grateful to her biological parents for choosing to have her although they eventually let her go.

      She said she looks up to Poe and Roces as her real parents because they treated her like their real daughter and took her in.

      “Hinanap ko naman pero alam mo, Karen, sa puntong ito, siyempre ang aking mga magulang na kinikilala ko yung talagang nagmalasakit at nagpalaki sa akin. Pero patuloy rin ang aking pasasalamat. Kung ano man ang nangyari sa aking biological parents, pinili pa rin nila ang buhay. I am sure hindi naging madali iluwal ang isang bata lalong-lalo na wala kang kakayahan.’

      “Siguro may kulang sa buhay nila. Pero ako naman, naging epektibo talaga ang pagpapalaki sa akin ng mga magulang ko sa akin kaya utang na loob ko rin sa kanila kaya hindi maintindihan naman ng mga tao. ‘Masyado ka namang FPJ.’ Sa lahat ng ginagawa ko, gusto ko talagang bigyan ng karangalan ang pangalan niya, ng dangal.”

      FPJ’s defeat, her senatorial bid

      In the interview, Grace admitted that her father’s defeat in the 2004 presidential election weighed heavily on his mind and may have led to his untimely death in December that year.

      She said that instead of opening up about how he felt about being cheated in the election, he simply kept his feelings to himself and trusted that the truth would come out.

      “I am sure it affected him. Lahat naman ng pinagdadadaanan na emosyonal ay nagdudulot din ng kahirapan sa pisikal na kabuuan. Ang tatay ko, ayaw niya na bigyan pa kami ng burden o ibig sabihin ng problema. Para sa kanya, hindi OK lang. Naniniwala kasi siya na lalalabas ang katotohanan,” she said.

      Rumors of alleged massive cheating in the 2004 presidential election gained traction in 2005 after the release of the so-called “Hello, Garci” wiretapped conversations detailing a massive conspiracy to rig the polls. One of the alleged wiretapped conversations was between a woman who sounded like then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and a poll commissioner.

      In the interview, Grace said her father had faith that the truth about his electoral victory would eventually come out.

      “He had faith in that but the pressure was mounting, lalong lalo na sa lugar na dinumog ka ng tao, ni isang boto wala kang nakuha dun. Di ba? Insulto naman yun,” she said.

      She said that when she decided to join politics as a senatorial candidate, she cast her lot with Team PNoy because President Aquino never interfered with her work in the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

      “It is as simple as this. Bilib ako sa Pangulo. Namuno ako sa isang ahensiya na kita ko ang suporta niya, na hindi siya makikialam at hindi niya ilalagay ang barkada o amiga niya,” she said.

      Grace said what drives her to excel is her mother’s continued reminder that she does not bring shame to the family name.

      “Lahat tayo, may pinapatunayan sa sarili nati. Sa lahat din ng mga adopted na anak, alam ko na gusto niyo rin sabihin ng mga magulang niyo na ‘Naku, mabuti na lang anak nandito ka sa buhay naming.’ Lahat naman tayo kahit nga tunay na anak, biological, gusto natin patunayan sa nanay at tatay mo na OK ka naman. Pero yan ang pinakamalaking hamon sa buhay ko, na mapatunayan ko na ako’y karapat-dapat. Hindi lang sa magulang ko. Para din sa iba dahil maraming nagmamahal sa magulang ko,” she said.

      • @kalakala,

        It’s fun to sottocopy but copy-pasting the entire or majority of the article is still plagiarism.

        • I am very sorry. i just noticed ( upon reading sir baycas comment) that the source and author of the article was not included when i did the copy paste of the whole article.

          to the author, my sincere apology.

        • @ baycas, ano naman po ang tawag doon sa: halimbawa doon sa formal group picture (being posted and shared through google+), only me that my whole face is covered with leaves shadow. my husband requested the owner of the camera to delet because it is really bad to look at but he ( the publisher) refused. did he violate my human right or it can be consider as bullying? thanks in advance.

      • Kung ang panayam na ito kay Grace Poe ang pagbabatayan ng kanyang pagiging “natural born Pilipino citizen, ay hindi ito sapat sapagkat wala ding batayan o ebidensyang mapanghakawakan na isa o pareho sa tunay (biological) na mga magulang niya ay Pilipino.

        Eh baka sa bandang huli ay rin siya maging karapatdapat na maging pangulo ng Pilipinas ayon sa ating Saligang Batas. Kaya dapat na sabihin o tuklasin ni Grace Poe ang tunay niyang mga magulang kung hindi ay huwag na lang siyang tumakbong para sa pagka-presidente kung talagang mahal at iniisip niya ang kapakanan ng Pilipinas. Mahirap na dalahin ito.

        • salamat sa sottocopied na panayam.
          speed reading lang ang ginawa ko.
          maaaring mali ang aking pagkaunawa.
          pero may nahalata ako sa panayam.
          parang may twist ang kwento.
          anyway, kaya nga kwento.
          nasa nakikinig kung may kwenta.

          ang sa akin naman, kung probability ang pag-uusapan,
          naniniwala akong natural-born si poe.

          ang umuukilkil na tanong sa aking balintataw ay: anak ba siya ni makoy?

          ipa-factor in pa ang ‘una’ niyang affiliations…

        • Methinks it’s a telenovela. Makes me feel like saying: Lokohin mo ang lelong mong PANOT !!!!!

      • Kung totoo ang mga sinabi ni Poe sa interview ay nagpapatunay na sIya ay ADJUDICATED Filipino citizen at hindi NATURAL-BORN. Dahil simula ng mapulot siya ni Chayong sa harap ng simbahan sa Iloilo, arugain ni Tessie ng ilang panahon sa Bacolod, iwanan ni Tessie si Grace kay Susan nang siya ay mangibang bansa, ilathala ng ilang beses sa pahayagan upang bawiin si Grace ng kanyang tunay na magulang, maghain ng kahilingan sa hukuman si Susan upang ampunin si Grace at hanggang mapagpasyahan ito ng hukuman ng pangwakas, ay hindi kukulangin sa isang taon sa palagay ko.

        At si Grace ay naging adjudicated Filipino citizen dahil ang magulang niya na itinakda ng hukuman ay Filipino citizen. Ito ay bilang pagsunod sa UN Convention at hindi dahil sa ating sariling batas tungkol sa citizenship. Dahil kung dumating ang panahon na napatunayan na si Grace ay anak ng parehong banyaga, halimbawa ay mga overstaying na Tsino na tindero at tindera sa Dibisorya, si Grace ay babawian ng pagiging Filipino citizen at magiging banyaga na rin.

        PD No. 603, The Child and Youth Welfare Code provides:

        Article 39 – Effects of Adoption – The adoption shall:

        1). Give to the adopted person the same rights and duties as if he were a legitimate child of the adopter. Provided, that an adopted child cannot acquire Philippine citizenship by virtue of such adoption.

        Ibig sabihin ng PD 603 na hindi maaaring ang pagampon LAMANG ang pagbabatayan ng citizenship. Sa kaso ni Grace bilang pulot, ang magkasamang epekto ng petition for adoption at UN Convention ang naging daan upang siya ay maging adjudicated Filipino citizen.

        Kaya KAILANMAN ay hindi naging natural-born Filipino citizen si Grace. Ang katunayan nito ay ang interview na ito na siya ay isang PULOT. Kung gusto niyang mag-presidente ay patunayan niya muna na hindi siya pulot lamang. Ibig sabihin ay iharap at patunayan niya na ang kanyang tunay na magulang ay Filipino citizen.

        Maraming paraan ito. Yung nanay mismo. Yung doktor o kamadrona na nagpaanak. Yung nag-assist sa doktor. Yung nag-lagay ng tag sa bata. Yung nag-alaga kay Grace at nanay nito sa ospital, kung sakali man. At DNA test results.

    • Article VI SEC. 3 clearly provides: ‘Section 3. No person shall be a Senator unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines and, on the day of the election, is at least thirty-five years of age, able to read and write, a registered voter, and a resident of the Philippines for not less than two years immediately preceding the day of the election.’

      Grace Poe ran for senator and was elected under the LP party. Prior to her election she was interviewed re ‘her foundling story’ as revealed in youtube.com/all_comments?v=qM001smA.

      No one person thought of SEC. 3 Article VI that no person shall be a Senator unless he is natural-born citizen of the Philippines, etc. Not anybody in the LP party took this ‘foundling’ issue. None from the opposition. Nobody at all took this ‘foundling’ matter of Grace Poe.

      You and I and everybody else including many lawyers and non-lawyers just let this pass.

      Now, Grace Poe, a senator might or might not run for President for May 2016. Some points or questions:

      1. Do you think a case filed against her for disqualification as candidate for President will prosper before the Comelec and/or the Supreme Court if it is proven she is disqualified?

      2. If Grace Poe as a Senator, assuming does not decided to be a candidate for President for May 2016, in your opinion and honest belief, would a case prosper to belatedly to disqualifiy her as a Senator under SEC. 3 of Article VI?

      3. For both questions Nos. 1 and 2, a case and belated case, respectively, which might also be a joint or Omnibus Complaints for disqualifications as a candidate for President and as a Senator, in your opinion and honest belief, be a good and practical for the good of the country and to honor our Constitutional provisions on natural-born citizenship requirements on Grace Poe as a candidate for President and as Senator to such positions?

      4. As an incumbent Senator, do you think and believe that questioning her not being a natural-born citizen, is a political question which courts may or may not dwell into under a ‘Separation of Powers’ issue and ‘Case and Controversy’ issue under the laws?

      4.a. – A class suit for 100 million people on Quo Warranto petition, questioning someone having no right being a Senator?

      The last question Atty. Rene, if you please, 5. Do you believe, honestly as your opinion, that if Grace Poe as Senator, run for President, a case is filed againt her as being allegedly disqualified for being a ‘foundling,’ whose citizenship as natural-born citizen is not in her, and she is disqualified in that issue, should such disqualification include her being also a disqualified elected Senator, an obligation by the final arbiter, the Supreme Court at that, to completely finish the issue of a disqualified ‘foundling’ once and for all as a candidate for President and as an elected Senator?

      Thanks. I hope I presented these correctly. Excuse me if I did not. You may not reply to this if you do not want to. Leona.

      • 1. and 2. If proven disqualified, the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) would unseat Grace.

        3. If not natural-born citizen, Grace should not fe allowed to run as president. The constitution requires a natural-born Filipino citizen who has full allegiance to the nation. It is entirely possible that a foundling has alien parents.

        4. The court will not decide on Grace qualification. It would be the SET.

        4a. One Filipino citizen could question Grace’s qualification before the SET.

        5. The qualification of Grace as presidential candidate is adjudicated by the SC while the SET has jurisdiction on her qualification as senator. So that the decision of the SC would not automatically dislodge Grace as sitting senator. A case must be filed in the SET beforehand.

        • To answer Leona on why no one questioned Grace Poe on her citizenship issue then. Poe was riding on sympathy vote. We all know that FPJ is very much loved by the masa and by all of us for that matter, so we disregarded this matter on our part. On the part of the politicians who were directly involved in this, they do not want the unnecessary backlash from the voter themselves if they try to question the citizenship issue because there are many slots available for the taking in regards to the Senate seats, 12 of them.

      • Leona, the logical presumption of a foundling’s biological birth parents discovered in an Iloilo church with Poes physical features would be that she was born of at least one Filipino parent. Most likely, there would be no birth certificate available as that would defeat the purpose of hiding who the birth parents were and expose them to the risk of criminal charges including child negligence and abandonment. It would seem to me the burden of proof would be on anyone who claims that her biological parents were both non-Filipinos for purposes of contesting her eligibility to be elected senator or congressman. One would look to the Comelec rules of procedures relating to verifying such eligibility in the absence of a birth certificate. To immediately conclude that just because of a foundling’s adoption and acquiring adjudicated citizenship in this manner automatically leads to the legal determination that the foundling cannot be a natural-born citizen in my opinion premature. To arrive at that determination, barring said administrative procedures that specifically state otherwise which I have not been able to find, it would have to be shown that the foundling was the biological child of a couple who were non-citizens. If the candidate did not know or had no reason to believe such was the case, in my opinion it would take an SC ruling to establish that she was not eligible to be elected senator or president. The fact that she was declared eligible to run for her senate seat and is being considered a serious prospect by the major political parties after being vetted by their respective legal experts is not indicative that everyone overlooked the possibility that she was ineligible. It is more indicative that she either provided proof that one of her biologic parents was a Filipino citizen on condition it not be disclosed to the public or the legal panels that reviewed this issue that there was a prima facie case that one or both of her biological parents were Filipino. The fact that Attorney Makalintal, one of our best legal minds, has publicly opined in favor of Poe’s eligibility lends credence to this view.

        • caliphman@ . . . maganda ang sinulat mo.

          To clarify – So it is indicative [the fact she run and was elected Senator] that Grace Poe has “one ITEM of credible evidence that one or both of her biological parents is a Flipino citizen, thus she was born as a natural-born Filpino citizen.

          But why keep this evidence confidential when in her ‘Interview’ at Youtube she did not ever mention it but instead focused and admitted as a foundling; and adopted by FPJ and Susan, bla bla bla?

          Why would Atty. Makalintal just ‘opine’ rather than categorically and publicly say “Grace Poe is a natural-born citizen with clear and credible existing evidence, HERE IT IS!, bla bla bla? To ‘opine’ is something still open for a debate.

          Isn’t time now and not later that Grace Poe should say: Here is my proof – a document credible at that saying her biological parents are Filipino citizens at her date of BIRTH? And this is the same proof I submitted at the Comelec when I ran for Senator!” Tapos.

          But it looks it is not happening. A suspense pa is awaited? What for? Senator is she already!

          I do not see where the suspense is leading to on this now specially that she is being vetted by political parties. If the purpose of the suspense is to ‘add votes’ later on, I doubt it will be much a belief to happen.

          Anyway, thank you caliphman@ for your good piece.

        • Maybe for the same reason that the Supreme Court has not weighed in..she/they still do not need to. She has not had to pander to public curiosity about her most intimate family secrets to garner the tidal wave of support she had in the last and this coming election.

        • Leona, you are a lawyer so you should know everything is but a legal opinion until either God ot the Supreme Court rules on it :)

        • Yes, until the Supreme Court rules. God’s Throne is a different jurisdiction.

          Is some sectors of society are putting it up which may include her ‘how did she qualify as senator’ (?), having a strong proof of N.B.C., BRING IT OUT! (as Baycas@ says) to tell all she is very much qualified even for the highest office in the land.

          And use that same STRONG PROOF at the highest Court! Filers will think twice before wasting lawyers’ fee.

        • @leona,

          From being stateless as foundling
          One can become a Filipino citizen
          Via the U.N. Convention

          From being orphan as foundling
          One can have parents
          Via legal adoption

          (Note that the foundling already became a Filipino citizen prior to adoption.)

          As a senator of the Republic, Grace [Poe] should tell the truth about her parentage if she knows.

          – Rene-Ipil

          raissarobles.com/2015/05/15/i-will-not-drop-sabah-claim-president-aquino-told-me/comment-page-2/#comment-300377

          What if she really doesn’t know???

          I guess you have to ‘torture’ her to extract or to let her admit in public the perceived truth by some that she actually knows even one of her biological parents.

          What if her parents are aliens???

          I guess the burden of proof lies on the accuser. Provided, that he/she has time machine/space mobile (in one) in order to produce and present those alien parents.

  6. IS THIS PIECE OF MIND GARBAGE?

    Ironies: Those who fought the dictatorship now demonized

    ‘Look at the names now praised by many for supposedly defending the national patrimony: Marcos, Escudero, Cayetano, and Ejercito’
    Patricio N. Abinales
    Published 9:00 AM, May 23, 2015
    Updated 9:00 AM, May 23, 2015
    FROM RAPPLER … THANKS

    Catchy titles cut both ways, capture the interests both saints and devils, sometimes with saliva drooling. It depends on how the dictatorship had bettered or suffered the readers’ lives.

    To many readers THE PIECE IS NOT GARBAGE
    when the content is what the title says:

    Ironies: Those who fought the dictatorship are now demons

    WHAT 4 LETTERS CAN DO TO LIES AND TRUTH.

    • The ALLURE of garbage in some blogs

      Is it the FAITH or the FATE of most Filipinos especially the minds of educated ones to live and delight in the stink and ambience of Payatas or Smoky Mountain to analyze the garbage spewed and dumped by lawyer-politicians (so far no doctor-politicians yet) those that nobody believes anymore?

  7. VP Binay repeats –
    . . . “In a statement, Binay said: “’Yong iba, may mga experience e. Pero ang pinag-uusapan natin dito, ‘yong experience and competence as an executive. Para lang bang may ipapagawa kayong bahay, kailangan mo ng karpintero, kailangan mo ng magaling na karpintero. Hindi mo kailangan ng tubero. Magaling ‘yong tubero sa paggagawa ng tubo. ‘Yong mga karpintero, sa paggagawa ng bahay. ‘Yong iba siguro, merong competence and experience, pero hindi executive experience.”

    1. need a carpenter
    2. need a good carpenter building a house
    3. you do not need a pipe-fitter or plumber but a good plumber

    Executive experience is needed, acc to VP BInay.

    ‘“Wala akong pinapatamaan. Kaya nga maliwanag ako sa ’yo baka ho ako ma-spin diyan a.”

    Why did VP Binay attempt to ask Mayor Duterte as vice P.? Duterte is not a carpentero or tubero, ano siya si Duterte? Pataytaoero?

    ha ha

    • ‘Tiangco said he didn’t know yet which side Binay is leaning. “The Vice President does not speak about that to us yet. He was just listening. He would speak if he is 100 percent sure,” he said.’

      To resign or not to resign [yet] from PNoy’s Cabinet. VP Binay is continuing to listen until 100% sure siya.

      Spy? Mole? Inside the PNoy Cabinet? Why not? He will have a lot of everything for it by listening to prepare how to be President. A spy candidate. A mole candidate.

      Only in the ‘Pinas!

      • A MILD EFFECT TO THE GDP (gross domestic product)

        At the end of the day when the home owner comes home and saw
        the kitchen tap leaking and had flooded the kitchen, he did not stop to think and analyze the need for a plumber he just tightened the tap to stop the leak so he can clean up the mess.

        THE COMELEC IS NOT A HOMEOWNER, is not PROACTIVE when COMELEC can say you guys, YOU and YOU we have the facts you violated the election law your candidacy are disapproved before they are filed . So why not just invest your loot for more jobs to the hungry. We can’t do it you say using the rule of law. Go to court now for a TRO so your lawyers can sing and dance THE TWIST.

        How the hell can the COMELEC effect a mild effect on the GDP? Well, let the economists calculate after they make their assumptions.

        • moderation, MODERATION

          That’s the point, the practical point: moderation, moderation will not stop the leak. Just close the tap to stop the flow of chlorine. It could flood the kitchen and clean it SOMEHOW..

  8. It seems there is a PLAUSIBILITY in the kuro-kuro about two items, among others, being contained in Pnoy’s Independence Day speech:

    – The approval by the House of Representatives of the BBL;

    – The President/ LP endorsement of its President-Vice President tandem for the 2016 Election.

    PHILSTAR — June 11 passage of BBL eyed (May 24, 2015 – 12:00am)

    http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/05/24/1458153/june-11-passage-bbl-eyed

    Excerpts:
    ————————————————————
    MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives is still aiming to approve the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) by June 11, when Congress ends its second regular session.

    Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II yesterday said the chamber’s timetable for passing the controversial proposed law that would create a new Muslim region in Mindanao remains.

    “We can approve it by the time we adjourn on June 11,” he said.
    ————————————————————

  9. Tsk tsk tsk, patuloy ang pangangahoy ng Binay camp. Matapos magsalita si Duterte na wala sya interes na kumandidato sa pangnasyunal bumaling ang Binay camp sa Lakas camp ni Gloria Arroyo. Pwede daw na tandem ang Jojo Binay-Bong Revilla.

    Magandang kumbinasyon ang Binay-Revilla, subok na subok ang track record sa governance. Good governance or malgovernance????

    Naalala ko tuloy sabi ni nonesense kamakailan, “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” Sino na nga ba ang desperate?

    • My comments on the referred to news …

      GMA-NEWS — As Duterte says no to VP run in 2016, UNA may link up with Arroyo’s Lakas

      http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/491998/news/nation/as-duterte-says-no-to-vp-run-in-2016-una-may-link-up-with-arroyo-s-lakas

      … are as follows:

      – does that news indicate the final word on Duterte (Duterte said that he will not be running for a national position in the 2016 elections) — or this is part of a strategy by Duterte and his handlers? We will know by mid-2015.

      – at the rate Binay and Camp is going, it does not seem far fetched if they approach Raissa for a CPM member to be a running mate, on condition that there will only be positive comments on Binay to appear in the Blog henceforth. Hahaha.

      • And here is a cute one from Binay, the latest …

        RAPPLER — Binay on his VP: ‘Considering’ not same as ‘offering’ (5:30 PM, May 24, 2015)

        Excerpt:
        ———————————————————-
        MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay clarified on Saturday, May 23, that when he says he is considering a person to become his running mate in the 2016 election, it doesn’t necessarily mean he has talked or made an offer to that person.
        ———————————————————-

        Napahiya yata ang bata ko; kaya cambio kaagad. Nako, Binay paltan mo na ang ating Scriptwriter — sayang ang bayad natin dyan. Sira ka naman. Binabasa mo ang alam mong mali. Matulog ka muna. Masama sa utak ang walang tulog.

    • Ingay lang yan pero no effect. Kawawa si Nognog ,pinagkakaisahan ng mga looser na Mar at Trillanes. Magnanakaw galit sa kapwa magnanakaw. Gear up the demolition because the time is running out for those loosers. Baka kasama pa dito si Poe who knows

  10. The connection Victor/ Gerry Limlingan to Binay is old…..

    the Makati consultations in 1992 we conducted with Mayor Binay (from which we wrote three columns in the Philippine Daily Inquirer entitled Binay’s 3 Boasts)

    From ”refections on LGU strategies”

    http://limlingan.com/papers.htm

    • I read the Winword doc from the referenced link, particularly the paper of Victor Limlingan on “Refections on LGU strategies.”

      As an academic on his expertise on Development Management his paper on LGU Strategies included his research and personal involvement in advising Binay the subject of poor LGU funding — hence his suggestion of looking into the matter of proper valuation of properties for property tax purposes. Thus, I agree that the association between Victor Limlingan and Binay is at least as old as 1992 as a result of consultation between V Limlingan and Binay on the subject of property valuation.

      My point is that it is possible that V Limlingan himself is a good guy and not so the other Limlingan, Gerry Limlingan — Binay’s bagman. It is plausible that V Limlingan over the years has been stained by the bad Limlingan, but I have yet to read that V Limlingan is at least a tenth as bad as the Gerry Limlingan.

      • Interesting link..

        March 21, 2010 7:04pm
        A long-time political adviser of Jejomar Binay was hurt after being shot by unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen in Cainta, Rizal, on Sunday.

        Cainta police chief Superintendent Nereo Torrecampo said Gerry Limlingan is in stable condition in Medical City in Pasig after sustaining two gunshot wounds on his right leg and left arm.

        The shooting occurred at about 11 a.m. while Limlingan, 68, was driving along the border of Cainta and Pasig City.

        http://www.equalizerpost.com/2014/10/eq-investigationmrclean-binay-where-is.html

    • My 007 in Makati whispered to me that vic/gerry limlingan’s favorite hero is Saddam Hussein who was captured by the US forces on 12/13/03 after the fall of Baghdad on 4/9/03 at a farmhouse near Tikrit in a hole six feet or more underground. When captured, Saddam was healthy with full beard and hair longer than his familiar appearance. He was hanged after a lengthy trial on 12/30/06.

      During detention while on trial, the guards called him “Vic” (wikipedia)

      Could vic/gerry limlingan ever be found?

  11. INQUIRER — Quit or stay, Binay camp divided on VP (6:18 AM, Sunday, May 24th, 2015)

    http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/693196/quit-or-stay-binay-camp-divided-on-vp#ixzz3b1OwBAud

    Small item for us at CPM, but the greedy VP (hey, that rhymes — greedy VP) can’t seem to decide when to quit the Cabinet:

    – soon, before Pnoy/ LP name its Pres-VP candidates to prevent the VP’s awkwardness of such late move;

    – after such announcement; or

    – when the Certificates of Candidacy are filed in October, by which time, government officials are deemed resigned from their public offices other than those they were elected for.

    There are a lot of reasons why a greedy VP would want to quit his Cabinet positions only upon the filing of CoC, but one good reason — how about the the disguise on the virtual early campaigning and associated funding of his provincial sorties using funds from his Cabinet office? What funds will shoulder the expense? Dip into his personal fund (and give credence to the suspicion that he has limitless graft-obtained resources to fund such early campaigning)? Huwag naman, maawa naman kayo sa kanya.

  12. Atty@RENE…..Karamihan ang nag aadopt ay simulated ang ginagawa , pinapalabas na ang nanganak ay for example ay si Susan nga , like kay Grace Poe…sabi mo may kulung si Susan ( Matanda na sya he he anyway ) …How about Grace ? You can not get away HER being Filipino from birth Atty@Rene? Ganito ba ang mangyayari… Please kaunting explanation po naman dyan atty…senya na ha maka POE kasi ako …but i go to others except to Binay and the Marcos’ses…

    • Atty@Rene…killer punch mo ito sa amin if si Susan ang tumayong ina ni Grace…he he …karamihan ay ganito ang ginagawa ng mga umaampon ..

    • If Grace were truly adopted by Susan, there would be no simulation of birth. Anyway RA 8552 allowed rectification of simulated births without penalty within 5 years from enactment of the law in 1998.

      I repeat that Grace was not Filipino at birth because she became an adjudicated Filipino citizen much later after she was found.

  13. Would have loved to share some thoughts about Grace Poe as presidential timber. Unfortunately, my comment seemed to have been lost in a black hole. System says it had been posted, but it’s nowhere to be found here. :(

  14. The well is really drying up. Philippine politics had been so prostituted that people are more willing to take chances with those with little experience but perceived to be less tainted with the dirt and mud of politics. During the reformation, Christians got so fed up with the selling of indulgences in the corruption-tainted Church that they declared man’s salvation to be sola gratia, by grace alone. Are Filipinos now ready as well to forsake dirty politics and put our country’s salvation sola gratia – by Grace alone?

    I still have my doubts. I am not comfortable with the company she keeps. Will she be able to transcend her close personal ties to Erap’s family? She seems to have no love lost for Jojo Binay, but when will she categorically speak up and lay her cards regarding the allegations of corruption against her erstwhile allies? I am not asking that she takes the side against them. I just want to know where she stands and why. That will at least give us a glimpse of the lady’s character and what we expect if she becomes president.

    So for me, it’s still “sine labore nihil” – nothing without work. While Grace appears to be the only force that can stop the all-consuming ambition of the Binays to turn the country into one big hacienda piggery, we the people must not stop at getting competent candidates elected to government positions so they in turn can appoint equally competent public officials. We have seen how even good leaders struggle to govern effectively with a government that has been so bastardized by ineptitude and corruption, littered with dubious appointments protected with security of tenure. No single leader will be able to save our country unless we are able to stop electing pigs that infest our politics.

    Deos enim religuos accepimus, Caesares dedimus.

    • Yes, it’s up to the people to create their rulers.

      Let us not limit ourselves to Roxas, Binay, Poe, Duterte or Estrada. We have already in our midst more proven honest and competent officials. I am referring to Rogelio Singson, Cesar Purisima, Ramon Jimenez, Leila de Lima, Conchita Morales and Kim Henares. But I would prefer Purisima or Singson setting aside popularity. Especially Purisima whose credentials, achievements and demeanor are impeccable. His former colleagues in SGV describe him as the saving grace (no pun intended) of the Aquino administration.

      • Sir, I’m sure you jest or perhaps you are not abreast of the current state of the play. The snake pit hiss earlier was that Purisima went over to the other side – the Samar group. Of course he may have reversed himself lately being an extremely pragmatic character and given the overwhelming tide going against Binay. Ever wondered why his name was not listed as a defendant by the media in Tui’s case against AMLC and its members?

    • @Den:

      “While Grace appears to be the only force that can stop the all-consuming ambition of the Binays…”

      Where did you get that?

      Character? Si PNoy nga hindi magalaw si Binay. Hindi rin nya masipa sa cabinet position kahit harap-harapan na binabatikos ang administration niya and now you want the neophyte lady senator to attack Binay? Well, sabagay si Pnoy ay nakaupo na nga naman.

      • @Vhin:

        “now you want the neophyte lady senator to attack Binay?”

        Where did you get that?

        As I’ve said, I have my doubts. And that instead of people pinning theirs hopes on a candidate that appears to be the only one who can beat Binay at the polls, we should instead work on getting competent people elected.

        But yes, I agree with you about PNoy not having the b**ls to kick him out of the cabinet.

      • This will be my second attempt to reply. If my blackholed first response shows up, apologies for the redunduncy.

        First, the operative word on Grace was “appears”, meaning it was a perception – maybe created by media, or by the surveys, or by operators who want to test the waters. Recent news and commentaries bear this out. So it is fair to say, at this point, that Grace is pereceived to be the strongest contender against Binay, who also “appears” to be a shoo-in if the surveys are to be believed.

        Second, I am not asking the lady to attack Binay, nor her other erstwhile allies. I want her to state where she stands with regards to them so we can have a glimpse of her character. PNoy’s case is different, he is already president. I am as frustrated and disappointed by the way he has allowed Binay to stay “as long as he want” in the cabinet as if the position is a birthright instead of a privilege.

        If Grace does decide to run for Prez, we will have a situation where a candidate will be supported by a sitting president and a deposed president whose son and political ally were jailed by the former for corruption. Strange bedfellows indeed.

      • Bintang lang yan,dahil nakikinabang pa sa nakaupo. pag naupo na ang pinagbibintangan ,ito ang oras para bumalimbing ,ganyan ang politika sa pinas pakapalan ng mukha,walang dignitad.

    • off-topic: if you don’t mind, are you an ex-seminarian? if yes, i think i know you well…….

        • Hi,

          My comment system says you used to be “Quirinian”. Pls decide what handle you want and stick to one.

          thanks.

        • @Baguio_Boy or Quirinian

          Just between the two of us, wala namang nakikinig sa atin, yes I am a former seminarian from the most beaitiful place in Baguio – promise, may maganda pa sa La Presa. If your guess is right, are we then classmates?

  15. Binay said that our country should not choose an inexperienced person as leader of the nation, apparently referring to Grace.

    Grace answered that more than experience the country needs honest leaders, apparently referring to the corruption charges against Binay.

    But look who is talking. Is Grace really honest in foisting to the people her foundling tale?

    I questioned her citizenship as a natural-born Filipino purportedly when in fact she is an adjudicated Filipino citizen. Her Philippine citizenship is merely adjudicated because she got it through judicial decree of adoption. My objective is not to disqualify her as a presidential or VP candidate but more importantly to make her honest and open to the Filipino people about her pedigree.

    It has been reported consistently for decades that Grace was a child of Rosemarie out of wedlock. That’s why Susan adopted her niece Grace to avoid the stigma of such event. And it was also reported many times that Marcos was the biological father of Grace. A story that persists up to the present.

    Grace would be the president or VP if duly elected by the people. And she owes it to the people to be honest and open in regard to her parentage. Let the people vote for a leader whom they fully well know. If Grace could not be honest and open about her pedigree, how could the people trust her?

    Honesty is indispensable.

    • Sir Rene-Ipil, you hit the nail fully on its head. You neatly and brilliantly articulated how I feel about the thing! This is one reason why I open this blog first thing before I take my morning coffee, sort of feeding the mind and spirit before the body.

      • Alam mo Atty@Rene ,,ang linaw ng explanation mo regarding citizenship of GRACE as a foundling ,nobody can contest it here but on HER HONESTY or DISHONESTY ,,,i go with @yvonne this time…wala pa akong nabalitaang Foundling na ipinagbabandera na sya ay ampon , kahit na alam na nila na sila ay ampon …Pweding ang NANAY o mga kamag anak o kaibigan na KAGAYA ngayon , ipinapamalita na SYA ( like GRACE ) ay foundling lang…It’s really hard to consider GRACE is DISHONEST…IMHO ko ha

        • As a senator of the Republic, Grace should tell the truth about her parentage if she knows. And since many are tagging her as the daughter of a dictator, plunderer and butcher, she should clear herself of any unfounded accusation. It would have been unnecessary and unfair if she were not a high official of the government. But it even becomes imperative when she runs for the highest position of the land.

          Victin, I read your comment before insinuating that Marcos and Rosemarie used to see each other in Camp Crame. You wrote:

          “Victin Luz says:
          March 4, 2014 at 2:13 pm
          Ask former employees of CAMP CRAME….they will tell you the truth about MARCOS and ROSEMARIE SONORA… one place of their rendevouz in a very short span of time…. With regards to GRACE ,coming from Sonora’s blood, somebody must tell ,,, cause it could be dangerous , Imelda could be close also to SUSAN… BONG-BONG and GRACE tying up together – super typhoon iyan… and only an AQUINO again with a rightfull tandem can overcome that victory….IMHO lang sir.”

          If this is true, it means that their secret was known to some people particularly members of the Presidential Security Command (PSC) – now PSG – and Philippine Constabulary (PC). As far as I know it is true that Camp Crame employees would know whenever Marcos was in the camp because agents of the PSC abound. And the presence of Marcos at Camp Crame always “reverberated” at nearby military camp still called Camp Murphy although newly named Camp Aguinaldo already.

        • atty@Rene: an archttect in law was workinh before on that place ( Murphy or Crame ) and Iam on my 2nd year college sa Mapua and living with them at Proj. 4…itong bayaw namin always eating lunch sa amin ( 3:30pm to 8:30pm my class sch. in Mapua then ) kaharap ko but sometime hindi iyan nauwi and took his lunch inside Crame ,,becuase pag pumasok daw si Marcos after Rosemarie entered Crame, wala nang makalabas hanggang umalis na si APO…at mag kwentomsya sa braekfast na dahil mga 12:00midnight na ako naman nauwi tulog na sya…TRUE…kaya mga who knows baka mga anak na iyan ni Marcos …but sa akin that will not make GRACE dishonest kung hindi nya alam na anak sya ni Rosemarie o kaya ayaw nyang maniwala na anak sya ni Tosemarie kay theAPO…Hindi nya matanggap atty@Rene , halimbawa ,,that will not make Grace dishonest…IMHO lang po..

          Siguro the best to give Rosemarie’s side here must be a FOUNDLING CPMERs if any ….palagay ko mahirap ang kalagayan ni Grace being a foundling ,, more if she knows who really was her biological parents…but whatever for my IMHO..it will not make HER a dishonest person…

        • Kailanman ay hindi ko nakita na magkasama si Rosemarie at Marcos. Subalit ilang taon bago at matapos inianak si Grace ay may ideya ako kung si Marcos ay naruon sa loob ng Kampo Crame o Kampo Murphy nuong mga panahon na yaon. At maaaring tama ang sinasabi ng pinsan mo. Totoo na kapag si Marcos ay nasa loob ng alinman sa dalawang kampo walang nagtatangka na pumasok o lumabas para sa kaligtasan ng presidente. Hindi dahil sa kung sino pa man.

          Subalit yung tungkol kay Rosemarie ay napaguusapan ng palihim ng mga malapit na magkakaibigan. At ang ambience nuong mga panahon na iyon sa wari ko ay hindi ganun katindi ang paglilihim dahil and dating ay talagang macho si Malakas. Ang talagang kinatatakutan ng lahat pati na si Malakas ay si Maganda.

          Sa palagay ko base sa normal human experience ay alam na alam ni Grace ang kanyang tunay na ama at ina bago pa man si FPJ ay kumandidato na presidente nuong 2004. Hindi malayo dahil sa bata pa lang si Grace ay tinutukso na ng mga kaklase na ampon at pangit dahil sa ganda ni Susan at kaguapuhan ni FPJ. At sinuman na nasa sa ganitong kalagayan ay pihong magtatanong sa kinagisnang magulang.

          At sa palagay ko uli ay ipinagtapat ng buong buo ni Susan kay Grace ang lahat tungkol sa tunay na nanay at tatay nang siya ay may sapat na gulang na. Ayon sa normal human experience ay hindi habang panahon na maililihim ni Susan ang tunay ba pangyayari lalo sa sa isang matalinong bata na tulad ni Grace.

          Kung hindi man naniniwala si Grace sa katotohanan ang masasabi ko ay MENTALLY DISHONEST siya. Ipagpalagay na ayaw niyang maniwala dahil masakit sa kalooban na tanggapin. Hindi ba tungkulin na alamin niya ang katotohanan? Madaling lang gawin ito nang sekreto by DNA test sa kanila ni Susan kung hindi man kay Rosemarie. Subalit nang tanggapin niya ang posisyon sa gobyerno ay hindi na puedeng ilihim ang katotohanan kung talaga nga na anak siya ni Rosemarie. At napilitan na siyang magsinungaling hanggang siya ay mahalal na senador.

        • Nag iisip ako ng malalim atty. @Rene,, maganda ang mga paratang mo he he wait lang po…

        • Correct if I am wrong,, Poe no longer a marcoses ,she is now a puppet of Aquinos and be exempted to a double standard survey.. Yellowtrd say ” HURAHH”

    • I have a different opinion on the matter of disclosing private information on matters of adoption where several individuals are involved.

      In Grace’s situation there are parties involved other than Grace herself – her biological parents and her adoptive parents. The public is not privy to the the private matters that surround them. We don’t know the personal wants and wishes of her biological and adoptive parents, if there were any. We, the public, might be entitled to know the private life of Grace – she being a public servant – but we are not entitled to intrude into the privacy of her parents. It is unfortunate that those matters (those of Grace and her parents) are intertwined but a line must be drawn separating and protecting privacy rights and the rights of the public to know.

      There are two ways to look at this issue:

      One – that Grace is an honorable daughter who is protective of the values and wishes of her parents.
      Two – that Grace is an expedient politician.

      You can take your pick depending on your political leanings.

      (Disclosure: my above comment is a reflection of my neutrality on Grace.)

      • One – that Grace is an honorable daughter who is protective of the values and wishes of her parents”.

        i agree if it refers to adopted/foster parents that grace is an honorable daughter and remains a private person.

        imho i disagree if it refers to her rumored biological father that grace is an honorable daughter who is protective of the VALUES and WISHES of her biological parents being a PUBLIC SERVANT. what if totoo ang rumor about her biological father, noon pa she already enjoyed the fruits of the devil tree. if true iyong rumors sa iloilo city that f. marcos gave rosemary one company for grace when she was still a baby (coconut oil refinery sa iloilo city or liberty milk company or both).

        according to rumors again, norman made the right decision to divorced shieryl because of this biological father of grace.

        • Rumors, rumors, rumors. Masarap talaga kapag tsismis. Mahirap lang kapag nilagyan ng sanga ang tsismis. But i believe that Grace should exert more effort about this. DNA testing for example but even Bongbong didn’t want any DNA test about the rumors hounding him that he’s not the real Bongbong. If hindi nya talaga alam then let the Supreme Court decides.

        • opinion ko po, grace wont do the dna.
          she knows her real father, imo.
          and revealing that secret, i just wonder, she is kaput.

      • Talking about Grace Poe–What is a significant about her,coz a stepdaughter of DA king ang who is the king. Da king is a hero against villains ,
        but that is only a movie ,not a real life, pagka alam ko ,ang Hero ay isa lang ang asawa..Poe cannot used the same tactics of a death super hero, ABS CBN now is creating a teleserye about an abandon infant in ILOILO now representing Grace Poe as the abandon child..nek nek nyo,si grace was made in USA ,taka ako kung paano naging senador yan at nakalusot sa ilong ni P-noy o baka ito ang pang PLAN B pag umayaw si Mar as PLAN A ,Kung yaw talagang magpa endorsed ng PLAN A at B ang PLAN C ni Pnoy ay si Binay ,Trillanes

    • @Rene:

      “Is Grace really honest in foisting to the people her foundling tale?”

      Who can prove that she’s not honest, can you? What if hindi nya talagang alam? Can you blame her for that? Is she the first one to want to know her real parents or any “ampon” that we know of in this case?

      Hindi pa siya politician ay issue na yan. A long time ago. But can we say that she’s dishonest about it? Agad agad ba? Sino man ang ampon ay nais malaman kung sino ang biological parents. If we will question her dishonesty just because of this issue then prove it.

      By the way, sino ang kilala nating pulitiko na honest kung yan ang isa sa matinding criteria? Si Duterte, Roxas, Cayetano or Binay?

      • It may surprise some including Joe America to learn that I would be an advocate of Mar Roxas and not Grace Poe if he had a realistic chance of winning. She has her faults and I too disagree with some of the actions and positions she has done while in public office. But we here at CPM should have a sense of balance and priorities when we look at the current political situation and weigh in with our opinions of who is a preferable candidate and who is not based on what is in the country’s interest. Like it or not, there are many visitors here who follow and are influenced by what is posted here. If Grace Poe has not, will not, and perhaps cannot tell the country who her real parents were for whatever cause we are not privy to, is that reason enough to not vote for her? If we asked those who visit here to use the same yardstick on any candidate running for any public office in the next election, they may not be voting for anyone when they hand in their ballot.

        This is not to say that Rene should not post his opinion of who he would or would not vote for and why. I just do not agree with many of his opinions including that of promoting Diector Napenas as the next head of the Philippine National Police.

        • Kanya-kanyang manok lang yan. Ang mahirap ay kapag may manok ka nga tapos pupusta ka naman sa kalaban. I agree with you on this. But sometimes we are not the same when it comes to conveying our point of view in writing. But we should all remain civil and polite. Yan dapat ang kaibahan natin at kaibahan ng blogsite na to. Walang personalan.

        • I did not mean my comment about Napenas to be taken as a personal attack against Rene. We have had many debates on many issues here and he has always been sincere about his beliefs, even those that I felt were shared by many or in my opinion not consistent with known facts. Both of us have been here at this site forever and have earned our right to agree or disagree sharply with each other, but as you point out correctly without resorting to personal insults or attacks on character.

        • I agree. Di lang maiwasan ng iba ang mamersonal. Free ang site na ito sa lahat and for ten people with ten different opinions ay medyo mahirap ibalanse ng webmaster. But all is fair. I learn a lot here too.

        • agree.
          pwede talagang hindi mamersonal.
          pwede namang mag-post ng strong disagreement na walang atake sa ka-debate.

        • Meron nga diyan,babastusin ka pati nanay mo ipamukha lang sa iyo na mabuting presidente si P-noy since day one

        • What is in the best interest of a country?

          Is it voting for the next best thing even though you don’t know who her parents are? Who has an aura of mystery on her background?

          The problem with Grace is I said to myself that I will not vote for any Marcos that wants to retake Malacanang, and I do not waiver on this resolve.

          You can call me naive, but that’s my position, but until I know for sure that she’s not a daughter of Marcos, then that’s the time I’m going to vote for her.

          As for who I’m voting for, I”m voting for whoever would be good for the country. But until they have appeared come May 2016, that’s a card I want to hold close to my chest.

        • Kanya-kanyang manok lang yan. Ang mahirap ay kapag may manok ka nga tapos pupusta ka naman sa kalaban. I agree with you on this.

          Parang yung taong palaging nakabuntot kay PacMan?

        • U vote to her because she connected to DA king, nothing else. Baka mga taga AKBAYAN ang gagawin niyang cabinet secretaries para madaling yumaman…

        • “I would be an advocate of Mar Roxas and not Grace Poe if he had a realistic chance of winning.”

          It seems premature to me to declare the race over and Roxas dead in the water. Only one person is campaigning, and he is doing it because he is desperate to offset the negative news pounding at him daily. It will pound for a year, along with possible legal and law enforcement actions. We don’t know if Poe will go for the presidency or not. Roxas, if backed by LP, would have a strong organization and a lot of “name” people endorsing him. Poe has to develop an organization. If LP selects her as the standard bearer, then you are absolutely correct.

          To me, the current game is not about picking the winner, but about posturing the horses. For instance, I think we are speaking to LP, not the voting public. If Poe has vulnerabilities but LP only sees the halo, they may get it wrong. Who knows, we may be doing Poe a favor by being honest with our opinions. If we suppress our views, we are showing something other than the truth.

        • I do not know how to make it clearer to you, Joe. The SWS and Asia Pulse surveys are important in deciding what candidates have the best chances of winning. Regardless of whatever mumbo jumbo gobbledygook idea you think “posturing the horses”means, this election is not a game and if Binay wins, the country without a doubt loses big time. The argument for believing in these surveys is that their past findings have a strong if not perfect correlation to election outcomes. Right now the trends in these surveys show Binay so far ahead of the rest of the pack, the only prospective candidate who has a good chance of beating Binay is Grace Poe. The LP realizes this and as much as the party may feel it owes him a shot as its presidential candidate, it does little to serve the country’s interest for LP to do right by Mar and lose the election to Binay based on the former’s declining electability. This is one of the main reasons why it is taking so long for Pinoy and his party to pick and officially announce the LP pick to vie for the presidency.

          The situation is really this simple. It is not rocket science. If you have the rather bizarre idea that

        • You have made it clear. I just disagree. For sure it is no game and Binay would be a disaster. For me, it is a matter of trust. Who do I really believe is straight path, versus trapo, where a trapo is pliable to priorities other than the best interest of the nation. How does the Philippines break free and reach for huge strides forward?

          I lost trust in Poe and you want me to put it back because Roxas can’t win. I disagree that he can’t win. It is that simple.

        • U still believe that LP still a favorite (bunches of thieves headed by Drillon and Pnoy) a very poor performance ever since. Eve nationalista are the same feather with this vultures.. U still believe on SWS survey do you

        • First reply went to moderation. Let me try again. Who LP picks is critical. It puts a powerful organization behind the candidate. I think we are speaking to LP rather than voters and are doing them a service by pointing out the same (perceived) flaws in Poe that will arise during the campaign. If they only see the halo, they may get their pick wrong.

      • Si Grace ang may sabi na yung HONESTY ay matindi kundi man pinakamatindi sa mga criteria para sa gustong mamuno sa ating bayan. And I fully agree.

        Sabi ko naman kay Grace ay WALK THE TALK. Huwag yung TALK THE TALK.

        • Exactly, it’s about honesty. Maybe she really doesn’t know about it. Baka hindi niya talaga alam. And not knowing it didnt mean dishonesty on her part. Walk the talk is what she needs to do dahil hindi sya titigilan ng issue na yan. Isa pa ay para na rin sa ikatatahimik niya dahil the issue is more personal to her than politics

    • “t has been reported consistently for decades that Grace was a child of Rosemarie out of wedlock. That’s why Susan adopted her niece Grace to avoid the stigma of such event. And it was also reported many times that Marcos was the biological father of Grace. A story that persists up to the present.”

      Clearly unfounded.

      • Walking of the Talk or Talking of the Walk, about ‘biological father’…rumors and rumors in the past and in the present,

        . . . Go to China Town in Manila, enter any Chinese drug store or restaurant, walk your talk with an elderly China man, I say ‘man,’ ask him: Sino ang tatay ni Ferdinand?. . .

        . . . he talks your walk, ‘Ah! Instik! And China man will now walk you a good talk about it.

        Believe it or Not

        ha ha

        • How about our national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal, his father Francisco Mercado [no relation to ex-vice mayor Er Mercado of Makati], was of what ‘origins?’

          – ‘The Mercado – Rizal Family
          The Rizals is considered one of the biggest families during their time. Domingo Lam-co, the family’s paternal ascendant was a full-blooded Chinese who came to the Philippines from Amoy, China in the closing years of the 17th century and married a Chinese half-breed by the name of Ines de la Rosa.’

          Domingo Lam-co, a full-blooded Chinese. This daw a history and put in a website already.

          ‘Rizal was a 6th-generation patrilineal descendant of Domingo Lam-co (Chinese: 柯仪南; pinyin: Ke Yinan), a Chinese immigrant entrepreneur who sailed to the Philippines from Jinjiang, Quanzhou in the mid-17th century.[8] Lam-co married Inez de la Rosa, a Sangley native of Luzon. To free his descendants from the anti-Chinese animosity of the Spanish authorities, Lam-co changed the family surname to the Spanish surname “Mercado” (market) to indicate their Chinese merchant roots. In 1849, Governor-General Narciso Claveria ordered all Filipino families to choose new surnames from a list of Spanish family names. José’s father Francisco[7] adopted the surname “Rizal” (originally Ricial, the green of young growth or green fields), which was suggested to him by a provincial governor, or as José had described him, “a friend of the family”. However, the name change caused confusion in the business affairs of Francisco, most of which were begun under the old name. After a few years, he settled on the name “Rizal Mercado” as a compromise, but usually just used the original surname “Mercado”.

          Chinese! Now, have a long walk to get to the historical talk. I hate the talk if the Chinese Navy would name whatever it is building as the D.Lam-co Chinese Airbase Island.

          :-(

    • Wala mauuwi uli iyan sa dating tuwid na daan na propaganda, pag natapos na ang Fiesta (election) sino ang maglilinis ng pinagkalatan,Ikawwww at di ka na kilala ng binoto mo. Ang mga pilipino vote ay formality lang, ang mga asendero at landlord ang nagpapatakbo ng bansa na ang alipin ay isang hampaslupa sa mata nila..Ginagmit ng mga walanghiyang ito ang salitang Komunista para magmukhang mga terorista ang mga mahihirap at silang nagpapasasa sa pinas ay tuloy ang ligaya