My BF Blog

I am now also writing on my BF4P 2010 Blog. Today, I tackle BF's problems and the questions that are most crucial for anyone with the most honest intentions for the country.

Please read the article here.

My Taberna Page

I am not sure why, but I think when people search for Anthony Taberna, they are led to my blog (2nd ranked on google and 3rd on yahoo when "Anthony Taberna" is searched, as of today) where in 2006 I commented on the reasons (or lack of it) why he is becoming more and more successful (eg: more shows). As a result, that has become this blog's most read page and the article is the most commented on.

Again, I still maintain the opinion that I cannot see why Mr. Taberna is gaining success on TV and radio (ABS-CBN). His voice is not as good as many on radio nor does he look any good on TV. His comments are obviously scripted (not bad) but also obviously has an underlying agenda not necessarily the truth (bad).

By the way, I watched Taberna one time on ABS's Umagang Kay Ganda and it seems there are some tension between him and Edu Manzano. Of course, I can conclude that Manzano is from PGMA's camp and Taberna is from somebody else's. But I digress...

But of course, the mere fact I am asking the question (the why Taberna's success) means I have an inkling of the answer. I suspect Taberna is a deployment from some group with a political agenda, possibly former President Erap's camp. Little by little though, everything seems to be getting confirmed. Through this blog someone pointed me to the fact that Taberna is an Iglesia ni Kristo (not bad), and we know that the INK supported both Erap and FPJ (bad). We also know that during Erap's time, many INK members became part of government, the most notable was the Justice Sec at that time (but of course this is not proof enough that there is a conspiracy between Erap's camp and the INK.)

What is striking though is that when Taberna got married, it was pointed out that his wedding sponsors are from the opposition, the principal and most noteworthy of which is the Sen. Panfilo Lacson. The following is a newsclip from Aster Amoyo (a showbiz/gossip reporter):

THE recent wedding of DzMM’s popular radio commentator and field reporter Anthony Taberna (33) of Nueva Ecija and 22-year-old lass from Calamba, Laguna, Rossel Velasco which was held at the Iglesia ni Cristo temple on E. Rodriguez Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City last January 4 (Monday) was like a political event with the presence of political luminaries like Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Sen. Chiz Escudero, Sen. Allan Cayetano, former senators Ernesto Maceda and Robert ‘Bobby’ Jaworski, Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, former Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, among others. Lacson headed the list of the principal sponsors while Sen. Escudero and Cayetano were among the secondary sponsors along with Julius Babao, Bayani Agbayani, Cheryl Cosim and Anthony Taberna’s radio partner in “Dos Por Dos,” Gerry Baja.

Now here is where Erap and the opposition's problems lay. They cannot for once act discreetly as to their associations and movements. Taberna, by having Lacson as his principal sponsor, basically threw his credibility out of the window. But to the opposition, credibility obviously is not one of their aspirations. Surely they know they can pay their way through media and credibility is of no importance. They think that the people easily forgets and there is no need to sacrifice the most important day of their life (such as wedding) and you can still be with your friends and sponsors - "sponsors" in your wedding or whatever else.

Again and again this is proven as in the following examples: 1. Erap openly goes to the Casino while being a government official - a corrupt and illegal act (he was taped seen inside the casino when he was still VP, which recording Morato leaked to the Media). Erap cannot take hold of himself. Yes, he won the election anyway! 2. Lacson openly met with Jun Lozada directly way before the recent ZTE hearings while purporting that Lozada's testimony is his own, lessening both of their credibility - they cannot even meet in secret. Yes, Jun Lozada is well believed, still. He was not able to convince more as they were expecting though (hence no people power, only people laden with "apathy" and the catholic church "conniving" with the government).

Taberna, is a newscaster, a field reporter, a TV and radio commentator. His principal wedding sponsor is Ping Lacson. Can someone please tell me if there is a bit of credibility left in their bones?

There are many more comments posted on my August 2006 article... Many of them from Anthony Taberna's supporters who merely said that Taberna is their idol, is so good, that If I do not like him I should not watch or listen to him - all nonsense comments. (There is one observation that can be made here though, that the opposition machinery is very much alive and well-planted on the internet - perhaps not only the opposition's. For how on earth can some speck of a blog such as mine can be visited by dozens of Taberna adoring fans, except when those fans are actually paid workers to do just that? Now that explains why BF, gets hammered on the internet, see my other blog)

Meanwhile some people who commented on my article are obviously angry at Taberna such as a certain Teresa Andrada who is trying to inject some unsupported attacks on Taberna and who writes as if she knows Taberna and his wife so well. There are some people who claim they are journalists themselves and know that Taberna is in Lacson's employ or that Taberna is what they call a "pagador" - whaver that means. Since I do not support gossip and believe in giving Taberna a fair chance, I do not subscribe to some of those comments. I advise everyone to hold their judgements unless claims are supported with facts.

A hero as Ninoy is

It is with shock that we all greet the day with news that Cory has colon cancer. It was just recently that we saw her so actively supporting Jun Lozada and the action to oust Arroyo that we are just happy to see the beloved former president move about, even if some do not agree with her. But as Gump said, life is like a box of chocolates, you wouldn’t know what you are going to get. This time, it was a bitter chocolate Tita Cory got, and it is bitter for all of us.

Nobody can deny that Cory is a symbol of democracy for the country. She rose at the time when nobody thought that we will ever be able to remove ourselves from the shackles of Marcos’ dictatorship. She was an icon of strength, perhaps strengthened by Ninoy’s death. She challenged the dictatorship at the time when Marcos is still in total control. She might have been used, pushed by others with hidden agenda, but we saw that she proceeded even surely knowingly so.

If we consider Ninoy as a Hero for offering his life when he has other choices, we can only confer the same if not more respect for Cory. She has a comfortable life, she doesn’t need to come and lead us. But God must have called upon her to save the country from what could possibly be more of Marcos’ destruction or violence.

Cory, with Cardinal Sin’s support, was swept to office by People Power in 1986. But during her presidency, we all realize the rigors of running a country after a dictator. We know of several coup and destabilizing attempts against her. But most may not realize that even within her government, many with different agendas are pushing and pulling the country to varied directions. It was Cory at the middle of these hidden contradicting forces. Even the media was not so kind to her. She was often portrayed a wimp or lacking in intelligence, which many believed. Even up to now, Cory is portrayed by many as to have bungled the opportunity to reform the country. For me though. it was a miracle enough her government even survived.

Many are disgusted when Cory endorsed Ramos for the presidency after her, in 1992. He was too much involved in working with the former dictatorship and that although he led a revolt against it, we cannot help but be fearful of what he might do. Ramos won nevertheless, although not without controversy (I believe Santiago won in that election). To this day, I wonder what would have happened if Cory endorsed either the statesman Salonga or even the feisty Santiago. But at that time, we can only surmise that Cory is dependent on Ramos for her survival. In retrospect, her choice might have been right. Without Ramos, the country might have indeed fallen back to disarray and the former dictator’s men could have held us all hostage.

And although Cory endorsed Ramos, I recall her leading the people again with Cardinal Sin by her side for another people power protest against him when the he started calling for a Constitutional amendment, seemingly meant to extend his term. At best, Ramos must have been trying to avoid Erap’s sure rise to the presidency. At worse, he could have been plotting to establish his own dictatorship. Cory obviously preferred a country with a leader like Erap over a country back to a dictatorship. Ramos buckled to Cory’s and Sin’s pressure, which could have sealed Erap’s rise.

In the Presidential election of 1998, Cory was shown to be politically minimized. Her choice for President, Lim under the Liberal Party, ran a distant 5^th. It showed though for the first time the importance of the Liberal Party to her, probably because she is still feeling the passion of Ninoy as a Liberal, against the Nacionalistas. It could be argued also that Cory’s decision to go against PGMA now is a result of a mere decision to support the LP, with his son Noynoy now running under its wings.

1998 also showed how people whom we could possibly trust (at that time) to lead us could all get it so wrong. Raul Roco, Alfredo Lim, Renato DeVilla, Emilio Osmena, all ran under different banners and lost bad. Cory, Orbos, De Villa and all the other leaders didn’t notice that Erap is silently being built. And with the Philippine mass media largely tolerating the gambler and playboy Erap while seemingly endorsing his mass appeal, the country was now disappointed by its leaders. Given this background, People Power 2 was an event waiting to happen. It was only a matter of time that Erap will be ousted by another People Power – the first move of its kind noticeably without Cory at the forefront (although Cardinal Sin and even Ramos openly supported the move).

As to why Cory did not figure well against Erap in People Power 2 is unclear to me. In fact, my memory might have been mistaken and Cory might have been there. What is clear to me though is that without Sin, Cory’s choices of moves are doubtful. In the Garci scandal, Cory would be seen misplaced near the company of Imelda Marcos. In the present ZTE situation, she will be seen in close company with Erap.

This is not to say that Cory is now a lost symbol. Indeed, we will all be watching her as she tackles this one big recent challenge on her life. I am sure, she will rise again as an icon of strength. With prayers from everyone, she might even survive. But I hope it will not be too late for everyone to agree and say that, indeed, Cory is a hero – as she chose to unite us in 1986 and lift the country from one of the darkest days of our history.

All Politics as Usual

As early as now, we can all see that many politicians are already posturing and advertising themselves for the Presidential elections in 2010. Those who use EDSA wouldn’t fail to notice Bayani Fernando’s towering ads on MRT posts (where he supposedly wants advertisements removed). Everyone saw Loren’s and Villar’s emotional ads on TV. Of course we all know that Lacson, Escudero, and Roxas are all posturing well also on TV and radio during the ZTE (and subsequent) hearings. Even Erap is doing provincial trips obviously trying to promote himself as possible candidate in 2010. Also, we hear about the readiness of Noli de Castro and his possible team-up with Ate Vi.

I am sure, these days, negotiations are ongoing for team-ups and alliances. I am sure many in the mass media are now haggling or have already haggled with many politicians as to how each candidate is to be treated. Obviously Fernando does not have anything going on with the mass media, he is now beginning to be lambasted left and right. On the other hand, Villar is now always interviewed about any topic that comes up in the news, which means he has already done his haggling. Lacson and Escudero are both given good images on TV and radio for there are no negative comments about them even how stupid their questions are on those senate hearings. Also, there are no negative comments on Erap’s campaign, except for that one little question from someone from that French News Agency (AFP). There are some negative comments on Noli although they seem to be controlled, still at this point.

In fact, political re-alignments have started even since the first Hello Garci controversy. I remember I was on the verge of being touched on that day when the Hyatt-11 has resigned and when Cory came up in the open to denounce the cheating in elections. I am almost convinced that that was a turning point for PGMA, only to find out later that those moves are not individual spontaneous reactions, but are a pre-planned concerted action by members of the liberal party (LP-Drillon wing), as a whole to advance their groups chances.

It is clear to me now, that while all of well-meaning people are arguing why PGMA should or should not resign, our leaders are all politics as usual. Meanwhile, we all forget what we need to do. To this very day, while we question PGMA’s legitimacy and call her a cheat, and while we tend to abhor all kinds of cheating and corruption, all of the presidential wannabes are already cheating their way to 2010. They are now advertising themselves in violation of election laws. Of course, they have ways and means to avoid prosecution, but even a child would say that they are now all cheating.

While rallying at Makati and Liwasan, well-meaning people forgot that elections are coming and we are still vulnerable to cheating. While we follow every word of Jun Lozada’s sweet pied piping stories of how corrupt our government is, we forgot to see that our mass media is awash with spins and already prepared for 2010. While we are all deeply and emotionally involved in search for some truth, we fail to see that we still have not a set-up for a fair nor meaningful elections. Even the Ang Kapatiran party, with all its romantic vision of a better country forgot to market themselves and still remain surely a boring group come 2010.

Short of naming all our leaders, both in the opposition and administration, the CBCP and recently the Bishops in Manila asked our leaders to lead the fight against corruption within ourselves. Nobody seems to be heeding that call. Every politician while clamoring for truth is actually politics as usual. Worse, we naively buy their stories.

We are indeed doomed beyond 2010.

Highly Placed Sources

The Inquirer recently has resorted to quoting highly-placed sources to add credence to their news reports. Last Sunday, again, highly-placed sources were quoted saying that a former PNOC head (named as Eduardo Manalac) will testify to the alleged multi-million dollar bribery on the ZTE deal. The news was the biggest headline of the day for the Inquirer.

The following are some passages from the Inquirer headline last Sunday referring to information coming from “highly-placed sources” (italics are mine):

….A former president of the state-owned Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) is the “surprise” witness who will testify on the purported million-dollar kickbacks in the $329-million National Broadband Network deal with Chinese firm ZTE Corp., according to highly placed sources.

Eduardo Mañalac, who is said to have deep connections in China, is to testify at the Senate on Tuesday on how at least $41 million in alleged under-the-table commissions were funneled from the Chinese firm to the so-called “Greedy Group plus plus” that was packaging the NBN-ZTE deal, said the sources who asked not to be named for security reasons…..

….But his value as a witness in the now scuttled NBN-ZTE deal, according to the sources, is based on his knowledge of how ZTE officials purportedly paid off the “Greedy Group” to allow China’s second-biggest telecommunications firm to bag the NBN project….

…The sources said Mañalac had an extensive network and deep connections in the Chinese government and was a trusted go-between for Chinese projects in the Philippines.

He is “a familiar face in China,” the sources said….

….The sources said Mañalac was tapped to head the PNOC because of his deep connections in the Chinese bureaucracy that were to prove highly valuable in the signing of the original RP-China agreement on a seismic study in the Spratlys that was later amended to include Vietnam.

According to the sources, Mañalac also developed close ties with the family of then Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. when his own family joined De Venecia’s wife Gina in Inang Nawalan ng Anak (INA), a group that helps women cope with the loss of their children to tragedy or violent crime….

Right from the beginning, the story doesn’t hold water, as how could any source know what has not yet happened. Reading the report, one can have a sense of exasperation and might be tempted to subscribe to that source's newspaper if ever he/she would have one, for it seems that source is the only source of information available in the world (of the Inquirer). And as for the Inquirer, what kind of journalistic standards do they adhere to, to believe a highly placed source saying someone will do something without first verifying with that someone if he indeed is doing what he is supposed to do?

This is unfair to the highest degree for Mr. Manalac (the supposed witness). It puts Manalac in a very awkward position where if he denied that he knows anything he will be deemed to have backed down (and hence a coward or was pressured or what have you).

Yesterday, the Inquirer fell right flat on their faces when their news headline turn-out to be not only true but totally out of the blue. Today, they issue the following apology:

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Daily Inquirer apologizes for its banner story on March 9, which erroneously reported that Eduardo Mañalac, former president of Philippine National Oil Co., would testify on the alleged kickbacks in the $329-million National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with ZTE Corp.

In his press conference on Monday, Mañalac said he would testify at the Senate, if invited, on the agreement signed by the Philippines with China and Vietnam to search for oil in the Spratlys—not on the alleged kickbacks in the NBN-ZTE deal.

The Inquirer newspaper also erred in reporting, among other things, that Mañalac would testify in Tuesday’s Senate hearing. Leo San Miguel, ZTE consultant, was Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s “surprise witness” at the Senate hearing Tuesday.

Well, at least, the Inquirer apologized. But what about their “highly-placed source/s” whose “identity/ies are not revealed for security reasons”?

Headline News

There should be People Power because Arroyo sold out the Philippines to China on Spratlys in order to get money from deals such as the NBN, North Railways and the Cyber Education projects.

In a nutshell, this is what the Inquirer headline news today is all about. The plot thickens. The reasons behind all the corruption are now unraveling. The President is doomed!

Arroyo hit on Spratlys deal (Drilon: Her lawyer worried pact basis to impeach)

Of course, the Inquirer wouldn’t say it as such. They had the angle coming from Drillon, who says he was told by Gutierrez that he was being “pressured” by De Venecia to give her imprimatur on a Chinese contract that in her opinion could get the President impeached. Well, er, don’t lose me… let’s have it again…. Drillon, Gutierrez, DeVenecia, Chinese Contract, President, Impeach. Got it?

And believe it of not, on this funny premise, Drillon said he is willing to testify (presumably, testify that Gutierrez told her that). And with all the high journalistic standard the Inquirer supposedly have, they forgot to ask Drillon why, of all people, Gutierrez asked for “his help”. Could it be that Drillon is good friends with De Venecia and he could ask the latter to stop pressuring Gutierrez?

“I’m willing to state this under oath wherever they will call me,” Drilon told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).

And as if funny is not enough, Drillon said that he is not sure if the contract signed was the same contract that Gutierrez is concerned about. Per the Inquirer: He (Drillon) said he did not know whether the agreement that was eventually signed contained the same provisions over which Gutierrez had expressed reservations. Hello, Inquirer? If Drillon is not sure, then why is he in the news?

Not content yet on downgrading its frontpage with the ultimate in trash based on a funny premise, the Inquirer also quoted a “highly-placed source privy to the deal” to say that “the Philippines gave up its natural resources when it signed the agreement…”. And, the highly placed source cannot be named because of “security reasons”.

Hilarious! Why do you need a “highly-placed source” give an opinion? You need only a “highly-placed source” when you get facts! That “highly-placed source” can even be Drillon himself or DeVenecia and it doesn’t matter because that is the natural although unfounded conclusion from the news. We know of course that the reason the Inquirer used a “highly-placed source” is to add credibility. In short, the Inquirer is plainly saying: This news is true (even if it is unfounded). It came from a “highly-placed” source.

Last week, a highly placed source privy to the deal told the Inquirer that the Philippines gave up its natural resources when it signed the agreement allowing China to gather seismic data off Palawan province in an area mostly within Philippine territorial waters. The source, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said the agreement might have been forged to provide a “political solution” to the long-standing struggle among six nations for ownership of the Spratly group of islands, which is said to be rich in gas and oil deposits, and which the Philippines is claiming in part.

If I go on word for word on the news that come out today from the Inquirer, I could give endless examples of what the paper is actually trying to say which runs something like these: You do not believe our headline news? Well, look up the article of Barry Wain from the Far East Economic Review. You do not have access? Well, there it is comfortably seating on someone’s blog. Yes, we are a very embarrassing news organization that we need to read it first from Wain, but hey, forget that…, we have a highly-placed source and Drillon is willing to testify. Isn’t that juicy enough to start the ball-rolling for another scandal?

But whatever the news is, by the end of the day, we will all conclude that PGMA is corrupt: Yes, that same conclusion which we all have already the first day she sat in office. And wherever all this is going, some things remain sure: The Philippines remains poor, the government remains corrupt, our media remains to be a joke, and that poor fellow under the bridge remains poor and dying (if not already dead).

The CBCP spoke but people might not notice

In case people do not notice, the CBCP said something yesterday (CBCP Statement). Most notably though is that they DID NOT ask PGMA to resign. Instead they ask her to lead the anti-corruption crusade.

And in case people do not notice, the CBCP also said:

..."Condemn... corruption from top to bottom of our political and social ladder." Obviously, the bishops does not emphasize ONLY corruption in the office of the President, but everywhere it is. This is in direct contrast to current protestations focused only on the highest position.

..."Appeal to our senators and the ombudsman to use their distinct and different powers of inquiry into alleged corruption cases not for their own interests but for the common good" Obviously, the bishops thought that the senators are not doing this for the common good. On the other hand, they fear that the Ombudsman might do an investigation only in behalf of PGMA.

..."Call on media to be a positive resource of seeking the truth and combating corruption by objective reporting without bias and partiality, selective and tendentious reporting of facts" Obviously, the bishops thought that our mass media is bias and selective.

Now, is there anything clearer than that?

I am sure though that everyone will notice the Bishops' call for the repeal of EO464 and their urging of PGMA to allow her people to tell all. But again, not anyone might notice the little hesitation of the bishops when they refer to "the "appropriate" investigating bodies" meaning there are some questions on the appropriateness of the senate hearing.

But of course, I am talking about the mass media and the senators who would naturally say that the bishops "rebuke" PGMA but would not say they received some words from the bishops too.

Some people deeply misses Cardinal Sin. I am sure they miss only the part when the Cardinal ask the people to go to the streets. However, I am also sure that people will forget the reasons the CBCP issues statements in the first place.

Sadly, it is but easy not to hear when the good Cardinal is speaking.

Sadly, the truth

These days, truth has become such a depleted word. Everyone is practically calling for the truth to come out - the mass media, the senators, everyone… But can we not notice that among those that are shouting for truth are the people whom we all know live and breath lies?

I remember Jun Lozada, when asked by Sen. Santiago, said that he himself is not entirely clean, which is a milder way of saying he himself is corrupt. Now, people say that that is proof Lozada is telling the truth. He is willing to tell all, even to the extent of incriminating himself about his own sins. It takes courage to admit one’s own guilt. Or did he, did he really incriminate himself? How much did he say is he bound to earn from this ZTE deal? How much he say did he receive from the railway project? How much did he say he received from all the projects and contracts of the Phil. Forest agency which he served? Or is he still really just that “Probinsyanong Intsik”?

Lozada said that in government, there is this SOP for every project. We all understand what he meant: that for every government project, there is a standard kick-back. Lozada said something like 10% as the going rate. But didn’t we all believe that the standard is 20%? To this, the senators did not react. They did not agree nor disagree. Their silence obviously mean they believe Lozada. But they cannot agree openly. They themselves have their own projects and are also influential in many other government projects. Surely, and we all believe, these senators gain from all the projects where they exert influence. Now, are the senators – the same senators who demand for truth – also ready to tell the truth about kickbacks of their own?

I am sure Lozada knows more than what he is saying. I am sure he knows all the inner workings of corruption (I am sure he doesn’t need Neri to tell him those). I am also sure that the Senators know how it is to get a kickback from a project. I am sure they know who among them profit from projects and even laws that they pass. I am sure even the mass media knows who among them are paid hacks. Indeed, they all really know the truth.

Indeed, the truth that is being demanded now is only that truth that will bring the President down. If the truth will border on one’s own interests, those truths are impertinent. And that is the reason why PGMA is still around, she is assured of her lifeline. Not anyone can really tell all without pointing to himself as well.

This is much the same way as in the Hello Garci scandal. We all heard (and we all believe that it is her) PGMA talk to Commissioner Garcillano. But the only way to really verify those recordings is to get to the original uncut version. Of course no one can come open with that uncut version lest everyone will fall with her. We can only conclude that perhaps all politicians, both in the administration and the opposition, will be heard to have talked to Garci over the same phone in a not very honorable manner.

So now, while everyone is shouting for truth, the poorest still die little by little of hunger. Sadly for them, many other well meaning people who use to think even only of small steps to help got distracted into joining the lively chorus, which could make the weakest among us die faster.

Careful What to Wish For

With so much noise about corruption in the executive branch, many people now wish for PGMA to resign. Still more would like to see PGMA go, even by force of people power if she would not resign.

I am sure people power alone will not make the President resign. From past examples, we can conclude that a President may be forced to go only when he/she does not anymore have the support of the chain of command of the military. Erap ran when Angelo Reyes and the rest of the military jumped shipped. Marcos went away when his General Ver is not anymore obeyed by anyone.

Is this really what we wish for? Do we really like to go through that process, again, and again? And, do we really like the military establishment be the ultimate judge as to who should or should not go?

Imagine the scenario after PGMA is forced out. Should we let Noli De Castro be President? Shouldn’t he go, too? Or, let us say that Noli became President, does it mean that we succeeded in killing corruption? And in case we got Noli to go too, should Senate President Villar be our President, or Speaker Nograles, or Chief Justice Puno? Do we really want to overhaul the whole government, when surely the same brand of politics will eventually run it?

We have been through this path too much already, and we are not nearer our dream of having a better country. In fact this time, it is really like we are wishing to jump from the pan into the fire. Just look at the people who are waiting in to grab whatever is left of our country, the communists, the jihadists, and worst, the political opportunists.

“But it is the right and only thing to do”, some may argue. “PGMA is corrupt and should resign! We cannot let a President go away with what is wrong. This has got to stop. It is our moral obligation to act!

Oh yeah? Tell me, what have we done to rid our country of corruption? Have you and I not paid that policeman to get away with our petty violation? Have you and I not turned that blind eye to that small time public official who won the elections only by cheating? Haven’t you and I turned that same blind eye to that doctor who wouldn’t issue you a receipt? Have you and I not bought that pirated DVD or that fake shirt from greenhills?

And now that we think that the President is robbing us in a grand scale (we do not even have enough proof that could stand in court), we want our country to turn upside down, hell break loose, come what may?

It is so easy for anyone to be self-righteous when surely one have food to eat tomorrow, not thinking that even the smallest economic step-back we take has deadly consequence to the most vulnerable – the poor. No I am not referring to that Erap type of masa who wait for dole-outs from their favorite politicians, but the really poor who may die tonight from hunger. They are there, old people and children alike, under that bridge which we do not even notice. They could be just a few meters away from Ayala Blvd. for all we know.

A Dud

With much media fanfare and excitement over Jun Lozada’s arrival, “abduction” and press conference, his senate testimony bomb that is supposed to bring down the President, is turning out to be another dud. With everybody failing to ask the right questions, the testimony is reduced into something like a rehash but less exciting version of the JDV2 and Neri testimonies.

Everybody now knows that Jun Lozada went to HK to avoid making a testimony. But no one knows why he went back. Everyone knows that Lozada doesn’t want to be arrested by the senate while he has direct contacts with Neri, Atienza and Defensor, but he feels threatened by the military/police escorts provided him, escorts that let him text and call all he want while he is being “kidnapped” (also the same escorts that brought him to his family who was at the DLSU).

Everyone now knows that he is President of an agency that has something to do with forests and everyone is also surprised to learn that he is actually a telecommunications expert (as what the Inquirer and other news organizations want everyone to believe) advising Neri on the NBN contract. Yet now we learn that he could also be a railways transportation adviser to Neri. If he is a telecom expert then, what the heck is he doing as head of a forests agency and how can he be adviser to Neri on railways transport too?

Everyone saw the poor Chinese “probinsyano” guy who is also a member of Wack wack golf club and who self-admittedly say that he is indeed one of the boys who gain from government contracts but no one can understand why he turned in on the boys this time, unless one can believe that he suddenly felt a deep love for his country.

There are just too many questions Lozada was not made to answer, questions that should have been asked him before he could even utter a word, yet our mass media put him all over the headlines, and the senate made him into their main agenda.

And with Lozada’s testimony proving to be useless and the excitement will surely wane, what the Inquirer can only do is to add pizzazz by putting in exaggerations and their own opinions disguised as news into their headlines today:

The Inquirer bannered: “Palace tied to the abduction”, obviously trying to insinuate that that is the only conclusion when they have not established the “abduction” part yet. The Inquirer said as a subtitle to the headline: “Exec feared testimony could bring GMA down” even if the news itself did not say who is the Exec who feared that the Testimony could bring GMA down (the only closest reference to the subtitle is Atienza’s words warning Lozada that his testimony could be like handing GMA to the opposition, which is by the way part of his testimony). The Inquirer also said that “GMA men gang up on Lozada: Crying Lady”, when within the article only one person referred to Lozada’s tears. The same paper also said “Senate told funds for AFP, PNP diverted” and the reader will be awestruck by what gall the Inquirer have when the same news said that this is still a part of a comment made by Lozada which he is not even “sure” and which he has not a place as a “telecommunications expert” to comment on.

There is also a frontpage piece saying “How nuns outwitted Lozada’s cop escorts” obviously trying to put a heroic twist on the nuns in the face of danger, without even saying why there are still cop escorts there when they are not doing anything to avoid media from coming in. Lastly, there is a piece about “Guava Lesson”, giving a soft heart behind the sordid face of Lozada which is purely propaganda and has not anything to do with the expose.

Sadly, this is the Inquirer we used to look up to. The Inquirer now is nothing much more than the people who distributed text messages yesterday saying there are bombs planted around the Metro meant to divert attention.

Sadly, we are all controlled by people with vicious self interests and they were not even putting GMA down. I am sure, even knowingly, they were putting the whole country down.