Before we get to the blast at the Batasan Pambansa, let’s set the scene, as it was, yesterday, prior to the explosion.
The way Amando Doronila sees it, Political scandals undermining the economy, and foreign observers, too, see it the same way, as shown by this snippet:
Frederic Neumann wrote in a commentary: “We view the recent political scandals as severely undermining the President’s ability to persuade the Congress to pass new policy initiatives to advance structural reforms … The scandals will make it harder for the President to advance a new wave of policy reforms, especially relating to improving the underlying public finance sector finances.”
Neumann noted that the government had made a commitment to wipe out its budget deficits and was closing in on its full-year deficit target of P63 billlion, with the help of privatization proceeds, but its fiscal performance was “less impressive,” suggesting that more reforms were needed.
Doronila seems to have a view that’s very different from the triumphalist tones of the President herself, who seems to be crowing that her economic work is done. In Arroyo shifts focus from economic to political reforms, she is quoted as having said,
Now that we have straightened out the economy, it is time to push for political reforms. Let us reduce conflict, fight corruption, and put the welfare of the ordinary Filipino first,” Arroyo said.
But there’s something ironic in a political animal bellowing about being a beast (though a very well-educated ones with academic credentials) if it was funny-ha-ha to have the Speaker thundering on about a “moral revolution,” isn’t it funny-hee-hee, now that Arroyo blames politics for causing suicide, murder:
Arroyo called on her critics anew to focus on promoting development, this time blaming politics for the deaths of Marianette Amper, the 12-year-old girl who committed suicide in Davao due to poverty, and Alioden Dalaig, the poll official gunned down last Saturday.
“Many Filipinos are experiencing poverty since some of the country’s leaders are preoccupied with their self-interests rather than the welfare of the nation.
“On the other hand, there are politicians and groups who have no heart and conscience and are ready to use violence to attain their ambitions,” she said in a speech at the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) meeting yesterday in Malacañang.
“The preoccupation with politics, past and present, does not promote the stability, policy continuity, security and peace and order that we will need to continue to move our country forward.”
But then of course she knows whereof she speaks, so there’s nothing funny about it, at all. Point is, the President was going on the political offensive, on the premise that (unlike the view of the foreign observers mentioned by Doronila) everything economics-wise, was shipshape. While Marvin A. Tort delves into the merits and demerits of the appreciating peso, the President, long a fetishist of the “strong peso equals a Strong Republic” sort, has no choice but to ponder relief to stave off the worst effects of the appreciating peso (the majority of the two articles above, describe the relief efforts the President’s decreed as a kind of series of emergency measures, which will help the poor but leaves exporters vulnerable still).
The best defense being a good offense, the President knew full well that the opposition had left her self-innoculation devoid of oomph. As the Inquirer editorial today puts it, the President’s reliance on a tactical, and not ethical, approach to questions as to her legitimacy or fitness for office, has reached the end of the road:
This has led to the adoption by the administration of a tactical, instead of ethical, approach to the impeachment process. Yet the kind of people involved — politicians — then and now aren’t very different. Quirino faced vicious infighting within his Liberal Party reminiscent of the intramurals between Kampi and Lakas today, with a relatively small opposition hounding both Presidents.
Indeed the only difference we see is that Quirino genuinely believed in his innocence and trusted the process. Quirino knew, as one of the framers of the 1935 Constitution, what impeachment is: a means by which a nation being governed badly can gain relief. As chief executive he asserted that relief was unnecessary; as a lawyer, he knew his salvation lay in confronting his accusers and opening access to information, and presenting evidence.
In contrast, President Macapagal-Arroyo mistrusts the process and the people in it. Her allies and critics in the House have conspired to approve rules that deny impeachable officials proper vindication not only before the House, but in the court of public opinion. And the Supreme Court, too, has handed down decisions that have mutated impeachment into a race to file weak complaints to stave off genuine ones.
In other words, all three branches of government are stuck in a trap, with each blaming the other for tying its hand, resulting in what we have today. Yet among these institutions, it is the House that still has in its hands the means to pass new rules in keeping with those of 1949. But it won’t, because it prefers the Palace cash buffet. Its members worship at the altar of Mammon instead of the altar of public duty.
Everything else, House-wise, on the part of the majority is bravado on the part of those left holding the bag: House majority rebuffs minority boycott of impeach hearings.
And also, because the best defense is a good offense, this took place: Panlilio, 8 more charged with bribery over Palace handouts. This was something people saw coming: Ateneo official rallies support for embattled Panlilio.
And also, because the best defense is a good offense, just as whistle blowers get the book thrown at them, anyone showing any kind of independence within the ruling coalition gets the Palace pit bills unleashed on them. Manuel Buencamino pens an open letter not for the faint of heart to Juan Ponce Enrile, senior Palace pit bull.
And so, having set the scene, let’s move on to the Batasan blast. I’d just emerged from a dinner conversation with a foreign businessman who was quite worried over the effect the appreciating peso was having on ordinary people and, of course, on the bigger Filipino exporters and other businessmen with whom he did business, and who now had to put plans for expanding or upgrading their equipment on hold (for my part, I traded notes on the true extent of smuggling which is also devastating legitimate businesses). The businessman was particularly puzzled by how the appreciating peso was resulting in an increase in the cost of basic commodities, which then led to a discussion on rice and sugar smuggling, etc.
Ironically, the businessman began our conversation by telling me how he’d first arrived in the Philippines on August 21, 1983, and the pandemonium that had ensued at the Manila International Airport as he arrived shortly before Ninoy Aquino’s flight. Anyway, as I left the meeting, I received a text asking for confirmation of the blast, and so contacted colleagues in the Inquirer who confirmed it; and so it went until midnight, when the President made a brief statement. What struck me most was the quavery voice of Rep. Darlene Custodio.
The initial responses on the blogosphere run the gamut of points of view, and helps provide an insight into the public’s reaction to the news. Whether its Shasha says or Andre’s Journal! a common reaction, on one part, is to be stupefied-and-angry (or relieved to be headed abroad, like Badfish) or simply astounded, like spiderye, or being held hostage by a creeping feeling that there’s an unfolding plot, and of God-knows-what to come, as blue law by anna writes:
Holy shit. They are NOT stopping. People kasi were criticizing them before, eh why the common tao your targeting, during the Glorietta bombing, so now I guess they’re trying to prove a point, that even law-makers, wala, nothing fazes or scares us, we WILL get our point across. What point ba???!!! What do they want? My god, when the Glorietta bombing went off, I felt really bad and angry, but I didn’t feel scared pa rin. I mean, I wasn’t afraid to go malling still or go around public places. But with this Batasan bombing, I’m like, oh my god, I got a really really bad feeling in my stomach, like, of things to come, this is probably not the end of it. Punyeta silang lahat. Nakaraos na yung bayan from our history of violence and unrest tapos ngayon binabalik balik nila.
Or simply being ticked off, as OLSEN 3 was, of people immediately cracking jokes. Outside Manila, in Antique, Antikenyo says people shrugged it off.
Inner Sanctum runs through all the conspiracy theories, and correctly points out,
While there’s nothing new about politicians getting murdered, it’s the audacity of the attack that sends jitters to most people, including myself. I don’t recall lawmakers’ domains (in this case, the Batasang Pambansa) ever getting bombed. If I’m not mistaken, this is the first time that an attack happened right inside the compound that houses congress.
Piercing Pens tackles other possibilities. Though New Philippine Revolution, a few days back, insisted a pattern of resistance is emerging, I’m still skeptical -coordination has not been a characteristic of the groups opposed to the administration, who more often than not, can barely manage to talk civilly to each other.
As it stands, the initial details are fully covered by the papers, see Bomb rocks Congress; solon among 3 killed and Police recover mobile phone at Congress blast site. And Arroyo creates task force vs political violence.
Even as Akbar dies, Teves in critical condition, and media attention therefore focuses on ‘Akbar, wives controlled Basilan’ (going back even further, see Ellen Tordesillas’ Akbar and the ghost of the Lamitan siege and this profile in the San Francisco Chronicle) that old reliable had to shoot his mouth off yet again: Gonzales: ‘We got the warning two weeks ago’.
You know, Gonzales didn’t help matters during the Glorietta blast, and he isn’t helping matters now. Just as one question -who was the target?- is only beginning to be resolved, Gonzales helps raise even more questions -if the target was Akbar, and government knew, why then, did the assassination (if that’s what it was) take place? The government will announce its suspects soon enough, but that, too, will raise more questions, I’m sure.
Anyway, if Akbar was the target, then it’s no different from the assassinations of other congressmen in Metro Manila right before the May elections. It shows that congressmen aren’t beyond vendetta killings formerly restricted to their home provinces -and a general deterioration in the ability of the authorities to maintain law and order.
The collateral damage, if that’s all it was, right at the House of Representatives, also sends a message that I suspect was the cause of Darlene Custodio’s quavery voice, as she described the scene at the time. They are all in it together, and in the end, enemies of the representatives aren’t interested in separating the sheep from the goats.
for me, what is significant is that it’s unclear who, precisely, dismissed the House security detail in the wake of the bombing. If it was the Speaker, then that’s fine; if it was the Secretary of the Interior, that’s an infringement on the independence of the House. This is no trivial matter, even if justified by the authorities as a question of security. If the Palace, in charge of the police power, cocoons representatives and senators in security, the legislators shouldn’t forget that it was an imposition. So far, that hasn’t happened; the Secretary of the Interior has merely offered additional security to legislators if and when they request it, which is the absolutely right way to approach security concerns.
More on Rep. Akbar in reason is the reason:
The lowdown the wife and I got from Dr. J, who was working at the FEU Hospital near the Batasang Pambansa Complex, was that the bomb had been intended for Congressman Wahab Akbar, the Distinguished Gentleman from Basilan.
An interview I heard on the radio later confirmed that the blast had likely come from a remote-controlled IED, detonated by someone within visual range of Akbar.
Akbar had unfortunately developed a routine that his enemies were quick to use to their advantage — he would have his driver pick him up at the same exit, so conveniently close to the motorcycle parking area where a bomb could easily be transported and hidden.
A quick Google search seems to indicate that Akbar had had it coming. He was alleged to have been in cahoots with the Abu Sayyaf commanders holed up in the Lamitan siege: “a group of army officers, ASG members and local governor Wahab Akbar split ransom money that they received for the ‘escape’ of three hostages in the early stages of the episode.”
In a controversial privilege speech, Akbar also claimed that 80% of Filipino Muslims were sympathetic to the Abu Sayyaf. In the same speech, Akbar made the bold claim “I am Basilan” — which wouldn’t be far from the truth, considering that two of his wives have won the top elective positions in the island province.
There’s a moral to be found here, where a man can claim to personify a violent, backward province one day — and end up riddled with shrapnel the next.
That, indeed, may be all there is to it. Live by the sword, die by the sword. If this is what happened, then the question is, just how firmly the government can clamp down if the suspects prove to be from the military, whether in the service, or AWOL.
As Ricky Carandang points out, it’s business as usual:
What happens next is anyone’s guess, but the House leadership has said that the incident will not prevent them from fulfilling their duty of killing the latest impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.
And indeed, mission accomplished: House committee rejects new impeach rap vs Arroyo.
Technorati Tags: Blogging, economy, history, House of Representatives, impeachment, media, military, mindanao, philippines, politics, society
of course it won’t. but im pointing out a basic thing here. if the media there is even worser than here, why are people there not asking for more moderation from these media outlets?
Devil,
I think its because people are more discerning in other countries like America with regards to news.
” alice in wonderland, i’m not referring to you being in America and it being a wonderland  i’m referring to a state of mind when a human being make pronouncements based on standards that cannot be realistically or humanely applied in a given setting. i hope you get my point.”
——————————————————-
Madonna,
Are you saying Bencards advocacies are not realialistic or humane.? I dont believe so. Following the rule of law is even the easiest and practical way of getting out of this mess.
I find bencards advocacies as principle based. Especially the principle of Justice and Fairness. And I prefer principles over morality and emotionalism. Becuase there no real yardstick for morality and emotionalism. They are highly subjective.
“I find bencards advocacies as principle based. Especially the principle of Justice and Fairness. Rego”
“I assure my countrymen that the basic principles of justice and fairness will always be enforced without fear or favor. No one but no one can set conditions for the dispensation of justice, be he a political figure or an ordinary criminal”-GMA Press Conference, Malacanang
April 10, 2001
Sana nga.
Bullocks! In the absolute, justice doesn’t always go with fairness precisely because fairness is subjective.
see the results so far on the “Worst President Ever”poll
Spot on cvj! “Which is why 70% of Americans believed that Saddam was involved in 9-11. “
rego, you would be wrong w/regards to America. a large segment of that country’s population is even more brainwasher-friendly than our kababayans here.
shaman, just call a “speculation” speculation. is that too much to ask?
for rego and old geezer:
A favorite bushism for you!
“All of us in America want there to be fairness when it comes to justice.”â€â€President George W.Bush ,Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007
another one for old geezer:
“I feel strongly that there ought to be fair justice.”â€â€Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007
And they don’t have the excuse of poverty or lack of schooling to fall back on.
Despite the so many similarities between Bushie and Gloria,I still see one BIG difference:
Bushie always says the wrong things in a very sincere way(hence the funny bushisms)
Gloria always says the right things in a very insincere way
(hence the big credibility gap)
Which is better ?
The correct term is micromania- a pathological disorder of self-deprecatuon or belief that someone is very small. Most Filipinos who are suffering from nearsightedness is also suffering from this illness just like concluding that all people want a military coup just because his website polled about a hundred people who said so. hohoho
“I think its because people are more discerning in other countries like America with regards to news.”
I totally disagree with this statement.
Americans are not more discerning compared to other nationalities. Life in the US doesn’t revolve around politics. There are lot of things to keep Americans busy. Sports is a a good example. Football championship in January, NCAA in March, NBA in July, baseball in September. A lot of Americas play golf, bowling, tennis etc. Americans also love to drive around the US especially during the major holidays. Driving 100 miles one way is an ordinary thing here. And when Americans work, they just work. So when Bush said ‘I need to invade Iraq because of the WMD’ the ordinary American will just say ‘I’m busy finishing my basement. Here’s $1 Trillion and don’t bother me again’.
rego dear,
katawa naman ang rule of law and fairness na yan — what a sorry excuse! when a pathetic head of state who also happen to be head of govt. like la gloria fails on the morality card (lying, cheating in the most brazen manner possible) — she has lost all credibility to invoke the rule of law. the rule of law in the first place is based upon premises that certain preconditions of justice (punishments for those who cheat for instance) be met. of course morality is subjective, that’s why we’re having debates eh? but they can spin all they want about moving on, that filipinos are living better now blah blah — but history will certainly mark gloria as the leader who took her being economist too seriously and in a wrong way — you know acting in way that everything/everyone has a price.
“But history will certainly mark gloria as the leader who took her being economist too seriously and in a wrong way  you know acting in way that everything/everyone has a price.madonna”
“Dictators are rulers who always look good until the last ten minutesâ€Â
Aha…so the real truth comes out…..that there is true reverse racism also in the Philippines! (Just read Watchful eyes comments.) Not all Tsinoys are like that. You tend to generalize. I for one believe all of the people in this forum have the Philippines’ interests foremost in their minds which is why they are reading Manolo’s works and make their comments accordingly.
Just because I am proud of my roots doesn’t mean I don’t love the Philippines. I could’ve stayed in the US when I had the opportunity but went home (with emphasis on what my mind thinks of as home, by the way) because I do believe in the country.
I am certainly not saying that there aren’t any bad Tsinoys out there. Nor am I saying that all Filipinos are plainly bad. It seems people here like to generalize and put words into other people’s mouths.
It is certainly quite sad that a simple comment on why I don’t think democracy works in the present circumstance can actually turn into a racial diatribe in this forum. And I thought people are are intelligent enough to not use the racist card.
A discussion to rebut my thesis would have been enough as what mlq3 did. But unfortunately, even the intelligent people in this forum are not really ready for democracy. Such intolerance of other people’s racial origin just proves my point.
Mr. Buencamino
After having read your comments, I think I understand now what you guys are trying to say and agree with it to some extent.
Tama ka about your comments below (sorry don;t know how to make quotes)
Assuming your description is correct, then it seems that both sides can live with the arrangement. That, in its own way, is a demovratic arramgement.
There is a Malay legend about this – a people were saved by a warrior. They made him king and they swore loyalty, obedience etc. but on one condition… their contract would end once he became unjust.
Moral of the story: The essence of democracy is jusice.
So when you say a people is not ready for democracy, you are in effect saying that people don’t know what and when they are not being governed justly.
I think people know. I think people will not tolerate injustice. The idea that people will go along as long as they have a full stomach is a lie against humanity because it degrades us to the level of animals. It is an idea propagated by tyrants and would be tyrants.
If injustice persists and pervades in our society, it’s not for lack of wanting to right the situation. It’s something else.
cvj on, “The elites have occupied their current positions of power and privilege for too long with nothing to show for it. It’s time to change that.”
There is state power of taxation. If they cheat their taxes, take their property and put them behind bars like how the US put the mobs out of business. If reputable auditing company SGV helped them, then have Phil Attorney General investigate the firm for wrongdoing and put it out of business as well like Arthur Andersen.
Or it cannot be done because the padrino system is so ingrained across every section of Philippine society.
Hi CVJ
Interestingly enough, inasmuch as I am being accused of wanting to have a dictatorship in our country, I am very surprised by your statement below…hmmmmm
“I’ve said before that a dictatorship here in the Philippines would be worthwhile if it is used to break up (i.e. spring clean) the current elite of the country. In China, Mao destroyed the oligarchy and the warlords which paved the way for Deng’s reforms. In Vietnam, they did the same which is why we had the phenomenon of the Boat People. That cleared the decks for their subsequent take off.
In non-communist States like Singapore, one good thing the dictator LKY did was to force integration among races in favor of a Singaporean-identity. This is done via mundane rules like quotas among various races (Chinese, Malay and Indian) in terms of housing block occupancy. Over here, a dictator should break up the ghettoes in Binondo and Greenhills. Also, s/he should imprison any ‘Tsinoy’ who is reported to be prohibiting his son/daughter from marrying a ‘Pinoy’. Any Tsinoy who leaves will of course be allowed to do so minus his capital which should stay in country for the benefit of the people.
Then maybe the next generation would be rid of this BS dichotomy between Tsinoys/Pinoys.”
MBW
The reason why I came up with that thesis really is that we as a collective people, (oh, kasama na ako diyan, para tumigil na yung mga racists), always seem to bitch and complain but we don’t really do anything about it.
And if we do something about it, we get ourselves into a worse situation (ERAP, then GMA).
Our people (as a whole, not the intellectual elites in this forum, lest I get vicious vitriols again), are always taken by the song and dance routines of these politicians. We lack discernment in that respect. We also are not responsible enough as a people to choose the right person to lead our country. We let the intellectual and capitalist elites decide what is good for our country because the collective people basically has given up that role to them. Why do I say that? They accept the padrino system in this country. They accept the system in place.
This is not to say this group should be silent. We SHOULD make noise. But this noise should be noise that comes with reason and evidence, not speculations and innuendos.
So am I starting to become clear now?
“I am certainly not saying that there aren’t any bad Tsinoys out there. Nor am I saying that all Filipinos are plainly bad.”
This is the kind of statement that irritates me.You try to differentiate yourselves as Tsinoys DIFFERENT from Filipinos.As a 3rd generation Filipino with Chinese blood,start thinking as a Filipino ,period.
Don’t accuse me again of racial slur.Far from it.I probably have as much Chinese blood as you.
Equalizer
Then stop also using my handle as the basis of your argument. We keep going back to it. Just talk about the issues ….
“I could’ve stayed in the US when I had the opportunity but went home (with emphasis on what my mind thinks of as home, by the way) because I do believe in the country.”
Good.fÄ“i cháng gÇŽn xiè ï¼Â
My friend,I will be very glad to discuss issues with you.xÃÂng Ġ。
emilie on, “our people not yet ready for democracy? or is it our leaders having no regard for what it means?”
My own answer is both. While it true that our leaders have no shame at all on personal interest, it is also true that the people who elected local officials up to congress have not demonstrated the will to replace those who forget their duty to serve constituency interest first. The clannish family for over the years have literally dictated the outcome. Then Tsinoy is correct that Filipinos are not ready for democracy (to work – electing leaders is not enough).
madonna, if you have already made up your mind, based on media accounts and claims of her political enemies, that pgma committed “lying and cheating in the most brazen manner possible”, without an iota of competent evidence, then there’s no use having this debate. you believe what you want to believe, and i’m not about to prevent you from doing that, even if i can.
the only problem with your personal “verdict” is that it doesn’t count for anything other than just another anti-gma diatribe. this is why notwithstanding your group’s constant whining, gma is still the president and all your pathetic efforts at ousting her ended up in failure after miserable failure.
pardon my french, but i have to say it like it is!
“Then stop also using my handle as the basis of your argument. We keep going back to it. Just talk about the issues ….”
then stop using your handle as the basis of your argument too.
peace.
nàjiù zhè me dìng le ， kÄ› bié fÇŽn huÇ hÄ“ ï¼Â
Thanks Equalizer, alam ko naman friends talaga tayo. We are all in this forum for our country’s betterment, albeit we may have different ideas on how to go about it….
old geezer:gentle reminder for you:“Dictators are rulers who always look good until the last ten minutesâ€Â
I never did use my handle to argue a point until somebody started it. I was just talking about my thesis and for some reason, somebody picked up my handle and attacked my racial origins….so I hope everything is now clear.
PTSP:xiè xiè ， zhēn shì tai má fán nǠle 。
devilsadvocate on, “don’t like to hear bad news? tune in to govt media stations, all you’ll hear are good news.”
In business world, good news is not always good and bad news is not always bad. In both cases exist business opportunities. The problem is how accurate those reporting so you can have proper business decision. In the Philippine setting, there is just too much political garbage to filter out so you can look at what is realizable.
Equalizer
I am not so good at writing pinyin….anyway…mei won ti….
PTSP:Proud to be a special Pinoy
lái zhÃ…Âng guó yÄ« dìng yào chÄ« jiÇŽo zǠ。
old geezer likes french kiss too?
Dodong
Thanks. You actually picked up on what I meant. It works both ways kasi for me. It’s our fault as a people why we have these kinds of leaders. The people accept them for who they are.
It’s only when malaki na ang corruption, dun lang sila a-alma. but, why not protest against the petty corruption in their own area? Why condone such things at all?
That’s is what I meant by the Philippines not being ready for democracy. ALl the people should be responsible to make sure it works. As of now, di ko pa rin nakikita. We still leave it to the elites to make the decisions.
So you think that by calling us ‘intellectual elites’, you would be spared the vitriol? Only an elitist can think that.
Anyway, in the matter of GMA, the masa were on to her way before the ‘intellectual elites’ had a clue.
By ‘they’, i hope you are not excluding the Tsinoys. On the eve of Erap’s election victory, Wilson Street (in Greenhills) was lined with banners Congratulating the President elect. After all, kowtowing is ingrained in the ‘Chinese mind’, isn’t it?
Equalizer
Are you in CHina now? I will certainly look you up when I get a chance to go there….PM na lang kita. Wo di putonghua bo hen hao. Hao qio di shi chien may yo chiang putonghua le. Chia li to shi chinag Min nan hua.
cvj
Yes, including the Tsinoys….(pero di ako kasama diyan…I think it was Roco I voted for then….pero malayo talaga ang bilang….)
By the way, everybody kowtowed to Erap then siempre, nanalo siya eh….
I voted for Lim. As it happened, the number of votes for the other candidates and against Erap was more than those who voted for him. The problem is that our system did not allow for a run-off.
During the campaign period in 1998, i was really upset when the 30 businessmen (a number of them Tsinoys) came out in support of Erap. I thought to myself, the masa had their misguided reason for favoring Erap because they saw him as being on their side, but these businessmen should know better. They were supposed to be ‘discerning individuals’. It was plain and simple opportunism which to me is unforgivable.
old geezer: Lâche pas la patate!
cvj:I also voted for Lim.
But ,I’m disappointed now at the way he is kowtowing to Erap.
What do you mean by ‘siempre’? Is that what your Chinese heritage has taught you? Or is it the businessman in you? Or both? And you blame the Pinoys for lack of discernment? I think we’re finding out who among us is ‘not ready for democracy’.
I miss ramrod.hope he comes back in this blog.
ricelander on, “How should the press have treated the news on, say, the “Hello Garci†scandal in the manner that should have made Bencard, PTBT, Dodong and the rest happy?”
It is not a question of happiness, it is a question of right or wrong. The fundamental issue, is illegal wiretapping of President of the Philippines, military’s Commander in Chief which is treason and punishable by death. Instead the press were jumping the gun on the President. It lost the leverage on the military (if focused and prosecuted) to uncover the its role in 2004 presidential election. Huge lost opportunity.
“It is not a question of happiness, it is a question of right or wrong. ”
Is stealing an election right or wrong?Pls answer categorically.
Tsinoy, please read my post again, not once but many times, because it specifies rather than generalizes. It says –
IF ONLY THOSE PROUD TSINOYS LIKE YOU WILL JUST BE PROUD TO CALL THEMSELVES PINOYS
THE MAIN PROBLEM ARE THOSE PROUD TSINOYS WHO CANNOT BE PROUD TO BE PINOYS.
IF THOSE PROUD TSINOYS WILL BE READY TO BE PROUD AS PINOYS.
THOSE PROUD TSINOYS, WHO ARE NOT PROUD PINOYS, ARE THE REAL PROBLEM OF THE COUNTRY, THE REAL ENEMY.
Where is the generalization?
If you are “proud of (your) roots” and “love the Philippines” because you are A PROUD PINOY then don’t feel guilty because I am not talking about you. You are not the problem, the enemy of the Filipinos.
I consider Equalizer as a modern-day Rizal, a tsinoy who was a proud pinoy, and who like MBW and cvj will defend the Filipinos, the Philippines, their values and belief systems from insults and denigrations, especially if based on unfounded generalizations.