Please respect Romy Neri’s right to be silent

To the all-righteous, all pure of intentions Black and White Movement, pardon me for spoiling your party. While I agree with you that GMA’s administration is corrupt and that the President should resign for the sake of the Filipino nation and while I agree that it might be good for the country if Romy Neri actually “tells all”, I do not agree with the methods and ways you people use the “mass” and or similar religious rituals to harass, intimidate, make a judgments of, bamboozle and pressure Romy Neri and others to “tell the truth”. I do not agree we should offer at the altar of so-called search for truth the right of Romy Neri or any other person to be silent. Not even Manoling Franciso’s (who must have been under tremendous pressure to come up with a bombastic [read: acceptable to the crowd]) homily can erase the fact that “human freedom” and “conscience” (which includes the right to be silent) is supreme and superior even to the so-called “search for truth”. You do not destroy the human person just to get what you want - however “great” or “important” that issue is. While we all seek the truth, we must respect the freedom of the human person to act in whatever way he or she deems right, in this case, to be silent. Otherwise, we will have a situation of the tyranny of the many, the tyranny of the morally arrogant, the “tyranny” of your kind of “morality” - a morality of either you are with us or against us. While we demand for the “truth”, we must also empathically defend Romy Neri’s right remain to silent in accordance to his best lights. It is when we are so eager to sacrifice the human person and human dignity to attain certain political objectives that we become who we loath.

Gloria in hot waters

While I agree with Mon Casiple’s observation that Jun Lozada has awaken the middle class: 

“Not today. If there is one thing that Jun Lozada did, it was to galvanize the middle class into rethinking their own mindset of political cynicism and passivity. Lozada as the middle class epitome of “everyman” was adopted by them as their own hero. Not an abstract symbol but a breathing, living human exemplar–with all the weaknesses of a human being.    

In fame, he became more accessible to the middle class who showed him their sympathy and empathy–a Teflon-like proofing no telling and re-telling of his “dark” past by the Arroyo family barkers can dent. By their attacks, he became the underdog–a double-proofing that is giving him a 92 percent texted-in support in the “1 against 100 GMA mob” showdown sponsored by a media network.

But the story is not Jun’s–it is the middle class’ own epiphany. Events are now being dictated by the tempo of its own political advance. The specter of another middle class-led people power has arisen. The dramatic street play may or may not come to pass but all political actors are now constrained by the middle class’ political stand.” 

It was not only the middle class that was awaken by Jun Lozada. Apparently, Jun Lozada has also awaken the senses of business and the economic elite to the reality of the excesses and the corruption of the Arroyo administration. This Sunday’s rally was populated by the likes of Ramon del Rosario, Rafael Alunan, Cesar Purisima, Bertie Lim, etc. In fact, its the same Cory Aquino squad together again. This should be a cause of concern for Gloria Arroyo as there might be actual funding for protest rallies in the days ahead. And if the momentum is sustained and catches fire in the provincial areas, Gloria is in real hot waters.

Are Romy Neri and Jun Lozada lovers? (Is this question even relevant at all?)

I was watching ABS CBN’s face-off between former COMELEC Chairman Ben Abalos and Rodolfo “Jun”Lozada. Putting aside the inept moderating by Ricky Carandang and Korina Sanchez, the comment of Abalos to Lozada’s assertion as how he continued to go to Wack Wack despite the alleged threat to kill him by Abalos, did not escape me. Abalos asked Jun Lozada: “Ano ba talaga ang relasyon ninyo ni Romy Neri?” Abalos was definitely insinuating something. And in the Philippine context that is not difficult to catch. Was Abalos insinuating that Neri and Lozada are lovers? Is the fear of this relationship made public the reason why Neri is not yet “blowing the whistle” on the truth about the whole NBN ZTE broadband deal?Does the government have the goods on Neri? Do they have proof of Neri’s relationship with Lozada? Is Neri gay and government has threatened to expose him? This observation is shared by others, ABS CBN in fact has written about this:

Malisyoso ang tanong!Aminado si CHEd (Commission on Higher Education) chairman Romulo Neri apektado siya sa paggisa ni Sen. Jamby Madrigal kay Jun Lozada tungkol sa kanyang personal na buhay.Nanindigan din si Neri na Korte Suprema lang ang makakapilit sa kanyang humarap muli sa Senado.Ilang na ilang si Jun Lozada sa mga tanong ni Senator Jamby Madrigal.“Is your relationship with Secretary Neri ay kagaya ng relationship niya with Tom Isaguirre and Roger Estrella?” tanong ni Sen. Madrigal.“Ma’am, ano po I have great, great respect for Sec. Neri, I believe in his reform agendas…” ani Lozada, pero…“Yes or no lang,” giit ni Madrigal.“No po,” sagot ni Lozada.“Hindi po ganyan ka-intimate ang relationship n’yo?” tanong muli ni Madrigal.“Hindi po, purely professional,” ani Lozada.Nasaktan si CHEd chairman Romulo Neri at sinabing malisyoso ang mga tanong tungkol sa relasyon ni Neri sa kanyang mga kaibigan.  

If we were in the United States or Europe, the fear of being exposed as homosexual would not be a factor. But this is the cattolico cerrado Philippines in the 21st century and that is reason enough to keep quiet. Romy, veritas liberabit vos but first it shall make you miserable. Its time for liberation.

Imbestigahan ang Daang Hari scam ni Manny Villar

Habang nandito na tayo sa pag-iimbestiga sa mga kurakot at mga anomalya sa ating pamahalaan. Siguro napapanahon na rin na tingnan ang P68 million C5 Merville Access Road ni Manny Villar.

Sabi ni Villar sa press statement niya noong December 1, 2007 na “the opening of the new access road will benefit thousands of commuters and will usher in major development in the area.” Talaga lang ha? Hindi kaya to benefit him and his real estate corporations? Sino nga ba ang tunay na nakinabang sa baku-bakong road system? Ito ba ang nagprepresentang maging pangulo ng bansa? Naku po. Tama na. Sobra na. Maawa ka naman sa Pilipinas.

Those self-righteous Black and White Movement zealots

When I heard about the incident at the Senate where Lea Navarro allegedly badmouthed the Defensors and making personal judgments over how they raise their kids, I just felt the need to say enough to these Black and White zealots.

You know them. They are “pushy”, self-righteous and “feel morally superior” above all other Filipinos. If you are with them, you feel that they consider themselves as God’s gift to the Filipino nation and that they seem to have all the answers to the burning issues of the times. You can immediately sense that they truly believe that if you are not with them, you are against them and therefore you are either corrupt, a coward, or less a person. Most of them are “unelectable” and would not even win in a barangay election. They are the ANC revolutionaries without any concrete constituencies. To the Black and White Movement zealots: who the hell gave you the right to speak for us?

The race for education superiority

clipped from www.nytimes.com Losing an Edge, Japanese Envy India’s Schools Despite an improved economy, many Japanese are feeling a sense of insecurity about the nation’s schools, which once turned out students who consistently ranked at the top of international tests. That is no longer true, which is why many people here are looking for lessons from India, the country the Japanese see as the world’s ascendant education superpower.

The problem with Mar Roxas

The 2010 presidential politics is already shaping up this early and one of the so-called frontrunners is Senator Mar Roxas. At a quick glance, Mar seems to be a good candidate - he has the pedigree, the education, the wholesomeness and the integrity that our country sorely needs. In fact, Mar appears to be the most qualified among the so-called presidentiables (Manny Villar, Dick Gordon, Noli De Castro, etc) to be President of this country. But sadly, Mar will not become President of this country. Why? because Mar does not have the charisma, the passion and the emotion to lead this country. Mar remains to be bland, tasteless, antiseptic and very safe. Mar lacks that crucial connect to the people. He just lacks it and he cannot cover such inadequacy.

Effects of the failed peace talks

Events like these will become more and more frequent in the days to come. The GRP-MILF peace talks have once again reached an impasse, with the MILF accusing the government panel of reneging on its earlier agreements. The Arroyo government is not serious in solving the bangsamoro problem. This is further complicated by the presence of self-styled “hawks” in the cabinet, which from day one, had always advocated a total war approach in Mindanao - Bert Gonzales, Ronnie Puno and Gilbert Teodoro. To all Mindanawons: these persons - Gonzales, Puno and Teodoro - are the real enemies of the people.

clipped from newsinfo.inquirer.net 330 families flee MILF-militia clash in North Cotabato COTABATO CITY, Philippines — At least 300 families were displaced as government militiamen and suspected Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters clashed in a remote village of Pikit, North Cotabato.

Proof of Wowowee scam

This is one of the first proof that the Wowowee scam was real. In this video, it is clear that Willy Revillame had the option of choosing which number will appear in the wheel. This is also an indication of the heightened media war between GMA 7 and ABS CBN.

15 Things It Took Me Over 50 Years To Learn

If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved and never will achieve its full potential, that word would be “meetings.”

clipped from www.awesomeology.com 15 Things It Took Me Over 50 Years To Learn Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night. You should not confuse your career with your life. Never lick a steak knife. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers. A person who is nice to you but rude to a waiter is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.) Your friends love you anyway. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she’s pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.