QUI TAM LAWS VS. CORRUPTION

“ # # #. The problem with the death penalty is that there is no provision for error; if an innocent person is killed, he will stay dead even if innocence is belatedly proven. And our experience in the Philippines is eerily similar to that of other countries: More often than not, those who are poor and cannot afford adequate legal services end up on death row. The problem with the death penalty, then, is that there is no provision for systemic error. Above all, scientific studies (and anecdotal evidence) have shown that the death penalty is not an effective deterrent. It creates the illusion of a solution, but it does not in fact solve anything.

On the death penalty issue, the battle lines are drawn."

Death is coming THE GLOVE is off the iron fist. The presumptive president-elect, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, said on Monday he wants to reimpose the death penalty, and will campaign to have

“A U.S. group critical of China’s claim on islands off the Philippines will hold a protest rally at the United Nations headquarters here on July 24.

The U.S. Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG) is denouncing China’s latest “incursion” in Ayungin Reef, located just 105 nautical miles from Palawan.

Rep. Walden Bello of the Akbayan partylist announced that his group is joining the July 24 mass action in the Philippines and will encourage its supporters throughout the world to join in global actions to denounce China’s provocative actions in the Ayungin Reef."

Global protest set at UN against China ‘expansionism’ NEW YORK--A U.S. group critical of China's claim on islands off the Philippines will hold a protest rally at the United Nations headquarters here on July 24. The U.S. Pinoys for Good

“A group of martial law victims yesterday vowed to stop Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. from becoming the second most powerful man in the country.

The Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacañang (Carmma) said it would remain relentless in its efforts to ensure that the son and namesake of the dictator would not become vice president.

In fact, the group would continue its pursuit of ‘justice, truth and accountability’ whether Marcos wins or loses the vice presidency in the May 9 elections.”

Anti-Bongbong Marcos group vows to press fight A group of martial law victims yesterday vowed to stop Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. from becoming the second most powerful man in the country. The Campaign Against the Return of

Re-posting. What they said about political dynasties.

Photo credit: httpwww.filipinostarnews.net [texts are added].

Re-posting. What they said about political dynasties.

Photo credit: httpmises.ca

Re-posting. What they said about political dynasties.

“Political dynasties are the bane and waterloo of young, promising but poor candidates to occupy important positions in government. While it is true we have government officials who have ascended to power despite accident of birth, they are exceptions [as] most officials would show that they come from powerful clans with vast economic fortunes.” Rene Sarmiento, former Commissioner, Constitutional Commission and COMELEC

“A political dynasty breeds graft and corruption.” Jose Colayco, former Commissioner, Constitutional Commission and Over-All Deputy Ombudsman

“Now, you will see the governor has been in power for decades. His wife is a congresswoman or mayor; his children councilors or members of the provincial board; his other far or distant relatives, barangay captains or kagawads. This is a clear case of political dynasty of the worst and detestable form because the entire family practically governs and runs the whole gamut of local government leaving their constituents at their mercy and the electorate helpless in fairly choosing their deserving leaders.” Then Senator now Mayor Alfredo Lim

Photo source including the texts: httpwww.rappler.com

Re-posting... What they said about political dynasties.

Photo credit: httpimg2.timeinc.net [texts are added]

Re-posting...

MAGANDANG UMAGA PO...

SA ARAW NA ITO, SARIWAIN NATIN MULI ANG KAGITINGAN NG ATING MGA BAYANI.

SILA AY NAGBUWIS NG BUHAY UPANG TAYO AY LUMAYA SA PANANAKOP AT PANG-AAPI NG MGA DAYUHANG KASTELA, AMERIKANO AT HAPON.

MARAHIL AY HINDI SUMAGIP SA KANILANG ISIPAN NA SA BANDANG HULI, TAYO AY MAHUHULOG SA BITAG AT MAGDURUSA SA PANG-AAPI NG MGA POLITIKO NATING TIWALI, TRAPO, EPAL AT POLITICAL DYNASTIES.

SA ATING MGA BALIKAT NGAYON NAKASALALAY ANG PAGLUTAS SA SULIRANING ITO, AT TAYO’Y MAY GININTUANG PAGKAKATAON NA GAWIN ITO NGAYONG MAYO 13!

Photo credit: httplesliestinapay.blogspot.com [texts are ours].

Re-posting...

Photo credit: httpleytesamardaily.net [texts are ours].

“The third and last presidential debate sanctioned by the Commission on Elections may be remembered as a contest between the easy populism of the charismatic front runner, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo ‘Digong’ Duterte, and the determined earnestness of the fourth-placing policy wonk, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.”

John Nery

A contest between populism and policy, Digong and Mar The third and last presidential debate sanctioned by the Commission on Elections may be remembered as a contest between the easy populism of the charismatic front runner, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo

“Both countries [Indonesia and Philippines] suffered from systematic killings, torture, disappearances and arbitrary imprisonment, with more than a million killed under Suharto, and more than 250,000 human rights violations reported to have been committed under Marcos. The economies of both countries were ruined by massive corruption that impoverished their peoples, while enormous wealth was amassed by the two dictators, their families, and cronies.

Both dictators were overthrown but were never prosecuted for their horrible crimes. In fact, the Marcos and Suharto families and their cronies continue to enjoy their ill-gotten wealth, and make a mockery of politics in both countries.”

Joel Ruiz Botoyan

A tale of two countries IT HAS 147 volcanoes compared to the Philippines’ 53. It has 300 native languages against the Philippines’ 187. It has 10,000 more islands and 150 million more people than the Philippines. The

“I still cannot fathom how any decent person can defend the r**e joke, even someone who admires Duterte.
# # #.

Words wound. Words impel action. Words can change the world or keep it in the dark ages.

The underlying evil is revealed in Duterte’s own 26-minute explanation. He began by twitting Roxas, ‘Hindi ka naman rapable.’ The Urban Dictionary defines this: ‘A person who is attractive enough to make the struggle of ra**ng them worthwhile.’

We must condemn r**e jokes lest we accept that our society values women solely based on their appearance, on whether they are rapable. Because behind them lies backward mindsets that women should be educated only enough to let them pray. Because we are not the society such jokes imply we are.”

Oscar Franklin Tan

What is worse than Duterte’s r**e joke? WHAT IS worse than presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte’s r**e joke? The fact that many of us laughed. Thousands condemned the video of Duterte joking, “Napakaganda, dapat mayor [Duterte]

“THE MOST bizarre social media post I have seen in recent days was that of a Facebook user so incensed at another post that ranted at Rodrigo Duterte’s r**e joke. The tirade left many astonished. She said she would gladly offer her daughter to be r**ed by Duterte. As if that wasn’t enough, she proceeded to say that it would be an honor for the family. By now, what’s no longer more weird is the Duterte supporters who threaten to kill those who oppose their candidate.”

Antonio Montalvan II

Aquino’s disconnect and the monster it produced THE MOST bizarre social media post I have seen in recent days was that of a Facebook user so incensed at another post that ranted at Rodrigo Duterte’s r**e joke. The tirade left many astonished. She

“NEW YORK — The Philippine National Bank in New York, owned by the government in Manila, served for more than a decade as a conduit of ready cash for Imelda Marcos and her friends whenever they visited New York City, according to two former Philippine officials, one of whom was an officer at the bank.

More than $30 million was funneled to Marcos and her friends through this channel from 1973 to 1986, the former bank officer said.

The officials, both of whom insisted on anonymity in separate interviews, described the operation this way…”

Philippine Bank Financed Imelda Marcos' Trips, 2 Say

“We can’t appreciate enough the gift of freedom in a democratic nation without our knowledge of the past. The country’s 20th general election, which will be held a few days from now on May 9, has presidential, legislative and local candidates freely vying for positions in the democratic process.

And this is how candidates like Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., running for vice president, can run in the electoral fight in the exercise of freedom that his father Ferdinand Sr. took away from us in Proclamation 1081.”

Razel Cuizon

Cuizon: Lest we forget

Asal DDS, kakatakot!

“Regine Velasquez was bashed by Rodrigo Duterte’s minions nang mag-opinion ito sa controversial r**e joke ng presidentiable.

On her Instagram account, Regine Velasquez posted this message, “Rape is not a joke,” with this caption, “Kelan pa po ba naging joke Ito? In my mind and in my heart, we should be sensitive about joking about this issue because many have suffered because of r**e. It is a serious issue. Not a joking matter. .”

Instantly, Duterte’s minions pummeled Regine with lait.”

Regine Velasquez, kinuyog ng mga panatiko ni Rodrigo Duterte - Pinoy Parazzi Regine Velasquez was bashed by Rodrigo Duterte’s minions nang mag-opinion ito sa controversial r**e joke ng presidentiable.

Take note millennials…

This post is inspired by the April 24, 2016 Inquirer Article of the 18 year-old ALTHEA ABERGOS: “The Revisionist Manifesto”.

Photos from: www.megacities-go-services.com & globalnation.inquirer.net

Re-posting... What they said about political dynasties.

Photo credit: httpwww.concurringopinions.com and httpkuro-kuro.org [texts are ours].

Re-posting... What they said about political dynasties.

“In a four-page pastoral letter, Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J. said exercising pan-partisanship meant “reaching out to all political affiliations” while voting against political dynasties, going against vote selling and vote buying, and caring for the environment. # # #.

‘Political dynasties are correlated with corruption because there are no longer checks and balances when people from the same families are in office and helping one another,’ Ledesma said.

He noted that studies conducted by the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and the Asian Institute of Management all showed a correlation between political dynasties and corruption, poverty and violence.

‘The larger the political dynasties in the government, the more poverty seems to persist in our economy,’ he said, adding that another study showed that at least 70 percent of the country’s public officials belonged to a political dynasty.

‘It is, I think, a sad commentary that our leadership cannot be more widely spread among people who are perhaps more competent, more conscientious and more committed than members of political dynasties,’ Ledesma said.

The prelate reminded everyone that the Constitution includes provisions against political dynasties.

‘As monopolies in business, monopolies in politics limit the entry of those that can bring in new ideas and better service. Political dynasties breed corruption and ineptitude,’ Ledesma said.

‘A related advocacy is the campaign against pork barrel allocations—which impels political dynasties to expand in order to control the largesse of public funds,’ he said. # # #.”

Inquirer, 4/21/13

Photo credit: httpwww.cdodev.com

Heheheee…

“This afternoon, during the last of the presidential debates sponsored by the Commission on Elections and media companies, there’s a very big chance, according to wiseacres, that when the time comes for the candidates to speak, all the others will give way to Rodrigo Duterte, saying: ‘Mauna ka na (You go first), Mayor.’”

Rina Jiminez-David

‘Mauna ka na, Mayor’ This afternoon, during the last of the presidential debates sponsored by the Commission on Elections and media companies, there’s a very big chance, according to wiseacres, that when the time comes

“I mean, Duterte would not be connecting to millions of Filipinos the way he has in recent weeks if he had not tapped into a rich vein of popular disenchantment. This public disaffection can flow from various sources. In a highly unequal society like ours, in which individuals find themselves permanently trapped in patron-client relationships, unexamined resentments silently build up in the hearts of those constantly at the receiving end of power and oppression. This is often accompanied by a vague yearning for emancipation and justice. But, instead of taking action, people are typically content to have a forceful figure like Rodrigo Duterte personify and articulate their rebellion, and displace their aggression, for them.
# # #.

# # #. But, without a clear vision of a reformed political order and a coherent set of principles to guide his presidency, Duterte’s victory could mean one of two things. It could spark a popular movement of the poor and jump-start a process of radical ferment, or it could pave the way for a fascist regime supported by a disgruntled middle class. In either case, it is difficult to see how, under a Duterte presidency, the country can avoid entering another period of political uncertainty.

Randy David

The political outsider At this late stage of the ongoing presidential contest, the man to beat appears to be Rodrigo Duterte—until very recently an outsider to national politics whom very few thoughtful Filipinos took

Please read the full article…

“Diminish the 1986 People Power uprising to a mere political feud between the Marcoses and the Aquinos. It is all political propaganda to leverage the latter, to demonize the Marcoses. Reduce its historical significance. And in an all-knowing fashion, revel in the idea that the son should never be faulted for the mistakes of the father. They are different, after all. But dismiss the fact that Ferdinand Marcos Jr. knew of the faults of his father. Dismiss the fact that he is still living off his family’s wealth. And dismiss the fact that he has done nothing to repair the damage his father’s dictatorship has done.

Call Marcos a hero. Lobby for his burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Plead for people to move on. It has been three decades, after all. Treat history as just that—the past. Capitalize on the millennials, those born decades after martial law. Inject in them these ideas. Corrupt history. Twist the past to suit your interests.

And that is how gradually, you make the Filipino people forget.”

Althea Abergos, 18

Revisionist manifesto Glorify the dictator. Attach to his name words like “the best president the Philippines ever had.” Brandish the then supposed roaring economy, the whopping figures, but leave out his ill-gotten

We agree!

“OUTRAGED consumer advocacy groups, information technology professionals and concerned voters are considering bringing complaints for the impeachment of election officials after a massive leak of personal details of more than 55 million registered voters from a database of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The hacking of the Comelec’s database, now known as ‘Comeleak,’ could lead to failure of elections and exposed millions of registered voters to the risk of identity theft, the angry groups said during a forum in Makati City on Saturday.”

Consumer groups want blood over ‘Comeleak’ OUTRAGED consumer advocacy groups, information technology professionals and concerned voters are considering bringing complaints for the impeachment of election officials after a massive

Greed knows no limit!

“As the passage of an antipolitical dynasty law remains doubtful, political clans try to strengthen their influence by seeking seats in Congress through the party-list system.

Members of dominant political families, including former officials and those on their third terms, are among politicians running as nominees of party-list groups, according to the election watchdog Kontra Daya.”

Political clans start to dominate party-list groups As the passage of an antipolitical dynasty law remains doubtful, political clans try to strengthen their influence by seeking seats in Congress through the party-list system. Members of

The COMELEC should investigate this report!

“The Liberal Party (LP) is apparently leaving no stone unturned to ensure the victory of its standard bearer Mar Roxas and running mate Rep. Leni Robredo in vote-rich Cebu.

Close to 1,000 LP allies and candidates, composed mainly of barangay leaders in Cebu city and province, gathered at a restaurant here on Friday for a “vote-assessment” meeting.
Before the gathering ended, barangay captains were called to a separate function room and asked how many votes they could commit for Roxas and Robredo.

Each was then given P5,000 in ‘operational funds.’”

In Cebu, money flowed to LP allies but execs deny it happened CEBU CITY—The Liberal Party (LP) is apparently leaving no stone unturned to ensure the victory of its standard bearer Mar Roxas and running mate Rep. Leni Robredo in vote-rich

So, not just suspected criminals ha?

“The death squad was also believed to have been behind the killing of hard-hitting journalist Jun Pala in September 2003. Pala was a critic of Duterte.”

WHAT WENT BEFORE: Davao Death Squad From 1998 to 2015, the number of victims of “summary executions” in Davao City reached 1,424, according to a report of a human rights monitoring group. The report—which was based on news

“Bankrupted in the 1980s by dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the Philippines lagged far behind rival Asian economies, averaging just 3 percent annual growth from 1984 to 2009, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Under Aquino, that figure has more than doubled. And in the first half of 2013, output surged at a 7.65 percent annual pace, surpassing that of China, the world’s fastest-growing major economy, before easing back to 7 percent in the third quarter.”

William Mellor and Clarissa Batino
Bloomberg Markets

Philippines’ Aquino Races the World’s Fastest Economies Just after midnight one sultry Friday in August 1987, Manila became a battleground as rebel troops attempted a coup against Philippine President Corazon Aquino. Two blocks from the besieged presidential palace, insurgents opened fire on a car carrying Aquino’s only son, a bespectacled and soft-spoke…

Carlos Celdran of the "DAMASO!" fame...

Those who forget the past are bound to repeat it...

“IN APRIL 1978, the Interim Batasang Pambansa elections were held. Our millennials can learn lessons from this period in our recent history.
# # #.

After almost seven years in solitary confinement as a political prisoner of Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship, former senator Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr. decided to take part in the Interim Batasang Pambansa elections. # # #. From his prison cell he founded the Lakas ng Bayan # # #.
# # #.

Ninoy forewarned the Laban candidates that under martial law, victory was impossible because the dictator controlled the Commission on Elections, much of the local media were owned by cronies, the Marcos loyalists were in politics, and the military could cheat with impunity.
# # #.

In the first week of the 45-day campaign period, only the drivers and family members of the Laban candidates were at the rallies. The people were too scared to be seen in attendance, fearing arrest and detention by the Metrocom (Metropolitan Command). # # #.
# # #.

When the votes were counted, early returns showed that all the 21 Laban candidates were winning, with Ninoy Aquino at the No. 1 slot. Then Marcos stopped the counting and canvassing and imposed a news blackout. Later it was announced that the candidates of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan led by Imelda Marcos # # # had won. A protest march by Laban ended with everyone arrested and detained in a military camp.
# # #.

The objective of Edsa ’86 and Laban ’78 is the restoration of the democratic system, its institutions, processes, and values. At that stage (Feb. 22-25, 1986), it was simply a political revolution. But it is an “unfinished revolution,” as Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno described it in her speech at the recent TOWNS Awards ceremonies, and as the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines stressed in reaction to the attempt of Bongbong Marcos (now a senator and vice presidential candidate) to revise history and unrepentant refusal to apologize for the massive rights violations and plunder of the economy during martial law.”

Emmanuel Tiu Santos

Laban ’78 to Edsa ’86 IN APRIL 1978, the Interim Batasang Pambansa elections were held. Our millennials can learn lessons from this period in our recent history. After almost seven years in solitary confinement as a

Hear it from the experts…

“If the May 2016 elections were to serve as any indication, the corruption of political dynasties in the country is bound to continue in the foreseeable future. While some of these political dynasties have contracted, nonetheless, as Quimpo (2009) points out, others have expanded as more family members come to the fore of Philippine politics. As such, Aquino III’s reforms cannot be expected to have any long-term impact since they do not genuinely confront the very order that breeds and propagates oligarchic wealth and power. In the end, it may just be another hiccup in the seemingly eternal life cycle of patrimonialism and oligarchism in the Philippines.”

Michael Intal Magcamit

The enduring curse of patronage politics: Why Filipinos should not elect a patrimonial president Source: senate.gov.ph All throughout Philippine history, a small number of extremely influential families possessing vast lands and huge corporations have ruled our government. The notoriety of patronage system and oligarchic culture in the country has inspired numerous experts and scholars to coin