For a minute, I’d rather forget Philippine politics and its apathetic citizens, and instead tackle Burma.

But whenever I think of Burma, I cannot help but think of how some Filipinos take their freedom for granted.

Whenever I think of Burma, I cannot help but think of how some Filipinos take their duties for granted.

Whenever I think of Burma, I cannot help but think of how this administration wreaks havoc on political and social institutions.

Whenever I think of Burma, I cannot help but think of how some Filipinos let this administration pursue a scorched-earth policy.

Whenever I think of Burma, I cannot help but think of how some Filipinos allowed this administration to use the military as its own private army.

Yet, I think of lost opportunities for Burma. They have allowed themselves to be cowed by bullies, like how some Filipinos have been cowed by bullies masquerading as do-gooders. I grieve about the lost chances that the Burmese people almost had, all because some gang of murderers and thieves are sowing fear among the people of Burma – like what is happening in some parts of the Philippines.

Now, some Burmese people, led by Buddhist monks, tried to exert their rights. The gang in uniform at first paid no notice, thinking that it was just some random rally. But with snowballing support and attention from other people and countries, and the commonfolk joining the monks, the gang was threatened, and being gangsters, they immediately deployed soldiers to disperse the rallies.

Right now, we are not sure of what is happening inside Burma. When pictures of violent dispersal (including the death of a Japanese photographer) began showing up, the gang cut off Internet acccess. There are rumors of mass killing of monks, empty monasteries, remote villages burned to the ground, and people arrested in the middle of the night.

Yes, these gangsters have murdered their own people, no thanks to a concept that this administration had cheekily tagged as CPR. Yes, these gangsters had applied calibrated, preemptive response to protect their hold into power. They don’t care about the lives that they had snuffed out, they don’t care about the freedoms that they had suppressed, all in the name of power.

It is only right that the international community express its outrage over what the gangsters of Burma had done. Just the same, outrage is not enough. As much as the international community wants to intervene, it cannot. The United Nations Security Council is impotent because of the presence of the two largest countries with poor human rights records – China and Russia. The United States is tied up in the useless, self-serving Iraq war, and thus cannot unilaterally remove these gangsters.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to which Burma belongs, is silent on this issue. By its inactions and silence, ASEAN is complicit in the crimes being perpetrated by the Burmese gang of murderers.

So, I condemn in strongest terms possible the gangsters of Burma for their inhuman actions. I condemn China and Russia for propping up such murderers. I condemn ASEAN for coddling these charlatans in uniform.

I hope and pray for the safety of the Burmese people. I hope and pray that their time will come, that they will finally throw these murderers to where they belong – hell. I hope and pray that they will be free soon.

Finally, I also hope and pray that my own countrymen learn from the Burmese experience, and prevent our officials from fucking up with our laws and institutions.

Amen.

—

International bloggers are preparing an action to support the peaceful revolution in Burma. We want to set a sign for freedom and show our sympathy for these people who are fighting their cruel regime without weapons. These Bloggers are planning to refrain from posting to their blogs on October 4 and just put up one Banner then, underlined with the words “Free Burma!”.

Go here to see what you can do.

Benjamin Abalos resigns as chair of the Commission on Elections effective immediately, in the aftermath of the Senate hearings on the National Broadband Network-ZTE Corp. deal, where two individuals accused him of bribery. He says that his resignation is not an admission of guilt.

Now that he has resigned, the snow-balling impeachment attempt at the House is thwarted. Like in a game of pusoy dos, Abalos has defeated Jose de Venecia Jr.’s ace of spades with an ace of diamonds. Not only has he saved himself from a potential harassment (and saved his son’s political career in the process), he has made sure that the skeletons remain in the proverbial closet.

However, he also left an opening, however small it is.

The reason Comelec commissioners can only be forcibly removed from office by conviction in an impeachment court is that they share the same immunity that a president and a vice president have. This immunity is given to protect them from frivolous and/or harassment suits. However, once an impeachable officer resigns, retires,or is impeached, he/she loses that immunity. By resigning, Abalos will now have to face the music, so to speak.

This is a small opening for two reasons.

One, he has threatened to draw first blood by suing Jose de Venecia III and Romulo Neri. This is just a diversion, to muddle the issue. If ever filed and raffled off, these cases will be hard to try, since this is a he-said, he-said situation.

Second, offenses committed by public servants and officials are investigated by the Ombudsman. Based on the investigation, a case can be filed, with the Ombudsman acting as prosecutor. Given the current Ombudsman, do you think a case against Abalos will prosper? Until I see evidence to the contrary, in your dreams. (Want evidence? See here.)

As far as I am concerned, Abalos has decked de Venecia. But the equation remains unchanged, the NBN-ZTE deal remains questionable, and we are still being screwed by people with good intentions.

PS: Ben Abalos is one of the top candidates to head 2007 AWBHoldings.com’s Wall of Shame. If you think he deserves the honor, vote for him at the poll (at the right sidebar).

Something interesting is stirring in Burma.

For the past several days, Buddhist monks are going out of their monasteries to protest, something that lay people are afraid to do. At first, only monks were on the streets, and the monkeys in uniform who heads the military junta paid no attention to them. Ordinary people then began going out, at first just watching, and with courage joined the monks in protest. The monkeys are troubled, and began belching threats. The protests continued, and the monkeys, sensing that their grip on the bananas might slip, began cracking the whip. The monkeys ordered all protests dispersed, several opposition members and monks arrested, and a curfew announced.

I hope the Burmese people will hold on, and I hope they will have their own People Power moment.

—

Miriam Santiago said something on yesterday’s Senate hearing on NBN-ZTE deal that, in olden times, might have caused war. He said in effect that China started civilization and corruption. Filipinos of Chinese origin are either offended or too busy watching Ateneo v. La Salle basketball game.

As a Filipino of Chinese descent, I am surprised by my own reaction to Santiago’s comment: NONE. As in nothing. Maybe because despite being half-Chinese, I did not grow up in a home infused with Chinese culture. The only Chinese traditions that I am familiar with is the All Saints Day celebration. We do not celebrate other Chinese festivals. I can’t read, write, nor speak Chinese.

Anyway, her comment must have put a dent at China-Philippine relations. After all, she is the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Her committee would be busy if a new treaty between the two countries was negotiated. Under our Constitution, any treaty entered by the country must be approved by the Senate of the Republic. How would she handle such?

I think her comment is unfair and uncalled for. This kind of talk is best reserved on a private audience. But no. Her comments were broadcast. Her comments form part of the transcript of the hearings. The effects of her comment remains to be seen. China must be peeved.

I am so glad our time is not the olden times. Otherwise, we would be preparing for war now.

Ultra-runner Tim Borland is running 63 marathons in 63 days in order to raise funds and awareness for the A-T Children’s Project in their quest for a cure or life-improving therapies for ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). A-T is a rare, neurodegenerative disease that affects children, giving them the combined symptoms of cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, and cancer. Children with A-T — born seemingly healthy — are usually dependent upon wheelchairs by the age of 10 and often do not survive their teens.

To run with Tim, join a tailgate party, or make a donation, please visit the A-T CureTour website. There, you can also view the daily video blog produced by filmmakers who are making an independent documentary on the A-T CureTour and enter a contest to Win a Nintendo Wii.

Just a short note, as the Senate hearings on NBN deal is still ongoing.

Romulo Neri did say that Benjamin Abalos offered 200 million pesos in exchange for giving go-signal for the ZTE “contract”. Abalos denied Neri’s claims. Neri then recounted telling Gloria Arroyo about the bribe attempt. He then invoked executive privilege when asked further about their conversation. It seems that the Supreme Court has to enter the picture once again.

Anyway, Neri’s invoking executive privilege is significant – the trail should stop at Abalos, and it should not reach Gloria Arroyo. Also the fact remains that Arroyo told Neri to approve the deal anyway.

Placeholder believes that Neri is the second envelop. Whether the assertion is valid or not remains to be seen, though from the way things are going, this is not to be so.

Abalos’ goose is cooked. He should tell all now before it’s too late.

(If you have not yet voted in the poll, Abalos is one of the nominees to be named in the top of the 2007 AWBHoldings.com’s Wall of Shame. Vote now!)

Amongst the officials of this current dispensation, Romulo Neri, chair of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and formerly director-general of National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) had said something that is close to a confirmation that the NBN-ZTE deal is rotten. In one interview, Neri recounted that Benjamin Abalos approached him, urging him to approve the deal (when he was still NEDA head). Abalos tried to soften him via a 200-million peso bribe. Read the entire story on Newsbreak.

What makes his story credible?

* He was moved to CHED two days after informing Gloria Arroyo of the bribe attempt.
* During the second day of Senate hearings on the deal, almost the entire Arroyo Cabinet was in the Senate; Neri was missing.
* Now, Neri is set to testify this Wednesday, but this early, Arroyo is readying CPR – yes, the much-hated calibrated, preemptive response. Executive Order 464 is not going to be the excuse this time, since Leandro Mendoza et al went to the Senate anyway. CPR is a logical choice. CPR in this case is asking Neri to accompany Arroyo to UN Tuesday night.

All eyes are now on Romulo Neri. Whether he would be the second envelop, or his revelation would lead to Arroyo losing power (Ricky Carandang says this is highly unlikely) – we cannot say. However, based on how the Arroyo regime is reacting, he has some bombs to drop.

Will he blink? Neri seems to be the kind of person who is susceptible to threats – he is a light weight who could be pushed around. At least, when he does blink, the Filipino people would know why. And the Arroyo regime has no one to blame but itself if the Filipino people thinks that way.

Ipinanganak ako noong 1978, anim na taon simula nang ideklara ni Ferdinand Marcos ang pagsasailalim sa buong bansa sa batas militar; at tatlong taon pagkalipas ng aking kapanganakan, inialis ni Marcos sa ilalim ng batas militar ang Pilipinas. Nakakalungkot isipin na wala akong matandaan simula 1983 hanggang 1990, bagamat natatandaan ko ang tangkang pag-agaw ng kapangyarihan ng grupo ni Gregorio Honasan nung 1989. Papasok ako noon sa mababang paaralan nang sabihan ako ng kapitbahay na umuwi dahil wala raw pasok. Nakakita nga ako ng ilang mga tora-tora na umaaligid sa Maynila.

Isang black and white TV lang ang gamit namin noon. Hindi nagbabasa ng pahayagan ang aking mga magulang. Hindi itinuturo sa paaralan ang mga nangyayari sa paligid. Wala akong muwang sa mga nangyari na at sa mga nangyayari noong panahon na iyon. Katatapos lamang ng EDSA Revolution, at hindi pa natatapos baguhin ang mga aklat na gamit sa paaralan. May mga bakas pa rin ng panunungkulan ni Marcos noon. Naalala ko pa kapag flag ceremony namin tuwing umaga. Pagkatapos ng flag ceremony, pabalik na kami sa aming mga silid-aralan, tumutugtog ang awitin na may ganitong titik: “Lakad — kabataan/Na magiting, at —-“. Paumanhin. Hindi ako sigurado sa mga salita. Basta kapag narinig ko siya, alam ko na ang awiting iyan. Basta tunog batas militar siya.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nangyari. May mga nakakaalala ng mga pangyayari noong 1970 hanggang 1986, pero bakit parang hindi yata naibabahagi sa ibang henerasyon ang kaalamang ito. Nabalitaan ninyo ba ang mga aklat na kasalukuyang ginagamit sa mga pampublikong paaralan? Hindi lang tadtad ng mali, mas mahaba pa ang diskusyon tungkol sa mga nagawa ni Marcos kaysa sa buhay ni Jose Rizal! Hindi ba nakakapanlumo? Buti pa noon, medyo mahaba ang talakayan tungkol sa batas militar, bagamat wala akong matandaan maliban sa mga halo-halong mga titik tulad ng NAWASA, NACIDA, at BiBa. Sabagay, noong mga panahong iyon, mas pinapahalagahan kung alam mo ang ibig sabihin ng NACIDA.

Ngayon, tatlumpu’t limang taon ang nakalipas. Mayroon tayong isang arsobispo na nagsasabing ang mga kalunos-lunos na pangyayari sa ating panahon (iyung mga pagpatay sa mga aktibista, pagkawala ng ilan) ay ga-patak lamang ng mga nangyari noong panahon ng batas militar. Nakakalungkot sapagkat buhay siya noong panahon na iyon, pero parang nakalimutan na rin niya ang nakaraan. Mas nakakalungkot dahil paniniwalaan siya ng bagong henerasyon. Salat sila sa kaalaman, salamat sa walang silbing mga aklat sa paaralan, sa hindi pagbabahagi ng mga nakakatanda ng kanilang karanasan, sa kakulangan ng impormasyon sa Internet – isa sa pangunahing pinagkukunan ng kaalaman ng mga kabataan ngayon.

Isa lamang ang aking hiling: sana ay marami pang magsulat tungkol sa mga nangyari noong panahon ng batas militar – mga karanasan, mga alaala – upang mabasa ng mga kabataan at mga susunod pang henerasyon.

Kaya, ako ay nagpapasalamat sa mga sumusunod na nagsulat ukol sa isang madilim na bahagi ng kasaysayan ng ating bansa:

A Teen During the Martial Law Era
Never Again! The 35th Martial Law Commemoration
Ferdinand Marcos and the Philippines: The Political Economy of Authoritarianism
Mazinger Z!
Paggunita sa ika-35 taon anibersaryo ng Martial Law
Bedridden on Martial Law commemoration day
From the diaries of Ferdinand E. Marcos
I declare marshmallow!
From Hell And Back
When was Martial Law “Declared”?

Sana ay matuto tayo sa mga aral na dala ng kasaysayan. Sana ay huwag nating kalimutan ang aral na dala ng nakaraan.

September 20, 2007

Hon. Mary Mitzi L. Cajayon
Representative, Second District
Caloocan City

Dear Representative Cajayon:

I was disappointed when I found out that you are one of the co-authors of the stupid House Bill 2417, the bill that would have postponed for the third time the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. And I am aghast when 149 of you voted to approve this bill on the third reading, and in the fastest time possible. Now if only you and your colleagues work that fast everytime. But I disgress.

By passing that said bill, you and the other 148 are denying us our right to elect and select our barangay officials. Not only that, you and the other 148 are denying us our right to hold our barangay officials accountable by voting them out of office if they have not done their duty. By passing that law, you and the other 148 are violating the Constitution by denying our right of suffrage.

I will tell you why your bill is stupid. This incident happened around 2:30AM today in a barangay in your district. I and other tax-paying citizens residing at your district were sleeping the sleep of the just when a woman began shouting. Then, more shouting from more people, and we got up from our beds thinking if there was trouble afoot. Me and my mother look outside and saw a clearly drunk woman shouting and cursing, while her friends and/or relatives were trying to restrain her. Some of them had to shout back just to restrain her, to no avail. Almost every home within 50 meters were affected by the ruckus.

No barangay official came to restore the peace. And the fact that the barangay captain is your compadre is just salt in the wounds. And don’t ask me for other instances where barangay officials were needed but were scant.

You see, Ms. Cajayon, it is precisely for this reason we need to elect new barangay officials. They had grown so comfortable being power that they had already forgotten their duties. For dereliction of duty, they should be voted out of office. But, no, you and the other 148 want to deny us this right.

During the last campaign period, you walked in our streets, shook our hands, promised to serve us. Now, can you come to our barangay and look straight in our eyes and say, “I am here to serve?” By denying us our right to vote, you do not serve us.

And a good thing, too, that I am a registered voter in Manila. Otherwise, you would have lost my vote. Anyway, see you in three years, when and if I decide to register in Caloocan, one of the worst cities in Metro Manila, because of short-sighted officials like you.

Respectfully yours,

Arbet Bernardo

PS:

The same goes to Representative Jaime Lopez, Second District, Manila, for co-authoring the same stupid bill.

PPS:

Want to know why they want to postpone the elections? Clue: networking.

WARNING!

Graphic images of human blood in this post. Not for the faint-hearted and/or of weak stomach.

—

Early this morning, this scene greeted me as I got to the corner of 10th Avenue and B. Serrano St. in Caloocan. Here is where I take the bus or AUV on the way to North Ave. MRT station.

(Photos taken using Sony Ericsson P1i. Photobucket reduced the size to 1024×768. Click on the thumbnail to view large image.)

Must be an engine trouble causing the truck to stop, I thought.

Then I saw this on the sidewalk:

My blood run cold. I had not bothered asking what had happened, so I made several deductions. A male child, probably between grade 3 and 1st year high school, met his death in this place. A block away is a small college with an elementary and secondary school. The pants for male students in that school is blue.

So I looked around and took some shots, to support my deductions. Some of the photos are not for the weak of heart (and/or stomach).

The back of the truck. Notice the green cloth, a part of which is also in the picture of the tattered pants and shoes.

Scratch marks on the road. Maybe at this point the truck driver realized he was going to hit the child, and stepped on the breaks.

Some blood marks on the pedestrian lane, which was at the back of the truck after the accident.

The sign of death. (I had deliberately inverted the image to negative. Click on the image to view the positive. WARNING: Blood.)

The truck’s plate number: PUU 396.

I am assuming the child, a male, is dead. For those who believe in God, please pray that he is alive; otherwise, please pray for the eternal repose of his soul, and that he may get justice. For those who do not, hope that he will get the justice that he deserves.