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.

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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.

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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.