On Why I Am “Anti-” Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

A lot of commenters in this blog have pointed out that I am obviously “anti-Arroyo.” The say that most, if not all that I say are against Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

For the record, I am not anti-Arroyo. I do not spend my days and nights thinking of things to criticize about Mrs. Arroyo. And I do not hate her.

But yes, I am against her “presidency.” I am against her continuing her term. Not because I do not like her, but because I doubt her legitimacy. I know, as any thinking person would know, that she did not earn the right to be president.

Yes, she might have done a lot of good things for the country. That’s what her apologists, spin doctors and supporters say. But not one of them has defended her by saying that she is the true and rightful president of this country.

In fact, she has done the biggest injustice to this country. Her continued hold of the presidency has caused so many problems and so much instability in the country. Yes, former Presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada might have done so much more damage. But at least, the presidency was really, legitimately theirs. The Filipino people voted them into office. And they, we, reaped what we sowed. On the contrary, Mrs. Arroyo has not yet proven that she is the real and legitimate president.

Most “critics” and “anti-Arroyo” Filipinos have been branded as whiners, who have not else better to do but complain. But we have never been branded as liars, because even those with opinions different from ours know, deep within their hearts, that what we are fighting for is true.

Most of those who oppose our views say that Arroyo is working so hard for the country. But none of them has sufficiently and effectively fought for Arroyo’s right to be president.

Yes, Arroyo might have been the better choice. Yes, Arroyo might be the lesser evil. But the fact remains; she might not be the real, deserving, legitimate president who was voted by the Filipino people.

Contrary to Arroyo’s recent actions, we still live in a democratic country. And that means, we get the president we voted for, not necessarily the one most deserving or the one most competent.

Ours is a nation BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE and FROM THE PEOPLE. And this is best exemplified with the elections we have every four years. We, the people, vote into office those we feel who best represent us. That is how we build our nation. Unfortunately, when we had elections last May 2003, Mrs. Arroyo and her cohorts thought it necessary to bastardize the electoral process to prevent a “greater evil” from happening.

That is why, ladies and gentlemen, I am perceived to be “anti-Arroyo.” Not because she has done nothing good as president, but because she might not even be this country’s rightful and legitimate president.

No, I am not “anti-Arroyo”, rather, I am pro-truth, pro-democracy, and pro-Philippines.

People’s Initiative?

Dictionary.com describes initiative as “the right and procedure by which citizens can propose a law by petition and ensure its submission to the electorate.”

Wikipedia offers a more detailed description:

“…initiative (also known as popular or citizen’s initiative) provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote on a proposed statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment or ordinance. It is a form of direct democracy.

The initiative may take the form of either the direct or indirect initiative. Under the direct initiative, a measure is put directly to a vote after being submitted by a petition. Under the indirect initiative, a measure is first referred to the legislature, and then only put to a popular vote if not enacted by the legislature.

About a year ago, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, asked that we as a nation start the “great debate” on a Charter Change. A lot has happened since then, but only a little, if any, has anything to do with the “great debate.”

A week ago, Arroyo’s allies have started a sort of signature campaign, asking that a Charter Change (of the Constitution) be implemented. This, they say, is a people’s initiative to push the legislature to work on a Charter Change.

I have absolutely no problem with the citizenry standing up and letting their voices be heard. In fact, I applaud any and all LEGITIMATE attempts by the citizenry to influence and push public servants into action. However, it is disturbing to know that some unscrupulous personalities are taking advantage of some people’s ignorance and desperation. Reports of bribery, intimidation and false pretenses abound. But the government or legitimate people’s organizations are not really doing anything to stop the false initiative.

The legislature and other concerned offices (i.e. the COMELEC) should do everything in its power to ensure that this “people’s initiative” is really an initiative from the citizenry.

House of Representatives: 1 Trillion Pesos for 2006

The House of Representatives has approved on the second reading the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2006. According to House Speaker Jose de Venecia, the GAA is solidly backed up by funds generated from the Expanded Value Added Tax (EVAT) and the “sin” taxes from tobacco and alcohol.

Now, it’s the Senate’s turn to approve, revise or reject the GAA.

Will 1 trillion pesos do the country good? I hope so. But I don’t think so. Money isn’t really our problem nowadays. The best we can wish for, I guess, is that the 1 tillion pesos go to where it’s supposed to go.

Voices: Robbed Twice Over by Peter Laviña

In the year 2000, the Philippine national government withheld a portion of the internal revenue (IRA) share of the city government of Davao in the amount of P 91 million. The following year, another P 116 million was not released. That totals to a whopping P 207 million. Therefore, the local government was deprived of such a huge amount to deliver the much-needed public services to our people for over five years now.

This money is the “just share” of our city from the collection of national taxes. The national government has no right to withhold it. Both the Constitution and the Local Government Code are clear about this. The Constitution says this just share in the national taxes “shall be automatically released” to local governments. The LGC, on the other hand, said this “shall be automatically and directly released to them without need of any further action.”

In the case Alternative Center for Organizational Reforms and Development, Inc. v. Zamora, 459 SCRA 578 (2005), the Supreme Court ruled that the setting aside of a portion of the IRA by the executive or the legislative departments of government is unconstitutional.

Clearly, the national government erred in not releasing this fund to the local governments which amounted to P 20 billion in the two years. It owes the city government of Davao P 207 million. I know of a number of banks that offer to double your money in five years. This could have amounted to over P 400 million by now!

Nyet. Well, that’s wishful thinking.

The national government allegedly has no money and so it cannot pay its debt to the local governments. But in the meantime, it continues to lick the asses of foreign creditor banks by automatically appropriating debt service under the national budget. As much as 40 percent of the national budget goes to debt service payments.

But money for local governments, nyet!

So, to pay for this withheld sum, the national government is embarking on a miracle. It is called the Monetization of IRA Collectibles for Local Empowerment (MIRACLE). Under this scheme local governments have the option to get their money from government designated trustee banks at a discounted value of 70 percent or get it in seven equal annual installments over the next seven years starting next year.

Well, this looks to me like highway robbery than a miracle.

Imagine our just share of the taxes withheld from us for over five years and now they plan to release it to us at either a discount or in installment!

What a miracle! We’re being robbed twice over!

This article was originally posted in the blog of Davao City First District Councilor Peter Laviña. Laviña also submitted this for his column at the Mindanao Times.

Sen. Jamby Madrigal vs Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile

Isn’t it funny to turn on the television expecting to watch the news and we end up watching two senators cat fighting minus the scratching and hair-pulling???

It’s quite ironic that they accuse each other of crimes that at one point in time they themselves also committed or was at least accused of committing?

Senator Jamby Madrigal accused Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile of being a cohort of former President/Dictator Ferdinand Marcos and “earning” millions of pesos in the process. In return, Enrile accused the Madrigals of “partying” with the Marcoses and similarly “earning” corrupted money.

Madrigal cried on national television, bringing to mind the image of another insincere, lying crybaby who has been flooding TV screens and irritating millions in the process. Madrigal should really start watching local television, so she would know that she is not endearing and winning sympathy. Rather, she is annoying and earning more and more haters.

As if not content with answering back Madrigal’s accusations, Enrile proceeds to accuse Madrigal of “cheating” in the last Senatorial elections. That’s a low blow, considering that my memory bank tells me that Enrile was the very first politician accused of mastering the dagdag bawas scheme. The really funny thing is… he has refused to elevate his accusations to the courts.

Now something not so funny: these two are being paid by the Filipino people. So instead of feuding on national television, they should start doing what they’re supposed to do. Quit the grandstanding and start working.

Sedition

Dictionary.com describes sedition as “Conduct or language inciting rebellion against the authority of a state,” and “Insurrection; rebellion.”

Wikipedia.com describes it as

“a deprecated term of law to refer to non-overt conduct such as speech and organization that is deemed by the legal authority as tending toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often included subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent (or resistance) to lawful authority. Sedition may include any commotion, though not aimed at direct and open violence against the laws.”

We have been hearing the word lately to describe the alleged crime of many who were arrested when Presidential Proclamation 1017 (PP1017) was declared. And even after PP1017 has been lifted, people are still being investigated and accused of “sedition” or “inciting to sedition.” Most of those accused and being investigated are party-list legislators and journalists and/or media organizations.

True, most of these people, may have to a certain extent, has been trying to have Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo overthrown. However, if we look closely enough at the situation, I do not think that these people are the ones really guilty of masterminding sedition. Their very reason, and motivation for wanting overthrow Mrs. Arroyo is Mrs. Arroyo herself.

Mrs. Arroyo has been evading the election fraud and cheating issue, because the validity of her “presidency” is being rightfully and logically questioned, because she has been running the country poorly, because she has apologized but has not faced the consequences of her “lapse of judgment.”

Thus, the legislators, protesters, the opposition and even the media are forced to report and cry against these injustices that have been inflicted upon our country.

Therefore, if anybody has to be accused of sedition or inciting to sedition, it has to be Mrs. Arroyo herself. If Mrs. Arroyo sincerely wants our country to have some true sense of normalcy and stability, she should fully own up to her mistakes, and face its consequences.

Life after Proclamation 1017

Now that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has lifted Proclamation 1017, is life back to “normal”? Unfortunately no. Life is definitely better in the sense that there is some sort of relief but it hasn’t improved. The cloud of doubt over Arroyo’s presidency remains. The political uneasiness and instability continues. Problems which Arroyo faced before she proclaimed a “State of National Emergency” are still there, and it might never go away until she faces them head on.

I think that Proclamation 1017 has only awakened the apathetic. Hopefully, those who verbalized their opinions when PP1017 was in effect will continue to do so. Otherwise, there will be no stopping Arroyo from doing it again.

From the History Book…

In Modyul 6 (Module 6), page 92, of the book “History 1: Philippine History” by Villena and Romose, I read the following information…

Pag-Aalsa sa Kabite
“…naglunsad ng isang pag-aalsa ang isang grupo ng sundalong Pilipino…. Naagaw nila ang pamumuno sa arsenal nang isang gabi subalit kaagad na nasupil ng mga Kastila. Ang pangyayaring ito ay nagdulot ng maraming suspetsa sa pamahalaan at marami ang nasangkot sa naturang pag-aalsa.“

(The Cavite Rebellion
…a group of Filipino soldiers launched a rebellion.… They were able to take charge of an arsenal but they were quickly stopped by the Spaniards. This event caused a lot of suspicion from the government and a lot of people were blamed for it.)

Pagbitay sa Tatlong Paring Martir (GOMBURZA)
“Nakumbinsi ng mga prayle si Izquierdo na ang naganap na pag-aalsa sa Kabite ay bahagi lamang ng isang napakalaking planong pabagsakin ang pamahalaang Kastila ng mga intelektwal, negosyante at mga paring Pilipino…. Kaagad na iniutos ni Izquierdo ang pagdakip kina Padre Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez, Jacinto Zamora at iba pang mga pari, abugado at negosyanteng nasangkot sa pag-aalsa…. Hindi lingid sa mga Pilipino ang katotohanang ito kaya habang binibitay ang mga pari, ay may namumuong galit sa kanilang mga dibdib na naging binhi ng nasyonalismo.“

(The Hanging of the Three Martyr Priests
The friars were able to convince [Governor-General Rafael] Izquierdo that the rebellion was only part of a grand plan of the intellectuals, businessmen and Filipino priests to bring down the Spanish government…. Izquierdo immediately ordered the arrest of Fathers Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez, Jacinto Zamora and other priests, lawyers and businessmen who were suspected of being involved in the rebellion…. The Filipinos weren’t blind to the truth. So while the priests were being guillotined, resentment grew in their hearts which became the seed for nationalism.)

Although I am not comparing the Rep. Crispin Beltran, Rep. Satur Ocampo, et al to the martyr priests of Cavite, their situations are uncannily similar. One group of soldiers rebelled against the President. The President and her men used the rebellion to implicate other critics of the administration and even when to the extent of accusing and arresting these men.

We all know what happened after the priests and others were arrested and prosecuted. Let’s hope Arroyo does too. That is, unless she wants another revolution to happen.