Before the recent presidential visit of Philippines’ Gloria Arroyo to Washington DC --- hopefully her last as head of state, I expected it to be extensively covered by the foreign press. I was wrong. Here at home, there were crumbs of news about the visit but gradually eclipsed by the death of Tita Cory. Had there been comprehensive media coverage, the people’s interest would have been swerved to the wake of Cory anyway. We lost interest in our president who is indifferent with our pressing needs and of the government.
Mrs. Arroyo’s and company’s fantastic and unbelievable dinners at $15,000 in Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in DC and the $20,000 in Manhattan at Le Cirque have become more popular than the purpose of the trip.
The comparison is that a father eating steak and lobster while his children eat salted smelt. This dad has no conscience watching his kids punished with crumbs while he feasts. This allegory represents the president and other government dads and most of us desperately living to make both ends meet and in some cases, literally agonizing in unbelievable poverty --- unbelievable as to the food they greedily feasted on.
It is recalled that prior to Mrs. Arroyo’s US departure, US Defense Sec. Robert Gates and US top spy Leon Panetta did lighting visits in the country prompting us to think what really their intents were. Sec. Gates was here after North Korea tested its latest nuclear weapon. The press said in précis that Sec. Gates urged the Philippines to be vigilant and determined to fight internal and external terrorism threat. Also; the country and neighbors in the Pacific ream were urged to be cohesive in denouncing North Korea’s military adventurism in the region.
I don’t have any information that in the past the Philippines was visited by a CIA Director. If one or two came, the visit was under wraps unlike the trip of Mr. Panetta heralded by the press. Rumors claim that after meeting the press, Mrs. Arroyo and Mr. Panetta had a closed door one on one talk. Your guess is as good as mine on the range of private issues they discussed. The press said that Mrs. Arroyo briefed security issues to Sec. Gates and Director Panetta. Nothing is new on what she told them for the simple reason that the US through the CIA knows exactly what is going on in this country. What the US knows about the internal affairs of the country is even more accurate than Mrs. Arroyo’s.
The visit of the two prompted Sen. Rodolfo Biazon to infer that Mrs. Arroyo was summoned by Pres. Obama to the Oval Office. I disagree with the senator for his claim is not supported by evidence. He could have just been out from bed when he said that.
As an observer, I believe (perhaps in total error) that the United States warned Mrs. Arroyo not to manipulate the Constitution like Marcos so that she can remain in power aka Prime Minister; May elections must be pushed through and she must not impose Martial Law.
Puzzling bombings in Mindanao cities and even in the capital region were detonated before Mr. Panetta came. Mrs. Arroyo was quoted telling the CIA Chief not to worry about the explosions in the country.
How stupid is that?
It is recalled that Marcos through his evil genius sent men in uniform to terrify the people by throwing bombs in Manila streets which he later claimed to be perpetuated by the Communist a means for him to declare Martial Law.
Is history on the repeat now?
Right now, the nuclear powered carrier USS George Washington is here on a “goodwill” tour. Is the purpose of the visit really as such or otherwise? Have anyone heard about Oplan August Moon? This is described as a "self coup" plot that aims to install members of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1978 and other PMAers in key positions as part of a scheme to keep the President in power beyond 2010. (Mrs. Arroyo is an honorary member of PMA Class ’78.) Rumors say that this self coup would take place on the first week of August, the exact time when the US carrier is here. Did the US know before hand about Oplan August Moon? The carrier, one of the most advanced in the US arsenal is on standby within the Philippine territory for any eventuality to restore democracy and the rule of law if necessary. It is difficult to believe but it is true that one, just one F-16 can put the Philippine Army to its knees in a matter of an hour or less.
The probable explanation of this American “intervention” is to safeguard its national interests in the country and for Mrs. Arroyo to uphold the rule of law and decency. The United States learned its lesson when it gave its total support to Marcos, turned dictator. He oppressed his people by slaying democracy, obliterating human rights and ransacking its coffers. With scandals and stories of corruption that involve the First Gentlemen and the cohorts; exacerbated by stories of rampant graft in the government the United States is not on the side of Mrs. Arroyo.
Not to be forgotten is the EDSA-1 spirit profusely revived by the death of Cory Aquino, the icon of democracy and yes, decency. At this time and hopefully till the polls in May and beyond, Filipinos are fired up with the spirit of patriotism that if needed, they are ready to go to the streets again and peacefully say NO to another president who wants to be in power longer than necessary. We learned that democracy and freedom are not free. We must be eternally vigilant to keep their cauldron shining brightly.
And this is another warning to Mrs. Arroyo although it is not new: “You can fool some of the people some times but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”-30-
Mrs. Arroyo’s and company’s fantastic and unbelievable dinners at $15,000 in Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in DC and the $20,000 in Manhattan at Le Cirque have become more popular than the purpose of the trip.
The comparison is that a father eating steak and lobster while his children eat salted smelt. This dad has no conscience watching his kids punished with crumbs while he feasts. This allegory represents the president and other government dads and most of us desperately living to make both ends meet and in some cases, literally agonizing in unbelievable poverty --- unbelievable as to the food they greedily feasted on.
It is recalled that prior to Mrs. Arroyo’s US departure, US Defense Sec. Robert Gates and US top spy Leon Panetta did lighting visits in the country prompting us to think what really their intents were. Sec. Gates was here after North Korea tested its latest nuclear weapon. The press said in précis that Sec. Gates urged the Philippines to be vigilant and determined to fight internal and external terrorism threat. Also; the country and neighbors in the Pacific ream were urged to be cohesive in denouncing North Korea’s military adventurism in the region.
I don’t have any information that in the past the Philippines was visited by a CIA Director. If one or two came, the visit was under wraps unlike the trip of Mr. Panetta heralded by the press. Rumors claim that after meeting the press, Mrs. Arroyo and Mr. Panetta had a closed door one on one talk. Your guess is as good as mine on the range of private issues they discussed. The press said that Mrs. Arroyo briefed security issues to Sec. Gates and Director Panetta. Nothing is new on what she told them for the simple reason that the US through the CIA knows exactly what is going on in this country. What the US knows about the internal affairs of the country is even more accurate than Mrs. Arroyo’s.
The visit of the two prompted Sen. Rodolfo Biazon to infer that Mrs. Arroyo was summoned by Pres. Obama to the Oval Office. I disagree with the senator for his claim is not supported by evidence. He could have just been out from bed when he said that.
As an observer, I believe (perhaps in total error) that the United States warned Mrs. Arroyo not to manipulate the Constitution like Marcos so that she can remain in power aka Prime Minister; May elections must be pushed through and she must not impose Martial Law.
Puzzling bombings in Mindanao cities and even in the capital region were detonated before Mr. Panetta came. Mrs. Arroyo was quoted telling the CIA Chief not to worry about the explosions in the country.
How stupid is that?
It is recalled that Marcos through his evil genius sent men in uniform to terrify the people by throwing bombs in Manila streets which he later claimed to be perpetuated by the Communist a means for him to declare Martial Law.
Is history on the repeat now?
Right now, the nuclear powered carrier USS George Washington is here on a “goodwill” tour. Is the purpose of the visit really as such or otherwise? Have anyone heard about Oplan August Moon? This is described as a "self coup" plot that aims to install members of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1978 and other PMAers in key positions as part of a scheme to keep the President in power beyond 2010. (Mrs. Arroyo is an honorary member of PMA Class ’78.) Rumors say that this self coup would take place on the first week of August, the exact time when the US carrier is here. Did the US know before hand about Oplan August Moon? The carrier, one of the most advanced in the US arsenal is on standby within the Philippine territory for any eventuality to restore democracy and the rule of law if necessary. It is difficult to believe but it is true that one, just one F-16 can put the Philippine Army to its knees in a matter of an hour or less.
The probable explanation of this American “intervention” is to safeguard its national interests in the country and for Mrs. Arroyo to uphold the rule of law and decency. The United States learned its lesson when it gave its total support to Marcos, turned dictator. He oppressed his people by slaying democracy, obliterating human rights and ransacking its coffers. With scandals and stories of corruption that involve the First Gentlemen and the cohorts; exacerbated by stories of rampant graft in the government the United States is not on the side of Mrs. Arroyo.
Not to be forgotten is the EDSA-1 spirit profusely revived by the death of Cory Aquino, the icon of democracy and yes, decency. At this time and hopefully till the polls in May and beyond, Filipinos are fired up with the spirit of patriotism that if needed, they are ready to go to the streets again and peacefully say NO to another president who wants to be in power longer than necessary. We learned that democracy and freedom are not free. We must be eternally vigilant to keep their cauldron shining brightly.
And this is another warning to Mrs. Arroyo although it is not new: “You can fool some of the people some times but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”-30-
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