President Benigno Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay witness the arrival at the Villamor Airbase in Fort Bonifacio of the slain seven Marines. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/INQUIRER

Perhaps the whole country is busy dealing with Juaning and Kabayan. Or about the alleged ballot switching at the Batasang Pambansa. Or too occupied praying for Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (whether they pray for her safety and recovery or the opposite, I don’t know). Or still mourning after the loss of the Azkals for their 2014 world cup bid. Or celebrating Eat Bulaga’s 32nd anniversary. Or just doing some other stuff that we failed to notice this another gruesome event at the southern part of our country.

Our marines had an encounter with the Abu Sayaff last Thursday at the jungles of Sulu and five (5) of them were decapitated.

Beheading is not something new for these bandits. Most of us would still remember how they decapitate their kidnapped victims and how they dehumanize our troops by beheading the soldiers they kill in the battle.

Maybe the Abu Sayyaf is making their presence felt. For the past few months, we barely hear a thing about them (or maybe the news agencies are just too busy covering and showing us the other important issues? I don’t know.). This just shows that the violence in the south is far from over and the government has still a lot of work to do to attain the peace in the south.

I can still remember a Catholic priest who was assigned in Basilan who told us his first-hand experience with these bandits and their victims. He was the guest speaker on the (Lipa) Clergy’s monthly recollection when I was still in the seminary. He told us his story when he was assigned to bless the mutilated corpses of the 10 soldiers who were slain and beheaded in Basilan in an encounter in 2007. He could not believe how barbaric these bandits were by doing this hideous crime.

After hearing his story, I was moved and I felt that I was also in front those slain heroes. But he also left a challenge in me if I have the courage to be assigned in a far-flung place with all the perils and dangers accompanying the mission.

Courage. I admire these courageous heroes who sacrificed their lives by defending the country. It is just sad to hear these sad tales about our soldiers in the field amidst these controversies involving the high-ranking officials of the military. 

To our heroes in the field, to the thousand nameless and ordinary soldiers who fought to defend our country, thank you for a job-well done. You may have gone but your contribution to the country is priceless and may it always be remembered by the generations to come.

I give you my snappy salute.

Mabuhay ang mga sundalong nagtataya ng kanilang buhay para sa bayan. Viva Filipinas! Padayon!

Elsewhere: 5 Marines Beheaded by Abu Sayyaf, Aquino Mad

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

31 July 1553 Permalink

Angelo Tomas-Reyes (March 17, 1945 - February 8, 2011)

I maybe a bit late on posting my sentiments regarding the tragic and unexpected death of General T. Angelo Reyes yesterday. But just like what I did during the acquittal of Hubert Webb and the gang, I opted not to immediately post my opinion. I feared that I will be biased, losing my objectivity brought by my emotion on the issue if I immediately voiced out my thoughts.

So much for my excuse.

Angelo Reyes left us without a warning. He departed us with unanswered questions. He left us hanging with the unfinished puzzle. Who knows? He may be holding the missing piece. Or he may be possessing the vital information that would forever change the course of our history. Or worse, despite being accused of being oe of the perpetrators of the dar trail of corruption in the militaryhe might be the holding the only beacon of light to lead this country in the dawn of a new era.

But he committed suicide. He shot himself in the chest, bringing the secrets with him six feet under the ground.

Or did he really bring the secret to the grave? Did he write a farewell letter before shooting himself? Did he tell anyone - any member of his family perhaps - about the real score on the alleged corruption in the military? Or if anyone shares the same information, he might as well not tell the whole story for us to know. But for now, we can only just speculate.

To be honest, the first thought that entered my mind earlier yesterday, just immediately after the news broke out, was Angie Reyes must have been really guilty of the crime for a real innocent person will fight for his innocence and the truth until the very end.

But let us always remember that a person is innocent until proven guilty. That’s a very basic principle of the law.

And let us remember that Angelo Reyes is a soldier. He is a top-notched official of the Armed Forces. He was once the Armed Forces Chief of Staff.

Perhaps he was just being a soldier during the very last moment of his life, sacrificing himself for his comrades in the battlefield. Or just following the order from the officials higher than him.

Or just protecting the Big Fish.

And whoever that big fish is, we don’t know.

Again, we can only just speculate.

Most of us are just being swayed by our emotions. If someone stands up accusing someone of graft and corruption, we immediately show our support to the whistle blower. We immediately criticize the accused. We go for the superhero and curse the villain. That’s a natural reaction, a product of our natural tendency to go for the good and go against the evil.

But what if the accused are the real victims? What if there is someone out there, someone big and powerful, who is causing this stir for us to be confused? As cliche as it sounds, what if there is someone who is the real master of puppets who manipulates us all, who twists the truth, and who makes the public baffled and confused?

Going back to Angie, what if he is also a victim? What if he is a part of the big plan of that someone up there, someone who control these strings?

I must be over-thinking. But metaphysically speaking, thinkability means possibility.

Angelo Reyes is dead. He cannot defend himself anymore nor pinpoint the real perpetrators of this mess. He brought his secret with him to the grave and, just maybe, it’s lost forever.

Is he a hero or a villain? Some would consider him as a villain. Some will consider him as one of the worst generals of the Armed Forces. While some - especially the creators of the Facebook “Like Pages” that I saw, would consider jim a hero, a martyr, a victim.

Is he a hero or a villain? I don’t know. I don’t have any supporting evidences to prove it. But I just know that he is a soldier, a general, a leader, and most importantly, a husband, a father, and a Lolo.

Rest in peace General Angelo Tomas-Reyes. You have played a vital role in Philippine history. You will be remembered.

Source: juanrepublic

9 February 176 Permalink

Now Showing: My Amnesia Boy

I have been tuned-in on this Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing since this lunch time and if you are following me on Twitter, you will see there my sentiments (and violent reactions) on some of the a.holes of the Armed Forces.

First, there was General Garcia and his now-famous-line-of-the-day “With due respect your honor, I am invoking my right against self-incrimination”, hence not shedding a light on the dark trail of corruption in the Military.

And there’s this General Jacinto “Limot” Ligot who, just like some of his comrades, have been diagnosed with selective amnesia (I tell you man, dinaig pa niya si Colonel Rabusa na nai-stroke).

The Philippines may seem to be going to the dogs with these men.

But I beg to disagree.

We still have Heidi Mendoza, the ex-Commission on Audit auditor, who shed the light of truth on this issue. Personally, I was in tears during the last part of this hearing when Heidi broke down and cried, asking Senator Guingona to spare her from being the resource person of the Commission on Audit (because some of the men at the Commission on Audit are accusing her of tainting the reputation of the commission).

How cruel! Here in the Philippines, kung sino pa ang nagsasabi ng totoo at nagbubunyag ng mga anomalya, sila pa ang parang mga suspect na takot na takot sa kahihinatnan nila.

But I believe that there is still hope.

With persons like Heidi Mendoza, the Philippines will surely see the light of a new country someday. We need more people like her. And all of us can be like her in our own little ways.

There’s still hope for the Philippines.

Viva Filipinas! Padayon!

Source: juanrepublic

3 February 94 Permalink

“Heidi’s Balls”

This woman have balls tougher than the tough men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with real testicles.

Her name is Heidi Mendoza, former state auditor at the Commission on Audit. Yesterday, February 1, she shed light on the dark trail of corruption at the Armed forces of the Philippines, giving us Filipinos a glimpse of light and truth.

She chose the right path by speaking the truth. She defied the seemingly endless tradition of cover-ups and secrecy in some branches of the government. She didn’t hesitate to expose these anomalies even though her life and her family might be endangered by battling these giants.

My friends, this is the proper way to use one’s balls (figurative balls on her part)- not just for yabang, not just to intimidate others, and not just to protect our own interest - but to be an instrument for the common good.

And once again, she made us proud to be Filipinos. Though she may not be a Manny Pacquiao, a member of the Azkals, or a Charice Pempengco, her move simply states that there are still honest Filipinos, that there are still honest people from the government. And that, I think, is something that we should be proud of.

We may not be as tough as Heidi Mendoza but we can be like her in our own simple way.

Speak the truth. Act for the common good.

What’s next for Heidi Mendoza? Let’s just hope that her eforts as a whistle blower will not be in vain.

Just like the NBN-ZTE scandal and Jun Lozada.

And just like the many others who came before her to speak the truth.

Viva Filipinas! Viva Heidi Mendoza! Padayon!

(Read the whole news and the trail of corruption on Inquirer.net)

Source: juanrepublic

2 February 105 Permalink

Game of the Generals

The tragic incident at Eton Condominium and the 50th birthday celebration of the Pimp, Willie Revillame yesterday may have overshadowed this news so let me remind you of this important issue.

Our money was stolen (yes, you taxpayer and ordinary Juan included), and some iron-balled Generals were allegedly behind it. Or shall I say utak bayag Generals. Well, they are just one and the same on my dictionary.

After the major shame about former military comptroller General Calos Gracia’s alleged embezzlement of the military funds and an alleged plea bargain agreement, here comes another major shame from men with balls and rifles.

Retired Colonel George Rabusa disclosed yesterday in Senate how he and his ex-bosses amassed wealth, with large portions taken from the soldiers’ salaries. 

“At sa’yong paglisan, ang tanging pabaon ko, ay 50 million..”

Robusa said that the 50 million was a send-off gift to then-General Angelo Reyes when he retired from service in 2001. He also said that they have to convert it to dollars because it was very bulky.

What a cool pabaon for a retirement, eh? Millions of Filipinos are struggling to get their (full) benefits after retirement - and some have none - yet these military men are enjoying a huge amount of money? Talk about corruption and inequality.

It also sucks to know that they have converted it to dollars because it was too bulky (Why didn’t Erap think of this method to hide the jueteng payola back in the day?). With this amount of money converted to dollars, it would be easier for these men to hide it under different, unsuspecting accounts. Was this method included in the PMA curriculum? I don’t think so.

Fucked Up Tradition

Robusa also told the Senate that the distribution of this huge amounts was a tradition at the Armed Forces. “It was there when we got there. We inherited it from thise who came before us”, he said.

Stupid traditions are stupid. While the rest of the Filipinos are succumbed in poverty, without food, without basic services from the government, here are our men with balls and guns, maintaining this ancient tradition. I am now wondering if they also have this kind of tradition at the PMA where the lower class men would give something to their graduating comrades at the academy. What do you think?

Selective Amnesia

Government officials and famous personalities, even ordinary people, are often diagnosed with this sickness when interrogated. Or was the deed too evil that they resorted to burying them on the subconscious part of their brain?

Yesterday’s hearing was full of “I don’t knows” and “I don’t remembers”.

“I can’t remember” - Former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of Staff Angelo Reyes’s response whether he received a 50 million-peso pabaon or not.

“I cannot recall going there every month. We go there occasionally..”  - Former Military Comptroller Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot said that he cannot remember whether he accompanied Rabusa to deliver a 50-million pabaon or not.

I have a suggestion. The next time Star cinema will produce a movie as a sequel to My Amnesia Girl - My Amnesia Men would be the title perhaps - these men would fit perfectly for the role. Hindi na kailangan mag-audition at workshop. Lead stars na kaagad.

__________________

These men, these trusted men, who took an oath to serve and protect the people and the country, are the ones who are causing another shame for the Military. And they are not just ordinary men, they are the big boss, the ones with estrella on their shoulders, the men on top of the military hierarchy.

If this corruption can be done on top, I will no longer be surprised if this evil act is also done by the Colonels, Majors, Captains, Lieutenants, and Sergeants.

This is the Game of the Generals. And in a game, the high ranking officials kill those who have lower ranks than them. In this case, the high-ranking officials deprive the ordinary soldiers on what is due to them.

This is the Game of the Generals. If only we have spies to kill these generals just like in the famous board game invented by a Filipino.

Let’s fix this mess before our flag is captured.

Photo and news source: Philippine Daily Inquirer. Click the photo to read the whole news on their Webpage.

Source: juanrepublic

28 January 72 Permalink