What Erap rerun would beget

GOTCHA, Published in The Philippine Star, Friday, January 4, 2008

That’s what’s wrong with pardoning an unrepentant convict. Let loose, he upsets society. Example is plunderer Joseph Estrada’s release barely three weeks after sentencing. Apart from sending the wrong message that crime pays, Erap has been flouting judicial rule. First, he went around denigrating the guilty verdict. Then, refusing to surrender P3.2 billion ill-gotten wealth, he threatened bloodshed if the court confiscates his many houses. Taunting the very pardon that withheld his civil rights, he voted in October’s barangay election. Now claiming that since he can vote hence he can be voted upon, he is declaring a rerun for President in 2010, scoffing at a constitutional ban.

In a strong Republic, such a menace would be clapped back in prison for parole violation. Not in this administration that so fears Erap it freed him posthaste to appease his fans. All Gloria Arroyo’s aides can do in the face of mockery of law is whimper that the conditional pardon did not restore his right to suffrage. They have kept mum about the parolee’s refusal to abide by the court order to return his payolas from jueteng.

Other presidential pals have been reduced to gently cautioning Erap against rerunning. Arroyo’s poll lawyer Romulo Macalintal said that if Erap insists, then he must know the consequences. One is that his campaign might be hobbled by a case in the Supreme Court. Another is a rush of fair-weather friends to be running mate, so that if he wins but later is declared ineligible, the partner will get to sit as President. Administration Sen. Dick Gordon can only dare Erap to run if only to find out if voters will go for a judged grafter. Not one of Arroyo’s allies has taken legal action to recommit Erap to jail. The administration is shown to be a weakling. Why, it can’t even return rapist Romeo Jalosjos to the national penitentiary in Manila from Zamboanga where he fled.

Erap’s early, hasty pardon teaches that theft of big amounts can buy freedom. Opening the legal system to ridicule, it can encourage lawbreakers to demand the same VIP treatment accorded him. This early we can see murderers like Rolito Go seeking relief although they have not shown remorse by at least recompensing their victims’ families. Arroyo’s aides and allies cannot do anything because under the gun. Any move against Erap or other convicts would only highlight the transactional Presidency.

Polemicists have begun to argue the folly of Erap’s release. If the court fails to recover the P3.2 billion, they say, the ex-con can use it for a creditable campaign. More than that, if Erap can run, so could other past Presidents Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos. So may Arroyo, if she exploits the same loophole Erap does and, say, resigns one day before her term ends. With the administration’s knack for pushing things to extremes, like false impeachment raps by paid complainants, that just may happen.

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Two contradictory reactions met my piece on state neglect of inventors (“There’s no kickback from science, that’s why”, 31 Dec, 2007).

From geologist Manuel Diaz: “Our science bureaucracy is overloaded with do-nothing PhDs. Instead of dismissing outright the water-fuelled car invention of Daniel Dingle, those eggheads could have browsed the US patent office for similar creations. Dingle might just have improved on a German invention that had long been assigned to Caterpillar. The company is testing the water-fuel mix on its huge dump trucks in Nevada and the Alberta sand mines.”

From Manny Lim: “It should be worth looking deeper into Honda’s interest in Dingle’s water fuel. After reading and hearing about it, I had my first chance to observe a demonstration three years ago at the PCCI Business Conference exhibit at the Manila Hotel. I left the demonstrator my business card (member of the Philippine Council of Industry and Energy Research and Development), with a suggestion that he communicate with PCIERD. I even followed up with them; nothing happened. I understand that recently DOST Undersecretary Graciano Yumol was again in touch with Dingle, but failed to set an appointment. Makes we wonder about Dingle.

“On grain dryers: four years ago PCIERD awarded the inventor of a gasifier model. I visited Mr. Alkuino’s Jireh Enterprises in Bukidnon and promoted his invention that was already in the Mindanao market. My experience with this and other types of dryers, and of post-harvest facilities in general, has been frustrating due to lack of credit support, not research support.

“On Isidro Ursua’s invention to harness energy from waves: It never came up in the PCIERD meetings I have attended since 1992. This doesn’t mean that it was never presented to the Secretariat. Recently we approved a research project related to harnessing tidal energy.

“I find the DOST one of the best performing and straight shooting executive departments in this administration. My experience goes back to its days as NIST under Dr. Juan Salcedo. I worked with other agencies not only as Sec. Bong Tanco’s deputy minister of agriculture but in many other positions of responsibility, public and private, more than 40 years.”

Minaliit ang Bisaya

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Friday, January 4, 2008

GALIT si Sen. Aquilino Pimentel sa eksena sa pelikulang “Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo” na para sa kanya’y nagmamaliit sa mga Bisaya. Sa film sinasabon ng amo ang yaya dahil tinuturuang mag-Bisaya ang bata imbis na Tagalog na umano’y Pinoy. Sagot ng mga gumawa ng pelikula, ipina­kikita nga nila ang makitid na pananaw nang maraming puristang Tagalista na ang wikang Filipino ay Tagalog lang at hindi Bisaya o iba pang mga wika sa Pilipinas. Mali ngang ituring ang Filipino na puro Tagalog at walang halaw mula sa ibang kultura. Pero marami pa ring nasaktan na Bisaya, giit ni Pimentel.

Sobra lang kayang sensitibo sina Pimentel? Mainis din kaya sila sa kuwentong ito?

Nagre-recruit daw si Bill Gates ng papalit sa kanya na chairman ng Microsoft. Limang libong aplikante ang dumating. Isa sa kanila si Mario Depakakibo. Inanunsiyo ni Gates na lahat ng hindi marunong mag-Java ay maaari nang umuwi. Dalawang libo ang umalis. Ani Mario sa sarili, “hindi nga ako marunong mag-Java, pero wala namang mawawala kung manatili ako dito, kaya bahala na.” Inanunsiyo naman ni Gates na lahat ng walang karanasan sa pagma-manage ay maaari na ring umuwi, at 2,000 pa muli ang umalis. Naisip uli ni Mario na wala nga siyang management experience, pero wala naman mawawala kung mag-stay pa siya, kaya hala bira. Sinabi naman ni Gates na lahat ng walang PhD ay umalis na; 500 ang luma­ bas. Isip muli si Mario: “High school nga lang ako, pero walang mawawala kung manatili ako, kaya sige.” Sina­ bihan ni Gates ang mga natitirang aplikante na lahat ng hindi marunong magsalita ng katutubong Ainu sa Japan ay umalis na; 498 ang nagsilisan. Sabi na naman ni Mario sa sarili, “Ngayon ko lang narinig ‘yang wikang Ainu, pero ano’ng mawawala kung makipag-matigasan ako?” Napan­sin niya na bukod sa kanya ay iisa na lang ang aplikante. Lahat nu’ng iba’y umalis na. Nilapitan sila ni Gates na nagsa­bing, “Aba’y dalawa lang pala kayo na marunong mag-Ainu, kaya sige nga, mag-usap nga kayo sa wikang ‘yan.” Dahan-dahang lumingon si Mario sa kasamang aplikante at nagtanong: “Unsa ma na, dong?” Sagot nu’ng isa, “Ambot, bay.”

Taga-Negros ang umakda ng kuwentong ‘yan, kaya bida ang Bisaya!

Inventing provisos to permit Erap rerun

GOTCHA, Published in The Philippine Star, , Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Joseph Estrada is really pushing it. Not only is he insisting he can run again for President in 2010, but even has an exit scenario that would enable his successor to serve beyond six years. None of it gives due respect for the constitutional ban on presidential reelection.

Erap’s plan, announced by spokesman Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, is to seek a new mandate in the next presidential election. Never mind that the Charter states in Article VII, Sec. 4 that “the President shall not be eligible for reelection.” What matters is his aim to serve only half the term, or three years. That’s so he can sit out the interrupted portion of a 1998-2004 tenure, when he was ousted in 2000. His victorious running mate — either of oppositionists Manny Villar, Mar Roxas, Ping Lacson or Loren Legarda — would then serve the last three years. This would give the successor superb chances to win a full six-year term thereafter.

Rodriguez banks on his being a former law dean in insisting on the scenario’s doubtful legality. Erap, he says, is only following the route of Gloria Arroyo to a nine-year term, first from 2001 to 2004, then from 2004 to 2010. But he does not explain the constitutional processes that made it possible, and why Erap’s plan shamelessly exploits a loophole.

Then-Vice President Arroyo had succeeded Erap in 2001 under a clear Charter provision. Art. VII, Sec. 8 states: “In case of death, permanent disability, removal from office or resignation of the President, the Vice President shall become the President to serve the unexpired term.” As the Supreme Court ruled, Erap had abdicated on Jan. 21, 2001 and so paved the way for the constitutional succession. Arroyo ascended to finish the rest of Erap’s term. But then another Charter provision came into play. Sec. 4 adds: “No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time.” Arroyo inherited only three-and-a-half years of Erap’s term. That enabled her to run in 2004 for a full term, although the victory is clouded by doubt raised by the Hello Garci tapes and other frauds.

Rodriguez claims that a President who does not finish his term, like Erap, can run again. “The keyword here is ‘reelection’, which is to bar an incumbent official,” he points to Sec. 4. “The idea is to keep a sitting official from using the resources of his office to seek another term.”

Well, if that is so — to stop a sitting President from using vast powers and resources to win — then why is Erap pushing his shady scenario? Why go against what he knows to be the intent of the Constitution after all? Has he not learned enough from recent history? Is he content that there is yet no closure to that P780-million fertilizer scam during the 2004 election because Arroyo had thwarted congressional inquiries?

Perhaps it’s asking too much of Erap to take stock of what ruins the country. Not only did his patronage politics mar the government, he also benefited from the same brand of politics of his successor. As the anti-graft court concluded in convicting him for plunder in September, Erap raided the coffers of the SSS and GSIS employee pension funds and took payolas from vice lords. He was never punished. Luxuriating in a hospital suite or his private rest house while on trial, he never spent a day in jail for the no-bail heinous crime. When convicted, he never went to prison, because pardoned within three weeks by Arroyo who was aiming to placate his supporters. Pampering does not make a person rethink his evil ways, but eggs him onto viler pursuits.

To this day Erap has yet to fulfill the court order to return P3.2 billion proven to have been stashed for a time in an alias bank account. Yet he is already planning a rerun, as if so sure that the court will never be able to enforce its verdict. He would need billions of pesos for a presidential run. Is that why he continues to keep the loot?

The release granted Erap by Arroyo bars him from running again, Malacañang says. And yet he insists it is an absolute pardon, therefore all his civil rights were restored, which is why he was able to vote in the last barangay election. He is correct in saying that if he can vote, then he can also be voted upon, but what if someone proves he broke the pardon condition by voting in Oct. in the first place? The release could be revoked; he might be committed to prison, barring him from teaching voters to look for loopholes in the law.

Then again, will the admin do that, when it is itself busy looking for loopholes to push various shady deals?

Araw-araw Bagong Taon

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Tuesday, January 1, 2008

ANG Bagong Taon ay kaarawan ng bawat tao, ani Charles Lamb. Natatangi ang araw kung kelan maari tayong magsimulang magbago. Pagkakataon ‘yon para alisin ang bisyo at asikasuhin ang tama.

Pero hindi kailangan sa Enero 1 lang ipagdiwang ang Bagong Taon. Tinakda lang ni Julius Caesar ang unang araw sa Julian calendar bilang panimula ng trabaho ng mga pinunong Romano. Iba ang opisyal na Bagong Taon sa mga ibang rehiyon at relihiyon.

Kung nakaligtaan mo maglista ngayon ng New Year’s resolutions, hindi pa huli ang lahat. Maari pa humabol sa kahit ano pang ibang Bagong Taon sa mga sumusunod na petsa: Druid, Jan. 8; old Scottish, Jan. 11; Hebrew, Feb. 7; Chinese, Feb. 18; Tibetan, Feb. 26; Sikh, Mar. 14; Persian, Mar. 21; Indian, Mar. 22; Celtic, Mar. 25; Siamese, Apr. 1; Nepali, Apr. 14; Parsi, Apr. 23; Babylonian, Apr. 24; Buddhist, May 26; ancient Greek, June 21; Runic, June 29; Armenian, July 6; Zoroastrian, Aug. 23; Alexandrine, Aug. 30; Russian Orthodox, Sept. 1; Ethiopian, Sept. 11; Coptic, Sept. 12; Byzantine, Sept. 14; Jewish, Sept. 16; ancient Egyptian, Sept. 23; Moroccan, Oct. 3; Samhain, Oct. 31; Hindu, Nov. 12; Jain, Nov. 13; Sikkimese, Dec. 12; Papal States, Dec. 25.

Malay mo, may Bagong Taon pala kahit sa anong 365 araw ng taon. Maari ngang imbis na tradisyon ang sundin ay maging moderno. Gayahin halimbawa ang fiscal year ng Dell Computers: Feb. 1. Nu’n din dinidiwang ang Retailers’ New Year, observed by Wal-Mart, J.C. Penny, Target, Home Depot, Toys R Us, Gap, Kmart, Lowe’s, Staples, at ang Canadian aviation firm na Bombadier. ‘Yung mga mahi­ lig sa Japanese technology, maaring sumabay sa Aeon na nagsisimula ng taon sa Mar. 1. Ang fiscal year ng Cisco Systems ay Aug. 1; Costco, Sept. 1; Disney’s at Siemens, Oct. 1.

Ang importante at itakda ang pinaka-mabisang araw para simulang baguhin ang sarili. Problema nga lang, anang surveys, 55% lang sa atin ang sumusunod sa New Year’s resolutions nang isang buwan, at 40% lang hanggang anim na buwan. Alam na natin kung ano ang ginagawa ng nalalabing 5%. Sila ‘yung karakarakang bumabalik sa masasamang bisyo.