Brace for more explosions

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
11/5/2007



Binay says PNP conditioning minds on gas theory. I’m glad there are more critical minds asserting themselves on the Glorietta II blast. The usual Gloria leaning headline of the Inquirer reported that the “Palace backs gas theory”. What a gas, i.e. hilarious, funny, rollicking silly. Of course, the Palace backs Razon’s diesel-methane fart; that’s where the whole song-and-dance with the multi-national experts taking swabs from wrong places was supposed to take it! The U.P. chemistry and engineering professors aren’t changing their views either, because there just isn’t a scientific basis for the gas blast conclusion. Just find the source of the RDX taken from the seat of the blast, stupid!

Although enthusiastic with our debunking of the gas blast theory one of our op-ed colleagues believing that the U.S. is already anti-Gloria, was puzzled by the apparent complicity of the American experts. I have never believed that the U.S. is already aggressively booting Gloria out; but they are intimidating, bullying, menacing to keep her in line– and she invariably gives in. The U.S. didn’t decide to move against Marcos until the very last hours, until military and civilian protests climax; until such time they play all sides. In the Glorietta blast, the foreign elements are just playing along with the PNP so even Binay is not taking them that seriously.

The week coming up is going to be a huge explosion like the 9/11 World Trade Center spectacular, but for Gloria’s edifice of power the blast won’t be like the unmistakable controlled demolition at WTC. For Gloria it will be a massive artillery barrage as the Lower House and the Senate opposition and independent blocks open fire on the issues ranging from the Joe de Venecia ouster, to the ZTE-NBN and the Malacañang payola scandals, and further on to the Senator Trillanes revelations on the Glorietta II bombing leading to the implication of Gloria’s National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and COS Gen. Hermogenes Esperon.

Outside the legislature blasts will come from the public beleaguered by the oil price hikes dragging up with the transport fares, cooking gas, electricity and water charges due to the exchange rate adjustments, and certainly groceries and other basic necessities. Gloria says oil prices are out of her control. Only fools would accept that; but not everyone will be able to act in protest, such as the transport groups which are threatening to go on protest actions, but the fire in the bellies and hearts of the people will burn even more intensely eager to burst out in flames. The “ber months” atmosphere bringing yuletide sanguinity may dampen the intense heat a bit, postponing the outburst to later dates.

The Philippine Constitution “implores the aid of the Almighty to build a just and humane society” but Gloria’s government is allowing oil prices to rise even when the increase is purely based on speculative manipulation of the market, and causing and aggravating so much poverty and human misery in this society. In the name of “deregulation” and “liberalization” Gloria has surrendered the welfare of the people. Unlike governments of Thailand or Chile that have maintained respective Oil Price Stabilization Funds (OPSF) to cushion the impact of manipulated price spikes and other countries which have established strategic oil stockpiles to tide over inordinate and irrational peak price periods.

Fuel prices nearing $ 100/bbl today are clearly manipulated. Even OPEC president, Mohammed Dhaen al-Hamli, says the oil market is “out of control” and explained in a London conference on Nov. 1 that “record oil prices are the result of speculative investment and international political tension. It’s really the crude oil traders on the floor of the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange) playing it while financial sharks like Goldman Sachs advised investors to “take profits”. We are at the mercy of gamblers who can not lose because all the increasing costs are borne by the shoulders of the end consumers. Who’s to protect us from these giant sharks if not a government that’s supposed to serve its citizens?

Aside from OPSF, this country should expand fuel inventory from 51 days to double or triple that to tide over periods of manipulated oil price increases that use as pretexts weather or war induced shortage fears which last an average of three months. Squeezing the oil companies is another measure, to compel them to reduce their profits instead of vice versa – compelling the people to reduce productivity and waistlines through economic slowdown and hunger (not Gloria’s dieting suggestion). Instead of squeezing oil interests, Gloria and Gary Teves are considering squeezing government revenues by reducing duties when the public coffers are already drier than beach fronts at low tide.

While the hardships of the people mount, their hopes are being revived by President Joseph E. Estrada who’s now free and roaming the sea of the masses. That explosive potential for true people power showed itself again last Saturday when Erap and Loi visited Tondo, Manila on their medical mercy mission to the slums with the cooperation of Mayor Alfredo Lim. Everybody was talking about the great mass of people that went to receive Erap that morning. Next stop Payatas. That’s how to tap and channel the great geothermal potential of the people! On with the organizing, mga Kabansa! Prepare for the final blast.

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